UP IN FLAMES
CHAPTER NINE
Liv felt content every time Bellamy's touch was on her, so having his lips pressed against her forehead made her heart hammer and insides grow warm. What she really wanted to do right now was to snuggle up and melt into his embrace, but there was too much to do. There was no time for them to be alone right now, they had a war to prepare for. They had friends to save, and that was the top priority.
Now that the Grounders were on their side, that outcome was becoming much more realistic. There was more of a possibility that they'd be able to save them all, and even the Grounders. That was the ultimate goal. To get their friends and all the people locked up. She knew just how horrendous that feeling was, and she refused to let anyone else feel the fear. That kind of fear would never leave someone, Liv knew that better than anyone else.
Bellamy slowly pulled away, his hands still securely around her elbows. He noticed the content smile on Liv's lips, and she could feel the sensation of his lips still lingering upon her forehead. She sighed, opening her eyes and meeting his.
Her eyes studied his face, taking in the array of freckles blending in with his tanned skin, and the way strands of black hair fell over his forehead messily. She wanted to kiss him, but she knew that if she did, she would be swept away and her focus in regards to the problem at hand would disappear.
"When do you think Clarke will get back?" she questioned instead, knowing that Clarke went straight back to the Grounders camp after they brought Lincoln back to the land of the living.
"She's been there a while," Bellamy said. "She should be back soon."
Liv smiled, hope bubbling in her chest. "We're finally going to have a truce."
She could hardly believe it at this point. This was all so much, it was taking a while for Liv to fully process it. After everything they and the Grounders have been through in the past few months, she could barely believe they had finally gotten to this point.
"That's something I never saw happening," Bellamy mused, and Liv found her grin widening.
Everything they've worked for had lead them to this, and now it was time they took back their people. It was time she got back her brother.
Reluctantly, Liv slipped out of Bellamy's grip, holding her hand out for him to reach. She nodded, Bellamy smiling faintly before lacing his fingers with her own, the two making their way toward the Ark.
She almost felt like a girl having her first crush, or then again, she was. She had never liked anyone before, seeing that she was locked in a jail cell for almost her entire life. But this felt like more than just a little crush like some of the teenagers on the Ark would have during the school year.
This was different. They had been through too much for this to just be a simple crush.
"Olivia!" a familiar, masculine voice called, and Liv found herself halting in her tracks.
Slowly, she turned, as did Bellamy. She found herself glancing at Bellamy in confusion, and Bellamy appeared to know just as much as she did. Finally, her eyes found the source of the voice, and she realized that she did indeed know this person. Not that she particularly liked this person considering he kind of freaked her out the first day she met him.
It was her doctor from the other day, Jake. The one who somehow knew her name before she gave it to him. The one who pestered her about her blood loss until she wanted to scream. In all honesty, she had no idea why he was even coming near her. Or why he was bringing another man along with him.
She was confused, to say the least.
Confused, she raised a brow. "Hello?"
Jake and the man were both standing in front of Liv and Bellamy, Liv finding herself tightening her grip on Bellamy's hand. She was far more confused than she'd liked to be. She hated being blindsided and she wanted to know everything at every moment. That's the effect that Earth's had on her.
The man beside him had messy, strawberry blonde hair, and Liv's heart felt a pang at the sight. It reminded her of Ash in a way, how his hair almost varied in colors depending on how much sun he got that day. Oh, how she missed her brother.
On top of that, this conversation was growing far more awkward considering the fact that the unknown man was staring at her like deer in headlights.
Jake glanced at the man expectantly, but the man beside him merely gaped. Opening his mouth to speak and then closing it. Liv bit down on her lip, and both of the men could tell that Liv and Bellamy were both growing rather uncomfortable. That much could be noticed by the way Liv nodded warily, biting down onto her bottom lip. Bellamy's entire back went rigid, and it almost appeared that he was itching to walk away.
They both were, actually.
Jake sighed, fighting the urge to run a hand over his face. "How are you feeling, Olivia?"
"Better," she informed, her voice tentative. This situation was peculiar, and she was trying to assess it. That was something she had a habit of doing, overanalyzing everything. "And you can call me Liv."
"Liv," the man beside him breathed out, almost as if he was in a trance.
Liv glanced over at him, her nose crinkling in confusion. He was staring at her in awe, and in all honesty, she didn't understand why. Little did she know that he was barely processing the fact that his daughter who he'd wanted to meet for eighteen years was standing right in front of him. After all of this time, they were together.
Glancing toward Jake, she inquired, "Is he okay?"
Jake glanced toward Lee, trying his best not to cringe at his best friend's awkward introduction with his daughter. Then again, Jake couldn't blame him. He had no idea how he would act in this instance. It was a natural reaction, in all honesty.
"Lee, maybe you should introduce yourself," Jake prompted, nudging him in the shoulder.
Liv studied them, noticing how these two grown men almost act like young boys when around each other. Then again, they were all young in ways. Liv was, too, despite living through a war and going headfirst into another one. She was old when it came to experience in battle and strategy, but socially, she was still young and learning her way about.
Before she knew what was happening, she was being tugged away from Bellamy and engulfed by the arms of the man that Jake called Lee. She was stiff, her arms planted firmly at her sides as the man held onto her for dear life.
What the hell was happening?
Liv was struggling to conceal her discomfort, awkwardly raising her arms and patting the man on the back. She didn't know how to explain it, but the longer he held her, the safer she felt. In all honesty, she was concerned why she felt so comforted in this man's arms seeing that she didn't know him, but she did. Like they had a bond that she couldn't quite place.
Lingering behind her, Bellamy was growing rather frustrated seeing that he had no idea who he was or why he was touching her. If some random woman came up to him and hugged him, he'd definitely be freaking out with confusion.
Taking a step toward the man who he recalled to be Jake, Bellamy questioned, "Uh - who's this guy?"
"That's Lee Ross, her dad."
Bellamy's eyes widened at that, but Liv's reaction was much more attention grabbing. Immediately, she tore herself out of the man's arms, scrambling back a few steps with wide eyes. Her heart skipped a beat, and the three men watched her with worry. Who knew how she'd react to this?
