Survive, if you can // John Murphy

//22// Bad Impressions

WARNINGS: swearing, addiction, violence.

Once we're back in Arkadia, I notice how much more they've built. It's quite extraordinary. Farms and garages and homes. I don't mind it much. Sure, Ally's mansion was amazing but it wasn't a community. This trumps that anyday.

I told Bellamy and Octavia the story on the way here in the rover. Pike (the black man) was listening too. He didn't want to seem like he was but I could tell. When I mentioned the part about the "reunion sex" his eyebrows shut up. It's absolutely ridiculous too. He has no say in what I do and he has no right to judge me. And if he has to judge, he can do it silently.

Bellamy seems distracted on the ride and through my story. Once we're alone, Octavia tells me that he had a girlfriend who died in Mount Weather. I feel bad for him but I can't focus on that right now. My main priority is finding Monty and Jasper. Octavia tells me that Monty is probably off working on something electronic and that Jasper is usually at the bar. No chance in hell am I going there.

I find Monty on another side of the ship, rewiring something. "Oh, Monty. Guess who's home."

He looks up quickly to see me, a smile finding his lips. "Mari."

"Correct," I say, opening my arms for a hug.

He wraps his arms around me. "God, where were you?"

"I've told the story too many times today," I say, pulling back. "Can I tell you tomorrow? Or just let someone else do it for me?"

He breathes a laugh. "Yeah, sure."

"So, where's Jasper?" I ask, still smiling.

I'm not by the end of his story.

_•_•_

Now I know everything that's happened in the past three months. I have mixed opinions, obviously. They're made worse by this Pike guy. He sounds like a dictator every time he opens his mouth. He dislikes the Grounders a great deal because some of them murdered some of his people at Farm Station. He shouldn't generalize.

I'm sitting alone in John's room, waiting. I'm not quite sure for what but I'm just sitting here. They're having a funeral for the people who died in Mount Weather but I don't think I'll go. Bellamy is going along with mostly everyone but I can't. John will come here if he needs to. He doesn't know where exactly Mount Weather is and he wouldn't go there anyway. I guess that's what I'm waiting for. Him.

Once they've returned, Pike starts spewing some shit about how we need to kill the Grounder army that's been sent to protect us. Later, him and Bellamy steal guns to kill the army. Everyone is somehow impressed by this and starts to chant Pike's name. I stand beside Marcus and Abby.

"This is bad," I whisper to them.

The next morning, everyone votes for chancellor and Pike wins. He goes to leave with Bellamy but not before I can pull him aside. He looks at me expectantly.

"Bell, you can't do this," I say, shaking my head.

"I have to, Cam. The second we make a wrong move, they'll invade us," he says.

"They were sent here to protect us. Do you have any idea how insane you sound-?"

"You're with Murphy. I'm sure you're used to insane by now," he says, clenching his jaw.

My eyebrows raise. "You know what? Fine. Go right ahead and kill hundreds of people. You're the one who'll have to live with it."

He leaves.

_•_•_

When the ten soldiers get back, they're covered in blood. None are injured. Pike starts making some speech but I'm not listening. I'm staring at Bellamy's unbothered expression. He seems pretty fine under the circumstances. He seems like he's listening to every word this man says like he's a god or something. I'm terrified of them.