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𝗔𝗨𝗚𝗨𝗦𝗧

chapter thirteen:
don't fuck with the babysitter

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SERENITY WAS POSITIVE she had never despised a human as much as Billy Hargrove before.

He was rude, he was trashy, he couldn't keep his dick in his pants, he believed he could get any girl he wanted (including Serenity, which she quickly shut down), he put himself on such a high horse, he drove a stupid loud car recklessly. And now, Serenity was positive that he was at the Byers' house to hurt the kids. Not to mention how they were Serenity's kids.

That was not going to fly.

"I'm going to yell at him," Serenity decided.

"No, you will not," Steve stated, grabbing her shoulder as she went to walk towards the door. "It's common knowledge that you babysit these kids."

"We're not babies—" Mike started to protest.

"If he sees that you're here, he's going to connect the dots." Steve squared his shoulders. "I'll get him to go away. Just stay out of sight, okay?"

"Steve," Serenity cut in as he started to leave. "Be careful. Please."

Steve nodded to her. "I will."

He then slipped out of the house, slinking his body through a barely-open door so they wouldn't be seen.

"Stay low at the windows," Serenity instructed to Mike, Dustin, Lucas, and Max. "If anything goes wrong, let me know."

Serenity leaned back against the door with her arms crossed across her chest, making sure her head was to the side of the little window. She could hear her heartbeat in her ears, pounding hard as her veins coursed with adrenaline. This was quite literally the worst possible case scenario.

"Am I dreaming, or is that you, Harrington?" Billy's voice called.

"Yeah, it's me, don't cream your pants," Steve responded, and Serenity didn't even have the strength in her to smile.

"What are you doing here, amigo?"

"I could ask you the same thing. Amigo."

"Looking for my stepsister," Billy revealed, and Serenity snuck a quick glance at Max. "A little birdie told me she was here."

"Huh, that's weird," Steve said. "I don't know her."

"Small? Redhead? Bit of a bitch?"

Serenity gritted her teeth.

"Doesn't ring a bell," Steve voiced. "Sorry, buddy."

"You know, I don't know, this . . . this whole situation, Harrington, I don't know," Billy announced. "It's giving me the heebie-jeebies."

"Oh, yeah? Why's that?"

"My thirteen-year-old sister goes missing all day, and then I find her with you in a stranger's house. And you lie to me about it."

Steve let out a low chuckle. "Man, were you dropped too much as a child, or what? I don't know what you don't understand about what I just said. She's not here."

"Then who is that?" Billy asked.

Serenity's head whipped over to the kids, who immediately flipped around and sunk down onto the couch. Her eyes widened. They had been more visible than she initially thought. Fuck, fuck, fuck, this was not good—

"Shit!" Dustin exclaimed. "Did he see us?"

"Oh, shit," Steve commented. "Listen—"

There was the sound of a body hitting the ground. Serenity whirled around and looked through the window. Steve was on the ground, and Billy was standing over him, a cigarette in his mouth.

"I told you to plant your feet," Billy stated before kicking Steve right in the stomach.

Shit.

"Hey, Renny?" Mike began, his voice twinged with fear.

"Yeah?" Serenity replied, her heart already pounding against her chest.

"Something went wrong."

"Yeah, I know." Serenity backed away from the door, her eyes narrowing. "Get behind me."

They had never really heard her use a tone so assertive. Instantly, Mike, Lucas, Dustin, and Max crowded behind Serenity's back. She slightly extended her arms in front of her in effort to cover all of them. Her eyes narrowed, she watched as the door fly open. The familiar figure of Billy sauntered in, looking all high and mighty. Serenity could faintly see Steve on the ground outside before Billy shut the door behind him.

Billy's eyes set on her, and he immediately laughed. "Oh, and Renny's here too! I should've expected it, you know, because you're always following Harrington around like some lovesick puppy."

"Leave, Billy," Serenity ordered, her face burning red with anger and embarrassment.

"I don't think I will." Billy's eyes then trailed to one of the kids behind Serenity. "Well, well, well. Lucas Sinclair. What a surprise." He looked at Max. "I thought I told you to stay away from him, Max."

"Billy, go away," Max told him, her eyes filled with fear.

"You disobeyed me," Billy continued. "And you know what happens when you disobey me."

"Billy—"

Serenity took a step closer to Billy, tilting her head back to look up at him. "I told you to leave. And if you lay a hand on any one of these kids, I will kill you."

Billy leaned his face closer to hers, but Serenity didn't back away. "I break things."

