CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.
1 step forward, 3 steps back

THE ROYAL MERCHANT seemed to leave a trail of bodies in the aftermath of its devastating end when it sunk to the bottom of the ocean, many individuals dying to get their hands on the fortune that went down with it: John Routledge, Riley Van Kirk, Scooter Grubbs, the Square Groupers, and even Sheriff Susan Peterkin ( the woman was nothing more than collateral damage, but she still suffered the consequences, like everyone else before her ), each of them meeting their bitter end, all for an ancient island mystery and the treasure buried underneath it.

The one they all had it common was that they didn't ask for death to wrap his hand around their throats and steal the air from their lungs, and their souls from within, a dark bank of clouds and an overcast of shadows hanging over them until they were nothing more than ghosts. Before that they were all unwilling victims to a rich man's vendetta, his desire to secure his own fortune outweighing his morals until they became nonexistent in his eyes and even the eyes of others. Except everyone was so blinded by his charming facade and his seemingly good heart to realise their was a monster living amongst the residents of Outer Banks.

     It was a harsh reality, but it was the truth because Ward Cameron may have acted like a distinguished gentleman — a family man with kind features and a warm soul, who would offer a helping hand to those in need. But all of that was a ploy to cover up the fact that he was a stone cold killer. Ward Cameron was death himself, wreaking havoc on the lives of people who he saw as a threat until they were nothing more than a corpse, a lifeless body of the person they once was before their untimely demise. The worse part in all this wasn't just the long list of deaths caused by Ward, it was that now, his own son seemed to be following in his footsteps.

     That was the other thing all these victims had in common: they all died at the hands of a Cameron. And Nova Van Kirk would do anything in her power to prove Ward Cameron and Rafe Cameron were guilty.

     However, going up against one of the most respected families in all of the Outer Banks was deemed harder than Nova had originally anticipated. After escaping from the cops, who were now after John B since Ward framed him for a murder he didn't commit, it didn't take long for a wild hunt of well decorated officers to stretch out across the entire island, searching through every inch, corner and crevice for the teenage fugitive. It sent the group into hiding, knowing it was best to avoid the cops until they could come up with a plan to keep John B out of jail and prove he didn't kill Sheriff Peterkin.

     If only it was that easy.

     Nova rested her head against the backseat of Kiara's car, the vehicle parked underneath an old, abandoned shack covers in vines and green leaves, keeping them off the grid for the time being. But despite being out of the woods for now, it didn't mean they were remotely calm about the situation at hand. In fact, Nova didn't sleep a wink throughout the long night, and whenever the girl found herself drifting off into a deep slumber, her crippling paranoia and spine tingling trepidation would get the better of her and shoot the girl awake all over again.

     Nova repeated that process all through the nice until the next day, which brings them to present time. Nova was sat beside Juno in the back seat, a quiet sigh leaving her lips as the group listened to the radio playing in the car, the broadcast and the continuous static being the only thing the girl could hear, the sound drowning out the silence. Despite the broadcast being nothing more than daily updates about the loss of power in Outer Banks and the weather ( a total snoozefest, may she add ) it was better than being trapped with her dark thoughts. It even took her mind off of everything going on right now.

"—Good news for residents of Outer Banks. Dominion Power says their underwater transmission line, which will restore power to ninety percent of the area should be functional within twenty four hours." The broadcaster informed. At least they got some sort of good news, Nova thought to herself.

Suddenly, the blaring sound of sirens echoed sharply through the air, causing for Nova to sink further down into her seat as a set of police cars drove past. Nova even caught a small glimpse of the red and blue lights that flashed as they drove by. The sight of the familiar cars were enough to ignite a spark of fear in the girl, scared that they would get caught underneath the abandoned shack, but her worries soon faded away when the sirens faded, the radio drowning out the noise.

"—And still no arrest in the shooting death of Sheriff Susan Peterkin." The broadcaster on the radio added, the mention of Peterkin's name being enough to make Nova tense up. "The state police have issued a statement regarding a local person of interest, a juvenile from—"

Silence soon flooded the car when Kiara reached over and switched off the radio. This caused for Nova to let out a sigh filled with frustration. Between the death of Susan Peterkin and John B being on the hook for a murder he didn't even commit in the first place, Nova and her friends hadn't even found a moment of peace. And despite the fact that they had laid low for a while without getting caught, the broadcaster on the radio was a reminder that John B wasn't safe.

"Let's game this out." JJ piped up, his familiar voice being enough to make Nova lift her gaze to look over at JJ and John B, who were sat in the seats in front of her and Juno. "Maybe you guys can help, being the smart ones and all, but who are the cops going to believe? Ward Cameron or us?" He questioned rhetorically, the rest of them already knowing the answer to that question.

