Oh Charlotte

[Bellamy Blake]

Tag: Clarke Griffin

whatever

THE HELL WE WANT

Clarke decided that they weren't going to kill him and . . . well, he wasn't sure how he felt about that. Though he supposed it was easier to threaten to kill someone rather than actually do it. Shooting Jaha hadn't been easy, but Bellamy's desperation had prompted him to do it. Clarke then went on to explain that they weren' the Ark; that most of them were already facing death sentences and hell, she was right. Bellamy would be dead when -- if -- the Ark came down here. And his sister, she would have been floated in a couple of years. So he had to agree with her. Who were they to decide who lives or dies when technically, they -- by law -- were basically sentenced to death. Cases being reviewed was bull shit. They got rid of whoever they could for any reason they could think of. Her suggestion of what they do to Murphy wasn't an entirely bad one.

He also however knew that if Clarke had died . . . Bellamy would not have let Murphy just walk away. The crowd was silent, which Bellamy took as no opposition. He also did not fail to recognize Clarke's voice getting weaker. Damn it, they needed to get on from this. Clarke needed to heal and Charlotte needed to be safe. "Fine. Murphy is banished. Anyone got a problem with this?" He questioned, eyes scanning the crowd, but his voice was very clear that he would not tolerate any objection . . . so no one spoke. Besides, it was more than fair, given the circumstances. Bellamy then shoved Murphy back. "If I see you anywhere near our camp, I'll kill you." A threat that he intended to make good on.

"Not get the hell out of here." Murphy waited only a few seconds before he scurried off into the dark woods. Let the Grounders kill him. Let the other creatures in this place eat his corpse. Bellamy no longer gave a shit. "Show's over!" He announced, though he also knew that they still had one issue to deal with: Charlotte. Bellamy turned his attentions to Clarke, his hand moving to Charlotte's back to prompt her to start walking with him as he was trying to usher them both into privacy. "Clarke, we still have one thing we need to sort out." Charlotte. And he hoped Clarke understood what he meant. They couldn't banish her, she was just a kid. But . . . he also knew people would not react well if her crime was ignored.

[Clarke Griffin]

With Bellamy wrapping things up, Clarke could seek to lean back onto Monty, who brought her back inside the dropship. For right now nobody was inside but the four of them as soon as Bellamy brought in Charlotte. Charlotte was a harder case. She hadn’t acted as malevolently as Murphy had, yet Murphy had been wronged. Her sense of right said Charlotte needed to be banished as well. But she was younger, she was less likely to survive out there and with Murphy out there even less so. He surely hadn’t given up on his revenge yet. But they could take their time with a proper decision with Charlotte.

“For now, for tonight, we’ll lock you up, Charlotte.” Clarke announced. “What we really do, we’ll decide tomorrow. Right now the peoples mood is high, they might be riled up again. We can’t accept that. And both of us aren’t going to make a good full decision like this. I…. I’m in too much pain. You’ve spent your day trying to protect her, fought him. I bet you’re tired too.” It wasn’t fair if they made the decisions without being able to think clearly.

Bellamy Blake

[Bellamy Blake]

Tag: Clarke Griffin

whatever

THE HELL WE WANT

Clarke stated that they would lock up Charlotte and . . . that was probably for the best. Not just as punishment, but for her own protection. She went on to say that they would decide tomorrow what to do, and she was right. The crowd could be riled up and neither of them were capable of making a decision right now. He turned to Charlotte, needing to deal with where to put her first. "Go on the second level of the drop ship," he told her, leading her to the ladder. "I'll be down here all night, alright? No one is going to come up without me letting them." Which meant, only him or Clarke for the time being.

"You don't have to worry. If you need anything, just come down." Because he wasn't leaving her. With that, he grabbed an extra blanket and handed it to her, watching her climb up the ladder, before she close the door. Taking a deep breath, he looked back at Clarke. She was in pain, that much was evident. "Let me see," he said, moving closer to her to see what the wound was looking like. "You got anything for the pain? I'll go get it." She didn't look well enough to be moving around, and he would have to move fast before anyone tried to go against their judgment and target Charlotte despite what they had stated.

