𝟎𝟑𝟎.               𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐛𝐲𝐞, 𝐛𝐢𝐠 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫

brother ──── kodaline

( lots of sadness . . . )

☀︎ 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐥𝐲𝐧'𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐯

𝖶𝖤 𝖦𝖠𝖳𝖧𝖤𝖱 𝖠𝖳 𝖳𝖧𝖤 𝖣𝖮𝖢𝖪 𝖳𝖮 𝖶𝖠𝖨𝖳 𝖮𝖭 𝖩𝖮𝖧𝖭 𝖡 𝖶𝖧𝖮 𝖲𝖤𝖤𝖬𝖲 𝖳𝖮 𝖡𝖤 𝖱𝖴𝖭𝖭𝖨𝖭𝖦 𝖫𝖠𝖳𝖤．Now, he may be on his way, or── worst case scenario── he's been caught by the cops and he's currently locked up. I don't want him to get caught, not for this── not for a crime he didn't freaking commit.

He'll be here soon, I just keep telling myself that.

He'll be here soon.

I'm pacing up and down on the spot, keeping my breathing levelled as I try to keep myself calm. I don't need to panic, not when he'll likely be here very, very soon.

"Dude, where is he?"

"Give him a second," I say, peering at Pope who is currently bandaging up his hand after his fight with Rafe. "He'll be here." I say it more to myself than my friends.

Just as I speak, police sirens ring in my ears, inching closer and closer as we stand, frozen and surprised that the cops have found us. The cop car comes into view, pulling up right in front of us just as we start to back away, now finding our feet.

We need to get out of here.

"Get back on the boat," JJ instructs, his hand coming to rest on my back as we back away, heading to the boat that is now in the water.

The sirens stop and we turn, looking towards the cop car. The door pushes open, and just when we expect Shoupe, a familiar and friendly face comes into view, shocking us.

I feel a weight lift off my chest as I move first, charging forward to envelope my brother into the tightest hug. He laughs, sweeping his arms around me. If I had the choice, I wouldn't let him go. I'd stay right here, frozen in this moment. My brother── my best friend since, well, birth── is about to get on a boat and leave for God knows how long.

Dad wouldn't want this for him, but Dad is gone now. John B is the only family I've got left, and he's about to take off.

I don't want to let go, but I have to.

"Shoupe let me take it for a spin," John B says, squeezing his arms around me one final time before we separate, emotion in both our eyes as we realise that we are going to be separated.

I don't want to say goodbye.

How do I say goodbye to him?

"Okay. That's believable. I'll buy that for now." Kiara laughs, stepping forward to wrap her arms around John B in a quick, tight embrace.

"It wasn't easy, bro, but I got the Phantom for you." JJ throws the keys over to John B just as Kiara and John B separate from one another.

"You ready to go?" I ask, keeping a hand on his shoulder.

He looks down at me, placing his hand on my shoulder too. Something of a smile forms on his face, but it looks... sad. Of course it looks sad, we're saying goodbye to each other after being inseparable for nearly seventeen years.

"Where's Sarah?" John B asks.

"She's not with you?"

"No, we got separated in the swamp," he explains, looking to each of us. "She said she'd meet me here." We have no idea where Sarah is. I had no idea she'd be coming here to leave with John B. Was she coming here to leave with John B or was she coming here to say goodbye?

"No, we haven't seen her."

"Okay, well, I'm not leaving without her."

She is supposed to be leaving with him. Oh.

JJ steps to him, planting his hands on his shoulders. "John B, look at me." John B shifts his eyes over to his best friend. "I know you feel bad for leaving but there's no time, man. You got plenty of gas, plenty of food. Once you get around that point, it's a straight shot across to Dismal Swamp, okay?" Even though John B is looking to JJ, he obviously isn't listening. "Once you get there, lay low, alright? Hang out for a couple of weeks and then go overland, cross the border at Brownsville, you got that? Brownsville."

A few weeks. I won't see my brother for a few weeks at least. No. I can't not see him for that long. Anything could happen to him out there, and Sarah's not here so he's going to be alone. I can't let him be alone in a place he doesn't know.

