Sacrifice and Survival

The Reunion

"Come on Clarke wake up" Murphy poked her with his foot as she lay under the furs at the back of the cave that had been home for almost a week.

Clarke groaned and pulled the covers up to her chin and rolled towards the cave wall.

"Come on you wanted to wake up early not me."

She grumbled something incoherent as she peeked over the blankets toward the opening "it's barely daylight" she said.

"You're the one who wanted to go hunt and then head out. I'm all for staying a few more days" Murphy picked up his pack and tossed Clarkes pack on top of her with a thump. "Get up woman I'm hungry." Murphy began putting things in his pack and continued talking as he moved around the cave "you know, I read an old book back on the ark about how the women used to do all the cooking and cleaning and taking care of the men in their lives so I was thinking......" 

He never finished his sentence as Clarke's pack found its way to the back of his head, with a thump. Murphy rubbed his head and turned to see Clarke sitting up "I thought that'd get you up." He smirked.

"Fine, I'm up" she said as she crawled out from the furs and went to stand by the entrance "what'd ya think Murf, West?" she said stretching and rubbing her eyes.

"Don't matter ta me, but definitely not north; everything I hear about Azgeda is unpleasant and you know it's cold there." Murphy stands with her looking out at the valley, surrounded by mountains, he looks at her out of the corner of his eye and watches her as she looks with sadness and longing at the pass a few miles East that leads to Polis, TonDC and Arkadia.

"You've been sleeping better that past few days. Not as many nightmares." Murphy said patting her shoulder. "I think that's a good sign, don't you."

Clarke nodded and knew he was right, the nightmares had become less frequent but every night the dreams were still came and they were intense, overwhelming and most mornings she didn't want to awaken from them. They were almost all about him, Bellamy. A few were clear and seemed so real as if they were actually together; she swore she could still smell his essence on her skin in the mornings. But most were a collage of dark eyes, curly hair, freckles and a grin that set her heart on fire. Those nights were the hardest, because those nights she wanted to run home and for her home was Bellamy. But she knew she had burned that bridge, and that chasm was far too wide and deep to ever cross. At least alone.

"You don't have to come you know that, right?" Clarke looked up at him "I'm healed up now, the ribs are good, so if you want to head east and look for Emori I'd understand."

Murphy shrugged "I'm sure she heard about the commander and she has probably figured out that I am the unnamed male that Titus killed along with Wanheda, so I'm sure she has moved on." He dropped his arm over her shoulder "And anyway you couldn't survive without."

Clarke looked up at him and rolled her eyes. His grin was lopsided as he looked down at her "Ok maybe you'd survive, but you'd be bored."

Clarke chuckled and pushed his arm off "Let's just get going."

Clarke and Murphy both had their reasons for leaving but both wished they could stay.

They had heard many things from the villagers and the people in the trading posts about the Commander's death. Murphy could easily go incognito in the villages or even at the trading posts for supplies so he was able to pick up all kinds of information. Clarke couldn't risk being seen so she stayed close to whatever cave or shelter they were using. He had heard that he and Clarke were both dead and that Skaikru was still surrounded by the Trikru army and that Azgeda had been threatening retaliation against SkaiKru until there was proof that Clarke was dead.