Love Like That

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve: The Bathtub pt. 1
Third Person POV
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Joyce and Hopper walked into the police station on a mission to find their children plus Nancy. "Hey, Jonathan? Jesus, what.. what happened?" Natalie's eyes widen in fear as she stood up, making eye contact with an unhappy Hopper.

"Ma'am," Callahan started as he stood up, coming behind Jonathan and Nancy.

"I'm fine," Jonathan replied to his mother as Hopper gestured for his Goddaughter to come and stand by his side.

"Why is he wearing handcuffs?"

"Well, your boy assaulted a police office, that's why."

"It was a love tap," Natalie rolled her eyes in annoyance as Hopper smacked her shoulder.

"Zip it," Hopper ordered as he wanted to hear what happened exactly.

"Take them off."

"I am afraid I cannot do that," Callahan informed Joyce.

"Take them off!"

"You heard her, take 'em off," Hopper instructed Callahan.

"Chief, I get everyone's emotional here, but there's something you need to see," Powell informed the chief.

"Sit and don't even think about moving," Hopper told his Goddaughter before following Powell and Callahan outside. Natalie let out a huff and sat back down in her original seat as Joyce came over to their side, standing behind her son worried. Hopper came back in a few minutes later with a tan box full of some of their traps and lighter fluid.

"What is this?" Joyce questioned confused as she dug through the box.

"Why don't you ask your son? We found it in his car," Hopper replied to Joyce as he stared down Jonathan.

"What?"

"Why are you going through my car?" Jonathan snipped at Hopper and the police, ignoring his mother.

"Is that really the question you should be asking right now?" Hopper snapped back, leaning closer to him. "I wanna see you in my office."

"You won't believe me."

"Why don't you give me a try?" Hopper stated softly.

Joyce and Hopper guided the three teenagers into Hopper's office, closing the door behind them. Jonathan handed his mother the photo they enlarged of the creature, letting them look at it.

"You say blood draws this thing?"

"We don't know," Jonathan replied to Hopper.

"Just a theory, since Barb cut herself and then went missing," Natalie added.

"And Mac... he got a small cut you said right?" Natalie let in a sharp deep breath before nodding her head slowly. "What was that m? Can we have the room?" Hopper asked the group as he noticed Natalie's body language.

Joyce took Jonathan outside as Nancy waited further down the hallway for everyone to group back together. "Kid, what else aren't you telling us?"

Natalie bit her lip as Hopper came to her side, wrapping his arm around her, rubbing his hand in a circular motion on her shoulder. "You only have to worry about Barb and Will now..."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hopper asked confused. Natalie didn't answer him. Instead, she laid her head on his shoulder, crying softly on to it. "Natalie... I'm so sorry."

"You're not sorry," Natalie pushed her head away from Hopper and glared at him. "You hated him. Never saw any good in him."

"I liked him, Nat," Hopper breathed out. "No one is going to be perfect enough for my da- Goddaughter, so I'm going to hate every guy you like."