I felt my eyelids growing heavy as Bellamy's hand continued its soothing motion on my thigh. As much as I wanted to keep working, I knew he was right - I needed rest if I was going to be any use in figuring out this code.
"Okay," I conceded with a soft sigh. "Just a short nap." I set the tablet aside and shifted in my seat, trying to get comfortable. Without thinking, I leaned over and rested my head on Bellamy's shoulder. He tensed for a moment before relaxing, his arm coming up to wrap around me.
"Sleep," he murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of my head. "I've got you." The familiar warmth and scent of him enveloped me as I closed my eyes. I drifted in and out of a light sleep, lulled by the gentle motion of the rover and Bellamy's steady presence beside me. Every so often, I would stir slightly as we hit a bump or Bellamy shifted to adjust his grip on the steering wheel. But each time, he would gently squeeze my shoulder or murmur a soft "Shh, go back to sleep," and I would drift off again. I'm not sure how long I dozed, but eventually I was roused by hushed voices from the back of the rover.
"We need to find Luna," Clarke was saying. "She's our best chance at stopping Alie."
"And how exactly do we do that?" Octavia asked skeptically. "No one knows where she is."
"Lincoln knew," Bellamy said quietly. I felt him tense slightly at the mention of Lincoln's name. I tried to stir awake but Bellamy whispered softly to me, coaxing me back to sleep. I tried to force my eyes open, wanting to join the conversation, but Bellamy's soothing voice and gentle touch lulled me back towards sleep. As I drifted in and out of consciousness, I caught snippets of their hushed discussion.
"...Lincoln's journal might have clues," Octavia was saying, her voice tight with emotion.
"It's worth a shot," Clarke replied. "We need to find her before Alie does." Their voices faded as I slipped deeper into sleep, comforted by Bellamy's steady presence beside me. The gentle rumble of the rover and the warmth of his body acted like a lullaby, drawing me into a dreamless slumber. I'm not sure how much time passed before I felt Bellamy gently shaking me awake.
"Songbird, wake up," Bellamy said softly, gently shaking my shoulder. I blinked groggily, disoriented for a moment. As I lifted my head to look around, I saw everyone had exited the rover and Bellamy was standing outside with the passenger door open trying to wake me. The sun was high in the sky, suggesting that I had been asleep for a while.
"Where are we?" I asked, my voice rough with sleep.
"Back at Arkadia," Bellamy replied. "Miller, Harper and Bryan weren't at the cave. We thought they might have been here. But there's no one here. Everyone's gone." I nodded, stretching out the stiffness in my neck and shoulders from sleeping in such an awkward position. As I moved to get out of the rover, Bellamy caught my hand. "Hey," he said softly. "Are you okay?" I gave him a small smile, squeezing his hand.
"I'm fine. Just a little groggy. Tell me what I missed because you let me sleep for too long." Bellamy helped me out of the rover, keeping his hand on the small of my back as we walked towards the others.
"You didn't miss much," he said quietly. "We drove through the night, trying to put as much distance between us and Niylah's trading post as possible. The others talked about trying to find Luna - she's the last Nightblood, and our best shot at defeating Alie." I nodded, processing this information.
"And how do we find her?"
"That's the problem," Bellamy sighed. "No one knows where she is. Lincoln knew, but..." he trailed off, pain flashing across his face.
"But Pike killed him before he could tell anyone," I finished softly. Bellamy nodded grimly. We approached the others, who were gathered in the docking bay of the Ark. The place looked eerily deserted. As we approached the others, I took in the eerie emptiness of Arkadia. The usual bustling activity was gone, replaced by an unsettling silence.
"So what's the plan?" I asked, looking around at the group.
"We need to find Lincoln's journal," Octavia said, her voice tight. "He had information on how to find Luna." I nodded, feeling a pang of sadness at the mention of Lincoln. His death still felt so raw, so senseless.
"Where would he have kept it?" I asked gently.
"In our room," Octavia replied. "If it's still there."
