༄ 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗍𝗒－𝖿𝗂𝗏𝖾 ༄

THE FOUR POGUES were hauled to a large tent where the sheriff's department and the SBI were set up. Thalia stumbled after being yanked out, Pope quickly catching her, helping her stand upright. Her knee was in agony, all of her pain medication having worn out hours ago. They were ushered into a section of the tent, officers swarming the area. Plumb directed them to four chairs. "Sit down. Don't move. We got a lot to talk about. Keep an eye on these kids." Shoupe said as they sat down, Thalia nestled between Kie and Pope.

        A guard stood in front of them as the Pogues sat in silence, Thalia reaching over to her left and discreetly grabbing Pope's hand, lacing their fingers together. They listened to the police as they debriefed, hoping John B had gotten away. "She's right over here, sir." Plumb said, and Thalia looked up to see a panicked Ward moving towards her, thanking Plumb as he passed.

        "Thank God. You're okay." Ward exhaled when he saw Thalia, and without any meaning behind it, she dropped Pope's hand.

        "Yeah. You need better security at the house, Ward, considering both Sarah and I got out." Thalia crossed her arms, officers perking up at Thalia's words.

        Ward sighed quietly, glancing around quickly. "Come on, Thalia. Let's get you home. They think Sarah's with John B, and I don't want to be worrying about you while she's out there." Ward said, reaching for Thalia's arm.

        She pulled it back quickly. "No thanks. I'm good here. Shoupe's got us all safe and sound." Thalia said, smiling fakely at Shoupe as he turned around.

        "You can't take her, anyway, Ward. I still need to talk with them." Shoupe said quietly, and Ward swallowed thickly.

        "Shoupe, she hasn't been taking her medication. She needs to come home, see her doctors. Please, just let me take her." Ward said in a lowered voice.

        Thalia furrowed her brows as the Pogues all looked at each other. Thalia sat up straighter. "I actually have been taking all of my medicine, fuck you very much." she interjected, and Ward breathed heavily.

        Ward didn't have many cards left to play. "Honey, please. Rose told me all about what happened with your dad. Don't you think we should sit down, talk about what we're gonna do about it?" he said, and Shoupe was intrigued.

        "Actually, I think you should find your psychotic, murdering son and get him home before he tries to kill us again." Thalia countered with an innocent shrug.

        Unfortunately, before Shoupe could dive further into Thalia's statement, he was ushered away. With an angry look on his face, Ward followed, leaving the Pogues alone. "He's gonna come after you now." Kie said, her knee bouncing up and down.

        Thalia shrugged. "Whatever." she said monotonously. There was intense action happening deeper into the tent, but no one would answer Pope and JJ when they asked. To counteract her nerves, Thalia dropped her head to Pope's shoulder, and he looked at her once before he kissed her head and grabbed her hand. Plumb spoke to them, confirmed that Sarah was with John B, and then she left. It was probably another ten minutes before anyone else came to talk to the four friends again.

        Shoupe, Thomas and Plumb came into the tent, lowering the hoods of their rain jackets. Instantly, the Pogues rose to their feet. "Did you find them?" Pope asked right away, still holding Thalia's hand at his side.

        "No." Shoupe said, but Thalia knew the way he delivered news, knew he wasn't telling them something.

        "So, they got away?" Kiara asked hopefully, looking at JJ and Thalia.

        Shoupe averted his eyes, not looking at any of the teens. "We, uh... we lost them. I'm sorry." Shoupe finally said, and Thalia wasn't sure how to feel.

        "You lost them?" Thalia asked, her voice breaking. That was Sarah in that boat. Sarah. More of a sister than a cousin. And they hadn't seen each other in forever, hadn't gotten to say goodbye.

        "What do you mean you lost them? Like, they're gone? What are you talking about?" Pope continued where Thalia had left off, stepping towards Shoupe.

        Shoupe was visibly upset. He didn't want this to have happened. "They took an open boat into a tropical depression, Pope." Shoupe explained, and they knew what this meant.

        Tears filled Thalia and Kie's eyes. Thalia hated crying. "So, they're dead?" Kie asked bluntly.

        "We don't know." Shoupe answered, and that was JJ's last straw.

        "You drove them straight through the storm, man! Are you kidding me? Come here! I'm gonna kill you!" JJ shouted, lunging at Shoupe.

        "JJ, stop!" Kie yelled, tears falling down her face.

        Thomas held JJ back while he and Kie continued shouting. Thalia just sat down on the edge of the nearby table. She didn't know what else to do. "He didn't kill anyone, and you know it!" Pope yelled at Shoupe, crying.

        "We're still looking for him, all right?" Shoupe said delicately.

        Pope turned to find Thalia, and as soon as he saw the first tear escape her beautiful blue eyes, she was in his arms. Kiara's parents arrived, and then Pope's. No one was there for JJ and Thalia. Kiara sobbed in her parents' arms, and Pope released Thalia as his mother found him, hugging her tightly.

        JJ hugged Thalia. For one of the very first times, the brother and sister embraced each other. Heyward patted both of their shoulders as he joined his wife in hugging Pope. Solemnly, JJ and Thalia stood next to each other, gazes downcast, with no parents to hold them. And then, Heyward pulled them both into his family's hug. In the center of it, Pope was holding Thalia, the way he always wished to.

        But all moments had to come to an end, and Thalia's ended with Ward tugging her out of the tent and into his car, driving her home. Thalia didn't want to be there. She was screamed at by a grieving Ward and Rose, talking about the new plan. Thalia spent the night in Sarah's bed because her window was broken, and because it reminded her of her beloved cousin. Wheezie came to join her in the middle of the night, and Thalia pushed her dark hair behind her ears, hugging her close.

        Rafe couldn't sleep, and when he sat on the edge of the bed quietly, Thalia just stared at him over Wheezie's head, wondering how he had become this way. "She's really gone?" Rafe asked in a hushed whisper, trying not to wake up Wheezie. Thalia nodded, and Rafe wiped at his nose, his face swollen from Pope's attacks. "I'm sorry." Rafe spoke, and Thalia didn't know why, but she offered him her hand, and he held it for a few minutes, releasing it when she managed to fall asleep. She wished she didn't wake up the next morning.

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