At Hopper's home the kids went to play at Eleven's room. Joyce put her clothes to dry and dressed herself with some old clothe of Hopper. They probably looked ridiculous and big on her but she didn't care, they made her feel comfortable and safe, and she couldn't go around the house naked. She started dinner, she didn't want to intrude in the kids time and cooking always helped to distract her from the problems. She cooked fried chicken and fried potatoes hoping that some comfort food could help everyone feel a little better.

- Hey. - Hoper greeted her. - You didn't had to cook, we could had deliver something. - He said feeling bad at the idea of her to keep working even when she was not on her own house.

- Is okay, it was a good distraction. - She explained.

- Like you with my clothes. - He said flirting with her.

- Don't even start, i look ridiculous. - She laughed, surprised at the idea of him being distracted by her.

- You look to good to be ridiculous. - He flattered her.

That was it, she was going to kiss him. He couldn't say things like that and not expect her to have some kind of reaction. She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, but the kids entered the kitchen interrupting the moment and making both of them jumped far from the other.

They ate dinner and told the kids everything about the mall and how they suspect that what's going on there it's probably related with the lab. They also talked about what had happened at the pool. The kids expressed their worries and theories. Hopper made them promise that they won't do anything stupid, that they will take care of each other, they won't risk people finding out who Eleven really was, and they will tell them if they found out something.

Once the dinner was over the kids went to keep playing for a while and Hopper and Joyce set on the living room to watch some television. They found a movie from when they were teens and they joked about it.

- I should go. - Joyce said when she realized that she was sleepy. She was using Hopper's body as support, her head was on his shoulder, her legs over one of his, and her hands were holding his; and that was too comfortable.

- I think you should stay, it's late and you are tired. - He said softly as he watched her yawn.

- But i have work tomorrow. - She complained.

- But you are going to sleep better here, knowing the kids are okay. - He tried to reason with her. He knew her and he knew that if she came back home she wasn't going to sleep worrying after what happened at the pool.

She didn't answer because she knew he was right about that, so she just snuggled deeper into him. He held her and started playing with her hair. The last thing she tough before she fall asleep was that they should probably move, because it was not going to be comfortable to spend the night in the positions they were. But she felt too good, too safe, and that made her not wanting to move.

At the morning the kids found them sleeping in the couch.

- Should we wake them? - Lucas asked.

- I don't know. - Will answered feeling insecure about what to do. He never saw her mother being that close to a man, not even Bob.

- They can't be comfortable in the way they are sleeping. - Max said looking at the adults.

- Are they dating or something? - Dustin asked.

- No. - Eleven and Will answered at the same time, if they were they would know.

- But they love each other. - Eleven clarified.

- How do you know? - Mike asked.

- I just know, but it's complicated. - Eleven answered remembering what both had said to her.

- So, we're gonna be kinda brother and sister? - Will bright up at the idea.

- Yes. - Eleven said happily, she loved the Byers as her family.

- Maybe we should start breakfast? - Lucas suggested.

The kids woke up Hopper and Joyce for breakfast. Joyce had only half cup of coffee tough, because she was late for work, they had oversleep. She went home to grabbed her uniform and then went to the mall.

The daily routine kept going for the next days. But she suddenly realized that Will was starting to spend more time at home and less time with his friends. That made her worry. So, when on wednesday she found him at home when she came back from work, when she knew that day the party always go to the arcade she decided to confront him.

- Shouldn't you be at the arcade with your friends? - Joyce asked.

- They didn't go to the arcade today, they went to the lover's lake. - Will answered.

- Then why you aint there with them? - Joyce insisted, his son was not acting like him.

- I didn't want to go to the lake. - Will said looking disgusted at the idea.

- Okay. - Joyce accepted. - Do you want to help me with dinner? - She asked pointing at the kitchen, trying another approach to not pressure him to talk until he was ready.

- Yes. - He agreed. They started cooking in a comfortable silence..- Mike and I, we had a fight. - He finally admitted.

- I'm sorry sweetie, i know fights sucks. - She said. She knew Mike and Will were very good friends and knowing his son he was probably hurting about the fight. - Do you want to talk about it? - She asked giving him the choice to talk or not to.

- I wanted to go to the arcade, but he wanted to go to the lake. He said we're not kids anymore and we are not going to stay playing games all day. - He explained.

