Why Not?

Chapter 12: Recognition

Bellamy sighed. He had been pretending he didn't recognize Octavia but he had to face up to it eventually. Murphy was a good distraction but he couldn't keep running from his problems and stashing them away in his mind to forget about them. Murphy was currently laying down next to him while he sat, their dinner finished. "What's up?" he asked in concern.

"My sister... she doesn't remember me because it's been almost six years since she disappeared from home but I could never forget her face, even with that dirt makeup stuff on. I don't know what to think anymore." Bellamy hid his face in his hands, refusing to let any tears fall. Murphy didn't say anything surprisingly despite his tendency of sarcastic replies. He just sat up and wrapped his arms around Bellamy. Their moment was interrupted by Octavia emerging from her hut. She looked around and then came up to the other two who were awake, now separated but still sitting close. Murphy suspected it was Octavia who Bellamy was referring to, considering they had came upon her a little over five years ago and she had frequent nightmares where she woke screaming Bellamy's name for months after. She never told them who Bellamy was and eventually everyone forgot it had happened.

"Hey guys, has Lincoln arrived back yet?" She asked worriedly. Bellamy stared at the ground silently so Murphy shook his head. Octavia groaned. "He always goes off on dangerous missions and then leaves me here to worry, I swear. Someday he has to let me come along, I'm not a baby anymore."

Bellamy sniffed but played it off like he was sick, coughing a little and wiping his nose. Murphy would've laughed at the weak cover-up had it not been under such sad circumstances. Octavia, of course, noticed. "Are you sick, new guy? I can take you to Clarke if you want." Her tone was soft and friendly which Murphy thought just made Bellamy feel worse. He could understand the confusion and hurt. Octavia had once mentioned that she never told anyone she was leaving because of threats on their lives. That might have been a good reason but it still left Bellamy in the dark and reasonably angry at his "lost" sister.

"Nah, I'm good O." The brown haired boy tensed upon realizing he had used his special nickname for Octavia and so did the other girl. "Uh, I'd prefer if you just used my full name, that was..." She looked choked up. "That was my brother's name for me."

He scoffed and had an unreadable expression when he glanced at Murphy. "Maybe it still could be if you hadn't left him alone while you were out here living the life with your woodsy boytoy," he said darkly. Octavia gasped but her face quickly hardened. "How do you know anything about me or my boyfriend, who by the way is a better man than you ever could be," she replied in a dangerously quiet voice.

"I am well aware that I'm not a good guy, thanks, but I am your brother, O." He quickly stood and walked into the forest, fists clenched in rage. Murphy stood and chanced a glimpse of Octavia. She was stunned, her mouth slightly open and confusion in her eyes. "I should go after him, since you know, scary beasty out there," Murphy said. He did his usual lanky stride towards the trees but then he heard a loud growling coming closer by the second and broke into a sprint towards his new friend. Octavia, meanwhile, slowly turned and walked into the hut, her legs shaky. She sat and glared at the ground disbelievingly. After all these years, after all the nightmares and days spent crying her eyes out she had finally come face to face with the one person she missed the most from her old life. She hadn't recognized him with his much longer hair and face covered in dirt, not to mention his voice was deeper and lacked the unwavering confidence her brother used to speak with.

Octavia longed for Lincoln so he could help her make sense of this. He was the only one she had told about her past in depth and was always the wise, strategic one out the two of them. Octavia was more hot-headed and impulsive and she knew that she wouldn't get her brother back by just acting on her instincts without thinking. She let out a shaky sigh and let the tears fall freely, falling back so she was lying down and wondering if the day could possibly get any worse. It could.

A gunshot rang out through the forest, definitely close by. She jumped to her feet and wiped her eyes carefully, avoiding her grounder makeup and went out to alert the others. Of course her first thought was of Lincoln and Bellamy but she had to stay strong and protect the camp above all else. A scream pierced the silence left after the gunshot and she held her breath for a minute, almost paralyzed in fear. She and a feeling she knew who it was, the people that made her leave home in the first place. They were always watching somehow and had assured her of all the torture they could inflict upon her and everyone she cared about if her brother ever discovered that she was alive. Octavia ignored her thoughts of the Mount Weather men who threatened her and focused on getting everyone up and in a group, not to mention figure out what the hell was going on.

Clarke was outside already with Lexa, bags under her eyes and looking like she hadn't slept in days. They were both scared but Lexa seemed better at concealing it. "Listen up guys, we need to first ensure the safety of the camp. There are wood logs and sticks in a hit over there," she pointed towards the far end of the camp. "Lexa, build up the perimeter with those." She nodded and ran off to do as was asked. "Clarke, I know you want to watch over Jasper but what matters now is everyone in the camp, not just him. First gather up everyone we still have here from their huts and outfit them with weapons from that hit over there." Octavia motioned towards a particular tent-like structure and Clarke went to it immediately.

Her whole body felt like it was constricting into a tense ball of anger and fear but she had to go on for the sake of her people. She laughed for a moment thinking of what Lincoln would say. 'You got this, Octavia, you can't let your feelings overwhelm you. Leave the emotions for after the war is won.'

And so she would.

(note)- comment helpful criticism if you wish and any plot holes, mistakes, or things you liked/disliked about the chapter(s) in general