Bellamy walked quietly through the forest, winding his way around and great leafy ferns. The only place that peace and quiet existed was here in the woods. He understood why the Grounders would fight so hard to defend their world. As he climbed a small embankment, he caught sight of something crouching beneath the trees. His heart sped up, his blood raced through his veins, prepared for whatever awaited him, but as he slowed and took a closer look, he realized that it was Clarke.

She was sitting at the crest of the hill, beneath a large oak tree, staring up at the sky, flooded in vibrant colors. The sight took his breath away; he had never seen so many variations of purple, blue, pink…He shifted his gaze to Clarke, the fading sunlight streaming through her blonde hair. Her back was turned to him, but he could tell by the relaxed way that she was sitting, that she was at ease. It was an unfamiliar sight. Bellamy had grown so used to seeing Clarke prepared for battle, against humans or ailment, that it was odd to see this side of her. She is so beautiful, he found himself thinking. Clarke was different from any girl he had ever met before. Something about her made him want to be…better; to right his wrongs and be the man he wished he'd become. Bellamy had spent his entire life caring for his sister, pushing away any part of his life that would absorb the time that could be spent on giving Octavia the life she deserved. But, then she had been arrested at the masquerade he had taken her to, desperate to free her from the confinements of their home. It was his fault that she had been confined once again. His sister, his responsibility, so Bellamy had followed her onto the dropship. They crashed to earth, he met Clarke.

He hadn't been able to stand her. She infuriated him. She was commanding and assertive; blunt and logical. It was startling, how one day she had been an annoyance, and the next, all those things that had driven him mad about her, made his heart swell with affection and respect. Clarke wasn't the kind of person who freely gave away her friendship and love, therefore, each and every touch or look meant that much more. Each smile was a gift.

Clarke was smiling as she stared at the sunset. Bellamy was watching her intently, trying to decide rather he should leave her, when she turned and saw him.

"Sorry, Princess. Didn't know you were up here." He lied, turning around, wishing he didn't sound so rough when he spoke. He had no idea how to talk to a girl that he actually cared for. He'd slept with girls, but he had never in his life felt what he felt when he looked at Clarke; like he wanted to argue with her, and then kiss her.

"Bellamy, wait!" Clarke said, sharply. He turned to look at her, her clear blue eyes, kind and open.

"No, no, I should get back to camp. I just wanted to go for a walk. I'm…" Bellamy didn't know what else to say, so he let his words taper off, the gentle wind whisking them away. Clarke's blonde waves blew across her neck, and his eyes trailed downward. He silently cursed himself, his cheeks reddening beneath his freckles. He shifted uncomfortably, casting his eyes downward.

"Don't. Please stay." Clarke said, smiling slightly. "We don't get many moments like this, we should take advantage of them."

Bellamy nodded, giving her a crooked grin. Then he made his way to where she was sitting, settling down next to her and leaning back against the tree. Their shoulders were almost touching; the closeness felt strangely intimate.

They sat in comfortable silence, watching the sun sink below the horizon, the beginnings of darkness taking over. Their legs were almost touching, and Bellamy had the overwhelming urge to close the tiny space between them, but he resisted, not wanting to do something she wouldn't want him to.

"It's so beautiful." Clarke said, in hushed tones, her voice tinged with awe.

Bellamy turned to look at her, drinking in her features, lit up with joy and wonder. She turned, returning his gaze. Their faces were so close that he could feel her breath tickle his skin. He fought the urge to look at the ground, pretend it hadn't happened. He looked into her eyes, swallowing hard. For one fleeting moment, he thought of closing the distance, kissing her neck, her jaw, and her lips…Just one small movement was all it would take. Instead, he looked away, shaking his head to rid himself of the thought. He cleared his throat and said, "It's getting dark, princess. We should head back to the camp. It's difficult to travel at night, even if you know the surroundings pretty well…"

He could feel her eyes still on him, but he didn't meet them this time. His heart felt oddly heavy and he found himself wanting to be alone again.

Clarke finally looked away from him, saying, "You go ahead. I just want to sit up here a little longer."

Bellamy stood, the sudden distance leaving him feeling cold and exposed, but he made no move to leave. He didn't like the idea of leaving her out here alone, even though he knew she was more than capable of taking care of herself. Clarke looked up at him, her gaze questioning.

"Bellamy?"

"I don't think you should sit up here by yourself." Bellamy said, crossing his arms. Then he added, "I don't really want to leave our doctor out here to get attacked by grounders. We need one of those, you know." I need you, Clarke. I don't ever want to leave you. I like you, Princess. I like you more than I should. I like you more now than I ever hated you before. I don't know how to tell you. I just can't say the words. All of these thoughts rushed through Bellamy's head, but he let them turn stale in his mouth.

"I'll be fine." Clarke said, amused, raising her eyebrows.

"Okay, but don't expect me to come running if something happens." Bellamy said, trying his best to sound as though he weren't worried in the slightest. But, although he trudged down the hill, he remained within earshot, just in case. He kept as quiet as possible, so as not to alert Clarke to his lingering presence. He didn't see the small, knowing smile that spread across Clarke's face as she continued to watch the darkening sky.