Hello everyone Nicogen here with a new story. Its been a while since I posted anything, I mainly stopped from lack of inspiration and just general writers block. But the BIG contributing factors are that I got myself a new job, one that pays twice as much as working for my dad. But to get this job I had to across state and move to a town just a little north of Wichita. So now I'm officially out of my mother's thumb and living with my best friend since third grade. Now I work from 4 P.M. to 4 A.M. I haven't seen the sun in a couple months now. Oh well the money is worth it and I've lost a whole bunch of weight. Like I had to punch a new hole on my belt because all the pants I have don't fit me anymore.
Anyways one day while on lunch I started rewatching the 100, and of course you guys know what happens if you're aware of fanfiction, you go read. Well I started reading mainly the Oc stories and got to thinking what would happen if someone on the Ark was claustrophobic. What would the council do with someone like that especially after their condition caused them to violently lash out at someone. It's not their fault they're like, so it would be morally wrong to float them. But they can't let them back into the population someone could get killed. So, you make use of them. Thus, the foundation of this story.
Also, I should note unless it's a crossover I don't do detailed descriptions of people or places unless they didn't exist in the show or manga/comic book. You know what Bellamy and Clarke look like I won't make a word wall to tell you what they look like. That's just a lazy ploy to make your story look bigger and more appealing to readers.
Okay enough of my Author's note onto the story.
Chapter 1 – Project Vanguard.
"111, 112, 113," counted off a young man on the cusp of 18 years as he did push-ups on his knuckles. His bloody and cracked knuckles. Aaron Hawke didn't care, pain this minuscule was just a mild annoyance. His hands didn't hurt as much as the injury that resulted in the metal plate in his skull. The injury gave him periodic numbness in his body, severe headaches once a month, he vaguely remembers going blind in his right eye once for five days but to be fair that was right after the surgery. And a severely weakened sense of empathy.
He wasn't emotionally dead, he felt things he felt anger, happiness, sadness, and love. It was just harder for him to connect. But the worst pain made him wish he couldn't feel. Whenever he thought of his loving mother who slit her own throat when the two of them got stuck in a malfunctioning airlock between stations that was leaking air.
The engineers had said it would take eight hours to get them out, but there was only enough oxygen to last two people five, ten for one. When his mother learned this, she didn't hesitate. Aaron's last memory of her was saying she loved him and to keep on living all the while her blood drifted thru the air towards the leak and splattered across his face. He was twelve years old.
He became claustrophobic after that, and on an unescapable station in space, everyday became a living nightmare. He suffered from panic attacks almost weekly, and it all came to a head when he was thirteen and he became violent and got into a fight with the guards beating one into a coma with a wrench and biting two of another's fingers off. Such a violent crime couldn't be ignored, everyone from Farm station to Factory knew what he did. And they all heard how his groveled at the former Chancellor's feet that he be immediately floated instead of being confined in a small cell for five years.
When she rejected his plea, she made a mistake and made it a public trial. An election was coming up and him being the surviving child of the woman who heroically sacrificed herself she decided to use him as a political play. She pardoned him, and said that "This sweet and kind broken child is a victim who needs the Ark's help, her people's understanding and love".
As the cuffs came off and the tears fell from his eyes the assembled crowd thought they were tears of a traumatized boy on his way to recovery. But as he gripped the podium with both white knuckled hands and started bashing his forehead into the metal they realized he was a young tortured soul who just wanted his suffering to end.
The Chancellor ordered his surgery that reinforced his skull with the titanium alloy plate now lodged in his head and the exceeding the restrictions limits as she still wanted to use him to help keep her position as Chancellor. But it backfired on her when he became known as 'The Ark's Tortured Son' when after he recovered from his surgery he cried to Dr. Abigail Griffin. "Why didn't you let me die?!"
The pervious Chancellor Diana Sydney had already become unpopular prior to 'The Tortured Son's cry' and was pretty much out of office to begin with but it damn sure was the final nail in the coffin.
And with the new administration headed by Thelonious Jaha brought forth a beacon of hope not just for Aaron but for all of humanity.
92 P. W. (Post War)
"Chancellor" greeted Councilor Marcus Kane head of security on the Ark as Jaha walked into the Council chambers for the first time as Chancellor.
