Bellamy looked up out of the rover hatch and saw the start of a sunrise. He and Clarke had stayed up almost all night talking about everything that had happened since they had been separated.
6 years. As long of a time that was, it felt like every moment that he wasn't with Clarke just disappeared. As soon as they started talking again, they fell into the same rhythm that they always used to be in.
He figured that soon they'd have to find out who those people from the sky were and what they wanted. He hadn't learned anything while being a prisoner. However, Bellamy couldn't bring himself to change the subject when they were talking. For now, he could just live in this one peaceful moment. One in the wide array of painful, sad, or scary ones.
Clarke had fallen asleep just under a half hour ago. She had been explaining the different lessons she taught Madi as they sat side by side, with their backs against the rover wall, when Clarke's head rolled to the side onto Bellamy's shoulder. He jumped at first, but then looked over and saw Clarke's closed eyes. He had gently lifted her head off his shoulder, lowering her onto the fur blankets. Once she looked comfortable enough, he couldn't help but look at her.
Whenever she was asleep all of her features softened, and to Bellamy she looked like the brave princess that he once argued with in the drop ship.
But things were different now.
Alone in his thoughts, Bellamy hadn't noticed Madi stirring awake, a few feet away from him. She had been sleeping by their side during the span of time that he and Clarke were talking.
"Hey there," Bellamy started,"I... uh know we didn't really get the chance to meet... formally... yet. Uh... I met Clarke a long time ago... she's um... I'm Bellamy."
"Bellamy... I'm Madi," Madi paused, considering,"Sorry for pointing a gun at you. If I would have known it was you..."
Bellamy interrupted, confused, "Have we met... before?"
"No, but I know you," Madi said, then seeing Bellamy's puzzled expression amended,"Because of Clarke, she told me everything about you, and everyone else in her family."
Bellamy smiled, glancing at Clarke, "All good things I hope?"
"Yeah, well mostly. Clarke said you both kind of hated each other when you first met. But she also said even when you hated her, you saved her life."
Bellamy stood up and moved closer to the young girl, sitting next to her. She looked up at him, a close-lipped smile on her face. Bellamy allowed his curiosity to get the best of him and asked, "What else did she say?"
Madi gave him a knowing smile, and Bellamy decided that he liked this little girl. "Well, when I first met her it was more than 5 years ago. She was always having nightmares and was really upset all of the time. I was really young then so I didn't understand why, so I asked. She told me her story of how she was left behind when her friends went to space." Madi paused when she saw Bellamy's face.
He couldn't stop the tears welling up in his eyes and the guilt that he had almost made peace with rushing back. The reminder that he left Clarke behind was almost too much to bear.
"She also told me that she hoped you wouldn't blame yourself for what happened. It seems like you did, though. From what I've heard about you and her, you shouldn't. She really missed you and I know she didn't blame you," Madi reassured him. Bellamy nodded, growing even more fond of this girl. Well, he thought, she was basically raised by Clarke, so of course he would like her.
"She said that you were the only person that she could always count on. Even when you were fighting or arguing, you did everything you could to protect her. And, you stood by her side through everything. These were all reasons I knew that I could trust you. She said," Madi paused, looking to Bellamy, who swallowed hard looking at Clarke's sleeping form. "You were the most important person in the world to her, along with her mom and those she's lost. You're the bravest and most selfless person she knew. She told me that you both would have done anything for each other."
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Bellamy blinked taking it all in. Of course Clarke was incredibly important to him, but he never imagined that he could mean this much to her. Or to anyone for that matter.
"You can say something," Madi added, jokingly impatient.
"Yeah... uh sorry," Bellamy cleared his throat. "It's just... a lot to take in I guess. Haven't seen her in... so long I just..." he trailed off, looking at Clarke again. He almost couldn't put what he felt for her into words.
"Did you use to love her?" Madi asked.
"No," Bellamy said, just as Clarke's familiar blue eyes opened. "I still do."
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
