Earthbound

by ELSchaaf

What if Clarke met Bellamy on the Ark? Unity Day. The dance. What if they met then? How could things have been different?

Chapter One

She was curled up in the corner of the couch, humming to herself, as she drew yet another waterfall glowing in the moonlight. With every fiber of her being, Clarke ached to see those images in reality, but she knew that would never happen. It would be another three generations before the earth was survivable again. She would be long gone by then.

The door to the executive common area that the families of the council members shared slid open and Clarke looked up to see Wells enter the room.

"I thought we weren't meeting up until later," she reminded him.

"We weren't," Wells said as he sat down beside her and handed her a package, "But I got you something and I wanted to watch you open it."

"It's not my birthday, though," Clarke said practically.

Wells held out the package and responded, "Here. I don't care if it's your birthday or not. I just wanted you to have this."

She took the package curiously, holding it, squeezing it, shaking it before she looked at Wells with a raised brow and a grin, "More art supplies?"

"Open it," he smiled, "You'll find out soon enough."

With excited anticipation, she ripped into the package and saw that he'd gotten her a set of books about Earth along with some drafting pens.

"So you can make maps," he explained, "I know your dad's been teaching you how."

A squeal of delight escaped her and she hugged him impulsively. "How do you always manage to choose such amazing gifts?"

Pleased with her enthusiasm, Wells shrugged, "Being the chancellor's son definitely helps."

Clarke laughed and shook her head. She looked at the time suddenly and said, "We should go to the Unity Day dance, pretend it's my birthday party."

Skepticism drew Wells's dark, full lips into a frown and he asked with displeasure, "What for? We're the outcasts, remember? The Ark royalty, or so they say. Why would we want to go and open ourselves up to criticism and scorn?"

"Because it's a masquerade, Wells. How's anyone gonna know it's us? Maybe we can actually meet some people who wouldn't mind who we are with our masks off," Clarke replied frankly.

She'd been anticipating this opportunity for some time now. As soon as it was announced that not only would there be the usual Unity Day interpretive performance by the smaller children but also a dance for the youth, Clarke had gotten excited.

Every day in their classes, she heard the whispers from the other kids about her being the Ark's princess with Wells as her prince. How they were too good to socialize with the rest of them or find their way to the less prestigious stations.

It bothered Clarke more than she cared to admit. So when she'd heard about the opportunity to spend time anonymously among her peers, she'd gone into her mother's trunk of treasures, passed down from her mother and her mother's mother, and had found the beautiful antique jester's mask that was leftover from a time long gone. A time when people still lived on earth.

As she'd held it up to her face and looked at herself in the mirror, a hopeful smile had pulled at her lips and she'd decided right then and there that the Unity Day dance was going to be her chance to change things, to meet new people, make new friends.

"I don't care if anyone likes us or not," Wells responded, interrupting her thoughts. "As long as I have you."

Clarke shook her head. "That's not a good philosophy to live by, Wells. Don't be ridiculous. I know you get lonely just like I do."

"Maybe," Wells shrugged, "But that still doesn't mean I want to go to that dance."

"Fine," Clarke responded stubbornly as she rose and put down her art supplies and new books on the small table in front of her, "Stay here. I'll go on my own."

"Clarke, stop," Wells began but Clarke interrupted.

"Can't stop! Got a party to get ready for," she said, facing him, her back to the door, a sly grin on her face, "You coming or not?"

Wells shook his head stubbornly. "I told you. I'm not going."

With a shrug, Clarke turned and waited as the door slid open again, tossing over her shoulder, "Fine by me! I'll fill you in on all my observations tomorrow."

Because that was what she intended to do more than anything. Observe. Observe and interact, but only if the right situation presented itself.

Clarke loved to watch and learn and other than in her classes, she hadn't had nearly enough opportunities to be around other young people. They teased her relentlessly during her studies and she had no idea how to behave around them outside of that environment.

In truth, other than Wells, she either spent her time alone or with the adults of the ark. Not just any adults, either. The ones in leadership.

It was tough in some ways to be the child of the head doctor and the head engineer, both of whom were on the council. Kids tended to believe she'd be likely to turn them in for the tiniest little infraction they might commit. And in some instances they'd be right. So outside of taunting her, the other young people avoided her.

But Clarke was more her father's daughter than many people supposed, and her father had spent many an evening with her discussing the difference between following rules and doing what's right, making sure she knew that the two weren't always the same.

Clarke had witnessed this for herself on more than one occasion. She'd seen a parent floated after taking an extra dinner roll for his still-hungry daughter who had dared to cry after a meal because she was too young to understand the necessity of rations. And she'd seen a small child thrown into lockup when she'd pounded her tiny fists against a guard's stomach while screaming hysterically after watching her parents be executed.

Every "crime" was punishable by death and it made Clarke's stomach turn to think too hard about it. She'd learned about the sanctity of life in her talks with her father and had seen the truth of it in her work as an apprentice to her mother.

Although, at the same time, she'd also learned that her mother didn't necessarily share her father's philosophy. She'd been present when her mother had recorded and reported an illegal pregnancy. The woman had been a seamstress and had somehow managed to deactivate the mandatory birth control implant, or so her mother had said. The seamstress had sworn that it must have somehow simply failed.

Either way, the woman who had been brought in for vertigo and syncope had lost her life the very next day.

Clarke had talked to her father for hours about what had happened afterward, sobbing in his arms about the injustice. In the end, he'd again spoken to her about rules versus the right thing to do and at the same time he'd instilled in her the utopian dream of Earth.

He'd told her that not only had there once been an abundant supply of food, water, and oxygen on Earth but there'd also been no need for such rules as the ones that regulated life on the Ark. He'd said that if everyone had all learned to live together on Earth as we had on the Ark, there never would have been a need for the Ark in the first place. Mankind could have been following their hearts on the ground rather than being exiled in space to follow aggressively rigid rules that often killed the very life the space station so desperately sought to preserve.

As she rummaged through her belongings for the antique jester's mask she'd set aside for herself, Clarke thought about how glad she was for her father's lesson. How much she appreciated that he'd always treated her as an equal, giving her the truth as he saw it rather than trying to shield her from the contradictions that made up much of their existence.

Wells didn't seem to understand or live by the ideology Clarke had adopted from her father. He clung instead to the ideals of his own father, the chancellor.

Chancellor Jaha was a good man, but he was flawed just like everyone else. And he held fast to the rules, the laws that had been implemented generations before when the survivors of the nuclear apocalypse had first found themselves stranded in space.

A shadow clouded Clarke's usually clear blue eyes as she fixed the old-fashioned black and blue sequined mardis gras mask over them and critiqued her appearance in the mirror. Then she sighed as her thoughts once again returned to the chancellor's son.

Wells had been her best friend for as long as she could remember. She knew he loved her and the older they got, the more sure Clarke was that Wells was hoping to someday build that friendship into something more.

She was just as sure, though, that she'd never be able to give that to him. She could never be with someone in that way who so adamantly disagreed with the ideals that had become fundamental to her existence.

After glancing one last time at her image, Clarke took a deep breath, calmed her nerves, and took a determined step toward the door. It was time for her to branch out, prove she wasn't just the princess everyone thought she was. She had a big heart, a sharp mind, and more unshakable tenacity than the most headstrong strategists the ark had ever seen. All she needed was this opportunity to let her sparkling personality shine.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

The last year had been increasingly hard on Bellamy Blake. His training for the guard had been stepped up a few notches; it had become nearly impossible to keep Octavia a secret or get her to go along with continuing to hide under the floorboards during inspections; and their mother had been floated before Bellamy had found out what crime she had committed. Once he knew, he became angry with her. She had known better than to allow herself to get pregnant again.

Now the rations for two that had always been split three ways had become rations for one that were being split two ways. Octavia continued to grow and need new clothing but their mother was no longer available to make the necessary items that would be questioned if Bellamy dared request them from someone else.

But Bellamy made do with what he had and he gave Octavia the best life he could. She was all that mattered to him. She was the only thing that had ever mattered. Since the day she'd been born.

From that moment on, Bellamy had given up his friends. He couldn't risk them finding out about his sister, having the council learn of her existence, punishing her for being alive.

He'd brought whatever books he could get his hands on home when he'd been studying so that he could show them to Octavia. Read them to her. Teach her from them. He'd known that she needed an education and he'd done what he could to provide it.

It hadn't been his choice to have a sister but he'd always known that she was his responsibility and no one else's. Their mother had done everything she could to give her children the best she could offer and that had often meant that she spent little time actually with them.

Bellamy didn't know what his mother had done besides sewing to keep them well-informed of all things security-related or to keep them supplied with enough materials and goods to make sure their physical needs were met. He had his suspicions, of course, but he had no desire for them to be confirmed.

All he knew was that she'd left him alone with Octavia and he often felt guilty for being grateful that his mother had been floated before she could leave him with another sibling to take care of as well.

He had no idea who his own father was, let alone who Octavia's father was or who had fathered the fetus whose existence had caused their mother's death. And for the most part, he didn't care. Whoever this man or these men were had abandoned them.

It was because of that as well as all the other bitter little life lessons he'd learned by silently studying the contradiction between his mother's words and her actions that he'd determined that he would never allow himself to need another person again. As long as he had Octavia, he had a purpose and that was good enough for him.

His mother had taught him to be good but what he'd seen from her had skewed the definition of that term. So instead of following the "be a good and responsible boy" motto that she'd drilled into him, he had started to make his own rules. And rule number one was to somehow provide Octavia with the happiness, with the joy of life that he'd never found for himself.

With that thought in mind, he returned to their quarters during the fifteen minute break he'd been given prior to the Unity Day dance and softly called her name as soon as the door had been securely closed behind him.

"Octavia." His voice was both urgent and excited and his smile was genuine when she popped up from beneath the bunk that had so often become her haven.

"What's up, big brother? Why are you here in the middle of your shift?" Octavia asked him curiously.

"I'm here to get you," he answered with a grin, "How would you like to go to the Unity Day dance?"

Octavia's entire countenance lit up and her jaw dropped open. She squealed in delight and bounced up and down, looking at him with the most heartbreakingly hopeful expression he'd ever seen. "Do you really mean it? You'd better not be teasing. But how?"

The words rushed out of her so fast that he knew he'd made the right decision. He rested his hands on her shoulders and said with smug satisfaction, "Come on, O. Do you really think I'd tease you like that? Of course you're going. Everyone will be in masks. No one will know who you are. And I'll be there to keep an eye on you."

Instantaneously, Octavia's arms flew around Bellamy's neck and hugged him in what nearly amounted to a choke-hold. He coughed a bit and she loosened her grip slightly but refused to let him go.

"You are the best big brother ever," she whispered against his ear, "I'm never gonna let you go."

Pleased, Bellamy laughed, a sound that only Octavia ever got to hear. He shook his head and gently disentangled her from his arms, setting her back a little ways before joking, "You're gonna have to let me go if Cinderella is going to make it to her ball."

Immediately, Octavia was looking around the room, trying to find the storage bin with the leftover scraps of material their mother had always kept.

"But Bell, what am I going to use for a mask?"

Bellamy reached into one of the deep pockets of his standard guard uniform pants and pulled out what looked like a mosaic papier mache mask and handed it to her.

"Here you go," he said almost shyly.

She took it from him and looked at the beautiful creation in awe. She was about to ask where it had come from but didn't get the chance.

"Now come on. There's something I want to show you and we're running late already. If I get in trouble and get kicked off the guard, your cover will be blown."

Octavia nodded and slipped the mask into place, trustingly following her brother to the door. When he opened it, he checked the corridor to make sure all was clear and then motioned his head to signal for her to follow him.

It took a few moments for Octavia to work up the courage to leave the only room she'd ever known. But when she did, there was such a sense of freedom that filled her that she nearly pranced after Bellamy, ready to spin herself in giddy circles.

On the way to the social lounge, Bellamy stopped at a viewport and waved a hand toward it, stepping aside so that Octavia could see out.

"Oh my god, Bell!" she breathed, "Everything is so beautiful! How will I ever go back to being cooped up in our quarters again?"

Her words caused Bellamy's heart to skip a panicked beat as he looked around to make sure no one else had heard them. He only saw a single soul, a girl coming toward them wearing a beautifully constructed mask of her own. After calculating her distance with how distracted she appeared, Bellamy relaxed a little and breathed a sigh of relief. There was no way she could have heard. He was sure of it.

The girl passed them, humming a simple tune to herself, looking almost angelic with her wavy blonde locks floating down past her shoulders and halfway down her back. The ridiculous joker's mask she wore brought out the blue in her eyes and for a moment, Bellamy almost found himself mesmerized. But then she disappeared from view and he heard Octavia snicker.

He turned and scowled at her as he grabbed her hand and said brusquely, "Come on, like I said, we're gonna be late."

Chapter Two

The social lounge was filled with wall to wall teenagers dancing, laughing, and having the time of their lives. The atmosphere on the Ark had never been quite so joyous or relaxed.

Clarke couldn't keep the grin off her face as she watched everything going on around her. She stood near the entrance, clapping and bouncing on the balls of her feet, mask firmly in place when someone bumped her shoulder. She glanced in that direction, expecting to see another party-goer and was prepared to graciously accept some sort of apology for the jostling but what she saw instead was the guard cadet she'd passed in the corridor.

With a slight frown, Clarke tapped the young man on the shoulder and said, her indignation barely restrained, "Excuse me. I don't know if you realize this but you just bumped into me."

The youthful guard quirked a brow at her for a brief moment before watching the crowd again. Without looking at her, he said dismissively, "There are people everywhere. Everyone's bound to get nudged at least a few times."

"But don't you think the tiniest apology might be in order if you are aware that you practically bulldozed someone?" Clarke demanded, refusing to let the matter go.

"Bulldozed?" Now it was both eyebrows that shot up. "You seriously just escalated a shoulder bump into being bulldozed? Someone needs to practice her synonyms."

Blue eyes narrowed to slits, glaring at the guard through the mask that made the action appear that much more intense.

"I'll have you know - "

Her words were cut off, though. The dance had barely begun and the klaxon was going off to indicate that everyone must immediately be accounted for, which meant having their ship ID out and taking their masks off as well.

Clarke pulled out her ID to show to the guard beside her, the one she'd just been arguing with, hoping she could somehow get away with keeping her mask on. She didn't want him or anyone else to find out who she was.

But he was distracted. He wasn't paying any attention to her ID, let alone whether or not she was still wearing her mask. Instead, he was scanning the crowd, looking panicked.

"Who are you looking for?" Clarke asked curiously.

He looked startled when he glanced at her, as if he'd forgotten she was there. And there was something else behind his eyes. Something she certainly hadn't expected to see. There was fear. A deep, soul-searing, mind-numbing panic that had clearly frozen him in place.

The sight caught at Clarke's natural empathy for others and made her think of her purpose for being there. She'd told Wells that she was hoping to make some new friends. If anyone had ever needed a friend more than her, she thought, it was clearly the distraught cadet standing beside her.

Without realizing what she was truly saying, she caught his gaze and said with calm certainty, "I can help you. Just tell me who we're looking for."

After a moment's hesitation during which he saw more and more guards flooding to the area for the security check, Bellamy finally gave a curt nod and answered in a deep voice that was almost inaudible, "My sister."

Now it was Clarke's turn to look shocked. But there was no time to ask questions. She saw the moment he found his sister in the crowd and she noticed the slicked back lieutenant of the guard that was approaching her.

Immediately, Clarke ripped the mask from her face and in less than ten steps had put herself between the guard and the cadet's sister.

"There you are!" she exclaimed as she grabbed the girl's arm and spoke to her in the most girly, carefree manner she could muster, "You know you left your ID in my quarters when we were getting ready, right?"

Wide, grey eyes stared back at her in terror, mouth gaping open before she was able to recover herself and nod. "Um...yeah. You're right...I meant to grab it but…"

Clarke grinned and linked their arms, turning to the lieutenant, handing him her ID.

"Clarke Griffin. My mom is chief medical. My dad is chief engineer. They're both on the council. You can check with them to verify if you need to."

After checking Clarke's ID and handing it back to her, the guard dismissed them and Clarke hurried with the other girl back to the corner where she'd last seen the cadet.

Bellamy had seen the whole encounter and heard bits and pieces of it on his radio. He was stunned. As soon as the girl, Clarke, and his sister approached, he ushered them out the door and down the corridor. None of them spoke until they reached the quarters he shared with Octavia.

Once the door was sealed shut behind them, Clarke turned and asked Bellamy directly, "You have a sister?"

He took a few deep breaths to calm his heart rate, then sighed before nodding in resignation and defeat.

"But...how?" Clarke questioned softly, meaning it to be a rhetorical question.

"How do you think?" Bellamy asked, his voice raspy, his tone irritated. "Your mom's a doctor, right? I'm sure she's taught you how things work."

Flustered, Clarke's eyes sharpened, then narrowed. "Of course. But everyone's supposed to have an implant. Birth control is essential for population control."

"You sound just like them," Bellamy spat bitterly.

"Stop!" Octavia cried out, "Just stop, ok?" She turned to her brother and said earnestly, "Bell, she helped us. She helped us when she didn't have to. Do you want her to change her mind and turn us in?"

Bellamy looked hesitant, almost apologetic until Clarke broke in to say, "I'm not going to turn you in. I'm just trying to understand. She did have an implant, didn't she?"

"It malfunctioned," Bellamy responded bitterly, "Twice. The second time they found out and she got floated."

Blinking, Clarke processed this information slowly. When all the pieces slid into place, her mouth dropped open in horror.

"My mom. My mom recorded the test results. She reported them to the council. It's her fault your mom was floated."

Octavia looked back and forth between her brother and the girl who had saved them, watching as they stared each other down until, finally, Clarke spoke again.

"I'm sorry. We should have done more tests, checked the functionality of her implant. My mom should have done more to keep your mom alive."

"You're doing something to keep us alive now," Octavia stated while Bellamy remained silent. She stepped between her brother and the girl so she could hold her hand out to their new friend. "I'm Octavia. My brother's Bellamy."

Taking the offered hand and shaking it firmly, Clarke smiled and responded, "Clarke. Clarke Griffin. It's nice to meet you."

"O, we're in serious trouble here if she turns us in," Bellamy stressed, brown eyes intense as they searched his sister's.

"I'm not going to turn you in," Clarke responded, not giving Octavia a chance to say anything else. "I can help. I want to help." She paused for a moment before adding softly, "Please. Let me help."

It was then that Bellamy's eyes finally met Clarke's and held them. It was then that he nodded slowly, responding to her as he had in the social lounge.

"Ok. You can help. But how do you propose that you do that?"

"I can bring extra rations, clothes, whatever you need," Clarke answered.

"You can really do that?" Octavia asked incredulously.

Clarke nodded. "That and probably more."

"And what do you want in return?" Bellamy asked skeptically.

"Nothing," Clarke responded with a shake of her head.

"Yeah, right," Bellamy scoffed. "There's no such thing as something for nothing."

"All right, then," Clarke said with just a moment of thought, "Friendship. Respect. Think you can do that?" she challenged.

Bellamy blinked, wondering scornfully if this girl was for real. But then he saw Octavia's pleading eyes and he gave in immediately.

"Fine. Octavia needs a friend anyway."

"What about you?" Clarke prompted.

Octavia again begged her brother with a glance but this time his only response was a noncommittal, "We'll see."

"Good enough," Clarke answered with a small, satisfied smile.

Later, when she was back in her own quarters, Clarke mentally reviewed everything that had happened and found herself wishing she could tell Wells about it. She knew she couldn't, though. Wells was far too committed to the rules. He'd tell his father about Bellamy and Octavia for sure. And then for all she knew, all three of them - herself included - would find themselves floated, or in lock-up if they were lucky.

Clarke shook her head and cleared her mind of thoughts of Wells although not before wondering if she might not eventually be trading a lifelong friend for two new friends, one of whom didn't even like her.

A frown drew her brows together and pulled her lips downward. Bellamy. He was an enigma to her. All stoic and serious. But the sheer terror on his face when he thought that Octavia was about to be found out spoke of something more. He was devoted to his sister in a way that Clarke had never seen, never experienced before...except maybe with Wells.

Wells tried to protect her, gave her things she wouldn't normally have been able to obtain, and did so just because he knew it would make her happy. Was her relationship with Wells what having a brother would be like?

She'd often wondered about the time in humanity's history when such strict population control hadn't been necessary. Would she still have been an only child? Would her parents have wanted a second baby?

Somehow, Clarke couldn't really see herself as an older sister to anyone. For that matter, she wasn't sure she ever wanted to be a mother, either. What she did know, though, was that Bellamy had made her think that having an older sibling might not have been half bad.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

On a completely different station, Bellamy and Octavia were having an argument about Clarke's involvement in their lives.

Octavia was ecstatic that there was someone near her age who knew of her existence. She voiced enthusiastically her desire to get to know Clarke and spend time with her. She also wouldn't shut up about how amazing Clarke had been when she'd saved her from being exposed by the guard at the party. As far as Octavia was concerned, Clarke had become her hero. A sentiment that Bellamy was anything but pleased with.

"What makes you think she's actually going to keep her word?" Bellamy asked, arms crossed stubbornly over his chest as he narrowed his stern gaze at his younger sister.

"Because she said she would," Octavia responded defiantly, "What reason would she have for making promises like that if she didn't intend to follow through?"

Bellamy knew that what he was about to say was going to hurt but he had to point out the obvious. It was his duty to be blunt and rational. Octavia had no idea what she was talking about and being idealistic would never get her anywhere.

"Mom made promises, O. Did she follow through?"

Just as he'd expected, Octavia's face fell and she wrapped her arms around her middle in a self-comforting gesture.

"That's not the same thing," she protested weakly.

"It is and you know it," Bellamy insisted. "We don't know if we can trust her and we sure as hell don't know if we can count on her. So plan on things continuing on the same way they have been. Then if she shows up, you can be pleasantly surprised instead of being disappointed when she stays away and protects herself instead of helping us."

Not wanting to fight anymore, Octavia acquiesced, "Fine. But when she does show up, I'm so gonna say I told you so."

Bellamy chuckled softly and pulled Octavia into a warm hug, murmuring against her hair, "I'm glad you didn't get caught tonight, O. And I'm just as glad that you finally got to have a little fun."

Octavia pulled back so she could look up at him with a grin, "Me too. If it weren't for that guard, I'd be begging to sneak out all the time now."

Laughing and pulling her in again briefly, Bellamy shook his head and said, "You'll be the death of me yet, kid."

Chapter Three

Several weeks into their new arrangement, Bellamy came back from his duty shift to find Clarke and Octavia lying on their stomachs on the bed, facing each other, apparently giggling over everything and nothing at all.

He smiled at them after swinging the door shut and asked with soft amusement in his deep voice, "What's going on in here? Something entertaining I should know about?"

"Nothing you'd be interested in, Bell," Octavia informed him boldly, then teased, "At least, not unless you're interested in our ratings of the most attractive guys on the Ark."

"Oh god," Bellamy chuckled, shaking his head as he pulled out a chair and took a seat at the small table in the kitchen area of the one-room apartment.

Clarke grinned at his response and changed the subject, studying him intently as she asked, "How was your day?"

His gaze moved to hers and closed off some as he shrugged, "Same as always I guess."

"Do you ever look at the bright side of anything?" Clarke asked curiously.

Her interested eyes were locked onto his face and he quickly became uncomfortable. He cleared his throat, saying firmly, "No," before looking down at the table and away.

Octavia rolled her eyes and sat up, bumping Clarke's arm as she said in a teasing stage whisper, "Ignore him. He's just a grump because he doesn't have a friend to call his own."

"O," Bellamy groaned in warning but before he could say anything more, Clarke had hopped off the bed and headed to the door.

"I'll be back tomorrow, Octavia," she said, giving Bellamy a shy smile as she passed him, "See ya, Bell."

"Later, Clarke," Bellamy answered.

Once she was gone, Octavia moved to Bellamy's side and punched him in the shoulder.

"Hey!" he protested, "What was that for?"

"That was for making Clarke uncomfortable. I wasn't ready for her to go yet," Octavia responded.

"Sorry," Bellamy mumbled. He was quiet a few moments before he said, "She makes me uncomfortable, too. I'm still not sure we can trust her, O."

"We can trust her, Bell," Octavia insisted, "We can. I know we can."

Bellamy sighed and changed the subject, "There's supposed to be an inspection sometime in the next couple days. Be extra careful, ok?"

"Yeah, ok," Octavia shrugged, moving to the sink to wash her hands as she asked over her shoulder, "What do you want for dinner?"

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

"Clarke," Wells called softly to her when he saw her cross in front of the entry to the executive lounge.

She paused and looked inside, seeing him there as if he were waiting for her.

"What's going on, Wells? Shouldn't you be having dinner with your family?" she asked as she entered the lounge and moved toward him.

Wells shook his head and answered, "The council is meeting."

"What?" Clarke's brow furrowed in surprise as she sat down next to him, "But I thought they weren't due to meet again for another two weeks."

"They weren't," Wells responded seriously. "Your dad came in just as my mom was putting dinner in the oven and said he needed to meet with the council right away."

"Did he say what it was about?" Clarke asked curiously.

"No," Wells said quietly before changing the subject, "Where were you, Clarke? Where have you been disappearing to every day as soon as our studies are over?"

Clarke looked away before responding vaguely, "I told you. I have a new friend I've been spending time with."

There was silence between them for a few moments before Wells said softly, "Just don't forget the friend you've had forever, ok?"

With a smile, Clarke squeezed Wells's shoulder and reassured him, "Never."

She rose and made her way to her family's quarters where she found everything completely silent and nothing even remotely started in the way of a meal. Which meant she was on her own for dinner.

A sigh escaped Clarke's lips as she set about making herself something to eat. She was used to it. She was often left to her own devices. How could she not be when her father was the chief engineer and her mother was the chief surgeon?

By the time she'd eaten and cleaned up her mess, Clarke was tired and ready to turn in. She changed and settled herself on her bunk with a notepad and her favorite pencil. Her sketch was just starting to take shape when she heard her parents come in. They were talking in hushed tones but something she heard them say caught her attention.

"Abby, the people deserve to know."

"No, Jake. They'll riot. We have no options. None that are sane anyway. If we're going to tell them, we at least need to be able to offer them some hope."

"That's what we're trying to do, Abby," the insistent voice of Clarke's father continued, "They need to know, though, that there's no future for us up here. The only way we have a chance of surviving is if we send a team to the ground."

"Going to the ground is suicide, Jake." Clarke's mother sounded desperate.

Clarke put her pencil down to listen more closely.

"So is staying here."

At that point, the voices moved away, presumably into the bedroom. Neither one of them so much as came to check on Clarke, see if she was there.

Over and over again, Clarke played her parents words through her mind. What could it all mean? The ground? The Ark was suicide? What the hell was going on?!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

The next day, Clarke was making her way to the Blakes' apartment when she heard voices coming from that direction and stopped short. Hiding around the corner, she again found herself listening to a conversation she wasn't privy to and this one made her even more upset than the one the night before had.

"I should float you right now," came the voice of a guard that Clarke couldn't quite identify. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't."

"My mother's already been floated," came the scared but defiant words of Clarke's new friend. "Why should I be floated just for being alive? It's not like I had a choice in being born!"

"I'm not so sure the chancellor would see it that way," the guard threatened, "And then, of course, there's the matter of your brother. He could have come forward, told us the truth about you. Especially after, as you said, your mother was floated. That makes him a co-conspirator in this treachery."

Clarke's eyes widened and she covered her mouth with her hand to stifle the gasp that tried to escape her. She had to do something. She had to save her friends. But how?

Instead of staying to listen further, she turned and stumbled back down the corridor, heading for her quarters. She needed time to think. She knew she couldn't handle this alone, that she had to tell someone else. But she also owed it to Octavia and Bellamy to make sure that whoever she told wouldn't end up making things worse.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Two hours later, she wasn't any closer to figuring out a solution and she was worried about her friends.

Clarke got up and strode with purpose toward the door. First things first. She needed to check on Octavia and Bellamy. Make sure they were ok. Then maybe they could brainstorm together to figure out how to fix this mess.

It took her several minutes to weave her way between stations before finally making it to the big heavy metal door to the Blake's apartment. She pounded out the coded knock they'd come up with and waited for one of them to let her in.

She was surprised when it took no time at all for Bellamy to open the door, pull her inside, and slam the door closed again. Immediately, he stalked across the room and sat on the bed, elbows on his knees, and looked down at the floor.

"We have a problem."

"I know," Clarke said in response.

Bellamy looked up at her incredulously as she came closer.

"You know?" he asked, "What do you mean, you know?"

Octavia emerged from beneath the floorboards where she typically hid during the inspections. She was just in time to see her brother surge to his feet and grab Clarke by the shoulders.

"Did you tell someone about us? Is that why there was an inspection today? Huh? TELL ME!"

"Bell!" Octavia cried out, rushing forward, "Don't! It's not Clarke's fault, ok? She wouldn't do that to us!"

"You sure?" Bellamy scoffed, looking over at his sister before glaring back down at Clarke in front of him, "Because I'm not. Sixteen years we've been able to keep ahead of the inspections. Then we let her into our lives and now we're caught and you might get floated just for being alive."

Before either of them could say anything else, Clarke exclaimed, "That's why I'm here! I tried to come by earlier and they were here."

"You mean you're the reason they were here," Bellamy accused, still not letting go of her arms.

"NO," Clarke stated firmly. "I didn't know they were here. I didn't send them. But I heard them. I heard them and I knew you were both in trouble." She turned toward Octavia and gave her a look of concern. "Are you ok? Did they hurt you?"

"I'm fine," Octavia assured her. "But we need to talk." She looked at her brother and ordered sternly, "Bell, let her go."

Bellamy was reluctant at first. He glared daggers down at Clarke while Clarke held his gaze both confidently and calmly, simply waiting for him to trust her enough to let her go.

A battle raged inside him but eventually he did let her go and sank back to the bed with a miserable sigh.

Octavia leaned against the end of the bed and Clarke sat on the edge of the table. The two girls alternated looking at each other and at the now silent Bellamy who stared sullenly down at his shoes.

"So," Clarke started since no one else was speaking, "What are we going to do?"

"I vote for not letting me get floated," Octavia answered wryly, "or put in the box."

The sky box. Would they really put Octavia in the sky box just for existing? Of course, if they'd float her for the same...Clarke shook her head.

"Bellamy," she began, "did they say how they're going to discipline you for hiding O?"

He started to shake his head but then stopped and said, "They made me an offer. One they don't think I can refuse."

Octavia was immediately alert and looked over at her big brother in alarm. "What do you mean, Bell? What kind of an offer?"

His silence spoke volumes. Clarke knew he didn't trust her and wasn't convinced that she hadn't turned them in. He'd never say a word unless she convinced him she wasn't out to destroy them.

Suddenly, Clarke said, "There's something going on within the council."

Bellamy and Octavia both looked over at her, one with wariness in his expression, the other with anticipation of what more she might say.

"I heard my parents talking last night. They said that staying on the Ark is suicide. I don't know what that means exactly but they were saying the only way to survive would be to send a group to the ground," Clarke continued.

"The ground?!" Bellamy exclaimed, "THAT would be suicide!"

With a shrug, Clarke added, "Maybe. But if it came down to a choice between dying in space and dying on earth, I know which one I'd take."

"Me too," Octavia said firmly.

Bellamy shook his head as if he couldn't quite believe what both girls were saying. Then he slowly looked up and caught Clarke's gaze. "Wait a minute. Your dad."

Clarke studied him carefully and asked, "What about my dad?"

"Your dad is Jake Griffin. Chief engineer. Right?"

There was something in his voice that spoke of urgency and Clarke nodded.

He took a deep breath and held it for a few moments before expelling it slowly with a whistle.

"What is it, Bell?" Octavia asked, her brow furrowed as she glanced at her brother curiously.

"My restitution for hiding you. I was told I need to kill Jake Griffin."

Bright blue eyes flew open as Clarke gasped. "My dad? Why would anyone want to kill my dad?"

"My guess," Bellamy speculated, "Someone knows whatever it is that your dad found out, why the Ark isn't viable anymore. And they don't want it getting out to the people."

"But," Clarke protested, "That doesn't make any sense."

"Sure it does," Octavia responded, sitting down on the bed next to her brother. "Whoever it is doesn't want the people to know about the danger."

"Why, though?" Clarke asked, not understanding why anyone would want to hold that information back.

"To take control of the transport," Bellamy answered, "Decide who goes down. Who lives. Who dies."

"So this is all connected," Clarke whispered to herself. After a few moments of speculating silently, Clarke said aloud with confidence and determination. "We have to tell my dad."

A lengthy debate ensued regarding just how feasible that might be, the pros and cons of it. But in the end, Clarke's determination and her insistence that her dad would be on their side when it came to Octavia won the other girl over. Which meant her brother had no choice but to give in as well.

"These are our lives at stake, Clarke," he said seriously, "I hope you know what you're doing."

In truth, she hoped she did, too. But there was no other reasonable option and the decision had already been made. As far as she was concerned, it was too late to back out now.

Chapter Four

It took most of the next day for Clarke to find a time to speak to her father alone. Even then, she hung back, standing tentatively in the doorway, until he finally noticed her and beckoned her to join him.

"What's up, Sweetheart?" he asked pleasantly as he continued studying the plans laid out in front of him.

Clarke was silent for a few moments. Long enough for Jake to look up at her questioningly, giving his daughter the benefit of his full attention.

"Clarke?"

"There's something I need to talk to you about, Dad," Clarke began, forcing herself to breathe evenly around the fear welling inside her.

"All right," Jake responded, setting aside the blueprints he'd been studying and leaning back against the table with his arms folded across his chest. "I'm listening, Sweetheart. What is it?"

"You're in danger," his daughter said bluntly, taking him completely by surprise. She clenched her fists at her sides to keep them from trembling as she continued, "Someone on the Ark wants you dead."

"What?" Jake asked, startled. His brow furrowed and his piercing blue eyes narrowed on his only child. "Why in the world would you think that, Clarke?"

She hesitated a moment, trying to decide how to phrase her response, then just said, "A friend. Someone is trying to make a deal with him. It's complicated, Dad, but he was asked to kill you in exchange for keeping a secret for him."

Jake looked at his daughter with some confusion as he asked, "A friend? Do you mean Wells? What kind of secret - "

"No, Dad," Clarke interrupted, shaking her head forcefully, "Not Wells. A new friend. One I met at the masquerade."

She stopped him before he could start asking questions about this new development. "It's not important who he is. What's important is that he's a trainee in the guard and he was asked to kill you to protect his secret. And it's a big secret dad. If it got out, two people who don't deserve it would probably get floated."

The urgency in her voice was clear to Jake as he studied his daughter thoughtfully.

"Well," he spoke slowly, "do you think your friend would be willing to tell you who it was that asked him to kill me so that we can look into it?"

Clarke's response was carefully calculated as she said, "I think so. But if his information turns out to be true, he'd want something in return."

"Oh?" Jake asked, his brows rising as he wondered if Clarke was speaking on behalf of the boy or if she was looking out for her friend's best interests without his knowledge.

With only a moment's hesitation, Clarke forged on. "Dad. I know the Ark is dying. And I know the Council is looking at sending a group to the ground to see if there's any chance that it's habitable."

"Clarke," Jake said in surprise, "How could you - "

"I overheard you and mom arguing about it," Clarke interrupted him, "You thought I was asleep. It was after the last Council meeting. I was in my room but I wasn't asleep. I heard everything."

Jake took this in, nodding before he let out a huff of warm air. "Clarke, that is some very dangerous information you're now privy to. You haven't shared it with your friend, have you?"

Clarke missed a mere half a beat before she answered, "I trust him. He won't tell anyone else what we know."

"I hope you're sure about that, Honey," Jake said softly, sincerely, "I'd hate to see you in danger over something I should have been able to protect you from."

"Don't worry about it, Dad," Clarke assured him, "I'll make sure nothing gets out. You just make sure you stay safe, ok?"

With an affectionate nod and smile, Jake agreed. "All right. You find out what your friend knows and I'll talk to Thelonius about an appropriate reward package should this threat turn out to be real."

"Thank you," Clarke smiled, throwing her arms around her father and squeezing him tight, "Thank you for treating me like an adult even if I'm not officially eighteen yet."

Jake chuckled, "No problem, Sweetie. I've always known that you were more mature than other kids your age."

Clarke kissed her father's cheek and headed for the door, calling out over her shoulder, "I'll be back before dinner!"

"See you then," Jake said distractedly, already thinking about who might want him dead and what kind of secret this new friend of Clarke's might be keeping.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

When Clarke arrived back to the Blakes' cabin, she used the secret knock they'd created to let them know that it was her and then waited for one of them to let her in.

Bellamy cracked the door open just wide enough for him to grasp Clarke's arm and pull her inside before he closed and locked the door again.

He looked panicked. A lot more panicked than Octavia did. And his voice was filled with anxiety when he demanded gruffly, "Well? What did he say? Are O and I headed to the Skybox?"

Clarke smiled as reassuringly as she could and shook her head, "No, Bellamy. Nobody's headed to the Skybox. I didn't even mention O to him yet." She turned and looked at Octavia for a moment before glancing back at Bellamy. "He's interested in your information. He wants to know who wants him killed. And he's willing to go to the Council to negotiate a reward package for you if he finds out the plot is for real."

