Fourth of July
Pairing: Billy Hargrove x Female Reader
Genre: Angst (SORRY)
Song: Fourth of July- Sufjan Stevens
Warning: Blood, gore, death, reader doesn’t understand she is dying, choking on blood, Billy sobbing, SEASON 3 SPOILERS, Billy lives AU
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Billy gets possessed by the Mind Flayer and Y/n sacrifices herself so that Billy can continue living.
Word Count:1936
“It’s not my fault. It's not my fault. It's not my fault Max. I promise you, it's not my fault.”
“What’s not your fault Billy?”
“I’ve done things Max, really bad things. I didn’t mean to. HE made me do it.”
“Who made you do it?”
“I don’t know, it's like a shadow. Like a giant shadow. Please, Max.”
“What did he make you do?”
“It’s not my fault, okay? Max, please. Please, believe me, Max, it's not my fault. I tried to stop him, okay? I did. *sniffle* Please believe me, Max. Please believe me.”
“Billy, it’s gonna be okay.”
“Max, please.”
“It’s gonna be okay. We want to help you. We want to help you. You just have to talk to us, okay? You have to talk to us. I believe you, Billy. We’ll figure it out together, okay? I need you to trust me. Please.”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Everything went downhill. The kids were scared shitless when the Mind Flayer used Billy to break free of the sauna and chase after them. Y/n had gotten a call from Joyce about what was happening and Y/n raced to the mall. “Billy, please don’t do anything stupid! I beg you.” Y/n whispered as tears filled her eyes. She sped down the road before pulling up to the mall. She didn’t even bother turning her car off as she jumped from the driver's seat and raced into the mall. She spun around looking for the kids, Steve, anybody. She found them but it was something she was not expecting to see.
The monster that stood before he was huge. It swung its massive leg around and knocked into the pillars that held the floor above them up. The sound of cracking and crumbling could be heard and Y/n began running as the part that had been hit, crumbled to the ground. She looked around for something she could use as a weapon of some kind. However, she turned to look and see if it had stopped, only for a piece of the building to hit something just right that it smacked into her temple knocking her down and causing her to hit her head.
Drip. Drip. Y/n opened her eyes and quickly stood where she laid. She spun around as the sound of something dripping on the ground surrounded her. Blood slowly fell down the side of her head as she watched her husband, Steve, Nancy, and the others fending off the monstrous entity in the mall. She ran her fingers through her hair that had been matted with blood and sweat. She knew something was off with her husband when he refused to go to the pool with her that afternoon. She looked around for anything that might give her a clue as to why her husband was acting like this but she couldn’t see or find anything. Now, she was standing in Star-court mall as Eleven and the others fought off a massive looking flesh monster.
“You need to leave Y/n! Its not safe!”
El’s voice sounded so close but Y/n could see her fighting off Billy and trying to keep him at bay. Y/n could feel her throat close off as she tried to adjust to what was happening. She swallowed and found her throat dry and it hurt to swallow. She heard a loud noise and looked up to see Mike and the others throwing fireworks at the creature. She watched as it caught one in its mouth. It exploded causing the creature to back away and scream in pain. Y/n turned when she heard her husband’s cry of pain. “No.” She whispered. El turned her head to see Y/n still standing there. “What are you doing?!” She screamed. Y/n ignored her and darted around the falling ledges as the creature smashed its body against it.
Y/n watched as her husband held Eleven against the ground before everything stopped. “Seven feet.” Y/n froze when she heard Eleven say that. ‘How did she know that? Billy told no one else than me and Max about that day.’ Y/n thought. Billy froze above her. Fireworks exploded above them as the rest of the team continued their assault on the massive Mind Flayer. The roar echoing around the building. Y/n stepped closer to hear what Eleven was saying to Billy. Her heart was not prepared for what that would entail.
“You told her. The wave was 7 feet. You ran to her. On the beach. There were seagulls. She wore a hat with a blue ribbon, a long dress with a blue and red flower, yellow sandals covered in sand. She was pretty. Billy’s eyes closed as his eyes filled with tears. Y/n was far enough away that she couldn’t see him crying but she KNEW he had tears in his eyes. Because she did. “She was really pretty. And you; you were happy.” Y/n watched Eleven place her hand on her husband's face and watched as Billy slowly came out of the possession. “WE’RE OUT!” Y/n could hear the others screaming in panic as they were running low on fireworks to keep the monster at bay.
