A little fluff for Rowyn and JJ. Hope you guys like it.

No ones perfect hence any errors i will claim as my own :)

Always appreciate you sticking around.

Thanks again :)

JJ POV

My whole life, for what I can remember, it was me on my own. I met John B in the third grade and him and Big John would have my back, give me a place to crash help me get through the hard days with my dad. When I met Rowyn the last thing I thought would have happened was comforting her half the night after her dad basically tried to kill her because she was protecting me. I know that's why she didn't tell me right away, she didn't want me to feel any guilt, but seeing her bruised and broken on the bathroom floor, it was hard not to.

I had to fight my inner self that was yelling at me to go to her house and beat the shit out of her dad, but the rational side, which only recently started coming out, knew it would only make things worse.

Rowyn had woken up once in the middle of the night her heart racing. When I asked she tried to brush it off as nothing, but we both knew it was a nightmare. As I pulled her back onto my chest I could feel the slight tremor in her body. The next morning she was sound asleep her back against my chest. Pulling away slightly I ran a hand through my hair and over my eyes. Pulling my arm out from under her I let it lightly brush the bruise the appeared on the back of her shoulder and disappeared under her tank top. Letting out a frustrated sigh I moved to sit up and grabbed my lighter from the side table in John B's room.

When I had come out of the bathroom with Roe asleep in my arms John B silently told me to take his room for the night. Him and Sarah were asleep on the pull out when I walked out of the room, quietly closing the bedroom door. Walking out on the porch Pope was sprawled on one couch with Kie on the other. I smiled to myself knowing they were all here because we were a family and we protect our own. Rowyn was right, they were my family.

Laying in the hammock I lit the blunt I had rolled and started the night before, staring off in the distance. I still couldn't figure out why she did it, why she risked so much. Most the island associated me with a future as an alcoholic dead beat most likely to end up in jail, so why fight the inevitable, what does she see that I don't.

I swung in the hammock stewing in my own thoughts not realizing the body coming heading down from the Chateau.

"Hey." John B said scratching his head as he walked over and fell into the chair by the tree I was in. I nodded to him as I let a puff of air float above my head as I leaned it back.

"Some way to celebrate last night." I breathed out closing my eyes.

"Yeah…" I heard him sigh and I sat up a bit opening my eyes to look at him.

"Did you know?" I asked and I watched him lean forward.

"Not all of it man. Kie texted me the day she left for the mainland, but I never knew why." I watched him shrug.

"God man… why the fuck did she do it." I groaned rubbing my eyes.

"Are you kidding?" John B sounded surprised, and I stared at him. "She cares for you man."

"Ugh… I know she does bro but I don't want her risking so much for me… I'm not…"

"Please don't go there." He shook his head interrupting me. "And I don't think you have a choice on what she chooses to risk, you and I both know she is stubborn and hard headed. If she wants to do something, she is going to do it." I chuckled and nodded turning to the house as the door squeaked open. Rowyn was standing on the porch pulling her hair up smiling at us hesitantly.

She turned away from where we sat and went towards the dock and I watched her go. Nodding to John B I got up and made my way to the dock. A few days ago she had done the same, coming up as I sat on the dock trying to calm myself after the visit to Ms. Lana's house. She sat with her legs dangling over the edge. She had found one of my long sleeve shirts from the bag I kept and had it rolled up her arm as her arms were shorter than mine.

"I think you look better in that then I do." I said taking a seat beside her. I glanced at her from the corner of my eye and I could see a smile creep on the corner of her mouth, but it didn't quiet meet her eyes. "You okay?" It felt like a stupid question but I wasn't really sure what else to say. Leaning on the rail in front of me I watched as she slowly nodded biting her bottom lip, which was usually a sign of her over thinking something.

"When I picked him up, it was like he was a whole different person." She finally spoke, her voice was quiet and she kept her eyes on the water below her. "I've seen my dad drunk before, but he is usually angry, pissed, but the man I picked up, he was… was happy. When I got to the club he was excited to see me, my whole life he has never been happy to see me… even when my mom was around that I could remember. But this time, he was happy, he introduced me as his daughter, told the host at the club that I had a good head on my shoulders, I was smart…" She paused fiddling with the sleeve of my shirt she wore looking out to the horizon before continuing, "On the drive to my house he apologized to me said after my mom left he just didn't know what to do, how to be a dad… he said he pushed me away because he knew I could leave just like my mom did and didn't want to have to go through that twice. He said he was proud of who I am… how much I have grown."

She was trying to keep her voice from breaking and I was trying to do my best to let her talk without pulling her into my arms but we both were struggling.

"Like an idiot I believed it… all of it." She ended and I couldn't watch anymore. Turning to the side I draped my arm over her shoulder and pulled her to me and to my surprise she didn't fight it. She fell into me burying her face in my chest letting out a small sob.

