Not Just Another Number

What If?

He groans, clenching his hands into fists. "Seriously Byers, stop being a dumbass for once."

I extinguish my flames. "Alright, you're the real Billy." I still keep my distance from him. "What's going on? I already know about the Mind Flayer, what else do you need to tell me?"

"We know how to kill it." He cuts to the chase.

The declaration knocks the air out of me. "Wh-what, you do? And, 'we'?"

"Yes, the flayed, or at least, the ones that still have a bit of awareness left. We came up with a plan you can use."

"Well, what is it?! If it can kill the Mind Flayer, then you need to tell me now."

"You won't like it."

I scoff. "Please, a plan is a plan, no matter how bad."

"You have to die."

I blank, shocked. Way to be blunt dude. I take another step back, raising my fists just in case. "The fuck?"

"Listen will you?"

"No, you just said I have to die!"

"It's the only way. If you live, it lives."

"What are you talking about?"

He sighs, trying to get his point across. "You and the thing have some sort of connection-"

"Known that for a while, got any other new revelations?"

"You need to sever the connection, and to do that, you need to die. Some kind of 'One can't live without the other' bullshit." He says, ignoring me.

So much for Dad and Johnathan telling me not to sacrifice myself. I lower my hands and shake my head. "I can't use that, Billy. We have a plan already, and it will work, without anyone dying." I say, showing that my decision has been made.

He sighs and shakes his head. "I hate to say this, but you're our only hope, Byers. I hope you make the right decision in the end."

The void around us begins to fade, and begin to awake, with the haunting image of Billy's bloodshot eyes stuck in my brain.

"She's waking up!" I hear someone yell above me. I groan and slowly open my eyes. I glare at the bright florescent lights, seeing everyone standing above me with concerned gazes.

"Son of a bitch." I mumble, trying to sit up. Everyone back up, giving me space. "Are you okay, Sarah? Did you have another vision?" Will asks, helping me up.

I look at his concerned, innocent stare, and shrink a little. They can't know about Billy's plan. they just can't. I look down and nod slowly. "Y-yeah. I just saw the Mind Flayer, so we need to work quickly."

I look up at Steve, who's standing in front of me, and reach up to him. He grabs my hands and helps me up. Everyone's quiet. I pick up the car keys Dad gave me and hand them to Steve.

"You should be the one behind the wheel, wouldn't want someone fainting on the way there." I joke, trying to get rid of the tension, but it does nothing.

I sigh and pull on Steve's hand. "C'mon guys, I'm fine now. Let's just get on with the plan." They finally start moving, noticing the urgency in my tone.

Steve nods for us to follow, and we follow him out of the mall. He pushes the doors open, chuckling to himself at the sight before him.

"Oh man, now this... this is what I'm talkin' about!" He says, looking at the bright yellow car in front of us.

"Toddfather?" Robin asks, reading the license plate.

Steve laughs again. "Oh screw Todd! Steve's her daddy now." He says as he climbs in. I chuckle at his childishness, climbing into the back.