It's been a year since the Ark landed. We've gained our land and our peace - but it came at a price. The war against the Mountain Men was short, but costly. They were smart and skillful, taking out half our population before we brought them down. That led to new problems and so my mom is giving a speech today. She says she has a plan, a way of surviving. I trust her, she's smart and she knows how to get the people on her side. We'll be fine.

I watch her stand up before the crowd and a hush falls over us, intently listening to her every word. 'Good morning everyone,' she begins, talking slowly and poigntly, highlighting the seriousness of what she's about to say, 'as I'm sure you've noticed, we're facing a new problem. We've all lost loved ones and now were vulnerable due to the reduction of our guard and workforce. There is no quick fix for this, it's going to be a struggle for a long time, but we are the Sky People and so we'll find a way.' She paused for breath, preparing the listening ears for her next statement, 'as of today, everyone between the ages of 18 and 30 must have a partner.' She paused again, drawing in a breath, 'the only way we're going to survive is to increase, and that means we need children. Lots of them. Everyone will be expected to contribute. You have one week to find a suitable mate or one will be assigned to you. Thank you all for listening, I'm going to leave you to talk it over, any couples wishing to register should report to medical to be removed from the pool'.

Abby retreated to the medical wing herself. The crowd stayed still, no one moving as they pondered what had just happened. I was one of the first to go, I went after my mother. She needed to explain. I walked into the medical wing and saw her knawing at a nail near the back of the room. Her eyes met with mine and she stopped, standing straight.

'Darling,' she said, moving forwards, 'I'm sorry, it's the only way. We need labourers, medics, engineers. Children. They're the only way we're going to survive the next few years.' She stopped, 'please tell me you understand.' I met her eye a saw the fear there, she didn't want to loose me again. 'I can't mom.' I muttered, 'Not after Finn.' She moved closer wrapping me in a hug, 'I know darling, I know. You don't have to do anything.'

By the end of the week it was clear I did have to do something. A mere 10% of people had found a mate, and most of them were people who were already married or in a relationship. Raven told me what they were saying, if the Chancellors daughter wasn't going to, none of them were either. Mom had spoken to me since, telling me more about what was going on, but never pressing me. I was grateful for that.

That evening, mom addressed the crowd. 'Didn't I make myself clear?' She said, clearly upset this time with her people, 'I understand this is a difficult thing, but I expect it to be done. You have two more days, after which you will be assigned a partner by the council.' She turned to leave when a voice came up from near me in the crowd, 'if you won't why should we?' She froze and turned around, 'I am above the age range.'

'She isn't.' Another man said, pushing me towards the stage. 'I checked the lists this morning. If the Chancellors daughter isn't signed up you can be damn sure I'm not.' After that, everything started happening I once. A thousand arms grabbed at me pushing and pulling me while the voices around me became loud and aggressive. After what seemed like an eternity, but can't have been more than a few seconds a voice rang out among the crowd.

'Enough!' The voice yelled, the anger in his tone causing the crowd to slowly calm. The hands let go of me, and I turned my head towards the stage to see the source of my salvation. There, beside my mother, stood Bellamy, his eyes locked on my own.

'The Princess has a mate!' He yelled, looking at me but obviously addressing the crowd. Some mutters broke out, but this time they were subdued, taking in what was happening in a way that I couldn't. I pulled my eyes away from Bellamy and went to my tent. I lay on the bed and thought through what had just occurred. I had just become my best friends mate.

It was only a few minutes before the tent door rustled and Bellamy walked in. 'Clarke,' he said, obviously not sure how to start, 'I know what you're thinking. But don't worry, I'm not expecting anything.' I looked at him and he continued, 'On paper, I'm your mate, in real life, I'm your friend, and I'll stay that way if you want.' I starred at him for a long time before smiling slightly and patting the bed beside me. He sat down, throwing his feet onto the bed and adjusting to lie beside me. He moved an arm under my neck and I changed my position so my head rested on his chest and my stomach on the bed. He took my hand and held it to his chest, 'goodnight Princess.' He muttered, and we fell asleep.

