Chapter Twenty

The next day had rolled around. We had slept at The Wreck, the only place we could go without being caught.

I was cuddled up to JJ at a booth and I had woken up to siren's blaring throughout the town. JJ's back was pressed against the booth and we were both spooning, pressed against each other.

I had hardly any sleep last night due to the sirens. I probably got an hour's sleep and I'm not sure how JJ managed to get any sleep at all.

I had gotten off the booth and walked over to the window, looking outside. I frowned deeply. They're still on the lookout for John B, which means he hasn't been caught, which is a good thing.

I felt arms wrapped around my shoulders. I turned my head to see JJ and Pope joining me. I smiled and he leans in and kissed my lips gently.

"He's pinched for sure, man." JJ had said.

"No." I shake my head. "They wouldn't still be patrolling if they caught him."

"Let's hope." JJ had responds.

"You know, we were in that car." Kie had pointed out. She had just woken up. "They're probably looking for us, too."

"Well, if we're gonna be outlaws, we might as well help John B." Pope points out and I nodded.

Pope grabs some keys from a bag. "So, we find him before they do?" JJ asked. Pope ignored JJ and walked towards the exit. "Pope?"

"I'm gonna get gas for the boat." Pope says.

"Hey, you be careful." Kie told Pope. Pope stops and looked at her. "Okay?"

He scowls at Kie then looked towards JJ and I. "Meet me at the dock at three. Don't be late."

Kie furrows her brow and follows him outside.

"Yikes." I muttered.

"What's up with them?" JJ asked and I shrugged.

"I dunno. There's always something up with them. But, I wanna find out." I dragged JJ towards the deck outside.

"Okay, what is your problem?" Kie yelled out to Pope.

"No problem, officer." Pope sarcastically said and approaches JJ's dirt bike. "I'm just doing my job." I held onto the railing and JJ stands next to me. Pope gets onto the dirt bike.

"Look, I'm sorry that I hurt your feelings." Kie approaches Pope as Pope turns on the dirt bike.

He reeves the engine. "What was that?"

"Look, I didn't mean to." Kie had continued to try and talk to him.

"Sorry, I can't hear you," Pope spoke over the loud reeving. "What was that?"

"Pope, I'm being serious—" She looks fed up as Pope continues his childish acts. "I'm trying to talk to you!"

He rides away. Kie frowns, turning to us. She looked up at the sound of a helicopter overcasts us.

"Who the hell is that?"

✫✫✫

"You sure he wasn't just being weird Pope?"

JJ, Kie, and I packed food from The Wreck, trying to get anything we can get our hands on for John B and Sarah.

"It wasn't really the kind of thing that needed interpretation," Kie said, handing him a loaf of breed."Is that gonna be enough food for them?"

"I mean, for a couple of weeks," JJ had nodded. "And that's all they need, so..." JJ zips up the bag and swung it over his shoulder.

"Look, I think I actually hurt his feelings," Kie admits.

"Look, don't beat yourself up too much," JJ told her. "He's completely changed his feelings." We exit out the back, JJ holding the box. "The past 24 hours have been like Jekyll and Hyde."

"I hate to admit it, but I miss the old Pope." We walked over to Kie's car. We had switched car's, too. "At least I know what to expect from him."

"Where have you been?" Kie's mother had approached us. JJ puts the box in the back.

"Uh—I'm fine." Kie stutters. "I slept here."

"Well, we were up half the night, scared to death, lookin' for you." Kie's mother glared at her. "Were you even gonna tell us?"

"Well, I'm telling you right now." Kie had told her as JJ shuts the boot.

"What the hell are you three up to?" Kie's mother had placed her hands on her hips.

"I'm sorry, Miss Anna, we gotta go." JJ had apologised.

"Sorry." Kie apologised also.

"No. I'm sorry, absolutely not." Kie's mother exclaimed. "Have you heard what's going on?"

"Mum!" Kie exclaimed. "I'll explain later."

Kie had climbed into the driver's seat, I climbed into the back with JJ. He slides over into the middle and held my hand.

"Have you seen the storm?" Kie's mother asked. "This is not safe."

"I'm sorry, Mum." Kie had told her, leaving the door opened a crack slightly. "I have to go!"

"These cops are armed, Kiara." Kie's Mum snapped. "You're gonna get shot. I am not letting you do this!"

"Mum, John B needs me!"

"Kiara! You need to stay here!"

"I understand." Kie pleaded. "I'll be careful." Kie shuts the door.

"Kiara!" Her mother had shouted outside the car. Kie just drives, ignoring her mother's pleas.

