"People say I'm a traitor; a murderer. Maybe I am. All I know is that at the time I did what I had to do."
It was eventually decided that going back to Camp Jaha would be the best idea, considering the murderous looks the Grounder's have been sending us. I didn't speak a word on our way back. Remaining by Bellamy's side I refused to be near Finn. My mind can hardly wrap itself around the events that had occurred and once I do horror, shock and fear are the only emotions that would come to mind.
Noticing Clarke looking uncomfortable up ahead I call over for her, leaving Finn to lead the way back with Murphy and Octavia. Once she falls into pace beside me I force a smile onto my face, reaching out to squeeze her hand "I'm glad you're back okay."
Returning the gesture Clarke releases a heavy sigh, "What the hell happened back there Ave? I've never seen Finn act that way before."
"He lost it after you were gone Clarke", Bellamy tells her sadly "Messed with his head."
"Yeah", I bluntly agree "Some people get drunk. Others massacre the innocent." Both of them give me an unappreciative look which only makes my sad attempt at a smirk dampen. "I've never seen Finn that unremorseful in the years I've been his friend. It's scared me. Finn's never acted that unpredictable and unapologetic. It's just... not him", I explain to them both.
"Any idea on what to do when we get back to camp?", Bellamy voices after a moment of quiet tension.
Stepping over a large log I shrug, "Keep him the hell away from me."
Being buzzed into camp our weapons are once again stripped from us. I watch Clarke explaining to Abby about Finn as she orders for Finn to be placed in a cell alone, Murphy taken not much later. Octavia runs off and before I can head over to find Wick and Raven I feel my hands yanked behind my back.
"What are you doing?!" Bellamy shouts defensively as he goes to shove a guard off me.
"Bell no" I interject when he steps closer to me. When his brown eyes connect with mine I tell him, "I don't need to be worrying about you too."
Before Bellamy has the chance to respond a guard approaches us as two men hold my small restrained frame. The woman smooths back her greying blonde hair as she looks down at me. Refusing to be belittled I square her up as she explains, "You are to be under arrest until you face your punishment tomorrow at noon. For the offense of using an unauthorized weapon and breaking not one but two people from their cells. The Exodis Charter states you are to face ten shock lashings."
"She broke us out to find more of our people", Bellamy argues as the guards haul me away "She's one of your best engineers. She doesn't deserve this!"
"Bellamy stop!" I yell over to him. Ignoring the sad look he is giving me I explain as we walk through the Ark halls "As flattering as this I need you to stop before we become cell buddies."
Annoyance is clear on his face as Bellamy tells me with determination, "I'm going to get Abby to fix this." With one last fleeting look, Bellamy darts off down the hallway in search of Clarke's mother.
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"You honestly could help us escape you know", Murphy speaks aimlessly "All you have to do is seduce those guards out there."
Quirking my eyebrow I glance at Murphy with a questioning look, "Seduce them? Murphy I'm as seductive as boiled cabbage."
"Bellamy would disagree", Murphy replies tauntingly with a shrug. Letting out a breathless laugh I shake my head refusing to respond. Tonight with Murphy has been a real bonding experience for the both of us as we try to plan ways of escape. About an hour ago the conversation had become less serious as our suggestions gradually grew worse and less dignified on both out parts.
Suddenly the door beeps before flying open, granting the female guard from earlier permission to enter. "Well", I coo with a smile "If it isn't my favorite person."
She refuses to respond as two guards snap my bonds, hoisting me up only to restrain me again. Gripping my shoulders they shove me harshly to follow, their hands tightly holding onto me. Squeezing through the door I'm surprised to see Wick waiting beside Bellamy, both of their eyes going wide when they see me. "Good to see you in one piece DoubleA", Wick comments as the two boys flank me with the guards.
Smirking I glance over to Bellamy. I don't miss the sad expression his eyes hold. "I take it Abby didn't pardon me", I gather from his expression.
"No", Bellamy somberly agrees "As acting Chancellor until Kane gets back her word is law." Nodding I ignore the nerves that began to take over my body as people walked passed, whispering as I go.