She felt blindsided, if anything, but then she also felt the need to hug him. But she also felt the need to yell at him for not finding her earlier, and then she felt like she should tell him about Ash.
"You?" she sputtered, eyes wide and strands of her hair falling into her face. "You're - you're him?"
A splotchy blush found its way on Lee's cheeks, realizing how awkward he was being. He could remember his and Marilyn's first conversation, the way he could barely put together a coherent sentence. He was an engineer, not a people person. There was a reason he spent his time building things with Ash, not going out to social events.
"Uh - "
"He's good with machines, not people," Jake cut in, Liv remembering the way Ash described him.
How he was the kind of person who could talk about building things for hours, teaching Ash the basics and shaping him into the engineer he is today. The two bonded over building things, it brought them closer together. After losing half their family, the two of them had to bind together, and if there was one thing Ash knew for certain, Lee liked to keep to himself for the most part.
Liv gaped, and she found herself demanding, "Say something."
This was the first time she was meeting her dad and they were just standing here staring at each other with an audience of two. She always imagined this moment to be life altering, like the world was moving into slow motion. Like the moment she first laid her eyes on him, she would just know.
But she didn't. Her fantasies were nothing like this.
His voice cracking, he said, "You look so much like Marilyn."
That's all it took to send Liv into motion, flinging herself into father's arms like a catapult. Nothing else mattered right now, she was finally reuniting with the man she imagined of everyday for over eighteen years. The man who was always on her mind, the man she didn't even know.
Immediately, he engulfed her in his arms again, and she felt herself melt into him. Father and daughter, finally together after over eighteen years of being separated. Her grip on him was tighter than he expected it to be, not realizing just how strong she was muscle wise. She burrowed her head into his neck, refusing to let go.
He was here, he was finally here.
And she swore to never let go. Nothing could separate them again.
☣☣☣☣☣
Night had finally fallen over Camp Jaha, and during then and now, Bellamy and Jake had left Liv and Lee to catch up. She had told him about her time on Earth, not even mentioning the Sky Box. That part of her life was behind her, and she refused to let her mind wander back to that time again.
Liv told him about how things started, with two split groups who soon morphed into one united front to fight for their lives. She told him how they survived, about Charlotte, about the war with the Grounders. She then told him about how they were taken to Mount Weather, how Ash was there, and how she and Clarke barely got out. She left out the details about the blood harvest, barely able to think about them, but she surely mentioned her jump into a waterfall.
Lee told her a bit about what he did on the Ark, and his job with Ashton. He always referred to him as Ashton, and not Ash, which Liv found peculiar. Just like how he only called her Olivia, and not Liv. Not that she felt the need to correct him, she liked the way her name sounded in his voice. She wanted to hear it everyday.
But darkness had coated them, and Liv could see Bellamy rushing over to where she was seated with Lee. She could see the hesitant look on his face when he got over, not wanting to take her away from him, but she knew it must have been important.
"Bell," she called, Bellamy deciding to finish the rest of the walk and approach her. She noticed the look of worry on his face and the two guns in hand, and she questioned, "What's going on?"
"Clarke," he explained, "she's back."
Liv found herself sliding off of her chair, Bellamy holding her gun out to her which she happily took. It had been a while since she held it, and oh did she miss it. Her weapon gave her a sense of power and protection, morphing her into the warrior that she is and always has been.
Lee's eyes widened at the sight of his daughter with a gun, a smile curling onto her lips by the touch of it. That wasn't exactly something a father wanted to see. . . ever. She looked so comfortable with the weapon, gazing upon with a look of adoration.
"What do you think you're doing?" Lee demanded, looking rather annoyed now.
Liv glanced over at him, raising a brow. "Clarke's back and we're still not entirely sure about the truce. Hence the guns."
Lee shook his head, a look of disapproval on his face. "I don't know if I want you to have that." Liv was taken aback, scoffing in shock. "Actually, I don't think I want you with the Grounders, either."
At this point, Liv was full out laughing. Her dad was funny, truly. When he didn't laugh or smile, her eyes widened. He was. . . serious? Oh, that was rich. Liv loved him, she truly did. She felt a sense of wholeness now being reunited with him, but he couldn't just waltz in after eighteen years and tell her what to do. She wouldn't stand for it.
She took a step toward him, a solemn expression on her face. "Look, I get you have this maternal instinct as a parent to protect me - actually, I don't. I've never lived with a parent - but this is my life. I don't care whether you approve of what I do or not because I've gotten off fine this far. I know this world better than you do, and you can't stop me."
Before he could retaliate, she spun around and walking past Bellamy, the Blake's eyes widening. He hadn't heard her talk like that before, and he would never spoken to his mother like that. It was evident she didn't know how parents were because they never took no for an answer. The thing about Liv, though, was that for as long as she could remember, she took care of herself. She made her own decisions, no one else made them for her. Bellamy learned that right away, not wanting to even try to hold her back. He knew that she would never stand to be held back from who she was, and that's what he liked about her.
Bellamy soon found himself following behind her, Lee calling out from behind them, "Olivia."
She ignored him, and Bellamy jogged so that he was by her side as they made their way toward the gates. Members of the guard were all stationed outside, guns trained out as they watched two grounders of misshapen horses lead her toward Camp Jaha. They had torches in hand, lighting their way.
Both Bellamy and Liv had their guns up and trained on the Grounders, but seeing that Liv was unharmed and they appeared to be coming in peace, the duo found themselves lowering their weapons.
Seeing Clarke, Liv called out, "Hold your fire! It's Clarke."
One of the guards then called out, "Open the gate!"
Another voice shouted, "Power up the gate! Secure all access points. Be ready."
Finally, the gate was opened, and Clarke met Liv's and Bellamy's gaze as she finally entered the camp. A look of distress was etched on her features, and Liv felt her concern spike. Liv and Bellamy watched Clarke with anticipation, but before they could speak to her, Finn was quickly making his way through the crowd and in front of her.
"Are you okay?" he asked immediately, worried about her well being.
