Chapter 1

She sat in her office. The weight of survival was firmly on her shoulders. She felt it a little more each day. She hated to admit that Jaha had been right. She wouldn't do it publicly, ever. But, she had taken his final words to heart. In order to survive, they had to make death the enemy and not each other. She wasn't proud of what she had to do in order to bring order to the survivors in the bunker, but it worked. Now she understood how heavy the crown was that Clarke was. She may not totally forgive her, but each day she understands more and more of what Clarke took in order to make sure they survived.

The days were running together, but she had a count down running as well. At the moment, it seemed daunting, but being stuck underground for five years while they waited on the Earth to be habitable again seemed better than being dead. At least, she had some shred of hope. It was thin, but she had it.

The thing that hurt the most was that Bellamy wasn't there with her. She could use his council. Hell, she'd love to have Clarke, too, but they were both in space. She had to believe that they were. She didn't want to think about her brother being dead. They'd had words but she still loved him more than anyone else.

As it was, she had Gaia, Indra, Abby and Kane. And, they weren't afraid of voicing their opinions, but at least they were smart enough to do it behind closed doors. After Jaha's death, Kane and Abby tried to take Ethan, but Gaia had presented him to her to raise. She didn't know what to do with the child, so she allowed Gaia and Indra to teach him. And when they weren't, he was with Niylah.

Niylah had been a saving grace for them all. She kept them thinking about their humanity. Niylah's even temperament sometimes calmed hers, but when she was resolute, not even Niylah could sway her.

She wasn't naive. She knew that there were factions among them that wanted her dead, but they wouldn't try with Indra and Gaia still breathing. Gaia was the last of her training. She was the last "priestess" of the Flame. It didn't matter that she didn't have it or the black blood. Gaia stood by her like she did and proclaimed her Blodreina, "the Red Queen." It was a new title with the same responsibility. If she'd had the black blood, she'd have been Heda. That was Gaia's take on things and the devout believed it. She'd won the conclave after all and found a way to save some of each clan.

There were days she thought about Luna and agreed with her. Man didn't deserve to survive. Man was and is its own worst enemy. It destroys itself and for what? Greed, love, resources, revenge. There was never a good answer.

Indra was always at her side. Her "Grounder" mother was never far from her and never far from protecting her, either. Indra always believed in her, even when she didn't believe in it. Gaia had somewhat become her sister. Together, their little family, they stayed sane. Things were always hard. The food was always bland, but she was used to it being who she was. Explaining that things were better in the bunker than they were in space made Indra laugh most days. But, they all missed the sun.

That was the first thing that Abby knew they had to conquer. They needed sun light in order to thrive. Thankfully the bunker had some UV lamps, but most of them were used for the farm and food. Of course, those working the farm were the last to break. When the Sunlight Psychosis started, Abby started rotating the workers in the farm. Each person got a few hours a week. It was one of the many problems they faced.

Rationing was another. She wasn't dumb enough to think that they would last five years on what they had. It was a complicated and complex formula that they used to come up with that and not having Monty with her hurt. He would have given her the numbers straight. He wouldn't have lied about how long they could survive. He would tell her what she needed to know and then they could plan. She implemented rationing after the coup by Skaikru in the beginning, but she knew that it might be too late. She wasn't dumb. She was just prolonging the inevitable.

The longer she sat there and the longer she thought about it, the more she realized that she didn't believe they were going to make it. She'd had these thoughts since the end of year one. How could she not? They were literally buried alive in the ground. And, then she thought about everyone in Mount Weather. They were the new Mount Weather. If anyone survived Praimfaya, they would have five years, or more depending on when they could get out, on how to survive and thrive on the newly regenerated Earth.

She sat back in her chair and let her head hit the back of it. She refused to cull. She wouldn't do that. It was barbaric. But, she was doing it indirectly with the fighting pits. Cremating the dead insured their survival, too. Less mouths to feed meant one more meal down the line for everyone. It was a callus way to think about it, but they were trying to survive. Being callus was the only way to make sure it happened. She didn't have to like it, but at least she wasn't systematically killing people. The fighting pits gave the accused criminals a way of proving their worth to the entire Wonkru clan. Dying wasn't considered an act of guilt, it just was. And, more fights she sanctioned, the more she wondered if death wasn't more of a blessing in their current situation than living. She wouldn't do anything to cause harm to herself. She couldn't. Indra and Gaia wouldn't let her.

