XLVI. promises never to keep

When Bridger woke up, he was by himself. He felt around his bed for JJ, but all he felt was his bedsheets, and he felt an immediate hit of fear. He sat up quickly, blinded by the bright sun that peered through his curtains. Bridger touched his bare chest, feeling his quick beating heart. "Chill the fuck out." He said to himself and threw the covers off his body.

Putting on a shirt and a pair of shoes, Bridger opened his bedroom door and instead of being met by total silence, he heard the Pogues's voices downstairs. They were still here. He walked down the staircase and saw them sitting at the kitchen table. John B was the first to notice him. "Morning, Sleeping Beauty." He said with a cheeky smile.

Pope sent him a two finger wave. "Hey, Bridge."

"Good morning, B."

"Mornin' baby."

Bridger smiled at them. "Morning guys. How'd you sleep?" He asked and kissed JJ on the top of the head.

John B groaned. "Oh my god, I don't think I've ever sleeping on something so soft in my life."

"It was like sleeping on a cloud." Pope concurred.

"Well good. I'm glad." He grinned and patted JJ on the shoulders. He glanced out the back door and saw how bright and sunny it was. "You guys wanna go sit outside?"

"Yeah, dude, he's got a whole ass couch out there." JJ told the boys, his blue eyes going wide.

"No fucking way." John B replied with and they quickly got out of their chairs and JJ slid open the back door, the three of them running out to the backyard. "He has a pool, too? Holy shit!"

Bridger looked at Kiara and she just rolled her eyes. "They're like aliens discovering a new planet." She said and got out of her chair.

He chuckled and watched her go out the back door. Bridger went into the kitchen and cut up a whole bunch of fruits to put on a platter, along with an assortment of cheeses and juices. He listened to their loud laughter from the backyard and he looked up, seeing John B lounge out on the couch and Pope and JJ fighting over one of the chairs. He cracked a smile.

Bridger walked out to the backyard with the platter.

"When did you become mister hospitality?" JJ asked him and smiled when he saw the food.

"When did you learn the word hospitality?" They others laughed and his jaw dropped. "I'm kidding. I'm kidding." Bridger chuckled and put the food on the table. He grabbed two glasses of orange juice and sat beside him on the chair, handing him one. "I just thought we could have a relaxing morning for once without all the bullshit."

"That would be nice if we were on a tv show." Pope said and grabbed a strawberry and piece of cheese from the platter.

"I second that." John B agreed and threw his legs off the couch to grab some as well.

It was silent for a little while, which was what Bridger wanted. They'd been so consumed by chaos that they all deserved to have some peace and quiet. He leaned over and kissed JJ on the temple, and he rested his arm on the back of the chair, playing with his blonde hair.

"Bridge?" They heard Sarah's voice. She came through the gated door and her face fell slightly when she saw all the Pogues with him. "There you are."

Bridger was slightly on edge seeing her, considering their conflict the night before. "Good morning." He said back to her and half smiled. "Are you hungry?"

She shook her head no. Sarah joined them and played with her hands, feeling extremely awkward and out of place.

"Well hello, princess." JJ greeted her, glancing very quickly at John B.

"Shouldn't you be with your little group of polo players?" John B asked her with a cheeky smile. "No offense, Bridge."

"None taken." He replied. He furrowed his brows. ". . .I think."

"Or did you break up with Topper?"

"We're just friends." Sarah answered with a tight smile.

"Oh, he's just a friend." John B continued and grinned. "You have a lot of friends, Sarah Cameron."

"Yeah, and it seems like you've got some of your own, too." She shot back.

"I thought my house was supposed to be a safe zone for right now." Bridger spoke, their arguing making them all feel awkward.

"Alright, what are you doing here?"

"First of all, this is Bridger's house. I can be here if I want." Sarah claimed. "And two, I was looking for Pope."

They all looked at Pope and he raised his eyebrows.

"I think I found the island room."

Immediately, Bridger sat up and all of their eyes went wide. "You serious?" He asked her.

Sarah nodded. "I swear."

Bridger was still in a state of shock as Sarah led them through her house. "This place still freaks me out." John B muttered.

"The amount of times I've been here and I never thought there would be a secret room." Said Bridger.

Sarah opened the door and his eyes went wide when he saw the walls covered in a map. "Whoa! You gotta be kidding me." Pope gasped.

"This has been here the whole time?" Bridger questioned.

Sarah nodded while smiling. "Yep. It's the island room."

"This is incredible. Yo, this map is of the whole island." John B said astonishingly.

Bridger went around and brushed his hand against the wall. "This is the well right here." He identified and pointed to the spot.

"And this is Rixon's Cove." Said JJ.

"Parcel 9." Kiara identified as well.