"Can I ask you something?" I finally asked after she calmed down and we had adjusted ourselves so I was leaning with my back on one of the posts and she was curled up between my legs. She sat up and turned to look at me. This was the first time she was meeting my eyes since last night and even with tear stained cheeks and her eyes red from crying she was still beautiful. I brushed my fingers gently over her cheek a bruise running along her jaw line and i had to swallow the lump in my throat. "Why…?" it came out as a whisper.

"Why did I convince Topper? Why did I give him the money? Why did I pick my dad up? Or why didn't I tell you?" she answered after taking a deep breath.

"All of the above?" I answered and she stared at me searching my eyes and then broke eye contact to fidget with her finger nails.

"I…" she started but then stopped refusing to meet my eyes again and I brought my finger to her chin pushing it up so I could find them. "I guess… I just…"

"Hey guys!" Sarah and Kie called from the end of the dock and started moving towards us. Rowyn turned and smiled at them and I just let my hand drop from her face. "How you feeling Roe?"

"Like I was attacked by a flight of stairs." She answered. She smiled at them and I knew she was trying to lighten the mood and it seemed to work as both the girls joining us gave small chuckles before sitting around us. Kie took her place sitting on the railing and Sarah leaned on the railing of the ramp to the boat. "All seriousness though… I am okay really outside of being sore, I am fine."

Rowyn POV

When I had woken up this morning I was scared and nervous, the night before had been a lot and I wasn't sure if I was ready to go over it again. When JJ had asked me why I had done what I did I wasn't sure how to respond. I knew what I wanted to say, I knew why I did it, but I wasn't sure he was ready to hear it.

It was a relief when everyone made conversation like normal once they were all up and the group decided to go fishing out on the marsh rather than sit around and talk about our feelings. It was a carefree and relaxing day, something we all needed. It was nice to laugh.

"John B can I see the compass?" I asked from my place on the couch laying with my legs over JJ's lap his thumb running circles on my thigh. John B leaned forward and handed the compass to Pope who passed it to JJ then to me. I fiddled with the gold object running my fingers over the smooth surface, hitting the switch watching it flip open. "Backtracking to the gold… why send you the compass back?"

"I wish I knew." John B said and I felt my heart clench a little as I looked at him. He looked defeated. His dad had gone missing, and we were no closer to finding out what happened as we were finding out who had the gold. I turned the compass over moving it closer to my face examining the different markings on it. Curiosity got the better of me as I twisted the top against the bottom sitting up quickly surprising JJ as the two pieces came apart.

"John B." I stated showing him the two pieces in my hand.

"Shit man, I forgot about that." He said coming over and taking the compass from me. I looked at JJ and then back at John B as he sat back in the recliner on the porch. "My dad used to talk about this compartment in here, soldiers used to hide secret notes…"

"Wait John B." Sarah stopped him from turning the top over again and leaned over him to point out something, "What's that" JJ and I stood up to walk over next to John B followed by Kie and Pope.

"That wasn't there before… this, this is my dad's handwriting."

"How can you know that?" Pope asked rolling his eyes disbelief dripping from his voice.

"Because he does these weird R's … see it?"

"Can I see it?" JJ asked frowning tilting his head as he squinted trying to read what was written in the cap. "Red… Rout…"

"No, I think that's an A" I interrupted

"It says Redfield," Kie said.

"Right." JJ nodded.

"Okay, what's Redfield?" I asked looking from Kie, who shrugged to John B who was still staring at the object in his hand.

"Besides the most common name in the county?" Pope stated.

"Maybe… Maybe it's a clue!" John B said. We all shared a look knowing that he was grasping for an answer. He had been in denial for so long that the slightest bit of hope could send him reel and grasping for anything. "Right? Maybe it's a clue to where he's hiding." He continued.

"Okay…" JJ nodded trying to be supportive, but I could tell he was skeptical.

"A clue? Come on, that's…" Pope scoffed but was cut off by me smacking his arm and Kie cutting him off by clearing her throat. We both stared at him, and he instantly retracted his remark, "that… that's probably like a name or location."

"Location!" John B said standing up quickly. I had to step back quickly to keep from getting hit by the sudden motion. I felt JJ's hands hold onto my waist keeping me upright. "The light house… the Redfield Light House."

"What does that mean?" Sarah asked.

"Don't you get it?" John B was excited, overly excited as he turned to us his eyes wide a smile spread across his face. "It was my dads favorite place to go, the Redfield Light House. That's the clue."

"A clue to what?" I asked pulling out of JJ's grip to walk up to John B.

"Maybe where he's hiding, or the gold… its gotta mean something right. Guys we have to go." He said heading towards the steps.

"Dude I hate to break it to you, but the lighthouse is closed." Pope said following John B.

"Yeah, and even if someone was there, its nine o'clock and the sun just set, there is no way someone is there right now to talk to a bunch of kids without it look suspicious." Kie added.

