─☼☼☼─

𝙋𝙊𝙋𝙀 𝙒𝘼𝙎 𝙍𝙄𝙂𝙃𝙏, Charlotte did eventually snap out of it. 

When they finally reached the water, she had seemed to regain the consciousness that she had lost. She didn't say much, but she was finally aware. 

The other three in the car watched her with concern as she finally absorbed everything that had went down. 

As soon as the car had come to a halt, Charlotte was scrambling out of her seat and hunching over the bushes, throwing up everything that had been in her stomach, which wasn't much, but it was something. 

She wasn't sure if it was the concussion she had surely suffered, or the utter shock of what had just happened. Probably a bit of both. 

"Charls, you good?" JJ called over, he and Pope in the middle of launching the boat. 

Retching once again, Charlotte rose a shaky thumbs up. 

She wasn't sure where they all went from here. Pope had just tried to kill her ex-boyfriend right in front of her. But was it really any different than the numerous times Rafe had jumped he and JJ? Not really. 

So she knew she had no reason to really be upset with Pope. In fact, she felt more worried for him than anything. 

That was not the Pope she knew. Not even close. 

But selfishly, Charlotte was sad for herself. She was sad that her best friends and boyfriend hated each other to the point that they legitimately tried to kill each other. She was sad that she felt so torn, so conflicted. 

"Here." Kie said softly, handing her sister a bottle of water. "Slow sips."

Wincing at the brightness of the sun, Charlotte took the water into her shaky hands. "Thanks." she muttered, her voice hoarse and tired. 

"You okay?" Kie wondered, examining the wound Barry had given her sister. 

"I'll be okay." Charlotte promised, taking a small sip of the water. She studied her sister's expression for a moment, then noting the red marks on her neck. "Did Rafe hurt you?"

Kie's hands flew to her throat. "Not really."

Charlotte knew it was a lie, but part of her wanted to believe it. She wanted to believe that Rafe wasn't as shitty of a person as he actually was. 

For so long, she had ignored all the red flags. She hid away with the notion that Rafe was a good person. But each and every act he had committed over the summer was telling her otherwise. 

But part of her still refused to believe that he didn't have at least some good in him. He was a boy broken by his father, a boy led astray. 

She felt the dams that she had built up inside of her break, everything breaking free all at once. Disgust flooded over her as Charlotte dropped into a crouch, sobs overtaking her body. They were cries of sadness, of frustration, of remorse. "Fuck." She whispered, her head pounding as a mangled cry came from her throat. "Fuck."

"Hey." Kie whispered, crouching down next to her sister. "Char, we're all okay, alright?"

Looking up at her sister, Charlotte shook her head. "I fucking love him, Kie. I love him more than I've ever loved anyone and he's a fucking piece of shit. He's a fucking murderer and I love him." Another sob tumbled from her lips. "I'm a horrible person."

"No." Kiara snapped with ferocity. "You are not a horrible person, Charlotte. He is." She let out a sigh, fighting with the demons that had haunted her since her sister started dating Rafe. She hated him so much, but knew how much he meant to her sister. "Look, you can't help who you love, Char. You love him, and its not just going to go away in the blink of an eye."

"Five years." Charlotte whispered, sniffling as she wiped her damp cheeks. "Five years I spent loving him, and now─" She cut herself off, not really knowing what came next. 

Kiara placed a hand on her sister's back, forcing her to meet her eyes. "You'll learn to move on." She promised. "Just because he's your first love...doesn't mean he has to be your last. Do you know how many guys would love to be with you, Charlotte? So fucking many. Guys way better than Rafe, okay?"

Sucking in a deep breath, Charlotte tried to calm herself. This was not the time for emotional turmoil. They needed to focus on getting John B out of here. 

Besides, she didn't really want to listen to Kiara, because right now, she didn't want any other love than Rafe's. 

"Okay." She finally breathed, giving her sister a sad smile. 

Standing up, she felt herself sway for a moment. Kiara noted it, and gave her sister a worried look. "I really feel like you need to go to the hospital."

"They won't do anything." Charlotte dismissed. "They'll send me home and tell me to stay off my phone. Nothing I don't already know."

Kie regarded her with suspicion, but didn't argue. 

