2,199 Days Later (S5 Bellarke Fic)

Chapter 14: Care to Escape?

Octavia held herself steady, listening intently. She listened for the sound of rustling leaves, a hushed voice, or even the sound of someone positioning their gun. Clarke followed closely behind, trying not to make a sound.

This was around where Octavia knew the next hideout was. However, knowing there could be anyone there, ready to attack, she moved slowly and quietly. Upon hearing a twig snap in the distance, she froze. There was definitely something there with them. If it's our people, they'll see me, Octavia figured as she slowly reached and gripped her sword on her hip with her right hand. Octavia felt herself start to make her breathe slower so she could hear more acutely. She heard Clarke's steady breathes that was also hushed along with the subtle sound of a soft breeze dancing through the green leaves of the trees. Octavia kept her gaze forward; scanning the green and brown landscape that surrounded her. That's when she heard it.
"Octavia!" Octavia looked to her left to see a figure running towards her from the far distance. She immediately recognized him and felt her entire body relax at the realization that she was among her people. She was overjoyed at the simple fact that anyone survived the attack.
"Monty!" Octavia shouted back before leaving Clarke behind to run to him. Clarke had seen him only a moment after Octavia and ran after him as well. Before Clarke could catch up, Octavia and Monty embraced. It wasn't long after they hugged that Octavia noticed Harper was right behind him and hugged her as well with the same intensity. Clarke jogged up and immediately went to stand in front of Monty.
"Hey, are you okay? How many made it?" Even Clarke was a little shocked at how calm she sounded. Maybe her not being at the attack made her lack some sort of urgency. Monty nodded.
"We're okay. I've got a lot of people back at the hideout. It's a lot more packed than we expected it to be. I think a lot more people came here than who were assigned this hideout. Not that I can blame them. Safe is safe, right?" Monty shrugged. Clarke opened her mouth to ask more questions but Bellamy came up and stood to Clarke's right.
"Hey, you okay?" He immediately asked in concern for his friend.
"We need a doctor at the hideout." Harper said, directing her voice to Clarke. "There's a lot of people hurt. We need all the help we can get."
"I'll head over now." Clarke nodded at her as she turned her body to face Bellamy. Bellamy looked her in the eye, already grabbing his radio. "Bellamy, radio in to Sarah and tell her we found survivors at a hideout. We'll get back to her when we know more."
"Got it." Bellamy nodded and immediately walked off to radio in as Clarke started towards the hideout; side by side with Harper.
"Now tell me everything that happened from the begining." Clarke demanded as they walked. Monty and Octavia trailing behind.

***

"After that, People started dying. The wounds... the weather..." Harper glanced at the face of the unconscious grounder that had his eyes shut since he passed out hours ago. Clarke faltered a bit and hesitated putting the new bandage on the grounders abdomen due to her eyes still being glued to Harper and wanting to hear more of what she had to say. Clarke felt her heart clench at the sight of Harper's tired, tearfilled eyes searched for any sign of life from the man that laid before her. "It was too much for them..." She croaked. "We tried to save them... we tried so hard..." Harper sniffled and felt a tear fall. "He kept saying... 'help me... please, help me! I... I want to live!'" Harper felt herself breaking down. She didn't even realize that she was clutching the mans blanket so hard her knuckles turned white. Clarke let go of her patient's finished bandage and laid her hands over Harpers.
"Hey," Clarke said, hoping Harper would look at her. Clarke moved her mouth to form a sympathetic smile. "You did everything you could. Sometimes, that's the only thing you can do." Harper kept her gaze on the man but nodded. Clarke smiled and pulled away her hands to place them on her hips. She sighed and scanned the patient with her eyes to examine her work. It had been years since she did something like this but she hadn't seemed to have lost her touch. Her stitches were a little messier than she remembered but it was still done properly which was the only thing of real importance. "Good news is, I think this patient will make it, at least."
"Really?" Haper suddenly looked at her, wide eyed and hopeful. Clarke nodded without glancing her way. They both were grateful for the fact the sun was out but behind the cliff they were at the foot of. Sun rays still showed through the branches and leaves that was overbearing them but it wasn't an overwhelming light.
"Yeah, as long as we keep and eye on him and get him some antibiotics, he should be fine." Clarke confirmed.
"You got some antibiotics?" Haper managed to chuckle at her own sarcastic comment. "All the medicine is still at the bunker."
"I'll talk to Octavia and see about making a run. Trust me, Harper. I won't let these people die." Harper only nodded and looked to the man.