This chapter bring in episode 1 of the first season. A lot of the dialog is the same but i did adjust a few parts to help with my AU. From this point the time line will be different then the original series as i will be moving certain events to help with the plot i have in mind, so keep that in mind if you are expecting it to follow the original.
I also had a suggestion to get a interaction between JJ, Luke and Rowyn and i have a plan for this however i have to get through a bit of other things before otherwise it just wont make sense and will just be jumping around. But i do promise there will be some hurt JJ and i will get Luke in here in the next chapter or two. So hope you stick with me here :)
I wasnt thrilled about this chapter but knew i needed it. I have all the main points pinned out for how i want this to go, but the in between areas are annoying and i am struggling with, so i apologize if this lost its flow compared to the first few chapters.
Next chapter will include Kooks vs. Pogues, a Kegger and a fight between friends.
Thanks for reading :)
The next day the island was in a buzz of commotion as everyone prepared for the coming storm. I packed a bag with a few pairs of shorts, shirts, a bathing suit and brush before locking the door behind me and pulling the jeep from my drive way. Before heading to John B's I stopped at the local grocery store grabbing as much food and water. I pulled into the Chateau as the wind started to pick up and the sirens for the hurricane watch could be heard in the background towards town. Opening the back end I started unloading the groceries.
"Welcome to the party." John B shouted walking down the front porch.
"Bring your own food and drinks right?" I asked with a smile holding up the bags.
"Oh thank God!" JJ yelled running down behind John B. The boys helped get the groceries into the shack immediately opening the chips and popping a few beers. Pope showed up later the afternoon and him and John B starting plotting the surf in the storm.
"You in Roe?" Pope asked from his placed on the porch.
"Oh no. dying is not on my list of things today." I shook my head pulling the blunt from JJs hand and inhaling it, holding a bit before letting the smoke out.
"Party pooper." John B pouted, "Lets go Boys." I watched them go, noticing a slight hesitation in JJ as he reached for his board.
"Hey do me favor," I called out to him taking another puff of the blunt. JJ looked up at me with a raised eye brow, "Don't kill yourself yeah? I kind of like having you around."
"I make no promises." He called out to me with a smile running after John B and Pope. I watched them drive away just as the rain started picking up.
The storm raged through the night and come morning the wrath of Agetha was evident on the carnage thrown around the yard. I was sitting on the porch looking out at the marsh when John B came out.
"It doesn't look pretty." I said standing up to follow him down.
"Yeah that's not good." He said with a heavy sigh hands on his head. We made our way over to the Pogue covered in branches.
"Agatha did some work, huh?" JJ called out, taking another sip of his a beer had grabbed. He stood leaning on the railing and my eyes trailed over him, hair messy from sleep no shirt. When the boys had come back last night they had been drenched in rain and sand. They were laughing and we stayed up the rest of the night laughing and drink riding out the storm.
"Yeah, she did," John B agreed. JJ burped from his beer, unable to help it and I rolled my eyes in disgust.
"We have a plan today?" I asked leaning on the Pogue watching John B throw branches out. All I got in response was a mischievous smile. I squinted at him before looking at JJ who had made his way closer.
"What you thinkin'?" he question looking out at the dark clouds in the distance that had just passed us. John B looked up, pulling more branches from the boat.
"I'm thinkin' that storm surge pushed all the crabs out on the marsh maze," John B said. "All those drum are gonna chase the crab."
"Really?" I stated. Not really questioning him but more surprised at how calm he was. He was supposed to meet with DCS but he didnt seem to be bothered by that.
"What about the DCS? Wasn't that today?" JJ asked my unasked question and simply nodded looking backup at John B.
"Nah, they're not gettin' on a ferry," John B assured him, and I knew he was right looking over my shoulder JJ seemed to realize it as well. The ferry would be closed for a few days and which meant we had those days to not have to deal with the reality of any situation regarding DCS or my dad.
"Come on, think about it," John B interrupted my thoughts a grin lighting up his entire face.. "It's God tellin' us to fish." John B used a branch to gesture to the ocean and all I could do is smile jumping into the Pogue to help him clear it out.
We headed down to the Marina not long after clearing out the Pogue and pushing it into the water. The mess Agatha left behind was insane and I knew at some point I was going to have to go home and check the damage at my house. We headed through the wreckage to pick up Pope and Kie.
