THINGS SEEMED LIKE they were slowly falling back into place. It was weird to Jo how easily the friend group readjusted to their normal routine, which as of lately was finding the newest lost treasure. She thought it was funny that they always seemed to be going on some sort of treasure hunt these days.
The group had dropped Pope off at the local nursing home where his grandmother now resided, and in the meantime the remaining Pogues had stopped in town. Sarah didn't waste any time in getting out of the van, asking Kie and Jo if they wanted to come with her to grab a drink. Jo could sense the tension between her and John B and figured she could use a friend, so she gave JJ a peck on the cheek and joined the other two girls as they skipped towards a store.
"Alright, fill us in," Jo hummed once they were far enough away from the boys. "What'd my brother do this time?"
Sarah chuckled lightly, but her smile didn't reach her eyes. She sighed as they walked into the shop and ordered sodas. "He's just... I dunno. He's being all weird ever since I came back with Topper." Jo nodded to show she understood and took a sip of her drink. "And I thanked him because of course I'm grateful. But that's it, you know?"
"Yeah," Kie murmured. "Pope's currently giving me the silent treatment because I'm not in love with him."
Sarah smiled and shook her head. "And they say we're the dramatic ones."
"Well, me and JJ are doing great," Jo teased awkwardly. "Aside from him stealing his cousin's ambulance and trying to break John B out of jail."
Sarah laughed loudly at that, her eyes squinting in disbelief. "Boys are weird."
"Amen," Jo agreed with a chuckle.
"Oh, uh, what was it like?" Kie asked suddenly.
"What?" Jo's brows pulled together in confusion as she stared at her friend.
"You and JJ," Kie sang. "I saw that bashful glow you two had when we all dipped after Rafe showed up."
Jo felt her cheeks growing hot and by the squeals her two friends gave, she knew she was blushing. "Was it that obvious?" Jo groaned, covering her face with her hands.
"Only a little." Sarah held her thumb and pointed finger up to demonstrate, which made Jo roll her eyes. "Took you two long enough!" Kie teased, bumping her shoulder against Jo's.
"Ugh, shut up!" She squealed.
"I'll take it you had fun then," Sarah hummed. She wiggled her eyebrows with a playful smirk on her face and as much as Jo hated their teasing, she was also glad she had friends she could talk to about it.
"We did," Jo finally admitted. "He's an idiot, but I love him."
° ° ° ° °
"I can't believe you're related to Denmark Tanny!" Jo cried as she bounced back to the deck behind Heyward's. "Holy shit, Pope."
The boy had finally returned from his meeting with his grandmother, and on the way back he dropped the news the woman had told him. Everyone was buzzing with excitement as they talked about what that meant and what it could have to do with the treasure.
"Are we in the presence of a Royal?" John B asked, widening his eyes for dramatic effect. He pulled a beer out of the cooler and Jo whistled, holding her hands up so he could toss her one. She caught it easily and cracked it open, relishing in the cool liquid washing down her throat.
"We shall crown him," JJ announced in a terrible fake accent. "All hail the Lord of Tannyhill!" He lifted his arms and bent them over, pretending to worship Pope as the others followed suit. Jo giggled as she copied JJ's actions and the boy grew flustered.
"Alright, everybody relax," Pope sighed. "Can we relax?"
"Relocate the Cat's Ass, question mark?" Sarah queried, holding her index finger up with a smile. "How soon can we move in?" Kie chorused. Smirks adorned both girls' faces as they teased Pope.
"Yeah, 'cause I need a place to stay," JJ agreed. "Me too," Kie stated. "Bunk beds?" JJ turned to grin at her. "Bunk beds," they hummed in unison. "Cheers to that," JJ chuckled.
"Hey," Jo pouted. "What about me, JJ?"
"Ah, Damn," JJ sighed. "My bunk's gonna have to be a full, at least." Jo giggled as he pulled her into his side and she playfully shoved him away.
