Blush and Bruises *Billy Hargrove X Reader*

Twelve

You try calling Steve, but nobody answers. You try calling everybody, but no one picks up. You're absolutely fucking terrified. Last night, you found out Billy was being controlled by the Mind Flayer. He had tried to kill you.

You didn't sleep much. Between worrying for your baby's safety and that of Billy's, sleep didn't seem important. After spending much of the day panicking and trying to find a way to kill the Mind Flayer without hurting Billy, you finally break down and head to the mall. You need Steve.

You make it there a half hour before the mall closes. After checking Scoops Ahoy and not finding your brother, you wander the mall, hoping to find anyone you know. A large crowd is leaving the movie theatre. Weaving between the mass of bodies, you spot two familiar heads of hair down the hallway. You dip out of the crowd and find your way to Steve and Robin. Steve looks like absolute shit.

"What the fuck happened to you?" you ask. Someone shushes you and you turn to them. "Erica? Dustin? What's going on?"

Steve's eyes go wide. "No, no, no. You can't be here. It's not safe. Leave with the others." He gestures you to follow the crowd, but just then one of the guards at the door turns and sees the five of you. The others start running.

You all make it downstairs and duck behind the counter of The Great Cookie Co. Steve holds you to his chest  and you can feel his heart beating ferociously. You don't understand what's going on. Who are these people and why are they after your brother? You hear a guard approaching the counter and he says something in a language you don't understand.

Steve's grip on you tightens. A shrill car alarm cuts through the air. A moment later, there's an awful wrenching noise, followed by a large crash. You all peek over the counter to see El and the rest of the gang.

It only takes a few minutes for everyone to be caught up to speed. Apparently the Russians were trying to open the gate to the Upside Down, and they cracked it open just enough for the Mind Flayer to slip through and wreak havoc on your life. On Billy.

But your thoughts are interrupted when El collapses. Something is writhing beneath the skin of her leg. Jonathan tries to remove it, but it only agonizes El. She eventually removes the creature herself using her dwindling powers. Just as she throws it across the room, Hopper, Joyce, and a wild looking man in short shorts appear.

You all spend the next several minutes devising a plan. Hopper, Joyce, and the oddly dressed man leave to close the gate. Your brother, best friend, and Dustin and Erica leave to man the communications. Steve tries to get you to come with, but Dustin points out you might have to hike a steep hill. At this point, you can barely stand and you don't want to put any more stress on the baby. That leaves the rest of you to cram yourselves into Mrs. Wheeler's car.

But the car doesn't start. Jonathan rushes out to check under the hood. To the left, you see headlights flash on. It's Billy's Camaro, and he's revving the engine. You all rush inside to contact Scoops Troop.

It's a wild blur after that. The group pulls the ignition cable from the car El had used to kill the Russians. A horrific creature crashes in through the glass ceiling, sending everyone scattering for cover. Will grabs your hand and drags you behind him, ducking behind the crumpled car with Lucas, Nancy, and Jonathan. A balloon pops somewhere and it causes enough of a distraction for you to make it to the door.

Outside, Jonathan installs the ignition cable and tries to start the car. But Billy is still there. He throws the car in drive, headed straight for you. Nancy aims her gun at the Camaro, firing twice before you knock her hands away.

"(Y/N) he's going to kill us!" she yells.

"It's not his fault!" you scream back.

The Camaro is getting closer and Jonathan still hasn't started the car. Lucas and Will are yelling in the back seat. You turn and stare at Billy. You can just barely see him through the shattered windshield. Placing a hand on your stomach, you start to move out of the way of the Camaro barreling at you.

But there's an awful noise and the Camaro is gone. Your eyes follow the two cars squealing across the parking lot. Steve and Robin turn to look at you, but your eyes fall on Billy. His head is resting against the door and he's not moving. Flames spring up and lick at the windshield.

You move to him, lifting his face toward yours. You call his name and shake him, but he doesn't respond. Someone screams your name, but your only concern is Billy. You look down at his chest and see it's rising and falling. At least he's alive.

Tires squeal behind you and someone pulls you into a car. You hear people talking beside you, but you aren't paying attention. Billy needs your help. An arm slips around your shoulders and you finally look up.

"They'll close the gate," Steve says. "The Mind Flayer will die. It'll be okay."

"Billy," you whisper. "Won't that kill Billy?" Steve holds you tighter. "I can't lose him. Our baby... Our-" But you can't talk through the tears.

The car falls silent.

*

Back at the mall, you were given strict instructions to stay in the car. Everyone else is inside. The Camaro is empty. Your heart is aching for Billy. You can hear the Mind Flayer, its wretched screaming so otherworldly. Explosions of noise and colour light up the sky through the gaping hole in the ceiling of the mall. It takes everything you have not to rush inside.

You can't help them. You're slow and weak and you would only get yourself or the baby hurt. So you stay.

Then there's silence. And darkness. A few moments pass, but it feels like years. You have to know if your friends are dead, if the Mind Flayer won. You make your way inside, the silence weighing heavily on you.

Then someone screams Billy's name. You rush toward the voice. There's an inhuman scream again, like a dying animal. When you finally make it to the court, you see the Mind Flayer in a crumpled heap. Everyone is standing still, looking lost.

Then your eyes fall on Max, kneeling beside someone you try to convince yourself isn't Billy. He's covered in something like black blood. You walk numbly to Max's side.

"I'm sorry, Max," Billy rasps. "I'm so sorry I wasn't the brother you deserved."

Max cries. "No, Billy. Don't say that. Just hang on."

You kneel beside her and put a hand on Billy's face. You try not to look at the awful hole in his chest. Billy's eyes flick to you and he smiles weakly.

"(Y/N). I love you so much." He coughs up black blood and it takes everything you have not to look away. "Make sure our girl knows I loved her, too. Daddy..." He wheeze and tears slide down his face. "Daddy loves her."

You and Max wrap your arms around him, holding him until his chest stops moving, until you feel the last beat of his heart, until Billy Hargrove is dead.

*

Independence Day, 1992. Los Angeles, California.

You lean back on your beach towel, letting the wind whip at your hair, feeling the sun on your skin, tasting the salt in the air. You watch a small figure in the distance, riding the waves like she had been doing it her entire life. You sigh.

Independence Day was always hard. Max made a point to visit every year, and the three of you would spend it together. She could have been spending the holiday with her college friends, or traveling, but she was here. With the two of you. To remember Billy.

The young girl you had been watching splashes through the water toward you. "Mom, Auntie, did you see that?" Nikki yells, running up to you, surf board tucked under her arm.

"I did!" you exclaim. "Your dad would be so proud."

She beams, her dark blonde curls falling in her wild, blue eyes. For a moment, you remember another radiant smile, another mane of blonde curls, another set of wild, blue eyes. The girl turns and heads back into the water. You watch your daughter paddle out to meet a wave and imagine Billy out there with her. He would have loved it more than anything.

"Sometimes when I see her out of the corner of my eye, I think it's him," Max says, laying her head on your shoulder. Her voice is rough.

"I know." You kiss the top of her head and close your eyes against the tears threatening to fall. "Me too."