Chapter Four: Feeling a Moment
"Turning to face what you've become,
Buried the ashes of someone
Broken by the strain
Trying to fill that space inside
Am I just like you?
All the things you do - can't help myself
Don't ever feel that you're alone
I'll never let you down, I'll never leave you dry
Don't fall apart, don't let it go."
-Feeder
xxXxx
Eventually Roxanne decided she would go with Clarke to meet with the Commander and her second about making the trip to Mount Weather. She wanted to see what they were up against, whether that meant Reapers or any other thing that they weren't aware of. As Clarke had said, Lincoln and Octavia were going, as well as Bellamy and Fox. Clarke left Finn and Bradley in charge.
They hiked about a mile through the forest before Roxanne spotted the woman Clarke described as the Commander. She was surprised still. The tall girl with large, blue eyes didn't look very menacing, even though she was draped in furs and her face was smeared with some black substance.
Clarke stopped. "Hello, Lexa," she said.
The Commander dipped her head in acknowledgement. "Who have you brought with you?" the girl asked.
Clarke introduced the group. Lexa made eye contact with all of them, lastly Roxanne. She didn't flinch at the Commander's piercing gaze, but instead tilted one eyebrow up slightly. The other woman didn't miss the gesture and her eyes narrowed a little in response.
"This is Indra, my second," Lexa, gesturing to the dark-skinned woman by her side.
Indra nodded at them. Roxanne noticed her tattoos, which seemed to be a thing amongst the Grounders. She found them interesting and wondered if they had any kind of meaning.
"So what's the plan?" Bellamy asked.
"First, we will search the forests surrounding Mount Weather. Reapers often hide in the caves of the mountain and we need to make sure they haven't made any encampments."
"And if we run into these Reapers?" Roxanne inquired.
Lexa looked her way again, before her eyes dipped to the weapons strapped to Roxanne's waist and thighs. "Make use of those," Lexa replied.
"Reapers are ruthless," Indra explained. "They will kill you if given the chance. Don't let that happen."
"How many Reapers are there?" Fox asked, her eyes darting between Lexa and Indra.
The two women exchanged a glance. "We are not sure," Indra said. "So stay alert."
"What about any other things living in the forest?" Roxanne wanted to know. "Looks like the radiation affected some animals."
She saw Indra look at Lexa again. Lexa was silent for a moment before she responded. "There is nothing we cannot handle if we stay together."
Roxanne narrowed her eyes. Her instincts told her Lexa wasn't telling them something, which meant there might be other threats out there besides the Reapers. Her hand reached up and rested lightly on the gun strapped to her belt.
"Let's get moving," Clarke said.
xxXxx
A small buzzing noise woke up Bradley. She had been resting outside, sitting in the shade of a burned tree. The buzzing noise persisted and she swatted at the side of her ear.
The mosquito, however, kept buzzing until she finally smacked her hands together and killed it. She wiped her palms on her pants, grimacing.
"Hey, Bradley."
Bradley looked up and smiled at Finn. He walked over and stopped by her side. "I figured you could use some company. It's pretty quiet around here since Clarke and the group left."
"Sure," she said, patting the spot next to her. "Sit down."
Finn sat and leaned against the tree. "How's the arm and leg?"
Bradley shrugged. "Itchy and achy."
Finn smiled. "Annoyed that you can't do much, huh."
She exhaled sharply. "You have no idea."
He laughed and patted her uninjured arm sympathetically. "Don't worry, you'll be… What's that old expression? Oh yeah. You'll be fit as a fiddle in no time."
She gave him an amused look. "Thanks, Finn."
"You know, I was wondering, why are you always alone? I figured a pretty girl like you would be surrounded by people. I mean, there's not a lot here but still…"
Her amusement increased. "Dunno. Just like being alone."
"But you're friends with Roxanne."
Bradley smiled. "She's more like a sister. She's a little rough around the edges, I suppose, but she's tough and she's loyal."
Finn raised a brow. "Yeah?"
Bradley nodded. "Get on her good side and you'll see."
"And what about you? What can someone do to get on your good side?"
