[rated 17+]

    THE SMELL OF artificial holly and crisp cranberries hung heavy in the air as Jodie floated across the shag carpet of the Byers' home. It was a meagre Christmas, with re-purposed Christmas lights and paper mache snowflakes tied up by balloon string.

      Jodie was walking through the holidays with a cigarette and tequila haze. Joyce had insisted Jodie come over for Christmas dinner. A small, deeply buried part of Jodie was understanding, so she stapled on a placid smile as she poured another tequila and dumped it into her Kroger eggnog.

     Joyce grinned, trying to pretend she hadn't seen, and spooned the watery mashed potatoes into a Better Homes and Garden serving dish. "Did you stop by the Police Station's Christmas party?"

        "Huh," Jodie pretended to not have heard her. "The station?"

       She knew about the station part of course. But, the truth was, she hadn't talked to Hopper in weeks. Jane was gone, Jodie's heart was in a frenzy and, honestly, it seemed like the man was avoiding her too.

       "Oh," Joyce's voice was soft as she watched Jodie. The dark brown colour of her eyes seemed to shift so easily from giddy to concerned as she looked at her. "I'd just thought, with everything that had happened, you know..." her voice trailed off.

       The pale of Jodie's cheeks flushed pink as she caught the insinuation. Her mind flushed back to that night, in the cab of Hopper's truck. The smell of aftershave and cigarettes lingered in her mind like a wisp.

       Just as Jodie fished for something to say, she was saved by Jonathan and Will returning home from the Wheeler's. Jodie inhaled the breath she didn't know she'd been holding as she tore away from Joyce's gaze.

        Will rushed into the small kitchen, sporting a box hoisted over his head. "Mom, mom! Look what Jonathan got!"

       "Wow, that's great!" Joyce cheered, pulling the box from Will's hands with a grin. "Go get cleaned up for dinner. Jodie and I made something special."

     With a stifled smile, Jodie sipped her spiked eggnog and helped Joyce spoon some roasted carrots into a serving dish with a mismatched spoon. She tried not to think about how this was the first Christmas she'd had in a while.

            It was a nice feeling, to be surrounded by a family for the holidays. Jodie spooned some canned peas into her mouth while she smiled and thanked the Byers for welcoming her into their home.

       "Is it true," Jonathan asked Jodie as he passed the turkey, "that you're leaving again?"

     Will's bright eyes turned to her and she offered them a nod. "I am," she admitted. "I was going to be gone before the holidays," Jodie said with a sly smile towards Joyce, "but your mom convinced me to stay a while longer."

      "Well, you've gotta celebrate the holidays with family," Joyce told her. She dabbed at the corners of her mouth with her napkin before jumping to take the bowl of carrots from Jonathan's outstretched hands. "We couldn't send you out into the cold without that. Especially," she emphasized, "after all you did to help us this year."

      Jodie smiled, taking another sip of eggnog before conceding to Joyce's comment. "Mhm, well, you're right. I'm happy to be here."

      And, it was true. For the first time in too long, kiddie cornered between Jonathan and a plate of turkey, Jodie felt acceptance.

     "Are you going to look for her?" Will asked. All three heads turned to look at him, somewhat with surprise. It was rare that any of them mentioned the events of his disappearance. "For Eleven." Will doubled down, his brow furrowed.

           "I'm, well," Jodie scratched the back of her neck and leaned back in her wooden chair. She felt the weight of it shift as she bit the inside of her cheek. "I'm tracking a few leads," she admitted. "But, mostly," Jodie paused as she caught Joyce's wide-eyed expression. "I would like a change of scenery."

     It wasn't a lie. But it was nowhere near the truth.

      The rest of the dinner passed without incident. The conversation was light, the meal was decent, and the women watched the boys with pride as they shared knowing glances. They'd won. It was a small victory, but it was real. The danger was behind them.

