Kildare Island was a blur from the back of JJ's motorbike, and so were the thoughts in Slater's brain.

Her father's face flashed through her mind, along with those of John B, Sheriff Peterkin, Rafe, Ward, and JJ. She pictured the blood on John B's hands, Rafe with a gun pointed at Peterkin, Rafe with a gun pointed at her father.

"J, pull over, please!" Slater yelled over the roar of the wind.

JJ obliged, pulling his bike over on the side of the road. As soon as the engine was off, he spun around, his eyebrows furrowed together as he faced Slater. "What the hell were you doing?"

Slater's face fell and she shook her head. "I thought I could help!"

"You thought you could help?" JJ echoed with a scoff. "By running to your father?"

"JJ, I--"

"When has going to the police ever helped? They're in Ward Cameron's pocket, on the warpath for JB, with your father leading the witch hunt! I know he's your dad, but Slater--"

"Stop it, JJ!" Slater exclaimed, her face red and streaked with tears. "Look, I don't need a lecture, especially from you! I've had enough of people calling me naive. I realize now that it was never going to work."

JJ took a step back, dipping his head. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you. I didn't mean to get angry. This isn't about you and your dad. I was just ... scared. Scared for John B, and then you disappeared, and I was scared that something had happened to you. You never came back to the car, and none of us knew where you were, and..."

His face collapsed, and he reached for Slater's hand, squeezing it tightly. She knew how much anger and fighting he'd grown up with, and she knew he never wanted that for the two of them.

He took a deep breath and shook his head. "It was worth a try. If anyone could get through to ol' Shoupe, it's probably you."

"I'm sorry for disappearing, but I knew you would try and stop me, and I was so convinced my plan would work." Slater sighed and shook her head. "How did you know where to find me?"

A smirk floated over JJ's face, and he gave her hand a squeeze. "Because I know you. Figured you'd try and pull something like this, so I asked around and tracked Shoupe and Plumb to the Wreck."

Slater smiled. "You're always coming to my rescue."

"Well, you're always coming to mine," he replied, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Now, come on. We have to meet Pope and Kie at the Phantom's hideout. They're bringing food and stuff."

"Pope and Kie?" Slater echoed. "What about John B?"

Slater's plan at convincing her father of John B's innocence had quickly flopped, so Mexico by way of the Phantom was John B's only option -- and Sarah's.

Part of Slater thought Sarah was foolish, fleeing with John B to Mexico. She was giving up her entire life to live as a fugitive with him, at least until his innocence could be proven. The other part of Slater, however, knew that if she was in Sarah's shoes -- and JJ in John B's -- she'd do the exact same thing.

"John B is on his way to break Sarah out of prison," JJ said as he helped Slater back onto the bike.

"Should he really be out and about on his own?" Slater asked.

"He doesn't have another choice. We have to get the boat ready, and then he's meeting us at the dock with Sarah." JJ took a deep breath, a shudder that Slater felt beyond the vibrations of the bike. "I just have to stop at home first."

"Home?" Slater echoed. "JJ..."

She knew he had not been at his own house since the last fight with his father, when Luke almost killed him. The bruises were still slightly visible on his torso, though the image of him bruised and beaten would be forever burned in the back of Slater's mind.

"Someone has to get the keys for the Phantom."

"Okay, then I'll go in with you."

"No," JJ replied firmly, turning his bike down the street that led to his house.

"Yes, JJ. You're not going in there alone!"

"He might not even be home," JJ said unconvincingly. "Doesn't matter. You're not going in that house, Slater. I'm not letting him meet you. He doesn't deserve it."

They pulled up to the rundown Maybank residence, and JJ parked the bike out of sight of the windows. He hopped off, and when Slater moved to do the same, he placed a firm hand on her shoulder.

"Slater," he said, his blue eyes, shiny with tears, unable to meet her gaze. "I mean it. Please stay here."

Though she was worried for him, Slater didn't want to argue, and they couldn't afford to waste any time doing so. She bit her bottom lip and nodded, worried that if she said anything, her voice would catch and she'd start crying.

JJ turned away and walked inside, disappearing behind the door.

One by one, Slater counted the minutes he was gone. The house remained quiet, though by the time Slater reached minute six in her count, she was thoroughly worried. Luke's truck was in the driveway, so unless he'd walked somewhere, he was inside.

If it got to ten minutes, she'd go inside, Slater decided, her fists clenched so tightly at her side that her nails were digging into the skin of her palms. What she'd do, exactly, she didn't know, but she couldn't stand the thought that maybe something had happened to JJ, and she'd just been waiting outside, useless.