Noticing that the boys basically had the boat fully launched, Charlotte nodded toward the car. "Let's unload the food. John B and Sarah should be here soon."

The girls had managed to unload the food in record time, which left them standing anxiously as they awaited John B's arrival. 

Charlotte checked her watch...and then checked it again...and again. 

"Where is he?" Kiara finally snapped. "He should be here by now!"

Pope looked over at her, his face still angered. "Give him a second. He'll be here."

"He'll be here." JJ echoed as he pulled the tarp off of the boat. "He's comin'. He'll be fine."

Sirens had been heard all day and night, but this time the wailing of a police cruiser was closer than ever. 

All four teenagers turned toward the road, eyes landing on a the Sheriff's vehicle that was headed straight toward them. 

"Shit." Charlotte muttered, heart hammering in her chest. They were made. 

"JJ!" Kie cried out, 

JJ began fumbling with the rope that tied the boat to the dock. "Get back on the boat! Get back on the boat! I'll untie it."

Just as Charlotte and Kiara went to turn, the door to the police cruiser opened. But it wasn't Shoupe who stepped out. 

"John B?" Charlotte gaped, a mixture of shock and pride washing over her. She couldn't lie, it was kind of badass. 

"No F'ing way." Pope breathed as JJ let out an excited laugh before pulling himself out of the boat. 

John B cracked a small grin at his friend's reactions, pulling Charlotte and Kiara into a quick hug. "Shoupe let me take it for a spin."

"Okay." Kie giggled. "That's believable. I'll believe that. For now."

Pulling away from the two girls, John B examined the blood on Charlotte's forehead, followed by the blood on Pope's shirt. "You guys okay?" 

Charlotte gave him a small smile, one that didn't quite meet her eyes. "Yeah. We're good."

"It wasn't easy, bro." JJ called, oblivious to the prior conversation. "But I got the Phantom for you, and she runs like she was made yesterday."

He tossed John B the keys, jumping down onto the dock. "You ready to go?"

Stepping forward, John B's face fell. "Where's Sarah?"

Charlotte looked around at the other three, fearful that she had missed part of the plan. "She's not with you?"

"No, no. We─we got separated at the swamp. She said she was going to meet me here." With each word he spoke, John B's voice rose in urgency. 

Pope shook his head. "No, we haven't seen her, man."

"Okay, well I'm not leaving without her." John B asserted. 

JJ let out a sigh. "John B, look at me." When his best friend met his eye, he continued. "I know you feel bad for leaving, but there's no time, man. You've got plenty of gas, plenty of food. Once you get around that point, its a straight shot to Dismal Swamp, alright. Once you get there, lay low, alright? Hang out for a couple of weeks and then go overland, cross the border at Brownsville, you got that? Brownsville."

John B didn't seem to be registering a word JJ was saying, instead his eyes were trained on the road, hoping to see Sarah hurrying toward them. 

"Hey!" JJ snapped, grabbing onto John B's head and directing his attention back to him. "You got that?"

"Yeah, yeah." John B muttered, snapping out of his trance. "Brownsville."

Charlotte felt John B's remorse, and reached out to give his hand a quick squeeze. "We'll take care of her, alright?"

A thankful expression covered John B's face as he nodded. "Thanks, Charley."

"Alright! Saddle her up, Salt Water Cowboy. Let's do this." JJ announced, slapping the side of the boat. 

Sucking in a deep breath, John B boarded the slip, standing on the deck before looking back at the remaining four of them. "Hey. Hey. I'm sorry for basically...throwing us off a cliff with this whole treasure hunt thing." His eyes were glassy, her words wobbly. 

"Hey, John B, yo...we were bound to run off a cliff at some point, right?" JJ grinned, his own eyes sad. 

He looked over to Pope and Kie, pulling them toward him. When Charlotte didn't move, he reached around Kiara to yank her into their group hug. He was letting her know that she was with them, and they with her. "At least we did it together, right? Pogue style."

Charlotte Carrera always struggled with where she belonged. She was a Pogue, and then she was a Kook, and then she was somewhere in the middle. But now, now she knew where she was supposed to be. 

Right here. Right here with the only people who always accepted her for who she was. 

Charlotte Carrera was a Pogue, and proud of it. 

