Here I am, back with part 2 of the previous chapter :) It delves a little bit more into this whole other-illegal-child matter and the aftermath in short. People seemed to really like this, which I'm happy about. I wasn't sure; I personally really like this installment, but others may feel as though it's too far away from Bellarke and their general arc, but actually it was quite well received :)

So, thank you to my reviewers: Words are my Weapons, jadegurl2, SquidaQdaloo, Artimiz, CheriEstella, heidi124501, P. Mellark, and PaulW VinD BradP NickC ChrisH!

P. Mellark: If it's a compliment then thank you I guess XD And yes, much foreshadowing...glad you picked up on that (or figured that's what I was doing)


Ten Years After Start of Project (Con't of last chapter)

Clarke rolled over the morning after the kid was found illegally, getting just as few hours of sleep as Bellamy had. She had spent the whole night tossing and turning, worrying about him. He'd come out like he'd seen a ghost; pale and wrought with darkness she hadn't seen. And while Bellamy wasn't clingy or didn't enjoy time alone, to not want her or Gina to accompany him back, even for a walk, was unlike him.

He had the entire world on his shoulders but he couldn't let anyone else share it. She didn't think it was merely his pride, as sometimes it was, but something deeper…a reason he couldn't tell them.

Her mother had raved about how brave and strong he was when he came in after getting stabbed, but she had voiced her concerns that he seemed preoccupied and distant unless he was defending Charlotte.

"He's a good kid." Jake had mused softly, "Not many people could turn around and forgive someone for dong that."

"She had a makeshift knife. She's hardly ten…" Clarke murmured, recalling how her entire body had frozen the moment she'd heard Bellamy had been hurt. The way it felt like she couldn't breathe and all she thought she was going to hear next was that it was fatal, and how terrifying a thought that could have been. She couldn't imagine a life without Bellamy.

"How did the manage to hide her for so long?" Jake questioned, "I think nine is the oldest one we've found…the last one was only a couple months old."

"I don't know." Abby said, "They only found out because her mother was a lab technician and they were updating the data scanners. A co-worker took a hair from her coat to log into the computer, but when they ran it against her last DNA sample, they realized while it was similar…it wasn't hers, nor was her husband or son's. Obviously, they were suspicious." Abby said.

"How awful." Jake looked sick.

"Well, we don't have the means or the airspace to entertain more than one child per couple." Abby's voice was stern, "But…I never thought death was an appropriate path for her." She softened.

"I know, I know." Jake sighed, "We have rules that are not meant to be broken, for our own safety." Clarke knew this too. She didn't disagree with the one-child law, but times like this made it gray and the line started to disappear.

"And how could you expect your own sibling to turn you in? I don't blame Simon for never saying anything…" Clarke wondered if she'd ever look at Simon the same? She'd forever think about every interaction they had, and look it differently knowing he had a secret sister. Of course, a lot of what they'd done wouldn't change- casual conversations about school or work- but to think he'd held this within him this entire time…that he knew what it was like to be a brother or have a sister…

Clarke was jealous, if she was being honest. He'd lost his mother and father for the mistake, and his sister was found out, but at least he'd known what that sort of bond was like. She'd read in books from before that it was one of the strongest bonds there was, but obviously she could only go so far as visualizing it.

"They should have never put him in that position." Jake said, a little angry, "I think that's why the council voted that he keep his job and life…it wasn't as though he asked for a sibling. And even if he did, it wasn't his doing."

"It's a tough situation." Abby agreed, "I just hope he doesn't let it haunt him forever."

That was the end of the conversation the previous night.

The next morning, she woke up at around 9 am, even though she was so tired her eyelids were drooping. It was a weekend and since both her parents still had work, she was free to sleep and nap as long as she wanted. Today she couldn't afford to do that; also she was pretty sure if she tried to sleep she'd just lay awake anyway.

She threw on some clothes, brushed through her hair and teeth, and walked with purpose. She was going to find Bellamy; she had to know he was okay.

She first checked the meeting room. He wasn't there, and neither was Simon. She didn't find this totally unreasonable, but apparently others did. Nearly everyone made one throwaway comment about how he shouldn't be alone or that he should be here, but no one made a move to find him. Murphy was the only who stayed silent, up until Brad made too casual a comment about dead parents and an off color joke.

