Disclaimer: I own nothing. Stranger Things and all characters belong to Netflix and the Duffer brothers. This story is based on Stranger Things season 2 (and maybe season 3) and this story is made for entertainment purposes only.

Author's Note: So…I have been a fan of Stranger Things for a while now. And by fan I mean I love it. I don't have Netflix (because I live in the stone ages) but I have been able to watch season 1 and 2 because I bought the Target exclusive DVD/Blu-Ray box sets. Now, I know all about season 3 and what happens to a certain Billy Hargrove and let me tell you, I'm mad about it. So, I was thinking of how I could fix this via fanfiction. And that's where this story comes into play.

My thinking is that if Billy was a part of the party then if something bad were to happen to him, like I don't know he gets possessed or something, then maybe his story wouldn't end the way it did. So, we begin on season 2 episode 6, in which I give Billy a bigger role to play in the back half of season 2.

The idea is that Billy's dad and step-mother come home on time and see Max missing and send Billy looking for her. Them being on time means that when Billy does find Max with Steve and the kids, they're at the junkyard ready to fight off those Demo-dogs. So…he's actually part of the main story and fun ensues. Based heavily on a YouTube video I saw. (In Defense of Billy from Stranger Things S2 by xForts)

(And to my Redemption for the Blue Hearts fans, don't worry I haven't forgotten that story. I will still be writing for it, I just wanted to write this thing while it was fresh on my mind.)

Anyways, onto the story!

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The Bonds that Connect Us

Chapter One: The Charmer

"Hey, guys, we're home." That was Susan. Well, look who decided to be on time for once. It was getting dark and Billy was beginning to think that Susan and his father were going to be late again. Not that it mattered to him. Let them be late, he was better off on his own anyways.

He didn't answer her, too busy checking himself out in his mirror. He had a hot date tonight and maybe, he'd get lucky. One could only hope. He lit up a cigarette and grabbed his hair spray. He sprayed a curl of hair that seemed to have lost its body. He was in the middle fixing the curl to lay perfectly on his forehead when Susan knocked on his door. "Billy?"

He glanced away from his reflection to his closed door that was covered with posters of sexy girls. "Yeah, I'm a little bit busy in here, Susan."

He turned back to his reflection. Then his dad spoke. "Open the door. Right now."

Billy froze. His dad had that tone to his voice again. That tone that scared the shit out of him. But he shook his head and took a long drag of his cigarette letting it calm him down. What could his dad possibly be mad at him for? He hadn't done anything.

Regardless of this fact, he felt a pang of anxiety as he walked up to his door and opened it. Standing on the other side of his door was a concerned looking Susan and his dad with his lips in a thin line. That always meant he was pissed off.

Jesus Christ, what did I do to piss him off already?

They literally got home two seconds ago and he already looked about ready to break his jaw. That's why he asked, "What's wrong?"

"Why don't you tell us?" his dad responded.

God, why couldn't he just spit out what his problem was instead of playing this damn game. "Because I don't know."

"We can't find Maxine," Susan said.

"And her window's open," his dad added. Billy glanced away from his dad's hard glare. Shit. The little bitch just didn't wanna listen to him. "Where is she?"

"I don't know," he muttered under his breath, still avoiding his dad's glare.

His dad scoffed at this. "You don't know?"

"Look, I'm sure she just, I don't know, went to the arcade or something." He walked away from his father and step-mother to grab his brown leather coat from his closet. "I'm sure she's fine."

He heard his dad follow him into his room. "You were supposed to watch her."

Billy sighed, "I know, dad. I was. But, you know, I have a life too and I have a date." He pulled on his jacket and turned around. His dad was closer to him then what he had thought. He didn't like this at all. "I'm sorry, okay?"

His dad had his arms crossed as he scoffed again. "I see, so that's why you've been staring at yourself in the mirror like some faggot instead of watching your sister?"

Why wasn't he listening to me?

