Disclaimer: I don't own anything
Hampstead Heath, England 1990
"I told you the first time you introduced me to him that he was a twit, Rachel!" Jesse said, furious. He was the director of the movie that Finn was writing and Rachel had called him over to the house to explain Finn's sudden trip.
"Jesse, I didn't ask you over to insult Finn," she said, rubbing her head tiredly. Jesse was her best friend and she wanted someone to help her understand Finn's strange behavior. But Jesse was mainly focusing on how inconvenient this was going to be for him.
"How dare he do this to me!"
Rachel rolled her eyes, "You've been complaining to me about him ever since we started making this picture."
"He'll never work in movies again," Jesse proclaimed, "I suppose you know that."
"If you could have seen his face," Rachel said, going back to the original topic, "It was frightening…"
"Nothing like a little crisis to bring the estranged couple closer together," Jesse said, walking over to his friend, and grabbing her hands, "And perhaps…even farther apart."
Rachel pulled her hands away, "Jesse, please," she knew that Jesse had feelings for her, but she loved Finn.
Jesse held his hands up in surrender, "I'm simply pointing out that this could be a blessing in disguise."
Rachel shook her head at him, "Would you consider giving me a few days?"
"I shall pretend I didn't hear that, Rachel," Jesse said, pulling away, "I shall replace your imbecilic husband, I cannot replace you. Don't even think about leaving, Rachel. You've worked very hard to get where you are. Very hard. I know you'd do nothing to jeopardize that." She could hear the threat behind his friendly tone. If she left, he would fire her. "Or to damage our professional relationship. Or to turn a good friend into a violent enemy ready to crucify you at any cost," Jesse smiled, positive that he had made his point, "But there's no need to talk about that. I'll see you tomorrow," he said, showing himself out.
Rachel sat and thought. For two hours, she warred with herself over what to do. She would lose her career if she went after Finn…but if she didn't go…
Finn had been terrified when he left the house. She knew that if she didn't go after him, she would never see him again.
It all came down to a matter of what she loved more. Her career, or her husband.
She picked up the phone, "International reservations, please. Yes, I'd like a seat on your next flight to the United States."
Derry, Maine 1990
Rory walked into Chop Suey Chinese Restaurant. The hostess pointed him towards a private room in the back of the restaurant. Facing away from him was a shorter, obviously fit man with curly black hair, "Excuse me, I'm looking for the Sullivan party?" The man turned around and stared in shock.
"Rory?" he asked, "Rory Flannigan!"
"Haystack!" the Irish man exclaimed, happy at seeing his old friend. He walked over to him and gave him a hug, "What happened to the rest of you?" he asked with a friendly laugh.
"Gone but not forgotten," Blaine replied with a laugh, pulling the small boy in for another hug. Blaine released Rory when two other men walked into the room. They both looked in shock at their old friends, hardly believing that the four of them were together again. Blaine looked up at Finn and chuckled, "Where's Sam Evans when you need a good line?"
"Blaine," Finn realized, shocked."
"I'm afraid so," Rory laughed, slapping Blaine's hard stomach.
"Finn, look at you," Blaine said, pulling the tall man in for a hug while Rory greeted David, "David, is that you?"
"Such as I am, Haystack," the men went on, laughing and reminiscing, not noticing Sam walk over to the entrance. He was still stressed from that afternoon, and seeing so many faces from the past messed him up. He began to panic and ran to the restroom, splashing water on his face.
"Come on, Evans…it was a hallucination brought on by too much fun in '67. Just get ahold of yourself," he told his reflection, "You're working too hard, kid." He walked back to the private room, interrupting Blaine's toast, "Alright, who got bald, who got wrinkled and how many of God's children have wings?" he announced his presence to the room.
"Beep beep, Sammy," Finn said with a smile. Sam plastered on a smile and greeted the other men, happily.
They all fall silent when Rory greets the newest arrival, "Kurt."
