Murphy's Law.

CHAPTER FOUR , IF GUILT DOESN'T KILL YOU, HE SURE AS HELL WILL

a/n : my favorite chapter tbhhh

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Aiden felt like shit.

She couldn't even look Charlotte or Murphy in the eye. She's been avoiding the boy ever since the night Wells died. Aiden's been avoiding everyone since that night. Her walls had been forced back up and all that she had on her mind was protecting her sister. Aiden couldn't think about anything else—anyone else. She had thrown out her worries for Murphy, Clarke, and everyone else in the camp.

She couldn't handle the guilt of what she did. Aiden couldn't help but also hold guilt for Charlotte murdering Wells. The blonde kept thinking, maybe if she watched Charlotte that day she wouldn't have been hanging out with Bellamy. Aiden didn't want to blame Bellamy, but she had so many emotions drowning her—she just didn't care. The blonde just hopes everyone would continue to believe the Grounders killed Wells.

"Aiden."

The blonde blinks, she looks at her sister who was working on reinforcing the wall. Aiden's jaw tightens and her mind goes back to the night she saw Charlotte with the knife.

How could Charlotte think that murder was the answer? She killed Wells and thought her nightmares would stop, but they just got worse. Charlotte wanted to talk about her nightmares about murdering Wells, but Aiden would quiet her and tell her to keep it to herself.

Aiden didn't care anymore. She wasn't harsh with Charlotte before, because she was a kid. But if you can make a decision, thinking that murder is the right thing to do...you were no longer a child.

"What?" Aiden questions.

Charlotte presses her lips into a firm line. "I just wanted to see if you were okay. You seem...out of it."

Aiden manages a small chuckle. "Fine. Just...tired."

Charlotte nods her head, "I get it. I haven't been sleeping either after--"

"Charlotte. Don't." Aiden says, tightening the rope.

Charlotte's stomach drops as she sees Aiden's blue-grey stormy eyes burn into her shaky ones.

"I-I'm sorry," Charlotte says, looking down at the rope.

Aiden gnaws on her lower lip. She looks over at Murphy and her heart drops. Almost like he could feel eyes on him, Murphy turns and meets her gaze. His stomach clenches and a small smile forms on his lips before he gives her a soft nod. Aiden could feel the tears begin to burn in her eyes. She swallows and looks back at her work. Murphy's smile fades. He didn't know Aiden for long, but he thought they grew close. Maybe he was wrong.

Connor collapses to the ground, dropping the large log he was carrying. Murphy's eyes snap over to Connor. He was already angry with Aiden for brushing him off like he was nothing. But, Seeing Connor on the ground just made his anger rise.

"Hey!" Murphy walks over to Connor. "You think the Grounders are just gonna sit around and wait for us to finish the wall?"

Aiden shifts her eyes back to Murphy.

"Maybe we should let the little girl do the lifting for you, huh?" Murphy points at Charlotte.

Charlotte softly giggles and Aiden looks at her sister with squinted eyes, shutting down her bright laughter. Charlotte's smile falls and she looks at the ground.

"I just need some water, okay? Then I'll be fine." Connor exhales.

Aiden sighs, "John--"

"Oh, so now you wanna talk to me?" He turns to the blonde with an annoyed look.

Aiden's gaze softens which causes Murphy's stomach to clench. "Can you just get him some water?"

Murphy scoffs quietly, but he reluctantly walks away to get water for Connor.

"Hey,"

Aiden turns around to see Bellamy talking to Charlotte.

"you got this?" He points at the log.

Charlotte walks over to the log, but Bellamy stops her.

"I'm just kidding." He grabs the log and walks away.

Aiden looks at Charlotte and the younger sister's smile falls. "He talked to me first, I'm sorry."

Aiden runs a hand down her face. She inhales a breath, trying to stay calm. The blonde looks at her sister and crouches in front of Charlotte. "Char, I'm just trying to protect you, okay?" She whispers with her hands cupping her little sister's face. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

"What the hell is wrong with you, Murphy?" Connor shoves Murphy back. "I'll kill you!"

Aiden turns to see Connor being held back by two people. She lets out a soft breath, not even surprised Murphy did something completely different than what she asked. He didn't owe her anything.

