𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐝𝐬 • 𝐣𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐛 𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞

𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤

dove sat with sarah, mary, wheezie, and rafe as they listened to ward's confession tape.

dove could hardly listen. she didn't want to be there, but her mother was a part of this which meant she was apart of it too. also, she wanted to be there for sarah.

"i killed big john routledge. i murdered sheriff peterkin." ward said over the recording.

sarah exhaled and looked over at mary with a shake of her head.

she got up and went outside, looking out at the water.

she heard someone follow after her. she turned around to see dove.

"sarah—."

"don't. i-i can't." sarah shook her head.

"what do you mean?" dove asked, looking her up and down.

"i mean...i mean i can't do this anymore. mary ruined everything and i went against my father and...it was a mistake." sarah said.

"sarah, this would've happened anyway. you being a pogue has nothing to do with everything that happened. it's not your fault." dove replied.

"dove—."

"sarah, please. come on, let's get out of here and go back—."

"i can't leave wheezie."

"but—."

"i'm sorry, dove. you can just go." sarah interrupted.

"i can't just leave you here with mary, she—."

"dove. go."

dove sighed and shook her head, a tear slipping out of her eye.

"bye, sarah."

dove then turned away and made her way to the chateau.

🕊️

dove walked up to the chateau and searched around until she found her friends at the dock.

she went walking over and john b turned when he heard her footsteps.

"dove."

he stood up from the hms pogue and went over to her.

"hi."

john b pulled her in for a hug and she exhaled, a few tears rolling down her cheeks.

"it's okay." john b whispered and stroked her hair.

"are you okay?" kiara asked.

dove shook her head. "no, i'm not. neither is sarah and...and i think i need to be there for her. she's become my best friend—no. sister. she's become like my sister and her dad is gone. he is dead. he's dead like mine and i really needed a sister when he died, but i didn't have one—."

"you had me." john b interrupted.

"no, i know. trust me, john b, i know, but i felt like i had no one and i bet that's how sarah feels right now, so i need to take care of you. john b, i love you, but i need a break and i need—."

"so you're saying you don't want to be my wife anymore?" john b raised his eyebrows.

"you're not letting me finish—."

"so you're going to go back to the cameron house and choose mary."

"no! i'm not choosing mary and i'm not choosing you! i'm choosing myself! now, i have to go. i love you all so dearly. goodbye, everyone."

dove then turned and began walking away, the others all looking around at each other while john b chased after her.

"dove, wait! wait! you can't just go! you can't just leave me!" john b called.

dove paused and turned around. "i'm not leaving you, john b, but i need a minute. i need a minute to just...breathe and escape. i love you, but i'm going."

"dove."

she picked up his hand and kissed his hand before dropping it and leaving.

AUTHORS NOTE
a short one for you all, but i haven't updated in a while and you guys deserve an update!

muah,
lea <3