"Councilor Kane" greeted Jaha in a professional manner shaking his friend's hand but the hint of a smirk twitch at the corners of lips. He looks around the room greeting every one of the Councilor both close ally and pollical opponent alike, the necessary placements to keep him in check.
"Now that formalities are done let's get to work." Jaha said as the next few hours the council members present various issues that needed to be addressed the saying yes or no to the items on the agenda.
"Now if that is all Councilors I believe we shall call it a day." Jaha said going to stand.
"There is one last issue that needs to be addressed Chancellor." Spoke Dr. Griffin with a pad in her hand which she then slid across the table towards him.
On the screen of the pad was a live video of a boy of thirteen retrained to a hospital bed. His head was wrapped in bandages, a rubber guard secured in his mouth and a tube forced into his nose.
"Ah Mister Aaron James Hawke." Jaha said looking at the young caucasian male. His face was heavily bruised so he brought up his latest registration picture. Thelonious flinched at the six-month-old picture of the brunette with lifeless green eyes, the severe signs of depression evident even before his attempted suicide. Tortured son indeed, although he wasn't Chancellor, Jaha couldn't help but feel that he failed this boy who was no older than his own son Wells. They all had.
"What is Mr. Hawke's condition Dr. Griffin" He asked.
"Well hours of intense surgery, removing the bone fragments and stopping him from bleeding, we were able to successfully implant the titanium plate into his skull, but there was a decent amount of damage done to his frontal lobe, specifically areas tied to emotion." Abby said showing Aaron's medical report. "We won't know for sure until the swelling is completely gone but, he has had five episodes of extreme duress in the last few months. I would like to note that before he suffered three times as many episodes in the same time frame before his 'attempt'," The doctor said showing a time frame of incident reports.
"So, he fixed himself by trying to kill himself?" a Councilor asked arching an eye brow.
"I would like to hope so but I don't want to jump to conclusions until Aaron has fully recovered." Abby said getting nods.
"That's if he is allowed to recover." Kane stated.
"What do you mean by that?" Abby asked narrowing her eyes.
"I mean we need to decide whether or not to execute him." Kane said coldly.
"He's thirteen!" Abby yelled.
"Who has sense to know that he's a danger to others!" Kane growled.
"He's a child." Snapped Abby
"You think I don't know that. You don't think that I hate myself for even saying this!" the Head of Security shouted.
"Then why?" pleaded Abby.
"Mercy." Kane said tossing Abby the data pad and what she heard from a now awake Aaron brought tears to her eyes.
"Please," Moaned Aaron through the protector in his mouth preventing from biting his own tongue off "Don't put me in the cell, just kill me," he whimpered. "Please!" he pleaded.
"Chancellor he's too violent to kept in a standard cell he'll have to be put solitary." Kane stated "And that would be," he trailed off.
"Torture." Jaha sighed.
"What would the Ark say." Abby tried to reason.
"The Ark calls for mercy, Sydney's orders to keep him alive sway all but the most hardcore of hold outs to vote against her." Kane said. "But the former Chancellor's words that he needs our love and understanding weren't wrong."
"So, the best way to help him is to kill him? You think they'll understand that!" Abby cried.
"The four hundred signatures on the petition that arrived on my desk this morning says yes." Said Kane putting another data with the petition on the table, he might as well as dropped a nuke.
Abby looked to her friend as he looked at both data pads a pained cold look on his face, she hadn't seen that look since the day his wife passed.
"Please Thelonious, he's just a child, the same age as Clarke, as Wells! When our descendants finally walk on Earth and they tell the story of the Tortured Son what do you want them to say we did." Abby tried to reason.
"That we showed Mercy." Kane said gripping her shoulder gently.
"What about giving him Salvation." The doctor said pulling her shoulder away from him.
"Mercy can be Salvation." The Head guard said firmly.
"It's murder."
"Not when living brings so much pain."
"But living can bring joy."
"Earth," Jaha spoke stopping the back and forth between his two friends. He stood up and walked over to the observation window overlooking the planet "We send him to Earth."
"But that would-"
"Give him a chance" said Jaha interrupting Abby.