"You wanted a water break." Murphy holds his arms out. "Get back to work!"

Aiden bites the inside of her cheek.

"You should talk to him."

Aiden looks at her sister and shakes her head. "I don't know what you're talking about." She scoffs.

"Murphy?" Charlotte raises her brows.

"I'm not gonna talk to him. Because there's nothing for me to talk about with him." Aiden huffs. "So can you please--"

"Aiden."

The blonde turns to see Clarke peeking out of the tent. Aiden knits her brows together and turns to look at Charlotte.

"Stay here," Aiden softly speaks. "Please, just...don't go anywhere else."

"I'll be fine, Aiden," Charlotte assures. "Go."

Aiden nods her head and she walks toward Clarke. The closer Aiden got to the girl, the clearer she saw the panic on her face. Aiden enters the tent and sees Jasper, Octavia, and Bellamy already inside.

"Clarke, what's...?"

The blonde trails off her sentence once she sees the two severed fingers on the table in the tent. Aiden opens her mouth, but nothing comes out. Her ears begin to ring and her breathing quickens. Fuck, she was going to be sick. Aiden saw the panic across everyone's faces, but hers was obviously for a different reason.

"I-I-Is that--"

"Wells'," Clarke says. She grabs the makeshift knife and examines it.

Aiden's breathing stops for a second. She rubs her throat and clears it.

"This knife was made of metal from the dropship," Clarke says.

"What do you mean?" Jasper shakily asks.

"Who else knows about this?" Bellamy questions.

"No one. We brought it straight here." Octavia answers.

"Clarke?" Jasper's mind was still on what Clarke commented a minute ago.

"It means the Grounders didn't kill Wells," Clarke says. "It was one of us."

Aiden's violently turns. She had to find a way out of this tent and back to her sister. The blonde didn't care how it happened, but she had to get her sister somewhere safe.

"So, there's a murderer in the camp?" Jasper questions.

"Th-there's more than one murderer in this camp." Aiden stammers, her eyes were glued to the severed fingers.

"This isn't news. We need to keep it quiet." Bellamy agrees with Aiden.

Aiden inhales, relief running through her. But that relief quickly died when Clarke walks toward the exit. Bellamy steps in front of her with his hands out.

"Get out of my way, Bellamy." Clarke's tone was low.

"Clarke, just...be smart about this," Aiden says, walking over to her friend.

Clarke scoffs out of disbelief, "Are you seriously siding with him?"

"I'm just saying, look at what we've achieved," Aiden defends. "The wall, the patrols."

"Like it or not, thinking the Grounders killed Wells is good for us," Bellamy adds.

"Oh, good for you, you mean," Clarke growls. "What--keep people afraid and they'll work for you? Is that it?"

"Yeah, that's it," Bellamy simply speaks. "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."

Aiden's eyes fall to the tent floor.

"Oh, really?" Clarke reveals the initials. "J.M. John Murphy. The people have a right to know."

Aiden's eyes widen and she quickly looks at the blonde. She slightly opens her mouth. "Maybe, we shouldn't get ahead of ourselves." She looks back at Bellamy, hoping he had anything else to say. But before Bellamy could get a word out, Clarke brushes past Bellamy and walks out of the tent.

Everyone follows Clarke out of the tent except for Aiden. She exhales a soft cry and places her hands on her knees. "Shit—oh god..."

"You son of a bitch!"

Aiden wipes the tears from her eyes and walks out of the tent. Clarke was already confronting Murphy. Aiden looks around the campsite and sees Charlotte close to the scene. Aiden couldn't do anything except keep her sister quiet and out of sight. The blonde inhales a deep breath and walks over to her sister.

Charlotte sees Aiden walking over to her. Her eyes widen and she looks at Clarke and Murphy. "Aid--"

"Do not say a word." Aiden says in a whisper, she grabs Charlotte's arm and keeps her close.

"The Grounders killed Wells, not me." Murphy states.

"I know what you did, and you're gonna pay for it." Clarke gets in Murphy's face.

"Really?" Murphy looks at the older Blake sibling. "Bellamy, you really believe this crap?"

"You threatened to kill him," Clarke states. "We all heard you. You hated Wells."

