chapter twelve
the chateau's on fire

The next day, Athena woke up once more in her bed at Dorota's lodge. She got out of her bed, shoving her hair up into a ponytail and putting on a pair of black jean shorts and an oversized cream shirt. The blonde tucked the front left bit of the shirt into her shorts to make it look better as the shirt was longer than her shorts.

She walked out of her bedroom and onto the front porch where Dorota sat, reading a book on the sofa that was there. Dorota sent her a smile.

"How was the party yesterday?" Dorota asked her.

"It was good, um, a bit crazy actually." Athena sighed. "Sarah told JB about Topper and John B was mad. He was about to walk away when Topper made some comment that obviously angered him further and he snapped. Beat the guy to a pulp."

"He got what was coming to him." Dorota commented making Athena laugh softly.

"But I don't know, John B and JJ were there for a reason and something in me is telling me it was important, about El Dorado but no one's told me anything. For once since I've become friends with the pogues, I am out of the loop." Athena stated. "And I know I said I wanted to be normal but I said that for one night and that I would be 100% in if something extreme happened, I would abandon normal for them a-and obviously something has happened but no one has told me. I think Sage knows more than I do."

"I'm sure they'll tell you soon Athena." Dorota reassured.

"I don't know." Athena shook her head. "Sarah probably off saving John B from the Thornton's pressing charges, Kie is dealing with her family, Cleo and Pope are a duo because they live together and Sage is probably somewhere smoking with JJ or something because they're best friends now and I'm so alone. And anyway, since the island, the pogues haven't felt like the pogues, it's like something shifted."

"They love you Athena, I know." Dorota told her. "You are their own little piece of sunshine. It wouldn't be the pogues without you. Someone will come and get you, I know. Trust me."

"I trust you more than anyone else in the world." Athena smiled.

"Yo, Thena." A voice called. The two looked up to see Sage bouncing towards them. "Wasn't last night absolutely crazy!"

"Where have you been?" Athena asked her.

"I went home and spoke to my parents." Sage stated.

"How'd it go?"

"Fine. They apologised, told me that you were probably going to be the best influence on me. They spoke to some people apparently, heard all about your charity plans and everything and now they think you're the perfect child." Sage explained. Athena chuckled to herself. "They threw their boarding school idea out of the window as well, said I could stay here if I wanted and that they didn't care about my schooling as long as I get a job or something."

"It sounds like it went well." Athena commented.

"Better than I thought." Sage nodded. "And the first person I thought of telling was you because I love you."

"Aw, love you too I guess." Athena shrugged, scrunching her nose up affectionately. "You think John B's gonna get arrested for last night."

"Oh for sure." Sage stated plainly. "But Sarah will probably stop Topper from pressing charges."

"That's what I said." Athena agreed. "What were JJ and JB doing at the party last night?"

"Has no one told you?" Sage asked with furrowed eyebrows, shock covering her features.

"No." Athena shook her head. "Oh, and what did you want to tell me at the party the other day?"

"You're gonna get angry." Sage warned her. Athena nodded, her eyebrows knitting in a mix of confusion and concern. "Rafe melted the cross down and sold bits of it."

Athena's mouth dropped in shock, her heart breaking for Pope and anger building in her stomach. She shook her head as she gritted her teeth, letting out a harsh breath through her nose. "I hate him. I am done with Rafe Cameron."

"I know." Sage sighed. "Um, and Singh kidnapped Big John."

"What?" Athena's mouth dropped once more before she shrugged. "Sad for JB but I never really liked the guy."

"JJ and him are going to South America to save him... or at least tried to but failed." Sage explained.

Athena's head spun to face her quickly, concern written on her face. "Woah they were going to South America alone. Where in South America? How were they going to get there? JJ doesn't even have a passport."

"It's okay, Thena. Their plan didn't work, they're okay." Sage reassured the panicked blonde.

Athena nodded slowly. She opened her mouth to speak when voices shouted her name.

"Thena!"

"Blondie!"

"Thens!"

Athena once again looked up to see Pope, Cleo and Kie rushing towards the lodge. Kie ran over to her, hugging her tightly as Pope and Cleo stood by the stairs. They looked at her with excited smiles.

