ONLY ANGEL | JJ MAYBANK

CHAPTER THIRTY SIX

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Being banished to the car is just about the worst thing possible for a boy with the shortest attention span known to man, a chronic worrier who manages to think of every possible way that things can go wrong, and of course, just for balance- the eternal optimist.

It's not hard to guess who's who in this situation. JJ can hardly sit still from the driver's seat of the truck; his leg bounces up and down uncontrollably and he can't look at one thing out the window for too long. Collins next to him has gnawed off the majority of her left thumb nail, and takes what's probably the 50th glance at the front door of the house Pope has disappeared into, just in case he actually walks out this time. And Kie, well, she's managing to do just fine throughout the whole waiting game. She's concerned of course for Pope's wellbeing, but she's also focused on getting what they came for out of this whole meeting. It's the only thing that soothes her to think about how everything will be worth it in the end. She's trying to take a positive outlook on their whole situation.

"Look, if Limbrey's legit, then Ward gets arrested and maybe Sarah gets the gold." She pointed out hopefully. Then not only will they get John B and Sarah back, but they'll have gotten the gold back, too. Everything works out the way that it's supposed to.

"Or, this Limbrey chick is bluffing and doesn't have squat on how to prove John B is innocent and we came here for nothing." Collins hypothesized on her own, earning herself an eye roll from Kie.

"What about Limbrey?" JJ questioned, the conversation lost to him.

"Who even was that guy anyway? Talk about shady. He looks like he keeps locks of hair in a diary for every person he meets." Collins scowled and instinctively felt her hair for missing patches as if he had even come close to stealing some away.

"Okay, you need to stop reading those murder mystery books, this is getting ridiculous." JJ nagged at her, swatting her hand away from her head to put an end to her absurdity.

"Look! They're leaving the house." Kie tapped the other two as if they weren't already looking in the same direction, and they all watched as three figures emerged outside. Two of them were familiar, Pope and shady mystery man; alongside them however, must've been the person who'd called them there in the first place.

Ms. Limbrey wasn't at all like Collins had imagined. The lady she was watching looked old and frail. She was hardly keeping up in stride with the crutches she had on both sides of her. Collins would've thought that she would be more intimidating, or at least in better health. And still, there was something scary about her. Perhaps it was the fact that although she looked weak, she still came from a family of power and must've been raised to know how to wield it. What's most frightening isn't someone who can do their own bidding, it's someone who knows how to get others to do their bidding for them, and clearly that's what her little henchman was for.

"Does that look voluntary?" Collins questioned, taking notice in the way that Pope looked back at them, a frightful and unsure expression on his face before he was being pushed forward to keep moving.

"That's a negative." JJ concluded, and just before any of them could jump out of the car, he stopped them. "They're going into the alley. We'll meet them on the other side."

He changed gears and they started rolling down to the end of the street to catch up to their friend before they reached the other side of the alley. Not having their eyes on him was a bit alarming, but they just needed to make sure that they found him again before Limbrey got the idea that they weren't looking out for him anymore. Staring intently out of the window, Collins craned her neck to look past Kie and search the area for any sign of Pope.

"Where did they go?" Kie said nervously when they'd nearly passed what should've been the back of the Limbrey residence and there was no sight of Pope or anyone else.

"What if they went underground?" JJ proposed as an explanation. "Because in C.H.U.D., when they took people down into the sewers, it would turn the humans into humanoids because of the radiation. And then, all of a sudden, they would turn against them—"

"JJ, focus, that doesn't make any sense." Kie interjected before he could fly off topic even more than he already had. Right now, she needed his short attention span to focus on driving and keeping an eye out for their friend.

"And you need to stop with the sci-fi horror films." Collins scolded, which made them even in terms of guilty pleasures that were rubbing off on them a little too much.

"Right. Sorry." JJ quickly apologized. "Did you see him?" They both shook their heads in response. There was no sign of Pope anywhere.

"We should just get out and go on foot." Collins suggested. It'd probably be easier that way anyhow. They could get a better visual and perhaps hear a little bit of what Limbrey had to say with their own ears as to what it was she wanted from them in exchange for John B's innocence. And if Pope really was in trouble, they could get to him much quicker if they were within shouting distance.

