─☼☼☼─

𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙍𝙇𝙊𝙏𝙏𝙀 𝙒𝘼𝙎 𝙎𝙏𝙄𝙇𝙇 pretty sure she was in the middle of a cardiac episode by the time they pulled up to the detention center. That was way too close a call for her liking. 

"Charls." JJ muttered as he pulled into the transfer bay. "Pull it together, you're shaking."

She looked over at him, eyes wide with panic. "I'm trying." She argued, placing a hand over her chest to calm her breathing. 

"Hey." JJ said, turning to face her in the ambo. "Look at me, alright? I'm not gonna let anything happen to you. If anything goes down, you're not taking the heat, okay?"

Staring back at him for a moment, Charlotte pushed her lips into a firm line. "You're not going down alone." She said quietly, voice still wobbling slightly. "We're in this together."

JJ couldn't fight the smile that spread across his face as he nodded. "That's my girl." He looked over at his shoulder toward the detention center, letting out a quick breath. "Let's do this thing."

Leaning out the window, JJ gave the side of the ambulance to quick hits. "Alright, load 'em up!"

Charlotte watched out the side mirror as the nurse looked confused for a moment before she fixed JJ with a less than pleased expression. "You gonna get your patient here, chief?"

A forced smile spread to JJ's face as Charlotte felt the doom creep over her once again. They were so busted. 

"Yeah! " JJ called, shooting Charlotte a concerned look before hurrying out of the ambulance. "Right on. Yeah, I'm gonna get my patient."

The nurse nodded toward the doors. "Well come on then."

The nurse proceeded to ask JJ where Ricky was, and for the second time that night, JJ came up with a quick lie. Thank God for his ability to evade the truth. 

Meanwhile, Charlotte continued to give herself a pep talk to avoid a full on panic attack. Her eyes flitted between the scene unfolding behind her, and the entrance to the detention center, terrified she was going to see a whole unit rolling in to arrest the two of them. 

But her incessant attention shifting halted when her eyes caught on the patient that was currently being wheeled out of the jail...their patient. 

But he was not at all who he was supposed to be. Because whoever that guy way, he was not John B. 

"Shit." The word flew from Charlotte's mouth in a breath as she spun in her seat, watching the way JJ's body language instantly changed. 

He glanced over his shoulder, his eye catching Charlotte's in the mirror as both of them paled in panic. 

Tearing his eyes away from his partner, JJ looked back toward the doors. "Uh, is that the only patient tonight there, Ma'am?"

The nurse let out a laugh. "Why? You want to take more than one tonight?"

"I mean I would if I had to. That's what I'm trying to say." He pulled off his hat, crushing it in his hands. "I was just gonna say, I was called in because my patient had an appendicitis....no?"

Charlotte banged her head against the headrest of the seat, cursing JJ and herself for their utter stupidity. 

"This is our only patient." The nurse retorted, the skepticism rising in her tone. "Where do you say you work?"

It seemed that her blood had run cold as Charlotte tensed up, awaiting JJ's response. 

He took the question in stride, doing his best to hide the fact that he was most definitely shitting his pants. "'Dare County, ma'am."

"I worked over there...never seen you."

Sensing the fact that things were about to go south, Charlotte pulled herself from her seat, hurrying into the back of the ambo where JJ was currently struggling to open the doors with the set of keys he had stolen from his cousin. 

Plastering on her best fake smile, Charlotte opened the doors and faced the nurse and officer who were both stood with unconvinced looks on their faces. 

"Evening." She greeted, giving them a wide smile. "Everything okay out here?"

The nurse looked between JJ and Charlotte, squinting her eyes slightly. "You two look awful young to be paired together." Exact same damn question that the officer from earlier had asked. 

JJ nodded. "Well, like I said, I moved up the ranks pretty quickly. And my partner here is new, just started her training, ain't that right, Karen?"

Fixing JJ with a subtle glare, Charlotte nodded. "Sure is, Robert." Looking down at the patient, she spoke again. "We should really get moving."

As the officer and JJ loaded the patient into the back, the nurse looked at Charlotte. "Which one of you is driving?"

A shrill ringing of a telephone caught Charlotte's attention, and she instantly knew whoever was on the other line was not calling in their favour. "What?" She questioned the nurse, her words coming out more dazed than she had intended. 

