Jo is sitting in her room looking out the window.
She's remembering the conversation she had with her dad.
"What do you mean you were working with Shoupe to catch Ward?" Jo angrily shouts.
"He killed Big John, Joanna! Something had to be done!" Buzz argues back.
"You could have told me instead of hiding it from me!" she argues back.
"This had nothing to do with you!" he shouts.
"It has everything to do with me! Not just with Sarah being one of my best friends, but what about Rafe? I'm not just some little girl that you can protect anymore! I have been involved in this from the start!"
She remembers slamming her door and her dad shouting through the door that she is not to leave the house except to go to school.
She sees her phone light up.
She has another text message from Rafe saying that he really needs to talk to her.
She throws the phone down and lets tears fall down her face.
Her phone lights up again.
She sighs and looks at the notification.
It is a message from Sarah asking if she can give her a ride from her house.
She messages her back and says she'll be there in 5 minutes.
She changes her clothes and sneaks downstairs.
She doesn't see her dad's truck in the driveway.
She grabs the Jeep keys and sneaks out the door.
She starts the car and heads to the Cameron's.
She parks the jeep out front and messages Sarah that she's here.
She hears shouting and she gets out of the jeep to see Rafe chasing after Sarah.
"If you touch me one more freaking time!"
Sarah pushes Rafe away from her.
"What the hell is going on?" Jo asks stepping between the two siblings.
"I dont want Sarah to keep ignoring me. Dad wants us to talk."
Rafe looks like he is about to lose his cool.
"Please tell my brother that he is the last person that I want to talk to!" Sarah has tears in her eyes.
Jo pushes Rafe away from Sarah.
"Just go back inside Rafe and leave us alone." she says to him firmly.
He looks heartbroken and tears fall down his face.
"I know that you both hate me now."
Sarah cuts him off.
"You tried to kill me, Rafe! Why would I wanna be anywhere near you?" Sarah shouts at him.
Rafe starts breathing heavily and places his hands over his head.
"Get some rest. You look like hell."
Jo leads Sarah to the jeep.
"Please! Please don't leave!" Rafe shouts out desperately.
Jo stands in front of Sarah protectively.
"Dad is gone now, Sarah. Its just you me and Wheezie now." Rafe steps closer.
"I know what I did, okay? But I need you both to listen to me. I was trying to do right by Dad. And now his dying wish is to have us be together and be happy. I swear I'm gonna do everything I can to make that happen."
He steps closer and grabs Jo's face gently in his hands.
He makes her look up at him.
"I can't change the past, but I'm gonna be different now." he tells her sincerely.
He lets go of her and stands in front of Sarah.
"I'm sorry." He tells his sister.
He walks away from them and back to the house.
They sit in silence as Jo drives them to the Chateau.
"Do you want me to stay?" Jo asks her when she parks the car.
"No. This is something I have to do on my own." Sarah tells her.
"I'll call you later."
Sarah gets out of the car and Jo watches her walk down to the dock where John B is sitting.
Jo backs the car up and drives back to her house.
******************************
It's night time and Jo is still sitting at her window when there is a knock on her door.
"Come in." she calls out.
The door opens and Topper comes in with Sarah behind him.
"What's going on?" she asks.
"I need a place to stay tonight. I can't go home and my phone died." Sarah says.
"Yea of course, why don't you go take a shower and wear whatever you want? Top and I will set up the loft for you." Jo tells Sarah.
Sarah nods her head and walks to Jo's bathroom.
Jo pushes Top out of her room and shuts the door behind her.
"Ok, go grab some fresh sheets and new blankets. I'll be down in a few." Topper nods his head.
Jo grabs some towels and shampoo for Sarah and walks back to the bathroom.
She opens the door and sees Sarah standing there crying.
"Oh God sweetie, are you okay?"
She wraps her arm around her.
"I just can't believe he's gone." Sarah cries to Jo.
"I know. No matter what he's done, he's still your dad. You have every right to cry for him." Jo tells her softly.
"I broke up with John B." Sarah confesses.
Jo's eyes widen in shock.
"Oh shit. Are you alright?" Sarah shakes her head.
"I didn't want to. And a part of me feels like it's missing." Sarah cries.
"I know how you feel." Jo mumbles back to her.