Y/n felt her heart race as the creature turned towards Billy and Eleven. Its sights were set on Eleven. It was set on killing her. To rip her apart. Billy slowly stood up and watched the creature before putting his arms up to stop the beast from attacking El. Y/n jumped and a scream left her mouth. She watched as the Mind Flayer pierced Billy’s sides with its tentacle-like arms. His arms were held out to the side as he screamed in their creatures face. He looked almost psycho in the light, the black blood staining his teeth. Y/n couldn’t face her life without her husband. She had helped him so much and he had helped her. She felt her heart racing in her chest. She knew what she had to do.
The creature’s mouth opened and what looked like a tongue appeared. Its sharp teeth at the end aimed straight for her husband's chest to kill him. She narrowed her eyes and darted forward. Jumping over fallen pieces of the wall and supports. “Y/n don’t!” Billy turned his head just in time to see Y/n use herself as a shield to block the mind flayer’s attack. “DUSTIN SHUT THE GATE NOW!” Lucas screamed into the walkie talkie. Eleven screamed in pure anguish as Y/n was stabbed by the Mind Flayer, however, she held her ground and stared the creature down before it pulled its weapon from her.
“The evil it spread like a
fever ahead
It was night when you died,
my firefly”
Y/n collapsed to the ground and once Billy was released, he crawled to her. “W-why would do that?!” He screamed, well, tried to scream. Y/n looked up at him and gave him a shaky smile. Y/n opened her mouth to speak but blood spilled from her lips as she coughed. Billy held her close to his chest as he cried. “Why did you do that?!” He sobbed loudly. Steve and the others continued to distract the Mind Flayer before it lost balance and fell to the ground; it was dead.
The dust cloud swirled around everyone. Billy was still looking down at his wife begging her with his eyes. He sniffled and tried to keep his tears at bay but he couldn’t. Not when his wife was laying in his arms dying. “I’m n-not dying, B-Billy.” You stuttered as your body started shutting down. She tried to sit up only to scream in pain. Billy wrapped his arms around her and finally, the walls he had put up, came crashing to the ground as he let a loud sob leave his lips. His tears ran down his face like a waterfall. They fell onto her face as he begged and begged her to stay with him.
Y/n’s hand reached up to Billy's face and pressed against his face. He pressed a hand to hers and held it tightly. “Please don’t leave me. You and Max are all I have left.” Billy whimpered, pressing kisses to the palm of her hand. His tears were mixed with blood, dust, and the black blood from the Mind Flayer. “You will still see me.” She whispered. Billy felt his whole world shattering before his eyes. He tried his best to keep her eyes open, but it wasn’t long before her eyes fell shut and she took her last breath. Billy held her body against his chest as he sobbed loudly. “WHY!!!” He screamed as Joyce, Dustin and Erica ran into the building. “Y/n?” Dustin whispered as he saw his sister dead in Billy’s arms.
“Did you get enough love, my little dove?
Why do you cry?”
And I'm sorry I left, but it was for the best
Though it never felt right
My little Versailles”
Billy would never be the same after that night. He had lost his entire world in one night. He held her body as it grew colder and colder. The sound of sirens could be heard and Billy just screamed. Begged whatever god was out there to bring Y/n back. Max ran to her brother and dropped to her knees. She had just lost her sister in law and tears were pouring from her eyes. “This is all my fault. She’s dead because of me.” Billy whimpered out and he buried his face in Y/n’s shoulder. Max looked up at her brother helplessly before pulling both him and Y/n’s body to hers. “It’s not your fault Billy. If anything, it's the Mind Flayers' fault.” She tried in hopes that it would help Billy a little bit. It didn’t. Billy shook his head and sobbed. “Why was she the one to be taken Max. It should have been me. Not her.” He cried into Y/n’s hair and he held tightly to her dead body.
“Life won’t be the same with her gone now.” Billy felt his bottom lip wobble as the paramedic lifted her body from his arms and carried her corpse to the ambulance. Max ran to her brother and wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him from behind. Billy placed his hands on her arms and cried. “I’m gonna miss her, Billy.” Max whispered so softly that Billy almost missed what she said. A single tear rolled down his face as he turned to face his little sister. He lifted his hands to her face to check for any wound that needed treatment before pulling her into a tight hug. “I’m gonna miss her too, kid.” Billy whispered. The two siblings just sat there, trying to come to terms that the person they both loved was gone. “I’m gonna miss you Y/n.” Billy whispered softly.
A soft breeze blew through and ruffled both his and Max’s hair. They both looked up to see a figure standing a little bit away from the mall. Billy kept his eyes on the figure before it disappeared in a wisp of air. He could feel a light feeling move through his chest before he turned to Max. She looked at him and Billy knew she felt the same thing. As Billy was being checked and bandaged up, a voice could be heard, but it was only Billy and Max that heard the voice.
“And I’m sorry I left, But it was for the best.”