STARGIRL, bellamy blake

46

There wasn't much anyone could do to stop her. "What Jasper said sounds insane. Pike's gone, I can defend myself," Octavia went on, pausing for a moment to think over her words. When she spoke, Astoria shut her eyes. "Grounders burn their dead."

"I know that," Bellamy's voice sounded pained, as though he held all the guilt for Lincoln's death on his shoulders. "And then what? Where are you gonna go?"

"You don't get to ask me that!" Octavia raised her voice, nearly cutting her brother off.

Bellamy took a deep breath, and simply watched her for a few seconds. "What more do I have to do to prove that I am on your side?" he asked, voice quieter but still just as frustrated.

"Bring Lincoln back," Octavia suggested, one that's only purpose was to hurt the man in front of her. Bellamy let her walk by him, finding that he had nothing to say in return, but after a few steps Octavia turned back to him. "Turning Pike in does not make you one of the good guys, Bellamy. You did that to save me, and Toria," she hissed, and Astoria took a step back. She didn't want to be apart of the conversation one bit, and when Bellamy tried to find her eyes she looked away quickly. "Not because you though what Pike was doing to the grounders was wrong."

"The grounders were starving us out," Bellamy argued back, twisting to face his sister.

Octavia shook her head, "Because you massacred an army that was sent to protect us."

"That army could have attacked us at any time, and you know it," he retorted, and Astoria took a deep breath. Why was he so stubborn? Everyone in the cave was looking to the siblings now, but neither seemed to care.

"But they didn't attack, you did that," at her words Bellamy froze, and swallowed the lump in his throat. Octavia's voice was quieter now, but it was just as hard and hurtful. "You were hurting and you lashed out, because that's what you do. But there are consequences, Bel. People get hurt... people die. Your people; Monroe's dead, Lincoln is dead."

Astoria was glad Octavia was saying the words that everyone else was thinking, because she was the only one who had the nerve to spit them at her brother in the way she was. He needed to hear them - he needed to see the pain he had caused. When Octavia turned and left the cave, Bellamy spared Astoria a glance. But she couldn't meet his eyes, and with a huff he went after his sister.

Then Jasper's voice came from outside, and Astoria quickly rushed to find him with Oran not far behind.

The rover's headlights were illuminating the small patch of woods, and when Astoria got to where Bellamy stood she froze at the sight of Clarke. She knew she was coming - she heard her voice over the radio - but seeing her was much different.

"We have to get her inside before she wakes up!" Jasper yelled as he moved away from the rover with Raven in his arms, Thomas just behind him after he shut the back door.

Astoria rushed their way, and Bellamy was quick to follow her, "Were you followed?"

When Thomas was close enough, Astoria reached out and yanked him to be at her side. They didn't have time for any greetings, but she also knew how capable he was at getting himself into trouble. "I don't know!" Jasper stuttered, and Oran pushed past his sister to check on Raven.

"I got her," Bellamy spoke as he took her out of the scrawnier boy's arm, seeing how he was struggling to keep her up. Astoria walked up and pushed some of her friends hair out of her face, her heart twisting in her chest. Why hadn't she paid more attention to Raven when she knew something was wrong?

"Go to the ridge, radio if you spot anyone following," Miller told Bryan as the others started to rush inside, and his boyfriend quickly nodded his head. "Harper and I will stay here on watch."