Rogue | outer banks

001 - I'm Fired

Lying on the couch at The Château, JJ's hand resting gently on my hip, his voice broke through the quietude, stirring me from my drowsy state.

"Amelia," he called, his tone soft yet insistent.

"Mhmhm?" I mumbled in response, feeling the corners of my lips tug into a smile.

"Are you sleeping?" JJ's question cut through the air, laced with playful skepticism.

"No," I replied, my smile widening. "I'm practicing for when I'm dead."

"Oh, you're hilarious," JJ retorted, and though I couldn't see him, I could practically hear the playful roll of his eyes.

But my amusement waned as I sensed a shift in JJ's mood. "What's wrong?" I asked, my eyes still shut against the soft glow of the room.

"I'm bored," JJ admitted simply.

"No, you're just annoying," I teased back with a sigh, shifting to face him, our faces now mere inches apart, I couldn't help but feel a surge of warmth at his presence. "I already took you up on your offer," I reminded him with a smile, the memory of our shared moments bringing warmth to my cheeks. "I'm not exactly the athletic type anymore."

"You're just perfect," JJ countered, his smile softening the edges of his words, and for a moment, the weight of the world felt a little lighter. But then, his tone shifted, his concern evident in the furrow of his brow. "Are you okay?" he asked, his gaze searching mine. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm okay," I reassured him softly, the weight of my words belied by the tumultuous thoughts swirling in my mind. "My mind is just all over the place, but I'll be okay. Wheezie told me she found something else that might help me so—"

"You really think Ward had something to do with your parents' accident?" JJ cut me off, his voice tinged with apprehension.

"You said it yourself," I began, my voice soft but resolute. "And since then, I've just been digging." I started scanning JJ's face, his features etched with a mixture of concern and stubborn determination. "Are you okay?" I asked, knowing all too well the weight of grief that he carried in his heart.

"You don't have to worry about me," JJ replied, his words an attempt to brush off his feelings, but I could see the shadows lingering in his eyes.

"JJ, John B was your bestfriend," I reminded him gently, reaching out to touch his arm in a silent gesture of support.

"I'll be fine," JJ insisted, his tone firm but lacking conviction. "It's you I'm worried about."

"Why?" I asked, my voice tinged with uncertainty.

"I feel like maybe you should drop this thing with your parents," JJ suggested softly, almost as if he were trying to protect me from the pain of my own investigation. "Whatever you find, it won't bring them back." His words struck a chord within me, the truth of his statement echoing in the recesses of my mind. "And as much as I want Ward to go down for everything, I don't want you to get caught up with them again," he added, his gaze unwavering as he met my eyes.

"JJ—"

"I know you still care," JJ interjected, his voice heavy with unspoken emotions. And even though he didn't say the name, I knew exactly who he was referring to — Rafe.

I tried to lighten the mood with a playful smile. "Are you scared I might swing the other way?" I teased, but JJ's expression remained serious. "It's not a competition, JJ," I sighed, my smile fading as I spoke.

"Yeah, but sometimes it feels like it," he admitted, his words hanging heavy in the air between us.

With a heavy heart, JJ rose from the couch, grabbing his shirt and pulling it on in one swift motion. I watched him silently, the weight of his words lingering in the air.