"Okay, so, if this is Parcel 9, and then if that's Rixon's," John B walked to the other side of the room with JJ. "Then that's gotta be the surf break at Mase."

JJ took out the drawing of the boat. "Right, and look." He held it up. "Pope, come here. This is Denmark's handwriting for sure."

"The drawings. They match up."

"This is so fucking cool." Bridger breathed out and smiled.

"Denmark, you genius!" Pope expressed with a wide smile. "These are all his drawings. He-He painted this entire room."

"Yeah, question is why? What's he trying to tell us?" Asked Kiara.

"Well, obviously it's a visual thing." Bridger replied and walked around the room again. "I mean, he probably wants us to see where we have to go, y'know?"

"How did you even know to uncover this?" John B asked Sarah, it being their first civil conversation.

"I didn't. It was like this when I got home."

They all turned and looked at her. "What, like someone broke in?" Bridger assumed.

"Then who did it?" Kiara questioned.

"The freaks."

The group jumped and saw Wheezie standing in the room. "Wheezie, Jesus." Bridger exhaled and put his hand over his heart.

"Wait, what freaks are we talking about, Wheezie?" JJ asked her.

"Uhhh, that sick lady and her attack dog." The youngest Cameron elaborated. "They showed up last night and wanted to talk to Rafe."

"Rafe? Why do they want to talk to Rafe?" Bridger questioned but it wasn't the most important thing.

"Pale blonde lady?" JJ asked again.

"She gave crutches?" Followed Kiara.

Wheezie nodded. "It's gotta be Limbrey." Pope acknowledged.

"Wha-What happened?" John B asked.

"Well, at first they searched the whole house looking for something and then Rafe told me to go upstairs. But I didn't want to miss out so I listened through grate. They were talking about getting across the sand flamingo." Wheezie explained, unsure at the end.

"That's code. That's code for something." JJ immediately declared.

Bridger looked his way with narrow eyes. "The Cross, moron."

"The Cross of Santo Domingo." Pope matched his tone.

"Yeah, that's it." Wheezie snapped her fingers when she remembered. "Oh, and they were talking about, like, angels. A lot of angel talk."

"Angels?" Both John B and Bridger said in unison. "Like, uh, what Denmark was talking about?"

"Yes!" Replied Pope. "Denmark's famous last words. He buried the real treasure at the foot of the angel. They're looking for an angel. We have to find the angel in the room."

"Start looking."

"Spread out!"

"I still stand by what I said about a church!" Bridger pointed out and started scanning the map.

"Are you guys going to tell me what's going on?" Wheezie asked but she was ignored.

While they were running around looking for clues, JJ stood in front of the drawing of a tree, and it clicked to him. "Hey, yo! Hey guys, I think I found something!" He yelled and got their attention. "This humongous tree is still on Goat Island. You know what it's called?"

Pope's eyes went wide. "Angel Oak."

"Look there. There's the keyhole." JJ pointed at the picture.

Bridger's jaw dropped. "Holy shit, babe. You got it right."

"That means the cross is buried at the foot of the angel." Pope repeated and it all pieced together. "That must be where he put it. That must be where they are right now!"

"We gotta go!"

"I think I'm Sherlock Holmes, alright? You're welcome by the way!"

Bridger grabbed a hold of his arm and tugged him out of the room. "Come on, Sherlock. You beautiful little genius." He smiled big and they all ran out of the house to the Twinkie.

"Guys, we're coming up on Freedman's Church. The church Denmark built for all the slaves he freed." Pope educated them.

Bridger eyed the church as John B drove by, and he got a sudden painful feeling in his stomach. He just ignored it.

Kiara spotted the tree up the very mud road. "There it is, Angel Oak." They all noticed how muddy the road was. "Shit."

"Oh, shit. Tide's coming in." JJ observed from the passenger seat.

Pope eyed the tire marks. "Wait. Look, they already came through. Those have to be Limbrey's tire marks."

JJ hummed. "What do you think, chief?" He asked the driver.

John B eyed the road ahead of him. "I'm thinking it looks a little dicey." He hesitated.

Bridger scoffed. "Oh, come on. You can't trudge this old thing through there?"

He gasped. "First off, don't fall her old. She's sensitive—" Bridger heavily rolled his eyes. "Two, in case you haven't noticed, she's not exactly programmed to go through, what, 6 feet of mud."

"Oh, you're so dramatic—"

"Okay!" Kiara said loudly. "Clearly they made it, no?"

"In a two-wheel drive? I don't know about that." JJ responded.

"Why are y'all acting like you're not gonna do it anyways? Like when have y'all ever done anything safe?" Sarah chimed in while smiling knowingly.

