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insomniacwriter17 · 5 months

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Saved from the Flames - Chapter Twenty-Nine

"When you’re born in a burning house, you think the whole world is on fire. But it’s not.” –Richard Kadrey

Billy Hargrove is 9 years old. He tries his best to be the son his father wants him to be - quiet, respectful, and obedient. But Neil just pushes harder and harder, all in the name of raising a “strong man”. When Billy is removed from his father’s custody and placed in foster care, it takes some time for him to realize his world is no longer burning around him. New experiences, new people, new opportunities all make Billy realize there’s a whole lot more to life than respect and responsibility.

AKA: The story of how Bob Newby became a real life superhero for one little boy who needed saving.

Inspired by this post I saw from @connordax

read on ao3

It was shortly after lunch when the Byers showed up at Bob’s house the next day. Billy had just sat down to watch cartoons when the doorbell rang, and he sat up onto his knees to look over the back of the couch as Bob went to answer the door. Will scurried in the door first, immediately holding his arms up to the man. “Up! Up!” the boy chanted, and Bob was quick to scoop him up into a hug.

“There’s my Will! How are you doing, bud?” Jonathan came in next, though he didn’t look super excited to be there, and Billy felt worry settle in his chest.

“Hi!” Billy greeted excitedly, trying to ignore the feeling. “I’m watching Scooby Doo! You want to watch it with me?”

“Uh yeah,” Jonathan replied softly, looking even more nervous. He glanced over his shoulder as Joyce stepped into the house. She had her arms crossed over her chest and sunglasses on her face, which wasn’t weird. What was weird was that she didn’t take them off. That worried feeling in Billy’s chest only grew.

Will was resting his head on Bob’s shoulder with his arms wrapped around the man’s neck, and Mrs. Byers smiled at the sight, reaching out to pet her younger son’s hair. “Why don’t you go with your brother and Billy, baby? We’ll leave in just a minute,” she offered, and Bob moved to put Will down. As the young boy obediently made his way to the couch, Billy watched Bob’s face morph into one of concern as he and Joyce talked in low voices. Both adults’ body language let Billy know that something was wrong, and it made his tummy hurt.

“Billy, I’m startin’ Kindergarten next week!” Will exclaimed as he climbed onto the couch beside his friend, tugging on Billy’s shirt to help pull him up onto the cushion. The distraction was enough for Billy to turn his attention away from the adults,and he sat back down, now with a Byers’ child on each side of him.

“That’s cool,” Billy replied softly. Jonathan was still quiet, his knees hugged to his chest. “Do you want to watch something other than Scooby Doo?” he offered, but Jonathan shook his head.

“This is fine,” he promised. “Can we play race cars after Will leaves?” he asked. It was one of his and Billy’s favorite games, but Will wasn’t quite coordinated enough to keep up with them, and Billy and Jonathan were not interested in just letting Will win. So they really only played when the youngest boy wasn’t around.

Billy immediately perked up. “Yeah! That’d be fun.” He could hear Joyce and Bob’s voices behind him still, but they were quiet enough that he couldn’t hear what was being said.

“I don’t want to talk about it right now, Bob. I have to take Will to the school,” Joyce sighed, arms crossed over her chest.

“Joyce. Take the glasses off,” Bob pleaded. He could see the shadow of a bruise under the frames and it made his blood boil. “What did he do?”

Joyce shook her head, the dark frames staying in place. “We can talk when I get back,” she told Bob, determination in her tone.

Bob frowned. “Are you safe?” he questioned. “You and the boys?”

She nodded. “I told him he had until after dinner to get out of the house,” she told Bob tiredly. “Jim’s going to drive by before I go home.”

Bob shook his head. “Stay the night.” He saw her eyebrows raise, and he held up a hand. “Don’t argue with me. I’ll set up an air mattress in the office. You still have those bags in the back of your car, don’t you?” His challenge was gentle but unyielding, and her silence spoke volumes. “Use them. It’s one night, Joyce. Please.”

Joyce sniffled, swiping her hand across her cheek before she cleared her throat and turned toward the living room. “Come on, Will. We have to go, sweetie.”

Will shuffled over obediently, hugging Bob once more before he left with Joyce, and Bob stood on the porch and watched until the duo disappeared down the street. When he stepped back into the house, he was met with two curious pairs of eyes peering at him from over the back of the couch.

“Is my mom okay?” Jonathan asked, the question quiet. Like he already knew the answer. “She and my dad had another fight last night.” Bob just smiled sadly, stepping into the living room and ruffling Jonathan’s hair.

“Your mom’s going to be just fine,” he promised carefully. “She’s strong and brave, just like you. She’s on her way to meet Will’s teacher, and then we’re going to have a pizza and movie night.” He looked over at Billy, who had concern etched on his features. “You two don’t need to worry about her. Now, have you guys decided what you want to play while Will’s gone?”

“Racecars!” Both boys replied excitedly, the mood in the room shifting almost immediately. Bob was thankful for the subject change, and he dropped his jaw open in surprise.

“Racecars? Oh man, I should’ve guessed,” he laughed. “Well, you two shout if you need me, but I’ll be in my office cleaning up, okay?” As Jonathan and Billy jumped off the couch, Bob held his arms out to hug both boys. Billy giggled as he threw his arms around Bob’s waist, burying his head in the man’s stomach. Jonathan’s arm smacked him in the head as his friend did the same, and Billy could feel Bob’s hand on his back as well.

As the afternoon wore on, Bob took his nervous energy and channeled it into setting up the air mattress and straightening up his office so Joyce had somewhere to stay. It felt a tad manipulative, but he knew if she saw the effort Bob had put into setting it up, she’d be more likely to stay. The idea of his friend going home with the possibility of Lonnie still being there made his chest ache in a way that he couldn’t put into words. Especially without the boys, because Bob knew that Lonnie tended to hold back when he knew the little ones were around.

Jonathan’s mood had seemed to improve with each race through the house. Billy and Jonathan started each race at the end of the hall by Bob’s bedroom, down the hall, around the living room, and through the kitchen. The winner was determined by whoever’s car crashed into the dishwasher first, and then the loser would demand a do-over, and the race would start again.

Billy was happy to see that Jonathan seemed to be cheering up, and by the time they tired out, Billy figured they must’ve raced fifty times. He and Jonathan were splayed out on the kitchen tile, giggling and pushing the cars in front of them when they heard Bob coming down the hall. “It’s been a minute since I’ve seen you guys run by, everything okay?” the man asked as he stepped over both preteens so he could grab his glass of water.

“We’re fine, Dad!” Billy insisted.

“Yeah, Mr. Bob. We’re just tired,” Jonathan added, moving to sit up. “Do you know when my mom and Will are coming back?”

Bob looked down at him and smiled sympathetically. “I’m sure they’ll be back soon. Meet the Teacher can’t be that long, especially not for Kindergarten.”

“Yeah,” Jonathan mused. “He only has one teacher to meet! We had four!”

Bob laughed. “Exactly. Come on, let’s get you two off the floor,” he waved to the boys. “You guys want to play a game while we wait?” That idea was a hit, and it was about three games of Operation later that Joyce and Will walked through the front door.

“Mom!” Jonathan hopped off the kitchen chair and ran to meet his mom at the door. Bob stood up and Billy followed after him into the living room, where Will was excitedly telling Jonathan about his teacher.

Once Will had sufficiently filled everyone in on his Meet the Teacher night, the boys settled down to pick up the game of Operation that had been abandoned. Since the opportunity had presented itself, Bob quietly insisted that he and Joyce talk, and they made their way down to the office so they could talk privately.

In the quiet of the room, Bob whispered, “Let me see.” With a shaky hand, Joyce pulled the sunglasses off her head and tossed them down onto the air mattress at her side. A black and blue bruise circled her left eye, angry and painful.

“Joyce…” Bob’s hands rested on Joyce’s shoulders as he looked at the injury. “What happened? Talk to me.”

The silence stretched for a few seconds, and then Joyce broke. With a shaky sob, she sunk back into Bob’s office chair and hid her face in her hands. “H-he…he threatened to hurt Jon,” she whispered, voice shaking.

Bob was not a fighting man, but he wanted to stomp out of the room right there and track Lonnie down. “What?”

“Jon left his shoes in the living room last night before he went to bed, and Lonnie was drunk and tripped on them. He started yelling and screaming…he threw the shoes at me and the television, then told me he was going to set Jonathan straight.” She paused, swallowing thickly and dropping her hands to her lap, though she didn’t look up at Bob.

The man was frozen, listening intently with his face set in a deep frown. “I-I told him he wasn’t going to do anything, because Jonathan was a kid. That…that’s when he told me that…” she cleared her throat again. “Jonathan was his kid and he’d do what he needed to in order to set him straight, even if it killed his boy in the process.”

It was then that Joyce looked up, heartbreak morphing into anger as she gritted her teeth and managed, “He had the audacity to call Jonathan his boy as if he’s done anything productive for him in his ten years of life!”

“Joyce…” Bob knelt in front of the woman and frowned. “That…he can’t say stuff like that.” She nodded her agreement. “But how did you end up with that black eye?” he pushed.

“He tried to go down the hall to Jonathan’s room. I got between him and the hallway. End of story,” Joyce cracked her fingers nervously. “He left angry and drunk, and when he showed back up this morning is when I told him to get out and not come back.”

Bob watched his friend for a moment, nodding as he listened. “Joyce, I…I’m so sorry. And maybe it’s not the time for me to say this, but I am proud of you. You are looking out for your safety and the boys’ safety, and that’s all you need to worry about.”

Joyce’s shoulders shook with another sob as she nodded, and Bob moved to hug her. Her cries were muffled by his shoulder, and he held her tight as she finally had the opportunity to break down. “You did the right thing,” he promised quietly. “And you’re going to stay here until we’re sure Lonnie’s gone, alright?”

Joyce nodded against his shoulder, letting out a shaky breath. Eventually, she pulled away and looked at Bob with a heartbroken smile. “How did I end up with a best friend like you?” she wondered.

Bob laughed wetly, shaking his head. “I don’t know, but I’m glad we’re friends,” he insisted quietly.

“Me too,” Joyce whispered. The man pulled away and gave Joyce a soft smile.

“I’ll give you a minute,” he offered. “I’ll go ask the boys to help me order pizza.”

“Thank you,” Joyce whispered, wiping at her eyes again and nodding. “I’ll be out in a bit.”

To her credit, when Joyce walked into the living room about fifteen minutes later, Bob could hardly tell that she had been crying. Her eyes were still red-rimmed, but other than that, there was no evidence of her breakdown. But she had left the sunglasses off, which meant the bruise was on full display. Jonathan jumped up immediately to give her a big hug, while Will looked up from where he was playing with his stuffed raccoon on the floor by Bob’s feet.

Billy sat on the couch beside Bob, and the man could feel Billy flinch away when he saw the injury. “She’s okay,” Bob promised softly, running a hand up and down Billy’s back. “I promise.”

Billy nodded unsurely, trying to swallow down the fear in his chest. But Bob saw right through it, and the man turned to face him a bit more. “Listen, Billy,” he started. “Ms. Joyce is okay. She’s staying here with you and me, and she is safe. You hear me?”

Billy didn’t answer at first, his lip caught between his teeth as he bit down nervously. So Bob continued. “I promise. She’s safe here.”

“I know,” Billy murmured, nodding and pushing himself closer to Bob. “Your house is safe.” The boy wiggled beneath Bob’s arm and hugged the man. “Everyone who’s here is safe.”

#stranger things #billy hargrove #ao3 #insomniacwriter17 #bob newby #billy hargrove deserved better #bob newby deserved better #sftf #saved from the flames #cw: child abuse #foster care au #joyce byers #jonathan byers #will byers

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aimmyarrowshigh · 1 year

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List of Jewish Characters for the Panfandom Hanukkah Bingo

I've gotten a few requests for a list of Jewish characters to help people brainstorm for the bingo -- just as a reminder, Jewish headcanons and fanons are totally allowed for the event, so if you don't KNOW whether your character is Jewish, it's totally fine to make them Jewish for your fanwork! :)

But, since people asked, here is a little starter-list of 225 fictional Jewish and Jew-ish characters (characters who are "nebulously Jewish," played by Jews, are Jewish in at least one variation of the character, only make sense if they're Jewish, etc.)

Feel free to add! This list is alphabetized by first name.

Abbi Abrams (Broad City) Abby Stevenson (The Baby-Sitters' Club) Adam Birkholtz (Check Please!) Adam Sackler (Girls) Alec Hardison (Leverage, Leverage: Redemption) Alex Kerkovitch (Happy Endings) Alexis Rose (Schitt's Creek) Amy Green (FRIENDS) Amy Matthews (Boy Meets World) Angela Wexler (The Westing Game) Angelica Pickles (Rugrats) Ann Perkins (Parks & Recreation) Anna Stevenson (The Baby-Sitters' Club) Annie Edison (Community) April O'Neill (Rise of the TMNT) Arnie Roth (Marvel) Arnold Perlstein (The Magic School Bus) Aunt Gayle (Bob's Burgers) Bail Organa (Star Wars) Barney Guttman (Dead End Paranormal Park) Ben Geller-Willick (FRIENDS) Ben Grimm | The Thing (Fantastic Four) Ben Solo | Kylo Ren (Star Wars) Benjamin Sisko (Star Trek) Bernie Rosenthal (Marvel) Billy Kaplan | Wicca (MCU, X-Men) Breha Organa (Star Wars)

Bruce Wayne | Batman (DCU) Carl Foutley (As Told By Ginger) Cassie Howard (Euphoria HBO) Cassie Lang (MCU) Catherine Frensky (Arthur) Charles Deetz (Beetlejuice) Charlotte York Goldenblatt (Sex and the City) Cher Horowitz (Clueless) Chuckie Finster (Rugrats) Cindy Hayes (Orange is the New Black) Cole Tillerman (Central Park) Cory Matthews (Boy Meets World) Craig Manning (Degrassi: The Next Generation) Cristina Yang (Grey's Anatomy) Cyrus Goodman (Andi Mack) Darcy Lewis (MCU) David "Gordo" Gordon (Lizzie McGuire) David Rose (Schitt's Creek) Desi Harperin (Girls) Dil Pickles (Rugrats) Dipper Pines (Gravity Falls) Dodie Bishop (As Told By Ginger) Eddie Munson (Stranger Things) Edward Teach | Blackbeard (Our Flag Means Death) Elaine Benes (Seinfeld) Elijah Krantz (Girls)

Emily Deetz (Beetlejuice) Emma Geller-Green (FRIENDS) Eric Matthews (Boy Meets World) Erik Lehnsherr | Magneto (X-Men) Felicity Smoak (Arrow) Finn (Star Wars) Ford Pines (Gravity Falls) Fox Mulder (The X-Files) Fran Fine (The Nanny) Fran Parker (Girls) Francine Frensky (Arthur) Frankie Landau-Banks (The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks) Gene Belcher (Bob's Burgers) George Costanza (Seinfeld) Gert Yorkes (Marvel Runaways) Ginger Foutley (As Told By Ginger) Gomez Addams (The Addams Family) Grace Adler (Will & Grace) Grace Windkloppel Wexler (The Westing Game) Greg Universe (Steven Universe) Gretchen Weiners (Mean Girls) Hal Jordan | Green Lantern (DCU) Han Solo (Star Wars) Hannah Horvath (Girls) Harley Quinn (DCU)

Harold Berman (Hey Arnold!) Harold Hooper (Sesame Street) Helen (Central Park) Holly Wheeler (Stranger Things) Howard Wolowitz (The Big Bang Theory) Ilana Wexler (Broad City) Isabella Garcia-Shapiro (Phineas and Ferb) Jack Geller (FRIENDS) Jack Zimmermann (Check Please!) Jake Berenson (Animorphs) Jake Peralta (Brooklyn Nine-Nine) Jake Wexler (The Westing Game) James "Bucky" Barnes | Winter Soldier (MCU) James Tiberius Kirk (Star Trek) Jane Foster | The Mighty Thor (MCU) Jane Kerkovitch-Williams (Happy Endings) Jane Smith (Mr. & Mrs. Smith) Janet Perlstein (The Magic School Bus) Janice Littman nee Hosenstein (FRIENDS) Jean-Ralphio Saperstein (Parks & Recreation) Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld) Jessi Glaser (Big Mouth) Jill Green (FRIENDS) Jillian Holtzmann (Ghostbusters: Answer the Call) Jimmy Brooks (Degrassi: The Next Generation) Jobal Naberrie (Star Wars)

