(A/N): I legit know nothing about hospitals. Sorry if this is incorrect. Also, this chapter is really short as I struggled to write this chapter, I hope it's okay.
Richie couldn't stop pacing. Paparazzi were being shooed away by police and nurses as they tried to snap photos of the three celebrities in the waiting room. Richie was thankful because he was an absolute mess. His clothes were ripped, dirty and covered in blood. He was sobbing profusely and there were tear tracks cutting through the dirt on his face. Eddie may have been alive, but he had no idea what the chances were for him to actually make it through an injury like that.
"Richie, sit down, you're starting to scare some people in here," Beverly said.
"I can't. What if he dies?"
"He won't. Sit down."
"Fine."
He sat down next to Beverly and pulled his phone out. He opened his twitter to find multiple articles about him and his friends. He clicked on the first one and began reading what story the media has come up with. The photo at the top of the article was of Richie clutching Eddie's body surrounded by the losers. He quickly scrolled past the photo and began reading.
The unlikely group of friends spotted yesterday in Derry look like they've taken a turn for the worse! Singer Richie Tozier, Author Bill Denbrough, Olympic Track Runner Eddie Kaspbrak and Fashion Designer Beverly Marsh have all be spotted with Ben Hanscom, the head of Hanscom Associations and an unnamed man running out from a collapsing house.
Eddie Kaspbrak doesn't seem to be in good shape. There are many people speculations that he might be in a coma or even dead! Everyone is just waiting for confirmation on this subject. Many fans are saddened and are praying for Eddie Kaspbrak.
Many fans have also speculated that Eddie Kaspbrak might be in some type of romantic relationship with Richie Tozier. They were spotted yesterday talking while wearing matching dog tags and were both sporting hickeys on their necks! Tozier was spotted holding what many fans are assuming to be Eddie Kaspbrak's dead body while breaking down (pictured above). No one can know for sure what has happened to them, but we are hoping that one will speak out on this matter.
Richie shook his head and went back to twitter. He scrolled through his mentions and many people were asking about Eddie, Beverly and Bill. He pressed the 'add tweet' button in the corner of his screen and began typing.
thank you everyone for your kind words and prayers. i can't say anything right now, but i promise i will update you all soon.
He pressed 'send' and quickly opened settings. He turned his twitter notifications off and put his phone down.
"We're making headlines," Richie told his friends.
After sitting in the stuffy waiting room for what felt like years, a doctor came out. When he walked in their direction, Richie immediately stood and basically ran over.
"Is Eddie okay?"
"He's unresponsive, but in a stable condition. You can see him. Only two visitors though. He's just this way."
The doctor led Richie and Bill past a bunch of rooms with multiple bays. He stopped outside one and buzzed Richie and Bill in. There were three other people in the same room, but were concealed by blue curtains. The pair pulled back the curtain where Eddie was. They were both taken aback on what they saw. Eddie no longer had dirt or blood on him, but he was hooked up to all sorts of machines. There were tubes coming out of his nose and he had what Richie assumed to be a feeding tube down his throat. The machines beeped filling the still air with unwanted tension.
Richie slowly walked over and sat next to Eddie. Bill sat on the other side. They both held a hand each. Richie noticed Eddie's dog tag sitting on a table nearby. It was slightly bent from the force of It's talon. He turned his attention back to the boy and squeezed his hand.
"Hey, Eddie. We did it. We finally beat It," Richie smiled weakly.
Eddie didn't respond. The two boys were just met with heavy breathing and beeping machines.
"I don't know if you can hear me, but you're safe now."
"Yeah, Eddie, Y-you're okay. Th-things are gonna b-be okay."
Richie looked down and noticed a scar on the back of Eddie's hand. He softly ran his finger along it.
"Bill, look."
Bill stood and looked over.
"What i-is that?"
"I dunno. Some type of scar. I have no idea what it's from."
It had been two weeks and Eddie still was unresponsive. Richie had visited everyday and sometimes even fallen asleep and spent the night. He was meant to be on tour, but he couldn't bring himself to leave Eddie alone.
"Morning, Eds," he smiled, walking in.
He immediately noticed the tube down his throat was no longer there. Richie sat down next to him and grabbed his hand.
"Ben and Bev are together now, they're already talking about getting a dog. I think Mike and Bill are fuckin," he chuckled slightly, "they've been acting really weird."
Tears stung the back of Richie's eyes as he looked at Eddie laying silently. It hurt to see him like this. His heart ached every time he came in. He just wanted to be able to hold Eddie again.
"If you can hear me...squeeze my hand."
Eddie didn't move.
"Eddie, Eds," he cried out, "please...squeeze my hand."
Richie restes his head on the corner of the mattress and let a few shaky sobs fall from his lips. His heart shattered. He was about to pull his hand away and get some air when Eddie's fingers slowly curled around Richie's hand.
"Eddie," he lifted his head to see Eddie's eyes slowly flicking open.
Eddie looked over at Richie and smiled softly. Richie pressed the doctor button as one of the doctors had told him to do if Eddie woke.
"R...Rich," Eddie smiled, "you're here."
"Yeah, yeah I'm here," he wiped some tears.
"How long was I out?"
"Two weeks...your manager came by. I told him what happened and he didn't believe me...how much do you remember?"
"I remember you going to help fight, then I was outside in your arms and then I was here...you carried me out..."
"Yeah, I thought you were dead...I couldn't leave you."
"Does the media think I'm dead yet?"
"The paparazzi were there when we ran out the house. All your fans think you're gone. I didn't say anything about it because I had no idea if you were gonna make it. The doctors couldn't tell me anything."
A nurse pulled back the curtain. She looked very familiar.
"I'm Nurse Allen," she smiled, "nice to see you awake, Eddie."
Nurse Allen looked over to Richie and raised her eyebrow.
"Have you two been in here before?"
"When Eds was younger," Richie recalled, "you told me you weren't looking and let me kiss his forehead."
"Don't call me that, Richie, " Eddie croaked.
"Well I'm sorry to shoo you out again, Richie, but we need to run some tests."
"That's okay."
Richie stood up and kissed Eddie's forehead.
"I'll come back tomorrow, okay?"
"Okay," "Bye, Eds."
"Bye, Rich."
Richie let his hand slip from Eddie's and he disappeared behind the curtain. Eddie looked over at the nurse and she smiled.
"So, Richie huh?"
"Yeah. I don't know why it's him, but it always has been."