⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀   ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

⠀⠀⠀   ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
.*･｡. EFF IT! .*･｡.
————PARCEL 9
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

036.
CHARLIE'S ANGELS.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

━━━━━━━☆☆━━━━━━━
blake is portrayed by isaiah mustafa

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
John B was officially in the family.

   They'd made a toast and everything. He was an honorary Penbrook now, which was weird to Sonny, but she wasn't too mad about it. Actually, it was hard to be mad when John B's life was so shitty beforehand.

   Losing his father, almost being sent to the mainland. He'd had it hard. But things were looking up — they knew where the gold was hidden, they had a plan for Kiara and Sarah to work through their issues (which the boys wouldn't let Sonny in on, much to her dismay) and Benji Bayview had agreed to help them. All they had to do now was actually get the gold, then they were rich. John B got closure.

   It was happening.

   Everything was finally coming up Pogue.

   Sonny only had to wait for the boys to execute mission get Sarah and Kiara to talk it out and then they'd be smooth sailing from here on out — hopefully.

   John B never made good plans.

    "I'm home!"

   Sonny stepped through the door, her bag on her shoulder. She closed it behind her and pushed her sunglasses onto her head, looking around for any signs of Natasha or Ed. Their car wasn't in the driveway, but there was a new looking SUV in its place. She didn't know whose.

    "Hello?" She called out.

    "Hi, sugar."

   Sonny span around, eyes wide. "Blake?"

    "Surprise?" He sent her a warm smile, opening his arms. She shook her head, surprise alright.

"You scared me," Sonny admitted reluctantly.

   The words seemed to shock him, seeing as she was seldom spooked by anything. Not even when she was a baby. They'd tried to play peek-a-boo with her, but it never really worked. She only stared at them blankly, like she knew it was a stupid game for idiot kids. She had scarily good object permanence for a toddler.

   But, still, a lot changed when you were chased by square groupers with guns and sneaking around an axe murderer's cellar. Was she wrong for being a little jumpy? Even just a fraction more than usual?

   Sonny put her car keys in the bowl in the foyer, arching a brow. "What're you doing here?"

"Can't I visit my kid?"

"Sure," she told the man. "I just... I wasn't expecting you. Weren't you in Egypt?"

"I was," Blake replied. He walked over to her and swung one arm around her shoulder, giving her a soft squeeze. "But then Natasha called me, so..."

Sonny rolled her eyes.

"Great." The girl muttered, leading him into the kitchen. She wasn't angry at Nat, she never could be, but she felt that the woman sometimes acted on things before she'd thought them through. It was only out of love, but still. "Did she tell you I've gone off the rails? 'Cause I ditch Midsummers and sank Topper's boat?"

"She's just worried," Blake defended her.

"She's always worried."

"That's good. You're lucky," her birth father said, making Sonny quiet. Blake took a seat at the island while Sonny got two glasses from the cabinet and a pitcher of juice from the fridge. He watched her bring them back and pour them, his eyes gently inspecting her. It had been months since he'd last visited. Mostly due to work, partially due to the storm. That had delayed his scheduled visit, so they rearranged it to next month. He was three weeks early. "But she did tell me about Topper's boat. Speak on that, kid."

"I sank it," Sonny shrugged, trying not to smile small. He spoke in interesting ways sometimes. "He helped jump a kid that I know. Topper deserved it."

   She watched him process the information.

   His head was tilted, hand wrapped around the glass she'd slid towards him, a slight grin on his lips. Like he was trying his best to parent, though he felt inclined to act like a friend. They'd always had some trouble with that. While Blake was her father, biologically at least, sometimes he felt more like a family friend or an uncle.

   It was okay.

   Sure, maybe it was weird having two dad's, and sometimes  Sonny wasn't sure how to act with Blake, but she was alright with that. She'd come to terms with it, at least. Most family dynamics were hard to navigate. Especially for foster kids. It was just how shit worked out.

    "This kid," Blake said.

   She waited.

    "He your boyfriend or something?"

   Sonny snorted, "Hell no."

    "What? Is it that funny I think you'd find yourself a fella? I've not seen you in months," Blake pointed out.

    "Okay, one— nobody says fella anymore," Sonny sent the man a sharp look, "And two— yes."

   Sonny didn't do relationships— she didn't even do friends, let alone lovers. Especially not with Pope Heyward. Not that there was anything wrong with Pope...

   But could you imagine it? 

   No?

