I am a big fan of The 100 book series by Kass Morgan, which the TV show is also based on. When I was writing this, I took most of most of my inspiration from the books compared to the show, although in future chapters I will be basing my fanfiction around pivotal scenes from the show, as well as use characters from the show that are not present in the Kass Morgan books.

Just in case some of you haven't read the books or haven't seen the show, you may be introduced to some new characters and lingo. While the show did cover the basis of the type of life which is lived up on the Ark (SPOILER - or how it was lived since no one lives on it anymore), the books have a far more detailed disruption that I refer to in my fanfiction.

(Book) The Colony = (Show) The Ark

The Ark is actually called The Colony in the books and it is the ship which is up in space. In the books it has three section, which are three different ships which are connected by a sky bridge. 1) Phoenix 2) Walden 3) Arcadia. In the books, people on who live on Phoenix usually have better lives compared to those on the two outer ships, since they are given the best jobs and resources.

Hopefully my little explanation helps clear up any confusion some may have. I've explained quite a few things in the fanfiction anyways.

Hope you all enjoy, please review!

Shanara had lived on Phoenix her entire life. Her father held a very high position in the Guard, while her mother was a well respected doctor on the Colony. The three of them had always lived a comfortable life on Phoenix, although Shanara often resented the way those who lived on Arcadia and Walden were mistreated. She hadn't always been that way though. Shanara was 9 years old when she crossed the sky bridge over from her lavish lifestyle on Phoenix, to the more deprived areas of the Colony. It was an area her mother had warned her about. A place she was told not to go. But as a young girl, accompanied by a friend of the same age, she went when she was supposed to be in school. Before then, she was oblivious to the way her life was infinitely better than those on the outer ships. She was shocked and scared of its harsh reality, at how many suffered from malnutrition and at the lack of basic reserves like water and light. At such a young age, Shanara thought she could fix it, make all of their problems go away.

She went alone after that, since her friend hated the way it smelt on Walden and was frightened by the Arcadians they saw on their adventure to the other side. But as Shanara got older, she frequented the two outer ships less, spending her time in lessons, with her mother on the medical deck, or she spent her time with some of her few friends. What she saw on Walden and Arcadia though, resonated with her everyday.

Shanara finished her general studies at age sixteen, like all teenagers on the Colony, then it came time for her to pick a job. She had wanted to be a doctor since she was very young, so when she was offered the only position available as a medical apprentice that year, she took it. Doctors were a necessity on the Colony, however they were not always in demand. There were never more than twenty doctors employed at one time since resources would be spread too thinly, meaning there were only openings every couple of years. Shanara liked to think her dedication awarded her the opportunity, although she understood the main reason she was offered the position was because her mother was a well respected doctor and Phoenician, so Shanara vowed to make the most of the opportunity many were denied.

All medical apprentices are taught enough general medical knowledge to graduate the program and become doctors after two years. Although a select few were asked to specialise. Shanara graduated from the medical apprenticeship over a year ago, when she was eighteen. Now nineteen, she works full time on the medical deck, which is situated on Phoenix. She is even lucky enough to have the opportunity to study under Dr Abigail Griffin, the Chief of Medicine, and specialise in surgery. Although there is one medical apprentice younger than her, Shanara is the youngest qualified doctors on the Colony.

It is a slow day on the medical deck and only three are on staff. Dr Griffin is treating the patient that came in in the morning with a severe chest ache, Dr Haldon Evans is stuck doing inventory, and Shanara is doing the hourly rounds.

"Her urine has begun to clear," Shanara motions toward patient 8, looking over the chart.

"Good," Dr Griffin sighs as she approaches. "We've nearly gone over the IV limit."

Shanara frowned. It is illegal to exceed the IV fluid limit, so if patient 8 had needed more there was nothing they could have done for her.

On the Colony, the Exodus Charter is law. It outlins the legal limits of all the resources each person on the Colony is permitted to use and receive. All resources are rationed. Food, water, medicine, clothing, and electricity. The Exodus Charter also states anyone caught exceeding these legal limits are committing a crime, and all crimes are punishable by death. However big or small it may be, all those who are caught die by flotation. Although, the Exodus Charter does not only outline the legal limits on resources, it also holds policies on marriage and procreation. Before a couple is wed, it must be approved by the Senior Council, and after they are married, they are only permitted to have one child. Falling pregnant before marriage is illegal. If discovered, the father is put to death and the mother too, after the child is born. A couple found to have more than one child has also committed a crime punishable by death. However, if a person is caught committing a crime before the age of 18, they are imprisoned in a sky cell first, where their case is reviewed by the Senior Council on their 18th birthday. Sometimes, depending on the crime, they could receive a lesser sentence than death, although it rarely happens.

