Because You Shine, an IT + Shining Crossover fanfic

Ministry of Magic:

May This or That: (genre) angst

May Word Climb: 1,564 words

Monthly Challenges For All:

Link Maker: Anchor Link 1,564 Words

Shipping War: Shiners (Danny Torrence/Beverly Marsh), Medium 2 (Coffee/Tea) 1,564 Words

Trope Bingo: 1E (Character Confusion) 1,564 words

Word Count: 1564

Warning for mentions of addiction, and abuse. I hope you all enjoy Because You Shine.

Something had brought her to this little group of misfits, Beverly Marsh was sure of that. She just doesn't know what it is. Something is tugging at the back of her mind. Something that will give her some hint as to why she chose to sit in on this group. With these people. Of all people. Alcoholics and druggies. She wasn't either.

"I see we have a new group member," the leader said, causing all eyes to fall upon Beverly. "Please feel free to introduce yourself. This is a safe space."

She felt a jolt go up her spine making her jump. The hot burn of the coffee sloshing over the rim of the cup made her gasp. "I'm sorry—I'm not—" She could feel the eyes of everyone in the room on her now.

"You're not an alcoholic?" the man asked, looking at her kindly. She hadn't expected this sort of kindness from people who truly belonged here. "Just because you aren't addicted to a substance doesn't mean you don't have an addiction, Miss—?"

"Marsh," she replied, watching the man as he watched her in return. "Beverly Marsh."

"Miss Marsh," he said, nodding as though he already knew her name. As though he had just needed her to confirm it for him. "Do you care to share a bit about yourself and what brought you here?"

"I think I'll just sit this one out," she said, seeing a couple in the front of the room roll their eye at her. She was sure no one here would understand why she was there. She didn't even understand why she was here. She knew that something had pulled her here and she was sure that something was this young man staring at her with his friendly seeming brown eyes.

"There's a reason why we all gather here, Torrence," the woman of the couple who'd rolled their eyes at her said, glaring at the leader, this Torrence. "We come here to help each other and be helped by each other. How can we help if we don't know the problem?"

Torrence seemed used to this sort of behavior from this woman. He turned those kind brown eyes on her. "How many meetings did you come here before you finally opened up about your addiction, Riley?" he asked, causing the young woman to blush and furiously look at her lap. He turned back to Beverly. "You can take as much time as you need to. I know from experience that it isn't easy to open up to a bunch of strangers about something this personal."

"Thank you, Mr. Torrence," she said, feeling relieved that he wouldn't force her to talk about herself.

"Danny, please," he said, looking into her eyes.

Beverly almost jumped when she heard his voice in her head. Could we have a private conversation after the meeting, Miss Marsh? She didn't know why but just the sound of his voice caused butterflies to swarm her stomach. She hadn't felt like since—She can picture a face but a name doesn't come with the face. She knows they were close once upon a time. She just doesn't remember when. But it's different than how this Danny Torrence makes her feel. This man almost gives her an eerie feeling.

She subtly nods hoping he will take this as an acknowledgment of his request. But when she looks up he's turned his attention to another member of the group. An older gentleman who Danny says reminds him of his father.

But what surprises her is the flashes of images she gets when this mysterious father of Danny Torrence is mentioned. Images of a blood river coming from an elevator. A man stalked toward a woman with an ax. A snowy hedge maze with footprints heading inward while pulling her backward. She blinks and the images are gone.

Trying to make herself look less conspicuous than she probably already did she took a sip of her coffee. It wasn't the best coffee in the world. But it would do the trick. She trained her face not to react to the bitter aftertaste of the brown liquid but she was pretty sure she hadn't succeeded.

Beverly had known that there was something different about her from a young age. Something unique that had made her able to—she doesn't remember what she'd been able to do. But she does know that it helped her in her current life. She somehow always knew what people would want to wear. Like a little voice was whispering to her. Telling her the answers she sought.

The loud chiming of her ringtone suddenly went off, making her jump, and all eyes again turn towards her. She quickly reached into her handbag and pulled out the offending phone. Her stomach plummeting her feet when she saw the photo and name of her husband. Tom.

"We don't allow phones!" Riley's companion, a man named Ben, angrily told her.

"Ben, is right," said Danny, a sadness filling his voice as he spoke. "But he could have gone about telling you more nicely."

"I'll just go and…"

The cell phone which stopped ringing during the conversation started up again. Beverly knew she was in big trouble now. Tom had always told her that he had to be able to reach her at all times. After all, he was her partner in their business. It was her name but he took credit for almost everything. Including her talents.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled as she fumbled with her phone walking towards the exit. "I'm so sorry."

I am too. She heard Danny's voice in her head as she stepped into the cold night.

Her phone had gone quiet once more in her hand and the sinking feeling in her gut got deeper and deeper. She punched the speed dial for her husband's number and listened as the phone rang a couple of times before he picked up.

"Where the hell have you been?" Tom asked. No. Not asked. He yelled the question into the phone making Beverly pull the phone back away from her ear.

"Didn't I tell you I had a doctor's appointment tonight?" she asked. This is what she usually told him whenever she needed to just get away for a few moments. Sure. It was a lie but sometimes it was better to lie to give yourself a moment of peace.

"No," he snapped, anger filling his voice. "You didn't tell me."

"I'm sorry," she said, hating that he made her feel so small. The feeling she got when Tom talked to her sometimes was like the one she used to get when her father used to talk to her. Or she's pretty sure it was. She hasn't thought of her childhood home life in some time. But she does remember it wasn't too nice.

"You do remember that we have a meeting to prepare for tomorrow evening with those clients from Paris, right?" he asked, using his favorite tone of voice. The one that implied that she was too stupid to remember things like important meetings.

"I do," she said, hating the feeling his having to remind her or thinking he had to remind her dredged up. "I just need to finish up here and I'll be home in a bit."

"Bev," he said, pausing a moment as though allowing himself to calm down before saying what was on his mind, "I'm only thinking about you and your career here, babe. You do know that, right?"

She stifled the sigh that was about to leave her lips. This was how the worst of fights usually began between the two of them. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction this time. If he wanted to start a fight he could. She just wouldn't be the one to give him a reason to.

"Bev?"

"Yes, Tom," she said, feeling eyes on her from behind. The group must have ended. A fact that was confirmed when people skirted past her on the steps.

"You're still my girl, right?" he asked, causing her skin to prickle with goosebumps.

"Yes," she said, feeling her start to prickle with tears. She doesn't know why but she feels like she wants to cry. "Look they just called me back. I've got to go. We'll talk later, okay?"

He doesn't say anything in answer. Her only answer is the sound of the dial tone in her ear. She sank to the steps and the tears begin to fall.

She doesn't know how long she has been sitting on the cold stones step before a gentle, warm hand lands on her shoulder making her jump.

"I'm sorry," Danny's voice says close by her side. "But perhaps we should have that conversation now."

This is the last thing she needs and she is about to tell him this. But then she hears his voice in her head once more.

You shine, Beverly Marsh. That's why you were brought here tonight. Because you shine.

She looks over at Danny hoping to see that he was joking with her. But his face is as solemn as when he'd first spoken to her.

"What does that mean?" she asked, watching him carefully and knowing somewhere deep down inside that what he said was true.