Time After Time (a Stranger Things fanfiction)

Leavin' on a Jet Plane

"Leavin' on a Jet Plane"

All my bags are packed

I'm ready to go

I'm standin' here outside your door

Hate to wake you up to say goodbye

- Peter, Paul and Mary

Joyce and Murray's flight was early in the morning. Earlier than her sleepyhead teenagers usually got up on a morning with no school, but Joyce was not about to leave without checking in with each one of them.

She started with El's room, not surprised to see that El was already awake and sitting up in bed. Joyce sat down on the edge. "Hey. You all right?"

El nodded, but Joyce could see something was wrong.

"Is it school? Or something to do with Mike? Or—" Well, it was always Hopper, but Joyce didn't want to bring him up for fear that she let slip where she was going, and why.

She watched as El tried to put her thoughts into words and couldn't quite manage it.

Putting a hand on El's shoulder, Joyce said gently, "Hey. You know you can talk to me, right? About anything."

"I know."

"Okay." Joyce hesitated, giving El time, but she didn't say anything more. "I have to go. I want you to have a great time with Mike." She smiled, squeezing El's shoulder. "I want you to keep the door open three inches." She was surprised to see no answering smile, and she wished suddenly that she didn't have to leave. Only reminding herself that El needed her dad convinced her to let whatever this was go. "And I want you to know that I'm coming back real soon, okay?"

El nodded. "Okay."

When Joyce hugged her, she clung tightly. Reluctantly, Joyce let go and went to check on the two boys in Will's room.

Will slipped out when she knocked. Apparently Mike was still asleep.

"Hey," Joyce said softly. "How are things going? Is it great to have Mike here?"

"Yeah. It's great." Will smiled, but it was a forced smile, not his usual.

So both the kids were struggling with what they had thought it would be like to have Mike visit and what it was really like. They hadn't seen each other in a long time, it was only natural that it would be awkward.

"You guys have big plans for the rest of the week?"

"Not sure." Will frowned at her. "Mom. This business trip ..."

"Yeah. Um, it's a special deal for their, uh, biggest sellers." God, she was a terrible liar.

And Will had always been able to see right through her. "And Murray's going with you?"

"What? No! He had a flight at the same time."

Will looked over her shoulder at Murray's suitases. "Uh-huh."

"Anyway ..." Somehow Joyce had to get him off the topic of her trip. "Did you show Mike your top secret painting?"

"Not yet. I'm, um, waiting for the right time."

"Well, I'm sure he'll love it." She put her hands on Will's shoulders and looked him in the eyes—not as easy now that she had to look up to do it. "Are you okay? I've been getting the feeling lately like something's bothering you. You know you can tell me, right?"

"Right. I mean, of course I know that, Mom." He looked over her shoulder at the clock. "You should go. You don't want to miss your flight."

He was right, she didn't, but she couldn't help feeling like this was a way to distract her from asking about him.

"You take good care of El for me, will you? And Jonathan?"

"I thought Jonathan was supposed to be taking care of us."

"Well, all of you, then, take care of each other." Joyce hugged him tight. She could never forget how close she had come to losing him—twice. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Mom."

With a last squeeze, she left him and went down to Jonathan's room. Her oldest child was stretched out across his bed, snoring loudly. "Jonathan!"

"Huh! What? Uh ... Mom?" He looked at her out of one eye, the other one staying firmly closed.

"I'm leaving for my trip."

He frowned. "Business trip?"

"Right. To Alaska. And you've got the kids, okay?"

"Sure. No problem." His one open eye closed.

"Jonathan!" Joyce wanted to ask him all the things she probably should have been asking him for months. Why wasn't he taking pictures? Why wasn't he more excited about college? What was going on with him and Nancy?

But there was no time for that. Murray was at the door with his bags, calling her name.

"I've got to go." She went into his room and ruffled his hair. "I love you, Jonathan."

"Love you, Mom," he murmured sleepily.

"Joyce!" Murray's stage whisper from the door could have woken the dead. "The cab's here! We have to go."

"Okay. I'm going. Take good care of the kids, Jonathan. And yourself!"

He muttered something, burying his head under the pillow, and was snoring again by the time she had closed the door.

She joined Murray, picking up her suitcase and the bag of money. "Okay." Joyce looked around the quiet house. None of these kids were in any shape to be left alone ... but Hopper needed her. And she needed Hopper, and so did El. She wouldn't be leaving for anything less vital, she told herself. "Let's go."

"Finally!" Murray hurried through the door and out to the cab, stowing his bags in the trunk.

Joyce followed more slowly, closing the door carefully behind her. She'd call from the hotel room, she promised herself. The moment they got to Alaska, she'd call. That was the most she could do. And then in a few days, she'd be home, with Hopper, and they could all get better.

Keeping her bags with her, she got into the cab, looking at Murray. "We're doing the right thing, yeah?"

"If you believe this Enzo person, then yes. If you don't, then we're doing something incredibly stupid."

As sidekicks went, Murray was not that reassuring, Joyce thought, watching through the cab window as they pulled away from the house.