His Last Breath

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A/N-this is set in season 2 episode 8.

Bellamy seemed to instinctively know what Clarke was going to do. He knew her so well, everything about her. He knew what she thought, felt, how she would act. He could read her emotions when others couldn't. His heart began to beat fast as he glanced at her. He saw her look his way and she gave him a slight nod. Bellamy followed after her as she left the high wall of the camp and began to run down toward the front gate. He heard Raven call out as well as Abby. But Clarke steadfastly ignored them all. Her mind was ninety percent focused on Finn; the other ten percent on the man following closely behind.

Clarke could hear Bellamy's firm steps hit the dirt as he trailed after her. She knew he would follow her; he would follow her into the abyss if she led him there. But right now her mind was filled with Finn only, she owed Finn that. This one last time she owed him her full attention, no distractions, not even Bellamy. She had reached the huge gates before Bellamy spoke. His deep voice made her pause and turn her head to look at him.

"You are really going out there?" He said huskily. His dark eyes were lambent as they showed Clarke his inner turmoil and fear for her safety. She would be the only one to ever see so deep inside his soul. Only she had witnessed the real man he hid from the rest of the world, only she would know how hard this was for him to let her go and walk out there; out toward the Grounders who were baying for Finn's blood. He should stop her, but he knew that she would never forgive him if he tried. He was not Finn, he would not spill innocent blood to keep Clarke alive. Bellamy knew that he had to trust that she would come back to him. How else was he supposed to carry on without her by his side?

"I have to do this." Clarke said brokenly.

"I know that you do." Bellamy approached her quickly. He could hear Raven's light steps as she dragged her useless leg behind her as she tried to catch up to them.

A single tear rolled down Clarke's face as she flung herself into Bellamy's waiting arms. She held onto him tightly. He was her only anchor in a cruel and hostile world. The sound of the Grounders baiting them reached a crescendo. They were bringing Finn out into the open, ready to exact their revenge on him for assassinating eighteen of their own in cold blood. Blood for blood. That was their punishment. Finn would pay tonight for every single drop of Grounder blood he had spilled. He would die eighteen different deaths, he would be forced to suffer the pain of each individual life he had taken. This was the Grounder way. They had brought him here to show his people that what he had done would not be forgiven, ever. Not until he had paid dearly for his crimes.

Bellamy hugged Clarke to him, his eyes holding back the tears he so wanted to shed. How had it come to this? He felt guilt for his own part in things. But how was he supposed to have stopped Finn in his recklessness? Finn had thought of no one but Clarke. His love for her had overridden everything, even other people's lives. Bellamy knew that Clarke couldn't forgive Finn for what he had done, but he guessed she would go out there, right into the midst of hundred's of enraged Grounders and tell him that she had forgiven his actions and that she loved him after all. Not entirely a lie, but not the full truth either.

Bellamy gripped the sides of Clarke's face in his hands as he stared down into her sad eyes. Her tears had left a track through the grime covering her face. "Do what you have to do." He said firmly. "Say what he needs to hear, then come right back. Do you understand me?"

Clarke nodded slowly before stepping back. Raven had reached them. Finn's former lover looked wild, her eyes darting every which way. His torment was Raven's. Clarke could see it etched across the other girl's face. Raven loved Finn. He was everything to her. His death was like a knife to her heart. Clarke felt Raven shove something up her sleeve. It was a knife.

"Kill the leader." Raven hissed. "Kill her and free Finn."

Clarke swallowed thickly. She looked across at Bellamy whose face was as tortured as hers. He knew that there was only one person that Clarke would be using that knife on, and it wouldn't be the young leader of the Grounders. With a subtle nod of her head, Clarke said goodbye to him; only to him. She turned away and started the long walk through the hostile mob of Grounders as she headed toward Finn to seal his fate.

Raven's cry resounded through the night air as Clarke pulled the knife out of Finn's stomach. She had done the only merciful thing she could do. She had killed him, saved him from a violent death at the hands of the Grounders. Her heart was like lead in her chest as she gazed one last time upon the boy she had once loved, before turning away and walking back over to her people.

Bellamy was waiting for Clarke at the gates. He caught her as she fell into a dead faint and carried her through and into safety. Raven had been apprehended and was being held back as she cursed Clarke over and over for what she had done. Abby tried to claim her daughter but Bellamy just glared at her, making the temporary Chancellor fall back. Everyone; adult; teenager; child, watched in grim silence as one of their brave leaders carried the other. Tonight they had learned the meaning of sacrifice. Clarke had done what she had to for the greater good. There had been no choice, none. Finn would have died anyway, she had given him peace and a merciful end.

No one, not even Murphy, uttered a word as Bellamy carried Clarke away to the centre of the camp. He looked neither right or left but kept his eyes trained on the comatose girl in his arms. Finally he reached his destination and strode into one of the tents, laying Clarke down on one of the camp beds. Her eyes fluttered open. It tore Bellamy up inside to witness the utter despair shining from them. He knew it was only to him that she would show her weakness. He knelt beside her and gently stroked her damp hair from her forehead.

"You did what you had to do." He whispered softly.

Clarke sobbed a little and nodded. She reached for Bellamy's hand and laid it on her cheek as she released the pent up emotion she had locked deep inside.

A/N-thanks for reading. Please tell me what you think? Should I continue? Thanks.