Unanimously agreeing, they stopped the car and got out to sneak into the gated property. JJ was the first to find their way in, a wall without deterrents like the metal fencing had. They all jumped over with ease, landing in the bushes and trampling a couple of gardenias in the process. As they pushed through the thicket, they came across a paved walkway. Looking in each direction, it was unclear which one they should go in. Their answer was made for them when they heard noises.

They ran at the sound of commotion somewhere within the garden, following where their ears led them. JJ was the first to find Pope in a scuffle with Limbrey's lackey. Pope was actually kind of winning from where they stood. He was the only one on his feet, trying to escape but held back by the hands wrapped around his wrists. JJ kicked the taser lying on the ground next to them, and slid it out of reach in Collins and Kie's direction. Kie quickly picked it up at her feet while JJ began to help Pope and fighting off the man trying to wrestle against them.

"Come on, Pope! Just leave him!" JJ exclaimed, pulling him away, but not before Pope threw in one last punch. They left the man lying on the pavement, groaning in pain, and started their escape. One after another, they jumped the brick wall standing adjacent to them and fled towards the truck.

"Who were those people?" Kie cried, panicked as they all squeezed in together into the vehicle. She looked around to make sure they weren't being followed, but it looked like they were in the clear. She didn't understand why they would try to hurt Pope when they were the ones who'd invited him there.

"That was crazy as shit. Let's get out of here, now." Pope breathed, out of breath from nearly being kidnapped and having to fight for his life. He was a little shaken to be honest.

As JJ quickly turned the engine over and hit the gas, they turned out of the residential neighborhood and back onto the main road with a squeal of their tires. Glancing back through the rear window, Collins narrowed her eyes to focus on the car trailing behind them, speeding up fast. "I think he's following us!" She alerted the others.

"Here we go now!" JJ whooped, because this was definitely a check on his bucket list to get into a car chase. If only he was driving good old American muscle instead of a run down work truck, he'd be living his dream. Unfortunately, he was the only one who was overjoyed by the fact that they were being pursued, because meanwhile, everyone else was about to have a panic attack.

"JJ, this is a one way and you're going the wrong direction!" Collins cried, grasping onto someone's arm for dear life as he sped down the street. There was no time nor the room for them to put seatbelts on and so she was hoping what was probably Pope's arm would be enough saving grace to keep her from flying out the window.

"There's a car coming!" Pope yelled quickly after her, pointing straight ahead at the headlights facing them. "Turn right!"

JJ did as told, barely making the turn before colliding head on with another car and skidding around the corner. Even then, he was forced to sharply jerk the wheel to avoid running down a couple of pedestrians, who he narrowly missed as they were crossing the walkway.

"Those were people!" Kie screamed, her heart nearly stopping in her chest.

"That was evasive driving technique, right there, y'all." JJ said proudly, smiling to himself. He received a couple of incredulous looks at how much fun he was having. As for everyone else, they were about to go into cardiac arrest. "Hang on, now, I'm gonna lose him."

Despite his warning, none of them were prepared when JJ took another sharp turn into a narrow backroad between buildings. They all slid to one side of the car, squished together against one another, before re-stabilizing back to their previous positions. If they could clear the alley and turn down another road, they might be able to kill the trail the car behind them was following. Unfortunately for them, their engine started to sputter and they began losing speed. "What's happening to the car?" Collins questioned in alarm, searching for any smoke from the hood.

"Nice driving, Tokyo Drift." Kie sarcastically remarked as they came to a dead stop in the middle of the alleyway. Clearly, their car wasn't made for high speed chases and JJ was definitely driving it like one.

"You said he fixed the carburetor!" JJ exclaimed. The timing for their getaway car to give out couldn't have been worse.

"He did fix it!" Pope shot back defensively, although clearly they'd overpaid for a patchwork job. Just their luck.

They all jumped out of the car and started grabbing their bags from the back, deciding to just ditch the hunk of junk all together. "Number one rule; never trust mechanics!" JJ stated angrily. He would know, too, because his dad was one so that should've told them enough.

Their attention was redirected to the old green car that had been chasing them, the man who waited at Limbrey's every order behind the wheel. The car turned in to the alley behind the truck and so they quickly dropped the topic and moved to flee the scene. There was only one other direction to run in and it was through the smoke cloud that was emanating from under the truck's hood.

