Love Is..?

Chapter 18

At The Byers House~

Hopper was on the phone with someone as the others were either sitting, standing or pacing. Nancy and Jonathan were sitting together while Steve was standing with Nova, who was crying silently at the recent loss of Bob. The party, which now included Max and excluded Will, were talking about Bob. Mike sighed, "Did you guys know that AV department didn't exist until Bob petitioned for it? Yeah, and then he raised the funds for the equipment." Nova sniffled, "He was a good man. He didn't deserve to die like that or at all." Steve wrapped an arm around Nova and held her, "Are you ok?" Nova shook her head, "No. I'm angry. I came here to get away from the death of my parents not to... get involved with this bullshit." 

She rubbed her face out of frustration and left to go to her room. Max and Nancy followed her to try and calm her down. Nova was sitting on her bed when Max and Nancy came into the room. She looked up at Max and opened her arms so the girl could run into them. Max did so and Nova hugged her tightly while Nancy watched. Max pulled back and Nova sighed, "Where's Billy when I need him." Max looked down and Nova noticed, "Max? Did something happen to Billy?" Max grimaced but said nothing. Nancy bent down and looked at Max, "Its ok Max. What we say in here is private." Nova nodded, "Yeah, we won't tell anyone anything that isn't their business."

Max frowned but sighed, giving in, "Billy's dad, Neil, he found out that you two were involved and he tried to force Billy to break up with you but Billy... he said no. Neil didn't like that. He hurt Billy bad and locked him in his room. That's why he didn't go to school today." Nova had tears in her eyes as she thought about Billy being hurt. Nancy frowned, "Has he hurt you? Neil, I mean?" Max shook her head, "No, he only hurts Billy. Billy used to take it out on me but... since he met Nova, he actually treats me like a person now." Nova sighed and opened her arms again and Max hugged her. Nova just held Max tightly as the girl sobbed.

Nancy frowned and looked up when Jonathan knocked, "Hopper found a way to interrogate the Mindflayer that's using Will." Nancy looked confused, "Mindflayer?" Jonathan shrugged, "It's what the boys are calling it." Nancy nods and Max moves away from Nova, wiping her eyes. Max turns around, "Then what are we waiting for?" Max leaves the room, brushing past Jonathan. Nancy follows behind and Jonathan looks at Nova, "Are you coming?" Nova looked down for a second before she shook her head, "There's something I need to do. Take care of Will." Nova brushed past a stunned Jonathan, and she walked up to Max, "Give me your address."

Max looked confused, "What?" Nova was a bit more forceful, "Address. Now." Max was startled and wrote it down before giving it to Nova. Steve stepped up to Nova, "What are you doing?" "I'm going to go get Billy." She went back to her room and grabbed her gun that she snuck in from Texas. She loaded it, went back out and looked at Steve, "Protect the kids for me." She left, taking Jon's keys and borrowed Jon's car and drove to Billy's house.

At Billy's House~

 Nova watched and waited for Neil and Max's mom to leave. Once they did, she exited Jon's car, placing the gun in her holster and snuck up to the house. She picked the lock on the front door and went inside. Nova looked around and went upstairs where the bedrooms were. She knocked on the doors and heard a faint "hello?" and ran to the door that it came from. It was locked so she picked it and opened it to reveal a bloody, beaten body of her boyfriend. Nova gasped at what she saw and Billy's good eye widened, "How did you...?" Nova shook her head, "Doesn't matter, let's get you out of here before they come back." She helped Billy up and walked him downstairs. They managed to leave the house and get to Jon's car just in time for Neil and Max's mom to get back. Nova helped Billy into the car and shut the door.

Neil heard the car door shut and saw Billy in it. "Hey!!"  Nova noticed and pulled the gun, letting off a shot to scare Neil away. It did. Neil ducked and the abusive coward ran inside the house for cover. Nova smirked as Billy looked at his girlfriend in shock. She got into the driver's seat and took off for her house, the Byers house. Billy was looking at Nova, "You carry a gun?" Nova smirked, "Yes. I'm from Texas, of course I do. There's just one thing, I don't carry bullets. My gun is full of blanks." Billy started to laugh, "You are absolutely crazy, and I love you for it." Nova just grinned and kept driving.

Back at the Byers House~

Nova pulled up the driveway and spotted some carnage, "What the...?" She parked just as Steve came out with a baseball bat that had nails in it. Nova snapped at Steve, "Put that down and help me get him inside!" Steve saw Billy and decided to do as he was told and helped her bring Billy into the house. Nova and Steve gently set Billy down on the couch and Nova looked at the kids, "Go get the first aid kit, some wet rags and a dry towel. Now!" The kids ran in different directions to do as they were told. Nova smiled at Billy, "You ok?" Billy smiled back as best he could, "I am now."