This is pretty much Clarke just shamelessly checking Bellamy out and quickly escalates from serious to pure appreciation of Bellamy/Bob's physique. Can you blame me? Bob's really really fit. Hope you enjoy! :)

P.S. Changed my username from LadyofTimeandDeductions to CaptainBellarkeSwan just because.

Three.

The cold darkness swam around in her own peaceful bubble.

Two.

The distant shouts and laughter were muffled by the deep sound of her breathing.

One.

Clarke lifted herself from the water, breathing in the crisp air of the forest.

The shouts grew louder as a bunch of children ran behind her, splashing water onto her back. She couldn't help but stifle a laugh as she watched them chase each other with big smiles on their faces. Their parents were probably enjoying themselves in the water. Even the guards didn't do anything to stop them. They just smiled and warned the kids to stay within the area.

Many people were in the water. Some were swimming. Some were playing. Others did the laundry. And all Clarke could see were smiles on their faces.

Happiness. It was such a strange emotion that rarely ran through the camp, especially now when they were under the threat of a nuclear breakdown.

With a huff, she stood up, letting the water drip from her body. She walked towards a tree somewhere at the edge of the border where few people were swimming. She sat down, leaning her back against the tree as she watched the scene in front of her.

When everyone had heard the news of what was to come, naturally everyone was devastated. They had just survived ALIE, and now there was something else coming their way. This time it had felt hopeless.

96%. The digits were too small. Only 4% of the population would survive. Then again that was only a probability. The prospect of a complete wipeout was still possible.

So they took things one by one because they had to do something. There should be something that they had to. They had to at least try. This was the first step: clean, fresh water.

With the help of some Grounders that came with them, they secured a shallow portion of the river that ran not too far from camp. They made nets out of materials they could find in the forest. It took days just to make sure that the place was safe and free of creatures that could harm everyone.

At first, they were only planning to fill their reserves with water. They were planning to restore the showers, but somehow the people wanted something else. They wanted to see the river. Before we die, they said.

How could they refuse?

It was a big gamble, they knew. So many things could happen that would make this slip out of their hands. Again, they had to try. They set up nets to make sure nothing would go out of the area and nothing would go into the area as well. They divided the camp into groups. Guards surrounded the area as one group enjoyed the river. Traps were also set around the parameter. They agreed to do it every two days.

Now, here they were. Seeing how everyone reacted, Clarke believed it was worth it.

"Earth to Clarke, Earth to Clarke, what's your status?"

She didn't have to see to know whose voice it was. She'd know that voice anywhere.

"Clarke to Earth, Clarke to Earth, fuck off."

A chuckle left his lips. She looked up at the figure in front of her, his shadow looming over her as a small smile sat on his lips. It was a bad joke, they both knew. But they also knew that their past in space was the least of their problems. Heck, it wouldn't even be considered as a problem anymore.

She should be irritated that Bellamy didn't even ask for permission to sit beside her. Yet she really didn't care if it was him. He leaned on the tree as well in a manner that reminded Clarke of the time when their biggest problem was Bellamy Blake, the rebellious wannabee leader of the hundred. They were all wrong because he was one of the reasons that they were breathing right now. Now, Bellamy Blake was one of the most passionate people who would do anything to protect the camp.

He was once selfish, but now he was sefless, giving himself up just to protect his people. So selfless that he would do so much as to sacrifice himself, to hurt himself, even if he was already hurting so much. Like now.

"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice small and soft, letting him know that he didn't have to answer if he didn't want to.

Of course, he wasn't. When almost everyone was ready to move, they had to get out of Polis. It was a massive moveout. The remaining guards had to help the weak. The doctors had to help the wounded. Everyone was either busy or too disoriented to notice one Octavia Blake from slipping away with the group. It wasn't until they reached Arkadia did they realize that she was gone.

He let out a small chuckle as if he was laughig at himself, but Clarke didn't miss the way his face fell and his eyes shifted with hurt and worry.

"Yeah..." he replied, his voice barely audible in the shouts of the children and chatter of people.

But Clarke knew better. Obviously he wasn't alright. She guessed that with all the things that had happened he knew that dwelling in the pain of O leaving didn't really help at all. It wasn't as if she'd come back.

Then again it didn't mean that it didn't hurt. Things had seemed to go well. She was starting to talk to Bellamy, and Clarke knew it was a start. Vengeance just had to strike back.

He sighed as he watched the water flowing in front of them. And she couldn't help but look at him. He shifted to the side, the rays of the sun making his skin glow into a nice golden shade. With all the grime and dirt washed off his face, she noticed something.

It wasn't as if she never noticed that Bellamy Blake was handsome. Of course, he was. That was why his tent was always busy during the night when they first landed on the ground. His deep husky voice sending rumbles in your stomach. His messy dark curls looking soft and silky as they bounced against his forehead. His freckles sprinkled across his face like constellations in the sky. His annoying smirk sending sparks down your spine.

