[OLD VERSION]The Saviors

Chapter Twenty: Under The Stars

When morning arrived, it was time to leave Camp Jaha for TonDC. Miraculously, Lexa decided the truce should continue. She knew she needed the alliance just as much as the sky people, but she would never tell.

"Hey." Bellamy jogged to Athena's side.
"Hi," Athena spoke softly as her gaze switched to Bellamy.

Bellamy and Athena hadn't spoken after Finn's failed execution when Clarke had killed him, or this morning when everyone was packing to leave. Athena had decided it would be best to give Bellamy space to cool off.

Athena cleared her throat as she fiddled with the strap of her sword case slung across her chest. "So, how are you holding up?"
Bellamy huffed as he looked away from Athena. "I'll be fine."
"I'm here for you if you wanna talk," Athena assured.
Bellamy scoffed. "Yeah, because you're such a great girlfriend for turning in our friend to the grounders."

Athena stopped in her tracks as her eyes flared with a mixture of anger and hurt. Bellamy turned, the regret was clearly showed in his expression. He had regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth, but he also knew Athena was the only person in the world who he could be honest with.

"Well, if I'm such an awful girlfriend, then we should breakup," Athena snapped.
"Athena." Bellamy walked toward her with opened arms, but Athena twisted away.
"If I never turned Finn in, the grounders would have wiped us out. Our friends would have died alone and scared in that mountain, wondering why we never came to save them. But hey! I'm the bad guy, right? Not Finn, because he used to be good and kind. Forget he massacred the village, and killed innocents," Athena snarled, and her tone quickly switched to a mocking one. "It was a mistake. That's not who he is. He didn't mean to."
Bellamy shook his head. "Athena. . ."
Athena stormed past Bellamy. "I don't want to fight anymore."

Bellamy sighed as he watched Athena stride away, anger in each step she took. He hated when they argued even when they weren't together, but now that they were it was even worse. Clarke walked to Bellamy's side. Her glance danced between Athena to Bellamy.

"She'll come around. She cares about you, Bellamy," Clarke assured.
"She betrayed me," Bellamy snarled as he continued his stroll. "She betrayed all of us."
"She saved us from another war," Clarke argued.
"I know," Bellamy grunted. "And I'll save us from this one."
Clarke furrowed her brows. "What do you mean?"
"Without someone to switch off Mount Weather's defenses, there's no point in an army. We need an inside man," Bellamy stated.
Horror flickered in Clarke's eyes. "Bellamy, you can't be serious. I can't lose you too."
"I'll be fine. I have to be. . . for Athena," Bellamy said.

Athena had strode far ahead from Bellamy. Her eyes were narrowed into a piercing glare. Her hold on the leather strap of her case was so tight that her knuckles were white. The sword was some type of comfort. It felt like a safe defense against the crazy battles she had to survive. But it was no defense for heartbreak.

Lexa rode up to Athena's side on her white stallion, blankly staring down at her. "Trouble in paradise?"
Athena inhaled sharply as she did a half eye-roll. "What do you want, commander?"
"I want you to listen to me, savior," Lexa responded. "I've heard of your strength, and know I'll see it too. You protect people, Athena. You lead them well. And that's because you use your head, and not your heart."
"Thanks for your little speech," Athena sneered.
"That's not all. To lead well, you must know one thing. . ." Lexa said.
Athena finally looked up to meet at Lexa to finally meet her gaze. "And what would that be?"
"Love. . . it's weakness," Lexa hissed. "Once you learn that, your leadership will be much easier."

Athena's expression crumpled as she looked to the floor. Finn massacred a village because he lost Clarke. Clarke couldn't turn Finn into the grounders because she loved him. Raven was willing to hand over Murphy who was innocent just so Finn could live. The sky people had nearly been wiped out, all because of love.

