DISCLAIMER: IT IS OWNED BY NEW LINE CINEMA AND WARNER BROS. STUDIOS! I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING EXCEPT FOR MY OC!
Just a forewarning: There is some suggestive content in the first half of this chapter, but I don't go too far, so don't worry!
A/N: We... have reached... the end... Oh boy... This is it. This is the ending of Losers Stick Together. I'm not gonna lie, I teared up when I finished writing this epilogue, so I won't be surprised if you guys end up crying at the end. We have to say goodbye to Steph, Bill and the other Losers. *sobs until the end of time* But DON'T WORRY! One-shots are still going on if you want to check them out! I will continued them sometime in the future.
SuperSentai199: Thank you! I hate that part, too. I just wish I could've killed Henry Bowers myself lol And I'm glad you liked both of the scenes you mentioned!
MissBeckyJolene: Thank you, and happy late birthday! And yes, bring out the tissues!
MusicLover14; Yes, I love the battle from the last Twilight as well. In fact, that film is the only one I consider to be decent lol I'm glad the last chapter was your favorite! And the SpongeBob theme... HAHAHAHA! That's a whole freaking MOOD! I will answer your questions in the Q&A following this epilogue. And I am TOTALLY not hinting at children... TOTALLY... #sarcasm Thanks for the kudos! Ask more questions about Steph if you have any! P.S. I will answer the other questions you ask lol
robinmuffins: I know, THE FEELS! lol XD I'm glad you thought everything was great! And if you're sad about the fact that we've reached the end, prepare yourself with some tissues!
.2019: Thank you! I'm gonna miss it, too. But you can always reread both stories!
Avs Rulezzzzz: Thank you so much for the kind words! Hope you enjoy the epilogue!
Connie Hooper: THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! And also, haha, glad you caught the easter egg! There's another one here, too! ;) Also, your birthday was an accidental reference lol I put that in there to honor a relative of mine who passed away nearly 6 years ago. Hope you enjoy the epilogue!
Special thanks to EVERYONE! Just... EVERYONE! I wasn't expecting the amount of love this story got and I'm deeply moved. So, just to let y'all know, I absolutely love ALL of you guys from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for the favorites, follows, feedback, and just the support I got over the past two months! This means so much to me!
Now, without further ado... here is the epilogue of Losers Stick Together!
Chapter Fourteen (Epilogue)
June 14th, 2016
Two Weeks Later
New York City
Steph was currently in Bill's office, sitting on the sofa next to the large window that led to their garden outside. Her husband was currently typing on his laptop, his reading glasses on his face as he wrote and wrote. The flowers that were in their yard kept the blonde woman distracted as she waited for Bill to get finished with what he was doing; she wanted to read the first chapter of his new book so badly, and he was going to let her. She was fidgeting on the sofa as excitement flowed through her, although she tried to hide it.
Bill noticed how impatient she was getting and chuckled a little. "I'm almost done, so hold on a little longer, okay?" he assured her and she nodded, visibly calming down. She just stared outside at the flowers, spotting the begonias, camellias, carnations, and lilies that were planted into the ground. She admired their beauty as they were blown by the wind like colorful flames or even like a rainbow, and it was gorgeous.
It had been exactly two weeks since Steph and Bill had left Derry for good and, even though she still had nightmares every now and then, she was moving on from the past. Well, she wasn't moving on entirely; she still had her other friends and she wasn't forgetting anything like she had last time. Maybe that was a sign that It was truly dead, and she felt that in her soul and it was a good feeling. She felt relieved that she could hold on to the good memories as long as she wanted to, and she wanted that amount of time to be forever.
But the problem for her recently was the nightmares. They just wouldn't quit, and she hated it. The only good thing about this was that every time she woke up, Bill was by her side and he would comfort her. But each night, she would fall asleep and see the same scene in her head: Eddie getting impaled by that same wicked claw that It had formed during their fight with the monster. Either that, or she would see all of her friends and Bill die… all of them would end when she woke up, screaming hysterically. But she would then realize that her husband was actually alive and it was just a dream, then she would relax.
At least it was now getting easier for Steph, knowing that Bill had stuck by her all this time, and he always would be there. But that didn't mean that the nightmares stopped, because they wouldn't quit that easily; it would take some time, but the woman was willing to fight through that internal battle if it meant that she moved on.
"I'm done," Bill spoke up, snapping Steph out of her thoughts. She turned to him with a big grin on her face and clapped her hands together happily. She then got up and sauntered over to him, resting her chin on his shoulder from behind him as he took his glasses off. "I just hope you like it," her husband added, giving her a nervous glance and she playfully punched his arm.
"Hey, I like anything you write, okay?" she consoled him, giving him a kiss on the cheek and he smiled at her, simply nodding his head.
