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The announcement of John Booker Routledge and Sarah Cameron’s impending and miraculous return to Kildare shook everyone to their core. After coming to terms with the fact that the two teenagers were swept away by the unforgiving ocean, everyone had slowly started to adapt to their new normal.
The two, who were presumed dead on that summer night in the middle of a tropical depression, had somehow found themselves boarding a cargo ship headed for Nassau, Bahamas where they could continue their treasure hunt. Unbeknownst to them, their friends were reeling in the wake of the storm, the sunken boat recovered without bodies sending them into a tailspin. As their adventure in the Bahamas continued and they gained the knowledge that not all of the gold had left the island, JJ, Pope, and Kiara were picking up the pieces.
JJ was recovering slowly at the Heywards.
Pope and Kiara were exploring their new relationship.
Those around them were making sure they didn’t completely fall off the edge.
When the broken call came from the Bahamas, everyone was shocked- especially JJ Maybank.
As he was recovering from his father’s brutal beating, he thought a lot about his missing friends and the agony they must have felt as their boat was capsized by the storm. He could never bring himself to say the word “dead” out loud, let alone to himself, even though he heard the Heywards and his two remaining friends mention it when they thought he was out of earshot. They walked on broken glass around him, treading lightly so as not to upset him, but he still felt the pain of their presumed death every day.
JJ held onto the sliver of hope as the broken bones healed, the ache in his chest dulled, the bruises faded, and the ringing in his ears faded to a faint echo but never did go completely away.
When the news reached the Pogues that John B and Sarah would be returning to Kildare within the week, JJ didn’t let himself believe it. He wouldn’t believe it until he was able to see John B again, hug him, and maybe punch him. The emotions were flooding his body and he couldn’t decide if he was excited, anxious, or angry. Even though he couldn’t say the word out loud, he knew what happened when boats were caught in storms on the open ocean.
They sank.
And when they sank they took the people on board with them, even if the bodies were never recovered.
John B and Sarah had gone down with the Phantom and he knew it.
He had been in the SBI tent near the command center when Deputy Shoupe and the agents had lost contact with the boat, and he had been on the receiving end of his father’s fists and boots when the news reached Luke. He remembered the angry yells, the burning pain, and the agony he felt as his father reminded him that he stole the boat and he deserved to feel the pain of losing his friends.
Because it was his fault.
He had tried to help, like usual, and failed.
He was still being reminded of that pain just days before his best friend was due to return, putting a damper on the potential homecoming. Even though his body was healing, his head was a bit slower to get the memo and some days were worse than others.
JJ, knowing John B’s previous reactions to his father’s abuse, knew the slightly older boy would take the blame for his friend’s injuries. As the pair parted on a strained note, JJ was terrified he’d never experience the brotherly love John B had provided most of his life ever again. John B had a knack for taking the blame when JJ would show up with injuries sustained in a fight with Luke, and until his father disappeared would create a believable cover story. It weighed heavily on the brunette that he couldn’t inform DCS of the situation without putting them both at risk, so he settled on patching JJ up, giving him the couch, and doing the best he could to protect his friend.
Unfortunately, JJ couldn’t escape the repercussions of his head injury, and he frequently suffered through migraines, dizzy spells, and other gnarly side effects as he recovered.
“JJ,” Mrs. Heyward peeked her head in the door of his room with a whisper. “Are you feeling okay, honey?”
Whispering, JJ had his arm draped over his eyes as he willed the dizziness and pain away, “my head hurts. I don’t get why it won’t stop.”
The older woman shuffled into the room trying to refrain from making nose and she squatted down next to the bed. With a sigh, she ran her hand through his hair and did her best to provide what little comfort she could.
“Oh baby, do you want some Tylenol? Or a wet rag?” She asked softly. “I can get you something to help.”
“I don't know,” he croaked. “I just want the migraines to stop. It's been weeks. The doctor said they should be going away.”
JJ visibility relaxed under her soft touch as she continued to smooth his hair and rub his forearm lightly. She noticed that the curtains were drawn and a blanket was hung over them to eliminate more light, and there wasn’t a noise to be heard in the room. JJ, usually loud, had his eyes squeezed shut under his forearm as he begged the pain to lessen.
“I'm going to see if we can get you back to the doctor this week,” she whispered. “I don’t like that you’re still getting migraines. Are you dizzy?”
He nodded slightly, “feels like someone’s spinning me around.”
