Exhale, Outer Banks [ 1 ]

039. PATERNAL COMPLICATIONS

The three quietly make their way to the Carrera house, Kie's dad's truck outside. JJ looks in the window of the truck.

"He's not in there. We're good." JJ whispers. They crouch next to the fence. "Are you sure you wanna do this? A little Dad Theft Auto?"

"No." Kie says, making a weird face at the last part.

"All right, here we go." JJ opens the gate. "Go, go, go, go, go." Kie quietly goes in, the siblings left alone, JJ shutting the gate again.

""Dad Theft Auto"? Really?" Cordelia asks.

"What? I'm not wrong." JJ says making Cordelia roll her eyes. JJ peeks over the gate, waiting for Kie, and soon sees her rushing back. He opens the gate.

"Hey." He whispers and Kie tosses him the keys which he catches. They stay slightly low as they get in the truck, JJ driving, Kie in the passenger, and Cordelia in the back.

+++

They get to the chateau.

"This will only take a sec. I think it's in the surf shack." JJ says as he parks the truck. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's in the surf shack. I'll be right back. I got it." He gets out and shuts the door. He runs towards the surf shack, but falls flat on his face.

"Oh!" Cordelia winces. "That looked like it hurt."

He gets up, resuming his run.

"I'm okay!" He calls back.

"Dumbass." Cordelia mumbles.

The two wait for a couple of minutes, JJ still not returning.

"JJ!" Kie yells, honking the horn. She gets out and switches to the driver's seat.

"Okay, I'm gonna go check." Cordelia says, getting out. She walks towards the shack, making sure to dodge where JJ fell.

"Yo, goofass, what the hell is taking you so--" Cordelia's question stops and she freezes when she spots her brother not alone. Her eyes slightly widen at the sight of her father.

"Hey, sweetheart." Luke greets.

"I-- I--" Cordelia looks between her father and brother. "I, uh, I--"

When Luke reaches out to her, JJ quickly grabs Cordelia and pulls her over to him, hiding her behind him.

"Don't touch her." JJ quietly demands.

"I gotta get off this island. So you gotta help me, both of you." Luke says. "And I'm done with Kildare. I'm taking Malcolm's boat, and I need to get to the other side of the island."

JJ grabs the winch as Kie honks the horn some more. JJ eyes the bag that's between him and his dad.

"J! J!" Luke quietly yells.

"Run." JJ gently shoves Cordelia towards the exit and he goes for the bag.

"Hey, no." Luke yanks on Cordelia's hair making her let out a small cry of pain.

"Hey, get off her. Get the fuck off of her!" JJ growls, trying to rip Luke away from Cordelia.

"Ow, ow, ow. Stop pulling. Stop pulling." Cordelia whines. JJ stops fighting since he knows Luke won't, but he keeps an arm around his sister.

"Listen to me." Luke angrily grabs onto JJ's coat with one hand, his other still in Cordelia's hair. "I should've had the Phantom, but I don't because of you two." He angrily says. "I got your restitution hanging over me. This is your fault."

"N-No, it-it's cause you're-you're a shithead." Cordelia manages to get out with her minimal amount of stuttering when she's around her father.

Luke glares at her and yanks her closer making her whine. JJ hits Luke's arm harshly successfully managing to get Cordelia out of Luke's hold. JJ quickly shoves himself between them, protectively standing in front of Cordelia, blocking her from Luke.