Barricade- John Murphy

Chapter 4

Episode 2:
Earth Skills

As we run through the trees, my leg is screaming in protest. Throbbing, blinding pain flying through my leg. Jasper had been moved from where he was speared. They took him. God, this was gonna kill Nate. I slow to a stop, panting as my leg throbbed angrily. "Arty? Shit." Monty runs back over to me as Finn joins my other side.

They each put an arm around me, mine over their shoulders. We carefully, but quickly, move through the trees. "Wells! Let him go!" Clarke yells. I managed to see he had Murphy in a chokehold, knife to his throat. "Artemis?" Bellamy curses running over. Murphy runs over as well, and they take me from Monty and Finn. "Are you okay?" Murphy asks me worried. "Yeah." I nod, grimacing as they sit me down.

"Where's the food?" Bellamy asks, and I scoff. "That's your fucking question?" I snap, reaching to rip my pant leg. The fabric of my pants was officially irritating my wound. "Holy shit. What the hell happened?" Murphy asks wide-eyed. "We were attacked." Clarke answers. "By what?" Bellamy asks now.

"Not what. Who. It turns out, when the last man from the ground died on The Ark, he wasn't the last grounder." Finn says. "It's true. Everything we thought we knew is wrong. There are people here. Survivors. We can survive here, sure. Radiation won't kill us." I continue on and Clarke nods in agreement.

"Bad news is the Grounders will." Finn mutters. "Arty... where is he?" Nate's voice hits my ears. My eyes sting with tears, and I turn my head to him. "No... no." He shakes his head. "He was taken. He was hit with a spear, and they took him." I say as a tear rolls down my cheek. "Where's your wristband?" I hear Clarke ask and see she's talking to Wells.

"Ask him." He says glaring at Bellamy. "How many?" She asks him. "Twenty-four and counting." Murphy answers with a smirk. "You're all idiots." I scoff, making everyone turn to me. "Life support on the Ark is failing." I state hearing gasps. "She's right. That's why they sent us down here. They need to know the ground is survivable." Clarke says.

Murphy moves me away from the two giving speeches. "Jesus Goddess... You were supposed to come back in one piece. With food." He mutters softly. He gets a small container of water and a rag. I groan as he cleans around it again. Running made it bleed again. "What the hell was it?" Bellamy asks when he joins us. "I don't know. The others said it looked like a giant snake." I tell him.

I grimace in pain and Murphy gives me a sorry look. "You could have been killed." Bellamy says and I nod. "I know. I would have been dead if not for Jasper. He jumped in and saved my life." I say and he curses softly. "Bell, please. He's Nates brother. I know he and Clarke will go. They need more help." I plead softly. I groan in pain when Murphy shifts my leg.

"Bellamy." Clarke calls walking over. "You heading out?" I ask her and she nods. "Bring him back alive. Nate won't survive if his brother doesn't." I tell her and she nods. "What? Not gonna argue to go?" Bellamy asks me. "I'm not Octavia. I know when to give up. My leg will do more harm than good." I say and he nods kissing my head.

"You're not taking Murphy, though." I say grabbing his arm, and Bellamy sighs but turns, calling for Miller. "I'm here for you. I hear you have a gun." She says and Bellamy lifts his shirt, showing off the weapon. "Good. Follow me." She tells him. "And why would I do that?" He asks her, hands on his hips. "Because you want them to follow you. And they're thinking only one person is scared." I point out.

"And I can tell you right now. It's not me or Artemis." Clarke says with a raised brow. I smirk seeing Bellamy cave, taking Miller with them. Nate walks over hugging me tightly. "Bring you and your brother back in one piece, yeah?" I say softly. "Of course Arty. Be safe. You weren't last time." He scolds me. "I got her Nate. Go get your brother." Murphy says and they nod at each other.

"So you two choose now to get along?" I tease and they roll their eyes. Nate turns taking off with the others. "Let me find a wrap or something." Murphy tells me heading off into camp. I smile softly at him. He was an asshole to everyone else. But to me, he was the best.

He comes back and wraps my leg for me making me smile. "You're a sweetheart, ya know?" I tease softly. "Don't ruin my rep." He smirks at me. "Oh, of course not." I giggle and he helps me up. I limp over to the chairs they pulled out here. I sit playing a game with a few people. They would change out, taking a break from building a wall. 

"Quit distracting everyone." Murphy scolds me, his breath hitting the side of my face. "What? Like you?" I ask looking up at him with a grin. He huffs getting back up and I giggle. "Go help out a bit. I got scolded." I grin and the three with me nod walking away. "How do they listen so easy to you?" He huffs at me.

"I'm not an asshole." I shrug and he nudges me. "Jerk." He jokes lightly. "You adore me." I say and he nods. "Maybe." He hums. I tug his shirt and he leans down closer to me. "More than maybe." I say softly. I hear his breathing pick up and grin. "Better supervise that wall building. Hard work." I tease softly and he groans. "You are evil." He grumbles stalking off.

I laugh, leaning back in my chair as Octavia sits with me. "You and Murphy?" She asks, and I shake my head. "We haven't done anything." I tell her. "You want to, though. No doubt he does." She says wiggling her eyebrows at me. "I might. But that's besides the point." I say giggling. Octavia wanders off claiming she saw a glowing butterfly. I sit for a bit, relaxing since no one would let me help. 

I head into the dropship to check out what's in here that I could do. "What are you doing?" I hear and look over my shoulder at Murphy. "Trying to find something to do. Sitting and doing nothing is driving me crazy." I tell him. "You need to be resting. Your leg was pretty messed up." He scolds me. "You're not my boss." I grin at him. "Wanna bet? Your brother trusted me to keep an eye on you." He says walking over to me. "Since when are you a babysitter?" I ask him and he chuckles.

"Since the girl I have to 'babysit' is my best friend." He says back and I grin again. "Best friend? That all I am?" I tease lightly and he steps up so he's towering over me. "I don't know. Is it? Something you wanna tell me, Goddess?" He asks with his own smirk. "Maybe." I grin and he smiles, an actual smile. He leans closer, and I grab his shirt, tugging him down. I connect our lips in a kiss and feel his hands grab my waist. When I pull back, I grin up at him and he smiles. "Okay... you might get promoted from best friend." He teases making me laugh as I tug him into another kiss.