I Never Meant To Fall

9. Sunset Swim

Bellamy:

He needed to get her out of his head.

They'd been working well with one another all week, you might say they were almost friends - he'd started sitting with her in the evenings despite the fact that his friends asked him "why? She's weird and bossy." Or they laughed and shook their heads. "Man, she's no fun." They'd say and Bellamy would bristle a little because he owed that girl his life.

Every time he saw her she seemed to him more beautiful and he wandered how he'd not seen it the moment they'd met? He'd been with a few girls since landing, he'd not found any of them beautiful but - he didn't have feelings for Clarke. Not in that way.

And yet...she seemed to always be on his mind. She'd been quiet, shutting herself up in the dropship with Raven to get the communications working and Bellamy liked to entertain himself with the task of making her smile. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't.

Truth is, he was worried about her. She had no friends and so much responsibility. She kept track of everyone who left camp and when people didn't return for some time she began to panic. The campers seemed to be getting restless, now that the walls and gates were built. Bellamy was sending out more hunting parties to prepare for the winter and to keep people busy.

He saw Clarke now, sat by a fire, alone and he headed over.

"Hey princess." He said and she vaguely glanced up, smiling blandly.

"Hey Bellamy."

"You alright?" He asked, sitting down opposite her.

"I think the campers restlessness is catching." She said lightly and Bellamy nodded.

"Yeah, with the wall up its a lot more claustrophobic." Bellamy agreed and Clarke sighed. Then Bellamy had an idea and he stood up. "Come with me." He said and Clarke frowned up at him.

"Where?"

"You'll see." He said with a grin and when she didn't move he took her hand and pulled her up. "Come on." He laughed, dragging her to the gate at the back of camp.

"You're kidnapping me now?" Clarke asked, but she let Bellamy pull her along by the hand and when he looked back she was smiling.

"Just follow me." He said, ducking through the tunnel in the wall, and then offering a hand to help Clarke down the other side. "It's not far." He said, walking ahead with Clarke at his side.

They crossed over the treeline and Bellamy's feet nestled into the white sand as they walked onto the wide open beach, the waves rolling in from the sea.

"Nothing quite like it huh?" Bellamy grinned, looking out at the sun setting over the water. He turned but Clarke's eyes were closed. She took a deep breath and exhaled. Then, she smiled, opened her eyes and pushed Bellamy playfully in the chest.

"Is this another of your ploys to get me out of my clothes Bellamy Blake?" She giggled before running down to the waters edge. Bellamy looked after her in shock, her hair flowing out behind her and his cheeks flushed because that hadn't crossed his mind...

He walked over to join her, shaking himself off as Clarke removed her shoes and let the water wash over her feet.

"Wow. It's so open out here." Clarke said calmly and Bellamy nodded, letting the stress, he didn't know he'd been feeling, slip away. "So, I've been thinking. I had to try swimming for the first time - but you got away without doing it." Clarke said slowly and Bellamy looked at her. "How about we race to those rocks, can't be too deep right?" She grinned, and simply because this was the most alive he'd seen her all week he nodded.

"You're on. Now take off you're damn clothes." Bellamy smirked, un buckling his belt and Clarke laughed, looking away as she removed her top.

He smiled to himself because she was comfortable enough with him now - the first time at the pool, she'd been so self-concious. He thought about all the times he'd seen her in her pyjamas since then and how many times she'd been around him while he was shirtless. Maybe they were closer than  he'd thought.

Clarke, in her bra and pants began walking into the water and Bellamy swiped off his shirt, trying not to look at her as he followed her in. It was difficult not to though and he was thankful when they were both in to their shoulders.

She exhaled, her breath visible in the air and he grinned. The sea was cold and refreshing, he felt alive.

"Okay, on three?" She said, turning to face the rocks.

"You're on." Bellamy nodded. It wasn't too far.

"One, two, three!"

They set off. Bellamy felt like he was immediately going to sink but he slowly got the hang of it, and once he had it was hardly a fair race.

Bellamy touched the rocks and Clarke swam up beside him a second later. "Damn it!" She laughed, splashing him in the face.

Bellamy was surprisingly out of breath and swept his hair back with one hand. It wasn't much deeper and he could still touch the floor. Clarke looked like she was struggling to stay up though, every new wave almost putting her nose and mouth under.

"Sore loser?" Bellamy smirked.

"It's not fair you're taller." She pouted and Bellamy shrugged, dipping under the water. He caught Clarke by the legs and resurfaced so that she was on his back, her legs around his waist. She caught onto his neck and he could feel her breath against his cold skin.

"You scared the shit out of me." She said, kicking him in the side.

"You looked like you were struggling to stand." Bellamy grinned, walking around in the water, she was surprisingly light.

"I was not! Put me down." She cried, but she was giggling and as her hands around his neck relaxed, he got the impression she rather liked it.

They were deep enough now that only Bellamy's head was out of the water, Clarke still on his back was seemingly enjoying the breeze on her face.

She leaned her head against his and he closed his eyes because he never wanted to let her go. Just then, as he took a step, the sand beneath his foot crumbled and he fell into the ocean, tipping Clarke off his back.

He pushed himself up and reached for the rock, pulling Clarke to him as she surfaced, unable to stand. He pulled her to his chest and she wrapped her arms quickly around his neck. When everything went still she let her head fall into the crook of his neck and began to laugh.

"Oh god. Don't do that again." She exhaled and Bellamy curved his free arm around her waist, laughing too.

When she lifted her head and pulled back a little their heads were very close. Her hair was all over and he reached up to tuck it behind her ear. She watched him with wide eyes and when he met her gaze he felt like he was falling.

For a moment all was silent except for the sound of the waves and their own heavy breathing. Her hand flattened at the back of his neck, her fingers in his hair and Bellamy's hand lingered against her cheek.

He slowly started leaning in... when suddenly Clarke pushed herself away, "race you back to shore!" She cried before swimming off.

A few seconds passed while Bellamy just floated there, shocked and dissapointed. Had he been about to...to kiss her? There wasn't time to dwell and he swam towards the beach, the sun finally setting and plunging them into complete darkness.