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Author's Note: I've seen a lot of people writing the ending of 2x08 from the point of view of different characters, and I really wanted to do one from Bellamy's point of view. There's a lot of religious type symbolism in this. I'm not entirely sure why. I know Bellamy really isn't religious, but somehow it just felt right. Hopefully it doesn't come off too weird. There's also references to "The Wizard of Oz" and "Dante's Inferno" because I think the people on the Ark would have wanted their children to learn as much of Earth's heritage as they could manage. Enjoy!
Ye Who Enter Here
Bellamy's never been much for religion. You do what you can with what you're given, and that's that. There is no higher power coming in to save you, nor is there a lower one waiting to drag you away. This is it. You live and then you die. End of story.
His mom had been religious though. Bellamy was too young to remember much of life before Octavia, but he has a feeling it was the birth of his forbidden sister that caused his mother to turn to faith. (Although it probably had more to do with making sure she had all her bases covered than with any actual belief in a deity.) She kept a tattered old Bible in her bunk, and she used to read it some nights before she went to bed. She even tried to teach Bellamy a few verses when he was small, but they never really stuck. He still remembers pieces of them though, like tiny remnants of his old life. And right now, as he stares out at the Grounder army just beyond the gates of Camp Jaha, one particular fragment keeps repeating in his mind over and over like a scratched disc.
"…and the gates of hell will not overcome it."
He's never really wondered what the gates of hell look like. Mostly because he's never really believed such a place existed. Until coming to the ground, his world had been defined by the walls of the Ark. In his mind, there was nothing else beyond the stifling interior of the giant tin can. But now, looking out at the armored warriors and fiery torches spread as far as his eyes can see, he suddenly feels like he's standing at the mouth of the mythical pit of evil. And it's about to swallow him whole.
As if on cue, things proceed to get worse. It's Clarke who recognizes the distant post for what it truly is – the place of Finn's death. The Grounders want them to watch. Never in all his life has Bellamy felt so helpless. Even as he argues with Kane that they have to try and save Finn, he knows in his heart that they can't possibly succeed. It would be like trying to snatch a soul from the jaws of hell itself. An entire army stands in their way. Even if they could somehow break through, which any idiot could see is totally impossible, there would still be enough Grounders left to slaughter every last person in this camp. They have to let Finn die. It's the only way to save everyone else. It's what Finn would want. But that doesn't make it any easier.
Bellamy came down in the drop ship fully intending to take charge. He meant to be a leader. He wanted to start over, to shape a new society into what he thought it should be. A society where he could protect his sister. But he never expected to care about any of the others. He never expected to feel this level of responsibility, this deep need to protect his people. He's never felt this loyalty to anyone other than his mother and sister. But he feels it now for the rest of the 100. They have become his people, his family. He's their leader. He's supposed to protect them. But Finn is about to die out there, and there is nothing Bellamy can do except watch. It's like Octavia and the masquerade ball all over again. And it's killing him.
Then Clarke looks over at him and he knows she's got an idea. Well, half an idea. And with Clarke, that's about as good as a full idea. Plus her plans have a pretty good track record. So Bellamy turns and follows her away from the crowd.
It turns out to be a bad half of an idea. But it's all they have. Then Raven slips Clarke a knife and it gets even worse. Part of Bellamy wants to protest, wants to tie Clarke down to keep her from going out there. But they're not kids anymore. They haven't been for a long time. They can't just sit on their hands and wait for the adults to figure this one out. They're on their own. They've been on their own since the moment they set foot on the ground. This one's all them. Besides, Bellamy understands why she has to do this. Finn is one of their own. And they protect their own. And if there's anyone who can pull this off, it's Clarke. So instead of protesting, he steps aside and lets her go. Lets her step out alone into the mouth of hell.
Years ago when he was back in school aboard the Ark, Bellamy vaguely remembers having to read part of some ridiculous poem from ancient Earth about a guy who journeyed through hell. That always struck him as downright idiotic. (For that matter, so did reading poetry written by a culture that was long extinct.) Why would anyone willingly enter a place as horrible as hell? But now he understands. Of course, thinking about the old poem also draws to mind the one part of it that he somehow still remembers – the sign posted above the entrance to hell read, "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here." Bellamy grits his teeth. He likes the line from the Bible better.
