"Leaving without saying goodbye feels wrong."

❥

After Rafe and I have helped Wheezie to pack her bags, he gives me a serious look making me furl my eyebrows. "What's wrong?", I wonder. "Nothing. I just have to do something. I'll meet you tomorrow at the port." "Rafe, what do you have to do?", I ask sceptically knowing that he's hiding something from me. Rafe sighs heavily. 

"Renfield's dead body is in the truck", he finally admits and gives me a serious look, "It wasn't me. Limbrey and him got into a fight and she shot him." I mean, that sounds realistic for sure knowing how crazy that woman is. "Bella, it wasn't me. I swear. I swear on Wheezie, on your parents, fuck I swear on our lives that it wasn't me", Rafe begs more than he explains and I slowly nod stepping closer to him. 

I lay my hand on his cheek softly and nod. "I believe you, Rafe. Trust me, I've never doubted you and I never will." "I love you, baby, but I have to go now. I'll see you in paradise", Rafe finally chuckles relaxing his body. "Until tomorrow", I nod still not knowing what exactly is going to happen and what I'm supposed to do. All I know is that the pogues need to know as much as I can tell them.

Izzy 🐓 ♥️

I've got no idea what they plan

but the Camerons and my family

are going to be at the port tomorrow

with the cross

it sounds like we're leaving

Birdshit 🐦 ♥️

leaving? where to?

I've got no idea, John B

my parents won't tell me

I'm glad that Rafe was able to

persuade them that I won't fly to

New York but go with them

Rafe?

You're not flying away?

It's all complicated right now, J

I promise I tell you everything that I know

but that's all for now

okay, thank you

pogue princess

JJ said that

tell him he's right

no matter what it looks like

I'm a pogue by heart

I just have to play along so my

parents don't kidnap me

we know, Iz, we know

While I'm packing my bags, I hear someone screaming downstairs so I follow the voices. Rafe is standing in front of a door looking like he's making sure no one can go in there. Or out. The voice I couldn't recognize at first is Sarah's. "Rafe, what are you doing? Let her out", I tell him but he shakes his head. "You know I can't", he replies professionally and I think about what I could do to help her. 

"Rafe, she's your sister. Let her out", I repeat myself arguing, "Why the hell would you lock her up?" "Oh maybe because she's seen Renfield's body and thinks I've killed him? She'll run to Shoupe if I let her out." "Let me talk to her", I tell him so he makes space for me trusting me that I wouldn't unlock the door, "Sarah? It's me, Iz. Listen, Rafe hasn't killed Renfield. I know he's not giving you a serious reason to believe him, but please believe me. I know when he's lying and he's not." 

"You're blinded, Iz. He's fooling you over and over again!", she yells through the door, "He's damaging you in so many ways. You need to let go." "Shut up, Sarah", Rafe shouts next to me, anger increasing as he's heard Sarah's words. It's one of the things that trigger his anger issues when people make him believe that he's treating me bad. "Rafe", I warn him harshly, "We'll find a way, Sarah." I know she wouldn't believe us so I turn back to Rafe understanding him better now. 

"You have to decide one day, Isabella. This day might has already come. Them or me and your family, Bella. You can have everything that you need and want if you only decide for one side", Rafe says insistently, "I don't want you to be under pressure, but look at the situation. You wanted me earlier, Bella. Do you want me and you forever?" Looking into his ocean blue eyes and hearing his soft voice, all of the pictures of the good times are appearing in my head. 

He's right. I have to decide one day. After all, JJ's broken up with me. Rafe has changed. Kie is going to be sent away. My parents and I could finally be together thanks to Rafe. This is all I've dreamt of. Having my family around me. I can have it all if I just decide for it now. "Yes", I whisper nodding my head lightly and Rafe sighs as if he's lost all the weight from the past weeks. He lays his hand behind my head and pulls me in for hug. "You won't regret it, I promise."

As I get back to packing the last pieces while Rafe is taking care of Renfield's body and Rose has already drove away with my dad, my mom appears in front of me. "You've always wanted this family. Back in New York already", my mom sighs sitting down on my bed, "We can finally have it all, Isabella." "I know, mom", I nod sighing. What is she trying to tell me? 

"I'm sorry for being this kind of mom. I know you've felt abandoned. But that is the reason for us sending you to the Outer Banks. We knew you'd have a good life with Anna, Christian and Kie. They're a family", my mom mumbles sadly and I frown as I've never seen her this way, "I know what it looks like and how we've treated you. But I promise you that I love you deeply. You're my daughter. As soon as this is all over tomorrow, we'll have a completely honest conversation about this all, alright?" 

"Thanks, mom", I reply shortly due to me being surprised. We'll talk about it. That's all that counts for me right now. "Wait, Isabella", my mom stops me when I'm about to take my bag downstairs so I look at her confused. "I've found this in your car. You should take it with you", she says to my surprise and takes JJ's ring out of her bag. "His-" "Here. Keep it close."

"Rafe, what happened to your face?", I ask him worriedly as there's blood on his cheek "Complications when I took care of Renfield", he explains shortly. "What kind of complications?" "It's fine now, Bella", Rafe sighs softly, "I have to load the cross onto the ship and then we're on our way to the life we've wanted, okay?" "Yeah", I nod as smiling as he rests his forehead on mine.

Izzy 🐓 ♥️

Coastal Venture

I stand at the window watching the port of the Outer Banks knowing that it's for real. We'll leave home. That's when it hits me. We don't leave home. I have to leave people behind who made me feel like home, who I've built a home with, for other people, one of them being my dad who never seems to actually want this new home with me. I couldn't even say goodbye to JJ and the others. My best friends. A tear glides down my cheek as suddenly I see an explosion at the port and I know they're coming. They're coming for the cross and for Sarah and I. I pull out JJ's ring and press my hand around it tightly.

JJ's POV:

"Hey, hey. You don't have to come with us. This is our fight", John B makes clear as Kie and I hesitate entering the container. "Fuck it", I hiss, "We've got nothing to lose and I'll bring my girl back home." I should have done that yesterday already when we sat in the damn truck but I was too afraid of her reaction. This time, I'll make her mine again. And we'll get the cross, of course.

Iz's POV:

"We are we going to, dad?", I ask looking up to him as we've left the port and are now on the high seas. "You'll find out soon. Have some rest."