EDEN and Pope are led back into the front yard by Ms. Limbrey.

The woman is the front, going as fast as she can with her crutches with the two teens following quietly behind her. In the back is Limbrey's lackey, who had a tight grip on the back of Pope's purple t-shirt, which made Eden even more weary. Why was he holding on so tight?

From the corner of her eye, Eden can see Heyward's truck and she whips her head back to see JJ and Kiara intently watching the scene. She nods her head as a signal to keep close watch and to be ready in case something went wrong—in case Limbrey and her lackey pulled a fast one on her and Pope.

The man notices her turned around figure, and he lightly pushes her forward, "Keep walking."

Eden sends a final glance to her friends before moving closer to Pope, shoes scuffing against the path and she followed Limbrey.

"All of this, all the way down to the Ashley River, was owned by my family." Carla Limbrey's crutches clinked against the path, and she sounds out of breath as she speaks. "The Limbreys have lived the house since it was built two hundred and eighty years ago." She nodded towards the quarters Pope had pointed out when the Pogues arrived. "That's where the slaves were kept. Thank goodness we've made progress since then."

Dryly, Pope comments. "Yeah, thank goodness."

Limbrey leads the two teens to a headstone within the yard of the old house. Engraved in the headstone is the name, "Denmark Tanny,".  The stone itself is covered with overgrown grass and has some scratches, but seems to have held up well given the year the ex-slave was buried.

Eden is reminded of the home-made headstone she and the Pogues had made for John B. at the sight.

"Here lies Denmark Tanny, the famous ex-slave." Limbrey says as Pope and Eden examine the headstone cautiously. "You know the story."

Pope questions, "What story?"

"Denmark Tanny was a freedman, a wealthy planter. He was able to buy the freedom of his three sons, but when he tried to buy his wife and daughter's freedom, my paternal ancestors refused." Limbrey retold the story in a gentle tone, despite the cruel way in which her ancestors had acted. "When his wife, Cecilia, tried to run with the baby, they sent the hounds on her."

Eden felt slightly sick at the thought of a helpless woman and her daughter being attacked just for the sake of wanting to be free. Pope stays quiet, unsure on what to say about the story. Limbrey takes this as her cue to continue.

"Cecilia drowned trying to escape, the baby survived, and Denmark was hung....allegedly for abetting a slave revolt but really for gathering the remains of his wife." She pauses and Eden frowns. How could Limbrey live in such a house? Sure it was nice but the Bexley could never call a place with so much trauma in its past home.

Limbrey looks at Pope, "Never heard this story?"

"No." Pope shakes his head firmly. He has a solemn expression and turns to the blonde woman, "And I think once is enough." He glances over at Eden, "Come on, Eden. Let's go."

"Yeah, I think I've had enough of this bullshit, Ms. Limbrey. If you really wanted to help us, to help John B., you would have cleared his name a long while ago. You're just a power hungry woman. You don't really care." Eden loses her nice attitude and begins to follow after Pope, who'd turned to walk back towards the front gate of the house. 

However, she doesn't make it too far before she feels a harsh grip grazes her shoulder. She looks behind her to see the man's fingers digging into her skin, stopping her from moving. Eden sends him a small glare, "Get off of me."

"Hey!" At the same time as the man grabs a hold of Eden, Limbrey lurches forward to retrieve Pope. She gets right in his face, bright eyes piercing into the Heywards. "You think that I'm stupid?"

"No, no. No, I don't." Pope stammers, shooting Eden a small glance from where she stood in front of the man.

Limbrey hisses, "Why else would the Routledge boy involve you? Your family has the key."

"Key? I don't know what you're talking about—"

"Hey. Did Ward get to you?" Limbrey gets even closer to Pope's face, shaky hands grappling on to his shirt collar. Eden can see his wide and fearful eyes as the woman loses any sort of nice atmosphere she'd had earlier, turning rather demanding and desperate. Her head then whips to Eden, and she begins to spew, "Are you working with your mother?"

Eden guffaws, "Excuse me?"

"No. Ward Cameron? Are you crazy?" Pope exclaims, "And Eden? She would never do that, she's my—John B's— best friend."

