Let Me Down | John Murphy

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Chapter 17

Quinn's POV

I'm back... but I'm not sure I want to be.

Billie has been captured, so I should feel better, right? More safe? Less worried?

Wrong!

I feel more afraid than ever. Where she may be, what she might tell others. I mean, what if she tells them everything that happened? Will I suddenly be seen as a victim?

I don't need anybody's sympathy. I'm a grown woman, I can take care of myself.

Sort of.

"Quinn!" Bellamy calls, throwing his arms around me as I fall into him. "I was so worried about you!"

Yeah I was, too.

He pulls away and takes in my appearance. "What the hell happened to you?"

I'm guessing the torn clothing, multiple cuts and bruises, and the bloody leg, tell a story don't they, Bellamy?

"Too much," I bluntly say, struggling to keep my balance.

"We need to take her to medical," I hear Clarke's mom say as she makes her way over to us.

Bellamy nods and immediately pulls me into his arms to carry me over to the tent.

"I'm fine," I try and brush off.

"No, you're not, Quinn," Bellamy shakes his head.

He lays me down on the bed when we're inside and I feel his eyes notice my lack of clothing.

As I move my hands to try and cover up, I see Abby notice my discomfort.

"I've got it from here, Bellamy," Abby says, saving me from further uncomfortable questions he was about to ask.

Nodding, Bellamy leaves the tent, providing Abby with the opportunity to grill me on what has happened over the last couple of days.

"I'm just going to take a look at your leg, okay?" Abby asks and I nod, breathing a little easier than before.

I watch her clean before wrapping my leg up again with fresh bandages and tossing away the old ones Billie made out of her shirt.

"Quinn, I know you may not want to say what happened to you, but I think I can guess," Abby starts. "I'd like to help and examine you in case of any infections... though I won't force you."

"It's okay, Abby," I say with a nod.

"Okay, now I'll be as careful as possible."

~

A few hours later, I'm washed and dressed after my examination. Often there were moments that I did feel uncomfortable, but Abby made it easier than if it would've been someone else, so there's that.

If only my own mother was like Clarke's.

"Hey," Bellamy says, slowly opening my tent with Dawn in his arms. "Look who I've brought to see you."

"My baby," I smile, quickly sitting up to hold my daughter.

Even though it's only been a day, I feel like I haven't seen her in years. She's getting bigger and bigger every time I see her. And I will say, she's looking more and more like me everyday.

Sorry, Bellamy.

"She's missed you," Bellamy tells me. "And so have I."

Looking up, I smile. "I missed you guys, too."

I move my eyes back down to my daughter and give her a kiss on the forehead.

"I love you, Dawn," I whisper, watching her take my finger in her tiny hand like she's saying it back to me.

"Quinn, can I ask... what happened to you?" Bellamy questions, taking a seat beside my legs on the bed.

"My sister happened," I answer, knowing that if he knew Billie like I do, he'd understand that meaning a whole lot more.

"You're sister... she's uh-"

"A crazy psycho bitch who's been trying to kill me since the very first day I met her? Yeah, I know," I say, finishing his statement.

"No, I was going to say-"

Bellamy doesn't get to finish, due to the ambush of people entering my tent.

"Quinn!" a load of people call as they rush in to see me.

My eyes spot Kai first, and I find myself wanting to apologise straight away for my drunken actions.

"Kai, I'm so-"

Throwing his arms around me, he shuts me up. "I don't care, Quinn. I've been worried sick about you. I'm just glad you're okay."

"I love you, too, big brother."

"Quinn!" Raven rushes over, pushing Kai aside, and giving me a hug.

"God, I didn't know I was so popular," I laugh as more and more hugs are given by many other people.

Once I think I have time to breathe, I spot Finn standing awkwardly by the doorway, and I realise then and there that we finally need to have our talk.

"Could you give us a minute?" I ask everyone, and suddenly the room becomes less crowded.

I pat the bed. "Come here, Finn."

He slowly makes his way over, keeping his eyes on the ground until he's sat across from me.

Lifting his head up with my hand, I smile. "Haven't seen you much lately."

"Yeah, I've been-"

"Avoiding me?" I say. "Yeah, I know."

"I didn't mean it personally or anything."

"It felt like it," I admit. "I mean, I took a bullet in the arm... and you didn't come and see me."

"I'm sorry, Quinn. I was just..."

"Just what?"

"I was ashamed," he confesses, sadness taking over his eyes. "I never ever wanted to hurt you, Quinn. And I'm so sorry I did."

"I don't care if you shot me," I tell him. "I was never upset about that. I only felt like crap when you didn't talk to me. I was hurt because I felt like I had lost you." A single tear falls down my cheek, which Finn catches. "Losing you would hurt too much, Finn. I can't experience that."

"There has to be a cost for my actions."

"No," I shake my head. "People do worse shit everyday. If they don't get punished then you shouldn't either."

"Quinn-"

"I've lost too many people, Finn," I start to cry. "Promise me I won't lose you, too."

"I can't promise that."

I cry harder, which causes Dawn to cry, too.

"Hey," he says softly. "Let's not be upsetting the little one right now."

Finn takes Dawn into his arms and allows me to lay my head on his shoulder.

"Everything will be okay, Quinn," he says. "I promise it will."

"Don't leave me."

"I'll never leave you, Quinn."