Chapter 5: One Thing After Another

So, this wasn't the gif I wanted but I couldn't find the scene I was looking for so whatever. Love you guys, sorry this took so long. ❤

~SiriusCatBennett

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The next day, Kie never showed up. Neither did Pope. With a heavy heart, CJ went along with her day. And it was a busy one. It started with another ice run, replacing what kept their food cold. Then CJ swept the deck and the three moved everything back onto the porch. They decided to leave the few things that belonged in the yard on the porch until it was cleaned up. 

While CJ ventured inside, the boys stayed in the blazing sun. Dressed in only shorts, the two walked around the house, pulling tarps off the walls. Most of them were rolled up and chucked into the shed, but two were left out to collect fallen branches. It made their jobs much easier to simply throw foliage on them and drag the piles to one spot in the yard. At some point when it was drier, JJ would have to go back and chop the wood up. 

Inside, CJ was throwing away empty beer bottles and tossing roaches in the ashtray. Random dishes were collected and thrown in the sink where she turned on the water. Running only enough to dunk dishes under, she switched it off. They all would need showers at some point and she didn't want to use all the stored water. 

Turning to the dish rack, she quickly put away all the dry dishes before starting on the ones in the sink. Soap was squirted on a sponge and the girl hummed softly as she scrubbed the dishes and dipped them under the still water. It didn't take her long seeing as she'd just done the dishes a few days ago. 

The next step was laundry, which CJ hated doing when the power was out. The first step was already done and CJ grabbed the buckets of water from the porch. The water was from the ocean and was poured into pots to be boiled. Propane stove turned on, the fire kicked to life and burned the metal above it. While the water bubbled, the girl finished cleaning up the living room. In the moment, she was glad the floors were wood as brooms didn't require electricity. 

Water purified and cooled, CJ poured it back into the buckets. A laundry basket was already sat beside her. Squirting dish soap into one, she started dipping clothes into it, scrubbing with the warm water. Every time she finished washing, the clothes were rinsed off in the other bucket and thrown into another laundry bin. 

It took CJ a while and her hands cramped up, but she finished the clothes and brought them outside. There, the boys had strung up clotheslines. JJ, noticing his sister, threw over a container of clothespins. He'd found them in the second most likely place; the outdoor section of the shed. She barely caught them and sent him a smile before pinning up the wet clothes. 

It was when CJ stopped focusing on the inside chores and started helping the boys that the sheriff pulled up. All three of them stopped working, turning to the woman stepping out of the car. They all held apprehension but covered it well. CJ sent a small smile her way, hoping to deter her before the encounter turned sour. 

"Maybank 1 and 2, get over here." 

"Yes, ma'am." JJ responded, throwing the branch he was holding onto a tarp. Sheriff Peterkin pretended not to notice they were the missing tarps from the new housing development. 

"What's this about?" 

"Oh, I think you know what this is about." The woman answered CJ, looking between the blondes. "Got reports of a weapon being fired down at the Boneyard. Now, a little birdy told me it was your brother, but I know where one goes the other is sure to follow. I'm 'a need you both to come down to the station." 

JJ scratched the back of his head, glancing between his sister and the sheriff. His eyes were squinted; bright rays from the setting sun piercing the baby blues. "Alright. When?" 

"Now." 

With raised eyebrows, the sheriff gave them a piercing look. Sighing deeply, the Maybanks walked around the cop and hopped in the truck. CJ let her brother in first. 

The whole way to the station, JJ's knee bounced in anxiety. His sister could practically feel it radiating off of him and it did nothing to help her own. Despite the mass amount of panic flooding through their systems and CJ playing with her cuticles, both remained stony in the face of adversity. Neither of them were unaccustomed to hiding how they really felt. Whether that be to their friends, their enemies, or even themselves. 

The ride didn't take long, but it felt like ages. When they pulled up, Sheriff Peterkin let them out of the back and led them to her familiar office before leaving. As soon as they were alone, CJ turned to her brother. 

"Don't say shit, we'll be fine." 

JJ didn't answer, just looked at her, allowing the panic to shine through in his eyes. It made the girl's heart constrict and she had to look away, staring at the wall. When the sheriff came back, the twins' hands were intertwined on their armrests. 

"You two. You're like a rock in my shoe. I shake my foot, I think I've gotten it out, then dang there it is again." She spoke in annoyance, slapping two files down on the desk. "And you. The less annoying thorn in my side." 

"Maybe watch where you're steppin'." 

"That little rock on the back of my heel..makes me wanna crush it."

"That's physically impossible." CJ brought up, quirking an eyebrow at her. 

"Yeah, how would you go about doing that?" JJ questioned, leaning slightly forward with an inquisitive expression before pointing at his sister. "Ya know, Pope would get a kick out of that." 

Making a small 'ooh' noise, CJ pointed back at her brother as if they'd just found out something extremely interesting. Peterkin didn't find it impressive. 

Flipping open JJ's rap sheet, she started listing off the charges. "Trespassing on private property. Felony destruction of property. Assault. The list just goes on and on." 