"The key leads to the Cross of Santo Domingo. 'The real treasure lies at the foot of the angel'. Those were Denmark's last words.  Does that ring any bells?" 

"He already told you he doesn't know what you're talking about. Stop questioning him." Eden shoots out, pushing forward to break out of the man's grips. She sends him another glare before coming over to Pope's side, grabbing his hand to tug him along—she'd heard enough from Ms. Limbrey. 

Pope seems to agree with wanting to get out of the now rather tense atmosphere and starts to back away, holding on to Eden's hand to make sure the man didn't try and keep her in place. "It doesn't ring any bells. Uh, thank you, but I'm—we're gonna go back to the twenty-first century now."

The two teens quickly walked back down the alley way, trying to put some distance between themselves and Limbrey and her lackey.

"Crazy people." Pope mutters under his breath, eyes scanning around for the exit to the mansion.

"Not as crazy as my mother." Eden spits, all the pent up emotion over the situation she'd kept inside with Limbrey finally dripping out of her. "I can't fucking believe she's been lying to me the whole time! I mean, I was a mess because of John B. and Sarah's death and I thought she was trying to help me—trying to make-up for the shitty job she'd done at being my mother but no. She was just trying to save Ward Cameron's ass by shoving me into some therapy to take up my time instead of it being wasted with you guys."

Eden pauses before scoffing, "Then again she's Isla Bexley—the biggest backstabber in the OBX. Choosing Ward is expected of her."

"Eden, look." Pope voices, nodding down to the fence.

Eden stops talking and looks down at where Pope's were—fumbling around with a thick, rusty chain keeping the metal barred gate locked. Eden quickly began to shake the chain, getting a sense of how tight it was against the gate; they weren't going to be able to break it, and scaling the wall was useless.

"Shit." the Bexley muttered.

"Uh—let's see if we can find another way out?" Pope suggests. Eden nods and the two teens begin to run in another direction, trying to find an opening or gate that was not chained up. Though they didn't get far before having to halt in their steps, eyes wide as Limbrey's lackey appeared in front of them.

Instinctively, Pope stepped in front of Eden in a protective manner—as if Eden couldn't fight him herself, though she appreciated the move—staring down the man. Fists clenched against his side's ready to fight, the Heyward asks, "What you got?"

The man reaches inside the inner part of his jacket and Eden's prepared to see yet another gun but instead her eyes are met with a small device. He turns it out and the buzzing of electric current is heard, the flashing blue sparking from it giving away that the man was holding a taser to fight with.

Before Eden can even blink, Pope and the man are lunging at each other, and she's left staring wide eyed between them. The man tries to use the taser on Pope, but the Heyward dodges, causing the item to be swiftly knocked to the pavement below.

Eden is quick to dive for it, and the man strides towards her to stop her from retrieving with some blow. But, Pope is quick to yank him back by his leather jacket, giving the Bexley enough time to grab the weapon before sprinting towards the slightly shorter wall behind him.

The Heyward tries to hop over it, but isn't quick enough, the man rushing up to strike him in the center of his back. Pope lets out a groan and hunches over, allowing the man to deliver multiple blows to his abdomen, intimately sending the Heyward tumbling against the pavement. 

"What you got?" The man mimics with a smirk, before straddling Pope's waist his legs, bringing a fist up to throw more punches.

It seems as if he's forgotten that Eden was still around—and armed—because at the sight, the girl easily wraps an arm around him with a sly smile. She's reminded of when she got the final kick with Barry months ago as she raises the taser and jabs it into his arm without hesitation. "A taser, asshole."

The man's entire body went still as the crackle of electricity was heard, and a howl of pain leaves his lips. His body topples to the side and he limply falls on to the cement, currently in shock from the electricity that had been pulsed through his body.

"Okay, damn."

Eden whips her head around to see JJ and Kiara skidding to a halt at the corner, eyes meeting with the Maybank who looks impressed with the action of Eden tasing the man.

"Wow, J. Thank you for staring instead of helping." Eden rolls her eyes, extending a hand out to the Heyward boy, who gratefully takes it and pulls himself off the cement. "Some rescue party you two are."

"I—sorry?"

"Too late to hold grudges." Kiara says before ushering her friends to follow her, "Let's run before he gets back up."

