This is Me Trying ⭑ Rafe Cameron

forty

CHAPTER FORTY
[40]
song: take my time by skinshape

Just as things began to feel like they might actually work out, just as the newfound group of four were making their way down the bridge and to the docks, an all too familiar voice called out Rafe's name.

Cassie stilled. Everyone did. All turning around at once to find Ward stumbling his way out of the sleeping quarters, putting all his weight onto a wooden cane instead of his leg. "Rafe—" he called out breathlessly. "Rafe, wait."

Rafe clenched his jaw, already fed up with whatever conversation they were to have next.

"Um, what the fuck?" Kiara mutters, then looks to Cassie with wide, panicked eyes. "What the fuck is he doing here?"

Cassie shook her head quickly. "He's— I don't know. Let's just go—"

JJ was in a complete state of shock. Not only because of the fact that Ward was now just standing in front of them, gunshot wound and all, but because he'd just sailed from country to country on the same boat with him and had no idea. "Am I tripping?" JJ looks to Kiara for clarification. "No, seriously. Am I seeing shit?"

Rafe walked his way back up the bridge. "Dad, go inside—"

"Where are you going?" Ward asked, confused, and out of breath.

"Holy shit, is he bleeding?" Kiara exclaimed.

This got Ward's attention, he turned to look at the rest of him behind Rafe. There was a different kind of crazy in his eyes than usual. The kind of crazy that someone looked when they thought they looked fine.

"Sarah, is she—" Ward returns his focus back to Rafe.

Rafe balls up his fists, trying to keep his composure. "Sarah's fine. She got on the plane. We're going to find her."

Ward was shaking his head. "I'm coming with you."

JJ barked out a laugh. "Two Cameron's are enough, thanks."

Ward ignored him, keeping his eyes on his son. "That's my daughter, it's crazy out there."

Rafe nodded along as if he'd heard this spiel a million times. "Yeah, yeah and you can barely walk, Dad. Go back to Guadeloupe, the keys are upstairs."

"You're a bunch of kids, you need—" Ward was desperate. "You can't be out there alone."

Rafe was shaking his head before Ward even got out the second word, a smile on his lips that felt out of place. "We'll manage."

Ward paused, almost begging at this point. "Rafe."

"Dad." Rafe said, sterner. "Go home."

It was odd the way Ward looked to everyone else, as if he was waiting for one of them to say 'no, he can come, it's fine.' But no one did, they all just started at him, still hosting this feeling like they were all too afraid to move in his presence.

He nodded, then looked to Rafe again. "You call me when everyone's safe."

"Yeah, yeah I'll call you." Rafe huffed, turning back around.