Eddie hated this fucking house. Neibolt used to haunt him as a kid, even before the events with Pennywise. He was kind of angry at Bill for dragging them there before they were ready, but he knew now wasn't any time for bad feelings. It wanted to divide them and Eddie wasn't going to let him. They walked inside and it smelt awful.
"I love what he's done with the place," Richie said as he looked around at the filth.
"Beep beep, Richie," Beverly responded.
Richie, Eddie and Bill all walked into a room and the door slammed behind them ultimately separating them from the others. The rusty old fridge against the far wall started to rattle. Eddie remembered that fridge from when he broke his arm. Eddie looked up and noticed the hole he fell through was still there. He looked back down and the fridge door flung open to reveal a teenage boy folded in an unnatural position. A head appeared through the legs. Stanley. It was Stanley Uris.
"It's Stan," Richie said.
The head rolled out the fridge until it hit an old mattress. It started to speak.
"It's your fault I'm dead, Bill," it said, looking him dead in the eye.
"N-n-no S-s-st-st-st-sta-st-st...Stan."
"You made me promise."
Bill wiped a tear and Eddie put a hand on his shoulder.
"Richie, w-what's happening to me?" The head asked.
What looked like spider legs started sprouting from the head. Eddie backed up into the far corner and watched in horror as the head stood and smiled revealing razor sharp teeth.
"You've got to be fucking kidding me," Richie exclaimed.
The weird Stan-spider ran at the three men. Bill and Richie fought it off until they lost it. Eddie was in the corner having a panic attack.
"Hey, Eds, are you..."
He trailed off as he noticed some spit dripping in between him and Eddie. He looked up and the spider head was there.
"Oh, there he is."
The spider lunged at Richie and immediately attached itself to his face.
"What the fuck!" He screamed as he fell over backwards, trying to pry it off his head.
Bill immediately ran over and tried to pull, the head off. Eddie couldn't move. He wanted to, he wanted to help, but no matter how hard he tried he couldn't move. His feet were glued to the floor. Ben, Beverly and Mike burst through the door. Ben spotting a knife on the floor, ran over and immediately grabbed it. He stabbed the head multiple times, not realising who it was. The grip on Richie's head loosened as he threw the head off him. Bill held a hand out and helped Richie stand up.
"Holy shit," Richie said, "if he wanted a kiss he could've just asked."
"You almost died, Richie," Beverly said.
"But I didn't."
Richie walked over to Eddie.
"You okay?"
"Rich...you just..."
"Yeah, but I'm fine. I'm not going to die and neither are you."
"Promise?" Eddie asked.
Eddie held out his pinky finger and Richie caught it with his own pinky finger.
"Promise."
"Oh fuck," Eddie exclaimed.
He came out the cave to find Richie floating in the air trapped in the dead lights as Beverly had been years before. He couldn't even think. He was so overwhelmed that he just threw the fence pilon that Beverly had given straight at Pennywise like a spear. It flew directly into Pennywises mouth, knocking him backwards and causing Richie to fall.
"Holy shit."
Eddie ran over to Richie and basically straddled him.
"Rich, Rich, hey Rich, wake up."
Richie's eyes flicked open and he looked completely dazed.
"Hey, yeah, yeah, there he is. Richie, listen. I think I got it man," Eddie looked back to see Pennywise laying still, "I think I killed it."
"Eddie," Richie breathed out, "move."
Richie was too late. Just as he uttered 'move' a sharp flooded Eddie's entire body. Blood dropped from his mouth ont Richie. Eddie looked down to find Pennywise's talon sticking out his his stomach.
"Eddie," Richie cried.
"Rich...Richie."
Pennywise pulled him back and help him in the air like a trophy. Eddie felt sick and lightheaded. He heard Bill and Beverly scream. Eddie looked down at Richie who was frozen still.
"Uh oh!" It taunted as he threw Eddie down into a far cave.