"A reward package?" Bellamy scoffed, "Why would I want a reward package? I just want to survive, keep my job, and be able to keep taking care of O."

"Then that's the reward package we ask for, Bell," Octavia spoke up before Clarke could respond.

Nodding in agreement, Clarke added, "And we do one better. We get you each a spot on the drop ship."

"Why would we want to do that?" Bellamy asked, his expression one of disbelief mixed with defiance. "Why wouldn't we want to wait until the surface is cleared as survivable first?"

"Because," Clarke said with a gleam in her clear blue eyes, "after I heard about the situation with the Ark, I started looking into the logistics of getting us all to the ground." She paused and made sure she gained eye contact with each of them before continuing, "Well, it turns out that the Ark is a lot like the Titanic. You remember that story from our history lessons?"

"Yeah, I know the Titanic," Bellamy said impatiently, then remembered to prompt his sister by telling her, "Remember, O? The ship they said couldn't sink? The one that hit an iceberg and sank to the bottom of the North Atlantic on its maiden voyage?"

Octavia hesitated but nodded, blinking in confusion as she turned to Clarke, "But what does that have to do with the Ark?"

"The lifeboats," Bellamy said suddenly, putting two and two together, looking to Clarke for confirmation of his guess. "There aren't enough exodus ships for everyone on the Ark to make it to the ground."

"Right," Clarke nodded, her jaw clenched with her determination not to show how much that thought scared her. "I want to be on that first drop ship. With my mom. Maybe my dad. And both of you. To make sure that we all have the best chance possible of actually making it to the ground. Of surviving."

Bellamy and Octavia stared at each other, communicating back and forth with just their eyes, until finally they both nodded in agreement.

"Ok," Bellamy began, "I'll tell you. But the commander may not be the one who wants your father dead. He could just be the middleman." He stopped and shook his head, studying Clarke's face intently before continuing, "If that's the case, arresting him could cause more problems for you, your father, and both of us. Possibly even the Ark as a whole."

"Commander?" Clarke questioned, taking in the information he'd provided without acknowledging it, "Commander who?"

"Shumway," Octavia answered. "It was Commander Shumway who found me. He found me and threatened Bell. Said we'd both be thrown in the Skybox. Or floated. Unless Bell did what he said. He gave Bell twenty-four hours to decide."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Clarke found her dad in engineering working on some new project or design with Wick. There was a raven-haired mechanic present as well, arguing with Wick while presenting her own take on how something or other in the plan should be implemented, insisting that Wick's version wasn't realistic.

It was Wick who saw Clarke first and a wide grin spread across his devilishly charming features.

"Hey there, Blondie," he greeted her with a nod, "Here to tug on that string you've got tied around your daddy's little finger?"

"What string would that be, Wick?" Clarke returned, tamping down the annoyance she felt at being addressed and treated like a child even though she was seventeen.

"An invisible one apparently," he responded with a twinkle in his eyes, completely unperturbed.

The raven-haired mechanic looked at Clarke with disdain. Clearly she wasn't pleased with being interrupted.

Jake clapped both Wick and the mechanic on their shoulders and told them genially enough, "Why don't you two see if you can't work out your differences while I find out what my daughter needs."

If it were possible, Wick's grin widened even further and he teasingly tugged on the girl's ponytail while saying, "Come on, ya stubborn mule. Let's see if we can't figure out which of us is the more pigheaded."

A scowl crossed the girl's face and she gave Wick a shove before she stomped past him and away from the small drafting area.

Not bothered in the slightest, Wick laughed heartily, winked at Clarke ruefully, and jogged to catch up to his companion as he tossed a finger-wagging wave in Clarke's direction.

Once the other two were gone and it was clear that Jake and his daughter were alone, he gave her a small smile and a reassuring nod and said directly, "I take it you have news for me."

"I do," Clarke agreed, tilting her head back so she could look her father directly in the face. "I know who it is and I'll tell you, but Dad, whatever you decide to do, when it comes to my friend, I want to be included."

Jake's brow furrowed and he studied his daughter's face. She'd always been a serious child but this seemed overly-cautious and self-controlled even for her.

"Honey," he began cautiously, "Is there something I need to know about your friend? Some reason you especially feel like he needs to be protected?"

Solemnly, Clarke nodded. "I told you. He has a secret. It's a dangerous secret. One that could get him locked up or floated."

"Clarke," Jake said in his most fatherly, warning tone.

Before he could continue, however, Clarke blurted out, "It's what was used to blackmail him, Dad. And it's not anything he could possibly control."

Curious now, Jake slowly nodded, his expression thoughtful at his daughter's fierce loyalty to whoever this young man happened to be.

"All right," he finally relented, "I'll set up a meeting in an hour. You make sure you and your friend arrive at the executive conference room with time to spare."

Clarke nodded but worry filled her eyes.

"I don't know if it's safe to let the whole Council in on this, Dad…"

"No," Jake clarified, clearly agreeing with his daughter, "It'll be me, your mother, Kane, and Jaha. Only those who have earned my explicit trust."

Relief washed over Clarke and this time there was no hesitation in her nod. She leaned up to kiss her father on the cheek and gave him a quick, impulsive hug.

"One hour," she promised.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

"What are we doing here, Clarke?" Bellamy asked quietly, his nervousness making even that simple question sound surly.

"We're doing exactly what I already told you we were going to do, Bellamy," Clarke answered, determination and not a trace of fear in her own voice. "We're going to tell them what you told me. We're going to make sure my dad doesn't die. And we're going to make sure that O can never be used to blackmail you again."

Bellamy was still scared but he forced himself to maintain his facade of indifference before asking, "And if your plan doesn't work?"

"It will," Clarke said confidently, "It has to."

They moved into the conference room and took seats side by side at one end of the table.

"So now what?" Bellamy asked, folding his hands on the table in front of him as he slouched forward.

"Now," Clarke responded, "We wait."

They didn't have to wait long before Jaha, Kane, Jake, and Abby all arrived together, as if they had met prior to the meeting.

Clarke rose when they entered and Bellamy quickly followed behind her in doing the same. Everyone stood behind their own chairs as introductions were made prior to anyone taking a seat.

"Chancellor, Councilman, Mom, Dad…" Clarke began, looking at each as she mentioned them, then she gave an encouraging glance to Bellamy before saying, "This is Bellamy Blake. He's a guard in training and he has something he'd like to tell you all."

Bellamy hesitated but when Clarke nodded at him reassuringly, he looked out at the Ark leaders and said, "Yesterday afternoon, Commander Shumway did an unexpected inspection of my quarters. He," he stopped and swallowed hard, the muscle in his jaw clenching and relaxing as he looked down at Clarke and then back up again, "He used what he found to blackmail me."

"Blackmail you into what exactly?" Jaha asked from his seat across the table.

"Blackmail me into killing Mr. Griffin," Bellamy stated directly.

"Why would Commander Shumway want to have Councilman Griffin killed?" Kane questioned.

"Because he knows the Ark is dying," Clarke answered.

Jaha, Kane, and Clarke's mother gawked at each other in astonished dismay.

"How do you know that?" Kane demanded.

"I heard my parents discussing it when they thought I was asleep," Clarke responded, unruffled by Marcus Kane and his typical black and white outlook on everything.

"If that information gets out before we've fully developed our plan of action for handling the...crisis...the people will riot. There will be chaos, confusion, anarchy," Kane rattled off, "You do understand the magnitude of the weight you now bear simply for knowing what you know, do you not?"

Bellamy's jaw clenched again at the words but Clarke's gaze never faltered as she nodded. He took his cue from her and said solemnly, "We understand."

"That still doesn't explain why Shumway would want Jake dead," Abby, Clarke's mother, spoke up.

Jake, who had remained quiet and without comment until that moment, said, "I'm the one pushing for equanimity in our planning. If it were up to me, our people would already know of the oxygen shortage and would be included in brainstorming an appropriate response."

Kane flashed Jake a warning glare but before he could protest verbally, Jaha raised his hand and spoke.

"There are many reasons that Shumway could benefit from Jake's death or from the death of any of us for that matter. What I want to know is how we are supposed to verify this information and what exactly the commander found that he planned to use to blackmail Mr. Blake."

Bellamy cleared his throat before answering. "To answer your first question, Commander Shumway gave me twenty-four hours to think about his request before I had to provide a response. I expect him to stop by my cabin around eight this evening." He paused and looked down at Clarke again, mentally preparing himself for the leap of faith in her that he was about to take. "There's a hidden compartment in the floorboards. One of you could easily fit and listen from there."

"Hidden compartment in the floorboards," Jaha repeated, studying the young man intently. "Who would have created such a compartment and what purpose would it serve?"

Clarke's shoulder brushed Bellamy's arm, reminding him that he wasn't there alone. He took a deep breath and responded, "My mother negotiated with someone, I'm not sure who, to have the compartment installed sixteen years ago. Not long after my sister was born."

Chapter Five

At first the only thing that could be heard around the table was the silence of shock. Unfortunately for Bellamy, it was Kane who first regained his ability to speak. Kane, the one who was least likely to be flexible when it came to rules and regulations. The one who was least likely to show even a tiny shred of compassion.

"Siblings are a direct violation of our charter and covenants," Kane said sternly. "How is it that your family was able to keep a second child secret for as many years as you claim?"

Clarke spoke up, determined to direct the conversation back to the topic at hand.

"With all due respect, Councilman, my father's life is at stake here and we don't have much time before Commander Shumway is expecting Bellamy back in his cabin." She paused and inhaled slowly, forcing herself to stay calm and reasonable.

"Bellamy is not responsible for his sister's existence and his mother has already been floated," she felt Bellamy stiffen beside her and quickly threw an apologetic glance in his direction before continuing, "Can we please table that part of the discussion until after we've dealt with the danger at hand?"

Jaha spoke up, his voice deep and even, almost soothing to the two young people whose nerves were frayed beyond recognition.

"Clarke is right, Marcus. If Jake truly is in danger, his safety must come first."

The chancellor turned to Bellamy and said, "If what you've said is true, we will meet again to discuss compensation for your loyalty and service. For now, I would like for you to take Councilman Kane back to your quarters to show him this compartment and discuss with him how you will proceed when Commander Shumway comes to see you."

Bellamy nodded but didn't say a word. Instead, he watched as Jaha turned to the others and said, "We will reconvene here at nine tomorrow morning. Would anyone else like to speak before we disperse?"

Jake, Abby, and Marcus glanced at each other but remained silent.

"Good," Jaha stated, "Dismissed."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Clarke watched Bellamy leave with Kane, then followed her parents out of the conference room. When they got several hundred feet down the corridor, Clarke grabbed her mother's arm and said urgently, "I need to talk to you."

"Clarke," Abby said in a tired, reluctant tone but Clarke shook her head and insisted.

"It's important, Mom. And it can't wait."

Jake looked at the two women in his life with uncertainty, a question in his eyes.

Abby shook her head at him and said, "Go on ahead. We'll meet you shortly."

When he'd gone, Abby turned back to her daughter and asked impatiently, "What is it?"

"It's about Bellamy's mom," Clarke began, "I'm not even sure if it's possible, but I think she may have been floated for something that wasn't her fault."

With furrowed brow and narrowed eyes, Abby asked, "What do you mean, Clarke?"

Clarke looked around to make sure they were alone and lowered her voice while maintaining the urgency in it, "I mean that if I'm right, Bellamy's mom was floated for a faulty implant, NOT for purposely getting pregnant with a second...or third...child."

"Third?" her mother questioned, obviously confused.

Nodding, Clarke said, "Third. I'm pretty sure I was there when Ms. Blake was brought in to our med bay. She had passed out in the commissary and you found out that she was pregnant. You ended up reporting her, but by then Octavia had been around for years. Would she really deliberately get pregnant three times when she knows that anything more than once is a death wish? There must be some possibility that implants can malfunction at least on occasion."

Hearing Clarke's explanation, Abby was silent and contemplative for a few moments. Finally, she looked her daughter in the eye and said, "I'll check the records, see if I can find any notation of when she received her last dose into the implant. See if any troubles were documented. Do what I can to find out if anything out of the ordinary happened with her. I won't make any promises, but I will look into it."

Impulsively, Clarke threw her arms around her mom and gave her a squeeze.

"Thank you," she said softly and sincerely into Abby's ear. "Thank you so much."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Marcus Kane had just met Octavia Blake who, in spite of being more terrified than she could ever remember being in her life, was showing him the compartment beneath the floorboards where she'd hidden during inspections for the past sixteen years.

"You won't have any room to move," Octavia was saying, "And you may have to kind of fold yourself in there, but you should fit."

"How is it that you've survived like this?" Marcus asked, the question more from curiosity and disbelief than concern for the girl's well-being. "No rations, no healthcare, no schooling - "

"Bellamy taught me," Octavia interrupted, "And he shared his food. And since I never left the room, I never got sick so mom and Bell could take care of me with a simple first aid kit."

Bellamy was extremely uncomfortable with the information that Octavia was sharing. If something went wrong, she was giving the Councilman plenty of ammunition to float him for conspiracy. Then who would take care of her? Or would they throw her in the Skybox just for existing?

"We need to get you in the compartment," Bellamy told Kane abruptly, "Shumway should be here in the next five minutes or so."

Kane nodded and followed Octavia's instructions for the best way to squeeze himself into the small space.

Once the floorboard was flipped closed, Octavia took a seat at their small two-person table and frowned at her brother.

He seemed to understand her without any words because he walked over to her, gave her a grim nod and squeezed her shoulder. It was the best he could do in an attempt to reassure her that everything would be ok.

Silence filled the room for the next couple minutes until, right on schedule, a loud knock sounded at the door.

Bellamy answered it and, sure enough, there stood Commander Shumway, looking as hardened and menacing as ever.

Stepping aside, Bellamy let him in and as soon as the door was closed, he wasn't surprised that the Commander got straight down to business.

"Well, Mr. Blake. Have you made your decision?"

"Tell me your terms again," Bellamy requested, hoping to get a full confession from the Commander for Kane's benefit, "What do I get if I do as you've asked?"

Shumway frowned. "I would think you'd be less concerned with any rewards for your cooperation and more interested in saving your sister's life."

"So I'd essentially be trading Octavia's life for Mr. Griffin's, is that it?" Bellamy asked, trying again to spell it out so that Kane could hear exactly what Shumway's plan had been.

"Yes," Shumway agreed impatiently, "But you know this. Why are you stalling? Are you going to kill Jake Griffin or not?"

"How am I supposed to kill him, Commander?" Bellamy asked, feeling relief that the man had finally stated his intentions. "I don't exactly have weapons of my own."

"I've seen your scores during training, Blake," Shumway scoffed, "I'll get you a weapon. You just make sure that you discharge it as well with a mission as you have when it's been for practice."

Bellamy nodded, his jaw clenching as his eyes hardened. "When will I see you again? Do you have a timeframe or a set plan that you need me to stick to?"

"All in good time, Mr. Blake," Shumway said, "For now all you need to know is that it is essential for you to be ready at a moment's notice. I will find you. I will supply you with your weapon and your instructions and you will follow through with them accordingly."

With a glance over his shoulder at Octavia, Bellamy nodded again and said, "I'll be waiting."

Once Shumway was gone, Octavia opened the compartment again and Bellamy moved closer to help Kane maneuver out of his awkward position.

The Councilman studied the young man reaching his hand toward him for several moments. When he took Bellamy's hand, it was as if he had decided something. Something that Bellamy was completely in the dark about.

"We'll need to find out who he's working with," Kane said, "Who he's working for. I find it very unlikely that he came up with this plan all on his own. We may need you to follow through to an extent until we're able to pinpoint where this plot originated and how to take all involved down when we stop them."

This time when Bellamy nodded, he couldn't completely mask the fear in his eyes but he hid it as well as he could.

Kane gave him a nod in return and, without acknowledging Octavia, he said, "I'll see you in the executive conference room tomorrow at 9am." He paused and headed for the door. When he reached it, he turned back and said, "Excellent work, son. You've served the Ark and her leaders well."

Once they were alone again, Octavia raced to her brother and threw her arms around him. He caught her easily and held her tight.

"What's gonna happen now, Bell?" Octavia asked in a small, curious voice that was full of dread.

"I don't know, O," Bellamy answered honestly, "I wish I did."

Octavia stepped back from him and leaned against the table, searching his face for any indication that he had some sort of suspicion of what their fate may be one way or the other but he looked as clueless as she felt.

Speaking both wistfully and impatiently, Octavia said, "I wish Clarke would come by and tell us if she's learned anything new since you last saw her."

The mention of Clarke brought silence to the room. Bellamy seemed to almost close in on himself, becoming thoughtful, contemplative.

Clarke had impressed him in the meeting they'd attended together. He'd been surprised that she'd chosen to attend and wasn't sure what to think when she'd sat beside him as if she were on trial as well. Then when she'd defended him...he'd momentarily felt betrayed when she'd spoken of his mother but when he'd heard the rest of her statement, he'd found himself awed by her.

She'd held her own with some of the most powerful people on the Ark. He wasn't quite sure that he could have done that himself. In fact, if it weren't for her, he had to admit to himself that he probably would be preparing to kill her father.

He'd thought that when they'd met her at the masquerade that she would naively put them all in harm's way. But that wasn't what had happened. No one was at fault for what had happened. And yet she'd very likely given them their one and only chance to continue living safe and free. Or at least as free as one could be on a century old space station that was apparently falling to pieces.

A hand shaking his arm brought Bellamy out of his reverie and he found himself giving his sister a reassuring and self-deprecating half-smile.

"Sorry, O," he apologized, "Got lost in thought there for a minute. There's a lot to sort out about this whole thing."

"Yeah, there is," Octavia agreed, then smirked at her big brother and teased him, "And I wouldn't be remotely surprised if one of those things you end up needing to sort out is how you feel about Clarke."

Bellamy rolled his eyes and then narrowed them at his sister good-naturedly, "Sorry, O. You're gonna be disappointed there. Clarke is your friend, not mine."

"Uh huh, sure," Octavia said knowingly, "And that's why she stayed by your side during that whole ordeal with the Chancellor and the Council members."

Shaking his head, Bellamy responded, "She was there because of you, not because of me. Don't go getting any crazy romantic notions stuck in that fanciful head of yours."

Octavia grinned guiltily but held her head high. She clearly couldn't care less about her brother's protestations. Which was made even more obvious when she said in a sing-song voice, "I wouldn't be so suuuure."

Playfully, Bellamy swatted at her and she easily danced away, spinning and twirling across the room.

She skidded to a sudden stop and turned, asking boldly, "Want to make a wager on it?"

"Not on your life!" Bellamy exclaimed, tackling her playfully to the ground and tickling her senseless.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Clarke was impatient. She was waiting in her room to hear something, anything. But the longer she waited, the more she drew, until she finally realized she was unlikely to hear anything until morning.

With a sigh of frustration, she roughly slammed her notebook and pencil onto her desk. When she looked down at what she'd been mindlessly doodling, she was surprised to see that it was a caricature of Bellamy's face, how he had looked sitting beside her at the executive conference table earlier that day.

What in the world had she been thinking? Surely she'd only drawn him because of how worried she was about how everything would turn out for him and Octavia now that the leadership knew their secret.

That had to be it, she decided.

She put her art supplies away and readied herself for bed with a yawn. Tomorrow would be a big day. Tomorrow she'd find out what Bellamy and Octavia's fate would be. Tomorrow she'd make sure they, and her dad, remained safe.

Chapter Six

Sleep had been elusive for both Clarke and Bellamy though neither could know that the other was also awake, wondering and worrying about how the day would go. By nine in the morning, they were again outside the executive conference room, both with dark shadows under their eyes.

They acknowledged each other with silent nods and waited side by side for the Ark leaders to join them. When it took longer than they'd expected for the others to arrive, Clarke cleared her throat and spoke quietly.

"How's Octavia handling all of this?"

The question seemed to indicate that Bellamy had been right. Clarke was Octavia's friend first and foremost, not his. Still, it was what he had expected and, truth be told, it was what he wanted. Octavia needed a friend and he couldn't have asked for someone more loyal or committed than Clarke. Particularly considering the current situation and the fact that Clarke had never so much as blinked or batted an eye before jumping in headfirst to help them.

"She's Octavia," he said with fondness and pride. "She's handling it."

Clarke smiled and glanced up at Bellamy, searching his face as she asked, "And you? How are you handling it?"

Bellamy first thought she was asking out of politeness but then he looked over at her and saw the genuine compassion and concern in her gaze and he shrugged uncomfortably.

"I'm handling it," he said without expanding any further.

Before she could say anything else, her parents arrived, accompanied by the Chancellor. A few yards behind them, from a different corridor, came Councillor Kane.

Once they were all gathered, they entered the secured room together, closed the door, and took their seats.

From the head of the table, Jaha looked expectantly at Kane and said, "Report."

Kane nodded and stood, looking at each of those gathered before saying, "Mr. Blake was correct. It would seem that Commander Shumway, whether on his own or in conjunction with one or more others, is planning to have Mr. Griffin assassinated." He paused and rested his dark eyes solely on the Chancellor before he continued. "We will need to implement counter measures to keep Jake safe while we try to find out Shumway's end game."

"He wants to overtake the dropship," Bellamy spoke up and every eye at the table looked toward him.

"What do you mean, son?" Thelonious asked intently while the others also waited expectantly for the answer.

"I mean," Bellamy began, "that Shumway offered me a spot on the dropship, me and Octavia, if I carry out what he asked me to do."

"Why didn't you tell us this before?" Kane demanded, gripping the edge of the table until his knuckles turned white.

Clarke shoved her chair away from the table and said sternly, "He was protecting himself."

Bellamy grasped her wrist and hissed at her through gritted teeth as he pushed himself up to stand beside her, "I can answer for myself."

She flashed him a defiant glare but sat back down, clenching her jaw shut, refusing to look at him again as he spoke.

"I wanted to make sure I had a bargaining chip," he said calmly in a matter-of-fact manner. "In case Shumway didn't show or things didn't go the way they were supposed to last night."

"I see," Jaha responded pensively, the wheels in his head clearly turning. "I'd advise you to be more forthcoming in the future. Your deviousness appears to have paid off this time but you won't always be so lucky."

"Understood," Bellamy stated with a single nod. He remained standing, hands behind his back, feet shoulder-width apart as if he were utilizing the 'at ease' stance from his guard training.

"You may have a seat," Jaha said, his attention turning to his comrades around the table as he addressed them, "What are your thoughts on how to suss out anyone who might be working with Shumway?"

Kane cleared his throat and responded confidently, "I've tapped into his communications. If he contacts anyone, we'll know. I'll also be monitoring the video feed to see where he goes, who he meets with. It shouldn't be long before we know who, if anyone, he's working with."

Jaha appeared to be satisfied with that plan but Bellamy spoke up respectfully before anyone could comment on what Kane had said.

"Sir," he said respectfully, "If you need me to, I'm willing to help in any way I can."

Clarke looked up at Bellamy in surprise. Hearing him volunteer like that wasn't something she had expected and she wondered at his reasoning. If anything happened to him, Octavia would be alone. Her friend shouldn't have to endure that. No one should.

"Thank you," Jaha said sincerely in response, acknowledging Bellamy's offer with a nod. "You seem to be loyal to our people, to our cause. What is it that you are hoping for in exchange for your cooperation?"

As soon as the Chancellor's words were out, a wave of nervousness swept over Clarke.

Bellamy, too, felt his anxiety level rise to critical levels but he knew that for him, for Octavia, their continued safety and well-being were dependent on his response. He couldn't blow his opportunity to speak his mind.

"Two things," he said, sounding much more calm and confident than he felt, "First, Octavia and I are safe. We're not thrown in lock-up. We're not floated." He paused and let that sink in for a moment. Before he continued, he hesitated, glancing at Clarke, wondering if he really was brave enough, or stupid enough, to actually make his other request. When he opened his mouth again, he found that he was. "The second thing is, Octavia and I go to the ground. With the first group."

Those gathered there didn't know how to respond. Clarke looked around at each of their faces and tried to guess whether they were inclined to agree to Bellamy's requests or not. She wanted to lift her hand and squeeze his but she didn't dare move.

"Why?" Kane asked directly. "Why would you want to risk radiation poisoning on the surface when there's every possibility that our engineers, our mechanics will find a way to make life on the Ark sustainable again?"

Clarke held her breath and fought the urge to glance at Bellamy, see how he was holding up. Of all the things they'd thrown at the leaders before them, the response to Bellamy's answer would completely determine the next actions that Clarke and her friends took. The one thing that she knew was that she wouldn't leave them alone. Whatever happened, she was ready to leave everything else behind to ensure Bellamy and Octavia's survival.

Bellamy, too, had to force himself not to look at the girl sitting by his side. She was insane to be doing this, to be helping them the way she was. It made no sense to him whatsoever. There had to be some benefit to her, some motivation for her to push so hard, to go out of her way to take care of Octavia, of him, but he couldn't for the life of him figure out what it was. When he was able to speak calmly and clearly, he took a breath and hoped for the best.

"Because," he began, "Our chance of making it to the ground becomes almost non-existent if we wait." He forced his breathing to remain even as he continued, "It's not difficult to do the math. If the Ark can't be made viable again, if Earth becomes the only option, there's no way that everyone will make it to the surface. There aren't enough exodus ships." Bellamy paused to take a breath and let them process what he'd said, then added firmly, "O and I WILL make it."

There was complete silence around the table. Each of the leaders' faces was unreadable. They seemed to be communicating non-verbally for several minutes before Jaha looked right at Clarke and said, "We need a few moments alone with Mr. Blake."

Clarke began to protest but her mom shook her head slightly in warning and Clarke clamped her mouth shut. Slowly, she rose, tried to communicate to Bellamy that she was still with him, even if it would now be in spirit rather than in physical form, and made her way to the door. When she looked back, she caught Bellamy's eye and if she hadn't been sure before, she was sure now. He'd understood what she was trying to tell him without words.

Once Clarke was gone, Jaha spoke up again.

"Mr. Blake. We appreciate the candor you've shown in this meeting. We, too, will get right to the point." He paused and turned to Clarke's mother and said, "Abby. I understand you have some information to share with us."

"Yes, Thelonious," Abby said, acknowledging him with a look before turning to the others, focusing specifically on Bellamy. "I've done a preliminary check of our medical records on Aurora Blake, Bellamy's mother. I haven't been able to determine anything conclusively and I may not be able to, but it would seem that it's entirely possible that Ms. Blake was floated for a crime for which she was not culpable."

She waited for that to sink in before she continued, "On first glance, it would appear that Ms. Blake had chosen a five year implant after giving birth to Bellamy. When she returned to medical to change out that implant for a longer-acting one, the tech who was to administer it was called away. There is no record of whether or not the new implant was ever inserted or activated."

Bellamy's breath caught in his throat and his hands began to tingle as if they were going numb. His mother had been innocent? He'd always thought that there had been some sort of deal involved, that the pregnancies had been part of a negotiation. That whatever the plan had been with Octavia had gone awry. But no. His mother hadn't put herself in danger. She hadn't been reckless. She'd simply been his mother. Dealing with a bad situation.

When she was done speaking, Thelonious began again. "Now," he said directly to Bellamy, "Considering that information, there should be no difficulty posthumously pardoning your mother. That will allow your sister the freedom to move around the Ark without consequences."

A relief so sharp it was painful shot through Bellamy and before he could check himself, his gratitude spilled over verbally.

"Thank you, Sir," he said, his voice deep and full of emotion.

Jaha nodded, but he wasn't done.

"Now," he said, studying Bellamy closely, "With that in mind, do you still desire for yourself and your sister to be on the initial drop ship?"

Bellamy focused himself for a few moments. He concentrated on his breathing. In. Out. Calm. Even. He couldn't let them see how conflicted he was. How unsure he was of any part of this dangerous plan. He and Octavia were safe. Shumway could go fuck himself. Bellamy didn't have to do a damn thing he didn't want to do.

But the facts still remained. The Ark was dying. There weren't enough exodus ships. He could ask that they be guaranteed seats somewhere at some point after the ground's survivability had been determined but there were too many variables. Too many things that could go wrong. Too many opportunities for those around the table to take back their promise or or no longer be in a position to fulfill the promise. No. They had to go. And it had to be in the initial drop.

"Yes, sir," Bellamy said respectfully, his tone sure, confident. "Octavia and I have every intention of going to the ground. And being among the first to do so."

"Well then," Jaha said, sounding as if he'd expected nothing less than the response he'd received, "We have one more request of you."

"Sir?" Bellamy questioned, internally waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Jaha glanced at Kane and Kane spoke up, "There are two things, actually. One, Jake needs to be guarded. Subtly. If we place you in that position, it may draw Shumway out, make him more confident. Anyone he's working with could become overly confident, slip up. If you continue to act as if you are going to do as he wants while also protecting Griffin, it's likely that you'll find out exactly what we need to put a stop to this plot and make sure those responsible pay."

Several moments were provided to allow Bellamy to consider what had been said and connect the dots before Kane continued, "Therefore, our second request is that you gather and relay to us any intelligence you are able to glean from Shumway or others while performing your other task."

Kane's intense, unblinking gaze held Bellamy's. "If you agree to help us in this way, regardless of the final result, you will have secured a place for yourself and your sister on the drop ship."

It took no time at all for Bellamy to say with assurance, "I'll do it."

They could have asked Bellamy to take ten lashes, a bullet to his gut, just about anything and he would have said yes. The only thing that was important to him was Octavia's survival. And his own.

A gleam of satisfaction crossed Kane's countenance. He nodded. "You'll report to me. Any contact from Shumway or anyone else on his behalf, you communicate it to me immediately. Your supervisor will advise you of your new assignment within the next forty-eight hours. You'll be directed to secure engineering as they work on the Ark systems. Only you will know that the real assignment is specifically to guard Jake Griffin. Any questions?"

Bellamy reviewed everything he'd been told in his mind before he shook his head. "No, sir."

"Good," Kane said, a gleam of pleasure in his dark eyes.

"I look forward to working with you," Jake spoke up for the first time, his eyes light and clear, friendly even. They reminded Bellamy of the man's daughter.

With a nod, Bellamy said with curt sincerity, "Same."

"If there's nothing else," Jaha stated when he saw that everything appeared to be in place, all necessary details worked out for the time being, "You are dismissed."

Everyone rose from the table and exchanged farewells but then the leaders took their seats again while Bellamy exited the room.

"Well?" Clarke asked immediately, clearly anxious about the things that had happened without her knowledge.

A slow, crooked grin spread across Bellamy's face and he said, "We're cleared. O's legit. She can move around the Ark now without being thrown in the Skybox. And we're scheduled to go down with the drop ship."

Clarke squealed in delight and impulsively threw her arms around Bellamy. "I'm so happy for you, Bell!"

The nickname that Octavia had given him sounded strange on Clarke's lips but not unpleasant. Bellamy decided to let it slide. He even hugged her back a little awkwardly.

"Let's go tell Octavia!"

Chapter Seven

Freedom was an entirely new concept to Octavia. When she'd heard that her existence had been made legitimate, she'd squealed with glee, tears of joy sparkling in her eyes as she threw her arms around her brother and her friend.

"So what are we gonna do first?" she asked excitedly, one arm flung around Clarke's shoulders and another flung haphazardly around her brother, pulling them both toward the door.

Bellamy and Clarke looked at each other, leaning back to see past Octavia's head. Clarke's only verbal response was an "Umm" while Bellamy cleared his throat uncomfortably, not at all used to being able to leave his quarters with his sister in tow.

"What?" Octavia demanded as they neared the door and she let go of them to fling it open, "Come on! There's gotta be something fun to do around here, right?! You could at least give me a full tour so I can start to learn my way around!"

A smile slowly crept across Clarke's face, her friend's enthusiasm bringing a chuckle to her lips. She shook her head and glanced at Octavia affectionately. "I keep forgetting you don't know how boring this place is yet."

"Hey, try living beneath the floorboards for sixteen years!" Octavia grinned, her eyes sparkling.

"All right," Bellamy said, cutting off any further banter between the two, "Let's show you around this tin can, get you set up as an apprentice, schedule you for a real physical, and find something to eat."

Octavia rolled her eyes and groaned. "Bellllll, really? I can't even just be free for a DAY before I have to start getting things done?"

Clarke laughed. The two were much more like child and caretaker in that moment than siblings. It amused her to no end.

"Oh come on," she said to Bellamy, "Let's at least give her a full tour first. We can take care of those things along the way."

Outnumbered two to one, Bellamy grumbled his reluctant consent and they exited the quarters into the corridor. From there, they made their way from one station to the next, taking turns explaining to Octavia the purpose of each area and answering her questions.

When they reached the area that housed the council member's quarters, Bellamy hesitated but Clarke urged them forward.

"Let's go. I want to show you where Wells and I hang out and where I do all my drawing."

Octavia followed eagerly but Bellamy was reluctant.

"I'll wait here," he said awkwardly.

Clarke studied him for a moment, a sad acknowledgment in her eyes showed her understanding of the differences between them. She nodded slowly before saying softly, "If you're uncomfortable, that's fine. But Bellamy, I want you to know that you truly are welcome here. Even if it is just by me."

The intensity and sincerity in her warm blue eyes unsettled Bellamy for a moment. He gave a hasty nod and broke contact with her gaze, unable to handle the level of vulnerability he felt when she looked at him like that.

"Thanks," he mumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets and shuffling his feet nervously.

With a smile, Clarke hooked her arm through Octavia's and they moved forward together, leaving Bellamy behind to wait for them in the corridor outside.

Several crew members passed by Bellamy while he stood there with nothing to do. Their brows furrowed and they gave him questioning glances but never said a word. Then came a tall, solidly built black boy who stopped right in front of him.

"I haven't seen you before," the boy said directly, sticking out his hand, "I'm Wells Jaha, and you are…?"

Bellamy struggled not to show his resentment at meeting not only another of the elite, but the chancellor's son. He forced his indifferent mask into place and said coolly without taking the outstretched hand, "Bellamy Blake. I'm just waiting for someone and then I'll be out of your way."

"Someone…" Wells echoed, his eyes narrowed in puzzlement.

Clarke and Octavia came around the corner then and Clarke grinned at Wells. She threw her arm around Octavia and confirmed with a nod, "Someone. Namely, me. Wells, these are the friends I've been spending time with since the masquerade. You've met Bellamy and this is his sister," she glanced briefly at the girl beside her before turning back to her oldest friend, "Octavia."

"Good to meet you both," Wells said with a polite nod.

Octavia wasn't used to meeting people like this and there was something about Wells that unsettled her. She felt shy and uncertain with him standing there looking down at her. It didn't matter that his dark eyes appeared kind and courteous.

Remembering the manners that her mother and brother had taught her, Octavia squared her shoulders and looked him in the eye with all the determination she could muster. She reached out her hand and said, "Nice to meet you...friend of Clarke's."

With a small smile, Wells took her hand and shook it. "The pleasure is mine." Turning a curious look to Clarke, he then said, "I'll see you later?"

Clarke nodded, "Later. I have a few drawings I want to show you."

"Good," Wells responded, "I'll see you then." He acknowledged Clarke's two friends, his back stiff with disapproval, and moved down the hall that led toward his quarters as well as the shared lounge space.

Looking with uncertainty at Bellamy, Octavia suddenly craved the familiarity and the safety of their quarters. She hated the feeling. She didn't want to be weak or scared. But she was.

"Bell?" she asked in a small voice that she wished with all her being sounded stronger, "Can we take a break for awhile? Find somewhere to sit and watch the stars maybe?"

Immediately, Bellamy nodded, the transformation to 'big brother mode' was instant. "Yeah. Of course." He looked over at Clarke and asked, "You up for coming with us or are you staying here?"

In a strange way, Clarke almost felt like there was more to the question than what was literally being asked and for a moment she wasn't sure how to answer. She studied Octavia briefly before turning her eyes back to Bellamy. "I think I'll pass this time. Looks like O could use some time alone with you before your shift. Next time, though."

She smiled at her friend and gave her an impulsive little squeeze. "I'll check in with you later, ok? Maybe I can show you med bay where I'm apprenticing with my mom."

Octavia flashed a small, grateful smile, then hip-checked her brother and grabbed his hand. "Come on. Show me where we get our rations. I'm hungry."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Wells was sitting on the couch, right where Clarke knew he'd be. She sat down beside him and nudged him with her shoulder.

"What are you working on?" she asked as she looked down at the notebook on his lap.

"Just some logistics," Wells responded. "I'm supposed to go over these departmental reports and provide a summary by end of day tomorrow." He glanced over at her and showed her what he was working on. "My work will be compared with the summary that the council members provide. It's part of my training."

Clarke had figured as much as soon as he'd said the word 'logistics.' Wells was training to be a leader of the Ark just like his father. It seemed like most people on the massive station tended to follow in their parents' footsteps as they grew toward adulthood. Unless, of course, they showed some certain aptitude in another field entirely.

Much like Wells, that hadn't been the case for Clarke. From the time she was small, she'd always wanted to take care of people. And she was good at it. She wondered momentarily if Bellamy's father had been in the guard. Or if Octavia would show an aptitude for sewing.

The silences between Clarke and Wells were always comfortable. They'd known each other so long that they could sit companionably and know each other's moods without ever saying a word.

Today, though, Wells looked over at Clarke curiously and said, "So those are your friends from the masquerade."

