Shout out to my South African readers! My mum was born outside of Pretoria and lived in Joburg before she met my dad.

*the parts in italics are flash backs to the events of episode 11*

'It's Clarke and Finn' one of the boys on lookout yelled, and Bellamy almost sank to the floor in relief.

The previous evening Bellamy knew his emotions had gotten the better of him. He knew it as he yelled at Sterling for falling asleep at his post, yelled at everyone about the grounders. He was scared, and Octavia had been right, he was scaring the rest of the camp. He had gone to the drop ship to calm down but Jasper had come in and made him feel like even more of a failure for not going after Clarke immediately, the way he had Octavia. This was different though, they were constantly at risk from the grounders and the 100 were his responsibility now, and no matter how desperately he wanted to find Clarke, he couldn't risk anybody else leaving camp.

Bellamy was also struggling with the guilt of what happened with Raven. He knew it made no sense, Clarke still loved Finn, but he couldn't help it.

Before he even had time to gather his thoughts Bellamy realised that danger wasn't just outside the camp. Murphy had taken Jasper hostage inside the drop ship and Bellamy knew he had been right to trust his instinct on the boy, and regretted not keeping a closer eye on him. Worrying for Clarke was causing him to get distracted. Without hesitation Bellamy offered himself up in Jasper's place, knowing exactly what Murphy wanted – revenge for what had happened to him before he was exiled from camp.

Bellamy turned to look at Clarke now, all thoughts of the last 12 hours quietening as he took her in, she was cut up, reminders of what the grounders could do, and she looked exhausted, but her eyes were determined.

She wanted them to leave camp, to run. She had gotten word from Lincoln - the grounders were coming that night, an army bigger than anything they had ever seen, bigger than anything they had prepared for. Bellamy thought back to that afternoon again.

'I think the princess is dead,' Murphy had said callously.

'No', thought Bellamy desperately 'no'. The thought chilled him and he had to struggle to keep his face neutral, giving nothing away. The make shift noose Murphy had forced him to tie and secure tightened around his neck as the unstable boy tugged on the other end of it.

'And I think the king's about to die, so who's going to lead these people huh? Me, that's who. And yeah maybe I'll have to kill your grounder pounding little sister'. Rage shot through Bellamy, hot and wild and he lunged for Murphy, ignoring the tightening of the noose. Murphy pulled the end of the noose again, forcing him almost off the stool he was standing on as he heard a muffled shriek from underneath the drop ship, where Raven was trying to find a way to open the door and rescue him. Murphy shot at the floor wildly, wasting their ammunition, Bellamy noted with dismay.

Murphy's gun jammed, the sudden silence deafening in the drop ship, but before Bellamy could free himself Murphy had kicked the stool from underneath him. Choking, Bellamy fought desperately but her felt his mind beginning to cloud, all he could think was how he had failed. Clarke was dead, Octavia was going to die, so was he. He struggled whilst Murphy slammed his rifle into Bellamy's middle, knocking the rest of the air out his lungs and winding him.

The sound of the drop ship door opening scared Murphy up the ladder but Bellamy could already feel what was left of his energy draining as he struggled to breathe. He vaguely felt Jasper wrap his arms around his legs to take his weight, freeing his throat, and then the noose was gone and he was lying on the floor gasping for air.

They couldn't leave, they had worked so hard on all of this, how could she want them to leave? They were all scared, but they could fight.

As he felt life flow back into him he lifted himself off he floor. 'Murphy' he roared. Bellamy would not give that weasel the satisfaction of killing him. 'Murphy, it's over' Bellamy bellowed, wrenching at the door to the second level. An explosion shook the drop ship and by the time Bellamy had gotten the hatch open, Murphy had gone - blown a whole in the side of the drop ship and wasted what was left of their gunpowder.

Bellamy struggled to hide his confusion and frustration as the remaining 100 followed Clarke, preparing to leave the camp. He had tried to convince them that staying was their best option, but Clarke was too persuasive, they loved her, he noted dimly.

He reached for her arm, pulling her back towards him, 'Clarke,' he started, still holding her arm, 'leaving here is a mistake.'

'The decision's been made.' She said firmly, looking at him apologetically, but he knew she wouldn't back down.

'Crowds make bad decisions. Just ask Murphy. Leaders do what they think is right.' Listen to me, he begged silently, we can do this, together.

