Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Stranger Things.
ADULT CONTENT WARNING
A/N: okay, so… this story was supposed to have been completed like 2 chapters ago, I feel like I may be dragging it out a bit… not unnecessarily, I guess… I could have ended it here… or shortly after but I don't know, you know when something just doesn't seem done?
As always please let me know what you think and whether you're getting bored with it. Should I wrap it up? Thoughts I beg of you!
Chapter 22: Actions Speak Louder than Words
"What do you mean! They're not out! They were right in front of us?" Hopper shrieked with Joyce's hand still clutched into his. "We saw them—I don't understand." releasing her hand, he furiously headed back into the direction of the lab.
"Six." Will shouted loud enough to catch the chief's attention, "I told you all about this… about his abilities…. he can alter the mind. --He's going to try everything he can to stop us, my guess is he's probably angry and pretty desperate by now." He spoke calmly, "You can't go back in there, he'll most likely do it again and you'll end up trapped."
Dustin then stepped in to reinforce his friend's point, "We stick with the plan, Billy and El know to meet us back at the cars. They'll make it. --Then we light the rope and 'make like a tree' and get the hell out of here."
"You kids are calculated." Hopper sighed, "Do I even want to know where you got all the propane canasters from, Henderson? Already knowing his answer, Hopper rolled his eyes.
"Yeah… well --Let's just say, when you're back to work, there's going to be a lot of complaints about BBQ thefts." He grinned with the novelty of new teeth.
"Great… well, try and get them on the walkie," He remembered he'd given one to Billy.
"They're not answering, it might be off, or the battery might have gone flat." Lucas spoke into the radio once again.
Sighing deeply, Hopper took a hopeful peek out towards the dirt path, trusting in this group of ridiculous teenagers, to see signs of the missing pair…. But they were still nowhere to be seen-- they'd just have to wait.
--
El thought her arm would dislocate the way Billy frantically guided her along the hallways of the lab. The sound of stampeding feet closing in on them, no doubt gave him cause for concern. And between almost drowning, killing the creature and closing the gate, El's batteries were beyond low, they were depleted. She wouldn't stand a chance at even disarming one of them. Billy's main priority? Get them the hell out of there, even if he did have to drag/carry her out.
It was dark, with only a few emergency lights just barely lighting their path. They came in hot around a corner, shoes squeaking as they tried to gain traction against the tiled floor. Hearing gunshots, Billy sought out a nearby janitor's closet, backing into it, he encircled El into secure muscle and placed a firm hand over her mouth to quiet her panicked breathing. "Shhh," he muffled her cry. Never taking his eyes off the door, he slowly reached down with his free hand to turn off the walkie, ensuring it didn't go off and give away their position.
Harrington would have DIED if he'd seen it clipped onto his belt.
Still armed with only a shot gun, they'd have to wait it out. Feet scampered past them and soon faded out down the hall, relieved Billy exhaled out and removed his hand from El's mouth. "You okay?" he turned her around to face him.
"Yes," she glared directly into his eyes.
"What? The hand?" he placed a kiss onto her forehead.
"Yes," she pursed her lips disapprovingly.
"Well… the female kind are well known to panic." He shrugged his shoulders with a charming smile plastered to his face.
Dropping the argument, Billy cracked the door a jar and peeked out. Seeing the coast was now clear, he set out back on his mission. Entangling El's hand back in to his, they continued to barrel down the abandoned hallway. They had nearly reached the known exit, but were shocked to see that as they approached it, what was once a double glass door, was now a blank and white wall.
"What the hell… WHERE'S the door!" Billy exclaimed, "it's supposed to be here, is it not?" he looked to El for clarification.
"Yes, it is." El crinkled her forehead in confusion, she'd grown up here, she knew better than anyone that this was where the main doors were. "six" she realised, carefully she walked closer towards the wall, suspicious to its existence.
