BELLAMY

A dull ache radiated across his side pulling him out of unconsciousness. He took a deep breath but the pain didn't shoot or stab like it had before. He lifted one hand to hold the back against his forehead, he was no longer clammy and burning up. He snapped his eyes open, what was it Clarke had said about internal bleeding. Either he would bleed out and die or it would just stop and he would get better on his own. Maybe it had stopped. Maybe he wasn't going to die. He sat up straighter and lifted the hem of his shirt to look at the damage. There was still a mottled purple colour at the centre but the edges were fading to a greenish yellow. Bellamy had been on the receiving end of enough punches to know that was the colour bruises turned as they began to heal. He experimented tentatively with standing up. He stood still for a few moments testing himself. The pain was still there but it was not overwhelming. He could cope with this. He took a step forward. This was okay.

He had to find Clarke. He remembered the visit of the President and the doctor. They had taken Clarke for something to do with her blood. She might not have very long left. She might already be dead. And he had no idea where she was. And he was still locked in this cell.

Bellamy moved to the door inspecting it to see if there were any weaknesses; any hope. They wouldn't have left it open would they? With no great expectation of success Bellamy pulled at the door handle. To his surprise the heavy iron door swung open in front of him. Bellamy smirked. Maybe their luck was finally turning. They had been so confident of his impending death they hadn't even felt the need to lock the door. So they wouldn't be expecting him to mount a rescue mission.

He looked both ways down the corridor and seeing the way was clear he snuck out walking quickly along the dark stone walled passageway he was sure he had seen them take Clarke. He had no idea where he was going but he knew he had to try. They weren't coming to look for him for a couple of days but Clarke probably didn't have that long. It didn't even occur to him to use the time to try and escape on his own. His first and only thought was to get to Clarke. Then they could get out.

The only light came from bare bulbs hanging down from the stone roof of the tunnel casting pools of weak yellow light over the dirt floor. The room would likely be guarded but Bellamy was banking on the element of surprise. They wouldn't be expecting anyone to be coming down the corridor.

Bellamy froze as he heard the sound of footsteps coming towards him. He pressed himself against the wall in the mouth of a side tunnel hoping the shadow would keep him hidden. He watched as the guard came into view his gun down by his side. Bellamy bit his lip as his mind went back to the group of guards attacking him as he lay helpless curled in a ball. He didn't dare move lest the guard see him. The guard paused almost right in front of the turning where Bellamy hid. He held his breath silently urging the man to move on.

The guard turned slightly and peered into the tunnel in which Bellamy hid. He was sure he must be able to see him now, he was practically staring right at him furrowed brow and hand drifting to his rifle. Bellamy could see the sweat forming on his forehead in the sweltering heat of the lower levels. He could see the pupils of the man's eyes wide and diluted his eyes still glaring into the blackness of the side tunnel hunting out Bellamy's form amongst the rocks.

He felt the moment a pebble dislodged behind his back and he knew it was over. He surged forward seeing the moment of realisation on the guard's face as he emerged out of the darkness tackling him to the floor before the guard had the chance to draw his weapon. Bellamy drew back his fist and with one punch he felt the man's head crunch against the rocky floor and his eyes roll into the back of his head. Bellamy pulled back feeling the man's body lifeless underneath him. He hadn't had a choice.

Bellamy stood dragging his hand across his mouth. He didn't have time to dwell on it; he could feel guilty later, he could add it to the list. He dragged the man's body deep into the side tunnel where it wouldn't be stumbled upon. He stripped the guard's uniform and switched it with his own ragged clothes. Finally he took the rifle swinging it over his shoulder.

Moving back out into the main tunnel Bellamy carried on down the path sure that Clarke was somewhere along here. If she wasn't he would probably never find her. He shook his head as if to dispel the thought from his mind. A soft white light filtered under a brushed steel door ahead of him on the right. There was no guard in front of the door; there had been only the one. Bellamy steeled himself as he stood gun in hand. He didn't know how many of them would be the other side or what he would have to do to stop them. But he would do anything to save her.

He took a deep breath before flinging open the door and rushing in gun raised.

"Who the hell are you?"

It was only the doctor in the room with Clarke strapped to a trolley. Bellamy didn't have time to see if she was alive, the doctor held a long needle in her hand and he needed her to back away.

"Drop the needle and step away from her!"

The doctor hesitated her hand still raised. She glanced at Clarke and then back at Bellamy. She didn't move. Letting instinct guide him Bellamy lunged forward smashing the butt of the gun into the doctor's temple. The needle dropped harmlessly to the floor as Bellamy caught the doctor's crumpling body. He laid he to the floor quietly if not gently and turned to focus his attention on Clarke.

She looked pale and drained. There were tubes coming out of her arm and puncture wounds already in her hip. Fearfully Bellamy pressed two fingers to her neck and kept them there feeling reassuring pulse telling him she was still alive. Carefully he eased the needles out of her arm keeping his fingers pressed over the hole to stop the bleeding. He didn't know how long she would be sedated for but he knew he couldn't stay there. Even if the doctor didn't wake up any time soon it wouldn't be long before someone came to check on her. They didn't have the time to wait around. Bellamy went to pick Clarke up with one arm under her neck and one under her knees but he stopped. He couldn't carry her like that and shoot someone. They would be helpless if ambushed and he couldn't let that happen. He sighed, she would surely object if she was awake but she wasn't and he didn't have any other option so he lifted her fireman style over his left shoulder holding her legs against his chest. He checked the corridor was clear again before turning right and going deeper into the mountain.

He didn't know the way out and this might just be a dead end but he was sure he didn't want to head back the way they came and back towards their cell. He just kept walking. And Clarke just kept sleeping. He hoped she'd wake up soon, without her he had no idea if there was anything really wrong. They relied on her so much to look after them. She was the only one with any knowledge of saving people. He could knock a few doors down and a few heads together but he needed her. He needed her to live.