Everything was different, and yet nothing was. He was still Bellamy Blake, but this new... darkness had come ever since the numbness wore off.

"Bellamy?" Clarke asked hesitantly after a moment, and he realized with a start that he'd been staring at the wall.

They'd just gotten home, and Clarke was still standing in the doorway, watching him. "Oh, sorry, I was just thinking." He told her, and she nodded.

In the few minutes that he'd gotten with Clarke, there was something... different about their relationship. No, not that way (God, he wished,) but she'd become more hesitant around him, almost like he was fragile or something and she was scared to break him.

Clarke fidgeted. "Oh. Okay. Do you need anything?"

Bellamy shook his head and dared a smile in her direction. "It's my own house Princess. I know where the cups are."

Her smile was relieved.

...

By the time they were done with their scientology documentary, Bellamy's spirit was soaring. He hadn't felt this good in ages, they were laughing and bickering, and maybe just a bit of flirting on Bellamy's part.

Clarke flicked his nose, distracting him from his thoughts. "You look better," she told him. "You called me Princess, Bell. You haven't called me that since Octavia died. And..." when she didn't continue, he nudged her shoulder. She gulped before adding: "I'm sorry."

Bellamy's brows furrowed. "What? Why?"

"I was the one who convinced you to go to her grave. But it was the wrong choice, if you..." she gestured to his wrists, with the terrible scars that would be there forever.

"No," he told her. "No, god no Clarke. That was the right choice. I couldn't have let go without that. What I did- I wasn't thinking. I was just acting on instinct, and I won't... I couldn't do it again."

"Why?"

Bellamy gently took her wrists and waited until she looked at him. "Because I know what it would do to you."

Her nose was an inch from his, and Clarke seemed to realize it the same second he did, because her breathing hitched. "Bellamy." She whispered, and his name from her mouth sent shivers down his spine.

"Clarke." He whispered back, and slowly, slowly but surely, he leaned in...

The doorbell rang.

Clarke took a step back and twisted out of his grip towards the door. Bellamy stared at her as she checked her watch and frowned. He'd almost... she'd almost...

"It's almost 11." Clarke told him with a frown, but her words barely computed, he was too busy staring at her lips. She noticed his gaze and bit her lip to hide a smile before standing up to open the door.

"You stupid idiot." Were the first words out of Raven's mouth before she slammed into Bellamy with a bone-crushing hug. Raven pulled out of the hug and cupped his cheeks in her palms.

"Hi, Raven." He mumbled, a bit breathlessly, just as someone behind her burst into tears. Bellamy looked past Raven, who was still inspecting him for some invisible injury. Harper was standing there, completely losing it.

"Harper?" he asked hesitantly, just as what sounded like a car door slammed, which probably meant more people.

"Come inside." Clarke beckoned, grabbing Harper's arm and steering her inside of the house.

Monty jogged up the driveway and paused at the doorway, which Raven took as her cue to move aside. Monty hugged him, beaming, and said, "Hey, I thought-" before he was paused to frown. "Is that Harper crying?" he asked, and Bellamy nodded so Monty left to see if she was okay.

More people pulled up to the house, Jasper and Maya, Miller and Jackson, and lastly Murphy. Clarke sat them down in the living room, and they made small-talk until Bellamy at last closed the door. When he entered the room, everyone fell silent. "God, I missed you idiots." He said, and everyone knew that the old Bellamy was back.

"We missed you too." Came Raven's gentle reply, and Harper burst into tears again.

...

Everyone wanted to know what had been going on with him first, so he told them all about the months after Octavia's death, with occasional help from Clarke. Then they went around the circle and told him all about their lives. They told him about how Murphy had broken up with Emori, how Jackson had nearly gotten robbed but some quick thinking had saved him, how Maya and Jasper were disgustingly cute, and about how they'd received a vague text from Clarke about how Bellamy was home and all decided to come over. They hadn't planned it, but everyone had showed up regardless.

"Who wants drinks?" Bellamy asked after a while, and everyone cheered. He stood up to get them, and Clarke stood to help, but then glanced at Raven, the latter of whom had already started getting up as well. They exchanged a glance before Clarke sat down and Raven followed him into the kitchen.

"What's up?" he asked casually as he opened the fridge.

"I'm going to do it."

"Do what?" He asked, just to be polite, because he already knew the answer.

"Get the surgery for my leg."

Bellamy raised his eyebrows at her as he hauled the beers from the fridge. "When?"

Raven gulped. "Next week." She looked so nervous that he hugged her, more gently this time. She hugged him right back.

"I thought we'd never get you back." She whispered.

"Me neither," he admitted. "But, you know. I guess I'm just too stubborn to leave you guys alone." Raven smiled and pulled out of the hug to wipe away the tears forming in her eyes.

...

Thankfully, everyone was still sober enough to drive home.

Harper hugged Bellamy tightly, and then only Miller and Jackson were left. Clarke turned to them and crossed her arms. "Okay, I know something's up. Spill."

The couple exchanged a secret smile.

Bellamy raised his eyebrows at Miller. "Okay, seriously. You're worrying us."

Jackson held out his hand, and it took Bellamy a moment to realize what was on it. "Oh my god, is that a ring?!? You guys are getting married?!?" Clarke asked, grabbing Jackson in a tight embrace. Him and Clarke hadn't been close exactly, but he worked with Abby so they knew each other.

"Yup." Miller told her.

"Congratulations you guys!" Bellamy said, and his smile was genuine, not the slightest bit faked.

"Does everyone else know?" Clarke asked after she pulled away from her hug with Jackson.

"No, god no," Jackson assured her. "We didn't want to steal your thunder."

"You should've said something! You can never steal Bellamy's thunder." Clarke told them, and when they glanced at him, he shrugged.

"I honestly wouldn't have minded. Everyone was all sappy at me, at least the sappiness would've been directed at you."

Miller snorted, but Clarke interrupted before either of them had a chance to respond. "When's the wedding?"

They launched into a speech about wedding planning that Bellamy mostly tuned out. Then Miller claimed they had to go, Miller shaking Bellamy's hand, and Jackson offering him a quick hug before they left.

Clarke closed the door and then proceeded to slump against it dramatically, reaching up to mockingly wipe her brow. "I can't believe that they're getting married." she quipped, and he snorted, putting a hand on his hips.

"Well, I mean, they've been together for a while now, so it makes sense, right Princess?"

Clarke waved him off. "Right, right."

He offered her his hand, and she took it. The touch sent an electric jolt through his body, and he was again reminded of the feeling of her lips grazing his, just barely.

Bellamy avoided her confused glance as his body tensed. He wanted to kiss her, but then what if she didn't like him in that way? It would ruin their friendship. It was too risky.

So Bellamy cleared his throat. "I'd better go to sleep." It was about 3 AM at this point, and he was pretty tired.

"Oh, yeah, right, of course."

As much as he didn't want to, Bellamy walked away, leaving his Princess alone. It was better this way, he told himself. I mean, she wasn't his.