Brave New World
Chapter 14: Forever and a Day
Authors note: Hey Guys! Sorry it's been like 12 days, but school and tennis have started, and I have a lot of student council stuff going on, so I'm pretty busy, but I'll do my best to update as often as possible. I only need like 50 more reviews until I'm #7 on the 100 archive (review based)! So REVIEW and let me know what you think and want more/less of! Love you guys, I hope you all win the lottery! Lol.
Clarke
It had taken a day and a half for us to reach the pentagon, we'd left yesterday at noon and stopped an hour after nightfall. We'd woken up before the crack of dawn and we packed everything up once again. The walk was tiring, I couldn't be more grateful for finally arriving.
I was physically exhausted, emotionally drained and spiritually dead. Anya had left at day break like she promised. Our goodbyes were short, but respectful. She'd gave me paste for my healing wound, and a book.
She'd remembered out past conversation about her language, she'd remembered my curiosity and gifted me with a dictionary. It converted English, my language; to Spanish, her own language. I didn't have a lot of time to think about the gift, but it was generous and I would use it to the best of my ability.
Bellamy, Miller, Monty, Finn, and ten others from the remaining hundred, scouted out the inside of the pentagon, our new home. The rest of us waited in the chilly night. The sun had set less than an hour ago and the tempature had already dropped fifteen degrees.
I dug out my radio and stepped away from Jasper. "Hello..." I hesitantly spoke into the radio, unsure of what I should say. I let off the button and waited for any word back. The buzzing of static met my ears before a small break in the white noise broke.
"Something wrong, princess?" Bellamy's cocky tone half teased, half asked. Though he'd never admit it, I knew; in his own way he was making sure I was alright and nothing was actually going on.
"Everything's fine up here. What about down there?" I asked over the radio. I rubbed my arm and huddled further into myself as cold-brisk-air rushed over me once again. I glanced behind me and watched as nearly two hundred people huddled together. We'd freeze before we'd die of starvation, we'd have to find a way to heat the building.
"It's a bit of a mess down here... But it's empty, and sturdy. It can sustain us." Bellamy stated over the radio. "Were coming up." he finished, I didn't feel a need to reply. He'd be up in a few minutes.
I walked back over to Jasper, he gave me a questioning look and I nodded.
"Listen everyone," I called out, no one was really talking to begin with, they were too cold, but I needed their full attention for this short speech, " This is our home now, it's devoid of life, and a bit of a mess. But it will sustain us and benefit us. Tomorrow we will assign rooms, halls, and boundaries. We will also begin clean up and organizing ourselves and this building." I spoke over the howling wind. Everyone nodded, eager to escape the biting cold.
Bellamy's head popped out of the ruins of an underground door. The second I saw the ruins of the building I knew how we'd set up the new camp. The outside of the huge building and all of its walls were still strong and large. There were parts missing and some reconstruction would need to be done, but we'd primarily live inside the pentagon, underground.
The facility was huge. I followed Bellamy down the rusty doors and down the small ladder. All three hundred of us shuffled through the flashlight lite hallways and into a large meeting like room. I couldn't tell if it used to be a cafeteria or an auditorium. It didn't really matter, we all filed inside.
The remaining one hundred and their families or old friends sat with them at the front of the room, the others, like the council sat behind them, more skeptical of their environment. Everyone was on edge, Bellamy persisted anyways.
"Look, this place hadn't been used in one hundred years, but it's all we have and it's quiet a large and strong facility. Together we will unite and make this our home. Everyone will be assigned a room, all of the same, no one is classified or more important here. There are eight rooming corridors, each with seventy five rooms in each hall. You have your selection of a room, but you're responsible with cleaning it up and decorating it however you wish." Bellamy spoke loudly, everyone seemed excited to have their own room and equality, mostly everyone anyways.
"We don't have set in stone rules. Use your morals and common sense. Follow the days schedules and perform your tasks and activities appropriately and we won't have any problems." Bellamy stated offhandedly.
"It's been a long day, everyone get situated in your room. Everyone must own a room, even if you wish to sleep with your significant other, you have to have a room. Tomorrow we will collect room numbers and begin actual records, we will also assign jobs and begin learning how to survive as a large unit." I said with a note of confidence in my voice. Many people bobbed their heads in understanding.
"All supplies will be distributed in my room. We will not repeat the indecent with Murphy." Bellamy growled, faster and more frantic nods came out of his annoyed and angry tone.
"Feel free to explore the building as much as you like, but do not leave the building passed sundown. The doors will be locked and you will not be allowed back in until the doors are opened in the morning." Bellamy barked dangerously. Though the rule was serious and I knew Bellamy would lock half of these people outside, I also knew he wouldn't lock any of the remaining one hundred, the children bellow twelve, or me out there.
A little fear to keep people in control while we figured out our surroundings, this large building and organized everything wasn't necessarily bad. I laughed into my hand and pretended to cough. Bellamy shot me a knowing look, it was a mixture of amusement and a warning.
"We will lead you to the eight living sections and allow you to chose." I stated with a small smile. Bellamy began leading the excited and nervous people out of the dark room into the dark hallways.
I found myself walking with the nervous children. They weren't that young, but they weren't old enough to use logic to fight off fears of the dark. To be honest I think some of the adults were scared of the darkness.
I saw Bellamy shoot me a look of confusion and then understanding before he rushed to the front and directed the people to their future rooms. I wanted to make sure the children were all in the same hallway. There was no classifications or higher positions on earth, but sectioning out the children was a good idea.
"Hey Guys," I spoke quietly with a small-kind smile at the confused children, "are you excited to have your very own rooms?" I asked. I got many excited shouts from the children, their fear easily pushed away by their naive thoughts. Sometimes I wished I could be like them; wished my fear and problems could be gone with just a few words and different thinking. But it wasn't like that, my life wasn't that simple, our situation wasn't that simple.