"Well one of you has to stay in the back with the patient? Is it going to be you or your partner?" She elaborated, voice just as suspicious as ever. 

Charlotte shared a look with JJ. "Well, we were told the officer could drive. We usually have three on board, and Ricky always drives so Robert here can show me the ropes in the back." The lie rolled off her tongue much easier than she had expected it to.

The officer shook his head. "He's an inmate. I gotta be in the back."

"Hold on." JJ interjected. "Officer, you're telling me that you're gonna be responsible for me not takin' care of my patient? For me not giving my partner the proper training here? Look at this guy, he's weak, feeble...pale and shit."

Charlotte mentally face-palmed as JJ rambled on, not using a single proper medical term. 

"We need to start an IV." She interjected, desperately trying to save their cover. "He needs fluids."

JJ nodded enthusiastically, liking Charlotte's choice of words. "You don't want his death on your hands, do you?" He wondered, tossing the officer the keys. 

With hesitation, the officer caught the keys, turning to the nurse. "This didn't happen."

She didn't look amused as JJ climbed into the back with Charlotte, giving the nurse a final salute before closing the doors. 

The two teenagers stood at the back of the ambulance, watching as the nurse finally headed toward the telephone that had not stopped ringing. 

"Come on." Charlotte whispered, desperately praying for the officer to pull out of the loading bay. They needed to get the hell out of there. 

He finally did, and both JJ and Charlotte turned to each other, faces heavy with worry. They weren't in the clear yet. 

Their 'patient' lay on the gurney, eyes drooping as he let out a few quiet groans of pain. Charlotte couldn't help but feel guilty that they couldn't do a single damn thing to help him. This wasn't part of the plan at all. 

"What do we do?" She whispered to JJ, leaning over the patient slightly to create the illusion that they were actually doing something. 

He glanced toward the front briefly, "Just keep pretending, okay? We'll make a break for it on my signal."

As if on cue, a call came through the officer's radio, one that didn't sound great for the two of them. 

"Be advised, we've got a 10-63 in progress, I repeat a 10-63 in progress. Do you copy?"

He glanced toward the back before responding. "Copy."

"Continue on route toward the hospital, we've got backup on the way. Do you copy?"

"Copy."

Charlotte looked to JJ, her face tight in worry. She could practically feel her heart beating out of her chest.

"Everything okay, officer?" JJ wondered, his own voice teetering. 

The officer didn't respond, but instead closed the window that connected the front of the ambo to the back. 

"God damnit." Charlotte muttered, dropping her face into her hands. "My parents are gonna kill me."

JJ stood up, pacing to the back door of the ambulance. "Fuck." He declared, eyes catching on something on the road behind him. 

Charlotte stood, scrambling to join him by the back doors, and when she did, she felt her heart drop at the sight of four police cars following after them with lights and sirens a-blazing. 

"Text your sister." JJ ordered, not taking his eyes off the road. 

Charlotte glanced over at him, her chest feeling tight as she spoke. "What?"

"Text Kie." He repeated. "Tell her where we are. Her and Pope are our only way out of this."

Fumbling for her phone, Charlotte shook her head. "What the hell are they going to be able to do?" But despite her questions, she was already in the process of sending Kiara an SOS text.

"They'll figure somethin' out." JJ assured, his body language becoming increasingly distressed. 

Another cruiser joined the chase, causing JJ to kick the back door. "Shit!" He screamed, startling Charlotte who had just finished typing the desperate text to her sister. 

"Charls, I'm sorry." He announced, pulling off his hat before running a shaky hand through his hair. "I'm so fucking sorry it went down like this."

Glancing back toward the from of the ambulance, Charlotte shook her head. "You need to go." SHe asserted. "I─I can distract the officer and you can get the hell out of here."

"Charley─"

"I have a much better chance of talking my way out of this. And if I get arrested, my parents will bail me out." She wasn't fully convinced that her parents would actually bail her out at this point, in fact she was pretty sure they'd let her rot, but she wasn't going to tell JJ that. 

He was vehemently shaking his head as she spoke. "Nope. Absolutely not. I'm the reason we're in this mess."

The two then proceeded to argue for the next five minutes, while their (not theirs at all) patient groaned in pain. 

