Chapter 25

~~~~~~~~unedited~~~~~~~~

Addison didn't take her eyes off Dawson and Miller as they strung the Grounder up. Chains wrapped tightly around both of this extremely large Grounder. She clenched her jaw when she met Dawson's eyes. His eyes filled with regret; regret of agreeing to go along with Bellamy, but Addison couldn't see it. She's too disgusted to notice.

Addison averted her gaze and climbed down to the next level, and immediately found Octavia seated by the ladder. Addison walked toward Octavia and settled between the small gap between the row of seats. She pressed her back against the cold metal wall and slid by Octavia on the floor. Signing, Addison clasped her hands together and placed her arms atop her knees.

She couldn't wait to get out of this place and live a life faraway from camp. Earth had caused her nothing but pain, not happiness like she envisioned in Lockup a year ago. Hell, even two weeks ago; when she touched the ground for the first time. The only good thing that'd came out of landing on Earth was her reunion with Liam, and some of the delinquents she's met.

Meeting Octavia is one of Addison's highlights from Earth for obvious reasons. Clarke, the girl she put so much faith into their survival and leading the hundred properly. Finn, the adventurous boy, whose fate is currently in Clarke's hands. Monty and Jasper, the epic best friend duo, that never fail to make Addison laugh. Her new cocky mechanic friend, that's started to get on Addison's nerves from her riddle and how they left that conversation in the open. Then there's Dawson, the boy that is currently hurting her, yet confused her just as much as Octavia does.

Addison so badly wished she knew why Dawson's actions are affecting her the way they are; why he's made her feel things she didn't want to feel near him. She only ever wanted to feel that way toward Octavia, but now Dawson's been thrown in the mix.

Addison shook her head. She not-so-silencing sighed in frustration, and continued picking the dirt from under her fingernails.

"Hey," she looked up and met green. "You okay?"

Addison responded breathlessly, "I could ask you the same thing."

Octavia simply brushed her tone off, "I'm asking about you."

"Your brother was the one in charge of kidnapping the Grounder," Addison unintentionally said bitterly, and moved her gaze to the ladder. "My concern is with you, not my input on the situation."

Octavia sighed Addison's name, "Addison—"

"Whoa! He's awake!" Miller's muffled shout cut through the air.

Octavia sprung to her feet and climbed up the ladder in record time. Addison remained seated on the floor and clasped her arms around her legs before she placed her forehead atop her knees. She didn't have the nerdy nor will power to investigate.

Minutes had rolled by and the middle level was now full of many delinquent's soft chatters that mixed with the muffled sound of the storm. Boots coming descending on the ladder grabbed Addison's attention. She lifted her head enough to see the boots but made no effort to see whose they belonged to.

The footsteps came closer and stopped next to Addison. Their body dropped to the floor beside her and Addison tensed; there was little space between her and whoever sat down. She snapped her head up when the delicate touch of their fingers ran down her back.

Addison immediately relaxed and caved into the touch as she sent Octavia a tight lipped smile. Addison placed the side of her face atop her knees, and Octavia's fingers stopped on her lower back.

Octavia lifted a concerned brow in silent question, but Addison shook her head and answered the silent question with a silent answer, and Octavia nodded in understanding.

She continued to run the pads of her fingers up and down Addison's back. "I'm sorry I snapped at you," Addison's voice was quiet and muffled, her gaze remaining glued on Octavia.

"It's okay, Addie. You're upset . . ." she trailed, removed her hand from Addison's back, and gently placed it on her face. Octavia brushed any loose strands that dangled freely, "Just like I was."

Addison's heart swelled. She smiled and whispered, "Thank you."

Octavia's smile widened and her forehead creased slightly, "For what?"

Addison barely rose her voice above a whisper, "For caring."

Octavia's smile grew. She scooted closer and moved her hand to Addison's side, bringing her frame to her. "I think you're the one that needs to be cuddled now," she softly teased, and Addison chuckled softly.

She lifted her head from atop her knees and laid it on Octavia's shoulder. With flushed cheek and a growing smiling, Addison snuggled into Octavia's side. "I think you're right," is all Addison said, and Octavia chuckled.

The dropship rattled and shook on occasion that sent Addison's nerves threw the roof in fear. She pressed her body more into Octavia for comfort as she released a ragged breath.

"How's your face?"Addison asked, referring to the huge scratch marks on Octavia's forehead, chin and cheek, to clear her mind off the ongoing storm.

"They're healing. Your neck looks better," Octavia responded, and slipped a calming hand under Addison's shirt.

Addison inhaled sharply from the coldness of Octavia's hand and the fact her bare fingers are on her bare skin. She swallowed the nervous lump in her throat to muster some sort of verbal reply —but Addison couldn't. Instead, she simply nodded into Octavia's shoulder and closed her eyes. The sensation of Octavia trailing the pads of her fingers lightly up and down her bare side in random patterns was indescribable.

