#i did go ahead and watch like 4 seasons after tho. its alright | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ibemandapanda · 4 years

Text

Pink Elephants Part II

(Part I can be found here )

(First line inspired by this famous post)

A Stranger Things Oneshot depicting Billy alive (not surviving) in a theory I had yet to see. Not to give anything away, but we’ll be going all the way back to Season 2 Episode 9. (Harringrove within, no smut tho, sorry 😐)

10,765 words

Summary:

Their Billy died on July 4th, 1985. This Billy has been missing for months now and has finally returned.

Excerpt:

Someone had once said that Life and Death had been in love longer than we have words to describe. Life sent gifts to Death, and Death kept them forever.

Steve never really understood death as intimately as he did until July 4th, 1985. Life did not gift Billy Hargrove to Death, he was stolen. His life was cut short and it felt like only Steve, and Max, knew that he was an innocent bystander, who tried so hard to fight against the odds, and paid a price way too high. And now Steve had to live with the fact that the last thing he ever said to Billy before they broke up on that June 27th was just how he could go fuck himself six ways to Sunday.

Robin pulled him back into the present pointing up to the night sky, “That’s Ursa Major.”

Steve hummed in supposed agreement. To be honest he was barely paying attention, head in the clouds. Had it not been for the cool spring breeze keeping him somewhat alert he might have ignored her completely. He asked, “Weren’t we just talking about Scorpio and how he stabbed Orion to death or something?” That one hit hard.

“Yea but Ursa Major is right there and you can only see her in the Spring season,” she pointed a little more aggressively.

“What’s her story?”

“There’s a few different ones but they all basically end with the Greek nymph Callisto being turned into a bear against her will for one reason or the other,” she explained.

Someone had once said that Life and Death had been in love longer than we have words to describe. Life sent gifts to Death, and Death kept them forever.

Robin pulled him back into the present pointing up to the night sky, “That’s Ursa Major.”

“Yea but Ursa Major is right there and you can only see her in the Spring season,” she pointed a little more aggressively.

“What’s her story?”

“There’s a few different ones but they all basically end with the Greek nymph Callisto being turned into a bear against her will for one reason or the other,” she explained. She turned to face him on the step of his doorstep, “Why don’t you know this? I thought you were an astrology nerd or something.”

Steve slid down to her step to emphasis the point he was about to make, “First, its astronomy. Astrology is for hippies and stay-at-home mothers. Astronomy is an actual science like that cluster in Ursa Major is the Big Dipper and that star there,” he tried his best to point from her eye line, “That super bright star, is Alioth. Second, I’m not a nerd, I have a hobby.”

She laughed in his face, “Ok, ok….,” she paused for just a beat, “Nerd.”

“Alright...” he turned back around to face the street. He checked his watch, “Where the hell are they? They said it was a code red. That’s the ‘oh shit’ color right?”

She shrugged, “I’m pretty sure it is.”

As if Dustin could hear their conversation from all the way down the block, they heard a very loud and obnoxious, of what can only be described as, screech of various pitches, “SSSTTEEEEEEEVVVEEE!!!!”

Steve buried his face in his hands, “Oh my God, why me…..”

Dustin was relentless as him and Mike pedaled their bikes like hell up the drive way, “Steve! Do you have your keys? We need to go now!”

Steve stood from the step, “That’s your code red? You jackasses need a ride somewhere?”

Mike threw his bike down next to Dustins. He meant business. “No douche! Its the compasses!”

Robin stood up next to Steve, “The what?”

“The compasses! They’re not pointing true North… again! The last that happened, a gate was open.”

Steve interjected before everybody got worked up, “Woah, woah, woah. Wait a minute. Maybe the compass is just broken.” Mentioning anything upside-down related was taboo. Especially with the heavy losses of last year.

Dustin pulled his back pack around his shoulder and all but tore the poor thing open. He dug around and extracted 6 different compasses and positioning himself accordingly. “Steve, just look. They’re all pointing in the same direction.”

Robin peered over Steve’s shoulder, “I’m guessing that's not really North?”

“No, its not,” Dustin dropped all but one compass back into the bag, “Steve, biking is gunna’ take too long. It’s already like 10pm. Can you please drive us? If we follow the compass like Lucas did last time, we might able to find the gate and if there is actually a gate, you’ll be glad we found it.”

Steve, forever hands on his hips, was stunted. “I mean-… what- ughh, I guess! But what if there is a gate and what if there’s a Demogorgan or Demo-dog thing too?”

Mike said confidently, “Then you’ll be glad we’re in a car.”

Steve caved, “Alright yea, whatever, let’s go, get in the car.”

Within a matter of seconds they piled into the BMW. Dustin sat shotgun so he could direct Steve. He obeyed the raving teenager next to him diligently and at a preferred pace so he didn't out ride the compass. This was far from what he wanted to do tonight. He wanted to be alone but Robin knew he would be extra moody tonight. It was, after all, the one year anniversary of his first kiss with him…

~*~

The air was polluted, sick, and flaking, perpetual night murderously drowning anything like hope or perseverance. But by now he was used to it, this hellscape had been his home for a while now. This was not a life to live but what other choice did he have? Give up?

No, not him. Maybe those of lesser substance but he was steel and fire and broken glass.

A monstrous roar erupted from ahead. It was a creature born of the Nether, a clear predator bred for this vile environment. He had never seen something so fucking hideous; it had no eyes that he could see, was nine feet tall, and had a face that that even a mother would want to smother. It opened like a mutated flower.

He’s been killing these things for months now. Or as long as he guesstimated, he’d lost count some time ago. They were aggressive and hard to kill. But he found that once pinned and decapitated, they were pretty harmless. They were easier to take out when they are younger and running on all fours. They’re faster but less experienced for sure. And it was just a matter of stepping on them in their larva stage. But once they evolved to bipedal, they became pretty resilient and a hell of lot stronger.

Lucky for him this place is a reflection of his old home even though he was only there for a short time. He knew where the hardware store was, or the dilapidated version of it here, and they sold bullets. And where there were bullets, there were guns. Unfortunately those guns were all but useless here. The bullet didn’t fire, they were all duds.

So the bow and arrows would have to do.

Creeping along following the monster was somewhat easy in the woods. Vines with minds of their own and diseased plant life were slicked in some kind of septic mucus. So even in the dark, crunching of wood and leaves wasn’t generally a problem. Nothing was dried out enough to force such a noise and give him away.

The creature lurched and prowled further towards a clearing and he followed closely behind studying it before he ended its miserable life. What the hell was it doing?