"Okay, let's start there," Clarke said. "Octavia, you and Jasper will check your room. Bellamy, Juliett, you two check the armory for any weapons. If the others didn't take them all. The rest of us will gather supplies." Bellamy and I nodded, heading towards the armory while the others split up to search for supplies and Lincoln's journal. As we walked through the empty corridors of Arkadia, an eerie silence hung in the air.
"It's so quiet," I murmured, suppressing a shiver. "I've never seen it like this before." Bellamy's hand found the small of my back, a comforting warmth.
"I know. It's unsettling." We reached the armory and Bellamy punched in the access code. The door slid open with a hiss, revealing rows of weapons and ammunition. To my surprise, most of it was still there. "Looks like they left in a hurry," Bellamy commented as we entered. "Didn't have time to clear everything out." I nodded, moving to gather some rifles and handguns. Bellamy and I moved in silence, the heated tension crackling between us. I meant what I had said earlier.
I was willing to try to mend what was broken between us. With that thought, I couldn't stop my thoughts from straying. My cheeks flushed as I thought about how I could kiss him again, touch him again… have sex with again. The logical side of my brain told me that this wasn't the right time but the emotional side had heat pooling in my core, growing stronger now that we were alone right now. As we gathered weapons and ammunition, I couldn't help but sneak glances at Bellamy. The muscles in his arms flexed as he lifted cases of ammo, and I found my eyes tracing the strong line of his jaw. Heat pooled low in my belly as memories of our passionate encounters flooded my mind. Bellamy must have sensed my gaze, because he looked up and caught me staring. His dark eyes locked with mine, and I saw a flicker of heat there that matched my own. For a moment, we just stood frozen, the air between us charged with electricity.
I quickly looked away as I zipped up a duffel bag of ammo, my cheeks heating to the point I thought they might catch on fire. Bellamy cleared his throat, breaking the tension. "I think we've got enough," he said, his voice slightly husky. I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. As I reached for another bag, my hand brushed against Bellamy's. A jolt of electricity shot through me at the contact. Before I could think better of it, I grabbed his wrist, stopping him. Bellamy's eyes met mine, dark and intense. "Juliett..." he breathed, a warning in his tone.
"I know," I whispered. "I know this isn't the time or place, but..." I trailed off, unable to put into words the longing and desire coursing through me. Bellamy's free hand came up to cup my cheek, his thumb tracing my bottom lip.
"We shouldn't," he murmured, even as he leaned in closer. "We need to get back to the others."
"I know," I whispered, my eyes fluttering closed as Bellamy's thumb traced my bottom lip. "But I've missed you so much." With a low groan, Bellamy closed the distance between us, capturing my lips in a searing kiss. I melted against him, my arms winding around his neck as he backed me up against the wall. His tongue swept into my mouth, igniting a fire that spread through my entire body. I gasped as Bellamy's hands slid down to grip my thighs, lifting me up and pinning me against the wall. I wrapped my legs around his waist, pulling him closer. "We shouldn't…" I gasped as his lips trained down my neck.
"I know," Bellamy murmured against my skin. "But I need you, Songbird. Just for a moment." Bellamy murmured against my neck as he trailed hot kisses along my skin. His hand slipped under my shirt, calloused fingers skimming over my ribs. I shivered at his touch, desire coursing through me. Part of me knew we should stop, but I couldn't bring myself to say the words. I gasped as Bellamy's hand slid higher under my shirt, his thumb brushing the underside of my breast. My head fell back against the wall as he sucked at the pulse point on my neck.
"Bellamy..." I breathed, torn between pushing him away and pulling him closer. Bellamy lifted his head to meet my gaze, his eyes dark with desire.
"Tell me to stop," he said, his voice low and husky. "Tell me this isn't what you want." I stared into his eyes for a long moment, seeing the conflict there that mirrored my own. We both knew this wasn't the time or place for this. That we had more important things to focus on. But the need, the longing, was overwhelming.
"I can't," I whispered finally. "I want this. I want you." The feel of Bellamy's body against mine, his hands roaming my skin, made rational thought impossible. I tangled my fingers in his dark curls, pulling his mouth back to mine for another passionate kiss. Bellamy groaned into my mouth as I rolled my hips against his, feeling his hardness pressing against me. His hands slipped between us, deftly unbuttoning my pants. I gasped as his fingers slid beneath the waistband of my underwear, finding me already wet and aching for him.
