You guys are awesome ;) So many reviews. Gah! I just love it :) And just think, you'll get this new chapter and then in four days you'll get another chapter. Ain't life just dandy now?
Thank you to the MANY reviewers, you all make my life: jadegurl2, Ryromaniac, Guest, Darkmaster of the arts, Emperor's Sister, clarkxbelamy, foxcharin, SquidaQdaloo, Guest, Guest, CheriEstella, Red656, heidi1245401, and Guest.
Guest: Honestly I have no idea where exactly I come up with certain ideas XD Sometimes it just hits me and I run with it and I pray it works lol. Usually, though, I start with a small idea and then it balloons into a HUGE multi-chap story that I never intended to be so long
Guest: Yes, it would be quite unfortunate if it were to not go to plan, hmm...but I won't say anything on the matter, I suppose you'll just have to read on!
Guest: I think it's a lot of people's favorites! Everyone loves Octavia and obviously wanted to see her happy somehow :)
Guest: It's a little bit of both, but that matter is something far from now anyway, so I won't say much more. Bellamy and Clarke will get married before they go to the ground, not that I think they'd be unfaithful or something there but that's just how the timeline plans out. At this point i'm 85% sure there will be no Lincoln in this AU but even if he were, with the timeline and all, I think by the time they got down there it wouldn't even be a problem and he'd probably be married with kids himself. I'm sure they'd just end up becoming great friends if I do decide to put him into the story.
12 Years After Start of Project (part 2)
Bellamy woke up early the next morning, his whole mind whirling with fears and hopes for his sister. He found her sitting up against the wall, staring blankly ahead, her expression almost upset.
"Octavia?" He whispered, as to not wake his mother. She'd come in late that night. They'd made the quiet choice to not tell her, not yet. How would they even begin? Octavia brought up the fact that maybe it was best to not even tell her until it had already happened…she couldn't stop it then.
He came and sat by her, twirling his fingers.
"Look, if you're having second thoughts about this…if you don't want to get married, don't want to do this…no one will blame you." He said, spying the way her free hand twirled the ring around her finger.
"It's not that. I want this. I want it all so badly it hurts." She said honestly, "I want to get out, I want to marry Jasper. I know you have your opinions about me marrying him." She added with a narrowed stare.
"I just…he's the first guy you've ever been with. How would you even know he was 'the one'? There are other guys out there. Jasper is awesome, I do love the kid…I just don't want you jumping into this."
Octavia gave a wry smile. "I'm sure, you don't need to father me." She rolled her eyes, "Let me remind you that you basically fell in love with Clarke and you never looked back, even if you did date others. All it told you was that you weren't meant to be with anyone else. Why can't I feel the same?" She questioned, and Bellamy realized he didn't have an argument for that. Perhaps in some ways, they were truly similar people.
"Also," She added, "He's giving up a lot too. He must feel the same way or this wouldn't be worth it. He has to be absolutely sure. This, in every way, is more beneficial for me. We never talked about marriage because it seemed impossible. We're still young. Adults get married right at 17, yeah, but most of everyone else isn't nearly ready for that yet, or hasn't met the right person. I know imprisonment, I've been dealing with it my whole life. I couldn't ever force someone else into that sort of feeling ever…I made damn sure this is 100% what he wanted. He's banking his whole life on me too." She stared fondly at the ring, "That's enough for me. It takes two to make something work."
"You look upset, though." Bellamy said, concerned.
Octavia hesitated, then looked at Bellamy and squared her shoulders a little.
"I want you to teach me how to fight." She said firmly, "Hand-to-hand combat, no weapons."
"What?" Bellamy hissed, "Why would you want that?"
"I don't know any skills, Bellamy, except sewing. I don't want to take away mom's business, obviously. I'm useless out there. I should know how to protect myself if I ever need to. Also, it will give me motivation to stay in shape. Doing like a thousand pushups after awhile just doesn't do it." She said.
"Protect yourself? From what?" Bellamy was baffled.
"That's the point. I won't know. But truth of the matter is…" She chose her next words carefully, "I'm going to a place you can't protect me anymore." The words sent chills up his spine, and she was right. He wouldn't be able to check on her 24/7 or shield her in the way he'd done up until this moment. Life was changing, and logically, so must she.
"There are other skills I'm sure I can teach you, the others can." He said, tilting his head.
"I'll want to learn those, or what I can." She agreed, "But I want to learn how to spar too." She said.
