HE CAN'T HAVE ME !

☀︎

BILLY HARGROVE HAD SAT IN HIS CAR, ENGINE REVVING AS HE HAD WAITED FOR THIS MOMENT TO ARRIVE. The group that had once hid behind the car had made it out to the Starcourt Mall parking lot, this time with an ignition cable in hand. Standing in front of the car, Nancy had her gun raised, emptying it of bullets, each one aimed for Billy. To protect her family, she needed to do this.

Nothing had slowed him down.

When the bullets had stopped coming his way, he had pressed his foot down onto the gas peddle. The car wouldn't start and he had the greatest chance at taking them down. They weren't the biggest of threats, but they had always protected El and they would continue to do so. The Mind Flayer didn't realize this at the time, but those readying to leave the mall did not have the girl he was so determined to kill.

Billy's car had raced forward with no means of coming to a stop. This would be it for the group, taking them all out in one go. And if they hadn't died from the crash, he would handle it on his own.

His sights had been so set on Nancy Wheeler and all those in the car that Billy Hargrove had failed to see Steve Harrington. Racing forward in the Toddfather, Robin had his side, he had held his foot down, his face turned away as he cursed in fear. Colliding into Billy's car, he had sent both of their cars spinning, leaving Nancy and the rest of the group out of harm's way. Flames had flickered in Billy's car, knocking him out for the time being.

With panted breaths, Robin and Steve looked at one another with wide eyes. "You okay?" he asked her.

She swallowed hard as she looked out to the wreckage in front of them. "Ask me tomorrow?"

Above them, the Mind Flayer had crawled its way back out into the summer night. Towering above them, he had raised his head, shrieking into the open world. He was outraged, bested once again by a group of people that wouldn't have been brought together if it weren't for the Upside Down and the horrors that lurked within it.

Standing up, Steve and Robin had watched as the monster emerged. Mouth hung open, Robin had felt her heart coming to a complete stop. She never doubted Alex Henderson but to see the horrors she spoke of coming to life, she couldn't help but watch in bewilderment. "Holy shit," she whispered in disbelief. "That's what Henderson used to see?"

"Yeah," he said in a single breath. "Not really Hallucinating Henderson anymore, huh?"

"Not really," she said quietly.

Pulling up behind the Toddfather, Jonathan had honked the horn, Nancy's head sticking out the window as she called for the two to join them. Leaving them behind was a death sentence and after all, they saved their lives when they needed them the most.

Steve and Robin didn't need to consider any other option. Hopping out of their car, they raced to the back of Nancy's, climbing in. Jonathan didn't wait for the door to shut, he wasn't going to waste a single second getting out of there. They needed to lure the Mind Flayer far away.

Sitting himself down across from Robin, Steve had sighed in relief all too soon. He lost his sense of ease as his eyes scanned the car. Confused, he had furrowed his brows and climbed over to the backseat where Lucas and Will had sat. One person he had counted on being there was not in sight. "Where's Alex?"

Nancy and Jonathan had glanced at one another with a knowing look. Neither had wanted to tell him the truth. She was left somewhere in the mall and they had no promises that their plan could guarantee their safety.

Their silence was not reassuring as he looked around at those in the car. "Hello? I'm talkin' here! Where the hell is Alex?"

Holding on tight to the wheel, Jonathan decided to tell the truth. "W-we don't know! She ran off with the others! She's somewhere in the mall!"

"She's still back there?" Steve questioned loudly. "You guys left behind the two people that thing is... is obsessed with?"

"We're leading him away," Nancy yelled. "Look!" Everyone in the car had turned to the window in the back of the car. The Mind Flayer had continued after the car, following closely behind them. Had the Mind Flayer been on them, then he had known Starcourt was safe for the time being.

『••☀︎••』

At Starcourt, the four had still searched for their opening to leave. At this point, it hadn't mattered where they had gone, they just need to go. Billy Hargrove had begun to awake from his unconscious state, ready to fulfill his duties to the Mind Flayer.

As he climbed out of his car, Billy had winced as the flames of the car had pierced his skin, causing an intense pain he longed to escape. Groaning, he pulled himself to his feet just in time to see the four making their way out of the mall. One look to one another and the four had turned back to the mall, abandoning their mission to flee.

Max turned back, racing to the button that would close the gate they had walked through, hoping to slow Billy down some.

Inside the mall once again, Alex began to slow down as exhaustion began to settle in. "I can't carry her," she said with a shaky breath.

"We can't stop," Mike said in worry.

Alex winced as she continued on for them. "My head is killing me. I can barely see straight anymore."

Mike panicked. They needed a way out and it had to be one quick enough to give Alex a break. Searching around, he had spotted an elevator that could give them that chance. "This way," he instructed. Rushing towards the door, he pushed the button.

Alex had let El onto her feet, allowing herself a break long enough to wait for the elevator. Max had heard the footsteps of her brother making their way down the hall. Breathing heavily, she had stood out in the hall with wide eyes. She had to stop him because somewhere in there he was still there. "Billy," she breathed out. "Billy, you don't have to do this."

