"This section should be finished by tomorrow." Murphy spoke to Bellamy, Reigna by his side. She looked over the group of delinquents all bustling around to get the camps new wall built as fast as possible. Reigna elbowed Murphy gently in the side as she watched Connor falter while carrying a particularly large tree branch with another delinquent at the front. Murphy immediately squared his shoulders and began walking towards Connor, who was now kneeling on the ground.
"Hey! You think the grounders are gonna just sit around, and wait for us to finish the wall?" Murphy asked rhetorically, gesturing to the haphazard construction around them. Bellamy furrowed his brows and glanced to Reigna, who was watching Murphy go on, unbothered by his attitude.
"Why don't you ever stop him from doing shit like this?" Bellamy asked genuinely and Reigna shrugged, keeping her eyes on a still talking Murphy.
"Why would I? All we know is anger and fighting, why would I of all people try to take that away when i'm the exact same way." Reigna responded and Bellamy frowned before turning back to Murphy.
"Murphy, get this guy some water." Bellamy yelled to Murphy, who looked pissed at the statement before turning and speaking quieter to Charlotte who was nearby. Bellamy picked up the tree branch by himself, lifting it up onto his shoulders and walked off. Murphy looked back to where Reigna was, still leaning her back against a completed part of the wall, hands stuffed in the pockets of Murphy's jacket he had given her earlier that morning. Smirking, he sent a wink to Reigna before turning his back to her. Reigna furrowed her brows in confusion before hearing the zip of Murphy's fly and clapped her hands over her mouth to keep from laughing loudly at the sight of Murphy peeing on Connor. That lasted a few seconds before Connor realized and sprang up, attempting to shove Murphy before the two guys flanking him kept Connor away.
"You said you wanted a water break." Murphy said with a smile and halfhearted shrug before backing away to Reigna who finally stepped forward.
"Now get back to work!" Reigna yelled, effectively making all the delinquents who had stopped to gawk or stare back into a flurry of movement.
-0-
Reigna stood between Bellamy and Octavia as Clarke picked up the knife Octavia and Jasper had brought into the tent. Reigna didn't really want to be a part of this discussion, but figured once Octavia frantically told her half the story before grabbing her hand and dragging her to Bellamy's tent, she didn't have a choice but to follow her favorite Blake sibling.
"This knife is made of metal from the dropship." Clarke noted. Reigna narrowed her eyes at the knife in question, the look of it itching the back of her brain but not bringing up anything.
"What do you mean?" Jasper asked nervously.
"Who else knows about this?" Clarke asked quickly, glancing between Octavia and Jasper.
"No one that isn't in here. I grabbed Reigna then we came straight here." Octavia relayed, taking a deep breath.
"Clarke?" Jasper said her name like a question as she looked over the knife again.
"It means one of the grounders didn't kill Wells. It was one of us." Clarke deduced. Reigna felt Octavia stiffen beside her.
"So there's a murderer in camp?" Jasper's voice got higher as he spoke, sounding more nervous than before. Reigna could almost swear she felt Clarke's eyes look her up and down as Jasper spoke. Narrowing her eyes at Clarke, Reigna opened her mouth to speak before Bellamy discreetly put a hand on her wrist and quickly spoke up.
"There's more than one murderer in this camp. This isn't news. We need to keep this quiet." Reigna shook his hand off her, glaring down at his hand in defyance. She had half a mind to tell him off for his backhanded way of implying she was also a murderer. Clarke ignored his words and surged toward the door, Bellamy quickly standing before the exit, blocking her way out.
"Get out of my way, Bellamy." Clarke stood her ground, gripping the knife in her hand tightly.
"Clarke, be smart about this. Look at what we've achieved… The wall, the patrols." Bellamy paused, looking over Clarke's face for any change, "Like it or not, thinking the grounders killed Wells is good for us." Bellamy finished with a sigh.
"Oh good for you, you mean. What… Keep people afraid and they'll work for you?" Clarke asked, going so far as to gesture toward Reigna as she spoke.