It stopped before a particularly thick tree and placed his claws on it. He growled in clicks and quips as if debating with itself. He shifted about from behind the scene to get a better look.

With an unholy roar the monster made its decision and started clawing the hell out of the tree.

“The fuck?”

It clawed and tore endlessly. The hunter was taken back by the sudden red glow from the tree. He knew that glow, it was same light of the portal that got him here so long ago.

The monster ripped and pried and pulled it open wider and wider. It was going to step through.

“Yea, fuck that...”

The hunter stood plugging his thumb and fore finger to his mouth. The whistle was high and pitched and he had earlier discovered was like a cryptonite for these hell beasts. It spun around angered opening its face that preceded an atrocious bloody roar.

He grabbed his bow and arrow, and with extensive practice, aimed for the back of its mouth, passed all of the rows and sharp teeth. After killing enough of these things he’s since learned the back of the mouth and opposing side of the base of its head were the softest and easiest to pierce.

The arrow cut through the air like butter making a direct hit and pinning the beast to the tree behind. The hunter made haste pulling his hatchet from the pack and making quick work to remove the head from the flailing body. He had learned from experience to strike from behind. He earned himself a cut across the face when he had first arrived here. It didn’t allow much power into the swing but two or three hacks usually did the job.

The body fell to the ground and he pulled the arrow from its unmoving mouth. The grotesque head falling with a thud to the forest floor. He wiped the blood, or what he assumed was blood, from his instruments and stowed them away again.

He finally noticed the red glowing portal closing.

“Shit! No!”

He ran like hell to it and all but dived head-first through it. He tore through the membrane of the wall with his nails and pushed the rest of the way through falling the ground.

He was breathing hard as he sat up and the portal closed completely behind him.

“What the hell? It’s still dark...” did he not leave the Netherrealm?

He took a deep breath standing tall. The air…. It was…

He felt suddenly lightheaded, stars dancing in his peripheral.

“Fuck...” he fell to the ground, losing his grip completely on consciousness.

~*~

Steve was pulled over on the side of Cornwallis Rd. The group had lost track of said gate about 20 minutes ago and were waiting for the compasses to react again. Steve sighed ready to just go home.

Dustin nudged him, “Come on, this is serious.”

“Yea so serious, maybe it was something else entirely. The gate was closed guys and it took a hell of a lot to open and close it. It can’t just pop up and out from nowhere.”

Mike countered, “Not true, the Demogorgan was able to create it own gates. You saw it Steve. Remember? In the Byers house?”

He sighed again. The little shit was right but he argued, “But there was a main gate open. The big one El had to close. That was the one Lucas followed and found when he was outside the gates of Hawkins Lab. Without a main gate, the Demogorgan cant just create its own gate.”

“It’s still worth investigating. Without Hopper or Mrs. Byers or even El, its our responsibility now,” Mike crossed his arms leaning back into his seat.

Steve scoffed under his breath, “Well aren’t you just a regular Karl von Spreti….”

Robin yelped, “Hey guys? The compasses are moving again!” her eyes glued to one in her hand.

Dustin quickly checked the two he carried, “Holy shit she’s right, Steve Go Go Go! Straight ahead!”

He didn't hesitate as he shoved his key back into the ignition and the engine turned over. He floored the gas pedal and drove.

Dustin studied the compasses, “They moved just a fraction but they definitely moved!”

Mike sat forward again studied his compass, “Its pulling west, I think were getting closer guys!”

Robin leaned up shoving Mike back, “Hey slow down, we might miss it.”

Steve did so looking about the left side of the road or what he assumed was west as everyone else was looking the same way. They were heading into ‘Farmers Row’. All the Hawkins Farmers fields were out this way.

They came to a break in the trees on the side of the road where an unused clearing of field sat untouched.

Dustin was almost in the drivers seat from pure excitement, “Woah! Stop Steve! Pull over here.”

Steve did so pulling the car over the opposite lane and into the grass a little more aggressively then he probably could’ve.

They all looked into the clearing and saw it.

About 200 ft to the edge of the clearing, where the tree line began, there was an eerie red glow, one most of the occupants were familiar with, and gaped.

Mike pulled the lock up on his door, “Holy shit, we were right Dustin! It is a gate!”

Steve immediately locked the door again with the front control buttons, “Where the hell do you think your going?”

“To investigate you butthole, open the door!”

Robin stopped the argument before it could begin, “Hey! We’ll all go together. Steve get your bat.”

Steve agreed and unlocked the doors. They all exited and he retrieved his bat from the trunk.

They stood on the edge of the field and Steve held his arm out, “Wait! I have the weapon, I go first. Stay. Behind. Me.”

Steve thought they all made the same scoffing sound of varying tones but they obeyed none the less. He led them out at a slow but even pace closer to what he could now see was really just a red line in the trunk of a tree. It looked like a lightening bolt almost zig zaging side to side with its hellish-like glow. It must have just closed.

That’s when Steve saw it. He held up his fist demanded they stop, “Are you guys seeing what I'm seeing?” There was a prone figure laying face down on the ground.

Dustin peered around him, “Is that a dude? Did he come out of the gate? Was he living in the upside down?!”

Steve grabbed his should, “Yo buddy, take a chill pill. We don’t know yet...”

Robin peered around Dustin, “He doesn’t look responsive...”

Steve started stepping forward, “Alright easy now, and quiet...”

They all but tip toed closed to the body. Steve was in poking distance and looked him over.

The first thing he noticed was that he was dirty. At least his clothes were. There was a pack strapped to his back that looked full along with a bow strung about his shoulder. The butt ends of arrows stuck out from the pack. The hood of his jacket obscured his face. “This guy looks like he’s seen some shit….”

Mike asked, “Should we turn him over? See if he still alive?”

Steve shrugged. They probably should. “Alright Dust, me and you buddy,” they walked to the same side, “You grab his leg, I’ll get his shoulder.”

They both gripped an article of clothing on the body and with little effort were able to roll the mysterious man to his back. The mans head lolled to the side and Steve immediately recognized him.

Mike was the first to break the silence, “Holy. Fuck. That’s Billy Hargrove. That’s Billy freaking Hargrove!”

Dustin’s hands were tangled in his own hair, “Oh man, oh man, oh man, oh shit, oh man. What the hell?! How the hell is he alive right now?! Is he alive? Is he breathing? Mike, check!”

“What?! Dude, no, you check!”

Robin, trying to focus elsewhere as hard as it was, grabbed onto Steve’s arm, “Steve? You ok?”

“No, no I’m not.” He turned around, her grip gone, and he was hands on knees breathing hard.

