DANCIN' ► DUSTIN HENDERSON [1]

2/3

"ARE YOU SURE THIS IS A GOOD IDEA?" Hopper asked Jasper nervously, holding the pair of scissors in his hands delicately. "Maybe I should cut your hair. Or we could get Joyce—"

"You don't want anyone to know we're alive right?" Jasper cut him off, cocking a red eyebrow. "You're a terrible hair stylist and while I'm sure Joyce would keep me a secret, we shouldn't stress her anymore. You said she still has to take Will to a doctor right?"

"Uh, yeah," Hopper gulped. "Sam Owens. He's the new head of Hawkins Lab."

"Yuck," Jasper cringed, her face scrunching up in disgust. "Are you sure that you guys are doing the right thing for Will by taking him there? Poor guy is probably traumatized."

"If he's traumatized, then what are you?" Hopper challenged, instantly regretting his words. "You woke up screaming four times last night."

Jasper froze, her gaze darkening like it had every time Hopper had mentioned the Upside Down or her night terrors. "I'll be fine," she finally murmured, snatching the pair of hair scissors from Hopper. "Seriously. And maybe with this new look I can move on a bit better."

"I still don't understand it," Hopper cursed, anger sprouting up in his words. "Why the hell did El get to leave and every time you tried to the shit burned you? Until one day it miraculously didn't? And you couldn't use your time powers either? I can't believe that."

"Yeah, I don't understand any of it either," Jasper muttered coldly, clearly agitated over the subject. "But I'm back. And I don't want to dwell on it right now."

Hopper blinked slowly in astonishment. "Jasper you were stuck in that place for a year. I mean, surely, we should—"

"I said I don't want to talk about it!" Jasper screeched, glowering up at him with her topaz colored eyes. "I survived. That's what matters. You and El kept me alive by bringing me food every week and I came back."

Hopper caved in, knowing he couldn't push her to talk. Instead he leaned back against the couch cushion, scratching at his stubble. Emotion tore at his heart as he struggled to say his next sentence. "I just don't want anything bad to happen to you, you know? It seems unfair that you had to live like that for a year."

Jasper softened, realizing her disappearance probably hurt him more than she would ever realize. Even when she has her own kids, she'll probably never have to lose them to a dark dimension, God forbid. "I know. But everything will be fine, like you said. You're never gonna lose me like that again."

Jasper sat up, her hands suddenly pressing on his sides dismissively. "Ya know what Hop why don't ya just go to work, huh? I bet you've got a busy day of donuts and coffee and smoking and whatever else you do at work but—"

"Hey," Hopper slammed his palm forcefully on the door, preventing the girl from further shoving him out into the autumn morning air.  Reluctance tore at his chest, unsure of how to deliver what he wanted to say. "Don't...Don't be stupid, okay? I'm only letting you do this because I can't keep making grocery trips every time El's out of eggos. Which is very often, by the way."

A small smile tugged at the corners of Jasper's lips, and suddenly she appeared much older than her age. Living in a decayed dimension for almost a year can change a person, and for Jasper Hopper she had to grow up too fast. "I'll be fine, I always am."