Bygones

~{Chapter 17}~

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"I had to call you in because... I don't know what to do and-" Clarke started.
I took the gear off the the woman girl and revealed a small bump. She looked about six months in.
"Its okay, Clarke. I got this."
I then turned to Bellamy and said, "Get Lincoln. Quickly, please."
He nodded and went. I turned my attention to the woman. I propped her legs up.
"You're going to need to push as hard as you can when I say so."
She suddenly grabbed my hand, "Please... Help it... If I can't produce one, I'll be killed..."
I took her hand and gave her a reassuring squeezed. Lincoln and Bellamy rushed in. Raven came too.
"I'm here," Lincoln said and looked at the girl, "Katá?"
"Lincoln...," she mumbled.
"You guys know each other?," Clarke asked. Katá let out a painful scream.
"There are too many people in here. She needs space. Bellamy, take care of the crowd outside. You too Rave. Lincoln, help me while I do this."
I picked up a knife and wiped it with a cloth. Both Bellamy and Raven went outside. Lincoln stood at the side of the stretcher and lathered a cloth in warm water. Clarke put a pillow underneath Katá's head to prop it up. The other two girls stood there stunned.
I walked over to them, "We've got this handled. Go outside and take a few deep breaths."
The girls seemed relieved as they left. Katá moaned again.
"Ready?," I held up the knife. She nodded. She tightened her grip on the side of the stretcher.
"Okay done! Push!"
I couldn't see a head.
"Push!"
Katá sat up.
"Keep her down!" I ordered Clarke. She held down Katá. Lincoln came to my side.
"Push!" I said again.
Then we saw a hand. Lincoln's faced dropped.
"What... is it...?" Katá croaked.
"The head is-," I was cut off by her scream in pain.
"We need to do it," Clarke said. Lincoln and I knew what she was talking about. C-section.
"Just do it... Save the baby...,"Katá croaked. I went and heated a knife as Clarke washed her hands and Lincoln lathered some more cloth in warm water.
"Clarke, she's has a high percentage that she won't make it," I whispered to her.
"I don't have any other choice."
I looked at Katá and felt what she was feeling. Even though she's a Grounder and she's supposed to be tough, there's a softer, nurturing look in her eyes.
"Fine. What do I do."
"Hold her down."
I went to the head end of the stretcher and placed my hand on her shoulders. Lincoln gave her an herb drink that made her sleep. Clarke slit a four inch line across Katá lower stomach. I put two fingers on her neck and counted the pluses. Clarke went to work.

"Hurry her pulse is slowing down!"
"It's out! Its out!," Clarke gingerly wrapped the baby in a blanket.
"It's not crying," Clarke panicked. I went and took the baby in my arms. It looked blue and green.
"It's... too late...," my eyes were tearing up, but my voice was steady.
We cleaned up Katá and the baby. Lincoln gave her another herb drink to wake her up. Clarke went to help people make breakfast; it took us all night. Lincoln went to get more medicine herbs. About ten minutes later, she finally sat up.
"You need more rest," I helped her lie back down.
"Bury her under a tree."
"Her?," I looked over the small bump under a blanket on a table, "How do you know it's a her...?"
She ignored my question and place her hand on my stomach, "He's going to be a brave one."
"What are you talking about?"
"I cannot produce. I am a failure," she ignored my question once more and took a knife from her belt, "My fight is over."
She put the knife on her chest
"No!" I held back her hand. She punched me and kicked me back. I looked up and saw her do it.
"Clarke!" I ran to the entrance.
"What?! What happened?" She ran in and saw Katá choking on blood. Clarke turned her on her side.
"She said her fight was over and-and she just- did it..." I stuttered.
"She's not breathing anymore...," Clarke said and took step back.
Lincoln walked in, "This is normal. She knows that she won't survive Anya."
"What was Anya going to do?" I asked.
Lincoln went and draped a sheet over Katá's body, "My people need heirs for the next leader. Those women haven't been able to produce offsprings. Mountain Men poisoned our water supply many years ago. People are dying and no new ones are born; we're slowly decreasing by number."
It was now silent. Clarke and I both were still a little dazed from the lack of sleep.
"I know where she needs to be," Lincoln picked up on end of the stretcher. Clarke picked the other and I took a shovel.

It's now midday. We finished burying Katá and her baby. As I got back to my own tent, I washed up and sat down. My mind had so many memories coming back to haunt me and new feelings forming. The one person I couldn't stop thinking about was my mother. Ever since I had Leyla, I've truly understood what it's like to have a family to protect. To care for. To love. The way my mother protected my brother, my dad, and me. Someone walked in the tent and interrupted my thoughts. Bellamy sat down and took my hands in his. They were warm and comforting.
"You did what you could. Down here, anything can happen, but it's not your fault."
"I know," I closed my eyes and whispered.
"Get some sleep. You look green."
But before I could answer, I ran outside and threw up. Bellamy came after me and gave me water.
"Have you eaten anything?" he helped me to a rock near by. I shook my head and rested my elbows in my knees. There was a sharp pain in my stomach. I clenched onto my knees as the pain passed.
"Breathe," he said as he saw my face turning a bit red. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
"I just need some rest and i'll be fine," I stood up. He helped me back into the tent. I wasn't sure what was wrong with me, but it was a very familiar pain.

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