"I have been looking after her all week, dad. Okay?" Billy wasn't sure what came over him, but apparently he was going to try his luck tonight. He raised his voice. "If she wants to run off, then that's her problem, all right? She's thirteen years old. She shouldn't need a full-time babysitter." He should just stop right now. Apologize for raising his voice, apologize twenty times for not looking after Max, but dammit, he shouldn't feel guilty. "And she's not my sister!"

And that's what set his dad off.

Billy had no time to react before his father was pushing him against the built in shelf next to his closet. He had gone too far. Pushed his dad too far. That anxious feeling in the pit of his stomach exploded into full on dread. His dad held himself to his full height and despite that fact that Billy was about an inch taller than him, he still felt so small.

"What did we talk about?" his dad whispered before slapping him upside the face. He could feel the red mark starting already, though he doubted it would leave a bruise. His dad was careful like that. To hurt him enough to scare him but not to leave any evidence. Billy clenched his fists, his anger building up only second to his fear. His dad grabbed his chin and turned him to face him. "What did we talk about?"

Billy couldn't help the tears that suddenly sprang up in his eyes. "Respect and responsibility."

"That is right. Now, apologize to Susan."

Billy never looked away from his dad's flaring eyes as he said, "I'm sorry, Susan."

Susan shook her head, looking like she was caught in the middle again. "It's okay, Neil, really-"

"No, it's not okay," his dad interrupted, pointing a finger at his son. "Nothing about his behavior is okay. But he's gonna make up for it." His dad let go of him and started to head back towards Susan who hadn't left the doorway. "He's gonna call whatever whore he's seeing tonight and cancel their date. And then he's gonna go find his sister. Like the good, kind, respecting brother that he is." He turned on his heels and faced Billy straight on. "Isn't that right, Billy?"

Billy just stared at him, trying to make sure the tears didn't fall over the brim.

"Isn't that right?!" his dad screamed in his face.

Don't cry.

"Yes, sir," he said just above a whisper.

His dad sighed, "I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you."

Don't cry. Do not cry.

He spoke louder this time. "Yes, sir."

"Find Max." The "or else" was very heavily implied. His stern dad and a shaken up Susan both left him alone then. Susan had the good enough courtesy to close his door behind her. Billy closed his eyes, telling himself it was over and that it wasn't too bad. He had been through a lot worse. This was nothing to feel hopeless about.

He would find Max, probably with Sinclair, knock a few heads, come home, and then everything would be fine.

He was kidding himself.

The two seconds after he had closed his eyes, those tears streamed down his face. He slammed his hand against the shelf and wanted to scream out nothing but curse words and how much he hated his father. And the little bitch that was causing him so much trouble. He ran his hands through his hair and sank down to the floor. God, he hated how he could be reduced to nothing more than a sniveling mess after a few words and a slap from his father.

Maybe dad's right…Maybe I am worthless crybaby.

He cursed himself for even considering him of all people to be right.

He wiped his face and took in a shaky breath.

Find Max. That's all he had to do. Find Max and beat the living shit out of her.

…

His first stop was of course Lucas Sinclair's house but he had no luck finding Max there. According to Mrs. Sinclair, Lucas and his dork friends all hung out at the Wheeler home. So, that was his next stop. The Wheeler home as well as the Sinclair home were both large, two story suburban houses. White trim, perfectly cut grass, sprinkler system, the whole cliché.

He missed California so much. They had suburbs, sure, but they weren't this sickenly picture perfect. What he wouldn't give for a flaw in this backwater, American dream, hellhole. California had an edge to it. You could be anybody and become anything. What was so God damn great about Indiana? They were close to Chicago?

The thought of running away to the metropolitan city crossed his mind a hundred times a week and yet, here he was. He would never admit it but the reason he didn't run away was because he was sure that his father would run after him. And not in the loving, don't leave, you're too young to be on your own, please come back home way. But the, if you ever make me have to do this again, boy, you're dead way.

He rang the doorbell about a thousand times until he finally heard a woman shout, "I'm coming!" About damn time, but he couldn't be all rude and act like a total asshole if he wanted information.

It was time to turn on the charm.

