─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
JUNE IS BACK IN A CAGE. She's hunched into a fetal position, knees pressed to her chest as she breaks down. The pain was still there, her hip stinging every time she shifts. Tears slide down her cheeks as she cries, her entire body trembling. The agonizing procedure went on for so long, at least to her, she was sure she was either going to die or pass out but unfortunately didn't. June had to lay on her back, tied down to a chair like some kind of animal as she was shown no mercy and had a bone drilled into. No pain medicine, no anesthesia. It was sickening.
At least June was alone now. She could cry freely on her own, sobbing into her hands that she buried her face into. It wasn't just the ache that was making her cry. It was the way she was treated, having restraints on her and went through endless pain just so they could leave the bunker freely. June hated that she regretted ever convincing Clarke to let her and Bellamy sneak in, having wished she stayed back at their camp. No one was coming to save her.
Or so June thought. She heard the door to the room suddenly slam open, causing her to jump violently. She squeezed her eyes shut, hands flying up to cover her ears as she whimpered. "No, please..." More tears fell down June's already stained cheeks as she imagined going through the worst pain in her life again. "Please don't..."
Two gunshots ring in the air. June doesn't pick her head up, even when she hears a young girl cry. She tried to curl herself further away as her cage rattles, wincing as her hip screams in protest. The cage door flies open, and June sobs, trying to push away the hands touching her away. "Please, please, don't!" She begged.
"June, June, it's okay!" A low, familiar voice exclaimed. "It's me. Open your eyes."
Slowly, June let her eyelids flutter open. Bellamy is there, crouched in front of June's open cage, his dark eyes full of concern. He's holding one hand out, the other touching her arm. "Bellamy?" She whispered, struggling to believe Bellamy was really there.
"It's me," Bellamy repeated gently. "Come on, June." June nodded shakily, clutching his lower arms tightly as he helped her out. Her feet are unsteady as she stumbled out, struggling to find footing that doesn't put an ache in her hip. June can't stop herself from throwing her arms over Bellamy's shoulder and crying into his neck. She can't speak, can't tell him anything. Can't start to explain any of the horror she had gone through. But June has a hunch that Bellamy already knows as he returns the embrace, so gentle and careful like he was afraid he'd break her.
"Come on," a voice pipes in from the doorway. June let her hands linger on Bellamy's shoulder as she pulled away, looking over to see Maya urging them. A timid girl, who she recognized as Fox, was watching with wide eyes. "We gotta get them someplace safe."
Safe. The word made June want to laugh bitterly. She had hardly been in Mount Weather for two days and already had a drill dug into her bone. But June stayed quiet, leaning on Bellamy so she could walk as they followed Maya. Every turn around different corners had her clutching his clothing tightly, scared out of her mind she'd end up back in the chair with leather straps. Every noise, no matter how small, made her flinch. June felt numb anyways, shivering even though she wasn't at all cold until Maya approached a door. She tried to shake it off and seem as stable as possible.
"Dad, you're home," Maya spoke nervously after she swung the door open. June could hear a deep male voice reply as Bellamy guided her and Fox inside.
A man with features identical to Maya sat up on a comfortable sofa, eyes squinting to the three strangers. "What are they doing here?" He asked in a demanding tone.
"They're in trouble, they just need someplace to stay," Maya explained desperately.
"They need to go, now," her father ordered, rising to stand on his heavy boots with a thud.
"Let me explain," Maya pleaded, standing in front of the three protectively.
His gaze lands on Bellamy. "I'll let you explain where you got that uniform." There's a coldness in his tone that makes June want to leave. "Maya, you know how dangerous this is. What are you doing?" He questioned, all harshness gone and replaced with worry as he spoke directly to his daughter.
"What mom would have done," Maya answered, much more bold.
It's silent as her father lets that sink in. For a moment, June thinks he's about to cave before he shakes his head. "I need you to leave," he says to them strictly.
Bellamy's hold on June tightens as he shakes his head. "Sorry," he apologizes. "We can't do that."
"It's okay," Maya reassured both sides. "He's gonna help us."
"Really? Cause I'm not getting that," Bellamy retorted.
"My parents were part of a movement that was against using outsider blood. My mom refused the treatments and it killed her." Maya stares straight at her father. June is stunned at the confession, struggling to picture a rebellion in Mount Weather of people knowing bleeding people dry was wrong. "She was willing to die for what she believed in," Maya finished.
"Maya," he whispered. "You were five. I couldn't leave you alone."
"I'm not a little girl anymore," Maya argued.
"They're willing to kill you to get to them," the older man declared. "If you get caught - "
Maya quickly cut him off. "We won't if you help us."
