Obx Rafe Cameron - Tumblr Posts

ANON LIST <3

JUST IMAGINING RIDING DREWS FACE WHEN HE HAS HIS MOUSTACHE!!!

18+ MINORS DNI

It was a quiet night and drew had just came home from hanging out with the cast of Outer banks, the only sounds being yours and Drew's moans and the sound of the bed squeaking at the hinges “Drew! Fuck! Slow down..” his head had been in-between your legs ever since he got home he was making the most unholy sounds a man could make with his mouth “Nuh uh baby, gonna eat this pussy till she's squirting all over me” to be fair you weren't helping your own cause rocking your hips to gain more friction from his nose nudging up against your clit, drew could tell you were going to cum as soon as you start to pull at his hair practically telling him to get off “Drew! M'gonna cum!” “Yeah baby gonna make a mess all over my face huh?” his words tipped you over the edge making you shake uncontrollably Drew gripping his big hands over your thighs to stop you from shaking continuing to eat you out like it was his last night on earth.

“Ready for another round baby?”

MASTERLIST

Smut=★ fluffy=• Angst=×

Drew Starkey

★Riding his face

Rafe Cameron

Topper Thornton

JJ Maybank

John B Routledge

Extras!

Cheater.

Season 2 Rafe Cameron

Not proofread

(Fluff and angst)

Rafe Cameron x (F) Reader

Summary: Reader and Rafe are friends with benefits but that all comes crashing down when a pogue enters the situation.

Rafe slowly squinted as the light from the early sunrise poured through the window. He moved his head down, looking at Y/N as a stupid, giddy smile appeared on his face. What would his friends think if they saw how much she affected him? What would his father think?

He brushed a eyelash off that had fallen onto Y/Ns cheek in her sleep. Rafe knows they are just friends that sometimes kiss, cuddle, make out... sleep together. Yet he wanted more, which is uncalled for when it comes to the Rafe Cameron. The whole island knew you were basically untouchable but Rafe wanted to make it official. He wanted you all to himself, all day, everyday, for the rest of your lives. He was greedy, he knew that, but he didnt care when it came to Y/N.

“Y/N, hey …” he whispers softly, as he stroked her cheek, memorizing her facial features.

"Baby, wake up", he watched her eyelids twitch before she squinted up at him. He loves how she looks when shes just woken up. Her little squinted eyes and tired smile.

Her phone on the nightstand pings as she shifts to hide her face in Rafes neck. He strokes her hair with a smirk on his lips. Her phone pings again. She wraps her arms around his neck as she closes her eyes. Her phone pings again. After trying to ignore the annoying notification sounds she finally turns away from Rafe to check her phone. Rafe frowns behind her, upset over the loss of contact. Y/Ns back stiffens as she reads the dozens of unread texts on her phone. Rafe notices her change in demeanor. He grabs her shoulder from behind, moving his thumb to massage the should blade.

"Hey, hey... whats wrong?" The room sits in silence for a couple seconds before Y/N gets out from under the covers and stands up.

"I have to go, im sorry." Y/N says, not making eye contact as she stumbles around the room tiredly. She puts on her clothes as fast as possible. Rafe stands, sliding on his boxers as he follows her after her like a lost puppy.

"What happened? Di- did I do something? Why are you leaving?" He grabs her hand trying to pull her to him but Y/N removes her wrist from his grip. He tries to get her to talk to him again, grabbing her now clothed hips, pulling her front to his chest.

"Tell me whats going on?!", the tone is aggressive but he gently pushes a piece of hair behind her ear.

"Rafe, please." She mumbles a plead to leave her alone before pushing him away once again. Grabbing her keys and walking through the halls of Tanneyhill as the old floor boards underneath her.

"Y/N/N wait!" He chases after her, speed walking through the mansion in only boxers. Before Y/N can open the door, a hand on her arm stops her. Spinning her around and pinning her back against the door. She lets out a gasp as she stares up at Rafe who is towering over her. He leans in front of Y/N, one hand on the door, trapping her. His other hand is holding her chin between his thumb and bent pointer finger.

"Where do you think you going, huh? Why are you leaving so fast?" He squinted at her, cocking his head to the side.

"What are you hiding?" He whispers, staring at her, his tongue rolled into his cheek.

"Im not hiding anything, I'm just going home. I haven't been home in like 2 days Rafe." Y/N says, rolling her eyes. Rafe takes a step away, he lifts a hand, running it through his messy hair, a scoff escaping his lips.

"Home?" He repeats as he quirks an eyebrow at her. He grabs her hips again, moving his thumb back and forth as he strokes her hip bone.

"Why you runnin' then? Why do you gotta get home so fast? Seems suspicious to me." Y/N makes eyes contact with him. His once blue eyes now almost completely black thanks to his blown pupils.

"Im not, i just wanna get home, okay detective?" She says sarcastically, rolling her eyes. She pushes his hands away, Rafe stumbles back a little. He lets out a low, laugh as he pinches the bridge of his nose, looking down.

"You're lyin-" he gets cut off by another ping of Y/Ns cell phone.

"Who the fuck is that blowing up your phone? I know it ain't your parents cause they aren't up this early." He says as he stalks towards her. He rips the phone out of her hand. Unlocking the phone as Y/N scrambles to get it back. Rafe holds it high enough where he can read it but Y/N cant reach it. Rafe slowly turns towards Y/N with a sinister smirk on his face.

"Why the fuck is JJ Maybank texting your phone? You're mine." He gets close to Y/N again. Leaning down to ear.

"You like dirty pogues now? Is that what we're doing now, huh?" Y/N stares at him.

"Im not yours Rafe, for the record. We are friends that sometimes sleep together. Im not your girlfriend, and I'm definitely not your property asshole." She grabs her phone back, unlocking the door as Rafe watches her intensely. She walks down to her car as Rafe stalks behind. She slides into the driver side as Rafe stands at her window, his hands in fists. Y/N sighs before speaking.

"And JJ is now my boyfriend, so this whole friends with benefits things needs to stop. We're over."

This is my first time ever writing fan fic! Please let me know how I did! I would love notes on how I can improve! Let me know if you want a part 2 or even a whole series on this please💗

Cheater. (Pt. 2)

Season 2 Rafe Cameron

(Fluff and angst)

Not proofread

Rafe Cameron x (F) Reader

Summary: Reader and Rafe are friends with benefits but that all comes crashing down when a pogue enters the situation.

Rafe's eyes wandered above the rim of his red, plastic cup filled with some cheap liquor that some teenager had illegally bought. The beach was filled with horny teenagers and loud music, but he didnt really care about the party. He was waiting for you to show up. He was standing next to Topper who was trying to flirt with some short, platinum blond girl. Kelce had already wandered off with some girl to the backseats of his car. As Rafe scanned the party, he got a glimpse of Y/Ns hair blowing in the breeze coming off of the ocean. Every sound around Rafe became muffled, all he could focus on was Y/N and the dirty, shaggy blond pogue standing next to her with his arm wrapped around her waist. Rafes jaw clenched in jealousy as the plastic cup in his hand began to crumble as Rafes hands became fists.

Rafe threw his now destroyed cup on the ground as he began to make his way towards Y/N. A hand on his shoulder stopped him, he spun around in a fit of rage, throwing the hand off of his shoulder. Topper stood back, putting his hands up in defeat.

"Listen man, you need to let her go. You got a bunch of other chicks on this island. She is dating a filthy pogue, do you really want JJs leftovers?" Topper let out a laugh as he motioned towards Y/N and JJ. Rafe scoffed, grabbing Topper's collar.

"Don't fucking talk about her like that!" Rafe said getting in Topper's face, he then let go of Topper. Topper took another step back and he straightened his collar once again, rolling his eyes.

"Just wait and see, she'll see how bad she messed up and she'll come crawling back. She knows whose arms she belongs in." Rafe said mostly to himself as he watched you walk to the drinks table. Rafe shortly followed after you. Y/N stood at the drink table, mixing some concoction of soda and liquor. She felt a presents behind her, she turned her head only to be met with Rafe and that stupid cocky smirk plastered onto his face.

"What? Maybank can't even get you a drink now. Thats what you get when you date a selfish pogue, I guess." Rafe shrugged, grabbing your drink and taking a sip, making a disgusted face. You ignored him, going to walk away.

"Hey, hey." He said softly, grabbing your arm, turning you around to face him. Y/N reached for her drink, Rafe held it out of reach, holding it above his head.

"Why are you acting like this?" Rafe said quietly, stroking her cheek. Y/N stared at him with a bored expression.

"What? Your too good to talk to me now? You weren't too good to be under me last week?" Y/N pushed him off, Rafe dropped her drink in the sand. He grabbed her wrists, pulling her to him, as he kept quietly repeating "stop", as she pushed and struggled to get away from him.

"You're such a dick you know that right!" Y/N gritted through her teeth at him. A hurt expression flashed over Rafes face before it turned back to his cocky smirk and cold eyes. He grabbed her hand, pulling her away from the party to a secluded area of the beach so no one could interrupt them. Rafe paced back and forth, running his hand through his messy bangs as you sat on the sand, watching him breakdown in front of you.

"Why- why are you acting like this? And when did you start dating Maybank?" Rafe slurred as he stared at the ground as he walked back and forth.

"Rafe, its none of your busin-" you began to say before he broke.

"Don't say that shit Y/N! We had something and you just threw it away for some- some pogue?! Bullshit! What's going on with you?" Rafe yelled as he marched over to you, standing above you.

"Rafe, I liked you. But you were to wrapped up in your head and worried about your dad thinks and when you're gonna get high again to care." Y/N squinted up at him before holding her face in her hands. Rafe watched with hurt eyes, biting his thumb nail as he took a step back.

"Well, I'm here now. I was stupid then I know that, but I realized I need you Y/N, please. Im gonna man up and handle my shit." Rafe said as he moved forward, kneeling in front of you. He held your wrists, removing your hand from you face as you looked at him.

"Rafe, I'm tired of waiting for you to grow up and figure shit out. We have been friends for 7 years and I have had a crush on you for 6 of those and you did seem to care or notice, but I'm over it now. I've moved onto someone who cares about me enough to actually have a relationship, not a quick fuck." Y/N may have been lying about being over Rafe, but she knew it was better for her wellbeing to pretend to be over him until she actually was. If that was even possible. Y/N said as she stood, beginning to walk away. Rafe scrambled, he didn't know what to do to stop you from walking out of his life. He knew one thing that he could say that would stop you from walking away.

"Y/N, I love you." You froze, no way you heard that right, you couldn't have? Rafe Cameron, saying I love you... to you? Y/N slowly turned around, tears in her eyes. She saw Rafe standing there, he looked so defeated, so sad, he was crying. The moon added the perfect amount of light to see his face. You took it all in, he looked as if he was a small child, and his parents were abandoning them.

"What?" You whispered, your voice breaking as a tear fell down your cheek. Rafe basically ran to you as soon as he saw the tears he had caused.

"I love you Y/N." Before you knew it, his hands were on your cheeks and his lips were on yours. You gasped but to your surprise you were kissing him back. The kiss was intense, his hands were wandering, one found your hip and the other was on your neck moving your head as he kissed you. One of your hands rested on his bicep and the other on his chest. Rafe groaned into your mouth as he held you close. You heard footsteps approaching, you reluctantly pulled away to see who it was. Once you pulled away, Rafe tried to chase your mouth but stopped when he saw who the footsteps belonged to.

"What the fuck." JJ said as he stood with his fists balled up and a scowl on his face.

A couple people asked for a part 2, so here it is! Thank you so much for the support❤️ This is only my second fan fic, so I hope you guys liked it! Let me know if you guys want a part 3 because I was thinking I'll make part 3 smut to spice things up🌶️ But I'm open for requests! Thank you💗

it’s my birthday

yay?!

I have covid and I lost all my friends when I transferred, but at least I still have my inane obsession for coffee and all things rafe Cameron

🥂💓

fairway femme fatale

bf!rafe x brattygf!reader (reader’s thoughts are pink, while rafe’s thoughts are blue!)

warnings: reader making rafe jealoussss, explicit language, sexual innuendos | masterlist

“Can you at least try to hit the ball?”, he complained.

“I am trying, Rafe!!”, you whined. Golf was much harder than you anticipated it to be - it went further than just wearing short skirts and driving around in a cart all day. Not to mention the people around you on the driving range, who all seemed to be pros compared to you.

You tried once more, hitting it, but only a few feet in front of you.

You heard him behind you, struggling to hide his laugh, and finally snapped, “Rafe don't laugh at me that’s not fair. You’ve been playing your whole life - I just started today and you promised to teach me and all you’re doing is laughing at me.”

He grinned, and you knew what he was thinking - she’s so cute when she’s pissed.

“Oh shut up, Rafe,” you scoffed.

“Didn’t say a word,” he raised his hands in defense.

“Have fun playing alone!”, you sarcastically smiled, shoving your club into your golf bag and spinning on your heels to walk back to the country club.

“Seriously? C’mon princess I was laughing because you’re so cute!”

“Right, cause that’s a normal reaction to seeing something cute - laughing at it,” you argued

He groaned, “You’re giving up before we even got off the driving range. After you didn’t respond, he made one last attempt to get you to stay, “I’ll buy you a drink at the halfway house?”

“I can buy my own drink, thanks Rafe,” you yelled back, before finally leaving him.

Ugh, this was such a waste of a good outfit.

˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗

“How’re you and the kook princess?”, Kelce nudged Rafe, making eyes at Topper. It was a regular Saturday for them, all golfing before the usual Saturday night party.

“Yeah, she still likes you?”, Topper snickered.

Rafe’s eyes narrowed - since when have they been interested in hearing about his relationship with you aside from what you were like in bed?

“Yeah,” he nodded with suspicion, “why?”

Kelce squeezed Rafe’s shoulder, barely able to get out the sentence: “Cause your girl is on some golf instructor's dick right now.”

They both fell into fits of laughter as Rafe seethed. He didn’t expect to see you there, in your short white skirt that barely reached your tanned thighs, and your tight shirt that left little to the imagination, bent over the golf club with some random dude behind you, angling your hips in the right direction.

“Didn’t know she took golf so seriously, I thought you said that she sucked at it?”, Topper joked, still snickering at the situation.

“Shut up,” Rafe yelled, pushing Topper away and making his way toward you.

The closer he got, the angrier he grew: you were genuinely smiling and laughing - your swing was even better than it was before.

When on one swing, you hit it especially far, you jumped up and down, clearly excited.

You went for another swing, but just as the club came up, Rafe grabbed it, stopping you from swinging and ripping the club from your grip.

“Rafe!“, you yelled, pulling your big sunglasses off to look at him.

“Hey bud… next time you go around flirting with other guys' girlfriends, especially mine, you might wanna make sure their boyfriends aren’t here to see it.”

“Sir- I wasn’t-”

Rafe held him by the collar of his polo, “You really want to be lying to me, uh,” he paused, eying his name tag, “Jack?”

“Rafe! Stop, seriously,” you pleaded.

“Sir, I really would never-”, Jack pleaded, cut off by the harsh punch Rafe landed on his face.

“Jack,” he still held him by the collar, “here’s one thing y’gotta know about me. I’m- I’m a proactive type of person, alright?”

Jack fearfully looked to you for help, but that only made Rafe angrier.

“What, you need fuckin grammatical help from her? Ya don’t know what proactive fuckin means?” he groaned, “gotta teach everything to you pogues.”

“It means,” he gripped Jack’s collar tighter, “that before you make a move on my girlfriend, that I stop you before you get to do it.”

“I didn’t make a move on her man,” Jack choked out.

Rafe only responded with another punch to Jack’s face, knocking him onto the ground.

Jack writhed, complaining of the pain.

“What the hell is wrong with you?!”, you pushed at Rafe’s chest.

“Rafe, you really hurt him!”, you bent down to inspect the gash Rafe’s ring made near Jack’s eyebrow before he could drag you away.

“You’re hurting my arm, Rafe,” you whined as he pulled you along with him.

“Then walk faster,” he replied.

You let him take you to the parking lot but refused to get in the car with him.

“Would you just get in the car? I’m so sick of the dramatics with you!”, he yelled.

“Fuck you, Rafe.”

“How would you feel if I was all over some girl? Especially at a place like this - you know how bad that makes me look?”

“You just publicly knocked a guy out and you’re blaming me for making you look bad? You’re acting like he had me on all fours out there - he was teaching me golf!”

He paused, trying his best to not lose it on you. “Would you please, baby, just get in the car? I’ll get you a coffee or whatever and we’ll… we’ll figure it out, alright?”

“No. I don’t have anything to figure out. I’m calling an Uber.”

He opened his mouth to plead more but was immediately shut up by the stern look on your face. You walked away, busying yourself by texting your friends about the situation until your Uber arrived.

Do you want me to follow your Uber home to make sure you’re safe?

I’m really sorry sweetheart

You ignored his texts for a bit, deciding you were gonna ignore him. At least until tonight. He needed time to think.

I’m following your Uber home so don’t be scared of the driver

“So dramatic…”, you audibly sighed.

˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗

“So he just punched the instructor just because he was teaching you golf?”

You nodded in response as you stepped into the party, the immediate smell of liquor and weed overwhelming your nose.

“That’s a little excessive,” your friend, Christa, responded.

“Tell me about it,” you laughed, making your way over to the drinks, where Topper, who was hosting the party, stood, flirting with some blonde girl.

“Ah the princess is here!!”, Topper slurred, a little wasted.

“We gotta get you some water, huh?”, you laughed, grabbing a white claw.

“Look,” you felt his hot breath on your neck, “Rafe feels bad, don’t be mad at him. Kelce and I were the ones who pointed it out to him, we didn’t think that it’d end up that bad.”

You shook your head, “Keep your nose out of our business, Top.”

He blinked, “jus’tryna help.”

Christa pulled you away for a song, and you two busied yourselves dancing for a bit. The person in charge of the AUX changed, and you and Christa grumbled, taking a break out on the deck.

Rafe, of course, was settled there in the corner, surrounded by a group of guys. You gave him a shy smile - yes, you were still mad at him, but you at least wanted to be cordial.

He blushed back, quickly getting up and making his way towards you, “Can we talk?”

You hummed and took his hand to pull him somewhere more private. He followed you upstairs, to the room furthest from the stairway, even stepping out onto the balcony so that neither of you would be interrupted.

You sat down, and he uncomfortably sat beside you - he was used to you sitting on his lap, in all honesty.

