(chapter twenty seven)

Rafe was called back home by Ward that morning, so he had to pick his shirt up, not really wanting to leave Clara at the moment.

"Don't keep your father waiting, my love," she had said, cupping his cheek then pressing a slow kiss on his lips, where Rafe couldn't help but melt on.

"Call me for anything," Rafe said when he pulled away, his hands gripping her waist, the other hand falling on the side of her neck, his thumb tilting her head up a little. "Anything, you hear me?"

"I know," she said it back, as Rafe pressed another kiss to her lips, then to her forehead and left the house.

While Clara had yet again skipped a day of school, she went to the Heywards a lot earlier, Bobby giving her a wave as she passed.

"Don't you have school?" He asked as he put the fish on the freezer behind her as Clara separated the ingredients she would use for the dough.

"The teachers let us go earlier, I don't really know," she came up with a quick excuse, as the man nodded. It's not like he would know, Pope was back at Kildare High.

"What are you planning for today?"

"There's a brazilian recipe that my grandma used to make, they are pretty much cheese balls? I don't know the actual name..." Clara frowned for a second in thought, as the man stared at her. "I guess we gonna have to try it out."

"Sounds good to me, call me if you need anything," he agreed, watching the girl put the already made bread dough on the oven.

And that was pretty much what she did for the whole morning, a nice small part of her day. She didn't want to face all of her problems yet, she wanted to just avoid it while she could.

Clara was ignorant to everything that was happening on the island. She didn't know that Rafe was thrown over the glass table of the cabinet of his father's meeting room, nor she knew about Ward and Rose attending a audience where John B, Sarah and the rest of the pogues were on.

Clara had no idea John B was in prison, and while it was on her on not checking her phone or watching the news, no one bothered to tell.

She was just cleaning the counters with a happy face when the smell of the cheese balls on the oven hit her nose. Pão de queijo, she reminded the name. They were one of the best things her grandmother ever cooked.

After Mr Heyward tell her to go back home, she just grabbed her bike, pedalling to the beach, her mind going to the fact that Richard had left her surfboard on the living room of her grandmother's — her house. Clara had yet to get used to this too.

The sun was setting on the horizon, and she asked herself when was the last time she actually enjoy watching it. She had spent so many times thinking that she wanted to just disappear on the waves that she wasn't paying attention to the beautiful way that the sky was melting on different colors, the way the stars were shining so bright even when the sun wasn't totally out.

Yes, of course if she could she would rewind back, avoid all of this, but it needed to happen.

And of course she missed her best friend so much. It wasn't fair what happened to Sarah, she was the one that wanted to live her life the fullest, and she couldn't anymore.

So Clara decided she had to live for her.

Maybe this was the first time Clara felt like she truly wanted to live. She had to go through the worst so that she could feel alive again, how ironic was that.

Her phone vibrated on her pocket, and she saw Topper's contact name lit up on her phone.

Top:
Hey, can you come to my house? Theres something you might need to see

Clara grimaced at that, shaking off the sand from her body when she got up, then grabbing the blue bike. Some people gave her waves as she passed with a tight smile between them while she was getting out of the beach.

Topper's house wasn't that far, even if it was on Figure 8, so Clara could only enjoy the wind blowing on her face as she pedalled between the — now a lot more cleaned — streets.

Getting out of the bike and moving it to hid it between the bushes in case of anyone wanting to temper with it, she got her phone out of the pocket. Topper only told her to go to the back and go to the pool house. She made a face but followed what he said.

The boy stepped out of the room, the door half closed behind him as she walked up the stairs for it. "Hey, sorry for the out of nowhere text."

"It's fine, I wasn't doing much anyway," she shurgged, crossing her arms. "What do you wanna show me?"

Topper scratched his head as he looked at the small girl besides him as he tried to think what was the best way to deliver the information, and opted that just ripping off the band-aid would be better.

"Sarah's inside, and she really needs you right now," he blurted out, observing the girl trying to digest what he had just said.

Her mouth opened a little as her brows furrowed. "Sarah's inside- Sarah is alive?"

Her voice broke when she said the first frase, but Topper only nodded. "Yeah, but I need to tell you what happened-"

Clara pushed the boy out of her way, opening the door as fast as she could almost in auto pilot. Her brown eyes scanned the room, and she saw the complete mess of blonde hair wet all over the place, a towel around herself.

Sarah stared at her back as she felt her eyes watered at seeing the girl, while Clara stood frozen staring back at her, as she was trying to convince herself that it was real. She was really there.

And then Clara smiled, a breath of relief leaving her mouth as she walked fowards, her arms a little out stretched as Sarah didn't waste a second in slamming her body against the older girl's.

Clara hold her so tight, her hands going to the back of her head and around her waist. The brown haired girl felt like home for the first time since Sarah was back, as he inhaled the nice scent of peaches of her hair.