Collins coughed as they ran away, legs pumping and shoes hitting the cement, before she heard Kie yell from behind her, "Guys! He has a gun!"

"Shit! Get down!" JJ cursed, throwing his arm behind Collins's neck to get her to duck down with him while they continued to run.

Collins glanced back and saw the man in pursuit. He wasn't holding his gun but she didn't want to wait until he decided he was tired of chasing them. Grabbing JJ's hand, they sprinted around corners and between buildings.

It wasn't long before her lungs started to burn and she felt like she was losing all the energy in her body; whatever she had in reserves had to already be gone by how exhausted she was. She didn't know how long they could go on like this. Couldn't they just shake this guy off? He had to be tired, too, no doubt.

"I'm not cut out for this." Collins panted, barely able to even get the words out. It was like her breaths just wanted to push whatever words she had out of the way so she could take another gasp for air.

"We might have to split up." JJ said. That seemed to be their only other option. They weren't getting anywhere in their escape thus far. It was four against one and he couldn't get them all. "I don't know where to go, but we gotta lose him."

They turned down another alley, a narrower one, which forced them to move in a single line where the speed in which they could move in was dependent on how fast the person in front of you ran. Luckily, JJ had enough in him to keep pulling Collins along, otherwise she would've held up the whole flock.

"He's gaining! Let's go!" Kie exclaimed from behind them, stuck at the end of the line where she was most vulnerable to getting snatched by their pursuer.

Pushing a little extra gas in their step, they skidded to a stop as they finally emerged out from the alley, nearly stumbling into the street as they almost crashed into a bike.

JJ's face turned into a scowl as he was just about ready to shoot some snappy remark at the opposing party, but all anger was short lived and dissipated in milliseconds once they made eye contact with the person who'd almost run them over.

It was John B on the bike and it was Sarah who was sitting in the carriage behind him. They were both staring back at their friends in complete and total awe as they were face to face with each other for the first time since they'd separated. Somehow, fate had brought them both to Charleston at the exact same time and led them to this moment in passing so they could reunite. How could Collins have been so pessimistic? It turns out the universe still had its surprises.

Smiling incredulously at them, Collins had forgotten that they were in the middle of being chased and they still weren't in the clear yet. There were so many things that they needed to catch up on. They were snapped out of their trance as John B redirected their focus back to the matter at hand and urged them to jump on. "Hurry! Get in!"

Collins and Kie quickly complied, squeezing into the carriage with Sarah who grinned as she pulled them in, the three of them fitting snugly. Meanwhile, JJ and Pope stood on each side of them and helped push them along while John B pedaled to help build up some speed.

"Oh shit! They're gaining on us!" It appeared that they weren't the only ones who had people to run from. Sarah and John B had chasers of their own who soon gave up once they realized they had no chance of catching them. But on the other hand, they still had Limbrey's sidekick coming after them with the resilience like no other.

They'd nearly caught enough speed to make their escape, when Pope tripped over his feet, unable to keep up on his own two legs with the bike. He rolled over the pavement but landed right back on his feet, practically within arms reach of the man in pursuit before he pumped his legs faster and reached for Kie's outstretched hand. She pulled him onto the carriage where he found footing on the side, safe from making the mistake of tripping and falling again.

As the man tried grabbing onto the carriage, Collins and Sarah quickly swatted him away, looks of disgust on their faces. "Get away!" Sarah exclaimed, shoving him back, which caused him to stumble and hit the ground.

It looked like this time, he was really done chasing after them as the distance between them grew larger and he'd evidently given up in his efforts to keep going. At that, they were elated, grinning madly as JJ waved and yelled, "See you later, asshole!"

Cheers erupted from each of them. Yet another successful narrow escape from danger, and this time, they were all together for it. Smiling over at the brown haired boy steering the bike, Collins said, "Damn, John B! All that running from the law, your legs must be strong as shit!"

"Tell me about it, CJ!" He replied back in amusement, though his legs burned like hell and he was just dying to get off that damn bike.

"Where are you taking us?" Kie asked as John B turned them down another road like he had a destination in mind.

"We've got a getaway boat waiting for us. How else do you think Sarah and I got here?" That definitely explained the gas cans sitting at their feet. Still, they were in shock that John B and Sarah had been able to escape a storm and make it all the way from Nassau back home. Collins couldn't wait to hear all about it.

