Free Bird || outer banks ||

Agatha Was One Crazy Lady

Just before daybreak, he took her to her house. Typically, her father wouldn't even notice her absence, but with the expectation of destruction that Agatha is threatening, he'd likely be blowing up her phone.

And Agatha hit hard, wasting a whole day of her summer. Power lines were down, and a few of the houses closer to the coast were almost entirely destroyed. Having no power wasn't much of an issue for those in Figure Eight, since they had full access to generators, but the pang in her chest wasn't easily missed as she thought of those that didn't—among those being her friends.

"Where are you going?"

Claire, nearly out of the front door, stopped in her tracks at the sound of her father's voice. "The Wreck, to see Kiara." She glanced over his shoulder at the men setting up their own generator, briefly annoyed at the fact that electricity shouldn't have to be a luxury. She returned her attention back to her father, fully anticipating his objection.

Henry crossed his arms, frowning. "The roads are pretty bad, Claire. You shouldn't be riding your bike on those live wires."

A honk from outside brought an involuntary grin to spread across her face. "Safety meeting! Attendance mandatory!" It was JJ's voice.

"You know I'm not crazy about you hanging out with that Maybank kid. He's trouble. Routledge isn't much better."

"Love you, dad!" She ran out of the front door, with her father not far behind. She climbed into her usual spot in the front seat, giving JJ and John B a warm smile. "Look, no bike. It's a win-win."

Both boys looked through the passenger window at the man standing on the porch. "Morning, Mr. Wilson," JJ greeted with a cheeky grin—he knew the older man hated him, along with his father, but being hated never really bothered JJ. His family's past spoke for itself. "We'll be sure to get your daughter back in one piece."

Claire waved goodbye to her dad as they drove away. She looked in the rear view mirror at the man, who just shook his head and stalked off back into the house. 

The blonde sat back in her seat, keeping her same grin. It felt so natural, being surrounded by her friends again. Like they never missed a beat, they always picked up right where they left off. This time, though, it was like it never had to end.

"Want some?" JJ held a half smoked joint up for her.

Claire shook her head, laughing. "JJ, it's nine in the morning."

"And?" JJ offered it to John B, who happily accepted. "See, JB knows how it is."

Claire rested her head on her arms that sat on the window, allowing the wind to frazzle her hair. Everywhere around them the air smelled salty and there was nothing she loved more. The change in scenery was unmistakable, though, as they crossed over to The Cut. The biggest difference was that the inhabitants of this side of the coast happily helped one another. They were, mostly, selfless.

The three of them climbed aboard the HMS Pogue, once they arrived back at the Chateau, as Big John used to call his and John B's home. She had many memories of the place, growing up. She broke her arm for the firs time, climbing the large tree in the backyard. John B bet her ten bucks that she couldn't climb as high as him. Each of them recall it ending differently. Claire swears she reached the limb above him, and John B counters her every time, saying she slipped before she ever had her balance.

Claire grinned as the memory surfaced in her mind as she sat up front in her swimsuit, while they rode to pick up the other two Pogues. Cell phone towers were down, so one would only hope they were hanging around the docks. It was the norm for them to meet up after big storms like Agatha, though, so it was almost guaranteed they would be.