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.*･｡. EFF IT! .*･｡.
————SPY GAMES
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027.
THE WAVES HAVE
FISTS.
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━━━━━━━☆☆━━━━━━━

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Sonny was right.

   The Kooks did hit back harder. Real hard.

   She hadn't expected them to hit back like they did. No one did. Sure, the Pogues knew they would eventually have to pay for sinking Topper's boat, for not losing in the fight last night, but they didn't think it would be as soon as the next morning. Nor did they think they would hit somewhere other than their faces — which, after a night of sleep, didn't look any better. In fact, Sonny's face looked worse in the daylight. It was swollen, sore and slightly puffy, and a faint purple ring of bruising was wrapped around her neck.

   Alongside her busted lip from the drone, Sonny looked like she'd died and come back to life.

Felt like it, too.

But on the bright side, she hadn't died. No one had, which she thought was pretty good going. She'd also slipped out the house before her mom had come down for breakfast — thank the heavens. She probably would've fainted had she got a good look at Sonny. She was dramatic.

   To be fair, Sonny did look pretty fucking awful.

Still, she wasn't in the mood to deal with all the fuss. Sonny hoped to leave it for as long as she physically could, until she had no other choice in it.

That was why she'd made a break for Heyward's early. She didn't think avoiding her parents would be hard — they'd be all busy with last minute arrangements for Midsummers. Just like they were every year, ever since Jenny Hastings caught the flu the summer of 2016 and needed someone to step in. The Penbrook's were only being nice, but it got them thrown onto the committee by default. Natasha ended up kind of enjoying it, mostly because she loved playing dress up, and Ed found it a good way to get free beer, so they just never quit. It kept the two of them pretty busy at least.

That meant Sonny could get up to no good. It also meant it was impossible for Sonny to snooze through Midsummers like she desired, instead forced into silly dresses and flower crowns year after year, courtesy of her mom. If Natasha saw the state of her face, today of all days, the woman would be screaming the whole damn evening.

   She'd face it later.

"Woah, princess— you look like shit!"

   Or now.

    "Shut up," Sonny scowled up at the boy, "It's not like you look any better."

   And it was true. JJ Maybank looked no better than she did and she wondered how Kiara and Pope looked... less fucked up. Like they'd not even been in a fight the night before— not that she was too upset about it.

Maybe Sonny and JJ looked like they'd fought each other, and maybe it was a bit annoying that Pope always ended up Mr Perfect, but at least they were alright.

God, she was going soft.

   As she threw her bag down on the counter, Sonny reached out a hand and poked at JJ's busted lip. He swatted her away.

    "Hey," the boy muttered, rubbing his face.

    "How'd your parents react?" Kiara grimaced, glancing at Sonny's neck. If you looked close enough, you could see the outline of Rafe's hands. Kiara still couldn't believe that he'd tried to choke her out. Yeah, he was a psycho, but it was still insane. "You know, to... that."

    "We'll find out," Sonny said.

   Pope's brows knotted.

"They didn't notice?" He asked her.

    "They didn't see me," she shrugged. "Snuck out, they'll be working on Midsummers all day."

"Won't they see it eventually?" Pope pointed out, "In case you forgot, you're a Kook. Going to Midsummers is basically, like, your birthright."

"Details," Sonny muttered.

    "What're you gonna tell them?" Kiara asked.

   She thought about it, "Surf accident."

    "Surf accident?"

    "Just said that," she deadpanned.

    "That's your lie?" Pope scoffed, "Surf accident? What? The waves grew hands to choke you?"

    "It's always worked before." Sonny rolled her eyes, which made the trio stare at her in bewilderment. She just blinked, her face neutral. "What? Not like I can just say Rafe Cameron tried to murder me, is it?"

   They exchanged glances.

    "Good point,"

    "True."

    "Wave growing hands, it is!"

    "Glad we sorted that," Sonny's lips pulled into a tight and sarcastic smile, then dropped into her usual frown. "Now can we talk about something more important? Like, John Booker going MIA? He's literally disappeared,"

Her eyes flitted between them, but no one claimed to know where he was. Not even JJ knew anything. That surprised her.

"DCS were at my house looking for him. Said he jumped out the car or something," she said. "Cheryl was mad pissed. Told her to shove off, though."

   Kiara's eyes widened.

"DCS?"

"I just said that—"

    "They thought he hid at your place?" JJ asked.

    "Apparently they have eyes all over the island," she huffed, not elaborating further.

    "Who's Cheryl?"

