Chapter 11

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They emerged from the cavern hesitantly, following closely after Bellamy. Ari wasn't sure at what point she reached out and grasped the back of his shirt but she had. He turned his head a fraction of an inch at the feel of her small hand clutching his shirt in her grip. Part of him was a confused as to why she had done so but the other part felt a warmth at the idea of her feeling safe with him.

He exited first before gesturing for the two girls to come out after him, "It's all clear." He glanced around, for a moment wondering if the others were all dead. "Anybody out here?" Silence. "Jones?" He felt dread and guilt curl in his stomach before a reply of, "We're here!" Relief flooded him as he realized they were fine.

He led Ari and Charlotte to them calling out to them, "Lost you in the stew. Where'd you go?" Jones shook his head, "We found a cave down there. What the hell was that?" It was Bellamy's turn to shake his head. "I don't know. Where's Atom?"

He glanced at Ari who was watching on in concern, her hand wrapped around Charlotte's comfortingly. Jones shook his head, a look of confusion on his face. Seeing Bellamy's dread he soon copied it as he realized what must have happened.

They spread out to search for him. Ari was tracing back the way she came when Charlotte screamed. She took off for her ward, tree branches whipping against her as she ran in full panic. She half expected to find Charlotte being speared by a grounder.

When she saw what had made the adolescent girl scream she pulled her to her chest. The girl wrapped shaking arms around her torso as she cried. Bellamy appeared, putting a hand in her shoulder which was once more covered with her jacket. He frowned when she flinched away but made no move to follow. She hadn't realized it was him that had touched her he realized when she relaxed when he came around her.

He glanced up to see Atom's swollen welt covered body laying in the cove between the trees. "Son of a bitch," he breathed. Seeing that he was still breathing he rushed forward, "Atom!"

He was panting and his chest was heaving. He was covered in the burns which even occupied his nasal cavities and organs. His eyes were cloudy and damaged by the acid. It was clear that he was in immense pain and Bellamy leaned down to hear what he whispered.

"Kill…me."

Bellamy leaned back and slowly stood in shock as the others joined him. Charlotte walked forward, eyes locked on Atom as he tried to cough out his request again succeeding in only coughing up blood. He looked down as she pressed a knife into his hand. Her eyes flickered between Atom and himself, signaling what he was meant to do with it. "Don't be afraid," she said softly.

He nodded, inhaling deeply. "Go back to camp." They hurried off obviously eager that they wouldn't have to do it. Charlotte remained along with Ari. "You too Charlotte," Ari told her, gently steering her away. The young girl acquiesced as she soon headed back to the camp along with the others.

He knelt by Atom who presented his neck to him, twitching in pain as he begged to be killed. Ari came over and knelt beside him.

Ari stared at him long and hard. He was clenching his jaw, fear and apprehension in his eyes. She didn't think he could do it, wasn't able to. Gently Ari extracted the knife from his hand before gripping it in her own. He watched as she leaned forward, tears gathering in her eyes. "I'm gonna help you, Atom," she whispered brokenly.

She sat by his head, stroking his hair sweetly. She began to hum softly even though her voice trembled. Gently she pierced his neck before pulling out the knife. What was one more life? This one had been taken in pity not in rage. She failed to notice the way Bellamy stared at her as if seeing her for the first time or the way he reached out and grabbed her hand. Neither of them were aware that Charlotte was not too far off, watching in contemplative silence.

[page break][bellamy]

At camp Ari rushed off to help Clarke and distract Octavia. "Thank God you're back, they're going to kill Jasper. Did you get the medicine?" Clarke was obviously distracted but she answered, "Yeah I got it, let's go talk." Octavia was smarter than most have her credit for. She knew something was up and by the look on Ari's face something bad.

She noticed the covered body and moved towards it. He fought to stop her, "Octavia, please just go. Don't look." She pushed her way past him before kneeling next to Atom's body. Recognition for the dark curls painted onto her face as she looked at him in disbelief.

He swallowed thickly as she pulled his jacket off Atom's limp body, a gasp spreading through the crowd. "There was nothing I could do," he tried to implore before she halted him with a curt, "Stop." Tears were streaming now as she held out a hand towards him before slowly covering his peaceful face with the jacket. She hurried off despite his attempts to speak with her.

Murphy sauntered over and he tried to distract himself from the guilt burning in him. "You lose anyone here?" Murphy shook his head, "No." "Jasper?" "Still breathing. Barely. I tried to take him out but your physco little sister-"

Murphy's words were cut off as Bellamy grabbed him roughly. It had been a long day and Murphy had picked the wrong moment to insult the leader's younger sibling. "My what?! My what?!" His yells made the crowd around them stare and some jumped in surprise. He noted somewhere in the corner of his mind that Ari flinched violently.

"Your sister," Murphy spit as he broke out of his grasp. "That's right, my sister. Got anything else you want to say about her?" The glint in his eyes was murderous. "Nothing." "Sorry," he added halfheartedly after a moment. "Get him out of here," Bellamy said as he gestured at Atom's body. Then he disappeared, God he needed a distraction. Maybe he would find one of the girls in the camp to fuck.

He didn't stay behind to watch as Murphy flung his knife into the tree angrily where it stuck.