✯ North Star ✯

Part 6

I groan as my eyes slowly start to open. I sit up not seeing John b or the doctor. I slowly get up from the table seeing a patch over where I got shot.
I walk towards the room where I see John B and the doc sitting.
"Whoa little lady! You need to go lie down" the doc says
"How long did I sleep?" I ask them
"Not long enough." John b says running over to me
"Can we still make it?" I ask him
"No. No. We... It's over. Okay?" John b tells me
"No it's not" I tell him
"Stella..." John B starts to say
"We still have an hour" I tell him
"You need to rest. You just got shot star" John B says
"I am fine. We're going." I tell him
John b doesn't argue and starts to help me to the stairs
"Seriously star you shouldn't be standing"
John B tells me
"I'm fine" I tell him again
"Okay. Relax" John B smiles
We look outside hearing sirens in the distance and two cops talking to some people.
"Shit. Are you kidding me?" John B says.
"You guys got a little heat on you don't you? I've been there and I've done that. But I got an idea." The doc tells us

He hands John b a pair of keys
"Friend of the devil is a friend of mine." He says
"Thanks Doc" John B says
I grab the car keys
"Oh dear" the doc says
"Let's go" I say to John B.
"Okay. All right." John B says helping me into the car.
"So how bad's it gonna be when the anesthesia wears off?" John b asks the doc
"Pretty much mind-bending" the doc tells me
"All right Doc how do I get this baby back to you?" John B asks him
"You're just going to the wharf right?" the doc asks
"Yeah. Berth 39 right?" John B says
"Perfect. Put the keys under the gas cap and we're good" the doc says
"Are you sure we can take this?" John B asks him
I give John b the keys
"Well you overpaid for the medical so have a nice trip" the doc says
"Thank you" I tell the doc
"Thanks Doc" John B says as he drives off

"How much time do we have?" I ask him
"Not much" John B says
We slow down seeing the street ahead of us is blocked off
"Shit. Cops. Should I peel?" John B asks me
"No. Just play dumb" I say
"Down. Slow down" a cop says
"All right I got this" John B mumbles
"Road's closed" the cop tells him
"What happened?" John B asks
"Robbery. There was a shootout. Now move along" the cop says
"Well is everybody okay?" John B asks him
"Move on" the cop says again as John b starts to drive
"John B." I say gesturing to the cops loading gold into a van.
"We lost the gold." I say
"Shit. I'm sorry Star-" He starts to say
I look in the mirror to see the cop eyeing us
"Shit! Go go go go!" I tell John b
"Hey!" The cop tells running towards us
"Shit!" John B yells driving off
"Hey stop the car! Stop! Stop the car!" The cop yells
"Go!" I yell as the cop starts to chase us
"I'm going. I'm going. I'm going" John B says
"Hey! Stop! Stop!" The cop yells
John b drives as fast as he can with the cop following us. He takes a few sharp turns losing the cop luckily
"Did they follow us?" John B asks me
"No they went the other way." I tell him looking behind us. John b swerves almost hitting a man
"I almost hit that person!" He yells and because he wasn't paying attention he actually does hit someone.
I stare at him in shock
"You just hit a person" I tell him as John B doesn't move or say anything.
"Go help them idiot!" I tell him
"Right right" John B mumbles getting out
"Oh my..." we hear someone say
"Shit man!" They yell
"Oh my God. Oh my God. Cleo?" John b asks
"Some freaking rescue!" Cleo says
"Cleo Cleo Cleo" John B says trying to apologize
"You ran me over" Cleo says
"I'm so sorry" John B says
"Where'd you get your license man?" Cleo asks him
"The great state of North Carolina" John B says
"You didn't see me in the street?" Cleo asks him
"No I didn't" John B says
Cleo gets into the backseat of the car and I turn a bit to look at her
"Mother... Hey! How'd you make it through girl?" Cleo says when she sees me
"Are you okay?" I ask
"Just a scrape you know? I went up and over. Been through worse." She tells me as we hear sirens in the distance.
"We should get outta here now." She says
"Okay. What happened back there? We went to the Playboy and that place was hot! Cops were everywhere!" John b tells her
"We were waiting for you guys to show up and the coppers came. They came from every direction. I jumped overboard." Cleo tells us
"Well what about Terrance and Stubbs?" John B asks her
"I heard gunshots" Cleo says
"What?" I ask her
"I ran. I wanted to shoot it out with them but it was too many" Cleo tells us
A cop car pulls up behind us
"Oh boy! We got company. Okay" John B says
"Oh no! Drive!" Cleo yells
"Does this thing go any faster?" I ask him
"I don't know. The speedometer doesn't work"
John B says

