The Cross: Island Room

Three Weeks Later

"She needs professional help, this isn't normal." Pope tells the group from the living room, I strain my ears to listen while I lay in my bed, "She's been in bed for weeks, she barely does anything. My mom said she freaked out yesterday while she was here helping with Emmy's bath time, she kept thinking someone was here." 

"She takes care of Emmy, Pope, she's tired." JJ defends me, "Emmy is awake every two or three hours still, it's exhausting."

"I know, JJ, but she hasn't left her room other than to go to the bathroom. You really think that's healthy for her?" Pope argues, "You have to bring her meals and make her eat. You and my mom have to shower her, do her hair, and whatever else y'all do for her."

"She's fine. I have it handled, Pope. Willow is fine."

"We're worried, JJ." Kie chimes in, "We want to figure out a way to help her, or get someone here that knows more about mental health issues. I think this has to do with the voices in her head, every time I've gone in the room to help with Emmy, she's looking around like someone is about to attack her."

"She doesn't need that," He slightly raises his voice, though he doesn't sound mad, he sounds defeated, "she's just... it was a lot on her, okay? I mean she was basically being raped when she went into labor, that's a lot to process, then she dies a couple times. But she's handling it.. I'm handling it."

"She's still having nightmares," John B speaks up, "I can hear her crying from my room at night, JJ, she cries more than your newborn daughter does so I know she's not handling it. She's struggling, and we need to be there for her, we need to do something for her."

I cuddle Emmy closer to me while I lay on my side, watching her sweet face, running my fingers over her wispy hair while she chews on her little fist, "Mama loves you Emmy Jade." I pause to kiss her head, "Everyone thinks Mama is crazy." I chuckle, "I'm just tired, very very tired. And Mama doesn't know how to be okay."

"I'm here for you." JJs voice startles me, I roll over at the same time he sits on the edge of the bed, "We don't think you're crazy, baby, we're just worried."

I rest my hand in his lap, "I know."

"What can I do to help you?" He caresses my face, his concerned eyes locked on mine, "How do I help you?"

"Make me get out of bed."

"Make you?" He asks, confusion on his face.

"Yes, make me get up and do normal things, because I can't do it on my own." I sigh, "I don't know why I can't, I don't understand why I feel so down, but laying here isn't helping."

"Alright, hold on," He leans over me to scoop Emmy in his arms and takes her out of the room, a few seconds go by before he casually walks back in and scoops me up next, "you are going to join us on the porch today, baby, and eat some french toast that Kie made earlier."

"Am I?" I kiss his neck, "I thought I smelled something tasty earlier."

JJ drops down onto the porch couch with me on his lap, "John B, go get her a plate of food, she's hungry."

"I never said I was hungry--"

"I didn't ask," He cuts me off, "you told me to make you do normal things. Eating is a normal thing."

"Eating is good," Pope smiles at me, "Its good to see you out of your room, Willow."

"Well I heard you saying I need professional help, I'd prefer to stay out of the mental health wing in the hospital, so here I am." I glance over at Kie while she feeds Emmy a bottle of breastmilk I pumped for her, she flashes me a smile when she notices me watching them.

"Emmy is growing so fast." Kie comments, "I think you're going to have to switch her to the next size soon. That booby milk is working its magic."

"I'm just glad my supply didn't go away, it's way cheaper than formula." My fingers play with JJs hair while he randomly kisses my neck and shoulder, "Its tiring constantly breastfeeding and pumping though."

"I bet, but you're doing a good job." She sets the bottle to the side and shifts Emmy to be sitting up against her arm, her hand cupping her face so she can burp her.

"Here," John B sets a plate on my stomach. "enjoy sister."

I take small bites while everyone makes small talk around me, their voices muffled because my ears seem to un-focus when I get lost in my thoughts. My body flinches when Rafe's face flashes in my mind, making my food slip from my hands.

JJ grabs the plate and sits me up, "Shit, baby, what was that?"

"Nothing." I pull the plate closer and keep my eyes down, going back to eating while everyone stares at me.

"Not a sound, Brookie, I mean it. You don't want to be the reason your baby ends up dead." Rafe's voice echoes in my mind, "You'll be mine, Brookie, I'll be sure of it."

I wildly glance around, making sure Rafe isn't close by; he can't get near me again.

"Willow," JJ turns my face to look at him, "talk to me."

