thirteen - What Happened To Home?

''Bekka's journal is amazing'' Raven gushed. ''At twenty-six, she found a pathway to access a human mind.''

Brandi, Tristan, Octavia, Jasper, Sinclair, Monty, and Clarke watched as Raven flipped a page over the worn out journal. ''That same year, she had to lock up Alie because her answer for what was wrong with the world was too many people. She was twenty-seven when it launched the bombs.''

''What did she write about the flame?'' Clarke, uninterested in any other information Raven was telling.

''Alie 2.0.'' She tears her gaze from Clarke and looks back at everyone else. ''She saw it as a way to atone her for her sins. She designed it to not just access a human mind, but to merge with one. It could never wipe us out because it would be one of us. She would put it in herself first, altered her genes so her body wouldn't reject the implant.''

While Clarke begins to speak, Brandi shifts uncomfortably on Tristan's lap as Bellamy drove the rover over another bump.

''Bekka Pramheda, the first commander. The gene therapy made her blood black, didn't it?''

Raven nods. ''Yeah.''

''How did you know that?'' Octavia questions.

''Nightblood'' Brandi speaks for her. ''That's where it came from.''

''Somehow it became hereditary'' Clarke carries on. ''Luna has it, that's why we have to find her. If she can access Alie 2-''

''Then she can tell us how to stop Alie 1'' Octavia finishes off, getting the idea of the following plan.

''Bekka Pramheda gets her second shot at atonement'' Sinclair adds, tearing his gaze away from Monty's distracted ones.

''Get back to the mind pathway'' Monty's spoke in distance. He looks away from the chip to meet contact with Raven, who was already looking at him. ''If Alie uses it to upload our minds to the city of light, then there's a chance my mom's still alive.''

All the creases in Brandi's features falter when Raven was the only one who responded. ''That depends on your definition of alive?''

'How much did I miss when I was away?'

''Eyes sharp. Weapons hot'' Bellamy chimed in from the front. ''We're almost home.''

Brandi watched as he uses one hand to reach for the hand radio, pulling it towards his lips. ''Miller, come in.''

Nothing was heard through the radio silence, so he changes the station. ''Harper, your there? Ride's two minutes out.''

''Your ass is the hardest thing I have ever felt'' Tristan groaned as he moved Brandi further towards his knees from the lack of comfort.

''It's called squats, sweetheart.''

Raven and Octavia clicked they're teeth, the two shooting her a wink.

× × ×

Brandi and Tristan walked side by side, they're arrows held tight in they're grip as they kept their stance low, walking along with the rover as the group went at a slow pace.

''We left two days ago'' Clarke exclaimed, astonished. ''Why haven't they fixed the gate?''

''Maybe because there's no one here to fix it'' Jasper sassed through the sun roof of the rover, his gun pointed towards the base of Arkadia.

''I don't think we should be here'' Tristan mutters that was only meant for Brandi's ears only. ''You got a job to do anyway-''

''This is my job, Tristan'' She cuts him off. ''Protecting my family.''

He pulls her by her wrist, standing in place and going unnoticed by all the others. ''You would consider him family?''

Her brunette colored locks swift when turning to look in the direction Tristan was pointing his arrow at.

''What Bellamy and I have is complicated'' She says in almost a whisper.

''Either way, I'm keeping an eye on him'' He mutters, walking past her and letting her wrist go in the process.

''Nobodies forcing you to'' She calls from her spot.

''But I want to.''

She couldn't help that corner of her lip twitch into what became a small smirk.

Her smirk remained in place as she started to catch up.

''Maybe they got chipped'' Jasper thought aloud.

''If they got chipped, they'd have been waiting for us at the cave'' Bellamy counters on that idea.

''Maybe they saw the open gate, went in for Lincoln's book'' He went on again.

''Maybe you should just shut up'' Brandi snapped as she finally caught up to speed with the group.

Before Jasper could argue with the stubborn archer, Clarke piped up. ''If they are chipped, Alie already knows we're coming.''

