Jim gave himself one last once over before he pinned his badge to his chest. The split in his lip had pretty well healed and his eye was now a sickly shade of yellow.

He heard the country music before he entered the kitchen. She claimed to hate it, but she never complained when he played it around her. Joyce stood at the stove in his blue flannel shirt, the arms rolled up to her elbows. She swayed slightly as she cooked and he wrapped himself around her back, his arms around her waist and his lips at her neck. "You should be sleeping. The boy's won't be up for another hour."

"I hated mornings till I took up your rountine." She said as he reached for the cup of coffee she'd made for him.

"Our routine. It was never like this at my house. Now mornings are coffee and contemplation and this-" he said, planting a kiss on the hollow behind her ear.

She cut the stove off and slid the eggs onto a nearby plate before stealing a sip of his coffee.

George Jones began playing on the radio and he gently pulled her to face him. "This is my favorite song. I swear they wrote it about me and you." He took her hand in his and placed his other on the small of her back. She rested her free hand on his shoulder and because of their height difference, her head rested on his chest.

As he swayed her he sang the words into her hair.

"I've looked for love in all the same old places
Found the bottom of a bottle always dry
But when you poured out your heart I didn't waste it
'Cause there's nothing like your love to get me high."

He twirled her and she giggled, Joyce Byers actually giggled, and his chest expanded with a warmth he hadn't felt in a long, long time. When the song ended she moved to back away but Conway Twitty crooned 'Hello Darlin' and he pulled her back to him.

"Jim, you're gonna be late."

"Wouldn't be the first time." He commented, twirling her around.

He spotted the boys at the kitchen table and he smiled at them, not wanting to let her go just yet.

"Boys!" She sputtered, stepping on his boot accidentally.

"Don't mind us." Jonathan offered.

"Hop you really should eat-" He smiled, she still called him Hop when she got flustered.

"I'll grab something at work. Besides, I'm late." He teased, nodding to the boys. "Morning boys." He added as he poured his coffee in his thermos.

"Morning Chief!" Will said cheerfully, already pouring his daily bowl of cereal.

"See ya later, sweetheart. Have a good day at work." Jim said. Reaching down to kiss her goodbye quickly.

.

At work Flo caught him by the elbow. "You're late, Hopper."

"I know. Sorry. Just couldn't tear myself away."

"You seem happier these days, Chief. Happy looks good on you."

He smiled at his secretery. "Yes ma'am, feels pretty good too."

Jim selected a sprinkled doughnut from the box in the corner of the office and made his way to his office. On his desk lay a note in Flo's handwriting. A young child with short hair had been spotted in the nearby woods. Immediately the hairs on the back of Hopper's arms stood up. He abandoned his doughnut and gathered his thermos and hat, headed for the door. "If anyone needs me, call me. Got something to check out." He said to Flo in passing.