Shatter [Jonathan Byers] Stranger Things II

LIV: Permanence

per·ma·nence

noun

the state or quality of lasting or remaining unchanged indefinitely.

Emilia inferred that she was supposed to go to Jonathan in the moment of realizing that things were going to be okay. When Hopper disappeared with Mike into the other room, she should have embraced him, thankful that they were alive and that they overcame their problems. Yes, they still had a lot to discuss, particularly what Nancy was talking about -it was already haunting Emilia- but she knew there was a time and a place for all of that. Right now, things were far from resolved, they had bigger problems on their hands.

She cast one blue eyed glance at Jonathan, earning a gentle smile from him, and then she followed to the room Hopper and Mike went to. No one stopped her, although Emilia sensed Jonathan's shift, she sensed that he wanted to go after her just so they could speak in the brief moment of relief before they had to do something about what was happening out there. Out in Hawkins, whatever that monster was that was taking over the town, had taken over Will.

Standing just at the door, she overheard the shouting inside. It was not difficult to eavesdrop, and she felt but, but Emilia knew that Hopper couldn't take much more; the fact he took Mike to speak to him alone in the first place surprised Emilia. They owed him so much, and he was being ripped apart by a thirteen year old.

"Do not blame her," Emilia heard Hopper say. "She's upset enough as is."

"I don't blame her! I blame you! I blame you!" Mike screamed back.

Emilia pressed her forehead to the door and felt her heart sink; Hopper was taking the abuse, he was taking the blame when all he did was try to keep her alive. Temperamental as he could be, Hopper protected El like she was his own daughter, just like he did when he helped Emilia get out of her father's grasp. Not everyone could see the side Emilia had seen, practically living as a family unit in that cabin with Hopper and El. And Mike was too close to see it, Emilia understood that. His friend had been ripped away from him, thought dead, and now he was learning that she had been right under his nose the whole time.

"That's okay kid, that's okay," Hopper sounded defeated, angry, but accepting all at once.

"Nothing about this is okay! Nothing about this is okay!" Mike screamed. "You're a stupid, disgusting, lying piece of shit!"

"Stop it!" Hopper yelled as he thud against the door, making Emilia recoil on the other side. Her hand darted to the handle, she even gripped it, and then she stepped back. This wasn't her fight, this wasn't her place. Suddenly Mike was crying inside, and it went mostly silent in there. Emilia was backed against the other hallway, leaning against it with her palms flat against the wall. She picked at the peeling paint in a nervous tick, wishing she could extend a helping hand to Hopper, a hand to show him that she didn't think these horrible things about him. Then she realized Mike would hate her just as much as he did Hopper in that moment, and that she shouldn't be around when they left that room.

She shakily walked back to the living room just as Hopper and Mike walked out of the bedroom. Mike strode by, head dipped down in defeat, but he did take the time to shoot a glare at Emilia. She reminded herself that he was just a kid, that he would recover from all of this, and maybe one day he would understand why Hopper did what he did. Hopper followed behind Mike, and Emilia shot her hand out and grabbed his wrist. Hopper stopped in slow motion, not looking at her.

She hugged him, forcing him to face her while she wrapped her arms around his torso. He didn't hug back right away, as if he was scared that somehow he would hurt her too, make some other mistake that would have her screaming at him. She regretted ever being mad at him about her mother's killer, it wasn't his fault Lindsay O'Brien killed Arlene Roth. Finally Hopper hugged back.

Emilia whispered to him, "After all this, can I ask for a favour?"

"Sure, kid," he replied.

"I want you to become my legal guardian."

He leaned back, holding her at arms length as if gauging if she was really there. His eyes suggested tears, but they never revealed themselves entirely. "What?"

"You heard me," she replied.

"You're almost eighteen,"

"So?"

"Your father would have to sign... He'd have to approve-"

"Giving me away. I know. And he will," she was sure of it.

Hopper pulled her back in to actually hug her, that big bear hug only dad's -ones that cared- could manage. His winter jacket made it even warmer, and Emilia felt what it meant to have a dad, it was a feeling she would never get used to, would never want to give up. To make it real, to make it permanent, that was something she could do.

Suddenly Joyce and El came out from Will's room -Emilia had not even seen them go in. "El can close the gate."

Together, the whole crew, they were gathered at the kitchen table, trying to decide what they were going to do. While Hopper explained that it was more dangerous, El said she could do it, and she was not budging. Emilia smiled, seeing a strength in El that had always been there, one that had perhaps risen to the surface too soon when she left the cabin, but one that was now centered on a good cause, and not a destructive one.

"Even if El can, there is still another problem," Mike pointed out. "If the brain dies, the body dies."

"I thought that was the whole point," Max added.

"It is but, if we're really right about this, I mean, if El closes the gate and kills the mind flayer's army..." Mike trailed off.

"Will's a part of that army," Lucas realized.

"Closing the gate will kill him."

Dedicated to allthefeelsarereal for giving me the idea of Hopper adopting Emilia! I wasn't going to for it, but after watching/writing the scene of Mike ripping Hopper apart, I wanted something that was strong, something powerful for Emilia to say to Hopper, and that felt right! So thanks for the idea!!

Question of the Day: Did that scene break your heart like it did mine? And I have a pretty freaking black heart. I just have a soft spot for Hopp.