eleven - That's A First

Her face twisted, and a long groan escaped her as Brandi limped her way over to the crowded gates filled with anyone shaking in they're winter boots.

''Hey, you're suppose to be bedridden'' Monty prompts as he leans against the handcrafted wooden.

''And you're suppose to be pissing yourself over Bellamy's return. Oh wait, you already are'' Brandi retorts bitterly as she sits on the same makeshift ladder Monty was against.

''He's just concerned'' Octavia engenders to Monty's defense.

She exhaled irritably while running a hand through her dark color lock away from her face. ''I'm sorry. It's just- I could have been out there, outside of these walls today, but because of one injury I did nothing for over a good twelve hours.''

''Be thankful it's only minor. If that spear were to interject into a major organ, you wouldn't have even lifted a toe from bed'' Monty mocks in a mimicking accent while pointing his index finger high at her, causing her to giggle.

''Jasper, tell us again, how'd you stay so calm? I would've been terrified'' Harpers soft beatific voice asks. Her attraction towards Jasper was very bleak.

''Fear is only a problem if you let it stop you, right?''

Octavia turns to the two unamused. ''That's not even his line. Finn said that.''

Monty shrugs his shoulders and turns to the scene around the fire as Jasper continues with his quote unquote 'bravery'. ''I saw the grounders in the trees. It was like nothing I ever felt, you know. Pure animal instinct took over. One pull of the trigger, two grounders dead.''

The corners of Brandi's lip curve humorously as Octavia comments. ''Pure animal instinct? More like pure pants wetting panic.''

''You don't really know what you're made of until a moment like that when it's kill or be killed, and there's just nothing between you and the tip of the spear.''

Brandi's humors diminished before letting out a scoff. ''Because he came back to base with a wooden spear halfway through his thigh.''

Octavia raises her arms up in defense and while saying ''Okay, this has to stop.''

Monty grabs her by the elbow and shoots her a pointed look. ''Come on. Let us have this.''

Octavia and Brandi furrow they're eyebrows, causing the two to turn to Monty. ''Us?''

He gestures a hand out towards him. ''Look at him. The boy is a folk hero. They even gave us a bigger tent.''

The clattering of tin's against tin's kept the girls from saying anything further on the topic and everyone's attention was bright and alarmed.

''Somebody hit the trip wire!''

''Which wire was it?''

''Was it a grounder?''

''I don't see anything.''

''Are you sure it was the trip wire?''

''I got nothing. Connor?''

''Nothing.''

Bushes were heard rustling past the gates, in earshot of the guys on guard and anyone next to the gates. ''Something moved.''

''There, there, there'' One calls out and starts shooting into the distance.

''I think I got him.''

''Let's go.''

''Alright Monty, let's get it'' Brandi breaths out as she wraps an arm around his shoulder. The two stand follow the camp outside of the gates to where they had set up the trip wire.

''Easy'' Monty soothes as Brandi attempts a faster pace to catch up to Octavia who was already ahead of path.

''Monty..'' She breathes out in pants. Brandi hates the feeling of falling behind, of being weak. ''Please.''

She needed to be in front row with some sort of power at the tip of her fingertips, she wasn't gonna let that slip away because of a small injury.

''Octavia, be careful.''

The group slows down once approaching to a figure huddled to the ground.

Monty and Brandi stayed behind as they watch Octavia reach down to only touch the person a slight touch on the shoulder.

But it scrambled away humanely that it almost scared Brandi.

''Oh my god.''

''No way.''

''Murphy?''

Brandi shakes her head at his bloody physique. ''Mother nature sure did give you a taste of life, didn't she?''

× × ×

Brandi stood in the dropship with the other guards Bellamy left in charge.

The sound of the sheets tearing away could only mean Bellamy, Clarke, Raven and Finn had returned from they're expedition. ''Where is he?''

His guards moved onto the sidelines, leaving Bellamy in center with Murphy who shivered under his stare.

''Everyone but Connor and Derek out, now'' He orders, but Brandi kept standing in her place by the ladder that lead to more than one upper level, mastering her weight on the opposing injured leg.

''Brandi, you too'' He says but much softer than the tone he holds for authority.

''There's three guys in the room with riffles, I think I'm well put.''

His eye's locked with Brandi's and she could sneak more than his stubbornness. But there was a quick flash of concern.

She sniffles in her runny nose and nods at him. Though Bellamy was still hesitant, he turned to Derek and Connor and asked ''What happened?''

