(y/n) - your name
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It was silent in the house besides the soft sounds of breathing from (y/n) as Billy sat on a chair in her bedroom, keeping an eye out for her as she slept soundly in bed. His mind was racing with so many questions, questions about how she was alive and if this (y/n) was truly his (y/n).
It wasn't possible. She died. Died in his arms when her brother pulled her out of the mall. Her body was riddled with bite marks and holes. It just wasn't possible.
Billy sighs as he runs his fingers through his hair. He had no one to turn to in this situation. He didn't know what to do. He got up to leave the room when (y/n) moved in her sleep, furrowing her brows as she clutched onto the pillow to her chest like she used to do. She was tossing and turning, whimpering softly and Billy knew she was having a nightmare, quickly kneeling to her side as she jolts up awake. Her eyes were wide as she looked around the unfamiliar room and fear swamped her again that she might have been back in the facility. She ran out of the bed, huddling in a corner and Billy frowns at how scared (y/n) was.
"(y/n), you're ok." She looks at him with frightened eyes and his heart broke. She was terrified. "It's me, Billy Hargrove."
"Billy?" she mutters out, her rigid composure softening.
"You're home. My home in California."
"Your home?" she looks around, noticing how dark it was outside the balcony doors but her attention was caught on the ocean crashing against beach below her.
"The beach house..."
"That's right." Billy slowly approached (y/n), giving her space and holding his hands out to her. She looked up at him before looking at his hands. He would always be patient with her, letting her hand and her fist rest in his palms.
"Home?"
"Home. You're home..." Billy nods and (y/n) smiles, tearing up.
"Home... I'm home..." he pulls her into his chest to hug her tight, letting his guard drop now that he was able to hold her again. His dreams of having (y/n) in his arms finally coming true. He couldn't believe it but holding her again, he finally felt happy.
"I can't believe you're here... I don't understand (y/n), how?" Billy leans back as he holds (y/n)'s face and she looks up at him, an exhausted expression in her eyes. "Maybe I'll ask tomorrow. You need to get clean and eat something." Billy gently sets (y/n) down on her bed again, walking out of the room to grab some of his clothes and a towel before going back to her bedroom to start a bath in the bathroom tub. He looks over and sees her walk in, holding onto the walls and he frowns at how weak she was. She was shivering and her skin felt cold like the dead as she brushed her hand against his in the hot water. She sighs against the heat, the tub filled up with hot water and bubbling soap.
Billy moves to leave (y/n) to take a shower but she stops him, tugging on his sleeve. "I can't..." Billy frowns at the pained whine in her voice, closing the bathroom door and walking over to her to help take her clothes off. (y/n) hisses in pain at the sharp stab in her limbs and joints as Billy carefully took the coat and dress off. Her body was hunched over and she struggled to sit straight against the edge of the tub.
Billy pales when he sees the marks on her body, the holes and the bite wounds that the Mind Flayer pierced through her. There were stitches all over her skin to close up her wounds, discoloured patches of skin covering the holes. Her body was so frail and small, her bones sticking through her skin.
This really was (y/n). He didn't like the proof but it really was her.
"(y/n)..." Billy whispers in fear and worry as she covered turned away from his eyes. He was terrified of what she had gone through. The girl he loves in front of him was not the same badass, foul-mouthed fighter. She was now just a terrified girl who went through hell and back to stay alive. "Hey, it's ok." He pulls her into his chest to hug her, holding her shoulders only since he was worried he would make her feel unsafe if he touched her anywhere else. "You're ok now. Whatever happened, won't happen again. I promise you." she nods and steps back, Billy holding her hands as she carefully stepped into the bath and sat in the water.
She sighs in bliss of the water finally making her feel clean, rubbing her arms as she shuddered from the heat. Billy moved to grab some shampoo and a cup, scooping water to wet (y/n)'s hair. He smiles as she squeals lightly from the heat, wiping her eyes as he washed her hair. He was careful with her double helix piercing, another familiarity he found.
Maybe subconsciously he was still trying to prove to himself that this was his love.
"How does that feel darling?" Billy whispers, peering over to see (y/n) close her eyes as his fingers ran through her hair.
