Kathryn stares at the unopened letter in her hands. The stamped Yale seal leaves very little doubt as to who sent her this. She glares at the seal. The timing couldn't be worse. They'd just lost the Cross. She'd just made a colossal mistake, kissing her ex a day after they broke up which, she's sure, has gotta be against some sort of law.

She looks up at her dad, flanked with Billy and Max. Henry is standing next to her, eyes zoned in on the letter.

"I'm not supposed to get an answer until December."

Edward grins at her. "I know. I called someone, speeded the process up."

Kathryn doesn't share his excitement, and finds herself frowning at her dad. "I hope that's all you did."

"He didn't buy your way in, I made sure," Henry tells her, nudging her. "If you do get a positive answer, it'll be all thanks to you, and only you."

"You didn't have to. I already know Kathryn can get in on her own, this is just formality."

Her fingers trail over the letter. "I'm not sure I should open it."

Billy bristles. "What? But it's all you've been waiting for, Kitty."

It is. She couldn't dream of anything else, back on the island. And now that she had it in her hands, she wanted to burn it and never know. She had planned to open it with everyone. But Pope had just lost the Cross, and John B was still MIA with daddy dearest, and well, JJ...

She wanted it to be perfect. And even if she knows now that perfect timing and good reasons and waiting isn't the answer, it was hard to shake away from things that protected you your whole life.

And, besides...

"I don't see myself just showing up to the Chât and shoving my letter at them. It's not exactly the right time."

Max hums. "I think they'll be happy for you. It'll get them a bit of happiness, right now. The choice is yours, though."

She makes a face, and folds the letter, putting it in the back pocket of her low cut jeans, adjusting the burgundy vest she's wearing in the same movement. "Yeah. John B called for a group meeting either way, I'll see what I do once I'm there."

Billy makes a face. "Sure... and then you get back here and tell us, right?"

"You got it."

Henry shrugs. "Or we can announce it at our engagement party, tomorrow."

Kathryn's eye twitches. "Your what when?"

Max blows out a breath. "Yeah, Henry's been going haywire about it since you came back. It's a bit early, considering we have nothing prepared, but he really wants to do it."

Her uncle is indeed smiling from ear to ear. "Tell your friends to come. I like those kids. When they don't you know, get you in life threatening situations."

If Kathryn is a bit weary about organising the party, she nods. "Yeah, I'll tell them. I can help with planning once I get home."

"It'd be a pleasure, kid."

Edward kisses the top of his daughter's head, going back to the previous subject. "Imagine everything you can discover once you're at Yale. Oh, imagine the reputation you have, after finding El Dorado."

Henry glares at his brother. "She doesn't need to find any treasure for that."

"Of course not." Still, Edward hands her his diary. "Here. Give it a read, if you want. There's everything that I know about El Dorado in there, which isn't a lot. In case you need it."

Kathryn takes it, but gives him a contrite smile. "To be honest, dad, once I'm out of here, I'm out of any gold hunt. I just... I need a break."

She's been kidnapped a humiliating amount of time. Had more panic attacks than she can count. Was stranded on a deserted island. All of it was worth it for the historical discoveries they made, sure... But Kathryn was getting tired. She needed a year off, or two.

Yale was her ticket out. None of her friends knew it yet. Well, maybe one did.

Kathryn was keeping that letter as far away from JJ as she could.

"No problem, Kitten," he assures her when he sees her fussing over it. "Just keep it, in case it can help your friends."

She nods, and after one last smile at Henry, who seemed relieved beyond words at the fact that she was actually considering dropping her life-threatening antics, leaves for the Château.

Kathryn hasn't seen Big John since Christmas Eve, 2015. He brought John B over, seeing as he was the only one she would allow in the room after what happened with Rafe, a few weeks prior.

She always thought of him as nice, if not a bit brusque. He used to play-fight with him and JJ a lot, and would grab her hands and make her fly in a circle, which would send Henry into cardiac arrest at the thought of her popping a shoulder. Which she did. Twice.

Going by what she walks in on once she arrives at Château, the man hasn't changed much.

JJ is on his back, ruffling the man's hair. He always was like a second dad to him. Or an actual one, at least. Kathryn herself can't help but smile.

"Hey," she waves awkwardly at the man, as he sets down the blonde.

The rest of the group is already there, and if Kathryn feels a bit watched, being the last one here, Big John doesn't seem to mind. His jovial face splits into a grin, before he moves towards her and takes her in his arms, nearly off the ground.

"Kat!" he lets out happily, setting her down. She can't help but laugh at the man. He had that kind of energy, kinda like Santa. "Look how grown you are, kid! Last time I saw you, you were barely past my hip."