"I knew it!" JJ exclaimed, more excitement in his eyes upon thinking about seeing his old boat than he seemed to have when he saw his best friend again. "I knew the Phantom couldn't be stopped!"

"Sorry to burst your bubble, JJ." Sarah said begrudgingly. "But the Phantom didn't actually make it past the storm. We're using one of my dad's boats from the Bahamas."

There was disappointment upon hearing such news which crossed JJ's face. To which Collins couldn't help but smile sympathetically at for the pout on his face. Throwing her arm around him she teasingly consoled him. "Oh, JJ, guess you'll just have to settle for me, your second best girl."

There were a couple of snickers and JJ's grief over his beloved boat was short lived because even the loss of his family's nautical wasn't enough to dampen his spirits. He had his best friend back for crying out loud. This was everything he'd hoped for since he thought he'd lost John B. So what if the Phantom was legendary? John B was living proof that Pogues were invincible and that was fitting for a legend in itself. Either way, the Phantom had fulfilled its purpose and kept them from being caught by the police, just like it was supposed to.

As John B steered them towards the beach, there's something so comfortingly familiar about the way they sprint across the sand to run towards the boat waiting for them in the water. Collins feels it as she falls into step with the others and feels the shock of the water hitting her feet, the cold shooting up her legs. She looked around and smiled at her friends as they eagerly jumped on board, JJ and Pope hanging back to give them the push that they needed to float off the sand, climbing on as soon as the boat started to drift into the ocean.

It feels like that one night during Midsommars, when they'd interrupted all the fancy old money heirs and heiresses. They hadn't cared about what everyone thought of them that night and they were freer than ever. That's exactly how they felt in that moment. Nothing could stop them from feeling everything in that instance. They were together again; they were on top of the world.

As they set sail back home, everything that they'd wanted to tell each other since their depart was finally able to be shared. A lot of it was met with disbelief, mostly regarding the fact that John B and Sarah had been through a lot since they'd last seen each other. They'd nearly gotten their hands back on the gold that Ward had stolen on two separate occasions, but their plan had been foiled both times, much to everyone's disappointment.

And it's not to be brushed over the fact that Sarah literally got shot the day before and had a hole in her that'd been patched up by a black market surgeon at the cost of the last of the gold that they would ever have.

It made everything that they had been through sound so tame. The most dangerous thing that they had to share was Collins' sewer debacle, a 온라인카지노게임 which earned a lot of laughs up until the part where she almost died, but she copes with humor, too. It was obvious though by the smile on their faces, that John B and Sarah were touched that they had tried so hard to try and make it safe for them to come back home. Even though none of it had really even worked, it was the thought that counted and it only solidified that they had the best friends that anyone could ask for.

Their trip is full of laughter and smiles, just the way it should be. It almost doesn't feel like time has passed given how quickly they fall into their routine. It could've been just another summer day for all they knew. They would drive the boat around the marsh, listen to music and mess around, maybe even tan or swim. Then the next day they would go on an adventure where trouble was most likely going to be stirred because it wouldn't be an adventure if there wasn't. Collins had missed moments like this and now that two pieces of their puzzle were back to fall into place, it felt like everything was whole again.

They sail their boat all through the night, and it's the first night of sleep that Collins is pretty sure she's been able to get an actual rest from. Even though they're sprawled all around the boat in what looked like uncomfortable positions, her place next to JJ looking up at the stars didn't give her anything to complain about. Sarah is somewhere at her feet and Kie is not too far away either, and so it feels like that night of their slumber party while they were stranded by the boys and it makes Collins warm to somewhat relive it. There's nothing about this moment that she would change.

She didn't even realize it, but they had reached land, and John B was awake to pull the boat up to a dock to tie them up and give them a break. Rubbing her eyes, Collins sat up and squinted as she looked around, seeing nothing but marsh all around them. It had to have been early morning, because the sun was barely out and there was still morning dew hanging in the air. She definitely hadn't gotten enough sleep, but they must've needed to refuel.

JJ pushed himself up after her, wrinkling his nose as his stomach growled and he felt himself almost collapse from his own grogginess. "Anybody else starving? We need to grab some sort of breakfast." He grumbled.

"We'll find some food." Sarah informed the boys, grabbing Kie and Collins as she pulled them off the boat and down the dock in search of sustenance. They hadn't gotten a chance to talk as just girls, so this was the perfect opportunity to get one in.

