One Day, Together
It was a lot to take in. Finding out they had been asleep for not just 10 years but 125. That Monty and Harper lived out their lives and that they would never see their dear friends again. And the icing on the cake, that the Earth was well and truly gone.
It was just too much to take, but that that's why Monty wanted them to be woken before everyone else. Clark and Bellamy have been through this before and now, hopefully, they won't repeat past mistakes.
As they stand there, looking out of the bridge window at what will hopefully become their new home, thoughts of their loved ones still asleep are racing through their minds. How will they start over on a whole new planet? Monty was able to find the plant but other than where it is, we had no more information.
Could this new planet really support the human race? Did it have edible vegetation, edible protein? But what bothered Clarke the most were the two suns. The nightblood formula was specifically made for such environments as this, where the sun's rays would be stronger than what humans are normally used to.
But there are only two nightbloods on this ship...if these duel suns were so strong everyone else could be seriously hurt.
Bellamy pulled Clarke from her musing by being the first to speak. "We should wake Madi first". Clarke's looked up at him from where her head rested on his shoulder. "Why just Madi?" she asked, confused as to where he was going with this.
"She is a new commander, and a child still, she should know what we are up against before the adults try to influence her too much," Bellamy said as his teary eyes looked down upon her own just as wet as his.
Clarke nodded slowly, and they turned to Jordan as all three walked back to the Cryo-Sleep chamber. As Bellamy and Clarke situated themselves over Madi's pod, Jordan went to work to wake her.
As the glass cover rose, Madi's eyes slowly opened to both adults smiling down at her. "Am I dreaming?" Madi said in a sleepy voice. "No sweetheart, you're not," said Clarke as she bent down to give her daughter a good morning kiss on her forehead.
Once Madi was out of her pod she hugged both Clarke and Bellamy as hard as she could. It was almost as if she had felt the longing of 125 years.
After releasing Bellamy, Madi looked around and noticed everyone else still asleep and a new person by the door she didn't recognize.
"We were asleep longer than 10 years, weren't we?" She asked in her most serious face. "Come, we have a lot to show you" Clark replied as she led her daughter to the bridge. When they passed Jordan, he gave them a big toothy smile, waved and followed them back.
Once they got to the bridge they showed Madi the entries Monty made. Everyone was in tears again as Monty's last entry wrapped up. Madi seemed a bit shocked, silent tears ran down her face as she looked out on their potential new home.
"If you hadn't already killed McRurry, I would have..." That's all she said.
Clarke and Bellamy both knew what she meant. If he had just admitted defeat, this would ever have happened. They would still have Monty and Harper, they would still have their home. But now all they had was an uncertain future based on information more than 250 years old.
"We wanted you to know what is going on before we wake the others so that you'd be prepared. Do you want an hour or something before we wake the others?" Asked Bellamy.
Madi turned around and slowly looked at the three people in the room with her. She knew what she wanted, she'd had over 100 years to think about what she wanted.
"Actually, can I have a day?" Madi asks hopefully.
"A day? Madi, sweetheart I know this is a lot to take in but you won't have to do it alone. Bellamy and I will be right there with."
"It's not that Clarke. "said Madi and then faced Bellamy.
"It's just that ever since you started taking care of me and telling me stories of the 100 and your time on earth, you have been my mom. And even though Bellamy was not physically with us, I just… I just always saw him as my dad…"
The room was silent as they all took in what the young Commander said.
"And when you came back down and you were so ready to save Clark not only once but twice, even going against Octavia, your sister, and that fatherly advice about breaking the cycle with the prisoners." Madi had tears in her eyes now. "You just … you just completely surpassed my expectations of you. You are the father I never had. And for once since all three of us have been in the same place, we are at peace. So please, can we just have one day of just us three as a family? - oh with Jordan too!" Madi added last minute as she waited for Bellamy and Clark's decision.
Clark didn't know what to feel. One the one hand she can't help but feel immensely proud of how Madi and Bellamy's relationship has progressed. But on the other, she is mortified that she may very well have put these thoughts in her head. And as wonderful as the idea of all three being a family is, Clarke knows it's not possible because of Ecco.
While Bellamy was more than anything stunned. Here was this smart, strong, young girl, who he's known for just over a month, who he didn't help raise, but who respects and admired and maybe even loves him like family. That's all he ever wanted from Octavia, and he knows now that that may have been lost. But he hasn't messed up with Madi yet. Could he really be that fatherly figure in her life though? Bellamy looked from Clarke to Madi and back again. He just may, because even if he was still mad at Clark, more than likely, he would still have done something stupid and irrational to save her. But he isn't mad, far from it. And what could possibly go wrong with pretending they are a family for one day. Just one day where he doesn't have to worry about the fate of the human race. One day just with his two favorite girls… uh, two of his favorite girls.