Finally, Bellamy relented.
"Fine. I'll teach you what I teach the new cadets." He agreed. Her whole face lit up.
"Awesome. Night, big bro." She said, ruffling his hair, clearly the thing keeping her up now resolved.
"Night…" He echoed faintly.
He stayed up awhile though, trying not to imagine every thing that could go wrong with this plan. Bellamy had been told he was known to over think things. This was one of these times.
Then the plan was stalled for a bit. It was hard to try to find a time where everyone could come together, what with people having jobs and other responsibilities now. It wasn't until about two weeks after Clarke had hatched her crazy idea that everyone managed to be able to squish themselves into Bellamy's tiny home. Finn somehow managed to squish himself into the group before anyone realized it, and then there was a hushed and quick argument outside the door between Jasper, Bellamy, and Clarke if he should stay.
Clarke vouched for him, Jasper was indifferent, and Bellamy was against it. In the end, Bellamy and Clarke played rock-paper-scissors, which, in hindsight, was an awful way to make monumental choices like this. Clarke won.
"You know, I've never actually been in here." Murphy had made himself comfortable on one of the chairs, "It's uh…snug." He probably was going to say something mean, but then thought better of it.
"Why are we here?" Miller asked, standing with his arms crossed against his chest, "What's with all the cloak and dagger?"
Jasper, Bellamy, and Clarke looked at each other. They'd been so preoccupied with trying to get everyone here that they realized they didn't know how to start this sort of conversation at all.
"Uh, well…" Jasper said, coughing and taking the plunge, "I guess the first thing I should tell you all is I'm engaged."
There was a moment of silence.
"So, this is what? A meeting for the wedding group? A co-ed bachelor party planning committee?" Raven raised an eyebrow, "I'm just as foggy about this whole thing as Miller."
"Who is this girl?" There was a hurt tone in Monty's voice, "I…I didn't even know you were seeing someone."
"I wanted to tell you. But, it's complicated…" Jasper said apologetically. There was a shocked gasp in the back of the room, and everyone turned to see Simon slapping a hand over his mouth. He muttered a little 'sorry' but Clarke and Bellamy both realized he'd figured it out, at least, whom Jasper was engaged to.
"Which is why you're here." Clarke decided to take over, "We…we bring you here because you are all our friends. People we trust implicitly. This was not an easy choice, but we need your help. But most of all, we need you're promise that no matter what happens, you'll stay loyal and most of all…quiet." She said.
"Yes." Bellamy agreed, "If anyone has any problems with doing something a little illegal, sort of, leave now." He said sternly. Clarke couldn't help it, but she threw her gaze desperately to Wells. She hopped he didn't leave. She saw Miller lean forward, but didn't move. Everyone sort of looked at each other with curious looks, but didn't leave because everyone had done something a little illegal at least once.
Wells did look to Clarke, and she felt Bellamy's eyes on the back of her head. She sent a silent plea to him to stay, to not say anything, and he finally gave a slow nod. He seemed to understand, even if he didn't know, that whatever this was meant a great deal to Clarke.
"Well…great." Bellamy seemed genuinely surprised, "So…erm, everyone meet Octavia…" He said, and Octavia exited the bathroom where she'd been waiting. She was shaking, and her eyes ranked over the group, "This is…my sister."
There was just a silence. An awful, agonizing silence where half of the people stood (to do what, no one was sure), and then some looked at Simon as though maybe this almost had something to do with him, and the others just looked between Jasper, Bellamy, and Octavia who indeed had a small ring on her finger.
Then, out of the silence was a cackling laugher. "Oh shit! This just got juicy." Murphy snorted, slapping the table in total amusement.
"That's Murphy, right?" Octavia guessed instantaneously, "Ohh…I like him."
"She's almost as pretty as you, Blake." Murphy teased with a friendly leer.
"Oh, shut it." Bellamy muttered.
This broke the dam and everyone was asking questions at once. Bellamy tried to get them to quiet down, but was failing. Jasper had migrated over to Octavia and slipped his hand in hers. Clarke finally got fed up and wolf whistled. This quieted the crowd.
"We have a plan and we need your help." She said firmly, and then regaled her findings of Melody and her idea for the third time.
"So you need us…to back it up." Gina realized, nodding, "To make the invisible girl real."