"I just keep thinking about the letter Limbrey sent," Pope spoke up, effectively silencing his friends' banter. "It had the wheat symbol on it. That must mean it has something to do with the Royal Merchant."
"Yeah, something seems fishy," JJ agreed. He sidestepped closer to Jo and pulled her into his side again, this time keeping his arms firmly around her so she couldn't escape. Jo giggled, but opted to stay in his hold. It was pretty comfortable, anyway.
"But if we find the cross, then we can split it like we were gonna split the gold," Pope mused.
"Oohh, more treasure," Jo squealed happily. "I almost forgot about the kook dream."
"And live happily ever after?"
Everyone's heads turned at a new voice. Jo's eyes widened and her lips parted as a blonde woman with crutches and a man holding an umbrella appeared behind them. JJ instinctively stepped in front of Jo, shielding her from the strangers' view. It didn't matter though. Jo knew what Renfield looked like. She had met him a few times, and seeing him again just brought back too many feelings she wished she could forget.
"You assaulted my father," Pope growled angrily. He stalked forward but the man stuck his arm out and shoved Pope back. "I didn't assault anyone," Limbrey said calmly.
"Yeah?" Jo challenged. "He can identify the psycho from a mile away." Renfield snapped his eyes over to her as she peeked out from behind JJ and she gulped, hating the venomous look in his eyes.
"Why would my employee assault your father?" Limbrey asked. She was playing dumb. "It's insane." She paused momentarily, letting her eyes lock with each of the teens' before continuing. "Listen. We can keep negotiating, but the fact is that I want the key. And I won't stop until I have it. I don't have a choice."
Renfield stepped forward and grabbed Pope's collar, causing JJ to jump closer to protect his friend. "Hey, hey, hey!" He shouted, trying to pry Renfield away from Pope.
"Stop it!" Jo cried. She ran up to Renfield's other side and yanked his wrist, but he flung her back easily. Kie jumped up from her seat to steady the girl as John B stepped forward.
"It's Limbrey, right?" John B asked. Everyone turned towards him as he held up the little golden key, twirling it between his fingers. Limbrey's eyes widened as she limped closer to John B. "Is this what you're looking for?"
Jo's lips parted as she stared at her brother. "John B," she hissed, her eyes wide and filled with disbelief. John B had heard Heyward adamantly request they find out the purpose of the key and not hand it over, so she didn't know what the hell he was doing.
"Yes it is," Limbrey breathed. She acted like if she spoke any louder, then the key would disappear and she would never see it again.
"I'm looking at the tide right now, I'd say it's about 20 feet deep out there. So, if I just threw this in the channel, the probability of finding it again is slim to none," John B explained. He raised his arm and drew it back. "Wanna find out?"
"No! Hey!" Limbrey yelled, lurching forward. "Please don't do that."
John B lowered his hand and turned towards Renfield. "Get him to back the hell up."
"Of course," Limbrey said softly. She nodded and the man reluctantly let Pope go. "As I have told you from the beginning, I am willing to be reasonable."
Pope's eyes darted to John B's before returning to Limbrey's. He was silent for several seconds before he finally agreed. "Okay."
"Pope, no!" Jo cried.
"Okay?" Limbrey repeated, her wide eyes filling with hope.
"But I want the tape," Pope demanded.
Jo squeezed her eyes shut and ran her hand over her face. "Pope, don't," she pleaded. "It's not worth it."
"Hey, shut up," Renfield snapped.
"Hey, make me," Jo retorted, glaring fiercely at the man. Renfield scoffed and stalked forward while Jo went rigid, curling her hands into fists and preparing for a fight. JJ yelled in protest and ran in front of her protectively. Limbrey called the man's name sternly and he sighed, slowly retreating to stand beside her.
"Pope, are you sure?" John B asked. "You don't have to do this."
"No, it's about your dad," Pope said, looking from John B over to Jo. "This is more important." He turned back to the blonde woman expectantly. "The tape?"
