S I X

Murphy, in truth, had never thought he'd see that beautiful face again. And though it was awful to have thought such a thing, it was easier than knowing she was still out there, maybe in pain, still hating him.

If she died hating him, he didn't know if he could ever forgive himself.

Every now and again, Althea would mumble a few, incoherent words. It almost sounded as if she were chanting to herself, lowly and under her breath. Letting the words rumble within her throat and vibrate against her lips.

While she had a few cuts and bruises, Murphy couldn't see any visible signs of damage. In relief, it turned out that he was the one who had been hurt the worst.

Even so, it still hurt when she went pale in the face at the sight of him, resisting against the bitter guard even as she stood no chance in competing with Hartley's strength.

He hated the way those evergreen eyes stared at him as if he were a ghost, no happiness in seeing him. No graceful smile, just as he adored to see sprawled across those soft lips of hers, subtly pink and constantly bruised.

He drew in a breath and rest his head back against the metal, wondering if she would forgive him this time.

Although his cynical nature told him she would not and could never, it would not have hurt her as badly if she didn't care. Wouldn't have been half the gash drawn across her front, wouldn't have considered jumping out of the drop ship and running after him, leaving Octavia and Finn behind, and most definitely wouldn't have thought about him every day if she didn't care.

And he'd thought about her too.

In those moments he thought would be his last as he sat across from Raven's broken body, luckily still breathing, Murphy thought about brave-hearted Althea. Remembered the way she'd spoken so gently to him, so kindly, as if he were not rude-lipped. And kissed him like she meant it.

She did. She meant it all.

He knew that. Althea didn't have a bad bone in her body capable of such deceit. So, as he sat across from her, he couldn't help but be curious as to what Althea did to get herself locked in here like him, a murderer.

-

Althea was barely awake when Finn came hurrying into the prisoner room, immediately going over to Bellamy and freeing him from the restrains bound at his wrists.

"And Althea," Bellamy said to Finn, nodding in her direction as he rubbed his wrists.

With the sound of her name, she looked in their direction, looking blankly at Finn as he cut her free and helped her to her feet.

"Where are we going?" She asked as she too rubbed her sore wrists. Not that the restraints were tight, they were just uncomfortable to be in for any long period of time.

"To find our friends," Finn replied. "You joining?"

"Of course," She said without a hint of hesitation. She'd break her wrists before she remained locked up while they went out and risked their lives without her.

"Wait, wait," Murphy called out as they make their move to leave on their newest mission to save their friends from the clutches of the grounders. "What about me?"

"And me?" Another voice piped up, half-asleep. "You leave me here and I'll tell 'em exactly who broke you out. I'll spill faster than you can say your own name."

Bellamy rolled his eyes but grabs the cutters from Finn. With a grim expression, he cuts both of them free.

"Wait. No!" Finn exclaimed, moving to stop Bellamy too late. "What are you doing?"

Althea couldn't blame him for the distrust he had in Murphy. He'd done nothing but break layer after layer of trust and second-chances.

"He's coming with us," Bellamy announced, voice firm and steady. Every inch of him screamed leader. And Althea trusted that sense. He was smart and knew how to plan ahead, which was a crucial skill on the Ground, a dog-eat-dog kind of world.

"No way," Finn resisted, clenching his fists, a wild look in his eyes that Althea knew well. Desperation.

"He's been to the Grounder prison camp," He countered, bloodied face unreadable.

"Bellamy's right," Althea said, stuffing her hands into the pockets of her jacket. Where she'd punched Abby, the fist still throbbed in reminder.

While she hadn't broken it, the skin of her knuckle had split. It'd been bandaged up, but the dull ache kept her emotions in check and reminded her who she was. She was not the bull blinded by rage, she was Althea Barnes and she would not succumb to the darkness again.

"He's right, okay?" Murphy confirmed, looking dead at Finn with a wisp of a promise lying on his bruised cheeks, but a want not to be left behind also clear as day. "I can bring you there."

Althea couldn't help but find his desire not to be left behind painfully ironic. If she'd been in better spirits, she might've even laughed.

"Then we need to go," She said gravely, "time's running out."