She understood the importance of a figure head for the people. She gave them that. As long as she lived and was healthy, she gave them hope that not only would they survive their harsh reality. They would get out of the bunker. Hope is an odd thing. For some it is a blessing. For others, it's a curse. For her, she wasn't sure yet.

There weren't many things that gave her hope, but she was trying. She had to keep a brave face for the people. She had to find a way to lead them back into the light. They were the last humans on Earth. There was no way that anyone without black blood could have survived. She knew that. They knew that. And, every new child born in the bunker was tested. They had no natblidas among them. She wondered if they did, if it would have caused a rebellion. She knew that Gaia would have immediately taken the child to raise them as the next heda. She also knew that she would have Indra train the child.

"There would be no use of having a new heda if they can't fight," Octavia said to herself.

She looked across the office. She'd made it her home. It was where she stayed. There wasn't much in there, but her desk, a few chairs, and couches. And, she knew just which one to sleep on, because she did it too much. The most prized possession she had was the radio. No one knew it worked. They all thought it didn't and they would have no reason to believe otherwise. They all knew that there was no one on the surface.

For months, Abby and Kane tried calling out to anyone. They didn't care who. Any sign of life would be better than nothing. Even though they knew it was impossible for anyone to have survived the Deathwave, they tried. Kane hoped that Clarke and the rest made their way to Raven and then to the Go-Sci Ring. That meant that Bellamy was in space. She knew of the plan and part of her hoped that they would reach them. If for anything more than proving her brother made it, she allowed them to call out to the heavens daily for months. But no one ever answered them. Kane said something about atmosphere interferrence, but they had no way of really knowing. They were in a bunker, not a science station. And, had Mount Weather survived, they would have possibly had a better idea of what faced them because she would have sent a group of Skaikru to populate it during the "hibernation" period.

"Blodreina," Indra greeted her as she came into the office.

"What is it today, Indra?"

"Ethan would like to see you," Indra told her.

She slammed her head against the chair and then stared Indra down. Ethan was now her responsibility. She'd promised Jaha as he lay dying. She promised that they would do better, that they wouldn't make children grow up before they should, that they maintained their innocence as long as they could, but it was hard. She'd had to grow up quickly when she hit the ground with the rest of the hundred. She didn't want that for the children of Wonkru.

"Not right now, Indra. I will see him later. Tell him that we will meet for dinner. I promise," Octavia stated.

"Sha, Blodreina."

"Is there anything else?"

"No, Blodreina," Indra answered, but she hesitated and Octavia saw it.

She looked her general and mentor over. There was something weighing on her mind and Octavia could sense it. Cocking her head, she forced Indra to meet her questioning green eyes. Indra looked down and then back up into her eyes.

"Is there any word from the surface?"

"No, Indra, nothing," Octavia lied.

She nodded and left the office. Octavia knew that it was cruel, but she didn't want to them all false hope. She knew it was wrong to keep it from them all, but she had to. She didn't want them to know how bleak things had gotten on Earth. Plus, she doubted that they would believe her anyway. How could she tell them that the once great tower that that hedas ruled from was now pinning them in the ground? No, she kept the radio transmissions to herself. She recorded them all and listened to them over and over. Some, she didn't keep. Just in case Abby found them, but she knew that Abby needed to know soon. She needed to know.

The sound of the radio cackle spring her into action. She was across the room locking the door. It was a silent rule. If the door was locked, no one, absolutely no one including Gaia and Indra, was to disturb her. She never knew when Clarke was going to call. It was usually early morning or just before lights out. It didn't matter. Octavia never missed a call once she'd started picking them up.

She rejoiced with Clarke. She was so happy when it rained for her in the beginning. She knew that meant that Clarke had fresh water. It wasn't irritated, or maybe it was, but Clarke could handle it. She was ecstatic when just after two months, Clarke found bugs to eat. Octavia knew that meant that the animals were starting to come back. She wasn't a fool. She knew that it would take time for larger animals, for game, for something big enough to feed more than one person, but it was a start. The Earth was returning and Clarke was still surviving.