"Ok, one day" Bellamy smiled.
That day Jordan showed them the algae farm, that surprisingly was still flourishing in Monty and Harper's absence. Jordan says it could probably feed everyone in the ship for two whole months, maybe more.
So with the algae, they made the Triple G soup and no one complained. In fact, it was so good Bellamy had trouble believing it was the same thing they ate on The Ring.
All four sat on one table in the ships mess hall with Clarke and Madi on one side and Bellamy and Jordan on the other. They took their time eating and catching up.
Bellamy shared stories of Spacekru's time on The Ring and Madi was just like a kid eating up all the stories and telling some of her own.
Madi told the boys how she and Clarke were competing in who could catch the most fish and Clarke ended up falling in the lake and the fish jumped in her shirt. The boys couldn't stop laughing at Clarke's embarrassment as they pictured the whole event in their minds. Then they saw Clark's face as she tried to hold in her own laugh and everyone was practically on the floor holding their stomachs in laughter.
It was refreshing for both Clarke and Bellamy to see Madi like this. It had felt like far too long since she was able to be just a kid. Too long since she was burdened with the survival of everyone, just like they have been.
Jordan also told them about how he learned to play soccer from Monty, though he prefers to call it football since it made more sense to refer to it as that.
This brought on an impromptu game of soccer all through the halls of the ship. They paired off Bellamy and Madi versus Clarke and Jordan. And even though Jordan had more experience Madi was faster and more agile and stole the ball as Bellamy held Clarke back by throwing her over his shoulder for Madi to make the winning goal.
Laughter could be heard all throughout the ships in those moments if anyone but these four were awake. Madi was jumping up and down, looking more excited than Clarke had ever seen here, while Jordan laid down next to the make-shift goal breathing deeply with a big smile. Clarke gazed over at the two children, technically, without realizing that Bellamy's arms were still around her and they both gaze fondly at the two.
Tired from their shenanigans, they congregated into the captain's quarters, which were more of a suit complete with a living room, personal bedroom, and bathroom. Jorden pulled up a couple of movies on the ship's archives and they all settled down to watch some classics.
The found out this was the main living space for Monty's little family. As their fourth movie was wrapping up all four could be found leaning on each other, asleep. Jordan was sprawled out on the lounge chair while Bellamy was sandwiched between the girls on the couch.
A few hours later Bellamy awoke to find both Clarke and Madi using his shoulders as pillows. It was so endearing. It's was almost like a dream. To wake up from such a fun carefree day and feel so accepted by them both.
When Clarke left him in Polis he thought he would never see her again, he thought she had truly abandoned him. That he truly had lost not just Clarke but Octavia too. But now that fear is gone, now he knows that he won't ever lose Clarke because no matter what they have gone through they have always found a way back to each other. And even though he may have lost part of his sister, there is still hope after her display of surrender to Madi. The two most important girls in his life are finally back in his reach and he will be damned if he ever lets them escape his grasp again.
He looked at Clarke and he knew he was at peace, and then he looked to Madi and his small smile turned into a full-blown grin. He couldn't be prouder of how Madi handled the War for Eden. Clarke raised her so well and just the thought of Clarke doing that made him even more proud.
Bellamy stays like that with his arms around both girls for a few minutes, Jordan's low snoring the only sound in the room. But nature called and slowly he extracted himself from the girls to go down the hall past the master bedroom to the bathroom. Once he came back out he looked into the master and saw clear signed of Monty and Harper's life in the little trinkets still in the room.
Walking slowly around the room, carefully feeling around with his fingertips he accidentally pressed a key on the computer in the room. Before he knew it the computer emits a light, almost like it was scanning him.
"Bellamy?" His name pulls his attention to the monitor that now displays an older Monty, probably after Harper died, Monty continues to speak.
"I hope you're alone when I tell you this but when I was trying to hack the Eligius III files I came across radio calls that the ship recorded as it was on its way to Earth… I don't know if you know this, but Clarke radioed you every day the whole time we were on the ring. I kinda listened to most of them." He says shyly. "They were something for us to do after Jordan was put to CryoSleep." Monty looks away like he is embarrassed to have listened to the messages.
"Look, Bellamy, we, Harper and I, love Ecco but after listening to these messages and knowing how you were in the ring, we know Ecco is not who you should be with."
Bellamy was a little shocked to hear this. How could they say that?