You looked down at your palms, suddenly nervous, but began nonetheless.

“The whole reason I was trying to learn golf was so that I could be with you doing something that I know you love. I don’t know… I figured it would be fun, you teaching me how to play.”

You looked up, and he nodded at you to continue. “So I went golfing with you. I was so excited - I picked out this really cute outfit with this juicy couture skirt and, and you just, shut me down.”

“I was really trying to learn, Rafe. I don’t do sports like that. I can do like… tennis and Pilates, but I’ve never done golf. And you laughed at me. And when I got upset, you didn’t apologize, you just laughed a little more and tried to bribe me with a drink.”

“I figured you didn’t want to hang out unless I was good at what I was doing. So I booked golf lessons. That was my second session, and I genuinely saw progress and was so excited to finally be able to play with you and show you how good I got. And instead, you just walked over and beat up the guy.”

“He was all over you,” he tried to reason.

You rolled your eyes, “do you not get it? I was trying to learn something for you because I love you and I want to have fun doing the things you love to do with you. The whole reason I did any of that was for you. The whole time that guy was teaching me all I was thinking was why couldn’t you teach me? And you probably could’ve, but instead, you chose to be jealous and mean.”

He stared at the beer in his hands, ashamed.

“I’m, I’m real sorry, sweetheart. I didn’t know that. I didn’t know any of that.”

“And then I got pissed that we were even fighting over something this stupid. And that some guy had to get knocked out because of it.”

The two of you were silent for a moment, listening to the buzz of the party below you.

“I’m sorry. I’m really, really sorry. I shouldn’t have laughed at you, and I shouldn’t have beat up that kid and I shouldn’t have grabbed your hand so hard pulling you away.”

You snuggled closer to him, his big arms wrapping around you and pulling you onto his lap.

“I’m sorry I always screw up…” he admitted.

“We all screw up,” you reasoned, “just not to the degree that you do.”

He put his head down, “I’m teasing you!!”

“No, you’re right,” he held onto you tighter, “I’m just lucky to have someone as forgiving as you.”

“You know what else you’re lucky to have?”

“What?”

“A girlfriend who still has a lot more to learn golf-wise and a ton of new outfits to wear golfing with you.”

He chuckled, pulling you in by your chin to kiss you. “Missed you,” he confessed against your lips.

“It’s been like… 5 hours,” you said in between kisses.

“5 long hours,” he corrected.

“You know what else is long and can go for 5 hours?”

He broke out in a laugh, “I just apologized for being a dick two seconds ago and you’re already horny?”

“I’ve been since I saw you beat up Jack at the driving range.”

“Me beating a guy up gets you all riled up?”, he teased, squeezing your ass.

“Mhmmm,” you hummed, kissing him and letting him carry you into the bedroom. You paused, pushing his chest back, “Y’know what else you’re lucky to have?”

“Hmmm?”, he kissed along your neck, waiting for your response.

“A girlfriend who gets turned on by everything you do.”

“Amen to that.”

“That was so hot when you followed me in the Uber”, you admitted, only because you were tipsy and missed him too.

He laughed against your chest, “I love you so much.”

taglist (message or comment to be added): @dasguccier @pradabambie @ijustwanttoreadlols @juniebugg

thanks for reading! send in requests 🌷 love you all

- angel

first choice

masterlist ko-fi ao3

requests are open

summary: being an incredibly reserved person, it took Rafe a long time to finally feel comfortable enough to let you see him break down

words count: 2.5k

warnings: hurt/comfort, crying, talk about feelings, Ward being a shitty father as always, insecurities

a/n: couldn't help myself but mention Wheezie as well because she deserves so much better💔

The first time you saw Rafe crying was not so long after you started dating. You went to Tanneyhill that day and were nearly knocked off your feet when Ward Cameron stormed out the front door. He was seething with anger and it seemed like he didn’t even register you standing there with wide eyes and a lost face expression. 

You slowly walked into the house, hearing the sound of Ward’s truck driving away, and slowly patted into the light and big kitchen. Your eyes instantly caught sight of your boyfriend, standing with his back facing you and his body hovering over the counter. His hands were firmly gripping onto the edge of the marble, and his head was lowered so you couldn’t take a look at his face behind his hair. When you heard muffled sniffs, your eyebrows knitted in confusion. 

“Rafe?” You almost whispered, talking one step closer to him. Rafe’s body instantly tensed, but he didn’t turn around. His shoulders and back seemed harder than rocks, and you swore his body was shaking from tension. 

You debated for a few seconds, considering what was best to do. Something obviously had happened between Rafe and Ward, and even though they always fought, you never saw Rafe crying. You quickly figured out that he didn’t like to be seen as "weak,” so he rarely showed any emotions, even to you, no matter how hard you tried to create a comfortable environment for him. That’s why you knew that there was no point in trying to make him talk.

When he sniffed again, not moving for an inch or acknowledging your presence, your heart clenched and not waiting anymore, you slowly went closer to him. 

When he felt your arms wrapping around his middle part with your chest firmly pressed against his back, his whole body stiffened at the unusual touch. Rafe had never had someone comforting him, and the whole thing with you constantly trying to go past his walls slightly terrified him. He desperately wanted to just give in, because Rafe knew that you would never hurt him, but something inside his head was still fighting against it.

You held him as close to you as possible, hoping to give him some sense of security. When Rafe’s body finally eased up a little, you turned your head to place kisses on his back while your hands moved up and down his stomach. 

You didn’t know how long you two were standing like this—close to each other and in complete silence. Rafe clearly didn’t want to talk about it and you knew better than to push him. It was a small step for both of you, but you knew that you would do anything to make him feel safe.

The second time it happened, you were in Rafe’s bed, too invested in your book, when he entered the room. Your gaze shifted to him and you instantly noticed that slightly distant look in his blue eyes, as well as his clenched jaw and rapid breathing. 

You were trying not to be very obvious by the way your instant reaction was to jump out of bed and ask what happened. Rafe was not this type of person and he needed gentle handling. So you went back to your book, only lifting your eyes every few seconds while he silently changed his clothes to something comfortable. 

“I want to cuddle.” You suddenly said, placing a bookmark in between the pages and putting your book on the bedside table. Rafe just looked at you and it felt like your eyes were having their own conversation. He knew that you knew that something had happened and were now just trying to make it seem like you were the one who needed affection, and he was thankful for you not trying to get the information out of him.

He nodded, and the next thing you knew, he was on top of you, arms wrapped around your body, face in the crook of your neck. Your fingers started to brush through his hair and he let out a deep sigh of relief.

The room was silent, except for your quiet breathing; that’s why your ears easily caught a soft sniff. Rafe moved his head back and forth, trying to be closer even if it was impossible, and it made you feel something wet touching your skin. You didn't say a word because you knew that it was not the right time yet. Instead, you left one hand in his hair to massage the scalp and moved another one to Rafe’s back, rubbing it up and down. You let your lips brush against his temple and he tightened his hold on your waist in return.

You didn't know what had happened and you hoped that he would tell you when he felt like it, so for now, you were just giving him the safe space that he desperately needed. It clearly worked, because as Rafe’s body became limp on top of yours and his breathing started to slow down, you guessed that he had fallen asleep. 

The next morning, you were standing in the kitchen and making breakfast when you felt two hands sneaking around your waist and turning you around. Before you could say anything, Rafe gave you a breath-taking kiss, which you knew was his way of saying "thank you."

At one of Friday’s evenings, you and Rafe’s family and a few closest friends were having a dinner in the restaurant to celebrate Ward’s important deal at work being finally successfully signed. You honestly didn’t listen to the conversation that everyone was having, looking down at your almost full plate, until Ward and Sarah started a little argument about him doing something that she didn’t like. 

“It also turns out that the most important thing for me is you, Sarah. That’s why I did it.” Your heart skipped a beat when your ears caught the end of the conversation, with your whole body freezing in your chair. He said it so easily, not even hesitating or considering the feelings of his other kids, who sat at that exact table. 

Rafe sat near you and your eyes instantly drifted to him, only t just a blank expression on his face. He looked at his father, then at Sarah, then back at Ward. The disappointment and hurt were written all over his features. It was so obvious for you, probably because you spent so much time trying to figure out him and his emotions, yet his father didn’t care. 

Nobody did, honestly, as everyone at the table just brushed that comment off and continued talking. Only Wheezie looked equally sad, with a frown and with her hands crossed over her chest. 

Rafe’s eyes drifted to his full plate as he became completely distant from the conversation, not even paying attention to your worried gaze. He just felt numb. 

It's not like he didn't know that Sarah was everyone’s priority; he just didn't need to hear another reminder of that. 

He hated the feeling of not being good enough. He tried to impress his father countless times, being loyal and jumping at every opportunity to do the dirty work, just to hear any kind of praise or approval. Yet Sarah has always been the best girl, the best daughter, and the best child. 

A quiet groan escaped his lips in desperation, as he felt that similar tightness in his chest and throat. 

It just fucking hurt. 

Your worried eyes didn’t leave him even for a second, and when you noticed in which state he was in, you moved closer so only he could hear what you were saying. 

“Do you want to leave, Ray?” He just nodded, taking your hand in his and making some lame excuse about needing to leave. 

Sitting in his truck a few minutes later, Rafe didn’t even look at you, staring at something through the window. You saw the way he was occasionally clenching his jaw and blinking rapidly—signs that he was trying not to break down in front of you. 

You bit your lip, thinking to yourself, before finally deciding that you couldn’t just look at your boyfriend being hurt. So, tossing your purse aside, you got up from your seat, moving quickly to straddle Rafe’s lap. He looked at you in shock, but still placed his hands on your waist, rubbing the soft fabric. 

“Hey, look at me. You don’t have to keep it to yourself. Your feelings are normal, baby.” You tried to reassure him, holding his face firmly in your hands. 

He furrowed. “It’s just— It’s just that—“ Rafe paused, looking down and trying to control his breathing. You didn’t know whether it was anger or sadness, but as his chest started rising faster, in the darkness of the car, you saw a tear rolling down his cheek. 

Then another, and another, and another. 

Rafe tried to physically distance himself from you, pulling your hands away from his face and throwing his head back with a frustrated groan as the palms of his hands pressed into his eyes. 

“That’s fucking’ pathetic.” He hissed.

“No, it’s not. Stop trying to hide from me and just talk. You know I’m the last person to ever judge you.” You soothed him by softly caressing the skin of his neck with your thumbs, and then took a hold of his face to make him look at you. “Talk to me. It’s just us and no one else.” 

Rafe’s blue eyes seemed even brighter with tears gleaming in them, even though it was dark outside and the only light that you had was a lamppost near the restaurant. He gave you a long look, probably fighting his own barriers inside of his head because of how hard it was for him to open up. You waited patiently, not looking away or rushing him and it must’ve worked.

“The shit that he says and does… It hurts me. No matter how much I try, how much effort I put into everything, or how often I do what he needs and wants, it’s never enough. I’m never fucking good enough for anyone or anything.” You took Rafe’s hand in yours, interlacing your fingers. He instantly focused on it, mindlessly playing with your ring and rubbing your skin. “And I don’t hate Sarah—fuck, I really don’t, ‘cause it’s not her damn fault, y’know? But it makes me so fucking mad and-and I just don’t know what to do or what’s wrong with me.” 

Angry tears continued to flow down Rafe’s cheeks freely, as he was not capable of trying to hide them and wipe them away quickly anymore. You looked at him softly, with your heart aching for your boyfriend and for the way this situation deeply affected him. 

“He does this to Wheezie too. She’s a child, Y/N, and I know how it messes up with her head.” Rafe sighed, throwing his head back and looking at the ceiling. “Sometimes... sometimes I feel like I fuck up everything in my life. I think that maybe it’s my fault for him to act like that. Maybe I do something wrong, I dunno.”

“I know that I can't give you what Ward was supposed to give you. That type of love, I mean. But you’re important to me, Rafe. I won't put you in second place because you're always my first choice.” You freed your hands, again placing them on his wet cheeks. Big blue eyes stared back at you with vulnerability and despair as hands on each of your thighs tightened, so you tried to let Rafe know how much he meant to you. “You are good enough, and don’t you dare think otherwise.” 

You leaned closer, hovering over Rafe’s body, just inches away from his face, before tenderly pulling him into a kiss. 

“You shouldn’t let Ward ruin your life and your relationships with your sisters, because it won’t benefit you in any way. Ward is the problem, not you, Ray, so no matter how hard you try, he won’t change his mind.” You kiss away his tears, still firmly holding his face in your hands. “I’m here for you. I love you, and I hate seeing you kill yourself over this.”

Rafe suddenly pulled you closer by your waist, hugging you with all the strength that he had. His body trembled against you while you soothingly scratched the back of his neck. 

“I love you too. ‘M sorry f’ being a mess.” 

“Don’t say that. Everything is okay, we are okay. I’m happy that you finally opened up to me a little bit, because I support you, okay?” He nodded and kissed your naked shoulder, trying to catch his breath. 

“Thank you.” 

A few minutes later, Rafe’s breathing calmed down and his hands were just slowly going up and down your back. Your legs were already sore from your position on his lap, but it was peaceful with just you two sitting in a comfortable silence, so you didn’t mind. You looked up at him as the idea came to your head. "What if we take Wheezie away from there and go out to eat or ride around?" 

Rafe placed a kiss on your forehead, thinking about your words. His and Wheezie’s relationships were weird, with Rafe feeling distant from his family and her just being a child who didn't know how to handle the situation. But he always had a soft spot for her and he hated thinking about his sister sitting there and being invisible to everybody. 

“Yeah, we can. She’d like that.” He mumbled, focusing on your lips that curled into a smile. 

“Great!” You pushed away from him, opening the door and casually sliding on the floor. Rafe looked at you curiously, silently grateful that you were absolutely normal about what happened just a few minutes ago in his car. His heart suddenly raced, and he could not resist the urge to grab you by the waist and pull you in for a kiss. 

Rafe connected your lips, then slightly tilted his head to deepen the kiss. Your skin got covered in goosebumps as you smiled against his lips before pulling away. Rafe subconsciously followed your face, trying to get more. 

“Fuck, you’re amazing. So gorgeous. I love you so much, baby.”

“You already told me that… but I love you more!” You giggled, taking his hands away from your body. “Now I’ll go get Wheezie, and you remove my lipstick from your face.” You gave him a teasing smile before finally going back to the restaurant and leaving Rafe with a soft smirk on his lips. 

He thought that maybe opening up for you was working much better in his favor than he expected. 

OH MY GAWD I JUST FINISHED OBX AAAAAHHHHHHHEJDIEBDHSUEHDBBDDJIDBECDHDYSJDB

I'll Come Running - R.C. - Masterlist (Complete)

"We all know there's only one person in this world that can control Rafe Cameron."

Warnings: angst, fluff, themes of abandonment, drug use, violence, sexual themes, alcohol use

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Chapter 49

Chapter 50

Chapter 51

Chapter 52

Chapter 53

Chapter 54

Chapter 55

Chapter 56

Chapter 57

Chapter 58

Chapter 59

Chapter 60

Chapter 61

Chapter 62

Chapter 63

Chapter 64

Chapter 65

Chapter 66

Chapter 67

Chapter 68

Chapter 69

Chapter 70

Chapter 71

Chapter 72

Chapter 73

Epilogue

Author's Note!

@droppedyourhnd

I'll Come Running - R.C. - Chapter 14

***

The sight of Rafe and Jessie dancing in the middle of midsummers, clearly in love, filled Ward with an immeasurable amount of rage. Seeing them laughing, talking, acting as if they were the only ones in the room, he could tell they truly believed they were. Nothing was going to stop them from having the night they wanted, right? Ward believed them to be sorely mistaken.

Not being able to take the sight anymore, he finally broke their dance by getting in between both of them and pushing Rafe slightly.

"Have you lost your mind?" Ward screamed in Rafe's face as he walked closer towards him, forcing Rafe to take steps back. Rafe was sick of following orders. He began to walk forward, walking right into Ward's chest and he pushed him back.

"I know exactly what I'm doing." He replied angrily with narrowed eyes and a raised voice. There was no saving face now, Ward had just caused a scene that he had planned on saving for when they got home, but who knew if Rafe was even coming home.

"This is not happening, over my dead body!" Ward screamed. That was enough for Rafe, he thought that could be arranged.

"Fine!" He spoke as his fist flew up in rage to connect with Ward's face. Jessie backed up to let Ward fall to the ground. It all happened too quickly for her or anyone else to intervene. But finally, security stepped in, one guard to help Mr. Cameron off the floor, and two more to escort Rafe out of the club. Jessie, still shocked, simply followed behind with her mouth open wide in disbelief.

"I can't believe that prick!" Jessie exclaimed as she ran up to Rafe in the parking lot, finally able to find words.

"Yeah, well I can." Rafe said angrily but clearly unphased as he readjusted his jacket and combed a hand through his hair.

"Are you okay?" Jessie inquired as she went to feel around Rafe's body. She didn't know what she was looking for but also didn't know what else to do.

"Yeah, Jess, I'm fine, I promise." He answered as he took her face in his hands. "Are you okay?" He asked, his eyes solely focused on hers, looking for any indication of a lie. She just nodded, still clearly appalled.

"I need to smoke." Was all she could say.

---

There they sat, on the edge of the dock at the Chateau overlooking the starlit marsh, and the cloud of smoke above their heads thanks to one of Jessie's cousins specials. They were both still in their midsummers attire, but neither of them cared.

"So, what're you going to do now?" Jessie questioned as she passed the blunt to Rafe.

"Nothing. I'm gonna go home, continue to tell my dad how it really is and he can either accept it and move on or find another circus monkey." Rafe replied with his words slurred, indicating the weed was doing its job.

Jessie just giggled a little and looked at Rafe. "I still can't believe you're doing all this for me."

"I'd do anything for you." He said as he met her gaze. They both paused, locking eyes with one another. Jessie looked down at Rafe's lips and then back up. Rafe received the message and slowly leaned in, finally ready to break the tension that's been between them all night. There lips collided with a passion neither one of them had experienced before, and yet still there was a gentleness that couldn't be described. Their lips danced together in perfect harmony. Jessie was convinced that fireworks were going off around them, oh wait, there actually were.

They broke away to be met with fireworks in the distance, no doubt from midsummers. They looked back at each other and smiled.

"So what does this make us?" Jessie asked as she bit her lip waiting for the answer. Rafe remembered that they technically weren't official.

"Boyfriend and girlfriend?" Rafe asked hopefully.