Richie immediately got up and broke into a sprint. Him and all the other losers ran into the cave where Eddie had been thrown. Bill and Mike were the first ones down there. They both lifted Eddie and moved him over to the side so he could rest comfortably. Richie took his jacket off and pressed it against Eddie's chest.
Eddie started saying something about how he made a leper small and then the others ran off. Richie couldn't hear anything. His ears were ringing. He was only pulled back to reality when Eddie's breathing became slower.
"Eddie," Richie cried, "stay with me."
Richie pressed his spare hand to Eddie's cheek and rubbed his thumb softly in front of his ear.
"It's okay, you're going to be okay."
"Richie...go help them."
"No, I can't leave you."
"I'll be okay."
"No, Eddie, no, I'm not leaving."
"Please...do it for me."
A sob escaped Riche's lips and Eddie raised a hand to cup his cheek. Richie heard everyone begin yelling at It. He wasn't sure how that was helping at all, but he didn't really care. All he wanted for Eddie to be okay.
"Rich, go help."
Richie leant forwards and kissed Eddie's forehead.
"I love you," he whispered, "I always have."
"I love you too," Eddie managed.
Richie granted his wish and left to go help defeat It. Eddie didn't want him to. He only begged Richie to go help so he wouldn't have to watch him die. He used a weak and shaky hand to pull the dog tag out from under his shirt. He wrapped his hand around it and gripped the metal tight. Eddie closed his eyes and let the darkness take him.
Richie, Beverly, Ben, Mike and Bill were all stood holding the clowns heart that Mike had ripped from his chest. They all began squeezing it and the pieces began floating up to where the dead lights were. Pennywise started fading too. He was finally gone. Richie took a deep breath and remembered Eddie in the cave.
"Guys, Eddie," he said in a small voice and he turned and ran back to the cave.
Richie ran down to where Eddie as laying and crouched down by hm.
"Hey, Eddie, hey man, we did it."
Eddie didn't respond. Richie cupped his face and felt his heart shatter.
"Eds."
Tears immediately fell down his cheeks and he tried to shake Eddie awake. When it didn't work, Richie wrapped his arms around him and hugged him tighter than he ever has before, hoping it was a sick prank and Eddie would hug him back.
"Richie," Beverly spoke softly, "cmon, honey, he's dead."
"No."
"Ri-"
"No, help me get him up."
The losers knew Richie wouldn't leave without Eddie, dead or alive. Mike helped Richie get him up. He then let Richie carry him bridal style out of the system. A running out was a nightmare. The whole system collapsed just as they managed to make it out the well. They navigated their way out of the crumbling house and ran out onto the street.
Just as they made it out, the house collapsed. Richie immediately bent down and laid Eddie on the ground. He hugged him tight and sobbed. The paparazzi took photos and the losers surrounded the pair so no one could get a clear shot. None of them were sure how the paparazzi knew they were there, but none of them really cared.
"I love you so much," he cried, "I'm so sorry."
After a few moments, Richie opened his eyes and softly ran his thumb along Eddie's temple.
"I'm sorry I let this happen, I promised you'd be okay, I'm so sorry."
His words were encased in sobs as he ran his fingers through Eddie's hair and kissed his forehead. Richie pressed his forehead against Eddie's and sobbed louder. He softly placed his hand on Eddie's chest and let a louder sob fall from his lips when his chest wasn't rising and falling.
"I love you."
Beverly placed a hand on Richie's shoulder in an attempt to comfort him, but it was no help. Richie was holding the unmoving love of his life in his arms. There was nothing she could do to make him feel better.
The paparazzi began moving closer. One of them even pushed Mike to the ground to take a photo of Richie and Eddie. Everything around Richie became muffled noise as he slowly caressed Eddie's face. He could hear the paparazzi asking him questions, but he didn't care enough to respond. Bill and Ben were asking the paparazzi to leave and telling them that this was personal, but they weren't listening.
Richie's heart tightened in his chest as the unexpected happened. Eddie's eyes opened at lightning speed and he took a long breath.