𝐽𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑂𝑛𝑒𝑆ℎ𝑜𝑡𝑠

Part 1 :)

Joyce slowly made her way back to the living room, behind the couch. She tapped Hopper on the shoulder. He turned to look at her. "I need to talk to you." Hopper went to stand beside her. But she moved even further away from the kids. She was trembling.
"Joyce? What's going on?"
"Lonnie was on the phone he wants me to give him money or he's gonna come kill our boys-"
"What?" Hopper swallowed.
"He wants me to give him a thousand dollars Friday or he's gonna make me watch as he kills the boys then after it's over he'll kill me too." Hopper began to curse under his breath.
"Ok. Okay. I'm the sheriff. I can handle it. Where are you supposed to meet for the exchange?" Even though it was his family being threatened, Jim had to keep his cool.
"Here..."
"We're going to have to leave, okay? We'll go to mine and El's old place." Joyce spun her wedding ring around her finger with a shaky hand. Jim reached out and held her shoulders.
"He's not laying a hand on anyone in this family, I will see to it." She just nodded. He pulled her to him, rubbing a hand along her back. "Now we have to pack lightly and go, in case he decides he wants it earlier, and knows exactly where to find you." He pulled back from the embrace. Was he calm? Not even close. Did he seem like he was? Maybe. She has tears brimming in her eyes. "Hey... it'll be okay." He rubbed a hand up and down her arm. She shook her head.
"You have no idea what he's capable of. What lengths he'll go to. I do."
"Babe, I know it's difficult, and I know you're scared, but we need to calmly leave this house. It isn't safe anymore. With a threat like that, there's no telling how empty it is."
"I know." She nodded.
"Go get us some clothes and stuff and I'll get the kids on board." He pecked her lips, hesitantly walking away from her and back into the living room. He told the kids. Probably because it isn't the first time they've been in danger, they were decently calm, and went to pack some things for their leave. The car ride in the patrol car to the cabin was silent. Hopper drove with only one hand, his other held his wife's hand, an attempt to ease her. She still squirmed in her seat, making the occasional glance to the kids, as if to see if they were still there. He rubbed his thumb over her knuckles as they made their decently long walk with their things from the squad car to the cabin. He pulled out the key, unlocked the door, and they all piled into the house. "Joy? Come here please." The two of them stepped away from the kids, especially Will and El. "I'm gonna call the station and get this taken care of as quick as I can. We're all gonna stay here until he's in custody. Usually, I'd go take care of it, but there has to be an officer to watch out for people who've been threatened anyways. It's possible that I'll have to leave to take care of him, but I'll have someone here to watch you and the kids. And no one can know our location otherwise they may be in danger too."
"I'm sorry." Joyce shook her head.
"For what, baby?" His eyebrows furrowed, his expression not matching his tone.
"I don't know." She shrugged.
"It's okay, hun, you don't have to talk about it."  She nodded in response. He kissed her forehead.
"Do you need anything?" She shook her head. He began to move to head back to the kids but she pursed her lips. He smiled gently, giving her a quick peck. Hopper left and called the station. Johnathan, Will, and Jane sat on the floor of the small living room, playing a game of cards. Jim was still on the phone.
"Mom?" Eleven called softly.
"Sweetheart?" Joyce made her way into the room.
"Are you okay?" The teenage girl looked at her with big, caring eyes.
"Yeah, I'm okay. Are you?" Eleven nodded.
"How are you boys?"
"Fine. It's not unusual that Lonnie's a jackass." Will growled, using his birth fathers real name.
"Language, honey."
"He might be our father, but he'll never be our dad." Johnathan spoke, staring down at his cards before he placed one down on the pile between him and his siblings.
"I was talking about the 'jackass.'"
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