ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʜᴏɴᴇ|ʙɪʟʟʏ ʜᴀʀɢʀᴏᴠᴇ

☥𝟢𝟢𝟧☥

⇰ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝔽𝕚𝕧𝕖.
-𝔹𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔹𝕦𝕝𝕝𝕪.

Something was going on with Steve and the kids. I checked all their houses and they weren't there. My engine roared through the deserted streets as I drove to the Byers house, The iron Maidens almost breaking my speakers. As usual, I drifted up the driveway, parking her sideways a few inches behind a familiar blue Camero.
This can't be good.
I popped the trunk and grabbed my bat and slipped Ash's brass knuckles on. They're a little big but they get the job done. I kicked the door in. Billy had Steve on the ground, pounding into his face with absolutely no mercy.

Dusty's face lit up at the sight on, and Max looked at me with weary eyes. "That's enough, Hargrove." He turned around to face, never letting his grip on Steve go. "The parties finally arrive!" Blood trickled from his forehead to his jaw. They were roughed up, and bad. God, why does clearing the air of toxic masculinity always fall on me?
"Just let him go and this can all be over," I shrugged. "Or, you can keep hitting him and I do you the same way I did my old bunky."
He laughed. "Oh yeah? How'd that go for her?"

"She got her jaw wired shut." I sent a right hook to his own, watching as he stumbled back but never fell. "Nice punch," He went to hit me back but I caught his arm, sending another hit to his jaw before kneeing him in the stomach. "Let's go, Bex!" Dustin cheered. I sent him a glare.
"Shut it, kid! I'm workin' here."
Billy caught me off guard, sending a left hook to my cheek. My mouth pooled with blood, my lip splitting.

Enough fucking around. I sent two hooks to his jaw, one to the stomach before he crouched over. Dustin threw something into my hand. "Use it!" When Billy came rushing for me, I stabbed him in his neck, pushing down on the lever. The liquid flowed out and he went silent for a second. He ripped the needle from his neck. "I'm gonna... I'm gonna kill you... Rockefeller." He hit the floor with a thud. Slinging my bat back over my shoulder, I looked at the kids. "Someone wanna explain why I just tranqed Billy Hargrove?"

☥

The kettle hissed as I turned the stove off. Curse Hawkins horrible weather. New York wasn't any better, to be honest. I poured the warm liquid into a mug before checking on Billy. He was in the same place we left him.
He jolted up when I poured cup of ice water on him. "What the fuck? What happened?" He winced as he touched his jaw.
Steve and the kids explained everything to me last night, not that I fully believed them or anything. Another dimension, really? I mean, its hard to believe. But it would explain their weird ass behavior since I've been back.

I helped Billy to his feet, keeping him steady as he began to rock. "I shoved a tranquilizer into your neck last night cause you decided to threaten my little brothers," I explained, taking a seat at the table. His face softened a little. "Shit, Bex-"
"What did you mean by people like Lucas?" I asked. He stood there silently, ignoring my gaze. "Hm? Care to explain, Billy the Bully?"
"I didn't- I didn't mean it like that, you know that."

I scoffed. "So what did you mean?" I pressed. "People like my dad, Bex, that's what I meant! I'll be damned I let Max end up with someone like that."
I rolled my eyes at him. "Lucas is a good kid, I practically helped raise him and his sister." But Billy wasn't buying it. "Yeah fucking right, you out of all people should know how cautious she should-"

"Don't." I stopped him. "Finish that fucking sentence and you're dead." My head started pounding with a newfound headache. "Don't give me another reason to beat the shit out of you."
His brows furrowed. "Another? Wasn't last night enough?"
I sat the mug down on the table. "Don't remember the other night? God, I must've done some serious damage," I laughed. "What are you..." Then he grew quiet, words getting stuck in his throat as the memory flowed back in. "Shit... Shit I'm sorry, Bex."
"Save it for someone who gives a fuck. Just stay the fuck away from me, and stay the fuck away from Steve and those kids." I kicked the chair out from under me and reached for my keys.

Billy had a soft grasp on my wrist. "I'm serious, Billy. You come anywhere near me again and battery won't be the only thing I'm charged with." He stood on the porch, watching as I rolled my windows down and turned the radio on. "Where's my car?" He called out. "Max took it for a joyride!"