John B looks over his shoulder, obviously hopeful that Sarah will show up. "You── Hey!" JJ places a hand against his face. "You got that?"

"Yeah, yeah." He nods, coming back to reality. "Brownsville," he repeats.

"Alright." JJ steps away, nodding. "Saddle her up, saltwater cowboy. Let's do this." John B moves away, not looking to me as he walks past me, heading towards the boat. I watch, tears squeezing at my eyes as I stare at him.

He can't leave. I can't let him leave.

Well, he needs to leave, I know that, but he can't leave, not on his own.

Once John B's up on the boat, he turns to face us. "Hey. I'm sorry for basically..." He shakes his head. "...throwing us off a cliff with this whole treasure hunt thing." John B's eyes begin to water as he looks to us, realising that this is the last time he'll see us for God knows how long.

"Hey, John B, yo... we were bound to run off a cliff at some point, right?" We laugh even if the pain in my chest doesn't subside. "At least we did it together, though." JJ's arms lift, falling around my shoulders. I lift my arm, placing my arm around Kiara's shoulders. "Pogue style."

"Pogue style."

I stare up at him, emotion overtaking me. He's my brother── my big brother as he always used to say despite him only being two minutes older. In every scenario, he wouldn't leave me, so I shouldn't leave him alone, should I? He's about to take off for a place he doesn't know without a single friend. How is that fair?

I move away from my best friends, shuffling towards the boat. I hold my hand out, and John B reaches his hand out to take mine. He holds mine for a second, staring down at me as I silently say, "Pull me up". He nods, tugging on my hand and helping me onto the boat.

I move closer, wrapping my arms around him once again, but this time the tears just start to fall, betraying me. John B wraps his arms around me, his chin resting on my head while I cry.

I'm not just saying goodbye to a brother.

I'm saying goodbye to a guy who is my best friend. I'm saying goodbye to a guy that practically raised me despite being the same age as me. I'm saying goodbye to a guy who defended me my entire life. I'm saying goodbye to a guy who protected me all my life. I'm saying goodbye to my twin, my other half, my partner in crime.

I'm saying goodbye to the person I've known since birth.

But I realise, then and there, that I do not have to say goodbye. I don't have to let him go right now. No, I can do something about this.

I pull away, swiping my hand against my eyes. "I'm coming with you."

The words are out of my mouth and in John B's ears before I can take them back. His eyes widen, tears drying. "W-What?"

"I'm coming with you," I repeat.

"N-No, you──"

I grasp his hands. "I'm coming with you."

"But──"

"No buts, I am coming with you."

It makes perfect sense. He won't be alone as we'll have each other. I'll be a lot safer with him than in this town where Ward and Rafe Cameron still lurk. DCS might come back for me given the situation with the Cameron's, and I can't have that happen. I could hide in town, but that would only work for some time.

"Brooke..." He sighs, peering over my shoulder at JJ, Kiara and Pope. "I-I can't let you come with me."

"John B──"

He grasps my shoulders tightly. "I need you here, working on a way to clear my name. I need you here, and I need you safe." He slides a hand up, resting it against my face. "I need you here, B."

"I don't wanna say goodbye to you."

He leans down, resting his forehead against mine. "This isn't goodbye, B. I'll see you soon."

"But you're leaving. You're leaving home."

"We always talked about leaving home," he says, chuckling softly. "Costa Rica, remember?"

"Brownsville is not on the same level as Costa Rica," I laugh, wiping my hand across my eyes as tears spill. "I'm gonna miss you," I say next, tears continuing to run.

"You'll see me soon, B. I promise." He pulls me into another hug, holding me for a minute longer than before. "I love you, okay?" The emotion in his voice makes me cry harder, and I cling onto him harder like a little girl loosing her favourite person.

In this case, I'm that little girl saying goodbye to my favourite person of all time── my brother. Never has anybody been there for me more than John B.

He presses a kiss to my head. "I'm sorry, B."

"It's not your fault," I breathe out, face pressing into his chest. "Just please be safe out there. I-I can't lose you."

He pulls away from me, hands on my face. "You won't ever lose me, Brooke. I'm always going to be here for you."

"I love you," I say, placing my hand over his. "Just please be safe. Please."

