XXVIII. romeo and juliet

There was a smile of solace on Bridger's face as Kiara drove him and the other boys to the Chateau. It was strange considering he was bleeding and bruised.  Blood stained his pearl white teeth that came from his busted lip. He knew they were in a serious moment but there was a part of him that was proud of himself for finally sticking up to Rafe. He was proud that he was finally able to let go. 

"Dude, where is he?" Kiara distressed while she and Pope were on the dock. It was three o'clock and John B still wasn't there.

"He'll be here, Kie. Don't worry." Bridger assured, Pope nodding in agreement.

He stood on the boat with JJ as he was getting it ready for John B and Sarah. The sun was going down and the sky was a dark grey, indicating that the storm was approaching. JJ lifted his head and saw the boy looking at the sky and his eyes scanned the blood that was still on his face. "Hey, you," he spoke and took the bandana from his back pocket. He climbed over the boat and stood in front of him. "You got a little something there." He mentioned and carefully wiped the blood away.

Bridger flinched from the tender bruises but he still smiled. "You're so cute."

JJ narrowed his eyes. "You good? Did Rafe, like, cut off any circulation?"

"What? No," he scoffed. "Why do you ask?"

"Because you've been smiling since we got here," he answered out one of his hands on the side of his face,  dabbing his lip gently.

"Because I'm happy."

"That we got our asses beat?"

"No." Bridger heavily rolled his eyes. "Because I'm not afraid of him anymore. I feel like I'm my own person again. I know it sounds crazy, but. . ."

JJ grinned. "No, it doesn't," he said and rubbed his thumb over the boy's cheek. "I'm happy that you're happy, baby. You deserve every bit of it."

Bridger leaned forward and titled his head, capturing his lips. The love he felt from the kiss warmed him on the inside and he prayed that he would feel that way forever. He pulled away slightly and smiled, his loving energy radiating.

From the dock, Kiara leaned in and kissed Pope on the lips. The other couple watched them with raised eyebrows, definitely not seeing that coming. "That's my boy!" Bridger called out happily and whooped loudly.

They pulled away and laughed, Kiara giggling happily.

But their moments were cut short when they heard a police siren and they broke away from each other, seeing the blue and white police car roll up. "JJ, Bridge!" She said loudly, her face falling.

"Yeah, hey, get back on the boat." JJ quickly urged with a wave of his hand.

Before they could, the door of the car opened and their eyes widened when they saw John B Routledge himself, very much alive and not arrested. "Shoupe let me take it for a spin." The boy announced with a cocky smirk.

"Okay, GTA." Bridger laughed loudly and hopped down from the boat.

Kiara laughed as well. "Okay, that's believable. I'll buy that for now." She nodded and the two friend's embraced each other tightly.

"It wasn't easy, bro, but I got the Phantom for you." JJ announced. He jiggled the keys in his hand. "She runs like she was made yesterday."

"She better. I got my face caved in for it." Bridger reminded, slightly comical.

John B laughed and looked at him, seeing the state he was in. "Yeah, you look like shit."

He only flipped him off.

"You ready to go?" JJ asked his friend.

John B looked around when he noticed somebody was missing. "Where's Sarah?"

The newly awarded Pogue's face dropped. "What,  she's not with you?" He questioned and straightened his posture.

"No, we got separated in the swamp. She said she was going to meet me here." He denied with a shake of his head, his tone full of worry.

Pope shook his head. "We haven't seen her."

"Okay, well, i'm not leaving without her!"

There was a part of Bridger that now grew worried that Sarah wasn't there. But, there was also a part of him that thought maybe she didn't want to leave the island. The OBX was her home. Everything that was happening all of a sudden was happening too fast.

"John B, look at me," JJ started and stood in front of him. "I know you feel bad for leaving but there's no time, man. You've got plenty of gas, plenty of food. Once you get around that point, it's a straight shot across the sound to Dismal Swamp, okay?" He began to direct him.

