𝗠𝘆 𝗘𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲 ⇉ 𝗝𝗝 𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸

𝘤 𝘳 𝘰 𝘴 𝘴

ARIELLA SAT on JJ's lap, her hands fiddling with the sliver ring around his finger, that she got him for his birthday one year. She sat, listening to her friends speak, but she drowned them out as a knot in her stomach formed.

The Cameron-Routledge girl just couldn't shake the guilt that washed over her, the feeling that she has abandoned her child, eating away at her. She knew Noah and Isabella would take good care of her baby, infact they had already bought her so many toys and clothes, and were ready to take care of her. They were so happy to.

But this is the first time Ariella has been without her baby girl. She already missed cradling her in her arms.

JJ felt just as guilty. He felt guilty for getting roped back into all of it. They should've been settled down, taking care of their daughter, but instead they're putting their lives at risk again. He hated himself for not rethinking everything sooner.

"She's going to be okay. You know that." JJ whispers in her ear, breaking the girl out of her thoughts.

"I know. I know." Ariella mumbles, trying to reassure herself. "But...what if she needs us and we're not there?"

JJ's arms tighten around her, pulling her closer into his chest. "I know this is hard, but she's always going to need you. She's always going to need the both of us, but she's okay, baby. Cora Lynn is in good hands, and we'll be back before we know it. Don't let yourself think of the worst, okay?"

"You, JJ Maybank, have a way with words. Thank you." Ariella smiles, his words bringing her nothing, but reassurance and the weight on her shoulders lifting.

JJ smiles in return, tilting her chin up to peck her lips a few times. The sound of loud, disgusted groans break the two apart. They sheepishly smile as they turn back to their friends, who all stared at them with disapproving eyes.

"You two going to keep sucking each other's faces off, or what?" Pope raises his eyebrows, looking between the couple.

"Sorry, man." JJ apologizes, though a small smirk played at the corners of his mouth.

"Sorry, Popey." Ariella sits up, JJ's hands falling down to her thighs. "We're paying attention now."

"Thank you. JJ, take it away, please."

"Security is gonna be the hardest part." JJ starts, his fingers tapping along Ari's thigh. "So most of the guys are gonna be at the rail yard."

"We'll need to find some place and guard it, maybe a little further down the line, like a whistle-stop." Pope adds, agreeing with JJ.

"Yeah."

"You guys are getting ahead of yourselves per usual." Cleo says, shaking her head in disagreement. Her words holding no lie in them. "We don't have a way to transport the cross. What you think? On JJ's motorcycle?"

JJ scoffs. "That's not my fault."

"It isn't, my love. It isn't anyone's fault." Ariella states, moving her arm to hang around JJ's neck. "We just need to think, okay? There has to be other options."

"John B just had to disappear at this very moment." Kiara grumbles, leaning her elbows against the table.

"He definitely didn't know he was going to be gone this long." Ariella defends her brother. "He would've left it on the note."

"Yeah, he would never leave..." Sarah trails off, the small smile on her face, now falling. A gasp escapes her lips as both of her hands fly up to her mouth. Sarah leans forward, full of shock. Her eyes locking with her sister's. "Oh my God."