"I'm fine." I weakly respond, "I thought I heard something."

"Hey guys." Sarah slowly approaches the porch.

"What's up?" Kie looks at her in curiosity while she awkwardly sits down next to her and rubs Emmys belly.

"Shouldn't you be on Figure Eight with your little group of polo players?" John B rudely asks her, "Or did you break up with Topper?"

"Don't be a dick, Johnny." 

"We're just friends." Sarah states confidently, jutting her chin up towards him.

"You have a lot of friends, Sarah Cameron." John B mumbles while looking away, clearly annoyed.

"Yeah, and it seems like you've got some of your own too." She turns away from him to look at Pope.

"Alright, for real, what are you doing here?" John B sits up straight.

She sighs, "I'm here for Pope... I think I found the island room."

"What? Where?"

"Tannyhill. I went home to get clothes and found it." Sarah smiles when everyone gets excited.

My body shifts off JJ while I mutter that I'll be back, taking Emmy from Kie before walking inside, I am not in the mood for anything regarding gold or the cross. I'm too tired to do anything and I am not ready to go anywhere near Rafe or Tannyhill.

"Princess?" JJ furrows his brows when he see's me back in bed with Emmy, "Come on, were leaving."

"I'm not going over there, Jay," I run my hand down his forearm until I reach his hand, linking our fingers as I talk, "I can't go anywhere near.. him."

His expression softens, "I can't leave you here alone, baby, how about you stay in the van when we get there?"

"You promise we will leave if he's there?" I desperately ask.

"I promise, baby." He kneels down so he's eye level with me, "I won't let him touch you again, okay? You're safe."

"I.. I'm scared he will--"

"Were leaving!" John B cuts me off as he yells through the house.

"Scared he will what?" JJ asks, "You can tell me anything Princess." 

"Nothing." I sit up, "Is her diaper bag packed?"

"Yeah, we have enough cloth diapers for weeks stuffed in there," JJ scoops Emmy up, "time for a car ride, little Princess."

I sling the diaper bag over my shoulder and grab my backpack as well, have to keep all the essentials on us these days, following JJ and Emmy out to the van and climb into the back.

"Guys, listen to this. The diary says the cross holds the most holy relic in all of Christendom," Pope reads from the diary photocopies, "the Garment of the Savior." 

"No wonder they named you Pope, your family is tied in with religion." I chuckle when he laughs, "It's even funnier that you want to be a coroner and work with dead bodies instead of being a priest." 

Pope shakes his head, a smile on his face, "I have a distant Uncle that's a priest."

"Of course you do." 

"So wait, he saying there's a holy garment inside the cross?" Kie looks at him curiously.

"Yeah. It says the garment is capable of healing the sick from any malady."

"Mmm, yeah. 'If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.'" JJ turns in his seat to look at everyone, realizing they're giving him weird looks, "What? I went to Sunday school."

Kie stares at him with an unreadable expression, "Sure."

"Well, that explains why Limbrey would want the cross so bad. She thinks it can heal her." Pope theorizes, "It seems like she's focused more on what the key leads to than the wealth of having a gold cross." 

"What else does it say?" Kie eagerly asks.

"Many feel that we have sinned to steal such a sacred thing, and God will strike His vengeance on us." Pope looks around at us, "Thing is, God did have His vengeance. He sent a hurricane to sink the ship. Only Denmark survived."

We dropped the conversation when we pull up to the Cameron house, I stay behind with Emmy while everyone follows Sarah inside.

Time ticks by rather slowly the longer they stay in the house.

I look out all the windows multiple times, keeping my hand on Emmy's belly, "Why are they taking so long?" I nervously bounce my leg, "Where's daddy, Emmy?"

What if Rafe hurt him.. he could be in there hurting JJ.

"Don't make a sound or I'll use the gun, just like I did on your dirty pogue baby daddy."

"No, Rafe. Don't hurt him." I whisper, tears brimming my eyes.

"I want to kill that dirty pogue, since the first time didn't fucking work."

I drape my body over Emmy's car seat and softly cry, my hand rubbing circles on her belly while she plays with my hair.

