I will be trying to follow the show's storyline and just changing it to fit the purposes of my story. Some things will be changed completely and added and so on, but I think as long as the show goes on, so will this fanfic. I hope you guys like how I'm writing this. Again, thank you for all the reviews. Your quick feedback is astounding! I love you all.
PART III.
"Clarke, we're leaving." Bellamy entered the medical bay where she was fastening the bandage around Octavia's leg.
"One second. How does that feel? Too tight?"
"No, it's fine. Thanks, Clarke."
"You're welcome." Clarke wiped her hands on spare cloth and went to gather some first aid supplies into her pack for use on Jasper.
She'd have to do more formal procedures back at camp but if he was bleeding profusely when they found him, she could at least wrap the wound.
"Octavia, I have Atom waiting outside to take you to your tent when you're ready."
"In that case, I'll never be ready to be treated like a dumb child." The brunette glared at her brother.
"Be reasonable, O. Both Clarke and I are leaving camp. I need someone to watch over you while I'm gone."
"Whatever, Bellamy."
"Let's go, Bell." Clarke tugged at his arm and he sighed, allowing himself to be led outside.
"She can be so difficult."
"What else can you expect from a teenage girl? Half the camp will be difficult, you know."
"Yeah, I know, but the others listen to me. Octavia blows me off."
"She's your sister. You can't control her like everyone else because she knows you better. And yes, that applies to me too." She added before he could speak.
"I don't mean to act like a jackass, but the people that matter to me need to be protected."
"And we appreciate it… to an extent."
"Are we ready to go?" Finn asked, standing from his perch on a log.
"Murphy!" Bellamy called and the thin boy walked to his other side. "Let's go."
The group of five began walking and Clarke's cerulean eyes ran over the woods with mistrust. She'd been there not two hours earlier and there they were again. It would be dark in three or four hours and even traveling with four males, she wouldn't feel comfortable in the forest at night.
Wells and Finn seemed to be getting along and Clarke was glad because their friendship could get them both off her back. Wells had stopped trying to apologize for the past and Finn had stopped his flirting. Bellamy must have appreciated that too. The only reason Clarke hadn't broached the topic was that a small part of her was glad he was jealous because she'd been feeling that way earlier. In a camp of immature teenagers, a man like Bellamy stood out and Clarke saw how the girls were looking at him.
The problem with their relationship was how unofficial it was. Neither hooked up with other people but they hadn't discussed what they meant to each other, not really. They weren't "dating" and people saw they had a special connection and love but they hadn't admitted it to each other. If they didn't establish the relationship, how could they move forward?
"Penny for your thoughts?"
"Offer me something better and maybe I'll tell you." She quipped and he chuckled.
"A kiss?"
"Nah." She wrinkled her nose and he poked her playfully in the side.
"What's on your mind, Princess?"
The nickname brought her back to when Finn made the mistake of using it. Clarke had snapped at him because she associated the nickname as an endearing term Bellamy had given her and wasn't for public use. This added to her argument about establishing the relationship. Sure, the camp had seen Bellamy and Clarke kiss but girls were still attracted to him and weren't afraid to make it obvious.
"It's not important right now."
Bellamy raised an eyebrow.
"If it's important to you, it is."
Clarke glanced behind them and frowned as Murphy trailed directly behind him. If he was trying to eavesdrop, he was being obvious about it. Finn and Wells were somewhere ahead of them, but she didn't want them to overhear their conversation either. Bellamy realized she wanted some privacy and he raised his voice so they could all hear him.
"If we split up, we can cover more ground."
"Good idea. Clarke, you can come with me." Finn smiled and she resisted the urge to groan.
"Clarke and I will be going this way." Bellamy's voice left no room for questions. "Murphy will help you two. Shout if you find anything." He moved for the left path and Clarke sped up to meet his stride.
Wells gave her a worried look, but she ignored it. Wells didn't trust Bellamy, but he didn't know him at all. Clarke knew what she was doing and there was no one she trusted more than Bellamy to protect her.
"Spacewalker needs to be taught some manners." Bellamy grumbled when they were alone.
"How so?"
"Are you kidding? He's all over you."
"And?" she asked nonchalantly.
Bellamy's jaw tightened.
"Don't play games with me, Princess."
"I'm not the one playing. Yeah, Finn's said some flirty comments, but what about the parade of bimbos going after you?"
"Parade of bimbos?"
"Don't pretend you didn't notice. They practically fainted in your arms."
"Jealous, Princess?" a cocky smirk appeared on his face, his eyes flashing tantalizingly.
Clarke took a deep breath to clear her head because she had something to say and she couldn't let his handsome features distract her.
"It's not only jealous, Bellamy. What am I to you?" she was blunt.
