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THE SAME ROUTINEhad made its way back into her life despite only having been away from Mount Weather for roughly a day or two. Trekking back through the woods, in search of something or someone was what she had spent quite a bit of her time on the ground doing. Perfecting, even.
The day had gone well, despite the odds against them. The group didn't get caught on their way out of camp, or electrocuted, so in that way they were already well off. The woods were the same as they always were, so on that front she was in her element enough to where it wasn't a great challenge.
Throughout the day Taylor kept her eyes trained on Bellamy and Octavia every so often, just to assure herself that they were still there. She was convinced that the there was nothing like the relief she had experienced in finding out they were alive.
There was a slope that only had a few rocks to climb up on. Her foot slipped slightly on one of them and she almost toppled down the steep dirt incline. Bellamy's hand shot out from where he was at the top and caught her hand before she fell, her arm jerking up while she hung there.
Regaining her footing, she reached the top without further issue. "Thanks," she told him with a smile, him smiling back down at her with a nod. She didn't realize at first that she hadn't let go of his hand when they started walking again, but when she did, it was strange.
A tingle formed in her hand where her skin touched his and she could feel her cheeks reddening slightly, though she wasn't sure why. She had been this close to Bellamy a million times over, and why this time was different escaped her.
Shaking her head slightly at the confusing thoughts, she shook her head slightly. "How did you make it out?" she questioned quickly, not meaning to sound so rushed in her words. "After the dropship?"
It was something she regretted asking slightly since the subject was still a sore one in her mind.
"When I realized that the doors were closing, I ran as far as I could," he responded, his face giving away the fact that it wasn't his favorite topic either.
"Sorry," she apologized, casting her eyes down at the ground. "I'm just glad you're okay."
"I'm glad you are, too," he said, squeezing her hand in his a little bit tighter. Bellamy opened his mouth again, about to say something before Octavia interrupted from a sizeable distance in front of them with Clarke beside her.
"Keep up, guys! We need to get as far as we can," she cautioned.
Taylor nodded and Bellamy sighed slightly, both of them adjusting their pace to keep up.
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They stopped when the sun began to go down, building a fire so that they could rest for the night in order to do the same thing again the next day. Octavia assured that Lincoln's village wasn't that far, and Taylor didn't know one way or the other herself.
The next day they continued, with little sleep, but Octavia continued to claim that they were close. Taylor had been woken in the middle of the night and told that they needed to head out once again.
The path was twisting down the side of a hill, Bellamy glancing down at the map every so often. Eventually, a large, moss covered statue came into view. "This is it. Which way to the village?" Bellamy asked, looking over at Octavia.
She had acquired a more far away look and waited several moments before responding. "The reapers came from there," she said, pointing past the statue with her sword. Her breathing got more sporadic and heavy, her voice thick with emotion. Tears welled up in her eyes and Bellamy grabbed her arm gently, looking at her in slight confusion. "I couldn't save him, Bell. I couldn't save him."
Bellamy pulled his sister into a hug, Taylor and Clarke watching on sadly as Octavia cried into his shoulder. Taylor couldn't imagine what Octavia was feeling. Though, she could empathize to a degree, knowing that same feeling when she knew that she couldn't save Bellamy after the dropship doors closed.
After a few minutes, and Octavia brushing it off slightly and saying she was fine, they continued on. But much more quickly than before, her determination to find the others and Lincoln stronger than ever.
Taylor's heart dropped when gunshots echoed from nearby. At first it was only a few, but then it grew to a near constant plague on their ears. The group broke into a run, desperately seeking out the source of the shots. The longer the noise continued, the more it felt something was being lost.
Finally, they reached what certainly looked like a village. Taylor skidded to a stop next to Bellamy, lowering her gun slightly in shock at what she saw. Screams were all she could hear, loved ones leaning over the dead, lifeless forms scattered just outside of where a number of Grounders were being held.
And in front of it all, stood Finn, gun raised and eyes wide when he caught sight of them. Just behind him, Murphy looked sick and tried to divert his gaze from the horrors. Octavia rushed down and dropped to her knees beside a fallen Grounder boy, one that she must have known.
Clarke, Bellamy, and Taylor followed numbly, stepping over bodies and passing sobbing people on their way to Finn and Murphy. Finn only stared directly at Clarke, a relieved look gracing his features while she took a step back from him.