The moment she saw Finn, she immediately instructed the guards, "Shut the gate!"
Liv's brows furrowed, wondering what was going on. Weren't they supposed to be having a truce right now? Why was it so vital they locked the Grounders out? Liv and Bellamy watched as it immediately shut, and Clarke was instantly grabbing Finn's arm and dragging him away.
"You can't be out here," Liv heard Clarke say, and Liv found herself rushing over toward the two.
Bellamy followed as well, Abby making her way to Clarke and embracing her daughter quickly. They were all worried about Clarke, to say the least. Now with her back, they were all anxious to hear about how her meeting with the Commander went. Liv could feel her father's eyes on her from across the clearing, and Liv forced herself to keep her focus solely on the situation at hand.
The five stood together, Liv awaiting Clarke to explain any detail about what had happened. Things seemed to almost be getting more tense than they already were, and Liv didn't understand why. Weren't things supposed to be getting better now that they saved Lincoln?
"What did she say?" Abby questioned, desperate to know. "Is there a chance for a truce?"
As was everyone else in Camp Jaha, beginning to surround the five. Liv was itching to get away, not used to this kind of crowd. She was so used to it just being the teenagers, and being a leader in these situations.
Everyone was silent, waiting for her answer.
Finally, Clarke said, "Yes."
The look on Clarke's face, though, showed that this wasn't exactly good news. Liv was confused, knowing that this was what they've been wanting for months, yet Clarke appeared as if this was the worst thing in the entire world.
Finn seemed to notice this, too.
"What's wrong?" he inquired, watching her carefully.
Meeting his gaze, she slowly said, "They want you. If we want a truce, we have to give them Finn."
Liv's heart stopped in her chest, worry grabbing hold of her. They wanted Finn? Of course they wanted Finn. That was their saying, blood pays for blood. Finn shot dozens of people in a camp, and they wanted him to pay for that.
People all around them began to starting whispering to one another, and Liv knew that they were leaning toward giving Finn up. One person over the hundreds of them? The answer was simple, but it wasn't for them. For Clarke and her friends, that answer was agonizing. An answer they couldn't take.
They had to figure something else out.
Raven finally made her way over, demanding, "What the hell are you talking about?"
"That's their offer," Clarke explained, just as terrified about the events to follow as everyone else.
"That's not an offer," Raven countered, refusing to take that for an answer. Finn was her only family, she wasn't going to let the Grounders kill him. She refused to let that happen.
Realizing what it was, Finn breathed, "It's punishment. For what happened at the village. Blood for blood."
From beside her, Bellamy stated, "That's insane."
Liv nodded in agreement.
They weren't just going to hand Finn over to them. They were savages, they would torture him. They wouldn't make this death quick, they would torture him until he died. Liv would never be able to live with that. They remember what they did to Murphy, she couldn't let Finn get to that point.
"If we refuse?" Abby prompted, weighing their options.
"They attack," Clarke explained, and Liv heard multiple people saying to give him up.
Her hands curled into fists, and she had to resist the urge to beat them all senseless. They were willing to just give up Finn? She hated what he did, she truly did, but the things they've all been through. . . No one here can understand that like they did.
"Give him up!"
"Get rid of him!"
"Yeah, come on!"
"Easy, people," Officer Byrne ordered, trying to get in between the mass of people and Finn.
One man stepped forth from the crowd, growling out, "Give him to the Grounders."
The fear was so clearly seen in Finn's eyes, and Raven was quickly bursting into action. Liv slung the gun behind her back with the strap, shooting forward when Raven flung herself at the man.
"Back off!" she snapped, shoving him backward and he then took a step toward her.
Liv wrapped her arms around Raven, pulling her back while Bellamy shoved the guy backwards. Like hell he was going to let him go at Raven like that. He held him back, the two trying to keep a fight from breaking out.
"Raven!" Liv cried out, Raven tried to get out of her grip. Liv tugged her away, saying, "Raven, stop - listen to me."
More shouts broke out, and Liv watched as Bellamy shoved another man back to keep people from going after Finn. The crowd was growing savage, and they were prepared to give up a boy so that they could stay here. They knew nothing of what they had all given up to get them here in the first place. For them to think they could make the final decision was ridiculous.
Raven had a look of annoyance plastered on her face, Liv keeping her hands firmly placed on Raven's shoulders as she met her eyes. "Nothing's going to happen to him. We won't let anything happen, okay?"
Raven found herself nodding softly, finding comfort in Liv's words. She could only hope that Liv was right because they all knew that even Liv couldn't make the final call in all of this.
"I'm not dying for him," a man snapped, taking a step forward. "Spacewalker burned three months of oxygen from the Ark. He should've floated a long time ago."
Liv's eyes widened, and she took a threatening step forward.
Eyeing him with disgust, she snapped, "Your sorry ass wouldn't be here if it weren't for Spacewalker."
In seconds, Raven was brushing past Liv and immediately slamming her knuckles into the man's face. Liv's eyes widened, and once again, she was rushing forward to help Raven. Officer Byrne immediately grabbed and Raven, and the moment she tugged the mechanic away, she swung. Raven's knuckles collided with Byrne's cheek, and Liv watched as two officers restrained her.
"Arrest her!"
She was being dragged off, and Finn watched as the chaos ensued around him.
"Let me go!" Raven snapped, and Liv found herself whipping around as they tugged her off.
Rage bubbled within Liv, watching as the officers of the guard acted as if they got to boss them all around. Didn't they understand that without them, they wouldn't have been here to begin with? They were the ones who made it possible for the Ark to come down here. They were the ones who had to fight the Grounders. Not them.
"Get your hands off of her!" Liv shouted, blistering with rage.
And despite all of their protests, and everyones shouts, it would be a long time until the chaos cleared up.
☣☣☣☣☣
When the crowd began to disperse, courtesy of the guards, Finn was finally able to slip away. As were Bellamy, Clarke, and Liv. As or right now, things were getting to the boiling point. Raven was currently locked up, the entire camp wanted to throw Finn out to the Grounders, and they were trying their best to keep order.