She tilts her head to the side. "Eh, I'm fairly certain I was taller, but whatever."

"You still argue though, that's good," he laughs. He gives her a very paternal look, patting the top of her head. "You grew up real pretty too. Didn't she JJ?"

He winks at the teenage boy, who splutters, Kathryn's cheeks growing redder than the blush she put on. Guess even when they were twelve they weren't as slick as they thought. Big John merely patted JJ on the back, who looked back at Kathryn with wide eyes, which she ignored on purpose.

"Hey, bug."

Kathryn turns around to John B, her grin back in an instant. She hasn't seen him since he ran out, only knew that he was alive, which was something, at least. "Hey, John Bastard."

He smiles a little. "Yeah, I deserve that one."

"Sure do."

She tugs him into a hug, holding him tight. She feels like it's been an eternity. The letter in her pocket burns her right to the skin.

"Heard about JJ," he says, his chin on her shoulder. "Got no idea what it was about, but I can rough him up if you want."

Kathryn could do without the reminder of her fucked up love life, but she's grateful that he doesn't tiptoe around it. "Nah. All set. Apparently, we're friends now." If you ignore the fact that they kissed...

She parts from him, and frowns a little as she looks up to his hazel eyes. She pushes some brown hair strand away from his forehead. He seems... conflicted. Sad. The tiniest bit frustrated. "What's up?"

"Uh..." he hesitates, dancing on his feet. "You know, my dad and I are about to tell you everything, so let's not keep the others waiting."

"Oh. Okay."

The group settle in front of the tree that was once John B's grave, sitting on beach chairs and listening intently.

Apparently, John B and Big John had been on a little adventure on their own trying to find El Dorado. They were supposed to find some idol that would show the way, lead them to it. Now, as to why they didn't tell anyone, she has no idea. Considering it put Mister Sunn, one of Kathryn's favourite teachers, in the hospital, she hoped it'd be worth it. But...

"Yeah, so we, um... we went to the archives in Charleston, and, uh..." John B looks up at his dad as he speaks. "It was... it was a dead end. A dry hole. So..."

Sitting on either side of John B, JJ and Kathryn are watching with the utmost care as their best friend speaks. Kathryn drums her fingers on her knees. She's known this boy since he still peed his pants at night. Since he barely had all his teeth out.

Kathryn can tell when the bastard is lying to her face, and so can JJ.

Apparently, they're the only ones, seeing as Pope immediately goes: "So that's the gold, the Cross, and now El Dorado. We're three-for-three, guys." He throws his beer can away. "The streak continues."

The group slowly thins out, Kie, Pope and Cleo going home, leaving John B with JJ, Kathryn, and Sarah, and frankly, not one of the three seems to be buying whatever he's saying.

Kathryn fiddles with the letter, in her back pocket. She knew this had been a bad time anyway.

She's not sure why they wait around, but they do, as if John B would start spilling what actually happened. Why would he lie in the first place? Kathryn doesn't want to force him to say anything, he's supposed to be her best friend. He'll tell her when he needs to. If he doesn't, now... her stomach feels tight. She hates the idea.

Why would she lie? Why would he feel like he had to?

JJ stands up, slightly pissed off, she can tell by the tightness in his shoulders. "I'm going fishing. Thanks for the beer."

Kathryn follows after him. "Yeah. See you later, John B."

Her fingers graze the letter, again. Whatever's written on there, she has the feeling she won't get that peace any time soon.

🍓

Later that day, Kathryn paces in front of Heyward's shop. She figures if she can't break the news to the group, she might as well break it to Pope, right? Since John B is apparently lying to her, Pope is probably her best bet at having a good reaction to getting into Yale. If she got in.

She knows he went to school, that day. He'd told her that he'd try to get back into it, and she wished him luck. Kathryn had more than enough advance and credit points for university, highschool had always been a formality, and frankly, she didn't see herself going back, not yet.

Which leads to her, sitting lamely in front of the shop, waiting for him to show up, the letter safely tucked in her pocket.

When he comes striding along, she jumps to her feet. "Hey Pope–"

"Wait, Kat, I need to pick up slack for Heyward." She bristles. "Just follow me if you wanna speak."

"Right, right, coming."

Cleo outside, through the back door, waiting for him, too. She waves warmly at Kathryn, who gestures back. Well, two for one. That's not half bad for her announcement, is it?

Kathryn would whip her letter out, if Pope didn't pick up the broom with that much violence, if he didn't seem that pissed off.

She leaves it in her pocket. Not the right time. "Pope, babe, you look like shit."

"Yeah, that's 'cause I quit school." Definitely not the right time.

Cleo stares at him, dumbfounded. "You did what?"

