❝it's unbelievable how you can affect someone so deeply and never know.❞

-michael clifford, 5 seconds of summer

♛

LATE THAT NIGHT I'M lounging around with Octavia, neither of us up for doing anything. Yesterday's events have shaken the whole camp. Nobody feels like working much except trying to relieve the stress or repress the memories. For Octavia and I, it's having endless conversations about nothing. For Bellamy, it's sleeping with girls. I don't know where Clarke has gone.

I sigh, despondency brewing up when I remember how close we had been before I was imprisoned. I could tell Clarke anything without having to worry about judgment. We couldn't go a day without seeing each other. We helped one another with our classes. For most of my life I could see what it would feel like if I was allowed to have a sister.

But now, after two years, things have changed. Clarke is still the same but with slight differences. I almost never see her or talk to her compared to how much I used to, and it bothers me. She's always with Finn. Sometimes I don't think she realizes how much I miss her. Octavia and I are growing ever closer, but it will never be the same. Our relationship is entirely different to the one Clarke and I have. Had. Our friendship is bent, and I don't know how to fix it.

"What are you thinking about?" Octavia asks quietly. She sits with her back against the trunk of a tree, sitting in the soft moss at its roots. The multiple campfires and torches around us illuminate her shiny face in a fiery glow.

I shrug, my oily hair falling into my face. I flick it over my shoulder before responding. "Relationships. How they aren't the same."

Octavia nods in understanding. "I agree. Though Bellamy is still extremely overprotective, he's edgy. Something's off." Her chapped lips pull into a slight frown and her eyes wander off in thought. "Maybe he hasn't slept with enough girls."

Her sentence takes me by surprise and I burst into laughter. Octavia smiles along with me, her eyes crinkling at the corners. I sober up and admit, "Probably."

Octavia leans forward and moves her eyebrows up and down with a teasing smirk on her face. "Maybe you're next."

My mouth drops to form an 'O' and this time, she is the one to laugh. I scrunch my face up and smack her lightly on her arm. "Shut up! I'm not into pointless affairs like that."

A sound that's kind of like a rocket causes us to stop and listen. It grows louder and louder with each passing second. After one glance at one another, Octavia and I are standing up and moving quickly toward the center of camp.

"Bellamy, get out here!" Octavia shouts near his tent. I stand beside her and stare up at the sky, where a single pod is descending to Earth at an extremely fast rate. There's a ring of orange and yellow at the top of it from the burning atmosphere. I'm vaguely aware that Bellamy is now near us, his eyes locked on the pod. "There!" Octavia points to it as more people gather around us.

"They're coming to help us!" Jones exclaims excitedly as a parachute deploys from the pod and decreases its speed. "Now we can kick some Grounder ass!" A collection of pleased agreements rises up from the small gathering.

"Please tell me they brought down some shampoo," some random girl mutters. She has dark hair pulled back with braids and a sharp jaw with a pointed chin. A thick blanket is wrapped around her tall frame. I recognize her as one of the girls who emerged from Bellamy's tent and roll my eyes, taking a step away. As I do so, I bump into Bellamy himself and trip over my own feet. Almost automatically, he catches me and I'm staring up at his smirking face.

"Better watch it there, Amazon," he teases, gripping tightly onto my biceps. "You might hurt yourself."

As he straightens me up, I notice for the first time that he doesn't have a shirt on. My eyes involuntarily travel down his toned chest and stomach. I admire the sharp edges of his arms. I'm careful to do this all in one quick glance so he doesn't notice, but my cheeks are tinged with a blush.

A few minutes later, almost everyone around camp has woken up. They've all been informed on what crash landed on Earth. Now it's hectic.

Bellamy has taken refuge in his tent. I'm really not surprised at this point. Now it's mine and Octavia's jobs to try and calm everyone down, as Clarke and Finn still haven't shown back up. I can't help but let an inkling of worry creep into the back of my mind.

I've been trying to ignore the slight pain in my head, or how my vision will sometimes blur. I know the symptoms of a concussion. Part of me wants to ignore it- the camp's in need of leaders and now isn't the time to be recovering. The other part wants to sleep past this all.

Octavia sends a distasteful look toward her brother's tent that Jones has just entered. "I'm going to have a word with him," she grumbles before marching over to the large area and disappearing under the flap.

Sighing, I drag a hand down my tired face. My eyelids are heavy with exhaustion. However, with all the chaos around the camp, I doubt I'll be able to sleep anytime soon. Voices mix in with each other around me. People mill about, carrying torches.

"Looks like everybody's up," a familiar male voice says. I automatically turn toward it, watching Clarke and Finn enter the camp a little ways away from me. I brush a strand of hair behind my ear and try to put myself in plain sight to see if Clarke will try to look for me.

A girl with extremely long brunette hair - Fox, I think - approaches them, an excited look on her narrow face. "Did you guys see that? You know it's from the Ark, right? It had to be."

"Grab your stuff," Clarke orders with a light look on her face. It looks kind of like hope. "Let's find out."

