𝟎𝟗𝟕.                     𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡

all the things she said      ────      t.a.t.u

( oooooo )

☀︎ 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐥𝐲𝐧'𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐯

𝖭𝖮𝖭𝖤 𝖴𝖲 𝖲𝖫𝖤𝖯𝖳．𝖧𝖮𝖶 𝖢𝖮𝖴𝖫𝖣 𝖶𝖤？Instead we devised a plan which we think has worked in our favour. After what Pope and I discussed in reference to Blackbeard and what he hid in Charleston, JJ and I were to stay back and get the Twinkie prepared for our big trip to Charleston. Well, he would get the Twinkie up and running, I'd just watch him slide in and out from underneath the van.

With us staying at the house, the others were in charge of dumping Terrence's body. They wrapped his body in a sheet and planned to dump him in the ocean which, yes, isn't an ideal place for the body to be but we didn't have any choice.

Using a wheelbarrow, I watched as my friends wheeled him down the dock, my brother offering me a single nod as they stepped away. I nodded back, my head leaning against the Twinkie as I feel the back of my eyes burn. Again.

Naturally, I've been emotional since Terrence's death. Despite not knowing him, I still felt this great pain within because he died in such a horrific way. In fact, in the midst of discussing the plan last night, I left to go to the bathroom. The moment that door shut, I think the reality of the situation slammed in my face. A man died on our floor, covered in blood, and we aided in covering it up. I lowered myself to the floor last night, and I just cried── quietly to ensure nobody would check in on me as I wasn't quite prepared to explain myself, not with each of my friends, especially Cleo, feeling the same, potentially even worse than me.

This is getting out of hand. All this treasure shit is slowly draining the life out of me, I swear to God. There shouldn't be anything associated with death on the floor of our living room when we come home. That's not right. No, our home is supposed to be the place we feel the safest, not the place we find and hide bodies.

I didn't cry for long, just long enough to feel an ounce better. I then stepped out of the bathroom after thinking I looked presentable enough only to be greeted by John B who knew what I'd be in the bathroom for the moment he looked at me. Call it twintuition, I guess.

I cried again, that time in my brother's arms.

Now, sitting here in the early hours of the morning with my head in my heads, I feel agitated, constantly in some state of panic.

I need all this shit to be over. With the amulet gone, I want us to be done, if I'm being honest with myself, but I know my friends can't be done with this, not when Terrence just died, and not when we're close to losing our home forever. All that we've worked so hard to accomplish will be snatched right from under us, but part of me doesn't care about that.

I'm afraid of what will happen if we continue down this obviously dangerous path that leads to dead bodies in our fucking home. All I care for is the people in my life── my forever family. While I love our home, it is nothing compared to those in my life who I need in order to function daily.

JJ moves suddenly from underneath the Twinkie, knocking the van that I'm sitting in, startling me. "Sorry." I shake my head, forcing something of a smile. "Can you pass me the wrench?"

Leaning over, I grab the wrench and push it into his hand before I watch him pull himself back under the van, concern etched on his face. He's worried about me, that much is obvious, but I don't wish to discuss what's wrong as I know I'll start crying. Again.

If I was in any kind of right headspace, I'd absolutely be ogling him. To watch him work in the way that he is, it's undeniably hot, like everything he does, but I feel nothing but fear and worry with every small noise that comes our way which is why I can't admire my boyfriend like this.

Damn the freaking world.

Another noise alerts me, the sound much gentler than that of the one JJ just made, but a sound nonetheless. I think it came from somewhere in the distance, maybe by the house, though I can't be entirely sure. I lift myself out of the Twinkie just as I catch a branch cracking, altering to both me and JJ that somebody is here.

He's pulling himself out from underneath the Twinkie, coming to a stand. He moves next to me, instinctively standing in front of me as if to protect me from whatever's out there. It could be Lightner, coming back to kill us off, but that makes no sense. He got what he wanted. He got the amulet from us.

Looking around, we don't see anything, but we absolutely heard something. Turning around and away from the house, we're met by the source of said sound, so caught off guard by his presence. "Jesus. Holy── It's you." JJ is holding the wrench up, his other arm curled back into my waist to keep me behind him.

