four; ACCUSED MURDERER

"Do you think we can go to Earth soon?" The young boy asked as he let go of his father's hand to press both of his against the glass alongside his face, his nose upturning against the cool glass and his breath making it fog up with every exhale.

"I don't think so, Logan." Angelo Archer responded softly as he watched his son press himself further against the glass as the moon began to slowly rise, "We have to wait until the planet is safe for our return."

"When will that be?" He asked as he turned eagerly to his father, his expression filled with so much wonder and awe.

"I'm not sure," Angelo told him gently, "But we have to be absolutely certain of the lack of radiation otherwise our ancestor's sacrifices would have been for nothing"

"Oh." The disappointment was etched across his expression as he turned his attention back to the planet, "I think that it will be beautiful."

"I think so too, son." His father murmured as he watched his son, a soft smile upon gracing his lips, "I truly do."

Archer let out a huff of annoyance, stuffing his jacket further around his head as the noises that Jasper was emitting grew louder and longer, he knew that the male was in pain and he was sympathetic of it, up until he couldn't sleep, at least.

"Go back to sleep!" A voice on the level above shouted.

"Quiet!"

"Don't listen to them." Clarke told the sleeping male rather loudly, shooting a dark look at the group huddled together, "You're gonna make it through this, okay? Promise."

"Can he just die already?"

Archer lifted his head, his expression harsh as his eyes found the male who had spoken because sure, he to wanted Jasper to shut up, but he'd never wish death upon him.

"Say that again." He spoke softly, his tone laced with a promised threat, "Go on."

The colour drained from the male's face and he quickly stood, moving both himself and what little belongings he had onto the level below them, muttering apologies until he disappeared.

"Does anyone else have any death wishes they'd like to bestow upon Jasper?" He questioned curiously, gazing around at the delinquents who had ventured onto the upper level and when no one else spoke, a cruel smirk flittered across his face, "I thought so."

"I'm gonna get clean water." Clarke spoke as she got to her feet, "Keep an eye on him."

Archer ignored the blonde and Monty nodded as Jasper let out a shout of pain once had Clarke disappeared down the ladder. Monty flinched at the sound, a pained look falling across his features as he watched his best friend thrash about through his unconscious state.

"He's going to be fine, Green." Archer murmured gruffly, causing the younger male to look up at him cautiously, "Kid's made of some pretty tough stuff."

"Yeah." Monty agreed, "I just wish I could do more, you know?"

Archer bobbed his head up and down in agreement, bringing his knees up to his chest as he sat up, leaning the rest of his weight against the metal wall behind him.

"I'm sure you just being here for him is enough," He said quietly.

Monty just barely heard his words, but it brought a smile straight to his face, wondering if maybe there was more to the seemingly dangerous male than anyone thought.

✦❀✦

Archer sat cross-legged on the forest floor, ripping out pieces of grass from the ground around him in a strange fascination as he watched Murphy try to throw his knife into the bark of the large tree once again and then fail again.

He snorted as the blade hit the ground with a thud and Murphy sent him a withering look.

"That damn kid." He huffed, "Always messing with my head."

"He's not gonna last much longer." Bellamy pointed out, causing Archer to smirk as he turned to his best friend, knowing exactly what the older man was about to say, "Better think of a new excuse."

"And maybe something better than 'that damn kid'" Archer mocked him with a grin, causing Murphy to shoot the male a sarcastic grin as Bellamy threw the axe in his hand into the tree with a thud, turning to smirk at the scowl on Murphy's face.

"That's how it's done." He told him with a smug look.

Archer chuckled as he got to his feet and brushed the dirt from his pants as Atom appeared between the trees, followed by another male.

"We searched a half-mile all directions." He exclaimed, faltering ever so slightly when he addressed Bellamy, "No sign of Trina or Pascal."

"Visit your special tree when you were out there?" Murphy asked in response to the male's words, he and Archer sharing a small smirk when Atom glared at him, watching as Murphy reclaimed his fallen knife.

"Atom took his punishment." Bellamy warned him, "Let it go."

"Could be Grounders." Atom murmured.