She wept with every set back. The electrical storms that almost destroyed the Rover were the hardest to hear. But, that was a lie. The hardest had the been the beginning of the transmission that she made a little over a few months ago. Clarke had given up. She couldn't get to Abby and Abby couldn't come to her. Food and water had become very scarce. Bugs were in very short supply. She was out of ration bars and the rains hadn't come in ages. She honestly didn't understand how Clarke had survived that long on her own. It couldn't have been the radio transmissions alone. She couldn't answer and she'd heard no other reply.

"You think you can kill me, have at it," Clarke had dared the Earth and it did its damnedest. She wondered for days and Octavia hadn't heard from her. It was making Octavia go insane. Clarke had become a life line, a reason to continue the fight, a message in the madness. Losing that, damn neared destroyed Octavia because it meant that Earth wasn't survivable. For weeks, she stared out her offices door into the abyss of people and hoped against hope that Clarke would answer. And, a month or more later, she did.

She told Bellamy in every painstaking detail how she gave up, how she almost died, and then how a buzzard of all things gave her the hope and want to live. For the next few days, Octavia was happy. Clarke had found a place to live. It was green and lush. It had food, game and edible plants. There was fresh water. And, it was beautiful. She'd found a place to survive until they could come down from space, if they made it, and then they would come open the bunker. Clarke and Bellamy would free them. She just knew they would. But, until that day, she would listen to Clarke surviving and in doing so, she would teach the new generations how to survive.

"Wait until you see this place. It's like the Death Wave missed this entire valley. Unfortunately, the radiation didn't..."

Octavia sobbed with her. She knew that those who lived there were burned and she felt for Clarke for having to burn them, alone. She couldn't help but want to hug her. She couldn't imagine the pain that she was feeling by offering the spirits of the dead back to the Earth in the Grounder fashion. But, she was glad that Clarke had somewhere stable to stay, a house or a building to protect her. She didn't have to build it.

"It's Day 58, since I've been above ground, and I found berries..." Clarke called.

Octavia waited for more, but there was none. Her mind raced. Had something happened? Was Clarke okay? She raged in office, destroying things. Indra and Abby rushed to get in, but couldn't get passed the locks. And, still she raged until she couldn't and she passed out on the floor.

It took them hours to get to her. It took two days for her to convince Abby that she wasn't crazy and didn't need more time with the lamps in the farm. She did however up the rotations, giving everyone more light time. Abby never asked why, but she questioned what Octavia was doing in the office alone all the time. Octavia gave her nothing.

The first day back, the first transmission she hears, "The last two people on Earth and one of them is a demon child." Octavia couldn't contain her laughter. She didn't know who this child was or what clan they held from but she already liked them.

But, now, it was almost six years later and they were still stuck underground. Octavia was starting to loose hope. And, she heard the best words ever out of Clarke's mouth in the morning transmission, "Bellamy, I see you...I see you." Little did they know that those words meant more than freedom. Now, all Octavia could do was wait. Clarke would bring him to the bunker. They would be getting out. Things would be better now.

She went to her door and opened it. Indra and another guard stood just outside. Indra immediately turned to face her.

"Blodreina?"

"Get me Abby and both of you come. We have much to discuss. I need my council."

"Shall I summon the rest?"

"No...not yet. Go," Octavia told her.

She looked at the guard and then down into pits. Looking back at the guard, he met her eyes. He knew better than to speak. He would wait for his orders.

"Get a group. Clean the pits. Remove the weapons from the walls. Get with Gaia and find out the list of crimes and the accused. I will review the cases more personally."

"Sha, Blodreina," he answered.

"Today is a new day. From the ashes, we'll rise. Today we start to rise, to be worthy again. We are Wonkru and we are better than this brutality."

"Sha, Blodreina," he replied and his body language changed.

She watched him go. She knew that someone would attempt to kill her before the end of the day. Death was all they knew. Today, they would learn to live for life. Today was a new day.

Abby and Indra came immediately. Noticing the guard was gone, Indra entered with her sword drawn. Abby looked worried.

"There will be no need for that, Indra. Put it away. Sit both of you. There is something that you need to hear."

"Something we need to hear," Abby started.

"There is a survivor," Octavia stated.

There was a collective gasp. Abby scrunched up her face. Indra just waited.

"A survivor? Is it Clarke? Octavia, is it Clarke?" Abby demanded.

"Yes, it is Clarke."

Abby started crying. She'd been right. She had heard Clarke at the door.

"How?"

"I think you should listen for yourselves."

"I don't understand," Indra replied.

