Finale~3

The pub door slammed shut behind her, the muffled chaos of the inside swallowed by the quiet hum of the street. Tess exhaled sharply, dragging her hands through her hair as she stepped further into the cold.

Tess leaned against the brick wall, lighting a cigarette with unsteady fingers. She barely got the flame to catch before she heard the door creak open again. She didn't look up at first—maybe it was Effy, maybe it was someone else—but then she felt it. That presence. That weight. Like the air had shifted.

"So, you're the infamous Tess."

The voice was rough, laced with something slick and knowing. She turned her head just slightly, gaze narrowing as she took him in. He was leaning against the wall now too. She knew exactly who it was- Cook's dad, but she wasn't gonna let him know that.

"How'd you know my name?" she asked, trying to keep her tone casual.

He chuckled, low and amused. "Knew it was you soon as I saw you before."

Tess frowned. "Knew I was who?"

"The one he talks about," Cook Sr. said, his smirk widening as he snatched the cigarette from her fingers like it was his right. "Even when he doesn't mean to." He took a long drag, exhaling through his nose. "I knew there was something nagging at him." He chuckled, tapping ash onto the pavement. "Then it all came out. Started to make sense, you know?"

Her stomach twisted. Cook had been talking about her.

Cook Sr. exhaled another cloud of smoke, shaking his head with a grin. "I could tell by the way he looked when he saw you. Fucking priceless, if you ask me."

Tess kept her expression neutral, but curiosity gnawed at her. What's he been saying?

"How did he look?" she asked, pretending she didn't care.

"Like fucking shit." Cook Sr. grinned, sharp and nasty. "Looked like he was gonna throw up on the spot." He smirked, leaning in slightly too close to her face "You got him good, I'll give you that."

Tess let the words sit for a second before she said, "And what, you think I'm the one wrecking him?"

He leaned in, voice lowered to a rough hiss. "You broke my boy."

Tess scoffed, shaking her head. "He's not really your boy, is he?"

Cook Sr. face twisted in anger, "your gonna snap that boy's fucking heart in two."

She didn't react right away. Just stared at him, unimpressed, "And you've been doing it to him every day of his life."

Something in his expression darkened.

Silence settled between them, heavy and taut. She watched the way he moved, the way he studied her. There was something snake-like about him, something that made her skin crawl. She'd known men like him her whole life. Like her dad. The ones who spoke in riddles, told lies, and only chose to care when it suited them.

Cook Sr. tilted his head, watching her like he was trying to figure her out. He liked games, she could tell. Liked getting under people's skin just to see what they'd do.

So she took one last drag, flicked her cigarette to the ground, and pushed off the wall. "Tell yourself whatever you need to," she muttered before walking off in the other direction. 

----

The night was still, except for the echo of raised voices cutting through the quiet.

Tess saw them before she even heard them properly—Cook and JJ, standing under the glow of the streetlights, their shadows stretching out long on the pavement. Cook was walking away, faster and faster, while JJ chased after him.

"Cook!" JJ's voice was desperate, breaking through the cold air. "Cook. Cook."

Cook barely stopped moving. His face twisted in something ugly—anger, frustration, something darker underneath.

"You all think..." His voice was raw, almost laughing, but it wasn't funny. It was bitter. "You all think that I'm scum." He turned, eyes wild. "That you're better than me, that you're better than my dad."

JJ was shaking now, his hands balled into fists, like he was trying to hold himself together. "Cook... I'm not better than your dad." His voice wavered, but he kept going. "You are. You're better than someone who runs away from the people who love them. Who need them."

Cook stopped pacing. His face went blank for half a second. Then he scoffed.

"Oh, fuck off, man. You daft boot."

JJ flinched.

Tess had barely made it halfway down the dock before she caught the last of it. Cook looked even more pissed when she showed up.

"Oh fuck this. Fuck all of you'se" He groaned

Cook turned on his heel, walking off without another word.