These laws were put in place to control the Colony's available resources and its population. The ship isn't getting any bigger, and after over a hundred years on it, things are beginning to fail and resources are coming to an end. But the Exodus Charter also means people are given impossible choices, doctors most of all. Some patients need more medicine than the law allows, meaning they have to make hard decisions. Doctors can either follow the law and let them die, or risk their lives and try and supply the patient with an illegal amount of medicine that could save their lives. Some have tried the latter before, but not one doctor has ever gotten away with it. Shanara's heart broke the first time she had to make that decision. She cried for hours after. Her mother had told her it gets easier with time, but Shanara doesn't believe her.

"How is Clarke doing?" Shanara asks as she moves on to the next patient.

Clarke was a medical apprentice 2 years her junior, and she is Dr Griffin's daughter. Although they weren't really close, they grew up around each other and often got along when they did happen to speak. Their mother's are colleges and friends, and both Shanara and Clarke began spending more time together after Clarke became a medical apprentice. She sometimes shadowed Shanara, which they both enjoyed. Clarke was always inquisitive and had a thirst for knowledge, much like Shanara. She knew Clarke Griffin was going to be a great doctor, but she was imprisoned before she managed to graduate. They charged Clarke with treason, and her father too. None of it made sense to Shanara. She knew something wasn't right, that's why she began visiting her.

"They haven't let me visit her for the past 2 weeks," Shanara informs Dr Griffin.

She uses her father's position on the Guard to pull some strings, which makes it much easier for her to visit Clarke once a week or so for the past couple of months without getting into too much trouble. But lately, something's changed. The Guards won't let Shanara see her and it's made her worry.

"She's fine," Dr Griffin smiles and turns away. "She's been sick, so they didn't want it to spread."

"Of course," Shanara says, an unsettling feeling growing in her stomach.

"Thank you," Dr Griffin grabs Shanara's arm then. "For everything you've done for Clarke."

Shanara nods in response, but she can't help but feel as though Dr Griffin's words are some sort of message. Her word's feel like some sort of goodbye, and Shanara can't help but wonder if she will ever see Clarke again.

Shanara completes the rounds just before she is due to finish her shift. She is filling in a little paperwork when a frantic woman runs onto the medical deck with a young girl in her arms. Shanara shifts into motion in an instant, running over to the woman and helping the girl onto an empty bed.

"I'm Dr Preston," Shanara tells the woman. "Tell me what happened."

"She-"

The woman hides her face with her hands, sobbing into them.

"She fainted... She's been sick all week," She manages to mumble, reaching for the young girl's hand.

"What's her name?" Shanara asks.

"Josie," she says.

Shanara quickly takes the pen torch from her pocket and check Josie's pupils. Taking the stethoscope from around her neck, she check's her heart. She then takes out her tablet and finds Josie's profile and previous medical history. Shanara looks up from her tablet then, turning to the woman.

"Are you Sara Dunning, Josie's mother?" She nods quickly, holding her hand to her mouth while tears fall from her eyes.

"Mrs Dunning," Shanara starts, making her voice as calm and as soothing as possible. "How long as Josie been sick?"

"Um," Mrs Dunning mumbles again, trying to remember. "She hasn't been feeling right for maybe over a week now?"

"What have her symptoms been?" Shanara begins taking Josie's blood pressure.

"She's been feeling tired for the past few weeks. But she's always been lively before then, I mean, she's only 5," Mrs Dunning takes a deep breath to calm herself before continuing. "She's been saying that her tummy hurts for a week now, and she's been so thirsty lately."

"Has she been eating regularly? Getting plenty of fluids?"

It's a routine question, one that needs to be asked in order to make a full diagnosis. Although in hindsight, Shanara should have known. She has spent enough time around people who lived on Walden and Arcadia to know that this family is from one of the two outer ships. Shanara knows the injustice they face. She knows that they do not receive enough rations.

Mrs Dunning has stopped crying now, and she looks at Shanara with somewhat of a hidden hatred.

"My husband was floated 7 weeks ago. They cut our weekly rations. It's been a struggle to feed us both. I give what I can to Josie," she reaches for her daughter's blonde hair. "But it's not enough. Not for a growing girl."