"Exactly." Bellamy looked relived, "But more than that...we need some of your help specifically in other places." He admitted, "Like Raven and Wells." He said, surprising Wells to hear his name.
"This is nuts." Wells whispered, still trying to wrap his head around it.
"But you won't tell, will you?" It was Bree that turned to him fearfully, "You can't tell on her!" Bellamy was surprised with the fervor she expressed.
"I…" Wells seemed caged, "This is…" He couldn't find the words.
"If you tell on her, Wells Regulus Jaha…I swear on my mother I will break up with you and never speak to you again!"
Somewhere in the back of the room, Murphy began to whisper 'ohh burn' before at least three people hit him.
Wells stumbled back at her words, and Clarke felt a gentle nudge in her side from Bellamy, who looked at her and tilted his head. She scowled, but saw his indecision still and sighed.
"Please, Wells." Clarke broke in, and he turned to her, his whole face contorted with conflict, "Why punish her when she's already here? She never asked to be born. And her mom…Aurora, she's like the nicest person ever and she's been punished enough by having an illegal child. What she has to do, the people she has to do it with-," She saw Bellamy flinch out of the corner of her eye. He didn't like admitting what his mother did to keep them fed when they were younger, but Clarke knew that pointing out Aurora's sacrifices might sway him, "To keep them alive is almost punishment enough. But taking her away? That's just cruel. Melody is dead. She has been for three weeks. She has a whole life that's just…waiting, untouched. The ark is about using the resources wisely. This would be a wise use of that life. I'm not saying we should be flippant about all illegal children and that rules are meant to be broken. I'm just saying that out of everything we'll ever do, this is maybe one of the most pure and good things we could."
Everyone's eyes were on Wells, and he knew it. Clarke watched him carefully. He finally forced himself to look at Octavia, something he'd been avoiding. Clark knew his fight was over the moment he truly saw her as a person.
"I won't tell." He said, "The council is not always right." He said and then let out a long breath, "I guess you want me to appeal for the marriage application to go through quickly and without problems?" He said.
"If it should arise. We anticipate a girl coming back from the shadow lands will be like a soap opera. People will want to see her get married. It's what people live for on here." Bellamy pointed out.
"And I need you Raven to hack into the medical records and switch out Melody's blood DNA with Octavia, in the case anyone checks." Clarke said.
"Easy." Raven beamed, "I mean, not that I've hacked into any medical records before…" She backtracked, looking at not only Wells but also the multiple guards around the room.
"Like we don't know you've almost been in every mainframe of the Ark." Wells sighed, "And after this…?" He waved at Octavia, "Nothing you could say would be surprising or as incriminating…"
"So if I told you I killed a man…" Murphy began.
"Almost nothing." Wells revisited, then scowled, "Wait…have you?"
"Pff, no. What kinda guy do you think I am?" Murphy rolled his eyes.
"So…what's her back-story? The sordid love affair you'll tell the world?" Harper asked, excitement and curiosity gleaming in her eyes.
"We thought we'd leave it up to all of you." Octavia said, "You're the ones that will have to back it. Collectively, Jasper and I thought we'd make it up together, so no one is confused about anything. Being consistent is key." Octavia said.
"You know…" Finn coughed in the back of the room, "I read somewhere in a psych book about lying that the easiest way to assure something is consistent is to go off what is reality…with minor changes. That way you don't have to memorize a whole other set of rules to a life."
"I heard that too." Miller agreed.
"I feel a brainstorm coming…" Monty said, looking a little less upset that he hadn't been informed, "Octavia, want to sit by me while we do this? I'm dying to meet the girl that got Jasper to settle down."
In the end, Melody's story was an odd combination of Octavia's life as well as the real Melody.
The story was mutually agreed upon to be this: A year ago, Clarke had a young orphan summon her with the fear another older orphan might be dead. Clarke dutifully went to check on her, and found Melody very much alive but severely starved and dehydrated. Being the good Samaritan Clarke was, she dragged Melody back to the nearest place she could think of; her new boyfriend's place (the Blake's). As Melody began to return back to health, both Clarke and Bellamy became close to her and were sad to see her go. She was, admittedly, a little unsure about spending time with these two people, but try as she might, she couldn't resist the idea of friends. Not long after her rescue, she met Jasper and it was rather all downhill from there.