"That asshole?" Billy followed in behind her, "El don't get too close," he whispered restlessly. "we'll have to find another way out… come on," he started down the hall, but the sound of uniformed boots coming back towards them, made him whip back around again. "shit." He ran back to El and positioned them against the wall in the darkest, most hidden placement possible.
"Let's just go through the wall," She silently pointed.
"What!" he replied noiselessly with raised eyebrows.
"…It's not real." she whispered with a suspicious hand hovering over the wall. "You just have to believe it's not real. Kali… a girl I spent some time with, she is the same, she showed me. Come on we have to. They're coming."
"What! Are you shrink wrapped? It's a fucking wall... Baby, I think you were cut off your air supply a little too long…" he mocked in a playful whisper.
"Billy!" She glared up, her nose just barely touching the tip of his chin.
"Fine, stop looking at me like that. What do we do?" He defeatedly rolled his eyes.
"Give me your hand," she positioned his onto the wall, then only covering a small portion, she placed her hand atop of his.
"It's not real," she whispered, encouraging him to clear his mind. "I am getting laid after this so help me God." He murmured under his breath.
"shhhhh." She glowered; Billy didn't even get another moment to open his mouth again in protest. El decided that a little push through the very real/artificial wall would cure anyone of scepticism. She smirked to herself as she watched him fall through, followed by the sound of distinct muffled curse words and flailing feet. "Sometimes, everyone needs a little push" she thought to herself as she came through the wall to join him.
"HA! You are the ONLY goddamn person on this planet, that will ever get away with that," he exploded a shocked blare of laughter. "Come on…" he scowled, "you are such a brat." He grabbed her hand and continued down the steps, the driveway was now in clear view, but jumping the fence and cutting through the bushes would be a safer bet, they'd stay hidden that way.
They ran across the now overgrown grass, leaping like antelope as they dodged twigs and all other obstacles in their path. Lights emerged from behind them, no doubt they were flashlights clutched firmly in the hands of their enemies…. They had to be closing in on them.
Once they had reached the fence, Billy jumped up and pulled himself the rest of the way. Steadying himself atop the tall metal boundary, he reached down to launch El up to him. Before she could protest their next move, he leapt off the side sending both of them tumbling down to the other side. They fell to their feet with a "thud," the unexpectedness of it left El unaware as to whether or not she had injured herself.
Billy was up on his feet in no time at all, and had forced El onto hers, knowing that they had little to no time left, before they were spotted and captured again. "Are you okay?" he had asked, still encouraging her to run aside him. She had nodded apprehensively, and her pace had slowed down immensely. she was tired and exhausted from her exertion inside the lab. He quickly stopped and swung her over his shoulder, he held her in place by the thigh with one firm bicep. He wouldn't look back and he wouldn't stop even though they had entered the thick and rough terrain of the woods.
It was so dark-- there were no article lights to be seen anywhere, only the glow of moonlight gave glimpses of what might be in front of them. Hearing no branches or leaves cracking behind them, Billy set El onto her feet, she stood just in front of him, shaking like so violently the sound of teeth chattering had given away that she hadn't fallen asleep or passed out. "Fuck-- are you that cold?" he rubbed at her arms frantically attempting to keep the blood flowing.
"Y…ee…aa..hh…hh…" She clacked, holding his shoulders she looked down to her feet and ran in place. "Water was cold in the tank," her teeth vibrated more.
Billy had kicked himself that he'd left both of their jackets in the lab, El's had been stripped of hers when she'd been placed in the tank. On account that his had been in the way when he was fighting, he had taken his off when they had barrel down the stairs. "Come on, we're almost there, leave it to you not to drown and die—but freeze to death," he enclosed his arms around her.
He was right they were almost there, the faint glow of what appeared to be a cigarette acted as a marker for their destination. "Dad." El smiled knowingly.
