Archive of Our Own ^beta

Will:

Will took a shuddering breath as his hand hesitated in front of the door. Before he could stop himself, he rapped his fist against the wood. Will heard heavy footsteps on the other side of the door, and it opened to reveal Jim Hopper. The man looked confused but also concerned. Will knew Jane was hanging out with Max, so Hopper should be the only one home. It was the middle of winter, and he knew Will hated the cold. Without a word, Hopper moved to the side and let Will in. He led Will to the couch and sat him down. Hopper sat down in his armchair, leaning forward to look at Will. 

“What’s up kid?” Hopper asked, voice softer than Will knew he was capable. 

“Uh-” Will tried to speak, but cut off with a slight sob. 

Hopper let him take his time. He knew this was something that was bothering Will and he didn’t want to rush him. He moved from his chair to sit next to Will on the couch, to offer support. He put his hand on Will’s shoulder. Will was looking down at his hands, and Hopper could see tears in his eyes. After everything they went through, Hopper and Will had gotten closer. Not even because Joyce and Hopper were now a couple, but because he cared for the boy as if he was his own son. He had never said it out loud but in his eyes, Will and Jonathan were his sons. 

“You know you can tell me anything right?” Hopper asked, voice still soft.

“I don’t want to lose you.”  Will mumbled, but Hopper understood him perfectly.

“Kid, you could never lose me. You could murder someone, and I’d help you hide the body.” Hopper said, squeezing Will’s shoulder. 

Will took another shuddering breath, still looking down at his hands. They sat there for a few minutes, Will taking deeper breaths and Hopper let him take his time. 

“I don’t like girls.” Will whispered, tears falling from his eyes. 

Hopper looked at him softly, before pulling Will into a tight hug. Will started sobbing into Hopper’s chest, but Hopper just wrapped his arms around him tight, holding him. 

“Kid, you would never lose me for something like this. I care about you, and I would never judge you for this.” Hopper told Will firmly. 

“My dad-Lonnie, used to call me “a fairy” and other slurs. It hurt coming from him, sure, but if they came from you I don’t think I’d survive.” Will explained, finally looking Hopper in the eyes. 

“Kid, Jane may be my daughter, but as far as I’m concerned, you’re my son.” Hopper said, and Will felt fresh tears spring from his eyes, and he wrapped his arms around Hopper again. 

“You’re a better dad than Lonnie.” Will whispered to Hopper. 

When they finally pulled apart, Hopper asked if Will was up for a few questions, just so Hopper didn’t do anything that would be offensive, even if it was unintentional. 

“You can call me out if I say something wrong, okay?” Hopper told Will, who nodded. 

Once they finished their conversation, Will looked like a weight was lifted off of him. 

“Who all knows?” Hopper asked.

“My mom, Jonathan and Robin.” Will said softly. 

“I appreciate the fact that you trusted me enough to tell me.” Hopper said, smiling at Will. 

“Of course, Hop. Oh! My mom wanted to ask if you wanted to come over for dinner tonight.” Will asked Hopper. 

“Of course kid. I’ll drive us over there in a bit.” Hopper said, sitting back on the couch. 

Will nodded and sat next to Hopper, resting his head on Hopper’s shoulder. Hopper just smiled down at him, and ruffled his hair. 

Mike: 

Hopper was sitting in his chair, feet up, nursing a beer while he watched Miami Vice, when a knock sounded through the cabin. Jane was having a sleepover with Will, so he was once again by himself. He frowned, pausing the TV before getting up. He looked through the window and saw a familiar mop of black hair. He opened the door and looked at Mike. He was annoyed, like he usually was when he saw Mike Wheeler, but then he saw a bruise forming on one of Mike’s cheeks. 

“Come in kid.” Hopper murmured, letting Mike in before shutting and locking the door. 

Mike sat down on the couch before bringing his knees up to his chest. He was staring off into space, and Hopper felt his heart break. He may have his issues with Mike, but he was still a kid. Hopper walked over and sat next to him on the couch. He put his hand on Mike’s shoulder and Mike flinched, looking at Hopper with wide eyes. Now that they were in the light of the cabin, Hopper could see that it was more than just a bruise on Mike’s cheek. He had a few cuts on his face too, that were still bleeding. There was a clear handprint, on the same side as the bruise. Hopper could also see dried tear streaks on his cheeks. Mike looked wide eyed at Hopper, before his bottom lip wobbled and he burst into tears. Hopper pulled him into a hug, mindful of the possible injuries that were hidden. 

“Who did this Mike?” Hopper asked, running a hand through Mike’s hair. 

“My dad.” Mike choked out, still sobbing. 

“I’ll kill him.” Hopper growled. 

“Please don’t leave me.” Mike cried, tightening his hold on Hopper. 

“Okay, okay. I’m not going anywhere, kid.” Hopper reassured, rubbing a hand over Mike’s back. 

“We gotta get you cleaned up, okay?” Hopper told Mike, pulling back to look at Mike again. 

Mike nodded and Hopper got up to get the first aid kit. He came back with a bottle of water and the kit before he sat down next to Mike again. He set it on the coffee table and opened it up. He got to work cleaning the cuts on Mike’s face, being gentle so he doesn’t hurt him more. He put some bruise salve on his cheek, hoping it would help. The last thing he did was give Mike the water and some pain meds, having him take them. Hopper could tell the adrenaline was wearing down, so he helped Mike to the spare room. He tucked him in the way he used to do for Sarah, and as he went to leave the room, a hand shot out and grabbed his wrist. 