"Ok well, I'll let you get a shower. We have school in the morning, but I'll see you when I get back tomorrow." she tells her friend.
"I wanna thank you and Topper for taking me in. You guys don't have to." Sarah says.
"You are one of my best friends Sarah. You're one of us in the end. Of course, I'm gonna look out for you. And if things get too weird with Topper just let me know. I'll make sure he stays away." Jo tells her.
"No, he's been great." Sarah says.
"Ok, Topper is setting up the loft for you. I'll see you tomorrow."
Jo leaves the bathroom and heads back to her room.
She looks at her phone to see she has a missed call from JJ.
She sends him a text saying she'll see him in the morning for school.
*****************************
The next morning, Jo quickly gets dressed and heads downstairs to the kitchen.
She sees Topper putting together a breakfast and working on a bonfire drawing.
She shakes her head at his attempt.
"Why are you trying so hard? You look desperate." she tells him.
He rolls his eyes at her.
"I am not being desperate, I am being there for a friend, nothing more." he denies.
She gives him a look of disbelief.
"Whatever you wanna tell yourself. She just broke up with John B she doesn't need you trying to pant over her like a deranged dog." Jo glares.
"Wow, do you hear the shit that comes out of your mouth? You look like a Kook, but when you open your mouth you're all Pogue." Topper insults.
She puts her hand over her heart dramatically.
"Oh no please don't hurt my feelings."
She rolls her eyes as she rushes to the car keys before Topper can grab them.
"Carpool with Kelce!" Jo shouts as she rushes out the door.
She drives toward the Chateau.
She parks in front of the house and walks inside.
She laughs when she sees her friends all passed out around beer cans.
Pope emerges from the bathroom.
"Hey, there you are. Where were you last night? We tried to call you." Pope says to her.
"I'm on lockdown right now. I haven't been allowed to leave. Did you have fun last night?"
Kie comes out of the bedroom fully dressed.
"Hey, where were you last night?" Kie asks.
Pope hands Jo a bunch of beer cans taped together.
"Wake up John B and JJ." he says.
Jo steps over to JJ who is passed out on the couch.
She slaps his cheek hard making him wake up with a start.
"Let's go! Wake up!"
JJ sits up and stares at her.
"Where were you last night? I wanted to see you." He states still half asleep and slurring his words.
She gives him an amused look.
"I was at home. I'm grounded." she tells him.
"Come on Bubba, you gotta get ready for school." She pulls him up.
He groans in displeasure.
"I don't wanna." he whines.
He stumbles into her knocking her into the wall.
"A little help here."
She motions to Pope who rolls his eyes.
He grabs JJ by the shoulder and pulls him toward the door.
"Come on we gotta go."
Pope and Jo push the boys out the door.
"Baby grab me a pizza. I'm hungry" JJ whines.
She grabs a slice and throws it at him.
"Are you coming?" Jo asks Kie.
"I'll just meet up with you guys later." Kie tells them.
Jo gives her a strange look but follows the boys out to the Twinkie.
Jo hops in the passenger seat as Pope drives.
She looks back to see John B staring at his phone and JJ sleeping with his head tilted back.
She leans back and taps John B on the arm.
He looks up at her with a sad look.
She sighs.
"She's okay. She crashed at my house last night." she informs him.
He gives her a small sad smile and looks back at his phone.
Pope pulls into a parking space and parks.
When he does, JJ goes flying forward and smashes his face into the back of Jo's seat.
She laughs lightly.
"Come on wake up sleeping beauty. We gotta get to class."
She opens the van door and pulls JJ out of the van.
He looks at her with sleepy eyes.
"You're awesome." he pokes her cheek.
Pope shoves him away from Jo to get to class.
************************************
She doesn't see the boys for the rest of the day and she ends up catching a ride with a group of kids who are picking up supplies for the bonfire tonight.
She gets a phone call from Pope telling her to meet them back at the Chateau.
Once she gets there, she instantly locks eyes with JJ and she feels butterflies in her stomach and gives him a small smile.
She sits down next to him slowly.
"Hey." she greets looking at him.
"Hey." he says back.
"Okay guys, listen to this, it's from Denmark's diary." Pope says coming out to sit down.
"Denmark's diary?" Jo asks confused.