[Clarke Griffin]

That was a good idea. Charlotte would be isolated, she could think and they could deal with a permanent solution in the morning. Clarke would stay in here as well, not just him. It was not really to support him, but for the simple fact that she felt like she had no way of making it to her tent alone, so she might as well keep him company for that night. Clarke moved a little, hoping to get more comfortable, though right now she could not even see herself sleep. 

“Nothing that would be a good idea to be honest.”Clarke replied. She moved her hand to the bandage, to carefully unwrap it and show him the wound. “The painkillers we have would make my blood thinner. Great idea if we’d be dying of radiation poisoning, but with actual bleeding wounds: Not good.” They wouldn’t stop bleeding for days. So painkillers were out of question. She would have to endure the pain through the night, knowing it might keep her awake. At the very least it meant he would have someone to talk to while making sure nobody would harm little Charlotte.

Bellamy Blake

[Bellamy Blake]

Tag: Clarke Griffin

whatever

THE HELL WE WANT

They needed to find better medicine for stuff like this. He made a mental note to talk to that Monty guy about it, and trying to figure out what all they could find. Perhaps even organizing a team to go out and collect necessary ingredients. Before, Bellamy hadn't given it much thought but things were quickly changing. As it was already fairly established, 'whatever the hell we want' didn't work anymore. "What about infection?" He asked, wondering if there was a good liklihood of that. He doubted Murphy's knife was sterile.

Damn thing looked like it could be infested with bacteria and germs and he'd cut pretty deep . . . fortunately, not deep enough to kill Clarke. He reached for his water pack and walked over to her, offering it to Clarke. She needed it way more than him right now. "There might be some food in the tent. I know it's probably hard to swallow but you want anything?" With whatever mutual understanding they reached now, came with the sudden instinct to look after someone who was wounded. One of their own. His respect for her grown tonight, and if they were going to be co-leaders, he best do what he could to keep some semblance of peace between them. Charlotte had given them a commonality . . . something they both agreed on. And well, at least it was a starting point.

[Clarke Griffin]

“We have the seaweed. The tea should do fine.” That was if she could get it down. Clarke, as well as Bellamy, knew that swallowing would hurt. If she had to, she would, but she knew, just by instinct, she would avoid it as much as possible. This would be a bit of a struggle, but she was alive. A bit of sleep should do the trick. And not aggravating the wound. “And we cleaned it as best as we could, so it should be fine. I might be small, but I think my body can fight of a simple infection.” At least she hoped she could. Only the night could tell. Clarke felt shocked and slightly suspicious at how… nice he was right now, caring even. He even offered food. 

“Thank you, but no.” She would need to eat eventually, but the cut was fresh and it was late. She would need water, but that was it. “I can do without. But water would be nice, please.” In the days here Bellamy might have been slightly violent, but he never crossed the line of killing, not even when it would have been a good thing, so Clarke knew she was safe in his presence. Still her hand went to the bandage – despite knowing she shouldn’t touch it – she looked around. “We should probably talk about Charlotte, unless you’re tired.”

Bellamy Blake

[Bellamy Blake]

Tag: Clarke Griffin

whatever

THE HELL WE WANT

She assured him that the wound had been properly tended to, and that her body could handle a small infection. He supposed it was a good thing that at least someone was here to keep an eye on her. Despite the differences he and Clarke had in the past, he certainly didn't want to see her dead. His respect for her had grown today . . . and whatever trust they had formed was not something he would trivialize. As he had been extending a pack of water, he finally handed it to her when she said that water would be nice but that she was alright without food.