"You're probably wondering how we could say that?" Monty asks with a raised eyebrow causing Bellamy to practically snort at the comment. Sometimes Monty is definitely too smart… was too smart for his own good. With that sobering thought, Bellamy focuses back on Monty's message.
"But ever since we landed on Earth as the 100, you and Clarke have been working together and together have made the best decisions to keep all of us alive. But we've noticed that whenever you two work against each other, things always go to hell. The situation with Madi and the flame for example…" Bellamy cringed at the memory of Clarke slapping him for that.
"Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that you and Clarke have always made a great team, and Harper and I can really see you two being an even better couple. But I'm not going to try to convince you of that. I'm going to let Clarke do it. After all, she was the only one who could convince you to do things. So the recording I'm going to play for you is a few bits and pieces of what Clarke messaged you over the year. Good luck… oh and you can find the full recordings on this computer too. May we meet again." Monty dispersed from the screen and out came sound wave images and static started to play before Clarke's voice was heard over the static.
"I don't even know if you can hear me on this price of crap radio, but I just wanted to say I'm proud of you — everyone in the bunker is still stuck… sometimes the silence is unbearable… I wish you were here Bell… but I'm glad you left or you would have died like everything else. — I almost did something drastic today, I shouldn't even tell you this, in case you're actually listening. But I just couldn't take it anymore… being all alone on a wasteland of a planet was getting too much to bear… — Day 49, I finally found another person that survived Primefaya. A little girl, maybe six or seven years old. Ha, she's very clever. Lead me straight to a bear trap the first day. — Day 67, Madi and I are finally on speaking terms, Madi is the little nightblood. She kinda reminds me of Octavia with how feisty she is. — Bellamy, it's been a year now, Food is still scarce and winter was not pleasant but we made due, I… I miss you...guy. — Madi is making this all bearable. Without her, I think I may have gone crazy again. I miss you so much, Bellamy. Lately, it seems not a day goes by that you aren't constantly in my mind, especially now with a child to care for… I just keep thinking Bellamy would know how to raise Madi so much better. — miss you — love, Clarke —miss you. Love, Clarke — radiation finally down, you'll be able to come home soon. I can't wait to see you. Love, Clarke. — it has been five years and two months, Bell. Why aren't you back yet? — I had a nightmare last night. Worse than my normal ones. It was of me being too late and you dying in the pod, having never made it to the ring. Please Bell, please, please… don't let that be reality… love… —Bellamy, if you can hear me. If you're still alive, it's been 2199 days since Primefaya. I don't know why I keep doing this every day? Maybe it's my way of staying sane. Not forgetting who I am, who I was. It's been safe for you to come down for over a year now, why haven't you?... I still have hope… never mind I see you!"
Bellamy was stunned to silence. He felt like his heart has stopped and all he could hear was "love, Clarke" on repeat. His heart felt frozen on one beat like the flat beep of a dead patient's heart monitor. He could only stare at the screen which now showed the file containing all of Clark's messages. A large lump formed in his throat. How could he not get these messages?
Slowly he rose from the chair and turned the screen off. He walked back to the living room where the other three occupants were still fast asleep exactly as he had left them. He slowly approached the girls and he can't help but wish he had been on earth with them those 6 years. Why couldn't he have been there? Why did they have to be separated?
Without realizing it, a lone tear slipped from his eye and slid down his cheek. He could have had all of this, this family. He and Clarke could have raised Madi together. At that moment, he knew exactly what Monty was talking about. He and Clarke always worked best together and they would have made the best parents, together.
Talking a long breath and slowly releasing it, Bellamy bent over to gently pick Madi up, careful not to wake Clarke. He took her to the bedroom and lays her down on the biggest bed he had ever seen. Looking at it he can see how Harper got pregnant with this bed at their disposal. After successfully tucking Madi in, Bellamy went back to the living room with a blanket to drape over Jorden. He picked Clarke up next and laid her down in the middle of the massive bed, close to Madi.
He knew he shouldn't, he really did. He understood there was a difference between falling asleep on the couch and going to sleep in this bed with them. He knew that he was still supposed to be faithful to Ecco.
But laying in that bed, at that moment with Clarke in his arms and Madi within reach, was all he ever dreamed of…
The next morning Madi woke up first to find herself in a new room. She could feel Clarke, her mother in all but blood, with her arm around her stomach. She looked behind her and she couldn't stop the large smile that appeared on her face even if she wanted to, because sleeping in the bed wasn't just Clark but Bellamy too. He was there too with his arms around Clarke. It was all she ever dreamed about and this one day to pretend they were a family had turned out better than she had ever imagined it would.
This one day was her dream come true.
Now how to make it last?...