...

Maya slowly walked down the stairs until she came to stand right in front of Clarke.

"It's good to see you," she said, giving her a hug that felt almost sincere. Yet Clarke didn't trust it. She simply didn't trust Maya. Not any more. She was still in shock. For some reason the thought that she would ever get to see either of the friends who had betrayed her again had never once crossed her mind. But here they were, as if no time had passed. Maya still looked exactly the same, friendly eyes, slightly unkempt hair framing her face, a warm smile playing around her lips.

"Wells told me everything, as of course you know."

Clarke raised her chin, wary, but Maya didn't seem to notice. She took Clarke's arm, intertwining hers with it, then said, "Let's get you settled in first. Then we can talk."

All Clarke could do was nod dumbly. Then she briefly looked back to where Wells was still waiting, saluting Maya as if they were nothing but work partners, before he abruptly walked off, leaving Clarke with an empty and unresolved feeling.

Was that really it? Was that going to be the last time she saw him?

…

"It's sad, isn't it?"

Maya gave her a truly upset look that almost made Clarke want to give her a hug. They were sitting across from each other in what looked to be some kind of interrogation room. There were no windows, just bare gray walls on all sides, and it was almost as cold as the room they had kept Bellamy in when she had first met him.

"What is?" she asked, one hand absently playing with the fur on her coat.

Maya licked her lips. "Wells. He's been collateral damage, so to speak. Clarke, you…"

Clarke suddenly felt stricken. "I never wanted for any of this to happen."

"I know." Maya took her hand, holding it in her lap for a while. When she looked up, there was a fondness in her features that Clarke didn't feel she deserved. "I'm sorry if our plan upset you," her friend continued, "I know you thought you and… Bellamy," she said the name so delicately that Clarke had to stifle a laugh, "that you could work it out. I know you thought you were protecting him. He had you going there, didn't he?"

Maya's saccharine sympathy made her want to gag. Was she playing with Clarke? Or did they really all believe her now?

Be careful. I don't trust her. Bellamy's presence made her feel calmer instantly. He had a way of knowing when she needed him and popped up right then. Or maybe she overrode his mind whenever she was too desperate, she wasn't sure.

Neither do I, she told him, then focused back on Maya.

"He really did," she said in her best defeated voice, looking down on the ground. "I… I never meant to harm our people. I hope they know that, you know that."

"Of course. I know you could never hurt a fly, not to mention your own people."

Clarke swallowed, forcing herself to look up. "I just couldn't stand the torture," she said, and honest tears started welling in her eyes at the mere memory, which was good for her little performance, but it ached her heart. Those memories held so much pain… She shivered, pulling her coat closer around herself. "I could feel it, you know? Back then I thought it was just because of the link and all, but," she huffed, "turns out I just needed to learn to ward off my mind better. He had used the pain to get to me. He was using me. Even back then, he was already using me. Appealing to my sympathy. And of course it worked."

"I thought the link wasn't very well established?" Maya frowned at her, and Clarke had to concentrate hard to not let her instant worry show. Her cheeks felt flushed, and she could only hope that the cold from outside had already made her face look rosier so that Maya wouldn't notice anything. Thinking quickly, she tried to find a convincing answer.

"It isn't. It's… rudimentary at best. Nothing like what you described. Which is, I guess, why I fell for it when he pleaded with me to help him. He must have… sent all his pain my way so that I couldn't take it anymore. I…" She faltered, acutely aware of the fact that Bellamy could hear her. It pained her to paint him in such a bad light. He didn't deserve it. But when she searched for his presence, all she could feel were his barriers. He had shielded himself from her, and it made her anxious.

"We should have found a better way," Maya unexpectedly admitted, making Clarke frown at her. "When you said the link wasn't well established, we should have talked about options. We should have informed you about our plan, not have you run into it unknowingly. But we couldn't be sure… we thought… if there was a chance you two developed more than just a bond, we couldn't risk you jeopardizing our plan. We needed the information he could have provided." She chuckled unhappily. "Of course that didn't work out so well anyways, part of which is obviously Wells' fault. And he paid for that, too. We did…"

She fell silent, and Clarke didn't really know what to think anymore. What to feel. Maya had just admitted to having botched the plan, and Clarke suddenly wondered how things might have turned out if they had told her everything right from the start. If they had all pretended together that she was helping Bellamy flee. Would she still have ended up falling in love with him? Would Wells still be himself?

