eight - Blood Must Not Have Blood
'Where is he?'
Her nails were already bitten down to the quick. She nibbled at both of her frayed, form edges and the corners of her bottom lip like a famished mouse. Her legs bounced at a rate that matched her heightened heartbeat as her dull and sunken orbs trained on her closed bedroom door. Her stomach shifts uneasily and she took a notice of that a hand she was hugging herself with was pinching into her skin.
'He didn't come to bed last night. So where is he?'
She lets out a shaky breath and bows her head into the palm of her hands, her legs shaking in a sloppy pattern that couldn't attain normally due to her anxiety.
Brandi couldn't take the unsettled feeling that was overwhelming her. She wants to believe that things go worse from where she stands. She wants to think the riot was nonsense and that Kane and Abby had handled everything. Hell, she even wants to pretend that Pike wasn't they're new chancellor.
'I know, Bellamy. He wouldn't actually be following through with this. He just can't. He knows he'll be fighting against me, so why is he pushing it further?'
Brandi stuffs her loaded bag underneath her bed and covers it with the oversized blanket that was already hanging on the floor when hearing doors opening in the distance.
She lets out a breath of relief when seeing it was only Octavia.
''He's back.''
Brandi retrieves her bag from underneath and was quick on her feet as she followed Octavia out of the Ark and onto the plain fields.
Brandi gasps. ''Oh my god.''
He was covered in blood. They all were. Yet they were holding their heads high as if they were a saviour to their own people.
'But they weren't. They've brought death to their own and I cannot wait to fight them on the battlefield.'
Brandi turns when she feels an assuring squeeze on her arm. Octavia was looking at her with features that weren't quite readable. ''I'll be right back. Okay?''
The brunette nods at her, letting the younger Blake run over to her older sibling's' side.
She grimaced at him with disgust from the distance as Octavia asks ''Bellamy, are you okay?''
''I'm fine.''
She shivers at the nonchalance annunciated in his voice. It was cold and dismissive and it surprised Brandi that Octavia was still egging on the subject. ''What happened out there?''
He was hesitant when stopping in his tracks to look back at his sister. But it was only a glance that barely held any sign of communication before he walked off, leaving her there bewildered.
Brandi cocks a brow when he stops only a few feet away from her. Her tighten features stared him down with a twitch of her lips as she takes in all the blood consuming his clothes and skin.
Bellamy watches her as she swallows, meeting his gaze after inspecting him with critical notes laid out in her head.
She inhales sharply before speaking, but her features falter and her orbs divert behind him as Pike returns to Arkadia with more blood on him than anyone else.
Literally.
''You actually went through with it'' She whispers as the gates lock up.
People started gathering around where Bellamy and Brandi stand, smiling at their new leader they believed is one step away from solving their problems.
''Everybody, listen up'' Pike starts off. ''Twenty four hours ago, you elected me as your chancellor. Every action I've taken since and every action I will take will be to achieve one sacred goal; the creation of a self-sustaining, prosperous and safe Arkadia..''
Brandi scoffs as the others around praise his goals in chants.
''This morning on a muddy field, our people have paid tribute to those who have been taken from us by sending a message to the grounders. This land, is ours now!''
He was cut short when his people started cheering.
''Resist, and you will be met by force. Fight, and you will be greeted by death. Today is our new beginning. So mark it down and remember it- Just Like The Grounders Will Remember It!''
× × ×
''Is it true you tried to leave camp to see Indra yesterday?'' Kane asks as Octavia, Brandi and himself toll down another hallway inside of the Ark.
''Look, don't you have more important things to worry about than me sneaking out of camp?'' She retorts as the three push through large red plastic straps.
''As it turns out, that's why you're here. The both of you.''
Octavia and Brandi share the same baffle contact before looking back at Kane. ''Indra signaled. She wants to meet. I'd go myself but Pike's watching everything I do now.''
He lifts up a blanket he was carrying around and revealed that inside the tousled material was Octavia's sword.
Brandi jerks back and cocks a brow at this. ''So she gets her sword back but I-''
Her stammering was muted when moved a large that revealed from behind Brandi's archer set.
Before Pike was elected as chancellor, he had still managed to convince Kane to confiscate Brandi's weapon as a use of shared property for the big guys with guns.
''You want us to go see Indra?'' Octavia assures as he hands Brandi back her weapons.
''I need you to.''
Kane goes near the same rusty bin but his focus is on the wall. Brandi watches as his grip wraps around a certain piece of the wall.