"Yeah, well you know what they say. You only live once; might as well have fun." 

Unamused, Peterkin kept her gaze straight on JJ as she opened CJ's file. "Less extensive than your brother's. Trespassing. Assault. Theft. Destruction of school property. Et cetera." 

"Hey, in my defense, I didn't build the fire. I just lit it." 

"However, I don't care about that right now." She continued on, ignoring CJ's remark. "Right now, I'm focused on the unlawful discharge of a firearm. I'm wondering which one of you I should give the charge to. Or maybe I should just put it on both of your records. 

"Now why would you go and do that when you can just charge one of us?" CJ questioned, leaning back in her chair as she twirled a blonde curl around her finger. "I mean, JJ didn't fire the weapon, why should he be charged?" 

JJ, in all his ever-present lying wisdom, managed to keep his face straight and turned forward. Despite wanting to turn and yell at his sister for once again trying to protect him, he knew he wouldn't be able to do anything. If he spoke up, Peterkin would just charge both of them and the punishment from home would be twice as bad. 

"Is that so?"

"Yeah. I found it on the beach. Thought it was cool. Wanted to see if it's really like in the movies. You know, the kick was a little more than I was expecting, but otherwise, it was pretty accurate." She lied effortlessly, throwing her feet up on the desk just to distract the sheriff. It worked, Peterkin moving forward to shove them off. It made CJ smirk. 

"Really? 'Cause I heard it was JJ that fired the weapon." 

"No, ma'am. Must be confusing their Maybanks."

The two stared at each other unwaveringly; one trying to get to the truth and the other hell-bent on hiding it. Peterkin would get absolutely nowhere and she knew it, huffing as she slammed the files shut. "I know your little teen brain doesn't like to think ahead, but I want you to come with me to uncharted territory. The future. How you gonna feel eight months from now, sittin' in juvenile prison in Wadesboro? How you gonna feel when your brother goes? When you get separated? One or both of you are gonna end up locked up someday. Now, you haven't thought about that, have you?" 

A small crooked smile took up CJ's face and she sat forward slightly. Tilting her head slightly, she raised a finger in the air. "First of all, it's called juvenile detention, or juvie. Don't try to scare me by using big words like 'prison' because you don't think I know the difference between institutions. Just because I have a record, doesn't mean I'm uneducated. Second of all, if you think for even a second that I'd let anyone separate me and my brother, you are sorely mistaken. Third, don't pretend you know me just because of how often I'm in this office. I may live in the present, trying to live every day to its fullest, but I still think of the future. I have a plan. JJ has a plan. Just because all you see is a couple delinquents, doesn't mean that's all we are."

The sheriff seemed mildly stunned, hiding it as she leaned back in her seat. Looking between the two, she sighed and shook her head. "One last question. You kids are always out in the waters. Come across a boat wreck?" 

"Boat wreck?" CJ questioned, eyebrows furrowed.

"Scooter's rig?" JJ followed up, having heard about the man found out by the Mason Outlet. Neither of them understood why the sheriff would be asking them of all people about the missing boat. 

"What d' you know about it?" 

"Nothing." 

"Yeah." CJ continued. "We just heard his body was found out in the water after the hurricane. Figured the crazy bastard tried and failed to beat the storm." 

Sheriff Peterkin stared at the siblings in apprehension. Glancing between the two, all she was met with was confusion, curiosity, and otherwise blank faces. Realizing the two didn't know anything, and if they did they wouldn't tell, she grumbled under her breath. "Alright. If you see anything, you make sure to let me know."

"Scout's honor." JJ saluted the officer. The sheriff, unamused as always, got up from her seat and walked around to face them. 

"Come on. Your dad can't pick you up and I don't wanna deal with you any longer, so legally I gotta take you home." 

Those words came with the full force of the panic that had faded in the teens. The kids had never been worried about the legal aspect, not really. They knew they'd be fine. CJ and JJ were worried about the familial consequences. Their father would kill them. 

Leading the two through the station, the sheriff left them alone for a moment when a deputy called for her attention. The Maybanks both considered racing from the building entirely, but knew that would only make things worse. Alone, JJ took the opportunity to turn to his sister with wild eyes. 

"Shit, he's gonna know." 

"No, no he won't." CJ tried to convince, hands on JJ's shoulders. She was trying to convince herself as much as him. "No, he won't, JJ. It'll be fine, okay? It'll be fine."

That was all the time they got before the sheriff rounded them into her truck and took off to the Maybank residence. The twins hadn't been there in days and were especially disapproving of going back now. They both knew nothing good awaited them. Knots formed in their stomachs and CJ held back the nauseous feeling that swept through her body. The closer they got, the worse they felt. Until Peterkin was pulling in the driveway. 

