Ghost of You || JJ Maybank x Reader

panic

There was nothing that could've prepared you for leaving your brother. The plan was supposed to be simple: get the Phantom, load it, get Sarah and John B then get the hell out of there. As always, though, nothing was ever easy.

Rafe had intercepted your plans of running away with John B on the boat, which is how you ended up here — standing in the pouring rain watching as the Phantom fought the stormy waves. Kiara's hand was gripping your arm tightly, the two of you unable to peel your eyes from the scene occurring in the water. The world around you faded to a low hum as you continued to stare. Nothing about today seemed real. You were supposed to be on that boat with him, he wasn't supposed to leave you, but he did.

You would never blame John B, but it didn't hurt any less to know he didn't even try to wait for you. When you made it to the boat hanger, Rafe was waiting for you. One smack of the crowbar to the back of your head and you were out like a light. You woke up in Rafe's fancy Hummer not too long after. The chaos around you was all for John B and the flashing lights were doing nothing to help your concussion that Rafe no doubt gave you. The second you locked eyes with JJ, you were sprinting into his arms and ignoring all of the stares that followed your sudden appearance. He let you collide into his chest and held you until you were brave enough to face the storm threatening to swallow your brother and his girlfriend. You don't know when Kiara latched on to you, or how you all ended up huddled under one of the makeshift tents, but reality set in fast when Shoupe and a few other officers entered the area.

"Did you find them?" Pope's words were still distant in your head, but you could hear him regardless. Kiara's fingers wrapped in yours and JJ's arm didn't leave your shoulders as the four of you stood up.

"No," Shoupe's reply was short, which didn't help the pain in your chest.

"So they got away?" Kiara asked. Part of you wanted to hear that John B and Sarah sailed off to a better life, that they would be okay and make it somewhere. Maybe they would come back for you eventually.

Thunder crashed as Shoupe considered his words. "We uh... we lost them. I'm sorry."

Pope's argument fell deaf upon your ears as you crashed to the muddy ground, JJ and Kiara moving with you as they tried to comfort you in any way possible. JJ's voice echoed next, anger evident in his tone as he let out the rage he felt for losing his best friend. His best friend, your brother. John B.

"We're still looking for him, alright?" Shoupe meant to calm the emotions from your friends, but it did nothing. When Kiara's hands left your arms, you spared a glance up to see your friends in the comfort of their own families, save for JJ who stared silently at your shoes.

"Y/N..." You didn't react to Mrs. Carerra's hand at first, but when Kie's dad pulled you from the ground, you fought to breathe in the arms of your best friend's family. Reality still wasn't set in, but the idea of your brother being gone, for good, was enough to spiral an anxiety attack for anyone.

"We'll keep you all up to date if we find anything. In the meantime, Y/N, you will return to the Camerons' custody as per the agreement with DCS-" Shoupe was cut off by a scream, your scream.

You finally pulled your head from Kiara's family to glare at him. "I am not going back there! They killed my brother, Shoupe. He's dead because of them, and you want me to just walk back in their house willingly? Over my dead body." The tears were streaming down your face as you hissed at him, overwhelmed with grief and anxiety of what comes now.

Ward and Rafe Cameron entered the tent at the same second causing a pit of dread to form in your stomach. "No!" You screamed and took off into the rain, pushing past everyone in your wake to get away from the nightmare that was now your life. You could hear the faint voices of your friends shouting after you as you disappeared into the pitch black of the night.

A set of arms wrapping around your waist kept you from hopping the fence to the main road. You yelled in protest as your captor hit the ground with you before their hand clamped over your mouth. Turning aggressively, JJ's blond hair fell into your line of sight as you stopped fighting.

"Y/N, Y/N, calm down. You have to calm down okay? You're gonna have another anxiety attack, you have to breathe." He placed both palms on the side of your face to keep your gaze on him, to recenter your head and calm your erratic breathing.

"JJ, I don't wanna go back," You sobbed, collapsing forward against his shoulder as he placed one hand on your head and one on your back in comfort.

"I know, I know. Y/N, none of us want you to go back either, but there's nothing we can do to stop them. Kiara's parents are going to take it to court to have you moved into their custody, but it... it's gonna take time. You can't hide at the Chateau, they'll find you and who knows what happens then." For once in his life, JJ was trying to be the reasonable one and as much as you hated it, you knew he was right. Stuff like this didn't just change overnight, and if you wanted the Camerons to pay for what they did, you could work from the inside out.

No matter what you did, you knew Ward would hunt you down until he had you. You wouldn't rest until John B was proven innocent, and having you in his grip would make everything easier. You made a promise to yourself then and there that you wouldn't crack under his pressure, you had to keep a strong front if you ever wanted to avenge John B's death and send Ward to jail.

The sound of footsteps had you grasping JJ even tighter as you glanced to see Kiara and Pope hovering behind Shoupe and a couple of the other officers. JJ let out a small sigh, making eye contact with both of his friends who gave sad smiles in return. This had never been an easy fight for any of them, but for once, JJ wanted to be reasonable. He had to be; now that John B was gone, there was nobody to look for you except himself. That was a promise he made, and it was one he would die to keep.

You didn't move in the slightest, still staring ahead silently at the thought of going back to the Camerons, back to somewhere you'd have to look over your shoulder at every noise or movement. There would be no rest, no safety. Part of you was mad that JJ wasn't going to fight for you. He wasn't the one running off the dark streets to keep you safe. He was just shoving you right back into the jaws of the shark.

"Y/N..." Shoupe tried to be consoling, you could honestly tell, but when Ward and Rafe appeared over his shoulder, you knew this battle was far from over.