We had all made it to Rixion's Cover. Kie and I still in our Midsummer dresses, JJ had changed because he had other clothes with him. We had built a fire and were still on a rush from the party and our grand exit. I sat with JJ on a log as I looked his face over. He told me little of what happened. Just that when his dad got him out, they got into it pretty bad. I knew he was downplaying it but I didn't press the issue.
"Hey, guys", Pope called out pulling my attention from JJ, I looked over at him, "So my dad is already gonna kill me. So, what's this mandatory meeting about?"
JJ and John B exchanged looks and John B lifted both hands and shot finger guns at JJ. I looked up at JJ and waited. Still no one said anything.
"Will some one just tell us what the hell is going on", I slightly scoffed at the boys.
JJ sighed and looked to me and then looked to John B, "Might as well tell them man", he said and leaned down and picked up a small stick and started twirling it between his finger but continued, "Before we're all gaffed."
"You ready for this?", John B asked as he briefly looked us all over.
"Yeah, we've been ready. Spill it", I told him and Kie backed me by going, "Yeah."
"So", he started slowly, "The gold never went down with the Royal Merchant."
I brought my arm to loop through JJ's and I ran my hand down his arm until I interlocked our fingers.
"Oh, God. Here we go again with this", Pope sighed and threw his hands up.
"No. All right, wait. Hear him out, all right?", JJ told Pope.
John B had a clam look on his face but there was small smirk lingering, "It's been here the whole time, It's on the island."
"Are you serious?", Kie asked, "Oh my god."
"John B, no offense but we've been over this. I think the gold is long gone. The drone was our last shot and that blew", I said surly and looked to Pope to back me up.
"I'd like to voice my skepticism", Pope added.
"I'm sure you would, Pope", John B said as he stood up and walked over to stand in front of all of us, the camp fire casting a glow over his as he stood there, "But can I please present you with my evidence, sir?"
Pope was so over all of this gold talk, you could see it all over his face, "Proceed", he said crossing his arms.
"All right! So, in my backpack", he started and leaned over and got into his backpack and pulled out a folded-up piece of paper, "I have a letter from Denmark Tanny."
"Who the hell is that?", Kiara asked.
I thought about it for a moment then asked, "Tanny?"
John B nodded and smiled, "Denmark Tanny was a slave that survived the Royal Merchant wreck. Check this out", he said unfolding the paper and handing it to Kie.
"What?", she breathed out as she looked the paper over.
"Okay...Slaves weren't mentioned as crew members on the ship, but, my dad found the complete manifest. That was his bid discovery", he told us, "So, Tanny used the gold from the Merchant to buy his freedom."
Kie whistled and I looked to her and she held out the paper and I nudged JJ, who looked up and leaned over to grab it and handed it to me. I looked it over as John B continued.
"After that, he buys a farm."
I looked the paper over and thought about the name Tanny. Why was that name setting with me and why couldn't I place it? It was right there...
"Drumroll, please, because that farm is..", everyone started to do a drumroll on their laps but I was to focused to join.
Click. It hit me.
"Tannyhill", John B and I both said at the same time.
JB looked to me and smiled wide and nodded.
"Tannyhill?", Kie asked surprised.
"Yes! So, after that he used the money to free even more slaves and then he sold a shit-ton of rice, which pissed off all the white planters, and then they decided to lynch him. So on the day they were coming to get him, he writes this note to his son and in the last time of that letter he leaves a message about where to find the gold", he smiled making his way to Kie as I passed the paper on to Pope.
"Where?", Kie asked, she was clearly excited and her spark for this treasure hunt was back.
"Harvest the wheat, in parcel nine, near the water. Except....there's no wheat. You see, wheat is code for gold. Check this out", he says and moves to get the paper from Pope.
"The gold is in parcel nine, near the water", he told Pope and I moved from my spot by JJ to set with Pope who was holding a light to the paper and we both looked it over.
"There is no telling where parcel nine is now", I told him.
He snapped his fingers at me and nodded his head, "All we need is an original survey map of the property, and we've found the gold."
"So, this might actually have a chance of being true", Pope smiled and looked over at me.
"Dude, it's like King Tut or something", Kie smiled at us.
JJ jumped up and rushed to John B as he said, "I'm a genius! Hey, whoa!", he cautioned as JJ hugged him and picked him up.
JJ moved closer to the fire unintentionally, "Hello! Fire! You're near fire. You're gonna burn", John B told him as he patted his back.
JJ put him down and said, "I'm so proud of you right now."
"Thank you", John said in an 'I know' kind of fashion, "That's really sweet of you", he patted JJ's cheek.?"
"Okay, so whats the plan", Pope asked.
"Good question", John B nodded.
"Yeah, where exactly do we find this OG property map", I asked him.
"Oh, well about that. Here's the thing", JB said quickly, "Sarah Cameron is coming tonight, and she'll bring the OG map."