"So the accuser is a big shot developer, kind of lord of the island, got the Governor on speed dial kind of person, and the accused...is John B." JJ then paused, the boy letting out a quiet sigh. "Who is pretty much a homeless sixteen year old boy at the moment."

John B hummed in response to JJ's statement, sparing his friend and agitated glance. "Thanks." He replied.

"I knew you should have stayed with the rest of us instead of trying to play hero for Sarah Cameron." Juno mused, earning a disapproving look from Nova in response to her words. Her friend did have the worse timing when it came to being her usual quirky self.

"Thanks..." John B trailed off for a moment, a frown washing over his face. "I guess." He added, his voice barely above a whisper.

Shortly after John B had spoken, JJ propped himself up onto his side and glanced over at the boy laying beside him, a serious look plastered across his face. "Yucatan, all right?" He suggested, earning an eye roll from Nova as he continued to speak. "I'm saying that's the only option. What other options do you have?" He pressed further, sounding sure that there was no other option left for John B, especially on an island crawling with cops who wanted to lock him up for a crime he didn't even commit.

"Enough with the Mexico bullshit." John B deadpanned, shooting his friend a look, before he shrugged his shoulders. "Sarah will bail me out."

"She did witness the whole thing." Kiara nodded her head in agreement, and Nova just so happened to do the same.

Nova Van Kirk had known Sarah Cameron for a long time and if there was one thing she knew for sure, it was that despite the girl having undying loyalty for her family, at the end of the day, she would always do the right thing. Sarah was her best friend and she wouldn't let Rafe get away with killing someone Nova cared about immensely. She had full faith that Sarah would come through with the truth in the end. It might hurt at first. Putting her own brother in jail would never be easy, but Nova knew it was easily something Sarah Cameron could overcome. She just had to.

However, Pope simply scoffed in response and shook his head. "And she's gonna snitch on her brother?" He inquired, knowing it may be unlikely that Sarah turns her back on her own family.

"Can you guys stop acting like Sarah would easily betray us like that?" Nova spoke up, arguing against the narrative that Sarah would fuck them over. "She'll do the right thing. I know she will."

Juno nodded her head in agreement with the blonde. "Nova's right. We've both known Sarah for a long time, and as much as she loves her family, she wouldn't fuck us over. Just give it time." She elaborated further, hoping the rest of them would believe what her and Nova already knew about the Cameron girl.

But, of course, there was always someone who would cast their doubts on the situation. "Not happening, bro. Okay?" JJ retorted, his eyes focused on John B for a moment whilst he continued to speak. "We've gotta get you off the island." He added, the urgency to get John B out of uncharted territory becoming more dire than ever.

"The ferry." Pope states. "It's the only way."

"Yeah, exit left while you still can." JJ instructed, agreeing with Pope's plan. "Before the entire island is on lockdown."

"Guys, just get down." Kiara told them in the form of a whisper, causing for Nova to sink further down into her seat as another set of police cars drove their way past them.

     Once they knew there wasn't a single police car in sight, they all sat back up once again, everyone except John B, who stared out of the window in silence. It was clear he felt hurt by the possibility that Sarah might not save him from spending the rest of his life in a prison cell. Nova even felt pity for the boy. All he wanted was to find the Royal Merchant gold, but instead, he lost the gold and is now a fugitive. It was a dramatic change of events, Nova thought quietly to herself.

     "Sarah's not a Pogue, John B." Pope informed him.

     "Yeah. You can't stay here, man." JJ added.

     "Okay, geniuses. What happens after we get John B onto a ferry?" Juno piped up, her question making JJ turn around and glance at the girl sitting in the seat beside him. "Because how I see it, the easy part is getting John B off the island and onto the mainland. But when the cops realise he's no longer here, they're going to send an alert to the station on the mainland. Sheriff Peterkin was killed. They're not gonna give up easily." She explained.

Kiara frowned in response to her girlfriend's words. "So, you're saying we have to get John B out of the state?" She asked.

"Well, how do you suggest we do that, Einstein?" JJ queried, raising a brow in the process.

And that was when Nova realised what they had to do. It was almost like a lightbulb had just switched on right above her head, a plan piecing itself together in the back of her mind, her eyes widening in surprise, one word lingering on the tip of her tongue, "Malibu."

"What?" Pope and John B replied in unison with each other.

"Malibu." Nova repeated, a ghost of a smile forming across her lips.

JJ sighed and shot the girl a frustrated look. "Okay, Nova. This isn't the time for you to start planning your next vacation." He reminded the girl, stating the obvious. This caused for Nova to roll her eyes in response to the boy's statement.

"Not for a vacation, you idiot." Nova retorted, before she turned her head to the side, her ocean, blue eyes locking with Juno's dark brown ones, her smile only becoming more visible to the naked eye. "My aunt. She could help us." She told the girl, knowing it was a huge possibility that they might have an ally on the outside of the island.