Johnny Rose (Schitt's Creek) Jonathan Byers (Stranger Things) Josh Lucas (Clueless) Josh Lyman (The West Wing) Joshua Matthews (Boy Meets World, Girl Meets World) Joyce Byers (Stranger Things) Jude Lizowski (6teen) Judy Geller (FRIENDS)

Kady Orloff-Diaz (The Magicians) Karen Wheeler (Stranger Things) Kate Bishop | Hawkeye (MCU) Kate Kane | Batwoman (DCU) Kaydel Ko Connix (Star Wars) Kelsey Pokoly (Craig of the Creek) Kes Dameron (Star Wars) Kimi Finster (Rugrats) Kit Snicket (A Series of Unfortunate Events) Kitty Pryde (X-Men) Klaus Baudelaire (A Series of Unfortunate Events) Krusty the Clown (The Simpsons) Kyle Broflovski (South Park) Leah Birch (Big Mouth) Leia Organa (Star Wars) Lemony Snicket (A Series of Unfortunate Events) Lenny Briscoe (Law & Order) Lenny Bruce (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)

Leo Markus (Will & Grace) Leonard Green (FRIENDS) Lexi Howard (Euphoria HBO) Libby Stein-Torres (The Ghost and Molly McGee) Liberty Van Zandt (Degrassi: The Next Generation) Lilly Moscovitz (The Princess Diaries) Linda Belcher (Bob's Burgers) Lorna Dane | Polaris (X-Men) Louis Stevens (Even Stevens) Louise Belcher (Bob's Burgers) Lydia Deetz (Beetlejuice) Mabel Pines (Gravity Falls) Macie Lightfoot (As Told By Ginger) Marc Spector | Moon Knight (MCU) Margaret Simon (Are You There God? It's Me Margaret) Max Blum (Happy Endings) Michael Moscovitz (The Princess Diaries) Michelle "MJ" Jones (MCU) Midge Maisel (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) Mike Wheeler (Stranger Things) Min Green (Why We Broke Up) Missy Foreman-Greenwald (Big Mouth) Moira Rose (Schitt's Creek) Molly Tillerman (Central Park) Mona Lisa Saperstein (Parks & Recreation) Monica Geller (FRIENDS)

Moose Pearson (Pepper Ann) Morgan Matthews (Boy Meets World) Mort the Mortician (Bob's Burgers) Morticia Addams (The Addams Family) Ms. Frizzle (The Magic School Bus) Nadia Diamondstein (The View from Saturday) Nancy Wheeler (Stranger Things) Natasha Romanov | Black Widow (MCU) Nick Birch (Big Mouth) Owen Tillerman (Central Park) Padmé Amidala Naberrie (Star Wars) Paige Hunter (Central Park) Paris Geller (Gilmore Girls) Penny Hartz (Happy Endings) Pepper Ann Pearson (Pepper Ann) Peter Parker | Spider-Man (All variants) Pietro Maximoff | Quicksilver (MCU, X-Men) Poe Dameron (Star Wars) Pugsley Addams (The Addams Family) Rachel Berenson (Animorphs) Rachel Berry (Glee) Rachel Green (FRIENDS) Rachel Menken (Mad Men) Ray Ploshansky (Girls) Rebecca Rubin (American Girl)

Ren Stevens (Even Stevens) Riley Matthews (Girl Meets World) Ron Stoppable (Kim Possible) Rose Krensky (American Girl) Ross Geller (FRIENDS) Roza Wasserstein (The Diviners) Ruth bat Seraph | Sabra (MCU) Ruwee Naberrie (Star Wars) Ryoo Naberrie (Star Wars) Sam Manson (Danny Phantom) Sam Windkloppel Westing (The Westing Game) Schmidt (New Girl) Scott Lang | Ant-Man (MCU) Sebastien LeLivre | Booker (The Old Guard) Sergei "Sam Lloyd" Lubovitch (The Diviners) Seth Cohen (The OC) Shara Bey (Star Wars) Shirley Cohen (A League of Their Own) Shoshannah Shapiro (Girls) Sola Naberrie (Star Wars) Spock (Star Trek) Stan Pines (Gravity Falls) Stanley Uris (IT, IT: Chapter Two) Steven Universe (Steven Universe) Sunny Baudelaire (A Series of Unfortunate Events)

T.K. Strand (9-1-1) Ted Moseby (How I Met Your Mother) Ted Wheeler (Stranger Things) The Children (How I Met Your Mother) The Goldbergs (The Goldbergs) Tina Belcher (Bob's Burgers) Tina Cohen-Chang (Glee) Tish Katsufrakis (The Weekenders)

Toby Isaacs (Degrassi: The Next Generation) Toby Ziegler (The West Wing) Tommy Pickles (Rugrats) Tommy Shepherd | Speed (MCU, X-Men) Tsabin | Sabé (Star Wars) Turtle Wexler (The Westing Game) Velma Dinkley (Scooby-Doo) Violet Baudelaire (A Series of Unfortunate Events) Wanda Maximoff | Scarlet Witch (MCU, X-Men) Wednesday Addams (The Addams Family) Will Byers (Stranger Things) Willow Rosenberg (Buffy, the Vampire Slayer) Yelena Belova | Black Widow (MCU) Yitzhak (The Old Guard) Zed Necrodopoulous (Disney Channel ZOMBIES) Zevon Necrodopoulous (Disney Channel ZOMBIES) Ziva David (NCIS) Zoey Necrodopoulous (Disney Channel ZOMBIES)

#hanukkahbingo #jewish characters #jumblr #hanukkah

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foksydoodle · 3 years

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“I can’t believe I didn’t think of talking to Joyce sooner.”

He sounded hopeful… Was it because he wanted to see Billy in a good home, or just because he wanted to be rid of the headache that was the shitty blonde? It had to be the latter right? Nobody wanted what was best for him, just to be rid of him. All except Neil and he fucking hated the fact that he held Neil in higher regard than all these fucks’ lives he’d been whirlwinded through. At least Neil had wanted him for something. At least to Neil he’d been useful, and not some pet project, or a burden to be shoved off onto someone else.

“Did you tell her how fucked up I am?” Billy asked petulantly, his voice a growl as he stabbed the nasty salisbury steak. It was better than starving, so he shoved it in his mouth and chewed.

“I told her you’ve got a temper, but it’s not my place to tell her what you’ve been through. That’s up to you if you want to tell them.” Billy’s brows raised, and he actually looked up at Hopper. He hadn’t told her… had he told any of them? On the one hand, no wonder none of them wanted him, they hadn’t expected a pathetic waste of space that was only good for one thing in this god forsaken world. On the other hand… he felt a lightness in his chest. Something like gratitude if that was even a feeling he could have. He didn’t exactly want it known that even his own father hated him. In a town this small, everyone had to know that Neil Hargrove had gone to prison but if Hopper wasn’t telling… maybe they didn’t know why.

“You think this one will work?” He’d finally asked, skeptical.

“If anyone will work, it’s Joyce and Bob the Brain.” Billy’s raised eyebrow had Hopper laughing, “That’s what we called him in high school. Nice guy, but a nerd through and through.” Hopper had gone on to tell him more about the family then. Joyce had two children, one of which he knew from school. Jonathan Byers was quiet, and if his little brother was anything like Jonathan, he’d be just as quiet and a little creepy too. Apparently Bob and Joyce were still dating but they were pretty serious. Bob apparently had been a great influence on the kids since their deadbeat dad Lonnie had left and Hopper thought maybe Bob would be good for him too. Billy stayed silent and bit his lip almost to bleeding rather than say he really fucking doubted anyone with a name like ‘Bob the Brain’ could be good for him.

A fic in which Billy, (who we all know desperately needs love) after a flurry of Foster homes once Neil has been aptly and justly punished for his crimes, is sent to live With Joyce Byers and Bob Newby. This whole idea was sparked by this Ritz ad I watched one morning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bswAUvEveM8

Like this small snippet? Did I catch your interest? Read the whole chapter on my AO3 here!

#Billy Hargrove #Billy Centric Fic #Bob and Joyce Foster Billy #Jonathan is a good guy #Will is a precious bean #Billy is a confused mess #Stranger Things fan fiction #angst #fluff #all of it #tw for mentions of child abuse #eventual harringrove #just not yet #Here There Be Monsters || Stranger Things #Me? Writing? Less Likely Than You Think || Foksy Writes

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strangerererthings · 6 years

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peaches

Summary: What if Bob had an adopted daughter? What happens now?

Pairing: Billy Hargrove x Reader

Disclaimer: Listen, I don’t own any of the characters in Stranger Things. Also, I don’t condone his actions. But I think it would be really sad if Billy doesn’t get a redemption arc. He’s been through some crap.

Author’s Note: This is only part one! Let me know what you guys think!

Word Count: 1,735

part two/part three/part four/part five/part six/part seven/part eight/part nine/part ten/part eleven/epilogue

Joyce was frozen. She stood in the doorway of her house, looking at you standing before her. You had your arms wrapped around yourself to protect yourself from the cold. The smell of the air promised snow soon.

"Y/N," she said quietly.

"Joyce, where's Bob?" You asked quietly. Your cheeks and nose were pink from the wind, and suddenly Joyce remembered that the temperature was below freezing. She ushered you inside, taking a look around before shutting the door.

"Will is at Mike's for the night and Jonathan is somewhere with Nancy. The usual, you know," she said with a weak laugh, trying to distract you, it seems.

"Joyce," you said quietly, stopping her in her tracks.

She stood there frozen for a hot second. "I'll tell you in a few minutes, okay? For now, just... warm up. I have to call someone."

You nodded, taking a seat on the couch as she went to the telephone. You had been here a few times, when Bob had insisted you couldn't stay home by yourself watching movies again. It still smelled the same. Like boy and some kind of candle that hadn’t been lit in a long time. You could hear her quiet whispers and the way she tried to hang up the phone as quietly as possible. “Who was that?” You asked her as she came back to the living room.

“Just someone,” she said with a warm smile. But it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Do you want something to drink? Tea? Water? I have coffee, too, but I know Bob didn’t like you drinking much caffeine.”

“Water sounds okay.”

After she had brought you back the water, it had been dead quiet. Awkwardly so. You could tell Joyce was trying to hide something--the way she was fidgeting said so by itself. At this point, you knew something had happened to Bob. He hadn’t been home for two days. And while sometimes it was normal for him to be gone ever since he had started seeing Joyce, it was worrisome that he hadn’t left you a note letting you know where he was. That, and no one had been answering the phone at the Byer’s house. Usually even if Joyce wasn’t home, one of the boys would pick up.

You practically jumped out of your skin as the door opened, and Police Chief Hopper walked in. “What’s he doing here?” You asked in confusion as you stood up.

Joyce quickly walked over to him, whispering since she thought you couldn’t hear. “She’s Bob’s kid.”

“Bob had a kid?”

“Well, not exactly. She’s his high school best friend’s kid. She died three years ago. Bob was her godfather.”

“Shit.”

They both suddenly turned to look at you, and you shrunk back a bit. “Don’t look at me like that, I’m not a zoo animal,” you muttered, glaring down at the floor.

With that, they turned back to each other. “What do we do?” Joyce muttered.

“Foster care?”

“The system kills kids’ chances in life, you know that.”

“I... She could stay with me for a few days,” Hopper said quietly, and Joyce looked like she could burst with gratitude. She hugged him tightly, and he laughed a bit before hugging him back.

You couldn’t help the frown that tugged your lips down. “Is no one going to tell me what’s going on?” You demanded, putting your hands on your hips as you stood up.

They looked as though they had just remembered that you were here. “Y/N... Bob... Well... You know all that happened with Will, right? I know the boys told you,” Joyce said quietly, and you nodded. You had taken to babysitting the boys over the last nine months and the truth had come out about the Upside Down and where Will had gone off to. “Bob was killed trying to save us. Save everyone of us,” she said as she walked over to you, taking your hands in hers. “There’s these things called demodogs as Dustin likes to call them. We were all trapped in the hospital and one of them got him.”

You stood there frozen for who knows how long. It felt like there was a buzzing in your ears and everything felt like it was underwater. You were vaguely aware of Joyce wiping your cheeks and you realized you must’ve been crying. It was like an out-of-body experience. Joyce led you to Hopper’s car, getting you into the backseat as the three of you drove to you and Bob’s home. Joyce threw together a bag for you, getting you everything you would need for just a few days.

You were awoken from your stupor by the slam of a car door. Your vision came into focus again, and you could see a small cabin in front of you. Joyce opened up your door, and as you watched Hopper walk up the front steps, you realized that this was Hopper’s house.

The front steps creaked below your feet as you walked up them, and you smiled as you saw a rocking chair on the front porch, a stack of books on the seat of it. Classics like The Great Gatsby and The Glass Menagerie. The cabin was old, probably having belonged to Hopper’s parents before him. Maybe even their parents, too. It was cluttered, but not messy. It looked lived in. Like a home.

“El?” Hopper called out as you and Joyce followed after him. “I have someone I want you to meet.”

A door opened and a girl of about twelve walked out. She had dark eyes and curly brown hair that framed high cheek bones. She seemed intense. Really intense. “Who’s she?” She asked. Her voice was no higher than a whisper.

“El, this is Y/N. Y/N, this is El. She’s going to be staying with us for a bit,” he explained, clapping his hand onto her shoulder. He leaned down to whisper something to her and she nodded.

“You’re a friend of Mike’s,” she said, and you nodded a bit.

“I’ve watched them a few times.”

“Watched them?”

“Babysat,” you further explained, wrapping your arms around yourself.

Hopper then suddenly took the reigns again of this interaction, leading you down the hall. “Here’s the guest room. You’ll be staying here until we figure out what to do.”

You nodded as you walked inside the room. The walls were bare, nothing but white paint. There was a bed, a dresser, and a desk. Along the far wall was a window and a closet. “Thank you. It’s nice,” you murmured, setting down the duffel bag that Joyce had packed for you. To be fair, it wasn’t like you had much. She might’ve packed your entire closet. It wasn’t like Bob had had a lot of money, or your mama when she died. But it had been enough. And now he was gone, too.

“I’ll leave you to settle in. Dinner’ll be in a bit,” Hopper said, and you nodded as he left.

You moved to sit on the bed, running your hands over the blue quilt. You then opened up the bag, digging around inside desperately. You let out a sigh of relief as you found it. Joyce had packed it.

You pulled out a small box, opening it up and taking out the pictures that rested inside. Pictures of your mother, your friends from before you moved to Hawkins, and of Bob. Your mama had been all you had had left back home. Your grandparents had disowned her, your father had left. The price of being a teenage mother. She had had you when she was a senior in high school and had taken you off to Missouri with her boyfriend when you were about a year old. But then he disappeared when money got tight and had never come back.

You looked up as the front door crashed open, carrying the sound of five pairs of feet. The familiar sound of Mike Wheeler calling out for this El girl rang through the house. You knew that with him would be Will, Dustin, Lucas, and Max. You stood up off the bed, closing the box with a soft click, and walked to the doorway of the guest room.

“Hi,” you said quietly, and all six kids turned to look at you.

“Y/N! What are you doing here?” Dustin asked with a grin as he ran over to hug you.

Will paused, hesitating. “You know about Bob now, don’t you?”

You nodded, and started to say something when the door opened and Steve Harrington of all people walked in. “Guys, didn’t I tell you not to run off?” He demanded with an eye roll.

“Sorry, mom,” Lucas said with a smirk.

Hopper and Joyce walked back into living room, Joyce wiping her hand on a towel rag. “Steve? What are you doing here?” Hopper asked.

“I’m here to take the kids shopping for the Snow Ball, remember?” He said, pushing his famous Steve Harrington hair back. You had seen him around school--who hadn’t? He was the star. That is, until Billy Hargrove had come along. Of course, you figured that was mostly because Steve had gotten his priorities straight. People mattered more than glory. However, you being a junior and him a senior usually resulted in minimal contact between the two of you. Minimal meaning none at all. You were a book worm. He was a jock. You weren’t one for stereotypes, but most of the time they were there for a reason.

Hopper nodded and glanced over at you, rubbing the back of his head. “Why don’t you take Y/N with you? I’m sure she could stand to get out of the house.”