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

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

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

"Tried to kill Jasper, too," Octavia speaks up.

Aiden inhales a shaky breath, her heart beginning to beat uncontrollably fast.

"What?" Jasper murmurs.

Murphy notices everyone turning against him. His eyes shift to Aiden's wide ones.

"Aiden, come on. You can't believe this, right?" Murphy keeps his eyes on Aiden's. If anyone was going to have his back it would be her.

Aiden could feel her eyes burn with tears. She wanted nothing more than to scream that it wasn't Murphy. But she couldn't. The need to protect her sister was far stronger than any feelings she had towards Murphy. Aiden inhales a shaky breath and her grip tightens on Charlotte. She looks at the ground and Murphy's stomach drop. He pulls his eyes away from Aiden and looks back at Clarke.

Murphy then lets out a scoff. "Come on, this is ridiculous." He says. "I don't have to answer to you—I don't have to answer to anyone!"

"Come again?" Bellamy questions.

Murphy walks over to Bellamy.

"Bellamy, look, I'm telling you, man. I didn't do this." Murphy urges.

"They found his fingers on the ground with your knife." Bellamy states.

Charlotte buries her face into Aiden's stomach.

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

"I already told you. I didn't kill anyone." Murphy turns to Clarke.

"I say we float him," Connor says.

Aiden's chest tightens when everyone starts to agree. "What?"

"That's not what I'm saying," Clarke turns to Connor.

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

"R-Revenge isn't justice!" Aiden announces finally speaking up. She didn't want anyone to find out it was her sister, but she didn't want Murphy to die for it.

"It's justice. Float him!"

Everyone begins to chant the words, "Float him!"

Murphy's jaw clenches and he looks back at Connor. His anger in control of him, Murphy runs toward him but someone trips him—forcing him to fall to the ground. Everyone surrounds Murphy and starts to beat him. Aiden's eyes widen and she covers her mouth.

"Aiden--"

"Charlotte, stay back!" Aiden snaps. "I swear, just stay back!"

The blonde runs toward the group of delinquents and attempts to pull people off.

"Stop it! Please!" Aiden begs. "Get off of him!"

Someone elbows Aiden in the eye and she falls to the ground. Aiden shifts her eyes to the group and sees them gagging Murphy's mouth and tying his hands behind his back.

"J-John!" Aiden crawls through the angry mob and grabs his arm.

His fearful eyes meet her guilt-ridden ones. Someone grabs a fistful of her hair and yanks her back. Aiden screams and Murphy immediately lets out a scream of frustration.

The group grabs Murphy by his arms and drags him through the mud. They throw him down the hill and Aiden lets out a horrified gasp. The mob of delinquents rush down the hill screaming. Octavia rushes to Aiden and helps her onto her feet. The brunette's eyes travel across Aiden's muddy face and tears stinging her eyes.

"Aiden, Jesus...are you okay?" Octavia asks.

Aiden looks at the brunette before shifting her gaze back to where Murphy had fallen. "No, no I'm not." She shakes her head. "None of this is right, Octavia--"

"Hey, it's not your fault," Octavia reassures her.

Aiden's eyes widen, she exhales a cry and covers her mouth. Octavia knits her brows together as the blonde runs down the hill. She sees Murphy standing on top of the crate with a noose around his neck.

"No, you can't do this! Please!" Aiden runs over to them.

They grab at her arms and keep her back. Aiden thrashes in the delinquents grips. "Let me go—John!"

"You can stop this!" Clarke yells at Bellamy. "They'll listen to you!"

"Bellamy! You should do it!" Connor shouts.

Everyone that had a hand in Murphy's unruly punishment begins to chant Bellamy's name.

Aiden looks at Bellamy with her breathing quick.

"I saw you in the woods with Atom. I know you're not a killer!" Clarke says.

"Bellamy, don't do this!" Aiden cries. "You don't have to do this!"

Bellamy walks over to Murphy and Aiden's eyes widen. He kicks the crate out from Murphy's feet.

"NO!!!" Aiden sobs.

The delinquents holding Aiden's arms shove her into the mud. She quickly scrambles onto her feet. Aiden runs toward the tree but Connor yanks her back. "Let me go—cut him down!"