"Sure hope Guffy's boat didn't sink," JJ said offhandedly, standing at the helm of the Pogue and looking around. '
"Im pretty sure he doesn't have any insurance." I shook my head from my seat at the bow, feet dangling off the end.
Both John B and JJ both nodded in agreement a quiet 'Yeah' coming from both of them.
"Hi, Miss Amy!" John B called out and I turned to the women on the end of one of the docks lifting my hand to smile. "You guys get through it?"
"Still here," she called out with a smile, before going back to cleaning the dock near one of the boats.
"She totally looked at me," JJ grinned, looking back with a smirk.
"You wish Maybank." I rolled my eyes and laughed. "Dude look at this place."
JJ whistled as they surveyed the rest of the marina. "Agatha, what did you do?" JJ moaned.
John B nodded. "She is a craaaazy lady."
"We'll be cleaning this all Summer," he said mournfully.
John B sighed. "That is my nightmare."
The banter between the boys was light as we continued to navigate around the maze of the Marina. Finally we pulled forward towards the local general store and a familiar boy stood with a hose on the end of the dock.
"Well, look who we have here," John B voiced with a grin.
"Crrshhh. We have a safety meeting. Attendance mandatory. Crrshhh." John B cupped his hand over his mouth and shoulder, imitating the static of a radio.
Pope looked up at us and sighed. "I can't. My Pop's got me on lockdown."
"Come on, man," JJ joined in, then made a two-way radio of his own. "Crrshhh. Your Dad's a pussy. Over, crrshhh," he said, mimicking the static and I leaned back and smacked his leg as I watched Heyward step forward with a broom in hand a solid unwavering frown on his face.
"Oh, I heard that, you little bastard," Heyward shook his head. JJ just grinned.
"We need your son," John B called out.
"Yeah, and island rules. Day after a hurricane's a free day." Heyward rolled his eyes.
"Who made that up?" As JJ spouted bullshit about the pentagon I made eye contact with pope making a 'come here' motion with my finger watching as he moved closer to the edge of the dock.
"I'll do it tomorrow," Pope stated. "I promise. Tomorrow."
"You think— No, no. Hell no. You doin' it right now."
"Get in the boat," John B whispered to Pope, not stopping the boat it moved close to the dock and I could see Pope look between the boat and his dad his rocking back and forth.
"Make a run for it, bro. Make a run for it," JJ egged him on.
"Boy, if you get in that boat—"
Pope ignored his father and dropped the hose to the pier deck. He made a slight ungraceful jump into the boat between JJ and myself before looking back at his dad.
"Go, go, go," Pope whispered.
"Bring your ass back up here!" Heyward yelled after them, but it was already too late.
"I promise I'll do it tomorrow, Dad."
"You gonna clean shrimp, clean fish–"
"Love you, Pops!" Pope called out.
"You'll clean your dirty-ass room!" Heyward yelled, brandishing his broomstick with a scowl. "Rowyn your supposed to be keeping these boys straight."
"Sorry," I made an innocent shrug smiling at him.
"We'll bring him back in one piece. I promise!" John B called out.
"Thanks Mr. Heyward." I yelled raising my hand.
We all laughed as John B pulled away quicker moving further away from the marina. Next stop we rounded the bend to Kies house. She and Sarah were already walking down the dock towards us coolers in hand. John B kissed Sarah as JJ held out his hand to help Kie into the boat making a comment about her having his kind of 'juice boxes'. The cooler was opened and JJ pulled out ice cold ones for everyone opening them and clinking his with Kie and Popes.
A ways through the Marsh Pope switched places with John B so he could sit at the stern of the boat with Sarah laughing about something Kie had said sarcastically in response to JJ. Sitting on the side of the boat I watched as JJ grinned and moved to the front of the boat with his beer.
"Let me show y'all a party trick." He turned to me and winked before stepping further up on the Bow. "Hey, Pope. Can you go a little faster, please?" he asked.
"Oh God, here we go." I groaned securing my hands to the edge of the boat as Pope started to speed up.
"It doesn't work!" John B called out, sliding further over behind Pope so he wasn't in the 'splash zone.'
"We've tried this like 6,000 times...Roe tell him it isn't going to work" Pope commented looking at me.
"What do you expect me to do?" I asked with a laugh.
"I got this. It's gonna work!" JJ reaffirmed.
Opening his mouth he tipped the drink letting the wind carry the beer to his mouth… well it was supposed to carry the beer to his mouth. Instead it carried the beer to the side and around sending splashes of beer behind him onto us.