And Steph started reading what Bill had written. Rather, she poured herself into the chapter, thinking about everything that was going on in her head with vivid detail. Sometimes, she read so much at a time that the words were becoming nonsense, a sign that the chapter had really interested her. It actually put her in a temporary trance as she scrolled through the pages, a dumb smile planted on her face the entire time.
The last paragraph in particular stuck out to her. It read:
"These were his friends, and his mother was wrong; they weren't bad friends. Maybe, he thought, there aren't any such things as good friends or bad friends - maybe there are just friends, people who stand by you when you're hurt and who help you not feel so lonely. Maybe they're always worth being scared for, and hoping for, and living for. Maybe worth dying for too, if that's what it has to be. No good friends. No bad friends. Only people you want, need to be with; people who build their houses in your heart."
Although she secretly knew who Bill was really meaning by his character, she chose to not say anything. Instead, she just gave him a simple hug as she beamed a smile that they both wished would last an eternity. "This may be the best thing you've written,' she complimented him. He turned to her with a look of pure surprise on his face, and it made her giggle a little in amusement.
"Are you serious?" he asked her, sounding slightly overwhelmed but happy at the same time. Steph just nodded, that smile never leaving her face as she ran her fingers through his hair, something she tended to do pretty often. She couldn't deny the fluttering of her heartbeat when Bill closed his eyes at her touch, and she just barely stifled a laugh.
"Is there another way of saying 'Thank you?'" Bill wondered as he opened his eyes again. "Because I can't think of one…"
This time, Steph burst out laughing as she shrugged. "You don't have to thank me if you can't think of a way to. However, I'll do this." She then leaned forward and pecked his lips, and they both chuckled when their noses bumped against each other. They just sat there for a long moment, smiling at one another and ignoring everything else around them. Bill then gently grabbed her chin and pulled her closer so he could kiss her again; both of their hearts hammered against their rib cages as their lips just barely touched.
Then Bill's cell phone rang.
They both groaned a little out of irritation as they pulled apart. Steph rolled her eyes a little before she looked down to see who was calling. Her annoyance faded away quickly when she saw Mike's name on the contact. It made her laugh out of utter embarrassment as Bill picked up his cell phone. "I'll just leave you two to talk," she whispered to him and he nodded. She heard him greet their best friend as she shut the door behind her.
Steph walked down the hallway and into the small but very nice kitchen. She opened the refrigerator and got out a can of Mountain Dew, clicking it open as she shut the fridge door. She then pulled out her own cell phone and checked her notifications, surprised that she didn't have that many to begin with. She liked a few Facebook and Instagram posts before taking that off of her history. She then scrolled through her personal contacts until she landed on the one that read: Beverly Marsh. She smiled a little as she tapped the name and she put the phone to her ear.
There were a few rings on the other end before she heard a small click. "Hello?" Beverly's voice rang through her ears, and her small smile grew into a grin.
"Hey, Bev!" she greeted happily. "How are you?"
She could hear Beverly's musical chuckle on the other end and it made her happy knowing that her best friend was happy. "I'm doing great, Steph," the redhead replied. "How about you?"
"Eh, I could be doing a little better, but I guess everything's going okay," Steph answered, leaning against the kitchen island as she ran a hand through her blonde hair before speaking again. "I'm just sitting at home and Bill's on the phone with Mike. What are you doing right now?"
"Well, Ben and I are taking a small trip on his yacht out here in San Diego," Beverly explained, a clear smile in her voice. "And we're probably gonna take another trip afterwards, so we're doing nothing but relaxing."
Steph smirked. "Hmm, sounds like fun. I'm very happy for you two. I'm jealous, though. Ben has a yacht?! Seriously?! Now that is awesome!"
Beverly laughed on the other end of the line and it also made Steph laugh. They did that for several seconds as they just let it out. After they calmed down, the blonde took another sip of her soda as her best friend spoke up again.
"Hey, Steph," Beverly said, "I've got a question. Did you get anything in the mail today?"
Steph squinted her eyes in confusion, slowly lowering the soda can from her lips and setting it back down on the kitchen island. "Yeah, but I haven't looked at it yet… why do you ask?"
There was a long moment of silence between the two, during which Steph's heart started thumping against her chest in worry. She truly had no idea what Beverly was talking about, but she was patiently awaiting an explanation. She was scared that she had gotten something bad in the mail, but there was an influence in her mind that told her otherwise. Either way, she was still concerned.
"It's just… I got a letter… from Stan…" Beverly answered her. "And I called Mike and… it turns out that we all got one."
For a split second, time stopped completely for Steph. Her heart froze as her breath hitched in shock. Her mind stuttered for a moment and her lips were parted in stunned surprise, and her face turned slightly pale. What did Beverly mean Stan had sent her and Bill letters? He was… She couldn't bear to think of the word in her head.
