The votes have been counted, here's what you picked.

I've put a bit of Hopper/Eleven family fluff in this chapter, to offset a bit of the angst.

CHAPTER 4

Joyce opened her door yawning and rubbing her eyes, pretending she'd been asleep. Jonathan was immediately contrite.

"Sorry Mom. Didn't mean to wake you"

"It's okay honey. What did you say? You saw your father?"

"Yeah. Saw him in his car" Jonathan looked a little worried. "He hasn't been here, has he?"

She shook her head.

"Haven't seen him. Thank God. He was probably meeting up with some of his old beer buddies"

Jonathan didn't seem convinced.

"You're sure you haven't seen him?" he asked a little suspiciously.

Joyce folded her arms and looked her son in the eye.

"Jonathan" she said firmly. "If your father had been here, you'd know. The whole town would know"

"You're right. I'm sorry I just.."

He never got to finish what he was going to say because she pulled him into a hug.

"I know honey. I know" she said softly, taking his face tenderly in her hands. "But I'm fine. Really"

She planted a kiss on his forehead.

"Goodnight sweetheart"

"Goodnight Mom"

Joyce shut her bedroom door and leaning against it sank to the floor. She hated lying to Jonathan but she had no other choice. She couldn't tell him what happened. It would only upset him and he might do something stupid, like confront Lonnie. Things would get ugly.

On the other she couldn't just ignore what him. Jonathan would have been suspicious and started investigating. Her eldest son was a bloodhound when it came to ferreting out the truth. That's how he and Nancy exposed Hawkin's lab. He would seek out his father, and God only knows what fairytale Lonnie would tell. Jonathan wouldn't believe him, her boys weren't stupid, but it would lead to questions she wasn't prepared to answer. Things could again get ugly.

No! Joyce decided, it was better to just feign ignorance, pretend she hadn't seen Lonnie at all. She had to protect her boys. This was her mess, she'd sort it out.

Hopper! She had to talk to him, make sure he didn't accidentally reveal something. She blushed. And apologise for tonight, for taking advantage of a normal male reaction, using it for her own satisfaction.

She couldn't bear to lose his friendship, after all they'd been through. She wouldn't have gotten through the last couple of years without his support. It had gotten to the point where she couldn't imagine life without him in it. They were like a family. She couldn't lose him, not over a moment of weakness.

Hopper woke up the next morning tired and grumpy after a restless night. He'd tossed and turned for hours going over things in his mind. When he didn finally sleep he was tortured by erotic dreams and horrible nightmares about Joyce. Both of which had him waking up in a sweat.

At leas the stain on his pants seem to have gone. He'd left them soaking in the bathtub with some laundry detergent. He'd know for sure when they dried. Switching on the coffee machine, he lit a cigarette, allowing the smoke to calm him.

He'd have to see Joyce today, apologise for last night, for letting his balls rule his brain. He couldn't bear to lose her friendship, not after everything they'd been through together. He, Eleven, Joyce and the boys were like a family. He wouldn't let a moment of weakness destroy that.

Pouring out the coffee, he put the phone back on the hook. It rang before he took the first sip. It was a welcome call. Eleven, wanting to say good morning and tell him all about the sleepover. She'd had such fun with Max, watching cheesy movies, playing games, talking and eating mountains of junk food.

Hearing her talk, Hopper felt his heart lift. Other areas of his life maybe completely fucked up, but at least he and Eleven were in a good place. She loved being able to go out and see people. He loved to see her so happy. She'd even started calling him dad.

"I wanted to ask you something" she asked uncertainly.

"What is it?" he asked, worried.

"Mike called. He's invited me and Max round for a game of Dungeons & Dragons. Is it okay if I go?"

Hopper breathed a sigh of relief.

"Of course you can go. Did you think I would say no?"

"But I've been out all night, and the game could take all day. I won't see you until dinner"

He smiled fondly.

"El" he said softly. "You're a kid. It's the weekend. You should spend time with your friends. You've spent enough time cooked up in here. Enjoy yourself"

"Okay" she said happily. "Love you Dad"

She'd been calling him that for months, but it still felt like his heart was going to burst.

"Love you too sweetheart"

He put the phone down feeling much happier. It rang again. Flo, with bad news.

"Lonnie Byers is in the drunk tank. He looks like he did a few rounds with the Incredible Hulk"

"What did he do?" Hopper asked wearily, then a cold fear gripped him. "Did he hurt Joyce? The kids?"

"Not that I've heard" Flo replied, if she was startled by the urgency in the chief's voice, she didn't show it. "He got into a fight in a bar."

A bar fight. That sounded like Lonnie. Hopper was just so relieved, that Joyce and the boys were okay.

"He's demanding to see you" Flo continued.

Hopper sighed. He was in no mood to deal with Lonnie Byers right now. There was more.

"Speaking of the Byers, Joyce called. She wants you go round, first chance you get."

TO BE CONTINUED

I think you can guess this one. Who should Hopper see first? Joyce or Lonnie?