"May we meet again."
Clarke stands still for a moment, trying to come to terms with what Lexa's decision means. Her people are going to die. She's going to lose almost everyone she loves. As she watches Lexa walk away from her she briefly thinks that there are other ways to lose people you love, other than having them die. She's fought this hard to keep people alive, to save the people she loves, and now she's going to let one walk out of her life? No. Not this time.
"Lexa! Lexa, wait!" Clarke shouts, running after her. Lexa keeps her head down, keeps walking away, until Clarke reaches her and grabs her arm. The grounders automatically turn in defense, but Lexa holds her free hand up to stop them. "Stay where you are."
Lexa looks down at Clarke's grip on her arm, eventually raising her gaze to meet Clarke's. When their eyes meet, they're both filled with tears. "Let it go. What's done is done."
Clarke shakes her head. "No. Do you know what you've done by thinking with your head and not your heart? You've started our war again. Do you think my people are going to think kindly of yours when they learn how you used our knowledge and our skills to save your own and left them behind?"
"Your people will never see another Grounder. Or the ground for that matter. I think our worries are minimal."
"Lexa, don't do this. It's up to us to settle this. To take down Mount Weather. How do you know they won't come for you when they've bled all my people? When they're stronger than ever, out on the ground. You're going to have to fight this war eventually. You can put it off all you like, and call it 'sacrifice' but I think you're showing weakness."
Lexa's eyes turn dark at the use of the word. "Let go of me," she says, looking down at where Clarke still has a hold of her. "Choosing to do what's right is not weakness." She lowers her voice slightly. "If I were to make decisions based on my heart, I would not be a worthy leader for these people. I would not choose based on their interests. I would only choose based on mine."
"And what are your interests, Lexa?" Clarke challenges.
"I have shown you my interests. We seemed to share the same one."
Cage stands tall, watching their exchange play out on the screens in front of him, calmer now that the deal has been made. He needs the Sky People to stay close. He needs them to live.
"Looks like we have some trouble in paradise between our two leaders," he says, watching as Clarke and Lexa never break eye contact, and Clarke never lets go, even when Lexa asks her to. "Let's show them what real trouble looks like, shall we? Get the outsider to take her out. She's played her part."
"Yes, sir."
"Lexa, we've both lost people we loved."
"So it takes strength to love again," Lexa says. "Love is weak if you let it weaken you. If you allow it to fill you with fear."
"Are you scared?" Clarke asks. She's not really sure what she's even asking - are you scared to love me? Are you scared for us to be together? Are you scared of losing me?
"No," Lexa says clearly. "But I must live with what I have done, and I must put the future of my people above all else." Before Clarke has a chance to retaliate again, Lexa pulls her hand from her grasp. "May we meet again, Clarke of the Sky People."
For the second time, Clarke watches Lexa walk away from her. One step, two steps, three steps. Every step is one too far, but her feet won't move to catch up with her again. So she watches as Lexa gets farther and farther away. Four steps. Five steps. Six st-
There's a shot, then two, and Lexa falls to the ground.
Everyone ducks, scared there will be more gunfire. But it acts as the incentive Clarke needs to move again, and she runs to Lexa's body. The Grounders shout for her to get back, but Clarke doesn't move. One of them even forcibly tries to remove her, but before he can, Lexa speaks quietly. "Let her stay. Leave us."
The Grounders back away, but stay defensive. Their eyes scan the area for the gunman. Clarke looks nowhere, other than at Lexa. She leans across her body and applies pressure to the wounds, trying to keep the life inside Lexa's body. "No, Lexa, we need my mom. She'll help, she'll fix this. You'll be okay."
Lexa's voice was weak. "You've done enough."
"No! I am not letting the Mountain Men take everyone I love. They're already taking forty-four of them, I'm not letting them take another one."
Lexa smiles. "You're strong, Clarke of the Sky People."
"Just call me Clarke." Lexa laughs for a brief second before pain reminds her not to. Clarke looks at her and wonders if she'll ever see it again.
"Clarke, the fight is yours now."
"No," Clarke says, applying more pressure to the wounds. "I need you, Lexa," she says, and she doesn't realise she's crying until a tear falls onto Lexa's war paint and smudges it.
"My fight is o-"
"Don't say it. Don't you dare say it." Clarke leans down and presses her lips against Lexa's. She can feel Lexa kissing back very gently, using any energy she has left to kiss her. They break apart but Clarke stays barely an inch from Lexa's face. She brings both hands up to cup Lexa's face, blood smearing her cheeks.
"Clarke, my fight is over." Lexa says, and this time Clarke knows it's true.
"Gonplei ste odon," Clarke says, and Lexa smiles. Clarke commits it to memory, so she can keep it forever. Slowly, Lexa's eyes close, and her chest stills, breath no longer entering her lungs. The Grounders notice, and begin to protest, directing their anger at Mount Weather. Clarke can hear nothing of the shouting happening around her, all she cares about is Lexa and wondering where her soul is. She wonders where Wells is, where Finn is. She wonders how many other people are going to have to leave her before this ends.
Before she knows it, a fire ignites within her, burning from the very depths of her, filling her with anger. She screams before her mind catches up with what it's doing. She stands up, leaves Lexa's body, and walks towards Mount Weather.
"Open that door," she says viciously to everyone staring at her. "OPEN THAT DOOR!" she yells. Clarke's eyes darken and her whole body shakes with anger. "I'm going to kill them, whether you're coming or not," she says to the Grounders. They let out a war cry. "Mount Weather has taken from us for the last time."