I lead the kids behind all the adults and turned into the third hallway. Bellamy had ushered the adults into the eighth, seventh, sixth, fifth, and fourth hallways before the first three. I lead the kids into the back of the hallway and allowed them to choose their own rooms. All the children had selected rooms and were digging through them besides one girl.
"Sweetheart, why haven't you selected a room?" I asked and touched her brown hair affectionately.
"It's dark..." She whispered her green eyes piercing into mine. They were full of fear, uncertainty and confusion. I sucked in a deep breath and handed her my flashlight.
"Here." I whispered back, she took it, her eyes unsure and her lip quivered.
"I c-an't take dis." The young girl protested. I shook my head and grabbed her small hand. She had to be less than eight. The twenty three children had survived the arks risky attempt at life; their parents however had been floated, died in the landing or protecting them. They were all orphans now. Only a few families were still intact, aside from the remaining one hundreds families.
Less than fifteen had a mother, father, and child under fourteen years of age still alive and together. I stood up and held the girls hand as we walked into an empty room. The little girl hesitantly pointed the flashlight around the room.
It was dusty, and there were few belongings left from whoever had existed here nearly one hundred years ago. I led the girl to the small twin mattress and began shaking out the blankets and sheets. The little girl coughed as the dust flew into the air before settling on the floor.
I remade her bed and extended my hand to the small girl. She hesitantly took it and let me tuck her into bed. She kept the flashlight on and pointed it at the ceiling, lighting up the entire room.
Bellamy was right when he said this place was a mess; dust was everywhere, cob webs hung from the ceiling and corners of the rooms, and we had no electricity or heat.I sighed and kneeled beside the little girl, her eyes were trained on me.
"I'm Clarke, What's your name?" I asked.
"Kenna..." the young girl murmured. She had bright green eyes, they were foggy, she'd seen to much for her age. She'd experienced life to quickly, her eyes told her sorrows and stories. She had medium length wavy dark brown hair. She was small and underfed from the arks previous lifestyle.
I gently stroked her hair and sang a soft lullaby to her. It didn't take long for the young girl to fall into a deep slumber. I squeezed her hand and stood to leave the room. I grabbed the flashlight and flipped it off then placed it beside Kenna's uncurled hands.
I turned to leave the room, only someone was blocking the doorway. I squinted past the bright light that blinded me and looked at Bellamy in annoyance and surprise. He opened his mouth to talk but I quickly shushed him. I gave him a small push out of Kenna's room. I grabbed and cracked the door.
"All the kids are asleep." Bellamy commented, I nodded my head and began walking out of their hallway. Bellamy caught up to me with two long strides and provided us light.
"I got you a room. I couldn't get two right next to each other-" Bellamy began but I cut him off.
"Thank you Bellamy." I said politely. He seemed to take the hint that I didn't want to talk and scoffed. If I'd pissed him off he didn't say anything, he just nodded and began to walk away. I stood in my spot for a moment. The further Bellamy walked away the more darkness crept in, leaving me nearly blind.
I dumbly looked around, I didn't know which room was mine. I rolled my eyes and with a sigh turned around and headed towards the sound of Bellamy's soft footsteps.
When I didn't see light, but heard consistent footsteps I froze. I was in pitch black, I was cold and I desperately needed sleep. "Bellamy..." I whispered out and blindly felt my self to the wall.
"Bellamy...!" I called slightly louder but still uncertain. I took a hesitant step forward but stopped as the thudding of feet stopped. He'd probably entered his room and was leaving me to pathetically find my room alone.
I sighed and tried one last time. "Bel-" As I whispered his name out loud a hand wrapped around me wrist and tugged me forwards. Another hand was quickly placed around my mouth so I couldn't scream.
The voice was so familiar and cocky. "Someone's afraid of the dark." Bellamy remarked. I was frozen in his arms and oblivious when he dropped his hand from my mouth. It took me a moment to even make out his form from the black hallway we stood in. My breath came out faster than necessary.
"Y-yeah..." I uneasily breathed out. Anger didn't begin to settle until he'd already began leading me to the room. I stumbled over my own feet a few times. His strides being longer and more confident than my own.
"I'd imagine anyone in my position would be squeamish if they were in an unfamiliar place with no light and no idea where to go." I growled at him, he didn't laugh out loud but I could feel his chest vibrate and hear the smile in his voice as he spoke.
"So, this is my room." He spoke and held the door open for me while giving the small of my back a light push. I hesitantly walked forward into the pitch black room. I stood absolutely still. I barely heard Bellamy's footsteps and felt his body brush past mine. I understood why he was such a great hunter now; he was silent, learned his surroundings fast and worked well in the darkness.
Within a few seconds he'd turned on a lantern. I once again looked away and took in my surroundings. Taking up almost the entire room were boxes, bags and blankets full of supplies. All of the guns were organized together and positioned in one corner, while canteens and crates of food were in another.
"How are you going to live in here?" I hesitantly asked. I knew we needed someone to always watch over or have the supplies in lock down, especially the weapons, but it wasn't enjoyable or comfortable.
"Well I'm glad you said something princess." Bellamy coursed in an over positive voice, I knew he was planning something. He quickly raised his eyebrows and lowered them in a teasing and victorious look. I narrowed my blue eyes at him.
"What are you planning Blake?" I asked, a mixture of curiosity and teasing in my voice.
"As you can see, this room has no more space and is currently overloaded with weapons. Sleeping in here would be possible but very uncomfortable, and living in here is just not an option!" Bellamy dramatically exclaimed and motioned to the twin sized bed and all the supplies.
