Chapter Twenty-Two

No Goodbye's

El slapped and punched against Mike's chest as he dragged her through the back hallway of the community building. With the help of Will, he was able get her outside and back towards Piper's truck. Thankfully she was also too distracted and upset to use her powers against them. The moment her feet were on ground El made a move to step back towards the door, but Mike quickly grabbed her shoulders to block her from moving. She glared up towards him quickly.

"What is wrong with you!" El's face turning red as she cried "She needs us! We left her! How could you do that?"

Mike held tighter to El's shoulders to keep her in place. Even thought deep down he knew if El wanted to move him, she could. "I promised her that I would keep you safe, El. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

El stared up towards him as tears rain down her cheeks. "I can't leave her Mike. I can't...lose her."

"A-And you won't. We'll figure something out and get her back." Mike sighed softly

Another sob left El's throat as she collapsed against Mike's chest. He wrapped his arms around her tightly and held her as she began to cry. Lucas held Max as she cried into his neck. All of them stood there scared of not only what just happened, but also because of the fact that the Mind Flayer was back, and once again the people they loved were now in danger.

"So what do we do now?" Lucas spoke up.

"We need to find Hopper or Will's mom...someone" Mike spoke and nodded his head. "He's back, and now he's got Piper."

"And Billy." Max spoke up and sniffled slightly "He's got my brother, we have to save both Billy and Piper."

Mike nodded his head. "We'll save them."

The sound of a car engine revving caught their attention, and they watched from across the parking lot as Billy's car sped out in the opposite direction. Mike reached down and gripped El's hand tightly.

"Let's get out of here."

Piper groaned as she rolled onto her side feeling the wet floor beneath her body. Without even opening her eyes she knew that her arms were taped behind her back. She blinked a few times before opening her eyes and was welcomed by darkness. Not complete darkness, but enough where she wasn't able to fully tell where she was. Piper groaned again as she tried to move and felt pain in her chest, as she took a deep breath she then felt a pain in her throat. The sound of dripping water was all she could hear as she started to look around again. Warehouse? As she looked up, Piper was able to see sunlight peaking through the small windows along the top of the walls. Warehouse for sure.

Ignoring the pain in her ribs, throat and back she rolled up to slowly sit up and resting back against the wall behind her. She tried to feel around for anything behind her that would help but came up empty. She pressed her head back against the wall and closed her eyes as she hear the ringing in her ear start intensify. It felt like forever, or maybe it was minutes, Piper couldn't really tell – she heard footsteps. When she looked up, Piper saw Billy walking towards her slowly and stiffly. Her back straightened more and made sure to keep her eyes on him.

"Good. You're awake." He smirked down towards her.

"P-Please..." Piper whimpered as she used her leg to press her back against the wall behind her.

"Shut up." He glared down towards her and bent down in front of her, till his eyes were leveled with hers. Piper flinched back slightly as his hand reached up and moved a curl from in front of her eyes, before caressing her cheek softly.

"I see why he likes you." Billy spoke, his fingers moved down along her bruised neck. "He cried for you. Begged really, it was quite pathetic. You humans are so weak."

Piper slowly looked towards him, her eyes hardening as she stared back towards him. "What do you want?"

"You know I'm really getting tired of being asked that question." Billy chuckled "I thought it was pretty clear what I wanted."

"What are you g-going to do with me?" Piper licked her lower lip.

"You're going to help me get the girl."

"You're not gonna get El." Piper growled "I won't let you touch her."

Billy chuckled darkly "I don't think you're in a position to stop me. You see...thanks to your boyfriends help, I was able to know that you and that girl are close. And that she'll come for you. That's why I chose him, and that's why I chose you."

"They'll come for me." Piper spoke

Billy smiled towards her, not reaching the eyes. "I'm betting on it."

Billy stood up and moved towards the other side of the room and towards the door that was somewhere Piper wasn't able to see. Billy was right, they'd do anything to come and get her and that was something that she couldn't let happen. Searching again, Piper began to look for anything that would help. Ignoring the pain in her body as she moved across the dirty floor. Her eyes searched the floor and felt relief as she saw a piece of broken glass across the floor. Scooting closer, Piper reached for it, moving it around in her hands slowly, to make sure not to cut her skin. She was able to move it to press against the tape that was bound around her arm. Slowly and delicately she moved the shard of glass against the tape, bite down on her lip to muffle the whimpers as she cut her fingertips slightly.

Piper pulled her arms around towards her front, blood dripping down from her fingertips, once the binds broke free. She felt a bit of relief before standing quickly, determination of getting out of where she was. Piper looked around and could tell from the shadows on the floor that it was late in the day, very little sunlight coming from the windows above. Piper slowly walked across the warehouse, making sure not to make a sound, and opening the door that Billy had come through before. She ignored the pain in the back of her head that was causing her ears to ring. She came to a corner and peeked around and saw someone pacing at the end of the hall. Fuck.

Piper slowly began to back away, till her back smacked against something hard, and it wasn't a wall. Her heart sank as she slowly turned around and came face to face with Billy. She opened her mouth to speak before his hand was placed back around her throat.

"You really thought that you could leave me?" He growled and held her tightly in place.

Instinctively her hand moved up towards his wrist, her nails digging into his skin, as she gasped for air.

"Billy...please..."

"He's not here." Billy chuckled "Well he is. Begging for me not to hurt you. Crying like a little bitch."