"Yea, Mr. Sunn found it, and let us have a copy of it." John B fills the girls in.
"Ok listen, August 15th, set sail from Port -au- Prince on calm seas. Came upon the Spanish ship San Jose on fire. The Spanish captain only cared about one thing, his valuable cargo, the Cross of Santo Domingo, and countless bars of gold. Once the cargo was on board, we went to help the crew, but Captain Limbrey ordered us to pull bayonets and not to let any of the Spanish crew on board. He robbed them and left them to die."
Pope reads from the diary.
Everyone exchanges looks.
"So it didn't go down off Bermuda." JJ comments.
"And it was a Limbrey stealing shit again." Kie gives Jo a look.
"No offense." she adds.
Jo puts up her arms.
"Offense is totally taken. I've never stolen shit in my life." Jo mumbles.
JJ stares her down as everyone laughs.
"Yeah, okay. Whatever you wanna tell yourself." JJ jokes.
Jo flips him off.
"Guys, this diary proves that both the gold and the Cross of Santo Domingo were on the Royal Merchant." Pope states.
"Why didn't we find it in the well then? I mean if Denmark was able to get this bedazzled cross off of the Merchant to shore, why didn't he just hide it with the gold?" JJ asks.
"That's actually a good question for once." Jo comments to him.
He flips her off with a laugh.
"Because it was too big." John B answers.
"You're right. He had to hide it someplace else." Pope states.
"Yea, but where?" Kie asks.
"Didn't Limbrey say that right before he was hung, Denmark said he buried the treasure at the foot of the angel?" Jo asks Pope.
"I thought this was about the key." JJ comments.
"Right, so what's the connection?" Kie asks.
"The path of the tomb begins in the Island Room." Pope reads what is written on the key.
"We need to figure out what the Island Room is." Kie says.
"You know what helps me figure shit out?" JJ exclaims standing up.
"Oh boy, here we go."
"This outta be good."
"Smoking beers and drinking weed."
Jo and Kie share an amused look.
"The ideas just pour outta me. If we just sit here and try to figure this out, we're gonna get nowhere. But if we get creative and go to this bonfire tonight, maybe we'll get somewhere." JJ suggests.
"Well, I just got disowned by my parents, and I'm now an official member of the I-have-nothing-to-lose club so I'm down." Kie laughs.
"Pope?" JJ turns to him.
"We're so close man." Pope argues.
JJ hits him with the beer can wand.
"Look, think about how much you could think if you just gave your brain a rest." JJ convinces Pope.
"Alright, either I've been friends with you for so long or that just made sense." Jo states as everyone waits for Pope to answer.
"Alright fine." he finally answers.
"Whoo hoo!"
Everyone gets up.
"We all gotta shot gun before we go." JJ states as they head to the Twinkie.
*************************************
They finally make it, and the party is already kicking.
Kids from both sides of the island are dancing and drinking.
John B wraps his arm around Jo's shoulder as JJ wraps his around John B.
A group of Pogues saw them coming and hands them cups.
"Thanks." Jo answers as she takes a drink.
"How does she look? Is she doing okay?" John B asks Jo about Sarah.
"John B she just lost her father and she doesn't wanna burden you with that since he literally killed your father. Just give her some time." Jo tells him.
"Come on, enough relationship talk for the night. Let's do shotguns." JJ hands them a beer.
"So you're not gonna talk about your relationship then? You guys are all of a sudden fine?" John B snips pointing between Jo and JJ.
JJ glances at Jo briefly before he answers.
"We'll figure our shit when it's time to. We're Pogues, we're friends first before anything." JJ answers.
Jo gives him a small smile to cover up the slight sting of the 'friend' word.
"Cheers to that."
Jo and JJ tap their beers before shotgunning.
"Hey, stranger."
They turn to see Crystal looking at John B.
"Hey."
John B awkwardly waves back.
Jo goes to open her mouth, but JJ grabs her shoulder and pulls her away.
"That is our cue to find some more drinks."
Jo walks with JJ to grab more drinks.
"So then when do you wanna talk?" Jo asks over the loud music.
"Later." he answers in her ear.
He hands her another drink and without another glance at her, he walks away from her.
She feels her eyes stinging, but she pushes it aside as she drinks.