Pope kneels back down and clenches his fist, delivering a final blow to the man's nose, the lackey clutching his nose with groan of pain.

"Go! Just leave him! Leave him!" JJ yelled, practically shoving Pope off the man and towards the brick wall he'd failed to jump mere minutes earlier. 

Eden sends a glare to the man before she follows after her friends. JJ is on one knee, hands cupped together to help his friends hop over the stone wall. Pope flies over first, then Kiara, Eden too retreating over with an extra boost from JJ. She waits and helps him get over the wall with a hand before jogging over towards Heyward's truck, which was parked at the side of the road.

"Go! Go, go, go, go!" JJ rushes as Pope thrusts open the rusty vehicle door, sliding as far as he could to the side. Kiara runs over to the other side, taking the edge of the row. Eden gets in next, barely having time to get in before the Maybank is shoving her out of his way. "Scoot over—"

"Give me time to get in?" Eden snaps, doing as he asks and brushing against Pope so the boy had room.

"Ow!" Kiara screeches—Eden isn't sure what happened—before panting, "Who were those people!?"

"We're getting out of here." JJ twists the key into the ignition.

Pope rambles, "That was crazy as shit, let's get out of here now!"

The blonde slams his foot against the gas and twists the wheel, the vehicle's wheels twisting as the engine rumbled, dirt blowing out from under the car as it turned. JJ has no hesitation as he speeds away from the Limbrey residence and out into the streets of Charleston. 

"Here we go now!"

From behind, the revving of another engine is heard, and Kiara looks out the rear window to announce, "I think he's following us!"

The Pogues are unable to speed up nor try and out drive the man, as they suddenly get caught up in a mess of directions. Unlike in the OBX, where John B. and JJ knew every road and turn, here in Charleston, they were clueless on what led where—which wasn't the best in a situation such as trying to drive away from a man who'd been here for years. 

"This is a one-way." Pope states aloud, eyes wide as he tried to find any turn of sorts they could take to get out of the one way lane they were in.

"Go left, go left—" Kiara rambles.

"This is a one-way." the Heyward restates, as if he were a human GPS. He gestures to the side and looks at JJ, "Go that way." 

JJ raises his voice, "I know!"

"This is a one way!"

Eden puts her head in her hands with a groan. "We're going to die."

"They're following us!"

The honking of a horn suddenly sounds, and Eden looks up with wide eyes to see an incoming car—this was a one way! What the hell were they doing? She looks at JJ and exclaims, "Hey, JJ! There's a fucking car! Turn! Turn!"

"Stop! Stop! Turn now! Turn! Turn right!" Pope screams, heart practically frozen in his chest.

JJ has a light smirk on his face as he sharply turns. The truck screeches against the side of the road and Eden is pressed up against Pope before the car continues, rounding a corner to get on to the next street.

"Fuck! JJ, watch out!" Eden doesn't have time to re-center herself as a pair of figures appears in front of them, crossing the road. Her hands fumble to the wheel and she swerves as hard as she can to stop from hitting the people, who were darting to the side, barely missing the hood of the truck. "Jesus Christ, we almost hit them!"

Kiara screeches, "Oh my God!"

"Get out of the damn road!" JJ roars out the car window—if he could flip the two off, he would be.

Pope chastised, "Those were people! Jesus Christ!"

Eden looks back at the two people they'd swerved to miss, eyes catching the dirty converse and messy brown locks of a boy, and a filthy pink crop top and ratty blonde hair of a girl. 

Huh.

"That was evasive driving technique performed by the lovely Eden Bexley, ladies and gentleman." JJ didn't seem too worried that he would have run over two random people if it wasn't for Eden swerving—doing the bare minimum, if she may say.

Eden retorts, "It was actually called saving two pedestrian lives? 

Pope looks at the Maybank, "Where are we going?"

JJ has a tight grip on the wheel, "Hang on. I'm gonna loose him."

The blonde spins the steering wheel in a circle, rotating the car entirely. The truck veered into a side street rather sharply, sending Kie, Pope, and Eden lurching tensely to the side. The Bexley bites her lip and tightly grasps the sleeve of the blonde's shirt to keep from flying fully sideways.