Standing before us is the last person I imagined we'd see. "The guy with the shovel," I breathe out, my heart hammering wildly in my chest. Demp, I think his name was, from Goat Island, is standing in front of us with his arms raised, an envelope in one hand.

"You almost made me a killer, man," JJ exhales, dropping the wrench.

"But you ain't. Not yet, anyways," Demp says, eyes flicking from me to JJ as I stay securely behind him. He then holds the envelope out towards JJ. "Mr. Genrette wanted me to give this to you in case something happened. And I guess it did." JJ looks to me, nothing but confusion sketched onto his face. "Been looking all over for you," Demp continues.

JJ takes the envelope, puzzled. "Uh, what was── What is this?"

"Don't know," he replies. "But he said you'd want it." With that, Demp turns around and walks off, leaving the weight of whatever's in this envelope with JJ who, like me, is confused as hell as to why there's this envelope with his name on in his possession.

JJ and I stare down at the envelope that's sealed with wax. "Master JJ Maybank," he reads.

"Do you want me to call you that from now on?" I ask, attempting to keep the situation light despite the raging storm inside my chest as I try to decipher why Wes Genrette would want to have something delivered to my boyfriend in the wake of his death.

JJ pulls two sheets of paper free from the envelope, unfolding them to find the writings in... "Freaking cursive," he mutters, head shaking. "I can't read this shit."

"Give me it," I say, and he hands the letter off to me.

While I'm truly unsure why Wes wanted this letter to get to JJ, I read aloud through the painful strokes of cursive. "I'm writing in regard to a matter of the upmost importance. I apologise for the clandestine manner of delivery, but there are forces, both natural and supernatural, that make this secrecy necessary. And though I would very much like to converse with you about this matter, I believe it best that you first talk to your f-father..."

I sneak a glance at JJ who remains bewildered, as do I. His father? Luke? What does that son of a bitch have to do with any of this? I pull my eyes off him, going back to where I was. "Ask him about Albatross," I read before moving to the second sheet in which Wes continues. "Do not tarry. I pray that God's grace will grant me the pleasure of your company when all has come to light. Yours truly, Wes Genrette."

"W-What does that..." JJ snatches the letter back from me, staring down at the swirly handwriting he can't read. "What does that mean?"

"I-I don't know, you apparently need to ask Luke." The thought of him seeing him after two years of no contact worries me. In fact, I swear JJ isn't entirely sure where his father is, and that's how it should remain. I don't want him near that man, not for any kind of reason, though Wes wouldn't write this letter unless he needed JJ to know something. I just can't think what Wes Genrette would want with JJ. "Maybe your dad knew Wes," I offer, finding that to be the only plausible reason. "Or maybe he knew Groff, I don't know, but you... you need to talk to Luke."

"Luke? I── Why would I..." He reads off the bottom of the first sheet. "Albatross. What even is that?"

"I don't know, JJ, but your dad must know something. I'll, uh..." I look to the Twinkie, seriously hoping it's running smoothly as I know little to nothing about this van. "I'll let the others know."

"Let the others know?" He shakes his head, his hand reaching out to grasp my elbow. "No, I-I need you with me," he insists.

"But this is your thing, JJ. This is your letter."

"I don't care. I need you with me." The push in his voice, the uncertainty in his eyes, the gentleness of his touch── it all but shoves me in the correct direction to helping him go to his father and find out what Wes Genrette meant by Albatross.

I nod slowly, touching his arm. "Okay."

We write a note to our friends so that, when they return, they know we've gone, and that the Twinkie is up and running. JJ writes that they should go on ahead to Charleston without us, and that we'll catch up with them later as I can't imagine this taking long, right?

We then set off in the HMS Pogue, me reading over the contents of the letter a couple times before the cursive begins to wig me out. I can't, not in any way, make sense of why Genrette would wish to leave this letter with JJ, instructing him to talk with his dad when JJ, as I suspected, has no clue where his dad is.

We haven't seen Luke in over two years, the last time being when he left the island for what felt like good. Only now, he may be back on the island, according to JJ who is steering us in the direction of Barracuda Mike's house. If anyone knows where Luke Maybank is, apparently it's Barracuda Mike.

