A Second Chance

by NotOneOfThoseCrazyGirls

On the Ark, pregnancies involving multiples are terminated early on to prevent overpopulation, but an unexpected thing happens one day: Twins are born! Clarke and Carter Griffin were separated at birth to survive, but when Clarke is sent down to Earth with the 100, Carter finds her own second chance to be reunited with her twin. Eventual Pairings: Clarke/Finn; Carter/Bellamy.

1. Ch 1: Exception to the Rule

Hey y'all! Thanks for clicking on my story(: I got the idea for this while watching season 1, but I wanted to finish season 1 and see where they take season 2 before starting my story. I realize there are a couple other 'Clarke has a twin' stories, but I assure you this is not a copy-cat, and my fic will be completely different. This is my first story I'm posting on here, but I've been writing for years. I really hope you like my story, and please make sure to review!

Thanks, and enjoy Chapter 1 of A Second Chance :)

DISCLAIMER: Everybody here knows I don't own The 100...otherwise I wouldn't be on here writing a fan fic ;)

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A Second Chance

Ch. 1: Exception to the Rule

Late one night, when nearly every soul on board the Ark is fast asleep, an emergency council meeting is called. Seven seats are filled around a circular table; the Chancellor, of course, is seated at the center. Thelonious Jaha has barely been the Chancellor of the Ark for a whole week, and already he must make the toughest decision of his existence: whether to give life…or to take it away.

"Nothing like this has ever happened before…" One member of the Council speaks up, her sullen expression an indication of where her vote will lie.

"True," States another, "However, I don't see why that matters. The rules were set in place to ensure the safety and well-being of our people." He pauses to allow his words to sink in. "If we make an exception to the rule in this case, then…well, then we're making ourselves vulnerable to complete and utter anarchy."

"As much as I hate to say it," The eldest councilman slowly pronounces each of his words, "I have to agree with Councillor Bowman. On an issue such as this, one exception could very well lead to a rebellion, and we cannot afford that. If our people think we've given this family an opportunity the rest of them have not been offered, it will only be a matter of time before we're sitting here again, determining the fate of yet another life."

"So what you're saying, Bartleby, is that you condemn this child to death to save another from the same fate?" The first woman who spoke asks accusingly, narrowing her tired blue eyes in the older gentleman's direction.

"I suppose, Susannah," He returns in the same tone, "That I am saying that."

Susannah shakes her head, "But the child did nothing wrong. I cannot agree to this. I simply can't." She turns her eyes to the other three councilmembers, those who have yet to contribute to the discussion. "And you? Can you agree to snuff out the life of a newborn who hasn't even lived a full day? Is that something you are capable of?"

"What other choice do we have?" One replies, which spurs the others into action, and soon all but the Chancellor are deeply involved in a heated argument.

"We have a choice – that is why we are here right now!"

"The mistake does not lie with the child, or even with the parents, but with the medical staff! There are procedures in place to prevent this exact situation from occurring! If they had properly monitored the mother throughout her pregnancy, and they had scanned her monthly, as they are told to, then they would have seen the second baby sooner, and –"

"And they could have terminated the pregnancy then and there, putting an end to this silly debate. I don't see what more there is to say. The problem was not resolved in utero; therefore, we must solve the problem now. Get rid of the second child."

"Do you hear yourself? Do you even hear what you're saying? What will you do? Place the infant in the outer chambers and float her, like a common criminal? This is madness!"

"Even if we determine that is the only solution; how do we decide which will go? The first-born? Or the second? There is no right way to decide. There is no right answer."

"It doesn't matter which goes. Let the parents decide."

"How can you be so cruel, Gregory?"

"We must do what we must!"

"All right, that's enough." Chancellor Jaha finally raises his voice above the others and quiets them. "That is quite enough. I-I have heard enough. It's time to vote." He can feel his hands shaking, so he places them in his lap and squeezes them together tightly, to still the movement. He can't let his Council see him this shaken. He needs to be strong. "All those in favor of terminating say 'Aye'."

"Aye."

"Aye."

"Aye."

After a short pause, Jaha prompts, "All those against, say 'Nay'."

"Nay."

"Nay."

"Nay."

"The decision goes to you, Chancellor," Gregory Bowman prompts, positive that the Chancellor will decide as he did and he can return to his bed in a timely manner.

This is exactly what Jaha feared most; that the decision would be tied and he would have to decide what is best for not only this suffering family, but for the Ark as a whole. He knew as Chancellor he would have to make tough decisions and be the leader that these people need, but he never thought he'd have a woman on the Ark give birth to twins on his sixth night in power, thus forcing his hand to do what he never thought he could. He knows though, despite the queasy feeling in his gut and the shakiness in his hands and the mantra in his mind telling him not to do this, that he can't let both babies live. He can't allow one family to live happily with two children while the rest are forced to have abortions or face the consequence of their actions, which is to be floated out to space with no protective gear. It is a fate feared by most on the Ark, and it is most frequent cause of death. But can he really condemn a baby to the same fate?

