Fear can differentiate in meanings. Clowns, a fear of heights, the water. For Melissa Byers it was seeing one of those horrendous creatures, from that place, screeching and bursting out of her house's wall. She never in her life ran as fast as she did. She had to. Her, and Joyce's, life depended on it.

Running on a secluded back road, where Jonathan had made his return after coming back home from his errands, hopper came back bringing back up. It wasn't exactly a sight Jim wanted to see— Melissa, eyes shifting all over the midnight dark sky scouting for threats. Joyce hanging on Jonathan's body dryly heaving in panic.

Now there she sat, in a shroud of blue and red lights flashing from an overhead police siren, on her front porch both hands woven staring; drained. Distant voices of hopper could be heard explaining to Joyce his working theory of how he thinks will could have crashed his bike. Accidentally falling in to the quarry, hundreds of kilometres up from the cliff.

'It's not my brother. He's alive. He's.. alive. I could hear him. I know my brother and his voice. It's definitely him. He's so close.'

On-duty officer Callahan came out, flickering off his flashlight, taking a step backwards out of being startled from Melissa's figure sitting on the concrete.

" Jesus, kid. You scared me, y'kay there? Do you need medical assistance? I can get an ambulance here.. or? From the way your mom, described things, sounds to me you need a whole lot of help. Psychologically.."

she hears him mutter under his breath, thinking it would go unheard. Melissa seethes not able to hold in her irritation. Getting up from her spot on the ground, off her porch, she thrusts one finger in his face.

His eyes broaden in size, a hand instinctually making a move for his gun.

" I have quite enough of all this bullshit you, and everyone in this town, put my family through. Not believing my mom, how you treated will. Don't even get me started on the treatment Jonathan has received. I've seen the stares in town, I get. I've seen them all, and I haven't been back all but five minutes in this god forsaken town I use to call home. I hear the whispers of The crazy bitch is back after six long years."

Callahan, still placing one hand on the holstered firearm, signals for an approaching detective to move away wanting to handle the 'situation.' Melissa body quivers, indignantly, eyes shining unsteadily opaque white to brown. " I am a sister that wants her little brother back home. I would appreciate you keep your unsolicited Advice away from my ears. I do not need to hear that, right now."

Callahan, not quite sure to what he is seeing, Is the first to back up from her. Clear as ever there is an uncertainty in his eyes.

" Apologies if there was offence. Ms. Byers. I didn't mean for my choice of words, to sound self-absorbed of any kind, That wasn't my intention." Milly is dissatisfied hearing his improbable apology. It was that hard to give an actual word of sorry, he reverts to mockery. She, scornful, goes to walk inside back in the house but Jim came out.

He held her by her biceps, seeing her face.

" Callahan. I heard the commotion. What is the problem here? I hope there is a good explanation you have for me. And why she's so agitated. I can smell the tension from inside."

Hopper directs his glare on the fellow officer, wishing for him to explain why Melissa is irritated and close to committing assault on a police detective, wanting to keep her out of jail. " It was nothing, Chief. Ms Byers, here, and I had a misunderstanding which is amended. It.. it's a matter fixed." Callahan said through grit teeth. Jim spares a moment to glance at Milly, she is glaring down at her feet staying quiet, in hopes if she did it would save her from having to talk, a shrew of words she wouldn't be able to take back and fall out.

He squeezes her arms conflict clear on his face.

" You are dismissed. I have to talk with Melissa, privately. If you may leave. Now."

Callahan musters 'With pleasure' and mumbles 'Crazy must be in the genetics.'

" Now. Do you mind rewinding, on the fact, why you were haggling one of my deputies. If you don't mind me asking at all."

Melissa sighs, calming down. It's weird how fast she could unwind her anger when it came to Jim, it's a miracle.

" Look. I know how a situation of this nature can be, on an emotional scale. But I can't have you almost getting arrested. 'cause I would hate to do that, especially considering I know Joyce wouldn't be impressed." Hopper uses a reserved, softer, approach on how he spoke to Melissa. Mellowing out any roughness he usually uses when he does talk. Answering Milly throws her hands up in the air. " Asshole decided he wanted to say my family needs help mentally, So excuse me for basically snapping at him. Jim. I am not going to say I'm sorry."

Pinching his noses bridge, hopper exhales out a breath. 'Well I can't say Callahan didn't deserve that verbal outburst. What was he to expect when he is saying shit .. like that. I have to give him a talk.' There was no way he would disregard the disrespect given to Melissa. 'No.'

" You're right." Jim put on his fedora. " but.." he sighs, taking Melissa's hand and kneading a spot on her finger. Milly scans Jim's eyes, an owl hooting setting in the brisk autumn night. Police had left, Jim remained at the home. " I.. Mills. You outta be more careful. I know these past days have been really unconventional for all of us. Emotions are high. I just need you.. to work with me here. Please. I can't do all of this, help your family, if there is no trust in it."