She met the rest of the group at varying points of time. The reason it took a year for her to return to being declared 'alive' was because despite it all, she was still the scared child that ran away after her parents were killed. Taking in the Ark, in all it has to offer, is a scary new thing. But she was so in love with Jasper that she made the effort to slowly rejoin society and now she feels as though she's ready to take the full plunge.
For the next five days, the entire group helped out in varying ways, avoiding Aurora's work schedule (Octavia nor Bellamy had found the right words to tell her yet) and preparing Octavia or 'Melody' for the life outside these four walls.
Raven, as Clarke requested, hacked into the medical files in a time frame that made Wells have to bite his tongue as he watched, and made Raven casually suggest better firewalls.
Miller drew out a painstakingly accurate floor plan of the Ark. Even if Melody were an orphan, she would know her way around and he quizzed Octavia relentlessly upon aspects of the Ark and it's floors.
Murphy, Harper, and Monroe helped Bellamy out by being sparring partners with Octavia as he taught her hand-to-hand combat. She picked up on it with ease that terrified Bellamy. Murphy's lamenting about how good of a guard she could have been verified the fact that his sister was a born warrior.
Everyone else schooled Octavia on basic facts, cut-and-dry lessons of their own trade, and things someone who grew up 'free' on the Ark would just know.
And then the day came.
Bellamy didn't know how to feel. He recalled looking into the mirror of his house that day, years ago, that he went to pick his life's career. How he felt that it was so monumental and life-changing that when he looked at himself again, he would be different. And now nothing in the world at that moment could match how strange it felt to be leaving one life and going into the next.
That had nothing on this day.
And perhaps, like him, Octavia was reflecting on the different sort of person she was going to become today too. She also looked longingly into the mirror, and whether it was mourning a bit for this life she was leaving (as awful as it was, it had kept her alive) or she was preparing for the worst-case scenario he wasn't sure. One thing was for sure…Bellamy, on getting a job, stayed pretty much the same. It wasn't truly as big as a metamorphosis as he had thought. Octavia though? Everything was going to shift now.
She was nervous, playing with her ring on her finger as the Blake siblings sat together at their table. They were waiting for their mother to return home. Then, after, in an hour, Clarke, Simon, and Jasper would be by to take her out for the first time ever (lucid, at least) and announce Melody's miraculous re-discovery to the world.
The door opened, and Aurora arrived back, carting her large satchel of scrap fabrics and other sewing supplies with her.
"Hey, sweeties." She greeted, kissing both of them on the forehead. Then she frowned, stepping back and noticing Octavia's hair done up and the slightest powdering of makeup Clarke had borrowed to her, "What's going on."
"Mom…" Octavia blurted, but found the rest of the words caught in her throat. Her engagement ring was clasp tightly in her fist, and he saw her quickly glance down at it. It gave her strength, but she still paused, unsure of what to begin first.
"I have something to tell you. I just want you to be quite until I'm finished. It will be easier that way." She finally decided, her forehead crinkling. Aurora frowned, looking at Bellamy and he just gave a small nod. His fingertips drummed on the table, as nervous as Octavia.
"I'm engaged." Octavia said first, which wasn't what he would have begun with, but it seemed to calm his sister now that she could finally wear it without having to quickly take it off whenever her mother was around, "His name is Jasper and he's…so amazing. I can't even find the words to describe him but he's no one I ever thought I'd work with, the kind of guy if I could date I would, and I think that's why we work. We've been together awhile now. It was an accident he found out about me, but nothing I regret. I know you're concerned about how this will work obviously but Clarke figured out a way to place me back into society. As this dead girl, who was an orphan…Melody." Octavia placed the holotablet on her mother's lap, with the dead girl's final pictures, her own photo, and a picture of Melody as a child all together. The three looked like they belonged.
"We've been planning my return for awhile now…as Melody. I'm not asking permission mom, I'm telling you what's going to happen. I'm going to go out there today and take her name and her life, which is free for me right now, and god willing I'm going to marry Jasper. And I'm going to be so happy." Bellamy saw tears gathering in his sister's eyes, but tears of relief and a sense of relief. She'd been fighting against her imprisonment her entire life, despite that's what kept her alive. Now, for the first time ever, it was as though she just dropped all that stress and knew she'd never have to pick it back up, "Octavia Blake-who wasn't supposed to exist in the first place- now is just a memory."
There was just silence for a moment. His mother had only made a couple protesting sounds during her speech, but Octavia had been so high strung that she just kept talking, never giving her mother a chance to really interject.