    "Does it matter?" Sonny shot back at Pope, "No one's seen Booker in days, what do we do?"

"Lay low," JJ said, "He'll show up."

"Lay low?"

"John B's done this before," Kiara agreed with JJ.

"It's not the first time he's ever bolted," Pope added. Sonny couldn't help but relate to that, she seemed to find something else in common with John B everyday. It was starting to drive her insane. "He always comes back."

"So we do nothing?" When the trio nodded, Sonny rolled her eyes. "Your parents never tell you that ignoring problems doesn't make 'em go away? That feels relevant."

   They just shrugged.

   Sonny set her jaw, how helpful. "What if they show up at my doorstep again? What do I say?"

"Deny, deny, deny." JJ reminded her.

"We did the denying last night, sunshine." Sonny glared at him. He raised his hands in defence, though it didn't look too genuine. "Look where that got us."

"Last night?"

They all swung around.

"What happened last night?" Pope's dad rose a brow. The group hadn't even heard him come back in. "What did y'all fools get up to?" He narrowed his eyes suspiciously, "Pope, if y'all been up to no good again—"

    "Dad—"

"Heyward," Sonny butted in with a forced smile. It wasn't that she didn't like Pope's dad, because from the couple times she'd met him in the past he was very kind to her, but mostly because she still wasn't very good at the smiling thing. It gave her face pains. "How goes it?"

"Sonny," he sounded surprised. "What're you hanging out with my good for nothin' son for?"

"Thanks, dad."

"Making him to a lil' less good for nothin'."

Pope sighed, "Thanks, Sonny."

"And my parents sent me to check you're all ready for this evening," it wasn't a lie. She'd heard her mom say something about making sure he didn't need any extra help catering for Midsummers. He usually dragged Pope along to give him an extra set of hands. "They also send their thanks. Ya know. In advance," she added.

"Tell 'em it's no problem," he told her.

"You got it."

As the man gave her a smile that the other Pogues never got from him, Sonny kicked back against the counter and picked at her nail polish. The others frowned, processing everything.

   Pope shook his head.

    "My dad likes you more than he likes me," he said.

   JJ shrugged, "You blame him?"

While Pope gave JJ a blank stare, Kiara asked; "How'd you go from surf accident to that?"

Sonny ignored her and jumped onto the counter next to JJ, who tried to lay his head on her shoulder. She pushed him off and flicked his nose when he pouted.

She rolled her eyes and handed him an orange while Kiara took money from some guy and placed it in the cash register. JJ rolled the fruit along his forearm, smiling like a child, but a sigh passed his lips when he spotted Pope — who had headed to the door, peering out and checking nobody was outside. It was no secret he was still paranoid. Sonny couldn't blame the boy, really. The death squad weren't known for giving up. His stress was understandable.

"Don't let 'em get in your head, brother." JJ said, "They just want you paranoid. Typical Kook shit."

He looked at Sonny.

"No offence."

She shrugged, "Whatever."

"They get off on that shit," Kiara added.

"Weird thing to get hard over," Sonny muttered, pulling a face. After a moment, she shook her head. It wasn't important.

"What was the thought process behind using your head?" JJ asked, hoping to distract him a little. They exchanged amused glances while Pope's face flushed pink, thinking back on when he had headbutted Topper.

Sonny smirked, "Yeah, you rocked his shit Pope."

"I dunno, man." Pope sighed, packing bags for the customer Kiara was serving. "I just kinda... acted off instinct. Felt like a cornered animal out there."

"You did great," Kiara reassured.

Nodding, Sonny turned to glance at JJ. She arched a single brow, "They pounced mid-leak?"

"Yup. JJ junior was flapping about," he lied.

"Ew," she grimaced.

JJ grinned, "You wouldn't be sayin' that if you met him—"

"Pope!"

The four teenagers frowned.

Shoupe?

Sonny watched the deputy stride in, a stack of papers in hand, and immediately felt her resolve harden. What the hell was he doing here?

   A bad feeling filled the pit of her stomach and she quickly jumped down from the counter, arms crossed in a defensive stance. Something wasn't right, she could feel it, and it made her take a step closer to Pope without really thinking. Like it was natural, like Sonny was acting off instinct — Pope's words suddenly made sense to her. Because, as they all stood there, she felt like a cornered animal.

"Evening, officer..." Pope greeted.

It was awkward and polite, as he always was, because Pope was nothing if not wholeheartedly good, but Shoupe skipped on all the pleasantries.

"I have an arrest warrant," Shoupe informed them, "For felony destruction of property,"

   They all gawped.