It's been some time since we've seen Barracuda Mike too, only having seen him last time to pay him back for his services in getting us to South America, and now he may know the whereabouts of JJ's father which I don't like knowing.

Wherever Luke is, I don't want JJ anywhere near him which is why I'm partly relieved he asked me to join him, claiming that he couldn't do this without me, that he needed me. Being here with him while he potentially faces his father after two years of no contact, well, I'm just glad he won't be alone. I'm not going anywhere so if Luke dare tries something, I'll knock some sense into that bastard.

God, the thought of seeing him makes me recoil.

I hate that man.

We arrive at Barracuda Mike's, and after tying the boat to the dock, we find him to be outside the house with some kind of buggy car that absolutely, not in any way, looks safe for the storm that's coming right for the island. One hit of wind and that thing will blow away, I tell you.

"Barracuda!" JJ greets, pushing his hand into mine as we walk up the length of the dock. His dog barks in response to our presence. "Big B, what are you doing with that thing? You see the storm coming?"

"I see it coming," he replies, seemingly mundane. "I ain't afraid of a little rain."

We stop in front of him, and I wave my other hand in a greeting. "Hi."

He tips his head in my direction. "Brooke. What you kids doing here?"

I glance at JJ, letting him take the floor. Well, the grass. "Well, uh... Just wanted to ask you something," he begins, the dog barking once again, obviously not keen on us. "Trying to track down the pops. You, uh... wouldn't know where he might be, would you?"

"The last I heard, he was somewhere south of Belize," Mike replies quickly, leaning back against his buggy.

"I mean, like, shit, I know he's asking──"

"I ain't seen him, bro," Mike interrupts, a little too quickly, if I do say so myself, though I'm just thinking here. "He's a wanted man. And I'm a law-abiding citizen." I bite my tongue, trying to figure out if he's kidding or not about that.

JJ chuckles. "Sure you are. Right." JJ's fingers slip away from mine, his hand squeezing my hip instead before he takes a step forward. "Shame. Because the thing is, uh, well... I got something of his. I'm just trying to sell it, you know? Could be worth a mint too. So, uh..." He takes a step back, and I follow through, knowing where he's going with this. "...if he comes up for air, just let me know. It's gonna be mad money for him and maybe a little for you, as well."

Ah, money is the way to any man's heart, especially when said man is not a law-abiding citizen.

Ain't my guy smart?

JJ and I begin to walk off, knowing full well that Barracuda Mike won't let the opportunity of money slip past his fingers. "Three..." I count, whispering to JJ. "Two..." I smile, both of us taking another step away from Mike. "One."

On the one, Mike speaks up, "Wait." We come to a slow, spinning back around to face him. "I ain't seen him," Mike tells us, though I'm not sure if I really believe that. We step towards him again, meeting him in the middle. "I might be able to get him a message, maybe." Pulling his phone out, he pushes it into JJ's hands. "Put your digits in here."

"Excuse me, he's a taken man," I joke, though it doesn't quite land with Mike. Hm. Here I was thinking that he found me funny. Never mind.

JJ grins, obviously my number one supporter, as he punches his phone number into the keypad. "Thank you very much." The dog barks at him again, earning a glare from JJ this time which makes me laugh. "Your dog ever shut up?"

"Please don't say anything about my dog."

JJ passes the phone back to Mike before his arm comes to slip around my back, pulling me away. "Alright. So, just, like, wait around?"

"Yeah, hang out by the dock and I'll see if he pings," Mike confirms.

We both nod, turning away from Mike. Remaining close to JJ, I peer over my shoulder to see Mike heading off into his house. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that he is hiding something. He seems a little standoffish, and I can't figure out why, though it doesn't matter when we're here to get in contact with Luke, and only here to get in contact with Luke.

However Mike acts doesn't matter to us, not when he can help us talk with Luke.

We're not sitting and waiting upon the dock for long as JJ's phone rings not even half an hour later, confirming that Mike was successful in getting a ping from Luke. He answers the phone quickly, immediately putting it on speaker so I can listen, not that I need to listen to his conversation with his father, but I appreciate it nonetheless.

"Hey, J. It's your old man," he speaks first.

I swear, his voice should come with a trigger warning.