     After dinner, Jodie offered to clean up while the boys scrambled to the Christmas tree. Joyce had promised them that they could each pick one small present to open before Christmas day. The joyous 'Hell yea!' from each of them made the hole in Jodie's chest sing as if it had never existed. 

      Though the radio was muffled with static, the merry chirping of Deck the Halls could still be distinguished from the white noise. Jodie bobbed her head to the tune as she scraped bones and the remnants of gravy into the trash. Beside her, Joyce was hand-washing the pile of dishes.

     "This may be a little forward," Joyce said hesitantly as she scrubbed at a dried gravy spot on her pot, "so, forgive me if it is. But," she paused for a moment and blew a stray strand of dark hair from her eyes as she turned to give Jodie a weary look. "Well, are you going to see Hopper before you leave?"

      Jodie blinked a couple of times as she thought it over, dropping the dishes into the sink for Joyce. Walking around the brunette, Jodie picked up a hand towel and reached for Joyce's wet dishes. "I guess I haven't decided. I should, I think." Jodie wiped at a serving bowl. "I have a gift for him."

       Jodie propped the dish against the drying rack and shot Joyce a wry smile, curling up the left side of her lips like a mischievous teen. For a moment, as Joyce watched her, the woman wondered what she'd been like in high school. Trouble, surely.

      "I was debating dumping it at his doorstep."

    There was a period of silence filled with muffled Christmas tunes and the scritch-scratch of a scrubbing wand on glass. Jodie dried each dish as Joyce handed them over. Jodie's mind wandered to Jim, wondering what he was doing, wondering if he was having a holly jolly Christmas. The soft curve of her lips pulled into a smile as she pictured him, tied up in tinsel at the behest of the Station secretary, forced to watch each deputy and officer open their white elephant gifts.

      She was so enraptured by the thought that she hadn't heard Joyce speaking to her. Jodie blinked away the film that had clouded in her eyes and reached for the next dish, only to find Joyce was empty-handed and watching her with an amused arch to her brow.

       "So," Joyce said, wiping her hands on the apron tied to her waist. "How much of that did you get?"

     Jodie flushed and ducked her head. "I'm sorry, was I that distracted?"

     "You're fine," Joyce told her with a laugh in her tone. "I was hoping that, if you were headed to Hop's, you could bring him a gift from me and the boys?"

     "Oh, I don't know about that, Joyce." Jodie tossed the damp hand towel on the counter and tied up her blonde strands with a hair tie, avoiding her gaze. "I wouldn't want to --"

     "--It would help me a lot. I haven't had the time to go down to the station. I," Joyce lowered her voice as she glanced towards the other room where Jonathan and Will were shaking the small boxes under the tree, trying to find the right ones. "I can't bring myself to leave Will just yet."

      "I..." Jodie felt the corner that Joyce was backing her into. "I mean... yeah," she said, falling under the spell of Joyce's warm, welcoming eyes, "yeah, for you."

       The smile lines around Joyce's eyes crinkled in delight as she cheered. "Thank you, Jodie."

     JODIE STOOD ON the front porch of Jim Hopper's little trailer for longer than necessary. She weighed the pros and cons of knocking on the door very carefully, shifting the heavy weight of the presents in her arms.

      Unfortunately, her pro and con list both had the same reason: she'd see Jim Hopper.

      The fact was that Jodie was a stubborn woman. Strong and unwavering like an ox. And, from what she knew of Jim, he was the same. Once Jodie had made her mind up about something, she was hellbent against changing it. And, a part of Jodie worried that Jim would try to get her to stay. A part of her was worried he could.

      Jodie cleared the lump in her throat and made up her mind.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

      "I don't have any figgy pudding, and I will shoot if you start singing," Jim's voice called from inside.

        Jodie tried to bite back the slow-sprouting smirk on her lips, but it spread like a weed. He thought he was so clever. "Bring me figgy pudding or I'll huff," there was a rustling behind the door as Jim recognized her voice, "And I'll puff and I'll blow your house down."

