Steve was sitting, slumped, in his car parked outside Hopper's house. He had been tempted to drive away and leave the kids to do their thing, but he guessed he would get shouted at by people, namely Robin and Dustin. He sighed and yawned and sank down further hoping to catch some sleep.
And then he saw a car rolling to a stop next to him. He really, really hoped it wasn't the Russians, he had had enough of Russians. He tried to look invisible, but then he heard a car door slam and he couldn't resist a look. Staring at him from the passenger seat of another car, was Will. Will smiled awkwardly. He looked a little sheepish. Steve frowned. He had only just dropped him at the Wheeler's house. He turned towards Hoppers house and saw Joyce on the steps.
She was about to go inside when she suddenly froze and turned around slowly, as if she sensed someone was watching her. She glared at Steve, narrowing her eyes. Steve looked for possible means of escape, but he had a sinking feeling, as small as Joyce was, she would be fast. He sat up and watched as she walked steadily towards him, he could almost see the fury radiating from her tiny form. How could someone so small be so terrifying? He loaded a smile on his face, but it didn't have the desired effect on Joyce. She yanked open the door.
"You" she said, only it was more like a hiss. Steve's smile froze on his face. He was infinitely more afraid of Joyce than he was of the Russians. "Get out of the car" she said. Her voice was low and calm. Steve would have preferred it if she had been shouting. He half fell out of the car and stood before her. If he had a cap, he would have placed it in his hands.
As it was, he lowered his gaze and waited for his punishment. Behind him he thought he heard Will laughing.
"Are you the boy that encouraged Erica Sinclair to climb through the air ducts of a top- secret Russian base and then got yourself kidnapped and beaten up and left her and Dustin to rescue you?" Joyce paused, but Steve thought it was better to stay silent on the matter. As it turned out, he had made the right decision. "She was 10 years old" Joyce said in a dangerous voice. "10 years old!"
Steve shuffled awkwardly as Joyce continued to death stare at him and she wasn't finished berating him either.
"I mean, what is it with you and children anyway? Do you like children?"
Steve looked at Joyce in horror. "What? No! No way." He glanced towards Hopper's cabin as the door opened and the kids piled out. "I know it looks bad, but I just do as I'm told." He shrugged knowing how lame it sounded. He really would prefer a quiet life, but he kept getting embroiled in situations he wanted to be no part of.
Joyce nodded but it was a nod of condescension. "You get told what to do by children" she said.
"Joyce, what are you doing here?"
Joyce turned to look at El and went to speak, but she pursed her lips knowing what she needed to say was going to be difficult and probably not very well received. She saw the hurt in El's eyes and the pain that seemed to be a permanent fixture on her face. Even when she smiled, she seemed sad. Without Hopper, she seemed so lost. Joyce touched her face.
"You have got to let this go" she said quietly trying to read El. She looked at the others. "All of you have got to let this go and if you were any kind of friends to El, you would try and make her understand that she needs to stay here, stay hidden and stay safe." She took a deep breath. "Will told me about the phone call and I have the money so I'm going to Alaska and I will find Hopper, but you have to stay away, okay? This is not your fight."
Will climbed out of the car. "I'm sorry" he said. "I had to tell her."
"Don't sweat it" Lucas said. Mike smiled at him too. No one would be able to withhold information from Joyce Byers.
"I'm sick of grown-ups telling us what to do" Max said angrily. Lucas put a hand on her arm, but she batted him off. "Seriously" she said. "You all think we're not capable, but we always are."
"I don't think you're not capable" Joyce said quietly.
"We've found stuff out and you think you can do this without us, without El." She looked at El. "I'm sorry Mrs Byers, but that's plain stupid."
Will wished he had stayed in the car. His mom was kind and loving, but it didn't take much for her to lose her temper and when she lost it, she was a formidable person, but she surprised him.
"I actually think you're all brilliant" she said. She looked at them all individually. "You're brave and strong and way smarter than me" she paused and sighed. "But you're going to tell me what I need to know and you're going to stay here, out of harms way, because I am an adult and you are children." Joyce Byers was diminutive, but she seemed to grow in stature. "Do you understand me, you are children." She glanced at Steve again.
El stepped forward. "I think you should let me go. I think Hopper needs me, but if you won't let me, I won't fight you and I'll tell you what we know."
Joyce nodded and smiled at El. "Hopper would be very proud of you" she said.
Another car pulled up and Nancy and Jonathan climbed out.
"Mom, we need to leave, there's a flight that leaves this evening…"
Joyce turned to her son. "Change of plan" she said. "I need you to stay here and look after these guys." She turned back to Steve. "Someone responsible needs to be here, someone I can trust."
Steve felt himself shrivelling under her gaze.
"You're not going alone Mom" Jonathan said. "It might be dangerous."
"I'll go." Jonathan looked at Nancy. She shrugged. "Why not?" she smiled at Joyce a little uncertainly. She wasn't completely sure if Joyce liked her, but she understood why she would be so protective of her children.
No one said anything for a while. It was growing dark and somewhere in Alaska, Hopper was alive and finding him and bringing him home was the only thing that mattered to Joyce at that moment. She was getting more and more fond of Nancy and she was clever and quick. She smiled at her.
"If you're sure" she said. She knew it might be dangerous. Nancy nodded and Joyce turned to El. "We'll call you when we arrive for an update, okay?"
El nodded and felt a wave of guilt. Joyce would be furious at her for disobeying her, but there was no way she was going to stay in Hawkins. Now she had her passport and money, there was nothing to stop her. She felt Mike looking at her. She glanced at him and smiled and knew she was going to have to lie to him too.
"Please find him" she said hoping it was the right thing to say.
"I'll drive you then" said Jonathan. He looked at Steve. "Will you take the kids to the Wheelers?"
Steve shrugged. It wasn't like he had anything better to do anyway.
Author's Note: Thank you to those of you reviewing and following. I will try and update by the weekend, but not promising anything!