Chapter 15
Author's note: thanks for the reviews, follows, and favorites! We got 15 chapters guys :) lots of feels in this one, prepare for a cryfest
"Bring out the girl, Bellamy!" It had to be maybe the fiftieth time that Murphy had bellowed at the tent where they were questioning Charlotte. Ari had refused to let her go, clutching the frightened girl in her arms with the knife held close but still out in warning. No one was taking her Charlotte as far as she was concerned. She had even gone as far as scratching Clarke when she came forward, trying to pry the girl from her grasp.
"Why Charlotte?" Bellamy had turned to the child pleadingly, causing both girls' eyes to flick towards him. Charlotte cried out passionately, " I was just trying to slay my demons. Like you told me." Clarke lunged forward angrily, "What the hell is she talking about?" He shook his head, regret and shock written on his features. "She misunderstood me. Charlotte, that is not what I meant."
"Bring the girl out now!", Murphy roared from outside. "Please, Bellamy! Don't let them hurt me!" Ari pulled the girl closer, "I won't be making any promises. If they touch her I will kill them all personally, add them to the list." She cocked her head at Clarke threateningly. The girl glanced at her nervously and Ari felt a tinge of regret. She pushed it away, she had to protect Charlotte. Clarke wouldn't be handing her over.
"If either of you have any bright ideas, speak now." Neither spoke which made Ari see red. "Oh, now you're quiet?" Clarke's gaze flicked to her along with Finn's. "As if you can talk. You've been hiding the fact that you were a murderer this whole time. I bet she learned it from you, huh? Following in your footsteps isn't she?" Finn stepped forward as he spoke, spitting the hurtful words at her as he did.
"Back. Up. I don't like that word, murderer. I did what I did in self defense. So before you start with all that holier than thou shit, watch who has the knife." He swallowed at Ari's words and backed away slowly. He turned to Bellamy, "Those are your boys out there."
"This isn't my fault. If she had just listened to me those idiots would still be out there building a wall." Clarke was rubbing her head in frustration as Murphy once more cried out. "You want to build a society, Princess? Let's build a society, bring her out." Charlotte pleaded once more and Ari rubbed her hair reassuringly, trying to let her know she wasn't going to give up. She would die before she watched idly as they strung her up.
Bellamy crouched before the girl, speaking to her in a gentle tone. "Charlotte, listen to me. It's going to be okay, just stay with them." He glanced up at Ari and she nodded, relinquishing her ward into the Princess and her floppy haired boy toy's care. She followed him out of the tent.
"Oh look who decided to join us," Murphy mocked as they approached. "Dial it down and back off," Bellamy warned. The other boy shifted, "What are you going to do Bellamy? Hang me?" Bellamy swallowed hard, "I was just giving the people what they wanted." The bloodied boy nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, that's a good idea. How about we do that right now?" He turned to the crowd, "Who here wants to see the real murderer hung up? All in favor?"
He raised his hand as he spoke but the only to reciprocate were his usual followers, about five or six boys. Ari sighed quietly in relief, not letting her guard down though. He was volatile and wasn't like to give up even without a lack of followers.
"It's because you're a prick that they were so eager to hang you, Murphy. You should be nicer, it wouldn't get you potentially killed. Charlotte, she's a kid, a little girl. No one here is eager to string her up because she's never given them reason to." Murphy glowered at her before turning back to the crowd. "I see. So it's okay to string me up for nothing, but when that little bitch confesses you just want to let her walk? Cowards, all of you are cowards!"
"Hey, Murphy!" Bellamy's interjection made her flinch suddenly, having him yell so near her. "It's over." Murphy stepped back, holding out his hands innocently. "Whatever you say, boss." Ari tensed, something bad was about to happen. Bellamy turned to walk away and she saw Murphy go for the log. She leapt forward but she couldn't save him this time. He went down crashing and Ari lunged for the sneering boy who wielded the log.
