Prologue

"Where is everyone?" Bellamy whispered in the eerily silent space outside the dropship. Finn followed him out of the tunnel, his dark eyes drinking in the place they had both called home since landing. It was now littered with cremated bodies and bones of both their people and the grounders. It no longer looked like the home they remembered.

Swallowing back the lump in his throat, he hoped and pray that Lincoln made it out safely with his sister and they were not among the bodies.

And Nora. Please be safe… The leader of the hundred clenched his jaw as he tried to remember when he saw her last. But he couldn't. He couldn't remember where she had been… Or who she had been with… He couldn't picture her at all. She could have been one of many to have been burnt alive from the dropship launch for all he knew. Casting a look down to the dirt underfoot, Bellamy saw the bones of a ribcage nearby. He could be standing next to her cremated body right now.

"It was awful." His head shot up, hearing that familiar voice and pure rage consumed his body as soon as he set his eyes on Murphy limping out from the dropship, with Kane by his side. Bellamy remembered that just yesterday Murphy had held a gun to Nora's head, threatening her life. He hadn't seen him since. He hadn't had the chance to get his hands on him, to threaten his life, to make him feel the pain he had caused her… until now. Their eyes locked and Murphy visibly shrunk back. "Bellamy." The man in question let out a warning growl. "You're… You're alive."

Without another thought, he launched himself at the man he had once called an ally, but since he put his hands on Nora, after what he called his sister, how he became a traitor to their camp and shot Raven… "You murdering son of a bitch!" His hands wrapped around Murphy's throat, squeezing with force and power that only a man betrayed possessed. The first fist hit him perfectly; Bellamy brought the second down, and then a third, feeling better with each one. Ignoring everyone around them, he only thought of killing the one person who had betrayed them most.

A sharp, unexpected bolt of electricity to his back stilled his movements and forced him to drop to the ground, wheezing as his body twitched involuntarily. He remembered watching Nora be struck with the same electrocution baton, the pain on her face mirroring his perfectly right now. He felt the pain she had once felt.

"Place him under arrest."

Kane's voice rang out, as Bellamy tried to blink back the blurriness that had set in. He heard Finn try to argue with the leader, but all he could see were two bright hazel eyes staring back at him. He could smell her, that fresh scent and her long soft red hair.

The wheezing grew slower as the pain subsided and the vision of her faded. He wished for it to stay with him. The hope of seeing those eagle-like eyes staring at him, like they once had, full of adoration and trust. She had trusted him with her life, he had promised to protect her, like he had done his sister. But now… she was nowhere to be seen. Vanished from his sight, missing from camp and possibly dead. He had failed her.

Rough hands grabbed at him and cuffed him quickly before hulling him to his feet. This was his fate. The adults were here now to take over. They thought they knew everything about Earth, but they didn't have the faintest clue as to what lurked in these woods. It wasn't just the grounders they had to fear.

"You are not animals!" Kane's voice rose, his words strong with authority. He left no room for negotiation. "There are rules, laws! You are not in control here anymore." Staring at Bellamy, he made his point clear.

"We're leaving." Looking up, Bellamy stared at Finn as he spoke to just him.

"What? This is where they'll come back."

"I don't think they're coming back. The grounders took them and you know that."

His head swam with different thoughts, ideas of where they could be, of where they could be hiding… Bellamy couldn't accept that his people were gone. It couldn't have been that easy… "We don't know that." He tried to tell himself. Some false-hope never hurt.

"We go with Kane now to the Station, we get reinforcements, weapons, and then we find our friends." Finn explained to the bound man.

Bellamy ground his teeth, "One question: how many more of us will be dead by then?" Nora…

Finn clenched his jaw. "Abby says Raven needs surgery or she's going to die." With a slight shrug, he spoke softly; knowing deep down many of their friends could be dead already. "It's time to go."

Sparing a look around camp, he had to accept the fate they were dealt. He had no other choice. A guard approached him, bringing him to his feet and dragging him with them as they made their way towards their new home.

"Abby, let's move out. We have to get there before dark."

