(a/n): georgie is going to become a more important character!!
tw: panic attacks. mentions of abuse, insanity, kidnapping, neglect and chloroform.
unedited.

——

mike had driven bill back home, knowing that bill driving wouldn't of ended good for either of them. they'd been sitting in mike's car now for about twenty minutes. bill hadn't said a word or even undone his seatbelt. he was scared. terrified. of course he was thrilled to have georgie back, he was just so scared georgie would hate him for giving up.

"bill, you okay?"
"what if h-he doesn't w-want to see me?"
"he loves you more than anything, it doesn't take a genius to see that."

bill didn't answer.

"we don't have to go in if you're not ready."
"i want to."

bill slowly slipped off his seatbelt and subconsciously held his breath. mike grabbed his hand. bill jumped and looked over at him.

"breathe, bill. it's going to be okay."

bill just nodded. the pair got out the car. bill almost hugged mike's arm as they walked over to the front door. bill hesitated, but knocked. the door opened to reveal sharon and zack denbrough. they looked nothing like they did the last time bill had seen them.

after georgie had gone missing, they became more distant than they were before and barely acknowledged bill's existence. he got a job as soon as he could so he could actually eat, and sometimes even payed the bills. they were in such a slump, he hadn't even bothered trying to pull them out of it because he thought they were too far gone.

but now, now they had large smiles. the bags under their eyes were gone and they looked exactly how they had over a decade ago. it made bill feel even worse. when he tensed around mike's arm, mike frowned and tried to silently reassure him as much as he could.

"bill! it's so good to see you!" sharon beamed.
"unlikely," bill mumbled.
"what was that, honey?"
"i j-just said you too," he forced a smile.
"oh mike! we haven't seen you in so long, how are you, son?" zack asked.
"i'm good, mr denbrough."
"please, call me zack! or dad?" he raised an eyebrow at bill.

bill rolled his eyes.

"c-can we come i-in?"
"of course, georgie was been waiting for you!"

the two boys were let in by bill's parents. they are lead to the living room. bill felt his heart pounding in his chest as he neared closer to where he knew georgie was. mike could almost feel bill becoming more and more anxious. he hurt for him, knowing sometimes bill's anxiety could get the better of him. he was silently praying he wouldn't send himself into a panic attack.

"you can do this," mike whispered.
"i love you," bill smiled softly.
"i love you too."

they walked around the corner and bill halted. there, in their living room, was none other than georgie denbrough. after being missing for eleven years, there he was. there was no saying it wasn't him, he still had the same baby features. the round face, soft eyes and sweet smile. the only thing missing was his right arm.

bill's arms fell from around mike's and he just stared wide eyed at the teenager across from him.

"georgie," he let out in a soft breath.
"billy," georgie smiled.

the two brothers ran towards each other and bill hugged him tighter than he'd ever hugged anyone before. georgie hugged him back with his one arm and smiled softly as he buried his face in bill's shoulder. before they knew it, the brothers were sobbing.

"i m-m-missed y-you so much," bill choked out.
"i missed you too."

after a while of sobbing and holding each other, they finally pulled away.

"i see you're um," he glanced back at mike for a moment then grinned, "still hanging out with mikey over there."
"oh shut up," bill nudged him slightly.

georgie looked behind bill at mike who was wiping his own tears. he offered georgie a soft smile which georgie reciprocated. he didn't blame him for not being more excited to see him. mike and bill had only been friends for a few months when he'd gone missing, so they'd only ever talked a few times.

"so, are you and mike, ya know," he smirked and and made kissy faces."

bill laughed and wiped a few tears.

"mom and d-dad don't kn-know yet, shh."
"oh alright."
"wh-what happened?"

bill glanced at his missing arm and georgie bit his bottom lip.

"yeah, i guess you're gonna wanna know."
"you d-don't have to tell me, if y-you don't want to."
"no it's okay. let's sit down."

bill looked at mike and held out his hand. mike stepped forwards and took it. they followed georgie over to the dining room table. bill had no idea where his parents had gone, but he was relieved they were no longer around him.

the three boys sat down at the table. georgie pulled a knee up to his chest and hugged it with his arm.

"so, after school, i was waiting for mom to pick me up and this guy, his name was peter. he chloroformed me and i passed out. all i really remember was the other kids screaming. him and his wife..." he hesitated and gripped the sleeve of his jumper, "used me in every way possible...he...he wasn't mentally there. him and his wife were both gone."

bill was holding mike's hand so tight, mike thought he was about to break it. he softly squeezed his hand and bill relaxed a bit.

"two years ago...i tried to fight back. he broke my arm and instead of letting it heal, he amputated it. it's weird though, because sometimes i can still feel my arm there? i searched it up and apparently it's called phantom limb? anyway, i finally got away, obviously. they were asleep and i picked the seven or eight...maybe nine locks on the front door. i ran to the neighbours and they called the police."
"i'm sorry," bill whispered.

georgie frowned.

"it's not your fault.
"i-i-it is, m-mom and i argued ab-ab-about who was p-picking you up, i would've got th-th-there earlier than m-mom...it's my f-f-fault," bill began rambling and slowly breaking.
"mike," georgie pleaded, "do something."

mike grabbed bill's arms and softly rubbed his thumb along his bicep.

"hey, hey, bill."

bill was hyperventilating as tears fell down his cheeks. he kept muttering nonsense to himself as he began shaking.

"bill, look at me."

mike put one hand on the side of bill's face and turned his head towards him.

"look at me."

bill made eye contact with mike and continued to hyperventilate.

"none of what happened did your fault, do not blame yourself. you were twelve, you couldn't have known."

a sob fell from bill's lips as he fell forwards onto mike. he buried his face in mike's chest and sobbed loudly, gripping the back of mike's jumper. mike let out a sigh of relief, knowing he had somehow calmed bill down before he sent himself into a state where no one could touch him or he'd freak. he softly traced his fingers along bill's spine as he sobbed.

"i'm glad you're okay, georgie. you didn't deserve any of that."
"it's fine, i'm used to the one arm anyway, it's a good conversation starter. gets me all the ladies," he smirked.

mike smiled at him and shook his head.

"you are so much like bill, it's crazy."
"i try."