"Dude!" Pope groans.

As JJ finishes the turn out, a hissing is heard and Eden looks towards the hood of the car to see smoke pouring from it yet again. She has an annoyed tone of hose as she snaps, "Did we not see a mechanic, I don't know, yesterday?"

JJ looks at Pope with wide eyes and his voice goes up an octave as his exclaims, "You said he fixed the carburetor! You said he fixed it!"

The car rolls to a stop in the middle of the alleyway as Kiara repeats, "No, no, no, no, no, no—"

"He did!" Pope yells in response to JJ.

Eden gestures to the smoke pouring from the hood, "Then what the hell is that?" 

"Damn it!" Kiara huffs before looking over her shoulder at JJ, who was throwing open the car door. "Okay, what now, Mario?"

"Number one rule, never trust mechanics!" the Maybank says, grabbing his school bag from the back of the truck. Eden checks her pockets to make sure she has her father's wallet—her phone was currently somewhere in Kiara's bag, but she wasn't too concerned at the moment—before helping her friends gather their respective bags as well.

The grumbling of a car engine sounds behind Heyward's truck, and Eden doesn't have to be smart to know it's the man. 

JJ yells, "We gotta go around."

"Go!" Kie ushers.

"Come on!"

"Go, go, go, go, go!"

Eden doesn't have to be told twice before she's  

As they had been for the majority of the past week, the Pogues began sprinting. Eden's white converse hit the ground as fast as she could and pushed her body to keep sprinting, despite the ache her body held. But, the Bexley didn't let herself give up; she wasn't just running for the thrill of it anymore, not like she was in early summer—before her life was wasted away by gold, back when her life was fun—when she and her friends were being chased by Gary the security guard. 

"Guys, I think he has a gun!" Kiara yells as the group runs through the alley.

"Shit, get down!" JJ's voice echos, panicked.

Eden whips her head around to notice the black object in the man's grasp and groans, "Oh, fuck me!"

"Come on! Come on, Kie!"

"Go, go, go! Go!"

JJ instructs, "Get to the alleyway. Come on!"

"Let's go. Come on!" Pope yells before he let's out a small pant, "I think I'm cramping."

"Go, go, go, go, go!"

"This way! This way!"

A rush of commands are being thrown into Eden's ears, and she's trying her best to follow after her friends, turning corners abruptly and speeding up when asked to do so. She reaches into her back pocket to grab the taser she'd stolen from the man, clenching her fingers around the weapon in case she needed to use it in defense—in case they couldn't outrun him.

"We might have to split up." JJ announces, looking back to see the man. His speed hadn't slowed and he was too close for any sort of comfort, and the Maybank isn't sure they can run for much longer—Pope was cramping, Eden looked like she was pushing herself and Kie would grow tired. "I don't know where to go, okay? We gotta lose them—"

The blonde boy fails to notice the post man in front of him carrying a load of packages, and runs straight into them. His arms flail, causing the packages to fall to the ground, as well as the post man himself. "Whoa! Jesus—shit!"

"Watch out!" Kiara slightly laughs at the incident.

"I'm sorry!" Eden looks back at the man getting back on his knees. She'd help him out if it wasn't for the current situation she was in.

JJ also yells, "Sorry 'bout that!"

The four teens soon swerved into yet another alley. "Right here!"

"Go!"

"Here, here, here, here!"

"Okay!"

JJ's eyes dart from the alley ahead to the man behind, "He's right there. Go, go, go, go!"

"He's gaining. Let's go!" Pope chastised.

"I am going, Pope. I know, I know." JJ speaks, slightly annoyed. The group runs towards the end of the alley, where they can see the sidewalk and trees again. "You guys gotta keep up."

Eden rolls her eyes, "Can we save the arguing for—" the four teens round a corner but are forced to skid to a stop as a bike almost crashes into them. Her whole body freezes at the two faces staring right back at them, and she's barely able to choke out the rest of her sentence. ".....later."

Sitting in the front of the bike were none other than John Booker Routledge and Sarah Cameron. Alive.