"But Earth is still uninhabitable." Kane said.
"Based on what data?" Abby said with newfound hope. "A lot could happen in one hundred years."
"And a lot could not, executing him on the Ark would be a quick death, if you're wrong it would be slow, agonizing." Kane said with a small hint of desperation.
Abby paused as she was cut off guard by Kane's words and finding a new-found respect and understanding. "Yes, but he would have more of a chance than out an air lock".
"And the data gathered would be invaluable." Jaha said.
"It's worth the risk." Abby said firmly.
"So, we send an unskilled child of thirteen down to the planet alone?" said another council member.
"We don't send him down now we wait till he's eighteen that gives us roughly five years to train him in advance levels of Earth skills, weapon and combat training, history, depending on the location we pick." Jaha said bringing up information on possible sites.
"Five years in lock up will be torture to him, what's to stop from killing himself like last time?" Kane asked.
"This time we give him hope." Abby said.
"Then as my first act as Chancellor I put forward my approval for this project, all those opposed" he Jaha said looking for disapproval and nodded when he saw no hands in the air. "All those for." He said and all hands rose in the air. "Then I Thelonious Jaha Chancellor of the Ark put in action to send in five years' time one Aaron J. Hawke to Earth, I dubbed this plan, Project Vanguard may it be a success and if it fails let it be recorded as a guide for those who come after."
….
97 P.W.
Project Vanguard was Aaron's salvation, it gave a sense of hope he didn't have before when decided to bash his head on the podium five years ago. A sense of pride had swell in him that even if he died, he would help countless generations to come. Knowing you have a purpose can change your outlook on life.
Sure, he still got panic attacks from time to time but he wasn't suicidal anymore, the 'Official' story for his confinement was he was getting therapy to help him, and funnily enough it wasn't even a lie anymore. Just don't try to shove him into a broom closet and you'll be fine.
"Prisoner 214 stand up and face the wall, said a guard as he entered the room flanked by another guard.
"189 Hold on for a minute, 190 almost done" Aaron said as he continued his push-ups.
"Now Prisoner 214!" barked the other guard.
Aaron paused mid push up and looked back at the guards and rolled his eyes. They were young. "191, Password?" he said.
"Pas-?! Get your ass up!" shouted the first young guard.
"Of course, you don't know the damn password, 192 Nah I'm good 193, 194." Yay this shit again.
"Fine we do this the hard way." The guard said taking out his shock stick.
"195 You sure, 196, you want, 197, to do, 198, that?" Aaron asked.
ZAAAT!
"Yeah I do" grin the guard shocking Aaron lightly
"Ok, 199 Fine" Aaron said while on the ground, "But first do you guys know what day it is?"
"Tuesday?" answered the other guard.
"What's it mean to you prisoner?" asked the first.
"Nothing much" Aaron said placing his knuckles back in the push up position making a guard growl "just another damn Hazing day, 200!" he shouted launching himself up and at the now wide-eyed guard punching his gut so hard the young man was lifted off the by a foot surprising the guard that he didn't know he was being tackled till he hit the railing outside.
"GALGH!" vomited the guard still in Aaron's prison cell.
"Fucking Hazing day, guards always throw you cadets a nice little celebration and they make the two who gorge themselves come to my cell. You're cleaning that shit up by the way." Aaron grumbled grabbing the cadet by the neck of his shirt and throwing him into the cell make his partner face plant into his puke pile. "Yuck it up while you can Miller I turn eighteen in a few days, this will be the last time." He said walking to a chuckling veteran guard.
"Damn, and here I was hoping you beat last year's record." Miller said handing him a mask which Aaron held to his face while Miller secured it. While they didn't happen as often he still suffer from some episodes from time to time and god forbid he bit one of the guards he liked, like Miller.
"Now the jacket." Miller said holding a gray strait jacket it used to be white but years of rewashing has stained it into the gray today.
"This was washed right?" Aaron asked and took a whiff "Nope"
"You're the only one who wears it what's the matter?" Miller rolled his eyes as Aaron put his arms in the sleeves.
