015.

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     Both Bellamy and Maggie were known to sleepless nights, even weeks or months after what had happened at Mount Weather. However, just after, the girl pushed her emotions to the back burner for the man that she loved. 

     Neither of them were strangers to grief or guilt at that point. Both of them did a wonderfully-terrifying job at keeping such fierce feelings private.

     It was almost kinda concerning, really.

     Now naturally, everyone could kind of just—tell— that there was an off-ness in Gray. It was the little nuances, like how her eyes would flicker back and forth anxiously if Mount Weather was even brought up in a meeting. Or, when the Mount Weather stood vacant, and Arkadians who knew no better would ask her why they didn't utilize such a state-of-the-art facility.

     But she never broke down, nor seemed close. She couldn't really bring herself to cry about it anymore—everyone had their own problems, and Maggie didn't want to weigh people down with her own.

     Bellamy, on the other hand, often did. The liability plagued him to a ridiculous degree, and Magnolia wanted to do everything in her power to rid him of that animosity he held towards himself. That's why she didn't grieve— publicly, anyway. She didn't want Bellamy to deal with her problems when he was struggling to handle his own.

     It was ironic, really. Trying to fix all of the problems her boyfriend had, when in reality, she was just pushing aside those same vexing feelings about herself. And the worse part was the fact that Bellamy knew that all of this was happening. He could read her like a book. But, he didn't even know how to help himself— how could he help her?

     Sometimes, while she slept, Maggie's mind ran wild. Between distorted visions of the radiation burns that killed hundreds, to remembering the chilling feeling and sound of those assholes drilling into her hip, it wasn't a rare occasion to wake up in a cold sweat. 

      So one night, just like usual, her eyes snapped to the aluminum ceiling, ragged breaths and nervous murmurs fighting to be heard. Her first instinct was to usually make sure Bellamy hadn't waken up from her antics, but when she peered to her left that particular night, their eyes met one another. 

     Legs dangling off the side of the bed and body facing away from her, his eyes were now fixated on his beloved girlfriend, who had just woken up from a night terror. He had never seen this happen before, but little did he know it had become her new normal. 

     Voice groggy and heart rate finally slowing, she rubbed her boiling-hot temples, pushing back the baby hairs that clung to her clammy skin. "Fuck, Bell. I didn't mean to wake you up. I'm sorry," she apologized, and he could sense her genuine concern.

     "Hey, I was already up, you're okay," he countered, a soothingness in his tone,"You don't need to apologize, baby. You wanna talk about it?"

     Inching closer towards him, the girl sat on her knees behind him, wrapping her arms around Bellamy's bare torso from behind and resting her chin on his shoulder, "I'm okay," she assured, nodding to herself as if she were trying to convince herself that was actually true, "What's got you awake at this hour, Bell?" 

     "Do you remember Lovejoy and his son?" his head was fixated downwards as he nonchalantly spoke, and the questions led Maggie to squeeze him tighter.

     She did, very well. She remembered everyone. 

     Keeping her cool on the outside, she hummed, "Mhm. Every day."

     "I used to hate Jaha, and all of the people on the Ark that got to decide who's expendable and who wasn't. But now I realize that I'm becoming them," he determined with a downcast posture.

     With that, Magnolia stood up from her current position and made her way to the floor in front of him. She knelt in between his legs, looking up at Bellamy's freckled face as she took his hands in her own. "Hey— no, no. That's different. Protecting our own people down here is far different than up there. Up there, people weren't able to truly be human. Nobody got the chance to learn from their mistakes because they'd be floated before they could. But that's the lovely thing about the ground: we save as many of our own as we can, to be better than those before us. Think of everyone you've saved, the families we've kept together from all that we've done."

     Almost immediately, his deep, velvety eyes finally met hers, the only source of lighting being from outside their tiny window. His trembling lip ceased, and he used his hands to bring the girl to her feet. "Sometimes I can't believe you actually exist." he drawled, running his calloused up and down Maggie's back, eventually settling them around her hips. "You're fucking perfect."