Juno smiled back at the blonde when she realised what she was hinting towards. "She might have a point, you guys." She agreed.

"Well, do you girls care to explain the life changing plan that could save my ass." John B pressed, both girls catching his full attention, especially when it came to a potential full proof plan.

"Look, my aunt lives in Malibu. I can book you a plane ticket, call her and just explain the situation, and then she'll meet you at the airport in Malibu." Nova explained, pausing for a moment whilst she looked at her friends with a twinkle of sweet victory glimmering in her eyes. "She can help us, you guys." She reassured them.

     Pope sighed quietly. Nova could tell the boy already had his doubts. "Would your aunt even do that for us? I mean, she most likely a rich Kook who practically despises people like us." He reminded Nova, stating the incredibly obvious stereotypes when it comes to Kooks in Outer Banks. However, Nova knew he wasn't wrong either. Most Kooks were incredibly selfish and self absorbed.

     "Trust me, my aunt will help us." Nova laughed, speaking with confidence. "She's practically the black sheep of the family and hates this place. She literally moved to Malibu because she hated the classism in this hellhole. Besides, she hates the Cameron's, so all I have to do is explain the situation and she'll be on board with the plan. Anything to see Ward Cameron get the karma she feels like he deserves."

     "Okay, even if that was true, there's still one problem..." John B trailed off, pausing for a swift moment as he let out a heavy sigh. "I don't have a passport."

     Nova inhaled sharply, a quick thought crossing her mind, the girl letting out an audible wince at the mere thought, before she took out her phone and switched the device on, tapping her finger against the screen a few times, before she lifted the device to her ear. This caused for the group to stare at the girl, each of them wondering what she must have shoved up her sleeve that required her to make a seemingly important phone call. They all knew they would get their answer sooner than expected.

     And after a few more rings, the person on the other end answered the call, allowing Nova to speak, forcing a perky smile across her lips. "Hi, this is Penelope Wright, Ethan Van Kirk's assistant. I'm doing great. How are you?" She spoke in a cheery voice, earning a series of confused looks from her friends in response.

     "What are you—" JJ attempted to say, but Nova was quick to hold her hand up to his face, cutting the boy off.

     "Yes, I am calling for something important." Nova nodded her head, pausing for a moment, whilst she listened to the man on the other end of the call, before she parted her lips to speak once again. "Mr Van Kirk has requested that the private jet is fuelled up and ready to go to Malibu by tomorrow afternoon." She informed, nodding once again. "Yes, hang on, let me ask him."

     Nova pulled the phone away from her ear and muted her end of the call, before she lifted her gaze to stare at John B. "Do you have any special requests? Any special snacks, drinks—"

     "Nova!" The entire group yelled at her, shooting the blonde a disapproving look.

     "Okay, okay. Jeez, I was only asking." Nova argued back, before she took herself off mute and placed the device against her ear again. "No, he only expects the usual, and I should also mention that Mr Van Kirk is setting this flight up for a friend of his daughter's. He's tall with dark hair. You can't miss him. His name is John B Routledge." She explained, rolling her eyes whilst the man on the other end of the call listed what she had already told him. "Yes, that will be all. Thank you," Was all the girl said before hanging up the call.

     Nova let out a sigh and smiled at John B. "You have to be at the airport tomorrow by one in the afternoon. A guy will be waiting for you by the entrance with a name card. Then he'll escort you to the jet and you'll be on your way in no time." She explained to the boy.

     "Thanks, Nova." John B replied, smiling back at the girl.

     "Damn..." JJ muttered under his breath. "I didn't know your family owned a private jet."

     "I'm a woman of mystery, JJ Maybank." Nova then paused, shoving her phone back into her pocket, before she decided to speak again. "Okay, so, you guys drop me off at my place and I'll take care of a few more things whilst you go and get John B a ticket for the ferry."

     The group looked around at each other, smiles forming across their lips. "Let's do this." Kiara said, before switching on the engine to the car, their plan finally coming together. And maybe, just maybe, things were going their way for once.

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     When Nova Van Kirk stepped inside her home, the girl closing the door shut behind her, there was an uncomfortable and eery silence that left a feeling of uncertainty in the pit of her stomach. She expected her parents to be home, especially after the sudden news of Peterkin's death that had spread through the island like wildfire. But when she came back to an empty house, Nova was surprised, but also relieved. It gave the girl the opportunity to phone her aunt and explain the situation. Furthermore, she knew John B would need some extra cash to get him by, and it wouldn't exactly be considered good if her father caught her stealing money.

