Kathryn and John B indulged in a day in. The Pogues must be confused, but he knew Kat needed it. She had woken up like some sort of burned out zombie, which, understandable. Henry assigned her to bed rest. John B wouldn't leave her alone.

When she told her uncle that John B knew, a succession of emotions happened all at once.

a) Pride that she opened up to her friend,

b) new-found anger over what happened,

c) concern because she looked awful.

Then, John B and him spoke about different ways they could murder the guy and get away with it, until Kathryn begged them to talk about something else. It's not that she doesn't appreciate what they're doing, but she really doesn't want to talk about it.

So, bed rest for a day. Kathryn and John B ate pancakes again – John B did, Kathryn couldn't keep anything down. She made a step forward, yes, but that usually meant that she'd tumble three steps back. "That's okay," John B tells her. "You're not alone."

The next day, Kathryn feels better. At least she thought so, but when she wakes up, she feels like the weight is back on her chest...

Oh, well, nevermind, it's just John B's leg.

He's lying like a starfish, on his belly, one leg on her torso and his arms hugging her feet. She doesn't feel trapped, surprisingly enough, but she would like the ability to breathe again. She scoffs softly for herself, and pushes him off of her. It startles him awake.

"What? I'm up, I'm up."

She laughs softly. "You were crushing me. I was out of air."

He groans and rolls over on his back. He puts a hand on his eyes, trying to protect himself from the light shining through Kathryn's window.

"What time is it?"

"Uh..." She looks at the watch on her wrist, ignoring JJ's bandana on her other one. "It's noon."

He jumps on his feet so fast that he gets dizzy. "Shit, I told the Pogues to meet at the dock at one."

She arches an eyebrow. "You have an hour to get there? The drive is twenty minutes long at best, you're not gonna be late."

He makes a face. His stomach growls. "But I gotta eat."

"Oh my god."

"Also..." he starts, hesitant. "I have to convince you to come."

John B said it so softly she's not sure she heard. "What?"

"You wanna come? With us, I mean. We got the gear and the weather's good, so we're gonna try and find the Royal Merchant. Would be like, the third time, but we've got a shot. If you feel up for it."

She knows he's baiting her with the Royal Merchant. Of course he would – it's his father's treasure and apparently, kind of hers too. Though, right now, John B finds that getting Kathryn to get some air would be a victory in itself.

She sighs, and sits up on the bed. "You know I'm going to say yes. Who in their right minds would say no to that? You're a sneaky one."

"I'm not sneaky, I know you and I know what to say to convince you."

"Definition of sneaky." She shrugs, stubborn. "I'm not coming."

"Yes you are?"

She makes a face at him. Try me. "No I'm not. JJ will be there, and I'm pretty sure I'm gonna burst in flames because of the awkwardness."

He rolls his eyes. "Okay... Hear me out... And bear with me on this... You can just like... Talk with him."

"Never heard of that, actually. No thanks."

They're suddenly serious again. Because this feels too similar to another issue she won't talk about to anyone, and John B doesn't like it. "You're sure you don't want to tell anyone? They wouldn't judge you. Or pity you."

Her shoulders drop and she turns her back to him, looking out the window. "I'm not sure I'd even be able to get the words out."

But for once, she'd like people to know. Especially if John B trusts them. If he does, she does, it's as easy as that for now. She should take action before she feels the opposite and it's too late. She'd rather have a support system when she does.

"Maybe you could tell them," she says softly. "I... I think I'd like that."

She knows it doesn't fall into that whole strong woman demeanour she's built herself to cope, but she doesn't feel the need to uphold it with John B.

And he gets it. "I will," he tells her. "Big step, bug. That's good."

"But not JJ."

He looks back at her, taken aback. She thinks about last night, when they both realised that her and JJ would always be different from the rest of them, and she doesn't want to know how or why, but she can't... She can't let him know.

"Can I ask why not?"

"You just did." She keeps her back turned to him. "I wouldn't bear it," she says softly. "If he reacted badly."

John B's eyebrow tie up in a knot. "He would never–"

"I can't take the risk," she insists, finally looking back at him. "For the longest time, I thought telling anyone would kill me, and I'm sure it will if JJ knows."

He considers her, and nods. "I'll tell Pope and Kie."

"And Sarah, if you run into her."

"And Sarah." He smiles at her. "I'm still proud, bug."

She huffs a little, and takes out a pink blouse and white shorts from her wardrobe, before looking at him. "You gonna go downstairs and eat or what? I gotta change if you want me to come."

He gives her a huge smile, and kisses her forehead. "You're the best, I love you!"

She rolls her eyes and chuckles as he leaves. "Yeah, love you too."

🫧

Kathryn greatly underestimated the amount of awkwardness there would be between her and JJ. She had in mind to ignore him, and then had the guts to be offended when he did.

She knows – of course she does – that he has every right to ignore her. She did use his dad, and she gets that even if she didn't know, she shouldn't have. She knew his reputation. That's the very reason why she mentioned him.

But even if she gets where he's coming from, she can't help the bitter taste in her mouth when she remembers what he said about her mother. Or how he asked about Rafe.