Brandi caught notice of the Blake siblings looking over at a certain spot in the ground. Where there laid almost a dry puddle of blood.

''Let's get his book and get the hell out of here'' Octavia snaps.

''That's a plan, I can support.''

Brandi and Tristan were too focus in Bellamy to notice the younger Blake running off, waiting for answers along with Clarke.

''Lincoln'' Was the word that slipped past his lip.

Bellamy banged on the back of the rover, letting Monty know to keep driving.

Brandi felt her bottom lips pursed her lips into a pout, following the others but making sure to keep her distance.

'Maybe I should have stayed all along..'

''Close it up! Turn the rover around!'' Bellamy's voice echoed as they entered the empty garage. ''We may need to get out if here quickly.''

''Looks like they just got up and walked away'' Clarke took note off, whether it was the food that was left over on various plates or the deck of cards that was still laid out during a game.

''We're in and out. Pack as much gear as you can into the rover'' Bellamy instructs, following behind from Clarke.

''I'll get the map'' Octavia picks, running off instantly.

''I'll go with her, no one should be alone'' Jasper suggest, following shortly after her.

''You don't wanna lift gear, huh?'' Sinclair figures.

''Not even a little.''

Bellamy turns with a gentle smile when hearing a small chuckle slip past Brandi's lips.

''What's the rush?'' Raven asks, taking a step in front of Clarke. ''They won't be coming back.''

The blonde shakes her head. ''How do you know?''

''Alie's mission to chip everyone. It wouldn't make sense to return to a place she's already took.''

''Might make sense if there were someone in that place- I.E., you- who could tell us stuff like that'' Sinclair suggests.

Brandi let's out a breath of distress, using her free hand to rub up from the bridge of her nose.

''Is this me or this getting a little too complicated?'' Tristan whispers in her ear.

She shakes her head. ''I'm also trying to make sense of all of this.''

''How long do we gotta stick with them?'' He asks, looking down at her impatiently and dropping his weight on his left leg.

''You two!''

Brandi whips around, her train of thoughts and Tristan's answers being disrupted by Bellamy who was staring them down.

''You got a job to do, let's get to it.''

× × ×

Her sunken brown orbs scanned the room in front of her, her stomach churning at how odd it seemed to look at all her shared belonging just left unanswered.

''This is your room, right?'' Tristan asked as his body towered her smaller frame from behind.

''Yeah'' She breathes out.

She takes further steps inside, letting her body gently fall onto her streak filled bed.

''You shared it with him too?''

She says nothing but nods.

Pursing her lips, she watches her nimble fingers in her lap fiddle with one another. She continued to watch even when she felt the bed dip from beside her.

Tristan studies her features, taking in  the puffiness under her eyes, her natural hair always drenched in what looked like sweat, and how she always has the same crease marks left on her forehead.

''What made you want to leave?'' He asks softly, not wanting to endanger the fragile silence surrounding them.

She furrows her brows and looks up at the ceiling, biting the insides of her cheek. ''There was too many things going on. Too much stuff that was hurting me.''

She shrugs her shoulders. ''I don't know, this place just didn't seem like home anymore.''

''So you ran? Like how you did from your actual home?''

She hesitated when looking at him, curious at how firm he was stating it.

''Both different reasons. And I didn't run-''

''Then what did you do?''

Her mouth constantly opened and closed, trying to find the right word that would best fit her scenario, but at how slow she responded, Tristan knew he was right.

''Exactly.''

He gets up from the bed and heads straight for the door.

''What the hell?'' She exclaims, following after him.

''Tristan, what the hell is wrong with you-''

''Just trying to figure you out, B'' He mocks, shrugging his shoulders as he turned a corner. ''And now that I know that your a person that's a quitter, I'm done here.''

She starts to run, her fast pace at walking not doing her any justice.

