Chapter 43

Thank you guys for being so patient! I hope you guys enjoy this one! I think you will ;)

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

Addison

"Why was staying not an option?"

"I said to ask me again when this is over"

The fever was over and still, Addison didn't have her answer. With constant patrols that seemed never ending, she hadn't had the time to confront Octavia again, which frustrated her to no end. It didn't help that the edge everyone was on had grown since Jasper blew the bridge up.

Two days, Addison said to herself as she paced a section of wall. All was quiet, like it has been since the bridge.

"Anything?" asked Harper.

Addison shook her head with pressed lips as she came to a halt beside the blonde. "No, you?" Harper's response had been the same. Addison groaned, annoyed with the silence from the Grounders —the fact she hadn't been able to ask Octavia the question she's been dying to ask—, and relaxed her shoulders. "I can't take this anymore," she mumbled. "I'm cutting my shift short. I'll send someone else to fill in."

Harper merely nodded as she watched the temperamental brunette walk deeper into camp. Addison clutched the sleeve of the first delinquent she saw with a rifle and sent them to take her place. The boy she had grabbed didn't object, just nodded with an "okay" and calmly walked to where Harper was.

With a triumphant hum and smirk, Addison continued further into camp, flickering her eyes to the smokehouse Bellamy put Octavia and Murphy in charge of.

She passed it and soon found Dawson by one of the fires near the tents. He picked at the grass that grew around the log he sat on, bending it multiple ways before he threw it into the fire and repeated his actions.

"Patrolling's more boring that I thought," Addison commented, as she plopped down beside Dawson with an exhale.

He chuckled, and lifted a brow. "I think you're the only one anxious for a war besides Bellamy."

The brunette placed her rifle between herself and Dawson against the log —stock in the dirt and barrel to the sky—, then placed her chin in her right-hand. "That's because the sooner it's over, it means we're one step closer to normalcy." She scoffed, "Whatever that is on Earth."

"Creating a community that makes people feel safe. Finding someone to settle down with for the rest of your life," Dawson shrugged. "I don't know, that sort of thing, I guess."

"That's not a bad description." Addison surveyed camp, "It's better than what we're doing now: waiting to be picked off by people we didn't know existed," she said, almost angrily, then mocked "some dream, huh?", like she's done since the Grounder problem arose.

"Some dream," repeated Dawson, with a heavy sigh. He peeled small strands off a blade of grass with his fingers.

A moment of silence passed between them before Addison's stomach churned. "I don't like this." She watched as her fellow delinquents did their assigned duties.

"You don't like a lot of things."

"I'm talking about the quietness, not people." She chewed on her bottom lip, now looking at the walls that surrounded them and served as a safety net. "After we blew up their bridge, they haven't attacked us. Not yet, anyways."

It took a minute for it to click in Dawson, but once it did, he slowly nodded. He never paid much mine to how quiet it had been for the past two days . . . not until Addison mention it.

"It's strange, that's all," Addie shrugged, and turned her gaze to her hands that clasped off her knees.

"It is," he agreed, he too sweeping his blue eyes across camp like Addison's done so many times since their conversation's started. "Maybe they're scared of us?"

"A dozen of them could easily wipe us out."

"Not with our rifles and the bullets Raven's been—"

"Even with our weapons the Grounders would overpower us." Addison met Dawson's gaze. "They know the land and how to maneuver the different terrains, know where all the hiding spots are .  .  ."

"Yes, but they don't have anyone like Raven. She'll think of something."

Addison pondered on what he'd said, before nodding and slumping her shoulders in defeat. "You're right. I'm being—"

"Pessimistic, I think she called you," Dawson's lips curled into a smirk.

"I was going to say 'negative'," the brunette shoved Dawson's shoulder, "but yes, that works too."

"Speaking of .  .  ." Dawson trailed, remembering his first encounter with Raven. "What's the deal with you and—"

"If you say Octavia, I will not hesitate to break that nose of yours, Dawson Hale," Addison's voice was hard and full of promise.

He was quick to raise both hands in surrender. "Hey, I wasn't gonna mention her. I was gonna say Raven."

"What is the deal with people asking me about her?"

Since the virus passed, the two have been inseparable. If Addison didn't have patrol duty, she was with Raven, acting like she knew what she was doing when attempting to help make bullets until she eventually did learn the hobby.  The delinquents that weren't too afraid of Addison asked what the deal was with her and Raven, and what had happened between herself and Octavia when it was clear both girls were busy with their jobs around camp.

Addison rolled her eyes and groaned, annoyed once again. "I am going to tell you what I've told everyone else that's asked: nothing. No romantic nothing, if that's what you're wondering. I don't see Raven like that." Goosebumps prickled her skin, "And the thought of seeing her more than a friend kind of, weirds me out."

" 'weirds you out'?" chuckled Dawson, amusedly.

"Yes, 'weirds me—"

"Fire!"

Addison perked up. Shouts about the fire fell dead to her ear as she sprang up to her feet, rifle forgotten by Dawson, and sprinted to the smokehouse. She shoved people out the way, not once bothering to apologize as she would have, and kept pushing through until she broke out in front.

