——

The boys open the doors to the church Pope mentioned earlier. The Twinkie successfully removed itself from the tide and they were all able to go to the intentional destination after a very few eventful hours.

John B practically waddled into the place. A bandana was wrapped around his injured leg and thinking about the pain alone had shivers running down Emelina's back. He must have a high pain tolerance.

"Okay, you're telling me Denmark Tanny decided to hide the Cross here?" JJ asked and Emelina stuck by his side, her eyes wandering over the abandoned church.

Dead leaves were crunching beneath their feet. The smell of buildup of dust and dirt filled their noses. Nothing pleasant about being here, but finding the cross was the important thing on the list right now.

"Everybody, just spread out," Kiara said. John B stepped forward and started speaking in riddle form, "Okay, well, if I were a cross and wanted to be hidden in an old church, where would I hide?"

JJ was already getting skeptical. "Are you sure that Denmark hid the cross here, Pope? Like, are we at the right church?"

Pope stood at the alter and glanced at everyone. "It's gotta be here somewhere, guys."

"What if we have to push a secret button or, like, play, like, a... a certain chord, and then, all of a sudden, the ground beneath us reveals the catacombs or something on which we stand?" JJ hovered over the piano and then looked at the ground beneath him.

Emelina patted his shoulder from behind, "Alright, Andy, let's try to focus on the obvious clues."

Kiara shook her head at him. "It's not an escape room."

JJ quietly apologized and Emelina continued sweeping the place with her vision where a big cross might be hidden. Or was hard, given that it was not in plain sight.

"I can't see where they'd hide a giant cross in here," John B voiced out everyone's thoughts. Pope was in denial as he spoke, "No, no. There's no way he would set us up on a freaking goose chase that would lead us to a church that has nothing in it!"

"Yes, I get it. I don't know what to tell you, man."

"The clues led us here. The cross is in this church." Pope sat down on one of the long benches, disappointment stretching across his features.

John B offered him some assurance in his following words, "Pope, it'll be alright. We've had setbacks in the past, and we figured it out. We're gonna find it."

Kiara sat down next to Pope, "He's right."

"Look, we've just gotta think about this logically, alright? Where else would you hide a seven-foot cross made of gold?" John B was pacing the room, but Emelina was watching Pope point the spyglass above near the ceiling.

There were wooden beams shaped as crosses and about the perfect size of its description. "Holy shit," Emelina gasped.

"We're still in a church, y'know," JJ whispered beside her. Emelina went to nudge him but stopped herself when Pope decided to climb the walls to get to the beams.

John B raised his arms in the air. "Now Pope's climbing the wall."

"Pope, get down please! The church is really old. This is dangerous." Emelina pleaded just as much as everyone else but all of their voices was flowing through one of his ear and out the other.

"Yo!" JJ raised his voice a bit, "This church has gots to be at least 200 years old. Yo, let me just be real. You're not the most coordinated person on planet Earth. You hear me? What are you doing?"

Emelina sighed. "He's not listening to any of us."

Pope was already standing on one of the beams and knocking on it to see which was solid wood and which wasn't. The first one was, so he moved to the middle one.

"Pope, that's rotten as shit right there, okay?" JJ said and Pope was already knocking on the second piece of wood. Again, it was just as solid as the first one. He moved on to the third and final one.

Emelina's eyes locked on the nest near him. "Pope, be careful," she said just as JJ informed them all it belonged to a bunch of wasps.

Pope placed one foot down and a piece of wood fell down and now they know that one was hallow. He asked for a crowbar and Sarah quickly ran out to the van to retrieve it.

She came back a minute later and tossed it in the air. Pope caught it first try and Sarah smiled proudly. "Heh."

He began to hit the hallowed wood with the crowbar and within seconds, pieces fell off and soon revealed a very detailed golden cross. "Oh, my God!"

Emelina was jumping up and down with Kiara and Sarah and eventually huddled in for a quick group hug before she was pulled away into the arms of her favorite blonde. "We did it!"

Too much excitement was a bad move because the wasps started swarming and stinging Pope. The crowbar fell to the ground and he started hissing in pain. He slipped off, but caught himself and held his body weight with his hands still clinging onto the beams.

The group worked quickly to take the cushions off of the benches and created a soft landing for him. His fingers could not support him much longer and he came down flying. Thankfully, the cushions were there just in time to save him. "Pope, are you good?"

Then, it was almost like her instincts heard her, Emelina moved away from the pillows as fast as she could when the cross came flying down. Her heart leaped out of her chest. "Oh, my God."

Pope rolled out of the way just in time and a breath of relief was exhaled from her mouth. It didn't stop her and JJ from checking up on him, though, "Are you okay?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I'm good. Just give me, like, one second to, like, catch my breath."

John B rose from his kneeling position. "You did it, Pope."

The golden cross was etched into the ground, upside down, and it was a sight for sore eyes. Emelina placed her hand on the cold metal, her fingers tracing over the detailed marks. "Wow..."