She was silent as she moved to sit next to him, her place on the bed not uncommon in the last few weeks. After JJ was released from the hospital, she spent many nights beside his bed in Pope’s room as JJ suffered through migraines, dizzy spells, and nightmares. The nights he woke up thrashing, his ribs protesting, were the hardest for everyone. He would panic with wide eyes and labored breaths until Mrs. Heyward could calm him down.
“John B and Sarah are due back tomorrow. Pope mentioned wanting to see them. What if we have everyone over for dinner?” She asked carefully. “If you’re feeling up to it I can plan for it.”
“Well if they’re actually coming home and if he was actually going to show up, I wouldn’t want to see him like this anyway,” JJ wiped at his nose hastily. “But it doesn’t matter.”
“Sweetie,” she whispered. “He’s coming back. And it’s okay for him to know what happened. He’s going to want to see you when he gets here.”
“He’ll blame himself,” JJ choked out. “I don’t want him to do that. Not his fault. It’s mine.”
“Baby, it’s not your fault. What he did to you isn’t your fault,” she soothed. “You’re safe now. It’s not your fault.”
“Stole the boat,” he cried. “Shoulda left it be.”
“JJ,” she shushed. “You were helping your friends. You did the right thing in the moment.”
“Almost killed me,” he continued to cry. “I almost wish he would have because I wouldn’t be so dizzy.”
“Your headache is going to get worse if you work yourself up. Take a deep breath,” she stood as she rubbed her hand up and down his arm. “I’m going to go get you Tylenol and water, okay?”
“Okay,” he said softly as he took another deep breath.
“I’ll be right back.”
Before Mrs. Heyward could return with the pills and the glass of water, JJ had dozed off with his arm still draped across his face. With a sad, soft smile she pulled the blankets around the young blonde who was unusually still before retreating to the dining room where her husband and son were sitting around their old oak table for breakfast.
“He feelin’ any better?” Mr. Heyward asked with concern. “Or is he still fightin’ that migraine again?”
“Probably the stress,” Pope added. “I’ve been reading about post-concussive syndrome and he has all the symptoms of it. Agitation, anxiety, dizziness, fatigue, lack of concentration, his ears ringing, he’s got it all. Some of them worse than others. There’s a huge list and he checks a lot of those boxes.”
“That don’t sound too good,” Mrs. Heyward said sadly. “He doesn’t even want to see John B until he’s feeling better. Says he’s worried about how he’ll react.”
“That’s weird because they’re best friends,” Pope sighed. “I wish he felt better.”
“He’s probably embarrassed. It took him this long to warm up to the idea of us, and letting us care for him. You know what it was like when he first got here,” Mr. Heyward explained. “He’s just now not buggin’ me about working more to ‘pay me back’ for everything. Kid’s had a shit time growin’ up and he’s not seein’ that it’s not normal.”
Pope inhaled, but before anyone had a chance to respond to Heyward’s observations, there was a ring of the doorbell and a knock on the front door. Silently, and with confusion written on her face, Mrs. Heyward stood from her chair and went to answer the door. When she opened the old wooden structure, her jaw dropped.
Before her was a tall, tanned, brunette who looked a little worse for wear.
“John B? Honey, what are you doing here? You aren’t due back till tomorrow?” She said with a smile. “Come in! Pope, hurry! You have a visitor!”
Pope rushed around the corner, banging into the doorway, and when his eyes met John B’s, his jaw dropped and he immediately began to cry. He rushed to his friend who looked a little thinner, had longer hair, and was tan and wrapped his arms tightly around him. As the boys held each other, Mrs. Heyward snapped a picture and wiped a stray tear from her eye. Pope refused to let go of his friends, his tears soaking John B’s shirt, and John B’s doing the same.
“We thought you were dead,” Pope sobbed. “You both went down with that boat and we thought you were dead.”
“I know,” John B choked out. “We’re here though. Sarah is at Kie’s, she’s gonna stay there for a bit while I line out the Chateau because it’s a warzone. We’re here. We just have to go see Shoupe in a few hours.”
Pope pulled away with a grin and punched John B in the shoulder, “don’t ever do that again.”
“I won’t,” John B grinned. “We just have to go down to the station, like I mentioned.”
“Is that a bad or good thing?” Pope asked seriously. “Don’t go if you’re going to get arrested.”
“We aren’t going to get arrested. We’ve hired an attorney- emancipation business for both of us and finder’s rights- and we’re going to get everything squared away,” John B explained. “As far as anyone knows, including myself, I’m an innocent man. Rafe and Barry fucked up and Rafe confessed I guess.”
