(y/n) - your name

(b/n) - brothers name

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(y/n) gasps as she jolts up on her bed, panting heavily as her mind raced with the nightmare she was forced to live over and over. She clutched her shirt, trying to calm her heart while wiping the sweat off her forehead. She groans as she sees the time, just barely before the sun was going to rise for a new day. She unconsciously places her hand next to her, expecting to feel a body sleeping with her but all she felt were stark cold sheets.

"Billy..." she frowns out, finally noticing her phone that was ringing nonstop. She goes downstairs, grumbling lightly at who was calling her before answering. "Yes?"

"(y/n)!" it was Max, her voice hushed and cracking from fear as she cried into the receiver. "he won't stop! He won't stop!"

"Max! Are you ok!? What's happening!?"

"It's Neil! He won't stop! He's going to kill-" (y/n) drops the phone and rushes upstairs to grab her bat, storming back down and slamming open her front door. All she saw was red, the urgent need to protect the ones she loved as she kicks down the door to see Neil hovering over someone as he threw punches over and over.

"DON'T YOU FUCKING TOUCH HIM!" (y/n) screams out as she plants her feet and brings her arms up to slam it down hard against Neils side, cracking him away from Billy as he tumbles back.

"(y/n)!" Max shrieks, stumbling away from her as she saw the feral fury in her eyes, seething at Neil who cries out in pain about something being broken. Billy froze from where he lay on the floor, carefully wiping the blood from his nose as he saw (y/n) pant with rage. He was afraid she would do something she wouldn't do, something that could really hurt someone. It had been days only since she grieved for (b/n), having a closed casket funeral since (y/n) couldn't let her parents see him littered with holes and bite marks.

She had blamed herself the entire time even though he and the others told her it wasn't her fault. (b/n) stayed behind to stop the Mind Flayer, it was his choice and (y/n) couldn't stop him but she screamed out that it should've been her. He had more to live for, she was supposed to protect him. She was the older sibling and she was supposed to protect him. She slowly lost herself to her anger and heartache, her parents fueling that self-hatred as they disowned her and her mother had laid her hand on her cheek.

(y/n) was hurt, she was furious and so angry... She had lost the one person who was her perfect half and she was disaster ready to explode. "(y/n), princess, I'm fine."

"He hurt you..." (y/n) seethes out, glaring at Neil who looked up at her with wide eyes. "He hurt you over and over again! Parents never should hurt their children! But you... you..." (y/n) shook with hatred, using her bat to beat Neil over and over again. "Kids or adults, you don't hurt your children! You hurt Billy for so many years! Emotionally and physically abused him! YOU DON'T DO THAT TO YOUR CHILDREN!" (y/n) screams out as he spits out blood. "YOU DON'T DESERVE TO BE A PARENT! YOU DON'T DESERVE TO EVEN BREATHE!" she shrieks out, choking Neil as he gasps for air.

Susan ran downstairs to see the commotion, screaming for (y/n) to let him. "Don't hurt him!" she looks up at Susan, glaring at her as she throws Neil away and stands up.

"And you! You pathetic shit excuse for a mother! I don't fucking care if you love him, I don't fucking care if you were terrified of him but you should've protected your children from him! You should've done everything you could to make sure the fucking bastard never touches Billy again!"

"He won't-"

"-YOU THINK DOING JACK SHIT IS GOING TO STOP HIM!?" (y/n) picks up her bat and points it to Susan who backs away from her. "WHAT IF HE WENT AFTER YOUR DAUGHTER! ARE YOU JUST GOING TO STAND THERE LIKE A USELESS BITCH AS HE HURT MAX!? ANSWER ME!"

"I-I..."

"You're supposed to protect the ones you love! Related by blood or not, you're supposed to do everything you can to protect them! You should've protected Billy from Neil! AT LEAST STAND UP TO THE ASSHOLE! YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT HIM!" Billy frowns as he watches (Y/n) break in front of him, crying and whimpering about protecting her brother. "You were supposed to protect him... that's what family does... It was supposed to be me... not him... not him..."

"Get the fuck out of my house before I call the cops!" Neil shrieks as he got back up on his feet, holding his side and (y/n) whirls on him.

He quickly scrambles back as she advances on him. "I suggest not doing that because I will send a clip to every fucking news agency in the world of how you hit your kids." Neil's eyes widen at the threat, looking around the house for cameras. "That's right. Who are they going to believe? A child beater or a poor little girl defending a beaten son?"

"You fucking bitch!" Neil lurches forward to grab (y/n) but she quickly swings her hand, punching him across the face and he drops to the floor. She pants out, taking the splintered bat with her as she walks out of the house. She ignores Billy calling for her as she went inside her house, grabbing her keys and her bag before jumping in her car. She tosses the bloody bat to the back and drives off down the road.

