─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

JUNE'S STRANGLED CRY HAD HARDLY EFFECTED MURPHY, EXCEPT HE GREW MORE CAUTIOUS BY HOOKING HER TO A POLE SO SHE COULD HARDLY MOVE. Her muscles and injuries screamed as she was shifted in a different position from being sat so long, but she ignored it. June kept her side pressed against the wall with her head turned, continuing to watch the scene unfold with Bellamy throwing the loop above so it's hanging down like a noose. June wants to scream, being sure of only one thing: Murphy was going to hang Bellamy.

A metal stool screeches as Bellamy is forced to drag it until it's under the hanging belt. "Stand on it," Murphy ordered. Tears for the first time since this started spring in June's eyes as she bites on the gag harder, feeling it dig in her skin painfully. Bellamy hesitated before slowly stepping on the flat top, sending a glance to the circled belt above him, perfectly neck level. "Put it over your head."

"This is insane," Bellamy said, attempting to seem brave, but his words small. "The grounders could..." Before he can finish, Murphy cocks the gun and pulls the trigger twice. The bullets fly and hit the wall, a noise that has June tugging harshly at her restraints. She lets out another muffled cry, pulling despite feeling the binds dig in her wrists. The loud sob ceased into quiet whimpers.

"Put it over your head," Murphy repeated himself, more darkly this time. He wrapped the seatbelt around his hand.

June watched in horror as Bellamy complied. The noose is pulled over his head, encasing his neck in it. This time, he has a fierce look as he holds his hands up as he snapped. "Happy now?"

Gently tugging the seatbelt, Murphy tilted his head, pleased to see the way Bellamy jerked and tried to hold it steady. June's head falls for a second, choking back her sobs, finding it harder to breathe now. "You're so brave, aren't you?" Murphy taunted. "I mean, you came in here thinking you're just gonna turn this whole thing around, that you were stronger than me, and maybe one of your friends would come and help you." He snorted at the idea. "Well, what are you thinking now, Bellamy? Hmm?" He questioned, yanking the belt more harshly this time.

"No! Please!" It's desperate, coming from June, but stifled from her gag. Horrified, she listens as Bellamy gasps for air, his boots barely brushing the stool beneath him. His tan skin turns red while he tugs the belt constraining him and keeping him from taking in more air. June pulls again, red lines appearing and warm blood starting to trickle down the sleeve of her jacket.

Releasing Bellamy enough to give him some air, Murphy sent June a smirk before continuing his mocking speech. "You know, I got to hand it to you, Bellamy. You got them all fooled. They actually look up to you, almost as much as they look up to Clarke and June." June sniffled, uncertain where Murphy was really going with this. Was he just going to taunt them before killing them? "Yeah, well, we know the truth, don't we?" Murphy asked before spitting out. "You're a coward. I learned that the day you kicked out the crate from beneath me."

The memory was hellish to remember, but when June shut her eyes, she did. It was the moment she realized Wells wouldn't want anyone to die for him, even someone who had killed him, and then Murphy was hung. He was bloody from being beaten and kicked around like a fish out of water. June couldn't imagine how terrified he was, but she regretted it then like she had now. Unfortunately, Bellamy did too. "I should have stopped them," he admitted heavily.

"Yeah, it's a little late for that now," Murphy sneered in a reply.

"What's your plan after you kill us?" Bellamy countered. "You think they're just gonna let you walk out of here?"

Even though Bellamy was right, Murphy was immune to the point. "Well, I think the princess is dead," he stated, referring to Clarke. "And I know the king and their little guardian are about to die too. So who's really gonna lead these people, huh?" He grinned. June felt a shiver crawl up her spine at it. "Me, that's who. And yeah, maybe I'll have to kill your grounder-pounding little sister - "

At the mention of Octavia, Bellamy lurched forward with a protective growl. He didn't get far, as Murphy bounced back before he could be reached and leaned his weight onto the belt with his arm, pleaded when Bellamy goes straight. The stool beneath him slides, threatening to fall over with the tip of his boots just barely scraping against it. June sobbed in a muffle again, louder this time, eyes wide in horror as Bellamy tries to suck in air.

All of a sudden, a new voice joins them. Beneath the floor, a pitched voice that sounds vaguely female yelled in surprise. June jolts at the sound with a tug to her restraints, her gaze flickering up to Murphy who barred his teeth in a canine-like grin. "I'm guessing that's her right now." He directed the barrel of his gun to the ground and fired several shots into the floor, making Bellamy shout in protest.

