Chapter 16

"Do it," Clarke whispered.

"Together." He whispered back.

BANG!

It was all over, just like that. Clarke felt the kickback of the gun through Bellamy, heard the sound of a bullet leaving the chamber and being fired. Saw Pike's finger move toward the trigger on his gun, saw the bullet hit him between the eyes, and watched as he went down.

Like daughter like father, Clarke thought darkly to herself. In different rooms not too far away, Clarke heard the sound of gunshots and shouting. But it was all okay, she felt Bellamy through it all and knew he was there.

"Guess it's time to go home now," Clarke muttered to herself, though Bellamy heard it.

While her words sounded clear to her, they came out slurred to Bellamy. He put his gun back in his holster and turned Clarke around, a hand on each shoulder.

"Looking a little white Princess." Bellamy was worried.

Clarke rolled her eyes, Bellamy always use to tease her that she was whiter than snow. Rolling her eyes was the wrong choice, Clarke pushed away from Bellamy as she felt her body heave and felt vomit coming up her throat. Bellamy reached for her arm, holding her up as she felt go. The little food and water she'd had recently now on the tiled floor she stood on.

"I'm going to need that medical evac' as soon as possible," Bellamy spoke into his cell phone.

Once Clarke was done she fought to stand up straight, she used Bellamy's grip on her bicep to help with her balance. Bellamy looked down at her, Clarke's hair was in a braid, but it was frizzy and messy, it had been done sloppily. She was sweating and shaking, she was in worse shape than Bellamy expected her to be, but the swell in his chest at the fact that she was living and Pike was dead, was overwhelming.

Bellamy looked away from his blonde, he saw Roan approaching him. Bellamy nodded, telling him they were good.

"Everyone is accounted for." He reported, dead or alive all of Pike's team was not off the radar.

Bellamy had done what he had promised to Jake Griffin, Clarke was now 'safe'.

"Bellamy." She tried to call to him, but her words were sloppy.

Turning back to her, Bellamy saw Clarke's eyes roll back into her head. Her eyes closed and fluttered before reopening, they swam a couple of times before she found him.

Roan's phone rang, he stepped away from the couple, bringing it to his ear.

"You're going to be okay Clarke." Bellamy held her close, pushing loose hair out of her face.

"Blake." Roan came back over. "The helicopter is going to meet us on the roof, 2 minutes."

"Looks like your ride's here," Bellamy told Clarke smiling, holding her tighter.

Clarke shook her head, her stomach rolling again, "I can walk." Assuring him.

Bellamy looked her over, not trusting her judgement but loosened his grip on her arm and moved his hand to her lower back. Clarke's legs were still weak and shaky, she still managed her way up to two flights of stairs to the roof.

Once Bellamy had her safely strapped into the helicopter, he bent down on both knees in front of her checking her over. Clarke couldn't meet his eyes, she kept her eyes locked on her hair instead.

"Lexa, they shot her."

Bellamy nodded, still nervous about her health. While her voice was no longer slurred it was flat and calm.

"We know, an agent found her after he heard the gunshot. I didn't know that it wasn't you until I saw for myself." He rested his hand on her knee.

"I'm fine."

"We're still going to get you checked out once we get back to base." Bellamy reached behind himself to grab a water bottle. "Clarke!"

Between the time he turned from her till the time he turned back, Clarke had passed out.

Roan looked back from the passenger side of the helicopter, "Blake?"

He reached for her neck, two fingers searching for a pulse. "Her hearts racing, her colours gotten worse. What's our ETA?"

The pilot answered, "Nearest hospital ETA 17 minutes."

"Do it, they can stabilizer her there before transporting her to base."

The pilot changed his flight path and put in a call to the nearest emergency room, they needed a team ready when they landed.

"Her breathing is shallow!" Bellamy shouted, having watched her chest change from deep breaths to quick shallow ones.

"Does she have any injuries?" Roan asked.

Bellamy felt around for any blood on her clothes. "Nothing I can tell."

"There is a team ready and waiting for us once we land, they will meet us on a roof. You just need to keep her breathing till then."

Quickly unbuckling her, Bellamy moved her to lay flat on the metal floor. Clarke seemed to breathe a little easier when she wasn't hunched over on her organs.

Roan turned to the pilot. "How much longer?" Clarke did not look good.

"14 minutes."

.

"Special detail, I can't leave her." Bellamy lied, not waiting for Clarke to be taken from his sight.

The nurses and doctors had pushed Clarke's gurney into an empty room. Immediately putting IVs in her arm and a breathing mask over her nose and mouth.

The nurse Bellamy had spoken to looked him over, he did look like some form of law enforcement. He looked honest enough and with the way her patient was looking she didn't have time to ask for credentials.

"Stand over there and stay out of the way."

Bellamy moved to stand by the wall, his eyes remaining on Clarke, despite the medical staff moving all around the room.

The doctors determined they didn't need to take Clarke to the OR, she was severely dehydrated and needed a lot of rest. After she was given lots of fluids and a couple of drugs to stabilize her heart rate and put her to sleep the room was vacated.