"I guess I really owe you one kid," Hopper ran towards the sight of the emerging pair. "We were worried about you, that creep made us think you'd gotten out, only for us to get here and see that you didn't…. no time to talk about it now though… 'ole' pyro' over there already has a match lit." He rolled his eyes and pulled El into a hug, then turning to Billy he yanked him into an equally firm hug which had ended in several very manly pats, "take care of each other, and call me when you're settled, and you know it's safe."
He hadn't even finished his sentence when he found El barrelling back into his arms, "I'm going to miss you," she muffled into his chest.
"I know… I'm going to miss you too, it's been a rough few years, but I promise when you're back, things will be different." He reassured her with a nudge to her chin, "as much as I hate to admit it, you'll be safe with 'Bon Jovi', over here—as long as he keeps his hands to himself and remembers to get separate rooms." He smiled into Billy's direction.
"HA," separate rooms, how would they go about breaking headboards then?
"Yeah chief, don't chyeahh worry, I'll take REAL good care of her," he stabbed back with a wink.
"ALRIGHT kid, truce tonight, I don't have the energy."
"She's going down!" Dustin screeched and flapped, like an old barn owl. He 'ran for the hills' in a panic, "stick with the plan, reconvene tomorrow afternoon! The arcade!" He reminded everyone for the millionth time, "-El and Billy—have a good trip!" The now very large and random group bolted towards their respectable transportation.
Hopper had been correct with his assumption— "these teenagers" had been "calculated." Not only did they have a plan to close and fully condemn the lab for good, they had also come up with rock-solid plan for afterwards. …If you're going to commit a felony, then you better have a damn good alibi to follow it through with. Especially if you're considering committing arson on a government building—condemned or not it was a serious offense. Alibies were needed—secure and solid ones.
If you'd asked around, you'd have heard, Max had never left her room, the boys had all been in Mike's basement. Hopper had a hospital pass to leave with Joyce for a few hours and Nancy and Jonathan had been out and about doing their own thing. Steve had included Robyn in as an accomplice, which served them in more than one way. All in all, everyone had been accounted for, not that the police chief wouldn't be able to cover it up anyway. The propane tanks had been a key part of the foundation, they were just about impossible to track.
Billy and El? Well, they had "skipped town" just yesterday. When Steve had mentioned that small portion of their plan to Hopper earlier, he had initially objected. But after listening to the reasoning, it had become clear to him, it was realistic and necessary. God knows who'd be after El, and Billy was already known as a spontaneous bad boy, it wouldn't be out of character for him to decide just to pick up and leave. --Even Neil Hargrove had been in on the idea. Funnily, he just didn't know it.
If you had asked Billy earlier that day, he would have told you he couldn't wait to get out of town. To be alone with El and not have to be plotting or running away from danger, seemed like a welcome break for the both of them.
This would be different. They'd be out on the open road, in his car, windows down, music on and his gorgeous fire cracking brunette next to him in the passenger's seat. They'd stop at a motel--hopefully one with a pool, maybe they'd even end up at the beach-- he missed that. Two of his favourite things in the same place at the same time, it'd be a dream come true. In truth he had no idea where the road would take them, how far they'd go or even how long they'd be gone for. They had gathered enough cash together, to get them through for months and he had a good mind to take advantage of it.
It was a lover's paradise… all the lounging around in bed, it all seemed too good to be true. And now here they were… she could barely stand and had almost died; she'd end up sleeping the whole time at this rate.
They weren't even three hundred yards away from the lab when the explosion hit. The blasts came in a timely matter, no doubt due to perfectly spaced gas tanks. Poetically, it lit up the sky like the fourth of July, "Holy shit," Billy muttered, glancing into the review mirror at the flashes of red and yellow. The sounds of punctual thunderclaps followed. They had to get out fast, police, firefighters and God knows what else would be coming in hot behind them.
"Get in here," he lifted an arm to show a perfectly sized nook. No debating was necessary, El climbed right in nearly taking out the gear shift in her path, "warmer?" he closed in around her small form.