"Songbird," he breathed against my neck. "You're so wet for me."
"Please, Bellamy." I whimpered, desperate for more. "I need you." With a low growl, Bellamy withdrew his hand and quickly undid his own pants, freeing himself. Bellamy's hands gripped my hips as he slowly started to push inside me, but before he could fully sheath himself, the sound of Clarke yelling from outside halted our movements. Clarke's urgent voice snapped us both back to reality. Bellamy and I froze, still intimately connected. For a moment, we just stared at each other, panting heavily. Then, with a frustrated groan, Bellamy slowly lowered me to my feet. Cursing under his breath, Bellamy quickly tucked himself back into his pants. I did the same, my hands shaking slightly as I buttoned my jeans.
"I'm sorry," I whispered, unable to meet his eyes. "We shouldn't have…" Bellamy gently tilted my chin up, forcing me to look at him
"Don't ever apologize, Songbird. Not for this." He pressed a soft kiss to my forehead before I turned to leave the armory and walked back outside with Bellamy behind me. Clarke was running frantically towards, coughing and panting.
"Bellamy!" She yelled as she neared her and Bellamy shot his arms out to catch her before she could collapse on the ground.
"Clarke! What is it? What's going on?"
"Emerson. He's here."
"Mount Weather Emerson?" I questioned her, pulling my staff from my back. Clarke nodded, panting heavily.
"He ambushed me and Monty. He's got Monty."
"What about the others?"
"I'm not sure. He used the same gas that the mountain men used to knock everyone out. I got out just in time." Clarke, Bellamy and I headed back into the Ark, searching each corridor for the others. Clark hand her handgun out while Bellamy held his rifle high and tightly pressed against his shoulder. I gripped my staff tightly with both hands, searching around every corner. Bellmay stopped and pulled out his walkie talkie.
"Octavia, can you hear me?" Bellamy tried to reach his little sister but she didn't answer. "Come in."
"Jasper was with her."
"Jasper, are you there? Say something." There was no response and the worry was evident on Bellamy's face.
"Miller, Harper, Bryan…" Clarke muttered, mostly to herself. "This is all my fault. I let Emerson life."
"What are you talking about?" I inquired.
"In Polis. I had a chance to kill him, but I let him go." The radio crackled and Raven's voice came through.
"Bellamy, what's wrong?" She asked.
"Raven, are you okay?" Bellamy questioned her hastily. "Where are you?"
"Still in engineering. We're fine." Clarke took the walkie talkie from Bellamy and he gripped his rifle with both hands again, looking around for any danger.
"Raven, listen to me." Clarke said through the radio. "Emerson is here. Are the others with you."
"Negative. Just Sinclair. Mount Weather Emerson?"
"Yes. Okay, lock down the hangar bay. Don't let anybody in but us." The three of us started moving down the corridor once more but froze when Raven's frantic voice came back through the radio.
"He's here! He's inside the hangar!" I took off running through the corridor to the engineering bay with Bellamy and Clarke behind me. The sound of our footsteps echoed off the metal walls as I sprinted towards engineering. I ran to the closed door, pounding on it.
"Raven!" I called inside but as I peered through the window, it was pitch darkness inside. I slammed my hand onto the access panel trying to open the door but it refused to move. "He cut the power."
"We can't get in." Clarke breathed. I looked around, sliding my staff into its sheath. My eyes landed on the vent above us.
"You can't, but I can. Bellamy, give me a lift."
"Absolutely not, Juliett." Bellamy growled at me. I turned to face Bellamy, meeting his concerned gaze with determination.
"Bellamy, we don't have time for this. I can get in there."
"Juliett…"
"Bellamy, he is going to kill Sinclair and Raven if you don't help me get in there right now." Bellamy hesitated for a moment, conflict clear in his eyes. But he knew I was right - we didn't have time to argue.
