the morning

A FEW HOURS LATER, on the brink of a new day; the birds were singing sweet melodies —as if Mother Nature herself was covering up her daughter Agatha's tyrannical tantrum.

The wind still howling from the passing storm, you could hear the thunder pass with each moment of pure bliss. Rays of sunshine creep onto JJ's closed eyelids, coming through between the fallen leaves and debris on the skylight in Martha's closet.

They fell asleep listening to the soft but violent tears pounding on the glass as they looked at the image of the nyx-like night, its stars twinkling for only them to see.

JJ shifts as he slowly wakes up from the eye-opening night. Martha told him everything —including the non-consented explicit photos that Rafe now has for blackmail on her— and when she did, it took her everything in her power to stop JJ from not running over to the Cameron's and killing the banished kook prince during the storm.

JJ knew the next time that asshole said something nasty or even looked at Marty objectively, he would be there. And that doesn't mean her savior could just be emotional support because Martha told him that she would like to handle the situation on her own terms.

Speaking of Martha, she was peacefully sleeping on his sweatshirt-covered chest and torso; both arms enclasped around the blond's torso; never wanting to let go. He smiles down in awe and astonishment; his fingernail subconsciously tracing up and down her shoulder blades. Making its way to her face, placing a fallen strain of bark-colored hair back behind her soft ear.

Martha hums as he does so, startling the boy slightly and making him apologize like a mad dog.

"Sorry, Martha, I didn't mean to wake you." His voice was raspy, still half-asleep. He doesn't really like his morning voice but, to her, it sounded ethereal; like sweet summer honeydew.

"But-but I should go before your father finds me, and besides... JB would be looking for me."

Martha rubs Sandman's dust from her eyes, nodding along with his statement —before noticing the golden sleepy dust in the crinkles of his Egyptian blue eyes.

She giggles as she grabs his heavy index finger and drags it softly along the bottom of his eyelash line. "You got some goobies."

He blushes and smiles, mouthing a 'thank you' before rubbing off glitter the dream guardian bestowed on the couple. "At least we both had good dreams and a good night's sleep," Martha whispers, too used to the quiet atmosphere.

Once JJ is done cleaning his eyes, he grabs Martha's hands, pulling her up more and wrapping her arms around his neck. He whispers "come here, I need a good morning kiss before I leave."

"J, I have morning breath." She mumbles, embarrassed about her hygiene. JJ laughs at her blushing face, commenting, "so do I, and I don't care."

He leans forward, connecting their lips together, their eyes fluttering shut, moaning in satisfaction and care. Her left hand clutches on the base of his neck, while her right hand combs his peanut butter pecan hair. His callous, yet soft, hands hold her face and jaw in place, never wanting to let go.

This time it was Martha that pulled away first, placing a trail of soft kisses down JJ's peach-skinned face, then his jawline, then his neck, then back up to place a dark kiss on the delicate skin just below his ear, waiting for when his breath gets caught up in his throat.

She places a kiss a few centimeters down from his ear when his fingernails dig into her hips; she does it a second time, and when she hears the quiet whimper escaping his pink lips; she smiles at herself before doing it again.

She nipped the fragile skin, breaking the top layer of blood vessels; then as if he never could feel her teeth, she switched between sucking his skin and kissing his skin; creating a mix of raspberry and hibiscus colored (red and purple hues intertwined into one) hickey at the base of his left ear.

She pulls away with a "pop," smiling in awe at her work. "Look what we have here," she tracing her fingernail over the wet bruise on his skin.

"If you bite that lip one more fucking time, I swear to God, McFly, this closet better be soundproof," JJ speaks up in a dominant voice, making Martha unhinge her bottom lip from her teeth —she didn't know she was doing it— and to look into JJ's orbs. She gulps as his eyes become a shade darker from his eccentric pair before.

She looked up at him with doe-like eyes, he sent goosebumps everywhere and caused butterflies to fly in her abdomen.

"Why," she lifts her face closer to his; enticing him to do something, anything, "do you wanna bite it for me?"

➵ ➵ ➵

THE TWO LOVEBIRDS ARRIVE AT THE DISMANTLED CHATEAU, they skip breakfast and ride as quickly and quietly away from Holland's abode towards the cut. When they got to John B's living quarters, both grew worried about their close friend.

Martha jumped off JJ's dirt bike as soon as it stopped and raced off to see if Johnathan Booker Rutledge was alive or not. She ran through the porch, making her way towards the hallway where his bedroom was. She stopped herself short, before tip-toeing and opening the wooden door to find JB safe and sound, sleeping on top of his covers, too hot to go under the covers. Finally, she could breathe again, and so she shut the door and went back towards the living room.

