𝗠𝘆 𝗘𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲 ⇉ 𝗝𝗝 𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸

𝘧 𝘰 𝘳 𝘦 𝘷 𝘦 𝘳

ARIELLA PICKS AT her thumbnail, her mind a whirlwind of anxiety. She hadn't left the hospital at all, and the weight of guilt only grew heavier in her chest.

The thought of the Pogues being interrogated by Shoupe for Wes Genrette's death gnawed at her, and knowing her daughter was with them, under Sarah's care, only added to her worry.

Goat Island was no place for Cora to be.

Inside the hyperbaric chamber, Kiara and JJ were doing better. They still had a couple of hours left, but they were now fully conscious and aware.

JJ's eyes never left the small glass window, fixated on Ariella. He could see the worry etched in her face, the way her brows furrowed and her lips pressed into a thin line. All he wanted to do was hold her close and never let her go.

JJ's thoughts drift back to the moments when he thought he was dying. All he could think of was Ariella and their little girl. The fear of leaving them behind was a pain sharper than any physical wound.

His heart ached with a deep, unspoken love and a desperate need to protect them. He watched her through the glass, his heart breaking with each passing second, wishing he could reach out and wipe away her tears, tell her everything would be okay, and promise he would never leave her side again.

                            𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧.𖡼

It took some convincing, but John B managed to drag Ariella away from the chaos. She didn't want to leave, but she had a daughter to look after, and she knew JJ would want them to be taken care of before anything else.

With a heavy heart, she blew him a kiss and promised she'd be back to pick them up soon.

Back at the Pogues' home, Ariella found herself sitting on the old, familiar couch, Cora nestled on her lap. The little girl slept peacefully, her tiny breaths steady and calm.

When they first arrived, Cora had been overjoyed to see her mother, her little face lighting up as she babbled about how she got two lollipops from Shoupe and Genrette.

Ariella matched her excitement with a warm smile, even though she didn't trust either of those men. The thought of them interacting with her daughter made her uneasy, but she hid her worries for Cora's sake.

Sarah assured her that everything had been okay the whole time. She stood by Pope's side, the boy not letting her out of his sight.

Now, Ariella watches as Pope prepares nitric acid to clean the amulet they had told Genrette they didn't have.

He dips the amulet into the acid, watching intently as the chemical reaction cleans off the barnacles.

"Where did you learn how to do this?" John B asks, leaning forward, though his hand never left Ariella's, still providing her comfort.

"Chemical reactions." Pope mutters before clarifying. "Chemistry."

John B's eyebrows furrow. "I was in chemistry."

Ariella squeezes his hand, a small smile playing on her lips. "JB, Pope and I took a different chemistry than you and JJ. I think you know why."

Sarah chuckles at her response, while John B's face turned into an offended look. "What?"

"It's okay, still love you." Ariella says, mustering a smile and squeezing her brother's hand again.

"I think it's ready." Pope announces, carefully lifting the amulet out of the acid.

"Oh, the barnacles are gone." John B observes, a hint of satisfaction creeping into his voice as he holds the amulet up to the light.

The gold glimmers, catching everyone's attention.