THREE MONTHS LATER

Hopper quietly hummed a small tune as he packed a box from the kitchen into the back of the U-haul truck. He chuckled a bit as he quickly dodged both Nancy and Johnathan as they both hauled his mattress into the back of the truck. Walking into the now becoming vacant house, he shook his head in amusement as he heard the sound of Max and Lucas singing a familiar song in the livingroom.

Hopper then passed the guest room, in which in the corner of his eye. He spotted his daughter and Mike kissing. To this he widened his eyes. Keeping his pace he avoided El as he entered Joyce's room. Exhaling a breath as he scanned the room.

He gently removed his large hat. Setting it aside on top of a few boxes. He slowly sat himself down in front of a certain box labeled 'Joyce'. He definitely had postponed this day as long as he could. Although he knew this is what she would've wanted him to do. To keep them all safe.

Unconsciously he felt as a single tear streamed down his cheek. Hastily he wiped the tear away. Folding his arm across his chest pocket of his Sheriff uniform he heard a small crinkle of paper. He furrowed his eyebrows as he retrieved the small paper.

He smiled at the recognition of Joyce's handwriting. Along with his small addition at the bottom of the page. "What is that?" Hopper jumped at the sound of Eleven's curious voice. Glancing down at the paper then back to her.

"Um. It's actually something that Joyce helped me with. Ahem it was meant for you...well for you and Mike." He cleared his throat. Attempting to mask his emotions. El looked at him quite expectingly. "Can I read?" She asked him, with the purest innocence in her eyes.

He stood up from the floor grabbing his hat while he held the paper in the other hand. "Yeah. Sure...yeah you can read it." he held out the paper to her. His eyes followed her as she silently walked into the other room. Taking that as his cue to leave her be, he went back to the cardboard boxes. That held so many memories.

With a huff Jim picked up the most boxes he could grab before taking them outside. Yet again passing Johnathan and Nancy as the two both held each other inside the older Byers boy's empty room. Setting them down into the almost filled truck, he turned back to the house watching as Mike, Dustin, and Max each brought another box to the truck. He gave them all gentle nod before heading back inside.

Hop walked down the hallway. Checking each room for anymore boxes. Making it to Will's room he was abruptly stopped short. Letting out a grunt as he felt El's body collided with his. She tightly rapped her smaller arms around him.

Hopper slowly rapped his arms around her body. Quite taken aback by this strong sign of affection. "Um...you okay kid?" He chuckled slightly, looking down to her. He then heard a bit of her sniffling. She had been crying. "Yeah. I'm okay...I read it." She looked up to him with a smile.

"I love you, Dad." She declared to him, a smile still on her face. She pulled back still in his grasp, standing face to face with him. Hearing those words had truly filled his heart with joy, especially hearing her call him 'Dad'. It even made him almost cry. "I Love you too, Kid." He breathed out.

He gently pulled her back into a tight hug. "Time to go?" Her muffled voice questioned him. He let out a sigh before nodding his head. "Yeah it's time to go." He confirmed. Gently giving her a kiss on the top of her silky brown hair.

He let her go. Watching as she walked down the hallway and out the front door. Hop took a moment to take this now empty house all in. Glancing into Will's room the memories just began to flow.

"Hey, sweetie. What if you didn't have to use words?"

Joyce's words bounced throughout his mind as he walked from the room. He remembered how worried she was that day, in which she had the right. Will wasn't acting like himself at all, at that time they didn't know that Will wasn't Will at all. Walking further down the hall his blue eyes glanced to that said woman's now empty room. Leaning against the door frame he took in a small breath.

Inside the now dark room Hopper looked up at the broken down woman in front of him. He didn't need to say a thing to know what she was feeling at this very moment. With her tear stained face, she looked to him too before looking away. Trying to process what she could possibly do.

Joyce had just lost Bob that day. He knew that she couldn't be all alone in her room. That was why he had sat down on the floor, giving her the company that she desperately needed. Continuing to the Kitchen while he played with his hat. His face lit up a bit, finding a fonder memory.

The Sheriff laughed as the two of them recalled their highschool memories. "We ran. We just ran." Joyce widened her eyes chuckling as she concluded the recollection. Hop had really appreciated that moment in his life. Just a moment to have fun, not having a care in the world.

This had placed smile on his face. Walking from the kitchen he peered into the empty livingroom. He could remember that the only time he saw at least this much space in the room was when Joyce and Him worked together to figure out Will's map. Like he had said, they both made a pretty good team.