Rafe's going to kill JJ one day. Or me. Maybe he will kill all of us. I know he's capable of it.

~~~~~

JJs POV

John B creeps through the house, clearly scared, "This place still freaks me out."

"Yeah, same." I grumble, stealing a glance out the window to make sure Willow and Emmy are okay in the van. 

I can see her looking down at Emmy, making me smile, my beautiful girls finally out of the house. Willow was seriously worrying me, she's been distant and exhausted. I've been doing everything I can for her, but I don't know what else she needs or what's going on in her mind that make's her not want to get out of bed. It's like she's hiding her and Emmy away. Shit. She's scared of Rafe. How did I not put this together sooner?

"Pope, look." John B glances around in awe of the formal dining rooms that now has wallpaper all over the floor.

We gawk at the drawings of the island all over the walls. This is cool.

He gasps, "Whoa! You've got to be kidding me."

Sarah laughs, "I know, right? It's the island room."

"Incredible." Pope looks like he's in a trance, his hand running along the drawings.

"It's been here the whole time." Sarah admires the walls with a smile.

"Yo, this is a map of the whole island."

"Yeah, John B, I think you're right because this is Rixons right here." I point to a spot on the wall across from me. "And then, there's the lighthouse." I point out the window where you can see the lighthouse in the distance.

"Pope, come here. This is Denmark's handwriting for sure." John B motions for him, he runs over and studies the writing.

"The drawings, they match up. Holy shit. Denmark, you genius! These are all his drawings. He... he painted this entire room."

"Yeah, question is why. What's he trying to tell us?" Kie turns to face everyone.

"It's gotta have something to do with the key, right?" I question Pope.

"How did you know to uncover this?" Pope turns to Sarah, who's still standing by the door.

"I didn't." She looks confused, "It was like this when I got home."

"What?" I look at her with raised brows.

Kie scrunches her face, "Okay, then who did it?"

"The freaks."

Everyone startles and gasps.

"Wheeze!" Sarah clutches her chest and turns around, revealing her little sister behind her.

I chuckle, "What freaks are we talking about, Wheeze?"

"Uh... that sick lady and her attack dog." Wheezie states, "They... they showed up last night, and they wanted to talk to Rafe."

I glance outside to check on my girls, stepping closer to the window when I realize I can't see Willow, finally breathing out when she pops her head up and looks around. My Princess.

"Wait. Pale blond lady?" John B steps towards her as he rushes out his words.

"She have crutches?" Kie asks.

"Uh-huh." Wheezie confirms our thoughts.

"It's gotta be Limbrey." Pope breathes out. "Wh-what happened?"

"First, they searched the whole house looking for something, and then Rafe told me to go upstairs. But I didn't wanna miss out, so I listened through the grate. And they were talking about getting across the sand flamingo."

Pope's forehead creases, lost in thought for a moment, "The cross... The Cross of Santo Domingo?"

"Yeah, that's it. Oh, and they were talking about angels." Wheezie adds excitedly, "A lot of angel talk."

"Guys, Denmark's famous last words. He buried the real treasure at the foot of the angel. They're looking for an angel. We have to find the angel in the room." Pope starts frantically looking at the walls for a clue to an angel.

"Start looking." Kie motions for us to hurry, "Spread out."

We all look around for a few minutes, stopping dead in my tracks when my eyes land on a certain part of the map, "Hey, guys, I think I found something." I point to the wall, "This humongous tree is still on Goat Island. You know what it's called?"

"Angel Oak." Popes smile reaches his eyes.

"Look there. There's the keyhole." I run my finger over a spot on the tree.

"That means the cross is buried at the foot of the angel." Pope states, "That must be where they are right now! We have to go!"

"I think I'm Sherlock Holmes, alright? You're welcome by the way." I happily call out while everyone rushes out of the house.

John B laughs, turning back to look at me when I run to catch up to them, "Yeah. Hurry up, Sherlock."

My smile fades when I jump into the back of the van and see everyone watching Willow, she's quietly crying while leaning over Emmy.

I slowly place my hand on her arm so I don't startle her, "Willow? What's wrong?"

She quickly sits up, "I'm okay. Did.. did you find something?" She wipes her tears with the sleeves of my hoody she's wearing, her eyes moving between all of our concerned faces. 

"Yeah." 

I frown and sit down on the other side of Emmy, reaching across her car seat so I can rub Willows arm to comfort her. I know my touch can usually calm her down. Pope went on to explain everything that just happened, while I silently watch her panic after Rafe was mentioned.

How did I miss this?

I've been so focused on the excitement of bringing Emmy home, that I forgot about what Willow went through. She's been suffering alone, her fears eating at her, and I just thought she was overwhelmed with everything. But I think this is a lot more than that, I think she has like straight PTSD or something.

