Endless || Jonah Marais ✓

♪ THIRTY-EIGHT ♪

Time skip: One week later

"We get to bring Caramel back home today!" Aurora squeals excitedly, clapping her hands together and bouncing up and down. "What is taking Heroin so long?"

"He should be wheeling her out any second now," Daniel says, peering down the hallway in search of them. "Mrs. Elliot had to sign a few more papers."

Apart from their usual group, the only other people in the lobby are Casey and Laila. Once Carmen had felt well enough to hold lengthy conversations, she gave her statement to the police. Aurora had been thrilled to watch Jackson and Cole being handcuffed and carted away in the back of police cars.

"CARAMEL!" Aurora exclaims, being the first to spot her and Zach entering the room, with her mother close behind.

Looking slightly better and more rested than she had when they first visited her in her room, Carmen waves to everyone with a smile.

"Our flight leaves at noon," Jonah announces to the group. "So if we leave now, we'll have time to grab our luggage from the hotel and get some food."

Aurora's excitement fades and she grabs Jonah's arm, leading him out of earshot of the others as they all crowd around Carmen. He frowns, glancing down at her upset demeanor.

"What's wrong?" He questions.

"You could have at least warned me we were flying again!" She snaps, stomping her foot like a frustrated toddler and crossing her arms.

"I thought you knew," Jonah answers, his confusion evident. "It's not like we have any other options."

"We could drive," she retorts. "Hell, I would rather walk back to LA than get on another flying death trap!"

"I'm sorry for not telling you sooner," he apologizes, running a hand through his hair. "If we had a car, I would happily drive for over half a day to get us back home so you don't have to get on another plane. But, we don't have one."

His statement causes Aurora to smile and some of her anger fades away as she steps closer to the boy, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I'm sorry for snapping at you."

Tilting her head up, Jonah presses a kiss to her lips.

"GET A ROOM!" Jack shouts, earning a swift smack to the back of the head from Callie.

Laughing, Aurora obliges and pulls back from Jonah, her eyes lighting up as a new idea begins to form.

"Do you still have Cole's car keys?"

"Yeah, he kind of had bigger problems than his keys to worry about," Jonah answers warily, not liking the look in her eyes one bit. "Why?"

"Because that means we do have a car to drive home in!"

"Aurora." Jonah shakes his head incredulously, chuckling at the absurd idea. "We are not stealing a car."

××××

"Does anyone want to ride back with Aurora and I?" Jonah asks the group as they trek through the McDonald's parking lot. "We're driving back to LA."

"I do!" Corbyn decides without a second thought, dashing over to Mrs. Reynold's minivan to grab his luggage.

When everyone else chooses the flight, Aurora turns to dramatically bid them goodbye.

"This is where we part," she sighs, sniffling despite not actually being upset. "Don't do anything stupid or illegal without me."

"No promises." Callie winks.