Author's Note: So this is the first fanfic I've posted in approximately eight years. I hope it does justice to this fandom. I will try to update every week until it's finished but I won't make any promises that I'm not 100% sure I can keep. This is also my first ever fanfic in the 100 fandom and my first straight romance fanfic….possibly ever. (Unless you count the Clark/Lois superman stuff I wrote when I was eight but we'll pretend that never happened.) I hope you enjoy. I have a thick skin and a desire to improve so don't be afraid to critique.

Chasing the Storm – a post season 2 Bellarke fic.

Wind ripped through the rocky gorge dragging roiling storm clouds across the bleak sky. Strung between the jagged gray walls of the canyon was a fragile ribbon of a bridge, groaning as it swayed. Its ancient wooden boards and faded ropes were the only thing keeping the pair clinging to it as they made their way across from the swirling black water far below. The cold bit through Bellamy's clothing striking his chest like a knife. Ahead of him he saw Clarke, head down against the oncoming storm with her slender body hunched as she took one careful step after another across the slippery boards.

"Be careful." But his words were eaten by the wind before they could even reach his own ears.

A resounding crack rang out as the board under Clarke's foot snapped. Bellamy reached out, fist closing on the strap of her pack. Their only pack. For an instant he thought he had her but the stitching snapped as her weight slammed into the strap.

"Clarke!" He cried as she fell, plummeting like a stone into the churning rapids. Without hesitation he leapt boots first in after her. His stomach clenched in his chest and time seemed to freeze as he plunged towards the river. Shock drove the air from Bellamy's lungs as he crashed through the water's surface. Emerald blackness surrounded him but for the silver cloud of bubbles rising to the surface. As the violent current dragged him down two thoughts warred for control of his mind: air and Clarke. The burning in his lungs won out as he flailed for the white light above. He gasped as his head broke the surface, the splash roaring in his ears. His dark eyes frantically searched for Clarke before the icy undertow dragged him under again. Fighthis instincts told him. Every muscle in his body ached with the strain of fighting the undertow. Again he fought his way to precious air. He spied a fallen tree rushing towards him, desperately he grabbed for a branch, once, twice. Finally he caught hold.

"Clarke!" He called her name like a prayer. Pleasehis heart begged. There!He had seen a shock of platinum beneath the wild, black water. Frantically he reached for her. His hand tangled in her hair, wrapping it in his fist his pulled her to him, clutching her limp form against his chest as he lifted her out of the water onto the trunk of the tree.

She was so still, laying there with her face against the knotted bark, lower body still in the river. Bellamy swallowed the lump of fear in his throat crawling closer to her and wrapping his arm tighter around Clarke to keep the swirling abyss from tearing her away from him again.

Consciously, he knew that they had mere minutes before hypothermia set in. Already he could feel its fog wrapping his brain in darkness. No.He warned himself. Stay awake or you'll both drown.

A thud jolted their bodies as the tree caught between a two giant boulders. Ahead the foaming river became an impassable gauntlet of white water and rock. Bellamy could see that the riverbanks were lower here, lined with sharp-edged rock outcroppings. The way the fallen tree groaned under the strain of the rushing water told him that he didn't have long to make up his mind. It was now or never. Snaking his arm around her narrow ribcage he lifted Clarke onto his chest, letting her head roll onto his shoulder and holding her close like a child. Bracing his underarm against the tree trunk he dug his fingers into the bark. Using both his hand and his elbow to leverage them inches at a time towards the boulder closest to dry land. Just as his fingertips gained purchase on the rock the tree gave way with a agonizing groan, its wake dragging the entangled pair under the surface. Bellamy flailed his free arm, kicking hard with his legs trying hopelessly to regain his grip on the rock. His foot struck rock and he managed to gulp in a short breath of air before having it knocked from his lungs by a sudden impact with another rock. Here at least was some shelter from the current. Bellamy dug the toe of his boot into the stone, leveraging Clarke out of the water, hauling himself out after her.

"Come on Princess," he begged, turning her on her side and lowering his ear to her mouth. She wasn't breathing. With a trembling hand he lifted her wrist, feeling for her pulse. "Please."

Bellamy heaved a sigh of relief. Clarke's pulse was weak but it was there. Rolling her onto her back he cupped her chin in his calloused hand tilting her head back so air could flow from his lungs to hers. Her lips still felt warm despite the biting cold of the air. Her chest rose and fell as he helped her breath. This wasn't how he had hoped the first time their mouths would meet would be. Again he breathed for her. Again and again, fear clenching its fist tightly around his heart. Finally she sputtered and began to struggle to inhale. With an arm under her he turned her away from him so the water her body was ejecting didn't go back down into her lungs. When she had finished he pulled her small frame in close to his broad chest.

"You remembered." She coughed weakly, clutching at his sleeve with a shaking hand. He rested his chin on her soaked hair.

"You're a good teacher," he murmured in a tender voice, gazing down at her with relief glowing in his dark eyes.

"Except you forgot the part about not jumping in after a drowning person," she teased.

"Lapse of judgment. Won't do it again. Unless you plan on falling in a river again." His hand slid over the smoothness of her hair, holding her close and almost forgetting the bitter wind that tore right through their drenched clothing.

"Nope. No chance of that," she replied with a small smile.

"Clarke."

"Bellamy."

"We need to get out of the wind."