I'm sure the voice in her head doesn't help her situation, especially if it's still yelling things at her like it used to. I can't believe I let myself believe she was getting better, I mean she clearly has mental health issues, like schizophrenia, that doesn't just go away on it's own, yet we all forgot about it and let her struggle through it by herself.

I'm an idiot.

Everyone buzzes with excitement the entire drive to goat island, but my eyes stay on Willow, I continue to rub her arm while she stares out the window, her hands stay pinned between her thighs to hide how shaky they are, making me worry about her even more.

"Oh shit the tides coming in." Pope stresses.

I look up to see the dirt road ahead of us is full of thick mud with large puddles of water everywhere, "I'm thinking it's looking a little dicey."

Pope nods, "Yeah, I'm gonna have to agree with that statement."

"Okay, clearly, they made it. No?" Kie points at the tire tracks.

I shake my head, "In a two-wheel drive? I don't know about that."

"Why are y'all acting like you're not gonna do it anyways?" Sarah asks with a smile on her face, "Like when have y'all ever done the safe thing?"

"She's got a point." My eyes light up, I look at John B through the rear view mirror when he glances my way, "Speed is your friend here, okay? So, put her down in second and hammer down, brother."

"The cross isn't here." Willow whispers to herself, "But is there clues?"

I tilt my head to the side, my hand tugging at her hoodie sleeve so she looks at me, "What baby?"

"Nothing." She shakes her head, "Forget I said anything."

I want to question her further, but I can tell she's uncomfortable, I think she's starting to get embarrassed about talking about things now that everyone is always looking at her like somethings wrong.

"Stick to the ground in the middle." Pope fearfully tells John B, his hands griping his seat.

"Alright, ready? Here we go." John B starts to drive through the mud.

I keep my arm over Emmys car seat, while my other hand grips my seat, "Come on. Punch it. Speed is your friend. You're not going fast enough."

"I'm in second." John B fires back.

"It's gonna slide." Pope fearfully yells, making Emmy start to cry.

Willow leans over and softly talks to her so I wrap my arm over her to keep her from sliding around, "You're fishtailing already. Not to put any more pressure on you, but if you don't make it through, we'll be stuck here forever."

The van glides through the mud, whipping us around until we finally hit higher ground. Everyone cheers as John B pulls us off the road to park in the trees, making Emmy cry harder.

John B looks back at us, "I told you we'd make it."

I laugh and pat the van wall, "That's my girl." Willow sits up and sends me a look, I wiggle my eye brows at her, "You know you and Emmy are my only girls."

"Mhmm." Willow carefully gets Emmy out of her seat and wraps her in the soft fabric baby carrier Kie bought her, letting me help her tie it before following after our friends.

"Angel Oak is right through here." Pope points at a path in the woods leading to a humongous tree in the distance.

"Alright, so word to the wise, definitely know that gators nest back here, so keep your eyes peeled, okay? You don't wanna step on a mama gator. That's the last thing you want." I pull Willow away from the waters edge when she stumbles.

Why is she so unsteady?

"They have nests?" Kie walks up to me, looking out over the water.

"Seems like a good place to park." Sarah grumbles.

"Alright. You don't wanna be a Pat Womack." I warn, "She had her calf chewed off by a gator. You know that, right?"

"That's actually not true. Pat Womack was injured in a car accident, but I hear you." 

"Okay, just live in ignorance." I turn to Kie and frown, while keeping my hands on Willow's waist to keep her from stumbling around, "But like, she had her calf chewed off by a mama gator. I know that for a fact. They like the brackish water. Wait. Hold on. I see something."

"What are you doing?" Kie impatiently asks.

I let go of Willow and grab a large stick, hitting the water with it to see if the movement I saw was a mama gator.

"Whoa, Willow, you good?" I whip my head to see John B grabbing Willow by her arms, she nods while keeping her arms wrapped around Emmy, her eyes slightly rolling back when she moves, "You sure?"

"I'm fine." Willow lazily tells him, "Move along."

John B sighs and looks at me, "Right. Wake them up. That's smart."

"I was just making sure it wasn't a gator." My hands grab Willows waist again and guide her, following everyone down the rocky path.

"Okay, I just wanna make this crystal clear so you don't lose your shit and cause another riot. I am here for Pope and not you."

I quietly chuckle, you tell him Barbie.

John B playfully scoffs, "You're here for Pope and not me?"

"Yeah."

"Then why are you back here walking with me, huh, Sarah Cameron?"

We all duck down behind bushes, Pope hushes everyone when he see's the tree where Renfield and Limbrey have men digging a hole in the ground in front of the angel oak. Rafe walks up, making my eyes immediately go to Willow, she inhales sharply and stares at him with wide eyes, her body rigid in fear.