“Please don’t leave me.” Mike whispered, repeating his words from earlier and Hopper felt his heart break again. This was no longer the punk kid who got mad at him for hiding Jane away, this was a broken boy who needed his help. 

“Of course kid. I’ll stay here.” Hopper murmured, grabbing a chair and sitting next to the bed. 

He held onto Mike’s hand until he heard his breath evening out. Hopper carefully got up, looking back at the young boy one last time before leaving the room, leaving the door open 3 inches. Hopper knew he’d have to have a conversation with Mike in the morning, but for now he’d settle for letting Nancy know her brother was safe. That’s all that mattered. 

Dustin:

Dustin had learned to be independent from a young age. For as long as he could remember, it was just him and his mom. His dad had skipped out on them before Dustin was even born. Dustin never had a desire to seek out his “sperm donor” as he had referred to him. This dynamic worked for him and his mom. They never needed anyone else, they got by on their own .She hadn’t dated since his dad left either, always saying that Dustin was her priority. Claudia had come back to Hawkins, her hometown, when Dustin was going into 4th grade. She didn’t want to, but she needed family support. Her parents had since passed away but she still had an aunt and uncle who lived in the town, so when she was able to, she packed up Dustin and moved back home. She was nervous Dustin would have trouble making friends, especially with his cleidocranial dysplasia, but when he went to school, and met Mike, Will, and Lucas, they had become inseparable. 

Now Claudia was a great mom, Dustin would constantly say this. But with her job, she sometimes needed to go out of town. Since her job knew she was a single mom, they tried to limit this, but sometimes it was something not even her bosses could control. This time around, Claudia was going to Chicago for a week. 

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay with the Byers’s or the Wheeler’s Dusty?” Claudia asked for the 10th time that day. 

Dustin rolled his eyes but smiled at his mom nonetheless. 

“Yes mom, I’ll be fine. I’m 14 now, I can stay home by myself. I know how to make mac and cheese, I can microwave meals, I will be okay.” Dustin reassured his mom who smiled at him. 

“When did you get so grown up?” Claudia asked, pulling Dustin into a hug. 

“I don’t know mom. But you’re gonna be late!” Dustin said, looking at the time. 

“Okay okay, I’ll go. But if you need anything-” Claudia started before being cut off by Dustin.

“I’ll call Steve. I promise I will be okay.” Dustin said, guiding her towards the door. 

“Okay Dusty. I love you.” She said, hugging him one more time. 

“I love you too Mom. Now go!” Dustin said, pushing her out the front door. 

He locked the door behind her. He sighed, walking into his room. He thought about calling his friends, seeing if they wanted to come over. But he didn’t want to bother them, so he decided to just try and relax. The problem with that was it was near impossible for him. He didn’t know what the word relax even meant. He had laid on his bed for all of 10 minutes before he got up, restless. He grabbed his thinking cap, his house key, before walking out the front door, grabbing his bike. He didn’t have a destination in mind, just deciding to ride around. He lived the furthest away from all his friends, but usually that didn’t matter. Today though, it made him feel alone. He was so caught up in his own head that he didn’t realize Hopper had pulled up next to him. 

“Hey kid, you headed somewhere?” Hopper called out, startling Dustin. 

“Whoa Hopper, I didn’t see you. Um, not really, I’m just riding around.” Dustin said sheepishly. 

“Do you want a ride somewhere? I’m headed to the Byers’s right now.” Hopper said, putting his truck in park and stepping out. 

“Oh no thank you. I don’t want to be a bother.” Dustin said, glancing down. 

“You won’t be kid, Joyce would never turn you away. Call your mom, tell her that you won’t be home for dinner.” Hopper said, walking over to Dustin. 

Dustin mumbled something Hopper didn’t hear. He raised an eyebrow and asked Dustin to repeat himself. 

“My mom is out of town for the week. I’m on my own.” Dustin said, not much louder than he had spoken before. 

“Well then, you are for sure coming over. Then, you can come back to my cabin and stay there with Jane and I.” Hopper said, sounding definitive. 

“I don’t want to impose.” Dustin protested. 

“Kid, you will not impose. You know Joyce always makes way too much food. There will be more than enough food. And I have enough room at my place. Now c’mon, put your bike in the back.” Hopper said, clapping a hand on Dustin’s shoulder. 

Dustin sighed, but he had a smile on his face. He put his bike in the bed of Hopper’s truck, before climbing in the passenger side. 

“Thanks Hop.” Dustin said, looking out the window. 

“Anytime kid.”

Max:

Max didn’t hide that her mom was an alcoholic. After Billy died and Neil left them, her mom turned to alcohol. Most nights, Max would stay the night at one of her friend’s houses, but on this night, she had to be home. She was currently laying on her bed with her headphones on, drowning out the world. Her eyes were closed, which is why she didn’t notice her mom come into her room. 

“Maxine! Get up!” Her mom yelled, yanking her out of her bed. 

“Wha-mom?!” Max asked, looking confused. 

“Get up! You don’t pay bills, so you don’t get to lay around like you do! Go do the dishes!” She yelled, and Max could smell the alcohol on her breath. 

