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A DAY LATER and Charlotte still wanted to kill JJ.

She wasn't sure what had gotten into him lately, but apparently all of his common sense had completely vanished. He was somehow so money hungry he was willing to commit to something as dangerous as this, but yet so reckless when it came to money that he was the first to blow it all. 

She'd barely said a word to him since they'd returned from Goat Island the previous day. She was trying to find the right way to get it into his head that he needed to stop this before he hurt himself. She cared too much to keep watching him go down this path of carelessness...she'd been there before with someone else. 

"Have you talked to Carson at all?" Sarah wondered, pulling Charlotte from her anger-induced trance. 

"Hm?" Charlotte wondered, spinning a bottle cap on the worn wooden counter of the surf shop. The two had been tasked with running the shop while JJ and John B went to talk to their connection at the Coast Guard, and while Kiara, Pope, and Cleo prepped the diving gear.

"Carson," Sarah repeated from behind the register. "Have you talk to him at all since he left?"

"Oh," Charlotte breathed, guilt consuming her considering that was the first time she'd thought of him since he left a day prior. "No. I don't really think he wants anything to do with me."

Sarah gave her a sympathetic look, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Charlotte waved her off, moving to busy herself with the inventory list. "It's for the better."

Sarah turned so she was facing the older girl once again, "What happened between you two anyway?...If you're comfortable telling me."

Charlotte gave her a small smile, as if to say there's nothing she wouldn't feel comfortable telling Sarah. "Your brother happened."

The Cameron girl's face paled. "You saw my brother?"

"No," Charlotte denied. "But Carson did."

"Oh, God." Sarah breathed, likely imagining worst case scenario. "Did Rafe do something to him?"

Checking off another item on the inventory list, Charlotte shook her head. "No, that's the thing...Rafe told him not to break my heart."

Sarah looked utterly shocked, and Charlotte couldn't blame her. The Rafe Cameron they knew would have likely beat Carson's ass and then somehow would have spun the situation so that he was the victim. 

"Wow," Sarah shook her head, "That's...shocking."

"Right?" Charlotte agreed, feeling like the jumbled up thoughts in her head were being understood. She'd come back to the island knowing reconciling with Rafe was near impossible. After all, she came here with her new boyfriend. It had been a year and she had heard nothing from Rafe. No apologies, no begging for her to come back. Truthfully, part of Charlotte felt that Rafe had just moved on from her completely, their six year relationship simply a blip in his memory. But maybe that was what was for the best. Charlotte had never been able to really help him, maybe he needed something new...maybe she had been his problem. 

As quickly as that thought entered her mind, Charlotte shook it out. No, she had done everything she could to help Rafe. He was the problem, not her...right?

Noticing the expression on Charlotte's face, Sarah spoke again, "He took over our dad's business, and from what I've heard it's doing well. He sold Tannyhill...moved into a beach house on the Figure Eight." She knew Charlotte wanted her to give more, but she didn't have anything else to tell. "That's all I know." Sarah admitted. "But as far as I know, he hasn't gotten into anymore trouble."

Charlotte nodded, a lump forming in her throat at the nagging thought that being without her might have been exactly what Rafe needed. That not loving her any longer was the release he'd been after the entire time. 

She hadn't wanted to voice these thoughts to Sarah, but even if she had she wouldn't have had the chance. 

A man entered the shop, and from one glance Charlotte could tell he was a Kook. It was only when he approached them with a smug smile that she could place his face. "Y'all remember me?" He wondered, antagonization coating his words. 

A year ago when they had stood at the auction for the Maybank property, there had been one man who had tried to outbid them. His bids had been what caused JJ to bid a ridiculous amount, far over asking price. That man was the same man that was standing in front of the two girls in that moment. Charlotte didn't bother to learn his name. 

Rolling her eyes, Charlotte stepped up so she was next to Sarah. "Wish we didn't."

