"They think that because we came from the sky, we don't belong here." — Bellamy Blake, "We Are Grounders (Part 1)"
Her head throbbed dully when she woke to the sound of a knock at the door. She opened her eyes, meeting the harsh light of the sunrise. She snapped them shut and pressed her face into Marcus' neck, running her hand up his chest to shake his shoulder. He stirred under her, groaning something about five more minutes. She pressed a light kiss to his neck and whispered, "There's someone at the door."
"I answered it yesterday," he mumbled, running his hand over her back, causing her to shiver against him. "It's your turn."
Abby leaned up as another knock sounded. Her lips found his and she murmured against them, "You owe me."
His eyes opened, a decision he seemed to regret immediately as he squinted and groaned. "For what?"
"I stole that bottle," she said, pressing her naked body against his, reminding him of one of the perks of stealing the Grounder alcohol.
"And I'm paying for it now. Get the door, Abby," he said, shoving her off of him so he could roll over and bury his face in the pillow.
"When did you stop being fun?" She asked as she rose unsteadily to her feet.
He laughed into the pillow. "I never started."
She smiled as she walked toward the stairs. It looked like a tornado had hit the room. Their clothes were everywhere — draped over the railing, strewn over the stairs. Abby remembered them barely making it through the door before they attacked each other the night before.
She paused at the top stair, taking in the sunrise over the Fall. It was a shame that they got less than a day in Niagara; she would have liked to see more of it. She started down the stairs but was halted when Marcus called out to her.
He still lay on his stomach with his arms buried under the pillow, but his head was resting on his arm so he could look at her. He said, "You know I love seeing you naked, but I think it may be more appropriate for you to have some clothes on when you answer the door."
"Don't want me to give whoever is there a show?" She asked, bending down to pick up his shirt.
He smiled as he said, "What if it's Clarke?"
"I think she knows we have sex," she said, pulling the shirt on. Her head emerged and she saw a smirk on his face. She raised her eyebrow at him as another knock echoed through the room.
"She's asked me about it at length before," he said simply.
"What—"
"Answer the damn door, Abby," he said, turning back into the pillow. She scowled, determined to finish the conversation, but hurried down the stairs to find out who was so insistent on getting into their room.
It wasn't Clarke, but Bellamy waiting when she opened the door. He held two empty mugs and a large metal pitcher in his hands. His eyes flicked down her body in the quickest of movements and Abby realized that she probably should have put on pants or at the very least underwear — Marcus' shirt barely touched her thighs.
If he thought her attire was inappropriate, he didn't say a thing. He held out a mug to her and she took it, letting him fill it with whatever he had brought with him. She drank it without question and was relieved to find it was a gingery green tea — hangover cure.
"I thought you two would be feeling less than ideal this morning," Bellamy said, refilling her mug. "I hear a bottle of Fayawoda went missing last night."
"Oh?" She asked, raising the mug to her lips to take another long drink.
"You wouldn't happen to know who took it, would you?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. She shook her head. He smiled as he handed her the other mug and pitcher of tea. "We're leaving in half an hour, make sure that our esteemed chancellor is somewhat functioning. Let him know I'm not above sending Benja in to wake him up — that boy's already bouncing off the walls."
He turned to leave but paused and said over his shoulder, "Oh and if there is any incriminating evidence in this room, I would take it with you. The Grounders are a little pissed that the bottle went missing."
Abby shut the door as he walked down the hallway and returned to Marcus. She set the mugs and pitcher on the side table before sitting on the bed. She ran her hand gently over his back and said, "Marcus? We have to get ready to leave."
He shook his head.
"Do you want Ben to come in and wake you up? He would be more than happy to jump all over this bed," Abby said, tickling his side. He squirmed and mumbled, "You are evil, woman."
"Blame Bellamy, it was his idea." She said with a smile.
"I don't want Benja in here," he muttered as he rolled over and looked at her. "We've defiled this room."
