➸

"Follow Plumb to that tent." Shoupe instructed. Deputy Plumb led the four of them to the tent and the friends sat down in silence.

"Sit down. Don't move. We got a lot to talk about." Shoupe said. "Keep an eye on these kids."

"Blockade is up at the marsh and Masonboro, and all other inlets from Shem Creek to Breach Inlet. I want eyes on all coastal access points, people. Let's get this guy."

After that, Claire, JJ, Kiara and Pope sat in the tent and waited for what felt like an eternity listening to every single officer, coastguard, and anyone who was there looking for John B and Sarah–they listened, and waited, and waited, and waited. Claire's mind was swimming in circles with a million questions and no answers.

Claire knew her mother was surely wondering where the hell she was, and there was no way Jackie hadn't heard about the search, so Claire wondered what was going to happen when Jackie did eventually find her. She wondered if anyone had actually contacted her mother to let her know that Claire was here, and safe. She wondered whether their flight would be cancelled because of the storm. It most likely would've been and Claire was beyond relieved that she had just a little more time. But most of all, as she sat there with her friends–sad, exhausted and hungry–she wondered whether John B and Sarah really would survive out there in the storm or not. The thought scared her to death but it was true.

And after more waiting and more tears being shed, Sheriff Shoupe and Deputy Thomas and Plumb finally re-entered the tent, wearing their high-vis coats, soaked and looking solemn.

The four friends stood and walked up to the officers.

"Did you find them?" Pope asked.

"No." Shoupe said.

"So they got away," Kie said hopefully.

"We, uh...we lost them. I'm sorry."

Tears stung Claire's eyes, "what do you mean you lost them?"

"They took an open boat into a tropical depression." Shoupe said.

"So they're dead?" Kie asked.

"We don't know."

"You don't know?" Claire repeated, clenching her jaw and walking up to Shoupe. "How can you NOT KNOW?!" She screamed. He didn't flinch. "You were the ones who drove them into that storm! All of you! And you made us sit here for hours while you were out there doing FUCK ALL, except forcing a sixteen year old kid straight into the thing that you knew would kill him!"

Shoupe said nothing.

"You're just gonna stand there and say nothing?!" JJ yelled angrily. "Are you kidding me? Come here!"

He stepped in front of Claire and started to hit and threaten Shoupe. Claire didn't bother yelling for him to stop this time. As far as she was concerned, they deserved to be hurt too.

"I'm gonna kill you!" JJ shouted.

"JJ, stop!" Kie cried.

"I'm gonna kill you, you bastard!" JJ shouted, as Deputy Thomas lifted him and dragged him away from Shoupe. "You killed him!"

"He didn't kill anyone and you know it!" Pope yelled at Shoupe.

"We're still looking for him, alright?" Shoupe said calmly. Claire collapsed to the ground as sobs wracked her entire body.

"Claire..."

The heartbroken teenager looked up and saw her mother standing at the entrance to the tent next to Kiara's parents. Claire didn't hesitate to run up to her.

Jackie rubbed her daughters back soothingly, "it's okay honey, it's okay. You're okay."

Claire shook her head and looked at her mum, "I'm so sorry," she cried.

Jackie smiled sadly, "I know."

"They didn't make it, Mom." Kiara sobbed. Claire walked over to her best friend and hugged her tightly.

"It's okay, it's okay." Mrs Heyward said.

Kiara let go of the embrace and walked over to Pope, sobbing and hugging him, while Claire's eyes locked on JJ's. He walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her tightly, and the two of them stood there crying.

Claire's mind felt empty–apart from the thought that they went through everything they did all for it to end this way. She didn't want to believe John B and Sarah were gone, she wanted to believe that somehow they made it but her hope was fading and Claire was left with the heartbreaking reality that they most likely did not.

With that thought hanging around her mind, she hugged JJ even closer.

➸

The next day Claire woke up around midday, and everything from last night was just one big blur. The only thing she remembered was the silent car ride home with her mother and then crying herself to sleep. She wandered into the bathroom to wash her face and as she stared into the mirror, she hardly recognised what she saw. Her bruises had fully cleared now–you'd never have guessed that she was strangled only a week or so ago. She examined her leg, which too seemed to be healing well. She had bags under her eyes from crying, and her skin was a little paler than usual but otherwise, she looked like a normal, exhausted teenager.

Somehow it felt wrong...for her to look so normal.

She sighed and wandered back into her room to change. She had to dig into her suitcase because all of her clothes were still packed away, and eventually she found a random pair of shorts and a t-shirt, then slipped on her converse and tied her hair in a ponytail. Now that the power was back on, she could actually use her phone. It would be dead after not being used for so long, but at least if she charged it it would be fine later on. She left her room and went to the kitchen, where she saw a note from her mum on the table.

Gone to shops to get some stuff, be back later x

Claire scrunched the note and chucked it in the bin, before opening the fridge to find something to eat. There wasn't much to choose from; just some cans of soda and some beer, plus some tomatoes, and out of date milk. Clearly Jackie hadn't done any shopping recently since they were supposed to have left so Claire figured it was a good idea that her mother had indeed gone shopping. She grabbed a beer and opened it, then took a sip as she made her way out of the house. She wasn't sure where she was walking to, but she just needed to clear her head.

