𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐰𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠︱monty green

xii. sole survivor

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

MAYA VIE AND RILEY PASCAL GREW UP TOGETHER. They were best friends; they were rebels. Everything that was done, was done together. The pair were like missing puzzle pieces, connected together, always one step behind the other in support. They saved the delinquents, and then they helped saved the sky people from being endlessly tortured until death for their own selfish needs. With everyone dead, Riley was the last one. If it wasn't for the experiment done on her, she'd be dead too. She is the last of her people.

These grieving thoughts ran through Riley's head as she stayed where she sat on the ground, Maya's body pressed to her chest in a tight embrace. She hadn't stopped the sobbing, not even to scream. It was because of Maya's death, her families, everyone she's ever known, leaving just her. She let out a choked cry, pressing her chin on the top of Maya's head, refusing to let go.

All of a sudden, Riley felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She flinched at the touch, looking up to see it was only Bellamy. "We're going to be moving out soon," he whispered. He had disappeared for awhile, not expecting to return to Riley still in the middle of the floor and clutching her deceased best friend, but not blaming her. These were her people, and now they were gone. "Do you want to get up?"

The question made Riley realize she had to eventually. She didn't know what she was going to do, but right now, she had to let go. With a heavy heart, she carefully untangled her arms around Maya and laid her down, resting her head back gently. She brought her bloody hand up, wiping her eyes with her palms as she slowly stood up. Bellamy put his hand on her lower back, about to direct her out of the room, but not before whispering; "Don't look."

She couldn't bare to see everyone dead, not after this. Riley dropped her head, her eyes squeezed shut, and trusting Bellamy to lead her out of the mess hall, until he gave her the okay to open her eyes again. When she did, she brushed her hair out of the way, seeing Monty looking back with a concerned and guilty expression. "Hi," he greeted as Bellamy went deeper inside to help the others; as if Riley was fragile and would break within one word. "After we rest home for awhile, we'll come back and... Bury our losses."

Riley was completely shattered, her face was red along with her eyes from the endless crying, and she felt weak. She lifted her head, meeting Monty's gaze. He had directed her and Jasper away from the dead bodies, and had been helping clear his people out. She got a good look on what they had done. Everyone looked frightened, some were wounded, but all of them were thankful they were alive.

"We? Home?" Riley repeated Monty's words, like they were foreign to her. She was lost, and felt alone, and now confused. "I'm not one of you." She peered past his shoulder, watching as everyone helped one another. Mount Weather residents were like that too. All of them had jobs, and they all worked together to make sure they could survive.

"You are," Monty assured her. "You're one of us." Riley felt a warmness draped over her shoulders and turned her head to see that he had put a yellow blanket over her. Even though she was thankful, she couldn't smile. "Riley, you helped saved us. Come home with us."

Even if Riley wanted to say no, she couldn't. She wouldn't survive on her own, nor did she have anywhere else to go. Finally, Riley nodded. "Thank you," she said softly. She leaned forward, pressing her into his lean chest. This time, Monty wasn't surprised by the embrace. Being careful of the blanket, he returned the hug by putting his arms over it and hugging her tightly.

Monty could feel wet spots on his neck when Riley started to cry again, and began trembling in his arms. "You're going to be okay," he promised her, his voice in a comforting mumble as he set his chin on top of her head. "You're safe."

-x-

♪❝IT'S GETTIN' DARK, TOO DARK TO SEE.

I FEEL LIKE I'M KNOCKING ON HEAVEN'S DOOR.❞♪

Safe was an understatement. Everyone Riley knew since the day she was born was dead and gone. She felt like that too; like somehow the person she was before the delinquents were brought into Mount Weather died with them. She felt odd when walking outside of what was once her home and breathing in the fresh air, but felt worse when they had arrived to where the people who fell from the sky set up their home. It did look like a safe place, Riley thought. She just didn't feel like she belonged.

When Riley and everyone else arrived, they were greeted by people shouting for their loved ones and embracing them. She had been hanging in the back, following Jasper and Monty without a word as they ventured through the woods for hours with her comforting blanket still tightly around her. Riley watched as a wounded girl, being carried by another male, stopped them and handed Jasper something.

"My goggles," Jasper mumbled, turning the piece of headgear over and observing it. "Thank you." The girl gave him a small nod before she was carried away, and it was just the three of them, including Clarke and Bellamy.

"We want you comfortable here, Riley," Clarke spoke up, her blue eyes flickering to the other, holding sympathy. "And.. I'm sorry for what you've lost."

Clarke had flipped the switch and her people were dead because of her. Riley knew that. Riley knew her, Bellamy, and Monty worked together in switching the air to kill all of her people. However, she wasn't angry at any of them. She knew they did what they had to do, no matter how much it hurt to know. She nodded at Clarke, a silent thank you before turning away.

Just before Riley and Monty followed Jasper, she stopped him at the gate. She turned her head, seeing Clarke and Bellamy had taken a moment to talk before looking past them into the woods they had just came from. "It's weird," Riley spoke, breaking the silence and making Monty look at her questionably. "I grew up there, because if I breathed the outsiders air.. I'd die, burning from the inside out. And now.." She paused, sucking in a deep breath.

"And now I'm here," she finished. "I'm the last of my people."

"You're one of us," Monty repeated his words from earlier. "Riley, you - "

Shaking her head, Riley cut him off. "I'm not innocent, Monty," she admitted, her voice cracking at the thought. She had thought she was all out of tears, but the wetness welling up in her eyes told a different story. "Even after my parent died refusing the blood treatment, because they thought it was wrong, I still took it.. I just, didn't want to die." Riley met Monty's gaze, and he looked back at her with the sympathy she supposed she'd have to grow used to.

"I don't know how I feel about being here, being one of you," Riley continued. "But I'm here anyways. I guess that'll have to be enough for me."

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END OF PART 1.