"Yes," she smiled in between shoulder and peck. "Where are we going?"
"North, we'll stop once we're out of the state, maybe Illinois."
"I've been to Chi-ca-go--" she noticeably shivered
"Are you alright? You should change… you feel really cold." Billy cranked the heat, "you know… your clothes are in the back."
"Yeah, good idea," she crawled in between the seats and rummaged through her bag in search of her precious flannel, her wiggling body, earned herself a cheeky smirk from Billy who was now eyeing off his idea of the perfect backside.
"Don't rush," he couldn't resist the urge to swat and grope. Too cold to scold him, she bounced back into her seat, she slyly creased a dimple to form a half smile and began stripping off her soaking wet clothing. A sturdy hand came from behind her and nestle itself on the nape of her neck, it was warm, and it sent goose bumps down her spine from the temperature difference.
"Nice view," Billy purred, watching as she did up the rest of the buttons, she smiled back at him, knowing what he wanted and that he wouldn't be getting it. "You gonna climb back in here, or are you finished with me, now that you're changed?" he winked in her direction. She held in another smirk and shuffled her way back in.
They drove for about an hour, they'd taken a couple of turns and were now on a better lit road then the previous, still out in the country but enough away from the crime, that Billy could breathe easier. That was until they saw the roadblock.
"Fuckkkkk. Be cool." El shuffled her way back into the passenger seat, she quickly threw the loathed blonde wig on and tidied the edges, ensuring it appeared every ounce her own. All in time for Billy to roll down the window to the traffic deputy.
"You kids going somewhere?" he flashed his torch between the pair.
"Yeah officer, heading home. Been a busy night, if you know what I mean." Billy flashed his pearly whites.
"Licence and registration please." He flashed the light between paperwork and Billy's devilishly handsome face.
"Hmm… nearly nineteen, who's your… friend?" He raised a suspicious brow.
"Jane Ives." El gently smiled.
"Right…. You two know anything about that explosion back there?"
"Oh, is that what the sound was, heard it… didn't see it." Billy lied through his teeth.
"Well I definitely smell some horse shit… but I'm thinking you two have been bumpin' uglies and not committing arson-- so I'm going to let you go." He waved them through.
"Spectacular law enforcement," billy mumbled as he rolled his window up and sped off down the road.
--
El hadn't argued when Billy had told her to wait in the car, she had practically fallen asleep by the time he'd made it to the reception's door. "Hi there," the receptionist stretched her gum seductively from teeth to fingers, as she took his details.
"Hi, need a room," he forced a smile.
"Just you?" she smiled and leant into the counter, "How many night's you stayin'?"
"Just the night and no, not alone." He smiled compulsorily, "What time is check out," he slapped the cash onto the counter.
"10 am, who you got staying with you?"
"My girlfriend of course," he shocked himself when he'd said it.
"Oh, too bad, could've been fun"
Billy forced another smile and turned back around to head out, "smoke machine?"
"Outside and on your left." She popped another suggestive bubble and made quick work of undressing him with her eyes as he exited the office.
--
By the time Billy had finished in the reception, El had well and truly passed out in the passenger's seat. He dragged her out and left her to wait in the room while he went to buy a pack of smokes, when he returned, she was asleep in the bed.
Five cigarettes later, proved that even chain smoking can't rid someone of the aftereffects of adrenaline. Billy found himself plague by images of the lab, agonising glimpses flashed through his mind-- El pounding away at the glass of the tank, terrified and abandoned. Her lifeless body lain across the cold tiled floor and the hopelessness that accompanied it in the pits of his stomach. He had to clear his mind, shake it off. Otherwise, he knew he'd find himself looking for trouble, looking for things to break. This anger that seemed to be overtaking his thoughts wasn't stemmed just from the lack of control he'd bad back at the lab; it also came from the vulnerability he'd been experiencing in the last couple of weeks. He'd need a release, an output for his pent-up emotions, he'd explode if he didn't. Unusually, it wasn't aggression he craved; it was connection and assurance. He told himself, when his "little firecracker" woke up, he'd give her the work out of her life.
