.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

SHE'S TALKING AGAIN

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

xxiv. emergency rooms & discussions

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VERONICA COLLAPSING IN THE DARK, DAMP, DIRTY, SEWERS was the one thing from the experience which Richie Tozier would never forget. Perhaps, he would forget the way she went limp and eyes closing - but, he'd never forget the feeling of fear, of cluelessness, and of loss as he looked down at her.

They hadn't realized anything was wrong with her until she had collapsed into Richie. They were still so deep into the cistern, all of them still with tear stricken eyes and heavy breathing. She had just collapsed, her head falling onto Richie's chest so harshly.

He'd notice first, of course. Looking down to her and seeing her eyes closed and how they wouldn't open. He thought it was real. This nightmare, it came true.

Richie would fall backwards from the group hug, screeching at them. "She's not awake. Guys, Ronnie, she's not fucking awake!" He'd say.

But, somehow, Eddie with all his medical paranoia hurriedly placed his fingers against Veronica's warm neck. Catching a pulse, breathlessly. Looking up to his panicked friends and nodding.

With panic running through their veins and breathing shallow, they began to run out of the sewers. Richie and Mike holding up Veronica's tiny body, their legs splashing through the dirty water, kicking it up as they run. Richie would just hold onto her tighter, the closer they got to the exit.

He'd be hysterical. All of the Losers would be. Yelling to Bill to hurry up, to remember the way out. They didn't know what was wrong with her, all they knew was that she wasn't awake. That was enough to make them believe the worst. And, none of them, none, could ever imagine the Losers Club without Veronica Mills.

♧

Finally, with some miracle, they ran out of the sewers, leaving one bike back at Neibolt as they set off to the hospital. Bill noticed that it was very much like when they rushed Eddie, Mike and Richie placing her unconscious body into Mike's bike basket.

They bikes urgently, passing pedestrians and cars. Screeching to one another to hurry. Veronica's head lolling back and fourth at the rapid motion of the bike going over bumps.

"Cross the street! Cross the street!" Beverly shouts to them as they stop at a crosswalk, her hand slapping against the buttons

Stan looks to her. "Are you stupid? It's not time to cross!" He shouts back, eyebrows furrowing.

"We have to hurry and help V!" Beverly goes on, pushing her bike forward, the tire slamming against Ben's.

Ben looks back at her. "We're not help with we get hit by a car and die," He comments, the rest agreeing as Bill rolls his eyes, pushing his foot against the pedal and beginning to bike across the street and towards the hospital.

"Hurry up," He shouts back to them, all of them following his voice and hurriedly beginning to bike after him.

They entered the hospital in a frenzy, Mike carrying Veronica's unconscious body and Richie clutching onto her hand.

"Help! W-we n-need help!" Bill announces loudly, rushing over towards a nurse, pointing to Veronica.

The nurse rushes over to her, looking around the hospital and calling for assistance. "I need a gurney over here," She calls to her coworkers.

"What happened?" A doctor asks, rushing towards them, pulling a stethoscope off his neck and placing it against Veronica's heart.

The kids go silent, exchanging glances nervously. "We... We were tree-climbing and she fell. Then she passed out," Ben explains. "We don't know what's wrong with her!".

The doctor shakes his head, telling the kids he'd examine her as he and the nurse quickly wheel her away, down the hallway. Richie yelling for her, to them, for them to be careful with her. After all, they had no clue what had happened to her. A receptionist hurriedly walking towards the kids, leading them towards the waiting room.

She turns to the the seemingly calmest one. Bill. Walking towards him and putting a hand on his shoulder. "What's your friends name, Sweetie? I need it to fill out a chart,".

Bill looks to her, sputtering and hands shaking. "U-Uh, Veronica. Veronica M-M-Mills," He tells her, voice stuttering not from his stutter but fear.

The receptionist nods, patting his back and telling him that they'd update the group. That it'd be okay. They'd sit in the waiting room impatiently, six of them in the chairs, Richie pacing around violently. All of them were dirty, sweaty, eyes glassy.

Bryce would be called as they waited, Richie pacing the entire time frantic. Muttering swears to himself. 'Goddamit, Ronnie, you better wake the fuck up,' He thinks.

And, it's feel like hours before Bryce rushed in. Staring around at his baby sisters friends, all of them coated in grime. He wouldn't even bother to ask, sitting down and sighing, running a hand through his hair. They'd wait in silence.

Finally, the doctor would come out, all of them staring up at him, wide-eyed. Richie bursting out, "Is she okay? Oh, God! Is she alive?".