The following morning I woke up still comfortable in Bellamy's arms. I stood up, got changed and went to medical for my shift. When I arrived, my mother was standing by the bed, knawing on her nail again. Something was wrong.

'Mom?' I asked, 'what happened?'

'They don't believe it. They don't believe that you and Bellamy are together, they think he's covering for you.' I sighed, when would this end? I couldn't be the reason the Sky People became extinct. I had to do something.

I walked out of the medical bay and back towards my tent where Bellamy was now awake and changing his shirt by the edge of the bed. Taking in his physique I thought to myself, this mightn't be so bad. I walked to face him, before taking a deep breath and straddling his lap. 'What are you doing Clarke?' I looped my arms around his neck in response and pressed my lips to his, a jolt of electricity raced through me. I hadn't been expecting that. Neither had he, obviously, as it took him a moment to move his hands to my waist. I pushed back gently, forcing him to lie on the bed. Once we were horizontal he flipped me so that he was on top. He pulled off my shirt and I undid his trousers so he could kick them of.

He moved away looking at me, 'are you sure about this Clarke?'

I paused for a moment, thinking of my other non-existent options, 'yes' I whispered gripping the back of his neck and pulling him back towards me.

'I'm sorry,' he said as he buttoned his trousers, 'that's never ever happened to me before. It's just that... It's you, my friend and I guess I'm just not ready for this. I-' I pressed my lips to his silencing him, 'don't worry about it.' I said, 'we'll try again.' He nodded, and I told him I was off to work before leaving the tent.

On my way, I met a worried looking Miller and had to stop and check he was okay.

'She said no.' He explained, but not giving detail until I pressed, 'I asked Raven to- you know.' I hoped the shock didn't show on my face, I had no idea Miller liked Raven. I saw his look of pain and couldn't help but wrap my arms around him, placing a gentle kiss on his cheek. 'I'm sorry Miller.' I whispered, cupping the back of his head without one hand. He burried his face in my shoulder and wrapped his own arms around me.

We didn't hug for long, but when we were done he looked happier and so I walked on towards medical before realising I hadn't brought any of my charts from the tent with me and i would have to retrieve them. I heard Bellamy's voice inside the tent and pulled back the flap expecting to find him talking with a guard, or possibly one of the 47. I was not expecting to find him lying on the bed with a half naked girl wrapping herself around him. He opened his eyes which locked with mine. At first, there was a sense of panic, but then something else took over and he closed them again, becoming all the more engrossed in his activity.

I abandoned my quest for the charts and left the tent as quickly as was humanly possible. I considered continuing to medical, but then felt the tears forming behind my eye, opting instead for Millers tent, assuming he'd be at work. I was wrong, he was there and scooped me up carrying me to his bed as the tears streamed down my face.

I heard him asking me questions, but my mind couldn't stop trying to process what this reaction mean't for me. Why was I so upset? I knew that Bellamy slept with lots of women, I wasn't even seeing Bellamy! But for some reason, that thought sent another wave of pain crashing through me. I muttered his name as Miller smoothed back my hair, slowly lulling me into a sadened sleep.

'I can't do this' I said, breaking away from her and seeing the embarrassment cross her face, 'it's not you!' I said, trying to make her feel better, 'but I'm doing this for all the wrong reasons, I really can't.' I stood from the bed and got dressed, leaving the tent without saying another word to the girl... Whatever her name was. I went to the kitchens and made myself a cup of black coffee, I needed it today. A few minutes later, Miller stormed towards me his eyes blazing. 'What did you do?' He said, his words short and sharp, demanding not to be messed with.

'Nothing.' I replied, sipping my coffee and walking past him. He grabbed my arm pulling me round to face him again.

'Wrong answer. Why is Clarke currently lying in my bed after crying for half an hour and muttering your name?'