   She couldn't either. Sonny and Pope would probably be the weirdest couple to come out of the OBX, which was saying something, since the OBX had churned out some weird ass couples. John B and Sarah Cameron, for example. That was weird when she thought about it. Did they have anything in common, other than good looks and nice smiles? She didn't know for sure. Still, this wasn't about them. It was about her and Pope— which would never happen. Too weird. The only person who could be weirder for her was Rafe. The thought of that alone made her shiver.

    "So you're not friends with Topper, anymore?"

    "I guess not," she replied, suddenly sullen. It wasn't like it was terrible, they hadn't been real friends for a while, but he was the only thing she knew as a kid. Her constant. Now she didn't have him anymore.

   Sonny hadn't realised how... empty she would feel.

   She didn't want him around, not after everything he had done, but she was adjusting. Sonny thought it'd be easier. It was easy to start with, but now? Not so much. Seeing him in her garage yesterday made her realise that.

"And his boat needed sinking?"

"Law of the jungle," she shrugged.

Blake smiled.

"You're a weird kid."

"You don't even know," Sonny muttered, taking a sip from her glass. She knew weirder.

They were quiet for a moment. Blake took that time to try and remember when she had grown so much. It shocked the man sometimes.

The years had passed quickly. Too quickly.

Natasha and Ed had raised her well, he could tell, but the surprise still lingered every time he saw her. She was grown. Sixteen years old, seventeen to come. And sometimes, when he looked at her, Blake still saw that little girl he left behind.

He cleared his throat.

"So," Blake said. "I hear you got a new brother."

"He's not my brother," she rolled her eyes, "His dad's gone so he's staying here for now. Until he's old enough that DCS stop tryna send him to the mainland."

The front door slammed.

"I'm home, bird!"

"Speak of the devil," Sonny murmured. Blake's face had twisted in amusement. "Kitchen, bird shit!"

"Operation SarahKie is a go! I'm telling you, they'll be the best of friends by morning!" John B skipped his way through the hall and into the kitchen, sounding proud of his plans. It only made Sonny scoff quietly. "Hey— d'you see that super fancy SUV in the drive? Think we could pick the lock? Take that baby for a— oh."

John B paused in the doorway.

"Blake, John B." Sonny introduced before it got way too awkward. John B was already looking at her for help, like it was wrong for him to waltz in like he lived here. Even if he did. "Booker, this is Blake."

She hesitated.

"My dad," she finally said, holding a breath.

"Oh," John B's eyes flitted between them. She wondered whether he'd picked up on her discomfort. Sonny had never introduced her birth father to anyone but Topper. She felt it was too private. Now it wasn't.

Luckily, John B was good with people.

"Judging by the way you're looking at me," he didn't miss one beat, "It's his SUV."

"Hi John," Blake smiled. Any ounce of tension vanished. He held out his hand to greet the teenage boy, his face kind. "Good to meet you, kid."

"Yeah— yeah, you too." John B took off his cap, grasping his hand. "Look, uh, I'm sorry—"

Blake chuckled.

"Don't be," he assured.

"...really?"

"Sure. I'm here for a week or so," Blake told him, "Maybe you could take it out for a spin."

"Uh... yeah— yeah!" Eyes bright, John B nodded his head vigorously. Like he couldn't believe his luck. Maybe he really couldn't. A lot had changed for John B lately, about as much as had changed for Sonny. "You know, I might take you up on that Blake." He looked at Sonny with an eager grin, "Are all your parents this cool?"

Sonny smiled tightly, only the alive ones.

"I'm gonna head up, bird. Gotta meet J and Pope later, to keep planning," John B gave Sonny a pointed look and crept towards the door, "You know..."

Blake got the memo.

"I won't keep her long," he assured him.

"Cool," John B's cheeks went warm, embarrassed that it hadn't been as discreet as he intended. "Nice meeting you."

"You too, John."

With a wave, John B scurried out of the room and up the stairs two at a time. They were quiet until his footsteps were no longer audible. Blake nodded.

"Well he's nice," he said.

"He's not nice. He's annoying," Sonny corrected, though some small part of her appreciated the comment. Almost as though she'd made a good choice in picking a brother, even when she hadn't really chosen him. "Makes all his problems my problems."

"'Cause he trusts you," Blake said. "Treats you like family. You can see it a mile away."

She didn't reply.

"Hey." The man spoke up when she didn't. Sonny didn't look at him, choosing to toy with her glass, but she was still listening. "I brought you something."

Sonny puckered her lips and pulled them to the side, eyes twinkling with mischief. She glanced at him and arched one brow, "Is it one of those things the Egyptians use to pull out dead people's brains?"

Blake rolled his eyes fondly.

"They were fresh out."

Sonny pulled a face at him.