Liv and Bellamy still had their guns in hand and ready as they went to go find Finn, knowing what could happen if one angry civilian was alone with Finn. They had to protect him at all costs, they knew as much. If the Grounders got him, they wouldn't just kill him. They'd torture him in the worst manner possible before killing him. They were going to make him suffer for his remaining time on Earth.
They rounded a curve of the Ark, finding Finn seated down, his back pressed against the metal. Liv was surprised to see Murphy seated beside him, and she fought off the urge to punch him in the face. She was still bitter about Charlotte, if she was being honest.
"Hey," Bellamy greeted, Finn and Murphy glancing up. "We're reinforcing our defenses. Doubles on the perimeter. No one's getting past that wire."
And if they did, no one was getting past them.
Finn shot up onto his feet, facing the three of them. The three who were so willing to go back into war just to save him. They had an opportunity at peace, and they were passing it up for him.
"I'll see where they're Finn," Finn said, willing to help the cause. If they were going to protect him, he might as well contribute.
"No," Bellamy declined, shaking his head. "You should head inside. B Corridor will be easier to defend, if it comes to that."
Finn looked horrified by his words, unable to believe that he wasn't able to help. This was his fault, and all he wanted to do was help them.
"I'm not gonna hide," Finn informed, refusing to cower after what he had done.
"Right now, we have to think about keeping you safe," Clarke said, Liv's heart bleeding for her. She couldn't imagine how hard it was for her to be going through this, knowing her feelings for Finn. "I'm going to talk to Lincoln."
Clarke began to walk off, and Liv shot Finn a comforting smile. Nodding toward the entrance, she voiced, "Come on." When he didn't make a move, Liv said firmer, "Finn."
He sighed, finally taking a step and walking alongside Bellamy and Liv. He needed to understand that they were doing all of this to protect him. They cared about him, and they weren't going to let the Grounders put him through the torture they had planned.
Hopefully he would let them protect him because they can't help someone who doesn't want it.
☣☣☣☣☣
The following day had started out relatively calm. The two riders were still out there, awaiting Finn, but it was evident that they weren't going to just hand him over like he was nothing. No, they were going to protect them with everything they had. At least, Liv was going to.
Everything seemed to be okay, that is, until a chanting sounded from outside the camp. To say that Liv was horrified by the sounds was an understatement. The moment she got outside, all she could see was a sea of Grounders, all of whom chanting the same command.
Over and over and over.
A line of officers were stationed in front of the Ark, and Bellamy had joined them. During the earlier hours of the morning, Liv took incentive to speak to Lee some more. He was mad at her for the night before, but she didn't understand why.
This was who she was, and this was the life she was living. This is the life she had lead ever since she was sent down to Earth. She honestly thought he would understand that, and every time someone mentioned Bellamy. . . he almost seemed disgusted by the name. She was thrilled to be reunited with him, but something just felt so tense about them. As if he didn't support any of the things she was doing.
Weren't parents supposed to support their kids no matter what they did?
Liv really didn't understand this whole parent and child stuff.
Standing beside Clarke and Abby, they stared off into the sea of Grounders, the officers stationed right in front of them. Clarke had gotten Finn into the B Corridor the moment the chanting had started, and they all knew that this was in order to torture him. Clarke had explained to her what Lincoln said, how Finn was destined to suffer eighteen deaths. Liv was sickened by the entirety of it all.
"They're trying to scare us," Bellamy said loudly, his voice raising over the chanting.
From beside them, Abby spoke, "I think we should pull back and go inside the station."
Liv shook her head. "That's a sign of weakness."
Clarke nodded in agreement. "We have to show that we're not afraid."
"What if I am?" Abby inquired, and Liv glanced over at her.
Liv couldn't blame her, seeing that she had felt this fear many times. She felt it when they went into the Grounders home to save Octavia, she felt it when they went to war, and she felt it in Mount Weather, but throughout it all, she had to put on a brave face. Despite the fact that she felt the need to breakdown at almost every second, she kept the face of steel on and fought.
Clarke seemed to have the same thought process as Liv, voicing, "Fake it."
As long as they all stood as a united front, nothing could stop them.
Finally, Abby took a deep breath before walking toward the end of the gates. Liv and Clarke shared a look, immediately following behind her. Instinctively, Bellamy was quick to follow behind the three, instantly at Liv's side.
Glancing toward the guard, Abby demanded, "Open the gate."
Immediately, it was pulled open and Abby was standing before the two riders.
They gazed down at her, one of them demanding, "Where's the boy?"
"We're not giving him up," Abby said, defiantly. "We're ready to fight, if that's what it comes to."
In the distance, coming from the sea of Grounders, a horn blew, and they watched as the two riders shared a look. Within seconds, they were taking off and back into the woods. Liv felt a sigh of relief escape her lips, but she knew that the next time they came, there would be more than just two of them. There would be an army of them.
They hastily began to shut the gates, Bellamy calling out, "Watch the woods. Watch for movement."
"Bellamy," Liv breathed out, noticing movement within the leaves of the bushes just in front of the woods.
"Watch the tree line!" one of the officer's shouted, and the voice called back to them in return.
Hands in the air, a familiar voice shouted, "Don't shoot!"
Liv's brows furred, and she recognized the voice. She couldn't quite place where, but she was assuming that he was on the council. All of them were familiar, but she only knew the names of Abby and Thelonious.
"Don't shoot!" the man shouted once again, finally in their line of sight.
Abby's eyes widened, and someone in the distance shouted, "It's Chancellor Kane!"
The gates were reopened, and Kane made his way in front of Abby. Liv watched in confusion, having yet to really know who this guy was. Sometimes she felt so behind on everything since she was locked away for so long. These were people that Bellamy and Clarke recognized, but Liv didn't have a clue as to the first thing about them.
"Marcus," Abby greeted, Kane stepping in front of her.
"Chancellor," he returned.
"I was afraid that I wouldn't see you again," Abby said, eyes locked on Kane's.
"I had those fears myself." Nodding toward the Ark, he voiced, "It's good to see this place again."
