TW: Mentions of Needles and Abuse,

There is noise inside coming from the kitchen. Dustin is throwing things off the Byers' fridge. Steve stood there, holding a Demo dog, wrapped tightly with a blanket. While Madison stood there, confused.

"Is this really necessary?" He muttered

Dustin stood there intrigued

"Yeah, it is. You both should know that this is a groundbreaking scientific discovery. And we can't just bury it like some common mammal? Okay? It's not a dog."

Madison stretches her arm out frustrated, her patience running thin. "But it's a Demo- Dog, so IT IS A DOG."

You know what? All right, all right, all right. You're explaining all this to Mrs. Byers, all right." Steve gestured to the Demodog in his arm

Madison holds onto the Demodog tail as Steve tries to shove it in the fridge. Dustin just stood there.

"What am I supposed to do?"

"Get the door, man."

"All right, I got the door."

Dustin held onto the door as Steve successfully got it in. Madison stepped away from the fridge, wiping her hands on her jeans. Steve put his hand on Dustin's hat, playfully.

"You weren't in there. Okay, Lucas, that lab is swarming with hundreds of those dogs." Mike said, his voice is low

"Demo Dogs" Dustin corrected from the kitchen

" The Chief will take care of her," Lucas said, his voice quivering a bit

" Like she needs protection" Max muttered

"Listen, dude, a coach calls it a play-in game, bottom line you execute it. Alright." Steve started, trying to keep his cool

"Well, first of all, this isn't some type of stupid sports game. And second, we're not even in the game. We're all on the bench, " Mike snapped.

"So, my point is... Steve stayed silent for a minute trying to think of what to say next.

"Right yeah, we're all on the bench. So uh, there's nothing that we could do". He proceeds to throw a rag on his shoulder.

"That's not entirely true."

The rest of the group turned to Dustin.

I mean these Demo- Dogs, they have a hive mind. When they ran away from the bus, they were all called away somewhere."

" So, If we get their attention." Lucas started

"Maybe we can draw them away from the lab," Max suggested

"Clear a path towards the gate" Mike repeated

How will we do all that?" Madison asked, uncertain

"Yeah, and we would all die".  Steve snapped

"Well, that's one point of view," Dustin replied, his tone more urgent than usual.

"No, that's not even a point of view, it's a fact." Steve shot back, starting to get more frustrated

"I got it." Mike suddenly said

Mike moved throughout the house, He gestured toward the stuffed Demodog,

"This is where the chief dug his hole. This is our way to the tunnel."Here right here, this is like a hub. So, you got all of the tunnels feeding right in here. Maybe if we set it on fire."

"Yeah, that's a big no," Steve tried to cut off

"The mind flayer would call away his army." Dustin quickly added

They'd come all the way to stop us." Lucas said, a bit concerned

"And by the time they realize we are gone," Mike said, coming up with an idea in his head

"El would be at the gate," Max said, determined

"Guys, hey, hey" Steve interrupted

Madison and the kids look at Steve, his arms are raised as if he is trying to get everyone's attention,

" Hey, this isn't going to happen."

" But-" Mike gets cut off.

"No, no, no, no, No buts. "We promised to keep you shitheads safe. And that is exactly what we plan on doing. We're staying here." On the bench." Steve grabbed the towel off his shoulders holding it at the four kids. "And we're waiting for the starting teams to do their job. Does everyone understand that?"

"This isn't a stupid sports game." Mike shot back frustrated

"I SAID DOES EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND THAT? I need a yes." Steve raised his voice louder

The kids share a frustrated look

"They have a point..." Madison suddenly spoke up, earning a smile from her sister

"Are you serious?" Steve said, in absolute disbelief

" I'm dead serious" Madison replied, trying to sound calm

Max's eyes locked into that familiar car in the driveway. Max couldn't believe it and neither could Madison. It is Billy Hargrove.

" It's our brother"

"What?" Lucas's eyes shot back to Max and then to the window

" He can't know I'm here- He'll kill me, he'll kill us"

Madison felt her chest tighten as Max's words sank in.

" Stay here"

Steve's instincts kicked in, and before he knew it, he was in front of her, blocking her way.

"Woah, Woah, Woah, Maddie what are you doing?"

Her jaw clenched; there's no way she's going to let him go out there- he could hurt him.

"To talk to Billy, who looks pretty pissed off right now."

" I'll talk to him"

Madison's eyes narrowed, and her gaze hardened. She wasn't going to stand there and let someone take the risk for her- especially with Billy.

"NO-"

She started to feel more frustrated as she looked at Steve

" You have no idea what you're getting yourself into"

Their gazes are focused on each other. He had no idea what to say, he could see fear in her eyes. He let out an exhale before speaking

" Stay here"

Madison's heart sank, as he saw him make his decision

" No- No Steve" She protested

But it was too late he was already out of the door. Billy leaned against the Camero; a smirk formed on his lips.

"Am I dreaming or is that you, Harrington?"