"Yeah." Murphy agreed, "Or they could be in pound town, a lot of that going around recently."

"Of course, you'd know all about that wouldn't you, J?" Archer murmured to his best friend, who kicked him lightly in response before Jasper shouts of pain grew louder and Atom turned his attention back to Bellamy who was pulling the axe from the tree.

"Look, Bellamy, people are scared, and that dying kid, he's not helping the morale around here." He spoke, twitching slightly when Jasper's screaming became more agonised.

"Morale will go up when I find them more food," Bellamy responded.

"And what do we say when they ask about Trina and Pascal?"

"Now? Nothing, it's possible that they're just lost." Bellamy answered, "We'll keep an eye out for them when we go hunting later.

"Let's go kill something," Murphy exclaimed with a smirk.

"Ever the violent streak, Johnny." Archer said with a small grin at the same time Bellamy told him that he wasn't joining them and before Murphy could protest, Bellamy quickly continued, "I need you to stay here. If the Grounders are circling, we can't leave this place unprotected."

Murphy remained silent for a moment before nodding, "Fine, somebody better tell goggle boy to keep it shut."

Bellamy nodded before his eyes flickered to Archer and he hesitated for a brief moment before he shook his head, "I need you with me."

"Whatever you say, boss," He agreed with a smirk, watching as Bellamy walked away in the direction of the dropship, probably to threaten Clarke about Jasper's fate.

"Dude, keep it in your pants." Murphy scoffed with a short laugh, his amusement ceasing as he threw the knife at the tree again, the blade failing to puncture the bark.

"Just can't help it, J." Archer responded with a grin, "That man is gorgeous."

His smile grew as he pulled his own makeshift knife from his pocket and threw it at the tree, the blade embedding itself into the moss-covered bark.

"Show off." Murphy huffed at him.

✦❀✦

Archer found himself deep in the woods with Bellamy, Atom, and a few others he hadn't cared to learn the names of, keeping to himself, though not intentionally as his reputation preceded him and he had come to the realisation that while it was quite lonely, he preferred this kind of solitude rather than solitary confinement, at least this way he could hear everything around him rather than being left to sit alone in the deafening silence.

Bellamy shushing everyone brought him from his trance and he glanced around, his gaze quickly zeroing in on the hog that was wandering about the bushes mere feet away from them.

"She's mine," Bellamy whispered, slowly raising his axe above his head and just as he was about to swing, a crack echoed behind the ground and they all turned, the blade leaving Bellamy's surprised grasp and lodging itself into the tree that a young girl stood beside.

"Holy shit, that was close." Archer breathed out, staring at the blonde girl in shock.

"Who the hell are you?" Bellamy questioned as the rest of the boys followed after the spooked animal.

"Charlotte." She answered, her voice quiet, timid.

"I almost killed you." Bellamy said harshly as he ripped the axe from the tree, "Why aren't you back at camp."

"Well, what with that guy who was dying, I just–I couldn't listen anymore." She responded quietly, her eyes shifting about nervously.

"There's grounders out here." Atom exclaimed loudly, "It's too dangerous for a little girl."

"I'm not little." She huffed.

"That's what little kids say." Archer told her, a grin tugging at his lips as he crouched down beside the girl who smiled hesitantly at him in return, "But if you're gonna be out here, you're gonna need protection."

He glanced back at Bellamy, who was looking at Charlotte with something akin to nostalgia, a small smile playing at his lips before he noticed Archer staring at him and he quickly shook his head, clearing his throat before he began to speak.

"Okay, then." He said as he pulled a knife from his pocket, "But Archer is somewhat right, you can't hunt without a weapon."

Bellamy passed the blade to Archer who glanced down at the familiar weapon for a brief moment before he handed it to Charlotte with a soft smile, his eyes softening as she closed her fingers around the handle of the knife.

"Ever killed something before." Bellamy questioned, his eyes flickering from Charlotte to Archer when he noticed that the younger male, like the blonde girl, had also shaken his head though almost absentmindedly, "Who knows? Maybe you're good at it."

Archer pulled himself from his crouch and smiled at the quiet girl.

