Sisyphus peered into the mist. A stone's throw from the precipice, paused. Did he jump or did he fall as he gazed into the maw of the morning mist?

— Sisyphus, Andrew Bird

━━━━━━ September 17, 2149

THREE DAYS HAD PASSED since Jasper was rescued. He was safe. Clarke had tended to his injury the best she could with what they had, and he seemed to be recovering decently. But he was in pain, and he hadn't shut up for even a second of blissful silence. Every time Casey had shut her eyes for a moment, lingering between waking and dreaming, there he was, crying out in pain.

⠀⠀⠀She knew what Jasper had gone through, and it was made difficult for him even while unconscious. Despite that, everyone in the camp complained. They yelled and cursed at Jasper for his pain, even if they might have done the same. If it were up to Casey, she'd have taken the spear to the chest just so she wouldn't have to hear him.

⠀⠀⠀Casey's shift ended as Monty walked in to take over for her. Casey hadn't slept a whole night since a chunk of her leg was chewed on by a river snake. The lack of blood and the near-death experience made her sleep like a babe in the woods. But every night since, it was like her mind just couldn't parse from analyzing the world. And when she could, Jasper was there in her ear.

⠀⠀⠀Casey stood in the middle of camp, not sure what to do next. Jasper's groans outside of the dropship were like they were amplified through speakers, taunting her. Her eyes were heavy, and invisible weights pulled her legs down. She could hear Murphy in the distance nagging at the other teens to get to work, the power starting to get to his head. Then, Octavia appeared, wavering in her vision as she tried to tell Casey to get some sleep. But how was she supposed to get sleep when all she could hear was Jasper!

⠀⠀⠀Annoyed, Casey set off into the woods to clear her head.

⠀⠀⠀A knife with her initials, CK, scratched into the hilt, twiddled between her fingers as she took in the greenery of the forest around her. She hadn't gotten much time to appreciate the nature around them since the grounders had made their presence known. She stopped by a set of caves as a soft rustle and voices came from the forest. In the back of her mind, a voice whispered poison in her veins. Maybe she had hurt someone on her walk, and she'd forgotten.

⠀⠀⠀So, she backtracked. She checked that someone wasn't passed out in the brush or hanging from a tree. She was certain every time she made a lap that she had missed something. How could she keep missing it? And she'd go again, going around in circles seven times.

⠀⠀⠀Suddenly, the sound of a horn tore through the leaves, startling her from searching. Then, terrified shouts and loud footsteps headed in her direction. The next thing she knew, she was flying backward as someone held her close to their chest, and they rolled into a cave a few feet from them.

⠀⠀⠀Casey laid flat against her attacker and pushed herself upright. She looked down, the palms of her hands digging into the shoulders of Bellamy Blake. She grimaced as she stared down at him, barely noticing the scampering feet behind her.

⠀⠀⠀"What the hell was that for?" Casey hissed, putting pressure on her arms. Bellamy's face contorted in pain, pressing his eyes closed for a second before settling a harsh glare at her.

⠀⠀⠀"There was a fog," Bellamy explained through grit teeth. "So, we ran. Do you wanna get off me now, Sunshine?" he asked, glancing down at where she straddled his hips and then back to her.

⠀⠀⠀"A fog?" Casey scoffed, unmoving. "What do you take me for?"

⠀⠀⠀"Why else would I tackle you?" Bellamy asked, growing frustrated. Casey could feel him tense, ready to flip her off of him. She stopped him, digging her knees into the ground, and pulled her knife to his neck.

⠀⠀⠀"You could be trying to kill me," Casey said, just above a whisper. Her face was close enough to his that she could feel his ragged breath against her cheek. "I'm against everything you're preaching to those kids. Take out the doubter, and you'd be golden."

⠀⠀⠀"You don't believe me?" Bellamy spat in her face but was careful not to move into the blade. "Fine. Go out there and get yourself killed for all I care, but I saved you. Don't doubt that."