“I heard about that but I wasn’t sure I believed it,” Pope chuckled. “Rumor mill got us in this whole ass mess anyway. Don’t leave again.”
“I can promise you we won’t,” John B smiled and hugged his friend again. “You seen JJ today? I stopped by the Chateau and his house on my way here and no sight of him. I wanna see him.”
Pope frowned and looked over his shoulder at his parents who were strangely quiet, “he’s, uh, he’s been staying with us. Since a a few days after they recovered the boat.”
“Your dad is letting him stay here?” John B laughed uncomfortably. “He’s staying here willingly? JJ is?”
Heyward didn’t like Pope’s friends all too much, and he made sure to let them know on almost every occasion that he thought they were a nuisance. John B’s stomach dropped when he thought about JJ willingly staying with someone, because he was someone who had a tendency to do things independently, to try to survive on his own. John B’s look of confusion didn’t go unnoticed by Pope who pulled him into another hug.
“A lot has happened,” He whispered to the brunette. “I’m glad you’re back.”
“He’s upstairs in bed right now,” Mrs. Heyward explained gently. “He’s not feeling well and he’s asleep.”
“Is he okay?” John B bounced on the balls of his feet as he made eye contact with the matriarch. “He’s okay right? I never… I need to tell him thank you.”
“He’s doin’ okay,” Heyward informed the teen. “He’s just been goin’ through it since y’all disappeared. I’ll see if I can get him to come down and see ya if he’s feelin’ up to it. Don’t push him to talk if he’s not ready though.”
As Mr. Heyward walked away from the trio, the group remained in the foyer and John B shoved his hands in his pockets. He was visibly anxious, his concern for JJ growing, and noting the change in his demeanor Mrs. Heyward placed a hand on the small of his back and nudged him toward the kitchen. Pope, who followed, sat down at his plate, and Mrs. Heyward busied herself fixing John B breakfast from their morning leftovers.
“I’ve missed you guys,” John B said timidly. “How have you been? I know… I know it probably wasn’t easy. If my memory wasn’t shit I would have called earlier. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize,” Pope said seriously. “I get it. We get it. We survived, and are surviving. Kie and I are kind of together I guess, and JJ’s been staying here for a while. Shit went down, and shit is still kind of going down. But we’re okay, and now you’re back so it’ll continue to piece itself back together.”
“What happened?” John B pressed. “You guys aren’t telling me something, and I need to know what it is. JJ’s my best friend. You’re all my best friends.”
“I didn’t ever say it was anything about JJ,” Pope shifted in his seat anxiously. “What makes you think something went wrong anyway?”
“You didn’t have to,” John B snipped. “You’re shit at lying and hiding things. Something’s going on and I don’t like that you think you can’t tell me.”
“Dude, it’s not my business to tell,” Pope said firmly. “It’s JJ. He does JJ things. He’s just getting used to living here, so I’m not going to mess that up by violating his trust.”
John B sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Mrs. Heyward, unwilling to interrupt the conversation between the boys, placed a full plate in front of John B, complete with a fork.
“You need to eat, honey,” She smiled. “I bet you haven’t eaten a full meal in weeks.”
“I haven’t,” he said truthfully. “Mrs. Heyward?”
“Yes?” She asked in response to the question. “Is everything okay?”
“Thank you,” the boy whispered. “For breakfast, for keeping them safe. Thank you for everything.”
“It’s not a problem, John,” she smiled as she rubbed his upper back. “We love you boys, and Kie and Sarah. We’re here for you.”
“Can I ask another question?” He was picking at the eggs in front of him as he looked over his shoulder at her.
“I might not have an answer, but you’re welcome to ask, honey,” she chuckled.
“Is JJ okay?” He asked carefully, not wanting to irritate the pair still in the kitchen. “I need to know if he’s okay.”
“He’s goin’ to be fine, sweetheart,” she said sadly. “He’s been through a lot since you were gone, and he’s healin’. But he’ll be okay.”
With a slight nod, John B averted his eyes and picked at the breakfast Mrs. Heyward had provided him. He wasn’t meaning to be ungrateful, he just didn’t know where to begin. Accepting her answer and her comfort, he dropped his head and sighed.
“John B,” Heyward’s voice boomed from the doorway and startled the boys. “Can I speak with you on the porch?