"Shit!" Billy quickly goes back into his house, taking Max up to her room and setting her down on her bed.

"Billy-"

"-you're my sister and I love you Max. Hell, even if you're a fucking pain in the ass, I still care about you." Billy quickly says, his sister looking at him with wide eyes. "I know I should've been a better brother to you, I was a fucky shitty one. I know that I should've just been better entirely. None of this was your fault and I'm glad I got to meet you, have you as my little sister."

"Billy, what's going on. What are you doing-"

"-I need to go. I need to go get (y/n) before something bad happens to her."

"Why are you saying this!? Billy, you'll be back right!?" Max gasps put, tears welling in her eyes and he frowns sadly. "You're leaving-"

"-no, me and (y/n) are just taking a vacation. I promise you we'll keep in touch." Max frowns knowing it wasn't the truth but she nods. She knew a day like this was bound to come one way or another, where Billy leaves her. She could feel it.

"Promise me. You and (y/n) both call and write to me."

"We promise." Billy pulls Max into a hug and she stiffens before relaxing in his touch. She hugs him tight, relishing in their first sibling interaction and she wished it could stay like this forever. Billy pulls back, wiping Max's tears away. "I'll see you around kid." he steps back, smiling sadly before walking off.

"Billy!" Max chases after him as he walks out of the house and into his car. "I love you!" he smiles at Max one last time, nodding to her.

"Love you too Max." he turns to face the road, speeding down the lane to chase after (y/n). He had a feeling of where she would be going, stepping down on the gas to go faster as his heart races from fear.

~~~~~~~~

(y/n) frowned as she looked over the town of Hawkins, staring at the run down Starcourt Mall. She didn't expect such an insignificant town to cause her so much pain and grief. Sure she made friends but she wasn't their friend, someone who they spent time with. She was insignificant in their lives, a fragment of their past memories she would soon become. She didn't matter anymore.

(y/n) looked down past the cliff, seeing the haggard spikes on the ground. She didn't belong anywhere... why was she alive? She should've been dead. She spent too much time here in Hawkins, and it was time to leave. She should've left earlier before any of this ever happened, before she got close to anyone and gave her heart to the people she cared too much about. (y/n) moved to walk back down the hill when she was suddenly turned around, feeling soft lips press against hers.

She instantly knew it was Billy, recognising the smell of his cologne and the lingering of smoke on his clothes. She leaned into his hands that held her cheek, the cold of metal of his rings pressing against her tear stricken skin. He pulled her close when he felt her shake lightly, crying softly in his arms. The kiss was soft but heartbroken, Billy slowly pulling back to lean his forehead on (y/n)'s, not wanting to let her go.

"Don't do it..." he gasps out and she furrows her brows as he held her tightly. "We can help each other... just stay... don't disappear-"

"Billy, all I know to do is run away! I'm a fucking coward who runs away from their problems!" (Y/n) steps away from Billy, running her fingers through her hair. "I can't do this! I can't stay here! I can't be here anymore!"

"Then let's run away together! Just you and me!" Billy reaches out for (y/n) as she backs away. "We can leave this shitty hellhole! I know that you can't stay in one place, I know that you will want to disappear from the face of this Earth so let me come with you!" He begs and she looks at him wide eyes, hearing the one and only Billy Hargrove beg for her.

"Billy..." (y/n) shakes her head. He can't leave Max, he can't leave his family. She had no family to go back to...

"We can disappear together! We can go to California, visit my family home and the beaches like I promised you. Travel across Asia, Europe, wherever you want as long as you let me come with you! Please, I need you!"

"You have a sister Billy, you can't leave her behind! I have no one! There's no one that will need me but she needs you! You can't just-"

"-I love you!" Billy gasps out as he grabs (y/n)'s hands, holding them gently and tugging her back to him. She looked at him with shock, eyes tearing up again.

"You can't... you can't love me... no one should-I don't deserve anyone-"

"-I was in love you the first time you offered your house to me to stay away from Neil, the first night you patched me up. I didn't know it then but I do now..."

"Billy please, I don't want to hurt you-"

"-and you won't. You have been there for me for every step of the way. Let me do the same for you." (Y/n) cries into Billy's shirt as he hugs her. "I want to be with you..." (y/n) nods hesitantly, her heart soaring that someone still cared for her even after everything that happened. Billy kissed the top of (y/n)'s head, knowing it was difficult for her to say those three words back to him but he would wait eternity for her.

"Billy..." he pulls away, wiping her tears as he holds her hand and pulls her back down the hill.

"Let's go home and pack. And we can go wherever you want."

"Ok..."