"Fine," he growled, lacing his fingers together to create a foothold. "But be careful." I nodded, placing my foot in his hands. With a grunt, Bellamy boosted me up towards the vent. I grabbed the edges and pulled myself in, shimmying through the narrow metal passageway. The vent was tight and dark as I crawled forward, trying to move as quietly as possible. My heart pounded in my ears as I inched closer to the engineering bay. Finally, I reached another vent opening and pulled off the grate, dropping down into the pitch darkness. As I landed on the balls of my feet, I pulled my staff back out, letting my eyes adjust to the darkness. It was no use though.
The darkness was so thick, I could even see my hand in front of my face. I moved slowly through the darkness, my staff held at the ready. My eyes strained to adjust, but the blackness remained impenetrable. I could hear muffled sounds - shuffling, heavy breathing - but couldn't pinpoint their location.
"Raven?" I whispered, barely audible. "Sinclair?" A sudden impact to my side sent me sprawling. My staff clattered away as I hit the ground hard. Before I could react, a heavy weight pinned me down. Rough hands wrapped around my throat, cutting off my air. I clawed desperately at my attacker's arms, but his grip was like iron. Spots danced in my vision as I gasped for breath. With a surge of adrenaline, I brought my knee up sharply between the man's legs.
He grunted in pain, his grip loosening just enough for me to wrench free. I rolled away, moving myself deeper into the darkness, keeping my movements silent. The engine bay doors cracked open, just enough to flood the bay with a dim light. Raven's shrill cry sent shivers down my spine and I jumped to my feet racing towards the sound of it. By the bay doors, Raven was crouched over Sinclair's body and as I neared them, a strangled cry escaped my own throat as I noticed the blood pouring out of Sinclair's abdomen. I dropped to my knees beside him, panic surging through me. My hands shook as I pressed them against the wound, trying desperately to stem the flow.
"Sinclair, stay with me," I pleaded, my voice cracking. His eyes were unfocused, his breathing shallow and labored. "Raven, we need to get him out of here," I said urgently. But as I looked up at her, I saw the terror in her eyes. She was frozen, staring at something behind me. I whirled around just in time to see Emerson lunging towards us. I barely had time to shove Raven out of the way before he slammed into me, knocking me away from Sinclair. We grappled on the floor, each fighting for dominance. Emerson was bigger and stronger. I gathered up all my fighting training that Prym had beaten into me to try to overpower Emerson.
Emerson and I grappled on the cold metal floor, each fighting for dominance. He was bigger and stronger, but I was quicker. I managed to land a sharp elbow to his ribs, hearing a satisfying crack. Emerson grunted in pain but didn't loosen his grip. His hands found my throat again, squeezing with crushing force. Black spots danced in my vision as I struggled for air. Desperately, I clawed at his face, my nails raking across his eyes. Emerson roared in pain and reared back. I gulped in precious oxygen, my lungs burning. Before I could regain my bearings, Emerson's fist connected with my jaw.
Pain exploded through my skull as I tasted blood. He grabbed a fistful of my hair, slamming my head against the floor. Once, twice, three times the back of my skull slammed against the hard floor. The world spun as Emerson slammed my head against the floor again. Pain exploded through my skull and darkness crept into the edges of my vision. I fought to stay conscious, knowing that if I blacked out, it was over. With the last of my strength, I brought my knee up sharply, catching Emerson in the groin. He let out a strangled cry and his grip loosened just enough for me to wrench free. I scrambled away, my movements clumsy as I tried to shake off the dizziness. My hand found something solid - my staff.
I gripped it tightly, using it to pull myself to my feet. Emerson was already recovering, advancing on me with murder in his eyes.
"You can't win," he snarled. "I'm going to kill every last one of you." I raised my staff, settling into a fighting stance despite the vertigo. I gripped my staff tightly, fighting through the dizziness as Emerson advanced. My vision swam, but I forced myself to focus. As he lunged forward, I sidestepped and swung my staff, catching him across the back. He stumbled but quickly regained his footing, turning to face me with rage in his eyes. "You're going to pay for what you did to my people," he growled. I didn't waste breath responding, conserving my energy as we circled each other. When he charged again, I dropped low and swept my staff at his legs.
