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They stumble down out of Kantika bloody, bruised and beaten. Her feet touching solid ground was almost enough alone to make Joyce cry.
She quickly wipes at the tears threatening to escape her eyes, and Hopper slides an arm around her shoulders, sighing in relief.
Murray collapses on the ground below them. "Six freaking hours! If I had to stay in there one more minute with you two lovebirds, I was going to lose my mind!"
Joyce just shoots him a look and snuggles into Hopper's side, "You'll get to see El tomorrow, Hop."
"Yeah?" He asks, with a growing smile on his face. He still couldn't believe that all of this was real. That he was alive and safe, and Joyce was here by his side.
He leans down and presses a small kiss to the top of her head while reaching for her hand. "Hey Murray! Get your ass up. The sun is already setting, and we need to make it into town before it gets dark."
"Geesh! I help save a man's life and this is how he talks to me?" Murray asks Joyce, coming to his feet.
Joyce glances up at Hopper and squeezes his hand, "Hopper, he does have a point."
"Well excuse me for being ill. It's not like I spent the last eight months of my life in a cold, isolated Russian prison. Excuse ME for being rude."
Hopper feels Joyce's arm stiffen beneath him, and he looks down to see her trying to fight back more tears. But for a completely different reason this time.
"Hey now…" He softly says as he uses his free hand to capture her chin and lift her eyes to him. "I'm safe now, because of you."
She nods her head firmly and closes her eyes, burying her face in his chest. Not wanting to speak, for the fear of breaking down in front of Murray.
Murray glances over at them, and Hopper shakes his head. Mouthing to Murray, "She's okay."
"Okay," Murray begins, clasping his hands together, "Dmitri said that once we landed it should only be a few miles to town. If we start walking now, we can make it there within the next hour."
Hopper tucks a finger under Joyce's chin and lifts her head. Asking her gently, "What do you say? Another hour and then we can finally take a rest from all this hell."
"I would love that more than anything." She whispers back.
"I mean, we do have a date to be getting to after all." He says with a faint chuckle.
This brings a small smile to Joyce's lips, and she finally looks toward Murray, "Alright Murray. Let's start home."
Darkness is claiming the last rays of sunlight as the unsightly trio see the motel come into view.
"Finally!" Murray exclaims, "I love you two, I do. And I'm so glad that you're back Jim. But I need a break from being the third wheel."
Joyce and Hopper glance over at Murray, too tired to retaliate at his antics.
"I know you two have a lot to catch up on," He says wiggling his eyebrows, "But try to get a couple of hoursof sleep tonight. We do have an early flight home tomorrow."
He practically skips off towards the motel, leaving Joyce looking up at Hopper.
He is wearing a grimace on his face and looks as though his mind is a million miles away.
"You okay?" Joyce softly asks.
"Hmm…oh yeah. Just a lot on my mind."
Joyce nods her head and continues walking, aching to get out of the cold.
"You know Hop, if you need anyone to talk to. Or really anything at all. I'm always right here for you." She says as she reaches down and intertwines their fingers.
This brings a genuine smile to Hopper's lips. "Thanks Joyce. I don't know how I'll ever repay you for everything you've done for me."
"Nothing you wouldn't had done for me."
xxx
As they walk into the motel lobby, Murray turns around from the reception desk.
"Okay kiddos, here's your key." He says handing Hopper the small golden keychain. "I'm right across the hall should you need me, but I'm pretty sure I will be the last thing on your minds."
Murray chuckles to himself and walks down the hall, leaving Joyce and Hopper standing alone in the lobby. Both somehow suddenly nervous.
"Shall we?" Joyce asks, motioning with her head towards the hallway in front of them.
Hopper nods his head, and they follow Murray.
xxx
As Hopper steps into the motel room, his eyes grow wide at the sight of the queen bed against the wall.
"Oh man! Joyce, do you realize how long it's been since I've slept in a real bed?"
A sad smile drifts to her face as she watches him sit on the edge of the dingy motel bed.
She wanders into the bathroom where she finds an assortment of complimentary soaps and shampoos, and enough towels to suffice them both.
"Hey Hop, they've got everything in here for a good shower! Come on in, you've got to go first."
She doesn't have to tell him twice; he's already hopping up off the bed.
When she turns around, his tall frame is looming in the doorway.
"Are you telling me that I stink Joyce Byers?" He teases.
"Well, I'm sure I don't smell like a bed of roses either." She shoots back.
A deep chuckle escapes Hopper's lips as he makes his way over to Joyce.
His arms wrap around her waist and she lays her head against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.
They both hold onto each other until Joyce speaks up in a voice so small and frail, "Don't you ever leave me again Jim Hopper."
He pulls back and looks into her glistening eyes, "I'll never. That's a promise."
Hopper is already in bed, and under the covers when Joyce finally emerges from the bathroom.
Steam following her damp figure.
They both feel a little awkward (clad in just their undergarments), but they both had agreed they didn't want to wear their blood and gore covered clothes to bed. Understandably.
Hopper tries his best to avoid looking at Joyce as she gets into bed, but there's just so much not to look at.
"I feel so much better now. I really needed that." She says, snuggling into the covers and pillows.
"You're telling me? I feel like a brand-new man." He says as he props his head up on an elbow, looking over at her.
