——

"It's all my fault."

"Yeah, I can agree to that," JJ replied to Sarah and that received an eye roll from Emelina. Her neck was revealed yet again and Sarah hadn't stopped beating herself up for her brother's actions.

Wearing a turtleneck was no longer feasible since the sun continued to share its blazing heat to her skin, so she was forced to toss the sweater and slip on one of JJ's shirts.

Sarah nearly cried when she was finally caught up in last night's events. After being jumped by Rafe, she never wished for any of her friends to go through the same thing, and hearing the news only broke her heart.

Currently, she stood in the living room with a sympathetic frown on her lips, spurting out a million apologies to Emelina.

"J, shut it." Emelina glared at the blonde boy before turning to Sarah, "It's not your fault, Sarah. We can only blame Rafe."

"Okay," Sarah pouted before grabbing Emelina's hand to lure her in for a quick hug. Eventually, Sarah left to the hammock to sit with John B, leaving the other two to themselves.

They laid on the couch in silence. JJ played with her hair, scrolling through his phone as she fumbled with the button of his opened shirt. Her head rested on his half-bare chest, listening to the rhythm of his heartbeat and this position alone could help her catch up on the sleep she missed.

Just as she was about to close her eyes, JJ said his first words in a while, "You don't deserve this. I should've protected you."

"It's okay."

"No, it's not okay," he replied and sat up straight. She mentally groaned for being stripped away from her comfortable spot. "I could have lost you, Emelina. I can't stop thinking about it."

"I know," she replied softly and leaned in to grant him a short kiss, "but, I'm here now... with you. How about we do something to celebrate my survival? It'll make you feel better."

His sad expression vanished when a smile came out, "I think I'm the one who's supposed to make you feel better." His fingers lightly traced over her neck, barely touching it so she wouldn't flinch. He then asked, "What do you have in mind?"

"Shotgun?"

"Which one?"

She thought about it for a moment. "Both."

JJ grinned and grabbed her hips to pull her closer to his body before stealing a kiss. "I like the way you think. Let's see if John B and Sarah want to join us."

They walked outside with two cans of beer each in their hands, ready to face the challenge of shotgunning, but were immediately turned down by their friends.

John B walked right past them into the porch without saying a word and Sarah screamed out, "No!" in answer to their proposal.

"Maybe I should go after her?" Emelina suggested and placed one of the cans on the grassy ground beneath her. JJ nodded, "Yeah, or you and I could..." He raised the beer can and wiggled his eyebrows.

She agreed, only if she could check up on Sarah afterward, and the two poked a hole at the bottom of their cans before pulling the tab and drinking from the hole.

Emelina stopped right away, the pain of swallowing consuming her neck. JJ finished his drink happily, crushing his can and whooping in victory until he found her can dripping in alcohol. "Why didn't you drink it?"

"Rafe doesn't want me to have fun," Emelina replied sarcastically and softly rubbed her throat, "It hurts to swallow."

"Well," JJ deadpanned, "that's not helpful in my case."

She pushed his shoulder. "You're annoying."

JJ then claimed to have a solution and guided over to the docks and prepared himself to roll a joint for them to share. He promised it would be quick so she could attend her therapy appointment with Sarah.

"You feelin' better already?" JJ asked, taking the joint from her. It was already halfway done. She nodded, a lazy smile on her face as she dipped her toes in the cool water below them.

She could see him staring at her neck, could see the anger dancing around in his darkened eyes, and could see his mind racing with thoughts on what to do with the wrongdoer. She scooted closer to him in hopes to take his mind off of him with her next words, "We still haven't done half of the celebration."

Instead of inhaling the joint as she expected, he grabbed her chin and kissed her. Kissed her as his life depended on it, like she would slip away and never come back. Then, he pulled away and took a hit before blowing it into her already parted mouth due to the surprise kiss.

They went back and forth until it was done and all that was left to do was to flick the roach into the water. Her head rested on his shoulder and they just sat and talked for what seemed like hours, but it was only about ten minutes.

"You should check on John B," Emelina said and stood up from her sitting position. He tilted his head up, "A few more minutes?"

Emelina laughed, "No. C'mon," She held her hand out and he accepted, after groaning loudly, and then they set out to help their friends in need.

She found Sarah alone on a log. Her knees were brought up to her face and her eyes were set out to the dead campfire in front of her. Teardrops were visible on her face, but she quickly wiped them away when she saw Emelina approaching.

"Hey," Emelina offered a vague smile and say next to her on the wooden log, "what happened?"

"Topper happened," Sarah answered and sniffled as she spoke. Emelina chuckled, "Yeah... I understand. Is it because you didn't tell him you're married to John B?"

Sarah sighed and let her feet hit the ground, "I just... I thought it would be weird to tell him that after he literally saved my life, you know?"

Emelina nodded. "I do know. He seems to always be there when you need somebody."

"Exactly! And John B just doesn't seem to get it. He's mad at me and I don't know what to do. I mean, it's not like I'll get back together with him." Sarah quickly gave her a side-eye, "No offense."

"None taken," Emelina giggled, "but give him some space. I can see where he's coming from, though. He's your husband and he's probably just worried."

Sarah brushed her fingers through her hair and exhaled another breath, "He shouldn't have to be worried. I'm done with Topper. I appreciate what he did for me, but it's really none of his business to know crucial details about my life. He lost that privilege a long time ago."

"You're right. He doesn't, but they all feel like they need to one up each other—which is stupid. Are you going to talk to him?"

"I will, eventually. It's a silly thing to get mad over, so I'm not going to say anything for now. I'll give him some space, like you said."

"Emelina! Sarah!" They heard Kiara's voice from further near the house. The conversation stopped, leaving no room for Emelina to give the rest of her input, and they rushed over to figure out the commotion.

