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Castaway ~ 5 Seconds of Summer

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"BRING OUT THE GIRL, BELLAMY!" Murphy yelled as he paced outside of a tent. Bellamy, Clarke, Finn, and Charlotte were on the inside, the leaders debating on what to do. Harlai stood outside with the rest of the group and she stood in between Octavia and Jasper. She couldn't stand being in the same space with Bellamy at the moment. "Bring her out now!"

Harlai didn't know what to think. Murphy had the right to be furious, the others almost killed him, and Bellamy was the most responsible. Everyone listened to him and he was the one that kicked the table out from beneath Murphy's feet, leaving him fighting to catch a breath in the air.

"You wanted to build a society, Princess? Let's build a society. Bring her out!"

Harlai caught Finn peaking through the flap of the tent as Murphy yelled. She wondered what they were saying in there. She placed a hand on Murphy's shoulder, but she regretted it as soon as he jumped in response. He was still shaken up from earlier. He relaxed when he quickly turned to see it was Harlai, her eyes softening.

"Hey, I'm gonna go in there and see what's going on." She said and he nodded in response, seeming to calm down a bit.

She began to walk over to the tent, but right as she got to the flaps, Bellamy pushed one up. He halted to a stop when he saw her and he opened his mouth to say something. Cutting him off, Harlai turned around with a clenched jaw and began to walk back over to Murphy who was meeting them halfway.

"Well, well, well, look who decided to join us." Murphy said as he glared at Bellamy who stopped beside Harlai. She kept her eyes on Murphy, noticing in that moment how bad he was beaten up. Blood covered most of his face and he looked exhausted.

"Dial it down and back off." Bellamy said, lowering his voice probably so Charlotte couldn't hear them. She must have been so scared.

Harlai began to feel bad for Charlotte, but she killed Wells. They didn't need to kill her, but they did needed to have some kind of punishment for her. Clarke was right when she said they needed rules and if they didn't do something, Murphy might just do something he regrets.

"Or what? What are you gonna do, Bellamy?" Murphy asked the dark haired man as he stepped closer. "Hang me?"

"I was just giving the people what they wanted." Bellamy said, making Harlai quietly scoff and shake her head.

"Yeah because that's a great idea. You give a kid candy and they'll want more, same with this." Harlai looked up at Bellamy, an expression of anger finding her face. "We shouldn't murder someone for their crimes, just punish them."

"Why don't we do that right now?" Murphy asked with a devious smile, making Harlai glance over to him as he turned around to the crowd. "So, who here wants to see the real murderer hung up? All in favor?" Murphy rose a hand, but only a handful of people did the same.

"Murphy, that's not what I meant." Harlai walked up behind him and she grabbed his arm, but he only shook her grip off.

"I see." He looked down at her and for a moment, she swore she could see disappointment in his eyes. Looking back to the other criminals he yelled, "So, it's okay to string me up for nothing, but when this little bitch confesses, you all let her walk? Cowards! All of you are cowards!"

Harlai flinched as he rose his voice and Bellamy advanced towards him as he yelled as well. "Hey, Murphy! Murphy." He stopped once he was up in Murphy's face. "It's over."

"Okay, boss." Murphy said and with that, Bellamy turned around and began to walk back to the tent. Harlai's eyes widened once she saw Murphy grab a log, hitting it over Bellamy's head and sending him to the ground unconscious.

"Son of a bitch! Hey!" Octavia yelled and Jasper walked up to Murphy to try and stop him, but Murphy only punched him in the face.

Harlai quickly knelt down to Jasper's side as Octavia tended to Bellamy. "Jasper, are you okay?" He seemed to be fine, his nose bleeding just a bit.

"Come on, let's get the girl." Harlai heard Murphy say as he pulled up the tent, only to find it empty. Finn, Clarke, and Charlotte nowhere in sight. "Charlotte! Charlotte, I know you can hear me! And when I find you, you are gonna pay!"