Monroe appears in the doorway, her childish face slightly flushed and strands of hair escaping her braid of dusky blonde. "Hey, Sterling just signaled. Someone's coming," She told them fingers curled around the doorframe.

"Right." Bellamy glanced to Althea for a moment. She gave him a slight nod of her head and he continued, "Let's go. Lead the way, Finn."

They wound their way out of the holding room, sticking close to the walls and one another. It was night time and the stars were out in full force, the moon lighting their way as they slipped out of the camp and into the treeline.

That was where they met Abby Griffin and David Miller.

Althea stiffened at the sight of Abby, her bones creaking as she walked forwards with her group. She felt Finn's hand grip her arm tightly, fingers digging in through the material of her jacket. A comfort, a warning, and a precaution all wrapped up in one gesture. And she wanted to snap her arm away from him, knowing that she could handler her emotions herself, but the gratitude was there when she felt her stomach lurch as Abby met her eyes.

She looked away as soon as she realised that what she saw wasn't the same girl who'd been Clarke's best friend. Not the same girl whose hair she'd braided when her own mother was busy. Who she'd hosted multiple sleepovers for when she didn't want to go home after a long day of playing with Clarke, and occasionally Wells.

No, that girl died with her parents.

"You're late," Abby said, clearly anxious for her daughter to be returned to her arms.

Finn is the one to explain their tardiness. "Bellamy decided to bring company." He sent a glare in Murphy's direction, colder than anything she'd ever seen from him.

With a frown, she dismissed it as Bellamy reasoned that he's the only one who's been in the camp. As much as they all hated to admit it, they needed him.

Abby had brought them guns and Althea felt uneasy for it, though she knew it was necessary, even as Finn pressed the pistol into her hand.

"I know you don't want it, but you have to. Just for protection, okay? Nothing else. You don't have to make any tough shots. Keep it on you at all times and be prepared to use it if a grounder attacks you," He advised, his best intentions never failing to comfort her.

"Thank you," Althea replied, the gun heavy in her hand as she pushed it into her belt. "The same applies to you. Only for protection, okay?"

"Okay," He assured, squeezing her arm one more time before releasing her as they moved out of the area and into the trees to get their friends back, at any cost. Any cost at all.

-

Lilla was almost unnerved by the way the girl had gone into a trance as if she was in another plane of existence entirely. As if no one was around her to witness.

She'd never seen anything like it in all her years. Age twenty-three and she was still being surprised by the kinds of criminals who washed up on their shores. She'd been in this job for years. Thought she'd seen it all, but that girl was a completely different breed of criminal.

For one of the first times in her life Lilla had been relieved to finally get off shift. Though she knew the girl's chanting would be stuck in her mind all day, replaying while she tried to sleep.

When she walked past the med-bay, Lilla was surprised to see a familiar face led upon the table.

She almost laughed out loud at the sight of Raven Reyes led there. Not for the grievous, life threatening wounds and surgery she'd endured, but for the plain sight of her. It'd been a while since they'd crossed paths and Lilla didn't even know she was down here, that she'd survived.

Lilla knew someone was in there, seriously injured. They'd brought them back from the drop ship, but Lilla had been preoccupied with Bellamy and Murphy.

She hadn't expected Raven to be the source of those blood-curdling screams.

Painting a smirk on her mouth, Lilla paused in the doorway and took a few steps inside.

"Raven Reyes," She said, letting her eyes drag over the sight of the girl lying on the bed. "Never thought I'd see the day where you got yourself stuck in this place."

"The ground or the med-bay?" Raven replied shortly.

The sound of her response was enough of a signal for Lilla to continue, to walk over to the side of the bed and sit down.

"Both, I guess," She said, while her vision scanned over her for the injury that got her there in the first place. Only the bandages plastered around her back, curling up at her waist, was an indication of the injury she'd sustained.

"I got shot." Voice wooden.

Lilla knew it was a lie, or holding back the whole truth. She knew Raven like the back of her hand. Had seen her everyday for too many days of her life not to know. It would be a betrayal to the hours they'd spent together to now recognise the lie, but she figured it would be an intrusion to call her on it after not seeing her for a long time.

Lilla wet her chapped lips, the dried skin rough against her tongue. "And how'd you get to the ground?" She asked.