Octavia got up and went over the radio. She dug around until she found the disc she'd labeled "1" and put it in the player. It might have been old technology, but it still worked.

"It's been almost two months since Praimfaya. I dug my way out of Becca's lab. Everything is gone. The ocean is now dessert as far as I can see. I don't know what that means about water. I've pulled some ration bars and as much food as I dare carry. Water is another issue. I've got some packs that Becca stored, but I'm going to try to find Polis first. Hopefully it won't take long..." Clarke's voice resonated through the office.

Abby fell out of the chair. Her daughter had survived. She was alive and she was on the ground.

"Made it to Polis. It's a wasteland. Buildings are toppled. There is no where to stay. Thankfully, I found the Rover where we left it at the port near Luna's landing. You remember that, right? Trying to convince Luna to take the flame... I hope you made it, Bell. Because, I am not sure that I will... I found Lexa's throne. I took a piece of it. To help me remember, to help me carry on like she would want me, like you would... I just want to live in the bunker until you come back down. I saw you take off. It was glorious and I am proud of you. Don't be angry. I am proud of you because I know that you will have them all eating Monty's algae. You'll survive this and be back down here before I know it. Promise me, even if I don't make it the five years, that you will never blame yourself for leaving me. It was my choice. I did what I had to do in order to make sure that you survived. And, I pray you did."

"She..."

"There's more. Just listen. She'll explain," Octavia told her.

Abby just shook her head. Her daughter had made it. She had a reason to be happy again. Clarke was alive.

"She's alive?"

"She is still alive, but just listen for now. Please. I'll let you hear more. Just listen to this for now," Octavia told her.

"Found the bunker. I can't get in and I doubt they'll be able to get out. The tower fell on it. I spent days trying to dig it out, but more collapsed as I tried. I had to leave. I had to leave Mom again...I don't know that I can do this alone, Bell. May we meet again," Clarke radioed.

"But-" Abby started.

"There's more, Abby," Octavia told her.

"Made it to Arkadia. Thought I might find some food and water, but all I found were ghosts. It's like we were never here and maybe we shouldn't have been. I don't know. Happy thoughts, Clarke. Happy thoughts. Forgive me. It's been two days since I had water and it hasn't rained. I don't know if it will. I'm going to head southeast a little. Maybe once I'm out of the mountains...I don't know. I'm just trying to find a place to live for now. I know I only have to make until you come back, but five years is a long time, Bell.

"Day Fifty, it rained. It was the middle of the night. But, the storm woke me. It was just in time. I stood in it for a few minutes before I remembered to collect any of it. It felt so good on my skin. I set up a pan to collect some. At least now, I have some water and I know that the Earth does as well somewhere. Now, I have to find it.

"I don't know if it's irradiated or not. I hope it isn't because if it is, you'll have nothing to drink. I've figured out that becoming a Natblida is what has saved me. I can be outside in the radiation with no ill effects...now. I say that because I am pretty sure I died in Becca's lab. Well, I guess, I didn't die, but damn it hurt.

"My suit failed as I was running back from the comm tower. I knew that if I could get inside I would be okay for a little while because of Becca's stores. The last thing that I remember is hitting the floor after coughing up blood. The suit had started to melt to my skin and I had radiation burns everywhere. When I woke, I don't know how much later, the wounds were healing. I still have a few and if they are exposed to the sun for a long time they get red again, but for the most part they are going away. Hopefully, I'll still look like me when you get back.

"I doubt you can hear me on this little radio, Bell, but I hope that you can. I'm going to find somewhere for us to live. After all, I've got five years to succeed. And, we both know how stubborn I am. So, same time tomorrow, Bellamy? Be good to each other. Let Raven know I love her. Let them all know I love them, even Murphy," Clarke said and the disc ended.

"How many went to space?" Abby asked through her tears

"She's talked about Bellamy, Raven, Monty, Harper, Murphy and Emori. She mentioned Echo once, but I am not sure what it meant. They took Becca's rocket to the Go-Sci Ring. Clarke was on the tower aligning the signal to turn the Ring back on. She says in a later transmission that the last thing she saw before them take off was the green light that the tower turned the power back on. After that, there was too much interference to know if they made it."

"And she's been doing this since she found the radio?" Abby asked.

"She has."

"And, you recorded them?" Indra questioned.

"Most of them," Octavia answered.

"Why?"

"Because even Blodreine needs something to believe in," Octavia answered.