A/N: And here's part 2! It took me a little longer than expected, but I hope the wait wasn't that bad this time around. I just wanted to say thank you to everyone following and reviewing this story. I'm amazed that you guys have stuck with it so long and I appreciate it so much! I promise I will keep writing this story, even if it takes me awhile to update. You guys really do make my life better. :)

A quick shout out to all the reviewers - you guys rock! This story nearly has 300 reviews (which is CRAZY!), 360 favorites and over 500 follows. Every single one of those numbers blows my mind.

Chapter 28

Skirting past the rotting corpses, Alex released the shaky breath that she'd been holding and took in the empty forest around them. Everything was...normal. If it weren't for the clear warning sign they had just passed, she wouldn't have been able to differentiate this part of the forest from any other they had been through that day.

But she couldn't ignore the warning; couldn't get the corpses pained expressions out of her head, couldn't get the stench of rotting flesh out of her nose. Those bodies had been strung up for a reason, and she didn't know why.

There was nothing there.

Heart pounding, she tried to ignore the voice in her head that kept telling her to leave, to get out while she still could. Everything was quiet. Too quiet. The urge to run didn't ease even as sunlight streamed through the trees above them, a sharp contrast to the somber feeling in the group. She wasn't the only one on edge. Roma, Diggs, Mbege and Monroe walked quietly behind them, weapons kept ready in hand, eyes wide as they gazed around the area.

"This is a bad idea," Jasper mumbled softly beside her.

Alex couldn't help the shaky laugh that escaped her. "You can say that again." Her eyes scanned the forest, darting from shadow to shadow, remembering all too well how the Grounders by the river had blended into their surroundings.

Her stomach gave a nervous flutter when her gaze landed on Finn. Ahead of her, his pace had slowed as he began to wander the area. She had a sinking suspicion that Octavia's trail had gone cold; she hadn't seen any tracks for awhile and hoped that Finn was seeing something that she could not. But the deepening frown on his face was beginning to confirm her suspicions.

Glancing to the side, her gaze landed on Bellamy's tense shoulders and knew she wouldn't be able to voice her concerns out loud, knowing they would only fall on deaf ears; Bellamy would never stop looking for his sister.

"Seemed worth repeating," Jasper continued, drawing her attention back to him.

"You had a chance to go back," Alex replied softly, keeping her voice down. "I know you're trying to be brave for Octavia, but..."

Jasper turned away from her, jaw clenched. He took a moment to answer. "I know...It's just - Octavia searched for me when I needed it. She was brave for me. I can at least do the same for her."

Bellamy turned towards them with a glare from where he trailed after Finn, apparently having heard their words. "Look, if you guys want to leave, go ahead!" He barked at them, throwing an arm back the way they'd come.

Alex rolled her eyes, knowing his attitude was only covering his nerves. "Don't be stupid, we're not going anywhere," she shot back.

"Then stop complaining."

"Complaining?" She blinked at him incredulously; her own frustration inflamed by the thought that something was wrongwrongwrong. "Look, we're just pointing out that this might not be the best idea. We just walked past a row of strung up corpses to get here, to find your sister. We're trying to help. But those bodies weren't strung up for no reason, Bellamy."

Bellamy's jaw snapped shut and he stared at her with a hard expression before turning away and marching back towards Finn. "Anything?" he demanded instead of replying to her comment.

Shoulders sagging, Alex sighed, watching him walk away from her. What happens if we don't find Octavia?

Finn hesitated before shaking his head. "No. The trail's gone," he replied, confirming her suspicions out loud.

Bellamy's jaw clenched. "Keep looking."

"Look," Finn began, his voice sympathetic. "I agree with Alex. Wandering around aimlessly isn't going to help find your sister. Maybe we should go back-"

"I'm not going back!" Bellamy whirled on Finn, taking a furious step toward him, a glower on his face. "I'm not going back without my sister, understand?"

Finn frowned, standing his ground, but the expression on his face said that he was more concerned about Bellamy's reaction then his anger. As he opened his mouth to reply, he was interrupted.

"Guys?" Roma said, the high tone of her voice drawing their attention. "Has - has anyone seen John?"

What?

The question seemed to send a jolt of awareness through the group, each of their heads snapping around in alarm. Alex's gaze was drawn to the back of the group, where she had seen Mbege last. Roma was right; he was nowhere to be seen.

How is that possible? He was here seconds ago. Where could he have gone?

Almost instinctively, the group drew closer together, gazes darting around.

"I just saw him a second ago," Jasper gasped out, holding the metal rod he was using as a weapon tightly before him.

"Spread out," Bellamy ordered after a moment. "He couldn't have gotten that far."

Alarm flared through Alex as she caught sight of movement in the distance, a shadow darting from one tree to the next. It could have been a breeze moving the branches, or an animal, but something about it sent her heart racing in her chest. "Bellamy, I don't think that's a good idea." The words tumbled out of her mouth in a hurry. "We need to stick together."

As he turned towards her, she saw that the nervousness she felt reflected in his expression. He knew something was wrong. "But -"

She shook her head, cutting him off. "We're not alone," she told him softly.