"It's unjust if I get two rooms for being the a leader." Bellamy stated and gave me a daunting smirk, I narrowed my eyes further not sure if I'd like what he was leading to. "But that's why I also picked out your bedroom. Because it's more spacious than the others and has a bigger bed. It must have been the commanders or generals many years ago." Bellamy said offhandedly.
His eyes sparkled with Mischief. I quickly shook my head and tsked him. "No! No! No way! We are not sharing a room! We even told everyone they had to have their own rooms!" I smirked back at him as he started to narrow his eyes at me.
"You, yourself, Bellamy Blake said were not above the rules." I threw his words back at him and raised my chin to him in a triumphant way. He glared and leaned against the beds frame, his eyes studying me.
"You can always say this is the supply room, and have the room next to it. Problem solved." I continued and crossed my arms in front of my chest defiantly.
"Well that solves my problem for tomorrow night, or later this week. But not tonight." Bellamy argued, his confidence wavering and his smug smirk no where to be seen.
"You're Bellamy Blake. Figure. Something. Out." I challenged him, he growled and stood up. He grabbed the lantern and walked passed me and out the door.
I did a double take of his figure and quickly followed him into the hallway. Across the hall and down a few doors was a closed door, like the rest. He opened it and walked inside. I glanced around the hallway, when I was met with pure darkness I sighed and followed him and my only light source since I gave up my flashlight.
The room was larger, there was a queen bed in the middle of the room, and a dusty mirror in the corner. A large desk loomed over in the middle of the left wall, a small dusty couch taking up most of the right wall.
"This is you're room Clarke." Bellamy stated, he sounded defeated and tired. I felt slightly bad for pushing him. He left the lantern on the desk and moved to leave the room. My conscious was eating at me, at first he may have been teasing but I didn't think he truly wanted to sleep in there... Or sleep alone at least.
I sighed and looked over my shoulder, Bellamy was passing through the doorway, oblivious to my conscious decision I'd made.
"Bellamy," I said quietly, he glanced over his shoulder and hovered in the doorway, "One night." I said with a fake-threatening tone and a pointed suspicious glance. A ghost of a smirk flashed on his lips and he entered my room, kicking the door closed with his foot.
"Left side." he called as he began taking off his shoes and placing them beside the door.
I paused in my search for my warmer, more comfortable night clothes. "Not happening!" I half joked, half stated.
Bellamy began pulling his belt off and flopped on the bed. On the left side. I shot his a narrow glare. His smug idiotic smirk was back. I pulled my shoes off and shrugged my jacket off my shoulders. I instantly felt colder.
We'd need electricity and heat and we'd need it fast. I just had no idea how we'd do that. From what Bellamy had explained... And what I understood, there were no generators here, no power sources. Because of the time it was built and how it was based off of a more technology based society.
I didn't understand half of what he said or spoke of, but I did understand that we were all cold and couldn't see anything. I also understood how big of a problem that was, and how it would get worse and worse as winter approached and eventually falls upon us.
Bellamy's eyes linger over my body for a minute and I clear my throat as I play with the hem of my shirt. His eyes snap up to mine, for a moment I thought I saw a small blush on the tips of his ears, but it must have been the lighting.
Sure I was pretty and had an okay body, but I wasn't Bellamy's type. He liked ditsy, fake girls. Not sarcastic, smart and strong willed ones. Not to mention my body was average at the best, and he'd been with girls that were solid tens. I was a soft seven, hard six. But boys would be boys, and men would be men. So naturally he'd stare.
"D-do you mind?" I asked, my own voice betraying me as I thought about taking my clothes off in front of Bellamy Blake. He'd most likely scoff, or laugh right in my face. I didn't have large breasts do a perfectly flat stomach. In fact; my ribs poked out a little too much and my hip bones were quiet obvious. I had small to medium breasts and dainty arms. I was petite, but not the athletic or sexy petite, just the cute petite.
"Not at all, princess! Go ahead." Bellamy winked and put his hands behind his head and set his eyes once again on me. He looked entertained. I stood in shock and slight anger.
"Turn around!" I snapped and he sighed in defeat and rolled onto his face. I quickly changed, not trusting him to peek or complain about taking too long and glancing up.
He rolled over as I approached the bed, warm black sweats on my hips and a long sleeved off white sweatshirt hanging off my right shoulder and loosely falling around my body. I stared down at him, he lifted an eyebrow to question what I was doing and I rolled my blue eyes at his childish tactics.
"Move." I demanded and he pretended to look thoughtful for a moment before tightening his lips into a thin line and shaking his head. His eyes sparkled with mischief and amusement.
"Bellamy!" I groaned and gave his shoulder a hard shove. He laughed at my pathetic attempt at removing him from my spot.
I didn't blame him for laughing, I knew I was pouting like a child that had their favorite toy taken away, I knew I was being childish, but I simply didn't care. I was tired, emotional and worried.
I still hadn't told Bellamy about the possibility of a second war with the Grounders. He hadn't boughten it up... Granted he didn't know anything about it... I felt less pressured and too busy to bring it up now.
Bellamy was still smirking up at me, occasionally teasing me with a wink or curious raise of his eyebrows. I sighed and gave up in trying to claim the left side of the bed. I began to move around the bed to get in on the right side but Bellamy caught my wrist and my waist.
Within a few seconds Bellamy had lifted me onto the bed and onto his lap. Once I gained my wits about me, I started to scramble off of his lap. Though his right arm was locked around my waist and his free hand pulled and stroked my blonde hair.
I narrowed my eyes at his daring gestures. I quickly swatted his hand that was dangled in my hair, lightly brushing my neck. He placed it in the same spot once again, just his hand was still this time and he was watching me carefully.