Billy Hargrove was supposed to be dead. Steve watched the enormous people-spider made of 30 some odd flayed dead bodies stab Billy through the chest like a hole puncher. He had to watch his love die slowly and painfully from the second floor mezzanine. When the Mind Flayers puppet fell to the food court floor unmoving he ran like hell down the stairs and across the court even when the rest yelled for him to wait. Max was crying into El’s shoulder and El was shaking her head ‘no’ to Steve. He remembered kneeling next to his body and crying. His friends didn’t understand why he cried for someone they thought he hated but in that moment he didn’t need to explain himself. He loved that boy and he was fucking dead. And he wasn’t able tell him he loved him one last time because Steve was jealous and was trying to teach him a lesson.

This was either some kind of cruel joke or a second chance.

Mike stood yelling, “Steve! What the hell man?! You gunna’ give us a hand or what?”

Steve spun about, “Give me a second you little puke.” He was surely getting his breathing under control and shit collectively together. Now was not the time to break down. Of course, that was always much easier said than done.

Mike rolled his eyed hard enough to fall out of their sockets. Dustin on the other hand was by his side, not entirely understanding Steve initial reaction, but there for him none the less.

“I’m not sure what’s going through your head right now,” he said to Steve, “But it’s gunna’ be ok. We’re all here together, and we’ll figure this all out together. I know he kind of kicked your ass and you guys hated each other but we gotta’ work together right now. We can’t leave him here.”

Steve stood finally daring to look at the stone-like face of a memory on the ground. Steve grunted slapping a hand for his forehead, “My God, what the hell are we going to tell Max? I forgot all about her!” He’d forgotten he wasn’t the only person who cared deeply about Billy.

Robin told him, “We’ll deal with it later, right now I think we need to get him to a hospital or something.”

Mike stopped that train of thought in its tracks, “No way, everyone thinks he’s dead and its going to be bad if this goes public. His family was given a fake body to bury.”

“Well,” Dustin said, “it was a closed casket...”

Steve, hands on hips, agreed with Mike, “No, Wheeler’s right. We can’t let anyone know about this yet. But we need to get out of here. That road is one of three into Hawkins on this side of town, its busier than you think. We don’t need anyone seeing us and calling the cops on us. Once we get back to my house, we call Nancy. She’ll know what to do.”

Dustin tugged on his jacket sleeve, “We need to radio Lucas and Max. They were together earlier and she needs to know.”

Steve agreed.

But for now they needed to lug Billy back to his car because nothing short of bomb going off three feet from his head was apparently going to wake him with all the yelling they’ve been doing. Robin and Steve each grabbed an arm and boys each grabbed a leg. They hauled him back to the car with little to no hiccups as Steve kept repeating, ”Don’t fucking drop him!” Billy was now precious cargo and he was trying not to think about feeling of his dead ex’s body beneath his hands.

They laid him gently on the grass of the side of the road as Mike said, “Alright, open the trunk.”

Steve laughed, “Excuse me? The trunk?” He here was about to open the back door of the car, like an idiot...

“Yes the trunk! What if he’s still flayed? I don’t wanna’ be stuck in the back seat with a flayed Billy Hargrove. Do even remember what he did your face not flayed?”

“Yea, I vaguely remember you little shit….”

Robin shrugged, “He’s got a point Steve. If he wakes up in the backseat with us and he’s still flayed, none of us will have a chance. Mike showed us what he did to the front gate of Scoops. He tore it open with his bare hands...”

Damn, they were both right. Steve turned to Dustin, “You wanna weigh in too?”

Without even hesitating, “I vote trunk.”

So it was decided, Billy was riding in the trunk.

He walked around the rear of the car and popped it open. With group effort they dropped him in after removing his bow and pack. The others found their previous seats as Steve closed the trunk lid but not before making a makeshift pillow with previously discarded sweaters and whispering an unheard apology.

The first mile was blessedly silent until Dustin opened his mouth. “How the hell is he alive? We all saw him bleed out on the mall floor. We all saw the Mind Flayer stab the literal life out of him.”

Robin leaned up, “We should’ve checked for scars or something. What if hes like… a copy or something?”

“A copy?” Mike asked.

“Yea, like an evil twin. If the Mind Flayer could make that giant people-beast, could it make copies of one person?”

Dustin turned around in his seat, “I don’t think so but never say never. As many times as we’ve encountered the Upside Down, we’re still severely… hilariously- lacking information about it.”

Steve disagreed, “He’s not an evil twin, that's just asinine...”

Dustin laughed, “But a giant shadow monster from another dimension who knew how to chemically alter human beings to breakdown to the molecular level to reform into a 3 story tall monster was perfectly logical right?”

Steve knew not the slap a 15 year old child... but the urge was strong. “And it looked like hell. I’m just saying what if its the real Billy. What if he did survive?”

Mike asked, “Then how did he end up in the Upside Down if the gate was closed the exact same moment the monster died?”

“How did that small one open again?” Steve retorted.

Robin interjected, “Which leads to another question… You guys said El made the first main gate. And there’s more experiments like her, right? What if another experiment opened a gate we can’t detect from here. We’re only picking up the small ones.”

Dustin asked, “Like its too far away? That’s a valid point. But if there is a big gate, we still don’t know who or what opened the little one that let out Evil Billy in the trunk.”

Steve yelled, “He’s not evil!” So what if he was biased.

“Why are you so defensive? That guy was an asshole pre-flaying! He at least a reason to be angry when he got flayed!”

Steve, finally making it back to his house with miraculously only one unconscious body in the car, parked in his driveway ignoring him. He thanked himself for not leaving the porch light on. He didn’t need his neighbors seeing him lug in a body at 12:30am.

He looked to his front step seeing a shadow of a figure. “Hey Wheeler, is that Nancy?”

Mike looked in the same direction, “How the hell did she know I was here?”

Robin laughed, “Really? How did the aspiring reporter who took the story of the rats and chemicals and busted it wide open last year find you? Really?”

Mike scoffed ignoring her and getting out. Steve told him to keep it quiet, if he knew the Wheeler siblings, he knew they got loud with each other.

“What are you doing here Nancy?”

She walked up to him with the confidence of a mother scolding her child, “I heard you and Dustin panicking in the basement and literally yelling you had to get to Steve’s house. You’re supposed to be having a sleepover at home. I’m kind of insulted you didn’t come to me at all. Seriously, what the hell Mike? What’s going on?”

Mike deflated somewhat, “Honestly? I didn’t think you needed to be anymore stressed out, it being your senior year and all. And I didn’t want you to worry if it turned out to be a false alarm. You deserved a night off.”

Steve waved from his spot leaned against his car, “Thanks man...”

