RIVER | JJ MAYBANK

SIXTY THREE

GUN

"Nice camera. Where'd you dig up that relic?" JJ questioned with furrowed brows as he watched Pope pull out his camera to start recording Ward and Gavin's interaction. "Why don't you just use your phone?"

"Well, first of all, I like my antique electronics. Second of all, this is a telephoto. It allows me to get a close image from far away."

"I like it." Silas whispered as he stood beside Pope, placing his hand on the boys shoulder.

River shook her head at the boy, linking her arm with his so that he wouldn't make Pope even more flustered and uncomfortable than he already was.

"Lord of the dorks." Kie muttered.

"I'd get down on my hands and knees for him." Silas whispered, although it was still loud enough for everyone to hear.

JJ's eyes widened as he watched Pope shift in his position. He had to bite back a laugh as Silas checked out Pope. Silas wrapped his arm around River's shoulders and pulled her in front of him so that she too could see what was going on.

"For definitive proof of witness payoff, we're gonna need quality glass." Pope ignored what Silas said, although his words were still being played over in his head.

"There he is." River pointed to Ward.

"Get down." River pulled Silas down, who pulled River along with him. If they were seen, this whole thing would go to shit and they'd never clear John B's name.

"And there's Gavin." Pope pointed as they ran into the construction site. "Where you going, you son of a bitch."

JJ looked across at River for a brief second, she was fiddling with the sleeves of her jacket, something she did when she was anxious. He wished that he could go over there and help her but he felt like he'd already over stepped too much today.

"No, no, no. I'm losing him." Pope groaned as Gavin and Ward disappeared from the view of the camera. "Shit. Where's he going?"

JJ looked around, searching for higher ground so that they could all get a better view of what was happening. He made a quick exit towards a ladder on the side of the building. Once he knew that it was sturdy enough to carry their weight he whistled for their attention.

The pogues all rushed up the ladder as fast as they could so that they wouldn't miss anything. They needed to capture the handover of the cash and the weapon to prove to Shoupe that Rafe and Ward were responsible for Peterkin's death.

River laid down on the roof between Silas and JJ, both boys stayed close to her in order to protect her. It wasn't a secret that they both care about one another, just in different ways.

"You getting this Pope?" River shouted over the loud claps of thunder and flashes of lightening.

"Yeah, I see them." Pope responded in confirmation.

Silas placed his hand over River's as he noticed her beginning to shake. He can't even have begun to imagine what it must have been like for her. Technically, she was spying on her uncle that not only assisted to murder but also framed her best friend, resulting in the loss of him and her cousin in her life.

"Ward just handed Gavin something. I think it's a duffel bag." Pope announced as he watched Ward and Gavin through his camera.

"Guys, I think this is a payoff." JJ announced, turning to face River. His eyes flickered down to her hands which were linked with Silas'. He clenched his jaw and lowered his head, knowing that he no longer had the right to be jealous.

"Gavin doesn't look happy about something. It looks like he's yelling at Ward." Pope continued.

"Why?" Kie questioned curiously.

"I don't know but he sure looks mad." Pope responded.

River watched carefully as Ward and Gavin continued to argue. Her eyes widened once she saw the two begin to fight.

"They're fighting over something." Pope informed the group, since he had a much clearer view of the two.

"They're really going at it." JJ commented.

"I bet Ward punches better than you." Silas chuckled as he looked towards JJ, who simply gave him the middle finger in response.

"Wards kicking the shit out of Gavin." Pope continued to commentate on what was happening. "I'm trying to see."

River gasped once she saw Gavin's head smash against one of the work tables. She grimaced at the thought of how much it hurt. Silas gave the girls hand a light squeeze of reassurance.

"Holy shit, Wards got a gun." Pope's eyes widened and he subconsciously shuffled closer to Silas, who had to bite back a smirk at the action, knowing now wasn't the time to get happy over something like that.

"I bet that's the murder weapon." Kie mumbled.

River jumped once she heard the fire from a gun. JJ didn't hesitate on wrapping his arms around River, pulling the girl into his chest. He would protect her no matter what.

Silas shielded both Pope and Kie from the gunfire. He panicked that it was aimed at them. But once it fell silent, he turned and looked towards Gavin's lifeless body laid on the floor.

The blonde clung onto JJ's shirt and her breathing became more rapid. His fingers combed through her hair as he gently rocked her, hoping to soother her on coming panic attack.

"Tell me you just got that." JJ rested his head on top of River's, before he pressed his lips against her temple.

"Enough to put this asshole away for life." Pope gritted through his teeth as he watched the gun fall out of the building and down into the drain.

"JJ, we need to go, like now." Silas snapped as he placed his hands out in front of River and gently grabbed her hands, prying her away from the boy. "Heyward, you have enough right?"

"Yeah." Pope nodded in confirmation.

Silas wrapped his arms around River's waist and pulled her into his chest, guiding her down the ladders and away from the building.

The two watched the whole event unravel as Kie stood on JJ's fingers, causing JJ to fall back slightly and kick Pope, making him drop the camera.

River didn't know what to do, she clung onto Silas tightly, trying to find some form of comfort within the boy. She hadn't had a panic attack since the night they lost John B and Sarah.

The group rushed back to Kie's car, all climbing in and hoping that it would offer them some sort of safety for now.