She spots Sarah and Topper.
She grabs another drink and heads to where they are.
"Hey guys."
She greets with a smile as she hugs Topper and then Sarah.
"When did you get here?" Topper asks her.
"I just got here a bit ago." she tells him.
"Whose that?" Sarah asks pointing to where John B and Crystal are talking and laughing.
Jo rolls her eyes.
"That would be the skankiest bitch on the island. I just wanna punch her in the face." Jo grumbles.
"Look Sarah, I got nothing against John B I really don't." Jo rolls her eyes and laughs.
"You gotta be a little more convincing than that." Jo teases.
"I'm trying to be honest here, and you're kinda ruining that for me." Topper retorts back to Jo.
"My bad bro, please continue."
Jo gestures with her hands for him to continue.
"I just didn't feel like you belonged with him. I mean you're too damn trusting." Topper tells her.
"Top-"
Topper continues like he doesnt care he's talking about his sister's best friends.
"I don't think they feel things the same way we do." Jo rolls her eyes.
"What does that mean?" Jo asks defensively.
"I don't mean anything by it." Topper tells her.
"You know what, I'm gonna go mingle. Let you two talk and have fun."
Jo walks away from Topper and Sarah.
*******************************
Jo walks down by the fire and finishes her drink.
"Hey, Joanna! How are you?"
She looks up to see a guy that works with her dad as a paramedic.
"Hey, Dustin right? What are you doing here?" she asks him as he hands her another drink.
"Well, I came with a couple of friends. Plus I really was hoping to talk to a pretty girl tonight." he flirts.
Jo feels herself blush.
"How's that working out for you so far?" she flirts back.
"I definitely like my odds." he tells her.
Jo glances up and catches JJ watching her from the other side of the fire.
He is staring intensely at her and Dustin talking.
"So how is your night going?"
He steps closer to whisper in her ear.
He places his hand on her waist.
She instantly doesn't like the feeling that his touch gives her.
"It's going alright." she tells him.
She goes to move away, but his grip on her waist tightens.
"I've been watching you all night. I think you're really hot." he tells her stepping closer to her.
She feels someone come up behind her.
"You're a bit close ain't ya Lafeman?"
JJ pulls Jo away from Dustin and closer to him.
Dustin chuckles menacingly.
"What's up Maybank? Shouldn't you be behind bars by now?" Dustin insults.
"You know what, you can leave. Don't you dare insult him like that. He's more of a man than you will ever be." Jo snaps.
Dustin scoffs.
"You're a stuck-up bitch. Not worth my time." Dustin insults before he turns to walk away.
"What the hell did you just call her?"
JJ goes to lunge at him, but Jo pulls him back.
"Don't, he's not even worth it J."
JJ turns back to face Jo.
He grabs her hands with his.
"Nobody should ever call you names around me." he tells her.
She shrugs her shoulders.
"They're just words. Don't mean anything." she says.
"They mean something to me Jo."
JJ steps closer to Jo and wraps a hand on her waist.
"I'm ready to talk." he tells her.
She nods her head.
"I am too."
She sees him start to lean down.
They hear yelling breaking them apart.
"Oh shit!" Jo exclaims as she sees Sarah getting in Crystal's face.
They rush over just as a crowd was starting to form.
"Come on Sarah, let's just go."
Topper tries to pull Sarah away.
"Did you tell her? Huh? Did you tell her?" Sarah shouts at John B ignoring Topper.
"Do you wanna start some shit right now?"
Topper pushes John B.
"Yea I wanna start some shit!" John B responds.
Jo pushes through the crowd to get to them.
She stands with Sarah trying to separate the boys.
"That's enough! Both of you just walk away!" Jo tells them.
"Come on John B!"
"Kick his ass!"
"They all know what happened last time!" Topper shouts.
"Get out of here!" Sarah pushes John B away.
Jo keeps a hand on Topper to keep him from moving.
"Walk away Topper! Don't start shit!" Jo yells at him.
"I will beat your ass!" Topper shouts trying to get around Jo.
"Stop! Just go!" Jo shouts.
"He started it Joanna!" Topper argues with her.
"Just stop it!" she argues back.
Kelce steps in front of John B.
"She doesn't want you anymore bro!" he instigates.
