MATILDA! CHAPTER THIRTY SIX:
ARREST
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Liz slowly opened her eyes, The sun was just rising and she rubbed her eyes seeing that she was now in her bed in the chateau. She looked at the other side of the bed to see JJ sitting facing the window with his leg bouncing up and down. She tried to get up but a pain shot through her leg and she made a loud enough noise to get JJs attention. He seemed to get up really quickly and looked at her with wide eyes before grabbing her face gently.

"Thank god your okay" He said pulling her into a long slow steamy kiss.

It was slower than usual and normally JJ loved the fast pace kisses but he didn't want to hurt her. He was scared last night. As scared as he's ever been about losing someone so close to him. Thought it was simply a gunshot, but it felt like a knife to the heart. Liz lifted her jaw up and purposely groaned up against JJs lips making him even more aroused—but than she heard footsteps come towards the room and stopped quickly, placing her hand over JJs mouth making him whine.

"Good Morning Lovebirds" John B stood at the door of Cassie's room "Thanks for almost dying last night
Liddy" he said sarcastically walking towards the two with a smile on his face

"Yeah, what else says welcome home other than your best friend getting shot by her crazy brother"
Liz giggled and John B helped her escape JJs grasp.

"Alright big boy, give me my Liddy back" John B lifted Liz out of the bed and JJ groaned "come on JJ we gotta wait for Kie and Pope to get back"

after 20 minutes Pope and Kie came towards the chateau, the group started to go towards the two. Liz limped as JJ tried to quickly help her, with Sarah and John B behind them.

"Finally. Hey!" JJ yelled, noticing their were tying up the boat "Guys, don't tie up. Stop it!"

"What?" Kie asked

"We're dipping." JJ stated

"Wait, why?" Pope questioned

"What? What are you talking about?"

"What happened last night?" John B asked towards Pope and Kie

"We slept on the break. What's up?"

"Slept, right. Yeah." JJ said, tapping Popes shoulder and helping Liz into the boat.

"What happened to Liz?" Kie asked

"That's why we gotta get the hell out of here." John B stated

"Rafe knows we're here, so we have to leave, like, now." Sarah told them

The six of them all sat on the rocks, of the separate island from the cut. Liz sat with JJ supporting her.

"Look, if Rafe and Barry know, it's only a matter of time—"

"—Before everyone knows." Liz finished Kies sentence

"I told you." JJ scoffed "We should've gone south, man." JJ said

"Just stop it."

"Why does no one ever listen?"

"I get it. I get it. I understand."

"I have an idea." Sarah spoke up "With me back, my dad's going to have to choose between me and Rafe."

"Sarah—"

"He's gonna choose me." She stated confidently

"Just please listen. Ward keeps lying to you, Sarah."

"He won't agree after all that's happened." Kie told Sarah

"No. I... I know it sounds crazy."

"Yeah, it does."

"I know! But he's my dad. And I know him, and I know he loves me. I'm just asking for two hours." She pleaded, before the group went silent. Sarah got up; and than drove the boat away.

"Hey, there she is." Kie pointed towards the shore, where Sarah was pulling up in the boat.

"Sarah!" Kie exclaimed at the girl but once Liz was close enough to see the blonde girls expression her smile dropped.

"You made it."

"What happened?"

"So, how'd it go?"

"You guys were right. It didn't work." Sarah sniffled "Sorry."

"Welp, then that settles it, guys. Now, y'all need to load up in the paddy wagon and get the heck out of Dodge right now."

"Right, you'll need supplies, and you'll have to split as soon as possible."

"Guys, I think it's too late." Liz muttered, her eyes catching the many police boats coming towards them.

"They followed you here?"

"Must've been your father."

"We have to find another way out." Liz told them

"Stay on the beach with your hands in the air!" One of the police men yelled through the speaker. She felt JJs hand grasp onto hers and than they all started to run the opposite way of the boats. JJ tried to take as much weight off her foot, making them go much quicker.

"Go! Go!" John B exclaimed as the group moved together. The police followed them and Liz felt her heart pounding on her chest. They got through the bushes and crossed the water. Liz was able to swim using her one leg and two arms with JJs help. They got out but immediately Lizzes eyes followed John Bs and she saw more cop trucks. There were cops in the water as well.

"We're trapped. They surrounded us." Pope panted and Liz held onto JJs arm blindly.

"Freeze!" She heard and she closed her eyes for a moment to try and stop herself from having a panic attack

"What do we do?"

"No getting out of it. We gotta make a stand." JJ muttered as she felt his arms moving and opened her eyes to see him holding the gun.

Liz felt her ears pop, as she looked around to see John B, looking back at her. Almost as if he was about to say sorry. There was a split second between that, and him grabbing JJs wrist with the gun and he finally let go of it.

"It's gonna be alright" John B whispered to the two and Liz shook her head

"No, John B—"

"It's okay. It'll be fine" John B turned around as the cops continued to surround them.

"Step out into the clearing!" Shoupe instructed ti John B, who moved with his hands up.

"Get down. Do not move!"

"I'm surrendering!"

"Don't move!"

"Hands up, John B!"

"Stay right where you are. Keep your hands where we can see them." All the officers yelled max pointing guns at every single one of them. Liz put her hands above her head with the others, shaking slightly.

"Don't move!"

"Hey, listen, Shoupe, I wanna testify.

"Get those hands up now!"

"It's gonna be all right"

"It's about time. Get down. Do not move a muscle. Everybody else, don't move." Liz leant down on the ground slowly watched as Thomas picked John B up in a headlock, and threw him on the ground.

"Serious? Come on!" JJ yelled

"Hey! Don't let him do that!" Liz exclaimed

"Hey, Thomas!"

"No!"

"Stop! Let him go!" Liz screamed, tears starting to stream down her face at the sight of her brother being beaten by a police officer.

"Sheriff, what is that? You're gonna let that happen?" JJ yelled

"Don't move!"

"Stop!"

"Thomas! Stand down!" Shoupe ordered, but he didn't stop. He continued to hold John B and sucker punched him in the face.

"No!"