She pursed her lips, fighting a smile, as she reached over and filled both of the mugs. She turned toward him with the mugs in her hands and offered one to him. He sat up in the bed and took it. He looked at its contents as he asked, "What is this?"
"Bellamy figured we drank too much Fayawoda last night," she said, raising her mug to her lips.
"Is that what it's called?" He asked, frowning. "That makes so much more sense now."
They drank in silence, finished off the pitcher before either of them started to feel better. Abby glanced at her watch and said, "We have twenty minutes, we should clean this place up."
"You should clean this place up," he muttered, sinking back into the blankets and pillow. "I didn't steal the bottle of Fayawoda."
"Yet you drank most of it," she said, pulling the blankets away from him. His eyes flashed open and he glared at her, reaching out for them. "Besides, you were a very active participant in last night's events, you should help clean up the aftermath."
He shook his head and tried to snatch the blankets from her grasp. She pulled them completely off the bed and slid onto the floor with them. He shot daggers at her until she pulled his shirt over her head and tossed it at him. "Get dressed, Marcus."
He pulled his shirt on and said, "I'm not the one who's naked."
She rolled her eyes and walked toward her clothes, calling over her shoulder, "Get dressed, you idiot. We have to find that bottle or the Grounders will have our heads."
She just rolled her eyes when she heard him mutter, "Your head."
He didn't think he had ever felt like such an outsider in his entire life. Walking through Tonawa at the chief's side, he could feel every eye on him and his people. It put him on edge, made his finger twitch toward the trigger of the gun slung over his shoulder. He kept thinking of Penn's warning and made sure that Abby and Benja were right next to him, her hand grasped firmly in his.
Benja looked like he was about to run off, but Lincoln stepped up and pointed out the things they would check out later. Kane met his eyes and a thanks passed from him to the Grounder. Lincoln nodded before turning to Benja and telling him that they would go exploring after the meeting.
Erie led them to the large market in the center of the village. He called over a woman and three children and beckoned Kane, Abby, and Benja forward. The girl whispered to Erie, "Noni, chon emo bilaik? | Dad, who are they?"
"Heda Markos kom Skaikru en em seingeda | Marcus, leader of the Sky People, and his family," Erie introduced. "Abi en Benja. | Abby and Benja."
"En Klark | And Clarke," Kane added, motioning for her to join them. The look she gave him as she stood next to Benja warmed his heart, spreading the heat throughout his entire body. It was acceptance, welcoming him into her family.
He hadn't had a family before Abby, not since his mother died and even then, it wasn't much of one. He had been distant, closing himself off from Vera after Edward Kane was floated when Marcus was fifteen. It was strange to find his real family when he was 42, to finally feel like he belonged, that he was wanted.
Erie nodded at her in acknowledgement and said, "Ai houmon, Konia, oma skat, Hamil en Ilai, en ai gada, Misi. | My wife, Connea, my sons, Hamil and Ely, and my daughter, Missi." Erie crouched in front of Benja and asked, "Hashta oma skat shoun yu raun taim oyu kru en ain hit op? | How about my boys show you around while your people and mine meet?"
Benja looked at Kane and Abby for approval; Marcus nodded and the boy walked over to Hamil and Ely and let them lead him away, both talking fast in Trigedasleng at the same time. Erie looked passed Kane at the rest of his people. He called, "Come, we have much to discuss."
They followed him to a large building on the other side of the market. It looked like it used to be City Hall and seemed to be used for the same purpose even 100 years after the missiles were launched. Connea walked next to Abby and Marcus, glancing at their joined hands. She commented, "Yo skat nou chek bilaik yo. | Your boy doesn't look like you."
"Osir hon em in. Em ste Podakru | We took him in. He's a Lake Person," Abby replied, looking at the chief's wife.
She nodded. "Em laik feva kom hou. | He is far from home."
"Em nou vout in den | He doesn't think so," Clarke said quietly, glancing at Kane and her mother.