Your head turned sharply to look at him, and you were about to decline when all the kids in front of you got excited at the prospect of you coming. “What do you say, Y/N? I’m afraid I wouldn’t be any help for Max or El. We could use a girl,” Steve said with a weak smile.

With a sigh, you nodded. “Alright, let’s go.”

#steve harrington #billy hargrove #stranger things #stranger things 2 #stranger things fanfiction #billy hargrove x reader #billy x reader #reader insert

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the-record-obituaries · 5 years

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Sept. 11, 2019: Obituaries

Sadie Childress, 76

Mrs. Sadie Wilmoth Childress, age 76 of Hays passed away Monday, September 9, 2019 at her home.

Private services to be held at a later date. The family will receive friends Wednesday, September 11, 2019 from 6:00 until 8:00 PM at Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home.

Mrs. Childress was born December 1, 1942 in Surry County to Cameron Grattice and Lula Ocie Hayes Wilmoth. She was a CNA at Wilkes Senior Village for over 20 years. She was a loving grandmother and she attended Fairplains Baptist Church.

In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her husband; Billy Joe Childress, a grandson; Tony Barker, a great granddaughter; Kennedy Michelle McDaniel, a brother; Billy Gray Wilmoth and a son-in-law; Roy Brown.

She is survived by a daughter; Teresa Brown of Hays, three sons; Mitchell Childress and wife Rolina of Hays, Timmy Childress and wife Sherry of Traphill and Joseph Childress and wife Jeanine of North Wilkesboro, fourteen grandchildren and seventeen great grandchildren.

Flowers will be accepted.

Dennie Harrold, 60

Mr. Dennie Lee Harrold age 60 of North Wilkesboro, passed away Thursday, September 5, 2019 at his home following an extended illness.

Funeral services were September 8, at Arbor Grove Baptist Church with Rev. Kyle Chapman and Mr. Richard Shumate officiating. Burial was in the church cemetery.

Mr. Harrold was born August 29, 1959 in Wilkes County to Jarvis Bradshaw and Verlee Spears Harrold. He was previously employed as an Engineer with Carolina Heritage. Dennie was a faithful member at Arbor Grove Baptist Church where he served in the music ministry and was an inactive member of the Deacon Board. He was previously a firefighter with the Knotville Fire Department for six years.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Mr. Harrold is survived by a son; Jeremiah Lee Harrold and wife Carsa of Hays, six grandchildren; Marilyn, Julia and Mitchell Lindon, Mason Stanford and Cora and Brian Harrold, two sisters; Brenda Ratliff of North Wilkesboro and Joyce Weigand and husband Greg of Orange Park, FL, two brothers; Bennie Harrold and wife Debbie of Hays and Junior Harrold and wife Sheree of North Wilkesboro.

Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be made to Arbor Grove Baptist Church 1670 Arbor Grove Baptist Church Road, Roaring River, NC 28669

Joe Cook 86

Mr. Joe Jones Cook age 86 of North Wilkesboro, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Tuesday, September 3, 2019 at Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem following a long battle with many illnesses.

Funeral services were September 7, at Lewis Fork Baptist Church with Reverend Dwayne Andrews and Reverend Sherrill Wellborn officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery.

Mr. Cook was born December 12, 1932 in Watauga County to John Paul and Pearl Jones Cooke, spending his childhood in the Maple Springs Community of Wilkes County. He served in the US Air Force in Korea during the Korean Conflict, earning six medals. He retired from Wilkes County having worked as manager of the Wilkes County Landfill. Joe was a member of Lewis Fork Baptist Church and had a special love for the Tuesday morning prayer meetings as well as enjoyed teaching Sunday School for many years.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister Carolyn June Cooke Foster, as well as many close friends.

Joe is survived by his loving high school sweetheart and wife, Dorathy of the home; sons Barry (Vickie) Cook of Hamptonville, Chuck (Tonya) Cook of Wilkesboro, and daughter Lisa (Joe) Neave of Millers Creek. He was proudly Papa Joe to grandchildren Malcolm (Brooke) Neave, Ben (Caitlin) Cook, Jacob (Krista) Cook, Julia Cook and Olivia Cook, plus great-grandson John Andrew Cook.

He is also survived by his sister Francis (John) Caudill of Millers Creek and brother Bob (Joyce) Cooke of Goldsboro, his brother in-laws Kerley (Peggy) Baker and James Harold (Louise) Pierce, and many nieces and nephews and their families.

Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be made to Lewis Fork Baptist Church Cemetery Fund 395 Lewis Fork Baptist Church Road, Purlear, NC 28665.

Vergie McNeil, 48

Mrs. Vergie Elise McNeil, 48, of North Wilkesboro, passed away on Friday, August 30, 2019 at her home.

Vergie was born on Wednesday, September

30, 1970 in Ashe County to Gary Wayne Davis and Margaret Sue Combs.

Vergie is preceded in death by her father.

Vergie is survived by mother, Margaret Medley of Boomer; sisters, Tammy Bobbitt (Keith) of Purlear, Dana Davis of Wilkesboro; brother, Wayne Davis of North Wilkesboro; daughter, Lisa McNeil of Virginia; son, Robert McNeil of Virginia; nieces, Debbie Bobbitt , Ashley Bobbitt both of Purlear, Amanda Bobbitt of Boomer, Bella Davis of North Wilkesboro; nephews, Tyler Osborne of Wilkesboro, Chris Farrington of Virginia and many cousins.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 12, 2019 at Adams Funeral Home of Wilkes Chapel in Moravian Falls.

Pastor Mark Hall will be officiating.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be given to Adams Funeral Home of Wilkes P.O. Box 396 Moravian Falls, NC 28654 to help with final expenses.

Adams Funeral Home of Wilkes has the honor of serving the McNeil Family.

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ustribunenews-blog · 6 years

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The Bill "Dr. Benjy Frances Brooks Children's Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act of 2018" Has Passed

The Bill “Dr. Benjy Frances Brooks Children’s Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act of 2018” Has Passed

The bill To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the program of payments to children’s hospitals that operate graduate medical education programs, and for other purposes. has passed the House of Representatives

This bill passed the Senate Sep 04, 2018 the House on Jul 23, 2018. It was introduced by (D) Representative Gene Green from TX. (more…)

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andthewinneris23 · 7 years

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Golden globes awards 2017

Meilleur film dramatique

Moonlight

Comancheria

Lion (en)

Manchester by the Sea

Tu ne tueras point (Hacksaw Ridge)

Meilleur film musical ou comédie

La La Land

20th Century Women

Deadpool

Florence Foster Jenkins

Sing Street

Meilleur réalisateur

Damien Chazelle pour La La Land

Tom Ford pour Nocturnal Animals

Mel Gibson pour Tu ne tueras point (Hacksaw Ridge)

Barry Jenkins pour Moonlight

Kenneth Lonergan pour Manchester by the Sea

Meilleur acteur dans un film dramatique

Casey Affleck pour le rôle de Lee Chandler dans Manchester by the Sea

Joel Edgerton pour le rôle de Richard Loving dans Loving

Andrew Garfield pour le rôle de Desmond Doss dans Tu ne tueras point (Hacksaw Ridge)

Viggo Mortensen pour le rôle de Ben dans Captain Fantastic

Denzel Washington pour le rôle de Troy Maxson dans Fences

Meilleure actrice dans un film dramatique

Isabelle Huppert pour le rôle de Michèle Leblanc dans Elle

Amy Adams pour le rôle de Louise Banks dans Premier Contact (Arrival)

Jessica Chastain pour le rôle de Elizabeth Sloane dans Miss Sloane

Ruth Negga pour le rôle de Mildred Loving dans Loving

Natalie Portman pour le rôle de Jacqueline Kennedy dans Jackie

Meilleur acteur dans un film musical ou une comédie

Ryan Gosling pour le rôle de Sebastian dans La La Land

Colin Farrell pour le rôle de David dans The Lobster

Hugh Grant pour le rôle de St. Clair Bayfield dans Florence Foster Jenkins

Jonah Hill pour le rôle de Efraim Diveroli dans War Dogs

Ryan Reynolds pour le rôle de Wade Wilson / Deadpool dans Deadpool

Meilleure actrice dans un film musical ou une comédie

Emma Stone pour le rôle de Mia dans La La Land

Annette Bening pour le rôle de Dorothea dans 20th Century Women

Lily Collins pour le rôle de Marla Mabrey dans L'Exception à la règle (Rules Don't Apply)

Hailee Steinfeld pour le rôle de Nadine Byrd dans The Edge of Seventeen

Meryl Streep pour le rôle de Florence Foster Jenkins dans Florence Foster Jenkins

Meilleur acteur dans un second rôle

Aaron Taylor-Johnson pour le rôle de Ray Marcus dans Nocturnal Animals

Mahershala Ali pour le rôle de Juan dans Moonlight

Jeff Bridges pour le rôle de Marcus Hamilton dans Comancheria

Simon Helberg pour le rôle de Cosme Mc Moon dans Florence Foster Jenkins

Dev Patel pour le rôle de Saroo Brierley dans Lion

Meilleure actrice dans un second rôle

Viola Davis pour le rôle de Rose Maxson dans Fences

Naomie Harris pour le rôle de Paula dans Moonlight

Nicole Kidman pour le rôle de Sue Brierley dans Lion

Octavia Spencer pour le rôle de Dorothy Vaughan dans Les Figures de l'ombre (Hidden Figures)

Michelle Williams pour le rôle de Randi dans Manchester by the Sea

Meilleur scénario

La La Land - Damien Chazelle

Nocturnal Animals - Tom Ford

Moonlight - Barry Jenkins

Manchester by the Sea - Kenneth Lonergan

Comancheria - Taylor Sheridan

Meilleure chanson originale

City of Stars (Justin Hurwitz, Pasek and Paul) – La La Land

Can't Stop the Feeling! (Max Martin, Shellback et Justin Timberlake) – Les Trolls

Faith (Ryan Tedder, Stevie Wonder et Francis Farewell Starlite) – Tous en scène

Gold (Stephen Gaghan, Danger Mouse, Daniel Pemberton et Iggy Pop) – Gold

How Far I'll Go (Lin-Manuel Miranda) – Vaiana, la Légende du bout du monde

Meilleure musique de film

Justin Hurwitz pour La La Land

Nicholas Britell pour Moonlight

Jóhann Jóhannsson pour Premier Contact

Dustin O'Halloran et Hauschka pour Lion

Hans Zimmer, Pharrell Williams et Benjamin Wallfisch pour Les Figures de l'ombre

Meilleur film en langue étrangère

Elle de Paul Verhoeven

Divines de Houda Benyamina

Neruda de Pablo Larraín

Le Client (Forushande) d’Asghar Farhadi

Toni Erdmann de Maren Ade

Meilleur film d'animation

Zootopie (Zootopia)

Kubo et l'Armure magique (Kubo and the Two Strings)

Vaiana, la Légende du bout du monde (Moana)

Ma vie de Courgette (My Life as a Zucchini )

Tous en scène (Sing)

Meilleure série dramatique

The Crown

Game of Thrones

Stranger Things

This Is Us

Westworld

Meilleure série musicale ou comique

Atlanta

Black-ish

Mozart in the Jungle

Transparent

Veep

Meilleure mini-série ou meilleur téléfilm

American Crime Story

The Night Of

American Crime

The Night Manager

The Dresser

Meilleur acteur dans une série dramatique

Billy Bob Thornton pour le rôle de Billy McBride dans Goliath

Rami Malek pour le rôle de Elliot Alderson dans Mr. Robot

Bob Odenkirk pour les rôle de Saul Goodman et Jimmy McGill dans Better Call Saul

Matthew Rhys pour les rôle de Philip Jennings et Mischa dans The Americans

Liev Schreiber pour le rôle de Raymond « Ray » Donovan dans Ray Donovan

Meilleure actrice dans une série dramatique

Claire Foy pour le rôle de Élisabeth II dans The Crown

Caitriona Balfe pour le rôle de Claire Fraser dans Outlander

Keri Russell pour le rôle de Elizabeth Jennings dans The Americans

Winona Ryder pour le rôle de Joyce dans Stranger Things

Evan Rachel Wood pour le rôle de Dolores Abernathy dans Westworld

Meilleur acteur dans une série musicale ou comique

Donald Glover pour le rôle de Earnest « Earn » Marks dans Atlanta

Anthony Anderson pour le rôle de André Dre Johnson dans Black-ish

Gael García Bernal pour le rôle de Rodrigo De Souza dans Mozart in the Jungle

Nick Nolte pour le rôle de Richard Graves dans Graves

Jeffrey Tambor pour le rôle de Maura Pfefferman dans Transparent

Meilleure actrice dans une série musicale ou comique

Tracee Ellis Ross pour le rôle de Rainbow Johnson dans Black-ish

Rachel Bloom (en) pour le rôle de Rebecca Bunch dans Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Julia Louis-Dreyfus pour le rôle de Selina Meyer dans Veep

Sarah Jessica Parker pour le rôle de Frances dans Divorce

Issa Rae pour le rôle d'Issa Dee dans Insecure

Gina Rodriguez pour le rôle de Jane Villanueva dans Jane the Virgin

Meilleur acteur dans une mini-série ou un téléfilm

Tom Hiddleston pour le rôle de Jonathan Pine dans The Night Manager

Riz Ahmed pour le rôle de Nasir Khan dans The Night Of

Bryan Cranston pour le rôle de Lyndon B. Johnson dans All the Way

John Turturro pour le rôle de John Stone dans The Night Of

Courtney B. Vance pour le rôle de Johnnie Cochran Jr dans American Crime Story

Meilleure actrice dans une mini-série ou un téléfilm

Sarah Paulson pour le rôle de Marcia Clark dans American Crime Story

Felicity Huffman pour le rôle de Leslie Graham dans American Crime

Riley Keough pour le rôle de Christine Reade dans The Girlfriend Experience

Charlotte Rampling pour le rôle de Frances Turner dans London Spy

Kerry Washington pour le rôle d'Anita Hill dans Confirmation

Meilleur acteur dans un second rôle dans une série, une mini-série ou un téléfilm

Hugh Laurie pour le rôle de Richard Onslow Roper dans The Night Manager

Sterling K. Brown pour le rôle de Christopher Darden dans American Crime Story

John Lithgow pour le rôle de Winston Churchill dans The Crown

Christian Slater pour le rôle de Edward Alderson dans Mr. Robot

John Travolta pour le rôle de Robert Shapiro dans American Crime Story

Meilleure actrice dans un second rôle dans une série, une mini-série ou un téléfilm

]

Olivia Colman pour le rôle d'Angela Burr dans The Night Manager

Lena Headey pour le rôle de Cersei Lannister dans Game of Thrones

Chrissy Metz pour le rôle de Kate Pearson dans This Is Us

Mandy Moore pour le rôle de Rebecca Pearson dans This Is Us

Thandie Newton pour le rôle de Maeve Millay dans Westworld

#Golden globes 2017 #74th golden globe awards

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soft--and--sweet · 7 years

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I’ve been waiting FOREVER to post this! I’ve been keeping a list of every band/artist I started listening to this year, so here we go! (in order too)

Bands I started listening to in 2016:

(January) New Found Glory Joshua Radin Kevin Devine Allison Weiss Silverchair La Dispute Tiny Moving Parts Right Away, Great Captain Manchester Orchestra Xaiver's School For Gifted Youngsters Their / They're / There Bobby Meader Music Fireworks Being As An Ocean Bo Burnham Bad Books Margot and The Nuclear So and So's Toby Foster Turnover Foxing The Hotelier ----------------------------------------------- (February) Steam Powered Giraffe Catfish and The Bottlemen Letlive Lucy Rose Steady Hands We Were Promised Jetpacks Phil Ochs Scott Walker Wind In Sails Wes Montgomery ---------------------------------- (March) Jeff Rosenstock Bomb The Music Industry! AJJ Flatbush Zombies Citizen Gaslight Anthem The American Scene Enter Shikari Architects --------------------------------------------------------- (April) Pet Symmetry Elliott Smith Laura Stevenson P.S Elliott Bonfires ---------------------------------------- (May) Johnny Hobo and The Freight Train Ghost Mice Paul Baribeau Bob Dylan Bat Country Days N' Daze The Wild The Manx Ramshackle Glory Mr.Irish Bastard Nana Grizol Devildriver Devil Makes Three Iron and Wine Chad Hates George Douglas Für ------------------------------------------- (June) Frank Turner The Taxpayers Big D and The Kid's Table Against Me! Little Tybee an Unkindness ----------------------------------- (July) Jonathan Coulton Peter Bradley Adams Boris Smile Chris Farren Garfunkel and Oats The Weepies ---------------------------------------- (August) FilthyFrank Liam the Younger Imaginary Cities American Football Jesse Y Joy ----------------------------- (September) PUP Da Vinci's Notebook Lemon Demon Elvis Costello Dads Lil Dicky Gregory Alan Isakov A.A. Bondy Benjamin Francis Leftwich José González Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds Professor Elements Sufjan Stevens The Secret Sisters Band of Horses J Mascis Joyce Manor Mewithoutyou -------------------------------------- (October) Mischief Brew Harley Poe Blackbird Raum The Menzingers Toh Kay Fond Farewell Alice Walker Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution Bishop Allen Sage Francis Danny Schmidt The Ink Spots JPNSGRLS Milo Small Leaks Sink Ships Greydon Square Two Gallants Scroobius Pip Analog Rebellion Ben Folds Five Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground The Smith Street Band Tally Hall Cloud Cult ミラクルミュージカル Sledding With Tigers Barton Carroll Chuck Brodsky Rodrigo y Gabriela The Bombpops The Cog Is Dead The National The World Is A Beautiful Place and I Am No Longer Afraid To Die Julien Baker Just Nick Frank Zappa Kimya Dawson Amigo The Devil Cursive I Fight Dragons Forces Of Evil Julia Nunes Skyhill Madeline Streetlight Manifesto Windmills Wingnut Dishashwer's Union --------------------------------------------------- (November) Kendrick Lamar The Sound and Color Rotting Christ Roger Miller Jeffrey Lewis Adam Green The Prettiots Matt Pless The Jane Austen Arangement Why? ------------------------------------------------------------------ (December) All Humans Unwoman Cake Bake Betty Jayne Trimble Of Montreal Optimus Rhyme Lost Dog Street Band San Fermin Billy The Fridge Paul Simon The Eagles ---------------------------------------------------------------- Can’t wait to start a new list next year! ^^

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insomniacwriter17 · 5 months

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Saved from the Flames - Epilogue

"When you’re born in a burning house, you think the whole world is on fire. But it’s not.” –Richard Kadrey

AKA: The story of how Bob Newby became a real life superhero for one little boy who needed saving.