"This is justice—"

"You should've kept your mouth shut!" Bellamy shouts at Clarke.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Finn runs over to the scene.

Charlotte's mouth slightly opens and tears form in her eyes. Her guilt becoming far too much for her to handle.

"Cut him down! Aiden, get Charlotte out of here!" Finn shouts.

Aiden turns her head to see Charlotte's eyes glued to Murphy's flailing body. The blonde could tell from Charlotte's panicked expression and the tears in her eyes that she couldn't handle much more of keeping quiet. Aiden looks back at Murphy and lets out another sob before running over to Charlotte. She grabs her sister's arm and tugs her toward the hill. Charlotte fights against Aiden. The older sister's jaw clenches, "Charlotte, stop! We have to--"

"STOP! OKAY?!" Charlotte shoves Aiden off of her. Aiden stumbles back and her boots sink further into the mud. "MURPHY DIDN'T KILL WELLS! I DID!"

Aiden slaps her hand over Charlotte's mouth, but she was too late.

"Oh, my god..." Clarke grabs Bellamy's hatchet and cuts the rope, causing Murphy to fall to the ground.

Aiden pushes Charlotte behind her as Bellamy stares at the two. "Charlotte go to the tent." She orders.

"Aid--"

"Now!"

Charlotte flinches but she turns and runs up the hill. Aiden looks at the group of delinquents that were staring back at her. She follows Charlotte up the hill, running away.

☆

"One thing. I ask you to do one thing..."

"I-I'm sorry." Charlotte cries.

Aiden inhales deeply. She looks at her sister. "We need to go. Now."

"Where are we supposed to go?" Charlotte asks.

"Somewhere that isn't here," Aiden speaks.

"But the Grounders—"

"Are you shitting me, Charlotte?!" Aiden whips her head over to her sister. Charlotte flinches again and softly cries. "Do I have to drag you back out there and show you what they did to Murphy? They were going to kill him, Charlotte."

"Do you think..." Charlotte inhales her cries. "...would they kill me too?"

Aiden's eyes fill with tears. "I don't even want to find out." She wipes her eyes and sniffles. "Which is exactly why we have to go—"

The sound of the tent flipping open is heard. Aiden pulls her knife out from her bag and points it at the entrance. Bellamy, Finn, and Clarke stood in front of the sisters.

"Get out of here," Aiden growls. "I'm serious."

Clarke, Finn, and Bellamy see the cold expression on Aiden's face. It's something they've never seen before.

"Aiden, you knew--"

"I don't have time for this." Aiden shakes her head. She grabs her bag, "Get out of our way."

"What are you gonna do? Kill me?" Clarke squints her eyes.

"Don't push me." Aiden snaps.

Clarke's eyes widen. Aiden and Clarke have known each other for a while. She helped Clarke and Abby on the Ark with med bay . Clarke always considered Aiden a friend. One of the best. She never thought that anything like this would happen. Them standing on opposite sides.
And Aiden never thought that she would resort to threatening to kill someone. Especially one of her close friends. She hated the person she was becoming.

"Stop!" Charlotte grips Aiden's wrist. Aiden looks at her sister and her hand that was holding the knife starts to shake.

Aiden looks back at the three. "John is my friend!"

"Friends wouldn't have just let him hang." Clarke snaps. "And friends wouldn't threaten other people's lives!"

Aiden squints her eyes, "You. You started this! Bellamy and I told you to keep quiet about it, and you didn't listen!" She points at Clarke.

Finn gets between the girls. "How about we settle down."

"Settle down?" Aiden scoffs. "What are they doing out there—waiting for us to come out?"

The three fall silent and that gives Aiden her answer. She huffs, "I'll calm down when they're not trying to kill my sister."

It was weird seeing Aiden this way. Panicked, snarky, and violent.

Aiden shakes her head, "I shouldn't have to answer to any of you, but I was just protecting my sister. Like always."

Bellamy freezes while his chest tightens. He knew how Aiden felt. She would sacrifice anything for her sister.

"Your sister. Your responsibility." Bellamy repeats his mantra.

Aiden presses her lips into a firm line and nods her head. "Exactly." a small sensation of relief runs through her. She was glad someone at least knew what she was trying to explain.

"Bring the girl out, Bellamy!"

