Floating On Air

by Winchestergirl123

Gwen Tozier always had a sinking feeling that something was off in the small town of Derry. So when her younger brother and his close group of friends tell her an evil entity in the form of a clown is the one responsible for all the deaths and missing kids, she believes them. She finds out for herself though just how real this clown is and what IT wants from her.

31. Chapter 31

Disclaimer: I do not own IT or any of the characters. That all belongs to the awesome and talented Stephen King. I only own my OC and other characters I make up along the way.

A/N: Whew this turned out to be way longer than I thought it would be. I am happy with how it turned out though, and I hope you guys enjoy the chapter. This probably is one of my favorite chapters in the story just because it involves the Losers reuniting. Have fun reading and enjoy the lighthearted moments because the more serious/angsty moments are coming up soon...like in the next chapter.

BTW, I do not own any music mentioned in this chapter. However, if you're wondering how Gwen's version of the band Divinyls' song I Touch Myself sounds like, I'd listen to Pink's cover. Her version is very slow and sensual, and that's how Gwen's version would sound like as well. Also, for the Carpenters song (They Long to Be) Close to You, you can actually find a clip on YouTube with Hayley Atwell singing the part I put in the story.

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"No love, no friendship can cross the path of our destiny without leaving some mark on it forever." ― Francois Mauriac

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Chapter 31: Losers reunited

Gwen thought she was having a dream. A very good dream.

Although she wasn't seeing anything in this dream of hers, she sure did feel something.

That something was a soft, warm touch. She felt the touch on what she knew was her face. Well, her cheeks to be exact. Despite the touch being more on the gentle side, there was a persistence there that Gwen was able to detect even behind the light pats and strokes they were giving her.

The Tozier woman found herself wishing those touches (touches she felt were loving ones), would never come to an end. That the good dream she was having would never come to an end. It wasn't often she had a good dream. Unfortunately, no sooner after she though that, Gwen heard voices, letting her know she wasn't having a good dream.

"Oh shit, you guys."

That was Eddie's panicking voice.

"Should we move her?"

Now that was Mike's voice, filled with absolute concern.

"I think we should call an ambulance."

Bill, that most definitely Bill's voice. He also sound concerned like Eddie and Mike, but Gwen was able to tell by his tone that he was more put together than them.

"Wait, I think she's waking up."

Gwen had no trouble recognizing who that last voice belonged to.

Stan.

He sounded so relieved, and after he spoke Gwen felt another light stroke on her right cheek. The movement then stopped when her eyes started to slowly open. Her vision at first was blurry, only seeing an outline of what she thought was a man looking down at her. It didn't take long until she finally saw who he was. She wasn't at all surprised that it was Stan but just because she wasn't surprised didn't mean she wasn't affected by his closeness...because she was.

She noticed now (as he continued to attentively stare at her) that his light brown eyes had somewhat darkened over the years. His hair also seemed darker than when he was a kid. Both his eyes and hair were still lighter than her own, and the same earnestness in his eyes from when they were younger was still there. That's what made her heartbeat quicken...along with the fact that he hadn't stopped looking at her.

Gwen had wanted to get closer to him, but now that she was she really didn't know what to say to him. She once again found herself to be speechless. Her mind, however, wasn't quiet. Her thoughts were all over the place but one thought in particular stood out. When the thought first appeared she suddenly came close to blurting out: Are you an angel? He was handsome enough to be an angel. Even with the faint scars she saw around his face. Oddly enough she wasn't fixating on how he got those scars. Gwen liked to think it was out of politeness but really she wasn't fixating because in a way it felt like she knew how he got them...like the memory was there but not really...if that made any damn sense.

Regardless, the scars didn't make him any less handsome.

However, there was no way Gwen was going to tell Stan that he looked like an angel...especially not in front of others.

As Gwen was having thoughts about him, unbeknownst to the Tozier woman, Stan was having thoughts about her. Due to his proximity, Stan was able to see the very light (almost unnoticeable) freckles Gwen had across her cheeks. Cheeks that he noticed had a tint of pink to them. He couldn't help but hope he was the main reason for that reaction. However, he knew better than to think that. She was probably flushed because of losing and regaining consciousness. Still...the possibility that he was the reason why gave him some satisfaction.

The longer he looked at her the more his heart raced. For Stan it still felt unreal that he was actually in Derry again, with his childhood friends. That he was in the presence of the girl he loved when he was kid. The same girl, who was now a fully grown woman, that he hadn't stopped loving. His feelings for her resurfaced the moment he spoke with her over the phone. However, it wasn't until the moment he saw her face to face that he knew for sure the love he felt for her as kid was still as strong as ever now that he was an adult.

He felt certain to say that his love for her never really went away. Those feelings just became hidden. Why? He had no idea...and he hated himself for not knowing. How could he have ever forgotten her? That wasn't right. All these years...away from her.

On his way to Derry, Stan had imagined scenarios with how their reunion would be like. None of those scenarios involved her fainting though. When he saw her lose conscious he had been so worried. He actually rushed to where she was and he hadn't left her side since. Neither had the others, but besides Eddie who was supporting her, Stan was the closest to her.

Now that she was awake, and by the looks of it fine, Stan was able to take in her form without feeling any distress.

She was so beautiful.

There was no denying that. Except that was something Stan had already known. Despite his memories of her (and the others) being foggy, whenever he saw her on TV or saw her picture on a magazine, or even listened to her music (which was a lot) she always stood out to him. A thought would often appear and he'd become quite puzzled: I know her. We grew up in the same town as kids. We were friends...weren't we? For a time, anyways.

That thought always left him feeling bittersweet. Now that he knew they were friends, and just friends, Stan felt even more dejection. That dejection though was being pushed to the side when he finally caught sight her necklace. He had been so focused on Gwen herself that he hadn't seen the necklace she was wearing. The necklace had a diamond ring around it and Stan couldn't stop himself from holding it between his fingers.

The moment his skin made contact with the piece of jewelry, Stan was overwhelmed with a brief memory. It was of him (a younger him) walking into the jewelry store there in Derry and purchasing the ring. He slowly let go of the ring, making Gwen look at him with a softer expression. Yes...he remembered now. He gave that ring to her...and twenty-seven years later and she still had it. She was even wearing it. She wasn't wear the ring as a ring but she was still wearing it. That had to mean something. It just had to.

Stan locked eyes with Gwen again, and his breathing hitched when doing so. Bill and Mike were watching from the side. While Eddie actually had a good view with what was going on between Stan and Gwen.

When Stan finally spoke his voice was gentle, almost in a whisper. It was obvious to Eddie and the others that what he said was only meant for Gwen. Except it was so quiet in the party room that they heard everything loud and clear. "Hey, you had us worried there."

Gwen ended up blinking a few times before she was able to find her voice. The moment she had with Stan was still affecting her. She needed a few seconds there to collect herself. "Stan." She finally called out. She then furrowed her eyebrows, not completely caught up yet. "What...?"

"You fainted." Stan informed her as calmly as possible. He didn't want her freakin' out with what happened to her.

Gwen's eyes widened. "I did?"

Stan nodded his head. "Yeah, but Eddie caught you in time."

"Eddie?" It was then Gwen realized that she was on the floor with Eddie. The forty-two year old woman was leaning against him. Oh...so that's why she was so comfortable. Gwen felt so foolish to not have noticed this sooner. When she turned her head to look behind her she saw the reassuring expression Eddie had on.

"Don't worry, I made sure you didn't hit your head."

Despite the embarrassment, Gwen did well with playing it off with a smile. "Thank you, Eddie." She started moving, letting him and the others know that she was ready to get up.

"Take it slowly." Eddie lightly recommended. Being the worry prone man that he was, Eddie kept a hold on one of her arms until she was up on her feet.

"I'm fine." Gwen tried telling him. Eddie didn't let go until she reassured him she wasn't dizzy, and he saw that her posture was steady. Gwen turned her attention to Stan. She noticed how the curly haired man was looking at Eddie, eyes slightly narrowed before making eye contact with her. For a moment there they said nothing, just silently stared at one another.

Then as if someone had fired a firework into the sky and the second that same firework exploded, they were in each others arms. Neither Stan or Gwen knew who made the first move (Bill, Mike, and Eddie didn't know either) but they found themselves not caring. All they cared about was how they were finally holding each other.

Gwen wrapped her arms around Stan's neck way more affectionately than how she had done with the other Losers. Which was saying something because she'd been quite affectionate with them. With Stan though that affection intensified. Gwen without really thinking pushed her whole front body against Stan's, not wanting any space between them. Not long after she did this, Gwen suddenly became sheepish and started to pull away but Stan (gently) tightened his arms around her midsection, stopping her from doing so. The move informed Gwen that he wasn't at all bothered by her closeness.

