This chapter is dedicated to everyone who's been commenting the past few days, and for all the positivity you've been sending me. I really can't put into words how much I appreciate all of you. Simply; you're all the best. Lubs yea!
-Nessa
(Next Chapter should be up tonight or tomorrow, sorry I fell a tad behind.)
Bellamy entered the drop ship which Clarke and I not to far behind him. "Where is he?" Bellamy asked.
Clarke put her hand on my shoulder causing me to look at her; "Make sure Bellamy lets you or I talk to him first…" I nodded. "Go find out where Murphy took off too… he should be here." I told her as she turned around and sped off.
Once Finn, Raven, Bellamy and I had gotten close enough to Dax I realized just how badly he looked. There where cuts all over his face, some of them looked like they had healed, others just starting to scab, majority fresh. He eyes where bruised and had large deep black bags under them.
His hands where covered it thick black chunks of blood and dirty. He was huddled into a corner holding his legs close to his chest as he looked towards Bellamy, his face a mixture of fear and hatred. There was defiantly a story here that I was sure I would want to know. I'd have to ask Clarke about it later. No more of this not asking crap anymore.
I looked towards Bellamy; his face was lit up with shock, with a tinge of fear and disgust in his eyes. For all we where aware, this could have very well been Murphy at one point. If they had banished him, wait did this mean he and Clarke banished Dax? When and why?
"Everyone but Connor and Derek out…" Bellamy said looking behind him at everyone, "Now!" He yelled causing everyone to scurry and make their way out of the drop ship leaving Bellamy, Finn, Raven and I in here with Dax, Connor and Derek.
In all honesty, I had no idea who Derek was. I had never seen him before or spoken to him. I was used to Miller and Murphy being Bell's right hand men, not these two. Derek moved closer to Bellamy and I and shifted the gun in his arms.
"He claims he was with the grounders." He partially explained to us.
"Where you?" I asked Dax softly as he shifted nervously before locking his eyes with mine.
"We caught him trying to sneak back into the camp." Connor explained to Bellamy cutting off any chance of Dax explaining to me what he was going on.
"I wasn't sneaking." Dax finally breathed out, his voice sounded off. Like he was having trouble talking at all. He was in pain, how long had he been in grounder company what had they done to him. More importantly how had he gotten away and found his way back. Surely they wouldn't just… let him go for no reason.
"I was running from the grounders." Dax told us sending a cold chill straight down my spin as I turned to face Bellamy. Clarke entered the drop ship taking her spot next to me, her hand intertwined with Murphy's.
Murphy didn't look the least bit like he had wanted to be here, not to mention he wouldn't even look at Dax. Dax on the other hand, his eyes where directly on Murphy. Another plot twist, suppose I should ask either about it later.
"Anyone see grounders?" Bellamy asked.
"Really Bellamy…" I sighed looking over at him as Clarke shrugged looking at me apologetically as both Connor and Derek shook their heads to say no.
"Well, in that case—" Bellamy began to say as he lifted his gun aiming it at Dax. "Hey, what the hell is wrong with you?" Finn asked pushing Bellamy's gun down and away from the boy on the ground.
"Clarke and I banished him for endangering the entire camps safety. We were clear what would happen if he came back." Bellamy said harshly.
"We've all at some point endangered the camp Bellamy, you're both explaining this to me later." I said pointing towards him and Clarke as she nodded to me. "No. If he was with the grounders, then he knows things that can help us." Finn said moving in between Bellamy's gun and Dax.
"He has a point babe." I said putting my hand on Bellamy's arm causing him to ease up and lower the gun. "Help us?" Bellamy asked once I had taken my hand off him.
"He and I fought, nearly killed each other. We banished him, and now we're gonna kill him." Bellamy said explaining a little tiny bit more of the Dax situation to me.
"You nearly did the same to me, might I add and I fight along your side." Murphy piped up causing all of us to face him.
"Another valid point." I mused causing Bellamy to shake his head softly cracking a small yet still there smile. He shot his attention back to Finn. "Get the hell out of my way." He barked at him.
"No." I said moving myself so that I was in between Dax and Finn, kneeling down in front of him. "Finn is right." Clarke said for me.
"Like hell, he is!" Bellamy shouted moving so he could keep a closer eye on me while I was looking over Dax's mauled skin. "Rayne get back!" When I first heard those words I figured it was Bellamy being his usual self, protective and caring.
However when I turned I realized it was Clarke who had spoken to me; she was the one calling me back. It was her who wanted me to back away from him. "Clarke, it's fine." I told her as she shook her head. "Stay sharp." Was all she said before exiting the drop ship along side Raven.
"Rayne, think about this." Bellamy finally said to me.
"I am thinking, I don't know what happened between you him and Clarke but right now he needs our help like you need information." I told him as he sighed looking over at Murphy.
"Go get your girlfriend, maybe she can talk some sense into Ray." He ordered as Murphy took off out of the drop ship in search for Clarke.