He had continued to advance, not even flinching at the sound of his name, but she had to keep trying. "Billy. Your name's Billy, Billy Hargrove. You live on 4819 Cherry Lane." He never listened and she swallowed hard with nerves. "Billy, please, I'm Max, I'm your..."

Her words had come to a stop as Billy stood before her. Bringing his hand back, he smacked her hard across the face, leaving a mark and letting her fall to the floor from the blow. Her pleads had never mattered to him when the Mind Flayer had been at the forefront of his mind. His mission was all that mattered.

Mike had stepped forward after the blow, blocking both Eleven and Alex with his arms. When Billy had stepped toward them, he yelled out as he threw himself at him. He wasn't confident he could take him down, but he had hoped enough damage could slow him down. It's what he needed to hope for because the two girls behind him were in no shape to fight. However, Billy was ready. Throwing Mike off him, he sent him into the wall opposite of them, leaving him to fall in a heap on the floor.

Moving quickly, Alex had taken her turn in front of El. She had given him a hard shove to the chest, managing to push him back a step. "Leave!" She screamed at him, but it was never going to work. Taking her by the arm, he jerked her out of his way and threw her down to the floor.

Being a step in front of El, he had taken her hand she had raised at him, pulling it down as he slammed her head back into the wall. Taking her by the other arm, he carelessly launched her across the room and into the wall.

Slowly getting back onto her feet, Alex had pulled herself together. "I said to leave," she said as he slowly turned back to face her. A smile had grown on his face to see she was willing to put up a fight against him, even if it had been no use. "This isn't you." Wiping the blood underneath her nose, she forced herself to stand up tall and keep her eyes trained on him. "You told me you wanted to change. You wanted to be a better person. He's making you do this just like he made me do things. I know he's told you what he's done to me."

Billy stood his ground. "You don't know anything."

"I know he told you to hurt us— hate us. He made me hate everything." Taking a step towards him, she watched that for a split second, his eyes had flickered away from hers. That was the real Billy. "You know he made me hate you. You just wanted a friend and you liked me. I treated you like shit so you did the same to me and to Steve because he had what you couldn't. But I never hated you. I couldn't. I hate what you did. This isn't you anymore, hurting people. You have to believe me. So, please, Billy, listen to me. You have to let him go."

Billy balled his hands into fists, feeling that pain he hadn't felt since this all began. It was more than he had ever felt. He was no longer numb to his emotions. That the walls the Mind Flayer had created came crumbling down because Alex made him feel human again. Reminding him of the person he was and who he wanted to become.

She may have been in a conflicting relationship with him where she battled what path she wanted to go down— to never let him back into her life or forgive him for all he did, even if those acts were unforgivable. But he was still a person and it wasn't like her to let anyone die, no matter what. Billy Hargrove was always going to be a friend to her, but she would never let him walk all over her again. Never have that chance to hurt her because she didn't deserve it. But she would give him that chance to grow if he wanted that for himself. Only he couldn't do that with something else taking control of him.

"I know he's in there but so are you. And you are so much more important. You have to let me help you but I can't help you if you don't help yourself. I don't know why or how... but I can feel him in there. He's strong but you're so much stronger. If I can fight him, then you can do so much more against him."

Alex watched as his eyes darted across her face, something inside ready to break out. He took a step towards her, "I tried to warn you, told you to go. Why didn't you listen?"

"Because I'm here for my family and for you."

"He wants you," he said softly. "What's in you... He wants it."

"He can't have me," she said sternly. "And I won't let him have you. You have to fight him, Billy. Don't let him control you. You tell him to go screw himself and get your mind back. You can tell him he can come for me all he wants, but I can promise him, I'll kill him. I'll do whatever it takes. I just need your help to do that. We're friends, Hargrove. I told you that, didn't I?" She leaned forward, talking in a hushed whisper. "Then tell him to go screw himself."

Burning in his mind, the Mind Flayer had taken control of Billy Hargrove once again. Never again would he allow another one of his creations to slip away from him. He needed a fighter for himself, not a fighter against him. He had to have control.

Billy's pupils had dilated as he felt himself go tense. There was no hesitation in his actions as he wrapped his hand around her throat. Pushing her back against the wall, he lifted her, squeezing on tight while his breath grew shaky.

"Please," she croaked out, pulling at his arm that held her up. "This isn't you."

For a moment, Billy had loosened his grip and the corners of his mouth had twitched, threatening to show how he truly felt. He wanted to frown but the monster inside him fought against all emotion. But when he watched Alex Henderson grow purple in the face, fighting against him for one single breath of air.

For once, he had let himself take control. His loosened grip had opened up and Alex had fallen to the floor, coughing and desperate for some air in her lungs. However, he still had the mission in mind. Bending down, he had lifted Eleven onto his shoulder. Not looking Alex's way, he had let her live. A part of him was still in there and that part had given her that chance to live.