Hey guys! I know I'm taking alot longer between chapter- I actually hope I can get out the entire story, but not sure how I will go... will always try my best, but these are just here if you want more anyway. Just incase I don't get to this part- just wanted to make it clear that the lady from the muesum in this part is actually meant to be Singh's daughter lol which will hopefully ( if I make it to that part) will be in another part and slowly ends up being JJ's new love interest if that is not as insane as it sounds, but you can change my mind! I will gladly accept it! lol Anyways, as always... did my best lol... and next part will take long again... possibly two weeks or something. Anways, take care guys, and hope you all enjoy!!
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Outside of the Cameron's Barbados holiday home, JJ swerves to a stop up the front on the gravelled drive. He pulls off his helmet, combing his fingers through his muffled up hair, and dismounts his dirt bike. Pope already appears at the entrance to the large house, bursts out through the front door, out onto the verandah.
"JJ!" he calls, leaning up against the railing.
"Yo." JJ replies, shooting his gaze up to Pope. He could read all the questions that formed on his face.
"Dude- where have you been all day? We've been waiting for the past few hours- JohnB fell asleep on the couch waiting, man. You know we can't set off without you."
"Ahh- shit, I was just ahhh..." JJ's brows mend as he tries to bring out his words that were lodged to explain what he had been doing. He loosens his gloves- stalling for time, cocking his head to the side as he thinks and places his helmet down on the seat. "I was- umm-" he bites back his lip, still in thought- looking away.
Pope reads what he'd been holding back and rolls his eyes. He hadn't been surprised. A look of disappointment tenses his face.
His certain JJ had been on one of his reckless rides- the ones he'd been out on the daily since 'the fight'. Left by early morning... and comes back late most night... on occasion he'd be back earlier, days like this, were he'd been back to continue their work on Blackbeard- on getting closer to solving some mysteries surrounding his treasure. Today- in particular- an arrangement had been set up for the group to meet a lady that ran a particular muesum that held many artifacts on Blackbeard. She'd convinced the pogues that there were no other muesum out there that held more information they'd needed, more evidence that they would ever find to get them closer to what they wanted... even though they never found informtion to surrouding the muesum she'd worked for. But either way, they'd been sold, and wanted to meet with her as soon as possible. JJ would ever miss this. He wouldn't be one to miss out on an opportunity as big as this. But, even so, he still arrives back to join the group- late.
It'd been almost a week. Pope had been completely confident Rafe and Ki were the only reason why JJ had arrived back looking deshelved again as ever and... late. The pogues weren't clueless- they knew where their friend dissappear to every morning... they knew the thoughts that continue to niggle at his mind... how those thoughts held JJ captive- how Rafe and Ki weighed on him so much. They also knew how desparately he'd been keeping his eyes on them... and how JJ hadn't lost feelings for Ki either... even if it had been JJ who had broken things off with Kie first. The pogues had been extra cautious on bringing the pair up in conversation- it had become an extra sensitive- touchy- topic- one that they knew how JJ would react to, and so they would avoid it as much as they could. Just the mention of their names would spark JJ- make him feel unbariably uncomfrotable and irritable, and in attempt to not make things worse, they'd held back and left Ki and Rafe alone- hoping somehow- that maybe it could potential ease some tension between the two sides and let things settle down faster... also hoping that Ki may come to her senses sooner, the more they gave her time to think.
Popes' face tenses, concerned.
"Jay- I now it's hard." he sighs. He observes JJ's reaction before he continues., watching as his expression hardens. "You need to let go, man... we might have lost Ki for now- but you can't keep going out like this- doing this to yourself."
JJ swallows hard.
He thrusts his jacket off- angered, tossing it onto his bike and stalks up toward Pope. "I wasn't fucking there- alright." he sneers. He swallows hard again, feeling the rise of something knotted in his chest. He breaths heavier. He'll deny whatever Pope says... he'll do it until his certain of it himself. He tilts his head, squeezing his eyes shut- struggling to correct himself. "I-I... I wasn't there for her..." he blinks his eyes open, and attempts to hide that it's a partial lie. He glares at Pope. "I was there susing out our situation." he licks his lips, anxiously, holding his sides. "Rafe... I don't trust him- not one bit, Pope... his got some kind of messed up s-scheme- some kind of sick next move that we won't see coming... he'll strategise against us, then- bam- we've lost everything again! Why else do you think he has Ki, hmm? I don't think it's just coincidence he suddenly needs her- right? I don't understand how you guys don't see it, o-o-or how your all turning a blind eye to everything that's right infront of us- how are you guys so delusional right now? I need to know what it is his up to."
Pope's eyes meet JJ as he continues, darting his gaze over him, inquisitively. JJ reads this as for him to continue. "By the looks of it, his hired out a property on the other end of the island- with lots of land. His purchased a fucking expensive bike- a Kawasaki KX450- and a unit of a fucking jeep? What does he need all that for- does this tell you anything?... his planning on staying here long term, Pope. And his armoring himself up. Not only that- his also put down a large sum of money toward a company of some kind I've never heard of before-"
"What company?" Pope interrupts him.