I took Dax's hand and began to pull it towards me looking at his fingers and brushing some of the dry crusted blood on his fingers. "He wasn't lying." I finally said looking at his fingertips noticing the nails on his fingers had been peeled right off.
I looked back at Bellamy, he looked completely uncomfortable with the idea of me being so close to someone he didn't trust regardless of the shape they where in. Was he afraid something was going to happen to me?
"His fingernails look like they where torn off. Not even the entire nail just bits and pieces. They tortured him." I explained to Bellamy, as I kept my eyes hard and focused on Dax whom just continued to look terrified.
"You and the grounders should compare notes." I heard Finn shoot out from behind me; he was taking jabs at Bellamy that was never usually a good idea.
"The grounders know we're at war." Bellamy countered.
"What did you tell them about us?" Bellamy asked Dax angrily.
I looked towards the young man in front of me, placing my hand on his knee rubbing it gently to calm him down. At least give the illusion to being on his side. Even though I personally didn't believe in taking sides at this point. I was on the side that kept us all alive.
Dax looked up at me, than turned his head so he could see the boys behind me. His eyes landing directly on Murphy, "Everything." He said as his voice cracked.
I looked back at Murphy who had a small smirk on his face before noticing that I was staring at him. The smirk quickly disappeared when he saw that I was looking at him. I thought he had left to go find Clarke not even a few minuets earlier. Did he walk out of the ship and back in? Why was he so intent on hearing everything Dax had to say? Why was Dax so fixated on him?
I stood up and walked over to Bellamy turning my head to Murphy. "Get Clarke now." I said sternly as he nodded heading towards the exit, "Don't come back without her." I said again watching him stop in place before finally leaving the drop ship.
"Once he's better, we find out what he knows," I said to Bellamy as Clarke entered the drop ship giving me a nod, Murphy wasn't with her. I had a bad feeling about this, in the pit of my stomach it told me Murphy knew something about all this that no one but Dax was aware of.
"Then what?" Bellamy asked me arching his brow. "And then he's out of here, ok?" I asked.
I moved to walk towards Clarke, Bellamy turning his body to follow where I was heading. "What if he refuses to leave?" He asked me once I had finally reached Clarke. "What do we do with him then?" He continued asking.
I focused my attention on the fearful Dax hurled up in the corner, only to hear the words I was hoping I wouldn't have to hear. "Then we kill him." Clarke said as she wrapped her arm around my shoulder leading me out of the drop ship.
"We can't publicly kill him Clarke." I stated as we walked out of the drop ship.
"I know; we would have to take him away from the camp." She explained to me.
"I don't know if I'm comfortable executing a guy for being tortured by our enemy." She nodded to me.
"He tried to kill Bellamy and I." She told me causing me to stop walking and grab her wrist.
"What? When? Why didn't either of you tell me this?" I asked her my voice spiking in pitch. Clarke and Bellamy where almost killed by Dax? For what reason, I mean I could understand why someone would want to punch them or fight them. I mean hell I could only assume some people felt that way towards me too.
Our mini group wasn't exactly the most liked group, but we were all at least respected because of our efforts to keep everyone alive. "Shumway." I looked over at her, "The commander of the guard on the Ark?" I questioned as she nodded.
"He was the one that got Bellamy to shoot the chancellor, than he ordered Dax to kill Bellamy and anyone who was a witness to his death." I could feel the pit in my stomach drop.
I got that bit but that really didn't explain the looks Murphy and Dax where spitting off at each other. Or the fact that Murphy wasn't shocked that Dax was back. I wanted to ask Clarke about it so badly but she and I where just starting to get back on good terms and I refused to ruin that again.
"Is that how Bellamy was pardoned? For telling the Ark who the traitor was? Why would Dax even agree to killing Bellamy?" I asked her.
"Shumway agreed to give him anything he wanted including a job with the guard when he got to Earth. Dax wanted you, Bellamy heard that and nearly killed Dax… I was the one who made Bellamy banish him." She explained.
"Me? Why me, what the hell is so special about me. Like why wouldn't he want you, or Octavia, or Raven?" I asked causing Clarke to stifle a laugh.
"Probably because you're the one thing Bellamy covets most besides his sister. You're the one thing no one can touch unless he says its ok… Guess Dax wanted what Bellamy had." She said shrugged as we headed over to the radio tent.
"Sometimes; I think boys might actually be from outer space." I smirked as Clarke smiled shaking her head at me.
We entered the tent, as I started to feel my body grow weak and began to feel exhausted. "Oh, Sorry." I heard Clarke say only it sounded like I was in a fish tank. I looked at her strangely before realizing she was talking to Raven. Their voices back to normal again; I walked further into the tent looking around. "I didn't know anyone was in here." Clarke continued.