''I'm in, but how do I get out? The gate is armed with-''
Kane lifts up that same piece to reveal a whole other passageway of the Ark. Octavia and Brandi turned to each other with sly smirks plastered on their lips.
''Crawl space door in twenty feet drops you outside of the camp wall'' He informs the two. ''Get out there, find out what the hell happened and then report back here. Can you two do that?''
''Yes sir'' Brandi snorts before climbing her way in.
× × ×
Brandi cringes slightly at the rotten smell that filled the air as nothing was heard in the distance but flies buzzing around over the dozen of dead corpses.
''Oh my god'' She gasps.
Octavia turns back to her, noticing the distance that grew between the two.
''Octavia'' She breathes out while looking down at the bullet wounds. Her bottom lip starts to quiver as she shakes her head. ''He was apart of this.. He did this.''
Octavia knew she was right. She knew that her brother was becoming a monster, a monster that neither can no longer recognize. She purses her lips and tilts her head ''Brandi-''
Brandi meets her gaze and it wasn't until now that Octavia noticed her glossy eyes with tears at its rim. It wasn't until now that she could really see how badly Brandi was affected by all of this.
''We're losing him'' She whispers, cupping her lips shortly after to muffle her racking sobs. ''I'm losing him, Octavia.''
''No, we're not. Okay? I'm gonna make sure of it-''
''What makes you so sure?'' The archer snaps, slapping her arms against her sides. She drops her weight onto her left leg and sighed, looking up at the foggy skies. ''How can you be so sure?''
''We'll think of something'' She shrugs her shoulders. ''We always do.''
Brandi runs a hand through her damp locks, pulling them back and away from her face. ''Yeah, well, what if we don't?''
Octavia's features fall before taking a few steps closer to her ''Brandi-''
''What if he wants nothing to do with me, Octavia? What if he actually follows Pike and he kills every grounder? What if he kills me because of this?'' She cries out. ''I don't know what to think of him anymore..''
''Is that why you're leaving?''
Brandi stiffens under her stare, knowing her lack of contact was because she was eyeing the bag hanging off of her shoulder.
''Octavia-''
''You're just gonna give up on him? Even when he wouldn't give up on you?'' She sneers, stomping closer to the girl.
''It is not like that'' She clarifies.
''Then Please! Tell me what does this look like?'' Brandi opened her mouth to speak but Octavia beat her to it. ''Because it looks like you're just quitting. You're quitting on someone who spent his days and nights revolving his whole world around you, Brandi. This is the thanks that he gets?''
''It's Because I'm Falling For Him That I Need To Leave!''
Her voice echoed in the distance as the two stood in silence.
A string of saliva was shown between her sets of teeth as she gaped at the younger Blake. ''I'm falling for a guy who's seeing the wrong side of things. I'm falling for your brother who's just as equally stubborn as I am. So stubborn that he killed all of these people-''
She points a finger at herself. ''My people, Octavia. He's fighting against me.''
Octavia looks behind herself with her bottom lip trembling. She knew that this was only the beginning of pain, suffrage and an endless conga line of emotions.
She turns back to her and whispers ''I don't want you to go, Brandi. I-I'll miss you.''
''You won't have to'' Brandi breathes out through her tears, closing the few feet left between the two and gripping her limped arms. ''You can come with me.''
She shakes her head. ''I can't leave Lincoln.''
The lines creased on Brandi's forehead ease as Octavia starts to shake her head. ''I can't.''
She pulls her arms around her and wraps her own arms around her head, embracing Octavia in a hug as she cries on her shoulder.
'This emotional pain hurts more than just a bruise or a cut. It's just this heavy feeling that sinks in our chest, that has our heads spinning, that has our tongues feel as if it's too big for our mouths. This pain has me too scared to say something because I know that if I do, I'll end up choking on my own tears. I never wanted Octavia to feel this way. I never knew that she was affected about this mess just as much as I am.'
''Brandi! Octavia!''
The two part but barely as they look up the hill to see two of Lexa's henchman with machetes.
''We should probably finish the job..'' Brandi whispers to her as the stood there expectantly.
''We probably should..''
Brandi was the first to enter the tent with Octavia following closely behind, noticing that inside stood Lexa, Clarke and an injured Indra.
''Brandi? Octavia? Where's Kane?'' Clarke asks as she kneeled beside Indra who was panting out short breaths.
Brandi walks over to Indra and kneels by her side as well before saying ''He sent us.''
''How did this happen?'' Lexa questions, her voice booming with rage and authority.
