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Jim Hopper couldn’t believe his luck. He had spent the last few years trying to convince the military that he was in fact one of the good guys all along. After defeating Vecna and the Mind Flayer and being captured by the military it took a long time to sort through everything. The government had no idea what they were messing with and had all the wrong ideas about what the upside down was and who was actually involved. But eventually Owens was able to swoop in and finally clear things up, convince the government that they were innocent victims of Brenner’s evil plot. Had the government get them all their lives back (after signing several dozen NDAs about the whole ordeal).
Hoppers life was finally, finally starting to get back to normal after everything that went down. He got his old job as police chief back. The town of Hawkins too traumatized by everything to really question his sudden reappearance too much. He moved in with Joyce and the boys. But most of the time they have the house to themselves with Johnathan and Will off at school in New York. And a few months ago they received a mysterious post card with nothing written on it but it had 3 nondescript waterfalls on the front. He had a feeling he knew exactly who it was from, and maybe on day he’ll track down the sender just to be sure.
It was finally the weekend and he was ready to settle in and relax. Maybe watch some Miami Vice on the couch with Joyce. She seemed to be in a good mood too. “What’s got you smiling like that on this fine evening” he asked her. “Oh“ she startled, “nothing nothing, it’s just Will is home from college for the weekend. He seems to be doing much better. I think he might be seeing someone“ That was good. The kid had still been struggling getting back to normal. Hopper worried for him. Being queer on top of everything else that he had overcome. It’s not that he had a problem with it or anything but this was still America. And the news did not have anything nice to say about people like that these days. He deserves a normal life. To be happy and free. But this would make that hard.
He decided to check in on the kid before he settled in for the night. See what he was up to that had joyce feeling so at ease. When he knocked on the door it swung open just about 3 inches. He didn’t mean to barge in on the kid or anything. It’s just. Oh no. His stomach dropped and he stumbled back against the wall his knees going weak. He’s been here before. This cannot be happening. Not to him. Not again. It’s like a scene out of his worst nightmare. (And he has seen some pretty graphic nightmare material.) But there, through the crack in the door, sitting on the bed, making out with his adopted son. Was MIKE. FUCKING. WHEELER.