-14-

 "This place, really?" Stella asks, as they head into the bell tower.

"Yeah, trust me." Sarah whispers before climbing the ladder.

 "...Hi" She whispers, John B must be up there already.

"Hey. Stella, you're here too?" He asks as she reaches the top. 

"Yup Im on bodyguard duty."

He chuckles slightly before turning back to Sarah, "I thought I'd never see you again"

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, are you?"

"I am"

Footsteps can be heard from below them, John B stands in front of Sarah as someone open the hatch. "Topper?" She questions.

"What are you doing here, Top?" John B yells.

"Hey. Just take it easy, man."

"Just don't fucking move."

"Let me- I just need to talk to Sarah. Please. It's not too smart, is it, meeting up with a fugitive like this?" He exclaims closing the hatch behind him. "Hey, Im not... Im not.. Im not gonna do anything ,all right? You're gonna try kill me too man."

"He didn't kill anyone." Sarah defends

"You kidding? He's brainwashed you, Sarah"

"Topper, What are you doing here?"  Stella interrupts.

"I could say the same to you Stella, defending a murderer are we?"

"No, Im just helping Sarah, making sure she's okay. You'd understand that."

"Yeah right. Hey everybody! He's up here!" Topper starts ringing the bell

"Shut up!" John B pushes him away from the bell as Sarah and Stella try to stop it from moving.

"Topper knock it off!"

"Im sorry" He pants as John B grabs his face. "Sarah I warned you about these Pogues, didn't I? I mean even Stella-"

"Don't finish that sentence." Stella points. 

"He's innocent." Sarah tells him.

"Then who did it, Sarah?"

"Rafe"

"What are you talking about?"

"Why would I say that my own brother did it... if it wasn't true?"

Topper turns to Stella "Is it true?"

"She wasn't there, I was Topper." Sarah explains before Stella could answer..

"Don't lie to me, Sarah."

"Sheriff Peterkin was trying to arrest my father, and then Rafe shot her."

"No"

"That's my brother. Why would I lie about that?" She asks as sirens approach

"Shit, guys."  Stella looks out the small window. "You gotta go."

"Sarah, you realise i'm the one that loves you." Topper starts.

"I don't care right now! Im sorry for what I did, but this isn't about you"

"Sarah you gotta realise that he doesn't love you." Topper continues.

"Guys- I smell smoke" Stella starts to panic but it doesn't stop Topper's rant.

"I can prove it. Just let me prove it Sarah."

"Fine then." She crosses her arms.

"Well, I got an idea."  Stella says and they all turn to her. 

As soon as Topper opens the door they are met with heckles. "That's him. The cop killer!"

"He's with someone"

"Get on your Knees, Routledge"

"Shoot him!"

Before they can shoot Topper kneels, "Don't shoot alright. it's Topper and Stella."

They both remove their hoods, Stella looks around at the all the people and spots Rafe. She glares at him for a second but he avoids her gaze.

"Just put the guns down." Topper tells them

"God dam it, what are you two doing?" Shoupe whispers.

"Do you really wanna know" Stella turns to him, wiggling her eyebrows.

"I don't know what they hell happened in there." Topper admits.

"That's bullshit. I ain't buying it. Stella it better not be that but you need to tell me what's going on"

Topper looks at her before saying, "Is this how you treat people who try to help people?"

"All right smart-ass. Thomas! Plumb! Talk to them."

"Hey Stella didn't do anything. She just got there when the fire started." Topper defends, taking Stella by surprise.

"This true Stella, you know who was in there?"

"Topper and the fire." She smiles innocently. "If you know what I mean."

"Whatever I don't have time for this. Get him in the car and Stella go home."

As Stella gets up, Shoupe grabs her arm, "Please tell me you didn't.... with Topper." He whispers.

"Why do you care?"

"Just... you can do better than that Stella."

"I know Shoupe." She smiles at him before walking over to Rafe and Kelce. "Don't fuck with me right now, did you start the fire?" 