Collins stretched and waved behind her, glancing back at JJ to send him a small smile in farewell. He gazed back at her and returned her wave, finding joy in the sight of her practically glowing with happiness. She always radiated sunlight, but it was like she was burning a little brighter than usual. It made him happy to see that in her.

Turning back to Kie and Sarah, Collins giggled as they pulled her along to keep up with them, disappearing into the tall grass.

"Okay, so you guys really got married?" Kie questioned Sarah first, raising her brows in disbelief. John B had briefly mentioned it in their little catch-up, but they'd just skimmed it over. Now, Kie needed all of the details.

"It wasn't exactly legal, but, yeah." Sarah shrugged, fighting a losing battle with the smile on her face. She liked thinking about it, but it wasn't like there was much to tell. There certainly hadn't been any grand ceremony or vows exchanged, just a shared feeling between her and John B. Turning the conversation over to Collins, Sarah nudged her with her elbow. "By the looks and sounds of it, Collins isn't too far behind with lover boy back at the boat."

Collins rolled her eyes as Sarah tried to tickle her arm in a teasing manner, looking down at the ground with a blush on her cheeks. "Maybe not, but I'm sure being fugitives together helped speed the process along."

There was a scoff from Kie. "She's being modest. JJ's already living at her house. They share a room together." Kie told Sarah, exposing Collins and JJ's living arrangements.

"You're joking." Sarah said in awe. "There's no way your brother lets you guys sleep in the same bed."

"You're right about the bed part, but the rest of it is true. He just couldn't stand being at the Château with John B gone. Living with his dad wasn't an option either." Collins bit her lip as she thought about how bad of a place he'd been after everything had happened. The pain, the tears, the fears; she couldn't stand just thinking about ever having to go back to the way things had been. But thankfully, they'd figured it out and gotten through the hard parts.

"He's lucky to have you." Kie said to her, and it was genuine. "You've been the person that JJ's needed his whole entire life. I don't think it ever really occurred to us, or even him for that matter, but he needed someone to take care of him. You've done more than just that."

Collins smiled softly and she absorbed Kie's words. Maybe she was right and Collins liked the thought of it. She liked taking care of JJ and how he took care of her. It just made sense.

"We're always there for each other. I think that's what makes us work. I really do care about him and I think he really does care about me."

"He does." Sarah reaffirmed, a certain seriousness in her voice when she said it. "And it's totally obvious just looking at him that he doesn't just care about you, Collins. That boy is in love with you."

There it is, the big 'L' bomb. Collins's eyes widen as she hears Sarah say it while the other two girls smile broadly. She can't believe that Sarah would make an assumption like that and the fact that she would even say it out loud. What on Earth could've led her to the conclusion that JJ loved her? And why could Collins not figure it out for herself?

"Don't act all surprised now." Kie teased her, prompting Collins to close her slightly gaping mouth before it was permanently stuck that way. "You guys act like you've been married for years. You nag at him and he nags at you, but you guys do it in a way that's so adorable I actually envy it. Which is really weird for me."

"I haven't told him yet, though." Collins admitted nervously. "It's not that I haven't found the right time, because plenty have passed by, but I guess I'm just afraid that when I say it, I can't take it back."

"That's the point. You're taking a risk by admitting how you really feel, but it's a calculated risk. You know JJ cares about you, you have our witness testimony, what more do you need?"

Pondering over what her friends were telling her, Collins found herself easily convinced. It was hard not to be when you know you're fighting a losing battle against two of the most persuasive girls on the planet. And Collins really did know how JJ felt, it always seemed so blatantly clear when they were together. A part of her was just afraid of the possibility that he just didn't love her enough, but that didn't mean he didn't love her at all, and that had to count for something. She could still tell him the truth and let it be out in the universe to do with it what it willed. At least he would know how she felt.

"Okay, the next time we're alone, I'll tell him how I feel. I'm not a coward, I'm a big girl and I can tell JJ that I'm unconditionally, completely devotedly, embarrassingly in love with him." Collins sighed dreamily, thinking about just how much she loved him. It felt nice to admit it to herself. It was like she could finally give into her emotions and let all the warm and fuzzies take over like the lovesick puppy she was turning out to be. And yet, there was still that underlying panic inside of her that screamed at her to be afraid. "I just gotta say it. Just pull him aside, pour my heart out, and be honest. And you guys will be the first ones to know how it goes when I do."