It was then that something crashed to the ground beside them. Jumping at the sound, they all whirled around to face it, only to freeze at the sight before them.

John Mbege's prone, lifeless body gazed blankly up into the canopy above him. The front of his jacket was stained crimson by the dark blood that still poured from the deep, raw gash across his neck. His expression looked startled, mouth gaping wide in shock, like he hadn't expected to have his throat slit ear-to-ear, all the way down to the bone.

Alex wasn't sure what feeling washed over her as she stared at his body, only aware of the horrified chill that crept down her spine. Only a sharp blade would have made a cut that clean. That deep.

His body had fallen from... above.

Almost unwillingly, her gaze jumped up to search the trees above them, already expecting to find a figure looking down on them from the branches overhead.

It was almost worse that there was no one there. The trees were empty.

We can't see them. But they're watching us. They're watching us.

"They're using the trees," Finn breathed out in disbelief, eyes scouring the branches above them.

Diggs looked on the verge of having a panic attack, chest heaving and eyes wide as he whipped his head one way then another. "We should never have crossed the boundary!"

"Can we please go back now? Please?" Roma begged, reaching out to grasp Bellamy's arm with both her hands. Her eyes were wide with fear as she stared down at Mbege's corpse.

Jasper gasped. "There!" He raised his metal rod to point into the distance.

Even as they turned in the direction he pointed, Diggs raised a trembling hand in the opposite direction. "Another one," he gulped.

Alex's head snapped one way then the other. A sickening realization that no matter which direction she looked, another Grounder loomed in the distance, their dark forms like statues between the trees.

They were surrounded.

For the first time on Earth, she was afraid. Truly afraid. The adrenaline that flooded her system made her feel queasy. A bead of sweat trickled down her neck despite the cool air.

"We need to get out of here," Finn stated, turning back towards the group. "Run!"

As one they turned and fled, aiming for the only gap they could see.

Her feet pounded on the ground beneath her, the forest passing her by in a blur. Everything narrowed down to the heartbeat hammering in her chest and every ragged breath that tore from her lungs. All she could focus on was putting one foot in front of the other.

Keep running. Don't trip. Don't trip!

Bellamy and Finn sprinted ahead of her, their longer legs easily out pacing the rest of them. She didn't dare turn to check on the others or see where the Grounders were; the dark figures at the edge of her vision told her all she needed to know.

Behind her, Jasper's breathing quickly grew ragged. A feeling of hopelessness crept up her throat at the sound, threatening to choke her. He's not healed enough for this; he'll never make it! When he stumbled, hand pressed to his chest, she latched onto his arm, unwilling to let him fall behind.

"Come on, come on!" she panted, dragging him forward. "Keep going!"

"Can't," he gasped, stumbling again before slowing to a stop, slowing her with him. "Hurts. I - I can't."

She pulled him along as much as she could, panic fluttering in her gut. She couldn't support Jasper on her own, and at this pace they'd never outrun the Grounders! The sickening feeling only intensified when Diggs dodged around them and kept running.

"Asshole!" she cursed after him.

She looked around helplessly, not knowing what to do. She could see the dark figures moving towards them. If she stayed, they would both die. Can you do that? Could you really run and leave him to die? Her eyes landed on his slouched form and pained expression and felt resolve harden in her chest. No, I'm not leaving him behind!

When Bellamy suddenly appeared at her side, Finn hot on his heels, relief flooded her. "You came back…" She felt her shoulders sag.

"I'm sick of running," Bellamy spat as he came to stand by them, a fierce look of determination on his face.

Finn grasped his sleeve and attempted to pull him back. "We need to keep going!"

Bellamy yanked his arm away with a growl. "They know where she is!"

He's planning to fight. Alex's pulse skyrocketed. Her head whirled from him, to Jasper, and back in the direction Diggs had run, wondering what the hell she was supposed to do. She reached for him, "Bellamy-"

Roma's shrill scream cut through the air and they all froze. It didn't take more than a second of deliberation before they darted in the direction the sound had come from. Filled with dread, Alex kept a firm grip on Jasper as he stumbled along beside her. The sound had sent a chill down her spine.

She pushed through the bushes, only to skid to a horrified stop. .

Diggs stood before them, eyes wide in shock, body only held upright by the thick spikes that had skewered him through the chest. He wasn't dead - dark blood frothed at his lips as they moved, though no sounds slipped from them except a wet gurgle.

They could only watch in horror as he gave a final cough and stilled, head slowly sagging forward to rest on his chest.

"It's a trap...he ran into a trap." Alex felt numb, like her brain couldn't catch up to what she was seeing. Mbege is dead... Diggs is dead...What the hell is going on!? She took an unconscious step away from the bloody body. We need to get out of here!

"They're leading us here," Jasper moaned in despair, pulling out of her grasp and stumbling away, hands coming up to grasp at his hair. "This was the only direction we could run!"

"Wait," Finn was looking around, worry clouding his features. "Wait - where'd they go?"

Alex turned to scan the area, looking for the figures she knew should be there. Her heart sank in her chest as she saw Finn was right, there wasn't a single Grounder in sight.

