#s4ep6

Jonathan Byers was standing in the doorway, one hand gripping the handle, his knuckles white.

Hopper didn’t reply, and the silence grew heavy.

Shit.

“I’ll be ready in three,” Billy said, brushing past Byers and avoiding eye contact.

Worse than having to deal with kids stuck in a fucking cave was knowing that one of them was a coworker’s brother, and the boss’s stepson.

Holy fucking shit.

Tying his shoes, Billy realized he hated weekends even more.

***

The helicopter hovered just above the entrance of the cave, searching for a crack somewhere below.

“I have a squad trying to drill through the rock,” Hopper said, his voice cutting through the static. “But I’ll be honest with you, Billy: the kids don’t have time to wait for the other team to reach them. Our best shot is to drill a few holes and hope they get enough oxygen to survive while we dig them out. But they’re just kids. If they start panicking, they’ll burn through their oxygen faster. I need someone to keep them calm and collected while help is on the way. You’re a dick, but you’re also my best rescuer. I know you can slip inside that cave if we find a crevice big enough to fit you.”

It was a compliment.

Hopper never gave compliments.

“I’ll find the kids and make sure they’re okay,” Billy said, checking his equipment for the umpteenth time: satellite phone, water, headlamp, a small emergency kit, and a compact air tank. Not enough to keep five people alive, but enough to help if someone was struggling to breathe. Byers’ brother was asthmatic, and Billy really hoped he’d brought his inhaler.

“Who’s the adult with the kids?” Billy asked, still rummaging through his bag. “I need a name to call, you know.”

There was a pregnant pause.

“Hopper?”

“It’s Harrington.”

“Harrington as in Steve Harrington?” Billy froze.

“Yes.”

“Don’t tell me the kids are-”

“Mike, Dustin, Lucas. And Will, obviously.”

“Not Maxine, right? She’s at her aunt’s, right?” Billy’s voice trembled, and he had to force himself to take a few deep breaths to keep his panic under control.

Hopper nodded. “I wouldn’t have asked you if she was with them. Just the boys. And Steve.”

How Harrington always managed to get himself into trouble was a mystery, but now Billy was even more determined to find them.

“There’s a crack in the rock near the top of the mountain,” Hopper continued. “You can get down there with a rope. From the maps we’ve got, it looks like there’s a large cave chamber below. Our hope is that the boys made it there before the entrance collapsed.”

Being in a larger chamber would give them the best chance of survival; that much was clear.

Billy raised an eyebrow. Four kids and a guy who’d probably never even been in the Boy Scouts. How could Hopper possibly think they’d managed to reach an inner chamber with no lights or proper equipment?

“I know what you’re thinking,” Hopper said, almost reading his mind, “but the kids aren’t that naïve. They have lights and some supplies. They were on a little adventure when the weather caught them off guard. What we don’t know is how much oxygen they’ve got. Even if they made it to the largest part of the cave, it’s still possible the air’s limited if there’s no ventilation.”

With a stern nod, Billy turns his face toward the mountains. The sky is gray and the rain hasn’t stopped in hours, making the rescue even more difficult. His fucking luck, as usual.

The helicopter is making its third pass around the mountain when the searchlight catches a tiny crack on the rock face.

“There!” Billy yells, jumping to his feet and pointing at the spot he saw for only a moment. “There! Near the fallen trees!”

On the side of the mountain, just above a cluster of boulders, a recent landslide has opened a small crack.

“Mmmh… it’s very small and probably slippery with all that mud,” Hopper mutters. “Are you sure you can get inside from there? I don’t think you’ll manage to get any metal hooks in. Our best chance is using a rope, and if it’s too slippery—”

“Just get me there so I can take a closer look. If I’m not sure I can slip inside, we’ll look for another entrance, but for now this is our best chance.”

Hopper’s stare is stern and exhausted, but he nods and signals the pilot to lower the helicopter. Billy grabs the rope. It’s not his first time rappelling from a helicopter, but it’s the first time doing it in conditions this terrible. The wind is strong, the rain relentless, and the crack is fresh, meaning it could be a dead end.

Fuck.