Nodding demurely, Clarke clasped her hands around her knees and stared straight ahead. "Yes. Those are the friends I made at the masquerade." She'd been bouncing lightly on the balls of her feet but she stopped abruptly and turned to him, asking plainly, "Why?"

Instead of answering, Wells just looked at her with raised brows and asked, "Siblings?"

"Yes," Clarke said firmly, fighting the urge to defend herself and the Blakes, telling herself instead that there was nothing to defend.

Wells waited to see if she would say anything further in explanation but knew from the stubborn look in her eyes that it wasn't likely. Finally, he commented instead, "The only siblings on the Ark...that we know about."

Not sure what to make of his statement, Clarke eyed him warily. "What are you getting at, Wells?"

"How well do you really know them, Clarke?" he asked with a hint of what Clarke felt was a cross between concern and elitist superiority.

"As well as I need to," Clarke responded with a stony glare.

With a sigh, Wells put down his notebook and turned to his friend, saying sincerely, "Clarke, Bellamy is a lot older than us."

"So?" Clarke asked with furrowed brow.

He hesitated a few moments before saying, "How do you know he's not just trying to use you or take advantage of you? I heard dad talking and I know what you did for them."

Octavia's smiling face immediately flashed through Clarke's mind along with Bellamy's solemn scowl. She pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes as she said coldly, "He's not taking advantage. I offered to help."

"How do you know that wasn't his plan all along?" Wells added, "Some scheme to meet the daughter of two councilpersons who could probably help find a way to make his sister legitimate."

Clarke was done listening. She stood and crossed her arms over her chest, blue eyes sparking with anger as stood over her oldest friend and looked down her nose at him. "Enough. That's not what happened, Wells. And I wouldn't care if it was. They're my friends and that's all you should need to know."

Without another word, Clarke spun on her heel and stormed out of the room. When she arrived to her quarters, she found her sketchbook and a pencil and proceeded to pour her emotions directly onto the piece of paper. A good thirty minutes later, she stared down at what she'd created and inhaled deeply, taking calm, even breaths as she studied the face that now looked back at her.

Her eyes scanned the full lips, the dark and curly hair, the sprinkle of freckles that spanned across his nose and cheekbones, and with her jaw set in determination she said softly, "I don't care what anyone says. You keep doing what you need to do and I'll stand by you. Octavia's not the only one who needs a friend."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Wells watched as Clarke stalked away from him before turning his eyes downward to his notebook again. Turning to the back of it, he picked up his pen and jotted down a simple note that he intended to deliver himself.

Blake,

Clarke doesn't need you taking advantage of her kindness and compassion. Leave her alone. If you hurt her in any way, you will answer to me.

Wells Jaha

He read it over again and gave a satisfied nod. He'd deliver it that evening, slip it under the door to the Blake's quarters. With any luck, the young man would take the hint and Wells wouldn't have to confront him in person.

Chapter Eight

Hurried footsteps alerted Clarke that someone was coming. When she saw her mother with a near-frantic look on her face, Clarke put down her sketch pad and sat up in bed.

"Mom?" Clarke questioned, puzzled as to what could possibly be wrong, "What's going on?"

"Clarke, listen to me," Abby said urgently, coming forward to hold her daughter gently by the shoulders, looking her square in the eye, "Did you take Octavia out of her quarters?"

Confused, Clarke gave her mother a blank stare and said, "Uh, yeah. She's legit now, right? Why should she stay in her quarters?"

Abby groaned and covered her face with her hands. "Clarke," she murmured, "Because Shumway will know that he's lost the ability to blackmail Bellamy. He'll know that Bellamy came to us. By taking her out of her quarters, you've put both of the Blakes at risk."

Her blue eyes widened in horror, Clarke exclaimed in shock, "Oh, my god, Mom! I never even thought about that. I just wanted Octavia to have some fun." Clarke was filled with guilt when she realized that her thoughtless actions might have put her friends in danger. "What can we do? How can we fix this?"

Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, Abby calmed herself and thought quickly. "I'm going to call a council meeting, including department heads. Make sure Shumway shows up. Then I'll give them a version of the truth. Talk about the records. Say I went to Bellamy about his mom being floated unnecessarily. Then he could have told me about Octavia."

"Do you think it'll work?" Clarke asked hopefully, her hands clenching her sketchbook until her knuckles were white.

"It has to," Abby said," Otherwise they're in serious danger."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

A council meeting was called to take place at 18:30 that same day. Abby spoke with Bellamy and Octavia beforehand, visiting their quarters not long after she had talked to Clarke so that she could let them know what was going on.

As Abby was leaving the Blakes' cabin a short time later, Shumway was standing right outside the door about to knock.

"Commander," Abby said in surprise, her mind scrambling to make sure she had her story straight already if need be. "I'm surprised to see you here."

"Doctor," Shumway acknowledged, his eyes narrowing at her presence. He lied easily, saying, "I was coming to let the boy know that we need him on shift earlier than expected. Has he fallen ill or been injured somehow?"

"No, no, nothing like that," Abby assured him, "I came to speak with him about a private matter. A documentation error that was found when reviewing charts from the last year." She paused and tilted her head to the side thoughtfully for a moment, "Actually, it's brought an interesting matter to light. You'll be hearing more about it at the council meeting this evening. You will be there, won't you?"

Shumway pursed his thin lips and gave a sharp nod, "Affirmative."

"Good," Abby said with a cordial smile, "I'll look forward to seeing you then."

She started down the hall and made it around the corner before she looked back to see what Shumway would do. He stood where she'd left him, hesitating at the Blake's door, then he turned on his heel and continued on down the corridor, apparently deciding to leave the inhabitants alone for the time being.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

The executive conference room was filled to maximum capacity. The sound of two dozen voices chattering away on various topics created a din that could not be contained.

It was only when the Chancellor arrived that the noise finally died down. He held up his hand as he stood behind his seat and the room became silent.

Once everyone had taken their places around the large table that was often used for planning and problem-solving, strategizing and more, Jaha spoke.

"We are all gathered here this evening at the request of Dr. Abby Griffin. She has made a discovery that will potentially impact each and every one of you. At the very least, as department heads, you will almost surely be asked a number of impossible questions by those under you. We want you to be prepared with the best answers you can give."

They all looked at each other, puzzled, trying to discover if there were any among them who were already aware of the news. No one seemed any the wiser as eyes turned toward the head of the table again while Abby stood to speak.

"Good evening, everyone," she began, "It is my duty to inform you that as we were reviewing patient charts from the last year, a rather serious anomaly was found. It appears that several patients who had appeared in med bay to receive an updated contraceptive implant did not, in fact, receive the medication as they were supposed to."

A low murmur could be heard throughout the chamber as the councillors reacted to the news. Abby held up her hand to ask for quiet before she continued.

"Please, let me explain. It appears that approximately seventeen years ago there were five patients scheduled for their implants when there was an emergency in the maintenance bay. The two apprentices that were supposed to handle the implants got called away to assist with the emergency. When they returned, their patients were gone and they assumed others had taken care of the implants."

She looked around the room to see whether they were all aware of the implications. "We were made aware of this error by one of the patients who recently came to be treated for an injury. While checking vitals and scanning for other injuries, the mistake was found. That is when we began reviewing charts and found the other four."

After taking a breath, she squared her shoulders and steeled herself for the response to what she had to say next. "We attempted to recall those patients to right the mistake. However, we discovered that one of those patients, Ms. Aurora Blake, had already been floated. Unduly. For having become pregnant with a second child."

Gasps and chatter could be heard around the room again. Abby swallowed hard, her nerves on edge, knowing this next part would be the most important. She inhaled deeply and then called everyone's attention back to her by raising her hand again.

"I went to speak with Ms. Blake's son to notify him of the grave mistake and attempt to find some way to make up for his grievous loss. He was understandably angry. I offered several methods of compensation, but he informed me that there was only one type of compensation he was interested in. It appears that the illegal pregnancy for which Ms. Blake was floated was not her first. Sixteen years ago, she gave birth to another child. Mr. Blake has a sister, a girl who's been brought up in secret, and now Mr. Blake wants her legitimized."

"But others will want that same recognition!" someone in the back of the room protested. "We know there are others who haven't followed the one child rule. How do we explain to them?"

"Simple," Abby replied, "There was a very specific error here. Unless others could prove the same happened to them, there would be no reason to legitimize anyone else."

"The child should be sent to the Sky Box!" someone else spoke up.

"No," Abby said firmly, "She has done nothing wrong and, as I said, it was med bay's error that allowed her to be born in the first place. She has already maintained a solitary, isolated existence for nearly sixteen years. The child deserves some freedom."

Before anyone else could speak, Jaha stood again and said, "This has already been decided. You are here because, as department heads, we are certain you will be asked questions or will hear rumors, find dissension in your ranks. You now have the information necessary to handle any situations that arise. If there are further questions, you may ask now, but as I said, the decision has already been made."

There was further whispering among those gathered but no one had any more queries so the group was dismissed to return to their stations.

Once they were alone, Abby looked to Jaha and said, "Well, I guess that's taken care of. Now how are we going to deal with Blake's reassignment to guard Jake? Will that look suspicious or will it be more suspicious if we have his orders changed again so soon?"

Thelonious rubbed his jaw thoughtfully, his eyes narrowed in concentration. A slow smile spread across his features as he met Abby's gaze and said, "His orders will be tweaked. Part of the compensation will be his assignment to work directly for Marcus. Marcus can provide him with special assignments as he sees fit. One of those can be the special project to prepare the drop ship, where he can oversee the security of those working on the project. Including Jake."

"Excellent," Abby smiled in return. "You can speak to Marcus, then, and Marcus can speak to the Blake boy. I will update Jake."

"And keep Clarke informed," Jaha added, "Just to be sure that she realizes the stakes at play here and knows that she needs to be cautious and aware of her surroundings at all times."

Abby's smile faded as she was reminded of the trouble her daughter very nearly got them all into. She nodded, "Understood. I'll make sure she gets the message."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Bellamy was preparing for his last overnight shift on guard duty when there was a loud BANG BANG BANG at the door. He furrowed his brow and stepped toward it. They weren't expecting Clarke and Dr. Griffin had come by earlier. They didn't get any visitors so it unnerved him to think of who might be there now.

Cautiously, he opened the door a crack and saw that it was Shumway. He was about to open his mouth and tell the man to go to hell when, instead, Shumway shoved his way through the door. He barrelled over Bellamy, slamming the door closed behind him and stood there seething.

"If you tell anyone, ANYONE about the deal we had made, you will die. An explosion will find you while you work. You won't know when, you won't know where. And it will kill you. Do you understand?"

Shumway had lost control of the situation and Bellamy loved seeing him infuriated as he was. He smirked and folded his arms over his chest. "Why would I tell anyone? I got what I wanted without murdering anyone. As far as I'm concerned, this is a win-win for everyone."

"You may think you have a connection to the council now," Shumway glared, pointing his finger at Bellamy as he continued, "but pretty soon they're gonna forget all about you. I'm not gonna forget about you, though. So if you think you're gonna open your mouth, you'll find out that I have a lot more connections than you do and I can bide my time, be patient."

"I don't give a damn about the council," Bellamy scoffed, "I'm not a snitch."

As if Bellamy hadn't even spoken, Shumway continued, "And if threatening you isn't enough, I'll make sure your sister spends the rest of her days in the Sky Box. Until she's floated for her eighteenth birthday, just like your mom."

That was more than Bellamy could tolerate. He threw a right cross directly at Shumway's face but Shumway was faster and had come in looking for a fight. He blocked the fist, catching it mid-air, and spun it around Bellamy's back, holding it at a painful angle until he heard Bellamy's grunt of pain.

Just as Bellamy was sure something in his arm was about to snap, Shumway spun him back around and pushed him against the wall. "Be careful, boy. You're lucky I don't snap your neck right now."

With the commander's hands around his throat, Bellamy challenged through gritted teeth, "I'd like to see you try."

Shumway was about to do just that when the door opened and Octavia stepped inside. She glanced around and took in the scene just as Shumway let go of her brother and stepped back.

"Remember, not a word. Or both your lives will be made a living hell."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

That night, on his shift, Bellamy had a lot of time to sit and think in the quiet of his assigned area. He thought about Shumway, the threats the man had brought to him, Octavia finally getting to experience a 'normal' existence, and he thought about Clarke.

He couldn't understand her. Sure she'd been just as much a nuisance as she'd been a help so far but her intentions were good and she genuinely seemed to want to help them. Not only that, but she followed through on her promises. Granted, sometimes they had disastrous results but she meant well and she seemed determined to fix things when her ideas went wrong.

She was good for Octavia and, as he thought about her sitting by his side in those meetings with Jaha, Kane, and her parents, he realized she was good for him, too. He just wondered what kind of crazy experiences they might have next.

Chapter Nine

Over the next couple of weeks, Clarke helped Octavia acclimate to the vastness of her new environment. They explored together. Octavia helped out in med bay when Clarke was on duty. They ate meals together. They did everything together. But they hardly saw Bellamy.

Bellamy had begun his assignment as guard in the maintenance bay where the engineers and mechanics were working overtime to prepare the initial dropship to be launched. Because of the secrecy of the project, there were very few guards who were aware of what was going on and therefore that same very small number were the only ones permitted to rotate in and out of that particular area.

The long and tedious shifts made Bellamy very aware of how much he missed his sister. He was grateful that he no longer had to worry about her being discovered every moment of every single day but he did fear her adventurous spirit, especially without someone like him around to keep an eye on her and rein it in. Of course, she had Clarke with her and that was better than nothing. Still...he often wondered who was influencing whom in that relationship.

He was surprised to find that he missed Clarke, too. On the occasions that the three of them did get to sit down and have a meal together, he ended up sitting back with a smile while he just listened to everything the two girls were going on about.

It was one such occasion when Bellamy noticed Wells Jaha enter the mess hall. The two young men stared at each other for a few moments before Bellamy turned back to the girls, teasing them both while deliberately ignoring the chancellor's son.

Before long, Wells came over with a nod and smile for the girls, asking them politely whether they minded if he joined them. They looked back and forth at each other and Bellamy knew what their answer would be before they said it.

"We were just finishing up," Clarke explained apologetically.

"Yeah, and we'd stay and sit with you but we just promised Bell here that we'd walk him back to the maintenance bay for the rest of his shift," Octavia added, elbowing Clarke in the side, "Right?"

"Yeah," Clarke agreed, "With all the overtime he's been working, we haven't had the chance to annoy the crap out of him nearly enough."

Bellamy snorted and smirked in response but kept his mouth shut, shrugging at Wells with a tolerant look that seemed to say 'What can you do?'

The flare of annoyance in Wells's eyes wasn't missed by Bellamy. In fact, as he thought about the note that Wells had dared to send him, Bellamy was feeling smugly satisfied at the way this run-in was going. Especially the fact that both girls seemed to be fairly oblivious to the tension between the young men.

"Well, I guess I'll have to find you earlier next time," Wells conceded. "Mind if I take your table when you guys leave?"

"Be our guest," Octavia said generously as she stood and waited for Clarke to slide out behind her. "You ready, Bell?"

"Yeah, O," Bellamy said, "Right behind you."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaAAaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

After they left, Wells was left to stew in his annoyance. He hadn't minded them leaving just as he sat down. Not really anyway. No, what bothered him was the way Clarke - HIS best friend - was looking at that guard, Bellamy. And it wasn't just the overly friendly way she teased him and nudged him as they left, it was the fact that they were leaving together. That she was following him to his duty station.

When the hell had Clarke become such a GIRL?

Of course, he still saw her plenty. They still talked, they still debated politics, science, ethics, and earth skills. They were still friends. But he was losing her more and more.

He didn't mind Octavia. In spite of her high energy and exuberant enthusiasm for adventure, her excitement was contagious. And considering the life she'd led thus far, he could make allowances for her zeal, for her lack of ability to contain herself.

But Bellamy. Bellamy rubbed him the wrong way. He didn't know why but there was something about the guy that set off every warning bell in his finely-honed instincts. He was a rebel somehow. A silent one but a rebel all the same. Wells couldn't even explain to himself how he knew that. He just did. And he was sure that somehow, some way, at some point, Clarke was going to get hurt because of him. Or worse, she'd be put in danger, or maybe even floated.

Wells knew he couldn't let that happen. He was going to have to have a little talk with Mr. Bellamy Blake. Since it seemed that his note hadn't had the impact he'd hoped for, maybe a one on one chat would do the trick. He could warn Bellamy away from Clarke and keep his dignity at the same time. Lord knew that if he were to try talking sense into Clarke herself, she'd just dig her heels in and everything would be made ten times worse.

No, the plan spinning in his head would work. It had to. And if it didn't, he'd have to take more extreme measures. Measures he didn't want to take, but then again, he'd do anything if it meant keeping Clarke safe and out of harm's way.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

"Bell," Octavia whined as they reached the bay doors where they'd have to leave Bellamy to go back to his shift. "I miss you. When the hell are you gonna get a break, huh? And when I say break, I mean more than just the thirty minutes you get in the mess every four hours!"

Bellamy chuckled and put Octavia in an affectionate headlock before ruffling her hair teasingly.

"Hey," he said with amusement apparent in his deep voice, "You aren't stuck under the floorboards anymore. That means you're on your own for entertainment."

This time it was Clarke's turn to chuckle aloud, grinning at the pair even as she shook her head and rolled her eyes at them. But then she became serious as she chose to join her friend's cause.

"As much of a pain as she is, she's right, you know. You're working too much. How do they expect you to be sharp and alert, prepared for anything when you can't even get your sister off your back?" The words were teasing but sober at the same time, her natural caretaker instinct shining through. "I'm worried about you, Bellamy. You hardly even get time to sleep anymore."

His brows rose and his lips twitched as he asked with a glint of humor in his dark eyes, "Since when have you been monitoring my sleep habits?"

Clarke pursed her lips and glared at him, taking the opportunity to poke him in the shoulder as she said, "Since O's been spending most of her nights with me, either in my quarters or yours."

A look of surprise crossed Bellamy's face but he quickly reined it in and shrugged, "I catch some z's whenever and wherever I'm able."

"Uh huh," Clarke rolled her eyes again but she was unable to hide the genuine concern in her voice. "Just make sure I don't see you in med bay. You'd make a terrible patient."

Octavia snorted at that, her eyes dancing as she waited for her brother's response. Watching these two volley shots back and forth at each other was a sport all of its own.

Bellamy fired a warning look at his sister then shook his head. "Fine. Between shifts I'll see what I can do about taking care of myself. Now I've got to go. I'm already late."

Pushing up on her tiptoes, Octavia gave Bellamy a spontaneous hug and said, "I'll be waiting for you at home after your shift tonight, big brother. Don't you dare disappoint me!"

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Later that night while Bellamy was watching Jake, Wick, and Raven slave away at whatever it was they were working on for the dropship, he suddenly realized he wasn't alone. He felt the eyes watching the back of his head and he forced himself not to react, not to shiver as adrenaline raced through him.

Slowly, he turned to see who was there, hoping against hope that it wasn't Shumway or anyone else who might be working for or with the man. Or worse yet, whoever it was that Shumway was working for. Instead, he saw Wells.

Wells Jaha was a tall, stocky, straight-laced young man. He looked Bellamy straight in the eye with a direct, determined, narrowed, and no-nonsense gaze and worked his jaw several times before speaking.

"I tried to warn you politely, Blake, but now I'm going to tell you more openly and in person. Stay away from Clarke Griffin. I don't know what kind of game you're playing but I WILL find out. And when I do, I'm going to take you down. Both with Clarke and with the Council if need be." He paused, glaring at Bellamy Blake again, "Clarke likes you. But I think you're trouble. If you stay away from her, we won't have to find out how much."

Before Bellamy could say a word, Wells was gone again. He marched right out of the maintenance bay and had no idea that he'd given Bellamy more to think about than he'd ever really considered.

What the fuck did the guy mean by that strange little 'Clarke likes you'? It didn't make any sense to Bellamy but even if it had, there wasn't anything he could do about it. Was there? Would he want to?

To help time pass, he let his mind wander to things he normally wouldn't allow himself to think about. He'd been with plenty of girls over the last six or seven years. Girls from Agro, Mecha, and Factory stations seemed to gravitate to the strong and silent type that he'd become out of necessity. But he never got to know any of them. Never considered a single one of them to be a friend even, much less a girlfriend.

Clarke was his sister's friend. His sister's AGE. Ok, so maybe she was his friend, too, but that was by default. If Octavia had never needed rescuing, they wouldn't have even met. It was that simple. And yet...what if the chancellor's son was right? Wells had been Clarke's best friend practically since the womb. Wouldn't he be the first to know if Clarke was feeling a certain way about someone? Would the guy feel as threatened as he did if there was no actual threat?

Bellamy wasn't sure. He wasn't sure of much of anything right then. But the one thing he did know was that Wells Jaha with his entitled attitude and overly possessive ways when it came to Clarke were getting on his nerves.

Maybe, just maybe, what the Ark's prince needed was a bit of a reality check. And if Bellamy had to find a way to spend more time with Clarke to make that happen, so be it.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

While Bellamy plotted and schemed, the workers he was supposed to be guarding were having difficulty figuring out why a certain mechanical error was happening. They'd checked and rechecked the panel that the control was attached to and could find nothing wrong. Just when they were about to call it a night and come back to it in the morning, a jolt of electricity flew through the system and sent Raven flying back away from the console.

"What the fuck?!" Wick exclaimed as he looked back and forth between the fallen mechanic and the panel that was still spraying sparks. "What did you do?" he demanded.

"I didn't do a goddamn thing!" Raven grumbled, "I swear! I was just trying to close things up and it sparked. It shouldn't have even been getting any juice anymore."

"Obviously it was," Wick responded dryly, moving to check a few plugs and switches, finally finding where a fuse had shorted out. He inspected it closely, squinting to see it better as he turned it over in his hands. "Huh."

"What?" Raven asked as she came closer after getting up and dusting herself off. "What'd you find?"

"This isn't a natural fissure," Wick remarked, "Someone tampered with it. The line's been cut."

"No way," Raven disagreed, refusing to believe what her colleague had just said, "No one even knows about this project. How and why would they try to mess with it?"

"No idea," Wick shrugged, "But take a look for yourself." He handed her the object he'd been studying and waited for her to complete her own analysis.

"Goddammit," she cursed as she studied it with a skilled and practiced eye, "You're right. This was definitely no accident. What should we do now?"

"Now we tell our trusty security guards that they need to do a better job guarding." He turned his head toward Bellamy where the young man was still oblivious to anything that had happened in the last few minutes. "And less time daydreaming."

Chapter Ten

The words coming from Octavia's mouth were excited and flying a mile a minute as she explained to Clarke how she'd been invited to play cards with a couple of cute guys that evening and, if she was lucky, maybe that would lead to other things, kissing things.

Clarke laughed, rolling her eyes and shaking her head. "You'd better stay out of trouble, Octavia Blake. Your brother and I have stuck our necks out pretty far to make sure you get to have this opportunity for freedom. Don't blow it!"

"Whatever, Clarke," Octavia scoffed, undeterred by her friend's mom-like lecture. "I'm not gonna miss out on a chance to have fun just because you'd rather draw maps or...or blood!"

"Maps and blood. That's all you think I know how to do?" Clarke asked, slightly offended. "I know how to have fun!" At the disbelieving look that Octavia gave her, Clarke's jaw dropped. "What?! I do!"

"Right," Octavia declared, still not sounding as if she believed Clarke. "Ok," she dared, "So prove it."

"How am I supposed to do that?" Clarke questioned.

With a grin, Octavia tossed a pillow at Clarke, said, "Figure it out!" and flounced out of the room.

After that, Clarke couldn't concentrate. She decided to see if the executive lounge was free and found Wells there watching an old film.

She flopped down on the sofa beside him, picked up a pillow, and hugged it to herself. "Hey."

"Hey yourself," Wells said, bumping her with his elbow. "I've barely seen you lately. What have you been up to?"

"Hanging out, mostly," Clarke responded, "with Octavia and Bellamy."

Wells's jaw clenched and his hand fisted around the screen controller. He forced himself to breathe evenly and relax his tensed muscles before he spoke.

He paused the video and looked at the girl beside him. The girl he used to know better than he knew himself. She was slipping away from him. He didn't know when it had started or how but he was losing her. She was his best friend, the girl he'd always thought he'd end up with someday. And he was losing her. Whether it made things worse or not, he could no longer stay silent. He had to say something.

"What are you doing, Clarke?"

"What do you mean?" Clarke asked, clearly puzzled by his question.

"I mean with Bellamy," he replied. "He's older than you. More experienced than you, I'm sure. The more time you spend with him, the more he'll be able to hurt you and I've seen guys like him. He's going to hurt you."

Clarke openly gaped at him, too shocked to react at first. When she did find her voice, there was vitriol in it.

"What I do with who is none of your business, Wells. You're not my day planner. You're not my parent, my guardian, or my bodyguard. You're my FRIEND. But if you keep this up, you won't even be that anymore."

Pushing herself up from the couch and away from him, she stormed toward the door but his voice stopped her before she got there.

"Where are you going?" Wells asked, ignoring the fury of her words. He'd heard her angry before and she'd always come around and forgiven him in the past. As far as he was concerned, he had no reason to believe this time would be any different.

"To the Blakes'," Clarke stated as she spun back around to face him. "Octavia is out for the evening. And after this conversation with you, I'd definitely rather spend my time with Bellamy than here."

Without another word, she turned her back on him and stomped away. The truth of the matter was that she'd planned to seek out Bellamy anyway, talk to him about Octavia's challenge to her. She had an idea, one that involved a girl, a birthday, and a party, and she needed his opinion and probably his help. But Wells most definitely did NOT need to know that.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

It had taken exactly one hundred eighty-two seconds for Bellamy to realize he'd missed something. He could have kicked himself. It was such a rookie error. One he never planned to make again. It didn't matter that there was likely nothing he could have done to have prevented what had happened or that the sabotage had probably not occurred during his own shift. The damage was done while he'd been on duty and, to him, that meant it was his responsibility. He was the one who had screwed up.

He was in his quarters contemplating the things he would change during his shifts going forward when a knock sounded. He wished Octavia were there to answer it. She was the social one between the two of them. The one who had already started making a plethora of new friends thanks to her legitimacy. But it seemed that now that she was allowed her freedom to wander and explore, that was all that she did. Wander, explore, and make friends. It suited her.

With a groan and a sigh, Bellamy called out, "O's not here. Come back later."

Instead, though, the door swung open and he watched as Clarke stepped inside.

"O's not here," he repeated tiredly while she closed the door behind her.

"I know," she replied, "That's why I'm here."

Without hesitation, she came toward where he was sitting with his feet up on the bottom bunk and grabbed one of the two chairs that they owned, turning it so that she could sit down beside him.

Once she was seated, forearms resting on her knees, she said with an underlying tone of anger or annoyance in her voice, "O's off playing cards with her new friends. Wells is being an ass. And I've been told I'm no fun. So I'm here to get some advice or help or something." She paused a moment before going on. "I hear it's Octavia's birthday sometime soon."

This was definitely not what he'd expected, not that he had a clue what he had been expecting.

He studied her for a moment before he confirmed, "Yeah. It's soon."

Watching him carefully, she next said with determination, "I want to throw her a surprise party."

"And I want rations that don't leave us hungry. What of it?" he asked.

Clarke's lips twitched and her eyes lit with appreciation of his sarcasm. "I'll take care of the rations if you agree to help me with the party."

"Help you?!" he choked on an incredulous laugh. "What makes you think I'd have the first clue about party planning?"

"Not planning," Clarke corrected, "Execution. I can figure out the specifics if you can help me carry it out."

"And why exactly does she need a party?" Bellamy asked.

"Because," Clarke answered matter-of-factly, "She's never had one before. She's had to hide her existence her entire life. I figure it's time to celebrate it instead."

The words struck a chord with something deep inside Bellamy and he found himself ducking his head to hide the approving smile that he couldn't prevent. When he looked with admiration back into her eyes again, the remnants of that smile remained. He nodded, unable to keep his stoic mask in place as he said, "Okay. I'll help you."

A delighted grin spread from one side of Clarke's face to the other. "Thank you," she said in a way that let him know that her confidence in coming to him had been more bluster than bite. "When should we start planning?"

"We?" he raised and furrowed his brows in amusement, "Hold on there, princess. What happened to you planning and me executing?"

"I lied," Clarke answered, a twinkle in her blue eyes, "And don't call me princess." Then she sobered and said, "No, seriously. I have an idea. I'm just not quite sure how to carry it out."

"What's that?" Bellamy asked, surprised to find he really did want to know. He was finding out pretty quickly that Clarke was definitely good at keeping him on his toes.

"A picnic," she responded. "I want to find a way to get us into Agro Station, the gardens, let her see where most of our food comes from. Maybe even let her pick some. Have a strawberry shortcake or something. Some ice cream."

"A picnic," Bellamy repeated with a huff of astonishment. "That's an awfully tall order. Even for a princess. How do you expect me to help you pull it off?"

"I thought…" she started, then began again, "I hoped...that maybe you'd know someone who could get us into Agro." She couldn't meet his eyes anymore for some reason. She looked down and to the right as she added hastily, almost as if she were embarrassed by her admission, "I've been...pretty isolated. I...don't have many friends. Or acquaintances. At least not...not…"

"Outside the inner circle," he finished for her ironically. He shook his head in disbelief before saying, "I've been pretty isolated, too. Keeping Octavia a secret."

Their eyes met and a look of understanding, camaraderie, connection, even vulnerability passed between them.

Bellamy swallowed hard. The only thing he could hear was his heart pounding in his chest. He had no idea how long they'd been staring at each other when he cleared his throat and said awkwardly, "But I think O might have picked up a friend or two with connections to Agro. I'll see what I can do to find out."

The grateful smile he received in exchange for his words was worth the trouble it would take to get them into Agro and make her grand gesture a reality.

"I knew I could count on you," Clarke said.

The confidence that she'd faked earlier was genuine now. It warmed something inside Bellamy to hear it and know that he'd put it there. It, in fact, left him with a strange desire to give her a reason to keep speaking to him in that tone, to keep believing in him in a way that only Octavia ever had.

Instead, he pushed the sentiment aside and said gruffly, "Yeah, well, don't get used to it. You never know when I'll let you down."

He didn't really know why he'd said it but something in the way Clarke's eyes softened made him think that maybe she understood something that he didn't.

"You won't let me down, Bellamy. I know you won't."

Her simple words, full of faith and trust, brought a lump to his throat, his jaw working hard as he fought the tightness in his chest that made it hard to breathe.

He was silent as she stood and squeezed his shoulder before heading toward the door. Instead of leaving, she turned back and said, "I heard about the line being cut." She paused, meeting his eyes again, reassurance and validation in her own. "It wasn't your fault. There was nothing you could have done." She turned as if to leave again but then changed her mind and found his eyes once more. "You're a good guy, Bellamy Blake. I'm glad we met."

As she opened the door and disappeared from sight, Bellamy found his voice and responded in his deep baritone that seemed to echo off the walls, "Don't let that get out, princess! A man's reputation is all he's got."

A soft chuckle chimed back to him and he let his own echo it as the door closed and he was left in solitude once more.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Within minutes of Clarke storming out, Wells had looked up where the Blakes' quarters were and had wound his way there. He told himself he was just making sure that Clarke was ok. That Bellamy didn't try to pull something, hurt her in some way. But he knew it was really because he was jealous. Clarke was alone with Bellamy inside his quarters and he was jealous.

He didn't know exactly when she had gone in but the longer she was there, the angrier he got and the more his teeth ground together. As much as he refused to think of what might have been going on inside, images that he didn't want to see kept playing through his mind.

When Clarke finally came out, it took all of Wells's control to force himself to stay around the corner instead of allowing himself to storm into the Blakes' quarters and demand an explanation. He'd tried to ask nicely. He'd tried to be reasonable. With both of them. But being ignored was not something that the son of the chancellor was going to abide.

Once Clarke was out of sight, he turned the corner and pounded on the Blakes' door.

"You forget something?" a deep, masculine voice called out.

Wells opened the door and slammed it shut behind him.

Bellamy sprang from the bed, reaching immediately for the stun gun he'd put on the table. He had it pointed at Wells's head within one point two seconds.

"What the hell do you want?" Bellamy demanded, his voice rough with anger.

The stun gun didn't faze Wells. He didn't blink. He didn't move. But he did put his hands up rather half-heartedly.

"I want the same thing I've wanted the last two times I've communicated with you," he said. "I want you to Leave. Clarke. Alone. You're only going to hurt her."

"You're wrong," Bellamy declared vehemently, his hands steady, still on the gun that was still pointed at Wells. "You don't know her as well as you think you do. She can make her own choices. And like it or not, she's chosen to be friends with me." He was breathing hard, nostrils flared, barely controlled fire in his eyes. "So unless she tells me herself that she doesn't want anything more to do with me, I'm not going anywhere."

Now it was Wells's turn to be angry. But he was better at controlling himself than Bellamy was. "Then know that wherever you go, whatever you do, I'll be watching you. And the first misstep that you take, you'll be dropped down to janitor. Your rations will be cut in half. I'll make your life miserable."

Bellamy huffed a disbelieving laugh and shook his head. "As if my life has been anything but miserable up till now." He let that sink in a moment then added, "You can find your own way out."

Wells glared at Bellamy stubbornly, letting him know that he wasn't backing down. Then he turned and exited the same way he'd arrived: with a righteous fury and a slam of the door.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Oblivious to everything that had been going on in her own quarters, Octavia was laughing joyously as she played cards and smoked something her new friends had called 'Mary Jane'.

She'd met Jasper and Monty while she'd been helping Clarke in med bay. They'd singed their arm hairs and eyebrows while creating some concoction that had blown up in their faces. Literally. They'd been funny and entertaining and offered a new perspective on life from a different station of the Ark. When they'd invited her to join them for their next experiment, she'd jumped at the opportunity.

Now here she sat, feeling lightheaded and more relaxed than she'd ever felt in her life and all she wanted was more. More time, more space, more friends, more experiences, more adventures. More of everything. More life. After the claustrophobic life she'd lived for nearly sixteen years, she was greedy for every bit of good that she could get her hands on.

So when she was offered the joint again, she took it with a grin, leaned over, and kissed Jasper square on the lips before pulling Monty in for a tight squeeze. She ruffled his hair fondly and said with a contented sigh, "You guys are the best. I think I might love you."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Shumway and the council were at a standstill and Shumway's boss wasn't happy about it. They had, of course, gotten through the Ark's defenses enough to put a kink in the preparations of the dropship but that wouldn't be enough. In fact, if anything, they would now have more work to keep their movements, their actions, their motives from being recognized.

They would need to plan something bigger. Something that would allow them to not only take down Jake Griffin but Jaha and Kane as well.

Chapter Eleven

Earth Day was fast approaching. It was one of very few holidays that the people of the Ark still celebrated, but it had taken on a completely different meaning from the one that it used to hold before the bombs. Clarke knew that and yet having lived her entire life in space, could only find the concept of what it used to be, used to mean, incredibly surreal.

Supposedly, before the bombs, there was hardly any mention of the day in the history books. It was more symbolic than anything, something that only the conservationists truly recognized. But now, now it was the most significant day of the year for the Ark residents, for Clarke. Not only was it the anniversary of the bombs going off but it represented everything that they hoped to someday regain. It was their countdown to when it would finally be safe to go home.

This year, however, it would mark the day that the people of the Ark would be told that their time had run out, that they would soon be sending an initial exploratory team down to see if the earth's surface might be survivable in spite of what their ancestors had claimed. This year they would be announcing the launch date of the dropship and the identities of those who would be on it. And Clarke, in spite of any misgivings, was determined to be one of the first on the ground.

She had heard through intentional eavesdropping that some of those on the dropship would be from the various stations, enough from each to allow a new but fully functional colony to be set up. That is, if the radiation didn't kill them the moment the dropship door was opened.

The rest would be delinquents. Possibly like the boy who had wasted a month of oxygen on a spacewalk. She'd heard of the crime, of course, but it was Wick who had connected the incident to the mechanic Wick had been arguing with during Clarke's last visit to engineering to see her father. The boy was the mechanic's boyfriend. And now he was in the Sky Box.

Clarke had known since she was small that the law of the Ark was that anyone who broke the rules would be floated. It hadn't been until much later that she'd found out there were exceptions. Exceptions like the mechanic's boyfriend. Because he was under eighteen years of age.

All those in the Sky Box would get a second chance rather than being floated immediately. Their crimes and behavior since committing those crimes would be reviewed when they reached eighteen and then it would be decided whether the delinquent would be freed or floated.

Clarke knew that if the boy had been Octavia or Wells, she would be desperately hoping that he would be freed. But would she still be willing to wait until they turned eighteen if there was the chance of them being freed now instead? If the earth was survivable, the rest of the Arkers would follow. The teens would be heroes. They would be released early and pardoned for their crimes. It sounded like a pretty good deal to her.

If it had been more certain, Clarke might have opted to become one of them, one of the delinquents, in order to go to the surface. But as it was, she didn't like the odds. She wanted to know for sure. Like Bellamy and Octavia did.

For as long as she could remember, her dream had been to see earth from its surface. Everything she'd read, everything she'd seen in pictures just seemed too good, too perfect to be true. And yet, she hoped with all her heart that it would be, that it could be all that she wanted.

