Miss Me Princess?

Chapter Fourteen

Exhaustion pressed down on their shoulders like a heavy weight, making Murphy and Clarke sluggish and solemn as they climbed the ramp into the dropship. They moved silently – pausing briefly to quickly wash themselves with a container of water, scrubbing off the majority of the blood and grime that had crusted over their hands and faces – before finding a blanket each and curling up on cots to sleep.

But despite their exhaustion sleep didn't come quickly. They were both jittery and tense.

Murphy's body throbbed and burned with the pain of his brief beating. He knew it was nowhere near as bad as the last time he had been captured but that knowledge didn't stop the tremors of shock and distress that twitched through his muscles like electric pulses. His nerves frayed were from the mental trauma of having to relive such a terrifying ordeal.

He stretched out under his blanket and willed his muscles to unclench, pulling in slow drags of air to try and slow down his body and calm his mind. With a grimace of pain Murphy rolled onto his side to see Clarke. She looked just as wound up and frazzled as he felt, wriggling around and fidgeting with her blanket. There was a haunted look on her face that he had noticed getting gradually more pronounced since they escaped. Even with her eyes shut he could see the tight lines of stress in the taut skin around her mouth and the furrows on her forehead. Her face was pale with dark circles smudging her eyes and a flowering of bruises colouring her cheek. He observed her through the dim light as her movements stilled and her limbs gradually went limp, but within a few minutes she was jerking awake again, breathing heavily.

Once or twice Murphy felt himself slip into unconsciousness only to startle awake again with his heart pounding furiously, until he eventually had enough of the restless tossing and turning and rolled off of his cot with an irritated huff.

Clarke watched with heavy lidded eyes as Murphy got to his feet and slowly made his way towards her, swaying slightly with tiredness. He extended a hand to her which she accepted without question, letting him pull her up and lead her to the ladder where he ushered her up wordlessly to the top deck. Climbing up behind her, he pulled the hatch door firmly after him, letting it fall closed with a thud.

The top deck was warm and quiet. A still and silent calm instantly settled around them. With the reassuring barrier of the closed hatch door to keep them safe they were both immediately more at ease. Safe. That was how Clarke felt, and she could see the tension easing out of Murphy as he too started to relax.

"There." Murphy spoke softly "I know there are no cots up here but…"

"But we'll be able to hear anyone coming." Clarke finished for him. Looking into his eyes she knew their thoughts were running on similar tracks and nodded her understanding. "The sound of the hatch opening will wake us before anyone comes up. Good idea."

They quickly settled down again, wrapped up in their blankets. Without the cots to separate them they lay side by side, close but not quite touching. The top deck of the dropship was warm, quiet and dark; the hatch blocking out all noise from the camp outside, insulating them in their own little bubble. With a blanket wrapped around her and the comforting presence of Murphy beside her, Clarke slid easily into the blackness of sleep.


His face loomed in front of her. The eyes were vacant and soulless. Red, wet blood drenched her. Her throat constricted. She tried to scream but there was no air in her lungs.

Fear, panic, guilt, sorrow, hatred.

They came in waves, slamming into her and sizzling through her body like poison.

Lifeless staring eyes.

Blood.

Fear, panic, guilt, sorrow, hatred.

They looped over and over again, spinning her in dizzying circles. She tried to cry out, to make it stop. No! Stop!

"No." she whimpered. A hand gripped her shoulder and shook her.

"Clarke!" a voice called out. There was something familiar about it, something good.

She strained towards it, fitting through the fog and confusion, desperate to escape.

"Clarke!"

She jumped, her eyes flying open as she gasped for air. Disorientated, Clarke's wide and frightened eyes darted around until they landed on Murphy's face, peering down at her with a look of concern. She latched onto that sight and it instantly grounded her, the last threads of her dream falling away as reality and clarity took root with each gulp of air she took. But the relief of her escape from the dream didn't help to dissipate the linger feelings, the emotions continued to spiral within her chest. A sob rose up, sharp and hot in her throat, and broke free in a shuddering breath.

