He felt every rock, pebble, stick and piece of rumble under his knees and hands as they crawled along the narrow tunnel. He never has liked small spaces, and since Mount Weather, well between cages and flamed filled tunnels it's worse. He glances back over his shoulder to see how Clarke is doing. He can hear her breathing and moving and she's keeping up, but judging by her face she is moving on auto pilot. They hadn't heard the reapers in a while or Murphy's scream either. He watched up ahead as the light got brighter and brighter as they crawled closer to the exit.

Bellamy slowed down as he reached the exit and looked out into another larger tunnel, not seeing any reapers or grounders he tumbled head first he fell out onto the ground. Getting up quickly he turned to help Clarke as she as she reached the entrance, she climbed out and Bellamy could see the blank look in her eyes, she looked back into the tunnel, shining her flashlight, looking but knowing that Murphy probably wouldn't be there.

"He didn't have to do that!" she asked looking at Bellamy "He could have followed us. Why'd he do that?" Her was voice cracking with emotion as she spoke.

"He was protecting you; he did what had to be done." He looked at her and he noticed a small trickle of blood slowly creeping down her temple, from a cut on her forehead "You're hurt?"

"I'm fine" she said trying to pull herself together as she turned away from his arms and began looking around "I'm not sure which way we need to go but maybe…" She never finished, Bellamy grabbed her pack and pulled it off of her as she spun around "….Hey…what?" she stopped, her eyes widened in surprise as he held up her pack.

Two arrows had plunged into the center of her pack.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Bellamy yelled as he spun her around so he could look at her back.

"I didn't know!...I didn't realize." She stammered "I'm ok though" She tried to turn back but Bellamy continued to make sure. Almost frantic, he ran his hands along her arms, he pushed her hair out of the way and he lifted her shirt.

"Bellamy I'm fine" Clarke said over her shoulder and when Bellamy was sure that the arrows had done no damage he let out a sigh of relief and let his forehead fall against the back of her head and his hands held on tight to her arms.

Clarke held her breath for a moment feeling his heartbeat against her back.

"I'm Ok, I promise" She said softly as she turned slowly in his arms. Her eyes met his "It's Ok."

Bellamy took his hand and pushed a stray hair away from her face. All he wanted to do was to hold her tight and tell her that he couldn't lose her again. He wanted to tell her about his nightmares, his losses and about his pain and struggles after Mount Weather, but he couldn't. He wanted to tell her…. so many things, but right now he didn't know if she would be around tomorrow or next week. He just couldn't trust her. He missed their mutual trust, their relationship was built on it, even when there was nothing else between them; they had trusted each other, completely. And now that was gone. And he didn't know how to get that back.

Clarke lowered her hand and took a step back. She could see it in his face; she could see what his mind was telling him. "I'm sorry Bellamy, I really am." She said as she bent down to pick up her pack, she slung it over her shoulder "Not all my decisions were the right ones, and I hurt … everyone, but you most of all and I don't know how to fix that." She smirked a little "Kind of funny don't you think, that the Princess can't fix everything. And no matter how hard I try, it doesn't matter. Not everyone can be saved…. rescued. And if I do try to save one, someone else is probably going to die. I made the decision to help you get to Polis but it was Murphy that paid for that decision." She paused "We need to go" she looked around, pointed to her right "Let's try that way. We need to get above ground so I can get my bearings, look for any kind of way up and out."

She lead and Bellamy followed, just like in the early days when they were simply trying to survive and their animosity towards one another was palpable. They didn't always agree on a solution but they almost always had the same goal…. 'that today no one would die.'

'Maybe we could just start over' Bellamy thought to himself as he watched the Princess lead the way.

…...

It took about an hour of trudging through the dark tunnels to find a metal ladder that lead above ground. After another hour of walking in the bright daylight they found themselves standing at the edge of the woods, about 300 yards from the main entrance into Polis. Even from here they could see and feel the energy of the city. People came and went through the main gates but they were heavily guarded and they watched as the guards stopped people, looked into wagons, and checked people's bags.

"What now Princess?" Bellamy asked.

"I've never seen this heavy a guard presence before, you'll never get in that way." Clarke furrowed her brow as she thought it through. "You can't just waltz in the front gate and we still don't know where Kane is, if he made it or if they captured or killed them."

"Just a ray of sunshine aren't you?" Bellamy stood with his arms crossed over his chest "Any other way in?"

Clarke nodded "Two…We go back down into the sewer lines and hope we find the right tunnel that leads under the capitol or you can use the rear gate where Murphy and I came out. It's just around there…" she pointed to the right of the city "….. it's smaller, has fewer guards and if you're lucky no guards at all. From there you could make your way up to the council room and hope you find Kane."

"Let's go for the gate, it's faster and we know where it is." Bellamy checked his weapon and tucked it back in his belt. He turned towards Clarke "Is this as far as you go Princess? If so any last words, helpful tips?"

