✯ North Star ✯

Part 9

It was morning now and we were all waiting for Kie and Pope to come back. Once they pull into the dock we rush towards them
"Finally. Hey!" I yell
"Guys don't tie up. Stop it!" JJ tells them
"What?" Kie asks us
"We're dipping" JJ says
"Wait why?" Pope asks
"What? What are you talking about?" Kie asks
"Where'd you guys go? What happened last night?" John B asks them
"We slept on the break. What's up?" Pope asks
"Slept right. Yeah" JJ laughs
"We were up all night" I say
"We gotta get the hell out of here" John B tells them
"Rafe knows we're here so we have to leave like now" Sarah says
"Okay" Kie says
"Come on" Pope tells us
We take the boat into the marsh. We were hidden enough to where you could only find us if you really tried.
"Look if Rafe and Barry know it's only a matter of time" Kie says
"Before everyone knows" Pope adds on
"I told you. We should've gone south man." JJ scoffs
"Just stop it" John B says
"Why does no one ever listen?" JJ says
"I get it. I get it. I understand" John B says
"I have an idea. With me back my dad's going to have to choose between me and Rafe." I tell them
"Stella, Star..." John B starts to say
"He's gonna choose me" I tell them
"Just please listen. Ward keeps lying to you Star" John B tells me
"Stel he's not gonna agree after all that's happened" Kie tells me
"No. I... I know it sounds crazy" I tell them.
"Yeah it does." Kie nods
"I know! But he's my dad. And I know him and I know he loves me. I'm just asking for two hours."
I say walking off hearing someone follow me
"Star? Are you sure?" John b says and I turn around to face him
"Mm-hmm. Yeah." I nod
"Okay. Okay." John b nods giving me a quick kiss before I go

I take the pogue back to Tannyhill. I pull into the dock and take a deep breath before walking out.

"Stella?" I hear my dad say as I get closer
He gets up and starts walking towards me
"Stella? Stella! Oh my God sweetheart. Oh my God!" He says happy
"Stay back. Stay back. Stay back!" I tell him putting my hand up
"Okay. I'm just-" he starts to say stopping in his tracks
"Don't" I tell him
"I'm just...I'm back. I'm back. I just-" he says
"I swear to God" I tell him
"I'm so happy. I'm sorry" Dad says
"Where's Rafe?" I ask him
"Uh I... I don't... I don't know. He's not home.
He's not home. Are you okay?" He asks gesturing to my stomach
"Of course I'm not okay. You saw what Rafe did."
I tell him
"He didn't mean to sweetheart. It was an accident. It was. I didn't think I was ever gonna see you again and here you are. You're... in your backyard. You're home." Dad tells me
"No. I'm not coming home." I shake my head
"Stella you're here..." Dad says taking a step forward
"I said stay back" I tell him
"I'm staying back. I'm right here. I'm just... I can't stand to see you hurt and... I just want to protect you, and I can't do that when you're with him and he's got you in these situations. You just can't even know what it's been like. I thought you...I thought you were dead. We all thought you were dead" he tells me
"Do you remember the night of the storm?" I ask him
"Yeah" Dad says
"On the radio you promised me that if I came back you would tell the truth. You remember? I'm going to testify against you. That you lied. And that Rafe lied and that mom lied." I tell him
"Oh sweetie" Dad sighs
"Just convince Rafe to turn himself in" I say
"I'm not gonna do that." He shakes his head
"But why? John B didn't shoot Peterkin." I tell him
"No he didn't kill Sheriff Peterkin but he is the reason she's dead" Dad tells me
"What?" I ask in shock
"I offered to help him for just the tiniest little bit of what was already rightfully mine and he said no. You know why he said no? Because he's greedy like his father before him. He's so crazy for all that goddamn gold that he wouldn't share any of it with the one person that could help him. So crazy for that gold that he pulls his van in front of our airplane almost killing all of us on that tarmac. That's why we were even there. That's why Peterkin was there. That's why it all happened. Him" Dad tells me
"No. It was Rafe. And he's gonna get caught and he's gonna drag all of you with him." I tell him
"Honey he's not because I'm not gonna let it happen. You still don't understand. Stella this family all of this.. I didn't have it growing up... any of it. And if you think there is anything that I wouldn't do to keep us all together sweetheart you haven't been paying attention." He tells me
"If you don't tell the truth you'll never see me again" I tell him
"You don't mean that. You're my favorite Stella. Rafe knows it. But no. I'm not gonna choose between my daughter and my son. I can't. But I will tell you that in the end it will be okay. We will all be okay and we will be right back here. We'll be together and we'll be a family." He says
"What happened to you?" I ask him backing up
"Do you even care that Rafe shot me?" I ask him
"Of course I care sweetheart" he tells me
"Then why are you still protecting him?" I ask
"It's not that simple" he tells me
"I'm your daughter. And you choose him over me" I say
"No I didn't." Dad tells me
"Yes you did. And now I'm choosing John B." I say then turn and walk back to the boat

