Over the years nightmares have been a frequent friend in the Hopper house. Chills and a scream lodged in the back of her throat is the only way that Christine Hopper knows how to wake up. Her father tries hard to believe his daughter has a handle on...
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Robbie pulls his vehicle into the woods, listening to the sound of branches and leaves getting crushed underneath the weight of the tires. The sun shines through the hibernating forest. Robbie cuts the engine and listens for anything suspicious. He turns to Eleven; she's devouring the thawing Eggo waffles, but she stares at the frost on the box in confusion.
"Not that good without a toaster, huh?" says Robbie, reading her expressions.
El peers at him. Robbie glances out at the trees. He parked in the woods in hopes that no one tried to follow them. Whether it's the police or the bad men everyone's talking about, Robbie rather not deal with them.
"Look, El, you can't just go off on your own like that. We were worried about you," he informs.
"Worried?"
Robbie frowns to himself. He rubs his face, clearing his throat. "Sons of bitches really did a number on you, huh?" he mumbles to himself. "It means we got sad when you left. We thought the bad men got you."
El's brown eyes grow dark at the mention of those people. She reaches for Robbie's hand. The teenage boy is startled by this. He hesitates, feeling her small hand is his own. She's cold. Robbie sighs, "We won't let them get to you, El. Okay?"
Eleven nods once. "Okay."
Robbie smiles. "Now, let's get you warmed up. I know this place by the quarries. A spot that no one knows about. I can make a campfire. You can have a proper Eggo waffle, too."
El returns Robbie's smile tentatively. "Safe?" she asks.
Robbie starts the car, pulling away from the forest. He nods. "I'll keep you safe, E."
Jonathan sits in a holding room, his left hand cuffed to the chair he's sitting in. The door to the room opens and he glances up darkly. His surprise doesn't show on his face, but it does in his eyes. Jonathan stares down at the bruises on Chris's knees.
"Why am I in here if Tommy Hall did that to you? The Chief's daughter?" he scoffs. Jonathan looks away from Chris.
"I'm not just the Chief's daughter. You of all people understood that, I thought." Chris sits down in the chair across from him. She frowns sadly.
Jonathan shrugs. "I guess I must've forgot while Steve Harrington was trying to punch me."
Jonathan leans back in his chair, folding his arms as best as he can. His right hand covers his left one awkwardly. "Just get away from me, Chris."
"Jonathan," she tries. Chris watches him carefully. She knows he's upset and angry. So much has happened in a week and it feels like they're all in a different place now.
"Save your breath. I don't need to hear your defence for Steve Harrington." Jonathan's brown eyes are locked on hers. He refuses to look away. Normally, it's the other way around.
"I'm not defending him. Why do you think I'm defending him?"
"You've been hanging with him—"
Chris rises to her feet, staring at Jonathan with a irked look. "Oh, don't give me that shit, Jonathan. You've been running around the woods with Nancy all week. And Ronda. If you're mad at me because I'm not doing this with you, then just tell me. Don't go punching people and getting yourself arrested."
"I didn't punch him first, Chris." Jonathan slaps his hand on the table. "And I'm trying to find Will and Barb!" He glares up at her. "Which is more than I can say for you!" he snaps.
Chris tightens her jaw, narrowing her green eyes. She stares at Jonathan passively, knowing that she shouldn't get mad at him. However, he has no idea how close she's gotten to bringing Will back home. Killing the Demogorgon won't bring Will back, but it'll help him. Jonathan can tell there's an explosion waiting to happen, but he doesn't care that he crossed a line. The room is tense and quiet.
Chris folds her arms, "You have no idea what's been going on, Jonathan." Chris scoffs slightly, her voice steady and not loud. "You think this is all about some monster in the woods? You have no fucking idea," she repeats. "No idea. Why don't you ask your mother what I've been doing to find Will while you and Nancy were sleeping in the same bed." Chris heads toward the door, watching as Jonathan's face turns red with embarrassment and pain. Chris glances back at him. "Better yet, why don't you ask Nancy how she got out of that tree alive."
Joyce leans forward in the front seat, shaking her head to herself. After their encounter with Terry Ives, seeing her in that state shakes Joyce to the core. Ronda places a hand on Joyce's shoulder from the back seat.
Hopper glances at her. "Hey."
"What?" she wonders softly, looking away from her hands.
"We're gonna find him."
"Yeah, like Terry found her daughter?"
Hopper closes his eyes, knowing that Joyce will look at it like it's a bad thing. She's losing hope. "We're close."
Joyce shakes her head again. Her voice is high and emotional. She takes a trembling breath, trying not to cry. "Twelve years? Twelve years she's been looking for her—"
"And then she shows up at Benny's five nights ago, which means we've got a chance." Hopper sighs. "You know what I would give? For a chance? You know what I would give?"
Joyce and Ronda mirror hopeless looks at Hopper's stern expression. His eyes have clouded over at the thought of having a chance with his youngest daughter again.
The radio sparks to life, and Callahan's voice comes through. "Hey, Chief, you there? Hey, Chief?"
Hopper sighs heavily to himself. He picks up the dispatch. "Yeah, go ahead."
"Yeah, a fight broke out here and—"
"Cal, I don't have time for this."
"It's Jonathan Byers," Callahan replies, exasperated. "You haven't seen Joyce, have you?"
• • •
Cute little Robbie and El moment. Safe to say Jonathan and Chris won't be close anymore... at least not for a long while. • Kate
