SEASON THREE,
CHAPTER 9:
THE LIES AND A DESECRATION
"Shut up, wrench dick."
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AFTER THE MISFORTUNE that occurred last night when the teenagers attempted to retrieve the cross, they (excluding Topper) decided that it would be best to go to the Château. So, all of them currently stand around in the garden while chatting with each other to pass time. They patiently wait for John B to return home; it feels like it has been ages since he's hung out with them, distancing himself ever since his father's return.
"Guys! Look who's back."
Everyone turns around at the sound of the familiar voice, finding John B walking towards them with a smile on his face. Following closely behind the young boy is a grown man; long brown-greyish hair stops at his collarbones, glasses that sit on his bearded face, and is wearing shorts, a plain shirt, with a patterned shirt over the top. Each of the teenagers instantly recognise Big John as he makes his way over to them with a wide smile.
Pope is the first to quickly walk forward and hug Big John. A smile is etched onto the boys face, thankful to be able to see the man after he has been presumed dead for almost a year. Big John is quick to welcome Pope into the warm hug, happy to see the teenagers once again, especially because they have been by his sons side the entire time.
"It's good to see you again." Pope greets.
"Look at you." Big John replies with a smile.
Unable to contain himself any longer, JJ sprints over to Big John and, without any warning, jumps onto his back. A wide smile has split across the boy's face, making him feel like a little kid once again. JJ ruffles Big John's long hair in a playful manner. Delilah just watches her boyfriend with a warm smile tugging on her lips, happy to see him looking so joyful now that he's reunited with the man who he had viewed as his father figure when growing up.
"There's JJ!" Big John happily exclaims.
Once JJ slips off Big John's back, Delilah is quick to tackle the man into a hug. Big John hugs her back but then tricks her by tickling her sides, her laughter erupting into the air as a result; she would laugh like this when he used to let her sit on his shoulders as a kid, allowing her to view the world — it was always a reminder that she's stronger than she thinks and to not settle for less when she's constantly surrounded by beautiful and caring mother nature.
"I'm glad that you're back, old man." Delilah states.
"I'm glad to be back, kid." Big John replies.
Kie then walks forward and hugs Big John. The hug is short, but she's just happy to see him back home; everyone knew John B was a wreck when the police stopped searching and how he still held so much hope for his father still being out there in the world somewhere, and now his father has returned alive. Big John smiles at the curly haired girl, welcoming her embrace as he had done so with the rest of them.
"Anyone want a beer?" John B asks.
"Of course." Delilah replies.
"You expect me to say no to that?" JJ rhetorically questions.
Receiving nods from the others as well, John B turns and heads inside the Château to retrieve some beers for them all. Everyone decides to settle down in the meantime, pulling up a few deck chairs and seating themselves down while getting lost in conversations. Big John, however, takes the hammock, and JJ sits on the grass with his back against the rough bark of the tree, leaving the last chair for John B. Delilah sits in between JJ's legs and leans against his chest after she kindly offered her chair to Sarah.
"I see JJ and Delilah are finally together." Big John says. "About time."
"Hell yeah." JJ replies, grinning.
"It was a long time coming." Pope states.
"Yeah. I saw the way they looked at each other as kids, and even now. I know love when I see it." Big John tells them.
"Now they can't keep their hands off each other." Kie comments.
"Don't be bitter because you're single." Delilah jokes.
"That's uncalled for, Lila!" Kie shouts with a laugh.
"You aren't married like my boy and Mrs Routledge here, are you?" Big John asks the couple.
"No." JJ quietly replies, glancing down at the ring he always fiddles with. "We aren't."
"Circumstances haven't exactly been the best, I get it." Big John says.
"I mean, marriage doesn't have to define how good someone's relationship is. Some couples can be so utterly in love but never marry." Kie states.
"That's true." Pope agrees. "I see myself marrying in the future, if it's with the right person."
