chapter eight
REUNIONS AND RESCUE MISSIONS
"you're planted in my mind.
and i don't wanna be okay without you."

"Open the gate!" Major Byrne bellowed as Bellamy, Octavia, Monroe, and Mel approached Camp Jaha.

Bellamy gave Mel a reassuring squeeze on her arm as the gates opened, seeing her uneasy expression.

A guard was immediately up in Bellamy's face, "Weapons. I need your weapon."

Bellamy sucked in a deep breath through his nose, letting the guard take his gun.

He knew full well coming back that they would probably lock him up again, especially after escaping and stealing weapons.

But it still sucked. Always a criminal.

The group watched Abby Griffin jog towards them.

"I know you." She said to Mel, gently cupping her face, examining the lacerations on her face, "Factory station."

Mel nodded. Abby then turned to Bellamy, "Where are the others?

Mel frowned, "There are no others."

"We found her a day from here. No survivors. Lots of supplies."

Abby turned to one of the nurses that accompanied her, "Get her to medical."

Mel and Monroe both went with Abby to get checked out.

Bellamy turned to his sister solemnly.

They went out to find their friends and lost Sterling.

They needed a new plan.

Before he could open his mouth, he felt the force slam into his body, arms warmly linking around his neck.

He saw the blonde locks on the person whipping in front of his eyes, and he instantly recognized the person as Clarke.

He sighed deeply, closing his eyes, firmly wrapping his arms around her, relief flooding through his body.

Octavia smirked, "Now, there's something I thought I'd never see."

The two pulled apart with smiles.

Clarke turned and pulled Octavia into an embrace as well. Octavia whispered to her, "I'm glad you're okay."

Clarke looked at her with with a light smile, "You too."

Bellamy watched Clarke restlessly, "How many are with you?"

She knew she didn't have the answer he wanted.

She frowned, "None."

Bellamy's face fell, the brief relief he felt was instantly replaced with more fear and sadness.

Clarke glanced around camp, "Where's Finn?

Bellamy's fear doubled as he remembered Finn and Murphy heading into Grounder territory, "Looking for you."

»»————-　★　————-««

Bellamy and Clarke paced back and forth outside the room where the council was holding a meeting to decide what course of action they should take next.

Bellamy felt like his brain was moving a million miles a minute, unable to form one singular thought. It was just a whirlpool of worry and confusion.

He finally forced himself to stop pacing and pressed his back against the cold metal of the Ark's wall.

"Tell me about Mount Weather," Bellamy's voice echoed through the empty halls, louder than he intended. He spoke softer, looking to Clarke, "Please."

Clarke crossed her arms over her chest as she delved into her thoughts, mentally reliving the nightmarish days she had just experienced.

"It was so perfect and horrifying at the same time," she said, still pacing, "They gave us beds, clothes, and food. It was too perfect."

She then raised an eyebrow, eyes trained on the floor as she continued to walk back and forth, "The Mountain Men can't metabolize radiation on their own. Generations of them have been locked inside that bunker so they survive outside. But they aren't really living inside either."

Bellamy watched her pace, it was starting to make him dizzy. She was intensely focused on her story, not making eye contact at all.

"There was a harvest chamber with cages everywhere. Some on the floor, more stacked on top of each other. Others hung from the ceiling. They had hundreds of Grounders. They hung them upside down and drained them of their blood. They kill them and use their blood so they can survive."

Clarke stopped pacing, breathing deeply, "It's not good. I don't think they brought our people in out of kindness."

Bellamy swallowed hard, "You think they're next?"

Clarke nodded gravely.

Bellamy fidgeted, wanting to ask—

He still didn't know who was there.

He felt stupid for wanting to know where Evelynn was so badly.

They weren't even together. But still, he had never been so crazy about a girl before, and he couldn't deny what he felt.

He clenched his jaw, and aimed his gaze at the ceiling, almost embarrassed, his voice quieter than before, "Is Evelynn okay?"

