Chapter 15

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Addison gasped, her eyes shooting open. She could see bright white specks as her vision started coming back, and could hear the muffled voices of the delinquents as they became clearer. The white specks widened into patches that soon blurred into green blotches that surrounded her as she continued to gasp for air.

The rope necklace is quickly cut free that opened her airways more before she's rolled to her side, her hands being cut loose. On her own, Addison rolled onto back once again.

She stared up at the bright sky and the leaves on the branches as oxygen flooded into her lungs more smoothly.

"Addison, can you hear me?"

She could barely nod at the deep, muffled voice.

"Is she okay?" Another more demanding raspy voice muffled in question.

She rapidly blinked, hoping her vision came back faster with the action. Addison's throat burned and ached with each passing second, her eyes squeezing shut from the pain.

She rapidly blinks her eyes, hoping her vision comes back faster with the action. Her throat burns and aches with each second that passes, her eyes squeezing shut at the pain. Her vision finally comes back all the way, recognizing the once blurry figure that's hovered above her.

"Octavia?" Addison rasps out, followed by a cough, her throat tickling just like it had done when she inhaled the deadly fog.

The girl hovered above her nods with a relieved smile, "Thank god."

Dawson smiles at their exchange, Addison's eyes finding his, and his smile grows. "Hey there, Nine Lives. You've got seven more, stop wasting them," he jokes, a small laugh escaping her lips at the nickname, followed by more coughs.

Addison tunes back into reality, chaos starting to break out. She watches Finn shove his way into the center, shouting and yelling as havoc continues to break out, until Addison hears the words she never wanted to hear from a child.

"Murphy didn't kill Wells! I did!"

Her eyes widen, not being able to take them off of Wells's real killer. "Charlotte, go, now!" Finn pushes her out of the crowd, followed by Bellamy and Clarke. "I-I need to go with them..." she whispers, keeping her eyes on Charlotte as she gets further away, "You guys stay with Jasper, and Dawson?" He hums, her head turning to meet his eyes. "Find Liam."

He nods, "I will."

She gratefully nods, flickering her eyes between the duo before she jumps to her feet. She watches the delinquents scramble to un-gag and untie Murphy, taking this as her chance to slip away. A hand grabs her wrist, yanking her to a stop when she starts. Addison's eyes meet theirs, "Be careful, ok?" Octavia whispers.

Addison nods, giving Octavia's hand a gentle squeeze before their hands slip apart. She spins in her heels and chases after the four, catching their figures just as they enter a tent in a small clearing. She snaps her head to the large group of delinquents that rapidly approach from behind her lead by an angry and vengeful Murphy. Her eyes widen, her pace quickening as she enters the tent her friends, Wells's killer, and the boy who almost killed her are in.

The thought of Bellamy almost succeeding in killing her vanishes as the small group of four's eyes snap to her in fear until they relax, realizing it was just Addison and not Murphy or anyone else trying to hurt Charlotte. "Murphy's headed this way, so you guys better form a plan. Now," she rushes out, coughing softly at the tickling in the back of her throat. She pushes her thoughts about Bellamy away, having more pressing matters to deal with than his protectiveness over his sister.

"Woah, hey...don't talk," Clarke tells her softly, immediately coming to Addison's side. She lifts the brunette's chin up with her thumb, moving it from side to side as she inspects the bruising on her neck.

"Clarke..." she groans, grabbing her wrists and brings them back down to her sides, "I appreciate your doctorly concern, but we have more important things to worry about."

"Bring out the girl, Bellamy!" Murphy shouts before Clarke could utter a word back.

Addison turns her head in the direction of his voice, sighing at Murphy's yelling. Clarke and her contact eyes again the blonde giving a look that Addison's figured out and knows all too well now. She wasn't going to not be examined by Clarke, she's as stubborn as herself. Addison nods, agreeing as she rests her forehead in her hand in frustration at their current situation. She can't wrap her head around Charlotte, a girl that's only 12, murdering someone. Let alone the Chancellor's son. She has no room to talk, since she's taken a life, but she wasn't 12.

