I warned you all this would be a slow burn, so no complaining haha

Personally, I myself find it more realistic to build upon a relationship than jumping each other's bones as soon as they meet, but that might just be me

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Surveying the area, I could see no sign of Octavia and Jasper. I started by walking along the edge of the wall, hoping that would give me some idea. And as fate would have it, as I began to walk along the outskirts, Octavia had just run back inside, bumping right into me.

"Hey, are you okay? Where's Jasper?" I asked quickly.

She swallowed, "I'm fine, he's here. We need to find my brother and Clarke. Now."

Without question I helped her. We got them both and then the five of us were standing in a tent alone.

No words were spoken as Octavia laid three items out on a box in the middle of a tent.

One was a piece of shrapnel shaped into a knife, whose blade was covered in dry blood. The other two items were Wells' missing fingers.

Clarke was the first to react, picking up the makeshift blade. "This knife was made of metal from the dropship."

"What do you mean?" Jasper asked, his eyes growing wide. He knew what it meant, we all did. No one wanted to say it out loud.

Bellamy stood with his arms across his chest, his face trying to show no emotion. "Who else knows about this?"

"No one," Octavia answered. "We brought it straight here."

They all stared at the knife and fingers, trying to come up with a possibility that wasn't what we knew was the truth.

But we weren't going to get anywhere if we kept avoiding it.

"Okay, I'm just gonna come out and say what we're all thinking. This knife? It means the Grounders didn't kill Wells. Someone out there did."

I pointed towards the outside where the rest of the hundred were, just to make sure that there was no confusion. I felt bad accusing someone from our camp, but it was the only explanation.

Jasper sighed, trying to remain calm, "So, there's a murderer in the camp?"

Bellamy was quick to retaliate to Jasper's question, "There's more than one murderer in this camp."

His eyes slid to me for the briefest moment, but that moment was enough.

"I did not do this," I stated firmly, my eyes focused on Bellamy. "Wells was a good person. I would never have killed him."

You killed one of your parents.

That was the response I was expecting. I could only assume he held his tongue for Octavia's sake.

"Either way," Bellamy continued. "This isn't news. We need to keep it quiet."

Clarke completely ignored him, making her way for the exit, only for Bellamy to step into her path.

"Get out of my way, Bellamy."

"Clarke, be smart about this. Look at what we've achieved- the wall, the patrols. Like it or not, thinking the Grounders killed Wells is good for us."

The blonde looked disgusted by his words. "Oh, good for you, you mean. What- keep people afraid and they'll work for you? Is that it?"

"Yeah, that's it. But it's good for all of us. Fear of the Grounders is building that wall. And besides, what are you gonna do- just walk out there and ask the killer to step forward? You don't even know whose knife that is."

What Bellamy didn't know however, was that Clarke did know.

"Oh, really?" She held the knife up for him to see, "J.M. John Murphy. The people have a right to know."

The initials were scratched onto the underside of the knife nice and big so they wouldn't be missed. What idiot leaves the murder weapon at the site of the murder?

Although, I couldn't talk, I guess. What idiot gets caught committing murder?

I couldn't blame her for wanting answers and not wanting this covered up. Wells was her best friend and they had made up literally the night of his murder. She lost him not hours after she had just gotten him back.

The state Clarke was in, I definitely didn't envy Murphy.

Bellamy didn't stop her as she walked out this time. I don't think he knew what to say. He genuinely looked surprised, so I had no doubt that he didn't know.

We all followed not long after, knowing this wasn't going to end well.

As I was leaving, I noticed Bellamy hadn't moved. His eyes were still looking at the dead boy's fingers.

"Come on," I said softly, resting a hand on his shoulder. "Whether she believes it or not, she's going to need your help."

No snarky reply or roll of the eyes, he just nodded and followed me out.

"You son of a bitch!" Clarke yelled.

Bellamy and I had arrived just in time to see Clarke shove Murphy. She wasn't even going to ask, apparently, just accuse.

Bellamy, Octavia and I stood off to the side, watching the exchange. I admit, it isn't the way I would've gone about things. Especially after what had happened to me.

"What's your problem?" Murphy laughed, glancing at the crowd of spectators forming around them.

She held up the knife, basically scoffing. "Recognise this?"

"It's my knife. Where'd you find it?"

He tried to snatch it away, but Clarke pulled it out of reach. "Where you dropped it after you killed Wells."

This was the point where murmurs began to spread through the crowd, who were slowly beginning to tighten the circle around the two.

"Where I what?" Murphy honestly seemed surprised. Was this really as clean and cut as Clarke thought? I mean, Murphy was an ass, but murder? "The Grounders killed Wells, not me."

"I know what you did, and you're gonna pay for it."

