Chapter Text
Snow fell softly outside the cabin window, fluffy white flakes contrasted starkly with the night sky. Joyce Byers sat curled up on the couch, trying and failing to read the book Jonathan had recommended to her.
She had the house to herself tonight. In the past, she would have welcomed the opportunity to relax and have some much-needed me time, but now it only caused an ache of loneliness in the depths of her chest.
Hop and El were gone. In hiding, God knows where; they'd left Hawkins after El faked her death, and her boys. Well, they weren’t boys anymore; they were all grown up, out doing their own thing, too old to spend a Friday night with their mom.
Joyce threw the book onto the table with a sigh, giving up trying to read for the night. She considered turning on the TV when the phone rang. It cut through the silence of the cabin, startling her.
"Jesus," she breathed, clutching her chest as she walked towards the phone, glancing at the clock. It was 10 pm, and her anxiety immediately spiked, fearing the worst due to the lateness of the call.
"Hello?" she answered.
"Hi- uh H-hey joyce." There was a sniffle on the other end of the receiver. "I'm sorry for calling so late-"
"Karen? Are you alright?" Joyce asked, concern evident in her voice.
"…No," Karen’s voice broke, "I-I mean yes, I…I don't know." She sniffled, sounding panicked. "I'm sorry... I-I shouldn't have called."
"Hey, hey, it’s okay, there's nothin’ to be sorry for, sweetie. What's goin' on?" Joyce asked, twisting the cord of the phone around her fingers anxiously.
On the other end, there was a broken sob that cut off quickly; clearly, Karen had covered the speaker. Joyce’s heart clenched painfully, realizing just how upset the blonde was.
"How about I come over?" She suggested softly, sensing Karen wasn’t really in a state to explain what was wrong at the moment.
"Please?" Karen asked in a small voice. "I mean, if...if that's not too much trouble,” she sniffed,” I-I don’t want to ruin your night.”
"It's no trouble at all, you're not ruining anything," Joyce soothed. "I'll leave now, you hang in there.”
“Thank you… I’m sorry.”Karen croaked, her voice still rough and somewhat raspy from her injuries.
“Karen sweetie, there’s no need to be sorry, I’ll see you soon, ‘kay?”
“Okay,”
——.•.•.•.•.——.•.•.•.•.——.•.•.•.•.——
It was still snowing when Joyce pulled up to the Wheelers’ house.
As she walked up the driveway, she quickened her pace when she saw that Karen was sitting on the front porch, wearing only an oversized sweater and jeans, completely underdressed for the below-freezing weather.
“Karen! What are you doing out here, sweetie? It’s freezing!” She scolded softly, kneeling in front of the woman, meeting her soft, brown eyes that were filled with tears.
“I was being too loud.” Karen shook her head bitterly.
“What?” Joyce’s brow furrowed.
“I woke up Ted with my… hysteria, as he called it.” The blonde sniffled, using the sleeve of her oversized sweater to wipe away some of her tears.
“He made you come out here?!” The brunette asked, ready to run inside and kick Ted’s ass.
“No, no… I mean, he suggested it, but he didn’t make me; I could have said no.” She smiled bitterly. “I just… I couldn’t listen to his… insults anymore.” Shrugging weakly and looking down. “He kept calling me crazy and-and…drunk.”
Joyce bit her lip. She wanted to ask if Karen had been drinking, but she sensed that it would only make things worse at the moment, so she held her tongue.
“Ted’s a bas-“ she paused, “no bastard is too good a word for him…Ted’s a fuckwit.”
This elicited a weak laugh from Karen, and Joyce smiled. She took the blonde's hand in her own, concerned to find it ice-cold.
“C’mon, let’s get you inside, you’re freezing.” She helped Karen up.
Their eyes met, and Karen pulled Joyce into a tight hug, burying her face in the brunette's shoulder and began to cry again, soaking the worn material of the coat. Joyce hugged her tighter, feeling harsh shivers wrack the blonde; she pulled away gently.
“C’mon, sweetie,” she patted Karen’s back, guiding her inside. “I’ll make us some tea to warm you up, then you can tell me what’s goin’ on.”