"I'll be so safe, B."

I glance over my shoulder, looking to my friends. "Uh..." My eyes land on JJ who smiles back at me. My chest tightens, and the tears start to form once again as I realise that all I will have now that John B is leaving is JJ, Kiara and Pope. They will now be there for me in the way John B has been for me.

I turn back to John B. "You should..."

He nods, a tear sliding down his cheek. "Yeah."

"I bet Dad's laughing right now," I say, stepping back and away from John B. "His fugitive son..."

"Running away from the cops."

"My role model, ladies and gents," I laugh, a few more tears trickling down my face.

He claps his hand against mine, and we do the famous Pogue handshake. "I'll see you soon, little sister."

I nod, taking a step back as our hands separate. "I'll see you soon, big brother."

John B lets me go and I step down off the boat to move towards my friends. The second I'm close to them, I'm pulled back into the arms of my friends. JJ's arms fall around my shoulders, and Kiara's arm hugs my waist.

I peer up at JJ, and I lean my head into his chest, my eyes closing as I can't bear to watch John B drive off. JJ's fingers pull at my ponytail, reminding me that he's right here, and that he won't be going anywhere.

He rest his chin on my head. "It's okay, Sunny."

I nod, a few more tears falling. "Yeah."

I almost had to say goodbye to him. I almost had to hear him utter the words, "Goodbye, Sunshine," and I never, ever want to hear that. I was so close to leaving, but now I'll be here, doing all I can to clear his name.

"We'll see you in two months, down in Mexico."

John B moves to the wheel, and I realise that this is all a little too real. I'm waiting my brother leaving a town we've lived in our entire lives, and it's all too much for me. I can't bear it, but I blink my eyes open to see him looking to me.

"Love you!" I yell, waving my hand.

John B starts up the boat, but he stops quickly to say one final thing, "Hey, wait a second." He wipes a hand across his face. "Tell Sarah I said goodbye, okay?"

He didn't get to say goodbye to the person he loves, and I hate that he didn't get that chance.

"And please..." He sniffles. "...look after her." We all know who he's talking about── me. I am the one that will need the protection John B always offered me. I need somebody to take care of me in the way that John B always unselfishly did.

He waves to me one final time.

"Don't forget. Cross the border at Brownsville, okay?"

Just as the boat pulls away from the dock, we salute to John B, and he salutes back. Tears keep on sliding down as I stare at them, watching as the boat gets gradually smaller. None of us make any attempt to move until he's out of sight, but he's not out of mind. He will never be out of my mind. He's my brother, I can't just forget him.

He'll be back as he's already told me. I'll find him again. He's going to be okay. We're brother and sister── we're twins, so that means we can find our way to one another, can't we?

He's going to be okay, and if he's not, I'll know.

I just have a feeling that I'll know if something bad happens to him. We've always been able to figure each other out, I'm sure we can do it from so far away too.

I separate from the group, moving away to cry into my hands like a child. I've said goodbye to my dad and my brother all in the space of a few days── it's almost unbearable. It hurts. Every part of me aches and twists with all these unwanted emotions.

I'm not crying on my own for long. No, JJ steps up behind me. How do I know? The gentle tug of my ponytail gives it away, that's how I know. I lift my head from my hands, and JJ pulls me flush against him, letting me cry.

I know he'll look after me, he always does.

He rests a hand against my head and the other hand against my back. I lift my arms, circling them around his torso, and I bury my head into his chest, letting myself wail and cry over the fact that I should've gone with him. I wish I could stop the tears, but I find it to be pretty impossible.

Saying goodbye to my brother even though I will be seeing him soon hurts me more than, and I'll be honest, losing my father. I guess, for a while, I had already lost Dad, but I've never had to say goodbye to my brother. He's just always been there unlike Dad. That sounds horrible, but it's true. I just said goodbye to the one person who never, ever left me under any circumstances.

"He's gonna be okay, Sunny."

Oh, God. What if he isn't okay? What if somebody catches him and he dies? What is something goes wrong?

Sirens clap, alarming us. JJ pulls back from me, but we don't move fast enough. The police are pulling up to us, and Shoupe is out of the car before it even stops. "Hands up!"

