DONTMAKEMEFALLINLOVE || Billy Hargrove, Stranger Things

XLIII. Part 1

"Yes, terrible things happen, but sometimes those terrible things–they save you." –Chuck Palahniuk

Turn back.

Something was tugging at the back of Steve's head after he left. It wasn't supposed to end like that, he could've talked to her in a different manner. She now hated him, and her hate wasn't going to bring him back. But seeing her this morning, Steve regretted abandoning her in the time she needs someone the most. "Shit," her curses before making a sharp u-turn on the road leading back to her neighbourhood.

It took around fifteen minutes to get back to her house. When he parked his car he almost knocked down the Henderson's mailbox but nonetheless dashed out the driver's seat in hopes of her just crying on his shoulder and allowing herself to put the pieces of her heart back together. When he reaches the door, he knocks numerous times before realizing she won't open the door. "Diana open the door, I'm sorry!" He shouts so his message could get to the other side but nothing, the knob doesn't budge. That is until he turns the knob as he realizes she never locked it after he left. Steve feels a bit stupid when it opens to his touch, not trying that earlier.

"Diana?" He shouts through the house, earning no sound in return. She hasn't left to the car shop, her car is still here, Steve concludes. Walking past the living room and kitchen, she's not there, as everything looks just the same as when he left. Shuffling his feet towards her room, he notices the clothes, splayed all over the floor first. Next is the papers torn in half, crumbled. Then, his eyes redirect to the pale body on the floor, her hair sticking to her face with blood smeared down her nose and the most haunting part; her eyes closed and a small curve on her lips upwards.

"FUCK," Steve rushes to Diana as his heart beating uncontrollably at the sight. Taking her in his arms he notices some white flakes on her nose too. "Hey, hey wake up!" He shakily says but when he checks the pulse in her wrist his blood turns cold. There isn't a pulse.

"No, oh God, FUCK," he yells before lifting her up with both arms and running back out the house towards his car. He yanks the passenger door open and sets her down with shaky hands and closes the door quickly. Diana's blood now stands out on his shirt but it doesn't matter because she's not breathing. Switching gears in the drivers seat, he speeds past neighborhoods and through Main Street, trying not to let the tears blur his vision. She can't be dead, how could she be? She was pouring her mind out to him just a few minutes ago.

This is my fault! If only I had just listened to her, Steve thinks to himself.

Steve almost forgets to park the car when he reaches the emergency room, carrying her inside and yelling at the nurses to help her. "Hey, help me! S-She needs help!" Nurses in different colored scrubs rush to her side, taking her from his arms and setting her down on a stretcher and taking her away, one nurse stopping Steve from following Diana.

"Sir, im going to need you to calm down, okay, and I need you to tell me what happened." The nurse urges him with a reassuring smile.

"I don't know, I-I just found her like that in her room! She's going to be okay, right?" Steve rushes his words, trying so hard not to break down in front of this woman.

How could she be, she wasn't even breathing! Why did I even bring her here, they can't bring back the lifeless, Steve says in his head.

"It'll be okay, they're doing the best they can!" The woman softly puts her hand on his back and leads him down another hallway after grabbing a clipboard with documents on it, "but for now I need you to tell me everything you know...what's her name?"