"Hmm" Jessie pondered as she tapped her finger against her cheek to signal she was thinking. "I don't believe I've been asked."

"Well this is me asking." Rafe flirted as he leaned in for another kiss and grabbed her face with his hand, pulling her deeper. Jessie grabbed that same hand and held it there even after they pulled away.

"And this is me accepting." She stated as she leaned in once more to return the favor. They pulled away once more even though neither of them wanted to.

"But if you're going to go back to your house tonight or anytime soon, you're going to need more than weed to get you through." Jessie chuckled. Rafe knew exactly where this was going.

"Ugh, Jessie no. You know how bad that stuff is for you, I'm not doing coke, and I want you to stop too." He pleaded.

"Don't go trying to change me all in one night country club." She flirted as she kissed him again, trying to lighten the mood. It worked. "Come with me." She whispered and brought him back to the Chateau, all the pogues at the beach for the evening.

Jessie got a line ready for herself, clearly needing something stronger to bring her down from the high of that night. So many emotions, good, bad, and ugly, and still, this was the only way Jessie knew to cope. Rafe had to take that into consideration. Baby steps.

Despite Rafe's attempts to change Jessie in that way, in the end it would be Jessie that convinced Rafe to take her advice, plunging him deep into an addiction that he couldn't get out of, leading to the man he was today. All from that one night after midsummers when he just needed something a little stronger to take the edge off.

***

Jessie and Rafe both reminisced about that magical night at midsummers, both of them remembering the significance of it. They both remembered it as the beginning of the end of their relationship.

"Do you ever wish you wouldn't have convinced me?" Rafe questioned as he clenched his jaw and choked on his words from across the dinner table.

"To do Coke?" Jessie asked. "Pft, no. That's always been the difference between me and you Rafe." She said as she finally got comfortable enough to drink the wine Rafe had poured for her. "I always knew my limits."

Jessie was right, how was she to know Rafe had such an addictive personality? Then again, how was Rafe to know he did either? Everything he was given in his life up until that point was in moderation, but once Jessie got involved, a new world was given to him in over abundance. Jessie proved to Rafe that there is truth to having too much of a good thing. Rafe was hurt by her words at the dinner table that night. He had wished Jessie regretted her decision to some degree, maybe then that would show him that she truly did still care.

Jessie did care, she never stopped caring. But she couldn't let Rafe know that. Of course she regretted ruining her love's life. How could she not? She disregarded those thoughts and played it cool as she swished the wine around her glass with a stoic look on her face. You're move, Rafe.

"Yeah, well" Rafe replied trying to hold back tears as he cleared his throat. "That's just like you isn't it? Always looking out for yourself." He choked out as he distracted himself with his napkin, suddenly thinking it needed to be messed with. Check mate.

Jessie couldn't let that accusation slide. She said from the very beginning, she was cold, but she wasn't heartless.

"You don't get to fault me for looking out for myself, Rafe." She said angrily as she put a wadded up fist on the table trying to contain herself. "That's all I've ever done my entire life, look out for myself. It's been my only option. My relationship with you was different, at least I thought it was, but you eventually proved that wrong and you know it!" She declared through flared nostrils and a loud breath.

"Whatever, alright?" Rafe said, sounding annoyed. It seemed as if Rafe wanted to make fun of her for that last sentence, but he held it in. "You wanna talk about something else? We'll talk about something else." He quickly changed the subject knowing she was correct.

Jessie cleared her throat and played with the shiny fork to her right, catching a glimpse of herself in the silver.

"Let's talk about how you're going to get me my cut." She said numbly looking him dead in the eyes with a look that could kill. Rafe still had no idea how he was going to do that, let alone answer that question.

"I don't know." He replied honestly.

"Bullshit." She immediately retorted.

"Jessie I'm not lying. I really don't know how I'm going to liquidate all of that and give you what you want. My dad's not here to help me negotiate with the banks and I have to figure this all out by myself." He huffed, truly sounding defeated. "Just give me some time."

"I don't have time, Rafe."

"Oh yeah? Where are you gonna go back to exactly, huh? Since you won't tell me, I have no reason to believe you have any life worth getting back to. As far as I'm concerned, I own you just as much as you own me, Mrs. Cameron." He smirked. Game, set, match.

Jessie cocked her head to the side, displaying a look of deep thought as she admired the chandelier from across the dining room.

"Fine." She simply stated.

"Right, so while you're here, acting like a married woman, I'm going to act like a married man." Rafe responded with the same demeanor.

"And what does that mean?" Jessie scowled, trying not to act disgusted.

"I'm going to enjoy your company." He said leaning closer with a mischievous smile on his face and a twinkle of hope in his eyes.

I'll Come Running - R.C. - Chapter 17

Rafe softly grinned like a little kid as he watched the love of his life walk up the stairs that night. He made his way to his room, which was on the complete opposite side of Jessie's, unbeknownst to her. The master suite was actually hidden behind one of the "pantries" on the far side of the kitchen. After all, this house did belong to Ward Cameron, who would have every reason to hide where he sleeps.

Rafe pushed the door open to the pantry that housed all the kitchen appliances, bypassed them to go straight for the shelf behind it. With a gentle nudge of one of the shelves upward he was able to unlock the secret door and push it open, revealing a lavish bedroom with a king sized bed, his and hers chairs at the end of it, and of course a massive flat screen tv overlooking it all. No windows of course, again, because it was hidden. Rafe didn't mind, but he did worry about Jessie being alone on the other end of the house not knowing where Rafe was. He had to shrug it off, after all, he had security.

Rafe fell into the soft bed wrapped in an all black feather down duvet. The day he had at first felt like a nightmare, but it eventually turned into a dream. More than that, a dream that he had dreamed of for four years. His love had finally returned, giving him a brand new reason to live again. Despite the last four years being filled with prestigious meetings, endless money, and proud father son moments, Rafe still never felt the same freedom that he did when he was with Jessie. Now he had a shot at that again, and he wasn't going to waste it.

The truth is, Rafe knew from a very early age that he was never meant for the life Ward handed him. He didn't like it. He felt trapped. He was trapped.

As Rafe laid in bed that night his mind wondered and he reminisced about him and Jessie.

***

It was the morning after Jessie was attacked by her worthless father. Jessie woke up wrapped in Rafe's arms in his bed. She was awoken by the sunlight peaking through the curtains. Shit. Normally she's gone long before the sun comes up, that way nobody knows she's been there.

Jess immediately shot up frantically, hurting herself in the process. Oh yeah, she was still very bruised. She winced in pain and grabbed her side. Rafe stirred at the sudden movement and snaked his arm once again around Jessie and groaned. He opened his eyes to see her sitting up, he matched her movements.

"What're you doing?" Rafe stuttered through a groggy voice as he put his arms around Jessie and buried his face in her neck, still clearly waking up. He also seemed to whine like a toddler.

"The sun is up and I'm not gone." Jessie hissed. "I should've snuck out of here before the sun came up like normal and now your dad is going to see me and-"

Rafe shut Jessie up by grabbing her jaw gently and kissing her passionately. It hurt Jessie a little bit but she didn't dare to complain. She grabbed the hand that was on her jaw and held it ever so slightly and deepened the kiss. As much as Jessie didnt want to, she finally broke away, leaving Rafe clearly annoyed.

"Your dad is going to see me." She said plainly as she threw the cover off of her to stand up.

"I don't care anymore, Jess. I'll deal with him. I'm not afraid of him anymore." Rafe simply stated as if it was a well known fact. Jessie stopped in the middle of looking for her clothes to turn back to Rafe. She had never heard him speak like that before. Even during nights like midsummers, Rafe still showed a reverence for Ward. This time the tone in his words just felt different, like a switch had flipped last night. Jessie didn't know if she liked it or not.

"You're serious?" Jessie asked looking at Rafe with furrowed brows.

"Yes, Jessie. I'm not afraid of any person that comes between me and you." Rafe assured her.

Jessie walked back over to the bed and leaned over it. "Well thank you." She said as she kissed him.

"You're welcome, baby." Rafe replied as he kissed her back. This time he was bound and determined to not break their kiss. He grabbed Jessie by her waist and pulled her back in the bed and on his lap. Jessie knew where this was going. She really wanted to say no but she just couldn't.

- - -

Once Rafe and Jessie finally decided to get out of bed and get ready for the day, Rafe led Jessie down their stairs and to the kitchen to make them something for breakfast. Rose was sitting at the counter reading something on her laptop as she sipped a cup of coffee. She simply eyed them both up and down and looked at Rafe in disbelief. The set of balls on him were impressive to come strutting through his father's house with his forbidden love.

"Your father is not going to be happy about this." Was all Rose could think to say in a very matter of fact tone.

"I don't care." Was all Rafe could respond with, not even glancing at Rose as he opened up the fridge. He got a few things out to make bacon, eggs, and what Jessie assumed were going to be pancakes.

"Oh, I forgot my phone upstairs. I'm going to go grab it." Jessie said as she walked out of the kitchen and down the long hallway.

Once she made it out of eye and ear shot of Rafe, she was met with long arms draped around her shoulders and a hand covering her mouth. She was then maneuvered around to face the mystery man and pushed up against the wall in the hallway clearly against her will. Ward's hand never left Jessie's mouth as he signaled for her to be quiet. Jessie couldn't help but fight back quietly as she squirmed and tried prying his fingers away from her mouth one by one, to no avail. It physically hurt her so much to fight, yet she never wavered.

Jessie wasn't scared, this was Jessie Maybank they were talking about, she was mainly irritated.

"If you want what's best for Rafe you have got to listen to me." Ward pleaded as he slowly took his hand from her mouth.

"You don't know what's best for Rafe." Jessie hissed back with disgust written all over her face.

"And what do you think is best for Rafe? Living the rest of his life with a dirty pogue like you? Sweetheart, he has so much more going for him than you realize. "

The nickname made her skin crawl.

"One thing he doesn't have with you is happiness. You have to know that-"

"But one day he will, if he just gives it time I will-"

That was all Ward could say before he was met with similar long arms around his neck. Ward could feel his breath slipping away as the arms, undeniably Rafe's, strangled him and pushed him against the wall. Jessie quickly moved out of the way, quick to catch her breath, slow her breathing, and hold onto her bruised ribs out of writhing pain.

Rafe held Ward against the wall and swiftly rotated him to face him, once again slamming Ward against the wall. Rafe was filled with so much anger he made it look easy. Rafe still hadn't blown off enough steam from last night so he was ready and looking for anyone to try something.

"You don't ever touch her again." Rafe mumbled, surprisingly calm and collected. His stare was distant despite looking his father right in the eyes. Ward and Jessie both noticed a shift in Rafe's demeanor. He used to fly into fits of rage, now his anger seemed more calculated, more subdued, and most certainly more intimidating. The idea of not knowing when Rafe could truly snap was one that kept Ward sunken into the wall behind him. He now couldn't help but take Rafe seriously.

Rafe moved one hand from Ward's shoulder to Ward's neck and slowly began to obstruct his air flow. Rafe came closer to Ward, breathing heavily but still seeming totally in control.

"If you touch her, if you speak to her, if you look her way, if you're in the same room as her, if you say anything about her, if you even think about her..." Rafe whispered, each phrase tightening his grip around Ward's neck and leaning in closer. "I'll know... and I will kill you. With no hesitation."

Ward could see that Rafe's diamond eyes had now turned to a storm blue. Truly terrified of what Rafe could have done in that moment, he simply nodded, clearly not being able to speak for the lack of oxygen. Rafe never let go of his death grip, not until he rendered his father unconscious, causing him to fall to the ground.

Jessie couldn't believe what she had just seen. Of course she wanted Rafe to rescue her, but never like this. His defense never came with such reckless abandon and clear disregard for life. Jessie was convinced Rafe was about to kill his father right there in that hallway.

Without a word, Rafe took Jessie's hand and led her out of the house, whisking her away on his motorcycle. Jessie didn't know where they were going, she didn't really care. She trusted Rafe, right? Of course she did, why would she doubt him now? After all, he loves her, he's proved that plenty of times.

Rafe eventually pulled up to Jessie's house. The screen door still in the yard from last night. Luke, however, was not.

"Stay here." Rafe demanded as he got off his bike.

Rafe walked into the house without a care in the world clearly on a mission. He swept the house to make sure nobody was there. Rafe went back outside banging the doors and stomping around the old wooden floors in the process.

"That old bastard knew what was good for him." Rafe commented as he leaned on the bike to be eye level with Jessie. He honestly was irritated at the fact that Luke wasn't there for him to pummel. But his serious face suddenly turned into a smile, a smile that was meant only for his Jessie.

"What're you thinking about?" Jessie returned his sheepish smile with a smirk. She could tell he was thinking. Suddenly she wasn't concerned anymore.

"You feel like getting out of here?"

***

To this day, Rafe never regretted his actions that day, the only thing he regretted in their relationship was being the reason Jessie had to leave. He went to sleep that night with memories dancing in his head.

I'll Come Running - R.C. - Chapter 18

Jessie woke up to the sun on her face and a view of the ocean. She had to admit, the view from her room was breathtaking.

Her phone buzzed and she realized it was JJ calling.

"Good morning." Jessie said kindly.

"Good morning, muchacho." JJ exclaimed so loud that Jessie had to hold the phone away from her ear a little bit.

"Why're you so happy?" She laughed. "Someone get laid?" She joked.

"I wish, but it sounds like you did last night." JJ retorted back.

"What're you talking about?" Jessie scoffed.

"Don't act all slick, we heard your conversations last night. 'You're not a bad man, Rafe Cameron.'" JJ imitated in a girly voice. "He bought that shit hook line and sinker! You're a genius, Jess. I knew we could count on you." JJ explained.

Jessie just giggled through the phone. Deep down she knew that what she said last night wasn't for show, it was all true. Rafe wasn't a bad man, never was. Whether anyone else could see it or not, Jessie knew Rafe was truly a victim of circumstance, always rightfully provoked to do the next bad thing.

"Just glad I could help, little brother." Jessie responded with an eye roll that JJ could hear through the phone.

"So what're you going to do today." JJ inquired.

"Oh I don't know, probably lure Rafe in with my bedroom eyes and then kill him in his sleep, since that's apparently what I do now." Jessie sassed.

"That's actually one of your better ideas." JJ declared, a very serious tone evident in his words.

"Oh whatever, JJ. I don't know what we'll do today, but keep listening."

"Ok, well, we have a flight back for you tomorrow morning. Do you think it'll be enough time?" Jessie had to ponder that. Tomorrow morning, already? Truth is, she wasn't quite ready to leave Rafe. She didn't know if she would ever be able to leave Rafe again. She knew it would kill him. Who was she kidding? She had a daughter to think about, she wasn't here for Rafe... was she?

"Uh, I'll have to get back with you on that." Was all Jessie could come up with.

"What do you mean? It's an easy mission, Jess. He's getting the money right?" JJ asked with a tinge of worry.

"I'm not completely sure, he hasn't told me how he's doing it, but... I'm trying." She sighed. JJ believed her.

"Alright, well just let me know sis. We've got your back."

"Thanks." Jessie smiled, "I'll talk to you later."

"Love you, bye." JJ answered.

That phone call with JJ snapped Jessie back to reality. She had a daughter to get back to, and a whole different life to live. She left Rafe for a reason. He was still using, she was pretty sure. Although, she hadn't seen him use since she'd been there. He also didn't seem strung out at all. Surely she didn't think this could work out, right? She had to remember why she was here: to get the money for the pogues and get the hell out of dodge. But there was something about Rafe that she couldn't shake, no matter how many years had passed.

Jessie made her way down the stairs, this time not caring to sneak as she walked into Rafe cooking over the stove, shirtless of course. Well that wasn't really helping Jessie's prior conversation with herself. So much for sticking to her guns, how could she when his guns looked like that? Calm down, Jessie. She took a deep breath.

"Good morning, beautiful." Rafe said with a smile as he swung from the stove to the island with a pan of bacon in his hands. He looked so content, like a little boy who had never been bothered in his life. How untrue that was.

Jessie remembered a morning just like this.

***

"Good morning, beautiful." Rafe grinned as Jessie rolled out of bed and into the kitchen of their airbnb. Rafe was making bacon, eggs, and pancakes.

Since the fight happened with Luke a few days ago, Rafe thought it would be best to take Jessie on a small vacation, really just anywhere to get Jessie's mind off of things... and Rafe's too for that matter. Rafe knew they were both tired of sneaking around and constantly worrying about their next move, so he decided this would be a good change of pace for them. Rafe had been working all summer with his dad so he was getting a cut of some deals, not to mention, he had a very decent side hustle of selling coke for Barry at parties.

"Good morning, handsome." Jessie replied as she stretched in the island seat she was sitting in. "Whatcha cooking?" She asked.

"Bacon, eggs, and pancakes." Rafe replied as he was focused back on the stove. "Is that okay?" He asked, hoping she liked that.

"Absolutely, it sounds delicious. I could eat a horse." Jessie joked.

"I figured you were hungry after such a long night." Rafe smirked. Jessie knew exactly what he was referring to. They did... enjoy each other's company. Jessie just blushed and giggled and looked down at the island counter in front of her, tracing the marble with her fingers.

"You know what would make these pancakes better?" Jessie inquired as she made her way to one of the cabinets.

"You helping me make these without my shirt on." Rafe whispered as he snaked his hand up her torso and around her waist, pulling her into him.

"Nooooo," she joked, trying to block the incoming kisses to her neck by tucking her head in her shoulder. "Chocolate chips." She replied with the bag in her hand as she spun around.

"Anything you want, baby." Rafe smiled as he kissed her. He took the chocolate chips from her and put a few in each pancake.

"More." Jessie scolded as she watched him over the counter. Rafe didn't even look back, he just laughed and put more chips in the batter.

Breakfast was finally made and they sat down to eat together.

"Thank you for my food. It's delicious." Jessie declared with a mouthful.

"You're welcome, babe." Rafe replied flirtatiously as he leaned in closer to Jessie. Jessie was still eating like she hadn't seen food in weeks. Granted, she never had anyone make her food like this. "Are you gonna stop eating long enough to give me a kiss?" Rafe asked softly, his face still close to hers. Jessie realized what he was doing, chewed her food as fast as she could, and kissed him. Rafe couldn't help but laugh, he found it adorable. Jessie normally wasn't one to give off adorable vibes, but when she was with Rafe she was comfortable enough to do so. He loved every second of it.