"Hold on", Kie snapped.
"Here we go", I whispered to Pope and he nodded.
"Sarah? Why Sarah?", he demanded.
"Uhhh", John B looked down.
"This is gonna be good", JJ stated plainly as he walked over and leaned down and grabbed my hand and pulled me over to set on his lap on the other side of the fire.
"You knew?", I snapped at him and he just rested his head against my shoulder not looking at me.
"Sarah, um, she got me into the archives in Chapel Hill yesterday, and that's where I got the letter", John B explained trying to sound rational.
"You were in Chapel Hill with Sarah Cameron?", Kie hissed at him.
"Yeah- uh-", John B was starting to get nervous.
"He was mackin' on her", JJ piped up.
I smacked his arm, "Really?", I said lowly, "Stay outta this."
He shrugged and wrapped his arms around my waist and put his forehead back on my shoulder. I rolled my eyes and looked back to the drama that was unfolding.
"I-I wasn't macking", John started to explain.
I felt JJ's head snap up, "You were totally macking Sarah Cameron."
I sighed loudly at JJ's comment, that was it. I gave up trying to keep JJ out of it. Clearly nothing I did worked, and he was actually like a woman, he liked the drama of adding his two cents in.
"I wasn't macking on her, okay?", John snapped at JJ and turned back to Kie, "I was using her for access."
"There was an access, all right", JJ said lowly and Pope and I both just looked at one another and then at the ground.
"Did you tell her about the treasure?", Kiara demanded and stood up.
"I was trying to get into the archives", he argued.
"Is that a yes?!", she snapped.
"I left out key details", he added.
"Yo, what?!", Kie sighed and ripped the flower thing off her head and threw it down out of anger, "You let a Kook in on our secret? What about Pogue life? What about the T-shirt company, bro?!"
"I was just using her for information."
Kiara sat back down, "Why don't I believe you?"
"I'm trying to make us filthy rich here! Okay, so that we can pay off a boat or-or uh..send you to autopsy school to study dead bodies", he turned to Pope, "Or save your turtles", he said to me.
"John B, I'm with Kie on this one", I admitted.
"You guys know me! Do I looked like the type to fall for Sarah Cameron?", he asked.
"Do you want us to answer that?", Pope asked sarcastically.
"Just-just stop", John said to Pope.
"Look, you don't know her yet. I do!", Kie pleaded with him, "John B, you can't trust her. She is going to want to take everything we have."
"Her brother did hit me in the back with a golf club", Pope threw out there.
"And blackmailed me into being his date and he led a gang up on JJ", I added. Oh geez...I'm becoming JJ.
"Rafe and Sarah are different human beings", John said to Pope.
"What did she do to you, exactly", JJ asked Kiara.
"She's like a—like a spitting cobra. First, she—she blinds you, and then—", she was having trouble getting her thoughts out.
"That's a bad analogy", JJ commented.
"Listen to me!", she snapped, "You can't trust her. Whatever we find...She's going to try and take."
We all stayed quiet for a moment and exchanged looks. We all seemed torn about the Sarah thing. I wasn't keen about a Kook being involved, but if Sarah had something we need to find this gold then I guess I would deal, Kie on the other hand....Well we'll see. John B explained that he was supposed to meet Sarah at the Hawk's nest soon. So, we all loaded up in the twinkie and headed over. We all piled in the back and left John B alone in the front. None of really knew what to say or how to feel about John B going behind our backs about Sarah.
The ride to the Hawk's nest was quiet. I sat next to JJ and he had an arm draped over my shoulder. Eventually, we got there and as John threw the van into park, I heard the low rumble of thunder and leaned my head over onto JJ.
"All right", Pope said as he opened the van's side door.
"Let's hit it kids. We're goin'. Recon mission", JJ said as he tapped my shoulder and unwound his arm from around me.
We all made a move to get out when John B stopped us, "Yo, so, uh, I think I'm gonna do this one by myself..."
Kiara's face went from annoyed to pained as she sat back in her seat and looked down.
"Really?", I scoffed.
"What?', he asked, and I crossed my arms.
I'm not gonna lie, the main reason I was against this was because this was my group. My friends, my boys, my Kie, our adventure. I didn't like the thought of sharing any of it with someone, let alone Kook princess.
"I don't wanna spook Sarah with the peanut gallery", he shrugged.
JJ reached up and took his hat off and ran his hand through his hair and sat back. I moved so I could rest my hand on the back of his back, and I fiddled the with knot on his necklace mindlessly.
"I just don't understand why we're involving her at all", Kie snapped at him.
"Kie, we're not involving her", John B laughed like he thought she was making things up.
"But we are, she knows. She's bringing us a map. She's involved", I told him.
"It's just..like a business meeting..thing", he shrugged.
