Laying Kevin on the ground, Clarke put her ear to his chest. Nothing. She felt for a pulse and again found nothing. Fingers under his nose, and when there was no breath there either, Clarke wailed mouth pressed near the arrow blood smearing on her face. She couldn't let anyone know where they were. Kevin deserved a funeral, a proper one. She broke the end of the shaft off and pulled the rest through using the broadhead sticking out of Kevin's back. Her wails wracking her body though silent while she held her son. All the undealt with pain hit her at once, but nothing overshadowed this.
She cradled his head on her shoulder as she tried to quiet her gasps for air in the crook of his neck. Through the pools in her eyes, she saw a person nearby. As they limped closer, she heard Anya's curt but low voice.
"I found another survivor."
"My son." Clarke's weeping increased. "Anya, my son."
Anya pulled Clarke and Kevin into her embrace as others emerged from the trees. Indra, Tris, and a few Clarke didn't know. The last to arrive where Murphy and Bellamy. Anya let Bellamy replace her, and he was too choked up to make any noise. Bellamy's arms clutched Clarke and Kevin, and they would have stayed that way, but Murphy touched both Bellamy and Clarke's faces.
"We need to go. The village fell. Tris will get us to safety while the rest try to find other survivors."
Murphy took Kevin's body so that Clarke and Bellamy could flank him as they left their latest home behind and followed Tris to their future.
Anya watched Clarke and Bellamy grieve together over their son as she wanted to do nothing but be the one to comfort Clarke. From where she stood it looked as though Clarke, Bellamy, and Murphy were married. While no longer part of the Trigedaskru, Anya still respected the institution. But it made her think twice about accepting them into her new tribe. None of them minded that her tribe consisted mostly of banishment survivors. Anya's injury left her gait uneven. While she made the decisions for this nomadic tribe, she was no longer a warrior.
Keeping them was a decision she didn't know if she made with her head or her it was both. Clarke and her medical skills were needed. And Murphy and Bellamy were as skilled as any native hunters and warriors. But she knew part of her wanted to keep Clarke close even if another wanted to save herself the heartache of having her so near while unable to touch.
Most of the Shaw refugees were grieving. Nyko, Echo, Monty, and Raven were the only other survivors they knew.
She stiffened when Bellamy approached her. "What do you want?"
"To go after Lincoln and my sister. Your scouts just caught up to us and they say they're being held by the other tribe leaders in NoMa." Bellamy knelt in front of her. "It's a trap, I know, but I can't leave them there. They're family and I've lost too much family already. Don't let me lose them too. I'm begging you to help me plan and execute a stealth rescue. Please, I'll do anything."
"Let me talk to my scouts and Indra."
Bellamy nodded and returned to the tent he shared with Murphy and Clarke. "What did she say?"
With a sigh, Bellamy curled on the mat between them, facing Clarke. "That she needed to talk to her scouts and Indra first."
Clarke nodded and closed her eyes. Murphy tilted his head toward outside when Bellamy looked at him. "We'll be right back, okay Clarke?" Murphy asked as Bellamy backed out, her reply another nod.
Once they were far enough away from everyone, Bellamy sounding worn asked, "What?"
"Have you seen the way Clarke looks at Anya?" Murphy asked leaning his shoulder against a tree.
"I'm not blind. I know Clarke misses Anya, but she told me she wasn't leaving us for her. Said she'd made a promise to us somewhere along the way." Bellamy leaned his back against the same tree so he didn't have to look at Murphy.
"I think if you let Clarke out of that promise, it'll go a long way to convincing Anya to risk her few soldiers to save your sister."
It pissed Bellamy off so much that he swung around and punched Murphy in the face. "You're such a fucking bastard."
When Murphy recovered he shoved Bellamy to the ground. "Then do it for Clarke. And never hit me when it isn't foreplay ever again."
Before John got too far, Bellamy got to his feet and grabbed his arm. "Who said it wasn't foreplay?"
"Now who's the bastard?"
Bellamy rested his forehead against Murphy's temple. "I need to be touched. Not out of misguided loyalty or pity."
Grabbing Bell's shoulder, Murphy pulled him around and kissed him. Nipping at Bellamy's lips and then sucking his tongue. Fingers dug into each other between removing bits of clothing. Bellamy pushed Murphy against a tree and held him there at arm's length for a moment. "This is the last time I'll expect something from anyone. After this, I won't assume a damn thing. But please I can't handle pain right now."
Murphy nodded and then dragged Bellamy in for another kiss, this time softer than his norm. He could give Bellamy gentle just this once. This time their sex included no wounds. He tried his best to feel something more for Bellamy. Something other than respect and lust.
When the two of them walked back into camp, Anya summoned Bellamy to her.
"My scouts overheard the leaders talking. They said that if no one fell into their trap, they'd let Octavia and Lincoln pick a tribe to join. Given they've been told there were no survivors in Shaw, they'll agree. Your best chance at getting them back is to wait until they're released to another tribe. They'll defect and join us if they see there were survivors." Anya limped to the back of her cart to sit. "Is that agreeable?"
"I know Octavia wouldn't have a problem with this tribe. But what about Lincoln? I know how Trigedaskru treat mutants. O might stay with him if he won't come." He sat next to Anya.
"Think about what you just asked. Do you really think Lincoln would have any issues with my tribe members?" She did not sound happy.
"You've got a point. And they both would appreciate that we aren't risking anyone's life to rescue them when there's another way." Bellamy sighed. "I just don't like to think of her grieving for me for no reason."
"Think how happy she'll be when you're reunited then." Anya's gaze wandered over to where Clarke stood talking to Murphy and Echo. "And how proud she'll be of you learning the value of life. How proud she'll be of us. Some heartache is worth it don't you agree?"
"I do." Bellamy also looked at Clarke. "I want Clarke to be happy too. She thinks she's made this exclusive promise to Murphy and me. But she's been in love with you since your first non-threatening conversation. I'm going to tell her she should be with the person she loves."
Anya raised her eyebrow and glanced at him. "I'll try to set aside my jealousy and let her decide if she wants to be with you two, me, or all of us. But I have no interest in men, so I won't be joining your relationship, even if you found me attractive. The decision should be hers. And I'm glad you put her happiness before your own."
Bellamy laughed for the first time since Kevin died. "You just made a joke. You didn't hurt yourself did you?"
"I found killing and death stole my humor away. It's returning." Anya smiled. "Go talk to Clarke."
She watched him approach Clarke, and then the two of them walk away.
Murphy drew near to Anya. "Did you need something?" she asked.
"Just want to confirm a theory." He leaned on her cart. "My theory is that you and Bellamy agreed to absolve Clarke of any promises she's made to any of us. That she should be with whoever she wants whenever she wants."
"For someone who feels nothing you understand other people too well." Anya looked up at him. "You're space. Beautiful but dangerous."
"I'll take that as a compliment. But I don't live in a vacuum, and none of us live in space. Our dangers are on the ground. I have to think of others and their wants to get what I want." Murphy shrugged.
"Thorns on pretty flowers, oh such loving wounds we'll bear." Anya mused as she saw Clarke and Bellamy return and head their way.