Chapter 4: Holding it Together

The next few days passed in a blur as reality began to settle in. The excitement of the treasure hunt and the gravity of Sarah's pregnancy had kicked in, but life didn't stop for them. They still had school, exams, and the day-to-day grind of just getting by.

For Sarah, transferring to the public school wasn't the smoothest transition. She had been used to a life of privilege, but now she was just trying to blend in, stay close to John B, and avoid her family's lingering shadow. Every hallway she walked down reminded her of the distance between her old life and this new, uncertain reality. The whispers followed her too, from people who remembered the Cameron name, who still associated her with the downfall of her family. It was exhausting, like trying to outrun ghosts she couldn't shake.

It was March now, and their final exams loomed over them like a dark cloud. May wasn't far off, and if they wanted to graduate, they needed to focus. But with everything else going on, school felt almost like an afterthought.

John B sat in his usual spot at the kitchen table, hunched over a pile of textbooks and his dad's journal. His mind kept drifting back and forth between his schoolwork and the notes about the treasure. He was pulled in too many directions—graduation, the baby, the treasure hunt, and the pressure of being Sarah's support. Each piece of his life felt like a weight pressing down on him, but he didn't want to crack. He couldn't crack. Not when Sarah needed him to be strong.

Across from him, Sarah's head was buried in a textbook, trying to catch up on the assignments she had been ignoring for the past week. School was the last thing on her mind, but she knew she couldn't just let it slide. She'd already transferred to the public school to be closer to John B, and she wasn't about to fail now.

"I'm never going to get through all this," Sarah muttered, flipping a page in frustration. Her mind wasn't in it—not after everything they'd been through, not with the appointment hanging over her head.

John B glanced over at her, giving her a small smile. "You'll get through it. We both will. May's not that far off, and once we're done, we can focus on everything else."

Sarah sighed, her eyes flicking down to her stomach. She wasn't showing yet, but the thought of a baby growing inside her was hard to ignore. "Yeah, and then the real fun begins, right?"

John B reached over, squeezing her hand gently. "We've faced worse," he said, his voice quiet but reassuring. "We've got this.

"Across the room, Kiara, Pope, and JJ were huddled over their own books, trying to keep up with school while still working on their plans for the treasure hunt. Kiara had insisted they all stay focused on their final exams. If they didn't pass, none of them would be able to leave, and she was determined not to get stuck in Kildare for another year.

"JJ, I swear, if you don't pass this time…" Kiara warned, her eyes narrowing at him over the top of her biology textbook.

JJ held up his hands defensively. "Hey, I'm trying! But you know school's not my thing. I'm more of a 'hands-on' kind of guy."

Kiara rolled her eyes but smiled. "Yeah, well, we all need to get through this. If we don't pass, we're not going anywhere. No treasure hunting, no escaping this town."

Pope, ever the studious one, was already halfway through his assignments. "We've got time. But we need to stay on top of it. Once May hits, we're free."

"Free to what?" JJ grinned. "Find treasure and live out our days like pirates?"

Kiara shot him a look. "Free to do whatever we want. But that doesn't happen if we fail out."

Sarah leaned back in her chair, her mind drifting away from school for a moment. She had another thing to worry about before graduation. "I need to make an appointment," she said quietly, more to herself than to anyone else.

John B glanced at her, his smile fading slightly. "For the baby?"

Sarah nodded. "Yeah. If I'm doing this, I need to make sure everything's okay. I haven't exactly been… careful lately."

Kiara looked up from her textbook, her eyes softening. "I can go with you, if you want. You don't have to do it alone."

Sarah smiled, grateful for the offer. "Thanks, Ki. I think I'll take you up on that."

John B gave Sarah's hand another squeeze. "I'll be there too. We'll figure out a time around school."

Sarah nodded, feeling a small wave of relief. She had been dreading the appointment, dreading the thought of something being wrong. But having them there, supporting her, made it a little less terrifying.

As the group settled in for the night, Kiara noticed that Sarah had wandered off to sit by herself on the back porch. It was dark, with only the faint glow of the stars above and the cool breeze from the ocean brushing through the trees. The fire in the distance crackled softly, but Sarah seemed far away, lost in thought.

Kiara grabbed a blanket and draped it over her shoulders before heading out to join her. She found Sarah sitting on the porch steps, knees pulled up to her chest, her arms wrapped tightly around them.

"Mind if I join you?" Kiara asked softly

Sarah shook her head, barely glancing up. "No, I don't mind."

Kiara sat beside her, pulling the blanket tighter around herself. They sat in silence for a moment, the cool night air wrapping around them both. After a while, Kiara broke the quiet.

"You know… I've been meaning to tell you," she began, her voice gentle. "I think you're stronger than you realise, Sarah."

Sarah let out a small, humourless laugh, resting her chin on her knees. "I don't feel strong, Ki. I feel like I'm barely holding it together most of the time."

Kiara looked at her, really looked at her, the soft glow of the moon casting shadows across Sarah's face. She could see the exhaustion in her eyes, the weight of everything they had been through. But there was something else too—something that Sarah might not have noticed herself.