"He just lost both his parents. Had to watch them die. I wouldn't want to show up either. Really, go float yourself." Murphy finally snapped, a sign the reminders of his parent's own demises were still heavy on his mind. Clarke put 'find Simon' on her list of things to do today as well. It was only fair she check up on him too. She first had to shove help separate Murphy and Brad, because Murphy's last comment had incited a fistfight. She wasn't really upset at Murphy…honestly; Brad deserved a good punch in the face sometimes.

She nearly ran into Bellamy on the way to his house in the Factory Station.

"Bellamy, what are you doing?"

"I'm going to work, Clarke." He said, his voice holding back a yawn. He had bags under his eyes and swayed a little on his feet.

"You should be at home, sleeping! Someone that tired can't be allowed to have a gun. Plus, you were stabbed yesterday." She pointed out. He looked down, as though he'd forgotten about it.

"Ah, well. Another day on the force." He stated, as though incidents like these were a casual thing. Sometimes a civilian would get rowdy, yes, but stabbing or physical injury like he'd sustained were not common at all.

"I'm going to come with you then and argue that you should get the day off." Clarke decided, because there was something else to his expression than just the want to go to bed. It was the look of someone trying to shove his life back together and miserably failing, a dangerous look. She wanted to keep an eye on him.

"Really?" He threw her an aggravated look, "Is that necessary?"

"Yes!" She declared firmly, walking past him, "As the daughter of the Medical Chief, I'm going to declare you unfit for work."

Bellamy's jaw clenched but he knew better than to argue with Clarke once she set her mind to something. Yeah, maybe it was a little humiliating for a girl five years his junior to be declaring such things, but she would do the same if she saw anyone in the state Bellamy was in. She didn't understand why he couldn't just call in a sick day. She was surprised her mother didn't write him a note that he was required to stay home, too. Then again, last night everyone had been thinking other things and she figured it was just a simple slip of thought.

As it turned out, Clarke didn't even have to argue her case. As soon as David Miller saw him enter, his eyes widened.

"Blake, what do you think you're doing here?"

"Reporting for my shift, sir?" Bellamy frowned, looking unsure.

"You got stitched back up yesterday and do you know how much blood we had to give you? You should be lying down. And did you get more than an hour of sleep last night? You look like a breeze could push you over." He said, staring at Bellamy incredulously, "I didn't think we needed to say that you are exempt from work specifically. Abby recommended at least a week."

"A week?" Bellamy balked, "But sir, I know I'm fine-,"

"Go home, Bellamy." David sounded fatherly now, "Please, take care of him, Clarke." He said.

She straightened her back. "I intend to."

Bellamy grumbled, but didn't fight his time off work. Outside, he shuffled his feet.

"What now?"

"You should go home and sleep. Or come back to my place and sleep. I'm going to go find Simon." She said decisively.

"Simon…" Bellamy's brows furrowed, "I should come too. He wasn't looking too hot last night."

"You don't look too hot either." Clarke said, only half-teasing.

"I…I think I got through to him, a little." Bellamy said, "Let me come." There was hardness to his voice, a piece of that mystery that Clarke so desperately wanted to know that against better judgment, she nodded.

"Okay, he lives in Power Station?"

"Did. He lives in a bunking house at Arrow with like four other guys. It's this way."

Bellamy navigated them through the zigzag of the Ark, and Clarke was indeed glad he was with them. She would have gone back to the house that, as she recalled after a belated moment, Bellamy was clearing yesterday when he got stabbed. Of course he wouldn't be there.

When Bellamy knocked on the door, a tall lanky kid around Simon's age answered. The medium sized room looked exactly like Clarke expected a place where five young adult men lived… chaotic.

"We're looking for Simon."

"Ah, him." The guy seemed uncomfortable at his name, "He's not here."

"Well…where is he?"

"Look, I don't really care." He said, "We have a criminal living with us now…" He muttered under his breath.

"That's not fair!" Bellamy suddenly flared up, "He was dropped of all charges. You can't expect him to have given up-,"

"Look, save your nasty judgment." Clarke stepped in before Bellamy punched the guy. She wasn't in the mood for breaking up a second fight today. She stepped through the door, to the surprise of both Bellamy and the guy that opened the door. She looked at the three remaining guys, who were staring at her with wide eyes.