⠀⠀⠀Casey didn't move, her gaze pinned to him, unconvinced.

⠀⠀⠀"I didn't even know you were out here," he continued. "And even if I did want to kill you, Murphy's a wild card, I'm not chancing that."

⠀⠀⠀Casey pulled herself up, the knife still at his throat, before slowly she pulled back the metal. She put it back into her belt loop and glanced at Bellamy for a moment to see if he'd attempt to attack her. She stood and headed for the cave's opening when he didn't.

⠀⠀⠀"Casey!" Bellamy exclaimed, scrambling to his feet. So much for not caring what happens to her. "I wasn't joking about the fog!"

⠀⠀⠀Casey stood at the mouth of the cave. The once bright and blue sky had turned gloomy. She coughed a few times as a metal film coated her mouth. She moved closer. She'd done her rounds seven times. She couldn't just leave it on that number. She needed to do another lap, or else someone was going to die. She wished she knew who and worried suddenly that it would be Murphy.

⠀⠀⠀Her hand inched outside of the cave into the fog. Blisters formed along her skin, turning it into a blotchy array of red and sickly white. Before further damage could be done, Bellamy pulled her from the entrance and back inside.

⠀⠀⠀"Do you believe me now?" Bellamy asked. He reached his hand out to her injured one, but she pulled away, hiding it behind her back.

⠀⠀⠀Casey frowned. Her eyes darted past him and noticed a little girl curled into a ball. She didn't look much older than fourteen, and Casey's heart clenched when she saw a girl so young with them. Her light brown hair was pulled back, and she stared at them with wide, doe eyes.

⠀⠀⠀"Who's the kid?" Casey asked.

⠀⠀⠀"I'm Charlotte," the girl muttered. A frown cracked down her face as she seemed to look over her. "Are you Casey?"

⠀⠀⠀Casey felt unnerved by being known. She wasn't sure why she was caught off guard. The camp was small, and she'd learned more of the other kid's names in the past few days than she'd known before. It was likely she just overheard it. Casey tapped the metal wristband four times, catching Bellamy's attention from the sharp, echoing sound.

⠀⠀⠀"Yes, I am."

⠀⠀⠀"Your mother arrested my parents," Charlotte stated. Her frown deepened, but no hint of emotion crossed her features. It all welled into her eyes, streaming into Casey as she caught her gaze. A child, so sad and angry, it felt like home.

⠀⠀⠀Casey frowned back. Charlotte's words flattened and burned against her skin. Her tone was familiar, her gaze an old friend, her eerie calmness terrifying. She could see herself in that frown. She could see John in that glare. The same features that lead John to burn down an officer's room. That led Casey to assaulting an officer.

⠀⠀⠀"I'm sorry," Casey whispered, genuine hurt in her voice as she bent down so they were eye to eye. "I bet she did everything she could for them."

⠀⠀⠀Charlotte's expressionless face morphed into despair as she held back tears, clutching her knees tighter to her chest. "No. She didn't."

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy's hand rested on Casey's shoulder, edging her away. Casey stood, but between the uneven numbers and Charlotte's disheartening claim, she was growing edgy. She tapped her wristband nervously. Beside her, she noticed that Bellamy seemed uneasy, too.

⠀⠀⠀"Why don't you get some sleep, Charlotte? I'm sure we could all use some while this fog passes through," Bellamy told the girl kindly.

⠀⠀⠀Charlotte turned on her side and faced the wall. Her shoulders shook as she tried to keep her emotions quiet. Eventually, she stopped and fell asleep. It was no surprise how quickly she managed it, given how little sleep everyone had gotten.

⠀⠀⠀"Us, too," Bellamy said, settling on the ground beside Charlotte. He looked up at her when she didn't move. "You look like shit, Case. Get some sleep."