Bellamy pulled up a chair to Clarke's bed, her hand in one of his Bellamy looked her over. Roan was at the main nurse's desk figuring out when and how Clarke will be well enough to be transferred home.

.

Clarke woke slowly two days later, her thoughts cloudy and movements sluggish. Her left hand felt warmer than the rest of her body, once she could pry her eyes open to look down she saw him. Bellamy had fallen asleep, leaning forward so his head was resting by her legs, one of his hands laced with hers.

Without looking around the room Clarke knew where she was, the familiar beeping sounds and the smell of disinfectant soap. She'd spent a lot of time in hospitals as a child, never as a patient, she was always here waiting around for her mom.

The IV bag that was still pumping her with fluid had made her feel better than she had in days. There was no urge to be sick or dizzy, all she'd seemed to need was some sleep and fluids. While Clarke knew that was the cause of her pain, her health took a hit while she focused on revenge.

"Bellamy." With her mouth so dry, Clarke's attempt to call out to him was lost.

Instead, she focused on her left hand, forcing her fingers to squeeze his. Bellamy squeezed back, but his head remained on the bed. Clarke thought he might have still been asleep and his body had reacted to the movement on its own. However, when five seconds later his headshot of the bed, she realized he'd been squeezing back out of habit. In Bellamy's sleepy state he hadn't realized it meant she was awake.

"Clarke." He took her in, "You're in the hospital, do you remember what happened?"

"I killed someone."

Hearing the guilt hanging on her words, Bellamy stepped in to ease her, "We killed someone."

Clarke shook her head, groaning when her head throbbed, "I'm not talking about Pike."

"Lexa's plan got her killed, you did-"

"No!" Clarke interrupted, before she could go on Roan came back into the room, a doctor in tow.

"Nice to see you awake Mrs. Griffin." The doctor smiled.

Bellamy shot Clarke a look to say they'd finish their conversation later, he let go of her hand to stand and let the doctor have room to work.

"She woke up only minutes ago," Bellamy told him.

The doctor nodded, looking down at Clarke's charts in his hands. "You are recovering well, you were dehydrated and in need of rest. I have been told by a Sargent Miller that getting you all back home is a priority. While I don't feel comfortable letting you go today, as long as you get more rest and finish another bag, you guys can leave tonight. Your nurse will be in, in a couple of minutes to hang another bag and give you a sedative. It'll keep you out until 6 PM rounds tonight. If I like what I see then I will draw up your discharge papers."

Clarke looked at the doctor and smiled politely, "I really don't need anything-"

Already knowing she was going to try and refuse any pain meds that would put her to sleep, Bellamy stepped in. "Clarke."

His hard-ass tone made her look at him. Bellamy shook his head, letting her know she'd be taking those drugs.

The doctor watched the whole exchange go down and smirked, the young couple reminded him of his own wife and himself. His pager going off, had him saying a brisk goodbye, with a promise to return later.

Roan, who'd been standing awkwardly by the door throughout the whole conversation, cleared his throat. "I'm going to go get some coffee and get back in touch with Sargent Miller, see when we can be expecting air pickup.

Bellamy nodded at him without a glance, his eyes were still on the blonde. Moments after Roan left the nurse came in, an IV bag in hand.

"I heard someone might be able to go home today." She smiled at the couple, "You weren't doing so well when you came in. The doctor ordered a couple of tests, we haven't gotten two back yet. They aren't anything life-threatening, we'll get your contact information from you and get in touch with you once the results are in."

"What tests?" Clarke asked.

"You were run down when you got here, your body tried to make you throw up, but there was nothing left in your system. We drew some blood and urine, we wanted to make sure that you hadn't contracted something while over here. We can see now that, that wasn't the reason you were so sick." The nurse watched Clarke's eyes flutter. "Get some rest, you'll wake up in a couple of hours once the drugs leave your system."

"Bellamy, the guy who killed my father." Her voice was fading with her consciousness. "I want to know-"

"Get some sleep, Clarke."

"I can fight the drugs you know, they just give you enough to help you to sleep. You can't wait me out." Clarke fought the drugs, she wanted to know.

Bellamy signed, dropping back into the chair by her bedside. "It was Lexa."

Clarke sputtered, "What do you mean? I don't, why would... No Lexa, she didn't."

"Our labs couldn't pull any prints off your dad, everything was destroyed by the car bomb. A week ago Sargent Miller got a video from Pike, Pike knew his daughter was coming for him and knew you were with her. As I said, we've still been watching out for you, even though you haven't been with us." Bellamy put a hand on Clarke's blanket-covered thigh. "It was of your dad's last moments. Lexa was there, she was the one who dealt the final blow."

Clarke's heart monitors spiked, the EKG machine was beeping by the time Bellamy finished his story. Clarke was once again pale, the sweat accumulating on her forehead.

"I killed a little boy for her." Clarke gaped for breath, to fill the lungs that were pushing air out faster than it was taking in. "I let her- she used me."