Inspired by this post I saw from @connordax

read on ao3

Here we are! The final chapter...thank you guys so much for going in this journey with me. I've loved every second, and I can't wait to see what else Billy and Bob get up to in the future! If you have any ideas on what you'd like to see for one-shots, my ask box is always open! Thank you guys for being the absolute best readers in the whole wide world <3

Even though Billy’s adoption day was big and exciting…things didn’t change much. At least, not right away. They drove home in the same car, the furniture all stood where it had been left, and Billy played on the same swing set in the backyard that he did most days.

Billy went to school each day and Bob went to work. Even though Billy’s “new” paperwork – his Social Security card, birth certificate, and the like – wouldn’t be ready for a number of weeks, Billy had immediately told his teachers that his new last name was Newby. Where Hargrove had been written inside his workbooks and binders, Billy had taken a permanent marker and scratched it out, carefully writing NEWBY beneath it instead.

Dr. Marcus had warned Bob that there may be some residual acting out as the finality of the adoption set in. But so far, everything seemed to be okay, so Bob instead tucked away the information for later in case something happened. Billy was still going to see Dr. Marcus on a weekly basis for at least a year, so Bob felt fairly confident that they could handle anything coming their way.

September gave way to October, and fall began to settle upon Hawkins. It was a few weeks after the adoption that Billy climbed into the car and looked to the front seat. “Hey, Dad, am I allowed to do Halloween?” he asked curiously.

Bob looked up in surprise as he started to drive out of the parking lot, meeting Billy’s eyes in the rearview mirror. How had he not even thought of Halloween yet?! Bob loved Halloween! “Of course you are, kiddo! We can get you a cool costume, go trick-or-treating with Joyce and the boys if you want? Or we can stay home and watch fun Halloween movies and hand out candy. Whatever you want!”

“I want to go trick-or-treating,” Billy said quickly, straightening in his seat. “I was talking about it with Steve and Jonathan today and they said it’s a lot of fun!”

“We can totally do that, pal,” Bob grinned. “Just means you have to decide what you want to be for Halloween.”

Billy thought for a moment. “What can I be?” he wondered softly.

“Well…” Bob shrugged. “Whatever you wanted to be, really. It’s early enough that we could make you a costume if you didn’t want one of the premade ones. But I mean, you could be pretty much anything! We could dress you up as one of the Hardy Boys – you’d make an awesome Joe Hardy. Or you could be a pirate, a monster, an athlete, a doctor, a superhero…the options are endless, kiddo.”

Billy hummed in thought, glancing out the car window as Bob drove the now-familiar route home. “I’ll think about it,” he decided after a moment. “It’s my first Halloween costume. It’s gotta be perfect,” he told Bob.

“I know!” Bob replied with an encouraging smile. “And I know you’ll come up with the best costume ever.”

Once at home, Billy ran to change out of his school clothes so he could go and play outside. “Put a jacket on!” Bob called absently over his shoulder on his way to the laundry room.

“I did, Dad!” Billy yelled back before the back door slammed shut behind him. Bob finished starting the load of laundry and then moved to his office to do some work that he hadn’t finished at the store. He glanced out the window every now and again to put eyes on Billy, who seemed to be content swinging in the evening sun.

With the chill moving into Hawkins as fall descended upon the small town, Bob decided to make chili and cornbread for dinner. Just as he was pulling the pan of cornbread out of the oven, Billy opened the back door and came in from outside. “It’s cold,” he huffed as he wrapped his arms around himself, making his way over to Bob. “What’d you cook?”

“Chili. The best thing to eat when it’s cold outside,” Bob insisted, turning to look at Billy. “Why don’t you get washed up and we’ll eat?”

Billy nodded and stepped over to the kitchen sink to wash his hands, looking over his shoulder at Bob. “I think I want to be a superhero for Halloween,” he mentioned, wiping his clean hands on the jacket he was still wearing.

Bob nodded approvingly, placing a bowl of warm chili and a plate of cornbread on Billy’s spot at the table. “We can work with superheroes,” he said with a smile. As Billy settled himself at the table and wrapped his small hands around the warm bowl, Bob asked, “Which superhero?”

Billy just grinned at him. “I don’t know yet,” he said. “I still have to figure that part out.”

