I'll Come Running

Chapter 43

"What the hell just happened?" Pope asked as he was propped up against the Twinkie.

"I saved all your asses." Jessie retorted sternly, clearly over their bullshit. Jessie went straight to Kiara to take Charley back into her arms, Rafe and JJ following close behind her to usher everyone into the van.

Nobody knew what to say to Jessie's remark... she was right, but was that really how they wanted it handled?

"We didn't have to shoot anyone!" John B protested, clearly anxious about the situation.

"Didn't we John B? Didn't we?" Jessie asked angrily as she gave John B a death glare. "You know what," Jessie sat Charley down on the ground to play with whatever she found. "I'm tired of you guys acting like shit like this wasn't gonna happen. You go on treasure hunts, you get guns pointed at your heads, you do drugs, you pawn gold... people get killed! And just like so many years ago, I'm the only one that has the balls to protect you guys despite you dragging me through the shit with you that I never asked to be apart of! I don't need any more shit from any of you!"

Everyone was speechless, simply looking at Jessie trying to register how they should feel. JJ and Rafe however had already heard the speech, and they stood there awkwardly with their hands in their pockets.

"You guys can be mad at me all you want for leaving all those years ago without so much as a goodbye... but never forget one thing... I will always do the hard thing. Don't act so surprised like you don't even know me! You think I just went to New York and became some soft ass bitch? No! I ran with a group that's done far worse than what I just did." Jessie seethed, looking around at everyone. "And I'd do it again." Jessie stated calmly with a slight chuckle. Jessie was clearly done talking, yet nobody spoke up except for Rafe.

"You guys are taking Jessie and Charley back to JJ's, and JJ and I are staying here until you bring my truck back." Rafe stated calmly as he scratched the back of his head, trying to break the tension.

"What about the cross?" Pope asked.

"Oh would you forget about the damn cross-" Jessie started but was cut off by her brother.

"We're gonna get the cross... but we've got bigger issues to take care of first."

"Issues, oh yeah, issues! Issues my ass! Don't act like what I just did is an is-"

"Jessie," JJ raised his voice slightly in annoyance, giving his sister a wide side eye. "Shut up."

Rafe once again decided to try and de-escalate the situation... mainly just his wife.

"Look, Jess... no one's saying you didn't have a right to do it... we-they're all just a little shocked right now."

Jessie had no more words, instead she just scoffed and opened the door of the twinkie and called Charley over to her. The Pogues followed behind and Rafe and JJ both gave John B a sympathetic look as he drove away.

It was now just the two of them, the two men that loved Jessie the most in this world, the two men who would always come running to her rescue. This was a perfect example of that.

"Sooooo..." JJ trailed off with pursed lips as he kicked the leaves on the ground.

"Don't act like you didn't know this would happen." Rafe immediately interjected with a disgusted look on his face. He began to walk around, putting his hands behind his head to stretch and sighed deeply.

"She's just like you, ya know." JJ stated plainly.

"And what's that supposed to mean." Rafe spat.

"You'd both kill anyone or anything that was in your way, neither of you care what anyone else thinks about you... you're perfect for each other. You're like.. Bonnie and Clyde." JJ said through a laugh. "I never wanted to admit it but... you're both some hard headed ass bitches that can burn the whole world up simply because you choose to do it together."