Tying himself to the rope, he steps closer to the edge and looks down. Why do these things always happen at night? Visibility is shit, and the helicopter’s spotlight is so bright it almost blinds him, but Billy doesn’t retreat.

“I can’t get lower than this with this weather!” the pilot shouts from the cockpit.

Bloody hell.

“It’s fine. Just make sure you don’t throw me against the rock face,” Billy says with a grin he doesn’t feel.

Hopper frowns. “You sure? We can look for another spot.”

“We don’t have the time, and we both know it. Now take the rope and be ready to pull me up if needed, boss.”

Hopper sighs but nods, grabbing the rope. “Two pulls and we haul you back up, okay?”

Billy gives him a thumbs-up before turning back toward the mountain.

“Okay. Three. Two. One. Jump!”

And Billy jumps.

It’s all muscle memory. Even though his body hesitates for the briefest moment, gravity yanks him down as soon as he leans forward. It’s not a long drop; the rope catches almost immediately, and then Hopper begins lowering him at a steady pace, fighting the wind. When Billy finally gets his fingers on the rocky ledge, he takes a deep breath to steady himself. His heart is pounding so hard he can feel it in his stomach.

“You okay, Hargrove?” Hopper growls through the headset.

“I’m good. I’m going to climb toward the crack and let you know if I can slip inside,” Billy replies, angling his headlamp toward the mountain.

It looks big and dangerous, but Billy’s a rescuer: his job is to go where people are trying to escape.

Climbing slowly, paying attention to every movement, he reaches the crack he spotted earlier. It’s larger than it had seemed from above, so he shouldn’t have too much trouble getting inside. Fingers crossed it’s not a dead end.

“I’m going inside.”

“Remember. Two pulls and—”

“Yeah, yeah, got it!” Billy snaps, hauling himself upward before lowering his body into the darkness.

Luckily for him, not only does the crack widen the deeper he goes, but there’s air, damp and hot, but breathable. If the guys were in here, they wouldn’t have had any trouble breathing. That’s a relief.

All he has to do now is find them.

He moves in the dark, his headlamp the only source of light as he steps carefully over the rocks. The instinct to shout the kids’ names is strong, but Billy’s too afraid of causing another collapse, so he moves quietly, pausing here and there to catch any familiar sound, until he finally hears voices.

Faint at first. Then louder.

“We’re fucked! I told you not to use the phone torch! We had to save the battery!”

That’s Sinclair, for sure.

“How the hell did you think we could’ve made it here with no lights at all, huh?” Mike.

“Come on, guys, don’t fight. We’ve got bigger problems now!” Will.

Thank God, it sounds like they’re all alive.

“Don’t you think being trapped inside a cave without a phone and just a few bags of cookies is a big problem?” Lucas snaps.

“Guys, please. My head is killing me!”

“Steve! Thank God you’re awake!”

“Hey! You’re crushing me, Dustin.” A pause. “What the hell happened?”

“Wait! Did you hear that?” Mike asks.

“Hear what?” Lucas replies.

“Do you think there are bears in this cave?” Will says, his voice trembling.

“There are no bears in Hawkins,” Dustin answers with complete confidence.

“I heard something crack… maybe there’s going to be another collapse?”

“I saw a light!” Dustin exclaims. “There! In the back! Hey! Help! We’re here! Help!”

Stupid teenagers, Billy scowls, moving faster.

“Don’t yell!” he snaps. “I’m coming. Are any of you hurt? I’ve got a small emergency kit with me.”

“Billy?! Billy! We’re here! We’re here!”

“Do. Not. Yell,” Billy growls again, finally reaching the kids.

They seem mostly fine; covered in dust and scared out of their minds, but fine.

“Everyone okay?” he asks once more, sweeping his light over them before stopping on Steve’s face.

There’s a deep red gash on the side of Steve’s head, and he looks more confused than the others.

“What happened?” Billy asks, already opening his bag to grab the first-aid kit. The cut needs stitches and will probably leave a scar.

“A badass scar, right?” Steve chuckles weakly as Billy cleans the wound.

“Girls love scars!” Dustin grins.

“And how do you know that? Doubt it’s first-hand experience,” Billy shoots back with a smirk, not even looking up.