“Yes mom.” Max murmured, getting up off the floor. 

Max ignored the throbbing coming from her shoulder. She had landed hard on it when her mom pulled her out of bed. Her mom slammed the bedroom door, and Max sighed. This was why she hated staying here. But everyone was busy and she couldn’t stay away forever. She made her way out to the kitchen, starting the dishes. She glanced at the living room and saw her mom sitting in her chair, drinking a beer. Max saw at least 6 empty bottles around her, and Max knew it was gonna be a long night.

It thankfully didn’t take long for Max to finish the dishes, even without them having a dishwasher. By the time she was done, her mom had passed out in her chair. She knew her mom would sleep through the night, but she was still quiet as she crept back to her bedroom. She shut her door gently, sliding her dresser over in front of it. Max pulled off her shirt to see her shoulder. There was a big bruise and bump on it, and she had a hard time moving it. 

“Shit.” She whispered, trying not to cry from pain. 

She slipped on a hoodie and grabbed some random clothes, throwing them in a backpack. She grabbed her phone and a charger, and anything else she needed, before moving her dresser again. She carefully crept outside, grabbing her skateboard and helmet on the way out. She knew Jane and Hopper didn’t live far, so she headed for them. She needed to get away, and stay away for a while. She couldn’t deal with her mom right now. It was dark out but not too late, thankfully. Her helmet had a headlamp so she turned that on, since half of the streetlights didn’t work in Hawkins. 

Once she reached the driveway, she got off the skateboard and walked. It was gravel, and she didn’t feel like wiping out on her already bad shoulder. Hopper must’ve heard her coming up the driveway because by the time she reached the door, he was already there. This wasn’t the first time Max had come over at night, so he was ready. He let her in without a word and watched as she made her way to Jane’s bedroom. Max never slept in the spare room, but that was fine with him. Max and Jane were practically sisters. She didn’t come out until the morning, but when the two girls emerged from the bedroom, Jane looked upset. Hopper served them Eggos without asking, and sipped his coffee. Jane had explained what happened to Max, and Hopper helped her get to the hospital. She had dislocated her shoulder, but thankfully that was an easy fix. The only thing was she had to wear a sling for a few weeks, but other than that she would be fine. 

“Kid, you’re not going back there. If I have to, I’ll petition for guardianship for you.” Hopper had promised Max. 

Max hadn’t said anything, just hugged him. He smiled and hugged her back. She stayed with the Hoppers until graduation and she wouldn’t have had it any other way. 

Lucas:

“Mom, dad, my game is this weekend!” Lucas cried, looking upset.

“I know Lucas, but we have to take Erica to Indianapolis this weekend.” His mom said calmly. 

“We’ve been to plenty of your games already, you can afford for us to miss one. It’s not that important.” His dad said, not looking up from reading the newspaper. 

“But this is the championship!” Lucas said, sounding more upset. 

“Lucas, stop whining. You will survive.” His dad said, and with the tone of his voice saying that it was final. 

Lucas sighed before getting up from the dining room table. He made his way to his room to grab his backpack. He left for school without saying anything to his parents. His friends could tell that something was wrong, so at lunch they asked him. 

“My parents have to take Erica to Indy this weekend so they are gonna miss my championship game. My dad said it wasn’t important.” Lucas said, picking at his food. 

“What? That’s bullshit!” Dustin said, looking upset for Lucas’s sake. 

“It is what it is, I guess.” Lucas mumbled, not noticing how his friends all shared a look. 

That night, while Hopper and Jane were having dinner with the Byers’s, Jane and Will brought up the plan they had come up with. 

“Hey guys?” Will spoke up, getting the attention of Jonathan, Joyce, and Hopper’s attention. 

“What’s up sweetheart?” Joyce asked, smiling softly. 

“Lucas told us something today, and it made us all upset. He tried to downplay it, but we could all see how much it was bothering him.” Will said, looking at Jane to take over. 

“His parents and Erica are going to miss his game this weekend. So we were thinking about getting as many people as possible and surprising him.” Jane said, smiling. 

“That’s a great idea guys.” Jonathan said, looking proud of his younger siblings. 

“Mike is gonna talk to Nancy, Dustin to Steve, and Steve will probably drag Robin, and Max is gonna talk to Eddie.” Will explained to the trio. 

“That sounds like a great idea.” Hopper said, ruffling Will and Jane’s hair. 

A few days later, Lucas was warming up in the gym with his team, right before the game started. He wasn’t expecting anyone in the crowd. Sure, his friends knew about his game but he figured they would all have something better to do than watch him. His teammates all had people in the stands, and Lucas felt himself deflate. Suddenly, the door burst open and a loud group of mismatched people barreled in. To anyone else, they looked out of place, but to Lucas, they were the people he cared about. Leading the group was Mike, Will, Dustin, Jane, and Max, all of whom had faces painted in their school colors. After them was Robin, Steve, Nancy, Jonathan, and Eddie. Jonathan had his camera around his neck, and they were all wearing shirts with the school logo on them. Finally, after the older teenagers, was Joyce, Hopper, and Claudia. They were in their normal clothes, but Lucas didn’t care. He let out a shocked laugh as he watched the big group pile into the bleachers. He heard them all cheering, and he even saw Jane and Max holding a sign with his name and number on it. 

