Chapter 8
Bellamy Point Of View

"Bellamy." Clarke grumbled. It was the middle of the night or very early morning.
"What's wrong Princess?" I asked, her restlessness had prevented me from falling into a proper sleep.
"I can't get comfortable." She complained. The poor girl was exhausted, my little champion was wreaking havoc in the womb which was great, it meant he was strong and healthy but he wasn't letting my girl get any rest.
"Lay on your left side, I'll rub your back for you." I suggested. The books said the left side was most comfortable and I'd gotten into the habit of running my fingers along her back gently, soothing her into a sleep.
"I've tried laying on my side, it's just as uncomfortable as everything else." She argued, frustrated.
"Do you want to go for a walk? Maybe you need a good stretch?" I offered. Right before my mother went into labour she was restless, extremely restless. Walking around our room helped her a lot, but it mainly just helped her fall into labour. I wasn't sure if Clarke knew that what she was going through meant she could be getting ready for labour but I didn't tell her, just in case it freaked her out.
My little guy had left his mum alone for two weeks since I told him he wasn't ready to come out yet, but I had a feeling he might be trying to start that conversation up again…and I had a feeling that if he did, he was going to win. Or she.
"Yeah, that might be what I need. A stretch."

And so that's exactly what we did. I wrapped Clarke up nice and warm before letting her go outside. The fresh air was going to help her, at least, I hoped it would.
We walked for nearly an hour when I finally noticed her eyes were beginning to get heavy. I steered her back towards the house and stripped her winter clothes off. "You okay Princess?"
"Yeah, I feel better." She mumbled, already half asleep.
I climbed in next to her and pulled the blankets up, ensuring she wouldn't get hold. I ran my fingers along her spine until I fell asleep.

"Is Clarke up yet?" Raven asked me the next morning. I'd risen early, feeling too restless to lay in bed any longer. I didn't sleep much, I think my anxiety about the upcoming birth was beginning to get to me.
"No, she had a rough night so I'd prefer it if she could stay in bed as long as possible."
"Well when she wakes up, let her know that the Ark will be landing next week. We don't know how it's going to go, so she might want to talk to her mum as much as she can before it happens." Raven informed.
"Okay, I'll let her know. Have I ever told you that you're brilliant?" I asked, smiling at her.
"No, only that I'm a genius, but hey, you can keep the compliments coming." She joked back. "You know, the whole thing with Clarke and you guys having a kid has really softened you up." She said, and even though she probably meant it as a good thing, I didn't like it. "Just because you've softened up, doesn't mean anyone respects you any less and it doesn't mean your influence is any less. You're still our leader and we are all going to continue following you. You don't have to be hard as nails all the time." Raven continued. She must have noticed my change in mood.
"Thanks." It was a sincere thank you, even if it didn't sound like it. Raven's approval meant a lot and her assurance meant even more. People looked up to Raven because she was so smart…that and probably because she was also gorgeous. She was also fierce and intimidating.