- Why didn't you wanted to go to the lake? - She asked because the kids have been going to the lake a lot this summer.

- Because after what happened at the pool, what if there is something in the water? What if the water is somehow related to the upside down? - He said sharing his fear.

She had to stop doing what she was doing, because she hadn't thought about it. She felt surprised at the idea, but it didn't sound crazy at all. She was glad his younger son was that smart and careful, but she didn't like seeing him scared. He started shaking a little, so she held his hand and made him sit down.

- Did you told that to Mike and the others? - She asked without letting go of his hand.

- No, i didn't want him to think that i'm scared. - He answered feeling ashamed.

- You should tell them. - She encouraged him. - Is okay to be scared. I got scared too sometimes. But we can't stop living because we are scared. - She said caressing his hand.

- Mom. - He started protesting.

- Will i'm serious about this. If it was for me i would keep you forever at home under my eyes if i knew that would keep you safe, but i know that's not safe nor healthy. You and i, we have to live our lives and for that we have to get out to the world. - She explained her point of view the best she could.

- And if something related to the upside down happens? - He asked.

- We deal with it when it happens. - She proposed.

- Okay. - He accepted.

- And we take care of each other, and that means we have to be honest and tell the other if something strange happens. - She added.

- I can do that, we can do that. - He agreed. - So you think i should tell my friends what i thought about the lake? - He asked.

- Yes. - She answered.

- Okay, i will. - He nodded. - Thanks mom. - He said as he hug her.

The next day she couldn't stop thinking about her talk with Will at work. Was the lover's lake a safe place? Should she let the kids go to the lake after Will's suspicions? Should she call Hopper to talk about it? Her thoughts went to other place when she saw two strange men dressed in black. She did the best she could to hear what they were talking about, without them noticing her. They talk about how good it was that the pool was going to be re open, about how they got what they wanted.

The public pool was going to be re open? How was that possible after what happened? She felt like she was going to start panicking. She tried to think logically, Hopper wouldn't let that happened, he wouldn't give the pool the permission to re open. Right? She needed answers, so in her lunch time she went to the police station.

- Hello. - Flo greeted her. - What can I do for you? - She asked stopping her.

- I need to talk to Hopper. - Joyce said going in direction of Hopper's office.

- You can't go now, he's in a reunion. - Flo said.

- The hell i can. - Joyce protested freing herself from the other.

She didn't care if Hopper was in a reunion, what she needed was more important and he will have to understand that. She didn't let Flo stop her and got into his office without even knockin the door. She was surprised when she realized that the person that was having a reunion with him was the mayor.

- Joyce what are you doing? - Hopper asked surprised at her interruption. - We are in a reunion, you should wait for me outside.. - He said.

- Is it true that the public pool is being re open? - She asked, without caring to do what he said.

- Yes. - He answered.

- Why would you let that happened? - She asked feeling angry. - There is something in the water! You know it's not safe! - She exclaimed.

- It is safe, we make sure of that, so don't worry. - Larry said. - What happened was just a misunderstood, a filtration that made the pool drain. - He explained.

- You are wrong. I was there, you were not. There was something in the water, something that made Heather disappear. Is not safe to re open the pool. - She argued, feeling desperate to make her point valid.

- There is nothing wrong with the water. - Larry assured her. - But i can see now why most people think you are crazy. - He pushed.

- Who the hell you think you are?! - She said exploiting.

That was it. She was not going to let anyone disrespect her like that. She didn't care that he was the mayor, that was just a title and didn't give him the right to be such an asshole. She took a step in his direction to gave him a peace of her mind, but Hopper grabbed her arm to stop her. She took a deep breath because now she was frustrated with him too. Why was he acting like this? Like she didn't matter?

- We should go to see what you wanted me to. - Hopper said to the mayor changing the topic.

- Let's go. - Larry accepted as he stood up.

- Wait me here so we can talk. - Hopper said to her in a very quiet tone, so only she could hear him.

- Ms byers, it was a pleasure. - Larry said in a way of parting.

- Wish i could say it was mutual, but i would be lying. - She said, feeling even more angry when Hopper sent her a warning look.

When Hopper and Larry left she let herself fall. She couldn't breath. Her body started shaking and her mind wouldn't stop. This couldn't be happening. She set down on the floor trying to calmed herself. The methods of breathing and focusing on the present space around her weren't working and she started having a panic attack. She could slowly felt how things around her started vanishing. Flo found her like that and helped her came back to the present.

