RIVER | JJ MAYBANK

SIXTY FOUR

911

"Could someone fill me in on what the frick just happened?" JJ questioned as everyone panted, still in complete shock at what they had just witnessed.

River clung onto Silas' shirt so tightly that her knuckles had turned white. Her heart was beating so fast and she couldn't control her racing thoughts. She screwed her eyes shut and flinched once Pope groaned loudly.

The old, scared and anxious River was back and Silas didn't exactly know what to do. He tried his best to steady his own breathing, knowing that she would eventually try to mimic it, but nothing seemed to be working.

"Holy crap. I can't believe it." JJ continued to speak. Silas hit his arm, gaining his attention, making JJ look down at River. "What we're they fighting over?"

JJ gently placed his hand on River's bicep and noticed the way that she tensed, moving closer to Silas.

"Hey angel, it's only me." He whispered softly.

River let go of a small sob as she turned to JJ, he hadn't called her 'angel' in so long. But now that she was in his arms again she felt like she was able to calm. He always soothed her, ever since she first started to get panic attacks.

"It was the gun, the one Rafe used. He must have kept it." Pope explained.

JJ pulled River onto his lap so that Silas could have more room in the car. The blonde buried her head into the crook of JJ's neck. Her tears leaving a wet patch on his shirt.

"Of course! Of course. The murder weapon." JJ snapped, running his fingers through his hair, causing River to flinch at the loud voices.

JJ realised what he had done and covered her ears as he asked Kie who she was ringing. He kept placing soft kisses onto the blondes temple in hopes to calm her. The boy has to steady his own breathing in hopes that she would mirror it.

"Who else am I supposed to call?" Kie snapped as if it was an insane idea to call the police after witnessing a murder.

"Why would you call the police?" JJ questioned. "That's Ward."

River slowly pulled away from JJ. She aggressively wiped away her tears and looked between the four. They were all looking at her with concern. Despite Kie not talking to her in a while, she still deeply cared for her and had her best interests at heart.

The blonde took the phone from Kie and cleared her throat. Her eyes stung with unshed tears and her lips were bleeding due to how much she was biting on th to stay quiet.

"Hello. Somebody's been shot at the Grand Street construction site." River's voice cracked as she spoke.

Her nerves were fuelling her, although Gavin covered up for Rafe and Ward for what happened to Peterkin, it didn't mean that he deserved to die. Plus, if he did die, they'd loose their only witness against Ward to bring John B and Sarah home.

Silas placed his hand on River's shoulder, he felt as she tensed beneath his touch. He gave her a small and supportive squeeze to say that it was just him and that she was safe.

"Ma'am, did you say some one was shot?" The officer on the other side of the phone questioned almost in disbelief.

"Yes and he's dying so you and Shoupe all need to hurry. I don't know if he's already dead or not, but please hurry." Begged River. She had finally allowed the tears to fall freely down her face.

Part of her felt guilty for not stepping up and going to help Gavin. But the other part of her feared that if she did, Ward would have shot her and the others too.

"We can't stay here, we gotta go." Silas spoke up, running his hand through his curly hair. "We're just sitting ducks." He couldn't believe what he has been brought into.

"What do you want me to do?" Kie questioned as she fiddled with the keys.

"Just drive." Pope shouted, causing Kie to start the engine and drive away from where the car was previously parked.

River turned to Silas and grabbed his hand, her fingers began to trace his tattoos, trying to calm herself. JJ watched her carefully, he was glad that she had found someone to comfort her, even if that wasn't him.

JJ leant back in his seat and closed his eyes, the images of Gavin replaying over and over in his head. The way that River clung onto him and Silas once she saw it. He never wanted to see her that terrified again. All he wanted to do was protect her.

"We did the right thing, didn't we? By calling the cops?" River whispered to Silas now that her breathing has steadied.

Silas pulled the girl closer to him and pressed his lips against the top of her head. He closed his eyes momentarily and just thought about the different options that they had. They were limited.

If they didn't call it in and someone had seen them watch what happened to Gavin, they may be seen as an accomplice. But then again Ward had a lot of cash and everyone knew how the cops were. He was sure it wouldn't take much to make them turn a blind eye to what happened.

"I'm sure we did, Angelica."