Gwen left out a breath of relief and closed her eyes as she laid her head against one of his shoulders. The height differences between them wasn't bothering her at all. Like Mike and Eddie, Stan had grown taller. Stan although taller than Eddie, wasn't as tall as Mike. She'd say Stan was probably 5'10. Gwen thought that complimented her height of 5'7 pretty well.

Like Gwen had done, Stan closed his eyes. Moments prior he had felt Gwen press her chest against his, and then as if second guessing herself, Stan felt her began to pull away. Stan on the inside began to panic because he didn't want the hug to end just yet. He barely got her in his arms again after twenty-seven years of not seeing each other. There was no way he was going to let her go that easy. So he had quickly (with such care) tightened his hold on her.

Stan had worried Gwen was going to protest against his secure hold...but she hadn't. Instead she laid her head against his shoulder and leaned more into him. That's what made Stan smile as he basked in her touch. As the hug continued, Stan became more brave with his touches, and he moved one of his hands towards her head. He slowly used his hand to smooth out her hair. Which was really him running his hands through her wavy dark locks. Something he had wanted to do since the moment he saw her, and strangely enough he felt as if he had before...but when?

He began to slowly open his eyes when he felt just how soft her hair was. His eyes fully opened as his stomach twisted in a pleased way when he heard the sound Gwen let out. It was almost like a mixture between a soft cry and a very low moan. Stan found himself wishing he could hear that lovely sound again.

"Sorry." Gwen apologized, bashful. This time he did let her go when she made movement to end the hug. The forty-two year old woman was once again embarrassed by how she was reacting because of him. She was able to deal with the hug but she lost it the moment she felt Stan run his hand through her hair. Gwen though couldn't let him or the others know about that. She took a deep breath, calming herself now that she was facing Stan again. "It's just that...you're here."

Stan, not really aware of just how much he was affecting her, used his left hand to caress her right cheek. "I told you I'd come."

Gwen smiled and leaned into his touch again. "You did." She happily replied. However, her happiness and her smile went away when she finally saw it. Her eyes had barely caught sight of the item now and for a few seconds there Gwen thought she wasn't seeing properly. That perhaps it wasn't a wedding ring Stan was wearing...but low and behold it was a wedding ring.

Gwen felt a shaky breath escape her as a took a step back from Stan. The curly haired man looked at her with a muddled expression, not understanding why she had moved away from him. It wasn't until he followed her gaze that was on his left hand that Stan understood. He felt like such an asshole. He'd been so happy to reunite with his childhood love that he forgot about his marriage to Patty...and that he still had on his wedding ring.

However, unlike the pain he felt with forgetting Gwen, Stan wasn't as affected with forgetting he was married during his reunion with her. He was more focused on the guilt he felt for loving another woman other than his wife. As Stan watched Gwen continue to back away until she was standing next to Eddie, he wanted to say, "I'm sorry" over and over again. Sorry for forgetting her, and sorry marrying someone that wasn't her. He was so freakin' sorry.

Gwen thought that putting space between them would help lessen the emotional pain she was feeling...but it didn't. The emotional pain stayed. The Tozier woman was also feeling something she hadn't felt in a very long time. She felt jealousy. Gwen was not at all the type to get jealous easily, but that's exactly what she was feeling at the moment. She couldn't deny she was jealous...as well as hurt. Jealous of the woman Stan had married and hurt he had been with someone else.

Gwen immediately wanted to slap herself for feeling that way. What right did she have to be jealous, let alone have the audacity to feel hurt? Especially when she didn't really believe in love and marriage for herself. Besides, what did she think Stan was going to do? Sit around and wait until they crossed paths again? Her jealousy just made her a hypocrite, especially with the amount of guys she'd been with over the years. She really had no right to be upset...yet she was, and she hated herself for feeling that way.

"Do you want some water?" Eddie suddenly asked and Gwen was more than thankful that he ended the silence that had filled the party room.

Gwen shook her head. "No, I'm fine for now." At the look of concerns she was given (she made sure to not linger on Stan's), Gwen steadied her voice. "Really you guys don't have to worry about me. I'm okay."

"But you fainted. Did you not eat anything on the way here? What about sleep? Did you not get enough sleep?" Eddie rapidly began speaking. "You know eating and sleeping is essential―"

"I know, Eddie." Gwen interrupted his rambling. She managed a smile even through her hurt feelings that came from finding out Stan was married. "Really, I'm okay. It's just that I got suddenly overwhelmed when I saw―" She stopped talking and then quickly went in for the save. "I mean, I was overwhelmed when I saw all of you."

Bill, Mike, and Eddie were able to tell that there was more to what she sad. Stan would have picked up on that as well...if he hadn't been too preoccupied with his guilt. Bill and Mike made no comment about it. And neither did Eddie. He instead said something else.

"Please don't faint again when the others arrive." Eddie told Gwen. "Not that I don't mind catching you...you're very light. I just...get anxious, you know?" He quietly said the last part causing Gwen to tilt her head, almost amused. Eddie saw her reaction and he felt his face warm up. He really didn't know why he had to say that last part. Maybe it was because he couldn't help but compare Gwen to his wife Myra. Not that they were similar. They were very different from each other in both physical and personality traits.

Not to mention, Myra wasn't a huge fan of Gwen's singing...or her in general. He heard his wife complain about Gwen before (multiple times) whenever she was mentioned on TV. During those times his wife insulted the singer saying she was a hussy and what not. Eddie found himself wanting to greatly defend Gwen...and in fact had done so a few times. His wife Myra was never happy when he didn't take her side on things. She'd always say, "Why are you defending her? It's not like you know her."

But that was the thing...Eddie felt like he did know her. A strong feeling he got told him so. The same feeling he would get whenever he saw one of Richie's late night stand-up comedy shows. He wasn't one hundred percent sure before but now he knew that feeling had been right. He did know the Tozier siblings. He had been friends with them, and with the other Losers.

They were all the best of friends when they had been kids. He was close with all of them but he had a special bond with both Richie and Gwen. And it was because of that bond that Eddie found himself wishing his wife Myra had some of Gwen's traits. In both the physical and personality department.

"No need to get anxious over me, Eddie." Gwen said before giving him a quick kiss on his right cheek. It was nothing but a friendly gesture, a thank you for catching her. For Gwen kissing Eddie was like kissing one of her family members.

Eddie coughed before lowering his eyes, completely not expecting that from Gwen. There were no complaints coming from him though. Both Bill and Mike had to hide their own amusement from seeing that happen. Stan on the other hand wasn't as amused as them. He had to tell himself that it was just a friendly gesture. That the kiss on the cheek didn't mean anything. Despite telling himself this, the jealousy was there and it only faltered when he looked at Gwen.

Gwen at first had on an unreadable expression when she looked at him. Her dark brown eyes soon softened, and a small smile that wasn't at all happy grew on her face. Her eyes flickered towards his wedding ring and Stan found himself covering his left hand with his right hand. A movement that Bill, Mike, and Eddie saw. Before they were able to further analyze that action there was a loud BANG sound. The five of them quickly realized that the noise came from the gong the party room had. They turned towards where the gong was at and weren't at all surprised when they saw the culprit who had hit the gong.

"This meeting of the Losers' Club has officially begun."

Eddie chuckled from not only sheepishness but also from sheer happiness. "Look at these guys." He pointed at the three new arrivals with a smile on his face.

Gwen and the others didn't need long in order to figure who these three arrivals were. The woman with the short red hair was clearly Beverly Marsh. She grew up to be even more beautiful. The man standing next to her...well, Gwen took a few seconds longer to collect herself before she was able to get her thoughts together. And when she did her eyes widened in awe.

Dear God...that was Ben. He was not at all how Gwen remembered him to be. He'd been on the chubbier side when they were younger. His weight had never been something Gwen judged him for. Nor did she ever make fun of him for it. She looked passed that when they were friends. Really the only thing that mattered to her was how kindhearted Ben was, and how that kindness was shown in his eyes. Even now, despite losing all the weight, that kindness she had seen as a kid was still there in those soft features of his.

Gwen took a deep breath when her eyes shifted towards the person that was behind Beverly and Ben. This was the moment she had been the most nervous for. Seeing her brother again after the rocky relationship they've have for the past few months. She looked at her brother hoping he'd be the first to say something. Instead her brother made a gesture towards Ben and then himself before spreading his arms wide and raising one his thumbs up, giving them a crooked smile.

That left Gwen and the others who saw him do that either shake their heads in amusement or smile a little. In Gwen's case she did both. The lightheartedness he created started to go away and that's when Gwen counted to ten in her head before finally gathering the strength to speak. However, one look from Richie immediately had her gaze falling to the ground. As much as she wanted to she could no longer ignore the regret and guilt she was feeling. The same regret and guilt that had been slowly building up inside her from the past years of her putting distance between them.