"Of course you will. Everything will be fine." Kie and Sarah both threw their arms around Collins's shoulders, walking in stride with one another through the tall grass leading to nowhere. The trail they were following could hardly be called as such, since it was overgrown with weeds and didn't look to be used all too often. But still they followed it and basked in the cool morning breeze and the warm sunlight.

Turning her nose up, Collins caught the faint scent of something sweet in the air. As she scanned the environment around them, her smile brightened as she spotted something ahead. "Holy shit." Running ahead, Collins bounded towards the fruit sitting still attached to the vine on the ground, rolling it into her hands and lifting it up in the air to present to her friends. "Jackpot!"

Kie and Sarah both grinned, catching up to her before immediately breaking one open for them to share amongst themselves. After nothing to eat or drink for over 24 hours, it was the best tasting watermelon they'd ever had. Not to mention that it didn't cost them a dime.

As they dug into their breakfast, turning back to Kie, Sarah said, "So now that I'm in the loop on the Collins and JJ love 온라인카지노게임, am I crazy or is there definitely something going on between you and Pope?"

"Maybe." Kie turned her face bashfully. It was too early to say anything, so she couldn't give a straight answer just yet. That didn't mean that there wasn't hope.

Shaking her head, Collins smiled knowingly at the girl after a mouthful of watermelon. "That's not a no."

"It's not a no." Kie repeated in confirmation. She was so coy, but she still said everything that they needed to know as of that moment. It may not have been much, but that was just because there wasn't much to tell. The only reason why they didn't press was because they both knew they'd find out eventually.

"Girl." Sarah raised her brows with a smirk. "The 'No Pogue on Pogue Macking' rule? What a joke."

The other two girls laughed at that, realizing that Sarah had a point. Although, the rule had really only applied to Kie, so it wasn't totally Collins or Sarah's fault that they'd bent the rules first. Maybe they'd paved the way for some Pogue romance, but when it's right it's right. As Collins thought about the golden haired boy back where she'd left him, she felt flutters in her chest. She was pretty sure that nothing could've stopped them from coming together; a connection like theirs could only be a product of fate. Fighting it just seemed useless.

Meanwhile, back at the boat, the boys were waiting for the girls to get back, sitting around and just killing time.

"So, uh, what's up with this Kiara stuff there, big guy?" John B pestered Pope, nudging him on the arm before taking a seat across from him to listen keenly.

"Honestly, I don't know right now, man. I mean, I definitely like her and I'm pretty sure she likes me. But there's a lot of conflicting information going on, like I'm trying to gather all the data and put it into a folder in my mind—"

JJ and John B simultaneously sighed at their friends nerdy scientific approach to love. When in doubt, Pope would always resort to statistics to make sense of a mess. Clearly, he was running in circles around Kie and was finally running out of breath.

"All right, man, look." JJ leaned in, ready to share some valuable advice with his friend. "Women, they're just not consistent."

"We're not gonna take female advice from JJ." John B interrupted before JJ could say any more and corrupt Pope's brain with nonsense. If he had any idea on what was about to leave JJ's lips next, Pope was about to be steered down the wrong path.

Holding his finger up, JJ climbed to his own defense and said, "You've been gone awhile, JB, so you don't know this, but I'm a changed man. Being a boyfriend has taught me so much and it's helped me realize, that Collins is it for me. I know things now that I have never known before. I'm committed."

Exchanging glances with each other, Pope made a motion to mimic like he was lashing a whip, adding the sound effect with his mouth to go along with it. John B joined in on the joke by pretending to spray a canister of whipped cream over an imaginary bowl, both taking immense pleasure in teasing their friend. Because that's what JJ was; he was terribly, undeniably, inescapably whipped for Collins Jacobson.

And his friends were taking full advantage of making fun of him for it, because he was the last one out of the three of them that would've been expected to fall so hard and so fast for a girl.

"Got to hand it to you JJ, you couldn't have picked a better chick to settle down with." John B told him before slapping a hand on his back.

"She's made an honest man out of our little JJ." Pope crooned, shedding an imaginary tear and wiping it away with the back of his hand.

