❝such a beautiful place to be with friends.❞

-dobby the house elf, harry potter and the deathly hallows

♛

HANNAH GREEN, PIKE, AND Caleb accompany us toward where we suspect Clarke will be. With our new companions, the ride in the Rover is more packed and awfully silent. I find myself pressed between Bellamy and Indra until we're shoulder-to-shoulder.

"There's the trading post," Indra informs Kane. He takes a left and stops the Rover in front of a large, one-story building that looks close to falling apart.

"Hey, do you hear that?" Pike questions. All of us fall even more silent. The faint sound of a violent crash and, "Weron kamp raun Wanheda?" makes Hannah flinch.

"Great," Caleb mutters dryly.

"We can't let whoever that is kill the owner," Bellamy says. "If we do, we may as well lose Clarke."

"I can't let that happen," I growl, face set in determination as I push the Rover's back door open and hop out. My rifle is clenched firmly in my hands as I march toward the entrance.

"Ai get klin bilaik dei Azgeda nomajoka komba raun gon em!" a male's enraged voice screams from inside. "Ai na as nodotaim noumou...Weron. Kamp. Raun. Wanheda?"

I kick the door open and fire a shot at the Grounder currently on top of whom I assume is the owner of the trading post. The bullet hits home in the man's back, causing him to topple over onto the ground. A female scrambles to her feet, long blonde hair whipping over her shoulder as she backs away from us. Her narrow face is covered in blood and eyes wide in fright.

"Are you okay?" Bellamy asks her calmly as he files inside after me. "Are you hurt?"

"Oso nou laik laksen yu," I tell her, immediately putting down my rifle and raising my arms in a means to show I'm being serious. "Ai swega klin."

The trading post is cluttered with various items spread out on tables. Most of it litters the floor from the attack, parts of furniture knocked over. There's a back room I can't see into from here, and more to the back left.

Indra steps closer to the woman's attacker and examines him before announcing, "Bounty hunter." Then, she quickly begins checking the rooms that branch off from the main one. "Yu hon yu in osir sisplei."

"English!" Pike demands sharply.

"Pike," Kane warms pointedly, "go outside. Take Monty, Hannah, and Caleb. Search the perimeter, make sure he was alone."

Pike eyes the bounty hunter on the ground before nodding and turning to leave. I exhale once the rest do as well; having fewer people around will make the poor girl more at ease. Hopefully.

"Osir ste lufa Wanheda au," Indra informs her.

She glances at the man's body beside her feet. "So was he."

"Please," Bellamy begs in a whisper. "She's in danger."

"You might be our only hope," I add.

She scans my face with and unreadable expression on hers. "You're Skaikru?"

"Yeah," Bellamy replies somewhat hesitantly. In the past, that response has given us nothing but trouble. Things between Grounders and Sky People are still rough despite our valiant efforts to smooth them.

"She was here last night."

Bellamy and I swivel our heads toward each other. I try to imagine Clarke here, making trades, but I find it almost impossible. Her edges are blurred and I can't seem to remember her exact facial features. The Clarke in my memory may not even be the same one who exists anymore.

"Did she say where she was going?" Kane asks gently as he steps forward.

"No," she answers. "She was here when I fell asleep and gone when I woke up."

I don't miss that. My interest spikes; I find myself wondering what her name is. Obviously she and Clarke have something between them. It lifts my spirits a little knowing that Clarke at least had someone while she's been out here.

"Did she give you any indication of where she might go?" Kane questions.

"No. But he did." The woman looks down to the bounty hunter. "He said that his partner came back for her. It was Ice Nation."

I suck in a breath and exhale through my nose. I had been afraid of that information. If the Ice Nation Grounder succeeds in taking Clarke back to the Azgeda queen, she'll kill her. My hands curl into cold fists at my sides.

"I hope you find her," she says genuinely.

I nod and give her a shaking smile. "Thank you."

"Good news," Monty declares when he jogs inside, a more cheerful expression on his face than before. "I found fresh tracks."

"Great," Bellamy comments. "Start the Rover."

"That's the bad news," Monty sighs. "Too many trees. We have to go on foot."

Bellamy's shoulders sag in disappointment. Kane and Monty leave almost immediately, but I turn toward the woman. "What's your name?"

She hesitates. "Niylah."

"Thank you, Niylah." I nod. "I'm Fallon."

Niylah watches me leave under a careful stare like she can't figure out whether or not to regret telling me that bit of information.

--

The tracks lead us to a field of long grass that brushes my thigh every time I take a step. The dry blades crunch under my feet.

While Bellamy and Pike have a conversation in the back of our group, I find myself walking alongside Caleb. We don't speak to each other. There's still that ridge of awkwardness between us that sets me on edge.

"So," he begins slowly, "are you and Bellamy, uh..."

