XXXIX. you are in love

      After a while of Pope's reckless driving, Kiara finally ordered him to switch seats with her. Dylan sat up front with her and that drove to the Cameron Estate. Sarah hadn't spoken to any of them, which only upped the girls' worry. "You sure this is a good idea?" JJ questioned them.

"She's the only one who can clear John B." Kiara determined.

"This is the last place they'll look. Nobody knows that John B's staying here." Dylan added logically.

"That's smart, DJ. You're smart." Pope nodded crazily and poked the side of her head.

She narrowed her eyes. It was like he completely forgot she was mad at him. "Thanks, Pope." She turned to Kiara. "Hey, why don't I go and try to talk to her?"

"You think you can convince her?" Kiara asked while holding up the flashlight.

She nodded. "Yeah, of course I can. I know her. Besides, I am the persuasive one here." She said with a smile.

JJ nodded. "She's right. She is."

Kiara rolled her eyes at him and nodded. "Okay, yeah. Good luck."

She gave her flashlight and Dylan climbed over the wall, Pope followed behind her, struggling in the process. When they got over the wall, Dylan sped walked through the very large yard. "Okay, this should be easy. Totally easy." She said to herself.

"Yeah, easy. Very easy." Pope agreed from behind her.

Her annoyance raised higher at JJ for giving him the weed. She didn't know why she was so mad. She was very overwhelmed and the one thing she had to look forward to was knowing that Pope would nail his interview. She was excited for him. It brightened her day. Now, her day was ruined and it all started with that stupid treasure hunt. 

"Let's do the plan thing. Let's get it. Let's plan it out."

Dylan paused and turned around. "You okay?"

Pope scoffed. "Me? I'm totally fine. I'm on cloud nine."

He wore a dazed smile. Any other time, Dylan would think he was the cutest person ever. Oh, who was she kidding? She did think he was the cutest person ever.  He was also stupid which made her even more mad because he wasn't stupid. He was smart. Stupid smart.

"I'm in cloud nine! I'm on cloud nine!" He repeated,  his voice growing louder.

Dylan's eyes widened and she quickly ran forward and slapped her hand over his mouth. "Hey, hey, dude, chill out. This is a quiet operation, okay? I'm in full Emily Prentiss mode right now."

Pope nodded against her hand.

She slowly removed her hand and laughed in disbelief.  "I'm going to kill, JJ. This is so not you."

"Who am I?" He asked when she turned her back to him.

Dylan paused and turned back around. "You're the smart one, Pope. You're the one who had it all figured out. Since the day I met, I knew that out of all of you,  you were going to be the successful one."

He sighed, finally getting it. "You're still mad at me,"

"Of course I'm mad!" She whisper yelled. "That scholarship was your life! It was your family's life.  Your dad works his ass off for you and how do you repay him?" She got angry.

"I did it for John B—"

"Don't do that." Dylan shook her head and pointed at him. "Do not put down everything you've worked for, for somebody else. We were going to lose the gold one way or another, P. This was your chance!"

Pope went silent and he stared at her. "I'm sorry, Dyl.  I-I try so hard. I try so hard to make you proud of me.  That's all I've ever wanted, y'know? Because I love you—"

Her whole world stopped spinning. She froze, her face falling. "What?"

He was high out of his mind but he could still think straight.  "I love you.  I'm in love with you.  Ever since that day you came dressed as Spencer Reid at school,  I've been in love with you.  I-I know I'm completely out of it and probably won't remember what I'm saying in a few hours,  b-but I have to say it.  I've been waiting for the perfect moment to say it,  and I thought I had it at Midsummer's,  but I got scared.  And then at the chateu when we. . . J-Just,  I love you so much,  Dylan Celeste Jennings,"

Dylan couldn't talk. Her heart was in her throat. "You probably don't love me back and that's okay. I think I can accept that. Why would you? You're, like, so fucking amazing and I'm awkward and weird
and–girls like you don't like guys like me. But oh my god, I'm so in love with you." Pope continued to ramble his confession.

He waited for her to respond. She was in shock. The way she stared at him made him go cold and he got scared. It was word vomit. He didn't mean to blurt it out like that but he needed to. It was killing him. The faith he had began to slip away the longer she stayed silent. But then, she started to laugh. 

