The First On The Ground

Survival of the Fittest

(AUGUST P.O.V.)

The next morning, I wake before Bellamy does. As I go around and collect some grounder clothes for Bellamy to wear until he reaches Mount Weather. I've decided not to go with them because Lincoln is right. Our people need Octavia and me if this truce is going to work. As much as I hate the idea of them going alone, it will be safer for Bellamy once he is inside. I also need to think about Alexa's offer to be her second. She's right. I may have been born in the space but I'm more grounder than anything. I've always been an outcast and that's never going to change. Anyways, I find the clothes that Bellamy will need and head over to where I left him sleeping. I find him awake and talking to Lincoln.
"Here," I say as I hand him the clothes. He gives me a confused look. "To help you blend in until you reach the mountain." He nods before taking the clothes and going to change. "I'm not going with you." I look to Lincoln and he has a confused look. "You are right. For this to work, our people need Octavia and me."
"Thank you," Lincoln says.
"Be careful and keep him alive as long as you can. Don't do anything that you aren't ready for," I tell him as I pull him into a hug. He pulls away and nods. Bellamy then walks over and I can't help but grin at how out of place he looks in the grounder clothes. They do look good on him though. Lincoln heads to tell Octavia bye.
"What is it going to take for me to convince you not to come?" Bellamy asks me.
"Nothing. I'm not going," I answer. He goes to argue but catches what I said.
"Really?" Bellamy asks as he raises an eyebrow at me.
"Really really," I answer with a smile. "Besides, somebody has to keep your sister out of trouble." We both laugh. "You don't look too bad in these clothes."
"Really?" Bellamy asks and I nod. "I may have to keep them then." We laugh again.
"Be safe. Don't try to be a hero as soon as you get in there. Be careful and do what you need to do so we can help you," I tell Bellamy in a serious tone.
"I'll try my best. You stay safe around all them grounders," Bellamy says.
"I am a grounder," I tell him. He sighs.
"Yeah, I know," Bellamy says before pressing a kiss to my forehead.
"You missed," I say with a smirk. Bellamy smiles before actually kissing me.
"May we meet again," Bellamy says as he pulls away.
"I'll see you again," I tell him before he walks away.

(BELLAMY P.O.V.)

Lincoln and I head for Mount Weather after we said our goodbyes. We had stopped long enough for Lincoln to put on some war paint. As we were walking through the trees, I can't help but think about August. She survived on the ground for a whole year before we came down. How she managed to do it, I have no clue. She's so strong. I'm glad she decided not to come but she seemed distracted by something. When I had left Raven's tent last night, I saw her talking to Lexa. When she walked away from Lexa she was in deep thought. I wonder if it was something Lexa said. I snap out of my thoughts and focus on the mission.
"Hey. I need to know what happened after the intake door," I tell Lincoln as we walk.
"They remove your clothes, blast you with boiling water, and douse you with something that burns even worse. From there, we were sorted. The others were tagged harvest. I was tagged Cerberus, turned into a Reaper," Lincoln explains. "Cerberus, my mom read mythology to us all the time. Octavia loved it," I tell him. I see him smile at the mention of Octavia. He truly cares for her. "You're good for her. You made her strong."
"She was already strong," Lincoln states.
"Hey, I need to ask you something. You protected my sister before you even knew her. You protect August as well. Why?" I ask him. He stops walking and turns to me.
"When I was a boy, I saw a ship fall from the sky like Raven's and August's. The man inside was hurt, his body broken. I couldn't get him out," Lincoln explains. "Suicide by Earth," I say remembering the stories. "I heard the stories in the guard. I just didn't know they were true."
"I brought him food, water. I didn't speak the enemy's language yet. So I couldn't understand him, but I wanted to. So on the third day, I told my father. He made me kill him. The world has been trying to turn me into a monster for as long as I can remember. That's why when I saw August's ship come down, I knew I had to protect whoever was inside the ship. Of course, that didn't happen until about a week after she came to the ground. I found her running from Reapers and the mountain men. So, I protected her the best I could without getting caught. Let's keep moving," Lincoln explains before he continues walking.
"Thank you," I tell him as I catch up to him.
"For what?" He asks.
"For keeping August alive when you didn't have to. For keeping my sister alive," I answer him.
"We may not be blood, but August is my sister. I would die for both of them," Lincoln says. We keep walking.