Looking over his shoulder at the older woman, Bellamy saw the picture of a desperate mother looking for her daughter, as she carved something into the wall of the dropship. He hoped Clarke would see it if she was out there, so she could lead their people home, following the directions left. He hoped she would lead Nora back to him, back into his arms where he could keep her safe. He shared a glance with the mother. They were two very different people with something in common; they were both looking for someone they loved. They both refused to accept that they were dead, missing and gone forever. It would be too cruel of a fate, to not to be able to say goodbye…

With their guns out, poised and ready, the guards lead the group back to the Station, through the maze of forest that the hundred already knew like the back of their hand. The leaves crunched underfoot, Bellamy had his head lowered, having no choice but to follow them… for now.

He felt lost. Forced to follow and obey. His people were nowhere to be found. His sister was gone. Nora was missing. Bellamy swallowed the thick lump in his throat. There were too many questions surrounding their whereabouts and now he had been arrested for taking out his frustrations and anger out on Murphy. He was being restrained, stopped from searching for them… he knew he had to find them. He knew he could.

He spotted Murphy relaxing on a stretcher up ahead, his eyes scanning through the trees. He had no cuffs and looked the picture of an innocent man. "How the tables have turned…" Bellamy muttered under his breath, as their eyes locked and the smaller man visibly gulped, shrinking back.

Their stare broke as a guard to the side tripped and fell down. The gun flew from his hands, a shot sounding. Everyone immediately lowered themselves to the ground, heads ducked. The young guard apologised profusely as he stood, while Bellamy shook his head and cussed him out.

"Watch your feet! Continue straight." Kane's voiced echoed through the forest.

He held his gun and stood straight, like a scolded child. "Sorry, sir. It was just a body."

These Ark soldiers were not ready for what lurked in the trees. Bellamy scoffed, staring at the guard who had fallen, as he brushed himself off and looked around himself. Bellamy Blake had made sure his people of the hundred were equipped and that they were ready, should any attack—

Red.

"No… No, wait!" Bellamy dug his heels into the dirt and refused to move, struggling against the cuffs. The guard brought his shock-lash to his side, immediately glowing brightly.

Bellamy winced, waiting for the shock to course through him.

"Stop." Abigail Griffin's voice was heard loud and clear and the guard obeyed her, halting his motions. "What is it, Bellamy?"

The flash of light red hair that had originally caught his eyes, disappeared from sight for a moment. Had he been seeing things? Had he wanted to see her so much that he had imagined her? Was his mind playing tricks on him?

Blinking, he looked again, trying to focus his eyes. When the wind picked up and brushed the long grass aside, he saw it again. Strands of the pale strawberry blonde locks blowing between the grass. "Let me go, I have to see…"

Abby watched as the man struggled violently in the arms of the guard with a face of thunder. Everyone had stopped to stare, bewildered, as Bellamy fought against his restraints, his eyes wide.

"Let me see her!" He roared, his foot kicking back into the guards shin, knocking one down.

"Ease up on the man!" Abby once again instructed the guard.

The guard spared her a quick look, "we don't take orders from you, Dr. Griffin."

Abby looked to Kane, who looked unimpressed. "There's no time for this, Abby."

"Let me see her!" Bellamy shouted again, pleading to Abby who frowned at him.

"Her, who?"

"N-Nora… That's her." His head inclined to the far patch of long grass. "The body that ass tripped over." The words came growled out, the man gritting his teeth as he stared daggers at the clumsy guard. "It has to be her."

Glancing over shoulder, Abby looked towards forest floor, her eyes wide. She saw the faint shape of a body between the tall blades of grass. Sparing a look at the cuffed young man and his desperately pleading face, she nodded. The grass parted as she waded through it, the body slowly coming into view and with it, her wounds came apparent.

Taking a deep breath, the doctor crouched down next to the body of the woman. The redhead lay limp on her back, a short spear went through her left shoulder, resting on the muddy ground. Blood trailed down from her open mouth. Mud covered her bare skin. Her eyes lay close.

Reaching forward Abby took a shaky breath, one hand smoothing her hair down and cradling her head, while with her other hand she felt for a pulse on the woman's neck.

Kane had since moved closer, and in the distance, Abby could hear the guard agreeing and moving Bellamy closer. She looked over her shoulder at the young man, his face covered in battle scars and blood. "Nor…" He didn't need any more bad news. She couldn't take the look of devastation on his face. "Is…is she…?"

Abby's fingers stayed pressed into the woman's neck still.