Dylan put a hand over her heart as she laughed. She accepted it. The feelings she was trying so hard to keep contained, she could finally accept them, because he finally said it. "You're so stupid," she said through her laughter. "Oh my god, Pope,"

He shifted awkwardly. "Uhhh. . ."

"I love you, dude!" She almost yelled. Her voice was light and happy. She threw her hands up. "I've always loved you,  Pope. Since I was a kid! Do you know how long I've waited to hear you say it?"

"Wha–What?" He asked, blinking in shock.

She walked up to him. "That night at the Chateau wasn't obvious?"

"Well, I-I," he stuttered. "I wasn't—I wasn't sure—"

Sparks went off when Dylan grabbed his face and pulled him into her,  pressing her lips to his.  His high state seemed to slip and he wrapped his arms around her waist,  pulling her closer.  Their lips moved on sync like they were made for each other.  It was perfect. This was their perfect moment. They didn't need a fancy party, or a moonlight setting, they only needed each other. Pope's hands cupped around her face and hers ran up and down his arms.

The fear he felt of her not loving him was gone and that's all he felt was love. Since the beginning, it's always been Pope and Dylan. He was hers and she was his. Nobody dared to try and change that. He pulled away from her but didn't let her go. They stared at each other.

"I love you." She said with the biggest smile on her face.

"I love you so much." He said back.

She put her hands on his arms again. "Okay, as much I would love to keep doing this, we do have mission right now."

"Right, right, yeah! Of course. Lead the way, m'lady."

She giggled and dragged him by his hand, his smile widening.

After discussing the plan, and another kiss, Dylan left apple at the front of the house and she ran around the back. She had snuck in and out of Sarah's house a hundred times. She knew every nook and cranny. Climbing the closest tree to her balcony, Dylan successfully made her way to the top and transferred herself to the balcony. She bent down and knocked on Sarah's window.

The girl's face brightened when she saw her. "Dyl!"

When she tried opening the window, they saw that it was locked. Dylan tried helping her push it up but it wouldn't budge. "It's okay. It's okay." She told her after seeing her fearful expression. She took the wanted flyer of John B out of her pocket and held up.

Sarah's face fell as she read the paper.

"Are you in on it?" Dylan asked.

"Did you think I was?"

"Of course not. I know you, Sarah. You would never."

Sarah smiled softly. She put her hand against the glass and Dylan instantly put hers against it. If nobody else believed in what, she sure as hell did.

"Sarah!"

"Go, go!" Sarah whispered quickly.

Dylan instantly backed away from the window and climbed over the balcony railing. She jumped to the tree and carefully climbed down to the bottom.

Dylan desperately wanted to go home. Her family was worried sick and everybody on the island was looking for John B. His life was crumbling all because of that family and it made her sick to her stomach. The group fell asleep in The Wreck, not wanting to be apart. Dylan was curled up in one of the booth's, Kiara's jacket that she always kept at the restaurant covering the upper half of her body.

Pope sat up groggily from the table he slept on, stacks of napkins under his head. He groaned and rubbed his eyes. Getting up, he looked over and saw Dylan curled into a fetal position. He smiled. She took the ponytail of her hair and her wild curls fell in front of her face. They didn't have time to soak in their moment because of everything that was going on but he saw the world more clearly now because of her.

He walked over and gently shook her. "Hey, DJ, wake up."

"Leave me alone." She mumbled, her mouth hanging open.

He chuckled. "I would if I could."

Groaning, Dylan stretched her legs out and opened her eyes, smiling at him. "Hi."

"Hi." He smiled back, completely lovesick.

She got out of the booth and pulled her hair back out of her face. She saw that JJ and Kiara were awake as well. "He's pinched for sure, man," JJ stated when Pope walked over to him. They were listening to multiple sirens in the distance.

"No, they wouldn't still be patrolling if they caught him."

"That sound is driving me nuts." Dylan muttered and rubbed her face with her hands.

"You know, we were in that car. They're probably looking for us, too." Kiara mentioned.