Nova ventured further into her home, her bright, blue eyes analysing her surroundings carefully whilst she made her way closer to her father's study. However, before she could even grab the key hidden underneath an old ornament, she felt an arm snake around her body. This caused for Nova to let out a quiet scream. Nova was then turned around and shoved against the wall behind her, the girl coming face to face with the last person she expected to see.

"Rafe?" Nova gasped, fear pumping through her bloodstream when she locked eyes with his cold and callous ones, her blood running cold and her bones turning into ice. "What the hell?" She cursed, raising her voice at him, but Rafe simply pressed his finger to his lips to silence the girl. "What the hell are you doing in my house? Get out." She ordered, not wanting to hear anything the boy had to say.

    "I knew you would come back eventually." Rafe told the girl, his voice shaky whilst he spoke. Nova could see he seemed slightly unhinged. There were beads of sweat coating his forehead, his frantic eyes staring into her own, a look filled with paranoia swirling around in his serpent eyes. "I needed to talk to you about what happened at the runway. I know your new friends must have told you by now." He added, rushing his words.

     The sight of the boy was enough to make Nova's blood boil. He wasn't here for any other reason than to try and justify what he did to Peterkin. He would come up with some story to show he was the hero in all of this and it was just a misunderstanding, that he was the good guy and not some egotistical, psychotic villain. Truth is, he killed Peterkin. He hurt Nova all over again without even trying, and him being here now, trying to tell the narrative of the story as he saw fit to make him appear as if he was the good guy, was hurting her more than he probably realised.

     "I don't want to hear it, Rafe." Nova replied, a shaky breath escaping past her lips. Nova tried everything she could to hide the fear that she felt, but it was no use because Nova was fucking terrified right now. "Now get out of my house." She repeated, pushing herself away from the wall and making her way towards the front door to let Rafe out.

Rafe bit down on the inside of his cheek as a form of frustration, the boy rubbing his hand over his face, before he chased after Nova, reaching out for her and wrapping his strong grip around her wrist, turning the girl around to face him. "I just need you to hear me out—"

"You murdered Sheriff Peterkin!" Nova snapped at the boy, her harsh and vigorous tone surprising Rafe at first. "You killed her and now you're seriously going to try and stand here and justify it?" She questioned, tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

Rafe shook his head frantically, almost like Nova had struck a nerve. "I did what I had to do. She was going to kill my dad." He retorted.

"No, she was there to arrest your dad for killing John Routledge." Nova corrected him, her words being enough to make Rafe bawl his hands into tight fists, the boy seething with anger whilst Nova continued to speak, her eyes narrowing into a sharp glare. "Like father, like son." She spat, her harsh words being enough to get underneath Rafe's skin.

     "Don't say that." He snapped back at the girl, shaking his head. "My dad isn't a killer, and neither am I."

     Nova couldn't help but scoff in response to the boy's words filled with denial, running a hand frustratedly through her blonde locks. "You keep telling yourself that, but how I see it, you killed Peterkin — the woman who was there for me more than anyone else when Riley died, and you took her away from me. The worse part is that you haven't even bothered to say sorry. You just stand there and tell me lies to make yourself seem innocent when in reality, you're a murderer." She explained, trying to remain fearless in a time when she was more scared.

"Nova, I—" Rafe cut himself off when he saw Nova back away from him, almost like she was cowering away in fear when he tried to approach her. "You're scared of me?" He inquired, furrowing his brows together in confusion. "Nova, I would never hurt you." He reassured the girl.

"I don't believe that." She replied, the tears in her eyes becoming more visible to the naked eye. She knew Rafe didn't have the best track history when it came to their relationship. He never had a violent outburst. But there were times when he would get so frustrated at the girl, he would grab her wrists a little too tight and wouldn't release her until she cried out for him to stop. So, if Rafe promised he wouldn't hurt her, Nova didn't know if she could believe him.

"Nova, I know I've done terrible things, and I'm sorry for what happened to Peterkin, but I had no other choice..." Rafe trailed off as he began to approach Nova, his desperate eyes burning right into her soul, before he reached out and caressed the girl's face with his hands, bringing her closer to him. "I need you to believe me when I say that it was either her or my dad. I need you to understand that despite all the ugly things I've done, it was all for a good reason, and once John B is locked up we can move on and start fresh. I'll do better, I'll be a better guy — the good guy because I love you, Nova."

The second those words left Rafe Cameron's lips, Nova felt herself shudder, a shaky breath leaving her lips in the process. "I think I'm gonna be sick." She whispered, pushing Rafe away from her as she walked further away, wanting to create as much distance between her and him as possible.

     Rafe began to chase after the girl, "Nova—"

     "You have to be absolutely insane to think I would ever love you again after everything you've done. You killed Peterkin, and what? You expect me to run back into your arms and expect that everything will be okay?" Nova argued, stopping in her tracks and turning back around to face Rafe. "You're sick. You're a sick fuck, and I'm gonna prove to the rest of this town what kind of person who truly are. Even if it's the last thing I ever do."