•••

ONCE HARLAI MADE SURE that Jasper was okay, she glanced over at Octavia with Bellamy. He was beginning to wake up, but blood was dripping from the back of his head where Murphy, who was now long gone after Charlotte, hit him in the back of the head.

"If you need anything, call out for me." Harlai made eye contact with Jasper and once he nodded, she patted him on the shoulder. She stood up and she walked over to crouch down beside Octavia.

"Bellamy, are you okay?" Octavia asked as he began to sit up.

"I'm fine, O." He brought a hand to the back of his head and he grimaced when he saw blood on coating his palm.

"Let me check." Harlai muttered as she moved behind him. Her eyes searched the wound and she brought her hands up, pushing some of his dark locks aside so she could see it better, this made him wince. She paused at feeling how soft his hair was, she wouldn't mind running her fingers through it.

Harlai shook her head at those thoughts and she spoke up again. "It doesn't look bad, but you look li-"

Bellamy cut her off as he pushed himself up and Octavia and Harlai shot to their feet as well. "Good, I need to go find Charlotte."

"Bellamy, you might have a concussion." Octavia placed her hand on his arm, but he snatched his arm away.

"I don't care. I need to go find Charlotte before Murphy kills her." Bellamy glanced up at the sky which was beginning to grow dark.

"Bellamy no-"

Cutting Octavia off, Harlai began to speak. "I'll go with you then." This surprised Bellamy and even Octavia. They both knew Harlai was mad at him. "I'm not letting you go alone with a concussion."

"Alright, let's go." Bellamy nodded and he began to walk off into the forest. Leaving a worried Octavia behind, Harlai followed the taller man.

The two walked in silence for a while, Bellamy having a conflicted mind. One part was racing, wondering where Charlotte was and thinking if Murphy had caught up to her. The other part was wondering why Harlai had insisted on coming with him. He knew she hated his guts, yet she still cared about him. Well, enough to follow him into the woods because of a minor concussion.

"So, why did you really come with me, Sleeping Beauty?" Bellamy asked as he glanced down at the shorter woman, her eyes keeping straight ahead.

"One, don't call me that." Harlai said in a hard tone as she held a finger out when she said 'one.' She added another finger as she said, "And two, I came with you just in case your hardheaded ass fell out from a concussion."

"Oh, so you care about me?" He wiggled his bushy brows, but he was being completely honest. His question made her head snap up, her eyes finding his own. For a second, she swore she could see his eyes brighten and her own softened for a second.

"I would have done the same for someone else with a concussion. Don't think you're special." She told him as she looked ahead of her again, stepping over a fallen branch. "Or do you think I should've stayed back? Being a lost cause, I guess I wouldn't have been able to do much anyways."

Bellamy stopped in his tracks as he heard her and he grabbed her arm, yanking her to a stop with him. She looked up at him, her brows furrowing together. This time her eyes showed another emotion: vulnerability.

"I thought you were going to die, Harlai." Bellamy's voice was a little shaky as he spoke, but he quickly hardened it once he realized it. That same voice he used with everyone to make them know that he was in charge. His eyes dropped to where his hand clutched onto her arm and her eyes followed. When he loosened his grip, she pulled her arm out of it. "I didn't want you to be in anymore pain. I heard how you were groaning, I knew you were in a lot."

There was a moment of silence as she stared at him and then she shook her head. "It still wasn't right. Neither was almost killing Murphy to satisfy the people."

Bellamy opened his mouth to reply, but he stopped when he heard a twig snap. His head turned and so did Harlai's, both of them seeing Charlotte at the same time. Bellamy quickly ran over, Harlai following suit, and once he came up behind Charlotte, he grabbed her and placed a hand over her mouth to keep her from screaming.

Harlai's eyes flickered from the two to hear Murphy yelling for Charlotte as well as seeing lights from their torches in the far distance.

"Let me go!" Charlotte yelled out as Bellamy began to drag her away, but she continued to fight against him.

