Home Strangerthingau

Chapter 4

The Byers and Hopper

Hopper got home late, again. He usually gets home late because during the day he's being the chief and helping the people of Hawkins. But once that clock strikes five, he turns into an investigator. Looking high and low for any idea of where Brenner could be. But Brenner can hide his tracks very well.

He sighed as he took his jacket off, hanging it up along with his hat.

"Jim!" Joyce's voice shouted from the kitchen. "Is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me." Hopper replied back making his way to his wife. He walked into the kitchen to see Joyce making dinner, while Will sat at the table doing his homework he missed that day. "How was your day?"

"As good as today could get, I guess." Joyce said wiping her hands on a towel and going to Hopper to give him a hug. She stepped back and looked at him getting ready to ask the question she asked everyday. "Anything?"

Hopper shook his head looking down disappointed.

Will got up from his seat and made his way to his room, not wanting to listen to the conversation. Today was already bad enough, he didn't need anymore reminders of his sister.

Hopper watched as he left the room. "How's he doing?" He asked after hearing his door shut.

"He hasn't really been out of his room all day." Joyce said looking at his empty seat, where he had abandoned his homework. "I've been giving him space today."

"Want me to go talk to him?"

"No." Joyce said giving him a sweet kiss. "I'll talk to him soon."

"Okay." He said smiling sadly at her.

Joyce sighed inwardly. "Jonathan called today."

"How's he doing?" Hopper sat down in his seat.

"He's good. He's planning on coming into town soon."

"It'll be nice to see him again."

"Yeah, it will." Joyce said looking down. No matter how many people are in the house, it always feels like it's missing something, someone.

Music from Will's room cut through the silence of the kitchen. "I guess that's my cue to talk to him." Joyce said making sure her hands were clean.

"Good luck." Hopper said as she walked out of the room.

Joyce made her way up the stairs and knock on Will's door. No reply. She opened the door enough to see no one in the room. She felt her heartbeat quicken. "Will?" She said walking to the bathroom door knocking on it. No answer.

Now she was really trying to stay calm. Last time she didn't know where one of her kids were they ended up in a lake.

She paused as she saw the light in El's was on. She walked up to the door and knocked on it. "Will?" Nothing. She opened the door to see Will on her made bed, holding the walkie the party gave her when she got back from her mom's house.

Her room looked the same as it did a year ago, only a little bit dustier. Hopper didn't want to get rid of her things and Joyce didn't blame him. That's all he had left of his daughter.

Hopper would sometimes come in the room to feel close to her. He always said how he could feel her presence in here. Like she was watching over him from a far.

Joyce hadn't been in her room since they found her body. It hurt her too much and reminded her of what she lost. So walking into this room for the first time in a year, felt foreign to her.

"Will?" Joyce said slightly startling the young boy. He looked up at her and she immediately took notice of the tear stains on his face.

"Honey." She felt her heartbreaking for her son. She knew that he and El were close. She sat beside him on the bed, not really knowing what his reaction will be.

"I miss her." He says as his shaky fingers mess with the dials on the walkie.

Joyce tried to blink back her tears as she pulled her youngest son into a hug. "I know. I know, I miss her too."

Will dropped the walkie on her bed in order to hug his mom back. "I hope we find Brenner."

"I know, me too." Joyce said still trying to blink back her tears.

"Why did he do this?"

"I don't know." Joyce cried out, no longer containing the tears. "I don't know baby."

The two held onto each other for a little while longer, not talking, just trying to heal.

Hopper was right, you could feel her presence in that room. Because both Joyce and Will felt her with them. Like, she was right by them in a far away place.

I love you, El. Joyce thought. I hope you're happy wherever you are.

Joyce held Will tighter not wanting him to leave her, not just yet.

I love you too. El's voice rang through her head. I'm trying to come home.

Joyce smiled a little, until she realized that her mind was playing tricks on her and giving her the wrong idea.

Home. El can't come home. She's gone. She's never coming back.

Joyce suddenly felt her presence disappear. Leaving both of them a little bit more empty than before.

Please, just make the pain stop.