"We had a break through and you were our first port of call." Pope told her. "We only went to Kie first because we needed the Singh photo. And the Wreck was on the way."

"We were going to go to you next, Sage but this kills two birds with one stone." Kie commented.

Athena smiled, catching the smug look Dorota was sending her. The blonde rolled her eyes subtly, looking back over to Pope and Cleo, "So what's this break-through?"

"So, Cleo and I were going through some of my ancestor's things. And we found this letter to Denmark Tanny's daughter with all these glyphs on it and one of them is the same as the picture from Singh." Pope explained.

"That's... oh my god." Athena breathed out.

"Let's go get the others." Sage urged.

"Okay." Pope nodded with a smile.

And with that the five were off. They all waved goodbye to Dorota, who told them to be safe. They made their way to the Chateau, it getting dark as they waited outside the Chateau on Sarah's command. They were all joking with each other when Sarah came bouncing out of the door.

"Hey, thanks for waiting. Um... Look who decided to come home." Sarah turned and gestured to John B, who stepped out of the door.

"Hey." Kie greeted.

"JB! Good to see you." Athena smiled.

"Welcome back."

"Woah. Good to see you, man." Pope nodded.

"You gotta be kidding me." JJ shook his head in disbelief.

"You're lucky John B." Sage chuckled softly. "So lucky."

"I have something I want to share with you guys." Sarah spoke up. "I can get us down to the Orinoco."

"Are you serious?" Pope questioned.

"Yeah."

"Okay. And how's that gonna happen?" Cleo asked.

"My dad's gonna let us use the plane." Sarah stated.

"Ward?"

"Your dad?"

"Yep." Sarah told them.

"You went to see our dad again?" Athena turned to him.

"We lay low tonight, then wheels up first thing in the morning." Sarah explained, ignoring Athena's question.

"Okay, that's a lot to process. Your dad actually helping us." Pope let out a breath of disbelief at the mere thought.

"I talked to him. He'll do it." Sarah reassured them.

"So we trusting Ward now?" Cleo wondered.

"Trust Sarah." Kie told them.

"All right."

"That's all I needed to hear."

"Okay."

"But wait, I also just have one more thing to say. Um... Since we've gotten back from the island, I've done some things that I regret. A lot." Sarah looked back at John B with a sad smile.

"Yeah, uh..." John B cleared his throat. "I feel... I feel like we've all done a thing or two that we regret."

Athena looked down at the floor before glancing over at JJ, who was already looking at her. She sent him a weak sad smile before looking back over to Sarah.

"And I don't... Poguelandia, guys. It's all I've been able to think about." Sarah admitted. "We were all together on that island, and it was a good thing, and I don't want to ruin a good thing. And I... I just wanna know, are we still all in? Are we still all together? Because I am."

"Yeah." Kie nodded, hugging Sarah.

"We pon road!" Cleo exclaimed, hugging Sarah next.

"I love you." Sarah stated.

"Still can't believe you got the plane." Pope told her, as Sarah hugged him.

"I know." Sarah laughed.

"That's actually insane."

"Sarah Cameron, I love you." Sage stated as she hugged the blonde.

"I love you too Sage."

"Let's go get Big John, all right?" JJ added, walking over and putting his arm around Pope's waist, him, Pope, Cleo, Sage and Kie all huddled together.

Sarah looked over to Athena, "I'm sorry about everything."

Athena stared at her for a moment. Sarah held her pinky up with a sheepish smile. "The Cameron twins."

JJ nudged her from where he stood, a smile on his face. "Come on, Cinderella, this is fate and shit, you know you wanna join in."

Athena laughed softly as she looked back at him before turning to Sarah once more. She jokingly rolled her eyes, linking their pinkies. "For all eternity."

Sarah's face contorted with joy, pulling her twin closer and hugging her tightly. They swayed in their spot slightly before pulling away, Athena joining JJ in the group huddle.

"So what'd you say shit bird?" JJ asked John B, who was the only one separate from them.

"Full pogue JB, can't do this without our leader." Athena encouraged him.

"I think this deserves a woogity." Pope announced. "How long you gonna pretend you're not coming over here?"