“You ready Sinclair?” One of his teammates called out. 

“Let’s do this!” Lucas called back, and the game started. 

The game went by fast, and Hawkins High came out as the champions. Lucas watched as one of his teammates was hoisted into the air. But Lucas didn’t care about celebrating with them, he wanted to celebrate with the people who had come to support him. 

“You guys came!” Lucas said as he approached the group. 

“Like we’d be anywhere else, Sinclair.” Steve said, slinging an arm over his shoulders. 

“C’mon kid, go get cleaned up, we’re gonna celebrate at my place.” Hopper said, smiling slightly. 

Everyone hugged Lucas, and before he walked out, Lucas hugged Hopper one more time. Hopper hugged him back, wrapping the younger man in his arms. 

“This meant so much to me, Hop. Thank you.” Lucas murmured. 

“Anytime kid, now go clean up, you stink.” Hopper said with a smirk. 

Steve:

Steve was lounging around his house, well his parents house, watching TV. He was used to being alone here, since his parents were never home. He hated being alone in this big house, which is why he always offered to host get-togethers at his place. He had the room, plus plenty of spare bedrooms, if the kids wanted to stay the night. And on the nights when there was no get-together, he’d usually be at Eddie or Robin’s place. In fact, he didn’t know why he was home alone tonight. But he had a bad feeling in his gut. After everything with the Upside Down, his paranoia had increased ten fold. He tried to tell himself it was nothing, but then the front door opened and in walked his parents. 

Steve felt his eyes widen, as he wasn’t expecting them back yet. It had been almost a year since he saw them, and they hadn’t called. Steve cursed quietly as he looked down at what he was wearing. He knew his dad wouldn’t approve, since it wasn’t “fitting” of a Harrington. He was in one of Eddie’s Hellfire shirts and a pair of old basketball shorts. He had let his hair grow out longer than normal too. Plus his nails were painted red, courtesy of Max and Jane. 

“Steven.” His mother said, looking at him coldly. 

“Mother.” Steve replied, not looking at them.

“What are you wearing Steven? That is absurd!” His father bellowed, walking over to him. Steve flinched, and his father sighed. 

“Why are you guys back?” Steve asked, trying to keep his voice even. 

“We have decided we are selling the house. We don’t live here anyways, so why bother? You’ll have two weeks to figure out a living situation. You are 19, you are an adult, so you must start acting like one.” His mother explained, holding a hand up when Steve went to interrupt her 

“So that’s it? You’re gone for almost a year, you don’t even call and wish me a happy birthday, but you come home to tell me you’re selling the house? Are you even staying here longer than a day?” Steve asked, feeling tears in his eyes that he refused to let fall. 

“You watch your tone Steven. This is our house, remember? You are an adult. You shouldn’t bother yourself with trivial things like birthdays. And for your information, your mother and I will be leaving tomorrow, and returning in two weeks to make sure the sale goes through.” His father said, and Steve just sighed. 

“Okay. I’ll go start packing up my things.” Steve murmured, not looking at his parents. 

“That would be for the best.” His father said, dismissing him. 

Two weeks later, Steve had boxes loaded in the back of his BMW. He had nowhere to go, but he would figure it out. Like his parents said, he’s an adult now. He can deal with it on his own. It’s how he ended up at the quarry. Most people would come up there to make out, god knows he did in high school, but no one would notice an old beat up Beemer hidden in the trees. And it’s not like it’d be permanent, just something to get by until he saved up enough from working. He had a trust fund, but his parents used it for their travels, so he was starting at ground level. And listen, he knew there were people that would help him, but he hated being a bother. So, he continued going to work like nothing was wrong. Until, the party asked if they could have a get-together at his place. Steve knew he would have to come clean now. But he didn’t want to. He was embarrassed. 

“Well guys, we can’t.” Steve said when they asked him for the 5th time in an hour. 

“Why not?” Dustin asked, crossing his arms. 

“Because…myparentssoldthehouseandIhavebeenlivinginmycaratthequarryforafewweeksnow.” Steve blurted, words jumbling together. 

“Wanna try that again?” Max asked, eyebrow raised. 

“My parents sold the house. I’ve been living in my car at the quarry for a few weeks. I didn’t say anything because I was embarrassed.” Steve mumbled, cheeks burning. 

“Steve, honey, you know you’re welcome at any of our houses right?” Joyce asked softly. 

“I know, but I’m an adult, I should be able to get by on my own.” Steve said, sighing. 

“Kid, you’re 19, that’s barely an adult. We’re gonna figure something out, okay?” Hopper said, nodding at him. 

“For now, we’ll hang out in Mike’s basement, like before!” Lucas said, smiling. 

Karen had divorced Ted after he attacked Mike, so it was a safe space for them again. 

“Thank you guys, I love you all.” Steve said, holding his arms open, and all the kids ran to hug him, even Mike. 

Steve ended up moving in with Eddie and Wayne, since he and Eddie had started dating a couple months ago. Wayne was supportive of them, and was more than happy to let Steve live with them. 

Jonathan:

It was Hopper’s day off when his phone rang. Jane was at school, so he was sitting in the silence, enjoying his coffee. He saw who was calling, and answered it with a smile. 

“Hey Joyce.” He greeted her. 