Bellamy looks at the young girl. "Why, Charlotte?"

"I was just trying to slay my demons like you told me." Charlotte states. Aiden covers her eyes and exhales through her nose.

"What the hell is she talking about?" Clarke snaps.

"She misunderstood me," Bellamy says. He looks at the girl. "Charlotte, that is not what I meant."

"Bring the girl out now!"

Aiden flinches from Murphy's voice booming through the camp. "Listen to me, you guys...I can't. Charlotte and I have to go."

"Please don't let them hurt me!" Charlotte cries.

"No, hey...look at me." Aiden crouches in front of her sister. "I won't. I promise, Bug." She cups Charlotte's cheeks.

Charlotte wraps her arms around Aiden's neck. Aiden couldn't stop a small cry from leaving her lips. She touches the back of Charlotte's head.

"If you guys have any bright ideas, speak up," Bellamy turns to Finn and Clarke.

Clarke and Finn stay quiet.

"Now you stay quiet." Bellamy deadpans.

"Those are your boys out there," Finn says to Bellamy.

"This is not my fault." Bellamy snaps. "If she had listened to me, those idiots would still be building the wall!"

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

"Guys, please!" Aiden stands up and turns to them.

Bellamy looks at the two sisters. "It's gonna be ok." He looks at Aiden. "I won't let them hurt her. I won't."

Aiden nods her head, "Th-Thank you."

"Just stay with them," Bellamy lightly touches Aiden's arm.

Bellamy leaves the tent. Aiden looks at Finn and Clarke. "Look, you can hate me all you want, but you have to try and understand..." she looks at Charlotte. "...she is my little sister."

Clarke keeps her eyes on Aiden's. With her feelings deeply conflicted, she looks away from the sisters and stays silent. Aiden's shoulders sag in defeat. "Hey, it's okay. We'll figure this out." Finn reassures her.

"So, it's ok to string me up for nothing, but when this little bitch confesses, you all let her walk?!" Murphy screams. "Cowards! All of you are cowards!"

"Hey, Murphy! Murphy." Bellamy walks over to Murphy. "It's over."

Murphy looks at Bellamy for a moment. He then inhales a breath and clenches his jaw. He holds his hands up, surrendering. "Whatever you say, boss."

Bellamy turns around to leave.

"Did..." Murphy's voice gets caught in his throat.

Bellamy stops and looks back at Murphy.

"Did Aiden know?" Murphy asks, his voice softer.

Bellamy inhales, "I'm sorry." He says. "She was the one who put the knife in the spot."

The pain was visible on Murphy's face. Bellamy turns around and walks back over to the tent. Murphy inhales deeply, his anger becoming unbearable. Aiden knew and she wasn't gonna say anything. She was gonna frame him and let him die.

Murphy grabs a log from the ground and hits Bellamy over the head with it.

"Son of a bitch! Hey!" Octavia lunges forward. Jasper holds the brunette back.

Murphy turns around and smashes his fist into Jasper's face.

"Come on. Let's get the girl." Murphy stalks over to the tent.

Murphy pulls the flap of the tent back, revealing no one inside. The brunette boy's anger becomes far more unbearable than before. It felt as if he couldn't breathe.

"CHARLOTTE! AIDEN! I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME!"

"AND WHEN I FIND YOU, THE TWO OF YOU ARE GONNA PAY!"

☆

Finn was walking in the front, while Charlotte and Clarke were walking in the middle and Aiden was walking in the back.

"Finn, it's gonna be night soon, where are we going?"

Finn stays silent as they walk through the forest.

"At least tell us you have a plan and we're not just wandering aimlessly through the woods." Clarke continues.

"I have a plan," Finn says.

Charlotte slips her hand into Clarke's. Clarke quickly pulls away from the girl.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Clarke snaps.

Finn turns around and everyone stares at Clarke.

"Just because we saved you doesn't mean you're forgiven." Clarke walks closer to Charlotte. "Got it?"

"Hey, stop." Aiden grabs Charlotte's hand.

"What?"

"She's just a kid," Finn says.

"She's a killer," Clarke growls. "You killed someone, Charlotte. Ended his life. Did you stop to think about that for even one second?"