"Yeah." JJ lifts himself up, pulling me up with him, the phone held between us. "Dad?"

"Hey, kid. It's good to hear your voice." I press my lips together in a firm line, hand sliding against JJ's shoulder. His piece-of-shit father could've called in the past two years, could've figured a way to contact him, but he didn't bother. He didn't make the effort. It's not fair that he gets to say anything to his son, not when JJ has always deserved better than Luke in every way.

JJ nods, exhaling a heavy breath. "Yeah, where you at?"

"Oh man. Deep in the jungle," he replies. "Like, up a river, man. Location unknown." Trying to figure out if that's a lie, though it's hard to know for sure when it comes to Luke. "So, uh, what's this I hear about you hocking something?" Ah, don't ask how your son is or anything, just jump straight to the potential of money. Bastard.

"Uh, well, it's not me actually hocking something. It's, uh, long story, but it's about Wes Genrette."

"Genrettes. No bueno. Stay away." JJ and I share a look, realising that Luke is aware of the Genrettes like I suspected, though how he knows them is uncertain.

"Yeah, no. Well..." I rear my head back, certain I heard something like a bark on the other end. "...it's a little too late for that, but..." JJ's words die on his tongue when we hear another bark on the phone and from the other end of the dock where Barracuda's house resides. "Wait, where'd you say you were?"

"Settle down, boy." That's Mike talking, not Luke.

"Say something again," JJ asks, taking a step forward, the dog barking through the phone and from the house again.

"Hey, quiet down now," Mike shouts before we hear Luke's voice cut through the chaos. "I gotta go. I'll call you later."

My mouth gapes as the call disconnects. "He's here," I say, already beginning to move up the dock, just about ready to give this piece-of-shit a piece of my mind. Fucking Barracuda Mike lied to us. He said he didn't know where Luke was when he's literally hiding him in his house. "Law-abiding citizen, my ass."

JJ and I storm down the dock, heading for the house with the same intention── find Luke.

I push through the first door that opens onto the porch before I barge to the front door, my hand slamming against it. "Hey!" I pound my fist against the door as hard as I can. "Barracuda Mike!"

JJ joins me, hitting his hand against the door too. "Let me in," he shouts. "Barracuda!"

I look away from the door, knowing he ain't going to open up so easily. I spot crinkled beer cans on the table beside the door, and they look painfully familiar to me. "Hey, J." I hand one off to JJ who knows exactly who's been drinking these. "Dad!" He steps away, throwing the can to the ground. "Hey, Dad, where you at?!" The dog continues to bark on the other side of the door as I keep hitting my hand against the door with JJ tries the handle.

"Open the freaking door!" I shout, wishing I could squeeze the life out of Luke right about now.

Barracuda Mike comes storming over to us, pushing through the back door. "Hey, what are you doing, man? You're acting crazy."

"Yeah, Barracuda, I know he's here."

"You can't just come in here hooting and hollering," Mike yells, though he doesn't get to tell us what to do when he lied to our faces earlier. "Now, let's just settle down. Let's chat."

"That's shit, Barracuda Mike," JJ curses, picking up one of the disregarded beer cans. "I know you're not the one drinking all this Busch Light." He drops the can again, glaring right up at Mike as I step away from the door. "Where's he at?"

"You're just a kid, you know that?" I scoff, rolling my eyes. "You don't know shit."

"Oh, fuck off," I chew out.

"Either I'm going in there or he's coming out, okay?"

I look past JJ, eyes zeroing in on a familiar face that I hate to see coming in any kind of situation. Standing inches behind JJ is his father── the man who abused him, who left marks on his body that didn't fade away so easily, who hurt him everyday even when he wasn't around.

Safe to say that if hell were ever a person, Luke Maybank would take the cake.

JJ notices me staring off behind him, prompting him to turn around and face the man he hasn't seen in over two years. I can't even imagine what he must be thinking the moment he and his father look at one another, having not been this close in a long time.

"Hey, kid." I step forward instinctively, going to strand beside JJ. "Good to see you."

JJ's eyes flicker from Mike who looms behind us before they go back to his dad, a shake in his head as he can't quite believe that his dad is here on the island when he's a fugitive, and that he's been hiding out here. Honestly, I can't believe it either. I wanted to believe he really was off the grid. I wish he was off the grid, it would mean not seeing his fucking face.

