A/N: This is a story about what would have happened if Octavia had never been born. There is quite a bit of canon divergence here obviously so I will do my best to explain when I am using the original plot and where I switch it up. The first chapter is a flashback from Bellamy's POV, the rest of the story will be in the present. Thank you for reading! Please leave me a review if you like it :)
Bellamy's Flashback
He walked the halls of the upper deck of the Ark in his newly issued guard uniform. Bellamy had just been officially promoted to a guard and his first assignment was on the quieter levels where he probably wouldn't have to do anything as the upper class weren't exactly notorious for their drunk brawls like the lower levels. He snapped out of his reverie when he crashed into a familiar blonde princess.
"I'm so sorry." She gushed in a sweet voice.
Bellamy couldn't believe it, had the Princess of the Ark seriously just apologized to a lowly guard?
"No worries Princess." He smirked at her and held out a hand to help her up. He hauled the tiny girl to her feet with minimal effort on his part. He was surprised to find her wandering the halls this late at night, she was arguably one of the most important people on the Ark. Clarke Griffin was an apprenticing doctor, daughter of the Head of Medical and the Chief Engineer and both her parents held tremendous political influence. Clarke blushed and looked at her feet, this was his cue to leave.
"Wait." She called out just as he turned.
He turned around and raised his eyebrows at her. She was frowning ever so slightly.
"You're hurt." She exclaimed, pointing to his arm.
He looked down to find a ragged cut that had reopened and was a bit bloody. He shrugged and smiled at the younger Dr. Griffin.
"It's nothing." He assured her.
She shook her head, whipping her blonde waves back and forth, "No it's not. Come with me. I need to clean that cut up and dress it."
Bellamy wasn't going to argue with the Princess. They had walked side by side in silence to medical, Clarke went in to get a bottle of hydrogen peroxide and a bandage and came back out sliding down the wall next to him. She splashed some of the stinging fluid onto his arm, rubbing his arm gently and bandaging it up.
"All done." She said with a smile.
She was so beautiful. He couldn't believe his luck running into Clarke Griffin on his first shift.
"Well Princess you should probably go back before your parents freak out and call an ark wide search." He joked but by her facial expression he could tell his joke was probably spot on.
"I guess." She laughed lightly.
"I'll walk you back." To his surprise the princess held his arm with one of her small hands the entire walk back.
"Thank you Officer Blake." He smiled again, and it broke his heart that he'd never have a chance with her.
"Bellamy." He told her.
"Well thank you Bellamy." She said almost wistfully before closing the door and retreating inside her lavish quarters.
The following day Bellamy had woken up with a smile on his face. He hoped to find the princess again on his shift but when he got to the guard headquarters it was chaos. His fellow guards ran around like chickens with their heads chopped off.
'What's going on?" He asked his friend Miller.
"Jake Griffin is being floated this afternoon and Clarke Griffin is being put in the skybox."
"What?" Bellamy snapped, not realizing how angry he had sounded until he saw the look on Miller's face. He patted his friends shoulder before darting out the door and running blindly to the upper level before rapping loudly on Clarke's door. Thankfully it was Clarke who answered, she was a shadow of the woman she had been yesterday. Her beautiful blue eyes were bloodshot and full of unshed tears, she looked like she had been to hell and back.
"Officer Blake…Bellamy." Her voice came out as barely a whisper.
He held his arms out, and she crashed into them. He could sense that she needed a shoulder to cry on. She pulled him into her quarters,
"Both my mom and dad are in solitary right now." She bit out bitterly.
"What happened?" He asked her, dreading the answer.
She shook her head forcefully, tears streaming down her beautiful face.
"Did someone get hurt? Is there a way I can help? I will vouch that you were with me last night. Please Clarke let me help you." His tone was desperate and she was so upset.
"It's not something that happened…it's what I know." She said cryptically.
"What is it?" Bellamy asked against his better judgment.
"I can't say, if you knew they'd kill you." She shook her head angrily and bit back a harsh sob making its way up her throat. She snuggled deeper into the cage of Bellamy's arms. She needed it so much right now and he seemed to know exactly what she needed, this perfect stranger.
"The execution is set to start soon." Clarke told him in a deceptively calm voice but he could see the storm brewing behind her eyes. He let his arms fall to his sides and he swore he saw Clarke shiver when she retreated from his embrace. She leaned into him for the last time and kissed his cheek.
"May we meet again." She whispered. And then she was gone.
Thank you for reading. If you want more please leave me a review!