"Exactly. So step on the gas, Travis Bickle." Bridger encouraged and patted John B on the shoulder. He only reduced strange looks from the others. "What? None of you have seen Taxi Driver?"

"I don't have cable, B." John B responded.

He pursed his lips. "Right."

"Alright, speed is your friend here, okay? So, put her in second and hammer down, brother." JJ encouraged him.

"Stick to the high ground in the middle." Added Pope.

"You got this, Obi Wan." Bridger patted his shoulder again.

Pope grinned. "Nice one."

They fist bumped.

"Okay. Okay." John B said to himself and put the Twinkie in second. He stepped hard on the gas.

"Come on. Punch it! Speed is your friend."

"I'm in second!" John B yelled.

"It's gonna slide." Kiara hollered.

"We're not gonna slide. Keep going straight!" Bridger's voice went high.

"You're fish tailing already."

"I know!"

Pope leaned forward and put his head between them. "Not to push any more pressure on you, but, if you don't make it through, we'll be stuck here forever."

"Put your head back, okay?" John B replied and pushed him back.

Bridger took his spot. "Here's some more encouragement. If we tip over, we'll likely get eaten by gators, so, stay straight." He added, also unhelpful.

"That's very helpful, baby. Thank you so much." JJ responded sarcastically and pushed his head back like John B did with Pope.

"At least we tried." Bridger whispered.

Much to their surprise, the Twinkie was able to get through the muddy trail without tipping over. "I told you we'd make it!" John B cheered.

"That's my girl! All right, right here. That's good. Angel Oak's right over there." JJ instructed and John B parked the van. He opened the back door. "Alright, word to the wise, definitely keep your eyes pilled for gators."

Bridger followed behind Pope and climbed out of the van. "Well, knowing you, you'll do something stupid and wake them up for us." He speculated and patted him on the back.

JJ's jaw dropped. "Ouch. Okay, that's hurtful."

"I'm just saying."

"And all I'm sayin' is you don't wanna be a Pat Womack. She had her calf chewed off by a gator. You know that, right?" He told them all as they walked through the path.

Kiara pulled a face. "That's actually not true. Pat Womack was injured in a car accident, but, I hear you."

"This is the same guy who told us the Crane story, remember?" Bridger brought up.

JJ pointed between them. "Okay, you two live in ignorance. But, like, she had her calf chewed off by a mama gator. I know that for a fact. They like the brackish water."

His boyfriend rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say, J."

"Wait, hold on. I see something." JJ observed and looked at the water.

"What are you doing?" Asked Kiara.

When he reached down and smacked the water, Bridger closed his eyes and slowly brought his hands to his face. "Oh my god."

"Right. Wake them up. That's smart." Sarah nodded sarcastically.

"I-I was just making sure it wasn't a gator. That's all, right?"

"Unless you want to spontaneously become Pat Womack, I suggest you keep walking." Bridger threatened while glaring at him, and pushed him on the back. "Let's go, Steve Irwin. Jesus Christ."

"Bridge, I feel for you. I really do." Said John B with a sympathetic nod.

"Thank you, John B."

JJ just looked offended.

As they continued walking, Pope suddenly shushed them. "I hear them." He whispered.

The group of Pogues quickly went and hid behind a bush. Bridger saw Rafe with Limbrey and Renfield, and also a bunch of men operating an excavator. "I don't see shit. You sure this is the right spot?"

"It's there. The garment will be in the cross, and the cross will be at the end of the tree." Limbrey confirmed while hobbling on her crutches.

"Well, whatever we find, I get my cut." Rafe replied insensitively.

Bridger felt a sharp pain in his chest as he watched Rafe held them dig the hole. The same feeling of betrayal, and then it turned into anger, then it turned into him feeling stupid for believing that there was a part of the old Rafe still in there.

He glanced at Pope, seeing the spiteful look on his face as he watched in silence.

"Stop! Stop!" Limbrey yelled when she heard a crunch sound. "Stop, please, did you hear that? Get in there, boys. Do it by hand." She ordered.

Holding his breath, Bridger watched Rafe and Renfield pulled a casket out of the ground. "That's gotta be the cross." He muttered.

"What do we do?" John B asked Pope.

"What can we do?" He said back, completely defeated.

"I can go punch their lights out and bury them in that hole."

They all looked at him. "Now's probably not the right time for that, B." Sarah whispered and Kiara patted him on the back.

He shrugged. "It was just a thought."

The six of them watched as they lifted the lid of the casket. Linbrey's expression of disbelief was on display. "It's just a corpse," said Renfield. "Sorry, Carla."

"Of course, yeah, of course it's just a dead body. Jesus!" Rafe raged and stood up.

"We're going back! It's not over." Limbrey announced.

