"No way." JJ said in disbelief at the sight.

"No f'ing way." Pope repeated.

"This is, like, going to make the best plot twist." Bali said in disbelief as she stared at John B.

"I'm sorry." Kie spoke in shock, "Uh..."

"Shoupe let me take it for a spin." John B joked as he fixed his backpack.

"Okay. That's believable. I'll buy that for now." Kie laughed as she stared at him before pulling him into a hug.

"It wasn't easy, bro. But I got the Phanfom for you, and she runs like she was made yesterday." JJ said as he tossed John B the keys.

"Oh, and JJ and Bali are macking." Pope said as Bali gave a look of disbelief.

"Yeah, figured that out a long time ago." John B said as he ruffled Bali's hair and climbed into the boat.

"Wait, seriously?" Kie asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, Midsummers gave it away when he saw her, I figured it out." John B nodded his head at her. JJ and Bali looked at each other in disbelief, "Aren't the two of you suppose to be the brains?"

"Even bigger plot twist." Bali laughed as she reached her hand out to help JJ off the boat. He threw his arm around her as they looked over at John B, "Where's Sarah?"

"She was suppose to meet me here." John B said as he looked down the marsh, "You haven't seen her?"

"Not since I left her with you." Bali said back with a panicked look on her face. JJ pulled her in closer in hopes of calming her down.

"Okay, well i'm not leaving without her." John B spoke fast and in just as much worry and panic.

"John B, look at me." JJ said.

"No, no!" John B stated as he looked at JJ, "You'd do the same thing for Bali, don't treat this any differently."

"I know you feel bad for leaving, but there's no time, man. You've got plenty of gas, plenty of food. Once you get around that point, it's a straight shot across the sound to Dismal Swamp, okay?" JJ asked as he grabbed John B's face to make him look at him, "Once you get there, lay low, all right? Hang out for a couple of weeks and then go overland, cross the border at Brownsville, you got that? Brownsville. Hey! You got that?"

"Yeah, yeah. Brownsville." John B nodded as he tried not to stare off.

"John B." Bali spoke up as he look at her, "I'm gonna take care of Sarah for you, okay? Don't worry."

"All right. Saddle her up, saltwater cowboy. Let's do this." JJ spoke as he jumped off the board and back on the docks with the remaining three.

"Bal." John B spoke as he got up, "You'll tell Sarah i'm sorry?"

"I'll tell her." Bali nodded with a small smile, "I'll see you later?"

"Yeah." John B gave her a sad smile.

"I'm gonna give you guys a minute." Bali whispered over to Kie with a small nod, walking off and getting in the backseat while she let the pogues have one final moment together.

"You doing okay?" Bali asked a few minutes later as JJ came to the car, John B gone. Bali reached her hand through the window and rubbed his face gently, "John B's gonna be okay."

"I know." JJ nodded, leaning into her hand, "Kie and Pope are making up."

"They got into a fight?" Bali asked, leaning out the window to watch them hug, "Did you see the way he let Rafe go the second she yelled for him to look at her? She's good for him."

"Popes got a lot of anger built up, I think." JJ nodded along with her words, "He just can't let it out as easy as most people do."

Bali looked at JJ with a soft grin, "Thank you."

"For what? Fucking up your rep and probably your future?" JJ questioned her with a laugh, leaning through the open window.

"Yeah, for that, obviously." Bali nodded as she messed with his fingers, "But for all of this. The pogues, the gold, all of it. Maybe it didn't go as planned but I feel like I finally found myself, like I actually had a chance to live. I don't feel that way unless i'm with you."

JJ flushed in the face at her words, "You're getting all poetic on me again, Bal."

"Okay, just one more thing." Bali said as she cupped his face, looking in his eyes, "I'm never gonna just walk away and find someone better. I'm never gonna just forget about this or you, never. Whatever my future is gonna look like, I don't want it unless I still have this and you. That's the end goal, you know? Not the money, or the hotel, or my books, or even the beach house. I'll be fine as long as you're in it, that's the future plan."

"I'm your future plan?" JJ asked her, blinking and trying not to smile like a little kid.

"You've always been the future plan. And i'm tired of having to pretend like you're not." Bali shook her head with a bright smile, "I don't wanna keep hiding."