"You are," Kiara said firmly. "Look at everything you've been through. Your family, Ward, Rafe… everything with the treasure. You've survived it all. And now, this baby? You're handling more than anyone our age should ever have to deal with, and you're still standing."

Sarah shook her head, her voice trembling. "I don't know how much longer I can keep standing, Ki. I'm scared shitless." She swallowed hard, her eyes welling up with tears. "I see John B trying so hard to be strong for me, but I can tell he's scared too. He's holding it all in, trying to pretend like we've got this figured out, but… what if we don't?"

Kiara's heart ached for her friend, and she reached out, placing a hand on Sarah's arm. "It's okay to be scared, Sarah. We're all scared. But you don't have to do this alone. You've got John B, and you've got all of us. We're in this together."

Sarah sniffed, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "If it weren't for you guys… I don't know if I could do this. I don't know if I'd even want to." Her voice broke slightly, and she turned to Kiara, her vulnerability laid bare. "I'm terrified, Ki. What if I'm not good at this? What if I can't be a good mom? I've never had a real mom. I don't even know what that looks like."

Kiara shifted closer, pulling Sarah into a side hug. "You don't have to know everything right now. None of us do. But you're already doing something amazing—you're facing it. And you've got a family now. We've got your back, no matter what happens."

Sarah rested her head on Kiara's shoulder, letting the tears fall freely now. "I don't feel strong," she whispered.

Kiara smiled softly, brushing a strand of hair away from Sarah's face. "That's the thing about strength—you don't always feel it. But I see it in you every day."

They sat there like that for a while, neither of them saying much more. It was a quiet moment, but one that made Sarah feel a little less alone, a little more understood.

After a while, Sarah pulled away, wiping her face and offering a small, tired smile. "Thanks, Ki. I needed that."

Kiara nodded, giving her a reassuring squeeze. "Anytime. We're all here for you. Don't forget that."

Sarah, Kiara, and John B sat in the waiting room of the local clinic, the sterile smell of disinfectant hanging heavy in the air. Sarah fidgeted with her hands, her heart racing as she waited for her name to be called.

Kiara sat beside her, offering silent support. She hadn't said much since Sarah had told her about the pregnancy, but she had made it clear from the start that she had Sarah's back, no matter what.

"You okay?" Kiara asked softly, glancing over at Sarah.

Sarah nodded, though her face was pale. "Yeah. I think so."

John B, sitting on Sarah's other side, reached over and took her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. He didn't say anything, but the gesture was enough to calm her nerves, at least a little.

"Sarah Cameron?" a nurse called from the door, glancing around the waiting room.

Sarah stood, her legs feeling shaky, and followed the nurse inside with John B and Kiara close behind.

The ultrasound room was small, dimly lit, and strangely calming. Sarah lay on the exam table, her heart racing as the technician prepared the ultrasound equipment. John B stood by her side, holding her hand, while Kiara leaned against the wall, her arms crossed but her eyes filled with quiet concern.

The gel was cold against Sarah's stomach, and she tensed, her breath catching in her throat. This was it—the moment where everything became real.

The technician moved the wand across Sarah's abdomen, the screen flickering to life with grainy black-and-white images. For a few seconds, there was only static, and then...

A tiny flicker.

"There it is," the technician said with a small smile. "That's your baby."

Sarah's breath hitched as she stared at the screen, her eyes wide. She hadn't known what to expect, but seeing the little flicker of the heartbeat made everything real in a way she hadn't been prepared for.

John B's hand tightened around hers, and she glanced over at him. His face was pale, his eyes locked on the screen. He looked scared—but there was something else there, too. Something softer, more hopeful.

The technician pointed to the flickering spot on the screen. "You're measuring about eight weeks along. The baby looks healthy, and the heartbeat is strong."

Sarah blinked back tears, her emotions swirling in a way that left her speechless. She hadn't expected this. She hadn't expected to feel anything other than fear. But now... now she wasn't so sure.

John B leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "We're gonna be okay," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.

Sarah closed her eyes, letting the tears fall. She wasn't sure if they were tears of relief or fear or something else entirely, but for the first time since she had found out about the baby, she felt like maybe—just maybe—things might turn out okay.

Back at the Chateau, the group gathered around the fire pit, their odd jobs for the day complete. The sky was dark, the air cool, and the smell of saltwater lingered on the breeze.

"So... how'd it go?" JJ asked, leaning back in his chair, his legs stretched out in front of him.

Sarah smiled softly, glancing at John B. "It went... good. The baby's healthy."

"That's good to hear," Pope said, nodding as he poked the fire with a stick.

Kiara nudged Sarah gently. "You doing okay?"

Sarah nodded, though her smile was small. "Yeah. I think so."

The group fell into a comfortable silence, the crackling of the fire the only sound for a while. It was peaceful, in a way they hadn't felt in a long time. For once, it didn't feel like the world was crashing down around them.

But they all knew it wouldn't last forever.