Bradley's lips were twitching now. Finn was charming, there was no doubt about that, but she didn't look at him like that. "You and your honeyed words," she teased. "You're sweet, Finn. Kind of like the brother I never had."
She laughed when he winced. She was the one to pat his arm this time. "Go back to flirting with Raven," she told him. "She likes looking at you. Well, you and your butt."
Finn's eyes gleamed. "Oh really?"
"Really really," Bradley chuckled.
"Well then," Finn said before standing. "I'll leave you to your leisure."
Bradley's lips curved again. "Thanks."
When he walked away, she shook her head and laughed quietly to herself.
"Well, you two are awfully chummy."
Her laughter died in her throat at the sound of Murphy's voice. When she looked, she saw him leaning against a tree a few yards away. His expression was unreadable.
"No one likes an eavesdropper," she told him, crossing her arms.
"Oh but I enjoyed listening to his honeyed words," Murphy mocked, moving closer to her.
Bradley glared. "Please. If you really were listening, you would know Finn holds no interest for me."
"Oh really? Because he wasn't putting any moves on you. None at all."
"Moves that weren't reciprocated, you idiot," she shot back. "Sounds like someone is jealous."
Murphy snorted. "Like I could be jealous of pretty boy there."
"Why do you have to be like this?" Bradley demanded, pushing her weight on her hands so she could stand. "Do you have a rule against being nice?"
"If you haven't noticed, blondie, I didn't get my reputation from being nice," Murphy replied.
"Would it kill you to try?"
Murphy's eyes narrowed but he didn't reply. She stepped forward, approaching him slowly. "Because I think you could be," she said, lowering her voice. She stopped when she was directly in front of him. "Because I've seen you do it before. I think this is all an act."
"Think so?" Murphy asked, his voice hard, his eyes tracking her every move.
"Know so," she whispered. Her hand reached up, touching the scar on his cheek.
Murphy stared at her. His eyes were dark, like the color of storm clouds. She stared back, feeling her heart rate increase as it did when he was close. He surprised her by reaching up, his fingertips brushing along the ends of her hair. She looked down at his hand before she grasped it in her own. She held it gently and looked back up.
"What are you doing?" Murphy asked softly, warily.
"Nothing," she whispered.
"I'm not nice, Bradley," he warned.
"Liar."
Suddenly, he grabbed her and whirled around so she was pinned against a tree. Her feet dangled from the ground as he held her up so their eyes were level. His fingers dug into upper arms but she was trapped by the fierce look in his eyes.
"I'm not," he growled. "Don't get any ideas that I am, blondie. You don't know me and you don't know what I've done to get here."
"Do you really think that matters now?" she asked.
"It matters to me," he bit out. "It's part of who I am."
"But it isn't everything you are."
His eyes glared at her before he put her back on the ground. "And how would you know that?"
Bradley shrugged. "I just think you're capable of being a lot more than the person everyone sees you as."
Murphy laughed and it was bitter. "Thanks for having so much faith in me," he said sarcastically.
Bradley stared at him. She wanted to say she did but she knew she would just laugh again. Instead, she grabbed his shirtfront and yanked him forward. He stumbled and she paused, their breaths intermingling. She looked up into his eyes again before her gaze dipped down.
Then she leaned in and brushed her lips over his. Once, twice. She pulled back. His eyes were still fixed on hers, burning into hers. She wanted to smile.
When she pressed her lips against his again, she felt him respond. The angle changed and she went deeper. Her hand stayed fisted in his shirt but she felt his hand rest on her hip while the other curled gently around her neck. She tilted her head back and sighed. Then shivered when his tongue traced the seam of her lips.
He was the one to pull back this time. And she did smile. "Prove me wrong then," she challenged, slightly breathless.
Murphy didn't answer. Instead, he leaned in to capture her lips again.
Ooo0ooO
The group stopped about halfway to Mount Weather since the sun was dipping low in the sky. They made camp and Roxanne went out to gather some water. Except she noticed someone following her, and she felt irked when she saw it was Bellamy.
"What ,do you think I don't know how to gather water?" she snapped, kneeling beside a small pond.