"Alright, get out of my car." She called, pulling open the back door. The twins stepped outside tentatively and didn't even pay attention as the woman got back in the vehicle and left. They just stood there, staring up at the house. Their dad's Bronco was out front, showing he was in fact home. Eventually, CJ pressed her hand to her brother's back, coaxing him forward. Slowly, they walked through the house, JJ calling for their father. They found him on the porch, tinkering with something that was probably illegal. 

"Hey, dad." CJ mustered up the courage to say, squaring her shoulders. She was terrified but she'd never show him. JJ stood beside her, practically shaking from how tensely he stood. 

Luke Maybank moved so slowly it made his childrens' hearts jump. First, he froze. Next, he lowered whatever he was working on to the wooden table. He turned to look at them and his gaze pierced into them one after another as he stood up. 

Once he was up, everything sped up rapidly. Unlike usual, especially with CJ getting the charge, he went after JJ first. Hurling a fist into JJ's stomach, a harsh noise fell from the boy's lips as he keeled over. Luke's knee slammed into JJ's face next as he screamed at his son. "You took my gun?! My gun? You think you were gonna get away with it, big man?!"

"Get off of him!" CJ screamed, trying to pull the man away. All she got was an elbow thrown back into her face. 

"Boy, get on your feet!" 

Giving him no chance to even try, Luke kicked JJ in the stomach. The poor boy fell to the ground, curled up as he tried to protect his vital organs. As CJ was pushing herself up from the floor, spitting out blood, Luke sent another harsh blow to JJ's ribs. She got up on her feet when JJ got to his knees; catching another fist to his face. Pulling her knife out, she curled her hand around it and punched her father as hard as she could in the kidney. When he turned her way, she clocked him in the face. 

That was the wrong move. 

Desperate to protect her brother, she'd forgotten about herself. Her father had always been harder on her since she looked the most like their mother. Since she was a girl. Since she was the youngest. Add on the fact that she supposedly shot his gun and just punched him in the face and you had one seething ex-marine. 

"You think you can hit me?!"

The exclamation was quickly followed by a searing pain in CJ's cheek. The small girl dropped to the ground, slamming into the hard deck. It was only a second before her father was on her, hands wrapped around her neck. 

"You shot my gun." He said, emphasizing the 'my' with a hit to her ribs. "You helped your brother steal my gun." Another hit to the ribs. "You need to learn some god damn respect, Claire." 

Her own name was followed by a brutal hit to the face. CJ's head flew to the right, blood flying from her lips. Her head spun and whatever words her father said right after were a jumbled mess. It didn't help that she was still steadily losing oxygen. Luke's left hand was still wrapped tightly around her throat. 

Hand flopping on the ground, CJ searched for her knife. The weapon had been flung from her hand the first time he punched her. Finding it, she wrapped her hand around the hilt. She was flicking it open when Luke's body was flung off of her; JJ tackling him into the yard. 

Taking a deep, raspy breath, Claire rolled onto her right side as she coughed profusely. She couldn't get enough air in and every breath was raw in her airways. Slowly, her vision faded back to normal and she raised onto her hands and knees, still coughing. Her whole body ached. She was certain her lip and cheek were split at the very least and her ribcage would be dotted with bruises. Her neck was sure to be black and blue as well. 

Finally getting enough oxygen to focus on anything other than oxygen, CJ's head snapped to the side. Seeing her family members fighting in the yard, she stumbled up onto her feet. Groaning, she pushed the pain from her mind as she rushed over. 

"You don't touch her!" JJ screamed, punching his father in the gut. The hit changed the tides and Luke was thrown off of him. 

Climbing on top of the man that was never really a father, JJ picked the man up and slammed him into the ground. Keeping one hand on his dirty shirt, he threw the other into the man's face. 

"She's your daughter!" 

JJ continued to punch the man; bruises forming on his knuckles. Blood was coming from Luke's face but he didn't stop. 

"I'm your son!" He screamed, hitting him again. CJ didn't know what to do. Their father deserved it, but what would come out of it? It was when JJ picked up the wrench that she knew she had to intervene. "You're supposed to help us!" 

Jumping at JJ, his sister grabbed his arm and pulled it back. "JJ, no!" 

"Why not?" He growled, turning to look at her with unbridled, pain-filled eyes. His nose was bleeding and she was sure his torso would be bruised up. "He deserves it." 

"You're not going to prison because of him." She told him, desperately holding him back as he tried to break free. Her eyes were pleading, one of them already bruising. "Don't do it." 

JJ stared at her for ages before he finally seemed to break down. His body crumpled and he dropped the wrench, allowing his sister to help him up. The two embraced tightly while CJ kept a watchful eye on their father. Too soon, she pulled away from him and took him away from that house. 

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I am well aware that "once a marine, always a marine." This does not apply to marines that are dishonorably discharged. Luke was. Thank you for coming to my Ted talk. 

Also, we're goin' to rescue JJ again and this time CJ as well so if anyone wants to join again or if you're new; get. on. the. boat. 

Lastly, I tried making a banner for the first time and idk. I kinda hate it but I kinda love it. Idk. It's down below 

Love ya 😘

~SiriusCatBennett