The wait was the hardest for Bellamy. Waiting to see if there was a pulse or a chance for Nora. His eyes never left her body. She was tilted towards him. Blood had since dried onto her cheek, dripping down from her mouth. Small cuts littered her face. What happened to her during the fight? Thoughts raced through his mind. He had been hoping she had been with Clarke. He hoped she had been safe… but here she lay, with a grounders spear through her shoulder and in a puddle of her own blood, colouring the grass red.

Abby let out a sigh, her head dipping in relief. "There's a very slow pulse… Just a few beats a minute."

Bellamy let out the breath he had been holding. "She's alive…"

"Yes, barely… but it's likely that the minute we try to take out the spear or try to move her, she'll lose more blood, her heart rate will sky rocket because of the trauma of any surgery and then she will likely die." Abby gave the young man a soft look. "I'm sorry. I don't like this either."

His look of relief turned to one of anger. "We can't leave her here to die."

"You heard the doctor – she'll die anyway."

Bellamy growled, shoving the guard off him. "Then leave me here!"

"Bellamy." Finn tried to reason with him, shaking his head.

"We have to try! Try like Clarke did with Jasper. We all thought he was gonna die and he didn't! I know what Clarke would do!" His voice rose, breaking slightly when he looked back at Nora's limp and pale body. He swallowed back the thick lump in his throat, holding back the sob that was fighting its way out of him. "I'm not leaving her here to die. I made a promise to her. I broke it once, I won't do it again."

There was silence; nothing but the sounds of the wind blowing in the trees was heard. Kane looked to Abby, shaking his head.

Abby turned her head away from the Chancellor, "We need to break the end off so it doesn't move when we lift her." Abby directed someone as Bellamy watched on, helpless. "We can try, but I can't promise anything." The doctor looked at him, with a small smile. It was one of hope and Bellamy clung to that hope as he watched as they snapped the carved end of the wooden spear off. "We need to make another stretcher!"

"She can have mine."

Bellamy's head snapped to the side, seeing Murphy slide off his makeshift stretcher and nodded to Abby. He watched the traitor carefully, his jaw twitching. The stretcher was brought to Nora's side and he listened to the quiet instructions that Abby gave the guards. He hated how their hands were touching her, but knew he wasn't in any position to help her. They lifted her body carefully, before laying her flat on the stretcher. He gulped, watching as Nora's head fell to the side.

Once they began to move through the forest again, he stayed close behind her stretcher as Abby walked beside her. He refused to leave her side again. All Bellamy wanted right now was to see her golden eyes open again. He needed that. He needed to know there still an ounce of life and will to survive left in her. There had to be for her to survive this long in a puddle of her own blood. He couldn't live with himself if she died… because of him.

After promising her that he would look out for her, he had once again failed. That was a bitter pill to swallow for Bellamy Blake.

As the forest cleared and disappeared behind him, he saw the Ark camp come into view. It was hard to miss. The great hulking frame of the Ark had crushed any and all trees in the surrounding area from the landing. They were in plain sight to any grounders. It wasn't concealed like the dropship had been. They had tunnels and fox holes and mines disguised in and around their camp. It would be impossible to do that here.

A rush of homesickness hit him for their old camp. They had made it their own. Built the wall with their bare hands, protected and defended their land… and now they would be stuck behind a tall metal fence. It seemed their days of living in a tin can had quickly returned to them.

The sun shone high above the arch of camp. His restraints itched at his wrists. The guards firm hand on his shoulder kept him moving along, as he maintained close distance to Nora. He kept his eyes on her, watching for any small, subtle signs of life. But she hadn't moved a muscle. People was scattered around the Ark camp. Familiar faces and some not so familiar. They all stopped to stare at the new arrivals. The hundred were a spectacle now.

"Take the prisoner into custody." Kane's voice was a quiet mutter. But Bellamy heard him, loud and clear.

The guard behind him pushed him in a different direction to the unconscious redhead. He dug his heels into the ground and didn't budge. "I'm staying with Nora."

"Prep her, Jackson. I'll be in soon." The eldest Blake saw Abby turn to look at him. "I'll keep you updated on her."

"I need to be with her."

"Take him." Kane ordered again. This time, another two guards approached Bellamy and he shrunk back, gritting his teeth. Nora's body disappeared from view, slipping through a red curtain of a tent. They grabbed him roughly, not caring whether they further injured him, and pulled him away.