She let out a sigh.

What a fun family reunion this was going to be.

Then Richie spoke...and what he said had her looking at him without wavering her gaze.

"Your hair is shorter." Richie simply stated.

Gwen matched his tone. "Your glasses got bigger."

There was then silence inside the party room that had the remaining Losers looking at the Tozier sibling with somewhat troubled looks. It worried them that they were standing so far apart from each other. Why hadn't they hugged yet? That was the only reason why both Beverly and Ben hadn't properly greeted Gwen. They figured they'd let the siblings hug each other first, but there they were and there was no hugging going on.

The awkwardness that lingered in the air disappeared within the next ten seconds.

"Well, are you just going to stand there like a weirdo or hug me?" Richie laughed, gesturing for his sister to come over to him.

Gwen felt like she could breathe again. She for sure was going for the second option. She made sure to give Beverly and Ben a smile when she passed them, a sign that said she'd be with them as soon as possible. Right now she had a brother to hug. She hadn't hugged her brother in a very long time. So long that she almost forgot just how tall her brother was. He was 6'1. Still not at tall as Mike but tall enough for him to poke fun at her since she remained at 5'7. However, she would have loved it if Richie poked fun at her right now. That would have meant they were back to their old bantering brother and sister ways. Except she was content with just the hug itself.

Everything felt right when she hugged Richie. As her brother embraced her with his arms completely wrapped around her, Gwen for the moment forgot about Stan's marriage, and the heartache it caused. All her thoughts were on her brother and how beyond happy she was that he was there with her. The nerves that had been there were gone because they weren't arguing at the moment. In fact, it was if things between them never changed. Except they had and Gwen knew their truce wouldn't last forever. Right now though, she decided not to fret over that. She was going to focus on the positive side of things. Like hugging her brother.

Gwen continued the hug, smiling. As she leaned further into her brother she caught a whiff of something. She scrunched up her nose. "Are you wearing Axe Body Spray?"

"Yeah." Richie mumbled into the side of her neck. "I haven't showered in three days."

And there was the comment that would soon start a frolicsome brother and sister fight. Gwen immediately tried to push him away from her. "Ew! Richie!" The Tozier woman practically screeched as she flayed her arms around. Richie's hold on her remained sturdy.

"I'm kidding." Richie laughed and Gwen stopped her movements. They soon began again after what he said next. "It's more like four days." He told her, exaggerating the word four. This time Richie did let go of Gwen when she pushed herself away from him.

Richie not at all bothered, grinned at his sister. His grin soon turned into a genuine smile as he looked at her. Gwen quickly returned the smile. Her expression was one of delight.

"Dude, have you really not showered in four days?"

Eddie asked breaking the brother and sister moment that was happening.

Richie gave Gwen one last glance before looking over at Eddie. The bespectacled man no longer had on the genuine smile he gave his sister. He instead had the same grin from before. He then laughed at the look of shock Eddie was giving him. Richie decided to end his jocular like ways regarding the not showering comment. "Nah, I'm just fuckin' with you guys. You think I wouldn't spruce myself up knowing I'd see you guys again? Especially you, Eddie Spaghetti."

Eddie frowned, halfheartedly. "Don't call me that."

Richie had been the most excited to see Gwen and Eddie again. Gwen because she was his sister, and he hadn't seen her in person in forever, and Eddie because (as he was starting to remember) had a special place in his heart. A real special place. Not that he'd say that aloud. Not to mention Eddie always had the funniest reactions when it came to his jokes and teasing. His reactions to the nicknames he had for him were by far the best. He missed seeing those reactions.

"Right, sorry. I forgot you prefer your other nickname." Richie looked at him now with a mischievous expression. "Eds."

"Don't call me that either." Eddie grumbled. He spoke so low that the others barely heard. Gwen though heard him loud and clear.

Gwen's dark brown eyes brightened. "That's right." She smiled at the now tall Eddie. "Eds." She repeated, softly. "I remember I used to call you that all the time."

Eddie felt his cheeks grow warm. "Yeah."

"And yet you always gave me shit whenever I called you that." Richie commented, pretending to be upset. "Not cool, dude. Not cool at all. I bet you wouldn't get upset if Gwen called you by your other nickname, Eddie Spaghetti."

Eddie glared at Richie but that only made his grin grow wider.

"Why's that?" Gwen asked Eddie. She could understand why he wouldn't get annoyed with her calling him Eds. She always used to call him as kids. Eddie Spaghetti was not a nickname she used, unlike Richie. "I thought you didn't like being called Eddie Spaghetti?"

"It wouldn't annoy me if you called me that." Eddie quietly admitted to her. Richie letting out a scoff caught his and everyone else's attention.

"But it does when I do?"

Eddie looked right into Richie's eyes. "Yes." He answered, evenly.

Richie wasn't at all upset. He instead smiled at Eddie. Not much had changed between them either. That was comforting. It was just like old times. Well, almost like old times. He opened his arms wide. "Come over here and hug me, you turd of a man."

Eddie rolled his eyes but didn't hide the smile that broke out on his face as he went into Richie's open arms.

"It really is good to see you, Rich." Eddie earnestly told him.

Richie became serious with his reply. "It's good to see you too, Eds." He gave Eddie's back one more pat before letting him go. Everyone noticed how Eddie made no complaint that time when Richie called him Eds. They figured because of the heartfelt moment they were having that Eddie let him have a freebie.

It was then after Richie and Eddie stopped hugging, and as he went to greet Mike and Bill, that Gwen felt a soft tap on her left shoulder. Another smile broke out onto her face when red hair came into her line of vision. "Beverly!" Gwen beamed, finally ready to greet the woman she considered to be her best friend during her youth. She gathered the redhead into her arms. Beverly did not protest at all. This time Gwen wasn't the one laying her head on the person's shoulder. As it turned out, Beverly was shorter than her.

The redhead leaned on Gwen, basking in her warmth. She was really glad that Gwen was there with them. If she hadn't come she would have been the only female, and although Beverly loved the rest of the Losers, she always liked the fact that she wasn't the only female in the group.

On her way to Derry, Beverly was able to remember some things about her childhood and one of the things she remembered was how Gwen had been there to give her advice regarding her first period. Gwen during her youth was like an older sister to her. Beverly also remembered wanting to be strong like her. As she recalled, Beverly had been strong in some way as a kid. Beverly didn't even realize that same strength was still in her until she received Mike's call and she defended herself against her abusive husband Tom.

Thinking about Tom made the bruises she had on her wrist hurt more than they already did. The strength she needed to defend herself had come out right before Tom forced her to do something she did not want to do but where was that strength now? Beverly didn't feel that strength anymore and if she wanted to end things with Tom for good she knew she would need it. She gave Gwen one more gentle squeeze for comfort before she pulled back. When she did so the left sleeve of her black blazer rose, allowing the bruises that Tom left on her wrist to be out in the open.

It appeared that Gwen had been the only to see them. Her dark brown eyes widened but before she was able to say something Beverly brought her into another quick hug. "Don't say anything, please." She whispered to her.

Gwen wanted to ask why. She wanted to so desperately ask what the hell happened...she was beyond concerned. However, the Tozier woman knew if she wanted full on answers this was not the place or time. Gwen decided that she'd ask Beverly what those bruises were about at a better time.

"Okay." Gwen whispered back. She heard Beverly let out a sigh of relief before she ended the hug again. When she looked at the other Losers they were staring at them with bewildered expressions. Ben in particular was looking at them extra closely. Gwen noticed how Beverly was fidgeting with her left sleeve. Knowing Beverly didn't want anymore attention thrown at her right now, Gwen spoke, directing the Losers' attention on her. "What? Never seen two girls hug twice before."

None of the Losers said anything, they just lessened their staring. Except for Stan. The curly haired man was staring more at Gwen than at Beverly. That had Gwen's stomach erupting into butterflies. She had to remind herself that he was married and that right away faltered her giddiness. Feeling less flushed, Gwen turned to the last person she needed to greet. Ben. The Hanscom man gave Gwen a friendly smile. "Hey, Gwen." He greeted, giving her a short wave.

Gwen returned the smile. She had planned to say hello back but her word vomit got the better of her.

"Holy mother of God, Ben you're hot."

There was once again silence in the party room, each of the Losers looking at Gwen in disbelief. Stan looking more shocked than the rest. Gwen wasn't about to take back what she said though. She shrugged off their looks, Stan's especially. "What? We're all thinking it."

