Hey, guys! What if Hopper was around a little more in season 3? Well, I think I might start a series of a couple of one shots where he's around more for all of the Mileven relationship drama that goes on in season 3. I'm really kind of in love with this one shot because I think this is a pretty good representation of Hopper as a character. On the outside, he's all protective and immature, sometimes he even lies if he knows it'll get him what he wants because as a cop, that's all he knows to do, but in reality, he's just a big man baby and softie on the inside. All he really wants is for El to be happy, but because his biological daughter died at a very young age and he started raising his adopted daughter, El, at such a later age, I don't think he's fully ready to let go yet. He's having trouble learning how to give her the freedom and privacy that she needs as a teenager because he's not ready for her to grow up yet, as it's only a matter of time before she'll be moving out of the house. There are two things in his letter that suggest that, the first being "For the first time in a long time, I started to feel things again. I started to feel happy. But lately, I guess I've been feeling distant from you. Like you're pulling away from me or something." and "But I know you're getting older, growing, changing. I guess, if I'm being really honest, that's what scares me. I don't want things to change. So I think maybe that's why I came in here, to try and make stop that change. To turn back the clock. To make things go back to how they were. But I know that's naive. It's just not how life works. It's moving, always moving, whether you like it or not. And yeah, sometimes it's painful. Sometimes it's sad. And sometimes, it's surprising. Happy." Anyway, enough crying over season 3, let's get to the hopeful one shot! (P.S. If it wasn't clear, the title's supposed to be like she dumped his ass, but Hopper kicks it.)

The day after Max slept over at El's house, Hopper noticed that El was a little less cheery than usual. Lately, she had been so happy with Mike and her friends, but now it seemed like she was really down all of a sudden. He decided to confront her about it.

"Hey, kid, everything alright?"

"I don't know..."

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

"Maybe."

"Okay, I'll take that as a yes. Let's sit down."

"Okay."

*both sit down*

"Talk to me. What's bothering you?"

"I had a lot of fun with Max last night, don't get me wrong, but I just couldn't really shake the feeling that I made a big mistake..."

"Big mistake? Why would you think that?"

"Well, I *sighs* I dumped Mike yesterday."

"Really?" he said with satisfaction, trying to hide his smile so she would still feel like he was on her side.

"Yeah..."

Despite how happy this made him, that his little girl was back, he knew that him savoring this moment wouldn't do El any good...or either of them really.

"Well, why? Why did you break up with him, kid?"

"Because he lied to me. He said he couldn't hang out with me when he could and just hung out with Lucas and Will instead...at the mall...where Max and I were!"

"Maybe he wanted some time with just the guys, like you wanted some time just with Max. Maybe he didn't know how to tell you that."

"Yeah, well, he didn't have to lie to me about it! I would've understood…"

"El…I'm sorry."

"Sorry? Why are you sorry?"

"I think I may have given him the idea to lie to you."

"What. did. you. do?" she asked in a threatening tone, saying each word one after the other.

"I had a little talk with him in the car that one night when I said his nana was sick."

"So, first you lied, then you encouraged him to lie?"

"I guess you could say that, yeah. *sighs* I-I'm not proud of it, I didn't handle it well, but yeah, there's some truth to that."

"Why would you do that?! How could you?! You know how much he means to me!"

"I know, kid, I know. I just thought somehow this would make things better for us. I thought that maybe if he was around less, that we could spend more time together."

"I can't believe you! *shakes head* That's bullshit and you know it! You mean make things better for you! You were just being selfish."

"So maybe I was! You're all I've got El…all I've got. *sniffles*"

"Dad…It's okay! *holds face, wipes away tears* I'm not going anywhere. If you've been missing spending time with me, you could've just said something. You're my family, Dad. *smiles*"

"*smiles* I'll do that next time, kid, I promise."

"*smile fades, sighs* I don't know what to do now…"

"With Mike? *pauses* Just tell him you miss him and you want to get back together. I'm sure he feels the same way!"

"I'm not so sure about that...I think I made things worse...with the way that I ended it. *shakes head* He'll never forgive me for this."

"How'd you end it?"

"*sighs* I told him that I dump his ass."

*tries to hold in laugh, lightly snorts, quickly stops himself*

"It's not funny…" said El.

*chortles wheezily, bursts into laughter, El joins*

"Okay, *chuckles* it's a little funny…" she said.

Unexpectedly, the two somehow bonded over this little laughing fit. It turned the conversation around in an entirely different direction. And in that moment, El suddenly realized how much she missed hanging out with her dad, watching westerns and eating eggo extravaganzas.

"Can we watch something together tonight? Like a movie or something?" asked El.

"Sure, kid, I'd love that."

The next day, Hopper paid a visit to Mike's house without El's knowledge, but this time, it wasn't for his own reason. No, this time he wanted to make things right. He wanted to show El that he could be trusted, that he could help fix things too and that he didn't actually ruin everything he touched.

*rings doorbell*

"MICHAEL, WOULD YOU GET THAT PLEASE?" Mrs. Wheeler yelled from across the room.

"OKAY."

*answers door*

*Hopper removes hat, holds it*

*Mike walks out door*

"Hi, sir," he said, not knowing what to say.

"So, she dumped your ass, huh? *chuckles*"

"Well, I'm glad you find my girlfriend breaking up with me amusing!"

"I gotta say, I never saw that coming. *laughs harder*"

"*sighs* With all due respect, sir, if that's all you came here to say, then just leave. I'm already hurt enough as it is."

"No, I'm sorry, that was uncalled for. I was just teasing you, kid, but no, that's not what I came here to say."

"Then what do you want from me?" Mike asked, folding his arms in annoyance.

"I came to apologize. Sit with me, will you?" he said, gesturing to the car.

"Okay, but my mom's leaving me with Holly in a little bit, so I can't stay out here long."

"Holly?"

"My little sister."

"Oh, I see, well, I'll make this quick then."

*both hop in car*

"Listen, kid, I know we've had our differences-"

"Yeah, I'll say," Mike interjected.

"*clenches jaw, briefly speaks through teeth in annoyance* But, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for making you feel like you had to lie. I was being selfish and stupid and you didn't deserve that. The fact that you hadn't lied to her until I asked you to just shows how good of a boyfriend you really were to her. You made her really happy, happy in a way that I've never seen her. You kept her safe from those government assholes, you've visited her each and every day just to make sure that she didn't feel like she was all alone in this cabin. And you're not afraid to tell her how you feel and the way you feel about her. You've got guts, kid...I've just been overlooking that."

"It's okay, sir. It's not all on you…I could've handled things differently too. I lied to her…twice. Once when you asked me to, and again when I was trying to make her believe me."

"Well, I want you to know that I told her. *holds shoulder, looks into eyes* I told her about our talk and the situation I put you in, how I made you feel like you had no other choice. If anything, she's more mad at me and herself than she is at you. That's why I came here, to tell you that I think she really misses you and that if I were you, I wouldn't take that for granted."

"She-She really said that? *scratches head shyly*"

"Yeah, and I know that she meant it. So, just don't be stupid, or I'll kick your ass…and I mean it this time! *briefly chuckles* I'd give her some space while she sorts through her feelings, but when the moment's right, talk to her! *punches shoulder*"

"*rubs shoulder in pain* Okay, I will. Thanks…for this," he said.

"*pats back* Sure thing, son. You take care of yourself, alright?"

"Thanks, I will. You do the same."

"I'll try," he said with a laugh.

*both say goodbye, Hopper drives off*