All doctors on the Colony are from Phoenix and have most definitely never had to go hungry. Shanara understands the look that she is being given. She has been at the receiving end of it many times before, and she doesn't blame them for it. It's no secret that those born on Phoenix have a better life than those on the outer ships, but Shanara is a doctor for a reason. From a young age she knew she could never change the law. It had been the same for 97 years, and no amount of negotiations is going to change it. But as a doctor, Shanara can make a real difference.

She looks at the young girl, then back at the mother. She stares at Mrs Dunning, begging her to understand.

"I'm going to run some tests and I'm going to figure out what is wrong with your daughter," Shanara tells her. "I will do whatever I can to make her better."

For a fleeting moment the hatred Mrs Dunning has for Shanara is gone, replaced with a glimmer of hope.

"You're right, it is PBC," Dr Griffin tells Shanara, looking at the test results. "We need to do a biopsy now."

It took a little time but Shanara figured it out. She ran a blood test and instantly knew something was deeply wrong. From the symptoms Josie's mother had mentioned, Shanara was also able to rule out some possible diagnosis'. The yellow tinge in Josie's skin pointed toward liver problems, and Shanara was right. She did an ultrasound scan and diagnosed Josie with primary biliary cholangitis, also known as PBC, a progressive liver disease caused by a problem with her immune system. It was very likely caused by a hereditary gene Josie has that Shanara noticed from her family's medical records, triggered by prolonged malnutrition and severe dehydration, which is very commonly seen in Walden and Arcadia patients. Her weak immune system is mistakenly attacking her bile ducts, damaging her liver. A liver biopsy is certainly the best way to assess Josie's liver, which will give Shanara the best possible idea of what treatment should be followed, but Shanara knows that will be a waste of medication that they sorely need to treat her.

"Dr Griffin," Shanara begins. "A liver biopsy will only waste resources that we need to treat Josie. Giving her a biopsy will mean using essentially all of her permitted medical supplies. She hasn't gone into liver failure so we know that we've caught the PBC early, so there can't be any scarring on her liver. If we start with a blood transfusion because of her low platelet count, ursodeoxycholic acid and obeticholic acid for the PBC, she will be fine."

"Shanara, we need to the biopsy to assess the liver. We need to know if there is any injury or damage to the bile ducks, so we know how much treatment she needs."

"I know that," Shanara reasons with Dr Griffin, growing frustrated. "But if we begin her treatment now, we won't have to waste the medicine on a surgery. We can treat her symptoms without exceeding the legal limit and it will still give her a very good chance at a full recovery. If we do the biopsy, there won't be enough medicine for her to have a chance of survival."

Dr Griffin pauses for a moment and sighs. At the end of the day, she is the Chief of Medicine and the decision is entirely down to her. Shanara can only hope that Dr Griffin values her opinion as a doctor and co-worker, and not as the daughter of her best friend.

"We have to do the biopsy," Dr Griffin takes Shanara's arm. "It's the only way we can be certain of the extent of Josie's condition, and it's procedure, we have to follow it."

Shanara's world is slowly falling apart. She has been put in this type of position before, but it is different now. Josie is barely 5 years old, and she's slowly dying. If she was born in Phoenix, she probably would never have fallen sick. It isn't fair. She has her whole life ahead of her, but it's being cut short. Shanara understands that she's only been practicing medicine for just under 4 years, nowhere near as long as Dr Griffin, but she knows in her heart that her recommended form of treatment will give Josie the best possible chance of survival.

"Abby, please," Shanara begs. "Josie is only 5 years old and she already has a detreating immune system. The chances of her recovering from that surgery are already very low, coupled with the lack of medication she'll receive because you've used it for the biopsy will barely give her a chance to live. If we follow my recommended form of treatment, Josie will have every opportunity of survival. She will have her whole life ahead of her. Mrs Dunning has no one else left but her daughter, we can't take that away from her."

Shanara can see the pain in Dr Griffin's eyes, but she knows deep down that nothing she can say will change her superior's mind.

"What if your recommended treatment doesn't work? We'll still have to do the biopsy, with even less medication to operate with. Her chances of survival then are none. Either way, her death will be on our hands. This is what we do, Shanara. We're doctors, we have to make hard decisions. Josie still has some chance of survival if we follow procedure and do the biopsy."

"Doing the biopsy and giving her however much allotted medication she'll have left will only prolong her life, not save it. You know that, I know you do. " Shanara wants to scream. Procedure is bullshit. The Exodus Charter is bullshit. It's condemning a 5 year old girl to death.

"Shanara," Dr Griffin says finally. "We're doing the biopsy."

Dr Shanara Preston didn't bother to hide her disappointment. "Fine," she almost spat. "I'll prep her for surgery."