Seeing her coming her threw the log full force, hitting her head with it and knocking her to the ground. She could hear Octavia struggling and she thought she saw Jasper being punched in the face. Murphy headed for the tent as she squirmed slowly on the ground, stunned as she tried to stand.
She was unable to make out what he was saying in her stunned state but she could see blurrily that the tent was empty when he ripped it open. She understood then. Charlotte was safe.
[page break][bellamy]
He came to when he felt a small hand on his shoulder shaking him. He opened his eyes to find Ari's green ones staring into them in concern. "Oh, good you're okay," she breathed out as she hugged him briefly. "Where's Charlotte?" She shook her head, "Clarke and Finn have her. She's okay. But we need to get going."
He nodded his head, getting to his feet with her. It didn't take them long to gather the supplies they might need and set out just as it was getting dark. He glanced over at her as they walked, wondering how she had taken the death sentence she had very nearly received. She caught him looking at her. "What?"
"I know why you care about her." She stiffened at his words before biting out defensively, "Oh do you now? You always think you know my motives but you don't." He continued on ignoring her usual guarded behavior. "You see yourself in her. You killed someone at the same age and it could have been you."
She stopped suddenly, making him halt as well. "You're right. And you're wrong." With that cryptic statement she continued to walk. He caught up to her, his brow furrowed in confusion. "What the hell does that mean?"
Her eyes glazed over slightly as she remembered something. "You got that part right. She does remind me of me, but there's more to it than that. She was just an innocent little kid when I met her. Just lying on the ground suffering from nightmares just the same as me. She was vulnerable and I didn't want her to get hurt. Over time I grew to love her. She's not just Charlotte anymore. She's my Charlotte. She's my daughter."
At the end of her speech he was shell shocked. He had no idea she had cared that much for the kid. He should have known though, should've seen it from the way she cared so deeply about all those around her. He vowed silently to himself he would get her daughter back to her in one piece.
It was then that he heard a loud crack and he held a finger to his lips to silence his companion. They followed the noise which led to a confused looking Charlotte, obviously lost. He rushed over silently and grabbed her, muffling her screams significantly.
Ari grabbed her and hugged her to her, crushing her in a hug. When they heard Murphy's gang getting closer he pulled on her arm and they began to run. They were only slightly ahead of the group who now yelled taunts as they followed the trail left behind.
Charlotte struggled against Ari's hold surprisingly. "Just let me go!" "We're trying to help you," Bellamy told her, confused. "I'm not your sister and I'm not your daughter. Just stop trying to help me!" The words were a low blow and Charlotte must have seen that on Ari's face as guilt flashed in her eyes. She broke free of her grip and ran back towards Murphy screaming out their location.
Bellamy scooped her up and ran, followed by Ari. It was all in vain as they were soon trapped on a cliff face. They all looked over the edge as he put Charlotte on her feet. "Dammit," he swore softly. Murphy appeared behind them then and Ari pulled the girl into the same protective stance as she had earlier.
"Bellamy! You can't fight us all. Give her up." "Maybe not. But I can guarantee I'll take a few of you with me." Clarke stormed into the clearing and strode up to Murphy's group. "Bellamy!" Will people stop with the calling my name shit? I don't have the answers. "Stop!" She stood between the two groups holding out her hands peacefully.
"Just calm down and we'll talk about this." Murphy seemed to consider it for a moment before all hell broke lose. He grabbed Clarke and held a knife to her throat, "I'm sick of listening to you talk." This caused Finn to step forward as he growled out, "Let her go." "Back up, I will slit her throat." Ari shuffled anxiously, still clinging to Charlotte.
"Please, please, don't hurt her," Charlotte cried out plaintively. Murphy glanced at her, "Don't hurt her? Fine, I'll make you a deal. You come with me right now and I will let her go." Clarke shook her head, "Don't. Don't do it Charlotte." Charlotte glanced between all of them for a moment before trying to break free of Ari's arms. Seeing as she was still malnourished from the Sky Box it wasn't a difficult task.