And his lean body.

Clarke felt heat rising up her cheeks as she huffed and looked away before he noticed. Together, they watched the people enjoy like it wouldn't be the end of the world. Together, they sat by the tree, silently enjoying each others company.

And she hoped that he didn't notice the heat rising up her cheeks every time their shoulders brushed.

It was actually a good idea.

It helped a lot. Somehow it made the future seem a little less dark than it already was. Perhaps people realized that it was better to celebrate life, instead of staying down and wallowing in pity.

Call her pessimistic, but it was the truth. Yet Clarke appreciated the bath. Every time she dipped into the cold waters of the river, it felt as if every muscle in her body relaxed. It washed away the dirt and mud from their bodies, but it had strangely felt as if it was washing all the scars and pain away. Even for just a bit.

If she didn't know better, it felt like a new beginning.

"Looking royal right there."

She felt a presence beside her. Turning her head, she was faced with brown skin and curly dark hair.

"Well, I'm feeling like one." she teased him lightly, loving the sound of his chuckle as his soft curls bounced on his smooth forehead.

"You're such a princess."

The nickname sounded so foreign yet so familiar. It had been so long since she heard that teasing tone in his voice that it made her heart ache. It didn't help that he was looking softly at her with those dark brown eyes. Those same set of eyes that she watched lit up in anger. Those same set of eyes that she watched broke in pain and regret.

He had been through so much and with all the dirt and scars cleaned off,the smile on his face right now did so many things to her. Could you really blame her when he looked so different from the Bellamy Blake that she had seen in Polis?

So much different that somehow it seemed like wherever she went she'd notice the mass of curly hair and an explosion of freckles on smooth tanned skin. Sometimes she'd notice the big grin on his face as he looked around proudly even though he was on the other side of the camp.

The bath routine was done every two days, but they took water for storage everyday, continuously expanding their reserves just in case. The guards were in charge of the water storage as well. Clarke usually went with them to help. Or maybe it was slightly because Bellamy was one of them.

Sometimes she'd see him lifting a pail of water, his wet shirt clinging to his body. Sometimes his shirt would ride up, exposing a little bit of skin and a light patch of hair trailing down the waistband of his pants. His arm muscles would bulge out of his tight shirt as he lifted the pail.

There were times that she'd watch them play. They would all get wet. And she could only watch as he whip his hair back that woke the butterflies in her stomach. He'd run around with a big smile on his face, making him look younger and lighter. Once, he even removed his shirt, exposing his back muscles to her. His body was on display, muscles rippling everywhere. And his pants hung dangerously low on hips. Water dripped down his golden brown skin, and at the back of her head, a voice told her how nice it must feel to lick those water droplets on his skin. Another voice added that it must feel nice to be pressed against his solid body. And when they were done, Clarke's mouth felt very dry and she realized it had been open in shock (or awe) the whole time.

And she really didn't go there just for Bellamy. Yeah, definitely not.

Or as she tried to convince herself.

(Of course she failed.)

One day, they were out in the field, collecting water again. Clarke knew she had to stop doing this. She was pretty sure she was transferring water so slow that it wouldn't really matter if she was helping or not.

And she couldn't focus. Every time they had a meeting, every time they talked, an image of his golden skin filled her mind. Yes, she admitted that she may be attracted to Bellamy Blake. It felt like she always knew that there was something between them. There was always a kind of connection between them that made them understand each other so well that it should be scary to most people. A small part of her had considered something more than their blooming friendship back in the days. Perhaps even hoped that it would be something. But really with everything that happened, it just had to wait. Now that they had a bit of time, she just couldn't help it. And all the dirt on his face were washed off, showcasing the dashing young man that he should be.

God, she really had to stop. But fate had different plans.

She was taking a rest, watching the others continuously transfer water to the rovers. She sat by the same tree she and Bellamy usually lean on when their people enjoy the water. It was a little quiet there, perfect for a bit of personal time.

No one every really took that space. Perhaps it was because they knew it was theirs. So when she heard footsteps approaching, she immediately knew who it was.

"Taking a break?" Bellamy asked with his hands on hid hips, his jacket discarded leaving his thin undershirt. And Clarke had to try really hard not to look at his arms.

She instead looked at the shadows on his face, squinting against the bright light. "What does it look like?"

"Admiring the view?" he guessed lamely as he sat beside her.

Yeah, I was, the incessant voice inside her head said. She could even imagine the owner of the voice with eyebrows waggling in a very suggestive way. Not that it really had a face.

They sat there in comfortable silence as wind blew across the land. It had seemed peaceful. Too peaceful that it fel like a big fat lie. And it was.

"Sometimes it feels like we're wasting time." she said softly. She felt his eyes on her. "Like we could do something else instead of... this."

She met his eyes and watched as he shook his head as if he couldn't believe her. "Define wasting time for me, Clarke. I've never seen our people look so happy after such a long time. Don't you feel it, Clarke, even for just a bit?"

