A/N: Hi favorite readers! Thanks for your continued interest and support! It's been 14 months since Clarke last heard from Bellamy and now he's suddenly appeared at a conference Clarke is attending in Chicago. He will have a lot to answer for. — Don't forget to favorite (if you are enjoying it!) and follow for the fastest update alerts AND please review to let me know what you think! This is my first public story so I love hearing your feedback. Enjoy . . .

CHAPTER 13

CLARKE

Without breaking eye contact with Bellamy, Clarke yelled to Emori over her shoulder, "I'm too drunk I gotta got to bed, see you tomorrow."

Emori laughed, "Sleep well my little drunk dancing buddy!"

As Clarke began to make her way through the bodies on the dance floor she thought about her New York dream and frowned at the similarity. But unlike her dream, she had all the control this time. She was not prepared for the overwhelming hurt and fury that took her over.

"Follow me." She said through gritted teeth as she charged past Bellamy.

She didn't wait for a response or even see if he was following her. She just stormed past him and outside until she found a quiet block down the street. She was fuming and stood taking in deep breaths trying to regain her composure.

She could feel him approach her from behind.

"Clarke." Bellamy said carefully, aware that this was not a happy reunion.

"No!" She snapped, turning around to glare at him. "YOU don't get to talk." She continued, sticking her finger in his face "I waited like an idiot for you, thinking you felt the same way, that we'd figure it out. You HURT me."

Bellamy opened his mouth to respond but Clarke cut him off again.

"14 months Bellamy. I don't want to hear it. At least have the decency to spare me the bullshit." Clarke walked off and as she reached the middle of the block she felt Bellamy pull her into an alleyway and she was pushed up against the bricks of a building. He was angry.

"Waited for me huh?" He said with such disdain that Clarke was taken aback. "Listen Princess you got the deal of the century . . . I protected you by leaving you the fuck alone."

She shoved him away from her. Her eyes stinging with tears but she held them back.

"Spare me Bellamy, we both know this isn't a social call. Let me guess, Roan's calling in a favor?"

Bellamy raised his head to the sky and let out an exasperated breath. "No, you're right, it's not a social call."

"That's what I thought." Clarke was holding onto her hurt, fueled by anger to keep herself from bursting into tears. Fighting the urge to throw herself at him in a rage to make him feel the way he had hurt her.

"Just tell me what I need to do and then get the hell out of my life." A shot of pain crossed through Bellamy's eyes when she said it but she didn't falter.

Bellamy composed himself, "My pleasure, Princess. Let's go to the hotel and get this over with. I'll give you the details and promise you'll be rid of me real soon."

"You can tell me right here." Clarke said holding her ground.

"Don't be ridiculous, you're shivering." He pointed out.

Clarke refused to move but was suddenly aware of her body shaking uncontrollably, "Don't act like you suddenly give a shit. You can tell me whatever you need to right here." She repeated, her teeth chattering.

Without warning Bellamy swooped her up and threw her over his shoulder walking her through the alleyway back toward the street.

"Put me down!" She screamed, kicking her feet to get away from him. Bellamy dropped her with a loud growl of frustration, Clarke shoved him up against the wall. Without removing her hands from his chest she looked up at him, tears streaming down her face.

"Why didn't you come?" She cried, no longer able to hold it in.

Bellamy grabbed her face in his hands and kissed her hungrily. In the heat of the moment she gave in, returning his kiss attempting to take his entire being into her, pulling his hair to punish him. But within seconds she realized what was happening and pushed away from him.

"What the hell are you doing?" She said, angrily. "I'm not just your plaything."

Bellamy stood with his head down.

"I have no idea what I'm doing. Let's just get this over with." Bellamy said cooly, as if he hadn't just kissed her, holding his hand out in the direction of the hotel to signal they should go. She walked out ahead of him toward the hotel. She couldn't believe this was the same guy that she'd fallen for. This Bellamy was cold and distant.

They walked back to the hotel in silence. Clarke's teeth were chattering but she refused to take Bellamy's jacket when he tried to put it on him. Instead, she brushed him off. When they entered the elevator, Clarke had to hold back her tears from the memory of his penthouse surprise. She was hyper aware of the space between them and hated it. It was a painful.

As they reached the door to her hotel room she stopped before opening it.

"You can't stay long." She said quietly and then scanned the hall before letting him into the room.

He noticed her scanning, "Why, expecting someone?" He raised his eyebrows as if suspecting something.

She looked up at him debating her answer.

"Maybe." She didn't know why she said it, but she wanted to hurt him. She wanted him to feel just a little bit of the pain that he had caused her.

Bellamy sat down on the edge of the bed. Clarke remained standing a few feet from him still aware of the space between them, her body tense from it, regardless of how much he had hurt her it was hard for her to stay away from him.

His shoulders were slumped as he looked up at her, "Ok, I'll make it quick."

He sighed and stood up, now towering above her. Something had shifted in his mood and he was suddenly all business.

"Next month." He began, "You'll fly to New York. The flight and hotel is already booked and you'll receive an email for them soon, you'll be flying for business purposes, looking for properties for a new practice in New York. Monty will go to the bank with you as your bodyguard, if anyone asks why you have a bodyguard you'll say it's because your Mom has a big criminal case and it's just a precaution. You'll go into the bank to set up an account for your new business. Complete the process and that's it. Monty will take care of the rest. You can close the account a few months after. Roan said he'd cover any costs you incur."