"Deep breaths," Bellamy told her, he knew the nurses would respond to the beeping and stood.

"What happened?" One nurse asked, rushing into the room.

"Clarke, what happened to that nap you were supposed to be taking?" The nurse who'd left only minutes ago asked.

"Bellamy!?" Clarke yelled, she needed more answers.

"Push one of Ativan. He's still here honey, he's just given us room to work."

As Clarke's heart rate returned to normal rhythms, her eyes began to flutter again. Once she was asleep the nurses filed out of the room, but the one who had been with her previously turned to the solider.

"Hang in there, she's doing great." The nurse had seen the distress and worry on the young man's face, ever since he'd come in here running after the young blond. "You should get some rest while you can, she seems like a feisty one."

Bellamy smirked, "You have no idea."

.

Clarke slept thought the day, once she woke up she felt calmer. She knew they must have given her another dose of Ativan. Bellamy was beside her, as well as the nurse who was in charge of her. Clarke watched silently as her IVs and cords were removed from her arms.

"Welcome back." The nurse smiled, noticing Clarke had woken. "Just in time, you'll be leaving us soon."

Clarke gave her a weak smile, her brain reminded her why she'd been sedated in the first place. She had asked about her father's killer, Bellamy had told her it was Lexa.

The blonde made eye contact with her... Ex? Boyfriend? Protector? Best friends brother? Savior? She didn't know what he was to her now. Clarke knew how she felt about him, her father's death was only made harder by the fact that Bellamy wasn't there for her. His best friend and partner had died, he was grieving too. Before she'd run into him again in the wear house, Clarke wasn't sure where she stood with Bellamy, she still didn't.

They'd had sex, but that didn't always mean anything. He'd gone to Pike's to save her, but that could have been because he was fulfilling his promise to her dad. Once they landed back home, what would happen? Would he go back to some war-torn country? Would she go back to her apartment and job at the cafe?

"Clarke?"

The blonde looked up at her name being called, but it was clear to her once she looked at Bellamy and realized the nurse was now gone. He'd been trying to get her attention for a while.

"Hum?"

"The nurse gave me the clothes you came in wearing. Our ride will be here soon, you might want to put them on."

It was then that Clarke noticed the pile of black material being held out to her. Taking them and making a quick exit to the bathroom, Clarke got dressed and decided to leave her hair in the braid Lexa had put it in.

Just thinking about that bitch pissed Clarke off, she now wished she'd let that young boy kill her.

"Why'd Pike send you guys that video?" Clarke asked once she walked back into the room.

Bellamy looked at her, he knew what she was talking about and was quietly debating if he wanted to say anything. But when Clarke raised her brow expectantly at him, Bellamy caved.

"I think he thought, if the video could get to people near you, you would end up seeing it. Maybe he thought you'd get rid of his daughter for him."

Clarke shook her head, "I should have. I should have killed her when she showed up at that house party."

"I heard about that." His tone sounded anything but pleased to Clarke.

Clarke flinched, "Octavia?"

"The word assault was thrown around."

The blonde almost gagged, Lexa had taken advantage of their time together. She tried to get close to Clarke, but every time she did she was shut down. Maybe if they were different people in different circumstances Clarke would have had something with Lexa. Now that she knew the trust, Clarke was more than happy she never slowed down long enough to entertain the idea.

"She killed a lot of people to get to Pike, she was so convincing in her hatred. But I never understood why she wanted to help me. Now that I know the truth, I can't even imagine why."

Bellamy closed the distance between them, handing the blonde his sweater to keep her warm. "She loves games, you already experienced that when she took you the first time."

"I chose to go with her Bellamy. I didn't care what it took, I wanted Pike to suffer. I let her manipulate me for weeks."

Roan poked his head into the room. "Sorry to interrupt, we are set to go in 10."

"We'll meet you on the roof," Bellamy told him, waiting till they were alone again to speak. "Lexa did whatever she had to do to get what she wanted. She's was a master at her craft, you can't blame yourself."

"Hi pot, my name is kettle. I know you're just trying to help, but you're not going to change what I know."

Bellamy grabbed her shoulders and bent down to look into her eyes. "Pike and everyone associated with him and his daughter are dead. That is what you need to know. You're going to return home, you're going to continue to reintegrate yourself back into your life. Hang out with your friends, go to college or keep working at that cafe, your going to start living your life again."

"And you?"

"Once everything is handled at the base, I'm going to take time. Everything went to shit so fast at the start of last summer I didn't get to spend the time with O that I wanted."

Clarke sucked in a sharp breath, as she realized it had almost been a full year since this all started. She's a nineteen-year-old orphan, at the beginning of the year she felt like one and now it was actually true.

"But you'll go back eventually."

Bellamy smirked, "You worried about me, Princess?"

When he saw the vulnerable state that Clarke was in, Bellamy's smile became more genuine. He bent down, brought his lips to her ear and left a kiss just below it as he inhaled her smell.

"Don't be." He finished.

See you in two weeks, next week I won't be posting :)