"Does anyone know where he is?" She said, and from her tone it was clear she wasn't asking nicely.

There was a long silence before one of the guys said, "Well, he said something about working on a project he was assigned, near Geo/Sci."

"You're so helpful." Clarke rolled her eyes, pulling Bellamy away and hearing the door lock behind her.

Halfway there, they ran into Uma Lambie. Bellamy and Clarke shared nervous looks, and tried to backtrack but Uma had already seen them.

Uma was a perfectly nice person, but she had the tendency to cling to people. She abhorred being alone, so she often attached herself to whoever was available; even if it was obvious she was overstaying her welcome. Clarke always wondered if there were darker demons she was facing that made her so adamant about never being left to her own devices, so she was always nice when Uma tagged along. On a mission like this, however, they both understood that it was a delicate matter that not too many people should be privy to.

"Bellamy, Clarke!" She waved to them. She seemed more twitchy than usual.

"Hi, Uma. We're sort of on a mission right now…so as much as I'd love to invite you…" Clarke spoke softly, trying to turn her away as gently as possible. Uma's eyes widened.

"I'm on a mission too. I'm looking for Simon…you were the last one to see him last night, weren't you Bellamy?" She said.

"We're…we're looking for him too." Bellamy said, frowning at her, "I'm sorry, but why are you looking for him?"

"We were friends…once a long time ago…our mothers must have known each other in a different life or something, but we were playmates in our childhood…it's been years since we talked, and I guess I know why now. I saw his face yesterday. I'm worried about him."

"That's kind of you, Uma." Clarke was surprised, but Uma's concern made her even more anxious to find him. Uma wasn't dumb, but she wasn't smart either. To notice something about someone else meant he might be really badly off.

"Well, I guess you can come with us then." Bellamy spoke first, and she looked relieved.

"Maybe you'll be farther along than I am. I already went back to his parent's old place, and also tried to look at the places we used to hide as children on the ark. He's not at either." She said, biting her lip.

"We heard from one of his roomies that he was working on a project near Geo/Sci." Clarke said. Uma gave a quiet laugh.

"That sounds like him. He always throws himself into work when he's upset, or he did…" She stuck her hands in her pocket, "I guess it's nice to know he didn't change too much, yeah?"

"What happened between you two, if you were best friends?" Bellamy asked.

"I wish I knew?" Uma shrugged, "Maybe it was our age difference, maybe it was because our mothers stopped our forced play dates…maybe he grew tired of a child following him around everywhere. Maybe he…" She seemed about to say more, but zipped her lips after a moment of re-thought.

"We kissed once," She said finally, "I thought there was something there. Guess he didn't?" She gave a laugh, but Clarke could see she was anywhere from wanting to laugh about it.

They reached the Geo/Sci area of the Ark, and found a guy working on some wiring near a door that was apparently jamming.

"Hey, you work with Simon, right?" Clarke tapped his shoulder.

"What's it to you?"

"We're looking for him." Uma stepped up, her face hard and resolved, "Someone said he might be around here."

The guy shrugged.

"I haven't seen him. And I wish he were already here, maybe he could fix all these problems that suddenly cropped up. Lots of doors that shouldn't be opening, now open." He grumbled.

Clarke turned, and Bellamy's eyes were looking at the wires the man held.

"Those look expertly cut."

"I guess." The guy shrugged, "Work for me either way." Bellamy pulled Clarke and Uma just out of earshot of the man.

"What is it?" Clarke asked.

"These doors…Clarke, you do realize where this passage way eventually leads to, right?" His face was pale.

"No?"

"It's nowhere good." He said, grabbing Clarke's arm, who grabbed Uma's arm and pushed through the crack of the door.

"Hey! You can't go in there!" The guy said, putting a hand on Clarke's shoulder.

"I'm Clarke Griffin, I live on Alpha Station and I'm best friends with Chancellor Jaha's family. Tell me again where I can't go?" She said, narrowing her eyes. The guy backed off at once.

"Way to go, Clarke!" Uma cheered her.

"I hate using the rank card." She said, blowing out a long breath, "Where does this lead us, Bellamy?"

"A place you hope you never have to be." He said, and Clarke began to recognize the pathways. It was a memory from when she was younger.

"Care to fill me in?" Uma said, stumbling behind them.

