The Life You Deserve
Author's Note: Hi all! Thank you so much for reading my story so far, and a very special thank you to SnowMione17 who has very kindly reviewed twice now. You're awesome! :-)
I found this chapter super hard to write because it's all about El and her mama. I am very lucky to have a great mum but it had me in tears at the thought of not having my mum through all the ups and downs.
I promise Mileven fluff in the next chapter, a little hint...it's a valentine's day chapter ;-)
Chapter 7: The Harsh Reality
February 1985.
It was the first Saturday Hopper had off in 4 weeks and he was determined not to waste it. After a lot of worrying about the dangers, he decided to take El to see her mama and aunt.
He pulled up hesitantly in the drive and looked up at the small house, he turned to El who was fidgeting nervously with her hands. "If you feel uncomfortable or want to leave…you'll let me know right?" he asked.
The beautiful young lady nodded slightly, but Hopper could see her cheeks were pale. He gave her hand a squeeze in support and they got out of the car.
Becky answered the door almost immediately and her eyes widened when she saw El. "Jane," she breathed in relief, moving forward and pulling her niece into a hug. "Hi Aunt Becky," Hopper heard El mumble into Becky's shoulder.
Hopper looked around the dense woods that surrounded the house and turned to Becky, "er…can we carry this on indoors? It's still not safe." Becky nodded and beckoned them both inside.
Hopper watched tensely from across the kitchen table as Becky shakily stubbed her cigarette into the ash tray. "So what you are telling me…is that you adopted my niece?!"
Before he could say another word Becky once again was shouting in anger. "You can't just do that! She is my family! She belongs here with me and her mom!"
Hopper put his hands up in defence. "Becky I'm just trying to protect her-"
"Protect her?! From us?!"
"No of course not from you! But she is safe with me. The department of energy would be able to find out where you live in an instant." He said seriously knowing how easy it had been for him to find their address.
Becky covered her face with her hands. "We love her. She should be here with us." She said her voice slightly muffled.
Hopper gulped and looked down at the table feeling immense guilt. "I…I love her too Becky. I had a daughter who passed away when she was little and I know what it's like to love a daughter and I love Jane. I just want the best for her."
There was silence in the room as Becky watched Hopper. "And you think the best for her is to be away from me and her mom?" she questioned him.
Hopper shook his head immediately looking her straight in the eye. "Of course not. I want her to visit you both as often as she wants to. But Hawkins is her home…trust me she wouldn't leave that place if she had me or not…" he told her, a slight smirk starting to play on his lips.
Becky looked at him confused, "why?" Hopper sighed and leaned back in his chair. "She's met this boy…"
El slowly entered the living room where her mama was rocking on her chair, her eyes unfocused as she stared at the television.
"Hi mama," El gulped nervously as she knelt in front of Terry and slowly took her hands in her own. Her mom showed her no recognition and carried on staring at the television as she mumbled to herself.
Hearing her mama's muttered words was almost too much for El who knew exactly why she was saying these words.
El closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. She could do this.
She opened her eyes and smiled sadly at her mama. "I found my sister…Kali. She is really pretty and has a lot of friends to help her get her revenge."
El bit her lip and tried to think of anything else she could say. "I went back to Hawkins and I helped my friends…I…I have a boyfriend now mama called Mike. He is very special and kind and pretty, I think you would like him."
Her voice was wavering and she tried to blink back the tears that were determined to fall. "I started my p-period mama. Max, my friend said that it's normal for girls our age but I was really scared."
El looked up at her mom who was still muttering, her eyes blank. Tears started to run down El's cheeks and she sighed. "I love you mama."
There was a slight twitch of Terry's hands in El's hold and she gasped in shock. "Mama?" she questioned wishing more than anything her mama would suddenly smile and be okay.
That didn't happen, but El felt a feeling of love wash over her and she realised that of course her mama loved her, more than anything.
El leaned forward and leaned her head in Terry's lap, sniffling from her tears.
"Are you okay kid? You've been awfully quiet." Hopper asked El who was sitting in the passenger seat and staring out of the window whilst he drove them home.
She slowly turned to look at him, with tears in her eyes and her cheeks already wet. "It's…it's my fault. Mama is sick because of me."
El started to sob, so feeling helpless Hopper quickly pulled the car into a lay by and turned to his adopted daughter.
"I don't want to ever hear you say it's your fault that your mama is sick, ever again." Hopper said sternly, pulling El into a warm embrace.
"It's that bastard Brenner and the lab's fault El. You didn't choose to be born, you didn't choose from them to abduct you." He told her whilst she sobbed into his chest. Hopper shut his eyes feeling as if his heart was breaking at the sound.
"B-but she was just trying to p-protect me. She was trying to s-save me." El cried out.
Hopper started to stroke her hair and frowned. "Of course she tried to protect you kid. She's your mama. Parents try and protect their children. Unconditional love is the most powerful thing in the world." He told her as he thought of Sara.
"I t-told her about M-mike and starting my p-period…" she said making Hopper's cheek blush slightly as he thought back to Joyce arriving at his office and explaining he was going to need to get on board with this whole period thing. Needless to say, he had returned home that night with all the goodies he could find.
"I just want my mama," El said sobbing louder than ever. Hopper wasn't at all surprised when tears started springing from his own eyes. He held his daughter closer to his chest, kissing her head of curly hair.
He felt devastated, heart broken and angry beyond belief about what El had missed out on and what Terry had missed out on because of those bastards at Hawkins Lab.
"I'm going to get justice for your mama." Hopper said gently as he rocked and shushed El's crying.
El sniffed and looked up at him, her face and eyes red. "You p-promise?" her voice quivered inconsolably.
Hopper tightened his jaw to stop himself from breaking down and slowly nodded his head. "Yeah kid I promise. Even if it takes me years, I will let the world know what that lab did to your mama okay? We'll get justice for her and her whole family."
El exhaled a shaky breath and leaned back into Hopper's chest. "Thank you dad," she whispered making his broken heart heal slightly. He kissed her hair once more, "of course."
They carried on their journey home in comfortable silence until El turned to him with hope in her eyes. "Dad…I want to be a normal teenager. I want to go to school."
Hopper couldn't contain his smile as he kept his eyes on the road. "Well kid…I'm actually one step ahead of you for once. I've already got you a tutor set up, so that you will be ready to start school in the fall with your friends."
El gasped in shock and he could almost feel her excited energy. "Really?!" she asked, clearly not able to believe the news.
Hopper laughed gently and quickly looked at her. "Yes." El leaned into his shoulder and beamed. "Thank you!"
He grinned, "you don't have to thank me El. I want you to be happy."
El squeezed his arm affectionately and they enjoyed the rest of their trip home, watching the sun fall slowly out of sight.