"They've gone after Roma," Bellamy said with sudden realization. Turning he bolted in the direction Roma had gone.

"Dammit - Bellamy! Wait!" Alex took off after him, not giving a second thought to those she was leaving behind. A curse was the last thing she hear before she disappeared into the bush. She didn't turn to see if they followed.

Her heart pounded in her chest, she weaved through the trees, eyes wide as she looked for any sign of Bellamy. Cursing under her breath, she wondered where the hell he had gone. How had he moved so fast? Coming around some thicker bush, a relieved sigh escaped her when she caught sight of him.

Her relief didn't last for long.

Bellamy was stone still, body half-facing her, eyes glued to a tree between them. Something about his posture and his expression told her something was seriously wrong.

Rounding the tree with trepidation, her heart sank in her chest as she saw what he stared at: Roma was pinned to the tree, a spear driven straight through her chest and into the bark behind her, a dark reminder of what had happened to Jasper not too long ago.

Roma hadn't been as lucky.

For a second, there was no mask on Bellamy's face, only remorse as he gazed at Roma. Alex swallowed hard, trying to ignore the way her own chest ached. She wanted to reach out, to say something, but could only turn away as Bellamy reached out to close Roma's eyes, feeling like she was intruding on something personal.

Someone threw that spear, her mind whispered, reminding her of the danger that lurked in the trees and she eyed the direction it must have come from. A bead of sweat trickled down the nape of her neck. We aren't safe here.

Stepping closer to Bellamy, she gently placed a hand on his arm, her heart squeezing when he turned his pained eyes her way.

"She was only here for me." Despite the pain on his face, there was also deep bitterness and anger. His fists were clenched tightly at his side.

"I know..." she replied softly, already feeling like a bad for pulling him away, but the urgent need to get out forced her to keep talking. "I know. And I'm sorry Bellamy but - but we can't stay here."

I'm sorry.

She was relieved that he didn't resist her as she began tugging him back the way they'd come, his hand clutched in her own. Her eyes darted in every direction, searching for any sign of the Grounders that she knew were there. Even though there was no one in sight, she didn't let her guard down.

It didn't help that she couldn't see the rest of their group. Where had they gone? Why hadn't they followed?

She didn't have time to contemplate what could have happened to them when a branch snapped behind them.

She and Bellamy both whirled at the sound, only to freeze at the sight of a Grounder standing only a few meters away from where they stood. Clad head to toe in black, he moved towards them almost casually, a sharp blade in hand.

She didn't have time to study him, before Bellamy was shoving her before him, forcing her to run.

"Go, go!" he barked at her.

They took off at a sprint, darting passed trees.

She didn't need to look to know the Grounder was hot on their heels.

Her lungs burned, her throat on fire with each harsh breath that escaped her lips. Trees rushed by her, branches stinging as they whipped against her arms and legs. Run!

When Bellamy gave a pained gasp behind her, her heart lurched painfully in her chest. She found herself stumbling to a stop on the uneven ground before she fully comprehended what she was doing. The instinctive need to get away was strong, but the fear that something had happened to Bellamy was stronger.

Relief swept through her when she found him sprawled out on the forest floor. Moving. Alive. There was no Grounder standing over him. In fact, there was no Grounder at all.

He's alive! The relief she felt warred with the unsettling feeling of not knowing where the Grounder had gone. He should have been right behind them, he had been right behind them. Where did he go?!

"Al," Bellamy said. The old, familiar nickname snapped her attention back to him. For a split second, she heard the sound of Liam's voice calling her. He was the only person that called her that; the only person she allowed to call her that.

Bellamy had pushed himself up, but grimaced in pain as he did so, reaching for his ankle.

Shaking away the unsettling feeling that Liam's voice brought her, she darted to Bellamy's side, praying to whatever god that listened that he hadn't rolled his ankle. "Don't call me that," she said as she threw herself to the ground beside him. The words lacked any of the heat she felt they should have carried. Reaching for his leg, she swatted his hands aside to check the damage, only to stare at the thick wire that was cinched tightly around his ankle. Another trap! She wanted to scream, hysteria beginning to bubble up inside her.

It was tight, the wire cutting into his skin, drawing blood even through the material of his pants. Sliding her shaking fingers along the wire, she tried to find a gap, any give she could use to help loosen it, but her fingers couldn't find any purchase on the slick, smooth surface. There was no way she would be able to cut through it with her knife. "Shit. Shit!"

When she gave the wire a hard tug out of frustration, Bellamy sucked in a sharp breath through gritted teeth and grabbed both her hands to stop their movement. "Ow, fuck, don't do that," he hissed, gripping her fingers tightly.

"Sorry, I'm sorry!" She exhaled heavily, pulling away, her fingers darting to the forest liter around his foot, scrambling to find the place where the wire was anchored. If she couldn't pull or cut through it, she would have to find another way to get him out.

Bellamy's sharp intake of breath was the only warning she had before he slammed the palm of his hand into her chest, sending her flat onto her back, the force knocking the air out of her lungs. Wheezing, she barely caught sight of the metallic gleam of a sword as it sailed through the space her head had occupied only moments before. Despite the ache in her chest and lack of air in her lungs, she flipped herself over and up onto her knees, only to come face to face with a nightmare.