"No, I just don't think it's smart for any one of us to go off alone."
Roxanne capped the canteen and turned. She gave him a pout. "Aw, well it's sweet that you're so concerned about my safety." The look faded as she shoved by him.
His hand darted out and grabbed her arm. "Getting pretty sick and tired of the attitude, Roxy," he warned.
Roxanne turned, her eyes blazing. "Let me go," she said slowly. "Or I'll drop you on your ass again."
Bellamy's jaw clenched but he released her arm. "Look, if we're going to do this, we have to work together whether we like each other or not."
"The 'or not' seems to sum it up," she said before turning around to head back towards camp.
She heard him sigh sharply. "I'm serious, Roxy."
"I'd take you serious if you would call me by my name," she told him pointedly.
"Fine. Roxanne. Just drop the attitude-,"
"If you haven't noticed, Bellamy, I don't always have an attitude. You're just one of the lucky ones who bring it out in me."
"And that's my fault?"
"Maybe if you weren't such a jacka-,"
"I get it, you think I'm a jackass. And I think you're a bitch. Can we move on from that? There's more at stake here than whatever this is."
"Well like you said, I don't have to like you to do this mission. I'll do this because Clarke asked me too. Just don't forget whose ass was in the dirt last time you got sick and tired of my attitude."
"Duly noted."
Roxanne clenched her fists as she walked over to where Clarke was. The other girl raised a brow when she noticed the look in Roxanne's eyes, but decided not to ask. There had always been tension between Roxanne and Bellamy, but she needed both of them for this. Although they didn't get along, they were valuable members of the group.
Roxanne busied herself with cleaning her knife. She sharpened it meticulously before polishing it against her shirt. When it gleamed, she smiled.
"That is an interesting blade."
Roxanne glanced to her left. Indra moved out of the shadows and sat down beside her. Roxanne looked back down at the knife. It was a standard issue, similar to the old spear-point hunting knife. "Thanks," she said.
"It is small though."
Roxanne smirked. "Maybe. But it cuts through skin like butter, so it does its job."
Indra nodded. "You Sky People have strange weapons."
"I guess," Roxanne said with a shrug. "They're useful when a group of Reapers decide to attack though."
Indra looked at Roxanne with a mixture of mild curiosity and approval. "Are you a warrior, Roxanne?"
"Well, 'warrior' might be much but I do what's necessary to defend myself and my people."
Indra nodded again. "With thoughts like that, you just might survive here."
Roxanne watched as the Grounder moved away. She wondered if she had ever had a weirder conversation. Dismissing that, she laid down. She had the second shift to keep watch, right after Fox.
Ooo0ooO
Murphy laid awake that night, his mind swirling with thoughts. Most of them revolved around Bradley. He was drawn to her, that much was true.
After seeing her with Finn, she wasn't wrong to call him jealous. A strange feeling had erupted in his chest when he had seen Finn touch her. She had a way of tangling his tongue and surprising him.
Today was no exception. The things she had said to him had had a weird effect on him. Then she had kissed him, igniting something deep within him that he hadn't felt in a long time. Her lips and touch were an addiction and he found it damn near impossible to pull away from her.
Even now, he was close to her. They both had returned to the pod to get some sleep, since Monty and Jasper were keeping watch. Bradley had moved to her side of the pod but he was shocked when she motioned for him to join her. She hadn't tried to cuddle with him, or touch him for that matter. Instead they had laid side by side, talking softly, until he watched her eyes flutter close.
He had told her things he hadn't really shared before. Not too much, just the things she was curious about. His favorite color. His favorite thing about being on the ground. Little things.
He watched her sleep. She was curled into a tight ball, her injured arm stretched out. He wanted to reach out, to see if the burns were any better, but he stopped himself.
He shook his head. What was the matter with him?
That seemed like the million dollar question.
So he shifted onto his back and stared at the ceiling instead. He didn't know how he felt about Bradley, or how she got under his skin, but he figured he could figure it out along the way.
Ooo0ooO
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the 100.
Author's Note: Please review!