"I was thinking thinner..." Richie drawled, somewhat true. He noticed just how good looking Ben had gotten when he ran into him and Beverly up front. Deciding to be playful with his response, Richie pretended to be dismayed. "But yeah Ben, way to make the rest of us men look like ugly ducklings."

Ben coughed, clearing his throat. "Uh, thanks." He told Gwen before managing another smile. The Tozier woman made an apologetic face. Ben politely waved it off before bringing her in for a hug. The hug wasn't at all uncomfortable despite the height difference. Ben was around the same height as Richie, so the hug was nice. When they hugged each other both of them thought (without them knowing) of the library in Derry. It didn't take long until they remembered that's where they met. Ben let out a low chuckle and it was chuckle Gwen returned.

As they hugged, Richie finally zeroed in on the curly haired man that was in the party room. The same curly haired man that was staring intently at Gwen and Ben. Richie had to shake his head at that. He knew exactly who this man was and by the looks of it nothing about him, and he meant nothing, had changed. Richie, wanting to remain vibrant, pointed at him and grinned.

"Who's this grandpa?"

That seemed to do the trick as Stan turned to look at him. Of course by now the hug between Ben and Gwen had already ended. The curly haired man rolled his eyes at the bespectacled man. "Nice to see you too, Trashmouth."

"Aye! There he is!" Richie snapped his fingers. "I recognize that eye roll. Stan the Man." He tilted his head a bit, regarding his outfit better. Stan was wearing a dark grey cardigan over a navy blue button-up. His button-up was neatly tucked into his dark jeans, which had a belt around it. For shoe wear, Richie had no idea what shoe brand Stan had on. All he could tell was that they were black shoes and they looked new...or at least recently cleaned. "Your style is still for shit." Richie joked. Stan laughed, not at all offended.

"You're one to talk." The curly haired man gestured to Richie's own outfit. In comparison to Stan, Richie's outfit was way more laid back. The Tozier man was wearing a black leather jacket over a dark yellow button-up and a brownish undershirt. His jeans were dark grey and a little baggier than Stan's, and for shoes he had on sneakers.

Richie pointed to himself as if he were a grand prize or something. "My style is unique. Isn't that right, Gwen?"

Gwen, who was standing now between Ben and Beverly, looked over at her brother. "You look like you just got out of bed." She casually told him.

By no means did she think her brother was ugly. Richie was handsome but he was handsome in an unconventional way. His glasses, along with that whole disheveled look he had going on since his early twenties, was often what brought him attention. Not nearly as much as he wanted and because of that Richie had almost tried contacts.

However, he quickly backed away from that idea because the thought of sticking something in his eyes freaked him out. In Gwen's opinion Richie didn't need contacts. He was already fine the way he was. Plus he'd been in his fair share of relationships over the years.

Not that Gwen liked most of the women he'd chosen to be with since half of the time those bitches ended up breaking her brother's heart. Just like that chick Sandy had. Oh, Gwen did not like her at all. But that was something she didn't want to think about right now. The point was her brother wasn't ugly.

"But I'm handsome, right?" Richie grinned once more.

Gwen nodded her head. "Yeah."

Richie turned to Stan and laughed. "Ha!"

The curly haired man just shook his head at Richie's antics. Stan then gladly accepted Richie's hug. It wasn't long after they stopped hugging that Stan looked over at Gwen again.

The Tozier woman at first avoided his soft stare by looking at Richie, and then over at Bill, Mike, and Eddie. Gwen tried her best to appear not at all affected Stan. However, it seemed she was doing a lousy job because the moment Eddie caught her gaze he was on her about her current state. She must have not looked good.

"You okay, Gwen?" Eddie asked, ready to move her away in case she lost consciousness again.

Gwen took a deep breath, composing herself. "Yeah."

Richie frowned at how worried Eddie sounded. "Why wouldn't she be okay?"

"Uh because..." Eddie felt unsure just how to end that sentence. He glanced between Gwen and Richie, hoping Gwen would be the one to tell him. Thankfully she did.

"Because I fainted." Gwen just flat out announced.

Richie's eyes widened even more behind his glasses. "You what?!"

"Are you okay?" Beverly asked her, all concerned. She gently placed a hand on one of Gwen's arms, as if she was steadying her despite not being dizzy. The touch was caring and Gwen wasn't pulling away from it.

Gwen nodded her head. "Yeah, I was just overwhelmed. I promise, like I told Eddie and the others, I'm fine."

"If you're sure." Ben spoke, still keeping a close eye on Gwen. By the looks of it she was fine. Except Ben had still been able to detect a bit of low-spirit when he looked at her. He noticed that more when Gwen and Stan made eye contact with each other. There was also tension there, tension the Hanscom man knew the other Losers must have felt. So yeah...something was happening between those two.

"Yeah, I'm―" Gwen didn't get a chance to finish that sentence because Richie rushed over to her. Beverly and Ben managed to get out of the way, and the bespectacled man was now in front of Gwen. He crouched down a little to get to her height and raised three fingers.

"Okay, how many fingers am I holding up?"

Gwen stopped herself from rolling her eyes. "Honestly, Richie I'm―"

"How many fingers am I holding up?" Richie earnestly asked again.

Gwen sighed. She knew then and there that her brother wasn't about to drop his concern until she answered. "Three."

Richie nodded his head, pleased. "Okay, that's good. At least you didn't forget how to count."

This time Gwen did roll her eyes. "Hooray."

"I just got to do one more thing to make sure you're really okay."

Gwen frowned. "And what's that?"

Richie looked serious before a mischievous smile broke out. "This." Then before Gwen was able to stop him, Richie flicked her forehead.

"Ow!" Gwen glared at her brother as he fixed his posture. "You just flicked my forehead! What the hell was that supposed to accomplish?"

Richie shrugged his shoulders. "Nothing, I just wanted to flick your forehead. You're good."

Gwen wanted to remain annoyed for what her brother just did, but quickly she saw the amused looks the Losers each had on. Despite not wanting to look at Stan, Gwen found herself doing just that. The curly haired man had a much smaller smile than the rest of the Losers but even small his smile brightened up his face. His smile, along with the others, just reminded Gwen of all the others times they must have found amusement during one of her and Richie's interactions.

Any annoyance that was there fully disappeared and instead merriment filled her. If it meant she would get the Losers to smile the way they were smiling right now (especially Stan) then Gwen would have proudly let her brother flick her forehead again.

"So..." Eddie spoke, gaining everyone's attention. "Are we going to eat?"

Mike gestured towards the table. "Let's all take a seat."

After Ben did his own greeting with the rest of the remaining Losers, that's exactly what they did. Since Gwen had put her purse down on one of the chairs when she first came in, that's where she ended up sitting.

The Tozier woman's seat was between Ben and Mike. Ben was on her right side and on Mike's her left side. On Mike's left side was Bill, and Beverly took the spot that was next to Bill's free side. Richie then sat next to her, followed by Stan and then Eddie who was on Ben's right side. Thus the table going around in a perfect circle.

Despite not sitting close, and thanks to the table being circle shaped, Gwen and Stan still had a pretty good view of each another.

The proximity was getting to Gwen, even if she told herself it wasn't. It didn't help that Stan would look her way every so often. Those brown eyes of his staring into her own dark brown eyes. Gwen didn't want to believe it but she could have sworn there was a sense of longing in those eyes of his. She inwardly rebuked herself when she thought this.

He's married.

Gwen sighed, almost reaching for her necklace, but then stopped herself. It was an action both Stan and Richie saw. Richie looked between his sister and Stan, eyes behind his glasses slightly narrowed.

Gwen didn't see how her brother was analyzing Stan and her. Hell, she didn't even realize the waitress was talking to her until Ben lightly tapped her hand. Gwen jumped in her seat, slightly. She looked at Ben. "Huh?"

Ben just gestured to the waitress that was by their table. A small notebook and pen in her hand. The waitress smiled at her. "And for the beautiful lady? What would you like to drink?"

Gwen was taken aback. Beautiful lady? She thought the waitress would be telling that to Beverly, not her. She was the beautiful one. Maybe she did tell her that but Gwen had failed to notice. Either way, Gwen didn't think she was beautiful. She wasn't about to let her insecurities be known though, not in font of the Losers. She plastered on a smile. Just as she had done so many times in the past when out in public.

"Can I get a glass of Chardonnay and a glass of water?"

The waitress nodded her head before writing the request down.

"A glass of Chardonnay?" Richie questioned aloud, not really sounding happy. The Losers picked up on this and were confused. Stan especially, given that he was sitting on Richie's left side.

Gwen appeared to be nonchalant as she answered her brother. "It's just one glass."