"Bellamy said we're gonna wait until sunrise," Fox informs, shifting her weight onto her other foot and cocking her head to the side. She's probably fifteen years old or so, maybe even fourteen.

This sparks Clarke's interest. "Where is he?"

Before Fox can respond, Clarke pushes past Finn and heads toward Bellamy's tent. I can feel a weight drop into my heart as I watch her go.

Finn looks weary but cheerful as he makes his way over to me, hands shoved into the pockets of his pants. "You worried about her?"

I glance at him before watching Bellamy's tent, where Clarke has just gone into. "Not worried, exactly. More like..." I'm unable to find a word that can explain how I feel. I want to reconnect with her so badly, but she's too preoccupied with the camp and Finn. It kind of feels like a jab to the heart to know that she's putting him before me. Does that make me a selfish, greedy person?

Finn laughs softly, not understanding what I mean but thinking he does. "Don't worry, she's fine. I know she is."

I clench my jaw, feeling my body tense and eyes harden. "Right. Of course you do."

I turn on my toes and leave him, jogging to Jasper and Monty's tent. Multiple times, I find myself having to squeeze through ignorant people who won't get out of my way. The few torches and campfires around the area leave most of the camp unlit. I have to squint to make sure I'm heading to the right tent.

"Knock knock, I'm coming in," I say loudly in a blank tone. "Put your pants on, guys."

Three seconds later, I go under the flap and find the two of them lying in the same exact positions on each of their beds, which are placed on the left and right sides of the circular tent. They're both flat on their backs, hands folded on their stomachs with their eyes trained on the ceiling.

"We have our pants on, thank you very much," Jasper states, adjusting his goggles over his messy raven hair.

Monty leans up on his elbows, shooting me a curious look. "To what do we owe the pleasure of you entering our humble abode?"

Jasper interrupts us. "If it's boy troubles, leave."

I shake my head and chuckle. "It's not. I'm here to discuss Clarke."

Jasper also sits up, dark eyes wide and lips partly open. "That's not what I was expecting at all."

"Fallon," Monty begins gently, "is there something you want to share with us?"

I give them both questioning looks. "Guys, it's about mine and Clarke's friendship."

The supreme looks of interest on the boys' faces dim a little. Jasper's mouth snaps shut with a click of his teeth. "Oh."

Monty makes himself more comfortable and glances at Jasper. "Well, as the perfect example of a perfect friendship, we would be happy to help."

Jasper nods with a sarcastic look on his face. "Oh, yeah. Because everyone wants to be us."

Monty glares, an unusually hard look for someone so kind and gentle. "I'm not denying it."

As much as I love them and their playful banter, I'm extremely tired and all I want is to go to sleep. Monty and Jasper arguing means less resting time. I can't afford that.

"Guys," I say sharply, successfully snapping them out of their argument. Their heads snap in my direction, full attention now on me.

Jasper clears his throat. "Right." He pats the spot between him and Monty. "Lie down. Psychiatrists Monty Green and Jasper Jordan are here to cure you of all your problems."

I snort a laugh. "Good luck with that."

Jasper rolls his eyes again. "Just lie down on the freakin' floor."

Sticking my tongue out at him, I bend down and roll onto my back so I'm copying their previous positions. The hard dirt beneath the tent floor pokes me in the back, but I'm so tired and used to sleeping on the ground that it barely bothers me. Two synced thumps inform me that both Jasper and Monty have plopped back on their beds again.

"The answer is simple," Monty says, voice confident and professional-sounding.

"Don't try so hard," Jasper continues as if he had known exactly what Monty was going to say- which he probably had. "Go about your day-to-day life. Let her come to you. And if she doesn't, leave her be." There's a pause. "That's what I did with Octavia."

His voice is weighed down a bit more as he speaks the last sentence, and even I feel a bit down after hearing it. Monty also senses this and picks right back up where Jasper left off. "But give it time. Make her realize she wants to mend your friendship. Don't chase after her, don't isolate yourself completely, and don't give up too quickly. The three don'ts of a successful friendship."

"You're welcome," Jasper finishes. "That'll be five hundred dollars."

I bark out a laugh. "You guys are expensive for two minutes of advice."

The sheets move around as Jasper shrugs. "Well, when you receive said advice from two very handsome men..."

I reach over and punch him playfully. "Yeah, okay."

I spend a little bit longer in their tent, admiring how peaceful and light it is. It's almost like the fabric around us seals us from the rest of the earth. Like there aren't any Grounders out there. Like a pod hasn't just fallen from the sky. Like nothing else matters. Like there's nothing wrong in the world.

And before I know it, I'm fast asleep between Jasper and Monty, feeling at peace for the first time since I first stepped out of the dropship.

It feels like not even ten minutes have passed before I'm being shaken awake. A soft groan comes from my throat as I open my bleary eyes, clearing my vision. Monty is leaning over me with an urgent look on his face.

"Finally," he says once I'm competent. His hand grabs onto my wrist and pulls me to my feet before I can comprehend what's happening. I stumble a bit.

"Ugh," I grunt as I rub my eyes. The tent is a lot brighter now, the sunlight leaking through the cracks in the bottom. "Why'd you wake me up?"