- Thank you. - Joyce thanked her, accepting the glass of water the other offered.

- You're welcome. - Flo said. - I don't know what happened there, but i know Hopper cares about you. So you should try not to worry that much, wherever it is he's gonna help you. - She tried to make her feel better.

- You're right. - Joyce agreed.

- You can wait for him here if you want. - Flo suggested.

- No, i have to go. - She said sharply. She looked at the clock in the wall and saw that her lunch time was over. - Thank you, but i have to go. - She said and left Flo in Hopper's office.

She went back to work. She tried to do the most things she could to kept her mind busy. She needed to stop thinking negatively, so she worked a lot, she did everything her coworkers didn't want to do. She overtired herself, but it felt good to not have time to stop and think. When her shift was over she left the mall the faster she could, she really needed to smoke. She lighted a cigarette and finally relax; at least until she saw that Hopper was waiting her in the parking lot by her car.

- What are you doing here? - She asked surprised, because she hadn't been waiting for him to show up.

- You didn't wait for me. - He answered looking her with some kind of worry.

- I had to come back to work. - She justified, and it was actually true.

- I know. - He assisted. - We need to talk. - He said.

- Hop i'm tired, all i want to do is go home, have dinner with my sons and sleep. - She protested and tried to find a excuse, because she didn't know if she was ready to talk.

- Please. - He insisted offering her his hand.

- Fine. - She accepted and took his hand, she didn't have the energy to fight about it. - What about my car? - She asked as he guided her to his truck.

- We'll come for it later. - He answered.

They drove in silence. She watched at him at some times and she could felt like he was as tired as she was, he looked also very tense. What was going on? He drove deep into the forest. If she was with another person she would probably would feel uncomfortable and unsafe, but with him it was different. She knew he was taking them there because it was probably the only place they could really talk without risking anyone hearing them. He stopped the truck at an opening. They set on the truck's box and they shared a cigarette as they watched the first stars appear on the summer sky.

- What the hell is going on? - She asked when she realized that he wasn't going to be the one to start the conversation.

- What happened… - He started talking but she interrupted him.

- Why would you even agree on re opening the pool?! Why would you let that man treat me like i'm crazy?! Why didn't you let me defend myself?! - She throw at him all the things that had her mad since she left the police station.

- Hey, calm down. Is okay, you have to breath. - He remembered her and held her hand. - Believe me, there is nothing i would like better than see you kicking Larry's as, but he's the mayor, if i had let you do that he would have press charges against you and we don't need that to happen. I can't deal with that. - He tried to reason with her.

- He deserved it. - She complained.

- He did, but we have to be careful here. - He reason with her.

- Because he is helping the lab and whoever is behind all this mess? - She asked trying to guess his suspicions.

- Yes, this people are dangerous, we need to keep low profile. - He answered.

- Why did you let them re open the pool? - She asked needing to make sure that he was on her side on this.

- That's not on my power, Larry as the mayor can take those decision even if the police suggest not to. - He explained feeling frustrated.

- It's not safe, there was something in the water and it can come back at any moment. - She said feeling angry as she thought about what happened and about how Will was scared now of the water.

- I know. - He agreed with her.

- What are we going to do? - She asked, she needed to know that he had a plan, that they could do something to try to make things better.

- The best i can do for now is to make sure that one of my men are always going to be at the pool and they will report to me if something strange happens. - He said.

- I'm tired, i want this to be over. - She expressed her feelings. This day had make her feel at the edge.

- I want this to be over too. - He said with sincerity.

He hugged her then and she let herself relax. They were together on this. Wherever was going on they were going to confront it together. And it felt good to do it together, to had someone, to not be alone. She could fight alone. She did it most of her life. She could hang out, she was strong. But it felt good to have someone, and it felt even better that he was that someone. She knew he would go to the end of the world for her and for her sons. And she was starting to realised that she would also go to the end of the world for him and for Eleven. That's what family meant to her and it warmed her heart that she started thinking about Hopper and Eleven as a part of it.

- Let's go to your home and have dinner. - He suggested when he felt her yawn.

- What about El? - She asked.

- I left her at your home before coming get to you. - He answered.

They went to her home and have dinner. Joyce tried to appreciate everything that happened that night, feeling the need to hang on to the good memories. They five of them spending time together really felt like a family and she loved that.