JJ called after him, voice cracking. "Cook... where are you going?"

Cook didn't even slow down.

"I'm going to drink myself to death. Then I'm going to say sorry to me dad. Then life finally begins."

And then he was gone, swallowed up by the dark.

She didn't even have time to say anything before Cook was already disappearing.

But JJ—JJ was still there. And now, he was turning toward her.

His chest was rising and falling too fast. His hands twitched. His eyes were locked onto her like he wasn't seeing her, not really. Like his mind was moving faster than his body could keep up.

"They don't care," JJ blurted suddenly. His voice was too loud, too sharp. "They don't care what happens to me."

Tess took a cautious step forward. "JJ—"

"Freddie. Cook." His breathing hitched, like he was struggling to get the words out. "They don't flipping care. They just—" He clenched his fists. "They just do what they want. They fight. They leave. And me?" His head jerked, like he was trying to shake something off. "I just stand there. I just stand there and watch them destroy everything."

His voice cracked.

"They don't see me, Tess. They don't even see me."

Tess's chest tightened. "JJ, look at me."

But he was still going, his voice tripping over itself. "I try—I try to fix things. To keep things together. But it doesn't matter, does it?I'm just—stuck. Stuck watching them tear each other apart." His hands twitched at his sides. "And I—" His breath came out shaky. "I can't—I can't do it anymore."

Tess didn't think. She just moved, stepping in close and resting a hand on his arm. "JJ," she said, steady, calm. "Breathe."

His whole body tensed.

Then, slowly—his shoulders slumped, his hands loosened. He sucked in a deep, unsteady breath. His eyes flickered up to meet hers, red-rimmed and exhausted.

He swallows hard, his breathing ragged. Then, suddenly—his voice steadies, flat and final.

"I'm going home," JJ said firmly, a sudden change in his mood.

"No no no no please. You can't leave me here, with all of them" Tess shook her head, voice tightening, but he wasn't listening, "I don't know what to fucking do!"

JJ didn't say anything else. He just turned, walking off into the night. And just like that, he was gone. And Tess was alone. Again.

-----

The wind howled through the empty streets, but the cold barely registered. Tess was furious.

"Cook!"

He kept walking, his hands stuffed deep in his pockets, shoulders tense like he knew what was coming. Like he just didn't care.

She caught up, grabbing his arm. "Don't fucking ignore me!"

He ripped free, barely sparing her a glance. "Not in the mood, Tess."

"Yeah, well, tough shit," she snapped, stepping in front of him to block his path. "What was that back there?"

Cook rolled his eyes, dragging a hand through his hair. "Doesn't matter"

"Yeah it fucking does! What is wrong with you? JJ's your mate, Cook! And a fucking good one at that! So why are you treating him like shit?"

Cook exhaled sharply, jaw clenching.

"You know it's hard on him!" she pressed, voice rising. "You're acting like a fucking child!"

That did it.

Cook's head snapped up, his expression twisting. "Oh, I'm the child, am I?"

"Yeah!" Tess shot back. "You always do this-"

His bitter laugh cut through her words. "Oh, fuck off, Tess. Like you're any better."

"At least I don't treat the people who care about me like shit!"

"You sure?" He scoffed, stepping closer, anger sparking in his eyes. "Funny, 'cause last time I checked, you didn't give a fuck where I was, either."

Tess's stomach twisted. "Are you serious right now?" she muttered

He threw his hands up. "You didn't come with me! You didn't even try to find me!"

Her voice cracked. "I begged you to stay!" The words ripped out of her before she could stop them. "I never wanted you to leave Cook! You know I couldn't go-"

His breath hitched, but his voice was sharp when he said, "I told you that I fucking love you, and you just left!"

Tess's heart lurched. "I left?" She let out a disbelieving laugh. "You fucking left!"