Only managing more than a few shots, June's head shoots up when hearing a few clicks, showing the firearm was now empty. Even Murphy seems surprise, but Bellamy processes it faster, struggling to get out of the noose. Before he can, Murphy notices and lunges, swinging his foot. The boot connected with the stool that topples over, leaving Bellamy to fall downwards with choked gasps.

The scream that tears through June's throat isn't broken. It could have shred her vocal cords with the power, leaving her feeling like it was on fire. The tears she had been fighting back stream down her cheeks that blurs her vision, but through glossy eyes, she can see Bellamy kick and flail to survive. "No!" June screams in a muffle, lurching forward and trying to wrench her wrists free. She's useless to save him, too tightly tied to the pole.

"Using your hands is a cheat," Murphy snarled, the gun's strap on his shoulder as he stormed forward and grabbed Bellamy's waving hands, attempting to hold them down. "Mine were bound, remember?" Taking the opportunity, Bellamy manages to struggle his left hand out of the grip and swings it in a left hook, punching Murphy directly in the face.

June couldn't possibly describe the feeling of relief as she hears the dropship's door crack open with a hiss. Murphy, clutching his jaw, becomes a coward and races for the ladder. June pays him no attention, only able to hear Jasper's voice call from the outside. "Raven, you did it!" She forces herself to look back at Bellamy, seeing he had become completely slack. June screams again, urging the ones outside to come in just as the door finally falls open completely.

The first one to enter is Jasper, gun pointed forward cautiously. He quickly dropped the gun and runs to his aid, grabbing Bellamy's legs and lifting him as Octavia joins in trying to unclip the belt. Meanwhile, Miller enters behind them, leading the gunners inside and being the one to crouch in front of June. "Are you alright?" He checked as he cut the bounds holding her wrists to set her free.

Grateful, June's hand flies up to pull her gag free and let it hang on her neck. She nods, breathlessly whispering; "Thank you" to Miller before trying to rise. From sitting for so long, her muscles struggle to remain steady enough for her to walk. Miller manages to catch her before she hits the ground along with Bellamy and Jasper, who fall once Octavia snaps the seatbelt free. Clutching Miller's arm so she doesn't stagger, June calls out in a cry; "Is he okay?! Is he breathing?!"

Octavia rips the loop wrapped around Bellamy's neck off, gently rolling him over. As she does, June's demand is answered when Bellamy sucks in a deep breath. June lets out a choked cry of content, seeing him struggle to stand without leaning on the pair, but alive. "Raven, they're fine!" Jasper calls to the mechanic still outside, aiding Bellamy up until he's on his knees.

"Murphy!" As Bellamy shouts, his voice breaks roughly. He pulls himself upward, tottering to the ladder. "Murphy! It's over!" June released Miller, barely given the chance to brush Bellamy's jacket before he rips himself away and grabs the ladder, only hurting himself in climbing up. "Murphy! There's only one way out of this for you now!" He slams his fist on what June had to assume was a locked latch.

A loud explosion echoes and rattles the dropship, catching June off guard as she caught herself on the ladder's side. Somehow, Bellamy had broke open the latch, and it flies open, allowing access. A white smoke pours down as he charges up, and June coughs a few times before following after him, more than prepared to punish Murphy for what he had done. The two wounds from him on her head and chest are still sore, along with the new scars on her wrists from pulling too hard.

Pulling herself up on the top level, June waves her hand to rid the smoke, shocked to see a large hole prominently at the dropship wall. Jasper comes up behind her and they stride forward together, peering outside into the trees. When she squinted, she could see a figure in all black, small, but bolting into the woods, far away from them. June's lower lip curled when realizing it was Murphy, taking off, like a coward.

"The guy knows how to make an exit," Jasper said. "Should we go after him?"

"Yes," June answered without hesitation.

"No." The word coming from Bellamy left June a bit stunned, but he gazed to the other two pointedly. "Grounders will take care of Murphy. We're going after Clarke, Finn, and Monty." The fury in June faded, and a faint smile twitched on the corners of her mouth. "You and June were right. We don't abandon our own." He turned his stare to the woods. "Three guns, just us. That's it. Raven stays to build up defenses." Bellamy turned away, missing the way June was beaming with pride. "We lost a day because of this, and our gunpowder." He sighs.

Before Bellamy can leave, Jasper grabs his arm. "Bellamy wait." He pulls him back, holding him into a tight embrace. June smiled wider, forgetting for a moment that she had just survived a hostage situation. "Thank you," Jasper murmured, pulling away. "Long way from "whatever the hell you want".

"Whatever the hell we want," June corrected, glad to see Bellamy timidly smiled back.

As the three send themselves back down the ladder, June faintly hears the walkie talkie clipped to Jasper's belt go off and Monroe's voice panicking. "All gunners! We got movement outside the south wall!"

