𝐽𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑂𝑛𝑒𝑆ℎ𝑜𝑡𝑠

Part 3

A window broke. Joyce screamed. The kids began to pile out of the bedroom. Jim ran over to them. He pulled out his weapon and pointed it. Lonnie. With a pistol. How he got it? How he found them? They don't know. But he had her. He had Joyce. Hopper hid his trembling. He was livid. His body so hot he was sweating.
"You shouldn't have come here. Step away from my wife." Lonnie laughed.
He laughed like it was some joke.
"Your wife?"
"You need to leave or I will end you."
"How? It's one on one here. If you just give me the money, no one gets hurt."
"You're not getting anything except a coffin or some handcuffs." He pulled back the trigger and the click rang through the cabin. The kids stood behind Jim, El gripping onto his shirt. She was nervous for the safety of her mother. While Lonnie laughed again, Joyce wiggled, and managed to knee him in the groin hard enough to get away. He may be dangerous, but Lonnie was stupid. Quickly as she could, she made her way to the other side window. And she knocked on it.
"The hell are you doing, b!tch?" Lonnie groaned out, still doubled over in pain.
"Don't talk to her." Yet Hopper smiled. It wasn't a happy smile. It was a smile that was a gift from the element of surprise.
"Where the hell did the third come from?" Lonnie was taken aback when El peeked around Hopper.
"That's my daughter, you ass." Joyce's eyes never left Lonnie.
"The only way you have children is from ME. And this man isn't your husband, it was me." His face reddened. During their relationship, Lonnie was always so possessive, and not in the cute "my girl" way, more of the "my toy."
"Was." In that one word, Joyce used all the built up anger from her time in her relationship with Lonnie. "And he is more of a partner and father in this short time than you were in years. You don't have rights to anything. All of this? I built myself. I raised my boys myself. You did nothing but make everyone feel like sh!t because you are sh!t." She spit it all out like acid. Jim placed a hand on her back. Hot tears streamed down her face. Suddenly, she snatched the gun from Jim. 
"Joyce." He held his hand over hers. "Breathe."
"He deserves to die." She swallowed.
"I know. You're right. But you can't do this." He safely took hold of the weapon. "Honey, I need you to let go."
"No. No, I'm sick and tired of him always coming back."
"Joyce." The way he said her name was all that was needed. She was mentally distracted and as she was, the Hawkins police was approaching behind a very out-of-it Lonnie. She smiled, causing Lonnie to furrow his eyebrows, which raised when he felt his arms being yanked behind his back, making him drop his pistol. The cold metal wrapped around his wrists and he almost screamed out of anger.
"You're under arrest for multiple charges, you have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you." He was dragged away. Joyce didn't blink. Didn't move. Her breaths shallow. Hopper gently pried the weapon out of her hand, putting it back in safety.
"Are you kids okay?" His eyes bounced between all three. He got some nods. "I'll come check in on you, but could we have a minute?" The kids returned to the bedroom. Jim made his way back to his wife. She was frozen. "Joy. It's okay, sweetheart, you're safe. And so are our kids. What can I do for you?" She finally blinked. But as soon as she did, she began to sob. Jim knew her. He knew why she was crying, and it was because she had been so utterly terrified. He offered himself to her. She accepted, gripping onto his arms. He rubbed a hand up and down her back. She let out a strangled cry and she could barely hold herself up from feeling light headed due to how hard she was crying. Hopper lifted her into his arms, holding all of her weight. He kissed her head and took her to the only chair in the room. Her grip moved to his torso. She didn't want to let go. She had heard that her kids were okay, and she had so much built from that interaction. She tried telling herself she wasn't being selfish, but she couldn't help but feel like a bad mother. Still she held onto Jim, letting the heat from his body and the smell of cigarettes and deodorant calm her. Being in his arms had always helped her, even in high school when she was upset that she flunked a test, which was rare, and he'd give her a hug. Joyce sighed and stood.
"Stand up." Her expression was drooping. He did as she asked. She reached into his back pocket and pulled out a singular cigarette. He knew what she wanted when she handed it to him. He sat back down and she perched herself onto his right thigh and watched him light it, taking a puff before he handed it to her. She took a drag and sighed.
"You did amazing. I'm so proud of you." Joyce chuckled lightly.
"For what?"
"Everything." His gaze was soft and lingering.
"I love you." For the first time in a while she smiled a bit.
"And I love you." He tilted his head up a bit to give her a small kiss, and she melted. It didn't matter what happened, as long as they were together. All five of them.

What other one shots would you guys like to see in this book??