"So what do you want to do today?" Rafe asked. "There's plenty to do in Charlotte."

Charlotte, North Carolina was filled with things to do. Jessie was overwhelmed with the possibilities when she looked online, she had never been on a vacation before, so she was easily impressed. Rafe secretly wished he could've taken her some place better, but with so little time Charlotte was the best he could do. Jessie was more than thrilled with the choice.

"Well, we could go to the Botanical gardens, or go shopping, or go to the museums, and- ooh, there's also the NASCAR hall of fame and-"

"Slow down there, slick. What excites you the most?" Rafe asked. Jessie really couldn't decide, she loved the idea of it all.

"Hmm." Jessie thought as she tapped her finger against her face, which was healing much better now. "I choose... the botanical gardens."

Flowers? That choice really surprised Rafe. Jessie wasn't one to stop and smell the roses- literally. Nonetheless, he didn't dare argue. This trip was about her, and whatever she wanted, she got.

"Well then let's get going." Rafe demanded as he stood up from his chair and took their plates.

***

Jessie loved that trip. She needed that trip. She had to pull herself out of her thoughts to actually respond to the shirtless man in front of her.

"Good morning, handsome." She flirted back. Nobody said she couldn't flirt, right? Her muscle memory almost took over as she fought the urge to go up to Rafe and plant one on him.

"Made your favorite." Rafe smiled as he slid the plate in front of her.

"You remembered." Jessie exclaimed softly, truly shocked by the act.

"How could I forget?" Rafe shrugged as if it was the most well known fact.

"Thank you, Mr. Cameron." Jessie joked as she began to eat her food.

"Anything for you, Mrs. Cameron." Rafe responded, although he wasn't joking at all. Jessie didn't know how to respond, all she could do was try to ignore the butterflies. She hadn't heard anyone call her that in a very long time. After all, it was only Rafe who even knew to call her that.

"What are you doing today?" Jessie asked, "Hopefully you're getting me what I'm owed." She threatened, clearly trying to remain on task. Rafe wasn't phased.

"Actually, I was hoping you and I could have a day out." Rafe hinted.

Jessie didn't look up from her plate, instead, she just played with her fork as she tried to figure out Rafe's motive. Was he just stalling from getting her money? Did he actually want to spend time with her?

"That's not a very proactive way to spend your time considering I'm flying out of here tomorrow morning." Jessie stated plainly, never once looking away from her breakfast.

Rafe's face fell.

"Yeah, well, I want to spend every second with you that I can." He said with sadness, clearly wishing Jessie would get the hint. She had to continue to resist.

"Whatever." Jessie shrugged with a sigh as she went back to shoving the pancakes in her mouth.

"Some things never change." Rafe chuckled. "You still eat that like it's the last thing you'll ever eat."

Jessie took notice and suddenly became embarrassed and slowed down.

"After breakfast why don't you get dressed and meet me down here. I'll show you the Bahamas. Wear a swimsuit just in case." Rafe stated.

Jessie didn't argue, she really didn't want to. Besides, she knew this would be good for her as long as he didn't mix business with pleasure.

I'll Come Running - R.C. - Chapter 19

"You ready to go?" Rafe asked Jessie as she walked down the stairs dawning denim shorts and a grey cropped tee. Rafe opted for his usual tailored shorts and light pink shirt.

"Yep!" Jessie replied with enthusiasm.

"After you." Rafe suggested as he opened the door. Jessie was met with... his motorcycle.

"No security today?" Jessie asked.

"Don't need it." Rafe simply answered with a cocky smile. Jessie tried not to think too much into it.

"Just like old times, huh?" Jessie exclaimed as she hopped on the bike like no time had passed.

"Thats the plan." Rafe said. Jessie didn't know what Rafe had in mind today, but it sounded like he planned on taking a trip down memory lane.

Their first stop was the shops on the main strip.

"Whatever you want." Rafe proclaimed as he gestured towards the never ending outdoor mall. This was no typical mall, this was all the stores Jessie could only dream of affording. Any name brand designer she could possibly imagine was at her finger tips.

"This is not my preferred method of payment." Jessie sassed.

"You'll get your payment." Rafe replied as he looked out over all the stores with his hands in his pockets, he clicked his tongue deciding where to go first.

"I'm not going to buy anything, Rafe." Jessie insisted.

***

"I'm not going to buy anything, Rafe." Jessie stated as they shopped the streets of Charlotte. Rafe wanted so badly to spoil Jessie, but she wouldn't hear of it.

"You deserve it, baby." Rafe persisted. "Just look around, see if there's anything you just have to have. I'm sure there's something here."

Rafe and Jessie shopped for hours, stopping to get lunch from a local place and of course ice cream to follow.

Jessie had finally decided to pick up a few things. Nothing crazy, just a few shirts she liked and a new pair of tennis shoes. She probably needed those things more than she wanted those things. Still, she felt cheap. Rafe still insisted.

***

Jessie and Rafe perused the mall for what felt like hours. Jessie never really was much of a shopper, at least not for herself. Once she had her daughter she found every reason to buy things for her. She wanted to give her the world. Jessie found so many things on the strip that she wanted to buy for the little munchkin, but that was out of the question. Rafe had no idea that she had a daughter, and that was how it was going to stay.

"Hey, can you maybe go and grab me a drink real quick?" Jessie asked, having a plan in mind.

"Sure, don't go missing." Rafe joked as he walked out of the clothing store they were in, it just so happened to be one of the only ones that Jessie could afford on her own.

Jessie quickly went to the accessories and grabbed the adorable set of bows she had her eye on since she walked through the door. She could see them swishing in her daughter's hair, making her look and feel like an island girl. She loved the idea, she couldn't wait to see her again.

Jessie quickly went up to the register and bought them. They were discrete enough to fit into one of the bags she already had on her arm, so she stuck them safely under the ball cap she had already bought. With that, she excited the store.

She waited outside on a bench for Rafe to come back. Soon enough she saw him walking towards her with two bottles of water in hand. She gladly took one.

"Thank you." She said as Rafe took a seat next to her.

"Ready to shop some more?" Rafe inquired.

"Ugh, please no. I've had all the shopping I can take. Can we please move on to something different?" Jessie pleaded. Rafe just chuckled and nodded.

"How about we go sight seeing!" Jessie offered with excitement in her tone.

"What, like just drive around?" Rafe asked.

"Yeah, I always..." Jessie trailed off.

"You always what?" Rafe furrowed his brows loking closer at Jessie as they walked towards his bike.

"I always loved doing that with you." Jessie was hesitant to say it, trying not to give too much away and make Rafe think she was actually enjoying this day a lot more than she showed.

Rafe just looked down with a proud smile and nodded. He tried not to show his excitement when she said that, but he was secretly elated. He had her thinking... about them. More importantly about the good times they had.

"You know me personally, I think the good times far outweighed the bad in our relationship." Rafe casually mentioned in their walk.

"I wouldn't disagree." Jessie stated.

"Then why'd you do it? Why'd you leave? I mean sure we had our fights and I know I wasn't the best guy but-"

"Rafe." Jessie sighed. "Can we please just enjoy this day for what it is?" She stopped to look at him, hoping he would get the message. As much as she wanted to pour her heart and soul out to Rafe and explain to him why things went the way they did, she had to stay focused, and this was certainly not the time and place to do it.

Rafe just sighed in defeat as he nodded and looked at the ground. They continued walking.

After a few more hours of driving around, Rafe spotted a wildflower field up in the hills of the Bahamas. He didn't have to ask Jessie, he knew she would love to go up and see them.

***

"Look at all these beautiful flowers, Rafe!" Jessie exclaimed with excitement as they walked along the cobblestone pathway of Charlotte Botanical Gardens. The flowers were so tall they covered their heads... well, Jessie's head. Rafe could still see perfectly fine over the billowing flowers.

Jessie ran her hand gently along the purple wildflowers. As she turned back to look at Rafe she was met with a flower freshly picked for her. Rafe dawned a smile like a kid that picked a fresh flower for his first love. The act was so innocent and yet so intentional.

Rafe placed the flower in Jessie's hair, but not before picking off the long stem and saving it for himself.

"You know, I don't think we're supposed to pick these." Jessie joked. Rafe remained quiet but still smiling contently as he fondled with the stem in his hands.

"Give me your hand." Rafe said politely, never looking up. Jessie was curious but gave in. Rafe then slipped the knotted up flower stem on her left ring finger. Jessie didn't know what to say, she only blushed at the thought of marrying him one day. She pulled her hand away to admire the beautiful new ring, she thought it was as precious as gold.

"Marry me." Rafe said in the same serious yet polite tone. Jessie looked up at him and scoffed.

"Ha, yeah right, okay." She laughed as she looked back at her hand.

"I'm serious." Rafe never faltered. He grabbed her left hand and held it closer to his chest as he looked her in the eyes.

"Will you marry me?" Rafe asked, this time Jessie could tell he meant business.

Jessie's jaw dropped in shock once she realized just how serious he was.

"Wait, are you actually asking me?!" She asked with a childlike grin on her face.

"I mean I'd get on one knee but I didn't think you wanted me to make a spectacle of the whole thing." Rafe joked. He was right, this was the kind of proposal Jessie wanted, something simple and understated that didn't draw a lot of attention. Rafe remembered that from one of their many endless nights of conversations.

Jessie was still speechless, trying to decipher what all this could mean. "When?!" was all she could muster.

"When?" Rafe laughed, holding her hand a little tighter with both of his. "Whenever you want, baby. You set the date."

Jessie had so much running through her head, and yet all her thoughts were taken over by the thundering sound of...

"Yes!" Jessie said as she jumped up and down. She couldn't have imagined something so perfect. "Ugh, I love you." She implored as she wrapped her arms around Rafe's neck and held him tightly.

"I love you too, Jess." Rafe sighed into her. Rafe knew a long time ago he was going to marry Jessie, he was just waiting for the right time. He didn't plan the proposal by any means, but he knew it was the perfect moment. He never regretted it.

"I want to get married here." Jessie said enthusiastically.

"I'm sure that can be arranged. A destination wedding sounds great and-"

"No, I mean like I want to get married right here, in the gardens... right now." Jessie trailed off as she held Rafe's hands in hers with hopeful eyes. Rafe realized what she meant.

"Like today?" Rafe questioned as his eyes grew wide. He wasn't scared at all, just very surprised. Jumping into a decision like this was very out of character for Jessie, still, she nodded frantically in reply with a smile plastered on her face. "Are you sure?" Rafe asked.

"I've never been more sure of anything." Jessie started. "I want to go home and be Mrs. Rafe Cameron and there's nothing anyone can do to stop us!" Jessie exclaimed excitedly as she took Rafe's face in her hands and kissed him. He already loved the sound of that. Mrs. Rafe Cameron.

"But wait... don't you want your family here?" Jessie asked as she backed off her tip toes showing a dejected face, thinking that would be the one hang up. Rafe just shrugged with a twinkle in his eye as he cocked his head with a knowing smile. 

"You've shown me more love since I met you than my whole family has shown me my entire life... you're my family." Rafe answered honestly, oddly not showing any sadness in his voice, only hope for his future as he caressed the side of Jessie's face in his hand, rubbing his thump lovingly across her cheek. She leaned into the action with loving eyes as well. He had his family right here, and a party with just her in attendance was his absolute favorite. "Family doesn't make you apologize for leaving and growing up. You taught me that, Jess." 

Jessie was touched, yet she still wasn't the best with words, only opting for one simple phrase.

"Well let's do it!" Jessie exclaimed as she bounced up to wrap her arms arounf Rafe's neck. Rafe reciprocated with a slight chuckle and wrapping his arms around her waste. The moment was short lived when Jessie realized another snag in the potential plan. 

"But wait... we don't have rings." Jessie realized and slightly chuckled.

Rafe proceeded to come up with a quick solution. "I didn't need a ring to propose to you, we don't technically need rings to marry each other. All we need is someone to marry us and the certificate."

Rafe had a point. With that, Rafe and Jessie quickly left the gardens to go to the courthouse and get the required certificate. Lucky for them, the courthouse provided them with a list of names of people that could marry them on the spot. They didn't think very hard about that, simply calling the first person on the list.

Rafe and Jessie exchanged traditional wedding vows that evening as the sun set over Charlotte Botanical Gardens, the only witness being the minister, and that was just how they wanted it.

***

"These flowers are beautiful" Jessie claimed as she ran her fingers through the wild yellow flowers. Rafe followed behind her watching her glide through the field with the wind blowing in her hair. To him, she was truly a sight to behold.

"You remember the last time I took you to look at flowers." Rafe half-joked, not daring to look at her as he passed his hand along the tops of the flowers.

"Of course I do." Jessie answered with a smile on her face.

Rafe looked down and kicked the dust up with his feet, contemplating what he was going to say next.

"Do you regret it?" Rafe asked seriously. Jessie knew exactly what he was referring to. She could lie in hopes of making him hate her, but she couldn't lie to him, not about something that sacred, something that important.

"No." She simply said as she nodded her head. "Do you?" She inquired.

"Never have." Rafe said seriously with his hands in his pockets, not quite sure what to do with himself. He wanted to kiss her so badly, he felt that was the only way to keep him from doing that.

"Me neither." Jessie agreed as she walked closer to Rafe and looked him in the eyes. She didn't know really what she was searching for, yet she couldn't look away. The two of them sat in a comfortable silence as they stared.

"I never stopped loving you. I still do love you. You know we can do exactly what we did years ago and just forget everyone else and just... be together." Rafe confessed. Maybe this wasn't the right time and place to admit that but he couldn't hold it in any longer. Jessie simply nodded, looked down, and swallowed the lump that was in her throat. She wanted nothing more than to admit the same to him.

"I know you do. And I appreciate that. But Rafe, I can't." Was all Jessie could muster. It physically hurt her to leave the conversation like that, but not as much as it hurt Rafe. He looked off into the distance, feeling clearly defeated. Jessie just simply couldn't mess this up. She was on a mission, one that did not involve letting Rafe potentially wreck the life she worked so hard to create on her own. Rafe swallowed the lump in his throat, and Jessie could tell he was about to break. "Rafe I-"

"It's okay, Jessie, you don't have to say anything else. You don't have to apologize for leaving and growing up." Rafe said through watery eyes and a broken voice, barely able to utter the words. As much as it hurt him to not be able to have Jessie, he loved her enough to let her go, and at the end of the day his time was well spent giving her anything she wanted, even if that meant space the size of a chasm that would surely break his heart day after day until the very end. Once again, he saw Jessie act like his words were no big deal, and yet he had no clue just how much they wrecked her too. She didn't want to grow up without Rafe, but she had to, and she had to keep it that way. Much like she was accustomed to do from a very young age, she had to play it off like it wasn't the most gut wrenching words of her existence in order to keep the peace and her sanity.

"Let's go home." Rafe whispered as he slowly walked away. Jessie wanted to call Rafe back to her, but she knew that wouldn't end well. She opted to just follow behind him. Neither one of them wanted this day to end this way, but maybe there was still time.

I’ll Come Running - R.C. - Chapter 20

When they finally got back to the house it was clear Rafe didn't want to talk. He walked straight to his room but before he could get there he heard Jessie's voice.

"Rafe." She commanded. Her voice always perked his ears. Some things never changed. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't ignore that sweet voice. Rafe stopped in his tracks, not daring to turn around and look at Jessie.

"Can we please not let it end like this." Jessie pleaded. She sounded on the verge of tears, maybe this really did tear her apart as much as it did him? He took notice of the desperation in her voice. Still, his heart hardened back like it did years ago.

"You've let things end way worse." Rafe spat, still looking at the floor in front of him as he tried to get his anger under control.

Jessie deserved that one. She couldn't argue, but she had to keep Rafe engaged. She convinced herself it was strictly for strategy. 

"Let's do something." Jessie hinted as she walked closer to him. "Let's... go find a party to crash or something... like we used to. Something to get our minds somewhere else." She whispered as she touched his shoulder to spin him around.

Rafe looked at Jessie with teary eyes and yet with so much rage. Jessie didn't flinch, she still knew Rafe better than anyone.

"Come on, Rafe. You know it'd be fun. It'd be good for us."

"You really think partying is good for us?" Rafe scoffed.

Jessie thought for a second. That is what got in the way of them in the first place, but it was also what brought them together.

"You always told me you wanted my freedom. You always said you appreciated my ability to just let go and have fun. Well now you have that freedom. Use it." Jessie whispered as she cupped the side of his face. Rafe couldn't help but calm down just a little when she did that. Maybe this wasn't such a bad idea after all.

"You've got 10 minutes to change and meet me back down here." Rafe commanded as he walked away.

Jessie breathed a sigh of relief. She was back in the game.

Jessie ran upstairs to find a cute dress in Sarah's summer closet. She opted for a short, satin, olive green dress with spaghetti straps and a loose v neckline. She wore her very old, very dirty converse, she knew Rafe would remember them.

Jessie slipped down the stairs, this time waiting on Rafe. Rafe came around the corner in a white button down shirt and some simple jeans. Rafe stopped when he saw Jessie, eyeing her up and down with lust in his eyes. He laughed when he checked out her shoes.

"You're still wearing those dirty old things?"

"You know I don't party without them." Jessie simply replied. Rafe knew she was right, she never was much for heels. Jessie extended her hand. "You ready to go?"

"I don't know where we're going but sure." Rafe exclaimed as he met his hand with Jessie's. Jessie tightened her grip and pulled Rafe out the door.

Neither one of them knew exactly where they'd end up, but they landed on a local hot spot, a hidden club down in the depths of the city.

Rafe and Jessie bellied up to the bar. Jessie secretly wanted her high noons, but she figured in a more upscale place like this, she better settle for an actual mixed drink. She decided on a Moscow mule, she did enjoy those from time to time.

"I'll have what she's having." Rafe said.

"Two Moscow mules please." Jessie asked kindly to the bartender. Rafe looked over at her inquisitively.

"What about your high noons? Not even a mai tai or..." Rafe furrowed his brows in confusion.

"This isn't exactly our old party scene, Rafe. This place calls for something a little more fancy than what we used to drink. I don't think we'll be drinking out of solo cups." Jessie joked as the bartender passed them both of their drinks.

"Yeah, but still... when did you start drinking stuff like this." Rafe questioned as he took a sip, not liking the very acquired taste.

Jessie laughed at his puckered face. "Since I grew up." She joked as she brought the copper cup to her lips.