"It's my fault," she quietly allowed, "what happened with Wells. Had I not believed in the good of a vile enemy-"

Maya held up a hand, shaking her head. "No," she whispered, interrupting Clarke. "It was his decision to make. I warned him. I can't really blame him, either, because he thought he was protecting you, but… deep down I'm still upset with him. And he doesn't even care anymore."

To Clarke's horror, she saw tears run down Maya's face, and she couldn't hold back the urge to hug her this time, apologizing quickly when she let go of the other girl again.

"It's okay," Maya waved her off, giving a small chuckle. "I'm sorry. It's still a bit of a sore subject. How could we screw this up so badly? Your link..." She bit her lip, scrutinizing Clarke with an abruptly more serious expression. "You do know that unfortunately we can't let you go until we've found your partner, right?"

Clarke nodded, still wary. "Of course."

"General Wallace and his staff won't believe any of what you just said until you've proven to us that you haven't turned traitor. Of course I know, but... They'll want you to dissect your partner's mind as best as possible."

Clarke swallowed. The moment in which she had briefly entertained the possibility of it somehow working out for her to stay friends with Maya had passed as quickly as it had come. There would never be a chance for that again.

"Will it involve torture again?"

Maya nodded her head, pressing her lips together before replying. "Those Eternals… it's the only language they speak, I'm afraid. I'm sure you've found that out by now, too."

Despite feeling a sudden anger rise in her, Clarke gave her best impression of looking humbled and scared, and it worked. Maya shot her a concerned look, inclining her head.

"He hurt you, didn't he?"

Clarke felt like a traitor, like she was betraying everything she had with Bellamy, when she nodded her head, whispering, "Yes."

It's alright, Clarke. I know you're saying what you have to in order to keep up the ruse.

She sighed with relief when she felt him again, though she quickly put on a more stoic expression so as not to tip Maya off to his presence in her head.

It's so good to hear you, she told him, just as Maya was addressing her again.

"I'm sorry, Clarke. - Listen, our best Bonded will show you tricks on how best to ward your mind off, meditation techniques, too, to make it through any pain he could force your way. You'll just have to dig into his brain and get us that information. We want to destroy those Silveren, once and for all, and we'll start with their Eternals."

Clarke exhaled, closing her eyes. "What if they hurt him too badly, what if his brain can't take my probing…"

"We won't let him die," Maya assured her, seemingly thinking that was her friend's only concern. "And if he turns into a vegetable, well, that shouldn't affect you. In fact, something similar will actually be your reward for your work: once you're done, once you've succeeded in getting the information we need - and I know you will - our doctors will perform a lobotomy on him and he won't ever be able to harm you again. We'll lock him away forever, and you'll be free." She gave Clarke a pointed stare before amending, "Just like Wells wanted."

Maya looked almost triumphant, her eyes gleaming. It was so unlike her that Clarke was positively shocked and could barely hide it. Sweet Maya, rejoicing in something so horrible…

All Clarke wanted was to get out of there, away from her, from Arkadia, as far away as possible, never to return. She was ready to try and escape on her own if she had to. She didn't want to spend another minute there.

I'm almost there, princess.

Hurry.

…

Bellamy rubbed his eyes with both hands, digging his fists in as if to gauge them out, then he blinked against the sun on her descending arc. Only a few more hours until dusk would send the world into darkness.

He was so tired. He hadn't slept much since Clarke had been gone. He had kept his resting periods at a minimum, and mostly so that his horse and the others who had accompanied him would get some down time, while he had sat leaning against a rock or tree, always vigilant, only ever dozing off for a bit here and there.

He didn't want to lose time. He didn't want Clarke to be in danger. He needed to get her out. He needed her with him, and so he kept pressing onward, despite the others' insistence that he needed rest, too. The night before he had eventually lost a fight against them. Abby, Octavia, and Raven had all layed into him, and he had finally succumbed and slept for a few hours.

He was a little annoyed that the doc had insisted on accompanying them. Despite the fact that she was Clarke's mother, he didn't trust her. Finn quite obviously shared his sentiments and always kept a wary eye on the woman, tense and uneasy. They just didn't know where to place her, whether she was still working for either the Golden or the Silveren.

"Abby?!" Raven had looked at him incredulously when he and Finn had carefully told her about their objections to her coming on the trip, but at least Octavia had been more understanding.

"We all make mistakes, Bellamy," she had said, "Can you say that you haven't? No. Neither can I. Neither can Abby."

"It just so happens that she is the only infiltrator among us," Bellamy had argued, "How can we trust that she isn't merely doing the same here in the Neutral Zone?"

