DANCIN' ► DUSTIN HENDERSON [1]

3/3

JASPER HADN'T SLEPT A WINK the night before. Instead, she lay curled in a ball on the worn, old couch, her eyes trained on the sunlight now streaming in through the windows. Dark purple bags had accumulated under her eyes, and Hopper felt empathy swell in his heart for his daughter.

"Hey," Hopper greeted her warmly, tapping a full cup of hot chocolate against her shoulder lightly. "This should wake you up a little."

"Thanks," Jasper smiled, gratefully accepting the cup in her hands. She welcomed the liquid's warmth, careful not to burn her tongue.

Hopper joined her on the couch with a sigh, inspecting the signs of aging and exhaustion on the redhead. She looked at least four years older than she was, and a thousand years more wise. "Hey," he murmured softly, causing her eyes to lift from her cup. "You're a good kid, you know that?"

She didn't reply, her lips curving as she took another small sip of her drink. The preceding night had taken a terrible toll on her, and the last thing she wanted to do was close her eyes and succumb to the darkness of sleep. There was no telling what visions of shadow monsters or entangled vines from the Upside Down would haunt her.

"And I'm sorry," Hopper continued tentatively. "About last night. I know you were being responsible. It's not your fault El was seen, okay? I just...I need you girls to be safe."

Jasper nodded her head understandingly. "No, I get it. I didn't at first but...I do now. Those Hawkins Lab men...they're dangerous."

Hopper's only response was a grunt as he sipped on his cup of coffee. "I gotta go soon. I should probably check in on the Byers, huh? If what you saw last night was real, like you believe."

"It was," Jasper breathed, her eyes clouded with deep thought. "Will needs help. You gotta help him."

"I will," Hopper assured her immediately. "I will, kid. In the mean time, uh..." His hand reached up to scratch his stubble. "Keep an eye on El, yeah? She's probably upset I took the TV away, but, she needs to learn that there are consequences. And don't go out again, okay?"

"Okay," Jasper answered, but something deep inside her told her she was lying. And it wouldn't be long before she was out in the real and grotesque world of Hawkins, Indiana soon.

"And could you maybe...?" He trailed off, gesturing with his hand to the wreckage around the cabin. "I mean, I know it's not your fault but I'll be gone all day and—"

"El and I will clean everything up," Jasper confirmed, already reaching the bottom of her hot chocolate. "Don't worry about it."

Hopper nodded, shooting her a grateful look. "Get some sleep too, okay? You need it."

Jasper agreed, though something told her she wouldn't be resting anytime soon. "Don't worry about us right now, Hop. Worry about helping Will."

Hopper's lips curved upwards as he listened to his daughter. She loved fiercely, completely devouring herself to and caring about her friends. It was an admirable trait to have, one the father and daughter both shared. "Alright, kiddo. Guess I should head out."

Jasper waited until she heard the sputtering of Hopper's engine and saw his truck disappear towards town to approach El's room. "El?" She cooed, lightly rapping on the door with her knuckles. "He's gone."