Bob sat down with his own dinner and shrugged. “That’s fine. We’ve got all the time in the world, bud.”

~~~

Halloween was there before they knew it, and Bob and Billy were supposed to meet the Byers in a few minutes to go trick-or-treating. Bob was dressed up as Captain Kirk, donning a yellow long-sleeve shirt and black slacks. He had also gotten the Insignia pin back from Billy (just for the night, he promised). “You about ready to go, kiddo?” Bob knocked on the closed bedroom door. “Joyce and the boys are going to be here any minute!”

“Almost!” Billy called from inside his room. A moment later the door opened, and Billy stood in front of him, looking up at him expectantly. “Does this look right?”

Bob took in the boy in front of him. Dark gray slacks, a short-sleeved white button down, and a tie that draped loosely around Billy’s neck, not yet tied. “It looks great!” Bob replied honestly, trying to blink away the tears forming in his eyes. “My tie’s a little big on you, kid,” Bob chuckled, reaching to tie the garment for his son.

“Well, I wanted the costume to be right!” Billy insisted, watching as Bob effortlessly tied the tie.

“You’re sure this is the costume you want to wear?” Bob asked for what felt like the millionth time. “I’m sure we could throw together a Superman costume real quick if you’ve changed your mind.”

Billy frowned as he stepped back, hands on his hip. “Dad, I still haven’t changed my mind,” he insisted. “Come on! You said they’re going to be here soon!” He moved past Bob and grabbed his arm, pulling him out of the doorway.

Bob followed after him with a smile. “You need to grab a jacket, kiddo.” He stepped into his office and swiped something off his desk before he headed into the living room. Billy was standing there excitedly, pushing his arms into the sleeves of his jacket.

Bob sat on the edge of the couch, watching with a soft smile. “Hey, Billy, come here for a second. I think you’re missing something on your costume.” Billy frowned and looked down at his costume.

“Am I?” He stepped over to Bob with a frown.

Bob held up his Radio Shack name tag, clipping it to Billy’s shirt. “If you’re demanding to go trick-or-treating as the lamest guy in the world,” he teased, “You’re going to have to tell everyone who you’re dressed as.” He smiled and squeezed Billy’s arm lightly, but Billy pouted at him.

“You’re not a lame guy,” the boy insisted. Bob laughed and shook his head, leaning back against the couch. Billy scrambled into the man’s lap and settled against his dad’s chest. “You’re a superhero.”

Bob hugged Billy close, looking at the clock. Joyce and the boys would be here any second now. “Being a superhero means that I did something really cool and saved people. I don’t think I want that kind of responsibility,” he told Billy with a chuckle.

“You saved me.” Billy’s voice was soft. “So that makes you my favorite superhero.”

Bob swallowed thickly, unable to stop the tears this time. “Aw, Billy,” he hummed softly, squeezing the boy in a tighter hug. “You’re my favorite superhero.”

Billy grinned up at Bob and wiggled away out of his arms, standing up. “Wait here!” the boy instructed before running down the hall, leaving Bob to clear his throat and wipe his cheeks of the few tears that he’d not managed to keep in. A few moments later, Billy returned, his hands firmly behind his back.

“You have to say it,” Billy insisted.

Bob blinked in confusion. “Say what?”

“Trick or treat!” Billy sounded exasperated, as if Bob should’ve known what Billy was asking. “Come on! Say it and hold out your hands!”

Bob smirked and leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees as he held out his hands. “That’s your line, bud. But I’ll bite. Trick or treat?” Then he closed his eyes.

He heard Billy shuffle forward, and then something was placed in Bob’s hand. “Okay, open,” Billy demanded, and Bob opened his eyes to find a folded piece of paper.

“What’s this?” Bob asked as he opened the paper. He stared at the picture on the page, but only for a moment before tears welled in his eyes and he couldn’t see anything. “Billy…”

It was a drawing of Bob. Poised like Superman flying through the air, cape and all. Beneath it, Billy had written, BOB NEWBY. SUPERHERO.

Billy was standing in front of him, his hands wringing nervously. “Do you like it?” he asked softly. “I drew it after school the other day.”

“I love it, Billy,” Bob said seriously, smiling at Billy and pulling him in for another hug. “You’re my favorite kid in the whole world, you know that, right?”

Billy nodded against Bob’s chest, saying something that was muffled against Bob’s chest. “What?” Bob asked, pulling away just enough that Billy could speak freely.

“I love you, Dad.” Billy repeated, immediately diving forward to hug the man again.

Bob’s world exploded. He’d never be the same. Somehow, he’s not sure how he lived all these years without Billy. How there’d ever been a day that Bob would’ve been okay with Billy going back to his biological family.

“I love you more than anything in the world, kiddo,” Bob whispered into Billy’s blonde hair. “You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.”

They stayed on the couch, hugged tightly to one another until Joyce and the boys showed up. When Jonathan opened the door dressed as Spiderman with a Wizard Will right behind him, Billy was off like a shot, running up to the boys to greet them.

Bob stood to head to the kitchen while the kids examined costumes. Joyce followed after him, an amused smile on her face. “What’s going on with you?” she asked, and Bob turned, handing her the drawing Billy had just given him.

“Oh, Bob!” she gasped, her own eyes teary as she studied the photo. “Billy?”

“Yeah,” Bob nodded with a watery smile. “It’s now my most prized possession,” he said, only half-joking. He took the art back from her and quickly stuck it to the fridge, just above the school lunch menu. “It’s staying here until I go back to work, and then it’s hanging in my office forever.”

Joyce opened her mouth to reply, but there was the sound of pounding feet, and Billy appeared in the doorway. “Dad, we’re ready to – you hung my picture up?” he asked, a grin spreading across his face.

“Um, of course I did!” Bob grinned, gesturing to the paper. “Do you see this? This is art, Billy Newby!”

At his full name, Billy grinned. Jonathan and Will appeared beside him, and Billy bounced excitedly on his toes. “We’re ready to go trick-or-treat!”

Bob walked toward them, Joyce following behind them. “Well, we can’t keep you waiting, now can we?” They made their way out of the house, but Bob watched Billy peer back into the kitchen to see the hanging picture before he left.

As they walked down the street, Billy fell back so that he walked beside Bob. After a moment he reached for the man’s hand, wiggling his tiny hand into Bob’s until Bob squeezed his hand and held it tightly.

Looking around, Billy realized that he was finally like all the other kids. He had a dad who loved him, a cool Halloween costume, and he knew he’d get to eat his weight in candy and watch spooky movies with Jonathan after Will fell asleep in Billy’s bed when they got back to the Newby house. Billy was finally home.

#stranger things #billy hargrove #ao3 #insomniacwriter17 #fandom #bob newby #bob newby deserved better #billy hargrove deserved better #saved from the flames #sftf #foster care au #cw: child abuse

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fathersonholygore · 6 years

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Netflix’s Stranger Things Season 2: “Chapter Three – The Pollywog” Directed by Shawn Levy Written by Justin Doble

* For a recap & review of Chapter Two, “Trick or Treat, Freak” – click here * For a recap & review of Chapter Four, “Will the Wise” – click here After Halloween night, Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) finds something in the trashcan outside. His mom Claudia (Catherine Curtin) says he’s “acting weird.” Doesn’t help the cat’s hissing at his Ghostbusters trap. He manages to get upstairs with his new pet— a strange, reptilian/slug-looking thing. He gets to live in Yertle’s – named after Yertle the Turtle – cage for the time being. Dustin and his little buddy are both nugat fans. He names the tiny dude D’Artagnan, after one of the Three Musketeers: “Dart for short.” At night, unbeknown to Dustin, little D’Artagnan’s growing. Uh oh. We get more of the past, when Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) was hiding in the woods. She stayed out of sight watching Chief Jim Hopper (David Harbour) put more Eggo waffles in the box. Eventually, she came out to greet him. Skip ahead. She’s mad at Jim for being late the night before. He gets her eating with him using a “triple decker” Eggo stack including Halloween candies. He knows she goes to visit Mike (Finn Wolfhard) through the airwaves. The chief tries to tell her she’ll see him for real soon enough. But soon’s become a meaningless word for her. In the car, Will (Noah Schnapp) chats with Bob (Sean Astin), who talks about “Mr. Baldo” from the carnival. He had awful dreams about him for months. One day they ended, after he had the dream again and told his nightmare entity to leave, then it left. “Easy peasy, right?” Not when you’re dealing with the Upside Down. Back to before. The cabin where Jim and Eleven live together belonged to his dad years ago. There was lots of fun in the beginning. Hopper put on a Jim Croce tune and the pair got to cleaning, making it proper for the two of them to live out there. They bonded, they set “Don‘t Be Stupid Rules,” and also a routine + codes for one another from knocks to actual Morse Code. Goes to show the situation’s growing tiresome. In current day, Eleven’s saying fuck those rules— she’s not stupid. In school, greaser Billy (Dacre Montgomery) is challenging Steve (Joe Keery) for title of coolest dude of all the dudes. Steve’s further got a real attitude on after what happened between him and Nancy (Natalia Dyer) at the party. Sure, she said a few things, but he was also trying to control her, too. Don’t take that shit, girl! Dustin has the rest of the crew over to see the “living booger,” Dart. They’re all curious. Dustin’s been researching. It’s not a polliwog, at least not anything known. When Dart gets light shined on him he screams. The others seem more wary of the creature. Particularly Will, who remembers coughing something up after his return from the Upside Down. Did he bring Dart back with him? Over in the Department of Energy, Jim’s brought a pattern he found in the crop devastation to Dr. Sam Owens (Paul Reiser). The chief has narrowed it down to the lab, he believes there could be “a leak.” He’s got no time for false bullshit, not after his town was nearly destroyed by the DoE a year prior. He and Dr. Owens are beginning to have serious issues. Walking through the woods, Eleven comes upon a house where a mother swings her little boy in the backyard. She thinks back to memories of Hopper, when they talked about mothers. She wondered about her own mother who’s “not around anymore.” This breaks her heart. Through the stone-faced facade of the chief we see it breaks his heart to see hers break, as well. Joyce is trying to figure out the newfangled video equipment that 1984 was seeing. Bob told her there was a part of the video showing older boys picking on her son. She looks for evidence on the tape, though the kids are masked. It’s then she sees the outline of the tentacled monster in the VHS static, like the one Will drew. She traces it from the TV screen to be sure. At school, Dustin shows Mr. Clarke (Randy Havens) his new part, D’Artagnan. When he’s about the open the trap and show him, Will and Mike bust in, stopping their show and tell. They’re extremely worried. They rush off by themselves, where Will tells them about what he saw last year, whatever he spit out. They’re sure Dart is “from the Upside Down.” Dustin doesn’t want to believe it, he’s bonded with the creature. Only Dart’s growing, evolving, and who knows how big he could eventually become. Mike tries killing it, and Dustin stops him. After Max (Sadie Sink) bursts in, Dart gets loose into the halls. Ahh, shit! Later, Nancy decides she wants to tell Barb’s mother the truth. Little does she know they’re being listened to, out there by the government across the wires. She wants Mrs. Holland to meet her tomorrow, so they can speak privately. But that’s not gonna happen, either. In the fields, Hopper’s finally got Dr. Owens and his DoE team out there to have a look at the devastated pumpkin patch and the various dead crops. There are more possible sightings of the so-called Russian girl, the ones Hopper tries to refute. The mom from the yard reports meeting Eleven, which has the chief off in a rush hoping to keep his semi-foster child under wraps from the watchful eyes of the DoE. Eleven’s turned up at the school, just as her pals are searching the hallways for runaway Dart. In the locker rooms, Mike and Max run into each other. The former’s problems with her come out. Simultaneously, Eleven hears her friend’s voice from the school gym. She gets her first look at Mike in person since last year. She gets jealous and flicks Max off the skateboard, which makes Mike wonder if Eleven isn’t lurking somewhere close. In the bathrooms, Will searches for Dart. He hears the creature in one of the stalls. He goes inside, but Dart’s screaming sends him running. Then the halls transform into the Upside Down once more. A shadowy wave comes after Will, he runs outside to avoid it. But he remembers what Bob said, so he turns back facing the tentacled monster and tells it: “Go away.” He screams at it over and over. That doesn’t work, and the monster swallows Will up in black smoke.

WOW! I love this series more all the time. It’s so addictive, every step of the way. Emotional, exciting, and weird, too. “Chapter Four: Will the Wise” is next. Stranger Things – Season 2: “Chapter Three – The Pollywog” Netflix's Stranger Things Season 2: "Chapter Three - The Pollywog" Directed by Shawn Levy…

#D&039;Artagnan #Jim Croce #Polliwog #The Three Musketeers #The Upside Down #VHS Tape #Yertle the Turtle

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insomniacwriter17 · 5 months

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Saved from the Flames - Chapter Twenty-Eight

"When you’re born in a burning house, you think the whole world is on fire. But it’s not.” –Richard Kadrey

AKA: The story of how Bob Newby became a real life superhero for one little boy who needed saving.

Inspired by this post I saw from @connordax

read on ao3

Summer flew by, and Bob learned a few things over the warm months.

Number one, growth spurts happened quick. What seemed like overnight, Billy had grown a few inches and filled out. No longer did he look like the scrawny, terrified little guy that Gabby had dropped off months ago. Instead, Billy was taller, stronger, and he walked with his head held high. There had been a number of shopping trips over the summer to get Billy new clothes, just because he’d wake up one morning and his shorts wouldn’t fit, or his shirt was too short now. They didn’t buy much each time, because quite honestly, Bob wasn’t sure Billy was done growing.

Secondly, Bob learned that Billy liked Joyce more than he liked Bob. Any chance he was given, Billy was ditching Bob at Radio Shack to go help Joyce stock shelves at Melvald’s. And yes, Joyce had managed to get the boy a Melvald’s nametag, which Billy wore proudly. And when the Friday night movie nights at the Newby household continued, there were many nights where Billy snuggled with Joyce instead of Bob. Not that Bob minded, of course. It warmed his heart to know that Billy’s circle of support was expanding and growing. The night Bob looked over to find Will fast asleep with his head in Billy’s lap and Billy playing with his hair, Bob was pretty sure his heart melted into a pile of goo right then and there.

Third, Billy loved to swim. The kid took to water like a fish. Joyce and Bob had decided to take the boys to the lake one Saturday morning, and Billy had just about lost his mind. Bob had expected him to be hesitant, but Billy had run straight into the water and it only took a few minutes of guidance for the boy to figure out how to keep himself afloat and swim through the water. And then he was off, swimming as far as Bob would allow, but obediently returning to shore when the man would call out that Billy had wandered too far.

From that day forward, anytime Bob asked Billy what he wanted to do, he asked to swim. So they became regulars at the Hawkins Community Pool whenever Bob wasn’t working. Sometimes Eddie and Steve tagged along and Joyce often brought her boys, so Billy was always hanging out with his friends, it seemed. He’d go all day long, having the time of his life, and then fall asleep on the drive home. It became routine for Bob to have to bribe Billy to shower and eat some dinner, and then the boy would crash hard and fast, sleeping through the night. Then he’d ask to do it all again.

Finally, Bob had learned just how much someone’s appearance could change in just a few short months. Billy’s pale skin had tanned from the hours of playing outside, and a few haircuts had helped tame his unruly curls into a more manageable hairdo. But Billy liked his hair long, and it was one of the few things he had an opinion about, so Bob was happy to help Billy learn how to properly take care of his hair.

Before too long, summer was drawing to an end and Bob was gearing up to take Billy back to school shopping. It took some convincing, but Billy eventually warmed up to the idea of being able to pick what he wanted as far as school supplies and clothes. Since they’d done it a few times over the summer, Billy knew what to expect, but this was to a much larger scale. For a few days, it felt like all Billy had done was choose clothes and school supplies – backpacks and pencil cases, t-shirts and tennis shoes, binders and scissors and a calculator.

It was like Bob blinked, and suddenly it was time for Meet the Teacher, which meant that Billy would start fifth grade the next week. Bob was entertained by the internal monologue he could hear from his office as Billy agonized to Winslow over which outfit to wear tonight.

“I could wear the blue shirt, but I think I want to wear that on the first day, so maybe I should wear the yellow shirt? But Dad said we were going to get dinner first, and what if I spill? That’ll show up on a yellow shirt. So maybe I should wear the black shirt.”

Eventually, Bob heard Billy shuffling around, and then a quiet knock on the doorway to Bob’s office. “Hey, Dad?” the boy asks, and Bob turned from where he faced his desk to look at Billy. “Do…do you think this outfit is good enough for Meet the Teacher tonight?” he asked. He was wearing the black button-down shirt Bob had picked out and a pair of light-wash denim jeans along with his new black Converse.

“I think you look absolutely dapper.” Bob smiled, nodding his approval. “Good fashion choices, dude.”

Billy cocked his head to the side. “What’s dapper mean?”

Bob chuckled. “Means you look good, bud. Handsome.” A grin stretched across Billy’s face and he stood up a bit straighter, tugging on the hem of his shirt.

“Really?” he asked with a giggle.

“So handsome,” Bob agreed. “You look like you grew up way too much over the summer,” he shook his head. “Need you to stop that.” Then he leaned back in his chair and looked the boy over once more. “Have you decided where we should go to dinner?”

Billy nodded. “I want to go to Benny’s! I want a chicken quesadilla. And Sprite.”

Bob tried not to get too emotional at how quickly and how surely Billy gave his opinion. It didn’t happen quite as often as it did at first, but sometimes Bob remembered a little too harshly what Billy had been like when he first arrived at the Newby house. How careful and how quiet, uncertain Billy had been. It was like Billy was a completely different kid now, and Bob was simultaneously ecstatic and heartbroken.

He was so happy to see Billy growing into the boy he was today, but his chest ached daily for the little boy who hadn’t gotten to grow for all these years. He wondered what a little toddler Billy would’ve looked like, what TV shows he would’ve liked, what activities he would’ve done as a little kid.

But Billy wasn’t a little kid – not anymore. He was standing tall in front of Bob right now, grown into his gangly limbs and somewhere between last night and now Bob swore Billy had tipped the scale from little kid to preteen.

“Benny’s it is,” Bob replied when he realized Billy was staring at him and waiting for an answer. He looked at his watch, doing some mental math before he said, “We should leave in about twenty minutes.”

“Okay! I’ll make sure all my school supplies are ready and labeled!” Billy turned and ran back toward the living room, and Bob laughed quietly to himself as he turned back to his work.

Before long, Billy and Bob were leaving Benny’s Diner and heading to Hawkins Elementary School for Meet the Teacher. “Do you think Eddie and Steve and Jonathan will be in my class?”

“We’ll find out!” Bob replied cheerily. “But even if they’re not, you’ll still see them at lunch and recess.”

Meet the Teacher went better than Bob could have imagined . He’d been a little worried about the idea of Billy switching classes and having multiple teachers, but that fear squashed itself as Billy confidently waltzed himself into each classroom. The first time Billy held his hand out to his teacher, he said, “Hi! My name’s Billy Hargrove, but in a few months my dad’s adopting me, so it’s going to change to Billy Newby.”

The statement was so confident, so proud, that it nearly sent Bob into a breakdown standing in Mr. Todd’s history classroom. But instead, Bob tried to focus on Billy’s attitude – how well he spoke to his teacher, how polite and kind he was without dimming himself. And that pattern continued all night – for each teacher Billy introduced himself to, he was polite and conversational.

After making the rounds to all the classrooms, Billy was able to meet up with Eddie, Steve, and Jonathan in the school gym while the parents did a few last minute pieces of paperwork. Billy ran off to meet up with the other three boys who were standing by the basketball hoop, leaving Bob to his own devices.

“Hi guys!” Billy greeted as he approached.

Eddie perked up when he saw his best friend. “Billy! Please tell me you’re in Mr. Todd’s class! Otherwise, I’m the only one! I’ll be all by myself!” The boy’s lament was dramatic but probably at least somewhat genuine.

Billy laughed loudly and nodded. “I am!” he told Eddie quickly, and the boy squealed happily. “Are you guys in Ms. Garcia’s class?” he asked, directing his second question to Steve and Jonathan. They both nodded, and Billy sighed.

“Man! That means I’ll only see you a few times a day,” Billy pouted. “We have to make sure to eat lunch together every day! And we can play on the playground at recess,” he added quickly. The other boys nodded in agreement and that seemed to placate Eddie, so the four of them began a game of tag in the large gym.

On the other side of the room, Bob was standing with Joyce, filling out the necessary paperwork for the school year. Will was sitting content at Joyce’s feet, scribbling in a notebook with some crayons. As Bob was circling the option that no, Billy didn’t need to ride the bus, Joyce nudged his shoulder. “I was thinking of taking the boys for ice cream after we leave here, would you and Billy like to join us?” she whispered so that her youngest couldn’t hear.

“That’d be great,” Bob smiled. “Yeah, thanks for the invite.” He looked down at Will and asked, “When’s Little Man’s Meet the Teacher for Kindergarten?”

“Tomorrow night,” Joyce replied with a sad smile. “It’s too soon, Bob,” she chuckled. “Kid was born yesterday!” Then she stilled a bit. “Any chance you want to take Jonathan for a few hours tomorrow night? Lonnie will be home but…he’s been having a bad few days,” she said softly. “I’d rather Jon be somewhere else,” she admitted.

“Of course,” Bob nodded immediately. “He’s welcome anytime. You all are, you know that,” Bob smiled. “You can stay for movie night after you get back from Meet the Teacher, if you want. One more fun night before school starts next week?” he offered.

Joyce smiled, but the grin faltered the tiniest bit. “Maybe the boys could stay the night?” she questioned softly. “You know, like one last hurrah.”

Bob nodded without any sort of hesitation. “I think Billy would love that,” he smiled. “Yeah, of course they can stay.” So can you, he wanted to add. But he didn’t want to make it weird.

Joyce hesitated before she nodded, almost like she was going to ask something else but she decided not to. “Great, I’ll bring their things tomorrow when I drop Jonathan off then,” she smiled tensely. Then she was back to focusing on the paper on the clipboard in her hand, and Bob did the same.

Billy and Jonathan’s Meet the Teacher night ended with Joyce and Bob sitting at a booth with the boys and milkshakes. As Jonathan and Billy talked about their new teachers and Will continued coloring in his notebook, Bob and Joyce watched the scene in amusement.

At the end of the night, when Billy was curled up in bed with Winston and Bob sitting beside him, getting ready to read him another chapter of The Hardy Boys book they were currently working through, Bob looked down at Billy.

“Did you have a good day, kiddo?” Bob wondered while opening the book. “Your teachers seem nice.”

Billy nodded, snuggling deeper into the blankets wrapped around his shoulders. “They do! Mrs. Evans, my science teacher? She told me that her sister was adopted,” he yawned.

“Oh yeah?” Bob hummed, settling back against the headboard of Billy’s bed. “That’s cool. Do you think you’re going to have a good year?” Billy hummed an affirmative and then he looked up at Bob with a shy smile. “Dad, I think this is going to be the best year ever.”

#stranger things #billy hargrove #ao3 #insomniacwriter17 #fandom #bob newby #bob newby deserved better #billy hargrove deserved better #cw: child abuse #foster care au #sftf #saved from the flames

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insomniacwriter17 · 5 months

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Saved from the Flames - Chapter Thirty-One

"When you’re born in a burning house, you think the whole world is on fire. But it’s not.” –Richard Kadrey

AKA: The story of how Bob Newby became a real life superhero for one little boy who needed saving.

Inspired by this post I saw from @connordax

read on ao3

Twenty days quickly became fourteen, then ten, then seven…and now, Bob was laying out Billy’s outfit for the next day. “Red shirt or blue?” Bob mused in the doorway of Billy’s closet.

“Red!” Billy replied almost immediately from where he was curled up in bed, a book on his lap. It wasn’t Hardy Boys this time, but Bridge to Terabithia.

“Red it is,” Bob agreed, pulling out the red button-up shirt and a pair of khaki pants. “I’m going to hang these on the back of the bedroom door for you so you can just get dressed in the morning. We have to leave a little bit earlier than we would for school so I’ll wake you up earlier than normal.”

Billy nodded his understanding as he scooted to the side so Bob could sit on the edge of the bed. “We can still read a chapter, right? I’m really excited to start this book,” Billy said with a small pout.

“One chapter, then we’re going to sleep. Tomorrow’s a big day,” Bob replied, settling against the headboard and smiling as Billy snuggled against his side. “Are you reading or am I?”

“Um, you,” Billy decided quietly, resting his head on Bob’s shoulder. So Bob took the book from Billy’s hand and opened it to the first page, dropping his voice low as he started to read the first chapter to Billy.

Billy fell asleep somewhere after Jess saw the U-Haul at the Perkins’ farm, but Bob finished the chapter anyway. He knew they’d be reading the chapter again tomorrow night, but it’d be different then.

Billy would be adopted. Billy would no longer be a foster child, he would be Bob’s child. Billy would finally get the childhood he’d always deserved. If that meant Bob re-read the first chapter of Bridge to Terabithia every night for the rest of his life, then he’d be happy.

~~~

“You ready, Billy?” Gabby asked, looking over at the blonde boy. Squirming excitedly in the uncomfortable plastic chair, Billy offered her an energetic nod. “Good,” she smiled. “It’s almost time for us to go in,” she promised. “Just a few more minutes.” Billy nodded obediently, looking around the waiting room of the court house. Bob had gone in first, leaving Billy to wait with Gabby.

Behind the solid oak doors was the family court room. Bob stood at his podium in front of the judge, nervously tapping his papers against the wooden surface. In his peripheral vision he could see Joyce sitting to his left; her quiet show of support left him feeling just a bit calmer.

“Mr. Newby, I’m sure that Ms. Maynard has made it clear that the circumstances you are in are very unusual,” the judge started. Bob felt like his brain flatlined as the judge referred to Ms. Gabby by her “real” name, but he recovered and nodded quickly.

“Yes, Your Honor.”

“It’s not often that we are hearing adoption proceedings less than a year after a child enters foster care, and we are barely about to hit the six month mark in this case. But I think we can all agree that this case is not one we see often.”

“Thankfully,” Bob replied with a quick nod.

