Cabin Fever
A/N: Mileven is not my first language, so please bear with me. However, in the spirit of challenging myself and jumping into the sugary sacchariny sweetness therein, here I am. You will also see that there is not much Mileven here in chapter one, but bear with me. I have to get my Hopper out. 2 or 3 parts.
It was the morning after the gate had been closed, and the family was just finishing up breakfast when Hopper decided it was time for Elle to return to the cabin. Joyce suggested El could spend the day at her house (it was secluded enough), but Hopper was adamant that the situation was too hot and he needed to get El out of dodge.
El did not want to leave, though she was exhausted. The night's sleep had been restless and, though she had been with Mike (in the living room), she still tossed and turned all night. She also felt icky, the make-up on her face was itching and her hair was breaking loose from the stuff Kali had put into it. She loped over to Hopper and asked to be allowed her to stay, if only to get cleaned up. She said it had nothing to do with Mike, which was an obvious lie, but she was too tired to censor herself.
Hopper was also exhausted and had little patience for a potential spin out and even less for the Wheeler kid who was on his shit list after last night. He knew he shouldn't be hard on the kid, given the circumstances, but he wasn't going to allow that attitude to continue. He sighed heavily weighing the pros and cons of leaving her here or taking her and Mike back to the cabin. If he took Mike, all the kids would want to come. That was not going to happen. If he left her here, DOE agents might come looking. But probably not. He told El to give him a minute to make a decision.
The kids had all left the table and sizable pile of dishes in Joyce's sink. The las thing she needed was to do dished. She should be doing nothing but grieving if you ask him, but moms do what moms do. They sacrifice. They put their kids before themselves. They make sure everyone is okay before they consider themselves. He admired that about Joyce; the utter devotion she had to her kids. With everything that had happened, it was understandable the she had gotten overprotective of Will. Completely understandable.
He was beginning to think that he could be a dad again. The instincts had not gone for good. It was not just The Sheriff who needed to protect El, to love her, but it was Jim as well. He huffed a half chuckle at the most introspection he had allowed in some time.
He pressed his thumb and forefinger to the bridge of his nose decided to 'swallow the frog'. Bringing the Wheeler kid back to the cabin would make him feel better than having El stay here. He had already called in sick and he would be able to monitor 'happy couple' for a few hours. He knew he shouldn't kid himself with thoughts of them as a couple. Monitor the kids, Jim. The kids.
El was as excited as could be when Hopper gave her the news. She ran back to Mike, who was listening Dustin recount the Demodog Campaign with his unique flair. She kneeled next to him in front of the couch and cupper her hand to his ear. "Hopper says you can come home. For a while."
She watched as his already smiling face broke into a grin.