It felt like time had all but stopped for Eden Bexley—the earth had stopped spinning and the universe paused at that moment. Her body was frozen in shock; her mouth was slightly agape; her eyes wide and vulnerable as they stared ahead. Tears prickled in the corner of her eyes—of relief, of grief, of happiness; of emotion.

Her eyes darted over her best friend's face, almost as if she was trying to make sure it was him she was seeing. His brown hair is unruly, falling over one of his eyes—his ends are tinted blonde from the Nassau sun. He has a very light stubble over his face from the inability to shave. Around his neck is the familiar, yet much more filthy, blue bandanna from Big John which he never took off.  His wrists are littered with her bracelet, and he seems to have managed to keep them all safe and sound on his journey.

It was him.

No one said anything for a few moments but no one needed too. The six Pogues all wear the same expressions and smiles, same wide eyes and agape lips threatening to turn upwards in a smile. No words can explain the emotion each was feeling—they all wanted to hug, laugh and cry at the same time. 

Besides, Eden isn't sure she can even summarize everything she's done and felt within the past month just for this moment. All the crying and grief she'd endured, the stress and anger she'd felt, the arguing and tension there'd been just for the sake of seeing her friends' faces again.

And if she's honest....everything's suddenly worth it. The nightmare was over and the dream was beginning. 

"John B.?"  The first words between any of the Pogues fall from Eden's shaky lips in a small whisper. Any sort of panic about getting caught by the man was suddenly gone because her best friend, her brother—a boy who she thought she'd lost forever—was alive.

"Miss me, Eden?" John B. gives the girl a breathless smile and Eden wants to cry.  She can see the way his lips tremble slightly and can tell he also wants too. 

Eden let's out a shaky laugh, wiping away the tear that had managed to fall. 

John B. was back.

The Pogues were back.

Her family was back.

But, just as soon as they'd gotten caught up in each other's gazes, the six teens were snapped back to the reality—the reality that they were currently being chased by rather angry people, and didn't have the time to be gawking at one another.

"Get in! Get in! Get in! Come on!" John B.'s voice cuts through the bubble of emotion, causing all five teens standing on the sidewalk to return to action rather than standing still in front of the bike.

Eden is quick to push Kiara forward, the girl hopping into the cart of the bike beside Sarah. The Bexley does the same, the three girls squeezing into the small space the seat provided—the Bexley's sure three people is pushing the limit.

"Push! Push! Push!" JJ and Pope run around to the back of the bike, pushing the cart with strength to give John B. momentum—it was surely difficult to pedal around an extra three hundred pounds. 

John B. groans, "You guys are so heavy."

"Nice to see you too, John." Eden snarks—everything felt normal again, and she'd been back with him for less than a minute.

"Pedal faster, John B.!" Kiara yells, noticing two men—one wearing a tailored striped suit, the other wearing more casual attire with sunglasses—chasing after the cart; Eden assumes John B. and Sarah too attracted some unwanted attention. The curly hair girl squeals, "Oh my god!"

"Go, John B.!" JJ yells. "Go!"

The two men on John B. and Sarah's tracks seem to realize it's not worth the effort to chase the group of rowdy teens and slow down, yet Limbrey's lackey continues to sprint after the bike, gaining on it more than Eden would like—he doesn't seem like he's giving up soon.

"Oh shit! Oh shit!" Pope exclaims from the back, feet working as hard and quickly as possible to boost the cart forward.

"Come on Pope! Push! Come on!" JJ encourages. He stops running with the cart and hops on to the landing pad of the bike, grabbing a hold of John B.'s book bag for balance, as well as to a small handlebar to his side. The blonde leans forward to speak to the driver of the bike, "Pedal, bitch, he's gaining!" 

John B. retorts, "I'm pedaling!"

"He's gaining, man!"

Sarah and Kiara are squealing and laughing together in the cart and Eden leans forward, a natural smile turning her lips upwards—she's not faking it for the public, or to let her friends know she's merely okay. She's truly happy for the first time in what feels like forever.

"Oh man!" Pope's exclamation causes all heads to turn back, watching as he stumbles and falls, rolling across the asphalt. 

John B. is quick to yell out, "Pope, come on! Get up! Let's go!"