I don't disobey, I put my hands up. I'm not that stupid. I know better than to argue with him. If I can just comply for now, perhaps I can find a way to clear his name through Shoupe. Ha, that's funny.

"Hands up!" We lift our hands. Reluctantly, sure, but we still raise our hands.

Shoupe moves past us, looking to the dock. "We're too late. He's gone." He shakes his head, frustrated. "God damn it!"

Shoupe turns to us── the ones who helped him get of this island. "Alright, where the hell is he?" Shoupe moves to me first, of course. I'm the sister of the supposed fugitive. "Where is he, Brooke?" I stare at him, not saying a damn word.

Shoupe scoffs, shaking his head as he looks at JJ who stands close to me. "JJ? I see you're livin' up to your name." He then looks to Pope. "Pope, how about you? This isn't a fսck¡ng game! You can do the right thing now!"

"The right thing," I utter under my breath which Shoupe hears, I know he does.

He steps to me, getting a little too close for my liking. "What did you say?" I tilt my head, glaring at him. "This isn't a game, Brooklyn. Your brother is a criminal. He killed Sheriff Peterkin."

"He didn't kill her," I say, my voice surprisingly calm.

"Oh, yeah? Then who did?"

I look directly at him as I say the words, "Rafe Cameron."

Shoupe laughs, actually finding that funny, but one day he'll find that I am telling the truth. "Get these kids back for questioning," is all he says, stepping away from me as another cop steps up behind me, tugging at my arms and pulling me towards the cop car.

Shoupe is gonna be sorry one day, believe me.

──────────────────────────

"𝖨 𝖠𝖬 𝖢𝖠𝖯𝖠𝖡𝖫𝖤 𝖮𝖥 𝖶𝖠𝖫𝖪𝖨𝖭𝖦 𝖬𝖸𝖲𝖤𝖫𝖥," I say for the third time to this halfwit of an officer who insists on keeping a hand on my back like I can't walk with my own legs. We're forced to sit down on uncomfortable chairs, and I'm just grateful that this dick of an officer has taken his hands off me. "Right to your left here." The officer I'll now call Touchy doesn't leave, he now stands in front of us as Shoupe instructs. "Sit down. Don't move. We got a lot to talk about." He looks back to Touchy. "Keep an eye on these kids."

Oh, I'm sure he will.

"Blockade is up at the marsh and Masonboro and all other inlets from Shem Creek to Breach Inlet," I hear through the radio. "I want eyes on all coastal access points, people. Let's get this guy."

There's no guy to "get", but whatever.

I'm currently sat in between JJ and Kiara, my leg nervously jittering as I stare forward, my eyes honing in on the walkie talkie on the officer's── sorry, Touchy's── vest.

Thunder claps above my head, bringing my attention back to my surroundings. We're in a police tent that faces the water. I mean, for one person who isn't even the criminal, they sure have wasted a shitton of money on equipment.

A storm is brewing, I didn't know that.

I want to run to the tree. I want to run and hide myself in the tree that JJ and I always find ourselves at whenever there's a storm, but I can't move. If I move, I'll be shot or something.

You know, right now that doesn't sound so bad.

Storm Danielle── fun name, no?── is about to hit the Outer Banks which means the power is out across town, but what else is new? The power in the Chateau has been cut since the last storm, but that's just because we live on The Cut. I hope wherever John B ends up, he has power and a better time than we are having.

The officers moved from one side of the Point to the other to scan over the waters to see if John B is out there. I don't know what they're looking for, it's not like they can actually get a clear picture. "We need eyes on the other side of the Point. Go," one of the officers says just as a few pass by us, rushing to check the other side.

I feel a hand on my knee, stopping my leg from jerking continuously. I look to JJ for a split second before my eyes fall behind him, looking to the cops who stare out to the water, watching as the lights in the surrounding houses begin to simultaneously come back to life.

Well, that was certainly short lived, wasn't it?

I don't know how the power has turned on this fast, but now the house and the lighthouse are coming back to life. How fun!

I keep staring past JJ, looking out to the water with squinted eyes. As a kid, I always questioned if I needed glasses because I am not very good at this whole long distance thing. Now I wish I did have glasses, I might have a chance at seeing straight.