Nancy waved her hand flat in the air right in Mikes face, “Nice try peon, you just didn’t want me steeling your thunder. Regardless, you should’ve come to me. We talked about this.”

Mike rolled his eyes for nth time tonight, “Ok, I’m sorry.” He absolutely did not sound sorry.

She sighed, “So did you actually find anything?”

Steve was already opening the trunk of the car, “You might wanna come over and see this.”

She was immediately put into high alert and he saw her expression change within a second. She hurried over peering into the trunk. “Oh… my God. Is that-”

“Yea,” Steve said, “We need to get him inside, like, now.”

Steve handed Nancy his house keys and instructed her to open the front door after he told her to grab Billy’s bow and pack from the backseat of the car. The remaining team shimmied and juggled the still, amazingly, sleeping Billy from the trunk and began their haul inside. Thankfully Steve’s parents would be gone for another week on business so he didn't need to worry about unwanted company or have to explain why there was a malnourished, unconscious, and filthy teenage boy on the floor.

Nancy led the way after shutting the front door behind them.

“Not the couch,” Steve told them all, “His clothes are disgusting...”

For whatever reason Nancy took this as a gesture to clear the kitchen table. Billy was getting heavy so they followed her lead and laid him out on the table like Thanksgiving dinner. Steve would have preferred the floor but beggars couldn’t be choosers right this second.

Nancy asked, “Now what?”

Dustin was already getting glasses from the cupboard and filling them with the water dispenser in the fridge door. “We wait,” he said, “Billy is going to have answers. But in the meantime, we need to radio Lucas and Max. She’s probably gone home by now.”

Mike said, “Steve, where’s you radio? It’s way too late to call their houses.”

“Upstairs in my room. Two doors down on the right. Its on top of my dresser- Don’t go peeping through my stuff Wheeler!”

A muffled ‘whatever’ drifted from around the corner.

Nancy stood next to Robin who both stood over Billy looking him up and down. Steve saw what they did. His face was dirty and gaunt, he was thin and black circles accented his eyes.

Robin spoke up, “Should we look for the scars? See if he really is the Billy from Starcourt?”

Nancy shook her head, “I don’t think we should touch him. What if he’s still flayed and we wake him like that? I don’t wanna be grabbed...”

Dustin handed the girls glasses of water, “We thought the same thing. We won’t know until he wakes up.”

Nancy tilted her head to side like a puppy listening intently. “Look at his hair.”

Steve did; it was long.

“I feel like its a lot longer than 8 months worth of growth.”

Robin agreed, “Yea and the scar across his nose. Its white and perfectly even with his skin. It’s been there for a long time. Did he always have that?”

“No,” Steve said.

Dustin asked, “You sure?”

“Yea, I’m sure.”

“How do you know?”

Steve sighed, “I- wh-... Probably because I got an up close look about a year and half ago when he head butted me in the face.”

“...Oh right...”

Mike stormed back into the kitchen, “You don’t even have batteries in this Steve! No wonder we had to call you on the phone.”

Steve countered, “I was gunna’ get around to it!”

You would’ve thought Mike just witnessed Steve kick a puppy with the disgusted look on his face. Steve just chalked up Mike’s incessant bad attitude to a rocky bout of overly hormonal puberty.

Mike found the junk drawer in the island of the kitchen and started jamming AA’s into the back of the radio. He clicked it on and dialed in the common channel.

“Lucas! Max! This Mike, this a code red! I repeat, this is a code red! Come in! Over..” He waited a few seconds before repeating the transmission and paced himself into the dining room.

Nancy grabbed everyone's attention once more. “I know its late, but we need to call Joyce. She’ll know what to do. Maybe she can contact Dr. Owens and he can help too.”

Steve nodded, “Yea, that's probably a good idea. Let’s just pray he wakes up normal.”

Robin looked at him with grief and said without saying anything at all… ‘Don’t get your hopes up...’

Mike came back in placing the radio on the island counter, “Lucas and Max are on their way. They’re both gunna’ have to sneak out though.”

Now they all stood around Billy. Steve said, “That’s going to be the least of her worries.”

He watched Billy’s face start to twitch.

Robin stood back as Dustin announced, “Oh shit guys I think this is it….” Steve didn’t budge.

They all stayed perfectly still for what seemed like forever but in reality was maybe 30 seconds. Billy had no further movement but Steve had a feeling he would be waking very soon. He seen Billy sleep more times than he can count and knew when he fell out of REM he started twitching. Steve thought himself to be a creep but Billy had thought it was amusing.

Nancy sighed “Ok false alarm… Lets just relax for a minute and collect ourselves. We’re all jumping to conclusions and freaking ourselves out-”

Mike argued, “I’m pretty sure an evil Billy is something to freak out about.”

Steve leaned back on the island, “Again with that? He’s not a copy man! The Mind Flayer probably isn’t that good at making people and it had no reason to even make a single person. Like I said in the car, look at that abomination it made before? It looked like a gelatinous pile a human remains that were just run through a wood chipper.”

Robin gagged at the memory.

Dustin leaned back against the wall, “But we can’t exclude it Steve. I’m sorry but there’s no way Billy survived. His chest was crushed. He bled out and stopped breathing. This world’s Billy died. This Billy here? We have no idea who he is or where he came from. We can’t strike it from the possibility that hes a direct creation of the Mind Flayer. And if, and I mean I big fat if, he did survive and this is Billy from July? Only extraterrestrial powers could’ve helped him do so and in turn would mean he’s flayed.”

Mike added, “And how would he have even gotten out of the mall? It was surrounded.”

Steve couldn’t argue with that because he had tried to feel for a pulse on Billy back in July and found none. His blood had stopped flowing because his heart had stopped beating. Steve the man knew he was dead but Steve the lover just didn’t want to accept it.

The doorbell rang. Steve told them, “Stay here, I’ll get it.”

Robin called to him, “Warn her first!”

“I know...”

He made his way to the front door trying to prolong the inevitable but he knew he would be best suited to break in Max. He opened it to Lucas and Max on the doorstep. He let them in and they stripped of their coats in the foyer.

Steve hung their coats for them, “Listen, Max...” her face changed to one of seriousness, “we followed a lead with the compasses and found a closed gate-”

Lucas stepped back, “Are you serious? Another gate?”

Steve held up his hands, “Listen, the gate was closed when we got there but what found is a little more... disturbing, ok? Max...”

“Why do you keep saying my name?”

“Because this is going to heavily involve you and I need to you to stay as calm as possible-”

She demanded, “What the hell is going on? What does this have to do with me specifically?”