⠀⠀⠀Casey's eyes flickered to Bellamy. One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. She didn't feel safe enough to sleep now. She was trapped in a cave with Bellamy Blake, of all people. Maybe if it was just her and the kid... but even she was strangely unnerving.

⠀⠀⠀"Go to sleep," Bellamy said again in a whisper.

⠀⠀⠀"I'm fine," she whispered back. A smile flickered across her lips for a moment to appease him. "You go ahead. I'll make sure we don't get attacked by Grounders."

⠀⠀⠀Casey's claim was stupid. She knew it, Bellamy knew it, and if Charlotte was awake, she'd know it, too. They stared at each other for a long moment until Bellamy backed off, knowing he'd get nowhere. He made himself comfortable before falling asleep about as fast as Charlotte.

⠀⠀⠀The dark, lonely cave allowed Casey's mind to wander fairly quickly after she no longer had Bellamy to distract her. She wondered if a lot of the delinquents blamed her mom for their or their parents' arrest. It was likely that the amount of hate spewed towards Jaha would also extend to arresting officers. However, she hadn't heard anything on the matter regarding Nathan Miller. He was well-liked already by Bellamy's crew.

⠀⠀⠀Even Murphy blamed his father's arresting officer and set his office on fire. Rian had been a Guard for three years as of now. Although a significant number of people had been arrested for crimes over the years, a considerable amount of blood was on Rian's hands. If she forgot, the decision of who lives and dies was on the Chancellor.

⠀⠀⠀Charlotte might think she knows Rian King, a ruthless, uncaring woman who only worked for the Chancellor. But Rian was none of those things. She was honest, loyal, and looked out for the people of the Ark. She had taken the job to help people where others of the Guard were quick to arrest. She would always find a way out from a starving man to a young girl struggling to survive. If Rian had arrested Charlotte's parents, either she had tried her best, or they had done something deserving of punishment. She couldn't just say that to Charlotte, though.

⠀⠀⠀"NO!" Charlotte's piercing scream broke through the silence.

⠀⠀⠀Casey glanced at her with a frown, still uneasy about the little girl, while Bellamy startled awake. He glanced at Casey, noticing she wasn't moving, then turned to Charlotte, writhing in her sleep.

⠀⠀⠀"Charlotte," Bellamy whispered, shaking her shoulder. "Wake up."

⠀⠀⠀"I'm sorry," Charlotte whispered, frightened as she looked between Bellamy and Casey.

⠀⠀⠀"Does it happen often?" Bellamy asked, the kindness of a brother seeping through his words. Charlotte sighed softly as she answered. "What are you scared of?" he continued, but she kept silent. "You know what? It doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is what you do about it."

⠀⠀⠀"But... I'm asleep," Charlotte told him bluntly. She sent him a look that asked, 'Are you an idiot?'

⠀⠀⠀"Fears are fears. Slay your demons when you're awake. They won't be there to get you when you sleep," Bellamy told her. The protectiveness laced in his words sent goosebumps down Casey's arm. A calm and collected Bellamy was a strange sight to see.

⠀⠀⠀"Yeah, but how?"

⠀⠀⠀"You can't afford to be weak. Down here, weakness is death, fear is death," Bellamy said, holding his hand out toward her. "Let me see that knife I gave you."

⠀⠀⠀Charlotte dug in her pockets and handed Bellamy a knife. He gripped the hilt tight and stared at her with a stern expression.

⠀⠀⠀"Now, when you feel afraid, you hold tight to that knife, and you say, 'screw you, I'm not afraid.'"

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy handed the knife back to Charlotte. She accepted and held the knife as he had.

⠀⠀⠀"Screw you, I'm not afraid," Charlotte repeated softly. She looked to Bellamy for approval, but the slight smile he sent her encouraged her to try again. "Screw you, I'm not afraid!" she repeated, this time with a sliver of confidence creeping into her words.

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy smiled wide, proud. He patted her hand kindly before lying in the dirt again.

⠀⠀⠀"Slay your demons, kid. Then you'll be able to sleep."