Afraid, Fox stepped forward. "Please, they're killing us. We don't have anywhere else to go." June wants to cut in, tell Maya's father her own story. How she was strapped down against her will and had a drill dig into her bone; how she suffered an agonizing pain he may not ever be able to understand. But June doesn't, knowing she could never be able to say it out loud.
But Fox's pleading seems enough to convince him. He nods slowly. "Just this once, just for one night," he said simply.
Maya nodded, grateful. "Here, just this way," she offered Fox. "You and June can share my room."
As June followed Maya through the neat halls, she hears the man's voice bounce off the walls as he spoke to Bellamy. "You know, they'll never stop, right? If the rumors are true and your bone marrow can get us back to the ground, they'll never stop."
━━━━━━━━
The sleep June had wasn't easy. She couldn't remember a time she did sleep through an entire night, but this time was different compared to the others. She'd shut her eyes, tighten her grip on the plush comforter pulled over her, and hear the drilling again. She remembered being trapped, powerless to stop, letting out constant ear-piercing screams, begging them to stop. The bed was warm, but June still felt like she was there, could still feel the leather digging into her wrists and ankles. She knew there was no healing from what torture she had just endured. It was always going to be like this.
Before Bellamy had left, he gave her a walkie and suggested she talked to Raven before or after some rest. June had decided to leave it on the stand beside the bed. Talking to her was only going to make it worse, and she knew she'd have to eventually, but June just wanted to forget. She would doze off, only to be startled awake again and stare at the ceiling with wide eyes like she was back in that place. But this time, the radio next to June crackled before a familiar voice filled it.
"This is President Wallace."
A cold shiver crawls up June's spine. She wants to cry, remembering what happened when she was caught by him. Put her to use. Like she was some reusable toy. A tear slips down June's cheek as she sat up, bringing the piece to her ear so she could hear more clearly.
"I thought we'd try something a little different this time. There's only twenty minutes of oxygen in Maya's suit. I know she's a friend of yours. In twenty minutes, your friend will either suffocate or burn. But you can save her. All you have to do is surrender."
June doesn't hesitate. She rips off the blanket, throwing her feet to the ground and standing. A sharp pain shoots up from her hip to her leg and she grimaces, hand flying to her side. She grits her teeth, stubbornly staggering out of the room. June already had the terrible image in her head of Maya, in a suit, on a limited amount of air. Maya had saved her a few times, and she wasn't about to leave her alone. "Bellamy?" June switched the station on her walkie, searching for his voice. "Bellamy, come in. Did you hear?"
"I'm on my way already," Bellamy replied, sounding out of breath, like he was running.
"Good. I'm going to our friends on Level Two to help them."
"June, back down. You're not well enough. You're going to hurt yourself," Bellamy instructed.
It was too late for that, June thought, as she stumbled into the living room. Each step was worse than the last, but the idea of Maya bursting into radiation burns and suffering had kept her going. "I'm fine," June protested in pain. She ripped her earpiece out, shoving it into her pants pocket so she wouldn't have to hear Bellamy argue anymore.
"What are you doing?" Maya's father, Vincent if June remembered her saying, asked from his seat on the couch's cushion. He stood at the sight of her, arms out like June would fall over at any second.
June hesitated, struggling to find the right words. But this was Maya's father. He had a right to know. "It's Maya," she breathed out. "President Wallace is offering her life for my friend's surrender." Vincent's eyes widen in shock and fear as June lets him process what she has to say before staggering to the door. "I'm going to help her."
"Stop, stop," Vincent's voice wavered as he protested, grabbing June's arm lightly and tugging her back.
Suddenly, June ripped her arm away like Vincent had lit it on fire, almost tripping as she backed up. "Don't touch me!"
"Alright - I'm sorry," Vincent apologized quickly, holding his hands up in defense. June panted, her heart racing as she came back from the out lash. There's a heavy pause before he asks the same question June had been dreading. "You had the bone marrow treatment. Didn't you?"
More tears build up in June's already watery brown eyes. She sniffled, shakily raising her arm to wipe her nose on her sleeve. Even though this was the last topic she wanted to discuss, June knew she had to. Her friend's lives were at stake.
"Yeah," June finally whispered out. "And it's worse then what you can think." Vincent's head tilted, listening more closely with his lips tugged downwards into a frown. "They strapped me down..." Painful memories flashed in June's mind, ones of her struggling as Emerson and Moore tightly wrapped leather bounds around her wrist, ankles, and neck. "And dug a drill into my hip. It wasn't bad at first. Just felt like a needle." June chortled a bitter laugh. "Then it hit bone." She tilted her head back, jaw clenching. "And they listened to my scream."
"I am sorry - " Vincent started, but was cut off by June continuing.
