Season 4

What happens after you find the lost city of El Dorado, basically get blown up, two parents die, and you're stranded in South America with a sack full of gold? Well, let me catch you up.

First, you catch a ride back home and you sleep for, like, three weeks. And when you finally get back you make peace with the fam...

" Rach." Stella runs into her aunt's arms.

"Hello Stranger, what have you got to catch me up on now?"

"Even more shit. Your mind is about to be blown." She gestures. Rachel smiles, leading the girl into the living room where she goes to grab some drinks and snacks while Stella explains how Ward Cameron is in fact dead, and so is Big John.

While Stella, Pope and Cleo were lucky, the others weren't so.... And after all the loose ends are tied up. At least most of them. The gold.

"Moment of truth. All right." John B announces as the crowd around an ATM. "Pin is 0-0-0-0. Enter."

"You're kidding."

"Tell me that's a temporary pin."

"I just thought nobody could guess-"

"You need to change that immediately."

The receipt prints out and John B snatches, "Okay. Okay. Our joint account balance....after paying JJ's restitution at 10:04 am on Tuesday...our joint account balance is one point one million, seventy-two thousand, five hundred and forty-nine dollars."

"You said mil?" JJ asks.

"Million?" Stella clarifies.

"That'll do it." John B shrugs, as they all hug in celebration.

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

Poguelandia 2.0... it really worked. It was what we all wanted. It wasn't gold. it wasn't treasure. It wasn't even adventure. And some of us still had dreams. Kiara still wanted to save the dolphins and the turtles. Pope was planning on going back to school.

But in the meantime, for all of us, we were just working. Together.

And when we weren't running charters, we were catching dinner. Or growing it. And maybe growing some other things. It was all of us together, well most of the time... Stella seemed to start sneaking off, but no one really noticed.... at first .

"Hey, you got my text."

"Yeah. Duh."

"Don't be rude." She rolls her eyes as Rafe sits next to her. "And hello to you too. Yes, I'm back. The trip was good, for the most part. Thanks for asking." She rambles as they both look out at the beach. "So I heard you had a memorial for your dad..."

"Yeah...I'm glad I did it. Sofia came along."

"Did she now?"

"Jealous?"

"No, I'm glad I wasn't on a small rocky boat."

"Because you can't swim."

Stella pauses for a moment, "Because comforting isn't my strong point, so if you wanna talk about it, go ask Sofia or something."

"Why did you ask me to come here then?" She feels him looking at her.

"I just... im... " She sighs, "I'm currently a 7th wheel, surrounded by horny teenage couples."

Rafe chuckles, "So you're here for round two? You're missing out and need someone-"

"Hmm, yes I'm really missing out." She states sarcastically. "You know I can satisfy myself perfectly fine and no I didn't ask you to come here for round two. I don't want sand everywhere." She eventually looks at him." It's because for some strange reason you are the only age-appropriate person I know."

"What about Barry?"

"He's busy."

"Oh so I'm your second choice?" He places his hand on his chest in shock.

"Duh."

They both go back to looking at the sea, neither of them knew what to say or do. Both of them thought they hated one another, but then how come they both felt comfortable knowing the other was next to them.

"Ettie?" Rafe breaks the silence.

"Hmm?"

"Does it get easier?"

"Most days do.... Yeah." He sighs at her answer, and she turns to him. "You know what makes it easier though?"

"What?" He asks, as her eyes scan his face.

"Having people to talk to and to almost... distract you. It's why I ended up back with the Pogues despite being older than them. I guess you have Topper and Sofia, so I'd talk to them. Let them distract you."

"You know I'm just friends... with Sofia."

"Friends with a pogue." Stella gasps.

"Okay, okay, I get it. Can we not bring this-"

"Bring what up? Who-"

"Ettie." He exhales.

"Yeah baby?" She smirks.

Shaking his head, "I actually hate you."

"I hate you more." She chuckles, noticing that he's staring at her, "What?"

"I hate you more than anything else in this world." He says while gravitating closer to her.

"Really?" She asks, their noses almost touching.

"Really." He nods just before his lips graze across hers.

"Prove it." She mumbles and he presses his lips to hers. The kiss was different this time, it was slow and sweet. There was no teasing, or bets being made, just two people who clearly didn't hate each other. 

The kiss hadn't changed much between Rafe and Stella.  Apart from the fact  they now voluntary hung out together. Stella found herself at Rafe's most evenings, for reasons Rafe had finally stopped teasing her about.  But despite all this, neither of them had admitted any feelings towards one another.

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

"Welcome, welcome to this year's Kildare Enduro. What a fantastic day we got for racing today. You guys ready to burn some gas?"

Stella couldn't think of anything worse than the Enduro, but she came along to support. Also because she didn't want to Pogues to start asking where she keeps running off to.

Then again, if they were smart and observant, she was sure someone would notice the fact she couldn't stop staring at him.

"How are we feeling, blondie?" Stella walks over JJ.

"Like I got this whole shot."

"Yeah?"

"Im gonna win it this year. I know I am."