"How much do you think she's worth?" JJ asked, "Like, if we melted her old bones down, dude, I'm talking like high billions."

John B shook his head. "This belongs in a museum." he said and JJ gave him a look, "What? So no one sees her?"

"In a museum where everyone sees it." John B corrected him and JJ furrowed his eyebrows. "Are you kidding?!"

"Hey!" Pope yelled out, "It's my ancestors' cross! This is bigger than money, and the worlds gotta know the truth."

John B nodded. "Yes. And if we don't get this shit outta here before Limbrey gets here, nobody's gonna know. So saddle up."

Every single one of them used all of their strength to pick up the very heavy cross. Emelina's fingers felt like they were going to slip off but she tried to muster up as much strength as she could to move it toward the door.

Pope announce he couldn't hold it anymore and so when he let go of the cross, it all leaned on the floor where Pope once carried it. It clattered to the ground and Emelina secretly felt relieved because it took the living life out of her.

"Damn it, yo! You almost dropped it on my foot!" JJ said to Sarah. She narrowed her eyes at him, "'Cause I'm the only one lifting it!"

Emelina paid no attention to them and sat in the spot next to Pope, watching him squirm in his seat. The more she looked, the more she saw how swollen his face and hands were. "Pope, I think you're having an allergic reaction."

"I'm not okay! I'm not okay! I can't breathe!" he said, inhaling every ounce of oxygen he could get. Everyone hovered over him and began blurting out questions. None were answered by him and he soon fainted in his seat.

"Open the door!" John B instructed as he and Kiara guide Pope out with his arms around their shoulders. Emelina opened the door and quickly ran over to her truck to unlock it and make room for him in the back seat.

"Just put him in there," she said and JJ soon joined them outside after telling how he did not hide the cross that well. He stood next to her, "Gimme the keys. I know where to go."

And he did know where to go. To his cousin Ricky's place to give Pope a shot to rid the effects of his allergy. There was a deep scare waiting for unconscious Pope to awake after receiving the shot, but he woke up in no time and was running out the door.

Ricky informed them that he would have a rocket up his ass for around half an hour. He was right about that because Pope threaten to rip their ears off if he didn't drive the truck back to the church.

He was driving really fast on the roads. The sun faded into nothing and he was still on some sort of high from the shot.

"Just slow down, would you? How are you feeling, by the way?" Emelina asked from the backseat. The only thing that kept her from being completely anxious was JJ's hand interlocking with hers.

"Uh, fantastic!" Pope answered, "I don't know what JJ's cousin gave me, but I am moving!"

He was swerving on the roads, nearly causing a head collision, until he turned his head around and it was too late before the truck crashed into some trees on the side of the road.

Emelina's body jolted, shock filling her body once she registered what happened. No physical pain consumed her body but the feeling inside grew. JJ shook her shoulders, "Em, you okay?"

She couldn't speak, but to answer his concerned question, she nodded her head. The car door opened and she jumped out, taking in a wave of fresh air.

Every window was shattered, and there were dents and scratches everywhere. The damages were bad—and could be fixed, but since the truck sits in the garage all year round, Emelina knew the truck would be joining the scraps at the junkyard.

The second she saw Pope exiting the vehicle, the anger inside of her was having a hard time settling down. "I told you to slow down, Pope! Look at what you did!"

He stared at the damage he had done and the lack of response from him only made her angrier. Maybe she shouldn't have placed the blame all on him, but at that moment, every sour feeling she felt was toward him. 

Her feet carried her over to him, then she started speed-walking, her eyes seeing completely red. She would've pushed him if John B hadn't rushed in front of her and picked her up.

Tears were running down her cheeks, "That was the only big thing I had left of him! My mom is slowly replacing him but at least I had that... John B, put me down!"

"Lina, just calm down. He didn't mean to crash it, alright?" John B had his arms securely around her body and she tried her hardest to escape his touch. "I don't care! We told him to stop!"

"He's sorry, okay? He's sorry." John B whispered and began to rub her back in circular motions. She didn't want to be touched. She was so furious, every little thing was infuriating her and she was trying so hard to unleash it.

She could hear Pope muttering out repeated apologies, all that sound sincere. She just didn't want to listen.

Emelina's vision was blurry. All the emotions she felt today were taking a toll on her and even with the comfort of her best friend, she still only wanted one person.

John B released her as soon as she stopped fighting against him. She wiped the tears from her face and felt a tug on her arm. JJ pulled her closer to his body and lifted her chin to face him.

He didn't have to say a word since the serenity of his eyes was more than enough. The last of her tears fell down her cheeks and her breathing was less labored. Her head rested on his chest where he soon whispered words that helped calm her down.

Emelina turned around to find Pope running down the road upon hearing shouting and John B was chasing after him.

A large truck was driving past them and Emelina could have sworn she saw Rafe driving it. Their eyes lock and she didn't miss the rising smirk on his lips. Limbrey's man was also sitting in the front seat. Them coming from the direction they were driving towards with a truck that size only meant one thing.

"We gotta get back to the church!"