"Come on." He said with a smile that he only reserved for kids, "Let's find some food."

Shortly thereafter, once Archer and the others had made their way back to the group that had gone after the hog, they found themselves sprinting from a yellow fog that had left one of the guys screaming and holding onto his arm in pain.

Archers feet hit the ground over and over as his heart thudded erratically in his chest as he sprinted, never once letting go of Charlotte's hand, though she did slow his pace, and he shouted encouragements to her over his shoulder.

"Come on!" Bellamy bellowed out, Archer just barely seeing his silhouette a few paces ahead of him, "There are caves this way."

A horn continued to sound somewhere in the distance just as Bellamy stopped, grabbing ahold of Charlotte's free arm and helping Archer get her away from the fog that was slowly closing in on them, the trio skidding to a stop as Bellamy pushed them further into the entrance of the cave, the two males stopping as Atom's pained shouts filled the air, echoing alongside the horn that continued to blare.

Bellamy stopped and turned, ready to rush out into the heart of the yellow substance but Archer quickly wrapped his arms around the man's torso and pulled him back.

"I have to help him." Bellamy shouted angrily, struggling against the younger man's hold, "Let me go!"

"You can't help him without killing yourself in the process." Archer shouted as he pulled him further into the cave before the fog could envelop them, "You can't help him, Bellamy!"

✦❀✦

It seemed, Archer thought to himself as he was startled awake, That screaming and shouting were quickly becoming his new wake up call.

"Charlotte, wake up!" Bellamy exclaimed, by the twitching girl's side in an instant, before Archer had even finished pulling himself into an upright position.

Charlotte woke quickly, her eyes darting around before they fell on Bellamy.

"I'm sorry." She whispered to him, her eyes downcast.

In the caves strange light, Archer could just see the soft, almost gentle, look on Bellamy's face as he stared at the apologetic girl.

"Does it happen often?" He found himself asking the young girl and Bellamy found his tone uncharacteristically gentle and understanding.

Charlotte didn't answer, Archer wasn't surprised, but she huffed the exhale giving her away. Yes, her nightmares were frequent.

Bellamy's face remained void for a brief moment as he stared at the frightened girl before he finally spoke, "What are you so scared of?"

Archer rolled his eyes at the question but continued to listen as Bellamy changed his course of thinking.

"You know what, it doesn't matter." He told her, "The only thing that matters is what you do about it."

Archer rose an eyebrow and Charlotte frowned in confusion.

"But...I'm asleep."

"Fears are fears." The man said with that small smirk that Archer was very sure he liked, "Slay your demons when you're awake, they won't be there to get you when you sleep."

As Bellamy and Charlotte continued to talk, Archer stared down at his bruised knuckles, deep in thought.

Isla Archer was his demon and she was still up on the Ark, smug that she hadn't been caught, content in the fact that her son had unwillingly taken the blame for her crimes and she was free, unpunished for what she had done, to both her husband and her child.

Even still, he never stood a chance.

He was the boy from Factory Station who was set to go somewhere special, only to have it shot down due to nepotism, and then when he tried to do good by helping those who had nothing, it was shoved back in his face.

"...Not afraid."

He had tried to save his father, only to be locked away in return, to be executed without a trial because who would believe anything he would have to say.

"Screw you." He was snapped out of his thoughts by Charlotte, holding her knife with a timid expression on her face, "I'm not afraid."

Archer chuckled slightly causing Bellamy to look over his shoulder at the younger male, shooting him a dark look before he turned back to Charlotte, giving her an encouraging nod, leaving her to grip the handle of the blade tighter.

"Screw you." She repeated again, though more confidently, "I'm not afraid."

Bellamy smiled.

"Slay your demons, kid." He told her, "Then you'll be able to sleep."

When he turned away from the girl, he saw the look on Archer's face and the look on his own face turned dark, the harsh expression leaving the accused murderer nothing but amused.

"What?"

Archer rose his arms in defence.

"Nothing, King." He replied lightly, "Just not sure if that's great advice to be giving a child."

"Oh." Bellamy chuckled, and it was not an amused sound, "And I suppose that she should be listening to a murderer's advice instead?"