"Yeah, same here. I've always seen myself marrying at some point." Sarah adds.
"I haven't." Kie admits with a shrug. "Never really thought of that. If I love someone then I love them, I don't need a piece of paper to confirm that."
John B soon walks back outside with beers bundled in his arms, silently regretting not asking anyone to help him. He passes the cold cans around to each of them before finally sitting down in the last free deck chair. As soon as Delilah receives hers, she pops the tab open and takes a sip from the drink.
Once everyone has settled down, the conversation drifts towards recent events. Pope starts to explain everything about the Cross of Santo Domingo; about how Sarah overheard Rafe on the phone, how they went to Wilmington and performed a heist, and how the crate was actually a fake the entire time. Delilah, however, interrupted half-way through to throw in the fact she jumped from the back of JJ's bike into the truck, deeming her actions as 'cool'. But this also led to JJ rambling about how he almost died while being chased by the police — a lot of sound effects and hand movements were used to make it more dramatic.
John B, on the other hand, sits and listens to each of them explain what happened during their heist. He drops in a few questions every so often, such as 'why was Topper there?', but he mostly remains silent so that they don't miss out any details. Then, once the story finally reaches an end, he is urged to explain where he's been this entire time. So, John B goes on to explain his and his fathers adventure with finding clues that would help them get to El Dorado.
"We went to the archives in the Charleston, but, uh... it was a dead end." John quietly B tells them, slowly nodding. "A dry hole."
Delilah watches JB carefully, a faint crease forming between her brows as she frowns. She pays attention to the small pauses that he continuously takes and the way that he tries to occupy his hands by fiddling with his fingers or picking at the lint on his shorts. John B's gaze frequently drift over to his dad, almost as if to silently ask him if everything he's saying is good enough for his liking. Delilah doesn't miss the guilt that briefly shimmered in John B's eyes.
"So that's the gold, the cross, and El Dorado." Pope states in disbelief. "We're three-for-three, guys. The streak continues."
"I need to head back home. My parents wouldn't be happy if I stayed out any longer." Kie tells them. "See you guys later."
The brunette then turns and walks away from all of them, following after Pope, who has wandered off in frustration. John B says nothing to either of the two, knowing that they probably feel distraught that they have lost every single piece of treasure that they have gone after — lifelong dreams and relationships with parents have been broken for this.
"I'm going fishing. Thanks for the beer though." JJ says. "You coming, Ly?"
Receiving a nod from the girl in response, JJ gets up and holds a hand out for her to take, helping her up. He then makes his way over to where he parked his bike. Delilah hesitates as she spares a glance over to John B, noticing how he's trying to avoid their gazes, as if he's afraid that they will realise that he actually lied to all of them. But Delilah can already tell, and John B knows because he can feel her eyes burning into the side of his head.
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On the docks near Delilah's house, she and JJ can be seen keeping one another company. Delilah is sitting on the edge of the wooden planks, her legs dangling above the water beneath them. JJ stands next to her as his arms lean against the railing. He has a fishing rod held firmly in his grasp, the hook (with bait on it) submerged under the water as he patiently waits to catch a fish.
Despite how peaceful the environment surrounding them is, Delilah, however, can't stop her mind from wandering back to John B. She can tell that he was lying to all of them back at the Château, and it's only created a string of questions within her head that she now wants answered. The redhead can't help but feel worried for their best friend; they have always been so honest with each other, so why lie now? But Lila's unsure of whether she's overthinking the situation, needing to know if someone else has caught on.
"Hey, J?" Delilah calls.
"Hm?" JJ hums.
"Have you noticed something off with JB?" Delilah curiously asks.
"Yeah." JJ replies with a nod. "Why? I'm guessing you've noticed it too."
"It feels like he's hiding something." Delilah tells him. "He's never really isolated himself from us."
"He was definitely lying to us back there." JJ says.