He took a step closer, rage burning in his eyes. "And what was I supposed to do, huh? Just stay and watch you pretend like I didn't fucking mean anything?"

"You didn't mean anything?" Tess gaped at him, anger twisting into something sharper. "Are you actually taking the piss? Cook, you shagged pandora, oh and Effy—multiple times—and didn't even have the decency to keep your fucking mouth shut about us!"

He flinched.

"That's different!" Cook barked. "You know it doesn't mean anything!"

"Do I?" she shot back, voice shaking. "Because all you've ever done is fuck me over, Cook! You don't get to act like I'm supposed to just forget all of that!"

"I'm not asking you to forget!" His voice cracked.

"You ruined it! You ran off with Effy, you treated Freddie like shit, JJ like shit, me like—like I was just some fucking option—" Tess screamed

"That's not fucking true," he seethed.

"Then why the fuck did you do it?" Her voice broke, but she pushed through it, hands trembling at her sides. "Why did you leave?"

Cook exhaled, shaking his head. "Because I had to."

"Had to?" she scoffed. "No, you fucking didn't. You left because it was easier than staying and dealing with the mess you made!"

Cook let out a bitter, broken laugh, his whole body shaking. "Yeah? Well," his voice dropped, thick with emotion, "everyone fucking leaves me anyway, so what the fuck does it matter?"

Tess's breath hitched.

His eyes were red-rimmed, glassy, but he wouldn't let the tears fall. Not yet.

"Nothing good ever stays with me," he muttered, voice raw. "Absolutely nothing."

The way he said it—like it was just a fact, like he believed it with every part of him—made Tess's chest ache.

Her anger cracked, just slightly.

"You've got me," she said quietly.

Cook let out a breath, shaking his head. "Nah I don't" His voice wavered. "Not really...."

She stared at him. "You do."

His face crumpled. He took a step back, then another, like he was trying to put distance between them, but he couldn't.

Cook squeezed his eyes shut, his hands pressing against his face. "Fuck."

The first sob wracked his body before he could stop it. His shoulders shook, his breath coming out in sharp gasps, and suddenly, all the fight drained out of him.

Tess didn't even think—she just stepped forward and pulled him in.

At first, he resisted, his whole body tense, but then—then he just collapsed against her. His arms clutched her tightly, his face buried in her shoulder, and Tess could feel the way he was shaking.

So she just held him.

Her own eyes burned, but she bit it back, threading her fingers through his hair, whispering, "I love you, Cook."

And then, softer, voice trembling, "And that's the worst fucking part about this."

His breath hitched, fingers tightening around the fabric of her jacket. She didn't know why she said it. This just made things even more complicated, but she couldn't stop herself.

Cook pulled back slightly, eyes searching hers. He looked completely wrecked. "I didn't want to go," he murmured. "I just—fuck, Tess, I didn't know how to stay." His voice cracked, like the words hurt to say out loud.

"You could've tried."

Cook swallowed hard, his grip on her tightening. His forehead was still pressed against hers, their breath mingling in the cold.

His voice came out rough, almost hesitant. "Can I try now?"

Tess barely had time to process the question before she crashed her lips into his.

It wasn't soft. It wasn't careful. It was months of anger, of longing, of missing him so fucking much it made her chest ache. Cook kissed her back just as desperately, his hands sliding into her hair, gripping like he was afraid she might slip away again.

She shoved him back until his spine hit the cold metal of the shipping container behind them, her fingers tangling in his jacket, yanking him closer. "Fuck," he muttered, breathless, his lips trailing down her jaw, her neck. "I fucking love you, Tess."

She didn't want to hear it. Not now. Not when it hurt too much.

So she pulled him back to her mouth, biting at his lip, nails scratching down his back as she reached for his belt. He pressed her harder against the cold steel, his hands pushing up her shirt, desperate, needing more.

They barely made it to the ground, stumbling together onto the damp gravel, but neither of them cared. She moaned against his mouth as his hands roamed over her, pushing past layers of fabric, until there was nothing left between.