"Well you've grown up alright, that tastes like something an old lady would drink." Rafe retorted as he puckered his lips like a child eating lemon for the first time. Jessie put her hand over her heart pretending to act offended.

"Well this old lady has still got it." Jessie sassed as she got off of her chair and tried to pull Rafe with her to the dance floor. Rafe stayed planted and looked at Jessie knowingly.

"You know I don't dance." Rafe slightly yelled over the loud music with a half smile. Rafe never was one to dance at parties or clubs or anything of the sort, the only exception was when he would get to slow dance with Jessie, and this clearly wasn't one of those times.

"You are in a city thousands of miles away from home in a club where absolutely nobody knows you. And you still can't find freedom in that and just get off your butt and dance?!" Jessie challenged Rafe with a knowing smile on her face. Rafe tried not to get lost in her longing eyes as he just smiled at her and shook his head no.

"I'll watch." He answered plainly.

"Oh I'm sure you will." Jessie scoffed followed by a smirk. With that, she left Rafe to sip on his drink. He took another taste, completely forgetting that he hated it. He was reminded very quickly as he tried not to spit it out.

"Hey man," Rafe waved the bartender over, "Can I get something different? Literally anything." Rafe laughed. The bartender understood the assignment as he chuckled.

"Whiskey on rocks coming right up."

Rafe admired Jessie as she weaved through the crowd of people. She didn't have a dance partner but she didn't care. She never did. That's what made Rafe fall in love in the first place. Just like the first night at the Island Club, Rafe watched Jessie's every move. Jessie knew Rafe was watching, and she intentionally calculated every move because of it. She was going to get him on the dance floor, no matter how long it took. This assignment had nothing to do with the gold, it was strictly for her pleasure knowing that she could still pull Rafe in, hook, line, and sinker.

After a few songs and a few more sips of her drink, Jessie made a few friends out on the dance floor. How could she not? Jessie loved this scene, she was never afraid of anyone. Rafe loved that she didn't care about social graces or being awkward, she genuinely had never met a stranger, and nobody was too good or too bad for her. After all these years and Rafe still couldn't have the freedom- the zest for life- that she had. He couldn't let himself be truly careless no matter how hard he tried.

An hour went by and Jessie still hadn't made her way off the dance floor for more than enough time to get a drink. She wasn't drunk by any means, not even tipsy.

"You're not drinking a whole lot?" Rafe questioned the next time Jessie brought herself back to the bar.

"I told you, I don't really drink much anymore."

That was true, Jessie really hasn't drank since she left, not enough to get drunk anyways. She didn't really miss it like she thought she would, but she most definitely still enjoyed the change of pace.

Rafe wanted to ask why, but he knew what the answer would be. She'd grown up. She'd moved on from her old life. Rafe couldn't say the same. Rafe hung his head a little lower with a tinge of sadness as he realized that him and Jessie were most likely in two different stages of life. Maybe there was no hope for them after all. Rafe began to think he'd just be holding her back if he tried to pursue her any further. He didn't know what specifically she was doing nowadays, but he could tell she was successful and happy in her own way.  Rafe loved her too much to mess that up.

"Are you ready to dance yet?" Jessie asked with annoyance as she pulled on Rafe's arm, successfully pulling him out of his running thoughts.

"Huh? Oh, no I'm still watching." Rafe replied with a smile as he quickly grabbed the lifeline that was his drink and gripped it tightly as he brought it to his lips.

By the look on Jessie's face she still didn't like that answer, and was clearly judging him for it, but she went back to dance with her newfound friends with a very visible huff and puff of annoyance.

"If I gave you every piece of me I know that you could drop it."

The song began to play and Jessie could once again feel her body move in a way that was all too familiar. The sway of her hips and the placement of her arms was like riding a bike. She let the music take over as she danced to the beat with perfect rhythm. As Jessie perused across the floor, every movement making Rafe's body ache with longing, she made sure to steal a glance over at her husband every chance she got. Jessie seemed to move in slow motion for Rafe, every movement seeming more isolated and intentional as the blue lights bounced off her dress and illuminated her skin perfectly. He watched her hair cascade and fall perfectly with every flip of her head along her exposed shoulders and trailing neckline. He noticed every little detail like her dress riding up a little too much for his liking or her body getting a little too close to the others around her. Jessie knew Rafe was undressing her in his mind, and that was how she wanted it. She missed the feeling of being Rafe's vice. She could see the hot anger welling up inside him, the same anger she used to see from him when they were teenagers and she was dancing at parties with him just lurking along the sidelines, waiting for his moment to intervene when a man got too close.

Rafe finally couldn't take it anymore. She knew what she was doing. He finally stomped out on the floor and took her hips in his hands to stop them.

"You know what you're doing." Rafe hummed with a clenched jaw. Jessie turned around to face him with a smirk, placing her hands on his chest and moving closer into him, still lightly dancing.

"Oh do I?" Jessie smirked as she fixed the collar of Rafe's shirt and unbuttoned the top button with one quick snap of her fingers. "Well you need to let lose." She stated as she looked directly in his eyes with just as much lust for him as he had for her. Rafe stood there motionless, not wanting to move, but scared to stay.

"If I showed you all my demons and we dive into the deep end would we crash and burn like every time before?"

Jessie turned around and placed Rafe's hands on her hips as she had one arm snaked around his neck. She swayed to the music as she leaned into Rafe, him enjoying every second of it. It was growing increasingly difficult for Rafe's hands not to roam.

Jessie spun around and wrapped her arms around Rafe's neck as she moved with the music. Jessie looked directly into Rafe's eyes, seeing he was having a hard time staying focused, she laughed to herself.

Rafe's hands couldn't help but explore her body more, moving up and down and any which way he could among the sea of people. Rafe clenched his jaw as if to not say something he'd regret. He began to squeeze Jessie's hips tighter in an attempt to release some of the energy he had pent up in the moment. Jessie noticed, and she didn't mind.

One thing is for sure, their chemistry never left. After four years, their bodies still moved together in perfect rhythm, and their flirting was timeless. Jessie still knew exactly how to get under Rafe's skin, and Rafe knew exactly how to get what he wanted.

Jessie began to close the distance as she connected her forehead to Rafe's, he leaned down a little to make it easier for her. Jessie tried to control her breathing, which was growing increasingly hard to do as she had been dancing for a long time.

"You still feel like partying wasn't the best idea?" Jessie smirked as she never broke eye contact with Rafe. He didn't say anything. Hell, he couldn't. What he wanted to say was not for anyone else to hear.

"If the only other options letting go, I'll stay vulnerable."

Jessie and Rafe couldn't help but listen to the message of the song playing above them. They both agreed in their hearts that they would rather  crash and burn by the hand of the other as many times as they could than forget about what they had.

"You know what we used to do after parties?" Rafe asked seriously.

Jessie just nodded with a sheepish smile. She knew where this was going. She couldn't fight against it any longer. She didn't want to let Rafe go, not again. She needed to stay vulnerable to save what they had.

With no more words left to say, Rafe pulled Jessie off the dance floor with her hand held firmly in his and left the club. Rafe secretly wished that they weren't on his motorcycle. At least then if they were in a chauffeured car like the night before, Rafe could do what he had been wanting to do all night. Instead, he had to wait until they got home.

I’ll Come Running - R.C. - Chapter 22

"So I guess you finally got your answer." Jessie whispered. Rafe had now moved to sit on the edge of the bed facing away from Jessie with his head in his hands. "That's why I left all those years ago, Rafe. It wasn't because I wasn't willing to stick it out with you, I knew what I had gotten myself into, and I knew I was strong enough to take whatever I had coming to me... but, our child? I could never forgive myself."

In a strange sense, Rafe did understand why she did it.

"But that doesn't change the fact that you kept my daughter from me for four years." Rafe finally spoke up as he looked up with a stolid anger. His eyes were wide, his jaw was clenched. "I can't believe you really think that you could just not tell me about her. I deserve to know her, don't I?" Rafe asked with more conviction as he stood up from the bed to look at Jessie.

Jessie paused, but finally spoke up. "No, I don't think so Rafe. Because up until that point you had given me no reason to trust that you would change at all." Jessie spoke with no remorse in her voice. Of course she wanted to be a big happy family with Rafe, but he proved her wrong on that matter a long time ago.

Rafe had so much more he wanted to say, instead, he shut down, as much as it pained him to close Jessie off like he never had before, he did it. Rafe put his hands on his hips, looked away, and thought of his next words carefully. He cleared his throat.

"Yeah, well, you can take your money and leave. I don't give a shit anymore." Rafe dismissed her as he lied through his teeth. He wanted nothing more in this world than to be a family with Jessie, but how could he trust her after the four year stunt that she's just pulled, and what she's been conspiring with the pogues.

"Rafe..." Jessie whispered as she looked down at the bed. "... for what it's worth, I do want you to know that I wasn't coming here to take the money for myself. I told the pogues and your sister that I didn't want any cut of this. I still don't. I just was doing my brother-- who I hadn't heard from in years-- a favor. These past two days have been the best I've had in a long time, in about four years to be exact. And at first, this was an act... but after we got back to who we used to be... a small part of me genuinely wanted this to work out. I saw the old Rafe, and I felt like the old Jessie. But if that's how you feel... I'll go. But if you ever do want to see your daughter, just say the word, and I'll come running." Jessie said sincerely.

Rafe stayed silent, just pondering what all had happened. Jessie finally eased her way off the bed and made her way back to her wing only to be met by a call from-- oh great-- JJ.

"What do you want, JJ?" Jessie sighed as her voice cracked, clearly holding back tears.  She knew exactly what JJ wanted, she knew he and all the others heard their entire conversation. She grew to hate that little trick Pope had rigged her phone with.

"You... you were pregnant?" JJ said barely above a whisper. Jessie could tell he was just as confused as Rafe was, but he was trying to be gentle for Jessie's sake.

"Yes. That's why I left." Jessie said as she breathed heavily, almost seeming like a sigh of relief. After all, Jessie had been keeping this secret for a long time, and she dreamed of coming back to OBX one day and letting JJ meet his niece, but she hated that this is how he found out.

***

"What do you mean you're leaving, Jessie? It's the middle of the night! Stop, tell me what's wrong." JJ demanded as he stopped Jessie from packing. Jessie had just gotten back from her... conversation, with Rafe and knew she had to leave immediately. Every second that she was there was another second for him to calculate his next move, how he was going to manipulate her into staying. She knew Rafe wouldn't take what just happened lying down, and she had to get out of dodge. But how would she tell JJ? No, she couldn't. She knew if she did he definitely wouldn't let her leave then. Even worse, he'd make it his mission to kill Rafe Cameron, and that was a far worse destiny than never seeing his sister again. Jessie didn't want blood on JJ's hands and a vendetta in his heart for the rest of his life.

Jessie didn't tell JJ what had happened for a host of reasons, but the most important reason was safety. She knew if JJ knew then Rafe would come after him. Well, Rafe would probably come after him regardless, but at least then he wouldn't have any reason to believe that JJ helped Jessie leave.

"I have to leave, JJ. I'm in trouble, and I can't tell you what it is but one day I will, I promise. I'll be okay as soon as I leave OBX." Jessie explained frantically as she turned away from JJ and continued packing.

"Th-this is insane, Jess. How much trouble are you in? It can't be that bad can it? I mean, I'm sure I've done way worse." JJ answered. Jessie still ignored his requests as she threw all the clothes she could into what little luggage she had. Her family didn't exactly go on a bunch of family vacations.

"Look, whatever it is, I'm sure Peterkin will vouche for you, she always does and besides Rafe-"

"I don't need Rafe. Rafe can't fix this." Jessie said sternly as she stopped packing and turned to JJ. JJ just tried to read her, what was she trying to say?

"Did Rafe do something?" JJ asked through gritted teeth. "I swear if he hurt you I'll kill that son of a bitch, I knew-"

"JJ." Jessie interrupted as she put her hands on JJ shoulders to try and ground him and get him to focus. "I'm only going to say this once so listen good. What I am doing is my own choice and for my own benefit, okay?" Jessie assured. JJ didn't completely buy it, he knew Rafe was struggling with addiction, and he bet that Rafe had something to do with the current situation.

Jessie zipped up her duffel bag and made her way through the house. "I put some extra money in the coffee can in the kitchen cabinet. You know how to handle dad if he comes back around. There's also a stash of weed under my bed and in my desk drawer if you want that and-"

"Woah woah woah, Jessie... you can't be serious." JJ almost laughs, thinking that this really is some sick joke. Jessie doesn't laugh.

"This isn't a joke, J. I'm leaving." Jessie responds, as tears brim her eyes. She quickly walks out of the door and towards her bike.

"Jess, come on, please talk to me." JJ pleads as he realizes his sister really is about to leave. "Don't leave me."

That sentence stops Jessie in her tracks. She could sense the clear worry and sadness in his voice.

"At least tell me where you're going." JJ begs with a soft tone.

"I don't know, Jayj." Jessie answers, not being able to look back, only gripping further into the strap on her shoulder looking for any sense of stability.

"Well when are you coming back?"

"I don't know that either."

"So... that's it? You're just gonna leave your little brother in the middle of the night with his piece of shit abusive father and just be okay with that?" JJ asks through tears, his voice starting to crack. JJ sounded scared, and Jessie picked up on that, only breaking her heart more.

"JJ," Jessie starts as she turns back around. She walks over to JJ and and engulfs him in a hug. "I will never be okay with this. I will never forgive myself for this. But please trust me when I say this is my only option for right now." Jessie breaks from the hug to look at JJ.

"I'll mail you my new number when I get one."

A silence existed between the two of them, neither one not knowing what to say next.

"Jessie, please, we can figure it out, we can do it together!" JJ insisted once more through tears.

"JJ, I wish we could, but I have to do this on my own for now. You're strong, you can do this!" Jessie said through sobs as she took JJ's tear stained face in her hands and wiped his eyes.

They both embraced in a hug that they wanted to last a lifetime, both sobbing into the other. Neither one of them knew if this would be their last hug to exchange.

"If you need me, anytime, anywhere, you say the word, and I'll come running. I promise." Jessie said she she held JJ close. JJ was too heartbroken for words, he simply nodded and after a few minutes, let his sister go.

***

"I get it now." JJ simply said. "I can't imagine what you were thinking. God, Jessie how did you do it?" JJ asked.

Jessie just sort of laughed through her tears. "We're Maybanks, it's what we do, Jayj." Jessie joked. Although she said it as she a joke, they both knew it to be true. Jessie and JJ had been making things work their entire life, it's what made them who they are today. It's what always gave them the strength to cut ties when they needed to, even when they didn't want to. It's what gave them the instincts to follow their head, and not their heart. Jessie was tired of following her head. Her heart wanted Rafe, her heart wanted to fight for him with everything she had. But her head told her that she had a daughter that deserved a much better life than one that was plagued by a drug addicted father. Jessie couldn't let her heart win that battle.

"You got that right, sis." JJ laughed. "I'm proud of you."

Jessie had never heard those words before, especially not since she became a mother. She's been on her own, with nobody to support her like JJ always did. Jessie melted immediately, just silently bawling through the phone. She needed to hear that more than JJ knew in the moment. Someone was proud of her for what she did, for making the difficult decision to put her daughter first. That meant the world to Jessie, and gave her the strength to leave the following morning.

"Thank you, JJ." Was all Jessie could say as she finally collected herself enough to utter words.

"You're welcome. Charlotte's a beautiful name... can I meet her?" JJ asked gently, not wanting to overstep.

Jessie laughed through her tears. "I would love nothing more, JJ. Come back with me to Manhattan, please."

"Ohhhh, so it's Manhattan huh?" JJ finally connected that dot as well. Jessie knew the jig was up long before then, so she didn't mind telling JJ where she lived.

"Yeah, I love it there. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's not OBX but I've got great friends there. That's where Charlotte's at right now, she's with some friends of mine." Jessie began to laugh. "They're uh, actually friends that I met through a biker gang."

"Woah! You mean to tell me you hang out with big city bikers all day? That's badass!" JJ exclaimed with a newfound excitement in his voice. He was mainly just ecstatic to hear Jessie sounding better. She had a joy about her when she talked about her daughter, and JJ couldn't help but notice.

"I don't just hang out with them... I am them." Jessie giggled.

"You're in a biker gang?!" JJ asked, sounding like he was jumping up and down on the other end. "I can't wait to tell the pogues man, they're gonna lose their shit. But then again, of all of us to join one of those it definitely would've been you." JJ rambled. Jessie didn't mind, she actually kind of enjoyed talking about this with JJ. She always knew JJ would love to hear about it, and she dreamed of telling him one day. She never thought it would be like this.

"Haha, yeah, I guess." Jessie agreed with a smile on her face.

"Well, hey, I know you've had a long couple of days and you're tired, so I'll let you get some rest."

"Thanks, Jayj." Jessie replied.

"And hey, Jess... just know that the money doesn't matter anymore. Whether you get it or not doesn't matter. We all just want you home." JJ assured Jessie. That was another sentence that warmed her heart so much she felt like she could cry, if she had anymore tears in her she probably would have.

"Thank you so much, JJ." Jessie whispered.

"And hey, Jessie..."

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

There were definitely still more tears to cry. Jessie didn't realize she had it in her, but here they were.

"I love you too, JJ."

With that, they hung up the phone. Jessie crawled into bed feeling a flood of different emotions. Sad that things ended the way they did with Rafe. Grateful for the time she had to spend with him. Excited to see the pogues and eventually her daughter. She couldn't decide which one was the primary one. With that, she went to bed, and would figure out the rest in the morning.

I'll Come Running - R.C. - Chapter 27

Rafe and Jessie slipped back down the stairs after putting Charley to bed. Jessie sighed as she took the last step off the stairs with Rafe behind her, looking at the mess in front of her. Toys everywhere, food still out on the counter, etc. but Jessie wouldn't dare complain, her house and her heart were full. Still, Rafe understood the reason for her sigh.

"What would you like me to do first? Pick up the room or help in the kitchen?" Rafe asked as he snaked his arms around Jessie and lowered his head to be next to hers. Jessie grabbed Rafe's arms in response and leaned her head into Rafe's chest.

"Why don't you just help me in the kitchen and we'll work our way through everything together. Can you start by grabbing the plates from the table?" Jessie inquired with a half smile.

"Of course I can." Rafe whispered as he planted a kiss on Jessie's cheek and pulled away.

