SHOOTING STARS ✰ jj maybank

017. WELCOME TO THE FAMILY

Sarah and Scarlett stayed at the hospital all night. The Pogues were going to stay with them, but they were told by doctors that they had to leave. It was now the next morning and they were sitting in John B's room, waiting for him to wake up.

John B opened his eyes and slowly moved his head so he was facing the twins. Sarah was holding his hand and Scarlett was sitting beside her.

"Hi." Sarah smiled at him.

"Hi." He shut his eyes as he spoke, still tired and confused about what happened and where he was. "Where am I?" He questioned the girls.

"St. Olive's. You fell from the Hawk's Nest. You have a concussion and a broken wrist." Sarah explained to John B as he opened his eyes and looked over at his arm, lifting it to see his cast.

"You didn't fall. Topper pushed you." Scarlett corrected Sarah, causing Sarah to nudge her sister's arm.

"Whoa." John B breathed out as he stared at his broken wrist.

"Pretty cool." Sarah smiled at him.

"I need to get outta here." John B began to sit up. "DCS is gonna find me—" John B quickly cut himself off as he felt a wave of pain throughout his body when he tried to sit up.

"Hang on there, kid. Hang on." Ward Cameron entered the room with a big smile on his face. "The girls told me everything. About your little adventure, about you running from the DCS, about how you were protecting Sarah on the tower. John, I believe I owe you an apology. You were honest with me about a small indiscretion, and I went ahead and fired you anyway. And I shouldn't have. Unfortunately, from time to time I have a bit of a... short fuse. Ask them." Scarlett watched her father with a smile as he apologized to John B for what he did.

"It's true." Sarah nodded.

"Mhm." Scarlett hummed with a smile on her face.

"Anyway, I'd like to make up for it, if you'll let me. I spoke with Sheriff Peterkin, and... I've offered to be your legal guardian if you'll have me." Ward smiled down at John B.

"What?" John B let out a small laugh.

"It'd mean a roof over your head and no more runnin' from the DCS," Ward explained to John B as he lay there confused.

He looked over to the twins and both girls smiled at him, waiting to see if he would accept the offer.

"Sure, yeah. Uh..." John B let out a small laugh "...sound good." He nodded his head.

"Okay, then, it's settled. Welcome to the family." Ward patted John B on the shoulder.

"Sorry. You're staying where?" Kie questioned John B as the five Pogues were at the wreck.

"Tannyhill." John B shrugged, not thinking much of the situation.

"So you're living with Sarah Cameron?" Kie scoffed as she grabbed a tray of water and went to deliver them to a table.

"Okay, look, the only reason I'm living there is because her dad bailed me out, all right? And it's way better than foster care, which, by the way, is where I was about to go if ward didn't—"

"Hey, so do you have a membership to the clubs now?" Pope cut John B off.

"I don't know, Pope."

"What about those little golf carts they drive around? You get one of those?" JJ questioned as he took a sip of the water that Kie handed him.

"Does it come with a sweater vest, or do you have to buy one on your own?" Pope smirked at John B, knowing that his questions were annoying the boy.

"Look, you promised. You said you weren't with her." Kie confronted John B and he had no idea what to say this time.