Milly nods, reluctance in the motion. 'He is right.' " Good. Now, get some sleep. Your mom is taking a trip to roan county morgue, tomorrow." Wills alleged found body.

'There is no way in hell I am sleeping. Tonight. I do not feel the need to sleep.' Just when Jim is about to venture back to his wagon, Milly caught his hand. He abstains from walking, questioning why she had stopped him.

" it's not exactly the greatest time, for me to sleep alone. Could I.. stay in your car? It feels safer to be with you right now than alone, I meant to say." She is afraid. Rightfully. 'There is nothing she needs to be scared 'bout. I'm here for her.' He thinks, slowly but surely nods. " Okay. That's fine by me." He replies,

Milly released a breath out of reassurance. It wasn't anything Melissa would admit but there are nights, when her dreams would evolve to memories fuelled in monstrous and distorted pictures. Visions almost. Which never becomes an actual reality. Jim opens the passenger side seat for Milly, minding her head as to not have her hurt herself. Melissa instantly started to feel safer, though still being mindful of where she is, glancing up to see Hopper enter his car.

" I can uh.. I can put on some tunes. I know, if it's any consolation, music helps me sleep 'half the time." Jim murmurs fiddling around, and messing, with the radio frequencies landing on 'How Deep is your love' from The BeeGees. He takes a short glimpse to find Melissa had fallen a sleep straight off. 'Well. That wasn't long.' He grazes a finger, gliding back a few inches of her hair.

And the moment that you wander from me. I feel you in my arms again. You come to me on a summer breeze. He felt a fool. It was not fair on Milly, how he was acting around her. It is nothing short of selfish, for the both of them, when he had to deal with his own problems. Demons. How could he stay away? Though.

Keep me warm in your love, then you softly leave. And it's me you need to show, how deep is your love? How deep is your love, how deep is your love? I really mean to learn.

'Fucking hell. I am in trouble.'

╭━━━━━∙⋆⋅⋆∙━━━━━╮

Melissa pace back and forth, biting at the tips of her manicured nails, burning a hole on the floor as a result of worrying so much. Jim had taken her to Roan county coroner's office in town, Joyce had went earlier for wills body's viewing. Katherine, Amanda, and Jim all sat in the discomfort of plain, old breaking seats. Kat had a permanent frown on her face, worrying for her friend. Mandy spoke up.

" Excuse me. I don't want to pry for information, or be upfront 'bout this, but could you please give us a reason why it's takin' this long." She irritably inquires. Speaking for all of those waiting.

The receptionist pulls her thin lips in a pursed line. " Things have been chaotic, as of lately, since Gary was let off the job. Without him there is no order to everything." She replies, following Milly using her eyes.

" Excuse me, Ms. Byers. I think it's best if you sit down. Not to sound like I am trying to be rude, but pacing won't help you. Have some water and take a seat. I'm sure your mother won't be long, now."

Katherine is the first to stand up, offering her hands to her friend. Melissa shuffled her feat over and sat down in the middle seat. Amanda puts both feet adjacent to Milly, hand on her leg; Comforting. The same thought in both her and Kitty's minds, if this was to happen to one of their brothers, hell would be raised. Melissa is strong-willed.

" Where's Gary?" Hopper asks wondering who 'let off' Hawkins main coroner in charge of wills autopsy.

" Well— I thought you knew. Those men, from state, they sent Gary home last night."

That is suspicious. The girls look at each other, thinking the exact same thought. " Isn't that weird, Chief hopper? I know Gary. he wouldn't just give up on his job." Kat states, her voice faint in how she does talk. Amanda hums in accord to Katherine's designation.

" That isn't like him."

Jim agreed.

There is something off about all of this. Something not good at all. He hadn't taken his eyes off Melissa, since he had driven her to the morgue, there is a small jerk of his right lip corner trying hard to not be seen smiling at her sitting and talking with her friends. He reverts back to questioning where Gary is. " Then who did the autopsy?"

" Someone from state."

Replies the receptionist, repeating her previous comment. 'Peculiar. I wonder...Nah. It couldn't.' Hopper thought, finding his conspiracy to be ridiculous and out of reach of the truth. Jim watches Milly stand when Johnathon came out of the viewing room. he goes straight in her arms, appearing to want to vomit from seeing his baby brother's 'Dead body' laying on an metal operating table, and hopper clenches his fedora in his hands. Kitty giggles to herself, witnessing in first person, at how palpably and obvious in love chief hopper is. Amanda, conceitedly, internalises a grin.

'He's a fool in love.'

JASMINE SPEAKS;

I had to write 'How deep is your love' in this chapter. I took the opportunity given, to me, and utilised it to my benefit. I love 'The Bee-Gees' growing up and the song fit perfect in my opinion.

What did you think of the song choice I chose? Jim's mental conflict when it comes to Milly? why did Milly's eyes turn white then back to brown again?

You tell me your theories and thoughts. Also— the way Melissa snapped at Callahan, do you think she overreacted? I think she didn't. He was unprofessional.

®️ Written by Jasmine.