John B’s stomach dropped as he realized that JJ wasn’t with Mr. Heyward. A number of scenarios ran through his head and none of them were good. He was worried about his friend, his brother, and he needed to know that he was okay. Even if it meant JJ hated his guts, he needed to know that the rough and tumble blonde was at least still functioning and still breathing. John B knew that JJ was always doing JJ things, but it didn’t make him feel any better.
“What’s up?” John B asked nervously as he stood a healthy distance from Mr. Heyward, unsure of what the conversation would entail.
“You wanna sit?” The older man asked. “We can sit.”
“Yeah, uh, sure,” John B stuttered. “What’s going on? Is everything okay? I-I feel like I’m in trouble or something.”
Mr. Heyward scrubbed his hands over his face as he took a seat at the small bistro table with John B, “it’s about JJ. You’re not in trouble.”
John B’s heart was racing and his hands were trembling in his lap. He didn’t like the way the conversation was starting, and he wasn’t sure he was going to like where it was going either. He could feel his heart pounding in his ears, and his breath was caught in his chest as he thought about anything that could have happened to his best friend while he and Sarah were away from the island.
He thought about the pain JJ must have felt thinking they were dead, and he reeled at the idea that he was suffering without someone he trusted by his side. As much as they appreciated the Heywards, John B remembered how long it took the blonde to warm up to Big John, and he was scared the same thing happened with Mr. Heyward considering their previously rocky relationship.
“What about him?” He whispered.
“How much do you know about his dad?” Heyward asked preemptively. “What goes on at home with him?”
John B could feel the guilt smothering him. He knew most of what JJ dealt with at home because he’d show up at the Chateau with split lips and bruised cheeks, but he was too scared to tell anyone for fear of losing his best friend to social services. He didn’t want to exist without his friends, and he couldn’t live without his brother. He knew JJ was safe at the Chateau, so he pushed the thought of JJ being hurt to the back of his mind and protected him in the best way he knew how.
“Enough to know I should have told someone what was going on,” John B answered truthfully. “Did something happen?”
“I don’t know how to tell you about it all,” Mr. Heyward said honestly. “Him stealin’ the Phantom from that deadbeat started a spiral.”
“I-Is he okay?” John B stuttered. “He’s alive? Breathing?”
“He’s alive,” Heyward chuckled. “But his dad beat the ever lovin’ hell out of him the night y’all tried to get outta here. Showed up at the shop and seemingly collapsed; broken ribs, nasty concussion, bruised kidneys, among other injuries. Spent a few days in the hospital, moved in with us after a conversation with Sheriff Shoupe and DCS.”
“Are they taking him away?” John B panicked. “I didn’t… I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want them to take him away.”
“They’re not takin’ him away, son,” Heyward reassured the panicked boy. “He’s just upstairs in bed right now because of the residuals of the concussion. Doc doesn’t know if it’ll ever go completely away. Luke ‘bout bashed his head in. We’re takin’ him to the doctor again this week for a check up and to see what we can do.”
“It’s my fault…” John B whispered. “It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t-shouldn’t have asked him for the-the keys. I should-should have stopped after-after everything started to hit the fan.”
Heyward could see the panic on the boy’s face and placed a hand on his shoulder, much like he does with JJ when the boy begins to lose himself in his own mind.
“He would do anything for you, John B,” Heyward explained. “Said so himself.”
“I know he would! That’s the thing!” John B snapped. “I left him here! I could have taken him with me!”
Instantly, sobs ripped through the boy’s body as he buried his face in his hands. The grief he felt over leaving his best friend behind, and in the hands of his father, consumed him entirely in the moment. Mr. Heyward, who had never seen John B in such distress, ran his large hand up and down the boy’s back.
“You’re lucky you’re alive, John B,” Heyward said softly. “Any other variable and it could have meant all three of you were gone.”
“But we would have been together,” he sobbed. “I left him. I left him here. Luke could have killed him.”
“I know,” Heyward pulled the boy into a hug. “I know it’s scary. I know you’re feeling like you could have prevented it, but he’s okay. He’s here, alive, and his dad won’t be messin’ with him again.”
“I’m sorry,” John B sobbed. “For everything.”
“It's okay. I promise you it's okay,” Heyward shushed. “You're just kids. It's okay.”
“It never should have happened,” the boy choked. “I ran us all off a cliff.”
“It's okay.”
“It's my fault his dad did that,” the sobs continued to rip through his body as he clung to the older man. “I jeopardized everything for Pope. I could have killed us all.”
“It's okay.”
“There’s nothing I can do to make it better,” He hiccuped as Mr. Heyward pulled him even closer. “Even the gold that’s left-left, that’s not enough. His scholarship, JJ’s dad, Kie’s turtle rescuing. I was so selfish.”