"How they have gone about doing this is ridiculous", Wick adds as he storms through the hall beside me "Burns had searched for 10 guard volunteers who will give the ten lashings. Since you killed that guard on the Ark you can only guess the guards who had been close with him before his death stepped forwards first."
Biting my lip I nod, avoiding Bellamy's eyes as he questions with surprise "What?"
"You had been in the guard. You should have heard the rumo-"
"Wick shut up", I snap as we get outside. The sound of voices began to grow and I found myself wanting nothing more than to shrink into Bellamy's arms. But I don't. I hold my head high as I am ushered through the crowd who shouts angrily at me. "Please both of you go inside", I call desperately over my shoulder "I don't want either of you to watch."
"Always in your corner", Bellamy shouts over the bellowing crowd "Remember Ave?!"
Smiling I glance over my shoulder momentarily to see Bellamy returning the gesture supportively.
Seconds later I lose them within the mob. They shout and cheer as the guards pulled me onto the tiny stage. Tripping on the small raised dirt platform they roughly pull me up, shoving me to stand between two pillars with ropes flowing from the top. As they tie the seatbelts around my wrists I search through the crowd for my friends.
I spot them huddled together close to the center all with expressions that run the line between sorrow and fury. Wick stood behind Raven, his hand on her shoulder to prevent her from launching forwards. Not that she could get far quickly when I catch a glimpse of her leg brace. Clarke had filled me in before we reached Camp Jaha on the surgery she had undergone and my heart bleeds for her. Raven had been through so much it amazed me how she still continued to keep going. Raven's hand clung desperately to Clarke who is screaming beside Octavia for somebody to intervene.
Nobody will though. After murdering a guard on the Ark I was never going to be the most popular person down here. Perhaps this is retribution for my crime. Justice for those who had lost a friend, their father, a member of their family.
I can't bring myself to make eye contact with Bellamy who stood behind Clarke. I know now I'm going to have to tell him the rest of the reason I had been sent to the Skybox. How do you tell the guy you're falling in love with that you beat somebody to death at the age of fifteen?
"Avery Armelle has confessed to aiding and abetting two known criminals and the use of an unauthorized weapon!", the same woman yells across the yard. "Under the laws set forth in the Exodis Charter of the Ark she has been sentenced to ten shock lashes!" At these words, I watch the people in the crowd either cringe at the barbaric punishment or cheer for the torture.
Once my wrists are strapped into the restraints tightly I hear the familiar buzz from the baton. My stare goes to Abby as she is stood off to the side obviously uncomfortable with this entire thing. One man in a guards uniform comes up beside me, leaning into my ear as he rolls my tank tops hem upwards. "I've waited a long time to get my vengeance for Gareth's death. Now that it's here I am going to take my sweet time", the guard whispers.
Feeling his hand move disgustingly close to my jeans button I roll my neck to look at him, spitting out "You're going to have to wait for a second longer." Moving my head back a bit further I slam it forwards, ramming my skull into his face. I felt the familiar crack of his nose before I heard it, glancing up to see blood pouring out of it. The crowd goes deathly quiet as they wait for what happens next. Squaring back up to me my smirk is wiped from my face when the back of his hand comes down against my cheek, smacking my head to the other side.
"Hey!" Hearing Bellamy's voice boom my gaze snaps to watch him shoving forwards through the crowd. Letting go I watch Wick restrain him from moving further. As Bellamy continues to thrash around I see Wick lean down, murmuring something to him. Whatever it is stops Bellamy in his tracks as he looks helplessly at me. I slowly shake my head silently telling Bellamy not to intervene.
Our gaze is broken as Abby's voice echoes through the clearing, "Proceed!"
Raven lets out a bloodcurdling "NO!" but its ignored. Wrapping my hands around the restraint my body suddenly jolts as I'm struck with the baton, the charge spreading through my back causing me to shake momentarily. The woman counts it off, allowing me to get my grip on reality once against before I'm hit again with another charge. This one is worse, my fingernails digging into the seatbelt as I groan out in pain.