It was her last question that caused him to pause in a thoughtful silence as he sat back down in his previous place. "I'm not tired," he confirmed. He had no intention of sleeping tonight and this at least gave them a quiet moment to discuss Charlotte. Who knows what would happen tomorrow morning. They may not be granted with such time and privacy. "What do you suggest?" He asked her. "We're not hanging her. We're not banishing her." Those two were things they had already seemed to decide. Though the latter was one he had most probably assumed yet held firm on. He wished he could just tell the others that no one was touching her, but that in itself could have quite intense repercussions. So he was open to hear any ideas Clarke had regarding the young girl's fate.

[Clarke Griffin]

Looked like neither of them would get too much sleep that night. If sleep way even something she could consider to begin with given how the pain would just stay the whole night long. It was okay, really. She could deal with it, even if it wasn’t easy. Pain was never easy to deal with. But focusing on Charlotte was a good way to not think about it, a good distraction. For now she was locked up. Nobody could hurt her and she could not hurt anyone else – unless she wanted to go through her and Bellamy, which a twelve year old would not be able to. Bellamy was simply physically stronger than her. 

“Hanging has been out of proportion even with Murphy.” She had seen the dynamic that has been developed, it was on her. All of this was on her and well Murphy. He had made it necessary. Then again he probably would have done it sooner or later. He had it in him, as he had proven spectacularly. Clarke sighed as she tried to think of a way to punish her without having to sign her death sentence. “We could banish her in a way. We could rule that people are not to speak to her, though it that would work is another question in itself.”

Bellamy Blake

[Bellamy Blake]

Tag: Clarke Griffin

whatever

THE HELL WE WANT

They weren't going to be hanging anyone for anything. Death, was not the answer. They had learned that the hard way. Crimes would be punished another way . . . banishment for some, like Murphy, but for others, well, they still needed to figure that out. Clarke suggested banishing her in another way, saying that people could not speak to her. He feared what isolation would do to the young girl, but he wasn't entirely opposed to the idea. She had killed a man. There had to be some form of punishment.

"What if we put her on some form of house arrest," Bellamy began to suggest. Obviously, not in an actual house, but either within her tent or the drop ship itself. "She can't go out unaccompanied. Her interactions with others will be limited." In a way, it could also serve to protect her as well . . . for who knew if others would have ill will toward her. It could be a way to ensure her protection as well as create a proper punishment for her that wouldn't endanger her like banishing would. "When she's 18, we can revisit her situation." On the Ark, people were floated. Here, they could just revisit her case and perhaps even have the penalty served out. But that would be in years to come -- if they even survived until then.

[Clarke Griffin]

He was on to something. He really was on to something good there. House arrest could work. It was similar to her being locked up on the Ark, she knew, but rules had to exist, they just proved that and she killed someone. To be exact she killer her best friend, the friend she knew since birth. They exchanged their first kiss before they could even walk, as babies, innocent and motivated entirely by their parents, who found that super cute and adorable. And to be honest, it was adorable. Clarke had seen a video of it. “That’s a good idea. We could set her up in the third level. We can separate a small area there, for her and have her supervised or locked up if needs be.” Charlotte didn’t need to die. They didn’t need to kill like on the Ark, this was good.

“It won’t bring Wells back, though.” She would be willing to forgive her instantly if it brought Wells back, but nothing could. She just forgave him, finding out about her mothers lies, and now he was gone and he was never coming back. Even in her anger, she never wanted him to die. “She killed Wells:” Clarke began as she realized the pain in her chest, paired with the pain in her neck and in her heart had sent tears to her eyes. “She ended his life. I don’t even know a life without him. Up until I got arrested, he was always there. He was just down the hall. I could come to him with anything. He could come to me with anything. She killed him.”

