Chapter Seventeen:
"It's Cold Down Here."
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Heather gagged, covering her nose as her feet splashed in the dirty water, "Abso-fucking-lutely disgusting!"

"D-Don't worry, H-He-Hez, w-we'll go to the quarry after." Bill offered. "If we w-win."

"Don't worry, babe. We will." Heather turned, shining her light in her friends faces. "Right guy- Wait, where's Stan?"

Eddie's brown eyes widened as he looked around, "Stan? Stanley!"

"Stan! Where are you?" The sewer water splashed against Heather's legs as she ran through the water. "Stanley!"

The sounds of the others feet splashing behind her rang in her ears.

"We're coming, don't worry!" Eddie shouted, cupping his hands around his mouth.

"Stan! Hold on, Stan, we'll find you!"

Heather turned a corner, gasping when she saw him. "Holy fuck! St-Stan!"

Pennywise, in the form of the woman from Stan's painting, hovered over him. It's teeth sunk into the flesh around his face.

"Let him go you fat fucking bitch!"  Heather shouted, stumbling back into Eddie as It stood up and hissed at them. "Oh, fuck!"

It gave the losers a sinister grin before disappearing into the darkness.

"Sta-" Heather leaned down, Eddie behind her as he watched over her shoulder.

"No!" Stan screamed, scrambling back until he hit the cold brick sewer wall.

"Stan, no." Eddie reached forward, trying to grab his arm.

"Are you okay, Stan?" Heather lowered her voice as she spoke.

"No! You left me! You guys left me!" Stan cried, his chest heaving up and down from his heavy breathing.

His face turned a deep red shade as sobs racked his body. "You left me!"

"We didn't mean to!" Eddie shouted, trying again to grab him by the shoulder.

"Stan, we're sorry. I'm sorry."

"No! No! You're not my friends! You made me go into Niebolt! You made me go in." He cried, blood seeping from the teeth marks surroundings his face.

"Stan, we didn't mean to. But, uh, we found you!" Heather's hand pressed against the sewer floor, the water staining her light blue jeans. "And.. you're okay!"

"Okay? I'm okay? I-I-" Stan stammered, continuing to breathe heavy. "I'm okay?"

"Yes. Yes, Stan. You're okay, you know why? Because you're a fucking badass." Heather smacked him on the shoulder, "You hear me? A huge fucking badass!"

"I'm a badass." Stan said slowly.

"You're a badass!"

Richie nodded in agreement, "Yeah, you are!"

"I'm a badass!"

"Fuck yeah you are! So, let's go kill that fucking clown!"

"Let's kill that fucking clown!" Richie repeated.

Chants from the group bounced off the walls as Stan stood. Heather looked around, dread filling her body as she didn't see his familiar face.

"Where the fuck is Bill?" She pushed past the group, determination to find him.

Muffled curses left her mouth as she shined the flesh around the dark tunnels.

"Dude, Hezza! You can't run off like that!" Richie heaved as he leaned on his knees to catch his breath.

The rest of the group caught up. "Yeah, Heather. We'll find them.. together."

"I don't give a shit, Richie. I need to find him before that ugly ass motherfucking clown does." With that, Heather turns on her heel and walked towards a large room.

"Woah.. holy shit!" Heather gasped, her eyes trailing up the immense pile of toys. "Wait... those.. the kids?"

"Bev!" Eddie slowed down, stopping beside Heather.

Her hazel eyes trailed from the pile to her best friend, "Holy.. what the fuck?"

"Holy shit!" Richie gaped. "I-"

"Beverly!" Ben covered his mouth as his feet slowed. "N-No!"

"How.. How is she in the air?" Eddie stammered. "Wait... guys are those.."

"The missing kids!" Heather confirmed with nod. She looked around the room, her worry increasing with each passing second.

Ben rushed over, Mike following shortly behind him. "Just let me get her!"

Heather helped Ben climb onto Mike's shoulders and pull her down. Ben grabbed Beverly by her ankles, slowly pulling her to the ground.

"What's wrong with her eyes?" Heather asked worriedly.

"Beverly! Bev!" Ben cries, trying to shake the girl awake. "Why-Why isn't she waking up? Why isn't she waking up?"

Tears welled up in Heather's eyes as she watched Ben break down trying to wake her up.