⠀⠀⠀Charlotte fell back asleep after that as quiet as a dormouse. Bellamy had followed suit for a few minutes before the stare Casey pinned onto him seemed to send a fire through his skin.

⠀⠀⠀"What?" Bellamy asked. His voice was rough and drenched in sleep. He kept his eyes closed.

⠀⠀⠀"I don't think you should have said that," Casey said simply. Her eyes darted down to her blistered hand. It itched and burned. Clarke would have to tend to it.

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy's eyes opened, and he looked at her with those warm, kind eyes he had used on Charlotte. Casey felt like he was taunting her. That look was not made for her.

⠀⠀⠀"She was having a nightmare. I gave her something to hold on to," Bellamy explained.

⠀⠀⠀"She could take it the wrong way. She's only a child," Casey retorted.

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy pulled himself up to a sitting position and rolled his eyes. "Exactly, a child."

⠀⠀⠀"Murphy set his father's arresting officer's quarters on fire. I know there are a few murderers in camp. I assaulted an officer. Who knows what the hell you did to get on the dropship," Casey threw back at him.

⠀⠀⠀"You're using worst-case scenarios. When people can get arrested for something like stealing bread, I doubt whatever Charlotte did was worse than that."

⠀⠀⠀"People will surprise you, Bellamy. Don't let them," Casey told him flatly.

⠀⠀⠀"I don't doubt it," Bellamy agreed, standing so he could sit beside her. As if they were friends. Ha, if they could be anything like that. "But she's barely able to sleep from her nightmares. She won't hurt any of us."

⠀⠀⠀"I hope you're right because you just told her to slay her demons."

━━━━━━ September 18, 2149

THE NEXT MORNING, BELLAMY found Casey looking worse for wear sitting by the cave mouth. The bags under her eyes had turned purple as she stared lazily at the outside world. The fog cleared enough that they could go out, but his focus was directed back to Casey.

⠀⠀⠀Her eyes raised to meet him and silently urged him to say something.

⠀⠀⠀"Anybody out here?" Bellamy yelled into the woods instead. "Jones?"

⠀⠀⠀"We're here!" Jones called back, a group of shuffling feet headed their way.

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy held his hand out to Casey, a silent sign of peace. She only stared at first, and, frustrated, he shook his head to urge her to take it. She frowned but placed her hand in his, letting him pull her up. When they were both ready, Bellamy led the way out of the cave to greet Jones.

⠀⠀⠀"Lost you in the stew. Where'd you go?" Bellamy asked.

⠀⠀⠀"Made it to a cave down there," Jones explained, pointing behind him.

⠀⠀⠀"The hell was that?" Bellamy asked, dumbfounded.

⠀⠀⠀"I don't know," Jones shrugged, just as confused.

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy looked at Jones' crew and furrowed his brows in confusion as he asked, "Where's Atom?"

⠀⠀⠀Jones looked at Bellamy, then to Charlotte—when the hell did she get there?—and lastly, Casey. He frowned and admitted, "I thought he was with you."

⠀⠀⠀Casey hoped Atom had made it to shelter before the fog cleared through. By the way Casey's hand had blistered and burned in just a few seconds, a few hours would leave someone in the worst pain. Once they knew Atom was okay, she could return to camp and ensure Murphy had made it out alive.

⠀⠀⠀A piercing scream broke through the woods, interrupting any further conversation.

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy started to sprint before Casey even recognized the scream as Charlotte's. The others were close behind. Casey trailed after, barely able to move her legs from exhaustion, let alone run toward Charlotte. If anything was really wrong, Casey had no doubt Bellamy could handle it himself.

⠀⠀⠀She arrived a few minutes later and overlooked a pit in the forest floor. At the bottom laid Atom. His skin matched hers, blotchy and red with piercing white blisters erupting across his face, hands, arms. Any place the fog touched. Charlotte stood above alongside Casey as she choked on terrified sobs.