Piper gasped and moved her hand down towards her back pocket. She knew her only way, at this point, was going to be reach Billy. He was there, deep down. And she needed him. Piper's hand moved around to her back pocket and grasped the photo sitting in her back pocket. Pulling it out quickly, Piper held the photo up in front of Billy's face. Billy's eyes looked towards and for a moment, he froze. It was like he was entranced. Billy's grip slipped from her throat and started to loosen. She gasped loudly as she dropped to the floor on her knees. The photo floating down between them. When Piper looked up towards him, Billy's eyes were watering as he stared at her.

"Piper." He whispered, his voice strained and hurt.

"Billy?" She questioned and he nodded his head. Reaching down quickly to help her stand up. He caressed her cheek and stared down towards her with watering eyes, tears soon flowing down his cheeks. "Oh, my god Billy. Is this you? Really you?"

"I promise Piper. I promise." Billy pulled her closer to him. "I'm so sorry...I-I couldn't stop him...I wasn't strong enough."

"Shh, shh." Piper shook her head. "It's ok. I know. I know."

Billy winced and let out a groan, backing away from her slowly. "Y-You need to get out of here, Piper. I-I don't know how much longer..." He cried out again and stumbled back.

"Billy...please...you have to fight him." Piper moved towards him quickly and grabbed his face, making his eyes look back towards her. "I know you can, baby. Please. You have to fight back!"

Billy nodded his head and stood up straighter "I-I love you, Piper."

Her stomach sank slightly. "Don't do that...don't say that like you're saying goodbye."

Billy whimpered and caress her cheek, before bending down and kissing her deeply. She gripped his shirt tightly and molded her body against his. "I'm not saying goodbye. I-I'll fight back...for you."

Piper smiled up towards him and pushed back his damp curls. "I love you too. And after all this shit is done we're going to California. Ok? Me and you."

Billy smiled and nodded his head before moving to kiss her forehead and held her tightly. They stood there together for only a moment, before Billy let out another sound of pain. Piper looked down towards his arms and watched as the black veins began to spread across his skin. She pulled away from Billy and watched as he stumbled back.

"No...no...no..." Piper began to cry and shake her head. "Billy...please..."

"R-Run, Piper." Billy groaned. "Now! Run, I can't hold him off for much longer! Go!"

Piper stood there for a moment and watched as slowly the Mind Flayer once again began to take over his form. Her eye stayed locked with his, knowing that it was him staring back at her, before she turned on her foot and ran down the hall. Her feet hit against the pavement as she raced through the halls of the abandoned warehouse. Piper ran up a flight of stairs and came, to what she could only assume, was the main floor. She looked to her left and saw a door jammed open and quickly ran towards it. She knew the only reason that she was able to escape out was because of Billy. And with that thought, she also knew there was a way to save him.

Piper ran down the road even though her lungs felt like they were going to burst. She panted heavily as she stumped towards the cabin, the sun now gone as the summer night surrounded her. When she looked up, Piper was able to see lights were on but didn't see her Uncles truck. Piper held tightly to her side as she stumbled up the steps and stood in front of the door. It was like her body knew that it was home as she felt the strength slowly leave her body. Piper stumbled slightly before her body collided with the front door. From inside, El and everyone jumped and looked towards the door, all frozen in fear.

"What the fuck was that?" Mike asked

"Do you think it found us?" Max whispered

Jonathan was the first to move, grabbing a shot gun from the closet beside the front door, before looking towards Nancy.

"Open it, and I'll keep on the door." Jonathan spoke, causing Nancy to move quickly and walk towards the door. She hesitated for a moment, her eyes connecting with Jonathan's, before she quickly opened the front door of the cabin.

What they weren't expecting was Piper's body to slump through the doorway and fall at their feet. Her body covered in dirt, blood, sweat and bruises. Jonathan set the gun down quickly and moved to pick her up from the floor, a groan leaving her lip as her eyes fought to open.

"Oh my god! Piper!" El jumped up from the couch and moved towards her, watching as Jonathan carried her limp body farther into the room. Nancy closed the door quickly and followed behind Jonathan.

Jonathan gently set her down on the couch once the kids moved up from it, looking over her body for injuries. The only thing he could make out was the gash on her head and bruises around her neck.

"Nance, get me a warm rag." Jonathan yelled over his shoulder, before turning his attention back towards Piper. "She look likes she ran through hell to get back here."

Nancy grabbed a warm cloth and came back and knelt down beside Jonathan, pressing it against her head to clean away the dry blood. Piper whimpered softly and moved her head to the side, before relaxing back against the couch.

"You said Billy took her?" Nancy looked up towards the kids, before her eyes fixed on El.

"Y-yeah." El looked down towards her "We thought for sure he'd take her and flay her just like Heather."

"Why would he let her go?" Jonathan whispered

"Maybe he didn't." Will spoke slowly "What if she's infected just like the rest of them."

Jonathan shook his head. "I saw Tom back at the hospital. He...He didn't look like this. I can't describe it but...it was different from what happened to you Will."

"Will's right." Mike spoke "We still have to make sure. So until she wakes up. For right now, we assume she's the enemy."

"Max turn the radio on for me?" El spoke, Max nodding her head and grabbing the radio from the kitchen table and turning it on for a white noise station.

El slowly moved towards Piper and knelt down between Nancy and Jonathan. Her eyes moving over Piper's frame, before grabbing her hand and closing her eyes. Everyone watched her as she sat there. The lights of the cabin began to flicker rapidly before settling, and at that moment, El's eyes shot open.

"She's not flayed." El spoke softly, her shoulders relaxing with visible relief.

"Are you sure?"

El nodded her head and smiled. "I'm sure. She's not like Billy and Heather."

Jonathan sighed with relief and nodded his head. "Either way we gotta know what happened. We'll let her rest now and after that we gotta question her."

AN: Please leave a review!