"I…" Her mother mouthed words silently, but seemed shocked, "Octavia…"
"It's Melody. Or, it will be from now on." She gave her brother a quick glance, for reassurance and he gave a small grin. It had been hard, but slowly he'd been easing himself into calling her Melody, as painful as it was. When he was out in public there could be no hesitation to call her that. It was a necessary sacrifice.
"I knew it. You'd hate it." Octavia's face soured.
"I'm just concerned." Aurora put delicately, "What about-,"
"I assure you, we've thought of it." Octavia answered before she could finish. Their mother spent the next couple minuets grilling Octavia on every plan B, every scapegoat option, every possible way this could implode upon them. At each question either Bellamy or Octavia had an answer.
"We've thought this through, mom. We've been working on it for days now, non-stop. We're not stupid." Octavia finally stressed, "Once again, whether you want this or not, it's happening. I have a chip now, my blood is in the system as Melody's and there is literally nothing stopping me from walking out that door right now. The only thing that could fuck up things is if you were to claim me as your illegal second child, but hell…we both know you won't do that."
Octavia stood, "I think I'm ready to go out there, Bell." She said, turning to her brother.
"Octavia, or Melody…" Their mother frowned, using the name. It was a start, "I just want what's best for you. Don't you think I've imaged this sort of possibly in my every dream? This life for you? Understand though why I'm scared."
Octavia's face softened as her mother gently touched her scar on the inside of her arm, now no different than the ones her brother and mom had.
"I do." She said quietly, "I'm fucking terrified, honestly." She gave a sharp laugh, "But I'm done living like I live here. I'm ready to move on. And I'm not leaving yet…obviously I'm living here until I get married."
Aurora's eyes misted as she glanced at the sparkling ring on Octavia's finger.
"When this is done today, invite him to dinner. I think I should get to meet him before you get properly married, don't you think?" In her own quiet way, this was their mother's blessing. Bellamy understood if she said much more she might not be able to find words to speak again.
"Of course. You'll love him." Octavia promised.
There was a rap on the door. Bellamy stood, and realized he was still shaking from the intense confrontation, and opened the door to Clarke.
"Hey, O." She said, "We all good?"
"Yeah. We are." Octavia's face split into a grin. She, for the first time ever, yanked the door open fully so that she could see into the long hallway expanse of the Ark outside their door.
"Mrs. Blake…" Clarke nodded respectfully to their mother. Aurora pulled Clarke into a tight hug, quite unexpectedly.
"I always knew you were brilliant. But without you and your discovery of Melody…" Aurora pulled back, looking Clarke in the eye to truly convey her sincerity and gratitude, "You will give my daughter a gift that is the most precious thing in the world, and something I could never give…I am forever grateful."
"I love Octavia, but you know that." Clarke said, "And she deserves this."
"Come on!" Octavia now hopped impatiently by the door, "We have the entire world to see!" She said, grabbing Clarke's hand, who grabbed Bellamy's and pulled them out the door. There was only a moment's hesitation when she passed the threshold, but then she was flying free.
Aurora waved at her children with one hand, holding her other hand over her lips in disbelief and awe. The door shut behind them.
Octavia's eyes were full of wonder at literally everything they passed. She whispered under her breath where each shoot led, Miller's A plus teaching and maps proving their worth.
At the entrance to the Factory Station, Simon and Jasper were waiting. She squealed, running up and embracing Jasper.
"You're actually out." He said, gripping her tightly and pushing his nose into her hair, "Incredible."
"My mom wants to have you over for dinner tonight." She said, bouncing on the balls of her feet.
"So it went well?" Jasper gave a grin.
"Surprisingly, yeah." She nodded, "This is so…beautiful." She breathed, spinning in a circle.
"It's really not," Simon gave a 'pfft', "They don't clean it as much as they should and there's dust all over here. Plus the rust and-,"
"Have you seen the inside of my house before? This is like…this is so much better." Octavia pointed out.
"I think it's so cute how you see the Ark. Reminds us of exactly what we forget to be thankful for." Jasper said, loping an arm around her shoulder, "Now come this way…I want to be the first to show you something."
He led her to the sky window, and Octavia took a few tentative steps toward it. She pressed her face against the glass like a child, breathing out hard as she looked at the moon and the earth for the first time.
"We came from there…" She whispered faintly, "Unbelievable!"
