What He Left Behind

Chapter 12

BELLAMY POV

31 March 2155

"So, Princess, it's been five years. I've been looking forward to this day for so long, the day that I'd get to come home and see you again. I'm sorry that I won't be making it home today. Raven has been working around the clock trying to figure out how to get us home. You know, for someone who's beat the odds as many times as she has, you'd think she'd have found another way by now. Emori has been helping her, too," She said she wanted to start learning about mechanics after Echo died so she could prevent an incident like that should it ever happen again, and she's actually become a really good mechanic in the past four years.

"The algae farm is still thriving, so we have plenty of food. We've got plenty of water and moonshine. We'll be okay up here for a while, but things have gotten pretty tense. We're all eager to get home, me more so than anyone. Five years ago, you came through for us, just like I knew you would. Now it's my turn to come through for you and I'm failing. I hope you're okay down there. I hope your life is about more than just surviving now. I hope—" I'm interrupted when someone yanks the radio out of my hands. Murphy.

"Clarke, if you're listening, I hope you appreciate me for not floating him right now."

"What do you want, Murphy?"

"Look, man, I know how much Clarke meant to you. If I ever lost Raven like that, I don't know what I'd do." I look away from him. The reminder of the two happy couples on the Ring stings, even though I know it's childish. "But Clarke wouldn't want you to keep beating yourself up over this. It's been five years. I know you've been mourning, but you've completely fallen apart, and she wouldn't want that for you. Now come on, Raven wants everyone in the comms room."

We walk towards the comms room in an awkward silence. When I open the door, Raven is nowhere to be found, but something about the room is different. The corner where my bed used to be now houses a new bed—Clarke's.

"We know you've been sleeping in her cell," Monty's voice comes from the other side of the room. "But we also know that you want to be close to the radio, so we moved her bed in here for you. We know how hard this is for you, and even though we're not home yet, we figured we'd try to bring home a little closer to you."

I feel tears reach my eyes and find myself unable to stop them from streaming down my face. I'm grieving all over again, being consumed by grief and guilt as they swallow me whole. This is the first time since our fourth month on the Ring that I've cried openly in front of the others.

"Get it together, Blake," Raven says good naturedly as she walks over to me and puts her arm around my shoulders. She, Harper, and Emori had filed into the room without me noticing. "We'll be home in no time, I promise. We're getting closer to finding our way home every day. I know how worried you are, but our princess is too damn stubborn to die, and so is Octavia. I know they're down there waiting for us."

I search Raven's eyes for any sign of dishonesty, but I find none. She's never expressed that she thinks Clarke is alive before, so I'm taken aback at the sudden confession. I can't manage to find the words to respond, still trying to fight the tears that haven't stopped flowing, but I do manage a nod.

Emori is the next to step forward and she places a small item in my hand. I look down and see a simple, silver ring sitting in my palm.

"I found it in Abby's office a while back," she says, somewhat timidly. "I found some old pictures, too, and it looks like it was Abby's ring. I was waiting until the day we went home to give it to you, but I decided you needed it now. It's something palpable for you to hold on to until we get home and you can hold on to her."