My body shifts to be closer to her just in case she panics, wrapping my arms around her, kissing her neck so she will relax a little bit.

"I don't see shit." Rafe walks up to Renfield and Limbrey, "You sure this is the right spot?"

Willow starts to frantically shake her head, her chest rising and falling rapidly, so I turn her into my chest, making sure Emmy is tucked safely between us, "I've got both of you, Princess, you're safe." I whisper in her ear, everyone's eyes dance with concern while they watch her panic in my arms, "Don't look at him, look at me." 

"It's there. The garment will be in the cross, and the cross will be at the foot of the tree." Limbrey confidently states while she watches the workers dig.

Rafe sighs, "Well, whatever we find, I get my cut." 

"The actual garment. Do you understand the significance?"

"I do, Carla. Completely." Renfield sarcastically answers her.

"One touch of it, and I'll be healed, and this long nightmare will be over."

"Your lips to God's ears."

Limbrey whips her head towards him, "I know you don't believe it, but countless stories over millennia prove that miracles happen." A loud thud sounds from the area her workers are digging, "Hey! Wait! Stop! Stop. Please stop. Did you hear it?"

Renfield runs over to the hole, "Hey, get in there, boys. Do it by hand."

"Oh. This has gotta be the cross." She gets up from her chair to slowly walk over, "It's smaller than I thought."

"It's not.. It's not." Willow whispers, "She's wrong." 

I rub her back, trying to keep her quiet so she doesn't blow our cover.

"It looks like a casket." Renfield says in disbelief.

Limbrey chuckles, "He put it in a casket. Denmark put it in a casket. Get it up."

My eyes go wide when realization hits, Willow mentioned the voice told her the cross wasn't at the tree or something like that, then she mentioned tomb being code for death. A casket correlates to death. How did she know this? How did the voice know this? 

Rafe walks over and reaches down to help Renfield grab the casket, "Here. Come on, grab that end."

"They got the cross. What do we do?" Pope whisper panics beside me, "What do we do?"

I try to keep Willow from looking but she slightly pulls away and glances over her shoulder.

"Don't touch anything inside! Don't touch anything inside!"

They pry open the top and stare inside, "It's just a corpse. Sorry, Carla."

"We must have missed something."

Rafe laughs, "Of course. Of course, yeah... Of course it's just a dead body. Jesus!"

"He's going to kill us." Willow breathes out.

We all stare at her in confusion.

"What, baby?" I whisper to her, but she doesn't respond, her eyes stay glued to Rafe while he walks off. 

"We just got the wrong place. We'll go back to the island room. We're going back! It's not over!" Limbrey calls out, limping to the truck to leave.

We all watch in silence while they drive away, leaving a dust cloud behind them.

"Wait, wait. Pope!" I whisper shout at Pope after he takes off into the clearing where the casket is.

Everyone but Willow follows after him.

She sighs and stands up, patting Emmys back when she starts to fuss, "Mama's here."

"Do you want to go over there too?" I ask her, while wrapping her in my arms.

"Yeah." She pulls away and walks off, so I quickly catch up to her and link our fingers.

Pope drops to his knees at the head of the casket with a distraught face, "Cecilia Tanny, Denmark's wife... He wasn't talking about the cross. He buried her at the foot of the angel. The true treasure... His wife." He starts crying while he looks at the corpse, "Denmark was hung for burying his wife, and now they defiled her grave."

I wrap my arm around Willow when she starts to sniffle, kissing her cheek in hopes to make her feel safe.

"I told you guys it wasn't the cross." Willow mutters, "No one listens to me."

"We needed to see for ourselves," Pope bursts, "obviously we had to come here, for another clue or something."

"I know there's clues here," She cries, "I.. I was just saying--"

"Yeah we know, Willow." Pope huffs, "The voice in your head told you so, we know that already."

"Pope," I turn her into my chest, rubbing her back while giving him a pissed off look, "watch your tone with her."

"Yeah man, that was a little much." John B pats Willow on the shoulder, "Don't bring up her medical condition to use against her."

"I didn't." Pope mumbles, wiping his tears, "I'm sorry Willow, I'm just upset right now."

She doesn't respond to him while continuing to quietly cry, causing me to let out a sigh and kiss her head. She doesn't need all this fucking stress right now.

"This must have been from Denmark." Sarah whispers while she picks up something from the inside of the casket, "Her wedding ring." Her and John B lock eyes, sharing the same pained expression.

"We can't leave her like this." Pope cries.

"We won't." John B grabs the wooden top to the casket to close it.

I pull away from Willow and help them lower it into the ground.

My thoughts wonder to the ring that my beautiful Princess is wearing. I look over at Willow, smiling when I see her ring while she sways and pats Emmy to calm her down, my smile fades when Sarah has to grab onto her to steady her when she leans over too far.

I don't know what's going on with her, but Pope might be right, it's more serious that I thought.