Bellamy was stronger and therefore able to stop her easier. "No, no, no. I have to!" "This is not happening, Murphy," Bellamy told him angrily. Charlotte stopped struggling, "I can't let any of you get hurt anymore. Not because of me. Not after what I did." She took a step back and flung herself off the cliff.
[page break][ari]
None of them expected it. For a moment none of them reacted, staring at each other in horror at what had just happened. Ari was the first to break. She fell to her knees screaming the child's name as she reached for her only to be stopped by Bellamy. She sobbed as she turned her face into his chest. "Charlotte. Charlotte, oh god, no."
Bellamy helped her to her feet and moved her away from the cliff. Catching sight of Murphy through her years she rushed him. "Ari..," he began only to be cut off by her fist. Punching him to the ground she clambered onto him, knees on either side of his chest. Punch after punch bloodied his face as she screamed her anger and grief at him.
Finn pulled her back only to be replaced by Bellamy. She sagged in his arms watching numbly as he beat the boy to a pulp. "Bellamy, stop! You'll kill him!" "He deserves to die," she yelled as Finn passed her to Clarke and went to restrain their leader.
"No! We don't decide who lives and who dies! Not down here!" Ari snorted sarcastically, tears still streaming down her face as she stepped forward. "That's real rich Princess, you know considering this all happened because of you. What, you gonna tell me the people should decide?"
"No, I was wrong before. Sometimes it's dangerous to tell people the truth." "Oh so the Princess learned a lesson, hooray hooray," she replied bitterly. "But if we're gonna live down here we can't just go by whatever the hell we want."
Bellamy was obviously stressed out as he rubbed at his face and tugged his hair. "We need rules," Clarke continued on. "Oh, and who makes those rules? You?" His voice was thick with unaddressed grief and Ari moved closer, giving him comfort. "For now, we make the rules. Okay?"
"So we just take him back, pretend that it never happened?" "No! We..we..," Clarke glanced around obviously unsure of what to do with the criminal. "We banish him," Ari piped up, loud enough for all to hear.
With a gruff, "Get up," Bellamy jerked Murphy roughly to the cliff and held him over it. Clarke protested but Ari pushed her back towards Finn, glancing at him so he would know to hold her back.
"If I ever see you around camp we'll be back here. Understand?" Murphy nodded weakly and Bellamy dropped him on the solid ground. "As for the four of you, you can come back and follow me. Or you can go off with him to die. Your choice," he directed at the gang of followers. Without another word the others stomped off leaving only Bellamy, Ari, and Murphy on the cliff.
She crouched by him, waiting until he looked at her. "I hope you die out here. I hope the grounders find you and string you up for bait like Jasper. Only no one will be coming to help you. I hope before you die you see my face and know how much pain you caused. I hope you rot in hell for murdering my daughter." She stood and followed after Bellamy back to camp in silence.
[page break]
Unsurprisingly no one had any issue with Murphy's banishment. Ari just wanted to put it all behind her and went up to the upper level of the drop ship with the others to see if Monty's radio would work.
"Will we be able to talk to them?" "No, more like Morse code." Anything was better than nothing she supposed. They would need help against the grounders, maybe she would get lucky and her old man had bit it. Then he wouldn't come down either way. "Want to do the honors?", Monty asked Jasper who stepped forward eagerly.
"That port right there," he indicated and Jasper followed his instructions obediently. There was a hissing noise as sparks flew up and smoke filled the air. "What happened?", Clarke asked anxiously. "It didn't work. I think we fried all the wristbands," Monty told her. With a small with Ari left from her spot in the doorway, hoping they wouldn't notice her. She wasn't up for their judgement tonight, maybe tomorrow.
She headed to her tent which seemed smaller and colder without Charlotte. Climbing into her bed she lay down and tried to sleep as the tears trickled from her eyes involuntarily. She had never felt so alone as she did in that moment.