JJ made a inappropriate gesture and I rolled my eyes at him and he pulled a joint from his pocket, "How do those things not break?", I asked him and he just smiled at me.
"Look", John B said sternly, "Once we get what we need, we cut her loose, all right? Plus, we need the map"
He looked at all of us for a response but we all just looked to Kie, who was the most upset, and I honestly think she was jealous.
"Promise me nothing's happening between you", Kie demanded as her and John just looked at one another.
He gave her a reassuring smile, "Nothing is happening Kie."
"I'm being serious!", she snapped.
"Okay!"
"This isn't even about you, and this isn't even about us. This is about her. Dude, she's gonna get inside your head", she sighed, "Just promise me nothing is happening between you guys."
"I promise", he said, as him and Kiara still held eye contact.
"That was really believable", JJ mumbled.
"A hundred percent believable", Pope added.
John B looked down then back up, "Anyways, ummm... I'm gonna go take care of business."
I shook my head has JJ and Pope started in making jokes until I spoke up, "JB, I can't even attempt to help or stop them when you say shit like that. Think before you speak man."
John reached over and grabbed his backpack and started to get out.
"We'll just sit here then", Pope called to him.
"Yeah", John called back.
"In the hot ass car, while it's lightning, while you 'take care of business", Pope said raising his voice with every phrase so John B would hear as he closed the door and made his way to the Hawk's nest.
The van was quiet for a moment. It was starting to heat up and I was tried of being in this dress. JJ nudged me and I looked to him.
"You wanna", he wiggled his eyebrows, "Go take care of business?"
"Jesus, JJ", I rolled my eyes and got up and moved to the door to open it so I could let some air in so we all didn't die of a heat stroke.
I moved to set next to Kie and we all started talking about how biter Kie was. She still wouldn't talk about why she hated Sarah so much. Pope tried to talk her through her toxicity, but it wasn't seeming to do much good. After several minutes I heard, what I thought was a scream.
"Shhh!", I hissed out leaning forward.
"What is it babe?", JJ asked.
"Did you guys hear that?", I asked and listened.
Everyone was quiet for a moment and there was silence, "I didn't hear anything", Pope said.
Suddenly there was another scream, "HELP!"
"Oh! I heard that!", JJ said as we all jumped up and out of the van.
We all sprinted towards the Hawks nest. Pope and I being the fastest reached the scene first. However, Pope stopped cold and I continued. John B was lying unconscious with Sarah at his side she was begging for help and crying over him. JJ slid in next to me as Kie gasped.
"Sarah what happened?", I asked her.
"You're okay. You're okay", she said a few times to John, ignoring my question. She was in shock.
"Sarah!", I yelled, and her head snapped up and she looked at me, her eyes flooded with tears, "What happened?"
"I- I don't know what to do. He needs help. Topper shoved him", she cried.
"Where the hell his he?", JJ asked her, now was NOT the time for another fight.
I ignored JJ's question and turned to Pope, "Go get help! Call 911."
Pope nodded and ran off towards the van as Sarah continued her hysteric pleading, "Please, please, please, get help. I don't care who. Just call someone!"
"Pope hurry!", Kie yelled in the direction Pope ran.
"John B, stay with me", Sarah pleaded as she held him.
I looked at them and the way she was holding him...There was something going on. I looked up at Kie and tried to hit the hurt, but it bled through. I watched as she leaned down and kiss him, telling him to stay with her. My heart sunk a little, for the group, for Kie, and for John B. However, the affection Sarah showed for John...it was real. She cared about him a great deal and there was no denying that. JJ pulled me back as the sound of a car engine filled my ears. I looked behind me to see the flashing lights of an ambulance and EMT's get out. I must have been fixated longer then I thought. JJ pulled me up and we watched as the loaded John B up and in the back.
One of the EMT's looked back and asked, "Is someone riding with him?"
I looked to Sarah and then to Kie, she stayed quiet and stepped back. I moved from JJ to Sarah, "You ride with him", I told her.
"But..but", she sniffled, "What if they need to know something important that I don't know", she cried not taking her eyes off John.
"I'll be right behind you", I assured her, "He's not allergic to anything and he is healthy. That should be enough until I get there", I assured her.
She nodded and climbed in the back and we watched the ambulance take off. I turned to JJ, "I need you to take me to The Wreck. I have to get clothes and change, and we need to get to the hospital.
He nodded and we all ran back to the van. JJ drove us to The Wreck and Kie and I ran inside and changed. I had left the bag I packed for JJ and I there, when Rafe came back earlier. Once we changed, I grabbed all my things and we went back to the van. I tossed my bag into the van and explained to JJ that there was stuff in there for him from my house. He nodded; no explanation needed. I told them to go on that I had JJ's motor bike and I was going to take that, that way at least one person could stay and have a way home. I watched the van's tail lights as I walked over and wheeled the bike back up to the road and got on.