"So you've just been chilling here, huh? The entire time, and you never thought about telling me, huh?" JJ steps away from me and Mike, moving towards his father, and I don't make any attempt to stop him. "Either of you?"

Luke shakes his head, a shrug in his shoulders like it's just a casual thing to not let your son know that you're on the island. "I'm just doing the Kildare runs," he tells. "In and out. Mostly out." JJ looks away from his father, and I find myself stepping forward once again as I hate that I can see just how much his father affects him even if he doesn't want to explicitly admit it. "But I'm here now."

"Oh, goody," I mutter under my breath, glaring at the man I may call my father-in-law one day. God, even the thought.

I watch as Luke takes a few steps towards his son, and I feel just about ready to pounce and make sure he doesn't get close enough. "Come here," he says, going to hug JJ, though JJ plants a hand on his chest before he gets to. "Hey, come on." JJ shoves him back to where he should be. "Look, I'm... I'm sorry about the disappearing act. You know, I'm... I'm a wanted man, and I didn't want you to get in trouble, and it's just..."

JJ doesn't look at his father, not the entire time he spews his garbage. I step up behind JJ, sliding a hand against his back, feeling him unravel ever so slightly under my fingertips. He inhales softly when my fingers press into the back of his neck, attempting to calm him.

Luke clears his throat, eyes flitting from me to JJ. "So, um, what's this thing with Wes Genrette?"

Not acknowledging the previous garbage his father offered, JJ pulls the letter free from his pocket. "He's dead."

"Well, I'm sad to hear that. He was a good man."

"Mmm. I wouldn't know," JJ mumbles. "But he left me this. I got it after he died." He hands off the letter to his father who unfolds it, peering at the cursive lettering. "No idea what it means. I was hoping maybe you could explain it to me."

A look passes between them, and I slide my hand back down JJ's back, knowing what that look means. JJ wants his father's help for the first time in, well, ever, and after all the shit Luke has put him through over the years, he owes JJ this.

Luke steps away, moving outside to read the letter, and JJ and I follow, Mike long forgotten as he goes back into his house. I keep close to JJ, my hand still resting against his back while we watch Luke read the letter.

I glance at him, chin pressing into his arm. "You okay?" I ask, keeping my voice low.

He hums, eyes meeting mine. "Yeah."

I'm not convinced, though I don't have time to offer anything else as Luke finishes the letter, speaking its final sentence, "Yours truly, Wes Genrette."

"So what does that mean?" JJ asks, still close to me. "Albatross?"

"No clue," Luke answers, the lie evident the minute the words leave his mouth. I clench and unclench my fist, wishing I could punch him though I know what he's capable of. While JJ wouldn't let his father touch me, that just means Luke would and can turn his anger on the one person I won't allow him to hurt.

JJ clicks his tongue, not believing his father for a second. "Well, that's bullshit."

"I don't know."

"No, that's bullshit," JJ repeats, voice increasing in volume, and I feel him slip away from beside me. "I know when you're lying to me." He steps towards his father, agitation dripping off of him .

Luke steps towards him too, and I feel my anxiety spike at the thought of bearing witness to a fight I cannot watch, not when I know I'll grab anything to kill Luke just to stop him from ever hurting his son again. "You calling me a liar?"

"Yes, I'm calling you a liar!" JJ jabs his finger in his father's direction, stepping by him, and I attempt to follow. "I know when you're lying."

"You watch it!" Luke yells, the letter dropping from his hands as he charges after his son, and I quickly step in between the two before his anger is displayed through a punch.

"No, you watch it," I bite out, glaring up at Luke from where I stand in between the father and son. He barely looks at me, likely not remembering who I am, and he instead looks around me to point at his son again who sits down behind me, head falling into his hands.

"Coming around here asking me things on this Kook bullshit," Luke yells, and I press my tongue against my cheek to refrain from saying something or lunging at this bastard.

"You know what? Whatever you stole from him, I don't even care," JJ exhales, and I feel a great pain in my stomach just hearing his defeat. "Sorry to ruin your vibe, Dad. I don't even know why I came here. Just a waste of my time." He moves off the chair, going to collect the letter off the ground before he steps back to me, sliding his hand into mine. "Come on, Brooke."