They loaded up the truck and left, leaving the casket open and demolished. Pope was the first to make a move, and the rest followed him. He looked inside the casket and saw bones, and his expression was unreadable. "Cecilia Tanney. Denmark's wife. He wasn't talking about the cross. He buried her at the foot of the angel."

"The true treasure." Kira whispered.

"His wife."

Bridger stared sadly inside the casket and then he looked at the tree, the feeling of sympathy weighing heavy on his heart. "And that just destroyed it like the raging assholes they are." He stated in disbelief.

Slowly, Pope kneeled down and tears filled his eyes. "Denmark was hung for burying his wife, and now they defiled her grave."

Bridger went to his side and kneeled down with him, putting his hand on his back. "I'm so sorry, man." He said quietly.

Wiping his nose, Pope reached inside the casket and pulled out a pin with Cecilia's name on it. Sarah had grabbed a wedding ring and held it in her hand. "This must be for Denmark. Her wedding ring." She said with a small smile.

Pope looked at them all, his eyes glossy. "We can't leave her like this."

"Of course not." Bridger immediately agreed and nodded.

"We won't." Said John B.

As the boys nailed the lid of the casket back on, and Pole went to pick flowers, and they lowered Cecilia's casket back into the ground, Bridger was so angry. He felt something above anger toward Rafe, and Renfield and Limbrey. He knew now that Rafe was never going to change, that he only cared about himself. And Bridger was done with him.

They went back to the Twinkie and John B drove her to the tree. Bridger stood with his arm wrapped around JJ, and he pressed his chin to his shoulder. "I just don't get it. I mean, you guys saw the map. He hides his gold so no one finds it for 170 years. And then he sends a message to his son, Robert, to come here to his mother's grave, but the message never gets to him. Denmark wanted him to find the cross. I know we're in the right spot." Pope rambled. "It just feels like—"

"Like we're missing something." JJ finished while looking up at the tree.

Bridger lifted his head and followed his eyes. "What are you talking about, J?"

"Just watch." He responded and stepped forward, causing Bridger's arm to fall from his shoulder. They watched him climb to the top of the Twinkie and Kiara followed him. Seeing the hole in the tree, JJ pointed to it. "That looks like—"

"The painting in the island room."

He raised his brows. "Worth a shot right?"

John B nodded. "Let's do it."

"Go for it."

Kiara shook her head. "Not a chance."

"You do it." Said Sarah.

"Sorry. I went into the storm drain."

Pope agreed with her. "She did go into the storm drain."

"JJ, this is your idea. You do it." Bridger said and rolled his eyes.

"Why don't you get up here and do it, Mr. Tough Guy." JJ shot back.

He only laughed. "Yeah, fuck you."

"He's scared." Kiara whispered while smiling.

"I'm not scared, dude." He immediately denied.

Bridger laughed. "Aww, don't be scared, baby." He teased him and pouted.

"I'm not scared!" JJ said again, his voice going high.

"Want me to come up there and hold your hand?" He continued and the others laughed, only receiving a middle finger in response.

Giving in, JJ put his hand into the hole of the tree. They watched in silence. "There's something in here." He told them when he felt something hit his hand. He grew a smile. "I feel—AHHHH!"

"JJ!" Bridger screamed fearfully.

His yells of pain continued and they all pressed themselves to the van, trying to grab him. Kiara yanked on him as they all yelled. Then, JJ started laughing.

John B collapsing against the van. "Oh, you asshole." Pope glared at him.

"That wasn't funny. What the hell is wrong with you?" Bridger scolded.

"Oh, man! I got you all on that one." JJ cackled. He then turned serious. "Wait, but seriously, there's something in here." He reached back inside.

"I hope it chews off your arm."

JJ pulled out his arm again and revealed a metal spyglass.

"Let me see it." Said Pope and he reached up. JJ passed it to him and jumped off the Twinkie. Bridger helped Kiara down. "HMS Royal Merchant."

"Give it to the captain. Here we go." Said JJ and he took it from him again. "It's a spyglass." He pulled it open and looked through it.

"There's something at the bottom." Kiara pointed out.

John B held it and looked at the end. "An inscription right there. Look at this shit."

Both Bridger and Pope scanned the words. "You've come this far. Do not falter. The cross is on the Freedman's alter."

Bridger gasped. "The church. It's at the church!" He expressed loudly.

"Oh my god, Bridge. You were right!" Sarah thrilled.

"That's my guy! That's my guy!" JJ pointed at him with a happy smile.

"Holy shit!" Bridger exclaimed with wide eyes, and he started to laugh.

"What are we doing here guys?"

"Woogity-woogity!"

"Let's fucking go!"

JJ stays stressing him out 😭