ISSUES II outer banks

Yucatán

"Promise? - Always."

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"It must have ended up here in this.. trash", JJ concludes the next day telling us his theory about where we would find the gun. "Oh my god, people who use plastic bags should be shot", Kie mutters as we see a lot of those bags in the water. "Well, for my part, I use it everyday. I love that stuff", JJ begins to annoy her early. 

"Hopefully you recycle it instead throwing it into the sea", Kie snaps at him immediately. "Kie, you know it's not worth it discussing with JJ, he'll never listen to it", I remind her of it as she would just waste her energy. "Hey, I've listened to you when you wanted me to do this-", JJ begins to talk about something more private so I cut him off. "Okay, it's fine."

"I expected you to say that, Kie", Pope mentions and shows her some garbage bags. "Does that mean that climate protection is important to you?" "Maybe", Pope flirts back and JJ and I share a look. "Should we rather leave you alone or what's going on?", JJ comments the situation and gets hit with the garbage bags by Pope for that. "Collect the trash."

"If it's not in the trash, it has to be in the pipe", Pope concludes after we've filled lots of bags with trash but didn't find the gun. "Still in the pipe." "Damn." "It's good that I've got the crowbar with me." "So rock scissor paper? Age over beauty?", Kie tries it but I already know what the boys are planning. They have an excuse to why they cannot go in there. 

"I got it. You're anxious", Kie makes fun of them. "No." "No." "It's fine. I'll just do it", I sigh and put my hairs into a ponytail. "Actually.. I'd prefer it if you didn't smell bad when we lay on the coach", JJ adds in his typical half-serious half-ironic voice and Kie groans. "I'll do it. You could have just told me that you guys are anxious", she adds and gives the boys an annoyed look but goes in there.

"Okay, bro I see there's something going on. Which base are you at?", JJ begins to interrogate Pope. "We're not even in the same stadium", Pope replies frustrated. "What do you mean?" "We don't play the same game. A few days ago, she wanted me but she's been high so it doesn't really count. I tried to be another Pope, the more fun one, the more serious one, but it's never enough", Pope complains louder so JJ raises his voice as well. 

"I understand you, bro. Think about it, I know you can, okay? You need candles, put some music on." "It would sound way more realistic if you knew what you're talking about", Pope replies skeptically  and I chuckle. Yeah, JJ is not the kind of guy to buy candles. "See, Iz is laughing." "Iz, you should help me", JJ pouts making me smile as he's being cute. "You've got other qualities, babe."

I thought about teasing him and saying something else but Kie called for us so we get back to the actual reason why we're here. "Guys, I found something" "You found something-" "Ah", Kie screams, "This is disgusting. You owe me forever!" "Do you hear that?", Pope suddenly asks us worriedly and Kie begins to scream anxiously making us realize what happens just before the water storms out of the pipe and we run to the manhole cover pulling and tearing it as hard as we can to save Kie. 

Just in the right moment we fall back and Kie leans over to the streets coughing. "Are you okay?", Pope asks her quickly and tries to hug her but she tells him to stop it. "Kie, everything's fine?", JJ adds in his typical half-joking half-serious way when I realize what this treasure hunt got us in. We've been in so many dangerous situations and we almost lost John B and Sarah and now Kie. "I've never been better", she coughs again and reaches the gun to us making us all laugh, "We didn't look for that, did we?" "You made it, Kie!" "Let's go to Shoupe."

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We wasted no time. Kie didn't even take a shower so we could be in Shoupe's office as soon as possible. Pope lays the gun on Shoupe's desk and I can't wait for him to finally believe us. "You claim that this is the gun which Rafe Cameron used to shoot Peterkin?", he summarises what we've just told him. "Exactly, that's what we claim, Shoupe. I've seen it with my own eyes", I remind him of my statement. 

"And it's the gun which Ward used to kill Gavin", Pope adds, "What we've seen as well." „And where's Gavin's body?" "Didn't you look for it?", Kie replies confused. "I've asked at the hospital and I went home to him but he wasn't there", Ward states unimpressed even when we get louder and more hectic, "Just because he's not at home for one day, it doesn't mean that he's been killed." "At least send it to a laboratory, please", I beg him calmly, although Kie and JJ yell again. 

"Or he polishes the ugly mustache. Is it even real!", JJ shouts although Pope tells him to stop and Shoupe takes it personal, "Oh, sorry, I've hurt his feelings." "Shut up, JJ!" "Now, leave. I've got a lot of work to do and you make my office stink." "Did Ward corrupt you? It doesn't make sense", Kie snaps at him and JJ does the same thing. "And once again, you're useless." "Out, now!" "Peterkin would be disappointed, Shoupe. She wanted the best for all, not just for the Kooks", I mutter following JJ.

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"Stupid Shoupe should do his stupid job for once at least", JJ vents as soon as we get back to the chateau together, "Of course, we do his job and bring him the gun. He could have at least listened to us for once." "I can't believe him", I mumble not even able to let out my anger. I still have nightmares from that day when Rafe shot Peterkin and we thought that John B and Sarah died and I still can't believe they survived. 

"J?" JJ gives me a soft look when he hears the sad tone in my voice and I look around the chateau's living room. What if Big John was still here? "Sorry, baby, I didn't mean to be so loud. Did I scare you?" "No, not at all", I say shaking my head, "I just wondered.. Do you think we will see John B and Sarah soon? They might be alive and I'm glad about that but what if they can't come back?" 

"Come here", JJ whispers and I lean against his chest letting him embrace me, "They will come back, alright? We'll do everything we can to help them now and when they're here, the six of us are together again. We have to." "If not, is Yucatán still an option?" "You would go to Yucatán with me?", JJ replies and looks at me surprised, "I thought you hated that plan." 

"I did.. but that was when I thought you would go there leaving us behind. Now that all of this happened.. and we've seen how people treat pogues.. I wouldn't mind leaving with you", I admit wondering if Yucatán with JJ is the best option. It's definitely not the worst one. "Promise me something, Iz", JJ murmurs. "Anything." 

"When all of this is over and we can finally be together without this troubles around us.. and maybe when we're kooks, no rich pogues.. Marry me. Life's too short and I want to spend every second with you." "God, JJ", I whisper and feel a tear running down my cheeks, "J.. I love every inch of you. I'll marry you as soon as all of this is over", I promise him and turn around to hug him tightly and kiss him softly. 

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hey! So I am currently writing on the next chapters and I'm thinking about some drama so please let me know what or with whom you think it should happen. I'm excited to hear your ideas. xx