Rafe did just that, eventually working his way into the kitchen to help load the dishwasher and wipe the counters. Once that was done, the two of them made their way into the living room to pick up Charley's toys. They both ended up on their hands and knees crawling around looking for any toys that could be hidden or lodged underneath any furniture. Eventually they both made their way around the coffee table from opposite directions, their eyes meeting thankfully before their heads collided.

As their eyes locked, no words needed to be said, a clear message being received. Rafe looked at Jessie's lips and then back to her eyes. Jessie leaned in and their lips finally crashed together. Rafe pulled Jessie closer as their lips moved in perfect sync. They eventually sat in the floor in between the coffee table and the couch making out innocently. They both were simply enjoying each other's presence. Eventually Rafe broke away, despite his desire to keep this going for hours on end.

"We need to talk." Rafe proclaimed out of breath as he held Jessie's face, both of them propped up against the couch while still sitting on the floor. Jessie tried to catch her breath also, clearly annoyed and focused on other things.

"Do we have to?" Jessie whispered, still locked on Rafe. Rafe just chuckled in response and looked down at the carpet.

"Yes... we do." He answered with a half smile of assurance as he brushed some hair away from Jessie's face. "It's nothing bad, but I just want to talk."

"Ugh come on Rafe, I just need one day where everything is perfect. Can we please just do this tomorrow?" Jessie pleaded.

"That's what I want to talk to you about... tomorrow." Rafe trailed off. "What does tomorrow look like for you?" Rafe asked. Jessie just sighed, clearly she was being roped into this conversation one way or the other.

"I don't know." Jessie stated honestly. "What does it look like for you?"

Rafe looked down at the shaggy rug they were sitting on and began to play with some loose strings of the carpet as he contemplated his answer. He wanted to be honest, but he also wasn't sure how honest he should be.

"I want you to come back with me." Rafe looked up and into Jessie's eyes with hope. He decided to just cut to the chase. Jessie was a little taken back by his boldness, but she knew this conversation was going to have to happen.

"Well, it's not that easy, Rafe. I mean, Charley and I have built a life here and we-"

"And I get that, and I would move here but... you know that all of my business is back in OBX." Rafe replied in a hushed tone, trying to show sincerity and regard for Jessie's point of view. Jessie just sighed and looked down, suddenly finding the carpet just as interesting as Rafe did.

"Yeah, I know." Jessie said sadly, never looking up as she played with the carpet. Rafe could tell he had upset Jessie, and that was definitely not his intentions. Maybe he should have waited to have this conversation tomorrow.

Rafe sighed and tilted Jessie's chin up to look at him as he cracked a half smile.

"I just thought since you only left OBX because of me you'd want to come back now that we're back together. I just figured you missed everyone." Rafe replied. Jessie knew he had a point, she had dreamed of coming back to be with the pogues, but she never did because of Rafe. Now that Rafe and her were back together, she had no reason to stay in Manhattan right?

"You can't really tell me that you're tied to this place like you are OBX can you?" Rafe insisted as he brushed some hair out of Jessie's face.

"No but, I am a part of a family here that took me in when I needed them most. I can't just forget that." Jessie answered.

"Well this isn't to say we can't come back and visit, baby. And one day I might be able to move business here. But either way, if they're your family, they'll understand and support you." Rafe said. Jessie looked down again to think for a moment.

"Yeah, I guess. It's just going to be a big change for Charley and I don't know how she's going to adjust. She's going to meet a lot of new people that know a lot about the both of us and growing up in that is going to be hard." Jessie continued.

"I understand, I really do, but her being so young might help. She won't exactly remember this place in detail. And besides, you've already seemed to introduce her to the idea of OBX. I mean... her room looks just like something you'd see back home." Rafe assured her with a smile.

"Yeah... she does like to dress up like an island girl." Jessie laughed.

"See, exactly! She'd fit in great and she'd love Sarah and Kie." Rafe explained with more hope in his eyes.

"Well, how about we do this in baby steps for everyone involved? How about we just visit OBX as a family, get all of the pogues introduced to the idea? Oh and before we do that we also need to introduce you to Mama and Tom." Jessie stated.

"That's just fine, whatever you want baby." Rafe reassured Jessie as he nodded his head in agreement with an even bigger smile on his face. Jessie just smiled in agreement. She began to form this look on her face, showing that she was thinking about something. She began to trail her hand towards the waist line of Rafe's jeans and eventually trailed her fingers upwards across his chest.

"You know what I want right nooooow..." Jessie insinuated as she had her bedroom eyes in full force looking dead on at Rafe.

"Oh I got a pretty good idea." Rafe understood the assignment as he leaned in to kiss Jessie tenderly, eventually deepening the kiss. Jessie reciprocated by cupping Rafe's face and scooting closer towards him, eventually finding her way on his lap. Rafe found his way to Jessie's hips, giving them gentle squeezes. Between kisses, Rafe eventually moved Jessie down to the carpet, hovering over her. Between the movements, Jessie started giggling against Rafe's lips.

"What are you laughing at?" Rafe asked as he pulled away to laugh a little himself.

"Nothing, we're just rolling around on this floor like I don't have a perfectly good bed upstairs. And Charley could come down here any minute." Jessie explained with a smile as she looked up at Rafe. Rafe was supporting himself with his arms as he hovered over her and laughed again.

"Some things never change." Rafe responded as he got up from the floor and grabbed Jessie to wrap her legs around his waist so they could continue kissing, making his way upstairs.

---

Rafe woke up the next morning feeling a heavy weight on his chest. Not figuratively, literally. He also felt a small finger poking at his face.

"Daddy?" Rafe heard a small voice whisper ever so close to him. That was enough to pull him out of his slumber and make him realize it wasn't a dream. He opened his eyes to his beautiful daughter sitting a on his chest and indeed poking his face.

"Daddy?" Charlotte asked again, this time a little louder now that she realized he was awake. Rafe couldn't believe his ears. She already caught on to the idea that he was daddy, whether she knew what that meant, he didn't know, and he didn't care. He tried not to jump for joy and wake Jessie up, who was asleep up against his side cuddling his arm wrapped around her.

"Yes, princess?" Rafe mumbled with sleepy eyes and a groggy voice. He squinted to try and get a better look at Charley.

"Daddy!" Charley said with excitement as she realized she had called him by the right name. "I'm hungry." She said as she laid her head on Rafe's chest. Rafe melted at the contact, wrapping his other free arm around Charley to pat her back.

"Ok, darling, I'll make you some breakfast." Rafe replied as he tried to ease his way out of bed so he didn't wake Jessie.

"No, mommy make it!" Charley demanded a little louder than Rafe would have liked. Rafe immediately put his finger up to his lips to indicate Charley needed to be a bit quieter. Funnily enough, Charley understood and showed remorse by widening her eyes and covering her mouth with both of her little hands. Rafe found it completely adorable and really funny.

"Mommy's sleeping, daddy can make it." Rafe assured through a whisper as he got out of bed. He put some sweatpants on, realizing he was only in his underwear. Rafe was grateful he at least had those on. Charley just simply nodded and waddled out of the room in anticipation. Rafe followed behind with a smile on his face as he shut the door and went downstairs.

He found Charley trying to get up onto the island as she grabbed her step stool. Rafe understood and rather than let her struggle, he picked her up and put her on the counter.

"What do you want for breakfast?" Rafe asked her as he set each arm on different sides of his daughter on the counter and looked at her lovingly.

Charley scratched her head almost comically as she looked around trying to think of what she wanted... or more so what it was called. When she realized she didn't know what it was that mommy made her she just threw up her hands and shrugged in defeat. Rafe laughed and went to fridge.

"I bet I know something you'd like." Rafe said as he looked in the fridge. Sure enough he saw just what he was looking for. He figured Jessie always had the stuff on hand to make her favorite.

Rafe begins to make the chocolate chip pancake batter that he never forgot how to whip up. Charley watched intently, the steps looking familiar to her. Rafe noticed her ogling the batter.

"Is this what mommy makes?" Rafe asked as he continued whisking. Charley simply nodded frantically in excitement. Rafe laughed as he made his way behind him to the stove to start making the pancakes. What he didn't know is that Charley was sneaking chocolate chips out of the bag he left open behind her. Rookie mistake. Rafe eventually heard the bag crinkle and without hesitation corrected his daughter.

"Get your hand out of the chocolate chips." Rafe sassed with a half smile as he continued flipping the pancakes. Charley straightened up immediately, looking straight at Rafe as if to show she had never done anything wrong. Once Rafe was at a stopping point, he went back over to Charley and put her on his hip and continued cooking.

Rafe let Charley help of course, instructing her to put some pieces of bacon on the other skillet in front of him. They weren't laid in there perfectly of course but they would do just fine.

"You're a great helper, you know that?" Rafe smiled at Charley. Unbeknownst to Rafe, Jessie was watching the whole exchange at the bottom of the stairs. Seeing Rafe standing there looking so comfortable with his daughter and in that environment filled Jessie with so much joy and assurance. Jessie couldn't imagine a life without Rafe now, whatever that looked like. Seeing the sight in front of her really gave her the reassurance she needed that she could follow Rafe wherever they needed to go, as long as it kept their family together. How could she separate them now? After all, they were all doing so great.

Jessie eventually made her way into the kitchen in a large tshirt and pajama shorts, running her hand against Rafe's shirtless back and swinging around to give him a gentle kiss. She eventually gave Charley a kiss on the cheek as well.

"Good morning." Rafe said as he pulled away from the kiss with a small smile.

"Good morning." Jessie replied. The sight in front of her couldn't help but make her want to kiss Rafe again, so she did, this time not breaking away. The two of them both forgot for a moment that their daughter was right there. Furthermore, Charley had never seen her mommy with someone like that before, so she wasn't quite sure what to do. Like any three year old, she slowly inched her face closer to her parents just staring intently until she was mere inches away from both of them. They both stopped as they felt Charley's breath on the sides of their faces, causing both of them to giggle.

"Can I help you?" Rafe sassed as he looked over at Charley, who had since backed up. Charley just giggled in response and bashfully dipped her head into Rafe's neck.

"Breakfast is almost ready." Rafe laughed as he let Charley down to grab some plates. Jessie got Charley in her high chair and got ready to eat.

All three of them sat down to eat, sitting in a comfortable silence until Rafe finally spoke up.

"So have you thought anymore about what I said last night?" Rafe asked in between bites of his food. Jessie looked down at her food trying to come up with a suitable answer.

"Yeah... I think today we should at least introduce you to Mama and Tom and then plan when we're going to visit OBX." Jessie replied as she picked at the pancakes in front of her. Rafe nodded in reply as he continued to eat.

"I can have a flight for us ready by tomorrow morning." Rafe said with hope in his voice. Jessie still thought it was a little quick and maybe too much too soon for Charley but she agreed.

The next hour was spent getting the kitchen cleaned up and getting ready for the day, specifically getting ready to go meet Mama and Tom and tell them the plan. Jessie felt this had to happen considering she worked at the bar they owned and pretty much owed them her life considering the big help they always were to her. 

With all that being said, they decided to meet Mama and Tom at the restaurant before they opened for the day.

I'll Come Running - R.C. - Chapter 28

As Jessie was getting ready to leave for the restaurant, Rafe came into the bathroom as she was brushing her hair. Rafe wrapped his arms around Jessie's waist and pulled her in close.

"Where's Charley?" Jessie asked as she looked at Rafe through the mirror.

"She's playing in her room." Rafe answered. Jessie simply nodded and went back to getting ready.

"She called me daddy this morning." Rafe said simply with a small smile on his face. Jessie stopped what she was doing once again and looked back at Rafe with a grin.

"Seriously?!" Jessie asked with wide eyes.

"Seriously." Rafe replied through a slight laugh. "She said it this morning when she woke me up wanting breakfast."

Jessie couldn't help but be filled with tears of joy. This was more confirmation that her and Charley would be just fine following Rafe back to OBX or wherever they needed to be. No matter where they went, Jessie knew she couldn't split up their family again. Jessie couldn't choke out any words, instead she opted to wrap her arms around Rafe's neck.

"I'm so glad baby, you deserve that." She whispered as she buried herself further into Rafe.

"Thank you." Was all Rafe could say as he breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly they both heard little footsteps coming to the bathroom door.

"What we doing?" Charley asked with knitted eyebrows. She was already ready to go in her yellow sundress and high pigtails. Rafe bent down to be eye level with his daughter as Jessie went back to fixing her hair.

"We are going to find you some shoes to wear." Rafe replied as he pointed at Charley and booped her nose. She giggled and ran away to her room, clearly anxious to pick out a pair of shoes. Rafe simply followed behind her, but not before giving Jessie one last loving look.

- - -

"We ready to go?" Jessie asked as she slipped on her converse and met Rafe with Charley on his hip at the door.

"Yep." Rafe responded as they walked out the door and towards the bar downtown. Living in Manhattan everything was within walking distance, which Jessie loved. It was always a great way for Charley and her to get some fresh air and a little exercise. Plus, it saved on gas. Jessie didn't even have a car until after a year of living there, with the help of Mama and Tom getting her a job and hooked up with a friend selling one for a good price. However, she couldn't part with the small motorcycle she brought with her from OBX. That was all she had besides a few other belongings when she left. She left both her small car and motorcycle parked in the parking garage connected to their building.

The three of them had finally made it down to the small local dive bar. If Rafe would have blinked he would have missed it. He almost did, thankfully Jessie knew where it was and side stepped him just in time. Jessie had a key to the door of course but also told them she was coming and that she was bringing a friend. Considering they were stopping by before they opened she knew they wouldn't mind. They never minded having Charley there either. Many a night has been spent bartending with Mama while young Charley slept in the back room in a cot built just for her under Tom's desk.

"Hey Mama!" Jessie exclaimed enthusiastically as she let Charley down to run to her grandparents.

"Hey darlin!" Mama replied as she bent down to accept the impending bear hug from Charley. Soon after Tom rounded the corner.

"I thought I heard my favorite girls." The bearded burly man said as he came out of his office and around the counter to give Jessie a hug.

"Hey sweetheart." Tom exclaimed as he hugged Jessie and gave her a kiss on the head. Before Tom was done with the motion he eyed Rafe up and down. "Is this the guest you were talking about?" Tom asked with knitted eyebrows. At the same time Mama came walking up behind Tom with Charley in tow.

"Yes! This is Rafe. Rafe, this is Mama and PopPop. But you can call them Maci and Tom if you'd like." Jessie proclaimed as she introduced the two parties. Rafe stuck his hand out nervously with a soft smile towards Tom. Rafe couldn't belive how nervous he was. He had done billion dollar deals with gun wielding maniacs and their goons surrounding him with no nerves and yet this had him shaking.

"Nice to meet you." Rafe blurted out with his hand still extended. Tom looked down at his hand and back up at Jessie, still trying to decide if he was going to shake it or not. Tom saw the plea on Jessie's face and decided to go with it.

"Nice to meet ya Rafe." Tom said simply in his grisly tone he always has. Thankfully, Mama decided to break the very clear tension.

"Well, y'all want something to eat or drink? It's almost lunchtime!" Mama exclaimed as she made her way back behind the counter hoping everyone would follow.

"Chicken nuggets!" Charley quickly demanded as she ran alongside Mama.

"We'll just take whatever you make." Jessie answered as they sat down at the bar, Tom opted to stand alongside it beside Rafe, still unsure of the man he was looking at. For Tom, no man was good enough for Jessie. Jessie was not looking forward to telling Mama and Tom about her and Rafe's history.

"Can I get you anything to drink, baby?" Mama asked Rafe as she got Jessie started with a Moscow mule, remembering it was her all time favorite.

"Oh I'm okay, water's fine." Rafe replied, politely putting a hand up.

"What, you don't drink?" Tom asked with his eyebrows furrowed. This kid was seeming more and more peculiar to him.

"Uh... just not feeling it today, it's only lunch." Rafe joked looking at Tom for any semblance of understanding.

"Oh come on." Tom bantered as he slapped Rafe's arm with a little too much force for Jessie's liking. Thankfully, Rafe wasn't phased, his strong arms could definitely withstand the blow. "Little whiskey won't hurt ya. Put a little hair on your chest. Get him a whiskey and coke, Mama." Tom insisted. Jessie gave Rafe a look as if to silently apologize. Rafe reciprocated with a soft half smile as if to tell her it's okay. Mama gave Tom a look of disapproval but continued to make a drink for Rafe and slide it his way. Jessie tried to brush it off as best she could despite Tom's best efforts to intimidate Rafe.

"Sooooo..." Jessie began as she stretched her hands across the bar and look around bashfully. "There's a reason that I wanted to come and meet with you guys today."

"Uh oh, here we go." Tom joked as he finally took a seat at the barstool beside Rafe. Charley at that point was playing contentedly in the corner but Jessie wondered if she should redirect her to Tom's office.

"So, Rafe is actually... um... Charley's father." Jessie explained as she gripped Rafe's hand over the bar. "And we're... m-back together." Jessie didn't have the heart to tell them they were already married. She thought that would be way too much too soon. She knew eventually they'd get around to that conversation though. Mama and Tom just exchanged looks that neither Rafe nor Jessie could quite interpret. Were they angry? Confused? Surprised? Did they expect it? Probably a combination of all those things.

"This..." Tom began as he pointed at Rafe. "This is the guy you left home for? And this is the guy you had to protect from Charley?" Tom asked with a dangerous calm in his voice. Rafe couldn't let that slide.

"Hey man you don't even know me." Rafe spat as he immediately stood up from his chair and looked at Tom dead in the eyes, who had also stood up at the same moment to meet them. Despite Tom being slightly shorter, his gaze was just as fierce. Jessie didn't expect that to escalate so quickly, but she thought maybe she should have considering Rafe was never one to accept insults.

"I know enough." Tom answered with just as much vengeance in his voice. "I know that you were the reason Jessie had to leave wherever she came from. I know that you were the reason she felt she and her baby were unsafe. I know you were the reason she came here with no money and nobody to rely on." Tom continued, never breaking his death glare up towards Rafe. At this point their faces were mere inches away from each other. Rafe was trying to prove to Jessie that he had changed, but he still wasn't going to let disrespect slide.

"Yeah well that was the old me, okay?" Rafe replied. Tom just scoffed.

"You may be fooling Jessie with that but you're not fooling me alright I'll be damned if-"

"Stop it! Both of you!" Jessie interrupted, loud enough to get the point across but not loud enough to disturb Charley from across the room.

"Alright, come on now. Your daughter and your granddaughter is in the room right now." Mama spoke up as she went to grab Charley and take her to Tom's office to play with the toys they always kept in there.