“Hargrove, you’re such an ass—”

“Hey, he’s the only one who can get us out of here,” Will interrupts. “So maybe don’t piss him off, yeah?”

“Are you really going to take us out?” Mike asks.

“That’s why I’m here.”

“How?”

“The same way I got in. There’s a crack on the side of the mountain. Hop and the others will rope you up. Easy peasy.”

“Easy peasy,” Dustin repeats, skeptical but quiet for once.

“Now. Are you hurt anywhere else?”

“He’s got a sprained ankle,” Lucas said. “Got it when we were running from the landslide. Will fell, Steve went back for him, and he tripped.”

“And fell,” Mike adds.

“And hit his head,” Dustin clarifies, pointing at the stitches on Steve’s forehead.

“Can you please stop? I sound like an idiot.”

Dustin doesn’t back down. “Because you are an idiot! Why the fuck didn’t you put on your shoes?”

“Because we were running for our lives! Didn’t really have time to grab anything other than the four of you, shithead!”

“Always the fuckin’ hero, huh?” Billy scoffs.

“The only hero here is you, Hargrove. Now, lead the way. I wanna go home and take a fucking shower.”

Billy chuckles, helping Steve to his feet. The six of them slowly move toward the crack where Billy’s rope is still dangling.

“Hargrove? You there?” Billy’s radio crackles as they get closer.

“Hi, boss. Found them. They’re fine, apart from Harrington: mild concussion, bad cut on the head, and a sprained ankle. You know, a normal weekend.”

Hopper snorts. “Good job, Hargrove. We’re going to pull you up, guys, okay? One at a time. Let’s start with Harrington.”

“No.” Steve shakes his head. “The kids first.”

“We’re not kids!” they protest in unison.

“Harrington…” Billy starts, but Steve cuts him off.

“No. I’m responsible for them. They go first.”

That’s not how rescue protocol works, Billy’s the rescuer, it’s his call. But Steve looks dead set on it, and Billy doesn’t want to waste any more time than he has to inside this fucking cave.

“Okay, okay. Will first. Then Mike, Lucas, and Dustin. Steve and I will go last,” Billy says into the radio.

There’s a heavy pause. Hopper should insist on Steve going first, but choosing between his stepson and Steve makes him hesitate.

“He’s good, boss. I’ll keep an eye on him. If anything changes, I’ll send him sooner. Don’t worry.”

There’s a grunt of acknowledgement, and a moment later Will is tied securely to the rope. Billy gives two sharp tugs, the signal.

“Remember,” he says, “if you feel any problem, pull on the rope and they’ll stop until you’re ready to keep going. But don’t worry, the crack’s wider than it looks. We’ll see you soon.”

Will nods, and Billy grips the rope. “I’m sending Will. Pull!”

With a few jerks, the rope starts to move, carrying Will upward.

“Good. Five minutes and he’ll be on the helicopter. Mike, you’re next.”

One by one, the kids are lifted out.

It’s not until Steve sees Dustin’s figure disappear into the light that he exhales in relief.

“Never going camping again in my life. I promise,” he chuckles.

They’re still laughing when Billy hears it; the low rumble that freezes his blood.

A landslide.

A new one.

Fuck!

“Move!” Billy shouts, grabbing Steve and pulling him behind a cluster of rocks, shielding him with his own body and trying to protect his head at the same time.

The deafening crumble goes on forever, and then, as suddenly as it started, it stops.

“Fuck! You okay?” Billy asks in the darkness, fumbling for his flashlight.

“I’m good. But I don’t think we’re getting out of here anytime soon.”

It doesn’t take a genius to realize there’s no light coming from the crack Billy entered through.

“We’ll find another way,” Billy mutters.

“...grove! Harr...! ...ly! Ste...!”

“Hopper?! Hopper!” Billy yells into the radio.

“Thank g...! You okay?”

“Hopper, I can’t hear you well! We’re fine! Steve and I are fine! But we’ll have to find another way out! Keep all channels open. We’re moving!”

“Ok... ay... Goo... luck, son!”

“And how are we supposed to do that?” Steve yelps as he puts weight on his injured ankle. Billy catches him before he can fall.