"What?" Steph breathed out in pure shock. She had to sit on one of the stools next to the kitchen island or else she would collapse to the floor. "But Bev… Stan's…"
"I know," Beverly cut her off. "His wife sent them to us. I was just wondering if you had read yours yet…"
These words made Steph spin around on her stool and grab the mail she had gotten that morning. She moved her new magazine out of the way and then flipped through the envelopes, bills, and letters from fans. And she finally found it. Rather, she found them. She could distinctly make out Patricia Uris's name on each envelope and it made her heart drop to the pit of her stomach. She put a hand on her forehead to wipe the sweat away.
"Bev… I got two letters," Steph said quietly, her breathing coming in and out in short gasps, but she tried not to show it. "What did your letter say?"
"You got two letters?" Beverly asked, ignoring Steph's question. "Well… I'm sure one of them says the same thing as all the others we got. Just read them…. That's all I can tell you. Just read the letters."
Steph took a deep breath, forcing her heartbeat to calm down as she placed a hand over her chest. "Okay," she sighed nervously. "I'm gonna go then… And Bev… Don't forget that I love you. Have fun on your trip and say hi to Ben for me."
"Okay, I will," the redhead replied. "I love you, too, Steph. Bye."
"Bye," Steph whispered before hanging up the phone.
She then immediately grabbed the top letter and tore it open as gently as possible. She saw a piece of paper folded up with the words, "Please read this first," written on it. This actually made her heart beat faster and faster as she unfolded the paper with trembling hands. The letter she saw actually had several crease lines when she looked at it, all of them slightly fluffy from how much it had aged over what the woman had assumed to be the past few weeks. But she only focused on the words as she read them.
Dear Losers,
I know what this must seem like, but this isn't a suicide note. You're probably wondering why I did what I did. It's because I knew I was too scared to go back. And if we weren't together… if all of us alive weren't united… I knew we'd all die. So, I made the only logical move: I took myself off the board.
Steph felt a single tear trace down her right cheek and she put the letter down for a small moment to wipe it away. But doing that only made more appear as they cascaded down her face. She gave up and continued reading the letter, sniffing as she did so.
Did it work? Well, if you're reading this, you know the answer.
I lived my whole life afraid… afraid of what would come next, afraid of what I might leave behind. Don't. Be who you want to be. Be proud. And if you find someone worth holding on to, never ever let them go. Follow your own path… wherever that takes you. Think of this letter as a promise… a promise I'm asking you to make to me. To each other. An oath. See, the thing about being a Loser is you don't have anything to lose. So, be true. Be brave. Stand. Believe. And don't ever forget… we're Losers, and we always will be.
- Stanley
The woman couldn't help but smile as she finished reading the words and she softly dropped it onto the kitchen table, her body shaking slightly as she did so. She stared into space for a long moment as she heard these words echo in her mind:
And if you find someone worth holding on to, never ever let them go.
Steph sniffed again as she watched her quivering hands for a second, knowing she had to open the second letter sooner or later. So she did. She reached out for the other envelope and took it into her hands more gently than the other one. She ripped it open and pulled out another slip of paper, her fingers shaking more than ever as she unfolded this one. She stared at the marble kitchen island in front of her for a second before looking back at the paper. She barely even read the first few words and she started crying so much more, her entire face now covered with tears.
Steph,
If you're reading this, then you already know that I'm long gone. And if you are reading this, that means you and the others got rid of It. You already read the first letter, and I hope you keep that promise. But this letter is sort of an apology to you and only you.
I'm so sorry it had to be this way, and that I had to take myself off the board. But I did that so you and the others would have a better advantage. If I didn't do what I did, we would've most likely died and I know how bad that would be. I'm apologizing to you because I can remember how close we were as friends so long ago, and I wish I didn't have to break your heart with this information. I guess I kind of failed, didn't I? But that's okay, because you're already strong enough to move on.
I also want to thank you for how much you stuck by me and the others during our teenage years. If it weren't for you, I would have lost my sanity that summer. You are very strong, brave, and confident and I don't want you to ever forget that. Now, this next bit might be a little weird to you, so just keep in mind that I never had that type of feelings for you, okay?
Steph, you were and still are like a sister to me, but I can't even deny how beautiful you were back then and maybe even now. Bill was so lucky to have you as a girlfriend back then. In fact, I actually looked him up before writing this and I saw that you were married to him. So, I'll say that he is very lucky to have you as a wife. A strong woman like you should deserve happiness and I hope that's what you and Bill live in now.
So, because of how strong and protective you were, thank you so much, Steph. Thank you for sticking by me when I needed it the most, for helping the others, and for just being you. Like I said in the other letter, "If you find someone worth holding on to, never ever let them go." Bill is that someone, so I hope you never let him go, and I hope he never lets you go. And again, I'm very sorry it had to be this way, but just continue being proud, true, and brave.
- Stanley
By the time Steph was finished reading this particular letter, she was full on sobbing, and she was barely able to breathe as she dropped the letter onto the kitchen island. She buried her face in her hands as her body trembled, the tears dripping onto her fingers. Her gasps were ragged as the strength left her being. Her face turned red as she cried and cried and cried, not able to speak at all. She just let it all out until no more tears came, but she still felt physically drained for those few minutes.