"Really?" Murphy's previous expression of concern morphed into a smirk as he looked over her shoulder to address his 'friend'. "Bellamy, you really believe this crap?"

Bellamy didn't respond. Not that he had the chance, as Clarke continued her verbal assault. "You threatened to kill him. We all heard you. You hated Wells."

"Plenty of people hated Wells. His father was the Chancellor that locked us up."

He did have a point.

"Yeah, but you're the only one who got in a knife fight with him."

And so did Clarke.

"Yeah, I didn't kill him then, either."

"Tried to kill Jasper, too," Octavia tacked on from beside me.

Jasper's eyebrows shot up at her words.
"I'll explain later," I told him quickly. His mouth opened and closed a few times, not knowing what to say.

I forgot that we hadn't told him what had happened while he was unconscious. I would've preferred he hadn't found out this soon, but it was too late now.

Murphy took a moment to think. "Come on. This is ridiculous. I don't have to answer to you. I don't have to answer to anyone."

I felt myself physically cringe at his words, knowing Bellamy wouldn't appreciate it.

"Come again?" Bellamy asked, readjusting his stance.

This took Murphy by surprise. I don't know what he was expecting the 'leader' to say in response to that.
"Bellamy, look, I'm telling you, man. I didn't do this."

Part of me couldn't help but believe him, but one look around and I could tell I was one of the only ones. Murphy didn't exactly have a good track record here.

Bellamy spoke at a low volume, "They found his fingers on the ground with your knife."

Murphy didn't say anything, fidgeting as he grew nervous.

"Is this the kind of society we want?" Clarke addressed the crowd. "You say there should be no rules. Does that mean that we can kill each other without- without punishment?"

"I already told you," Murphy snapped. "I didn't kill anyone."

"I say we float him," a voice in the crowd suggested. Glancing over, I found the boy who Murphy had decided to take a piss on not too long ago.

When people began to agree, Clarke attempted to backtrack. "That's not what I'm saying."

"Why not? He deserves to float. It's justice."

"We're not the Council," I tried to remind them, raising my voice. "This isn't justice."

"It's justice." He then turned to his fellow followers, guiding them to chant with him. "Float him!"

The crowd was chanting and then everything was happening so suddenly. Within seconds Murphy was on the ground, multiple kids kicking him while he was down.

Octavia went to help, but Bellamy held her back.

Knowing he wouldn't let her go, I spoke to him. "You need to do something, Bellamy. They're going to kill him."

He looked down at me, but said nothing. His face just looked still. Disappointed. I think he wanted to believe the boy, but it was hard.

Murphy was then bound and gagged, before they dragged him outside of the camp and down into a grove, throwing him into the mud below.

Everyone ran to watch the spectacle, Murphy being beaten as they threw a rope over a strong looking branch. They then dragged him over, looped the rope around his neck and forced him to stand on something they'd found nearby.

It was unsettling how fast they had put this together.

Clarke ran over to Bellamy and I; she looked so worried. "You can stop this!" She told Bellamy. "They'll listen to you!"

She had to yell pretty loudly for us to be able to hear her over the commotion of people cheering for Murphy to be hung. She brought this on, and now she didn't know how to undo it.

The boy who Murphy had pissed on was the next to join us. "Bellamy! You should do it. Bel-la-my!" He started another chant.

I shook my head in disgust as they all joined in. Murphy looked so scared, trying not to fumble and fall to his death. He was trying to speak, but the gag was getting in the way.

"I saw you in the woods with Atom," Clarke said, trying to convince him again. "I know you're not a killer. Bellamy, don't do this. Don't. . ."

He made his way towards Murphy, Clarke on his tail still talking. I stepped forward, standing in his way. "I can't let you do this, Bellamy. Trust me, you don't move past it."

Bellamy's eyes softened for a moment, his lips parting to say something. If a noise had escaped him, the sound of the chanting overpowered it.

He stepped around me, leaving me standing with Octavia, Maeve and Carter, staying by their sides as we watched. What could we do? There were boys guarding the rope, and Bellamy wasn't going to listen to reason.

Before we knew it, Bellamy had kicked the box out from beneath Murphy. He fell, hitting the rope's limit with a twang. Swinging harshly, he choked as the noose cut off his air supply, his neck twitching as he tried to escape.

"What the hell are you doing?"
Spacewalker to the rescue once again. Finn pushed his way through the crowd, "Cut him down! Charlotte, get out of here now! Cut him down!"

Charlotte? Standing on my toes, I saw the little girl from camp; the one Bellamy had been kind too. No child should have to see this.

Grabbing onto Octavia, we forced our way over to her. Latching onto her hand, I got her attention. "Come on, we're going to get you out of here."