He jumped over it, but I was already spinning, bringing the other end up to crack against his jaw. Emerson staggered back, spitting blood. My momentary advantage didn't last long. He rushed me, tackling me to the ground. My staff clattered away as we grappled on the cold floor. Emerson raised his fist and slammed it again into the side of my head and this time there was no coming back from it. Darkness swept in and sent me into unconsciousness. My head throbbed as consciousness slowly returned. I blinked groggily, trying to make sense of my surroundings. My body felt heavy like I was made of stone as I looked around to see that I was in the airlock on the Ark, a gag in my mouth and handcuffed to the wall.
The others were in the same position. Harper… Miller… Bryan… Monty… Jasper… Octavia… Raven… I didn't see Sinclair though. My eyes met Raven's, silently asking her. She shook her head, tears streaming down her face. I closed my eyes as grief washed over. Sinclair was like a father to me. He introduced me to music and singing to keep my sanity while Prym had his claws in me and now he was gone. Breathing deeply, I opened my eyes to see Emerson standing in the center of the airlock staring down the hallway at Clarke. She stood with her hands in the air, pleading with Emerson.
"I held up my part of the deal." Clarke told him. "Your turn. Let my friends go."
"Tell Bellamy to show himself first." Emerson ordered.
"I don't know what you're talking about…" Emerson turned and walked over to Octavia and slammed his fist into the side of her ribs. Octavia let out of muffled scream of pain and Bellamy immediately appeared from around the corner with his rifle raised.
"No!" Bellamy yelled, hands clenching around his rifle. Octavia whimpered as Emerson pressed a knife against her throat, fisting her hair in his hand. I struggled against my restraints but the pounding of my head and the pain in my jaw made everything feel weak. Being forced to continuously stand was making everything spin violently.
"Now… take out the clip, throw it down the hall, put the gun on the ground and get inside." Emerson ordered.
"Please." Clarke pleaded. "You wanted me. I'll get inside once you let them go."
"I was talking to Bellamy." Emerson slowly ran the edge of his blade across Octavia's collarbone, drawing blood.
"Okay, okay." Bellamy panted quickly, taking the clip out of his rifle and tossing it to the floor. "Just… just stop." He set the rifle on the ground before moving to pull the rest of his weapons out of his pockets. When he had finished, Bellamy slowly made his way to the airlock, stepping inside. My heart raced as Bellamy entered the airlock, his eyes immediately finding mine. The concern and anger in his gaze was palpable as he took in my battered state.
"Those are yours." Emerson nodded to the handcuffs on the wall next to me and Bellamy moved to lock himself in. Once Emerson was satisfied, he let go of Octavia and stepped out of the airlock, pulling out a gun and aiming it at Clarke. "Get on your knees." Clarke slowly got down on her knees. "Put your hands behind your head." Clarke did as he asked as Emerson closed the doors to the airlock and activated the venting system.
"Airlock five." A man's voice on the PA announced. "Oxygen venting." Panic surged through me as the airlock began to depressurize. We only had minutes before the oxygen was completely gone. I struggled against my restraints, ignoring the pain shooting through my head and body. Beside me, I could see the others doing the same, their muffled cries of fear barely audible over the hissing of the venting oxygen. Bellamy's eyes met mine, filled with a mix of desperation and determination. He tugged furiously at his handcuffs, but they held firm. Through the glass, I could see Clarke on her knees, Emerson standing over her with the gun.
Her face was a mask of anguish as she watched us gasping for air. I couldn't hear her through the glass of the solid doors but I could see her pleading with Emerson. My legs trembled as I struggled to stand, my lungs burning as I gasped for air. The airlock was rapidly depressurizing, each breath becoming more labored. I could see the panic in everyone's eyes as we struggled against our restraints. Bellamy was pulling desperately at his handcuffs, his face contorted with effort and fear. Through the glass, I watched Clarke pleading with Emerson, her words inaudible but her desperation clear. My vision began to blue as oxygen deprivation set in. The pounding in my head intensified and my legs trembled, threatening to give out. I forced myself to focus, to keep fighting, even as my body screamed for air.