"We can't." Octavia had swallowed and looked at him soberly. "But she's a trained doctor and on a mission like ours - if it's really true what you told us about that man being able to stop the war - she'll be indispensable.

With a sigh, he had nodded, and now here they were, ready to bust Clarke out and end the terror.

"Let's go," he said and dug his heels into the horse's sides once more. The poor animal was exhausted, too. He would have to let it go soon. Thankfully, they had finally reached the beginnings of the Outskirts, from where they could already see the city's lights.

He knew that Clarke had merely arrived the night before, which gave him hope. They hadn't processed her case yet, she was still waiting in a small cell-like room, "not a prison," as Maya had apparently told her, but with a guard in front of the door, and no windows.

Bellamy had no idea, yet, how best to get her out of there. He would probably have to wait until she was transferred somewhere else, until she was back out in the open. Night would be good. Anything to give him - and then her - a better chance to hide and stay out of sight. He would have to hurry, sneak into the city, past the guards, and look for her. Wait for her.

...

Once they got within reach of the tall outer walls surrounding the city, they jumped off their horses and took whatever they needed out of the bags. He and Finn had to stow away their weapons. They couldn't be found out or they would surely await execution. Eternals in Arkadia, that was an unheard of event. Wrapped in long pieces of heavy cloth, they swung their weapons over their backs and hoped no one would ask any questions about their peculiar packs.

Bellamy quickly checked that his bandage wasn't showing, pulling his sleeves over his hands to make sure. He wished he could have worn gloves, but no glove would fit over his thickly bandaged hand so he had given up trying.

Part of him regretted that he and the others wouldn't be able to enter the city together, that they had to split up now, only to meet again later. But sneaking one Eternal into a Golden city was already dangerous enough, two at the same time was pretty much impossible. So the plan was for Finn and Raven to hide in a small nearby forest with Lincoln, while he, Octavia, and Abby went in search of Clarke.

He watched as his sister hugged Lincoln tight, kissing the man with so much passion that he had to look away. He was happy for her, he really was, yet part of him still saw her as the young innocent girl she had once been and the changes were sometimes jarring.

"We gotta get going, O," he muttered, and she shot him a glance, raising a finger at him.

"Just one more moment," she said and kissed Lincoln once more. "May we meet again, soon," she breathed, and he smiled. Then, just as quickly, her usual resolute facade was back up and she was ready to go.

Bellamy sniffed, standing up tall, and patted her on the shoulder briefly. "I'm glad to have you with me."

She wagged an eyebrow at him, tilting her head. "Yeah, you should be." She chuckled, and he smirked at her briefly, before they finally walked the horses over to the nearest control point, where they began waiting in line behind a few other people that wanted to get into the city before the gates closed at nightfall. He tried to calm his breathing, tried to relax, and when it was finally their turn to step in front of one of the Golden soldiers guarding the city, he had almost made himself believe that he really was calm.

"Name?"

"Murphy," he said, remembering one of the few Golden names he had come across.

"Who you traveling with?" The guard was all business.

Bellamy swallowed. "My sister and my—"

"Boss," Abby piped up behind him, smiling at the guard warmly. "Small business..."

The guard nodded and Bellamy's heart calmed down a little more.

"Purpose of your stay?"

Bellamy tried to smile, forcing himself to look less like an intimidating dark tall stranger to the shorter Golden, and more like a friendly and agreeable man. The soldier gave him a scrutinizing frown.

"Family business, we're only passing through for work..." He grinned, beginning to feel like the guard was suspecting something, just when Abby put a hand on his arm.

"Sir, we've been traveling a while. Do you happen to know whether there is a place we could get some drinks?"

The man didn't reply, instead asking, "Where you headed after this?"

Bellamy grimaced. The man was clearly not up for some small talk. Fine. He could be all business, too.

"The coast."

The man frowned. "That's a long way still."

Bellamy rolled his eyes as if annoyed with the prospect. "Oh ya."

The guard quickly peeked into the bags strapped to their horses, then indicated the pack on Bellamy's bag.

"What's that?"

"Tent rods. We're camping a lot out there. Not many cities like the one you have here. Plus, it's cheaper. Boss lady likes to save money." He winked at Abby and she played along.

"No use wasting money that could go in your paycheck instead, Murph'."

He had to force himself not to chuckle at her performance and was glad when the soldier thankfully seemed to believe them and finally waved them through. Bellamy tapped his head by way of greeting then walked right through, quickly followed by Octavia and Abby.