The five men turn to look at their old friend. Kurt had grown up to be beautiful. He gave a soft smile, "What a bunch of handsome old men," he took three steps into the room before his steps faltered and his eyes rolled back in his head. Rory, who was the closest, rushed forward to catch him before he hit the ground in a faint, Blaine rushing over to help the scrawny man get the pale beauty over to the small love seat that sat against one wall.
Finn grabbed a napkin from the table and soaked it in a water glass. He handed it to Blaine who hovered by Kurt's head. The curly haired man gently placed it on Kurt's forehead, caressing his hair. Sam kneeled on the floor next to him and took one of Kurt's hands. He shot Kurt a smile when his glasz eyes opened with a start.
"Hi, good lookin'," he said, teasingly.
"Sam," Kurt said, happily, pulling Sam into a hug and placing a gentle kiss on his cheek. He released the blond and his eyes found the small Irish man, "Rory!" he rushed to embrace him.
"I'd rather catch you than anyone else in the whole world, Kurt Hummel," Rory said, laughing. Kurt laughed and Rory helped him stand up. The pale man grabbed David and pulled him into a hug.
"I just… all of you standing there. So much came flooding back it was like a tidal wave," Kurt explained with a blush over his faint. He pulled back to look David in the eyes, "David, what are we getting ourselves into?" Before David could respond, someone else caught Kurt's eye.
"Hi Kurt," Blaine said with a bashful wave. The other men could see it clearly. Blaine was still in love with Kurt. It was obvious…to everyone but Kurt.
"Blaine," Kurt said happily, pulling his old friend into a hug, "I'm so proud of you. I saw your article in Time Magazine, and just look at you! Where's..."
He trails off when he sees Finn. He walked over and gave him a hug that lasted a little longer than the others had, "You all right, Kurt?"
"Yes," Kurt said, softly before shaking his head, "I saw something."
"Same with me," Blaine said.
"Oh, man," Sam said, dropping on to the love seat, "What I saw at the library…Woah!"
"Was it Pennywise?" Finn asked.
"Of course, it was Pennywise," Sam said, covering his eyes.
"He's working on us already."
"Trying to chip away at us," Blaine added, bitterly.
"Maybe that means he's afraid," Kurt cut in.
"It," Kurt looked at Finn in confusion, "It's afraid."
"Oh man. It," Sam said, rubbing his eyes.
"Help us remember, David," Blaine pleaded, "help us fill in the gaps."
"Yeah, please because I don't know what you guys are talking about," Rory finally spoke. They all turned to look at him, "I can't remember much of anything, and when I try… it… it clouds over. I mean, didn't you feel it? As soon as I crossed the county line it was like this veil dropped over my eyes."
"Maybe it's the water," Sam tried to joke.
"Water?" Kurt said, voice hard, "Maybe it's the sewer."
"This is battery acid, you slime!" Rory screamed at It, spraying his inhaler in Its face.
"Breathe Rory," Blaine said, grabbing his arm as the memory hit the scrawny man, causing him to hyperventilate. The man took a few puffs of his inhaler before speaking in a hoarse voice.
"I'm okay. I think I remember who Pennywise was now… big white guy, red nose…'bout seventy-five feet tall," he choked out, trying not to get hysterical, "Mouth full of razor sharp teeth!" he exaggerated as the memories of his childhood monster came flooding back to him. Kurt and Sam rushed to comfort him as tears started to fall from his eyes, "What is happening you guys? I mean, what the hell is going on!" he sobbed. David handed him and napkin from the table and Rory dried his eyes and attempted to regain his composure, "I'm sorry. It was just a very vivid memory. I had forgotten, that I stared that creep right in the face."
"And you saved Puck's life," Finn hurried to remind him, "Do you remember that part?"
Rory's back straightened and he looked up into the taller man's eyes, "Yeah. Yeah, now I do."
"Hey, speaking of Puck," Sam said, walking over to the entrance to shout their other friends name, hoping that he was just late or lost, "Where is his royal straightness, anyway?"
"He wouldn't fink out on us, would he David?" Blaine asked, a little angrily, "You told him, right?"