"Hey," Reigna finally spoke up, moving around the table toward Bellamy and Clarke, "Fear of the grounders is building that wall. And what are you gonna do anyway, ask the killer to give himself up? Fat chance that'll work. We don't even know whose knife that is." Reigna finished, crossing her arms over her chest. But as soon as she finished speaking, her gut went nuts, giving Reigna an impending sense of doom. Looking at the knife one more time it finally clicked in Reigna's mind, making her widen her eyes.
"Oh yea, Reigna? J.M. John Murphy. The people have a right to know he's a murderer just as much as you are." Clarke spoke angrily and shoved past Bellamy, surging toward where Murphy was standing, directing the delinquents. Octavia and Jasper followed quickly after her. Reigna rushed to follow as well but Bellamy seized her arm, keeping her from rushing out.
"Bellamy! Let me go!" Reigna tried to roughly rip her arm away from Bellamy, but he held tight, pulling her closer to him.
"Why didn't you tell me-"
"Because he didn't do it! Murphy's a fucking asshole but he isn't a murderer. Bellamy!" Reigna was shocked his anger.
"And how am I supposed to believe you both didn't plan this." Bellamy asked, making Reigna's blood run cold. Outside the tent, Reigna heard Clarke yelling accusations at Murphy, Octavia joining in at one point. Panicking, Reigna planted her foot in Bellamy's gut and pulled her arm from his grasp swiftly, sprinting outside to where all the delinquents were gathering around Murphy. Shoving them all aside Reigna rushed to Murphy's side, grasping his hand tightly before glaring at Clarke.
"You bitch, it wasn't him. He's with me all the time and he lost that knife like a week ago." Reigna tried to explain.
"How should I know. You could have planned this with him." Clarke yelled back.
"This is ridiculous. I don't have to answer to you. I don't have to answer to anyone." Murphy yelled back at Clarke, gripping Reigna's hand tighter, as if to ground him.
"Come again?" Reigna felt immediate rage at the sound of Bellamy's voice. The same Bellamy who promised to help keep Murphy safe was betraying that promise right in front of her eyes.
"Bellamy. He didn't do this." Reigna pleaded, feeling her chest tighten as she looked at Bellamy, arms crossed and face unmoving.
"They found his fingers on the ground with your knife." Bellamy spoke to Murphy, completely disregarding Reigna.
"Is this the kind of society that we want?" Clarke started, Reigna glanced around at all the delinquents around them, inching closer to Murphy as they all rallied with Clarke on her rampage, "You say there should be no rules. Does that mean that we can kill each other without punishment?"
"I already told you, I didn't kill anyone." Murphy pleaded.
"I say we float him." Reigna heard Connor's voice behind her. At this she pulled one of her own knives out of her waistband and gripped Murphy's hand so tightly her knuckles began turning white. Delinquents all around her rallied behind Connor, screaming and cheering for Murphy to be floated.
"That's not what i meant" Clarke tried to reason with them but the damage had already been done. Reigna could feel panic rising in her chest as she eyed the cheering mob surrounding them.
"Why not? He deserves to float. Its justice." Connor nearly had to yell over the crowd.
"Revenge isn't justice." Clarke yelled back in a panic. One of the delinquents made a move towards Murphy and Reigna lashed out, cutting him on the arm before he retreated into the yelling mob, screaming for Murphy to be floated. Reigna glanced over her shoulder at Murphy, who was wearing an expression she had never seen before. Pure, unadulterated fear. Just before Reigna could open her mouth to speak to him, she was forcefully ripped away from Murphy and held tightly in someone's grasp as Murphy was knocked to the ground and kicked and gagged. Reigna had never screamed to hard or loud in her life, kicking and flinging her arm around hoping to catch someone with her knife. Tears flooded her eyes as Murphy was roughly dragged away. The person holding Reigna dragged her along, forcing her to watch as Murphy was shoved down a hill into mud. Reigna continued to kick and scream his name, roughly shoving at the body keeping her hostage and being let go. Attempting to escape down the hill to Murphy, Reigna was quickly seized by three more delinquents who held her down, wrists behind her back, effectively keeping her from cutting or stabbing anyone. Reigna screamed so loud her throat felt raw when she saw the delinquents fashioning a noose for Murphy, watching as the looped the belt around his neck and threw the top around a tree branch. Connor looked to Bellamy, axe in hand with a disgusting smile on his face.
