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The warehouse was dark, lit only by the dim flicker of an overhead bulb that cast ominous shadows across the room. Kiara moved silently, her pulse thundering as she stepped over the bodies of Chandler's fallen mercenaries, her grip tight around the bloodstained knife she'd taken from one of them. Each step brought her closer to the center, to the man she'd come to kill.
Finally, she saw him, standing alone in the middle of the room. Chandler Groff turned at the sound of her footsteps, a slow, cold smile spreading across his face. His eyes gleamed with malice as he held up the blue crown, its surface slick with dried blood. The sight of it hit Kiara like a punch to the gut, and tears sprang to her eyes, her anger igniting like a flame.
As Kiara stepped forward, he glanced down at the blue crown in his hand, stained with dark, dried blood, and lifted it with a mocking glint in his eyes.
"Looking for this?" he taunted, his voice calm, unbothered. Her response was silence as she slowly approached him with a slight limp. "You know, it’s quite poetic. I get to have the best of both worlds — the treasure and my son," He devilishly taunted.
The tears that burned Kiara’s eyes fell as Chandler caressed the dried blood that stained the crown. The memory hit Kiara like a knife to the heart, but she didn't flinch. She tightened her grip on the bloodied knife, her eyes blazing with rage and heartbreak.
"You killed him," she said, her voice breaking. "You killed your own son."
Chandler shrugged, his expression unmoved. "My son.." He scoffed, lowering the crown and tossing it carelessly to the ground, where it landed with a dull clang — he was confident that no one would be able to come in and take it. "That boy was never my son. He was a liability, a stain on my name. He was weak...just like you."
The words stung, but Kiara refused to let them pull her under. Her grip on the knife shook as she took a step toward him, her gaze hardening. "JJ was stronger than you'll ever be," she said, her voice shaking with fury. "He was brave, and he was good. And he was loved." Her voice shook as she spoke.
I love you, Kie.
The voice of JJ echoed in her mind.
Chandler laughed, a hollow, chilling sound that echoed through the empty warehouse. "Brave?" he sneered. "He died without a fight, Kiara. Just like you will."
With that, he lunged at her, his hand reaching for his gun, but Kiara moved faster. She brought the knife down with a scream, the blade slicing across his arm. Chandler cursed, staggering back, blood dripping from the fresh wound. But he didn't retreat. Instead, his face twisted with a cold, murderous rage, and he swung his fist, catching her in the jaw.
Kiara stumbled, pain exploding across her face, but she kept her grip on the knife, refusing to back down. She swore she felt JJ's presence beside her, urging her forward, and with a cry of defiance, she struck again, aiming for his chest.
Chandler dodged, grabbing her wrist and twisting it painfully until she gasped, her fingers loosening their hold on the knife. The weapon clattered to the ground, and Chandler shoved her back, his sneer widening as he loomed over her.
"You're pathetic," he spat. "You're nothing without him.” He kicked her side as he spat at her, “Maybe if you didn’t need saving he’d still be here right now,” He taunted.
Kiara's vision blurred, her body aching as she struggled to get up, but her spirit refused to break. She met his gaze, her voice defiant. "I'll die before I let you get away with this."
Chandler laughed, cold and cruel. "Then I'll grant you that wish."
He retrieved his gun, and he aimed — pulling the trigger. Neither knew where the bullet landed as Kiara lunged forward after grabbing the knife from the ground and plunging it into his leg. He roared in pain, stumbling back, and Kiara seized the moment, surging to her feet and slashing at him with every ounce of strength she had left.
Their fight became a brutal, desperate clash of wills, each strike more savage than the last. Chandler's face was twisted with rage, his movements wild as he fought to overpower her, but Kiara moved with a determination born of love and loss. She could feel her strength fading, her vision going dark around the edges, but she pushed on, the memory of JJ's smile driving her forward.
Kiara caught Chandler off guard, slamming him against a metal beam and pressing the knife to his throat, her face inches from his. He stared up at her, his eyes wide with shock, and for a brief moment, a flicker of fear crossed his face.
"This is for JJ," she whispered, her voice breaking.
And with one final, trembling breath, she drove the knife home, the blade sinking into his neck. Chandler's gasp was a wet, rattling sound, his body sagging as the life drained from his eyes.
Kiara staggered back, the knife slipping from her hand as she watched him collapse to the ground. She could barely breathe, her vision swimming, but a faint smile tugged at her lips. It was over.
She winced.
A sharp burning pain shot up her spine. She gasped out a breath as she stared at the dripping wound in her abdomen — the bullet had struck her. She swallowed as she limped towards the crown. She squatted to pick it up, but her legs gave out, and she sank to her knees — not too far from Chandler's lifeless body, her eyes closing as exhaustion and pain washed over her.
Footsteps thundered toward her, and she vaguely registered the voices of John B, Pope, and Rafe shouting her name. They rushed to her side, their faces pale with horror as they knelt beside her, John B’s hands hovering helplessly over her as he tried to stem the bleeding.
Blood is pooling beneath her, seeping through her clothes, and she’s barely able to keep her eyes open.
“Kiara,” John B whispers, cradling her head gently in his lap as Rafe carefully props her up. His voice trembles, his hand cupping her cheek. “Hey, Kie, stay with us. You’re gonna be okay. We’re gonna get you out of here, I promise.”