JJ smiled proudly, his chest swelling. "You're damn right she has. And see? I'm not even afraid to admit it. I, JJ Maybank, am totally whipped for Collins Jacobson."

"I leave you guys by yourselves for a couple of months and suddenly it's a goddamn love fest over here." John B shook his head in disbelief. Changing the subject, he asked Pope, "So what's the deal with this Limbrey chick? You think she knew my pops?"

Pope shrugged. "I dont know, but I do think that she has the information that could exonerate you.

John B raised his brows with intrigue. "That'd be ideal."

"Not to throw a monkey wrench in the entire thing, but she did just try to kidnap you. How many times do I gotta say this?" The other two boys immediately groaned and rolled their eyes at JJ, even though he was proving a fair point. They couldn't trust Limbrey when she was clearly dangerous. "Why don't we go south? Why don't we go to the Yucatán? Coast of Broken Dreams, baby!"

"No, dude! I'm not running anymore." John B protested. "Look, OBX is my home. Besides, if I go back, I get another shot at Ward."

"Hey, what are you boys talking about?" Sarah announced the return of her, Kie, and Collins as they arrived bearing armfuls of watermelon. She didn't appear to have heard John B mention her father's name given the cheerful smile still on her face, which he was grateful for.

"Fishing." John B answered inconspicuously, glancing over at JJ and Pope who both nodded along with his cover.

"Dropping lures." JJ piped up before his eyes flickered to the armful of fruit in Collins's hands. "What you got there, little lady?"

"Breakfast." She smiled, handing it over to him so that she could jump onto the boat.

"Look at my girl providing for us." He used his free hand to hold her steady as she boarded then sat down next to him. "You know, I think women are better than men."

"Damn right they are." Kie agreed, pointing at him playfully.

"Lord, help us." John B groaned, throwing his head back. "What have you done to him, Collins?"

They shared some laughter with each other as John B started the boat and they detached themselves from the dock to continue their journey back home. While everyone else was busy doing so, Collins sat closely next to JJ and smiled as he cracked open the watermelon on the side of the boat and began tossing bits and pieces into his mouth.

He had that light in his eyes back again. He was happy with his best friend back and she never knew how happy that would make her in turn. She had always known that she could never be enough to fill the void that losing John B had left in JJ, but she had always felt a sense of pride when he was able to find joy even when he had suffered loss. It warmed her to think that she played a part in making him feel better. Thinking back to the conversation she'd had with Kie and Sarah, Collins felt like she was justified in her desire to tell JJ that she loved him. It was just a matter of when.

"I'm happy." She whispered in his ear, feeling the need to tell him just in case he couldn't tell just from looking at her. She liked sharing feelings with him as she felt them. It was like her little way of letting him know if she was okay. And maybe in certain instances, she could feel that he was happy, too, and so they could share that experience with each other as one.

JJ turned his head to look over at her and cast her the biggest close-mouthed smile that ever existed because he still had a big bite of watermelon that he was munching on. He didn't even have to say anything to tell her that he shared the sentiment.

He liked seeing her happy, too. The friendship she had with Kie and Sarah had always been something she'd desperately needed. She used to never have a clue on how to deal with other girls with Charlie being her best friend for so long, now it was like she had never not known what having girl friends was like. He knew there were things that they could talk about that she couldn't really come to him for, so he was glad that she had more people who understood her in ways that he couldn't. He would always need her and she would always need him, but at least they had other people who they could still rely on.

As they drove through smooth waters along the coast towards the OBX, Collins can't help but relax again into the cushion of her seat and JJ's arm which wrapped around her shoulders comfortably. She breathes in the fresh air and can't deny how utterly content she is with where they're at. Albeit they haven't really solved any of their problems and they definitely were in for a rude welcome when they arrived back home, but despite those facts, Collins isn't worried.

There is absolutely nothing that can ruin this instance for her. She stores it in her memories as the time they'd become a family again. After all of that time they'd lost with one another, it felt like letting any more go to waste would just be wrong. She couldn't spoil a good memory just because she couldn't stop dwelling on the bad. Even if she couldn't escape her worries, all she could do was have faith that everything would come to its resolution in its own way.

Because it's at this time, and at this moment, where Collins is the eternal optimist. And it is with all her heart that she believes without a doubt that everything, no matter how bad it seems, will be okay.