The Grounder had caught up to them. He stood over her, clad head to toe in black; dark furs and armour covering nearly every inch of his tanned skin. His head was shaved, the skin tattooed with intricate, complex patterns. A skull-like mask hid the bottom half of his face, his mouth visible between the set of distinctly human teeth that decorated it. Dark eyes glared at her.

Still on her knees, Alex stared up at him; fear and adrenaline pumped through her veins, her mind screaming at her unresponsive body to do something. But she. Couldn't. move.

For a long moment, all three of them stared at each other, none of them moving. Then the Grounder's dark gaze slid past her to Bellamy trapped form, then to the wire his ankle was still caught in. A slow, predatory smirk crossing his lips as he studied him.

Bellamy glared back at the Grounder, pushing himself into a crouch, which was as far as his bound ankle would allow him to go. "What are you looking at, ugly?" he spat.

Time seemed to slow down as she watched the Grounder take a measured step towards Bellamy, bringing his sword up, ready to strike.

No, no, no, no! With the Grounder's attention on Bellamy, her shaky fingers fished her blade out of her pocket. There was no way she was going to let this happen without a fight.

"No!" With a snarl, she threw herself onto the Grounder's back and drove the blade deep into the soft flesh of his sword wielding arm.

He inhaled sharply, the sword slipped from his fingers at the pain. His shock only lasted a moment before he growled and grabbed a fistful of her hair, yanking her around in front of him, her feet dragging through the forest floor. A strangled cry escaped her lips as she raised her hands to brace herself, only for the side of her face exploded in pain as his knuckles connected with her cheek and sent her crashing back to the ground.

For a moment she couldn't move, only able to blink sluggishly at the canopy above her as the world tilted wildly around her. She gagged as the copper tang of blood pooled in her mouth - her teeth had gashed a hole on the inside of her cheek. Groaning, she forced herself to roll over, blood falling from her lips as her fingers dug into the moist soil beneath her, trying to get her bearings and stop the ringing in her ears.

"Get up, Alex!" Bellamy's voice cut through the fog in her brain.

Blinking hazily, she watched him reach for her, panic clear on his face. He looked worried, and with his ankle pinned, he was nowhere close to being able to help her. I'm trying, she wanted to tell him. But his voice gave her the energy needed to get onto her hands and knees, spitting out a mouthful of blood in the process. Turn and fight, or -

"No! Leave her..." Bellamy shouted.

Bellamy's words were cut off by the roaring of her heartbeat as an arm snaked around and clamped tightly across her throat, cutting off her oxygen entirely as she was yanked back against the Grounder's chest.

Wild, animal-like panic surged through her at the lack of air. Her hands reached up, her fingers desperately scrambling to pry his arm away from her throat, fingernails digging painfully into the thick leather that covered his forearms. But no matter how much she pulled and pried, he wouldn't give her any slack, wouldn't allow her to breath.

The Grounder held tight as she struggled, legs kicking out, her feet barely brushing the forest floor. His greater strength and size kept her pinned against him; he wouldn't budge.

Lungs burning, her heartbeat pounded frantically in her chest.

All too soon, the edges of her vision began to fade black, her movements becoming more sluggish as her oxygen deprived muscles began to fail.

She was dying.

"...ex!...Al...lex!... ALEX!" Bellamy's panicked voice cut through the roaring in her ears.

No..no...It can't end like this...

In a last ditch effort to get away, her fingers reached up and under the Grounder's mask, searching for the soft skin beneath. When she found what she was looking for, she viciously dug her fingernails into his eyes.

With a strangled cry of pain, the Grounder dropped her and stumbled back, his hands coming up cover to his face. Blood dripped from between his fingers.

Crumpling to the ground, Alex coughed and gasped, her hands coming up to her throat as her lungs finally received the air they desperately needed. Slowly, the black spots that danced in front of her eyes and the ringing in her ears began to fade, and as it did, she heard the sounds of the struggle that was going on behind her.

Her body trembled as she forced herself to turn around, knowing it wasn't over yet. Only feet away, Bellamy grappled with the Grounder. Though his foot remained stuck in place, Bellamy didn't hesitate driving his fist into the larger mans stomach and face, doing everything he could to keep the larger man off balance.

It didn't last long. Though injured, the Grounder quickly regained his advantage. Ducking under Bellamy's next swing, he caught him in the middle with his shoulder, sending him crashing onto his back. Bellamy cried out as he fell back, the wire tightening further around his ankle. He didn't have time to react before the Grounder pounced on him and straddled his waist, his own fists striking Bellamy with a vengeance.

Ragged breaths tore from her throat as she watched, her brain hazy. Only when her gaze landed on her forgotten blade in the forest litter that she knew what she needed to do.

Stumbling to her feet, she scooped the weapon up, determination and the fierce need to survive filling her. He wasn't going to kill her. He wasn't going to kill Bellamy.

The Grounder must have heard her movement, because even as he struck Bellamy once more, his head turned towards her. He had dismissed her from the fight. And it would cost him.

