𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐝𝐬 • 𝐣𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐛 𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞

𝐣𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐛 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐬...𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧

dove could barely sleep that night. she was up all night watching sarah peacefully sleep. she didn't care about herself, she wanted to make sure sarah was okay. her brother punched her in the face.

dove sat up and went over to joey's bedroom window, peering out.

"dove?"

she turned around and saw sarah sitting up.

"hey, sa. how'd you sleep?" dove asked.

"as best as i could. how about you?" sarah asked.

"i didn't sleep. i just couldn't." she shook her head. "i just can't get over what happened. and i'm so upset for you. that you were dragged into this because of me. and your brother hurt you. this...this is all my fault. if my mom...if she hadn't come back for me..."

dove let out a shaky breath and sarah went over to her.

"dove, i made my bed and now i have to lie in it. it's not your fault. i chose to become a pogue. i could've left at any time. i still can. but i'm not going to. you know why? because i'm loyal and i'll always be loyal, especially to you." sarah pointed.

"obviously we've had our differences because of john b, but you're...you're basically my best friend besides kie. and as for your mother, nothing she has done is your fault. she did those things all on her own. she's a grown woman who is fully capable of making her own decisions. you have done nothing wrong, just know that."

dove shook her head. "i love you, sarah."

sarah half-smiled. "i love you too, sweet girl."

dove pulled sarah into a hug and squeezed her eyes shut, a few tears running down her face.

"everything good in here?"

they pulled away and turned to see joey.

"yeah. yeah, we're good. um...thank you so much, joey. you saved our lives." dove said.

"is there anything we can do for you?" sarah asked.

"no, there's not. i only came because wheezie called topper who called me. she read her texts and saw a message to sarah that she never sent. i guess it was rafe from her phone. topper was afraid you wouldn't wanna see him, sarah, which is why he called me." joey explained.

"makes sense." dove replied.

sarah shook her head. "topper's stupid. it doesn't make sense that i wouldn't want to see him. i think he didn't want to see me. whatever. doesn't matter."

dove rubbed sarah's shoulder.

it was quiet until dove turned to joey.

"hey, uh, do you mind taking us back to the chateau? i'm sure the others are worried about where we went."

"yeah, of course. do you guys wanna eat first?" joey questioned.

dove looked to sarah who shook her head.

dove wasn't particularly hungry, but if sarah was, she didn't mind staying a little longer.

"no. no, i'm good." sarah said.

"alright. let's get you two outta here."

they then followed joey out of the house and onto his boat.

they rode to the dock of the chateau and during that ride, sarah and joey talked a lot, both giggling and laughing while dove started out.

when they got close to the dock she saw it. she saw him.

"john b?" she whispered then yelled, "john b!"

joey pulled up and dove jumped off and into john b's arms.

meanwhile, joey had tied the rope down to the hms pogue and helped sarah out.

"bird. how are you out?" dove asked.

"they dropped the charges." john b answered

dove pulled away and looked him in the eyes.

"what?"

"yeah. they dropped the charges."

"that's amazing!"

she then pulled him in for a kiss.

after pulling away, he ran his thumb over her cheek.

"i missed you, birdie."

"i missed you too, bird."

he then cleared his throat. "um, but dove...they're gonna come after mary now."

dove nodded. "i know. and they should. she was the one who actually killed peterkin and...she tried to drown me last night. rafe was there too, he punched sarah in the face and knocked her out."

sarah nodded, confirming dove's story.

joey's eyes went wide.

"mary killed peterkin?" he questioned.

dove exhaled through her nose.

"yes, but joey—."

"no. you need to go to the police now. like, right now." he interrupted.

"no, joey, you don't understand. we've tried. they don't believe us. they believe ward and mary." dove replied.

"so this is why her and rafe attacked you and sarah last night, huh?" joey raised his eyebrows. "i swear to god, i'll—."

"what're you gonna do, joey? there's nothing you can do that we've already tried."

"plus...they're coming for mary. they dropped the charges, meaning they have another suspect, that suspect being mary." john b explained.

"good. she deserves it. and rafe deserves to be in trouble as well." joey said then shook his head.

dove swallowed and looked down.

as much as she wanted her mother to be put behind bars for her crimes, she was still dove's mother and dove still cared about her.

"well, it's probably time for me to go." joey said.

"thanks again, joey." dove thanked.

"yeah, thank you. it means a lot." sarah added.

"anytime."

he then untied the rope from the hms pogue and went on his way, the others watching, but all having the same thoughts in their head.

mary tatum and ward cameron.

AUTHORS NOTE
101K???? THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH.

y'all really don't know how much your support means to me i really, really appreciate it, thank you so much.

this is kind of a boring chapter, but i wanted to get something out for you all and also thank you as well.

anyway, life is really good right now i'm enjoying my second semester at college a lot.

muah,
lea <3