“But it has also been made abundantly clear, Mr. Newby, that the care and attention you have provided to Billy has been stellar. From the day Ms. Maynard placed him in your home, there have been nothing but positive reports from all on his care team. Even people not officially on his care team, like teachers, have reported the many different ways that Billy has grown since being placed with you.”

Bob simply nodded since he wasn’t sure what to add to that.

“That, paired with the fact that Mr. Hargrove showed no interest in reunification, even going so far as to relinquish his parental rights, made the court decide that this was a situation where it would be appropriate to start the adoption process early. So, without further ado.” The judge sat up straighter, stacking his papers and then continuing. “Mr. Newby, could you please confirm for me that you are interested in becoming Billy’s legal guardian?”

Bob swallowed thickly. It’s go time. “I am, Your Honor.”

“And you understand that if you adopt Billy, you will be solely responsible for his physical, emotional, and educational needs until he reaches the age of eighteen.”

“Yes, Your Honor.”

“If you choose to move forward with this adoption, Billy will continue to receive state-funded medical insurance until he is eighteen years old. However, Billy will no longer be considered a ward of the state – he will, for all intents and purposes, be your child. Any restrictions currently in place not allowing for travel outside the state or country will be lifted; in addition, you will no longer have to comply to state licensing standards as a foster-adoptive home. You will, however, be required to provide Billy a safe, healthy environment and raise him to the best of your ability. You have been chosen as a potential adoptive parent for Billy because we believe you can give him that. My question for you, Mr. Newby, is if you believe you can offer that.”

The courtroom was silent, waiting for his answer. Waiting for him to say yes or no. “I do believe that, Your Honor.” Bob didn’t anticipate his voice to shake as much as it did, but there wasn’t anything he could do about it but hope that the judge hadn’t noticed.

But based on the sympathetic, knowing smile that the judge had on his face, Bob figured he hadn’t been that lucky. “Mr. Newby, you understand that if you agree to do this, this is a permanent decision. If you, for any reason, decide to terminate your parental rights, you will be punished to the full extent of the law.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Bob told the judge, strength back in his voice. “I understand, Your Honor.”

The judge nodded. “Alright, then let’s bring Billy in and get this show on the road,” he sat up straighter and motioned to the bailiff standing at the back of the room. “Will you grab Ms. Maynard and Billy for us, please?”

Bob turned around when he heard the courtroom door open, and Billy appeared a second later with Gabby by his side, looking absolutely tiny in that doorway. The boy smiled at him, and Bob felt the smile pulling at his own lips.

Bob gestured for Billy to come to him, and Billy wasted no time. His sneakers squeaked against the tiled floor as he ran to Bob, hugging the man’s arm. “Is it time?” he asked excitedly, his hushed voice echoing through the largely empty room.

“Just about,” Bob nodded, nodding toward the judge. “Judge Collins wants to talk to you.”

Billy turned his attention to the judge, seemingly noticing him for the first time. “Hi,” he offered in a soft voice.

“Hi, Billy. My name is Judge Collins. Do you know what we’re doing here today?” The man’s voice had taken on a softer tone than it had with Bob, and he’d traded his tight, straight posture for a more relaxed one, leaning on his elbows on the bench in front of him.

“I’m getting adopted!” Billy exclaimed with a grin. He squeezed Bob’s arm tighter, looking up at him, and Bob smiled back. He elected not to say anything, afraid he’d start to cry. And that definitely wouldn’t be a good look.

“That is what we’re here to talk about, yes,” Judge Collins agreed. “Do you know what it means to get adopted, Billy?”

Billy nodded proudly. “I talked about it with Ms. Gabby and Dr. Marcus. It means that Bob will be my dad, even if he wasn’t the dad that I was born to.” He recited the words easily, still hugging Bob’s arm. “It means he’ll take care of me and I’ll live with him until I’m a grown up.”

Judge Collins smiled and nodded. “That’s right. It means that Bob will be your family now, and Neil won’t be. Has Dr. Marcus talked to you about that?”

Billy nodded, though Bob could tell some of the boy’s confidence deflated. “Yes, sir. Because Neil signed the papers with the parental rights and gave them away, he’s not my dad anymore. He doesn’t want to be my dad, so I won’t get to see him anymore.” The way Billy said it was matter-of-fact, but Bob could tell the boy was upset by it still. So without consciously thinking about it, Bob moved to pull his arm out of Billy’s grasp, so he could wrap his arm around the boy’s shoulders instead and pull him close.

“That’s right,” Judge Collins replied carefully. “Now, one of the most important parts of this is we want to know what you want, Billy. Do you like living with Bob?”

Billy nodded. “Yes, sir.”

Judge Collins nodded, shuffling through the papers in front of him. “What is it that you like about living with Bob?” he asked.

Billy shifted on his feet and his hands twisted together nervously. “Um,” he started after a moment. “A lot of things.”

“Like what?” Judge Collins pressed gently.

“Um, he has a lot of board games that he likes to play with me,” Billy offered, looking up at the judge. After a reassuring nod from the man, Billy continued. “He reads with me and makes sure that I go to school and he takes care of me when I’m sick. He doesn’t make me eat food that I don’t like, and he lets me help him cook! When I’m scared of something, he tries to help me feel better.”

Billy paused before he added one last sentence. “And he lets me sleep with my door open.”

The room went silent enough that you could’ve heard a pin drop, and Billy looked up at Bob nervously. The man offered him a reassuring smile and hugged him a bit closer. “You’re doing great, kiddo,” he whispered.

Judge Collins’ face softened as he looked at the duo in front of him. “Is there anything you don’t like about living with Bob?” he asked. “Anything you’d change?”

“My bedtime,” Billy replied seriously, and there was a smattering of chuckles from the adults in the room. “Dad and I read at night and he always stops too soon and says it’s bedtime.”

Judge Collins smiled and looked down at Billy with amusement. “Well, that seems like an easy enough thing to fix. What time do you go to bed?”

“Like nine,” Billy said with a sigh. The judge nodded and contemplated something for a moment.

“Well, then I’ll put it in the paperwork that he can’t make you go to bed until 9:05 each night. How does that sound?”

Billy giggled and nodded. “That would be good,” he replied with a serious nod. Judge Collins gave the boy a thumbs up and wrote down a few things on a piece of paper, the room going quiet for a few minutes more.

“Well,” Judge Collins cleared his throat after a few minutes and looked out at the room in front of him. “Now, this is the fun part for me.” He turned his attention to Billy and Bob, smiling. “It’s been made very apparent that Mr. Newby has been taking excellent care of Billy, and I think we can all agree that Billy likes it where he is currently. So, I have just a few questions before we go any further. Robert Newby, do you agree that you are requesting full guardianship of William Hargrove?”

“I am, Your Honor,” Bob replied, and he felt a slight tug on his shirt. He looked down to Billy, who was giving Bob a confused look.

“Your real name is Robert?”

Bob couldn’t help but laugh. “Your real name is William?” he teased gently before nodding. “Let’s focus, pal,” he redirected Billy’s attention to the judge, and Billy nodded quickly, offering an embarrassed smile to the judge.

“And you, Mr. Newby, are pursuing full guardianship of William Hargrove of your own free will, and you are not being influenced by an outside party or family member to complete this adoption?”

Bob nodded. “Correct, Your Honor. My choice and mine alone.” He hugged Billy closer to his side, his heart beating so fast in his chest that he was sure it was soon going to just stop.

“So, my next question is for you, Billy. It sounds like you enjoy living with Mr. Newby. Would you like to continue living with Mr. Newby permanently?”

“Yes, sir,” Billy replied surely. “I want that a lot.” His tiny arms hugged Bob’s arm against his chest.

Judge Collins had a few more questions for Gabby and Bob, but Billy tried to wait as patiently as he could. Finally, the man straightened and put the papers down in front of him. “Well, I think we’ve strung this along long enough. Mr. Newby, Billy, would you please approach the bench?”

Bob looked down at Billy and reached for his hand, squeezing reassuringly as the two of them approached where the judge sat. “Well, this is the point of no return,” Judge Collins smiled at the two of them. “You guys ready?”

“Yes, sir,” Billy replied eagerly. “Is this the part when my dad gets the parental rights?” he asked curiously, and the judge gave Bob an amused look.

“Indeed, Billy, that is what happens next,” the judge smiled. “Now, it is my honor to grant you, Mr. Robert Newby, full and complete guardianship of William Hargrove, date of birth March 29, 1967.”

The next few moments were a blur. Bob felt like he could finally breathe. After all this time, it was finally over. Billy was no longer in foster care, no longer in danger of being moved somewhere else.

Billy began to bounce excitedly beside Bob, and it brought the man back to the present. He looked down at Billy, at his son, and Bob thought his heart was going to pound out of his chest. The moment Billy’s eyes met Bob’s, the boy jumped up to hug him, and Bob caught the boy easily, hugging him close. “We did it, buddy,” Bob whispered as he squeezed the boy tight. All Bob could hear was a ringing in his ears as he hugged Billy tight against him, and he could feel Billy’s muscles trembling as he hugged him back.

“You’re my dad now?” Billy asked, almost as if he couldn’t believe it. “For real?” He didn’t pull away from Bob, but only seemed to hug him tighter as Bob nodded. Bob was looking at the judge through tear-filled eyes, who seemed to be giving the two of them a moment, waiting patiently to say something else.

Finally, Judge Collins cleared his throat and spoke. “Congratulations, you two,” he told the duo softly. Behind them, Bob could hear Joyce clapping as well and he was pretty sure Gabby was still back there, too. “Now, are we ready for some housekeeping stuff?” Judge Collins continued, and Bob used one hand to swipe at the tears on his cheeks before he nodded.

The man wasn’t ready to put Billy down yet, so he simply shifted Billy’s weight until the boy rested against Bob’s side. Billy’s arms wrapped around Bob’s neck and his head rested on the man’s shoulder after a few more moments. “So, Billy,” Judge Collins smiled at the boy. “Mr. Newby is now officially your dad, he’s got the parental rights, and the rest of this is just details. But I do have one more question for you.”

Billy lifted his head, eyes curious. “What?” he wondered.

“Nothing is truly official until I hit the desk with my gavel. But, I think it would be more exciting if you wanted to do it,” Judge Collins smiled, picking up the aforementioned item and offering the handle to Billy.

“Yes, please!” Billy grinned, already reaching for the gavel. Bob stepped forward so that Billy could grab the item, and the judge pointed to an empty spot on the desk.

Judge Collins nodded. “Right there, kiddo. Give it three good whacks.” The first tap was light, and the judge urged Billy forward. “Come on, you can hit it harder than that.”

That seemed to be all the encouragement Billy needed, and the next two times Billy hit the gavel to the desk, it echoed through the room. “There you go!” Judge Collins praised. He took the instrument back and Billy grinned as he rested his head back on Bob’s shoulder.

“It’s now officially official,” Judge Collins smiled. “Now, we have to move onto all the boring grown-up stuff. You going to stay up here with us, Billy?”

“Can I?” Billy asked, hugging Bob’s neck even tighter. Judge Collins nodded and then launched into the next steps with Bob.

Billy was listening to conversations about a new birth certificate, a new social security card, and something about medical insurance and college tuition, but all of that was stuff for Bob to know.

Billy had nothing to worry about now. He and Bob were officially a family. Bob was his dad, his real dad now, and everything would be okay.

Everything would be okay. With that knowledge, Billy closed his eyes and fell asleep against Bob’s shoulder. Against his dad’s shoulder. Safe, warm, and wanted.

#stranger things #billy hargrove #ao3 #insomniacwriter17 #fandom #bob newby #billy hargrove deserved better #bob newby deserved better #adoption #foster care au #cw: child abuse #sftf #saved from the flames

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insomniacwriter17 · 7 months

Text

Saved from the Flames - Chapter Seventeen

“When you’re born in a burning house, you think the whole world is on fire. But it’s not.” –Richard Kadrey

AKA: The story of how Bob Newby became a real life superhero for one little boy who needed saving.

Inspired by this post I saw from @connordax

read on ao3

Turns out, Billy had nothing to worry about. He was a natural at minigolf, Bob said. It took a few holes for Joyce, Bob, and Jonathan to explain all the rules to Billy and for the blonde to warm up to the feeling of the golf club and what was happening, but once he did? He had an uncanny ability to get his shots exactly where he wanted them.

Bob and Joyce were mainly just playing to show Billy the ropes and appease Jonathan and Will, while Will had foregone a club and would simply roll the golf ball or kick it to where he wanted.

Billy was having such a good time! They were allowed to play each hole as many times as they wanted; they’d step off to the side and wait if another group came through and wanted to play and then pass them. By Billy’s estimation, they had played at the steam volcano hole at least a thousand times.

It was the most fun Billy had ever had, he thought. His cheeks hurt from laughing and smiling, because Bob keeps telling funny jokes and Jonathan cheers every time anyone successfully lands the ball in the cup. Joyce offers praise and high fives to the boys often, and Billy glows under the words of affirmation.

When they had reached the final hole, Bob warned that this one they wouldn’t get to play again, because the hole led to a tunnel that would return the balls back to the office. “Aw, it’s over?” Billy pouted.

“Can we do it again?” Will begged. But Joyce and Bob shared a look before shaking their heads. It was warm and sunny, all three boys red-faced and sweaty. Feet were dragging and even as happy as everyone was in the moment, both adults knew they were counting down the minutes until exhaustion-induced meltdowns would ensue.

“Not today, sweetie,” Joyce replied in that sweet way that left no room for argument. “We’ll have to come back some time, won’t we?” There were scattered agreements from the boys as Bob lined up his shot, a hole in one to end his illustrious minigolf career.

“But, we can stop for snacks on the way out, how about that?” Bob offered while Jonathan went to take his turn. “And we thought maybe you boys might enjoy a movie night.”

“At your house?!” Will asked excitedly, pulling on Bob’s shirt hem. “You have the best movie nights!”

“What do you say, Billy? You feel up to a movie night?” Bob asked, and the boy nodded quickly. He liked hanging out with Will and Jonathan, he wasn’t ready to say goodbye to them yet! As they talked, Jonathan hit the ball one, two, three, four times to get it to the end of the course.

Next up was Billy. Not unlike the last few holes, it only took him two putts to get the ball in the hole, grinning up at the others as he watched the red ball circle down into the tunnel and disappear. “Alright, Billy!” Bob cheered. “Look at you!”

“I did it!” Billy raised his arms above his head in celebration, bouncing on the balls of his feet excitedly.

“You did it!” Joyce echoed, clapping as Billy scurried back up to the top of the course so Will could take his turn. As Will and Joyce took their turns, Billy high-fived both Bob and Jonathan. It wasn’t long before everyone had finished their round, and they headed inside to turn in their golf clubs.

“How about those car snacks?” Bob suggested as they began to wrap up, pointing to the snack bar. “Get everyone something to drink so we can cool off, maybe something fun to munch on during the drive home?”

Well, Billy certainly wasn’t going to argue with that logic, and soon he had a cinnamon pretzel in one hand and a lidded cup of Sprite in the other. Jonathan had gotten an identical snack, while Will had been given half a pretzel, torn up by Joyce and dropped into a second cup so he could eat it easier. It had taken a while to get everyone in the car with arms full of food, but they managed. Billy was once more wedged between Jonathan and Will, happily munching on his pretzel.

“Everyone ready to go?” Bob called over his shoulder as he got into the driver’s seat. There was a scattering of replies, so he pulled out of the parking lot and headed back toward Hawkins. The car was filled with the chattering of the three boys excitedly discussing what movie they should watch that night; up front, Bob and Joyce shared a knowing smile.

“We were right to get them together,” Joyce commented softly. “We’ll have to do this more often.”

“Absolutely,” Bob agreed. “You know you and the boys are welcome anytime.”

“I know,” she smiled. She looked in the backseat, where Will had once more fallen asleep, his snack forgotten in his lap. Billy and Jonathan had their heads tucked together, talking eagerly about something.

The boys were discussing what movies they could watch that night. Jonathan had just suggested Oliver Twist, and as Billy was getting ready to reply to him, the car hit a pothole and they bounced in their seats.

Billy’s cup of soda began to slip out of his hands, and he panicked, squeezing the cup tightly. He yelped in surprise as the lid popped off the cup and soda splattered across the backseat, soaking his and Jonathan’s shorts and shirts. “Oh no!” Billy gasped, the slickness of the cup making him lose his grip on it entirely, the plastic bouncing off his knee and falling to the floor of the car.