Just as she'd gotten to eight minutes and fifty eight seconds, the door swung open again, revealing JJ. Slater's heart lurched and she let out a sigh, bringing a shaking hand to her face. JJ looked at her for only a second, but in that second, her heart broke for him. His face was red, his under eyes damp with tears. He was shaking slightly as he got back on the bike, though he remained silent as he kicked it into gear.

Before Slater could ask how it went, they were off. The bike lurched forward, and Slater quickly grabbed hold of JJ before she could be thrown off.

"How'd it go?" She asked in JJ's ear, gently giving his arm a squeeze.

JJ was silent in his reply, digging something out of his pocket and handing it to Slater. She took it, seeing that it was the keys to the Phantom. Whatever had transpired between JJ and his father, JJ clearly didn't want to talk about it. Under normal circumstances, she would have pushed him to open up about it, but they didn't have the time.

John B didn't have the time.

They rode JJ's bike deeper into the Cut, to the marina that housed Luke's boat. Kiara's car was already there, and she and Pope were waiting beside it. JJ parked the bike next to it, and he and Slater hopped off, joining the others.

"Where the hell did you go, Slater?" Kiara asked, pulling the Cambry girl in for a hug. "We were worried about you."

"I, umm, had to make a side trip," Slater stammered, embarrassed to tell Kiara and Pope what she had really been up to.

"Any sign of John B and Sarah?" JJ asked, quickly changing the subject, to which Slater was eternally grateful.

"Not yet," Pope replied. "But I'm sure they're right behind us."

"Right," JJ said with a nod. "Well, come on then. The Phantom awaits."

He led them to a large shed, unlocking the door with Luke's keys. He pushed it open, revealing an inconspicuous yet sturdy boat. It wasn't as large or as flashy as the My Druthers, but that was exactly what John B and Sarah needed.

JJ pulled a tarp off of the boat, rattling off a list of details about the boat that went way over Slater's head. She imagined it must have been something special in its heyday -- in 1983. She hoped the old thing would be able to get Sarah and John B to Mexico safely.

"Ain't she a beaut?" JJ said with a grin, admiring the Phantom as if he had crafted the hull himself. Slater was happy to see him return to his usual self after the encounter with Luke, so she resisted the urge to call him a nerd.

"J, I think you and I have different ideas of what constitutes 'beautiful,' but it's a nice boat," Slater said, tapping the side of it with her fingers.

"As long as it gets John B and Sarah to Mexico in one piece, it's the most beautiful boat I've ever seen," Pope said with a chuckle.

"First boat to make the run to Bermuda in under sixteen hours," JJ said, as if the boat's accomplishments were his own. "Forty years old! Forty!"

"It's kind of a junker," Kiara said.

JJ turned abruptly, the keys jingling in his hand. "Really? She's right there, Kie."

"JJ, stop referring to an inanimate object as 'she,'" Slater interjected.

"She can hear you," JJ continued, ignoring Slater. "Let's just put it this way: you would not be smokin' weed right now if she never existed, okay?"

"Something my parents would probably be grateful for," Kiara muttered. "I hope it runs."

JJ scoffed. "Oh, she'll run, all right? Faster than any of the cutters the boys in blue got," he said, his eyes drifting to Slater.

"The sheriff's office just got all new boats last year, J," Slater added. "You're telling me this thing is faster?"

"Fastest ship on Kildare Island, I promise you that."

"Well, with the official JJ Maybank stamp of approval, how can we be led astray?" Slater teased as JJ playfully rolled his eyes and walked over to her, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Well Cambry, when Deputy Dad ships you off to military school in September, just know you and I could make a mean getaway in the old girl."

Slater was about to make another remark when the sound of tires quickly approaching filled the shed.

"That must be JB," JJ said, and the group turned towards the entrance, awaiting John B and Sarah.

The sound of two sets of footsteps rounded the boat, and Slater realized she was looking into the eyes of the wrong Cameron sibling. Her stomach dropped as Rafe fixed her with a smirk.

"Hey there, what's going on?" Rafe muttered casually, his eyes locked on Slater. "JJ, Slater. How's it going?"

He hopped up on the boat, peering inside, as another man made his way around the corner. Slater's stomach dropped even further as she recognized him as the drug dealer that had held them at gunpoint: Barry.

"Well well," Barry let out a laugh that made Slater nauseous. "See, I told y'all we'd meet again." Before any of them could say anything, Barry reached into the waistband of his shorts and pulled out a pistol. He aimed it at JJ. "Don't think I ain't forgot about what happened on the side of the road. I want my fucking money!" He slammed the gun into the side of JJ's face, sending him to the ground.