"Abby Griffin sent me," Raven replied.

"And why're you being short with me?" Lilla's dark eyes peered right into her, stared into her as if she could seek the answers herself. As if she could pry them from Raven's stubborn fingers and delve herself into them hungrily like a ravenous dog starved of meat.

"I don't know you anymore," She said, voice croaking as she spoke.

Lilla recoiled, drawing her eyes down to her dusty boots. "Yeah, you do."

"No, I don't." Her face was a picture of disgust. A layer of distaste Lilla never thought would paint her face in her presence.

It had always been them against everyone, but then work life caught up with them and Finn came into the picture. They were swept in two different directions. Raven with Finn and Lilla alone, struggling to keep her head above water for all the responsibility that weighed her down, pulling her into the depths where she would be devoured alive.

"So," Lilla stood, "that's how it's gonna be? Huh, never thought you the type to turn your back on an old friend, but two can play at that game." Her fingers balled into fists at her sides. "Take your time recovering."

In a storm, Lilla Hartley swept from the room, thunder booming across her face and through her bones. If she wasn't careful, it would overcome her reason. Take her into its arms and puppeteer her as if she were worth nothing at all. All that she'd built for herself crumbling down with every clap of lightning.

And so she grabbed the reigns and took back control. Pulled herself back into the saddle like she'd never even touched the ground.

-

Finn hadn't stayed at Althea's side for long. Too wrapped up in his mission to find Clarke, and the others of course, that he'd stormed ahead of the group, barely glancing back to check they were still there, following him.

The drastic change was startling. A complete one-eighty from the peace-keeping space walker he'd been only days ago.

But love was like a drug.

Once you're addicted, withdrawals kick in the second that one person who'd kept you ticking over was gone. Althea hated to admit it, but his behaviour gave it away. He loved Clarke and he would do anything to get her back into his arms again.

The thought shook her bones.

Aria beside her almost appeared inconvenienced. Huffed her dark curls of hair out of her face every now and again with a tremendous sigh.

"You know," Althea said, "you didn't have to come with us." She tucked her own, much lighter, hair behind her ear, peering over to the stranger.

"What? And stay behind in that room alone? No thanks." She shrugged her shoulders, barely noticeable beneath that oversized jacket she insisted on wearing. "Besides they would've questioned me about where you went and who broke you out. Would much rather stick with you bunch than those self-righteous prats."

Althea almost smiled.

"So, you're here to help then?" A drawling, low voice said from Althea's other side.

She didn't want to look at him. Didn't let herself. One look in those eyes and she'd feel every little piece of emotion she'd pressed down with both hands come rushing back up, breaking through the dams in a surge of suffocation.

"Help is a strong word, but I suppose so, yes," She replied, again shrugging her shoulders as if she had nothing better to do. "I'm Aria Ness, by the way."

"John Murphy."

Althea flinched.

"I'm Althea Barnes," She said stiffly, forcing a crooked smile. Looking witchly, she forced the smile to reach her open eyes.

"Oh," Aria smiled thinly, "I know. There's plenty of stories about you." She stuffed her scarred hands deep into her pockets, turning something between her fingers.

Althea felt his eyes on her and turned her eyes forward, staring at the back of Finn's head as he stalked ahead.

"I've heard all of them," She said. "When they thought I wasn't listening, I heard them."

"Right, okay," Aria muttered, expression flattening into confusion. "Well, if they're true... Just keep cool, alright?" Aria picked up her pace, mumbling something about needing to stretch her legs and walk quicker than a slug, moving on to walk alone.

"Thea," Murphy began, wetting his lips as the cogs in his brain whirred. "Are you gonna ignore me for the rest of your life?"

Now she couldn't resit looking at him, but regretted it immediately. His face was hollow with regret and pain as he gazed at her, waiting for his answer to a question that sounded like a joke but had dark undertones of reality, and fear. It took her breath away.

"I want to, yes," She replied, voice quiet and lacking the lightness of giggles breaking through like he so adored. "You left me behind."

"I know and I'm sorry, but I didn't want to die. He would've killed me if I'd stayed," Murphy reasoned, reaching out to grab her hand, but Althea flinched away from him. She snapped away from him like he always thought she would.