He watches Clarke carefully as she walks up to the first set of sentries. The dancing light of the torches casts strange shadows, making the warriors look like creatures out of Bellamy's worst nightmares. Like demonic guardians at the gates of hell. For one terrifying moment Bellamy worries they won't let her through, that one of them will drop his ax and that will be the end of their princess. But then the warriors are parting and Clarke is walking among them like a candle moving through a sea of darkness.
"…and the gates of hell will not overcome it."
Her blonde hair makes her easy to follow as she makes her way through the army. She looks like an angel in a sea of demons. An angel heading straight into the heart of darkness. Bellamy can feel the entire camp holding its breath as they wait. He can count on one hand the number of times he's prayed in his life, but suddenly his lips begin to twitch, just barely moving over a silent jumble of words. A desperate plea for Clarke's protection. If hell is real (and he's pretty sure that's it right there), then God must be too. Bellamy just hopes he's listening.
The second in command stops Clarke's advance. It's hard to see what's happening from this distance. Bellamy only knows for sure that Clarke has stopped. Abby gasps softly beside him. Raven leans forward, her eyes locked on Clarke. Suddenly Bellamy can't breathe. It's as if an iron fist has clenched around his lungs, choking off his ability to take in air. His mind races, trying to recall the words of those verses his mother wanted him to learn so long ago. There has to be something more he can do than stand here praying to a deity he isn't even sure exists.
And then a voice echoes through the night. The commander telling them to let Clarke pass. Clarke advances, a lone angel preparing to go toe-to-toe with the devil. The two of them begin to speak. Bellamy strains to hear what they're saying, but they're too far away for him to catch the words. And then a cry goes up and he sees Finn being led through. They're running out of time. He feels Raven gasp beside him. His own lips are moving again, begging as fervently as he knows how. They need a miracle, and they need it now.
Clarke starts speaking faster as the Grounders tie Finn up. Bellamy's heart rises into his throat as he realizes what she's doing. It's what any good princess would do. She's negotiating. Offering herself as a sacrifice. Abby chokes something out beside him, and he knows she understands too. But apparently the sacrifice isn't acceptable because nobody moves to take Clarke. The demons don't want an angel. They want the sinner himself, want him to pay the price for his actions. That means Clarke only has one play left. Strike down their leader and hope the ensuing chaos is enough to save Finn.
"Come on, Clarke," Raven hisses. "Do it."
Bellamy swallows hard. He knows Clarke, knows what's she's capable of. He knows she's killed before. But this… This he isn't sure she can do. Because in her heart, Clarke is a good person. Sometimes she may stumble and fall, but she is still good. And good people don't do things like this. Good people don't slit an unarmed woman's throat. Good people don't risk an entire camp for the life of one man. Even if it's a man they love.
Clarke must know it too because a moment later she's walking past the still-breathing commander toward Finn.
"What is she doing?" Raven asks desperately.
Bellamy honestly doesn't know. He glances over at Abby in confusion as Clarke kisses Finn, and he's surprised to see that there's an inkling of understanding in the interim chancellor's eyes. Bellamy turns back, still confused. But then he remembers the knife Raven slipped to Clarke. Suddenly his mind flashes back to Atom lying on the ground begging for death. A death Clarke gave him. A mercy killing to end his suffering. And then Bellamy knows. He knows what she's going to do. And just like that, his calloused heart breaks.
His mother told him a story once about three men who went to see a great wizard. One of them wanted to be able to love, one of them wanted to be smart, and one of them wanted to be brave. Remembering that story used to make him think of his mother, but now it makes him think of Clarke. She has all three of those qualities. She's caring enough to want to protect her people, smart enough to find a solution, and brave enough to do what has to be done. That combination is what makes her such a good leader. She knows how to make the tough calls.
And that's exactly what she's doing now. She can't save Finn. Not without endangering everyone else. But she can still protect him in some small way. She can spare him that pain. It's really all she can do. The Grounders were right. Blood must have blood. Clarke can't save him. Not without dooming everyone else. But she can choose how he goes. She can make sure he dies in the arms of someone who loves him.