     Taking the hint, she grinned and moved herself to be in his lap, still facing him, his hands firmly on her ass— for stability, of course. For a moment, she ran a few fingers down his toned chest, simply admiring the sight in front of him. "And you— you're a work of art," she matched the energy, taking no hesitation in meeting his lips with hers.

     Softly but yearningly, he kissed her back, cherishing the moment between the two of them. He swiped his tongue lightly along Maggie's bottom lip as a signal. In response, her mouth slightly parted, allowing his tongue to slip inside and her to react accordingly. She could taste the moonshine from hours before, and the corner of her mouth turned into a smile for a moment. Her nails dug into his warm skin, a tiny gasp passing her lips— Bellamy knew where to put his hands, specifically for his girl. 

     Finally pulling away for a breath, Bellamy teased with a twinkle of mischief in his eyes, "If I'm such a work of art, then how about making a mini one?"

     Immediately throwing herself to the side at that comment, she exhaled, exaggeratedly. "Fuck you," she faced away, "Was that supposed to turn me on, or something?" a little sarcasm was laced in her tone.

      Laughing and clicking his tongue in amusement, he laid down next to her, chest against her back.

     Thick, unserious silence.

     She turned around, knowing for a fact that he was wide awake, glaring daggers into the back of her head as he awaited a response. Exchanging an infamous Maggie Gray look with him, she piped up, "I have post in two hours— how 'bout tomorrow?"

———

     "That's right. Right, Maggie? Maggie," Kane repeated himself, causing everyone to snap their attention towards the girl lost in thought. 

     "Huh?" she finally blinked, eyes starting to burn from how long she had unknowingly been staring at the fire. Her eyes darted to Bellamy on the opposite side of the cave, stranded from the group, and it brought her back to reality, "Oh— yeah, yeah."

     Not buying into it, Miller scoffed lightly, "What was just said?"

     "Kill Pike— and get justice," face sour, she seethed, "Okay— for what it's worth, I wasn't listening. But whatever else you guys are worrying about can't be nearly as important."

     Sharpening her sword, Octavia glanced over at the girl, then to Kane. "She's got the right idea. Clarke made her choice. The only thing that matters now is killing Pike."

     Gazing over towards one of her closest friends, Maggie's eyebrows raised, "I'm assuming you're gonna get to do the honors?"

     Chiming in, less enthusiastically, Kane glared upward, "We can sort out those logistics later. Once we resume our place in the commander's coalition, Clarke will be safe. So— how do we do it?" he rhetorically asked. 

     "Bellamy, come in. It's Monty, I'm in trouble. Please say you still have your radio."

     Debating on who'd answer the radio, Sinclair expressed his worries with the whole matter, "If we respond, and Pike's listening—"

     "Go to channel seven," Bellamy suddenly spoke up, a sense of confidence lacing his tone, "Please say you still have your radio. That's seven words after the word trouble." Maggie looked back at him, rage still avidly coursing through her veins. Fortunately though, she was still able to read the boy like a book. And behind all that anger, she took it for what it was: he was chained up, defenseless, and if he were to try anything, he'd be severely outnumbered. Why would he lie? "It's code. Go to seven," he attempted to convince everyone yet again, sounding more frustrated. 

     For a brief moment, everybody scanned one another's eyes, trying to come to a consensus. Instead, Maggie locked eyes with Bellamy. On the surface, he seemed emotionless, like he didn't have a care in the damn world. He didn't know what else to say; he couldn't make people just believe him after the atrocities he had partaken in. 

     Kane looked to Maggie for approval, and with one curt nod, she confirmed her decision for him without a word. 

     "Bellamy, are you there?"

     "Monty, it's Kane. What's wrong?" he asked. 

     Nervously, Monty replied, "Pike knows that I helped you get out."

     Thinking quick on his feet, Kane thought of an idea, "Can you get to the dropship?"