"One day, our kid or grandkid or something, will go back." Jasper point out, and she turned to him, grinning wildly. Bellamy's face went red. Sure, he'd known that Octavia was getting married for a while now but it wasn't until that moment that he realized one of the prime resultants of married couples…babies. The idea that his sister could be having children within a short time made him feel uncomfortable. The fact he could be an Uncle soon felt even stranger to him.
"There's a lot more to do today, c'mon." Clarke beckoned, and Octavia practically danced in front of her, Jasper hurrying to catch up.
Simon fell beside Bellamy, his face guarded. He looked a little sad.
"This must be hard for you." Bellamy said, "I'm sorry."
"I didn't have to come today. I want to see this for her." Simon said, stuffing his hands in his coat pockets, "I'm actually really happy for her." His voice was a bit raw, as though maybe he'd cried a little today.
"But you think of Charlotte."
"How can I not?" Simon questioned, turning toward Bellamy, "How can I not see a happier ending for her, if maybe I was as lucky as you? But I'm not jealous. I realize the situation this happened was incredibly coincidental at best and it's not something we could have done for her anyway. I still want to hope and stay that way that she'll get released when she's 18."
"If you were upset, I wouldn't blame you." Bellamy said quietly. Simon shook his head resolutely.
"No. There is literally no bitterness. I have come-and I'm not trying to replace my sister, let me assure you- come to love Octavia, like family. You want the very best for your family." Simon said.
"I've come to care for Charlotte in the same way." Bellamy agreed, thinking back to the long hours he'd spend off duty sitting with her at her cell and how he'd really taken to her and worried about her like a family member.
"Do you love me too?" Simon teased cheekily, smirking at Bellamy. He responded by shoving him into the nearest wall.
"I think they'd get on great, our sisters." Bellamy said, rolling his eyes at his best friend.
"I think they will too."
Bellamy didn't miss his use of the future, so certain. Bellamy wished he could be as confident, but he knew the corruptness of the Ark's system that sometimes killed happy endings. He would fight with everything he had to let that not happen, though.
They rounded on the Alpha station of the Ark, and Bellamy couldn't wait to see her reaction. It was cleaner here, more beautiful. Before they reached it, Octavia gave a sound of surprise and ran to hug three figures waiting for her.
"Guys!" She said, bringing Monty, Raven, and Murphy into a large three-way-hug, "What are you doing here?"
"Clearly, waiting for you." Murphy said, shrugging casually.
"How is it, O?" Monty asked, searching her face.
"So incredible." Octavia replied.
"Raven…you know you'll see here again soon enough, if this goes well with Jaha."
"Oh, it was John here that insisted we see you guys on your way, even if just for a moment." Raven chided, and John's whole faced flushed tomato red, something Bellamy had never seen before. He didn't disagree with her statement, though.
"Thanks, really, dude." Jasper said, nodding to him.
"Yeah, course." Murphy tried to sound flippant, but couldn't if he tried. Bellamy realized that he'd formed strong bonds with Jasper over the years and Octavia over a few short days. To see Murphy caring for people, other than Raven, was such a concept and so vastly different from the boy Bellamy knew once that he found himself so incredibly glad that he was now in their lives and vice versa.
"Good luck." Monty hugged Jasper, "We're all obviously counting on this." He grinned.
The group of four left the group of three and continued on. They reached Jaha's door finally, and Octavia let out a couple nervous breaths. The idea of the chancellor was always a boogieman to Octavia as a child, so confronting him now was like staring your biggest fear in the face.
"I'm not Octavia, but Melody Byers and I'm back from the dead…and I am stronger that that." She whispered to herself and then gave a firm nod, "I'm ready."
Clarke knocked on the door. Wells answered, expecting them, but feigned surprise. He gave a soft supportive smile Octavia's way. He'd never expressed doubt about this plan after truly meeting Octavia. He'd confided to Clarke a day earlier that when he met her he couldn't deny the good of this plan, the purity. It was easier to push aside laws and regulations and his prior disputes when it was something so…transcendent of those laws.
"It's Clarke, dad. She says she has something to talk to you about." He called back into the living room.
"Ah, Clarke!" Bellamy heard his booming voice, "Come on in." He grabbed his sister's other hand and the four went in.
"Jasper, Bellamy…nice to see you too." Jaha was always in a good mood when Clarke was around. His eyes settled on Octavia and he frowned, "Whose this?" Though the large number of people upon the Ark, Jaha made it a point to at least recognize each member, maybe even know their names.
