Word Count: 960

Warnings: death,funeral, nightmares, the feeling of sadness, if I missed any please let me know.

A/N: I used she/her pronouns!! Also I was very much inspired by a TikTok from the user @/pink_fire_fly, I took a screenshot of it in case y'all were curious. Billy is a ghost in this, which kinda sounds weird but trust me pls. Okay that's all I hope y'all enjoy!!

Watching you go through the five stages of grief was the hardest thing Billy could do,he wasn't able to comfort you through any of it, he had to sit idly in the corner hoping that you would be able to feel his presence. When he died,his soul rose above his body, he couldn't leave, the pain he felt for making you suffer during his final days still lingers. He saw you hold onto his body after the Mind-flayer did it's damage. He saw the way you held onto Max after the EMTs had zipped up his body bag.

Now he was watching you sleep as creepy as that sounded he found comfort in watching you. He couldn't be there with you in a physical sense but, it was the best he could do. You stirred in your sleep more than you used to, it started after the day he died. He assumed you were having nightmares. He wished he could be there to calm you or wake you up.

He watched as you continued to see Max, to check in on her, to make sure that she knew she had someone to grieve with. He watched as you got ready for his funeral, something that you shouldn't have had to get ready for. As you put on your black dress and loaded your purse with tissues, you look into the mirror and force a smile. He caught you doing that a lot lately. You walked to your car and that's when he noticed the tears starting to brim in your eyes.

You drove to his house, you promised Max that you would pick her up despite what his father said to Susan about it, you never cared about what his father said or thought. He watched as Max walked out the front door and got into your car. Her eyes mimicked yours as slight tears rolled down her cheeks. He couldn't bare himself to listen to the eulogies that were being given by the people who never cared about him. You were the only one that he wanted to hear. The guilt he felt for leaving you and for completely disappearing on you, only to show back up in probably the worst way possible, was rising in his chest once again. The way you talked about him, as if he was still there, as if he was coming back made him feel worse. You didn't deserve any of this. He left the funeral early, he went back to your place. He watched you come home and smile at the picture of him you had on your nightstand. He listened as you talked to him absentmindedly, of course you didn't know he was actually there.

Billy found himself watching you more often, he would check in on Max from time to time but she had Susan, Lucas and the rest of her friends around to help her heal, you didn't have anyone other than your parents. He felt like he could relate to you in a weird way, he saw the pain and grief you felt and he was going through it too, in a sense. He had to grieve over the fact that he lost you, that he lost time with you, that the future you guys were working towards was gone.

Months had gone by and you had stopped forcing smiles and they were starting to form on your face naturally. He noticed that you didn't stir in your sleep as much. He knew about the new guy in your life, shockingly enough it was Steve. He didn't expect it but he should have. After his funeral, you started calling old friends to try to get back some normalcy in your life. Steve was one of those friends. He was patient and understanding with you. Steve saw that your heart still ached for Billy and he knew that he needed to give you time before he tired anything.

Billy watched this friendship rekindle, he watched you heal, he watched you get your life back together. He watched as you took Max out for ice cream or going shopping with her. All the things he should've been able to do with the both of you. Instead he watched as Lucas and Steve tagged along, making his favorite people smile or laugh. He couldn't be happier that you and Max were finally starting to have fun again.

Finally after what felt like years but was really only 11 months you let Steve take you out on a date. He took you to Benny's diner, Billy watched as he unknowingly took you to the same booth that he sat in with you for your first date. After making you laugh and telling dumb stories, you smiled at Steve. And sure if the smile wasn't meant for him that was okay because you deserve to be happy and he smiled too.

That date would be the first of many. He watched you fall in love with Steve. He watched as you stayed up late on the phone with Steve twirling the phone cord around your fingers. He watched as you began to bring Steve over, he even got to witness the awkward family dinner when Steve met your parents officially. That gave him a good laugh. You finally found someone that made you happy and that's all he could ever ask for.

Billy was the happiest he had been in awhile, watching someone he loved become whole again after so long was one of the best things he could witness. People say that you only find true love once but, Y/n was different she found it twice and he was happy that she was able to find it again.