“You weren’t selfish,” Mr. Heyward tried to calm the hysterical boy in his arms. “You thought you made the right choice. It was okay to make those choices. You were looking for your dad, figuring out his work. It’s okay.”
“I’m so sorry,” he melted into the older man’s arms and listened to the beating of his heart.
The gesture, a hug that tried to put all of his pieces back together, was welcomed by the touch starved teenager who longed for a father figure. He pressed his face into Heyward’s shoulder, the tears flowing freely as they stood together on the porch.
“It’s okay.”
Unbeknownst to the two on the porch, Mrs. Heyward had made her way back upstairs to JJ who was slightly awake with tired eyes and a dazed look on his face. She sat down on the edge of his bed, her hand running through his hair, and he leaned into her touch.
“John B is here, sweetie,” She whispered.
“It’s tomorrow already?” He asked, confusion written across his face. “I thought I just took a nap.”
“You did nap,” she chuckled. “He is here a day early.”
JJ pushed himself up off the bed, his head swimming, and he swung his legs over the side excitedly. His heart was racing and his head was throbbing, but John B was here. With a one track mind after the words left Mrs. Heyward’s mouth, JJ knew that he wasn’t going to be let down by the notion that John B’s return was just an island rumor.
His brother was here.
And he would be damned if any migraine would stop him from seeing his best friend for the first time in weeks, and for the first time since he thought he was dead. He wasn’t going to let anything stop him from wrapping his arms around John B and holding on for a very, very long time.
“Easy,” she whispered, her hand finding his arm as he stood too quickly and his vision started to blur. “Don’t hurt yourself.”
“He’s here,” JJ sniffled, the tears building in his eyes as he thought about the boy that was most likely waiting for him downstairs. “John B’s back. He’s alive.”
“I know he is baby, but you’re hurt. Be gentle with yourself and I’ll help you downstairs. Is your head still hurting?” She asked gently. “You’re looking a little pale.”
“I don’t feel too great,” he confessed, his legs a bit wobbly under the weight of his body. “But I want to see John B. I need to see him.”
She nodded and wrapped an arm around his waist as they stood together in the room, “I’ll help you down the stairs and we’ll getcha situated on the couch. You shouldn’t be standin’ too much or you might pass out.”
He nodded and let the older woman help him out of his room, his feet occasionally slipping under him as he pushed through waves of dizziness and nausea in order to make it to the stairs. As he stood with Mrs. Heyward at the top, he reeled at the thought of the stairs, but he knew the people at the bottom would make the struggle worth every second of agony.
“You’re gonna be alright,” Mrs. Heyward encouraged with a squeeze. “We’ve got this- one step at a time.”
They made their way down the stairs at an agonizingly slow pace before they reached the landing. Frantically, JJ looked around the room while ignoring the pain in his head. He swore he could hear his voice; he knew John B’s voice better than anyone else’s and he looked for him.
“He's outside with…” before Mrs. Heyward could finish her sentence, he shakily pried himself away from her and rushed to the front door.
Pushing through the nausea and the sharp pain around his left eye and into the left side of his head, JJ threw open the screen door and tumbled onto the patio and almost fell into John B. He looked up and saw the brunette who was a little thinner than when he left with dark circles under his eyes and he couldn’t breathe.
“JJ?” John B swallowed thickly as JJ stood with wide eyes taking in the sight of his best friend.
“You're here,” JJ whispered. “You're alive.”
Before John B could respond, JJ launched himself into his arms and squeezed him tightly. John B immediately felt tears soaking the shoulder of his shirt and he clung to the blonde in return. The boys, emotional in their own right, we're holding onto each other for dear life afraid the other would disappear. JJ couldn’t believe that John B was there in person. He’d held onto a shred of hope for so long, telling everyone who said dead that they were coming home, and now he was finally validated.
“You're home,” JJ sobbed, his throat raw as the words escaped his lips. “You're here. You’re home.”
“I'm here. I'm so sorry,” John B whispered. “I'm so sorry.”
“Shut the fuck up,” JJ laughed in the midst of his sobs. “Just shut the fuck up okay. You're here and I don't give a shit about anything else.”
As JJ held onto John B, he could feel his weak legs shaking, his head pounding, and his stomach rolling. Ignoring the feelings, he continued to hold his best friend close after weeks of believing he was dead. He held onto John B as if the universe was going to take him away again, and he refused to let go.