“Do you hear it?”

In the renewed silence, there’s a faint sound:a soft, steady murmur.

“Water,” Steve whispers.

“Exactly. If there’s water here, and a lake outside, then there’s got to be an underground river somewhere. All we have to do is find it.”

“That’s all, Hargrove? That’s all?!” Steve groans.

“Got a better idea, Stevie? Because I don’t. We don’t have time to wait for the rescue team to dig through, not after another landslide. Our best shot is to follow the water.”

“And if we don’t find the river?”

Billy doesn’t answer.

“Great. Absolutely great. I should’ve stayed home,” Steve sighs, leaning on Billy’s shoulder. “Lead the way, hero.”

***

The space grows more suffocating the deeper they go into the cave. The walls, which once stood several feet apart, are now so close they have to duck their heads and avoid brushing against the jagged rocks.

Steve’s face is slick with sweat. He tries to hide it, but it’s obvious he can’t take another step.

“Let’s rest for a moment. I’ve got a couple of energy bars and some water.”

“I’m good.”

“Let’s rest anyway. Catch our breath.”

Steve tenses, ready to argue, but then gives up and lowers himself to the ground beside Billy.

“Still sure we’ll find that fucking river?”

Billy nods, nibbling at his energy bar. He’s seen the maps, he knows there’s an underground river. The only question is how big it is. Hopefully big enough for a man to swim through.

“How’s the ankle?”

“Good.”

Billy raises an eyebrow but doesn’t comment. He knows he’ll have to help Steve once they reach the river, and he hopes it won’t be a long swim.

“Thank you,” Steve murmurs into the darkness.

Billy stares ahead, his headlamp casting a narrow beam toward the deepest part of the cave. “For what?”

“For coming.”

“It’s kind of my job, you know that, right?”

“Yeah. But I’m grateful anyway. I feel better knowing the kids are safe… and that I’m not alone.”

“Is this your idea of a date? Because your standards seem pretty low to me,” Billy snickers.

Steve blushes, stumbling on his own words, “That’s not… I didn’t say… What I meant…”

Billy chuckles. “You’re such an asshole, Hargrove.”

“Thank you for noticing. Now get up, we’ve still got a long way to go.”

With a sigh, Steve hauls himself up and limps beside Billy. One step after another, until finally the faint sound of rushing water grows louder.

“The river! We found the river!” Steve exclaims.

They move faster now, re-energized.

“It’s fucking cold,” Billy warns, dipping his hand into the stream, “and too shallow. We have to keep going, but we’re on the right track.”

They follow the water until it finally widens into a river deep enough to swim in.

“You sure you can swim with that ankle?”

“I was co-captain of the swim team for two years. I can swim.”

“That’s not what I asked,” Billy mutters with a sigh, but doesn’t push it.

They stow their most important gear in Billy’s waterproof bag, exchange a glance, and step into the icy water.

It’s cold, and the current is strong.

Very strong.

Too strong.

“Oh, shit!” Billy exclaims, grabbing Steve.

“What?”

“Don’t you feel it? The current, it’s getting stronger by the second, which means…”

“A waterfall! We’re going down a fucking waterfall! Holy shit! Holy shit!” Steve shouts, trying to swim toward the shore, but the current is far too strong for a man with a sprained ankle.

“Keep calm! Angle toward the edge. Waterfalls usually have weaker currents near the sides!” Billy calls out, though he’s not feeling particularly lucky tonight.

“It’s getting closer! What do we do?! I can see the light! What do we do?!” Steve screams, panic rising in his voice.

“Okay. Okay, don’t panic. Take a deep breath, tuck your chin to your chest, and protect your head.”

Steve nods, eyes wide with fear.

“Stay loose, not rigid,” Billy continues. “It’s just a dive into the water.”

A dive into freezing, black water after a fall they can’t measure.

The look they exchange says more than a thousand words.

“I’m sorry -” Steve starts, but Billy cuts him off.

“Don’t waste your breath. Get ready, deep breath… and hold it.”

The current grows faster, wilder, dragging them toward the roar ahead. Billy’s headlamp flickers across the walls as the water pulls them down, down, down.