"I suffered an episode last month and I stewed in my own sweat for five hours while Dr. Griffin tried to calm me down. Once it gets wet again it will turn ripe. I don't care but Dr. Griffin will and I have to hear about it even though it won't be my damn fault." Grumbled Aaron as Miller tighten the straps on his arms.
"You're understanding of women is astounding even though you've never had a girlfriend." Miller chuckled.
"Dr. Griffin is the only woman I know, we both know I'm screwed when I get stuck in the pod with Floor girl, I'll end up doing something wrong and she'll kick me in the nuts first chance she gets." Aaron stated.
"Word of advice don't call her that." Miller said seriously.
"Case and point." Aaron sighed. "I envy your son as he'll never have to deal with this type of crap." He grumbled getting a chuckle from Miller as he talked about his gay son. The man pats the teen on the shoulder, "You're a good kid Aaron it'll be sad to see you go."
In the Med Bay Aaron grunted as Dr. Griffin ran a sonogram over his forehead since he could never get a cat scan. "Looks like everything in order."
"Good can you get this crap off my head, its cold." Aaron said trying and failing to wipe the goo on his jacket.
"What do we say?" Abby asked in a snipping tone.
"Now?" the teen said with a cocked eyebrow making the woman's own eyebrow cock up in return.
"Really?" the woman said staring him down. The staring match continued from about a minute before Aaron grumbled and dipped his head in defeat "Please Dr. Griffin."
"While sure Aaron I would love to." Abby said wiping the glee off.
"How boring is your life?" Aaron said sarcastically earning him a smack to the head. "Okay I deserved that."
"Yes, you did" Abby said undoing the straps on his arms and rolling up his sleeve on his right arm and from the side she pulled out a long cylinder-shaped object that then split in half.
"That's a lot of needles" Aaron gulped seeing all the needles on the inside of the cylinder.
"I'm sorry, Aaron but in order to get accurate readings on how radiation affects you there has to be this many otherwise what's the point." Abby said.
"Okay I get that, but how come Floor Girl's is smaller than mine?" Aaron asked.
"I'm going to kill Jackson" Grumbled Abby. "We had to rush 'Octavia's taking out the radiation reader and streamlined it for vitals. And floor girl? She's going to be the only friend, you're going to have down there and calling her such a demeaning name is not going to do you any favors especially if you want be more than two people stuck on the ground."
"I swear on the ground if you call us anything related to Adam and Eve, surrogate mother or not I will smack you." Aaron glared.
CLICK!
"Fine but just so you know she is pretty" smirked Abby before looking down and frowning she was expecting him to yelp in pain "You didn't fell that did you?" she asked taking his hand and poking his finger with a needle.
"My life wasn't in danger so the need of pain is not needed." Aaron said his voice going cold. "So is my bracer up and running. Can we start the mission soon?"
Abby felt a chill go up her spine, Aaron was in what many like to call Kane mode. All the joke cracking with Miller and the teenage attitude with Abby it all was an act to get the information he needs for the 'Mission'. Well it wasn't all an act she knew for a for a fact that Aaron liked Miller he wouldn't even bother talking with him if he didn't. And he did think of Abby as a mother, she had seen him at his weakest.
But now Aaron had shifted his mood because he had a calculated action he felt ready to take. "Streamline would imply you cut away the junk and improved the design, instead you made it cheaper to make by reducing the capabilities of the device. You're mass producing them. Why?" he asked.
Abby sighed and looked the boy in the eye "There's been a change of plans."
Two weeks later Aaron glare heavily at anyone who meet his eyes, cowing even those in the Skybox for murder as he was walked by the other convicts as they were ushered out of their cells. Aaron grunted in annoyance as every now and then they had to stop and his head jerk back as the guard had, what he could best describe as a makeshift animal control catch pole, going around his neck. He understood why they had to do it as they couldn't afford for him to freak out, not today, definitely not today.
"GARck!" he choked as suddenly a blonde girl burst out of a cell and smacked into his chest. The top of her head hit his mask making the coil of the catch pole hit his Adam's apple. "Okay that hurt" he thought as leaned over and felt like he was coughing his lungs out.
