With What Strength Remains (A Stranger Things Fanfic)

THE INVESTIGATION

She acted the same, as if no phone call was made. There were a few times he had nearly asked her about it, but he bit his lip every time, telling himself it was none of his business and he shouldn't be making a big deal out of it. There had to be a reasonable explanation but if he let on that he was eavesdropping on her and then demanded to know who she was talking to, she'd probably get angry at him, call him paranoid. Which he was. But this was Anne. He had nothing to worry about... Right?

Round and round Hopper went. One second she was innocent of any wrongdoing, the next he pegged her for a government agent. Finally he told himself to forget about it. Anne was the last person he needed to be suspicious of.

Before going in to work she helped him scour his bedroom floor for the few Tuinal that he had dropped. The first one he found he dry swallowed in front of her, but she said nothing. The last two he replaced back in the bottle and shoved it in his pocket.

She went in with him again, said she'd watch a double feature, maybe find a ride to a nearby mall or something. He didn't like the idea of her being on her own again, especially after what the suits said to him the previous night. But he didn't argue against it. It's not like she could stay with him at the station all day. Untamed thoughts of having her on his desk, against the door, in the single holding cell, flooded Hopper's mind. He'd be distracted the whole time, her being so close and him not being able to act on any of his lascivious thoughts. No work would get done.

He dropped her off at a mom and pop diner near the center of town so she could have breakfast and be able to walk to where she needed to go afterwards. He wished he could've joined her, but he was already late and he didn't need any lip from Flo. She was probably going to give him the death stare as it was.

"Did Miss Garrett go home yet?" Flo asked almost immediately after Hopper walked into the station.

"Nah, she's still around. Any calls, Flo?" He charged to the coffee urn where a box of muffins sat looking pitiful and unwanted.

"No. Would you two want to come over for dinner tonight? I'm making pork chops."

Hopper turned to her, the head of the muffin wedged in his mouth, his brow furrowed. He pulled the pastry out from between his teeth, no bite taken.

"You want to have us over for dinner? Tonight?"

"Wouldn't you like a nice home cooked meal, Hop?"

"Well, yeah, but..." he paused as he looked at her, the wheels in his head turning. "Flo, what's going on? Why are you so keen about Anne and I for a meal? First it was yesterday with coming to my place for dinner, now it's your place."

"Oh, it's nothing to get worked up about, Hop, it was just an idea. I like the girl is all. And it's the first girl I've seen you with that made you look... I don't know. Happy?"

So there it was. Flo thought he and Anne were an item and was encouraging the love match the only way she knew how: through food.

"Okay. Flo. Anne and I... we're not... together, alright? She's just some girl passing through town. So... thanks for the dinner invite, but... we're good." He stuffed the muffin back into his mouth and took his coffee with him to his office.

At lunch time, Hopper thought it'd be a good idea to maybe locate Anne and take her for a bite to eat. He figured she was probably tired and cold from doing God knows what all day and could use the break. What he didn't admit was that he really just missed her and felt the need to check up on her.

He found her at the movie theatre in the middle of her second viewing of Sudden Impact.

"You gotta love Clint Eastwood," she said as they walked back to his truck.