"Together?" I finish. "Yeah."

He nods with a thoughtful expression. "I'm happy for you. He seems like a cool guy." When I huff, he turns his head toward me and raises a thick eyebrow. "Fallon, I mean it. I don't like you in that way anymore. I can tell he cares."

There's sincerity in his voice. I purse my lips before saying, "Thanks, Caleb."

I'm not at all offended by what he said- I have no reason to be. After all, I don't have feelings for him anymore, either. It's a relief. Bellamy might not trust Caleb, but at least I know there's no reason for him to be jealous.

The walk through the long grass is anything but serene, despite the calm and quiet atmosphere. My nerves are tightly coiled and tense. I can't help but glance in every direction as if I expect Clarke to pop up at any second, almost getting dizzy from the constant movement.

"Quiet," Indra says, suddenly stopping and holding up a hand. "Listen."

All of us fall silent to the sound of drums beating in my distance. My breath catches in my throat and I swallow thickly.

"War drums," Kane realizes, voice barely above an audible whisper.

"Azgeda," Indra hisses through her teeth.

"You can tell it's Ice Nation from the sound?" Monty asks incredulously. His eyebrows are pinched in confusion at her observation.

"No," she replies. "From them."

My eyes follow her line of vision to see two Azgeda warriors lying in the grass just a few meters beyond us. They don't appear to be alive considering they haven't moved, but there's no way to know for sure unless we check them out ourselves.

I quickly slide a knife out of my pocket and twirl it between my fingers before clenching onto the hilt tightly. Caleb and Bellamy instinctively raise their guns in synchronization.

"We need to get these bodies off the field," Pike says to Kane, but the last part of his sentence is unintelligible to me as I follow Hannah and Indra toward the unmoving warriors.

"They're fresh," Indra notes uneasily the instant we approach.

Hannah's eyebrows crease, a startling similarity to how Monty does it. "How can you tell?"

"The smell," she responds. "Someone just did this."

"Wait!" Bellamy calls from behind us. "Two people at twelve o'clock."

I look up in that direction to find two figures moving between the blades of grass, but it's so high over there that I can't see any of their features.

"Bell--" Caleb starts to say, then squints through the optical sight of his rifle again. "Is that Clarke Griffin?"

Instantly, I abandon the knife and raise my own gun to check for myself. My hands shake so violently that I can hardly keep it still enough to see out of. But, sure enough, I can barely make out Clarke being led by some sort of Grounder, her mouth gagged.

I take off without warning. Several shouts follow me, but none of them manage to stop me from sprinting like all hell toward my best friend. I move so fast everything is a blur except her. That's probably why I don't feel the hand ghost against my own and let out a cry when someone tackles me to the ground.

I face-plant into the grass, struggling against the weight of the person on top of me. Almost as quickly as we land, they get off and pull me to my feet again. I mentally curse Caleb for being so athletic. Damn him and his long legs.

"Fallon!" he exclaims when I try to yank my hand away. "Fallon, hey. Listen to me- that army is coming faster than you'd get to Clarke."

Feeling my spirits deflate, I glance toward the source of the drums and realize he's right. If I had to partake in any type of fight with the Grounder holding Clarke hostage, the army would overtake us.

My chest heaves; I can't seem to get enough air. Every inch of me is itching to make a break for it again despite the fact it'd only end in chaos. After three months of not knowing if she's alive or dead, seeing her makes me not want to rest until she's safe.

"I--" I cut myself off and manage to wrench my arm out of Caleb's grip again. My eyes meet his to see they're full of concern. "I can't lose her again, Caleb."

"We should lay low, let the army pass," Pike advises. He and the others must have come forward when I ran because everyone is closer than they should be. "Then we find Clarke."

"We don't even know where she'll be by then," I point out in exasperation. When I look at her, I discover she's being led into the other side of the woods that line the field. It'll be only a matter of time before I won't be able to see her at all.

Bellamy's desperate gaze meets mine somehow. He's thinking the same thing I am- this is our chance to save Clarke, and it may be our only chance.

"Guys," Monty breathes. "Look, there's a cave." He points to the mouth of a cave somewhat obscured by the large evergreen trees on the opposite side of the forest from where Clarke is.

"We just got lucky," Pike comments before patting Bellamy on the shoulder. I break our gaze and face Clarke again, somehow feeling like I'm betraying her if I seek refuge.

Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Caleb squinting at me. He then follows my eyes toward my best friend and stares for a long second. Next, he turns and starts walking toward the fallen Azgeda warriors without a word.

Before I force my gaze off of Clarke, I let one determined thought process. Hang in there, Clarke. I'm coming for you.

--

The cave is dark yet surprisingly dry, with nothing inside but dirt and rocks. Luckily it's deep enough to shroud us in darkness until the army passes. Unluckily, I can't see Clarke anymore.