'I am.' Clarke breathed, gently removing herself from Bellamy's grip and heading for the drop ship.

Bellamy thought back to what Jasper had said when he had hugged him after everything was over and Murphy had run. He thanked him for saving his life: 'A long way from 'whatever the hell we want' he had said. Jasper was right, Bellamy had changed since they arrived on earth, hell he had changed from the person he was on the Ark, the person who had judged Clarke Griffin as nothing more than a princess, when truly, she was so much more than that.

Bellamy turned and entered the drop ship after her. He was tense and the sight of Finn standing with Clarke, discussing how they could move Raven, who had been hit by one of Murphy's bullets, was enough to force out all the pent up emotion the day had left him with. As Finn left the drop ship Bellamy called lowly 'can't run away fast enough huh? Real brave.' Finn spun around and Clarke's back stiffened.

'Dying in a fight you can't win isn't brave Bellamy, it's stupid.' Said Finn tightly, walking towards him.

'Spoken like every coward who's ever run from a fight.' Bellamy stepped towards Finn, closing the gap until they were practically eye to eye, staring the other down. Bellamy could see in Finn's eyes that he knew that this was about more than just the grounders, somehow this had become about Clarke too.

'That's enough.' She said, talking hold of Bellamy by the arm and pushing him backwards towards the back of the drop ship.

'Look we're wasting time,' snapped Finn, marching back out into the camp, 'if he wants to stay, he can stay.'

'No, he can't,' Clarke called after him, leaving Bellamy to wonder why those three words meant so much to him. Bellamy was staring at the floor, posture stiff and angry. Clarke took a small step closer to him, and lifted out a hand, placing it on his face. Bellamy's eyes snapped up to meet hers, his breath catching at the warmth of her palm on his jaw, her fingertips in his hair. 'We can't do this without you Bellamy.' She breathed.

'What do you want me to say Clarke?' He said harshly, regretting it when he felt her hand drop from his face.

'I want you to say that you're with us.' With me, thought Clarke. 'Those kids out there, they listen to you.' She stretched out her hand and brushed her fingers against Bellamy's softly.

'They're lining up to go,' he was unable to keep the bitterness from his voice. 'They listen to you more.'

Clarke threaded their fingers together and took another step forwards, until there were only a few centimetres between them.

'I gave them an easy choice, but five minutes ago they were willing to fight and die for you.' Clarke's voice was passionate. 'You inspire them.' She looked up at him beseechingly. 'And I'm afraid we're gonna need that again before this day is through.'

Bellamy sighed, but squeezed Clarke's fingers lightly in response, the small action filling her with hope. She stepped back and gave him one last look before heading back into the camp to help prepare to leave.

*

They were ready within half an hour, and Clarke pushed down the fear that Bellamy wouldn't come with her as she moved people out. She couldn't help but scan the group for him and audibly sighed with relief when she saw the back of his head, saw he had brought weapons and realised he was coming with them. He was facing the drop ship, but when he turned she could see his messy hair, his face streaked with sweat and grime, and she had never been happier to see him.

Waiting until everyone had left the camp she walked to where he stood, next to the dying fire. His face was tense with worry and she could see regret in his eyes. Clarke knew Bellamy blamed himself for a lot of the things that had gone wrong here, honestly he probably blamed himself for all of them. Yes, he had made mistakes, but so had she, and he had always tried to do right, especially by the people he loved.

She stood in front of him, trying to catch his eye.

'You did good here Bellamy.'

'18 dead.' He said, looking away, in the direction of the graves, and she knew she had been right.

'82 alive'. She corrected him firmly, placing her hand on his arm before stepping forward and wrapping her arms around his neck. He hesitated a moment before securing his arms around her waist and dropping his head into her neck.

'You did good.' she whispered to him again and felt him tighten his grip and sigh, her stomach flipped in response but she pushed it aside. Now was not the time.

He pulled away and nodded, before lifting the container of rain water they had collected and putting out the remaining fire. Clarke's eyes were drawn to the muscles in his arms and across his back as they tensed at the movement.

He turned to her, surrounded by the clear white smoke that had jumped up from the extinguished fire and her breathe caught at the sight. He looked so fierce, so determined and she knew that, although she had been wrong to trust Finn the way she had, she had been right to put her trust in Bellamy.

Without another word they walked out of the camp and into the forest, together.