My gaze is kept on Abby as they hit me with another charge, my body convulsing in on itself from the charge that ran through my body. Abby looked remorseful, cringing when she would look at me. She wouldn't stop this no matter how bad she felt. She needs me to make an example of. The fourth whack of the baton buckled my legs as I shook in pain. I stay that way for a moment before pulling myself back up, my eyes burning into Abby's full of determination. I refuse to break in front of these people. I won't give them the satisfaction.
After the next six, my body is done. Every cell and fibre in my body feels like it is on fire. I've barely got enough strength in my legs to support me as I hang limply in my binds. My muscles would spasm every second or two as the blonde guard orders, "Back to your posts!"
Suddenly the binds are released from my wrists and my dead weight slams me to the floor with a thud. Groaning it only takes seconds until my five friends are by my side, Bellamy not wasting a second before he pulls me into a crushing hug. "B-ell" I stutter out, clinging to his shirt.
"I've got you Ave", Bellamy murmurs placing a kiss into my hair.
I could feel cold hands against my tender back causing me to yelp as pain shoots around my back. Apologising I hear Clarke inform them, "These need to be cleaned immediately. With all this mud on her, it'd be easy to get them infected."
"I'll get you some moonshine", Raven urgently speaks up.
"Meet me back in my quarters!" Bellamy calls out after her as I hear more footsteps follow behind Raven. Feeling my strength come back I lean away from Bellamy slightly to only see Clarke remaining as she looks over the marks the stupid batons left on my back.
"You really need to think about the consequences before you go diving into danger" Clarke disapproves as Bellamy slings his arm under both my arms to help me walk straight.
"Oh, I don't know. I kind of adore how her eyes light up at something reckless", Bellamy jokes lightly. Scoffing under my breath I find myself smirking as I watch a sly smile curve onto his features, "Besides it was pretty hot when you dropped from the vent to bust me out."
Heat rushed to my cheeks and I find myself smiling at the ground in an attempt to hide it as I'm pulled closer into Bellamy's side. "Ugh", Clarke groans in disdain "Keep your happiness to yourselves." Poking my tongue out towards her disgusted expression, Clarke tells me how she is going to have a serious talk with Abby about what had just occurred.
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I'd used the rooms small bathroom to wash the grime off me. Obviously, the shower wouldn't be working now that we don't have a Hydra Station to power it. So instead of a shower, I have a bucket of water to use. Using the cloth that is sinking around in the semi-clean water I strip out of my maroon singlet and peel down my black pants, placing my boots in the corner.
Cringing at the pain which is shooting through my back, I grit my teeth washing the mud, grime, and blood from my body. It's been so long since I've felt clean that I relished in the feeling. Bellamy has thankfully scavenged for me another pair of matching black pants and a singlet. Once the familiar outfit is back on my body I slip through the doorway and back into Bellamy's quarters. He's sat on the bed, dunking a cloth mindlessly into a small metal cup. My light humming catches his attention, his eyes glancing over to where I stood in the doorway.
"You know", I break the silence "I'm surprised they gave you a bigger room. Were the small ones all taken up?"
Wringing the cloth out Bellamy shakes his head, "I had Clarke persuade Abby for us."
Sitting beside him on the thin mattress I quirk my eyebrow, "Us?"
Bellamy rolls his lips into his mouth, his eyes trailing anywhere but towards me. "Now that we are back to living on the Ark I didn't know how much I'd see you anymore" Bellamy trails off and I understood where he is going. Glancing over to me I feel his hand rest on my thigh comfortingly as a smirk tugs at his lips, "Besides I have to keep an eye on my girlfriend since danger seems to follow you like an unshakable shadow."
It is my turn to smirk, "Who says I'm your girlfriend? Since Wick's now on the ground I could be interested in him. I mean the goofy smile and bad jokes..." Noticing Bellamy's smirk drop and his eyes narrow down at me in what could only be described as jealousy I can't help but allow my smirk to break into a grin. Laughing at Bellamy's sour expression I swing myself to straddle his lap, pushing away some of his dark curls I murmur "Calm down Bell. You're turning a little green."