"Hey, uh, he's alive, sleeping aye-oh-kay." She says walking into the living room to find JJ shirtless and pantless, in a pair of boxer briefs, fixing the pull-out couch. She feels the butterflies start to flutter in her stomach again as she spots the faded love spots on his abs —the ones she gave him not too long ago.

JJ smiles at her before plopping on the springy and worn-out mattress, covering his bottom half with a thin blanket. He motions her to come towards him, his arms stretched out like he was waiting for her to come and hug him.

She smiles a toothy grin back at him; rushing to slide off her flip-flops; letting her jean shorts fall down to the wooden floor; before running towards the couch and jumping on the bed and landing right next to him.

He lets her lay down her head on his torso, as she snuggles into him smiling about before. Even though they were both in the mood to have sex, Martha didn't feel comfortable enough with herself —especially since her last experience wasn't so great— so she stopped them both.

JJ was totally understandable, he didn't make her feel bad or guilty about it either, and the relationship went back to how it was before —the only thing they did was make out, but they shared everything else. The good, the bad, and the ugly.

Martha fell asleep safe, she truly felt safe in his arms, and he felt it too.

➵ ➵ ➵

THIRTY MINUTES LATER, JB woke up to the feeling of water droplets leaking through his bedroom ceiling. He stumbled out of his room to find the blond pogue and brunette touron cuddling up on the old pullout.

He smiles proudly, he knew it would happen sooner or later. He walks past the couple, slapping JJ on the back, "yo, JJ, have you been outside?" Without awaiting the answer he walks outside, slamming the backdoor behind him.

"I have polio, bro. I can't walk," he mumbles into the throw pillow. He wakes up Martha with that statement, she giggles and calls him a dumbass. She sighs as she sits up, J laughs at her crazy bed head, before he, too, gets up and puts on one of the khaki shorts he left there before.

They walk outside, finally getting a glimpse at what damage the bitch Agatha did. JJ stayed on the wooden porch steps as Martha went to go help John B pick up the debris off the HMS Pogue.

"Agatha did some work, huh?"

"Yeah, she did."

Martha climbed up the side of the boat, picking up leaves and fallen tree branches from the inside. John B and JJ soon came her way.

"Whatcha thinkin'?" Marty said, looking over at JB, as he looked out towards the water.

"I'm thinkin' that storm surge pushed all the crabs out on the marsh maze. All those drum are gonna chase the crab."

"What about the DCS? Wasn't that today?" JJ asks, leaning on the front side of the boat.

"Nah, they not gettin' on a ferry. Come on, think about it," he picks up a tiny branch and raises it to the sky, "it's God tellin' us to fish."

➵ ➵ ➵

MEANWHILE, MARTHA HOLLAND wasn't the only woman in her family that was on an adventure today. Mrs. Lola Holland went to visit some friends. Not only did she receive a call from Martha's manager, but she also received a phone call from a close friend of hers that was at the restaurant when the fight happened. Lola Holland used to be Lola Redfield, she grew up in Outer Banks, she has many connections —more than her husband.

Mr. Holland thought she was out getting her nails done, not going to see his business partner and childhood friends over a matter concerning his daughter and his obnoxious son.

She pulls into the Camerons' driveway, praying to the lord that Rafe Cameron isn't there for his own sake. Lola marches out of her car, and inside the mansion, not waiting for any butlers or nannies —she wants to speak to one man, and one man only.

She spots Rose Cameron, a close friend of hers, on the grand stairs, holding a martini glass in her hand.

"Hello, Rose?" She calls out, startling the new, young, wife of Ward Cameron.

Rose turns around to find Lola at the bottom of the entryway, dressed in a pantsuit, ready for business. "Oh my goodness! Lola! I didn't know you were coming over today! How are you?" She shrieks in excitement, placing her drink down to greet her friend with a hug.

"I'm wonderful actually, Rose, do you know where I can find Ward?"

"I think he should be in his office, he just had a meeting with Lana Grubb about her husband going missing last night."

"Scooter's missing? Oh, that's awful!" Lola wouldn't know what to do with herself if Chris disappeared, she loves him too much.

"I know, poor little lamb. I'm pretty sure Ward is in his office, I'll tell him you're here."

"Thank you," she follows Rose Cameron down to a secluded hallway, before knocking on the door to let him know she was here.

"Come in," Ward calls out, which she comes in and sits on the chair in front of his desk.

"Oh, Lola, how may I help you today?"

"Ward, I came here to discuss some concerns for your son. Last night, he and my daughter got into a verbal confrontation at Oakland Inn. Now, I know this is a touchy subject for your family, but just because Elizabeth sexually abused Rafe, and now he's acting out to get your attention and love and care, that does not give him the right to hurt my daughter or any other women in general. Do you understand?"