Just as Jaha is about to open his mouth and voice his decision, the sealed doors of the council chamber are opened, and Abigail Griffin staggers inside, pale-faced and wild-eyed. "Please," She begs, hands up in surrender, "Please don't do this. Don't make this call. Don't punish an innocent child for being born. I know what the rules are and I know the consequence. I will take the punishment. Float me. Make it me. Please."

"How dare you interrupt a Council meeting, you –"

The Chancellor holds up his hand for silence and Bartleby closes his mouth. Jaha stares at Abigail for a few moments, his expression entirely unreadable. In truth, he is wondering if there is a way for him to honor Abby's request. He doesn't want to trade her life either, though; she is a very skilled doctor and they need her on the Ark.

When he doesn't immediately deny her request, Abby's chest fills with hope that she might be able to save the lives of her two precious baby girls. She is weak from labor and should really be in bed, but she couldn't sleep, not when she knew the fate of her twins was being decided. She takes the moment of silence as a chance to explain herself further, "I couldn't live with myself if you took one of them away. I would not be able to go on living. Please try to understand. I never suspected. I never even thought for a second I could be carrying two babies inside of me. I had all my monthly scans, exactly as I was supposed to, and nothing was ever picked up. I did some research, using documents recorded on Earth, and there are a few rare cases where a second fetus is not detected in the womb. They call it a hidden twin, and even on an ultrasound it can be difficult to pick up the second baby. If I had known before – before I met my girls, before they were both placed into my arms and imbedded in my heart forever…I can't let you waste one of these lives. Please punish me instead. Do whatever you want to me. Just don't hurt my babies." She bites down on her bottom lip as her eyes fill with tears, but somehow she keeps them from streaking down her face. She hoped that somewhere in the back of his mind, Jaha was thinking of his own wife, whose swollen belly was housing their own child, destined to be born in the next few weeks, and maybe - just maybe - he'd have mercy on her and her newborns.

"Abigail," Chancellor Jaha finally speaks, his voice low and regretful, "Even if we…let you take the child's place, we can't let the twins stay together. It is against the law, and we can't bend the law for your family."

Abby sniffles, "I understand." She steps back, her head hung low in defeat, but then suddenly it snaps back up. "So don't keep them together, then."

"I'm sorry?" Jaha frowns in confusion, "What do you mean by that?"

The young woman squares her shoulders, "I am suggesting that we separate the twins, so that they can both remain alive, and so that no laws are broken. I know each family is only allowed one child…but I also know of a family who couldn't have a child of their own. If they agree, to keep her as their own, to keep the secret of her true identity…can we save my baby's life?" Abby sinks her teeth in her lower lip once more, awaiting an answer from the one man who has the power to grant her request.

Jaha thinks it over, weighing the consequences of each decision in his mind before reaching a conclusion. "All right," the Chancellor decides, "We will separate the twins. One child will remain with you and your husband, and the other will go to…?"

"Ed and Althea Hawthorne," Abby fills in the names of the couple who came to her, desperately wanting a baby, but were unable to conceive due to Althea's uterus being irregularly shaped. She remembers how nice they both were, how respectful Ed was of Althea, and how much love they had for each other. She hopes they will love her daughter as powerfully and unconditionally. "They live in Agro Station."

"Chancellor," Councillor Bowman is flabbergasted by the turn of events, "You can't seriously be considering this. What if the Hawthornes refuse to commit to the child? What if they do commit, but then later confess the truth to the child? What if the children run into each other one day and they figure out the truth? There are too many flaws, too many chances for things to go wrong. And then what?"

Jaha sighs, "That is a problem for another day, Gregory. For now, we will speak to Ed and Althea, and once the child is settled with them, we will all go back to sleep. In the morning, I will come up with a plan to ensure the Griffin twins paths don't cross."

Abigail feels her cheeks dampen from her tears and she smiles at the man who has saved her child, "Thank you, Chancellor. Thank you. Thank you."

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A/N: There you have it, folks! The very first chapter of A Second Chance. I hope you liked it. I know it features neither Clarke nor her twin, Carter, but at least you now know how the twins came to be, and how Abby saved Carter's life. I don't know when Thelonious became Chancellor, so I decided to make that part up. I intend on posting the next chapter, which will be longer, either today or tomorrow. I can guarantee both Carter and Clarke will make appearances then :)

Please review with your feedback! It's really important for me to get your input, so that I can write a story that is as entertaining and addicting to read as it is to write. I am open to your suggestions, and can't wait to hear what you think.

-Sophia