One Stupid Thing

2:5:57

"Stella! Stella Cameron, wake up!" I am shaken awake and when I open my eyes I see Kiara standing over me in the dark room.

"Jesus, Kie. What is it?" I ask her, still half asleep.

"JJ texted. He needs our help. Like, now. We have to go. Come on!" She practically drags me out of the warm bed, but as soon as the desperation of the situation settles in, my brain switches on and I hurry out of the house.

Pope is already waiting in the passenger seat of Kiara's green SUV. I jump into the back seat and barely have time to shut the door before Kiara slams on the gas and whips out of the gravel driveway.

"Okay, okay, can someone please fill me in?" I ask, leaning over the center console and bracing myself on their seats.

"There isn't much to fill you in on really," Pope explains so that Kiara can stay focused as she careens through the empty streets. "Just after midnight, JJ texted Kie 'SOS! 4th and Seneca' so that's where we're headed now."

"Shit," I cuss. "So much for his master plan I guess."

We continue driving into town which takes half the time it usually would have because of how fast Kiara is driving. Kiara swerves from street to street, and as blocks pass by, I feel my nerves creep
up on me. Through the trees I see blue lights flashing as we near the location JJ texted.

"Kie, there! See the lights?" I exclaim, pointing from the backseat.

"Hang on guys!" Kiara exclaims. The car accelerates and we hurry into the intersection in front of an ambulance. Then, Kie slams on the breaks, stopping right in their path. Thankfully, the ambulance breaks and stops just before potential disaster.

"Go! Get out of the way! Go!" the driver, who just so happens to be a police officer, yells at us.

"Sorry! I'm so sorry," Kiara shouts back sarcastically.

"Move! Get your car out of the road." From the side of the ambulance, the three of us watch JJ, dressed in an all white medic's uniform, burst out and run as fast as he can down another street.

"She just got her license," Pope lies, making up an excuse.

"It was an accident," Kiara tells him.

"Move your car now!" he continues to yell. Kiara waves nonchalantly after stalling to let JJ get away before pulling out from in front of the ambulance.

"Have a good night, sir!" I call out my open window as we pass. Kiara drives down a few blocks in the direction JJ ran and pulls over to the side of the road. A few moments later, JJ appears from behind a building and sprints towards the car.

"Come on!" Pope calls to him.

"Open the door! Open the door!" Kiara tells me. I slide over and do as she says. JJ practically flies in and slams the door behind him.

"Go! Go! Go!" he says.

"Okay," Kie replies. She drives off, slower than before now that we have successfully rescued JJ. He slumps into the seat next to me, breathing heavily from running. "I'm seriously not even gonna ask."

"You said this plan was going to work," I say to him.

"Look, I busted the wrong guy out of jail. Sue me," JJ explains between pants. He stretches out, taking up both his seat and the middle one in the process, gripping onto the headrest of my seat as he catches his breath. Kiara and Pope both look back at him in confusion.

"What?" Kiara asks, her voice cracking.

"At least I was trying."

"God, you smell like a hospital," I comment, wrinkling my nose at the harsh scent of bleach and antiseptic.

"Why are you always doing such stupid shit?" Kie asks, ignoring my complaint.

"Well, I'm gonna end up in jail anyway, so... so why does it matter?" he says with a defeated tone.

"JJ... don't say that," I scold softly.

"You okay, man?" Pope asks him sympathetically.

"Yeah. Just a doozy of a day," he sighs. He lays his head back and sighs once more, closing his eyes.

The rest of the drive home is silent. We are all exhausted and have had a long day trying to exonerate John B without much success. At least we found the key. That's something.

When we arrive, the others head inside, but I feel restless. Instead, I climb into the rope hammock and sway back and forth in the moonlight. The sounds of the crickets singing their song in the night and the baby waves crashing on the shore soothe me and ease my mind.

"What are you still doing out here?"

I turn my head to see JJ approaching me. He had changed out of the medic uniform and was now wearing a classic JJ outfit: khaki shorts, a tank top, and flip flops.

"Can't sleep," I sigh. "Sarah should've been back from meeting with Wheezie by now. I'm starting to get worried." JJ climbs into the hammock beside me and I lift my head to allow his arm to rest behind it.

"I'm sure she's fine. It's Sarah. She can look after herself." I feel his chest move slightly as he speaks. I take a deep breath and feel myself melt into him. His hand rubs comforting circles on my back like he always does. Being with JJ is like second nature.

"I know she can, but she promised it wouldn't take long—"

"Stella," he interrupts me.

"Sorry, sorry," I apologize. "I'll stop worrying." The hammock rocks back and forth as I shift to lay on my side. I lay my free arm on JJ's chest and lightly rake my nails back and forth on the material of his shirt subconsciously. I listen to the sounds of the night as moments of silence pass between us.

"I've missed this," JJ says.

"Missed what?" I reply.

"You know, this. Just spending time alone with you," he murmurs.

"I know exactly what you mean," I reply softly. "Everything has been so crazy lately with John B's arrest that we haven't been able to just..." I trail off, unsure of how to finish that sentence. JJ reaches up and lifts my chin to look up at him.

"Just enjoy each other's company?"

"Exactly."

JJ leans down and kisses me. It's soft and tender. I'd even describe it as innocent. I reach up and tangle my fingers into the blonde locks at the nape of his neck. It's brief, but memorable and when we pull away we are both smiling from ear to ear.

"Is that my t-shirt?" he asks me.

"Oh, yeah. Is there a problem, Maybank?" I reply coyly.

"Never, Cameron. Me casa es su casa."

"I don't think that's how that expression works, but I know what you meant." I peck his lips with mine once more.

"Can we go inside now?" he asks me.

"Yes. We can go inside now."

——
Sorry for the short chapter guys. Not a very eventful part in the show for me to work with but I think the Jella cuteness as the end makes up for it ;)