     The rustling behind the door sounded like someone was pushing objects around and out of the way. Jodie arched a brow and shifted on her leg. After a small moment, the door cracked open to reveal a dishevelled Hopper, still clad in his uniform. The porch light flickered lowly, casting the pair in a soft yellow glow.

     With an upward curve to his lips, Hopper's eyes trailed over her. "Did you just make a pig joke?"

     "Well," Jodie said, "are you gonna let me in?" She didn't deny it.

     Jim thumbed the tip of his nose, scanning the porch to see if anyone else was with the small woman. With a pretend nod, as if he was thinking it over, Hopper shrugged and kicked the door open further, allowing her entrance.

      "I'm not gonna stay," Jodie told him as she shuffled inside, eyeing the used beer cans and ashtray littered with a bunch of old cigarette butts. "I came to bring presents and flee, like the old man himself."

     Jim scratched at the back of his head and closed his door with the tip of his boot. On the coffee table, a half-drunk glass of whiskey sat beside a holstered pistol and a TV remote. Jodie watched the muted black and white screen run through the scenes of It's a Wonderful Life.

     "Presents, huh?" Hopper grunted as he flopped down onto the worn couch. He gingerly picked up his glass of alcohol and peered up at her over the rim. In his eyes, a fire was singing back at her.

     "Presents," she sang back.

      Jodie reached out a small bag with green tissue paper and dropped it into Hopper's open lap. "This one's from the Byers. They say 'Merry Christmas'." Jodie remained standing, despite the empty space on the couch.

      Jim hmm'ed and set his glass down on the coffee table, as he finished the contents, trading it for the gift. "Thanks for bringing it by." He frowned slightly. "I didn't get them anything."

       "There's still time." She shrugged. Then, she stretched out her hand and offered him another present, wrapped in silver paper. It glittered under the halogen bulbs of his living room. "And, don't sweat it, but I got you something too."

      "You didn't have to," he sighed. Despite the tone in his voice, there was a child-like excitement in his expression as he took the gift. "Sit down, Jode," he told her. He shifted a little on the couch to make more room for her. She hesitated but did as he asked. The couch dipped under her and she could feel his body heat against hers.

      Jim pushed Joyce's gift away and set the rectangular box from Jodie between his legs. He slowly slid one finger beneath the crease of the paper's fold and tore into it without a second thought. Jodie almost protested, but figured it didn't matter if he waited a few more days until Christmas.

      In his lap was a Jim Bean whiskey decanter with an Oldsmobile topper. Jodie's mouth wobbled as she tried to decode the expression on his face. She wasn't a great gift giver, so she was banking on at least a firm 'thanks'.

      Jodie pressed her fingers to her lips as she watched Jim's face. He picked up the decanter and turned it over in his hands, letting out a huff of surprise. "It's an Oldsmobile. It's a whiskey Oldsmobile."

      Her brows knit together as she pulled her fingers away from her mouth with an unsure nod. "Well, yeah, I mean... I don't know. I just thought you'd like it."

        Jim uncorked the whiskey and poured himself a shot. Jodie watched him jump up from the couch and grab another glass, pouring her a drink as well. She took the offer with a smile, still unsure if he liked it or not.

      "Thanks, Jodie. It's a great gift."

      Jodie shrugged. "I figured it could remind you of the good times. Of Chrissy and your father's car," she suggestively said with a wiggle to her brow. Jim chuckled and sipped at the drink.

      "I'm sorry we haven't had a chance to talk," Hopper told her, setting the gift on his table. "After everything that happened, it was hard to pull away from the station."   

     Jodie swallowed a small sip of the burning liquid and cut him off, changing the topic. "I'm going to Tennessee, after the holidays. I think it might be fun. I don't know."

        She wasn't sure how she'd expected him to react to the news. Jodie watched Jim's face as he took another sip from his glass, his eyes on the movie as he listened to what she told him.

       "What are you running from this time?"

       "Huh?"

