The sun was beating down on the Outer Banks, the salty air thick with the promise of adventure. Sarah Cameron stood on the edge of the docks, the vast ocean stretching out in front of her like a blank canvas, waiting to be painted with the next chapter of their wild lives. The Pogues were back together after yet another harrowing escape, and despite everything they had been through—betrayal, treasure hunts, and near-death experiences—they were all still standing. Well, most of them.

"Where the hell is JJ?" Sarah muttered under her breath, shading her eyes with one hand as she scanned the beach for any sign of their resident wild card.

John B. Routledge, who was lounging on the boat, tilted his head back lazily. "Probably convincing some tourist to give him free beers or a boat we'll inevitably have to steal."

Kiara "Kie" Carrera leaned against a nearby post, arms crossed with an exasperated grin. "More like getting into some kind of trouble we'll have to bail him out of. Again."

Pope Heyward chuckled from where he was tinkering with a fishing net. "Classic JJ."

Cleo, the newest addition to their misfit crew, rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile. "That boy has a death wish, I swear."

Just as Sarah was about to give up and call JJ's phone for the hundredth time, she heard the unmistakable sound of someone running down the dock at full speed.

"Guys, guys!" JJ Maybank appeared in the distance, sprinting toward them with his usual chaotic energy. His blond hair was wind-swept, his shirt untucked, and he was grinning from ear to ear. "I got us a boat!"

John B. raised an eyebrow. "You what?"

"A boat!" JJ repeated, skidding to a stop in front of them, panting slightly but still beaming with pride. "I told you guys I had a plan, and guess what? I delivered."

"Wait, you actually got us a boat?" Sarah asked, half skeptical, half impressed.

JJ nodded enthusiastically. "Hell yeah! It's not, you know, a yacht or anything. But it'll get us where we need to go."

Kie's face lit up. "Where did you even find a boat?"

JJ gave her a wink. "Let's just say a little charm and a whole lot of convincing were involved. But it's docked over there, and it's ours for the day."

Pope shook his head, smiling despite himself. "Man, I don't even want to know what you had to promise."

JJ just grinned, clapping his hands together. "Doesn't matter. The point is, we've got a boat, and we're ready to roll."

John B. stretched, hopping off the boat he'd been lounging on and making his way over to JJ. "Alright then, let's see it."


The boat JJ had secured wasn't exactly glamorous. In fact, it was barely more than a beat-up old fishing boat, but it was theirs, and that was good enough. As the Pogues piled onto the vessel, there was a collective feeling of excitement in the air. They were always at their best when they were out on the water, chasing something bigger than themselves.

"Where are we headed anyway?" Kie asked as she took her place at the front of the boat, her eyes on the horizon.

JJ, who was at the helm, shrugged casually. "I figured we'd just go where the wind takes us. That's always been our style, right?"

John B. grinned. "No plan, no destination. Just us and the ocean."

"These days I'm trying to find my purpose, sometimes it's hard to see through the surface…"

Sarah glanced at John B., her smile faltering for just a moment. She loved the freedom of the open water, the way the world felt wide open when they were out here. But lately, she had been feeling more and more lost. The treasure, the danger, the secrets—it was all starting to take its toll.

"You good?" John B. asked, his voice low enough so the others wouldn't overhear.

Sarah nodded quickly, brushing off her doubts. "Yeah, just thinking."

John B. tilted his head, studying her for a second. "You sure?"

Sarah forced a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Really."

Before John B. could push any further, Cleo called out from her spot near the back of the boat. "Yo, anyone else feeling like we need a little more excitement? We can't just drift all day."

JJ grinned, the familiar spark of mischief lighting up his eyes. "Don't worry, Cleo. I've got a feeling something's coming our way."

And as if on cue, the engine of the boat sputtered and then died, leaving them bobbing in the middle of the ocean.

"Seriously, JJ?" Pope groaned, shaking his head. "You said this boat was good for the day."

"It was!" JJ insisted, hitting the dashboard a couple of times for good measure. "I mean, mostly."

Kie raised an eyebrow. "Mostly?"

JJ shrugged helplessly. "Okay, so maybe it's a little more beat-up than I thought, but it's not like I can just magically fix it."

"Actually, you can," Pope said, pulling out his tools. "Step aside, let the genius work."

JJ held his hands up in surrender, backing away from the controls. "By all means, Einstein, have at it."


While Pope worked on the engine, the rest of them sprawled out on the boat, soaking up the sun and enjoying the rare moment of peace.

"So, what's the plan after this?" Cleo asked, leaning back with her arms behind her head. "We just gonna drift our way into another crazy treasure hunt, or what?"

John B. smiled lazily, glancing over at her. "Isn't that always the plan?"

Kie chuckled. "Knowing us, something will fall into our laps whether we like it or not."

"I know we're all just searching for the answers…"

Sarah was quiet, watching the waves as they rocked the boat. She had always loved the feeling of being out on the water, but lately, she couldn't help but feel like she was adrift in more ways than one. The endless cycle of danger and uncertainty was starting to wear on her.

"You okay, Sarah?" Kie asked gently, sitting down beside her.

Sarah sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I don't know. I feel like we're always running, always looking for something. But what are we actually chasing?"

Kie gave her a sympathetic look. "I get it. Sometimes it feels like we're just spinning in circles."

John B., who had overheard their conversation, scooted over and put an arm around Sarah. "Maybe it's not about what we're chasing. Maybe it's just about being together. That's what makes it worth it, right?"

Sarah looked up at him, her heart warming a little. "Yeah. You're right."

"But lonely people make the best lovers, I guess we're all just searching for the same thing…"

JJ, ever the troublemaker, jumped up from his spot and declared, "Alright, enough of the existential talk! I say we swim while Pope figures out the engine."

Cleo grinned, pulling off her shirt and diving into the water without hesitation. "Now that's a plan."

The others quickly followed suit, laughing and splashing as they jumped into the cool ocean. For a while, they just floated, letting the worries of the world slip away with the waves.

JJ, always the life of the party, swam over to Sarah and John B., splashing them both with a wide grin. "See? We don't need treasure. We've got this."

John B. rolled his eyes but smiled. "You're impossible, man."

"And you love me for it," JJ shot back, winking at Sarah.

Sarah couldn't help but laugh. Despite everything—the chaos, the danger, the uncertainty—this was what mattered. Being here, with the people she loved, in the moment.


Eventually, Pope managed to get the engine working again, and they all climbed back onto the boat, still dripping wet but grinning from ear to ear. The sun was beginning to set, casting a warm, orange glow across the water.

As they sailed back toward the Outer Banks, JJ stood at the helm, steering the boat with his usual reckless abandon, while the rest of the Pogues lounged in the back, enjoying the view.

"We should do this more often," Cleo said, stretching out on the bench.

John B. nodded, pulling Sarah close. "Yeah. No treasure, no danger. Just us."

Pope, always the practical one, added, "Well, maybe a little treasure wouldn't hurt."

Kie laughed, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Okay, but next time, let's make sure the boat works before we take off."

JJ grinned from the front of the boat. "Where's the fun in that?"

Sarah smiled, resting her head against John B.'s chest as the wind whipped through her hair. For the first time in a long time, she felt at peace. She didn't know what tomorrow would bring, but for now, this moment—this wild, ridiculous, perfect moment—was all she needed.

And as the boat sailed toward the horizon, the Pogues laughed, teased, and bickered, all while knowing that no matter what came next, they'd face it together. Because that's what family did.

Even when they were just a bunch of lonely people chasing something bigger than themselves.