"Move your hand." I growled and tried to break out of his hold once more. The attempt was useless, I hadn't even budged half an inch. He slowly moved his hand up and down my neck, tracing where my neck and shoulders met and then following my shoulders a few inches down my spine and then back up.
"Not... What I meant." I attempted to growl but my voice was quieter and less intimidating.
I had goosebumps, and not because I was cold. His warm breath was tickling neck and upper chest. His brown eyes held mine in a mixture of amusement, desire, and confusion. While he was dazed and focused on his caressing and dangerous movements I yanked myself out of his grip and rolled onto the right side of the bed.
I laid on my back and stared up at the white ceiling. I felt Bellamy's gaze lingering on my face and then my body. He was playing a dangerous game, he was smudging the white and black line we'd both worked so hard to maintain.
I began to roll over when he tentatively rested his hand on my arm. I closed my eyes for a moment and took a deep breath in and then pushed it out. I rolled over and looked at the ebony haired man laying beside me.
For once he looked unguarded, he looked vulnerable... He looked like the real Bellamy, the human Bellamy. Not the vicious and courage leader, not the hunter and protecter, but like Bellamy Blake. The boy who'd protect his sister until his very last breath, the boy who'd lost his family to early and was forced to work far too young, the boy that had lived a tough and terrible life, but made something of himself.
He looked real.
"There's a hundred other beds in this place... Why don't you chose another?" It wasn't a probe, it wasn't an attack. It was a curious question. Why'd he chose to stay with me? Why didn't he chose one of his many fan-sluts and have a good time and good night with one of them.
"You're the only one that understands every part of me. I don't have to pretend with you." Bellamy said and dropped his hand from my arm. His grip hadn't been tight, anything from it, but it had been noticeable.
"I think you mean; I'm the only one kind enough to not kick you out for snoring." I grumbled and was smacked with a pillow from the chuckling brunet.
"Yeah, that's it!" Bellamy joked sarcastically and I gave him a wide smile.
"Goodnight Blake." I stated and took the pillow he'd smacked me with and put it in between us. Along with three other small throw pillows.
I turned around after I was finished and avoided his questioning and amused look.
"Is that pillow wall supposed to keep me from ravaging you?" Bellamy half joked, half asked skeptically. I could hear the smirk in his voice and the tickle of a laugh in his throat.
"Maybe it's the other way around." I shot at him and turned off the lantern beside my bed, barely catching a glance at his stunned facial expression. I fell asleep with a smile and a small victory of surprising and one upping Bellamy at his own game.
Bellamy
I'd had the same nightmare again, just this time I didn't wake up screaming or go through the entire nightmare. This time I'd been dragged out of the hellish dream and back into reality.
My mom had already been floated, Octavia was about to be next. We were both struggling and fighting the guards, but I was slow, my body felt like a ton, I couldn't move, I couldn't get to her. I couldn't save her. Right as Octavia's death was going to take place in my world of nightmares, a soft, familiar, lullaby sounded from the arks speakers.
It was barely noticeable at first, my terror and desperation blocked it out. As the nightmare continued the soft song was the only thing I could focus on. My body felt calm, my head clearer and the song gave me strength.
I opened my eyes. The room was pitch black, cold air nipped at my clothes skin but I wasn't that cold; in fact, I should be a lot colder, I wasn't. I didn't lift my head, I didn't have the strength yet.
I was out of my night terror but that didn't change the fact that I'd felt it all again, that the emotions were overwhelming me and I felt lost and useless. Instead I lifted my chin up, I couldn't see anything but I felt the rise and fall of a chest beneath me. I heard the soft lullaby of a song my mother used to sing to me and felt a steady hand stroke my hair and another comforting hand rub my lower back.
I cautiously sniffled and relaxed again. Clarke. She was singing, she was holding me, she was giving me strength. Just like the night before. I hadn't remembered her pulling me out of my nightmare, but it made sense now as to why I was on top of her and she was embracing me.
Her position was yet again awkward and looked uncomfortable. I was to drained to pull myself off of her, and frantically I didn't want to. I didn't want to talk about my nightmares or acknowledge I even had night terrors. Clarke hadn't boughten it up last night, she wouldn't do it tonight, or ever. She was like that.
I released a deep sigh and closed my eyes once again. It didn't take me long to get lost in the soft rhythm she produced with her voice and body. Her chest barely vibrated as she sang and hummed, the rise and fall of her chest was lulling me back into sleep and the pound of her heartbeat made a steady beat for her singing. She was completely in rather with herself, and me.
Within minutes I was in the daze between sleep and reality. She shifted slightly and lowered herself into a more comfortable position. She didn't stop humming or stroking my hair but she was slowly falling asleep as well.
She brushed the bangs off my forehead and whispered something to me, but I was too tired to actually comprehend what she said. In the morning did I finally recount what she'd whispered.
'How awful it must be in a world of terrors... What you've had to experience... I can only imagine.' She'd whispered and then quieted her humming and slowly her strokes feel short and then to none as she joined me in the world of the unconscious.
I'd woken up roughly around seven in the morning. The sun would either be up or about to rise within an hour. I hesitantly pulled myself off of Clarke's petite form and as silently as I could I removed myself off the bed. The old bed creaked and I quickly stood up.
Clarke rolled over once and then resumed sleeping. Her eyes barely opening before fluttering shut and her features evening out once again. I hesitantly brushed a few stray blonde hairs out of her face and tucked them behind her ear. I retracted my hand as I realized what I was doing.
Teasing, playing games, meaningless flirting was one thing, but small affectionate actions that would persuade how the other felt or acted wasn't okay, it wasn't allowed. Especially not now, they weren't leading one hundred teenagers anymore. Now they were leading children, preteens, teenagers, and full fledge adults.
Everything was different, and experimenting with a highly intelligent and challenging girl wasn't something he could carelessly add to his list of things to do, nor was she interested in him or his games. Either way he lost, so want was the point in trying.