"Bellamy's a little shit," Monty responds. "He took the radio from that pod and threw it in the river."

"What the hell?" I demand, all feelings of fatigue gone and now replaced with burning anger. That radio was the only remaining connection between us and the Ark. "Why?"

"Like I said, he's a little shit." Monty ducks under the flap and pulls me out into the open air. My eyes burn a bit from the sun and my head spins, but I ignore both of these things. "Go to the river. Everyone's there."

I nod and take off running, leaping over dead campfires and stray weapons. My hair whips back as I move quickly through the camp and to the wall. The two watchmen on duty open the doors for me as I exit. I give them a thankful wave.

It doesn't take me long to reach the river. As I slow down, I recognize some of the people here. Jones is wading in the water, bent over in search of the technology. Monroe, a girl with strawberry blonde hair pulled back into braids, is kneeling on the shore and sifting through the mud. Finn and Clarke are on the opposite side, already conversing.

My foot gets caught on a rock that sticks out of the soil. I let out a shout of surprise as I pitch forward, nearly falling on my face. My hands just barely catch my fall. I grit my teeth as stinging pain washes over them.

"Hey! You okay?"

I look up to see a girl about my age rushing toward me. Her dark brown hair is pulled into a messy ponytail at the back of her head, it swishing back and forth as she comes to my aid. She has a certain Latina look to her that makes her very uniquely beautiful. I can't help but notice that there's blood sprinkling the left side of her face. She wears a grey shirt under a red, puffy coat. There's not a spark of recognition that ignites in me when I see her.

"Yeah, thanks," I say as the girl grabs my hand, hoisting me up to my feet. When she releases me, I look down at my palms. They are covered in tiny white scratches. "What's your name? I don't think I've seen you before."

Her lips lift into the smallest of grins. "Raven Reyes. I'm a mechanic - I was a mechanic - back on the Ark."

I can't help the look of awe that comes onto my face the instant she introduces herself. "I'm Fallon Rivers, and I'd have to say, I admire your bravery."

Raven's brown eyes go wide and she takes a step back. "Rivers? I know your mom." My eyebrows pinch in confusion since I can't think of a time when I saw Raven, or heard about her until now. She notices this and quickly adds, "She aided Mrs. Griffin in getting me here. Gave her the plan and everything. Pretty smart for not being a Privileged."

My jaw drops. My mother? My mother, who would rather be floated than break the law - ironically - helped Raven get to Earth? That sounds nothing like her. "That's impossible."

Raven's smile widens. "She really is brave. She told me to tell you she's coming soon."

I'm just about to say something else when Jones shouts, "I found it!"

We both turn to see him pulling it out of the river, shaking out the excess water from the box. As we start to head toward it, Bellamy stops me by grabbing onto my forearm. I hadn't even noticed him crouching beside the calm waters.

Raven stops. She gives us a confused look, her perfect eyebrows pinching together. I nod to let her know she can keep going. Once she bounds into the water, I turn to Bellamy with a frown on my face. "The hell were you thinking?"

"Amazon, I know you're mad--" he started, to which I cut him off with a sharp laugh.

"Mad?" I ask incredulously with my eyebrows raised. "That was the only way to contact our families! What were you thinking, Blake?"

Bellamy doesn't flinch and holds his ground. "Exactly. I wasn't thinking." He pauses, clearly giving me a chance to run away or listen. I choose the second option. He opens his mouth and continues, "I shot the Chancellor."

The only way to describe what I feel is to say it's like being thrown off a building by someone you trusted. I feel my heart detach from my arteries and plummet into my stomach as I twist my arm, wrenching it away from him. Ice cold shock freezes my veins. "What?"

"Fallon, please," he begs, face full of vulnerability. The expression surprises me and causes me to stay. "I did it to be with my sister. The head guard came to me and said that if I did it, he'd earn me a spot on the dropship."

I shake my head, disappointment filling me. "This is unbelievable, Bellamy."

"Good thing I'm a lousy shot," he adds firmly, desperate to let me hear him out. "He's not dead. The wristbands, the radio - all of it was because I was scared. I didn't want them to come down and execute me."

The anger subsides a bit and I feel my gaze soften. Bellamy's head is facing the ground, a somber expression on his face. I feel sorry for him, but that doesn't mean what he did was right.

"They aren't gonna do that," I assure gently. "And besides, you're the King of the Jungle. Kill you, and they'd have to kill us, too."

Bellamy laughs a bit through his nose, a smile taking over his face. He wets his lips as he tilts his chin back up to look at me with a light look in his usually guarded eyes. "Thanks, Amazon."

I nudge his elbow playfully. "No problem. Now let's go get that radio."

--------

lousy ending (just like bellamy's aiming skills) but hey i updated!!!

monty and jasper just had to be included bc really: where tf have they been in these past few episodes?? frolicking in the woods?? probably

anyway poor fallon )): all she wants is clarke's love. but here come octavia and raven to take her place!!! (jk cuz no one can tear apart fallarke)

-kristyn