"Here," he chuckled, pulling it from his pocket.

"What is it?" Sonny asked as he placed something on the island, sliding it across. "A camera?"

"It was your mother's."

————

   Mother was a weird word.

   As she sat on the dock, staring at the old digital camera in her hands, the word felt almost foreign on her tongue. For the last few years when Sonny thought of a mother, she thought only of Natasha Penbrook's face.

   Now it was different.

   She wasn't sure why. Maybe because she now had an old camera with photos of her birth mom.

   Ones she just couldn't bring herself to look at.

    "Princess, oh princess! Where art thou?"

   Sonny jumped.

   She looked up, watching the HMS POGUE approach with Pope behind the wheel and JJ stood on the bow. He grinned, like seeing her was the best part of the day, waving his hand like he was royalty. Pope laughed, telling him to cut it out so he could see where he was steering, and instead to get ready with the rope. JJ obliged after a bit of whining, saying that it would've been nice to get a wave from princess first. Sonny's eyes rolled as she stood up.

    "Quit bitching," she told him.

   JJ pouted.

   Sonny let them dock, pocketing the camera so they didn't see it. She folded her arms and cocked a hip, her face blank and neutral like it usually was.

"Where's JB?"

"Inside," Sonny told Pope as he jumped off the boat. "If you see a random man, it's my father."

He frowned, "I already—"

"My other father," she quickly cut him off.

"Oh," Pope nodded slowly, lips pressed when she avoided his eye. He loitered for a second, unsure of what to say, and eventually decided Sonny wouldn't want to talk. Instead, he pointed towards her house.

He hurried up the dock and disappeared from view while Sonny approached the boat. JJ grinned, offering her a hand that she ignored, just like she did every time he offered it. His smile fell when she jumped in and took a seat, her long legs stretched out in front of her.

   This was new.

   She'd never been on the POGUE before.

    "Welcome aboard, princess."

    "Why not the twinkie?" She asked, frowning. She wasn't sure why they needed it.

    "You'll see," he winked, trying not to grin too wide at her calling the twinkie by its name. A few weeks ago, she'd hated calling the camper van that.

   Sonny narrowed her eyes.

    "You talked to Benji?" JJ tried to distract her.

   She nodded slowly, recalling their chat with Benji a couple nights ago. Sonny had been kinda surprised he was so up for it, wreaking havoc with a group of Pogues he'd just met for a gold he didn't even know existed before, but then again, that seemed to be the type of kid Benji Bayview was. It was all or nothing. Heart on his sleeve. What mattered was that he was willing to help them. Eager, actually.

    "He's down," she said shortly, gazing at the morning sun. She hadn't slept too much.

   Too busy thinking.

    "Just needs a time. Said he'll be there," Sonny gave him a shrug. It felt like the camera was burning a hole in her shorts pocket. She wished she'd left it behind.

   Sonny wasn't even sure why she brought it with her to the dock. Maybe because she hadn't been able to put it down in the twenty-four hours she'd had it for. The same twenty-four hours she hadn't been able to turn it on. She just held it and stared at the outside, like she was waiting for it to explode or disappear or something.

   When John B had gone back to the chateau to meet JJ and Pope the evening before, she'd just told him she was game for whatever plan and returned to the safety of her room. Sonny hadn't wanted to be around anybody, not that evening — not when she felt vulnerable, not when she wasn't willing to show that side of herself. So Sonny went back into her bubble, just for a little while. And, admittedly, she'd debated coming back out. It was quiet in her solitude.

It was easy.

But then John B knocked on her door past midnight, after coming back from the chateau, smile sheepish as he asked to sleep on her bedroom floor.

Last minute jitters, he had claimed.

And so Sonny let him in her bubble, just for a night.

It was nice to have company in there, even if she wouldn't let it happen again.

    "You know the plan?"

She snapped out of her thoughts and glanced away from her converse and over at JJ. She couldn't tell how closely he was watching her from beneath his dark sunglasses, his blue eyes hidden away from her view.

   Sonny nodded.

JJ waited for her to say something but when he realised it was all he was going to get, he sent her a lazy thumbs up. It was a bit awkward between them, suddenly, so he occupied himself by throwing his lighter up and down. She watched, briefly, then looked at her shoes again.

   John B filled her in over an early morning breakfast. They were still headed to the Crain house after dark where they'd meet Benji, then lower John B into the well. Pope had made some calculations and come up with a vague strategy he felt should work for the amount of people they had and the ropes they'd taken. No one really questioned it, honestly. Pope was known as the smart Pogue, after all.

   He had it covered. They hoped.