The man pursed his lips. "That's a nice attitude you have, young lady."

Charlotte gave him a sickly sweet smile while Sarah addressed him, the same false hospitality in her tone. "How may we help you?"

Unfolding a piece of paper, the man laid it on the counter in front of them. "I have something for you here." The girls looked down at the piece of paper, both of their brows furrowing at the large print that read, Public Notice. 

Keeping her composure, Sarah smiled at him. "You shouldn't have."

"I can take this off you hands at any time," the man declared. "For a fair price."

Charlotte clucked her tongue. "Wow, aren't you just a gentleman."

"I don't think that's necessary," Sarah agreed. "But can we interest you in a keychain?"

"You can get one with your name on it." Charlotte mocked, shooting him a smirk. "Or what about a glass bong or a pipe?"

Sarah nodded, "You look like you could use one."

Clearly offended by their mocking, the man clenched his jaw. "You know, y'all are going to lose this place. You might as well sell now." He tapped his knuckles against the counter for a moment before fixing Charlotte with a look. "And you, I hope you get your attitude sorted out."

Charlotte saluted him, bringing her hand down to flip him off as he walked toward the exit. "Fucking douche," She muttered, already sick of the entitled Kooks on this island. 

"Shit," Sarah cursed, her eyes roaming the paper he had left them. Charlotte peered over her shoulder, her own eyes scanning the notice. 

"My dad used to do this all the time, remember?" Sarah asked, looking up at Charlotte with concern. "Rezoning as a way to force owners out of their properties."

Fuck. 

That was literally the last thing they needed right now. 

"We're gonna need a lot more than $5,000."

─☼☼☼─

On top of the fact that they were at risk of losing their entire livelihood, Charlotte had been informed last minute that JJ and her sister were doing the dive down to Blackbeard's ship. To say she was a nervous wreck was a complete understatement. 

"Kiara, you've literally never been diving." Charlotte argued, watching as he sister "prepped" her tank. "You don't even know what you're doing right now!" She exclaimed, pointing at whatever her sister thought she was doing. 

Kiara spun on her with a glare. "Neither do you."

"Am I claiming to know?" Charlotte shot back, hands on her hips. 

A pair of hands were placed on Charlotte's shoulders, giving them a quick squeeze. "Charley, relax. I'm gonna take care of her down there."

Charlotte's anger was now directed at JJ who was standing next to her with a grin. "That's supposed to make me feel better, JJ? You don't have a fucking clue what you're doing either."

He looked offended. "I've dived before."

"Like, once." Charlotte argued. Looking between the two, she felt physically ill at the thought of something happened to either of them. Without giving it much thought, she spoke again. "Fine, then I'm going too."

"Like hell you are," JJ argued. 

Kiara rolled her eyes at her sister's dramatics. "We only have two tanks so pipe down superwoman."

Charlotte wanted to bite back a remark at her sister, but John B cut in. "All right guys, listen up" he declared. "We've got the nav points and we've got the gear. We're in and out, alright? This is one night only. We slip in and out and we stay under the radar. JJ you're going under, Sarah and Cleo--"

"Actually," Kiara interjected, raising her hand. "I'm going down too."

A look of shock passed on John B's face for a moment. Charlotte shot her sister a glare so deadly it caused Kiara to look away. 

"Okay then," John B nodded. "JJ and Kie go down, Pope, Charley, and me stay up. Sarah, Cleo, you guys drive out to the lighthouse by the Coast Guard base. Stand watch. Do this right, we're home by midnight."

"Clock's tickin'." JJ announced, way too calm for what he was about to do. 

"Fun, fun." Pope muttered under his breath, extending a hand to help Charlotte board the boat. 

Not even sure why she'd agreed to join at this point, Charlotte sunk into the bench at the bow of the boat, crossing her arms like a child who didn't get their way. She was all for an adventure, but when it came to a risk like this she wasn't totally Gung-ho.

