Sink or Swim || Outer Banks || JJ Maybank

Chapter 2

Hurricane Agatha.

Madison wanted to believe it was Fate that stepped in, having to reschedule their DCS visit due to the storm but no matter what it was they had more time to figure out how to stay together.

John B knocked on her bedroom door and waited for her to answer before opening it, "Double overhead out there, you coming?"

"Hell yeah," Madison quickly changed into her suit and grabbed her board off the porch.

They had secured the house the best they could before the storm and it was one of the nights JJ was actually home. It was weird him not being there but she had to admit it was nice to have time with just John B. No Sarah, No JJ, no Pogues...just the two of them.

They ran past the warning sign that said the beach was closed and did their best to paddle out into the rough waters. John B caught the first wave and wiped out almost immediately.

"If you die out here remember I get your room," Madison yelled over the storm so he could hear her.

He laughed as he resurfaced and she readied herself for the next wave. She had just stood up when something white in the distance caught her eye. She realized it was a boat and became too focused on trying to see if it was really there or if her mind was playing tricks on her. She had forgotten all about the wave she was supposed to be navigating and it ate her up with no remorse. She spun around under the water a few times, disorienting her for a moment before coming to the top.

"Shit. You okay?" John B called over to her and she held a thumb up in the air to him.

She pulled herself back on her board and once she caught her breath, paddled over to him, "There's a boat out there."

"In this storm?" He questioned as if she had been seeing things.

Madison nodded, pointing to where she last saw it. "I swear on everything it was just there."

John B turned on his board and when the waves moved just right he could see a boat making its way further out into the ocean. "What the hell?"

"I don't know but this is getting a little too much," Madison laid down on her board, letting the waves behind her help propel her forward.

John B wanted to stay a bit longer but agreed and followed her back to shore. When they got back to the house they saw JJ asleep on the couch. They shared a knowing look but neither said anything as John B went to his room for the night. Madison looked him over the best she could without turning a light on and from the little she could see there were no new bruises or cuts. She leaned down and placed a soft kiss on his head making sure not to wake him before making her way to her own room. She laid there and listened to the howling winds and rain beat against the house as she drifted off to sleep.

Madison woke up the next morning to John B cursing about a leak in the ceiling. Great, she sighed, just something else they would have to try and figure out how to fix themselves. She grabbed her phone to send a text to the group chat to make sure everyone made it through the storm okay when she realized there was no service.

"No power," John B informed her as she came out of her room stretching her sore muscles from the night before when the waves gave her a beating. "You been outside?"

She shook her head and tied her hair up, preparing for the worst. John B headed out the door and she went to wake JJ up who was now barely on the couch with one foot and one arm on the floor as he snored softly.

"Hey, rockstar," she nudged him on the shoulder, "Get up and help us."

"I have Polio, I can't walk," he grunted into the pillow.