They exchanged a glance but didn't dare speak to each other yet. They were already inside the city perimeter, when the Golden suddenly called out again with a "Hey!"

They froze for just a split second, then Bellamy turned around.

"Try the Old Brewery ," the man said, and Bellamy felt himself breathe easier instantly. "It's just down the road there. They newly opened a few rooms right across the street, and their prices for drinks can't be beat. There's also stables not too far…"

"Thanks man, appreciate it."

"I've done that trek, coast to coast," the guard said with a half nod, "it's not fun. But you gotta do what you gotta do, am I right?"

Suddenly Bellamy had the strange feeling that he didn't quite catch on to the true meaning and importance of such a trek, but he nodded anyways, then went on his way with the two women, thinking about the guard's words for a while.

…

Of course they never went to the Brewery. They found someone to give them a few coins for the horses, not enough by a long shot, but it didn't matter and they only took the money to keep up appearances anyways.

Then they went on their way to find the place Clarke had shown Bellamy in her mind. She still wasn't very good at noting landmarks and remembering directions, so it took him a while, and he had to smile at the jumble she had transferred to him. She had tried so hard to pay attention, and it still wasn't much.

I'm sorry.

His smile deepened. I've always enjoyed a little challenge.

Yeah, well, I think our situation is challenging enough as it is.

You do have a point, princess.

He wanted to let himself float in their banter, wanted to sit down somewhere, with a nice warm drink, just rest for a while, with her calming voice in his head, but of course that wasn't going to happen. They had to come up with a plan to free her before anyone realized she had been lying all along.

Wells was apparently already back out there, searching for Bellamy, upset and disappointed that Clarke's tip hadn't led to his capture. It wouldn't be long before he suspected what had really happened, and they needed to get Clarke out before he could contact Maya about it.

...

Eventually, Bellamy, Octavia and Abby made their way to the place where the Golden military held Clarke and decided to hide in a small alley between two houses on the other side of it. As so often in life, a way had opened up where there hadn't seemed to be one before, and Clarke suddenly contacted him with valuable information.

They'll bring me over to General Wallace in an hour, she informed him, and he could feel her barely contained excitement.

Where's that?

I don't know. But Maya just came back to tell me, and she said that the General asked for this meeting specifically.

Why would he need to see you this late, when he had all the time to meet you earlier?

Bellamy was instantly alert and even more worried, but Clarke exuded a strange calm.

Apparently he was on some mission. Just got back and learned about me. And he wants to see me now because he'll have to leave again early in the morning.

He forced himself to take a deep breath. Okay…

This was good then. It had to be. Someone would be coming over to get her, an escort of sorts, and they would get a chance to intercept them once they had guided Clarke outside.

He would have to put his weapon on soon if he wanted to have a real chance, though. He grimaced at the thought of potentially causing Clarke more trauma that way. Up until then she had never seen him fight with an Eternal Weapon, after all. She hadn't really seen a weapon in action up close since the day her father had been slain.

Bellamy clenched his jaw, trying not to think about it. Then he told Octavia and Abby the news.

…

When the handful of soldiers came and escorted Clarke over to the General, she got to see Maya once again, just for a short moment.

"I'll wait up for you," she told Clarke, smiling at her friend as if there was no awkwardness in the fact that she expected her back to be sleeping in her prison of a room. They could call it whatever they wanted, but it was a prison, a cell with no windows. Clarke sighed, making herself smile at Maya.

Deep down she was glad that the other girl wouldn't be coming with her, because she was terrified of what Bellamy might have to do to the soldiers accompanying her. There was no real chance for it all to go down peacefully, she knew that, and it made her heart grow heavy. She took in the few men and women around her, looked at them, their blank faces, guarded, yet still so unsuspecting. To them, it was probably just another task to fulfill before they could return to guard duty outside the city.

She tried not to think of the fact that they all had families, people to worry about them, mourn them…

And then she was out there, the cold night assaulting her face with a gust of freezing air as soon as she stepped out, and she half welcomed the feeling because it reminded her that she was still alive, that freedom was out there.

"Follow us, please," a female sergeant that seemed to be in charge told her, jolting her out of her thoughts, grabbing her arm lightly, more as if to remind her that she wasn't really free to go than actively holding her back. Clarke did as she was told, looking down on the ground beneath her so as not to tip anyone off by scanning her periphery for a sign of Bellamy.