⠀⠀⠀The horrifying image of Atom stitched its way into Casey's memory right next to the two-faced deer that would forever be branded there. Her insides curled. She was going to throw up. She took in a deep breath, acid on her tongue, but kept her composure. She tapped her left arm in rows of four to soothe her mind.

⠀⠀⠀"I... can't... breathe..." Atom shuttered aloud through the pain. He stared in the general direction of Bellamy through unseeing, glassy eyes.

⠀⠀⠀Charlotte walked down into the pit and stood beside Bellamy. All previous sorrow escaped her and was replaced with a composure that reflected Casey's own. Charlotte pulled out the knife he had given her and held it out.

⠀⠀⠀"Don't be afraid," Charlotte whispered.

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy stared at her, wary and full of sorrow, as he took the knife in a vice-like grip.

⠀⠀⠀"Go back to camp," Bellamy told the group huddling around them. Jones and his group left almost immediately, leaving the girls behind. "Charlotte, you too," he whispered.

⠀⠀⠀She listened, slipping past Casey with a glance.

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy didn't notice Casey left behind as he bent down. Atom begged him to take the pain away, to kill him with the knife, to have the blood of his friend soaked into his hands for the rest of his life. He shook, tears brimming at the edges as he stared at Atom. Casey moved down, pressing her hand over his. Bellamy jumped.

⠀⠀⠀"It's okay," Casey assured him as she took the knife and dropped it beside Atom's head. She smiled at Atom wondering if in those murky eyes he could see the slightest bit of happiness one last time. "It's all going to be okay, Atom."

⠀⠀⠀Her hands rested on Atom's cheeks as his eyes closed at the cool feeling of her palms, both comforted and pained. "In peace, may you leave the shore. In love, may you find the next. Safe passage on your travels until our final journey to the ground," she recited, a laugh clogging her throat from the irony of her words. "May we meet again."

⠀⠀⠀Casey pulled the knife with CK carved into the hilt from her pocket. Tears streamed down her face as she rested the knife right by the artery in his neck before plunging it deep into the veins. He choked on the blade and blood, tears mixed with red, as the life fled from his body and into Casey's hands.

⠀⠀⠀She pulled away from Atom with a sad smile. Her hands wiped obsessively down the length of her pants in a desperate attempt to rid herself of the blood-red stains. She couldn't stop, counting in fours under her breath, the blood staining her hands and her pants. It would be there until she washed them. It would be there even after that.

⠀⠀⠀Beside her, Bellamy moved into a crouch and pulled himself closer to Casey. He stared at her with sad eyes before he pulled her into a tight, comforting hug. His hand cradled the back of her head while his nose pressed into her shoulder. Her eyes were taken from Atom, Bellamy's body blocking her view of his still body. Numbers flowed from her lips to his ear, and he likely thought she was losing it. She couldn't tell him that the numbers were actually keeping her sane.

⠀⠀⠀Casey cried into Bellamy's neck, clawing closer into him. If she could crawl a space into his chest, she would. She felt safe held like this. She felt safe with Bellamy Blake. He held her like a close friend. She held him like a lifeline.

⠀⠀⠀Then, the shock was thrown off like a blanket torn off, leaving her cold. They needed to get back to camp before it got dark and the grounders came out. They needed to bury Atom. Casey patted Bellamy's back four times to tell him she was okay. His arms slackened against her before he pulled back. His mouth opened to ask if she was alright, but he didn't have the heart to ask.

⠀⠀⠀"We need to get him back to camp," Casey whispered, turning to Atom and moving to her feet. "Get his head."

⠀⠀⠀Casey squatted and scooped Atom's ankles into her arms. She glanced at Bellamy, staring in a daze at the body. With no bite in her tone, she called, "Bellamy?"

⠀⠀⠀He nodded and followed her lead, lifting Atom's head. They walked through the woods with the deadweight hung between them. With every step, Atom seemed to grow heavier in Casey's arms until she grew shaky and had to ask for them to stop. They were halfway to camp, but it felt like an eternity before they would make it back.

