The day after the rain fell, the delinquents camp descended into chaos. It seemed everyone had taken Bellamy's "Whatever the hell we want" speech quite literally because in every direction Lyds turned there was yet another fight, a couple touching one another or general arguing. Everything they'd began to build was quickly falling apart all at once and it felt like there was no way to stop it.
There was nothing to be done.
Peacefully, Lyds lay on the ground near the edge of camp, her legs outstretched and her arms tucked beneath her head. Despite everything going on around her, even with being able to hear Murphy's evil laughs floating through the air, she'd somehow found a way to let herself relax. Even if she was terrified that Finn and Clarke still hadn't returned to camp.
Just as Lydia opened her eyes it seemed that the sun was blocked out by a figure stood over her. Wells Jaha, of course, he'd ran out of people to bug.
"Please tell me you're thinking what i'm thinking."
"That you're stood in my light?" she cocked an eyebrow, "Yes, yes i am."
"Have you taken a look around lately? Bellamy's whatever the hell we want speech left an impression on the others that's for sure."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"You're just as sane as I am Lyds, you must see the downside to all of this."
"Look, I'll be honest. I respect Bell, but as much as I do, right now I just want Clarke and the others to come back."
"It seems like a long shot but maybe you could talk some sense into him. Him and that Murphy guy seem to listen to you."
"That's because Bellamy trusts me, and that Murphy guy happens to be my best friend."
"Oh so you're like with them?" Wells sighed, and the boy prayed to god that yet another seemingly sane person wouldn't condone the two boys behaviour.
"I don't agree with what they're doing, no. But they're my friends yes." Could she even call Bellamy a friend?
With one final nod shared between the pair Lydia decided it would be best if she took Wells advice and talked to Bellamy, perhaps if he was the one who caused all of the destruction then he would be able to put a stop to it too. She knew there was no use in talking to Murphy, he would never have been able to understand.
"Bellamy."
The boys head instantly shot up and his eyes locked with hers in an intense stare, she felt small beneath his stare. Almost as if she was being looked at beneath a microscope
"Lyds, what can I do for you?"
"Something needs to be done about this."
"What do you mean?" the older man climbed to his feet, his height towered over the 17 year old. "Whatever the hell we want, remember?"
"I remember I just don't agree with it."
"I saw you talking to Jaha, has he been planting ideas in your head?"
"No! Of course not, I just think that things are getting a little too wild."
"They're blowing off steam." He shrugged, "But i'll tell you what doll, if they're still acting like this by tomorrow i'll talk to them but until then-"
"Whatever the hell we want." Lyds half smiled
"Whatever the hell we want." Bellamy shot back, "You need anything else?"
"I think I'm good."
"Good."
Bellamy seemed uncertain in his actions as Lydia began to walk away, he'd never been hesitant about anything before, but in a matter of seconds he came to his senses and grabbed the freckled girl by her hand, pulling her back towards him.
"Tell Wells," he whispered, his lips so incredibly close to her skin, "that if everything around here is too much for him, he can go bury the guys that died in the landing. He doesn't need you to air his problems for him."
"That's not what I'm doing Bell... I'm trying to make things better around here, not fix Jaha's problems for him, that's the last thing I want to do."
"Next time you have a problem just come to me, okay? I want you to trust me."
"Like you've said, a thousand times."
"Quit exaggerating." Bellamy fought to hold back his laugh and pulled away from Lyds as if nothing had happened at all. "It was like four times."
"Four hundred times."
"I hate you." The Blake boy rolled his eyes, "Seriously Lyds, next time something's wrong tell me and I'll do whatever I can to fix it."
"Why is it that you want my trust so much Bell? There has to be a reason, right?"
"You were the first person to show any kindness to my sister and I, I'm just returning the favour." He shrugged
She would never have been able to admit it but somehow Lydia had hoped there would be more behind Bellamy's desperation for her to trust him. Of course she remembered the way she'd defended Octavia and Bellamy from the other prisoners when they were finally reunited but she'd felt as if there was something more behind his words, something he wasn't telling her.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome, now go tell Wells to get to work, he should start digging before it gets dark."
"Aye-aye captain."
And with one final look shared between the pair, Lyds turned on her heel and made her way back over to where Wells stood, while Bellamy found himself fighting the urge to follow.
What felt like hours passed by and nightfall was almost upon the prisoners, Lydia had spent the rest of her day writing and drawing in her sketchbook out on the grass alone, she preferred it that way, it meant she didn't have to deal with anymore of Bellamy and Murphy's lunatic behaviour.
"Stop! It hurts!" a girl cried out
The Greystone girl's blood ran cold and she immediately dropped the pad of paper she'd been drawing upon and bolted outside in search of the injured girl. Once more a group of teens had crowded around the fire and she knew that only two people could have something to do with it.
When she finally reached the fire, the Greystone girl stumbled upon the sick sight of her best friend holding the girl's face over the fire, oh god he's going to kill her she thought. She'd never seen John in such a terrifying light before.
"What are you doing? Let her go!"
"We're making the Ark think we're suffering before we die, she wants the wristband gone! Stay out of this Lyds!"
"You're hurting her! She told you to stop John!"
"I said stay out of this! Or I'll wrench yours off of you next-"
"Let her go!" Wells yelled out before he surged forwards, pushing Murphy to the ground and freeing the screaming girl. The girl immediately climbed to her feet and hid behind Lydia, cowering almost, perhaps she hadn't wanted her wristband gone after all.
"You can stop this."
"Stop this?" Bellamy's voice echoed out across the camp, his eyes instantly locked with the blonde girls just as they always did. "Oh, I'm just getting started."