He didn't have time to bring his arms up before she surged forward and sank the blade into the soft flesh beneath his jaw, burying it all the way to the hilt.

Sticky, hot blood gushed over her hand as the Grounder jerked in her grasp, his hands coming up in defense too late, flying up to his throat and drawing blood from her skin with his fingernails. She held on tightly, using all her strength to drag him back and off Bellamy. Choking, wet gurgles escaped him as blood poured from the wound, bubbling past his lips.

His wide eyes found her own and he stared at her, his expression one of disbelief. Then, slowly, his eyelids fluttered and he began to sag as his body lost strength, his gaze growing distant as he sank back on to the forest floor.

Then with one last jerk, he stilled.

Numbly, she slid the knife from his neck and sank back onto her heels. Her vision blurred as she stared down at the body, short, gasps for air escaping her.

Silence pressed down around them.

When a warm hand touched her arm, she jumped, whirling around and came face to face with Bellamy. He caught her blood-slicked arm, stopping the blade from slashing across his face.

"Hey, it's okay. You're okay," he said soothingly, one hand sliding down her arm and tugging the blade from her numb fingers, letting it drop between them, the other coming to rest on the side of her face. His fingers were gentle as they caressed her cheek.

Bone deep exhaustion seemed to settle into her as her eyes desperately searched his face, looking for any sign of serious injury. His nose was bleeding but didn't look to be broken and his right cheek was showing the first signs of bruising, otherwise he was okay.

They were fine.

Her breath hitched in her chest and her gaze fell to her clenched fists. She froze.

Blood coated her hands and her arms. She was covered in it.

Once again, she was soaked in someone else's blood. Kane's right, you are a monster.

The words began tumbling out of her before she could stop them. "I -" she began, but the lump in her throat cut her off. "I'm sorry."

What she was sorry for, she didn't know.

Sorry, sorry, sorry. When did that ever change anything? Once again someone is dead at your hand.

"No. No," Bellamy shook his head firmly, gently tilting her chin up, forcing her gaze away from her bloodied arms and back to his eyes. "Don't apologize. We do what we have to to survive, right? That's what you said, remember?"

She stared at him. She wanted to see the disgust, the hate in his gaze. But all she could see was concern. He was concerned for her.

"Why?" she choked out, vision blurring.

He frowned, confused at her question. "Why what?"

"Why don't you see me like they do?" Her voice was a whisper. "Everyone else sees a monster. And you...you-"

"Stop!" His glare turned forceful, his hands on her face not allowing her to pull away. "You've had a shitty life and have had to make shitty decisions. But so has everyone else. Don't you see it? We're all monsters, Alex. We've all done something that got us here." His harsh expression softened. "Jemma, Wells, Charlotte...they saw something good in you." He paused studying her expression, eyes intense. "And I...well I think you punish yourself too much." He gently brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear.

She stared at him, wondering where the hell Bellamy Blake had gone. Where was the arrogant, dangerous, closed off man she had met on their first day on Earth? The selfish man who had wanted control at all cost?

It was then, sitting on the forest floor covered in blood, that she realized she wanted to kiss him.

Her heart pounding in her chest for new reasons, her gaze subconsciously dropping to his lips, before she forced herself to pull away and return her attention to his ankle. She couldn't do that. Not here, not now. They needed to get back to the others.

She didn't fail to notice how his fingers lingered where her face had been before dropping to his side, his own shaky breath escaping him.

She did her best to ignore his burning gaze as she examined his ankle. It bled more heavily than before, though the material of his pants seemed to be doing a good job at keeping it under control. She tugged at the taunt end of the wire and yanked it above the forest litter in a spray of leaves, finding the other end looped to a tree. She eyed the way it was wrapped around, noting the section of rope that held it. Her knife couldn't cut the wire, but it sure as hell could cut through rope. "We need to get you out," she said hoarsely, her throat throbbing even though she did her best to ignore it. "We - we need to find the others."

Neither of them mentioned the likelihood that the others might be dead. Finn, Monroe and Jasper wouldn't have been able to run far, not if they had stayed to help Jasper.

Her vision blurred. Mbege, Diggs, Roma; they were all dead. Her and Bellamy had nearly joined them. They had lost so many today, and she feared the day was a long way from being over.

Bellamy's shoulders sagged. "Right," he said with a shaky breath.

When a high pitched whistle cut through the air, their heads snapped up to look in the direction it had come from. Neither moved, frozen where they were as they listened intently.

Alex held her breath as she crouched low, keeping herself as close to Bellamy as she could, hoping to shield him from whoever arrived. Her gaze darted from one tree to another, one shadow to another, searching for something - anything that stood out, but she couldn't see anyone.

She knew better than believing her eyes. Just because she couldn't see someone didn't mean they weren't there.

When a second whistle pierced the air from a different direction, a feeling of frustration and hopelessness set in.

The Grounders were there and they were close.

No, no, no!

Bellamy's steady hands on her face had her turning back to him. Irrational annoyance swept through her as she noted how calm he seemed. Here she was - hands trembling, breathing shaky and heartbeat roaring in her ears - while Bellamy seemed completely unfazed.