The wind howled around them, the night swallowing them whole. Out here, in the dark, in their hidden corner of the dock, nothing else mattered.

For once, Cook wasn't running.

And Tess wasn't stopping him.

----

The sky was beginning to brighten, the cold air biting at their skin now that the heat of the night had faded. The damp ground beneath them was uncomfortable, but neither of them moved right away.

Cook lay on his back, smoking, staring up at the sky like he could find some kind of answer there. Tess sat beside him, arms wrapped around her knees, her jacket pulled tightly around her body.

It was awkward. Not bad, exactly, just... unfinished.

he exhaled, rubbing at his face. "So..." he started, then hesitated, unsure how to word it. "Are we just... pretending last night didn't happen, or—?"

Tess let out a short laugh, "Don't know if I could, even if I tried."

Cook scoffed, shaking his head. "Yeah, well. You have tried before."

She flinched slightly, and she instantly felt bad. But still—it was true.

Cook sighed, pushing himself up to sit beside her. "I never meant to hurt you, Tess."

She looked at him then, properly, taking in the tired slump of his shoulders, the way his hand twitched slightly when he took another drag of his cigarette. "Then why did you?"

He didn't answer right away.

After a long pause, he muttered, "Because it's what I do, isn't it?" He let out a bitter laugh. "I fuck things up. That's just how it goes."

Tess's chest ached. "Cook—"

"Nah, don't," he said quickly, shaking his head. "You know it's true. Me, Freddie, JJ... I ruined that. Me and you—I ruined that, too."

She swallowed, unsure what to say to that.

"You didn't ruin it, not completely" she said after a moment. "But you can fix it"

He scoffed.

Tess bit her lip, then said, quieter, "But you can't just fuck off every time things get hard, though. You don't get to do that anymore."

Cook exhaled, nodding slightly. "I know."

They sat there in silence for a moment.

Then Tess, hesitantly, said, "I meant what I said last night, you know."

Cook looked at her, eyes tired but open in a way they hadn't been in a long time. "Yeah," he murmured. "Me too."

Tess let out a breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding.

A beat passed before she asked, "So... what now?"

Cook took one last drag of his cigarette before stubbing it out on the gravel. "Dunno," he admitted. Then, after a second, "But I gotta go make up with me dad."

Tess's stomach dropped. "Cook—"

"Nah, I have to," he said firmly, standing up and dusting off his jeans.

Tess groaned, pushing herself up, too. "It's a bad idea. You know it's a bad idea."

Cook shrugged. "Still gotta try."

Tess huffed, rubbing her temples. "Why?"

Cook looked at her then, really looked at her, and for a second, he just seemed... tired.

"Because everyone else gets a proper dad," he muttered. "Why the fuck shouldn't I?"

Tess felt something twist in her chest.

She swallowed hard, crossing her arms. "Cook, listen to me—"

But he wasn't. Not properly. He was already walking away.

Tess let out a frustrated groan, then quickly adjusted her shirt, fixing it properly before jogging after him. "For fuck's sake,"

But she followed anyway. Because of course she did.

The walk back toward the alleyway that led to the main street was slow, tension thick between them as they moved through the quiet morning. The sky had fully brightened now, the first rays of sunlight cutting through the cold and casting long shadows over the empty streets. Tess was still trying to convince him it wasn't worth it, but he wasn't having it.

Tess looked over at him, frustration flickering in her eyes. "Cook, I told you—it's not gonna fix anything. He's not gonna change, no matter how many times you try."

"I have to try. He's my dad and I let him down" Cook shot back, his voice thick with something—anger, maybe, or maybe just exhaustion.

"Are you sure he isn't the one letting you down?" Tess stopped walking, grabbing his arm and forcing him to face her. "Why the fuck do you always do this to yourself? Why keep trying with someone who doesn't care? Just let it go."