We move away, preparing to leave and never see this waste-of-space ever again, but we're interrupted by the whoop of a police siren, revealing Shoupe and several other police vehicles. Has Shoupe been following us?

"Oh, shit." JJ and I quicken our pace, needing to get on that boat and leave. "Goddamn it, J. You led him right here."

I hope this bastard rots behind bars for the rest of his goddamn life.

"Maybank, you get back here."

JJ and I begin to sprint down the dock, our hands still very much attached. "There's two fucking Maybanks!" I yell, though it's not like the cops can hear me nor care.

"Luke, I got a warrant. Stop!"

Stop? Why would── I cast a glance over my shoulder as I feel JJ shove me ahead of him. I spot Luke behind us, noticing that he's jogging to catch up with us. Seriously? He's fucking following us? He has no right to join us, not when he just refused to help out JJ.

JJ and I reach the boat and I go to untie it while JJ gets the boat started, also noticing that his father has joined us, looking just about desperate which is oddly satisfying to see. We hear the cops yelling down the dock, demanding that Luke not get in the boat, though I know he will be getting in this boat.

I know my boyfriend well. I know that, despite all the hurt that Luke has brought upon him, he can't, in good conscience, leave his father here when the cops are about to catch him.

He especially can't leave him when, in an act of desperation, Luke says, "Come on, J, I'll tell you everything." Shit.

"All of you, stop!" Shoupe yells, though he ain't gonna catch up with us.

JJ sighs, looking like he just silently cursed himself out. "What're you gonna do, just stand there?" JJ yells up to this father, and the crashing reality settles in that we are helping a fugitive. "Come on!"

Dumping a body and harbouring a fugitive.

Damn. Let me just tick that shit off my bucket list.

His father moves quickly, rushing to get into the boat just as I untie the boat before also stepping into the boat, standing between my boyfriend and my boyfriend's father.

"Stop! Goddamn it, stop!" Shoupe calls out but we're already pulling away from the dock.

My head falls into my hands. "Shit."

──────────────────────────

𝖱𝖤𝖣𝖥𝖨𝖤𝖫𝖣 𝖫𝖨𝖦𝖧𝖳𝖧𝖮𝖴𝖲𝖤── 𝖳𝖧𝖠𝖳'𝖲 𝖶𝖧𝖤𝖱𝖤 𝖶𝖤 𝖠𝖱𝖤．One of my favourite places on the island as, for as long as I can remember, I've spent my birthdays in this lighthouse with John B and Dad, watching the stars. We always used to stay up here till the sunshine came, welcoming a new day.

Also, this lighthouse brings about a memory from when I was fourteen. JJ and I had ditched school, and we came to the lighthouse. We just sat up there, talking and watching the sky change from light to dark.

Looking to JJ now, five years after the fact, I still feel very strongly for him. All those feelings I've had since I was a child, well, they didn't go away, they just multiplied and expanded, creating what we have now. Looking at JJ now, five years after the fact, I'm reminded that, once upon a time, all was good and normal and we weren't chasing after lost treasure and nearly dying, instead spending our days watching the sky.

However, it's not just JJ and I up in this lighthouse. No, his fucking father is here, gracing us with his unwanted presence. I don't know why he thought it would be a good idea to come up here, but we're up here either way, following him blind. Maybe he's thinking the cops won't bother to check over here as this lighthouse is as good as abandoned, but it's still an odd place to hide.

We're now up in the stars except they aren't shining as bright as they often do, likely aware of who's up here with us. "We're safe," Luke declares, though I don't feel as if I'm safe from a heart attack. All this running ain't good for me, thank you. "Ain't no cops going to come up here."

"Well, they're not looking for us now, are they? They're looking for you." Luke leans against the railing, staring out into the distance, not saying a word as he knows the cops are only looking for him, not us. "We're gonna go," he tells his father. "Got my own life to worry about. Spent enough time worrying about yours."

He takes a step back, as do I, but Luke finally opens his mouth to offer a response this time. "J, son. Please." He looks towards JJ who I feel tensing beside me. "You know, you saved me back there."