"You need to go," Bellamy said quietly, dark eyes glued on her own. "If you go now, you might be able to get away."

She stared at him, mouth falling open. He was telling her to leave him behind?! "What? No!" she hissed back, shaking her head furiously but even as she said the words, a plan began to form in her head.

He exhaled sharply, looking like he knew that would be her response. "You need to leave," he repeated, this time more firmly. "If you stay here we'll both die. And right now, I'm not going anywhere." He motioned to his leg, looking like he was trying to be blasé about the whole thing.

He's right...

She stared at him, hands coming up to hold his wrists, feeling the warmth of his palms against her face. She didn't want to do it, but she knew what she needed to do.

There was no way to be sure, no guarantee that either of them would survive, but she could at least give him more time. And judging by the sounds of branches cracking in the distance, she knew that time was quickly running out.

Reaching down, she quickly grabbed her knife and his wrist, before pressing the hilt of the blood covered blade to his palm, closing his hand around it. "Here, keep this," she said, feeling strange about giving away the blade that had saved her life on more than one occasion. "It's kept me alive this long."

He looked confused. "I'm not-" he began but she cut him off.

"Yes. You are," she told him firmly, keeping her voice down as she spoke, aware of the approaching danger. "You're right. If I stay, we both die."

His eyes narrowed as she agreed with him. Her lips gave a quick quirk at the thought. They had only known each other for a short time, but he was beginning to understand her.

"When I go, I want you to keep low. I'm going to draw them away from here, so when you have a chance, get out and run."

His frown deepened into a glare. "That's not what I meant," he said with exasperation.

She shot him a quirk of a smile, which bordered on a grimace. "I know. But as you said, if they find us both here, we're dead." When he opened his mouth to argue, she cut him off by pointing in the direction of the tree when the rope was wrapped. "Get to that tree, cut the rope. You should have enough slack to reach it. When you have the chance - run."

The sound of another cracking branch behind her had her whipping around.

No more time! You need to go now!

Meeting his dark furious eyes once more, she paused, realizing that this might be the last time she ever saw him.

Reaching out, she allowed her fingers gently brush his hair out of his face and traced her fingertips down the side of his jaw, until her open palm rested against his cheek.

"Bellamy," she began, then swallowed hard, licking her lips. "You're a good guy. Don't ever forget that," she said softly. "Find the others. Find your sister." With that, she turned away from him, ducking away from his grasping hands.

"Dammit! Alex, come back!" he hissed behind her as she crept away. She could hear the anger in his voice.

Better to be angry and alive. Determination filled her as she crept away from him, keeping as low as possible, forcefully ignoring the bloody body that she passed by. She slid through a gap in the bushes, eyes wide as she searched for the Grounders she knew were there. As Bellamy's voice faded away behind her she could only pray she was doing the right thing in leaving him behind. You had better get back to the dropship, Bellamy.

Slinking around some bushes, it didn't take her long to spot the Grounders.

There!

Two of them crept through the forest ahead of her, hardly making a sound as they moved. They stepped cautiously as they looked around, and Alex realized that they must have lost track of her and Bellamy despite their commotion with the other Grounder. A breath of relief escaped her when she noted that neither of them carried bows, only the blades they carried in hand, which increased her chance of getting out of this alive by a sliver.

Need to get around them and draw them away...somehow.

She moved as quietly as she could, giving them wide berth, being mindful of the dried leaves and branches scattered around the forest floor. It would be a quick end if she accidentally stepped on a branch. She forced herself to breath evenly, warring against her instincts to breathe faster. She needed to be ready to run.

Only once she had fully made her way around them that she allowed herself a deep breath, taking stock of how she felt. Swallowing, she grimaced, her blood-crusted hand coming up to her throat; she could feel the beginning of swelling the Grounder had caused when he tried to choke her. She wondered if her neck was already ringed purple. The side of her face ached from when his knuckles had connected to with her cheek.

All in all, she was sure she wasn't a sight to behold.

That's fine. Ignore it. Push past it. You need to draw them away from the area...and somehow make it out alive…

She ignored her parched mouth and licked her lips, gathering the courage to do what she needed to do next.

Now the fun really begins. Steeling her nerves, she eyed the Grounders that were coming up alongside her, she knew this was one of the dumbest ideas she'd had.

Come on, Alex. Just do it!

Not giving herself another chance to second-guess herself, she launched herself to her feet. She was at least twenty meters from where they stood, on the opposite side from where she knew Bellamy was still hopefully hiding.

A shaky laugh escaped her when they didn't immediately see her.

What are you doing?! This is crazy! Her mind screamed at her.

"Hey, assholes!" she called out, spreading her still bloodied arms wide. When both their heads snapped around to face her, she couldn't help the mocking smirk that tugged at her lips, which only grew when she thought to how insane she must look. "Looking for me?"

God, you're crazy.

As soon as the first one took a step, she turned and bolted.

For the third time that day, Alex found herself fleeing for her life.

Never again am I running, she swore to herself with each ragged breath that tore from her lungs. Never again.

She could feel them at her heels, the pounding of feet only a step or two behind her own. And she was quickly losing ground.