They kept walking through deserted streets. Barely anyone was out anymore that late. It was after curfew, after all, so that part was not surprising. Clarke felt anticipation creep up her body in a layer of goosebumps and she hated that feeling. She was ready for it all to be over. There was no sign that anything was out of the ordinary. No sign of Bellamy. Up until then, she hadn't yet dared to even think beyond her initial freeing, but suddenly she couldn't think about anything else. They still had to go find that man Bellamy had mentioned, the Golden that claimed to know a way out of the war, a way to stop the Eternal Weapons, a way to heal Eternal Wounds.

But when, how, where, when the entire Golden army would surely be coming after them? All those questions were still unanswered. Would they really be able to get anywhere with that mission?

…

Out of the corner of her eye, she suddenly noticed movement. One of the soldiers had turned around as if he had spotted something, and he was giving his comrades a hand signal. Quickly, she found herself in their midst, shielded on all sides. She could feel the tension rise.

"What's going on?" she whispered, and was immediately shushed like an ornery child. It didn't sit well with her at all, not even in her current situation. But she kept quiet anyway, because she knew there was no use in complaining about something so unimportant.

Finally, the sergeant quietly informed her that they had spotted movement. "Probably nothing, but with your… special connection we can't be careful enough."

Clarke nodded, biting the insides of her cheeks.

They're on to something, Bellamy, she tried to warn him, just when she suddenly saw him casually step out of the shadows to the side, a half smirk on his face, shiny weapon slightly dulled under the thick fabric of a long coat he was wearing. Behind him, she could discern two other silhouettes, and she gasped at recognizing her mom and Octavia. He hadn't come alone.

"Hand her over and you may live," he said, his voice so cold, so level as she had never heard it before. She saw it now, how others might have seen him before, intimidating, terrifying, and maybe... a little mesmerizing.

"Fuck," one of the Golden cursed, springing into a fighting stance while another one tried shoving Clarke away.

"I don't want to hurt you, but I will. This is my last warning, as a courtesy to the lady." He waved an arm at Clarke. "Let her go, or I will have to use this." He swung the weapon in a half arc, "And I really don't want that."

His words sounded oddly sincere, even to the startled Golden. Clarke could see two of them hesitate. She almost wanted to urge them to run away already. But then the moment passed and all hell broke loose around her as two Golden soldiers decided to run toward Bellamy and his shadowy companions, one of them taking out a firearm, and Clarke ran too, fearing the worst. When she didn't hear the expected loud noise, she blinked, but went on. Someone was yelling for her to stop, one of the soldiers, but she ignored him and ran further toward Bellamy, toward her mom.

There were flashes of an eerie light as Bellamy fought the sudden onslaught from the Golden. He was wielding his weapon so effortlessly, so deathly, slicing through the first soldier that tried to attack him with way too much ease.

Clarke stood frozen, body shrinking against the wall of a house and for a horrible moment she felt like a mere spectator in her own life.

She saw him again, then, in her mind's eye: the Eternal that had killed her dad. She suddenly noticed how different his movements had been from Bellamy's, less "elegant," if she even dared think of it that way, less lithe and swift, but brute and just as lethal. Just as horrifying. She had to close her eyes, had to reinforce her barriers to keep her sanity.

I'm sorry.

She didn't even know whether it was him or her communicating those words before the connection was severed. Maybe it was both of them.

…

When it was over, there was a moment in which she heard nothing but silence, then her own breathing. Then she felt the wall of the building in her back, the ground under her feet, the cold wind against her heated cheeks. She blinked, taking a step forward.

And then she saw him. Still standing there, grim face averted as he was busy trying to take off his weapon, then he looked over to her, and his expression changed, to something pained, sad, but also… relieved.

"Clarke."

She ran to him, forgetting everything, not looking at the fallen bodies on the ground, not looking at their gleaming wounds. She had only eyes for him, and she flew into his arms, distantly noticing a harsh clatter as he dropped the weapon on the ground to embrace her, strong arms coming around her, holding her close.

"Bellamy," she choked out, her throat too constricted to talk much, and she knew it was for the better anyway.

"We need to hurry. I'm… so sorry, I never wanted-"

She placed a finger on his lips, stopping him. "I know," she whispered, then kissed him fiercely, her teeth clashing against his before they pulled apart. As he swiftly picked up his weapon, her mother came out of the darkness to embrace her, and it felt so good, so familiar, that she wished she would never have to let go again.

"Oh mom..."

"It's alright, Clarke. It's over now."

