CASTAWAY ⚓ R.C, J.M

S1 F I N A L E

Harley had lost it. After Rafe had carried her to his bathroom and she had thrown up, she had passed out. The darkness had brought with it mental reprieve and welcomed numbness. She didn't have to hear all of Rafe's false promises. Her wound had been stitched in her slumber by a professional doctor courtesy of Ward Cameron. And she didn't hear the screams and shouts of Sarah as she was locked in her own room. Wheezie had come asking questions, ones which Rafe struggled to coherently answer. The big surprise had been Rose who had turned up at Rafe's door with an expression of worry only to be turned away after ten minutes of hushed fighting.

At some point, Harley had stirred and stayed awake long enough to hold a conversation with Sarah. The brunette had thought she was hearing voices until some modicum of sense had hit her, Sarah had been whispering through the locked bedroom door. Sarah wanted to run away, but she didn't have a key or a way to get to Harley. JJ would have, he would have picked the lock in record time. Harley had told Sarah repeatedly that she couldn't leave her here, that she had to do something, because she owed her a lot. In the end, Sarah had left her with the promise that she would get help.

That had been more than twelve hours ago.

Peace had found Harley for all of two minutes, before Rafe came barging in. He huffed and puffed in irritation. Harley sat up straight on the seat in front of Rafe's desk. Her eyes followed the swing of his arms until his hands ran down his face and his eyes snapped to her.

"What's the matter?"

"John B. We almost had him."

Harley's eyes grew wider. She felt more calm hearing that they hadn't managed to get a hold of him, but she was concerned about who 'they' was.

"What do you mean? Who is looking for John B?"

"Who isn't. My dad told you; the police know John B killed the sheriff. The whole island is looking for him." Rafe spoke as though he truly believed John B was in fact a murderer, it was like he had mentally absolved himself of any crime and the guilt that came with it. It was alarming to hear. "He snuck into Kelce's house, and we had him trapped. We had him! But he got away like the weasel he is."

Harley bit her tongue. She wanted to cheer for her brother and yell at her ex all at the same time. However, none of those actions would get her out of there.

"It's okay." Harley looked away and whispered, "You'll find him."

She didn't think Rafe heard her by the look on her face, so she swallowed her true feelings and repeated herself a little louder. He didn't look too convinced at her words. He was smart to think that, but Harley only needed him to believe her one last time, so she would say anything.

"You said it yourself. If I don't go along with this then you can't protect me from your dad. I just want this to be over, all of it. I can't take anymore." A heavy breath rushed past her lips, and she made sure to graze her hand with his. "The safest place for me is with you."

In reality, Harley knew she was probably safest with Ward because at least he wasn't completely insane and could keep a level head.

"Yes. Yes, exactly." Rafe seemed to have forgotten why he entered his room in a mood. Harley's words had invigorates him because he had been waiting to hear them. He wanted Harley to want to be with him, something she still didn't understand. "I knew you'd understand eventually."

"There was just a lot going on and I-"

Rafe cut Harley off. "You don't have to explain."

Harley smiled and nodded. Whatever it took to get Rafe on side.

Rafe had crouched to her height, while she took his hand in hers. He gave a gentle squeeze and gazed into her eyes.

"You're not just saying the things you think I want to here, right?"