Cook shook his head, pulling his arm free. "I can't, Tess. You don't know what it's like."

Tess felt her heart tighten in her chest. I do know, she thought but didn't say. She swallowed the words.

"Look," she began, her voice softer now. "Cook, I know how it feels. I have a shitty dad too."

Cook watched her for a long moment, his expression softening, understanding flickering behind his eyes. But then, like he couldn't quite let go of his need for answers, he said quietly, "He doesn't seem that bad."

"He is." Tess shifted, her voice quieting as she fought to hold back the emotions that threatened to spill. "I remember one time," she said slowly, her gaze distant as she stared ahead, "Mum and Dad got into this massive fight, like proper bad. Mum was crying, and I didn't know what to do, so I just... hid under the table with Michelle. She was so little, she didn't even really understand what was going on."

Cook was silent, watching her now, but she couldn't look at him.

"Eventually, he just... left," Tess continued, her voice tight with the memory. "Mum tried to act like everything was fine, but we both knew it wasn't. He came back a couple of days later like nothing happened. No sorry, no nothing. Brought flowers for Mum and chocolate for us. Like that was supposed to fix everything."

The words hung in the air, thick with the weight of a past Tess had tried to bury. But the pain of it never really left her.

"That's what he does," she said, her voice quiet but full of bitterness. "He leaves. And then he comes back like nothing's wrong, and everything's supposed to be okay. But it's never fucking okay."

Cook's eyes searched hers, a silent understanding.

"I'm sorry," he murmured.

She gave him a sympathetic smile, "Look I don't know what happened with your dad... I mean I don't really know him at all but I know this isn't gonna end well. Trust me."

"I still have to try." He started walking again, his pace slow but determined. "You don't know him, alright?"

Tess stood still, watching him walk away. She felt something pull at her chest, a mix of frustration and sadness.

But she followed him anyway. Because, even if she knew how this would end, she couldn't just leave him to make the same mistake. Again.

----

Tess walked with Cook down toward the docks, her hands shoved deep into her coat pockets. She kept her expression neutral, but she didn't particularly like his dad. She had enough of shit dads in her own life, and his was no different. Still, she didn't say anything. Instead, as they neared the boat, she shrugged and said, "Don't wanna intrude. I'll leave you to it."

Cook gave her a searching look, but he didn't push it. "Alright," he said, giving her a lopsided grin. "Catch you in a bit, yeah?"

She nodded and turned away, heading down the dock until she found a spot by the water. The air was crisp, the sky a dull grey, and the water lapped lazily against the wooden posts. She pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a slow drag, watching the smoke curl up into nothing.

Her thoughts drifted as she stared out at the water. It was always the same shit, wasn't it? Dads that weren't really dads, disappointments you learned to expect, pretending you didn't care when you did. She exhaled, shaking her head at herself, trying to push it away.

Then, from the boat, she heard shouting.

She turned, peering over, her stomach tightening. Cook's dad was standing over him, voice sharp and cruel.

"Give Daddy the keys, or I'm gonna melt your fucking face off! Be sensible, son. I'll fucking do it. I'll fucking do it! I don't give a fuck."

And then his dad pulled something out—a firecracker, of all things. Tess froze.

"I don't care either." Cook sobbed, eyes closed and nervous.

Tess's breath caught in her throat. Cook was sat on one end of the boat, his shoulders hunched, something clutched tightly in his hand. Keys. His knuckles were white around them. His eyes were wet.

She didn't even realise she was holding her breath until she heard footsteps pounding behind her. Someone running. She barely had time to react before a voice cut through the air.

Freddie.

Before she could move, before she could even process what was happening, Freddie leapt onto the boat. In one swift motion, he knocked Cook's dad out. Cook Sr. staggered, eyes wide with shock, before collapsing in a heap on the deck.

Everything went still for a moment.