Bellamy Blake

[Bellamy Blake]

Tag: Clarke Griffin

whatever

THE HELL WE WANT

He nodded along with her agreement and suggestion of putting Charlotte on the third level. That would definitely work. It could easily serve as a restricted area that they could seal off. "Good. We have a plan then." They would set Charlotte up there tomorrow, and explain to her and the others the conditions and ultimately, the punishment for her crimes. Clarke then spoke of how it wouldn't bring Wells back. "Nothing will," he said in a quiet voice. Not punishing Charlotte, not killing her . . . nothing would bring back the dead. He then noticed the tears in Clarke's eyes. It was very clear that the two of them were close. Bellamy had even taunted Wells about it when Finn was trying to move in on her. What had he said? She doesn't see you. Despite how he may have mistreated him, he was a good guy. He didn't deserve this.

And Bellamy couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt that Charlotte's actions had been prompted by his words. She had taken him literally when it came to slaying her demons. He wasn't particularly close with Clarke, but he felt a hope in thier new found understanding of one another. Besides, he hated to see a woman cry -- something that had probably developed from being surrounding by only women his entire life, mainly his mother and sister. "And she'll have to live with that. It's more of a punishment than anything we give her." The irony was she had been trying to slay her demons . . . but this would only make it worse, for she had killed a man. Murdered him in cold blood. He remained silent for a few more moments, not sure if there was anything he could say to help this situation.

"He loved you," Bellamy stated. Figuring that hearing something positive could help rather than dismiss her speaking of the guy. Bellamy had killed his father, and now the last remaining Jaha member was dead. "I mean, it could be considered obvious, but the way he looked at you . . . " Bellamy turned his head to properly rest his gaze on Clarke. "This place is a fresh start for us. But he never would have had that." Because of who his father was. Everyone blamed him for whomever they lost, or even their own arrest. Until the Ark joined them . . . Wells had been everyones target. It only would have been a matter of time. The poor guy didn't stand a chance with all the rules his father had enforced. On the Ark, he was protected. Down here, it was a free for all. But, not anymore.

[Clarke Griffin]

She doubted it would be a punishment for her, not right now. She appeared to be too young to understand. Maybe in a few years she might understand the weight of what she had done, the finality, but Clarke had noticed, while they ran, that there was no understanding from her to be expected yet, probably because she was too young, maybe even because her own mind protected her still from facing this new trauma. It might have made her good initially, but in the end, if it kept making her feel good, they were good to keep her locked up. Only time could tell with her. But did they have time? Earth was hostile at best. The grounders were fighting against them for some reason and now they were fighting among themselves.

Clarkes head turned in surprise as Bellamy spoke. His words were unbelievable, but at the same time she felt deep down how undeniably true it was. Wells did love her, if romantically or not, he loved her. He loved her enough to keep the truth from her. He loved her enough to rather have her hate him, so she wouldn’t hate her mother. And now she could not make anything better. She could not tell him about all the things she felt, the gratitude for that or even just for the charcoal he got for her when they were younger. Bellamy was just right. He loved her, but there would have never been a fresh start for him. These people hated him, because of who his dad was. If it hadn’t been Charlotte, someone would have eventually injured or killed him regardless. “He came down because of me. It’s my fault.”

Bellamy Blake

[Bellamy Blake]

Tag: Clarke Griffin

whatever

THE HELL WE WANT

Clarke told him that Wells had come down for her; that this was her fault. He knew that perhaps the most socially acceptable thing to say was that it wasn't her fault. That she couldn't blame herself. But those were just words. Words spoken out of sympathy and compassion to make the other person feel better. What true meaning did it have? Bellamy didn't necessarily try to make people feel better . . . well, perhaps only certain people. But in this case, he wanted to speak truth rather than cliche words of encouragement.

"Him and I had something in common." He had said the same thing to Wells in one of their brief conversations. "We both came down here for someone we love." Wells for Clarke. And Bellamy for Octavia. It gave Bellamy something he could relate to Wells for, even if their love for the woman they had come down here for was different. "If I die here, my last thought won't be regret for coming. Cause I would have known I damn well did everything in my power to protect the person I love." Octavia. If Bellamy was to meet his end here on Earth, he would never wish he didn't come, or wish that the circumstances of him coming would have been different.

