2,199 Days Later (S5 Bellarke Fic)

Chapter Eight: My Plan of Action

Clarke tried to keep herself a few steps ahead of Bellamy but it was more difficult than she originally figured it to be. Why did he have to be so damn tall? Why did he walk so fast? Usually he went her speed but he seemed particularly bothered by her presence during that walk to Octavias tent. Clarke thought about what Bellamy told her earlier.

"I just thought with Madi around, you'd understand me a little better. I guess I was wrong."

He guesses he was wrong? I don't understand? Another memory passed her mind.

"Jaha deserved to die- you all know that!" Bellamy spat, starting to walk away until hearing Raven interrupt.
"Yeah, he isn't my favorite person, either... but he isn't dead." Bellamy stopped, in shock.
"What?" He whispered user his breathe, looking at Raven, who was scowling.
He didn't kill Jaha.
"Don't you see what this means?" Clarke's voice rang with hope as she walked up to him. making herself excited. "You're not a murderer!" Clarke was waiting for a response but he seemed hesitant to say anything. "You always did what you had to do to protect your sister- that's who you are." They stood there quietly as Bellamy absorbed what she was saying. He had a chance to redeem himself. He had a chance. "Where's the radio?" Clarke's voice went soft. She sounded like she was begging for an answer.
"It's too late." He said, regretfully, after a moment.

Anger started to boil in Clarke's heart. I do understand! I've understood this whole time!

"You always did what you had to, to protect your sister. She didn't always see that- but I did."

The hell is he talking about?! Clarke thought angrily. I have never once shamed him-

"I did what I did to-"
"To protect your sister, yeah, we know." She rolled her eyes. "But the one grounder who also wanted to protect her was brought to the drop ship and tortured by you!"

...Oh...

...Right...

Clarke slowed her pace for a quick second upon hitting her realization but quickly recovered to keep up with Bellamy, who didn't even realize he was walking faster than usual. So that's what he's upset about, Clarke figured out before feeling guilty. Clarke had enough of that to deal with so she felt a need to take care of her issues with Bellamy immediately. Him being upset with her gave her uneasy feeling and made her feel uncomfortable or out of place like walking in the wrong room or having an itch you couldn't scratch.

Clarke gripped Bellamy's right arm and turned him to face her before looking up in his soft brown eyes. Despite his focused and slightly tired expression, his eyes were still the same pleasant soft brown Clarke remembered from years ago. Bellamy looked in her eyes with thoughts of his own. He was upset with her but that didn't change the intensity of Clarke's blue eyes. He had seen so many emotions in those eyes. Happiness, sorrow, dispair, anger... but despite everything she went through, she still had a look of innocence. One could imagine she used that look on her parents to get something she wanted or maybe on a lover when asking forgiveness for who knows what (A/N: I don't really know how else to describe it. I'm not pointing at anything at all in her past encounters. Just imagine that look she gave Bellamy in 1x05 when she told him he wasn't a murderer and asked where the radio was cause that's kinda what I'm trying to get at but I'm not a pro so forgive me for my awkward description) She was using that look now on Bellamy.
"Look," she started. Bellamy knew immediately what she was trying to do. "I'm sorry. Okay? I was out of line. Of course I understand why you did what you did- now more than ever." She chuckled, motioning with her hands to the camp site they last saw Madi. Bellamy didn't say anything in response- only kept his eyes on hers. Clarke sighed. "Can you please forgive me?" To this, Bellamy took a deep breathe, crossed his arms, and looked away to think about it. He was going to forgive her- no doubt. After all, they went through much worse. But he wasn't sure if he should give up so easily. He was hurt and wanted her to know that for fact.
"I wasn't suggesting we don't protect Madi, you know." He said, grumpily. "I just didn't expect to come down and be thrown into another war." He looked in her eyes, again.
"I understand that." Clarke nodded. "But you didn't see them. They weren't, at all, peaceful-"
"If grounder's had showed up at the drop ship with a gun to Finn's head, you would have lost it. They saw one of their own in danger- of course they're going to act hostile!"
"Then what makes you think peace talks are going to work?!" Clarke fired back with a new found anger. Bellamy sighed. He felt he was yelling at a brick wall. There was no convincing hee of anything. At least not much has changed.
"You know what? You're right." Bellamy said quietly in a harsh, shushed tone. He leaned down to be closer to her as he talked. Clarke kept her angered expression. "It may not work- hell, it could be the worst idea ever." He paused. "But it at least gives them a chance. At least then we won't be slaughtering innocent people-"
"These people are criminals!" Clarke whisper shouted.
"We're all criminals." Bellamy echoed Octavia.

