As the night dragged on and their friends started getting tired, Anessa and John B had found themselves cuddled up on his bed in his room. They had been watching movies on her laptop, but had stopped paying attention a while ago, just talking and enjoying each others company. 

John B was on his side, his head resting on her chest. She had her fingers in his hair, absentmindedly twirling a lock around her finger. He had his arm draped over her waist, his hand resting on her hip. Her other hand was tracing light patterns on his back, her touch sending shivers through him. John B could hear her heartbeat, a steady and comforting rhythm. His head rose and fell with each breath she took, his eyes half-closed. He felt at peace, like nothing else mattered. In that moment, it was just the two of them, wrapped up in their own little world.

Anessa could feel him drifting off, his breathing slowing and his body relaxing. She couldn't help but smile, her heart swelling with affection for him. She leans down and presses a soft kiss to the top of his head, her lips lingering for a moment before pulling away. She whispers softly, "Goodnight, JB."

John B let out a content sigh, not fully awake but hearing her all the same. "Night, bubs." he mumbled, his voice thick with sleep. He tightened his hold on her, his body settling deeper against hers as he slipped into a peaceful slumber.

Anessa stayed awake for a while longer, listening to the sound of his soft breathing and the occasional rustle of the sheets. The night outside was quiet, with only the faintest breeze drifting through the window. The warmth of John B against her and the stillness of the room wrapped around her like a comforting blanket. She knew they both had their struggles, their burdens to bear, but in moments like this, they didn't seem so heavy. Here, in the quiet of the night, with John B held close, Anessa felt like they could face anything together. With one last glance at him, his face relaxed in sleep, she closed her eyes and allowed herself to drift off, the steady beat of his heart lulling her into a peaceful sleep.

****

(anessa's outfit for this part of the chapter with white vans for shoes)

Their peaceful moment was short lived though. Hurricane Agatha was on her way to landfall on the Outer Banks. Anessa was currently helping her family board up her mom's café and then her dad's surf shop. They had done her mom's café first and were now working on her dad's surf shop. The weather was already turning, and the winds were starting to pick up. It was late afternoon, and the skies were a dark grey. The air was thick with humidity, and the smell of rain was heavy in the air. Thunder and lighting rumbled in the distance, a low growl that made Anessa glance nervously at the darkening skies. She hammered the last board into place, her dad,  Kieran, working beside her with a tense expression. 

"Almost done here." He muttered, wiping sweat from his brow.

"Yeah, just in time." Anessa replied, her voice tight with worry. The storm was coming fast, and the urgency in the air was palpable. She could feel the pressure of the storm building, a sense of impending danger that made her stomach churn. She quickly gathered her tools, her hands shaking slightly.

"We're almost done, turtle dove." Kieran reassured her, his tone gentle. He could see her anxiety rising, the tension in her shoulders and the way she kept looking towards the gathering clouds. He put a hand on her shoulder, giving her a warm smile. "Just a few more sandbags and we should be good to go."

"Hey, dad," Kegan, her older brother, called out from the back of the store, his voice raised over the howling wind. "We need your help!"

"On it!" Kieran replied, squeezing Anessa's shoulder before heading towards the back of the shop.

Anessa was relieved the employees who worked at the surf shop helped out with preparing for the hurricane, and the other shops owners were helping each other too. They all did their best to help each other out during storms. The camaraderie among the shop owners provided Anessa with a small sense of comfort as she watched her father rush to Kegan's side. She knew the storm would hit hard, but seeing everyone band together made her feel less alone in the chaos.

As she took a moment to catch her breath, Anessa glanced around the surf shop. Surfboards were stacked against the walls, and the shelves were filled with beach gear. The familiar sights were now marred by the urgency of the preparations. Anessa shook her head, trying to dispel the worry gnawing at her. They had done everything they could to be prepared and she hoped and would pray that it would be enough.

****

Anessa and her family got home safely and before Hurricane Agatha hit. Thankfully the employees got home safely too. Once they reached home, Anessa felt a wave of relief wash over her. The familiar warmth of their cozy beach house enveloped her, contrasting sharply with the chaos of the storm preparations. They had just enough time to secure their own place before the worst of Hurricane Agatha arrived.

"Let's make sure everything is locked up tight." Kieran instructed, his tone steady despite the tension in his eyes. They all nodded, a determined glint in their eyes.

The family did a quick sweep of the house, making sure everything was locked up tight and secured. As they moved from room to room, they could hear the winds picking up and the rain pelting against the windows.