"Yeah, and you're lucky she is." Tom retorted, narrowing his eyes at Rafe once more. Rafe was finding it increasingly difficult when a man was judging him so harshly without getting to know him first. Still, he had a point to prove. He remained stolid, not fuming, but he made it clear he was not afraid. Jessie decided to butt in before Rafe had a chance to say what he was really thinking.

"Tom, I promise you nobody is being more cautious about this than I am. I could never forget the reason that I came here, and I could never forget what you and Mama did for me..." Jessie trailed off as she wedged her way in between the two most important men in her life. "... but it's time for me to give Rafe another chance now that he knows about his daughter and is willing to change for us. Okay? Can you just trust me on this?" Jessie said as she looked up at Tom with hopeful eyes. Rafe had softened his look slightly and had un clinched his fist despite him still being angry deep down.

"I guess, sweetheart, whatever you want." Tom sighed as he looked at Jessie lovingly, then back up to Rafe with a hardened glare once again. "But if you step one toe out of line-"

"I'll handle it myself, like I always have, pop." Jessie interrupted with a knowing stare. Tom knew she was right, and so did Rafe. Jessie really hadn't changed that much in four years, she was still that strong, independent, snarky, know it all that was perfectly fine with taking care of herself. Rafe still appreciated that about her... that freedom she always found within herself to live life and not be afraid. Tom sighed in agreement.

"Lets eat you two!" Mama butted in, trying once again to break the tension— and the death glares— between the two men. Jessie moved from her spot back to sit at the bar, the others doing the same as Mama platted everyone's food, including Charley's, who had now re entered the room.

"So is Rafe who you were going to see last week?" Mama asked as she ate over the bar counter in front of them.

"Yeah, actually. I met him in the Bahamas to... tell him about Charley." Jessie answered. Her and Rafe both knew that was a lie, but they couldn't exactly tell the truth. How do you casually mention that you went across the world to take half of what you rightfully own as the wife of a murderer, drug addict and convicted thief of your own brother? Mama and Tom, despite how close they were to Jessie, never truly knew her history, and there was clearly a reason.

Tom put his fork down and swiveled in his chair closer to Rafe. "So what do you do for work son." Tom asked, this time a little friendlier, but not by much.

"Oh, I uh, run my dad's company. He passed away not too long ago so I'm kind of in charge of it now. Cameron Enterprises." Rafe answered, returning the same tone to Tom, friendly, but still not letting his guard down.

"Cameron? Oh! We heard about your dad a couple of weeks ago! Yeah, he was the one who..." Tom began, then realizing what he was about to say.

"Killed himself by blowing up his own boat, yeah." Rafe finished the sentence for him with a calmness in his voice that showed he was oddly un phased. To distract himself from the thought he took a sip of the whiskey and coke in front of him... well, more like a chug.

"Well, we are so sorry, honey." Mama spoke up, putting her hand on Rafe's with a sympathetic look. Jessie knew Rafe never liked pity looks, besides, he never had the best relationship with his father anyways so the loss wasn't as hard as the world may think.

"I appreciate that." Was all Rafe could muster as he pursed his lips together. He really wanted to say it was no big deal, but clearly that would raise some red flags. Instead he opted to grasp the small glass even more firmly. Jessie seemed to be the only one who noticed.

"Yeah, well, that's the main reason I needed to see Rafe. I knew his dad had just passed and as hard as it was to go back and see him, I felt it was only right that Rafe finally know what happened to me and that he had a daughter." Jessie took the moment to capitalize on her story. Truth is, as hard as it was to lie, she knew that Mama and Tom would probably never know the full story, that's just the way it goes when you're tied up with treasure hunts and ruthless tycoons like Ward Cameron.

"And I'm glad she did... she really pulled me out of the pit there." Rafe half smiled as he placed a hand on Jessie's thigh. That was the truth.

"Aw, well we're glad you two have found each other again." Mama simply stated and Tom nodded half heartedly in agreement. It was clear Tom was still fishing for information and looking for something to be wrong. Jessie didn't blame him, it was in Tom's nature just like it was in hers.

"Yeah, about that..." Jessie sighed as she grabbed Rafe's hand, she couldn't tell if it was for his support or hers. Regardless, Rafe squeezed her hand back. "I'm... well, we're... moving back home... to be with Rafe." Jessie finished, almost wincing not wanting to see the look on their faces in response.

Mama and Tom just paused in thought and looked at each other. Tom was quicker to speak than Mama of course.

"What do you mean? You can't be serious. You're gonna go back with the man who you ran away from four years ago just like that? Come on, Jessie, you know better."

"Pop... he's changed. He's not who he used to be. We're going to just try it out. What happened was four years ago. If I can see past it surely you can." Jessie insisted, this time with a hint of annoyance. Tom looked down at his plate and sighed. He finally nodded in agreement, knowing that at the end of the day it just mattered what Jessie wanted and what she felt was right for her and Charley.

"I think we're just... shocked is all. It was like one day you were perfectly fine with the life you had and now..." Mama explained.

"It's all changing. Yeah, I get it." Jessie sympathized. "And I know it's going to be hard and I know there are a lot of things we haven't thought about yet but we're just going to try. We're gonna start by visiting Outer Banks as a family... that's where I used to live." Jessie answered with a soft tone in her voice.

"You used to live steps from the beach and yet you chose to come here?" Mama joked. Jessie and Rafe just laughed.

"Yeah, this was the place I knew I could disappear. You know that, Mama."

"Yeah, I remember darling. I'm just glad you guys are getting another shot at being a family. Pop and I always wanted that for you, but we weren't quite sure it was ever going to happen." Mama ended her sentence with a giggle looking over at Tom. Tom chuckled as well.

"Of course we want the best for you, and hope everything works out, but you better come back and see us!" Tom exclaimed.

"Of course we will! I couldn't imagine a life without you guys." Jessie reassured as she went to give Tom a hug. Rafe sat there with a content smile on his face, silently thanking them for understanding.

"I promise we'll come back to visit as often as we can, and you guys are more than welcome to come see us anytime, my treat." Rafe said as Jessie went to hug Mama also.

"Oh, Tom wouldn't a vacation sound so fun?! Maybe one day we might even be invited to a wedding!" Mama hinted with excitement as she held Jessie's shoulders. Jessie just giggled nervously while looking at Rafe. Rafe smiled and hung his head down as if to prepare for the news they were both about to break.

"Hehe, yeah... about that..." Jessie started as she looked around at Mama and Tom with a clear nervous look. Mama and Tom looked confused as they narrowed their eyebrows.

"We're already married." Rafe chuckled as he threw his hands out awkwardly and slowly nodded his head.

"You got married to this man while you were gone? Thats what you were doing?!" Tom asked as he looked back at Jessie with judgement written all over his face. Oh great, this was about to be the cherry on top.

"Um, no.... We got married four years ago... before things went sour and I left." Jessie replied sheepishly, her posture showing she wanted to physically retreat into whatever shell she could find. There was an awkward pause as everyone tried to collect their thoughts, thankfully Charley was still eating her chicken nuggets happily in the corner and completely oblivious. Finally Tom slowly turned his head back to Rafe with a clear look of anger.

"You let your pregnant wife leave you and you didn't even think to go after her and make this work four years ago?!" Tom exclaimed a little louder than he should have.

"Tom!" Mama whisper-shouted, signally that he needed to keep his voice down. Tom breathed out heavily in frustration but understood.

"I didn't know she was pregnant. Jessie didn't tell me. But either way don't act like you know me, okay? You don't think I tried to find Jessie in every corner of this earth? You don't think I loved her enough to try and find her? Don't insult me like that ever again! You don't know the sleep I lost and worry I couldn't get away from when she left. Hell, that never went away! I never stopped looking for Jessie. There was never a moment when I didn't want to find her." Rafe spat as he got out of his seat and hovered over Tom with a look in his eyes that could kill. Tom didn't take that sitting down- literally- he stood up to meet Rafe with just as much fierceness.

"Well clearly you didn't look hard enough!" Tom retorted, still a little too loudly.

"It's not like I made myself easy to find, Pop! I changed my number, changed where I lived, and everything in between! I knew Rafe wouldn't have let me go that easily, that's the very reason I didn't tell him I was pregnant. I would've stayed and we wouldn't have grown up! But we're adults now and we can handle this! Rafe isn't to blame for all this. I left! This is the last time I'm going to let you fault Rafe over something that happened years ago!" Jessie demanded. Despite all that Rafe had done to Jessie and to many others, Jessie always saw something in Rafe that nobody else did. Rafe was always her Achilles heal, and that's exactly why she left years ago.

"Tom, she's right. You need to settle down." Mama said with a much more serious tone in her voice. Tom took the hint and sighed as he sat back down.

"I'm sorry, Jess, I just-"

"Don't be sorry Pop." Jessie said as she went around the counter to give Tom a hug. "You're like a father to me, you know that. I appreciate that you care so much... but you've gotta trust me on this one." Jessie assured. Tom nodded in agreement and quickly tried to change the subject to something more hopeful.

"So, when you leaving?"

I'll Come Running - R.C. - Chapter 29

Jessie and Rafe were finally done packing that evening. Charley of course had already been put to bed, allowing them time to get some stuff done.

"You've always been an over packer." Rafe joked as he walked into Jessie's room looking at the luggage full of clothes, shoes, and everything in between.

"I like to think I'm cautious." Jessie laughed back. It was hard for Jessie not to over pack when her entire life was filled with so much turmoil. Many a time her and JJ both packed their bags not knowing when or if they would return home. Jessie couldn't help but take that into her adult life. Rafe snaked his arms behind Jessie to pull her into a hug when he noticed a square, black book with nothing on the front of it sitting in her suitcase.

"What's this?" Rafe asked as he got an arm around Jessie to grab it.

"Uh, that's, uh, a photo album. I thought JJ would like to see some pictures of Charley and me over the years... and you too of course." Jessie explained. Rafe realized with everything happening so quickly, Jessie never really got the time to show Rafe stuff like this. Without a word said, Rafe jumped on the bed with the book in his hands in excitement.

"I want to look at every picture. Do you have any more?" Rafe asked. Jessie just laughed and looked almost embarrassed. At first Rafe was confused by the look, but then he realized.

"There's more in that suitcase isn't there?" Rafe smirked. Jessie giggled and nodded her head like a child as she rummaged through some clothes to find the others buried at the bottom. She pulled them out and jumped on the bed with Rafe.

That night Rafe and Jessie spent the next few hours looking through all kinds of photos, ranging from Jessie's pregnancy, Charley's birth, life in Manhattan, birthdays, and everything in between.

"You know, years ago a night like this would've been spent smoking your dad's weed or drinking or doing some other dumb shit." Rafe laughed as he closed the last album.

"Look at us, growing up." Jessie joked as she flipped her hair.

"Do you miss it?" Rafe asked a little more seriously. Jessie didn't need him to elaborate, she knew exactly what he was referring to.

"The late nights when all we had to worry about was who was sleeping in who's bed? Of course I do." Jessie answered with a hint of sadness in her voice. Rafe and Jessie always felt like the modern day Bonnie and Clyde in a way, always looking to get into or out of trouble and teaching each other every day what it means to be truly free and not care about what others think. They both had big reputations on the island— in totally different ways— and that's what always made them so dynamic.

Rafe just looked down in sadness as well and pulled Jessie's hand to his chest and held it.

"Look, I know things are different now." Rafe whispered. "But different doesn't mean worse. We can get back to us, Jess. We're going to find a new normal eventually, and we'll learn to love that new normal."

Jessie teared up. This was the Rafe she always believed in... the Rafe nobody else gets to see. Still, she couldn't let her guard down completely, as she knew that deep down Rafe was still trying to get clean.

"Yeah, I know." Jessie paused. "But sometimes deep down I do wish things were as simple as they were back then... even though they really weren't simple at all." Jessie laughed, her hand still being held tightly by Rafe's strong arms. Rafe laughed as well.

"I know, baby. It's always been me and you against the world, and look, that really hasn't changed." Rafe said. Jessie saw his point. Here they were in the same position they found themselves in years ago: trying to convince everyone that they were going to make it despite all the people who hated seeing them together.

"You know JJ's gonna be livid right? He's not going to accept that we're back together." Jessie proclaimed. Rafe scoffed.

"Well, yeah, I figured that." Rafe joked as he kissed Jessie's hand. "But it doesn't matter, nothing and nobody is going to separate me from my girls. I promise."

"Not even Coke?" Jessie had to ask. The thought has been eating away at her the second she decided to take Rafe back.

"Especially not Coke." Rafe replied more serious than ever as he looked into Jessie's eyes. Jessie nodded in response.

"Not even money?" Jessie asked again. Rafe just laughed, now holding onto both of her hands with his.

"I'm done chasing whatever the pogues dig up." Rafe said with a smile. Jessie couldn't help but snicker and nod her head once again. Jessie took a deep breath followed by a sigh of relief. Rafe could tell those thoughts had been weighing on her. He brushed some hair out of her face.

"You and Charley are my first priority. I'll make our money honestly with the company, and that's as far as it'll go. Besides..." Rafe smirked. "I still have that other half of the gold."

Jessie just scoffed and playfully hit Rafe's arm as if she couldn't believe he just said such a thing. Rafe took the opportunity to grab her arm and swing her over his body as he lay in the bed with Jessie on top of him. They were now in a full on play fight until Jessie grabbed a pillow beside her. Rafe playfully screamed but then Jessie quickly put her pointer finger up to her lips signaling he needed to keep it down.

"Our daughter is asleep in the other room." Jessie whispered through giggles.

"Well then we better keep quiet." Rafe smirked as he threw Jessie down on the bed.

- - -

Rafe had his driver pick him, Jessie, and Charley up at the airport and take them to their home In OBX. Their home... Rafe loved the sound of that. Although, he knew there was no way he could have him and his girls live in that house forever, there was simply too much baggage. He vowed to himself to find a house fit just for them, but for now, this would do.

"This is your new home." Rafe said to Jessie as he wrapped his arm around her as he walked toward the front door with Charley on his hip. "For now anyways. I promise some day soon we'll have a house all our own that we pick." Rafe assured as he went to unlock the front door.

Jessie entered through the front door, hit with a wave of nostalgia-- no, trauma. There was the same dining room table that Rafe slammed his fist against when he was fighting with Ward over Jessie, and there was the kitchen island where Rose so gracefully despised her presence, and how could she forget the long dark hallway where Ward threatened her.. and then Rafe threatened his father. Jessie tried to put it out of her mind. Rafe put Charley down to roam freely through her new home, which she gladly did through fits of laughter, screams, and claps.

"We're going to need to put away all the million dollar artifacts laying around." Jessie joked as she rubbed her hand worriedly against her forehead, although she was being slightly serious. Rafe laughed.

"We can make that happen, you wanna unpack and then head to JJ's? He still doesn't know you're here right?"

"Right." Jessie sighed, anxiety written all over her face. Rafe noticed and pulled Jessie into his chest for a tight hug. He laid his head on top of hers.

"Everything's gonna be alright, baby. We've done this before. If you really want I can stay here while you go over there with Charley so he can just meet her first." Rafe assured.

"No, I really think it'd be best just to rip the bandaid off, and Charley being there might keep him in check." Jessie stated through sad eyes. It broke Rafe's heart to see her so stressed. He leaned down to look in Jessie's eyes and cupped her face.

"Baby, I promise it'll be okay. I'll do all the explaining if you want me to. You don't even have to be there, you can stay here with Charley." Rafe explained with a softness.

"And just let you get a public beating for stealing what's rightfully the pogues, only returning half out of legal obligation, and then getting back together with the pogues' sister that you forced to run off because of you're drug induced rage? Yeah, no thanks, I'd like you alive." Jessie retorted not even slightly joking. Still, Rafe found it funny. "It'd be best coming from me... or at least the both of us." Jessie said as she looked into Rafe's eyes and held his arms as they were holding her face. Rafe just nodded in understanding. Without even averting her eyes, Jessie's sixth sense kicked in that the house was too quiet.

"Get out of whatever you are in Charlotte Renee." Jessie yelled. All of a sudden both of them heard what sounded like a heavy lid hit the ground and roll around until it came to a complete stop. Sure enough, the top of a beautiful mosaic vase was on the ground in the living room. Rafe was amazed.

"How did you do that." He asked.

"Mom things." Jessie answered with a smirk and a shrug.

- - -

Rafe and Jessie had arrived to the Chateau in Rafe's truck. The pogues exited the house confused because they weren't expecting any visitors, and especially not Rafe. Their confusion only grew when they saw Jessie hop out of the passenger seat.

At first JJ came barreling through the yard when he thought Rafe was the only one he would be seeing, but he stopped midway when he caught a glimpse of his sister coming from the passenger side.

"Jessie?!" JJ asked suddenly with a bright smile on his face. All the other pogues looked around at each other, still not completely sure what was happening, and didn't quite trust it. JJ, however, had quickly forgotten about the fact that Jessie most definitely just got out of the passenger seat of his arch nemesis' truck. He ran to engulf her in a hug, only to look over Jessie's shoulder and see Rafe stepping out of the truck as well. Rafe and JJ made eye contact. Rafe gave a look as if to say "not here, and not now." JJ returned the look with an expression of "what the hell?" Then again, JJ was never one to keep his thoughts only in his head, so of course he said exactly what he was thinking.

"What the hell is he doing here?" JJ yelled as he began to charge at Rafe. Jessie saw it coming and immediately got in front of JJ, putting her hands on his chest just long enough to catch his attention once more and make him stop.

"Hey hey hey, not right now. He's-"

"Not right now? Not right now, Jessie?! He stole from us! I'm gonna beat his ass!"

"JJ." Pope spoke up in disbelief, all the pogues were too busy looking at what was going on behind the two siblings to stop JJ from pummeling Rafe. Once JJ heard Pope's oddly calm demeanor he finally looked past Jessie, only to see Rafe holding Charley on his hip, clearly unsure if he was going to walk towards them or not. JJ began to tear up.

"I-Is that...?" JJ couldn't finish his sentence for choking on his words as his lips quivered.

"Yea, JJ. That's my... that's our daughter." Jessie answered as she turned to look at Rafe. Rafe still hadn't moved, he stood their with a stolid look on his face as if to say that he was not to be messed with while his daughter was around, especially not while she was in his arms. Rafe managed the perfect look of a mix between genuine desire to make things right, while also showing that he meant business. Rafe was proving to be an iron fist in a velvet glove at the moment. JJ received the message loud and clear from Rafe with no words needed, but he was still so conflicted on how to handle the situation.