Cook was frozen, breathing hard, his grip still white-knuckled around the keys. His eyes were wet, his jaw clenched so tight it looked painful. Tess, finally snapping out of it, bolted forward, climbing onto the boat.

"Shit, this is serious," Freddie muttered, shaking out his hand. He barely looked at Cook, already crouching down, checking if the old bastard was still breathing.

Cook let out a shaky breath, still gripping the keys like they were the only thing keeping him upright. Tess caught the way his shoulders trembled, how his whole body seemed tense like he was trying not to completely lose it. She didn't say anything about it.

"Come on," Freddie said, nodding at Cook. "We gotta get him inside."

Together, they dragged Cook Sr. 's deadweight into the boat, his arms slung between them. Cook's breathing was still rough, unsteady, but he didn't say a word. Tess just stood there, watching them for a moment, feeling like she was intruding on something.

"I'll go get Effy," she said finally, shifting back. She figured they needed space, the two of them. A moment alone in all this madness.

----

Tess left, still shaken by everything that had just happened. She could still hear Cook's dad's voice in her head. It was horrible, really, the way he spoke to him. I mean she had heard it before but the firecracker was another level of bad.

Eventually, she started thinking about where Effy had gone. It didn't take her long to figure it out—Effy was like her in that way. When things got too much, she found somewhere quiet, somewhere to be alone. And that's where Tess found her, sitting by the water, staring out at the still surface.

Tess hesitated for a second before walking up. "Hey."

Effy glanced at her but didn't say anything at first.

Tess sat down beside her, pulling her coat tighter around herself. "Where'd you go? After the pub?"

Effy's expression didn't change. "Nowhere."

Tess looked at her, unimpressed. "Right."

Effy turned her head slightly. "Where'd you go?"

Tess exhaled, running a hand through her hair. "I had a lovely chat with Cook's dad." She said sarcastically, "Then I... found Cook and.. You know."

Effy studied her for a moment, and Tess knew she could tell something had happened. She always could.

"What is it?" Effy asked.

Tess hesitated, but then the words just started coming out. She told her about the night she'd had with Cook, Not everything, not the worst of it—Cook could tell them that if he wanted. But she told her about his dad, about his foolishness and about how Freddie had knocked him out.

Effy looked at her sympathetically, "I'm glad you've worked it out then."

Tess shrugged, "I don't know. I wouldn't exactly say we worked it out"

Then, suddenly, footsteps pounded behind them.

"We need to go!"

Tess turned just as JJ came skidding to a stop.

"What?" Effy frowned.

"JJ!" Tess blinked, confused. "I thought you left."

"I was about to," JJ said quickly, catching his breath. "But then I realised none of you would make it back without me." he said shyly

Tess and Effy exchanged a look before Tess stood. "Cook's dad... it got bad. We should probably go back to the others." She didn't say more than that. It wasn't her place.

JJ, however, didn't need any more details. "Right," he said. "Come on."

They followed him back to the boat, the cold air biting at their faces.

As soon as they climbed aboard, JJ called out, "Cook! Cook! Freddie!"

They found them inside, cramped together in the small space. Cook Sr. lay on the floor, unconscious.

JJ took one look at him. "On balance, I'd say he was alive."

"Great," Tess muttered, not enthusiastically.

Freddie glanced at the others. "Should we... like... tie him up?"

JJ shook his head. "No. A bump to the head like that, you don't want to interrupt the blood flow."

Cook frowned. "I dunno, J."

JJ clapped his hands together. "Right, we'll dump him later. Everyone wrap up warm." He immediately jumped into action, grabbing coats.

Tess narrowed her eyes, stepping outside the boat "What are you doing?"

Effy crossed her arms. "JJ?"

JJ pulled on a coat. "We are going home."

Everyone hesitated for a second, but then they started pulling on their coats. JJ quickly started untying the boat from the dock.

Freddie frowned. "We can't just nick the boat, this is ridiculous."

