-21-

"Morning Stella." Barry nods as she walks into the living room, her eyes still adjusting to the light.

She mumbles "Morning.", but barely sounds like it.

Her eyes finally focus to see Rafe who was staring at his phone. Stella's phone buzzes, and while she reads the text Rafe throws his phone across the room. "Shit"

"Goddamn, what's going on, bro?" Barry yells.

"Just give me a sec, all right?" He was about to go outside but Stella stopped him.

"Rafe I don't think that's a good idea" She looks up from the text she just received, now knowing why he was reacting this way.

He doesn't listen. Of course he doesn't, not when it involved his dad, who was currently standing outside the caravan.

"Rafe we need to talk."

"They got me, right? We heard it on the news im... im done."

"Not yet." He whispers walking into the caravan.

"Yeah, listen to your daddy, Rafe." Barry mocks. "Ain't shit over till it's over, ain't that right?"

"What?" Stella looks at him, and he just shrugs.

"Can we have a moment please?" Ward looks at Barry.

"Of course, bro! Yeah! What was I thinking? Shit, it's my house. Y'all take as many minutes as y'all need."

Stella laughs at Barry's reaction, as he gets up and leaves, grabbing Ward's attention "What are you doing here Stella?"

"I could ask you the same thing Mr Cameron? Why are you sneaking around?"

He looks back at Rafe, "What happened here? hmm?" He touches his bruised face. Rafe shakes his head.

Ward turns back to Stella, "You do this?"

"No." She scoffs. "But your son's a dick and deserved it. So I applaud whoever did." Stella smiles , getting up to leave the caravan. As she turned the corner, Barry stood there listening in.

"Rafe, look, I want you to take this. Take this, all right? Go to Wilmington tonight."

"I need a boat to get to Wilmington. I don't have a boat."

"You can find a boat. you can figure it out. And you gotta stay hidden too. So just...get to Wilmington, all right?"

Stella looks at Barry, "Why are Kooks so stupid?" She whispers and he puts his hand over her mouth.

"I want you to go to my old office. remember? Market Street? Yeah?"

"Yeah"

"Right out back, there's a car."

"Okay"

"Want you to drive it straight to Raleigh. I want you to go to McClintock Aviation"

"Got it."

"I'll charter you a plane, you're gonna get out of here."

"Charter me where?"

"I don't know, son. I mean, it's gonna be somewhere safe. I'll figure that out."

"Dad."

"The important thing is"

"Dad" He repeats. 

"What?"

"I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry, son."

"No, no, no. You were right about a lot of things"

Stella rolls her eyes, and Barry has to stop himself from laughing.

"No."

"I was gonna be better, you know? I was... i was planning on getting clean" Stella rolls her eyes again.

"I know"

"No but I... I ... but I know you don't believe me."

"I do...Hey. Hey. Look at me. I believe you.You're gonna have all the time in the world to show me too, all right? Cause you're not going to jail for something you did for me."

Movement can be heard in the caravan, and Stella motions to Barry to move back.

"You know how you're alway asking me who i'd choose, if i'd choose you or if i'd choose Sarah? All that? "

"No that's... that's not important anymore, okay? I.. I don't... I don't care"

"I choose you.. I choose you son." Bullshit.

Ward leaves the caravan and while Barry pretends he wasn't paying attention, Stella doesn't. He comes up to her, "I know you heard that, and If you heard, that means he did. Deal with him... otherwise" He whispers.

"Otherwise what?"

"You- you saw what John B has gone through... fancy experiencing it?"

"I just want you to know, I think you're a lying piece of shit." She whispers. He pats her shoulder and walks back to the truck.

"Bye, now" Barry calls out.

Once Ward leaves, Rafe turns to Barry.

"Hey don't be looking at me, bro. The answer is no. I'm not getting involved, Rafe. It's not freaking happening."

"No you are getting involved, Barry. You wanna know, why? Cause you'll do anything for money." He states handing him money. "Let's get the hell out of here, all right?"

"You better not do anything," Stella warns him.

"Oh you're coming too, Mrs Country club?" He smirks.

"Barry."

"Oh you know me so well Stella." He tells her, while picking the money off the floor. Stella goes to grab her bag before they can leave without her. She had a plan, so she couldn't have Barry fuck this up for her, even if it meant helping out Rafe.