Richie pursed his lips. "Yeah but..." He went quiet when Gwen threw him a look. Was he seriously going to bring up the topic of her drinking in front of their Losers? She hoped to God he wasn't. She could tell the Losers were picking up on something, and as a way to divert the conversation, Gwen took on a playful demeanor.

"Relax, I'm not a lightweight. Unlike you."

Richie knew that despite how lively she was acting, his sister did not want him to bring up her drinking in front of their friends. Even though the media for the most part didn't paint her a pretty picture, her drinking problem was never really the focus. It was mainly about her flings and the outbursts she would have in public. Her drinking problem was something only those closest to her were really aware of.

Therefore, Richie wouldn't bring it up for the sake of the truce they made but he still didn't want her drinking. He knew how'd she be if she did get drunk. However, she wasn't drunk yet and since he was there with her he would be able to keep a close eye on her. Meaning he'd be able to stop her if she did get too out of control.

A part of him hated thinking this way, but another part was still calm because Gwen hadn't ordered Bourbon. That was her poison. If she had ordered Bourbon, Richie would have made his protesting more obvious. Richie sighed, giving her a small nod, letting her know everything was okay...for now. He wouldn't be taking his eyes off of her though.

The waitress ended up leaving after writing down the remaining drink orders. Soon enough not only had their drink orders came, but so had their food. Everyone went all in and their plates were full. After downing his own first drink, Richie looked at Gwen. His sister was currently eating while listening to something Ben was telling her. There was a tiny smile on her face as Ben chatted away. Seeing that she was doing okay, Richie turned to Eddie, remembering what he had told him and the others while they had waited for their food.

"So wait, Eddie you got married?"

"Yeah, why is that so fuckin' funny, dickwad?"

"What, to like a woman?"

Eddie gave him a playful glare. "Fuck you bro."

"Fuck you!" Richie merrily shouted.

"What's she like?" Gwen asked, sounding absolutely curious. She had just finished listening to Ben talk about one of his newest buildings. As she'd come to find out, the Hanscom man was now a successful architect. She'd been into the conversation but then it came to an end when her and Ben's attention were caught by Richie's question about Eddie's marriage.

Eddie found himself struggling with giving Gwen an answer. "Uh..."

"What you can't describe your wife?" Richie now asked, grinning.

"She has a big heart." Eddie finally managed to say. He looked more at Richie when he said this rather than at Gwen. It was like he was too embarrassed to look at her when he said this. He had no problem looking at Richie though.

Richie snickered. "I bet that's not the only thing that's big about her."

Eddie smiled tightly and then flipped him off.

Gwen just shook her head. From the side saw Stan roll his eyes, a hint of a smile gracing his lips.

"Don't listen to him, Eddie." Gwen found herself saying before throwing her brother a tight smile of her own. "After all, Richie's married to his hand." It wasn't until after she said this that Gwen started to feel bad. In the past marriage for Richie had been a sensitive topic. No thanks to Sandy. However, at the moment it didn't seem so bad to make a joke about marriage...now she was regretting ever saying anything. Hearing Richie's loud laugh instantly calmed Gwen down.

"Yeah, and it's been a very giving marriage!"

Gwen just shook her head, laughing alongside her brother.

"What about you, Trashmouth? You married?" Bill suddenly asked Richie despite the joke that was just made. He himself had told the others about his own marriage when they were waiting for the food to arrive. A few of them had even recognized his wife Audra in movies they've seen. The most recent one being the movie adaptation of his book, The Black Rapids.

Beverly let out a laugh of her own, shaking her head. Her short red hair swaying as she did this. "There's no way Richie's married!"

"I got married." Richie answered, trying to sound serious. His laughter had stopped and he appeared sober now.

Beverly wasn't falling for what he was saying. She raised her chopstick as she was ready to eat the piece food that was held there. "Richie, I don't believe it."

Unlike Beverly, Eddie was leaning more towards believing him. "When?" He asked Richie after he took a sip from his beer.

Richie turned his attention onto Eddie. "You didn't hear this? You didn't know I got married?"

Eddie shook his head. "No." He moved his gaze onto Gwen who was at that moment taking a sip from her own drink. Still, Eddie asked her. "Is this true, Gwen? Did he really get married?"

Before Gwen could give any sort of answer, Richie swooped in with his response. Eddie looked at him with great interest. "Of course it's true. Gwen was the flower girl after all. But yeah, me and your mom are very happy together."

Gwen let out a giggle but it really had more to do with Bill's reaction of snorting out his beer. The whole table was laughing now, even Stan who was usually the most mature one out of the eight.

Richie continued laughing his ass off. "He totally fell for it! Gwen, did you see his face?" The Tozier woman tried her best to not laugh but she couldn't help it. She gave Richie a nod.

Eddie just shook his head. He gave Richie with a 'I'm so done with you' expression. The same one he would give Richie when they had been kids. "Fuck you."

"She's very sweet. Sometimes she puts her arm around me and she'll whisper..." Gwen let out another laugh when she heard Richie speak in a voice that she knew was Jabba the Hut from Star Wars. A movie franchise that Richie and her absolutely loved as kids. The impression was spot on, like all of his impressions were.

Eddie scoffed. "Oh, I get it, my mom's a great big fat person!" He exclaimed, pretending to find the whole thing to be humorous. He threw his head back as if he were laughing along with the others. "Hilarious! Hysterical!"

Gwen finally got a hold of herself, sensing the teasing on Eddie was going too far. Gwen threw her brother a discreet look (one a mother would give their child when misbehaving) and Richie although laughing gave her a short nod, letting her know he understood. He'd back off Eddie...for now.

"What about you, Gwen?" Beverly suddenly asked, throwing the attention her way. All the Losers were looking at the Tozier woman now. "You with anyone?"

Gwen cleared her throat, a bit thrown off by that question being aimed at her. Her eyes landed on the redhead. "Ah, no. I'm not married."

"What about seeing someone?" Ben then asked from beside her.

Gwen pursed her lips. "Define seeing."

"Dating anyone." Mike clarified and Ben nodded his head letting her know that's what he meant as well.

"No, I'm not dating anyone." Gwen shrugged her shoulders. "I don't date. I just do."

Eddie (along with everyone, especially Stan) was bemused by what she said. Richie not so much because he knew exactly how she was with guys, unfortunately. "What does that mean?" Eddie asked her.

Gwen looked at Eddie, and out of habit took on that flirtatious persona she had built over the years. She batted her eyelashes at him, licked her bottom lip, and gave him a coquettish smile. "What do you think it means...Eds."

The table went quiet. All the Losers were taken back but this sudden change in attitude from Gwen. Richie frowned a little, looking between his sister and Eddie. While Stan felt that familiar feeling of jealousy return.

Eddie swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. Was she...was she flirting with him? He has no idea what to do if she actually was. He was panicking. "Um.."

Gwen dropped the act and started laughing. That had Richie and Stan feeling better. She was back to her normal self again. This was the Gwen they knew. "Sorry, just a habit of mine to act and sound that way. Don't take it seriously, Eddie. But no I don't date. Not really. It's more like casual dating for me." Gwen said using the term dating very loosely.

"You've been with a lot of fuckturds." Richie muttered. It was no secret that he wasn't happy with how Gwen dated, or how she didn't date. He knew Gwen was an adult and was allowed to make her own choices, even when it came to guys. Richie just thought his sister deserved better than the guys she hooked up with. She deserved something way meaningful rather than one night stands.

Really, the only guy that was okay in his book was Cole Foster. But even then Richie couldn't really see Gwen having an actual future with him. Meaning he didn't see marriage or even kids in the picture. Unlike when he thought about Gwen with someone else. He discreetly looked at Stan, who not to Richie's surprise was looking at Gwen.

Stan the Man apparently still had it bad for his older sister. Richie lowered his gaze and saw his wedding ring. He sighed. If only he wasn't married.

Gwen looked at her brother, sharply. "What did you say?"

"I said you've been with a lot of fuckturds." Richie replied as he lifted his gaze to look at his sister.

Gwen frowned. The Losers immediately thought the frown she had on was because of what Richie said. However, Gwen wasn't mad that Richie had said that, she was more puzzled. "That's my word." Gwen found herself saying. It was her word, fuckturd. She used to say it a lot as kids.

Richie cleared his throat. "Yeah, it is." He sounded nonchalant but he was inwardly glad Gwen hadn't gotten angry about what he said abut her being with a lot of fuckturds. He didn't want her to think he was judging her with the amount of guys she'd slept with. He too had been with his fair share of women...and sometimes (well, a lot of the time) he wished it wasn't just women he'd been with. Richie swallowed the lump in his throat before returning to his jocular self again. Thankfully no one noticed the moment of struggle he had.

"So, there's not anyone then?" Beverly asked, not wanting silence to fill the air again.

Gwen sighed, ready to say no.