"Come on, Bubs! Come on!" Eden encourages, watching as the Heyward bounces right back on to his feet without hesitation. Barely hanging on to his book bag, he sprints over to the cart, outstretching his hand for someone to take.

Kiara grabs his hand and helps him jump on to the landing pad, as JJ had done moments before. The Carrera wraps a hand around his waist to keep him steady.

"Pedal, John B., pedal!" JJ yells out amidst the cheers and squeals of his friends, adrenaline pumping through their veins. 

Limbrey's lackey managed to catch up to the cart with Pope's small slip, and his hands fumbled around trying to grab the Heyward's shirt—or anything, for that matter. Sarah batted his arm lightly, and JJ tried to shove him away, but he simply grabbed on to Eden's shoulder instead, trying his best not to lose the kids.

"Ew!" Kie and Sarah show looks of disgust.

Eden doesn't give much thought before turning around, raising her fist and punching him in the nose.

The man audibly groans and clutches his nose, causing him to stumble over his own feet and roll on to the ground. Eden smiles, pleased with what she's done and cups her mouth to yell, "I hope that heals crooked, bitch!" She pauses before adding her familiar, "Have a good day!"

All the Pogues whoop and cheer at finally escaping their chasers—they were free. The cart is full of celebration and adrenaline.

"See you later, alligator!" JJ cheers.

Pope throws a fist in the air, "See you later, asshole! Oh my God!"

"Toodaloo, bitches!" the Maybank sticks up both middle fingers at the man who was still trying to get off the ground.  Sarah copies the action with a bright smile.

Eden lets out a laugh and cheers as John B. pedals into the distance. Her veins are full of adrenaline and her lips are stuck in a smile. Despite having just been chased by an armed man....she was happier than she had been in a while. 

Ever since the day on the tarmac, the Pogues had been split—two lost to the sea, the other four lost to grief. Sure, they'd lost the gold, lost their one dream of going 'Full Kook' to but....they'd also lost their family. Each had lost the people, the memories, the laughter they could call home.  

And that hurt Eden more than anything.

She hadn't been able to choose her mother or her father or the expensive and entitled life she was born into, but, she was able to choose her friends—her true family. And in the OBX, a place ruled by the biggest bank accounts, that's what you needed. Your people.

And now, sitting in the back of a bike cart, that's all Eden Bexley saw.  Her people. Her family all back together again, laughing and hugging as if nothing had happened.

 As if they hadn't missed a thing.

The Pogues waste no time in getting John B. and Sarah's boat—their getaway vehicle back to the OBX—pushed back into the sea. 

Leaving the bike back upon the beach wall—Eden wonders if the man the Routledge and Cameron stole it from will ever find it sitting lonely upon the wall; a reminder of what went down in Charleston—the six teenagers had climbed down the ladder, sprinting through the sandy shore to reach the boat.

"Is this you?" JJ had asked, slightly impressed with the boat his friends had managed to score during their time in Nassau—Eden isn't; John B. and Sarah had their own charms, and the Routledge had been by himself in debt long enough to know how to steal.

Eden sarcastically replies, "No, we're just stealing a rando's boat for the hell of it, JJ."

"See, this—" JJ points at the Bexley, eyes darting between her and John B., who was grabbing red gas cans off the sand with one hand, "—is what I've been dealing with since you decided to go on your little Bahamian honeymoon. She never stops."

John B. sighs, "I see nothing has changed between you two."

"Help?" Pope questions, causing all three teens—and Sarah, who was standing beside the Routledge with gas cans in her hands—to look at him. He had a firm grasp on the boat, along with Kie, clearly wanting some help to push the boat out from the sand and into the water.

"On it."

The six teenagers crowded around the boat and after a few strained pushes, they managed to push the vehicle out to sea. Everyone was quick to hop on the boat, and JJ and Sarah went towards the tank to start fill up the engine, as to why the blonde girl was holding the cans to begin with, Pope and Kiara heading towards the steering wheel making sure everything was in check to get them home to the OBX.

Leaving John B. and Eden standing awkwardly on the boat, neither sure on what could possibly be said—their first real words to one another since August.

Of course Eden had been thinking of this very moment since she found out about John B. being alive but nothing compared to what it was really like. Seeing a boy whom she'd thought she'd lost, who she thought was dead for a month.....she was at a loss for words to say the least.