Hopper took in a small breath before he placed his hat onto his head. He looked out the opened front door. Spotting everyone else placing the last boxes inside the truck before Johnathan sealed it shut. With the doorknob in hand Hop gave the house one last look before he closed it shut behind him.

Heading forward to new memories. To new opportunities and a new way to find her. He knew with every fiber in his being that she was alive out there. It was only a matter of time for him to find her. Hop looked to the group of kids. He knew that they were all inseparable.

Walking up to the group his smile had simply dampened. He knew that they had all probably hated him for doing this. For bringing everyone apart. However, to his dismay Hop was surprised as Dustin, Lucas, and Max had pulled him into a group hug. His eyebrows had raised past his hairline.

He was not expecting this of all the outcomes. He had gently rapped his arms around the trio. Calming patting them on their backs. As the three of them released themselves from the previous embrace, Hopper noticed quite a few tears coming from the redhead's eyes.

"Stay sharp Chief." Lucas told him as if giving him an order. He cleared his throat. Giving Lucas a nod before turning to the Wheeler's kids. Nancy had rapped her arms around his neck, letting out a small amount of cries. All Hop could really do was hug her back. He looked to Mike for a second before his attention was turned back to Nancy.

"You'll find her. I'm sure of it." The young woman encouraged him as she pulled back from the hug. Giving both of his arms a squeeze she smiled in advance. Letting her walk over to the others, Hop turned to the ever growing boy.

"Hey-" he was cut off by Mike's body slamming into his. He tightly rapped his arms around the mans body. This was certainly an eye-opener for Jim. Slowly he rapped his arms around the kid. Leaning his chin against his head. "Take good care of her." Mike absolutely knew Hop would do just that. However, asking him allowed him that reassurance.

"Yeah, of course kid. I will." He uttered out of his mouth. Quite aware of the tears that had fallen from his deep blue eyes. Hopper gave Mike another squeeze before he let him go. Hopper watched as Mike retreated back to the group. The Sheriff Let out a breath of air before he headed towards the U-haul truck.

Hopping inside the truck, he only had to wait a few moments for El to hop in as well. Peering through is left mirror he watched as both Will and Johnathan got into the older boy's car. After few more miles down the rode, Hop could see a small sign in the distance. Fully aware of what it said. 'Leaving Hawkins come again soon'.

As the U-haul truck dragged the small green Pinto behind it and passed the brown sign followed by Johnathan, Hopper exhaled looking to El he could see how saddened she looked. "Hey. Are you okay?" He inquired, his eyes showing clear concern for her. The downhearted girl looked to him, giving him a small smile. "Yeah. I'm okay." She said truthfully.

Watching him she raised her eyebrows a bit. "Are you okay?" she asked him. Silently waiting for an answer. Hop was a bit surprised by this sign of interest. Glancing to her then back to the road in front of him. "I, uh...Why do you ask?" He drew the question back to her. She took a small inhale. "You are just...different."

Hopper widened his eyes a bit at this observation. "Different, How?" He prodded. Glancing between her and the road he noticed as her face scrunched in thought. "Di...Dis..." With a determined face she tried to find the right word remembering he had used it in his letter. "Dist-" however, whether or not she had found the word Hopper cut her off.

"Distant?" he raised his eyebrows. To this she nodded her head in confirmation. He brought one of his hands from the steering wheel to his mouth. "I uh...I guess I've just been really focused. Focused on...on getting her home." He complied to her.

Eleven frowned in thought at this. "But. We left home." She stated bluntly. To this Hopper shook his head. "Home isn't just a place. Your home is where you make it." He explained to her. Hoping that she was satisfied with that answer. "Where you make it." She repeated under her breath.

Hopper grinned as he focused on the road. However, his grinned faded as he let is thoughts wander to a memory that he wasn't at all fond of.

•~•

With a new look in his eyes, the petite woman watched as Hopper backed away from the window. Joyce let out a small gasp as she felt the 7 foot Russian behind her back away from the Sheriff even more. Keeping his grip unmoving. "Styep bakk." With his thick accent he glared at the Chief. Raising his gun towards him.

"Hey! Let her go!" Hopper raised his arms in front of him. Taking multiple steps towards them. With sudden instinct Grigori shoved Joyce to the ground beside him. The small woman let out a grunt as she hit the floor. The burley man stepped in front of her before bringing his pistol to Hopper's direction. "No!!!" Joyce cried out as she saw him cock the hammer.

However, before he could pull the trigger, Hopper sprung to action. As they fought the two of them moved out of her view. Joyce winced as she heard multiple punches and yells between the two men. Finally she hopped to her feet, spotting them both. Seeing that Hopper was struggling to keep the gun from his head.

