Sea You Soon // An Outer Banks Fanfiction

26- Jail Bird

The next week passed in a blur. The day after talking to Lana, we went to visit John B to see how he was doing.

As we headed out the front door, JJ gently took my hand and asked, "How are you holding up?"

I let out a shaky sigh and said, "This is going to fucking suck. I don't want to see my brother sitting behind bars, but neither do any of you guys." I looked up at him and lightly squeezed his hand. "What about you? Are you doing okay?"

JJ gave me a weak smile and said, "I'm in the same boat as you. This whole thing is just really shitty."

We got in the van, JJ driving and me sitting in the passenger seat. Pope, Kie, and Sarah told us they would meet us at the station. JJ continued speaking, "I know everything will work out in the end. We just have to be patient."

"I didn't know patience was in your vocabulary," I joked, nudging him with my elbow.

"I do have to deal with you now, and you know how exhausting that can be," JJ joked back, leaning across the center console of the van to place a quick kiss on my lips.

I rolled my eyes and pulled away, shaking my head as JJ started up the van. When we got to the station, Kiara, Pope, and Sarah were already standing outside waiting for us.

"There you are," Pope said. "Why are you two always so damn late for everything?" he asked, giving us a skeptical look.

"JJ drives really slow," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Yeah, right," Kie muttered under her breath.

"I will have you know that I am a very safe driver, unlike Pope. Do you remember last summer?" JJ said defensively.

"Shut the fuck up, JJ. That was literally one time," Pope said, annoyed.

"If I remember right, it was two stop signs, one parked car, maybe a mailbox or two..." 

When we entered the police station, the joking mood of our group immediately shifted as we were faced with the sullen-faced receptionist sitting at the front desk. The room was completely silent except for faded voices coming from the office in the back.

"How can I help you?" the receptionist asked, unenthused.

I stepped forward to speak to her, reaching my left hand back behind me to take JJ's hand. "We're here to see John Routledge," I said, my voice catching as I said my brother's name, my nerves getting the better of me. JJ started lightly rubbing circles into the palm of my hand with his thumb, trying to comfort me.

The woman slowly stood up from her chair. "Right this way," she mumbled, leading us farther back into the building. When we reached the holding cells, we met Shoupe and he led us to my brother's cell.

John B was sitting up against the wall, with his head leaned back and tilted toward the ceiling. When he heard us approaching, he turned his head to look at us. His eyes looked empty and emotionless, but when he saw us, I could see a flicker of light pass through. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly, and he said, "I never thought you guys would come," jokingly.

Even though it had been only a couple of days, I could see that being here had really taken a toll on him. Shit, it would take a toll on anyone.

Sarah walked up to the door of the cell and pressed her face between the bars. "How are you?" she said softly, as John B stood up and walked over to her.

He rested his forehead on hers and said, "I've been better, but I'm glad you're here."

The rest of us stood in silence, letting the two of them have their moment. JJ let go of my hand and wrapped his arm around my waist. I lightly rested my head on his shoulder.

After John B and Sarah whispered back and forth to each other for a couple of minutes, John B turned to us and said, "My trial is in exactly one week."

"One week?!" Pope exclaimed. "That's really soon. Do you even have a lawyer?"

"Well, yeah. Legally they have to give me one, but they won't even let me talk to the guy. They said that he's got everything handled," John B said shortly.

"That's bullshit," Pope said angrily. "Those assholes who work for the state aren't going to be able to keep you out of prison." He lowered his voice and continued, "We've been trying to gather evidence to build up a case against Rafe and Ward. We have the money, so we'll go out and find you a good lawyer who can take this evidence and present it. We'll find someone who can get you out of all this mess."

"Thanks, guys," John B said. For the first time since we had gotten here, he actually looked like himself.

I walked over to the bars, and John B took my hand in his. "I love you, bug," he said, giving me a small smile.

"I love you too," I responded, smiling as my eyes welled up with tears. I did everything I could to keep the tears from slipping down my cheeks. I didn't want John B to see me cry.

My brother turned toward JJ. "Please take care of her, okay?" he pleaded.

JJ nodded his head as he walked over and put his arm back around me, leading me away from the cells.

"We'll meet you guys back at the house," JJ said, unlocking the van.

As soon as I climbed in and closed the door, a single tear fell down my face.

"Hey," JJ said softly, causing me to turn my head and look at him. He cupped my cheek in his hand and gently brushed the tear away with his thumb. He kissed my cheek where the tear had been. "Everything is going to be okay," he assured me.

"I love you, JJ," I whispered.

He put his hand on my leg and headed up the road, "I love you too, Paisley," he responded, grinning.

As soon as we were all back at the house, Pope locked himself in John B's room and started doing research and making phone calls. He was trying to find a lawyer that would be willing to take John B's case on such short notice.

A couple of hours later, Pope emerged from the room with a smug look on his face. "We're meeting with a lawyer at 9 o'clock tomorrow morning. I think we're going to be able to get John B out of this. This guy sounds like he knows what the hell he's doing."

We met with the lawyer multiple times throughout the next few days and slowly our case started to come into place. I felt relief knowing that we wouldn't have to handle everything on our own.