Bellamy and I have been sitting at the mouth of the cave for about five minutes now. Restless, he gets up and marches toward Kane. "We're losing her."

"Relax," Kane replies calmly. "Save your energy."

"Kane's right, son," Pike contributes. "The army will move soon. You'll need your strength for what comes next."

Bellamy doesn't say anything in reply.

"Hey, Bellamy." Caleb's voice is just above a whisper, which is strange. Why would he need to whisper when we're far enough from the army? "Can I talk to you for a second?"

The sound of shoes scraping against loose stones follows. I glance back to see Bellamy walking hesitantly toward Caleb, who still has that same expression of concern on his face. A sigh escapes my lips as I turn back toward the opening of the cave. There have to be hundreds of Grounders moving across the plain at once; waiting for them will take way too long.

"Fallon," Monty says, making my lift my head to show him I'm listening, "we're going after her as soon as we can, okay?"

I nod though unconvinced. There are too many eyes on me now, so I have to wait for the perfect opportunity.

Scraping shoes catch my attention once again. I don't even have to look to know it's Bellamy who sits beside me, silent for a second before speaking so quietly I have to strain to hear him.

"A little bird told me you were going to go after Clarke."

I sigh and put my head in my hands. "Caleb."

Screw his ability to read people better than he can read books. Screw the fact that he caught me stealing one day but didn't tell anyone, and screw the fact that he could tell when I was going to sneak away ever since. I had assumed his skill had disappeared now that it's been nearly three years, but I guess not.

"Hey," Bellamy mutters as he places a hand on top of my own, resting them both on my knee. "I'm not mad. But did you really think you were going alone?"

My eyes meet his again to find his mouth twitch up into a supportive grin. He leans forward and gently presses a kiss to my forehead. Then, his mouth moves to my ear so he can speak into it.

"Once everyone is preoccupied, we take the clothes and go."

I nod and squeeze his hand. "Sounds like a plan."

Just after that, Bellamy sits back and Monty's voice catches my attention. "I need to know what happened."

I feel my heart sink for him, knowing that he just wants to understand how his father passed. It reminds me of when Abby told me about my mom and how I desperately wanted answers.

"Monty..." Hannah trails off.

He takes her hand. "Please."

Hannah's eyes drift from her son to the ground, searching for a place to begin. "We landed in the snow. Your father said it absorbed some of the impact; that's how we survived." Her voice begins to shake, making my chest constrict at the agony in it. "The snow looked so beautiful. And...Charles?"

"The children were playing in it," Pike continues in a somber tone. He sits beside Hannah, looking Monty in the eyes as he speaks. "They were the first to die. Fifteen of them. If not for your father, it would've been more. He pulled four kids back into the ship- all four, alive today. They got him when he went back for the fifth. You father died a hero, Monty. We've been fighting Grounders ever since."

"That was the Ice Nation," Kane objects. "Not all Grounders are the same."

Pike shakes his head. "They are to me."

Caleb stands against the back wall of the cave, clenching tightly onto his gun and staring at the ground in front of him. His jaw is locked tightly like he's trying his best not to cry.

I inhale sharply and turn to Bellamy. "We go now."

As quietly as we can, Bellamy and I begin to remove the armor from the two bodies beside us. Fortunately, Monty is busy telling the story of what happened since we landed, so nobody is paying attention to us. Bellamy mostly relies on my assistance because of my skill in stealth.

I'm hit with flashbacks of us undressing Lovejoy in Mount Weather. This is almost the same situation- we're disguising ourselves to fit in so we can rescue our friend. But in this case, the likelihood we won't make it back is slightly higher.

"Go," Bellamy urges, nodding toward the front of the cave. I run on the balls of my feet to prevent sound from traveling and take a sharp right into the trees. There, it's safe for me to start putting on the armor as quickly as possible.

The good thing about Azgeda is that they're a huge fan of covering their faces. A mask goes over the lower half, leaving only my eyes and forehead visible. The clothes are too big for me if I put them all on, so I leave some pieces out to make it seem more fitting.

"Here," I say to Bellamy as I smooth my hair back at the nape of my neck, "braid a section or two."

Bellamy does it without question. He knows it'll help us blend in for the most part, even if it isn't perfect. I'm grateful he has a sister and had to help her with her hair when she was younger; otherwise, we'd be in trouble. No Grounder has their hair flat.

Once he finishes tying back a few braids, I pull the hood up and fit the mask onto my face. Bellamy gives me a thumbs up and beckons me out of the safety of the trees. Seconds later, we're completely out in the open.

We don't have a plan beyond reaching Clarke, so I let my eyes search for anything to help us seem more like part of the army. One thing I observe is that it seems to be every man for themselves. Next to nobody associates with anyone, most of them keeping their distance.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I let out a puff of air before opening them again and splitting from Bellamy. I can only hope he catches on and doesn't think I'm going to leave him.