"Bellamy, you should do it." Connor said, prompting all the surrounding delinquents to chant his name. Reigna yelled through her tears, beginning to squirm and flail, attempting to escape as she looked up at Murphy's beaten, bloody and mud covered face. Reigna realized through all this, he looked to her every chance he got. Reigna stared up at Murphy's face, fear clear in his eyes before turning to Bellamy as he took the axe from Connor.
"Bellamy no! You know he didn't do it! Please don't hurt him! Please-" Reigna pleaded to Bellamy, her voice raw with emotion. He looked to her once before taking a step forward and being interrupted by Clarke.
"Bellamy, please. I know you aren't a killer. You can't do this!" Clarke pleaded alongside Reigna for completely different reasons. In her whole life, Reigna had never felt so helpless. Watching as Bellamy strode toward Murphy, who was pleading for his life through his gag Reigna sobbed unrestrained.
"Murphy! I love you! I'm so sorry-" Over and over before Bellamy finally kicked the box out from under Murphy, leaving him hanging and quickly suffocating.
Reigna's screams of pain mingled with the delinquents yells of excitement, continuing to struggle against the two guys keeping her pinned to the ground. Reigna could barely see Finn pushing through the crowd through her tears. Pushing Charlotte away and urging her to go, Finn yelled for Bellamy to cut him down. Other delinquents tried to take Charlotte away before she shoved them away.
"Stop! Okay? Murphy didn't kill Wells, I did!" Charlotte admitted, nearly silencing the hoarde before Reigna finally pushed the two guys off her. Clarke beat her to Murphy, cutting the belt holding him off the ground as Reigna rushed to his aid. Ripping the gag out of his mouth and loosening the noose from his neck. Reigna's breathing was rapid as she pushed Murphy's bloody and mud soaked hair away from his face, urging him to take deep breaths.
"You're okay. You're okay-" Reigna nodded, tears streaming down her face as Murphy's hand found hers and he tightly squeezed. But through the panic settling down in Reigna's chest, a stronger emotion was quickly replacing it. Red, burning hatred.
-0-
Bellamy, Clarke and Finn quickly whisked away Charlotte back to camp. Reigna helped Murphy to his feet, basically clinging to him as she helped him back to camp. Reigna's tears had dried and her fear replaced with anger and malice. A small group formed outside the tent the four were hiding out in. Reigna taking the time to look over Murphy's state with tear free eyes. His face was dirty with blood and mud and a dark bruise was forming where the noose was tied around his neck. Without thinking, Reigna reached up and gently brushed her hand against the side of Murphy's quickly bruising neck. Flinching slightly, Murphy gently caught Reigna's hand and held it tightly in a comforting manner.
"John, I'm sorr-"
"Don't," Murphy interrupted her, his voice rough from the noose, "You did everything you could. I don't blame you."
"I didn't know what else to do. I've never felt so helpless before. I almost had to watch you die." Reigna looked down and shook her head. Murphy was silent for a moment, the two could almost hear what the four were talking about in the tent.
"I love you too, Reigna." Murphy spoke, keeping his eyes trained on the tent.
"I know." Reigna responded with a small smile as more delinquents began to crowd behind the small group, "I just never thought i would get to hear you say it."
-0-
"Bring out the girl, Bellamy!" Murphy's angry voice would have sent shivers down her spine if she was a different person. Instead it strengthened her resolve. A glaring red reminder that the man Murphy was indirectly speaking to broke the only promise she gave him. Protect Murphy. Instead he tried to kill him. Her wrist twitched as she gripped the knife in her hand harder, all to prepared to bring harm to both Bellamy and Charlotte. After all their talk of justice if anyone deserved to be floated, it was her. A few beats passed and they heard nothing out of the tent. Murphy was pacing angrily before her, as she kept her eyes trained on the entrance of the tent.