He could literally feel Clarke's face grow into a smile as she watched him, but he still made sure to look away from her.

"She's safe. At least, last I saw her," Clarke told him, "Honestly, she's been struggling dealing with the aftermath of the war. But she's strong. Don't worry."

Bellamy nodded, finally meeting Clarke's gaze, "Yeah, she's strong."

"We really need to get back there soon. I'm worried that the Mountain Men will start to use our people's blood soon, but I'm slightly more worried that Evelynn's going to figure out the secrets of the Mountain and get herself into trouble." Clarke said.

Bellamy lips twitched upwards slightly, "She is good at getting herself into trouble."

Clarke smiled with him, but it turned into a frown as she glanced up at Bellamy, "I wish I could tell her that you're okay."

The council members bustling out the door into the hall grabbed their attention.

Abby approached them and Clarke ran up to her, ready for the news.

"Well?" Clarke asked her mom, "When are we leaving to get Finn and Murphy?"

Abby shifted uncomfortably under her daughters expectant look, "We're—not."

"What?" Clarke exclaimed, "No. You can't just cut them loose."

"Sweetheart, we don't have the manpower to send out two separate rescue missions and protect our camp."

Clarke pinched her eyebrows together, "Mom. They're in trouble. They're either gonna get themselves killed or they're gonna make things worse with the Grounders, who we need to get our people out of Mount Weather."

"I know you feel this is unfair. But our priority has to be with Chancellor Kane if there is any hope for peace." Abby said sympathetically.

"If you wanted peace, you shouldn't have killed the only Grounder who was gonna help us."

"I'm sorry. The decision's been made." Abby said shortly.

Bellamy leaned off the wall, temper rising, "You're sorry? Finn and Murphy are out there looking for your daughter with guns you gave us, and now she's home, you're just going to abandon them?"

Clarke nodded in agreement to his statement. Bellamy continued, "If you can't spare the guards, we know the terrain, we have a map. We can do it ourselves."

Abby shook her head, vehemently opposed, "Absolutely not."

"Mom." Clarke cried out.

Abby softened, looking at her daughter, "I just got you back."

"Abby!" Jackson came running down the hall. He quickly realized he was interrupting and spoke in a calmer tone, "I'm sorry. We need you in medical."

Clarke gestured towards Jackson, a bit of a mischievous glint in her eyes, "You better go."

Abby didn't take her eyes off her daughter, "Byrne? No one leaves this camp."

"Yes, ma'am."

Abby quickly left for medical. Clarke watched her leave and then past Bellamy with a hushed voice, "We're gonna need guns."

Bellamy clenched his jaw with a nod.

Clarke was definitely back.

»»————-　★　————-««

Raven tossed a duffel bag of guns onto a rock near them.

Bellamy figured if anyone could help them escape and sneak around for them, it would be Raven.

"I scored you a couple extra clips." She told him.

Clarke rounded the corner behind the building they snuck behind, "Hey. My mom's in surgery and the team going after Kane just left. We should, too."

"Did you find Octavia?" Bellamy asked.

Octavia appeared behind him, "No. I found you. I'm not letting you leave here without me."

Clarke sighed, "Octavia—"

Octavia cut her off, quick to defend herself, a sharp edge to her tone, "Finn and Murphy are headed for Lincoln's village. I've been there. Have you? Has she?"

Bellamy raised his eyebrows at her with a playful smirk, "You done?"

He held out a backpack to her. She narrowed her eyes at him, "What's this?"

"Your pack." Bellamy told her. She tilted her chin up, a smile smile spreading. Bellamy nodded, "Lead the way."

Bellamy and Clarke gathered their gear as Octavia confidently headed towards the fence.

Raven stopped her with her cane, "Whoa. Not so fast, Pocahontas."

She then tapped the cane against the wired fence causing sparks to fly and electricity to
crackle.

Clarke turned to Raven, "I thought you said it was handled."

"It is." Raven told her. She took her walkie talkie out of her pocket, leaning into it quietly, "Shut her down, Wick."