"What?!" Pope breathed out, tilting his head to peer at JJ, his eyes big. But JJ couldn't do anything, only raise his hands and mouth DENY, DENY, DENY. Pope's eyes then landed on Sonny, who somehow ended up at his side. Sonny didn't say anything, but her hard stare said it all.

   It's gonna be fine.

"Hands on the counter where I can see 'em," Shoupe said and, while it was procedure, it still made Sonny scoff. Did he think Pope would try anything?

"Woah— Shoupe, what he do?" Heyward asked.

"Take a look at my warrant," he said to the man, pinning Pope's hands behind his back to cuff him.

   Sonny felt her teeth grit, he had a warrant?

   Topper told the cops?

"You're arresting him?!" Kiara exclaimed, which stopped Sonny from pondering the many ways she was going to bust Topper's ass when she next saw him.

He wasn't a snitch. At least, not in the past — then again, he'd never been anything like he was now. Sonny wasn't sure she had ever been like this, either. They were both different. The realisation seemed to creep up on her as she watched, a lump in her throat as Pope's dad tried to protect his son, his face twisted in confusion.

"You're just arresting my boy?" Heyward scoffed.

"What's your proof?" JJ demanded.

Kiara watched Shoupe yank Pope, making his wrists twist awkwardly. "Be careful!"

"Huh? Where's your proof?"

"Watch it, Maybank." Shoupe hissed back.

"No, you watch it." Sonny squinted, now finding her voice. It had failed her for a few moments there. "Whatcha got, old man? What'd he even do?"

Shoupe paused, meeting her eyes. He looked at her like he realised something in that moment, like something had finally dawned on him, and suddenly he was glaring at her with full force. "How's that boat, Sonny?"

Her eyes narrowed.

Did he know? That the whole boat issue back in the marsh was a charade? He couldn't know, not really, but she wouldn't be surprised if he had a hunch — not when his stare flickered between her and the Pogues, like he was solving a puzzle that he'd failed to beat the last time.

"That's right. Stay quiet," he warned, "You're damn lucky your name ain't on that warrant, too."

Her name? How'd they know Sonny was involved?

How did they know anything?

Sonny just scowled as Shoupe read Pope his rights, trying her best to piece it all together in her head. Sonny wasn't on the warrant — because she was rich? Because she used to be Topper's best friend, so he dropped her charges? Because no one in the Outer Banks was brave enough to go after Sonny, because she was a Penbrook? Was any of that even legal? It was immoral, that was for sure. And legal or not, it was definitely fucked up. All of it.

"How much they pay you, man?" JJ argued.

Shoupe ignored him.

"How much they pay you?!"

"They didn't pay him anything!" Sonny shoved at his chest, anger flashing in her eyes. Kiara and Heyward rushed outside, following behind Shoupe as he walked Pope to his cruiser, but Sonny stayed there, frowning up at JJ like this whole mess was his problem. His fault.

It wasn't.

She knew that, but Sonny was angry. Angry that Pope was being arrested, angry that she wasn't, angry that Topper was pathetic enough to snitch and press charges. Sonny was angry they had the audacity to send down a kid from the Cut, a kid with no money for representation, a kid who had his ass beat by two Kooks totally unprovoked.

Sonny was angry that Pope was guilty, because he had sank that boat, and she was even angrier she had helped him. She was angry she had ever even suggested it.

It wasn't JJ's fault. It was Sonny's.

"Topper's grandfather's a judge!" She said, wishing she had thought about that sooner. "He has to sign off the warrants!"

JJ's face twisted in realisation.

For a moment she thought he might yell at her, maybe push her back, but he didn't. Instead, JJ grabbed her hand and was quick to drag her outside. But, by the time they got out there, Pope was being escorted to Shoupe's truck.

He looked ready to cry, eyes distant and watery, but like he wasn't there at all. Like he had shut down. Switched off. Like he was somewhere else.

Somewhere like a bubble. Sonny's chest tightened.

He could go down for this. Pope could go to jail if Topper and his family put pressure on the courts. Without any good legal representation, he could face consequences so severe it would ruin him. Pope wouldn't survive jail.

Would Sonny?

Her hand squeezed JJ's, though she hardly realised it. She was busy trying to think, to breathe.

Pope wouldn't survive jail.

"It wasn't him!"

But the words didn't come from Sonny's mouth. She didn't get the chance. No, they had come from JJ's.

Sonny blinked, slowly tilting her head to look up at him. It made her brows furrow and forehead crease when she found him already looking down at her.

