Wanheda: Part 1

Toby POV

I am not a cynic, nor will I ever be a cynic. However, I like to think I am a realist. The last few months of my life have felt like hell. I have been pushing everyone away, I've been rude and harsh. When Bellamy tries to ask me what happened in his office, I scoff and shut him out. I'm surprised he's still asking.

I'm jolted out of my mindless daydreaming when Monty slowly climbs the hill up to where I'm sitting. He's come to ask me to join the expedition.

"It'll be a cold day in hell when I willingly enter that prison." I tell Monty blankly.

For a moment I feel bad for making Monty climb the mountain. He's out of breath and red faced. He looks at me sadly and I can barely stand to make eye-contact with him. He's barely holding himself together, Jasper and I aren't making things any easier.

"You have to come back in at some point, Toby." Monty reasons. "We need your help. I need your help."

I sneer. "I was never any help before, what makes now different."

"We're all just worried about you." He comes and kneels down in front of me. "And you're the only one that can deal with Jasper."

I roll my eyes and hear the rumble of the Rover engine. "Is Bellamy coming to pick us up?"

"Yeah, he'll be here any second."

Right as Monty finishes his sentence, the Rover pulls up and stops. Bellamy and I make eye contact as I move to the back of the Rover to get in. He looks so worn out and tired that some part of me wants to reach out and hold him. What do I do though? I slam the backdoor open and Monty and I jump in.

"Morning gents." I greet the boys. Raven and I nod to each other in understanding.

A bit into the ride, Jasper plugs his MP3 into the stereo and blares music through the Rover. It heightens the mood of everyone, and it lifts some tension. Nothing lasts forever, and the radar blares. Monty quickly jumps into the front seat to find out what's going on.

"A tracking beacon from the Arc. Farm station." He presses a few more buttons and locates the beacon. "Sector 8."

"Ice Nation." Miller mutters.

I turn to Jasper as the others discuss what to do. "Are you drunk?"

"Just hungover." He shakes his head and pats my knee. "Are you coming back into camp anytime soon?"

I pull away from him as the Rover starts again. "I don't like all the rusty metal."

"Rules of engagement are non-lethal force, Toby, you stay in the Rover." Bellamy shouts orders as we reach the Azgeda border.

I scoff and push forward. "Not a chance.

"They're coming. 120 metres." Monty walks forward. "110."

Bellamy puts a hand out to stop him. We all hear the hoofbeats approaching us, riders on white horses pull to a halt in front of us all.

"Ice Nation?" Bellamy asks carefully.

Octavia grits her teeth. "Yes, white war paint. Stay calm." She moves forward to talk to the riders.

"Who are you?" The first scout says angrily.

"Skaikru, looking for our people." Octavia approaches them with her arms up, showing she holds no weapon.

The other rider looks sceptic. "Looking for Wanheda."

Monty notices the beacon tied to one of the scouts. "The light! That's the beacon."

Jasper staggers towards the beacon, and I follow behind him. "Jasper stop! What are you doing?" I grab his vest but he just shrugs me off. I turn to the others desperately.

"Tell them we observe the commander's truce, do it now!" Bellamy urges Octavia.

Jasper grabs the beacon off the scout. "This belongs to us." The scout stares at me as he quickly flips Jasper around and holds a knife to his throat.

"Where is Wanheda."

I take a step forward. "I don't know, please put the knife down." I reach out a hand and the scout swipes at me, drawing a cut down my forearm.

"We don't know who that is. Please! We can help each other!" Octavia tries to reason with the scout to let Jasper go.

Jasper smiles. "You think this is funny?" The scout cuts his throat but Bellamy shoots him before he can finish the cut.

I drop down next to Jasper, ignoring the blood dripping from my arm. "Are you an idiot." I pull a strip of cloth off my shirt and press it against his neck. "Are you trying to die."

I pull him up and towards the Rover. "I'm fine thanks for asking." Octavia hands me a bolt of fabric to wrap around his neck.

I push Jasper towards the horses. "I will kill you myself I swear to god."

-/-

"Open the gate!"

"Jasper's hurt!" Octavia tells an approaching Abby.

I turn and watch the Arc citizens shut the gate, closing off the forest. Abby gently touches my shoulder. "Let me look at your arm inside."

I follow her into the Arc and sit where she gestures. "It's not that deep." She watches me as her exam causes me to wince.

"It will actually need stitches. One moment." She turns away and I grab some gauze off the tray and quickly move out of the med bay.

I hear her yell out for me and I bump into someone on the way out. Lincoln grabs my shoulders to steady me and then continues on his way.

Reaching the apartment I share with Monty, I collapse onto the bed and sob as I wrap the gauze around my aching arm. I curl into a ball, grasping my arm close to my chest as I let the dull throb of my cut lull me into a restless sleep.