“Hi Jim, I wish this was a social call but I have a huge favor to ask.” Joyce rushed out, sounding stressed. 

“What’s going on?” He asked, furrowing his eyebrows. 

“I got called into work last minute and Jonathan is sick. Can you come watch him please? I know he’ll say he’s too old for a babysitter, but his fever was very high and I can’t leave him home alone. Please.” Joyce pleaded. Hopper could hear the desperation in her voice, so he set his cup down and held his phone between his ear and shoulder as he walked to his room. 

“Of course Joyce. I’ll get dressed and head over right away. I’ll be there in about 30.” Hopper reassured her.

“Oh thank you Jim! This is a huge relief off my chest. You have a spare key, right?” She asked, and he heard her locking the door. 

“Yes, it’s on my key ring. I will be there soon.” Hopper said, slipping his boots on. 

They said goodbye and Hopper made his way to his truck. It took him about 20 minutes to drive to the Byers’s house. He unlocked the door, and walked in. Jonathan was asleep on the couch. He had a blanket draped over him, and a damp cloth on his forehead. Hopper quietly slipped off his boots, before sitting down in the arm chair, keeping an eye on Jonathan, while also reading the newspaper. Jonathan didn’t wake up for a few hours, but when he did, he was very delirious. 

“Mom?” Jonathan slurred, looking confused. 

“She had to go to work, bud, but I’m here.” Hopper said, walking over and removing the cloth, feeling his forehead. 

“Hop?” Jonathan asked, squinting his eyes. 

“Yeah it’s me. Do you feel up to trying to eat some soup?” Hopper asked, helping Jonathan sit up. 

“I can try.” 

“Good. I’ll go heat it up. You okay here for a few?” Hopper asked. 

“I’ll be fine.” Jonathan said with a loopy smile. 

Hopper patted Jonathan on his shoulder, before making his way to the kitchen. Sure, he didn’t live here, but he and Jane spent so much time here that he knew where everything was. Thankfully Joyce had canned chicken noodle soup, so Hopper started to heat that up. He grabbed a glass of water, as well as some medicine. He set everything on a tray before making his way back to the living room. 

“Here, eat some soup and drink some water. When you’re done eating, I want you to take some medicine, okay?” Hopper said, putting the tray down on Jonathan’s lap.

“Thank you Hop. Can we watch TV?” Jonathan asked before taking a spoonful of soup.

“Of course kid, any requests?” Hopper asked as he grabbed the TV remote.

“Whatever is on.” Jonathan said, before taking another bite. 

Hopper turned on the TV, scrolling the guide before finding The Price Is Right. The two of them sat there, not talking. The TV only being interrupted by Jonathan slurping. It was a sound that bothered Hopper most of the time, but he didn’t mind it today. 

Jonathan finished his soup, and leaned forward to set the bowl on the coffee table. Hopper moved from the chair to sit on one end of the couch. He handed Jonathan the water and the medicine, having him take them. Once he swallowed it, he gently pulled down Jonathan until he was laying with his head in Hopper’s lap. 

“Just relax kid, you’ll feel better.” Hopper murmured, turning down the volume to the TV. 

“Thanks dad.” Jonathan mumbled, eyes slipping closed. 

Hopper felt his breath catch in his throat, but he smiled down at the teenager. 

“Of course kid.” Hopper replied. 

He slowly slipped away into sleep too, and that’s how Joyce found them. She took a picture, before leaving them be. They looked comfortable, who was she to break that up. 

El/Jane:

Nightmares were something every member of the party sadly suffered from. After everything they went through, it wasn’t shocking. Thankfully, each of them usually had someone there to help them through it. It was a rare occasion when there was no one there to comfort them. Hopper was very used to helping the kids, especially Jane. She suffered more nightmares than regular dreams, and it hurt him to see her suffer. Tonight was no different, Hopper having been woken up by a scream. 

He rushed into his daughter’s room, seeing her backup up into a corner on her bed. Her eyes were wide and things were shaking around the room. He walked in carefully, turning the bedside table lamp on, giving the room a little more light. 

“NO PAPA!” Jane screamed, tears streaming down her cheeks. 

“Jane, it’s Hopper. It’s your dad. You’re not back there. You’re not in the lab anymore.” Hopper said calmly, holding his hands out in front of him like he was approaching a scare animal.

She just whimpered, and things were shaking on her desk. He slowly sat down on her bed, still holding his hands out. 

“Jane. You’re safe. You’re in the cabin, not the lab.” Hopper repeated, looking her in the eyes. 

Her nose was starting to bleed, and Hopper knew this was a bad nightmare. Usually he could help her before her powers got too much, but tonight he was going to have to work harder. 

“Jane. Listen to me please. I’m not papa. I’m your dad. You’re safe.” Hopper kept repeating, getting closer to his daughter. 

When he got close enough, he pulled her into his arms. She gasped before sobbing into his chest. He knew he’d have blood, tears, and snot on his shirt, but he didn’t care one bit. All he cared about was comforting his daughter. She was shaking violently, so he reached one hand out and grabbed her blanket, wrapping it around her. After her nightmares, she always got cold, so he made sure to warm her up. He rocked the two of them rubbing a hand up and down her back. 

“Did I hurt you?” She whimpered, not looking at him. 

“No honey, I’m okay. You didn’t hurt me.” Hopper reassured, pulling her back so he could look at her. 