"You want to build a society? Let's build one! Bring her out!" The words bubbled angrily out of Reigna's mouth before she could stop them, but not regretting them as she spoke them. Murphy finally stopped pacing at Reigna's voice and she moved forward to stand beside him, just as Bellamy exited the small tent before them.
"Well, Look who finally decided to join us." Murphy acted surprised as he glanced at Reigna out of the corner of his eye. Her face twisting in anger as soon as Bellamy entered her line of sight.
"Dial it down and back off, both of you." Bellamy sneered at the two of them. Reigna narrowed her eyes and gripped her knife harder at his tone.
"Or what. You gonna hang us?" Murphy asked, his voice dripping with malice as he glared at Bellamy.
"I was just giving the people what they want." He defended himself, causing Reigna to scoff.
"The people were wrong. But you don't really care about that do you?" Reigna asked rhetorically.
"Why don't we do that now? So, who wants to see the real murderer hung up? All in favor?" Murphy asked, raising his hand as he spoke, turning around to face the other delinquents. Reigna's hand shot up along with Miles, Mbege and one other boy. Reigna's shock was echoed on her face as she looked over the crowd. Her eyes landed on Octavia who was looking to Reigna with a hesitant expression. Reigna and the Blake sister had formed a tight friendship over the few days after Atom's death, even coming to trust the younger girl with the truth about her mother and imprisonment. But in that moment, Reigna had never hated the Blake siblings more. Beside her, Murphy was fuming.
"I see. So it's okay to string me up for nothing, but when this little bitch confesses, you all let her walk. Cowards! All of you are cowards!" Murphy yelled before Bellamy seized Murphy by his shoulders, forcing him to face him, Reigna turning on her own.
"Hey! It's over. You hear me? Over." Bellamy looked them both over once with a nod before letting him go. Murphy clenched his jaw before grabbing Reigna's hand and backing up with a passive shrug.
"Whatever you say, boss." Murphy looked at Bellamy once before looking to Reigna, who had her eyes trained on a pile of wood next to the tent. Murphy quickly got the hint and as soon as Bellamy's back was turned swiftly leaned down and grabbed a thick piece of wood, hitting Bellamy in the back of the head and knocking him unconscious. Reigna heard Octavia scream behind her and she turned on her heel, just in time to see Jasper surge forward toward Murphy.
Reigna shifted to the side and kicked her heel into the back of Jasper's knee, bringing him to his knees before punching him in the side of the head, knocking him completely to the ground. Octavia pushed past them both and rushed to her brother's side. Reigna shook out her hand before turning to Murphy, whose eyes were on fire.
"Let's get the girl." He spoke to the five of them before walking towards the test and throwing open the flap to find it completely empty. Angrily throwing down the flap, Murphy spun around and began yelling Charlotte's name.
"Charlotte! I know you can hear me! And when i find you, you are gonna pay!" He screamed out into the woods before turning to Reigna, who pulled another knife out of her waist and handed it to Murphy. Nodding once at her, he turned to look at the four behind him before nodding towards the woods. "Come on." And with that, Reigna followed beside Murphy on a manhunt.
-0-
A few hours passed and it was beginning to get dark in the woods.
"Charlotte! Clarke and Finn can't save you!" Murphy yelled into the endless seeming woods. The only reply they received was the sound of bugs and small animals scurrying away at the sound of his voice. After a minute of silence Murphy addressed Reigna.
"You don't have to do this for me, you know." He said.
"In case you haven't realized it by this point, John Murphy, I would literally walk into hell for you. Killing a kid isn't gonna weigh on my conscious as much as you might think," Reigna explained, "She almost got you killed. I almost lost you because of that bitch."
"Glad to you you'd kill for me." Murphy joked.