"What about that Cole guy?" Richie blurted out.

Stan was all in the conversation now. He had kept quiet before but now that he heard a name (a male name), Stan wanted to know everything. "Cole? Who's Cole?"

Richie turned to look at him. "He's this cop Gwen has known for a while now."

"How long is a while?" Stan asked, looked at Gwen, fidgeting with the chopsticks he was holding.

"Since my junior year in college." Gwen quietly admitted as she stared into Stan's brown eyes. It was like she could feel the jealousy coming from Stan. She didn't know how to feel about that. On one hand she was glad to know she wasn't the only one that was jealous (at least she thought he was jealous) but on the other hand...so what if he was jealous? That didn't erase the fact that Stan was married.

"And you guys haven't made it official?" Bill now asked her.

Gwen tried to play it cool. "Like I said, I keep things casual."

"He's the one that taught her how to fight." Richie added and then did pretend punches in the air.

Eddie frowned, muddled. "Fight? What do you mean?"

"He means self-defense." Gwen clarified, throwing her brother a small smile when she saw how he was still pretending to fight. "I learned self-defense as my career kept growing. Cole's the one that taught me after one of my fans got a little too rough and personal with me."

Richie's laughter stopped along with his fake punches. He knew of the incident Gwen was talking about and he hated thinking about it. His sister could have seriously gotten hurt. Stuff like that has happened before to so many celebrities. He was beyond thankful nothing too severe happened to her. After the incident with that crazed fan Richie had been worried another one would try to do the same thing. However, he was beyond relieved to hear that Cole had taught Gwen self-defense. Now Gwen knew how to properly take care of herself...physically anyways. Richie then started talking like a beauty pageant announcer. "She's got beauty, she's got grace, she'll punch you in the face."

Another smile escaped Gwen. "Beep beep, Richie." That felt so natural to say that she didn't find herself questioning why she said that now out of the blue. It was yet another childhood saying, one reserved for her brother only.

Richie returned the smile. "Just like old times, Gwen."

Gwen laughed but it came to a halt with Beverly's next question.

"What's he like?"

"He's a hunk." Richie answered for Gwen and she just let him continue speaking for her. "Might give Ben a run for his money. Has that whole rugged thing going on."

"Wow Richie, are you sure you're not the one seeing him instead of Gwen?" Eddie commented playfully.

Richie pretended to laugh.

Gwen then out of nowhere said something that caused an instant ache in Stan's heart. "He's a good guy. And if I ever decide I want to be with some in that way, he'd be the one I'd want to be with...I guess." Gwen lowly said that last part, as if she wasn't sure. She had said it though and the damage was done.

Stan had to control his breathing and stop his eyes from welling up with tears.

Mike turned to Stan who had been quiet yet again. He noticed how his eyes were shiner than before but he passed it off due to the lighting the room had. Later on Mike would look back on to this moment and realize why his eyes looked so damn shiny. "What about you, Stan?"

Stan clenched his jaw. "We met at eighteen and then married at twenty-two." He simply told him and the others. "There's really not much else to tell."

Gwen, along with the others, saw and heard how reserved Stan became. They knew better than to ask more questions regarding his marriage. He didn't say his wife's name. Not that Gwen wanted to know. She still felt beyond stupid that she hadn't figured out he was married from the moment she saw him. Actually, she would bet a million dollars that the woman she spoke on the phone with was his wife. That just made her heart clench.

"Okay..." Richie drawled, not wanting to bask in that tension. "How about let's about talk the elephant that's not in the room. Ben!" He exclaimed, grinning as he looked over towards him. He was still in awe over Ben's outward appearance. "What the fuck man?"

Ben raised up one of his hands, bashful. He knew exactly what Richie was talking about. "Okay. So, obviously, I lost a few pounds."

"A few pounds? You're a whole new man! Like Gwen said, you're hot!" Richie complimented him, not at all hiding the fact that he was admiring his new look. Eddie was doing the same thing. "You're like every Brazilian soccer player wrapped into one person."

"Hot enough to melt ice cream off of you." Gwen added, laughing. Ben felt the tip of his ears grow warm because of all the attention he was getting.

"Leave him, alone." Beverly lightly admonished. However, she too had been looking. "You're embarrassing him."

"You guys are acting like I'm the only good looking one in the group." Ben's eyes briefly went to Beverly before his shyness got the better of him. Beverly didn't catch that since her eyes had gone to Bill and then towards Gwen. The redhead wasn't the only one looking at the Tozier woman. Gwen, after finishing the dumpling she had in her mouth looked quite puzzled when she noticed that her friends were staring at her.

She giggled, awkward. "What?"

"Oh, don't act surprised." Beverly playfully told her. "You know why we're looking at you."

"Uh..."

"Gwen, you look great." Ben finally told her.

Gwen scoffed. "Now you're embarrassing me."

"You got nothing to be embarrassed about." Stan told her causing her to look at him with slightly wide eyes. The firm demeanor he had before was long gone now. His features were nothing but soft again as he looked at her. "You look amazing."

Gwen felt that damn butterfly sensation return in her stomach. Her cheeks were beginning to warm up. She was fuckin' blushing. Damn it. She quickly looked away from Stan and instead looked at Beverly.

"Seriously, you do." Beverly once again spoke, smiling. "You're the oldest one out of all of us but you look like you're barely in your thirties."

Gwen continued to play off their compliments. "You guys are just trying to butter me up."

"No, we're not. Not when it's the truth." Eddie blurted out.

Gwen looked towards Eddie's way. "Thanks." She softly said, wishing she was able to see herself they way her friends did. As if sensing her self-consciousness, Richie spoke.

"Hey, you guys wanna hear a joke?"

Gwen threw Richie a thankful look and it was one Richie saw right away.

Bill nodded his head, answering for the whole friend group. "Why not? Knock us away, Trashmouth."

"Alright, since you said knock." Richie plastered on a grin. "Knock Knock."

Eddie was the one who responded. "Who's there?"

"La."

"La who?"

"Seher."

There were puzzled expressions going around the table until they heard what Richie said next. He took on a Jim Carey, Ace Ventura impression. Once hearing that voice Gwen knew exactly what the joke was and she had trouble holding in her laugh.

"Lahoo-Seher."

As Gwen continued to laugh she began to wonder if he done that impression on purpose instead of just randomly. The impression after all was one of her favorites. It was always able to get a laugh from her.

Everyone continued to laugh, aside from Eddie who was just shaking his head. Richie saw his reaction and gestured towards him.

"Don't deny you smiled, Eds."

"Says you." Eddie mumbled.

"Yeah, that's what I just said." Richie let out a chuckle. "But if you really wanna lose it just ask Gwen to dance. That's a comedy show right there."

Gwen huffed. "I'm a singer, not a dancer."

"But you've danced before." Eddie replied. He knew she had because he'd seen a few of her performances either on TV or online...mainly when Myra was asleep.

"Yes, but not well." Gwen answered as she pushed around her rice with her chopsticks.

"That's why I said it's like a comedy show." Richie added into their conversation. "Gwen, your dancing is atrocious. You dance like Sweet Dee from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia."

Gwen let go of her chopsticks and gasped. "I do not." She knew she wasn't the greatest dancer out there but to compare her to Sweet Dee? Come on, man.

"You do." Richie simply told her.

Gwen scoffed. "Next you'll say I look like a bird."

You'd be one beautiful bird, Stan thought and then he felt like face palming himself for having thought that.

"No, of course not. Well, not to your face." Richie mumbled but then grinned letting her know it was a joke.

Gwen threw a dumpling at her brother. Richie laughed at how the dumpling landed perfectly on his plate. He used his own chopsticks to pick it up and then made a show of eating it. She found humor in that. Gwen wasn't ashamed to admit that at times she could be just as childish as Richie…even now when they were grown ass adults.

"Well, it doesn't matter if your dancing isn't good. Your singing is great." Beverly reminded the dark haired woman.

Gwen gave the redhead a small smile. "Thanks, but have you guys really listened to my songs? They're fuckin' depressing."

"Not all your songs are." Eddie quickly added into the conversation. "There's quite a few that are more upbeat. Like your song, Let Me Hear You."

Gwen felt a bit of nostalgia when Eddie brought up that song. Let Me Hear You was indeed one of her more upbeat songs. She had actually wrote that song while she still had been in high school. Actually now that she thought about it better, most her upbeat songs had been written when she was still in high school in the song notebook her brother had given her. The song notebook she had back in her apartment in Brighton.

"And besides, I actually like one of the covers you did." Eddie sheepishly told her faltering Gwen's thoughts.

"You better not be talking about that one masturbating Divinyls song." Richie shuddered. "I still can't believe you actually sang that."