Oh how much Sarah missed her smell, her hugs, Clara overall. She got more comfortable on the hug as Clara pulled her closer. Sarah's heart racing again like it never stopped.

Then Clara pulled back, her hand finding it's place on Sarah's cheek while her brown eyes scanned the girl for anything. The dirty blonde girl felt so cold, so frail under her touch, but Sarah couldn't help but lean on the touch of the warm hand.

"Hi," Sarah breathed out, and Clara smiled once more, her thumb caressing the younger girl's cheek.

"Hi," she answered, eyes so soft at having her best friend back in her arms. "How did you... how are you here?"

"I have so, so much to tell you," the Cameron said with a frown. "I'm sorry for leaving, I promised I wouldn't-"

"It's okay," Clara nodded, tears shining in her eyes, but a smile not leaving her face. "It's okay, you're here now."

Sarah licked her chapped lips as she started talking, closing her eyes as she felt Clara's fingers graze on the sunburnt skin of her forehead and then nose. Her voice failed her a few times, feeling the bed dripping from her side when Clara sat down.

The conversation stopped when Topper got inside the room again, a change of clothes to both Sarah and Clara. "I know there's no undergarments or things, but-"

"That's great, Top, thank you," Clara reassured, seeing the boy nod, hesitating on the door once more, but his eyes locked on the little anxious Sarah that was still holding the girl's hand.

"Call me if you need anything else, I'll call in for food, okay?" And they nodded in agreement, the boy leaving once more.

"Can you help me with the shirt? It's a little difficult-" Sarah said, seeing Clara furrow her eyebrows, but moving to help. As she pulled the shirt off she saw the little bloodied bandage over her stomach, her mouth hanging.

"Sarah, what happened?" Clara was quick to discharge the still wet shirt on the floor beside the bed as her hand went to the girl's belly. "Are you hurt?"

"Yeah, uhm..." Sarah felt nervous in telling her that, but she needed to, to protect Clara. "Rafe shot me."

The Campbell girl blinked, a shocked expression still on her face as she processed the words. No, not Rafe? He would've told her, right?

But then again, why would Sarah lie? She was right when she said that John B didn't do it, and Rafe did.

"What?" It was the only thing she could ask, as Sarah played with her hands, eyes going back to the brown ones of the older girl.

"John B and I were trying to get the gold back on this heist type of way, and Rafe shot me," she stated again, analyzing the expression on Clara's face, but it was so empty of emotion she felt herself gulping. "John B told me- I died, Lars."

Clara looked back and forth between the younger girl's eyes, seeing them so broken, and she could see how much it hurt for her to do it.

"And he got Wheezie's phone and pretend he was her, then he tried to do what he didn't finish-" Sarah started to ramble, her words caught in between her stuffed nose and cries as she was seinging her hands around. "He tried to drown me- Topper..."

And it clicked for her. That's why he was so worried, why she was completely wet from head to toe, the scared look on her face when the door opened.

"Why would- Why would he do that?"

Sarah sniffed, trying to clean away her tears as she took another intake of air. "Because I'm the only one that can testify that he shot Peterkin-"

"He told me it was self defense," Clara interrupted, but Sarah snorted, shaking her head.

"It wasn't self defense, Clara! He shot her in cold blood because she was going to arrest my father! Ward killed Big John, and apparently now Garry too," Sarah said it loudly, making the girl look down at her own hands as she processed the whole information. "He shot me- he tried to drown me. You have to believe me, Clara."

Tears were rolling down Sarah's cheeks as she put her hand over her mouth. "And now John B's in jail for something they did- Please, Clara, you have to believe me!"

It was too much. One thing was Rafe show her how much he regretted, cried in her arms, telling her he had no other choice. Now he killed with cold blood, tried to kill Sarah, not once but twice. Ward had killed two people, and maybe even more, it was just too much.

And it didn't help that she was also there covering it up for him all along the way, kissing away his tears. Were they fake? He knew all along Sarah was alive, why didn't he told her?

Clara pushed her hair away from her face as her hands pressed over her face as she thought.

Sarah had no reason to lie, it did make sense, and fuck, Topper could tell her it was true, he was the one who saved her.

But it was Rafe, her boyfriend Rafe. Her first everything, and it hurt to think that maybe she didn't know the real Rafe Cameron.

"I believe you, Sar," Clara said after a few moments, as the girl was hugging herself, as Clara rested her hands on her upper arms. "Fuck, of course I believe you."

"I'm sorry-" Sarah tried to say, but Clara shushed her, putting her hand on the side of her face again.

"Let's get you and the stitches cleaned up, okay?" She said, biting back her own tears. It wasn't about her right now, it was about Sarah, and she needed the most. "I know they have a first kit aid here, Mrs Thornton had them check up every week. You know, doctors."

