RIVER | JJ MAYBANK

53

A/N: This is the last chapter. Thank you so much for all your support and love. It means so much. I honestly didn't expect this book to get as many reads, votes and comments as it has. I am beyond grateful!
Love you all

Edited: ✔️

Shoupe walked in with two other deputies and River's grandpa. Reginald smiled at the girl, who was visibly upset. He felt bad for her, he knew what it was like to loose someone you're close too.

"Did you find them?" Pope questioned, trying his hardest to remain calm. His eyes flickered between all the deputies anxiously.

Shoupe shook his head. "No." He couldn't help but feel beyond guilty, these kids have lost their best friends.

"So they got away." Kie asked hopefully. Although the look on the deputies and Reginald's face didn't look too hopeful.

"They got away right?!" River questioned louder, wanting an answer now. Her heart was racing and her palms were sweaty. She was quick to wipe them on the clothes she had been wearing for the past few days.

"We, uh, we lost them." Shoupe paused. "I'm sorry."

"What-" River's voice cracked.

"You lost them?" Pope questioned. "What do you mean you lost them? Like they're gone? What are you talking about?"

"They took an open boat into a tropical depression Pope." Shoupe explained. He knew that the news would be hard for them all to hear, especially at such a young age. River's knees felt weak and tears brimmed her eyes.

"So they're dead?" Kie asked the dreaded question. Nobody really wanted the answer but they needed it.

"We don't know." Shoupe answered. River stumbled back as if she had being physically hit. The words were enough to kill her. Her family might be dead.

"You drove them straight through the storm man! Are you kidding me?" JJ shouted, nobody missed the crack in his voice.

"JJ-" River sobbed, and tried to grab his hand but JJ was too angry.

"Come here! I'm gonna kill you! I'm gonna kill you! You bastard!" JJ shouted as he tried to hit Shoupe but the deputy pulled him back and away from the situation.

"JJ Stop!" River cried.

"You killed him!" Pope shouted. "He didn't kill anyone and you know it." He tried his hardest to not burst into tears from how angry he was.

"We're still looking for him alright?" Shoupe attempted to reassure Pope.

River stumbled over to JJ and wrapped her arms around him. She broke down almost instantly, as did he.

Mr and Mrs Carrera and Mr and Mrs Heyward showed up. Kie ran straight to her parents and Pope did his. River was glad their parents cared so much about them, it was something she envied. Everyone was crying and no one know what to say or do.

River pulled away and looked at JJ. "This is all my fault." She cried. She harshly wiped away her tears.

"Don't say that baby girl." JJ said cupping her face.

"I told them to keep going." Her knee's buckles beneath her and JJ quickly caught her. Her words could have killed them.

"This wasn't your fault. It was there's." JJ said wiping away his tears as he looked towards the cops. "And they'll pay for what they did." He promised.

"River." Reginald looked at the sobbing girl. "Let's get your home." He suggested.

River looked around at her friends, JJ was now hugging with the Heyward family.

"H-Home?" River stuttered. Her mother hadn't seen her in weeks and she hadn't bothered to call or try to find her. She didn't care if she was dead or alive. "I don't want to go home." She aggressively shook her head.

"Mine. You're not going back to your mothers ever again." Reginald was disgusted in his daughter. "You're staying with me from now on, okay?"

"JJ?" River turned and faced the boy. She wrapped her arms around him again. She didn't want to leave him right now. She needed him and he needed her.

"I'm here." He whispered. "I'm not leaving you." He reassured the girl. "I promise."

"Can JJ come, he has no where to go and-"

Reginald cut River off by saying "Yes, but we're going now. You need rest, both of you and a change of clothes." He looked between the pair. "You're sleeping in separate rooms."

~

River sat under the shower and let the water fall on top of her as she cried. She pulled her legs up to her chest and cried into her knees. She couldn't believe that he was dead.

Her best friends-

-her family.

"River?" JJ knocked lightly on the door. "Come on baby, it's time to get out." He whispered.

"Okay." She stammered. She slowly stood up, turned the shower off and grabbed her towel.

River quickly got changed into a fresh set of pyjamas. JJ had showered in the spare room, so he too was now in new clothes.

River opened the door and was met with JJ. JJ noticed her red eyes and puffy cheeks. He hated that he couldn't take away her pain. He hated that she even had to suffer at all.

She didn't deserve it,
she deserved better.

"Let's get you in bed." JJ whispered, his voice kept cracking slightly. He was always on the verge of breaking down. He tried his hardest to remain strong and he could see that River was too.

"Please don't leave tonight, stay here with me."

"Your Grandpa won't like it Ri." JJ reminded her.

"That's only cause he thinks I'm going to end up like my mom, pregnant at a young age." She let out a scoff. "I just don't want to be alone."

"Okay." He nodded.

River crawled into her bed and JJ joined her. There was a light knock at the door that made them sit it.

"I'm sorry to interrupt Miss Cross. Your Grandfather wanted to know if I could fetch you anything?" Hannah, Reginald's assistant questioned.

"I'm okay thank you, JJ?" River smiled thankfully.

"I'm okay." He nodded.

Hannah nodded and quickly left. Last summer River spent most of her time with Hannah, if she wasn't with her grandpa.

"Come here." JJ said opening his arms and River quickly snuggled closer to him. "It's been a long couple of days baby girl, get some rest." He whispered.

"Only if you do." She whispered back closing her eyes.

"Okay." He smiled, although they both knew that they wouldn't be sleeping. Because if they did they'd be plagued by bad thoughts and nightmares.

"I love you JJ Maybank." She whispered looking up to him.

"I love you too River Cross." He placed a light kiss on her head.

"Please don't ever leave me." She bit down on her lip to prevent herself from bursting out into tears.

"I won't. I promise."