JJ shook his head, "We're not gonna hide from anyone."

He grabbed her face and pressed his lips into hers, holding her still as her hands held his wrist as they kissed. The sirens going off had the pair pulled back, four police cars pulling up infront of the docks. Kie rose her hands as JJ let Bali out of the car.

"Pope, Bal, hands, hands." Kie panicked, making them both raise their hands up as the officers surrounded them.

"We're too late. He's gone. God damn it!" Shoupe cursed when he saw the boat no where near the docks. Bali looked over at JJ quickly.

"Let me talk to these kids." Shoupe huffed as he encourage them to put their hands down, standing before the four, "All right, where the hell is he? JJ? I see you're living up to your name."

"Leave him alone." Bali snapped quickly as her hands dropped.

"Bali, no!" Kie spoke fast as one of the officers reached for his gun. Bali put her hands back up again and froze, looking at Shoupe in disbelief.

"Does my uncle know what you're doing? I'm sure he'll love to hear that you're interrogating his niece and her friends." Bali said in disbelief as she stared at the short man, "Where is he?"

"You know what? We'll take all of you to him." Shoupe said as he grabbed hold of her arm and pulled her toward the cop car, officers doing the same to the remaining three behind her.

"Sit down. Don't move. We got a lot to talk about." Shoupe said as he lead the three into a small tint to shield them from the rain, officers surrounding them once again. JJ held Bali's hand when they sat down, her head leaning on his shoulder as her eyes flickers around at the amount of people, reporters, and officers. Thunder struck before them loudly.

The rain began to come in, spraying them in the slightest. Bali dug her chin into JJ's shoulder as he leaned his head over on hers, turning to kiss her forehead, "Who's your uncle?"

"I don't know where he is." Bali said back, "He's kinda a shitty police man, anyways."

JJ gave her a small grin, "You tired?"

"So tired." Bali said back, "You know what sounds good?"

"Humm?" JJ answered as he glanced her way.

"Remember on christmas when we made they homemade hot chocolate?" Bali asked as JJ's eyes lit up, "And we watched all those christmas movies?"

JJ grinned at the memory, "You think we'll get to do that again?"

"What do you mean?" Bali asked, pulling his arm around her so they'd been closer, "My parents will learn to love you. They just need time to understand and know that you're not gonna hurt me or our family. I've put them through a lot, that's why they worry so much about new people. By christmas, they'll warm up to us."

JJ hummed, "We're a us now?"

"Yeah." Bali hummed as she leaned on his shoulder. Her thoughts were cut short by Shoupe and a few other officers walking back into the tent, soaking wet with yellow rain coats. Bali came off of JJ's shoulder as she looked at them. The four stood up together and walked closer.

"Did you find them?" Pope asked as he stood infront of the officers.

"No." Shoupe said back with a shake of his head.

"So they got away?" Kie asked with a grin.

"I knew Sarah would make it to him on time." Bali smiled as she looked at Kie with a sigh of relief.

"We, ugh, we lost them." Shoupe spoke up hesitantly, pulling their attention back as he had a guilty look in his eye, "I'm sorry."

"You lost them?" Pope asked in disbelief, "What do you mean you lost them? Like they're gone? What are you talking about."

JJ paced around as he left Bali's side.

"They took a open boat into a tropical depression, Pope." Shoupe shook his head as he stared into the boys eyes.

"So they're dead?" Kie asked with watery eyes.

Bali shook her head, "No, they're not dead."

"We don't know." Shoupe said back.

"No, they're not. You're a liar, you know they aren't dead." she spoke fast as tears swelled in her eyes, "Go out there and find them!"

"You drove them straight through the storm, man!" JJ hollered at Shoupe. Bali turned on her heels and took off in a sprint out of the tint and into the rain.

"Bal!" Kie called for her.

Bali ran across the sand, it turning into mud under her feet. The rain made her feel as though the was freezing, pouring down on her and she ran onto the beach. Bali cried as she stopped at the end of the water, staring out and she sobbed harshly, "Sarah!"

•

kylie speaks

:(((

s2 will be here
literally in just a
few days and i'll
be back for her
and all of you'
xoxo.

i can't wait to
get into cassandra
and dante mote in
s2!! ;)