When they finished, they gathered in the living room and were watching some of their favorite movies they liked to watch during storms. Anessa was curled up with a blanket as she grabbed her phone and checked in on her friends. Thanks to a power generator, they had power there. Anessa was relieved she got an okay from all her friends though she hadn't gotten a response from John B or Pope yet. John B had mentioned earlier when she checked on him that he wanted to try surfing the waves, claiming they would be the biggest ever.

"JB and Pope, no response yet," Anessa sighs worriedly. "John B better not be surfing those big a** waves." She chewed on her lower lip as she imagined her friends out there, battling the powerful swells that Hurricane Agatha would surely churn up. The thought made her stomach twist with anxiety.

Hers and Kegan's mom, Bridgit, who was reading a book, glances up at her with a reassuring smile. "They're probably fine, dear. Maybe they're just busy with preparations." She said, trying to reassure her daughter.

Anessa nods, trying to push down her anxiety. "I'm sure you're right." She mumbled, though the words sounded hollow, even to her own ears. She tried to focus on the movie, but her mind kept wandering, and the worry continued to gnaw at her. She fidgeted with her necklace, the cool metal grounding her slightly. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes and letting it out slowly.

She opened her eyes, glancing down at her necklace. It was a small, silver turtle pendant on a thin chain. She smiled fondly, remembering when John B had given it to her for one of her birthdays a couple years back. She had never taken it off since.

Kegan had noticed her anxious fidgeting and knew what to do to calm her down. "I think it's time for a snack break. Annie, come with me." He doesn't give her a chance to reply before he stood and grabbed her hand, tugging her off the couch. She let out a huff of protest but followed after him without complaint, putting her phone in her pocket.

Kegan dragged her over to the kitchen and pulled out a bag of popcorn to put in the microwave. "Can't watch movies without popcorn." He commented in a duh tone.

Anessa chuckles, smiling a little as she helped him get bowls out for the popcorn.

Once the popcorn was done, they returned to the living room and snuggled back up under their blankets. Kegan handed her a bowl of popcorn which she happily accepted. She had added some extra salt and pepper and even grated some cheese onto the popcorn. She leaned against Kegan's side as she ate, his presence a comforting weight beside her. The scent of butter and salt filled the air, and the popping sounds were a welcome distraction from her anxious thoughts. She allowed herself to relax, her mind and body sinking into the familiar and comforting routine.

"Thank you." She mumbled, her voice slightly muffled as she leaned her head on his shoulder.

He grins, nudging her lightly. "Anytime, sis."

They continued to watch the movie, the sound of the storm raging outside now a distant background noise. Anessa had managed to relax a bit and was enjoying the movie. The tension in her shoulders eased as the familiar scenes played out on the screen. Laughter erupted at the funny moments, and Anessa felt her heart lift with each chuckle. Kegan's laughter was infectious, and she found herself grinning at the antics of the characters, momentarily forgetting the storm outside.

The storm outside was still fierce, but inside, her family was warm and safe.

It was going to be a long night, but with her family by her side, Anessa knew they would get through it together.

****

Anessa doesn't remember falling asleep, reply before he stood and grabbed her hand, tugging her off the couch. She let out a huff of protest but followed after him without complaint, putting her phone in her pocket.

Kegan drags her over to the kitchen and pulls out a bag of popcorn to put in the microwave. "Can't watch movies without popcorn." He commented in a duh tone.

Anessa chuckles, smiling a little as she helped him get bowls out for the popcorn.

Once the popcorn was done, they returned to the living room and snuggled back up under their blankets. Kegan handed her a bowl of popcorn which she happily accepted. She had added some extra salt and pepper and even grated some cheese onto the popcorn.

She leaned against Kegan's side as she ate, his presence a comforting weight beside her. The scent of butter and salt filled the air, and the popping sounds were a welcome distraction from her anxious thoughts. She allowed herself to relax, her mind and body sinking into the familiar and comforting routine.

"Thank you." She mumbled, her voice slightly muffled as she leaned her head on his shoulder.

He grins, nudging her lightly. "Anytime, sis."

They continued to watch the movie, the sound of the storm raging outside now a distant background noise. Anessa had managed to relax a bit and was enjoying the movie. The tension in her shoulders eased as the familiar scenes played out on the screen. Laughter erupted at the funny moments, and Anessa felt her heart lift with each chuckle. Kegan's laughter was infectious, and she found herself grinning at the antics of the characters, momentarily forgetting the storm outside.