''Kane lost the election to Pike'' Octavia informs. ''Everything is.. Different.''
Lexa furrows her brows. ''You're people voted for this?''
Clarke shakes her head. ''No. No, I don't believe that.''
''How would you know, Clarke?'' Brandi sneers. ''You haven't been there.''
''Listen to me'' Clarke starts, pulling Octavia to face her. ''The grounder army is gonna be here in less than a day. I need to see Bellamy.''
Brandi shakes her head. ''Bellamy was apart of this. He's with Pike. So what makes you think he'll help us?''
''He saved Indra's life.''
Octavia and Brandi look back at Indra as Clarke continues, now speaking to Lexa. ''If what they're saying is true, then Pike trusts him. If I can get to him, he can get to Pike.''
''You can't just walk through the gates, Clarke'' Lexa hissed. ''You've been living with their enemy. If it were me, I'd kill you on the spot.''
''Octavia can get her in.''
The brunette swiftly turns to her with furrowed brows. ''What? No, Brandi, you need to come back with me.''
Brandi shakes her head and stands from Indra side. ''No, I can't.''
''No, Brandi, Octavia's right'' Clarke walks over to her until she's standing in front of her. ''I meant it when I said that we are a dynamic duo at Mount Weather. I need you with me because your presence there will be enough for him to think of what's right.''
Brandi bites on her bottom lip. ''I'm not so sure about that anymore.''
''We have to try..''
Brandi looks down as Clarke holds out her hand.
She looks back up at her and meets her desperate gaze. She purses her lips and slaps her hands against hers. ''Let's do this.''
× × ×
''What are you doing here, Clarke?''
Brandi stood next to her, holding onto the edges of the desk in front of her tightly while her knees felt weak.
''We need to talk.''
''Oh'' He jerks back bitterly, ''You decided that. The mighty Wanheda and what, her assistant?''
Clenching her jaw, Brandi rolls her eyes and looks away as Bellamy continues with his mockery. ''Both who chose the grounders over their own people- well.. Half. Who also, by the way, turned their back on us when we came to rescue you. Now you want to talk?''
Clarke leaves her side to walk in front of Bellamy. ''I came here to tell you that the Ice Nation has paid a price. Justice has been served for the attack on Mount Weather. I came here to tell you, it's over.''
''There it is again'' He looks back up at Clarke. ''Why do you get to decide that it's over?''
''Why are you being so childish?'' Brandi counters with a hiss as she walks around the desk and stands in front of him. ''We did our part.''
''We?''
She cocks a brow. ''You're right. Me and my people did you're part of justice. Not to mention the fact that the Ice Queen is dead. The problem was solved but then you let Pike talk you down into what has now become a war.''
He tears his gaze from Brandi and back at Clarke. ''Why are you here?''
''Arkadia needs to make things right or Lexa and the twelve clans will wipe us out'' Clarke spoke.
''Let her try.''
''Please tell me that going to war is not what you want'' Clarke pleads with a dry chuckle.
Brandi takes a step back at the cold stare she was receiving from him. ''We've been at war since we landed. At least Pike understands that.''
The brunette shakes her head almost vigorously. ''What is this hold Pike has against you? Why can't you see that Pike is the problem? Because this isn't who you are, Bellamy.''
''You're wrong. This is who I've always been, and I let you and Clarke and Octavia and Kane convince me that we could trust these people when they have shown over and over again who they are, and I won't let anyone else die for that mistake.''
Brandi's glossy orbs avert upward until it meets Bellamy's. ''You don't trust me?''
He stares down at her in silence.
''I love you.. And you're telling me that you don't trust me?''
His features don't change when those three words slip past her lips. She walks away from with her hands running wild through her hair.
''Bellamy, I need you. We don't have much time-''
''You need me?''
She nods. ''Yes, I do. I need the guy who wouldn't let me pull that lever at Mount Weather by myself.''
''You left me'' He hissed. ''You left everyone.''
''Bellamy-''
''Enough, Clarke. You are not in charge here, and that's a good thing because people die when you're in charge.''
Brandi tilts her head. ''Bellamy-''
Bellamy holds a hand out from letting her go any further. ''Don't, Brandi. Because in case you didn't know, Clarke was willing to let a bomb drop on my sister. Then she made a deal with Lexa who left us in Mount Weather to die and forced us to kill everyone who helped us, people who trusted me.''
''I-'' The blonde stammers out, speechless because she knows that everything that he said is true. He has a right to be mad but they have moved past it. Mount Weather was a difficult time that of course had lives at risk.