"Yeah," David said, uncertainly, "Yeah, he'll be along."
"I think we ought to go ahead without him," Finn said, "We can fill him in when he gets here. Come on David, talk to us, help us remember-"
"Now wait a minute," Sam interrupted, "I don't know about you guys, but this is the first time since I got here that I feel good! I mean I feel halfway safe! Come on," he said, turning back to the bar and pouring some drinks, "let's have a couple of drinks. Some good food, a couple of chucks, and let's just leave the wolf out the door, huh?"
"Spoken like a true loser, Sam" Blaine teased, gaining some chuckles from the other men.
"Hey, hey," Rory got their attention and raised his glass, "To the Loser's Club."
"To the Loser's Club," the other five men agreed with a smile, meeting his glass in the middle.
They all sat around the large table and started to catch up after ordering their food. They enjoyed the delicious Chinese food and laughed hard at Sam's jokes. They listened with pride as Kurt talked about his company, and Finn told them about the movie. Blaine told them about his musicals and Rory talked about the company he had built. They relaxed for the first time since David had called them and simply wanted to enjoy each other's company. They teased and talked as if they had never been separated.
"Wait did you say wives?" Blaine asked Sam with a laugh, "How many times have you been to the alter, Sammy?"
"Oh, four, five? Who the hell keeps count? Mercedes is gonna be the last, though, I guarantee that. But those other women were so materialistic. They all just wanted the same thing."
"How about you, Blaine, are you married?" Finn asked.
"No, but I've dodged the bullet a number of times. I'm still waiting for the right guy," Kurt didn't notice Blaine glance at him as he said this, "What about you, Rory?"
"Me? Yeah, I'm seeing this really wonderful woman named Sugar. But with the business and all, I really haven't had much time."
David chuckled, "How about you Kurt?"
"Oh…Well I'm seeing…no I'm not married or in a relationship," Kurt said. Blaine could see that he was getting uncomfortable and turned back to Sam.
"So, Sam, whatever happened to those glasses?"
Sam placed his empty water glass up to his eye, "Contact lenses."
Blaine laughed, "With how many times you broke those glasses of yours you should have had stock in an adhesive tape company."
"Yeah, me and Dave Karofsky."
Kurt groaned and put his head in his hands, "Somebody please tell me he was hit by a freight train and put out of his misery."
David sighed and picked up his teacup, "No such luck. If you want to see Dave Karofsky you'll find him up at Juniper Hills," he said.
"Ever since the trial," Kurt remembered, "where he confessed to the murders of all the children."
"He was down there with us in the sewer," Blaine shuddered.
"That creep was gonna kill Puck," Sam said angrily.
"He was gonna kill us all," Rory corrected.
"I remember when they pulled him out," Finn said, "his hair had turned white."
"And he was babbling about a white light," Blaine continued for him.
"And a clown," Kurt broke in.
"And no one believed him," David said, unable to keep the satisfaction out of his voice at the bully getting what he deserved.
"Except when he said he killed all the kids," Finn said.
Kurt couldn't keep the guilt from his voice, "And we didn't say anything."
"Not a word," Rory said taking another sip of his drink.
"But It was the killer. And we stopped It," Finn finished.
David looked across the table at him, "We thought we did."
Juniper Hills State Correctional Facility Psychiatric Unit
Dave Karofsky stared up at the moon through the bars on his window. The years had not been kind on the former bully. His hair, what was left of it, was a snow white and his fat form was covered in wrinkles and scars from the multiple beatings he had received from the guards and the other inmates. They did not like child killers.
"Dave," a throaty voice called out, "Dave Karofsky!" he sat up and looked around the room, but all of his cellmates were sleeping, "Up here, sharp stuff," he could almost hear the eyeroll in the voice. He looked back out the window and up at the full moon. It was the clown! "You helped me once, remember? You chased those brats! Almost got 'em, too. Almost. Don't you want another chance? You gotta go back and finish the job. You gotta go back to Derry and kill them all!" the clown faded away and Dave slowly laid back down.
