nightrunners

viii.

"Talk to me," John B spoke sincerely, reaching over to turn off the radio. The switch in Cassiopeia's brain flipped on and she looked over at him with a blank expression on her face.

"I'm fine."

"You sure?" John B raised an eyebrow, "once a Pogue-."

"Always a Pogue," she finished softly. Before John B could speak she hopped out of the van and swiftly walked towards the gate.

John B let out a perplexed sigh and followed after her.

"Wait here," he insisted before jumping over the Cameron's gate as Cassiopeia watched intently.

"When did you get so good at gate jumping?" She called out over the wall.

He belly-laughed from the other side, "I spent the whole summer of seventh grade jumping over fences and gates."

"You're kidding," she laughed loudly, her smile growing in the process.

"Why do you think I asked you stay there, you couldn't climb for shit," he called back.

She cupped her hands together and yelled, "I'm a city girl!"

The gates suddenly opened and Cassiopeia watched the blonde girl join her friend's side. She bumped arms with him playfully before fixating her eyes on Cassiopeia.

"Cassi, what a pleasant surprise," she looked her over in one sweep which made the shorter girl feel so feeble and weak.

"Why are you up this early?" She managed to spill out, the reddish blotches on her face reappearing.

"I'm up all hours with this guy," Sarah nudged John B before winking up at him.

"Speaking of all hours," She continued on, "Your night with JJ?"

Cassiopeia felt her eyes widen, "No, no, no you have the wrong idea. Definitely not what you think," she slurred her words in one big jumbled sentence.

Sarah looked at her fondly, "Just messing with you Cassi, we know you were with him when he found out, thank you for that by the way."

Cassiopeia nodded and managed to break a timid smile.

"So, enough chit chat, we are here for business," John B interrupted as Sarah raised a brow at him.

"Oh, don't give me that look, it's about your brother," John B retorted and Sarah shook her head in response.

"I don't know how much I can help you with," Sarah ran her delicate fingers through her blonde hair, "He's truly unpredictable."

John B gestured towards the water, "Let's move over there. Just in case he's around."

The girls nodded and the three of them navigated towards the dock.

"He never came back last night, you know," Sarah said suddenly.

"How do you know that?" John B replied.

"Alarm system was untouched, and I doubt Rafe is smart enough to get in another way."

John B chuckled but Cassiopeia remained silent. What if something happened to him last night after her and JJ left?

"Does he normally do that?" She asked softly.

Sarah glanced back at her, "You mean run away at night and not reappear until days later? Trust me, its more common than you think."

John B sat on the dock and let his legs swing over the edge, "He's not unpredictable in that aspect, but he's a ticking time bomb with everything else."