Once I'm close enough to the army, I slow to a walk and try my best to look intimidating. Doing so reminds me again of Mount Weather when I had to pretend to be Victoria Chen. Imitating someone else comes more easily to be now than it had back then, but it doesn't stop me from being completely terrified.

I push and shove my way through the countless warriors surrounding me. They elbow me back just as ruthlessly, and it's a test of my skills not to openly wince. I breathe a sigh of relief when the hoard thins out once I reach those that are blowing the war horns.

My head swivels around in an attempt to locate Bellamy without being too obvious. I catch sight of a shorter Grounder taking determined steps in the same direction I am; I can tell just by his shape that it's him. Things seem to be going well for him, but then a much taller and scarier-looking warrior puts a hand on his chest to stop him.

Instinctively, I freeze for half a second before remembering myself. I keep my eyes on Bellamy while still walking toward the other side of the forest, clenching my fists as to not give myself up. A weight lifts from my chest once the man turns Bellamy forward and walks away.

Shit. The army starts moving again, giving me no choice but to turn myself around and march with them as well.

"Ste yuj," I whisper to myself. My heart beats wildly in my ribcage like a bird trapped in a cage. For a second, I think I've lost Bellamy, but then I notice a figure walking east and feel my shoulders sag.

Nobody else seems to care about two people going rogue and heading in the wrong direction. I keep my quick pace until I'm close enough to the trees and then break into a run.

Bellamy stands just a little ways into the forest, head turned in my direction. I join his side and rip off the uncomfortable, foul-scented mask from my face. A breath of relief comes rushing out as I drop it to the ground.

"You okay?" he questions, voice muffled by his own mask.

I nod. "You?"

He nods as well. "Yeah. Notice anything?"

My eyes scan the woods for any sign of a struggle. It may be a coincidence, but I notice one area of grass that's significantly flatter than the others. It looks like boot prints were made in it.

"This way," I say quietly. My hand slips into his and I guide him along the path. It doesn't take long for us to reach a ramp going downward into some sort of old structure, maybe an old subway station. The decaying street light beside it has blood smeared on the post.

I suck in a breath and feel my veins flood with more terror than before. What if the man took Clarke here so he could kill her? What if she's already gone?

Bellamy's hand gives mine an encouraging squeeze before letting go. I slip the knife from before out of a pocket in my jeans and hold onto it like a lifeline. Bellamy unsheaths a sword he stole. Together, we begin our descent into the dark building.

Inside, the ground is covered completely in leaves and branches, cobwebs stringing from the ceiling. The cement walls are chipped and falling apart. But among the filth, I can still clearly spot a bungee chord tying someone's wrist to a wall. My heart lurches; even though the rest of her is hidden around a corner, I can still clearly see that it's Clarke.

All of the pent-up anger and frustration I felt for her in the past three months vanishes. Instead, it's replaced with utter joy that I can't explain. It builds up in my chest until I feel like it may actually explode. Clarke is here. she's only a few steps away, and it all seems so surreal.

Bellamy and I share a look before heading forward at the same time and turning the corner sharply. My legs more or less give out so I fall to my knees in front of her. She looks up, startled and probably thinking I'm the Grounder, but her eyes flood with a different kind of surprise when she realizes who I am.

There's one single second where nothing else registers except Clarke. Her face is dusted in dirt and sweat, hair matted severely. The ends seem to be tinged pink and it's much longer than it used to be. She's wearing Grounder clothes, bulky and way too big for her frame.

Bellamy places a hand on my shoulder before crouching down to our level. His smiles, and I can detect the joy radiating from him as well.

"F-Fa--" Clarke chokes out, lips struggling to move around the gag in her mouth. "Bel--"

My eyes brim with tears as a chuckle escapes and I lift the twisted fabric from her mouth. She stares at me as if I'm an angel who came to her rescue.

"Look at you," Bellamy whispers, still grinning.

Clarke's gaze continuously flickers between us like she can't believe we're real. But then, they widen with fear and she shouts, "Look out!"

I barely have time to look up before an intense pain hits me hard in the head and my vision blackens.

-----

what a cliche ending!!!! oh well!!!

-kristyn

TRANSLATIONS:

Ai get klin bilaik dei Azgeda nomajoka komba raun gon em. Ai na as nodotaim noumou...Weron. Kamp. Raun. Wanheda?: I know that Ice Nation motherfucker came back for her. I'm only asking once more...Where. Is. Wanheda?

Oso nou laik laksen yu. Ai swega klin: We won't hurt you. I promise.

Yu hon yu in osir sisplei: We're here to help.

Ste yuj: Stay strong.