  Later that night, the grounders and sky people stopped to set up camp. The grounders and sky people had an invisible borderline separating them. Athena may be seen as a savior to many, but a few were still wary of her. Athena slowly walked to the grounders' side. Malani and Caleb cuddled closely together.

"Hey, guys." Athena smiled as she sat down beside them.
Malani cocked her head. "How are you holding up?"
Athena sighed. "I can't wait for all this to be over."
"Same," Kai agreed. "I'm tired of war."
"It will be worth it when we win," Malani assured as she intertwined her hand with Kai's.
"I hope so." Kai softly smiled at Mira. He raised a brow as he looked at Athena. "Did you know your friend would do that?"
Athena shook her head. "I was just as surprised as the rest of you."
"We didn't receive our rightful justice," Malani growled as she glared into the flames.
"Finn Collins is dead, isn't he?" Athena pointed out.
"He didn't suffer as our tradition demands," Malani snapped as her glare switched to Athena.
"He was stabbed in the heart by the girl he was so desperately in love with that he massacred a village to find her," Athena remarked. "I think that heartbreak was just as painful as the execution would have been."
Malani shook her head. "She saved him."
"Malani, mother wishes to speak with you," Gaia informed as she strode toward the campfire. She smiled warmly at Athena. "Hello, Kaerīnio."
"So you've heard of my new nickname," Athena said with a slight smile.
"It's a title you should wear like a medal," Gaia insisted as she grasped Athena's hand with both of her own. "The best commanders of the flame must have sent you to save us all."
Malani rolled her eyes. "Enough with the flame, sister."
"It's true," Gaia argued as she places her hands on her hips. "The commanders protect us even after death. Now come, mother wants to talk to you."
"See you tomorrow, Athena." Malani turned to Kai with a smile as she kissed him. "And I'll be seeing you in our tent."
"Definitely." Kai smirked as he gave Malani another loving kiss before she left with Gaia
Athena turned to Kai. "I'm happy you guys are doing okay."
"It's been rough, but we've gotten through it together," Kai said. "Everything is easier when you have your person by your side. Like you and Bellamy."
"Yeah." Athena pursed her lips. "Me and Bellamy."
Kai cocked his head. "Something happen?"
"It'll pass," Athena murmured.
"You should go fix things with him," Kai said softly.
"I'll try." Athena rose to her feet, then smiled tauntingly. "Good night, tree boy."
Kai smirked playfully. "Good night, sky girl."

  Athena went to the side where the sky people had set camp. The guards, Kane, and Abby had hidden away in their tents. Clarke was curled in a sleeping bag near a small fire. Octavia and Lincoln cuddled beneath a tree. But Bellamy was nowhere to be seen.

  The center of the camp ground was deserted. Athena had nowhere to go, and no one to see. She sat on the cold grass with her knees pulled to her chest and her sorrowful gaze rested on the thousand of stars that twinkled above. Her mother was on the other side of those stars, and Athena desperately wished she was down here instead.

Bellamy sat by Athena's side, wrapping a gray blanket around the both of them. "I like the view better down here."
Athena glanced at Bellamy for a moment before her gaze returned to the sky. "I don't. . . makes me feel small. . . makes me feel like nothing."
"You have never been nothing," Bellamy whispered, softly gazing at Athena.
Athena's vision blurred as tears glistened in her eyes. "Are you still mad at me?"
"I wasn't mad at you. I was just hurt," Bellamy murmured.
"I'm sorry," Athena mumbled. "I just wanted to protect you, to protect everyone."
Bellamy intertwined his hand with Athena's, and pressed a long kiss to the back of it. "Lets go to bed."
"Can we just stay here for a bit? Please?" Athena whimpered as she rested her head on Bellamy's shoulder.
Bellamy rested his chin on top of Athena's head as he wrapped an arm around her. "As long as you need, Little Goddess."

A/N: Bathena's argument, oof
Lexa telling Athena love is weakness :(
Malani + Kai= Malai, and they're adorable
Bathena made up :)