Write To Me

Chapter 22

Clarke
Madye and I ran to the crashed ship. We had watched it fall previously. It went farther than we'd thought. But we could still run there. Madye was so excited. When we arrived she begged to open the hatch. I agreed and she greeted them. Raven was first. She saw me and we burst into tears. Embracing my best friend once again. Murphy followed soon after. He aged well. His harsh features softened and the severeness of his scowl had nearly vanished. I went to him and he pulled me into an embrace. I pulled away resting my hand on his cheek.

"You took care of them for me. Thank you," I said as a tear fell down his cheek.

He nodded. He was my friend. One I'd consider a friend. Monty and Harper following. I embraced Monty first. I apologized for Jasper first. I kind of forgot that in person information giving us better than electronic. Kinda a dick move from my point. He pulled away with a smile. I knew I could always count on Monty for anything. I extended Jasper's goggled to him. He smiled with a nod as a tear ran down his face. Jasper was basically his brother and he lost him. Then Harper was next. She kept Monty sane. She was the silent glue. Kept Monty together which kept them all together. Harper was also one of my really close friends. We spun in the embrace.

I introduced them all to Madye and Madye to the others. Madye was immediately super talkative with Monty and Raven. Harper and Murphy engaged with just how intelligent Madye was. My back faced the rocket now. Harper hugged me again whispering that it was glad to be back. Then I suddenly felt Harper back off. She had seen something. Or someone. I turned around. My words were caught in my throat for what felt like a long time.

Bellamy

His curls were missing. Not entirely but I missed his long curls. His hair was shorter that I was used to. Mine was probably the same to him. Bellamy's cheekbones had become more defined but his features soft like before. It was almost as if he didn't change at all. His freckles were the same always just perfectly sprinkled across his nose and cheeks. His deep brown eyes just like when we first met. They engulfed me in a trance.

Before I knew what I was doing I was in his arms and him in mine. I breathed into his chest. He had either grown or I shrank I swear. Maybe it just felt different because being with Madye made me feel so big and tall. He smelled the same. A mix of metal and salt. The metallic smell stuck on him from the Ark and the salt lingered from his blood, sweat, and tears I knew he was shedding. But it reminded me of before. But it was slightly different. He used to smell of gunpowder and fresh dirt from training with both the Guard and the Grounders.

We pulled away even if I didn't want to. I introduced him to Madye and she hugged him like she already knew him. She basically did. I told her merely everything about him while he was in space. Reminding myself of what it was we had. We roamed back to camp and before Bellamy had asked to talk after we prep for everything else. Night fell quickly and everything was nearly done. There were four tents. I didn't care how it was divvied out between people I just needed them to sleep.

I found Bellamy working on the Rover even when I told him not to bother with it. I walked to the front of the car where the hood was propped up and he was using a wrench I had gathered from before. I leaned against the Rover with a nice metal squeak to make my presence known. Bellamy pulling his face from the cars interior and smiled up to me.

"Heya Princess," Bellamy smiled closing the hood.

"We needed to talk?" I inquired.

"Can we walk?" He insisted grabbing his bag from the ground.

I nodded and led the way through the dying woods around the reservoir. I came to a stop at a few large boulders and we sat against them. He set his bag down sitting with a sigh. I looked up seeing the stars. I still can't believe we used to live up there. The others basically lived up there yesterday. And now here they are sleeping in tents set up upon the Earth's ground. I glanced back to Bellamy. He had his backpack open and held a few folded pieces of paper in his hands.

"What are those?" I asked curiously.

"They're letters," he stated.

"To who? What are they love letters to Murphy?" I teased with a giggle.

"No. Though that would be funny," Bellamy paused and everything in his tone turned serious. "They ummm....they're for you."

He extended the papers to me. My hands nearer them but I was hesitant. Why me? Of all people. I finally just grabbed them. I wasn't sure if I wanted to read them yet.

"Those are the only important ones," Bellamy continues.

"Important ones? There's more?" I scoffed in amazement.

"Approximately 1,484 total. Take away four and you have 1,480 I am not letting you read," he tried to laugh.

"Why so many? Go on a writing spree?"

"No. I just made myself a promise that I'd write everyday to you after that second year was coming to a close. I uhhh.... I thought you were dead," he mumbled.

"You all did. I practically was for the first year. Radiation poisoning is not fun let me tell you that," I chuckled.

"Read them. Please?" Bellamy begged after a moment of light smiles and a small laughs.

I nodded opening the lowest number. Entry 1 day 715. He referred to me as Princess like before. I finished reading through it and smiled at the signature at the bottom. Bellamy Augustus Blake.

"So your middle name is Augustus," I smiled looking at him.

"Yeah. Embarrassing right?" He laughed genuinely.

"Not as much as mine."

"Oh really?"

"Clarke Abigail Griffin," I sighed.

"Oh shit. Like your mom Abigail?"

I nodded and we burst out laughing. But I had to be real with him for a moment.

"Bellamy, these are beautiful. Kinda surprised you could write like this," I spoke softly looking at the other letters reading them silently.

"I surprised myself as well. If you couldn't tell in the first one I thought it'd be complete shit," he smiled.

"Well it's not," I assured closing the third letter looking at the last one.

"That's the most recent one," Bellamy said with a nervous laugh.

I looked over to him. He had been fumbling with his hands. If I remember right he seems nervous. His habits never did change. Laughing when he was afraid. Smiling when he was nervous as he scratched at his fingertips. I flipped the letter over to open it. Entry 1,484 day 2,199. It was written earlier today. In all his letters he used my nicknames. Princess, blondie, C, and many others he had made for me. In this one he used my name. Clarke.

Today is the day that we come home. Today is the day we leave the wretched Ark Station. The day we return to the ground. It reminds me of the dropship. I've been listening to you for the last 460 days. Raven had finally figured out a way to reply. We talked today. For the first time in over 6 years. By the time you read this we are back on Earth with you. I finally get to see you after all this time.

I will see you soon.
I love you

The last three words made it all seem real. Everything that he wrote just hit me like Praimfaya all over again. I had set the letter down and I caught Bellamy watching me. 6 years. It had really been 6 years and it's like he didn't age a day. Bellamy shuffled to stand but I grabbed his arm causing him to stop and remain seated.

"Maybe it was a mistake showing you those," he mumbled in a tone I'd never heard before.

Maybe it was fear. Embarrassment possibly. But I've heard both of those. It was almost a mix of both. Regret. He was regretting saying it showing me anything.

"Bellamy," I started letting go of his arm.

"You know I thought maybe after 6 years I'd be able to finally confess but I can't. I still can't." His head bowed as he said it.

He looked to me. A pained look in his eye melted into confusion and desperation. I took all the letters and handed them back to him. He held them hesitantly. I needed to come clean. I promised myself that. I promised Madye that.

"You don't have to. I will."