"It's where they float people." Bellamy's voice was hard, "I don't think it's an accident at all those cables were cut."

"You don't think-," Uma stopped walking, eyes wide.

"We do." Clarke finished with a grim frown.

They all hurried a little quicker.

As expected, they found two more doors with the same wires cut with expert precision. By they time they reached the area Clarke had watched Murphy's father die, Simon had rigged the area so he'd be able to press a button on the inside and go quietly.

"Simon!" Uma threw herself against the door, pressing the open button, but it wouldn't budge. Simon jumped, turning around, eyes wide.

"What are you doing here?"

"Saving you, clearly."

His eyes darkened, "I don't want to be saved."

"Simon, this isn't the way to go." Clarke stepped forward, wringing her hands.

"Isn't it? I have nothing, haven't you heard! I woke up today to tell my mom about this dream I had, and I realized she's never coming back. My dad wasn't making pancakes just in case I stopped by to say hello. Charlotte is locked away from everyone in solitary, and it would be a fucking miracle if she ever made it out alive. I was told I might never get to see her again. I don't have anything left." He said, his whole body just breaking down in front of them.

"What about your friends?" Uma pressed her hands against the glass.

"What friends?" He gave an angry scoff, "None of them will talk to me. Not now, not that I'm basically a criminal."

"What about me?" Her voice broke, and Clarke watched her eyes well with tears. This made Simon pause, "I know we haven't talked in eons, and I know I fucked it all up by kissing you all those years ago, but Simon…I still love you. I can love you as a friend, I'm perfectly fine like that, but please…don't leave me alone here. I need you, please. I've always needed you just…alive. That was enough to keep me happy."

"Uma…" Simon's voice came out strained, "You don't understand…"

"I think you're so brave, you know? For not ever telling anyone. For standing alone because it was what was best for you. I can't spend two seconds alone, but you were always willing to be without a playmate, without a confidant, without anyone because you always have had someone."

"I'm not brave." He said, sinking down to her level, meeting her eyes, "And you didn't mess up what we had. I did. That's always been on me. I was afraid to let you in, because Charlotte might have been found out. I liked you too much to not tell you. I thought it would be easier to keep you an arm's length away." He said.

"Simon, please, then. It's all out in the open. You're not alone, you never will be, and I'll make sure of that." She gave a throaty laugh, "Don't do this."

"I'm sorry." He whispered, and leaned down, to pick up the button, but when he pressed it, nothing happened. Instead, the doors to the safety of the Ark opened in front of them. Clarke spun around to see Bellamy, who hadn't spoken at all during this, had somehow managed to reroute the wires.

"Let me go, please." He said, turning to Bellamy.

"I can't let you do that." Bellamy said, looking shaky.

"Give it a chance. A month…let me give you a month to prove it's worth it." Uma said, grabbing his cheeks, "Please."

After the longest wait of Clarke's life, she saw him nod.

"I'll get Benny to come fix this all up. He's discreet when it matters." He assured Clarke.

"I didn't know you knew how to do that?" She said, motioning to the pile of wires.

"I've picked up a couple odd skills here and there." He said, giving the tiniest of smiles, which was fair under such heavy circumstances.

"Do you think Simon will really be alright?" Clarke asked tentatively, "Maybe I should tell my mom…she'd be able to help him, maybe…"

"He has to be." Bellamy sounded already made up, "There's nothing else to it. I'll make sure he is."

"Good." Clarke turned, looking at him, "I don't want to lose anyone."

At first, it was difficult for Bellamy to think of how to make Simon better. Uma tried her best, but that plagued look of loss stayed with him. He, once against his better judgment, had Murphy sit with him to talk about his father's death. It wasn't the worst thing, and it made things a smidgen better.

It wasn't until two weeks later Bellamy truly felt as though he was making an impact. He'd asked a week after Simon's incident to be switched to the Sky Box. Since he was still a cadet- waiting for a teacher to die or retire so he could take over, even though he was far past his years of needing to remain a cadet- and practically no one offered to work at the Sky Box, no one really questioned it.

Charlotte's cell was easy to find. She was currently the only one in solitary. He waited until he was alone and the cameras were spinning the other way and slipped her the stuffed rabbit with some paper and a pen, tacked to a note: Write a letter to your brother Simon, he needs it badly.