They were in the middle of debating which one of them was going to stay behind (each of them wanted it to be themselves) when the ambulance came to a halting stop. 

JJ and Charlotte were thrown forward, each of them letting out cursed mutters as they rammed into the wall of the ambulance. 

It wasn't until the officer started yelling that they realized what was happening. Kie and Pope were here...they were saved!

All of their arguing about who should stay behind was pitched out the window as they both realized this was an escape the two of them could make together. 

Not even taking a second look, JJ threw open the side door, Charlotte scrambling out behind him as the two of them ran toward the tree-line, away from the half dozen police cars that were in pursuit of them. 

As they ducked into the trees, Charlotte caught sight of Kiara's banged up car sitting in front of the ambulance. She couldn't help but smile through the chaos, so thankful for her sister and Pope. 

"Come on." She announced, grabbing a hold of JJ's arm. "We'll meet them on the next street over."

When they reached the next side street, Kie and Pope were already waiting for them, backdoor thrown open. 

Looking both ways to ensure they still weren't being chased, JJ and Charlotte took off toward the car, throwing themselves inside before slamming the door. 

"Drive." Charlotte panted, slumping down in her seat as her heartbeat hammered against her ribcage. JJ reached over, taking her hand and giving it a tight squeeze. 

Kiara pulled off down the street, looking back at her sister and friend. "I'm seriously not even gonna ask."

"Look, I busted the wrong guy out of jail, alright? Sue me." JJ answered, breaths laboured. 

The look that Kiara and Pope sent toward the backseat was one of utter disbelief and confusion. "What?"

JJ shrugged. "At least I was trying."

Kiara shook her head. "Why are you always doing such stupid shit?"

"Well, I'm gonna end up in jail anyway. So why does it matter?" JJ muttered, his face clouding with a certain sadness, one that Charlotte picked up on. 

It seemed that Pope did too, as he glanced back at JJ with a softened expression. "You okay, man?"

JJ rested his head against the seat, giving a small nod. "Yeah."

Pope then shifted his attention to the other criminal in the car. "Charley, you okay?"

Blowing out a deep breath, she placed a hand over her still rapidly beating heart. "Been better, to be honest."

"You're an idiot." Kiara chastised. "What the fuck were you thinking, Charlotte?"

Okay, so maybe they were going easy on JJ, but clearly Charlotte wasn't going to get that treatment from her sister. 

"Can we not talk about this right now?" She mumbled, slumping down in her seat. "It's been a stressful day, okay?"

Kiara shot her a look through the rearview mirror but decided to drop the topic, for now at least. 

─☼☼☼─

That night at the Chateau, a gentle breeze drifted across the ocean as Charlotte Carrera sat next to JJ Maybank on the pier. 

They were silent for a moment as she passed him a cold beer, noting the way he refused to meet her eye. 

He had been beating himself up since they arrived home, had barely even spoken a word to anyone else. He was pissed that his plan failed, but even more pissed that he dragged Charlotte into it. 

"I'm such a fucking idiot." he muttered, launching a stray stick into the water. "I literally can't do anything right."

Charlotte remained silent for a moment, watching him with careful eyes as he partook in a barrage of self-hate.

JJ had always been the one who was there for everyone else. No matter how fucked up his own life was, he cared so much about his friends he would do anything for them. Seeing him like this, blaming himself for something that was way beyond his control, broke Charlotte's heart.

So, without saying a word, the Carrera girl leaned forward, cupped JJ Maybank's face in her hands and kissed him.

She hadn't expected to do such a thing, and he certainly did not expect her to do such a thing. It was as if that somehow was the only way she knew to make him feel better.

JJ didn't kiss her back, he seemed too shocked to even speak at first as they pulled apart. "Wh—what was that for?" His skin warm beneath Charlotte's hands which still rested on his cheeks.

Giving him a sheepish smile, Charlotte shrugged. "I don't think you're an idiot...not at all."

Silent again, JJ stared back at her, his eyes still slightly widened in shock. But when Charlotte didn't pull away from him in instant regret, it was he who leaned forward.

This time when their lips connected, it was JJ who was in the lead. He kissed her back this time...that was for sure. His hands found her body, her hands tangled in her hair.