      "You're like me," he explained, "I ran when I lost Sarah. I came back to Hawkins." Hopper turned to watch her carefully. His voice and body language were calm, speaking with subdued curiosity.  "What're you running from this time?"

      "That's... that's not true,"

        Even as the words tumbled from her mouth, Jodie realized it was true. She'd always been running. Whether it was because of her parents or the loss of Jamey, the only reason she came home was to pay respects, settle in, and make money for a little while before leaving again.

       The moment was silent as he lit a cigarette and watched the realization dawn on Jodie's face. Jim smirked, blowing out a huff of smoke.

        "Look, Jodie, I didn't mean to--"

     "--No, you're right." Jodie played with the tweed stitching of the couch. She pinched the loose thread between her thumb and forefinger, rolling it between the pads of her fingers while her mind flashed through different memories. "I'm a runner. Always have been."

      When she was a teen, she ran from boys, from the cops, from her parents. When she got old enough, she'd run from home.

      When Jamey went missing, she chose not to come back. And, now that she'd been home for some time, she was running again.

     Jim shrugged and topped off their glasses, not saying much as his eyes trailed back to the movie on his television screen.

      Tearing her hand from the couch armrest, Jodie glanced up at Jim, catching his soft gaze as he watched her out of the corner of his eye. She really looked at him, at his brow-beaten features, at the way his fingers curled around his cup, the small sardonic curve of his mouth as he pulled his gaze away. Her heart soared.

       Nestled between the armrest and Hopper, Jodie felt something she never thought she would feel again. She couldn't even think it to herself, but, damn it, it felt a lot like falling.

       Neither of them said anything, settling on sipping in silence. The rye whiskey was strong and went down rough, but Jodie enjoyed it.

     They sat in silence for a while, Christmas music playing from the television set as Jim took the movie off mute. In the comfortable quiet, they were simply two people with no one to be with, no family to see.

       Jodie enjoyed the time she spent with Jim, just having him near her was good enough, for now. Maybe once she was on the road, she would be able to leave him in the past. She didn't want to ruin whatever they had by speaking up now, not when she was enjoying herself so much.

     Jodie wondered if Jim was enjoying himself too, in their comfortable silence.

      But, as with all things, the time for silence was coming to a close. Jodie swirled the last drips of amber liquid around the glass cup before swallowing them down. She inhaled slowly and set the glass on the table as she stood, dusting her jeans off.

     "Merry Christmas, Hop," Jodie told him. "I'll send you a postcard when I get where I'm going."

      "Merry Christmas, Jodie."

       Hopper followed Jodie to the front door, rubbing the back of his neck as he watched her reach for the door handle. The cold night air billowed through the small crack in the door as a flurry of snow swirled outside.

      "Wait," Hopper demanded.

     His voice was low and close, closer than Jodie had realised. Hopper reached out and pushed against the wood, closing the door with little effort. "Just, wait."

       Jodie's heart thudded in her throat. She turned to face the tired police chief, feeling the coarse wood grain of the door against the backs of her arms, catching on the fabric of her shirt.

     The familiar smell of aftershave wafted in her senses as Hopper's eyes danced across the high points of her face. His arm remained pressed against the door, keeping her in place.

Jodie watched the look on his face, sensing the air shift.

              "You gonna kiss me now?" Jodie asked him, slightly joking. The fluttering in her chest was the only tell that showed she wanted it to be true.

     Jodie tilted her chin up sarcastically, looking down the bridge of her nose at him as she leaned against the wooden door. The rush of alcohol and hormones made an already bold woman all the more brash. "Cuz I --"

     "--I'm gonna kiss you now," Jim interrupted her, closing the gap between them with one solid step. Jodie's next sentence caught in her throat as his eyes locked with hers. Jim placed a hand on her cheek, stroking the bottom of her lip with the tip of his thumb.

His touch trailed embers of heat against her mouth. His light eyes searched hers, igniting as he read every detail of her expression, knowing what she was feeling as if it were flashing across her forehead in big bold letters. Jodie flushed, suddenly exposed in that moment.