   All they had to do now was grab Kiara and Sarah, wherever the boys had left them, gather all their shit together and get their asses to the Crain house.

    "So tell me." Sonny sighed through her nose. JJ turned to look at her, dipping his sunglasses down to peer over them. It made him seem like he was in an old 80s movie. "What's the damage? What did you do with them?"

    "Put 'em somewhere they can hash shit out," JJ said. "Or kill each other if shit gets real."

   Her face pinched.

    "Y'all lock em' in a room or something?"

    JJ paused, "...or something."

    "Great," she muttered to herself. "Just what we need. Kie and Sarah Cameron dead in the chateau."

    "Relax, princess." JJ brushed her off, "Don't look so tense and shit. We're gonna go get Kie and Sarah, go get the gold and go get filthy fucking rich. 'Kay?"

She blinked.

"Well that's reassuring."

JJ watched her sink down where she sat, shutting her eyes and pulling her knees up to her chest. She seemed off today, and more than usual. He didn't understand why. They were about to score four hundred million dollars worth of gold. It wasn't time to be all mopey.

"Something botherin' you?" He asked.

"Just you."

"Dang," JJ muttered, "Princess is mean today."

She shrugged once.

"Seriously," he spoke up again after a few moments, voice genuine. He leant closer and took off his sunglasses, meeting her dark eyes. "You good?"

No, her eyes screamed, not I'm not.

And she almost said it too. Almost spilt her darkest secrets and deepest feelings for the first time ever — because he was looking at her. Like he was listening, like he cared. She almost told JJ Maybank everything.

"Yeehaw!"

"Let's get this show on the road, boys!"

   She looked away from JJ as John B and Pope jumped into the boat, picking at her nails.

   Sonny was grateful for their distraction. She didn't want to tell JJ all of her problems. She wasn't sure why she'd thought about it. What was wrong with her?

"What're you losers talking about?" John B asked playfully, throwing his bag at Sonny's face. She caught it with a frown, just before it hit her nose.

    "Asshole."

   John B arched a brow, "So?"

    "Just how princess is gonna MKO Mrs Crain if she comes at us with an axe," JJ shrugged, lying easily.

   Her brows jumped.

    "Bird?" John B snorted, "Take on Mrs Crain?"

   Sonny's eyes darted back to JJ, only briefly, before she gave John B a pointed glare. "In my sleep."

    "Okay. Sure."

    "Princess gets my vote," JJ said.

    "She's an old lady," Sonny ignored the blonde, still unsure how to feel about nearly telling him her troubles. Though his comment almost made her smile. "What she gonna do? Stab me to death with her cane?"

    "That's a possibility," Pope shrugged.

   Sonny scoffed, was it really?

    "So, if the mission goes south, we'll just what? Leave it all up to you?" John B clarified. Sonny smiled tightly, but didn't bother making any smart comments. He snickered. "Alright. Fine by me. Can't wait to see you whack out all those karate skills you've got going on. Mrs Crain won't know even know what hit her," he taunted.

    "Bitch probably can't see anyway," JJ pointed out.

    "So, we're good with Sonny beating up a blind old lady?" They all nodded. Pope sighed quietly. "Cool. Just checking, you know, if anyone had a conscience."

    "Just you, dear Pope."

    "Yeah," Heyward's son nodded at John B as the latter got the engine started, "Thought so."

    "I'll only attack if provoked," Sonny told him. He didn't look very reassured by it, but she didn't care. Instead, Sonny brushed her hair back as they sailed towards the marsh, her brows knotted. Why were they headed to the marsh? "Speaking of attacks... don't we need to pick up Kie and Barbie? Y'know, before they murder each other?"

  The boys nodded.

   She frowned, squinting between them.

    "Okay," Sonny didn't understand, "So we're headed into the marsh... why, exactly?"

   JJ, Pope and John B smirked at each other, like they knew something she didn't. Sonny didn't like it. They all lost their best braincells when they schemed together. She didn't trust whatever it was they were up to.

    "Just enjoy the ride," John B told her.

————

    "Ow! Sonny!"

    "You left them stranded in the marsh?" She hissed, swatting John B with Pope's hat. She'd ripped it from his head to slap them all with it. "Are you stupid?"

    "It was a good idea!" John B argued.

   Sonny scoffed.

   She gave him another hit on the chest, turning to glare at Pope and JJ. Pope grimaced and protected his head with his hands. He looked scared, maybe ashamed of the plan they'd come up with to strand Kiara and Sarah on a 'broken' boat with the hope they'd rebuild their burnt bridges, whereas JJ was relaxed — leaning against the side of the POGUE, a sly smirk resting on his pink lips.