He sighed and just decided to lead her into the kitchen, it was apparent no words could prepare for something of this magnitude. He kept his hand on her shoulder as they rounded the corner and he could almost feel her eyes land on the prone figure atop the kitchen table. She stiffened up for only a second before leaping into action and making a run towards her brother.

Both Dustin and Mike grabbed her and blocked her path before she could make it all the way.

She yelled, “Get the hell out of my way! What are you doing? Let me see him damn it!”

Dustin shushed her, “Shhhh Max! You can’t touch him right now!”

Lucas came up from behind and gently rubbed her arms as she relented slightly. The boys loosened their grips on her but her tears still fell with no regard. Lucas did his best to comfort her while not loosing his shit as well.

“Why? Whats wrong? How-”

“We don’t know yet,” Dustin said, “We also don’t know if he’s still flayed or a product of the Mind Flayer, who I guess would be flayed by default...”

Max looked defeated. She promised not to touch but wanted a closer look. She walked about the table ending on Billys left side. Steve watched her look him over. She finally said, “He’s skinny...”

Robin rubbed circles on her upper back, “We don’t know how long he’s been in there. We pretty much know nothing so far.”

Max wiped her tears away unable to look at anyone else. Unfavorably, everyone was looking at her anyway.

“...mmm….”

Dustin backed up, “Oh shit, oh shit. I think its really happening this time!”

Mike shushed him and they lined the table. Steve was at Billy’s right shoulder leaning over. Billy’s breathing changed to a more shortened and rapid pace and his hands started moving. Both hands came to his face rubbing up and down before pulling away and opening his eyes.

He gasped immediately sitting up and, for the second time in his life, headbutted Steve in the face. At least it was an accident this time.

Both boys yelled aloud, “Ow, fuck!”

Billy laid back down on the table, hand to his head and eyes squeezed shut. Steve held his nose as the throbbing became more and more intense.

Steve pulled his hand away, “Shit!” it was covered in blood.

Dustin pointed at him, “Dude, your nose is bleeding!”

“Is it?” Steve asked sarcastically, “Is it bleeding Dustin? I couldn’t tell with all this blood in my mouth...” Steve turned back to the counter swiping a dishtowel from the rack and holding to his nose.

Billy was now completely sat up and rubbing his forehead. “God damn...” he hissed. He swung his legs over the side of table as Mike and Lucas moved. Billy got up and walked over to the island leaning on his elbows, face in his hands and long brown hair curtained around. “Shit,” he whispered.

Steve noticed that his roots were dark brown and his hair lightened more towards the ends. It showed he had been in the dark for a long time now. He was much more pale now too.

The group stared, all on edge, waiting for his next move. Steve watched him too from behind his towel.

Billy pinched the bridge of his nose and finally turned back to the group. “What?!”

Mike stepped forward, “Are you flayed?”

“What?”

“Are you flayed?” he repeated with more demand. “Are you under the control of the shadow monster?”

Billy leaned back on the island, “You mean that 10 story tall abomination? How do you know about that thing? And where the hell am I? How did you people find me?”

Steve saw Robin holding Max back and it was like Billy hadn’t even noticed her yet.

Lucas spoke up, “We call it the Mind Flayer, you described it last year as a giant shadow. You said it made you do bad things.”

Billy’s brows were furrowed, “What the hell are you talking about?”

Steve through the towel in the sink. “Billy, why don’t you have a seat and we can talk.”

Billy laughed, “Yea, cause we had a great conversation the last I saw you...” He obliged anyway and sat at the head of table. Steve felt that guilt immediately resurface. Their break up was not a clean cut break and they both said some unsavory things but he wasn’t expecting Billy to lash out this soon over it and in front of every one else considering nobody else knew.

The rest of the group sat and Billy finally laid eyes on Max. He seemed to soften somewhat looking into her tear filled eyes. He asked her, “What’s wrong?”

She threw caution to the wind and jumped from her seat throwing her arms around his neck. Nancy reached out to grab her but missed. He was visibly uncomfortable but didn’t push her away. Steve thought he maybe enjoyed human contact after so long.

“God I missed you,” she cried into his shoulder, “Neil’s been a grumpy nightmare since you’ve been gone. It’s been the longest 8 months of my life...”

He patted her back awkwardly, “I’ve only been gone eight months?” He looked up like he was thinking then said, “It’s kind of cold for July isn’t it?”

Max pulled back and everyone held their breath.

“Billy,” Nancy started, “It’s March.”

As Max sat back down, never taking her eyes off of him. Billy shook his head. “There’s no way it’s only March...”

Robin asked, “Can I ask… how long do you think you’ve been in there?”

Billy looked at Robin, “I’m sorry who are you?”

“I’m Robin, we had english and biology 3rd and 4th semester.”

Billy snorted, “What the hell are you talking about?”

Dustin was next to grab his attention, “Billy, don’t you remember getting flayed and dying in Startcourt mall? Do you remember Heather Halloway? You were both lifeguards at the pool! We need to know how you survived or if your a doppelganger or something.”

Billy looked at him like he sprouted a second head. “Ok… first of all I don’t remember what your name is either. Second, I don’t know what Starcourt mall is, I don’t know who Heather Halloway is, and never in my life have I ever guarded anyone's life besides my own.”

Steve looked at him bewildered, as did everyone else.

Dustin said, “You and I met like a hundred times. You know my name is Dustin. And this is Mike and Lucas. You gave me a ride home from school before.”

“I know Sinclair, I don’t know you two. Look weird kid, in the entire week I lived in Hawkins, I met you once at the Byers place.”

Steve wondered when both Billy and Dustin were at the Byers house at the same time. And one week? Max knew though, she told him, “That was like a year and a half ago...”

Billy threw his hands out and flat on the table, “What is today’s date?”

Mike said, “March 6th, 1986.”

Billy fell back in his chair, “Oh shit...”

Nancy, ever collected, gained control of the conversation, “Ok… Billy? Tell us the last thing you remember before going into the upside down.”

“The upside down?” he asked, “You mean the Nether?”

Lucas stage whispered to Dustin, “That’s a way cooler name...” He begrudgingly agreed.

Billy took a deep breath before folding into his story. Steve guessed they would ask their questions later.

“So, I remember looking all over Hawkins for Max because she decided to jump out her bedroom window and fucking leave. I went to the Byers place, beat the shit out of Steve Harrington, got a syringe stuck in my neck, then my step-sister threatening to nails my balls to the floor with that nightmare of a bat.”

Mike leaned forward, “Yea we remember that too, how did you get into the upside down?”