Three days later, when he passed her cell again to give her food, two pieces of paper carefully folded were under her bowl.

"What's this?" Simon questioned, looking at the paper dumbly.

"You know exactly what it is." Bellamy said, sitting beside him, "Go on, read it."

Simon looked at him with a frown, but started reading. Bellamy never looked at what she wrote, or what he would write back, but this singular note brought Simon to tears.

"You gotta stay alive now, she's expecting an answer back, I'd assume." Bellamy said with a small, hopeful smile.

"You bastard." Simon said, but he was laughing a little.

Bellamy gave a shrug, smirking.

And that was part of what perhaps kept Simon alive. Bellamy would carry out their correspondence as long as he was a guard, and once he wasn't anymore and began teaching years later, he entrusted Harper to continue.

The other thing was something Bellamy hadn't known he was doing until it was happening. It wasn't a conscious thought, nor was it a plan well though through. It was just a feeling that about three weeks later, Bellamy felt as though he should.

He invited Simon to his place. He unlocked the door, and Octavia watched with wide, scared eyes as Simon saw her.

There was a terrible moment when Bellamy wondered if he'd made a huge mistake. If Simon would be jealous that he still had his illegal sister and be petty, tell on them. If this was not making things better like his instincts had told him, but worse. He was known to be wrong on some occasions.

"This is Octavia," He introduced slowly, trying to gauge Simon's next move, "My sister."

There was a moment of stunned silence, before Octavia cocked her head.

"You're Simon, I'm guessing. I can't imagine why Bellamy would show anyone else." She gave Bellamy a sharp glare.

"Another one…" Simon mumbled numbly, turning toward Bellamy, and Bellamy knew that this kid would never look him at the same again.

"Care to sit? You look a little faint." Octavia frowned.

"How…how have you survived?" Simon finally managed to ask, "You're years older than Char!"

"Hole in floor?" Octavia tapped aside her hiding place, "Bell being in the guard helps too. Bell, what were you thinking, no offence Simon." She asked angrily, but he could tell she was scared.

"I should be rightly mad." Simon said, "That you still have her, a mum…and I have nothing more than letters every few weeks from my sister. I should want to tell on you…but I don't? Seeing you, it makes it better. I guess you do understand my problems." He said to Bellamy.

"But you couldn't have known." Bellamy said, sitting on one of the metal chairs.

"What made you decide to do this?" Simon finally asked, "Show…me?"

"I don't even know. I just…it was spur of the moment. I'm not usually nearly as reckless, but I more than anyone understand that losing her could happen at any time. And that it would be awful. But Simon, the way you…" Bellamy couldn't even finish, "That's not the solution."

"I don't really think it is anymore." Simon admitted, "I regret it. I was not in my right mind. I was angry no one was there to make sure I wasn't going to do something stupid. I think, secretly, I wanted someone to come along."

There was a moment of silent reflection.

"Thank god, you know? Ugg, it was getting so boring only taking to mom and Bellamy. All mom ever talks about is me being 'smart' or 'responsible' and all Bellamy ever talks about is Clarke." Octavia complained.

"I talk about Gina too!" Bellamy objected, not wanting Simon to think he was unfaithful to his girlfriend. Octavia waved a hand.

"I zone out when you say her name. But now I have a new person to talk to. I expect you to be over here pretty often!" She said, poking Simon, "You hear?"

"Uh, o…kay?" Simon looked a little afraid of the headstrong girl, terrified to say no and incite her wrath.

Octavia's determined face morphed into a cherubic smile.

"Perfect." She gave a little giggle, Simon raised an eyebrow, and Bellamy groaned into his hand. Secretly, though, he was pretty relieved to be able to have someone hang at his house without having to make a harebrained excuse.

And that is how Bellamy told the first person about Octavia, although not to be the last, and both Blake siblings made a new friend. True to his word, and possible so not as to set an angry Octavia upon himself, Simon came over at least once a week. In hindsight, Bellamy would think, it's odd to think of how the truest of friends are made, but he supposed that's the way the world was.


So that's the first person to find out about Octavia (but not the last of course). Tell me what you thought of the finishing of the last chapter? Review for a faster update of the next chapter...we start intersecting with actual events that happened in the show...will they go the same or differently? I guess you'll just have to see ;)