"Yeah, I'm not sure why I did that." I know why he did it. He's a good man── that's why. While Luke's done nothing but hurt him for most of his life, he still couldn't let him go down like that.

"Yeah?" Luke nods along. "And I just might remember a little bit about Albatross."

I exhale a laugh. "That's real fucking convenient."

JJ's jaw hardens. "And?"

"That was the name of the boat that Larissa Genrette died on," Luke informs, telling us faster than I thought he would, though I thought it would take a little more leg pulling to get it out of him. Also, Larissa Genrette? What does she have to do with any of this?

"Okay. What does she have to do with anything?"

"They didn't tell you... anything?"

My brows knit together, confused on who 'they' are supposed to be. JJ also doesn't understand, nor does he have the patience to deal with whatever act his father is trying to play. "Okay, Dad." He rips his cap off his head, beyond frustrated by his father's antics. "I don't got time for this shit right now."

"I guess the old man kind of figured it out," Luke continues, speaking out to the open, still confusing the hell out of us.

JJ's head shakes, continuing not to understand. "What the hell does that mean?"

A beat passes, the wind howls, a crash of thunder bellows above us, but the words that leave Luke Maybank can be heard very clearly, and will be remembered.

"I'm not your blood father, J."

I feel myself physically stumble back, the weight of his words not sitting with me right. Part of me doesn't even believe him as it can't possibly be true, can it? JJ used to wish for Luke not to be his father, and has that wish been true all his life? There's no way... right?

JJ rears his head back, visibly in disbelief. "What?"

"I'm not your father," Luke repeats. "Not by blood, anyway." JJ turns away from his father── not his father, I don't know── and I push by him, a hand on his arm as I look towards Luke, needing to hear what he has to say. "The person you thought was your mother, she was just my girlfriend. And your real mom..."

JJ's head shakes, and I can sense that he doesn't believe a word Luke is saying, not that I can blame him when the words are these. Then again, why would Luke lie about something like this?

"...Larissa Genrette."

My head falls, a gasp slipping past my lips as I realise something── as the pieces of a very fucked up puzzle slide together. I fall back, looking away from Luke as I hear the letter Emory's mother left her being repeated back to me. "He was married to another woman── a rich woman who had more than I ever would."

"Larissa, the one that died? That's the one you're talking about?"

"Look, okay. She was a good person, J," Luke defends as JJ turns his back on him. "Okay, you know what? You should be proud to have her as a mother."

JJ spins back around fast, stepping forward as I step back again, words ringing in my head that resemble a very familiar voice. "Are you messing with me right now? Are you messing with me?!"

"I swear to you," Luke assures. "I swear to you." My head falls into my hands, my breathing turning frantic as I believe him. I, Brooklyn Routledge, believe Luke freaking Maybank and what he's saying. "Like, when I took you on, I was just trying to help," he stammers out.

JJ steps even closer to Luke. "Alright, well, then, if Larissa Genrette is my mom, then who's my dad?"

"I ran into his wife and found that she was also pregnant── only a couple months along but pregnant nonetheless."

I lift my head, staring at JJ's back. "Chandler Groff," I breathe out, slapping a hand over my mouth as I recall Emory coming to the same realisation too just a couple of days ago.

JJ turns away from Luke, blue eyes meeting my brown eyes in the darkness, and I find that I'm not just staring at my boyfriend, not anymore. I'm staring at Emory's brother.

"I had a brother." Not had, she has a fucking brother, and it's been her friend this entire time. She's had her brother her whole life. He's not dead. He didn't drown like everybody said because he's standing in front of me, watching me, lost by my reaction.

"Holy shit," I breathe out, sucking in a sharp breath. "Shit."

JJ looks away from me which is probably for the best, his eyes going right back to Luke. "How in the hell could I be Chandler Groff's son? That doesn't... literally makes no sense..."

"Chandler Groff is my father." I hear Emory's voice like alarm bells in her head while I still attempt to listen to Luke and JJ, knowing full well that I hold another secret about JJ's life, much like Luke held this secret from him his entire life.

"...cause Larissa's baby, everyone knows that baby drowned with her, Dad."

"...she drowned with her baby── your half-brother..."