''He claims he was with the grounders.''

''We caught him trying to sneak back into camp.''

''I wasn't sneaking. I was running from the grounders.''

''Anyone see grounders?''

Both shake they're head.

''Well, in that case..'' He trails while lifting up his rifle, directly pointed at Murphy. But Finn immediately objects by pulling his aim down.

''Hey, what the hell is wrong with you?''

''We were clear what would happen if he came back'' Bellamy recalls, gaining his aim back.

''No. If he was with the grounders, then he knows things that can help us.''

''Ouch, Finn'' Brandi mutters as the two went on.

''Help us? We hanged him. We banished him, and now we're going to kill him. Get the hell out of my way.''

''No, Finn's right'' Clarke speaks up, kneeling by Murphy's side for inspections.

''Like hell, he is. Clarke, think about Charlotte-''

''I am thinking about her, but what happened to Charlotte was as much as our fault as his.''

Clarke takes his trembling blood soak hand into her own and inspected his nails. ''He wasn't lying. His fingernails were torn off. They tortured him.''

''You and the grounders should compare notes'' Finn retorts back to Bellamy, earning a hearty laugh from Brandi.

''The grounders know we're at war. What did you tell them about us?'' Bellamy questions, ignoring both Finn and Bellamy.

''Everything.''

Clarke stands from Murphy stand returns to Bellamy. ''Once he's better, we find out what he knows and then he's out of here, okay?''

''What if he refuses to leave? What do with him then?''

Clarke switched gazes from Bellamy then to Murphy, and back to Bellamy. ''Then we kill him.''

Clarke then walks out with Finn leaving not long after, leaving Bellamy, Brandi, Derek and Connor to discuss his sleeping arrangements.

''He's a threat to our people. He needs to sleep in here-''

Brandi points at herself. ''Hey, I matter.''

''We also don't care'' Derek retorts, feeling as if he'd given Brandi a taste of her own medicine.

She narrows her eyes at him. ''If you wanna toss around insults, pick a time when I'm not tired and irritated.''

Bellamy watches her distress state as she runs a hand through her slightly knotted locks, arranging agreements that could satisfy her and keeps Murphy away from everyone else.

''Okay, look. How about for now, just until we kick him back out, you stay in my tent?''

Brandi burst into laughter and shakes her head. ''I'd rather not share with someone who also happens to make decisions with his-''

''It's you're only option'' Bellamy interrupts, hardening his features at this. ''It's either you sleeping here with Murphy or in my tent. Every other is filled with the capacity of two.''

He made the arrangements with Murphy sound better. But then again, Brandi could barely stand compare to him.

''Fine.''

Brandi turns to Connor and Derek, mostly eyeing Derek for his remark earlier. ''You two, go get my things.''

While Connor sneers at him for the lack of self control, Derek grimaces down at her before climbing up the metal ladder.

Brandi gasps when she felt Bellamy's grip tighten around her arms and legs, lifting her the same position Finn had the day of the incident and carried her back to his camp.

''You know I'm not a vegetable. I could've just held onto you'' She evokes when she sees curious stares be thrown from some people around camp.

''Yeah, how's that been working out?''

With the clench of her jaw, Brandi narrows her eye's at him as he grows closer to the only other large tent out of base.

The answer of silence Bellamy receives increases his satisfaction as he bends his body to enter the tent. He lays Brandi down on the mattress and walks around to the available space.

He sits on the edge with his back facing Brandi as he leans forward to pull off his shoes.

Meanwhile, the other brunette is propped on her elbows with her eyebrows furrowed at what seemed odd behavior.

He turns his body to lay down when he catches her thrown off stare. ''What?''

''A-are you okay?'' She stutters out.

By now he's chuckling. ''I'm fine. Seriously, Brandi. What?''

''You haven't said one rude thing to me all day. That's a record my good sir'' She mentions, pulling off her boot from her right foot.

''There's much better things to do than bicker with someone as heard headed as you'' He mumbles, laying on his back as Brandi unzips her left boot gently due to her conditions.

Brandi sucks her teeth as she carefully pulls the boot off of her foot. ''Oh come on, you always kick in something snarky every once in a while.''

She lets out a breath of relief before plopping her back against the material, sinking into it's comfort as she loses focus at the top of the tent.

''Why do you stay?''

Bellamy's abrupt voice disrupts her outer thoughts as she turns to him, noticing that he was already looking at her.

