STAY AWAY.

19 : Alive

Holding Out For A Hero - Bonnie Tyler

We ran out the Scoops with Mike and Max, and I saw the thing I feared the most.
Billy was in front of the Mind Flayer, face to face.

El was crawling backwards, and a tentacle came out of the flayer's mouth reaching for her but Billy stopped it using both of his hands.

While tears still were streaming down my face, i smiled. He was back.

« - Go ! » He screamed to El.

Then i got it. Billy was sacrificing himself to save El, to save all of us. Billy turned his head to look at me, and a tear ran down his face.

« - I love you Y/n. » He said and I yelled for him to come back.

I saw tentacles started to come out of the flayer's body, ready to attack Billy and I didn't think twice before running towards him.

« - No Y/n ! » Max shouted behind me.

I ran towards Billy and jumped on him to push him down on the ground. The tentacles missed us as I was holding tight onto him.

My side was hurting like hell. I could feel the blood pouring out of me but he was safe, I was in his arms.
He was holding tight onto me.

« - I love you even more. » I said in Billy's ear while crying.

Suddenly, the Mind Flayer squealed. It was unsteady on its legs. I looked up at it and at Billy. It was close from falling onto us.

« - We gotta go ! » I screamed, grabbing Billy to pull him towards the other side of the food court.

We just had the time to jump over Max and El before it died. It fell flat, lifeless on the floor. I was in Billy's arms, sobbing and shaking.

« - You're okay. » His voice whispered in my ear.

I hugged him tightly again, crying on his shoulder. I looked up and saw him draw a smile on his face, while tears fell from his beautiful blue eyes. I cupped his face in my hands and giggled while still crying in relief.

« - You're back. You're ... back. » I said and he nodded before kissing my hand.
« - Billy ? » Max asked next to us.

We turned our heads and Max started crying before throwing herself into Billy's arms. Their first ever hug.

« - Easy red-head. » Billy chuckled and Max sobbed even harder.
« - I hate you so much. » She said and I smiled.

I started to feel weaker and weaker, my eyes were closing by themselves as I was watching them hugging. I just wanted to fall asleep.

« - Y/n ? »
« - Y/n come on wake up ! »

***

I woke up in an ambulance. I could hear agitation, helicopters and sirens around me. I opened my eyes and saw that i was laying down in an emergency bed, my wound was stitched up. Someone was holding my hand.

I looked on my left side and saw Billy, holding my hand while looking at the window.

I moved a bit, trying to sit up and he turned his head directly to look at me. He smiled in relief and kissed my forehead.

« - Thank god you're awake. » He said
« - What happened ? » i asked
« - You just collapsed. I saw ... your wound. » He said, in a guilty tone.
« - It wasn't your fault. » I said softly.

He sighed and rubbed his face. This should've been a really traumatic thing to experience. Being a host should've been horrible.

« - I can't stop replaying the moments i hurt you in my head. I just wanted to die for this. » He said
« - Hey. » I said grabbing his hands for him to look at me.

I wiped tears from under his eyes and smiled.

« - It wasn't you. And it's over now. I'm alive. And most important, you're you. » I said and leaned in to kiss him.

The kiss was soft and passionate. I had miss him more than ever. I didn't believe i'd be able to kiss him, hug him again. But it was over. And we were safe.

« - Y/n ?! Let me through ! She's my sister ! » Steve's voice was echoing from outside the ambulance.

I stood up from the bed and Billy helped me. I couldn't walk by myself, so he wrapped his arm around my waist on the side that wasn't hurt and i wrapped my arm around his shoulders.

He opened the doors and I saw Steve's face lightening as he locked eyes with me. The doctors tried to push me back in but I flipped them off.

« - I'm fine. » I said before limping with Billy towards Steve.

I left Billy's arms to run in Steve's and he hugged me tightly. He was holding me so tight that i could barely breathe. But it felt good. I felt home.

« - I couldn't afford to loose my little sister. » He said with his chin resting above my head.
« - I thought i was going to die before i even saw you kiss Robin. » I said against him.
« - She's gay. » He chuckled and I backed off.
« - What ? Actually ? » I chuckled back
« - Yeah. »

We both scoffed at the irony of the situation and he went to see the doctors to get his face analyzed. He still had bruises everywhere.

I went back to Billy and I saw Joyce and Murray walking towards Will. They embraced tightly. I smiled, but lost it when i didn't see Hopper around.

I saw El confused, looking around for her father too. I looked at Joyce and she locked eyes with me. No words needed to be exchanged, as her tears told me all about it.

I covered my mouth, feeling like I was going to collapse again but Billy caught me. El walked closer to us and I looked at her. She saw Joyce than looked back at me.

I slowly shook my head, and she started to sob. She came over to me and I hugged her tightly. Billy wrapped his arms around us as Max joined the hug.

« - It's okay kid, it will be okay. » I said while El sobbed harder in my arms.

I promised myself that i would always keep an eye on El and take care of her. I looked up to the sky, and promised it to Hopper too.