PRINCESS | JJ MAYBANK

FORTY THREE

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HUGS
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Shoupe kept flashing glances at Atlanta he could tell that she was in a mood with him but he wasn't surprised, the criminal in question was part of the people she had started to be involved with.

"Follow Plumb to that tent." Shoupe ordered towards Pope as he stepped out of the car. "Hold on wait for your friends."

"This way." Officer Plumb said to the four.

"Not you." Shoupe said to Atlanta pulling the girl backwards, she looked at JJ who had his eyes wide with worry.

She shook her head as if to tell him that she would be okay and he carried on despite wanting to stay. She knew her father and if she told JJ to stay, it would have only made things worse.

"I'm not telling you-"

"I know, I know, Pumpkin" Shoupe sighed looking at his daughter "And I know how cross you are with me but you have to understand that he's dangerous."

"He didn't do it, Daddy, he didn't." Atlanta said shaking her head vigorously, tears were brimming in her eyes, "Please just listen to me, he didn't do it." and then she broke down falling into her fathers chest.

Shoupe rubbed his hand up and down her back and resting his head upon hers, he wanted to sigh but knew that he couldn't so he just held her.

"If he didn't do it, you can tell me where he is and we can keep him safe. We can fight for him, okay? But a boat out in those weather conditions isn't going to withstand." Shoupe lied, he knew for a fact that if the boy came back he'd be put in handcuffs and walked away.

But it was better than being dead, right?

"I'm sorry-" Atlanta whispered wiping her tears on the back of her hand as she pulled away. "-but I don't believe you."

And then she pulled away from Shoupe and walked towards the rest of her friends had been lead. She came towards a tent, JJ's eyes lighting up as he saw her step in.

"Are you okay?" JJ asked as he scanned her face and caught onto her red ringed eyes and watery pupils.

"Mhm." She mumbled back taking a seat on JJ's lap, he pulled her backwards into him and she rested back into his chest feeling a little bit of relief being in his arms.

"Did he want you to talk?" Kie questioned and so Atlanta nodded back timidly looking out of the slight gap in the tents wondering how the hell they were going to get away with something so intensely covered by the Sheriff's department.

"I didn't say anything." Atlanta whispered as if she had something to prove.

Shoupe entered the tent wearing a reflective coat, his hood was up over his eyes because the storm was so bad. His eyes flickered towards Atlanta who had previously been on JJ's lap but stood up the second she saw her father.

"Did you find them?" Pope asked puffing his chest as all four of them stood face to face with Atlanta's dad.

"No." Shoupe responded shaking his head sadly, he felt guilty for everything he knew he had caused and looking at Atlanta's solemn face broke his heart.

"So they got away." Kie asked a little bit of hope flickering in her eyes, the only bit they had left.

There was a pregnant pause in which no one spoke until Atlanta snapped, "Speak."

"We, uh, we lost them." Shoupe panicked looking at the girl who had stepped forwards slightly, his eyes softened into hers as he whispered, "I'm sorry."

"You lost them?" Pope asked in disbelief. "What do you mean you lost them? Like they're gone? What are you talking about?" Pope's voice has started to get higher.

JJ clenched his fists chewing his lip simultaneously, Atlanta tried to stop him doing both but only managed to slip her tiny hand between his clenched fist.

"They took an open boat into a tropical depression Pope." Shoupe sighed as if the group should've known what he was getting himself into.

"So they're dead?" Kie finally then blurred and Atlanta unknowingly started to shake her head, it all felt like some weird dream. She had literally just seen him hours ago, hours.

"We don't know." Shoupe responded he kept looking towards Atlanta by instinct and every time he did there was a deep feeling in his stomach that made him feel like he had failed as a parent.

"You drove them straight through the storm man! Are you kidding me?" JJ ask in disbelief he was shouting, his voice cracking as he did so.

"This. This is your fault." Atlanta whispered raising her head slowly to make deep eye contact with her father.

"Come here! I'm gonna kill you! I'm gonna kill you! You bastard!" JJ screamed jumping towards Shoupe he tried to hit him, or anything to get rid of the anger burning inside of him.

Atlanta didn't even try to stop him, she watched as the deputy pulled him off of her father but she wasn't in the slightest bit glad about it.

"You killed him!" Pope shouted. "He didn't kill anyone and you know it."

Shoupe had started to sink with realisation of what he had done to what he ultimately knew was an innocent man. And by man he meant boy- only sixteen.

"We're still looking for him alright?" Shoupe tried but he knew it was too late, there was nothing more he could do anymore.

From round the tent Kie and Pope's parents appeared, they ran towards their baby's taking them into hugs as they sobbed. Shortly after another pair of hands broke into the tent and Barnaby and Campbell stepped in.

Barnaby spotted Atlanta instantly and ran towards her, the girl met him with a bone crushing hug and he whispered that he loved her into her hair as she sobbed.

Campbell followed behind he didn't even think about what he was doing he just advanced towards JJ who was stood on his own without any family members and took him into a hug.

It took JJ a few seconds to realise what was happening but he allowed Campbell's tall stature to bode over him and his arms to hold him tight into his chest and only when he was covered did he begin to cry.

"Hey." Campbell whistled over to Barnaby "Let's get them home." He said and the boy nodded back.

Campbell rubbed a hand down JJ's arm roughly as if to give him strength to walk over to where Atlanta pulled away from her brother, he adjusted the flower in her hair and wiped a tear away from her cheek.

Barnaby didn't forget to shoot his father a glare before exiting the tent.