✫✫✫

We had pulled up in front of JJ's house. This is the first time I've actually been here.

JJ looks towards the house. "Home sweet home." JJ joked.

I squeezed his hand. "Do you want me to come with you? Cause I'll come."

"No." JJ shakes his head, turning to me. He pecks my lips. "This will only take a second." JJ exits the car, walking inside.

"He asked me to marry him," I whispered and Kie turns to me with wide eyes.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I—We were talking in the car, last night when you know... You tried to get Sarah and he basically asked me to marry him." I admitted.

"What did you say?" Kie questioned.

"I turned him down..." I slowly said, heat rising to my cheeks.

"Why would you turn him down?!"

"Kie, I'm 16." I pointed out. "We can't even get married if we even tried. I think."

"So?" Kie raises an eyebrow. "You only live once, Storm. The man is totally and completely in love with you. Has been since the 8th grade."

I shrugged. "I always imagined myself having a proper wedding and everything. But when I'm with JJ, I'm okay not having that. As long as I'm with him."

"I think you should marry him." Kie shrugs.

"Really?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Kie smiled. "Yeah. We could have a small thing. You, me, Sarah, John B, JJ and... Pope." She nods. "Be our Pogue thing."

"You just want to be maid of honour, don't you?" I teased and she chuckled.

"You caught me." She joked. "Let's be real, Sarah would be your maid of honour."

"You both will." I corrected. "And JJ will ask Pope and John B to be his best man." I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I still don't know."

"I mean, I guess that's fair." Kie had nodded. "I understand where you're coming from. We're pretty much fugitives now. There's no room to even think about marriage."

I smiled. "But it's nice to know that JJ still thinks I'm gonna be in his future."

"You were always going to be in his future," Kie reassured me. "Even when you didn't know it."

I tried to hide the blush that was creeping up on my face. JJ had come in a few moments later, climbing into the back seat and sliding over to me.

"How'd it go?" I asked softly.

JJ holds up the keys, giving me a smile. Kie had started to drive the car again. JJ placed a peck on my lips and brought me so I'm sitting on his lap.

I don't say anything and wrapped an arm around his neck, resting my head on top of his as we make our way towards this boat called the Phantom.

Now, we drive along the road and I shoot JJ and a concerned look as he played with the keys in his hands. Kie had her eyes on the road, driving towards the direction JJ had told her previously.

"It'll be fine," JJ told me gently. I felt a bit uneasy about it, especially knowing that JJ's father abuses him. "It'll be fine with the Phantom. She'll get out quick." There were sirens ahead. "Whoa, whoa, whoa."

Three police cars pass, JJ instantly ducks and I slide down onto the seat next to him, hiding away from the cars.

"They're still looking." Kie had said. "It's a good sign."

"Yeah." I breathe out, biting my lower lip.

✫✫✫

JJ opens a warehouse door revealing a long speedboat. "There she be." JJ admires. Kie and I stand by the door as JJ walked towards the boat. "Hey, girl. A 1983 Formula 402 SR1. The Phantom."

Kie shrugs. "Mm-mm."

JJ clicks his tongue. "The first boat to make the run to Bermuda in under 16 hours, Kie and Stormy," JJ walked over and placed a hand on the boat. "40 years old! 40. And still, the fastest thing that Kildare's ever seen."

"It's kind of a junker." Kie pointed out. I nodded. She's not wrong.

"Really? She's right there, Kie." JJ glared at her. "She can hear you. Let's just put it this way. You would not be smokin' weed right now if she never existed, okay?"

"I just hope it runs." I had said.

"Oh, no, she'll run alright." JJ nods as he puts the trailer onto the nob of the car. "She's faster than any cutters the boys in blue got."

The sound of a dirt bike approaches. "Pope, finally!" Kie had exclaimed. Kie went to walk over to the door but Rafe and Barry had entered the warehouse and I froze, staring at them.

"Hey, there. What's going on?" Rafe questioned and Kie froze. "JJ? Storm? How you are guys doing?" Rafe climbed onto the Phantom and Kie retraces her steps back to JJ and I.

Barry lets out a whistle. "Rafe, what are you doing here?" I crossed my arms, glaring at him.

"Long time no see, sis," Rafe smirked.

"Well, well..." Barry spoke. Barry aims a gun at JJ and my eyes widen. JJ puts his hands up. "See, don't think I forgot about me and you on the side of the road. I'm here because I want my mother fucking money."

"JJ!" Kie and I yelled as Barry knocks JJ to the ground, pressing him against the floor.

Rafe had picked up Kie easily and tossed her aside, her head colliding ito the boat and she fell to the ground.

