"there she be," jj said as he pushed open the heavy door of the warehouse where the phantom sat inside. the large white ship was on top of a trailer pulley.

"hey, girl." the blonde smiled as he pulled the cover from off the bow and stared at it's glossy finish in awe. "the phantom. the first boat to make the run to bermuda in under 16 hours. 40 years old. 40! and still the fastest thing kildare's ever seen."

riley couldn't help but to let a smile creep onto her face as she watched jj go on and on in amazement of the thing. she didn't think she'd ever seen him so passionate about something, other than his gun of course.

the boy had always had a love for boats. riley remembered jj telling her all about it when he had taken her on the hms pogue that night. to riley, it felt like that night had occurred centuries ago.

"it's kind of a junker," kie muttered.

"it's amazing," riley covered for her sister while nudging her in the ribs softly. "could just use a touch up or two maybe."

"really? she's right there guys. she can hear you," the boy shook his head, resting his hand on the boat. "let's just put it this way, you both would not be smoking weed right now if she never never existed, okay?"

kie turned to her twin with wide eyes, "you smoke?"

"hell yeah she does," jj replied with a proud look on his face. riley blushed as she looked down at the ground, not answering the question for herself.

"well i just hope the thing runs," kie shrugged, her eyes focusing back on the boat.

"oh, she'll run alright," he assured them, getting ready to prepare the boat as they heard a motorcycle pull up to the warehouse.

"pope, finally," kie sighed in relief, as her and riley walked to the back of the warehouse. but it wasn't pope. not even close.

"hey there," rafe cameron waltzed into the building as if he owned the place. "there's my girl! been looking all over for you, riley."

the twins shot each other worried looks before booking it back over to where jj stood. "woo-hoo!" they heard. turning their heads again, the group saw that another person had appeared next to rafe. barry.

jj grabbed riley's arm and pulled her quickly behind him. he attempted to reach for kiara but couldn't make it in time before barry pulled a handgun from his pocket and pointed it at jj's chest.

riley was gripping onto the blonde's arm so hard she was sure it was going to leave bruises. he looked back at her as if everything was fine, and when she loosened her grip he raised his hands as if to surrender.

riley's heart thumped rapidly in her chest at the sight of the gun pointing towards jj. she shuddered with fear at the thought of barry actually taking the shot.

jj moved his foot the  slightest bit so that it could touch riley's. he pushed at her shoe to signify for the girl to move back as barry got closer to jj.

"i'm here because i want my motherfucking money!" barry screamed in the blonde's face. his hand flew up to the side of jj's face and thrusted his skull towards the concrete floor.

"jj!" riley cried, attempting to lunge forward at the boy, but she was grabbed by her hips and flung in the opposite directions.

"so this is where you've been for the past few weeks? why you've been avoiding hanging out with us?" rafe growled as he corned riley against the wall. "you're slumming it with maybank?"

"don't touch her, man!" jj grunted from where his forehead was pressed against the floor. he struggled to fight because of the gun pressed against his back that was threatening his life.

"it's not you that i want," rafe said cooly as he trailed his eyes over the girls frame. "where's john b?"

riley's eyes never left jj as she peered over rafe's shoulder. for the first time in his life, jj's eyes didn't show confidence and fearlessness. riley knew he was scared, that he didn't know how to get them out of this.

"i know what you did," kie said lowly, ripping rafe's attention away from riley.

"what?" what did i do?" rafe said, almost mockingly, as he faced kiara.

"you murdered peterkin!"

riley's heart stopped as she watched rafe grip kiara's jaw, so tight she could see the vains popping out of his hand. "don't you ever say those fucking words again."

"don't touch my sister, you asshole!" riley charged at the boy, realizing all too late that she was no match for him. he raised his hand and grabbed her throat. making an audible gagging noise, riley could feel her face begin to turn red as rafe held her neck tightly.

he loosened his grip after slamming her back against the boat. "could've been you and me, riles."

"this isn't you," riley whimpered. she knew who he was; he used to be one of her closest friends, after all. she couldn't ever imagine that the boy would do any of this, especially hurting her.

"please," rafe scoffed. "you're one to talk. hanging out with the pogues? you're pathetic riley. such a slu-"

before the boy could finish his sentence he was landing on the floor with a grunt. riley could barely comprehend what had happened, feeling light headed after struggling to breath under rafe's terrorizing grip.

her disfigured vision finally came clear and her eyes focused on pope who was repeatedly hitting rafe with a small pipe that he held in his hand. rafe eventually knocked the pipe away, and the fight was only between their fists now.

with the blood pounding at riley's ears, she barely heard the gun slide across the floor. she looked down to see it stop at her feet, kicking it out of reflex in the opposite direction of where it came from.

jj knocked barry out for good after a few good punches and turned his head to look at riley, who's neck was painted red and littered with forming bruises. anyone could see the steam that was practically rolling out of jj's ears, and the darkness that ignited his eyes.

his gaze landed on rafe, who was gasping for air as him and pope seperated. jj ran towards the kook and the boys were on the floor in seconds.  jj was throwing punches to any area he could on rafe's figure.

"jj, he's good!"

"okay! jj!"

"hey, jj! he's had enough!"

riley knew this wasn't jj. she was sure that the boy, who's smile and laugh wouldn't ever leave her mind, wasn't the same boy that was wrapping a tube around rafe's neck. riley shivered as she thought back to the feeling of rafe's hand around her throat, crushing her windpipe as she clawed for air.

"snap out of it, man!"

"jj, you're going to kill him!"

"stop!" riley screamed. "please! jj!"

the blonde looked up at her words, her voice horse from the trauma to her neck. jj stood up a worried look on his face as if he knew he'd done something wrong, something to upset his girl. he stumbled backwards as pope pulled him off of rafe's body, yet his eyes never left riley's.

"we gotta go, okay?" kiara said, grabbing pope's hand as he let go of jj. riley rushed over to the blonde, wrapping her arms tightly around him.

"i'm sorry," he mumbled against her hair.

"it's okay," she whispered.

"i'm sorry that i let him do that to you, he should've never- i can't believe he- i-"

"it's over j," she said softly. she could see how much distress he was in, just from the way his eyes glossed over as he ran his thumb gently over her collarbone. "let's just go, please."

jj nodded but looked back at rafe one last time before the pair exited the warehouse. "if you ever touch her again..." jj grunted still attempting to catch his breath, "i'll kill you."