“I'm so glad you're here,” JJ choked. “So much happened. You-you we're dead.”
“I'm here,” John B consoled the blonde. “I'm not going anywhere.”
As the pair stood holding one another, Pope made his way to the porch after finishing his breakfast and observed the scene. JJ looked pale, beads of sweat forming along his hairline, and that usually meant dizziness and nausea. As Pope started to speak, JJ quickly pulled away from John B and staggered backwards into Mr. Heyward. His head was spinning more than usual, and the sharp pain in his head was somehow even sharper than before he came downstairs. Black spots danced in his vision as he tried to keep himself upright in front of his friends.
“JJ?” John B asked with concern. “Are you alright?”
“‘m dizzy,” he mumbled, his ears ringing and his eyes drooping. “Bad.”
Mr. and Mrs. Heyward sprang into action as they rushed to JJ’s side. Mr. Heyward stood close and Mrs. Heyward grabbed his hand before JJ felt his knees buckle and bile rise in his throat. He didn’t want to throw up, so he took a deep breath and hoped for the best as John B and Pope looked on.
“Easy,” Mr. Heyward said gently, arms sliding under JJ’s armpits. “Let's get you inside.”
Nodding, JJ staggered toward the door with Mr. Heyward’s help but it felt like his legs weren’t there and his body felt hot. John B, hovering nearby, watched with concern as his friend collapsed like a rag doll as soon as they crossed the threshold and Mr. Heyward picked him up bridal style and carried him to the couch.
Seconds later, JJ opened his eyes and groaned at the brightness of the living room light and the sun streaming in the windows.
“Mom went to get a cold cloth,” Pope informed him as JJ sunk further into the couch. “John B’s with her.”
JJ nodded and covered his eyes with his forearm for the second time that day. He was feeling lousy, and wishing that he wasn’t experiencing any of the nasty side effects of the concussion. He wanted to celebrate with John B; it was his first day home and they had a lot of catching up to do, but JJ’s post-concussion syndrome had it’s own agenda which included JJ’s suffering. John B moved to close the curtains following Pope’s nonverbal instructions, and he approached the pair.
“JJ?” John B asked from behind the couch. “Can we talk? Are you feeling up to that?”
“I’ll give you guys some space,” Pope patted JJ on the forearm as he walked to his father in the kitchen who was calling JJ’s doctor.
“You’re makin’ me nervous,” JJ whispered with a laugh. “What’s up?”
“I just watched my best friend pass out in the foyer is what’s up,” John B laughed wetly with tears in his eyes and on his cheeks. “What’s going on?”
“Stole a boat and got punished for it,” JJ said dryly as he squeezed his eyes shut. “Ol’ Luke wasn’t too thrilled.”
“JJ…” John B began, but he was cut off by the blonde who had rolled onto his side.
“Don’t,” JJ warned. “I did it because I love you. You needed help, and I’ll fuckin’ die before I leave you hanging. You’ve been there for me my whole life. I’s returning a favor. Pogues for life.”
“A favor that almost got you killed!” John B exclaimed, causing JJ to wince. “He could have killed you.”
“He didn’t.”
“But he could have!” John B paced the floor as JJ watched him with dazed eyes. “He could have bashed your head in.”
“He basically did,” JJ confessed. “Bruised my kidney, busted some ribs, I still can’t see straight and they’re takin’ me back to the doctor. Something about post-concussion syndrome- might not go away.”
“It’s my fault,” John B finally stopped pacing and slumped down in the recliner. “I shouldn’t have asked any of this of you. You wouldn’t be hurt. Pogues for life or not, I should have taken what he would do to you into consideration.”
“You’d be in jail if I hadn’t helped, or worse,” JJ shrugged, his eyes drooping with exhaustion. “‘Sides why wouldn’t I help you? I don’t give a shit what dad’ll do.”
“Self-preservation, maybe?” John B joked. “Take a nap if you need to, bro. I’ll be here when you wake up.”
JJ yawned and draped the blanket from the back of the couch across himself before closing his eyes. As he drifted off to sleep, he felt John B walk to his side and brush the hair out of his face, a sniffle coming from his best friend. Sitting down next to the couch, John B watch JJ’s breathing deepen and even out, and Pope sat in the chair across the room, watching both boys with intensity.
“For the record,” JJ yawned. “I’d do it all over again. You’re my brother.”
“Pogues for life?” Pope questioned.
“Pogues for life.” John B grinned as he watched JJ’s eyes close. “Forever.”