It was infuriating... He was used to being turned down by phoenix girls and the occasional high class Walden woman. With no classifications on earth and no order things were different, it didn't matter where you came from, what station you were in or how different you were. If you wanted to date someone, you could. Everything was possible on the ground.
But Clarke... She- She wasn't like the stuck up Phoenix girls. She wasn't over confident and conceited because she could be. She was over confident because it was her best defense against him and other opposers. She was a challenge because that was her personality type, not because she wanted to play games.
She was an enigma, and for the life of me, I couldn't figure out what was going on in her head.
I grabbed my jacket and began lacing up my boots. A groggy voice and delusional yawn interrupted my thoughts and actions.
"W-Where are... you goin'?" She yawned out and tiredly fell against her pillow once more. Her eyes closing and her body relaxing.
"Out for a run. Feel free to join me, but you look... Occupied." I stated though I was almost positive she was asleep. I nodded my head and walked out the door, closing it quietly behind me. I was nearly to the emergency exit door when I heard loud footsteps behind me.
I'd been wondering when someone would want to talk. It didn't surprise me that they'd want to settle matters so early on in our new habitat, but not this early in the morning. I kept walking, hoping to avoid the council men and whatever he or they would be addressing me for.
"I thought you invited me for a run, not to run away from me!" A familiar voice breathed heavily behind me. She'd somehow caught up to me and was now standing a few feet behind me, panting. I smirked lightly. If she was panting because of a few stairs and a few seconds of running, she'd be dead within ten minutes of running through the forest.
"Let's go, we gotta be back within an hour." I stated and held the first of three doors open. As we moved down long hallways to get out of the maze like facility, Clarke's breathing evened out and she pulled her jacket on.
I squinted into the bright light as the sun rose over the hills and small mountains. It was still dim outside but that would change within ten minutes. The air was freezing but felt exhilarating when I breathed it in and out. I glanced at Clarke who seemed more fascinated by the nature surrounding her than my increasing pace.
I was nearly at the tree lines when she noticed I'd kept walking while she stopped and observed her surroundings. She quickly caught up to me and matched my long strides with a light skipping walk.
"There's a river a mile or so away, we'll run there and back." I stated and jumped over a fallen tree trunk. She scrambled over the obstacle and caught up with my persistent strides.
I heard her already out of breath and watched the uncertain nod she gave me. I counted myself down and as I hit zero, I began a medium jog. Clarke oblivious to my sudden start, scrambled after me. She matched my pace and avoided large branches on the small trail we had. Her breath came uneven and her hair wiped around her body as she kept a steady pace beside me.
At first she seemed to struggle, she never ran before; not for fun or for training anyways. Only in life threatening moments and with her instincts telling her to do so. I watched as her muscles pulled together and then spring apart as her legs carried her up the small hill we ascended.
I stared at the scenery once again, the burning of my lungs and legs felt incredible. I hadn't run since I was in guard training and we did physical drills. Running on the ark was nothing compared to earth. On the ark breath came short, your body got over heated, your throat, lungs, and legs burned, and your mind grew tired of seeing bleak, metal walls.
On earth it was opposite. There wasn't enough air to breathe, as the air left your mouth your lungs paused before greedily drinking in more. Your heartbeat ran wild, and you could hear the blood pounding in your ears compared to the pounding of generators. You felt every stick, leaf and dirt clump crush beneath your foot as you ran.
Everything was heightened, danger ran high and life was fast. At any second the forest and earth could kill me... Kill all of us, but all that mattered was the thrill of running through the greenery and puddles of water, through fallen trees and through the cold air.
Finally the small creek showed up and I braced myself against a tree as my lungs pulled in fresh air and demanded a rest. I swiveled behind me and glanced around my surroundings, something was missing. Or someone.
Clarke was gone.
Raven
They'd carried me on a stretcher as we traveled. Abby always stayed close and once Finn had heard about my survival he never left my side. I slept most of the past two days, my body wasn't able to keep up and my mind was intoxicated by painkillers nod different herbs. We'd finally reached the pentagon, I couldn't be more relieved.
I hated being a burden, I hated being a bundle for Finn and Miller to carry. Jasper and Monty filled me in on everything, especially their heroic save, Miller told me the more truthful parts of their escape and Finn... Finn and I were rocky but working stuff out.
He meant well, I knew that. I also knew I still loved him, and I knew I needed help. I was incapable now. I'm going to be paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of my life. The pain was significantly less, but the fact that I wouldn't be able to walk is what had me aching.
I was just a burden now, I couldn't assist the remaining one hundred, or help to build the new society. Now that I couldn't stand eye to eye with anyone, no one saw me as a person. Just a burden, someone to carry and take care of.
Even Finn.
He just felt guilty, he was just trying to make my transition to an immobile life as painless as possible. Didn't anyone understand they were making it worse? I didn't want to be babied, I wanted to reattach my nerves to my spine before they began to deteriorate. I wanted to attempt to walk again, to sit up on my own and have control of myself.
Abby had chosen my room and the next one to it. She insisted on checking up on me every few hours, she also insisted on constant bed rest. Just because my body was destroyed... It didn't mean my mind was.
Though I was sleepy with all the medicine and the dull throb of a headache pounded at me, I didn't rest. I knew they would need electricity and heat. We'd need electricity to see the facility. We wouldn't be able to power everything and the pentagon was to recent to have labored generators.
Obviously the back up generators were useless or else we'd have power, even if it was for a few measly days. Our flashlights and lanterns wouldn't last us more than two weeks, and we couldn't live in the darkness, we were underground, there was no way for windows and sunlight. Lighting candles was an awful idea, if someone forgot to out theirs out the entire bundling would burn and we'd be left homeless.