"I'm so dead." Dylan shook her head and looked outside.

Pope shrugged. "Well, if we're gonna be outlaws, we might as well help John B."

"So, find him before they do?" JJ asked. Pope didn't response to him and took the dirt bike keys. "Pope?"

"I'm gonna get gas for the boat. DJ, you coming?"

"Totally." She answered and followed him out of the restaurant.

JJ and Kiara shared a confused look. "Be careful,  okay?"

"Meet us at the dock at three. Don't be late." Pope told them.

Dylan climbed on the back of the dirt bike with him.  Kie and JJ walked outside and stood on the deck. JJ smirked. "Why am I getting a vibe?"

"What vibe?" She asked, trying not to smile.

"No vibe here." Pope hummed.

"There's definitely a vibe." Kiara nodded with a wicked grin.

"Y'all are trippin." The boy said, but the way they smiled at each other was very telling.

"Be safe, mom and dad!" JJ called out when they took off down the street.

Dylan wrapped her arms around Pope's waist tightly and laughed. Hearing a helicopter, she looked up and saw the transportation flying over them. "Who the hell is that?"

Pope drove them all the way to Heywards. She realized that Pope hadn't seen his family for as long as she hadn't and if they went there, it was going to be really bad. "Stay here," he told her and got off the bike to retrieve the jugs of gas.

She watched as he quickly ran to where the gas pump was and he began filling the jugs with gasoline. She heard the thunder rumble in the sky and looked up. A storm was coming. The search for John B was growing more and more intense as the day went by and Dylan was afraid they would be too late to rescue him.

"Look at you." Heyward announced when he came out of the shop. "Like some damn street hood out here stealing gas from me."

"Shit." Dylan muttered and got off the bike.

"My own blood."

"I'm not stealing."

"Stop lyin. I just saw it in your damn hand."

"He's not stealing, Mr. Heyward, I promise. It's important," Dylan stepped in when she approached the man.

"Dylan, honey, what are you doing here? Do you know how worried your folks have been?" Heyward said. "They've been calling my wife and I for the past two days."

"Our friend is in trouble and I need to help him," Pope told his father.

Heyward scoffed in disbelief.

"John B did not kill anybody."

"Says who?"

"Please, Mr. Heyward, you have to believe us. John B didn't hurt anyone." Dylan pleaded.

"Says me." Pope said darkly, keeping his eyes on the man.

"And I'm supposed to believe you? After you ran out on your interview?" Heyward questioned.

"Dylan already lectured me—"

"Well, great! I'm glad there's someone to tell you how stupid you are!" The man snapped. "Shit, boy, get in the house."

He reached for the gas jugs and Pope quickly jerked them away. "No."

"Hey, Pope, calm down." Dylan warned as she started to get scared.

"Oh, you a man now? Huh?" Heyward taunted and got closer to him. "You wanna have a go at it with me? Is that it?"

"Guys, please, stop."

"Don't do this in front of her." Pope warned.

"Why the hell shouldn't I? She should see how much of a man you are." He turned to Dylan. "You think he's a man, DJ, sweetheart? He's nothing but a scared boy."

"I'm walking out of here with these. You not gettin' in my way."

"Oh, i'm gettin' in your way. And one day, you might be able to whoop my ass, but it ain't today."

Heyward shoved his son backwards and Dylan gasped,  covering her mouth.

Pope angrily shoved him back. 

"Guys, stop!" She cried out and stepped forward, her eyes filling with tears.

The father and son went at each other and Pope punched him across the face.

"Pope, stop it!"

"Oh yeah! It's gonna take a little more than that. Try again!" Heyward taunted again.

"He's your father!" Dylan yelled out.

"Go on and show her, son. Show her what a man you are.  Show her that a man would hit his own flesh and blood. Come on. You wanna hit your daddy? Try again."

Pope stood there, his chest heavily up and down as he held back his tears. He didn't want to do it.

"You wanna hit me?" Heyward asked again, his own voice cracking.

Dylan covered her mouth with her hands,  feeling her heart break.

"I don't got time for this. I gotta help my friend." Pope backed down and picked up the gas jugs.