"Hey, I think that's the first morning you've left me in bed alone." Clarke said as she wrapped her arms around me. I was standing against the doorframe of the med bay. I had been talking to Harper and Finn about taking over all duties. Clarke was too close to delivering our baby and I didn't want her going into labour whilst working on a patient.
"Sorry Princess, I couldn't sleep." I replied, trying to sound light but most likely failing.
"Is everything okay?" She asked. I could feel her eyes on me, scanning me but for some reason, I refused to meet them with my own.
"Yeah, I just couldn't sleep." I replied, sounding a lot more at ease than the first time.
"Clarke, how are you feeling?" Harper asked, ushering her inside. I'd never felt so much relief that someone had taken Clarke away from me. I wasn't sure why I was feeling the way I was, but I needed to find a way to get it under control. Octavia's birth was a secret one and she turned out better than all of us.
"Hey, Bellamy, I couldn't help but notice you're not your usual self. Is everything okay?" Finn asked.
"I'm fine Spacewalker." I rolled my eyes at him, brushing some of my curled hair away from my face. It had grown too long in the recent months and bugged me. I wondered if the baby would have my black hair or Clarke's blonde hair…who's eyes would he or she get? I felt bad for the continuous use of the nickname 'Spacewalker' but it didn't hold the negativity it once used to. Just like the name Princess.
"I know I'm not your favourite person, I never have been but if you need to get anything off your chest or gain some perspective, I'm here." He offered. His shoulder length black hair blew in the wind. I was still standing in the doorway, holding the cabin door open. I had to give him credit where credit was due, he was very mutual and usually very insightful. He saw things in a different light, he was the first to try and initiate peace with the Grounders. He was a natural tracker.
"Actually, walk with me?" I offered a small smile, hoping it was showing him I was offering some sort of truce. Little did he know that the main reason I didn't like him was because he was the first to sleep with Clarke.
We walked through the snowy village, passed cabins and small fires that buckets of water sat around. We were trying to keep all the fresh water from freezing. Work had slowed down, it was simply too cold to do most of the things jobs that usually got down. The construction crew were still building, just at a slower rate. The Guard were still at their rotating posts, keeping an eye out for Reapers. I didn't feel the cold air.
"What can I help you with?" Finn asked after too many minutes of silence.
"Clarke is going to go into labour any day now. She's so close but she's barely seven and a half months along. It's too early and…and..." I trailed off, I had no idea how to finish my sentence and keep my tears at bay.
"You have no idea how the baby is doing. If it'll survive the birth, if Clarke will survive. You're worried how you and her will handle the situation when it eventually happens." Finn guessed and he was right on the money. I paused by the main fire that people gathered around. It had been burning since Autumn, once in a while we let it die out so we could clear the charcoal, same went for the cooking fire and now it applied to the water fires. People seemed to prefer to drink warmer water now that the temperature was freezing anyway.
"What if I'm no help? What if I'm a bad father? What if the kid doesn't like me when it gets older? What if Clarke realises she doesn't want me anymore and we have a split family?" I couldn't stop the tears no matter how hard I tried. I could feel my eyes stinging and I quickly wiped away the tear that had escaped. It felt too warm against my skin.
"What are you talking about Bellamy?" Octavia yelled in a whispered tone. I hadn't even noticed her presence. Her long black hair was styled nearly into dreadlocks, braids weaved down the side of her head, keeping her hair from her face.
"O, this is none of your concern." I tried to shut her out, to make her walk away.
"No, this is my concern. My big brother is beginning to freak out over his child being born when he has no reason to be. You helped mum deliver me so you have experience with child birth. You're more of a father than a big brother so I have no doubt whatsoever that you'll be the best dad around. You'll be a dad, it'll be programmed into it's brain to love you unconditionally. That's how children are, that's how we are born and Clarke loves you more than anything. I've watched you two from the very beginning, hate turned to a mutual understanding. A mutual understanding turned into a friendship and I don't know when that friendship turned into more, I don't even think the two of you know, but it did. You two have had a silent relationship for a very long time. You're the heart and she's the head. You need each other and your child is going to grow up in the happiest, healthiest home with the most supportive family. You knock any negative thoughts you have right out of your head because they have no place there." O had tears dripping from her long lashes. "I think I've turned out pretty damn good, and you raised me from under the floor. Imagine what you can do when you don't have to hide the kid." She softened. The tears slid down her clean face in a steady rhythm.
"O…" I trailed off. I didn't even bother to wipe my own tears away, I just pulled her into my arms and clutched at her coat. Grabbing fistfuls of fur to hold onto.
"Looks like you don't need me after all. You got this Bellamy." Finn patted my shoulder before heading off back to the med bay.
"O, I don't know what to tell you…thank you." It was comforting to hear every word she said. It helped put my worries, my fears, at ease and even though they were still there, they weren't as dominant as before. "I need to tell Clarke that the Ark will be here next week. I completely spaced when I saw her." I let go of my little sister after what felt like forever. She let me hold her until I was ready and I needed that…I really did.