Luckily we lost the cop and by the time we made it to the wharf it's dark.
"You sure we're good Cleo?" John B asks her
"Yeah man. We'll just wait here until it cools down" Cleo tell him
The painkillers started to wear off and I'm in so much pain, I'm trying not to groan or whimper so John b wouldn't worry
"You good?" John B asks me
"Fine." I nod leaning my head back on the chair

"Streets is quiet. I can get you to a boat. You have somewhere you can hole up?" Cleo asks us
"Yeah we're gonna ride the Gulf Stream north as far as it can go. Look for some deserted island to shell up on" John B says
"And then what? More running?" I ask John b
"Star..." John B starts to say
"Look JB I know you don't trust the cops but you're innocent...I think we should go home." I tell him
"To OBX?" John B asks me
"Yes" I answer him
"What about Ward?" John B asks me
"What about Ward? He's the one who should be running not us. He said he would tell the truth if we came back. I can confront him." I tell him
"Okay but it's not about you confronting him.
He's completely untrustworthy" John b says
"Sure. But I'm your alibi. Trust me" I say
"Hello lovebirds we're running from the coppers right now. Girl can you walk?" Cleo asks me
"I think so" I answer
"Okay you got this girl" Cleo says as I push myself up from the hood of the car.
"Come on guys. We gotta go. Stay low. We gotta go." Cleo tells us
"We're following your lead" John B says
"Get low" Cleo tells us
"I got you. I got you. I got you." John b mumbles to me helping me walk

"Is this cool?" John B asks her as she leads us down a dock
"I got an uncle who works at this marina. We're safe here." Cleo says stopping at a boat
"Recognize the boat?" She asks me
"My dad's boat" I say
"I thought you would've pawned it by now"
John b laughs
"Seems like a good time to give it back to you"
Cleo says
John B and Cleo start getting the boat ready. John b gives me the tarp and I put it to the side
"Wish I could join you guys. It's a nice dinghy." Cleo tells us
"You're not coming with?" I ask her confused
"Are you kidding? You two are so hot. I'm better off on my own" Cleo laughs
"Thank you. Seriously." John b tells her
"No problem. Maybe one day I get the same thing you two got. Somebody helps me too. Hang tight. I'm gonna get the keys. Too soon for goodbyes y'all. I'll be right back!" She tells us running off
"Thank you cleo" I smile
"Do we have enough gas?" I ask John b
"Um we should be good if the wind is behind us" John B says
"I hope so" I say
Just then a light flashes on us and we see a cop standing there.
"Hey! You there! Put your hands up. All the way up!" He yells at us
"Hey don't shoot okay?" John B says
"I said put them up" the cop says again
"Please he didn't do anything" I him

Suddenly the cop falls to the ground cleo on top of him. Cleo try's to run off but the cop grabs her foot
"Hey! Stop! Get down!" He yells
"Cleo!" I yell
"No no. Hey Cleo! Keys!" John B yells
Cleo is able to stand up and tosses the keys to John B
"Go! Get out of here!" Cleo yells
"Hey! Stop! Get back here!" The cop yells
Cleo jumps into the water to get away from the cop
"I'm gonna shoot!" The cop warns us as we drive off
I hear gunshots behind us as we get away

John b drives for a while as I sit trying to focus on breathing.
"All right this is the Gulf Stream. It's gonna take us north right home" John B says walking over to me
"Home" I say as he sits down in front of me
"Hi." I smile
"How you doin'?" John B asks me
"Oh just peachy. You know what I was thinking?" I ask him
"What's that?" John B asks
"I think I want to marry you" I say
"I think I'd like to marry you to Stella Cameron." John b smiles
"What if we got married right now?" I ask him
"Don't... don't we need like a... a.. like a preacher or something?" John B asks me and I just shrug
"What about the rings?" He asks
"What about rings?" I ask him
"I got an idea" John B says as he rips off a piece of his father's bandana.
"I give you this sweaty piece of my father's bandanna as a token of my love." John B says wrapping it around my neck like a necklace
"It's perfect" I smile
"Yeah" John B says
"By the power vested in me, by the sky and the stars and the sea I now pronounce us husband and wife." I say as we hold hands
"Through sickness and health through rich and poor till death do us part" John B adds on
"You may kiss your bride." I say. John B smiles as he leans in and kisses me.

"Can we get a dog?" I ask him after we pull apart
"Okay Star Let's just get home first. How about that?" John B says
"We're getting a dog" I tell him
"Okay." John b laughs
"It's going to be named Faney" I tell him
"Really?" He asks me rolling his eyes
"Yes really" I tell him

It's not light out and we finally start to see land
"Land!" I yell
"Looks like a pretty big town" John B says
"Should we try to find somewhere less crowded?" I ask him
"We're almost out of fuel. We don't have a choice" John B says
"We made it" John B says wrapping his arms around me as we laugh
"Look! It's Charleston" John B says as we recognize where we are