Clarke opened her mouth to say something, to tell him she missed him, needed him….that she loved him, something, but instead she simply said "No, but I can get you closer to the gate." With that she pulled the hood up on her cape to cover her hair and face "stay in the tree line until we are as close to the gate as possible."

They skirted around the trees and even spotted a few guard patrols but they managed to stay hidden. As they approached the gate they paused, still hidden among the trees and Clarke reached out and touched Bellamy's arm.

"This is as far as I go Bellamy." She looked up at him "Go, I'll make my way to TonDC and let Octavia know you're ok."

"Then what? Where will you go, what will you do?"

Clarke shrugged "I don't know. Murphy and I were going to head farther west, to where the Mississippi river used to run, so I'll probably do that." She frowned "I guess I'll go to the trading post first and let Niylah know about Murphy."

Bellamy took her hands "Do that, go there first and wait ….. I'll get word to you, about how things go here. Maybe then you can come home."

Clarke had an incredulous look on her face "Home to what Bellamy?... Home to the accusations, the fear, the hate, what is there to go home too?"

Bellamy paused he knew how she felt, He wasn't sure Arkadia would ever feel like home to him. He looked down at their hands. Her's so small and yet so powerful. She worries about the lives she took but looking at her hands all he can think of is how many lives she saved, with these hands. And he looked at his, on the ark, helping his mother sew, doing that intricate work, he never would have thought that his hands could kill, but they can, they have, but he also knows they are strong, and that they have have comforted, provided food ans have wielded cold, lifeless guns and they have caressed warm soft women...

"Home to me, come home to me Clarke. We'll figure it out, together." He stepped in a little closer as she stepped back, her back against a tree.

Bellamy didn't care at any more about his anger or her pain all he knew was that if someone didn't say something now they would both regret it, one of them needed to be brave enough to take the first step.

"Wait for me at Niylah's, I'll come for you Clarke I promise." He bent down his face so close to hers she could feel his breath on her face, he reached one hand up to cup her face as the other slipped around her waist and he pulled her close. "I love you Clarke…."

Clarke shook her head and started to argue with him …"No….You can't…"

"Shut up Clarke, you think you can dictate everything; well you can't tell me how I feel…." He lightly kissed her lips sending little bolts of electricity through her body. "….. and I do love you, I tried not to….I tried to hate you…."

He kissed her cheek and let his hand trail down her back to her hip, his fingers barely touching her ass and drawing her in, his lips pressed against her ear as he whispered "…. But I won't let you go without at least telling you, that while you are the single most frustrating …." His lips kissed along her jaw "….opinionated…" he slipped his hand from her cheek to the back of her head and pulled her even closer as his tongue lightly skimming her lips "…..stubborn woman I know…I love you, and I want you to come home."

He looked deep into her eyes, not letting her run this time, he took her hand and placed it over his heart "This is home Clarke, not a place or a building..." He tapped her hand against his chest "...Here is where you will always find home."

Their lips pressed together softly and he allowed his tongue free rein to explore her mouth, as her tongue began to dance with his he knew her resolve was weakening and when her hand, still pressed against his chest grabbed a handful of his shirt he knew she was his.

Clarke slowly rose up on her toes and let her arms slide around his neck as she leaned in to his kisses. She took his kisses and returned them with more fervor than he could have imagined. For one brief moment time was suspended and they knew only each other, their kiss reigniting the relationship that started when the dropship landed, that blossomed as they worked to keep their friends safe, a relationship damaged by the effects of war.

This was what they never talked about, what they had avoided for so long, this is what the others around them had always known, what they didn't realize it in the beginning.

They didn't know it, but they were destined for one another. Apart they were broken, lost pieces from an incomplete puzzle, but together…. There was sweet perfection in how well their damaged pieces fit together.

Clarke slowly pushed him away and let her hands drift to his chest "I love you too…..I'm so sorry…for everything. I'll make it up to you, I'll find a way, but right now you have to go." She looked up "You have a weapon now that you can use if the Clans try to stop Kane."

Bellamy looked puzzled "What weapon?"

"Me….At the first sign of trouble you let Titas that you know I'm alive. But only Titas, he'll help you if it means keeping the clans from finding out the truth."

Bellamy agreed as he kissed her one more time "Wait for me at Niylahs. We'll figure it out."

Clark smiled "Can we figure it out later?"

"Whenever you're ready" he said as he pulled her hood back up, kissed her one last time and turned towards the city, leaving her to watch from the shadows.

She watched as he made it almost to the city wall and was about to turn to go when she saw guards descend on Bellamy from all directions, he never even had a chance to fight, as one of the guards hit him from behind knocking him to the ground, she gasped as she watched….he wasn't moving.

Clarke started to run towards him when she felt hands grab her from behind and throw her to the ground.

…...

So yea – one more chapter I think! Then I'm done! (You've heard that one before haven't you)…Please let me know what you think….A gi-nor-mous Thank you to all who have read, posted, PM and favorited - You feed my soul.