𝗔𝗟𝗪𝗔𝗬𝗦 𝗦𝗨𝗥𝗩𝗜𝗩𝗘, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝟭𝟬𝟬 (𝟭)

𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞

~ ✮ ✮ ~

chapter nine, "Jasper!"

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CLARKE OPENS UP THE AUTOMOBILE DOOR and everyone stands to their feet. Nova wipes off the dust and cobwebs that attached to her pants.

"The fog's cleared. Come on. Let's go. Jasper's waiting" Clarke says as everyone climbs out the automobile, still a large amount of tension seeped through the small group after the heated altercation and begins walking through the woods to get to Jasper back home.

"Being trapped in a car was... fun" Nova tries and jakes as she walks beside Clarke, who lets out an exhausted chuckle and nods her head. "We also should have left as soon as the fog cleared" Clarke sighs going back to her guilty stage and Finn walks up joining in on the conversation.

"Even if the fog cleared, we'd never make it back through these woods at night" Finn states, "But... you were kind of rough on Wells" Finn proceeds to change the subjects and Clarke scoffs throwing her head back.

"Hardly."

"He's a pretty straight-up guy. And he loves you. You know that, right? But every time your dad comes up, he won't give you a straight answer. Makes me think he's hiding something" Finn says and Clarke clears her throat. Nova raises her hand and Clarke and Finn look over.

"Can I ask how sure are you that Wells is the one who turned in your dad?" Nova asks and Clarke looks forward with a thinking face, these words making her recall the memory, wonder what if Wells isn't to blame.

Clarke shakes her head releasing those kinds of thoughts out of her mind, "A hundred percent. All right? He's the only one I told."

"Is he the only one who knew?" Finn questions, and Clarke goes back to thinking, her mind filled with only one other possibility.

A distant scream pierced the air, high-pitched and filled with terror. Nova and the group turned their heads in the direction of the sound. "Who was that?" Clarke asked, her voice filled with concern.

As they ran through the woods, they spotted Charlotte, the youngest of the 100, standing alone, screaming. Rushing to her side, they found Atom lying on the ground, his skin red and puffy from the acid fog. Bellamy stood up, and Charlotte approached him, handing him a knife and whispering something.

Bellamy glanced at the hunting party he had brought along and waved them off. "Go back to camp," he ordered, and they reluctantly walked away. He then told Charlotte to leave, and she did.

"Kill... me... Bell...a...my... ple...please," Atom begged weakly.

Clarke knelt beside Atom, inspecting his injuries. She looked up at Bellamy and shook her head, indicating that Atom wasn't going to make it. Bellamy's shoulders slumped as he accepted the inevitable. Clarke took a deep breath, reached over, and gently ran her fingers through Atom's hair, humming softly. Nova watched, struck by Clarke's elegance and compassion.

Clarke took the knife from Bellamy's hand, understanding what needed to be done. Bellamy realized she was going to do what he couldn't. Clarke pierced Atom's neck with the knife, continuing to hum as she did.

Nova turned away, not out of fear but out of sorrow.

______

IT IS NOW NIGHT-TIME and Nova and the rest of the group including Bellamy, who walks through the gate.

"We've got to get to Jasper. I'll need boiled water to make the medicine" Clarke says and her and Finn leave while Bellamy and Nova haul Atom's body into camp on a gurney.

"Get Clarke whatever she needs" Bellamy orders some of the other boys in the camp to do.

"I better go get this grave dug" Wells says and leaves to start digging Atoms grave. Nova notices Clarke trying to bring Octavia into the drop ship, but Octavia ignores and makes her way over to Bellamy and Nova.

"Octavia, just stay there. Please, stay back" Bellamy says begging Octavia doesn't see. Nova looks down not wanting to meet Octavia's eyes.

"Why? Nova, what happened?" Octavia pleaded, her voice trembling, as Bellamy held her back. The siblings struggled briefly before Octavia pushed Bellamy's arm away and rushed to Atom's side. She lifted the jacket off his body, revealing him.

"Atom..." she cried out softly.

"There was nothing we could do," Bellamy said softly, but Octavia raised her hand, cutting him off. "Don't," she pleaded, tears streaming down her face as she began to cry. Octavia gently covered Atom's face with the jacket and stood up, walking over to Nova.

"Was there really nothing you could do?" Octavia asked, her voice breaking. Nova met her gaze, shaking her head silently. Tears fell down Nova's cheeks as she looked up at Octavia.

"Nothing," Nova whispered. Octavia pulled Nova into a tight hug, burying her face in Nova's shoulder and sobbing uncontrollably.

Bellamy approached them slowly. "O... O please," he begged, but Octavia pulled away from Nova's embrace, pushing Bellamy's arms aside. She turned and walked away, with Nova following closely behind, her own tears blending with Octavia's.

______

OCTAVIA FINALLY CALMED DOWN and her and Nova made their way into the drop ship to check on Jasper while Clarke gave him the medicine. "I'm really sorry about Atom" Clarke says and Octavia nods her head as she looks down at Jasper and pushes his hair back.

"I guess we're going to have to get used to people dying down here, aren't we?" Octavia questions before looking down at Jasper who did almost get that close to dying. "But not you. You hear me? You're not allowed to die" Octavia hopes and Nova clears her throat softly looking down at Octavia and Jasper.

Nova turns around to leave but feels a hand grab hers. Nova looks down and sees Octavia holding her hand.

"Please stay" Octavia speaks softly looking up at Nova with those glossy green eyes. Nova lets a smile appear and stands next to Octavia holding her hand. Finn walks over to Nova and Octavia and shows them the whiskey.

Octavia takes it and takes a sip letting out a cough. "Disgusting, but I love it" Octavia says wiping the sides of her mouth.

"Can I, uh, get a hit of that?" Jasper calls out, his voice groggily as he wakes up the first time after they've brought him back.

"Jasper!" Octavia cries out in excitement. "Let's start with the soft stuff first" Monty says making everyone let out a chuckle before he gives him water to drink. "Welcome back, buddy" Finn says and Jasper smiles softly.

"Was that a dream out did I get speared?" Jasper questions jokingly.

"You'll have a very impressive scar to prove it" Clarke says and Jasper looks down and lets out a small laugh. "My savior" Jasper cheers and Nova laughs.

"Thank you for not dying. I don't think I could've taken that today" Clarke says sighing pushing her hair back.

"I'll try not to die tomorrow, too, if that's cool" Jasper jokes causing everyone around to laugh happily.