As the shouting continued, Charlotte pulled away from us. "Stop!" She shouted. "Okay? Murphy didn't kill Wells! I did!"

When realisation set in, Clarke grabbed a hand axe from Bellamy's belt and used it to cut Murphy down.

He thudded to the ground and someone loosened the noose to allow him to breath once more.

My eyes didn't leave Bellamy though. He looked so shocked and disappointed as he stared over at Charlotte. I felt bad for him. The only other time I'd seen this expression on him was when Octavia said she didn't need him.

Everyone had backed away from Charlotte, including Octavia and I. She stood alone in the centre of the crowd, tears pooling in her eyes as she sniffled quietly.

What now?

As everyone stood around, unsure, Bellamy had grabbed Charlotte and taken her to a tent with Finn and Clarke. No one knew how to react to finding out this small little girl had killed Wells.

Well, no one but Murphy, that was. As soon as he was on his feet, he wanted justice. The justice Clarke had wanted for him.
"Bring out the girl, Bellamy!"

The rest of us remained bystanders, waiting to see how this was going to end. The majority of the people standing here had just tried to kill Murphy, so they were lucky he was more focused on Charlotte.

"Bring out the girl now!"

Murphy wasn't backing down.

"You want to build a society, princess? Let's build a society. Bring her out."

Bellamy emerged from the tent, his jaw clenching as he began to prepare to stand his ground against Murphy.

"Well, well, well. Look who decided to join us."

"Dial it down and back off," Bellamy replied as calmly as he could muster. He cared for Charlotte, that much was clear. A substitute for Octavia, maybe?

Murphy stepped closer, not caring, "Or what? What are you gonna do, Bellamy? Hang me?"

I would've laughed if the situation hadn't been what it was.

Bellamy took a small step as he straightened up, "I was just giving the people what they wanted."

Murphy nodded, thinking. "Yeah. Yeah, that's a good idea. Why don't we do that right now?"

He then proceeded to turn to the rest of us, his bloodied face stone cold. "So, who here wants to see the real murderer hung up?" He asked as he raised his own hand. "All in favour?"

The only people who joined him were his little gang of thugs, everyone else avoiding eye contact awkwardly.

"I see." He dropped his hand to his side. "So, it's okay to string me up for nothing, but when this little bitch confesses, you all let her walk?"

Not all of us agreed to him being 'strung up', but whatever.

"Cowards! All of you are cowards!"

"Hey, Murphy!" Bellamy yelled, finally having had enough of him. He went over and stood right in his face, "Murphy. It's over."

Seemingly giving up, Murphy raised his hands slightly before letting them hit his legs. "Whatever you say, boss."

I didn't trust him for a second.

Bellamy went to return to Charlotte, and as soon as he turned his back, Murphy picked up a small log and smacked him across the back of the head with it.

"Son of a bitch!" Octavia screamed. "Hey!"

Jasper stood in front of her to stop her from getting herself in trouble, only to be punched square in the face by Murphy. He dropped like a bag of rocks.

"Jasper!" I gasped, rushing to his side. He was still conscious, but his eye was already beginning to bruise. Standing back up, I glared at Murphy, "I'll kill you if you touch him again!"

Ignoring us all, he waved to his companions. "Come on, let's go get the girl."

They all followed without question, ready to kill her.

Lifting the flap of the tent, Murphy stared for a moment before throwing it back down. "Charlotte! Charlotte, I know you can hear me! And when I find you, you are gonna pay!"

Finn and Clarke must've snuck her out the back while everything else was happening. Which was slightly surprising considering Clarke's relationship with Wells.

Murphy and his pals headed into the forest after them. "Charlotte! Clarke and Finn can't save you."

His voice faded as he grew further away. I wanted to go after him, but I decided to stay with Jasper instead. Finn and Clarke could handle themselves.

And apparently, so could Charlotte. But why had she killed Wells? Was it for the same reason others wanted to kill him? Because of his dad?

Once again, we were at a standstill. Murphy had run after Charlotte, Jasper was on the ground bleeding, and Bellamy was now just waking up.

He sat up slowly, holding his head as he looked around. "Where is he? Where's Murphy?"

Slightly worried as to how he would react, I didn't meet his gaze. "He went after Charlotte."

Bellamy didn't waste time climbing to his feet and running after him. I tried to fight my instincts, but lost.

I quickly helped Jasper sit back up, running my finger along the reddening bruise beneath his eye.
"Watch him. I've got to help," I told Octavia.

She nodded as she sat beside Jasper. We both knew that Bellamy would only become more pissed if he knew Octavia had followed him.

Whereas me, he had no say in the matter. No matter how he saw himself, he wasn't a leader yet in my eyes