Kiara’s eyes flutter, a faint, weak smile tugging at her lips as she looks at John B, her gaze distant but still filled with that same fierce loyalty. “I…I did it, John B,” she whispers, each word a struggle. “For JJ. I…I had to…”
Pope kneels beside her, his hand gripping hers tightly, his face etched with despair. “Kie…” he called out, his voice breaking as tears spill down his cheeks.
She reaches up with a trembling hand, brushing her fingers against his cheek. “I had too...”
Rafe, his face unusually solemn, place a hand on her shoulder, his own emotions barely held in check. “You did it, Kiara,” he murmurs, his voice low, filled with an unexpected softness. “Yeah. JJ would be proud of you.” Cleo voice suddenly entered her hearing.
Kiara’s smile widens, just a fraction, as her eyes close for a brief moment. “He’s waiting for me, isn’t he?” she whispers, her voice so faint, it’s almost lost in the air.
John B tightens his grip on her, panic flooding his expression. “No, Kiara, no. You’re not going anywhere. I already lost JJ, I can’t lose you too. Please, Kie…just hold on.”
She opens her eyes again, looking up at him, her gaze filled with a heartbreaking mix of love and peace. “You’re going to be a great father, John B,” she whispers. “Make sure tell that little pogue all the adventures we went on. It’ll be a kickass bedtime story.” She released a soft somber laugh.
The weight of her words hits them like a punch to the gut. Sarah, who has been standing behind them, falls to her knees beside Kiara, her hands shaking as she reaches out to touch her friend’s shoulder. “Kie, we need you,” she sobs. “Please don’t leave us.”
But Kiara’s breathing is slowing, her eyelids fluttering. She tries to keep her gaze on each of them, as if she wants to take one last look, to hold on to this moment with them.
Take care of the others.
JJ’s voice echoed in her ear again as her eyes caught sight of the blue crown.
They will be okay.
“Take care of each other,” she whispers, her voice barely audible. “For me…and for him.”
Her hand slips from Pope’s, her breathing growing shallower, until it finally stills. Silence falls over the square as Kiara’s gaze softens, her face peaceful as she slips away.
John B breaks, a raw, anguished sob tearing from his chest as he pulls her close, rocking her gently. “No, Kie…please, not you too,” he chokes out, his tears soaking into her hair as the rest of the Pogues fall back in shock, each of them lost in their shared grief.
The sky above Lisbon begins to lighten with the first rays of dawn, casting a golden glow over the square. But for the Pogues, this sunrise is shrouded in darkness — their found family is broken beyond repair, and nothing will ever be the same again.
Kiara blinks, slowly coming to in a place that feels both familiar and foreign. She felt sand beneath her as her finger scooped up the fine grains as she stood up — she is standing on a beach. The sun casting a warm, golden glow over everything, the waves gently lapping at her feet. The air is peaceful, and for the first time in what feels like forever, there's no pain, no fear — just a deep sense of calm.
As she takes in her surroundings, she hears a voice — a voice she thought she'd never hear again.
"Kiara?"
She turns, heart pounding, and there he is — JJ, standing a few feet away, looking exactly like she remembered. The same wild blond hair, the same mischievous glint in his eyes, and that crooked grin that she never stopped missing.
For a moment, they just stare at each other, neither of them moving. Then, all at once, Kiara's face breaks into a tearful smile, and she runs toward him. JJ catches her, wrapping his arms around her tightly, holding her as if he'll never let go. She buries her face in his shoulder, feeling the warmth and familiarity of him.
"You're here," she whispers, her voice filled with relief and longing.
JJ pulls back slightly, looking her up and down, his expression a mix of happiness and something more intense. "Yeah, Kie, I'm here," he says softly, brushing a thumb across her cheek to wipe away her tears. But there's a flicker of something in his eyes — a hint of sadness, maybe even frustration.
She notices it, her smile fading a little. "What is it?"
He sighs, shaking his head as he looks out at the waves, his jaw tense. "You shouldn't be here, Kie," he says, his voice breaking a little. "I mean, God, I'm so glad you're here, but...you didn't have to do what you did. You didn't have to throw yourself into that fight."
Kiara reaches out, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I couldn't just...let Chandler get away with it, JJ. After everything he did to you, to us...I couldn't live with myself if I didn't make him pay. You would’ve done the same."
JJ closes his eyes, taking a deep, steadying breath. "Kie, you're as stubborn as ever," he mutters, his voice wavering between anger and pride. "You went and got yourself killed, just like that. Didn't even think twice, did you?"
She lets out a small laugh, though it's tinged with sadness. "Sounds like someone I used to know."
JJ huffs, the frustration melting into a soft chuckle as he pulls her close again. "You're right," he admits. "Guess I can't be too mad at you for being just as reckless as I was."
They stand together, wrapped in each other's arms, as the reality settles in for both of them. JJ pulls back, resting his forehead against hers. "But I am proud of you, you know," he murmurs. "You didn't back down. You did what you had to do."
Kiara smiles up at him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I just...I wanted to be with you, JJ."
He brushes a strand of hair behind her ear, his voice softening. "I know. But I wanted you to live, Kie. I wanted you to find a way to keep going, to be happy. That's all I ever wanted for you."
They stand in silence for a while, both of them grappling with the bittersweetness of their reunion. JJ pulls her closer, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead.
"I guess we've got forever now," he says softly, his voice filled with a mixture of sadness and hope. "And I'll be right here, just like always."
Kiara wraps her arms around him, feeling the weight of everything they've been through lift, just a little. In this place, with JJ beside her, she finally feels at peace.