JJ scoffed. "I'd say this is 17 years' worth of birthday and Christmas presents. Cook, start the engine, please. We need to leave quite quickly."

Freddie's brow furrowed. "Why?"

JJ barely had time to answer before the answer presented itself.

"Oi! Get out of my boat!"

They all turned sharply to see Donald and his lot running across the bridge.

"Look," JJ said, pointing to the bridge.

"Oh, my God," Effy squealed.

JJ didn't waste time. "Get on the boat. Go, go, go. Get that engine started, okay?"

Tess shook Freddie. "Hurry up, Fred."

Freddie rushed to help, pushing the boat out as Effy urged them on. "Hurry up!"

Donald was getting closer. "Get of my boat!"

Cook stood next to the wheel, shrugging uselessly. 

Freddie rolled his eyes. "JJ, help him, will you?"

Donald and his gang were at the edge of the dock now, shouting. "Wankers!"

And then, finally, the engine roared to life.

As the boat pulled away, Freddie and Cook both burst out laughing, mocking them, shouting back at them.

For the longest time, they were together again. Like it used to be.

But it didn't last long.

Cook's dad.

He staggered out, rubbing the side of his head, still half-dazed. His eyes scanned the lot of them before settling on his son. His face twisted with anger as he stepped forward.

"All right, you little fucks," he growled.

Cook stood there, guilty but unmoving. Tess and Effy huddled together off to the side, watching cautiously. But before Cook Sr. could say anything else, the shouts from the shore interrupted.

"Hey come back! Give me my boat!"

Donald and Donny were still chasing after them, their voices carrying over the water.

And then, something changed.

Cook's dad just started laughing. Ferociously, full-bodied, like it was the funniest thing in the world.

"Fuck you! I'm Cook, you shithead! I'm Cook!" he bellowed, throwing his arms out like he owned the world.

Before Cook could react, his dad grabbed him, pulling him into a hug. "Come here. I knew you wouldn't let me down, son. Eh?"

Cook's whole body stiffened. The sudden switch, the quick forgiveness–it unsettled him. This was how it always went. Anger, then laughter, like none of it had ever happened. He glanced over at Tess, still caught in the hug, and she met his eyes. Her expression was unreadable at first, but then she gave a slow, deliberate shake of her head. No. Don't fall for it.

His dad didn't notice. He was still grinning, still shouting over the water. "I'm Cook, you fuckers! Cook!"

The others were watching, taking it in, processing it. Because it was usually Cook who was yelling that. It was his thing. And even he seemed disturbed by the sight of it.

For a second, he just stood there. And then—

"Nah."

Cook stepped back, his expression shifting, solidifying into something sure, something steady.

"I'm Cook."

And with that, he shoved his dad off the boat.

There was a moment of silence, and then Cook jumped up, arms in the air, grinning. "Fucker! Fuck you! Fuck you!"

Tess spun around looking over the edge, Cooks Sr. losing it as he struggled to keep afloat. She couldn't help smiling. Cook had finally done it. Stood up for himself from his dad. Maybe she needed to do that too...

Freddie let out a breath of disbelief before bursting into laughter, pulling Cook into a big hug.

JJ kept driving, steady as ever, while the sun began to break through the clouds, casting light over the water.

Cook ducked inside for a moment, coming back out with a handful of beer cans. He handed them out, cracking one open as they headed into the bay.

Then, finally, he dropped down beside Tess, letting out a breath. He gave her a small smile, a real smile. Then, without a word, he slung an arm around her, resting it there. She let him.

For a while, they all just sat there, listening to the water, feeling the breeze, soaking in the rare moment of calm.

Then Freddie spoke.

"So... what do we do now?"

Tess exhaled, leaning back against Cook's side. She didn't have an answer.

And as they sat there, she realised that, for the first time in ages, she felt at peace.

But deep down, she knew it wouldn't last forever.