"Nice..." she mumbles back and Billy cleans off the rest of the shampoo from her hair before he helps her to sit on the edge again. "Cold..." She shivered as he changes the water in the tub to clean water, draining the murky water.
"I know princess... Just give it a few more seconds." The tub fills with clean water again and he helps her to sit down again, pouring water over her head before grabbing body soap. "Come on darling..." Billy coaxes, getting (y/n) to sit on the edge as he gently rubbed the soap over her body, scrubbing away all the dirt and muck. He was careful around her wounds, hearing her hiss in sharp breaths which made him panic slightly.
"I'm ok..." her voice was still hoarse as Billy got her clean before setting her back in the tub to wash her off, (y/n) splashing the water lightly until Billy helped her out to pat her dry with a towel. He wrapped her up, grabbing another towel to dry her hair which had gotten significantly longer.
"Come on princess..." Billy takes (y/n) back into the bedroom, helping her put on his track pants first and then his large hoodie. He saw the same scarred lines on her wrist, a sad familiarity but one that he was glad was mostly faded away. (y/n) yawned as she sat on the bed, moving to sleep but Billy stops her. "You need to eat something."
"I'm tired..."
"I know darling but you can't sleep on an empty stomach." he leans down in front of her, facing his back to her and she climbs on. Billy gives (y/n) a piggyback to the living room downstairs, her arms loosely wrapped around his neck as he sets her down on the couch before draping a blanket over her. "What would you like to eat (y/n)?" Billy asks as he walks into the kitchen.
"I don't know..." it was hard for (y/n) to talk, rubbing her throat and Billy decides to make her some tea and noodles, something hot to warm her up. "Can I turn the TV on?" she asks and he looks at her in surprise.
"Of course you can, you don't have to ask me." Billy frowns as (y/n) turns on the TV, seeing the same actions he used to portray with Neil in her. Second-guessing, afraid and always asking for permission like she might cross the line. Billy didn't like this and he wanted to know what happened to (y/n) the 2 weeks she was gone after StarCourt mall. He walked over with a cup and a bowl, carefully setting the tea down on the coffee table before holding the bowl to (y/n) for her to take.
She frowns at the bowl. It looked good sure, and yes she was hungry that her stomach rumbled but she felt like if she ate something, she might puke it back up. She just felt so sick in the stomach.
"Billy, I don't know if I can eat it..."
"Just a few forkfuls ok. It's going to get worse if you don't eat something." Billy looks at (y/n) as she looks at her fist that he realised was closed this entire time before looking at the bowl.
"I can't..."
"Maybe if you use both hands darling."
"I don't want to..." (y/n) held her fist to her chest tightly and Billy sighs, setting the bowl on the coffee table before kneeling in front of her.
"Whatever you have in your hand, I promise you won't lose it. I'll take care of it." she frowns at him before stretching her hand to him and he carefully pries open her fingers. Billy sucks in his breath at what (y/n) was protecting so hard for. "Mother's necklace..." his chest warms, knowing he was right about (y/n) protecting his mother's necklace with her entire being.
But it really did prove to him with no doubt that his love was with him, alive and well and in front of him.
"This is your mother's necklace?" (y/n) asks and Billy quickly looks at her in surprise that she doesn't remember.
This is not good...
"It is. I gave it to you on our first date."
"We... we were dating...?" (y/n) gasps in shock and BIlly was now very concerned.
"Do you not remember?"
"I... I can't remember... everything is fuzzy..." (y/n) tears up, feeling so guilty. "I'm sorry Billy, I'm sorry, I can't remember anything-"
"-hey, it's ok. Don't worry about it." he leans up and kisses her forehead and she calms down. "I'm just glad to see you again." she smiles happily and Billy sits on the couch next to her before passing the bowl to her. He watches sadly as (y/n) ate slowly, not wanting to throw up the food he just gave her. She ate more than she expected, setting the bowl down and Billy gave her the tea to drink. (y/n) hums from the sweet taste, smiling that he remembered how she liked it, with honey if it was light teas, sugar with dark teas.
"You remembered..."
"Of course I did..." Billy slowly settles under the blanket next to (y/n), pulling her close to his chest as she snuggled into him. She finished her tea and soon fell asleep again as she tightly held his mother's necklace in her grip.