Don't Break Me (Billy Hargrove)

Chapter Twenty Four

Jane Hopper

March 29, 1985

"What do you mean she's pregnant?" I asked the woman.

"She's about three months along. That may be why she hasn't been able to recover quickly," the woman said before stepping away from Betty.

"Will she and the baby be ok?" I asked and the woman looked down.

"Honestly, I don't know. In the state she's in it's possible only one of them will survive but I don't know which one," the woman answered and my heart broke. I didn't want to lose my sister, but I also didn't want her to lose the baby.

"Do you want me to tell everyone or would you like to?" The woman asked and I shook my head.

"You tell boys, I'll tell Betty," I said and the woman gave me a strange look. After a moment she nodded before getting up and leaving the room. I listened and heard the woman's voice in the living room followed by dad yelling. I quickly closed my eyes and tried to not listen. I grabbed Betty's hand and focused on her. The noise slowly turned to static, then there was silence. I opened my eyes and saw nothing but black. I began to walk, splashing through puddles in search of Betty. After walking for a few minute I found her sitting in the dark.

"Betty!" I called as I ran to her. She turned to me and smiled before getting up to meet me. I threw my arms around her and gave her a hug.

"Someone's happy to see me," he laughed and I smiled.

"I have to tell you something," I said quickly after letting her go.

"Oh! Tell me in just a second, I have to show you something," she said before taking my hand and pulling me somewhere. I followed her and in the distance I could see weird shapes. As we got closer I could make out what they were, furniture.

"Ok, promise not to freak out?" She stopped and asked. I nodded and she smiled brightly before leading me to the strange room. I stepped onto a plush carpet and saw a cradle in front of me. There was a mobile above the crib and a rocking chair next to it.

"Is that..." I started but she finished my sentence.

"My baby," she said happily and I looked into the crib. I saw a bundled blanket but no baby.

"Where's the baby?" I asked and she laughed.

"It hasn't been born yet so I don't know what it will look like, or its gender, but I know it's there. Sometimes I'll hold and rock it and can feel it's heart beating," she said as she looked at the baby. She loved the baby, it was obvious.

"So? What did you have to tell me?" She asked still smiling.

"I was just going to tell you about the baby," I said and she looked at me confused.

"Wait, you knew?" She asked and I nodded.

"How did you find out?" She asked, suddenly upset.

"Dad asked a lady to make sure you were ok and she told us," I said and Betty's eyes got big.

"Does Dad know?" She asked and I nodded. Betty looked like she was about to cry.

"What's wrong?" I asked, worried about her.

"Dad's going to kill me. He's going to kill Billy too," she started to walk back and forth.

"Does Billy know?" She asked and I shrugged.

"I don't know. The lady went to tell Dad and he started yelling, that's when I came here," I said and she nodded.

"I need you to go back. I need to know what Billy says about it," she said before turning away.

"Wait, theres something else," I said and she looked back at me.

"What is it?" She asked, she looked nervous.

"The lady said that she doesn't know if you and the baby can both wake up," I said, also nervous. Betty looked down, then to the baby, then back to me.

"The baby comes first. Tell Dad and Billy that the baby comes first," she said after a second of thinking.

"But I don't want to lose you," I said, about to cry.

"I know you don't. I don't want to leave you. I love you very much, just like I love dad and Billy and this baby. If it comes down to it, I want this baby to live, ok?" She held my hand and smiled. I slowly nodded and she gave me a hug.

"I'll see you later, yeah?" She asked and I nodded.

"See you later," I said before closing my eyes. I opened them and I was back in the cabin. I could hear dad yelling in the living room and I sighed. I let go of Betty's hand and stood up to leave the room.

"What the hell were you thinking getting her pregnant?!?" Dad yelled at Billy as I entered the room.

"First off, I didn't plan on knocking her up. Second, what the hell did you expect when we moved into a secluded cabin? You think we were going to have separate bedrooms?!?" Billy yelled back.

"This is your fault!" Dad yelled back.

"It's not. Betty chose," I said and they both got quiet and turned to me.

"What do you mean she chose?" Dad asked, his voice still loud.

"Betty knows about the baby. She wants to keep it, wants it to live," I said and they both looked surprised.

"I'm not letting her die," Dad said.

"It's not certain that she will die, I said it's possible she will have to chose either for her to recover or the baby to survive. It's possible, probably even, but not certain," the woman said, I wish she would leave.

"If it comes to it, it's Betty's choice," Billy said and Dad laughed.

"Yeah, because either way you win. You either get your girlfriend or her kid, right? Not happening. I'm not losing my daughter, but if worst comes to worst I will raise the kid," Dad said angrily.

"I'm the father! You can't just take the kid," Billy said.

"Oh yeah, I'll just let you take it and let it have an alcoholic, deadbeat father," Dad said back.

"Looks like it will have one no matter who takes it," Billy said and dad got mad.

"You son of a..." Dad started but I held out my hand and stopped him. Everyone in the room was quiet.

"It is Betty's baby. Betty says for the baby to live. Maybe Betty won't die, but either way the baby lives," I said and they all looked away from me.

"Billy, she wants to know what you think about the baby," I said and Billy looked at me.

"Tell her... I'm really happy," he said with a sad smile. I nodded before going back into the bedroom. I sat back down beside her and held her hand.

"He's happy," I whispered to her. I looked at her face and she was smiling.

A/n
Well hello there!
Sorry it's short (for the long wait), I'll try to update again soon.

Also in case you haven't noticed, on Jane chapters I try to use more simplistic language (bc she's a baby she still learning ❤️) so it's not that I'm a terrible writer I just felt it was character appropriate.

Hope you enjoy!