ATLAS

three

    Everything that followed was a frantic blur. Octavia was ripped from them and dragged down the Ark hallway. She fought as hard as she could, but eventually gave in. She was exhausted, so completely tired of fighting to remain unseen. She didn't care what fate awaited her anymore; she was only glad to have attained some degree of freedom.

    As soon as she had disappeared from the hallway, Bellamy turned to Andromeda, assessing her appearance. She was crying silently, plump tears racing down her reddened cheeks. He felt the way she looked; helplessly mournful. Devastated. He didn't cry. Instead, he reached out gently and wiped the tears from hers. He couldn't see her cry right now. She was painfully close to triggering his own tears, and he'd fought so hard to keep them at bay. She didn't stop crying, however, so he pressed her firmly to his chest. Assessing their surroundings, he found that everyone was staring at them. He shot glares at the nosy bystanders and moved to take Andromeda home. He wanted to be far away from there. He had to be somewhere else to process what would happen next.

    "Let's go, sweetheart," he whispered, grabbing her hand to guide her out of the room.

    The walk to the Blake quarters was achingly silent. Andromeda had never had an issue conversing with anyone, especially not Bellamy, but there weren't appropriate words. There was no discourse to be had. They were experiencing the calm before the storm, and they intended to enjoy the peace while it was present. Bellamy moved stiffly and uncomfortably. He didn't know how to carry himself with the newly added pressure weighing on him.

    Entering the room, the two sat silently at the small table. Bellamy sat stiffly in the small metal chair and Andromeda took up the space in front of him. Seated on the floor, she nestled between his legs and rested her head on his thigh. Still, they did not speak. Bellamy rested his hand on her head and ran his fingers through her hair periodically. Occasionally, when a fresh wave of tears consumed her, she squeezed his leg tightly for comfort. They didn't speak, only basked in their shared sorrow. All that was left to do was wait for Aurora to return home. Bellamy would have to explain the situation to her. It would be one of the most difficult things he'd ever experienced; something that haunted him even from the ground.

    The sight of Aurora was enough to trigger a new wave of sobs in Andromeda. She knew that Aurora would be floated. There was no way around it now. This fate had lingered in the back of Bellamy's mind since Octavia was born and now, he'd be confronted with it. He ran his fingers comfortingly through Andromeda's hair and softly shushed her. He couldn't stand to see her so upset about something he had caused. The thought that he shouldn't have taken Octavia out of the room had been creeping up on him and he felt so guilty that it made him ache. He was anxious about telling his mother that Octavia was taken to the skybox. The conversation would be difficult, and, in this moment, he wished he'd have taken Andromeda home first, so that she didn't have to endure it. It was too late for these regrets. Aurora was here and she seemed to be searching the room for Octavia. Her search was unsuccessful. Confused, she pressed her eyebrows together and turned her gaze to her son. She was surprised to see Andromeda seated at his feet. Her tear-stained cheeks worried the mother, and she quickly approached.

    "Romey, tell me what happened," she frantically prompted, placing her hand on the younger girl's head.

    Andromeda couldn't speak. She didn't know what to say, so she looked up to Bellamy for help. He tapped her shoulder, a silent indication to move. He intended to have his mother sit for the conversation. He was certain she'd need the support when she heard what had happened to Octavia. He moved to the side, taking Andromeda with him and gestured for Aurora to sit. She was nervous at Bellamy's unusually timid demeanor. No longer occupied fretting over Andromeda, her eyes darted around the room in search of Octavia again. Her heart dropped when her search was unsuccessful.