He had come to the same conclusion, two weeks ago in Arkadia. Benja had visited him while he lay in bed, plagued with post-beating agony during his last hour before becoming a prisoner to Abbot and Pike. The boy had told him he wanted him kept from harm, it was in that moment that he knew Benja thought of Abby and Kane as surrogate parents. They certainly thought of him as their son and it was a relief to know it was a mutual feeling.
Connea looked at Clarke peculiarly but didn't question her statement. They followed her husband into the building and he led them into a meeting room where four warriors were waiting. They looked at the newcomers with steely eyes, their arms crossed behind their backs. Kane grasped Abby's hand tighter at the less-than-warm welcome.
Kane's people stood at one side of the room, behind him, Bellamy, and Lincoln. The Tonawans stood on the other side, arms now cross over their chests. One of the girls, the one with a long red braid over her shoulder, said, "Yo don lid Triyon kom oyon in? Chit fleim laik em? | You brought your own Tree Person? What value is he?"
"Hod yu teisa op, Nati | Hold your tongue, Nati," Erie muttered, shooting her a glare. He stood in the middle, unhappy about the divide and beckoned for Kane to join him. Reluctantly, Marcus pulled his hand out of Abby's and joined the Tonawan chief. "We are here today to unite against Ontari, not to fight each other."
"Skaikru na ste nou sisfou hir | Skaikru will not be helpful here," one of the men spat, glaring at Kane. He took a step toward Kane, brandishing the knife that was at his side. He held it toward Kane's neck as their eyes met. Marcus didn't flinch, he looked at the warrior coldly, waiting for him to make his move.
"Fourd! Hod yu rein daun! | Ford! Mind your place!" Erie said angrily as he advanced on the warrior. "Haihefa Rowan wich emo in, osir na seintaim! | King Roan trusts them, we will too!"
Erie shoved Ford away from Kane and glanced at the leader of the Sky People in apology. Kane didn't want it, he didn't care. He was so used to Grounder brutality that it didn't even faze him anymore. He looked at the warriors and said, "Osir laik hir kom kongeda. Osir vout in em ste skrish kom yo du. Teik oso trana nou bash choda op, nami? | We are here for the coalition. We think it's shit as much as you do. Let's try not to harm each other, okay?"
Erie nodded and added, "Skaikru na lev oso op gon omo fayogon. | The Sky People will train us on their weapons."
Ford just shook his head as the other man said, "Oso gon ste ait. | Our weapons are fine."
Harper called from the back of the group, her arms crossed over her chest, "Yo jos hon yo in osir sisplei. | We're just here to help."
"Azgeda nou gaf in sis kom branwoda | Ice Nation doesn't need the help of worms," the remaining girl spat, glaring at Harper.
Erie said in as calm of a voice as he could muster in the situation, "Nou mou, Tara, Noks. Yo na teik emo sis in. Dison laik hukop en em na set raun. | Enough, Tara, Knox. You will accept their help. This is an alliance and it will stand." His warriors fell silent, allowing them to discuss the defense of the village and where Skaikru would best be utilized.
The rest of the afternoon and evening passed in a blur for Kane. He met with other Tonawans and figured out which of them actually wanted training on their guns — it wasn't many, but it was more than he thought he would get. Before he knew it, he was sitting alone around the campfire he had been sharing with the rest of Skaikru, the others had bid him goodnight without him realizing it. He extinguished the low flames and walked toward his tent.
Benja was curled up in the far corner, Clarke next to him with her arm wrapped protectively around him. Abby was nearest to him, on a sleeping bag with a thick blanket wrapped around her. She rolled over when he entered the tent and threw back the blanket for him to join her. He glanced at the kids then back at her. She rolled her eyes and patted the spot next to her.