“Shut you dick holster, Mike, I’m getting there! I don’t know how long I was out for but I eventually came to and I could only open my eyes. It was like the rest of me was still paralyzed. Then this...thing. Monster… fell out of the fridge-”

Steve immediately sat back and straight up looking back to Dustin who looked back at him adorned the exact same expression.

Fuck….

“This thing started walking toward me, then passed me.”

Mike asked, “Was it on all fours or two legs?”

Billy shrugged, “It was in between. I don’t know how or why it was in a fridge but I'm pretty sure the cold was incubating it. From what I’ve seen, those things mature faster the colder they are.”

Dustin practically sprang from his seat, “Just like Dart! Dart hated the heated lamp in the terrarium and grew faster when he was in that lock box I made. It was dark and cold when I kept it in my locker.”

Billy continued, “Well, it walked right passed me and started digging in the floor and suddenly the room was glowing red.”

Nancy whispered, “It opened another damn gate.”

“Yea. This motherfucker came back to me and shoved its gross… hand? On my face and it felt like… it felt like it was pulling all of the air from my lungs, it was horrible.”

Steve asked, “What did it do?”

“It turned itself into me. I was looking up at myself.”

Steve buried his face in his hands, elbows on the table. Billy wasn’t talking about their break up conversation because he wasn’t never in a relationship with Steve and Steve’s heart was crumbling all over again. He was referring to their fight in November of 1984. So this was a joke after all, not a second chance. He had a horrifying feeling of where this was going…

“Then it dragged me over to the gate and dropped me through. By the time I could move my arms and legs the portal was closed.”

Robin asked, “And you’ve been surviving there ever since?”

He shook his head yes. “The natural streams were kind of clean and canned goods were like a lottery if they were rotten or not. There was always new ones every other day or so like magic or some shit.”

Dustin was wide eyed, “Holy shit. So you’re not the copy… the Billy we knew was! So you’re not flayed either.”

“Oooh!” Robin squeaked excitedly, “Like a mimic in your Dungeons and Nerds game right?”

Dustins chin slacked as he looked at her with a deadpan expression, “Its Dungeons and Dragons and no. Mimics can only turn into furniture to hunt their prey.”

Billy laughed, “What the fuck?”

Dustin continued, “Its more like a mixed between an incubus and a doppleganger.”

Mike agreed, “Yea, it didn’t just take Billy’s physical form, it took his entire life, his mannerisms and memories and shitty personality.”

Steve looked to Billy who just shrugged, “He’s not wrong...”

Nancy was putting two and two together, “That’s why nobody noticed. It literally turned itself into Billy and was living among us. It blended right in. But how did it survive the gate closing?”

Steve finally participated removing himself from his own dangerous thoughts, “Maybe it wasn’t flayed. You know? Maybe it was apart of like a… a pack mind and not a hive mind. That’s what you guys called it right? So it followed the flayed dogs out into the world with pack mentality then was sentiate when it acted on its own.” Robin looked extremely impressed with him.

Nancy agreed, “Steve’s right, with the gate closed it couldn’t have been flayed and survived.”

Max said, “He bled red. Whenever that Billy bled, it was red. Its blood wasn’t black until it got flayed.”

Steve wondered just how many times Max had seen Billy bleed to know that.

Billy spoke up, “The questions is now, how many of these doppelgangers are still out there and how do we find them?”

No one had an answer.

Billy leaned back again, “Excellent, so now my questions… where am I?”

Steve answered, “My house.”

He nodded, “And everyone thinks I’m dead?” he turned to Max, “Does Neil think I’m dead?”

Lucas asked, “You call your dad by his first name?”

Billy scoffed, “He doesn’t deserve that title until he actually acts like a father...”

“Yes,” Max said, “He was really upset for the first few months and wouldn’t allow anyone to touch your stuff for like 3 months. But he finally gutted your room.” She pulled a gold chain and pendant from under her shirt that was strung about her neck. “I thought this was yours and I wanted to keep your memory I guess...”

Billy must have been feeling some type of way because he smiled and pulled his matching necklace out too, “We match now. I guess that thing was able to make a copy of everything I was wearing that day too.”

Nancy asked changing the subject to her agenda, “Billy, how many of the Demogorgans have you seen recently open a gate? I think we can all assume that's how you got through this time right?”

“You mean that monster? And yea, I did. This one I was following for a while. It was acting erratic… at least more than usual. It’s like it knew it could open a portal and was looking for the perfect spot but I had never seen one do that before not counting the one that put me there.”

Nancy focused on the table lost in thought, “So that means there’s a main gate somewhere.”

Mike looked around Lucas to Billy, “You said you saw the Mind Flayer, the giant shadow. When did you see it?”

Billy laughed, “Yea I saw it a couple times. I’m pretty sure it didn’t see me. I may have been too small to notice or maybe it just didn’t give a shit about me ‘cause it knew I was stuck there.”

Steve wondered if the kids were finally exhausted of their questions because he desperately wanted to get up. He had the sudden urge to tear the skin from his bones.

Thankfully Billy stood first, “Ok enough questions. I desperately need a shower. Where’s the bathroom Harrington?”

Steve got up, “This way, I’ll get you a towel.” Billy followed.

~*~

Nancy asked the remaining group, “You whats weird? We had a blackout about a week before July 4th right? And Murray said his Russian scientist friend said that’s when the key was turned on and the gate was opened.”

Mike asked, “Yea and?”

“When the gate opened, the remnants of the Mind Flayer in our world were reawakened but from what El saw, Billy didn’t crash his car at the Steelworks and get flayed until like three days later.”

Robin caught on quickly, “Why did it wait so long to flay someone, right?”

Nancy agreed, “Exactly. Cherry Oak Drive is a main road. Plenty of people drive down it. Do we really think it was a coincidence that… Monster Billy was chosen?”

Dustin continued, “No, it purposely sought out Demo-Billy. And you know what? It had time to flay a shit load more people and it didn’t. What if it only flayed Demo-People?”

Max asked, “What are you guys talking about?”

Dustin elaborated, “If one Demo-Dog wasn’t flayed, more than likely there were more. They must have known or even sensed their presence here would’ve been a problem. So they took the places of the people from here.”

Mike chimed in, “And assuming Billy wasn’t the only person copied that night in November, maybe all of these Demo-People were still connected like Steve said, like a pack mind. Flayed Demo-Billy knew who the other Demo-People were and went after them specifically.”

Nancy interjected, “Other than single families, like Heather’s, there was no real connection between those 30 people. The un-flayed Demo-Dogs from a year and half ago wouldn’t have had a pattern of people to take over either.”

Max pondered on past instances, “You know… Billy was suddenly super close to Heather back then. They even got a job at the pool together after graduation.”