Something about that image overwhelmed Bellamy with guilt. But why? Wasn't this what he'd wanted all along, to hurt her.

'Well,' Bellamy said, trying to keep his voice level, 'how am I supposed to know? She's your girl after all.'

'What?' Miller asked, his anger turned to confusion, 'you're her mate, why would she be my girl? to be done. You have two more days, after which you will be assigned a partner by the council.' She turned to leave when a voice came up from near me in the crowd, 'if you won't why should we?' She froze and turned around, 'I am above the age range.'

'Don't play dumb!' Bellamy yelled, 'I saw you okay, you were all over each other!'

Something in Millers eyes changed and pity replaced his confusion.

'You mean earlier? Bellamy, she was comforting me,' he looked at his shoes, 'I asked out Raven she said no, obviously, and Clarke was comforting me.' He was silent for a moment. 'Bellamy, she seems to really care about you. You hurt her. Make it right.' Bellamy stood for a moment before handing Miller his coffee and heading off towards the tent. What had he done?

I woke up when the bed moved as a new body sat down, my eyes were still swolen and tired after crying and so opening them was a slow process. Eventually Bellamy's cool eyes and dark hair came into focus, forcing me to roll over in the bed to escape the feeling of betrayal from resurfacing. Before I was facing fully away a hand came down on my hip holding me in place. The grip was tight but gentle, causing me to look at him, 'go away Bellamy.' I said, trying to hide the pain from my voice.

'No.' He said, not successfully hiding the pain from his. 'I saw you with Miller, I thought-' he stopped, taking a breath, 'I thought after last night, you might be done with me.'

That forced me to look at him again, 'and you thought the way to fix that was to have sex in my bed?' I spat the words at him, no longer caring about how hurt I sounded, he deserved to feel guilty.

'No, I don't know what I was thinking. I just-' he paused again, 'I miss you. When I saw it felt like a tonne of bricks had been dropped on me and I couldn't figure out why, but I know now.'

'And what exactly do you know now?' I spat again,

'That I love you.' He said quickly, as if he was afraid if he didn't say itk fast he wouldn't say it at all. I was lost for words, I never thought he would say that to me. I didn't think the Rebel King could love anyone.

He looked up, his eyes meeting mine. A tenderness I hadn't noticed before was swimming around within them. He loved me. 'No.' I said, 'you don't love me. Bellamy, you don't even know what love is.' His grip loosened and I flipped over fully, facing the far side of the tent.

'Well Clarke, you might be right. But I do know this, something changed when we left the dropship. As I was fighting to stay alive, all I could think of was you, and what you'd do if you were here. When Finn carried you into the drop ship that day unconscious, something inside of me slipped and I was ready to kill him for putting you in danger. I would do anything for you, and even if you push me away, that's never going to change.'

Once he was finished his speech he was silent for a moment, but I didn't know what to say, so I didn't move and pondered his words. It was only when I felt him strand from the bed that I was pulled back to the present.

He had made it to the door when I called for him, causing him to turn. He looked at me, and I stood from the bed, walking to meet him in the middle of the small tent. When we were inches apart, I looked up at him and saw a tint of rejection in him, mixed with the hope I'd come to admire since we reached the ground. I cupped his cheek with my hand and he closed his eyes, letting out a sigh. I stood on my tiptoes to reach and pressed my lips to his. At first he didn't move but soon he scooped me up and held me in his arms.

Rather than walking to the bed, he left the tent, hurrying acrossnthe compound to his tent. He placed me on the bed and looked down at me, the obvious joy taking over his features. We kissed and undressed and just as we reached the point of no return he stopped, pulling back to look at me. 'I'm so sorry.' He said.

'Hey, I forgot to tell you,' I began, trying to sound as noncommittal as possible, 'I think I love you too.'

He smiled, and moved back down towards me, removing any last glimer of doubt that Bellamy Blake was the one. Bellamy Blake... Was my one.