I met the others there and we all piled into the waiting room. Sarah sat by herself, staring at the ground still in her dress, arm fallen between her knees. She looked defeated.
"Sarah?", I called out to her softly.
Her head snapped up, "I called my dad. I hope that's okay. I just figured he would need an adult and-"
I cut her off as I moved to set next to her, "Sarah it's okay. It's good that you called your dad."
"John Routledge family?", a deep voice called out.
We all looked over and sat a doctor standing with a clip board overlooking the people in the waiting room, waiting for a response. Sarah and I stood, and we all walked over to him.
"That's us", Kie said.
He looked us over, "Is there, perhaps, an adult I could talk to?"
"My dad is coming, but I don't know when he will be here", Sarah told him.
"We are all he has right now, and we want to know about our friend", I stressed to the doctor and he simply nodded.
"John is going to be fine. He's extremely lucky. He has a concussion and a hairline fracture in his left wrist. Miss Cameron here filled us in on what happened and falling from a height like that could have ended much worse. Your friend is still asleep, and we'll know more once he wakes up", the doctor explained to us.
"Can we see him?", I asked as I mindlessly reached for JJ's hand.
The doctor looked down at his clipboard then back up at us, "They're moving him to a room here soon, but for now we have to limit to only one visitor until he wakes up. I'm sure you all will want to talk about that."
"Thank you", I said quietly.
"Once you decide, let the nurse know and she will show you to his room."
The doctor left us to talk about it and by the end it was me staying. I was the best equipped to stay with John B, one of the perks of growing up together, and me being a nosy friend, I knew more about him then anyone else. John B is my best friend and I needed to see him wake up. I felt like crying and hyperventilating, but somehow, I managed to keep it together. I knew John B would need someone to handle things the way he would and I was that person.
Eventually Sarah's dad showed up and we explained what had happened. Mr. Cameron went and dealt with the treatment payment and I'm sure upcoming DCS questions that were soon to come to light. I convinced Sarah to go home. She needed to change and get herself together before seeing John B again. Since only one person could be there until he woke up, I assured her I would look after him. Reluctantly her and her father both left but assured me they would be back tomorrow morning bright and early.
The other's wanted to wait but I told then it would be no use. They should get rest too and they could come back in the morning. Pope and Kie went out to the van as JJ and I talked before everyone left.
"Are you sure you want to stay here alone?", JJ asked as he pulled me into a hug.
I nodded into his chest and said, "Yeah. John B needs someone there when he wakes up. I don't know what is going on between him and Sarah, but he needs someone who he trusts to be there. You guys go back to the Chateau and get some actual sleep and you can come back tomorrow, or I'll end up at the Chateau and we can all come back together."
"Do you need anything from your bag?", he asked as he let me go.
I shook my head, "I'll be fine until tomorrow."
"I love you", he told me and leaned down to kiss me.
"I love you too", I told him and kissed him again, "Watch out for Pope and Kie, okay?"
"Sure thing", he agreed, "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Bright and early", I smiled at him.
I watched him walk out the double automatic doors of the ER and over to the van. I walked over to the little window.
"I'm the one staying with John Routledge", I told the nurse.
She came out and escorted me up to his room. Our walk was quiet and felt longer than I'm sure it was, but eventually we made it. I thanked her and stepped inside. John B was still sleep. I looked him over. He had an IV in his right arm and was hooked to monitors. There was a black cast on his left wrist and an oxygen tube under his nose. I felt the tears spill over then and I knew this is where I would finally lose it. I walked over and brushed John's hair back and leaned down and kissed his head.
"John B...What are we going to do with you?", I slightly laughed.
I sat next to him on the bed and talked, mainly to myself, but I stilled talked. Maybe he could hear me, maybe something would stick.
"The doctor said you're gonna be fine, you just gotta wake up. You've got some serious explaining to do JB", I half smiled down at him, "You're totally making Sarah Cameron."
"I wish you would have told us. What were you thinking? I can't keep up with you as of late, but I quit trying to figure out how your mind works years ago. I need you to wake up, so you can tell me what the hell is really going on. With you and Sarah. The gold thing. I miss our talks John B", I said whipping my eyes free of tears.
I moved to lay next to him. My head slightly on his shoulder. I rested my hand on his upper arm and sighed heavily and unsteady, "I just need you to wake up John B. I need my best friend. You just gotta wake up."
A/N: This chapter is a little slow, I think, but it's going to lead into something new. I'm going to try and update again tomorrow, but I make no promises, it will all depend on how much I'm able to get done on the other stories I'm working on, part 3 of Thanks for the Save and the Rudy x reader. Even if I do update tomorrow I will still update on Wednesday too as usual. Thanks so much for all the comments! I love reading them all and I do read every single one :)
XOXO
-A