Soon enough, Bellamy was taking a step forward, and Clarke and Liv were quick to follow behind. They all had a habit of butting into all conversations, but they felt as if they had an air of leadership, too. They were the ones who lead the teenagers months ago, and this was their home first.
"You can't be out in the open," Bellamy said, his words directed to Kane. "We need to get somewhere safe."
Kane smiled briefly. "It's safe, for the moment. Come on, we need to talk." He approached them, and Liv watched in confusion. How is it safe? They still want Finn. "I managed to buy us a bit of time."
Finally, they began to close the gate, and Kane and Abby walked past the three teenagers. Liv, still very confused, glanced toward Clarke and Bellamy.
Finally, she asked, "Am I the only one who's very confused about who that is? Eighteen years in a jail cell didn't serve me well."
Even in this time of horror and suffering, she still managed to put a grin on their faces. They had to focus on the small things sometimes, even if the bad overwhelmed them.
But to be entirely honest, Liv just really wanted to know who the hell Marcus Kane was.
☣☣☣☣☣
For the duration of time that Jaha, Kane, and Abby were in the room, Raven, Bellamy, and Liv were anxiously waiting outside. They kept trying to figure out how Kane could have possibly gotten then a bit more time. How much time? And why?
Was there a way for them to find another solution for all of this? One that wouldn't involve the Grounders getting their hands on Finn? What he did was wrong, yes, but he didn't deserve this. He never asked to be thrusted into a war or go through any of this. All of this had taken a toll on them, and they would never recover.
Finally, the doors slid open and they watched as Abby exited the room. Immediately, the three were pushing themselves off of the wall, following after her quickly.
"What's happening? Raven demanded.
"In there a long time," Bellamy commented, raising a brow in questioning.
"Are they going to let Finn stay here?" Liv questioned, knowing it was wishful thinking.
The three were immediately by her side, each popping in with their own bit of conversation. It was stressing Abby out even more, but Finn's friends were desperate to know what they needed to prepare for.
"There was a lot to talk about," Abby explained, not letting anything else slip.
"What's going on?" Raven demanded again, needing to know what was happening when it came to Finn.
Finally, Liv took a step and cut Abby's path off, Raven and Bellamy each coming to her side so that Abby couldn't pass them until she answered their questions.
"There was a lot to talk about," Abby repeated, releasing a sigh now that the three were resorting to childish methods.
Despite being childish, they were effective.
Noticing the look on Abby's face, Bellamy said, "Hey, we are not turning him over to the Grounders."
Trying to remain calm, Abby ordered, "Step aside. Now."
Liv crossed her arms over her chest. "Not until you tell us what's going on."
She sighed, knowing that Liv wouldn't budge. Finally, she said, "We're all trying to find a way out of this."
Abby then sidestepped around them, leaving the three to spin around and watch her go. They still had yet to received a satisfactory answer, and Liv's eyebrows were knit together. What had really happened in that room?
From beside her, Bellamy said fearfully, "They're gonna give him up."
Glancing toward him, she said, "Then we need to get him out of here."
It was time they did was they did best, and took matters into their own hands.
In a matter of five minutes, they had finally found where Finn was. Knowing that he they had to keep him away from council, knowing that they would give him up, they had to figure something else out. Right now, their only option was the drop ship. It wasn't the safest place, but it was better than keeping him here.
"Finn," Bellamy called, the two approaching Finn and Clarke, who was currently speaking with him. The two were rushing, trying to keep him from getting handed over to the Grounders. "You need to get out of here."
Confused, Clarke demanded, "Where would he go?"
"The drop ship," Liv explained, she and Bellamy settling on that location as they searched for Finn.
Finn finally nodded, and Liv and Bellamy instantly turned around to maneuver their way out of the Ark and Camp Jaha. Finn followed without hesitation, Clarke quick to protest.
"No," she argued, shaking her head. "You know this is the safest place - "
Liv immediately cut her off, stating, "No, they're gonna turn him in. We need to get him out of here."
"We can protect him at the drop ship until we figure this thing out," Bellamy added on, Liv realizing that they would be fighting a battle against their own people and the Grounders. "Grab your gear, meet at Raven's gate in five. She's cutting the power for the fence."
"Okay," Finn obliged, "but nobody's coming with me."
Bellamy turned to face him, explaining firmly, "This isn't up for discussion."
Clarke's eyes widened, pointing out, "We are surrounded by Grounders."
"We split up, take the low ground, we'll make it through," Bellamy assured. "Meet at the drop ship."
Once they had settled on a plan, a man from down the hall growled out, "There he is."
One man was holding a long, metal rod, and a mob of men were closing in around them. Liv gulped nervously, unable to believe that they had gotten to this point. Where they were now having to battle it out with their own people. They knew nothing of what the four of them have gone through while they sat up in the sky in the Ark.
"You're gonna get us killed," the man with the rod snarled, drawing it back and swinging.
Before he could hit any of them, Bellamy brought his hands together before punch him right in the stomach, causing him to fall straight to the ground. The metal rod clanged to the ground, and the man lying there was now motionless.
The rest of the mob watched Bellamy with wide eyes, Liv knowing that they all underestimated them considerably. They had no idea how much strength they harbored. They had been through more than they could ever imagine.
Staring them all down, Bellamy demanded, "Anyone else?"
From behind them, Clarke murmured to Finn, "They're right. We have to go."
Soon enough, Finn and Clarke were brushing past them, Liv watching as they rushed to collect their things and meet at the fence. Liv, lingering a bit behind Bellamy, watched as he continued to stare them all down. Finally, she reached out to him, and when her fingers laced with his, she felt him relax from his formerly tense state.
"We need to go," she breathed, tugging him slightly.
Finally, they were pushing their way through the small mob, following after Finn and Clarke. They had more problems to face than just escaping the Grounders, but now, they're own people.
☣☣☣☣☣
When they had finally managed to split up, it was Raven, Bellamy, and Liv who had taken one route, and Clarke and Finn the other. As it appeared, it was the first three who arrived at the drop ship first, having no sign of Finn or Clarke anywhere. To say their nerves were rising was an understatement seeing that everyone at this point was out for Finn's blood.