"Mr. Jaha…it's my pleasure to introduce you to Melody Byers. She's an orphan and up until a year ago, she was presumed to be dead." Clarke said, getting straight to the point.
Jaha tilted his head, "Why don't we sit. I think this might take some explaining. Wells…get something for us to eat?"
"Sure, dad." He agreed, nodding, and returned with some bowls of potato chips.
Octavia stared at them like it was a gift from god. Even as an orphan, she probably wouldn't see many of these so it was a reasonable reaction. She'd been schooled in reacting properly to things, hours of Inmprov Theater with Gina, who directed the Ark's thespian group, giving her all sorts of situations and activities to make her think like an orphan and not an illegal child. As similar as they were in some ways, they were vastly different in others.
"Did you know about this?" Jaha asked his son.
"I've only been in on it for a couple months. But yeah, we knew…Bree and I." Wells confirmed.
"I see. Why am I just learning of this now?" Jaha questioned, no anger in his voice, but just an even tone. He was trying to work it all out.
"Well, the world here is scary. Why didn't I return six years ago, or eight, or ten?" Octavia shrugged, "It's easier to be unseen sometimes, after something so awful. But then I was near death, and Clarke found me. I started making friends, to my horror, and I fell in love with one of them." She joked and Jasper lightly pushed her shoulder. She reached out for Jasper's hand, "He proposed to me a couple days ago. It terrifies me to return, but I want to marry him more than anything in the world. And, after all this time, it would be nice to belong somewhere again."
Bellamy tried not to grin like an idiot. His sister was a natural born actress! Then again, most of her emotions and feelings derived from reality, it was just the semantics that changed slightly.
"But it's a bit hard to fill out a marriage application with someone who's apparently dead." Jasper said, putting in his humor to ease the situation. Jaha cracked a smile.
"I suppose it would be. Who else knows of you?"
Octavia rattled off the names, and Jaha continued to nod. There were many questions, and a blood test, which he apologized for but he did want to be sure, which of course (thanks to Raven) came back as a match. He even pulled up the pictures of Melody as a child and seemed to believe it. Octavia gave her story with such heart that it was hard to think it could be a whole big lie.
"There's no procedure for this. It's never been done before…I feel ashamed that I didn't find you sooner, and it makes me wonder…" He gave a shake of his head, "But is providence that Clarke found you. I want to be the first to formally welcome you back as a member of the Ark."
And that was how Melody Byers came back from the dead.
The next couple days were a whirlwind. Jaha tested Octavia on different skills to try to find her a suitable position within society, since she was over 17. The news got out quickly, as most things did, and every holotablet was plastered with stories of Melody coming home.
Octavia had many people coming up to her and hugging her without warning, usually followed by a comment such as 'you are the spitting image of your father' or 'You really got your mom's eyes.' It was a little unnerving for her, but after the first incident, she came to expect it. Not a singular person questioned anything. The only person that Clarke thought might stir up some trouble was Kane, because when he first saw her he stopped and just…stared at her for what seemed like an hour. In the end, he just shook his head, as though he was shaking away a thought, and moved on…saying not a single word. It was…strange, overall.
Jaha and others periodically questioned the people that supposedly knew about her, trying to imagine how they missed a person being alive all these years. Everyone stuck to the story. No one tripped up. It was too important.
Octavia, in the next few days, just took long walks along the Ark. She always had a companion, usually Jasper, but sometimes another person. She started learning the names of the rest of the people from their after school group, because they were all clambering to meet the girl that had returned. Some claimed to remember her in their classes as a child. Octavia, for the first time in her life, walked freely without a fear in the world.
It wasn't surprising at all their marriage application was expedited. When they got the news they were approved, Jasper picked Octavia up and swung her around, foreheads touching and both fighting back tears.
"It's happening, holy shit." Japer whispered.
"Cold feet?" Octavia questioned. He shook his head.
"Never."
The wedding took place two weeks from announcing her return to life. Bellamy, Clarke, Simon, Monty, Raven, Murphy, Aurora, Jasper's parents (who had met Octavia the day she returned and loved her immediately) and Clarke's parents along with the Jaha's were in attendance. They had to keep it small because everyone wanted to be there. It was possibly the most well attended wedding as it was. Aurora was given a roll of nice lace by Jaha and made a beautiful wedding dress for her daughter, but of course he didn't know the underlying connection. He just knew that Aurora had been kind enough to keep her with her while she was recovering and even commented the sort of mother-daughter bond that had occurred.