But not every grounder should be blamed.
Clarke takes a seat and whispers ''I'm sorry. I'm sorry for leaving. But I knew I could because they had you.''
Brandi watches as he kneels in front of her, gripping her arm with an assuring touch. ''I know we can fix this.''
''I'm sorry, too.''
She furrows her brows as it takes a moment for Bellamy to lock half a chain on her wrist while the other locks around the leg of the desk beside her.
''Bellamy!''
He continues to walk towards the door as Brandi follows after him. She pulls him by the shoulder so he can face her, but what she didn't expect was for him to throw a punch square in her face.
He stares at almost bewildered, his fist still in the air as she grunts from the pain. She lowers her hand after cupping her features, noticing the drops of blood that leaked down her nose.
Bellamy purses his lips when swallowing, stepping back out of the room and closing the door shut.
She looks back down at her hands and whispers ''Oh my god..''
''Brandi, you got to find a pair a pliers or something to get me out of here'' Clarke commands when pulling against the handcuffs.
She nods before wiping her hands against her jeans. ''Yeah, okay.''
Brandi goes back around the desk and starts searching through all drawers and compartments there is. But she couldn't focus on the purpose of her search.
Her violent and hasty movements were intact as she was lost in her thoughts, replaying the incident that happened in only a matter of seconds ago.
''I can't-'' Brandi pauses, getting caught off by her own heavy breathing as her hands leave the roots of her hair and grip against the corners of the desk tightly until her knuckles turned a ghostly white. She leaned over on her tippy toes and leaned back at attempt to keep locked of her furious tears.
''Clarke, I can't find-'' She cuts herself off with the bite of her lip, shaking her head vigorously with her eyes screw shut tight.
''I Can't Find Anything!'' She yells after grabbing a lamp that was nearby and throwing it across the room. Both hands grip the side of her head as Brandi gaped.
Brandi's tears came fresh, raw with a sense of pain that was an open wound. As much as she tried to hold it in, the pain came out like an uproar from her throat in the form of a silent scream. The beads of water started following down one after another, without a sign of stopping. The muffled sobs racked against her chest. The world turned into a blur, and so did all the sounds left in the room.
Clarke sat with the same tears pooling her oceanic eyes as she watched the archer break to pieces in despair.
''I don't know who he is anymore, Clarke'' She cried. Her voice was muted as she repeated those words over and over.
'Why does it feel like I'm drowning? Everytime I hear from him- Every time I look at him, I'm sinking deeper and nothing's making sense anymore. The nausea swirling unrestrained in my stomach had my swimming with half formed regret. Maybe I did something wrong. I must have done something that could have lead to this.. I just can't find the words to say anymore.'
''Brandi, come here.''
Her knees felt weak when dragging her feet around the corner of the desk, standing in front of the chained blonde. She sat down in front of her with her legs folded Indian style, keeping her wet features hidden within the palm of her hands.
''Brandi.. Brandi, look at me'' She pleads.
The brunette looks up at her with her salty substances spreaded across her face. The windows to her soul were dark but wide and the blood that trailed from her nose was drying up, attaining stuck to her skin.
Clarke swallowed, shifting in her seat to sit on the edge of the chair. ''I know, that it may not seem like it, but he is the same Bellamy that we all know. We just need him to see-''
''See, what? Clarke?'' She scoffs. ''Look what he did to me!''
She points at the blood that he caused. The damage that he's done.
''I lost him, Clarke. He's done the one thing he promised he would never do, but did anyway'' She starts to shake her head and wipes the tears off of her chin roughly with the back of her hand. ''The worst part is, he didn't even hesitate.''
''Brandi-''
''That, Is Not Bellamy!'' She yells. ''Bellamy Never Gave Me A Reason To Be Scared Of Him, And He Sure As Hell Would Never Kill The Quantity Of Three Hundred Innocent Lives..''
She inhales sharply through her sobs and pulls a strand behind her pink toned ears. ''He's not the same person I-''
Clarke knew where she was leading with this and placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her from stuttering out the rest by force.
''I know. But wipe away those tears and straighten up. These are not our last words and our last act, because we will take another step. And when we take that next step, we won't show them no fear or despair. It is until we've reached the end of our battle to let it all out and mourn over our pity'' The blonde nods down at her. ''But at the end of our battle, Bellamy will see our side. Where there would be no tears. I promise you that, Brandi.''
Brandi's dark colored locks shift onto her shoulder when turning towards the door that entered one of many guards and Bellamy.