"No. We aren't losing her! We aren't losing anyone!"

Ben didn't seem to hear her as he placed his hands gently on her cheeks. He took a deep breath and leaned forward.. kissing her.

Heather grimaced, looking away from the two.

Beverly's gasp echoed around the room as the bright blue color returned to her previously dull gray eyes.

"Jesus.. fuck!" Richie cried, pulling her into a hug.

"Oh my fucking fuck! Are you okay?" Heather wiped the sweat from her forehead as she stepping forward.

"Yeah, yes, I'm-I'm okay."

Heather smiled shortly, "Good. Now.. uh, where's Bill?"

Eddie shakily raised his hand and pointed. Heather whipped around gasping when her eyes fell onto two figures.

"Bill?" Heather tilted her head, her thick hair brushing against her bare arm.

"What took you so long?" Georgie asked, his cheeks stained with tears.

The boy looked like Georgie and sounded like him.. but something wasn't right. No.. something was eerily, eerily wrong.

"I-I was looking for you! For-For this whole time!" Bill said shakily.

All Heather wanted to do was to hug  him and tell him that everyone would be okay.

"I couldn't find my way out of here! He-He said I could have my boat back, Billy..." George began to cry as he spoke.

"Was she fast?" Bill's lip began to quiver as the tears flowed freely down his face.

"I could keep up with it."

"She, Georgie.. You call boats she."

"Take me home, Billy."

Bill sniffled, wiping the tears from his face with the back of his sleeve.

Heather wanted so badly to hug him and take him home. To protect him from the monsters.

"I wanna go home! I miss you. I wanna be with mom and dad."

"I-I want that more than anything in the world." Bill choked on his cries as he spoke, "For you to be with me.. and mom and dad. For you to meet Heather.. you'd love her, not as much as I do, but.. I just.. I miss you so much."

"I love you, Billy."

"I love you, too." Bill raised his arm, pointing it at Georgie's head.

Heather's blood ran cold as she remembered the gunfire that rang through the well. "Bill, babe, no!"

Bill didn't listen to their pleas. He pulled the trigger.

'Georgie' let out a blood curdling scream as he fell backwards.

The body began to violently shake, almost like a seizure.

"What the fuck? What the fuck? Why the fuck?"

"Kill it!" Richie shouted, throwing up his arms. Bill raised the

"Wait, no! It's not loaded!" Mike shouted, stepping in front of Heather.

Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, the clown appeared. Heather yelped, reaching forward and yanking Bill by the back of his shirt.

Everything happened so fast. Heather could barely keep up as she reached down and picked up a crow bar.

"Oh, fuck!" Heather gasped, "You good?"

"I'm good."

Heather felt like the entire world stopped when the clown set it's sights on Bill.

Instincts kicked in as she watched the clown smile menacingly at an unknowning Bill.

It grinned, raising it's hand, revealing a long sharp claw.

Heather didn't stop to think as she rushed forward, calling his name.

"Bill!" She cried, showing him out of the way.

Heather let out a scream as the long claw pierced through her skin. She shakily looked down, her mouth falling open at the sight. The claw stuck right through her lower stomach.

The sound of her pained scream attracted the six. Beverly gasped, covering her mouth with her hands.

"B-Bill." She shakily looked up. "I-I.."

"Heather!" He stumbled back as his girls let out another scream when It pulled out the claw slowly. Heather's hands covered her wound, her blood staining her hands.

Tears fell from his eyes as she sunk to the ground. "B-Bill?"

The sound of Pennywise laughing and slithering away filled her ears.

"Oh.. my.. fuck! Hezza!" Richie shouted, locking his finger together and placing them on his head.

Bill looked at Stan, motioning for him to help. He leaned down, sliding his arm under her legs. His shirt became stained with her blood.

"Yo-You're gonna be o-o-okay." He rushed over, leaning her against the wall.

"Fix her!" He pointed at Eddie.

"Here? Are insane?" Eddie smacked Bill on the chest. "With they fuckin' thing? And-and in the sewer water? I'm not even a fuckin' doctor!"

"Fine! You do it!" He pointed at Stan, "N-Now!"

"Here? With what?"

"We.. we have to fight It. And we'll win." Mike spoke, gripping the pole in her hand.

"N-No! I-I can't leave her."

