My hero ☆ Steve Harrington

chapter 35

"Julia. Jules come on wake up!" She felt hands gently shake her shoulders. Her eyes snapped opened as she gasped deeply, her throat aching and bruised. She made looked at Mike and Max who had injuries on their faces as well.

"We gotta go." Julia rasped, clearing her throat only to flinch in pain. They ran out and the sight they saw was something they'd see in a nightmare. The mind flayer being attacked with fire works, Billy standing in front of El who was on the floor.

A tentacle shot out of the Mind Flayers mouth, reaching for El, only to be stopped by Billy Hargrove himself. The tentacle with a mouth grasped onto his hands as he fought back. Julia covered her mouth with her hand as she watched everything go down.

Billy yelled as he held the tentacles away from the frightened girl on the floor. Another tentacle appeared and inserted its claws into Billy's left hip. He let out a scream of pain. Max let out gasps as she watched her step brother slowly get impaled.

Another tentacle whipped out and attached itself into his right side. More and more tentacles attacked him, his body falling limp as he continued to scream. Max whimpered as her eyes never left him.

Billy looked into the mouth of the creature, his arms spread out on his sides. He let out one final scream as a tentacle from it's mouth impaled him right in his chest. Julia's mouth fell open in shock as Max let out an ear piercing scream, "Billy!"

The mind flayer let go of Billy, his limp body dropping to the floor. Julia immediately grabbed Max and hugged her. Forcing her head to look in another direction. "Just don't look just don't look." Julia cried out, her voice aching, a tear falling from her eye. Billy Hargrove was not her favorite person. But he was a person. A person with a bad past. A person with a heart, even if he refused to show he had one.

The mind flayer let out screeches, throwing itself around as it fell to the floor. They closed the gate. Mike ran up to El, hugging the girl. Max whimpered, "please let me see him." Julia nodded her head as she released the girl. Max slowly made her way to her dying step brother.

Julia cried to herself as she watched the red head beg Billy to get up. Tears stung her eyes as she watched Billy take his final breath, in his step sister's arms. Max begged and begged for him to wake up.

Julia ran back up to the girl, she fell to her knees next to her. Max fell into her lap, Julia wrapped her arms tightly around the sobbing girl, her breathing rapid and uneasy. Julia held the girls head tightly, her eyes looking at the body in front of her. Mike and El joined in on comforting her, all of them showing love to the girl.

Rescue helicopters, firefighters, and police offered were at the scene after everything ended. An EMT walked up to the small group with blankets and water. She gave the three blankets to Mike and El who refused to let Max go. Julia thanked her as the EMT offered to patch up her cuts and give her ice for her bruises. She wrapped the blanket around herself as she followed her.

After being patched and iced up, she sat in the back of the ambulance, her eyes keeping a look out for her boyfriend and brother.

She grabbed a mirror that was too the side and examined her bruised throat. There was a rigged dark blue mark all across it. "Julia!" A voice yelled out. She looked up to see none other than Steve Harrington running towards her.

Julia jumped down from her seat, her body aching from running. She dropped her blanket in the ground as Steve almost tackled her in a hug. He let out a cry of relief as she hugged him back tighter. "Wheres Dustin?" Julia asked in his chest. "With Will and Lucas." Steve pointed to the trio of kids who were hugging. "Oh my god I was so scared," Steve whispered, "when your voice cut off on the radio and then we heard the monster shrieking I lost it."

Steve pulled back for a moment to see the bruise on her throat. "What happened!?" He nearly yelled. "Billy. He had to get El and I tried to protect her." Julia scratched out. Steve pressed a soft kiss to his girls lips.

"You know I think you're my hero this time. You're fucking amazing. Kicking Russian ass, fighting off a fucking monster sent from hell, and taking care of the kids at the same time? You're gonna be an amazing mom." Steve mumbled the last part, causing Julia's face to blush furiously.

"I love you." Steve mumbled into her hair.

"I love you too." She leaned up off his chest and pressed another kiss to his lips. "I gotta see Dustin now." Steve understood and made his way to Johnathan and Nancy.

Julia walked up to the trio she previously looked at and pulled all of them into a hug. "Damn Jules you got it bad." Lucas pointed out to her throat, Julia shrugged it off. "I'm glad you guys are safe." Julia smiled at them, Dustin reached up and gave his sister a kiss on the cheek. "Woah I'm sorry? Dustin Henderson showing his sister love?" Julia questioned sarcastically, earning chuckles from them.

Max sat in the back of an ambulance by herself, her cheek wrapped with a bandage. She numbly stared at the black pavement. Julia slowly walked up to the girl. "You look like you could use a somebody." Julia whispered. Max nodded her head, tears falling from her eyes. Julia sat in the empty seat next to her as she wrapped her arm around the girl.

Max leaned into her chest, sobs escaping her lips. Julia ran her arm up and down the girls shoulder. "I'll stay with you until your mom gets here, okay?" Max nodded, embracing Julia as the two remained quiet.