"Hey, spacewalker!" Octavia walked over to Finn with a confident stride. Finn looked from Murphy, who was walking away frustrated he was interrupted from kicking Wells' ass. Octavia walked up close to Finn, looking him up and down flirtatiously. "Rescue me next." She said before Finn chuckled and walked away. Octavia kept her gaze on him until looking to see Bellamy glaring at her with his arms crossed. Oh no, big brother mode. "What? He's cute." Octavia shrugged, innocently.
"He's a criminal." Bellamy spat, not wanting that guy anywhere near his sister.
"There all criminals." Octavia pointed out. She did have a point, but Bellamy didn't want to admit that.

"Not all of us, Bellamy." Clarke argued.
"Who isn't?" He challenged. "Huh? Who here is completely innocent and never did anything deserving of being charged for crimes?"
"Madi! And she's the one at risk!"
"Clarke, she's a kid. I don't think that's a great justification for genocide."
"I'm trying to protect her."
"And I'm trying to protect you!" Bellamy had his arms crossed. Clarke was a little confused. Protect her from what? Luckily, Bellamy had an answer before she asked her question. "I'm trying to keep you from feeling the way I did after the culling." To this, Clarke and Bellamy watched as the other one let their expressions soften. Clarke was a little shocked to say the least. "Or the way I did after slaughtering the peace army." Bellamy remembered coming back to Arkadia after that. "I just don't want you making my mistake." He almost sounded as if he was begging.
"I've killed... this is no different." Clarke tried, despite her voice failing her.
"Maybe." He admitted. "But have you killed anyone without a reason?"
"You had your reason-"
"No, I told myself I had a reason. Clarke, this is wrong and you know it. Just like how you couldn't shoot me- you knew it would've been wrong as this is wrong now." To this, Clarke didn't have a good response. Not that she agreed with him or thought he was right. She simply just wasn't sure of herself.

"Hey!" Bellamy and Clarke look to their right to see Raven peaking out Octavias tent. She was grinning, oddly. "Are you coming?" Bellamy took a deep breathe and stood straighter.
"Yeah. We were just talking." Bellamy eyed Clarke and walked towards the tent as Clarke watched him go. She took a deep breath herself and followed him in the tent.

***

"So, now that we've all had a good nights rest, does anybody have suggestions for how we are going to deal with these people?" Octavia asked. Everyone stayed quiet. Clarke crossed her arms suddenly.
"You know what I think."
"You're still on that idea?" Raven scrunched up her face at her, a little shocked.
"These people won't sit down for a peace talk. Sarah said it herself. They'll wipe us out if they get the chance. We can't give it to them." Everyone went quiet to consider it. Sarah did want to figure out a way to deal with them. She just never considered that might involve getting them all killed. This isn't my world, she thought. The rules are different here.

"What do you think, Sarah?" Octavia abruptly turned to Sarah. There was enough bloodshed. Besides, who said the grounders would back them in this new war Clarke made up in her head? Just because they currently are keeping peace, doesn't mean they still would follow Octavia blindly into a war that could potentially be avoided. Still, Clarke seemed to want to push this agenda which made Octavia feel rushed for time. Bewildered, Sarah looked at Octavia.
"Huh?"
"What do you think we should do with your people?" Octavia sounded as if in a hurry, which made Sarah scramble for her thoughts.
"I..." she tried to think quickly but ended up failing. "I... I don't want them to die." Sarah said roboticly. Clarke slammed her fists on the table.
"You said we should do something! You said they'd hurt us!"
"That doesn't translate to 'let's just kill them all', Clarke!" Octavia yelled at Clarke who glared. Slowly, Clarke staightened her back, showing submission to Octavia's new authority. She wanted to walk out, angrily. But then they might make a decision without her.

"Then it's decided." Bellamy spoke up through the thick tension in the tent. "We're going to talk peace."

***

Hey! It's been a billion years! How's everyone??

Seriously, I'm sorry but things have been a little hectic and my senior year started not to mention I'm getting ready to apply to college...

Anyhow, I'm going to upload this chapter and the next one since they took forever and are kinda short.
I hope you like it!

**Is too lazy to put the rest of the outro thingy***