"Quit school," he repeats.

Right. They just entered some alternate universe where Pope doesn't want to become a coronary, makes sense now. At least a whole lot more than him giving up on school.

"What the hell, Pope?" she cries out, trying not to sound as harsh as she's worried. "You had your scholarship, and everything!"

"Yeah, I lost it."

She purses her lips, not accepting defeat that easily. "Okay, well, I still got that money–"

"It's no use, Kat. I lost all my old classes. I'll be lucky if I even passed the grade." He scoffs. "My transcript is ass. Everything I had going for me, gone. And do you know why I'm screwed? Because I tried to do the right thing. I tried to help John B with his treasure, to get my family's inheritance back, and do you know what I got for it? Kicked in the dirt. It's over. I'm done."

This whole thing is surreal. Pope's entire future is about school, university. That's what he always wanted. "That's what you do, Pope, the right thing," she starts. "That's not a bad trait, that's why we–"

"Pope!"

"Besides, it's not like you can just give up like that!" Cleo goes on, not particularly caring for the scream.

"Yo!" JJ runs in, panting. "Bombshell."

Kathryn is still grappling with what Pope says, as she stares back at him. "Dude, why are you soaking wet?"

JJ, from head to toe, is drenched. He looks like he just came out of the sea.

He seems equally as surprised, looking at the three of them. "What's going on? What happened? Detecting a real heavy vibe. What's going on?"

"Pope's quitting school," Cleo tells him.

"Being a coroner's kind of weird anyway."

"Shut–"

"Shut up, wrench dick," Pope lets out before Kathryn can.

"Right, great. So it's definitely not the time for this. Okay, shit."

Kathryn groans. "Just spit it out!"

"So I was down at Guffy's, all right," he explains, still panting. "I was trying to get my job back. And I see the catty across the way, and on it..." He catches his breath. "...is Rafe and Barry."

She closes her eyes, shakes her head. "Oh, I'm not in the mood for more Rafe Cameron news."

"Well, get this anyway. I sneak over to hear what they're talking about. Pope, he has the Cross. And he melted it down."

The news drops like a stone in the ocean. Everything they had worked for, gone. In an instant. Pope's family heirloom, from his great grand-mother, the only thing that still kept him going... melted.

Kathryn pales. "He what? Does he have any idea what kind of historical value it has? Fucking – not to mention emotional, and..." Pope stands up, shaking his head. "Pope...?"

"Fuck!" he screams out to the ocean, like it'll wash another treasure over to him.

Kathryn has known for a long time that the ocean isn't so merciful.

He turns around, pacing now, angry.

"Of course it was Rafe."

"Yeah, I mean, we probably could've guessed that."

"I thought we all knew it was," Kathryn lets out, not bragging, just confused. "He was talking of selling the Cross to Singh, he was the one who had it."

"The Cross of Santo Domingo, desecrated!" Its owner cries out. "For money? God!"

He picks up the broom. "I know," JJ says. "I think we need to stay calm to make a plan, but we got to stay–"

Pope breaks the wood in two. Kathryn blinks. "Okay." Bit much, but she can't exactly blame him.

"This is messed up, man," he grounds out. "Even for them!"

He really isn't one to raise his voice at anything, ever. And if Kathryn can understand his heartbreak, she doesn't want another Cameron to win over them.

"They break things, Pope, that's what they do."

"They're just gonna keep getting away with it. They're gonna keep doing that shit. Gonna keep winning."

"I mean, Pope, is that news to you?" JJ asks him.

"No. But I'm sick of being the good guy."

He walks away, breaking into a jog as Cleo calls after him. The three stand like this for a while, staring at the spot where Pope just disappeared. In a single afternoon, he had lost just about everything, and Kathryn's letter was burning a hole through her pocket.

"He's gonna make a mistake," she lets out, sitting on a bench.

Cleo makes a face. "Nah... whatever he says, he's a good guy."

"Rafe Cameron has a tendency to burn that out in people," she reminds them. "I won't quote the obvious example."

JJ sits next to her, looking over at her face, carefully crafted to appear calm, which she definitely was not. She was angry. He could tell. Angry that Rafe had managed to slither his way through the group and hurt someone else.

"You think Pope would turn bad?"

She looks back at him. "I think I didn't turn out so well."

Most of all, Kathryn thinks she can't ever open that letter. If she gets in, and she has to leave them, she'll never forgive herself. They need her. She's their friend. Now is not the time to fuck off in another state. It'll never be time.

No matter what the letter said, Kathryn was a Pogue first and foremost. She couldn't leave.

She couldn't shake the feeling of being trapped. 

Author's Note: I accidentally wrote two chapters again...