The fact that Stan had told her to be brave broke her heart but it also meant so much to her at the same time. The best part of this was that it gave her some closure and the worst part of it was that it made her miss Stan so much more and it made her a little upset. She prayed that her best friend was in peace wherever he was, even if she wasn't much of a religious person.
But the letter had also made her think of something else. Or rather, someone else…
Bill.
(never ever let them go)
She had never promised him what Stan had pointed out in the letters, and she wanted to mentally slap herself for not doing it much sooner. Remarkably, although she felt guilty, this fact made her stop crying and she tried to wipe as much tears away as she could. She sniffed as she took a deep breath, looking at the letters again.
What Stan had said made a lot of sense to her. They weren't suicide notes; rather, they were notes of advice and encouragement, and she felt a brand new sense of courage build up inside of her when she read them over again. Every important word stuck out to her as a bit of hope for her, and it meant everything to her. She thought to herself that maybe these letters could be the key to helping her move on from her traumatic past. She just needed to wait for the right time, and that time was now.
"Bill?!" she called out, her voice cracking as she leant back against the kitchen island while she pressed a hand to her forehead.
She waited for several long seconds before she finally heard a door open at the end of the hallway. She closed her eyes when the sounds of footsteps rang through her ears, her right hand still clutching the first letter as lightly as she could.
"What is it, Steph?" came Bill's voice from multiple feet away and that was when the woman forced her eyes to open themselves again. She saw him standing in the entrance of the kitchen with an expression of slight misery etched into his usually calm face. He wasn't even looking at her, but rather at the piece of paper she clung to as if it were a lifeline. "Oh…" he muttered.
Steph put the paper back where it was and turned to face her husband completely. "You got one, too, didn't you?" she asked in the quietest voice she had ever used. She did something she never would have normally done; she kept her eyes locked with Bill's in her moment of uncertainty. And the emotional walls around her heart broke when he nodded after a long while. That was when she dropped her gaze as he walked over to her, but she didn't cry anymore.
Bill made the smart move of not holding Steph immediately, but he let his fingers trace over her hands gently as he looked down at her. "Hey, listen to me. Look at me…" he told her, and she did, allowing him to continue. "I read what he wrote in that letter and I realized that I never promised you this one thing... " And he finally took her hands in his, squeezing them lovingly. "Stephanie Rose Denbrough… I promise that I will never let you go. Not today, not tomorrow, or ever. You're stuck with me, and you can't do anything about it. I will always be here with you, especially when you need me… I promise."
Steph couldn't help but chuckle a little as she heard these words, a huge gush of love, affection, and determination in her heart which replaced her slight depression and sorrow entirely. She gave him a small smile that told her husband everything she needed to say, but she still spoke regardless. "And I won't let you go either… I will be by your side until I die. You mean so much to me and I couldn't bear letting you go…"
That was all she could say as her voice cracked again, and she looked down, unable to meet his gaze for a few seconds. But, she fought that hesitation and glanced back up, staring into his blue-green eyes as he wiped her spare tears away. And that was when she noticed something: he had been crying as well, and that broke her heart. So, she reached her hands up and held his face, brushing his own tears off of his cheeks with her thumbs. "It'll be okay," she murmured soothingly.
And that was when Bill lost his control, his emotions reaching the breaking point. He suddenly leaned forward and crashed his lips against Steph's, taking her by surprise for a second, as she didn't know what to do. But, getting over her shock fairly quickly, she reacted by moving her gentle hands from his face to the back of his neck as he pulled her to him, making chills travel up and down her spine.
After a while, Bill deepened the kiss, and Steph moaned against his lips. But she pulled away when he slipped an arm around her back and the other under her legs and she was lifted off of the ground. She squealed a little in startlement at the sudden movement and she clung to Bill tightly as he carried her up the stairs. He then kissed her again, silencing her to her great relief. It was at that moment that she longed to be closer to him, and it only made her arms around his neck tighten slightly.
Neither of them knew how he did it, but Bill managed to open their bedroom door, although he stumbled a little. Steph pulled away so she could laugh at his clumsiness, and he couldn't help but do the same thing. He then set her on the ground, and she sat on the bed. After a few seconds, he put his hands on her face, and she covered them with her own, smiling up at him in a shy manner. But she then looked down, although she wasn't able to for very long, as Bill tilted her chin back up, a look of love and adoration in his eyes. And Steph was the first one to speak.
"I love you," she whispered in the most beautiful voice Bill had ever heard, and his knees went a little weak. But he ignored this as he ran both of his hands through her hair, his fingers pressing down on her scalp very tenderly, and it made her sigh and close her eyes.
"And I love you, too," he whispered in reply.
He then leaned in and pressed his lips against her neck, which would have made Steph collapse if she were standing. But, luckily, she didn't. Instead, a new wave of happiness flowed through her as she moved her hands to unbutton his shirt.