Clarke had previously given me her informational journal when I talked to her about my boredom and need to do something useful. She'd mentioned three places that we could take parts from that were less than five miles away from our new home.
The first one was the smithsonian institution. One hundred years ago it was used as a museum of the sort, but it was very popular, large and would have some tools we could use to create a generator. Our biggest problem was; where were we going to get that electricity to generate the generator and light our home.
Clarke had mentioned coal generators but we had no coal and we knew nothing to burn to power the entire building, let alone even a fraction of the ginormous facility.
We could get parts and history from the smithsonian. Clarkes next idea was the old airport. It was roughly ten miles away from camp but we could gather more supplies for generators, repairs and maybe even weapons or old records.
Clarke's final idea was visiting the most important building in all of America... Or that's what the Americans believed over seventy years ago. The White House. Clarke talked about the vast library inside the special house, she talked about the supplies and the hope of finding records on how to construct a three hundred year old generator. She mentioned if that failed that there was an old college not far from the White House, and that the college would have limitless and priceless knowledge there.
She believed that they should scout the college and White House before they sent people out to just pick out important looking supplies. They had no idea what they were building. Only ruins of old stuff. Clarke had informed me that she'd leave in the middle of the week. The trip would be fourteen hours max.
I still didn't have any idea how we'd build a generator without electricity but I didn't believe Clarke had a good start. If people did it four hundred years ago we could do it today. I laid down Clarke's journal and sharp pencil and began to fall asleep.
At least I knew the people that could help make the generator most probable. Monty for sure could assist engineering while I and a few of the architects could build the instructions and designs, we'd need laborers to receive the supplies and build the machine all together and a few mechanics to understand the machine, and probably three or four of the electrical Walden men.
I quickly fell asleep, my brain wondering from analytical and coherent thoughts to a blurry world dreams.
Bellamy
I quickly pushed myself off the tree, my dizziness and bodies desire to rest all forgotten. Clarke was gone, she was missing. She'd just been at my side, then slightly behind me, but she was never less than three feet from me. I would have heard if she fell or was caught in a trap. Someone must have taken her.
I was gripping my ebony hair with both my hands and tugging on the dark strands. There was no way this was happening, she couldn't have been taken right underneath my nose. She couldn't just disappear like that.
Who would have even taken her, Clarke's map referenced to reapers at least forty miles away. They wouldn't be roaming in this territory, not without a reason. I heard a soft giggle, it sounded strained. The reapers wouldn't just come to take Clarke, they'd do something much bigger more explosive on our barely beginning society.
Wait... I'd heard a giggle...? The forest was nearly silent, the only noise was the soft trickling of water as the stream flowed and the birds chirped and flying from tree to tree. I spun around as a blonde breathless girl carefully walked into the small bank.
"Clarke!" I exclaimed and moved directly in front if her, checking for any injuries or fear in her dazzling blue eyes.
"Yes...?" She raised one of her delicate blonde eyebrows at me and stepped past me. She sat down a few feet away from the water and picked up a few rocks that were in the powdery sand.
I was dumbstruck, obviously she was fine but that didn't stop me from being in a stage of complete shock. I was preparing to say something to the oblivious blonde girl when she began speaking.
"I spoke with Raven. She almost died..." Clarke said quietly, she turned her head and stared at me with soft eyes. There were no tears in her blue orbs, but she sympathized for the girl. She had obviously slowed down as her thoughts crept into her adrenalined mind set, and I was to costumed in my thoughts to notice her disappearance.
They were strange, they'd both loved the same boy, and he broken both their hearts, then they both cut him off, and now they moved on. But instead of hating each other they built off each other and supported the other in a silent understanding.
"She told me what happened... I want to find out what was in the medicine Lincoln had... It could save many lives that have fatal and internal injuries. It sustained her for six days. It had to be a blood clotter of the sort, but something else. Something that triggers or enforces a self healing..." Clarke mumbled to me, her eyes distant while she rambled on about medicine.
"What else did you speak with her about?" I asked and took a seat beside her. The thought that the two girls might have spoken about me and Raven tell Clarke about our one night together had crossed my mind. It was my mistake and I'd rather not let Clarke have a list of all the women I'd slept with over the last two months. I'd rather her not think lowly of me... But I'd messed up and if Clarke found out, she'd be furious, but there was nothing I could do.
I highly doubted the two girls talked about what and who they did in the bedroom, while Raven was dealing with being paralyzed, we'd just relocated three hundred some people, we had no power or heat, and winter would be upon us in less than three weeks. I assumed the two brilliant girls spoke of all the logical problems and not their relationship issues.
"We talked about the electricity. We'll run out of batteries and our flashlights and lanterns will die within two weeks. So that means we have two weeks or twelve hours of daylight to create an old generator and power the main sections of the building... And right now... We have absolutely nothing." Clarke grumbled. My assumption was right.
I was silent for a moment, gathering my thoughts. " On the bright side," Clarke broke through my blank thoughts, "I organized a list of jobs, necessities and clean up." Clarke said with a small smile of hope.
The small blonde beside me had a thin coat of sweat on her forehead and bellow her nose, right above her lip. She didn't seem to notice and she didn't seem affected by the chill. She was still hot from her run, I was quickly cooling off.
"How'd you do that, princess?" I half asked, half teased. She rolled her eyes and pulled out a single piece of paper with words organized all over it and many many names falling under certain categories.
"You see, everyone had jobs on the ark. And those won't necessarily stay the same but we need some engineers talents to stay engineers and not janitors." Clarke explained, she missed my pointed glare. She sounded like a stuck up Phoenix girl.
"Suck it up Bellamy! You know how it is, it sucks but we have to survive! Luxuries fall short on the important list." She growled at me. I felt ready to snap at her, but refrained myself from doing so.