The doctor, who they learn is Dr. Williams, explains what had happened. He used a bunch of words, large ones to explain. Though, Richie only caught a few. Veronica. Adrenaline. Shock. Faint. Broke. Three. Ribs. Seven words. He remembered seven words. Coincidence? The lucky seven, he thought as he breathed out a breath of relief. Stan putting a hand on his shoulder and telling him it's okay.

All of them, breathing one out. Smiling in joy and looking between one another. "How'd she fall out of the tree?" The doctor asks them.

"It's j-just the average. S-S-Summer stuff," Bill responds, shrugging his shoulders.

"Yeah... She got startled. Yeah! Stannie here, he... Uh, scared her cause he said there was a bees nest in the tree," Eddie lies, stumbling over his words. The Losers nodding after him.

Softly, the doctor lets out a breathy laugh - shaking his head. "Be careful," He tells them before walking away.

Because, after all, what were they supposed to say? 'We were fighting a killer clown that was murdering the missing children'?

♧

A few days after the events, they found themselves in the train-yard again. Sat in a circle, staring at Beverly as she recalls what she had seen under IT's possession.

"I can only remember parts, but I thought I was dead, that's what it felt like, I saw us together. We seem older. Maybe, our parents ages..." She explains, looking between each of her friends faces. Somehow, she could still see the faces of their older selves in them. It was odd.

Veronica listened, her breath hitching causing a stabbing pain through her ribs. She'd clutch onto them, closing her eyes and groaning. Richie putting an arm around her and rubbing her back comfortingly. She could barely talk. Or laugh. It was the first time the Losers had a bit of peace from Veronica and Richie's constant bickering.

"W-What were we doing?" Bill asks, leaning forward curiously.

Beverly shrugs, fiddling with her hands. "I just remember how we all felt... How scared we were, I don't think i'll ever forget that..." She mumbles in response.

Bill leaning over at the answer, snatching something off the grass and standing up in front of them. "Swear it. Swear if it isn't dead, if it ever comes back, we'll come back too," He says to them, lip quivering, holding out a glass shard.

Nodding, Beverly stands up. Followed by Richie who helps Veronica up as well. Then, Eddie, Stan, Ben, and Mike.

There was a moment where they stood in a circle, silently staring at one another. Before, Bill looks down at his hand, swiping the glass shard against it and drawing blood. Eddie cringing and looking away.

He turns to Richie, his hand already out for him to cut it. Bill nods to him, pressing the glass against Richie's skin and gliding it across. Richie clenching his other hand, shaking his head as Bill pulls the glass away.

Then, he looks to Veronica. Gliding the glass across, her eyes squinting and nose scrunching up as she hisses out in pain. Bill chuckles, "Too much for you lately," He gestures to her hand and ribs.

She smiles, shaking her head. "Well worth it. Besides, look at Ed's," She laughs, looking towards Eddie who still cringed and gagged.

Bill would nod, going around the circle and slicing each of their hands before he's back where he started. In his spot. They stand there for a moment before joining hands, staring at one another in silence. They let go. Understanding that this was more than a blood oath but a way to bond themselves together forever.

These people, right here, they saw one another. They loved one another. At their bests, at their worsts, they saw and they loved. No mater what.

Once they had let go, the air was comfortable, the silence still undisturbed. That is, until Stan spoke. "I gotta go," He tells them, heads darting to him before he adds. "I hate you," He says looking to Bill who frowns.

Stan shakes his head, smiling softly. A cheeky smile. A smile which made all of them laugh. Veronica stopping quickly, clutching her ribs her eyes still squinted into a laugh but pain everywhere else.

"That hurts so bad?" She continues to laugh, clutching onto her ribs, tears filling her eyes. From laughter, from pain.

They'd all chuckle, still. Shaking their heads as Richie pulls her arms down and her body towards him. Their laughter growing louder as Veronica began to retaliate against his grasp.

"My-My... My pain is not funny! Oh! Ouch. Ouch! What the fuck?" She groans, giving up and falling limp against Richie. Their hands intertwined.

Stan snorts, shaking his head at her. "It kind of is, V. I'll see you guys," He says, waving softly and giving them each a smile before walking off.

Then, just like that, one one, they all left. Smiling solemnly at another, giving each other hugs. "I'll see you, Bill," Richie smacks Bill's arm with a smile.

Veronica going to Beverly, hugging her, knowing that this will probably one of the last times she'd see her. "Call me when you land, okay?" She whispers to her as she pulls away.

Beverly nods. "Will do. Don't get hurt too much while I'm gone. Take care of the guys. We both know they're stupid," She replies. Veronica smiling and rolling her eyes.

"So stupid," She responds, hugging her again loosely.