Bellamy cried when his sister said 'I Do'. He knew Clarke would probably tease him for being a wuss later, but he couldn't find the will to care. Clarke wasn't going to tease him at all, but found his emotion towards his sisters as always the most endearing thing about him.
Jasper and Melody Jordan, the names on their marriage certificate, were now official. Quietly, Bellamy heard Jasper murmuring 'Octavia Jordan' under his breath and saw his sister smiling stupidly, more tenderly at him than he'd ever seen her look at anyone.
They were given an apartment in Geo/Sci station, a step up for Jasper and far above anything Octavia could ever hope to have lived in. It was near royalty. This was Jaha's official wedding gift to them, since he said Melody deserved something nice after years of sleeping in drafty moldy areas.
They didn't have to worry about things to fill the space with. People, random stranger, sent them coins and furniture alike, wishing them well. As Clarke reiterated to a shocked Bellamy, everyone loved a good love story.
That day, after everything was moved in, Octavia returned to her house she'd only seen the inside of for nearly 18 years. She had few items of her own; the mask Clarke made for her, her childhood blanket and stuffed animal, a couple sets of clothing…and that was mostly it.
For a last moment, the Blake family was together again.
He saw his sister open the hatch to the hole in the ground for the last time.
"Started from the bottom, now we're here." He said, reciting a classical line of song lyrics from the archive. She turned to him, grinning with mirth.
"I suppose that is extremely appropriate." She agreed. She looked back at the hole, "Damn, so glad to never have to see the inside of that again."
"So…now you're going on to something bigger and better, huh?" He asked.
She bit her lip. "I sure as hell hope so." She paused, "Hey, want to help me carry my stuff?" He voice was quiet. She could easily carry it in one trip, no help. But he understood she wasn't really asking him to help lug things all the way to her new house.
"Of course." He agreed, and together they crossed over the door a final time, Aurora hugging her and making her promise she'd still return to visit, and moving toward something bigger than both of them.
The apartment was mostly moved in. Their bed was recently restored and they had more than one room, which was like the best thing Bellamy could imagine.
Jasper was out, getting his childhood things from his room as well. Bellamy placed the scarce items he had in his fingers on a shelf, looking around.
"This is it then, Melody." He said. He'd gotten quite used to calling her that, and it didn't upset him as much as it once had because this was so much better than it was before.
"Please, call me Octavia…one last time?" She requested in such a small voice that it made him emotional.
"Of course. Octavia…O…" He whispered, throwing his arms around her, "God, I love you."
"You'll always be my insufferable big brother, no matter what people call me now. Remember that." She said, "Now go on…you'll still see me. Let me get settled." She said, and he understood.
"I'll see you around." He agreed returning to the house.
He was fine until the night. Then, he turned to look at his sister on their bed and she was gone and it all came crashing down on him. It was so empty in their house, something so painfully missing. His whole body ached at the hollowness, but underneath it all, it was a good sort of pain.
At 4 am, he couldn't stand the loneliness anymore.
He found himself at Clarke's door, and she didn't seem surprised at all he was here. She seemed to be expecting him. Without saying a word, he knew she understood and it was moments like this he was truly grateful she was dating him. Their connection was quiet and profound.
They snuck back into her bedroom in the darkness, and she curled up with him clutching her close to him.
In the blackness surrounding them, he murmured the words he'd wanted to say for ages now.
"I love you, Clarke." He said to the dimness.
She turned, also clearly expecting something of the sort-this sort of declaration, but she was smiling now, "I know. I love you too, Bell." Even if she was expecting it, her whole face turned pink and an infectious smile filled her features.
With Clarke, the emptiness vanished until his whole heart was filled with ease and the simplicity of loving something and being loved in return. There wasn't a better feeling he could imagine experiencing as her heartbeat and soft hand curled around his lulled him to sleep.
So, I was reading back through and realized I'd never really had Bellamy say 'I Love You' in a big way to Clarke...? So I'm sure he has by this point, but I thought it was important that he say it. It's not like his first time, but it's still a big deal because I think now he's saying it within a different sort of mind view, as they have just seen two people they love very much getting married.
So, please review! The next chapter is a big one, or should I say THE big one, so hopefully that will be encouragement enough to review ;)