Anyway, that's so not the point, I'm getting distracted. I'm sorry, I'm nervous.

As the police move away, starting to move to the other side of the Point, the bright light that moves with the lighthouse reflects off the water and reveals a very familiar boat and face. I'm on my feet, eyes shooting forward to see the boat and my brother who is attempting to hide away from the bright lights. The lighthouse, dammit, it gave him away.

I'm forced to sit back down just as I hear somebody yell, "That's them!"

"It's the Phantom."

"Bogey spotted off the lighthouse, running lights out. I think it's them." I stare forward, continuing to watch past JJ's shoulders as police boats take the water, beginning to move after them. My, they sure work fast, don't they? Those bastards, chasing after the wrong fucking guy.

It's fine, they'll be made to look like fools soon.

I see the Phantom move away from my vision, meaning it's taking off once again, moving away. Where the hell is he going? There's a storm brewing, this is dangerous.

"Suspect is attempting to escape to the south." Anxiety crawls up my throat, eating at my skin as I watch with squinted eyes, trying to figure out if what I'm seeing is real or not. "Our attempts to contact the vessel were unsuccessful." Well, that's something, right? "We're gettin' hammered here."

It takes me all of five seconds to realise that my brother is driving straight into a tropical storm.

"Brooklyn Routledge." My head shoots over to the voice, finding Shoupe to standing close to me.

I clear my throat. "Yeah."

"Come with me."

I'm on my feet faster than I thought possible, and I'm moving away from my friends without even glancing in their direction. I'm being rude, I know, but I need to know what Shoupe wants. I need to figure out if they can find my brother and not kill him.

I'm brought into an adjacent tent, and I come to a sudden halt when my eyes land on Ward Cameron who looks disheveled, but he's wrapped up in a fucking blanket. Who in their right mind brought this man a blanket?

I stare forward, anger boiling at the base of my throat that I so desperately want to unleash. If I had any chance of beating him, I'd lunge forward and kill him myself. I'm pulled forward to sit down in front of a radio, and all I'm told is that I can communicate with my brother through this, so I click the button and I speak, refusing to look at Ward Cameron as I do.

They want me to convince him to do the right thing?

Oh, sure I will.

"John B?" I swallow, emotion swelling in my eyes. "It's me, it's Brooklyn, but you know that, obviously." A weak chuckle falls from my lips, and I imagine him laughing too. "Look, you're completely fucking crazy, but do not turn back. You need to get out of here, John B. You need──"

The radio is snatched from me, but I feel nothing but satisfaction. "We told you to convince him to do the right thing."

"Staying away from this place is the right thing to do, you bastards."

The radio is placed down, and just as I stand up, Ward Cameron takes the radio to speak. "John B?"

"Oh, you've got to be fucking──"

A hand grasps my shoulder, forcing me to a still as I listen to Ward Cameron talk to my brother. "John B, I know you are there, son." He's got to be kidding with this son talk. "I know you can hear me, and if you love my daughter like I think you love my daughter, then you will turn that boat around and come back."

Sarah's on the boat? I had no fucking idea.

She caught up with him. He's not alone.

I feel a little bit relieved to know that he's not out there, battling through this alone.

"You are going into a storm that you cannot survive." Oh, my brother can survive a lot, I can promise that. "John B, please, I will make it right."

"Like hell will you make it right!" I yell, hoping he can hear me. I'm pulled back, hands on my wrists now so I can't fight.

"I promise you. Come back." I shake my head, wishing I could lunge but I'm being pulled back by two cops. Shoupe is looking from me to Ward, obviously trying to figure out where this hostility came from. "John B, I am begging you. Think of Sarah." He lifts his eyes, now looking at me. "Think of your sister."

"You bastard!"

"Turn that boat around," he says finally while I keep on fighting against the grip of the cops, wishing to be released so I can charge forward and kill this bastard myself.

"Ward Cameron, do you hear me?" I stop fighting when I hear my brother's voice, and a weight lifts because he's okay out there. He's going to be okay. He's fine.