Robin leaned in, “So maybe we don’t need to worry about other Demo-People because they were all flayed and molted into the monster right?”

Nancy insisted, “Yea, essentially. But its only a theory. I don't know if we can prove it though. We still need to call Joyce and Owen’s. They need to know about this.”

She got up from the table and showed herself to the drawing room where there was a telephone. Nancy knew it was either very late or very early but Joyce would want to know about this no matter the time.

Lucas asked, “I wonder if Billy was the only person in the Upside Down.”

Dustin shrugged, “I think so, he was alone when we found him and he never mentioned anyone else.”

Mike sighed, “So that means if the un-flayed Demo-Dogs copied people, those people are probably dead. And if their dead, where are the bodies?”

“Billy said it dug into the floor...” Robin said fitting the pieces together, “They probably dug graves, copied their person, then killed them and buried them.”

Dustin pointed excitedly at Robin, “Yes! And Billy said his Demo-Dog was in between walking on all four and two feet. The cold in the fridge must have mature it just enough to where it tried digging the hole for a grave and ended up opening a portal.”

Max countered, “But it didn’t kill Billy.”

“No,” Mike said, “But Billy was also paralyzed. The Demo-Dog just needed to get rid of the body.”

Lucas caught on, “So it just tossed him into the Upside Down.”

Dustin sat back down, “Yea pretty much. Once we confirm Billy was alone and he didn’t see anyone else… we can safely assume all of those people really are dead and might have been for longer than we thought...”

~*~

Billy followed Steve upstairs to the guest bathroom. He could almost feel billy’s eyes on him as they ascended the stairs.

It was becoming too much having him in the house. It was like he knew Billy like the back of his hand and also had no idea who this guy was. The Billy he knew would react a certain way to certain things. Steve had no clue if this Billy would be the same way.

His biggest problem was wanting so badly to tell Billy how sorry he was he broke things off and how how much he missed him and how bad he wanted to just kiss his stupid face. But this wasn’t his Billy. These things were building pressure and it was becoming too much. His Billy was a monster.

His Billy was a Demogorgan from another dimension.

Steve stopped half way down the hallway to the closet with the towels. His heart pounding and he was breaking out in a cold sweat.

His Billy was a monster.

The world was closing in and his face felt fuzzy. There was a buzzing in his ears and he couldn’t breath!

He bent down hands on knees and the pressure in his head was becoming quickly debilitating.

Next thing he knew Billy was in his face pulling him up, “Hey! What the hell Harrington?”

“Oh God…. Oh my God… I fucked a Demogorgan….” Steve managed to breathlessly vocalize. He was pretty sure it was words… It was any words because it was so much more than that.

“What?” Billy asked. “Dude, don’t fall apart on me now, I still don’t know where the towels are.”

“Argghhhhh…...” Steve turned to face the wall arms above his head. Was he crying?

“Steve, I was joking, it’s ok! It turned itself human, it bled red!”

Steve was barely listening, the world was becoming muffled.

Billy grabbed his arm, “Hey, come here, come on.” Steve had no choice but to follow directions. “Come on, jumping jacks, lets go.”

“What?!”

Billy yelled at him, “Now Harrington! Go!” Now Steve was performing jumping jacks following Billy’s movements timing them together. How was this supposed to help? If he couldn’t breath before…

Billy voice cut through the mania, “Keep a mantra, it bled red, ok? It bled red.”

Steve repeated him, “It bled red, it bled red, it bled red...”

“Keep going, faster,” Billy told him. He did and they were getting easier.

They jumped for another minute or two until Steve was spent. He stopped leaning against the wall. He was panting but the world expanded and he felt like he had control of his heartbeat again.

Billy finally asked, “What was that about?”

Steve whispered to himself ignoring him, “I’m ok, I’m ok, he was human and I didn’t fuck a Demogorgan...”

Billy was staring, “Dude whats-”

Steve turned around to face him, “I just need to say this… before it eats me alive, an- and it probably won’t make sense and I’m sorry but-”

“What are you talking about?”

The Billy Steve loved was a direct reflection of the one standing before him. The real Billy. There had to be some kind of faint longing in him somewhere because where else would Demo-Billy have gotten the idea to pursue Steve? But did Steve want to start over or did he just want to wipe the red from his ledger?

Steve took a nice deep breath, “Look, you and I were in a-.. a relationship… together… and we had a falling out right before you died. You were super close to your coworker Heather Halloway, who you ended up flaying, and I-… I guess I was just being a jealous bitch and we fought over it and I ended up telling you to go fuck yourself and we broke up. And then after trying to find someone else to date I tried asking out MY co-worker but that didn’t pan out….but then you died and that was the last thing I ever said to you.”

Billy had raised brows in an expression that looked confused and surprised.

“I know this means nothing to you but…. I’m sorry. I didn't mean it. I never meant it and I didn’t realize what was going on and I’m sorry and I love you…. And I’m sorry-”

“Stop,” Billy told him, “Its ok man. I’m still figuring out how I feel about that thing living my life for me while I was gone….”

“This probably wasn’t what you were thinking was it?”

“No,” he admitted, “But its not the worst either. I’m kind of stunned that thing had the balls to approach you like that.”

So he was right, Billy did actually feel something for Steve.

Steve laughed, “It was slow. The apology for beating my ass was a nice ice breaker.”

Billy smiled, “…. well…. I’m sorry. But you gotta admit… it was a little creepy that my 13 year old sister was alone in a house with four boys, one of whom was 18 years old.”

“Yea, sorry about that. We were actually waiting for El to close the gate then ended up using your car to drive out to the field with the entrance to the tunnels- Never mind, its a loooong story.

Billy was no longer amused, “I’m sorry, who’s car?”

Steve turned around, “Let me get that towel for you...”

~*~

After setting Billy up in the shower Steve headed back downstairs. He walked passed two out of four kids camped out on the couches in the living room. Well, not really kids anymore. He assumed the other two were in the den.

It was only Nancy and Robin in the kitchen.

Robin asked him, “You ok? You were gone for a while.”

Steve sat across from them, “Yea… yea I’m fine.” he was tired but he actually did feel a little better.

Nancy’s hands were folded on the table, “I just got off the phone with Joyce. She said she’ll call Owens and they’ll be on their way here as soon as possible. She thinks the best case scenario will be to set Billy up in a new location with a new identity, kind of like witness protection.”

Steve asked, “So basically he can’t go back home?”

She nodded.

Robin had apparently already heard all of this, “It’s for the best. I mean, maybe Owens might be able to let his family know and have them all sign NDA’s but… its up to Billy too. Hopefully he sees logically and agrees.”