Bellamy stopped walking to give her an incredulous expression.
"Do you really not know after what we've been through?"
"I know that you care about me, but apart from that I'm out of the loop. We aren't officially together and you've done nothing to fix that. We kiss here and there and you call me princess and what?"
He didn't speak but his eyes were trained on her face, taking in the curve of her lips and the flushed shade to her creamy skin. The sun was shining through the treetops, illuminating the gold strands of her hair and in that moment he knew he wouldn't hide it anymore.
"I love you, Clarke Griffin."
Her striking blue eyes widened at his admission.
"I-I thought you wouldn't say it."
"Scared, Princess?" he raised an eyebrow, baiting her.
The challenge wasn't lost on her.
"You don't scare me, Bellamy. I love you too. I've loved you for a while now."
"A part of me loved you the moment I saw your file and I saw that picture of you. Commander Quincy was talking about your execution and I couldn't imagine a person as beautiful as you dying. Not on my watch."
She tilted her head up and he leaned down to kiss her.
"Clarke." He whispered against her lips.
"Hmm?"
"Will you be my girlfriend?"
She gave a small laugh.
"Yes, Bellamy, I will."
They caught up to the others a quarter mile after. Finn was crouched on the ground, studying footprints and broken branches.
"They passed through here." He declared.
"Is that blood?" Wells pointed and they all saw the red liquid staining the leaves.
An anguished cry rang out and Clarke moved forward instinctively.
"What the hell was that?" Bellamy asked.
"Jasper." She said and pushed through the remaining trees until she came upon a clearing with a single tree at the center.
A tree that held an unconscious Jasper tied to it, his chest exposed and bloody.
"Clarke, be careful." Finn said coming up behind her.
The group moved forward, Clarke in front.
"What happened to him?" Bellamy was saying.
Clarke was so focused on detailing Jasper's wounds she didn't see the disturbed ground in front of her, never saw the trap coming. When the ground disappeared she could only gasp as she felt her stomach dropping with the rest of her body. She wanted to scream but her breath was taken from her body when a hand gripped her wrist and held her dangling over the pit.
Startled blue eyes met apprehensive brown eyes. Bellamy's face betrayed the effort he was making to hold her in place. She wasn't too heavy and he was stronger than most, but the fall had been so sudden he hadn't had time to adjust his body properly. He saw her leaving his line of vision and immediately dropped to the floor after her. He held her wrist tightly, not meaning to hurt her but bent on touching her and making sure she was still there.
"Pull her up!" Finn was saying and Clarke felt other hands grabbing her and returning her to solid ground.
Bellamy grabbed her waist to help her stand and kept her pulled against him.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah." She breathed. "You saved me."
"Always, Princess."
Murphy cleared his throat in annoyance.
"When you two are done being sweet, we have a dying kid to cut down."
Bellamy remembered the other three and released Clarke.
"Spacewalker cut him down. Go with him, Murphy." He commanded.
From beside him Clarke made a sound of confusion.
"There's a poultice on his wound."
"Medicine? Why would they save his life just to string him up as bait?" Wells asked.
"Maybe what they're trying to catch likes its dinner to be breathing." Bellamy replied.
"Maybe what they're trying to catch is us." Finn said, sending shivers through the group.
As Finn and Murphy worked on cutting Jasper down, Clarke had walked cautiously around the pit where she'd fallen, examining the handiwork.
"That was too close, Clarke." Bellamy came up behind her.
"I know. I stomped in like an idiot and just earlier I was lecturing Octavia about it and here I go and do the same. Bellamy, this was planned, thought out."
"It's a trap, but I don't know what the end goal is. We wouldn't have all fallen into the pit."
"There has to be more to it."
A growl came from the trees and the couple turned towards the sound. Murphy and Finn stopped what they were doing to look over and Wells backed up nervously to where the others were.
"What is it?" Clarke asked.
Bellamy watched the hulking shape in the distance and cursed when a gigantic panther hurtled towards them, its intention clear. It wanted blood.
"Stay behind me." Bellamy told her before taking a gun out from the folds of his jacket.
As the wild animal primed to jump at them he aimed at its head and neck. A barrage of bullets rang out and the animal fell, dead, to the ground mere inches from where Wells stood.
"Bellamy." Her voice was indecipherable.
He faced her and saw the suspicion in her eyes.
"Later." he said, turning back to the animal carcass, feeling icy lasers on his back.
That night the camp feasted on wild panther. As Bellamy and his men roasted the animal and cut out pieces to feed the 100, Clarke leaned over Jasper, cleaning his wounds, applying seaweed paste and checking his feverish temperature. Octavia had come in a few times to check on her friend, accompanied by the guy who must have been Atom. She begged Jasper to pull through and asked Clarke if she could help with anything.