"You're a good friend," Limbrey said breathily. She nodded towards Renfield and Jo watched as they exchanged. Limbrey smiled as she stared at the key in her hand, then looked back up to Pope. "You know, I wish you'd come to this decision sooner. We could've avoided all this unpleasantness." Jo rolled her eyes and folded her arms over her chest as the two adults left.
"Nice meeting you," John B hummed sarcastically.
Renfield glanced pointedly at Jo, holding her state before it flickered over to Pope. "I'll be seeing you, Pope," he said with a smirk.
"Just leave," Kie growled, glaring at the man. He sauntered off after Limbrey and JJ moved to stand beside John B. "How long do you think we have until they realize that's your father's old key?"
John B smirked and glanced over at the blonde. "Ten minutes."
Jo's mouth dropped as she connected the dots and she shook her head. "You two," she drawled. "You really are always plannin', huh?"
"Always, Princess," JJ said with a smile. He whooped triumphantly and grabbed both twins' shoulders, shaking them with excitement. "Alright, c'mon. Let's get that to Shoupe before shit goes down."
° ° ° ° °
Jo raised another beer, clinking it with JJ's as the group celebrated. Cheers chorused among the three boys, all overjoyed that Ward was finally getting what was coming to him. Jo glanced over her shoulder at the other two girls sitting on the porch and frowned slightly. Of course she felt bad fir Sarah, especially because she understood the deep pain that came with losing a father.
But she also couldn't push aside her own feelings. Ward had put her through literal hell. Not only had he taken her father, but he had done it a cruel, heartless way. Jo and John B were forced to move on with their lives for nine months, never truly knowing what happened to him. And then, he tried to kill them, then frame them for a crime they didn't commit. Jo knew she would be traumatized for years to come because of all the things Ward did and when she thought about that, she was still filled with rage. So even though it pained her to ignore Sarah, she turned back around and continued celebrating with the boys. After everything she had gone through, she decided she deserved it.
"You know, we may not have gotten the gold, but I'd say this is a pretty close second," JJ mused. "I never thought I'd see the day Ward Cameron finally got his karma."
"Cheers to that," John B said, raising his beer.
"It's finally over," Jo whispered, a small smile pulling at her lips. It almost felt surreal that all the loose ends were being tied up. After this, Jo hoped she could truly move on and live a normal life. "Do you think there's anyone in jail that Ward fucked over?"
"Oh, without a doubt," Pope answered immediately. "Are you kidding? He's probably got half this island on his bad side."
"Yeah, and it's most definitely all the south siders," JJ grumbled.
"Well, I hope someone gets their revenge on him in jail," Jo shrugged.
"Sometimes, Jo, revenge is sweet," Pope hummed. Jo grinned as they tapped their beer cans together and took simultaneous swigs. Their little party was put on pause, however, when Sarah hesitantly stepped inside.
"Guys, we have to go," she said quietly. "They're coming for my dad."
Sarah's words held a lot of weight. Jo didn't know why she felt guilty after everything he did to her and John B, but that was what she was feeling. Sarah's heartbroken and slightly betrayed expression wasn't helping.
Wordlessly, the five friends piled into the Twinkie and took off towards Tannyhill. The closer they got, the more Jo felt her nerves kick in. She hadn't seen Ward in so long, since before the storm. She didn't count the trial because she refused to acknowledge him and other than that, she had managed to keep out of his way. She honestly wasn't looking forward to seeing him.
"Can you drive any faster?" Sarah asked impatiently. "I need to be there for Wheezie when they take my dad away." Although Sarah's tone was stern and urgent, it was also quiet. Jo really did feel bad for her, but she was too consumed by her own emotions to offer any sort of comfort.
"You think I wanna miss this?" John B asked.
I wouldn't mind, Jo thought to herself as the van pulled up outside the fenced-in Cameron yard. The teenagers stood on their tiptoes and peered over the stone wall. Various gasps left their lips as they watched an entire swat team ascend towards the docks, and then John B announced he was going over. Jo could sense the feeling of panic coming on. The way her heart raced and her chest felt tight was growing much too familiar to the girl for her liking, but it washed over her nevertheless. She watched through hazy vision as her friends scaled the fence, but when JJ turned to help her, she shook her head and backed away.