They broke apart eventually, Bellamy pulling her close quickly, nodding to his sister who gave Clarke the smallest of smiles as she walked past her to go to her brother.

"We should split up," Clarke eventually made herself say, even though she hated the idea. "They'll be coming for us, but if we separate, we can lose them easier."

It was their best chance. Octavia nodded, just as Bellamy wanted to argue.

"She's right, Bellamy. They're looking for you two. Abby and I will try and connect with Lincoln, Finn and Raven, make sure they get into the city ASAP. You and Clarke," she jerked her head at them, "you'll have to try and lay low until we can get to you."

"There's a shed not far from here," Abby suddenly suggested, her voice raspy, as if she didn't want to say it. "You should hide there until we can get you..."

Clarke pressed her lips together, her mouth dry. She nodded at her mom, waiting until she was done haphazardly jotting down directions.

"Thank you," she whispered, and Abby smiled wistfully.

"Just promise me you'll stay safe."

They smiled at each other briefly, tears welling in their eyes, and Clarke nodded ever so slightly.

"You too."

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Bellamy hug his sister briefly, before Octavia eventually urged them all to get going, easing out of the embrace.

"See you on the other side," she then told Bellamy, and off they all ran in different directions without another word, quick steps leading them into the dark and the shadows, away.

…

They didn't know where they were running, they just ran until their lungs were burning, until they were far far away from everything, until they found themselves collapsing against the wooden planks of the empty shed Abby had told them about.

It was over. They had each other back. But there was no knowing for how long. Soon, the dead soldiers would be detected; soon, the Golden army would come looking for her - for them - all over the city. They had to come up with their next step.

But right now, they were too spent, heaving breaths shaking their bodies, and they couldn't think clearly. When Clarke had caught her breath a little, she finally turned to look at Bellamy, whose arm she felt right next to hers, and she grabbed his hand, holding it tight.

To her dismay, she suddenly noticed how shiny his eyes were, how distraught he was, and she quickly cupped his face and told him, "We'll be alright, Bellamy. I don't know how, yet, but we'll make it out of here."

"I'm sorry," he muttered, upset, "I know what you must think of me."

She shook her head, a mild if sad smile appearing on her face. "Don't. We got out, that's all that matters."

But she could feel his revulsion, his pain, his self-hatred, and she gently took his left arm, not budging when he wanted to pull it away, and she pushed back his sleeves to examine his blazing scar.

"Where's the bandage?" she whispered, feeling his pulsing pain suddenly wash over her, and he quietly jerked his head toward the pocket of his coat, moving to take it out. But she was faster. She grabbed the firm fabric and got to work, wrapping it tightly around his arm. He clenched and unclenched his jaw, looking at her as she went about her task.

"You got me out," she told him, gently resting her hands on his chest once she was done.

"I killed your people. You saw. I…" can't be a monster in your eyes, Clarke. You and O, you're all I got. I can't lose you.

"It's okay," she whispered, "you're not a monster, Bellamy. You're the man I love."

He looked at her unhappily, but she saw a flicker of life return to his eyes, and she felt his pain dull considerably.

"That bandage is pretty amazing," she muttered, surprised how much better he was feeling with it. He gave her a dark look, nodding.

"Yes," he allowed, "maybe to make up for how horrible the Old Ones are..."

She bit her lip, looking at him with concern, affectionately. She sighed, then nodded at the Old One, unable to bring herself to say the word. "Let's pack this up." He understood her anyways, and quickly moved to do as she had suggested. "We shouldn't stay here too long."

She tugged at his arm again when the weapon was all wrapped up, making him look at her. "I mean it," she said earnestly, "I love you."

His breath shuddered. "I don't deserve you."

"Yes you do, with all that entails. I'll leave it to you to judge whether that is a blessing or a curse."

She saw his expression lighten, an almost smile on his face, and it warmed her heart. She kissed him again, and this time, it turned into something more. The days they had been separated suddenly fell off of them, the horrors and stress from the last few hours got buried, had to be buried for the moment, until they were better equipped to deal with them.

Right now, all she needed to be able to function again was Bellamy, and she kissed him fiercely, letting her hand run under his clothes as he pulled her down on the straw with him, the dusty smell assaulting her nostrils as he did, but she couldn't have cared less.

All she wanted was him, his skin on hers, him inside of her, his tongue in her mouth, his fingers on her most tender parts, and she got it all, and more. As she came, her legs wrapped around him, his fingers on her, his head against her chest, her hands digging into his back, she finally felt whole again.

They would make it out of there, she knew it.