Six Years Later
October 14th, 2022
The weather was surprisingly warm for a day in the autumn season. The sun wasn't covered by any clouds as it's rays beamed down on the two-story house outside of New York City in its final hours of daytime. The leaves fell from the branches of trees as they died slowly. Steph was able to see all of this as she stood in the kitchen, staring out the window above the sink. A plate was grasped in her hands as she scrubbed it with a dishrag, but her gaze was transfixed on the sunset.
It was a beautiful and quiet evening, and it was better for the fact that her and Bill's house was outside the bustling city. The colors of orange, purple, and crimson flooded her vision in a gorgeous manner, although she looked away for a moment to rinse the plate in her hands. She carefully set it on the dish rack to dry and drained the sink of water, drying her hands off as she looked out the window again.
The main reason she was doing this was so she could pass the time before the others showed up. The six Losers had planned a reunion, possibly the millionth one; they got together all the time to catch up. Steph had wanted to cook food, but Bill had opted to just simply order pizza for all of them. She thought it was the better option so she wouldn't have to strain herself, as tonight was not the night to be under stress. She just wanted to be happy and under content when she saw her best friends again.
"Mommy?! Mommy?!" came a voice from the living room, and she couldn't help but giggle. After all, she needed something to break her thoughts and the sudden voice did just that.
"Sweetie, you're gonna have to come in here if you need something!" she called out as she put the towel back on the handle of the stove, and she rubbed her hands together afterwards. When she heard the sound of thudding footsteps against the floor, she stifled a laugh as she turned around, seeing a small boy who looked to be almost six with dirty blonde hair and plain blue eyes. Based on his features, Steph had confirmed the young boy would be a handsome young man when he got older and that didn't stop another smile from forming on her face.
"Now, what do you need, sweetie?" she asked the boy standing in front of her. He had a look of impatience on his face as he bounced on the balls of his feet.
"When are the others coming over?" replied Eddie as he fidgeted with his hands. "I wanna see Uncle Richie!"
Edward Jonathan Denbrough was Steph and Bill's oldest son, and although he was quite mature for his young age, he was still a little kid. He often complained and tried to get his parents' attention, and they did give it to him; but they had to teach him that they couldn't give him everything all the time, and he learned that lesson pretty quickly.
Steph had found out that she was pregnant with her son about a month after she and Bill had gone back to New York. Both of them were overjoyed, especially Bill, and they went through the nine months just fine before the boy was born. The woman decided to name him after her best friend and her father, and her husband told her that the name was perfect. And, now, Eddie was still as special as he was when he was born.
And the couple would have it no differently.
Steph chuckled as she walked over to her son, ruffling his hair. "Now," she told him, "you know it takes them a little bit to get here. And your godfather isn't the only one out of them who matters right? There's also Ben, Beverly, and Mike, remember?"
Eddie sighed a little, pushing his mother's hand away. "I know, Mommy," he huffed. Steph then hugged him, and he didn't fight her this time. "You also know you aren't supposed to leave Georgie in the living room by himself, what have I told you about that, Eddie?"
The boy sighed, giving her an exasperated look. "Why can't Dad watch him?" he whined.
Steph rolled her eyes a little. Kids always complain, she thought to herself. "Honey, Dad's working in his office and he doesn't want to be bothered while he works, okay?" And she smiled again when her son nodded.
"Actually, I'm done working now," Bill said suddenly, and Steph looked up to see him standing in the kitchen doorway with an amused grin on his face. And the woman couldn't help but laugh as he added, "But go back to watching over Georgie, okay?"
Eddie groaned but he listened to his father anyway, and Steph giggled again at his behavior as she turned away to dry her hands more on the towel. "Bev said she and Ben will be here in half an hour. I don't know about the others, though," she told Bill. But she strangely didn't hear a reply, and she grew a little confused, although she didn't turn around.
She then jumped when she felt a pair of arms wrap around her, and she nearly shrieked in surprise, but that didn't stop her from smiling. "I freaking hate you," she muttered through her teeth, holding back even more laughter. Bill, however, couldn't hold back his chuckles as he rested his head on hers from behind.
"I love you, too," he cheekily replied, tenderly moving his hands to where they were splayed over her stomach. He brushed his fingers over her baby bump, and it made Steph grin even more as she leaned back into his embrace. They stayed in that position for a while, nothing but happiness in their emotions at the moment, and they wanted to treasure that feeling more than anything.
"It's beautiful outside tonight," Steph commented after a few minutes. "Perfect weather for the others coming over." She felt Bill nod behind her and she knew that he was agreeing with her statement as she looked out the window. A few more moments of silence passed between them as she was once more transfixed by the dazzling colors of the sunset.
