SHE SAT outside alone, looking into the horizon of the ocean as the boat rocked back and forth. A cigarette was placed between her lips; tears stained her cheeks, and the cold wind was stinging her skin. The sky was darker than before, turning a shade of grey; the boat travelled right towards the cloud.

Although she desperately wanted to, Rory didn't blame JJ for what he said. He was drunk and upset, and Rory felt responsible for those feelings; she didn't know why she always felt accountable for people's sadness. If Rory hadn't said anything, maybe this vacation would've gone differently.

The worst part was that Rory believed him. JJ was right, she wasn't the real mother to Sarah's baby. Maybe Rory wasn't made to be a mother, as some people just aren't; she can't even take care of herself, let alone a baby.

Like Luke.

"Hey," Sarah walked over to her, standing. She reached out a hand for Rory to take, "Storm's coming. Let's go inside, yeah?"

"I don't think I'm a good person." Rory blurted out, avoiding eye contact. She hesitated, "I wouldn't trust myself around a baby, Sarah."

"No. No, we're not having this conversation." Sarah said sternly, but a trace of reassurance laced her voice. She sat down next to Rory, "You are a good person. If you don't think so, then you can trust me. Do you trust me?"

Rory nodded, "Yeah, but—"

"Wait," Sarah asked in concern, "Is this about what happened with JJ?" She watched as Rory stayed silent. Sarah urged, "What did JJ say to you, Rory?"

"You know," Rory shrugged, like she didn't care; she listed, "If I'm sure you're pregnant, how I'm too untrustworthy, and Luke got mentioned a few times." She looked at her finally, "He's right, Sarah."

"He's not right. He's an asshole." Sarah grew frustrated, "Rory, if you were anything like Luke, I wouldn't be wearing this ring— no, listen. If I thought that you'd be a danger to this baby, I wouldn't of told you that I was pregnant." Sarah reassured sternly, "Rory, you are the love of my life. I trust you with our child. That's all that matters. Got it?"

Rory didn't get it. She nodded anyway.

Sarah placed a gentle kiss on Rory's lips, "Come on, let's go inside."

Rory and Sarah helped Cleo tie down the cans of food and boxes of supplies so nothing got wasted in the storm. As time went on, the storm got worse; the waves grew bigger and knocked the boat back and forth. Again and again.

Rory started storing the leftover food cans in a plastic box, stacking them tightly together. She looked at her brother, who was silently sitting in the corner of the room at the table. He wasn't helping the three girls; JJ just sat there, fiddling with a piece of metal. And as the storm got worse, the girls needed more help tying things down and keeping things from moving.

Rory refused to say anything to the boy, just repeatedly glared at him in hopes that JJ would get the hint. He didn't. He continued to ignore what was happening, and not help his friends who were struggling to maintain the storage.

Sarah noticed Rory tense; she rolled her eyes, before standing up. Sarah grabbed Rory's box of canned food, before storming over to JJ and slamming the box down on the table in front of him.

"Can you actually do something, JJ?" Sarah snapped in frustration. The boy sighed, ignoring her and attempting to take a sip of his beer. Sarah smacked the can out of his hand, "Give me that. You're being a bitch."

Surprisingly, JJ stayed silent, as his eyes shifted to Rory. The girl couldn't help but feel bad for him, and she hated herself for that.

Cleo called, "Hey, rude boy. Group activity."

The girls met with Kiara and Pope in the kitchen, hanging onto the seats as the ship rocked side to side. The storm was getting worse; water was pouring in through gaps in the walls and creating a pool on the floor. Rory held Sarah tightly, making sure she didn't fall when the boat tipped side to side.

Rory knew that John B needed help steering the ship through the storm, though JJ had locked himself away in the bedrooms.

"Hey!" Rafe yelled loudly, "Assholes! Cut me loose, come on! Hey!"

Cleo watched Kiara, almost sensing that the girl was planning to help the boy, "No! No."

Pope agreed, "Do not let him out."

"He's gonna drown!" Kiara defended, before making her way towards where Rafe was being held.

Rory pulled Sarah towards her when the boat tipped over again, stumbling into Pope and Cleo as they all helped hold each other up.

BANG!
They all flinched when thunder rumbled, followed by the sound of smashing class. The four all shared looks of concern and fear, as they continued holding onto whatever they could to prevent them from falling. The boat rocked more dramatically now, as the boxes of canned foods had started falling too.

Sarah shook her head in worry, "Something's not right, Rory."

"What?" The girl frowned, her eyes automatically scanning to her stomach and thinking the worst. Rory prompted, "What is it?"

"Something's happened up there." Sarah panicked, "John B. He's not— He's not driving anymore."

Rory glanced at Pope and Cleo in worry, and Sarah took it as an opportunity to stumble upstairs towards the helm of the boat. Rory tried to chase after her, though the boat tipped again, causing her to fall back onto Pope and Cleo; they all groaned in pain and annoyance.

"Sarah!" Rory called, struggling to stand to her feet, "Fuck."

Cleo added, "It's not safe!"