Sighing Bellamy's hand's snake around my waist burying his face into my neck, his voice vibration causing shivers to run down my back "You're not funny."
"Well you're going to have to get used to my bad humor if we're going to live in the same quarters."
Pulling his head up I watch as a grin breaks out across Bellamy's expression, his fingers tightening on my waist "I like the sound of that." Leaning forwards Bellamy presses an excited kiss to my lips which I'm more than eager to reciprocate. "You know what I also like?" Bellamy questions as he pulls me closer, whispering in my ear "That I now have a built-in engineer to fix our showers running water."
Scoffing I playfully hit his arm. As the singlets material adjusts on my back from the swift movement I hiss is the pain. "Raven swung by with the moonshine," Bellamy informs me, gesturing to the small tin cup with an expectant look. Crinkling my nose towards the tin I slide off Bellamy's lap. Folding my legs underneath me I tenderly pull up the black material, exposing my lower back which displays the angry red marks. "Are we going to talk about what Wick mentioned earlier?" Bellamy speaks up lowly as if he is hesitant to ask. When I remain silent I hear him wringing out the moonshine soaked cloth, "I'm not ignorant to what people say about you Ave."
"Then why do I need to explain it further?" I throw over my shoulder defensively, desperately not wanting to have this conversation "You've heard the rumours."
"You don't", Bellamy retorts lightly "I just thought it would give you something to think about besides the pain I'm about to inflict on your back." Before I can question what Bellamy means, the cloth is held against my lower back. The alcohol sears my wounds and I bite my lip to prevent myself from crying out in pain.
Understanding Bellamy's point I grit out, "The truth is Bell I never wanted to tell you. Tell anyone for that matter."
My lower back is offered a moment of relief when Bellamy pulls away the cloth, "What not?"
"I never wanted you to look at me differently" I explain softly, picking anxiously at my nailbeds, "People say I'm a traitor; a murderer. Maybe I am. All I know is that at the time I did what I had to do."
2 Years and 4 Months Earlier.
My parents stood clinging to each other in the airlock, my father's arms wrapped around my mother as she begged for their lives. "Please Marcus", my mother pleads "The more minds who know about our failing Ark the quicker we can develop a solution-"
"And the sooner people will begin to panic" Marcus concludes. My mother's shoulders slump in defeat knowing there is no way they will get out of their situation. "Baldwyn and Rebecca you know I take no joy in this but it has to be done. I can't risk you both alerting anybody of the situation we face", he tries to justify to them both.
"But someone else already does" my father announces firmly, his gaze set solely on Marcus "He will ensure that our system checks see the light of day." Marcus has no response. I watch him nod towards the guard who is designated to push the button.
Suddenly finding my voice I scream a bloodcurdling, "No!" I make a break for the button but its too late. I watch as my parents are sucked out within milliseconds, their bodies lost to space. Reach out to the airlock door I place my hands on the thick, glass panes. Tears flood my eyes as I watch my parents float away until they are nothing but specs. Forehead resting against the cool glass I release another loud scream as sobs rack my body. I had hope that the council would turn around and change their mind but clearly, that hope had been misplaced.
Peering over my shoulder my glare rests on Marcus Kane, his eyes watching me with pity and sadness of his own. But he has no right to look at me that way. He has left me an orphan, alone. He was the one who ordered their arrest and the one who gave the order. He is responsible for their death; for leaving me with nobody.
Crawling to my feet I push away my sadness and replace it with anger. Allowing the rage to take over I sprint towards Marcus only to have a guard restrain me, both my hands yanked behind my back. "How could you!?" I yell at the top of my lungs, struggling in the guard's grip "I have nobody now!"
I barely have time to register his apology before he is ushered away from me, my screams of anger echoing through the empty hallway. I try to go after Marcus but I know he is now too far away and surrounded by at least three guards. The next closest person to take my rage and grief out on is the guard restraining me. Following the steps my father had taught me I slam my boot down hard on his, the guard grip loosening allowing me enough room to elbow his gut and wrench my grip from his.
