YOU BELONG WITH ME, steve harrington.

016.

NOVEMBER 13TH, 1983
📍hawkins hospital
18:37 PM

"i bought you some m&m's and reeces' cups," her father said, reentering the hospital room. he noticed the nurse taking josie's temperature. "she's okay to eat chocolate, right?"

"well, i'm not supposed to encourage it," she started. "but after being attacked by a bear, i think josie deserves it."

hopper smiled, throwing the chocolate bar onto the bed beside his daughter.

they'd told the doctors that josie, along with jonathan, nancy and steve, were in the woods when a bear attacked. it was a lot easier for them to explain that than the idea of the upside down and demogorgon.

"okay.." nurse evans said, marking down josie's temperature on her clipboard. "i am going to take these results to doctor gomez, and we'll discuss whether you can go home tonight, okay? hold tight, i'll be back shortly.."

with that, the nurse left the room, leaving the father and daughter alone.

"do you think i'll have to stay off work to look after you?" the chief asked.

"maybe," josie replied, opening her m&m's. "i'm sure i'll manage without you."

"either way, at least i have an excuse to not go to work," he shrugged.

josie offered him one of her candies. "yeah, and i have an excuse to not go to school."

"i thought you liked school?" her dad asked in a teasing tone. "it's the only way you get to see your beloved steve."

"oh my god, shut up!" josie groaned, pulling a pillow out from behind her head and using it to cover her face. "i am injured. you cannot bully an injured person, okay? it's morally wrong. you're supposed to care for the sick."

hopper chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "it's not my fault you're injured. you put yourself in this position."

"i know i did," she replied, taking the pillow off her face. "still doesn't give you the right to make fun of me."

"okay, okay, i'll stop," hopper sighed.

there was silence for a moment, before josie asked, "can we watch grease when we get home?"

"absolutely not," the man answered.

"why not?" josie exclaimed.

"because, j, it's a terrible movie!" he argued. "and you watch it at least twice a week!"

"i watch it twice a week because it's a great movie, not a terrible one!" josie stated. she realized her dad wouldn't budge, and sighed dramatically, crossing her arms over her chest. "fine. i guess i'll just have to suffer. in silence.."

"josie.."

"my thoughts just.. occupied by the events of last night. replaying the trauma over and over again.."

"josie hopper, stop it.."

"putting me in even more pain than i'm already in. making me feel worse and worse.."

"fine!" hopper stated loudly, finally giving in. "fine. we'll watch grease. just stop whining."

josie smiled at her success, as the nurse reentered the room with the doctor at her side.

"i hear someone's eager to go home," the doctor commented.

"you can say that again," josie replied. "so, can i?"

"there's a lot you're going to have to do to take care of your wound and stitches, but yes, you can go home," doctor gomez said, making the girl and her father sigh in relief. "but you are going to have to come in every few days to have nurse evans check your stitches, okay?"