"Yes. Yes, son, I'm right here. I'm right here." Oh, I so wish I could hurt him. "Please bring her back, okay? We'll work it all out when you get home."

"You killed my father." That statement causes heads to turn, and my mouth gapes in shock. He did that. I almost can't believe it, but based off Ward's face, he did that. "And you framed me for a murder I didn't commit." He's yelling through the radio, likely due to the pounding rain.

"You took everything from me and Brooke! You took everything from us!" He not only took my father, but he drove my brother away, and now I don't know when I'll next see him. I've never, in all my life, hated anyone more than Ward Cameron. "But I'm still here. And I swear to God, Ward, I will come back one day and take what's mine. Brooke isn't going anywhere, so I'd be careful."

Ward lifts his head, eyes finding mine. John B's right, I'm not going anywhere, and he should be careful because I don't just give up, not when he took away my father and my brother. "So, you listen to me, alright? I'm coming for you." The radio shuts off, and all falls deathly silent between us.

One cop takes the radio away from Ward while Shoupe looks to his team. "Those are kids out there. Don't stop lookin'." Shoupe bends down to Ward's level, talking in his ear, but I can hear him perfectly. "You don't go anywhere. We're gonna need to talk to you." Shoupe stands, looking to the two cops that hold me. "Take her away."

A smile takes over my face as I'm dragged away, pushed through the curtain leading into the tent my friends are in. The second I'm back with them, I let myself fall into their comfort, and for, oh, I don't know how long, we stay right there.

We keep each other grounded. We keep each other warm and safe. I hold Kiara's hand and I lay my head on JJ's shoulder, continuing to stare ahead at one spot. Kiara holds Pope's hand, her hand squeezing mine every so often just to check that I'm still very much here.

We're quiet, there isn't much to say. I mean, what can one say about the current situation we're in?

Some time has passed when Shoupe steps into our tent to talk with us. I'm the first to my feet, nervous about what needs to be said as we've been sitting here for some time, just waiting and hoping for good news, but based off Shoupe's face, I don't believe this is good.

Pope was first to speak. "Did you find them?"

"No," Shoupe responds, eyes flitting to me for a short second.

"So, they got away?"

Shoupe looks directly at me as he says the one thing nobody── especially the sister── wants to hear. "We, uh... we lost them. I'm sorry."

No.

I begin to back away, legs moving on their own accord as I begin to step away from the tent, moving like lightening to get out of this tent. I don't hear the yelling from my friends nor do I let the cops grab ahold of me as I attempt to escape. I slip out of the tent, and once free, my legs begin to move faster, forcing themselves into a run.

I run through the rain, through the thunder, and through the lightening to escape all that is going on behind me.

If somebody wants to chase me, they can, but I don't stop running.

My ears buzz, the sounds around me becoming deathly silent as my legs burn and scream for me to stop, but I don't. My breathing quickens, my heat pounds in my chest, and my eyes burn as I run like the wind.

Once again, I feel like a little girl, running this fast. It reminds me of being chased by my brother or by JJ as a kid. It reminds me of being young. In more ways than one, it's freeing, but it's also fucking tiring. However, I don't stop running, not until I reach my destination.

My chest heaves, and I feel bile climb up my throat as I come tumbling forward to my location, my legs beginning to slow down. I collapse, body falling forward, knees digging into the mud as I grab ahold of something familiar.

I stare up, rain hitting my face as I grab the bark, feeling the oak at my fingers as I pull myself back up with the nearest branch. Using the little strength I have, I drag myself up the bark, likely cutting my entire body, but I don't care. I need to climb this tree. It'll be all okay once I'm up here.

That's what I tell myself anyway.

It takes a few tries, but once I finally have my foot on that familiar groove, I'm able to pull myself up. Lightning comes crashing down, and if it hits me, well, that would be a perk. Thunder claps loudly, and while that would normally frighten me, I couldn't care less right now.

I'm up in the tree, right under a branch, and the rain somehow doesn't seem to be hitting me any longer as I settle back against the branch.

I stare forward, head hitting the tree. The pain in my hip seems to return, like it knows that my body needs this── pain. Something wet warms my cheeks, and I know it isn't the rain, but I don't acknowledge that it's tears. I focus on one spot── the grooves in the tree branches, and I tilt my head until one thing becomes painfully clear.