The girl looked up, gasped and take a step back as she saw him. He couldn't blame her on that one, seeing a guy who was easily a head taller than you restrained in garb commonly associated with crazies and serial killers. Then there were the scars that marred his head, one was the surgical scar that started on his right temple and wrapped around his eye. From there the surgical line went across his forehead where it intersects with crisscross marks made by the podium during his attempted suicide. Then its arch ups to his hair line and goes across his left side of his head and then stop at the back of his head. He hadn't had a hair cut in a while so his right was fairly long but below the scar on his left no hair wanted to grow. But what really got her was the intensity of his vibrant green eyes.
"The Tortured Son." she gasped back up even further and taking a look around her and saw all the teens being ushered out their cells. "They're starting," she said to herself, she looked at him and examine him.
Aaron arched an eyebrow at her. "Huh, she's thinking of using me as distraction. Weighing the pros and cons, bad new the game was rigged from the beginning." He thought.
Acting quickly the girl grab the coil around his neck ripped it off and grabbed the pole and drove it in the guard's gut and then swung it into the other guard's head knocking him out. Aaron's other eyebrow join its brother, okay he was impressed. She turned around quick and undid his arm restraints. "We need to run and get out of here," She said pulling on his sleeve.
The girl was employing the world's oldest escape tactic, grab the toughest guy around and set him lose.
"Why?" he asked.
"They're going to kill us, everyone!" the girl said waving the pole around and pointing at some of the kids.
"For real?" Aaron said feigning ignorance.
"Look I know we don't know each other put you have to trust me." The girl pleaded. "It's not just yours and my life at stake, its everyone in the Skybox, everyone on the Ark!" she said as more guards headed their way. "Are you with me?" she asked.
Aaron looked at girl curious as he actually was considering doing what she said, the only other person able to get him do anything was –
"Clarke stop!" called a woman's voice.
Clarke turn around Aaron spotted Dr. Griffin running towards the girl.
"Mom?! Mom what's going on?" Clarke said surprised to see her mother.
"Ah, that makes sense." Aaron said to himself as Abby pulled her daughter into her arms and embraced her.
"They're killing us all aren't they, reducing population to make more time for the rest of you?" Clarke whimpered pulling away from her mother, sad and afraid.
Abby quickly grabbed Clarke's arms looked her in the eyes and said "Clarke, you are not being executed. You're being sent to the ground, all 100 of you."
Clarke looked back at Aaron "What? But it's not safe." She turned back to her mother and started pleading "No. No we get reviewed at 18."
Abby sighed "The rules have changed. This gives you a chance to live." She brushed a strand of her daughter's hair out her face and rubbed her cheek.
"Her instincts will tell her to take care of everyone else first, please look out for her, I can't lose her too." She said looking at Aaron.
"What?" Clarke asked spinning around looking at Aaron.
"I promise" Aaron said nodding to the older woman and then headbutting her daughter sending her to the ground. "W-w-wha?" Mumbled Clarke as her mother knelt by quickly and check to see if she had a concussion and sighed in relief to see that she'll be fine.
Aaron leaned down scooping up Clarke in his arms and met Abby's eyes "What, we're on a time limit." he said seeing her glare.
She smacked him in the back of the head "Get to the drop ship."
…
Groaned Clarke as she came to. She opened her eyes and saw that she was transported somewhere else entirely and she was sitting in some harness. She felt a pain in her wrist cause by the new-found bracelet, but it was nothing compare to the pain in her head.
"Welcome back," Said someone next to her. She looked over and saw a young man of African descent and her eyes glare at him. "Look-
"Wells, why the hell are you here?" Clarke snapped at him.
"When I found out they were sending prisoners to the ground, I got myself arrested. I came for you." Wells said with a smile before a large boom resonated throughout the dropship and a lot of people screamed.
"What was that?" Clarke asked worried.
Looking up for possible damage "That was the atmosphere."
"ARGGGGGGH! HAAAAAAA WHY AM I HERE!" screamed a voice in utter terror.
Clarke turned her head and spotted Aaron across the room. He was in a harness that was by itself. Looks like the Council had removed the other two and had reinforced his restraints. It was a good thing they did because it looked like all it took was one little push and Aaron would be sent over the edge.
"What the hell! Why is he here!?" shouted a kid.
