Stowaway

She was lost.

Octavia Blake knew that much for sure when she turned another corner on the maze-like halls of the Ark.

She had no clue as to where she was. But she supposed that was only natural, having never been outside of her little compartment in her almost 16 years of life.

As soon as Octavia had seen the guards jumping for her, she ran. Sprinted out of there as if her life depended on it. Because it did.

Not just her life. But her mother's life, her brother's. Compared to that, her life meant nothing to her.

When Bellamy had come to her with the idea of going to the Unity Day Masquerade Dance, it had seemed like a great plan. No one would ever find out. She could've put on that blue mask he'd given her, gone to the party and been back home before anybody even noticed. She could've been free.

No such luck.

There she had been, dancing for the first time ever. Having the time of her life. There had even been a boy there flirting with her.

She had felt so alive.

And, suddenly, it all had gone to hell.

Now she was running for her life.

I am not afraid. She kept repeating the words her mother had taught her like a mantra. I am not afraid. I am not afraid.

Still running, she risked a peak over her shoulder to make sure the guards weren't close.

I am not afraid.

That was her last thought before she clashed against something. No, not something. Someone.

"Hey! Watch it!"

Octavia let out a small shriek as she collided with the stranger. Fear paralyzed her and she couldn't move, all she could do was stare at the girl in front of her.

Beautiful, with light brown skin and dark brown hair pulled into a pony tail, Raven Reyes scowled at the girl who'd practically just tackled her. Having just returned from a particularly grueling study session, she was not in a good mood. Her less than charming mood might also have to do with the fact that she was missing the Unity Day festivities. But studying for Zero-G was worth it. It was her dream, everything she wanted.

The two stood in silence, watching each other. Raven's dark brown eyes watched her with suspicion. Something was wrong with this girl, she realized. She looked terrified. Like the proverbial deer-in-headlights.

Octavia was stiff as a board, wide-eyed. She knew she had to keep running, she had to get away. But it was as if she couldn't move a single muscle in her body.

They heard it at the same time. The stomping of boots behind her.

Octavia turned around, a chill rang down her spine.

The guards.

"I think she went this way." One of them called out to the others.

Octavia shivered, terrified. This is it, she thought. I'm screwed.

Raven understood then that the other girl was in trouble and decided to help her. Taking Octavia's hand, Raven pulled her along. "Come on."

They hurried through the halls and soon enough, they reached their destination. Raven pulled Octavia inside and shut the door to Finn's place.

Once inside, they leaned against the metal door, trying to catch their breaths. The footsteps of the guards echoed on the other side of the door as they passed by. Both of them heaved a sigh of relief.

Raven moved from the door, but Octavia leaned her head against it and closed her eyes in utter relief. When she opened them again, they shone bright with tears.

"Hey, you okay?"

Instead of answering, Octavia gave the other girl a confused look and asked. "Why did you help me? You don't even know me."

Raven shrugged. "You were in trouble, you needed help. I know what that's like."

Still shuddering with relief, Octavia said. "Thank you."

"Sure." Raven gestured around her. "Well, make yourself at home. My guess is that you're gonna have to hide out here for a while."

Octavia nodded and pulled the mask from around her neck. Looking down at the mask in her hands, she thought back to that damn party. What the hell was she going to do now? What had happened to her brother after she'd escaped?

Knowing that dwelling on her troubles wouldn't help right now, Octavia tried to distract herself. She looked around the place, really noticing it for the first time. "This is your house?"

Raven thought about her actual house, about her mother. Mother, she scoffed.

That woman could hardly be considered that. She'd never given a damn about her own kid, going as far as to trade in Raven's rations for more Moonshine.

Then she thought of Finn, the boy next door. The one that had taken her in, shared his rations, remembered her birthday. She spent more time here than she ever had in her actual house. So, she smiled and nodded. "Yeah, this is home."

Octavia sat down heavily on one of the chairs and sighed. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Raven asked, befuddled.

"I'm putting you through all this trouble... You're doing all of this for me and I don't even know your name."

Raven smiled. "It's Raven. What's yours, my little stowaway?"

"Octavia."

They smiled at each other. Then Octavia's expression fell. "I need to find my way home, somehow."

"Where's home?"

"Factory Station."

"I'll help you get back there in a few hours. Right now, those guards are probably still out there looking for you." Raven promised.

Octavia shuddered and nodded in agreement. Then something else occurred to her. She still had no idea where she was. "Where am I?"

"You're in Mecha."

Octavia's eyes filled with wonderment. "Mecha Station?"

"That's the one." Raven said with a smile.

Mecha? How the hell did I end up here? Octavia wondered. She turned to Raven again. "So, are you a mechanic?"