     All of a sudden, Rafe stepped closer towards Nova, his tall form towering over the girl, almost like he was a dark bank of clouds and shadows, threatening to pull her into the darkness with him. This caused for Nova to lift her gaze so she was now staring deep into his dark brown eyes, his desperate eyes turning cold within seconds, like he had flipped a switch. She was standing in the same room as Peterkin's killer and she couldn't do a thing to stop him. All she could do was stand there, frozen in place, almost like she had no power over him because after months of breaking her down over and over again, Rafe had taken everything from her, including her will to fight back.

     Rafe then walked closer towards the girl, causing for Nova to back away, this process repeating itself until Nova's back was pressed against the wall behind her once again, the girl swallowing thickly whilst Rafe spoke. "Well, I hate to break it to you, but no one in this town is going to believe I did it. Thanks to my dad, the entire town is looking for John B. It won't be long now until the cops catch him, and when they do, well, it won't be long until he's exactly like Peterkin." He told her, his taunting words causing more harm than good.

     "I won't let that happen." Nova told him, earning a cold hearted chuckle from the boy in response.

     "Come on, Nova. Your dad's a DA. You should know what happens to cop killers by now. They won't give John B a slap on the wrist, no, no, no..." Rafe laughed, inching a little bit more closer towards Nova. He was so close now, Nova could feel his hot breath fanning against her skin, causing for her breath to hitch, chills crawling across her skin, her eyes flooding with terror whilst she listened to Rafe in his manic state. "They'll give your friend life in prison, and if the judge is feeling generous, maybe they'll throw the needle in there too."

"Shut up." Nova snapped at the boy.

Fear began to flow through her veins, crippling fear shaking her to the core as she continued to stare into Rafe's harsh gaze, his taunting laughter and terrifying grin being enough to scare her to death. A voice in Nova's head told her to run, to beat him down and run for the hills until she found a way to contact her friends, knowing they were the only people she could rely on as of now. She knew running was her best chance at getting somewhere safe, and as far away from Rafe Cameron as humanly possible. But that was the problem, she was so afraid, she could barely breathe, let alone move.

That was until she was given no other choice than to fight back.

"You're coming with me." Rafe announced to the girl, his words being enough fo catch Nova's full attention, the girl beginning to frantically shake her head.

"No, I'm not going anywhere with you." She retorted, looking around in hopes of finding something that could be her saving grace in the midst of a terrifying situation.

Rafe nodded his head, contradicting Nova's previous response. "Yes, you are. You're going to help me find John B so I can turn him in and put this entire mess behind us." He instructed. Nova shook her head, a quiet whimper leaving her lips.

The girl continued to look around the hall until her eyes landed on an object not too far away from where her and Rafe stood, and whilst the boy continued to taunt her and order her around, Nova turned back to face him, before she lifted her leg and brought her knee up to Rafe's crouch. This caused for Rafe to double over in pain, a groan leaving his lips, allowing Nova to run down the hall, heading towards her father's study.

"You little bitch!" Rafe cursed loudly, his angered voice and violent tone echoing throughout the Van Kirk household, the familiar sound being enough to make the girl flinch.

Nova then turned around to see Rafe was now back on his feet and approaching her, forcing Nova to act fast. The girl picked up the ornament and hit Rafe over the head with it, the item smashing into pieces and sending Rafe to the ground again, a fresh cut now visible on the side of his head. This gave Nova the opportunity to pick up the hidden key to her father's study, before she stuck it in the keyhole and twisted it around until it unlocked, and just as Rafe was getting back onto his feet, Nova opened the door and slammed it shut in his face, locking it behind her, which only seemed to anger Rafe even more.

"Open the door!" Rafe yelled at the girl, his booming voice ringing loudly through Nova's ears. "Open the damn door, Nova, or I swear to god!"

All of a sudden, Nova felt a sharp pang in her back, causing for Nova to back away from the door when she realised Rafe was trying to kick it down. Nova then looked around the study frantically, her teary eyes scanning over her familiar surroundings for a moment, before she rushed over to her father's safe, the girl punching in the code ( which her dad would kill her for if he ever knew she figured it out ) allowing her to open it up, looking inside to find exactly what she wanted. And once she had retrieved it, she turned around to look at the window, an idea coming to mind.

     She knew it was impulsive and wrong, but she had to start piecing together all the monstrous things the Cameron family had done. She came to the conclusion that Rafe couldn't be saved. Now she needed to know the truth — the full truth about one other Cameron. She knew where she had to go next.