"JJ Stop!" I called giggling as I put my hand up trying to protect my face.
"You're getting beer in my hair!" Kie complained, but she was laughing as well.
No matter how much we pleaded for him to stop he continued, determined to finish the beer to prove his success. Before he could revel in his triumph however the boat currently speeding through the marsh was pulled to a sudden stop throwing everyone forward. Unfortunately for myself and JJ who were both close to the edge your forward meant being thrown into the water. My body was thrown ungracefully forward and to the side as I flipped sideways off the boat as JJ was thrown head first into a flip.
Coming to the surface of the water I groaned loudly reaching up to grab the side of the boat, reaching around to the back of my head where I had not so subtly hit it on the boat on the way down. Coming to my sense I saw JJ coming to the surface his own pain evident on his face.
"JJ you good?" I asked releasing my hold on the boat slowly moving towards him.
"I think my heels touched the back of my head." His voice was waterlogged, but at least he was talking. I stopped my swimming to him confident he wouldn't need my help. I could hear John B laughing at that. Treading water I stopped between the boat and JJ submerging my head to get hair from my face. When I was under the water I caught a glimps of something on the floor bed.
"Pope, what did you do?" I heard JJ ask when I came back up brushing water from my eyes.
"Sandbar," Pope replied. "The channel changed."
"No shit," JJ said. "Whats up you look like your lost or something." He stopped next to me.
"There is something down there." I answered looking him the eyes with a scowl. Before I let him responds I decided to take a large breath and dive down hearing a muffled call of my name. I made it down to the blurred object I had seen from the surface and it was not a small object. It was a boat, a decent sized boat. Feeling my lungs burn I kicked off the top of it back to the surface, re-emerging with a gasp of air.
"What the hell Rowyn!" John B yelled from the boat.
"There's a boat down there." I breathed out still trying to catch my breath.
"No way." John B. shook his head unbelieving, but I could see JJ start look at the water below him.
"No she's right. Look." Pope pointed from the Pogue.
"There's a boat." Sarah stated wide eyed. "No kidding I added under my breath as I slowly made my way to the boat.
"Shit." Kie said taking her shirt off along with John B, both instantly jumping in the water. "Wait for me." Pope yelled following right after. Sarah moved to the back of the boat to help me up. Once in the boat we both went to the bow to watch the other swim back up from inspecting the boat.
"You guys saw that right?" JJ let out a excited yell once he made it to the surface. "That's a Grady-White. A new one of those is like 500 Gs, easy. That's a primo rig." Moving off to the side the other jumped back into the boat.
"Yeah. That's the boat I saw when we surfed the surge," John B agreed. "Maybe it hit the jetty or something."
"Wait you surfed the surge?" Kie asked looking at John B and then me.
"Don't look at me I didn't go." I put my hands up defensively.
"Wait, do we know who's boat that is?" Sarah asked watching as John B shrugged.
"No clue but we're gonna find out."
"How?" I asked raising an eyebrow up curious to his plan.
"Well, who can hold their breath the longest." There were murmurs amongst the group before eyes laid on her. I shook her head.
"No." I state firmly.
"Dude you can keep your breath longer than any of us." John B offered.
"He's got a point." Pope shrugged and I glared at him before looking at JJ who just gave me a smirk. With a loud 'UGH' I stood up.
"You know if there is anything down there, any dead bodies… if this traumatizes me I blame all of you." I glare at each of them before stepping to the end of the boat and doing a near perfect dive into the water right above the boat. The water got colder as I got to the top of the boat and used it to pull myself down further. I was looking for anything in the main hull that I could easily grab without having to exert to much energy. Just as my lungs started to burn I saw something in the side compartment grabbing it quickly before pushing up hard on the stern of the boat kicking my way back to the surface. Breaking through there was a collective 'thank god' from the boat.
"Did you find anything?" I heard John B asked with an addition of "any looting potential" from JJ, but she was to focused on breathing and getting to the boat. Once on the side JJ reached down and she gratefully accepted his hand as he pulled her up with little effort.
"I found a key." I breathed out still trying to take a good deep breath so my lungs would stop freaking out.
"A key?" John B asked as I handed him the object. JJ sat beside me his hand on my back as he started to talk to John B about the motel key. As we started to pull away from the sunken boat the conversation started focusing on who the owner was and what they should do. Kie suggested reporting the boat to the coast guard so the boat was steered in the direction of the Marina.
