Hurricane- JJ Maybank (Outer Banks)

26.

My body stung in pain. I hadn't felt this type of pain in a while but I was playing it off. I had just been shot- or had I? I opened my eyes and saw Rafe, he was just standing there. The gun was still smoking. Ward came up to him and pulled him back. He was saying something but I couldn't make it out, the gunshot was loud. It reminded me of when I passed out on the beach, after JJ shot his gun. They looked to me and then ran. John B was standing behind them with Sarah. They just stood there, staring. They didn't move, not even to chase after the Cameron's.

"Guys?" I said, touching all over my body.

"Rachel? Are you okay?" I heard a voice from beside me.

In that moment, I knew what had happened.

I looked over to see JJ, his cap falling from his head. His hair was over his face again, like it always was. This man really needed a haircut or a hairstylist. I looked down and saw blood seeping from his shirt.

"No. No. No." I said, moving over to him. I put my hands over his wound, feeling the blood seeping out.

"JJ. JJ. Hey. Hey. It's me. I'm here." I lifted his head up, but he fell into my shoulder.  Blood was running down his face.

"I- I saved you. I did it." He laughed, more blood coming from his mouth.

"J, why did you do this? Why did you do this? It was supposed to be me, not you. No. Not you." I looked back to see John B on his knees. "Call the ambulance. Someone, please- call!" I was screaming, tears beginning to blur my vision.

I looked back to JJ, who had a giant smile on his face.

"Hey. Don't cry." He was trying to hold on to me but he was too weak.

"JJ. I- I can't do this without you. Why? Why did you do this? You don't deserve this."

"You have a life to live, remember? I'm just a deadbeat pogue, no ones going to miss me. You have so much potential. You're going to be a great wife and a great mother someday. You're not ready to die, not yet. It's my time, okay?" His hand went to my face, and I held it there for support.

"No. You aren't. You aren't- I love you. You can't die. No. I love you, goddamnit. You can't leave me. You can't leave us. We still have to prove your dad wrong, that you're capable. The gold- we have to get it. For us. We could run away. We could get married."

"That sounds nice. I love you too." He choked on his words.

"JJ, this isn't goodbye. You aren't going. Not yet. Listen to me. Stay awake okay? Stay awake."

"You're so beautiful, Rachel McDaniels. I'm never going to forget us. Even if it was short lived."

"JJ. stop it. I hate you right now. Don't say that. This isn't over. You still owe me that date. Remember? The real one? Like you see in movies? I'll get all dressed up and you can show me off?"

"Maybe in the next lifetime. Please move on, don't forget about me too easily though. I love you cupcake."

"How could I ever forget about you? I'm never moving on. You're my one. You're my best friend, you are my everything. Goddamnit, stay awake!" He kept sinking down but with grabbing on to him tightly, he sat up. I still kept pressure on his wound, which was still bleeding out profusely.

I heard sirens in the background as John B came up to his side. Tears were running down his face as he helped me apply pressure.

"Hey, bro. You're looking great." JJ coughed, holding on to John B's shirt.

"You're not looking too bad yourself. Stay awake, okay? They're coming. You're going to be just fine."

"Let me just tell you. Thank you for bringing this blessing into my life- don't laugh. Let me be cheesy for a minute. She saved me. She really did. She helped me change. She's the best thing that's ever happened to me- besides you and the others of course. I wish I could repay you, man."

"No need. She is great isn't she?" John B laughed, grasping my hand.

"She really is. I love her. I finally told her. I took your advice. I scored too." He started to laugh, which caused more blood to fall from his mouth.

"Congrats bro. I'd high five you but my hands are a bit busy right now."

I just sat there and cried, trying to get my last looks at him. This was all my fault.

"Hey, you're being awfully quiet."

I was just glad he was still talking.

"I'm just listening to you talk, sweetheart."

"Sweetheart? That's a new one. I knew you liked the nicknames."

"Cupcake is starting to stick."

"Good, cupcake. That was always my favorite one." I saw his eyes fade into the sky and his body sink down into our arms.

"J?"

"JJ? Hey." John B tried moving him but he was limp.

"JJ?" I felt my heart sink as the ambulance pulled up.

"What happened?"

"Rafe Cameron shot him, he was just talking to us. He just stopped." John B started talking for me, I was frozen. I didn't know how to speak, I almost forgot how to speak.

"Alright. Let us take over."

I saw his limp body being handled by them. I looked down, my entire body shaking. I couldn't control it, blood all over my entire body. Some mine, some his. I looked back up to John B as they put him into the ambulance.

"Are one of you coming with?"

"Can we both fit?"

"Sure."

John B picked me up and carried me into the ambulance as they began to drive off. Tears were blurring my vision.

"He's not going to make it." I heard one of them say.

His body was shaking as they were trying to revive him. I looked away and placed my head into John B's chest. I couldn't watch.

"How long was he out again?"

"Maybe a few seconds."

"We're going to try our best."

John B's head rested over mine as he ran his hand over mine. He grasped mine into his and squeezed hard.

"This is all my fault. He wanted to die for me. He basically just gave up. He gave up."

"It's not your fault." John B whispered into my ear.

"It is! I came to help you and I thought Ward would listen to me but I was wrong. Then, Rafe shows up and I pissed him off on purpose and I was going to die. I told him to do it. I was just so done, and JJ jumped in front of me. Why would he do that?"

"He loves you. He cares about you. He didn't want you to get hurt just like you didn't want him to get hurt. You shouldn't have came after me. I was okay."

"I didn't know that. You didn't seem okay. I wanted to help you, since you helped me."

"Oh, Rachel. You don't have to repay me ever. I just wanted to help you get better since you were there when my dad went missing. I know how it feels to lose someone."

"We're gonna lose him now. It's all my fault."

"Shhh, it's okay. It's going to be okay."

I was crying so hard that breathing was beginning to feel impossible. I was trying not to scream out, keeping my emotions inside. It was my fault, it was my fault that JJ wasn't breathing. It was maybe my fault why he would be dead soon.