A brunette woman with her hair pulled up, wearing a violet bathrobe opened the door. It was a slightly revealing bathrobe. Billy eyed the woman and if he had to guess, he would say she was Nancy Wheeler's mother. "Oh. Hi," he said.

"Hi," the woman said, clearly staring at his bare chest through his unbuttoned shirt.

She must have realized that she was in fact staring, because she shook her head quickly and met his eyes. He chuckled and said softly, "I, uh, didn't realize Nancy had a sister." The woman chuckled and started to blush. "What's so funny?"

"I'm Nancy's mother."

Called it.

"No," he said in fake surprise.

"Yes."

"Mrs. Wheeler." He eyed her up and down, and honestly, she wasn't half bad.

Mrs. Wheeler shook her head again and stammered out, "U-um, I'm sorry, and you are?"

"Billy. Billy Hargrove." He gently took her hand into his.

"You must be here for Nancy."

"Nancy? No, no, no. Not my type."

She's a bit of a priss.

"No, actually, I am looking for my little sister," God how he hated saying that word, "Max. Goes by Maxine. She's been missing all day, and now it's starting to get dark, and, uh, to be honest with you, I've been worried sick, you know, so…"

"Oh," Mrs. Wheeler said in sympathy. Well, she bought his act.

"I thought she was at Lucas' but Mrs. Sinclair said your house is the designated hangout so…here I am."

Mrs. Wheeler parted her lips and eyed him with a gleam in her eye that he recognized. He should have been a little weirded out that a forty year-old married woman with two kids wanted him, but what could he say? He liked the fact that he wasn't totally worthless to the entire population. What his family couldn't give him, his many dates could. And even if they couldn't, he could lose himself in the thought of happiness for a while.

"Well," Mrs. Wheeler started after wetting her lips, "the kids aren't here. I only know two places they could be at. And that's the Byer's house or the junkyard."

The junkyard? Of course, where else would a bunch of shitheads wanna go?

Billy smiled causally. "Do you mind giving directions? I'm still kinda new in town and I don't know all of the Hawkins landmarks…like the junkyard."

Mrs. Wheeler chuckled. "Oh, of course. Come in, come in." He stepped in and glanced around the well put together home. Mrs. Wheeler shut the front door and motioned for him to follow her into the kitchen. "Don't find my husband, he's just sleeping." He saw a plump middle aged man with glasses, sitting in a La-Z-Boy, snoring. Mrs. Wheeler was quick to write down directions to the Byer home and to the junkyard. She tore the piece of paper she had wrote on from the pad and handed it to him. "It can get pretty dark at night so, drive slowly."

Billy smiled, taking the directions from her. "Always."

"And when you see Mike, tell him to come home already, okay?"

He nodded his head that he would, knowing full well that he wouldn't. "You're a real lifesaver, you know that?" He wasn't lying. His dad would kill him if he didn't find Max.

Mrs. Wheeler shrugged. "Anytime."

"See you around." And with that, he left the Wheeler's too pretty of a house and got in his car. With directions in hand, he started his engine, and drove to the Byer's place. He was pleased with himself actually. He charmed that Mrs. Wheeler pretty good. He could be quite the charmer when he wanted to be.

Billy just wished he could charm his way out of his horrible father's abuse.

…

Five minutes after banging on the Byer's door, he resolved that no one was home. That meant he had one more place to search; the junkyard. Great. He was really looking forward to that. Not. He swore to whatever greater power was out there that he would kill that little brat Max for this and those stupid kids too. Well, kill was too strong a word. They would be hurting though, he was positive of that much.

As he drove to the junkyard, he couldn't help but think about his dad at their new home waiting for him. Someday it would all change. Someday Billy wouldn't be afraid of his old man, the bastard. Someday he would feel like he had control over his own destiny.

Billy had no way of knowing that going to the junkyard of all places at that time, on this night, would end up changing his life forever.

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Author's Note Again: So, what did you think? Good, bad, something in between? Feedback is always appreciated but no haters, okay? Anyways, thanks for reading and hopefully you check out Chapter Two! See you around!