All That Glitters

The Rolex

To say that John B didn't sleep would be like saying the sky is blue. He didn't catch even a wink of sleep. Worrying too much about a certain blond haired boy that he desperately wanted to save from whatever troubles were eating him. More than he wanted to find out what happened to his dad.

He laid next to JJ practically the entire night. Listening to his teeth chatter and his muffled words. Straining to hear what he was saying.

John B only caught a few definite phrases.

Have to save them. Which made his heart ache.

Bleed it out . Which made his heart stop.

Help . Which just hurt.

He wasn't sure if JJ was knowingly saying anything. His breath was still sporadic at best and he hadn't opened his eyes for hours.

In his head, he was apologizing to Sarah and Topper. Mostly Sarah. Since she was stuck sleeping by herself on the pullout if she had stayed over. And Topper because even though he didn't quite understand why Topper had tried to help, he still helped. As best he could have. And he felt bad for taking out his frustration on him. Even if a part of himself was still convinced he deserved it.

John B had set his phone alarm for Ward's fishing day even though he knew he probably wasn't going to sleep. He dug his face into the golden, wispy, soft, hasn't-been-washed-in-a-few-days hair that belonged to JJ, wishing the scent of blood and sweat disappeared. Just waiting for the calm eruption of the alarm to let him know when he could stop pretending to sleep.

He might have laid there like a log for two maybe three hours before JJ stirred beside him. John B held his breath as he adjusted himself.

"John B?" His voice was lower than that of a whisper.

"Yeah, buddy. What's up?"

"I'm sorry." JJ said before digging his head back into the pillow he was using.

"You don't have to be sorry. It's not your fault."

"But it is."

"I can assure you it's really not."

"I know you guys— didn't want me to hear... and that's fine. But I know—"

"You don't know anything, JJ. It's not your fault. You don't have anything to be sorry about. You hear me?" John B's voice was stern. Matter of fact.

"Yeah, okay." JJ didn't have the energy to fight him on that one.

"You should go back to sleep, bubba. You'll feel better when you wake up." John B poked at his phone on the nightstand. Cursing at himself when he read that there was only forty-five minutes left before his alarm went off. "I've gotta go, JJ. I'll check on you when I get back from this thing." He placed a light kiss on JJ's temple.

JJ hummed.

John B was out the door a few minutes later. He didn't bother Sarah on the pullout. Kie was cuddled up next to her. He simply stroked a stray piece of her hair before heading out the door.

Anger and dread and so many other incomprehensible feelings were burying themselves into his psyche as he drove to the Cameron's private dock. To the Druthers.

There wasn't a doubt in his head that Ward was doing this because he was suspicious of him. That was clear from the second he opened his mouth. Just the thought of leaving JJ alone after what he'd just gone through because he has to keep Ward from suspecting anything further made his blood boil.

He spent the better part of the early start making sure everything was stocked on the Druthers. Easy things. And making sure she had enough gas. Along with the jet ski on the upper deck. A deep rooted pressure in his gut told him that checking the jet ski and the ship's gas was probably the smartest thing he could've done.