Chapter 1: Can't Sleep, Can't Breathe

Clarke startled awake, feeling the hairs on her neck prickle with unknown emotion. Ever since ALIE II had been removed from her body, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. It felt like shadows danced at the corners of her vision, worse at night, worse with dreams. Every time she tried to focus on the shadows, they slipped away.

She was exhausted.

Becoming commander was exhausting.

Since the fall of ALIE I, returning everyone to their lives was an ongoing, frustrating, tedious process. And it had fallen on her. On the one hand, no one had disputed her claim to Heda's throne, since they all knew of Lexa's protection and how Clarke had ended ALIE. And once she had been able to recite the names of the former commanders, the ascension was quickly completed.

The people needed a leader.

On the other hand, Clarke felt empty sitting on Heda's thrown without Lexa. Every day was like a thousand sharp knives, every time the name Heda was uttered, another sharp pain.

Clarke gingerly touched the healing scar on the back of her neck and on her chest. She thought of Lexa, of their last kiss.

I'll always be with you.

She sighed. How was she supposed to save her people? And now her people were more than just those from the Ark. How was she supposed to save everyone from the impending doom?

Mother Nature did not forgive those who trespassed against her. Especially not those who threatened her more than once. Clarke was running out of ideas.

She tossed and turned for a few minutes more, finally settling into a restless sleep.

And she dreamed.

She dreamed of gray skies and of water, of horses and riding. She dreamed of Lexa, of her sitting at the bank of the nearby river, gazing into the sky. She was in all black, with her war paint running down her high cheekbones, but it was Lexa all the same. In her dream state, Clarke reached out for her, whispering her name, aching for her touch.

"Lexa…I..."

But Lexa caught her hand roughly, eyes narrowed, darker than Clarke remembered. It was almost as if she didn't recognize Clarke.

"The shadows have no names. The watchers have no hearts." The words were whispered, a guttural sound that chilled Clarke's bones.

She woke again, her neck tingling stronger than before and the sense of shadow vision overpowering.

Clarke didn't bother to go back to sleep.

A/N: Hello everyone, sorry this first opening is so short! Hopefully I can really get it up and running soon. Let me know what you think, I always love reviews and feedback! ~Alison

Note: Story and chapter title taken from Can't Sleep, Can't Breathe lyrics by Digital Daggers, which I do not own in any way, along with the 100.