But my head injury from Emerson made things worse. My body finally gave in and slumped against the restraints, my eyes closing as everything slowly became dark. Suddenly, there was a loud hiss and fresh air rushed into the airlock, sweet oxygen filling my burning lungs. I gasped greedily, spots clearing from my vision as others did the same. The airlock door slid open and Clarke rushed in, moving quickly to help everyone out of their restraints. Despite breathing in the fresh air, the pounding and the pain in my head intensified and my stomach began to churn as I became nauseous. I tried to get my legs back under me but I struggled to find my footing as everything continued to spin. As Clarke moved through the airlock freeing everyone, Bellamy rushed to my side and unlocked my handcuffs. His hands cupped my face gently as he examined with concern.
"Juliett, are you okay?" He asked urgently. I tried to nod but the motion sent a wave of dizziness through me.
"I'm…" I started to say but I couldn't finish as my stomach twisted in knots. I shoved Bellamy weakly aside and stumbled out of the airlock, collapsing on my hands and knees. I vomited violently as everything swayed around me. I heaved until there was nothing left in my stomach, my body trembling with exhaustion. Bellamy's hand rested on my back, rubbing soothing circles as I gasped for breath.
"Easy, Songbird." He murmured. "Just breathe." When the nausea finally subsided, I sat back on my heels, wiping my mouth with a shaky hand. The world was still spinning, and I knew I likely had a concussion from Emerson slamming my head against the floor. Clarke knelt beside me. Her fingers gently probed the back of my head and I hissed in pain.
"Definitely a concussion." Clarke confirmed. "Possible skull fracture."
"I'm fine," I tried to protest but my words were slurred so it just sounded like a mumble. Before I could try to repeat what I said, I felt my entire body tense up like it was being electrocuted and my muscles began to shake and tremble. I collapsed back on the ground as my body convulsed, my breathing coming in strangled gasps.
"She's seizing!" Clarke cried out. "Bellamy, help me turn her on her side!" Bellamy quickly moved to help Clarke roll me onto my left side as my body continued to convulse violently. I was only vaguely aware of what was happening, my mind foggy and disconnected from my spasming muscles. "Hold her steady," Clarke instructed Bellamy. "Make sure she doesn't hit her head again." Bellamy's strong hands gripped my shoulder and hip, keeping me in place as the seizure wracked my body. I could hear the fear in his voice as he spoke.
"How long is this going to last?" he asked urgently.
"I don't know," Clarke replied, her voice tight with worry. "Seizures from head trauma can last anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes." The convulsions seemed to go on for hours. As my body continued to seize, I could hear the panic in Bellamy's voice as he spoke to Clarke.
"It's been too long," he said urgently. "We need to do something!"
"Just keep her on her side," Clarke instructed, her own voice strained. "Make sure her airway stays clear. There's not much else we can do until it stops on its own." I wanted to reassure them, to tell them I was okay, but I had no control over my body. My muscles spasmed painfully, my jaw clenched so tightly I feared my teeth might shatter. Black spots danced in my vision as I struggled to breathe. After what felt like an eternity, the convulsions began to slow. My body gave a few more weak jerks before finally going still. I lay there panting, utterly exhausted.
"Songbird, can you hear me?" Bellamy's voice sounded far away. I wanted to answer him but I couldn't even manage a small groan. I slumped limply against the ground. My vision swam in and out of focus as I struggled to stay conscious.
"We need to get her to medical. That seizure likely exacerbated her head injury." I felt Bellamy's arms begin to sweep under me to lift me but even the smallest movement made my stomach lurch from the vertigo. I let out a small whimper and weakly tried to push him away from him, silently pleading him not to move me. I couldn't handle anymore movement. Bellamy paused, noticing my weak attempt to push him away.
"It's okay, Songbird. I've got you," he murmured softly. "We need to get you to medical, but I'll move as slowly and carefully as I can." With utmost gentleness, Bellamy lifted me into his arms. Even that small movement sent waves of nausea and dizziness through me. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to fight back the urge to vomit again. "Just breathe," Bellamy soothed as he began walking. "Focus on my voice." I concentrated on the steady rhythm of his heartbeat against my ear as he carried me. The others followed behind as we made our way to medical.