"No," Dr Griffin stops her. "You're shift was done over two hours ago, go home."

"Josie's my patient. I should at least be doing to surgery with you-"

"She's not your patient anymore, she's mine. I'll inform her mother what's happening. Now go home."

Dr Griffin leaves Shanara then, alone and angry. She crosses her arms and shakes her head, trying to calm herself. She resists the urge to scream and fall apart, because she has to be strong. This is a downward spiral Shanara won't let herself go down. The moment she starts blaming herself for the death of her patients, that's it. There's no coming back from that. Shanara lets herself have hope, because maybe some sort of God will allow Josie to live, albeit her low chances of survival.

Shanara turns to leave, but she catches the eye of Mrs Dunning from across the medical deck. She's sitting by her daughters bed, clutching her hand. The hope that is in her eyes nearly breaks Shanara. They hold each other's gaze long enough for Mrs Dunning to realise something is badly wrong. Shanara walks away before she does something she knows she will regret.

Shanara can't eat her super that evening, her mind is too busy imagining all of Josie's possible outcomes after her surgery. She isn't confident about any of them, and it makes her feel sick. She can't do her job and that makes her angry.

"Something wrong, sweetie?" Shanara's father walks through the door, having just finished his shift.

"Bad day at work," she manages to mumble back.

"Where's mum?" Lin Preston presses a kiss to his daughter's temple.

"She wasn't here when I got home," Shanara shrugs. "I think she's with Mrs Davidson."

"Do you want to talk about it, sweetie?" Lin sits opposite her.

Shanara shakes her head no, not trusting herself not to break out in tears. She's far closer with her father than she's ever been with her mother. Although both Shanara and her mother have their passion for medicine in common, there isn't much else. Shanara has her father's black hair, olive skin tone and hooded eyes. She's quite tall and physically strong like her father too, nothing like her blonde, petit mother. Although Shanara does have her mother's hazel eyes and full hips. Aside from physical features, Shanara and her father often have the same perspective. Lin Preston values justices and the fair treatment of all people on the Colony, no matter what ship they live on. His personality and attributes make him well respected by many on the Colony, and Shanara strives to be like him every day.

"If you're not too tired, can we practice now?" Shanara asks her father, pushing the nutrition paste on her plate away.

Lin can tell something is bothering his daughter and he wants to help in anyway he can. If this is how, then he is happy to comply, no matter how tired he is.

They both stand from the kitchen table and head over to the living room area. They move all the furniture to the sides of the room and Shanara removes her shoes while her father retrieves the worn out sparring kit from his bedroom. Shanara comes from a fighting family. Her great great grandfather had been a famous fighter before the world became inhabitable, and the sparring kit he had brought with him onto the ship was passed down through the generations. Shanara is the only girl to be born to the Preston family. Every Preston before her had been a boy. But that didn't stop Lin Preston from teaching his daughter how to fight, like his father had taught him, and his father before him. Lin wants his daughter to be able to defend herself. He wants her to be strong, physically and mentally. He knows no other way to teach her that other than through example.

Shanara loves fighting with her father. She loves how it's created an unbreakable bond between them over the years. She loves the way it does make her feel empowered, and she likes the way it makes her feel like she's in control, even when her whole world is falling apart.

Lin manages to get his daughter into a headlock while she is distracted.

"Concede," he orders Shanara to give up.

"Never," she mumbles back, stubborn.

Shanara then elbows her father in the gut and when his grip looses around her neck, Shanara throws her head back until it connects with her father's face. He staggers back and falls to the floor, exhausted. He closes his eyes briefly before siting himself up, proud of his only child.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong now?"

Shanara takes a seat on their family sofa, catching her breath. She knows her father will never approve of what she's thinking, so she doesn't dare say it.

"What would you do if you are forced to choose between doing what's right and doing what someone tells you to do?" Shanara asks her father instead, her mind full of worry and indecision.

"What would happen if you did what they tell you to do?" Lin counters, trying to understand what his daughter is saying.

"Something bad."

"Then I would do the right thing."

"Thank you, Dad," Shanara smiles at her father, his words reassuring her. "I'm going to bed."

As she leaves the living room, her father takes her arm and turns her toward him. Lin looks at his daughter and see's the conflict in her eyes. He wants to know and understand what his daughter is going through, but if she wanted to tell him, he knows she would have by now. He tries very hard to hide the worry from his face.

"Don't do anything stupid, sweetie. Don't do anything you'll regret," he begs his daughter. "Please."

There is a pause before Shanara answers. "I love you, Dad."