He grabbed her shoulders and swung her to the side, making her stumble and almost fall if it hadn't been for Mike catching her arm. Billy then surged forwards and grabbed Lucas, pushing him into the kitchen and holding him up by his jacket against a china cabinet. Serenity could faintly hear Mike, Max, and Dustin yelling at Billy to stop, but all she felt was anger.

Billy hurt one of her kids. Billy hurt Steve.

"Get off of me, you—" Lucas voiced.

"Since Maxine won't listen to me, maybe you will," Billy said. "You stay away from her." He slammed Lucas up against the wall harder. "Stay away from her! You hear me?"

Serenity then surged forwards and grabbed Billy's stupid ugly mullet in her fist, using all of her might and strength to pull him away. It miraculously worked — maybe she had gained super strength with the amount of anger surging through her veins right now. Billy, from shock, loosened his grip on Lucas. Lucas escaped from his grasp and went to join the other kids. Serenity, breathing heavily, stared up at Billy as he turned to look at her.

Before she could even blink, Billy slapped his hand against her cheek — hard. Serenity gasped and she felt her cheek sting from the harsh impact. Taking his opportunity at her stunned moment, he grabbed a fistful of her sweater and pulled her close to him.

Serenity's eyes blazed with anger. "Oh, so you hit women now, too? Charming."

"You are so dead, Renny," Billy stated. "You're dead."

She then felt an arm wrap around her waist and pull her away — a bit harsh, but it had to be that way from the tight grip Billy had on her shirt. Serenity stood in front of the kids once more as she watched a familiar figure approach Billy.

"Steve," she whispered softly.

"No," Steve insisted, staring at Billy with hatred, so much hatred for hurting Serenity. "You are."

Steve then wound his hand back and punched Billy straight across the face. Serenity's eyes widened as she watched Billy's body stumble back away from the force of the punch. Steve shook his hand out, but as Billy doubled over from the blow, he began to laugh maniacally. Serenity felt a shiver rush up her spine from the sound. At it, as well, she could feel each one of the kids press up into the back of her, or hold onto her sweater gently.

"Looks like you got some fire in you after all, huh?" Billy taunted, standing up with blood dripping from his nose. "I've been waiting to meet this King Steve everybody's been telling me so much about."

"If you ever touch Serenity again, my face is going to be the last thing you ever see," Steve threatened, and Serenity swore for a second that little pink cartoon hearts started to float around her head. He placed two fingers on Billy's chest and pushed him back. "Get out."

Billy stared at Steve for a second before throwing a punch. Steve ducked his swing and punched Billy back, making him stumble back onto the table in the kitchen.

"Yes!" Dustin shouted. "Kick his ass, Steve!"

Billy laughed again. Steve punched Billy again, and again, and again, sending him further and further into the kitchen until he crashed against the kitchen sink. The kids were yelling words of encouragement, but all Serenity felt was worry. Billy was absolutely ruthless, and the laughs kept coming. Serenity didn't know what he could do to Steve.

As to prove her point, Billy grabbed a dish plate from beside the sink and smashed it right over Steve's head.

"Steve!" Serenity yelled.

Steve landed right by Serenity and the kids from the force of the blow. Billy marched right over to them, his fist raised at Dustin, who tried to help Steve. Serenity's eyes widened further, if that was even possible, and grabbed Dustin and pulled him down, making Billy punch a bookshelf instead. They straightened back up, and Serenity looked down at Dustin, her eyes asking if he was okay. He slightly nodded.

Meanwhile, Steve had went all the way into the living room. Serenity walked in front of the kids, all of them still crowded behind her back.

Billy grabbed Steve's jacket and forced him to look at him. "No one tells me what to do."

He then head-butted Steve. Steve's body basically flew across the room. Serenity watched in horror as Steve slid against the floor, over the drawings of the tunnels that Will had made.

"Whoo!" Billy let out. "Get up!"

Billy then grabbed Steve and rolled him over. He leaned over him, throwing punch after punch at Steve's face. Everything seemed to go in slow motion. Blood started to spill from Steve's mouth and his eyes were fluttering shut.

"No!" Serenity screamed. "Get away from him!"

Serenity left the kids behind and surged forwards. She grabbed Billy's shoulders, and somehow, with another miraculous burst of energy, she threw him off of Steve. Serenity had never punched anyone before in her life, but before she could think about what she was doing, she wound her hand back, and her fist collided with Billy's cheek.

Her hand flared up with pain, and she shook it out a little. Billy, however, let out his maniacal laugh again and took both wrists in her hands. He backed them up all the way to the wall, and he pinned her wrists above her head. Serenity thrashed and tried to get out, but Billy only pinned her to the wall rougher.

"I wanted you at that party, Serenity," Billy stated. "And you turned me down."

