John B. Routledge sat on the edge of the dock, staring out at the water as the sun set over the horizon. The waves lapped against the sides of the Pogues' boat, creating a rhythm that should have been soothing, but tonight, his mind was racing. It had been weeks since their latest adventure—a wild, reckless chase for treasure that had almost cost them everything—and now, things were starting to fall apart. He could feel it in the way his friends had become distant, in the way Sarah Cameron barely looked at him anymore.

The lyrics of Taylor Swift's "Death By A Thousand Cuts" played in his mind: "I look through the windows of this love, even though we boarded them up..." That's how it felt between him and Sarah lately—like they were living in a boarded-up version of their old romance, with cracks starting to show in every conversation. They used to be unstoppable together, but now... now everything seemed broken.

Behind him, the rest of the Pogues were scattered around the dock. JJ Maybank was pacing near the boat, restless as always, while Kiara Carrera and Pope Heyward sat on the edge, their voices low as they talked. Cleo leaned against a nearby post, her sharp eyes scanning the horizon, ever the watchful one.

John B. heard footsteps approaching and turned to see Sarah walking toward him, her arms crossed over her chest. She looked conflicted, her usual confidence dimmed by the tension that had been growing between them.

"Hey," she said softly, stopping just a few feet away.

"Hey," John B. replied, his voice thick with emotion. He hated this distance between them, this awkwardness that had never been there before. "What's up?"

Sarah sighed, sitting down beside him on the dock. For a moment, they just sat there in silence, watching the waves, neither of them knowing how to break the ice.

"I've been thinking," Sarah began, her voice quiet but steady. "About us. About everything."

John B.'s heart tightened in his chest. He had been dreading this conversation for days, but he knew it was coming. "Yeah?"

Sarah nodded, picking at the edge of the dock with her fingers. "I don't know how we got here, John B. It's like... we used to be so in sync, and now I feel like I don't even know what we're doing anymore."

John B. swallowed hard, trying to find the right words. "I know. I feel it too. But I don't want to lose this, Sarah. I don't want to lose you."

Sarah looked at him, her eyes filled with a mix of sadness and frustration. "I don't want to lose you either. But it feels like every time we try to fix things, something else comes up—another treasure, another danger. I don't know if we can keep doing this."

John B. felt a wave of panic wash over him. He couldn't imagine his life without Sarah, not after everything they had been through together. But she was right—their relationship had taken a beating, and they hadn't had a moment to breathe since... well, since they found each other.

"I get it," John B. said, his voice rough. "But we're not just a treasure hunt, Sarah. We're more than that. We can figure this out."

Sarah bit her lip, looking down at the water. "I hope so."


Meanwhile, on the other side of the dock, JJ was pacing in circles, his energy at a breaking point. He couldn't stand sitting still, not when there was so much tension hanging in the air. He had noticed the way things had shifted between John B. and Sarah, and it was making him restless. He hated seeing his best friend so torn up, but at the same time, there was nothing he could do to fix it.

"JJ, chill," Cleo called out, her voice calm but firm. "You're making everyone nervous with all that pacing."

JJ stopped, turning to look at her with a grin. "I'm always making people nervous, Cleo. That's just who I am."

Cleo rolled her eyes but smiled back. "Fair enough."

Pope, who had been listening to JJ and Cleo's banter, sighed and shook his head. "We've been through crazier stuff than this, man. We'll figure it out. We always do."

JJ snorted. "Yeah, but it's not just about treasure this time. You know that, right? John B. and Sarah are practically falling apart, and we're just supposed to act like everything's fine?"

Pope glanced over at John B. and Sarah, who were still sitting by the water, their conversation heavy with unspoken words. "They'll figure it out. They always do."

Kiara, who had been unusually quiet, suddenly spoke up. "Maybe it's not about figuring it out this time. Maybe it's about letting things happen."

JJ looked at her, confused. "What do you mean?"

Kiara shrugged, her gaze distant. "I mean, maybe we've been so focused on fighting for everything—fighting for the treasure, fighting to stay together—that we forgot to just... be. Maybe John B. and Sarah need to figure out if they're still right for each other without all the chaos."

JJ frowned, clearly not liking that idea. "So what, we just sit back and let them break up? That doesn't sound like us, Kie."

Kiara sighed. "I don't want them to break up. But maybe they need space to figure it out on their own."

Cleo nodded in agreement. "She's right. Sometimes you can't force things. They'll either find their way back to each other, or they won't."

JJ ran a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated. "Great. So we're just supposed to do nothing?"

Pope smiled softly. "For once, yeah. I think that's exactly what we need to do."


The night wore on, and as the moon hung high in the sky, John B. and Sarah continued to talk—about their fears, their frustrations, and their love for each other. It was a long conversation, filled with pauses and heavy silences, but by the time the stars were twinkling overhead, they both felt lighter.

"I don't want to give up on us," Sarah said finally, her voice soft but steady. "But I need to know that we're more than just surviving, you know? I need to know that we're still us."

John B. nodded, his heart aching with the weight of her words. "I know. And I promise, Sarah, we are still us. We just... need to remember why we're doing this. Why we're fighting for each other."

Sarah smiled, the first real smile he had seen from her in days. "Yeah. We need to remember that we're in this together."


The next morning, the Pogues gathered at the marina, ready for whatever the day had in store. Despite the lingering tension between John B. and Sarah, there was a renewed sense of unity among them. They had been through hell together, and they weren't about to let anything—not even their own drama—tear them apart.

As they prepared to head out on the boat, JJ leaned over to John B., a grin on his face. "So, you and Sarah good now?"

John B. glanced over at Sarah, who was talking with Kiara near the boat. He smiled softly. "Yeah. We're good."

JJ slapped him on the back. "Good. 'Cause I was getting real tired of all the 'will they, won't they' stuff. It's like living in a soap opera with you two."

John B. laughed, feeling lighter than he had in weeks. "Thanks, JJ."

As they climbed onto the boat, Pope was already reviewing a new map they had found—a lead on the next step of their treasure hunt. But this time, there was no desperation in their actions, no frantic urgency. This time, they were just a group of friends, ready for whatever adventure lay ahead.

As the boat pulled away from the dock, the wind whipping through their hair, John B. felt a sense of peace settle over him. No matter what came next—whether it was treasure, danger, or more heartbreak—they had each other. And that was all they needed.

The lyrics of "Death By A Thousand Cuts" played softly in his mind as he looked around at his friends: "But it's not right now, but it's still right now..."

In this moment, it was enough. They were enough.

And no matter what cuts the future held, they would face them together.