It wasn't meant to go this way, not at all. Clarke was meant to go with Lexa and help take out the shooters, give the word, blow the door, go in, take the Mountain. It was simple. An easy plan, easy to carry out, easy to stick to. But it had all gone so horribly, horribly wrong.

Lexa's sword clattered to the floor as the young commander raised her hands above her head, grip dropping on her weapon. Clarke followed suit, dropping her gun to the floor and raising her hands above her head, looking over to Lexa.

Mountain Men had them surrounded. Aiming guns at the Trikru warriors behind them, the Mountain Men had the two leaders where they wanted them, right in the mouse trap. And Emerson stood before the two of them, hands clasped behind his back, looking at Clarke.

"Her." He pointed at Lexa, without taking his eyes off Clarke, and Clarke watched as two of the Mountain Men kicked the back of Lexa's legs, bringing the commander down to her knees. Clarke gasped and forced herself to stay still, to ignore what was happening, and focus on the man in front of her.

"Clarke of the Sky People." Emerson stepped forward, smiling. Clarke gulped, chancing a look over at Lexa, who was watching the two of them intently, Mountain Men guards with guns guarding her every twitch. "We've been watching you."

"Then you know exactly what I'm capable of." Clarke spat out, lowering her hands down to her side slowly. Her only weapon was down on the ground. And Emerson knew that.

"Yes, quite. We're here to offer you a deal." Emerson spoke to the duo, eyeing both of them. "Clarke." Emerson motioned around the battlefield. "Your people, the Sky People, can go free. All you have to do is leave. In a month, 20 come back to donate bone marrow. Same every month." Clarke swallowed, keeping her glare on the man in front of her, forcing herself not to look at Lexa. "You agree to those terms, and this war with us is over."

"What about the Grounders?" Clarke shot out before she had a chance to stop herself. She briefly wonders what would have happened had LExa been given this deal. Would the commander have asked about the Sky People? Would she have just taken the deal, let her people go, doomed the Sky People? Surely not, Lexa couldn't, wouldn't.

"With the bone marrow from the Sky People we will have no more need for the Grounders." Lexa bristled at his words, the gun at her back halting her movement, forcing her still. "We will, free them." Emerson looked back at Clarke, eyes drawn off the commander. He smiled and tilted his head, watching as Clarke thought it over in her head.

Victory stands on the back of sacrifice.

"15 people a month. You take the least amount of bone marrow you can from each one, humanely. This war ends. You free the Grounders. You stop attacking the Trikru." Clarke spoke, unblinking at the man who held the fate of this war in his hands. Emerson breathed in deeply through his nose, tilting his head up at Clarke, waiting for one of them to break. Eventually, Emerson did.

"You have your deal, Clarke." Emerson swept up Clarke's hand in his own, shaking her hand as they sealed the deal. "Instruct your people to leave." Emerson waved to the ridge that served as a vantage point, and the two walked towards it, looking down at the Sky People and the Grounders, and Clarke spoke.

"Skaikru! A deal has been made." The door opened in front of them, and the Sky People stepped out into the open air, quickly moving towards the others, who were still watching Clarke. "We leave for Camp Jaha immediately." The Sky People turned to leave, clearing out of the area, taking the Sky People from the Mountain with them, leading them back to their camp. Clarke watched as they left, and Lexa joined her on the ridge, guard still behind her.

"You are a good leader Clarke. I will take my people back to Polis. Then I will return, to find you, if that is what you wish." Lexa smiled, and Clarke nodded. She shook hands with the commander, and pulled away.

"Find me." She dropped Lexa's hand, and the commander bowed her head.

"May we meet again." The commander watched as Clarke turned to head down the ridge and back to her people. Back to how it should have been when they landed. No wars, no fights, just her people back, and she could focus on herself. Her and Lexa. Without the threat of the Mountain.

"Fire!" Emerson yelled from behind her, and Clarke turned as a deafening crack of 100 bullets being fired at the same time tore through her eardrums, and she watched as the commander crumpled next to Emerson, falling as dead weight onto the cold, hard ground, the guard stood behind her, gun raised, smoke pouring out of the barrel. All around her and below the ridge, Trikru warriors did the same. Clarke fell to her knees as Mountain Men blocked the way to Emerson and Lexa, and she felt bile rise in her throat.

"We freed them, Clarke. Just like we promised. Remember, uphold your part of the deal, or we kill you all. Take this as a demonstration of what will happen should we see and Sky People in our borders, not on donation day." Emerson waved his hand and two guards stepped forward, helping Clarke up. Her eyes remained on Lexa's unmoving body at Emerson's feet as he gently kicked the commander's ribs, and a tear rolled down her cheek.

"Escort her out of our borders. Everyone else inside." Emerson ordered, turning away from Clarke and the guards, who were almost fully supporting the 18 year old.

"What about the bodies, Sir?" The guard who had shot Lexa asked, kicking at Lexa's arm as she asked.

"Leave them out here. They say people are good fertiliser. Let's see what grows, shall we?" Emerson and the guard laughed, and headed into the Mountain as Clarke was dragged away, tears freely falling from her face.

"Leksa!"