''Tristan-'' She pulls him back they arm, turning him around to see his flared nostrils. ''I'm not a quitter. Okay? I don't just give up on anybody. I didn't give up on these people and I'm not gonna give up on you.''

''No, but you gave up on the people that surround you with home first.''

She nods her head. ''Now I'm back with them as they're commander.''

''Yeah, because you had no choice.''

''Listen, you little b-''

Their neck snaps when looking down the empty hallway, hearing padded footsteps running in an unknown direction.

They waited to hear the sound again, pulling out their bow and quiver, aimed and ready to be shot.

Brandi walked first, making sure not to make sounds with feet before making it to the corner.

A grunt slips past her lips when a bone came intact with her face, dropping her guard as she took a few steps back.

They went to throw a punch but she Brandi crouched to the ground, swinging her foot from behind their leg, having them drop to the ground.

''Tristan, run'' She breathes out. She grabbed an arrow from the ground that she recently dropped and was ready to stab the grounder with it, until he used his feet to kicked her off of them.

Her body flew down the hall from the forceful kick, allowing Tristan to take over.

He went to throw in a punch, but the grounder grabbed him by his arm and flipped him, twisting his arm from behind.

Tristan's endless line of grunts were ceased when Brandi ran up to the grounder, lifting her body up to kick him off of Tristan's body.

But her luck was little when he quickly grabbed onto her leg, swinging her around and slamming her body against the wall.

Tristan was quick by grabbing an arrow that was in reach, stabbing the weapon deep into the grounders thigh.

He let out a groan, but it didn't seem effective when he kicked Tristan at the side of his head.

The kick impacted him to slip unconsciousness.

Despite all the pain running through Brandi's back, she jumped onto the grounder and wrapped her legs around they're torso. She took off the mask covering their face and banged her head against theirs, not taking note of who might this mysterious killer might be.

''Ah!'' She yelps out when she felt something sharp slip into that same injury from when first fighting with the sky people.

They pushed her body off of theirs, letting her sprawl in anguish.

''Don't worry, you won't be in pain much longer.''

× × ×

''I held up my part of the deal. Your turn'' Clarke spoke. Her arms were raised in defense when noticing Emerson standing beside Brandi.

Not only her, but Octavia, Tristan and Midler were cuffed to the wall, while Raven, Monty, Jasper, Harper and Bryan sat, tied from they're wrist and ankles.

''Let my friends go.''

''Tell Bellamy to show himself first'' He asks almost too calmly.

''I don't know what you're talk-''

''Argh!'' Brandi's cry of help was muffled when she was pulled by her hair, a knife held too close for comfort against her skin of her throat.

''No'' Bellamy gasps, recognizing who it was by the sound of her voice.

Emerson grew a cocky smirk when seeing that he not only got a reaction out of Bellamy but also Tristan, who was pulling against the metal restraints.

''Good. Now take out the clip, throw it down the hall, put the gun on the ground and get inside.''

''Mell'' Brandi chocked out. ''Mn't.''

Another cry was muffed when pulling at her hair ''Shut up.''

''Please'' Clarke whispered. ''You wanted me. I'll get inside once you let them go.''

''I was talking to Bellamy.''

Brandi starts to groan out in pain when she feels the tip of the knife drag against the skin of her chest, drawing blood from the pressure.

''Okay, okay! Just stop'' Bellamy begged.

Clarke turns to back to him, shaking her head. ''Bellamy, don't.''

He removes the gun off if his body, pulling out the magazine in the process, before lowering the weapon into the ground.

He took out other weapons and laid them aside, stepping aside and mimicking Clarke's stance.

''Got anything you wanna, sweetheart?'' Emerson ask, the nickname causing goosebumps to arise on any bare skin that's exposed.

He pulled the tie from around her mouth and she took a moment to bite on her set of teeth.

