Why the Change of Mind (More a Change of Heart)

An Unspoken Attraction

In the space between one trial and the next, Bellamy and Clarke find a few moments alone.

--

After the ease of the first trial, Clarke was hopeful the others would be simple as well, but that feeling quickly dissolved when Luna started to explain. "The more you fight the chip, the more it will fight back, especially as you begin to attack it more directly." She frowned before adding, "On top of that, with your complicated past, you may not be able to just think yourself out of this one. Just to finish the second trial, we may have to find your old family and physically face what happened to you when you were young."

A crease formed between Bellamy's eyes. "But didn't you say that once we left Floukru, the chip's hold on her would be more powerful? Isn't that a bad idea when it's also more inclined to fight back?"

"Clarke wouldn't necessarily have to leave Floukru, if we could convince Abigail Griffin to come here instead."

"And if she doesn't? If we have to go to her?"

"I never said this process would be easy," Luna said patiently. "Many have failed before now, and if Clarke wants to beat it, she has to be willing to take the risk of failing, too."

She turned her eyes to Clarke expectantly; she nodded in return, unable to speak around the lump in her throat.

"Good. Now, we should go in a more private space to talk about details; not everyone here is particularly fond of the Skaikru leader, and they might not enjoy us discussing bringing her here."

She started to walk inside, and Clarke made to follow her, but her leg jerked back without her permission. Everyone looked at her oddly, but before she could say anything, a lightning bolt of pain shot down her neck just as her leg jerked back again, so violently she was thrown off her feet. Before she could get her hands out to break her fall, her head smacked against the metal floor and her vision went black for a moment.

When her eyes focused again, Bellamy's face filled her view, worry crinkling his forehead and the corner of his eyes. She had a random urge to smooth out the wrinkles, but the pain in her neck relapsed and she squeezed her eyes shut instead, clamping her teeth together in an effort not to scream.

"Clarke?" Bellamy asked, panic flooding his voice; she felt one hand curl around her head to support it and instinctively leaned into his touch. "Hey, Clarke, look at me."

Clarke did, with effort. "The chip," she whispered lamely.

He nodded, the panic starting to spill over into his expression, and set his other hand on her arm; she could feel it shaking. "We'll take a break."

"What? No, we need to keep going. I'm fine." She tried to push herself up, but it took far too much effort to move her arms, like there were metal weights pinning them down.

"Fine?" Bellamy demanded. "You can't even get up."

"Luna said there wouldn't be much time—"

"Fuck what Luna said. No offense," he added, glancing at Luna briefly. "We can continue as soon as you have some strength, but there's no way you can do anything intense right now. You need to rest."

Clarke knew he was right, but she hated to admit it, so she closed her eyes instead. A moment later, Bellamy's arms were shifting around her waist and knees, and then he was lifting her. Part of her wanted to protest she could walk on her own, but she couldn't, and besides, his embrace was so warm and comforting she couldn't bring herself to resist it. So instead, she strained to loop her arms around his neck, tucked her face discreetly into his collarbone, and let him carry her inside.