"I'm trying to help you!"

"I'm not your sister!" Charlotte yelled at him as they stopped and Harlai ran up to them. "Just stop helping me." With that, she broke away from Bellamy and began to ran towards the angry mob. "I'm over here!"

Bellamy ran after her and quickly grabbed her, stopping Charlotte from running into the view of a bloodthirsty Murphy. "Are you trying to get all of us killed?"

"Just go, okay? I'm the one they want."

Harlai walked up to them and she placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. She killed Wells, but she was just a little girl. "Charlotte, we won't leave you."

Bellamy's eyes flickered up at Harlai before looking Charlotte in the eyes. "She's right."

"Please, guys." Charlotte pleaded with them, brushing Harlai's hand off of her shoulder and yanking herself out of Bellamy's grip.

Before she could run towards them, Bellamy grabbed the younger girl, lifting her onto his broad shoulders.

She let out a scream as she yelled, "Murphy, I'm over here!"

Bellamy continued to run through the woods with Charlotte on his shoulders, Harlai right on his heels. The young girl thrashed around, yelling out for Murphy like a suicidal maniac as he yelled for her. Once Bellamy made it to a cliff, both him and Harlai halted to a stop.

"Dammit." Bellamy cursed outloud as he looked over it and all three of them turned around just as Murphy and his friends caught up.

"Bellamy!" Murphy yelled and then his eyes fell onto Harlai. She met his gaze, but he just shook his head as he looked to Bellamy. "You cannot fight all of us. Give her up."

"Maybe not, but I guarantee I'll take a few of you with me." He replied just as Clarke and Finn ran up to them.

"Bellamy, Harlai! Stop!" Clarke moved in between Murphy and the three by the cliff, her eyes landing on Murphy. "This has got to stop. Just calm down. We'll talk about this."

Murphy's eyes flickered over to Bellamy and Charlotte before grabbing Clarke and turning her around. Harlai's eyes widened when she saw a flash of metal as Murphy brought a knife up to her throat. "I'm sick of listening to you talk!"

"Let her go, Murphy!" Harlai stepped towards them, but he pressed it closer to her throat.

"Ah, ah, ah!" Murphy's eyes narrowed at Harlai and he pointed a finger at her. "I will slit her throat."

Harlai's eyes widened even more and she held her hands up, stepping away and closer to the cliff.

"No, please. Please don't hurt her." Charlotte's tiny voice spoke up, Harlai and Bellamy glancing down at her.

"Don't hurt her?" Murphy kept the blade close to Clarke's pale skin as a warning. "Okay, I'll make you a deal. You come with me right now, I will let her go."

"M-Murphy." Harlai held her hands out, palms facing him. "Come on, Murphy. She's just a little girl." She tried to reason with him, but he just ignored her, his eyes still on Charlotte.

"Don't do it, Charlotte." Clarke's shaky voice sounded as her whole body stayed tense, scared to move against Murphy's knife.

Charlotte ignored her and started towards Murphy, but Bellamy held her back, making her scream out. "No, I have to!"

Bellamy looked to Murphy, holding his arm out so Charlotte couldn't make it past him. "Murphy, this is not happening."

"I can't let any of you get hurt anymore." Charlotte shook her head as she stared at Murphy, her eyes beginning to fill with tears. "Not because of me. Not after what I did."

Not a second later, the little girl turned around and jumped off of the cliff. Harlai gasped out and tried to reach out to grab her, but her hand caught air. Harlai's teary eyes followed Charlotte's form until it completely disappeared.

"Charlotte!" Clarke screamed out, the three of them falling to their knees on the edge of the cliff. "No, no, no!"

"God dammit!" Harlai brought her closed fist down onto the rocks, not even wincing in pain as they cut her knuckles. Tears began to stream down her cheeks, mixing with the dark soil that spotted her face.

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WORD COUNT: 2320

What did you think about Charlotte? Should she have died or brought back to be punished a different way? 🤷🏻‍♀️