Some ten minutes later, she realised her feet had lead her to the Chateau. Claire had been in such a daze she didn't even realise this is where she was headed. As she stared at the shack, it's messy front lawn and chipped paint exterior, she was overcome with mixed feelings of dread, nostalgia and bitterness all at once. Dread because she knew John B wasn't home, and would probably be missing for a long time. She dreaded not knowing whether he and Sarah actually made it through last night's storm or not, and she dreaded the thought that she may never seem them again. The nostalgia she felt was from all the good memories she and her friends shared at this place. And bitterness...well, she felt bitter about the fact that if the police had just listened to John instead of forcing him to run, things might have ended up differently. She was bitter about Ward Cameron playing the innocent card and bitter that the gold was now in the Bahamas.

She drank the last of her beer and wandered up to the house and around the porch to the back door, shaking her head at the empty hot tub that was still there and hesitated before attempting to open the door. This was technically a break in, and the house was also still technically a crime scene. But it was also basically her second home, sometimes even her first home, so Claire felt she had a right to go inside and just...remember. She twisted the handle and luckily it was unlocked, so she went inside and–as gross as it may sound–she breathed in the mixed smells of beer, weed and sweat. Claire wandered around the place aimlessly, admiring all of John B's photographs and Big John's treasures, as well as some keepsakes of the Pogues. One in particular she came across was a picture frame with the five of them sitting on the tree trunk at the Boneyard. Claire remembered that day clearly; it was a week or so after she first moved to Kildare and the others introduced her to their infamous Keggers.

A knot formed in her stomach and she forced herself not to break down right there and then. Claire put the photo down and walked to the fridge–if there was one thing she could count on being there, it was alcohol.

There was still a full carton of beers in there so she impulsively grabbed one and sculled it, moving onto one after the next. Eventually, Claire found herself walking down the dock and standing by the edge. All she did was stand there, simply staring at the water as if she were waiting for something, anything, to happen.

"Claire!" JJ's voice echoed through her ears. She didn't turn around, but could hear his footsteps approaching rapidly. "Claire, we've been looking for you all day, where have you been?"

"All over. I've just been all over the place...I'm all over the place," she turned to face him and saw that Kiara and Pope were also there, "where have you guys been?" She slurred.

"Are you drunk?" Kie asked.

Claire shook her head. "Of course not, Kie. Who do you think I am? Wait–never mind," she giggled, "don't answer that."

"Claire, please come away from the edge before you fall in," JJ requested calmly.

"I'm not gonna fall in, JJ. I'm just chillin here, you know...enjoying the peace and quiet."

"I know why you're here, at John B's house...but he's gone, okay?"

"Nah, he'll be back." Claire faced the front again, took another long swig of the beer and giggled as a few hiccups spilled out of her mouth. "He always comes back."

"Not this time, Claire." Pope said.

"Wow...you guys give up fast," she scoffed, "never would've picked you as someone who gives up on her best friends, Kie..."

"I haven't given up." Kie said, choking back a sob. "I'm just trying not to think about it."

Claire shook her head and took another swig of her beer, starting to cry once more. "Not thinking about it only makes it worse. It only makes you realise just how fucked up the whole situation is!" She exclaimed. "We went through so much shit; finding the treasure, almost dying multiple times, actually getting shot! I got shot in the fucking leg," she laughed, finishing off the last of her beer, "we almost had everything we ever wanted and then it all just went down the drain like that!"

As she spun around to face her friends again, her foot slipped off the edge; JJ's hand immediately latched onto her arm and he pulled her away from the edge all before she even touched the water. Claire thrashed against his hold, yelling for JJ to let her go.

"JJ let me go!" She yelled but he didn't budge. "JJ! Please!"

He still wouldn't budge, despite how many times she begged him to.

"Please..." she sobbed, collapsing into his arms.

JJ looked over at Pope and Kie who were trying their best not to break down too, and he motioned for them to go while he stayed with Claire. They nodded and walked away. JJ rubbed Claire's back soothingly and they stayed that way until the sun went down.

When Claire finally stopped crying, she was exhausted. She felt ashamed and humiliated that she let herself get as drunk as she did and then hurt not only herself but her friends the way she did. JJ still had his arms wrapped around her firmly while they sat and watched the sunset.

"I'm sorry, JJ..." she said quietly, sniffling.

"It's okay." He replied softly. "Are you alright?"

She met his gaze and pressed a kiss to his lips. "No, but I will be. We all will."

JJ kissed her again, a bit longer this time before Claire pulled away and rested her head on his chest, closing her eyes and listening to the calm, steady beat of his heart.

She wasn't sure what the future held for her or her friends, but she didn't think that mattered. What mattered to her in that moment was just being with JJ.

Claire was once his support–for all the times he would come through her window late at night after a fight with his dad and they'd simply lay together in a comfortable silence. Claire never needed to say anything because she knew just being there for him mattered more than talking. She always promised herself she'd be there for JJ and she'd kept her promise, even after all this time. He did the same for her but she never really saw it until just now.

And right now, he was there for her the way she was for him. He was, in that moment, the only thing keeping her afloat.

She was once his anchor, and now he was hers.

➸

Hi guys! Sorry it's taken me forever to get this final chapter out, I got so so busy with uni and work and hardly had time to even think let alone write anything. But it's out now and I hope you enjoyed it. There will be an epilogue to finish off this story properly (and yes ofc I'm doing a sequel for when season 2 comes out hehe) but for now enjoy the "official" final chapter of Anchor!

Thanks so much for your support of this book, it truly means a lot to me so thanks x