John B's face became stoic, indicating that he was spacing out. He was scared, Bridger could see that.  His whole life complex changed for the worst before he could blink and now he had to leave. He had to leave his home and his best friends and now, his own girlfriend.

JJ tapped the side of his face. "Hey–! You got that?"  He asked, roughly.

John B nodded distantly. "Yeah, yeah. Brownsville." He confirmed.

He patted his shoulder. "All right. Saddle her up, saltwater cowboy. Let's do this." He announced and jumped onto the boat.

John B turned to the rest of his friends, seeing their reactions. Bridger stepped forward and held his hand out. "Take care of yourself, okay?" He spoke, trying to keep his emotions at bay.

He took his hand and shook it, smiling tightly. "Who would've thought Bridger fucking Fitzgerald would be a Pogue, huh?" He breathed out with a light chuckle.

Bridger laughed, his eyes starting to sting. "I guess hell finally did freeze over." He joked and used his other hand to pat the boy on the shoulder.

"Take care of him, yeah?"

His eyes flickered to JJ, who was jumped down from the boat. He looked back at John B and nodded. "Always." He stated with loyalty.

He backed up and stood in line with Kiara and Pope. JJ came over and stood beside his partner. His emotions were unraveling. John B jumped into the boat and faced them. "Hey. Hey–I'm sorry for basically. . . throwing us off a cliff with this whole treasure hunt thing," he confessed and his eyes shined with tears, his face turning red.

"Hey, John B,  yo. . . We were bound to run off a cliff at some point, right?" JJ stepped in, smiling slightly. He wrapped his arms around Bridger and they all linked their arms over each other's shoulders. "At least we did to together, though. Pogue style."

Bridger nodded with a grin. "Pogue style."

John B let out a breathy chuckle. "Yeah. Pogue style."

Kiara blinked away her tears. "Get out of here. Please!" She begged with a crack in her voice.

Pope agreed. "Now. We'll see you in two months, down in Mexico."

"We'll eat the shit out of some Mexican food." Bridger added to lighten the mood. It worked because they all laughed.

John B began to walk away again but he stopped,  turning back around one last time. "Hey, wait–wait a second," he began to cry at the thought. "Tell Sarah I said goodbye, okay?"

"Of course." Bridger nodded.

"Don't forget. Cross the border at Brownsville, okay?" JJ said again, trying to hold onto the moment a little longer.

John B left that time and got behind the wheel of the boat. Together, they helped push the boat into the water and the engine turned on. They watched him take off on the water with heavy hearts. Bridger glanced at his partner. "You okay?" He asked with concern.

JJ's blue eyes were red and he sniffled, nodding his head. "Yeah. Yeah. We'll see him again." He tried to convince himself.

Bridger kissed his cheek.

They heard the loud sirens come their way and JJ started to panic. "Hey, guys. We gotta go!" He announced but Shoupe and all of the other officers pulled up into the yard.

The group of teens immediately froze. Kiara raised her hands in fear. "Pope, hands." She said to the boy.

One of the men came out of his vehicle with his gun raised. "Move. Hands up! Hands up!" He ordered.

"Pope, hands." She repeated, louder that time, and Pope listened, raising his hands as well.

Bridger glared at all the cops while he raised his hands. Shoupe came walking fast out of his car and they searched for John B, only to discover that he was gone. "We're too late. He's gone. God damn it!" He shouted with anger. He pressed a button on the radio that was on his uniform. "Bratcher, have your guys stand down. Let me talk to these kids," he said into the device and stood in front of the teenagers. "All right, where the hell is he? Where the hell is he?"

When none of them answered, he started going down the line, starting with JJ. "JJ? I see you livin up to your name," he taunted.

Bridger glared. "Back off."

"You got something you wanna say, Bridger?" Shoupe threatened and stood in front of him.

He didn't back down. "I gotta lot I want to say."

"Bridge, stop." Jesse warned, his eyes glaring into his.

Shoupe moved down the line and stood in front of Pope. "Pope, how about you?" He looked at all of them. "This isn't a fucking game! You can do the right thing now! Where'd he go?"

