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chapter seventeen I'LL BE THERE TO SAVE YOU
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After his fall, John B was taken to the hospital. The pogues, including Athena, had been sprawled across the chairs in the waiting room as they patiently waited on a verdict on John B. It was so late in the night that Kie and Athena were practically asleep, Athena's head resting on Kie's shoulder in exhaustion. When the doctors approached them, they informed the pogues that John B was okay and resting and that he only had a broken arm and would be okay.
Sarah had also told Ward everything, knowing that the DCS would be on John B's case as soon as he woke up. Athena's dad listened to Sarah and had a chat with Sheriff Peterkin, which meant he was now John B's legal guardian and John B now lived with the Cameron family. The pogues, knowing that John B was safe had gone home and John B and the Camerons went back to Tannyhill.
Athena didn't know whether Ward had helped John B to keep an eye on him or to try and stop the treasure hunt that he had to have some suspicious about. All she knew was that Ward Cameron inviting the leader of the pogues and Sarah's boyfriend, Athena had lost track of what their relationship was, to stay in their home was slightly suspicious.
"Was he interrogating you about your relationship with Sarah?" Athena asked as she stood in the doorway of the spare bedroom downstairs, John B's new room as her father was leaving.
"Actually he was asking about the gold." John B stated. "But it was because Sarah got us the map, she told him it was for me."
Athena nodded. "Yeah I know. She really likes you by the way."
John B furrowed his eyebrows at her. He sent her a questioning look, wondering where she was going with the statement.
"I'm just saying I've been here through all of Sarah's relationships and I've never seen her as happy as I have when she's with you or talking about. And hearing you call her business meeting— I mean JB, she's my twin sister." Athena explained, tilting her head to the side.
"It was not my finest moment." John B made a face, nodding.
"So now I'm doing my job as a sister and a best friend and telling you this." Athena moved so she was standing opposite John B. She placed her hands on his shoulder, staring into his eyes with a hard glare. "If you hurt a single hair on my sister's head, you even fracture a tiny piece of her heart, I will destroy you and ruin your life."
Athena emphasised the last three words by saying each syllable with a short pause in between. John B's eyes widened a fraction, his expression turning into one of fear. Athena would do anything for her family, absolutely anything. Athena stepped back with an innocent smile.
"You know for someone so small and nice all the time you sure are terrifying." He commented, making her smile grow.
"Thank you." She laughed. Her laugh was so contagious that John B couldn't help but join in. They laughed together for a moment before John B went silent. Athena looked up at him in confusion. "What?"
"JJ told me about your slight panic attack at Midsummers, what happened?" John B asked her, a look of concern covering his features.
"Um— do you remember that... thing that happened three years ago that we agreed to never talk about because I wanted to pretend it never happened?" Athena questioned.
"Yeah."
"Well, um..." The blonde struggled to get her words out. She hadn't really spoken about the incident. She told her dad as soon at it happened, and Rafe too. Her brother had been so made at the boy who had hurt her, beating him to near death and cutting him off as his friend completely. She then had only spoken about it at therapy, and even then it was a hard topic for her therapist Viola to get her to talk about.
"You saw him?" John B finished her sentence with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah and he recognised me and he seemed... glad that I was not handling it well." Athena answered. "It was— it was so overwhelming and what if I see him again, what if it happens again. JB what am I going to do?"
Athena was now freaking out, her brain going at a million miles an hour as she talked herself into a downwards spiral. Her breathing had gotten heavier, her eyes welling with tears at her lack of breathing.
"Athena, Thena breathe." John B tried to calm her down. Athena took a few deep breaths, her hand holding onto John B's wrist to keep her grounded. "You'll be okay. Athena, you are the strongest girl I know and if you see him again, I know you can defend yourself, okay? Whether that is because you've hit him very hard, because yes JJ told me about the fight with Topper, Rafe and Kelce, or it's because you've used whatever that was earlier to terry him so much he never to show his face around you ever again, I don't know, but you'll be okay."
Athena let out a laugh, tearing up at the speech John B had given her. He gave her a smile, "And if that doesn't work, just like last time, I'll be there to save you once again. And if by any magic force I'm not there, you have Pope, Kie and JJ to save you now too." John B finished his pep talk. Athena sniffled, wrapping her arms around him in gratification, being careful of his casted arm.
"I still can't believe you're living here." Athena stated, making John B smile, glad she was back to normal.