On the other side of the door, Rafe Cameron grunted and groaned whilst he continued to try and kick the door down, beads of sweat covering his forehead, frantic breaths escaping past his lips as he repeated the same process of slamming his foot into the door over and over again. And after one final kick, the door swung open, splinters of wood flying everywhere, before Rafe stepped inside the study, looking around frantically for Nova Van Kirk.

But she was gone.

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     After the plan to get John B on the ferry went south, now landing them all into deep shit with the law, the group decided it was best to let John B venture into the unknown on his own, allowing the boy to lay low until they could come up with a new plan. They believed it was better for him to hide out alone rather than in a group where they are more likely to be caught by the police. However, to come up with a new plan, they needed the entire group to be on board, so it didn't take long for Kiara to drive them into Figure Eight, parking the car outside the Van Kirk family home.

     The Van Kirk house looked as radiant as ever from the Pogues view. Freshly cut grass, the sunset making the area look as beautiful as ever. It was the epitome of wealthy homes in the Outer Banks, the house being so big it was enough to fit two of the houses from The Cut into one. It was the picture perfect home many people dreamed about, especially if you were a Pogue. It made them all realise that life inside the bubble wrap didn't look too bad after all.

Shortly after Kiara then switched off the engine, Juno let out a sigh and glanced around at the three other people in the car with her. "Okay, I'm going to quickly head inside and grab Nova. Then we can figure out how to get The Phantom out onto the water." She explained, indicating towards JJ's dad's boat that was just collecting dust in an old warehouse. It was the perfect form of transportation for a fugitive. They just had to find the key and grab fuel first.

"I'll go with you." Kiara announced, unbuckling her seatbelt, before she turned around to face Pope and JJ in the middle seat. "Can I trust you two not to do anything stupid when I'm gone?" She questioned, narrowing her attention towards Pope, who had wrecked the front of the car in the midst of his drug induced state only moments before.

JJ frowned. "I'll take care of him, Kie." He reassured the girl.

"Yeah," Juno began to say, a ghost of a smile forming across her face, before her and Kiara exchanged a few looks filled with amusement. "That's exactly what we're worried about." She laughed as her and Kiara left the car and began to make their way up towards Nova's house.

However, from the corner of her eye, Juno couldn't help but notice that something was missing in the driveway, the girl furrowing her brows together in confusion, before she turned her full attention to where her car should have been. The sight of the vacant spot in the driveway being enough to make the girl stop in her tracks, Kiara soon doing the same as the two girls continued to stare at the vacant spot where the car should be.

"What is it?" Kiara asked curiously.

Juno shrugged her shoulders, pointing her finger at the vacant area. "My car was parked out here." She informs, a puzzled look plastered across her face for a moment, before she turned her attention back to Kiara. "I'll figure out where it is later. Let's just grab Nova and get John B off this island." She dismissed, knowing there was plenty of other important things going on right now than her car going missing.

Juno and Kiara continued to make their way to the front door of the Van Kirk household. They then stopped at the door, causing for Juno to wrap her hand around the handle and push it open, the two girls stepping into the house together, leaving the door open since they weren't stopping by for long. But as they stepped further into the house, it got quiet, too quiet, causing for Kiara to clear her throat.

"Hey, are you okay?" Kiara asked her, causing for Juno to stop in her tracks and face her girlfriend, allowing Kiara to elaborate further, "It's just...you've been weird with me ever since last night when Pope outed our relationship to the others."

"I guess, it felt a little weird hearing Pope acting as if we betrayed him. Now he's pissed at us and now I'm just thinking that maybe there's a reason why the no Pogue on Pogue mackin' rule exists." She blurted out, instantly regretting her choice of words when she saw the hurt in the Carrera girl's eyes. Juno then cursed underneath her breath.

"Wait. Are you saying you want to break up because you think we hurt Pope's feelings?" Kiara questioned, a look filled with disbelief washing over her face.

"No, I don't want to—" Juno cut herself when she realised how stupid she was to blurt those words out. She didn't want to break up with Kiara. That was the last thing she wanted. "Look, it's nothing to worry about—"

"But I worry about it." Kiara interjected, cutting Juno off, before she began to approach the girl. "Look, I've never been good when it comes to girlfriends. I always screw things up. Whenever I find a girl I really like, I get too in my head about things and freak out. And then there was the whole me having a crush on Sarah Cameron thing and that ruined our friendship for over a year." She explained, causing for the girl to smile slightly.

Kiara then reached out and grabbed Juno's hands with her own, the girls staring into each other's eyes. "But with you everything feels right for once. You get me in ways that no one else does. And I know that my idea to keep our relationship a secret was singlehandedly the worse decision I've ever made because now things are just weird, but I don't want that for us because the last thing I want is to hurt someone else that I love—"

"Wait, wait, wait..." Juno cut Kiara off, putting an end to her senseless rambling, a smile of her own forming across her lips. "You love me?"