She turns over on her side and sighs; face to face with the man she dropped everything for.
The one who she had faced death countless times with.
The one who she would do it for all over again, if it meant him being here with her.
Hopper reaches over and brushes her wet bangs out of her eyes; the palm of his hand settling on her cheek. "Hey there beautiful."
"Hey." She breaths, blush rising from her chest to her cheeks.
"So, I don't think I ever told you thank you." He gently tells her.
"Hop," She quietly exhales, "you've told me more than once. And besides, you don't have to. I know if it was me instead of-." She's silenced by the pressure of his thumb landing against her lips.
"No, you don't understand Joy. Thank you for keeping me alive in that frozen hell."
Joyce blinks her eyes in confusion. "The thought of somehow escaping and coming home to you and El is what kept my heart beating most days… God, I've missed you."
"Oh Hopper." She says as tears spring to her eyes. "I've missed you so much. I didn't think I would survive the pain most days…I- I thought I had killed you."
Joyce begins to softly sob, so Hopper pulls her into his chest, their lack of clothing forgotten.
"Hey, hey it's okay. It's all okay, because of you… you rescued me Joyce. And I'm not going anywhere. Never again."
She looks up at him, tears still clinging to her lashes. "In reality, you- you can't promise that Hop."
A sob wracks Joyce's small frame, and Hopper's arms cling to her tighter.
"I can't," He says in almost a whisper, "but I can promise that I am going to fight like hell every day to stay with you Joyce, because… I love you."
Joyce's sobs slowly turn into sniffles, and she pulls her face out of Hopper's chest. Her eyes rising to meet his.
"Yeah?" She asks dumbfoundedly.
He wipes tears from her cheeks as he gazes down at her, "Yeah, I do. I love you woman."
"I love you too Hop. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you sooner. When you died, I thought I would never get the chance-"
"Shhhh.." He quiets her, as he brings his lips down to meet hers.
The lingering kiss is sweet, but salty with the mix of fresh tears still on her face.
Hopper breaks their union and tilts his forehead to rest against hers. "No more tears, okay? Everything is going to be fine now."
Joyce nods her head and closes her eyes, wrapped in the warmth of his love. "Can you just hold me, Hop?"
"Of course." He says as he plants a kiss to her forehead.
Sleep soon overcomes them; both exhausted from the events of the past few days, but extremely grateful to be together again.
In the stillness of the night, a few hours before sunrise, Joyce awakens to soft whimpers.
She raises up in bed and glances down at the large man beside her.
Hopper has curled himself into a ball, as small as he can get. His face is contorted into a grimace, and he looks extremely childlike, on the brink of tears.
Joyce leans over and places her hand on his forearm, her lips planting a small kiss on his shoulder.
"Hop…wake up. It's just a nightmare."
She gently gives his arm a shake, but it doesn't help.
"Hey, it's okay! You're here with me Hopper… please wake up."
As she reaches over with her other hand and shakes his shoulders, Hopper bolts upright in bed panting.
He shoves Joyce's hands off him and slides his back up against the wall. His feet planted firmly on the mattress; wild eyes staring at the wall across from him.
"Hop- Hopper?"
At the sound of her voice, Hopper glances over, blinking several times as he begins to take in his surroundings.
"Joyce?" He says with a gruff voice, full of emotion.
"Oh Hop…. are you okay?" She asks, scooting back over to him.
He shakes his head in confusion, trying to collect his thoughts.
"I- I thought I was…an- and then they had you… Joyce, I can't lose you again."
She instantly crawls over into his lap and wraps her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek.
Soothingly running a hand over his buzzed hair, she says, "It was just a bad dream. That's all Hopper. I'm right here with you now. And we're safe…we're not in Russia anymore."
His eyes fill with unshed tears as he looks down at her. "But things could have easily ended differently... I could've lost you sweetheart."
Her heart tugs at his words, and she simply nods her head, "But it didn't Hop…it didn't."
They hold onto each other for a moment before Joyce pulls back with a smirk, "I wasn't going to let you get out of our date this time Jim Hopper."
This elicits a small chuckle from him, "Have you been dreaming about the breadsticks and lasagna too Joyce?"
"Something like that." She says, leaning up and crashing her lips against Hopper's.
Hopper is taken aback at first, but soon gives in. His hands weaving their way through her long locks.
Joyce pushes him against the wall as her hands roam over his chest and shoulders. A small moan escaping her lips.
The heat between them quickly building, Hopper pushes Joyce back to lay against the bed.
Hovering over her, he uses this opportunity to let his hands explore. His rough, calloused hands running over the silky, smooth skin of her curves.
Desperate for air, they find themselves pulling apart to take a break.
As their breathing begins to settle, Joyce drags her nails down Hopper's back, causing him to shiver.
"I think I may have already told you, but I've missed you so much Hop."
"You have no idea Joyce. I thought about you every day. Almost every hour. Kicking myself for not telling you how I felt sooner."
"It's okay darling. I was being just as stubborn as you." She says with a smile.
He looks down into her brown eyes as he presses his body against her petite frame. "I love you, Joyce."
"Oh Hop, I think I've always loved you."
And her words are the only invitation he needs, as he brings his lips down to collide with her neck.