B & J

That's right. As the rightful owners of this tree, JJ carved our initials into the tree a long while ago. Speaking of him, I wish──

"Hey, Sunshine."

Two words that ease me in an unexplainable way.

Nothing will ever fill the void that I'm currently experiencing, but JJ's simple words do have a way of easing some sort of tension. I don't know how he does it, but he always makes me feel better.

He pulls himself up, and he sits before me, right over our initials.

"I think we should invest in a tree house," I say, voice sounding so faraway.

"What?"

I shift my gaze to JJ, our eyes clashing. He's been crying, that much I can see in the dark, and while I know I am, I refuse to let it break me. I can't accept it right now, so I'm going back to the beginning.

I repeat myself. "I think we should invest in a treehouse."

I watch the moment it clicks, and I feel some tension lift from my shoulders as I watch him nod at me upon realising what I'm doing.

"I'll build you one," he replies, saying the same words he said the last time we sat in this tree── the time this story started. He's playing along for me, and I will find a way to thank him.

I don't smile, not like last time. "Really?"

"Yeah." He scoffs, but he doesn't have a cigarette to light this time. "Shouldn't be too hard."

"I'd love to just live in a tree house," I say, voice cracking unintentionally which JJ hears. "all on my own with my cat." My lips tug up, but I don't smile in the way I did the last time.

"On your own?" He leans forward, hunched over, his eyes on me. "You aren't gonna be on your own, Brooklyn."

Something warm slides down my cheek, and my bottom lip trembles as I force myself to continue. "Wouldn't be so bad," I say, feeling something else fall down my face.

"You won't be alone because you'll be stuck with..." He points to himself. "...me."

I raise a brow, watching as tears fill his own eyes. "Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah. I ain't going anywhere without you," he utters, and I truly believe that. "You know, I probably wouldn't be alive right now if it wasn't for you." I scoff, shaking my head, "You keep me from doing stupid things."

"JJ, you always do stupid things," I comment, voice shaking with each word.

"Yes, but you're always there to prevent things from──"

"Progressing into criminal level?"

It's funny how we seem to recall every word we've ever said to one another. I guess I remember every little thing about him── about us.

A sad smile takes over his beautiful face. "You're the one keeping me sane, Sunshine. You can't leave to live with a cat. I need you to keep me in check── keep me alive."

I stare at him, remembering how he said that. Those words always stuck with me. Do I really keep JJ alive? Would he be lost without me? Does he realise he has the same effect on me?

I change the conversation a little, spinning it.

"You keep me alive," I reply, changing the course of the conversation.

"That's not──"

"You keep me alive," I repeat, emotion eating at my words as I try to stop myself from crying embarrassingly loud. "I-I would be lost without you, JJ, I..." My words die on my tongue as a sob cuts through my words, betraying me.

JJ reaches his hand out. "Brooklyn."

I shake my head, wishing to stay in this moment where our story started── where all was beautiful and happy and sunshine-y, and my brother was fucking alive.

I'm pulled forward and my head falls onto JJ's chest as sobs wreck my body.

I don't know how long I cry for, and I don't know how loud I cry, but once those tears dry up and I come to realise that all is no longer happy and beautiful and sunshine-y, and my brother is dead, I lift my face from JJ's chest to find him already watching me with content. Tears stain his own face, and while he held me, I know he cried.

Where the story started is also where it all ended for me.

From that moment, nothing was ever the same, and it won't be again.

I've lost the last of my family.

The only thing I haven't lost is the memories of the day our wonderful story begun.

I stare at JJ, my forehead pressed against his as I speak, "Will you really build me a treehouse?"

He knows what to say, and he doesn't hesitate in replying to me. He just says it, simple and clear.

"I'll build you whatever you want, Sunshine."

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❀ soph speaks

END OF ACT ONE!!!

if you got back to the end of the very first chapter, you'll find that the end of this chapter is the exact same (with a few adjustments) lol

anyway, hope you enjoyed reading :)

act two will begin shortly . . . excited to rewrite it for you all,, thankyou so much for reading

see you guys soon :')