She slightly shakes her head. ''What do you mean?''

''We first kept you here for grounder Intel. Something you've lacked a lot. Yet here you are, still fighting with us..'' He shrugs his shoulders. ''Why?''

She arches a brow before letting out a breath. ''I'm not much. But I always fought for what was right, and you're gonna need as many people as you can if you're going through with this fight.''

''Then let me ask you this..''

She locked with his shared understanding and nodded. ''What ever happened with you and the grounders?''

Brandi inhales sharply when Derek stormed in, tossing her bag and weapons aside her and turning back into unwelcoming air.

Bellamy sits up as he calls ''Hey!''

Derek turns around and and attempts his best to avoid Brandi. ''Apologize to her.''

Both blink rapidly, taken back by his request. ''What?''

''Apologize to her'' He repeats more factually.

Derek's adams apple bobs down as he swallows, shifting between Bellamy and Brandi.

''You'll be right where Murphy will. If not, sooner.''

Derek nods in an understanding and looks at Brandi who tried her best not release her humorous smile. ''I'm sorry.''

She sucks in her lips and nods before he looks back at Bellamy for his permission to leave. The second Bellamy approves, Derek's long gone.

The brunette lets out her fit of chuckles with a small snort in between the mix.

''I should've befriended you a long time ago'' Brandi says as the pissing look on Derek's face was still fresh in her mind.

Bellamy looks down at her and resist the urge to smile. She was a bunch of pieces he was trying to put together, but the wait would be worth it.

At least to him it will.

× × ×

Brandi places a touch on the space beside her, expecting Bellamy to still be there but that's all there was.

Space.

She opened her eye's and noticed majority of his belongings are gone.

''God you people need a lazy day'' She mutters before removing herself from her comfortable position and zipping back on her boots.

It wasn't an easy process with the tenderness of her thigh, twinging whenever she makes a small use of it but she made her way out on base.

A base where there's people cackling and spurting up liquids into the palm of their hands.

Confused by all of this, Brandi trudges her way to the dropship that was in fact farther than what she had predicted.

She flips heavy curtains aside as she limps her way in, Finn and Bellamy stood with Clarke next to Derek who was lying face first on the ground.

''He's dead.''

''Damn, I was tempting to mess with him today'' Brandi lets out, disapproved by the inconvenience.

''Brandi, you shouldn't be in here'' Bellamy states but like he said the night before, she was stubborn. Stubborn for her own good.

''What's going on?''

''No, Brandi. Bellamy's right, you have to keep you're distance'' Clarke holds a defensive hand out. ''The grounders infected Murphy with a virus, a deadly one. Any physical contact and you're at risk.''

Bellamy walks up to her and questions ''Did you touch him?''

She shakes her head. ''No.''

''Well as of now we need to quarantine people. For starters, we round up everyone who had contact with Murphy'' Clarke instructs.

''What about those they've been in contact with?'' Brandi asks as Finn storms out of the room with alcohol dripping from his hands.

''We have to start somewhere.''

The blonde whips towards Connor who was leaning against the wall with blood covering his cheeks. ''Connor, who was with you when you found him? Who carried him in? Think.''

''The first one there was Octavia.''

Both Brandi and Bellamy's eye's enlarge and she can most likely expect Bellamy to stampede out of here. ''I'll go look for her-''

''No. What you need to do is stay put back in the tent. You're already injured, you don't need more as it is'' He tells her.

Bellamy's shown a much more softer side of him that Brandi couldn't really reason as to why. Maybe because he's leading his people into a war and doesn't need to add any more stress to himself?

Brandi pursed her lips and nodded. ''Okay.''

× × ×

Brandi limps back out of her tent, walking into the darkness of the night.

Although it wasn't right, her heavy eyelids became hard to resist and she ended up sleeping the whole day.

Not a good, two to three hours. A solid eight if it's safe to say.

By that, Brandi feels more energized and her wounded leg felt a lot easier to carry.

Instead of pulling it around like she used to, she can pressure some weight on top of it without having to need anyone to carry her.

''Hey Jasper'' She smiles as she sees him walk in her direction in a hurry.

He stops a few feet away when he sees her limping towards him with no complications. ''Well glad to know you're feeling better.''

''Are you kidding? I feel amazing'' She breathes out with never ending smile trudging her lips.

