Serve & Protect

Chapter 8- Soap

It had been nearly seven months since you helped Hopper and the party close the gate to the Upside Down. Nearly seven months since you found out that monsters existed. But that wasn't what was keeping you up at night.

What was keeping you up at night was the letter that had appeared by your front door two days ago.

A letter from Hank, your old work partner back in New York.

Sure, he was still in the force and had access to the system so it wouldn't have been hard for him to search your name and find your new address and post the letter. That wasn't the problem. The problem was the envelope didn't have a stamp. He didn't post the letter from New York. He hand delivered it.

He was here. 

In Hawkins.

He had followed you from New York to the middle of bumfuck nowhere in Indianna.

"How long has it been since you slept?"

You looked up from your desk to find Hopper walking into the station and you quickly flipped the letter over so he couldn't see.

"Dunno." You shrugged.

He sighed walking over and leaning against the side of your desk.

"I get it. I didn't sleep much when I first found out about the Upside Down."

"It's not that." You replied, but instantly regretted it when he asked;

"Then what is it?"

A part of you wanted to tell him the truth. He was the Chief of Police if anyone could help it was him. But there was a small voice in the back of your head telling you that he wouldn't help. Hank was still a Police Officer. There was an unwritten rule between the boys in blue and that was you protected each other, no matter what.

That's what happened when you had tried to tell your old boss about it. He just swept it under the rug, no action taken not even a warning, nothing. But Hopper was different. He wasn't like those other officers, and he was your best friend. He could help you.

"Morning, boss. Morning, Y/N." Callahan greeted in a tone that was way too chirpy for a Monday morning.

"It doesn't matter." You replied quietly to Hopper before looking over at Callahan who was walking into the station. "Morning, Cal."

Hopper remained leaning against your desk for a few seconds like he was debating whether to push the topic or not before he eventually nodded.

"Alright. I got a bunch of statements to get through today. Powell has called in sick, so it's just you two on patrol."

"Copy that, Chief. I just gotta check my emails then we can head out, Y/N."

The rest of the day was spent in the patrol car with Callahan listening to him rant about his next-door neighbour. Listening to his problem kept you distracted from your own and before you knew it, you were walking back into the station at the end of the shift.

"Anything you want us to do before we head home, Chief?" Callahan shouted, already taking off his belt assuming Hopper would say no.

"No, you can go. Y/N, can I see you in my office?" Came Hoppers reply.

"Ohhh, you're in trouble." Callahan teased like a school kid.

You flipped the other deputy off, "don't let the door hit you on the way out."

Callahan snorted, "thanks. See ya tomorrow."

You walked across the office and knocked on Hopper's door that was slightly ajar.