Pope's eyes shifted to behind Rory, causing her to turn around. It was JJ, stumbling into the room; he must've heard Rory yelling. JJ looked at her. He just looked at her— that's all he did. And Rory understood.

Pope shouted over the thuds and crashing objects, "What are you doing?"

"I gotta get to the helm." JJ said, his words still slurring at the ends, "This boat's gonna capsize."

Rory looked at him, "JJ."

The boy gave a small nod, before bringing his fisted hand up and rubbing it on the left side of his chest. I'm sorry— in sign language. The twins hadn't used sign language since they were 14; they only knew a few words, of course, but they learnt it to communicate when they couldn't around Luke. I'm sorry.

He's sorry.

"JJ." Rory's voice was stern, though full of worry, as she watched her brother stumble towards the helm of the ship. Rory shouted, "JJ!"

Rory struggled to stand up, as Pope attempted to talk to her, "It's not safe, Rory. Listen! It's not— you'll get hurt!"

"My brother's getting hurt. Sarah's getting hurt... I can't. She can't get hurt. The..." Rory trailed off, as she gripped onto the kitchen counter to pull herself to her feet.

"This is crazy, girl." Cleo disagreed, "It's not safe up there!"

"I have to try." Was all Rory said, before stumbling upstairs towards the helm.

Accompanied by the pools of water on the ground, which now came up to her ankles, Rory found herself alone. The helm was empty. Nobody was driving the ship. Where was John B? JJ? Sarah? Everyone had vanished.

The ceiling poured droplets water onto her head, as Rory quickly walked around the room. She called for her friends, but nobody answered, which made Rory grow anxious.

"Sarah!" She heard John B scream.

Rory's heart dropped.

She sprinted towards the outside of the boat, catching a glimpse of John B through a little window. When Rory opened the door, the cold wind and water stung her face; the ocean spat at her, as waves towered over the boat.

Rory's eyes darted around the boat, looking for Sarah, but she wasn't here. Why wasn't she here?

"John B!" Rory yelled over the noise, "What the fuck is happening?"

Rory gripped onto the metal railings, guiding herself towards John B. The boy was crying— no, sobbing. He didn't look at Rory; John B kept his eyes on the horizon. Rory followed his eye line, as they met with a blonde boy in the distance. It was JJ, who was grabbing the red lifebuoy from the side of the boat.

JJ yelled, "Sarah!"

"Wait— what?!" Rory panicked in realisation, "Sarah's out there?" She looked at John B, though the boy was clearly in a state of shock. Rory yelled, "John B! Is Sarah fucking out there? She could— she could..." Die. 

No, no, no.

With all his strength, JJ threw the lifebuoy into the ocean. He looked back at John B, his face faltering when he saw Rory, almost as if she wasn't suppose to witness this part.

Rory watched.

She watched her brother dive into the ocean. Rory was helpless. She couldn't do anything, as her brain processed what was happening. Rory watched as the two people she loved most die. She wished she could've helped; if she tried harder, Rory could've saved them both.

"No!" Rory bellowed a scream. It ripped through her, hurting her soul as her voice rasped for air. Her scream seemed to silence the storm for a moment, and Rory was left in silence.

She was left alone. Again.

Abruptly, Rory attempted to rush towards the edge of the boat, however a pair of hands grabbed her before she could reach the stairs.

Rory yelled angrily, squirming in their grip, "Get off me! Fucking let— let go! Get... Please!" Her anger turned into sobs of desperation, "Please! Fucking— help! Please."

Rory caught a blurry glance of Rafe, dragging her back from the steps and inside of the helm. Rafe's voice was muffled, drowned out by the pain that ached through her body; he snapped, "Stop it. Stop fighting. Stop, Rory!"

"Rory! Rory!" Kiara's voice managed to stop Rory fighting. She was crying too, "Rory, stop. Please!" The girl pulled her in for a hug, holding her head as they both cried. Rory's shoulders jerked as she sobbed loudly, almost as if the absence of JJ and Sarah physically hurt her. Kiara cried, her voice quiet as she whispered in her ear, "I'm so sorry, Rory. I— I'm sorry."

Rory's words were inaudible, but they were filled with pain, sadness, and anger. Sarah and JJ were dead; they wouldn't make it out of the storm. Rory had lost her big brother and girlfriend in an amount of seconds. Seconds that Rory could've spent trying to save them, or telling them she loved them.

Her heart wrenched and throbbed with agony. Every beat seemed to drain her and, for a moment, Rory was convinced that she was going to die too. She wouldn't of minded; Rory would've reunited with Sarah and JJ once more.

Rory didn't see the point of living without them. Her purpose of life was loving them. And now they were gone.

They were meant to be in her life forever; they promised. Rory couldn't help but hate them for leaving, even if she could've helped them stay. Rory should've helped.

It should've been Rory who died. She was ready for that. Sarah and JJ had a whole life to live. It wasn't fair that it was taken from them so soon.

With every cry, Rory felt her heart shatter.

But can a heart still break if it was born in pieces?

a/n:
well