𝐽𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑂𝑛𝑒𝑆ℎ𝑜𝑡𝑠

Believe (Vencnussy series part 2/2)

This was suggested by @itsbiaalmeida and @Anja_Maximoff :)

"Hey... how do you feel?" Jim asked Joyce who had finally woken up that morning, although, it wasn't exactly morning, more like afternoon. She shrugged.

"Just... waiting." Her voice was purely flat and dull.

"I'm not going to let anything happen to you." He felt his heart strings being pulled at the depression she was in and the extreme lack of hope she possessed.

"You can say that now, but what is done is done."

"Joyce! When I say that I'm not going to let anything happen to you, I mean it. I will do whatever it takes." He had her by the shoulders and it hurt to look into her already lifeless eyes as he spoke. "I love you." He could only hope that would bring even a smidge of light into that darkness, and he could almost see it as her eyes finally met his.

"I love you too." She practically whispered.

"You're going to be okay. We have what we need to keep you safe. Just not to stop him."

"I'm not going to be safe until he is gone. And that isn't likely."

"I can't do this, I need you to work with me. I need you to act like you want to survive this, because you certainly aren't right now, in fact you sound pretty suicidal, and it's making it extremely difficult to help you. You need to trust me and the kids, or this is not going to be pretty."

"Jim. It's almost time. I can feel it." This wasn't the Joyce he fell in love with. She sounded like a whole different person and it made him want to cry.

"I need you to fight," he swallowed the lump in his throat, but it didn't help. "If you won't do it for yourself do it for your family. We need you here. I know it's hard, I know it's exhausting, I know." His eyes had glossed over thickly, ready to burst. "You mean so much to so many people, and we need you here with us. My love, I need you to fight, and soon it will be over and you'll be okay." He had tears gathering at his chin and he sniffled.

"How do you know?"

"Because I have hope... faith... I don't know what it is, but whatever it is, I know that if I don't have it, if I don't try, I will simply have nothing. And something is better than nothing, especially when you need it."

"You." Her eyes brightened slightly and her eyes drew back to his once again.

"What?" His eyebrows were furrowed slightly.

"You and the kids. You'll be my something. I'll do it."

"We'll find a way to kill him. We're close. I know it."

"But we don't have time." She swallowed.

"He will take you there to him, but you will get out. You're strong. And when you do, I will be right beside you." The fingers of his large, rough hand intertwined with those or her smooth, smaller one, and it brought some warmth back into her. With his free hand, he gently took her chin, leaning his head in and closing his lips onto hers. She brought her head up slightly to meet him, her own free hand going to rest on his shoulder. They separated and he smiled at her, but she trembled. His heart rate went up so much in so little time. Some of it was a blur. He could hear himself screaming for his kids, and just screaming in general. He remembered feeling the hot liquid streaming from his eyes all the way down to his chest. His breathing was rapid as he watched her eyes roll back into her head, her limbs moving as if each arm, each leg, each finger, each toe, had a mind of its own. He grabbed her by the torso, but it didn't pin her down, instead he was beginning to be pulled with her. He yelled out in agony, pounding his fists into the ground in front of him. But she had her song playing, and he was beside her. Now, it was all up to her.

Do you believe in life after love?
I can feel something inside me say
I really don't think you're strong enough, no
Do you believe in life after love?
I can feel something inside me say
I really don't think you're strong enough, no
I need time to move on
I need a love to feel strong
'Cause I've had time to think it through
And maybe I'm too good for you, oh

She felt the headphones hugging her ears, and she gripped it dearly. The clock struck and she felt her heart drop with each sound. She blinked once, and then she saw him. But this time, it wasn't a dream. She turned her attention to the lyrics playing in her headphones. She turned around. And she ran. She ran as fast as she'd ever ran before in her whole life. She didn't even know she was capable of her speed the age she was at and it made her realize just how much life she still had left to live. She wants going to let this son of a b!tch take her away from her family she's fought so hard for. Her family...

She saw something new now. But she was a third person. She saw shoes hitting the pavement with each running step, and watched the two big wheels spinning faster and faster with each time the shoes hit the pavement. She knew what this was as soon as she heard the giggle of a little boy. The focus of the memory zoomed out and she could see a younger version of herself with a small brunette boy. Johnathan. Her first born.

She didn't dare turn around.

Now, something else. A small hand with a purple crayon and beside it, a larger hand with a green crayon. She soon recognized it as her own as she saw the long gone wedding ring she had once wore. It must be her and little Will. He always loved coloring. Especially at the dinner table right after he'd finished eating.

Somehow, she was faster than she was just a moment ago.

It was a wooden door and the sound of a girl crying. She almost slowed down. But then. She remembered. A fist knocked on the door before moving to turn the handle. Inside the room, was El. Suddenly, a slightly younger version of herself was seen holding Jane against her, rocking her back and fourth. That was the first time Eleven had every called Joyce by the title "mom."

Her thighs were burning. Her feet were aching. Her shins were numb.

Hands. 4 hands. Then, a man's bare chest, littered in white scars. Her memory broadened and she saw herself and Hopper, tangled together, lips passionately colliding, tongues doing a tango. He held her so firmly; yet so gently. He whispered to her. One would call them sweet nothings, but they were far, far from nothing. He had spooned her against his side, running a handful of fingers through her hair, and kissing the crown of her head. Past her's eyes we're fluttering closed, and then the vision was gone.

She saw something. She saw herself, and surrounding her, were each of the people she had just replayed memories about. Hopper had held her hand, Eleven say right in front of her, Will standing behind El, and Johnathan sitting to the other side of her. Somehow, like magic, she sped up. Her lungs were on fire, and so were her legs, but she ran. She ran for herself; she ran for her family. She just ran. And she didn't stop until she was through the window into the real world. She opened her eyes and saw all of her favorite faces.

"Joyce." Hopper sighed, pulling her into his arms in a tight hug.

"Mom! You did it!" Eleven smiled, wide.

"I knew you would." Will placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm so glad you're okay." Johnathan placed his on her other shoulder.

"Thank you. All of you." Was all Joyce could think to say.

A couple days later, Vecna had finally been killed.

I'm so sorry if I got any concepts from the show incorrect, I've only watched through everything once. I hope you enjoyed, and my reasoning for choosing Believe by Cher is because what Joyce went through with Lonney, Bob, and Hopper if you have any requests you'd like, I prefer you put it on my message board, PM me, or comment on the requests chapter in this book so your request doesn't get lost. Thank you!