Serenity's voice shook with anger. "Let me go."

"You disobeyed me, too." Billy leaned down and put his face near her neck. "Renny."

Billy's lips grazed her neck, making her shudder in disgust. Serenity looked over at the kids, who seemed frozen in shock, not really knowing what to do. She then looked at the table by the kids. Her eyes locked on the needle and sedative they had used on Will to keep him asleep, and suddenly, a new plan formed in her head. She looked up and met Max's eyes. Max stared at her in terror, not knowing what her brother would do to Serenity. Serenity flickered her eyes between the sedative and Max, hoping that the redhead got the message. Discreetly, Max nodded. She understood.

"There's another thing that I haven't taught you yet, Billy," Serenity stated firmly.

Billy picked his head up from her neck, smirking down at her. "And what's that?"

Serenity's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Don't fuck with the babysitter."

She then lifted her foot up and kicked him right in the crotch. Billy groaned and stumbled backwards, making him let go of Serenity. Serenity formed her hand into a fist and punched him again as hard as she could. Billy let out another groan and stumbled even more backwards.

"Max, now!" Serenity shouted.

The redhead instantly grabbed the needle off of the table. She stabbed it into Billy's neck. Billy froze and stared at Max. Serenity pushed her behind her back again and shielded her from Billy, her teeth gritted in anger.

"The hell is this?" Billy asked, the sedative clearly taking over him as he staggered towards them, making them walk backwards. "You little shit, what did you do?"

Billy then fell backwards onto the floor. Serenity took a quick glance at Steve, who was completely unconscious on the floor. Blood was dripping out of his mouth, cuts were bleeding, and bruises were starting to form. Another rush of anger flowed throughout her, especially when Billy started to maniacally laugh again.

Serenity suddenly felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around, only to see that it was Max. Max was holding Steve's spiked bat and offered it out to her. Without a thought in her mind, Serenity reached over and took the bat from Max. She put both of her hands on the handle and lifted it above her head.

"You didn't listen to my two pieces of advice, Billy," Serenity said, her voice dangerously calm. "I told you that when a girl says no she means no, and that you shouldn't fuck with the babysitter. And look where we are now."

Billy didn't say anything. All he did was breathe heavily and stare up at her.

"I have one more piece of advice for you, and you better listen to it. If you know what's good for you, you'll leave me, Steve, and my kids the hell alone. Got it?"

"Screw you," Billy muttered.

Another rush of anger. Serenity brought down the bat onto the ground, right in between his legs and dangerously close to his crotch. Billy picked his head up and looked at it in surprise. Serenity wrenched it back out of the ground and held it above her head again.

"Got it?" Serenity repeated, louder this time. "Use your words, Billy."

"Got it," Billy let out, his eyes fluttering shut.

"Sorry, I couldn't hear you."

"Got it."

He then completely knocked out. Serenity dropped the bat, letting it clatter to the floor. Her eyes then set on the boy beside Billy, also knocked unconscious.

"Steve," Serenity breathed out, dropping to her knees beside him and taking his face in his hands. "Oh my God."

He looked awful. Blood surrounded his entire mouth and his face was already starting to bruise. Cuts littered his face. His nose was also incredible swollen.

"Renny," Dustin began quietly.

Serenity looked back at them, only to see all of them staring at her in shock, probably from the amount of anger she had just expressed. She slowly stood up and looked at all of them, swallowing her nerves.

"This plan," Serenity stated. "About going to the tunnels and setting the hub on fire."

"You agreed with it," Dustin reminded her. "You said yes when Steve said no, and considering you're our primary caretaker—"

Max looked at him. "Dustin. Let her talk."

"I promised that I would keep you all safe, and this definitely isn't safe," Serenity told them. "But . . . do you really think that this could help El and Will?"

Mike nodded. "It will."

Serenity debated with herself for a moment. This plan was totally batshit crazy, but Will and Eleven (even though she had just met her) were still in the category of her kids. If this helped them, she couldn't say no.

She bent down next to Billy and took his keys to his Camaro out of his pocket. "I will take you, but under two conditions."

Lucas nodded rapidly. "Anything."

"One, I want all of you in my sight at all times, so no wandering away," Serenity instructed. "And two, we bring Steve. Understood?"

Dustin groaned. "Do we really—"

"Understood?"

Dustin, Lucas, Mike, and Max all shared a glance with each other. Serenity was the only one out of them who could drive, and it would make them feel better if she was there.

"Understood," they all chorused.

"Good," Serenity replied. "You grab everything we need, while I patch up Steve."

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THIS IS A BILLY HARGROVE HATE ACCOUNT FUCK YOU BILLY