~~~~~

We all wait around for John B to go get the Twinkie so Willow doesn't have to make the long walk back, giving me time to love on my girls. I dip my head when I hug Willow from behind and kiss her neck, earning a light laugh from her. God I've missed that sound, I miss her happy carefree self. I'll help her get that back.

John B screeches to a stop and jumps out of the van, "What's the plan?"

"I just... I.. I don't get don't get it. I mean, you guys saw the map." Pope sputters, "He hides his gold so no one finds it for years. And then he sends a message to his son, Robert, to come here to his mother's grave, but the message never gets to him. Denmark wanted him to find the cross. I know we're in the right spot. It just feels like--"

"Key hole." Willow flickers her eyes up to me, ignoring Pope eagerly asking her what she means, "The clue is in a key hole." 

"Wait, she's right." I furrow my eyes when I see a hole in the tree, "just like in the painting," My lips press to her forehead before I pull away and climb up the side of the van that's parked next to the tree, "guys, come here."

John B sighs, "There he goes."

"Whoa."

I turn around to see Kie right behind me when I get to the limb where the hole is, "That looks like--"

She nods, "The painting in the island room."

"It's worth a shot, right?" I catch Willow's nervous expression while she leans into John Bs side.

I feel guilty for making her worry about me, but if I can contribute to this search and help find it so we can get rich, I will.

"Yeah." Kie agrees, "Let's do it."

"Go for it." I tell Kie after I push her towards the hole.

"No chance." She grabs my forearms so she stays close to me.

My eyes catch Willow's gaze fixated on Kie holding onto me, her expression makes me feel like she's upset over something, does she want Kie to reach in the hole instead of me?

"You do it!" Sarah tells me.

"Sorry. I... I went in the storm drain so..." Kie trails off, her eyes full of worry.

"She did go in the storm drain." Pope agrees, "John B and I had to save it, it was rather traumatic."

"I was shot." 

"True, he was shot." Sarah backs me up, "John B why don't you do it?"

He scoffs and gestures to Willow, "I'm helping my sister right now, she's very tired, she needs me as support while holding my niece." 

I let go of Kie and stare at the ominous hole, "Yeah. No, I can do it. It's just--"

"He's scared." Kie whispers to the group.

"I'm not scared, dude." I nervously put my hand near the hole.

"You seem scared."

I reach my arm in, elbow deep when I feel something, "There's something in here." I chuckle, "Wait." I jerk forward, screaming in fear while everyone freaks out below.

Kie frantically tries to pull me away from the tree, letting me go when I bust out laughing.

"Oh, you asshole." Pope huffs.

"Oh, man! I got all of you on that one." 

"It's okay, Emmy." Willow walks away while hushing our daughter, my stomach twists when I realize I scared her.

"Oh, yeah, real original." John B grumbles in annoyance.

I sigh and turn away from my girls, "Wait, but seriously, there's something in here." I reach back in the hole and pull out a metal canister of some sort.

"Let me see it." Pope reaches up and takes it from my hands when I squat down, "HMS Royal Merchant."

I jump down and take it back, "Give it to the captain. Here we go. It's a spyglass." I joke, trying to make Willow laugh, she chuckles lowly and continues to talk to Emmy.

"There's something on the ends." Sarah points out.