"Hurry up" Rafe calls out.

"Hey, I'm not the one who's in trouble here." She holds her hands up, getting into the boat as Barry drives off.

"You didn't need to come." He glared as they sailed through the swamp. Both Stella and Barry watch as Rafe puts a gun in his bag.

"Hey, i'm all for a man's right to defend himself, Rafe, but, uh, your ass is gonna get shot carrying that thing."

" Barry's right-"

"They ain't gonna take me alive. I can tell you that much right now."

"Pessimistic, hmm." Stella mutters.

Rafe glances at her before stupidly telling Barry, "I've never been back here before. "

"You don't wanna be seen, no. Do you?"

"You know, everybody thinks nature's all chill ,right? That's such bullshit." Rafe rants, "Everything is trying to kill everything else all the time, and... and... and every single thing has to kill to live. "

Stella looks Rafe up and down "Doesn't make it right."

"But killing is nature"

"I don't particularly dislike you, Rafe. But I ain't gonna forget about how your father punked my ass." Barry admits. Fuck, Stella closes her eyes, knowing what was about to happen. "It's long been due y'all pay me some respect- " He says before jumping into the swamp.

"Hey, what are you taking- hey, hey."

"He's got a gun!" Barry yells out.

"What the fuck Barry!" Stella stands up for a split second until the boat rocks and she sits back down.

"Rafe, stay where you are!" Shoupe yells, "Keep your hands where we can see them! Do not move or we will shoot!"

Rafe goes for his bag, grabbing the gun,

"Rafe, no! " Stella knocks the gun into the water as Shoupe starts to shoot. "Hey !" She ducks.

"Hold your fire! Hold your fire!" Shoupe states as Rafe jumps into the water and Stella watches as Barry drives off on a jet ski. Oh she was gonna kill that son of a bitch for ditching her.

"You hit? We don't wanna kill you ,son, but you're making it damn hard."

Stella looks down at Rafe and then back at the cops," Um Shoupe give me a minute, please?" He nods and she goes to the edge of the boat.

"Hey Rafe. For once don't be an idiot and give me the gun."

"Why?"

" Well first it's ain't gonna work now that it's been wet. Second, you'll be in a lot less shit if you give yourself in. I promise." He stares at her. "Rafe for once you have to trust me here, I had n o idea Barry was going to do that."

"All right?" Shoupe calls out.

"Rafe." She whispers. He hesitates for a moment but hands her the gun, and she throws it toward Shoupe.

 "Good. Now just ease on out away from the boat. We'll come to you." Shoupe announces.

"I don't want to go to jail, Ettie." Rafe admits.

"Rafe the harder you make this now, the worse the outcome, okay? Besides we all know your dad will bail you out again. "

"What's the point? I should just let them kill me now" He mutters.

"No. Don't say that."

"Why not Ettie?" He stares up at her.

"B-because, um, I- Who will I take my anger out on if you're dead?" She nervously chuckles.

"Well you're gonna have to find someone else then" He sniffs before running through the water.

"Damn it, Rafe!"

"Stop! Freeze!" Shoupe calls out. Rafe only makes it to the shore before they catch up with him.

"Go get him boys" Barry yells.

"Stay right there! Stay put! He's unarmed." Shoupe yells pointing a gun at him. "That turned out like you thought it would? Are you injured?" Rafe just glares at him as another cop handcuffs him.

"Stella, are you all right?" Shoupe turns to her as she gets out of the boat.

"Perfect. Now Shoupe, promise me I won't get in trouble for what I'm about to do."

"Depends, does it have to do with Rafe?"

"No, not really" She turns around and walks up to Barry, punching his square in the face and smiling at the sound of his nose breaking.

"Right Stella."Shoupe sighs.

"Oooh okay Mrs Country Club you've got a good punch" Barry teases, holding his nose.

"Asshole. Thanks for giving me a heads up. Not. " She goes to punch him again but Shoupe grabs her arm.

"Stella, enough."

"Dickhead deserved it." She glares at Barry, as Shoupe leads her to his car. She avoids looking at Rafe, annoyed at him too. In fact this was her last straw, everyone was getting on her nerves over some stupid gold.