Without further thought she ran behind the Russian. Yelling at him, hitting and kicking him before she was forced back to the ground by his force. "Hey!" Hop yelled, quite fed up with the man. Grunting Grigori brought up the gun aiming at his target. Joyce widened her eyes. "No! Hopper!!!" letting out the scream before she watched as Hopper jumped out of the way his head colliding with one of the metal control panels before hearing the gunshot.

Still on the cold floor Joyce froze in complete shock. She couldn't see Hopper's face but she could tell he wasn't moving. Then the tears began to flow. As she began crawling toward him, she was abruptly stopped by the Russian's rough hands grabbing her by the waist. "No! noo!" She yelled and screamed to him. Struggling in his grip.

"I won't leave him! No! Let me go!" The determined woman screamed out as she kicked and yelled. Joyce grunted as he brought her over his shoulder, feeling a loss of air as his shoulder shoved into her gut. Before she knew it, everything began to fade away. The secret base, the Russians, and Hopper everything was vanishing before her eyes.

Letting out a large gasp of air. The pale woman sat up from to chilling floor. Looking down to her now rugged and worned down rags that she had changed into prior to her arrival. Laying her head against the floor she looked up to the dark ceiling. That dream wasn't the first and it wasn't the last of them.

She had no clue how long she had been trapped here. But she knew one thing for sure. It was way to long. Joyce needed to find a way out of this cave. She was absolutely exhausted, what they mainly gave her of food was some soppy like porridge and not much water.

As for her hygiene that was a whole other story. Her hair was a complete mess. Even more tangled than it's ever been before. Occasionally the Brutes would bring her to a empty room with a bucket full of freezing cold water. With one of the most scratchy cloths that they consider a towl.

Mostly every night she would find herself shivering from the cold until she would fall asleep. She wasn't sure what would kill her first dying from starvation or freezing to death. Although, her small thoughts were broken by the sound of the metal door screeched as it was forced open.

With complete fear, Joyce scooted herself against the wall. Doing her best to contain her constant shaking. She peered up at the door to see the very man who had brought her here. In fact she had no clue where 'here' was. Along with him were two of his comrades in uniform standing behind him.

"Breeng khyer." He ordered the two men. Joyce widened her eyes at this, before they both grabbed her by the arms. "N-no! let me go!" She cried out as she struggled against the two. Their death grips wouldn't budge at all, they only tighten around her arms.

With a large amount of ease the men brought her down the murky hallway. Finally stopping at a door. Grinning a bit Grigori turned to face her before he opened the door to show her what resided inside the room. Looking into the room her core went cold. Glancing back to him she shook her head. "Please...Please don't do this!" She begged him as they two men dragged her forward.

"Don't do this!!!" She screamed to him as the forced her forward. Wincing as she heard the door slam shut. Knowing very well that what layed in store for her was going to be a complete and living Hell.

•~•

Glancing down at the clock it read 7:05 AM. Letting out a small grunt Hopper peered over to the passenger seat to see that El was fast asleep. Luckily this roadtrip had only consisted of one pitstop. Giving them enough time to make it to their destination. Knowing very well that they all still had to unpack when they got to the house.

Hop had decided they would stay at the closet motel they found on the way there. As he pulled the U-haul truck into the parking lot, he looked to El knowing he'd probably have to wake her soon. However, he decided against it and hopped out of the truck.

Seeing that Johnathan had also just pulled in he walked to the lobby of the motel. Quickly handling the room information before he returned back to the truck. Opening the passenger door, he gently unbuckled El then brought her into his arms. Closing the door behind him with his leg, he carried El to the room.

Laying her onto one of the two beds Hopper smiled for moment. Walking out the door he past both a tired Will and Johnathan. The Chief walked over to the truck, grabbing his bag of clothes from the front before he made sure that he had locked it up.

Entering the motel room again, he shut the door behind him. Seeing that both Will and Johnathan had taken the other bed and were fast asleep. Pulling out a chair he sat down and set his bag beside the chair. Letting out a breath he looked at all of them before he took his hat and layed it over his eyes, falling into a dreamless sleep.

Unaware of what lay ahead for all of them.

•~•

A/N: Phew! There you go! I do hope you enjoyed it! Also I wanted to let you all know that doing this story I don't have any hate of how the Duffer brothers ended the third season. I think they did a beautiful job. Which made it a bit more difficult to write. But anyways!

Please tell me what you all think, I'd love to hear from you. Especially let me know what you would like to see more of! Comment what you think will happen next, you never know it might happen. Thanks so much for reading! What's going to happen next with our strange friends? You will see in the next chapter!