"Do you think that John B was lying because of his dad?" Delilah asks. "I mean, it was like he was trying to get Big John's approval the entire time."
"I noticed it too." JJ agrees with a nod. "You think Big John doesn't trust us then?"
"I honestly don't know." Delilah admits. "I love Big John, but it's been months since he's seen us, so I wouldn't be surprised. But we've been helping John B the entire time, so it's not fair to make JB push us, his best friends, away."
"He's been avoiding all of us ever since his dad got back." JJ states.
"If Big John wants to keep secrets then I don't care, he's always been like that because the Merchant was all he ever wanted to find. But John B doesn't have to lie to us and sneak around." Delilah continues.
JJ then pulls his full attention over to her. With the way that the girl's almost ranting about the situation, he can tell that it's been playing on her mind — it has been the same for him too. Green eyes stare down at the water that ripples under the docks while her legs are subconsciously swinging back and forth. JJ then reels the fishing line back in, placing the rod to one side before moving to sit down next to Delilah.
"He'll come around eventually." JJ assures.
"Hopefully." Delilah replies with a sigh. "I mean, it's JB, he can't get very far without us."
"Everything's changed since we left Poguelandia." JJ sadly states. "People are acting weird. John B's being distant with us. And it feels like the group is going to split at any point."
Delilah pauses, meeting his gaze. "You're worried that they're all going to leave."
"No—" JJ begins.
"Yes, you are." Delilah insists, cutting in. "You freak out when people get too close, but you let them in so now you're scared they might leave."
"You're right." JJ quietly confirms after a moment of hesitation. "How can you tell?"
"JJ, it's you. I know everything about you." Delilah reminds. "And I know what abandonment issues are when I see them. Perks of having a dad that left with another woman, and a mom that chose to miss the entirety of my childhood for drugs."
"You know I love you, right?" JJ suddenly blurts out.
At the sound of his words, the redhead turns to look at him. Blue eyes drift between each of her features, falling in love with them all over again. Then, finally, he meets her green eyes. A soft smile has now made its way onto Delilah's face, always happy to hear an 'I love you' come from her boyfriend. But JJ can also see the slight confusion glazing over her eyes at the way he worded it.
"I know." Delilah says, slowly nodding. "And I love you too."
"I'm very lucky to be yours, angel." JJ tells her with a smile. "I hope you know that I can't picture living a life without you. I won't ever leave your side unless you tell me otherwise."
"J, I'm pretty sure in every single universe I would never ask you to do that." Delilah informs, her smile widening as she stares at him. "Now where did this sappy shit come from?"
"Just wanted to make sure that you know." JJ states, gently pushing hair behind her ear. "You deserve to know and feel love, Ly."
"I can say the same for you." Delilah replies as she takes his hand. "The past hasn't exactly treated you the best, and I want to make sure that your present and future gives you everything you deserve."
The smile on JJ's face widens. He gently tugs on her hand to pull her towards his body, then he wraps his arms around her frame and holds her close. Delilah also smiles, loving the physical affection; her head falls back to rest against his shoulder, and her hand instinctively raises to latch onto his arm as he holds onto her. JJ then presses a kiss onto Delilah's hair.
"Anyway, I might vomit now. Never repeat what I said, it'll ruin my reputation." Delilah jokes.
JJ laughs, shaking his head at her playful comment. His arms, which are wrapped around her, slip down to the girl's waist where he starts to tickle her sides. Immediately, Delilah squirms in his hold while loud laughter erupts into the air. But JJ doesn't tickle her for long, knowing that she's already admitted defeat.
"Don't lie." JJ tells her with a grin. "Everyone knows how much you love me. You can't deny it."
"I suppose you're right." Delilah replies, dramatically fake sighing. "I mean, you are pretty to look at. And you're funny. So I guess I do love you. Like, a lot."
JJ grins. "I guess I feel the same way."
"Speaking of reputations, we need to try get jobs again." Delilah states.
