Now or Never (a Jopper fanfic)

Awaken

Hopper was sitting up in bed trying to even out his breathing. The dream felt so real. Could it be a warning? Was it a sign that if he didn't tell Joyce how he felt soon she was going to slip through his fingers while he slipped into a bottle? He had to do something now! He donned on the nearest flannel and jeans he could find and headed for the door.

“Dad?" Jane called, walking out of her room. Hopper froze, turned, and smiled. “Hey kiddo, what are you doing up? Go back to sleep, you still got a couple more hours until you have to get up.” As a general rule Hopper set his alarm a couple of hours earlier so that him and Jane would be on time for school and work. “Then why are you up, where are you going?" She asked. Hopper didn't want to lie to Jane, after the gate they made a rule not to lie to each other anymore. “Well umh, I I'm go going to uh..see Joyce. I'm going to go see Joyce,” he said, scratching the back of his neck. With a smile on her face, she ran over to him and gave him a big hug. “Go get her dad." All Hopper could do was grin, nothing could replace Sara, but there was a special place in his heart for his adopted daughter.

On the way out to his blazer, Hopper lit a cigarette to calm his nerves. Nothing was ever going to be the same between him and Joyce from what he was about to do, but he would end up kicking himself if he did nothing. Flashbacks of their past played in his mind like a movie, all the way to the Byers. The more intense the memory the more he sped up. On the last turn to the house he stopped the vehicle. “What am I going to say to her?" With three or so calming breaths he gathered his thoughts, turned the corner, and parked in front of the house. “Ok it's now or never," Hopper said to himself as he stepped out of the vehicle.

knock knock knock

Joyce rolled over to look at the clock on her nightstand. “5:30? Who the hell is at my house at 5:30 in the morning!" She had always been a light sleeper, a feather could drop and it would wake her. With the ounce of motivation she had she pulled herself out of bed and went to the door to see who disturbed her slumber.

“Hop, wha...?” Joyce started, but was interrupted when Hopper dipped her back in his arms and gave her the most passionate kiss of both of their lives. Joyce was shocked and confused at first, but as the kiss continued she melted into it. Hopper had his lips on hers until he realized that they both needed air, but what a way to go. “Well umn, tha... that was unexpected,” Joyce said, awkwardly after the kiss broke. They were still standing in the doorway. “I’m sorry Joyce, I didn’t mean to just come here and kiss you like that,” Hopper said. “I mean yes I did, but after I told you that...” Here it goes. He thought, before continuing.

When I came back to Hawkins 7 years ago, I thought I’d lost everything and that my life had no purpose if I couldn’t save the ones I loved most. Then you needed me to save your boy, even though everyone, including me and Jonathan, didn't believe that there was anyway that he could still be out there, you kept fighting and dragging me along with you. After that week, and the many weeks after, my feelings for you repaired, but with protecting the kid and your relationship with Bob, I couldn’t do a damn thing about it. You were happy though, and that was good enough for me. Then that other horrible week came and left, and I’m trying my best to just be here for you as a friend but, everytime I’m close to you it gets harder to deny my feelings and I’m scared that if I don’t tell you how I feel now I might lose you forever.

Silence fell between the two until Hopper decided he couldn’t, or didn’t want to, handle Joyce’s rejection that was inevitably coming so he started to backpedal. “We…” umph. He was preparing to retreat, but Joyce went to kiss him with as much passion as his kiss had. With their height differences she didn’t quite get to his lips, but he remedied that by picking her up and holding her close. Tears of relief fell from his, she felt the same way!

They kissed in the Byers doorway for God knows how many minutes. Both starved of intimacy for so long, one kiss felt like hours. They kissed and kissed and kissed and just when Hopper was about to go for Joyce’s neck. BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! “Ugh!” went the both of them. It was still morning and they still had kids and work. “Well I’m going to go before your boy sees me like this.” Damn anatomy! “Would it be ok if I stopped by the store later?” Hopper asked ,nervously. “Sure Hop!” Joyce said, with a wink. With that Hopper headed for his blazer and Joyce went to wake Will.

Nothing could ever replace or bring back what Hopper and Joyce lost over the years, but with the help of each other and their kids maybe they could be happy again!