His hatred for Kane just hit another level.

Raven's eyes followed the other stretcher that came in after her. She recognised the woman on it instantly. "Nora…" Blinking slowly, she cleared the haziness inside and tried to get Finn's attention as he immediately came to her side. "What happened to her?"

"Hit by a grounder. Left for dead. Bellamy's devastated." He mumbled to her, as he fussed over her, helping her up from the stretcher to the makeshift surface to lie on. He rolled up a soft blanket and placed it under her head.

Wincing, she relaxed against the pillows. "Where is he now?"

"Guards took him."

Raven tried to brush off Finn's short responses. It was clear the man was more interested in how she was doing, rather than the girl was still bleeding out of the open wound on the opposite surface. She turned her head and watched as Jackson moved around the redhead, cutting away her jacket to get a better look at the wound. The mechanic remembered watching Clarke and Nora arguing over something before the redhead ran from the dropship. That was the last she had seen of her before they launched. She had thought Nora had died in the launch or by a grounder. But instead her fate was more cruel; she was still suffering.

Pushing apart the plastic sheeting, Abby entered the medical centre and approached Raven first. "How are you feeling?"

Sweat covered Raven in a light sheen and she felt cold. "Awesome."

"She's lying." Finn retorted quickly.

"I know that face. Just spit it out, Abby." Rolling her eyes, she spared a quick look at Nora. She barely saw her chest rise with breaths. Was she dead? Finn hadn't been specific.

"The bullet is still shifting, that's why you're in pain. I was hoping it would stabilise by now."

"So why don't you take it out?"

"Raven, we need to talk about that." Abby rounded her bed, reaching for her hand and giving it a supportive squeeze. "The bullet is pressing into your spine. If we leave it in, you'll live, but you'll never walk again."

"Without a moment of hesitation, she replied. "Then take it out."

"The surgery could kill you." She could feel Finn worrying beside her. "We have no equipment, no anaesthesia."

"Will I walk again?"

"Maybe, but you'd be awake the whole time, you'd feel everything."

"Sign me up."

Trying to shake some sense into her, Finn made her look at her. "Raven, think about this… you could die."

"In zero G I didn't need my legs, down here I do." She had made her decision. "But first you're gonna operate on Nora." Raven returned her gaze to the doctor in the room.

"Raven. The bullet is still moving inside you."

"And she's bleeding out on the table with a spear in her, Finn." Raven voice was strong and demanding. "She gets operated on first." Looking back at the redhead, her head flopped to one side, blood covering her. "I've waited this long, I can wait a little longer." Nodding, Abby left her side to help Jackson. "Help Abby, Finn. I'm fine here."

With a grunt, he left her side and Raven continued to watch from the sidelines as they cut a hole in her t-shirt around the open wound. They worked together, Finn silent and fuming as he reached for something to pack the wound with, passing it over. Abby had brought down a limited supply of medical supplies. It seemed it was all about to used on Nora and Raven.

"On three, I pull the spear. Ready?" With a nod they confirmed and Abby counted down as Jackson waited with padding to stop bleeding and Finn held her upper body still, in case she flinched. Raven almost didn't watch what happened next. Abby pulled slowly on the spear and she watched as Nora's body twitched a few times before going still. Passing the spear to Finn, Abby helped pack the wound as more blood oozed from the wound.

Finn lifted the spear to eye level, looking at the tip closely. He remembered when he had been stabbed in the stomach by Lincoln's knife. It had been poisoned. He had nearly died. He took a few sniffs to the end of the spear, he smelt something other than blood. Something bitter and potent.

Raven's curious eyes followed him carefully, watching what he was doing. "What is it, Finn?"

Touching the tip to his tongue, he ignored the taste of blood as something else hit his senses quickly. He spat it out. "Poison." The room fell silent as they turned to look at the pale redhead lying limp on the table.

A/N: This has been brewing in my head for months and months! I've been so eager to get it out and posted asap because I'm excited about this. I'm so excited that nearly the entire fic is already written! I just have a few initial chapters to write and it'll be smooth sailing! This is the prologue and so the next chapter will be going back to the very start of the journey, about 18 months ago... I hope you all enjoy! Please let me know what you think in a kind little review :)