Rafe had picked me up and I kicked and yelled, hitting at my brother. "Let me down, Rafe!"

"It's not what you want, Stormy," Rafe had told me, putting me down and turning to me, so I couldn't stand between Barry and JJ. "Where's John B?"

"I don't know!" I slapped Rafe across the face, glaring at him.

"Stay down, boy," Barry told JJ as he stands over him.

"I really wish you didn't do that." Rafe clenched his jaw, walking closer to me.

"I know what you did." I hissed out.

"What?" Rafe played dumb like he always did. "What did I do, Stormy?"

"You murdered Peterkin." I had exclaimed. Rafe scowls at me. He had grabbed me by the throat. I let out a yelp as he pulled me closer to him.

"Don't you ever say those fucking words again." Rafe growled out.

"Rafe!" I choked out, feeling the air being sucked out of my throat.

"Understand?" Rafe glares at me, tightening his grip on me. "Do you understand? Where's John B? Where's John B?!"

"I don't know!" I cried out.

"Where's John B?!"

"I don't know!" I felt tears fall down my face. Suddenly, Pope comes forward and attacks Rafe from behind, beating him with a tire iron.

"Don't touch her!" Pope had hit him again and Rafe had let go of me. I let out a gasp, stumbling to the floor and I let out a few coughs.

Kie had rushed to my side. "Oh, my God, Stormy," she rushed out. I couldn't help but watch as Pope tried to swing the tire iron again but Rafe dodges and punches Pope. Rafe swung again for Pope and Pope dodges.

Pope hits Rafe several times. "Rafe!" Barry called out and JJ had tripped him, the gun falling out of his hands.

"Kie, kick it!" JJ had called and Kie quickly kicked the gun away. JJ throws Barry against the boat and kicks him in the stomach, shoving him to the ground.

Pope continued to punch Rafe. "Pope." I cried out. "Okay, Pope!"

"Pope!" Kie yelled out, trying to get Pope's attention as he kept beating up Rafe.

"Hey, Pope!" JJ had called Pope. "Hey, he's had enough, man!"

Pope strangles Rafe with a rope. "He's good." I croaked out.

"Snap out of it, man." JJ had told him. Pope ignores us.

"Pope, that's too much!"

"Pope, you're killing him!" I sobbed out. Pope finally releases Rafe and stares wide eyes at Kie.

"Shit. Oh, shit." JJ had muttered. Rafe lays on the ground with blood all down his face.

I had stormed over to Rafe and pulled him from his feet and gripped onto some of his t-shirt, pulling him close to me, glaring at him.

"Rafe. For the last fucking time." I seethed. "Touch me or my friends again and you're gonna fucking regret it. I promise you that much, brother."

I shoved him back onto the ground again and he lands on his back, letting out a groan.

"Okay, we gotta go." Kie had quickly said. "We gotta go." Kie had headed back to her car and JJ quickly walked over to me.

Tears shine in his eyes as he looked at me. "JJ, I'm fine," I promised him. JJ just pulls me towards the car that was now attached to the boat. Kie had started the car and JJ and I climbed into the back. Pope joins us seconds later and Kie drives towards the dump.

✫✫✫

Now, the Phantom rests in the water as we all waited for John B and Sarah to arrive at the dump.

Pope, Kie, and I stand around it as JJ was on board.

"Dude, where is he?" Kie questioned.

"Give him a second," Pope replied. "He'll be here."

"He's coming." JJ had said. "He'll be fine."

"Shit!" I cursed when a siren approached us and it was a police's car. "JJ!"

"Hey, yeah, get back on the boat," JJ told us quickly. "Untie it."

"Shit," Kie curses.

We all looked to see that John B was actually in the pick-up. I let out a breathy laugh seeing the brunette exit the car and coming towards us.

"Wait," JJ said. "No way."

"No f'ing way," Pope cheered.

"I'm sorry," Kie spoke, confused.

"You gotta be kidding me," JJ grins.

"Shoupe let me take it for a spin." John B joked and I let out a giggle.

"John B!" I exclaimed excitedly.

"Okay, that's believable." Kie had chuckled. "I'll buy that for now." Kie had wrapped her arms around him, pulling him in for a hug.

"It wasn't easy, bro," JJ told him. Kie pulled away and I put my arms around John B. He hugs me back. "But I got the Phantom for you and she runs like she was made yesterday," John B pulls away and walks onto the dock. JJ tosses John B the keys. "You ready to go?"

"Where's Sarah?" John B asked and I frowned, only just realising my perking blonde sister isn't here with him.

"What?" I asked. "She wasn't with you?"