Suddenly screens on the ship came to life and Chancellor Jaha appeared on the screen, and to everyone's relief it seems to calm Aaron down a bit, but his panting breath told them he was far from okay. He was trying to keep himself distracted by keep focus on Jaha as the man started explain that were being sent to the ground to see if Earth was survivable because they were expendable because of their previous crime.
This made a teen turn to Wells and shout that his dad was a dick. Wells ignored him knowing the kid was trying to cut the tension and keep their minds off Aaron.
The elder Jaha continued on saying that their crimes would pardon. He then told them that they needed to get to Mt Weather as there was supplies there to help them.
"Check it out!" cheered someone and Clarke turned her head and saw a boy floating in the center of the room.
"Spacewalk Bandit strikes again." Chuckled a teen wearing googles.
"Go Finn!" shouted someone.
All the teens cheered as 'Finn' kicked the wall and gradually levitated over to Clarke and Wells "Check it out your dad floated me, after all." Smirked Finn.
"You should strap in before the parachutes deploy." Wells warned.
Clarke saw movement to the side and saw two other boys fiddling with their harnesses "Hey, you two, stay put if you want to live." They ignored her and kept trying to get out.
"Hey," said Finn getting Clarke's attention "You're the traitor who's been in solitary for a year."
Clarke scowled at the boy, she like be called a traitor. If anything, she was the exact opposite. "And you're the idiot who wasted a month of oxygen on an illegal spacewalk."
The boy smirked "But it was fun. I'm Finn"
Before she could respond the two boys managed to undo their belts and were floating. They only got a couple of chuckles out and suddenly the whole ship lurched. Finn went flying and slammed into Clarke and Wells before hitting the floor. He was lucky. The other two boys were not and they went flying across the room and slammed against the conduct in the middle of the room, hard.
Everyone was screaming as the ship start to spark and tumble. But none of the screams were louder than Aaron's, they were a combination of choking sobs and animalistic roars. And it was utterly terrifying.
"Retrorockets ought to have fired by now." Said Wells worried as sparks flew around them.
"Ok," Clarke said trying to calm herself down. "Everything on this ship is 100 years old, right? Just give it a second."
Wells looked over at Aaron who was trashing in his restraints violently. "We might not have that long. Clarke, there's something I have to tell you." He said wanting no regrets "I'm sorry I got your Father arrested."
Clarke wasn't having it and snapped at him "Don't you talk about my father."
"Please, I can't die knowing that you hate me." Wells said desperately.
"They didn't arrest my father, Wells. They executed him. I do hate you." Clarke yelled with tears on her eyes not caring about the look of devastation on Wells face.
And with that the retrorockets fired and with one last thump the ship slowed down and landed on the ground and powered down.
"Listen." Said a boy of Asian descent. "No machine hum."
Realizing this the boy with googles looked around in awe "Whoa. That's a first."
Then with a serenade of clicks all the buckles on the harnesses released. All but one.
Eager to get moving the teens quickly removed their belts and started moving. Clarke's first action was to check on one of the kids who hit the wall, and found he was dead. She looked over at the other kid and saw Finn doing the same. "Finn, is he breathing?" she asked but Finn just looked at her and shook his head.
"Oh man, he's passed out." Said the kid with googles looking at Aaron, whose head hung limply. "Huh, I think his belts are still locked." He said moving closer and reaching forward. "Why?-
Clarke seeing this, eyes widen in horror, "Don't-
Suddenly Aaron's head snapped up causing the boy to stumble "Whoa!" he cried as he fell.
"Jasper!" cried the Asian boy in concern as he helped his friend.
"RAGHAAAA!" Roared Aaron as he trashed around.
"Okay that's why." Jasper said awkwardly making everyone chuckle.
RRRRRRRRIP!
….
Back on the Ark Abby was looking at everyone's vitals, first a mournful expression at the two red squares. Then her head snapped to Aaron as his vitals spiked, HARD. "Oh no." she said in horror. Then a chain reaction happens as everyone heartrates spiked. "Oh no no no no no!" she said franticly as she typed on the console desperate to reestablish contact.
Jackson seeing the worry on his boss's face asked in worry. "Dr. Griffin what's going on."