They waited in silence until the radio beeped back in response.

Raven tapped the stick against the fence again, but this time there was so electricity. She raised her eyebrow, "Handled."

Clarke pulled her lips into a line and nodded to Octavia.

Octavia happily stepped through the fence first, leading Bellamy and Clarke out of camp.

»»————-　★　————-««

Bellamy stared up at the night sky as he sat by the fire, eyes watching the stars glowing and twinkling above.

He listened to Evelynn's music box.

Part of him felt guilty at first. It was a family heirloom and was so important to her.

But he knew she wouldn't mind as long as he kept it safe.

He really missed her.

As he listened to song after song, he could almost hear Evelynn humming along.

He remembered sitting with Evelynn at camp, watching the stars. The night she let him listen to the music with her. When he got to hold her hand and they could just be with each other.

He'd give anything to go back to then.

Bellamy sniffed, emotions getting to much to handle.

He pulled out the ear pieces and carefully secured the music box back in his pocket, being overly-cautious with it.

He stared at the fire and watched the flames whirl and listened to the embers pop.

He remembered the night when Murphy went after Charlotte and kidnapped Evelynn. He remembered banishing him, and that it was her idea. When they came back to camp, Evelynn told him to take her wristband off. They sat in front of the fire together, taking in the day, all that had happened, who they had lost. That was the day he started to notice how much he cared for her.

Bellamy ran a hand down his face and closed his eyes. He felt haunted.

Evelynn was everywhere.

He was surrounded by memories and drowning in 'what could have been'.

He shook his head fast, as if that would shake away his thoughts.

He had to focus.

Finn and Murphy were out there alone heading into a Grounder village, looking for their friends, who they weren't going to find.

He was afraid of what might happen.

Clarke stirred slightly, eyes blinking open. Bellamy turned to her and smiled lightly. She smiled back.

"Last time I saw you, you were closing the dropship door." He told her, staring into the fire, "It had to be done."

Clarke sat up, stretching slightly, "Did you get any sleep?"

"It's okay. I'll sleep when we find Finn." He told her. His face turned grave, thinking back on who Finn had become, "You haven't seen him, Clarke. Losing you, the others, the war, it changed him. He executed the Grounder that drew us the map. Pulled the trigger without even blinking and walked away."

Clarke shook her head, confusion filling her, "That doesn't sound like Finn."

"No, it doesn't." Bellamy bit his lip and sighed, "I saw what he was capable of, and still I let him go with Murphy and two automatic rifles."

"I'm sure that had to be done, too." Clarke looked at Bellamy with empathy. He looked away from her.

"When we got back to the dropship and no one was there," he paused, reliving the fear he felt in the moment, when all was lost. He turned back to Clarke, "We assumed it was the Grounders."

"Of course, you did." Clarke sympathized, "You couldn't have known it was the Mountain Men. No one could have."

"I could have." He said softly, gazing into the fire intensely, "Evelynn—"

He paused, again seeing her face. He stumbled over his words, "She told me there was more out there. When she went out to find you, Finn, and Monty, she was attacked by one of them."

Clarke followed his gaze, watching the fire crackle. Bellamy continued, "She told me there were others out there, and I didn't listen. When they were gone, I didn't even consider the possibility. Maybe—maybe this all could've been avoided."

"What if you did remember?" Clarke said, "Say you did. What could you have done? Go out hunting for these 'other people'? You did what you thought was right. That's the best you could've done."

Bellamy bit the inside of his cheek, feeling mildly better. He turned to Clarke with worried eyes, "How long until chocolate cake turns into being hung upside down and drained for their blood?"

"I don't know," Clarke said, her expression bleak, "but we don't have much time."

"Okay," he nodded. Everything in his being wanted to storm Mount Weather and make it all go away, but he knew he couldn't, "First, we find Finn, then our people in Mount Weather."

"And Lincoln."

The two turned to where Octavia was previously sleeping.

She stood up, grabbing her pack, "I think we've slept long enough."