Romeo and Juliet

Chapter Twenty-Six

"Why-why isn't she waking up?" Bellamy strumbled, his voice poisoned with concern and his skin a more faded shade then it had been before Clarke being entrapped in her slumber. It was one in the afternoon and Clarke hadn't been able to wake up. Bellamy and Octavia tried everything, they even emptied a pail of water on her chest at one point, but it was no use, she was out cold. Her fever was roaring across her forehead and her breathing was so uneven Octavia was afraid her lungs would grow unaligned.

"Her fever's getting worse, the knife wound is infected. I need to wash her wounds... we're running out of rations, you need to go hunting, Bel." Octavia knew he wouldn't agree with it, and she hit a cheap spot. "Look, if you go hunting, I promise I'll have Clarke up by the time you get back. Don't you want her to have something to eat when she wakes?"

"That's a low blow, Octavia." He grumbled. Bellamy had fallen asleep with Clarke in his arms, her face calm and reserved as her chest slowly rose and fell, but then, all of a sudden, she screamed in her sleep, and instantly, every single thing had gone wrong. "Fine... you'd better keep your promise. Monty can help you if you need anything, he has steady hands."

He was done with this: Earth being so cruel to his girlfriend. She didn't deserve it, any of it. Clarke was the nicest -but most careless- person he knew... she put herself in danger too often, most of the time to save his skin or one of their friends. Bellamy knew after Jake Griffin's death that she'd lost all sense of self-worth that she had... kissing Bellamy had raised her morale momentarily, but it also made her feel much worse about having to make him visit her... She always thought she was a burden... was, why am I saying was? She'll be fine.

In a matter of minutes, Bellamy had assembled a group to be broken up and hunt the woods, their sudden loss of meat only pressing them to find something further. Even a rabbit would do... they needed something. Clarke would know what to do... she knows what plants we can eat or not... I hope she's back by the time I am. "Okay, we're sweeping the south woods, stick with your partners. If you see any grounders... attack. Make sure you keep your weapon on you! If you catch something, return to camp."

Usually, Clarke would join Bellamy during their hunting parties, but now... the silence as he trotted through the woods only made him feel more guilty. The chirps of crickets and birds and the mossy smell did little to comfort him... if only I went after her as soon... as soon as I saw that damn knife... she might be okay. She'd be right here beside me. I'm a selfish prick.

His eyes met the sky above him, and even in the day, he could see the faintest tickle of stars meeting the sky... and then... the Ark bleeding through the center of the sky, a very geocentric insignia that showed the truest definition of suffering, or... to Bellamy and Clarke, at least... suddenly, a blinking light sprouted from the Ark, shooting down towards the ground. "... what the hell?" Bellamy thought aloud, brushing a curl away from his face. Supply depot?... they wouldn't be stupid enough to send people down already?

The light seemed to exhilarate Bellamy as an orange light bled from the machine, and suddenly, the light crashed down... it must've been a mile from him as he could feel the own heat on his freckled skin as it crashed into the sea of trees before him. "H-holy shit it's... it's... t-they sent someone down."

In a matter of seconds, he was running towards the crash site, the familiar scent of hot metal dancing through his nostrils. By the time he got there, a thin layer of sweat covered him. "Holy fuck," Bellamy swore, nearly gasping as he laid his eyes across the foreign... well, it was a ship. Someone's in there.

Struggling, he ripped the door open, finding an unconscious girl. "Calling Raven Reyes... Ark Station calling..." It's a radio... they're coming down. They're going to kill me, they're going to take me from Clarke. Without even thinking for a second, he tore the radio from the ship, sparks combusting from the red and black wires in seconds.

"W-what... what did I just do?" He whispered after throwing the radio into a stream not a few meters from the ship. "I... I gotta... I gotta get out of here." He whispered, sprinting from the ship like it was ablaze. Adrenaline rushed through him as oil from the radio ran along his fingers as the silhouette of camp began to appear in his vision... The blurred walls of camp, the echo of Clarke's voice in his ear. He tried to put the ship behind him... Clarke needed him.

"Octavia." His breath was ragged as he looked at Clarke's figure, her eyes only slightly open. "Clarke." He beamed, racing towards her. Octavia was nowhere to be seen, but Clarke was almost sitting up, her fever still radiating across her forehead.

"Hey... where were you?" Clarke asked, her voice weak. A damp towel was laid across her forehead, and even though her fever was gone, he could still see it in her eyes.

"I was out hunting with the others... missed you out there." He smirked, not mentioning the ship until a moment of silence passed through them and she raised her arm, caressing his face. "Yeah?"

"I know when you're upset, Bellamy... you can tell me anything, isn't that what you said?" She asked as he kneeled next to her, unsure to kiss her or hug her, or just hold her in his arms, protecting her from every bad thing there was in the world. "Bellamy. What is it?"

"Clarke, I... I saw a ship come down from the Ark. Someone was sent down." Clarke's breath hitched and their eyes suddenly connected, their thoughts matching each other's. "What... what if they came down to kill-"

"I told you once I wouldn't let anything happen to you, Bellamy. I'll keep that promise."