John B smiled, a tear slipping down his cheek as he looked to each of them individually. "Pogue style."

The sentimental moment was broken when Kiara spoke. "Now, get out of here! Please."

"Now." Pope added. "We'll see you in two months, down in Mexico."

"Same us some Pina Coladas!" Charlotte grinned, shooting John B a quick wink. 

He let out a teary laugh, saluting them all before hopping behind the wheel. 

"Love you!" JJ called. 

Looking back at them one final time, he let out a small cry. "Tell Sarah I say goodbye, okay?" 

He had focused his attention on Charlotte, knowing she was the one he could entrust the most to make sure Sarah was taken care of. "We got her." Charlotte promised, giving him a reassuring nod. 

"Don't forget!" JJ instructed. "Cross the border at Brownsville, okay?"

The engine to the Phantom fired up, and slowly, John B retreated from view. 

The remaining Pogues remained entangled in one another, each of them watching their friend go. 

Slowly, they all stepped back, hearts heavy, but hopeful. 

"You sure you're okay?" JJ wondered, he and Charlotte stepping away as Kie and Pope hung back on the dock. 

Charlotte shrugged. "About as good as I can be."

"You scared us back there, Charls." JJ pointed out, his face tight with emotion. "You weren't sayin' anything a-and─I thought you were gonna die or something."

Giving him a gentle smile, Charlotte pulled him into a hug. "Thank you, J. For being the only person who's looked out for me this entire time."

She had always had the other Pogues, and her sister, but JJ had been the only one who welcomed her with wide open arms from the get-go.

He grinned, his arms snaking around her waist. "I love you, Charls. And I'm glad you were on this wild ride with us."

Opening her mouth to speak, Charlotte was cut off by what was happening behind them. Her brows flew up as her mouth fell open. "Wow. Uh─"

JJ turned, his own brow furrowing as his eyes landed on that of Pope and Kiara lip-locked. "Well, there's that."

Charlotte snorted, covering her eyes with her hand. "Do rules mean nothing anymore?"

"Well if they're breaking the rules then we─"

Cutting him off, Charlotte gave JJ a warning look. "I'm going to encourage you not to finish that sentence."

Whatever response he was going to shoot back was interrupted by the sound of approaching sirens. This time, it wasn't going to be John B that met them. 

"Hey, guys, I'm sorry to ruin the part, but, uh, we gotta fo right now!" JJ called, already grabbing onto Charlotte's arm. 

Pope and Kiara broke free of each other, turning to face the other two with increasingly worried expressions. 

The police cars were closing in on them before they even had the opportunity to try and run. 

This was exactly what Charlotte had been trying to avoid. The last thing she needed was to get arrested. 

She stepped back, moving closer to her little sister as she, Kie, and JJ rose their hands in surrender. There was no escaping from this. 

Pope was the only one who didn't raise his hand, instead he stepped forward as if to challenge the officers. 

"Pope." Kie snapped. "Hands up."

Dozens of officers flooded from the cars, guns raised at the kids as they began shouting orders. "Hands up! Get your hands up!"

A shuddered breath fell from Charlotte's lips as Pope finally rose his hands above his head like the rest of them. 

This was defeat. 

"We're too late. He's gone. God damnit!" Shoupe yelled. "Bratcher, tell your men to stand down."

That brought the tiniest of smiles to Charlotte's face. They may have been caught, but John B had gotten away. 

The SBI agent, who Charlotte assumed was Bratcher, pushed by the group of teenagers, hoping to see any sign of John B. 

"Alright, where the hell is he?" Shoupe demanded, his eyes scanning the faces of John B's friends. "Where the hell is he!?"

He holstered his gun, breaths of frustration falling from his lips. "JJ? I see you're livin' up to your name." He turned on the next closest one. "Pope, how about you? This isn't a fucking game! You can go the right thing right now! Where'd he go?"

When Pope remained silent, Shoupe pushed past him, his eyes on the Carrera sisters. "What about you girls?" He questioned. "Charlotte, you know better than this. Just tell us where he is."

Clenching her jaw, Charlotte shifted her eyes toward him. "He didn't kill anyone." She snapped, her words gritted and angered. 

Shoupe looked utterly disappointed as he dropped his head. "Didn't expect this from you." He muttered, shaking his head before turning to his men. "Load them up. We're headed back to base."