Bellamy and Liv were currently stowed away in the lower level of the drop ship, watching as Raven pushed the flap back and reentered after glancing out in hopes of seeing Clarke or Finn.
Worried, she revealed, "I checked again. Still no sign of them."
Frustration was etched on Bellamy's face, the man trying to remain calm. "Where are they?"
Well, clearly Liv and Raven didn't have that answer.
"We shouldn't have split up," Raven breathed, tears welling in her eyes.
Liv, on the other hand, was focused on something else. A sound outside the drop ship, almost like footsteps.
With furrowed brows, she inquired, "Did you guys hear that?"
Bellamy glanced at her, his eyes soon fixating on the tarp in front of the drop ship's entrance. "Someone's coming."
Immediately, he was readying his weapon, gun aimed toward the entrance. They watched as a silhouette of a figure strides toward the drop ship, soon pushing the tarp and entering. They were met with the sight of none other than Murphy, and Liv had to fight her scowl that was desperate to come forth.
Noticing the gun aimed at him, his eyes widened and he held his hands up in surrender, "Hey, hey, hey."
Confused, Bellamy said, "Murphy."
Raven pressed her fingers on the top of the gun, pushing it down so that the aim was no longer on him.
"What are you doing here?" Bellamy demanded, Liv confused as well. They all were, really. In fact, Liv had no idea how Murphy knew they were even here in the first place.
"I believe I was invited," Murphy said, Liv's brows knitting in confusion.
Invited? By who? All he ever did was make their lives hell.
Raven glanced toward Bellamy and Liv, explaining, "I thought we could use an extra gun."
Liv nodded, not finding the need to protest. She couldn't blame Raven for wanting more protection for Finn, and Liv realized that the more numbers they had, the better off they were. She was actually perfectly fine with Murphy being there, and she had to admit she was shocked.
"Okay," Liv agreed, nodding her head in assurance.
She was okay with this. Maybe. Yes. Okay, she was fine. He was an extra gun. What was the worst that could happen?
Finally Raven said, "Finn should've been right behind you."
Now knowing that they weren't going to harm him, Murphy strode past them and into the drop ship. "Don't worry. Spacewalker's going to be fine.
Liv struggled to keep from snapping, knowing that there was a high possibility that Finn could be dead by the end of the day. Everyone was against him, and they were the only ones who had his well being in mind. This wasn't a game or a small ordeal, this was Finn's life on the line.
And it seemed it was only a priority for them.
It was twenty minutes before Finn and Clarke arrived at the drop ship, and they didn't arrive entirety awake. At least, Clarke didn't. Finn came rushing in with Clarke in his arms, the Griffin girl unconscious.
As soon as he entered, Liv, Raven, and Bellamy were rushing over, worried about Clarke. There was a gash on her forehead, and Liv's eyes widened.
"What happened to her?" Liv demanded, her eyes studying her friend.
Finn, already in a panic, began to bring her into the drop ship. "A grounder hit her on the head."
Murphy began to lay out old sleeping bags onto the ground, voicing, "Put her here."
And there she was laid, the five all surrounding her. Liv couldn't believe it, splitting up didn't help. Finn and Clarke could have died and they would have never known. They would have just been waiting here like sitting ducks.
Liv's eyes studied the wound on her forehead, and she began quickly, "Someone get a bandage. Wrap, anything."
Bellamy kept Clarke's head propped up as Murphy rushed over to Liv, handing her a wrap. "Here."
Immediately, Liv grasped the medical supplies and began to wrap the bandage around her head, trying to conceal the wound.
"Clarke," Bellamy began, trying to get her conscious as Liv focused on wrapping the wound. "Clarke, can you hear me?"
As they continuously worked to wake her up, Liv released a sigh of relief when Clarke stirred slightly, her eyelids cracking open. She and Bellamy shared a look, relief flooding through both of them to see Clarke finally awake.
"Hey, you're gonna be okay," Liv soothed, smiling faintly.
"You just need some rest," Bellamy breathed, the three of them tending to Clarke.
In the corner of the drop ship, Finn was in a panic and Raven tried to calm him down. Instead of it being successful, he brushed past her and stormed out of the drop ship. Right into the open, which Liv was highly against. He couldn't just go out there, not when the Grounders were scattered all throughout these woods.
Raven cast them a glance, Clarke falling under an unconscious spell. Finally, Raven chased after Finn, knowing that she needed to bring him back inside.
They could only hope that no one had seen him.
☣☣☣☣☣
After Raven had finally gotten Finn back in, it was decided that they needed to take extra precautions. Those precautions consisted of Bellamy, Raven, Murphy, and Liv patrolling outside. Since there was a possibility that a grounder may have seen Finn out there, they needed to make sure they were ready to fight when needed.
It also gave some time for Finn to cool down inside the drop ship. He was beating himself up over getting Clarke hurt, and they needed him to have a clear head since they knew the next few days were bound to be brutal.
It was a good twenty minutes before something actually happened, though.
It wasn't hard to see, seeing that there was movement within the trees. Liv's eyes widened at the sight, realizing that the Grounders were finally upon them.
"Bell," she spoke up, Bellamy glancing toward her and she nodded to where she initially saw the movement.
Glancing toward the drop ship, he called, "We got company. Get out here."
They were stationed behind debris and tree trunks that were burnt, Liv watching as Finn and Clarke exited the drop ship. At least Clarke was finally awake, she was beginning to grow far too worried for her.
Standing out in the open, Bellamy ordered, "Hey, get down. Grounders."
Quickly, they ducked down, hiding behind a tree trunk near where Bellamy and Liv were stationed. Peering through her scope, Liv could see an entire army of them surrounding the drop ship. As of now, she wasn't entirely sure if they made the right call. What if leaving him at the Ark was best? But how could it be best when they were planning on handing Finn over?
How were they supposed to make these kinds of decisions all of the time?
They kept on guard for around ten minutes, but within that time, the Grounders had not once approached them. They were remaining outside of their former wall, surrounding them. While they may not have been attacking, they were still making it so that they held the upper hand. They were still a threat, waiting for them to hand over Finn.