Her father had told her stories that he'd read in history books, biographies, every sort of literature imaginable, how various societies had made decisions both good and bad that had led to the ultimate destruction of the earth. He had also told her in all earnestness how he fervently hoped that they, the survivors, had learned from their mistakes. That they would get the chance to try again, to live peacefully and freely in a land where the sky was no longer the limit.

As soon as she was old enough to read and look at pictures on her own, she had gone digging for herself. Her father's stories were no longer sufficient. He had filled her with a desire to see things, to feel and smell them, to hear and taste them. For herself. Secondhand and thirdhand experiences just weren't satisfying anymore. They never really had been.

Her studies had led to her fascination with art and that had led to her tireless need to recreate for herself the fascinating scenes she'd seen or read about in books. And thus, her drawing had begun. Over the years she had filled notebook after sketchbook after loose leaf paper with every beautiful image she could imagine.

She had to get on that dropship. She just had to.

With a start, Clarke looked up from her sketchbook and realized she was late. She was supposed to be meeting Bellamy to go over some last minute details for the birthday picnic they'd been planning for Octavia.

A knock sounded on her door and she wondered if Bellamy had gotten tired of waiting for her or if Octavia had returned early from her wanderings. But when she reached for the handle and swung the door open, she saw Wells standing there, not Bellamy.

Clarke frowned, her brows furrowing together as she said, "Wells. I was just on my way out. Is there something you needed?"

"Some time with you, Clarke," Wells responded, his tone both humble and insistent.

"Why?" Clarke snapped, still having not forgiven him for his intrusion on her personal life when he'd tried to tell her to stay away from the Blakes. "So you can criticize my choice in friends some more?"

"No," Wells answered firmly, "Because I've been hearing some things, things about the Ark and things about the ground, that made me think you might do something desperate. Something you might later regret."

Eyes narrowed, Clarke studied her oldest friend suspiciously, "What have you heard?"

"Things. Things that would cause riots if the wrong people were to hear them," Wells said quietly, "Your dad and my dad talking in urgent whispers. Making plans for the unthinkable."

Clarke closed her eyes and sighed. When she looked at him again, she said with resolve, "Okay, Wells. We'll talk. But not right now. Come see me first thing tomorrow morning and we can swap information."

Wells looked hesitant, like he wanted to protest, but in the end he nodded.

When she tried to slip past him and out the door, he placed his hand on her arm and stopped her. She looked back at him with a question in her eyes and he responded, "I was only trying to protect you, Clarke. I never meant for you to hate me."

"Are you going to leave me alone about Bellamy Blake, then?" she asked, her chin set in stubborn defiance.

It was Wells's turn to sigh. He released her arm and said tiredly, "The most I can promise is that I won't confront him again unless he hurts you."

Clarke gave a sharp nod in response and said, "Good. He would never hurt me so that won't be a problem," as if she were satisfied with that and was willing to forgive him so long as he kept his resolve. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow," he said with a nod as he turned to watch her slip down the hallway and disappear.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

There was no answer when Clarke knocked on the Blakes' door. She wondered if she'd missed Bellamy or if he'd been called back to work. She was about to look for him at his station when he came flying around the corner, skidding to a stop in front of her, his dark eyes near-crazed and frantic.

He grabbed her by the shoulders, staring down at her as he asked breathlessly, "Clarke. Have you seen Octavia?"

"No…" she answered slowly, clearly puzzled, "But I thought we were expecting her to be gone anyway. You said she had plans with Monty and Jasper again."

"She did," Bellamy said, releasing her and turning to rest his head against the wall. "I was hoping she'd changed her mind or come home early."

Clarke placed a hand on Bellamy's shoulder and asked with concern, "But why, Bellamy? What's wrong?"

He turned to her with an utterly miserable expression on his face, his voice filled with guilt and self-blame as he said, "Three kids were just arrested in a supply room used for the gardens. They were caught smoking marijuana. Two boys, one girl. The girl resisted arrest and had to be tased."

Swallowing hard, Clarke's mouth dropped open and instantly went dry. She tried to calm her racing heart but couldn't help blinking rapidly before she was able to compose herself enough to respond.

"What makes you think it's Octavia?"

Bellamy shook his head and just said raspily, "Gut feeling."

Clarke closed her eyes, took a deep breath, opened her eyes again and nodded in determination. "Okay, then. Come with me. We're going to find Wells. He'll be able to find out from his dad if Octavia was the girl arrested. If she was, we'll deal with it. If not, we'll find Monty and Jasper, start a search for her."

Shoulders sagging, Bellamy nodded, then said, "Wait. Maybe I should stay here. In case she comes back."

Thoughtfully, Clarke said, "Good idea. I'll be back as soon as I know something."

Bellamy looked over her shoulder and down the corridor, into the distance, subconsciously hoping to see his sister there but the hall was empty.

"Clarke. If she was arrested, I won't be able to live with myself."

"We'll deal with that if it comes," Clarke assured him, "For right now, though, just stay here. Keep planning the party. Don't do anything stupid. And I'll let you know what I find out."

Without thinking, Bellamy pulled Clarke into a tight embrace, closing his eyes as he took a deep breath and buried his nose in her hair. He wasn't used to being the one needing comfort and reassurance. It was unsettling.

The moment he became aware of what he had done, he released her and took a step back.

"Sorry," he mumbled shyly, looking down at his feet for a moment, then back up, hardly able to make eye contact with her.

Clarke gave him a small smile of understanding and stepped forward deliberately to touch his shoulder and give him a brief, one-armed squeeze before stepping back to say solemnly, "No need to apologize. That's what friends are for."

He nodded and took a step toward the door but stopped as he placed his hand on the lever and turned his head toward her just long enough to say, "See you soon, Clarke. And thanks."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Clarke found Wells in his quarters and, considering their agreement to meet the following morning, he didn't appear to be as surprised as she would have expected.

"I knew you wouldn't be able to wait until tomorrow," Wells said with an affectionate and knowing smile.

"Not quite why I'm here," Clarke responded.

Long ago they'd given each other permission to enter each others' quarters without knocking and had gotten their parents to agree. The necessary provisions had been made and in spite of their adolescence and newfound maturity, nothing had really changed. Or rather, nothing had changed for Clarke. Wells, on the other hand, had insisted on knocking since the age of fourteen when his hormones had kicked in and he'd realized he found Clarke attractive.

He'd told her as much but she'd never shared the sentiment and he'd decided that he would do whatever was necessary to maintain their friendship. With the hope, of course, that she'd eventually change her mind.

Lately, however, he was finding that he was less and less certain that her feelings would ever morph into something more than friendship. And he was definitely having a hard time accepting that.

But now, with her standing there, her face full of concern, he knew he needed to again shove all that aside and be whatever she needed him to be.

His smile faded and he studied her closely before asking, "So what has brought you here so much sooner than planned?"

"Bellamy," she said.

The name brought him immediately to an upright position but she stopped him before he could launch himself to his feet and demand to know what he'd done to her.

"And Octavia."

Those two added words changed the scenario entirely. Wells frowned and stared at her in confusion.

"What do you mean Bellamy and Octavia brought you here? What's going on?" he asked carefully.

"Octavia is missing...sort of...and Bellamy's freaking out. I wanted to see if you could help me find her, talk to your dad maybe." She paused, looking him directly in the eye. "Make sure she didn't somehow manage to land herself in the Sky Box."

"The Sky Box?" Wells exclaimed, "Clarke, what would make you think we'd need to check the Sky Box?"

Clarke took her time answering, wetting her lips and clearing her throat before saying, "Because Bellamy said he heard over the walkie that three kids had been arrested, two boys and a girl, and he seems to think it might have been Octavia and two of her friends."

Wells stared at her again, this time in disbelief. "There are a lot of other kids it could have been, Clarke. It sounds like he's probably worried over nothing."

This time Clarke bit her lower lip before speaking.

"I know, Wells. But Bellamy's concerned. Octavia is all he has. And she does tend to have a rather...adventurous streak." She gave him a pleading look before she added, "Please? Even if we find that there's nothing to worry about. It would mean the world to me."

Wells and Clarke both knew that she had him. There was no way he could say no to her when she asked for so little and he'd made it his life's mission to make her happy.

"All right. I'll talk to my dad," he agreed. "Are you coming with me or are you waiting here?"

"Do you think he'd mind if I came with you?" Clarke asked.

The affectionate smile was back on Wells's lips as he shook his head and reassured her, "No. He thinks of you as the daughter he never had. He won't mind at all."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

When they arrived at the main command center, Chancellor Jaha was engaged in a rather animated conversation with Councillor Kane. They appeared to be having a rather heated disagreement about something but whatever it was they were saying was being spoken in hushed tones that neither Wells nor Clarke were able to hear.

Warily, the two teens glanced at each other and frowned. It looked as if they may not be able to get what they had come for after all.

However, it wasn't long before Kane looked up and saw the pair. He acknowledged them with a nod and shut his mouth abruptly.

No longer trying to keep things quiet, Thelonious told him firmly, "We'll continue this discussion later."

Marcus bowed out of the room and Thelonious moved toward them. He greeted them with a tight smile and asked, "What brings the two of you here when there are so many other things going on around the Ark?"

Wells had learned long ago that this was his father's subtle way of reminding his son that the command center was where he worked, not where he parented. He also knew, though, that his father had a soft spot for Clarke and would take the time needed to answer her inquiry if he was able.

"Dad," Wells began, "Clarke is concerned about a friend of hers who has gone missing. We heard that there was an arrest earlier and before we search each and every station from top to bottom looking for her, we thought we'd check with you and make sure she hadn't gotten herself in trouble somehow and landed in the Sky Box."

The elder Jaha frowned and made his way to the computer that housed the central database for all the Ark. He pulled up a blank inquiry screen and turned to Clarke.

"You're not associating with delinquents now, are you, Clarke?" he asked with a concerned and disapproving fatherly glance.

"Hardly, Chancellor," Clarke responded with a reassuring smile before explaining, "It's just that Octavia, Octavia Blake I mean, is still learning the ins and outs of the Ark and I've been trying to help her brother make sure that she's aware of everything she needs to know but she may have run into a bad influence. It's possible she's been arrested for something she hadn't been told was wrong."

"I see," Thelonious remarked as he typed 'Octavia Blake' into the name field on the screen and then hit 'search.'

They waited in silence as the computer ran its scan. It didn't take long, however, for Octavia's image to be brought up with information stating that she had been taken into custody with charges of being caught with stolen herbs from the garden and use of a toxic substance.

Clarke cringed as she read the screen over the chancellor's shoulder.

"It looks as if your friend has made some bad choices, Clarke," Thelonious said, his tone again disapproving. "I'm not sure that we'll be able to pardon her this time."

Thinking quickly on her feet, Clarke bit her lower lip to make sure she could speak clearly and calmly before saying, "I understand, Chancellor. I would request, though, that her spot on the dropship be retained for her. As one of the delinquents. In keeping with the promise made to her brother."

Wells looked at her in astonishment while his father looked at her thoughtfully. While she waited for the chancellor's response, she held her breath and refused to turn her gaze away.

Finally, Thelonious nodded. "It is not up to only me but I will speak before the council on your friend's behalf."

With relief, Clarke responded gratefully, "Thank you, Chancellor. That means a lot to me and it will mean the world to her brother."

Thelonious rose from the console and they knew they were being dismissed. As the chancellor returned to his duties, Wells and Clarke exited the command center and moved side by side down the corridor, each lost in thought.

Wells was filled with concern for his friend. He knew Clarke well enough to know that she always had a counter move in reserve and seemed prepared for any crisis. What worried him, though, was that this time she might not be using her skill and logic to help an injured person or to beat him at chess, but to do something he would consider rash and illogical. He wasn't sure what exactly she was up to, but he hoped he'd figure it out in time to keep her out of trouble.

In the meantime, Clarke was thinking of Bellamy. There was no way he would believe that her compromise was even remotely acceptable, but it was the best she had been able to do. Now the question was, how would she convince him of that and keep him from doing something stupid, too? The truth of the matter was she had no idea, but she knew with a certainty that she would do whatever it took.

Both Blakes WOULD survive to make it to the ground. She would make sure of it.

Chapter Twelve

Her hand was poised, ready to knock, but Clarke just couldn't bring herself to do it. She was still standing there, giving herself a pep talk, trying to convince herself that Bellamy really did need to know what was going on, what had happened with his sister, when the door opened and he was suddenly in her face.

Startled to find her there, Bellamy blinked and very narrowly missed bumping into Clarke or even running her over completely. He'd been just about to go looking for her when there she stood, hesitant and obviously uncomfortable in her own skin.

"What's going on?" he demanded abruptly. There was no way she didn't know something with the look of guilt he could clearly see painted across her face.

"Bellamy, I…" she started but looked over his shoulder, down the corridor, at her hands, and down at her feet. Everywhere but right into his eyes.

"What happened?" he asked, folding his arms over his chest, waiting impatiently for her to spit out the dilemma that he was sure his sister had found herself in.

"She was caught," Clarke finally said, looking up at him for the first time, her eyes apologetic. "She's in the Sky Box. She was charged with theft and possession of an intoxicating substance."

"DRUGS?!" Bellamy bellowed, still standing in the doorway, his voice echoing down the hall. He yanked her inside, the door slamming closed behind her, and he practically pinned her to the wall with his stare. "What do you MEAN she was arrested with drugs? I was on shift! You were supposed to be watching out for her! How the HELL did she end up with drugs?"

"Oh, you think this is MY fault?" Clarke raged indignantly, "It's not like the shift you were on was scheduled. It was an extra that you were asked to take. You could have said no!"

The guilt she saw flash across his face told her that he'd already thought of that and was only yelling at her because it was easier than berating himself. Something she was sure he was doing inwardly anyway. Particularly considering she was doing the same as well.

"Look," she sighed, her voice still on the defensive even though she knew they were both simply on edge, "It's nobody's fault, ok? Or maybe it's both our faults. We thought she was ok hanging out with Monty and Jasper. You trusted her with them, right? And I never thought to question you. You have good judgment, Bellamy. Neither one of us could have seen this coming. If anyone's at fault here, it's Octavia for not saying no."

There was pure misery in Bellamy's eyes before he closed them. He rubbed his hands over his face and took a tired breath of air. "So now what?" he asked grimly. "Now what are we supposed to do?"

Clarke rested a hand on Bellamy's arm and said softly, "Well, I've already spoken to the chancellor on her behalf. He's going to talk to the Council and try to make sure that she's still assigned to the dropship. If that doesn't work, well, we'll deal with that then. Ok?"

Bellamy nodded slowly, looking tired and worn when his dark eyes met her light ones.

"Everything I've ever done has been for her. Now I'm here alone. Can't do anything at all."

"You're not alone," Clarke assured him, giving his arm a reassuring squeeze, "And there are still things you can do for her. In fact," she smiled, "We can still give her a birthday picnic if you want."

"Are you out of your mind?" Bellamy choked out a disbelieving laugh as her hand dropped from his arm. "How exactly do you expect to pull that off?"

"Simple," Clarke said smugly, "The Sky Box has visiting hours for most of the delinquents. We can surprise her with a picnic then."

Amazed, Bellamy shook his head and chuckled, his eyes filled with admiration. "Nothing stops the Ark's princess from getting what she wants, does it?"

Her face hardened and she said firmly, "I'm not a princess." Then her eyes lightened significantly and she admitted with a guilty look, "But I do usually get what I want."

He chuckled and shook his head.

Clarke smiled slyly, tilting her head toward the small table, taking charge as usual, "Come on, we've got work to do if we want this picnic to come together by the end of next week."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

In another part of the Ark, an entirely different set of plans was being laid out. There were only three more weeks until the Earth Day celebration and everything had to be perfectly prepared before then. With so many factors to consider, there were too many things that could go wrong, which meant contingency plans had to be worked out.

Shumway and his partner in crime were in the secondary monitoring room as they discussed the fireworks they were going to surprise the chancellor and his council with. A flash of something on one of the screens caught Shumway's eye and he looked up to study the picture more closely, see if he'd actually seen who he thought he'd seen.

He frowned when the only thing of any note from that camera angle was a door slamming closed in the main residential corridor of factory station. When he realized whose door it was that had slammed, though, his frown deepened.

"What is it?" the female beside him asked sharply, breaking his reverie.

"Nothing," he said gruffly, "I just thought I saw something."

"You're being paranoid," the woman accused. "It's one thing to be wary and watchful. It's another altogether to be seeing phantoms where none exist."

"Yes, Councillor," Shumway responded in a conciliatory manner. He was just about to say something else when he saw the same flash on a different monitor, this time from a different angle that was much clearer. He definitely hadn't been seeing things.

"There," he said almost triumphantly as he pointed toward the secondary screen from that area of factory station. "That's what I saw. What the hell is the daughter of two council members doing in that part of the station? What business would she have with the Blake bastard?"

"Well," the council woman sneered, "If he's anything like his mother is rumored to have been, she could be there for a good lay."

Shumway snarled and brushed aside the blueprint for the gathering hall so that he could pound his fist on the table. "This is not a joke, Diana! If Bellamy Blake is cavorting with the Griffin girl, his threat level has risen again. We had nothing to fear from him before. Who would listen? But if he's gained the ear of an insider, there's no telling what he might do, what he might say, that could blow our hard work to pieces."

"All right, all right, calm down," Diana said dryly with an unconcerned shrug, "So we take care of him. Not difficult to do when we were planning an explosion anyway."

Shaking his head insistently, Shumway said, "No. We can't wait for that. In three weeks' time, he could have given them enough to not only bring them down on me but to send them searching for you as well."

This caught Diana's attention but still she scoffed, "Impossible. If you've been doing your job correctly, NOTHING should lead them back to me."

"I did not say lead," Shumway corrected, "I said they could be sent searching for you. And if I'm caught and floated, you'll have to find a new associate. They'll be watching. Waiting. It won't be difficult to track your new protege directly to you."

"Fine," Diana conceded, "Do with Blake what you will but don't allow yourself to get sidetracked. He is no longer a part of our mission. He is merely an inconvenience and a distraction. You will treat him accordingly."

"Agreed," Shumway responded with a humble and satisfied nod.

Yes, he would take care of Bellamy Blake. He knew exactly what to do and it would be entirely his pleasure to carry it out.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Kane had seen enough from the main monitoring room to know that Shumway was working with one of their very own council members. He'd been disappointed when he'd found that it was Diana Sydney, but almost immediately a number of things had fallen into place.

Diana had once been chancellor herself, but Thelonious had been voted in to replace her. She had not been pleased at the change and had not, for a number of years, been permitted a place on the council, since her way of doing things was completely contrary to Jaha's own methods.

Eventually, though, she had proved herself useful. She had made herself invaluable in connecting with the common people, the people who felt that they were treated as lesser than those considered to be 'elite' on board the Ark. She had assisted them in keeping the peace, preventing riots, and on several occasions she had spoken on behalf of a riled mob.

So what was she doing here and now? Kane could only wonder.

Unfortunately, the monitors did not carry sound with them, only visual. Which meant that while he would certainly alert the chancellor to what he had seen, he would need to continue to keep watch until he actually witnessed them taking action. Kane only hoped that by then it wouldn't be too late.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Octavia sat in the corner of her cell furious with Monty and Jasper. This was all their fault, she thought. They had gotten her into this mess.

It was way past lights out and nowhere near the one hour a week that visitors were allowed to enter the Sky Box, but her cell door swung open anyway, and she saw a shadowed guard enter and fill the doorway.

"What do you want?" Octavia asked with bitter defiance in her tone as she hugged her legs and glared up at the stranger.

"I thought I taught you better than to speak to people in authority like that," a familiar deep voice chastised her, "Respect your elders. And if you're going to break the rules, don't get caught."

"BELL!" Octavia squealed in delight, scrambling to her feet and racing across the floor to throw her arms around him.

He caught her easily and his quiet chuckle in her ear filled her with warmth.

"What are you doing here, Bell? Won't you get in trouble if you're caught?"

"IF I'm caught," he grinned and even in the dim light she could see the sparkle in his dark eyes. "I, for one, know better than to let someone find me doing something stupid. Unlike someone else I know, from what I hear."

A crooked and guilty half-smile curled one side of Octavia's mouth upward and she shrugged. "Guess I didn't realize I only had so much luck to go around before it ran out completely."

"What the hell were you doing, O?" Bellamy chided quietly. "You're LUCKY that Clarke was able to speak to the chancellor on your behalf. Because of her, you still have a pretty good chance of going to the ground with me."

Octavia's eyes widened. It was obvious that she hadn't even thought about that possible consequence. "I-I'm sorry, Bell. I wasn't thinking."

"No, you weren't," he said flatly, his arms folded over his chest in disapproval.

"There's no way...you can't...you know...get me out of here?" she asked in a small voice that tugged at his heart. "It just...it feels so much like being back under the floorboards, Bell...I don't know how long I can take it."

"You should have thought of that before you went and got caught with intoxicating substances," he answered bitterly, then sighed and shook his head. "There's nothing I can do, O. And Clarke has already done what she can. You're gonna have to wait it out."

A lump grew in Octavia's throat and she swallowed hard, her jaw working overtime as she nodded and tried to keep from crying.

Tears stung her eyes and she couldn't help the sniffle and hiccup that escaped before she threw herself back into her brother's arms and sobbed silently into his shirt.

He held her there and hushed her, smoothing her hair back as he whispered reassurances in her ear. "It'll be ok, O. It won't be long. Just hold on. I promise. I'll get you out of here and keep you safe."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

It was almost midnight when Clarke heard a knock sound at the door to her family's apartment. She knew her parents had been in bed for nearly an hour so she got up and padded down the hall to see who was there.

She was surprised when she saw Wells standing there. Her brow furrowed in confusion but she stepped aside anyway and waved him in.

They sat down at the kitchen table together and Wells spoke to her softly, almost apologetic in his tone.

"I need you to talk to Bellamy, Clarke," he said, "Dad saw him using his key card to go into the Sky Box tonight to visit his sister. If he does it again, he'll be floated. Regardless of whatever deal he's already made."

Clarke sucked in a breath and nodded, cursing to herself before saying, "I'm so sorry you've gotten mixed up in this, Wells. I'll talk to him. Keep an eye on him. Make him see that what he did was rash."

"Good," Wells responded with a nod. "I don't want to see you caught up in that whole mess. Ending up in the Sky Box yourself."

"I won't be," Clarke promised. She looked toward the door thoughtfully, then back to Wells. "He's not a bad guy, you know," she said softly. "He just...he never really had a chance like you and I did. That's all."

"I hope you're right, Clarke," Wells responded, still not convinced, "I hope you're right."

Chapter Thirteen

Everything was all wrong. Nothing was going right. Shumway had about had it with trying to arrange Blake's 'accident.' He'd exhausted nearly every idea he'd had. Options a, b, c, and d had all exploded in his face, backfiring before launch. The only choice he had left was something he'd hoped to avoid because of its personal nature, but desperate times called for desperate measures and at this point he was nothing if not desperate.

Diana Sydney had left him to take care of this himself. If he didn't fix things soon he was sure she would fix him instead, and there was no way he was going to let that happen. Not when the only thing that stood between him and the ground was a bastard born to one of the station sluts who put out for profit.

Looking at the time, Shumway checked the guards' schedule and then set his wrist unit to go off ninety minutes after Blake's shift would end. Hopefully that would give the cocky young man enough time to get back to his quarters and get settled in for the night. The more disoriented he was, the easier Shumway's task would be.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Clarke was restless. The whole evening she'd been able to think of nothing but how bored she was when Bellamy was on shift and how much she missed Octavia. It was almost tempting to do what Bellamy had done and go visit Octavia outside of the weekly visiting hours, make use of her status and position, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. The Blakes were in too precarious of a situation as it was. They didn't need her going off and making things even worse.

She sighed and looked at the time, wondering if it was really mocking her like it seemed or if she was simply proving the truth of that old adage about the boiling water and the watched pot.

When she could take it no longer, she rose from her desk and strode with purpose to her door. She may not be able to visit Octavia, but surely she could check in with her father, Wick, and Raven regarding the progress of their project and, at the same time, safely visit Bellamy while he worked.

As she headed down the main corridor toward the engineering control room, her mind awhirl with everything she hoped to accomplish on this visit, Clarke barely missed barreling into Commander Shumway. Coming up short, she gasped in surprise, but he seemed unperturbed, merely mumbling to himself incoherently as he continued on without stopping.

Something about the encounter made a shiver run down Clarke's spine. She turned and stared thoughtfully after him until her previously neutral expression edged its way into a frown.

"What the hell is he up to?" she whispered to herself.

There were no answers in the hallway where she stood so she sighed, shook her head, and continued on her way. When she reached her destination, she couldn't help but smile at the scowl on Bellamy's face as he watched Wick and Raven go back and forth as they bickered.

Clarke approached Bellamy from his right side and said with an amused chuckle, "No, they never stop, and no, it never gets better."

"They should put everyone out of their misery and just -" Bellamy's eyes darted to Clarke as if he'd realized he was speaking out loud and who exactly he was speaking to. "Never mind," he grumbled gruffly.

Her lips twitched and her eyes sparkled as her brows rose almost to her hairline and she said dryly, "Please, don't stop on my account."

That earned her a smile from him before his eyes narrowed with concern. "Is something wrong?"

"No," Clarke shook her head, "I was just restless. Figured I'd check in with you, see if you'd heard any news about Octavia."

The mention of his sister's name brought a frown to Bellamy's lips. He glanced at Clarke briefly before saying curtly, "No, nothing."

"Really?" Clarke asked doubtfully, "Because that's not what I heard. I heard that you used your access card to sneak into The Skybox last night, that you tried to visit her undetected." She paused a moment and added ironically, "It didn't work. Wells says his father knows and if it happens again, you'll be floated regardless of the deal you've made."

Bellamy scowled but Clarke noted with satisfaction that there was a light of fear in his eyes as well. "Fine. It won't happen again."

"Good," Clarke responded with a nod of approval. "Octavia's too much to handle without you. I can only imagine the trouble she'll find on the ground."

An appreciative chuckle escaped Bellamy's lips and he gave Clarke a grateful nudge with his shoulder before saying gruffly, "I'm not your responsibility, you know. I can take care of myself. I've been doing it most of my life."

"Yeah, well," Clarke teased, bumping his shoulder back, "With Octavia locked up, I need something to keep me occupied."

Her words earned her a smirk and an eyeroll before he asked, "So, if nothing's wrong, what brought you down here?" He stopped and grinned before adding cockily, "Besides an undeniable urge bask in my presence."

Clarke laughed, rolling her eyes at him as he had at her a moment before. "I just wanted to make sure we have everything set for the picnic tomorrow. That's all. You've been working so much it's been hard to catch you in your quarters."

"Hmm," he murmured, not quite believing her but deciding to humor her anyway. "Yeah. Everything's set."

"Except decorations," Clarke reminded.

"Decorations?" Bellamy asked, raising a brow at her, "We're seriously going to decorate a cell for a birthday picnic?"

"Of course!" Clarke declared, "I'll bring the decorations by when you're off shift tonight so that we can keep everything together. Then we can meet up at your place just before visiting hours tomorrow."

Amused at how organized and detailed her plan was, Bellamy shook his head and said, "I guess I'll see you about midnight tonight, then. What will you do if your parents find you sneaking out at that time of night?" he smirked.

As she was sure he intended, his words brought a slight blush to her cheeks and she glared at him. "My parents trust me," she said firmly, "They know better than to think I'd be foolish enough to be sneaking around with a boy or doing something else equally stupid."

"I'm pretty sure I qualify as a 'boy', Clarke," Bellamy teased with a grin.

Clarke blushed and shrugged, "No, it's just...you saved my dad's life. So against their better judgment or not, they kinda trust you, too."

Bellamy wasn't sure how to respond to that. He'd never had anyone's parents trust him before. Except his own. With Octavia. And lately, that hadn't been going all that well.

When he didn't say anything else, Clarke cleared her throat awkwardly and said, "Well, um...I guess I'd better go talk to Wick and Raven since it doesn't look like my dad's here. Get an update on their project. See if there have been any new breakthroughs made."

Nodding, Bellamy snapped out of his reverie and said, "Uh, yeah. Probably a good idea."

Across the room, Wick and Raven were bickering over the better way to blow something up. Clarke approached them, interrupting the heated debate by saying, "I hope you're not talking about the drop ship, you two."

Wick grinned and Raven scowled. The mechanic glared at Clarke and said, "No, but this dufus would use a general explosive rather than a focused, controlled, and much smaller blast if there were an emergency and we had to get into the drop ship after the doors were sealed but before launch."

Clarke's brow furrowed and it was clear that she was still trying to not only follow but process what Raven had just said.

"So...what you're saying is that his idea might cause more damage without necessarily providing any relief while your idea might take more than one attempt to work but shouldn't destroy everything in its wake."

Raven beamed with pride, her expression triumphant as she turned to Wick and said boastfully, "See? If a norm can understand that, why can't you?"

Rolling his eyes, Wick turned to Clarke and asked, "How can we help you?"

"Any closer to working out all the kinks on the drop ship?" Clarke asked hopefully.

"We have more kinks between the two of us than you could find in the drop ship," Wick joked, bracing himself for the punch to the shoulder that he was sure would come from Raven. "Your dad's doing an all-systems check but as far as we're concerned, the only thing left to figure out are the logistics and that sure as hell isn't our department."

Rather than punching him, Raven looked like she wanted to knee him in the groin but instead she looked at Clarke herself and said, "One of us will have to go with the drop ship in case something goes wrong on the way down, but otherwise, we're all set for an end of Earth Day launch."

Earth Day. That was in two weeks. Only two weeks until the first group of Arkers headed to the ground.

"Wow!" Clarke exclaimed, "That's amazing. Has the Council decided what criteria they're going to use to figure out some of those logistics?"

"Like they'd tell us," Raven scoffed. "Why? You anxious to die by radiation poisoning if the flames of re-entry don't get you first?"

"Maybe," Clarke shrugged, not wanting to give anything away. "Mostly I just find the whole thing fascinating. I mean, if this works out, everyone on the Ark could be on the ground within a few weeks."

"Yeah," Wick agreed, "Or we could all be dead."

"Depressing thought," Raven snarked, "Thanks for sharing."

"No problem," Wick grinned, "It's what I'm here for."

Clarke could sense another argument coming on between the two so she decided to bow out gracefully, taking a step back as she said, "On that note...I'll see you guys later." She turned and took a few steps away before tossing back over her shoulder, "Just don't kill each other, ok? We kinda need both of you right now."

They scoffed at her and Bellamy chuckled when Clarke gave him an impish grin.

"See you later," she called to him just before she disappeared from his sight, leaving him shaking his head, his amusement clear in his eyes as he stared after her.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Yawning, Bellamy rubbed one hand over his eyes tiredly while the other closed the door to his quarters behind him. He'd wanted to go right to sleep and groaned when he remembered he couldn't. Clarke was supposed to stop by. Something about final prep for O's birthday picnic.

He was stumbling around with his eyes half-closed when he heard a sound at his door.

"Good," he mumbled to himself, "Get this over and done with. Maybe it won't take long..."

His hand had just landed on the door handle when he was pushed backward by it slamming open.

"What the- ?" he exclaimed as he tried to catch his balance.

In a moment, though, he was being shoved around and found himself with the point of a knife against his throat.

"Listen very carefully," came a low, menacing voice in his ear. He froze as he recognized the voice, panic coursing through him at the implications of its presence. They had changed their minds and decided he was a threat after all.

He felt a rope slip around his neck and tighten, and he began to cough and gasp as he was yanked by that leash into the middle of the room.

"We're going to make this look like a suicide," Shumway said matter-of-factly as he shoved a chair against the backs of Bellamy's knees. "Get up there," he ordered before continuing, "And if you struggle, not only will I make sure that your sister is killed in an uprising among the delinquents but that your little friend, Ms. Griffin, is floated for treason."

Bellamy felt his heart pounding in his chest when he stepped up on the chair, feeling the weight of dread settle over him as he stoically accepted his fate.

"Good," Shumway said, his tone condescending with its sound of approval. "Now take the rope and tie it around the metal ductwork. That should be strong enough to hold you."

After doing what he'd been told, Bellamy held his breath and hoped that Clarke wouldn't walk in and end up in the same situation he was in. Or worse.

Shumway's eyes narrowed and his lips curled upward in satisfaction. He stepped close to the chair and kicked it out from under Bellamy's feet.

Twisting, turning, and gasping for air, Bellamy struggled to try to save himself, pulling at the rope around his neck, doing anything he could to get some air. When his head began to bob and blackness blurred the edges of his vision, Shumway said a solemn, "Farewell, Mr. Blake," before he turned and walked out the door.

It was silent in the room except for the hissing of the miniscule amount of oxygen Bellamy was able to drag into his lungs before he rasped and hacked and choked again. He was sure that all hope had been lost when he began to feel dizzy and woozy and could no longer see straight, but just as he was on the edge of passing out, he heard a knock on the door.

He did everything he could to make any kind of sound possible, hoping Clarke would go ahead and open the door, even if she thought he hadn't yet arrived back from his shift.

The door squeaked open, letting a sliver of light into the darkness.

"Bellamy?" came the tentative voice of his savior.

With the last of his breath, he forced out a grunt which brought Clarke fully into the room. He heard her feeling around for the light and saw the flash of it just as a ringing started in his ears and his body went slack for a moment before he startled and went back to using every ounce of willpower he possessed to stay conscious for as long as he could.

"Bellamy!" Clarke gasped in horror, dropping the decorations she'd brought while rushing forward to hug his legs and lift him up so he could pull in a raspy, burning breath.

His limbs had begun to tingle and go numb so it took him a few moments to realize she'd grabbed the chair and dragged it with her. She had placed his feet on the seat and was trying to steady him so he was finally able to loosen the noose and pull it from his neck.

The rope had been holding him up more than he'd known, so when he released himself from it, he stumbled, causing the chair to tip, which created a domino effect that ended with him and Clarke in a heap on the floor.

She threw her arms around him and hugged him fiercely while he attempted to focus on simply breathing. It hurt to pull air into his lungs but at least he wasn't dead.

He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her back, closing his eyes and thanking her silently for showing up when he needed her most.

"What the hell happened?!" Clarke asked once they had both had a chance to calm down.

Shaking his head as if still trying to understand it all himself, Bellamy spoke in a voice that was rough and gravelly from the trauma he'd experienced.

"Shumway." He paused, swallowing tentatively and wincing when it hurt. "He must have decided it was too much of a risk to leave me in peace."

"But it doesn't make sense," Clarke insisted, not caring at all that they were still on the floor and still clinging to one another. "He's left you alone all this time. Nothing's changed, right?" she asked. He hadn't had a chance to think of an answer before she was saying, "Unless…"

Bellamy thought about it a moment and voiced what he was sure they were now both thinking, "Unless he figured out that you and I are friends."

Clarke nodded and bit her lower lip in concern. "How do we keep you safe after this? I mean, without raising even more suspicion?"

Bellamy was silent for a moment, lost in thought, then finally shaking his head. "I've got nothing," he said.

A hundred thoughts flew through Clarke's mind at once as she tried to figure out a workable plan, but she was coming up empty herself.

"The only thing I can think of is for someone to stay with you or for you to stay with someone else," Clarke finally surmised.

"Clarke," Bellamy responded patiently, "There's no one for me to stay with. And who exactly would we get to stay with me, huh? You?"

The look that crossed Clarke's face was one that Bellamy was coming to recognize. He pushed away from her slightly and clutched her shoulders in his firm grasp.

"NO. Clarke, just...no. This is my problem. It's on me to fix it. I don't need you getting in trouble with your parents, ending up not able to spend any time here. It's bad enough that I can't see O."

Clarke understood where he was coming from but that didn't change the fact that they were definitely running out of options.

"Fine," she said, "Then I guess we have no choice but to speak with Councillor Kane or Chancellor Jaha, see what they can do about keeping you safe."

With a sigh, Bellamy knew that one way or another he was facing defeat. He leaned his head against the table leg beside him and croaked, "Can we figure this out tomorrow?"

Nodding, Clarke leaned over placed a gentle and chaste kiss on his temple and said, "Yeah. We can figure this out tomorrow."

She made no move to get up and leave him, and he was too tired to protest her staying. Instead, he reached around the table to the bunk and grabbed both the pillow and the blanket, situating them comfortably around the two of them as they settled in for the night.

Pulling her close, he kissed the top of her head and said, "Thanks for deciding the decorations couldn't wait until tomorrow."

"Any time," she said with a smile, "Who knew ribbons and streamers could save a life, huh?"

If Bellamy hadn't already been close to passing out, he might have laughed at that but the stress of the day and the threat on his life had really taken a toll. His head came to rest on her shoulder and he breathed as deeply as he could, murmuring only, "Mmhmm…" as he fell asleep.

Chapter Fourteen

Stretching and yawning as she started to wake up, it took a couple of moments for Clarke to realize she wasn't in her bed. And only another second to grasp that she wasn't alone.

Her eyes flew open and darted to her left where she immediately saw Bellamy, eyes still closed, adjusting as she moved, mumbling incoherently. She exhaled with relief when she remembered where she was, who she was with...and why she was there. She turned slightly and studied the man beside her with a frown.

Angry red abrasions marked his neck. The sight of them made Clarke's heart ache and without thinking, she reached over and gently traced them with the fingers of her left hand.

Bellamy startled awake with a gasp, and he pulled away from her touch, his hand coming up instinctively to grasp her wrist. Before he'd even opened his eyes, he was ready to protect himself no matter the threat.