Before Lyds could even reach out to stop him, Murphy swung at Wells punching him in the face but it seemed the Chancellors son wasn't going to give up without a fight. Seconds later, Wells forced Murphy to the ground but the boy was quickly back on his feet and produced a knife from his pocket.
Lydia wanted to scream, to stop the boy, but truthfully she'd started to become afraid of the man who she loved like a sibling. He wasn't the same John Murphy she'd grown up with.
"You're dead."
"John don't do this."
"Don't make me fight you too." he laughed
Without a moment spared, Lydia surged around Murphy and seized Bellamy's arm, silently pleading with him to put an end to all of the madness.
"Bellamy, you said if I have a problem I should come to you. You want me to trust you? Then stop this."
"Okay doll, I got this." the man smirked to himself before pulling a knife from his belt.
"That's not what I meant!"
"Wait." He spoke throwing the knife at Wells feet, "Fair fight."
"Murphy, don't do this, I love you and I'm telling you-"
"Okay, okay... I'll make his death fast."
And with that, Murphy lunged at the boy. Lydia tried her hardest to force her way in between them but it seemed Bellamy had different ideas because the second she made a move towards Murphy, his hands were around her waist pulling her back.
"Let me go!"
"I played by your rules, a fair fight. Now you play by mine."
"This is for my father!"
Lydia could've sworn her eyes were closed for only a second, she just wanted it all to stop, but it seemed her wish had came true because the second she opened her eyes there was a knife pressed to her best friends throat.
"Drop it."
Before even Bellamy could stop her, Lyds had approached the taller boy and hit the knife to the ground, within a matter of seconds her arms were around her best friend and he was pushed behind her.
"You're just like your father."
"And maybe you're more like your brother than you thought."
"Fuck you, Wells."
"Way to go princess, you showed him."
"Shut up Bellamy!" the blue eyed girl cried out, her hands hit his chest, "He could've gotten killed!"
"The Chancellor?"
"No, who do you think?"
Bellamy's eyes instantly fell upon Murphy who was leaning against a tree for support, covered in dirt and blood. He was in pain, and a lot of it, and what hurt the most was that he'd been humiliated in front of everyone, Bellamy or even his own best friend for that matter hadn't even been able to stop him.
Everyone else had stopped and was watching their leader and the blonde girl argue as if it was an event to spectated upon, it was obvious she was hurt, Bellamy could see that too and that was what made him feel all the more guilty. For a man who had wanted to gain her trust so badly he sure had ruined any chance of that.
"I wanted to trust you Bell." her voice dropped to a whisper, "How am I supposed to do that now?"
"Stop!" Finn's voice called out and Lydia immediately froze. Her friends were home, her real friends.
"Finn!"
"Wells what were you doing?" Clarke hissed her eyes filled with anger
"Trying to cut me open." Murphy cut in, "But I'll have the last laugh."
Murphy quickly ran at Wells ready to tackle him but thankfully Bellamy stepped in the middle, shoving John back until he couldn't reach the younger boy.
"Murphy, that's enough! You heard Lyds, it's over!"
"Thank you," she smiled softly
"See, I got you." the Blake boy smirked to himself, his eyes wandered to meet the ground until they fell upon his younger sister who was limping into camp. "Octavia!"
"Shit are you okay?"
"I'm fine Lydia." Octavia sighed, her arms around her brother
"Where's the food?"
"We didn't make it to Mount Weather." Finn explained, "We were attacked."
"By what? Animals?"
"Not by what... by who. Turns out when the last man on the Ark died, he wasn't the last grounder."
"Everything we thought we knew about earth is wrong. There are people here, survivors. The good news is that means we can survive, the radiation won't kill us-"
"And the bad news?" Lydia asked, her facial expression a mixture of both worry and relief
"The bad news is the grounders will." Finn mumbled
"Where's the kid with the goggles?"
"Jasper was hit. They took him." Clarke shook her head, her eyes falling upon the vacant skin where Wells wristband had once been.
"Where is your wristband?"
"Ask him."
Bellamy shrunk back at Wells words, but Murphy wasn't willing to step down.
"24 and counting, don't worry Lyds tried to stop it, you don't need to worry about her coming over to the dark side."
"You idiots! Life support on the Ark is failing! That's why they brought us down here. They need to know the ground is survivable again and we need their help against whoever is out there. If you take off your wristbands you're not just killing them, you're killing us!"
"Don't listen to her!" Bellamy turned to the crowd, "She's one of the privileged. If they come down, she'll have it good, how many of you can say the same? That wristband on your arm, it makes you a prisoner, we are not prisoners anymore! They say they'll forgive your crimes, I say you're not criminals, you're survivors! The grounders should be worried about us!"
The crowd immediately began to cheer and with one final sigh Clarke walked away from the group with Monty in tow, and Lyds immediately fell silent.
"What's that look for doll?" Bellamy laughed, "You don't have anything to be worried about... Oh I get it, you're still mad at me? Look I'm sorry-"
"You don't need to apologise Bellamy, you stopped Murphy in the end that's all I could ask for."
"So I'm forgiven?"
"I forgive you, yes."
"If you forgive me then what's the matter?" he threw an arm around the girl, as if it was second nature to not just him but the both of them.
"What if they come for us? What do we do then?"
"Who?"
"The grounders... I can't lose anyone I care about again. Not after my parents." she leaned into his touch
"Then we fight." he told her, his fingertips pressed to her skin, "We fight and we protect one another and our people."
"Everyone?"
"I'm talking about you and me, Lyds. You don't need to be afraid, I'll be there to protect you."
"I'll protect you too." she let out a quiet laugh, all of the stress finally began to fall away.
"You won't need to protect me, trust me Lyds I'm going to be around to annoy your ass for a long time."
"You promise?"
"I promise." he laughed, and the two fell into each other's embrace.