DONTMAKEMEFALLINLOVE || Billy Hargrove, Stranger Things

XL.

"There is nothing wrong with trying to hold on and there's nothing wrong with letting go. The trick is deciding which one is best for you." – Unknown.

There Steve stood, quietly talking to a man by the name of Dr. Owens, explaining his side of the story and why Billy Hargrove has black blood.

"Well if what you're saying is true," Dr. Owens begins, "then Mr. Hargrove's body will have to undergo extensive testing–"

"OKAY," Steve says over the man because of how loud he is, since he does not want Diana to hear about all this so soon. Steve begins to say in a low voice, "look sir, the girl in back of me just watched him get stabbed numerously and die. She needs to see him."

Dr. Owens eyes shift to Diana, who's sat on the hood of her mustang with a blanket draped over her shoulders, given to her by one of the firemen. She looks so emotionless and numb, since she held back the tears so no one here could watch her breakdown. "His body is rarely human if your words stand correct," Dr. Owens sighs, "I can't promise anything but I'll see what I can do."

"He's not some fucking science experiment," Her dull voice says from behind Steve, both men turning to look at her. Apparently they weren't being too quiet. "I need to see him."

Alive, she thinks to herself.

"Ms..."

"Henderson."

"Ms. Henderson," Dr. Owens tells her, "you'll be the first person I'll call. I promise you that."

She can't fight anymore. At least not tonight. Turning away from the eyes glued to her, tears start to slip past her eyes, lowering her pride.

Steve shares a few more words with the man before he walks off into the mall with soldiers and investigators. Sighing, Steve now stands in front of Diana, cautiously wiping away her tears. "What if I don't leave?" She asks, "what if I don't leave and wait for him?"

He doesn't have the power to tell it to her face that Billy's dead. Instead he replies, "Diana you haven't slept in days," Steve knows damn well she won't be able to sleep tonight, "He wouldn't want you tired and restless."

Before she could even protest, he says, "give me your keys."

Sniffling, she nods in agreement before fishing her pocket for them, handing them to Steve. Helping her off the hood (even though she doesn't need it), he opens the passenger door for her and closes it when she's in, circling the car and getting in on the drivers side.

Turning the key in the ignition, he starts her car and puts it in drive, his foot slowly on the pedal before she's heard crying again. Turning at her with sympathy, he assures her, "hey Dee, it'll be okay. I'm not going anywhere." He then reaches over to grab her hand but hers feels cold and limp like Billy's. The only difference is that she's breathing.

"It hurts," she says through the tears, "I don't know what to believe."

Believe? We all watched him die though, Steve thinks.

*Two months later*

He's not dead

He's not dead

He's not dead.

Even with this thought constantly reminding her of it, he still wasn't here. Billy wasn't here, and she was in denial.

She never received a call from that doctor. Nothing. No sign that he could still be here. She stayed up for weeks on end near the mall, prohibited to get any further by yellow police tape, reporters there asking for her side of the story but she always kept quiet, and checked the hospital everyday to see if Billy Hargrove was admitted at any point she was gone. She didn't know where he was, and it was breaking her.