§

Pope's father was jumped by one of Limbrey's men, demanding the key. This news shocked Emelina and was quick to patch him up, listening to him lecture Pope on how not to back down from a fight and to find out the meaning behind the mysterious key.

So, the very next day they drove in the van all the way over to Pope's great grandmothers in hopes to gain information. The cross was still a sticky question to them. "Guys, the thing that Limbrey said, I don't think she meant to let it slip. She said the key leads to the Cross of Santo Domingo." Pope said.

Emelina sat next to him in the back and looked at the gold key in her hand. What kind of key holds this much value? JJ turned around from the passenger seat and held out his hand, "Wait. Can I see that?"

"Are we supposed to know what that is?" Sarah asked after Emelina handed him the key. Pope shrugged, "I'm guessing it's some sort of historical artifact of great importance."

Kiara looked up from her phone. "Well, according to the interwebs, it was a gift from New Spain to the Spanish king."

"New Spain?" JJ questioned, "Is there an Old Spain?"

They ignored him. "Shit, talk about over-gifting. Look at that thing." Kiara turned her phone around to show the picture of a cross next to a man, who was shorter than the artifact. "Looks like a person standing next to it."

"That's one big cross," Emelina commented. "It was widely considered at the time to be the most extravagant tribute ever from the provinces. It was lost off the coast of Bermuda in 1829." Kiara continued to spit out facts.

JJ whipped his head around, "Did you just say Bermuda?"

"Oh, no. Not the triangle." John B muttered, his hands stuck on the wheel as he sighed. JJ slapped his shoulder, "Yeah, it always leads back to the triangle, dude. Like every single time something's weird, it's Bermuda."

"Okay. What does a key found above your mee-maw's pharmacy have to do with any of this? Where do we come in?" Kiara asked.

Pope pursed his lips. "I don't know. That's a good question."

They made it to the retirement home and just as Kiara was about to join Pope outside, he stopped her, "Hey, um, actually, I think I'm gonna do this one by myself."

"Are you sure?" Kiara inquired.

He nodded. "Yeah, I can handle it. I don't really need you, so..."

Emelina widened her eyes and placed herself back on the seat. JJ, standing next to the passenger side door, flattened his lips, "Oh, we're all just one big happy family today, aren't we?"

Pope walked away from the van and Kiara shut the sliding door, scoffing in the process. "Did you tell him?" Emelina asked, a look of discomfort on her face. "Yeah, I did."

They left the retirement home, promising to pick up Pope when he was done and left to a nearby store to pick up some snacks.

JJ walked back from the store alone with a bag in hand and entered the van again. John B stayed in the driver's seat, his fingers drumming on the steering wheel to the mellow music on the radio, whereas Emelina leaned back on the backseat, eyes closed.

She felt the plastic bag drop on her lap and she opened her eyes in surprise. JJ had his body turned to her, "Got you a little somethin'."

Emelina pulled out a cream, specifically to heal bruises and other various items that may help. "I kinda just grabbed everything the lady back at the store told me to get," he said to her, and the biggest smile formed on her lips, quickly thanking him with a kiss on the cheek.

"That's cute," John B teased and JJ slapped his shoulder again and told him to shut up.

She took it out of the box after reading the instructions and before she could unscrew the cap, JJ stopped her, "Wait, let me help."

JJ hopped out of the passenger side and climbed in the back through the sliding doors, shutting it and turning to her. He put some of the cream on his fingertips and started to gently rub it on her neck. She watched him and saw how concentrated he looked. It was cute.

"I hope you didn't steal all of this," Emelina said. JJ shrugged, "Not all of it..."

"Does it hurt?" he then asked. She shook her head, a soft smile still present until he was done. After thanking him again, she placed all the items back in the bag and he left her side to sit in the front again.

"Just like the old days," JJ said while plopping his feet on the dashboard.

"Yeah, when you ate all of my candy bar." Emelina huffed from the back seat. JJ furrowed his eyebrows, "How do you remember that?"

"I remember not to share my food with you guys. Ever."

John B lowered down the music from the radio and glanced at them. "You guys were awful to each other. How'd you bounce back from that?"

"Feelings, man," JJ answered, "They eat you alive. Seriously."

"Yeah..." John B cleared his throat, his eyes set out to Sarah standing by the front door of the store who was currently giggling at something Kiara said next to her.

"Remember when life was simple?" JJ asked and John B turned his head, "Yeah, like seven days ago. I mean, guys, think about it. Ward's still out there, and he's got the gold."

"I know. I know..." JJ closed his eyes, but John B continued, "He killed my dad."

"John B, I know, and we won't let that go. But I'm worried about you, man. It feels like it's either you or him. And you know who else I'm worried about?" JJ's gazed changed to the windshield to their friends by the store, "Sarah. I mean, bro, it's her dad. You see what I'm saying?"

Emelina leaned forward and shook her head in refusal to believe that. "No."

"No?" JJ asked. John B was silent for a moment before speaking, "She knows what he did... Alright, so what's the deal with this Limbrey chick? Pope said she has evidence on tape that could put Ward away, right?"

"Mhm."

"But, she did try to kidnap Pope..." Emelina reminded them. John B looked at her, "Think about it, alright? If we can get that evidence, it's done. We could put Ward away for good and finally get justice for my dad. This can all be over in one shot. I get it. It's dangerous."

JJ grinned. "Good thing your best friend's JJ Maybank. 'Cause I already got a plan."

"Of course you do." Emelina sighed but was happily ready to listen to him.

"Hopefully it's better than springing me out of jail."

"Nah, this is my best yet. Listen," JJ inched closer to whisper his plan as if the world could hear.