As I get back I see the crew waiting for me
"Hey there she is" John B smiles
"Stella!" Kie yells
"You made it" Pope says
"What happened?" John B asks me as I get off and he walks towards me.
"So how'd it go?" He asks
"You guys were right. It didn't work." I say sleeping my tears from falling
"Im sorry." John b tells me
"Welp then that settles it guys. Now y'all need to load up in the paddy wagon and get the heck out of dodge right now" JJ says
"Right you guys are gonna need supplies and you'll have to split as soon as possible" Pope says
I see police boats coming towards us.
"Guys I think it's too late." I tell them
"They followed you here?" John B asks me as I look at him scared
"Must've been your father" JJ says
"We're gonna have to find another way out of here" Pope says
"Stay on the beach with your hands in the air!" They yell
"Go now! Go!" Pope yells as we all take off running
"We've got to outrun them!" JJ yells
"Come on! Let's go! Let's go!" Pope yells
"Go!" I yell as we run into the woods.
"Go! Go!" John B yells
"Stel you good?" Sarah asks me as she can hear me grunting in pain
"Yeah. You okay?" John B asks me
"Yeah just go" I tell them
"Go! Go! Go!" John B yells

We get to some water and start to swim across as quick as we could
"Go!" Pope yells
"Come on! Let's go" JJ says
The cops start to come out of the woods
"Freeze! Stop!" They yell
"Come on!" John B yells
"Stay where you are!" They yell at us
I run out of the water following John b
"Go! Get up! Get up!" Pope yells
"Go! Go! Go!" JJ says
"Behind the tree!" John B says
We all stop crouching down behind a tree.
"We're trapped. They surrounded us" Pope tells us
"Freeze!" A man yells
"What do we do?" I ask them
"No getting out of it. We gotta make a stand" JJ says as he pulls out his gun. I look up at John b with tears in my eyes
"It's over now! Don't move!" They yell
John B steps in front of JJ grabbing the gun. Then he drops it to the ground
"Get those hands up now!" He cops yell
"It's gonna be all right. Here we go." John b says
JJ quickly kicks dirt over the gun hiding it.

Shoupe gets out of the car pointing his gun at John B.
"John B! Step out into the clearing! Get down. Do not move!" He yells as we all put our hands up.
"I'm surrendering" John B tells him
"Don't move!" Deputy Plumb yells
"Hands up John B!" Deputy Thomas yells at him
"Stay right where you are. Keep your hands where we can see them" Shoupe tells him
"Don't move!" Plumb yells
"Hey listen Shoupe I wanna testify" John B tells him
"It's about time. Get down. Do not move a muscle" Shoupe says and John b listens to him
"Everybody else don't move." He tells us
"Don't move. Keep your hands where I can see
them" Plumb tells all of us
Deputy Thomas pats down John B before roughly pulling him to his feet.
"Are you serious? Come on!" JJ yells
"Hey Thomas!" Shoupe says
Thomas harshly throws John B to the ground.
"No!" I yell
"Stop! Let him go!" Kie yells
Thomas starts to kick John B over and over again
"Sheriff what is that? You're gonna let that happen?" JJ yells
"Don't move!" Plumb tellsJJ
"Stop!" Pope yells
"Stop! Let him go!" I yell at them
Thomas pulls John B up.
"Thomas!" Shoupe yells trying to get him to stop but Thomas just pushes him away.
"Stand down!" Shoupe yells
"This is for Peterkin" Thomas says before knocking john b out.
"No!" I scream as I watch him fall. Tears were flooding down my face as I watch them drag unconscious John b to the car