➸

"How's it feeling?"

"Feels good."

It was the following morning and the four had already begun to test the weight of the winch. Pope set up the pulley system and everything, and was controlling it as Kie was sitting in the winch. JJ and Claire were just sitting on the edge of the hot tub with their feet in the water watching.

"Alright, taking you down."

"Okay."

"John B pullin' a Houdini." JJ said.

"Yeah, where is he? I got my scholarship interview tomorrow morning, we gotta get this done." Pope said.

"Didn't he have that fishing thing with Sarah's dad this morning?" Claire asked.

"Speak of the devil. Hey!" JJ announced as John B walked into view. "Dude, I set up the entire winch to pull up the gold and everything."

"No, he did not. I did that." Pope said.

John B just walked straight past and ignored them.

"Hey, John B."

"Okay, that's it?"

"Uh...what's that all about?" Pope asked, he and Kie coming over to JJ and Claire.

"I was gonna ask you the same question." JJ said, getting out of the tub.

Claire did the same and the friends went inside to see what was up with John. He was searching through different cabinets and drawers in an awfully big hurry.

"What are you looking for, JB?" Claire asked. He ignored her.

"Bro, what's going on, man?"

John B pulled out the gun from underneath a pillow on the futon.

"John B, what do you need the gun for?" JJ asked, marching up to his best friend. "Talk to us!"

John B just shoved JJ onto the futon and walked off.

"John B, chill!" Kie exclaimed.

Pope stood in front of him. "What are you JJ now?"

"Dude!"

"What are you doing?!"

John B pushed Pope into the table and stormed out.

"Are you okay?" Kie asked Pope. He nodded and then she stormed after John. "What the hell are you doing?" She yelled.

The other three followed Kie outside.

"John B, what the hell?!"

"Ward knows about the gold." John B said, revving JJ's dirt bike. "He killed my dad."

Then he drove off.

"John B!" Kie yelled, running after him. Pope and JJ followed but it was no use.

He was gone.

~

Late that night, John B was still MIA so Pope, Kie, Claire and JJ took the HMS Pogue and rode to the Cameron house on Figure Eight in hopes that he was there.

"What now? We just go up to the front door and ask, 'hey have you seen John B?'" JJ asked.

"Look he lives at Tannyhill now. It's plausible. Look, we can play dumb." Kie said.

"Play dumb?"

"It's pretty late."

"Look, I've never seen John B like that. We should honestly be going to the cops." Kie continued.

"That's not a good idea." Claire replied. "What would we even say? That our friend has gone hostile and on a rampage because Ward Cameron killed his dad?"

"They're not gonna believe us!" JJ added.

"Hey, I see Ward." Pope said, looking through the binoculars.

"Let me see." Kie took them and had a look herself.

"Doesn't look dead to me. Let's go home."

"What?"

"Uh...okay. Obviously, Mr Cameron is fine, and even if John B was here, he isn't now, okay?" Pope said. "Plus I have the biggest, most important moment of my life in six hours."

"Yeah, well, our friend is in trouble." Kie snapped.

"I'm in trouble." Pope shot back. "Guys, I haven't been home in three days. My dad's probably put all my shit on the street by now."

"Okay, so that's it?" Kie questioned incredulously. "In a time of need, you're just gonna bail? You're just gonna walk away?"

"Okay, yo, guys, can we not do this right now?" JJ asked.

"Hey, I have a scholarship interview in the morning. I can't–"

"Okay, well, what about John B?" Kiara yelled.

JJ and Claire exchanged a tired look as she came to sit beside him. If Kie had her way, this argument would never end.

"Why is it always about John B?" Pope yelled.

"It's not always about John B. You're so stupid! It would be any of guys you in this situation!"

"Oh, bullshit!"

"Guys!" Claire exclaimed wearily.

"This is about friendship!" Kie continued.

"Bring it down." JJ said.

"Look, this is about Pogues for life." Kie cried.

"What about forensic pathology, huh?"

"Forensic pathology?"

"It's my life. Everything I've worked for."

"That's your priority?"

They were now face to face and neither Claire nor JJ were sure whether to intervene yet.

"Stop with the moral high ground bullshit!"

"Pope, come on." JJ said.

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"No, no. She has no room to talk." Pope said angrily. "Where were you when Big John went missing? You weren't there. You weren't there for John B. You weren't there for any of us. Remember your Kook year?"

"Pope, stop it."

"Shut up, Claire."

"Dude," JJ warned.

"It's okay, JJ." Claire muttered.

"You forgot about us. Now you feel guilty." Pope spat.

"Give me a break!" Kie said and shoved Pope backwards.

"Hey!"

"Kiara, stop!" Claire yelled.

"That what you need?"

"Come on." Pope shoved her back and they broke into a small brawl. Claire shot up from her spot and rushed over to hold Kie back.

"You need a break? Move!"

"Hey! Yo, cut it out, alright?" JJ yelled. Kie shrugged herself off of Claire. "If I'm the one mediating, we've hit rock bottom. Bow, now. Go!"