Bob looked in the rearview mirror at the same time Joyce turned in her seat. “Oh, Billy,” she gasped sympathetically. Her gaze moved to Will, who was waking up and looking just a moment from crying. “It’s okay, buddy, don’t worry!”

“I’m sorry!” Billy whimpered, his eyes already filled with tears. He’d ruined their day! Now he and Jonathan were covered in soda, and beside him Will was crying, clearly confused from having been woken up.

“It’s okay!” Joyce promised, reaching back and placing a hand on Billy’s soaked knee. “Don’t worry about it, honey. We can fix this, just breathe.”

Bob felt helpless as he watched Billy panic, already inconsolable from the spill. He kept his eyes on the road, pulling into a gas station parking lot just a few minutes later. “I have clothes in the back, we can get everyone cleaned up,” Joyce told Bob softly, still trying to calm down both Billy and Will. Billy’s panic had been reduced to a quivering lip and shaky breaths, so Bob counted that as a good thing.

“Everybody relax,” Joyce addressed the back seat. “We’re going to get everyone cleaned up and it’ll be like nothing ever happened,” she promised. “Just hang on.” She moved to get out of the car and Bob followed suit when she waved for him to follow.

“The shirt may be a little big on Billy, but we can get them changed. He and Jonny look about the same size,” she offered.

Bob couldn’t help but try and lighten the mood. "You brought spare clothes for minigolf?" Bob chuckled. "My god, Joyce, what kind of minigolf did you think we were playing?"

But Joyce didn’t laugh, she just shrugged. "I didn't pack clothes for today," she explained. "I just...have them. Do you want some for Billy or not?" Her voice had taken on an unusual level of frustration, and Bob couldn’t figure out why.

But when Joyce opened the trunk and Bob saw not one bag, but three in the trunk, it hit him like a ton of bricks. "Joyce..."

"Don't," she whispered, pulling the brown leather bag forward and rummaging through it. "We can talk about it later." But she knew that later, she'd deflect the subject even further. Bob knew it, too. It's what she always did when it came to Lonnie.

Joyce pulled out two new pairs of shorts and two t-shirts. One was a faded Scooby Doo t shirt, and the other Charlie Brown. "Will you take the older two and help them? I'll get the back seat cleaned up and Will calmed down." Bob sighed but nodded, taking the offered clothes.

"Thank you." His hand fell atop Joyce's, squeezing gently. She looked up at him, eyes suspiciously bright. "You know you always have a place with me, right?"

“I know," she replied before turning to close the trunk. Knowing Bob couldn’t solve that problem right now, he instead turned to open the back door to get Jonathan and Billy out of the backseat.

Billy was still crying, but now Jonathan was talking to him. “It’s gonna be okay!” Jonathan was promising. “It’s just an accident! You don’t have to be sad about it.” The brunette boy turned to look at Bob, confusion etched on his small features. “Right, Bob? It’s just soda!”

“It sure is, bud. Easy to fix,” Bob nodded, gesturing for Jonathan to step out of the car. On the far side of Billy, Joyce was pulling Will out of his car seat and shushing the still whimpering boy. Once Jonathan was standing beside Bob, the man reached out to unbuckle Billy’s seatbelt. “Come here, kiddo.”

Billy’s eyes were wide as he turned to look at Bob. “I’m sorry!” he whimpered again as he scooted across the seat. He’d gotten the most of the spilled beverage it seemed, his shorts and shirt both soaked.

Bob shook his head, holding a hand out to steady Billy as the boy slid out of the car and onto the pavement. “No need to apologize, Billy. It was an accident, okay? Look,” he held up the clothes he had in his other hand. “Joyce has some clothes for you and Jonathan to change into and by the time we’re done cleaning up everything will be good as new and we can enjoy our evening.”

Billy paused, sniffling as he twisted the soaked shirt hem in his hands. “I’m not in trouble?” he questioned softly, just above a whisper. “You aren’t mad at me?” The second question was directed at Jonathan, who looked totally shocked.

“I’m not mad!” Jonathan promised. “It was an accident!” As the boys talked, Bob led them into the gas station and to the bathroom to clean up. As they passed the checkout, Bob asked for a plastic bag for the wet clothes, Billy’s face burning in embarrassment even at the simple question.

In the men’s bathroom, Billy was handed a new shirt and shorts and ushered into a stall to change. He did so, the remnants of tears still on his cheeks and his nose stuffy. He could hear Jonathan moving around in the stall next to him, and he could see Bob’s tennis shoes by the sink where he stood waiting for them.

After he was dressed, Billy pushed open the stall door and stepped out, his chin tucked to his chest as he looked at his shoes. “Hey,” Bob’s voice was gentle as Billy approached. “You okay, bud?”

“I’m sorry,” Billy murmured again, blinking up at the man through teary eyelashes. Bob smiled sympathetically and knelt down in front of him, holding the bag open for the wet clothes. Billy dropped them in and then wrapped his arms around himself in an attempt to hug himself.

Bob studied the boy for a moment, then opened his arms. Billy’s lip trembled and he stepped forward to let the man hug him. More tears pushed their way into his eyes as Billy cried softly into Bob’s shoulder.

Bob frowned and tightened his grip on the boy. “There’s no need to cry, Billy. It was just an accident,” he soothed, one hand beginning to run up and down Billy’s back. The only other hug he’d given Billy had been the night after the infamous visit with Neil – Billy wasn’t much for physical affection; or, if he was, he hid it well. “I got you, pal.”

The thing was, Billy believed him. Billy knew Bob was sincere, and for some reason, that made him cry even harder. His tiny arms wrapped around Bob’s neck and clung tightly to him as he sobbed into Bob’s t-shirt.

He felt Bob shift his position and then stand, bringing Billy with him. “I have you,” Bob promised when Billy’s grip tightened. “Don’t worry.” So Billy didn’t. He let Bob take control while he focused on calming down. It worked well enough, and by the time Jonathan had cleaned up and Bob had led them back to the car, Billy’s cries had subsided. He was still holding onto Bob like he was afraid the man would disappear, but Bob had made no move to let him go.

Joyce had just finished buckling Will back into his car seat, the boy content to finish the snack he’d fallen asleep eating earlier. “Everything’s good as new!” she called, voice chipper as she watched the other three approach.

Billy still didn’t seem to be in any hurry to pull away from Bob, so the man gestured for Jonathan to go ahead and climb into the car. “How we doing, Billy?” Bob finally asked after a few more minutes.

Truthfully, Billy had calmed down significantly and was now simply basking in the affection he was getting. “Okay,” he admitted softly. “Should I get down?” Bob could hear the disappointment in Billy’s voice, and he fought back a frown.

“You don’t have to if you aren’t ready,” Bob promised. “I can hold you for a bit longer if it makes you feel better.”

But Billy shook his head and began to wiggle his way out of Bob’s arms. “I’m not sad anymore,” he told Bob bravely as he stood back up. “It’s okay.”

Bob cocked his head to the side. “Okay,” he relented. “But hey,” he added before opening the back door. “Just so you know, you don’t have to be sad to get hugs. You can ask for them anytime.”

“Anytime?” Billy repeated a bit unsurely. Bob nodded. “Whenever I want?”

“Whenever you want,” Bob parroted back, smiling at him. “All you have to do is ask.”

Billy’s face broke out into a sheepish grin before he turned to climb into the backseat beside Jonathan. Bob closed the door and then made his way to the driver’s seat so he could drive them the rest of the way home. “We can throw their clothes in the wash,” Bob suggested to Joyce. “That way you can take Jon’s outfit back home tonight clean.”

“Thanks,” Joyce replied softly. The rest of the ride was thankfully uneventful, and whatever upset Billy had been feeling at the gas station had dissipated by the time they pulled into the driveway.

They had a quick dinner of hot dogs and fruit outside at the patio table before settling in to watch a movie. After much debate, Jonathan’s suggestion of Oliver Twist had won out, and everyone settled into the living room with bowls of popcorn to share.

When they had all sat down, Billy had stopped short in front of Bob, looking like he was debating what to ask. So Bob took a chance, patted the seat next to him and said, “Want to sit with me?” Billy nodded, wasting no time before he climbed up and sat as close to Bob as he could. The man draped his arm over Billy’s shoulder and he felt Billy relax under the touch. Bob didn’t think it was a coincidence that their position mirrored that of Joyce and Will from where they sat on the other end of the couch.

And when Billy yawned and leaned heavier against Bob, the man took the weight easily. By the time the movie was over, Billy was curled up in Bob’s lap, his head against the man’s chest as he slept. It was not unlike the night of Billy’s visit, but it felt so very different. There was a sense of calm, of normalcy, of happiness.

Maybe it was just because of how long the day had been, but Billy didn’t so much as stir when Bob tried to wake him up after the movie. So instead, he carried the sleep-heavy boy down the hall and laid him in bed, tucking the blankets around his shoulders. “Sleep tight, bud,” Bob whispered before he went to help Joyce get her own two sleeping boys to the car.

#stranger things #billy hargrove #ao3 #insomniacwriter17 #fandom #bob newby #bob newby deserved better #billy hargrove deserved better #foster care au #sftf #cw: child abuse

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insomniacwriter17 · 7 months

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Saved from the Flames - Chapter Eleven

“When you’re born in a burning house, you think the whole world is on fire. But it’s not.” –Richard Kadrey

AKA: The story of how Bob Newby became a real life superhero for one little boy who needed saving.

Inspired by this post I saw from @connordax

read on ao3

Billy didn’t know it, but Bob spent most of the morning at the school. It had started with Mrs. MacDonald so that Bob could introduce himself and ask some questions. They stepped out into the hallway to talk a bit more privately. Mrs. MacDonald was quick to tell Bob that Billy was a great student, but she did mention that he was quiet and his attendance was spotty at best. “We had no idea that anything was wrong until last week,” she whispered to Bob, her eyes wide and a bit teary. “Thank you for what you’re doing for him.”

Awkwardly, Bob shrugged off the compliment and instead changed the subject. As the kids ran around the room and played, Bob learned that Billy was great at math and reading, that he didn’t seem to enjoy history very much but he tried his best, and that he was always well-behaved. “How’s he doing…well, socially?” Bob wondered. He was currently watching Billy and Eddie build Lego towers in what looked to be a comfortable silence, but in the few minutes he’d been there, Bob hadn’t seen any other kids approach them.

Mrs. MacDonald sighed. “He tries,” she admitted. “And he and Eddie play together really well. But he’s pretty reserved and he seems almost uncomfortable around a lot of the other kids so they tend to try and keep in their current friend groups.”

Bob nodded, fighting away the ‘disappointed but not surprised’ feeling that was pulling at his chest. “It doesn’t seem to upset Billy very much,” the teacher continued with a soft smile. “He works well in team exercises and he gets along with the others easily when there’s clear instructions.”

Before Bob could answer her, he felt tiny arms wrap around his waist. “Bob! Hi! Why are you in my class?!” an excited voice asked. He looked down with a wide smile, kneeling down to hug Jonathan Byers. The brunette boy hugged him tightly, pulling away and looking confused. “Did my mom send you?”

Bob chuckled and shook his head. “No, pal. It’s so good to see you though!” he nodded to the classroom doorway. “I came to drop someone else off this morning.” Jonathan cocked his head to the side, wide eyes studying Bob.

“Someone in my class is living with you now?” he asked. Jonathan didn’t know a lot about what Bob did as a foster parent, but because Bob and Joyce were friends, there had been a few playdates in the past with other kids placed in Bob’s care. Jonathan knew that kids who needed somewhere safe to stay would come live with Bob until it was safe for them to go home.

Bob simply nodded, standing up and ruffling Jonathan’s hair. “Yup. But that’s not for you to worry about. Heard you guys have music today!” Bob tried to change the subject, and it worked like a charm. Jonathan was grinning and nodding before he turned toward the classroom. “You go on in and have a good day, okay, pal? I’ll see you soon!” Bob watched with an amused smile as Jonathan shuffled into the classroom, and Mrs. MacDonald cleared her throat.

“He’s a sweet boy too,” she commented. “Is there anything I need to know about Billy?” she continued.

Bob shrugged. “I think you know him better than I do still,” he chuckled good-naturedly. “I can’t think of anything. But if he needs any additional supplies or anything like that, just let me know. I’m happy to get all that for him.” He paused, looking through the open doorway. Billy was still playing contently with Eddie. “And uh, I’m not sure if this’ll even be an issue, but if he asks to call or something…can we make that happen?”

“Absolutely,” Mrs. MacDonald smiled. “If he asks, we can send him down to the counselor’s office.”

Bob felt the tension leaving his chest at her words, relaxing. “Great, thank you so much for all of your time. I will let you get in there and start your class,” he offered with a sheepish smile. “Oh! One more question, sorry,” he chuckled awkwardly. “Where do I pick him up at the end of the day?”

“We’ll have the car-rider line out front,” Mrs. MacDonald told him. “Unless it’s raining. Then you’ll come get him right here,” she smiled. Bob nodded, stepping away to head toward the office.

“Have a great day!” he called over his shoulder before Mrs. MacDonald disappeared into her classroom. As he made his way down the hall, he could hear her calling everyone together and asking them to put the toys away.

The next few hours, Bob spent in the front office. First with the receptionist, making sure all of Billy’s information got updated: new address, new emergency contacts, all that kind of stuff. Gabby had left strict instructions about making sure that in the event Neil was released from jail, he was not to make it past the front office or have any contact with Billy if he came up to the school. That wasn’t a fun conversation, but an important one.

Bob was also able to pick up information on the lunch menu like he’d promised, as well as the after-school program. Then he made his way to the counselor’s office to talk with her. Even though she was the one who had originally put in a report to the Department of Family Services, she hadn’t gotten any further information. Legally, Bob couldn’t tell her anything about the findings or what was happening, but his very presence answered the most important question: Was Billy safe now?

Diana and Bob knew each other well enough, considering the fact that Bob had fostered a few other elementary aged kids in the past. “He’s been handling it really well, like almost too well,” Bob told her. “I’m a little afraid the other shoe’s going to drop at some point. I don’t think he’s fully processed it yet.”

Diana nodded her understanding. “It’s only been a few days,” she agreed. “He may still be in shock. I’ll keep an eye on him,” she promised. “And even if he still seems unbothered, I’ll pull him in on Wednesday during the day to check in.”

Bob relaxed in his seat with a nod. “I would really appreciate that. And Mrs. MacDonald said she’d send him down here to you in case he needs to call home for anything.” The man handed her a piece of paper with both their home number and the Radio Shack number on it. “I wrote down the numbers for you. Usually give the store a call first.” Diana smiled and leaned back in her chair with a laugh.

“Well, then it sounds like you’ve already done my job for me,” she laughed. “I’ve got nothing else for you. It’s like you’ve done this before.”

Bob shrugged, a sheepish grin making its way across his face. “I just know you’re busy and I’d like to make this as easy on you as I can,” he admitted. “I know I can be a bit much at times.”

Diana immediately shook her head and waved Bob off. “Please, you are not ‘a bit much’. You care. That’s a good thing. That’s what kids like Billy need,” she promised. “You’ve heard the speech before, so I’ll give you the Cliffs Notes: we’re a team now for Billy. You, me, his caseworker, his teachers, all of the adults in his life. And we have to work together and communicate to make sure Billy’s getting what he needs. And I have absolutely no doubt that with you, he’s getting that,” Diana smiled. “So cut yourself some slack, okay? It can’t be too much if it’s exactly what Billy needs.”

Bob smiled and pulled himself out of the chair. “Thanks, Diana. I appreciate all your hard work. And…” he paused, unsure if he should say what he was going to say. But he said it anyway. “Thanks for raising the red flag for Billy. Gabby told me you were the one to make the initial call.”

Diana nodded in response. “Thank you for stepping up for him, too,” she replied. “You’ve got the hard job. I couldn’t do what you do.”

“I couldn’t do what you do,” Bob insisted with a shake of his head. “So on that note, I’ll let you get back to saving the world. I’m going to go sell some radios,” he laughed.

But instead of selling radios, Bob spent the day watching the clock. He was anxious for the clock to hit 3:30 so he could head to the school, determined to be there before 3:45 so Billy wasn’t left waiting.