Clarke steps away, and Finn's head hangs limp. Even from here, Bellamy can see the patch of blood spreading across his chest. For a moment no one moves. Then the Grounders surge forward, roaring in anger like hungry demons crying out for blood. But the commander stops them from approaching. She accepts Clarke's sacrifice. Finn is dead, and that's enough for her. The debt has been paid. Camp Jaha is safe.
"…and the gates of hell will not overcome it."
Raven suddenly yells out in anguish, and then she's falling. Bellamy manages to catch her, bearing her weight to the ground. He puts his arms around her as best he can and tries to hold on even as she screams in agony. His own eyes are burning. Through his swimming vision he can still make out Clarke in the midst of the Grounders. She's looking toward the camp. He knows she can hear Raven screaming from there. But she stands tall with her head held high. Like a princess willingly bearing the weight of what she has done. She can't show weakness in front of the Grounders. But Bellamy knows her, knows that this one simple act will have broken her in a way no one can possibly imagine.
The Grounders pull back, giving Clarke room. An angel standing alone in the middle of hell. With the bloody knife in her hand, she looks like the angel of death. And in that moment, Bellamy sees the price Clarke has truly paid. She sold a piece of her soul to save Finn. She didn't kill him to buy peace or to save the Ark survivors. That's what everyone will say, but it won't be true. She didn't do it for them. She did it for Finn. Because this was the only way she had left to show him that she really did love him. That she forgave him. She did it because the only way to save him was to let him go. But now who's going to save her?
Bellamy feels bile rising in his throat. The other residents of Camp Jaha will call this a victory. Not in those words, necessarily. They'll say Finn's death was a tragedy. They'll call him a martyr or a casualty of war. They'll mourn for a while, and they'll move on. They'll view his death as a step toward peace, a necessary sacrifice to ensure an alliance. They'll say this is a new beginning between the Grounders and the Sky People. That the battle was lost, but the war was won. A victory.
Only it doesn't feel like a victory. As Bellamy kneels in the dirt with Raven sobbing in his arms and his throat to tight he can barely breathe, this feels more like a defeat than anything he's ever experienced. Finn is gone. Finn who never gave up. Finn who was loyal to the core. Finn who held them all together. Finn is gone. One of the few people Bellamy actually trusted, and now he's gone. And as Bellamy looks across the sea of ferocious warriors to the young woman standing all alone, he realizes that today they lost a piece of Clarke too. One more piece of their princess chipped away by the ground. One more part of herself given up to protect her people. Because as derogatory as the nickname was meant to be, Clarke really is a princess. And princesses, true princesses, live for their people. Even if it kills them.
Her sacrifice, and Finn's, has bought the alliance the Ark survivors so desperately need. Now they and the Grounders can begin to plan their fight against Mount Weather. Bellamy grits his teeth, biting the inside of his mouth so hard it bleeds. That's what Finn would want him to focus on. That they're alive to fight another day. They have to get ready. They have to organize against Mount Weather so they can save the rest of their people. This is what Finn died for. So they could save the others. They can't let his sacrifice be in vain. Because of Finn, they're still alive. Because of Finn, they have a second chance.
"…and the gates of hell will not overcome it."
In spite of the searing pain in his heart, Bellamy suddenly finds the tattered phrase to be remarkably appropriate. These people have stared annihilation in the face and lived to tell the tale. Even so, as his stinging eyes look through the fence at the hard faces covered in war paint, Bellamy can't help feeling they've just made a deal with the devil. This alliance has already cost them one life, and he has a feeling it's going to claim a lot more before this is all over. He only hopes it won't cost them their souls as well. If they even have any left to worry about.
This is pretty different from what I normally write, so hopefully it worked. Please leave a quick review and let me know what you thought. Also, if you liked this piece, feel free to check out my other story for this fandom, "A Piece in Their Game", which is Abby's view on the six members of the 100 in Camp Jaha expressed as a chess analogy. And I do have one more piece in the works for this show, so keep an eye out for that. Hopefully it'll be up in the next few days. Thanks for reading!