[Author's Note: The last part of this little story of mine. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, followed and read! It means so much to me. To my darling runwiththenight, thank you for continuously being awesome and dealing with my craziness xx
Hope you guys enjoy this!]
Summary: Shivers wracked her body and her teeth chattered. It was like she was being frozen from the inside out, slowly but surely and there was nothing she could do to stop it / Their second winter on Earth, Clarke doesn't come back from a trip outside the gates. Bellamy goes looking for her. Established Bellarke. Three-shot.
Disclaimer: I do not own The 100 or any of the songs used.
oh, my love, don't forsake me
iii.
And all of the steps that led me to you
And all of the hell I had to walk through
But I wouldn't trade a day for the chance to say
My love, I'm in love with you.
"The Words" – Christina Perri
Clarke couldn't remember a moment when she felt as tired as she did now. Her limbs were heavy and it felt like there were weights on her eyelids when she tried to open them. There was a pressing feeling in her chest that was uncomfortable at best and her breathing came in short puffs of air instead of long, easy exhales. She shivered slightly and snuggled back into the warmth surrounding her. She was buried in a mountain of blankets but there was something else – an extra weight lying across her waist and increased warmth pressed against her left side.
Bellamy.
She fought against the weight and opened her eyes. The little breath she had caught in her throat when her vision finally cleared enough to make him out clearly. He was really here, and the only explanation she could come up with was that he had somehow found her and saved her.
He saved her.
She felt tears well up in her eyes and she wasn't strong enough to stop them from falling.
Oh God, she loved him.
Worry lines creased his forehead. She didn't like it. He was usually so peaceful in his sleep. Sleep was where they escaped the harsh reality they dealt with – only sometimes reality carried into their dreams. Nightmares plagued them sometimes. She could guess what he was dreaming about tonight. She reached to smooth the lines away and he started awake at her touch.
"Hey," she whispered. Her eyes were burning with tears and her voice was hoarse and her throat was dry, but she managed to send him a weak smile.
"Shit, Princess."
Before Clarke could process what was happening, she was pulled tighter against his chest and her face was buried in his neck. She used the hand she had used to touch his face to reach up and tangle in his hair. Her tears came a little quicker at the desperate embrace he had her in. Bellamy held her for a long moment before he allowed himself to pull back far enough to look at her.
She could tell the moment he noticed her tears. "What's wrong?" he asked, "Are you hurting?"
Clarke shook her head, "You saved me."
His face softened instantly and he squeezed her hip. "Silly Princess," he murmured, brushing a kiss across her forehead before breathing out the rest of his statement, "I'll always save you."
She opened her mouth to respond to him when a violent coughing fit took over. More tears sprung to her eyes at the pain that radiated through her chest and throat. She gasped to try and catch her breath, only to be overcome by another fit. Bellamy helped her sit up before jumping off of the bed and going to the water basin in the corner of the room. His movements were quick and fluid as he filled the small cup and returned to her side. He tilted the cup slowly as to not overwhelm her with the fluid.
"There you go," he whispered when she successfully drained half of the cup. He set it off to the side and cupped her face. He wiped away the wetness on her cheeks with his thumbs. "Good?"
Clarke nodded and took slow breaths, trying not to induce another round of hacking.
Bellamy sighed as he leant forward to press his forehead against her temple. "You scared the hell out of me."
"I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault. If that idiot that went with you-"
"Sam!" Clarke exclaimed. The sudden outburst caused another round of coughing. Bellamy added it to the reasons why he hated the guard he had kicked out of the med bay as soon as he walked in with Clarke.
"Is he okay?"
"The bastard is fine. Don't talk." He rubbed soothing circles on her back and reached for the cup of water. When she finished drinking it she was still shaking. He pulled one of the fallen blankets up around her shoulders.
"I probably have Pneumonia."
"That's what Octavia said."
"What about Sam?"
The scowl on her co-leaders face deepened. "Someone stitched him up after we left to look for you. He'll be fine."
"I should-"
"You're out of your mind if you think I'm going to let you look him over."
"How did you know what I was going to say?"
He didn't have to respond. The look he gave her screamed his answer.
Because I know you, Princess.
"Lay back down."
Clarke nodded, deciding not to argue with him. She knew it wouldn't do her any good. "Join me," she said instead.
"We should probably let the masses know you're awake."
"I just want it to be you and me for a little bit, if that's okay."
She held the blankets up and stared up at him until he complied. He pulled her against him before drawing the covers up so only her head was visible. She was still shivering. "How long was I out?"
"We found you a little over a day ago. You woke up a few times," he said softly, moving blonde hair away from her forehead and trailing his fingers down her pale cheek.
"I don't remember."
"You were delusional."
Clarke's brow furrowed as she studied the look on his face. It was contemplative and maybe a little bit apprehensive. Fear blended with worry, and there was an underlying look of hurt that passed over. She wondered what it was she could have done to cause such a mix. "Sharing is caring, you know."
Bellamy laced their fingers together and brought them up to kiss the back of her hand. "You were pushing me away at first, when you woke up on the way back to camp. You said you felt hot, but you were ice cold."
"That's common among hypothermia patients."
He nodded absentmindedly. "Even when we finally got you here…you wouldn't stop struggling against me. You were begging me to let you go – to get away from you."
Clarke inhaled a small gasp of air and shook her head. "Bellamy…"
"I knew you weren't in your right state of mind. But it was terrifying seeing you like that and knowing there wasn't anything I could do to help you."
"But you did. I would be dead-"
"Don't."
Clarke sighed and squeezed his hand. "Bell-"
"I thought you were dead, Clarke. I didn't think I would be able to find you and then I did. I will never get the image of you lying there against the rocks, barely breathing and so fucking cold, out of my head. I will never be comfortable with your safety in anyone else's hands but my own. I'm not risking feeling like that again."
He took a deep, shaky breath and closed his eyes. She stayed quiet, knowing he needed to get all of this off of his chest and knowing that these soul-baring moments were few and far between
"I felt like I lost part of my soul. Part of my heart. I felt like I was lost and I would never be whole again. I never want to feel that way again."
A moment of silence swept over the med bay. Clarke stared intently at him and the torment that she saw in his eyes broke her head. She moved so their bodies were flush against each other, their legs tangled and their breaths mingling. She held onto him tighter than maybe she ever has.
"I love you, Princess. You know that don't you?" The question was mumbled into her hair, but she heard it all the same and nodded against his chest. "I can't do any of this without you, okay? I don't want to do any of this without you. I need you."
"I need you back," she whispered. She tilted her head back and he met her lips in a kiss. It was short and sweet, but packed full with reassurance, love, and a promise to never let go.
He pulled away before she could go into another coughing fit and pressed his lips to her forehead.
"I love you," she said, "I'm not going anywhere."
"I would find you if you did," he swore. His arms tightened around her. "I'll always find you."
Clarke pressed a kiss to the spot directly above his beating heart.
She knew it wasn't an empty promise. And she knew without a doubt that she would always find him, too.
fin.
And that's all she wrote! Thanks guys. It's been fun!
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xx