When she stumbled and her legs had trouble catching her, she knew she was in trouble. She was so tired, her legs no longer responding the way she wanted them to. She viciously ignored the way her brain told her that she could stop and rest, pushing past the feeling of burning muscles and aching chest. Everything hurt.

Despite the ground flying by beneath her feet, she wondered when she would feel the sharp sting of a blade across her back or the heavy weight of an arm as they finally managed to bring her down. However, luck was apparently on her side, as neither happened.

But you can't do this forever. You might need to make and stand and fight. She inwardly cursed herself for having given Bellamy her knife before reminding herself it was his only way out.

Dodging around some trees, she scrambled up a small incline, the terrain giving her momentary advantage as she came over the top and disappeared from their sight. It was only then she heard the deep roaring sound ahead of her. It took her a second to realize what it might be. The river! Maybe - maybe - she could use it to her advantage.

Arriving on even ground, she'd only taken a couple of steps before she was forced to skid to a stop. The ground before her had come to a sudden end.

No!

She'd been correct about the river, but she hadn't expected to find it raging through a canyon deep below her. The cliff face was steep, nearly vertical, and high enough that any fall could end in serious injury. Or death, her mind meekly reminded head swivelled one way then another, following the cliff edge, desperately looking for somewhere she could go. But the steep outcrop was only covered in small bushes, the exposed rock covered in a thin layer of loose gravel which she would never be able to walk on. There was nowhere for her to go.

As branches snapped behind her, she knew that she'd taken one second too long. She was out of time.

I will not die like this. Determination flowed through her and a snarl crossed her lips as she turned, keeping her back to the canyon, her only defence. The rushing water foamed and boomed against the walls below her.

And there they were.

The two Grounders seemed to materialize from the foliage in front of her, their faces painted like the one she had killed earlier. They were tall and well built, muscles coiled beneath tanned skin, looking ready to pounce any second. They held their swords lightly, in a way that told her that they knew how to use them. The expressions on their faces told her how much they were enjoying this hunt. That's all this was. They were predators. She was prey.

She wanted to laugh. She wasn't a threat to them.

No, she thought firmly. I won't die here. I've survived worse. I can survive this. The fear she felt melted into fierce determination. But if you stay here you die.

When the one nearest her step forward, sword raised to strike, she knew there was only one thing for her to do.

"Fuck you, assholes," she spat, and before she could convince herself what a terrible idea this was, she turned and leapt, only barely feeling the sting of the sharp blade as it sliced through her side.

Then she was falling.

For three endless seconds she was suspended in the air, weightless, the world around her a blur. Arms flailing, she could see the water below rushing up to meet her, and could only pray that it was deep enough that she doesn't die on impact.

She hit the water. Hard.

Her bones jarred painfully on impact, robbing her lungs of all air. Her heart skipped a beat as a thousand tiny needles stabbed into her skin from the frigid water. For a moment, she couldn't move, couldn't think, couldn't breathe, her body stunned by the impact, her limbs ignoring her mind's frantic commends to do something!

As the roaring water sent her tumbling downstream like a ragdoll in the current, instinct and lack of air finally received a response and her arms flailed, searching for the surface. Panic seared through her when she encountered water in every direction. There was no way to tell which way was up!

It was only by chance that her fingertips broke through the surface and brushed the cool air. There! Kicking her feet as hard as she could, she propelled herself in that direction, lungs screaming for air.

She barely got her head above the water to take a gulp of air before she was sucked back down into the rapids, the towering waves pulling her down once more. Her boots did nothing to help her stay above water, their weight dragging her down further into the swirling depths.

Desperation clouded her mind to a single thought. Get out, get out!

As the rapids pulled her rapidly downstream, her arm brushed against a submerged rock, the searing pain making her aware of other dangers hidden beneath the surface. When her body slammed into one, her already injured side taking the brunt of the hit, she gasped.

Then she was choking. Drowning.

No...No...It can't end like this!

Swimming with all her might, she used all her remaining energy to force her head above water once more. Coughing and spluttering, she did her best to rid her lungs of the water they'd inhaled.

It was only by chance she caught sight of the tree trunk that dipped into the further downstream, the top half submerged beneath the rapids. Everything in her mind zeroed in on it and for a second it was all she could see.

That's your one chance.

The surge of hope reinvigorated her. Struggling to keep her head above water, she carefully began paddling, trying to line herself up with her only chance of staying alive.

She approached the trunk much faster than she would have liked. Even so, she waited, knowing that she needed to time herself perfectly if she was going to be able to grab it.

Okay, okay...Wait for it...Wait for it. Okay...NOW!

Throwing herself towards the trunk with all her might, her fingers brushed against the rough bark and for a split moment she feared that she'd left it too late, her fingers scrambling over the slick surface before latching onto a lone branch sticking out just above the water.

Immediately, the force of the water sucked her beneath the log and she nearly lost her grip. Her other hand barely managed to find enough grip to pull herself head back out of the water with a gasp. She did her best to ignore the way the motion pulled at her wound, sending searing pain through her side. Her arms shook as she dragged her upper body out of the water and over the log.