Steve shrugged, “It could go either way. If he’s anything like the other Billy, he may just opt for the new identity. He wasn’t a fan of his father.”

Nancy eyed him suspiciously, “How do you know that?”

Steve hadn’t even realized what he was saying but recovered quickly, “Oh uh.. Max mentioned it… a long time ago.”

“Uh huh..” Awesome, she wasn’t convinced.

Nancy didn’t dwell on it though, “I think we should all get some sleep. I’ll wake everyone to be out of here by 6am so we can all sneak home. Can Billy stay here Steve?” He nodded yes, “Good. Once we get home we’ll wait for Joyce. She’ll be calling me tomorrow with her flight plan and I’ll pick them all up at the airport and we can go from there.”

Robin asked, “And what about the Demo-People?”

Nancy looked into the palms of her hands like they held some kind of half baked answer for her. “I don’t know, I kind of hope their all dead as horrible as that sounds...”

“It’s beyond our resources,” Steve told them, “This is unfortunately on Owens and the DOE now.”

Robin stood, “I’m gunna’ go to bed. Nanc, you’ll probably be gone by time I get up so I’ll catch you later,” Nancy smiled and waved wishing her a good night, “And Steve? I would probably make him a sandwich or something. All he had were canned goods in his bag.”

“You went through his stuff?” Steve asked.

“No, your nerds did dingus, you think I would riffle through someone personal stuff?”

“No but I can see you didn’t stop them.”

She winked and left them at that. He turned back to Nancy, “The house is pretty packed, you can take the guest room all the down hall upstairs.”

“Where will you sleep?”

“Ehh, I’ll just pull an old sleeping bag and floor it for tonight.”

She didn't look convinced, “Are you sure?”

They both rose from the table, “Positive.”

She smiled, “Thanks Steve.” She walked out and up the stairs. He thought about maybe crashing in his parents room but immediately felt like he was covered in spiders thinking about sleeping in their bed.

Steve decided to throw together a turkey and cheese sandwich for Billy before heading upstairs. He remembered this not being his favorite but it was definitely quick and tolerable. He plated it and grabbed a can of Coke. Thankfully New Coke had not stuck around, to the dismay of Lucas, because if he wanted diluted Coke he would just leave an open bottle on the counter for a few days.

He opened his bedroom door to Billy sifting through his dresser drawers now clean, hair still damp. Some areas of skin was red with scrubbing.

“Hope you don’t mind if I borrow some clothes, mine are kind of grody...”

“Sure,” Steve told him, “That’s fine. Hope you don’t mind me sleeping on the floor in here.” Steve walked passed and placed the sandwich and soda on the desk.

He heard from behind, “I’m sleeping in here?”

“Yea,” Steve turned around and Billy had forgone a shirt and was already in a pair of gray sweatpants that were surprising baggy on him but still left little to the imagination. Just like he remembered.

Steve shook the thought from his head getting himself a pair of sleep pants as well. “You can take the bed, I’m sure you missed one of those.” Steve decided changing in front of him wasn’t a big deal, he’d keep his underwear on.

Billy sat on said bed, “Ehh, I had my bed in the Nether but it was kind of gross. I only really slept in two or three hour bursts.”

Steve motioned to the sandwich, “Aren’t you hungry?”

He shrugged but retrieved it anyway, “I’m used to going a while with nothing.” Steve watched him bite into the sandwich then began digging through his closet for the sleeping bag.

“You know,” Billy started with a mouth full of food then swallowed, “You can just sleep in the bed.”

Steve turned around, “No, its fine really, you take the bed.”

He tilted his head like Steve had said something adorable, “I meant with me.”

“Oh… really? I mean- you sure?”

Billy finished the sandwich, “Yea, I’m sure.” he opened the Coke and took a sip. He lowered it and paused.

Steve thought he might be having a stroke, “Uhhh… Bil-”

“Holy shit, dude! This is best can of Coke I’ve ever had,” he laughed like a maniac and drank more. Steve laughed at him because hearing that made his heart sing.

Billy drained the can and burped like the disgusting Adonis he was then laid back on the pillow. Steve finished throwing shit back into the closet, turned out the light, and laid down next to him after pulling the covers over them

They were silent for about five glorious minutes until Billy’s deep voice cut into the night, “Did I love you?” Steve felt chills up his spine.

Steve breathed in deep, “You said you did.”

“Does it hurt to look at me?”

“What?” Steve questioned.

“I always imagined what it would be like if I ever saw my mom again and… it would hurt and I don’t think I would want to be around her. So does it hurt to look at me?”

Steve stared into the dark nothingness of his ceiling, “I don’t think so, you didn’t hurt me. I’m happy your here but sad that I can’t…. I don’t know...” He wavered.

Steve suddenly felt Billy’s fingers lace between his own and he felt his face getting hot and an intense pressure behind his nose. Tears edged in his eyes. Steve asked him, “Why are you asking me all of this?”

He felt Billy shift closer, “Because I want to be with you, if you’ll have me. When I first saw you I thought the world of you. I’d dream about you like you’d hung the moon just for me. But… Just thinking about my Dad and what he would do if he knew that I was thinking this shit… I tried pushing you away...”

“Why the changed of heart?”

“Because my father thinks I’m dead and I plan on keeping it that way so I can live my life the way I want. And hearing that Demo-Douche who took my place was balls-ey enough to bag you? Well, this is my chance and I don’t wanna lose it. I know from experience how fast life and chances can be taken from you.”

Steve was full on crying now. Tears rolled down his face but he made sure to keep his breathing and sniffles under control to remain undetected. He did want more than to relive his guilt, he wanted to start over.

Billy wanted him.

And by God did he want him too.

Billy asked him, “Do you want to start over? I can be better.”

Steve finally turned to him and whispered hoarsely, “Yes.” This was a second chance after all.

Apparently Billy now had excellent night vision, which Steve should’ve figured, because he began wiping the tears from his cheeks for him with precision. He then let go of his hand and leaned up on his elbow looking down at Steve.

They knew even without seeing each others expressions. It was the vibe and how they both felt connected enough to feel it roll off the other to understand. Billy leaned down kissing him gently and Steve couldn’t have asked for more.

Steve didn’t mind starting over; he already loved Billy.

He pulled away and laid back down. They both turned on their sides to face each other.

Steve could almost feel him smile as he asked, “Can you tell me everything that’s happened since I’ve been gone? Like what that thing did with my life and who this El chick is and who had the stones to jack my car.”

Steve laughed, “Right now?”

“I guess not, maybe in the morning. But I have to know, what did they do with my car?”

“Uhhhhh…..-”