He was in line for pickup by 3:15. He wondered if it was overkill, but when Billy walked out of the front door of the school looking a bit apprehensive, Bob knew he’d made the right choice. He was the third car in line, so it didn’t take long for Mrs. MacDonald to come to his window then turn toward where the class was sitting. “Billy, your ride is here!” she called, and Billy’s face lit up.

“Mr. Bob! Hi!” Billy chirped as he climbed into the backseat. “You were here so fast!”

“I told you I would be, pal!” Bob grinned into the rearview mirror. “How was school?”

As Billy buckled his seatbelt, he grinned up at Bob. “It was good! You were right! Eddie is my friend!” He flopped back against the seat and began to ramble on about his day. It was easily the most Bob had heard Billy say in one sitting, not that he was complaining. He was thrilled that Billy was beginning to open up.

By the time Bob pulled into the driveway, Billy had told him about how he and Eddie got to play the maracas during music class, and that he did the monkey bars during recess. Billy was proudly running through his spelling list for the week when he felt the car stop, looking up. “Oh, we’re here!” he noted. “That was so fast! Usually the bus takes forever.”

Bob laughed as he helped Billy out of the car, taking his backpack and empty lunchbox. “That’s what happens when you only have to make one stop instead of a lot!” he pointed out. “You want a snack when we get inside?”

“Yes, please! Can I play outside?” Billy asked, following Bob into the house. “Wait! Can I eat my snack outside, too?!”

Bob laughed. “So many questions! Yes, you can play outside. Yes, you can eat your snack outside, too. Did you bring any homework home?”

Billy shrugged. “I just have to read for fifteen minutes,” he replied. “That’s the only homework we get on Mondays.”

Bob nodded. “Okay, how about we make a deal? You go play while I get your snack ready, you can eat, and then we’ll knock that reading out?” He saw Billy perk up like he was going to ask a question, so Bob quickly added, “Yes, you can read outside.”

“Okay!” Billy grinned. He was off like a shot, running for the backdoor before Bob could ask him to put his backpack away. Then he ran right back into the room with a breathless, “Can’t forget him!” Bob watched in total awe as Billy dove onto the couch to grab his bear from where he’d been left that morning. And then he was gone again, and Bob heard the screen door slam a moment later.

It was like Bob had brought home a totally different kid than he had taken to school that morning. Not that Bob minded, of course. He much preferred this excited, expressive boy over the incredibly shy and worried one.

Billy was swinging on the swingset when Bob appeared a few minutes later, a plate in one hand and a glass in the other. “Your snack’s ready, kiddo!” he called. “I’m going to leave it on the table for you.”

“Okay!” Billy called, pumping his legs faster so he’d swing higher. The wind pushed his hair out of his face, cool against his cheeks. The sunshine was making him squint, bright and unforgiving to his eyes. He felt good. Like nothing could hurt him right now.

So, he jumped. As the swing pushed forward he let go of the chains, leaning his weight forward so that he propelled himself off the swing. For a split second he felt like he was flying – and just as quickly, it was over. He hit the grass hard, the wind knocking out of his lungs at the impact.

He heard Bob call his name, but Billy couldn’t talk quite yet. All he could do was stare at the grass below him, trying to suck air into his sore chest. Just as fear started creeping into his veins because I can’t breathe, Bob’s hand fell to Billy’s back.

“Man, that was a hard landing. You okay, bud? Can you sit up for me?” Bob’s voice sounded a little farther away than normal, but Billy nodded. As he sat up and saw Bob crouched beside him, the fear dissipated a little bit.

I can’t breathe, he thought again, but as Bob’s hand ran up and down Billy’s back, he realized he could breathe. It hurt a bit and it was shallow, but he was okay. Billy looked up at Bob, who was looking at Billy with so much concern.

And then Billy started to giggle. “That was fun!” he rasped. Beside him, Bob sighed.

“Fun, huh?” the man repeated, willing his heart back down into his chest. “You got some air there, Billy,” he laughed. “You scared me.”

Billy paused, sucking in another slightly deeper breath. “I scared you?” he questioned. “Why?”

Bob paused, looking at Billy carefully. “Because I was worried you were hurt,” he replied softly. “That would’ve made me sad.”

Billy studied the man, his little eyebrows furrowing together. “But why?” he asked. “You didn’t hurt me.”

Bob shook his head. “Well, no, but I care about you! So I would’ve been sad if you were hurt. But you’re not hurt, are you?” he confirmed. Billy shook his head immediately, smiling at Bob. “Good! Okay, then let’s get you up and get that snack,” Bob redirected the boy’s attention to the patio table.

As Billy munched on his sliced apple and cheese stick, he thought about what had just happened. He was scared until Bob showed up, and then Bob helped him feel better.

He was used to getting scared when people showed up. This was a new feeling. Normally, Billy dreaded the end of the school day because that meant going home. But today, the end of school meant getting back to Bob.

Bob, who apparently worried about Billy hurting himself and made him snacks and was still sitting here with Billy, even though he probably had more important things to do. By the time Billy pushed away his empty plate and said, “I’m all done!” he had decided that maybe he didn’t mind being here after all.

Maybe – he actually kind of liked it here.

#stranger things #billy hargrove #billy hargrove deserved better #bob newby #bob newby deserved better #ao3 #insomniacwriter17 #cw: child abuse #foster care au #sftf #we're BACK BABY

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insomniacwriter17 · 5 months

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Saved from the Flames - Chapter Thirty

"When you’re born in a burning house, you think the whole world is on fire. But it’s not.” –Richard Kadrey

AKA: The story of how Bob Newby became a real life superhero for one little boy who needed saving.

Inspired by this post I saw from @connordax

read on ao3

The Byers ended up staying at the Newby house for two nights, until Jim Hopper could confirm that Lonnie had found a hotel room in a nearby town and was definitely not back at their house. Bob and Joyce tiptoed around the problem and just didn’t talk about it, all while trying to keep the boys from realizing what was wrong.

Billy had picked up on enough cues to know that Jonathan and Will’s dad was at least a little bit like his dad – well, Neil. Not Bob, obviously. But the adults weren’t talking about it, and Billy wasn’t going to bring it up. But he knew. Billy knew why Jonathan flinched when something was too loud, and why Will carried around his little stuffed raccoon, named Fluff, like his life depended on it. Will had told Billy that he was even planning on carrying Fluff to school in his backpack, “But he’ll stay in there because he’s shy.”

Despite the weird few days that had occurred, things settled into a normal rhythm pretty quickly after the disruption. The last few days of summer faded away far too quickly, and soon school started.

Bob remembered the exact day it happened. It was late August, Billy was safely at school, and Bob had breakfast with Joyce, where she had just told him that she was filing for divorce as well as a protective order against Lonnie. Now Bob was rearranging a few vinyl players when the phone rang. He answered it just like he always did – “Thanks for calling Radio Shack. This is Bob.”

“Bob! Great! Listen…I have news,” Gabby’s voice filtered through the radio. “We did it! We have a date!” she sang, and Bob froze.

“A-a date? Like…a court date?” he confirmed, trying not to get his hopes up.

“We have a court date,” Gabby echoed. Bob could hear the smile in her voice, and it was contagious. “Tuesday, September 21 at 9 AM.”

Bob was already walking back to his office, pushing papers off the calendar on his desk so that he could look at the next month’s dates. “That’s…that’s just four weeks from now.”

“What?” Gabby chuckled. “You think you won’t be ready by then?” she teased. “I’m sure the judge would be willing to push it a few weeks if we need to.”

“No, no, that’s…that’s perfect! I…am just surprised,” he admitted. “It doesn’t feel real.”

“Oh, but it is,” Gabby promised. “I’m looking at the order on my desk as we speak,” she told him. “And a copy is being sent to you as well in the mail. But I couldn’t wait to tell you.”

“That’s amazing news. Thank you, Gabby!” Bob laughed into the phone, circling the date on his calendar. September 21. And all of this would be over. “I…you’re amazing! Thank you so much.”

“Don’t thank me,” Gabby chuckled. “This is all the judge. I am simply the messenger.”

Bob’s feet carried him over to Melvald’s before he had even had a conscious thought about it. He told Joyce the news, and of course, she was ecstatic. “That gives me four weeks to plan a party,” she grinned.

Bob shook his head. “You don’t have to!” he insisted. “Come on, nothing’s technically changing. It’s just the finalization of what we’re already doing.”

“Nope,” Joyce rebuked, shaking her head as she pulled away from the hug she’d given Bob. “You don’t get to downplay this. This is the most exciting thing in your life, and definitely the biggest thing to ever happen to Billy. We will be celebrating.”

Finally, Bob relented, but only on the condition that the party was nothing big. Joyce gave him a very non-committal agreement, and then Bob was counting down the minutes until he could pick Billy up from school and tell him the news.

It turned out that Billy had his own news to share, and as soon as he climbed into the backseat, Billy was shoving a math test up into the front seat. “Dad, look!” he exclaimed. “I made the highest grade in the whole class!” A big red 96 was marked on the top, and Bob turned in his seat to look at Billy.

“Dude, this is awesome!” he cheered, reaching out to high-five Billy. “Look at you go!” Billy giggled as he slapped his dad’s outstretched hand before settling back in his seat. “Guess I’m officially the dad of a certified genius,” Bob mused, wondering if Billy would take the bait.

Whenever Bob’s status as dad was brought up in any other way than a name, Billy tended to comment on it and say things like ‘Not yet’ or ‘You will be soon!’. Almost like he was trying to remind them both that as much as they wanted it, it wasn’t official yet. And each time it made Bob sad to think that Billy was holding open the door for disappointment.

But today was different. When Billy replied, “Well, not officially yet! We gotta see the judge first, remember?” Bob mentally cheered for the nearly perfect lead in.

“Yup.” Bob pulled into a parking spot in the staff parking lot and turned to look at Billy. “How do you feel about September 21? It’s a Tuesday.”

Billy blinked at him, processing. “I have art on Tuesdays,” he offered quietly. “But I think Ms. Kate would be okay with me missing if we’re going to see the judge.” Then he straightened in his seat. “Wait…we’re going to see the judge?” he asked, as if he was just realizing what Bob had said.

“We are,” Bob nodded, a smile breaking out on his face. “How do you feel about that?”

Billy nodded so hard that Bob was almost afraid the boy was going to hurt himself, and Billy let go of his seatbelt so he could jump forward and hug Bob. The man laughed but caught Billy even at the odd angle, Billy hugging him tight as he stretched himself over the front console of the car. “I’m excited,” the boy admitted in a shaky voice.

“I am too, kiddo,” Bob smiled, tightening his grip on Billy until the boy wiggled out of his arms.

“How many days?” Billy asked as he moved back into his seat. “Until we go?”

“Twenty,” Bob replied with a smile. “Just twenty days.”

Billy nodded. “I want to put it on my calendar!” he grinned, bouncing in his seat. “Are we going home? Or do we have to go to Radio Shack?” he wondered.

“Oh we’re heading home,” Bob nodded as he backed out of the parking spot he’d pulled into. “We have an important date to add to the calendar, and then we’re going to make whatever you want for dinner.”

Billy grinned as he buckled his seatbelt. “Even if I want pancakes and…hot dogs?” He giggled madly at Bob’s confused look in the rearview mirror.

“Like…on the side? Or pancakes instead of a hot dog bun? What are we looking at here?” Bob sounded skeptical, and Billy laughed madly at the thought.

“No, I was kidding!” he insisted, shaking his head. “But can we have pancakes?”

“No hot dogs?” Bob smirked.

“No hot dogs!” Billy agreed, grinning. “Just pancakes!”

“Just pancakes?” Bob asked in surprise. “Fine, no bacon? Or eggs? Not even any syrup?!” He gasped. Billy was laughing hysterically and insisting that wasn’t what he meant, and it was the best sound Bob had ever heard. “Alright,” he shrugged as he tried to keep a straight face. “Just pancakes it is!”

“No, Dad! I want the other stuff, too!” Billy laughed, wiggling excitedly in the seat. “Please? Pancakes aren’t as good without all the other stuff!”

Bob pretended to think about it, chuckling as Billy continued to beg. “Okay, okay, we’ll make bacon and eggs, too. Play your cards right and I might even break out the butter and syrup.”

When they got home, Billy ran down the hall to the bathroom, where he still had his calendar hanging up. By the time Bob followed him, Billy had scrambled onto the counter and was looking at the calendar. “September 21, right?” he asked, looking over his shoulder at Bob.

“September 21,” Bob echoed with a smile. “It’s a Tuesday.” He watched as Billy found the date on his calendar and then grabbed his blue marker and wrote JUDGE in the little box.

Blue is stuff I’m excited for. The memory of Billy explaining the color-coding of his calendar made Bob’s chest swell with pride. A moment later, Billy slid off the counter and dropped the marker back into the drawer they were kept in. “Alright, come on, it’s too nice outside for you to spend it inside. Go get changed into some play clothes and you can play in the backyard until dinner.”

Billy nodded and headed to his room, and Bob headed to his office. A few minutes later, he heard Billy’s door open, and the tell-tale sound of footsteps into the office doorway.

Bob spun around in his chair to see Billy dressed in some athletic shorts and a t-shirt that was just a little too faded to be worn to school, Winslow hugged to his chest. Billy cocked his head to the side. “Can I help you cook dinner tonight?” he asked curiously.

Bob smiled. “Of course you can, buddy. I’d love that.”

Billy grinned. “Okay! Then I’m going to go play,” he decided. “But you’ll call me when you’re ready to cook?” he confirmed.

Bob nodded. “I sure will, bud. Trust me, not a single pancake will be made without you.”

Seemingly satisfied with that answer, Billy giggled and ran off to play outside. He made his way out to the swingset with Winslow in his arms, and the bear sat on the crossbar of the frame while Billy began to swing.

The sun was just beginning to set when Bob opened the back door, leaning against the doorframe as he watched Billy swing. He watched with a small smile as Billy propelled himself forward and back, his long blonde curls tangled in the wind. The sight was sweet, and Bob let him swing for a few more seconds before he called, “I need my sous chef!”

Billy’s head whipped toward the door so he could see Bob. “Can I jump?” he called, and Bob nodded.

“Go for it!” he encouraged. Billy swung himself back and forth a few more times before launching himself out of the swing, falling to the ground with enough force that Bob winced. But Billy bounced up immediately, swiping grass off his shirt and running to grab Winslow from the playscape.

Cooking dinner was one of Billy’s favorite activities. He felt useful and getting to eat the finished product was also a lot more fun than eating whatever was pushed in front of him. He’d gotten braver about his food, too. He still didn’t like tomatoes, but he did like green beans, he’d learned.

But breakfast for dinner was his favorite, because there were no vegetables involved with dinner. The closest thing to a vegetable involved with dinner was the glass of milk Bob requested he drink, and Billy liked milk. “Hey, Dad?” Billy asked curiously as they carried their plates to the table. Billy’s was loaded down with pancakes, bacon, and eggs, and both of them knew that Billy would soon pour maple syrup over everything on the plate.

“Yeah?” Bob looked over at the young boy and knowingly passed over the bottle of syrup. Billy took the bottle happily and upended it onto his plate, quiet as he focused on making sure there was an adequate amount of syrup on what seemed like every square inch of his plate.

Once he was done and putting the bottle of syrup back down, Billy looked up at Bob. “After we see the judge and he gives you the parental rights and all that, does that mean we’ll stop seeing Gabby?”

Bob paused for a moment and then nodded. “Yeah, it does. Gabby’s job is to help kids find foster homes, and then to check in on them and help them understand what’s happening in their cases. After I adopt you, there won’t be a Billy Hargrove case to watch, so she’ll use that time to help another kid that needs it.”

Billy nodded slowly, thinking as he speared a bite of egg. “She’s gotta make sure other kids have a safe place to go, right?”

Bob smiled. “Yeah, exactly.”

Billy picked up a piece of bacon dripping in maple syrup. “She doesn’t have to worry about me anymore.” The sentence was simple and quiet, and just as quickly as he said it, Billy was focused on getting the bacon from his plate and into his mouth without spilling syrup on his shirt.

Bob was quiet for a moment, watching Billy with a watery smile. “Yeah, you’re right,” he finally agreed quietly with a nod. “She’s never going to have to worry about you again.”

Billy’s grin was contagious as he looked up at Bob. “Never ever,” he agreed with a shake of his head.

Never ever.

#stranger things #billy hargrove #ao3 #insomniacwriter17 #fandom #bob newby #billy hargrove deserved better #saved from the flames #sftf #foster care au #cw: child abuse

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