John B. Routledge leaned back on the rusted dock, the smell of saltwater and gasoline filling the air as he stared out at the sun setting over the Outer Banks. It was one of those perfect evenings where the breeze was just right, and the waves lapped lazily against the dock, like everything was in harmony—everything except his thoughts. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was changing, that this perfect moment was about to slip through his fingers.
"Hey, John B, you good?" JJ Maybank's voice cut through his thoughts. He was sprawled out on the dock next to him, a grin plastered on his face as he tossed a shell into the water.
"Yeah, just thinking," John B replied, but the truth was, his mind was all over the place. He looked down the dock at Sarah Cameron, who was chatting with Kiara Carrera and Cleo, all of them laughing about something, their voices carrying on the wind. She looked so happy, but there was a distance between them lately, like something unspoken was pulling them apart.
"Uh-oh, that's dangerous," JJ teased, nudging John B with his elbow. "Thinking always gets us into trouble."
John B smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. He couldn't help but feel like the golden summer they had shared was coming to an end. The hunt for treasure, the adrenaline-filled days—it had all brought them closer together. But now, as the days grew longer and their lives started to settle, it was like everything was shifting.
Pope Heyward, ever the serious one, walked over, wiping his hands on a towel after working on the boat. "What's up with you, John B? You're spacing out more than usual."
Before John B could respond, Cleo chimed in, her voice playful. "Let me guess, you're thinking about how you're gonna screw up this perfect moment?"
JJ laughed loudly, throwing another shell into the water. "Yeah, sounds about right."
John B rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the weight of their teasing. "I'm just trying to figure out what's next. You know, after everything we've been through, it's like... what now?"
Pope, always practical, shrugged. "We rebuild, man. We've got each other, and that's enough. The rest will fall into place."
Kiara, overhearing the conversation, walked over with a smirk. "Oh, come on, John B. You're overthinking it again. You've got Sarah, we've got each other, and we're alive. Isn't that enough?"
John B glanced over at Sarah, who smiled back at him, but there was something in her eyes—something distant. He tried to shake it off, but the feeling lingered.
Later that night, the group sat around a bonfire, the warmth of the flames chasing away the chill in the air. JJ strummed on his guitar, and Pope was deep into one of his classic rants about history, while Kiara and Cleo roasted marshmallows and made fun of him.
But John B couldn't stop thinking about Sarah. She had been quieter than usual lately, like she was holding something back. He knew the feeling all too well—the way life could pull you in different directions, no matter how hard you tried to stay rooted in one place.
As the fire crackled and the others laughed, Sarah stood up and walked down to the edge of the water, her arms wrapped around herself as she stared out at the ocean.
John B watched her go, his heart sinking. He followed her, his footsteps soft on the sand as he joined her by the water.
"Sarah," he said quietly, his voice barely above the sound of the waves. "What's going on?"
She didn't look at him right away, her eyes fixed on the horizon. "I don't know, John B. I just feel... off. Like something's changing, and I don't know what to do about it."
John B swallowed hard, his chest tightening. "Are we talking about us? Because if something's wrong—"
Sarah shook her head quickly, cutting him off. "No, it's not you. I love you, John B. It's just... this place. Everything we've been through. I feel like I've been trying to fit into this life, but sometimes I wonder if I'm supposed to be somewhere else."
John B's heart sank. He had been afraid of this. "Like where?"
Sarah finally turned to look at him, her eyes filled with conflict. "I don't know. My family's gone, and this place, the Outer Banks—it's your world. It's where you belong. But me? I don't know if I belong anywhere anymore."
John B felt a lump in his throat as he tried to find the right words. "Sarah, you belong here. With me. We can figure it out, whatever it is. I need you."
She gave him a sad smile, stepping closer and resting her head on his shoulder. "I know. And I need you too. But sometimes, it feels like I'm living someone else's life. Like I'm trying to be something I'm not."
John B's mind flashed back to the lyrics of "dorothea": "It's never too late to come back to my side. The stars in your eyes shined brighter in Tupelo..." He had always seen Sarah as the girl who lit up the world around her, but now, he wondered if she was dimming in a place where she didn't quite fit.
"Then let's find your place," he said softly, his hand brushing a strand of hair from her face. "We'll figure it out, together."
The next day, they set out on the HMS Pogue, sailing through the familiar waters that had become their refuge. JJ was in his element, cracking jokes and shouting instructions at Pope and Cleo as they argued over who got to steer.
Kiara sat next to John B, glancing over at him with concern. "You and Sarah okay?"
John B sighed, leaning back against the boat's railing. "I don't know. She's struggling. She's trying to figure out where she belongs."
Kiara nodded, her expression thoughtful. "I get it. We've been through so much, and sometimes it feels like everything's different, even when it's the same."
John B nodded, watching as Sarah stood at the front of the boat, her hair whipping in the wind. "I just don't want to lose her."
Kiara smiled softly. "You won't. She loves you, John B. But sometimes, you have to let people figure things out for themselves."
That night, as the sun set and they anchored the boat near the shoreline, the group gathered around a small campfire on the beach. JJ was in rare form, telling wild stories about their past adventures, making everyone laugh until their sides hurt.
But Sarah remained quiet, her gaze distant as she stared into the flames.
John B leaned over, his voice soft. "You want to take a walk?"
Sarah nodded, and the two of them got up, walking along the shoreline as the waves crashed against the sand.
"Do you remember when we first met?" John B asked, breaking the silence.
Sarah smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Yeah. You were this scruffy, rebellious kid who didn't know when to quit."
John B chuckled. "Still am, I guess."
Sarah shook her head, her smile fading. "You've changed, John B. We all have. But that's not a bad thing."
John B stopped walking, turning to face her. "Sarah, if you need to go, if you need to figure things out, I won't stop you. But I want you to know that no matter where you are, no matter what you decide... you always have a place with me."
Sarah's eyes filled with tears, and she stepped closer, wrapping her arms around him. "I don't want to leave you, John B. But I do need to find my own way. I need to figure out who I am, outside of all of this."
John B held her close, his heart aching but understanding. "I get it. I just want you to be happy."
She pulled back slightly, looking up at him. "I will be. And we'll figure it out together, no matter what."
As they stood there, the waves crashing behind them, John B realized that this was what love was—letting go when you needed to, trusting that it would come back if it was meant to be.
And as the stars appeared in the sky, he knew that no matter what happened next, they would always find their way back to each other.
Because in the end, they were more than just the Pogues—they were a family.