"Thank you," Clarke mumbled at me before continuing, " Look, were going to change things, hell were going to change everything. But for now, to sustain life and start off winter with electricity and heat, were going to need to classify people on what they can do and help with." Clarke stated and right as I was going to talk she raised her hand and shushed me.
"I was thinking we'd classify them into jobs they did on the arch and then modify them. Like Monty can help teach some of the older teenagers about pharmaceutics and basic engineering. Everyone will need to be taught how to hunt and take shifts, same with preparation of food and everyone will have to help reconstruct our new home and clean up some of the trashed rooms." She kept talking and I finally placed my hand over her mouth and seriously stared into her bright-confused eyes.
"Clarke, I'm sure you have everything planned out. And I'm sure it's great, just can I hear it with everyone else. Later at the meeting." I said and ran an a hand through my hair. She silently nodded and continued tossing small rocks into the creak.
"Sometimes I wonder," Clarke spoke, her voice was calmer and more serious, less optimistic, "What it would have been like if we'd never had a nuclear war, if humanity still thrived. If we'd never had to live on the ark." She spoke quietly almost inaudible.
"Sometimes," I began but stopped myself... Did I want to tell her how I felt, did I want to let her break down another wall. Did I want her this close. If I opened up to her now, there would be no pulling away, no turning back.
"Sometimes," I cleared my throat and started over, "I wonder what my life would have been like if Octavia hadn't been found. If my mother hadn't been floated... And my father hadn't left us." I said, my eyes downcast. I could imagine the look on Clarke's face, it would be one of sorrow, one of shock and one of compassion.
"bellamy..." She whispered and carefully put her hand on my shoulder. I glanced into her blue eyes before I tore myself away from her comfort and sympathy.
"Just a-" I began to cover up and pull away, but I'd been right before; I couldn't just close myself off now. Not when she already knew, it would only hurt her and cause more confusion between the both of us.
"Don't," Clarke warned, her eyes still soft but stern and commanding, I sighed and held my hands up in surrender, "Bellamy, everything that's happened to you, me and all of us, it's been for a reason. Maybe there is a god after all, I don't know; but I do know that if your mother hadn't been floated, your father left, and Octavia taken, you wouldn't be on the ground today. You wouldn't be leading our race." Clarke spoke with a fire in her eyes. I couldn't help but smirk at her strong determination to make me believe I was worthy of life.
I rolled my eyes and tossed a handful of powder sand at her. She gasped in surprise, but her dumbfounded expressions as quickly replaced by a devious look. She grabbed two handfuls of sand and began tossing them at me.
"Oh you're going down now princess!" I called and chased after the giggling girl. She squeaked when I wrapped my left arm around her waist and twirled her in the air. Her feet occasionally skimmed the sand but she was mostly airborne and squealing.
I set her down when she seemed dizzy enough and was not surprised to find her still holding on to me. She was still grinning like a toddler that had gotten extra milk with their mid day nap. She giggled every time she shifted and finally her dazzling blue eyes met mine. Her large grin bloomed to a calm and beautiful smile. Her left hand was on my neck and her right hand was on my hip, her thumb absently traced taunting circles and distracted me.
"clarke," I breathed as she moved a step forward, her chest brushing against mine.
"U-huh...?" She hummed against me, I felt her chest vibrate and watched as her blue eyes lingered on my lips before meeting my confused gaze.
We weren't supposed to go there. She wasn't supposed to want me, she was out of my league, deserved better, could get better. And yet here she was, tracing circles below my hip bone and making me mad with desire. A soft growl was forming in my throat. The thought of having her scream my name over and over again right there in the powder white sand drove me insane.
As I finally gave in and moved forward towards her full lips she applied a significant amount of pressure to my hip and wrapped her arm around my neck to tugged me to the ground. She straddled my waist and pinned both of my arms in the surrender position near my neck. Though she kept me weighted down, and had taken me by surprise, my arms were at a Ninety degree angle and I could easily switch our interesting position.
I waited for her move; she was teasing me. Her eyes sparkled with delight and excitement, her smile looked cunning and calculating. But her body was hesitant to move. I laughed lightly, her confident expression faltered but she did not retreat, instead she tightened her grip on my wrists and placed her foot right under my groining.
"I..." She whispered, her voice low and quiet, "Win..." A victorious smile bloomed across her face as she sent me a challenging look and a victorious scoff.
She was just asking for it now. Within seconds I'd loosened one of my wrists, her expression fell to one of surprise. She scrambled to grab my hand and pin me down once more. I leaned up, my lips almost brushing her soft and inviting neck. As her body weight fell to pin that one hand my other easily escaped her lose hold.
She cursed as she was one upped and could only put all of her weight onto my hand and keep my right arm and leg pinned to the soft powder. I effortlessly pulled myself up on left elbow and wrapped my free arm around her waist. Efficiently pulling her center of me once again. My right leg was free once more. She gave an annoyed grunt. Clarke still kept most of her weight on my hand but it was becoming harder and harder for her as I made small and victorious escapes.
"Princess," I laughed out at her; she growled and kept her focus on pinning me through my right arm, "If you wanted to hold me hand, all you had to do was ask." I teased and gave her hand a playful squeeze, she nearly yanked her hand away from mine before she set in her determination once again.
It was incredibly hot how determined and fixated she was to beat me, but I'd already untangled ninety percent of my body. I leaned up further, her chest met mine and her blue eyes flashed from our joined hands to my daring look. I leaned closer to her lips, she seemed to freeze, her eyes lost their fire and her hold on my hand completely dropped.