"It's Aaron, he's having an episode." Abby said making Jackson go pale.
"Oh god." He said in horror. "That's like a rabid dog being loose in a hen house."
"Yeah and me let him in." Abby said looking at her daughter's tile. "Please be safe."
…..
A chilling silence entered the dropship and everyone turned to the restrained teen. His right hand was free. His eyes were frantic darting everywhere. His breath was fast as he hyperventilated and Aaron in a frenzy started pulling on his belts jerking each one until he felt something give slightly on one. He jerked and the belt went tight halting in the air. He pulled hard again and the belt went tight again but further out than before as a small rip was heard.
"I NEED TO GET OUT!INEEDTOGETOUT!INEEDTOGETOUT!INEEDTOGETOUT!INEEDTOGETOUT!" he repeated over and over.
"Okay what the hell is wrong with him?!" asked Jasper.
"He has claustrophobia and he get panic attacks that send into a violent rage." Clarke said remembering what her mother told her about her most infamous patient.
"That bad huh." Said Finn.
"He beat a guard into a coma and bit off another's fingers, when he was thirteen. Now if he has one it takes a team of ten guards to him under control." Clarke said walking over to him. "Aaron," she said softly trying to get his attention but he continued to pull franticly. She thought for a moment and idea came forward. She clears her throat "Aaron look at me!" Clarke said using the same tone of voice her mother uses when she's mad.
That snapped his attention to her. He looked at her but Clarke knew he wasn't really looking 'at' her, he was somewhere else, he was back in the broken air lock trapped alone with his mother's body.
As he made his way to the ladder Jasper turn and was amazed by the sight "Monty check it out." He said to the Asian kid.
"How did you do that?" Monty asked.
Not looking away from Aaron's gaze Clarke answers him "My mother is his doctor; has been for five years I just used the tone she would use. Looks like it worked" she said smiling at the boy. "Isn't that right Aaron."
"I need to get out." Aaron whimpered pitifully. "Please let me out Dr. Griffin."
"I know, I know, you just need to breath." Clarke said trying to calm him down. "Just close your eyes and count to ten, can you do that for me Aaron?"
"I-I'm scared" Aaron cried as tears started to spill from his eyes.
Clarke felt her heart break at that. "Shhhh, just close your eyes and count to ten and everything will be better." Clarke said reassuringly. "Would it be better if I count with you?"
Aaron nodded and his breathing became slower and he closed his eyes.
Clarke smiled "Good, one"
"One,"
"Yes, two,"
"Two," Counted Aaron as his breath slowed.
"Three," Clarke counted
"Three" Aaron relaxed his arms.
"Four, you're doing great," Clarke said with a smile.
"Four," Aaron let go of the belts.
"Hey the outer door is on the lower level!" Shouted a kid. "Let's go!" shouted another.
"Shit," hissed Clarke.
Aaron's eyes snapped open and his other arm lurched and broke free. "I can get out?! I need to get out!"
"Clarke." Wells said worried.
The girl's head snapped to him "Run."
"I NEED TO GET OUT!" Roared Aaron as he pulled on the weakened belt and ripped it off.
"GO!" yelled Wells making everyone remaining dart towards the ladder and down to the lower.
"Hey, just back it up, guys." Said a man in a guard uniform a little confused by everyone's worried gazes.
"Back up!?" shouted a boy.
"Do you even know what's up there?!" screamed a girl.
"RAAAA!" screamed Aaron's voice as the sound of another belt snapping made everyone shift uncomfortably.
"Yeah and your panic not helping." Growl the man and a girl in the back blinked owlishly. She knew him.
"Bellamy?" asked the girl not believing what she was seeing.
'Bellamy' turn and smiled as the girl made her way towards him. "That's the girl they hid underneath the floor Octavia Blake" whispered someone but in the crowded room his voice carried.
"My god, look how big you are." Bellamy smiled as his sister wrapped her arms around him.
Octavia looked her brother over "What the hell are you wearing? A Guard's uniform?"
Bellamy shifted uneasily "I borrowed it to get on the drop ship." He smirked "Someone has got to keep an eye on you." He chuckled as they embraced again.