He stared up at the ceiling. Kill them all echoing through his head. He wanted to hurt them. To kill the people that had ruined his life. He just needed to find a way out of the hospital.
Derry, Maine
The last of the dishes had been cleared away and their waitress placed a plate of fortune cookies on the table.
Sam drained his glass and looked down at his watch, "Well I've got a plane out at 6 a.m.— "
Kurt cut him off, "Sam," the blonde looked up at him, "You're not leaving?"
Sam gave a long-suffering sigh. "What do you want, Kurt, an adventure? You got some high-toned idea that you're gonna go back and relive that old nightmare? I love you, but count me out. I'm going to a hotel, I'm gonna get some sleep and in the morning, I get on a plane and I'm outta here, forever."
"Sam—" Blaine started, but he was cut off.
"I will remember all of you, very fondly," Sam tried to joke but Blaine continued.
"Hey, Sam we're all scared it's nothing to be ashamed of."
"Maybe he's right," Rory cut in, causing Blaine and Kurt to look at him in shock, "I mean, if you were talking about going back into the sewer?"
"We don't know what we were talking about," Finn said, "Mainly because we haven't talked about it yet."
"Yeah," Blaine said, sounding a little angry, "Suppose we give David a chance to fill us in before we scatter to the four winds, or is that too much trouble, Sam?"
"All I'm saying is I'm gonna go get some sleep, is that too much to ask?!" Sam yelled back.
"Why don't we show David a little courtesy— "
"Guys, guys, come on!" David yelled out, stopping the two men, "It's all right, Blaine. If Sam wants to go, he goes. Now we all came here based on the strength of a promise. As far as I'm concerned everybody at this table made good on that promise. Wherever we go from here…I have no expectations."
"Well said, David," Sam said, slapping a twenty onto the table.
"It's all right, it's taken care of, Sam," he said, regarding the bill. The group immediately protested, "Guys, that's just the way it is," he said in a no-nonsense tone. Sam nodded and put the money back in his wallet.
"Alright, then," he said, grabbing a fortune cookie, "a toast to David Sullivan, without whom, none of this would have been necessary," the others grabbed a cookie as Sam went on, "I can just see my fortune now, 'You're gonna be eaten by a big greasy monster. Have a nice day!'"
They all chuckled as Kurt broke open his cookie. He screamed when, instead of a little slip of paper, blood came spraying out at him, just like it had in his bathroom thirty years ago.
Rory screamed as a cockroach popped out of his cookie and scurried across the table. Sam put his cookie on the table and flinched back as part of it broke off and went flying. He cried out in disgust at the eyeball staring at him. Blaine didn't hesitate to throw his across the table as two claws broke free. He jumped out of his chair and backed up against the wall.
David looked down at the crumbled remains of his fortune cookie. He couldn't take his eyes off the fetus chicken with no eyes that was making pitiful squeaks and moving its tiny underdeveloped feet.
"Dummy up, everybody," Finn said, staring at the cookie in front of him as it shakes and creaked. Whatever was inside wanted to come out. Blaine sat back down next to Kurt who was frantically trying to get the blood off of his hands. Rory was taking multiple puffs of his inhaler as Sam tried not to throw up. Their waitress heard the screams and came running into the room.
"What is it? What's wrong? Is something the matter?" she asked, looking around the table, not seeing anything out of the ordinary.
"Our friend h-had an asthma attack, but he's better now," Finn said, thinking quickly. The waitress looked over at the red faced, panting Rory, and nodded.
"Much better," Rory panted, "Thank you."
"Everything was okay?" she asked concerned.
"Everything was fine," Kurt said charmingly and the rest of the group was quick to agree. The waitress smiled and left the room.
"I-I'm not so sleepy anymore," Sam said finally looking away from the eye in the cookie and jumping out of his seat.
Finn covered his cookie with his napkin as the hairy leg of a large spider finally broke through the sides, "Let's get the hell out of here," he said. The others needed no more urging as they jumped out of their seats and raced out of the restaurant.