"Only because I know you'd do the same for me." Regina replied seriously.
"In case you hadn't realized it by this point, Reigna, I love you too much to let anything happen to you."
-0-
"Charlotte! You can't hide forever. Don't worry, we won't hurt you." Reigna yelled out into the woods. The sun had long since set, Miles and Mbege had acquired torches from the camp so they could semi-safely traverse the woods in search of Charlotte. In the distance Reigna heard a faint but clear 'i'm over here!'
"That way." Reigna nodded her head towards the voice, the five of them surged through the woods.
"Come on out, Charlotte!" Murphy yelled.
'Murphy! I'm over here!' Reigna heard Charlotte yell followed by a familiar voice urging her to be quiet.
"That asshole. Bellamy's helping her." Reigna told Murphy before the two began to run after Charlotte's fading voice.
-0-
"Charlotte!" Both Reigna and Murphy both exclaimed as Bellamy came into sight with a struggling Charlotte in his arms, pleading to be let down. The five followed as Bellamy darted through the bushes. Finally reaching a clearing, Reigna realized he had unintentionally cornered himself. Behind Bellamy was an endless seeming ravine with an unrelenting river at the bottom.
"Bellamy!" Murphy yelled upon exiting the trees and brush, seeing him cornered he slowed, Reigna stopping beside him, "You can't fight all of us. Just give her up." Murphy spoke, looking between Bellamy and Charlotte who he had behind him.
"Maybe not, but i guarantee i'll take a few of you with me." Bellamy spoke, his stance defensive.
"Bellamy, stop!" Reigna heard Clarke's voice call out to her left, "This has gone too far. Just calm down. We'll talk about this." She said standing between Murphy and Bellamy. Murphy was silent for a moment, looking at Clarke before looking at Charlotte over her shoulder before turning his head toward Reigna. She had her glare fixed before her, burning holes into Bellamy's head before she felt Murphy's eyes on her. Looking Murphy in the eyes for a second before darting her eyes to Clarke's semi-defenseless position, hoping he would follow her line of thinking.
"I'm sick of listening to you talk." Murphy almost growled, yanking on Clarke's arm that was closest to him, holding her against his chest with a knife to her neck, clearly proving to Reigna that he got her idea.
"Let her go!" Bellamy yelled, preparing to surge forward before Reigna held up her own knife in a defensive position, prepared to throw it into Bellamy's leg.
"I will slit her throat." Murphy threatened, holding tighter on the squirming Clarke and pressing the knife harder against her neck.
"No! Please don't hurt her!" Charlotte pleaded behind Bellamy. At the sound of her voice, Murphy twisted the knife, digging the tip into the flesh of Clarke's throat before Reigna put a gentle hand on his arm.
"Okay, we won't, but you have to make a deal with us first. You come with us right now and we'll let her go." Reigna spoke calmly, looking Charlotte dead in her eyes.
"Don't do it, Charlotte." Clarke called out to her as she tried to push past Bellamy.
"Murphy. Reigna. This isn't happening." He addressed them as he finally got Charlotte to stop struggling. The air was tense for a while, until Reigna looked away from Bellamy and back to Charlotte, who looked strangely calm for the situation they were in.
"I can't let any of you get hurt anymore. Not because of me. Not after what I did." Charlotte said quietly with a shake of her head. Reigna furrowed her brows in confusion before Charlotte turned and ran. In shock, Murphy released Clarke who ran to the edge of the ravine with Bellamy, screaming Charlotte's name. Reigna looked at Murphy with wide eyes as he stared at Clarke and Bellamy hunched over at the edge of the cliff crying Charlotte's name. Reigna almost wanted to slap herself for thinking 'it's what she deserved' even though she knew Murphy was most likely thinking the same thing. Reigna watched as Bellamy finally stood from his kneeling position at the cliff and turned to Murphy and Reigna with murder in his eyes.