"Why, Charlotte?" Bellamy questions the young girl in frustration, his voice slightly raised at the situation.

"Because I was just trying to slay my demons, like you told me." Charlotte answers, her voice raised equally as much, but in fear of Murphy.

Addisons eyes widen, her head snapping to Bellamy as Clarke leaves her side, intervening at Charlotte's words, "What the hell is she talking about?"

Bellamy quickly responds, "Sh-she misunderstood me." He snaps his head to Charlotte, "Charlotte, that is not what I meant."

"Bring the girl out now!" Murphy's shouts louder, frustration quickly rising within the short-tempered boy.

"Please don't let them hurt me," Charlotte pleads, tears welling up in the girl's brown eyes. Addison's heart breaks for her, fear evident in her voice and expression. She walks to Charlotte and drapes her arm around her shoulders, pulling the child into her side.

Bellamy faces the trio, "If you guys have any bright ideas, speak now." Addison remains quiet, like Clarke and Finn, averting her eyes to the ground as she squeezes the girl's shoulder in a comforting manner. Charlotte leans into Addison, gripping her jacket tightly. She rubs the child's shoulder in thought. No matter what idea someone was to think of, it won't work. It doesn't matter how great of plan they have, the outcome won't be good, Addison knows that. "Now you're quiet," Bellamy outstretches his hand towards Clarke and Finn.

Finn snaps his head to the eldest Blake, "Hey those are your boys out there."

"This is not my fault. If she had listened to me, those idiots would still be building the wall!"

"Stop!" Addison shouts in a scratchy voice, silencing them as she crosses her arms, "All this arguing isn't getting us anywhere." She unwraps her arm from around Charlotte and takes a couple steps closer to the trio, "I'll talk to him—"

"He won't stop because you ask him nicely." Finn cuts her off harshly.

"Well I don't see you being helpful, Spacewalker." Addison snaps, shifting her eyes away from him and between Clarke and Bellamy, "This is the only idea we have. It'll at least buy you guys some time to figure something else out," she finishes softly in defeat, not knowing what else to do.

Clarke shakes her head with pressed lips, "That's not a good idea. Murphy hates you as much as you hate him," she points out.

"Then tell me what else we're suppose to do, Clarke!" She raises her voice, despite the burning and soreness in her throat. "We're out of options and time," her voice cracks.

"You want to build a society, Princess? Let's build a society. Bring her out!" Murphy shouts louder, the voice of their fellow delinquents rising with him as they agree.

"No, please!" Charlotte pleads, grabbing the sleeve of Addison's dark blue jacket in fear.

"Hey, it's ok." Addison coos softly. She runs her hands down Charlotte's arm as she kneels in front of her, squeezing her small pale hands, "I won't let them hurt you, and neither will Bellamy, Clarke, or Finn. Ok?" Addison gives her a small, reassuring smile.

Bellamy too kneels down in front of Charlotte besides Addison, "Look, Charlotte, hey." He grabs her upper arms gently, getting her to look at him as Addison releases her hold on the small girl, letting Bellamy take over. "Addison's right, it's gonna be ok. Just stay with them, Charlotte."

The eldest Blake then slips out of the tent, disappearing from Addison's sights. Sure, Bellamy tried hanging her, but she didn't want him to die, for Octavia's sake and sanity. With her decision made, she stands to her feet and walks to Finn and Clarke, lowering her voice so Charlotte doesn't hear, "You two better come up with a good plan in the next two minutes, or we're toast." She glances at Charlotte, then moves her eyes back to Finn and Clarke.

"You nearly died, Addison..." Clarke trails off softly, nodding with her head towards the outside of the tent where Bellamy was trying to reason with an angry Murphy. "What's to say Murphy won't finish what they started?" She refers to the dark-skinned boy that lead the hanging of her and Murphy no more than an hour ago.

Addison sighs, shaking her head, "Having a near death experience is the least of my worries. Charlotte's safety from Murphy the priority," she searches Clarke's face before averting her eyes to Finn when her stubborn friend's concerned expression doesn't change. "Finn, you know I'm right."