The storm outside was still fierce, but inside, her family was warm and safe. It was going to be a long night, but with her family by her side, Anessa knew they would get through it together.

****

Anessa doesn't remember falling asleep, but she woke to find herself wrapped in a warm blanket on the couch, the TV screen flickering softly in the dimly lit room. Kegan must have carried her there after she drifted off during the movie. She smiled softly, feeling a sense of deep gratitude for her brother's caring nature.

As she stretched and glanced around, Anessa noticed the storm had finally passed. She looked out one of the windows in the living room, seeing the damage left behind. Branches and leaves littered the yard, and puddles of water dotted the landscape. The sky was a muted gray, still heavy with clouds but much calmer now. The wind had died down to a gentle breeze, and the rain had slowed to a light drizzle. Anessa felt a wave of relief wash over her again, this time knowing that they had made it through the worst of Hurricane Agatha.

She carefully slipped off the couch, trying not to wake Kegan, who was snoring softly on the other side. She walked over to the window, noticing her parents were already working on cleaning the front. They lived above the café and she was grateful they had put the chairs and tables inside the café before the hurricane came. They secured everything well before the storm hit, and it seemed to have paid off. The damage outside didn't look too bad, just some debris and scattered branches. Anessa felt a sense of relief, knowing that they had prepared well and that their home had held up during the hurricane.

She turned her attention back to the cozy living room, where Kegan was still peacefully asleep. The sound of the rain had turned from a harsh downpour to a gentle pitter-patter, creating a soothing background noise. Anessa walked into the kitchen and grabbed her phone, hoping to finally hear from John B or Pope. There were still no messages, and her worry began to creep back in. She decided to go get ready for the day and go to help her parents to help distract herself from her growing fear that something might have happened to them.

After taking a quick shower and getting dressed, Anessa headed downstairs to join her parents. Downstairs in the café, it was still close, they had closed early and were currently open only for cleanup after the storm. The scent of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, mixing with the smell of pastries baking in the oven, providing a sense of normalcy in the wake of the storm. Anessa greeted a few familiar faces with warm smiles, glad to see that their neighbors were safe. The gentle hum of conversation, combined with the comforting aroma of coffee and baked goods, made the café feel like a refuge amidst the chaos outside. Her parents moved with practiced ease, serving customers and cleaning up while exchanging bits of news with the regulars. Anessa took a deep breath, the tension from the night before slowly unraveling in the familiar routine of the café. It felt good to be busy, to focus on helping, and to see that their community was starting to come together after the storm.

"Morning, turtle dove." Keiran greets when he saw her coming down the stairs. "I'm gonna head over to open up the surf shop, Kegan still asleep?"

Anessa nods. "Yep, he's still sleeping. I'm gonna go see if any of my friends are alright, I haven't heard from JB or Pope since before the storm started." She admits, pausing before adding, "Is it okay if I go check on them?"

"Yeah, that's fine, baby." Bridgit chimes in after sharing a look with Kerian. "Just be safe. And could you go wake up your brother so he could help your dad with opening up the surf shop?" Anessa nodded at her mom's request, feeling a mixture of relief and worry tugging at her. She hadn't heard from John B or Pope yet, and the thought of something happening to them during the storm was gnawing at her. But first, she had to wake Kegan.

She made her way back to the living room where Kegan was still snoring softly, curled up under the blanket. Gently nudging him on the shoulder, she says, "Bro, wake up. Dad needs help opening the surf shop."

He grumbles incoherently, pulling the blanket over his head. Anessa rolled her eyes but couldn't help the fond smile that tugged at her lips. "Come on, you lazy a**." She teased, tugging at the blanket to try and get him moving.

Kegan groans dramatically before sitting up, rubbing his eyes with a sleepy expression. "Fine, fine," He mutters, tossing the blanket aside. "I'm up, I'm up." He stretched, yawning loudly, and Anessa chuckled at his grogginess.

"Mom and dad are already downstairs," She said, pointing toward the café. "And I haven't heard from JB or Pope yet, so I'm going to check on them."

"Alright, I'll go help dad. Be careful out there, Ness." Kegan replied, his voice a mix of concern and affection.

"I will, thanks, bro. You too." Anessa responded, giving him a quick hug before grabbing her bag and leaving. She hoped her friends were okay. She assumed they were, but couldn't shake the worry gnawing at her. They were probably fine. The Pogues always end up finding a way to pull through, no matter how crazy things get.