RIVER | JJ MAYBANK

TWENTY SEVEN

YUCATAN

River ran over to JJ's house the second that she found out he was released. She had gone down the the station and Sheriff Peterkin said that his dad came to pick him up an hour ago and she knew for a fact that, that wasn't going to go down well.

She snuck behind his house, she could hear the loud music playing and his dad shouting. River opened JJ's window and let herself in. She watched the boy bang on the door.

"JJ?" River whispered, placing her hand on his shoulder. JJ jumped slightly. He turned around and was met with River.

That's when he broke. He fell to the floor and tears streamed down his face. River knelt down beside him and pulled his head into her chest. "I'm so sorry." He whispered, clinging on to her. "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay JJ. It's okay." She whispered back, running her fingers through his hair, soothingly. "Just breathe."

"I hate him." JJ cried. "I hate him." JJ repeated angrily. River noticed his bust lip and black eye. She hated that he had to come home and live with a man like that. She hated that she couldn't help or save him.

"Lets get you on the bed." River mumbled, helping the boy stand up. JJ followed River onto the bed. She sat down and pulled the covers over the pair. JJ's head rested in her lap as her fingers combed through her hair. "Get some rest." JJ quickly shook his head. "I'll be here where you wake up J. I promise." She smiled.

It wasn't too long after the music stopped that JJ fell asleep. River smiled at the boy as he lightly snores. He had wrapped himself around her. There was no way for her to move, not that she wanted too.

She began to plait JJ's hair, hoping that he wouldn't wake up, he needed the rest. "We'll get out of here one day JJ, I promise."

~

"Wait for me outside." JJ whispered to River as he stared at his dad, who had past out on the couch. "Get the bike ready." He gave her arm a light squeeze and placed a light kiss on her temple.

"I hate the bike." River muttered as JJ handed her the keys.

River made her way on the front and started the bikes engine, waiting for JJ. He came out with tear stained cheeks. "Let's go." JJ said, handing River his back pack. She pulled it on as JJ got on the bike. She wrapped her arms around his toned torso.

They arrived at John B's house after taking the scenic route through the woods. JJ was the one to notice the car parked out front, River was just going to walk up and into the house as usual. "You don't think he's in there do you?" River questioned. She wasn't mad at John B anymore. And she was sure that he knew that. Although the two hadn't talked since.

"Nope, he's right there." JJ said pointing to John B who was happily walking up to the house, without a care in the world.

JJ ran behind John B and covered his mouth the stop him from yelling. It was a big mistake though, because John B threw JJ to the ground. River let out a small gasp.

"JB. Stop. It's JJ." River whispered shouted, trying to pull the boys apart. JJ has taken enough beatings to last him a life time and he didn't need any more from his best friend.

"What are you doing bro." John B said lightly pushing JJ.

"Shut up." JJ said covering his mouth and pushing John B up against the rooster's hutch. River missed the rooster. JJ pulled John B with him and pointed to the car. "See that? They're watching us, okay?"

"Who?" John B questioned. River grabbed JJ's hand, the small action made JJ smile.

"I don't know, let's go. Sneak around the dock. Gotta go this way." JJ said as they walked through the marsh. If there was one thing River hated more than when JJ smoked weed, it was wet socks. Wet socks had to be one of the worst things in the world.

"Wait, wait, wait. You got the keys to the Pogue?" John B questioned JJ.

"Yeah." JJ nodded.

"Good cause I'm gonna be swimming soon." River said as the water was already up to her shoulders. "I fucking hate being small." She cursed.

They made it to the HMS Pogue after swimming through the marsh. "Up you go baby girl." JJ said pushing her onto the boat.

JJ and John B untied the Pogue from the dock and pushed it away. "R.C start the engine!" John B instructed. River nodded, she used her previous knowledge from JJ's training, and quickly started the boat. John B took over, not wanting the learner to somehow crash.

~

"First, I almost get strangled to death by Kooks, and now I'm on the hook for 30 grand. We should just dip." JJ suggested, his arm wrapped around River.

"Sounds like a plan to me J." River agreed looking up to the boy. She wanted nothing more than to get out of Outer Banks.

"Okay, where do you wanna go? Hm?" John B questioned, curious to see what JJ had planned.

"Yucatan." JJ shrugged.

"Yucatan." John B laughed.

"No, I'm dead serious right now. Surf all day, and then we can just live off lobsters we catch with our bare hands." JJ turned and face John B. River liked that idea, the idea of a carefree happy life. Just the three of them, like the good days before everything got complicated.

"You just wanna leave 'cause you got your ass beat?" John B questioned.

"John." River snapped scoldingly.

"You didn't see the photos." JJ mumbled looking down at the ground.

"Think about it. They're willing to kill for the gold, then it's gotta he out here." John B said as he jumped down from the rock he was perviously sat on.

"Have you lost your mind?" JJ shouted pulling off his hat. "One hundred years man. One hundred years people have been trying to find this Royal Merchant, and no one succeeded. And you think you are gonna be the one that actually finds it?"

"Maybe we should take a breath and calm down?" River suggested, but was ignored.

"When are you gonna get it into your thick skull? If you keep going down this road, you're gonna end up just like your dad!" JJ snapped.

"I said we need to fucking calm down." River shouted angrily. She was sick and tired of them ignoring her. She stood in front of JJ, her hands on his heaving chest. His eyes flickered down to her soft blue ones and he relaxed. He'd do anything for her.

"I can't give up JJ." John B shouted, pushing JJ back. "The last time I saw that dude we got in an argument." Silence. "Then he took all of our rent money and dipped for this Royal merchant. And then I told him he was a shit father, and you know how the rest of the story goes." John B said walking away.

"Bro, that wasn't your fault." JJ tried to reassure John B.

"It doesn't matter whose fault it is JJ. Do you not understand that?" John B said standing face to face with JJ again. "I can't give up on the hunt, man. I don't care who's out there, who's gonna try to kill us. Do you understand that? You know that." John B grabbed his bag and walked off. "Look, I've got a plan, you coming or what?"

"Here we go again." River mumbled, grabbing JJ's hand.

"Four hundred million JJ, how much do you owe in restitution?" John B asked. River pulled at JJ and followed after John B,

LIKE USUAL.