It was a good kiss...a great kiss even. Many would have said one of the best, but for some reason, Charlotte felt wrong, so wrong.

Because coincidentally, JJ Maybank was the first boy she was kissing in five freaking years aside from Rafe. Even before Rafe, she had really only kissed a couple other boys in a game of truth or dare when they were twelve. I mean, after all, Rafe and Charlotte were only fourteen when they started dating, there wasn't much room for years of experimenting before they found each other.

And even since Rafe, Charlotte had barely even gotten close enough to another boy to kiss him. While Rafe had found the lips of half the girls on the island, Charlotte had taken the complete opposite route.

But now, here she was. Kissing one of her best friends.

What the actual fuck was she doing.

She tried so hard to focus on JJ. To appreciate the way his hands roamed her body, made her feel safe. The way his lips moved with hers. But she couldn't...and that made her feel like an absolutely horrible person. Because as good as JJ was, he wasn't him.

Seeming to note the shift in Charlotte, JJ hesitated for a brief moment. Charlotte took that as he chance to pull away.

When she did, both of their lips were swollen, chests heaving for breaths. But neither of them were smiling.

JJ dipped his head for a moment, letting out a small chuckle. "You know, Charls, I have been dreaming about doing that since I was like ten."

"Touching my boobs?" Charlotte wondered, trying to breathe humour back into the situations.

It worked. JJ laughed. "No." He gave her a small smile. "Kissing you...but I have to admit, it went a lot smoother in my mind."

There was nothing bad about the kiss that they just had. If Rafe had never been in the picture, Charlotte would have confidently said that that was her best kiss, but Rafe had been in the picture.

Dropping her head into her hands, Charlotte shook her head. "I'm sorry, J. I shouldn't have done that to you. Fuck." She muttered, the self-hate JJ had been feeling now shifting to her. "You don't deserve this shit."

JJ reached out, latching a hand on her shoulder and giving a light shake. "Charls, I don't think I'll ever complain about you kissing me...but I could tell that your heart wasn't in it."

She looked up at him, a sad smile coming to her still swollen lips. "He's really fucked me up." She admitted, voice cracking. "Because what kind of fucking psychopath wouldn't love to be kissing JJ Maybank?"

He let out a snort, "You'd be surprised."

Sighing, Charlotte leaned toward him, dropping her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, J. I really really am. It was a great kiss...if that's any consolation."

Lowering his head slightly, JJ rested it atop Charlotte's. "Maybe we can try again...when you get over that douchebag, we can try again."

Nodding slightly, Charlotte smiled even though he couldn't see her expression. "If you haven't already found someone better than me by then, it's a deal."

JJ was still for a moment, eyes locked on the calm water ahead. "I don't think that's possible." He said quietly, shifting slightly. "Finding someone better than you."

Charlotte swore she could feel her heart swell as she turned her head slightly, eyes tracing his face. "It is." She promised, voice soft.

Gently, JJ nodded, only meeting her eyes for a brief moment before looking straight ahead. "I keep thinkin', you know, why is everyone else hooking up and finding love and I'm just—I'm just here."

It took a moment for Charlotte to speak, her trying to find the right words to say to the boy she cared so much about, the boy who was clearly hurting beyond what he let on. "Because," She finally answered. "There hasn't been anyone that deserves you yet."

She could feel JJ shake his head. "That's such a cop out of an answer, Charls."

"It's true." She argued, pulling away so she could really look at him. "You're one of the best people I know, JJ. And one day, someone will come along who deserves every single part of you. Someone who sees you for you, loves you for you. Someone who loves you on your good days and your bad days. They'll know the perfect ways to make you laugh, and probably the ways to make you cry. But they'll be everything you ever wanted and needed. Your soulmate...the one who completes you."

Something had shifted in the air, maybe it was the dual realization that Charlotte was talking about someone in specific, and she was no longer talking about JJ's special someone.

JJ regarded her for a moment, his expression a mixture of distaste and understanding. "He's your soulmate, isn't he?"

Letting out a low sigh, Charlotte nodded. "Unfortunately, yeah he is."

And it was true. Rafe Cameron was her soulmate, the one who completed her. It was extremely unfortunate, but it happened to be completely true. 

─☼☼☼─