    "Please don't hit us again!" Pope cried out.

    "I dunno man," JJ shrugged his shoulders, shooting her a sly grin. "I kinda liked it."

    "Dude," John B frowned.

    "What? There's a hot Kook telling us we've been naughty, bro!" JJ raised his hands, "I've dreamt of this shit, okay? Just let me enjoy it for— ow!"

    "Shut up," Sonny warned him.

    "Fine," he muttered.

   Sonny gave them all a final scowl, turning to watch as the boat got closer and closer with each moment they sailed. As they approached she spotted two silhouettes sat on the edge, their arms crossed as they waited.

   At least they were both alive.

She was actually surprised. She would've thought Kiara's anger would've gotten the better of her and Sarah would've been throttled — just a corpse for them to throw down Mrs Crain's well, some company for Mr Crain. But Sarah was a mere inch from Kiara's side, completely alive, looking fairly angry with the three boys approaching.

"What the fuck, Sonny?"

And angry with Sonny, apparently.

Sonny gawped at Kiara, "Excuse you. I had nothing to do with this. Blame Charlie's Angels, over here."

"S'that make you Charlie?" Kie asked, eyes playful.

"Uh oh!"

"Mommy's mad at princess!" JJ chimed, ignoring Sonny's mean look as they stopped beside the boat. "You guys forgot your keys or somethin'?"

John B grinned, "Can we help you ladies?"

Kiara and Sarah shared a look.

"C'mon," he held out his arms, as if daring them to yell at him, "You gotta admit, it was funny."

"John B," Kiara said.

"What's that?"

"Mastermind, huh?"

He shrugged, "I'm always plannin'."

"That's some patriarchal bullshit," Kiara spat as she stood to her feet, trying her best to look furious. But Sonny noticed the small smile on her lips. She arched a brow and Kiara just shrugged, eyes saying tell you later.

"Yeah," Sarah agreed, "That sucked."

"You still love us though, right?" JJ grinned childishly. He didn't get an answer.

"Here," Pope threw Kie the rope.

"Hey," John B looked up at Sarah, his grin teasing. Sarah immediately rolled her eyes and shot him a scowl, one that'd impressed Sonny a tad, though it held no malice. She wasn't very angry at all, clearly. "You still hate me?"

"A little," she warned him, "We're both gonna get you guys back when you least expect it."

"And we'll get Sonny to help us," Kiara said. It wiped the grins off their faces. "Watch your backs."

"I would usually welcome that challenge," Pope replied, a grimace on his face as he glanced at Sonny. She still held his cap in her hand, anticipating their next mistake, like a cobra waiting to strike. "But Sonny's already beat our asses for this, so I'm gonna have to tap out."

Sonny smirked small.

"Good move."

"Not me," JJ said, "She's hot when she's angry."

John B hit him, "Dude, seriously."

"So did you... you know," Pope asked.

"Reconcile our differences?" Kiara finished. While he sent her a smile and a nod, she pretended to think about it. Sarah joined her, humming quietly.

"Nope."

"Not even close."

"But we're... willing to work together," Sarah decided. It gained a cheer from the boys.

"That's a victory," John B shrugged.

"Yup," JJ nodded.

Pope held his hand up behind him, giving JJ the chance to wiggle their fingers together. "Woogity-woogity!"

Sonny grimaced at them.

"Woog-what?" Her question went ignored.

"You know what it was? Hydroponic," JJ said, referencing a joint he'd left for them. He'd said it would help them loosen up and settle their differences which had originally sounded stupid, but maybe not so much.

"Don't say that," Pope told him.

"Alright. Shut up." John B waved them off. He smiled wide at the girls on the boat, then Pope and JJ, then at Sonny. The group waited, eagerness settling around them. "Are you guys ready to jack some loot?"

Kiara grinned, "Yeah, whatever."

She jumped onto the boat and plonked down by Sonny as Pope offered Sarah a hand down. The two girls stared at one another for a moment, ignoring everybody else as they had a wordless conversation with their eyes.

Sonny squinted. Kiara let her head tilt to the side. Glancing at Sarah, who was beaming at John B, Sonny's nose wrinkled. She watched Kie smile.

"It's cool," she whispered.

"You sure?"

Kiara waited, then nodded. "Yeah. I'm sure."

"Good enough for me," Sonny replied, letting Kiara shift slightly closer to her, but not too close.

"Thanks for having my back."

Sonny pulled a face, "Don't advertise it."

━━━━━━━☆☆━━━━━━━

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀   ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

⠀⠀⠀   ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