He reached to her nightstand and grabbed a tissue before wiping her nose gently. It took a few, but he was able to clean her face. She was still shaking, but was no longer crying. 

“Do you want to sleep in my bed?” Hopper asked her. 

“Yes please.” She replied, coming down from the adrenaline. 

He picked her up, before carrying her into his own bedroom. He laid her down on his bed before going and getting her a glass of water. By the time he brought it back though, Jane had fallen back asleep. He shook his head fondly, before climbing into bed next to her, letting her cuddle close unconsciously. It didn’t take long for him to follow his daughter into sleep. 

Nancy:

The party was all at the Wheeler’s house celebrating the 4th of July. The younger teenagers were running around spraying each other with super soakers, chasing Holly and Erica. Steve and Eddie were cuddled up on a chair, chatting with Jonathan, while Robin sat next to them, chiming in when she could. Claudia, Karen, and Joyce were off to the side, chatting about how the kids had been doing. Hopper was sitting in a lawn chair, nursing a beer, watching everyone. Well, not everyone. He glanced around, and noticed Nancy was missing. It was getting close to the fireworks time, so he got up and walked over to the three older teens. 

“Hey, have you guys seen Nancy?” Hopper asked, furrowing his eyebrows when they all shook their heads. 

“Hmm, thanks anyway.” Hopper said, before walking away. He asked the others, and they hadn’t seen her either. He decided to look inside the house. He had a feeling what was going on, but he was hoping he was wrong. Sure enough, he walked inside and saw the light on in her bedroom. He walked over, knocking gently on the door.

“Go away Mom.” Nancy called out, and Hopper could hear she was crying. 

“It’s not your mom kid. Can I come in?” Hopper asked, waiting to hear an answer. 

He heard soft footsteps, before the door unlocked. He pushed open the door, shutting it behind him. Nancy was sitting on her bed, her knees pulled up to her chest. Hopper saw tear tracks on her face, and he sighed softly. He grabbed her desk chair, sitting down and looking at her. He had an understanding look on his face. 

“What’s going on, kid?” Hopper asked Nancy. 

“Nothing.” Nancy replied, quickly brushing a fresh tear that had fallen. 

“Don’t lie to me, please. You can lie to your mom, you can lie to Mike, you can lie to Jonathan, but please, don’t lie to me. I won’t tell anyone anything you say.” Hopper said, trying not to sound like he was pleading. 

“I hate the 4th of July.” Nancy cried, dropping her head onto her knees. 

“I know, kid.” Hopper said, reaching out and grabbing one of her hands. 

“You do?” She asked, picking up her head. 

“Yeah, I do. It’s the fireworks, right?” He asked her, watching as she nodded. 

“I get it. After ‘Nam, I couldn’t stand them either.” He explained, seeing her eyes light up in recognition. 

“After everything in the Upside Down, having to fire all those guns, I can’t do it. It just reminds me about that.” Nancy whispered, looking down. 

“How did you get better?” Nancy asked after a moment. Hopper contemplated the question for a few seconds before answering. 

“Honestly? I haven’t really. Sure, I don’t immediately get thrown back there, but I still flinch when a loud noise happens. But what helps is being surrounded by loved ones. Letting people help you.” Hopper explained. 

He saw Nancy was still skeptical, but she nodded. She brought her legs down, stretching. She was wearing jean shorts and a 4th of July shirt her mom had gotten her. She slipped her sandals back on, looking at Hopper. He held a hand out for her, which she grabbed. She squeezed it, and he squeezed back. The two weren’t always close, but after everything with Ted, they had gotten closer. She had confided that Ted also beat her, and that she would protect her younger siblings the best she could. 

The two walked outside, only being noticed by Robin, who raised an eyebrow. Nancy smiled, walking over to her. She sat down with her, and she wrapped an arm around Nancy’s waist. 

“Everything okay?” Robin whispered as Nancy leaned back. 

“It will be.” Nancy replied, looking over her shoulder to look at her girlfriend. 

The fireworks started, and Nancy jumped, but Robin rubbed a hand over her back, and Nancy felt herself relax. She met Hopper’s eyes across the lawn, and they shared a smile. 

Robin:

Robin and Nancy were studying at Robin’s house. Well, studying was a stretch. It had started as studying for math, but had moved to them kissing, then making out. They were home alone, which was why they didn’t worry about locking Robin’s door. This was a mistake, since they didn’t hear Robin’s dad enter. What they did hear was him screaming at them. They pulled apart like they were burned, looking at him with fear. 

“I will not have my daughter be a dyke!” He was yelling, furious. 

Nancy and Robin were frozen in fear. He stalked towards them, grabbing Robin by her hair. Nancy broke out of her stupor, trying to go after him. He pushed Nancy to the floor, before dragging Robin out into the hall. He threw her down onto the floor, grabbing his belt off his pants. 

Nancy had gotten back up and tackled Robin’s dad to the floor. Robin was sobbing and shaking in pure fear. Nancy got up and grabbed her hand, pulling her outside and into her car. Robin was bleeding from her face, and Nancy, while she wasn’t hurt, was shaking from no longer fear, but fury. She drove them to the only person who could help at the moment. She probably broke multiple speeding laws, but she didn’t care. She was on her way to the chief of police’s cabin, so they could take it up with him. 