She narrowed her eyes and furrows her brows, glaring at him with a burning passion of hate. ''If I wasn't chained up right now, I would have killed you. Not the, I'm gonna a bullet in your head kill you. No.. I'm gonna stab you in every place in your body, purposely missing your major organs so I can watch you writher in pain. I wanna watch beg for mercy, either to live or die. I wanna pull your eyes out with my bare thumbs, burn you to the stake, anything that will do so I won't have look at your stupid face again!''

She charge at him even though she knew she still had the restraints on her.

''Okay, that's enough of you'' He mumbles in nonchalance, placing the strap back around her mouth.

He looks over at Bellamy, then back to Brandi and starts to laugh rather loudly.

''You know'' He starts. ''Where was this when Cage had his way with you?''

Raven started pulling against the restraints, along with Tristan. Bellamy just stood there, his brows furrowed and eyes sending daggers his way.

''Leave her out of this!'' Clarke yelled.

He removed the knife off of Brandi's throat, pointing it at Clarke. ''If I were you, I wouldn't be saying shit.''

Emerson dropped his arm that he held his knife in, looking around at all the confuse faces that were still processing what Emerson meant.

He begins to chuckle, the form of laughter being heard deeply. ''Oh, you didn't tell them.. Did you?''

Her silence gave him the answer he was looking for. ''Should've listened to blondie when y-''

She lifted her knees, kicking him from behind with weak effort.

''No!'' Bellamy cried while Brandi screamed. Emerson left the knife in her thigh, pointing at the older Blake.

''Let's go, Bellamy.''

It wasn't long before he stood inside the separated room.

Emerson nodded his head over towards the unoccupied cuffs. ''Those are yours.''

He filled in the spot, locking the chains around his wrists.

Emerson pulls out a gun from behind, pointing it straight at Clarke. ''Get on your knees, Clarke.

She did as she was told with no hesitations.

''Put your hands behind your head.''

She listened again.

It wasn't until Emerson was out, ready to press the big red button that determined the small groups fate was when a thump was heard from inside.

The doors started closing and Tristan started running.

All Brandi did was blink and a bullet rang in her ears. She looked down to Tristan laying on his back and a fresh new wound soaking the side of shirt.

''Mstm'' Her voice muffled, increasing the amount of tears falling down her cheeks.

''Mndi!''

Her eyes locked with Bellamy was looking down at her reassuringly, as if he was actually trying to tell her that things will be okay. But even he wasn't believing his own lie.

She looked up when Clarke's face was slammed against the glass frame.

He pulled her away, pushing another button and smashing her back to the group.

The room lit to a dark red, swelling up more tears because they all had a feeling that maybe there was no escaping this one. Not this time.

Brandi started chocking with the lack of air provided, the strap around her mouth making conditions harder to breathe as well.

''Mell'' She cries.

He nods at her. ''M mo.''

Bellamy watched lazily as her eyes became harder to keep open, fluttering close in a matter of seconds.

× × ×

She swallowed deeply, giving Tristan's hand a tight squeeze as she kneeled beside him, watching Bellamy carrying out a body.

The body was covered by a brown bag, taped around any openings.

Once he settled the body onto the ground, Octavia dropped to her knees.  Her hands were trembling when reaching towards the head.

Her bottom lip trembled when seeing Lincoln's dirt covered face. There was a dry patch of blood on the side of his head that was visible through the dirt.

Brandi teared her gaze from the scene of the younger Blake breaking down, but instead locking contact with the older one.

'For once, I don't feel angry. I don't feel the need to blame anymore. I think I just expect this sort of thing from him now.'

By now Octavia was wailing and it was beginning to get even harder to watch.

She placed a gentle kiss on his forehead, pulling away with sniffles to look back at Bellamy.

''This isn't over yet, is it?'' Tristan whispers, his breaths visible into the nightly air.

Flattening her lips into a straight line, she shakes her head. ''No.''

Tristan let's out a breath. ''So, what's our next stop?''

authors note; so i was suppose to do this on the last update, so i'm gonna do it on here. envyiharold finally came out with a book called Chasing Life, of course favoured by Bellamy Blake so you should go check out the first four chapters now.