A/N: You would not believe the trouble I had with getting this chapter to you. Another one will be up in a few hours. Thank you so much for your patients. :)

Chapter 25

Ella Pov

Ella's eyes fluttered open, a groan escaping her lips. The first thing she was aware of was pain. She had no idea what the source of it was, her whole body felt like it was on fire. Her legs ached, half asleep as if not enough blood was getting to them.

Her mind felt foggy and she had no idea where she was, she let her head fall forward and gasped, trying to scream, but no sound came out.

She was at least ten feet up in the air, and the pain she felt in her back was coming from the bark on the tree behind her. There was a rope surrounding her waist roped around at least a dozen times, holding her up. Her wrists were still tied behind her back and her feet were resting on a single branch. Her mouth was gagged, unnecessary seeing as there was no longer any moisture left in her mouth.

Her lips were dry and cracked and her tongue felt like sandpaper in her mouth.

The sun was up, blazing down on her and she realized that she had been knocked out all night and was glad that she hadn't woken in the dark to find herself this way.

The images of what had happened last night flooded threw her brain and her gaze quickly scanned the surrounding trees for any sign of Murphy. But he wasn't there.

She had no idea where she was. She was tied up in the middle of the woods, nothing familiar.

Her heart was racing as she struggled to free herself of the bindings.

That's when she felt the rope at her throat.

She looked up and saw to her horror that a noose had been tied around her neck. If the tree branch under her feet snapped or the ropes slipped down the trunk it would tighten around her throat and cut off her air. And, she wouldn't be able to do anything about it with the ropes secured around her wrists. She had no choice but to stop her struggle

Ella started to panic, pulling at the ropes binding her wrists, choked sobs escaping her throat, but no tears would come. Her system was empty of water or food and her stomach felt hollow, adding to the pain she felt.

"Murphy!" she tried to scream, but it came out as no more than a croaked whisper.

Murphy Pov

The pounding in his head woke Murphy up from the terrible nightmare he was having of someone hiding in the woods to take Ella away from him.

He was lying on his back with his head facing away from the rest of his tent, he smiled when he felt the bed dipping down beside him and thought of Ella's sleeping form cuddled up behind him. He turned his head around and stiffened.

Raven was lying beside him fully awake, one leg pulled up and the other resting across it as she tossed a wadded bloody rag in the air and catching it as it opened when it came back down.

"How many times do people have to tell you not to show up in their beds with blood soaked rags," he grumbled.

Raven's mouthed lifted at the corners reluctantly, but it quickly disappeared as she sat up to look at him.

"Good to see the blow to your head didn't take your charm away," said Raven sarcastically.

Murphy frowned. "What blow?"

He lifted his hand to the back of his head when a sudden pain shot threw it and winced when he felt the bandage that was tightly wrapped around his head.

"I found you lying on she ground in the west corner of camp. Who did you get into a fight with this time?"

Murphy shot straight up eyes wide and heart pounding in his ears. "Where's Ella?"

She looked at him incredulously. "What do you mean 'where's Ella'? She's in the Dropship helping Clarke, right? I've been looking all over camp for her and that's the only place I can't get to."

Murphy shook his head rubbing his face with two open palms.

"No, she was with me. Last night we were sitting by one of the trees near where you said you found me and we heard something in the brush. I went to go see what is was and-" he broke off looking up at her shaking his head again, ignoring the pain this caused him. "Nothing."

Raven was on her feet in an instant, running out of Murphy's tent.

With a groan, Murphy forced himself to get to his feet as well, trying to go as fast as he could when spots blurred his vision.

He wasn't wearing a shirt and didn't bother with putting one on, only stopping to slip his feet into his hiking boots before following Raven outside.

His head was pounding in time with his pulse as he followed Raven through the back of camp, running until they reached the far west side where a dozen or so trees grew around bushes and thickets.

Now that it was light out the back of the fence was clearly seen threw the brakes in the trees and Raven walked threw the close growing plants until she reached it, lifting her hand to press it against the smooth wood.

Murphy had to rest a hand against the closest tree to him, bending over trying to catch his breath. The blood he had lost was making him dizzy, but he kept his mind focused on Ella.

