Rae's Note: Well, it seems that when I think I will have time to do things, other things pop up that I have to deal with. So, I decided that I'm going to make a set schedule that I'm going to follow. I'm going to update at least twice a week, and if I have extra time I will update more that that. I'm sorry for such a long wait, and this is the shortest chapter I've written but it took me days to write it because I've had so little time. Thanks to everyone whose been leaving the lovely reviews, and I can't wait to see what more you have to say. Enjoy the chapter!
Clarke was pulled from her sleep by the sound of shouts and loud voices coming from somewhere far away. Her eyes peeled open slowly, and she took a small amount of time to become aware of her surroundings. Early morning light was piercing through Bellamy tent, and the soft material of the fur blankets on Bellamy's bed was tickling the skin of her legs. Bellamy had flipped over onto his stomach in the middle of the night and had an arm draped over her middle, his cheek resting against some strands of her hair against the pillow. Clarke listened more closely to the voices outside and heard a trace of panic in each and every one of them. A heavy sigh fell from her lips and she gripped Bellamy's shoulder to shake him awake.
"Wake up, Bellamy. Something's going on." She said close to his ear, some strands of his hair brushing against her nose. He murmured something in his sleep before Clarke shook him harder and his eyes opened slightly.
"What is it?" He said roughly, his voice still low with sleep. The arm that was wrapped around her waist retreated almost reluctantly, and Bellamy ran a hand over his face as if to rub the sleep out. Clarke's head hit the pillow as she lay back down, and wished she could stay in bed forever.
"I don't know. Everyone's yelling outside." She said, making no move to get up even though she knew she should. She felt Bellamy shift his weight and his lips press quickly onto hers before he got off the bed and started slipping into random clothes he found lying around his tent.
"Damn it. They can't take care of themselves for five fucking minutes." He grumbled under his breath, and Clarke chuckled. She sat up but stayed planted on the bed, keeping the blanket wrapped around her just in case someone randomly walked in to get Bellamy. Clarke watched as he got quickly dressed and finally climbed out of bed to start doing the same. She had just pulled on her pants when she felt calloused hands fall onto her hips and spin her around. Clarke let her eyes drift up to his face to see him watching her intently, his eyes still soft since his walls hadn't gone up yet. She leaned up and attached her lips his, lacing her fingers into the curls on the nape of his neck. After a few moments, he pulled back gently with a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"You don't think the whole camp would burn down if I stayed a bit longer, do you?" Bellamy said casually, pulling Clarke by her hips against him. Clarke raised her eyebrows and shook her head with an amused look on her face.
"I wouldn't take any chances. Come on, let's go see what's going on." Clarke said as she pulled her shirt over her head. As Bellamy walked out, she hesitated at the door of the tent and stopped in her tracks, thinking about the consequences of the teens seeing her leave her tent. Clarke finally decided that they could think what they wanted and that it didn't matter to her whatever they thought. She slipped out of the tent, only receiving a few second glances from the frantic teens that ran by. She could see that Bellamy was already talking to Miller a few yards away, and Clarke stepped away from his tent, stopping one of the teens that were running by.
"What's going on? Has something happened?" Clarke asked urgently, looking at the younger teen boy with black hair as he quaked in her hands. He gazed at her with a frightened look in his eyes at her frantic expression before finally moving his lips.
"A guard found three of our people dead and strung up in a tree this morning. The rope that was used looks like something from our camp." The boy whispered as if the last part held some importance. Clarke thought for a moment before it dawned on her, goosebumps rising on her arms.
"It was one of us." Clarke said decidedly, running her hands through her hair then wearily over her face. A confused look crossed her face when the boy shook his head to disagree with her.
"The guard said there were signs of a forced entry through the gate. They suspect that it wasn't a grounder because of the shoeprints the person left behind." He continued, seeming to just be repeating what someone had told him not too long ago. Clarke's heart seemed to stop beating in the middle of her chest and the blood froze in her veins, making her feel like she was filled with lead. If it wasn't a grounder and the crime was committed by someone else from the outside, there was only one explanation. One of the hundred that had been banished was to blame. Clarke's dread increased when one name popped in her mind. Harrison.
"E-Excuse me, I have to go talk to Bellamy. BELLAMY!" Clarke screamed and ran off into the camp where she had seen Bellamy go with Miller after she explained herself to the boy. She stumbled and tripped her way across camp, her heart now beating harder and faster than she thought it ever had before.
"BELLAMY!" She yelled again, cupping her hands around her mouth to amplify the noise as she ran mindlessly in the direction she hoped Bellamy was in. Soon, arms clasped around her waist from behind and spun her around. Bellamy looked down at Clarke with a worried expression on his face, his fingers brushing stray strands of hair that had fallen out of her braid. Clarke could only imagine what the expression on her face looked like.
"It was Harrison. He's come back." She whimpered, all logic draining from her mind as the thoughts of that night crowded her thoughts and wouldn't let her think about anything else. Bellamy had grabbed her face in his hands and was shaking her gently as if to snap her out of it. When her eyes focused back on him, Bellamy let go of her face and pulled her into a tight hug.
"Whatever happened last night isn't going to ever happen again. Okay, Princess? Whoever did that to those kids, whether it was Harrison or some other sick bastard, is never going to get in here a second time." Bellamy said firmly, his chest rising and falling quickly with his fast breaths. Clarke had started relaxing and realized how irrational she was acting. She was letting fear get in the way of what needed to be done. She straightened up and lifted her chin, but still allowed Bellamy to keep a hold on her.
"What is it that we need to do to ensure that?" Clarke asked slowly, taking deep, calming breathes to slow her heart rate back to normal. She needed to distract herself with a plan and preparations to keep her mind from wandering off in dangerous directions. Bellamy looked at her closely for a second as if inspecting her to be sure that she could handle what was to come. When he made up his mind, he leaned his head in the direction of the gate.
"We are sure that Harrison was the one who did this to get back at us for banishing him, and the rule is that if you return to the camp after you are banished then you get death instead. He only made matters worse for himself by killing two of us, so we are forming a search party to track him down since it is very possible he will do this again. We're taking a good portion of the weapons, several of my guards, Finn, and, no matter how much I protested, they insisted we bring you too just in case there is a medical emergency. Octavia and Scarlette will take care of the med bay here, and I'm leaving several guards to protect the camp." Bellamy explained, a crease forming between his brows at the mention of Clarke going along.
Clarke absorbed this information and steeled herself against the fear of having to pursue the boy who haunted most of her nightmares with the others. Bellamy must have seen the worried look flash across her face, because he pushed a strand of hair out of her eyes before his hand trailed to grip the back of her neck. His firm grip on her comforted Clarke, and she felt her muscles relax slightly.
"Nothing's going to happen to you while I'm around and still breathing. Do you understand, princess?" He said firmly, pressing his lips to one of her cheek bones when she nodded slowly. Bellamy stood close to her for a few more moments before taking a step back and pointing over his shoulder.
"Go get packed. We're leaving as soon as everyone is ready." He said before heading in the direction of his own tent to gather his things.
As Clarke packed her things and slowly regained her calm demeanor, she couldn't help but think that maybe walking in the quiet woods for a few days might help to calm her nerves. She told herself that Harrison had no chance of getting to her with Bellamy and several other armed boys standing in his way. As Clarke was exiting her tent with a heavy bag over her shoulder, she told herself that she was going to make this trip as pleasant for herself as possible and try to forget the fact that it was Harrison they were going after.