-18-

Kiara had texted Stella a day ago explaining what happened on their end and that John B and Sarah were back. Yet, as desperately as Stella wanted to go see them, she'd been busy working. Barry had finally helped her work out how much she needed to save and she was currently severely behind. It's not that Stella didn't think they were ever going to find the gold.... It's just that she knew her friends well, and therefore couldn't rely on that being her only income.

Unfortunately working meant seeing Rafe, they hadn't really spoken since getting back from the Bahamas. But Rafe being Rafe, had to eventually cause a scene .

"Hey excuse me, Do you mind?" A man asks.

"I'm sorry."

"Do you mind?

"Yeah I do mind, Bob... take a shot with me, pussy. Come on. Take a shot." Stella glances over to see it was Rafe.

"Hey what the hell are you doing?" Bob gets up. "Take a seat."

Rafe pushes him "You take a seat."

"Whoa, Whoa, Whoa" Stella finally rushes over.

"Get the manager. He's crazy." Bob tells her.

"Yeah I will sir, sorry." She nods, stepping in between the two men.

"Eat shit." Rafe yells.

"Hey! Calm down, all right?" Stella grabs his shoulders.

"Nobody will drink with me, Ettie. Drink with me?" He asks almost desperately.

"No, you've had enough now Rafe- Hey!" She grabs his face, forcing her to make eye contact with her. "Calm down." She whispers as Kelce appears next to her.

"Rafe, I swear to God, 20 minutes ago, I just saw John B and your sister. They're alive"

"Yeah we know Kelce." Stella looks at him, as Rafe pushes her hands away.

"I'm trying to relax, and you're telling me this bullshit?"

"I know you're trying to relax bro, but I just saw them buying beer at Geechie's"

"Freaking bullshit."

"You wanna go see for yourself? I'm telling you, I saw them. Go sober up, Man." Kelce pushes him away. " Estella can you get him some water?

She nods, while quickly grabbing Rafe's wrist, "Yeah no you're not going anywhere" Pushing him down onto a chair and handing him some water.

"Stella what's going on? I've got customers complaining." Her manager walks up to the two of them

"Well sir, that would be because of this fine gentleman here." She gestures at Rafe. "Currently, sobering him up."

"Ah Mr Cameron, I see. What about the other customers?"

"Um, I don't know, give them a drink on the house? My shift finishes in a minute anyway, I can get them quickly but I don't want this dick running off."

"Stella, that is no way to speak about our customers." He turns to Rafe. "I'm very sorry Mr Cameron."

"Pfft, that's not the worst thing she's said about me." He mumbles into the glass.

"Not at work though" Stella clarifies as her manager gives her a look.

"You damn kids, nightmare. You know what, I just want him out of here, Stella. So you can leave early, I'll let this one slide." He sighs, walking away.

"Really? Thanks sir."

"I gotta go to Barry's" He stares up at her.

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"I don't care what you think." He sarcastically grins, while standing up.

"You're not driving like that." She states as he stumbles slightly.

"Fine, I'll wait here until I sober up."

"Fine." Stella crosses her arms.

"What?"

" What do you mean 'what'? I'm waiting here till you sober up."

Rafe mumbles something Stella can't quite catch as he walks towards his bike..

"Yeah right." Stella scoffs, "Like hell you'll be able to drive that."

"Don't worry I'll be fine."

"It's not you I'm worried about, it's the other people on the road." She states, and he rolls his eyes.

"So how am I supposed to get to Barry's?"

Stella groans in frustration before gesturing to her truck, "I'll drive you... princess." She smiles at the last part. Weirdly, he doesn't protest.

 Stella quickly texts the Pogues a warning before getting into the driver's seat, "You know I don't think you've ever driven me anywhere. So this makes you my passenger's princess."

"Shut up." He glares.

"I'm currently in control of an eight ton can of metal, don't be rude to me Princess." Stella glares back.

"Estella I swear to god." He groans, leaning against the window.

She smirks, "So why do you need to go to Barry's? I thought you were trying to get clean?"

He doesn't answer, and they drive the rest of the way in silence. As soon as they get there, he jumps out of the car rushing towards the place. Clearly getting clean was no longer a plan.

"Hey" Rafe walks onto Barry's porch

"Shit you early."

Stella walks in after, "Whatcha reading?"

"Oh Stella you're here too, what you two been up to?" He smirks.

"Babysitting." She exhales, sitting down next to Barry. "and it's been a fucking nightmare."

"You got my shit?" Rafe asks Barry.

"Yes, I've got your shit." Barry closes his book looking fed up.

"See? Nightmare." Stella gestures and Rafe rolls his eyes at her.

"You got my money?"

"Yeah" He chucks it at him, sitting down opposite. "I also need a piece"

Barry starts laughing "Oh shit! Country Club Killer now, huh? He need a piece, right?"

"Don't" Rafe slams the table making Stella jump. "Don't mess with me. Not right now, all right?"

"What do you need a piece for?" She asks.

"John B is back."

" John B is dead, bro."

"I saw him in the Bahamas, Ettie was there too, all right?"

Barry looks at her for confirmation, she shrugs, not really giving him an answer.

"Then Kelce just told me he saw him scoring beer in town. So yeah, he's back."

Barry kicks the table.

"You realise it's him... it's him or me in this situation, right?"

"I understand, Rafe. You don't need to tell me this shit, bro." Barry stands up in frustration. "But what you need to understand is you're gonna need a hell of a lot more than just a piece, okay?"

"What do you suggest then?"

"Um, I suggest you both just calm down for a moment." Stella pipes up. They both ignore her, typical.

"What you need is to go at this shit like a freaking soldier, bro." He pulls a gun out of his bag. "I'm done playing around with these kids, bro."

"Yeah, Yeah, yeah, yeah" Rafe agrees.

"That's what we need right here." He hands Rafe a gun.

"Barry, think about it." Stella walks up to them, looking at the gun. "They're kids, like you said." She then turns to look at Rafe, "What's your plan then, killing them? Your sister too?"

"We do this, you know i'll take care of you." Rafe tells Barry.

"This is bullshit. I'm out." Stella raises her hands up, walking back to the car. "Have fun lovers."

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

"Um room for one more?" Stella asks to walk up to the Pogues in the jacuzzi.

"Stella!" JJ yells, "How was the Bahamas?" He raises his eyebrows, and she looks over at Sarah.

"So fucked up. How are you Sarah?"

"Good, no thanks to my brother."

"Hey Im sorry, I know what it looked like but-"

"It's okay Stells, they explained it already." John B interrupts, pointing to the others.

"Oh... but I still feel bad." Shaking her head , she gets in the Jacuzzi to hug them.

"Well at least we have someone on the inside"

"Yeah...Oh did you get my text, they know....And some of them aren't happy."

"Yeah but let's not think about it right now.... let's just have fun" John B chucks her a beer.