That was when Kiara realised what she must have said, a look filled with realisation washing over her face, before she let out a soft giggle, nodding her head. "Yeah, I guess I do." She answered, earning a chuckle from Juno in response.

"I love you too." Juno told her, a bubbly feeling erupting in the pit of her stomach.

That was all Kiara Carrera needed to hear. The girl then caressed Juno's cheek, her thumb brushing against the girl's soft skin, before she pressed her lips against Juno's, a feeling of electricity and sparkling fireworks igniting in their veins as their lips continued to move together in perfect sync. Juno was the first to pull away from the kiss, before she rested her forehead against Kiara's, the two girls smiling at one another for a brief moment, but the last few seconds of perfection was quickly put to an end when Kiara turned her head to see something odd looking inside the house.

"Hey, look at that." Juno nodded her head towards the mess on the floor.

Kiara stepped away from Juno and together the girls made their way further down the hallway, hesitating with every cautious step they took forward. Juno was the first to stop, the girl crouching down and picking up a piece of shattered china from the wooden flooring, both her and Kiara staring down at it with shock evident in their eyes, especially when they saw the specks of crimson staining the material. This caused for a shaky breath to leave Juno's lips, before she lifted her gaze to lock eyes with Kiara's confused ones.

"Is that blood?" Kiara asked rhetorically, gawking at the sight.

Dropping the piece of shattered material to the ground, a loud clatter echoing throughout the air, Juno looked around the house with worry pumping through her bloodstream, spine tingling trepidation seeping into every pore. She hoped she would turn a corner and find Nova. She expected to find the blonde sitting somewhere unscathed from any bodily harm, but judging by the looks of it, Nova Van Kirk was nowhere to be seen.

"Shit. I can't find Nova anywhere." Juno informed Kiara, walking back around to see the other girl staring at something that seemed to catch her attention. "What is it?" She pressed as she approached the girl.

Kiara swallowed thickly and nodded her head towards Ethan Van Kirk's study. Juno joined her girlfriend, now standing beside Kiara to see the door had been kicked down, splinters of wood scattered across the ground. Juno was the first to enter the study without hesitation, her worried eyes scanning over every corner and crevice of the room in hopes of finding her friend. But the only thing that seemed out of place was the open widow and the open safe in the corner of the room.

     Kiara slowly stepped inside the room to see Juno was now standing in front of the open safe, a strange vibe flooding the room. This caused for Kiara to approach her girlfriend, her brows furrowing together as a puzzled look washed over her face. "What's wrong?" She asked.

     Juno was quick to turn around to face Kiara, a feeling of fear coursing through her veins, heavy and uneven breaths escaping past her lips, almost like the girl was on the verge of panicking. "We have to go...now." Juno instructed, grabbing ahold of Kiara's hand and dragging her out of the room, down the hall and back outside the house.

     "Juno, hang on." Kiara paused, stopping in her track and tearing her hand out of Juno's grip. "What's going on?"

     Before Juno had the opportunity to speak, a familiar voice ripped through the eery silence. "Juno!" A female voice exclaimed, causing for the girl to turn around to see the Van Kirk's neighbour, who lived in the house not too far away from where they lived, Mrs Thompson, smiling at the young girl.

     Sighing quietly, Juno plastered a smile on her face, before her and Kiara approached the woman. "Hey, Mrs Thompson." She greeted the woman.

     "How are you and your mother doing?" Mrs Thompson asked, making small talk with the girl.

     "She's doing fine. We're both fine." Juno lied, a quick thought crossing her mind, before she parted her lips to speak once again. "Mrs Thompson, have you seen Nova around? We've been looking for her, but she's just vanished." She laughed, trying to play it cool and act as if everything was perfectly fine.

     The mention of Nova's name was enough to make Mrs Thompson frown, the muddled aged woman humming quietly, before she nodded her head. "Now that you mention it, I did see her earlier, but I was very worried for that poor girl." She informed.

     Juno felt her breath hitch in the back of her throat, the girl turning her head to the side to exchange a few looks with Kiara, before she gave Mrs Thompson her full attention again. "Can I ask why?" She interrogated further, trying to piece together the recent events that must have unravelled at the Van Kirk's household.

     "Well, I saw Ward Cameron's boy go inside the house when I was taking Bruno out for a walk." The woman answered, indicating towards her daily walk around the neighbourhood with her dog.

     "Rafe?" Kiara questioned. Both girls knew there was only one person the woman could be talking about, but they just needed to be sure.