Her thoughts are cut short when Kie arrives, followed by Pope, and she's tugged into a bone crushing hug. "I'm so sorry," she chokes out, trying not to cry.

Before she can tell them to be discreet, she can see John B talking to JJ to take his attention away from the scene. Then, her vision is blocked when Pope hugs her, arms squeezing around her and Kie.

"We're here," Kie says. "We're not going anywhere."

"We love you."

Kathryn ignores the tears welling up in her eyes, or the usual nausea that comes with it. She's not used to that. Or the compassion replacing the pity in their eyes.

She steps back, clearing her throat. "Yeah, uh thanks. I'm okay." She's not.

But now they know, and they nod. Kie wipes her tears. "If you need me to slash his tires, I will," she promises.

"I could muster some secret operation to help," Pope adds.

Kathryn chuckles. "Thanks, but no thanks. I'm trying to keep it behind me." If it's behind her, it can't come back, can it?

Kie nods, pats her arm, and walks away. She knows that she'll give it away if she stays too long. Most likely by sobbing her little heart out. Kathryn had always been the only one to get her like boys couldn't. She was also a Kook. A girl. It's hard to think that both those facts are the reason it happened to her.

Kathryn stares at Pope, and the bruises on his temple, blooming all the way across his cheekbones. "What happened to your face?"

He tries to hide it with his cap. "Oh that? Uh... Rafe and Topper jumped me."

White-hot anger washes over her. "They what?"

Pope immediately holds up his hands. "Look, I'm not sure we should talk about that when you–"

"I'm fucking positive we should talk about that," she fires back, arms flailing in the air. "Why would they do that?"

He looks down at his feet. "I had to go through Figure Eight for a delivery."

She waits, as if they would even need an actual reason. "Please, please tell me someone caved their faces in."

"Yeah, something like that."

"I could tell Max."

"Please, don't," he almost screams out. "It's uh... it's nothing."

"Doesn't look like nothing!" She takes his chin in her hand softly, trying to see the damage. "Fuck, Pope."

"It's okay."

Kathryn had always been fiercely protective of him. JJ and John B knew how to hold themselves, Kie had the loudest mouth Kathryn had ever seen, but Pope, he was soft. They knew to pick on him for it. But they would always get out of it with bite marks – she didn't know how to fight, she knew how to hurt.

Eventually they stopped, because Kathryn Darcy was always behind Pope Heyward.

He takes her hand with a smile. "I'm okay if you're okay."

He gets a smirk out of her. "Fine."

Somewhere in the back of the boat, once he knew it was safe, John B points to her. "You can't tell me she's not one of us."

JJ immediately rolls his eyes. "I'm not!" he almost cries out. "She got into it first, she should apologize first, that's all."

"You'll get nowhere with that logic."

"That's okay, I'm not planning on going anywhere."

John B stifles a groan, and walks back to Kathryn and Pope. JJ starts the boat – Kie's parents' boat. It allows the Pogues to talk to Kathryn without being suspicious.

"Talk to him," he hisses at her. "My boy is dying over there."

"I am also dying over here," she says, plainly.

Suddenly, everyone except JJ is around her. She wonders if they did the same to him. "You should apologise for all the yelling," Kie advises.

"Absolutely not." Kathryn shakes her head. "He deserved it."

Pope nods. "He kinda did, though. After what he said. Which, of course, was because of what you said. Which was because–"

"We get the picture," John B interrupts. "Look, we know you're angry." Do they? "But do it for us?"

She stares at him. "How are you even in the equation?"

"Well, we have to listen to JJ whine," Kie says.

"It's getting too much."

John B nods at Pope. "It is. It's annoying. Kat is almost worse." She's about to retort, but he looks at the GPS and turns around. "All right, JJ. Pin it here."

"Roger that!" he shouts back. "'X' marks the spot."

Kathryn opens her mouth to yell at John B again, but he walks away, and prepares the drone. Pope and Kie go to help, and Kathryn is left to observe them from her spot.

"All right, ladies and gentlemen," says John B as he drops the drone into the ocean. "To going full Kook."

They all have tasks that must have been attributed when she wasn't around. Kie takes care of the tether, John B manages the camera, Pope the controls, so Kathryn's left with...

Reading the map. Which John B knows she can manage, because her dad taught her how. This feels like a years long betrayal.

"Take this," John B passes her the monitor showing where the boat is and where the Merchant is, and the map. "Go help JJ position the boat."

She takes it, rolling her lips inside of her mouth. "I hate you so much right now."

"Yeah, I can't hear over the sound of how awesome I am."

With a sigh, Kathryn gets inside the cabin. She immediately would rather step into the sea. JJ's making a great job ignoring her, not even glancing at her. Two can play at that game, she figures, ignoring the vital need to know if he hates her or not.

"All right," she mutters. "Ten seconds northwest."

The silence is so awkward, she prays to have a heart attack or something and die on the spot. She doesn't even realise it, but she's nervously playing with his bandana. This is getting ridiculous.

"And to quote The Hobbit, 'Down, down, to Goblin Town. Down, down, you go, my lad.'"