When he saw whose hand he'd captured, he relaxed his hold and murmured in embarrassment, "Sorry…"

Clarke shook her head and said, "No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you. I just...I saw the marks on your neck and…" She shrugged, worrying her lower lip, her brows furrowing as her eyes wandered to the abraded area again.

"Hey," Bellamy said, ducking to the left and then the right so he could try to meet her eyes. When he finally caught them with his own, he gave her a crooked smile. "I'm fine. Ok? I'm fine."

Taking in a shaky breath, Clarke nodded slightly but then threw her arms around him and held him tight.

Not quite sure what to do at first, it took Bellamy an awkward moment or two before he lifted his arms to embrace her in return. "It's ok," he said softly, "It's ok."

"I almost lost you," Clarke said, her warm breath tickling his sensitive earlobe.

He fought off the shiver that ran down his spine, closing his eyes as he said in the lightest, most teasing tone he could manage, "You can't get rid of me that easily."

Shoving him back, Clarke smirked at him and asked dryly, "Who said I want to get rid of you, huh?" Then she sobered and added seriously, "You're one of my best friends, Bellamy. I don't want you to go anywhere. Not without me." She stopped and smiled before saying, "Or Octavia."

With a low chuckle, Bellamy said, "I don't think that's something you need to worry about." He didn't say so, but he was beginning to suspect that he'd likely be lost without her, too.

He'd never had a female friend before and he hadn't really wanted one now. But somehow, some way, she'd won him over. He trusted her. More than he'd ever trusted anyone before. Including his mom and Octavia.

"What are you thinking?" Clarke asked curiously, interrupting his mental comparison of the three most important women in his life.

He held her gaze and answered with a hint of amusement in his tone, "I'm thinking that, in spite of how annoying it can be, I'm rather enjoying having someone look out for me for a change. Usually I'm the one looking out for everyone, first my mom and then Octavia."

"That's different, though," Clarke said, drawing her knees up to her chin and hugging them as she shrugged and smiled. "Families take care of each other. No matter what."

Bellamy didn't respond. When his eyes met hers again, there was a vulnerability in them that she'd never seen before. It drew her in, mesmerized her.

"And we're friends, right?" he asked quietly, "No matter what?"

His words made him seem so young. Clarke smiled at him affectionately and nodded as she agreed, "Friends. No matter what."

Looking at her sitting there, so open and trusting, Bellamy felt a sudden desire to reach out, pull her close, draw her in for a kiss. The thought startled him and he shifted himself away from her slightly, hoping she wouldn't notice or think anything of it.

Unfortunately for him, Clarke was as perceptive as always and her brow wrinkled as she cocked her head to the side and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he said quickly as he rose to get them their morning rations, "I just realized I won't be able to work my shift. Or attend our picnic tonight. Not if I'm supposed to be dead."

"Oh," Clarke said, as she understood that the plans for Octavia's birthday were effectively ruined. She rose from the floor herself and took a seat at the table, watching his every move. "You know you can't stay here by yourself, right? Whether or not you play dead, it still won't be safe for you here."

"Yeah, I guess," Bellamy shrugged, glancing at her over his shoulder, "But what are we going to do? It's not like I can stay with you."

"We're going to tell the Chancellor," Clarke decided suddenly, "And see if you can stay with Wells."

"Wells?!" Bellamy asked in disbelief, "Clarke, he hates me."

"No he doesn't," Clarke insisted, "He's just never had to share me before," she grinned. "Apparently he fits the only child cliche that the Ark has tried so hard to wipe out."

Bellamy chuckled and shook his head. "Seriously, Clarke. I'll be fine here. You don't have to worry about me."

"Yes, I do," she answered matter-of-factly, "It's in the 'let's be friends' contract we signed after the Unity Day dance. Didn't you read the fine print?"

When the surprised laugh her response provoked subsided, Bellamy raised his hands in surrender and said fondly, "I should have known there'd be fine print with a princess like you. But really, don't bring Wells into this unless you have to," he pleaded.

"Fine," she breathed in exasperation, "I think we should take care of this first thing, though. Maybe we can find a way to keep you alive and in your job. If Chancellor Jaha decides to arrest Shumway, you might still be able to go to the picnic with me after all."

With a long-suffering sigh, Bellamy replied, "But wouldn't it make more sense for us to let Shumway think he succeeded? Especially if we want to find out who he's working with?"

Clarke glared at him and crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't like the idea of you missing your sister's birthday picnic."

In a teasing tone, he responded, "I'm pretty sure that wouldn't be the end of the world, Clarke."

He was trying to bring levity to the situation but the reality was that he was glad she was worrying about him. He was pretty worried himself. Someone with power and means was trying to kill him. She was right. They definitely needed to be careful.

"Maybe not but it would definitely suck. And that brings up a big problem with your plan," Clarke said with a frown. "Pretending you died would mean they'd reassign your quarters. Then what - " She stopped mid-sentence, her lip curling in a self-satisfied smirk as she contemplated her own cleverness. "Never mind. I have an idea. Hopefully it'll work."

Bellamy's eyes narrowed at her skeptically but he pressed his lips together and opted not to say a word. Once she got something into her head, it was very difficult to get it back out again. He might as well prepare for the worst and hope for the best while he still could.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

The chancellor was unavailable but Councillor Kane met with Clarke in the small conference room. As always, he took his job, his position, very seriously.

He sat at the head of the table with his hands folded in front of him, his dark eyes boring into her, while she took a seat to his right, back ramrod straight, all business as they spoke.

"Commander Shumway made an attempt on Bellamy Blake's life last night, Councillor," Clarke began. "The only reason he's alive right now is because I went to visit him after his shift. We need to do something, Councillor. Make sure he stays safe. And, if you don't mind, that is, if you'll help us, I think I have a way to make that happen."

Marcus Kane held up his hand, his brows knit together in concern as he said, "Now hold on just a minute. Let's talk more about this attempt on Blake's life."

Clarke nodded and said calmly, "Shumway tried to make it look like Bellamy had hanged himself. If I'd gotten there any later..." She clenched her jaw and swallowed hard, trying not to come across as a silly girl exaggerating what had really happened. Her voice was thick with emotion when she continued, "If I'd gotten there any later, I don't want to think about what would have happened."

As detached as Kane usually was, he gave Clarke an understanding look and said, "I've learned something about who Shumway is working with but we're not ready to make a move, yet. I'll help you protect Bellamy until this conspiracy against the Council has been dealt with. What's your idea?"

"Well," Clarke said, "I'd originally thought of him staying with you or the Jahas but because of your positions, you wouldn't be able to predict who might come by your quarters at any time, day or night. Sooo…" she paused, taking a deep breath before pressing forward, "I've just started my official medical apprenticeship. I had originally decided not to take the living quarters near med bay that typically come with that but I'm sure I can convince my mom that it's for the best if I do take it. Bellamy can stay there with me. We can pretend Shumway succeeded in his plan."

Kane was silent for several moments before he said, "It just might work." Then he asked, "How will your parents feel about that?"

With a shrug, Clarke said, "My dad will be fine with it. Let me handle my mom. She won't be able to argue with me when I mention that me living with the Chief Medical Officer, who is also my mother, could easily lead to situations that might be construed as favoritism."

A look of appreciation and even a hint of admiration graced Kane's features, but he wasn't yet ready to let her go forward with her plan without at least making sure she'd thought of a few more things.

"You do realize that if you do this, you'll be putting yourself in the line of fire," he pointed out.

"I know," Clarke said confidently, "I trust Bellamy, though. And, of course, the Ark's leadership. I'll be safe enough."

Kane raised an arched brow at her and asked dryly, "Speaking of your trust in Mr. Blake, are you sure you know what you're getting into? Agreeing to take him in, share quarters with him? It could get...complicated."

Amused, Clarke's lips twitched but she refused to allow the smile to form on her lips. "I can handle Bellamy. That's not even a concern."

"Ok then," Kane said, "I'll make sure Jaha knows what's going on and I'll tell your parents what they need to know about the situation as well."

"Just…" Clarke said, trying hard not to squirm in her seat as she said, "be discreet with my parents, please? They really don't need to know that Bellamy will be staying with me. That would just make them worry…"

Marcus eyed her with some skepticism and curiosity for a moment. "Fine," he agreed, "But, Clarke," he said, sounding very much like a parent himself, "If the Blakes are as important to you as I think they are, you might want to give your parents a chance to get to know them at some point. Maybe when all this is over -

Clarke interrupted him, "Maybe when this is all over, we'll all be on the ground and won't have to worry about rations and my mom will miraculously become a more accepting person."

A small smile curved Kane's lips upward. Instead of pressing the point, he said simply, "Just give it some thought."

Dismissing the idea with a curt nod, Clarke asked, "Will you be able to help get Bellamy moved? Perhaps by tonight even?"

"Consider it done," Marcus replied, standing to lead the way to the door.

"Good," Clarke responded, rising to join him at the door, "Thank you for your help. It's definitely appreciated."

"Just doing my duty, Miss Griffin," Kane said formally.

"Something you do well," Clarke smiled and stepped past him and out the door, "Have a good day, Councillor."

"Likewise, Clarke," Marcus answered with a thoughtful look as he watched her walk away.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

After Clarke left, Marcus Kane made his way to the room where several Council members were meeting with the Chancellor to work out the logistics for how the initial drop ship's passengers would be chosen and what their specific goals would be on the ground.

When Marcus entered, the group at the round strategy table looked up and Marcus caught the Chancellor's eye, saying quietly, "Could I have a moment of your time, Chancellor?"

Thelonious nodded and rose, moving to the side of the room where he and Marcus could talk in hushed tones.

"What is it, Marcus?" Thelonious asked, concern apparent in his gaze.

"It's the Blake boy, Chancellor," Marcus responded, "I just had a visit from Clarke Griffin telling me that Commander Shumway made an attempt on his life last night."

"What?!" Jaha exclaimed, clearly alarmed. "You said that Diana Sydney is behind this but we don't have proof. Did Clarke say whether Blake made any mention of her?"

"No, she didn't. I don't believe Sydney was involved, though," Marcus replied. "She's smart enough to stay out of things like this."

"Hmmm," Thelonious frowned, stroking his chin in thought, "How are we coming on finding any connection between her and this rebellion?"

"Nothing yet, Sir, but we're working on it."

"Good, good," Jaha nodded. "Deal with Blake's safety, would you? We may need his testimony to convict and float Shumway and Sydney."

"Already handling it, Sir," Marcus said with a grim look of determination on his face.

"Good," Jaha said again, his approval of Kane's efficiency apparent in his tone, "Let me know when everything is taken care of."

This time it was Marcus's turn to nod and then he turned on his heel and exited the room. He had work to do.

Chapter Fifteen

His boots thudding, Marcus strode along the corridor to the Griffins' quarters, where he made his presence known with a sharp rap on the steel door. Hearing a muffled, "Come in," he let himself into the home of his friends and fellow councilors. When Marcus entered, Jake and Abby appeared to be in the midst of a quiet discussion. Jake rose and offered him a hand, clearly surprised by the visit.

"Jake, Abby." Marcus greeted them, noting their questioning glances as Jake waved him into a chair.

Marcus took the offered seat while Jake sat back down beside his wife, both of them looking expectantly at Kane, wondering about the purpose for his visit. Jake waited with patient curiosity for whatever Kane had to say, studying the man's face and demeanor while Marcus focused intently on Jake's wife.

"Clarke has requested that she be allowed to reside in the medical apprentice's quarters," Kane stated. "She didn't want you to misunderstand her reasoning so she asked that I speak with you about it on her behalf."

Abby paled slightly, silent as she forced her breathing to remain under tight control. Finally, she reached for Jake's hand and asked in a strained manner, "What do you mean, Marcus? We discussed this with her. She agreed it would be best for her to live here with us while she got settled in her new role."

Jake gave Abby's hand a reassuring squeeze before he asked Kane in a tone of voice that was meant specifically to soothe his wife, "We don't understand, Marcus. Since you spoke with her, why don't you tell us what she said."

Striving for neutrality, Marcus answered, "She came looking for Chancellor Jaha and found me instead. She explained that she had been thinking about the drawbacks of living here with you while also being Abby's apprentice in med bay. She was concerned that others might believe she would receive preferential treatment simply by being the head doctor's daughter and she hoped that living apart from you might ease the perceived favoritism."

Abby's brow furrowed and she glanced briefly at her husband with a puzzled and hurt expression. "Why wouldn't she come to me herself with her concerns?" she asked, almost rhetorically, "Clarke has never mentioned anything remotely close to that before. Did she say whether something's changed? If someone has said something to her? Threatened her in some way?"

"I'm not sure," Marcus responded, "Her request seemed reasonable so I put in her transfer immediately. She'll be notified within the next several hours of the quarters being cleaned and inspected, then available for her use." Kane paused and spared a sympathetic glance for Abby as he said, "She'll be close to med bay, able to assist with emergencies. It'll be good for her, give her innumerable learning opportunities. You should be proud."

Abby's jaw tightened and she nodded sharply in reply but everything about her demeanor said that although although she was, of course, proud of her daughter, she wasn't quite ready to let her go.

She'd have to talk to Clarke herself, try to reason with her, see if her daughter had some hidden agenda that precipitated this sudden change of heart regarding her living arrangements. Had they, had she, done something that had made Clarke change her mind about moving or was this all truly just about Clarke exerting her independence and growing up? Abby wasn't sure but she was certainly going to find out.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Making sure she wasn't followed and hoping no one was paying attention, Clarke tiptoed inside the Blake's dark quarters and called softly, "Bellamy?"

From the floorboards on the other side of the room came the sound of the trapdoor opening, the same one that had hidden Octavia for so many years. Bellamy slipped out of his hiding place and asked in a low voice, "What did Jaha have to say?"

Moving closer to him, Clarke took a seat beside him on the floor, her back resting against a leg of the table. "I didn't talk to Jaha. He wasn't available." Before Bellamy could ask what had taken her so long, then, she added hastily, "I talked to Marcus Kane instead."

Kane had always made Bellamy uncomfortable. He felt like he was under very close scrutiny every time he was in the man's presence. With a growing sense of dread, he scrubbed his hand over his face and asked, "And what did he have to say?"

Clarke glanced casually around the dim room and then at the shadowy form of the man beside her. She swallowed hard and took a deep breath before asking in as light a tone as she could muster, "Well...the good news is that he said he's going to protect you."

"And the bad news?" Bellamy prompted, positive that there had to be more to Clarke's words.

"Not bad, per se…" Clarke responded but sounded so unsure of herself that Bellamy wished he could see her face to better read what might be going on behind those expressive eyes of hers.

Bellamy waited a few seconds but when Clarke still remained silent, he prompted her impatiently by asking, "Well? What's the problem, Princess?"

The irritating nickname provoked a scowl he couldn't see and she blurted defiantly, "The problem is that you're going to have to get used to living with me. I've requested the medical apprentice's quarters that I initially turned down. It's being prepared as we speak. Kane is going to help get you there without suspicion at the change of shift so that no one should be paying attention. Take anything important with you. They'll be cleaning your quarters out in the morning."

Speechless, Bellamy blinked and cleared his throat before he could manage to find his voice. "I thought we said it wouldn't work for me to live with you," he said awkwardly.

With a wry smile that was clear in her tone, she said, "That was only if I was living with my parents. Now that I won't be, it shouldn't be a problem." She paused a moment before adding with a bit of a challenge to her words, "That is, unless you're making it one."

Although he knew she wouldn't see the gesture in the darkened room, Bellamy held up his hands in surrender, "No way, Princess. I think I've caused enough problems as it is."

"Good," Clarke said with smug satisfaction before she leaned over and bumped his shoulder with her own. "Now I can finally show you how much fun I can be," she teased.

"Fun? You?" Bellamy teased back, a grin along with feigned skepticism and real amusement apparent in his voice. "This I'll have to see to believe."

"Hey!" Clarke responded, punching his shoulder while he laughed. "You just wait and see, Mr. Bellamy Blake!"

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Abby was preparing to go in search of her daughter when Clarke came through the door as if nothing had changed and there was nothing to talk about. She headed straight toward her room with a wave and a brief, "Hey, Mom," on her way through.

"Wait a minute, Clarke!" Abby called, rushing to follow after her stubborn child, ready to lecture her if she didn't seem to know what she was doing with this apprentice's quarters nonsense.

"What is it?" Clarke responded, stopping in her tracks as she turned a questioning look on her mother.

"What is it?" Abby repeated incredulously, struggling to retain control, narrowing her eyes at her daughter sternly, "Your father and I get a visit from Councillor Kane telling us that you're moving out without a single word from you on the subject. I'd like to hear from you on your reasoning, Clarke. And I'd really like to know why you didn't feel you could talk to me, to us, about it."

The hurt in her mother's voice was unmistakable and Clarke's gaze softened. Stepping toward the woman who'd had so much influence on so many things in Clarke's life up to that point, Clarke smiled warmly even as she swallowed the guilt she felt at having to lie to her mother. She laid a reassuring hand on Abby's shoulder. "There's no hidden meaning, Mom. I just...I don't want to give anyone reason to doubt my competence in med bay because I'm your daughter.

She shrugged and continued, "After I started thinking about it, it made sense to me to move out, get a little independence, separate work life from personal life...see if I can take care of myself, make it on my own."

Studying her daughter silently, Abby realized that she'd been so busy with her patients, with the Ark and its business, that she'd somehow missed a large chunk of her daughter's formative years. Everything in her wanted to argue that Clarke was still a little girl, that she needed her parents, but the young woman before her was confident and competent in a way that made her maternal heart both ache with sadness and soar with pride.

Swallowing her emotions, Abby smiled shakily at Clarke and told her, affection clear in her voice, "I'm proud of you, Clarke. I keep forgetting how grown up you are." She paused before nodding, "All right. I'll agree that considering what you've said, it makes sense for you to move out. Just remember that we're still your parents and we're still here for you, ok? And maybe come home every now and then for a visit?"

Clarke laughed, rolling her eyes as her mom folded her in a tight embrace. With exasperation in her tone, she said, "Mom, it's not like I'm moving far or I'm never gonna see you again. Although," she continued thoughtfully, gauging her mother's response, "I wouldn't mind being selected for the drop ship…I mean, EARTH, Mom!"

Abby frowned, a look of concern crossing her features that she immediately tried to cover. "I don't know, honey," she said hesitantly, knowing that someone from medical, possibly more than one someone, was going to have to go down with the first exodus ship but she had no desire to think about one of those people being her daughter. Not when she was already trying to reconcile herself to the idea that Clarke would soon be living on her own. "Can we talk about this later?"

"Sure, Mom," Clarke conceded readily. It was enough that she hadn't heard an adamant and immediate 'No.'

"Do you need help with anything, sweetie?" Abby asked, glancing toward Clarke's room, wondering how she planned to get her things packed so quickly.

"Nah, I'm fine," Clarke said with a smile, "I'll just take the necessities for tonight and get the rest a little at a time."

"All right, honey," Abby replied with an answering smile, pulling her daughter into a warm embrace again. "Be safe, ok? And I'll see you at work."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Bellamy was waiting for her in the new quarters when Clarke arrived with a small pack and a larger duffel in hand.

Other than in the very beginning when they'd first met and Clarke had rescued both Blake siblings, things had never really been awkward between Clarke and Bellamy. Until now.

They stood staring at each other, Bellamy shifting from one foot to the other while Clarke tapped her right foot nervously. Before her talk with Kane, she would have dismissed the notion of there ever being anything more than friendship between herself and Bellamy, but now...she didn't know what to think.

And for Bellamy's part, he was silently berating himself for the unwanted urges he suddenly found himself having at the sight of Clarke in their doorway, holding her belongings because she was moving into what would now be their quarters.

Coming out of his reverie, Bellamy stepped forward as the door closed behind her and said with a gruffness born of haste, "Here, let me get those."

Just as he spoke, Clarke swallowed, wet her lips, and said, "I should put these down so I can get going."

Bellamy stopped just before he reached her and repeated questioningly, "Get going?"

"Uh, yeah," Clarke responded distractedly as she handed him her bags, biting her lower lip and taking a moment to swallow hard again before saying, "O's birthday picnic, remember?"

"Oh...right…" Bellamy replied, feeling ridiculous and out of sorts for having forgotten his own sister's birthday. "Tell her hi for me, will you? And, uh, happy birthday?"

Clarke's heart dropped to her stomach. She cleared her throat and coughed into her hand as she tried to think of how to say what she needed to say to her friend, the only big brother currently in the Ark's existence.

"Umm…"

Bellamy picked up on the problem immediately and groaned. "Shit," he muttered, clenching and unclenching his fists at his sides as he tried not to panic as a shot of adrenaline ran through his rapidly beating heart.

Quickly, Clarke reached for his arm and gave it a squeeze, saying sympathetically, "I'm so sorry, Bell. If I could think of any way to let Octavia know that you're still alive without risking your safety, I'd do it, but you know your sister. Do you really think she'd be able to keep it a secret? And do you really think I'd be able to manage to tell her with Jasper and Monty right there?"

He pulled away from her grasp and promptly punched the closest wall, shaking his hand after he did so, yelling at himself internally for doing something so stupid.

"Feel any better?" Clarke asked quietly from halfway across the room.

"No," he mumbled in annoyance, "Worse. I think I injured my hand…"

Muffling a soft chuckle, Clarke came forward and held out her own hand, "Let me have a look."

Sheepishly, he showed her what he'd done and he hissed when she pressed gently on a tender area.

"Possibly some tendon damage. Not a good idea to punch a steel wall, just so you know. They do tend to bite back," she said with a hint of amusement in her voice that she couldn't disguise.

"I'll try to remember that for next time," Bellamy responded dryly.

Hesitating, Clarke looked at the time and back at his hand, biting her lip as she tried to decide what to do.

"Go," he said, "I'll take care of this. If you don't get there on time, they won't let you in."

Nodding, Clarke headed for the door, grabbing all the picnic items that Bellamy had salvaged from his own quarters with Kane's help. As she turned the handle, she looked back and said, "Keep it elevated. I'll bring you a cold pack when I get back."

Once she was gone, Bellamy dropped into one of the two chairs at the table and sighed heavily as he closed his eyes and cradled his hand.

"What the fuck am I doing here? O's in the Sky Box, I'm supposedly dead, and...somehow...Clarke has become altogether too important...how the hell did I get myself into this mess?"

His words were met with silence and he groaned as he wished he could be with his sister and his friend as, for the first time ever, Octavia's existence was celebrated instead of hidden. But then he thought about Clarke coming back from the picnic, about everything she would tell him about his sister - both good and bad - and he started to both dread and anticipate Clarke's return in equal measure.

Chapter 16

Outside the door to her new quarters, Clarke took a moment to close her eyes and breathe deeply. Thoughts about the fine line she was about to walk between Octavia and Bellamy, Bellamy and Octavia, invaded her mind.

Was there any way to hold off on telling Octavia about Bellamy's supposed 'death'? As much as she wished there were some other way, Clarke knew what she had to do. Regardless of how much it pained her, how much it would hurt both her friends, she was going to have to lie to one to protect the other.

Her heart ached as she moved through the corridors holding the only item from the birthday picnic that she'd decided to still take with her.

'What would be the point of bringing everything else?' Clarke wondered to herself. 'Like she's going to want to celebrate when she thinks Bellamy's gone and she's never going to see him again.'

The distance between her new quarters and the Sky Box was a lot shorter than she'd thought it would be. Clarke found herself slowing down, trying to find a credible excuse for turning around and going back the way she'd come. It didn't work, though. Before she knew it, she'd arrived at the visitor processing area just outside the Sky Box where she and the birthday gift she carried were inspected and cleared.

A guard she barely recognized took her to a visiting room where Octavia, Jasper, and Monty were waiting for her. When she saw them, Clarke had to strengthen her resolve. She forced a smile and tucked the gift under her arm when Octavia squealed in delight and threw herself into Clarke's arms.

"CLARKE! This is gonna be the best birthday ever!" Octavia gushed, squeezing Clarke tight. Then she seemed to notice something and she pulled back, brow furrowed as she frowned. "Hey, where's Bell with the picnic supplies? I thought this was supposed to be a real party."

"He…" Clarke started, butterflies taking flight in her stomach as she fought down a desire to be sick. "He...umm…" She swallowed hard and studied her feet while she tried to figure out what to say now that she was confronted with the situation she'd been dreading since the moment she set foot outside her new quarters.

Her attempt at an explanation was cut off by Jasper and Monty as they noticed the gift hiding under Clarke's arm.

"Hey, O! There's your present! Maybe Bell's just running behind," Jasper suggested as he pointed to the small object dangling by Clarke's side.

Octavia grinned and reached for the present, grabbing it and unwrapping it carelessly as she forgot for a moment that she'd asked Clarke a question.

When the rag doll was revealed, Octavia sobered, her sharp eyes meeting Clarke's as she held the gift tight against her chest. It was a toy Bellamy had made for her when she was small. An object that, just by looking at it, brought her brother's voice to mind as he'd handed it to her and reminded her that as long as she was holding that doll, she would know that he was with her, that she should be strong and not afraid.

"Where's Bell?" Octavia demanded evenly.

Jasper and Monty quieted immediately. The change in the room's atmosphere was palpable.

Clarke's gaze wavered as she found there was no way she could look Octavia in the eye. What she was about to do, about to say, would crush Octavia and when she found out that it wasn't even true, there was no way Octavia would forgive her.

With an edge of impatience that bordered on panic, Octavia touched Clarke's elbow and asked again, "What is it already? Where's Bell? You're scaring me!"

Jasper and Monty looked at each other and silently seemed to agree that it might be a good idea to move closer to the girls. They hesitated a short distance away as they waited to see what would happen next.

"It's...I…" Clarke started and then words just started tumbling from her mouth. "W-we were planning your party...finalizing things...I said I'd stop by after his shift and…" The image of what she'd found when she'd gone to talk to Bellamy brought a sob to her throat. "And he...he'd been hanged."

Horror filled Octavia's blue-grey eyes and she immediately stuffed her fist in her mouth to stifle the scream that ripped through her. Her big brother had taught her well how to disguise her sounds, how to be silent in the midst of an emotional storm. She took those skills and used them now. Even so, she only lasted a couple of moments before her knees buckled and she crumpled to the floor, a silently weeping mess.

Clarke's own knees hit the floor seconds later, her arms wrapping around her friend as they cried together. One for the brother she thought she'd lost and the other for the pain she was causing one of her best friends.

In spite of all the reasons she shouldn't, Clarke made a sudden decision that could potentially end up being detrimental to both of them at some point but that, in that moment, she knew she couldn't avoid.

"O," Clarke whispered urgently into her friend's ear, "Listen to me very carefully but do NOT react to anything I'm saying. Yes, I found Bell hanging in your quarters but I saved him. You hear me? He's fine. We have to pretend he's dead, though, to keep him safe. Not even Monty and Jasper can know he's alive. Ok? Can you do that?"

Octavia was completely still. So much so that Clarke almost missed the nearly imperceptible nod from her friend who had buried her face in the crook of Clarke's neck. Not a single other word or sound passed between the two girls. They simply remained where they were, clinging to each other like their lives depended on it.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

On her way back to her quarters, Clarke tried to convince herself that she'd done what she had to do, that everything would be ok. Octavia knew the importance of keeping quiet, that her brother's life depended on utter secrecy. She'd keep the information Clarke had shared to herself. Or at least Clarke hoped she would.

'How could I have ever thought I'd be able to rip Octavia's world apart and not put it back together again?' she mused silently as she reached the door to her new quarters. The door that had a very anxious young man waiting behind it, torturing himself over how his sister had handled the news of his death.

Clarke rested her head against the cold steel door and took several measured breaths before telling herself, 'He'll understand. It'll be ok.'

After the impromptu pep talk to herself, Clarke lifted her head, set her jaw, and opened the door. Without meaning to or even realizing she was doing it, she held her breath and met Bellamy's expectant gaze across the room.

Once the door was shut behind her, he moved swiftly across the room, his eyes never leaving her as he tried to deduce from her rigid posture, her stiff demeanor, what it was that she would tell him.

When he was right in front of her, Clarke took his elbows in her hands so that his forearms were resting comfortingly against hers.

He didn't say a word, simply waited expectantly for her to tell him what had happened.

She finally released the breath she'd been holding and sucked in several gulps of air before she blurted apologetically, "She was so devastated when I told her how I found you hanged in your quarters, I couldn't leave her like that. I couldn't let her believe you were dead, Bell. "

"How did you manage to tell her the truth without anyone overhearing you?" Bellamy asked anxiously.

Clarke frowned. She bit her lower lip and forced herself to hold his eyes with hers in spite of the fact that she knew her words would inevitably bring him pain.

"Her knees buckled...she collapsed…" Clarke had to swallow the lump in her throat as she pictured Octavia's reaction to the news of her brother's demise. "I... was comforting her...and that's when I knew I just couldn't leave her like that. So I whispered in her ear what was really going on…"

"Wait," Bellamy asked suddenly, his dark eyes filled with trepidation as he continued urgently, "Weren't Jasper and Monty supposed to be there? They didn't hear anything, did they? Those two couldn't keep a secret if THEIR lives depended on it, let alone MINE."

In the short time that Octavia had been friends with the pair before being locked up, Bellamy had heard far too much gossip from his sister that had been generated by the two boys she'd befriended. There was no way his cover would last until the drop ship went down if either of them knew he was still alive.

"They don't know," Clarke responded confidently. "Or at least they didn't hear it from me. And I'm pretty sure that when it comes to your safety, O can be depended upon to keep her mouth shut."

When he saw the look in Clarke's eyes as she began to second-guess what she'd done in spite of the certainty with which she'd spoken, Bellamy wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a tight embrace, whispering into her hair, against her ear, "Thank you, Clarke."

"For what?" Clarke murmured against his shoulder. "All I did was what had to be done."

He kissed her temple and said softly, "Plenty of people would have run in the other direction. Not everyone has the strength or courage to do what has to be done."

Something inside Clarke shifted in that moment. Her heart sprang to her throat and her mouth felt like it was filled with cotton. She didn't know what was happening, but whatever it was warmed her insides and made her feel safe. She sighed and gave Bellamy another squeeze before she pulled away and smiled softly up at him.

"Come on, it's late. We should probably try and get some sleep."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

As the new roommates settled in for the night, their adversaries were hidden away in a distant part of the main station finalizing preparations for the Earth Day celebration.

Everything was in place. Scheduled right down to the minute. Contingencies accounted for. Nothing would go wrong. The Ark would be in chaos, at least half its leaders would be dead, and those loyal to the rebel cause would be on the drop ship. Headed to Earth.

j

Chapter Seventeen

Things began to settle into a new normal as the Council worked diligently on their plans for the drop ship. The mechanics and engineers argued over how to make various aspects of the trip to Earth safer for the lucky - or perhaps not so lucky - passengers.

And the occupants of a small single residence near med bay tried to get used to living together, learning by trial and error what would set each other off and how to make things between them run smoothly.

Bellamy flipped the lights on in the morning almost as soon as he woke up, stretching and blinking as he waited for his eyes to focus.

Clarke grumbled and groaned in protest, throwing her pillow at him as she demanded in the most grumpy voice Bellamy had ever heard, "What the hell are you doing? Why'd you turn the lights on?"

With a smirk, he came up beside the bed and whacked her with the pillow she'd thrown at him. "Because," he said matter-of-factly, obviously not bothered by her ire at all, "It's time to get up."

She glared at him and grabbed for another pillow, bashing him haphazardly in the shoulder in retaliation after glancing at the time and scowling. "No it's not. I've got two whole hours before I have to be in med bay."

A spark of mischief lit Bellamy's eyes with a warm glow. He bopped Clarke on the head with his pillow again and teased, "What about getting showered, dressed, and, you know, eating breakfast before work?"

Without warning, Clarke grabbed Bellamy's pillow from him and launched herself at him with both 'weapons', tumbling them to the floor with her full-on assault.

"Hey!" he protested with a laugh as he fought to retrieve his pillow from her. "If you're gonna fight dirty, you'd better be prepared for the consequences," he warned.

When he was unable to get the pillow wrestled away from her grasp, he began to tickle her instead.

Clarke squealed and curled up in a ball, trying to protect herself. "STOP!" she cried, completely out of breath from laughing so hard.

He grinned down at her triumphantly and asked cockily, "Ready to surrender?"

Now it was Clarke whose mischievous eyes were glittering at him while she smiled at him wickedly. "NEVER!"

With that one word, she tumbled him back and, finding a supremely sensitive spot on his side just above his hip, she tickled him mercilessly until she practically had him pinned to the ground while straddling his thighs.

Things escalated quickly for Bellamy at that point. He inhaled sharply with alarm when he felt a very embarrassing situation coming on. Hurriedly, he overpowered Clarke and tossed the surprised young woman to the side as gently as he could.

Scrambling to his feet, he offered her a hand to help her up and said gruffly, "That's enough. You need to get ready for work."

Thoroughly confused, Clarke took his hand, looking at him with uncertainty and indecision. She wasn't sure what had just happened to make him stop their play so abruptly and she found herself surprisingly disappointed.

"Okay…" she said hesitantly, wracking her brain as she tried to figure out what she'd done wrong. She'd been enjoying herself. And, if she were being honest, she'd felt a little thrill, something almost electric, running along her skin every time he'd touched her.

To him, she was sure she was just a friend. Yes, they'd met through his little sister, but now they had their own friendship. But for Clarke, as much as she might want to deny it, he was quickly becoming something...more. And she knew that could become problematic now that they were living together.

She was going to have to find a way to stave off the growing feelings of affection she had toward him and find a way to make sure their relationship remained platonic. Even if it killed her not to explore what was between them, she just couldn't run the risk of anything going wrong.

By the time she'd showered and gotten ready to leave for her shift, Clarke had thought so much about Bellamy that her mind had wandered from her growing feelings for him to other things altogether. Before she knew it, she'd come up with an idea for keeping him occupied while she was working.

When she was about to leave for her day in med bay, Clarke stopped and turned to Bellamy with a tentative smile, "Hey, while I'm on my lunch break, I can bring you some books to stave off the boredom. Any particular requests?"

Surprised at Clarke's consideration and generosity, especially after the way he'd ended their fun so abruptly earlier, Bellamy eagerly responded with, "Anything on history and mythology. Those should keep me out of trouble." He paused for a moment before adding a sincere, "Thanks."

"No problem," Clarke said, relieved that he was no longer acting as strangely as he had been earlier. Then, with a grin, she teased, "As long as you don't get any ideas and try to start a new World War before we've even made it to the ground."

A smirk lifted a corner of Bellamy's lips, his eyes clearly accepting the challenge as he said, "Oh, don't worry. I plan to save all my newfound knowledge for surviving, not getting killed."

Clarke laughed and said, "Good to know," as she shook her head and left.

When the door closed behind her, Bellamy sighed, alone and restless with only his thoughts to keep him company again. Quickly, his mind turned to the events of that morning. He replayed in his head the pillow fight with Clarke and groaned when he thought of how it had felt to have her straddling his lap, the embarrassing physical response that he'd had no way to control.

That same problem began to arise even as he simply thought of her soft, warm body on top of him, her playful, gleaming blue eyes dancing as they stared down at him.

It was all too easy for him to imagine how things might play out from there if he were ever to let down his guard and she were to find out that her friend's big brother wanted so much more than just friendship between them. Making a move, though, would be dangerous. For both of them. What if things didn't work out? They'd still have to live with each other. And that would be torture.

He sighed and grumbled to himself, glancing longingly at the door. The problem was he had too much time to think. It was driving him insane to be stuck in the room when everyone else was out contributing to the day-to-day survival of their people or, better yet, their long-term survival on the ground.

It occurred to him that he was finding out what it must have been like for Octavia all those years when she was hiding beneath the floorboards. Or even now while she was locked away in the Sky Box. With a frown, he realized that thinking of his sister and her current predicament had just darkened his mood.

By the time Clarke returned on her lunch break with the promised reading materials, Bellamy was in a very sour state of mind. He was grumbling to himself while switching between doing sit-ups and push-ups to keep himself occupied, but it clearly wasn't working.

"Honey, I'm home," Clarke teased cheerfully as she bumped the door closed with her elbow, her arms full of the books she'd brought him.

Bellamy's eyes lit up instantaneously at the sight of the treasures she carried. He jumped up and took all of two large strides to reach her, taking the stack of books from her arms as he immediately began skimming titles.

"You're welcome," Clarke said sarcastically, half-amused and half-annoyed at his lack of response to her stealth and haste in providing him a more enjoyable activity than working out all day and all night.

The snarl and growl that had been etched on Bellamy's lips when she'd come in had melted away. Now he met her eyes with a crooked grin and placed his hands on her shoulders, giving them a squeeze before pulling her into a tight embrace. He held her in his arms longer than strictly necessary, enjoying the contact, the comforting connection with her. Then just before he pulled away, he whispered against her hair a very sincere, "Thank you."

Once Bellamy had books to read, his time alone got easier to handle. He'd have occasional visits from Kane during off hours when he felt it was safe to check in on his charge. They would speak of the trivial, mundane things going on in the day to day operation of the Ark and they would discuss the progress happening with the drop ship and the Council with respect to finalizing the expedition to the ground.

As time passed, what had begun as daily routines between Clarke and Bellamy took on some of the the aspects of ritual. In fact, things between Clarke and Bellamy were so comfortable that they had taken to hugging each other goodnight at the end of the day, turning out the lights, and talking until one or both of them fell asleep.