"Of course, loving the positive mind set." She pats his arm. JJ said that every year and he is yet to win. "Good luck."

"Hold on one sec. Did John B bring his bike?"

"Yeah it's over there why? What did you do?" She eyes him suspiciously.

"Nothing... that bad."

"JJ!"

"You're literally gonna be thanking me after. Okay?" He tries to reassure her. "So... you know I... I bet on myself, to win. I know. I know. Funds are tight right now. Did you know that because you don't seem to be around a lot-"

"Don't change the subject right now, Maybank."

"Alright. I feel good this year... so I put a bet on myself. Dude, the odds are like, seven to one! With me on this thing that's like three to one."

"Hold on, hold on."

"It's free money."

"What money did you use to bet on yourself?"

"That's what I've got to tell you... um maybe don't tell the others just yet but..." He clears his throat, "So, I went into the kitty and bet the last nug. Okay?"

Stella's jaw drops.

"Wait a min, before you say anything, I just gotta tell you... Stells I got this."

"JJ are you serious? Do you ever think?"

"Yes to both of those."

"That was 20 grand. Our last 20 grand." Stella whispers.

"I know! I know, okay?" He yells. "I know you're about to hit me now. I can sense it, but violence isn't the answer right now."

"I beg to differ." Stella crosses her arms.

"I got to commit at this point. I got it, but a little back up won't hurt, so either get John B or you can get John B's bike. Either way I can do this." He reassures as someone pulls up revving their engine. The two of them looked over, it was Rafe. Stella turns away, grabbing John B's attention.

"You're going to be in deep shit JJ." She warns as John B comes over. "Cause we've got everything to lose this time."

"You need to relax Stells."

"Hey, What's up?" John B asks, looking at the two of them.

"Grab your bike John B. This idiot needs covering for." Stella whacks JJ in the back of the head before walking over to Rafe.

"Where is she going?" JJ asks, as John B tries to figure out what's going on.

"Hi." Rafe smirks at her. "Is your friend ready to lose?"

"No. Are you?" She smirks back.

"Hmm."

"Rafe? Don't go after him... please."

"It's a race Ettie..."

"Please."

"I'll think about it." He says about to put his helmet on, Stella looks behind her to see Sarah and John B talking. They know.

"I gotta go, good luck or not." She pats the top of his helmet.

"Hey." He says, and she turns back to him, "If I win though... what's my prize?"

"Knowing you won." She shrugs, smiling innocently. "Have fun."

Rafe doesn't have time to reply as the race is about to start. Stella makes her way back to the Pogues and the look on Kiara and Sarah's face tells her all she needs to know.

"Exciting isn't it?" Stella teased, as the race began.

"Don't." Kiara shook her head, "I honestly don't think I can watch."

Both Stella and Sarah hum in agreement, waiting for the boys to come back into their view.

"Cameron's close but he's not going to be able to over take him."

Stella watches as Jj and Rafe were neck and neck. So much for asking him to play nice.

"Can Rafe back off?" Sarah mumbles, but it was too late.

"They're both down. They collided just short of the finish. Topper takes the win!"

"Of fuck sake." Stella sighs, as the Pogues run over to JJ. The others all celebrate Topper's win, creating a crowd big enough for Stella to check on Rafe.

"Are you okay?" She asks, be he just shoves her off.

"Yo Rafe." They both turn to see John B glaring at him.

"Don't." Stella whispers, as Rafe steps forward. She doesn't know who started it but they both start pushing each other.

"Hey!" Sarah yells trying to separate them.

"This is forever, all right? Y'all don't get to win." Rafe yells.

"You could've killed each other." Sarah steps in front of him.

"Yeah like you give a shit. You gonna kill me like you killed dad?" He asks, walking away.

"Rafe?! She's your sister." Stella calls out, as Topper comes over. Stella walks off, not wanting anything to do with him. His presence though distract the others enough that they don't notice Stella run after Rafe. Suppose it's the only good thing about the enduro being so popular.

"Hey... Hey!" She grabs his arm.

"If you've just come here to yell at me, you can fuck off."

"Don't take your anger out on me."

Rafe turns around, glaring down at her, she crosses her arms, "Why did you want him to win so badly?"

"He's bet the last of the gold on himself."

"Ha." He smirks. "You know, it's not my fault your friend's an idiot."

"You know what this means now..." She smiles at him as they head to her car. "You're gonna have to be my sugar daddy."

"What?"

"I've got expensive taste and no job."

"How about you get a job then?" He suggests. "Also what happened to that 10% I gave you."

"But why would I do that when you have sugar... daddy?" She smirks at him.

Rafe rolls his eyes before opening the door, "Get in."

"You liked that huh?" She teases.

"Just get in."

"Okay da-" He shuts the door, cutting her off. As he get's into the driver seat, Stella tries to speak again.

"I don't have long, I gotta get back to the Po-" Rafe leans across and kisses her. Clearly frustrated by the race, the pogues and the fact Stella was rambling.

He pulls away to see her grinning at him, "Will you stop cutting me off?" She asks. Rafe rolls his eyes, looking away from her as a smile appears on his face.