Like he thought she would the night he'd removed her band, but instead was greeted with the sweet honey of flirtation with a girl who he'd never dreamed would walk into his life, let alone meet on the ground of all places.

And now she jolted away from him as if he were a parasite.

"I hoped you were dead out there," Althea admitted lowly, hating the taste of those traitorous words on her tongue that went against everything she had ever stood for. "I thought it would be easier than having to see you again. Maybe it would hurt less."

"I'm sorry, Thea," He repeated like a broken record.

A record that Althea wished she could snap over her knee, break in half and throw onto the floor, discarded. But she wouldn't. She could never. There were to many memories attached to do such a impulsive thing.

So, she took a breath and turned away from him, finding a comfort, that she hated, in him walking beside her, but thankful that his heart still beat. And came to the terrifying realisation that she was just like Finn.

-

All around, the forest was still. The wind lay low and the sun bloomed across its domain, bringing life to all those who basked in its glory, keeping their distance from her wrath, remembering Icarus.

Althea kept her distance from Murphy. She didn't hate him. That wasn't a possibility for her, but the wound still wept from the broken promise like the lash of a whip. Throbbing and sticky with blood, but beginning to heal. And it would, of course, leave a nasty scar, but scars weave themselves into the very thing that can bring memory of a significant event in life.

For Althea, Murphy leaving her behind was one of those. She'd realised that actually she could do things alone. She could pick up a sword and learn to defend herself. She could smile and laugh with Octavia as far as her heart strings would allow her, yanking against them with every rock of laughter.

But still, she could not hate him. For everything he had done, she knew he had his own regrets and she had hers.

"You're wearing my jacket," Murphy commented from beside her, a mixture of emotions in his voice, none of them annoyance. "I just noticed," He added in a murmur.

Althea turned her head to look at him and found surprise and almost a happiness lined across his face.

"I didn't want it to go to waste," She said, stuffing her hands into the pockets. "Besides," her shoulders shrugged, "figured you didn't want it anymore seeing as you left it behind."

"Well, it's yours now," Murphy replied. "See, I expected more flirting to come from this." He scratched the back of his neck.

"You can't charm me like that," She said, pulling the jacket tighter around herself, breathing in the scent of blood and grime. Nose stinging, she pushed down the thought of whose blood stained it, knowing exactly who.

"Was worth a try," He retorted, sending her an unwavering smirk as she remained cold. "We all know God loves a trier."

"Thou shalt not kill," Althea said, voice a steady string in her throat, the sound of ticking in her mind as it worked.

The woods around them creaked back as they passed, letting them go as if they were to give them the plague. And Althea didn't like it one bit, but still they walked on, leaves crunching beneath their feet, cringing every time a twig snapped under the soul of their boot like a brittle bone.

"Everybody down!" Murphy hissed, pulling Bellamy down behind the cover of the thick foliage. "Now!"

Althea ducked down beside Monroe, peering over at the scene of the grounder camp before them. A sick feeling arose in her. They were living just like they were. Trying to survive, trying to live their lives in the fullest sense. There were even a few children running about.

"This is it. Told you I'd find it," Murphy said, bordering on boasting but a dear grimness had snuck itself into his words.

And they crouched there for a while just watching as if they were the wolves and the grounders the pray, watching for weakness and for their pack. They didn't need to be strong, just be smart. Smart enough to outsmart and win.

Then Finn tensed beside her. "Son of a bitch," He hissed in a whisper, his jaw tight and every muscle in his body ready to spring into action. "He's got Clarke's watch. It was her father's." Althea pressed a hand onto his leg, a silent beg not to shoot until they knew they could get away safely.

Quickly they devised their plan of action. They would bait one of the grounders away from the others and knock him out to be taken away for an interrogation of sorts. Althea, while glad they weren't killing him, still felt a discomfort in their actions. It only increased as his body hit the floor, eyes rolled back into his skull.

"We need to take him somewhere quiet," Bellamy said, already his mind was racing with thought, but Finn was quicker, more desperate.

"I know just the place," He replied, mouth thin and heavy shoulders weighing low.

-
FINAL PART OF UNEDITED CHAPTERS