"No," John B shakes his head. "We got separated in the swamp. She said she was going to meet me here."

"No, we haven't seen her." Pope told him.

"Oh..." I grew anxious, fiddling with my hands. "Sarah," I whined.

"Okay, well, I'm not leaving without her." John B had insisted.

"John B, look at me." JJ had told him. John B looked over at JJ. "I know you feel bad for leaving, but there's no time, man. You've got plenty of gas, plenty of food. Once you get around that point, it's a straight shot across the sound to Dismal Swamp, okay? Once you get there, lay low, all right? Hang out for a couple of weeks and then go overland, cross the border at Brownsville, you got that? Brownsville. Hey! You got that?"

"Yeah, yeah. Brownsville." John B nods as the thunder rumbles over us.

"All right," JJ speaks. "Saddle her up, saltwater cowboy. Let's do this. Yeah." JJ hopes onto the dock. John B gets onto the Phantom.

"Hey, hey," John B called, turning around before JJ could push him off. He looks down at us. "I'm sorry for basically... Throwing us off a cliff with this whole treasure hunt thing."

"Hey, John B, yo... We were bound to run off the cliff at some point, right?" JJ told him.

John B chuckled. "Yeah."

"At least we did it together, though." JJ wrapped an arm around Pope, then wraps another arm around me. I wrapped an arm around JJ and Kie, the four us standing side by side, staring up at John B. "Pogue style."

John B nods. "Pogue style." He whispers.

"Get out of here! Please." I begged John B.

"Now," Pope demanded. "See you in two months, down in Mexico."

"Love you," JJ added.

"Bye, John B." Kie called.

"Hey, wait—wait a second." John B had quickly said, turning to us. "Tell Sarah I said goodbye, okay?"

"Don't worry, John B." I told him. "I'll make sure she gets the message." He smiled at me, nodding.

"Don't forget." JJ reminds him. "Cross the border at Brownsville, okay?"

"Got it." John B walked over to the wheel. We pushed the Phantom away from the dock, sending John B off. John B drives the Phantom away, into the sunset.

JJ had pulled me away from Kie and Pope. We both knew they needed some time together, to sort things out between them.

We stand by Kie's car. I pressed my back against it and JJ pulls himself close to me.

"So, how about that marriage thing?" JJ grinned, brushing a piece of hair behind my ear and cups my cheek with his hand.

"Oh, JJ..." I gave him a small smile. I thought of Kie's words. "Hypothetically, if I say yes... How would this even work out? JJ, we don't even go to the same schools. We're still in school."

"No one in at school needs to know if you're worried about it." JJ smiled. "It's our business, not theirs."

"So, if another girl was to flirt at you at school, you'd tell them what?" I teased him.

"I already have the girl of my dreams." He told me, his eyes filled with admiration.

I bite my lower lip. "Okay, yes. I will marry you."

The excitement in his eyes was priceless. He had let out a cheer and picked me up, twirling me around before placing his lips on mine.

"She said yes!" JJ and I turned to Pope. Kie and Pope were kissing and our eyes widen, we both quickly looked away. "And she apparently said yes, too," JJ murmured to me and I slapped his chest, grinning at him.

I could hear the sirens getting closer to us. "Uh... Hey, guys, sorry to ruin the party, but, uh, we've gotta go right now. Come on!"

Police and FBI cars cornered us so we couldn't move anywhere. JJ had held my hand tightly, pulling me back behind him. Shoupe rushes forward.

Kie had raised her hand. "Pope." Kie quickly said.

I raised my hands as well. "Move, hands up!" An unfamiliar FBI agent demands. "Hands up!"

"Pope, hands." Kie pleaded.

"JJ." I gave him a look and he quickly puts up his hands.

"We're too late." Shoupe had yelled. "He's gone. God damn it! Bratcher, have your guys stand down. Let me talk to these kids. All right, where the hell is he? Where the hell is his?"

I smirked, playing dumb. "Who?"

Shoupe glared at me. "Stormy, don't be a smart ass about this. I'm sure father wouldn't be happy to hear what you've been up to." My face fell. "JJ? I see you're livin' up to your name." Shoupe spat. "Pope, how about you? This isn't a fucking game! You can do the right thing right now! Where'd he go?"

"Suspect has left station 26 in a small boat." An FBI guy spoke into the radio."Need marine patrol to respond."

Shoupe glares at all four of us. "You guys are coming with me."

A/N

SHE SAID YES

AND ONE LAST CHAPTER TO GO THEN WE MOVE ONTO SEASON 2... HOLY SHIT!

And thank you guys so much for almost 1K fucking views!!