Author's note: This is my very first attempt at fanfiction, so you have been warned. This is something that popped into my head after watching the promo for 2x08 "Spacewalker". just a little dabble that I had to get out.
Oh and I guess I'm supposed to do a disclaimer. I Don't own anything that has to do with The 100, I think I am way too lazy for anything like that.
Anyway... Here goes nothing.
Time was up. The grounder scouts were approaching to give us our final chance to give up Finn. My mother, a few of the members of the guard, and Bellamy joined me in meeting them at the gate. "Where is the boy?" one of the scouts grumbles out. My body stiffens slightly and my mother puts a calming hand on my shoulder. Using her most diplomatic voice she steps forward and says, "We are not ready to agree to the terms your commander has laid down. We would like to further discuss different options." "We are to return with the one you call Finn, or there is to be war." He says it simply as if he were bringing a report of the weather. It makes my stomach churn. "There has to be another way." I say almost to myself, "This can't be the only option." I am pleading with my words and my eyes but the Grounder does not even look at me. "This is the only way." Again plainly stating the impending war and the death sentence of one of my people, my friend, someone I love.
For a moment it is quiet, no one moves and I hold my breath for the miracle that doesn't come. I can't believe this is happening. We are so close to peace. How can something good only come from death? The two scouts decide that our silence is a refusal and turn back towards their own camp. "Wait!" I yell at their backs, "Let me speak to the commander again." I wanted it to come out sounding fierce and demanding, however it was painfully desperate, more of a question. The two men look to each other for a moment and the shorter of the two, whom had yet to say a word, nodded. The tension in my body is slightly lifted at this gesture. There is a chance. "Only you. No weapons." The taller scout says as he reaches for my arm but a hand shoots out and blocks his path. "No way in hell that's happening." Bellamy's hand still hovered between them but the Grounder's hand had gone to the knife in his belt. The atmosphere was suddenly tenser, if it was even possible. Everyone who had a weapon was either pointing it at someone or resting their hand on it. Even I mentally checked the knife hidden in my boot. "Okay, everybody calm down." I say, but no one listens to me. I send a pleading look back to my mother and she nods her head showing she understands. "Holster your weapons," She demands and the guards reluctantly follow their orders. Seeing the threat level significantly lower the scouts do the same.
With the tension momentarily dissipated, I turn to Bellamy and start the inevitable argument with, "Look Bellamy, if I ca…" but he cuts me off. "No Clarke. You can't go in there alone and unarmed." He is looking at me like I'm crazy, mentally asking how I could agree to this. "I have to agree with Bellamy, Clarke." My mother says shaking her head. " It's just too dangerous." "Too dangerous? This is Finn's life we are talking about!" I'm yelling now, frustrated with the whole situation. "Yours too," Bellamy shouts, stepping his whole body now in between me and the Grounder. "Who's to say that the second you walk into that camp she doesn't kill you and send back your body as a declaration of war?" His usual scowl is replaced with a more frantic anger. He is searching my face, waiting for me to understand the risk. "I get it, it's risky but, there is nothing else I can think of." His brows furrow deeper when he realizes I'm not backing down. "If it doesn't work, were all dead anyway," I add. At that his features get softer and his defeated sigh tell me I've won this argument, possibly our last.
I turn to my mother now and I can see she is going through her head, running scenarios of how she can stop this. But she can't, I've made up my mind. Iiiiimmmm keepin my baaaaabaaayy. Oooooohhhhh. "I will think of something." I tell her, giving her my most reassuring look, "I can make this work." She just looks at me, her eyes filling with tears. Suddenly I'm in her arms and she is hugging me tightly to her. "Just come back," she whispers in my ear. We hold each other for a while and all I can think is how unfair this all is. The ark's stupid rules and the Grounder's stupid rules. Why does this all have to be such a struggle? Why can't we just live in our little camp and hunt and sleep in our tents? Why can't I live in a world where I have enough time to truly forgive my own mother? It's all just so unfair.