"Shut the hell up Kelce!" Jo shouts.
John B turns to walk away.
"What the hell you gonna do, John B? Kill me like you killed Sheriff Peterkin?"
John B turns and punches Kelce knocking him into Jo and Topper.
Topper lunges and grabs John B and throws him on the ground.
"See what you started you dumb bitch!"
Jo watches Crystal push Sarah down onto the ground.
Jo pushes through the crowd just as Kie makes her way to Sarah.
Jo punches Crystal in the face.
"What the hell? Why are you defending her?" Crystal questions.
"She's my friend!" Jo exclaims.
"You two are picking the wrong side! Why is the Pogue Princess and her minion defending the Kook Princess?" Crystal questions.
Kie glares at her as she helps Sarah up.
"Stay the hell away from John B you whore."
Jo punches her again knocking her down.
She gets pulled away by JJ.
"Come on! Let's get out of here!"
JJ grabs her hand and they head back to the van.
"That's right! Get out of here Pogues!"
"Go back to the Cut!"
They walk back to the van as JJ finishes off another beer.
"Well that was unexpected." he jokes.
"No, it wasn't. That fight has been coming for a while now."
Jo looks down to see her knuckles busted.
JJ grabs her hand to look at the damage.
"Damn, you can really hit. Just make sure I duck before you swing at me." he teases.
Jo sneaks a glance at John B who looks sad.
"Just give her some time B. She loves you." Jo tells him.
"Why doesn't it seem like it? It seems like everything we went through doesn't seem to matter." he says in a broken voice.
******************************
They head back to the Chateau and make up a fire.
JJ passes out beers.
He then sits back down next to Jo.
"I have had more black eyes in the last month than I have had my whole life." Pope complains.
"Yea Jo is right. That fight was definitely building up for years." JJ says as he makes a smore.
He then hands it to Jo.
"Ooo yummy." she smiles.
"Did you guys really stick up for Sarah?" John B asks the girls.
"Of course we did. She's one of us dude." Jo tells him.
"Exactly, she's not a real kook." Kie agrees.
"Yea, tell that to Topper." Pope comments.
"And did I hear Crystal call you Pogue Princess?" John B asks with a laugh.
"Yea, I have no idea where that came from. That's a first I will say." Jo laughs.
"All hail Pogue Princess." JJ jokes.
"And what are you the court jester?" Jo teases.
"At your service."
JJ grabs her hand and kisses it.
"Oh God, you two are back to being sickly cute again. Gross." Pope complains.
"Guys quiet. I hear something. Someone is here."
They all shut up and stand up.
"You don't think those Kooks are coming for round two do you?" Kie whispers.
They hear a branch snap.
"Come out now!"
"Whose there?"
"What a lovely evening it is tonight!"
Renfield steps out from behind the chicken coop.
"What the hell do you want?" Jo asks him.
He steps closer to them.
"I don't have a grudge against any one of you alright? This can go hard or it can go easy. You know exactly what I'm here for."
He continues to step closer to them.
"Let me give you a little demonstration on how this can go. You see that swing?"
He points to the swing that JJ is standing beside.
"I got the best bow hunters in the Army Rangers with me right now." he tells them.
"Oh yeah?" JJ challenges.
Renfield smirks and whistles.
An arrow comes flying past JJ's head and sticks in the tree.
It cut through the swing rope.
Jo gasps and grabs onto JJ's arm.
"Now, you know they're out there. They'll stick you all just as soon as I say so." Renfield steps closer to Pope.
JJ grabs a branch and goes to swing it.
An arrow comes whirling and lands by his feet.
"J?"
Jo grabs JJ and pulls him back.
"Listen to your girlfriend son. Don't try anything stupid." he says to JJ.
"Now I'm not gonna give you a countdown, I'm just gonna whistle." he threatens.
Pope pulls the key from his pocket.
"This key belongs to my family." Pope glares.
"I'm losing my patience here kid."
Renfield lifts his fingers to whistle, but Pope finally hands him the key.
"That's a smart choice. Y'all have a nice night now."
Renfield smirks and walks back off.
"I am so sick of this shit!" Pope storms off upset.
Jo watches as JJ keeps watching the direction that Renfield went.
"Come on J. Let's go inside."
She pulls his arm until he finally follows her.