The two did as JJ instructed and sat away from one another. Claire sat down beside Kie, who looked away when she met her gaze. Claire sighed.

"Pope, I'll drop you off." JJ said, starting the engine and driving off.

The ride was tense to say the least. He dropped Pope off first and then Kie, and there were just silent goodbyes. When JJ pulled up at the dock at Claire's house, he secured the boat then sat beside her at the bow and released an exasperated sigh.

"Don't worry, they'll be best friends again in the morning." Claire assured him.

"Pope was right though." JJ said. "Kie wasn't there for John B when Big John went missing. Not really."

"I guess I came to Kildare at the right time then when all you guys were actually friends with her."

They were silent for a while after that. This was really the first time they'd been alone since their fight.

"I'm sorry for being such an asshole yesterday." JJ said finally. "And for not wanting to talk about us after I kissed you. It was a dick move...and I'm sorry."

Claire met his gaze and she gave him a small smile. "It's okay. I'd still like to talk about it, but only if and when you're ready."

JJ smiled softly and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"I should probably go." She said quietly.

"Okay."

Claire stood and carefully got off the boat. She turned and waved goodbye to him before slowly making her way up the dock. Then suddenly footsteps followed after her and she turned to see JJ walking up to her in a hurry.

She furrowed her eyebrows. "What are you do–"

Claire didn't get to finish her sentence because JJ's lips were on hers in an instant. Claire snaked her arms around his neck and ran her fingers through his hair as the kiss deepened, and his hands rested on the small of her back, pulling her body into him. This kiss was different to all the others they'd shared, Claire couldn't quite pick why but she just knew it was. There was a familiar sense of warmth that she felt when she was kissing him–it was passionate and soft at the same time. It may have sounded weird if she had to explain it out loud, but kissing JJ felt right. He made her feel safe, warm and loved. He made her feel at home–something she hadn't quite felt for a long while.

Claire could've stayed that way forever, but oxygen was a big mood killer. When they eventually pulled away for breath, Claire stared at him and smiled.

"I guess you're ready to talk about us?" She said.

JJ laughed softly, his hands still resting on the small of her back. "I've never been good at opening up or all that emotional crap, but with you it just feels easy. I don't know how else to describe it except for that. I know in the past we've fooled around and brushed it off like it didn't mean anything, but the truth is, Claire, it meant something. All of it. It took me a long time to realise, but it's the truth. I've never felt this way about anyone and although it scares the shit out of me, I can't keep pushing my feelings for you away. I love you, more than anything in the world, and I don't expect you to say it back until you're ready, but I needed to tell you before I literally go insane."

Claire placed her hands on his face and pressed another kiss to his lips. Then she pulled away and said, "I love you too. I have for a long time, I just didn't really realise it until we got ourselves into this whole Royal Merchant mess." She chuckled, but her smile faltered as she remembered that she was leaving in a few days. "But JJ, my house sold and we're leaving at the end of the week, so I don't want to commit to us, and then have to leave before anything has actually begun. And everyone knows long distance never works."

"Claire," JJ said quietly, caressing her cheek, "whatever happens, we can work it out together. It fucking kills me that you have to go back home, but we will work it out, okay?"

She nodded and closed her eyes, sighing as she wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his chest. They stood in the embrace for a few more minutes, before Claire dragged him inside with her, never wanting this moment to end.

➸

"You sure he got everything?"

"Every bar. The whole enchilada." John B said. Then pulled off his cast and tossed it aside. "Look, it's not like I expected a happy ending or some shit."

"John B–"

"What, Kie? It's a hairline fracture. Who cares?"

"You should care. Your arm's gonna be messed up for life."

"It's fine. See?"

"Guys!" Pope's voice rang out. The four turned their heads and saw him running down the dock towards them.

"Guys!" He panted. "Oh, god. I ran all the way here."

"You alright?"

"How was the interview, Pope?" JJ asked.

"Don't ask. JB...look, I'm sorry, dude. About everything."

"It's fine."

"But–but I don't have a lot of time, and I have information that is tactically relevant. So, before I had my interview, my dad said he was going down to the private airstrip to cut palms for Cameron's big plane. Because it was too heavy, it needed a longer landing strip to take off. So, I'm there sitting in my interview, thinking to myself, why would Cameron need a longer airstrip to take off? What could be so heavy to weigh it down?"

Realisation spread across all their faces.

"Gold." JJ said.

"Exactly. Guys, this is our chance, but it leaves tonight, and we have to go."

"Guys, we can't give up now." Kie grinned.

"So, what's the plan then?" Claire asked.

"We're gonna steal that shit back."

➸

Hi!
So, it finally happened. The ship sailed, woo! JJClaire is official.

I have actually given them a ship name, can't remember if I said this in a previous chapter or not but I decided on CJ cause it's short and cute as heck. Either that or Jaire but idk I like CJ better hahah
Anyways, they're official now lol ik it took forever but we all love a good slow burn so yeet

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Only a few more left til this story is over 🥺😭 (until season 2 of course cause I'm definitely continuing it)
But yeah! Pls vote and comment your thoughts cause I love hearing from y'all! xx