When she finally pulls away I wish she hadn't. I wipe away the tears that had formed before I turn back to the Grounders. Bellamy is still standing where I left him, staring at me. His face is healing but his scars remind me of my own. They represent the scars you can't see, the struggles we have faced, the things that have happened to us that will never truly leave us. "I don't like this," he says angrily as I approach. He quickly turns to face the scouts and shouts, "Are you really so afraid of one girl that you won't let her protect herself? Your commander must not be all she's cracked up to be." "Bellamy," I say as a warning. The shorter scout pulls his knife from its sheath and walks towards Bellamy. "The commander is the fiercest warrior of us all. You would be smart to hold your tongue!" he is in front of us now and I am worried all this tension will finally come to a head. "Then let her bring a weapon," he pleads. He reaches down to pull the knife from his boot. "Let her take this. Please." His eyes are begging. I've never seen Bellamy beg before. I decide I don't like it. The Grounder eyes the knife in Bellamy's hand before saying, "I will see what I can do." He turns and walks back to his comrade and waits for me to join them.
Bellamy grabs my hand and places the knife gently in it. He watches as I slide it through the belt loop of my jeans. I bring my eyes back up to him and for awhile we just look at each other. "I still don't like it," he says to me. "I know," I nod my head and try to smile. He surprises me then by pulling me into a hug. His arms wrap around me and again I am reminded of just how unfair this all is. I pull him in close hopefully saying what there is no time to say. Like how I trust him with my life and how I know that he will figure out a way to save our people if this doesn't work out. Also that I'm sorry I'm leaving him to bear the burden of what is left of the 100 all on his own. And that he is an amazing leader who can do it on his own. I can only hope he understands as I pull away from our embrace. He grabs hold of my shoulders. "Be careful Princess," he says looking straight into my eyes, his expression wears a smirk but his eyes show the gravity of his request. "You too," I say grasping his upper arm. One of the scouts makes a noise that makes his impatience clear. Bellamy lets go of me and I look back to my mother. I take a deep breath and start off to the Grounder camp. I have no idea what I'm going to say to the commander. I spent all my energy just trying to get an audience and even that is chancy. If I can't do this, someone will die. There is no room for failure. I have to make this work.
Abby's point of view
All I can think as I watch my daughter walk away from our camp is how right Raven was. She isn't a child anymore. I don't know what they have been though down here, but whatever it was it changed her. She is a woman now, a smart, fierce, brave woman. I couldn't have imagined how different she would become down here on Earth. From the few stories I have heard from the kids here at camp, she is a leader. I could always see Clarke as a good leader, but after this I see that she is not just a leader but a warrior for her people. I only hope that she will come back to me so I can tell her how proud I am of the person she has become.
The guards have returned to their regular posts and it is just me and the Blake boy, the one who surprises me more and more as time passes. I see why he and Clarke did so well leading these kids down here. They balance each other. He is aggressive and always ready to fight, he pushes Clarke to do things. Clarke is the thinker; she forces him to be more rational. She is too selfless, but he fights for her. They fight for each other and they fight for their people. I think that I like this boy. He obviously cares for Clarke, and despite what I know he has done, I suspect there is more to him than that. "Do you think she can do this?" I ask him. He is still watching Clarke and the Grounders walk away. He is silent for awhile, just watching them go. He has a sad look on his face, a mixture of grief and frustration, which he is too young to wear. Without looking at me, he says, "If anyone can fix this, it's her." With that he turns and stalks back into camp running a hand through his hair. I follow shortly after, hoping that I have not just condemned my daughter, and consequently all our people, to death. Hoping that I don't have to decide between the life of one boy and a battle that will claim so many more lives. Clarke can do this. She is smart and she will figure something out. We are all depending on it. I hate that I am depending on Clarke the way she should be depending on me. When did that happen? And then I hear Raven's words in my head. "When you sent her down here to die."