"No-"

"Yeah." States Kelce, "But we didn't know Topper was in there."

"Ugh and me and Sarah."

"and a Killer." Adds Rafe.

"Oh really?" Stella  pretends to act shock.

"Why are you even here?" He spits.

" I was helping Sarah. Your sister"

"So John B was in there?" Kelce asks, Stella takes a deep breathe looking between the two of them.

"Don't know what you are on about." She shrugs walking off.

"God, she's so annoying." Rafe complains to Kelce, making Stella smile. 

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

"Hello?" Stella calls out as she arrives at the warehouse. "Kie? JJ?"

"Stella overhear." Kiara yells back.

"Wait where's Pope?" Stella asks as she spots the other two.

"He's on his way. Boy needs to hurry up though." As JJ explains to Stella someone enters the place.

"Pope finally" Kiara exclaims.

"Hey there. What's going on?" Rafe walks up to Kiara. "JJ? How you guys doing?"

"What are you doing here?" Stella crosses her arms as Barry walks in after Rafe.

"Whoo-hoo" Barry whistles, he points a gun at JJ. "See, don't think I forgot about me and you on the side of the road. Im here because I want my mother-fucking money" Barry attacks JJ, and Rafe pulls Kiara away. "That's what im here for!"

"Barry! Hurting him won't get your money any quicker." Stella pulls him off JJ.

"Yeah I know but it makes me feel better." He goes back to JJ but before Stella could stop him she's distracted by the fact Rafe had Kiara up against the wall.

"Where's John B" He asks her.

"I don't know" She slaps him

"I really wish you didn't do that"

"i know what you did."

"What? what did I do?"

"You murdered Peterkin" Kiara yells, getting Barry's attention. 

"Rafe grabs Kiara's neck, " Don't you ever say those fucking words again."

"Rafe! "  Kiara and Stella both yell.

"Do you understand,  now where is John B?"

"She doesn't know Rafe, no one knows."  Stella tugs at his arm but he doesn't budge. 

"Where is John B?" He keeps yelling, holding her tighter.

"Fuck sake Rafe, you don't want any more blood on your hands" Stella yells causing him  to freeze for a moment. 

"Get off of her." Pope appears behind him hitting him with a crow bar.

Rafe turns around swinging at Pope. Barry tries to point his gun at him but JJ knocks it out of his hands kicking it away. It was chaos. Kiara yells in distress as Stella goes to retrieve Barry's gun. She had enough.

 Kie and JJ start to  yell at Pope as he is  strangling Rafe. Stella sighs before  firing shots into the ceiling. "Enough!" She yells grabbing everyone's attention. "All of you, stop."

"We gotta go, you coming?" Kie ask. Stella glances at all of them one by one, her eyes end up on Rafe as she shakes  head. "No, I'll deal with these two dicks. "

"You with them now?" Pope seethes.

"No Pope. Don't be fucking ridiculous. Im helping you so you can help John B. Now get out of here, quickly."

"Pope! leave it" Kie yells, knowing that Stella would never betray them. 

Stella walks up to Rafe on the floor and kicks his ribs. He grunts in pain as Barry comes over, "Hey Stella can I have my gun?"

 "Really thought that was gonna get you your money?" She points the gun at him. "Both of you outside, now."

The sound of sirens echoed in the background, as Stella faces the two boys.  She was beyond mad.

"Sheriff Peterkin, huh? badder than I thought, Country Club." Barry chuckles. "But you'd better hope that you're worth a hell of a lot more to me than that 25K reward"

He walks off to his bike, "Hey country club! I own you now." He threatens.  "Did you know bout this Stella?"

Nodding, She approaches his bike. "But you don't own me, so don't even think of threatening me." She's about to give his gun back  but pauses, "And don't try pulling a stunt like that again."

"Maybe." He smirked as she handed the gun to him. "Thanks Doll."  He winks before driving off. 

Stella stares out at the view, "That went well huh?" 

 Rafe lets out a scream in frustration, "Fuck."

