My heart is finally starting to heal

Please believe me when i say its not your fault

El was startled awake by a loud ringing that echoed off the cement walls of the room. She was laying on the hard ground, in the same clothes she was wearing earlier. The room was empty and dark. The only source of light was the small amount that shined from underneath the door.

This place was not familiar to her. She could hear footsteps walk down the hallway past her door, and voices. Voices she couldn't understand, but didn't know why. El moved over to the door to peak under. Her hands and face against the cold floor.

She quickly jumped up when she saw someone approach her door. They stuck their keys in the lock and opened it. A tall older man stepped in.
"Eleven?" His voice was familiar. She realized who the man standing in front of her was. "Papa"
He grinned, stepping closer. "Welcome home" he said, crouching down to her level.

"Where's my mom!?" El barked. He shook his head. "I don't think you should be worried about a woman who only took you in out of pity" he spat. "What are you talking about? She was my mom before then!" She urged. Brenner let out a low chuckle. "She was going to leave you. Mother's don't leave their daughters. You think she wouldn't have moved if your old chief hadn't been taken!?"

El didn't believe anything he was saying. She wouldn't. "She's been through a lot" he continued. "More than any human should go through. I can't imagine the trauma one would have" he clicked his tongue. "What are you gonna do to her?" Brenner let out another chuckle. "Take it away" he stated as if it were obvious. "You can't kill her" she said, glaring up at him. "No. I have a better method. One that I've used for many decades" El understood what he meant and tried to follow him out the door.

She threw her fists against the door, screaming as tears ran down her face. "DON'T TAKE MY MOM!" She cried out.

Hopper stormed into the building with nothing but himself and his gun. "I need a key to room number 11" he told the security guard. "But sir-" Jim flashed his badge and the guy handed him the key. He headed to the elevator, ignoring everyone talking to him. Nothing else in his life mattered. He flashed his badge and kept walking anytime he was questioned. He searched for her room as he walked down the hallway.

Hopper stopped in front of her door. "11". He took a deep breath and unlocked the door, revealing a crying El. The girl jumped into his arms. "They're gonna hurt mom" she cried. "Where is she?" He tried to stay calm. "The same room my other mama was in"

They walked down the hallway side by side, trying to be as quiet as possible. "There" El pointed to the door at the end of the hallway. "Alright. C'mon kid" He opened the door to a room that looked like a hospital room. El immediately ran to Joyce's side. "We have to leave now. He's gonna hurt you like they did my other mama" El told her.

The three walked together down the stairs, hoppers arm around Joyce. The back exit wasn't too far away. He could see it. They were so close. A security guard stopped them, calling for back up. Hopper pulled out his gun and aimed it at the officer. "Move out of the way" he stated in a low voice. The guy who was a lot smaller than Jim, stepped aside.

They bolted to the car. Hopper threw the key to Els room out the window and sped off. Joyce brought her knees to her chest and rested her head against the window. The drive home was quiet. When they pulled into the driveway, Hopper opened both car doors for them. He helped Joyce into the house, not letting go of her as they made their way upstairs. Getting kidnapped was barely weighing on her mind. Surprisingly enough. It didn't compare to the things she's experienced in the past.

So she went back to the same problems she had before. She couldn't hold back the tears as she fell into Hoppers arms. "I'm sorry, baby" he pleaded, holding her to his chest. Joyce shook her head. "It's not your fault" he kissed her hair. "I shouldn't have left you in the first place" it was nobody's fault. She was broken. "It's not that. It's everything before that. The hormones, the stress, the things that were said." He just listened. "Talk to me about everything"

she inhaled a shaky breath. "I just feel like a terrible mother. El was with me when we were taken. I could've given Jonathan a better life, with a better childhood, with a present father, with a better mother..... But when I held him for the first time I never wanted to let go. I've always been broken. Since I was a teen. And when he told me he loved me, it made everything better. Lonnie was only around the first like ten years of his life. He made those ten years hell. So I divorced him. And everybody told me that I was being selfish and I would regret it. But they had no idea what happened behind closed doors. They didn't know what it was like to be afraid of your own husband, or to be used as a punching bag for when he's angry. So Hopper, please believe me when I tell you none of this is your fault."

Should Joyce tell Hopper about what Jonathan said????