"You don't understand. The same thing will happen to my friends. Please, please, help us," June begged. She watched as his features flicker through dozens of emotions, mulling over what he was told before he finally gives her a curt nod. June could have cried in relief. "Thank you," she breathed out.
Vincent held his arm out, gesturing for June to hold on. "Your friend, that boy - Bellamy, they'll save my daughter. And we'll save them."
━━━━━━━━
Being back in the tunnels wasn't something June planned, but she was firm on following Vincent to be sure her friends were safe. Bellamy confirmed he was helping Maya through the trash chute, and she assumed he had already beaten them there. Her hip still hurt, but it was getting easier to ignore as she kept one hand on Vincent's shoulder so he could guide her through the damp tunnels. June was glad he knew where the trash chute was, otherwise she had been completely lost on her own.
"Dad?" Maya's voice startled June as they turned a corner. Maya was there, Bellamy and Jasper on either of her sides. "What are you doing here?"
"What your mother would have done," Vincent responded warmly. June released him, and he rushed to embrace his daughter.
"June!" The exclamation from Jasper was followed by him darting ahead, throwing his arms over her shoulders and hugging her so tightly she felt her ribs crushed against his chest.
Still, June faintly smiled, her arms wrapping around Jasper's back and hands locking together behind him. She could hardly remember the last time she had seen all her friends. It was so long ago, back when the grounders attacked their dropship. Seeing that Jasper was alright brought a comfort to June, despite what happened. She had faith they could survive this.
"Is Monty alright?" June questioned softly. Jasper nodded into their embrace, making her sigh like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She remembered leaving him alone in the woods when he told her to and regretted it, but hearing he was alive was enough to ease her fears and guilt.
"Listen," Bellamy announced from behind them. "Clarke is coming with an army of grounders."
Flying away from June, Jasper stared at Bellamy in disbelief. "What?"
"We have to keep all of you safe until then," Bellamy explained shortly.
"Don't tell me Finn finally got his peace talks."
June's heart sunk in her chest. Somehow, she had become so busy surviving, she had forgotten they didn't know Finn was gone. She opened and closed her mouth, unsure if this was the right time or place to tell Jasper the whole story. One knowing look shared with Bellamy was an answer enough. "Something like that," Bellamy mumbled gravely before cocking his head. "Come on. We got a long way to go."
The halls of Mount Weather are silent. June is grateful for that. She has her arm looped around Jasper's shoulders, feeling her hip sting again with each step as she, him, and Bellamy led the group of forty-four delinquents bravely. Bellamy comes to a halt, holding his hand up to stop the rest as he peers down the hall before nodding. "It's all clear."
"Won't they see us?" Miller murmured on Jasper's other side.
"Relax," Bellamy eased him. "Monty took out the cameras."
A scowl crosses Miller's face. "Yeah, well, we're still sitting ducks in a group like this."
"You're right," Bellamy agreed. "That's why we're gonna split up."
Confused, Monty rushed to catch up, joining June. "No, we do this together," he protested. "We survive together."
"We do survive together. But right now, this is what's best," June reassured him gently.
Jasper nodded. "June's right."
"They don't trust Maya anymore," Miller pointed out. "Who's gonna help us now?"
A warm smile was brought to June's face. She nods to Bellamy who stops again, whirling around and gesturing with his arm bent. "They are." At the end of the hall, an entire group of adults led by Maya and Vincent stand, prepared to rebel against Cage's orders to protect innocent teenagers even with the consequences. June is touched by how many people they had been able to round up to help, pleased knowing that not everyone in Mount Weather was the same.
"We're gonna hide you," Maya stated, walking forward courageously. "Not everyone here agrees with Cage, not by a long shot."
"Come with me," Vincent commanded with a wave of his hand, beckoning them to follow. "We'll divide you along the way." June stepped out of the way with Jasper as the delinquents took off to follow eagerly. "Let's go, you're safe now," he comforted them, assigning them to different people.
"Hey, we're coming with you," Jasper informed Bellamy, Monty stepping up with him as the delinquents passed them.
"No, you're not," Bellamy denied him quickly. "They still don't know we're here, and I need to keep it that way."
Slowly taking her arm off Jasper, June steadied herself, putting her weight on her better side. "I am, then," she said, ignoring the fear and attempting to sound as unafraid as she could.
"You're not either. You need to rest," Bellamy instructed, set on. "Go with Maya. You'll be safer, and I got this," he promised. June hated it, but he was right. She was useless with the pain in her hip, and if she believed in someone to be strong enough to save them, it was Bellamy.
"So what do we do?" Monty piped in worriedly.
Bellamy gives the three a solemn look. "Stay alive, be ready to fight," he warned them. "War is coming."