RIVER | JJ MAYBANK

THIRTY FIVE

COUSINS

"Hello Pumpkin." Reginald smiled as River walked into his study. "Are you okay?" She looked alot more presentable this time, she wore black jeans and a blouse. River was suprised that her grandpa even wanted to see her again, espcially after everything went down with midsummers. But he had requested for her to come over.

"You will not believe the day I have had." She chuckled as she placed the dress from midsummers on his desk. He smiled gratefully at the girl. River walked around his study and ran her hands along all of the books. She was a slight nerd and loved to read.

"Tell me about it." He smiled looking at the dress and then back at the girl.

Her hands hovered over 'Wurthering Heights' by Emily Brontë and she smiled, River had always wanted to read that book. She pulled it out of it's place and hoped to God that her grandpa wouldn't snap at her. She flicked through a few pages before placing it back in its original slot.

"Well, my best friend Kie, got into an argument with our friend John B about his new girlfriend Sarah Cameron, and it just all kicked off." She ranted, letting out an over exaggerated sigh. River took a seat on the brown leather chairs, she loved his study chairs, they were so comfortable.

"Sarah Cameron aye?" Reginald asked curiously. He sat up in his chair to give the girl his full attention. He was surprised that Ward would allow his daughter to hang around with the Pogues. It wasn't his style.

"Yes Ward Cameron's daughter. Rafe's brother-Rafe is the one who you-" River began to explain big Reginald cut her off.

"I know the Cameron's pumpkin. What are you doing with Sarah Cameron?" He asked, trying to keep his anger to a minimum. He didn't want to upset or scare River.

"She's one of my best friends girlfriend." River paused. "Personally, I don't like her because Kie doesn't like her." River furrowed her brows. "Why do you want to know what I was doing with Sarah?" It wasn't like Sarah was important anyways, the important thing was that John B couldn't choose.

Reginald opened his mouth to say something. He tried to put the words together. He'd been caught out. "I'm going to tell you something." He paused. "And you have to promise me that you can't tell anyone what I've told you."

"Okay." River nodded. She didn't promise. She didn't know what he wanted her to promise too. She had learnt to never promise until after she knew what secret she was promising to keep.

"The Cameron's aren't actually called Cameron's. They're Crosses, like me and you." Reginald paused, allowing River to take in the new information. River merely nodded, allowing him to continue. "Ward is my son, and your mothers brother."

"But that would mean he's my un-" Her mouth parted slightly.

"Uncle yes and which means that Sarah, Rafe and Wheezie are your cousins." He shook his head. "I have no clue why he called that poor girl Wheezie." He paused once again before saying, "Ward didn't like me or your mother much." He paused. "So he moved out and changed his last name to Cameron. He wanted nothing to do with any of us Crosses and still doesn't."

"W-" Before River could finish one word he cut her off.

"I was a bad father." He admitted. "You know that from your mother. I shouldn't have kicked her out for being pregnant with you. I should have supported her. Then you would have had a better life."

"I wouldn't change my life no matter what. It's lead me to some of the best people. People who I now consider family." River smiled at the thought of JJ, John B, Pope and Kie. She thought back to all their best memories together. She wouldn't change it for all the money in the world.

"You have to promise me you won't tell anyone. Ward will go to extreme lengths to ensure that nobody knows that me, Georgia and him are related." River nodded understandably, although she was glad she didn't promise, she had no idea how she could keep something like that from JJ.

~

"Uh oh!" Pope shouted as he looked at the two girls sat on the edge of the boat.

"You forget your keys or something?" JJ questioned with a smirk, his arms wrapped around River. River smiled up to JJ and placed a light kiss on his cheek.

"You need a tow?" John b shouted. "You gotta admit it was kinda funny."

"John B." Kie scoffed. Sarah glanced at River, she wasn't with the boys when they locked her and Kie on the boat. It made her wonder where she was.

"Uh what's that?" John B said as he pulled up to the boat.

"Mastermind huh?" Kie questioned raising her brow. River couldn't take her eyes off Sarah, she wondered if she knew or not.

"I'm always planning." John B admitted with a smirk. It was true, he always had something up his sleeve.

"Some patriarchal bullshit." Kie muttered, looking off into the horizon.

"What you thinking about baby girl?" JJ questioned as he pulled some of River's hair behind her ear and placed light kisses on her neck.

The others were too focused on whether Sarah and Kie had made up to even notice them.

"That Sarah Cameron's my cousin." River didn't even realise how loud she had said it, until they all turned to look at her. The thought had been playing on her mind since she left her grandpa's house.

"W-what?" Sarah questioned, with wide eyes. There was no way. If they were cousins, she'd know about it.

"You're my cousin." River said more confidently. JJ stood up straight and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. He would protect her at all costs, no matter what. If River said that they were cousins, then they were cousins. JJ would stand beside River no matter what. If she was right or wrong.

"No." Sarah shook her head, not believing a word that came out of River's mouth.

"Umm actually yes. Don't act like you don't know." River scoffed rolling her eyes.

"I don't you bit-"

"Alright!" John B cut off Sarah before she could make any situations worse. "You guys ready to Jack someone up?"

"Yep." Sarah nodded as her and Kie jumped into the boat.

"Bitch." River mumbled.

JJ pulled River to the back of the boat, away from the rest of the Pogues and Sarah. "You need to calm down." JJ said as he ran his hands over her arms lightly.

"She's a liar. Kie said it herself." River scoffed and turned to face JJ. He looked so soft with his hair flopping down in front of his eyes. "I'm sorry for over reacting." She mumbled, leaning against his chest.

"You didn't over react. You just found out you're related to a Kook." JJ said,  attempting to sympathise with the girl. River reached up and moved his hair out of his face, JJ couldn't help but blush. He pulled her closer to him so that she didn't notice. But it was too late, she had already seen.

"Please save me." River pulled away and placed her hands together and pretended to beg.

"Always baby girl,

ALWAYS."