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❝ po, open your eyes ❞
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𝘚𝘺𝘭𝘷𝘪𝘦'𝘴 𝘗𝘖𝘝

As the Pogues are fussing over Pope and I check him over for injuries his eyes widen like saucers and he screams as us to move, diving out of the way and tackling me over with him. The others scatter with screams just as the cross drops in front of us and breaks right through the wooden floorboards right where we all were just sitting.

"Pope, are you okay?" Kiara breathes out once we all process what just happened.

"Hey, you good?" JJ adds worriedly and I turn my head to look at Pope who is still gripping onto me tightly.

"Yeah, I'm good. Just give me, like, one second to, like, catch my breath" Pope assures us.

"You're okay" I assure him, wrapping him in a hug which he accepts and lets out a relieved breath.

"You did it, Pope" John B declares and I look up at the cross, still gently rubbing Pope's back.

"Pope, she's... she's beautiful" JJ adds, placing a hand onto the gold cross with an awed expression on his face.

"I've never seen anything like it" Sarah mutters in disbelief.

"It's like something from a fairytale" I smile down at the Heyward boy proudly and he smiles back at me, pulling himself to sit up next to me.

"Detail's insane" JJ agrees.

"Well, here's why Limbrey wanted that key so bad" John B points out a keyhole on the cross.

"Whoa. Good find. How much do you think she's worth?" JJ questions "Like, if we melted her old bones down, dude, I'm talking like high billions"

"This belongs in a- No! This belongs in a museum" John B argues.

"What? So no one sees her?" JJ pouts.

"In a museum where everyone sees it" John B corrects the blonde.

"Are you kidding?" JJ scoffs in disbelief.

"Hey! It's my ancestors' cross!" Pope pipes up.

"Right, okay. All right, all right. Well..." JJ drawls off.

"It belongs to Pope, and he should get to decide what he wants to do with it" I declare firmly, glaring at the boys who both hold their hands up in surrender while Pope grins at me gratefully.

"This is bigger than money, and the world's gotta know the truth" Pope decides.

"Yes. If we don't get this shit outta here before Limbrey gets here, nobody's gonna know. So saddle up" John B announces.

They all move towards the cross and pull myself to my feet, turning to help Pope who looks pale.

"How you feeling, Po?" I question in concern.

"I'm okay" He nods, but I'm not convinced.

"It's heavy like right here" JJ warns Kiara and Sarah before looking behind him "Wait. Hold on. John B, you're gonna pull, all right? Pull down"

"I'm gonna pull down with Vie. You guys pull up. Ready? One, two, three" John B counts us in.

John B and I push down on the end of the cross while JJ and Pope pull at it with Kiara and Sarah heaving it out of the hole in the floor.

"JJ, watch your foot" John B warns him.

"Oh my God!" Sarah groans.

"Shit! Okay!" Kiara huffs out as we manage to actually lift the cross, struggling to do so.

"Okay. I got it" JJ says in a strained tone.

"Okay" Pope groans.

"God, this shit is fucking heavy" I wheeze out.

"Move forward" Kiara orders.

"Who's... who's not lifting right now? Sarah, are you seriously-" JJ complains like a child.

"I'm lifting!" Sarah argues.

"It doesn't feel like it!" JJ counters.

"I am!" Sarah snaps in annoyance.

"Both of you, shut up!" I retort in irritation.

We slow down to an almost stop and Pope's arms begin lowering, his face twisted in pain.

"Okay, guys. I can't. I can't" He stresses breathily and my heart hammers against my chest in worry.

"No! No, no, no!" Kiara rushes out.

"No, no, Pope! Hang on there!" JJ pleads loudly "No, no, no, no, no, no! No!

Pope lets go of the cross and collapses onto one of the pews, causing the weight to be thrown off balance and we all drop it.

"Damn it, yo! You almost dropped it on my foot!" JJ lashes out at Sarah.

"Cause I'm the only one lifting it!" Sarah fires back.

"Oh, you sure-" JJ starts but I slap him and Sarah upside the head, looking at Pope in worry.

"Okay, okay, okay, okay! Listen, we'll make like a sling, like a little-" John B tries to explain but I walk straight past him to Pope's side.

"Yeah, yeah, and then put it on the tail hitch" JJ adds.

"Guys! Guys, guys" Pope cries out in pain, not looking good at all "I'm not okay. I'm not okay"

"Shit!" John B curses as we all gather around the Heyward boy who is squirming around in agony.

"Your eye, it looks all puffy" Sarah points out.

"You good? You don't look too good" JJ worries.

"You don't fucking say?" I fire back sarcastically.

"I can't-" Pope gasps for breath.

"He's having an allergic reaction" Kiara states.

"How many times did you get stung?" Sarah stresses.

"Far too many" I answer simply.

Before the Heyward boy can reply himself his eyes roll back and his body slumps down, slipping off the pew.

"Hey! Hey!" JJ shouts as Kiara and I grab the injured boy, pulling his arms around our necks to lift him up.

"He needs medical attention, like, asap!" I announce in a panicked tone.

"What about the cross?" Kiara questions worriedly.

"JJ, try and hide it" John B demands.

"I got it. I got the cross" JJ quips, scurrying off.

"Here we go. Come on. Come on" John B encourages Pope, him and Sarah helping to hold him up.

"We'll come back!" Kiara assures him.

"I can't breathe" Pope wheezes out.

"I know" Kiara replies in concern.

"Guys, I don't know how I'm gonna hide this!" JJ calls out in panic, but my attention is solely on Pope who is struggling to heave in breaths.

"Can you get the door?" John B asks Sarah and she immediately holds it open.

"I can't breathe" Pope stresses as we carry him out of the church.

"JJ! We gotta go!" Kiara hollers.

"Hurry up, JJ!" I yell.

"I'm coming!" JJ shouts, running out of the church "Jeez! That thing's heavy"

"Sarah, I didn't hide it well enough" He adds.

"Don't worry about that. We gotta get Pope some help" Sarah retorts as we rush to the car.

"Pope, what do you need, buddy?" JJ worries.

"Keep his legs elevated!" Sarah demands.

"What do you need, Pope?" JJ repeats himself as Kiara and I help the Heyward boy into the backseat and he frantically mimes sticking a shot into his arm.

"A shot!" Kiara guesses with ease.

"A shot? Okay" JJ jumps into action "I know where to go! Give me the keys!"

Kiara tosses him the keys and scrambles into the back seat with me and Pope, Sarah following her actions as John B gets into the passenger seat.

"Keep a hand on his pulse" Sarah warns as JJ climbs into the driver seat and shoves the keys into the car, the engine roaring to life.

"We got you" Kiara assures him as I press my fingers down on his neck, finding his pulse.

"Po, open your eyes" I plead.

"Hang on, Pope! We're going" JJ shouts as the vehicle shoots off down the road.

"Pope?" Kiara croaks out.