"It was me," he told Shoupe again, though his eyes stayed on Sonny for a second longer.

His lips quirked up at the corner.

"He tried to talk me out of it," JJ eventually looked away, turning to look at Shoupe. Everyone was staring: Heyward, Kiara, Pope. Even a few passersby. They watched wordlessly as JJ threw himself into the firing line. But none watched as intently as Sonny. "They both did, but I was mad 'cause he'd just been beat up," he said.

Sonny squeezed his hand again. Tightly.

Look at me, her eyes screamed at him, don't do this.

But JJ didn't. He just squeezed her hand back then let her go, untangling their fingers as he stepped towards Shoupe. It felt cold without her touch, like the sun disappeared and left him to freeze in a new winter.

"I was so sick of those assholes from Figure 8 that I totally lost my shit," he looked over at Pope, "I can't let you take the blame for somethin' I did, you got too much to lose brother."

"JJ..." Pope croaked.

He looked confused, guilty, worried. Like his whole world was falling apart right in front of him.

"What're you doing?" He pleaded.

"I'm tellin' the truth," JJ lied. It was ironic in a twisted way. "For once in my goddamn life, I'm gonna tell the truth." His attention went back to Shoupe, he shrugged, "And I took his old man's boat to do it, too."

"The hell?!" Heyward exclaimed.

"JJ, c'mon—"

"Just shut up, Pope!"

"Stop," Sonny shook her head. She couldn't let him do it. She couldn't stand and watch. "Just stop, okay? It wasn't—"

"Sonny, I swear to god!" JJ snapped at her.

"—he didn't do anything—"

"Shut up!" JJ span on his heel and grabbed at her shoulders, getting up in her face. It was hard to stand up to him when his face was so stern. He looked about ready to throttle her. She'd have thought he was going to, had his eyes not been soft. They bore into her own and she found it impossible to look away. It suddenly made sense; why so many people struggled to say no to JJ Maybank. It was all in the eyes.

JJ Maybank had powerful eyes. Sonny wondered how many things he could get people to do for him just by blinking alone. Because, whatever it was he was doing with those eyes, Sonny couldn't fight it. She started to crumble.

Pope wouldn't survive jail. She wasn't sure JJ would either. But there was no stopping him.

Not this time.

His hands loosened their grip on her shoulders, then slowly slid down to her elbows. He gave her forearms a gentle squeeze and when he was sure she was rendered speechless, JJ turned to Shoupe once more.

"Pope's a good kid," he shrugged at him, "She's a princess. You know where I'm from."

"Yeah," Shoupe muttered, nodding.

"It was all me," JJ repeated, lips pressed to the side.

"Right," even Shoupe didn't seem convinced. He wasn't as dumb as they made out and neither was Sonny. She knew he knew what was going on. Still, he looked over at Pope with a brow raised. "That the whole truth?"

"Whole truth, swear to god," JJ intervened.

"I know you think, dammit, I'm asking Pope!" Shoupe shot him a sharp look.

A long moment passed with Pope and JJ just staring at each other in palpable silence, a tension lingering between them. It felt like that moment lasted forever, and Sonny almost thought it wouldn't lead them anywhere until Pope finally managed to choke out a sentence.

"Yeah— yeah, that about covers it."

"Sonny?" Shoupe turned, "You agree with that, kid?"

No.

Sonny didn't agree.

That wasn't the whole truth. But Pope had already agreed, albeit begrudgingly, and JJ made himself clear: he wanted her to go along with it. Taking all the blame, getting Pope off the hook, keeping her out of trouble. He wanted that. Why? Sonny wasn't sure. Maybe because JJ Maybank cared more than she had ever thought he did. About more than just surfing, weed, and sex. He cared about his friends more than all of that. He cared enough to go down for them.

   Even if Sonny had money and influence, he was willing to take the blame regardless.

   Did that make them friends?

"Sonny?"

She briefly glanced at Shoupe, then back at JJ.

He nodded.

Sonny cleared her throat, steeling herself. She looked and sounded confident when on the inside she just wanted to go and scream. "Sounds about right."

   JJ licked his busted lip and looked away from her, clearing the back of his throat while Pope was freed of his handcuffs.

   It was no easier to watch JJ be the one cuffed and put in the back of the cruiser, but there was nothing to be done. Sonny could only stand there in silence as Shoupe drove away, and with him an innocent JJ Maybank.

   A penniless JJ Maybank.