     "I think so."

     "Good. Go there, and I'll bring you in. Stay off the radio— over and out."

     "Hold on. What if it's a trap and Pike's waiting?" Harper theorized, although she wasn't speaking far-fetched. Everyone was secretly considering it. 

     Slowly rising to his feet, the man answered, "That's why I'm going alone."

     As per usual, nobody was alright with that. Kane was a man with good morals, but he was certainly not the best fighter. After all that he had done, there was no way anybody would go for that plan. "Like hell you are," Octavia stuck her sword in the ground. 

     "I'm with Octavia," Miller adjusted all the holsters on his belt, "Monty saved our lives. I'm going too."

     Kane immediately shut both of them down. "No you're not. If it is a trap, I'm not marching our entire insurgency into it."

     "And I'm not letting the leader of our entire insurgency deal with Pike's faction alone," Maggie piped up, chastising him. 

     A thick loom of silence, until Bellamy decided to contribute. "They hope it's a trap."

     Jaw clenching, Magnolia swiped the flyaways away from her face with her fingertips, "Damn right. Get Monty, kill Pike— two birds, one stone."

     "Oh, he's coming too," Octavia deadpanned, voice cold as ever, "We'll need a hostage to trade for Monty." 

     Kane contemplated for a moment, "That's a good plan. He stays chained. Gag him."

     "Sir, with all due respect—" Miller attempted to intervene, apparently feeling bothered in some way by that aspect of the plan. In a way, Maggie wasn't so fond of using Bellamy as a hostage, either. The idea of bartering one life for another wasn't something she'd usually partake in. She constantly advocated that lives weren't expendable on the ground like they were on the Ark, but there they were, treating Bellamy like some kind of pawn. But, she had to remind herself that it was for the greater good— the end result. That's what led her to believe it wasn't as big of a deal as she was making it out to be. 

     "He's the enemy," Kane affirmed, his opinion not budging, "Do what I said."

———

     Maggie felt a chill run down her spine as they walked through the diminished entrance of what was once their home— the dropship.

     In a way it felt like a lifetime since she had last been there. The girl had been through hell and back— multiple times— since the time her and the rest of the hundred resided within those walls. Charred bones were now sinking into the mud, and protective measures placed around the fence were still in place. While many aspects were just as they left it, it was eerie now. It didn't feel like home, not anymore. 

     "Monty?" Kane called out, rifle in one hand and the back of Bellamy's collar gripped in the other. The four of them were met with silence, which only made the eighteen year old's anxiousness rise. "We got here first."

     Something wasn't right. 

     Slowly trudging forward, Octavia and Maggie exchanged a look towards one another, reading the other's mind. "No we didn't," the younger of the two let out, grabbing her older brother and resting her sword threateningly on his left shoulder. "Get outside! Now!"

     Surely enough, a slight movement came from the left side of the curtain that was their makeshift entrance into the dropship. Monty peered out and took a tiny step, but the worry creasing his brows was blatant, even from yards away. 

     Just as Gray took note of his hands bound together, a gun came into view from behind Monty. 

     "They followed me. I'm sorry," the Green boy spoke with what seemed to be genuine distress. 

     "Let him go Pike!" Kane demanded, eyes squinting as he looked through the scope of his weapon. 

     "Can't do that," he countered, then muttering something into his radio that the others couldn't hear from their distance. 

     All of a sudden, a gunshot was fired just a foot away from them, which soon clarified any confusion as to what Pike said. Maggie shuddered, not having expected it, but held up the rifle that she had graciously been given in the cave by Miller. 

     Holding Monty tightly so he couldn't escape, Pike shook his head, feeling in control, "It's over. Put down your weapons."

     Whispering to Kane and Magnolia, Octavia sneered at the man's antics. "Shoot him."

     "Monty's in the shot."

     "It's not clear. He knows what he's doing," Maggie noted frustratedly. 

