ATTN: I got a very unpleasant review the other day, I'm not going to call it soul crushing, but it was a little discouraging. Then I talked to my friend, and she'd gotten like 5… So, to all of you writers out there I just want to let you know that the opinion that matters most is yours! Don't change yourself, your writing style, or one line of your story just because someone drunk on anonymity feels the need to give you their brand of "constructive" criticism. You are a phenomenal writer in your own right! NEVER doubt that no matter what anyone else has to say. At the end of the day all that really matters is that you did something most believe they can't… You wrote something all your own, and no one can take that away! So be encouraged, and keep writing! :)

Hey guys! So sorry this update is late! I really didn't like the chapter I had planned so I completely rewrote it, and this one takes us in a completely different direction- one I like much better! So, without further ado… ENJOY! :)

Chapter 17

Raven chuckled as Wick and Octavia began to sing along to an old George Straight song, their voices melding in an odd melody that rivaled the old tomcat that Lincoln rescued when he was ten.

Just then her phone began to vibrate, Clarke's name emblazoned on the screen. She answered it, but instead of her friend's voice she heard her nephew's trembling sobs.

Raven turned off the radio, sitting forward in her seat as panic took hold.

"AJ, slow down sweetie. Tell me what happened."

She listened, trying to make out the little boy's words through his choppy sobs. What she did understand made her breath hitch, a chill racing up her spine. She couldn't think of her own fear right now, she had to take care of AJ.

"Sit tight, baby. Uncle Wick and I will be there soon," Raven said, her hands shaking as tears filled her eyes.

She hung up, turning to Wick. "Catch up to the bus. There's been an accident."

"What happened," Wick asked, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the steering wheel harder.

"I'll explain everything as soon as we get to Lincoln and Bellamy," Raven said, her voice trembling.

Wick nodded, speeding up to catch the bus as Raven called Lincoln. She didn't tell him why she needed Bellamy to pull over, just that it was an emergency. She glanced back at Octavia, the girl sitting silent and white faced. She could only imagine how Lincoln and Bellamy were going to react, but she had a feeling it wasn't going to be good.

100100100100100100100

Bellamy set the cruise control on the bus. Everything was quiet, over half the team asleep and snoring with their heads cushioned by pillows crammed against the frosted windows.

His gaze caught Miller's in the rearview mirror and he smiled, all three coaches thankful for the quiet. Then he heard a cellphone ring, and then footsteps as Lincoln made his way to the front of the bus.

"Coach, it's Aunt Rae. She said that she needs to talk to you, and for us to pull over the next chance we get."

Bellamy nodded trying to tamp down the fear already rising in his chest, "Alright, there should be a rest stop just ahead. Tell her I'll pull over there," he replied, signaling for Lincoln to take the empty seat next to Murphy.

It felt as though they would never reach the rest stop, and by the time he was pulling over Bellamy was a nervous wreck. A multitude of terrible scenarios ran through his mind, each more grisly than the next.

After throwing the bus in park he took off at a sedate pace until he was sure he was out of view, and then he broke into a run as Wick and Raven's truck came to a stop. He watched as the window rolled down, Raven's face a white mask glistening with tears.

"What's…" Bellamy trailed off before Raven's shuddering sob told him all he needed to know, "Clarke?"

Raven nodded, fresh tears coursing down her cheeks.

"What happened? Is she alright? Where is she," Bellamy asked, firing questions in quick succession.

"It's bad, Bellamy. AJ called about ten minutes ago, terrified. Undoubtedly Finn took them both from the house this morning. They needed to stop for gas, and Clarke sent AJ into the convenience store bathroom with her phone. She flipped Finn's truck-"

"Is she alright," Bellamy cut in.

"I don't know," Raven whispered before covering her face with her hands, Wick quickly pulling her into his side as she began to cry harder.

Bellamy felt like he'd been kicked in the stomach, all of the air rushing from his lungs at once. He was afraid, more afraid than he'd ever been in his life. However, anger quickly rose to take center stage. He had someone to blame for this, and that someone would pay.

"I'll get Lincoln, we're going to go get AJ," he said finally through gritted teeth, "Then I'm going to hunt down Finn Collins if it's the last thing I do."