The older girl gave Sarah an exhagerrated eyeroll as she went around the wardrobe, seeing the girl let out a smile. A small convinced smile came over her face when she found the small bag, walking back to the dirty blonde.

"Lay down for me?" She asked as Sarah did what she said. Carefully Clara took off the bandage, and the four stitches on the little bloodied skin made her hold back a grimace. "It's gonna sting, okay, babe?"

And Sarah closed her eyes, preparing herself as she clenched her jaw when the alcohol touched the gunshot, even if Clara was very gentle, then she gave a small hum when she put a new bandage.

After the two changed and eat — after Topper drop out the two burgers — Sarah was still holding into the girl's hand, not wanting her to leave. The younger Cameron had saw it first hand how shitty was the life without Clara Campbell, and she didn't want to experience it anymore.

"Stay?" Sarah asked, seeing Clara nod, climb back onto the bed and lay on the mattress besides her, as the younger girl scooted over a little bit. "Can you hold me, please?"

Clara smiled a little, opening her arms as Sarah wrapped her own againt the girl's torso, head resting on the clothes shoulderblades. "You don't have to ask."

And Sarah felt safe for the first time in the last two weeks, within Clara's arms, where she could always let her guards down. She smiled to herself when she felt the girl's hands starting to play with her hair and then up and down her back.

Sarah Cameron definitely missed that.

++++

Clara slept so little that night, but she held Sarah for all of it. It was fast for the blonde's body to melt and she fell into a deep slumber, while the only thing that the older girl could notice was the breathing patterns, slow and steady. Alive.

She didn't know what to think. It was like she was just now discovering a whole new side of Rafe, and even though she loved him there was some things that she couldn't accept. He lied to her, more than once. He tried to kill Sarah-

Oh my Gods, she loved him.

She swallowed dry as her hands stopped, her eyes locked on the ceiling. Why now, why now? Everything was starting to come together, why now?

Her hand went to the necklace around her neck as she held the pendent while she stared at the sky full of stars turn into morning. Carefully she moved Sarah to the side, getting up to splash water on her face as she gripped the sink. Clara didn't look okay.

She heard the soft voice of Topper and then Sarah, so she just opened the door, seeing the boy a little emotional as he put on the bed a tray of food.

"Sarah, I thought you were..." he interrupted himself, and Clara stared at that the two with her arm against the doorframe. "I thought I'd never see you again. It's so good to see you, and I'm glad you're okay."

He sniffled, and Clara smiled, just like Sarah who just put her hand over the boy's. Topper was still so in love with Sarah, but everyone around the dirty blonde girl missed her so dearly.

"Aw, how cute, Top." Clara finally said, seeing the boy clean his teary eyes as Sarah gave her a warm smile.

Clara wrapped one arm around his shoulder as a side hug where he also hugged her back with one arm, she messed his hair while he rolled his eyes.

"You're so annoying," he complained with a small laugh, and Sarah smiled even more in seeing the two getting along so great. Sarah was grateful that Clara had him while she was gone.

"Oh, food!" Clara sat down besides Sarah, resting her head on the girl's shoulders as she took a sandwich triangle.

"Well, yeah, you two eat up, okay? I'm gonna get the Malibu ready," he said, and the two nodded, the younger girl resting her head on Clara's.

"Can you drop me off at the Heywards? My shift is gonna start soon." The brown haired girl asked, and Topper just nodded.

"Of course, but I'll want a chocolate croassaint after," he mocked at the door.

"I'm sure you do, wouldn't expect any less."

When he closed the door Sarah turned to the girl, a confused yet amused smile on her face. "You're getting along."

"A lot has happened, Sar. But I'm still not really ready to talk about it, okay?" She tried, and the blonde girl just nodded understanding. "You will be the first to know, I promise you."

"You better."

After that, Clara gave Sarah one more kiss to the forehead as she walked up the dock for the fishshop, where Bobby was getting the ice from the truck.

"Look who it is, my best employee," he said as she just smiled at him, grabbing the apron as starting to knot it.

"What do you want me to do today?" She asked, resting her hands on the counter as the man dropped the ice bags on the floor.

"The costumers loved the cheese balls yesterday, maybe that and fish balls? Aside from the normal bread," and Clara nodded, starting to grab the ingredients.

And like always, it was a normal day, and she tried to keep her mind of what Sarah said the day before. She was happy that the girl was back, but the thoughts of Rafe doing all those things kept her mood a little sour.

Clara had just finished cleaning the dishes when she heard a yelp from outside, her whole body turning so she could see. There was this guy, a completely tall one for that matter, with his knee pressed on Bobby's neck.

The girl clenched her jaw, hand gripping the big tray in her hands as she walked up to the man, swing it with force against his head.

He groaned as he dropped Mr Heyward, head turning in anger as he started marching on Clara's direction, the girl gripping the tray once more as she was ready to smack the man again with it.