Still, none of the teenagers answered. They glanced at each other. Their loyalty was strong. Bridger continued to glare at the officers, his hatred for them growing stronger. 

It was dark by the time they arrived at the watch tent. The entire island was gathered. Shoupe pulled the teenagers out of the cop car. Bridger stood in front of JJ and reached back for his hand, feeling the blonde slide his hand into his. The clouds rumbled with lightning and it looked like it was about to rain.

Shoupe and Plumb ordered them to sit down when they got into the tent. Bridger sat between JJ and Kiara and he glared at the officers, his eyes lingering on Plumb when Shoupe left to go to the other tent. "You got a problem, boy?" She questioned roughly.

"I got a lot of problems. You want to make the list?" He spat.

The others widened their eyes. "Hey. What did I say?" JJ hit his arm. "They're not worth it, okay?"

Bridger turned to him. "They're the—"

"I don't care," he interrupted. "Trust me, if I wanted to cause I scene, I would, but not now. Just calm down."

He wanted to snap back but he closed his mouth and huffed, leaning back in the uncomfortable metal chair. He couldn't help but think the worse the longer they sat there waiting to hear any news. Sarah wasn't around. He wasn't sure if she was even going to come. It began to rain and Bridger started to feel sick.

He leaned his elbows on his thighs and buried his face into his hands. JJ put one of his hands on the back of his neck soothingly, while Kiara grabbed Pope's hand. They only had each other right now.

After a long time, Shoupe and the other officers came into the tent with their yellow rain jackets on. The teens immediately stood up. "Did you find them?" Pope asked quickly and they stood in front of the officer.

"Are they okay?" Bridger asked, not waiting to hear an answer to the first question.

Shoupe pulled down the hood of his jacket and his face was deeply full of remorse. "No." He answered, his voice regretful.

"So they got away." Kiara stated with hope, her eyes looking at her friends.

Shoupe's face wavered and he swallowed harshly. "We, uh. . . We lost them," He spoke with hesitation. "I'm sorry."

Bridger's face dropped drastically. He titled his head,  the statement not registering. "W-What?" He stuttered and stepped forward.

"You lost them?" Pope repeated in disbelief. "What do you mean you lost them? Like they're gone? What are you talking about." He frantically asked.

Shoupe shook his head and stared at the boy. "They took an open boat into a tropical depression, Pope."

Bridger stumbled backward, his back hitting against JJ's shoulder and the blond stumbled as well, the information now settling in them. "No," the brunette spoke with a shake of his head. "No, you're lying."

"Bridger—"

"You're fucking lying!"

"You drove em' straight through the storm!" JJ seethed and his face and eyes darkened. He charged at the man. "Come here, I'm gonna kill you!"

Hell raised and the officers tried to grab the boy and pull him away. Bridger felt one of them grab him by the arm and he shoved them off. "You're fucking lying.  Go out there and find them!" He shouted in their faces. 

Kiara's face twisted and she began to cry. "Pope." She whimpered.

"She's not dead!" He shouted again with a voice crack and he shoved the officer back again. "No, she's not dead!"

"Bridger." Kiara cried out and grabbed his arm,  pulling him back. Her hands tightened around this arm and she let out a sob. 

That's when the parents started to come. Anna and Mike and Heyward and Angela. Bridger had no one.  JJ had no one. The brunette tugged at his roots and shut his eyes tightly. "She's not fucking dead." He cried to himself.

Jesse threw himself against him, his arms wrapping around his neck and Bridger's tightened around him.  He cried into his shoulder. They only had each other.  They were each other's home.

Bridger loved Sarah Cameron more than he loved anybody. She was his best friend. She was a golden girl, a shining star. But she fell in love and that love costed her. She was Juliet and John B was her Romeo.  They were doomed from the start.

Heyward brought both of the boys into his family and the three boys cried together. Bridger felt like he was going to collapse. Every pain and every ache he felt throughout his life, it was nothing compared to this.  No, he felt like someone ripped out his heart. Sarah was gone and the world was not prepared for the wrath that Bridger was about to bring.