SWEET NICOTINE | pope heyward

31, doctor cameron

"I think we could make it work," Cleo told her and AJ tilted her head back. It was then that it finally set it. The Chateau burned to the ground. It burned to the ground with everything in it. Including all of her mother's research and all of AJ's possessions. Everything she had of her mother, gone.

She didn't want to make a scene so she stood, wincing as she put weight on her leg but still moved off to the side. She knew it was selfish to be worrying about her stuff when John B had just lost his home but it was all she had left of her mother.

"Hey, how're you doing?" Pope's hand squeezed her arm as he approached and she tried to stop the tears that began to well in her eyes. "AJ" His voice was filled with concern.

"my mom, her things and my bag were all I had left. It's just. I've got nothing anymore" AJ shook her head and wiped the tears before they fell down her cheeks.

"hey, I grabbed your bag while we were in there. It was hanging off the kitchen chair. It's by the pogues. I grabbed it" Pope brushed the hair from her face, cupping her cheek.

AJ swore her breath stopped in her throat. All she could do was wrap her arms around his neck. She cried into his shoulder, trying to muffle the sound. "thank you" She whispered.

"lovebirds, come on" Cleo's voice met the pair's ears and they pulled away.

"Seriously, thank you for getting my bag" AJ spoke as they caught up with the others.

"you don't have to thank me" He shook his head.

"Sarah, when did you say the pilot was getting in?" John B asked, his eyes turning towards the blonde.

"probably like an hour? I mean, once he's here my dad says we can leave whenever we want" Sarah told him.

"Okay well as much as I would love to ghost my parents again, I can't," Pope said, taking a step back. AJ met his eyes.

"Pope, we're talking El Dorado here. Can you just slip out the back maybe?" JJ questioned the boy.

"Great advice" Kiara scoffed.

"It always worked for me. How to avoid unpleasant circumstances 101. If there's a problem, you don't wanna face it, turn that face and keister around and walk the other way" JJ shrugged, offering the boy 'advice'.

"I'm not doing that, okay?"

"I just want you to be there, dog"

"I'm gonna be there. I'll meet you at the airstrip in an hour" Pope said before turning to AJ. "I'll take the bag, keep it at my place for now" She nodded, smiling at the boy.

"We'll see you there," John B said.

"one hour, Pope. not a second later" JJ warned.

"One hour" AJ repeated, her eyes staying on his. He nodded, the answer only for her.

"I'm gonna take a stroll back to the shack. For old-time's sake. I always wanted to go to South America. Great surf, cheap weed. See you guys on the tarmac" JJ waved as he started towards the street.

"I guess I'll go pack some stuff and break the news to my parents," Kiara said before following after him.

"oh great, third wheeling" AJ sighed.

"John B, take us to Tannyhill. We'll clean her leg up and change the dressings" Sarah told the boy and he looked between the pair. AJ rolled her eyes at her need to help.

"Sar, I'm fine" AJ tried to reason with the girl.

"Tannyhill, clean your leg and then right to the tarmac. We'll be the first ones there. Promise" Sarah told her and she let out a sigh before nodding.