Someone was shaking me.
I awoke, but did not open my eyes as my senses slowly came back to me. I could hear the sound of distant waves, taste the salt water that hung in the air, feel the sand beneath my limbs. I was on a beach, no longer in Bardo, no longer dying.
My eyes cracked opened and instantly were met with the bright sun that loomed overhead. It took a moment for my vision to adjust to the stark light, but once it did I could see that someone was hovering over me.
The figure was obscured by back light. Only when he spoke did I recognize who it was. "Hey." He cracked a small grin, grabbing onto my arms and pulling me into a sitting position.
Disorientation overtook me and for a moment I wondered if all of this was real, or perhaps I was dreaming once again.
"John?" I wondered, utterly shocked and grateful to see him here. "You're alive?"
The famous John Murphy smirk came to his face as he shrugged. "Looks like it...can't kill a cockroach."
My heart rate seemed to triple as I looked around, my eyes landing on Emori who was crouched next to the two of us.
"Emori." I breathed, my eyes filling with tears. She smiled, allowing me to pull her into a hug.
The mind drives must have saved their lives. Their minds hadn't died, meaning they had had the chance to make the choice like the rest of us.
The others.
The thought ran through my mind like a wrecking ball, gripping me in worry. What if they weren't here? What if they had chosen to Transcend?
Murphy noticed the panicked look on my face and nodded to the space behind me. "They just got here...they won't be awake for a while."
Behind me laid my entire family-all of them.
Miller, Jackson, Gaia, Indra, Raven, Octavia, Levitt, Jordan, Hope, and Echo. They were all here. They had all chosen to live with Clarke rather than Transcend.
Murphy let out a surprised noise from next to me as he seemed to notice a particular figure who laid with his back turned to us. "Is that--"
"--Bellamy." I breathed, relief flooding through me.
He was here. Bellamy was here.
My heart felt like it was going to explode with joy as I scrambled to my feet, rushing toward him as fast as I possibly could.
I had known what he was going to decide. I knew that even if he hated Clarke, he wouldn't leave her to live this life alone. I also think he knew that I would make the same decision as him.
The two of us had decided to live a limited life in favour of an eternal one. All of us had.
None of us could leave Clarke here alone and it was evident that we all would rather live as a family for as long as possible than be split up in anyway. Death was nothing to be scared of if you got to spend your life with those you loved. Eternity without your loved ones was what was to be feared.
Dropping to my knees next to Bellamy, I pushed the curls out of his face, taking in his every feature. The prospect of living without him was one that filled me with dread. I was more than thankful I wouldn't have to do that anytime soon.
"Bell," My voice came out in a gentle whisper, one full of hope and relief. "Bell, wake up."
Cupping his face in my hand, I lightly ran my thumb across the side of his cheek. Scars littered his skin, only visible from up close. My finger traced one of the many causing his eyes to dance from under his lids.
I could have stayed like that all day, watching the sereneness of him sleep. I did it sometimes when I awoke before him on early mornings. I would simply lay in silence and watched as his chest rose and fell with each breath, as his face twitched from a dream.
But I was overjoyed when his eyes finally began to flutter open. I sat back slightly, watching as confusion swept across his features for a brief moment before it was replaced with shock.
He didn't say anything as he sat up, but instead pulled me toward him in a bone crushing hug. I buried my face into his chest, my arms circling around the back of his neck as I melted into his body.
A small laugh fell from my lips as he pulled us to our feet, clutching me so tightly my feet left the ground.
"I'm so glad you're here." He mumbled against my shoulder, not releasing me just yet. "I knew you'd choose life."
A tearful smile came to my lips as he set me down and pulled back enough to let me get a good look at him. Gently, I pushed another curl from his face.
"You were right." I whispered, guilt dripping from my words. "About Transcendence."
Bellamy shook his head, "It doesn't matter. All that matters is that we're together now."
It seemed that a sudden thought cross his mind as his face darkened ever so slightly. Silently, he reached up and carefully pushed my shirt aside to reveal the spot from where I had been shot on Bardo. It had miraculously healed, leaving nothing but a jaded scar.
I shuddered as his finger tickled the skin on my chest. Reaching up, I covered his hand in my own.
"I thought I was going to lose you." He whispered, his emotion filled eyes looking up to meet mine. "I thought you died."
"Now you know how I feel." I teased, leaning closer to him. The joking tone then fell from my voice. "I lived because of you... you kept me alive."
Bellamy let out a shuddered sigh before pressing a kiss to my forehead. "How do you--"
I cut him off with a small smile. "I just know."
Without saying another word, he pulled me close to him once again, pressing our lips together with an intensity unlike any other. "I love you." He mumbled as we pulled away from one another.
"I love you." I whispered, my eyes fluttering closed as I remained close to him, soaking in his presence. It felt like it had been so long since I had held him so close.
But our moment was cut short as another body piled into our hug...and then another, and another.
Soon enough, the entire group was tangled in a group hug, everyone grinning at each other in excitement.
Bellamy and I remained sandwiched in the middle, the two of us smiling up at one another.
"Okay!" I yelled, my voice muffled from the numerous bodies that were embracing me. "I love you guys, but you're killing me here."
The pressure release was instantaneous, everyone stepping away as they let out grinning laughs.
"Sorry, Aves." Octavia breathed, giving me a wide smile.
I smiled, looking around for a moment. "We're really back here." I breathed, both shocked and relieved that Earth is where we ended up. "Miller, looks like you got your beach."
He let out a laugh, throwing his arm around me and pulling me into his chest. "That I did."
Raven clapped her hands together, looking at the group of us. "What do you say we get a shelter going? At least until we figure out what we want to do for sure."
Bellamy nodded, glancing around at the space we had to work with. "Good idea."
By the look on Miller's face, it seemed that he had just realized that Bellamy was standing here-alive. "What the hell?"
I laughed, shoving away from Miller as I took Bellamy's hand in my own. "I think Bell might have just dethroned John as the world's biggest cockroach."
Murphy let out a scoff as he shook his head. "Not possible."
Laughter filled the air once again, and it hung in the air as we began gathering supplies for our shelter.
For once, I felt certain that this new beginning was hopeful. There were no more threats, no more prospects of death, no more world saving.
This was the rest of our lives. Together. Happy. Safe.
This was the rest of forever.
-an-
well, this is the official end of 'salvation' as it follows the storyline. but, like I said, I will for sure being doing at least a few more chapters
i love you all so much and i am so thankful for all of your support on lifeline and salvation. I will get into the sappy speech later.
love you all!
-maddy xoxo