However he was much taller and stronger than her, so he pulled the metallic tray and threw it to the other side, his hands grabbing the Topper's shirt she was wearing, hand clenching on the side. Clara stared directly in his eyes, a brave persona she never had before taking over.

"Do it, bitch," she said through gritted teeth and he was ready to hit her face with a punch when a woman's voice stopped him.

"Don't, Renfield. She's too important," the blonde woman in crutches said, and the man dropped her to the floor.

Clara felt her back and head burning as the man tsked at her, turning back to the Heyward one more time with a look, then the two left the shop. The girl managed to get up with a lot of pain as she walked to the older man, Guff appearing on the door with a heavy breath as he ran there.

"What the hell happened?"

And Clara explained, a pained expression in her face. Guff called JJ sincr he couldn't reach Pope, and now long after that the Scooby Doo gang showed up.

"Clara, oh my God," Sarah ran to her side, eyes locked on the blood in her clothes, but the girl just shook her head.

"It's not mine, it's Mr Heywards," she explained, the ice pack that Guff gave her still pressed on the back of her head. "There's a kit-"

The dirty blonde girl gave Clara a once over, but nodded as she grabbed the aid kit behind the counter, going to clean the cut from Bobby's forehead. "Let me know if I'm hurting you."

"You're doing fine," the man groaned as she put a bandaid. "Thank you, darlin'."

Clara looked up again, seeing JJ standing in fromt of her, eyes worried as he kneeled in front of her with a wet hand towel. "Are you okay?"

"As okay as I can be from being thrown on the ground, I guess," she said it back, seeing the boy open his hand so he could take hers to help to clean the blood mess. "Thank you."

JJ smirked, eyes still scrubbing the blood as Clara looked up, Pope pacing besides his father and Kiara and John B by the side. The older girl gave the boy a warm smile.

"Good to see you in one piece, JB." She said, and the boy gave her a small smile back.

Sarah had told the pogues she had told everything to Clara. At first he was a little hesitant, but the girl had no reason — aside from being Rafe's girlfriend, in which Sarah had told her everything her brother did — to actually be in the middle of their treasure hunt.

Also, the Cameron girl wanted her to be a part of it, giving a justification that Clara was very prone to know old historical facts — John B remembered reading her essay on his father's office — and that she would be of great help.

That was still a matter to be decided on, even if JJ had agreed with Sarah.

"Good to see you too, Clara." 

"Pop, what happened?" Pope asked the man, the worried look never leaving his face.

"Oh, I should've known better. He came in just as I was about to lock up, caught me by surprise," he explained, extending his hand so he could point it out where he was before. "Once he had me down, he put his knee in my chest and he asked me about that... that key from that drawing you showed me. And in case you're wondering, I ain't tell him nothing."

The man then looked at a eyebrow furrowed Clara. "She came here marching like a mad woman, hitting straight to the head. Never saw someone using a baking tray."

Sarah smiled, wrapping her two arms around the girl's shoulder and pulling her closer, JJ and Kiara smirking at the thought.

"But did you track it down?" And when the Heyward asked that, Pope pulled out a gold key from his pocket, a red string following along as he handed that to his father.

"I found it in Mee-maw's old apartment above the farmacy just like you said."

"Shit, boy, you should've gave this to me. I wouldn't have had to take a beating," the man tried to joke, but everyone kept a serious face. "What's the big deal? It ain't worth anything. Why they want it so bad?"

"I don't know. First I get this letter telling me that I need to go to Charleston. And then I meet a rich lady who want me to give her a key that I didn't even know it was in my family." Pope stressed out, so that Kiara could comment in.

"None of it makes any sense."

"Well, don't y'all just sit here whining about it. Figure it out!" Bobby told his son and his friends, but Pope shook his head.

"No. I'm just gonna give the key to that lady. It's not worth-"

"No, no, no. Did I raise you to back down a fight, boy?" The man interrputed, staring straight to his son's eyes.

"No, sir."

"Well, all right. Now, I didn't think about it before. I admit that, but now..." he pointed at his own head, then to the girl to the side. "Now? I'm interested. Well, did they say why they wanted it?"

"Something about an old cross. I think it might be a lost treasure." And as Pope said that, Clara's head shot up from her interest in the towel in her hands, eyes fitting the boy now much more interested in the conversation.

The action didn't go unnoticed by the Scooby gang, as they shared looks that they all understood. Clara knew what cross they were talking about. And they needed every single information they could get.

"You know who you should talk to? You're greath-grandmother, Mee-maw."

"Yeah, I'll talk to her," Pope agreed, getting up and helping his own father up too.

"Can we drop Clara back to her house?" Sarah asked John B, who just shrugged and nodded.

The Maybell crumbs-

And Sarah and Clara, ugh they are my lovelies.

POGUE ERA POGUE ERA

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