Gwen right away knew which song he was referring to. It was the song I Touch Myself. Did she regret singing that song? No, not really. But she was disliking that Richie brought it up in front of everyone, including Stan.

Eddie's face turned red. "No, not that one, asshole!" Although he had listened to it twice. Unknown to Eddie and the other Losers, Stan had listened to that same song too. The only difference being that he listened to the song three times.

"Which one, Eddie?" Gwen asked as a way to move the conversation along.

"Close to you by The Carpenters." Eddie quietly told her. "I like your version a lot."

Gwen smiled, remembering when she recorded the song. "I had fun doing that cover."

Gwen jumped a little in her seat when Richie began hitting the table with his fists. "Sing, sing, sing." She gave him a narrowed look. "I am not―" She stopped talking when she saw and heard how the others began following Richie's actions. Gwen let out a sigh, feeling especially nervous when she heard Stan's voice. He happened to be just as loud as Richie. "You guys..."

"Sing, sing, sing."

Gwen huffed. "Alright, fine!" As soon as she said this the others stopped with their demands. Gwen cleared her throat, preparing herself. Each of the Losers were beyond intrigued with how Gwen's demeanor suddenly changed from being bashful to full on confident. Stan felt his heartbeat quicken when her voice, the voice he had been hearing on the radio. Now he was hearing her sing in person. The lyrics she sang left him feeling as if he were on cloud nine.

Why do birds suddenly appear
Every time you are near?
Just like me, they long to be
Close to you

Gwen stopped singing and then shook her head, cringing and laughing at herself. "Okay, that's all I'm singing."

The Losers began applauding her. Richie clapped his hands as if there was no tomorrow. "Bravo!"

"Gwen that was amazing." Beverly gushed.

"It really was." Stan said causing Gwen to feel her face grow warm again. She said nothing, just took a huge gulp from her water.

As this happened, Richie gave Eddie a pretend serious stare. "Don't think just because she sang that she was proclaiming her undying love for you."

"Oh, damn." Eddie sarcastically replied to him.

Gwen let out an exaggerated heartfelt sigh after finishing her water. "Alas our love could not be. He friend-zoned me."

"He what?!" Richie exclaimed. He wasn't the only one surprised by this. All the Loses were. However, it was Stan and Richie who were looking Eddie with shocked expression. "You friend-zoned my sister?" Richie narrowed his eyes at him. "When?"

A look of remembrance appeared on Eddie's face. "Oh my god, I did. When we were younger. I can't believe I actually did that to you...Gwen Tozier."

Gwen frowned. "Don't talk like that, like I'm better than you." Her voice lowered, and for a brief moment there her insecurity showed. "I'm not. I'm no better than any of you."

Stan's face softened, and the jealousy that was there went away for good. As Eddie had confirmed, he friend-zoned Gwen when they had been kids. That was done for a good reason, such as Eddie not liking Gwen in that way...in the way Stan did. However, what Gwen said about how she was no better than any of them...it made Stan feel sad. It made him think that Gwen thought lowly of herself...and he didn't like that.

Richie too didn't like the way his sister sounded in that moment. He wanted to ask if she was okay, and if she wanted to talk somewhere, just the two of them. Maybe finally they'd have that heart to heart and really clear out things between them. However, he knew this wasn't the time and place to have that conversation with her. He'd talk to her though, soon. In the mean time he focused on Eddie. Richie ended up giving him a look of admiration, nodding his head, proud. "You have bigger balls than I thought."

Eddie scoffed. "I've always had bigger balls than you. I think this can be said about anybody. Remember Gwen jumped before you at the quarry."

"She jumped before you too, dipshit." Richie replied, frowning.

"Yeah man, but she's your sister." Eddie told him, laughing a little. "You were shown up by your own sister."

"Shut up." Richie mumbled. "You're still short."

Eddie's laughing stopped. "Fuck you, I'm average height."

"More like pocket size." Richie continued on with his teasing. "You're more like one of those dogs people carrying around in their purses. Maybe I should get a fanny pack and swoop you up and put you in there."

"That's so funny." Eddie sarcastically told him.

"Alright, let's take it down a notch before one of you starts throwing real punches." Gwen lightheartedly told them. She sounded a lot better now than before. Both Stan and Ben noticed just how quickly she recovered...or at least how she appeared to recover.

"As if Eddie would ever hit me." Richie pointed to his face. "He loves this face too much."

Eddie rolled his eyes. "I'd love to smash it in."

"Aw Eds, you say the most sweetest things ever." Richie cooed.

Eddie's cheeks grew warm. "Don't call me, Eds!"

"Speaking of throwing punches." Bill said catching everyone's attention. "Do you guys remember Henry Bowers?" The Denbrough man asked and instantly the whole group went silent.

"God, Henry Bowers." Richie groaned, ending the silence. "Now he was a major douche."

"He used to say all sorts of things about me." Beverly quietly shared. Her blue greenish eyes lowered to the table. "All those rumors."

Bill shook his head as he thought about the bully that made his and his friends lives a living hell during their youth. "Made fun of my stutter."

"Found ways to torture me with germs. He left a dead baby rat in my backpack once." Eddie nearly gagged from remembering that. He almost reached for his inhaler only for him to remember he still needed to pick up the prescription from the pharmacy the town had.

"Broke my glasses multiple times...and my face." Richie muttered, feeling annoyance from all those times the mullet wearing asshole had done that to him.

Ben let out a sigh. "Made fun of my weight." There was something else nagging at him letting Ben know Henry had done more to him...but he had yet to remember.

"He pushed my face in snow once and wouldn't let me get up until I couldn't feel anything." Stan announced with a far away look.

Mike followed with his own experience. "He'd always went after me whenever he would see me in town."

"He used to call me a dyke." Gwen blurted out. The table grew quiet again. Richie felt the pain the word caused more than anyone else at the table (aside from Gwen). Like Beverly, he too lowered his eyes.

"Just because I wouldn't give him the time of day. I think he even wrote it on my locker." Gwen let out a scoff. "What an asshole." She cleared her throat. "Anyways, fuck you Henry Bowers, wherever the fuck you are." She raised her glass of Chardonnay before taking a sip.

The only person in the room that knew (at the moment) where Henry Bowers was at, was Mike. Henry was locked up in Juniper Hill Asylum. He'd been there ever since he was blamed for the deaths and missing kids in 1989. However, Mike didn't feel it was dire to release his location since there were going to be bigger things to focus on soon.

"I'll drink to that, dear sister." Richie said, looking up again and raising his own drink. He took a sip as he watched his sister. Although he wasn't too happy with her drink of choice, at least she hadn't downed the whole thing. He was relieved to see she was drinking her glass of Chardonnay rather slowly.

Bill turned to look at Ben, eyes filling with recollection. "I seem to remember us helping you out, Ben."

"We did!" Eddie beamed, remembering. "But wasn't I the one who basically performed surgery on you, after Bowers cut you up? Holy shit, that's right!"

Shit, that was right. Ben now remembered what that other thing had been that Henry did to him as a kid. Ben let out a sigh. Despite the memory not being a good one, he at least didn't have a scar on his stomach. No traces that hinted the letter H was ever there, thankfully.

Beverly looked at Eddie, a little amused yet hopeful. "Please tell me you ended up becoming a doctor, Eds."

Gwen giggled a little. "Doctor Kaspbrak has a certain charm to it."

"Sorry to disappoint, but I'm not a doctor." Eddie informed them. "I'm a risk analyst."

Gwen was immediately fascinated. "Color me intrigued."

"What does that entail?" Richie asked trying to sound as interested as Gwen.

"Yeah, so, I work for like a big insurance firm and―"

Eddie stopped talking when Richie began to snore. Everyone did their best to not laugh at first but it was futile. The first to crack was Beverly then Gwen. The rest soon followed after.

Eddie glared at Richie who had stopped snoring and was now grinning. "Fuck you, dude."

"Was this job invented before fun?" Richie asked, eyes gleaming with humor.

Eddie cussed at him again before he turned to look at Ben who was still laughing. "What the fuck are you laughing at?!" He shouted causing Ben to just laugh even more.

Despite already laughing, Gwen really lost herself in the comedic moment that was happening. She let out the loudest laugh she had in what felt like years. Her face felt hot and it was probably as red as Beverly's hair because of her laughter but she didn't care how ridiculous she must have looked.

"I'm s-s-sorry, Eds." Gwen managed to say through her loud laughter. "It's just that the way you said, What the fuck are you laughing at?!" She said, impersonating Eddie. "That was too funny. Oh my God...oh shit..." Gwen felt a tear escape her.

Richie began laughing at the impression she had done on Eddie. "Oh man, you sounded like him. Shit, now that was funny."