Putting his smoke out with his boot, he made his way back inside the motel room and stripped off all, but a pair of boxers. He'd had the expectation to just crawl in beside her and sleep the day off, but he stopped in his tracks when he saw the discarded flannel at the end of the bed. An imprint of blood had soaked right through the back of it. He came around the side of the bed, searching for the source, but as he lightly pulled the sheet back from atop of El's sleeping form, his eyes were rewarded with bare back and side boob. He glided fingers and palm down silky skin, leading from the nape of her neck all the way down to the curvature of her hip bone.
Fuck, she was beautiful, and oh boy did he let his eyes drink it all in. She was asleep on her stomach, most likely due to a tender back. Her head was turned to its side, and long thick locks fanned out across the pillows like a mound of satin. She shivered slightly, as her newly exposed skin, touched the cool evening air.
"El," he shook her softly, the gnarly cut on her back was going to need cleaning, leave it to her to not even mention it. He noted that it wouldn't need stitches, which was shocking, considering it had been deep enough to soak blood right through her shirt.
Obviously being in a deep sleep, her head shot up in a jolt, "huh—" she raised herself up, "is it time to go already?" she watched as he fumbled around with the small box of medical supplies.
"You need to clean that, it'll get infected," his fingers gently grazed the wound on her back. She flinched a bit at the contact but didn't argue with him about it any further.
"it happened from the fence—" she started to explain but winced as he applied an alcohol swab to the affected area. "Ouccchhh," she hissed.
"Well-- it probably wouldn't have hurt as much IF you hadn't left it this long… you can't leave stuff like this," he sighed, placing the dressing over top he caressed the bare skin of her arms in a warming motion. "I really thought I lost you tonight…. It scared the shit out of me." He breathed into her ear from behind.
She concealed a giggle with a crinkle of her shoulder, nearly denying him access. But he had his plans, and nothing would stand in the way of them. He pulled her onto his lap and forced his way back into the croak of her neck. He breathed heavily, exhaling with words on his tongue, but nothing seemed to come out. Why couldn't he seem to get his feelings out in the form of words? They were those same damn words that had been trapped somewhere inside of him at the gate. He wasn't sure exactly what it was that he was trying to say, but he knew it was big, important and necessary. He'd noted to himself, that near-death experiences had a funny way of showing people how little time they have to say what they needed.
Actions would have to speak louder than words for tonight, a need for intimacy was at an all-time high and although the "L" word had crossed his mind, he still wasn't at a point to admit it to himself, even if he did feel it.
Still on his lap, he made use of his position to continue lavishing her neck with kisses. He sucked and nipped at the delicate flesh, ensuring he roused her enough that she'd want him as much as he wanted her. Parted lips and erratic breath said it all, she was full of need. "I want you," he murmured hoarsely into her ear, "and fuckkk, I need you," he hungrily claimed her bottom lip with his teeth. He only released her to continue his path of destruction. Both Hands clutched around his neck she dipped and arched backwards, allowing him to give adequate attention to each breast. She gulped nervously as he pulled back the sheet, to slide widespread hands in between her thighs. It seemed Every and any time he touched her, he always seemed to light her skin on fire and settle a warmth in her belly.
With his face buried in between round breasts, his hands found that special spot between her legs that made her scream out his name. "Billy," she gasped and pulled herself back up to meet his lips, "can we stop for a minute," she asked breathlessly through locked lips.
"--is it not good?" he kissed her more tenderly this time, but his eyes lightened out of their lust filled state when she pushed gently against his chest. "What's wrong?" His brow creased in concern.