"You need to eat something and get some rest, Octavia. I'll worry about Jasper."
"I don't want to be useless here."
"You won't be." She considered it. "Meet me here as soon as you wake up tomorrow. You can help me change the bandages and cleanse the wounds."
"I'll be here bright and early." She promised, giving Jasper one last look before exiting the drop ship.
Clarke checked on her unconscious patient one last time before leaving the medical bay and approaching the campfire. Murphy was handing out sticks of roasted meat and she reached out to take one but was stopped by Murphy.
"Wrist out."
"Excuse me?"
"I need to see your wrist and ensure the bracelet is off."
"Back off, Murphy."
"Boss' orders."
The only boss he could be referring to was Bellamy. But, why would he want the 100 to remove their bracelets? Clarke was unsure what was happening. First, she discovered Bellamy had a gun and that he knew full well how to use one. Now, she couldn't eat unless she removed her last connection to the Ark? How would they be saved if the Ark thought them all dead?
"I'll take two of these, thanks." Finn appeared, grabbing two sticks and walking away.
"Hey!"
"What's the problem?"
"You have bracelets on." Murphy was reaching into his pocket to take out a blade.
"I thought there were no rules. Whatever the hell we want and all that jazz?"
Murphy glowered but didn't oppose him again. Finn gestured for her to follow him to a seat by the fire. She sat, bewildered, and took her portion from him.
"What was that about?"
"You don't know?"
"If I did, would I be asking?"
"Touché."
"Finn."
"Your boyfriend made a grand speech earlier about escaping the chains of the Ark for good by taking off the bracelets that control us. He rallied the crowed and promised them a policy of no rules. 'Whatever the hell we want' to be exact."
"Bellamy, what have you done?" she murmured to herself. "Where is he?" she asked Finn.
"In his tent, I assume."
"Which one is that?"
"The biggest one in camp." He pointed.
Clarke finished her dinner and out the stick to one side.
"Anything else I need to know?"
"Yeah. You shouldn't be with that guy."
"Finn." She sighed.
"No, listen. I can take care of you just like he can but I'll treat you like a true princess, not just use a little nickname and call it a day."
"Finn, you don't know him. More importantly, you don't know me. You want me because of my blonde hair and nice boobs or because I'm the camp doctor and I'm worth something down here. If you want validation, you won't get it from me. Bellamy and I are together and we've been together since the Ark. I love him. That won't change." She stood and made her way to his tent, leaving Finn staring after her.
Bellamy was lying on his blankets staring at the top of his tent. He didn't feel proud of what he'd done. He had used his power to manipulate the 100 into removing most of their bracelets for a decent meal and created a chaotic environment with no rules. He didn't mean to lord over everyone, but he believed disconnecting from the Ark was crucial.
He hadn't forgotten what they'd done to Octavia and Clarke and he especially hadn't forgotten what he'd had to do to get on that drop ship. Bellamy never thought he'd be a killer but here he was with Chancellor Jaha's blood on his hands. He kept telling himself it was a necessary evil but there was no way to excuse murder.
If Clarke found out, she'd hate him and probably leave him for the damn spacewalker. She had stopped talking to her best friend after he betrayed her and got her father floated. She wouldn't hesitate to leave him if she found out the true darkness inside him. Clarke was a princess, not because she was spoiled or pampered, but because she had a light and grace with her, a beauty that had more to do with her soul than her body. Bellamy was broken inside, hiding behind good looks and strength to cover what he'd done.
He hadn't wanted any of this, but when he found out about the secret mission to Earth and which prisoners were sentenced to go, he knew he'd do whatever it took to get on that ship. He couldn't lose his sister and he couldn't lose the only girl he'd fallen in love with.
"Bellamy, we need to talk."
Bellamy sat up as the girl in question entered his tent, her features serious.
"Did you have dinner, Princess?"
"Funny thing about dinner. Murphy told me there was a strict edict in place." She pushed her sleeve up to show him the bracelet on her wrist.
Bellamy's eyes shut. He should have known Clarke wouldn't bend to those rules, not when she had her mother on board the Ark and an innate belief that she could save humanity.
"I'll go get you a piece."
"Don't bother, I already ate."
Bellamy stood to his full height, towering over her purposely. Clarke took a step back but he followed her to a corner of his tent.
"And how exactly did you do that without taking off the bracelet?"
Her eyes hardened.
"I can do whatever the hell I want, isn't that right, Bellamy?"
His words hit him straight in the face.