     "Come on, Marcus." Another gunshot. This time, an inch or two closer. "I promised Monty's mother that I'd bring him home alive. Don't make me a liar."

     In that moment, Maggie realized that not only had they been set up, but their close friend had been, too. Hannah agreed to use her own son as bait— Maggie knew she was loyal to the chancellor, but enough to jeopardize her kid's life? 

     Looking to her left, she watched as Kane lowered his weapon, removing the sling from his shoulder. 

     "Kane—no."

      Ignoring Octavia's remarks, he threw the weapon to the side, holding his arms up innocently. 

     "Now you two," Pike didn't seem entirely satisfied— not until he was in full control of the situation.  Kane gestured for them to follow suit, and as per his orders, she dropped her gun. Instead of Octavia listening, however, she spun around to the other side of her brother, now placing the sword gently on his neck. 

     Eyes widening, Kane questioned rapidly, "What are you doing?" 

     Even though Bellamy was a great asset to Pike, Magnolia was almost certain he'd let him die if it meant he got what he wanted. Octavia holding a sword to her older brother's throat wouldn't lead him to ceasefire, or stop chasing towards his ultimate goal of wiping out all the traitors in Arkadia and the Grounders. 

     Maggie hoped the Blake could at least see that, even if he was still uncertain of which side he truly stood for. "He has no problem letting you die, Bell— your side should be clear," she murmured under her breath, and he obviously seemed taken aback. The whole walk there was silent, and Maggie refused to even do so much as look in his direction. And now he was being addressed by her? He believed that she hated his guts at the moment, yet she was looking out for him?

     She watched as Pike said something indistinguishable into the walkie once again, an unreadable look plastered across her face. Just as that happened, Bellamy quickly grabbed his sister's arm, twisting the girl around himself to put her into a defenseless position. Octavia grunted at the sudden pressure as she tried to resist falling to her knees. Maggie didn't understand what Bellamy's ultimate goal was, but she didn't even get the chance to think about it. All of Pike's guards came out of hiding, weapons ready to fire, and it was no secret that they were severely outnumbered, even if Maggie decided to start shooting. 

     Soon, handcuffs were forced onto all of their wrists, and the Gray girl knew that resisting would lead her nowhere. She sent daggers Pike's way that would kill if they could, but he paid no mind to her. Stuffing the radio in his pocket, he instead picked up the girls' weapons and diverted his focus to Bellamy. "Now you don't look so good."

     "I'm fine," he deflected, like always. 

     Skipping the casualties, Pike's expression turned sour, "You got about five seconds to make me believe you're still with me."

     "All the others are in a cave not far from here," the Blake revealed almost instantly, cutting straight to the chase. 

     Letting out a forceful breath, Maggie could do nothing but shake her head shamefully. Octavia, on the other hand, used all of her power to escape the guard's hold, fuming. "You son of a bitch!" Before she could even get to her brother, however, she was electrocuted with a shock baton. Limply falling to the ground, her eyes fluttered as she fell unconscious. 

     Ignoring her outburst of emotion, Pike continued, "Give me the coordinates."

     "I don't have the coordinates," Bellamy admitted, "But I can take you there."

      As much as Maggie despised her boyfriend at that moment, she knew him almost better than she knew herself. She was thankful that she did, because she just knew that was a blatant lie. The actual side he was on seemed to be fuzzy, but if he had a plan, and it was similar to the idea that Maggie mentally curated, then his new and improved motives would be clear. In all honesty, she just hoped she still had the ability to read his mind like she used to.  

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this chapter is so long-awaited and so messy. this part has been draggginnggg for me. i just want my mags to make up with bell so bad rn. and then sex... i mean what.. so to make writing this a little more bearable i threw in a cute little flashback to lighten the mood.... haahhahaha

i'm so sorry its been so long. life's been hectic, i must admit. college decisions are stressful, but i'm so happy to say that i have chosen and am about to put down my deposit and commit! 

i love you all!!!!