 "You know you can't trust Barry."

"And why should I trust you?" Rafe asks as she walks up to him. 

 "Who said you should trust me?" Stella wipes the blood off his face, "But I suppose there is a  difference between me and Barry ...  Barry doesn't own you baby, I do." She leans down to his ear, "Wanna know why?"

Stella feels him nod, and looks him dead inn the eye. She bites her lip trying to stop her smile, "I may have a little something that proves that John B didn't murder Peterkin... just some photo evidence.."

"You..you wouldn't."His face drops.

"One toe out of line" She runs her finger over his lip "... and it's over."

"You don't get to threaten me Estella."  He glares, pushing her hand away. 

"Yes I do." She smirks, enjoying this moment far more than she should.  Her phones buzzes, interrupting her blackmailing.   Kiara.

'They're safe, cops have just pulled up though'

'Thank god,  also im sorry bout early. I'll be there soon

She looks back up at Rafe, "I need you to drop me off "

"And why-" He cuts himself off. He knew exactly why he should listen to her.

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

Stella arrives at the location  just in time to see a boat drive into the storm, shes run over to where the detective and Shoupe are.

"Shoupe!" She yells. "That boat, is it them?" He nods.

"Hold you position Captain, I've got one more card I think we can play." The detective says over the radio.

"Where are the others?" 

"You can't see them right now Stella. But come with us."

He leads her to a tent where Ward was  talking  to John B and Sarah over the radio, "John B . I know you are there, son. I know you can hear me, and if you love my daughter like I think you love my daughter, then you will turn that boat around and come back. You are going into a storm that you cannot survive. John B, please, I will make it right. I promise you. Come back."

"Can I say something?" Stella asks, looking at the men. They look at Ward.

"You know he is a murderer Stella, I don't know what your friends have told you but he's a murderer." Ward tells her.

"Yes I know that." She lies. " In fact.... Rafe told me."

Ward smiles believing her, "Okay then, let her."

"John B? Sarah? It's Stella. I love you both and I want you to come back because Im selfish and can't bare to think of losing you. Im sorry , you know I'd never lie to you. You know coming back won't change anything . So if you truly think what you're doing is the right thing..." Stella grins. "Well then I won't stop you. "

The detective grabs the radio off her as Ward glares. "What did you think you're doing?" He hisses.

She motions for him to go to the corner of the tent away from the cops, " I know what happened Mr Cameron, I was there and also Rafe confessed." 

 He goes to say something but she holds up her finger. " But Im willing to keep my mouth shut , okay?"

"What do you want?"

" What do I want?"

"Yes, how much?"

"Oh I don't want your money Mr Cameron." She smiles, "No, just for us to carry on as if nothing happened."

He gulps "You won't say anything."

She shakes her head, Stella didn't want him suspecting anything of her and if it meant asking for nothing  than so be it. "Sarah is my best friend, I don't want anything to happen to her family. As for John B well.... if he's smart he won't come back." She looks out to the ocean.

 "Okay then deal " He nods, and she shakes his head. Walking away with a mischievous grin on her face she goes to find the others. 

 Kiara  was hugging her parents, and Pope hugging his. Which could only mean one thing. Stella's eyes scan the tent until she makes  eye contact with JJ. He was stood there on the verge of tears, Stella runs over and wraps her arms around him. Kie and Pope join them and they all stand together, mourning our friends.

"Im so sorry guys.Its my fault."

"What are you on about Stells?" JJ looks up.

"They got Ward to try convince them to come back, and I asked to talk to them. I basically told them to go for it. " She chokes on her tears..

"Don't blame yourself Stella, you're not the one who framed John B." Kie rubs her back.

"How are you not in massive trouble for that stunt?" Pope chokes out a laugh.

"I have my ways"

Kie shakes her head laughing, "That amount of shit you get away with Stella." she states, before pulling them all back into a hug.

Well when you want to protect yourself and get away with shit , you gotta learn to work with everyone. Something Stella happened to be very good at.