011.

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On the plus side, Maggie was no stranger to sneaking around. Light on her feet from her years upon years of thievery, ambling through the corridors without making a peep was a walk in the park.

Bellamy hadn't come to their room the night prior, and although she was satisfied with him respecting her wishes, the tiniest piece of her inside had hope that he would come and talk to her later on. Perhaps she could have a more— civilized— conversation with him, as opposed to a screaming match. Gray still had hope that she could reach him, as ridiculous as that might've sounded after how their talk went yesterday.

Maggie had intentions of finding Kane, hence the reasoning behind her creeping around like a mouse. Not only did she not want to give herself up, but the other people working against Pike's faction.

So, whoever was trying to follow behind her was brutally awful at espinonage, if she were to be honest. For starters, whoever had been given the honorary roll decided to not dress for the occasion, being as they attempted to be quiet, but their guard boots could be heard from multiple feet away. Not only that, but when she turned around, she could see half of a silhouette from around the corner.

Therefore, she decided to proceed further for a brief second; just long enough for the perpetrator to take another step forward. Snapping her head quickly, a laugh almost managed to pass by her lips when she caught a glimpse of ebony curls.

She quickly spun on her heels, and not an ounce of surprise went through her body when she caught Bellamy clinging to the wall, as if that'd correct his blunder.

Then, Maggie did let out a chuckle, although it suggested quite the opposite of amusement. "That's pretty rich, him making you in charge of watching my every move. And don't even try denying it— I'm well aware that Pike doesn't trust me."

"Whether you believe it or not, I'm actually trying to protect you," compassion made its way to his freckled face, "You're lucky he asked me to do it. He sees it as most fitting, being as I'm around you the most. But, he wasn't exactly aware of our lashing out yesterday, which I apologize for."

Shaking her head but deeming it as a chance to talk to Bellamy nonetheless, her arms crossed. "What do you expect me to say to you?"

"Nothing, but I have things to say to you," he scanned down the halls each way, making sure there were no guards within a decent proximity, "And I'm not exactly welcome in our room, so—"

Intriguing— just a little bit, she had to admit as she cut him off, "I'm listening, Bell."

Leaning against the wall, his hands reached for hers, and he was almost shocked that she had let him take them. "I'm the only reason you're not arrested right now— Pike knows that everything I do is for you, even though you don't agree with my choices. But, at the end of the day, I know you. And I know that you're already coming up with some sort of plan that I won't be able to talk you out of. So, whatever it may be— don't get caught," Bellamy finished, and the last sentence was what got the wheels in her head spinning.

"How am I supposed to know you're not lying to me right now? How do I know that you aren't reporting back to him with my every move? How can I trust you?" the questions were listed off rapidly, and Bellamy could admit that they were all very valid.

Instead of immediately responding, Bellamy dug into one of his inside pockets, revealing a small, circular-shaped device that Maggie was instantly able to recognize: a bug that was not yet turned on. "He gave me this to hide in your jacket, thinking I would do anything to protect you— including betraying you. But he's wrong," he placed it back inside the pocket, zipping up the zipper, "I know you're trying to make up for your past, and while I don't think you have anything you need to make up for, I'm not going to ruin that for you, Mags." He squeezed her hands, tightly.

He wasn't making this easy for her whatsoever. Her Bellamy had such a softness when talking with her in private that was enough to make her heart melt, and she considered it a weakness in that moment when it became so prominent. Something about the 'Mags' leaving his mouth so naturally, along with the way his touch filled her with safety and had the ability to make time freeze. It blinded her, almost, and it was a wonder that Maggie was so level-headed that she was able to see past that, somewhat.

"So what are you gonna do, if you happen to catch me doing something against Pike's agenda? Just ignore it? Cause I know you're loyal to him," the girl found herself chewing at the inside of her cheek, her notorious old habit that she couldn't seem to push past, "And Pike isn't going to believe that I'm doing nothing wrong."

