SERENDIPITY // JJ MAYBANK

19

"Dude, where is he?" Kie huffed as they prepared the boat for John B's escape, y/n helping JJ take off the tarps that covered the boat and folding them.

"Give him a second. He'll be here. He's coming. He'll be fine." JJ reassured throwing one of the tarps over the boat and onto the dirt. Y/n whipped her head around to the sound of sirens and she stilled when she saw the blue police car approach. "JJ." Y/n called out from the bow of the boat. "Get back on the boat!" JJ called out.

The door of the car opened, John B stepping out with a grin.

"No way." Y/n laughed, jumping off the boat and running towards him, wrapping her arms around him as he laughed, giving Kie a hug after y/n pulled away. "Shoupe let me take it for a spin." John B shrugged, making Kie let out a giggle. "Where's Sarah?" 

"She's not with you?" Y/n asked John B as JJ got off the boat. "No, we got separated in the swamp. She said she'd meet me here." John B choked out, running his fingers through his hair. "I'm not leaving without her."

JJ let out a huff and jumped back on the boat, putting his hand on John B's shoulder. "I know you feel bad for leaving, but there's no time, man. You've got plenty of gas, plenty of food. Once you get around that point, it's a straight shot across the sound to Dismal Swamp, okay? Lay low, all right? Hang out for a couple of weeks and then go overland, cross the border at Brownsville, you got that?" JJ explained to John B, who was looking at the ground and nodded slowly, JJ getting off the boat again.

"Hey, I'm sorry for basically throwing us off a cliff with this whole treasure hunt thing." John B sniffed out, a tear running down his cheek, the rest of the pogues holding back tears of their own.

"Yo, we were bound to run off a cliff at some point, right?" JJ chuckled as everyone laughed with him, John B nodded. "At least we did it together, though." JJ sniffled, wrapping his arms around y/n and Pope, Pope having his arm around kie. JJ's gaze lingered on y/n a bit longer, silent tears rolling down their cheeks as they looked back up at John B. "Pogue style."

"Pogue style." John B sobbed as he smiled at his friends. "Tell Sarah I said goodbye, okay?" Everyone nodded at John B as he started the engine of the boat and drove off into the sunset where he was no longer visible. 

JJ and y/n walked off the dock, his arm still around her as his other hand wiped at his face. "You okay?" Y/n asked him, turning to face him and resting her hand on his jaw as he nodded, y/n giving him a soft smile. "We'll be alright." Y/n added, giggling softly when he kissed the tip of her nose and letting out a whistle when he saw Pope and Kie kissing, y/n's eyes widening at them.

"Hey, guys." JJ called out, turning around when he heard sirens nearing them. "I'm sorry to ruin the party, but, we gotta go right now." The friends began to run when they were stopped by multiple police cars halting in front of them, all four friends putting up their hands as Shoupe got out of the car.

"Where the hell is he? JJ? I see you're living up to your name." Shoupe yelled as he walked over to the pogues. "Pope, how about you? This isn't a fucking game! You can do the right thing now! Where'd he go?" The friends stayed silent as they watched the cops search the area.

When Shoupe realized he wasn't going to get an answer from them, he shoved the pogues into the back of his car and they drove to where they had set up base in the hunt for John B. "Follow Plumb to that tent." Shoupe ordered as they followed her, sitting down on the seats they had out for them. "Sit down. Don't move. We got a lot to talk about. Keep an eye on these kids."

Y/n let out a sigh as she observed the tent, JJ chewing on the inside of his cheek nervously. Y/n sensed his tension, shifting his gaze to him and grabbing his hand gently. He turned his head slightly to look at her, watching her bring his hand up to his lips and pressing a soft kiss to the back of his hand before bringing it back down to rest on her lap.

It felt like there were there for hours, listening to the rain hitting the tent, thunder roaring in the background as the lightning lit up the sky as she peered out of the tent. Y/n's head snapped up when she heard someone say that her sister was on the boat with John B.

"JJ." Y/n whispered, JJ looking up at her with a hum. "She's on the boat. Sarah is with him." She muttered, JJ's eyes going wide as he turned to Kie, whispering to her, Kie letting out a gasp. JJ grinned as Pope leaned over Kie, giving JJ a high five. 

After a while, Shoupe came back into the tent with a couple other cops, his hair wet from the rain and water dripping down his face as he stared at the pogues who stood up, waiting for him to speak.

"Did you find them?" Pope spoke up as they stepped closer to Shoupe. "No." Shoupe responded, blinking slowly as he shook his head. "We, uh, we lost them. I'm sorry." The cop added, y/n furrowing her eyebrows as they all looked at each other, JJ clenching his jaw. 

"What do you mean you lost them? Like, they're gone? What are you talking about?" Pope questioned, staring down Shoupe. "They took an open boat into a tropical depression, Pope." Shoupe told Pope. Y/n knew exactly what Shoupe had meant, Shoupe's words not registering in Pope's mind.

"So, they're dead?" Y/n's voice cracked, Shoupe looking up at her, before he blink and looked down before muttering. "We don't know."

"You drove them straight through the storm, man!" JJ scolded, his voice trembling as he took a step forward, rage taking over his body. "Are you kidding me? Come here! I'm gonna kill you! I'm gonna kill you, you bastard!" JJ screamed, grabbing Shoupe by the shirt, but he was pulled off by the other cop, who was much bigger than him.

"JJ, stop!" Y/n cried out as he writhed in the cops arms, tears streaming down the Pogues faces. "He didn't kill anyone!" Y/n sobbed out, Shoupe clenching his jaw at her.

JJ watched as Pope and Kie's parents rushed into the tent, Kie's mom grabbing onto y/n as well as Kie, Pope's parent's grabbing onto him as he cried. JJ's chin trembled and he took of his hat, trying to keep it together by looking at the floor. He wanted nothing more than his girlfriend to hold him, to tell him that it was all going to be okay. He didn't have anyone, and he couldn't bare to look up and see everyone having someone.

Y/n squirmed out of Kie's moms arms, rushing over to JJ and wrapping her arms around him, JJ doing the same as they let their tears fall onto each others shoulders. It was almost like y/n read JJ's mind when she went over to him. Their grip on each other was tight and comforting, like they knew that none of them were letting go anytime soon. Y/n's hand went up to his head, holding him closer as her hand softly stroke his hair, their sobs racking through them.

They stayed like that for a while before y/n lifted up her head from his shoulder with a sniffle, her hand running over his cheek before she pressed a soft kiss to his lips that were wet and salty from his tears before she pulled away, JJ resting his forehead against hers as he tried to collect himself with deep breaths.

"Y/n?" A deep voice spoke from behind her, making her flinch and turning her head to look at who called her name. She immediately tensed up, JJ holding onto her tighter as Ward stood, staring at her. "It's time to come home, sweetie." Ward spoke innocently, trying to rest his hand on her shoulder, y/n leaning JJ further, causing him to step back.

"Don't fucking touch me." Y/n growled at her father. "I'm not going anywhere with you."

"Look, I know you're upset-" Ward tried to grab her again, JJ pushing him away and letting go of y/n. "She told you not to touch her." JJ warned, Ward stepping back.

"Shoupe, please get him out of here." Y/n cried out to the officer who looked at her. "I don't want to see him and I refuse to go anywhere with him."

"Y/n, if you do this, you're cut off. You'll have nothing." Ward threatened, his voice so low that Shoupe wouldn't hear him. Y/n let out a laugh, grabbing JJ's hand and pulling him back so that he was by her side. "Good." Y/n smirked at her father, who kept glaring at her. "I don't need anything, or anyone else other than my friends and my boyfriend."