As my lips were a few centimeters from hers I realized she pulled her head back. I risked a glance at her blue eyes; they were filled with raging emotions, anger, confusion, fear, anxiety, desperation. I glanced down and noticed how tense her shoulders were, they were basically pulled up to her chin in discomfort. She was frozen in shock, and confusion. Her innocent expression sent a pang in my chest.
She hadn't been teasing, she hadn't been toying with me or even thinking about physical affection. She'd simply been messing around. She wasn't like the other girls, I knew that, Clarke would never initiate beach sex. She was modest and innocent, and right now she was freaked out and uncomfortable, because I'd pushed her to far.
I did the best thing I could think of at that moment. I flipped her entire body off of me and onto the sand, a gasp of surprise left her body as her back softly met the ground. I held her head for a moment, so she wouldn't get hurt or trigger a headache. Her blue eyes were wide as she stared up at me. I forced a smirk onto my face. Her eyes quickly darted to my lips and my expression, it seemed to set in with her more than it set in with me.
"I-I win." I coughed out, for a moment we were both completely still, neither of us quiet sure what happened or how it had escalated, but then I rolled off her petite body and offered her a hand up.
"Shall we, Princess Clarke?" I asked desperately trying to lighten the mood and make up for my foolish mistake. I watched as a small and probably forced laugh worked it was through her throat and out her mouth. She avoided my hand and stood on her own. I awkwardly dropped my hand. Instead I dusted the sand off of my pants, shirt and hair.
"We should probably-" She started but fell silent, her eyes were trained on the sky, she looked a mixture of terrified and amazed.
I pinpointed what she was looking at. Falling from the sky was another drop ship, no where as big as the exodus ship and not even comparable to the ark, but a small pod. Clarke flinched back as a loud boom erupted as the ship entered earths atmosphere. Though I was paying attention to the drop ship, I was ready to catch Clarke if she were to fall.
"Oh my god." Clarke whispered as the ship landed nearly thirty miles away from us.
"We need to get back to camp, send out a search party! Chancellor Jaha must have found a way to send supplies. " Clarke exclaimed and began heading for the tree line. I quickly followed after her, just for once I was thinking things through a little further than she was.
"Thelonius Jaha was the only man left on the ark... If a drop ship was coming down to earth, it wouldn't just be full of supplies, it would carry him within it. This could change everything. Clarke and I's positions, our deal on my life, our new home, we wouldn't cave to the council... But we would be over thrown by the people if that's what they wished. If they wanted their old leader back.
Of course, things would just start to turn up for the better before they plummeted back to hell. It was just my luck. I sighed and caught up to Clarke's excited and quiet fast pace. She looked at me, her eye sparkled with hope and a shinning innocence that I hadn't seen since Octavia had been confined. I released a fast breath before sucking another in. For her, I gave a small smile, For her; I'd see this through until the very end.
Authors note: SO?! What did you think of this chapter?! Not so much action packed as a physical admiration from both characters and a small bond. Obviously we learned more of their problems and possible ideas they've thought out to fix them but it was a. Little more romantic and teasing chapter.
Personally I found it funny how Bellamy would so easily fall of a sexy smile and taunting/provocative position. But Clarke's not like that, and he knows that, just sometimes it takes him being rudely thrown out of his dream world and In to killer-earth reality to realize that.
I have school tomorrow... :/ but I will totally love to hear from every single one of you! I will respond to every review and answer any questions. If you review and want some spoilers I will provide! Anything to keep me more entertained while I'm at school! Lol.
So here are some questions I have for you!
What did you think of the playful beach scene? Fitting or too out of character?! I really want to test their characters and see how far you guys will let me push them in different events and reactions. But I have to understand how you react to the smaller scenes before I consider anything big that will change and test the story. ;) so seriously, let me know what you think of any great bellarke moments you'd like to see, even if they are cliché, let me know!
What do you think of Bellamy's antsy attitude towards the end? (Referring to Jaha is on the ground, Bellamy knows, now he's antsy.) What's your take there? Should Bellamy be nervous, will he retort to some of his old ways or will be stay just and strong?
Here's a big question; I've gotten it a few times too! Will Jaha and the orphans instantly reunite with the one hundred and surviving ark members? Or will they get lost, in a bad situation, or even approached by reapers or mountain men before the ark gets to them?! Tell me what you'd rather see done or think I'm going to do! ;)
Are you liking Raven's perspective and thought process? Yes she's immobile now, but she is certainly not dumb or useless. She brilliant and will contribute lots to the survival of the three hundred lives now in the pentagon. I understand she had sex with Bellamy and she causes a little drama and were all disappointed in her, but don't hate her for that. Yes it delays bellarke and I, more than anyone, want them to be together, but I do approached the plot and drama it adds. I'm not the best with writing unnecessary drama. Lol, so give me your opinions in Raven!
Anyone else ready for an Abby and Clarke confrontation scene? Two more chapters, max! Or anyone desperately wanting Abby or Kane's perspective and some Kabby time? A lots been going on with the action and possible threats, I haven't really focused on their pairing much yet.
Next chapter we do have an interesting set up, let's just say Kane and Bellamy get to interact together for a few hours too long and Abby is the best or worse balancer. ;) that's the only big hint I'm dropping if you don't review and ask for more or message me! Hahaha, goodnight lovelies.
DON'T FORGET THE 100 GIVE AWAY! ADD THE TAGLINE TO YOUR REVIEW TO ENTER AND OR TWEET ME AT: 100_Obsessed it's solely a one hundred/bellarke fan page so give me a follow and a tweet! If your not a member of fanfiction but read and REVIEW for my story I will gladly work something out with you! :) if you have no idea what the 100 give away is REVIEW and ask, I'll quickly tell you all about it through PM! Who doesn't want free fan-gear?!
Goodnight lovely Bellarkers and 100 obsessors!
Please Review! :)