"Yeah, but Clarke's right, too." He says softly, "Murphy isn't too happy about any of this, and the second you come into the picture with protecting Charlotte, he'll kill you, too."

Addison sighs softly, groaning in frustration with closed eyes and pressed lips. "I better get a damn good eulogy then..." she mumbles under her breath.

"Addison..." he trails off, having heard her words.

She opens her eyes, shifting her gaze between Finn and Clarke, "You're not changing my mind." Addison says quickly and quietly, shifting her eyes to Charlotte as she faces the exit.

"What about Liam?" Clarke quickly questions, stopping Addison in her tracks. "You're just going to leave him? You're best friend?"

"My mind isn't changing." Addison glances over her shoulder, "We're both stubborn in this aspect, Griffin." She moves her eyes to Charlotte.

"Please, Addison...I don't want anyone dying for me," she pleads, a tear slipping down her cheek and onto the ground they stand on.

The brunette girl smiles softly in sadness, "It's ok, Charlotte...I was ready to go a long time ago."

With one swift movement of her hand, she partially swipes the tent flap open and slips out, catching the end of Murphy's sentence. "She's a kid, Murphy." He turns around slowly, his hand going down with him as he stares at Addison. She stands up straight, slowly walking towards him, "Are you really willing to kill a kid, because they hung you? They hung me too, but you don't see me trying to kill her."

Addison stops beside Bellamy, her fists clenched, ready at any moment if Murphy did a John Murphy thing. "Yeah. Yeah, I am, Addison. She's a murderer, just like you." He says lowly, only her and Bellamy being able to hear his last sentence. "You are a murderer...I'm not," he wipes the tip of his nose, "You should've stayed up there." He says lowly and faces the crowd again when she goes silent with a clenched jaw, trying to desperately control her rage. She wasn't going to let it get in the way. Not this time.

Murphy's hand goes up again, while only a few delinquents hands rise with him again. "Ah, I see. So it's ok to string me up for nothing, but when this little bitch confesses, you want to let her walk?!"

"Cowards! All of you are cowards!"

"Hey, Murphy!" Murphy and Bellamy yell at the same time. "Murphy!" Bellamy steps towards him, getting his attention, "It's over."

Murphy slowly backs away, tossing his up, "Whatever you say, Boss."

Bellamy slightly nods and turns on his heels, walking back in the direction of the tent. Addison's eyes widen, jolting forward just as Murphy brings down a log on top of Bellamy.

Her gets the better of her, again, and she shoves Murphy back away from Bellamy. The Blake groans from Murphy's strikes, saying something, but she couldn't hear him, only able to hear her heart pumping in her ears.

Murphy clenches his fist and strikes Addison, sending her into two of Murphy's boy's. They grab her, holding her in place as Murphy picks up the log and resumes hitting Bellamy. "Let me go," she struggles in the hold she's in, ignoring the blood that slowly drips out of her nose from his hit. Her eyes drift back to the scene unfolding, tugging and pulling against the boy's strong grip. "Murphy, stop it!"

He finally stops, his beady eyes meeting Addison's. The log twirls in his hands, soon making contact with her gut that sends her to her knees groaning, the blood from her nose now dripping faster from the position of her.

"Get the hell away from her!" Octavia shoves him back angrily.

Murphy clenches his jaw, his nostrils flaring as he glances down at Addison. "Next time your little girlfriend won't be here to save you. Consider this me being nice, Anderson." He glances up at the tent, tossing the log to the side, "Come on. Let's get the girl," he sprints towards the tent with the boys that held Addison and two others following after him like loyal dogs.

Addison's eyes widen, following Murphy's figure as he gets within feet of the tent. "No! Murphy!" She tries standing up but falls back to the ground as Octavia comes to her side.

He opens the tent flap before angrily backing out almost instantly. She can see the fury written all over his face as he screams from the top of his lungs in pure rage, "Charlotte, I know you can hear me! And when I find you, you are gonna pay!"