That all changed, though, on the day that Clarke stumbled her way into their quarters in the middle of her shift, slamming the door behind her. As soon as she was safely out of sight of any concerned or nosy passersby from the hall, Clarke slid to the floor with her back against the door, and covered her face with her hands.

Bellamy studied her from the corner of the room, his brow wrinkled in concern. He wasn't even sure if she remembered he was there at that moment so he was hesitant to approach, to find out from her what was the matter.

He weighed his options until he saw her shoulders begin to shake, and muffled sniffles and gasps for air could be heard from behind her hands.

"Clarke…?" he called softly, waiting to move until he was sure she at least knew that he was present.

When she didn't respond other than to still and quiet her sobs, he rose and went to her, crouching down beside her. Tentatively, he placed his warm hand on her cool and clammy skin. The first thing he thought was, 'She's in shock.'

He rubbed her shoulder and made awkward shushing sounds, not quite sure what else to do. To his surprise, Clarke opened her arms and instead of hugging herself, she clung to him. He held her and rocked her, brushing gentle but calloused fingers through her soft hair until she had calmed.

At the point where he thought it was finally safe, he placed a tender kiss at her temple and murmured, "You want to tell me what happened?"

"Not really," she replied in a small voice before softly adding with determination, "But I will anyway…"

Without a word, he waited for her to be ready to share, admonishing himself for relishing the chance to revel at the feel of her soft skin. Especially when it was so obvious that something awful had happened. He should be thinking of comforting her, not kissing her.

She looked up at him then with a sad little smile, her eyes red from crying. She wiped her tears away with the back of her hand and whispered with a crack in her voice, "I lost my first patient today."

Sympathy welled inside Bellamy, tightening his chest until his heart ached for the girl he held in his arms. He pulled her closer again and murmured against her ear, "I'm so sorry, Clarke. I don't know what to say."

A small sob, half-hiccup, half-strangled cry, escaped her lips as she buried her face in his chest. When she was able to control herself again, she pleaded, "Tell me, Bellamy. Tell me it wasn't my fault."

"What?!" Bellamy responded, startled into pulling away to look her in the eye. "Clarke, I don't even know what happened, but I do know that much. It was definitely not your fault."

Doubtfully, Clarke looked away, down to her lap and shook her head. "How can you be sure?"

Bellamy inclined his head, searching her eyes after he'd gently lifted her chin to raise them to his own. "I know because I know you," he answered with quiet confidence. "Now tell me. What is this all about?"

"My patient was a little boy, six-years-old," Clarke began, knowing she shouldn't be sharing details but not really caring. After all, news on the Ark spread fast. Rumors and truth would get mixed together. And before long, no one would know the truth anymore. No one but her. And now Bellamy. "He'd been sick for a long time. His parents had brought him in before and they'd been given the allotted medication for him but it wasn't working."

Clarke's voice broke and she had to take a moment to steady herself again before she could continue. "I ran all the usual tests. Tried all the treatment protocols allowed by law. He started to improve on one but then he reached the max dose allowed and..." her words trailed off and she bit her lower lip, shaking her head, tears in her eyes as she said, "it wasn't enough."

Bellamy could easily see how it must have happened, and he was filled with compassion for her, for this amazing girl and her soft heart.

"Clarke," he said, "you did what you could. It wouldn't have done your future patients any good for you to get arrested for breaking the law."

Another sob caught in Clarke's throat as she nodded and bit her lower lip again, covering her mouth with her hand for a moment. She swallowed hard and forced herself to go on. "It made things so much worse, you know? Knowing he COULD get better, that he didn't HAVE to die. Watching him get better only to deteriorate and fade away..."

A cold chill paired with boiling anger coursed through Bellamy as he pulled Clarke close again. They held each other and grieved together for the senseless loss of life.

When Clarke pulled back to look at his face again, there was a spark of fire and determination in her eyes.

"On the ground, if it's survivable, I plan to do WHATEVER is necessary to save EVERY life. No matter what it takes," she said firmly.

Admiration filled Bellamy's dark eyes and he gave her another squeeze. "I'm sticking with you down there. Maybe we can manage to keep each other alive."

For the first time since she'd set foot in their quarters that day, Clarke's face lit with an amused grin and she impulsively kissed his cheek before she said, "You break 'em and I'll put 'em back together."

Bellamy laughed, his skin burning where her lips had touched him, and he nodded his agreement. "Sounds like a plan."

Chapter Eighteen

After such a traumatic day, Clarke was exhausted in every possible way: physically, mentally, and emotionally. Bellamy tried to help in the only way he could think of. He brought her a glass of water, and prepared some food for them, but Clarke wasn't able to eat much.

After a while she could no longer keep her eyes open, and her head drifted to Bellamy's shoulder. When she yawned, he nudged her with his elbow and said, "Come on. Let's get you into bed."

Too late, he realized how those words might have sounded, and a slow blush began to creep up his neck, but Clarke was too tired to notice.

Bellamy usually spent his nights on a pallet on the floor, but after the day Clarke had had, she was not quite ready to let go of the comfort of his arms.

"Lie down with me?" she said sleepily. "Just till I fall asleep."

A small half-smile pulled at the corner of Bellamy's mouth as he consented. "Sure. Just till you fall asleep."

In spite of their intentions, things didn't quite work out the way they'd planned. They were both still in bed, wrapped in each others' arms when they were startled awake the next morning by a loud knocking at the door.

Clarke sat bolt upright and gasped when she realized Bellamy was still beside her and someone was at the door. She grabbed his arm and dragged him out of bed, whispering frantically, "Quick! Hide in the bathroom!"

As he sprinted the short distance toward the bathroom, he coughed into his hand. 'This is not a good time for a scratchy throat!' he thought, wondering if he could get a sip of water before Clarke opened the door.

When he heard the squeal of old hinges begging for oil, a clear sign that the main door to their quarters had been opened, he decided he'd better not risk anyone hearing the water running and swallowed hard instead, hoping he could keep himself from clearing his throat until the visitor left.

Outside in the corridor, Clarke found her mother just as she was about to knock again.

"Clarke," Abby said in that oh-so-familiar tone of motherly worry mixed with maternal meddling, "Honey, how are you?"

Instead of answering the question, Clarke stepped aside and motioned toward the table, telling Abby in a tone that still sounded of defeat, "Come in. Have a seat. I can get us some tea."

Sitting down and watching as her daughter moved around the tiny kitchen to get their drinks, Abby's face filled with concern. "I heard about what happened on your shift last night, sweetheart. You know you didn't have to come here to your empty quarters, right? You could have come home so you wouldn't have had to be alone after such an awful experience."

A lump formed in Clarke's throat and she closed her eyes a moment to pull herself together before passing a cup to her mother. Then she sat down heavily in her own chair and clutched her teacup tightly, looking down into the murky liquid and nodding.

She bit her lower lip, fighting back a new wellspring of tears as her mother watched her intently. When she thought she had control of her emotions, she cleared her throat and listened to her voice crack as she said vaguely, "I wasn't alone. I had a friend with me here who helped me work through it."

"That's good," Abby contended, wondering if that friend was Wells, if the two of them were on better terms again now that the Blake siblings were no longer a distraction to her. "Have you been lonely at all?"

Clarke shook her head, lifting her cup to her lips, smiling affectionately as she said thoughtfully, "No, not at all. It's been nice to have my own space, actually."

Abby frowned momentarily but quickly hid the fact that she fervently wished that Clarke were still living at home with her where she could protect her and try to keep her from experiencing pain of any kind. She knew it wouldn't happen, but still she said, "You know if it ever gets too difficult for you, you can always move back home. Even for a little while."

"Mom," Clarke said in a warning tone.

"I know," Abby responded, reaching across to take Clarke's hand and give it a squeeze. "I love you, sweetie. Just remember that your father and I are always here for you, okay?"

"Okay," Clarke agreed, making an attempt at a weak smile.

While Dr. Griffin sat with Clarke, Bellamy stayed hidden behind the bathroom door. The longer he was there, the more he began to think there might be more going on with him than just a tickle and a cough. His throat was beginning to hurt and he was starting to get lightheaded.

The visit between Abby and Clarke lasted only a short while longer, but by the time Abby had gone, Bellamy had slid down the wall and was sitting behind the door. His eyes were closed and he was focused on his breathing, something that was no longer a simple task.

Once her mother was gone, Clarke poked her head in the bathroom and called softly and tentatively, "Bellamy? You can come out now."

There was a moment of silence before his gravelly voice came back with, "I don't think that I can."

Clarke cautiously pushed the door open and peered around it, asking curiously, "What do you mean you can't - " When she saw him, she gasped and fell to her knees by his side. "Bellamy? What's wrong? Are you ok?"

He shook his head, eyes still closed. He almost looked peaceful until he doubled over with a coughing fit.

"Bellamy!" Clarke said with chagrin as she pushed herself up, disappeared to grab a glass, and returned to kneel beside him again with a cup of water. "Here," she offered, "See if this helps."

The hand that touched hers when he reached for the cup was cool and clammy. With concern, she reached for his forehead while he bent to take a sip. The touch of her skin to his head felt refreshing and comforting.

"You have a fever," Clarke reported with a frown, "Fever, dry cough, cool and clammy hands...Bellamy, are you having any trouble breathing?"

He nodded, his head against the wall, his eyes still closed. He couldn't bring himself to open them.

She pressed the palm of her hand to his chest and felt the beginning of a rattle in his lungs. Her eyes widened with dread.

"Um, Bellamy?" she asked, trying to call his attention to her as calmly as possible even though alarm bells were sounding in her head. "Think you can look at me a moment?"

Wearily, Bellamy's eyes opened a crack. They were bloodshot and miserable, definitely not the sharp, intelligent eyes of the man she knew.

Inhaling deeply as she tried to calm herself, steady herself for what she was about to say, Clarke exhaled slowly and spoke to him firmly, "I think you've managed to contract the virus I was dealing with in med bay yesterday."

Bellamy tried to focus on her but it was no use. "Virus?" he wheezed, his chest feeling heavier every minute. "What kind of virus?"

"The one that killed that little boy, I'm afraid," Clarke answered truthfully.

More than anything, Clarke wanted to do something to help him. Bring him to med bay. Get him something to bring the fever down. Break the law if she had to. Anything to keep him from the same fate as the boy from the night before.

But she couldn't. She couldn't do any of those things because every one of them would bring another kind of danger. Would expose him to those who thought him already dead.

"Come on," she commanded, pulling his arm around her shoulders so she could help support him as she moved him from the bathroom to the bed. "We're gonna get you as comfortable as we can. I'm gonna get you some cold cloths to try to get your fever down, and -" she looked at the time and swore under her breath. "And go meet Wells so he doesn't get any more suspicious than he already is. And after that I'll check on you, and if I need to I'll go to Kane to get authorization to treat you. Ok?"

"Mmm," was all he mumbled as he fell like a rag doll back onto the bed. His eyes fluttered open for a moment as she lifted his feet and tucked him in. In a fever-induced delirium, he murmured, "Clarke…?"

"Yes?" Clarke responded softly as she brushed his sweaty curls back from his brow.

He continued as if he were talking to himself, "There's...something about...how you take care of me..." His words began to slur together and his eyes closed. "Makes me feel…special...not so alone..."

Clarke was blushing at his words, his compliment. She liked hearing that from him. Even if he didn't know he was saying it. Biting her lower lip, she waited anxiously to hear what else he might say.

"Need...you...o'ly...grrrl...frr...me..." They were the last sounds he uttered before he fell asleep.

A rush of air exited Clarke's lungs, a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Frozen for a moment, she couldn't move, just stared down at him and tried to steady her own breathing, quiet the pounding of her heart.

Finally, when she thought she could get up without giving away how shaken she was, she smoothed her hand over his hair again and leaned down to brush a kiss across his cheek before whispering, "I'll be back."

Bellamy shifted and uttered something completely incoherent before lifting an arm that seemed to weigh three times what it should. He wrapped it around her and pulled her close, holding her as if his life depended on keeping her in his grasp. He nuzzled his nose into her soft hair and his raspy breathing smoothed to even but shallow wisps against her ear.

A tingle went up her spine, making her shiver and gasp as she pulled away. She stood still for a moment, eyes wide as she stared down at him, her heart beating frantically in her chest. It took a while but when she was finally able to gather her wits, she turned on her heel and marched straight for the door.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Once outside, Clarke pressed her back against the cold steel wall and tried to calm what she was sure was an overreaction. She closed her eyes and forced herself to breathe slowly, in and out, in and out.

'Don't get carried away, Clarke,' she ordered herself, 'He had no idea what he was saying. And you have no idea what he meant by what he said. If you don't pull yourself together, NOW, Wells will know that something is up and you'll never get the chance to ask Kane for those meds.'

The thought of Wells finding out about Bellamy sobered her. Clarke couldn't afford the risks that would come with Wells gaining that kind of knowledge.

At one time, she would have told her best friend everything, but things had changed. She'd changed. For one thing, he was a good friend still but he was no longer her best friend. That title had fallen to...She forced herself to stop that line of thought. She knew exactly where it would head and thinking about it would do her no good.

No, what she needed to do was find Wells. She'd have to test out her acting skills with him. If she could keep their visit short but not too short, just long enough not to draw his suspicion, then she could let med bay know that she was still struggling to deal with the loss of her patient the night before and would need the evening off. Once that was done, she could check in with Bellamy and find a way to meet with Kane.

With a plan in place, Clarke felt much better. She had a handle on things again. She was in control. She took a deep breath, released it, and marched with determination toward the alcove where she'd agreed to meet with Wells. It had been their favorite hiding spot when they were kids. Now it would be their rendezvous point as young adults.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Wells was already there waiting for her, leaning against the wall, looking out the sky port, watching the glowing light of the stars. He turned as Clarke approached and smiled at her, studying her silently.

With dark eyes that were too sharp, too knowledgeable for Clarke's peace of mind, Wells asked with concern, "What's wrong? You look like you hardly slept last night."

Flustered, Clarke shrugged, forcing her mind from the image of Bellamy comforting her, of waking up in his arms. Instead, she remembered the face of the pale, deceased boy who had died on her watch the night before and frowned. "I lost my first patient yesterday."

The sympathy on Wells's face was clear as he reached out and squeezed Clarke's elbow, asking, "Why didn't you come find me? You know I'm always available whenever you need anything."

Clarke smiled at him gratefully but shook her head. "I was so exhausted. All I wanted to do was cry myself to sleep. It just took a lot longer than I'd anticipated."

Nodding in understanding, Wells offered, "Well, anytime you need to talk, you know where to find me."

"I do," Clarke agreed, her smile becoming affectionate as she realized for the first time that the relationship she had with Wells was not that different from the one that Bellamy had with Octavia. Wells was always there, always ready and willing to help her, to take care of her. He tried to make her happy and always took the fall when one of her more hare-brained ideas got them into trouble. Wasn't that how Bellamy acted toward Octavia? And Octavia returned his affection in that exact same way.

A sense of relief washed over Clarke. She'd always wondered what was wrong with her. Why she didn't feel the same way about Wells that he did about her. She understood that he probably had no idea that his feelings for her were more those of a big brother than those of someone truly in love. But then, with only one set of siblings on the Ark, how was he supposed to learn something like that?

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard Wells calling her name. He must have been doing so for some time because when she focused on him again, he looked both worried and bemused.

"Where were you just now?" he asked.

"Nowhere," Clarke insisted, heat creeping into her cheeks as she was embarrassed to be caught so lost in thought. "I was thinking, that's all."

"Thinking what?" Wells asked curiously.

"Nothing important," Clarke responded, "I was just wondering if this is what it feels like to have a brother."

Wells's brow furrowed in confusion. "What? What do you mean?"

"You and me," Clarke explained, "I mean, we've always been such great friends. More than friends. But as much as our parents want us to get married someday, I've just never felt that way about you. And I always wondered if there wasn't some other kind of relationship, something that was more than friends but wasn't the same as life partners. And I just now realized. Maybe what you and I have is something like what Bellamy and Octavia shared."

"You must miss them a lot," Wells commented, watching her closely.

"I do," she said hastily, pursing her lips as she nodded. "It's been hard without them."

They stared at each other in companionable silence for a few moments until Wells finally said, "We're still friends, Clarke. Remember that. You don't have to be alone."

When Clarke gave a tight smile and a quick, "Thanks," Wells knew there was something she wasn't telling him. Had he been anyone else, he might have thought nothing of her dismissive behavior. But he'd known her since they were in diapers. He could read the tells that even she herself didn't know she had and he was sure that she had no idea that she'd just given herself away.

"Hey," he said with another gentle squeeze to her arm, "I'd better let you go. Don't you have a shift soon?"

Quickly, Clarke checked the time and cursed under her breath. "Yeah, I do." She spun on her heel and called over her shoulder, "I'll catch you later, ok?"

"Ok," Wells called back. He watched her until she turned a corner and was out of sight. Then he watched the last place he'd seen her, replaying their brief visit in his mind. What was she hiding, he wondered. He wasn't sure but he planned to find out.

Chapter Nineteen

After leaving Wells, Clarke quickly made her way to med bay. It wasn't difficult for her to paint herself as distraught and still reeling from the events of the previous day. She was granted permission to take the day off and soon after, she was hurrying along the corridor, heading back to her quarters to check on Bellamy.

Several people were milling about or heading from one location to the other when Clarke arrived at her door. She greeted one or two with a smile as casually as she could before slipping inside as inconspicuously as possible. As soon as the door was closed behind her and she was safe from prying eyes, Clarke breathed a sigh of relief but then her stomach tightened and her gaze darted to the bed.

"Bellamy," she said urgently.

A moan sounded from the bed and she watched as the blanket shifted with Bellamy's movement. She crossed the room in three strides and sat down on the thin mattress beside him.

"Bellamy," she said again, this time while brushing his sweat-soaked curls from his forehead. "Can you open your eyes for me? I need to ask you something."

The blankets rustled around him as he whimpered incoherently. 'Someone...talking...voice… soft…soothing...need to see...who it is...don't want...to die...alone...'

His eyelids fluttered once, twice, a third time, before he finally managed to get them open. She could see that his pupils were dilated and the whites of his eyes were bloodshot.

"Clarke?" he wheezed in confusion.

"It's me," she confirmed with a sympathetic smile before asking with concern, "Do you feel any better at all?"

He tried to shake his head in the negative but the room started to spin and he grunted and closed his eyes instead. 'Gotta...see her...make sure...she's real...can't...lose her...' A cough started in the pit of his stomach and overtook him completely, leaving him gasping for air. 'Don't...leave...' he silently pleaded with her.

Clarke helped to sit him up and held him while he fought to regain his breath. When he could finally speak, the weakness of his voice and the rattle in his chest concerned her more than the actual words he uttered.

"Don't get...too close. Can't...get you...sick...too…"

She kissed his temple and quietly reassured him as she helped him lie back down. "Don't worry about me. I'm pretty sure I'm immune somehow. In fact," she said, with a rueful little smile, "I should be apologizing to you, since I'm the reason you're so sick."

He tried to chuckle, but just started coughing again, forgetting his valiant words as he clung to her.

Clarke went to her side table and reached for the pocket scanner she'd been given when she first started working in med bay. She returned to Bellamy's side and and checked his vitals, frowning when she saw that he not only still had a fever but his oxygen levels were dangerously low.

She was just about to tell him that she was going to see Kane to try to get him some medication when he collapsed back against the bed in another coughing fit. On impulse, Clarke lay down beside Bellamy and held him close until his breathing evened out again. Then she loosened her arms and reached a hand to caress his face and brush several matted curls from his eyes.

"Shh," she whispered, "I'm right here. And I'm not going anywhere, ok? Rest, sweetheart. I'll still be here when you wake up."

The endearment slipped out before she realized it. When she heard the word come from her lips, she stiffened in a panic. 'Why did I say that? What was I thinking?!'

Holding her breath, she squinted at him out of the corner of her eye and huffed a sigh of relief when she saw that he was sound asleep. She gazed at him for a while with a soft smile, smoothing his brow as she hummed to him.

When she was sure that he would be out for more than a few minutes, she carefully slipped out of the bed and kissed his flushed cheek as she whispered, "I'll be back soon, before you wake up. I promise. I just need to see if I can get Councilor Kane to help me get some meds for you."

With one last affectionate glance at him over her shoulder, she exited the room. There was determination in her step as she moved swiftly down the corridor. She would do whatever it took to get Bellamy well again.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Kane was in the command center, brow furrowed as he tried to come up with some explanation for why he'd seen and heard nothing from Shumway in quite some time. Surely, he thought, whatever they were planning had to be happening soon. Either they were silent because everything was in place and they were biding their time, or they were silent because something had set them back and they needed to regroup.

In front of him sat the upcoming schedule for each department, detailed information regarding which areas would be under maintenance orders and which would be closed for repairs. Marcus zeroed in on several key possibilities for an attack but rejected them all and murmured under his breath, "Nothing feels right. What exactly is it that they're up to? What could be their end goal?"

His eyes scanned the diagram of the Ark, sliding over the images of Factory Station, main engineering, med bay...and then his eyes came to rest on the maintenance bay where the drop ship was located.

"Bingo," he said triumphantly under his breath. 'The drop ship. That must be their goal...' Which would potentially explain the plot to murder Jake, but...

Kane was lost in thought when the sound of a throat clearing brought him out of his reverie. He turned to see Clarke Griffin standing behind him, patiently waiting for him to acknowledge her.

"Clarke," he said, folding his arms across his chest as he stared intently down at her and asked, "What can I do for you?"

"May I speak to you in private for a moment?" Clarke asked, "There's a matter I need to discuss with you."

Red flags of alarm seemed to wave invisibly from every side of the girl as Kane gave a nod and directed her to a small meeting room off the command center. When the door was closed, he looked again to Clarke and asked, "What's going on?"

"Bellamy is sick," Clarke reported, trying her best to remove all emotion from her voice, leaving only determination. "I don't know if you heard about the little boy's death in med bay yesterday but it seems that Bellamy has contracted what he had. Probably exposed through my work with the child. I need to get some medication for Bellamy. Please."

Kane sighed and shook his head, "It's too risky. You know how closely the meds are monitored."

"NO," Clarke interrupted, stepping into Kane's personal space. "You don't get to deny him his best chance at getting better. He risked everything to let you and Jaha, the whole Council, know about a plot against you. He deserves better than this."

"Clarke," Kane stated in a warning tone, "I will see what I can do, but I can't promise you more than that."

Frustrated, Clarke turned to leave, but Kane stopped her.

"Clarke," he said, his voice kinder, less detached than it had been. "Give him my regards. And, don't get sick yourself. Your mother would never forgive me."

The hint of a smile twitched at the corners of her mouth as she nodded. "I'll keep that in mind," she said. "I'll be waiting to hear from you, Councilor Kane."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

When Clarke was almost back to her quarters, she stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of Wells standing at her door, about to knock.

"Wells!" she called as she hurried toward him. "What are you doing here?"

"I went to check on you in med bay," he said, "And they told me you'd taken the shift off. Are you okay?"

Clarke forced herself not to nibble at her lower lip. It was a tell of hers that she knew Wells was very aware of. Her heart raced as she tried to figure out how to respond without giving anything away. 'What could I say that would make him go away?' she wondered.

"I'm fine," she said, giving his arm a squeeze, "I just...I couldn't handle being there today. Not after what happened."

"So where did you go?" Wells asked with concern. "You know you could have come and found me."

"I…" Clarke paused, giving herself another quick moment to think before she continued, "I just needed some alone time. I went to do some star-gazing and flipped through a few of Earth's archives to distract myself. You know how I get when something doesn't go as I'd hoped or planned."

"I do know," Wells smiled at her a little, obviously not completely convinced by her words, "Are you sure you don't want to come back with me? We could watch a vid or I could come in now and we could get a snack or you could draw or something."

"Thanks," Clarke responded, making sure to give a grateful lift to her lips, "I don't think that's a good idea right now. I'm just planning to go in, make a comfortable nest for myself, get some tea, and draw."

"All right," Wells conceded, unable to think of another reason he should go into her quarters with her. "I'll leave you to yourself tonight but I'll be back to check in on you first thing tomorrow."

"I'll remember that," Clarke said with the tiniest bit of a smile, "Just don't make it too early, ok? I plan on trying to sleep in."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Inside the apartment once Wells had left, Clarke breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn't been sure that she would be able to get rid of him but it looked like her supposed desire to be alone would be honored. At least for the time being.

She looked over at the bed and saw Bellamy still sleeping. Saying a quick, "Thank you," under her breath to whatever powers had kept him unconscious, she grabbed her pocket scanner again and was encouraged when she saw that his vitals had at least somewhat stabilized. Putting the device back where she'd gotten it, she carefully slipped back into the bed and smiled when Bellamy curled into her side.

"See?" she whispered as she gently ruffled his hair and placed a light kiss at his temple, "I told you I'd be back before you SASH
Box 280
22N 1st Street W.
Magrath, AB T0K 1J0
Erica Schaaf
2-2305 13 St. North
Lerthbridge, AB T1H 4T7
Employee Paystub Cheque number: DirectDeb Pay Period: 02/16/2017 - 02/28/2017 Cheque Date: 03/10/2017
Employee
Erica Schaaf, 2-2305 13 St. North, Lerthbridge, AB T1H 4T7
SASH, Box 280, 22N 1st Street W., Magrath, AB, T0K 1J0
75.50 1,568.89 8,793.71
-306.27 -1,830.91
Net Pay 1,179.41 6,879.59
Earnings and Hours Qty Rate Current YTD Amount
Withholdings Current YTD Amount
Adjustments to Net Pay Current YTD Amount
CRW1 - Casual 75.50 20.78 1,568.89 4,405.36
Benefits Coverage - Group Home -83.21 -83.21
CPP - Employee -70.44 -399.19
EI - Employee -25.57 -143.33
Federal Income Tax -210.26 -1,288.39
VacPay-Paid Out 168.78
CRW1 831.20
Group Home Wake 979.11
CRW2felt her cheeks flush in the dark. 'Why do I keep doing this? He's a friend, Clarke. A FRIEND. Stop acting like there's something more between you!'

After arguing with herself for several minutes, Clarke was sure there was no way she would be able to fall asleep. Not in the state of mind she was in. Not lying next to the first person to bring out the sappy romantic inclinations in her that she'd always scoffed at in others.

Her body proved her wrong, however, when Bellamy rolled over and pulled her tightly against him. She'd been thinking about getting up, maybe going to med bay herself to get him the meds, but instead she settled down into a foggy haze when she thought she heard him mumble, "Loves...you…" and then a moment later, a contented exhalation before one final word: "Stay."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

The next morning, she woke with a start when she heard Bellamy beside her, his whole body wracked with coughing. She quickly opened her eyes and checked him over, surprised and relieved to see him openly watching her.

"Hey," he wheezed, his brows raised in question.

She blushed and scrambled to sit up, clearing her throat as she explained, "You weren't doing well last night. You...asked me to stay."

"I remember," he nodded. "You kept your promise."

Surprised that he'd been coherent enough to recall, Clarke uncomfortably cleared her throat again and tried not to squirm. "I did," she agreed.

"Thank you," he murmured simply, his eyes intent on hers.

Clarke shrugged and said, "You would have done the same." Then, after a moment of thought she added, "Actually, you did. The night before. After I lost my patient. Which is why you're sick anyway if you think about it, so I definitely owed you."

Bellamy gazed at her fondly and shook his head, "Nope. Didn't owe me a thing."

It took all Clarke's willpower to pull her eyes from his but when she did, she suddenly found that there was no way she could remain where she was, seated beside him in bed. She fairly leaped over him and nearly tripped over her own two feet as she tried to get herself ready for the day. She grabbed her clothes and headed for the bathroom as she said in a rush, "I'm not going to wait for Kane. I'm going to get my hands on those meds myself."

While she got herself ready, Bellamy stared at the bathroom door, wondering what was wrong with her and worrying that she was about to do something stupid. He was still coughing and felt exhausted but at the same time he knew he was getting better. Maybe, he thought, he didn't need the meds after all.

When she emerged from the bathroom, Bellamy frowned and said, "Clarke, you don't need to do this. I'm getting better on my own." As soon as the words were out of his mouth, however, he doubled over with another coughing fit, gasping for air, helpless to breathe.

She rushed to his side and held him again until it was over, rolling her eyes. "I can see that," she said sarcastically. "I'm going, okay? You're not going to change my mind."

Unable to speak as he continued to struggle for breath, he simply nodded and waved her on her way.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," Clarke promised just as she had before. She kissed Bellamy on the cheek and fairly ran for the door. With her back turned to him, she didn't get to see the flash of yearning in his eyes when her lips touched his cheek or how he lay back as soon as she was gone so that he could close his eyes and picture it over and over in his head.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

With a single focus, Clarke made her way to med bay. She'd seen her mother enter a number of times in the middle of an emergency and decided to take a page from the head doctor's book when she arrived.

Head held high, Clarke walked in as if she owned the place and went directly to the med distribution counter, not even paying attention to who might be working on what around her. Almost as soon as she started looking over the safety equipment and protocols, though, she knew she was going to have a problem. She floundered for a moment, but just when a nurse came up to ask if she needed help, she figured out what she was going to do.

"Yes," Clarke said in answer to the woman's question. "I need some meds for myself."

"For yourself?" the nurse queried.

Nodding, Clarke forced a cough that was as close to a perfect imitation of the one Bellamy had as she could get. She gripped the counter in front of her until her knuckles were white and she knew she'd coughed so much that she'd end up hoarse.

"I think I've come down with what that little boy had...the one I was treating the other night…" she explained in a gravelly voice, hoping her story would be acceptable.

The woman easily accepted her words, nodding sympathetically at the memory of the child who'd so recently died.

"That was a tough case," the nurse said, "Here, let me help you with that. You need someone else to order your meds for you anyway."

Clarke allowed herself to sag against the counter as she nodded and watched the nurse's nimble fingers fly over the keyboard, entering codes that would release the medication. Closing her eyes for a moment, Clarke congratulated herself on feeling fatigued from her performance. That, she thought, meant that the rest of the show could be more authentic as well.

"Here you are," the nurse said in a sing-songy voice, holding out the medication as Clarke opened her eyes.

Gratefully, Clarke smiled at the woman, took the medication, and said, "Thank you. Can you let Jackson know that I won't be in again today?"

"Of course," the woman responded with a warm smile of her own. "You take care and feel better. I'll make sure everything is sorted around here."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

An angry scowl had etched itself deeply into Diana Sydney's features. Over the last several weeks there had been one setback after another, nearly all of them leading back to Shumway and his attempt to draw the Blake boy into their scheme.

"Your 'sure thing' has turned into a thorn in our side," Sydney said disdainfully, "Even in his death, he's complicating matters inordinately."

"All things in due time," Commander Shumway tried to reassure her. "While it's taken longer than we'd hoped, we're back on track now. I was able to manipulate some poor schmuck into accessing the ductwork and ventilation system. All we need to do now is make sure that Griffin is where we need him to be during the Earth Day celebration and then...fireworks."

Chapter Twenty

As she opened the door to her quarters, Clarke held her breath and closed her eyes, scared to death that she'd find Bellamy unconscious or, worse, dead. When she was inside with the closed door at her back, she cautiously opened one eye and gasped in dismay. Bellamy was flushed and his teeth were chattering. He looked pitiful bundled under the covers, his hair matted to his head, a grimace etched into his sleeping features.

Clarke rushed to his side, grabbing her med kit along the way. She took his temperature, crying out in alarm when she saw how high it was. If she didn't get it down immediately, there would be a high risk of brain damage. Or worse.

Without hesitation, Clarke grabbed for the vial she'd gotten from med bay, prepared the highest dose possible that was still considered safe, and didn't even bother attempting to wake him before injecting it into his left bicep. Bellamy's only response was a soft groan as he pulled away, reaching blindly for his now stinging arm.

"Bellamy," Clarke said with soft urgency in her tone. "Bell, I need your help. We need to get you into the shower somehow, get your fever down. Bell, can you hear me?"

Dark lashes fluttered and, with a lot of effort, Bellamy's heavy lids opened partway. His lips were dried and cracked and his breathing was erratic. He looked dazed and confused but Clarke chose to take the fact that he was able to pull himself into consciousness as a good sign.

She tugged the blanket to the end of the bed and reached for him. "Come on," she coaxed in a gentle murmur and he let her tuck her arms around his waist while his own held her back loosely. When she helped pull him to his feet, she almost tripped and fell backwards. Somehow, her slight squeak of surprise brought enough awareness to Bellamy that he was able to keep them both from falling.

They stumbled into the bathroom together and Clarke settled Bellamy on the toilet seat so she could get the shower started. After adjusting the temperature of the water so that it wouldn't be too warm or too cold, Clarke turned back to Bellamy and realized she was going to have to get in with him both to help keep him upright and to keep adjusting the water temperature as he gradually cooled down. Dropping his core temp too fast, she knew, could cause seizures.

Biting her lower lip in concentration, Clarke took a deep breath and moved back toward Bellamy. There was determination in her eyes as they worked together to get him up again and she coaxed him into the shower stall with her. The water soaked them immediately and Bellamy's eyes shot open, instinctively fighting to push Clarke away, trying to escape the uncomfortable sensation of having the lukewarm water spraying over his now trembling body.

Clarke wrapped her arms around Bellamy's waist and struggled to push his arms down to his sides. "BELLAMY! You need to STOP," she told him in the most authoritative manner she could muster. "I'm trying to help you. Can you trust me? Please?"

Sputtering and coughing, Bellamy nodded and clung to her, finally hearing and understanding what she was saying.

"Okay," Clarke said, relief in her tone.

Fifteen minutes and four temperature reductions later, Bellamy seemed more lucid than he had been since Clarke had originally found him huddled behind the bathroom door.

Looking him over as she tried to assess his well-being for herself, Clarke said, "If you can lean against the wall for just a couple of minutes, I'll get us some dry clothes and towels. Think you can handle that?"

"Yeah…" Bellamy responded weakly, the word hoarse and harsh as it wheezed from his lips.

After making sure he was propped as well as they could manage between them, Clarke hurried out of the shower, ignoring the fact that she was dripping everywhere and came back with a t-shirt and boxers for him, a t-shirt and shorts for herself, and the largest, least threadbare towels she'd been able to find.

"You still holding on in there?" Clarke asked as she came in with her arms full, setting everything on the counter before turning back to the shower expectantly. The response she got was the sound of the water turning off just as another coughing fit wracked Bellamy's body.

She quickly moved to help him out, managing to keep him upright until he was able to breathe easily again. Then a chill overtook him and she wrapped him in one of the towels, rubbing her hands up and down his arms.

"Think you can get yourself dressed?" Clarke asked, a slight blush tingeing her cheeks pink as she silently hoped he would say he didn't need her help. She didn't know what she would do, how she would handle it if she had to experience a completely nude Bellamy. There was no way she would be able to stay calm and professional. Just the possibility of it had her flustered to the point of distraction.

In spite of how sick he was, Bellamy didn't miss the awkwardness that Clarke's question induced in her. If he weren't so exhausted, he might have taken advantage of the opportunity to tease her and see how she would respond if he did say he needed assistance. As it was, though, he didn't have the energy to make himself more of a nuisance than he knew he already was. Instead, he fought back another cough and said, "I can do it. Go take care of yourself."

Relieved, Clarke nodded, grabbed her things, and scurried out of the bathroom to get changed. She made sure to give him plenty of time before knocking on the door and making her way back inside.

"Done?" she asked as she peeked her head around the corner. He was slumped back on the toilet again but this time he was dry, and while he did have goosebumps on his skin, his teeth were no longer chattering and he was no longer shivering as he had been before.

Clarke went to him and helped him up, moving him back into the main room where she settled him on the newly made bed. "I changed the sheets while I was waiting for you to finish dressing…"

"Thanks," Bellamy croaked gruffly, lying down and maneuvering to get the blanket over him once more. Then, just as his eyelids started to close, he murmured, "Rest with me…"

"Just for a little bit, after I take your temperature," Clarke agreed with a soft smile, grabbing her med kit. After seeing for herself that his fever had gone down, at least for the time being, Clarke sighed in relief. She settled in next to him, at ease for the first time since he'd fallen ill, knowing she'd done everything she could for him and it was now up to the medicine and his body to do the rest.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Several hours later, Marcus Kane used his master key card to gain entry to the quarters where he knew he would find Bellamy Blake. What he didn't expect was what he found: Clarke Griffin curled up on top of the covers, snuggled under Bellamy's arm, asleep.

He frowned, knowing that the girl's mother would likely have his head if she knew about the scene before him. However, he'd seen for himself earlier just how much Clarke cared for Blake and everything he'd seen of Blake appeared to point toward a solid, trustworthy young man.

Marcus moved silently to the side of the bed and gently shook Clarke awake. She was slow to rouse but when she did, her eyes widened and she sat up with a start.

"Councillor…" she said in surprise. "What...what are you doing here?"

"I spoke with the Chancellor," Kane told her quietly, "He - "

"Don't bother," Clarke interrupted harshly, "I already got him the meds. And if I hadn't given them to him when I did, he would probably be dead."

Now it was Kane's turn to be taken aback. He was silent for a couple of moments as he considered how to reply. When he did speak, it was with a warning tone.