   The thought stuck her like lightening and as soon as they were out of sight, and as Pope threw his cap to the ground, Sonny was making a break for it.

    "Sonny?" Kiara called out, "Where are you—?"

   She reappeared from where she had rushed into the store, bag in hand, and ran over to her car.

    "To get him bail!"

————

Sonny stared at the money with a frown.

It didn't belong to her.

It was Scooter Grubbs', the money she'd taken from the old mattress in his motel room in her haste to get out, and she'd only pinched it to cover their tracks.

She shouldn't even have it — sat there in the box under her bed, next to the figurine she'd stolen from Topper as a kid. It rightfully belonged to Ms Lana, now. Sonny knew she should hand it over. After all, her husband was dead, and she'd been assaulted by square groupers, where Sonny had left her alone instead of helping. The money was compensation, if nothing else, and not giving it to Ms Lana would only bring bad juju. She needed that money.

But so did JJ.

She wasn't dumb. She knew he couldn't afford any sort of legal representation. The money could help him out. Take a load off, less to worry about.

But would it? Really? That money was dirty. It went so far beyond bad karma — it was the money of a dead man who had been up to dodgy shit, and if the cops found out, it was only going to land JJ in more trouble. Sonny too, since she'd stolen it. They would be screwed.

"Sonny?"

Her head snapped towards the door.

She didn't have time to think about it, not when her mom's voice was getting closer, so Sonny quickly shove the money in her bag and kicked the box back under her bed. She stood up as the door flew open.

   "Where have you been, Sondra Penbrook?!"

Sonny grimaced.

She looked pissed. It made her squirm.

    "Mom," Sonny sighed, avoiding her glare as she zipped up her bag. "I don't have time—"

Natasha gawped at her.

    "You don't have time? Well then make it, Sonny!"

    "Seriously?" The girl groaned. She shook her head, sliding her bag onto her shoulders as she slipped past the woman to run downstairs. Her mom was hot on her heels. "Look, can't we do this later? I really don't have time!"

"I don't care if now's not a good time for you, Sonny! We have to talk about this!" Natasha reprimanded, trying not to lose her on the way down. Sonny was quick. "First, you don't come home for days, then you don't even let us know you're okay! And then we have the Thorntons knocking on our door with Shoupe saying there was an incident with Topper's boat and—" the woman stumbled back when Sonny span quickly on her heel. They stopped.

"Topper was here?"

"That's not—" Natasha stopped, stifling a gasp, "Oh my— Sonny, what happened to your face?"

Shit.

She'd forgotten all about that.

"Does it matter?" Sonny forced out.

"Yes, it matters!" Natasha replied, looking at her like she'd gone insane. Sonny couldn't really blame her.

"It was just a surf accident," she waved it off. Though she could tell her mom didn't believe her. Maybe Pope was right. It was a bad lie. "Topper actually had the nerve come here?"

"He had nerve? You sank his boat!"

Sonny scoffed, "Innocent until proven guilty!"

"You are guilty! I saw you on camera!"

That was news to Sonny. Her brows jumped to her hairline. They had camera footage? From where? Like, old ass CCTV? Satellite? Sonny wasn't sure, anything was possible with all the generators in Figure 8, but she knew it had to be a bad shot. It wasn't like it was easy to mistake JJ for Pope. So how come all of them were so sure it was her?

    "So why didn't Shoupe arrest me?" She challenged.

    "You couldn't make out your faces, but I know you Sonny. I got you that swimsuit for your birthday," Natasha said. Sonny faltered. "You're lucky Topper was adamant it wasn't you. He got his mother to drop the charges. All they had to go off was Heyward's boat and the fact she's known you for years. Good to know the hag has some loyalty,"

    "Debatable," Sonny uttered.

    "Hey— don't act like that. Like you did nothing wrong," a stern look crossed her mother's face. "What's going on? This isn't like you,"

   Sonny shot her a look.

    "Okay! Fine, it is like you!" Natasha groaned, infuriated. "I am sorry for tryna see the best in my kid!"

    "...you done?"

"You know what? I'm just gonna let your father deal with this— okay? He's better with the sarcasm," Natasha waved a hand at her, shaking her head and pushing a few stray hairs from her face. It was slightly frizzy with all the stress. "Ed! If you don't tell your daughter—"

    "What part of I don't have time for this didn't you hear?" She sassed but mother shot her a dark look, so she Sonny walked after her anyway— dragging her shoes across the hard wood floors, but following all the same.

   It wasn't the time for attitude, but she couldn't help it. Not with JJ's ass on the line.

JJ.

