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Bellamy can’t hear anything except the ringing in his ears. Clarke’s body is slumped down in the Commander’s throne. Black blood mingles with red, running from her nose and the corner of her mouth. It stains her blonde hair as it runs from her ears. Bellamy looks to Murphy who nods to him and holds his hands out. Bellamy tosses him his gun and turns to run for Clarke.
When he reaches her she’s still breathing, but barely. Her eyes move beneath her eyelids. “Clarke…” Bellamy breathes. She doesn’t answer. He takes her hand in his, looking up at her. The light behind her head forms a kind of halo. The throne’s great jutting antlers look like a crown of thorns. Her hand is cold and limp in his. Her body jerks slightly and he steadies her by placing a gentle hand on her waist. Suddenly she begins to convulse.
“Clarke. Clarke!” Bellamy yells. He looks around them. Abby is laying unconscious on the ground. The screams of chipped grounders and sky-people alike sound out through Polis. They echo and crash around in his skull. They are running out of time. He doesn’t know where Octavia is or if she’s okay. No one can help him now. It’s just him. Just him and Clarke and he doesn’t know what to do. He holds her upright while she convulses and prays she doesn’t bite her tongue or hurt herself. And then he realizes that that should be the least of his worries right now.
“Clarke.” He says again. He tries to wipe away the blood, but it only smears across her porcelain skin. “You’re gonna be okay.” He’s half holding her when the shaking slows and her breathing starts to sound different. It sounds like a car stalling out, stopping and starting, strained and painful. “Oh, God.”
All at once it stops. Clarke falls forward into Bellamy’s arm and he sinks to his knees, holding her to him. He pushes her hair away from her face and lowers his ear to listen for breathing. Nothing. He checks her pulse. Nothing.
There is nothing. Clarke is completely still.
“No, no, no.” Bellamy says. “Clarke, please don’t. Please, no.” Panic sets in and he shakes her gently. “Clarke, come on. Don’t do this. Clarke!” Tears start to fall down his face thick and fast. Her arms hang limp he lowers her to the ground and starts to administer CPR, trying desperately to force her heart to beat. But, it won’t. It won’t beat for him.
Bellamy cries and it feels like his chest is collapsing inward. He looks up and Murphy is standing there, his eyes full of tears. “I’m so sorry.” He says. But Bellamy shakes his head at him and looks back down at Clarke.
“No, stop, she isn’t gone. She can’t be gone.” He leans forward and looks into her face. She is pale and streaked with blood, her skin is cold, her hair is damp with sweat but she is still Clarke. She’s still his Clarke and if she doesn’t leave this throne room, neither is he. He leans down and cups her face, gently kissing her forehead. He tries to make himself get up, but he can’t find the strength. Instead he touches his forehead to hers, his tears falling onto her skin and sliding down her cheeks.
“I love you.” He whispers. “I love you, I love you, I love you.” His thumbs brush her cheeks and he lowers his warm lips to her cold ones. The kiss is tender and short and yet Murphy can see the love dripping from every pore of Bellamy’s body.
Just as Bellamy moves to stand it happens. Clarke gasps, her chest heaving. Her eyes fly open and she sits up a fraction, grabbing onto Bellamy’s shoulders just as he pitches forward and grabs her waist. He kneels next to her and she looks up into his eyes and starts to cry.
Bellamy looks upwards and closes his eyes briefly before looking down into her face again. Clarke is looking at him like she’s seeing him for the very first time, but the love in her gaze gives away how well they know each other. She wraps her arms around Bellamy’s neck and he holds her to him tightly. “I thought you were dead.” He says into her hair.
“So did I.” Clarke says, her voice weak. “I was in the City of Light….and then, Lexa was there. And hundreds of chipped people. And I thought that was it… But, then I heard you.” Bellamy closes his eyes and nuzzles into her neck and she tightens her hold on him.”I heard your voice. You were saying my name.”
Bellamy pulls back to look at her. His expression is hard to read and his dark eyes can’t look away from her blue ones.
“I heard your voice and I wanted to come home.” Clarke says. “Bell…I love you too. I love you so much.”
Relief washes over Bellamy in waves and he takes her into his arms again, raising her to stand this time. He can see Murphy over her shoulder and he’s smiling.
“About damn time…” He says.
Bellamy huffs and Clarke half-laughs, half-cries.
“You’re okay. We’re okay.” Bellamy says, kissing Clarke’s cheek.
“BELLAMY!” It’s Octavia’s voice outside the barricade they’d made in front of the elevator. “Whatever you guys are doing in there….it worked!” Clarke and Bellamy separate and looked at one another with wild eyes.
“Raven…” Clarke says with wonder. I gave Raven the kill code in there. I could feel her inside the program, like she was right there but I couldn’t see her. She must’ve seen the and used the kill switch.”
Abby starts to stir and Jaha is already conscious, but his eyes are wide and horrified. Murphy starts to take the barricade down to let the others in and Bellamy moves to help him, but Clarke grabs his arm and pulls him towards her.
Hands on either side of his face she kisses him deeply. “Okay. Let’s get this cleaned up.” She says eyes boring into his. “Together?”
Bellamy nods and smiles. “Together. Always, Clarke.”