"Set her down here," Clarke instructed once we arrived. Bellamy lowered me onto a bed with excruciating care. I felt the softness of the medical bed beneath me as Bellamy gently lowered me down. Even that small movement sent waves of nausea and dizziness crashing over me. I kept my eyes squeezed shut, focusing on taking slow, shallow breaths to keep from vomiting again. "Juliett, I need you to open your eyes for me," Clarke said, her voice calm but firm. I whimpered softly, not wanting to face the spinning room. "I know it hurts, but I need to check your pupils." Reluctantly, I cracked my eyes open. The harsh fluorescent lights sent daggers of pain through my skull. Clarke leaned over me, shining a small penlight in my eyes. I flinched away from the brightness. "Pupils are uneven and sluggish to respond," Clarke muttered, more to herself than to me. "I'm worried that she might have a skull fracture."
"Emerson did slam her head pretty hard onto that floor in the bay." I heard Raven say.
"How many times?"
"Three."
"What do we do?" Bellamy asked, his voice tight with worry.
"We need to keep her awake and monitor her closely," Clarke replied. "Head injuries can turn serious quickly. Bellamy, stay with her and keep talking to her. Don't let her fall asleep. If she does, we risk her not waking up again." I drifted in and out of consciousness as Bellamy and Clarke tended to me. The pain in my head was excruciating, making it difficult to focus on anything else. Bellamy's voice anchored me, keeping me from slipping completely under.
"Stay with me, Songbird," he murmured, his hand gently stroking my hair. "Keep those beautiful eyes open for me." I tried to respond, but my tongue felt heavy and uncooperative. The room spun sickeningly every time I opened my eyes, so I kept them squeezed shut, focusing on Bellamy's soothing voice and touch. "I know it hurts," Bellamy continued softly. "But you're strong. You can fight through this." I felt Clarke's gentle hands examining my head, probing the tender areas where Emerson had slammed me against the floor. I forced my eyes open, trying to focus on Bellamy's face. His features swam in and out of focus, but I could see the worry etched in his expression. "That's it, Songbird," he encouraged. "Keep looking at me." Clarke finished her examination and moved to the head of the bed.
"Juliett, I need to ask you some questions to assess your cognitive function. Can you tell me your full name?" I swallowed hard, fighting through the fog in my brain.
"Juliett… Juliett Carson."
"Good. Do you know where you are?"
"Ark… adia." I slurred.
"When were you born?"
"July 27th, 2132." My words sounded slurred and mixed together.
"Good. I'm going to go get an ice pack for the swelling. Bellamy, keep talking to her to keep her awake." As Clarke moved away, Bellamy leaned in closer, his hand gently stroking my cheek.
"Stay with me, Songbird." Bellamy murmured, his thumb gently caressing my cheek. I struggled to focus on his face, fighting the dizziness and nausea.
"Hurts." I managed to whisper, my voice barely audible.
"I know, baby." Bellamy soothed. "But you're so strong. You can get through this." His other hand found mine, intertwining our fingers. I clung to him like a lifeline.
"Tell… story." I slurred, desperate for something to focus on besides the pain. I forced my eyes to stay open, locking onto Bellamy's concerned gaze.
"A story, huh?" Bellamy's lips quirked up into a small smile. "Okay. How about I tell you about the first time I realized I was falling in love with you?" Despite the pain, I felt a warmth blood in my chest at his words. I managed a tiny nod, encouraging him to continue but I winced in pain at the little movement. "It was not long after we landed on Earth. We were all still figuring out how to survive down here. One night, I couldn't sleep, so I went for a walk around the camp. That's when I heard it - the most beautiful sound I'd ever heard." I felt a small smile tug at my lips, knowing where this story was going. Bellamy continued. "It was you, singing softly to yourself as you kept watch. I didn't recognize the song, but your voice... it was like nothing I'd ever heard before. So pure and full of emotion. I stood there listening, completely mesmerized." Bellamy's thumb traced gentle circles on the back of my hand as he spoke. "I remember thinking how strange it was to hear such an angelic voice in this world of chaos."
"You… heard… before… Ark." It was a struggle to try and form a complete sentence as I tried to explain to him that he had heard my voice on the Ark before. I remembered that Octavia had told me before that Bellamy would always talk to her about hearing a little songbird singing in the corridors. Bellamy understood what I was trying to say. Bellamy nodded, a soft smile playing on his lips.
