It's Been A Long Time

Chapter 19: Breaking In and Breaking Up

"Bellamy?"

Clarke's voice was raw and a little hoarse, but it sounded beautiful all the same. She would always be beautiful to him...

"Clarke," He breathed, and a smile caressed her dry, cracked lips. She tried to sit up, but immediately looked sick, and Bellamy placed a gentle hand behind her back, guiding her back down.

She smiled gratefully, but then confusion and worry encapsulated her face, "Wait! What happened?!"

He looked down, bit his lip, and then looked back up at her, "How much do you remember?"

"I remember getting on the ship, getting caught, all the shooting... I remember a stab of pain so I think I got hurt somewhere, but then it all goes black,"

"Clarke," He said gently, "You got shot. Twice,"

"What?!" Her eyes flew open in shock, "How? What? How did I survive?"

"Madi," Bellamy said with a gentle smile, "She saved your life. I've never been more impressed with anybody- or their mother," He added, and a smile tugged at Clarke's lips.

"She knew exactly what to do, and never lost her cool. You would've....would've..." He couldn't bare to finish the possible outcome.

"Would've died," She said, "It's okay, none of you guys are trained medically, what could you have done?"

He knew it was a rhetorical question, but it stirred something inside of him.

"Something! We had to have done something! I just can't believe..." He trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentence and seem ungrateful for what Madi had done.

Her expression softened, and she put her hand on his.

Immediately, a bolt of energy passed between them, causing them to catch each other's eye. Time faded away until the only thing Bellamy could think of was the crystal blue of her eyes- oh, how he could stare into them forever. They were mesmerizing, especially her danger eyes. Danger eyes were a talent only a few females possessed (no guys at all), the ability to give someone a stare so intense and voiceful, it was as if they were speaking right to you. She saved it for when someone dared to question her, or mess with her, and it was as good as Medusa's head for paralyzing you.

But this, this look she was giving him, it wasn't dangerous or threatening at all. It was soft, sweet, intimate. It changed her face, erasing all the worry and pain lines, leaving behind something young and smooth. It was like all her worries, burdens, and pain, had gone away. In that instant, he knew that he would do whatever it took to make her look like that again.

And then she broke the stare, looking down and blushing. Clarke? Blushing? His mind couldn't process it. All of the sudden, a young girl's voice was heard from the other end of the room. The noise couldn't be described as anything other than a squeal of pure joy.

"Clarke!"

Madi rushed over to her side, about to give her a giant hug, but then clearly remembered the bullet wounds in her side. She restrained herself to only wrapping her arm's around Clarke's neck.

"Heya, ai strik nightblood," Clarke laughed as Madi buried her face in her shoulder. Stroking her hair, Clarke said, "I heard you saved my life. That was extremely brave, Madi. I'm so proud of you,"

The young nightblood's face lit up, like a child on Christmas morning.

"I did okay," She said, bashfully, and Bellamy just shook his head with a smile.

"I'd say you did more than just okay," He teased, tapping her lightly on the nose.

She smiled and blushed under the praise and Clarke raised an eyebrow at him. That just made him smile more. In all truthfulness, the two people before him were starting to feel more and more like his family. Not the friend kind of family, like he and Spacekru shared, but the kind he'd always secretly wanted. The husband, wife, daughter kind.