Her brown orbs that were bloodshot trained on Bellamy as he kept his head down while the accompanied guard stomped over to the two.
''Move'' The gruff voice of the guard spoke as he reaches over and grabs her head, pushing her away with too much force that wasn't enjoyable for Brandi at the start.
Her body landed on it's side, her head hitting against the metal flooring violently. Her aftermath of crying already cost her a headache that pounded with every blink, but thanks to the unidentified man, he made the pain even more unbearable.
''You could've just asked'' She mutters, keeping a hand against the spot that made contact with the floor.
Bellamy watches with intense eyes as Brandi gets pulled mercilessly onto her feet, handcuffs locking around both of her wrist. He went to grab her by the arm but she jerked herself from him. ''I can walk.''
Bellamy pushes himself off of the doorframe and walks over to her, only reaching out to her to receive the cold treatment. Only this time she took a step back. ''Don't touch me.''
He lost her. If he didn't think he lost her then, he sure knows now.
The same sunken features that were lifeless and broken with eyes that burned at him with agony were the same as the night of Mount Weather.
The small group walked only a few feet until Brandi remembered something. She swiftly turns as the others walk but Bellamy wrapped a hand around an arm.
He felt her stiffen under his touch and lightened the weight of his grip. ''Why did you stop?''
She looks down and swallows. ''I uh.. I forgot my bag.''
''I'll get it'' He offers but she didn't want him to find out. She didn't want to make her escape any harder than it has been today.
''No. I got it.''
Of course, even through the course of their difficult relationship, Bellamy was just as stubborn as Brandi to listen to her orders.
He leaves her side to walk behind the desk and lifts up her bag that was more than obsolete, only it was held upside down. Her articles of clothing fell out along with other necessary items.
He looks up at her but she didn't meet his gaze. She could already sense how angered he was by the fact that she was running away. She had already succeeded the first time, she doesn't understand the point of returning, especially after today.
She could hear the hasty movements he made as he returned everything back in the bag, slinging it against his back as he returned to her side. ''Let's go.''
''Bellamy-''
''I said, let's go.''
While the guard pulled at Clarke, Bellamy pulled at Brandi. ''Pike should be in his headquarters.''
''Bellamy, you don't have to do this'' Clarke pleads, looking over at Brandi who remained silent. She was done fighting. She was ready for whatever was coming, because her plan of resisting was wearing out.
''Yes, I do.''
''Just let us go.''
His mop of curls bounce when looking over at the fidgeting blonde. ''Believe it or not, I'm doing this for your own good.''
''My Own Good?'' Brandi snaps, ripping herself away from him. ''You Punched Me In The Face, Bellamy!''
''And for that, I'll be doing this for your own good'' Octavia counters when kicking the guard in his shin, causing to get on his knees. She grabbed him by his head and knee'd him in the face, throwing him to the ground.
''You can't just hit a guard'' Bellamy reminds ut the three girls were far from caring.
''I just did. Now let them go.''
''I can't do that'' He mutters, pulling the two behind his physique.
Voices were heard from down the hall and Brandi could only guess that there were more guards to come. ''They're coming.''
''You should go'' He advised.
Clarke went around Brandi and grabbed a gun held in the holster around the waist of the unconscious guard. An electrical metal rod was swung out and was stabbed against Bellamy's side.
He let out a gasp and fell to the ground, trembling violently due to the small electrical waves shooting through him as Brandi grabbed the keys from the waistline of his jeans.
''Got it.''
''Follow me.''
The three ran down the familiar turn of halls until they reached the same red plastic straps. Within the time span, both Brandi and Clarke had the handcuffs off.
''Mom'' Clarke gasps as she runs into the arms of Abby while Octavia and Brandi stood beside Kane who was opening up the section of the wall.
''We know what happened. We know what Pike did'' She pulls away from their embrace and holds onto her hands. ''Is there anything we can do to prevent a retaliation?''
''We came here to give them Pike'' Octavia snaps bitterly.
''He's the duly elected chancellor'' Kane prompts.
''He's also leading your people to a death sentence'' Brandi grimaced.
''Our people knew what they were voting for. Besides, he has all the guards and all the guns. We can't get close to him.''
''That's also not the way we do thing'' Abby reminds but now wasn't the time for a way to find peace. Brandi actually wants Pike's blood on her hands.
As if reading her mind, Octavia speaks up. ''Then maybe it's time we change the way we do things.''
''Security Breach. Lock Down The Exits'' The man on the P.A informs.
''You two need to go, now.''