"It is really nice tonight," Bill admitted, pulling her closer to him, although he made sure to be gentle. Steph then shivered when she felt his lips touch her neck briefly, and she giggled. "But not as beautiful as you," he added in a whisper, and the woman in his arms closed her eyes in response. She then turned around and gave him a peck on the lips, all the while blushing as she did so.
Suddenly, the doorbell chimed through the house and the two pulled apart, both of them smirking. "Looks like the party has begun to arrive," Steph quipped and they both laughed as she went towards the direction of the sound. She stopped in the living room to take Georgie into her arms, and the little boy giggled, which made her smile.
George Stanley Denbrough was three years old, and he was the most precious and angelic child Steph had ever seen. She had obviously named him after Bill's fallen brother and her other best friend that had taken his own life. She had fulfilled her promise that she had made to Bill a very long time ago.
There was a long moment of silence between them as Steph continued to stare into the distance. But she broke it after a few seconds. "By the way, if we ever have a son, I'm naming him Georgie," she said.
Bill's eyes widened in surprise. "Steph…"
Steph shook her head at him and gave him a serious look. "I'm not joking. I would do that. Just saying," she continued. Bill stared at her in shock for a very long moment before finally nodding. "Okay," he said.
Much to Steph's surprise, her youngest son very eerily looked like the little boy she had known so long ago before he had died. Georgie had the same brown hair and blue eyes, although they were darker and more vivid, just like hers were. Despite that, he was the perfect blend of both Bill and the little boy, and she didn't hesitate to call her son beautiful when he was born.
So, in conclusion, Eddie was the outgoing little kid and Georgie was (surprisingly) the quieter of the two.
Steph walked up to the front door, Georgie in her arms, and opened the door. A big grin was planted on her face when she saw a man around her age with messy black hair and coke bottle glasses that framed his face. He returned the smile as he stepped through the doorway and embraced her.
"Hey, Trashmouth!" she greeted. "Haven't seen you in a while!" she chuckled when he pulled away and he laughed lightheartedly as well.
"Same with you," he replied before turning to the toddler in the woman's arms. He gave her a questioning look, and she immediately knew what he wanted and nodded. Richie grinned as he took the little boy out of Steph's arms as carefully as possible. "There's little Georgie!" he exclaimed happily. "And where's little Eddie?" The last question made Steph shake her head at the fact that her other son wasn't even at the door.
"Eddie, your godfather's here!" Steph shouted down the entry hall, immediately hearing running coming her way. "Come say hi!" Then she turned to the man in front of her. "Come on in, Richie."
The man obeyed as he followed her inside; this was just as the six year old boy came barreling through the hallway, and Richie quickly handed Georgie back to Steph as the woman's oldest son jumped into his arms. "Hi, Richie!" he yelled happily, wrapping his small arms around the man's legs. Richie chuckled as he lifted Eddie off of the ground, ruffling his hair as he did so.
"There's the little rascal!" he shouted playfully and Steph couldn't help but giggle at the adorable sight in front of her. It turns out that she had made the right choice in making Richie her oldest son's godfather; she could still picture his face when she had told him this, he was so honored and so deeply touched by this act.
Richie hadn't truly gotten over Eddie's death, as it was still way too traumatizing for him to handle. Because of this, he still wasn't in a relationship, choosing to stay single until he could move on from his own past. But it looked like that was not going to happen anytime soon. Steph and the others helped him, however, always looking out for him when he needed it the most; this was especially since he had come out and told everyone else his secret. The woman herself had vowed to the man that she would always be there if he needed help or if he just needed someone, and he had accepted that.
But, regardless of the sorrow that still remained in his heart, Richie Tozier had gone back to being the good old wise-cracking comedian he always was. He always hid his true emotions from people that weren't his friends, but he rarely showed them around them despite this, although all of them noticed. But none of them said anything, because it was not their place to.
While Richie set Eddie down and the boy went to show him his toys, Steph went back into the kitchen, still holding Georgie and saw Bill standing there with a goofy grin on his face as she said, "Richie 'Trashmouth' Tozier has shown up to do his voices again. God help us…"
The couple laughed hysterically at her joke and it actually took them a while to calm down. Afterwards, Steph kissed Bill again and the two of them walked into the living room where the others were.
After about half an hour, the pizza arrived and Steph paid for it, much to Bill's slight annoyance. Then Beverly and Ben had arrived almost immediately after, and the woman was enveloped with hugs from the other couple. When Beverly saw Steph's baby bump, she almost cried and the blonde chuckled at the redhead's behavior. But her best friend managed to hold the tears back.
"Did you find out the due date?" Beverly asked, genuinely curious and Steph gave her a wide smile.
"Yep," she replied, popping the 'p.' "February 7th, and we can't wait." She said this in the happiest voice she had ever used, which made the other two smile. Ben then went off on his own to see the others; Steph used this as an opportunity to pull Beverly aside so she could tell her something else.