He kicked off his boots and slid off his jacket before dropping to the ground next to her. He pulled the blanket over them and Abby's arms curled around him as he stared at the canvas above them. This is a mistake, he thought as she nuzzled into his shoulder, softly kissing him through his shirt. He knew trusting Ice Nation was stupid, Abby and Clarke should have just let him die in Polis. This war wasn't worth his life.
Abby propped herself up on her elbow and placed a hand on his cheek, turning his head to look at her. He met her eyes and saw how strained hers were. She whispered, "Are you okay?"
He shook his head without a moment's thought. She frowned and leaned down to kiss him despite the fact that the kids were a few feet away. He sighed into her lips, feeling like his worry dissipated a little more each time her lips brushed against his, each time her hands touched him. He wrapped his arms around her and held her against him when she rested her head in the crook of his neck, pressing gentle kisses to the skin there.
He whispered, "I love you, Abby."
She smiled against his skin and murmured, "I love you too, Marcus."
"Everything's going to be okay," he said, trying to make himself believe it too. She just nodded against him, but he could feel the tension in her shoulders under his arms. His hands started to work at the muscles and it wasn't long before she was muffling her moans in the crook of his neck, biting his skin to keep from making a sound. He worked all of the tension out of her back and felt her drift off to sleep under his deft hands. Kane smiled and pressed a light kiss to the top of her head as his hands stilled and he settled into the flat pillow.
Abby murmured sleepily against his neck, "Why did you stop?"
He chuckled lightly and his hands went back to work.
The smell of the smoke reached them before the haze of it did. Abby's eyes flashed open when Marcus shook her awake. She glared up at him until he said, "Fire."
She leaned up and saw the orange flames licking at their tent. She was groggy, but understood the urgency of the situation. She said, "Get the kids."
Marcus scrambled across the tent and woke Clarke and Benja. They whined and groaned, asking for five more minutes, thinking it was morning. He said in a desperate whisper, "Come on, we have to go."
They grabbed their bags and shoes as Abby opened the tent, burning her hand on the metal zipper that was as hot as that maintenance shaft she had climbed through to safety after the Exodus crash. She threw open the heavy canvas and climbed out of the burning tent, coughing as she made her way through the thick smoke. She collapsed on the ground once she reached fresh air, taking in deep, gulping breaths.
A thud sounded on either side of her and she glanced in both directions, finding Clarke to her right and Benja to her left. She whispered to her daughter, "Where's Marcus?"
"He was right behind me," she said, sitting up, worry threading her voice. Abby stood unsteadily, her head feeling like it was filled with the smoke, and walked toward the burning tent but Clarke caught her hand and whispered, "You can't."
Abby stared at the flames, squeezing Clarke's hand as Bellamy ran over. He asked, "Is Kane still in there?"
Clarke nodded, staring hard at the fire, trying to make out any movement within the canvas that was being consumed. Bellamy started toward the tent but Clarke grabbed for him, releasing Abby. Benja went to her side and clutched her hand tightly, whispering, "Marcus okay, yes?"
She didn't answer, she couldn't, not until she saw him emerge, clutching Abby's backpack to his chest, his own slung over his shoulder. She stared at him incredulously before she ran at him and grabbed the backpack, throwing it to the ground. She yelled, "What the hell were you thinking? That wasn't worth you burning to death, Marcus!"
He stared at the ground and muttered, "Your wedding rings are in it."
Her anger faltered and she stared at him, her eyes softening. She croaked, "You idiot." She wrapped her arms around his neck and fit her face in the crook of his neck, pressing a kiss to his hot skin. She murmured, "You wonderful idiot."
His arms wrapped tightly around her, holding her as close to him as he could. She whispered, "Don't ever do that again."
He nodded as he pulled away from her to press a light kiss to her forehead.
"What happened?" Erie shouted, running through the market toward them. Something flared up in Kane, Abby saw it in his eyes as he pulled away from her. He marched toward the chief and she heard the first of his shouts before Erie led him away from curious ears.