"That baby..." Luke exhales, looking to JJ. "That baby was you, JJ."

I lean against the railing, attempting to breathe some kind of air as Luke begins to tell us a story── and not the kind of story we ever thought we'd ever have to hear.

"I was working the grounds for the Genrettes," he begins, and I feel JJ come to lean beside me, choosing to hear Luke out. "I got to know Larissa. She was a good person." I sneak a glance at Luke, hearing sincerity in his voice as he talks about Larissa, giving me the impression that he felt for her in some way── that he felt something strong for her that he wasn't supposed to feel as she was, of course, married.

"I could tell things weren't right between them. Heard he had an affair, that he had a secret love child, but it was just rumours, you know?" Luke recalls, his lips pressed into a firm line and I feel JJ tense slightly, the news of potentially having a sibling weighing on him.

Only I know that it's definitely true, that he has a sibling── a sister.

"I just wanted to help out," Luke tells, and I actually think I believe him.

I find myself leaning my head into JJ's shoulder as we listen. "Honestly, I thought Groff had it out for me," he continues. "Then late one night, he paid me an unexpected visit, and before I knew it, I took you in. Then the next day, I got the shock of my life." Larissa died. JJ's mother died before he even got the chance to know her.

"Maybe he thought he'd get some inheritance if they thought you were dead too," Luke explains, though he doesn't sound certain on that. "I don't know. I just know that, after a while, I didn't want him to come back." JJ pulls away from me, my head slipping off his shoulder as I see it in his eyes that he doesn't believe this── that he's refusing to accept this.

"I knew it was wrong," Luke drawls. "I let that old man believe that his grandson was dead. It messed me up." He gazes at JJ. "I should've been a better father. I know that." No shit.

"So, you're telling me... my mom, my real mom, she's gone?" I feel the back of my eyes burn as I continue to stare out to the ocean, hating that all this is true── that JJ now has to live on knowing that he can never know his mother.

"That's what they say," Luke replies. "Drowned. Boating accident. I... I... I don't know."

"So, I'm just the son of some Kook, huh?"

"No," Luke asserts firmly. "No, man. Not the way you was raised." JJ's head drops low, and I reach out to place my hand on his back, but he moves away from my touch, unwilling to accept even an ounce of comfort "But by blood... you're a Genrette and a Groff."

He and Emory were supposed to be Groffs.

"I'm ready to find out what my last name should've been..." I don't think she nor JJ were ever truly prepared for that truth, and when they discover that they're related, I... I don't know.

Do I tell them? If so, how do I tell them?

JJ lifts his head, looking to Luke, his eyes narrowed. "You're lying," he scoffs, straightening himself back up.

"Look, I know it's a shock."

"No, it's not a shock because it's not true, Dad. There's something in it for you. That's what's going on," JJ insists, telling himself something that I know ain't true. I know I shouldn't believe Luke, but I really, really do.

I reach out again. "JJ..."

"No, Brooke, he's lying." He hits his cap against the railing, frustrated. "Goddamn it, Dad. How pathetic can you possibly be? That's the angle you're going with? Inheritance bullshit?" He shoves Luke backwards before clutching his shirt. "You're just using me yet again, aren't you? Well, guess what, Dad? I'm not buying it this time." He pushes him a final time before turning away. "Have fun living like a rat the rest of your life."

He barges towards me, his hand pushing roughly into mine before he pulls me away, going to drag us out of this lighthouse. "JJ, don't..." He's not going to listen to me, not that I should expect him to after such a bomb was dropped, so I just keep my mouth shut and let him tug me down the stairs.

"J, there's... there's something... JJ, wait! There's something else I gotta tell you," Luke shouts from above, and part of me wants to free myself from JJ and run up the stairs and see what else he has to say as I, shockingly, believe him.

I believe it all. I just need JJ to believe it too.

All of it.

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❀ soph speaks

soooo brooke knows that em & jj are related hm

was gonna have brooke stay behind and not go with jj but this was fun to write actually

anyone think about how if luke & larissa had some kind of epic love story and just sacked off groff, jj could've had a real family and he wouldn't be fucking dead right now like...??

i hate groff a LOT,, if that's not clear :)

thankyou for reading!!