Spinning on my heel he has hardly any time to register my fist that flies into his jaw, my other hand returning the favor. Seeing him wobble I kick his knees in before shoving him backward. Quickly I scurry on top of this man before I begin to see red. White hot tears stream down my cheeks as I slam my fists anywhere I can land a hit. I am ruthless as my bloody knuckles continue to land hits. The guard tries to get up twice and both times I use the baton to smash his kneecaps in, the pain rendering his unconscious.
Hearing the zap of the electric baton behind me being activated snaps me back into reality, fear of what I have done taking over. Looking away from the bloodied man I have underneath me I see two guards with their batons out. Cursing to myself I haul myself to my feet and sprint away in the opposite direction, both guard hot on my tail. Apologising to the people I knock into throw a chair behind me hoping to throw them off my trail. Changing direction down another corridor that spirals through the Ark I curse when I find a dead end. As an engineering apprentice I should know every inch of the Ark. How could I be so careless?
About to turn myself in I feel my hopes spike when I see a vent big enough to hoist myself into. The guards could be heard mere seconds away so I have no time to consider my terrible decision further before I rip the grate off and slide myself inside, putting it back in place just as the guards around the corner.
"All units this is Officer 3528. Be on the lookout for Avery Aremelle, daughter of the recently deceased Baldwyn and Rebecca. It is unconfirmed if she is armed but she is dangerous so stay alert. Use force to subdue if necessary." At the guard's words I feel my throat grow thick with tears. I certainly didn't plan on becoming a fugitive at the age of fifteen.
"I lived in them for eight months until I was caught" I finish my story, fists squeezing tightly as Bellamy dabbed painfully at the red taser marks. Nostalgia washes over me as my thoughts fall back to before the Skybox. "I had a great life planned for myself you know. Youngest engineering prodigy with the prospects of becoming the chief one day on the Ark. I had a family who loved me and friends I adored", chuckling breathlessly I gaze down to my fingernails "Now I'm a killer living on the ground surrounded by people who would rather see me dead."
Finished with the alcohol I feel Bellamy gingerly pull my top back down and over my lower back. Shivers run down my spine when his fingers graze my skin. Hearing Bellamy shuffle around I peer over my shoulder only to see him standing in front of me. Bending down, Bellamy entwines our fingers pulling my tired body up. "Ave", Bellamy murmurs "You have Clarke, Raven, Finn, Wick, Octavia, me and disdainfully even Murphy who will never leave you."
I bite my lip as Bellamy's fingers trail over my cheekbone, his hand cupping my jaw lovingly in his attempt to comfort me. "You know I'm not scared to throw myself in front of danger because I have never truly feared it", I admit quietly. I feel a tear slip freely down my cheek as I struggle to get out the words, "I don't fear to help others in danger because what truly frightens me is being alone. I'm scared of being abandoned."
Staring up into Bellamy's eyes I have never felt more vulnerable then right now. His hands trail from my face down to my fingers, entwining them Bellamy gives them a tight squeeze. "I want you to listen to me real good", Bellamy tells me utterly serious "Even if the world stands against you Ave, I will always stand beside you. I'm always in your corner and will never abandon you." I could hear he means it as Bellamy's eyes gaze intensely into mine, "You hear me Ave? I'm never going to abandon you."
When a couple of tears streak down my cheeks I lean myself into his chest. Unlatching his fingers from mine, Bellamy wraps me in his large arms as I cry. They aren't tears of sadness, but relief. Tucking my head into him I snake my arms around his waist, holding on tightly and hoping he doesn't leave. "You don't think I'm a monster?" I sniffle hopefully.
Bellamy's head comes to rest atop mine, placing a kiss to my hair. "I had lost my sister and my mother in a matter of minutes. I'd been left alone for two years and kicked out of the guard to be a janitor", Bellamy explains to me. Leaning back slightly, Bellamy tilts my face to look up at him. Wiping my tears he tells me honestly, "If I could've done the same thing I would have. You're not a monster Avery not by a long shot."