"Octavia!" She squinted, the flames too bright and the smoke burning her eyes.

"Addison!" Half way to her from the other side of the crowd, was Liam. He waved her to him, backtracking once she approached. "She's with Murphy. Come on."

He didn't have to tell her twice. Addison's heart raced: was she okay? Did she get burnt? Does she have any injuries, and if so, how bad?

Addison's doe eyes lit up once rounding the smokehouse. Octavia was hunched over not far from the up-in-flames-smokehouse, Murphy beside her, an arm draped around the Blake's back that kept her steady. "Octavia!" Her head perked up a little, a dry cough escaping her lips instead of the brunette's name.

Murphy released his hold on Octavia when Addison rushed passed Liam to join them. Octavia coughed again, head hung low as she hunched back over.

Addison sat her down by Clarke, standing between them as she silently rubbed Octavia's back.

"This is all your fault," stated Murphy, his eyes darkening in anger as he started forward. "We told you it was too much wood!" His voice grew with each word and step he took toward a kid named Del. Personally, Addison never really liked the boy much, but then again, she didn't really like anyone.

Murphy shoved Del back. "Get the hell away from me," Del tried, earning himself a punch across the face from Murphy.

Addison continued to rub circles on Octavia's back, too focused on the fight that broke between the two boys to realize her movements slowed.

"Murphy, enough!" she tried. Not to her surprise, it went through one ear and out the other.

Her hand stopped moving, simply resting between Octavia's shoulder blades when Murphy grabbed Del by the collar of his jacket.

"Addison," Octavia rasped, coughing, "don't."

The brunette flickered her eyes to Octavia, and took her bottom lip between her teeth, torn. Get into another fight she didn't need to be involved in but will, or stay by Octavia's side until someone else did?

Reluctantly, Addison's hand started to leave Octavia's back that's soon stopped by brother Blake's demanding outburst.

"Hey, hey!" Bellamy's attempts to gain Murphy and Del's attention barely reached Addison's ears —she doubted the two heard.

Bellamy finally came between them and shoved them back away from each other with Dawson's help, who helped when Murphy tried going after Del again.

"Cool it, Murphy," Dawson grunted when he shoved him back a few more feet.

"Save it for the Grounders," added Bellamy, almost annoyed, especially toward Murphy.

Octavia looked at her brother, "Bel, now what the hell are we gonna do? That was all the food." He couldn't answer that, nor could Clarke when they locked eyes.

Addison tapped Octavia's back two times. "Come on," she nodded to the Blake's tent.

Clarke, not Bellamy, questioned when she stood and followed Addison. She looked at Dawson, who still stood in front of Murphy, then glanced at Liam between Finn and Raven.

Addison swiped the tent flap open, leading Octavia inside before she dropped it closed. "What the hell happened? Besides the obvious." She helped Octavia settle down in the mound of blankets she'd been hoarding.

"Del is what happened," seethed Octavia, releasing frustrated sigh.

The brunette sat down beside her, shrugging smally as she brought her knees to her chest. "I don't like him."

"You don't like anyone."

"My point exactly," Addison mumbled, closing her eyes when she sets her chin atop her knees.

Octavia scoffs softly, "How is that a point?"

"When you have it in your mind to not like anyone and you give yourself a reason not too, then you won't be so disappointed when something like this happens because of no good people like Del." Addison answers simply, still keeping her eyes closed. "But if you're me, then you won't be so eager to fight those said people. Unless that said person is John Murphy."

She hears Octavia chuckle at her comment about Murphy and opens her eyes slightly. "Even if Murphy didn't go after Del, I think you would've."

Addison lifts her head and drapes part of her bicep over her knee, propping her head in her hand as she raises a brow at Octavia. "Oh, really?" Octavia nods, causing a smile to tug at the brunette's lips, "And why's that?"

"Because your temper always wins," the Blake girl responds without hesitation.

Addison hums in thought. She wasn't wrong. Since being on the ground, her temper always did get the better of her, and it won. She hates how it always wins, and mentally notes to start fixing that.

"And . . ." Addison drawled, removing her head from her hands, "What if I said I could be less temperamental?"

"Then I would be shocked," Octavia chuckles with a shake of her head, not once believing it.

"I accept your challenge," Addison says after a moment of silence, sliding her legs out in front of her before she faces Octavia, and they cross under her butt. She sticks her hand out, and Octavia clamps her own in Addison's.

"You won't last long," she pressed, teasingly.

Addison releases their joined hands and waves her off, ignoring the butterflies in her stomach. "Says you."

"You're impulsive."

"So are you, Blake."

"But, I'm not impulsive with a temper."

Addison narrows her eyes at Octavia, "If you were anyone else, I would punch you."

Suddenly, Octavia is leaning forward, their faces centimetres apart. "Your challenge didn't last long," she whispered, their eyes staying locked as her breath bounced off Addison's face.

Her heart leaps in her throat and her stomach twists. She doesn't respond, too afraid to say anything that'd have her backing away. Addison enjoys the excited yet nerve-racking nerves she could feel pulsing through every vein when her heart beat.