"You're right, I had heard you on the Ark before. But this was different. On the ground, hearing your voice under the stars... it was like hearing you for the first time all over again." He paused, his eyes growing distant with the memory. "I didn't approach you that night. I just stood there in the shadows, listening. And as I listened, I felt something shift inside me. It was like your voice reached a part of me I didn't even know existed." I managed a weak smile, touched by his words. Bellamy continued, his voice low and soothing. "After that night, I started noticing you more and more.
"The way you cared for others, your strength, your kindness. But it was always your voice that drew me in. Whenever I heard you singing, no matter what was going on, everything just stopped." I felt tears prick at my eyes, moved by Bellamy's words despite the pain throbbing in my skull. I wanted to tell him how much his words meant to me, how I had fallen for him too, but forming coherent sentences was still beyond my capabilities. Instead, I squeezed his hand weakly, hoping he understood. Bellamy seemed to sense what I couldn't say. He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead. "I love you, Songbird," he murmured. "More than I ever thought possible. And I need you to keep fighting, okay?
"Stay with me." I nodded minutely, wincing at the movement.
"Love... you... too," I managed to whisper. Clarke returned with an ice pack, gently placing it against the back of my head. The cold offered a small measure of relief from the pounding pain.
"There's not much else I can do for her right now." Clarke told Bellamy softly. "We have to wait for the swelling to go down to see the extent of the injury but that can take time. In the meantime, we have to find Luna and see if she'll help stop Alie." Bellamy's jaw clenched and I knew he was struggling on deciding whether to go with Clarke or stay her with me. "Stay here with Juliett. Keep her awake. Radio if anything changes. Octavia, Jasper and Bryan are going to go with me. The others are staying here. Raven's going to work on Alie's code until Juliett gets better."
"Go." I gasped softly to Bellamy. I knew he wanted to go with Clarke but he wasn't going to leave me like this. Bellamy shook his head firmly.
"I'm not leaving you." Bellamy said. "Not like this."
"Need… to… Luna…" Each word was a struggle. "Help… others." Bellamy's jaw clenched as he warred with himself but Clarke made the decision for him.
"Stay here with her." Clarke said gently. "We'll be fine without you this time. We'll have Octavia with us and you can stay and protect the others here." Bellamy reluctantly nodded, his eyes never leaving my face.
"Okay," he said softly. "I'll stay here with Juliett. But be careful out there, Clarke. And keep in radio contact." Clarke squeezed his shoulder.
"We will. Take care of her." With that, she turned and Octavia stepped up to my side, squeezing my other hand gently.
"Hey, Jules." She smiled warmly at me. I slowly turned my head to look at her, whimpering at the pain. "You rest up and get better, okay? I need my best friend back in fighting shape." I managed a weak smile, touched by her words. "We'll find Luna and figure out how to stop Alie. You just focus on healing." I wanted to tell her to be careful, to come back safely, but forming words was still beyond me. Instead, I gave her hand a feeble squeeze, hoping she understood.
Octavia seemed to get the message. She leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead. "I'll be back before you know it," she whispered. With one last squeeze of my hand, she straightened and turned to leave. As Octavia walked away, I felt a wave of dizziness wash over me. The room began to spin violently and I squeezed my eyes shut. The room spun violently as another wave of nausea hit me. I groaned, turning my head to the side as I retched weakly. There was nothing left in my stomach to bring up, but the dry heaves were agonizing. Bellamy quickly grabbed a basin, holding it near my face as he supported my head.
"Easy, Songbird," he murmured. "Just breathe through it." When the heaving finally subsided, I slumped back against the pillow, utterly exhausted. Bellamy gently wiped my mouth with a damp cloth before setting the basin aside. His hand returned to mine, squeezing gently. "You're doing great," he encouraged. "Just keep fighting." I wanted to respond, to tell him I was trying, but speech seemed beyond me now. Even keeping my eyes open was a monumental effort.
"Go." I tried to tell him again as I fought another wave of nausea.
"You're stuck with me, Songbird." Bellamy said, trying for a light tone.