"Maybe there'll be like a finders fee?" Kie added as we got closer. Sarah and I sat on the Pogue waiting as the other went to the coast guard station.
"So…" she nudged my knee with foot from her place across from me.
"So…?" I repeated in the same tone only adding a question to it.
"You and JJ?" she asked sitting forward her eyes drifting to the coast guard station. I followed her eyes to Pope and Kie who stood outside the chaotic shack.
"What about me and JJ?"
"Seriously?" she questioned. "You realize he was ready to jump in and get you when you didn't come up quick enough right?"
"He's my friend, I would be just as concerned if it had been any of you." I brushed her question off.
"He asked for work on his day off to be at the club at our brunch… that's not 'just friend'" she challenged and smirk on her face and I sighed rubbing my head.
"Trust me, we are friends. That's it." I stated looking up at the group headed our direction. I could tell Sarah wanted to say more but decided to drop it. "So whats the consensus?" I asked.
"Wouldn't even listen." JJ said jumping in the boat taking a seat beside me is harm rest behind me on the boat. I caught a side smirk from Sarah and I just gave her a subtle glare before returning my attention to what Kie was talking about.
"Why don't we just go and see whose room this is." John B suggested. It was decided that we would go to the motel that the key belonged too. Pulling up to the motel JJ stood up ready to help John B. pull the boat in.
"Motel or meth lab?" Sarah asked. It wasn't a question with an answer just a statement to the appearance of the motel.
"It looks like the type of place someone with a Grady-White would get killed," Pope rolled his eyes.
"Crrshhh. This is your Captain speaking. HMS Pogue comin' in for landing. Crrshhh." JJ said imitating the radio voice he had done earlier jumping from the boat pulling it in and anchoring it to the ground. We watched as John B and JJ went up to the motel room. Briefly they stopped talking about something that directed their attention down to us JJ's eyes briefly meeting mine before he quickly turned back to John B throwing his arm over his shoulder. I scowled wishing in knew what was said, although part of me wasn't sure I wanted to know. The next few moments happened in a blur. The police showed up, Pope tried to get their attention with a poor attempt at throwing a rock at the rooms window, JJ and John B were out on the ledge as officers looked through the room, JJ dropped something and the cops looking out the window… it was the most stress I had felt in awhile.
"Well that was fun. Could have let us know a little sooner ya know." JJ said and Kie made a comment about Pope being on the math team.
"So did you find anything or was this a bust?" I rolled my eyes.
"Hmm… did we find anything…" JJ asked pulling two items from his pocket, one was a stack of cash and the other was a gun. I closed my eyes with a groan.
"JJ you didn't." Sarah commented
"What the hell?" Pope exclaimed "Why would you take that from a crime scene?!"
"You serious?" Sarah shook her head at John B, effectively wiping his smile off. JJ sat down and wrapped his arm around me and I grimaced trying not to give him the satisfaction of being slightly impressed.
"Hey, well at least you have us, right?" he smiled at Pope.
"I'm living the nightmare." He said groaning. After a pause he added "Guys I have to get back to my Pop's before he throws my shit out." Pope quickly said before they could come up with a game plan with the key.
"We should head back anyway John B." I commented and he agreed turning his boat toward the Marina once again. Stopping at Haywards, Popes dad was out with his hands on his hips.
"Boy do you have any idea the shit you left me with today." Hayward started going off and I could see Pope instantly starting to apologize.
"We are sorry Mr. Hayward." I stood up trying to ease the tension. He didn't look happy but he directed his attention towards me. "Look I have the day off tomorrow, let me come by and help with deliveries as an apology." Hayward started to mull it over and think about my offer but wasn't all convinced. "You know with the power out the Kooks on Figure 8 are going to be demanding their deliveries, JJ will even help out so we get it done quicker."
"Wait what?" JJ hissed behind me and I just swatted my hand at him hearing Kie and Sarah start to giggle.
"Well alright, but this don't fix your running out today Pope." Hayward pointed his finger at him. Pope looked at me and mouthed 'Thank you' to me before heading into the shop with his father.
"Why do I have to help?" JJ whined.
"Because you helped cause the problem and John B works tomorrow you don't." I stuck my tongue out at him. He groaned and I smiled at his defeat falling back into the seat next to him. He would thank me tomorrow after he received the tips from the kooks, they were always more generous after a storm.