mary. [ BILLY HARGROVE ]

lv. EPILOGUE

~*~

     The sirens were distant, but everyone in the mall could hear them. It was Mike's head that picked up first, head turning to see that Nancy and Jonathan had joined them at the bottom of the escalator. Robin was stood with Will and Lucas, who could all begin to hear them. Robin slowly walked to Steve, placing a hand on his back to comfort him. 

     He just continued to cry, Robin crouching down and hugging him tightly. He fell into her, and that was when Nancy dug her head into Jonathan's shirt. He immediately hugged her back, letting her cry into him. Will could feel the tears leave his eyes, shutting them quickly to blink them away. Lucas just gave him a pat on the back, pulling Will into his side. 

     Billy heard the sirens approaching, his head moving up from Mary's chest slowly. He was hoping that when he did move it up, he'd see her start breathing again, but she didn't. She stayed the same, and he sobbed once more. He tightened his grip around her, never wanting to let go of her again.

     The sirens got closer, and Billy knew that they would take her away from him. He took a deep breath, looking down at her again. He brought up his right hand, not caring that it was shaking violently. He placed it against her cheek, studying her face carefully. 

     "Mary," he whispered. "Don't do this." He shook his head, feeling a lump in his throat form. "Wake up, baby. I need you to wake up." He took a deep breath, the entire place quiet, still. The sirens got louder, and the familiar blue and red light illuminated the dark mall. The click of the megaphone didn't even make their heads turn. 

     "If you are inside the mall, exit immediately with your hands up!" a voice yelled through the megaphone. Billy felt his face scrunch again, and he continued to cry even more. 

     "Hargrove," Steve croaked out. "You got to take her up." 

     "I-I don't want to," Billy responded. Jonathan motioned for all the kids to follow him out, and they all ascended the escalator. Robin gave Steve a small pat on the back, going up the stairs then, too. Steve pushed himself off the ground, walking around Mary's other side to look at Billy. "I already told you, Harrington-" 

     "Billy," Steve interrupted. He looked up at him from Mary's face, lips trembling as he saw how much Steve was crying, too. "You gotta take her up." 

     "I-I can't move her. W-W-What if s-she-" 

     "Billy," Steve said again. This time Billy stayed silent, head dropping as his eyes shut. He noticed that the ripped shirt Mary was wearing was one of his, tears falling from his eyes again. 

     "I just need a minute," Billy mumbled. Steve still heard him, and walked up the escalator's then. He approached the police officer, glancing back inside. 

     "We've got one more coming. He's gonna need a minute alone," Steve told him. "Don't go in there." He was about to walk away, then turned to a paramedic. "You're going to need a, uh... a gurney." Billy kept his eyes on Mary, his right hand still caressing her face slightly. 

     "Wake up, baby," Billy whispered. "It's time to get up, okay?" There was no response, Billy taking a deep breath. "Mary, get up. I don't want to carry you out. Please don't make me carry you out of here." He studied her for a moment, shaking his head slowly as she still didn't move. "I-I don't want to carry you out, Mary. Please, get up. Get up, just wake up. You're okay, it's fine. You're going to get up, okay? Y-Y-You're going to get up, a-and you're going to hug me and cry and we're going to go to California. We're going to get married, and we're going to have kids, and a stupid white picket fence house. W-With a dog, and we'll take our kids to the beach every weekend. You're going to be a musician, work for some place local. I-I'll be a mechanic, and we can be happy. Okay? We're going to be happy. Right? Mary, please, please, I know you want that. So, please, wake up." He sobbed out again, shutting his eyes to not look at how lifeless she was anymore. He looked to her right hand, taking it in his slowly. He noticed that the ring he'd given her months ago was still on her hand, and he bit his lip to keep from sobbing out at the sight. He took a deep breath, looking to her face again. "L-Love me tender, love m-me d-dear..." He waited for her to complete the line, but it never came. "Tell me you a-are mine."