"Yeah, yeah. You just go ahead. Yeah, you take everything, son. You already have!"

"Heyward, I'm sorry." Dylan cried with a wet face. She loved the man like her own father and he did everything for that boy. He didn't deserve any of it.

"I know, sweetheart. Take care of him for me, will ya?  Someone has to," the man begged her. He wasn't mad at her. No, this was between him and his son. "You're an ungrateful son of a bitch, Pope."

"Come on." Dylan whispered and guided him to the dirt bike. "Come on. I'll drive."

She got on the dirt bike and took off. Pope wrapped his arms around her waist to hold on and laid his head on her shoulder, crying his eyes out. "I didn't mean to."

"I know, baby. I know." She said to him and continued to drive.

When the pair arrived to where JJ and Kiara were to get the Phantom, she froze when she heard commotion coming from shop. "What the hell is that?"

"It sounds like someone's fighting." Pope said and they quickly got off the bike.

Dylan saw red when she ran inside the shop. Right in front of her stood Rafe Cameron with his hand wrapped around Kiara's throat and her crying out. Images of her being thrown to the ground came to mind and Rafe beating the shit out of Pope. Then, she saw Barry kicking JJ on the ground. Her blood boiled when she thought about the lives they destroyed. They were destroying her life, a life she worked so hard for; destroying the image of herself she loved.

Pope ran up behind Rafe and hit him in the back with a metal crowbar, causing him to let go of her. Dylan quickly grabbed Kiara and backed them away.He swung the crowbar again and Rafe ducked this time, missing it. The bar fell out of his hand and Rafe swung his fist at him.

Pope took him by his shirt and repeatedly punched him in the face. Barry saw the action. "Hey!"

JJ grabbed him by the ankle and made him tumble to the ground. The gun in his hand fell. "Kie! Dylan! Kick it!"

Kiara kicked then gun away. The two girls watched as all the boys fought and Dylan didn't know what to do. She watched in fear as Pope tried to cave in the boy's face. When Rafe got ahold of him, and punch him in the face, Dylan saw red again. She stormed forward and jumped on Rafe's back, causing him to stumble.

She kicked him in the back and he fell forward. Without expecting it, she punched him in the face as hard as she could. "I hate you!" She cried out and kicked him in the stomach when he fell. "You hurt me! You made me afraid to go outside! You terrorized me! You fucking racist!"

"Hey, Dylan." Kiara called out, her face falling in fear.

"DJ, stop." JJ yelled, stepping forward.

"My best friend is wanted for murder because of you." She kicked him in the face. "Don't ever touch me again, you fucking psycho!"

"Dylan!"

"Okay, DJ!"

"Hey!" JJ shouted and wrapped his arms around her torso, pulling her back. "Enough! Enough!"

The girl cried heavily and Pope took her place, living the boy more licks.

"Pope, that's good! Stop!"

"He's good."

"Snap out of it, man."

Pope grabbed a rope and tied it around the boy's throat, cutting off his circulation. Kiara and JJ shouted at him to stop but Dylan didn't say a word. Rafe deserved it. He hurt them. She had no remorse.

"Pope, stop!"

JJ let go of Dylan and ran around, trying to pull Pope away from the Kook. "Dude, come on! Stop, stop, dude!"

Kiara clutched on to Dylan tightly as they watched the scene in horror. "Pope! Get off!"

Hyperventilating, Pope finally released him and Rafe fell to the floor. Another tear fell from Dylan's eye and she breathed in and out shallowly. "Shh, it's okay," Kiara whispered and smoothed out of her hair. "It's okay."

Rafe let out multiple coughs, his face and mouth covered in blood. Dylan stared down at him with no pity and her brown eyes glossed with hate.

"Okay, we gotta go. We gotta go." Kie hurried and quickly ran around the boys on the floor.

Pope circled around and glared violently at the older boy on the ground. "Stay off the cut." He spat.

"Pope. Dylan!" Kie shouted again.

Pope looked up and saw the girl staring down at him as well, her breathing shallow and her eyes broken. He walked around and grabbed her shaking hand. "Come on."

She gave Rafe only last glare before leaving, the vengeance she had been keeping locks away now finally let loose.