She pulls away, her playful smile fading before she frowns. "Bye, Bev," She whispers.

"Bye, V," Beverly responds.

Turning to Bill, Veronica hits his arm playfully. "See ya later, Stuttering Bill," She️ laughs.

Bill scoffing, putting an arm around her and pulling her in for a side-hug. "Yeah, V," He says.

Veronica squirming in the hug, hugging him back loosely. "Looser! My ribs!" She complains.

"Stop being dramatic!" Bill rolls his eyes as Veronica sticks her tongue out, blowing a raspberry as her spit splashes him.

He grimaces pulling back and wiping the spit before rubbing it against her top. "You make me want to vomit," He tells her, flicking her forehead.

"It really does hurt!" She scrunched up her nose, turning to Ben. "Peace out, new kid," She teases him, Beverly had told her about his obsession.

"See you soon, Motormouth," He replies, smiling at her and pushing her arm lightly.

"Hand tough!" Veronica scoffs, hugging him before she turns back to Richie.

They walk out of the clearing, Veronica stopping in the middle of the woods, sun shining through the leaves of the trees, making them shine into Richie's eyes.

Veronica couldn't help but stare at him in awe, lips slightly parted as she did so. "What is it?" He asks, tilting his head.

"Nothing really. I'm just... Kind of, thinking." She shrugs, grabbing his hand and playing with his fingers. "This is the route we took when we took Ben to the pharmacy," She️ adds, intertwining their hands.

"I️ remember that day. It was the day we invited Bev to the quarry. You got stupid jealous and stormed off," He chuckles, holding her hand tightly and pulling her towards him, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Veronica scoffs, staring up at him. "I was not jealous!" She says, sticking her tongue out.

"You were. Don't lie," He smiles, kissing her forehead happily. In a content sort of daze. He loved this girl. More than himself. More than life itself.

"Was not!" Veronica argues, scrunching up her nose.

"Was too!" Richie argues back.

Then, Veronica blows a raspberry at him. Richie giving her a look of disgust, leaning back. "Ronnie! That's disgusting," He laughs, shaking his head.

She does it again, rolling her eyes. "You constantly kiss me and we always share food, what's the difference?" She asks, going on her tip toes.

"Uh... Uhm. You.." He sputters for words.

Veronica smirks, leaning back into him. "Speechless?".

Richie taps her nose, smiling cheekily.  "Only for you, Sweetcheeks!" He recovers smoothly.

Rolling her eyes and standing up higher to him, pressing her lips to his for a millisecond before pulling back and running away.

"What the fuck? Ronnie! You tease!" Richie shout, causing her stop, begin laughing and clutching at her ribs before she's on the ground laughing. In a mix between crying and laughing and groaning.

"Fuck! Rich, d-don't make me laugh!" She groans as he leans down next to her. Tears springing in her eyes as she tried to stop myself from laughing. Her ribs were throbbing.

"Your fault, stupid-head," He tells her, gently taking her arms and wrapping them around his neck, lifting her up and wrapping her legs around his torso.

It wasn't that cheesy, bridal style like you see in the ideal movies. Richie Tozier and Veronica Mills were anything, but ideal. In love, yes. Ideal? Most, certainly not. Besides, they knew, it wasn't them.

She️ smiles to herself and leaning her head into his shoulder, pressing her cheek to it. "I feel like I'm dying of pain, just a bit," She️ mumbles into his neck.

"I can tell," He snickers as he begins walking to his bike.

Veronica had been hopping on the back of his bike ever since her ribs had decided to render her useless, not that she minded, of course. It was just another excuse to spend every waking moment with him.

"Not funny," She says, her face buried in his neck. He lets out a breathy laugh.

"Whatever you say, Braceface," Richie rolls his eyes.

"Fight me, Bucky Beaver," She breathes out, tiredly.

"Can't do that. Wouldn't want to hurt my baby even more," He shakes his head and kisses her hair, she rolls her eyes.

"I think I love you too much to keep arguing," She sighs quietly, not realizing what she had said.

It had quickly set it when Richie stopped abruptly, almost dropping her in shock. "You l-love me?" He mumbles while setting me down.

Veronica looks up at him, playing with the hem of her loose shirt. "Yeah. I mean, of course," She replies, nervously.

Sure, they've said those three words before. But, this was different. Something was different. They were different. They loved each other. They were in love.

A smile spreading across his face, his eyes lightning up as he looks her in the eyes and mumbling out. "I love you too,".

Now, if only, this was was the end of their story. It would've been perfect. Perhaps, even ideal. But, you see, their sorry was only just beginning and young Veronica Mills and Richie Tozier had no idea what else would be coming.

END