"Do-Don't worry. I said I wouldn't die for you. And I keep my promises!" Heather coughed.

Ben watched in silence, worry taking over him. "We can do it."

"Ar-Are you sure?"

"I'm su-sure."

Bill nodded shortly. "O-Okay."

"Now.. go beat that clowns a-ass." Heather smiled faintly. "For me."

Heather watched as Bill walked away. Her hand pressed against her stomach, trying to prevent anymore bleeding.

Her heart dropped as the clown took Bill into It's arms.

"Bill!" She called weakly, her voice barely above a whisper, reaching forward. Heather winced, letting her back hit the brick wall. "Le-Leave him alone."

"Let him go!" Beverly shouted, pointing at him.

"No! I'll take him. I'll take all of you! And I'll feast on your flesh as I feed on your fear." Pennywise raised a finger as he pointed at each of them. "Or... You'll leave us be.. And I'll take him. Only him! Then I'll have my long, long, long rest and you will all live to grow and thrive and live happy lives! Until old age takes you back to the weeds."

"No! You're fucking crazy!" Heather built up enough strength to shout.

"Leave! I'm the one who dragged you into all of this.. I'm so s-s-sorry."

"Bill, no! We can't- We won't leave you!" Beverly dropped the pole she held.

"Go! An-And take Heather. Tell Heather I'm sorry."

Richie shook his head, stepping forward. "I told you, Bill. I fucking told you! I don't wanna die. It's your fault." Richie began listing off what had happened. "You punched me in the face, you made me walk through shitty water, you made me go into a fuckin' cracked house.. and now? Now I'm gonna have to kill this fuckin' clown."

Heather smiled to herself as she watched one of her best friends pick up a baseball bat and shout, "Welcome to the loser's club, asshole!"

She began to shiver from the cold as she watched It throw up onto Eddie.

Her eyes trailed slowly to Beverly as she slammed the pole into It's throat.

It began choking as it crawled backwards.

"That's why you didn't kill Beverly. S-She wasn't afraid, an-and we aren't either. Not anymore. Now you're the one whose afraid.. because you're gonna starve." Bill spoke bravely.

Heather watched as It disappeared. A minor sense of relief filled her.

Once Bill was sure It was gone, he spun on his heel and rushed over to Heather.

"Hez, ar-are you okay?" Bill asked, his voice full of concern as he noticed her paled face.

"Define okay." Heather tried to joke, coughing violently seconds after.

"I-I'll fix you! Don't- Just don't worry!" Stan spoke quickly, looking around for something to use to stop the bleeding.

"I don't think you can't fix this one, doc." Heather smiled sadly.

"No! You're.. you're gonna be okay! You mean everything to me.. You have to be okay."

Heather shivered again, slowly lifting her hand to brush the tears from his cheek. The other six watched, silent tears rolling down their faces.

He leaned forward, trying to pick her up. Her pained scream caused him to stop. "I-It hurts too bad.. I can't move.."

"It's cold down here." Bill spoke, shaking off her jacket. "H-Here.. it's warmer than you think."

She nodded slowly, "Thanks, Bill."

Her breathing slowed down as she looked up at him.

"I'm so sorry." He said, tears now flowing freely down her face. "I-I.. this is my fault.. I'm so sorry.."

Heather sniffled, shivering again. Bill took her hands into his as he leaned his forehead against hers.

"It's okay. I-I love you.." Heather could feel her heartbeat slowing down quickly.

"I love you, too."

"Cha.. change the world for me.. won't you?"

"I-I promise!" Bill sobbed.

Heather smiled, muttering a barely audible thank you as her eyes fluttered shut.

"I'm... I'm so.. tired." Heather whispered.

Bill nodded, keeping his forehead pressed against hers.

Using the final bit of her strength, she kissed him shortly.

He squeezed his eyes shut as he pulled away, watching as her chest rose and fell.. before stopping.

"No! No.. no, no, no!" Bill sobbed, shaking her. "Damnit! No!"

B

ill's cries echoed throughout the chamber.. and he was sure even mother nature weeped for the angel had the world had lost.

In the end, it turns out Stan was right. Bill Denbrough really did get burned after all.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

{ Word Count: 2266 }

{ A/n: please don't hurt me! fun fact: the reason she died is bc she's scared of death. }

{ Edited: Slightly }