Murphy watched her worriedly, waiting for her to realise where she was, waiting for her to remember that they weren't there anymore – because he was certain that was what she had been dreaming about – and hoping that once the remnants of the dream were chased away that she would calm down, and wouldn't look so frightened. The expression of fear on her face stirred ripples of nausea in his stomach. Her gaze latched onto his and he met it steadily, waiting and hoping. He watched as the disorientation and confusion melted away from her face but to Murphy's horror this only seemed to upset her further.

Clarke's large blue eyes grew wet as tears rapidly formed. He watched on in panic, debating whether he should release his hold on her shoulder and back away to give her some space, when a broken sob issued from her lips and she leapt towards him.

The force of her embrace pushed him back down from where he had been leaning on his elbow, knock him onto his back so he was lying down again. Her body moved with his as she pressed her small quivering form against him. She curled into his side ducking her head into his chest as another sob erupted from her. His arms came around her automatically, wrapping around her back and holding her against him as she cried into his shoulder. She buried her face into his jacket, her fists clutching at it with tightly clenched fists as she clung to him.

Words failed him. He couldn't tell her it would be ok, or that she was safe, not when they both knew a grounder army was heading right for them. So he didn't say anything. He just held her closer, whispering hushes in her ear, and rubbing soothing circles across her back while she cried herself out.

Long after Clarkes tears had stopped they remained that way: with Clarkes body, now loose and pliant, tucked into Murphy's side. They drifted off to sleep, their bodies finally slack and relaxed in the comfort of one another's embrace; Clarkes hands tucked under the folds of his jacket and Murphy's fingers buried in her blonde curls where her head lay on his chest.


Their legs were tangled together, the blankets overlapped, wrapping and twisting around them. They lay facing each other, noses barely an inch apart, one of Clarke's hands resting palm flat against his chest and one of Murphy's arms looping casually over her waist. Murphy's eyes opened sleepily and he watched as Clarke's lids fluttered open too. Then he heard it, the sound of the hatch groaning, it's hinges squealing as it was pushed open and he realised that it was the sound of footsteps climbing the ladder that woke them both simultaneously. They both quickly sat up, eyes flying to the hatch, though they didn't make any move to separate, in fact Murphy thought he felt Clarke slid a little closer as they sat up to face whoever was coming.

Bellamy's head emerged from the lower deck as he ascended the ladder and climbed through the open hatch. When his gaze found them a look of surprise flitted across his face as he observed their closeness and the nest of blankets tangling them together. He met Clarke's steady gaze and arched an eyebrow in silent question, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.

"Are they here?" she asked. Bellamy's expression darkened, all traces of amusement melting away.

"It's time. You need to come down." He told them gravely.

As soon as they stepped out of the dropship they were met by a wave of noise. The sky was a muted grey veiled with wisps of white morning mist, the predawn light gradually ebbing away the darkness of the night. Clarke guessed there was still an hour or so before the sun would be seen peaking over the tree tops on the east and yet already the camp was bustling and full. Everyone was awake and busily scuttling about. Noises of work and voices buzzed through the air and made it vibrate with nervous energy. Clarke drew in a deep breath of air that was thick with the smell of smoke and metal. Bellamy led them towards the gate, marching purposefully through the hive of activities surrounding them.

"Oh God." Clarke breathed when she stepped up onto the platform to look out beyond the gate. She felt Murphy climb up beside her and heard him curse under his breath at the sight before them. Beyond the line of the trees there was an ominous black mass; it rippled and writhed with movement. Occasionally the distinct shape of a person or the metal glint of a weapon could be seen in the dim predawn light. But Clarke didn't need to see them, she could hear them. Beneath the ruckus of the camp an undercurrent of noise pulsed from beyond the trees. The banging of drums - or perhaps the clanging of weapons - beat through the air towards them carrying with it angry yells and roars. Ice cold fear trickled down Clarkes spin as the hairs on the base of her neck stood on end.

"There are a lot of them." Bellamy spoke solemnly beside them. "But they don't seem to be attacking yet. They've sent a few scouts through the trees. Some of our guards have reported seeing some of them running from one side to the other. But given their obvious numbers I don't know why they haven't just launched a full frontal attack yet."

