𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒, 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴

𝐱𝐱𝐱𝐢. The bigger picture

"Luke was at the Chateau," JJ explained, digging into the back of the truck for the winch.

"Oh, great! While you were having family time with your pops, John B got bit by a gator!"

"Are you kidding me?" Asked Red, further examining the leg, and concluding that they were pretty serious.

"Like, for real?"

"Does it look like we're joking?"

"Ok, so what the hell happened?! Did you piss it off or something?" Red yelled, throwing her hands in the air. It was safe to say Red was out of patience for the day, or even the week.

"What happened was he got bit by a gator!"

"I got bit by a gator!"

"Ok, why am I being yelled at? I'm the one who put my ass on the line for a plan that might not even work!"

The group continued yelling at eachother from across from where they were standing. Red continued trying to justify why they were elated without mentioning what they did with Luke, and the rest of them were against her. The only silent person was JJ, which was quite the occasion considering JJ's usual character.

"Shut up!" JJ finally yelled, every teen going silent at the sound of his voice. Red looked over at JJ, just as surprised by his behavior as everyone else. "Seriously, guys! I can't take it anymore, alright? Everyone just cut it out for a second." JJ chuckled, leaning up against the tree adjacent to him. "Look, I just helped my dad leave this island. For good. Like, he's not ever coming back. He's straight up like Spanish, like 'Bon Voyage'."

"That's not the right language..."

"All we got," JJ muttered, his attention turning to the floor. "And I know for a fact all I got is you guys, okay? You're it." JJ looked over at Red, who gave him a tight-lipped smile, trying to offer him some kind of support. "And I've come too close to losing you. All of you. I mean shit like you almost drowned." JJ pointed over towards Red. "Pope, you were kidnapped. Bennie, Rafe almost brainwashed you to turn against your brother. Sarah, you've been shot! Kie, Rafe tried to kill you. And John B, you were almost dinner for a friken gator, bro. So this blaming eachother is some kook ass bullshit, alright? We don't do that. Okay, we're pogues." JJ breathed in, reading the look on everyone's face. It wasn't pity, it wasn't regret, it was more realization. What JJ said couldn't be more true, they just needed a reminder. "Sorry, that was a lot right now. Didn't mean to..."

Pope leaned forward, looking at John B and Sarah who shared an expression before putting their hands together into a slow clap for JJ, Kie, and Red quickly joining in afterwards.

"I've gotta be honest, that was the best friken speech you have ever given." John B tested, meaning it more than he'd like to admit. "Also, you should think about like a Rosetta Stone because your Spanish and French are uh- flip-flopped."

JJ scoffed, playfully flipping him off with both hands, getting a chuckle out of Red, who was also particularly proud of his little speech.

"We should Bon Voyage out of here." Sarah chuckled, pointing towards the truck.

"Yeah, she's right. Let's get the Twinkie the hell out of the water."

After a few painful minutes of towing the Twinkie out of the water with the wench JJ had gotten from the Chateau, it seemed all was well and they'd be on their way to the church with their fresh new lead.

On the way to the church, Red and JJ drove the truck while the rest of the pogues remained in the Twinkie that was now risen out of the water and living their best life under the control of John B again.