   She still couldn't believe he'd taken the rap for everything. Couldn't believe why she'd been close to doing it either. Sure, Pope had a whole lot to lose, but so did Sonny. If DCS got a whiff of prison time, it wouldn't end well. It would land her whole family in shit. Sonny couldn't afford that. So why had she been so close to risking it with Pope in handcuffs? Why'd she try to stop JJ from saving their asses? And why was she so prepared to use Scooter's dirty money to bail him out? Guilt maybe, but there was more.

   Did she consider Pope a... friend?

   Did Pope consider her a friend? Did JJ?
   
   Was that what friends did? The thought alone made her all uncomfortable. She didn't know the last time she considered somebody a friend.

   At least, not like that. Nobody she was willing to sink boats with and get sent to jail for.

   It scared her.

   But before Sonny could clam up and make a new bubble, her mom was already throwing open the door to her father's study. Sonny hardened her troubled face and stepped inside.

"Hello, my little delinquent."

"Ed," Sonny greeted him with a mocking salute.

The man rose a brow, watching her slump into the seat on the other side of his desk. Sonny threw her legs over the arm and shot him an expectant look, like she had a million better places to be than right here.

"One minute you're pushing her on the swings," he said, "The next she uses your birthname."

"Jesus," Natasha muttered.

"Let's have at it then," Sonny sighed. "But can we make it fast? I'm in a hurry."

"More boats to sink?"

She shrugged, "Something like that."

"Right on," he snorted, but quickly stopped himself when Natasha glared at him. "Okay — here's the damage. Sinking Topper's boat? Not your best move, kid. It could've been time in the clink and a hefty payout. You got lucky." He explained, though there was a glint of amusement in his eyes. Ed aimed his pointed finger at her, "I don't know what kinda statement you were trying to make, but consider it done. Okay? Before it gives your mom a heart attack."

Sonny rolled her eyes, "Topper deserved it."

"I'm sure he did," he replied, nodding. "I'm kinda proud, you know. Hitting him where it hurts. Did you stick around? At least watch his face turn red?"

"Ed," Natasha hissed. He glanced at her, eyes wide.

"What I mean is..." he turned back to his daughter, "I'm sure it was funny but as your dad, I can't condone that kind of behaviour."

Sonny looked betrayed.

"Sorry sweetheart," Ed shrugged, "Mom wins this round. No more boat heists, alright?"

   The girl just rolled her eyes at him.

She couldn't promise that and he knew as much. That was why Ed quickly clapped his hands together, acting like they'd solved a huge family disagreement, when really they had just quashed it for the time being.

"Now that's agreed," he leaned over his desk, squinting his eyes as he inspected her busted lip. "How come you look like an amateur boxer after three rounds?"

"It's not—"

    "Surf accident," Natasha cut in.

    "What?" He grinned, "Did the wave grow fists?"

    "No!" Sonny groaned loudly, throwing her head back and squeezing her eyes shut. Dammit Pope. The comment did little but remind her why she came home. "Look— when I said all that stuff about not having time for this? That still stands, so, if you'd just let me—"

"Sit back down!" Natasha warned her, "You can't just get up and walk out! That's not how this works, Sonny. You know that's not how this works."

Sonny stopped, but didn't sit back down. She just watched her, lips tucked between her teeth.

Her mom looked angry now but also disappointed. Sonny could deal with the anger, with the third-degree, but it was a little harder to swallow the disappointment. Maybe that had something to do with the guilt she felt— Sonny was aware it was her own fault, she had done wrong, even if it felt like her actions were warranted, but she really couldn't stand it when Natasha looked at her like that. Like she was going to ruin it; this good thing they had going, this little family. Like she was just tempting DCS to swoop in. Like she didn't even care for the possible consequences.

"Just..." Natasha sucked in a breath, "Just talk to us."

Sonny stayed quiet.

"What's going on with you?" The woman asked again, a softer look on her face this time. "We only want to help, you know. We've been through this,"

We can only help if you let us.

"Yeah," the girl murmured, toying with the straps of her bag. "Yeah, I know."

"...so did you sink other boats?"

They both stared at Ed, frowning at him.

"What?" He raised his hands in defence, "I'm just saying, we have great lawyers," he told them, "We can totally fix it."

Sonny's eyes widened, we can fix it.

"Actually," her words caught their attention. They turned and looked at her, pleasantly surprised that she'd made such progress in a matter of seconds, but fully willing to hear her out. Sonny pursed her lips. "There is one thing you guys can help me with..."

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