“Ready? Take a deep breath!” Billy yells.

And then, they fall.

***

The force of the water drags Billy down, and he has to summon every ounce of strength to break free from under the waterfall and resurface in a world of white bubbles. He coughs a few times, gasping for air, then looks around frantically.

“Steve! Steve!” he calls, panic rising until he hears splashing nearby. The dark-haired boy breaks through the surface.

“Thank God! Harrington, are you in one piece?” Billy asks, swimming closer, ready to help.

Steve coughs but raises a shaky thumbs-up. Billy joins him, relief washing over him.

“We’re out,” Steve pants, breathless and grinning. “Fuck, we’re really out!”

“Didn’t know there was a waterfall here.”

“Neither did I,” Billy replies. “I think the heavy rain filled the underground river enough to create one.”

They were lucky, though it doesn’t feel that way as they drag themselves toward the shore, exhausted and bruised. Steve’s ankle is swollen and red, and Billy’s arms are covered in scratches from the rocks that battered him.

“Does your radio work?” Steve asks, collapsing in the mud.

“We just fell off a fucking waterfall,” Billy deadpans. “What do you think?”

“Don’t you have, like, super equipment or something?”

“I’m not James Bond, Steve. I’m a member of the Hawkins Rescue Team. No super equipment for us.”

“Shit. So what now?”

“We find wood that’s not too wet and start a fire. Once we’re dry and warm, we’ll figure out a way to contact Hopper. If we’re lucky, they’ll spot the fire from the helicopter.”

Steve nods, rubbing his hands together as the cold starts to bite through his soaked clothes. “Right,” he mutters through chattering teeth. “Wood. Fire. Survive. Easy.”

Billy lets out a soft laugh. “You got a better idea?”

“I’d pay for a hot shower and a comfy bed, but I guess we’ll have to adapt. Come on, Hargrove, lead the way.”

“Nope. You stay here, Harrington. I’m not hauling your ass through the woods while you limp. Stay put and wait for me like a good boy.”

“Hargrove!” Steve snarls, but Billy’s already disappeared into the trees, searching for half-dry branches.

When he gets back, Steve’s teeth are chattering and his lips are a worrying shade of blue, but Billy doesn’t comment. He kneels, flicks his lighter, and coaxes a flame to life.

“Good thing you smoke,” Steve says, grinning weakly as he holds his hands toward the fire.

Billy chuckles, feeding the flames.

“How long do you think it’ll take for them to find us?” Steve asks.

“They have no idea what direction we took. Our best chance is that they see the fire whit-” Billy stops mid-sentence, head snapping up. “Did you hear that?”

“What? Oh my God… are those rotor blades?” Steve mutters, eyes wide.

Billy jumps to his feet, grabbing a burning branch and rushing toward the lake.

“Here! We’re here!” he shouts, waving the torch, Steve right behind him.

“Help! We’re here!”

“Hargrove! Harrington! Are you okay?” Hopper’s voice bellows through a megaphone as the helicopter hovers lower, a rope dangling toward them.

“Take us home, boss!” Billy calls back. “We need a hot shower and a strong cup of coffee!”

He grabs the rope, securing it around Steve first, helping him up toward the helicopter before following.

When they’re finally both inside, Steve’s legs give out and Billy collapses beside him, breathing hard.

“We made it,” Steve whispers.

“Told you.”

Steve rolls his eyes, opens his mouth as if to retort, then sighs. “Thank you.”

“What was that?” Billy teases.

“Don’t be an ass, Billy. I’m too tired to deal with you.”

“Fine. I’ll wait until your next party to mock you in front of your friends,” Billy grins.

Steve sighs, but his hand drifts toward Billy’s until their pinkies touch. “I was serious. Thank you for staying with me, and probably saving my life.”

“Probably, huh?” Billy chuckles, leaning his head back against the metal wall, eyes half-closed.

There’s no reply. Steve’s already asleep, worn out and peaceful, his head resting lightly on Billy’s shoulder.

Billy looks down, their hands hidden beneath the emergency blanket, and feels the slow, steady rise and fall of Steve’s breath against him.