John B. seemed to share the same train of thought because he too stood quietly across from her. 

"Hey..." Eden trails off, looking up at the Routledge. It's slightly awkward, but she really doesn't know how to summarize how much she's missed the boy—the sleepovers they shared, they chaotic and random text chains they have, their hugs, laughing with him. 

John B. mimics her with a smile, "Hey..."

A rush of emotion suddenly overcomes Eden and she wordlessly tugs him into a tight embrace, squeezing her eyes shut to save the moment. She had really fucking missed John B. Routledge.

John B. melts into the embrace, holding her close. Eden had always been his person, but being forced away from her for as long as he had really proved it to him—he loved Sarah but she wasn't Eden.  If it wasn't obvious, he'd really fucking missed Eden Bexley, too.

"Never die on me again, you asshole." Eden mutters, holding the boy close. It was always Eden and John B.—she's not sure if she can be just Eden again. 

"I'll try not to." John B. replies with a weak laugh, but he knows she means it. Under her slightly sarcastic comment is the phrase 'don't leave me again'. He knows that leaving her meant she was left with her mother of all people to care—she had the other Pogues, but they weren't him.

"And if you do...." Eden pulls away from her friend, sticking her hand in her back pocket to reveal the taser she'd stolen from Lackey's Limbrey. With a sarcastic smile and finishes, "I'll tase you."

John B. tearfully chuckled—their was the Eden Bexley he missed. Bluntly, he states, "I really missed you, Eden."

"I really missed you too, John B." Eden gives him a warm smile to let him know it was okay—that it was okay to want to cry, that she's okay, that they'll be okay. The two fall back into a small silence, just happy to be near one another, but it's interrupted by Sarah Cameron.

The Cameron comes up from behind Eden, tapping her on the shoulder with a warm smile on her face, "Hey, you."

Eden turns away from her best friend and towards the blonde girl, sending a warm smile right back at her. Sarah comes forward and hugs Eden, to which the Bexley accepts, shoving the taser in her back pocket wrapping her arms around the Kook. "Sarah."

It was odd to think Eden was all against Sarah Cameron mere months ago. 

Now, Eden would consider the girl a friend. They were close yet—she'd been presumed dead before any friendship could truly start—but the Bexley realized her and Sarah Cameron shared more than she realized. They both had rich shitty families, and both found a home within a group of reckless teens rather than their expensive mansions. 

Besides, it would be nice to have someone who actually understood her home situation—Eden always talked to the Pogues about it, but they could only listen. Sarah would know. 

The Bexley pulled away, quickly taking off the bracelet that had been around her wrist for the past month—the one she had started to make for Sarah before everything went down. She hands over the bracelet to the Cameron, who is confused for a moment before realizing.

"You made me a bracelet?" Sarah smiles, taking the jewelry and sliding it over her tanned wrist. 

Eden nods, "Welcome to the Pogues.....I think you deserve to become an official member after everything that's happened."

"Thank you, Eden." 

The two girls are then dragged away from each other as a long story time begins between the teens, each catching the other group about what really went down within the past two months between laughs and interruptions from friends.

Eden is reminded of when everything was normal—when she spent her days soaking in sun on the HMS Pogue, drinking and laughing, making bracelets while trying to miss the constant spray of beer coming from JJ's bottle as he tried stupid party tricks. 

And while nothing would ever be just like that again.....Eden knows things will be okay. 

They were the Pogues—they always ended up okay.

mara's misc!

THEY'RE BACK BABY!!!

i've been waiting to write this scene since i wrote john b and sarah's "death" a month or two ago. ya'll don't know how tough it was to not write john b and eden.....they're my pookies and i had to just not write them together???? what is that all about????

i feel like my writing in this chapter is iffy especially towards the end bc i just was not feeling it but i hope it's okay. i had fun writing all the little emotional moments. they're just fun to do (funner than the happy moments sometimes tbh)

the chapter was named after that one phineas & ferb episode for shits and giggles. the song is playing in my head as we speak.

i have nothing else to say other than the pogues are back baby. get ready for a wild ride.

hope you enjoyed <3 see you back with 38!!