ISSUES 2 II OUTERBANKS S3/S4

family business

"I can run but I can't hide from my family line."

❥

I went back to Tanneyhill to get some stuff clothes, a toothbrush, some things that I could need and fit in a backpack for when we fly to South America.. and generally for living. I've got no idea how we will get there but I'm sure JJ will come up with a plan. 

"Where have you been?", Rafe grumbles behind me. Great, I thought he's already on his way selling Pope's gold. "Don't you know that already? Hasn't your lapdog told you?" "My what?" "Oh come on. Don't play the confused boy. I know that you've sent Barry to observe me. He wasn't quite inconspicuous." 

"Bella, I did what I had to do. Only god knows what you're doing with these pogues or what they pull you in." "Hmm and you stealing my friend's inheritance is not a problem at all?", I reply coldly pointing to the box in which he stores his gold. "Bella, I swear to god, everything I do is for you. So would you please be less critical with what I'm doing for our future?", Rafe exclaims making me laugh until I hear another noise in the room.. right next to us. Holy shit, that's Ward Cameron right there knocking the bottom with his cane. 

"Hey, mate", Ward greets us calmly, "Isabella." Rafe jumps up from his bed whereas I stay where I am frozen. Dad said he would take care of it, I didn't expect to see Ward anytime soon. I didn't expect to see him anymore at all. If he's here, what about.. my dad? Is my mom here? "Hm." "What are you doing here?" 

"Obviously, you aren't mature enough for this kind of business so we came here to assist you." We? As in dad and Ward the anti-hero duo? "You want to help?", Rafe repeats unbelievingly and goes over to Ward, "Leave. You shouldn't be here." "We know that you've stolen the cross, Rafe", Ward states, "Come on, please. You've had enough of living in my shadow. According to you, I've gone too far." 

"You give away my property. Why would I think like this?", Rafe counters sarcastically. God, I just wanted to pack a bag, not land in the Cameron's family drama. "Technically, the cross was Denmark Tanney's property", I hear Dad say next to me. There he is. What am I supposed to do? I can't do anything. I didn't expect to see him ever again. I don't want to see him again. He's been involved in Ward's business knowing well enough what's been going on this whole time. He might not have killed someone but he still supports Ward after all this time. 

"He's right, Harvey. We should have talked to you before we donate it, Rafe. That would have been fair." "Yeah, you should have", Rafe agrees. "That was wrong but now we're here and you have it and we need to act wisely, okay?" I can't help but let out an amused laughter. Now it's time for some lecture. 

"What is it, Isabella?", dad asks me confused. I take a look at Rafe not knowing if he wants them to know. I could care less but I let them find out by themselves. "Nothing. Just this whole situation." "This cross is something special, do you understand?", Ward reassures. "No, dad, the deal's over." "What deal?", dad asks skeptically, "You didn't have enough time for a deal." 

"The deal's over because I'm going to sell a part of it today." "What do you mean.. a part of it?" "I've melted that damn thing", Rafe answers him easily, his signature grin appears on his lips. I used to love that smile on him. Now I just think about all of this crazy actions when I see him like that. But what if love is strong enough to overcome even the greatest imperfections? Ward laughs frustratedly. "That's a joke, right? You wouldn't-" 

"No, I'm completely serious. If you want to, I can show you", Rafe says lightly as if we were happy about it and opens the box with the pieces of gold in it, "I mean.. this is only a tiny part of it." "I can't believe it.. you-" "Yes, I've melted the cross of Santa Domingo. I've done it." "How could you do it? How?", Ward exclaims unbelievingly. My dad's suspiciously calm but I guess that'll change soon. 

"Because I wanted it to change into money." "What, why?" "Because it can't be traced back in little pieces. Is that so hard to understand?" "That cross is priceless, it is unique! Oh god.." "Where's the problem? I don't get it", Rafe shrugs carelessly. From an economic perspective, I get what he means. From a normal emotion-based perspective, I'd love to rip his head off. My dad doesn't look any differently. At least we share an opinion for once in a time. 

"Because you don't care about it at all! It's lost all of its value! It's a relic!", Ward shouts irritatedly. "Stop, stop it!", Rafe shouts back even louder making his dad shut up, "Listen to me when I speak. Do you understand? This is not about you and your gold. I mean Bella and I have been kidnapped by Singh.. we've been locked up and had no idea if we would die or not." 

I completely suppressed the thought of those days. It feels like it's been years but it's just been about two weeks. I used to think that somehow.. just in the slightest way possible.. Rafe could change and be the Rafe I loved once. But seeing him now, his veins throbbing, although the throbbing veins look hot on him, it reminds me of the day when he shot Peterkin. 

"I was thinking.. If we get out, I won't sit around and wait for alms from you or make Bella hate me for pulling her with me for you", Rafe explains to his dad and mine, "I will take what is mine, okay? What is legally mine. The cross is mine, dad, and Harvey, Bella belongs to me or have you heard her say she wanted to be around you? Have you two understood me?" "Yeah", Ward nods. My dad chuckles lightly. I'm just waiting for him to explode. "Good." 

"Okay, Rafe, okay. What's done is done." "Yeah, I've done it." "And now we look into the future, right? You need to do what we've sent you here for so we can go back to Guadeloupe and start over." Guadeloupe? So that's where they've been hiding.. I wonder if mom is there. "We're starting over together", dad says calmly suddenly not even taunting him for the way Rafe spoke to him.