"You in?" JJ asked.

"Stop heart eyeing my sister and get your ass over here." Athena told him firmly.

"Come over here, funny man."

"We don't bite." Kie laughed.

John B walked over to the group, finally finishing the group hug. They stayed like that for a moment before all laughing loudly, staying connected as they spoke to each other.

"Now we woogity!" Pope exclaimed happily.

"Oh, we're really doing this, aren't we?" John B wondered.

"Mmm-hmm." Sarah hummed in agreement.

They all decided to go inside and celebrate. Pope and Cleo were sat at the table, playing a game and chatting about the plane while JJ watched them, drinking from the beer bottle he had gotten. John B and Sarah were in one of the rooms while Kie and Sage were leaning in the kitchen, talking to each other in a hushed whisper.

Athena sat on the sofa, playing with the bracelets on her wrist with a small smile on her face. JJ noticed her sat alone, hesitating for just a moment before making his way over and sitting next to her.

"Hey Attie." He spoke up, catching her attention. "Uh, you know, that whole entire money clip and Kie's dad situation? Well, um, that wasn't that cool, and I'm kinda beating around the bush a little bit, but, um, I'm... sorry."

"It's not me you have to apologise to." Athena told him.

"I know, I already said sorry to Kie but I just—" JJ sighed. "When we—when I—"

"Yeah." Athena nodded.

"I messed up. I said so many things." JJ shook his head. "But it doesn't matter, does it? I saw you with that guy at the party."

Athena furrowed her eyebrows before a smile spread across her face. "Oh you mean Alex? No, we, um, we're just friends. I mean, we're not even friends if I'm being honest."

"Right. So you haven't hooked up with him or anything?" JJ asked.

Athena let out an awkward laugh. "Um, we didn't have sex or anything. But I went to the party on the mase, the one when Sarah hooked up with Topper. I kissed Alex, but I was very very drunk, I am surprised I even remember it."

"Woah, you got drunk." JJ sounded surprised.

"I even smoked, a lot of weed." Athena admitted.

"I'm a bad influence on you." JJ stated.

"Everyone has their party girl phase." Athena shrugged. "I just wanted a bit normality, you know, pogue life is more overwhelming than I thought."

"I feel like that sometimes." JJ agreed. "I heard you're staying with Dorota."

"Yeah. I don't know what's gonna happen after all this but if we come back here and you get sick of staying with John B and Sarah, who I'm pretty sure are having sex in the other room while we're sat out here." They shared a laugh. "You're always welcome to come and stay with me and Dorota. You're not a burden so... and you wouldn't have to sneak in because Dorota knows and loves you. You'd even get your own bedroom to decorate and everything."

"I'd like that." JJ nodded with a small smile. "And um, Dorota's wedding. I'd like, if it's okay with you, I'd like to go with you, as your d—"

JJ cut himself off. Athena furrowed her eyebrows, looking over at him in concern. "JJ?"

JJ stood up in concern, looking out the kitchen window. Kie and Sage looked at them in concern, turning around and noticing what they were looking at.

"What is that?" Kie asked.

"That's fire." JJ stated.

"The Chateau's on fire." Athena rushed out in shock, jumping up from her seat and rushing towards where John B and Sarah were.

"We gotta tell 'em! Tell them!" JJ panicked, moving to go and get Pope along with Kie and Sage.

Athena moved over, opening the door to where John B and Sarah were. Her mouth dropped in shocked morphing to disgust before she shook her head. "Sorry! Gross! There's a fire!"

"What?"

"Fire? Wait, what?"

"Wait, Thena, what are you talking about?" John B grabbed his top, rushing after the girl who had left the room.

"Come on! Get outta there!" JJ shouted at Pope and Cleo.

"The house is on fire!" Kie exclaimed.

"Oh shit."

"Sarah, get away from the door."

And in the flurry of chaotic movements, JJ's hand found Athena's. Athena squeezed his hand in comfort, holding onto Kie's arm as they desperately tried to find a way out of the burning Chateau.

( 💌 ) isobel's notes
some cute jathena this chapter
just athena being insecure when the
pogues wouldn't survive without her
and sarah and athena back to being
our fav cameron twins