On a good day, it took 30 minutes to get from Robin’s to Hopper’s. Right now, Nancy got there in 17 minutes. She had hastily put her car in park, turning her car off. She made her way around to the other side, opening the door, feeling her heart break when Robin flinched violently. 

“Robbie, baby. We’re okay. We’re at Hopper’s house.” Nancy reassured her, carefully unbuckling her and helping her out of the car. 

Her ankle had gotten hurt when her dad threw her, so she leaned on Nancy heavily. They carefully made their way up to the front door, knocking. They saw his truck in the driveway, so they knew he was home. Hopper opened the door, frowning at the two teenagers in front of him. He had a brief flashback to when Mike showed up at his door, months prior. 

“Come in, get her to the couch.” Hopper instructed, going to grab the supplies needed. 

Max and Jane were home, doing their homework on the living room floor. They looked up, smiles dropping off their faces when they saw Robin’s face. Her face was blank, but it had blood coming from her nose. Hopper came back into the living room. Nancy was still holding Robin’s hand tight. 

“Girls, go to Jane’s room.” Hopper told them. They tried to protest, but a look from Hopper had them packing up their homework and following his order.

“What happened?” Hopper asked as he started to clean Robin’s face. 

Nancy explained what had happened, and Hopper got furious. He didn’t want to scare Robin any more than she already was, so he tamped it down as best he could. He could tell Nancy was as mad as he was, but she was staying strong for her girlfriend. 

“I will make this right. You don’t have to go back there.” Hopper reassured Robin. 

“Thank you.” Robin whispered, speaking for the first time since everything happened. 

Hopper escorted Nancy back to Robin’s house, leaving the girl at his cabin with Max and Jane, with strict instructions to them to call him if anything changes. Nancy shouldered past the Buckley parents, making her way to Robin’s room. Thankfully her dad hadn’t destroyed anything, so Nancy quickly packed up everything Robin wanted and would need. She could hear Mr. Buckley and Hopper having a heated conversation. 

“She is no longer welcome in my house!” Mr. Buckley yelled, getting into Hopper’s face.

“Even if she was, she was never coming back here! A father is supposed to love his child, no matter what! Robin will never come back to this house! Do you understand me?” Hopper demanded. 

Mr. Buckley just nodded, so Nancy and Hopper left after that, making their way back to his cabin. 

“I already talked to my mom, she said Robin can stay with us.” Nancy spoke up after a moment.

“Good. You guys can go there tonight.” Hopper said, gruffly as he was still mad at the Buckley parents. 

The two drove in silence the rest of the way. When they got back, Nancy and Robin got into Nancy’s car, while Jane and Max climbed into Hopper’s truck, and the two vehicles made their way to her house. When they got there, Robin hugged Hopper, thanking him. 

“Of course kid.” Hopper replied, slinging an arm over her shoulder. 

The Kids:

After Sarah passed away, Father’s Day became just a regular day for Hopper. He would pick up shifts so that his coworkers with children could spend time with them. Then, he’d go home, and drink until he passed out. That all changed when Jane came into his life. But she didn’t know what Father’s Day was. But then one night, at a party sleepover, she learned about the holiday. 

“I’m glad we won’t be around Lonnie for Father’s Day this year. He always just got drunk and would expect us to wait on him hand and foot.” Will said to the party one evening, in the middle of a break from their D&D game. 

“I get that. I’m glad Ted isn’t around anymore either.” Mike said, lobbing his head to the side to look at Will. 

“What is Father’s Day?” Jane asked, cocking her head to the side like a confused puppy. 

The party shared looks, before they explained the holiday. None of them had good fathers, so they didn’t have the best experiences with the holiday, but they explained it the best they could. 

“So I should get Hopper a gift?” Jane asked, still looking confused. 

“You don’t have to, but maybe get a card or something.” Dustin said, smiling at her. 

“What is a card?” Jane asked, and the party shared a smile before continuing to explain things to their friend. 

That led to today. It was a week until Father’s Day, and the party was putting their heads together. After talking about it, they decided they wanted to pool together and get Hopper a Father’s Day gift from all of them. They even got the older teens involved, since he had taken care of all of them too. The big group was all sitting down in Mike’s basement, trying to brainstorm. Nancy and Robin were cuddled on a chair, Steve was sitting on a loveseat with Dustin on one side and Eddie on the other. Around the coffee table sat Lucas, Will, Mike, and Jonathan. And sharing a beanbag was Jane and Max. Mike had a notebook and pencil, and was looking around the room. 

“Any ideas?” Mike asked, getting shrugs in return. 

“You guys are no help.” Mike said half-jokingly. 

“Well, I don’t hear any ideas coming from you.” Max said, glaring at him. The group knew it wasn’t out of malice, that’s just how those two get along. 

“I always get uncle Wayne some golf balls and tees.” Eddie spoke up. 

“Hopper doesn’t golf though.” Dustin pointed out. 

It was silent for a while longer while the group brainstormed, trying to come up with ideas. 

“What if we make a basket and each put something in it, then we can all tell him who each item is from!” Jane said excitedly. 

“That’s a great idea!” Will said, smiling at his sister in all but blood. 

“So let’s all meet up on Saturday, with our things and I’ll make sure we have a basket to put it in.” Mike said, looking around at everyone. 