Landing hard on her feet, June's back on guard as she bolts with the rest of the crowd to the outside. There's a light drizzle of rain coming from the clouds, cooling her warm skin, but she ignores it and runs to the walls. Miller is one of the first there, climbing up and leaning over before holding his hand out as a signal to halt. "Wait! Hold your fire! It's Clarke and Finn!"

"Oh my God," June exclaims quietly, her heart skipping a beat at the announcement. The gate flies open, revealing her best friend who darts inside first. Finn appeared a second after, his arms bent as he runs in after. Unable to stop herself, June leaves Bellamy's side to sprint and catch Clarke in a tight hug. Clarke is panting as her arms come to weave around her hips, squeezing back. "Thank God you're okay," she cries, burying her face into Clarke's neck before reluctantly letting her go.

"We heard an explosion," Clarke breathlessly tells them, still sounding worried as she clutches June's hanging arms. She then noticed the cut bruise on her temple and her forehead creases. "What happened?"

June hesitated, looking over her shoulder to share a knowing look with Bellamy. "Murphy happened," he finally stated.

"Where have you been?" Jasper interrogated, sounding relieved but curious. "Where's Monty?"

Eyes growing wide and sad, Clarke looked from Jasper to June. "Monty's gone?"

"Clarke, we need to leave, now," Finn interrupted like he was reminding her. June's face falls, unsure, but hanging on every word as he announced. "All of us do. There's an army of grounders, unlike anything we've ever seen, coming for us right now. We need to pack what we can and run." A wide circle forms between them, people listening in shock. June had been expecting it, but it doesn't set her at ease when she knows for sure now.

Fiercely, Bellamy puffs his chest. "Like hell we do," he argued. "We knew this was coming."

"Bell, we're not prepared," Octavia argued, touching his arm.

"And they're not here yet!" Bellamy exclaimed.

June shook her head, releasing Clarke's lower arm to face him. "We don't have the time, Bellamy."

"Where would we go, then?" Bellamy shoots back, standing his ground firmly. "Where would we be safer than behind these walls?" June hates it, but he's right. They don't know of a place close enough that the grounders couldn't find them.

However, Finn does. "There's an ocean to the east," he informs them. "People there will help us."

"You saw Lincoln," Octavia whispered, eyes brightening. Finn nodded.

The glare Bellamy already has darkened. "You expect us to trust a grounder?" He whirled around, facing the other delinquents. "This is our home now! We built this from nothing with our bare hands! Our dead are buried behind that wall in this ground!" He pointed to their graveyard. June turns her head, knowing Wells was there as well. "Our ground! The grounders think they can take that away. They think that because we came from the sky, we don't belong here. But they've yet to realize one very important fact..." Bellamy's head tilts, sharp jaw showing as he finished his speech.

"We are on the ground now, and that means we are grounders!"

Many others cheer in agreement, waving weapons. June's still unsure, despite the adrenaline suddenly pumping in her veins. "Grounders with guns!" Someone adds in a shout.

"Damn right!" Bellamy agreed. "I say, let them come!"

"Bellamy's right," Clarke declared. "If we leave, we may never find a place as safe as this. And God knows, in this world, we could be faced with something even worse tomorrow," she says a bit sadly. "But that doesn't change the simple fact that if we stay here, we will die tonight. So pack your things. Just take what you can carry. Now."

June trusts Bellamy, but she's known Clarke too long. If Clarke says there is no chance, and the army is coming now, she believed her. She nods, letting Clarke knows she's on her side, seeing her return the action mutually. June can see Bellamy doesn't like it, but he'll have to accept it, as the delinquents part to their tents to comply.

"Help me!"

The request sounds so familiar, it has June's heart sinking in her chest. She looks away from Bellamy to turn her head back to the dropship, seeing Raven through the crowd lean against the dropship, struggling to stand with her red-stained hand pressed to her chest. Suddenly, June remembers what happened earlier. Murphy shooting at the ground, trying to hit Octavia, which could only mean one of his stray bullets had struck Raven. Her breath hitched in her throat, and the next thing she knows, she's tearing across the field with Clarke, Finn, and Bellamy to reach her.

"Raven!" Finn exclaimed, approaching first. Before Raven can fall, he wraps one arm behind her shoulders and hooks the other under her legs, lifting her into a cradling position.

Clarke pushes Finn's shoulder. "Get her onto the dropship."

"Oh God," June whispered, seeing the injury more clearly when Finn adjusts her. Raven's entire front and back shirt is soaked with her red blood. She's in so much pain, almost falling unconscious as her head falls back and limbs grow loose. "Murphy shot her."