Panting in exhaustion, she sagged against the tree, forehead pressed against the wet bark. She couldn't stop the sob that escaped her, tears blurring her vision, the panic and adrenaline of the day finally catching up to her.

Get a hold of yourself; you're not out of trouble yet. Keep moving. Get to shore. The rational part of her mind reminder her.

Taking a shuddering breath, she braced herself, the rough bark digging into her exposed skin as she slowly managed to haul her legs the rest of the way out of the water.

Slowly and carefully, she shuffled herself up the trunk, inch by inch, her body shaking from a combination of exhaustion and cold. Her freezing fingers ached from her tight drip but she couldn't being herself to loosen them in fear of slipping back into the raging waters below.

That's it. That's it. You can do this.

It took her awhile to notice she was no longer over water. Staring at the pebble covered ground a couple of feet beneath her, a sound escaped her that was somewhere between a laugh and a sob. Slowly, she eased herself off the log until her feet touched solid ground and she allowed herself to collapse against it.

Resting her head against the rough bark behind her, she allowed her heart beat to returned to something even close to resembling normal.

God, she was so tired.

As the adrenaline began to fade from her system, the sharp pain from her side grew more pronounced. Even as she sat there, she could feel the warm stream of blood trickling over the cool skin beneath her clothes.

Shit.. With a groan, she allowed her eyelids to flutter open and her head lolled forward. Pulling her jacket away from her side, she could see the patch of crimson that spread through her soaked clothes, just above her hip.

That's a lot of blood, she thought faintly as she stared.

With frantic but hesitant fingers she reaching for the wound, knowing she needed to do something about the bleeding.

Stars exploded in front of her eyes as her palm came in contact with the wound. A sharp gasp escaped her as she folded over herself from the pain, her eyes clenched shut.

Beneath her fingers she could feel the way her skin was parted unnaturally, dipping between the separated flaps of skin.

The cut was deep. Really deep.

Blood continued to seep through her fingers.

"Fuuuck," she breathed out, allowing her head to sink back against the bark and closed her eyes. Unwitting tears leaked out beneath her eyelashes and down her cheeks.

What could she do? She didn't have anything that could stop the bleeding, or even a way to sew the cut closed. She was far away from anyone that could help her. And for all she knew, she was still in danger of the Grounders tracking her down river.

Let's...just sit here for awhile. Rest. Once you have more energy, you can head back.

With the warmth of the sun beaming down on her, her body began to relax, exhaustion finally taking its toll, unconsciousness encroaching on the fringe of her mind.

I hope...Bellamy got away...

She wasn't sure how long she dozed in the sun, her mind drifting in and out of consciousness.

In her delirious state, she missed the stealthy footsteps that crept along the pebbled beach towards her.

It was only when the sun was blocked from her face that she noticed something was wrong.

Brow furrowing, her eyes fluttered open. She blinked blearily at the person towering over her.

No...

Before her stood a Grounder, his large form blocking the sun. He held his blade casually in hand.

She knew him! He was the Grounder that had been down by the river. The one who had protected the old lady. She didn't know if she wanted to laugh or if she wanted to cry.

After all that. You are going die sitting on your ass...No. No way.

Dark, cold eyes studied her impassively as she attempted to scramble to her feet, his expression reminding her of the one he had given her that day by the river.

Hunched over her wound, she stumbled away from him, one hand held out before her as if to ward him off, the other remained braced against her side. The movement only seemed to send another pulse of blood trickling through her fingers.

"Stay…" she panted. "Stay away from me."

He didn't react at all. Merely continued watching as she swayed on her feet, his gaze drifting from her face to her wound. He looked unfazed by her injury or her pain.

Being on her feet wasn't helping her at all. She swayed, her heartbeat pounding in her chest, her breathing echoing through her head. Sweat beaded on her forehead and trickled down her neck. As the edges of her vision began to turn black, she shook her head to ward it off.

She couldn't pass out. Not here. Not now.

Her pain and fear turned to anger.

"Why won't you do something?" she hissed at him, stumbling away once more, only this time to crash to her hands and knees. The motion sent a sharp stab of pain through her side and her breath stuck in her throat, darkness consuming the edges of her vision.

She was fading. Fast.

She felt herself sinking down onto her side as her arms gave way beneath her. She noted how the cold the pebbles felt on her warm skin. Something was wrong with her. Everything felt off.

She distantly wondered if the blade had been poisoned.

This is it… this is how you die. Her eyes stung. She allowed them to close, her lids too heavy to keep open any longer.

As awareness faded, the distant bellow of a horn reverberated through the air.

She didn't have time to ponder the sound and what it meant. Nor the feeling of an arm sliding under her back and her knees.

Everything had faded black.

A/N: I'm super excited to see what you guys think of this chapter. It's an idea I've had since the early days of this story. What is the Grounder going to do to Alex? And Alex wanted to kiss Bellamy! Ugh. Sometimes my own slow-burn annoys ME. Just kiss already dammit! ;)

Side note the idea for Alex going over the cliff was one that was around for far longer than Octavia's impromptu dive, although I guess it's good to have canon confirm that there IS a cliff?

Anywho, thanks for reading. You guys are the best! xoxo