Finally, they made the decision of going back into the drop ship, knowing that they have more of a wall to protect them. That way they couldn't be hit by any spears due to their various angles from up in the trees and etcetera.
Finn was in the back of the drop ship, Raven, Clarke, and Murphy by his side as Liv and Bellamy peered past the tarp and into the trees. From what they could tell, the Grounders were still stationed out there, but having yet to make a move.
She couldn't figure out what it was they were waiting for.
"They're not coming any closer," Liv murmured, glancing toward Bellamy in confusion.
"They're staying out of range," he explained, watching as they moved into position. "They'll be waiting until it's dark."
Finally, the two parted from the entrance, making their way back toward the four. They had to figure something out, knowing that they couldn't just wait to be attacked.
"If we hit them now, we take them by surprise," Murphy offered, and Liv found herself shaking her head.
They needed to settle this without bloodshed. What good were they if they were resorting back to violence? Wasn't the whole point of this to create the truce without killing?
Clarke shook her head, voicing, "We don't know how many of them are out there."
Murphy sighed, pointing out, "I'm not hearing any better ideas, Clarke."
Pacing, Raven said, "We'll give them something."
"All they want is Finn," Bellamy pointed out, all of them knowing that they wouldn't leave until they got what they wanted.
"Finn wasn't the only one at the village," Raven pointed out, all eyes falling on Murphy.
She wanted to give up Murphy in exchange for Finn, it made sense. But how would that work? Murphy didn't kill any of the, the Grounders wouldn't take him. Would they?
"Raven - " Liv began, shaking her head to decline.
They couldn't just give him up like that. Yes, she had her problems with Murphy, but they couldn't just sentence him to die.
Murphy seemed to be picking up on her drift, voicing, "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Raven, I came here to protect him. You were the one who wanted me to come. You - "
He finally realized why she asked him to come in the first place.
"That's why you asked me to come alone," Murphy said, slowly. He knew that if they had to pick one to save, it would be Finn. It would always be Finn.
Liv couldn't believe what was happening at this point, knowing that they couldn't just give up Murphy. While she desperately wanted to punch him in the face at times, they couldn't just give him up for a crime he didn't commit.
"Enough Grounders saw him," Raven pointed out, knowing that it could work. "They'd believe he was the shooter."
"You sick bitch," Murphy muttered, Liv shooting him a pointed look.
He returned it, and Liv sighed. "Raven, we can't do that. You don't mean that."
"You know what they do to people," Bellamy insisted, knowing that this was wrong.
This wasn't just a way out, this was a vile means of saving Finn. They all wanted to save Finn, yes, but they couldn't resort to this. If one life didn't matter anymore, then what did that make them?
"They want a murder, we'll give them one," Raven said, firmly. Finally, she pulled out her weapon, locking it into place before aiming the gun at Murphy. "Drop the gun."
They all watched silently as Murphy took a step forward, placing himself right in front of the barrel.
"Go to hell, Raven."
From beside her, Clarke said, "Put it down, Raven. Like it or not, he's one of us."
She didn't falter, taking a step froward and pressing the barrel to his chest. "I said drop it."
"Stop!" Finn cried out, taking a step froward and grabbing the gun. Pushing it away from Murphy, he stepped in front of the barrel. She immediately lowered it. "We're not doing this. They've got us surrounded. The only thing we can do is stay and defend this place."
Bellamy nodded in agreement. "I'm with you."
The rest of them nodded as well.
Glancing toward him, Finn began, "Murphy."
"Yeah?"
"Go upstairs," Finn ordered. "Watch the rear. I'll take the lower level. You four, take the front gate. That's the plan, all right?"
He received five nods, and they moved into their positions.
Finally, Liv found herself walking away from the group and making her way outside along with Bellamy. Raven lingered behind, probably to speak to Finn once more, leaving the two to patrol the front gate on their own. Soon, she followed behind, leaving Clarke alone with Finn.
They found themselves finally stationed behind various debris, keeping themselves covered in case of attack. Clarke was finally out, the four all gazing around to see if the Grounders were making a move. Instead, they were doing what they have been this entire time. Merely surrounding them.
"See anything?" Clarke questioned, noticing that nothing had changed.
"No."
In the distance, they heard the sound of leaves beginning to rustle, Liv finding herself going into high alert. What if they were finally coming in for the attack? She repositioned herself, preparing to fight if necessary.
"Someone's coming," Raven whispered, all of them bracing themselves for battle.
Instead, what they saw was something entirely different. Finn came out of the trees, standing in the entrance of their old camp, hands up in the air in surrender.
"Finn?" Raven breathed, all of them shooting up and watching in horror.
He turned to face them, Clarke sprinting forward as she screamed, "Finn!"
In seconds, Grounders bursting out of the trees, grabbing hold of Finn.
He was gone, and there was nothing they could do about it.
☣☣☣☣☣
When night had fallen, everyone in Camp Jaha was silent. Despite the silence, shouts of anger and excitement were filling the air. Outside the camp gates was where the Grounders had set up camp, preparing to have Finn undergo the death of eighteen. A large fire was lit, everyone from Camp Jaha gathered around and watching in horror as they prepared for his death as though it were a holiday.
Liv found herself standing between Raven and Clarke, the three girls watching painfully. They were barely able to watch, knowing that they would be forced to sit through Finn's death and be able to do nothing about it. He had given himself up; to protect them, secure the truce, and save the forty six. All Liv could think was at least his death wasn't in vain. His valiant efforts wouldn't go unnoticed, but it was still gut wrenching to watch as this all happened.
A large pole was placed in the center by the far, various Grounders making preparations around it.
From beside her, Raven breathed, "What is that?"
"It's for Finn," Clarke said sadly, figuring out what it was they were doing. "They want us to watch."
Beside Raven was Abby, and beside her stood Kane and Bellamy. It was an odd group, to say the least. Bellamy watched, pained to know that one of his closest friends was being sentenced to his gruesome death.
Feeling the need to do something, he began, "We're gonna get him. We'll get in close and hit them hard."