"Clarke-
"What's wrong with you, Bellamy? Has the power really gone to your head so fast? You want the Ark to die but you're sentencing our deaths with theirs. I know you hate the council and blame them for everything, I get that I do, but this isn't right. There are innocent people up there that need to know they have another chance at life down here. My mother's up there. You know that."
"Clarke, you and Octavia are my priorities. I put your well-being above all else."
"You would sacrifice thousands of lives because you think I'll be safer?"
Bellamy swallowed but didn't back down.
"Yes."
"You're insane." She turned away from him, but he pulled her back.
"I would sacrifice millions of lives for you or for your Octavia. If that makes me a monster, so be it. I don't owe them anything. You are my life, Clarke. I love you and I want you above all else. This is what I think is right."
Clarke wanted to yell at him, accuse him of being heartless and evil, but she knew she couldn't. Bellamy didn't mean to hurt others, it just came as collateral damage for his actual aims: taking care of her and Octavia.
"It isn't right, though, Bell." She said quietly.
"If I told you that the second the Ark touched down on Earth, they'd put a bullet in my head without question, would you still want them to come?"
She blinked.
"What?"
"You heard me." He leaned in so his breath fanned her face, pulling her so close they were sharing oxygen.
"What did you do, Bellamy?"
"I shot Chancellor Jaha. I shot him to get on the drop ship."
Clarke's blood went cold.
"D-did you kill him?"
Bellamy looked at his hands.
"I don't know."
Clarke didn't know if she should scream or cry. She didn't know what do next. Clarke had always been a truthful person so she spoke the only truth she knew.
"I love you more than anyone or anything I've ever loved before. If you died, I-I" she paused to take a deep breath. "I can't even consider that. You shot Chancellor Jaha. If he's dead, you have to live with that. We all make mistakes we're forced to live with. I won't remove my last connection to my mother, but… I can't judge you for your actions because you did what you did for me and for Octavia. If the Ark does come to Earth, I promise you I'll do everything in my power to save you. If that time comes and I fail, then I also promise you I'll fight by your side. I won't let them kill you, Bellamy, but I won't let you kill them." She finished.
There was a deep silence between them before he broke it.
"Thank you."
"Are you angry with me?"
"I don't have the right to be angry with you, Clarke. You're following your beliefs and acting on your principles the same way I do. I won't impede, but there will come a time where you will realize the Ark will do more harm than good."
"Maybe, Bell, but right now they aren't here. We have other concerns."
"I know. Clarke, I know you try to see the best in me and I'm sorry you have to look so hard to get a glimpse of something worthwhile." He moved to lay back on his bed, needing some space from their conversation.
"Don't say that, Bellamy."
He felt her weight on his makeshift bed and then her warmth was pressed into his side. She placed her head on his left shoulder and touched his cheek to turn him to face her.
"I love you because of everything you are. That darkness you're always fighting? I'm fighting it too. Nothing is as simple as black and white. I understand that there are grey areas and I hope you don't think less of me because of that."
"I love you the same, Clarke."
"Good. That's how I feel about you."
"You're amazing, Princess."
"So are you, Bell. Don't doubt yourself so much. Things will work out in the end."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
He stroked her tangled locks and kissed her deeply until she was gasping for breath.
"Can I stay here tonight?" she asked.
"Where else would you be staying?"
"I figured this was your lone wolf leader tent where your harem of girls spent their nights."
"Why would I need a harem of meaningless girls when I have you, love?"
"You have this annoying quality where you always say the sweetest things and make me forget to be pissed at you."
He laughed.
"I'm well aware."
"Is this really my tent?"
"If you want it to be. I won't force you to stay with me. There are other tents available, if you like sharing with strangers."
"Yep, that's me. I love sleeping with random people."
"I know."
She slapped his chest and he laughed again, wrapping his arms around her and tangling their legs together so they were both comfortably resting against the blankets and each other.
"This is nice." She murmured. "When I was first confined I had nightmares every time I closed my eyes. It was usually of my father and his floating, but sometimes I saw my mom or Wells dying. Then, there was this one recurring dream where I was floating through space and I didn't know where I was going but it felt peaceful, you know? Then, out of nowhere this explosion would happen and it was like the universe was burning. I could feel smoke choking me and I wheezed and gasped for air but nothing came. Then, I fell. I fell through darkness and I was burning. I was dying and no one could save me."
Bellamy watched the pained emotions flickering across her face.
"That would never happen, Clarke. You aren't alone anymore."
"I know. I haven't had that dream since I met you." She smiled up at him.
"I'm glad. I don't want you to feel that way ever again."
"I love you, Bell."
"I love you too, Princess. Go to sleep. We have a long day tomorrow."
She muttered something else but it was muffled as she was half-asleep and pressed into his chest. He stroked her hair as her breathing evened out and followed her into slumber.