⠀⠀⠀Casey sat on a log, turning her knees away from Atom as she closed her eyes. She had been exhausted for the past few days, but her mind was quick to keep her awake. However, in the dark, alone, she was shutting down. Her body swayed as she lingered between waking and dreaming. Her head fell forward, and she nearly collapsed onto the forest floor. Bellamy's hand darted out, settling on the side of her head before directing her towards his shoulder. She was too tired to move away.

⠀⠀⠀Not much later, a twig snapped in the forest. Bellamy and Casey both jumped, the ladder now wide awake, as they waited for the grounder to make their move. Leaves shuttered as a body moved through the brush, and Clarke appeared. A relieved breath left their lungs as they stared at her, then Finn and Wells, who came behind.

⠀⠀⠀The three rested with them. The boys could see the exhaustion on both Casey and Bellamy's expressions to leave Atom's demise for the morning. Whereas Clarke felt the need to ask every question under the moon as she tended to Casey's blistered hand. It was hard for her to ignore Clarke's demanding stare. Even then, neither answered her.

⠀⠀⠀Finn was kind enough to lay his jacket over Atom's face, giving both the body and them some peace. Beside Casey, Wells noticed her shivering alongside the cool night air and the shock. He removed his jacket and set it over her shoulders.

⠀⠀⠀Casey looked down at it, her fingers curling around the edges to pull it tighter. She whispered, "Thank you."

⠀⠀⠀"What are cellmates for?" Wells assured her lightheartedly. Casey smiled, and he smiled back.

⠀⠀⠀Once they were well-rested, Clarke urged them to continue forward. It was dangerous to stay out in the woods much longer anyway. Finn and Wells took the mantle of carrying Atom to camp. Bellamy asked if Casey was okay with continuing. She assured him she could make it.

⠀⠀⠀The camp chattered with life as they made it back, and the noise became deafening as they entered. Casey wanted nothing more than to crash on her cot, but her eyes scoped the camp and came across Octavia. She was running toward them, talking to Clarke before she looked over to them. She noticed the body, and dread took a course in Octavia and Casey.

⠀⠀⠀"Octavia, just stay there. please, stay back," Bellamy shouted at her.

⠀⠀⠀Octavia broke away from Clarke and shouldered her way through the crowd towards them. Casey and Bellamy caught her in her pursuit, trying to keep her back, before she shouted, "Stop!" and forced them out of her way.

⠀⠀⠀With shaking hands, Octavia pulled the jacket away from his face and heartbreakingly whispered, "Atom."

⠀⠀⠀"There was nothing I could do," Bellamy said softly, making it his cross to bear as her brother.

⠀⠀⠀"Don't," Octavia snapped, covering Atom's face as she cried over him. She stood and tried to leave, but Bellamy blocked her exit.

⠀⠀⠀"O... O, please," Bellamy begged. Octavia tore herself away and ran to the dropship.

⠀⠀⠀Casey was about to pursue her, to clear the air. It wasn't Bellamy's fault Atom was dead. It was hers. She wouldn't let him cover for her, no matter how much she disliked Bellamy. Even if he believed it was his fault. Then, Murphy appeared and pulled Casey into a tight hug.

⠀⠀⠀"I was so worried," Murphy muttered.

⠀⠀⠀"Yeah, me too," she said, adjusting her chin to rest on his shoulder.

⠀⠀⠀"Lose anyone here?" Bellamy asked Murphy.

⠀⠀⠀"No," Murphy assured him. He pulled away from Casey and squared his shoulders like the dutiful little soldier he was.

⠀⠀⠀"Jasper?"

⠀⠀⠀"Still breathing," Murphy said like it was a thorn in his side. "I tried to take him out, but your psycho sister—"

⠀⠀⠀His words cut deep. Bellamy lunged forward and shoved Murphy back. His hands tangled into his jacket to keep him in place.