"Clarke," he began, "We're on the same side here. I want you to know that. Now I'll clear the medication you already took with the Chancellor but I'll need to know exactly what you have and how much is missing."

A small cough escaped Bellamy's lips and Clarke's head jerked around, her eyes focusing on his face, assessing his condition immediately. She ignored Kane until after she'd checked her patient's vitals and supplied him with another dose of the medication, all while he appeared to remain unconscious.

When Clarke finished and turned to face Kane again, she said defiantly, "It's Biaxin. I got enough for five days. But you don't need to clear it. I told the nurse on duty that I needed it for myself."

With a scowl on his face, Kane protested sharply, "That's two days more than typically authorized. You know I can't condone that."

"It's the recommended course of treatment, Councillor," Clarke said stubbornly. "You can make an exception for necessary medical personnel. What I can tell you now, though, is that there's no way three days worth would have been sufficient for such a severe respiratory infection, and I was NOT going to take any chances with Bellamy's life."

Kane's jaw clenched and he took a couple of deep breaths that made his nostrils flare. Finally, he gave a single nod. "Fine. I'll take care of it. The extra doses will be cleared." He turned to go but when he reached the door, he looked back and said, "I hope for your sake, Clarke, that you don't end up needing those meds for yourself. And, by the way, if you pull anything like this again, I won't be able to forestall the consequences."

Clarke jumped at the sound of the door closing behind him, then she jumped again when she heard Bellamy's deep, gravelly voice.

"You're insane. What were you thinking, Clarke?"

"I was taking care of you!" Clarke exclaimed, recovering quickly. "You needed the medicine and I got it for you. End of story."

"NOT the end of the story," Bellamy responded, coughing into his hand before continuing raspily, "What you did was illegal! You could have been floated."

"I still have a couple of months till I turn eighteen," Clarke said calmly, "I would have joined Octavia in the Sky Box," she shrugged, "With any luck, that would have bought me a ticket to join you and O on the drop ship."

"After defying Kane like that?" Bellamy asked incredulously.

Unable to meet his eyes, Clarke mumbled, "You're worth the risk…"

"With only a couple months until your birthday, they could have decided to float you early, not waste the oxygen!" Bellamy countered, still not believing what he was hearing.

"Bellamy," Clarke finally said in exasperation, "You're feeling better, aren't you? If I hadn't given you what I gave you when I gave it to you, you might be dead. There was no way I was going to let you end up like that little boy. I couldn't lose you. Not when I could do something to save you."

Her words silenced him. She was right. He wasn't burning up anymore and he could breathe a little bit better. In fact, this was the most he'd been able to speak since before he'd gotten ill. His heart skipped a beat as it hit him that she'd saved his life. No, more than that. She'd risked her own life to save his.

Echoing in his mind were her words. 'You're worth the risk.' No one had ever risked anything for him before. He had always been the one risking everything for Octavia. 'I couldn't lose you.' He'd lost his mother. He'd almost lost Octavia. He would have if it hadn't been for Clarke.

Somehow, somewhere along the way, Clarke had come to mean more to Bellamy than anyone other than his family. He could depend on her, trust her more than anyone he'd ever known. She was his best friend, and yet she was so much more.

Taking a tremulous breath, Bellamy looked Clarke directly in the eye and said with certainty, "I can't lose you, either."

Impulsively, Clarke threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, kissing his temple as tears filled her eyes.

It took a moment for him to respond but when he did, he wrapped his arms around her and held her like he never intended to let go.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Five days. In five days' time, Diana Sydney would have achieved everything she'd been planning for so meticulously since the day she'd left the office of Chancellor. It had taken years to get everything just right, to find the loyal and the lost. To blackmail, bully, and buy the information and the talent needed to piece together the puzzle that would save her, take her to Earth.

Parts of the planet were survivable. She knew it. The data she'd gathered from the Ark's own scientists said that it was true. And now she'd just been given the coordinates for the drop ship's proposed landing site. If what she'd been told was, in fact, true, then even if there was still radiation soaking the globe, safety could be found in a former military stronghold built into the base of a mountain. Mount Weather. It had a nice ring to it if she did say so herself.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a secure comm message from one of her accomplices. The bomb was in place. The detonator would not be traceable back to her. And an anonymous emergency maintenance request was scheduled to be sent to the chief engineer at just the right moment to have him in just the right spot so that he would be the very first victim in the anticipated blast.

If all went as planned, the banquet hall would be lit up brighter than the New Year's fireworks of Old Earth.

Chapter Twenty-One

A visit to the Sky Box brought more questions from her friend than Clarke was willing or able to answer. It was clear to Octavia that Clarke was subdued, and she demanded to know why. Was the med bay training tiring her out? Or was it Wells? Were things still not right with him?

But before Clarke had even formulated answers to those questions, others spilled out of Octavia's mouth. Other questions which were too dangerous to ask directly, and were therefore couched in a sort of impromptu code.

She wanted to know how the 'other prisoner' was faring, the one Octavia knew was caged just as surely as she herself was. And what about that 'roommate situation'? How were they managing to live together without one of them ending up dead?

"O," Clarke laughed, shaking her head in amusement, "Slow down. I know it's been awhile but seriously, can I answer one question at a time, please?"

"Yeah, yeah," Octavia waved her hand dismissively, "Just tell me, ok? I need to know!"

Rolling her eyes at her friend's impatience, Clarke did her best to answer the easier questions first. She didn't want to worry or upset Bellamy's sister but things hadn't exactly been easy for them.

"Well," she said, "it hasn't been so bad, except…" she bit her lower lip and her eyes grew worried, "Um...'the roommate' has been sick...almost recovered now, though."

"Sick?" Octavia questioned with concern, her bright eyes sharpening as she waited to hear more.

Clarke nodded but didn't go into any further detail. Instead, she changed the subject, "It's driving 'the patient' nuts to be stuck in his quarters but better there than med bay. Besides, I've been bringing books to keep the grumbling down," she added, a note of affection in her tone.

Octavia narrowed her eyes and studied Clarke closely, cocking her head to one side before speculating aloud, "Am I mistaken, or has Clarke Griffin, princess of the Ark, started to have feelings for someone?"

A blush that she couldn't control crept up from Clarke's neck to her cheeks and ears. She pursed her lips and glared at Octavia, telling her stubbornly, "I don't know what you're talking about."

With a mischievous grin and sparkling eyes, Octavia's perfectly sculpted brows shot up to her hairline and she teased, "The color of your face would beg to differ, Clarke."

Immediately, Clarke looked down and away, her heart fluttering nervously in her chest. "Are you upset?" she asked quietly, dreading the answer she was sure she'd receive.

"Of course not!" Octavia exclaimed, gripping Clarke's shoulders firmly as she tried to make eye contact with the other girl again. "Why would I be? If anything, it's like one of the fairy tales Bell used to tell me when I was little."

Clarke gave her a slight smile of appreciation, but admitted softly, "I don't know if it's such a good idea. There's so much at stake. It might be better if we just stayed friends."

"Could you do that?" Octavia asked her with furrowed brow.

Before Clarke could answer, a guard interrupted to tell them that their time was up. Clarke quickly gave her friend a warm embrace and promised to come see her again as soon as she got another chance.

On her way out, Clarke nearly ran headlong into Commander Shumway. She was startled and taken aback by his presence. She knew it shouldn't surprise her to see him going to the Sky Box but suddenly she couldn't help but worry that he might be trying to get rid of Octavia, that he'd somehow consider her a loose end.

"Commander," Clarke said with a respectful nod, determined not to show her sudden apprehension.

Thankfully, the man was distracted and barely acknowledged Clarke's greeting. She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. Either way, she decided she'd contact Kane as soon as she got to medical and ask him to check in on the Commander's purpose in the Sky Box.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Her shift seemed to last forever. Clarke had contacted Kane within moments of reaching med bay and he promised to let her know what he found out as soon as he could. That had been six hours ago and she was getting impatient.

Finally, a mere thirty minutes before the end of her shift, Marcus Kane entered med bay and Clarke found a place in the corner of the small supply room to talk quietly.

"Everything appeared to check out," Marcus began, "He logged his visit as a routine prisoner check."

"Then why did it take so long to hear from you?" Clarke hissed in response, her sharp gaze demanding an answer.

"Because," Kane continued, ignoring her tone for the time being, "He already made one such visit to the Sky Box this week, only two days ago. Standard procedure is once per week. I needed to go myself, try to determine his reason for being...overly cautious."

"And?" Clarke prompted.

"Inconclusive," he said as he shook his head in response. "I couldn't determine his purpose for being there beyond what he said it was."

"Octavia," Clarke blurted out, "You need to assign a guard to keep an eye on her at all times. It's just a gut feeling, but…" she paused and took a deep breath before she continued, "she was there when Shumway propositioned Bellamy. He may be trying to tie up loose ends."

Marcus nodded, a solemn expression on his face as he promised, "I'll make sure she stays safe. You have my word."

"Thank you," Clarke said with sincerity before adding, "And thank you...for what you did before. With the medicine."

"You're welcome," Marcus replied with a tiny, satisfied smile. "I'll keep you informed."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Bellamy was still regaining his strength but he was no longer ill. Which meant that he was back to being bored out of his mind while Clarke was gone for the day. It also meant that he had an excessive amount of time to sit and think.

He'd tried to keep himself occupied with the books she'd brought him but he ended up just flipping through them, glancing at the titles, reading their descriptions. She'd come to know him well. Each choice she'd made had been deliberate, thoughtful. She wanted him to enjoy his confinement as much as he could.

No one had ever cared about him like that before. Pleasure wasn't something that was considered when decisions were made, either by him or on his behalf. Everything had always been about Octavia. Protecting her. Keeping her existence a secret. Making sure she stayed alive and was taken care of.

But now things were different. Now Octavia was in lockup. It wasn't ideal by any means but she could no longer get herself into any trouble and the guards made sure she had food and water, enough of what she needed to survive. He couldn't go to her, couldn't see her, take care of her, anything. He could only stay where he was and trust that she was being cared for. And the only reason he could do that, the only reason he himself wasn't dead, his body tossed out an airlock, was Clarke.

Clarke visited Octavia for him. Checked in on her when he wasn't able to. Took care of his sister and filled him in on how she was doing. It was more than that, though. She also protected him, saved him. Guarded him with her life. How the hell could he repay her for that? The real question was, did he want to?

If they were 'even', it would mean that at some point they could part ways. If he continued to owe her, then, wouldn't that mean they could stay together indefinitely? The thought scared him to death but at the same time, he found it more appealing than he'd ever care to admit.

There had been other girls in the past, of course. Girls who had been more than willing to help him relieve the stress of the day, who expected nothing of him beyond a quick fuck and a chance to get off. But he knew it could never be that way with Clarke Griffin. She wasn't just a warm body with soft curves, although she had those.

He couldn't imagine his life without her and he found he didn't want to. For the first time in his life, Bellamy Blake was considering a real, give and take, committed relationship, and as much as it terrified him, the idea excited him as well. At least, as long as Clarke Griffin was the person he was committing to.

Every time he was around her, he found himself more and more aware of all the amazing things that made her who she was. The softness of her skin when she comforted him. The smell of her shampoo when they were huddled together discussing the latest book he'd read. The sound of her voice when she was concerned or excited or just announcing she was there. Each and every detail that made her who she was had gotten under his skin.

When she was gone, he craved her company. When she was there, he could hardly contain his desire to kiss her, to taste the sweetness of her lips moving against his.

He was still daydreaming, book forgotten in his hand, when the door opened and then closed, leaving Clarke standing just inside their quarters. His afternoon imaginings brought to life. Smiling at her with a faraway look in his eyes, he set his book aside and met her in the middle of the room.

She looked up at him questioningly but with such trust and affection in her eyes that when she opened her mouth to speak, his hands automatically came to her shoulders, rubbing them gently as if he'd been doing so for a lifetime.

"It was a looong day," she said tiredly as he pushed a lock of blonde hair behind her ear with care and pulled her into a warm embrace, practically acting out the fantasy that had just been playing in his mind's eye.

Startled by his gesture but more surprised by just how natural it felt to be resting in his arms after a long day, Clarke allowed herself to just breathe, the tension in her taut muscles melting away.

She pulled back enough to look him in the eye, ready to tell him what she'd learned. But before she had the chance, his head dipped down and he impulsively dropped a kiss directly on her already parted lips, letting his own linger on hers, savoring the taste of her tongue.

Frozen at first, stunned by his unexpected action, she inhaled sharply, letting out a shocked little whimper. Her heart rate sped up and her breathing became erratic. She'd kissed a few people before but never anything like this. In reality, Clarke had barely allowed herself to acknowledge that her feelings for Bellamy went beyond friendship and that he might just return some of those sentiments. Now here he was, practically making love to her mouth.

She had no idea what to do or really what she wanted. At least not for sure. Not that she was willing to admit. Even to herself.

When her instincts finally kicked in, though, Clarke pressed herself more firmly against him, lifting her arms to wrap them around his neck, her fingers weaving themselves into his thick curls. Her mouth began to move against his, deepening the kiss in a way that told him more about her feelings for him than words ever could.

As soon as she reacted to him, making herself a willing participant in whatever it was they were doing, he held her even closer, raw emotion consuming him as the kiss took on a life of its own.

They were still standing like that, lost to anything else, when a sharp rap sounded on the metal door. Clarke gasped, jumping back from Bellamy as if she'd been burned and Bellamy groaned, running his hands through his hair in frustration.

"You've got to hide!" Clarke whispered frantically, her eyes meeting his in a panic. The flush on her face and the unexpected hint of shyness in her glance made him want to stay but he nodded anyway. Soon, he was hidden behind the bathroom door, standing against the wall with his eyes closed, trying to pull himself together and get his breathing under control.

The knock came again and this time Clarke responded with a loud, "Coming! Be there in a minute!"

When he heard the door open, it was Abby's voice that followed her into the room. He couldn't tell what she'd said but he heard Clarke respond.

"Mom, I'm fine," she insisted. "I didn't tell you because I knew you'd worry and it was no big deal. I can take care of myself."

"By getting a nurse to sign out meds for you without an exam?" Abby asked. "You know that's against regulation, Clarke! The last thing I want is to see you get floated for doing something stupid in your eagerness to be independent."

"It won't happen again," Clarke responded, a hardness in her tone that Bellamy had never heard before, not even when she'd been so passionate and unmoving during her speech to the Chancellor and the Council back when they first met.

"I know," Abby said softly. "Are you sure you're ok? You don't need to come home for a few days? Get spoiled for a little while?" There was longing in her voice, a wistfulness that brought back fond memories and made Bellamy miss his own mother.

There was a smile in Clarke's words when she spoke again and a tolerance that hadn't been there earlier. "Being spoiled sounds nice, but I have a job to do, and I don't want anyone thinking I'm getting special treatment, remember?"

"I remember," Abby stated. There was a brief pause in the conversation before Bellamy heard her speak again. "Don't forget that you're not alone, Clarke. You may not be living with us but you still have your father and me supporting you. Wells is still your friend. You didn't lose everything when you lost the Blakes."

Clarke knew that Bellamy was behind the door, listening to every word that was said. Her heart clenched and she worried her lower lip before she said quietly, "I know."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Abby Griffin stayed long enough to share a cup of tea with her daughter. After she left, Clarke remained seated at the small table, and eventually Bellamy emerged from the bathroom and took the seat Abby had just vacated.

He reached for Clarke's hand and tried to get her to look at him. She raised her eyes slowly and gave him a sad little smile, squeezing the hand that held hers before saying, "I haven't lost you yet but I will if we can't find a way to get me to the ground."

Bellamy moved his chair closer to hers so that he could wrap his arm around her and she rested her head on his shoulder as he stroked the back of her hand with his thumb.

"Don't even think about that," he murmured against her hair. "I'm not going anywhere without you."

"What if you don't have a choice?" Clarke asked, sorrow in her eyes and misery in her voice.

He kissed the top of her head and said with conviction, "There's always a choice."

She was just about to touch her lips to his again when she remembered her visit to Octavia. Her eyes widened and she straightened in her seat, telling him urgently, "I think O might be in danger. I saw Shumway going into the Sky Box as I was coming out. I talked to Kane about it and he learned that it was the second time in a week that the Commander had been there. That can't be good, right?"

Bellamy's gaze narrowed and he frowned but he forced himself to think logically and said, "You told Kane about it. He'll keep an eye on things. Honestly, Clarke, there's probably nowhere safer for O to be right now than in the Sky Box. At least nobody has to keep track of her while she runs around the entire Ark."

"I hope you're right, Bell," Clarke sighed, longing for the day they'd never have to think about Shumway again.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Meanwhile, Commander Shumway had finished his errand he'd in the Sky Box and found himself back in the presence of Diana Sydney, hidden away in the unmonitored makeshift 'office' she'd claimed as her own.

"Well?" she demanded as soon as the door was closed behind him.

"He's in. Anything we need, he's good for," Shumway said confidently. "That blackmail material you gave me on him was impressive."

"Excellent," Diana responded with a tight-lipped smile. "I can think of several uses for someone as willing and...disposable...as he is."

Chapter Twenty-Two

Fear and panic had followed Monty back to his cell after his surprise visit from Commander Shumway. The Commander never visited anyone and Monty wished he hadn't done so now. The jittery teenager's thoughts had been racing to the point that he hadn't been able to sleep and instead he'd spent all night trying to come up with some way out of the request the man had made of him.

Of course, it really hadn't been so much a request as a demand. Blackmail even. If Monty didn't manufacture the bomb he'd been told was needed, his parents would be floated. When Monty had dared to ask what the charge would be, he was immediately told in no uncertain terms that they would be convicted of conspiracy to commit treason. The dark, ominous look in Shumway's eyes when he'd said it had been enough to convince Monty he was serious.

A loud yawn came from somewhere close by and was soon followed by the words, "You awake, Monty?"

"Wish I wasn't," Monty muttered in response.

Jasper's voice was filled with sympathy when it came through the darkness again. "Can't sleep?" he asked.

"Not even a little bit," Monty groaned in reply. More than anything, he wanted to tell his best friend about the deal he'd had to make but he knew no good would come of it. What could Jasper do? It wasn't like he was on the outside or had any better connections than he himself had.

"Wish we had access to our distillery, huh? I bet some moonshine would help you get some shut-eye." Jasper's words were light and teasing but Monty could still hear the concern in them. They'd been best friends forever and as insensitive as Jasper could occasionally be, he could still read Monty like a book.

"I don't know if that would help this time, buddy," Monty replied with a sigh before he decided that he could probably at least tell his friend the bare bones of what he was going to have to do without getting himself into even more trouble. "One of the department heads came to me last night and said he has a job for me. I'll be allowed out of my cell with a guard escort during the day and they'll return me to the Sky Box at night."

"Oh, yeah?" Jasper asked with interest, sounding impressed and wistful at the same time. "Do you know what they're going to have you doing? Maybe you could ask for an extra set of hands…"

"Nah, man," Monty said, shaking his head even though Jasper couldn't see him. "I don't think you want in on this one. It's gonna be messy."

Messy. That was the biggest understatement that Monty had ever made. He had no idea what the bomb he was supposed to construct would be used for but he knew it wouldn't be for anything good.

"You just don't want to share your time on the outside with me," Jasper whined, sounding like a small child before urging again, "Come on, it would be fun. Tell them that you need me."

The tension between them lasted a few long moments before Monty replied, "Seriously, if I promise I won't have even the tiniest bit of fun and actually thought it was pretty awful, would that change your mind?"

There was a sober awareness in Jasper's voice the next time he spoke. Cautiously, he asked, "Is something wrong, buddy?"

"No...no…" Monty answered quickly, "It's just…"

"Just what?" Jasper asked impatiently, "Spit it out, Monty!"

"Just that I think something is being planned. Something I really don't want to be a part of. But I don't know what it is," Monty finally explained, relieved that he'd gotten through telling at least that much.

Exasperated, Jasper asked, "Then why agree to do this job for them, man?"

"I wasn't exactly given much of a choice," Monty murmured under his breath, not sure whether he hoped Jasper would hear him or not.

"What was that?" Jasper questioned, his voice closer than before so Monty knew he was straining to hear his answer.

"Nothing," Monty muttered unhappily, "Never mind."

"Wait," Jasper began, not willing to let things go quite that easily, "You mean you were made an offer you couldn't refuse?" He'd said the words in imitation of an Old Earth actor he'd seen on screen during movie night at the station.

Monty shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Something like that."

"Do it and get it over with, then," Jasper suggested with a shrug that Monty could hear rather than see. "When it's done, you get whatever they promised. No harm, no foul."

It took everything in him for Monty to bite his tongue and keep to himself that he'd been asked to build a bomb. That in itself told him there was likely to be both harm and foul. He just didn't know for whom.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Walking through the corridors toward the Sky Box, Clarke frowned as she continued to wonder and worry about what Shumway had been doing the last time she'd been there, who he'd been visiting. She wished Bellamy could be with her, be her eyes and ears on what would probably end up being a pointless mission. By now, she could read him like a book but she couldn't read other people half so well. The fact was, he could read people far better than she ever would, a trait that would be very helpful with her undertaking.

With a sigh, Clarke was putting that impossibility out of her head just as a familiar face came into view.

"Monty?" she said, coming to an abrupt halt and turning her head in his direction, not quite sure if it was really Octavia's friend who'd just passed her on his way out of the Sky Box.

Hearing his name, the boy whipped his head around, and Clarke saw his panicked look before he turned back quickly without a word. She noted that he was with someone from the guard. He looked young. A cadet, perhaps. And she wondered what was going on. Waiting till the two were out of sight before she faced the door again, Clarke pondered all the reasons Monty might have been chosen for a work-release program. She pondered even longer because she'd never heard of such a program.

She shook her head as she entered the visitation area of lock-up and resolved to have a chat with Jasper as well if Octavia didn't know what was up. When she finally appeared and threw her arms around Clarke as if she were a long lost family member, Clarke couldn't help but smile and return the younger girl's embrace.

"Looks like captivity's been treating you well," Clarke teased.

Octavia scowled, giving her friend a shove back, "Stop that. You know what a living nightmare this is for me. How's...everything?" The look in her eyes clearly told Clarke that she was asking about her brother and not the general welfare of the entire space station.

"Things are fine," Clarke responded, a tinge of pink coloring her cheeks as she said, "Actually, things are pretty good."

Seeing the faint blush, Octavia narrowed her eyes and cocked a perfectly arched eyebrow at Clarke. "Oh, really, huh? Anything I should know about?"

Shaking her head nervously, Clarke bit her lower lip and said, "No…" She paused, debating for a moment whether she should give any further response than that but finally decided to add, "At least not yet."

Grinning in amusement, Octavia gave her a knowing smirk and said, "Uh huh. Like I'm going to believe that."

Clarke chuckled and shrugged, "We haven't exactly talked things out or decided anything yet."

"Welllll," Octavia said, drawing the word out, "Just remember, take life by the horns and make it your bitch. You never know when you might lose the opportunity." She finished with a wrinkled nose and a sad look that made Clarke frown.

Clarke had been standing back from Octavia, but moved closer now and took her hand, giving her a quick, reassuring hug.

"So, any other visitors lately?" Clarke asked casually, hoping to both change the subject and perhaps obtain the information she'd come for.

"Mmm...no," Octavia replied thoughtfully, "Not that I know of." Her light eyes, so different from Bellamy's and yet at the same time so similar, sharpened as she became alert to the subtext underlying Clarke's question.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Clarke said, "Good," before she frowned and asked a little more pointedly, "Have you seen Commander Shumway around at all…? I thought I saw him coming in as I was going out the last time I visited…."

Realization lit Octavia's eyes with understanding as she shook her head, answering as casually as she could, "Nope. No sign of him that I've seen. Can't imagine what business he'd have here," she said with a short laugh that sounded rather strained.

Shifting the topic again before anyone listening at the door or through the comm system had a chance to think anything was odd about the conversation, Clarke asked, "How are Monty and Jasper? Do you ever get to see or talk to them?"

"Sometimes," Octavia shrugged, her eyes and voice sad now. "When we were first locked up, we were together. That was before they processed us. Now we're close but not really close enough. I kinda miss the goofballs. Even if they are the reason I'm here. You know, besides the fact that I used their magical herbs, too."

Clarke laughed, rolled her eyes, and shook her head. "You're missed, too, you know," she said affectionately, before she sobered and added, "Keep your eyes open, ok? Stay safe in here."

Octavia nodded and the two girls shared another hug just as the guard came in to tell them that their time was up. Clarke asked if she could see her friends Monty and Jasper while she was there but the guard hesitated uncomfortably for a moment before saying hastily, "Only one visit permitted per entrance to the Sky Box. You'll have to come back to see your other friends another time."

Clarke didn't recall any such rule, but then she'd never had a reason to visit the Sky Box before so she nodded, deciding not to cause trouble. She gave Octavia one last smile and wave, then headed back to her quarters where she hoped to bounce some things off Bellamy, figure some things out before she decided whether she needed to go to Kane again about Shumway.

Entering their quarters and closing the door behind her, Clarke looked around for Bellamy and found him sitting in the corner chair, reading one of the books she'd brought him. An affectionate smile lit her face as she crossed to him.

"Hey," she said softly as she sat on the edge of the bed nearest him.

"Hey," he responded, tearing his eyes away from the page, giving her a sheepish grin. "Sorry. I just got to one of the best parts."

She laughed and impulsively leaned over to kiss his cheek. "Priorities," she teased, "I get it."

He chuckled softly and set the book aside, reaching for her hand and giving it a squeeze, "How'd it go?"

Keeping his hand in hers, she frowned and shook her head. "I don't know," she said honestly, "Octavia said she hasn't seen Shumway but that doesn't really mean anything. And they wouldn't let me see Monty or Jasper."

"Monty and Jasper?" Bellamy queried, his dark eyes puzzled.

Nodding, Clarke explained, "I saw a young guard, probably a cadet, taking Monty somewhere on my way in. Something seemed...off...about it, so I figured while I was there I'd ask if I could see them. They told me I was only allowed to see one prisoner per visit and I'd have to come back another time if I wanted to see either of them." She paused a moment before inquiring, "Is that really a rule, Bell? I thought I knew at least most of them but I'd never heard that one."

This time it was Bellamy's turn to shake his head and frown. "No, not unless it's a new rule since I was in the guard, which I guess is possible, but it doesn't really make much sense, does it?"

"No, it doesn't," Clarke agreed.

"Well, maybe that's where you look next. Check in with them and see if they know anything, if they've seen anything suspicious," he suggested.

With a smile, Clarke leaned toward him to give him an appreciative hug, whispering teasingly, "This must be why I keep you around. So smart and sensible."

Bellamy rolled his eyes as he pulled her into his lap and kissed her until she forgot everything except him.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Meanwhile, in a tiny, enclosed, unmonitored part of the station, Monty sat nervously working on the explosive device for the bomb he'd been asked to create. The smarmy, slick-haired guard assigned to him simply stood back with his arms across his chest and smirked at the tech genius.

Monty had no idea what Shumway had offered the young man to keep an eye on him but he got the feeling that whatever it was, the guy thought it was worth his while and would go to great lengths to ensure his charge did exactly what he'd been told to do. The thought made Monty shiver and swallow hard. He had to let someone know what was going on. But who? And how?

Chapter Twenty-Three

When Clarke made her way to the Sky Box the next day, she decided to ask for Monty first. He'd been the one she'd seen with the cadet and therefore more likely to be able to give her some answers. Her request, however, was denied with only a vague explanation as to why.

Disgusted, Clarke folded her arms over her chest, narrowed her eyes, and asked sharply, "What about Jasper Jordan? Is he 'otherwise disposed' as well?"

The guard looked over the list of instructions he'd received at change of shift that morning before saying in a tight, clipped tone, "Mr. Jordan is able to receive visitors. Is that your official request?"

It took all her might not to roll her eyes at the man, but Clarke pursed her lips and nodded her head, eyes filled with determination. "Yes. I would like to see Mr. Jordan. That is my official request."

She was ushered into the visitation chamber and several minutes later, a wide-eyed, stumbling Jasper entered the room. He looked around as if he were frightened, possibly even thinking his case had been reviewed early and he was about to be floated.

"Clarke?" he said in confusion when he spotted her. They'd only met just a couple of times but he recognized her as Octavia's friend. "What are you doing here?"

"Visiting you," Clarke answered pleasantly, assessing him visually to make sure he hadn't been injured or tortured in any way, whether by Shumway or anyone else. "Just came to see how you're doing and make sure Octavia's behaving herself like she says she is. Do you get to talk to or see her at all?"

"Octavia?" Jasper repeated, clearly still trying to gather his bearings, "Uh...no. I mean, yes! I get to talk to her through the bars of the cell, but I don't get to see her. Or I did get to talk to her. I think they might have moved her."

Clarke frowned but decided asking why or where to would be pointless. She had other ways of finding out that information anyway. She needed to focus on what she was there for.

"Jasper," she began, a note of urgency in her voice, "Is there something going on with Monty? I've tried to see him a couple times now and I haven't been allowed to. I'm worried about him."

The gangly, awkward young man seemed to completely lack any sense of discretion, as words suddenly came tumbling out his mouth, words that should never have been repeated in the middle of the Sky Box visitation room. He shook his head, the movement almost spastic. "I don't know, man. I mean, he's been disappearing. I think it might be a conspiracy or something. All I know is that he's scared and he's being blackmailed."

A frustrated sigh escaped Clarke's lips as she pinched the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger, counting under her breath to see how long it would take the guards to come and end their visit after he'd blabbed like that.

She clenched her jaw and inhaled deeply, feeling a headache beginning to throb in her temples as she mumbled with barely restrained annoyance, "Thanks, Jasper."

Just as she'd suspected, three guards burst into the room and removed Jasper immediately. One of them looked at Clarke disdainfully and spat, "Get out of here. Your visits are suspended until further notice."

"For what?" Clarke demanded indignantly even though she knew that there was really no use in arguing.

"For trying to incite a riot," the guard sneered.

Clarke snorted. "A one-person riot? Please."

"I said get out of here," the guard responded menacingly, "If you don't, I'll figure you must want want to be arrested, too. Join your friends in here."

Backing away, Clarke nearly stumbled over a table. She wanted to stand her ground but thoughts of Bellamy kept her from tempting the man to follow through on his threat.

"I'm going, I'm going," she said as she left the room and walked as fast as she could through the halls until she'd made it out of the Sky Box and was, at least to her mind, considerably safer.

She was about to march onto the bridge and demand a conference with Kane or Jaha immediately when she was stopped short by running headlong into her father.

"Clarke?" Jake asked, surprised to see her there. "Not that I'm not glad to see you but shouldn't you be on shift in med bay about now?"

"Uhh...yeah, I would be, but I got a couple of days off to recover," Clarke said, scrambling to remember and state clearly why she'd been off work without giving anything away. She cocked her head to one side, her brow wrinkling furtively as she asked, "Didn't mom tell you I was sick?"

A light went on behind Jake's eyes and he nodded, "Right, right. Been so busy making sure everything's ready to go for the drop ship launch, I doubt I know which way is up anymore."

A genuine grin spread across Clarke's face and she shook her head, eyes sparkling with affection. "Once we're on the ground, it'll be a lot easier to tell."

Jake sobered immediately, his attention fully on his daughter as he asked, "You aren't thinking you'll be on the first ship down, are you?"

"I want to be," Clarke responded boldly.

Surprise mixed with concern in Jake's eyes but he merely placed a hand on Clarke's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "You know how dangerous that would be and you have to know that your mother will be against it. For my own part…" he paused, obviously struggling between his desire to be overprotective and his desire to tell her how proud he was of her regardless of whether she stayed or went to the surface. In the end, he sighed and said, "Well, whatever happens, you'll have my support."

Grinning appreciatively, Clarke gave her father an impulsive hug and said fondly, "Thanks, Dad. I love you. You know that, right?"

"I thought as much," he said with a smile and a wink, "but it's always nice to hear."

After she and her father parted ways, Clarke found that her righteous passion for finding the truth had faded just a bit. She rethought her strategy and decided to ask politely for a meeting with Kane, even if she had to wait patiently to get it.

She still headed to the bridge but she moved more slowly, more leisurely, less deliberately. She was rewarded for her efforts to control herself when she had to wait only a few minutes in order to see the chancellor himself.

After she'd been ushered in to his meeting room, Clarke greeted him briefly, but professionally, before she launched into the reason for her visit.

"Chancellor Jaha, I'm concerned that there may be a conspiracy taking place right beneath our noses," she said quickly. "I believe that Commander Shumway has involved a cadet and a prisoner from the Sky Box in something unsavory, but I have no idea what he may be up to."

"Clarke," Jaha said in a chiding manner, looking down his dark nose at her. "You know that Kane is working around the clock to track down Shumway and his cohorts. I'm sure he's already aware of what you're telling me. However, a cadet and a prisoner would not by any means be capable of orchestrating whatever it is that Shumway is up to. So please, leave any investigation to Councillor Kane and take comfort in knowing that you've done your duty by the inhabitants of The Ark."

Her hands curled into fists at her side and she fought to keep her breathing as well as her tongue under control. However, her eyes flashed, clearly telling the Chancellor that she thought he was making a big mistake.

She glared at him with clenched jaw until she realized she was tasting blood from biting the inside of her lip so hard. The tiny but sharp pain seemed to free her from their standoff enough to say, "Fine. I'll be sure to speak to Kane directly about any such matters in the future. I'm sorry to have bothered you, Chancellor."

His title spewed venomously from her lips and before he could dismiss her, she had spun on her heel and begun marching away from the Command Center as quickly as her feet could take her.

When she entered her quarters, she was fuming, mumbling under her breath as she slammed the door closed behind her.

Quickly, her eyes found Bellamy, who met her icy stare without flinching. With cold determination, she said, "Looks like we might have to figure this one out on our own."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

With a commanding stride, Shumway entered the hideaway where the cadet had the Green kid working on their explosive. They had forty-eight hours to get this right and he wanted to make sure Green understood the consequences if he got it wrong.

Coming to a stop in front of the paid-off guard, Shumway demanded, "Report."

"I've got him working every chance I get, boss," the slimy cadet responded respectfully. "He seems to be taking his own sweet time, though. Was just thinking he might need a reminder what's at stake."

"Mr. Green," Shumway said, addressing Monty as he turned toward the frightened teenager. "You do recall that your parents' lives are on the line, don't you?"

"Y-yes...I do," Monty assured him even as he stumbled over his words.

"Good," Shumway stated with satisfaction. "Now, how long until you've finished?"

Monty hesitated. He looked down at the device being built with his own two hands. He looked at those hands with regret, bile rising in his throat. He swallowed the stinging acid and said in a voice that was barely above a whisper, "Sometime tomorrow for sure."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

That night, after hours of arguing and talking and planning, Clarke found herself lying wide awake and restless. She tried to keep herself from moving. She didn't want to wake Bellamy but she couldn't stay still, either.

Just when she was about to give up the struggle and get out of bed to take a shower or read or go over the information they'd gathered again, Bellamy rolled over and pulled her closer. She looked up into his eyes apologetically but what she saw there drew a startled gasp from her as her heart started pounding loudly in her chest.

He hovered over her sleepily, letting his eyes trace down to her lips. Slowly, he lowered his mouth to hers and thrilled her with a warm, gently lingering kiss that completely took her breath away.

"Hi, there," he murmured with a soft smile as he brushed a few stray curls from her face.

"Hi," she grinned, unable to help herself. Everything she'd been worrying over had suddenly vanished from her mind.

A curious, almost bashful look washed over Bellamy's features as he asked, "Clarke, have you ever…?" His words drifted off into the night, hanging between them, their meaning obvious.

She bit her lower lip, still tasting his mouth on hers as she shook her head in the negative. When she found her voice, she whispered, "No…" without bothering to ask him the same in return. The answer wasn't important.

Bellamy kissed her forehead, then pressed his own against hers as he murmured, "No pressure. I just want you to know that I want you. In a way that I've never wanted anyone before. It scares the shit out of me. But I wouldn't change it for the world."

Clarke tangled her hands in his hair, lifting his head so she could kiss him again. This time, when her lips left his, there was a smile on her face that stretched from ear to ear. She stroked her thumbs lightly over his freckles, her eyes dancing in spite of the darkness as she said, "I feel the same way. How about we figure this all out together?"

Chapter Twenty-Four

As much as he tried to delay the project, Monty was still done with the bomb ahead of schedule. He was back in the Sky Box, seated on his bunk, hugging his knees to his chest and dreading whatever havoc might be wrought with his creation. Tense didn't begin to describe how he felt as he waited to see if the failsafe measure he'd craftily added into the design would actually work and at least delay the explosion long enough to save any lives that might be in the balance.

A kid from Agro could dream.

Monty was startled when the silence was broken by a familiar voice from one of the nearby cells.

"Hey," Jasper said, his low voice bouncing off the walls in the dead of night. "You ok there, buddy? You haven't really been yourself much lately…"

"Not really, no…" Monty mumbled with a frown and a long, deep sigh as he leaned his head back against the cold metal wall.

For a change, Jasper was quiet for a minute. Even more strange, when he did speak again, his words were laced with worry. "Look, I know you can't talk to me about it, whatever it is. But could you at least talk to Clarke? She visited me and was asking about you. I think she may know something about whatever's going on. And she's friends with Octavia so you know you can trust her. Please?"