"His death isn't on you. He made his own decisions and he chose to protect you in whatever way he could." Bellamy couldn't help but also think how the Jaha family was now no more. With how he had killed Thelonious and now Wells was dead. "You can't control everything that happens to him." Bellamy had tried to do that with Octavia . . . and he'd wound up getting her arrested and their mother killed. "Take it from someone who knows. Wells wouldn't have blamed you. So you shouldn't blame yourself." Bellamy may not know the guy well, but he could relate to him on his motives for coming. And it made him sure enough to say these words with confidence.

[Clarke Griffin]

“Of course he wouldn’t have blamed me. Did you know he…” Clarke began. She did not know if Bellamy knew the full detail of what went down between her and Wells. He would know now . To Clarkes surprise he had assessed Wells perfect. He would never have blamed her. He would have told her that this was out of her control. She cared which was why she worried about people, why she placed the blame on herself. “He knew about my father, I thought he sold him to Jaha, but in reality my mother did. He just wanted to protect me from that bitter truth. And now from earth. I couldn’t return the favor.” Then again how would she had protected him? Everyone in this camp carried a grudge. Had it not been Charlotte, it could have been Murphy or anyone else. 

Clarke found herself yawning slightly. Her throat hurt, the emotional pain was there and there was slight exhaustion due to what she had endured. She and Bellamy might not be on the same page, but she leaned against him regardless, hoping he’d understand that she was just being a bit weak. It was not like she had much of a choice. “I just wish I could change things. I wish I could have protected him. I wish I knew. I wish things would have been different.” But none of them could go back. “How are things with you and Octavia? Your experiences as brother definitely showed with Charlotte.”

Bellamy Blake

[Bellamy Blake]

Tag: Clarke Griffin

whatever

THE HELL WE WANT

Bellamy listened to Clarke explain the situation between them. Now it made sense. He obviously knew something was up between them but he hadn't known what. It was far more intense than just a casual, immature little break up. It had to do with her father's death. He could understand the guilt, not being able to protect someone the way they protected you. His mother being a prime example of that. She had done so much, endured so much to protect him and Octavia. And he couldn't do the same. To know that it was her own mother . . . damn. That must have hurt. But Bellamy wasn't going to pretend to understand he knew what that felt like. "No one could have," Bellamy pointed out. "You wanna blame someone Clarke? Blame whoever sent him down here." It wasn't Wells, it was his father.

A damn idiot of a Chancellor to send his son down with a bunch of delinquents who blamed the Jahas. "It wasn't your duty to protect him." It should have been his father's. When she leaned against him, he was unaffected by it . . . well, outwardly anyway. Inwardly, he felt odd for he found himself deriving some sort of inexplicable comfort from being so near her. Perhaps it was because they had reached some sort of understanding. Even if they had a long way to go. "That's something we all have in common." Wishing that things could be different. "But all we can do is focus on the present." Focus on how to keep the others alive; how to protect them. Because now that he and Clarke were the leaders . . . the delinquents were their responsibility. Her next question caused him to pause, slightly clenching his jaw to bite back the emotions they caused to arise. He knew he should feel an honor in those words, but he couldn't . . . because he knew he was hardly a good brother.

"Yeah. My experience as a failure of one," he said in a low voice, bitter at his own inability to protect either Octavia or Charlotte. "She's fine though," he said directly answering the question. Their relationship was a bit strained, especially after Atom. "She grew up a lot this past year." In a way that he hadn't seen. She had gotten so much bigger, and so much more mature -- though she had always been so. He just supposed it was his lack of seeing her that made him realize it all the more. He leaned his head back against the wall, not even sure why he was telling Clarke all this. Perhaps it was the first time that he felt even remotely comfortable enough with anyone to do so. "I think she resents me." For Atom. For their mom. For what happened to her. She should. She had every right to resent him; to hate him.