Carson Keller used to think her biggest problem was their rivalry against the Kooks, but that was until buried secrets rose to the surface. Now her biggest problems included a dangerous treasure hunt and a hot-headed teenage boy.
✰ season 1-3 ✰
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BY THE TIME it got dark out, they were all starting to lose their patience and were beginning to wonder if they could even wait any longer for JJ and Kiara. They had already lost too much time.
"Have you heard from him?" Pope asked.
"No. Nothing," John B said.
"We have to go. We don't have eight hours," Sarah said. "And Topper might've already called the police."
"The last thing I want to do is leave them, but Sarah's right. We can't afford to wait any longer," Carson said. John B was about to call him when they saw a motorcycle quickly approaching them on the airstrip.
"Wait, that might be JJ right here," Cleo said. The truth was that it was the furthest from JJ.
"You're okay, Dad. Come on, you're good," Rafe said. They all stood in shock as Ward flew off the motorcycle and onto the ground with a loud groan of pain. Blood soaked his shirt and covered Rafe's hands. "Come on, help! Help! Don't just stand there. I need some help. Please, come on."
Carson felt like all the blood rushed to her head when she saw Rafe and Ward, and for a moment she thought she might not be able to keep herself up.
"Please, please! Sarah, Carson, please," Rafe begged. While Sarah eventually rushed forward, Carson stood planted to her spot. She wasn't sure she could move forward, even if she wanted to.
"What happened?" Sarah asked.
"Let's go to the plane," Rafe said. Ward locked eyes with Carson as the two helped him over to the plane. She wasn't sure if her face read a look of shock, disgust, or conflict. Maybe all three. "A fisherman spotted him, alright? They know he's alive. We gotta get him off the island right now." Once Rafe was able to pull him up into the plane on his own, Sarah turned back towards them with her hands up on her head in disbelief.
"Shit, this cannot be happening," she said.
"No. Hell, no," Pope said. "We can't. We're not getting on a plane with him. No way! Hell no!"
"Are we still going?" Cleo asked. "'Don't worry, he's not coming'?"
"He wasn't supposed to. I told you," Sarah said. She walked forward to be closer to where John B and Carson stood stoically and unmoving. "He stays on this island, he gets arrested."
"No, Sarah, I don't think you understand. I don't know if I can get on a plane with that guy," John B said.
"Just listen, John B. This is his plane. I can't stop him from leaving," Sarah said. "But he will still give us a ride to Orinoco, so if you don't wanna get on the plane, I get it. We'll find another way."
"There's no other way," John B said. He turned to look at Carson. She had just as every reason not to want to get on that plane, but he needed her to be on board too.
"We have no other choice." she said, though still not entirely convinced getting on the plane with Ward was the best decision. He had screwed them over so many times before that she had a feeling it was just bound to happen again, injured or not.
They were just about to climb onto the plane when Rafe appeared. The tension could be felt as him and Pope stared at each other for a long moment before he walked forward. Pope grabbed his shoulder.
"We're not done." The warning was short and simple, but it got his point across.
Sarah and Carson walked forward together and Rafe looked at them.
"Please take care of him," he said. Carson scoffed and shook her head.
"Go fuck yourself, Rafe." She didn't even wait for a reaction before she disappeared into the plan. She forced herself to ignore eye contact with Ward as she collapsed into the nearest seat, feeling very irritated that they were having to leave JJ behind and bring Ward instead.
Once the plane was departed off to South America, Sarah made her way over to try to clean up Ward's wound. She was obviously not happy with the fact that he was there either, but she felt a greater sense of obligation to him than the others. Carson could imagine she might have been in the same situation if things had been different, but he had made his choice years ago and she wasn't it, so that sense of obligation didn't exist for her now.
"John," Ward said. "Thank you too. I know you won't believe it, but you have nothing to worry about from me. Not anymore. I'm just here to help you. All of you." He directed his gaze towards Carson when he said that, but she just turned away. She didn't believe him and she wasn't about to hide that. "I have a lot to make up for. For what it's worth, I'm glad your father's alive." To Carson, that wasn't worth much.