⠀⠀⠀"Bellamy," Murphy groaned hoarsely. His blue eyes danced from him to Casey in desperation. She hardly moved. Atom's death and lack of sleep had her feeling vacant. She knew now that Bellamy wouldn't kill Murphy either.

⠀⠀⠀"My what? My what?" Bellamy seethed.

⠀⠀⠀"Your little sister," Murphy corrected himself, shoving Bellamy away.

⠀⠀⠀"Yeah, that's right. My little sister. Got anything else you want to say about her?" Bellamy pressed.

⠀⠀⠀Casey looked to her tent longingly. Her body wanted to head for it, but her mind had other ideas. She would never have another chance if she didn't talk to Octavia as soon as possible. She left Bellamy and Murphy. Her feet took her to the dropship where Jasper rested, surprisingly quieter now.

"HOW IS HE?" CASEY asked as she entered the dropship. She had sought out Octavia to speak to her. However, she wasn't alone. Clarke was putting an antidote that she found in the woods while Finn and Monty watched in anticipation. Their eyes moved to her. She grew nervous under their stares, the weight falling heavier on her shoulders.

⠀⠀⠀Clarke nodded as she leaned away from Jasper with a small frown. He had calmed considerably since he drank the tea. Only soft whimpers escaped his mouth, promising Casey a semi-restful sleep. As long as nightmares of Atom's lifeless eyes didn't plague her.

⠀⠀⠀"He looks better," Clarke said, but she didn't seem too sure herself. It was to be expected, her mom was the doctor not Clarke. "His fever should break soon, but for everything else, only time will tell."

⠀⠀⠀Casey nodded, her hands shot behind her back. She couldn't tell if the dropship was rising in temperature or if it was just her.

⠀⠀⠀"I'm really sorry about Atom," Clarke said to Octavia.

⠀⠀⠀Goosebumps ran down Casey's arm at the comment. It felt like Clarke had waited until the second she walked in to rub it in Casey's face. Octavia sat at Jasper's head beside Clarke. She looked up, her expression blank as she stared straight ahead.

⠀⠀⠀"I guess we're gonna have to get used to people dying down here, aren't we?" Octavia asked. Her eyes flickered to Clarke's, then back to Jasper. She cradled his head between her hands and whispered to him, "But not you. You hear me? You're not allowed to die."

⠀⠀⠀"I need to go deal with something," Clarke said, reorganizing her tools. Then, she asked Octavia, "Will you watch him?"

⠀⠀⠀"Of course," Octavia nodded, and Clarke left.

⠀⠀⠀Octavia repositioned herself to sit where Clarke had been before, by Jasper's side. Finn and Monty sat at a table in the back to rest their legs and talk quietly. Casey stood awkwardly in the middle like her organs were on display. They could see how her stomach clenched, and her heart beat faster. She tapped her finger against the metal wristband and careened her way to Octavia.

⠀⠀⠀"I'm sorry for your loss," Casey whispered.

⠀⠀⠀Her hand rested on top of Octavia's as Casey had done for Bellamy. Octavia's hand stilled as her eyes rested on the back of her pale hand. Her eyes moved quickly as if picking apart each dried droplet of blood and seeing the guilt, denial, sadness, and anger that resided on her skin.

⠀⠀⠀Then, all Octavia said was, "Thank you."

⠀⠀⠀Casey let the silence stew. Octavia's presence was almost soothing. Maybe she shouldn't say anything at all. The turmoil roiled in her stomach, and she was about to throw up the words if she didn't just say them.

⠀⠀⠀"It's not Bellamy's fault," Casey spat out.

⠀⠀⠀Octavia looked at her, searching her eyes for something. Then, her eyes hardened, almost offended by her words, as she snatched her hand away.

⠀⠀⠀"You don't have to defend him, Casey. Especially you. I know he's my brother, but I don't need protection from knowing he isn't a saint," Octavia assured her harshly.