They all nodded in agreement. The older teens left the younger ones to go do their own thing. The younger members of the party decided to watch a movie together, deciding on Ghostbusters. 

It took a week, but the party finally got all their items. They had conspired with Joyce, Claudia, and Karen to go shopping for Hopper. When they found out what the party was doing, they were more than ready to help out. 

They all piled into the basement once again, but this time everyone was carrying a different item. There was a big basket on the D&D table, along with some other things. 

“Okay let’s put it together!” Nancy said, taking charge. 

Everyone put their stuff down and the older teens, specifically Nancy and Steve, got to work putting it together. They made it all fancy, wrapping each item in tissue paper before carefully placing the stuff in the basket. While they were doing that, a card was being passed around so that everyone could sign it. Once it was all put together, the last two teens signed the card before putting it in the envelope and putting it front and center in the basket. 

“Okay so I’ll have my mom ask Hopper to come over tomorrow for lunch, and have him bring Jane and Max, and we can all be there waiting for him.” Will said to everyone. 

“That sounds perfect.” Robin replied, smiling at Will. 

The group dispersed once again, anxiously waiting the next day. 

Sure enough, Hopper agreed to come over with the girls, so he told them that they were going over to the Byers’s house, not knowing they already knew about it. 

Jane and Max got ready together, having matching braids and flowers in their hair. Jane was wearing a sun dress while Max had on shorts and a t-shirt that was Lucas’s. 

“Ready to go?” Hopper asked the girls. 

“Yep!” They replied together. 

The three piled into Hopper’s truck, and headed out from the cabin. Hopper could hear the two of them giggling in the back, but he just shook his head, smiling. 

It didn’t take long to get there, but once he put his truck into park, the girls flew out, running inside without waiting for him. This was out of the ordinary, but once again, Hopper just shook it off again, not questioning the teenage girls. 

He walked in without knocking, wiping his boots on the mat before entering the house. Hopper saw Joyce standing there, smiling at him. But she had an odd look on her face too. He recognized it as the look she had when she was hiding something from him.  

“Hey Joyce.” He greeted, smiling but looking a little concerned. 

“Hi Jim. Could you come to the dining room with me?” Joyce asked, eyes a little wide. 

“Sure.” Hopper said skeptically.

The two walked into the dining room , where Hopper was surprised by Will, Mike, Lucas, Dustin, Max, Jane, Nancy, Steve, Robin, and Jonathan all standing around the table with a big basket in the middle. 

“What’s this?” Hopper asked, smiling at the group. 

“Jane heard me talking about how I’m glad I’m not around Lonnie for Father’s Day this year, and she asked what that was. So we explained it and she wanted to do something for you. And after some thinking, we all agreed that you’re the best father figure any of us have, so we wanted to pool together and get you a gift. I hope we didn’t overstep.” Will explained, fidgeting with his hands. 

“Guys this is something I never expected. You definitely didn’t over step. I’m honored you all think of me like that.” Hopper said, feeling his hands shake a little bit. 

“Open your gift!” Jane said excitedly, shoving the basket forward. 

Hopper chuckled and sat down, watching as everyone followed suit. He grabbed the card first, opening it. 

It was a cheesy pun card, it had a cheese grater and cheese on it, saying “I think you’re a grate dad”. He laughed, shaking his head. Inside all the kids signed it, writing little notes to him.  

He grabbed the first thing, unwrapping it. It was a watch, and Dustin spoke up. 

“That’s from me. I made it.” He said, looking at Hopper. 

Next was a framed painting. He knew Will painted it. It had him in the middle with the kids evenly spaced on either side of him. 

He kept unwrapping the gifts, getting more and more emotional as he opened them. Mike got him an apron that said “stand back, dads grilling”.

Jonathan put together a scrapbook of photos he had taken of Hopper and the party. 

Robin got him a “free dad hugs” shirt to wear to the Pride parade they were planning on going to. 

Nancy got him a Hawaiian shirt with all their faces on it. 

Max got him a new coffee mug that said “this guy has the best daughter. Yes she got me this mug.”

Jane got him a framed photo of the two of them, and the frame said “thank you for stepping up to be my dad” with her name under it. 

Steve got him a few ball caps that say “best dad”.  

Lucas got him a wooden cutting board that says “everything tastes better when dad grills it”. 

Hopper blinked away tears, feeling choked up at all the gifts from the kids he had come to love as his own. 

“Thank you. I love them all.” Hopper said, standing up. 

He held his arms open and everyone ran over to hug him. Joyce was smiling at the group, crying tears of joy. She took a photo of them, winking at Jim when he locked eyes with her. 

The group all stayed at the Byers’s house all day, everyone not wanting to leave Hopper. 

“You guys are all my kids, blood or not.” Hopper told the group, who just hummed in happiness. Hopper smiled from where he was in the middle of a cuddle pile and looked at Joyce, who smiled softly. 

Bonus:

Joyce: [sent a photo, the group hug]

Joyce: Needless to say the gift basket was a success

Claudia: Awww I’m so happy for them. Jim is the best thing to happen to Dusty

Karen: Agreed, Mike and Jim may not always get along but they need each other. And there is no one else I would rather have helped Nancy. He knows what to do. 

Joyce: I absolutely agree with you both. Jim is not only an attentive partner, but an amazing dad. And not just for Jane and Max, but all of them.