      Hopper kissed her hard, pushing her softly against the door. Her lips parted in acceptance, eager and inviting. Jodie instinctively reached her hand up to his chin, feeling the firm edge of his jaw, the rough stubble of his chin beneath the soft skin of her fingertips.

His breath was hot and heavy, his hand uncontrolled but steady as he yanked at the buttons on her corduroy blouse.

      Jodie's cheeks burned at the tugging of her buttons, but she welcomed the rush of his fingers, meticulous and firm. She arched her back with a sigh, feeling her shoulders firm against the door.

       "Jodie," Jim groaned, his nose tracing the side of her neck as he peeled her shirt from her shoulders. His mouth formed her name once more, kissing it against her pulse. Jodie trailed her nails through his hair and fought the urge to take control. She'd always played a dominant part in her relationships, it was hard to fight.

       The sound of her name on his tongue danced in her ears. She groaned and snaked her leg around his waist, pressing herself closer to him. Jim nipped at her collarbone while his fingers unclasped her bra.

Her mind swirled as Jodie slid her fingers down the length of his torso, yanking the buttons of his uniform apart and revealing the warm, coarse skin of his chest. His chest was firm and lightly peppered with dark hair. She ran her fingers through the downy on his skin, enjoying the moment his body jerked with excitement.

       The winter air was sharp and cool against Jodie's exposed skin as Jim got the clasps unhooked. Jim tossed her bra haphazardly over his shoulder and across the living room. He could care less about where it would end up.

Jim pulled away from her and took her in, watching her bare chest rise and fall with heavy breaths.

       If Jodie were another woman, she might have felt shy shame or covered herself. But, she was Jodie Whittier, and she wanted him. She wasn't ashamed to see him wanting her too.

       Jim drew close to her again and inhaled slowly, trailing his hand up the silky white skin of her stomach. When he clasped one of her small breasts in his warm palm, Jodie softly moaned and pushed against him, every fiber of her on edge.

      Her skin pebbled with goosebumps as he kissed and teased her nipple, playing with the point as she arched her back in mounting pleasure.

How far would they take this? She knew what she wanted, and based on the way Hopper's waist was pressed against her, he wanted it too.

      Jodie reached for the belt around Jim's waist, yanking the buckle loose. The leather slid smoothly from his belt loops.

      Jim pulled away from her with a steady hand, fighting to keep her attention. "You sure?" Jim asked gruffly. His breathing was coming fast, but his fingertips caressed the raised skin of her arms as he spoke.

      Jodie dropped the discarded belt and grinned. "I'm sure."

      Jim chuckled a short, breathless huff. He kissed her once more, feverish and forceful. Then, he hoisted her up by the seat of her pants, carrying her off to the bedroom.

Jodie squealed and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, feeling like she'd left her stomach in the living room.

       She could feel Jim's grin against her collarbone as he kicked open his bedroom door and laid her on the sheets. Her blonde strands haloed around her head like a wheat pool as she yanked Hopper to her.

       Jim paused and watched the woman in his sheets with her devilish smile and devious hands as they stripped clothes from him.

At that moment, he knew he wouldn't be able to break away from her. She would eat into his mind, and stay burrowed there with the other ghosts.

       He kissed her again, soft and slow, feeling the rhythm of her pulse and the dance of her tongue. And, he didn't hold back as he took her.

IN THE MORNING, Hopper woke up alone.

A note was taped on his bedroom mirror. The script was sloppy but feminine, and familiar. It read:

'I had to go.
Leave a light on for me.
xx Jodie Whittier'

_______

This was the smuttiest thing I've ever written. There is no shame in sex, and there shouldn't be any conveyed in this, hopefully.

That being said, let me know if this balance scratches your fancy. As with most relationships, there will be more sex and more scenes. If you feel this balance was good for you, or if you would like something more (or less) let me know here. I am an author who listens.

anywaaaay if you enjoyed,
please comment and vote!

cheers xx