"They're trying to scare us." Murphy muttered darkly.

"We can't be intimidated. We wait them out." Clarke said determinedly.

"Agreed." Said Bellamy. "I gave orders not to shoot unless they are headed directly for us. And they have to cross the minefield before they get in shooting range."

"Good." Said Clarke. "That's good. Let's make sure they don't scare us into making the first move."


They all had jobs to do: specific tasks and responsibilities. It was what kept them from going mad with fear. Bellamy had rushed off to check in with each of the guards on watch; he was getting reports from each of them in person to make sure they were properly informed. What they wouldn't give for some ark technology right about now: radios, walkies, armour, weapons, flood lights, medicine…

But the 100 had been making do on earth for a while now and Clarke threw herself into the task of checking their supplies and organising the things they would need. She needed to be prepared for casualties once the fighting started, but also to make sure the dropship was fully stocked with provisions, ready for everyone to fall back once the time was right. That was the final plan. They would defend the walls for as long as possible. But ones the inevitable happened, as soon as the grounders broke in, they would retreat to the dropship, seal the doors and set off an explosion of land mines and rocket fuel that would burn the entire camp to the ground, grounders and all. Her stomach twisted as she stepped over one of the carefully planted wires surrounding the dropship, all expertly fused and linked by the combined genius of Raven, Monty and Jasper. Walked out into the camp she looked around her at all the faces; so many people, all working hard. Everyone was scared but they were still working, working together. They had achieved so much, and against all the odds. Now it had come down to this. Now was the time. This is what they have been preparing for. The 100 - a group of juvenile delinquents - were about to become soldiers in a war; they would fight, and kill, and die.


Murphy had gone to see Miller, to get a gun and find out where he was needed. He was going to the front line, taking a spot along the wall to defend their home. He was heading towards Clarke with his gun in hand when it happened.

A sheen of golden sunlight broke free over the tops of the trees, the first rays of morning light striking the camp in a radiant beam.

Instantly a long and piercing blast of sound reverberated through the air. The noise of the horn was followed by the bellows and roars of a thousand grounder warriors.

Clarke and Murphy turned to each other. Clarke watched as he hesitated then, casting one more glance at her he turned towards the wall.

"Murphy." She called out to him over the drone of the grounder war cries, running towards him. She grabbed his arm and he turned to her. Clarke wondered whether it was desperation or fear that she could see swimming in the grey of his eyes?

As the air continued to quiver with the blast of the grounder war horn, the ground beneath their feet suddenly started to quake and rumble with the vibration of a thousand feet as the grounders charged. Murphy's head whipped towards the gate. Shouts of alarm and cries of panic sounded from every guard stationed along the wall.

"This is it." A voice called out.

"Their coming." Rang out another.

"Wait." Bellamy's order sounded clear and steady above the noise. "Hold your fire. Steady!"

Murphy stepped away from her, heading towards Bellamy but Clarke's grip tightened forcing him to turn back to her.

"Clarke-" He started impatiently, but she interrupted him.

"Just…be careful, ok?" The words were barely a whisper but she knew he heard them from the way his body stilled.

His eyes met hers, a slight frown pressing at his brows as he considered her. She watched him curiously as he pulled in a deep breath and drew back his shoulders. Then he stepped towards her. He reached for her with only the slightest waver of uncertainty in his movements as his hand brushed her arm, sliding over her shoulder and then up the back of her neck and into her hair. His fingers tightened and then in a quick motion he leaned into her, pressing his lips to hers in an urgent kiss.

Just as quickly as he initiated the kiss Murphy broke away, barley giving her enough time to pull in a ragged breath before he swiftly pulled back and ran towards the wall without a backward glance.

Clarke stared after him. Breathing heavily and blinking rapidly she brought a shaking hand up to touch her lips.

A few seconds later her lips were still tingling from the press of his kiss as the bang of exploding landmines began ripping through the air followed instantly by the crack of gun fire.


Thanks to everyone who is reading.

Let me know what you think.