Stay With Me ꩜ steve harrington

Chapter Four: The Woods

Chapter Four: The Woods

Chapter Song: Stranger Things by Kyle Dixon

꩜꩜꩜

Jim Hopper was sick of Danielle Henderson's shit.

And that was the nice way of putting it.

The girl acted out too many times for Hopper to care, yet that was, unfortunately, his job. The two had crossed paths shortly after she moved to Hawkins in 1980. The Henderson girl decided to dabble in being a stubborn teenager (or as Claudia Henderson called it, her life of crime and rebellion). It started with skipping school, sneaking out, then picking up a nasty habit of believing anything and everything had a five finger discount. It was the night Danielle came home high as a kite that her mom had truly had it. Claudia had cried and sobbed how Danielle was turning into yet another horrible influence on her son (hey, who else was supposed to teach Dustin his colorful language?). Hopper had been called—yet again—and finally threatened to throw the girl in juvie since she felt the need to act like a punk. Did he care that her rebellion was making Claudia an emotional train wreck? Hell no. Danielle was a stupid kid from a broken family, uprooted from her hometown and forced smack dab in the middle of No Where, Indiana. Hopper wasn't surprised by her acting out as a desperate cry for attention. But all Hopper wanted was to go a week without seeing Danielle Henderson's face.

And his wish was granted for much longer than that. Until she showed up in his office unannounced.

"No." Danielle firmly stated. "There's no way. There's no way you're believing this bullshit!" She pointed to the almost bare file sitting upon the hundreds of random papers spread out across the desk.

"Language." Hopper groaned as he shrugged on his leather jacket.

"No!" Danielle cried again, an overwhelming feeling of hopelessness squeezing tight in her chest. She ran a hand over her face, visibly frustrated. "Why don't you believe me?"

"I didn't say I don't believe you. I said we're handling it."

"Handling it? There's not so much as a single missing persons sign out there for her, Hopper."

"Then why don't you go make some." He snatched his car keys from the desk. "Shouldn't you be in school?"

"Shouldn't you be doing your job?" Hopper bit his tongue, holding himself back from going on a rant. "Hop-" Hopper exaggerated a sigh.

"Did you skip again? Jesus Christ, Danielle. You realize the kind of call I'm going to get from your mom about this, right? I'm not playing this game, I have more important shit to deal with here."

"Like wherever you're going now?" She eyed the car keys in his hand.

"Kid, go home. I've got my guys on it."

"And they think she up and left." Danielle explained, inching closer to his desk. "She wouldn't do that. Chief, she told me she'd see me in the morning. Something is wrong." Danielle insisted.

"You of all people know how teenagers are. They do stupid things without thinking. Ya know? Maybe got overwhelmed and book a bus to the city." Hopper mumbled. It was obvious his mind was elsewhere.

"Bus to the city? Why..?" Danielle questioned. Hopper silently cursed under his breath, realizing he should have shut his mouth before he started.

"State troopers found her car at the bus station."

"But that makes no sense. Why would she go to the bus station?" Hopper didn't answer Danielle's question as he reached to grab his hat. "Hopper! She wouldn't do that! Please! Believe me."