Octavia leaned her head on top of Addison's and closed her green eyes too. The dropship suddenly threw everyone. Addison shot forward and hit the hard metal ground. She groaned from the impact, then slowly sat up and held her head. She hoped she didn't acquire another concussion.

"Addison!" Octavia rushed to her side and helped her up, "Thank god .  .  . you okay?"

Addison nodded, "Yeah. Are you?" Octavia responded with a nod and simple 'yeah'. "Did the storm do that?"

"I think so," Octavia led Addison to the nearest available seat and sat her there. "Stay here. I'll be right back."

Addison gives her head a small nod, a hand resting on the side of it. The other girl scurries up the ladder, and that's when it hits the brunette. "Liam..." He hasn't seen him on the middle level with her, and she knows he isn't with Bellamy, Dawson, and Miller on the top one. She doesn't even know where he is. "No, no, no."

Addison jumps to her feet, walking ever inch of the middle level. "Liam!" Nothing. Only the groans and concerned chatters of the delinquents and their friends. "Liam! Liam, this isn't funny!"

She mostly gets weird looks from most of the delinquents, but she ignores them. Addison groans, her eyes glossing over. She rushes to the hatch that'll lead her down into the main level, grabbing onto the ladder and quickly descends.

She ignores Raven and Clarke's confusion and curious eyes, searching every inch of the level. She doesn't even pay attention to the fact Finn is now laying on the ground, conscious. "Liam, where are you." She whispers to herself, roughly grabbing and moving stuff out of her way that fell.

"Addison, why aren't you up there?" Clarke asks, her face still pale from the knife extraction.

"I-I have to find him . . . I have to find him, Clarke." She responds with a shaky voice, continuing to search with trembling hands.

Clarke glances at Raven, both of their brows knitted. "What the hell is she talking about?" Raven asks with a grunt, helping Clarke move Finn back to the table.

He quickly loses conscious again, his skin still a sickly pale with blood oozing from where the knife was. "I don't know. Here, hold this on his wound," Clarke instructs the girl quietly, handing her a piece of fabric.

Addison researches what she's already searched in hopes of finding him, even though she knows deep down, he isn't here. She jumps when someone's hand grab hers, "Addison, breathe." Clarke says, her blue eyes boring into Addison's much more glossed over brown eyes.

She blinks back tears, shaking her head. "I-I can't . . . not until I find him," Addison whispers.

"Who?" Clarke's questions goes through one ear and out the other. "Addison, who are you looking for?" She asks more sternly, getting attention this time.

"Liam."

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Addison stressfully paces the main level, her fingers raking through her messy brown locks. "Will you please stop pacing," Raven says in a annoyed voice.

Clarke merely sighs at the duo, continuing to stitch Finn's wound. "Pacing is only thing keeping me from running into that storm. So, no, Raven. I won't stop," she throws back in a hard voice.

"Wait, he's still out there?" Clarke raises her voice with wide eyes, glancing at Raven, "Why didn't you say anything, Raven?"

"I thought he was already back," she defends.

Clarke sighs in frustration, "Addison, how did you even—"

"I put two and two together while pacing," she responds quickly, glancing at Raven long enough to finish her sentence. "See, pacing helps."

Raven rolls her eyes, averting them to her unconscious boyfriend. "Go back up. I'll come when he's back, alright?" Clarke says softly, pausing her work to look at Addison.

She stops her pacing, meeting her eyes. "Clarke, I can't—"

"Just do it, Addison." Raven intervenes, "Your pacing isn't helping either of us. God, you're so stubborn."

"Makes two of us," the younger brunette replies sarcastically. She sighs heavily, tossing her hands in the air. "Fine, but not a minute later, Griffin."

Clarke nods with pressed lips, gesturing with her head to go up the ladder. Reluctantly, Addison complies, glancing at Finn before she climbs up the ladder. As soon as her head pokes out, a hand grabs her arm and practically yanks her the rest of the way up.

"What the hell, Addison?!" The brunette's eyes widen, not expecting to be scolded. "I said to stay put, not disappear."

"Octavia—"

"What?" The girl snaps, her wild green eyes having increasingly simmered down in a matter of seconds.

Instead of speaking words, she wraps her arms around Octavia's midsection, burying her face into the girl and lets the tears flow free. Octavia's arms wrap around Addison, holding her just as tight as the brunette clings to her.

"Liam's missing, Tavia. He's missing, and...." she trails off, choking on the fast flowing tears that stain Octavia's black tank-top.

"He'll be ok." Octavia coos into her hair, "He'll be ok," she coos quieter.

Liam disappeared once before, the same day Jasper was speared. She thought she went crazy before, but this time's worse. Her emotions were mostly intact when he first disappeared, and right now, they're not. They are all over the place from the countless times they've been pushed; Charlotte's death, the lives that will forever be gone, Dawson getting in her head without him or Addison realizing it, but she finally does now. Liam's disappearance is tearing her apart, and there's nothing she can do about it but cry. Cry in Octavia's arms and focus on the beating of her heart.

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