JH+JH

family

A/N credit to harboursource on Instagram

Two lines the test read clear. Four. Four kids. Granted she didn't have to carry El, but she's still a handful, just like the boys. Adding a baby into that chaos is just absurd! Right? She was forty, Hopper had just turned forty-one, their kids were grown. Two thirteen year olds, and a seventeen year old. And they just had the absolute most horrible year ever, after what happened to Will.

So, a baby. Maybe it would make the family closer, bring it together. Or it would do the complete opposite and ruin their dynamic. Either way she was terrified. How was she going to tell Hopper? How would he react? These were all thoughts floating through her mind. She was locked in the bathroom, her husband was right outside, in their room trying not to fall asleep, no worries, and relaxed.

On the other hand, she was sick to her stomach, and horrified of what would happen. Then suddenly she hears a knock. "Joyce...come to bed. I'm tired." She shot up, immediately hiding the pregnancy test, and sprinting to the door.

-----

It had been a week since she had found out, and according to her calculations that would make her eight weeks. She was constantly puking, and dizzy. She was trying to find a way to tell him, but she was worried about his reaction would be.

She was in the kitchen, the boys were at school. El was in the livingroom watching Family Ties. Jim came in for lunch. "Hey, honey" she said as she sat down on the table. He was smoking, normally she would share the smoke with him, but news started appearing about how smoking can affect the baby.

"That's odd." He put out his cigarette. "What?" She tilted her head, with curiosity. "You didn't ask to smoke, you smoke almost as much as me. Maybe even a bit more" She nervously laughed. "Just trying to kick the habit"

He smiled at her. He didn't say anything but he just smiled. "What?" Joyce asked with a cute smile on her face. "I don't know, you look different. In a good way, I don't know how to explain it." That comment led Joyce to blush. Years of being together and he still knew how to make her blush.

"Yeah, I think I know why" she plopped herself on the counter. "I have to tell you something, Hop" she bit her lip anxiously. Hopper listened.

"I've been really sick over the past weeks,  and I had a hunch as to what it was." She opened the drawer and took out a pregnancy test. It was silent. No reaction from Hopper, or from her. It was emotionless.

"Aren't you going to say something?" She asked him, her tone changing to a rougher one. "Can we afford this?" Joyce rolled her eyes. "If I start working again, then yeah. I really don't get how you can be such a jerk sometimes. I told you that we're having a baby. A baby, Jim. And all you can say is Can we afford this?" She said that last part in a mocking tone.

"Joyce...that's not what I meant. You know a baby could be really good, something to bring us all together" he smiled softly at her. She hugged him tightly and whispered "Next time, wear a condom when I tell you to" Jim laughed, and then kissed her.

"I can't believe we're having a baby" he smiled, pressing his forehead against hers. He looked genuinely happy, all of Joyce's worries had gone until....

"You're having a baby?" El was standing near the door way. Joyce fidgeted with her fingers. "Would it be bad if we were?" El shook her head "Hopefully it's a girl" she smiled widely. Joyce opened her arms offering a hug. El ran for a hug.

Joyce ran her hands through El's hair. "Let's keep this a secret, for now. Dad and I plan to tell the boys later." El nods and smiles.

She was one of the best things to ever happen to Jim and Joyce. She brightened up their days, especially Jim's. He wasn't as grumpy when he was with Jane. They some how got each other. Joyce loved the special relationship that they had.

"Well, I have to go back to work" he said while placing a kiss on Jane's head, and one on Joyce's lips. El pouted "6:15?" She said looking up at him. "Not a minute earlier, not a minute later" he said as he grabbed his hat.

-----
Three months later

Joyce was laying in bed when she felt a kick. She sat up and put her hand were the baby was kicking. She woke up Jim, and he shot up. "What?! What's wrong?!" His groggy voice calmed. When he saw a smile on her face, he calmed down. "The baby's kicking" she brought his hand to the spot were the baby was kicking.

Jim just stared at Joyce's face, she was amazed. She looked down at her stomach and blew her bangs out of her face, that little action that she had done since she was five, and that Jim would never stop loving. "We have the best babies" she kissed his lips softly.

A/N I was so stuck on what to write and I did the most horrible thing ever, I like my other chapters better, so please no hate 🥺💜