𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 [𝐣𝐣 𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤]

𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐮𝐧

No one slept fully throughout the night. We ended up taking lookout shifts just incase Rafe and Barry decided to come back. At the first sign of light, we were all up and grabbing whatever we thought we needed and heading for the dock. JJ took off running past me, making me look up to where Kie and Pope had just pulled up on the HMS.

"Stop!" JJ called out to them as I grabbed the bag I packed for Kie. I noticed Sarah struggling and John B trying to help her walk, so I picked up her other side and helped her down to the boat. "We're dipping."

Once Sarah was situated, I looked to Pope, "Where were you guys?" Neither of them answered and it was growing some weird tension. "I packed a bag for you." I tossed the bag to Kie while JJ tossed his extra to Pope.

"We slept on the break." Pope admitted as the bag landed in his lap.

"Well, none of us slept." JJ replied back in an annoyed tone.

"What happened?" Kiara finally spoke up, her first words the whole morning.

Sarah shifted in her seat next to me, "Rafe knows we're here."

Once we were far enough away from the chateau, we stopped off somewhere to take cover and regroup. We needed a plan, and fast. We all listened as John B and JJ argued about where they should've gone, but it wasn't helping the current situation. We were here now and needed to understand what this could turn into for all of us.

"Alright, give it a rest JJ!" I yelled over to him after sitting down next to Kie. It grew quiet for only a moment before Sarah began talking.

"I have an idea." Anything had to be better than what JJ had going on, "With me back, my dad's going to have to choose between me and Rafe." That's definitely worse than whatever JJ was planning. Next idea, please.

"Sarah-"

"He's gonna choose me," She pleaded to John B. It could work, but it could also go terribly wrong and make things even worse. It was Ward Cameron here, why would we trust him after everything he had already done?

"Please, listen. Ward keeps lying to you, Sarah." John B was trying so hard to get her to understand and everyone could see how this was making him feel.

"He's not going to agree after everything that's happened." Kie attempted too. I didn't say anything because I knew I didn't have a say. I wasn't here when everything happened, but I did know what Ward did to Big John and how he ruined John B's life without thinking twice about it. So, I feel that, that alone is enough to not trust him in doing the right thing.

"I know it sounds crazy." Sarah began.

I whispered, "Just a little."

"But, he's my dad. And I know him, and I know he loves me. I'm just asking for 2 hours." She bargained, looking around at each of us. JJ threw his arms up and walked away while everyone else stayed silent. We all knew this was a bad idea. John B was more upset than mad at her idea. I mean, after everything, why would she want to risk it?

But it didn't matter what anyone had to say because she stood up to go anyway. "Sarah." John B followed her away from us. I watched their interaction and could feel something in me I never have before. Their love was something I've never saw in real life. I've surely never had someone look at me like I hung the stars in the sky and to be behind me on everything, no matter how crazy the idea became. Funnily enough, I always thought that person for me would be JJ but as life has unraveled here on this lovely island, it's not looking that way for me.

We watched as Sarah and the HMS got smaller the further she drove the boat away, "Do you think she'll come back?" I asked looking back to John B. He glared at me, "What? It's a valid question." I defended with my hands in the air, "How do you know she won't give us up to save herself?"

"Because Sarah is one of us." John B retorted. Any idiot could see where Sarah's loyalties were. She was a Pogue, through and through. But it didn't hurt to think of the other possibilities. With a nod, I stood up and walked away from them. John B would always defend her even if it left him worried, but I was not going to deal with the attitude that came along with it while risking my ass for him.

"Is this spot taken?" I looked over my shoulder to see him. He was hovering until I allowed him to sit down, "I'm sorry Lou." I let a fake look of shock cover my face. He wasn't ever really one for apologizing first and it had happened twice in a day.

"It's fine. I get she's your girlfriend and you want to think the best. That's how you've always been, but I've always been the one to look at all of the options and possibilities. It's what has kept us afloat all this time." John B chuckled and I realized what I said.

"I guess that explains why I'm a fugitive and wanted for murder then?"

"We are not blaming your bad choices on me, alright?" I answered with a laugh as the silence fell over us. It was nice for a while then I remembered it wasn't just us and maybe I should pay attention to that as well. And the fact that we were literally hiding from Kildare's finest. Instead of worrying about the potential that Sarah could bring back cops with her, my mind went to JJ. In situations like this, he was unpredictable. When we were 13, JJ stole something expensive from Guffy as a joke. Turns out it wasn't as funny as he thought it was and it ended with us running down main street from the cops until they cornered us at the marina. I still have yet to understand why Guffy ever let any of us back, but I knew JJ was grateful to keep his job.

"So, can we talk about me for a second?" John B looked up from the piece of grass he had been playing with and chuckled.

He nodded, "Proceed."

"Well, besides arguing about the letter last night, we have almost kissed on three separate occasions." Just as I finished my sentence, Pope came and sat with us and watched the light click on in John B's head with me.

"And he did not move from arms reach last night." Pope interjected. I didn't realize it was that noticeable. "If you want my opinion," I was happy to hear it. We hadn't really talked much in the past couple days, but he had been busy with Kie so I left it alone.

"Go ahead Popey." He had previous knowledge from before I moved so I was kind of looking forward to his input on the situation.

"You both are really bad at hiding your feelings. Even in Charleston you were up each other's butts no matter where you were going." He shrugged and threw it over to John B.

He cleared his throat to begin now that it was his turn, "And even though it is quite obvious to us outside of whatever you guys have going on, I can't give you a yes or no on whether or not he fully understands what it means for you guys." I looked back over to where he was sitting by the small fire with Kie. They weren't talking, just sitting in the silence. "He can't seem to get out of his own way these days. Which unfortunately means he may have to physically be told."

I let out a sigh. Why couldn't he make this easy for me? "Great."

"But back to what Pope said, you guys are bad at hiding your feelings. Although I'm pretty sure Pope knew about your feelings way before I did. JJ and I have had a few conversations while you were gone that ended with me having to talk him off his ledge." John B said.

"So, it's obvious there is something going on in his brain, he's just not sure how to approach the situation." Pope confirmed making me feel slightly better about my confusion and feelings. "It's clear he is feeling some of the same things you are. Makes sense that he wanted to be around you all night. That and every time you look away from him, he looks back at you." I had to stop myself from looking back over my shoulder. Even if I did want to catch him staring. I needed to know that what I was feeling wasn't something small. I wanted to know that he felt it too.

"Besides, you guys sleep together. I think that says enough." John B stood up and brushed off his pants. His comment made me look at him sideways. We had not slept together in the context he was making it sound like. We merely enjoyed laying next to one another while we slept. I was now convinced JJ had talked to John B about our sleepovers and John B had taken it in a completely different context.

"John B, I swear-" He held up his hand as he walked over and sat by the water to wait for Sarah. Pope left me too. They sat together talking about a tape while I walked over and sat with JJ and Kie, waiting for Sarah to come back.

Kiara stood up first with a small smile making me look out over the water, "There she is."