Disclaimer: I own none of the character in this world and the Upside Down. The Mind Flayer put this little one shot in my head and demanded I post it.
HAUNTED
Chief of Police Jim Hopper paused outside the closed door of Joyce Byers bedroom. She had been in there for a while and he was starting to worry. After they got back from Hawkins Lab she'd gotten Will settled then shut herself away. Not that Hopper blamed her after what happened. After Bob.
That final image of Bob Newby's body with the Demodog tearing into his neck played across Hopper's mind again. He hated leaving Bob behind but he had no other choice, getting the kids and Joyce to safey was his top priority, and there was no way to save Bob. He'd seen it too many times before, in Vietnam.
Soldiers, innocent civilians, some of them children, a number of them still alive, but the light going out their eyes. Nothing he could do. Sarah, pale and weak in her hospital bed reaching out to him to help. Nothing he could do. Bob with the Demodog on top of him, claws ripping into flesh. Nothing he could do. The images played through Hopper's mind like a Slideshow of Death.
The pain was so intense it nearly brought him to his knees. He leaned against the door for a moment pushing those memories back into the box he normally kept them in. He couldn't break now. He needed to be strong, for Will, for Joyce.
Joyce. She was on the other side of that door, grieving for the man she..loved. Hopper ignored the fresh wave of pain those words brought and knocked on the door. Not waiting for a response he entered. She was sat on the bed looking so lost and alone, he just wanted to take her in his arms and comfort her. But he wasn't sure how she would respond. Would she accept his comfort? Or would she push him away? Maybe blame him for Bob's death?
Saying nothing Hopper went and sat on the floor in front of Joyce. If she wanted to talk, or cry, or just sit in silence he would stay with her. She looked up, met his eyes, in an instant she was in his arms, face buried in his chest, clutching at his jacket, her shoulders shaking with her sobs.
As Hopper stroked Joyce's hair, gently rocking her back and forth, the Slideshow of Death played again. He vowed Will Byers would not join it.
THE END