"Yeah, well..." Eddie muttered.

Gwen didn't know how she was able to, but she managed to gain composure again. She wiped away the tear that escaped her. "Okay, I'll stop laughing now. I'm sorry, Eddie."

Eddie wasn't annoyed. A little embarrassed yes, but not annoyed. He liked hearing Gwen laugh. And knowing he was the reason for her laughter made him feel special in a way. He was the one that brought her happiness in that moment. He rather liked how that made him feel. It was like he had done something right. It was a feeling he never got when he was with his wife Myra.

Now that he was here with his friends, Eddie was beginning to realize that was a feeling he only ever got with them. Specifically with both Richie and Gwen.

"And you Stan?" Mike asked now that the laughter at the table had ended.

Stan answered his question quite proudly. "I'm an accountant for a huge firm in Atlanta."

Richie groaned, throwing his head back. "God! That's so boring. But of course you and Eddie would get the boring jobs."

Stan looked passed Richie's comment and looked at Mike. "What about you, Mike?"

"I'm the librarian here in town." Mike answered trying to smile a little. He wanted to let his friends know he wasn't ashamed of the simple job he had in comparison to their jobs. There was a reason for that. Mike had a bigger purpose, and the others would soon know about that purpose because they were also a part of it.

Gwen got an excited gleam in her eyes. "Finally a librarian that doesn't hate me." Hearing that was like a dream come true. She paused and then looked at Mike, suddenly unsure. "Wait, you don't hate me, do you?"

"No." Mike answered, this time really smiling. "I'm nothing like Mrs. Starrett."

Gwen grimaced. "Yeah, she hated me. Not that I blame her. I ruined a few books when I had been younger and that was a―"

"Shitty thing to do!" Richie exclaimed.

"I was going to say that!"

"I know that's why I said it first!"

The Tozier siblings then started bickering. The bickering between them was lighthearted and now at all serious. It was the kind of bickering they used to do when they were kids. After another round of dumpling throwing at each other, Richie turned towards Beverly, asking the redhead for a piece of her orange chicken that was on her plate. Beverly deciding just as playful as him said she'd give him something alright, and started to lean in. Whether or not she was being serious, Richie leaned in as well. He wasn't at all annoyed when Beverly, at the last second, used her chopsticks to feed him the piece of orange chicken he wanted.

Laughter once again filled the party room. The Losers then watched as Richie and Eddie began arm wresting. Stan, having backed away in his seat to give them some room, watched with an amused expression. When Eddie yelled out, "Let's take our shirts off and kiss!" with Richie's hand in his, Gwen smiled and then yelled out, "For science!" Causing the others to laugh even louder.

Richie, who although was laughing on the outside, was slightly panicking on the inside. Well, he was more flustered at himself. Eddie's comment got to him and Gwen's own comment just added to his struggle. He, however, made sure not show that struggle, and he remained his jocular self. He ended up winning the arm wrestling match and as soon as it was over he went to sit properly again.

As a way to momentarily forget about his feelings towards a particular someone, Richie blurted out that Gwen and Ben should arm wrestle. The others around the table seemed to agree. Ben looked at Gwen, saying if she was up for it. Gwen shrugged her shoulders and decided why not? Soon they were arm wresting and Gwen actually seemed to be winning. Richie then started doing that Ace Ventura impression again, causing Gwen to laugh and lose concentration. As she laughed, Ben used that distraction and carefully pinned her arm down.

He won, she lost. Gwen wasn't mad though, if anything she seemed more happy. She wasn't the only one who seemed happy. Everyone was.

A series of conversations continued around the table just as the waitress dropped off a bowl filled with fortune cookies. Gwen grabbed a fortune cookie, as did the others but none of the Losers cracked them open. They just left the fortune cookies by their sides. It was as if there something was telling them not to open their fortune cookies yet.

None of the Losers found this odd since they were enjoying their reunion.

After Gwen finished telling Eddie about the time she met Michael J. Fox at one of her performances, Richie began telling his own celebrity story. Gwen was listening to the conversation Eddie and Richie were having but tuned it out when she caught a glimpse of Ben. The Hanscom man was looking over towards Bill and Beverly. The two adults were talking with one another, smile on their faces.

From what Gwen overheard Beverly was talking about her career in the fashion world. She had actually become a very successful fashion designer with her husband Tom. Gwen frowned a little when she saw how Beverly got when mentioning her husband. The redhead became reserved and a bit jittery. She found this to be weird. Tilting her head at Bill and Beverly, Gwen gave them one final look before glancing at Ben. As she fixed her posture she saw the expression he had on. His expression was one Gwen had seen before. Gwen knew she had seen it before...when they had been kids. However, it was also an expression she'd seen recently on someone else...Stan.

Ben had the same longing look Stan had. Only Ben's longing look was aimed at Beverly.

Gwen sighed...somethings never do change. As she thought this she looked over at Stan. The curly haired man was talking to Mike but it didn't take long before he realized she was staring at him. He finished what he had been saying to Mike and then turned her way. This time neither of them broke eye contact. Gwen felt her cheeks starts to warm up and the same butterflies from before returned. This time she didn't fight away those feelings.

Stan felt his heart race and a sense of joy radiate through him when he noticed Gwen wasn't looking away from him. He was about to let out a smile when Ben's voice caught his and the others attention...ultimately interrupting the moment they were having.

"It's weird, right?" Ben asked and everyone turned to look at him. "Now that we're all here, everything's coming back...faster and faster. I mean, all of it."

Beverly, who had moved her gaze from Bill on to Ben, nodded her head.

"Yeah, you know, when Mike called I threw up." Richie tried to casually share. As if saying that was no big deal but the others quickly saw through it, Gwen in particular. "Isn't that weird? Like, I got nervous. I got sick and threw up."

This was not a good thing to hear. Gwen knew that Richie hardly ever got nervous. She didn't waver the stare that she had on him. "I'm fine now that I'm with you guys and Gwen." Richie continued to say but then stopped talking when he saw how everyone was looking at him. The look Gwen had on was of full concern. He became quiet but then frowned. "Why is everyone looking at me like this?"

Gwen decided to be open with her experience. "My shoulder felt like it was on fire when Mike told me I had to come back to Derry."

"Your right shoulder." Richie stated more than asked. He now had his own look of concern on his face. The others minus Mike looked puzzled as to why her right shoulder would have felt like it was on fire.

Gwen didn't saying, just nodded her head.

"When Mike called me, I crashed my car." Eddie shakily told them.

Bill's eyes widened. "Seriously?" There was worry in his tone and Gwen understood why. Crashing your car was a serious thing and she was really glad Eddie came out of the crash just fine. He could have ended up like her when she had her car accident in 2011. Thankfully that wasn't the case for Eddie.

Eddie nodded his head. "Yeah." He quietly answered.

"I, uh...I almost had a nervous breakdown. Well, I guess you can say I did in a way." Stan somewhat confessed what had happened after Mike's call. "It wasn't pretty." He didn't mention the part where he had been pulling at his hair. Nor about the razor blade and what he had been close to doing. He let out a sigh before catching Gwen's gaze. This time out of shame (for what he had been close to doing), Stan was the one to break eye contact. The Tozier woman frowned at this, her heart aching.

"Yeah, I hear you. You know, my heart was pounding in my chest like crazy." Ben hoarsely admitted.

Beverly let out a shaky breath. "I thought it was only me."

"It was like pure f-f-f-f-" Bill scrunched up his face, annoyed that he wasn't able to finish his sentence. Everyone noticed his stutter and for some reason that added more to the tension. The happiness that once was in the party room was now gone.

"Fear." Mike finished for him. "It was fear, what you felt. Pure fear."

Bill looked at Mike in alarm. "Why do we all f-f-f-feel that way?" He questioned and then frowned when he saw how less affected Mike appeared to be. "You know something that we don't? Don't you, Mikey?" He said, using the childhood nickname he had for him.

Mike nodded his head. "Something happens to the people in this town. People here tend to forget things, rapidly. It's even worse the further you away you get. Everything gets completely hazy." He looked at each of his friends. "We all forgot what happened, but not me. I was able to remember." He solemnly explained to them. "Maybe it's because I never left like all of you, or maybe it's because something is making me remember. But yeah, I do remember. I remember all of it."

"It?" Gwen repeated, weakly. She felt her stomach began to twist in a very unpleasant way.

"Pennywise." Beverly whispered.

All the Losers heard her say this, and they each began to panic in their own way. For Gwen, after hearing that now very familiar name, she instantly thought of yellow eyes and sharp teeth. Her right shoulder began to hurt to the point where she had to grip the table for support.

Gwen felt like fainting all over again.

No...actually, she felt like throwing up instead.