"Nothing's wrong," she smiled into their kiss, "and yes, it's good, it's been so good every time." Resting her hands against the smooth defined muscles of his chest, she hesitated before she spoke, "I don't know how… but I saw you, back at the lab… what you did for me… I—" he stopped her with a fast-acting kiss.
"You saw it?" He creased his brow in the thought before continuing, "and I know. Believe I know what you're trying to say. But maybe it came from a bit of selfishness… you see princess," he kissed her nose, "I don't really know what'd I'd do with out you being a constant pain in ass— around me all the time… I'm so used to you being in my pocket, I wouldn't be able to let you go if I tried." He winked while hoisting her body onto his hips to lay her back onto the bed.
"Pocket?" she asked, pulling him down atop of her.
"It's a figure of speech, living in someone's pocket-- means you're close. Really close."
There, he'd done it, found his words in his own roundabout way and judging by the legs that were now wrapped around his waist, it had paid off. The simplicity and honesty of his words had left El with an insatiable yearning to touch and be touched. The way she tried to claw away at the fabric of his boxers made him smile in amusement. When she'd successfully rolled down the offending article of clothing, she was quick to grasp at the rock-solid member between his legs. With a hand barely large enough to wrap all the way around it, she lined herself up and bucked herself up towards him, just dying to be filled. She was so hot and bothered when Billy pulled back, that the only thing she could do was panic. He'd accidentally teased himself in the process, rubbing and entering just an inch, into warm and drenched heat. She moaned and wiggled around underneath him, almost as if wrestling for dominance.
He growled and regained his control in one swift motion. He flipped her over onto her stomach and leant down to whisper into her ear, "it'd be over too quick-- I want you to have some fun too."
With her face now muffled into the blankets of the bed, she quietly panicked about her now very unfamiliar position. He'd never done this to her before, what was happening? In any other circumstance, Billy Hargrove loved a bit of doggy style, but this was a different occasion all together. With every kiss he trailed down her back, she shuddered with fear. Having her fear his touch, was not his idea of a turn on, maybe she wasn't quite ready for this.
In another rapid movement, he threw her up from where she laid and planted her down on to his lap. Her back now facing his chest, he whipped her face to the side to steal an uneven and hungry kiss. "Is this better?" he trailed his hand down her body to spread out her legs, gentle fingers found their target, her breathing became ragged as he tortured her with penetrating fingers. Notably, the sound of her short and rapid breaths were like music to his ears. He found himself no longer able to contain his urges. He pushed her back further on his lap and in a forceful movement he entered her with a single powerful thrust.
With one hand he continued his work between soaked folds, the other held her firmly around the neck, keeping her in place so he could claim her lips anytime he felt inclined. Subconsciously, he may have squeezed a little too tightly. He was quick to remove his hand when he heard a small cough erupt from between her lips, "Sorry, bab- I didn't mean to," he had panted.
The bed rattling against the nightstand was a clear give away that she was well and truly spent. She shuddered and collapsed into his chest, but he held her up steadily, knowing that he could finally reach his release. Possessively, his hands kneaded what felt like every inch of her, and the feel of her heated skin touching his, sent him over the edge. Remembering he'd left the condoms back at the lake house, he grabbed her by both hips and whisked her off him. Breathing haggardly he sat her back down onto his lap. "We need to get some condoms tomorrow; this game of pulling out, is playing with fire."
They collapsed onto the bed, playful laughs escaping their lips. El crawled her way back over to her favourite spot, between peck and shoulder.
"I—" she stared to speak but was rudely interrupted .
A "bang, bang," smashed against the wall behind the bed, "CAN YOU TWO KEEP IT DOWN TO A DULL ROAR, SOME PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO SLEEP!"
"Sleep is for the weak!" Billy banged back.
A/N: So, I hope you've all enjoyed this, it's pretty much done… but not done… I have what I think to be a great story for a second part, but I'm kind of undecided. Anyone keen to read about the "honeymooners" a little more?