John B takes it from me and holds it up for all of us to look at, "An inscription right there. Look at that shit."

I smile, "Oh, what does it say?"

"You've come this far." Pope reads, "Do not falter. The cross is on the Freedman's altar." He grins, taking a step forward while closing the spyglass, "Freedman's altar. The cross is at the church!"

"What are we doing here, guys?" I blurt out, "Come on!"

John B runs over to the van, "We got it!"

Pope and I do our handshake, "Woogity-woogity."

I move to hold onto Willows waist, guiding her around the Twinkie, making sure she doesn't fall while she stumbles around, sweet Emmy doesn't seem too happy with our adventure, so after we get into the van Willow changes her and feeds her. Once she was done I take Emmy and put her in her car seat, patting her belly so she falls asleep.

"Ah, crap! The tide!" John B stops the van in front of the deep water where the road used to be.

"Oh, this doesn't look good." Pope mutters.

"How deep is that?" Kie wearily asks.

"I dunno." John B looks around, " The road's gone."

"Tide rose faster than I thought it would." I add. "Uh, John B, how high are the spark plugs?"

"They're good." He nods unconvincingly, "We're fine."

I shake my head, "How high are they? I don't want my daughter getting stuck out here bro, we need to know before we try to cross."

"Oh, um.." John B looks out his open window, "Uh, just above the taillight."

"Okay, so that's, what," Pope looks between us, "three feet?"

"That's three feet. Yeah." I not so confidently agree.

"That water can't be three feet deep." Kie tells us.

"Then what's the problem?"

"Not a problem." I lean back in my seat, "No, we're good. We're good. She'll make it."

"Yeah." Pope agrees.

"Fasten your seat belts. Hold on to something." John B announces, "We're going into hyperdrive."

"I'll say a quick prayer." I make a cross motion over my body and grip my seat while draping my other arm across Emmy and Willow, who looks terrified and confused.

"Three, two, one." John B yells as he hits the gas, we stay in place while the tires spin in the mud until we lurch forward.

"Faster! Faster!" I yell while everyone else panics, water fanning out around the van while we push through, "Speed is your friend. Speed is your friend, John B."

"Oh my God! Oh my God!" Sarah screams when we fishtail off the road.

"No no no." Willow flings her upper body over Emmy.

We slam into deeper water and come to a stop. I quickly check my girls for injuries while everyone gets onto John B for his driving.

"I'm sorry." I caress Willow's tired face, "Are you okay?"

She shakes her head, a single tear rolling down her face, I'm quick to wipe it away. My heart hurts watching her be so sad all the time, I wish I knew how to make her happy again.

Pope shifts in his seat, "I think we miscalculated."

I sigh and turn to the others, "I knew I should have driven."

"I do listen to you, but they don't listen to me." Willow whispers to herself.

I wearily watch her, "What Princess?"

She snaps her head up to look at me, "N-nothing."

Is she talking to the voice in her head? Does she like... have conversations with it?

"Okay, maybe we can walk from here." Pope throws an idea out, pulling my attention off Willow.

John B turns to him with an annoyed look, "What? And leave the Twinkie? The... the tide's coming in."

"So then what are we supposed to do?" Pope counters, just as annoyed.

I rub my thumb along Willows arm while she talks to Emmy, "Not stay here."

"I can take my dad's truck." 

"Kie, are you sure?" John B turns in his seat to look at her.

"How much worse can it get, you know?" Kie's sad eyes flicker between us.

"We need something to pull her out with. There's the winch at the Chateau." I run my free hand through my hair, "That's, like, two miles away."

"Yeah, that's a good idea." Pope agrees.

I look over at Kie, "If you're gonna do it, let's go, okay?"

"Alright." She climbs out of the van, everyone following suit, except Willow.

"You coming?" I kneel in front of Willow, placing my hands on her thighs.

"No, I can't walk that far. And I don't want Emmy in the sun that long." She pulls her out of her seat and lays her on her legs.

I lean down and kiss Emmys forehead, "I'll be right back," I kiss Willows lips next, "I love you."

"I love you." She quietly tells me while watching Emmy chew on her hand, "We'll be waiting for you."

I sigh and caress her beautiful face before slipping out of the van.

"Tide's still coming in. Twinkie's going underwater." John B calls out.

I follow Kie through the water, headed for town, "Yeah, I know."

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