𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐝𝐬 • 𝐣𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐛 𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞

𝐝𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐣𝐣

the gavel slammed down.

"john booker routledge, pursuant to the North Caroline statute section 14, you are charged with murder in the first degree with aggravated circumstances. if convicted, the maximum sentence would be the death penalty."

hearing the death penalty come out of the judge's mouth was enough for dove.

"no!" she screamed and stood up. "no, you can't do that!"

people were standing up and yelling.

jj pointed to john b. "your honor, he's 17! he's 17, are you kidding me?"

"quiet! quiet!"

the judge banged the gavel once again.

the officer began taking john b away and dove ran out of the pew.

"john b! john b!" she called. "bird!"

he turned around to face her.

"please." she cried.

the officer went to grab her, but kiara and sarah were already behind her.

"stop! don't touch her!" kie yelled.

"come on, dovie. let's go. let's get you out of here." sarah said to her.

everyone began exiting the court room and went outside.

sarah held dove's hand as they went outside and joey rubbed her arm sympathetically.

"is this a joke? are we in hell, or..." kie said.

dove sniffed and swallowed.

"they're gonna kill him, guys. i know it." jj spoke up.

dove shook her head. "don't say that, jj."

"what? it's true, dove. i wouldn't be saying it if it wasn't true. he's john b, a seventeen year old, broke pogue who can't even afford a good lawyer, okay? and we're going up against mary tatum, who's smart as hell, and rich ass ward cameron. face it dove, we're gonna lose john b." jj exclaimed.

more tears rolled down dove's cheeks and she shook her head.

"fuck you, jj." she sniffed.

"okay, alright, enough. both of you." pope interjected. "jj, don't talk like that, and dove, just ignore him. we don't know anything yet, okay."

dove nodded. "okay."

"i'm so sorry for what you and your family have gone through. and mary, i'm so sorry for believing horrible things about you. you're a cameron now. but you know, thank god the system works." a man said to mary and ward, who had been there that day in court.

"can you please shut up?" kiara interrupted. "of course you think the system worked because it was made to protect you and people like you."

"he'll have his day in court. a jury will decide." the man replied.

"he shouldn't even be in court! you should, 'cause you're a murderer!" kie pointed to mary.

"oh, you're a crazy little girl." mary shook her head.

"you know what? you have a lot of nerve showing up to court." kiara continued.

"i know you're upset. i understand you're upset, okay? and i know he's got you fooled. he's got you all fooled." ward stated.

"it's alright to be upset, ya know. but it's been a loooong time comin'." mary shook her head.

kiara lunged forward and swing at mary, but the officers pushed her back and jj held her.

dove sniffed and tears rolled down her cheeks once again.

she began walking away from everyone. she couldn't do this.

"it's not a coincidence your daughters are sitting with us."

after kie said that, mary looked to her daughter who was already away from the courthouse, and sighed before following ward out.

🕊️

the storm was coming and the five, joey had left, we're sitting on the porch of the chateau.

"guys what if dove testifies under oath? i mean, she was there." sarah spoke up.

"i don't have an alibi to prove i was there. the only people who knew i was there were mary, ward, and john b. they're not going to believe john and ward and mary are the ones we're against. it's no use." dove explained with a shake of her head.

"but what if i call wheezie? she knows that mary wasn't at my house that day." sarah said.

"sarah..." dove trailed off.

but, she borrowed kie's phone and went inside and dove sighed.

jj began rambling on about how they need to do something to get john b out while kie started yelling back.

"so what's the plan? we start by kidnapping shoupe?" kie raised her eyebrows, speaking sarcastically.

"maybe, like, that's not the worst idea actually." jj replied.

dove stood up and shook her head.

"i can't do this."

"do what? plan to help your soulmate escape prison? are you just gonna run away? again?" jj raised his eyebrows.

dove charged at him and pushed him back.

"fuck you, jj maybank. i'm so fucking sick and tired of you and your shit! your yelling and being an asshole! to everyone! to me!" dove yelled.

"oh really? sick of and tired of my shit? well, i'm sick and tired of your shit! your crying and whining shit!" jj shouted.

dove stepped back and swallowed.

"fuck you. i hate you." dove pointed.

"yeah? good. i hate you too." jj pointed back.

"jj!" kie exclaimed.

"what the fuck is wrong with you?" pope exclaimed.

dove nodded and left the chateau, slamming the door behind her.

AUTHORS NOTE
the tea between jj and dove is boilinggggg

muah,
lea <3