"Why wasn't staying an option?" she finally whispered, very quietly. Her breath bounced off Octavia's face and hit her lips.

"You don't make this easy, do you . . ." Octavia's statement wasn't a question, like Addison had thought she intended it to be.

Her brows knit. No question came from her lips, only her increasing breath from their proximity. "I have no idea what that means, Tavia." Addison finally works the nerve to speak, reading the conflict-ion that swirls in Octavia's green eyes, mixing with other emotions she can't quite decipher during the tense moment.

Not a moment after the words were in the air, Octavia places her lips to Addison's. She doesn't kiss back at first, too shock to do anything, until she feels Octavia start to pull away.

Addison bites softly on her bottom lip, bringing her back into a new kiss. It was different from their heated one in the butterfly field. There's more emotion, more feelings. More things than Addison can put a name too.

She suddenly pulls back, eyes wide, "What about Lincoln?" how could she have forget about him? The Grounder that's swoon by Octavia. He's not that hard to forget, considering Bellamy and Raven tortured him two weeks ago and the fact he's stolen Octavia away from her. Pretty unforgettable. But not that unforgettable, considering what's happened since then.

Octavia shakes her hand, her fingers pulling at the hem of Addison's shirt, "Don't worry about him." She leans in again, but Addison moves her head back slightly.

"Octavia—"

"I don't want to talk about him," she practically whined, scooting closer to Addison. "I want to kiss you."

That was enough to have Addison forgetting about Lincoln. Her arms tighten back around her neck as she closes the gap between her and Octavia.

Addison sucks in a breath, feeling Octavia's cold hands on her stomach. The 9mm tucked comfortably in her waistband gets pulled out, feeling Octavia smile against her lips. "This has to go."

Addison chuckles and moves closer, hearing her pistol hit the ground with a clink. The noise around her disappears, and all she can hear is her and Octavia's breathing as their lips move in perfect sync. All that mattered was Octavia Blake. Not the smokehouse continuing to burn on the other side of camp or the Grounders that could be stalking their people outside the walls. Only Octavia Blake is on her mind.

Liam

His emotions were everywhere. Not in a bad way, at least he hopes. He's probably overthinking it all. He's not emotionally messed up. Raven said it wasn't bad, and it could be exciting, but he was scared. He hasn't had the time, and nor did she, to confide in Addison about any of what Raven knows.

Once he and Raven were better from the virus, all he did was flap his jaw to her. Liam thought she was annoyed, but each time he brought it up, she only laughed and waved it off, saying she was a lot more interested in what he was saying than she let on.

He still wasn't convinced, yet she still told him the same thing. "Relax, Liam. I like hearing about this." And she did.

Within a couple of hours, the entire smokehouse was burnt to a crisp, reminding Liam of the Exodus Ship crash. Each time he takes a peek at the once standing smokehouse, the memory of the crash site would start to flood through his mind.

The mixed smells of burning flesh and burning debris from the forest; the fuel from the Exodus Ship burning away at whatever it touched. The sight of dozens of people's blackened corpses that laid all throughout the site. And the memory of the person her cares most about releasing a blood curling scream that sends shivers down his spine.

"Yo, Liam!"

He perks his up from the fire, hands remaining clasped atop his knees. Dawson comes to a stop beside him, looking down at Liam, who's sat on a log.

"H-Hey," he blinks rapidly, ridding his mind of those memories.

"Have you seen Addison?" Dawson sweeps his eyes around camp, Liam taking note of her rifle slung on his shoulder.

"Uh, no. I think she's still with Octavia," he keeps his eyes on Dawson, locking his deep brown eyes with his blue ones.

Dawson's brows shoot up slightly, a small shrug following, "Oh, well..." he slings Addison's rifle off his shoulder and leans it next to Liam, "She left this when the smokehouse was burning." He crosses his arms and sighs, raising a brow when he shifts his eyes back to Liam. "What?"

Liam's eyes widen and he clears his throat, immediately darting them to Octavia's tent. His heart races. "What do you think they're doing in there?"

Dawson follows Liam's line of sight. "Who knows. It's Addison and Octavia we're talking about," he takes seat beside Liam, the rifle's barrel being a barrier between the two. "For all we know, they snuck out and are outside the walls."

Liam diverts his attention away from the youngest Blake's tent. His leg begins to bounce uncontrollably as he gazes into the fire. "Yeah, probably..."

Liam jumps, the contact on his shoulder  from Dawson's hand startling him. He eyes him weirdly, "You okay?"

Liam looks away and back at the fire, rapidly nodding his head. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm good." He rubs his hands down his face, then stands, "Uh, catch you around?"

Dawson nods and stands up with him, strapping Addison's rifle back on his shoulder. "Yeah."

Liam is quick to scurry away with no destination in mind. He shakes his hand, mentally arguing with his deepest thoughts only Raven knows, and what everyone knows. What Addison knows.

"Smooth," Raven's teasing voice has him stopping in his tracks.

He rolls his eyes at her and brushes her on going teasing that leaves Raven chuckling, "Shut up."

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