RIVER | JJ MAYBANK

NINETY EIGHT

AFTERMATH

JJ and River had practically been chased from the bonfire by a massive group, John B had an ice pack put on his eye to bring down the swelling that had occurred during a fight the couple hadn't even been aware was happening.

They pulled back up to John B's house, he started up his own bonfire so that the others didn't feel as though he had made them all miss out on the warmth of the fire and them drinking with friends- not that River could drink.

"I've had more black eyes in the last month than I've ever had." Pope spoke, running his hand through Silas' hair, he was laid out on the grass with his head resting in the boys lap. He was cradling his hand that looked awfully broken.

"I find it extremely attractive." Silas hiccuped drunkly before attempting to move his fingers.

"That was building up for years." JJ smiled nodding towards the couple and River agreed wrapping her body around JJ's whole arm, "Rumble in the Jungle." He teased.

John B had put a few marshmallows on the end of sticks so they could melt them on the fire. River took one gratefully and started to hang it over the fire excitedly, looking up at JJ who seemed to only have eyes for her.

She wanted to feel angered by Kie being in the group but she'd come to terms with the fact that she wasn't an important thought anymore and the only people she needed to care about was herself, JJ and their baby.

"I'm literally so hungry." John B groaned jumping forward and unhinging his jaw to eat Kie's food from her hands which made her shout at him and start to slap his bicep.

"Same, but I'm quite literally eating for two." River laughed kind of solemnly and JJ pulled her in for a side hug, "I could eat some nice ass chicken." She hummed.

"Don't mention killing a chicken!" John B exclaimed standing up as if in the middle of a dramatic monologue, "Your boyfriend there still hasn't repaid me for my rooster he brutally murdered."

"Dude it was Chadwick or us." JJ shrugged placing a kiss on Rivers head.

"You name your roosters isn't that like a big no-no when keeping poultry for the exact reason?" Silas questioned in a slur and everyone looked at him as if he was insane.

"He was special to me okay?" John B pretended to cry and so Kie yanked him downwards to tell him to stop being dramatic.

"Who called him Chadwick?" Silas then went on to ask, and there was a look exchanged between the original Pogue's and JJ raised his hand proudly to which River shook her head.

"And that's why he's not naming our baby." River spoke and JJ pretended to get really defensive about it even though he agreed and didn't want the pressure of naming a child on his shoulders anyway.

"That's because it's going to be called Pope Silas Maybank." Pope spoke up with a grin and River giggled shaking her head, "Don't even say no you know it's a strong boys name." He threatened pointing his finger.

"Yeah, Angelica." Silas joined in folding his arms across his chest to look angry but it was next to impossible when he was drunk.

"I'm gonna be uncle John b." John B spoke up a bit of realisation hitting which made the group break into hushed whispers, each of them talking as though they were going to be part of their little family.

"You'll be a good dad." Pope tried to say before bursting out laughing, "Who am I kidding? The only thing they'll learn from him is how to steal and use extreme sarcasm."

JJ continued to nod as if he was agreeing with Pope, they were so young and sat round the bonfire it kind of came as another realisation that it wasn't just going to be as easy as they said it would.

"Hey, hey." John B hushed the group looking into the distance "Somebodies here." He stated moving River behind him to which JJ then did the same, all of the Pogue's coming to form a formation around the girl.

"How y'all doing?" Renfield spoke staggering forward with his hands in the air.

"What's this piece of shit doing here?" Silas asked picking up two rods and presenting one towards JJ.

"Lovely evening were having." Renfield continued to speak, "Look I don't hold a grudge with any of y'all, all right? Especially not with Miss Cross over there." He teased giving her a sarcastic wave.

JJ pulled River in closer, breathing heavily in a protective mode.

"What the fuck did you guys do without me?" River hissed specifically towards John B, whose eyes widened realising that River still had no idea about what was happening.

"This can go hard, or this can go easy. You know what we're here for." Renfield spoke and another rustle from the trees came and out stepped a familiar face, "Tell them, Sean."

"Baby, give us the key." Sean spoke making direct eye contact with River as he stepped forward and everyone caught onto his face.

"Let us give you a demonstration, you see that little swing right there? I got the best bow hunters in the Army Rangers with me. Hidden." Renfield spoke whistling as a bow hurtled through the air and sliced the swing down making everyone step backwards cautiously.

"Now they're out there and they'll stick you just as soon as I say so. Are we clear?" Sean continued on from Renfield and they both exchanged smug looks before he whistle again and another bow landed just at JJ's feet.

"Now we're not gonna give you a countdown or any bullshit like that I'm just gonna whistle." Renfield said pressing his chest against Pope knowing he had it pressed in his pocket, "And we can aim for your precious cargo right there." He laughed pointing towards Rivers stomach.

River angrily looked up at her father as he kissed his teeth angrily, she couldn't believe he was part of this and more importantly that he would put her in danger just to get what he wanted.

Pope automatically reached into his pocket to pull it out but River stepped forward and put her hand against his chest.

"This key belongs to Pope's family, not yours." River spoke up which got everybody's heart pounding with panic, she had so much to loose and yet she still wanted to protect Pope.

"I'm loosing my patience with your daughter, Sean." Renfield spoke up angrily and Sean stepped forward and snatched the key from Pope all whilst making direct eye contact with River as he did so.

"You're just like your mother." Sean hissed throwing the key to Renfield before they both disappeared.

wrote by lucidgravity