A/N: Well, it's been six months and I have edited approximately half a chapter. I still had a couple in reserve and I feel terrible for making you all wait so long, so decided to go ahead and post it. I am still working on changing the whole story to 3rd person and I'm hopeful that once I've completed that, some of my inspiration will come back, but it's a long job.
Just wanted to say again how much I appreciate every like and comment. Your feedback really does mean the world to me and keeps me coming back.
One last thing: I'm pregnant! We're expecting our first child in March 2023, so I'm afraid my posting is only going to get more irregular. I hope to still post as much as possible, but I really can't make any promises.
Anyway, thanks for sticking with me and I hope you enjoy this update. :)
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AFTER WHAT HAD been a long, sleepless night for everyone and an even worse morning for some, our group remained silent during the walk back to camp. Charlotte gripped my hand the entire way, pressed against my side for comfort. The trauma of what she had witnessed hung heavy on her young shoulders and I suspected that her visibly fragile state was not so different to the inner turmoil of the others. Even Bellamy looked as if he was hanging on by a thread.
Light faded from the sky as we trudged through the forest and were left to navigate the last stretch in darkness. Anxiety began to bubble in my chest, which alongside a deep sense of guilt over my lack of action with Atom, left me vulnerable. Regardless of my desire to remain hopeful, I was forced to acknowledge the fact that my extended absence from camp may also have cost Jasper his life.
In the distance, the glow of a fire caused my stomach to lurch in dread. Keeping a firm grip on Charlotte's hand, I parted from the rest of the group to enter camp from a different point and navigated to the area where I knew Zoey had been sleeping recently. I was relieved when I found her chatting to some campers, but the feeling only intensified when she caught sight of me and wordlessly understood that I needed her as a priority.
"Hey! Thank god you're okay." She breathed the moment that she stepped away from the others to allow us to speak privately. "I wondered where you had got to! You had me worried, little rascal." She added with a smile down toward Charlotte, but when she noticed that the young girl couldn't even meet her eyes, her posture stiffened.
"Charlotte's had a rough time. I need to assist Clarke, but I don't want to leave her alone." I began, but before I could even finish my request Zoey was already nodding in agreement and silently encouraging the girl to her side. "You might have your hands full, though. We lost Atom in the fog. Bellamy and a couple of others are about to carry his body home through the main part of camp, but I thought that if you knew where Octavia is right now, then you might want to-"