     Mrs Thompson nodded her head in response. "Yeah, I know those two have had a shaky history so I lingered outside just to be nosy, but I was rather alarmed by what I could hear." She explained, pausing for a moment. "I didn't hear the details, but whatever they were arguing about it, it had to have been bad. The next thing I know I can hear something breaking and banging around. I thought I was going to have to call the police." She elaborated further, a look filled with pity evident in her eyes.

     "And did you?" Juno queried, a curious look evident in her dark eyes.

     "No, I saw Nova leave in the car parked up front. Rafe left shortly afterwards." Mrs Thompson told her, before she pointed her finger in the opposite direction. "She drove up that way. But she did seem very distraught. After everything that poor girl has gone through, I hope she's safe." She sympathised.

     Juno nodded her head, a forced smile forming across her lips. "Thank you, Mrs Thompson. You've been a great help," Was all the girl said, before she grabbed Kiara's hand again and dragged her back to the car parked out front. "We have to find Nova." She announced to the girl.

     Once the couple reached the car, Kiara climbed into the drivers seat whilst Juno hopped into the passenger seat next to Kiara, the sight of the girls without Nova being enough to make JJ raise his brow. "So, where's Nova?" JJ asked.

     "I'm wondering the same thing." Kiara agreed, staring at Juno with a confused look.

     Juno groaned in frustration. "Look, we have to get to Ward Cameron's place now. You want to speak to Sarah right, find out if she's still on our side? Well, we can do that whilst looking for Nova." She ordered, her voice sounding shaky whilst she spoke.

     "Why would Nova go to see the Cameron's?" Pope questioned, laying in the back of the car without a care in the world.

     "Look, it's complicated. I'll explain on the way there." Juno replied, becoming even more frustrated with every second that passed them by, scared of what would happen if they don't reach Nova in time.

     JJ sat upright when he noticed how worried Juno had become. "Juno, is Nova okay?" He asked, the blond boy becoming worried for the Van Kirk girl. The last thing he wanted was for something bad to happen to her.

     "No, she's not, okay?" Juno answered, turning around to face Kiara with an urgent look glimmering in her dark eyes. "Which is why I need you to start the car and drive, Kie."

     "I'm not driving anywhere until you explain to the rest of us what the hell is going on." Kiara argued, becoming anxious when she saw the state her girlfriend was currently in.

     Juno released a shaky breath past her lips, rubbing her hand over her face, before she nodded her head. "You remember that safe we found in the study?" She asked Kiara, earning a nod from the girl in response. "Nova's dad keeps three things, and only three things in that safe: extra cash incase of emergencies, high profile cases he's working on that no one else is allowed to see, and...and a gun. Guys, there was no gun in that safe, and Mrs Thompson just told us something happened between her and Rafe. I think it might have made her snap." She explained.

     The mention of Nova and the chance she was carrying a lethal weapon around Outer Banks was enough to gain JJ's full attention, his blood running cold at the thought of Nova doing something as reckless as taking a gun. It didn't even sound like the girl he knew. That was why it scared him so much, because it made him wonder what must have happened to make her steal a gun and run across Outer Banks with it in the first place. All he knew was that it couldn't have been good.

     JJ began to shake his head. "Nova wouldn't just take a gun. She hates them. You all saw how she acted at the kegger when I was waving it around a few weeks ago." He reminded them.

     "But think about it, you guys." Juno paused, a shaky and harrowing breath leaving her lips. "She just found out her ex boyfriend killed Peterkin, a woman she has known her entire life and is like family to her. On top of all that, Riley had some sort of involvement in a murder, and she doesn't even know the full truth. Everything that's gone wrong in her life these past few months is all because of the Cameron's."

     Pope leaned forward, shrugging his shoulders. "Okay, say Nova did take the gun from her dad's safe and is going to the Cameron's house right now...why? Why would she go there of all places?" He questioned, approaching the situation with a skeptical mindset.

     Juno felt a shudder run up and down her spine, goosebumps forming across her skin at the mere thought of what her best friend might do. Nova was confused, lost, grieving for Peterkin, and angry at the world for the hell it had put her thought these last few months. Juno wouldn't be surprised if her best friend finally snapped. She knew that if her theory was correct then they had to find Nova before it was too late. And with a sense of foreboding pumping its way through her body, Juno glanced over at Kiara, a shaky breath leaving her lips. . .

     "I think she's going to kill Ward Cameron."

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authors note.
How are we feeling after that cliffhanger? 👀

I'm honestly really proud of this chapter, which is rare since I normally hate everything I write, but I loved the Nova and Rafe argument and the JunoKie moment. And I'm so excited to write the rest of season 1, especially the next chapter because Nova is finally going to face off with Ward and we will learn to the truth about Riley's involvement in Big John's death. And there's a little something coming in the next chapter that I think you guys are going to love me for teehee.

Anyways I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and I'll update again soon!!