Pondering for a moment, it appeared as though he hadn't thought that far ahead yet, "I'll figure it out. I'm not saying I'm not ratting people out, because I still need to do what I think is right. I won't be turning in the people that I'm doing this for, though."

That answer conflicted her, based on the sole fact that she still could not fathom how he was still so devoted to Pike's cause. It confused her beyond belief, and she just wanted to know what it was that had caused such an igniting change in Bellamy. "Talking here isn't safe— there's gotta be people looking out for the both of us," Maggie reminded, to which she received a nod, meaning that he acknowledged her point.

"There's a meeting happening right now— I'd say we're in the clear for a bit. Ask whatever's on your mind, but keep it low."

He could still read her, she noted. Maybe things hadn't changed as much as she believed they did.

Inhaling sharply, her eyes glared at him in a way that was demanding of an honest answer in its' own, "What did Pike say to you to get you to join his side?"

Body tensing up at those words, Bellamy lightly glanced away and bit his lower lip, as if he hadn't come to terms with it, yet. "It's not a matter of what 'Pike said.' All those people died at Mount Weather because I trusted Echo. And whether that peacekeeping force would've ever attacked or not, I can't say for sure. But I am not letting any more of our people die as a consequence of my mistakes. Killing is a bit extreme, I can admit that, but it's keeping our people alive."

"He guilt-tripped you," Maggie thought out loud, and after him explaining, all the pieces had started to come together. Bellamy had been taken advantage of, right at him being in the peak of his lowest. He had been drinking from what she could remember from that night, and grieving from the lives lost. Instead of being absolutely livid at her boyfriend, she almost found herself pitying him.

Bellamy shook his head, not buying into it, "This is what I need to do, to protect our people. I can live with the guilt if it keeps you, Octavia, and everyone else safe."

"Bell—" Magnolia tried to coerce him.

Before she got the chance to finish, he interrupted. "You're not going to change my mind, just like I know I can't change yours. Don't you think we can keep this separate from our relationship though?"

"Someone's just pissed they don't have anywhere to sleep," Maggie muttered under her breath, but he easily heard her.

Exhaling and ridding of the breath he had been holding, Bellamy let out a gentle laugh, "No, I'm just saying—"

"You're right. As much as I wanted to, I can't hate you," Maggie stopped him— if everything else was gonna be shitty, then what did it hurt for her to share a room with him? If she was still going to work against Pike's faction, and he was still going to go his own way, then it didn't make all that much of a difference in her eyes. "You can sleep in our room."

Scratching his neck, he replied, "Good, good. I gotta go to that meeting. For the love of god, don't get yourself in trouble. I can only protect you from him so much."

———

Miller finding Maggie on post was a sight he never believed he'd see again, but he climbed up the ladder with a sense of relief written across his features. However, more eye-catching than that, his eyebrows were furrowed and sweat laced his temple. "What happened to you, Miller? Your shift's just starting."

"I'm fine," Nate responded, tone suggesting otherwise, "It's complicated. Why are you on post again?"

Tiny smirk reaching the corner of her mouth, she reiterated what he had just said, "It's complicated. After a horrible attempt of getting on Pike's good side, he put me here because his people can watch my every move easier."

That made Miller smile a bit, knowing Maggie was to be trusted. Not that he had expected otherwise, but she appreciated her being back after going off the radar.

Still noting how the boy rocked on the balls of his feet uncomfortably, she prodded yet again. "What's bothering you?"

Posture stiff, he finally gave in. "I bugged the Chancellor's office so we could listen in. Pike just sent his people out to kill a Grounder village in Sector 4 to use their grounds for crops. I brought Octavia her horse so she could go warn them, but then I had to walk back."

Maggie scoffed at yet another executive decision being made by Pike that was likely to start a war. Was that seriously what the meeting Bellamy spoke of was about? "I know that's our best shot, but do you really think they're going to listen to a Sky Person, after our people just killed three-hundred of theirs?"