JJ shakes his head, trying to recall the name. "Clive R-t... Clive Ridley Society or something, I think... something like that- I can't remember."
Pope sighs in response.
"Sounds more like a charitiable organisation of some kind- maybe not a company, JJ."
"Well-" JJ shakes his head, shaking off what he'd just said- "that don't matter- cause you know what else?" JJ scoffs, bitterly amused. "They adopted a dog." he laughs dryly. "A big fucking German Shepherd..." his gaze turns furiously perplexed- "what are they- some kind of family now?" he paces- agitated- a look of pain and anger mixed in a storm of emotions on his face. "The question is-" he continues, bitterly- ignoring Popes' look. "Why here? Why Barbados? Why not any where else? Why are they still here, Pope? Hmm? No ones asking that- sounds a little sus how they plan on sticking around."
Pope shakes his head, looking away. "I don't know... I-don't-know. But you know what, man, we have bigger things on- right now... better bigger things JJ-" he speaks sternly, taking him by the shoulders with both hands, shaking him a little in hopes it would pull JJ away from his thoughts that had been riling him up. Pope pats JJ's shoulders, a taint expression of sympathy softens his features. "Just think of what we could discover- all that gold... all this unsolved history of Edward Thatch that many people have been asking- that they want answered... the great infamous, notorious pirate of the Caribbean Sea. Nothing better than that, dude." he speaks softly this time. "We will be doing that... and we don't need to waste time on Rafe... or on Ki. So,come on." Pope says, motioning for JJ to join him inside- "Don't let them get to you- we have way better things to do with our time... and you got us, always, man. Plus... I know its hard- but for now it might make things easier if we leave them alone just while we're working on this. It won't bring attention... it may keep Rafe off our case, and he may stay out of our way-"
JJ screws up his face, rambling under his breath. "Fuck Rafe, man. We need to get back at him- we need a plan-"
"No plans, JJ." Pope instructs sternly- interrupting him quickly. "Apart from this experdition taking up majority of our time- Cleo will be down in two days... She'll kill me if I get involved in anything else. I can't waste time with plans that don't work. I know, man... I know she broke your heart, I've been there... Rafe took something important from me too... but Cleo is right... there will be another time... and now is definitely not that time."
"Yeah, I don't agree, Pope. He really needs to pay up for all the shit he did." JJ presses on, wringing his hands. "I just can't let him fuck around, you know? We can't let him win. We can't let him get away with all his done- I just need a plan-"
"Your plans never work, their always pretty stupid-" Pope interjects, seriously. His expression slowly transform into something of a teasing smirk. "No offense." he attempts at being playful, jabbing JJ's side with his elbow. He slides his hands into his pockets casually watching him.
JJ presses his lips together, rolling his eyes away from him- frustrated.
"Good evening boys." Their interrupted with the sound of JohnB coming out and greeting them on the verandah, joining them out in the fresh air. He stretches his arms out wide in greeting form. They come back down eventually over his head and his brows slowly mend together- taking in a heavy vibe. His gaze switches over to Pope, they communicate with their eyes. "I'm sensing tension- whats going on? JJ?" he looks over back at JJ, concerned. "You didn't go out... you know, after Ki, did you?-"
"Nah-" "Yeah- yeah, he did."
JJ rolls his eyes hard at Pope, giving him a hard look- "Didn't know you were such a snitch, Pope." he mutters furiously, bringing his hands up to attach to his sides.
"JJ- we talked about this-" JohnB groans, tiredly.
"It's not what your gonna say- ok-"
"I promised Sarah I would-"
"-I was just keeping an eye on Rafe- nothin' to do with her- alright? I'm not stupid, ok? I'm over her- So stop pestering me- just trust me- ok?"
"I can't do that, man- I care about you- ok? Sarah and I talked this over last night and she knows what to do- so listen... she thinks we'll only make things worse- it will drive Ki further way... if not- completely away-"
"I don't trust Rafe! This has nothin' to do with Kiara!"
JohnB sighs exaggeratedly. "Sarah and Cleo- let them handle this, JJ. Clearly- what we boys do will only make things worse... so give this one to them... I know you care for Ki and we all want her back and safe- so, buddy... when Cleo arrives... let them sort this out... Let them. They will bring her back, ok? ..." his gaze turns to JJ seriously. "Let them have this one, buddy."
JJ jumps in to debate him but Pope interjects first.
"I know that's not the only reason she's coming down-" he says, following JohnB back inside, whilst JJ remains back bracing the railing of the verandah in deep thought. He pulls out a joint from his pocket. "She told me- Cleo told me- dude- she said she's coming cause she misses me- not for Sarah- I thought that's what she said- I clearly recall her saying that- I know that, man-"
Their conversations fades off as they wander in, entering further into the house. JJ rubs a hand over his face stressed, joint pinched between his lips as he lights it up. He holds it between his fingers, pulling it away as he puffs out some smoke. His grip tightens to the railing, braces himself against it as he continues to take in more puffs of his joint- waiting for the effections to take over and calm his nerves. He finishes it before he goes back in to join everyone inside.