"Bellamy." Murphy spoke first, his tone hesitant as Bellamy took a slow step toward Murphy, averting all his attention away from Reigna. The hair on Reigna's neck stood on end as she looked at Bellamy, opening her mouth to try to warn Murphy but Bellamy beat her voice, tackling the younger delinquent to the ground and beginning to savagely pound his fists into Murphy's face.
"Bellamy! Get the hell off him!" Reigna screamed, trying to pull Bellamy's arms away from Murphy as he continued swinging his fists into his face. Bellamy ignored Reigna's panicked screams and threw the girl off his arm and onto the ground.
"Bellamy, stop! You'll kill him!" Clarke's voice joined the fray as Reigna regained her composure and got back up to try to get Bellamy away from Murphy, Clarke helping her pull him away. Finn eventually stepped in, looping his arms under Bellamy's and forcibly dragging him away from Murphy's bloody form, Reigna quickly taking his place and gently grabbing Murphy's head, looking down at him with concern as one of Murphy's hands grabbed hers.
"Let me go! He deserves to die!" Reigna heard Bellamy struggling against Finn behind her, but she paid him no mind.
"John! Hey, you still with me?" Reigna's voice as she spoke, completely blocking out all of her thoughts that weren't of John Murphy.
"Still here, Reign." Murphy's voice was still rough as he spoke, his hand desperately grasping Reigna's.
"Let's keep it that way okay, John?" Reigna tried a smile as she kept her eyes trained on his beaten and bloody face before vaguely hearing Clarke saying "We banish him".
"What?" Reigna reacted quickly, whipping her head around, only to feel her body be quickly lifted up and away from Murphy.
"Reigna?" Reigna heard Murphy call her name over her desperate screaming. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Bellamy walk around her crazed kicking and screaming and force Murphy onto his feet. Reigna could barely see or hear anything over her panicked sobs and flooding eyes, but she heard enough to know Murphy was being kicked out and she didn't get a choice. Bellamy was making her stay, to keep her away from Murphy.
-0-
Reigna put up a fight the whole way back to the camp. Neither Bellamy or Clarke said a word to the distraught girl, but Reigna was getting tired of seeing Finn's pitied glances out of the corner of her eyes. Upon reaching camp, Reigna was unceremoniously dumped onto the ground outside the camp, Clarke and the others heading inside the incomplete walls while Bellamy looked down at her crumpled form with a look she could only describe as disgust.
"You have no right to be looking at me like that, Blake." Reigna spat out, her voice raw from screaming. She could almost see him flinch at the aggressive use of his last name.
"I had to-"
"No you didn't!" Reigna shot to her feet as she yelled, "And you promised me you would help me keep him alive. And you almost killed him today. For what?" Reigna yelled, her eyes flooding with tears again as she spoke. "He didn't kill Wells! Charlotte did! But she got a pass. And now she's dead and Murphy's gone!"
"You don't get to talk about Charlotte! You and Murphy were hunting her like a wild animal!" Bellamy yelled back at Reigna, taking strides towards her.
"Murphy almost died because of her. If she didn't confess, he would have. But none of that matters does it." Reigna spoke quietly after Bellamy stopped walking, "It was okay to hang Murphy for nothing because no one but me likes him, but when a thirteen year old confesses to murder it's okay because she's a kid." Bellamy didn't speak as Reigna began to shake with anger.
"You banished him for trying to make things even! You took away the only person I had. The only person I have ever loved in my entire joke of a life." Reigna's voice rose as she spoke, tears freely streaming down her cheeks.
"Reign…" Bellamy began but was quickly interrupted by Reigna.
"No… You don't get to call me that. You don't get to call me anything after today," Reigna went deathly quiet as she stared Bellamy directly in his eyes, "You forget I exist. I don't even want to feel you looking at me. You are dead in my eyes, Bellamy Blake." Reigna hissed out before shoving past Bellamy and into the camp. The other delinquents looked at Reigna with either expressions of pity or hatred as she stormed past them all, face wet with tears. That night the camp was wracked with the sounds of Reigna's sobbs of agony.