Steve held his ground as he met Billy's gaze, his expression unfazed

" Yeah, it's me, don't cream your pants"

Billy's smirk grew as he and Steve closed off the distance between them. They met halfway between the Camaro and the house,

" What are you doing here Amigo"

Steve stood his ground

" I could ask you the same thing Amigo" he mimicked Billy's tone of voice

" I'm looking for my stepsisters. A little birdie told me they would be in here"

He just shrugged at him

" Huh That's weird- don't know them"

" Small, Redhead, a bit of a bitch"

Steve just shrugged again; his tone was almost casual.

" Yeah, doesn't ring a bell, Sorry bud"

Billy's smirk faded for a brief moment,

"You know, I don't know, this ... whole situation, I don't know. It's giving me the Heebie- Jeebies "

Steve raised an eyebrow at him

"Yeah, why's that?"

Billy's jaw clenched,

"My thirteen-year-old sister goes missing all day. And then I find her here with you and my other sister in a stranger's house. And you lied to me."

Steve chuckled. "Man, were you dropped a lot as a child or what?

He shook his head. His mood instantly changed.

"I don't know what you don't understand about what we said. She isn't here."

His gaze shifted towards Steve to the window of the house.

" Then who's that?"

The kids duck down the window.

" I told you to get away from the window" Madison whispered,

"Shit, did he see us"

Steve turned back around; he realized how much trouble they were in.

" Shit listen"

Without giving him a chance to explain, Billy shoved him, hard, sending him to the ground.

"I told you to plant your feet."

He proceeds to kick him, making Steve groan in pain.

Billy's anger increased as he stormed into the house, his eyes landing on Madison and the kids huddled behind her. His gaze focused mostly on her.

" I told you would be sorry" he spat out in a menacing way

Madison stood her ground, blocking Billy from getting closer to the others. She glared at him, her eyes mixed with fear and anger.

" What did you do!"

She felt a lump form in her throat as Billy's cold gaze pierced through her.

" What did you do!"

Billy's sudden silence was tense. Madison felt her hands shake; she could see the fear in Max's eyes.

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO"

Just as Madison was about to check on him, Billy grabbed her. She struggled to escape his rough grip.

"LET HER GO" Lucas shouted, his voice trembling a bit

This caught Billy's attention, and his grip started to loosen. He then dropped her to the ground, and Madison winced a bit. A bruise formed in her left arm. Him just seeing Max and Lucas together made him even more angry.

" Well, well, well... if it isn't Lucas Sinclair. What a surprise"

Billy approaches the kids, his eyes are now fixed on Max.

" I thought I told you to stay away from him, Max"

Madison suddenly got up, catching her balance.

Max's voice trembled, as she glared up at Billy,

" Billy go away"

" You disobeyed me, and you know what happens when you disobey me," he said, his voice low and chilling.

"Billy-"

" I break things"

Billy suddenly grabbed Lucas; his grip tightened on his jacket. Madison and the kids shouted at him to stop. She didn't see Billy anymore; she saw Neil instead. The abused become the abuser.

Lucas is driven toward the kitchen, everything happened so fast that he barely had time to react. The wall slammed into his back. Pots and pans crashed onto the floor.

"Get off me get off"

Billy's grip only tightened on his jacket

" Since Maxine won't listen to me, maybe you will. You stay away from her. STAY AWAY"

" I said GET- OFF"

He knees Billy in his sensitive spot, making him stumble back. He looks up at Lucas, his eyes are full of rage.

"You are so dead, Sinclair! You're dead."

He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around. "No, you are!"

Steve punched him straight in the jaw. A twisted grin formed on Billy's face,

"Looks like you've got some fire in you after all, huh? I've been waiting to meet this King Steve everyone has been telling me so much about."

Steve reached out and pushed Billy back with just two fingers

"Get out!" His voice is low

Madison backed away to protect the kids, she put her arms in front of them. Billy didn't respond but clenched his hand into a fist swinging it at Steve, but he dodged it successfully. The four kids rejoice for him as he punches him repeatedly. Suddenly Billy smashed a plate on his head. Madison put her hand on her mouth. Billy grabbed him by the collar.

"No one tells me what to do."

Billy knocks his head making him fall on the floor and he punches him in the face repeatedly ignoring the screams of everyone. Madison stares at the bat and then at her sister, who has a similar plan, she gives her a slight nod of approval. Max grabbed the needle and stuck it up his neck. Billy froze, shocked, his hands went to the injection on his neck.

" You little shit What did you do, what did yo-y-O."

He falls to the floor, laughing. Madison grabs the bat, raised high in the air, jaw clenched. Max stood right next to her.

"From here on out, you're going to leave me, Maddie, and my friends alone —- Do you understand,"

" Screw you" He spat out.

Losing her temper, Madison swung the bat on the floor making a loud BANG, "SAY YOU UNDERSTAND!"

"SAY IT!!!! SAY IT."

"I... understand."

" What"

I....understand."

Billy's eyes start to close. The boy's stare with jaws dropped. Madison tossed the bat aside while Max stepped forward to grab his keys. She couldn't help but stare at Steve's unconscious body on the floor. "Let's get out of here!"

"Are you ok",

Lucas nods at Madison. "Yeah"

"Help me bring him to the car."

A/N: This was a pain to rewrite but it was worth it-