OUTERBANKS SEASON4

Additional Part 23: Unexpected Allies

Fuck. Whether he was ready for this or not- it doesn’t matter, he’d better man up… for Kie… for them… for his and her baby… he had to be ready to do this… to be a good father, a strong one… but he still wonders- what kind of father would he be? He sure as hell can't be like Ward- he needed to do better than his own dad ever did for him. He could do better than Ward… Rafe is more eagar, more determined when he thinks about the kind of father he wants to be, he swears he’d never follow Ward's examples- not anymore. He'd never be the kind of father figure Ward had been to him, no… but, the thoughts still hound him- come back to him, could he do this?... he couldn’t even pull his shit together when he’d been trying with Kie… Fuck!... no no no no, he’d do anything to grow a family with Kie- so, he just needed to work on himself- needed to work harder, keep his mind clear, head focused- for them... Family was everything to Rafe, it always had been. And now, his surprised- he never knew he'd somehow already started to build one of his own. He’d needs to go back to therapy… needs to seek the help he needed… get better… he’d make all those steps to assure he’d stay in the right path, because he was going to get this right… and keep his family together… unlike Ward could do. Rafe would do anything for them, for Kie, for their life together with their child… and when he thinks of Kie and how she'd brightened his world- made him feel like he was worthy of something… he wanted even more to show her he could do better, he could be good, and be better man...  

When he wakes, he squeezes his eyes open to the sound of metal clanging. He holds his temple, groaning as he’d moved. He hears guards conversing with one another, and then next their distant footsteps echo down the hallway. Rafe swallows thickly, shifts a little faster to pull himself up onto his feet, using the wall to help hoist him as he slides back up the wall - hoping desperately to see Kiara’s face turn that corner and brighten his prospects. He hobbles over closer to the metal bars- leaning against the metal poles, blinking, and then peaking past the bars to get a better look, capturing a glimpse of two figures as they came into view, making their way toward his cell… the quickened drum of his heart changes dramatically to a fierce drop. Someone he’d least expected… someone he’d loathed entirely, and had really not wanted to see… the guards escort JJ, wrists chained, guiding him toward Rafe’s cell.

Rafe clutches his fists to his head, cursing to himself. He feels a wave of dizziness come over him… shiiiit… not what he’d needed-

Rafe steps aside as they’d stopped outside his cell, his eyes flickering over the two, fists clenched at his sides, before they land back on the guard with a questioning look. 

“Brought you an American buddy, my good man. To keep ya’ company.” the guard explains with a light chuckle. “How’s ya’ head, pal?” 

Rafe rolls his eyes away, ignoring him. He shoots JJ a hardened look, before he looks away again. He starts pacing his cell with a slight limp to his right leg, agitated. The guard inserts the key into the lock and unlocks the door, letting JJ step through. 

Rafe’s gaze travels back and forth between JJ and the guard, offended to see JJ breathing up his space. His gaze grows scathing, and he thinks he’s about to lose his mind. JJ glares back with intensity, clenching his teeth. 

Literally, Rafe can’t take this anymore- he runs a hand through his hair- “Nah, shit-” he slurs tiredly “Excuse me-” he calls to the guard, who’s locking the door. “Hey, I ahhh can’t have him here-” he tries, which the guard ignores Rafe's attempt.

JJ was standing in his space, and the door was now locked behind him… the air in his lungs felt constrained and tightened- he tries again, swiveled toward the guard who'd started wandering off.  

“Hey- 'ey- 'ey ” Rafe calls after the guard. “Hey!” He tries again, but his met with silence again. The guard pushes a door open further down the hallway, and disappears into a dispatch room. “I can’t have him ‘ere, ok?! He's not a friend, alright? Could you move him somewhere away from me, please-” His voice echoes down the hallway, but Rafe receives no response.

“Fuck- shit.” Rafe curses, kicking the metal bench in the small room, stubbing his toe hard against the metal side, and starts cursing even more to himself.   

Rafe sucks in a sharp breath, and turns back to face JJ, opening his mouth… then shutting it… holding himself back from starting up another major war. The air was suffocating him. He runs a hand over his face quickly, and turns his back to JJ again, not knowing what to do with this situation.

JJ glares at Rafe’s back, slumping himself down onto the hard ground, leaning his back up against the cool wall.  

“They won’t listen to you- dumbshit.” JJ grumbles. He settles himself in his spot- he didn’t know how long they’d be stuck here. “I got myself in here, ok? On purpose. Kiara wasn’t 'happy' about it, but what choice did I have, huh? It's not like I want to be here- infact, this is like living a true nightmare… but- as insane as this is gonna sound- this may be the only way I could actually get across to you... talk to you properly.”  

Rafe heaves in another deep breath. The mention of Kiara’s name… he needs to know- how she was?- but, also, he can't ask 'JJ' that- not him- he could spare himself the humiliation- 

JJ’s teeth clench thinking Rafe wasn't listening. Rafe stays quiet. JJ rubs the back of his neck frantically, agitated. He finally looks up and finds Rafe holding his face in his hands, burying it into his palms. “It’s about her, ok?… Kiara… you need to listen- this is important… so listen carefully, ok?...” he rolls his eyes, when Rafe doesn’t utter a response. “She could be in a load of trouble, ok?.” JJ grits his teeth, losing his patience. 

Rafe’s brows pinch together and his gaze travels to JJ slowly, narrowing on him. 

Oh good, his finally listening- are JJ's thoughts, and he sighs.

“What the hell do you mean?” Rafe growls, angrily. 

JJ considers where he should start.

“Do you even remember anything of what happened last night… Do you remember anything of what she told you? O-or, maybe even of what Barry said?”

JJ tries reading Rafe, assessing if he'd had a hint of memory. 

A softened emotion changes in Rafe’s eyes, welling something in his eyes, and JJ could tell he remembered something… whatever it was, it had a good deal of significance to Rafe.

“I got a shit load to tell you… it’ll take some time to explain all the details, but you gonna need to listen…” JJ pauses, finding it hard to get through the words lodged in his throat… he presses himself on. His brows dip with focus… “That said- the hard part ummm… ahhh… that ahhh… we may… we may need to find some way that we all could possibly work together... as a team.” 

Rafe returns a look, eyeing him suspiciously… he had better be joking… right?