"So you think you can just show up with my niece on your hip and think I won't beat the shit out of you? Really? That's some real cowardly shit hiding behind your daughter don't you think, kook?" JJ spat as he narrowed his eyes at Rafe. Jessie could tell Rafe didn't like that accusation, and she knew that if Charley wasn't there, he would've lunged at JJ wishing for a fight.

"My daughter is here to protect you, not me." Rafe simply said with a newfound cockiness to him as he strutted up to JJ, showing he wasn't afraid. Unfortunately, Jessie knew Rafe was right. He wasn't going to fight in front of his daughter.

"That's a load of horseshit!" JJ laughed at Rafe before looking back at Jessie with judgement written all over his face. "So what is he to you now, huh? Husband? Baby daddy? Ex thief?"

"Ex murderer?" Kiara butted in through gritted teeth and knotted up fists. All the pogues were just as furious that Rafe was even on their turf right now. Except for Sarah, she was still processing that her brother... and her beautiful niece... were standing right in front of her. Sarah couldn't deny that Rafe seemed different this time.

"Jess, you can't be serious." John B finally interrupted. "Are you seriously going to let him be around your daughter? After all that you know he's done to us?"

"Nah, screw that man." JJ exclaimed with anger imminent, now pacing back and forth. "How could you even let him back in your life, Jess. Knowing all that he's put you through?!" JJ grew more furious with every passing word. "You know how this ends, Jessie! You've seen this movie before, and I'll be damned if I let you ruin my niece's life on top of that, Rafe." JJ said this time through angry tears as he made his way to Rafe once more. Jessie stopped in front of JJ again doing the same motion as before.

"JJ," Jessie whispered. "I know this hurts you. I know that you're worried about me, and about Charley, but I promise, nobody has thought about this decision more than I have. Rafe and I are going to try and be a family again. We think Charley deserves that much, and I know that you would agree." JJ's tears suddenly dried up, and his face changed from one of worry to one of numbness.

"You really think he's changed?" JJ sniffled looking down at Jessie, already answering the question in his head. Rafe decided to step in.

"You can have it." Rafe said plainly, looking down at the ground, still standing a few paces away from JJ. "You can have it all. The gold. I don't care about it anymore." Rafe explained as he finally got close enough to JJ and the other pogues. "I just want my girls. I haven't used since Jessie walked through that door in the Bahamas, and I swore to myself years ago that if she ever walked back into my life for whatever reason that I would not give her a reason to walk back out. I've kept that promise. I beat her back to Manhattan to plead with her in person to give me another chance. I know I've messed up pretty damn bad and done wrong by you guys too many times, and I don't expect forgiveness overnight... or even at all. But I do hope that you'll understand that Jessie and I are not going to give up on each other anymore no matter what anyone has to say." Rafe's words were calm, cool, and collected. It was different for all of them to not see Rafe so hot headed, yet they took him just as seriously. JJ had no words, conflicted was an understatement. He couldn't get that night out of his mind, the night Jessie left.

***

"Where the hell is she, JJ!" JJ heard Rafe yell while he was inside sobbing. He was pulled out of his thoughts by the truck door slamming and hearing Rafe scream, clearly angry. He immediately pulled himself together and went outside to face the man he knew was the reason for Jessie's disappearance. In an odd way, JJ was hoping he would see Rafe that night.

"Man, I don't know where the hell she went." JJ exclaimed with annoyance as he threw his hands up in the air. JJ's eyes were still red and swollen yet his tears were nowhere to be found. Rafe really didn't care either way.

"Nah, nah, don't mess with me bro." Rafe demanded as he walked right up to JJ clearly in a mental tailspin. Rafe pinned JJ up against the porch post, one arm pressed hard against JJ's neck. JJ was breathing hard but was determined to not let Rafe see him sweat. That's how JJ always was.

"You're going to TELL ME WHERE SHE IS." Rafe screamed in JJ's face, clearly slipping further into a psychotic rage that he was becoming so accustomed to.

"Dude, I swear if I knew where she was I'd be there. She left because of you, you know-"

"Shut up!" Rafe proclaimed as he pushed his arm further into JJ's shoulders, beginning to obstruct his airflow. Rafe knew JJ was right. Jessie most definitely left because of him. He stood there for a moment looking at JJ. JJ couldn't pinpoint what emotion Rafe was feeling other than rage. Rafe finally let go, only to back away with balled fists as he contemplated what to do next. His breathing became heavier and heavier, the walls of his life feeling like they were caving in on him. His one steadfast that he had, the one he always had in his corner, was gone, and it was all his fault. Rafe felt like crawling out of his own skin, he had never felt so much rage. All the times he faught with his dad, hated the pogues, nothing could compare to the anger he had in his heart... this time only for himself. Rafe finally let it spill out the only way he knew how.

"SHIT!" Rafe screamed at the top of his lungs into the night air, not knowing or caring who it woke up. JJ jumped at the sudden outburst, how could he not? It was a blood curdling cry. After seeing that, he was secretly glad Jessie got away. JJ could only imagine what Rafe was capable of doing to Jessie when he was that angry.

"Did you hit her?" JJ asked calmly with balled fists as he looked at the back of Rafe, who was now staring off into the distant water. Rafe just took a deep breath and scratched his head, refusing to answer. He didn't hit her, but he came pretty damn close. He was afraid of himself in that moment.

"Did you hit her?!" JJ yelled, finally losing his cool. No answer was an answer for JJ, he knew exactly what Rafe meant. Rafe finally turned to look back at JJ, this time with an odd sadness in his eyes as he played with the skin on his lips. He put his palms up to his eyes as if to block out whatever he was thinking or feeling. He finally pulled himself out of it and looked at JJ with determination in his face.

"I'm not gonna stop looking for her." Rafe choked out as he pointed at JJ.

"Oh, you're gonna stop looking for her, Rafe." JJ threatened as he walked closer to Rafe. JJ matched Rafe's all too familiar calm but intimidating energy as he pursed his lips and broadened his chest.

"I'm never going to stop looking for her." Rafe said more determined. "I will find her!"

"If you find her, I find you. And I'll kill you. Do you understand?" JJ demanded as he got within mere inches of Rafe's face, now looking him dead in his bloodshot eyes. Rafe simply laughed, feeling as if they were just playing a game of dick measuring.

"Is that a threat?" Rafe joked with knitted eyebrows.

"That's a promise."

I'll Come Running - R.C. - Chapter 30

That night is exactly why this hurt JJ so much. With Jessie still standing between the two men who meant the most to her, JJ finally breathed out and looked at Jessie with tears in his eyes.

"I knew..." JJ sniffled. "I knew... I shouldn't have called you. I remember that night you left like it was yesterday, and I knew what he did to you, and I knew you got away from him because if you ever saw him again you would take him back. I knew I shouldn't have called you, Jess, I knew it!" JJ said now through sobs as he slowly backed away and put his hands in his hair, tugging slightly at the golden locks.

Jessie just looked down at the ground. Deep down she knew it too. She knew the second she made the decision to see Rafe again, all bets would be off. She would always come running back to him. For one simple reason: true love. No matter what Rafe had done to her or anyone else in the past, she saw more potential in him than anyone could ever imagine. She was the only one who understood, and not even she could get JJ to grasp that. Some would call their love toxic, they would call it unconditional.

"Jayj-"

"No, just don't! Okay?! I did this! Now just leave me alone!" JJ cried as he stormed back into the Chateau. Jessie tried following after him but was met by a warm hand to her chest, John B.

"You know he needs time to cool down, Jess." John B simply stated through truly sympathetic eyes. "He'll come around, he just has to see you prove it." John B said looking over at Rafe, who was still standing there feeling even worse by the minute. Rafe finally spoke up.

"I expected it... I deserved it." Rafe exclaimed knowingly. He put Charley down to explore the grass. Everyone stood in silence for what seemed like days, but was really just seconds.

"You've changed." Sarah finally spoke up, coming up from behind the pogues with eyes on Rafe. Rafe just looked at Sarah and nodded through tears. Rafe wanted to say so much more, but he couldn't get the words out. Instead, Sarah and Rafe embraced in a long awaited hug, both of them crying.

"I see it, Rafe. I believe you." Sarah said through sobs as her hands wrapped around her brothers neck. Sarah and Rafe were on their own separate journey to healing. Rafe had to forgive and forget that Sarah was always thought of before him, and Sarah had to forgive the way Rafe treated her because of it.

"Thank you, thank you, Sarah." Rafe simply pleaded through small sobs as well. Sarah and Rafe finally broke away and Sarah turned back to look at Jessie.

"I want to meet my niece." She said through a soft smile. Jessie laughed a little as she took a hold of Charley's hand and brought her over to Sarah, the pogues circling in on the action as well as they looked at the little girl lovingly. The truth is, the pogues all still had their reservations, but they knew they couldn't stop Jessie or Rafe from being with each other. They never have, and they never will.

The pogues all exchanged hellos and loving glances and hugs with Charley one by one. The only one clearly missing was JJ, and his absence was felt, still, everyone pushed on. Everyone eventually moved to the fire pit as the sun set, each with their preferred beverage in hand as they played with Charley, who was loving the attention. Rafe was sitting in a patio chair around the fire, and Jessie was sitting in his lap. Rafe could tell Jessie's mind was elsewhere.

"Go talk to him. Just you and him." Rafe whispered in Jessie's ear as he rubbed her back. Jessie turned to look at Rafe.

"I don't know if he's ready yet."

"He may not be, but at least he'll know that you've tried." Rafe replied as he kissed Jessie's cheek for reassurance and gave her a love tap.

Jessie got up to make her way inside, the crowd went quiet as they realized what she was doing.

"Mama..." Charley began to whine with her arms stretched out. Charley was loving all the new people, but she still wasn't totally comfortable. Jessie looked back and found Charley clinging to her leg and whimpering.

"Stay with daddy, baby, okay? Daddy will take care of you." Jessie reassured her daughter as she patted her back.

"Come here, Charley. Come sit with daddy and we'll make some s'mores." Rafe said with enthusiasm. Jessie could tell the pogues still weren't used to this idea of seeing Rafe in this new light. They didn't think it was bad at all, just very odd. Charley was still hesitant but she obliged, running back to her father. Rafe stood up to meet her half way, picked her up and began to throw her in the air to distract her from her mother going inside. As the fits of giggles began to fade into the distance, Jessie opened the door. She was met with that all too familiar stench: weed. And boy, that was fresh too. Sure enough, she found JJ sitting in the living room. Jessie figured he must've been watching from a distance all night.

"One of cousin Ricky's specials, huh? I know it when I smell it." Jessie joked as she sat on the coffee table in front of the couch JJ was plopped on. JJ just blew a cloud of smoke, only giving Jessie a half glance before looking back at the scene outside, undoubtedly watching Rafe expertly make his daughter a s'more.

"Jayj... I really don't know what to say to make this better." Jessie sighed as she rubbed her hands together.

"There's nothing you can say. I knew this was going to happen." JJ replied, not taking his eyes away from the window.

"Than why'd you call me?" Jessie asked with caution.

"The same reason you said yes."

Jessie just looked down at the floor. They both knew why they did it.

"I missed you." They both said in unison. That was enough for both of them to start tearing up.

"I don't even give a shit about the gold anymore, Jess. It wasn't worth it if it meant you got back together with Rafe, especially not after bringing a child into this world."

"His child, JJ. Rafe deserves-"

"Rafe doesn't deserve shit, Jessie!" JJ interrupted as he finally kicked his feet of the couch to be face to face with his sister. "He needs to earn whatever it is that he wants."

"And he is. You really think I'm stupid enough to give into him all at one time? It's like you forgot who I was, JJ. I left because I knew Rafe couldn't handle it. I didn't even tell Rafe about Charley until I thought he could handle it. And as terrible as it is to say, I had no plans of telling Rafe about Charley when I went to the Bahamas... but he proved me wrong. And I'm hoping he'll prove you wrong too."

JJ just laughed as he looked away and took another drag. "You really think he's changed? You don't know the Rafe that we've known the past four years, Jessie."

"And you don't know the Rafe that I've always known. The Rafe that I know even now is still there." Jessie pleaded.

"You know where we come from, Jess. We don't get happy endings. You need to put the true love bullshit to rest and do what's best for your daughter." JJ spit.

"I don't need a reality check, JJ. I've been living reality for a lot longer than you realize, having to do things the hard way in order to put my daughter first, okay? So you're going to forgive me for wanting to do something for myself for a change." Jessie spit right back, growing annoyed but still trying to see JJ's point of view.

"You're immune to him, Jessie. You don't even realize it." JJ simply stated.

"If I was immune to him would I have left all those years ago?" Jessie asked.

JJ just smirked as he puffed out another cloud of smoke. "You left physically because you knew you could never leave mentally." That was it, Jessie had had it.

"So what if I can never leave him mentally?! He's the love of my life, my husband, the father to my child, and he clearly is trying to be better for us! Gosh, can't you see that?! No, no, you can't see that because you refuse to. Well, you know what? That's fine, because like I've done so many times before, I will take my family and we will go somewhere else and we won't care about who doesn't support us." Jessie wanted to leave right then and there, but she didn't... she couldn't. She secretly begged that JJ would come around in that moment. JJ paused, looking up at Jessie with angry eyes.

"You know who I haven't heard from yet? Rafe. I really would be inclined to know what he has to say to me about this. He needs to prove it to me, not you." JJ demanded with fierce eyes.

"Jessie, go back outside." Rafe butted in with angry eyes and a clinched jaw. He had his hands in a his pockets, a sure sign he was holding back his rage. There's no telling how long Rafe had been there listening but Jessie couldn't afford to care in that moment. She looked back at JJ, silently begging him to hear Rafe out, and with that she made her way to the doorway her husband was standing in. As she stopped at the doorway she gave Rafe a reassuring look, knowing how hard and frustrating this conversation was about to be, but she knew it needed to happen.

Rafe collected his thoughts in the time it took him to walk over to JJ and sit on the coffee table in front of him.

"Want some?" JJ asked seriously as he held the joint out in front of Rafe. He knew exactly what he was doing, and Rafe didn't fall for it.

"Very funny." Rafe simply replied with an annoyed look on his face.

"Hey man, trust me, this isn't funny at all. You really expect me to belive that all of a sudden you're not a lying, stealing, psycho, murdering ass cheat?" JJ questioned with his eyes narrowed. The blunt started looking better and better to Rafe, but he wasn't going back on his promise. Rafe just sighed and looked at the ground as he rubbed his hands together trying to formulate the correct response.

"Look man, I'm not proud of the punches that I've thrown. But all that was someone I no longer know. That was someone who had lost his everything. That was someone who didn't know he had a daughter in this world. Trust me, things have changed now."

Oddly enough, JJ did see something different in Rafe today. He was definitely still calloused and guarded, but he seemed... genuine in his apology.

"Like I said you don't have to forgive me today, tomorrow, or even ever. But it's no secret that I never stopped loving your sister even after she left."

"Oh yeah that's why you threw yourself at more girls, more parties, and more coke right? That's why you slowly slipped into a psychotic rage, forcing you to believe that you had to kill, Peterkin, right?" JJ so painfully reminded Rafe.

"JJ..." Rafe sighed hopelessly as he looked JJ in the eyes. "Don't act like you didn't have your vices to help you cope with Jessie being gone. You and I both had our own ways of numbing the pain, and frankly, they weren't too far off from each other. We both have more in common than you think. We'd both die for her." Rafe explained. JJ never had thought of it that way. Jessie left a gaping hole in both of their hearts in two totally different ways, yet they both felt the weight equally, driving them to places they never thought they'd find themselves. Rafe turned to more drugs, more girls, and trying to satisfy his father, JJ just turned inward to himself, becoming a shell of a person that made it clear to everyone he would never be hurt like that again. After the long pause to think, JJ finally nodded. Rafe didn't know if it was in agreement or not.

"I still don't understand why you've done some of the things that you did... but, I'll respect Jessie enough to not get in the way. But I want to make it very clear I don't trust you yet, but I'll try." JJ whispered with a raspiness indicating he was holding back emotion.

"Thanks, man." Rafe answered genuinely as he patted JJ on the shoulder and stood up.

"This is not for you. This is for Jessie... and Charley." JJ said coldly . Rafe simply nodded and pursed his lips, knowing his statement was totally fair. JJ followed after Rafe as they were about to exit the house.

"Oh and hey, I'm still serious about the gold... you can have the rest of it. I really don't want it anymore." Rafe exclaimed as he turned to look at JJ. JJ just smiled and nodded, that was the first genuine smile Rafe had seen from JJ... probably ever.

JJ was still very unsure about everything, but he decided to put on a brave face so he could finally do what he's been dreaming of.

"Where's my niece?!" JJ screamed as he walked through the yard towards the fire pit with Rafe.

All the pogues whooped and hollered as they saw JJ come towards them with a smile on his face. Rafe knew it was fake, that was between him and JJ though.

Jessie walked toward the two men with a grin as wide as the east is from the west, assuming they had come to some sort of a truce... or at least a stalemate. She had Charley holding onto her hand as she walked over and bent down in front of JJ. JJ followed suit to be eye level with Charley. Rafe was standing over and watching with a smile, definitely feeling like he shouldn't intrude.

"Charley, this is Uncle JJ. He's my brother." Jessie said in a slow tone that her daughter could comprehend. Charley really didn't know the concept of brother, sister, aunt, uncle, etc, but she would learn through exchanges just like this.

"Hi, Charley!" JJ said with excitement as he softly waved at his niece. His heart was already filled with so much love and tenderness, he wanted to pick her up and spin her around and squeeze her right then and there, but he knew that wouldn't be getting things started on the right foot.

"Hi!" Charley stated back with curiosity in her big diamond eyes. Charley wasn't afraid, and Rafe loved that about her, but that also terrified him. He knew she would be a trailblazer one day.

"You wanna give Uncle JJ a hug? He would love that!" Jessie gave Charley the option, but made it very clear it wasn't required. Jessie knew Charley wouldn't be opposed though. As expected, Charley waddled over to JJ and flung herself onto his chest with her short arms wrapping around as much of his shoulders as she could. JJ melted, immediately clinging his arms around her and resting his head against hers, which was now in the crook of his neck. JJ started to tear up, and so did Jessie, as they stood there looking at each other, brother and sister, both thinking the same thing.

They made it.