Wick watched as Bellamy turned and ran back to the bus. He knew this wasn't going to be pretty because he knew how he'd feel if their roles were reversed. He'd do anything if it meant he could get to the woman he loved and he had a feeling Bellamy was no different.

When Bellamy reached the bus, his dark gaze quickly found Lincoln's- fear clearly written in the boy's face.

"Miller, Murphy, I need you to get the team to Dallas and be ready to play this game without us. Something's come up, and I don't know how long it's going to take for me to resolve it," Bellamy addressed his assistant coaches before turning to Lincoln, "Son, your mother's been in an accident. This is Collins' fault, and I promise you I'm going to see that he pays."

Lincoln stared up at his coach, fear and anger coiling in his chest. He could see rage burning in the older man's eyes, and he knew that Bellamy would do exactly what he said.

"What about AJ," Lincoln asked finally.

"He's fine, but he's scared and we need to get to him quickly. I don't want him alone any longer than he has to be," Bellamy replied, grabbing his things and motioning for Lincoln to do the same.

When they made it back to the truck, Lincoln climbed into the back seat with Raven and Octavia, his aunt wrapping his arms around him. He allowed his fear to take root, tears stinging his eyes and trailing down his cheeks.

Bellamy took the front seat, silent and brooding. He simply stared straight ahead, only speaking as he offered to take the wheel if Wick got tired. Wick declined, knowing that the young coach was in no state of mind to drive.

The next several hours passed in stony silence, and with each passing mile Bellamy's anger and anxiety only grew until everyone was sure he would explode until they finally reached the town of McKinney.

AJ was being kept at the police department, so that was the first stop they made. As soon as the truck pulled up, Raven and Lincoln were scrambling from the back seat. However, they were still on Bellamy's heels as he charged into the station.

"I'm looking for Andrew Griffin," Bellamy practically bellowed to the room at large, the cops all turning to gape at the man.

"Are you any relation," one of the uniformed officers asked as he stepped forward.

"No, but this woman is his aunt and we would like to see him," Bellamy said as he gently brought Raven forward.

"Very well, right this way," the officer said as he led them to a small back room.

The moment AJ saw Bellamy he leapt into his arms, the coach hugging him tightly.

"I'm scared," AJ whimpered against Bellamy's neck, little hands fisted in his shirt.

"I know, but Auntie Rae and Uncle Wick are here. They'll take care of you, ok," Bellamy assured as he passed the boy off to Wick and then turned back to the officer, "I need to know what happened."

"Sir, we can't just-"

"Yes you can. That is the woman that I love, and I will not stop until I know that she is safe. So, tell me where the nearest hospital is and the condition she was in when she was found," Bellamy growled, low and menacing.

Raven wanted to tell him to ease up before he got himself arrested, but his handling of the situation seemed to have calmed Lincoln who stood just to Bellamy's right. The boy obviously took comfort in the fact that Bellamy was going to fight tooth and nail for Clarke, even if it meant taking on the whole police department to get the information he needed.

The policeman, Officer Rowan, sighed, "She wasn't found at the scene of the accident. We don't know where she is."

At this Bellamy roared, "What do you mean she wasn't found? Was the man with her found?"

"Sir, please calm down. We're doing everything we can to find Miss Griffin. From what we understand from the evidence found at the scene, Collins escaped with her into the woods. We've sent out a search party, but they haven't found anything yet," Rowan said, striving to keep his voice soothing to appease the man before him.

"Finn is an avid outdoorsman," Raven said, "He would know how to cover his tracks."

Bellamy crossed his arms over his chest, "I want to be on the search."

"I'm sorry sir, but-"

"I either do it with you, or without you. Take your pick Officer Rowan," Bellamy promised darkly.

"Fine," Rowan muttered, "We leave in half an hour."

"Thank you," Bellamy said, extending his hand to the man.

Rowan shook it, seeing that Bellamy was just a desperate man backed into a corner ready to fight his way out. "You're welcome, Mr. Blake," he said before turning to go.

"Coach, I want to go too," Lincoln said finally.

"No, I need you hear with the girls and AJ. Wick will come with me. I need you to take care of them while we're gone," Bellamy plead, his hands on Lincoln's shoulders.