"Son," Kane began, "there's thousands of them. Even if we could kill hundreds, they'd still wipe out this camp and your friend would still die."
"We have to try," Bellamy protested, Liv nodding her head in agreement.
They couldn't just leave Finn there to do. They couldn't just let the Grounders kill him like this. They couldn't just sit back and watch helplessly. That's not who they were. All these months they have fought and fought, and they couldn't just give up now.
"Abby," Raven pleaded, the woman remaining silent. Turning to face her, Raven said once again, "Abby, we have to do something."
Solemnly, she met Raven's gaze, and shook her head. "No, Raven."
Raven was going to watch her only remaining family die a slow, painful death.
Clarke glanced over, Liv feeling her gaze. Meeting Clarke's eyes, Clarke nodded back and began to take off. Liv understood her message, following behind and in suit, Bellamy was quick to follow. Raven, hoping they were planning something, wiped the tears from her eyes and followed after her friends.
Making their way through the crowd, Clarke handed her gun to Liv. "Take this."
"What?" Liv demanded, taking the gun regardless. "Why?"
"I'm gonna talk to the Commander," Clarke explained, determined.
Liv raised a brow, inquiring, "And what else are you going to say to her?"
"I don't know," she cried out, panicking. Taking a deep breath, she paused in her stride and repeated calmly, "I don't know."
"Clarke," Liv pleaded, running a hand through her hair in frustration. Realizing that she couldn't keep her from doing so, Liv breathed, "Just be careful, okay?"
From behind them, Raven voiced, "Give me your hand."
Liv glanced at her in confusion, the same expression written on both Bellamy's and Clarke's faces. Clarke turned to face Raven, doing as she said. Liv watched as Raven brought out a dagger, sliding it up Clarke's sleeve and concealing it from sight.
Meeting her eyes, Raven said, "If she won't let him go, kill her. Things will go crazy, and then we'll grab you and Finn."
Liv's eyes widened, unable to believe what she was hearing. That was suicide. That wasn't just sentencing Clarke and Finn to death, that was sentencing the entire camp to death. The forty six to death, this would be a suicide mission that would turn into a massacre. She understood that Raven wanted to save Finn, but this was insane.
Clarke looked hesitant, Raven pleading, "Clarke, you have to help. I owe him my life."
Bellamy and Liv shared a concerned look, neither of them sure of what to do. They couldn't stop her, but they couldn't let Clarke go through with this. Liv took a deep breath, telling herself that Clarke was smart and wouldn't send them into another war. Clarke knew that there was more at stake than just Finn's life.
They all wanted to save Finn, but he made this choice. Liv hated knowing that she would never speak to him again, but they can't change what happened. They can't undo the shooting, and they can't change his decision.
Liv nodded softly at Bellamy, Bellamy taking that as the okay to open the gate. Finally, they swung open, and Clarke stepped out of the safe zone that was Camp Jaha, and made her way toward where the Grounders had set up camp.
Raven, Bellamy, and Liv found themselves closer to the gate now, watching as Clarke made her way toward where the Grounders were set up. The riders were in front, Clarke eyeing them before they let her pass. She made her way down the path, and toward the heart of the camp.
Confused, Raven demanded, "What is she doing?"
They watched as Indra aimed a spear at Clarke's stomach, Liv's breath hitching in her throat. She wouldn't, she couldn't. Would she?
They watched as Clarke took a step froward, allowing the tip to reach her skin. As an act of bravery, she pushed herself into it lightly, blood beginning to pool around the small wound and onto her blue shirt.
"Let her pass," a feminine voice called out.
Commander Lexa.
Indra pulled the spear away, relieving Clarke of her pain. Clarke stepped toward Lexa, all of them watching as the two girls spoke. Their attention was drawn away, though, when a chorus of shouts erupted, and they watched as Finn emerged from the shadows, chained and with Grounders flanking his sides.
They watched as he's lead to the pole, the Grounders shoving Finn against it and beginning to tie him against it so that he couldn't flee. They watched as Clarke and Lexa continued to speak, and Liv could see the broken expression written on Clarke's features.
On edge, Raven spoke, "Come on, Clarke. Do it."
After a few moments, they watched as Clarke parted from Lexa, approaching where Finn stood. Liv watched, confused. She found herself on the verge of tears, the tears pressing against the back of her eyes until they began to burn.
"What is she doing?" Raven choked out, wanting nothing more than for the dagger to pierce Lexa's skin.
Clarke ran toward Finn, and Liv watched as she cupped his face in her hands, pressing her lips against his as a final goodbye. Slowly, she pulled her lips away, and hugged him close. Liv watched as she slowly shimmied the dagger out of her sleeve, and concealed it between her body and Finn's.
Liv knew what was happening as soon as it began, knowing that Clarke was killing him mercifully. She did it so that he wouldn't have to bare the torture, and he would be able to die a quick, merciful death. Liv didn't realize she was crying until hot tears began to roll down her cheeks, knowing that down there her friend was dying, almost dead.
She knew he was dead the moment his head limply fell onto her shoulder. Clarke slowly backed away, revealing a large, bloodied stain on his shirt. The Grounders broke out into a fury, but Lexa was quick to halt them.
Liv could see the look of anguish on Clarke's face, and she felt a sob begin to claw at the back of her throat, but she swallowed it down.
Beside her, a blood curdling sob escaped Raven.
"No!" she sobbed and screamed all at once.
Her knees gave out from beneath her, collapsing to the ground. Immediately, Bellamy and Liv were on the ground beside her, both of them holding onto her as she broke.
After everything she had endured here, she finally broke.
"No!" she screamed again, everything within her shattering on impact. "No!"
Finn was gone from this world, and there was no way he'd ever come back.
No matter how desperately they wanted him to.
☣☣☣☣☣
not edited.
10k + words gosh dang. i'm pretty sure the next one will end up being even longer (i'm not even halfway through the episode, but i have about 4k words, i believe). anyway, i hope you enjoyed this! let me know what you thought if you did!
also can we take a moment to cry over the new covers??