PRINCESS | JJ MAYBANK

FORTY FOUR

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BOAT
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The boys lead Atlanta and JJ into the house as if they'd never been in it before, they were trying their utmost to make things seem okay but with John B presumed dead it was almost impossible.

"Ice cream?" Campbell offered the pair trying to make things a little more light hearted but they both just shook their heads.

Barnaby slung his arm around his sister and pulled her further into his side, he couldn't imagine ever going through what she was, JJ too.

"I think I'm just gonna set up the pull out and go to bed." Atlanta sighed looking over towards JJ and his lowered head, her brother offered her a sad smiled and nodded.

"If you need anything we're right here." Campbell smiled and the girl thanked them beginning to take a slow walk back to her bedroom.

They got the bed ready in silence, though JJ kept flashing the girl looks to check that she wasn't cry although most of the time she was.

It wasn't even late, but they turned out the lights and looked straight to the ceiling, both of their heads busying with thoughts.

Their minds were almost identical, they thought about John B and then Sarah, they thought about the storm and then they thought about eachother. By the time the thoughts had died down it was dark out anyway.

Atlanta couldn't stop tossing and turning she was glad more so than ever that her bed didn't squeak because she didn't want to wake JJ, who she was sure had finally drifted.

Her brother peeped his head in to check things were okay at midnight and she was still staring into the abyss of darkness, he hissed her name and blew her a kiss and she pretended to catch it.

She'd started to wonder about how Topper was feeling, he was her best friend after all and despite their differences he still loved Sarah and now she could be dead too. She pondered if he even knew or if he was sleeping peacefully only to be told early morning when he awoke.

The house was silent, their father still hadn't returned and the boyfriends had retired to bed despite promising each other they were going to stay up in case JJ or Atlanta needed them.

Just as she had noted the quietness of the room a loud scream came from JJ, his voice hoarse and breaking as he sat up gasping for air.

He looked around at his surroundings and then saw Atlanta's panicked face and broke down, his shoulders dropped as he began to shake as he cried.

"Hey, Hey, come here." She soothes pulling back the quilt and allowing him to climb in next to her and curl up into himself. "Nightmare?" She questioned.

JJ rubbed his eyes closed and nodded simultaneously at the girl and so she hushed him and began to thread her fingers through his messy blonde hair.

"I used to get nightmares too- about my mom." She whispered carrying on playing with his hair until she felt his body physically destress "It's okay I'm here."

JJ pulled himself into Atlanta's chest, he wrapped his arms fully around her waist and pressed his face into her torso hoping that the tighter he held her the less chance of loosing her he'd have.

"What was the nightmare about?" Atlanta asked despite not really wanting to know the answer.

JJ took a shaky breath and looked up at her, he didn't mean to but he pressed his lips down on hers so passionately she gasped at the force.

"It was you." He whispered into her lips. "You were on the boat."

THE END OF SEASON ONE