"Yes sir," Lincoln conceded, although it was very clear that he wasn't happy about it.

"Thank you, Lincoln. We'll call if we find anything," Bellamy said before he and Wick followed Officer Rowan out of the room.

100100100100100100100

Clarke woke with a groan, her side burning and her eyes fighting to open. She shivered against the cold, the heat from a small fire sinking into her extremities. Her shirt was sticky with what she could only guess was her own blood, the material clinging to her like a second skin.

When her eyes finally opened, she spotted Finn kneeling by the fire. His face sported a few minor scrapes, and a scrap of material was wrapped tightly around his wrist. Obviously he had faired far better in the crash than she had hoped. Then again he'd been sauced, so it shouldn't surprise her.

"Where are we," she croaked, Finn's gaze immediately falling on her trembling form.

"A special place," Finn said, his voice warm and soothing.

The sound made Clarke sick. He really was crazy if he thought that she would be happy stuck out here in the woods with him as she bled to death.

"Finn, I need a hospital," Clarke said, trying to keep the fear from her tone.

"You'll be fine, Clarke," Finn spat, "You always were overly dramatic."

"Finn, I'm being serious. If we don't-"

"Shut up, just shut up," Finn yelled, "You're not leaving me again…"

Clarke felt ice surge through her veins as fear threatened to choke the very life from her. She had to at least convince him to try to stop the bleeding, or she wouldn't be around for anyone to find.

"Finn, if you want me to stay with you then you're going to have to stop this bleeding," Clarke said tiredly.

Finn looked at her then, seeming to realize that she really was fading fast. She watched as his blue eyes filled with worry and he quickly made his way to her side.

"Fine, what do I do?"

Clarke quickly outlined what she needed from him, gritting her teeth as he carried out her bidding. He poured some of his precious alcohol over the wound, the stinging nearly causing her to black out. Then he tightly bandaged the gaping gash with strips of her sweatshirt she'd told him to cut up.

After he was finished, Clarke lay gasping for breath. The pain was beginning to lessen, but she was feeling the affects of the blood loss. Her eyes were beginning to droop, and she knew that she would have to eat something to keep her strength up. Fresh water would be a must as well.

"Finn I need you to find food and water. I have to replenish the blood I've lost and the only way I can do that is if I have plenty to eat and drink," Clarke said slowly, each breath a struggle.

"Alright, stay here," Finn said as he rose from his place by the fire.

"I'm not going anywhere," Clarke muttered.

Then Finn laughed, a cold heartless sound that made Clarke shiver. Her anger flared to life then, and she couldn't keep the words that next spilled from her lips.

"He'll come for me," she said, her voice strong and sure for the first time since she woke, "Bellamy won't stop until he's found me."

Finn turned then, his face outlined by the fire casting shadows across his features making him look sinister as a sickening smile curved his lips.

"That's what I'm counting on…" Then he disappeared into the night.

Thanks for reading! Please review and let me know what you thought! :)

Sey77: Thanks for the review! I'm so glad you enjoyed the last chapter! Bellamy definitely isn't happy, but I wanted to drag things out a bit so the big confrontation will be a little while in coming… ;)

Emma: Thanks for the review! Finn is a bad guy, and I love portraying him that way! It's just so easy, and I get to channel my great dislike for him lol

Hailey: Thanks for the review! I'm so glad you're enjoying the story! :)

JoJo: Thanks for the review! I'm so glad you like the relationship between Clarke and Lincoln! I thought writing them as mother and son would be an interesting twist, and it's been super fun to write! I'm glad you like the Bellarke, one of my favorite things to write! Bellamy and Clarke are just so perfect together that I just can't help but love them! I love to make Finn the bad guy, so I'm glad you're liking that as well! This story is definitely going to get finished with a happy ending, so no worries there! ;)

HH: Thanks for the review! I'm so glad you enjoyed that chapter! Hope 17 didn't disappoint! :)

To my Guest Reviewers: Thank you so much for your uplifting reviews! You guys are absolutely awesome and I'm so thankful for your encouragement and support! I couldn't do this without you, my amazing readers! You guys are the best! :)