"I'm glad to see you guys reunited, but now isn't the time." Clarke said interrupting their reunion.
"Do you mind?" Octavia said turning to Clarke clearly annoyed. "I haven't seen my brother in over a year."
"Yeah and I don't care," Snapped Clarke making Octavia blink. "Right now, that door needs to open or a lot of people are going to get hurt. Up there is Aaron Hawke, the Ark's Tortured Son and he is having a full-blown meltdown. If we don't get out of here right now he going to break free and lash out and accidently hurt someone, maybe kill them." Normally she be against opening the door because of the possibility of the air outside being toxic, but Aaron was literally being a living embodiment of the chaos factor so she had to change gears. Better to take a risk on the outside then deal with what's in here.
"He's on his last two!" Called Wells who was still hanging on the ladder. "If we're going to open that door we got to do it now!"
"What's stopping him from attacking one of us when we open the door?" Bellamy asked his head looking from Octavia to Clarke, his hand shifting to his back his finger brushing an object.
"He's not psychotic, he's sick, he has claustrophobia to be exact, you know fear of confined spaces." Answered Clarke.
"I-I can relate to that." Octavia said with strong sympathy as her brother grabbed her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.
"So, if were outside with the sky above us," Clarke said letting the sentence hang in the air.
"He shouldn't be a threat to anybody." Finn answered getting a thankful look from Clarke.
"Okay, but if he hurts anyone it's on you" Bellamy said pulling the override handle releasing a rush of air into the ship as the door opened and all everyone saw was green. "Octavia you go first, let everyone remember you as the first person on the ground in over one hundred years." Bellamy said getting a huge smile from his sister.
Octavia took a step and her feet squished the grass, real grass into the ground. She took a deep breath and screamed "We're back, bitches!" enticing the other teens to cheer.
CRECK! CRACK!
"HE'S LOOSE!" shouted Wells jumping off the ladder, cutting the celebration short.
"Everyone out now!" shouted Clarke.
With frantic steps the teen bolted from the dropship and into the forest ducking behind trees and bushes.
A series of loud bangs and crashes were heard as Aaron made his way out of the dropship. He rushed out down the ramp, in his hand was the broken conduit being held as a make shift weapon. His acquisition must have been the cause of the trashing.
"Octavia get behind me now." Bellamy ordered pushing his sister behind him and reaching behind his back, revealing the pistol to his sister.
"Bellamy?" Octavia said concerned "Are you going to?"
"Only if he makes me." Her brother said clicking the safety off. He didn't want to kill the guy, he was already feeling guilt, but if this guy endangered Octavia. He would put him down.
"Aaron," Called Clarke using her mother's tone, and stepping into the clearing making Aaron turn toward her. "Hey easy now, just take a breath."
Aaron nowhere in a right state of mind swung the pole and Clarke jumped back to avoid getting hit.
"Clarke!" Wells shouted in worry.
"Back off Wells I got this." Clarke snapped, "Aaron calm down, everything is okay, you're safe." She said taking slow steps toward him.
"I-I need to get out." Aaron managed.
"You are out, just take a look around." Clarke smiled.
"I'm out? But-" Aaron looked around and saw all the green and everyone saw his stance change significantly. "The dropship," he turned around and he drop the pole. "We made it, were on Earth."
"Yes, we made it." Clarke said walking forward. "No more walls, no more ceilings, just the sky and the ground."
"YES! ITS OVER!" Aaron cheered, "It's over, I'm free, Hahahaha!" he laughed. He then fell to his knees "The nightmare is over." He said with tears falling from his eyes, all those years of torture weren't in vain. Suddenly he felt arms wrap around him and his head snapped and saw a head of gold hanging over his shoulder.
"Yes, and now we can live the dream." Clarke said holding him close and started humming a tune, the song was one familiar to her heart and she had an inkling it was close to Aaron's too.
Aaron couldn't hold it anymore and started balling.
….
Well what do you guys think of Aaron, a little too Gary-sue? Probably but what the point of making an oc and having him sit in the background sitting on a log with a thumb up their ass. I'll try to not make him too Op but no absolutes and expect derailment.
Please fav and review. Reviews help!
Until next time.
Nicogen