Slater lurched forward, reaching for JJ, his name on her lips, when two strong arms wrapped around her waist. She recognized the scent of his cologne instantly, the smell triggering her fight or flight -- and potentially her gag reflex.

"Put me down, Rafe!"

"I don't think so, Slater," Rafe chuckled lowly. "The man wants his money."

She watched, helpless, as Barry continued to slam his fist into JJ's face. Pope lurched towards Barry, fearlessly shoving himself into the middle of the scuffle, while Kiara launched herself at Rafe, attempting to free Slater from his grasp.

"Let her go!" Kiara said, digging her nails into the side of Rafe's arm, trying to pry Slater free.

"It's not you we want. Where's John B?" Rafe asked, easily deflecting Kiara's attack. "Tell us where he is, we'll leave you alone. Forget all about the money."

"We don't know where he is, Rafe!" Slater exclaimed, blindly kicking backwards in an attempt to target his groin. She felt her foot connect solidly, and Rafe's grip dropped immediately. She smirked to herself as she pulled free of his grasp.

"We know what you did, Rafe," Kiara said as Rafe, who was still bent over, clenching his privates, slowly looked up, his cold gaze locking on her. "You killed Peterkin!"

Slater moved to help JJ and Pope, though as she did so, she heard the sound of a hand connecting on skin. She spun around, watching as Rafe's hands came up around Kiara's neck. She gasped as he pulled her towards him, his eyes pure evil as they bore down onto her.

"Don't you ever say those fucking words again," Rafe hissed.

Slater ran towards him again, but before she could land a second kick, he swiveled away from her. A strong arm shot out, shoving Slater hard into the side of the boat. She felt her head hit metal and she collapsed to the ground, her eyes spinning.

She stared up at the cobweb-ridden ceiling of the shed, her head throbbing as she listened to the fights echoing around her.

On the other side of the shed, she heard Barry yelling at JJ to stay down, and the sound of Pope grunting as a kick or a punch landed into his abdomen. Rafe was yelling at Kiara, ordering her to tell him where John B was, which Kiara kept denying.

"Get away from her!" Slater was fairly certain that was Pope, and she turned ever so slightly to watch as Pope swung a crowbar into Rafe's back. Rafe's grip on Kiara slackened, and he fell backwards, stumbling into a pile of boxes nearby. Rafe's attention was now solely on Pope, and Pope quickly countered his attack, landing several solid punches to the Cameron boy's face, until he collapsed to the ground.

Slater slowly sat up, reaching a shaking hand to her head, sighing with relief as her fingers came away unbloodied.

She slowly got to her feet, turning her attention to JJ, watching as he knocked the gun away from Barry. It scattered over the Kiara, and the girl quickly grabbed it, aiming it back on the man. JJ slammed Barry into the other side of the boat, before turning to Pope and Rafe, wrestling the former away from the latter before he could do some serious damage.

Rafe backed away, beaten and bloody, yet still smirking, as he caught his breath.

"Let's get out of here, man," Barry said, rubbing his head from where JJ had pushed him into the boat.

Rafe nodded once, fixing them each with a smirk that said, "This isn't over yet," before turning with Barry and fleeing on their bikes.

Slater's head was throbbing, and she was feeling dizzy, now. She stumbled backwards, catching herself against the side of the boat. She felt nauseous, and was suddenly reminded of a concussion she'd gotten playing kickball in sixth grade.

"Jesus Christ, Slater!" JJ lurched for her, and despite his own bloodied state, wrapped a strong arm around her waist, holding her up. "Are you okay?"

"I think I have a concussion," she muttered, rubbing the side of her head. "Rafe pushed me into the boat."

He swore and looked to the open door, to the dust path left in the wake of Rafe and Barry's bikes. "We should have let Pope fucking kill him," he muttered.

"I'll be okay," she lamented, sharing an uneasy gaze with Kiara as they both looked at Pope. Slater had never seen the boy so angry, and based on Kiara's reaction, neither had the pogues. "I'll head to the doctor as soon as we say bon voyage to Sarah and John B, I promise."

JJ was still watching her with an uneasy look, until Kiara stepped forward, a forced smirk on her face. "I can't believe the way you kicked Rafe in the balls, Slater."

"Wait a minute," JJ said, studying her with an entirely new look. "You kicked Rafe in the balls? And I missed it?"

Slater smiled, despite her throbbing and spinning head. "Self defense 101, courtesy of Victor Shoupe. If you're being attacked by a male, aim for the nuts." 

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ author's note ✫・゜・。.

well, it's been a while, hasn't it? sorry about that! i have a few chapters for the middle backlogged in my google doc, so hopefully i'll be getting the rest out soon, following a bit of editing.

thanks for reading!

xx,

madi