𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠

009. Surrender.

   

     THE THREE spent the whole night awake, not being able to go to sleep as Josie kept yawning and rubbing her eyes but jolting awake whenever she closed her eyes. "You can sleep, you know. You'll be safe." JJ tells her and she lays down, yawning softly.

"Hey... are you okay? You looked scared up there." She whispered and he just continued packing up his backpack. "Yeah, I mean, I was scared shitless... but I'm fine. Are you?" He says and she just stared at him. "You getting shot would've been my last straw, JJ." She said and he just chuckled at her.

"No, I'm serious. I would've lost my shit. Too much has happened... I don't think I'd handle losing my best friend." She said and he looked at her. "I'm glad nothing ever changed between us. I love you, Jo." He says before looking away and she just smiled softly. "I love you too, J." She whispered back to him.

"Now rest. I'll wake you up when it's morning." He tells her and she does, closing her eyes and falling asleep comfortably because she knows JJ will watch over her if he has to.

In the morning, the Pogue HMS came into view and they went running down to the dock. "Finally." JJ says and shouted, "hey! Guys, don't tie up! Stop it!" Kie looks over at them running down the pier. "What?" She says. "We're leaving." Josie says as she walks to Kie and Pope. "Wait, why?" Pope asked. "What? What are you talking about?" Kie asked as Josie got into the boat, Nova following after her kind of awkwardly. "Where'd you guys go? What happened last night?" John B asked.

"We slept on the break. What's up?" Pope asked and JJ looks at him. "Slept, right. Yeah." He says and then patted Pope's arm. "We were up all night." Josie tells them as she looked at them. "We gotta get the hell out of here." John B says as Sarah approached the boat. "Rafe knows we're here, so we have to leave, like, now." She says and Kie nods. "Okay." She says and helps untie the boat. "Come on."

"Sarah," Josie says to her and Sarah grabs her hand. "You got her?" John B asked and Josie nods. "Come on, sit down." Nova tells her and she takes her seat before they were off, all of them sitting as John B drives.

They parked at a random area and went to a nearby tree where they took their seats. "Look, if Rafe and Barry know, it's only a matter of time." Sarah says. "Before everyone knows." Pope says after her and JJ scoffs. "I told you." He says, looking at John B. "We should've gone south, man." He tells him.

"Just stop it."

"Why does no one ever listen?"

"I get it. I get it. I understand." John B says right away and Sarah spoke up. "I have an idea." She said and Nova looks at him. "With me back, my dad's going to have to choose between me and Rafe." She said and Nova sighs, looking away. "Sarah..." He says. "He's gonna choose me." She tells him right away.

"Just please listen. Ward keeps lying to you, Sarah." John B said and Nova nods, glancing at the boy before looking at Sarah. "He's not gonna agree after all that's happened..." He says, looking at her. "No. I... I know it sounds crazy." She says. "Yeah, it does." Josie says. "I know!" Sarah raised her voice.

It's quiet for a moment and Josie looks down. "But he's my dad. And I know him, and I know he loves me. I'm just asking for two hours." She says and JJ raised his arms, shaking his head as he looks away. "Joey... can you... can you come with me?" She said, standing up and he looks up, nodding before getting up.

As they walk away, John B stops them and went to talk to her as Nova stood a few feet away, waiting before Sarah walked over to him, grabbing his arm. They headed to Sarah's home where Sarah tied down the boat. "You can wait for me here... I just wanted you to come with me, for moral support." She said and he nods, before hugging the girl. "I hope you know what you're doing." He whispers.