"What about tomorrow." I suggest. I really wanted this to work for John B, but I also wanted it to bring him closure even if it wasn't good news. He nodded but Sarah came up and shook her head.

"You're going fishing tomorrow with Ward." She said and I watched as John B's face fell and he groaned.

"Shit I forgot about that." He said running a hand through his hair.

"Wait, you're going fishing with Ward?" Pope asked a little surprised. I am sure my expression was similar to his.

"Okay then we go tomorrow evening after you get back." Kie said with a shrug. "The lighthouse will still be there, a few hours won't make a difference." Reluctantly he agreed and eventually him and Sarah left to head back to Tannyhill for the night with a plan to meet back here tomorrow evening. The following morning, I asked Kie to convince her parents I was sick and unable to come in for my shift for the next few days, reality being the still dark bruise around my throat would have given them an instant reason for concern.

JJ had packed up the Twinkie that morning with our boards and drove us to a spot we had found a couple years ago that was hidden from tourists. Pope and Kie met us there with food and drinks and we spent the rest of the day on the water or laying on the sand. Sitting in the sand I watched Pope catch a wave and Kie cheered him on, as he started gloating JJ came by and flipped his board over. I laughed as Pope did the same to Kie who was laughing at him as well. This truly was paradise on earth.

"Hey." JJ called running up to me placing his board in the sand next to me lying down pushing himself up on his arm, so he was facing me.

"Hey." I smiled at him keeping my eyes on the horizon listening to the waves as the crashed against the beach.

"Whatchya thinking about?" he asked as he shook his hair of the dripping water. I flinched with a giggle as the water drops hit my arm. I didn't answer him right away just took a breath of the salty sea air. I felt him nudge my leg softly and I turned to see him scowling at me. "You good?"

"This… its easy to forget everything else going on in the world around us. Easy to get lost." I sighed. "Guess I just want to live in this feeling forever, this calm." I watched as he nodded looking out at our friends still in the water splashing each other.

"Let's do it." He said finally and turned to stare at him in confusion.

"Do what?" I asked. Sitting up he took my hand from around my knee and ran his thumb over my knuckle.

"Get lost… together…" he stated hesitantly. "Lets just leave, you and me, forget the past and just live away from all of it."

"Just leave?" I repeated raising an eyebrow an amused smile on my face. He shrugged and looked away almost embarrassed, I could see the slightest blush reaching his cheeks.

"I mean I got nothing keeping me here, and you… I mean what's truly keeping us here?" he asked.

Taking a deep breath, I pulled my hand away gently and hugging it around my legs as I brought them to my chest. "You asked me yesterday why I did what I did… I… I thought I was going to lose you. It scares me thinking I will lose you… and it scares me that I feel that way."

"I…" I started to say, my voice cracking forcing me to clear my throat. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath. "I love you." I said and he stared at me his eyes widening surprised at the words that I had said, just as surprised I was that they left my mouth. I had said the words before, but it was never more then saying it to Kie or John B as friends. He opened his mouth to reply but I put my finger up to stop him. "When I think of what that is… what love is…"

"I've never felt it, at least not that I remember. But when I think of what it should feel like… It's the butterflies I get when I am with you, it's the tightening of my heart when you disappear, it's the hurt I feel when you are hurting." For whatever reason my eyes began to well with tears and my hands started to shake slightly. "I know it sounds weird, and I don't expect any response but I just, the thought of you being taken away, or leaving… I did what I did because none of what I gave up meant anything if it meant losing you, and…"

As I continued to ramble, I had turned away from him and didn't see him move. Before I could continue his lips were on mine, both hands cupping my face his thumb brushing a stray tear as it slid down my cheek.

"If that's what it is, if that's what it feels like." He whispered his forehead leaning on mine. "I love you too." I pulled away, far enough so I could look at him and search his ocean blue eyes.

"Really?" I asked and he nodded pulling me to him again our lips colliding again. I smiled against him as he pushed me down onto my back. He propped himself over me with his forearm by my head his other hand trailing down from its place at the side of my face down my neck. It traced a line down my side to the hem of the oversized shirt I was wearing, his fingers teasing the skin at my hip.

"Get a room!" Pope yelled from the water, and I couldn't help but laugh, both my hands hold his face as his hand moved from my side to stick his middle finger up at Pope. Pulling away he rolled to his back, his arm that had been holding him wrapped itself around me, so I was laying on his shoulder, my hand tracing down his bear front, tracing each curve and ripple on his skin.

"So… just leave huh?" I asked after we lay in silence for a few minutes. "Just go?"

"We help John B out we do this, use our cut of the gold and just go." He nodded his arm leaving a warm trail under my shirt up my back. I propped myself up, my chin on the back of my hand that laid on his chest so I could look at him. He turned his head, so he met my eyes.

"Let's do it." I stated

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." I smiled laying my head down again. I felt his check move as he laughed, and he curled the arm behind me so he was holding me tightly to him.