It's Not Yours (Bellarke)

1 - Denial

7 Weeks

Clarke ducks out of Arcadia, quickly scampering off towards her secret exit. She easily slips through the gap in the wall, not being seen by the early risers. She darts for the woods; ducking into the bushes as her stomach forces up a violent heave. Last nights dinner spills from her mouth as she drops to the ground.
   She gasps when it's finally over, lifting an arm to wipe her lips on her sleeve. She shifts, moving to sit against the tree next to her.
   A small breeze brushes her hair into her face, carrying cold air with it. Clarke shivers.
   The leaves have already started to turn pretty colors, and a few trees have already started to molt. It's gradually getting colder; each morning's temperature a degree lower than it was the day before.
   Clarke sighs, closing her eyes as the nausea passes.
   This flu of hers is a stubborn one. It's been about a week; each morning she wakes up needing to spill her insides. And each day it's getting worse.
   But that's it. It's just a little flu. Nothing more.
   Besides, Clarke's taking care of it. She has the medicine. She's been taking it. And she's feeling much better. If only the flu's symptoms would stop. Then she'd be back to normal.
   Clarke gently pushes herself to her feet, only for another wave a nausea to pass over her. She spins, getting ready to puke again. There's not much left to throw up, and soon she's dry heaving.
   When it's finally over she gasps for air. A needle of pain shoots through her forehead, and she curses.
   The headache is new. So is the dry-heaving. She's probably just dehydrated. That would make sense. Yeah. That's it. She just needs some water.
   Clarke carefully pushes herself back to her feet. The nausea is still there, but it's not to the point where she feels the need to puke again. She sighs, carefully heading back to camp.
   As she sneaks through the opening she sees that the camp is already getting to work. She notices Bellamy talking to a group of people. Probably telling them what to do. She stops, looking for some other way to get back to her room. There is none, so she pushes forward. She carefully walks past Bellamy, being quiet so he doesn't turn around.
   "There's Clarke!" Someone from the group says.
   Clarke freezes, hissing in frustration.
   "Clarke!" Bellamy barks, turning around.
   "Bellamy," she says, stepping forward.
   "Where have you been? This is the fourth time now that you weren't here to give orders. I told you last time-"
   "And I said it wouldn't happen again, I know Bellamy." She carefully cuts him off.
   He sighs impatiently. He turns back to the group.
   "Alright. Just, forget that last part. Get to work."
   The group begins to disperse into fours, all going off in different directions. Bellamy turns back to Clarke.
   "Clarke you can't keep doing this to me."
   "I know, I'm sorry."
   "Where were you? Did you sneak off again?"
   "No-"
   "Clarke." He says sternly.
   She sighs, "yeah. I did."
   He frowns. "Clarke I don't know what else to do. Are you trying to leave?"
   "Bellamy no, I'm not trying to leave. Why would you think that?" She steps closer.
  He looks at her, brown eyes scanning her face. "You said that seeing their faces would only remind you of what you did to get them here. What we did."
   She looks down, "I know what I said."
   "Clarke, I'd never forgive myself if you only stayed because I made you."
   Clarke shakes her head, "You didn't make me stay; I stayed because you were right. I can't deny that anymore."
   Bellamy stays quiet.
   "Besides, I'd never forgive myself if I left without saying goodbye." She smiles sadly.
   He nods, looking down at his shoes. The silence is interrupted when Clarke's stomach growls. Bellamy lets out a snicker.
   "You hungry princess?" He teases.
   "Like you wouldn't believe." She groans.
   "Good thing I haven't had breakfast yet." He smiles, "mind if I join you?"
   "Not at all. You can fill me in on what I missed." She says as they start to make their way towards the food.
   "Ah. Not much." He waves off.
   "Really? Nobody complained? Not even Mark?"
   He grins, "well, I wasn't going to tell you, but he seems to think you're slacking off."
   "What! Am not!"
   "I don't know princess. By the looks of it, he just might be right."
   She rolls her eyes.