"Nerd," Kathryn scoffs.

"Kathryn, you've read The Hobbit four times," John B chastises.

JJ chuckles, and she shoots him a glare, which he, surprisingly, ignores. This is silly. It's stupid – they were okay just three days ago and she's not saying she misses it, but it feels a whole lot like it.

He, however, can fully admit that he misses her. He has admitted it, actually. Every night. Which is why Pope and Kie are on the verge of a mental breakdown.

Seconds after Kie announces the drone is four hundred feet under, thunder rumbles outside. "The tide is turning!" she says.

The monitor in Kathryn's hands begins to beep widely as the boat drifts from the spot. "Uh, JJ, ten seconds easy... south-southeast."

He complies silently.

The weather is beginning to change too, and Kathryn begins to shiver. The wind is cold against her bare arms – she would've brought a sweater if someone hadn't said that the weather would be good today.

Something brushes against her arm. JJ took off his sweatshirt and handed it to her. "It's okay."

"Take it."

She doesn't like his tone, but she's too cold to care. It's also the first words he's said to her in two days, so she'll take it. She slides the sweatshirt one.

Kathryn looks back to the monitor. "Twenty seconds mid-speed, south."

He's having a hard time steadying the boat with the waves, and the wind. Kathryn looks out the window, and she can see a storm coming.

"Are we good?" JJ asks. "The position, I mean."

"Uh? Oh yeah, sure, we're good. In good position, mhm."

Kill her.

She can't believe John B parent-trapped them together. Worse, it's working. She can't believe she's saying that, but she wished JJ would just tease her. Call her an asshole, anything. The silence is worse. It's stifling. It's taunting her. And she can't believe it, because she'd never apologise first for anyone else, but she breaks.

"I'm sorry," she blurts out, trying to be louder than the wind outside. "For using your dad. You're right, I shouldn't have. I was panicking and trying to get us out of there and it was stupid."

He seems a bit shocked. "You really wanna apologize right now?"

Well, okay. Not what she expected. "Take it or leave it, Maybank."

He mutters a little 'fuck that' under his breath before turning his full attention to her. There's a storm outside. He's not sure he cares. "I'm sorry. You were trying to help, and I know I keep making it hard for you, because I'm an idiot."

"You are."

"Fuck you." She laughs. "I shouldn't have pushed, and of course you're not like your mother. She's insane. You're like, only kind of crazy."

She hums. "I love that, thank you JJ," she ironises.

"You're welcome."

"Guys!" John B calls out. "We're super happy for you, but can you focus back on the boat? One of us is going to drown!"

Kathryn snorts as JJ chuckles, but their laughter dies out when a wave sends her into him, and JJ into the wall of the cabin. They stumble on their feet, like bashful idiots.

JJ goes back to the controls, Kathryn turns around. "What did you say about the weather earlier? It's 'good'? John B if anyone goes overboard, I hope it's you!"

"Love you too!" he shouts back.

The monitor is going insane in Kathryn's hands. She shouts at JJ the instruction the second they pop up, and does her best to situate the ship in the right position. When the light turns green, she shouts at him to stop the boat where they are.

"I'm at the bottom!" Pope cries out, monitoring the drone.

There's a sudden silence between the Pogues still on deck, and they turn around, looking at the two of them in the cabin. "See anything?" JJ screams.

John B chuckles. "It's the Royal Merchant."

Kathryn feels her heart soar. "Are you sure?"

"Fucking positive, bug!"

She has to hold back screams of joy because who would've thought that five kids would even catch wind of where it was, let alone find it. "Find the gold!" she presses, getting back on track.

There's silence again, and she can see Pope manoeuvring. Her excitation swells, before bottoming out when the smiles on their faces disappear.

"Guys?"

"It's not there," John B tells her. "Look, just – just pull the drone up."

"What?"

Kathryn makes sure that JJ's got it, before going to John B and looking at the camera. It's definitely the Royal Merchant, she recognises the engraved coat of arms, but it's empty.

"Look, we can do another pass," proposes Pope. "Recharge the battery. We can – we can go back down."

Kathryn, ever the pessimist, shakes her head. "You've done it three times, right? Chances are, there's nothing there."

"Shut up!" Kie cries out, demoralised.

"It's not my fault the gold's not here, go pass your nerves on something other than me." Kie scoffs, but says nothing.

"If it was there, it would've been found on the metal detector, okay?" John B agrees. "Somebody beat us to it."

"Or it was never there," JJ lets out.

Kathryn sighs. "Yeah well, for all we know, it sank to the bottom of the ocean because of its weight, and there's no way we'll get it." She goes back to the cabin. "Let's just go home before one of us says that the real treasure was the friends we made along the way."

He stares at her. "You were going to say that."

"I definitely was."

Besides, they did find the Royal Merchant, didn't they? Money or not, it's got to count for something. It does for her. It did for her dad, and John B's.

Gold or not, this was for him and Big John.

Author's Note: I got accepted in the university I wanted I am sO HAPPY RN NOTHING CAN STOP ME

Editor's Note: ROMY!!!!!!!!! ROMY NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!