He watched as Raven bent down to look at something at the bottom of the fence then turned her head to look at him, her face ashen.

"The wall is weak back here. There's a perfect gap for someone to fit through," she said, getting to her feet, walking right past him. "We have to tell Bellamy."

She stormed over to the Dropship with Murphy keeping up as best he could, stopping when she reached the cold metal door.

Most of the camp was up now and were watching as Raven banged her fist against the door. She stopped when she heard the screaming coming from inside and Clarke yelling out instruction, knowing that whatever was going on in there was going to be second to finding Ella.

Her lips tightened in frustration and she spun around, walking to the gate where Miller stood talking to the boy who was watching the wall, leaning against it with one foot propped up.

"Where's Ella?" she demanded.

He dropped the leg that was on the wall, standing straight to look her up and down.

"How should I know?" he said with a sly smile.

Her blood boiled at his cocky attitude and was sure that her face said that she wasn't in the mood by the way he seemed to deflate a bit at her expression.

"You were on watch last night. Did you see anyone come in or out?"

He grew serious at that. "No, of course not, what are you talking about?"

"Someone got in and clocked Murphy over the head where the trees grow back there. There's a weak spot in the fence hidden by the bushes," she said pointing to where she had just come from. "He was with Ella, and now she is gone."

The last part she enunciated each word clearly as if he were a toddler who wouldn't understand what she was saying unless she talked slow.

He leaned in close to her, talking to her with the same mock measured voice.

"You must be mistaken."

She glared at him.

He looked over her shoulder and his eyes turned weary. She knew he had just seen Murphy who was standing a little ways behind her. Murphy figured that it was best at the moment to let her take the lead with this. He didn't trust himself not to start beating him again.

That look crossed Miller's face ever since his friend had punched him for taking advantage of Ella.

Murphy walked up to stand beside Raven glaring at him.

"Open this gate right now. We have to send out a party, because she's out there somewhere with God knows who doing God knows what to her. And, after what happened at the party I really don't think you want to make things worse for yourself."

Miller stared at the two for a long time, then sighed looking around camp.

"You can take two people with you, but no more," he said finally.

With Bellamy occupied Miller was in charge and he knew that whatever he said went.

Murphy nodded and turned around to retrieve his weapon and a shirt from his tent then scanned the camp.

Jasper, Bellamy and Finn were all in the Dropship and Miller had to stay here to fill in for him.

Raven was strong enough to fight if there was danger, but no one else had been trained.

Monty was the first person his eyes landed on and with a sigh he walked over to him.

"Hey Monty," he said. "I need your help with something."

Monty looked up at Murphy in surprise then behind himself.

Murphy would have laughed if it wasn't for the fear consuming him, thinking about Ella.

"Sure," said Monty once he was sure that it was in fact him that he was talking to. "What do you need?"

"Ella's missing and I need bodies to help me search the woods."

He was proud of how steady he was able to keep his voice.

Monty looked like he had just asked him to streak naked threw the woods, riding a two-headed deer.

"And you want me?"

"I'm out of choices," he said bluntly.

Panic crossed his face. "S-sure. I mean of course! Why wouldn't I want to help?"

Murphy nodded. "Wait at the gate with Raven," he said then walked away, leaving him standing there in shock.

James caught his eye next. He was one of the stronger teens in camp so felt a glimmer of hope with having him there with them.

"Hey," said James coolly when he saw Murphy approaching him.

He had one foot propped against a stump talking to one of the girls in camp that he didn't know the name of, but straighten when he saw him coming, his whole body tensing as if preparing for a fight.

"I need your help."

His body relaxed at that, but Murphy didn't give himself a moment to wonder about that.

"Ella's missing and we're going out to look for her."

James nodded slowly, taking a step towards him.

"Sure, anything to help."

Something about the boy made Murphy pause for a moment, staring at him. But, James just gave him a lopsided smile and a pat on the back as he went to join the others.

Murphy felt tired and lightheaded, but the fear boosted his energy and he determinedly made his way to the gate with the others, signaling for them to open it.

A/N: I was going to cut to a Jasper Pov, but decided that I just couldn't leave you all hanging like that.