As the four of them were piled into a cruiser, all Charlotte could do was hope that John B had made it to safety. That was all she could hope. 

─☼☼☼─

It was dark by the time they pulled up to where base camp for the investigation had been set up. 

Police cruisers and news vans alike crowded the area, the lights blinding Charlotte as they were ushered toward one of the large tents that had been set up. 

"To your left here." Shoupe guided, lightly directing Charlotte in the proper direction. 

She shied away from his touch, evidently not impressed with his actions. 

All he had to do was listen to them for five fucking minutes. 

"Sit down, don't move." He ordered, pointing to four chairs that had been set up. "We have a lot to talk about it."

Before walking away, he ordered one of the SBI agents to keep an eye on them. And that he did. The large man stood rigidly straight, automatic rifle in hand, eyes on the four kids.

Charlotte could hear what they were discussing at one of the nearby tables...they were setting up blockades. 

Her leg began to bounce with anxiety. Fearful of what was going to happen to them, and what was going to happen to John B. 

Wordlessly, JJ reached out and placed a hand on her knee, signalling to her that it was going to be okay. 

Looking over at him, Charlotte gave him a small smile. She truly wasn't sure what she would have done without him, what any of them would have done without him. 

Thunder cracked from overhead, an indicator of the storm that was rolling in. 

All of this started with a hurricane, it seemed that it was only appropriate that it ended the same way. 

A sudden commotion caused all of them to turn toward the water in terror. 

"We think we got them!" Someone yelled, their words instantly sending Charlotte's heart into her stomach. 

Them...Sarah was with him.

Without thinking, she stood, trying to make her way toward the water. 

The SBI agent stepped into her path. "I can't let you go out there."

The rain was pouring down in harsh drones at this point. They could barely even see outside...there was no way John B and Sarah were safe out there.

"Just tell us if they're alright!" She pleaded, tears of frustration brimming her eyes. "Tell us what's going on!"

The agent looked genuinely sorry as he shook his head. "I can't do that right now."

"Damnit." Charlotte cried, running her hands through her hair. The waiting game was the worst game to ever be played. 

With each passing second, it felt like weight on her chest grew heavier and heavier. She knew the others were feeling the same way. 

Finally, Shoupe and a few of his officers entered the tent, somber looks covering their faces. 

"Did you find them?" Pope instantly demanded, all four of them on their feet. 

Shoupe gave a small shake of his head. "No."

Kiara's face lit up with hope. "So they got away."

Refusing to meet their eyes for a moment, Shoupe let out a small breath. "We uh─we lost them. I'm sorry."

"You lost them?" Charlotte shot back. "What do you mean you lost them?"

"They took an open boat into a tropical depression, Charlotte." Shoupe responded, his own voice tight and remorseful.

Kiara had tears pooling in her eyes as she spoke. "So they're dead?"

"We don't know."

Everything they had worked for, everything they had done, it was all for nothing. It was all for nothing because two of their best friends had just died. Nothing mattered anymore. Not a fucking thing.

"You drove them straight through the storm, man!" JJ yelled, his voice breaking. "Are you kidding me! I'm gonna kill you, you bastard!" He had grabbed onto Shoupe, angrily shaking him around. 

"JJ!" Charlotte screamed. "Stop!"

One of the other officers managed to pull him away, but his yells didn't stop. 

"He didn't kill anyone and you know it!" Pope snapped at Shoupe, his own eyes glassy. "You know it."

Charlotte's lip quivered, her whole world feeling like it was caving in as Kiara grabbed onto her, directing her attention to the entrance of the tent. 

Anna and Mike Carrera came in with the rain, their eyes instantly landing on their two daughters. 

As much as she liked to think that she was independent, what Charlotte needed most right now, was a hug from her mom and dad. 

Her and Kiara were instantly enveloped into their arms, and by then the tears were rolling at full force. 

Charlotte had entered this summer looking for something new. She had found it with the Pogues. She found what made her the most happy─them, all of them. 

She had never been more herself than she had been this entire summer. 

But she never expected it to end with so much pain. 

Two kids who meant the world to her were dead. 

And Ward and Rafe Cameron were the reason for that.

─☼☼☼─