Pope and John B didn't seem much happier than she did, neither of them said so much as a word as they boated out further and further. 

"Oh, come on guys!" JJ pleaded after ten minutes. "Lighten up. You're makin' me nervous here. We're just gonna slip down there, take a peek. The worst that's gonna happen is that it's not down there, the old fart's disappointed, we go home. Pogues win. That's the worst."

Charlotte fixed him with a stern look, "No, you idiot, the worst that could happen is that you two die."

JJ pressed his lips into a line, giving her a small nod, "Optimistic as always, Charley." He reached into the cooler, pulling out a beer. "Let's all just relax and crack open a cold one, alright?"

John B was quick to take the can from his best friend's hand. "No," he denied. "No drinking."

"Alright," JJ muttered, "It just takes the edge off."

Turning back toward the water, Charlotte watched as the sun dipped lower and lower beneath the horizon, her chest full of an unrelenting tightness from nerves. 

Someone sat down next to her, and Charlotte turned to see her younger sister, an uneasy look in her eyes. "I'm sorry for being a brat earlier," Kiara said softly. "I know you're worried about us."

A sigh tumbled from Charlotte's lips as she gave a small nod. "I hate the idea of you being down there, Kie. I can't--I can't help you if anything goes wrong and that's literally killing me."

Despite all the tribulations that the two sisters had been through over the past few years, there was an undeniable bond between them, perhaps now stronger than ever. 

"I know," Kiara nodded, moving to rest her head on her sister's shoulder. "But it's going to be okay."

Charlotte dropped her head slightly, letting it rest atop Kiara's as the boat came to a slow stop. "JJ, what's our depth?" John B called, the wave lulling the boat beneath the dark sky. 

"Seventy eight!" 

John B nodded, moving to collect the diving gear. "Okay, it's go time."

Kiara sat up, giving her sister as much of a comforting smile as she could muster. "That's my cue." Charlotte stood, following Kiara to the stern, her entire body vibrating with nerves. 

"Charley," Pope called, "Keep us in position. John B, let's get the suited up."

As she stepped past JJ to take his spot at the wheel, the two of them shared a brief look. Within it, Charlotte told him to be careful, to take care of her sister, while JJ told her they'd be okay, not to worry. 

No matter how many times they told her not to worry, Charlotte was going to do just that. 

"Honestly," JJ began as he suited up, "It's like surfing the Break. We're upstream, and then the rip is just gonna...take us out."

Everyone was silent for a moment, trying to make sense of his analogy. 

Kiara looked like she want to throw up. "...Right."

In his own little world, JJ retrieved a spear gun, examining it to make sure it was in working condition. Kiara's face dropped as she looked at it. "Is that really necessary?"

John B gave her a nod. "Yeah, I mean reef, fish..."

"And the man in the gray suit?" JJ proposed, still checking the gun.

Charlotte shot him a look, "Nice, J."

Pope was unfazed by the antics. "Don't forget your safety stop, alright? Fifteen feet for three minutes." Kiara nodded. "You hear that, JJ?" Pope demanded. "Fifteen feet for three minutes."

JJ still seemed to be in his own world, barely listening to what anyone else was saying. "Copy that."

Kiara looked to Pope, eyes full of hesitation. "Or what?"

"The bends," Charlotte answered, double checking the depth reader to ensure they were still in the right spot. "Nitrogen in the blood."

Pope nodded, "Excruciating pain, death, et cetera, et cetera."

"Awesome," Kiara whispered, her plan to join becoming less and less ideal. 

As the two of them prepared to enter the water, Charlotte tried to calm her racing heart. It wasn't even her going down, yet she felt like the one whose lungs were filling with water. If anything happened to either of them...

"Diver down," Kiara announced, letting out a final shaky breath above water. 

JJ pulled the wetsuit over his head, giving the other three a small salute. "Diver...down."

Charlotte prayed they were going to be coming back up.

─☼☼☼─