"Like my bail when I'm caught?" She quipped, raising an eyebrow.

"The plan covers everything, there is nothing that can go wrong."

"I highly doubt that." She pursed her lips annoyed. "Is that all?"

"Octavia will pick you up from the airport. You'll have a package with instructions waiting for you once you reach your hotel room . . ." He hesitated, "And you don't have to see me after tonight." He looked away from her as he said the last part.

She grabbed his chin pulling his eyes back to her. If this was the last time she was ever going to see him she had to know.

Softening, she asked, "Tell me why you didn't come for me. Did this not mean anything to you?"

He remained quiet considering his response.

BELLAMY

Bellamy couldn't believe Clarke's reaction to seeing him. He could understand her moving on and would respect her decision but couldn't understand her anger toward him. Her blue eyes bore into him and he held his gaze.

He remembered when he had gone to see her, a month after they were supposed to meet for the bank job. It had been 6-months since their time in Chicago and it had been the longest 6 months of his life. He couldn't wait any longer, he knew it was risky to make contact but decided it was worth it. He'd booked a last minute flight, unable to spend one more second away from her.

When he got to her apartment complex early on a Saturday morning he looked up at her door and thought his heart might jump out of his chest with anticipation. But within a split second everything fell apart.

Her door opened and a man walked out, Clarke following close behind in her pajamas. She leaned into him, giving him a long hug and then kissed him on the cheek goodbye. Bellamy had tunnel vision and felt sick. He considered confronting her but was too angry. He thought about pummeling the guy but realized that would likely land him in jail. He felt like his heart had been ripped from his chest and stomped on.

Bellamy's hurt and anger returned from the memory of seeing Clarke with the other man.

"I did come for you. You moved on. You made your choice and I wasn't going to get in the way."

Clarke looked at him confused.

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb Clarke, it doesn't suit you."

He wanted her to admit that she had been the one to move on, to cut ties. He had contacts who had eyes on her on her throughout the the 14-months and they told him about the man who had moved in with her, he fit the same description as the man he'd seen her with those months before.

"Listen, I'm really am sorry for everything you've been through because of me. I am glad it will all be over soon." He said sincerely as he let himself out. He was done playing games and done holding onto the past. Clarke would get the job done and he would move on.

CLARKE

The door closed behind Bellamy before Clarke could react.

She had no idea what he was talking about and wondered if he was messing with her.

Leaning against the door, she let go and the tears streamed down her face.

After several seconds composing herself she opened the door and slipped out of the room after him, hoping he wasn't gone yet.

. . .

Barefoot Clarke quickly walked down the long hallway of the hotel and turned the corner. Bellamy was waiting at the elevator door and caught her out of the corner of his eye. She could see something change in his demeanor but he didn't say anything. She walked over and stood next to him facing the elevator.

"How could you think I moved on with everything we've been through?" She waited for an answer but he remained silent.

"I thought about you every day. I missed you every day."

"I'm sure your boyfriend helped you get over that." He said with contempt.

Clarke looked at him confused again. "I don't have a boyfriend."

"I saw you with him Clarke. I saw you kiss him goodbye in the morning. I know he's living with you."

"Are you talking about Wells? My best friend from Kindergarten? Who is staying with me for a month because he knows how depressed I've been because my heart has been broken?"

The look that Bellamy gave her made her insides warm.

"Bellamy, you are the only one that I have ever loved. I wasn't ready to move on. I'm still not."

The elevator ding brought them out of their conversation.

"Come with me." He ordered taking her hand and leading her into the elevator.

The doors closed triggering them like a bell in a boxing ring. Within seconds Bellamy had Clarke up against the mirrored cell. They nearly inhaled one another whole with their animalist make out session.

Bellamy, gasping for air. "We are never separating again." He continued kissing her running his hands all over her body.

Clarke moved away from him as the doors opened on a higher floor, worried one of her conference colleagues might see her."

Bellamy must have been aware that Clarke was in fact on a work trip and wanted to keep some form of professional reputation because he looked out of the elevator to ensure the hallway was clear and then waved Clarke out. She followed obediently. As they turned down another hotel hallway a second elevator arrived and voices trailed into the floor's lobby.

Panicking that someone from the conference might see them, Clarke looked to Bellamy for help. Bellamy swung open a door and pushed Clarke in following close behind. He closed the door and pushed himself against her in the small room that held the ice machine. They stood in silence, his breath lightly brushing her neck, Bellamy ran his hand down Clarke's waist to her hip bone. She slid away from him and hit the button to get an ice cube. She put it in her mouth and unbuttoned his shirt running it along his chest and moving down toward his belly. He sighed with pleasure.

A door shut nearby and the two of them stopped and looked at each other.

"Bring the ice" he said as he opened the door and scoped the hallway. He took Clarke's hand and led her to his room.

A/N: That's all for this week's update . . . please leave a review to let me know what you thought! Next week we will get some updates on the rest of the crew and find out what happens during the bank job . . . get ready for some action! Reminder: Follow the story in order to get fast updates and if you are enjoying it don't forget to favorite it as well. Thanks again for reading!