Truthfully, Miller hadn't seemed sold on the idea either. "Don't you think I know that Gray? But what other choice do we have?"

"If they don't evacuate before Pike and his people get there, we're going right into a war we can't win," Maggie spoke the words of what both of them were thinking in their heads.

Hearing it come out of her mouth made it that much more real to Nate, which was probably why his head dropped, "I know I'm doing my part to stop it, right? But I'm still with Brian, and he keeps going out there and doing all this shit. He asks me what's wrong, and I can't even tell him, Gray. It just makes me feel guilty."

The only thing keeping Maggie from hugging Miller was the fact that they probably had sets of eyes on them. "It's the same with me and Bellamy, but I talked to him this morning." Miller's eyes shot up, instantly, "He knows I'm working against Pike."

"Why do you seem so calm about that?"

"Pike gave him a bug to put in my jacket because he thinks that Bellamy's willing to do anything to keep me safe— he showed it to me himself. Pike is making him spy on me. He can't bring it in himself to turn me in, so—"

Miller cut her short, "What they're doing is wrong."

"I know that. But Bell's aware he's not going to be able to change my mind, and I can't change his. If I've done everything I can to change his opinion, then I've done my part," Magnolia let out a strangely-calm sigh, coming to a conclusion. Her best friend sent her a 'how the hell?' sort of look her way. "If I don't accept that, I'm gonna drive myself insane. I don't want him to do something he'll regret, but all I can do now is just be there for him when he realizes it's wrong."

"Me, Harper, and Octavia are working with Kane," Miller's voice lowered yet another octave, even though it'd be damn near impossible to hear them up there, "We could use your help, but you gotta make sure nobody knows."

Pretending to patrol the area around them, the girl then glanced back at him with a mischievous glimmer in her eyes, "You and I were thieves on the Ark. I'm not worried about getting caught."

———

Bellamy returned home at an ungodly hour, and Maggie was originally relieved that he had seemed so gloomy and downright pissed upon entering their room. Assuming that the Grounders had evacuated and Octavia's message had been successful, she originally deemed it a good thing that their plan went to shit.

But instead, Bellamy spoke with frustration when he told Maggie the news: two of their own people had died, one of them being Monroe.

Apparently, the village refused to evacuate after Octavia's warning. So, when the village prepared to fight back, she told Pike's faction to retreat. After losing two of their people, they had no choice but to listen to the younger Blake.

"Did you know?" Bellamy asked her earnestly and kindly, but also in a way that demanded an answer, "Maggie."

Still struck by the news, tears welling along her lash line, she mentally prepared herself to tell a believable lie. She sat close to the edge of their bed, chin resting on her knees that had been brought into her chest. Voice cracking, Gray replied, "I was on post most of today— I had no idea."

"Okay," the boy settled, unlacing the boots that Maggie had gifted him what seemed like forever ago. Sniffling, he let out, "I'm sorry for assuming you did."

Grabbing the boy's face to solace him, her thumb wiped away the single tear that made its way down his cheek slowly, "You don't need to apologize to me, Bell— I understand," she forced out a tiny smile, hoping he'd find comfort in it.

Instead of responding, he caught Maggie by surprise, pulling her in tightly to embrace her. She took no hesitation in reciprocating the action, due to the fact that she couldn't remember the last time she was lucky enough to hug him. "God, I love you," Bellamy spoke into his girlfriend's hair; nobody had the ability to ease his mind like she did.

At the end of the day, no matter what the two had disagreed on, they were each other's home.

Pushing the curls away from his face, she pressed a light kiss to his temple. "I love you too," she closed her eyes, melting into his touch.

For once in her life, not a twinge of guilt went through her brain after lying to him about knowing of Octavia's warning.

Because soon enough, if her and her accomplices were able to take down Pike, then they'd get a lot more of those moments.

And that was her goal; what she was fighting for.

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