Looking away, she stared at her feet tucked under her legs. "Yeah, but I don't know. Sometimes I just count the days and I'm afraid that we'd be too late. That we wouldn't be able to do anything."

He didn't answer. For a moment, she was afraid that she said something. It left an unnerving feeling in her stomach until Bellamy suddenly stood up beside her. He grabbed the edge of his shirt, pulling it up, tossing it to the side and giving her a perfect view of his back muscles.

"Bellamy, what-"

It was surprising that she was able to speak because he suddenly turned around, and god, it felt like those past few days where she'd just stare at him like a giddy teenager except she was right in front of him and she was a teenager.

A grin crept to his lips, making the hair on her arms stand. "Come on." he said. Then he turned towards the water.

She was horrified.

No, you're very very happy. You're horn- said the voice inside her head, and that was way too much. So she shut her eyes tight instead, letting the dark spots dance across her vision. Because what the fuck was happening?

"Clarke! Come on!"

Shit.

He was standing there, his hair slicked back, water rolling down his lean body, a big smile on his face, his eyes twinkling like little boy. The shadows danced on his body, all hard planes and delicious angles that her artistic side appreciated so much. Maybe she was dreaming, but, no, she was certain it was real. Mentally pinching herself would help, but then he was smiling at her so big that she was hoping that it was, and it was real, right? And why was she rambling inside her head?

He stretched his arms wide, his smile growing bugger. She didn't miss the way his muscles rippled. "Live a little, princess."

God.

He was using that nickname quite a few times now, and it always brought her back to the old days where they finally had things together, where she had finally admitted to herself that Bellamy Blake wasn't so bad, where she had constantly denied the growing attraction to him. All together, the nickname made the heat rising up inside her feel like she would combust right then and there. And she had no other choice but to indulge. (Yes, indulge.)

Removing her clothes, she approached the water. She slowly walked deeper into the water, careful not to step on any sharp rocks.

"Clarke, watch out!"

Not knowing what was coming, she quickly stepped back, not knowing that she managed to step on something slippery. And panic settled in because she knew she was going to fall.

Then she didn't.

A familiar scent reached her nose, a mix of wood and something spicy. Suddenly it was as if her sense of touch returned. She felt an arm around her waist. A big hand cupped the back of her head, pressing her against something warm and solid. Then it clicked. Her whole body tensed as she opened her eyes to peak at her position because it really wasn't real, was it?

Brown skin. Lots and lots of brown skin.

Fuck.

Sparks went down her spine when she realized that she was pressed against a half-naked Bellamy Blake. With almost every inch of her body pressed against him, skin against skin. With her cheeks pressed against his shoulder, her lips centimeters from his skin. Heat rose up to her cheeks, and she did not dare to look up.

She started to wonder what they looked like. Oh my god, everyone could them, right? Embarrassment caused more heat to rise up her cheeks. She must look as red as a tomato now.

"Clarke, I'm sorry. I was just joking. I didn't mean to-"

What she did next surprised her as well. Placing a hand on his chest, she looked up at him. He stuttered to a stop and he looked so adorable it was unfair. His dark eyes looking down at her with his forehead crinkling in worry. His plump lips open in a small frown that somehow made the dimple on his chin deeper. His curls bouncing around his head as the wind blew.

Fucking adorable.

A snicker left her lips that caused him to frown even more. Her snicker grew into giggles, and he joined in. Not long they were in a fit of laughter in the arms of one another. When they both calmed themselves, they found themselves in comfortable silence. Her head was pressed against his collarbone, giving her a good view of his (quite perfect) body on her own, silently loving the contrast of his brown skin against her fair skin.

"Bellamy..." she said, her voice sounding small.

"Mm?" She felt the vibrations on his chest as it did things to her, and found that she wanted him to talk more.

"Can we stay like this for a while?"

He responded by pulling her against him tighter, burying his nose into her hair, his hand splayed across the small of her back while other pinned her shoulders against him. She moved her arms, wrapping them around his waist. Her nose was buried in the crook of his neck.

For a moment, she was completely surrounded by Bellamy Blake. His scent. His warmth. And she couldn't care any less anymore.

After all, she had to live a little, right?

True enough, she was taken off the water collecting party. So the next time they were both at the river was when they sneaked off together.

She quickly ran for cold water, leaving her underwear on, and didn't stop until the water reached her shoulders. Turning around to see him stripping his clothes off, she threw her remaining pieces of clothing at him, enjoying the way his eyes darken as he practically tore his clothes off to join her in the water. The afternoon glow of the sun surrounded them with their giggles and laughter.

They got back with Kane looking at them with disapproval. Looking at Bellamy with soft eyes, she shifted their hands to lace her fingers between his. He replied with a soft smile and twinkling eyes. And they walked back to camp with the thrum of pleasure running through their veins.

Definitely worth it.