Archer smiled sarcastically at the man as he moved back onto his side and rolled over to face the wall, his back to the man, "Touche."

"Lost you in the stew." Bellamy exclaimed as the met up with the rest of the hunting party the next morning after the yellow fog had cleared, "Where'd you go?"

"Made it to a cave down there." Jones responded, gesturing behind the group with his stick, "The hell was that?"

From the corner of his eye, Archer noticed that Charlotte had begun to wander and from the look of it, none of the others had picked up on that so he quickly followed after the girl, just barely hearing Bellamy answer Jones' question.

"I don't know. Where's Atom?"

"Where are you headed?" Archer questioned as he fell into step behind the girl.

"Just want to go back to camp." She huffed, glancing over her shoulder at him with a frown.

"Me too." Archer said with a grin, "But you're going the wrong way."

Charlotte huffed and when she shifted her footing to turn, she froze in place as she stared off into the trees.

"What's the matter?" The male questioned once he saw her state, "Charlotte?"

The only response he got from her was a high pitched scream and he rushed forward, stumbling slightly when he saw what had caused the girl to become so terrified, and he quickly pushed her behind a tree, so she wouldn't be able to see the body anymore

"Stay here." He shouted at her over her screaming, unsure if she had registered what he had even said, but he continued forward toward the body, without a backward glance.

"Atom?" He whispered as he stopped by the boy's side, dropping to his knees beside the twitching boy who's entire body looked like the arm of the guards whose quarters Murphy had set aflame after his mother's death.

"A-A-Arch." He wheezed, his chest rising and falling at a rapid pace as he turned to look at the male, his blue eyes foggy, a far cry from what they looked like only a day before.

Archer felt sick that fog, of all things, could do this to someone.

"Son of a bitch." Bellamy swore as he skidded to a halt across from Archer and dropped into a crouch as he looked over Atom's injuries, unsure of what he could do for him.

"Kill... m-me." The boy pleaded when he saw the older man, "Kill me..."

As he began to wheeze and hack, Archer heard footsteps approach and he turned his head just in time to see Charlotte hand her knife to Bellamy with an odd look on her face that he couldn't decipher.

"Don't be afraid." She whispered, her eyes darting between Bellamy and Atom.

"Go back to camp." Bellamy exclaimed and when Charlotte made no move to follow after the others that had quickly departed, he spoke again, "Charlotte, you too."

"I'm staying." Archer told him firmly when he saw Bellamy open his mouth to order him off as well, "I'm not leaving you to do this alone."

Bellamy stared at him for a moment before he finally nodded and looked back down at Atom who had begun to sob from whatever pain he was in and when Archer finally saw the conflict smeared all over Bellamy's face, he leaned forward and gently pried the blade from his tight grip.

He sucked in a sharp breath and slowly moved the blade to the side of Atom's neck, but before he could push the blade into his skin, he was interrupted.

"I heard screams." Archer exhaled shakily at the sound of Clarke's voice and he looked over his shoulder just as she got to her knees beside him, glancing over Atom with sad eyes before she shook her head.

"Charlotte found him." Bellamy responded, "I sent her back to camp."

"Please," Atom begged.

Archer nodded, steeling himself once more as he raised the knife back up to Atom's throat and his eyes began to tear up as he began to hum a tune his father used to sing him and finally, the knife was buried to the hilt in Atom's burnt flesh and he began to gurgle as his windpipe filled with blood.

The boy nodded shakily as he looked up at Archer, his milky irises glazing over with both tears and lifelessness.

He wanted this, His mind shouted at him as his stomach began to tighten and churn, He wouldn't have survived anyway.

He hadn't even registered the tear that fell down his cheek or that Clarke had begun to hum alongside him as she ran her fingers through the dying male's hair.

The gurgling stopped and Archer found himself wondering if he could continue to tell himself that his charges were truly false, that he was not the murderer that everyone thought he was.

══════════════════

i was going to keep this going but until the end of the episode but i kind of just felt the need to wrap it up here as the rest isn't all that relevant and would probably just be archer having an internal war with himself.

thanks for reading!

~r