"Hey, what's wrong?" JJ asked gently.
Jo sucked in a breath but despite how hard she tried to make it a big one, her closing throat cut off her air. JJ could her her starting to hyperventilate and knew the signs of an anxiety attack all too well. He used to get them frequently when he was younger and less equipped to deal with his father's less than ideal parenting style.
"I can't go over there," Jo whimpered. She continued to shake her head as tears brimmed her eyes. Memories of her own experience evading the police flashed through her mind, specifically not very long ago when she and John B were arrested. JJ glanced at the swarms of police officers running around and everything started to click in his brain.
"Okay," he said slowly. "Hey, it's okay. We'll just wait over here, alright?"
Jo's eyes flickered over to JJ and she swallowed thickly. He was her anchor, holding her steady and keeping her afloat during the storm. Just looking at him made her feel better as she admired his sandy blonde hair and strikingly beautiful eyes. His expression was soft and reassuring as he watched her and she nodded slowly to his words.
JJ gave her a small smile and held out his hand. Jo took a few shaky steps forward so she could grab it and instantly smiled in return at the warmth that radiated throughout her body. JJ was her sunshine, even on her darkest days. He always knew how to help her and make her smile.
The couple sat against the stone wall in silence for several minutes. Jo had found a small stick nearby, and she entertained herself by using it to carve little drawings into the mud. It helped keep her mind occupied so she didn't freak out again. She hated losing control, especially over her emotions and what felt like her sanity.
"You know," JJ spoke up after awhile, "I used to get anxiety attacks when I was little." Jo frowned as she looked up at him and he nodded to let her know he was telling the truth. "Any little sound would scare the shit out of me. Especially when people yelled. It freaked me right the fuck out." JJ took a deep breath and fidgeted with a pebble that had been laying in the dirt. "I uh, I'd always try to hide it, because I felt stupid and weak for being so scared."
Jo watched JJ closely with glimmering eyes. She had known the boy since they were nine years old, yet she had never known that about him. "Why are you telling me this?" She whispered.
JJ shrugged, tossing the pebble across the street. "I just want you to know that other people deal with that too. You can only go through so much shit before you snap and your brain freaks out."
Jo nodded. She bit her lip to stop herself from crying and laid her head on JJ's shoulder. As much as it broke her heart to hear his story, it also made her feel a little better. JJ had wanted her to know that she wasn't alone, and he had done just that. She realized now that this was probably a very normal reaction considering all the traumatic things she experienced over the past couple months.
"Thank you, JJ," she whispered. "I love you."
"I love you too, Princess," JJ murmured back. He lifted his hand and stroked her hair, the two of them finally relishing in the silence around them without feeling anxious or on edge.
But as usual, their small moment of peace was shattered by the sound of a loud explosion. Both of them jumped to their feet, JJ's hand finding Jo's and squeezing it tightly as they peered over the fence. They could see the ending of an explosion as the fire faded and left only thick, black smoke. It looked like it was the druthers; Jo remembered seeing the huge boat docked in its usual spot when they first arrived, and now there was nothing there.
Sarah's gut wrenching cries met their ears, and Jo's hands flew to her mouth. Her eyes were wide as she realized what must have happened. Ward was on the boat when it exploded. Of course he would take the easy way out.
Jo quickly pulled away from the fence and pressed her back against the hard stones that were cemented together. "Oh my god," she whispered. She was still in disbelief, but she knew it must have happened because she could still hear Sarah screaming and crying.
"Holy shit," JJ breathed. "He - he frickin blew up the boat."
Jo could only nod. She was still processing the event, her mind racing s million miles a minute. But, one thought rang louder than the rest, and Jo wasn't quite sure how she felt about it.
She was glad Ward Cameron was dead.
° ° ° ° °
A/N - idk about y'all but I did not see Ward's "death" coming and I sure as HELL did not think he FAKED it