"Yeah, but I'm hoping to move up to Zero-G." Raven said with a dreamy look.

At Octavia's confused look, Raven explained. "Spacewalking."

"You'd get to go out there?" Octavia asked wide-eyed, pointing at the window.

Raven nodded and beamed. "Yup!" Then her smile faded. "But I still have to pass the exam."

"You'll do great." Octavia assured her with a smile.

"I hope so." Raven said, though she sounded uncertain. Then her cheerfulness returned. "Well, since this is going to take a while, I'll get us something to eat."

Four hours later

Time seemed to fly as they talked. About themselves, their families, their childhoods, their hopes and dreams, and, mostly importantly, their realities.

"So, in all this time, you've never once seen the Ark?" Raven asked in astonishment.

Octavia shook her head. "Just today. But I've always wanted to. Every since I can remember." she sighed. "I used to ask my brother all the time when I was little." she said, shaking her head sadly at her own childish foolishness.

Now, Raven looked at the digital clock on the wall and sighed. "Finn's gonna be home any minute." she told Octavia.

Octavia sat up, startled. "Oh, I should go then. I don't want to involve anyone else in this."

"Okay." Raven agreed, nodding. "Hang on."

She got up and walked into a room in the back.

While Raven was gone, Octavia looked out at Space through the window, her hand on the glass as she wondered what it would be like to be as free as those stars outside.

"Here, put this on." Raven tossed a bundle of black clothes at Octavia "They're Finn's. He won't mind."

Octavia pulled on the black hoodie and the dark-gray jeans that Raven had given her over her own clothes, then looked at her new friend for the verdict.

Raven looked her over. The jeans were a little big on her and so was the hoodie, but it would have to do.

"Okay, come here." she said, motioning Octavia forward.

She pulled Octavia's hair tie off, letting loose the long strands of her straight dark brown hair and hand-combed her hair to fall around her face.

Finally, Raven pulled the hoodie over Octavia's head and rustled her bangs into place. She braced and let out a big sigh. "Okay, let's go."

As they walked together down Factory Station, Raven turned to Octavia.

"None of this looks familiar?" she asked gently.

Octavia shook her head sadly. "No."

They turned a corner into another hall and Raven stopped short.

A young uniformed guard stood at the end, looking around as if he was searching for something or someone.

"Crap." Raven hissed and grabbed Octavia's arm, pulling her away. "Let's go."

Octavia glanced in that direction and pulled her arm free from Raven's tight grasp.

"No." she whispered vehemently.

Relief and pure joy ran through her as she saw her brother. He was fine, safe.

She started to walk toward him, but Raven pulled her back. "Hey! What the hell are you doing?" Raven hissed at her.

"That's my brother." Octavia told her with a huge grin before turning back toward the young man. "Bell!"

"Octavia!" Bellamy Blake was the very picture of relief as he ran to his sister.

The siblings clashed together and held on to each other. After pulling away to make sure Octavia was unhurt, Bellamy turned his attention to the girl who was with his sister.

He gave Raven one hard look before looking back at Octavia. "Are you okay?"

"Relax, pretty boy. She's safe." Raven stated dryly, crossing her arms. "Found her in Mecha, hid her for a while. I was bringing her back home."

"I was so worried that they'd gotten you." Octavia told her brother, eyes watering.

Bellamy looked back at his sister. "I told them I didn't know who you were, that I was just trying to help a stranger out." he explained. "Didn't go over too well with them, but they believed me. I got suspended."

"Suspended?!" A suspension from the Guard would mean there would be no pay, which also meant none of the perks that came with being a member of the Guard, including extra rations.

"Hey, it's better than the alternative." Her brother told her gently. Octavia nodded solemnly. He held her close.

"We'll be fine." Bellamy promised.

Octavia clung to her brother like he might disappear at any moment, hiding her face against his chest. "God, Bell… I was so scared."

He returned the embrace just as tightly, cupping her head as he normally did to comfort her. But this time, he was comforting himself as much as he was comforting her.

Those few hours not knowing where she'd been, whether or not she'd been caught had been hell. Now she was safely back in his arms and he felt like he could finally breathe again. "It's okay, you're okay. Let's get you home."

Bellamy turned to Raven. "Thank you. You have no idea how much this means."

"I have a pretty good idea." If anything happened to Finn – the only family she'd ever known – if, for some reason, the Guard came after him, she would want somebody to help him. She would feel eternally grateful to whoever helped him.

As they began to part ways, Octavia stopped and turned back.

"Hey, Raven?" Octavia called in a low voice. Raven turned. "Good luck with that exam. I'm sure you'll ace it and be the greatest Zero-G mechanic ever."

Raven smiled. "Thanks."

"No, thank you. For everything."

Raven winked at Octavia. "Anytime."