⠀⠀⠀"I'm not defending him," Casey claimed.

⠀⠀⠀Octavia hesitated. "What do you mean?"

⠀⠀⠀"I killed Atom." The words burned across her tongue.

⠀⠀⠀Octavia physically recoiled away. Her back hit against the dropship wall behind her, and if she could melt through metal, she'd be long gone. Finn and Monty paused their conversation to watch them warily.

⠀⠀⠀"You what?"

⠀⠀⠀Casey's mouth opened and closed. Boils erupted along the inside of her throat, and she couldn't talk anymore. Her skin burned, and she had this desperate need to wash her hands. Atom's blood was all over them, stained red, and she needed to escape.

⠀⠀⠀"Why?" Octavia snapped, lunging forward and pressing her nose hard into Casey's.

⠀⠀⠀"Be-Because, the fog, blisters. He wanted to die, and now he's okay," Casey stumbled over her words.

⠀⠀⠀"OKAY?!" Octavia screamed, her hands buried into Casey's shirt and practically shaking her. "HE'S DEAD!"

⠀⠀⠀Finn stood behind them and pulled Octavia to her feet. Casey pushed herself back until her hands touched Jasper's arm. Her chest heaved up and down, trying to catch her breath.

⠀⠀⠀"He-He said he wanted to see you again. One last time. But not like that," Casey lied, trying to give Octavia some ease and closure. "He-He was caught in the fog, blisters everywhere," she said, her voice catching.

⠀⠀⠀"No," Octavia whispered, crumpling in Finn's arms. Her sudden drop in weight made Finn's grip unsteady, and she fell to the floor. Her hands buried into her hair as she gripped onto strands painfully. "No, no, no."

⠀⠀⠀Casey stood, dusting her pants off warily. She wanted to do it over and over and over and over again but was able to push herself forward. She walked over to Octavia and knelt beside her despite better judgment. Her hand rested on Octavia's shoulder, ready to give her a comforting hug before Octavia shoved her back instead.

⠀⠀⠀"Don't touch me," Octavia hissed.

⠀⠀⠀Finn moved between them and looked at Casey. "Come on. Let her breathe."

⠀⠀⠀"No," Casey said, watching as their fragile relationship passed through her fingertips like grains of sand. "I can't... I can't, just—"

⠀⠀⠀"GO!" Octavia sneered, her face hardened to marble.

⠀⠀⠀"I—"

⠀⠀⠀"Casey, I don't want to see you right now. So, go," she hissed.

⠀⠀⠀Casey sucked in a breath and gave Octavia a curt nod as she walked out of the dropship. She made a detour to their stash of water and spent some time cleaning her hands of blood. When she finished, she headed for her tent and heard Murphy ask something, but it passed by as unintelligible mumbling. As soon as her head hit the pillow, she was dead to the world.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

I love this episode but sometimes I wonder if it's just because I love this chapter so much? Like, I just really love the dynamic between Casey and Bellamy because they are just so similar and yet she holds this disdain for him that he doesn't understand. But then moments like after killing Atom happen and you have to ask: does Casey actually hate him?

I'm excited for the next two episodes, too. They have really good Casey and Bellamy moments, in my opinion. Although, we all know what happens next episode and how that will likely go for Casey.

Also, if you've been here since the beginning, you might notice that Casey killed Atom the same way Clarke did rather than snapping his neck. A lot of people pointed out how hard this is, especially since that's important to how Wells is killed. So... I fixed it lmao.

CHAPTER TIME FRAME: Season 1, Episode 3: Earth Kills

Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment if you'd like, they keep me motivated! However, this is an all kind of reader safe space. So, even if you ghost read or comment on every chapter, I hope you know it means the world to me that you've come to spend your time in this fic ♡

NEXT TIME: Wells is dead and Clarke blames Murphy. Everything goes downhill, fast.