"Yeah. I'll speak with Guffy later." JJ says.
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Delilah finds herself walking into the restaurant that belongs to Pope's family. She sees Heyward standing behind the counter, then makes her way over to him. Heyward glances over at her with a friendly smile on his face, warmly greeting her. Delilah simply returns the smile. She rests her arms against the counter as she watches the man then return back to his work.
"If you're looking for my son, then he's around the back with Cleo." Heyward kindly informs.
"No, I'm actually here to speak to you." Delilah states.
"Well, what can I do for you, Delilah?" Heyward asks.
"Do you need any help around here?" Delilah questions.
"It's been okay with Pope back, and also Cleo now." Heyward replies. "Are you looking for a job?"
"Yeah." Delilah replies with a sigh. "I need money for the house bills and for food."
"You're always welcome to pick up a few shifts here, Delilah. You worked here before and have always been very helpful." Heyward tells her. "Your spot hasn't been replaced."
Delilah grins. "Just say I'm your favourite."
"You said you were going to take my son to a brothel once." Heyward reminds.
"I still can." Delilah jokes with a shrug.
"Get your ass out of here." Heyward says as he waves her off. "I'll discuss shifts with you another time."
With a grin still etched onto her face, Delilah listens and walks away from Heyward to then make her way around the back of the building. There, Delilah finds Pope sitting on a bench while Cleo leans against one of the wooden beams nearby. A frown, however, falls over the redhead's face once she catches notice of the tension rising into the air.
"Why does Pope look like he's either going to cry or break something?" Delilah says.
"He's quitting school." Cleo informs.
"Wait, what?" Delilah exclaims. "I thought you were going to continue so you can try get your scholarship back."
"I lost it all, Del." Pope tells her. "Everything I had going for me is gone!"
"No, Pope, wait—" Delilah begins.
"And do either of you know why I'm screwed?" Pope rhetorically asks. "'Cause I tried to do the right thing. I tried to help John B with his treasure. I tried to get my family's inheritance back. And you know what I got for it? Kicked in the dirt! It's over. I'm done."
"It's not like you can just give up like that!" Cleo argues.
Before they can continue the conversation, footsteps are suddenly heard filling the air, running across the wooden planks. Delilah then turns toward the sound to see JJ quickly making his way over to where they stand, stopping once he's finally in front of them. He hunches over for a minute while heaving for air, out of breath from running. But as JJ finally straightens his posture once more, he frowns at the sight of all of them looking so tense.
"What's happened? I'm detecting a real heavy vibe right now." JJ tells them.
"Pope's quitting school." Cleo says for a second time.
"Being a coroner is kind of weird anyway." JJ comments.
"JJ." Delilah warns, knowing that now isn't the time for that.
"Shut up, wrench dick." Pope fires back.
"Okay, shit, now is definitely not the time for this then." JJ mutters to himself in frustration.
"What is it?" Delilah asks.
"I was down at Guffy's trying to get my job back. And I saw the catty across the way, and on it is Rafe and Barry. I sneak over to listen to what they are talking about..." JJ explains, trailing off as if he doesn't want to continue. "Pope, he has the cross. And he melted it down."
Pope's face falls within an instant. Slowly, he rises to his feet from where he sits on a bench, almost as if he can't quite believe what he's hearing. Guilt seeps into Delilah's stomach as she watches Pope start to pace back and forth, his eyes darting everywhere as he tries to process what has happened. They have done nothing but try their hardest to fight for that cross, but Rafe has taken that from them.
"Fuck!" Pope yells.
"I'm sorry, bro." JJ apologises.
"Of course it was Rafe. The Cross of Santo Domingo, desecrated! And for money?" Pope angrily shouts.
"I know. I think we need to stay calm to make a plan, but we've got to—" JJ begins.