Clarke took Abby's hand and led her away from the inferno, Abby's backpack in her hand. Several Grounders were attempting to smother the fire but Abby figured it wasn't their problem anymore. She sat them down around an extinguished fire, one that Lincoln lit as he and Octavia joined the group. Bellamy sat next to Clarke and asked if she was okay. Clarke nodded absently, busy fussing over a burn on Benja's arm. Abby pulled the med kit out of her backpack and handed it to Clarke so she could treat the wound.
"You look worried," Octavia said as she sat next to Abby.
She rolled her eyes and said sarcastically, "Do I? My tent was just set on fire while I was sleeping with my family. Should I feel safe?"
Octavia stared at her, unsure how to proceed. Abby knew it was unfair to lash out at her, she hadn't done anything wrong, but she needed to let out her frustrations. Lincoln crouched in front of Abby and took ahold of one of her hands in both of his. He whispered, "We're not going to let anything happen to you or Benja or Clarke, not even Kane. Okay?"
Abby shook her head. "It's not your job to protect any of us. You're here to fight a war, not play bodyguard."
"And what if the war is within this village?" He asked quietly, looking at her intensely. She opened her mouth to reply but the radio at Bellamy's hip crackled to life and caused them all to jump.
"Kane, Bellamy, are you there?" It was Jackson, his voice alert despite the lateness of the hour.
Bellamy looked at Abby as he pulled the radio from its holder and raised it to his mouth. He pressed the button and said, "It's Bellamy, Jackson. What's up?"
"Can you wake Abby? I need to speak with her."
Abby frowned as Bellamy replied, "She's right here, we had an incident."
He handed the radio to Abby and she pressed the button as she said, "What's wrong, Jackson?"
He paused before replying, "Ontari attacked yesterday. We have hundreds of wounded with only six doctors, two of whom are interns. We need you Abby."
She stared into the flames, her finger hovering above the button.
Jackson pressed, "Abby?"
She looked up, realizing that Harper and Nate had joined them. They were looking at her intently, as were the others. Finally, she pressed the button and replied, "I'll be there tomorrow afternoon."
He sighed in relief, making the show of doing it through the radio. "Thank you, Abby."
She handed the radio back to Bellamy. She glanced at Clarke as she took ahold of her hand. Her daughter gave her a rare smile and squeezed her hand before she went back to tending the burn on Benja's arm.
"How do you think Kane's going to take the news?" Harper asked across the fire. Abby glanced over to his silhouette, barely visible in the darkness. He was arguing with Erie still, using his arms in a very animated fashion, trying to convey the seriousness of what had just happened no doubt. Abby turned back to Harper and just shrugged.
They talked quietly about Ice Nation while they waited for Kane to return to them. Abby tended to Clarke's burns and let Clarke take care of the one on her hand. Marcus finally returned nearly an hour after he left and she pulled him away before he had the chance to sit down. He was still fuming from whatever he and Erie had talked about and she hoped what she had to say wouldn't anger him further.
To her relief, he kissed her. His tongue parted her lips and met hers as his hands cradled her jaw. Her hands tangled in his hair, her fingers sliding through the thick locks. She was the one to pull away, he seemed content to kiss her until she left in the early hours of the morning. He held her tight to him, her head tucked under his chin.
He said, "Benja's going with you. Harper's driving you."
"Why Harper?" She asked, pulling back to look at him.
He smiled and said, "So she can get back to Jasper."
"Aren't you the romantic," she muttered, pressing her cheek against his chest. She felt the light chuckle get caught in his chest and wrapped her arms around him, wanting to hold onto the moment for as long as she could.
"You'll be safer there," he whispered after nearly a minute as his lips brushed against her hair.
She smiled against his chest and said, "As long as we can get passed the advancing army, that is."
I'm so sorry for taking damn near three weeks to update, I feel awful about the delay! I'll try better in the future. I hope the 4K+ word chapter was worth the wait!
As usual, reviews are always welcomed and appreciated! :)
-Lauren