Once Ben was out of earshot, Steph leaned over to tell Beverly what she needed to say as quietly as she could. "It's a girl," she whispered. When she pulled back, the two women shared a faint squeal of satisfaction and they hugged, although the redhead made sure to be careful and not embrace her as tightly as she really wanted to.
After Mike showed up, everybody in the house immediately went for the pizza, although Steph only got one slice for herself. While Eddie and Georgie were running around the house and playing, the other six were sitting in the dining room and discussing things that had happened in their lives recently. It felt good to catch up on everyday life, and it was nice for Steph to just relax for a few hours.
The biggest surge of happiness flowed through her when Ben and Beverly announced that they were now engaged, and she barely held back her cheerful scream. Her best friend's ring was so beautiful, and she congratulated them both, to which they thanked her. Mike then told them all that he was currently seeing someone, but he was going to wait to introduce her until they got to know one another better. Steph wholeheartedly supported his decision, and so did the others, although Richie pretended to complain, which made them all laugh.
After the six of them finished their plates of pizza, Steph took them and placed them in the sink to wash tomorrow. Mike then walked over to her side, patting her back in a friendly greeting.
"You sure have some wild kids," he commented in a humorous manner, and Steph stifled a laugh as she turned to face him. "They'll grow out of it eventually," she replied as the young boys started to get tired. She walked towards Georgie and picked him up again, making the toddler giggle the sweetest laugh she had ever heard.
"I want to put them to bed so badly tonight," she said. "But I'm predicting that Bill's not gonna let me and he'll do it himself. He's been doing everything for me lately, and I wish he didn't have to… But he never listens…"
Mike put a hand on her shoulder as a form of comfort. "That's a sign of a good husband, Steph," he assured her. "He's just being good to you because you don't need to be stressed right now. I'm sure you'll go back to being your normal self after this pregnancy's over."
Steph's shoulders sagged in mock defeat as she gave a nod of her head. "You're right," she agreed. "Maybe I don't need so much… so much stress."
There was a pause in the middle of her sentence because she had to yawn; she was getting very sleepy, and she checked her watch. Well, of course she was tired, it was nearly 10:30 at night! She yawned again, still holding Georgie close to her.
Just then, Bill came into the room and saw how tired she was; because of this, he took their youngest son from her and put his other hand on her back.
"Come on, honey… You're going to bed."
Steph didn't have the physical strength to argue and nodded blearily. "Okay," she said quietly. She then walked up to Mike and gave him a hug. "See you sometime in the near future, Mike," she bid him farewell.
"Goodnight, Steph," he replied as they broke away. "See you later."
Steph then hugged the others goodnight as they left and Bill guided her upstairs, little Eddie following behind them. She turned to go into the boys' bedroom but her husband shook his head playfully with a smile. "Oh no, you don't," he said as he steered her towards their own bedroom. "I'll put them to bed, okay?"
The blonde woman sighed in mock annoyance. "You do this every night," she complained, giving him puppy eyes. He wasn't giving in, however, as he shook his head again. "And I'm gonna keep doing it until you get your strength back," he retorted. This made Steph give up, reluctantly allowing him to walk her into their room and she sat down on the bed. Bill kissed her on the forehead, and she gave him a smile.
"I'll be right back," he whispered before disappearing out of the room. Steph nodded to herself, looking to her left to see two pictures on her nightstand: one of her and Bill on their wedding day, and the other being one of her and her mother when she was a teenager. Her happy smile turned into a somber one. It had now been thirty-one years since Jamie's death, and although she had completely moved on, she couldn't help but feel some sorrow when she thought of her.
She always thought back to the dream she had when she and the others were battling It over six years ago. That always seemed to cheer her up if she was ever feeling upset, and that was good for her emotional state, which was mostly healed now. She had even started to move on from Eddie's and Stan's deaths, although it was very difficult at first. The nightmares had failed to go away for several months since those traumatic three days in Derry, and she had to start taking sleeping pills in order to keep them at bay for those hours of sleep. And now, even though she only had bad dreams once in a blue moon, some would still happen. At least she didn't wake up screaming anymore, which was a relief to her.
But the thing that resonated with Steph was that she was finally getting the true happy life she deserved. But she had to survive many dangerous occurrences to earn that bliss. And it was worth every second. And she also had Bill and her best friends to thank for that.
The six years that had followed since their promise was fulfilled was filled with peace and happiness, and Steph would often refer to those years as the best of her entire life.
After a while, she got a little impatient and pulled out her cell phone. She decided to FaceTime Bill, despite the fact that he was right down the hallway; she often did this, and they both found it funny.
A few rings later, Bill picked up, giving his wife a bemused look through the screen. "Why are you FaceTiming, honey? I'm literally thirty feet away, I told you I'll be in there in a second."
Steph shrugged. "I thought I'd just do it for no reason," she replied smugly. "Are the boys asleep?" At Bill's nod, she smiled. "Come in here, I'm getting lonely and I need someone to cuddle with." She then saw her husband quietly get up off of Eddie's bed and turn off the light.