All of a sudden, interrupting JJ, Pope grabs a nearby broom and raises it high into the air before bringing it back down. It smashes against the floor, snapping into two pieces as splinters of wood fall around all of them. The action only causes JJ to flinch because he wasn't expecting him to do that, his arm bumping against Delilah's when he steps backwards.
"Getting better at that." JJ comments with a mutter.
"This is messed up. Even for them!" Pope exclaims. "And they're just going to keep getting away with it. They're going to keep doing that shit. They're going to keep winning."
"I mean, Pope, is that news to you?" JJ fires.
"No. But I'm sick of being the good guy." Pope states.
"Pope, think about this. Don't do something that you will regret." Delilah tells him.
But Pope doesn't respond. Instead, he turns sharply on his heel and walks away from the three of them. This leaves them standing together alone, a broken broomstick discarded on the floor next to their feet. Delilah can only silently hope that Pope doesn't act on his anger and do something to get back at Rafe, which can only put himself in danger.
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At Heywards Seafood, three teenagers can be seen as they kindly help the owners (Mr and Mrs Heyward, who are both Pope's parents) by offering to clean up any unwanted mess and to also neatly set the tables. JJ holds a damp cloth in his hands as he wipes down the tables, allowing Delilah to then set down napkins and carefully place the cutlery on top of those. Cleo is making sure that the wooden boxes on the tables are neatly filled with different sauces, as well as salt and pepper.
"I appreciate the help." Mrs Heyward tells them with a warm smile. "Thank you, really."
"I'm not missing Mrs Heyward's cooking." JJ says, grinning.
"Unlike my derelict son." Mrs Heyward comments with a sigh. "He's usually here by now."
Mrs Heyward turns away from the grill that she's currently standing at, pulling her focus somewhere else for a split second. JJ takes this opportunity to stop what he's doing and, thinking that he's being sneaky, slowly reaches a hand out to grab one of the hamburger patty's from the burning grill. However, Mrs Heyward quickly catches notice of his actions and slaps his hand away. Cleo just shakes her head at the blond boy.
Everyone's attention is soon pulled over to Heyward as he walks out of the building, joining them outside. A look of frustration is crossed over the man's face as his accusing gaze drifts between the three teenagers that stand in front of him. Delilah frowns, unsure of what could have happened for the man to suddenly feel frustrated, especially when it's directed at them.
"Have any of y'all moved the pistol from in there? The one that I keep under the register?" Heyward asks, demanding an answer.
At once, the teenagers exchange glances with as their eyes widen with realisation. With the way that Pope stormed off earlier, and how he's 'missing' right now, the three can only assume that he's the reason why his fathers gun is missing from beneath the register.
"JJ?" Heyward questions.
"Woah, woah! I didn't touch it." JJ promises, raising his hands up in defence.
"Delilah?" Heyward continues.
"It wasn't me either." Delilah assures.
Though she may not admit it out loud, Delilah can't help but feel a sharp pain strike her chest at the fact that Heyward is so quick to point accusations at her and JJ. Both of their reputations are horrible due to their parents' and their own reckless behaviour, and it is something that will follow them for as long as they live on the Outer Banks. But for Heyward, who has always been so kind and welcoming to the two lost teenagers, to be the one to accuse them hurts.
"Okay, well, someone did because it's gone from under the register." Heyward states, turning sharply on his heel. "Damn it! I gotta find it."
"I'm sure it's somewhere around here, honey." Mrs Heyward reassures. "We'll find it."
The married couple walks back into the building to continue searching for the lost gun, needing to find it as quickly as possible. This then leaves the teenagers alone outside, standing side by side. All three turn to look at each other, already knowing what the others are thinking and what they will have to do in order to solve this issue.
"It's Pope." Cleo says.
"Yeah, and he's going after Rafe." JJ replies.
"We need to find him before he does something that he will regret." Delilah states.
"Ly, me and you will check Tannyhill." JJ informs.
"I'll take the marina." Cleo adds.