Bellamy
After I confessed my love for Echo in front of everyone, there were no doubts. Indra backed off and agreed to let Azgeda—Echo and Roan included—in the shelter. I was currently sitting on a log in front of a fire, Echo sitting across from me. She hasn't spoken to me since. She didn't seen angry, she seemed just lost in thought.
Monty appeared beside me, sitting on a leg beside mine. "Kane just told me what happened." He shifted his gaze to Echo, who was staring at her lap. "You love her?"
"If you're here to tell me about how bad it is that I fell for a girl from Azgeda, don't."
"No, no I wouldn't tell you that. I'm happy for you. A little down because you didn't tell your friends that you're in love, but you know." He gave me a smile. "I really am happy for you."
"So…Big Brother's in love?"
I swung around so fast I nearly fell off of my seat. Octavia. She's alive. She hadn't been seen since she took off into the woods shortly before the black. She stared at me, her expression not hostile but not welcoming either. She abruptly strode past me and over to Echo. "I need to talk to you," she said in a clipped tone. Echo got up and followed with question.
And I was left to wonder what O had to say to her.
Echo
I followed the Sky Girl down the deserted street. If she wanted to get back at me for nearly killing her, then this was the place. I suddenly wish I had left my sword—if she did decide to get revenge, my instincts would take over and that is the opposite of what would bring Bellamy and me together.
She suddenly stopped and turned to me. "I need to talk to you about my brother. Do you love him?"
"What…?" I was stumped to say the least.
"Bellamy, do you love him?"
"I do," I whispered.
She nodded. "Good."
I frowned. "I nearly killed you. Don't you hate me?"
She smirked. "I'm a warrior, too, Echo. You did what you had to do. I respect that." Now I was speechless. "You were just following orders, and sometimes following orders can be hard or have consequences. But to answer your question: no, I don't hate you." She drew in a breath. "In fact, I forgive you."
"But you don't forgive your brother." It wasn't a question.
"I can't. If I tell him I forgave him…then I might get close to him again. And if I get close to him and he dies, it'll kill me. I can't…I can't let him get close, I have to stay away and the only way to do that is for him to think I hate him, that I still blame him." she was silently crying now, tears leaving trails down her cheeks.
"Hurt them before they hurt you, right? I did that, my whole life, and it isn't fun, Octavia. I'd rather be hurt than be miserable and alone."
She shook her head rapidly. "I can't." she breathed deeply through her nose and swiped at her cheeks. "I'm glad he has you. He needs somebody."
I cautiously reached out and took her hand. She didn't pull away like I thought she would. "He needs you." She shook her head again. "Look, I don't much about family since never had one, but from what I've seen, it's important to the both of you. This is the end of the world, Octavia. You need to tell him now, because if something does happen to him, you'll always regret it."
She bit her lip, contemplating what I said. Then she turned away with only an "I've got to take care of my horse" over her shoulder.
I sighed, hoping that the sky girl truly listened to what I had said. I really did care for Bellamy…I love him. And I know him enough to know he needs his sister, that her pushing away from him hurt him deeply.
I may not have had to deal with the turmoil of family dysfunction, but I dealt with much worse. I had to deal with no family at all. No hand to hold, no one to kiss my forehead before bed, no one to read me stories, no soothing voice when I had nightmare, nobody to protect me from Queen Nia's whips and vicious words.
I spent my twenty years of life alone. And that's no life to live.
I walked back to where the fire and Bellamy were, lost in thought. I reached the spot and saw that Bellamy and Monty were still talking by the fire. I sat on my log across from them and just watched.