"Okay, I'll be there in, like, five seconds," Bill responded quickly.
"You better hurry or I'll hug the pillow and you won't have anything to cuddle tonight."
"Hold up, I'm coming!"
Steph laughed as quietly as she could at the sound of Bill running - literally running - down the hallway. "I can hear you!" she exclaimed. They both laughed as her husband entered the room, a little out of breath. She hung up the phone and gave him a mock glare. "You can be an idiot sometimes, you know that?"
Bill nodded as he sat down beside her. "But you don't care," he replied, and her head bobbed up and down immediately. He put an arm around her shoulders and gently pulled her closer, and she laid her head on his shoulder. "You look exhausted… you need to rest, okay?"
The blonde didn't hesitate to confirm his suspicions. "Today's been a tiring day for me," she whispered. "But I'm still happy…"
"Me too," Bill replied, running his fingers over her forearm. He then bent down and planted a kiss on Steph's stomach, which made her giggle weakly. "I love you, Jamie," he murmured.
The two had decided that they were going to name their soon-to-be arriving daughter after Steph's mother. She herself had made the decision almost instantly after they had found out the gender of the baby, and Bill agreed immediately. They also chose the middle name 'Alexandra' because they found it beautiful.
Bill then sat back up and kissed Steph very softly and her heart skipped a beat for a second. "And I love you," he whispered against her soft lips, which made her give him another loving peck.
After Bill got up and turned off the lights and they both changed into their nightclothes, they laid down on the bed in the peaceful darkness that enveloped them. Bill held his wife close to him and she put her head on his chest; this was something they did every night before falling asleep, and it was everything to the both of them.
"If Georgie wakes up later, I'll take care of him," Bill assured Steph. "You just sleep, okay?"
This time, Steph didn't argue. "Okay," she replied.
Bill pressed his lips against her temple and pulled her closer. "Goodnight," he muttered. "I love you, my angel."
Steph smiled. "Goodnight… I love you, too."
And as the two fell asleep while holding each other, Steph did something she had been praying to do so long ago: she dreamt good dreams. And all the while, one thought was etched into her brain.
No matter what happened, no matter how the rest of her life went, she and her friends would always be Losers. And, no matter what, Losers stick together.
The End.
Crew:
Directed by Andy Muschietti
Written by Hermione Romanoff
Produced by Barbara Muschietti, Dan Lin, and Roy Lee
Based off of the Screenplay by Gary Dauberman
Based off of the Novel "IT" by Stephen King
Music by Benjamin Wallfisch, John Carpenter, Cody Carpenter, Daniel Davies, Matthew Margeson, Hans Zimmer, Danny Lux, Alan Howarth, Disasterpiece, J. Peter Robinson, Tyler Bates, Hildur Guðnadóttir, and Marco Beltrami
Songs Featured in the Soundtrack: Red Right Hand (2011 Remastered Version) by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds; Something to Die For (Stripped Version) by The Sounds; Don't Fear The Reaper by Blue Oyster Cult; O Children by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds; Red Right Hand (Scream 3 Version) by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Cast:
Wyatt Oleff as young Stanley Uris
Chosen Jacobs as young Mike Hanlon
Jeremy Ray Taylor as young Ben Hanscom
Noah Jupe as young Eddie Kaspbrak
Finn Wolfhard as young Richie Tozier
Sophia Lillis as young Beverly Marsh
Kate Siegel as Jamie Palmer (Steph's mother)
Jaeden Martell as young Bill Denbrough
Kiernan Shipka as young Stephanie Palmer
Isaiah Mustafa as adult Mike Hanlon
Jay Ryan as adult Ben Hanscom
Cillian Murphy as adult Eddie Kaspbrak
Jessica Chastain as adult Beverly Marsh Rogan
Bill Hader as adult Richie Tozier
James McAvoy as adult Bill Denbrough
and Emily Blunt as adult Stephanie Denbrough
A/N: ANOTHER IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE! PLEASE READ THIS!
Well... that's it... it's over... My heart has officially sunken like the Titanic... okay, bad joke.
But, this IS NOT the last we will see of Steph. (Hint: Read the one-shots I've written between her and Bill!) So you guys are lucky! But, STORY wise, this is it... this is what you guys get. It's done.
Now, more stuff about Q&A. I NEED QUESTIONS because I want to answer some! I am genuinely curious to know what your questions are, so ask away now!
Q&A will be out within the next few days. I need some time for you guys to ask your questions.
I will also make a list of references I made in this story, so I think you guys will like that! :)
Now... if you'll excuse me... I gotta go cry myself to sleep now. But, I will repeat the words I said in my author's note of the epilogue of the first story:
Part of the journey is the end.
So, with that in mind, I'm gonna go cry anyway. Can't wait to do the Q&A! Be sure to ask as many questions if you want! Have a great day, and until next time!
- Hermione Romanoff