''Okay, so let me in. Anything going on that I should know about?'' She asks while slapping her arms against her thigh.

''The Grounders infected us to make they're win easier. And since half of our people are in the dropship, I'm left to bomb the bridge.''

She furrows her brow with a sly smirk playing at the corner of her lips. ''What about Bellamy? I'd thought he'd be the man to do it?''

Jasper tilts his head as a discomforting nod as he shrugs. ''He was but then he got infected. He should be in quarantine by now.''

Brandi's relieved smile falters and dips towards the dropship.

''Woa- Brandi, Wait!''

''Bellamy!'' She calls, dashing into the thick contagious air of the dropship that withheld everyone choking on they're own blood.

''Brandi, you shouldn't be in here'' Octavia warns but Brandi was tired of hearing that. She was the only other civilian near Bellamy's age, she doesn't need to be treated like a five year old.

''Is he going to be okay?''

Octavia's concerned features softens and nods. ''Yeah, hopefully.''

She replaces her presence from beside her brothers and in front of Brandi. ''The virus shouldn't last. Everyone's dosing off and should be fine before first light.''

Brandi tilts her head. ''You say that like it's something to hope for.''

Her dimples are display when she pursed her lips. ''Octavia, what are we expecting happen by first light?''

Her features grew stone hard when simply saying ''The grounders.''

'So it all make sense. That's why Jasper was sent out.'

Brandi's pulled from her thoughts when Octavia nudges her arm. ''As long you're clean, help me out. We need as much help around here as possible.''

× × ×

Sun was rising. No sign or sound was heard or seen that could be trace back to the bomb meant for the bridge.

But on the bright side, others were waking. This time, they didn't have to wake up to their blood being rejected out of their systems.

''I have said many times before that grounders are not you're typical next door neighbors'' She repeats as she kneels by Bellamy's side, handing him a cup of water to keep him hydrated.

Orders from Clarke that were passed to Octavia.

''What?''

She hands another patient a cup of water before returning to his side. ''My parents died when I was young. Too young to remember them. I was already a grounder at the time so expectations on rules and conditions were strict. Though when it came down to me, the girl who lost her parents at once, they made it harder.''

Bellamy watches almost admirably as she goes on. ''They taught me with what I needed to know on how to survive. Though the people I grew close to and considered them as family were also the ones who tortured my parent's to death. Apparently they were felons to the society and publicly humiliated them with whips, fire, knifes and all sorts of assaults.''

Bellamy shakes his head while sitting up, propping himself by his elbows. ''How did you find out all of this?''

''Grounders were too stupid back then to burn bodies. But at least they had some morales, burying them in the ground and all. Anyway, my mother left me a letter. Set back a year or two back before I was of age. She listed off all the things they'd do to people committed of a crime. At first I was confused as to why she wrote that instead of putting something that says she loves me.

A couple days later, I'd realize what she meant. She was relating purpose back to her and my dad.''

''Yeah, well, you were better off. By the looks of it, it seems rare for a grounder to step forward out of personal beliefs'' Bellamy compliments.

Brandi let's out a small but soft chuckle. ''You know, I'm surprise you were first to know instead of you're sister.''

Flattered by this grew his charm. And ego boost. ''I have my ways.''

Brandi accidentally lets out a snort and looks away. It only ever happens when Brandi is genuinely happy.

''Cute'' He points out, as she calms from her humorous state. But soon it falters as she thinks about her life at camp.

Lives are at risk if things don't turn out right.

''What?'' He asks, noticing her sudden change.

''You think Jasper will make it?'' She counters, referring to the bomb that she knew he was well behind.

''Honestly..'' He shakes his head. ''No. You?''

She shrugs her shoulders. ''I don't know. I want to think that he can but I really don't know.''

''Than we need to round everyone else in. Keep them on the upper levels and pretend that we're not home'' He plans out but Brandi didn't really find it necessary.

''Jasper isn't even back. I checked around camp and both Raven and Finn went with him.''

''Well in case things go out of hand out there, we need to keep a plan B. Start waking the others and bring them back here, immediately'' He commands, the authority rising in miraculous seconds.

Brandi tightens her features and sigh. ''Bellamy-''

''Now, Brandi.''

Just when Brandi stood an explosion was heard. Brandi turned back to Bellamy with a glint in her eye.

Although she had some doubt, she needed to keep hope.

Bellamy and Brandi walked outside, noticing others were up and watching just as same as the two.

''They did it.''