Charlotte looks at the ground with tears in her eyes. When Aiden yelled at her, she was scared to death. Now, hearing all the same things repeated by Clarke. Charlotte is just realizing how serious her actions were. Aiden rolls her lips into her mouth. She knew Charlotte needed to learn. But that doesn't mean she still felt bad about Charlotte on the brink of tears.

"Look at me!" Clarke yanks Charlotte's arm to look at her. "You can't just kill someone to make yourself feel better!"

"Don't touch her," Aiden says to Clarke. "And don't try to...teach her, okay?"

"Why not? Someone has to." Clarke says.

Aiden's jaw goes slack. "I mean, come on, Aiden! Your sister killed someone and you're staying calm?! What did your parents teach her--"

"Shut up, Clarke!" Aiden points a finger at Clarke. "You don't know how I feel! You don't know what my parents sacrificed! And you don't know what I had to do!"

Tears form in Aiden's eyes. "I didn't want to. I didn't!" She looks between Clarke and Finn. "And I hope that neither of you will have to make a decision like that, because it sucks and it makes you feel like you're the most horrible person in the world when you're only just trying to do the right thing!" Her breathing quickens. "Charlotte is all I have. So I swear to god if you say anything about my family again, I will beat you into the ground."

Clarke notices Aiden's calm demeanor start to crack.

Charlotte feels her guilt rise when she listens to Aiden's heavy breathing. Aiden sacrificed her own innocence and her own relationships with everyone down here for her.

"CHARLOTTE! AIDEN!"

Everyone turns to the distance, hearing Murphy's voice. "Clarke and Finn can't save the two of you!"

"We should run." Aiden wipes her tears before they could fall.

"Yeah, that's one way to go." Finn nods. "I like my plan better." He opens a hatch door. "Get in."

Aiden lightly pushes Charlotte towards the door. Charlotte enters the hatch, then Aiden, then Clarke, and Finn.

Aiden and Clarke turn their flashlights on and shine them around the room.

"Finn, what is this place?" Clarke asks.

"For now, it's home."

☆

Charlotte fell asleep on Aiden's shoulder. Aiden gently laid Charlotte on the floor and tucked her in. The blonde soon laid beside Charlotte. While Finn and Clarke talked, both the Chase sisters were listening to their words. Aiden fell asleep, still drowning in guilt. Charlotte never fell asleep though. She had too many thoughts in her head.

She turns and looks at her sister who was sleeping. For the first time, she actually looked like she was peaceful.

A small smile forms on Charlotte's lips. But it saddens when she thinks about Finn's words. Murphy would kill Aiden. Charlotte heard Murphy scream Aiden's name earlier. It's obvious he found out that she framed him. But maybe, if he got his hands on Charlotte only he would be satisfied with that. Maybe he would leave Aiden alone. Charlotte was going to make things right. She had to.

She lifts her head up and sees Finn and Clarke on the couch, sleeping. Charlotte slowly gets out of bed and hops into the floor. She walks over to the ladder and carefully climbs it. She stops at the top and looks at her sister one more time. Charlotte's eyes fill with tears before leaving the bunker.

After about an hour, Aiden stirs in her sleep. She slowly opens her eyes and focuses on the spot into front of her. She pulls her brows together then her eyes widen when she realizes Charlotte wasn't there.

"Char?" She croaks. Aiden shoots up from her spot. "Charlotte?"

The blonde looks around the bunker and her eyes stop on Finn and Clarke.

"Finn, Clarke!" Aiden quickly stands up. "Get up!"

They both jolt awake and see the panicked blonde with tears in her eyes.

"Aiden?" Clarke looks behind Aiden and doesn't see Charlotte.

"She's gone." Aiden says. "I was sleeping...how did we not hear her?! How did I not hear her?!"

"We need to go. Now." Clarke says.

Aiden runs over to the ladder and climbs out of the bunker with Finn and Clarke behind.

Clarke and Aiden follow Finn as he tried to track Charlotte. He stops and crouches down to a footprint.

"Someone was here."

"No! No! Murphy!" they hear Charlotte shout in the distance.

Aiden's heart drops into her stomach. "Murphy has her." Clarke speaks.

"N-No." Aiden's hands begin to shake. "No, he can't...she can't die."