Clarke and I had come here to discuss Dax, and everything that came with that topic; what to do with him, how to get him better, how to find out what happened to him. You know typical camp leader stuff; she felt the need to include me in everything now just to show me that I was in fact important to the cause down here. Show me I wasn't just the doctor, wasn't just Bellamy's squeeze. I appreciated it more than she would probably understand.
"She ok?" Raven asked pointing towards me, I guess I looked as tired and sick as I felt. I could feel both of they're eyes on me as I began to walk away from them some more.
"Rayne?" Clarke asked me. "Yea I'm fine." I said a bit to harsh for my liking. The girls seemed to be ok and ignored my comment.
"Still nothing from the Ark." Raven finally said breaking the silence between the three of us. "It's like they shut it down from their side." She continued,
My eyes felt heavy, I felt like I was going to fall asleep at any minuet, "Clarke?" I said softly. They didn't seem to hear me as I turned to face the two girls.
"It could be the solar flares blocking the signal." Raven continued confirming that Clarke didn't hear me call to her.
"I think it's safe to admit neither of us believe that." Clarke said walking over to Raven to look at the radio in front of her.
Raven shook her head, "Yea, I got a bad feeling."
"There's a lot of that going around." Clarke said as the two of them finally looked up at me. Their eyes exploring my face like I had something on me, or like I had said something without realizing that I had.
Clarke than walked back towards me mumbling something about how the two of us needed to go somewhere else to talk. I heard Raven put the headset down on the desk in front of her. "Clarke, Rayne wait." She said nearly out of breath.
"I'm sorry about your parents." She said looking at us with sadness. I looked to Clarke who smiled back at Raven; I could barely even turn to look at her. Why was I so weak all of a sudden, but then moments later I would have my strength again. I really hope I didn't have a fever.
"Oh my god, Clarke look at her eyes." She said as the two girls turned to me, Raven standing up walking towards me as Clarke backed away slightly.
"Guys I'm just a little tired." I said.
"No Ray… your bleeding." She said as I felt a tear roll down my cheek. That usually happened when I was over tired however something compelled me to touch my face. The thought of bleeding was probably the root cause for that.
Touching my skin I felt the tear stop before my finger, I whipped it gently than brought my hand before my face. Sure enough it was a deep crimson colour. My eyes where bleeding and only a few things caused ones eyes to bleed. I looked up at the two girls from my hand.
"Clarke, Rayne!" We heard Connor yell from outside the tent causing me to rush outside leaving Clarke and Raven behind. "Where are they?" He asked again as I saw him slowly hobbling over towards the center of the camp just past me like he couldn't even see me standing there.
Clarke soon exited the tent along side Raven as they watched me approach Connor, him jumping at the feel of my hand on his shoulder. "Connor?" I questioned looking at him.
"Clarke?" He asked as I shook my head. "Rayne."
He nodded whipping under his nose pushing more blood onto the top of his hand before he looked at me wearily like he was about to pass out. "It won't stop." He told me as Clarke and Raven now moved so that they where behind me.
"Clarke, what's happening to them?" Raven asked Clarke causing me to turn and face them. Someone coughing cut Clarke off from talking as the three of us looked over at a small group of people near a fire. The boy coughing blood onto his hands was Derek. The same boy from earlier.
"Guys… get away from us…" I said weakly.
"Raven, she's right we have to keep our distance." She said.
"Bellamy will kill us if he finds out we didn't help her."
I chuckled; "You two can't help me, if you catch whatever this is… we have to get to the drop ship… make sure Derek gets in the drop ship… but don't touch him." I said softly looking over at Clarke. "What's going on?" Raven asked.
"Figure out what this is Clarke… you know this, you can do this… think…" I said as Connor walked up beside me helping me stand up straighter as he and I helped each other towards the drop ship. "They're the ones who brought Dax in… Rayne… touched him." I heard Clarke say as she seemed to be following us.
"Clarke you'll get sick." I said.
"That's worth it, if it means figuring out what's making you sick… friends do that. Family… does that." She said looking at me causing me to smile.
"You mean that? Even after everything?" I asked her.
"Even after everything. We're basically family, and family protects their own… now come on." She said shooing us to walk faster.
We walked into the tent to see Dax still in his corner trying to hold back vomit but failing miserably. Spewing it all over the floor holding his stomach like he was in pain. I turned and watched as Connor helped Derek onto the floor as he himself moved to a corner.
Clarke soon walked in so that she was behind me, "Dax, hey… look at me." I said rushing to his side putting my hand on his shoulder pushing him back a bit so that he was sitting down again.
"I need you to tell us exactly how you escaped from the grounders." Clarke said keeping her distance from us a bit.
"What happened?" I asked him nicely.
"I don't know." He said his voice full of pain as he continued to hold his stomach tightly. "I woke up, and they forgot to lock my cage." He told us causing me to look back at Clarke.
"There was no one there, so I took off." He said as I turned my attention back towards him. "They let him go." Clarke said her voice draining of all emotion.