Outer Banks ~ JJ Maybank

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"I hope Sarah's okay." I said sitting down on the hammock after JJ and I got back from the dock. "I don't really care." "JJ!" "What! I hope she's not dead but whether or not she made it to John B or not is not something I feel the need to care about." "You are so mean." "Really? Would a mean person get their girlfriend something to help cushion the fact that she might never see her brother again." "You got me something?" "Yeah. Nothing to big or special though." We heard a big clap of thunder sound and looked up to see storm clouds rolling in. "Can we go inside first?" "Yes." He said getting up and running inside.

"Okay. What is it?" "This." He said, handing me a locket. "It was my mom's. I found it laying around in my house. I figured I could do something with it. Look inside." He said. I opened it and saw a picture of John B and I as kids on one side and one of us just a few weeks ago on the other. "Oh my god. When did you have time to do all this?" "Well, it happened over a series of time. I took that picture of you guys as ids from your mom's old locket that I found in your dad's office and I had Kie make the other one." "JJ. This is the sweetest thing ever." "Thanks." He said with a small smile. "No JJ. I'm serious. Thank you so much." I said hugging him. "I love you." "I love you too." He said. We broke up our hug because we saw flashing police lights outside our house. "Are you fucking kidding me." I said rolling my eyes and walking outside. "Can we help you?" "You Gabriela Routledge?" "Yeah." "You need to come with me right now." "Why?" "Your brother is in danger and we think you might be the only one who can stop him." "But him and I had a huge falling out and-" "We know you didn't. have a falling out with your brother but are willing to look past all the lies if you come with me right now." "What kind of danger?" "He could die." "JJ! Come on! We need to go!" I yelled. He ran outside and followed me into the car. "What are we doing?" "I don't know. But call Pope and Kie and tell them to get to the headquarters ASAP." "Towers are down." "No they aren't." The cop said handing us her phone as she drove away.

We got the headquarters and the wind had picked up considerably. JJ was sent off to a different tent while I was rushed into the main tent. I walked in and saw Ward Cameron sitting by a CB radio. "What the fuck is he doing here?" "Look, your brother and Sarah are heading straight for that storm. We have to stop them." "Get out of the fucking way." I said shoving him and grabbing the radio. "John B?" "Gabbie?" "John B, are you okay?" "Yeah. Just a little hard to see out here." "I would assume, it's a tropical storm." We both laughed a little and I took a deep breath. "John B, it's not safe out there." "I know Gabbie. But I have to do this." "I know you do. I want you to, I just don't want you to get hurt. And as your sister, you being hurt, or worse, you dying, takes the cake." "You pushed me to do this. Why are you suddenly going back on everything." "You are the only family I have left John B. Mom left, Dad died, and now it is just us. I can't lose you too." I said, my voice beginning to shake. "I have to at least try to do this Gabbie. I'm doing it all for you." I took a deep breath feeling my heart begin to break. "I love you Bird." "I lo-" The radio cut out. "John B? Bird? Hello?" "We got eyes on them!" Some one yelled outside the tent. I quickly ran from the tent I was in to the tent where JJ stood, waiting anxiously with Kie and Pope. I ran into his arms. 

"What happened?" "He isn't gonna turn back. The radio cut out while he was in the middle of telling me he loved me. But they eyes on him and Sarah and they sent out a police boat. So the best thing we can do is wait." And wait we did. Every minute felt like an hour. I could hear my heart beat ringing in my ears. After about 30 minutes, three officers walked in and didn't look happy. "Did you find him?" JJ said, standing up. "We tried. We really tried, but they were too far away. A big wave came and, well, we couldn't find them." "What?" I said, standing up as well. "I'm so sorry." One officer said removing his hat. I froze in place, I couldn't even breathe. JJ started to yell at the officers and Kie and Pope held him back. The officers left the tent and I started to cry. JJ hugged me, I could feel him crying too. We heard people walk in and saw Pope and Kie's family. JJ looked out, hopefully but no one came. He started to cry even harder. "I'm here." I said into his chest. "We have each other." He nodded and kissed my forehead. Pope and Kie came over to us and hugged us. "I'm so sorry." Kie said with a sniffle. "We are always here for you." Pope chimed in. "Thanks guys." I said through a stream of tears.

We left the headquarters 10 minutes later. The officer that brought us there took us back to my house. "I'm so sorry for your loss." She said, before getting back in her car and driving away. JJ and I walked into the house and sat down on the sofa. "How are you?" "Can I be honest?" "Yes." "Numb." "Me too." "It's just hard to believe that he's gone." I said, swallowing hard. "Yeah. I never thought we would live to see the day." "Kie and I thought you would be the first one to go." "So mean!" "He said playfully punching my arm. I sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "Ya know, that stain right there is from the time he and I decided to put Mentos in Coke and throw it in the air with a closed lid to see what would happen. The house was sticky fro months." JJ let out a soft laugh and laced our fingers together. "I'm sorry your dad didn't show." I said, changing to subject. "It's fine. I expect it at this point. I just kind hoped since one of my friends died that maybe he would try to show up." "Well, I'm still sorry he didn't." "It's fine. I'm sorry the rest for your family is either dead or off somewhere else living a new life." "It's okay." "But, at least I still have you." "You'll always have me."  He said, kissing me hand before we both drifted off to sleep.