"Aiden—"

"I have to keep going." Aiden turns to Finn and Clarke with desperation etched across her face. "I have to protect her."

Charlotte's screams were still heard throughout the woods. Aiden follows Charlotte's screams. The blonde could feel her legs wanting to give out from underneath her, but she leapt pushing. Every word that her parents' had ever spoke to Aiden about protecting Charlotte ran through her mind. Aiden didn't want to fail her parents. She didn't want to fail Charlotte. But it felt like that had already been done.

Aiden ignores her legs flaring with pain and her lungs screaming for air. Her teeth chatter against each other, from the cold rain against her skin. She spots a fire in the distance which signals her to run faster. The ball of flames grows closer, until she's at the edge of a cliff. Bellamy and Charlotte are standing on the edge with a group of people led by Murphy inching closer to them.

"Charlotte!" Aiden screams.

"Aiden, stay back!" Bellamy shouts, hoping she didn't get too close to the group of vengeful delinquents.

Suddenly and swiftly, Murphy wraps an arm around Aiden's neck and pulls her against his chest with his knife pressed against her throat. Aiden's body immediately tenses.

"Murphy, stop!" Clarke calls out.

"NO!" Charlotte shrieks. She steps forward, but Bellamy pulls her back.

"Murphy, let her go—"

"Back off or I will slit her throat!" Murphy shifts his gaze from Clarke, Finn, and Bellamy.

"Let me go, John." Aiden sneers.

"You bitch. You lying bitch...trying to mourn Wells like you cared about him."

A lump of guilty forms in Aiden's throat. "Trying to help earlier today like you cared about me!" He shouts. "You were the one that covered his death—you framed me." Murphy lets out a chuckle filled with anger.

"I did that to protect my sister." She says, trying to rip herself out of his grip.

"Yeah?" Murphy lets out an angry taunting laugh. "And how did that work out for you?"

Aiden closes her mouth, her jaw tightening with guilt. "Do what you want to me, just leave her alone." She says, her voice shaking.

Murphy's chest tightens. He hated that he hesitated to kill her. He pushes down his feelings.

"Fine by me." his blade nicks her skin, causing the blonde's stomach to drop. Even then, she squeezes her eyes shut, a tear sliding down her cheek. "No! Stop, please!" Charlotte begs. "Don't hurt her!"

Aiden opens her eyes as Murphy takes the pressure off her neck. "Don't hurt her?" He questions. "Ok, I'll make you a deal. You come with me right now, I'll let her go."

"Char, no--no!" Aiden raises her voice. "John, leave her out of this--"

"She's the reason this is happening!" Murphy shouts in Aiden's ear and she flinches.

"I'm sorry!" Aiden cries, causing Murphy's throat to close up. "But I'm the one who framed you...s-so if anyone deserves to die. It should be me!"

Charlotte takes a step forward, but Bellamy holds her back.

"Stop, Charlotte! Stay there!" Aiden shouts.

"No! No, I have to!" Charlotte screams.

Bellamy looks at Murphy. "Murphy, this is not happening," he says.

"I can't let any of you get hurt anymore." Charlotte starts to cry. "Not because of me. Not after what I did."

Aiden swallows, "No, no, Bug. You were confused, okay? Just...stay there and--"

"No, you sacrifice everything for me!" Charlotte cries. "You always have..." she looks at her big sister with tears in her eyes. "Now...I'm gonna do that for you."

Aiden pulls her brows together. "What are you...?"

"I love you, Aiden." Charlotte chokes out a sob. She turns and Aiden's eyes widen.

"CHARLOTTE WAIT—NO!"

Charlotte jumps off the cliff. Murphy's grip loosens on the blonde-haired girl as she lets out a pain-filled shriek. "CHARLOTTE--CHARLOTTE!" She runs over to the cliff and collapses on her knees. She looks over the edge of the cliff. "No, no, no...NO!!!" she screams into the empty pit. Aiden's breathing quickens and her heartbeat was pounding through her ears. None of this felt real. But the pain in her heart was very real. She continues to look into the pit, trying to find her sister. Hoping she could find her. But her tears were blinding her.