§

Walking back to the church was a bust, given that the cross was nowhere to be found. Emelina was still sniffling back her tears, swapping between both sleeves of her jacket that were now wet.

JJ grunted beside her, his feet kicking the various blue cushions on the ground. "Damn it! I knew I didn't hide it well enough! Damn it!"

Every ounce of her body was slowly deteriorating from exhaustion and she had no urge to comfort him. Now that the cross was officially out of their hands, it all felt like their hard work was for nothing and she was not sure what to do.

JJ was pacing around the church, muttering to himself and thinking of ways to come up with a plan. Emelina pulled her hair completely away from her face and closed her eyes to inhale deep breaths. "Shit," she whispered in disappointment and leaned her hands on one of the long church benches.

She could hear JJ behind her, most likely conversing with John B, "Alright, here's what we do. We'll grab some kerosene tanks from the Chat, then we... we go to my dad's shop and grab some dynamite. And then we drive down to Charleston and tell this lady who she's messing with! Because this is some bullshit, y'all!"

The image of Rafe smirking replayed in Emelina's mind and the thought made her scowl. "And what will that do, JJ? She's not alone." Her throat felt dry from all of the crying. She hated to be against his spontaneous plans, but right now she was not willing to listen to a single one.

He whipped around and looked at her, his mouth opening slightly to say something, but his attention turned to Sarah when she spoke. "Yeah," she agreed, "that's not gonna help."

JJ disregarded Emelina and responded to the blonde girl instead, "Well, what is, Sarah?" His voice was raised with clear annoyance and impatience.

John B chimed in. "I'm thinking, okay? We can't just go blow shit up, JJ."

JJ looked down, then to Pope who stood on the podium since they had arrived. "I'm sorry, Pope."

"Denmark would've stood right here... preaching to everyone he set free. A slave, the sole survivor of the Royal Merchant, he got the gold and the cross, and he brought them both to shore and used it to free every person who walked through those doors. He made a church, a family, a congregation... a home." Pope stepped off of the podium and inched closer to everyone, "And the Limbreys took everything from him. They sicced dogs on his wife and his kids, and when he tried to get her remains, they hung him."

"Well, I'm done. I'm tired of that shit. That is now how this is gonna end. We need a freaking win, guys. I'm going to get my family's cross." Pope walked over to the door and Emelina felt a genuine smile tug on her lips for the second time again.

Pope stopped at the doors, "You guys coming?"

John B scrunched his nose. "Well, if you put it that way..."

JJ pointed to him in a teasingly way, "Well, maybe we should think about it, you know?"

"Pros and cons?"

"Pros and cons list..." JJ slipped his backpack on his shoulder and smiled widely, "Hell yeah, we're coming, Pope!"

Since they had left the Twinkie at the church, they all piled up in hopes to figure out where the cross may be located at. Emelina sat in the back, eyes closed as she listened loosely to everyone's theories. Her bet was at the Cameron's house.

"...And if it's there, Imma need a one-on-one with your brother, Sarah. He's long overdue for a beating." She heard JJ say from the front seat and now she was listening closely. She saw Kiara roll her eyes next to her.

"You're not beating up Rafe, JJ." John B said as his hands turned the wheel to bring the van down the road. Emelina could tell JJ was ready to list out his reasonings when the bright blue and red lights stop him from doing so.

"Oh shit! They found the truck!" Kiara said. A sigh escaped through Emelina's lips because as much as she wished for avoidance, she knew she would have to face the consequences sooner than later. "Fuck."

"Chill, chill, chill, chill," Pope said in a soothing tone, although that did not help Emelina's increasing worried nerves.

John B pulled up to the many cop cars and Shoupe made his way over to the driver's window, where John B greeted him politely. "Speed kills, huh?"

"I pulled the tags, and I know whose truck that is," Shoupe said, flashing his light to the eyes of the passengers. Until it landed on Emelina. "Hey! You drop your weed pen back there?"

She rolled her eyes. As if she would ever purchase a pen. Pope spoke before she could, "Sheriff, I just wanna say that this is all my fault. She had nothing to do with this. I take 100% responsibility."

That made her heart warm up, to hear him say that to a sheriff and she really did appreciate it. Shoupe, however, wasn't buying it. "Nothing to do with it? Uh-huh. You wanna try that again? Emelina, you're coming with me. Your mother has already been informed."

"Now, Officer—Sheriff, don't you think—"

"Zip it, JJ. Or I can pull you all in for leaving the scene of an accident." Shoupe interrupted him and then turned to Kiara, "You're coming too. Your parents called in. Said you had run off."

"That's bullshit," Kiara muttered under her breath.

Emelina met the sad eyes of JJ. There was nothing he could do, even if he wanted to bargain with the literal sheriff. She gave him an assuring nod before opening the sliding door and jumping out with Kiara by her side.

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a/n: this chapter took forever to finish bc i find it boring but anyway here's to another jjlina edit i hope u guys liked it <3 also THANK U SM for 400k reads that's actually crazy i appreciate every reader, vote, and comments!!