Clarke wraps her arms around Aiden. The Chase girl yanks herself out of Clarke's grip. "Let go of me! She's not gone—no, no, no..." Aiden mindlessly murmurs, her voice shaking and weak.

"Aiden, I am so--"

"SHE'S ALL I HAVE!" Aiden wails. Her eyes burning into Clarke's sympathetic teary ones.

Aiden's eyes shift to John Murphy. Murphy's eyes widen when he sees the rage in Aiden's stormy eyes.

"What did you do?" She whispers, her voice shaking.

"Aide--"

"WHAT DID YOU DO?!" She manages to stand up and tackle him to the ground. She grips the collar of his jacket. Aiden expected to punch him. She wanted to. She was ready too. But she couldn't. She was too weak, too tired, too tramautized. Her sister was here one second, then gone the next.

A lump forms in Murphy's throat as Aiden's hands shake. Her head hangs low and her tears fall on Murphy's face. He reaches his bloody and bruised hands up—gently wrapping them around Aiden's wrists. "Aiden, I'm so—"

Before he could finish his words, Finn pulls her off of Murphy. "Hey, hey, I've got you..." he whispers.

Aiden sobs as Finn wraps his arms around her cold body. Bellamy walks over to Murphy, taking Aiden's place. He grips Murphy's jacket and repeatedly punching him in the face.

"Bellamy, stop! You'll kill him!" Clarke cries.

Finn unwraps his arms from Aiden and he runs over to Bellamy. Finn grabs Bellamy and pulls him off.

"Get off me! He deserves to die!" Bellamy shouts.

Aiden lightly touches her chest and hiccups as she sobs. Clarke sits next to Aiden and touches her back.

Maybe Aiden could've done more to help Charlotte. She could've talked to her more about her nightmares. Comforted her more. Maybe even loved her more. But once again, she fucked everything up. She framed Murphy, expecting everything to be okay after. But in the end she lost a friend and her sister. She did it all for nothing.

"We don't get to decide who lives and dies." Clarke says. "Not down here."

"So help me God, if you say the people have a right to decide--"

"No, I was wrong before, ok?" Clarke says. "You were right. Sometimes it's dangerous to tell people the truth. But if we're gonna survive down here, we can't just live by whatever the hell we want. We need rules."

"And who makes those rules, huh? You?" Bellamy points at the girl.

"For now, we make the rules. Ok?" Clarke replies.

"So, what, then? We just take him back and pretend like it never happened?" Bellamy asks.

"No!"

Simultaneously, Clarke and Bellamy look at Aiden whose crying became quieter. Her head was tucked between her knees and her arms were wrapped around her legs. If Murphy was gonna stay alive, they couldn't have Aiden anywhere near him.

But what they didn't know is that Aiden wasn't worrying about Murphy in that moment.

"We banish him." Clarke announces.

Bellamy looks at Murphy. He walks over to the boy, grips his shirt, and forces Murphy onto his feet. Bellamy drags Murphy over to the edge of the cliff.

"Bellamy, stop!" Clarke calls out.

"If I ever catch you near camp, we'll be back here. Understand?" Bellamy growls.

Murphy's eyes shift his gaze to Aiden who was shaking with sobs. He looks back at Bellamy and nods his head. Bellamy throws Murphy to the ground.

"As for the four of you, you can come back and follow me, or go off with him to die." Bellamy announces. "Your choice."

The four look at Aiden, contemplating if they even wanted to risk going back to camp with her there. Bellamy walks over to Clarke and Aiden.

"I've got her..."

Clarke nods her head. She lets go of Aiden and stands up. Bellamy takes his jacket off and places it over Aiden's shoulders.

"I'm here. I've got you." Bellamy whispers.

Aiden lifts her head up and inhales a shaky breath. Bellamy helps her onto her feet. Aiden's legs shake and she stumbles for a second, but she regains her footing with Bellamy's help. They both walk over to Murphy, but Aiden stops. She doesn't even look at him.

"Aiden--"

She drops her knife in front of Murphy and continues walking with Bellamy. Aiden doesn't even think she was angry at him. If anything she was angry at herself. For what she could've done for her sister. She sure as hell didn't want Murphy to die out here.

Aiden didn't want anyone else to die because of her.

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author's note.

Talk about traumatizing *awkward collar pull*

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