"Clarke?" Monty questioned, his thoughts spinning as he realized that Jasper could have just come up with the perfect solution to help ease his guilty conscience and make sure that whatever his blackmailer was planning would have the least impact possible. Maybe she could even figure out a way to keep anything bad from happening at all. Glancing toward the door of his cell, Monty asked, "How do I get a message to her?"

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Slowly, Clarke began to awaken, but the feel of strong, warm arms wrapped around her made her reluctant to move. She yawned sleepily, trying to cover it the best she could but wasn't very successful.

A deep, affectionate chuckle sounded right next to her ear and she grinned when she felt soft lips lazily graze her tender lobe.

"Watch it, mister," Clarke teased. "There may be some things I'm not ready for but I'm not above biting back."

Bellamy mumbled something unintelligible and nipped at her neck, a wide smile gracing his freckled face when she glared at him in response.

"What?" he asked playfully, "Would you rather I tickle you like this?"

No sooner were the words out of his mouth than she was squealing and squirming, trying to fight back. "STOPPPP!" she finally cried, breathless. Frowning, she said, "I have to go back to work today. I'm supposed to be the medic on site for the Earth Day festivities. You know, just in case…"

With a nod, Bellamy tucked a blonde curl behind her ear and said, "In case anyone gets out of hand, a riot starts, or whatever else happens when they announce who's going down on the drop ship and who's not."

"Right," Clarke responded with a shrug and a sad-looking half-smile.

"You'll be fine," Bellamy told her reassuringly, his hand coming to rest on her shoulder, giving it a little squeeze.

Not convinced, Clarke looked up at him with concern. "What if I'm not scheduled for the drop?"

"Then we'll figure something out," Bellamy stated confidently.

She stepped into his embrace and nodded before stepping back again to ask, "What do you have planned while the rest of the Ark is celebrating?"

Bellamy shrugged uncaringly. "I have plenty of books to keep me company, Princess, but if you happen to get away early…" He left the sentence unfinished, his dark eyes piercing through any facade of calm she may have had, making her blush.

"I'll keep that in mind," Clarke responded, her voice a little breathless, a little shaky at the look of desire on his face, completely focused on her.

Just as she was about to walk out the door, Bellamy smirked and couldn't help but tease her one last time.

"Hurry back, Princess."

To which Clarke had to bite her tongue to keep from replying with, "I always do."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

The crowd that had gathered for what was supposed to be their last spacebound Earth Day celebration was exuberant and rowdy. Clarke got pushed around and shoved to the side several times before she finally made it to the monitoring station that had been set up for the occasion.

Her mom's assistant, Jackson, smiled at her as she approached and asked over the loud din of the partygoers, "Best Earth Day ever, don't you think?"

"Yeah," Clarke responded dryly before adding, "Hopefully our next one will actually be, you know, on Earth."

Jackson chuckled appreciatively, nodding his head in acknowledgment of her wit. Then, after studying her for several moments, he said soberly, "Your mom misses you, Clarke."

Clarke allowed her eyes to roam over the room, finding Abby deep in conversation with Jaha off to the far left. She sighed and glanced back at Jackson before saying, "I know she does. I just, I can't..." She tried to find the words but ended up shrugging helplessly.

Jackson nodded knowingly and gave her an understanding little smile. "She's such a mom," he said with a grin.

Twenty minutes later, the pageantry was just about to begin when a winded young cadet rushed up to Clarke and said with breathless urgency, "You're needed in the Sky Box. There's, uh, been an incident."

With a frown, Clarke prepared to go with the boy, but first told Jackson, "Tell my mom where I'm going. She'll need to cover here while I'm gone."

After hurrying through the corridors of the Ark, the pair arrived at their destination. But instead of finding an injured inmate, Clarke saw a friend of Octavia's who was waiting for her there, a grim expression on his boyish features.

"Monty," Clarke declared in exasperation, torn between relief that she was finally getting to see him and annoyance that she was now missing the announcement being made in the banquet hall. "What's going on?"

"There's something you need to know…"

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Jaha finished speaking to the anxious crowd and moved away from the podium so the announcement they had all been waiting for could begin. With a nod to the chancellor, Kane stepped forward, cleared his throat, and began to list those who would be launching with the first drop ship and suddenly, not a single sound could be heard in the hall.

As the councillor read the names, starting with those from Alpha station, the same young cadet who had escorted Monty to an unmonitored section of the Ark waited for the anticipated signal to detonate the explosive he'd observed being built.

When Commander Shumway had approached Junior Cadet John Murphy with a proposal that he dare not refuse, the shrewd teen had seen it as an opportunity. Over time, he'd negotiated an arrangement for himself that guaranteed so much more than simple self-preservation. If he played his cards right and appeared to be a good and loyal soldier, following orders to the letter, then he'd soon have everything he'd ever wanted. Including revenge.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

After she'd heard everything that Monty had to say, Clarke ran for the banquet hall, breathing a mantra of "Please don't let me be too late" with every stride. She had just reached the door and managed to yell, "Chancellor!" when she recognized the cadet who had passed her with Monty.

Before she could say anything further, her voice was cut off by an explosion so loud it made her ears ring, and she had to fight to keep her balance. Screams of pain and panic could be heard coming from all directions. Several bodies and body parts had been flung everywhere from the force of the blast. Blood and dust seemed to cover everything in sight.

Clarke watched in horror as she saw her father run, not toward the injured as her mother had done, but toward the twisted metal, the wrecked and ruined area where the nightmare that was now unfolding before her had begun.

"Dad!" she cried, unable to make her feet move in his direction, "NO!"

A secondary explosion rocked the banquet hall as Jake Griffin threw his body over the remainder of the incendiary device just in time to make himself its only casualty.

His only daughter fell to her knees and for the second time in only a matter of seconds, a heartbreaking scream was wrenched from her throat. This time, the emotional trauma was more than she could take. She collapsed into strangled sobs, gasping for air that refused to fill her lungs.

"No," was the only word going round and round in her tortured mind as she fought to make sense of what had happened right before her eyes.

Finally, in the midst of all the chaos, all the turmoil that had just become her life, Clarke Griffin allowed the darkness to overtake her.

Chapter Twenty-Five

After watching in horror as Clarke crumpled to the ground, Wells was instantly dodging through the chaos around him to make his way to her side. He looked around for Abby but saw her tripping over her own feet as she made her way from a wounded child to the last place she'd seen her husband alive. The other med techs were busy running between patients who were much worse off than the girl he was kneeling beside.

Fortunately, Wells had learned enough from Clarke and her mother to know that he needed to check her over visually for injuries before even considering moving her. Once he was satisfied that she hadn't been harmed in any way that was immediately apparent, he gently shook her shoulders, trying to get her to wake up.

Her head lolled to one side and she mumbled something incomprehensible but didn't regain consciousness. Wells frowned and looked around for a moment, looking for anyone who might help him get her away from the pandemonium. It only took a moment to realize that he was going to have to take care of her himself. Everyone else was either injured themselves, caring for the wounded, or trying to figure out what the hell had happened.

Wells lifted Clarke into his arms and carried her through the corridors. He knew he couldn't take her back to his own quarters because if she needed any type of medical treatment, he had nothing available there. In her own quarters, she'd be sure to have a med-kit, and they'd be alone. She'd need privacy more than anything to help her deal with what had happened.

He could hardly even begin to process what exactly had happened. It was too much to fathom. Everything had been fine, the ceremony was going just as planned and then BOOM. Literally. He shook his head as he arrived at Clarke's door and worked to get it open, balancing her precariously in a way that allowed him to lift her hand to the security plate. Once it had scanned her palm, he lifted her securely and pushed open the door.

A rustling sound came from one corner of the room as Bellamy tried to scramble for cover, cursing under his breath as he tripped over his own chair. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of blonde curls and stopped short.

"Clarke? You're back earl - uhhhh…"

Bellamy froze when he saw Wells standing there, holding an unconscious Clarke in his arms. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Wells blinked. Several puzzle pieces falling into place for him. His jaw tightened and he swallowed hard as he nodded his head down toward Clarke, "I'd think that would be obvious. Aren't you supposed to be dead…?"

Bellamy dropped his book and hastily moved across the room to help Wells place Clarke comfortably on the bed. Stroking her face with a gentle hand, Bellamy stared down at her as he asked, "What happened?"

"An explosion," Wells responded, giving the shortest possible explanation for why his oldest and dearest friend was in the state she was in. It was a struggle for him to trust Blake with even the tiniest bit of information. He'd wanted nothing to do with the man in the past and he doubted that sentiment would change in the future. Especially if the way Blake was staring at Clarke was any indication.

Bellamy's eyes darkened dangerously as he forced his gaze up to Wells's face, ready to demand the details that the chancellor's son seemed loath to provide. But before he'd managed to utter a single threat, Clarke moaned softly and started to stir.

His pulse raced and his jaw tightened as Bellamy struggled to control his emotions. He looked back down at Clarke and swept a blonde tendril from her face, tucking it behind her ear as he watched her eyes flutter open. The panicked look in their blue depths clawed at his heart.

Scrambling to sit up so she could push herself out of bed, Clarke mumbled urgently, "I have to get to him. It has to be a mistake. He can't be dead. He can't be dead."

It was Wells who held her back, a puzzled look in Bellamy's eyes as he asked, "What's she talking about?"

"Her dad," Wells answered solemnly. "Her dad was killed during the Earth Day celebration."

Hearing the words spoken aloud seemed to break a dam inside of her and Clarke suddenly gasped for air between disbelieving sobs. "No. No. No. No. No. He can't be. He can't be dead." She repeated the words over and over like they were a mantra and Bellamy unhesitatingly pulled her into his arms.

"How'd this happen?" Bellamy questioned harshly, as if he believed the whole thing might have been Wells's fault.

"I don't know," Wells began, "An explosion - "

Clarke pulled back, her fingers digging into Bellamy's arms, a wild look in her eyes. "A bomb. Monty made a bomb."

"Monty?!" Bellamy exclaimed as Wells looked on, thoroughly confused.

"Who is Monty?" Wells asked, trying to put together a clear picture in his mind.

Tears streamed down her cheeks as Clarke ignored Wells, nodding to Bellamy instead. "He was blackmailed," she explained, a meaningful look passing between them.

"What am I missing here?" Wells interrupted, determined not to be left out of whatever conspiracy his friend had clearly uncovered.

"Monty is one of Octavia's friends," Clarke replied, finally turning her eyes away from Bellamy for a few moments. "He and Jasper were thrown in the Sky Box when Octavia was. But someone's been coming to get him for the last couple of weeks to work on building a bomb in secret. I'd just found out about it and was trying to tell your dad, Wells, when the first explosion happened."

"Wait, there was more than one?" Bellamy asked in surprise.

Clarke nodded miserably. "Monty tried to build in a failsafe to keep it from detonating. It must have backfired somehow, though. I don't know anything about engineering but it's the only thing that makes sense to me."

"The failsafe could have been reverse-engineered to trigger a second detonation a pre-determined amount of time after the first went off," Wells interjected while Bellamy and Clarke both stared at him blankly. He shrugged and said, "I was always good at that stuff."

"If that's what happened," Clarke said slowly, "Then Monty had no idea about it. He would have told me."

Bellamy nodded in agreement while Wells furrowed his brow and asked, "But who blackmailed this Monty?"

A ragged breath caught in Clarke's throat and Bellamy held her close again while answering angrily, "Shumway."

"Commander Shumway," Wells repeated in disbelief. "You must be joking."

"He's not," Clarke confirmed Bellamy's statement. "Commander Shumway tried to blackmail Bell as well. And when that didn't work, the commander tried to kill him."

Shock filled Wells's features as realization dawned on him. "That's why you pretended to be dead…"

Shifting uncomfortably, Bellamy nodded while Clarke squeezed his arm in the most reassuring manner she could manage. "Please don't tell, Wells," she begged, and it was clear in her eyes that any romantic possibility that there'd ever been between them had been lost forever.

Wells nodded slowly before responding, "I'll keep quiet under one condition."

The muscles in Bellamy's jaw tightened but he forced himself to relax when Clarke again put a gentle pressure on his arm.

"What's that?" she asked, her chest tight and her heart heavy with the weight of holding herself together for even a little while longer.

"From now on," he said unequivocally, "you let me help with anything that might be dangerous."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Shumway and Sidney met up on the drop ship where several of those they had recruited were already waiting, having been assigned to finish last minute preparations for their anticipated departure. The rest of those leaving the station for Earth in their hostile takeover were making their way aboard even as the rest of the Ark scrambled to figure out what had happened to disrupt their holiday festivities.

"Has anyone noticed we're missing?" Sidney asked as people flowed around them, just as they had planned.

"Not that I know of," Shumway assured her. "Murphy has reported that the Chancellor was hurt, as was Councillor Kane. Dr. Griffin and the guard are dealing with the wounded, getting them to med bay. As far as we are aware, no one has yet cleared the hall or begun looking for the culprit."

"Good," Sidney declared, "Although I wouldn't be overly confident in that delinquent's report. His bio doesn't lead me to believe that he's very observant. There may be those who are right under his nose that are searching for us already. We need to be prepared. We need to launch as soon as possible."

"We will," Shumway assured her.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Before the ceremony, Sergeant Miller had seen Cadet Murphy leaning up against the wall, but hadn't thought anything of it. But when two explosions resulted in mass hysteria, his eyes had gone to the young man who should have been looking to receive orders in the wake of the tragedy. Instead, Miller had seen the dark-haired teenager slinking along the back wall as inconspicuously as possible, holding a walkie, and looking as if he were trying to escape.

Instead of calling out, Miller caught sight of Kane, who was on the floor among the debris, and reached out to him while keeping an eye on the cadet.

"Sir," he said urgently, "I believe I know who detonated the bombs. I need you to give me the authority to investigate."

Kane groaned as he took Miller's hand and pulled himself to his feet. He looked around, scanning the damages while mentally cataloguing his own wounds. Deciding that he'd only received superficial injuries, he tested his ability to hold his own weight and said with gruff determination, "I'm fine. I'll come with you. Then you'll have all the authority you need."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Murphy had no idea when they started tailing him but he'd been watching his back long enough to know that he needed to lose them soon or risk being left behind when the others launched. After triggering the bombs to go off in the middle of a room full of innocent people, there was no way he could stay on the Ark. Underage or not, they'd float him for sure.

He turned this way and that, trying to evade the small contingent that was accompanying Kane, ready to deal him his fate. When he couldn't manage to shake them, he decided it was time to face the music. See if he could talk his way out of the trouble he was in.

Turning sharply, he waited until Kane, Miller, and the others came into view before saying, "Thank god you're here, Sirs. I've been following the bomber but I didn't know what I'd do when I caught up to him."

Kane and Miller exchanged a look but Kane narrowed his gaze and asked Murphy shrewdly, "And who, exactly, is the bomber, son?"

A number of names raced through Murphy's mind but he finally landed on one he thought should be safe. "Monty Green. He's a prisoner from the Sky Box. I thought I'd been seeing him slip out of his cell but I didn't have any way to prove it till now."

There was no way that Kane was going to waste his time chasing down another kid. Especially not one that was already locked up. Instead, he took a single step towards Murphy and demanded menacingly, "And who is behind the bomber?"

Murphy hesitated, faltering a moment before he said, "I don't know what you mean, Sir."

Miller and Kane each took another step toward John Murphy, slowly closing in on him. In a quiet, terrifyingly calm voice, Kane said, "I think you do know what I mean, cadet. This is your last chance to tell your tale before I charge you with treason and request that you be tried before the Council as an adult."

His mouth went dry and Murphy swallowed hard. He was nothing if not a self-serving son of a bitch. Trading sides was the only surefire way to save his own skin. It was a decision he made in a heartbeat.

"Sidney and Shumway, Sir," Murphy said without hesitation. "They're preparing to launch the first drop ship as we speak. I was promised a seat and a choice assignment on the ground if I proved myself here."

Hearing the words that finally confirmed what he'd been suspecting for some time, Kane turned to Miller and said, "Take a few men and head for the launch bay. I'll be right behind you."

With a nod, Miller did as he was told while Kane turned back to Murphy, retrieving the walkie from the young man's hand to make a couple of cryptic calls before carrying out his final move.

As he waited in the corridor for a guard to come escort Murphy to the Sky Box, Kane pressed the button on the communication device and said, "Kane to Sidney and Shumway. Surrender now. You won't get another chance."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

"I thought Kane was supposed to be out of commission," Sidney said sharply, her cold eyes full of accusation as they narrowed on her partner.

"He was," Shumway responded, frustration in his voice, his fists balling at his sides. "Let me go. I'll take care of him. This doesn't have to alter our plans," he assured her. "Not by any means."

"Good," she said crisply. "Do it. If you're not back in time, I won't be holding the launch for you."

Chapter Twenty-Six

It took no time at all for Murphy to negotiate a spot for himself on the dropship in exchange for helping Kane and the guard take down the rebellion and keep them from launching the dropship. He knew he was a lucky son-of-a-bitch since he technically should be floated or at least locked up. But he also recognized an opportunity when he saw one. Just as he had when Shumway had originally approached him.

"Your men need to take out Sidney," Murphy said dryly. "If you can't get to her, the plan goes off regardless."

Frustrated, Kane continued through the corridors. He turned left and then right, working his way toward the area where he knew he'd find the dropship and the traitors who were attempting to take it over. He'd been barking orders into his radio when it occurred to him that he needed an engineer or a mechanic if he was really going to be able to stop the launch from happening. The problem was that all those qualified to help were already occupied, injured, or worse.

"Who helped with the bombs?" Kane demanded.

"A kid in lock up," Murphy responded. When Kane glared at him, he held up his hands and said, "Green. A kid named Monty Green."

Quickly, Kane put the radio to his mouth and ordered, "Sgt. Miller, get a Monty Green from the Sky Box. Have him tap into the electrical system and shut down all power to the dropship."

"Sir?" came the response.

"Do it," Kane answered harshly just as he and Murphy found themselves in a hallway filled with guards and rebels fighting each other. Glancing around, Kane assessed the situation, trying to figure a way around the fighting in case he needed to shut down operations manually.

Murphy seemed to read his mind and pointed across the way. There was a narrow passage that could close off at any moment. Kane nodded and said, "You first."

The two maneuvered their way through the crowd but by the time they got to the dropship, the door was closing and the airlock was locked tight.

Just when he thought they were going to lose their best hope of finding out if the surface was survivable, a voice crackled over Kane's radio.

"Sir," the voice said, "I've got Monty Green with me. He says your best bet is going to be Raven Reyes. He can hack the system to try to delay the launch but she'll be able to keep the launch from happening at all."

"Fine," Kane practically growled, "Tell him to do what has to be done. I'll contact Reyes. And Miller?"

"Yes, Sir?"

"Tell him to make it quick. The rebels are more organized than we ever could have expected," Kane responded, his voice rough with desperation and determination.

"Yes, Sir," came the response before the radio went silent.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Oblivious to everything going on with the rebellion, Bellamy and Clarke huddled together in their quarters, Bellamy's arms around her as she sobbed out her grief over losing her father.

As soon as Wells had left to gather more information, Bellamy had silently reached for Clarke and Clarke had willingly allowed herself to be pulled into his embrace.

"I'm sorry," he murmured into her hair, "I'm so sorry."

If anyone understood the pain that the loss of a parent could bring, it was Bellamy.

"He just," she whispered back as she clung to him, "He...he threw himself on the bomb, Bellamy." She shook her head before angling it so she could see his face when she said sadly, "I want to be mad at him, but how can I? He saved so many lives…"

"But not his own," Bellamy responded with quiet sympathy and understanding. He brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear as tears welled in her eyes again and she nodded.

"Not his own," she echoed, her voice breaking again. She pressed her forehead into his chest while her shoulders shook with her anguish. When she was able to pull herself together, she drew back and took a deep breath. "Thank you," she said softly, pressing a kiss to his cheek before adding, "I should probably go check on my mom. I'm sure she needs help in med bay. And, you know…"

Bellamy nodded and leaned forward to kiss her forehead. "I'll let Wells know. Be careful, ok?"

The look in her eyes told him she agreed, even if she didn't say as much. Clarke opened the door, paused to look back at him, and then she was gone. Bellamy sighed. What the hell was he supposed to do now?

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Wells didn't know how he'd managed it but he'd snuck into an emergency council meeting in progress. His father, of course, was at the helm, and the other council members were throwing out ideas that he was rejecting just as rapidly as they were being pitched.

In frustration, one Councillor pounded his fist on the table and demanded, "Why are we even here? The rebels haven't been stopped yet. The people don't know that anything is wrong. If we play this right, maybe they never will. We should be backing up Kane and the guard rather than sitting here strategizing our next move. A move, might I add, that may be non-existent if Sidney and Shumway aren't stopped."

Listening intently, Wells was filled with pride when he heard his father's response.

"We are here, Councillor, because I have complete faith in Councillor Kane to crush the rebellion that has arisen. What we need now is a plan that will keep another coup attempt from happening. We need to move up the launch date. The rebels need to be made an example of for the rest. And the list of those who will be on the dropship must be revised."

"The earliest window for launch is in thirty-six hours. Can we even be ready by then?" Sinclair asked, obviously willing to follow the Chancellor's directives but also clearly uncertain as to the feasibility of the plan.

Thelonious peered across the group, his eyes landing on Sinclair as he said with finality, "We'll have to be."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Med bay was a madhouse. Clarke's heart was pounding in her chest as she entered and tried to locate her mother. Instead, Jackson found her, hugging and chastising her at the same time.

"Your mom has been worried sick," he said, "Where have you been?"

Clenching her jaw a moment to keep the tears from springing to her eyes again, Clarke swallowed hard before answering in a rush, "I saw everything, Jackson. I saw the blast. I saw my dad. Wells took me to my quarters but I'm here now. Where is my mom?"

"Surgery," Jackson answered simply, the single word filled with sympathy for her. "We could really use your help if you're up to it…"

With a nod, Clarke looked around, trying to figure out where to start. Then a thought occurred to her. "Jackson, are any of these the rebels? Have they been caught and dealt with yet?"

A brief flash of anger and frustration flitted through Jackson's gaze but he kept them from his words as he said, "No. But we're expecting more injured from the confrontation."

"What confrontation?" Clarke asked immediately, her bright eyes focusing on him intently.

"Between Kane, the guard, and the rebellion," Jackson answered. "It's happening right now in the main shuttlebay."

Clarke closed her eyes and wondered if that was where Wells had gone. Would she lose someone else she loved by the end of the day?

When she opened her eyes, she took a deep breath and nodded as if she'd made a decision. "Ok. How can I help?"

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

The standoff in the main shuttlebay was getting nowhere fast. Kane and his men were doing their best to keep the rebels from boarding the dropship. Meanwhile, Monty and Raven Reyes worked together to shut down the dropship's mainframe.

Shumway returned to Sidney from his failed attempt to keep the guard at bay and shook his head, cringing when he saw the fury in her eyes. "We need to find another way," he said.

"There is no other way, you fool!" Sidney shouted. She raised the pistol she'd been holding at her side and aimed it directly at Shumway's forehead. "You failed," she said harshly and pulled the trigger.

Immediately, she began pushing through the crowd, yelling and crying for help, her followers turning to stare at her in confusion as they fought on.

Finally, she reached Marcus and Murphy, throwing herself at the Chancellor's second in command breathlessly.

"Oh, thank god, Marcus! They were holding me hostage," Sidney was quick to explain. "Please tell me you've taken them. That the dropship is under your capable command once again."

Marcus Kane narrowed his eyes, took in Diana Sidney's appearance as well as her unbelievable performance, and clutched her wrists firmly between his hands, pushing her away from himself.

Without releasing her, he said, "Diana Sidney, you are under arrest for treason."

Before she could protest or he could say anything more, a voice came through on his radio. "Hey, boss," the no-nonsense mechanic said, "We got 'er shut down. There may be some repairs we have to make before she can launch, but she ain't goin' anywhere today."

Kane motioned with his head for Murphy to take the walkie and press the button on the side so he could speak. "Good job, Raven. We've just about got things under control on this end as well. Go check in with Wick and Sinclair, see where you're most needed." He paused a moment before he added, "Oh, and Raven...take Monty with you."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Not long after Clarke left their quarters, Bellamy began to consider how he could help. He hated being stuck there. Hated the feeling of being caged in. With Shumway and Sidney occupied fighting Kane and the guard, though, he realized he didn't necessarily have to be. He could go wherever he wanted and no one would question it.

He folded his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyes in thought. He wouldn't be able to get into the Sky Box to check on Octavia. Not without having to present identification and he didn't have that. At least, not for anyone who wasn't supposed to be a dead man. Or the daughter of two council members.

Briefly, Bellamy thought about going after Clarke or Wells. Doing what he could to help in med bay or gather information for them. But he'd be worse than useless in med bay. He'd be a burden. And Wells...well, he didn't trust Wells quite yet. Probably never would. So what did that leave him…? What could he do?

Suddenly, his eyes shot to the door as he realized exactly how he could help, what he needed to do. He'd been a guard in training. He knew how to fight. He was sure he'd be able to get his hands on a stun gun or shock baton in the midst of the chaos. After that, it would be his mission to take out the man who'd tried to kill him. Who would have succeeded if it hadn't been for Clarke.

Clarke. He hesitated a moment as he pictured her in his mind. What would she think? Would she understand why he couldn't stay and hide anymore? He sighed and shook his head. She'd have to. Staying safely on the sidelines while others fought had never been for him.

Bellamy was stalking with purpose and determination toward the door when the damn thing was flung open. He dove to the side and out of sight but cursed and came back to his feet when he saw that it was Wells.

"Well?" he demanded impatiently, "What's going on out there?"

"Kane and the guard are holding off the rebels," Wells replied, breathless, looking around for his best friend. When he didn't find her, he asked with concern, "Where's Clarke?"

"She went to med bay to check in with her mom," Bellamy answered, his fingers tapping in agitation at his sides.

Wells nodded thoughtfully, "She probably got caught up helping out. There are quite a few injured."

"What else did you find out?" Bellamy barked, unable to stand the feeling of the walls closing in on him any longer.

Studying Bellamy watchfully, Wells responded, "They're moving up the launch to avoid another rebellion. They expect Kane to have Shumway and Sidney in custody soon and they're going to make an example of all those who were following them. But they know it's only a matter of time before more rise up."

Bellamy had stopped listening after the first few words.

"How long?" he asked tersely. "How long till they launch the dropship?"

"Thirty-six hours," Wells stated. "And they're making last minute changes to the passenger list." The last words became hesitant as the sound of his voice faded away.

"What kind of changes?" Bellamy asked warily.

Shaking his head, Wells replied, "All I know is that they were discussing strategy when I slipped out of the council meeting. The last thing I heard was that they'd be re-making the list from scratch. No one who was on it before has a seat that's secure."

Bellamy's jaw tightened and his fists clenched. He was seriously considering trying to force his way into the council chamber when the door opened again. Both young men looked up expectantly but neither could have dreamed that, rather than Clarke, they'd find Dr. Abby Griffin standing there instead.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

The woman standing in the doorway appeared taken aback for only a moment at the sight of Bellamy Blake and Wells Jaha standing in her daughter's quarters. Neither one of them should be there, especially Blake, but in that moment she couldn't for the life of her recall why. She shook her head to clear it and focused her gaze on the young man that she'd known since his birth.

"Where is Clarke?" Abby asked Wells, her voice shaky, her hands trembling.

Bellamy glanced at Wells but Wells kept his eyes on Abby, answering kindly, "We thought she was with you. She was headed to med bay when Bellamy saw her last."

Abby looked blankly at Bellamy, knowing there was something she was supposed to remember about him but unable to recall what that was. "When did she leave?"

"A while ago," Bellamy answered. "You must have crossed paths somehow."

Blinking as she processed his words, Abby nodded slowly, still staring at him, before finally stating bluntly, "You're supposed to be dead."

His eyes flickered to Wells for just a moment, but then Bellamy agreed carefully, "I am. It's a long and complicated story as to why I'm not."

After a brief pause, Abby shook her head as if to clear it and said sharply, "I don't have time for this now. I have to find Clarke." She turned on her heel and started out the door, but before she left the two young men behind, she called over her shoulder, "I'll expect a detailed explanation later on."

Once she was gone, Bellamy released the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He looked at Wells and asked gruffly, "Now what?"

"Now we check in with Kane, the Sky Box, and my father before we decide what we're doing next." Wells glanced at the door and added, "And we trust Clarke to deal with Abby and take care of herself. We both know she's more than capable."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

In med bay, wounded guards as well as rebels were streaming in, some more severely injured than others. The doctors and technicians were getting regular reports from Councillor Kane about the progress at the dropship, but most of the updates went unheard or were ignored in favor of taking care of those who were fighting for their lives rather than fighting each other.

Upon Abby's return, she swiftly found Clarke where she was tending a severe burn from one too many shock baton lashes.

"I need you to come with me," Abby said immediately.

Clarke looked up at her mother with a frown and said, "Let me just finish - "

"No," Abby interrupted. "This can't wait. Jackson will take over for you here."

After reassuring the injured man, Clarke rose and followed her mother to one of the surgical suites. Her brow furrowed as she tried to figure out what was going on, but when she saw Thelonious Jaha on the operating table, she knew why she had been called.

"Chancellor," Clarke breathed as she rushed forward, looking him over from head to toe before she turned back to her mother and asked, "How did this happen?"

"The first explosion," Abby replied. "Shrapnel. I need you to keep him sedated while I get all the debris cleared from the wounds. He hasn't lost much blood yet but if he jerks away at all, I could nick an artery." She hesitated a moment and gave her daughter a meaningful stare before saying, "I'd have Jackson help me, but if something goes wrong this may take more supplies than we're permitted."

Inhaling deeply, Clarke nodded, holding her mother's gaze. "I understand."

For the next two hours, the two women worked together to repair the Chancellor's arm and chest. By the time they were done and Thelonious was in recovery, the battle over the dropship was over.

It had taken everything the Ark Guard had to subdue the rebellion. In all, over three hundred were arrested for the crime of treason. Even though neither he nor the Ark were working at full capacity, Chancellor Jaha's judgment was swift and the punishment was as harsh as ever.

Section seventeen was evacuated. Except for the traitors who were sealed in.

Thelonious, his arm in a sling, stood watching the monitors as he gave the order to shut down the life support system in that section. With Marcus Kane at his side, he watched intently as each of those whose fate he had sealed began to slump, their bodies sliding to the metal floor of the compartment as the life seeped out of them.

"It is done," said the Chancellor with a solemn finality once every last set of vitals had ceased to show any sign of life. He ordered life support back to normal and sent the guard to retrieve the bodies. There would be a ceremony mourning their loss that very evening and the corpses would be released into space, dreams of the ground ended for them forever.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

When Clarke returned to her quarters, exhausted, Bellamy and Wells were waiting for her.

"Are you ok?" Wells asked at the same time that Bellamy took Clarke in his arms for a hug and questioned, "Your patients stable for now?"

She sighed and rested her head on Bellamy's shoulder as she said, "Most people weren't gravely injured. They were mostly hit with smaller pieces of shrapnel and required stitches and antiseptic. But the ones who were close to the blasts…" she shook her head tiredly. "We tried to save them, but most we couldn't help. We could barely make them comfortable before..."

Bellamy pulled her closer and Wells squeezed her shoulder. None of them spoke for several minutes as they stood there comforting each other.

Finally, Clarke pulled back and looked them each in the eyes before asking, "What's going on here? What did I miss?"

Wells and Bellamy shared a worried glance before Bellamy spoke up, saying, "Your mother knows about me."

"What?!" Clarke demanded, gasping in shock. "But how?"

"She seemed disoriented but she came here looking for you," Wells explained. "We were both here and then…" He trailed off with a shrug and a shake of his head.

"There was no knock or anything," Bellamy added. "She was pretty out of it. Didn't even remember I was supposed to be dead."

Clarke closed her eyes and said, "That must have been when she came looking for me to help with the Chancellor."

His gaze immediately alert, Wells's grasp on her became uncomfortably tight as he asked in as controlled a voice as he could muster, "What do you mean 'help with the Chancellor'?"

Biting her lower lip before looking at him directly, Clarke said, "He's fine now but he got hit by larger pieces of shrapnel. A few were dangerously close to major arteries. My mom wanted my help. Just in case…" her words faded, but in the back of her mind, she was wondering, 'What could possibly go wrong next?'

They found out a couple of hours later when the Chancellor's voice came over the ship-wide communication system and announced that repairs were being made to the dropship and that the launch would now take place in twenty-four hours time.

Clarke, Wells, and Bellamy braced themselves as they listened to the list of passengers that would depart for the ground the next day. Not a word passed between them until the Chancellor ended with, "That is all. Jaha out."

A surprised gasp tore itself from Clarke's lips. Her eyes were wide as she looked first at Wells and then met Bellamy's eyes, all three of them stunned as they realized that neither Bellamy nor Octavia were on the list.

"He broke his promise," she breathed, almost as if she had no idea that she'd spoken it aloud. "Why? What could that possibly mean?"

Wells, seeing how upset Clarke was, said calmly, "There must be some explanation. We'll find out what it is and it'll be fixed."

The words snapped Clarke out of her stupor. She nodded, determination in her eyes as she squeezed Bellamy's arm and watched as he calmed as well.

"Right," she said, "Let's go."

"Go where?" Bellamy asked, still trying to recover from the shock to his system. The shock of not hearing his name when, for once, he'd expected to be listed among the privileged. He told himself that he should have seen this betrayal coming from a mile away.

"To see the Council," Clarke responded, "The Chancellor. They made a promise to you that they're damn well going to keep."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

When they arrived, it was Wells who knocked on the meeting room door, then led the way inside. He spoke to his father first, pulling him to the side to talk quietly while Clarke waited impatiently by the door with a silent and resigned Bellamy standing beside her.

The two Jahas came to stand before Bellamy and Clarke after a few moments and Thelonious raised his voice to say, "It seems an error has been made. I've explained to my son that Mr. Blake's name had been placed on the list of passengers for the dropship by Councillor Kane after he and Dr. Griffin explained that he faces certain danger if he remains on the Ark. However, Mr. Blake's sister was removed from the list due to her lack of schooling in survival skills."

Abby drew near and quietly explained, "We can't in good conscience send a girl to the ground who has next to no chance of staying alive down there. She will be released from the Sky Box once the dropship is gone and she can share quarters with Clarke or me if she'd like. At least until she's received some formal education. Then she can go with the next exodus ship. Once we know that it's safe and survivable."

"That was NOT the arrangement that was made," Bellamy responded through gritted teeth, his eyes flashing.

Clarke placed her hand on Bellamy's forearm and argued curtly, "He's right. But more than that. Octavia's best chance for survival in any setting is being with her brother. He's taken care of her since she was born. You can't expect him not to be distracted down there knowing that she's still up here."

"That's exactly what we expect," Marcus asserted. "She'll be safe and he can focus on surviving. Then when things are settled on the ground, she'll be able to join him."

"That wasn't the deal," Bellamy stated gruffly, bitterness in his tone.

"We're renegotiating," Jaha said. "None of us expected all that has happened since the Earth Day explosions. There are new issues, new concerns to take into account."

"Which is exactly why Octavia should go with her brother still," Clarke insisted. "It's not any safer for her here than it is on Earth. Besides," she paused, glancing at her mother before turning her attention back to Jaha, "I'd like to request a spot on the dropship as well. They'll need someone with medical training to help take care of them. I want to volunteer."

Abby stiffened visibly and her words were stilted when she replied. "They'll have Jackson for that."

It took all Clarke's strength not to roll her eyes when she said, "Please. You and I both know that while Jackson will do what he can, he's a nurse. One nurse for a hundred people is not giving them their best chance at survival."

Kane discreetly pulled Chancellor Jaha to the side, whispering to him about the situation at hand while the two women continued to argue back and forth with one another.

"I just lost your father," Abby said, her voice cracking with emotion, tears springing to her eyes. "I can't lose you, too."

"I understand that, Mom," Clarke responded, struggling with the frustration of being...whatever she was to Bellamy, as well as a doctor-in-training, a daughter, and a girl with an adventurous spirit. All at the same time. "But if you force me to stay here, you'll lose me anyway. And you know it."

"Clarke," Wells protested, looking wounded on her mother's behalf.

"No, Wells. I'm serious. This is what I want. I want to go to the ground. I want to be with Bellamy and Octavia and whoever else was on that list. And I want to help them survive."

Kane and Thelonious turned back to the small group, Kane clearing his voice before either of the women could say anything further. When all eyes had turned to him, he said, "The Chancellor and I have been conferring and we agree with Clarke's argument. She should be on the dropship as an asset to the group, to assist in caring for them on the ground."

"Marcus!" Abby gasped, her eyes wide and frightened. "What are you saying?"

Thelonious put a reassuring hand on Abby's shoulder and said, "He's saying what you and I both know to be the truth. Clarke is a smart girl. She has skills that no one else that has been assigned to that dropship has. They will need her and she will need you. We will have communication between the Ark and the ground. You can guide her as needed, Abby. You will be her anchor."

"Her anchor," Abby echoed hollowly.

"Yes. And if all goes well as we hope, you'll see your daughter again in three months," Thelonious assured her. "You have my word."

"For whatever that's worth," Bellamy mumbled angrily under his breath.

"As for you," Jaha continued, speaking now to Bellamy directly, "Your sister will still stay here. However, she will take over Clarke's current quarters and Abby will train her in medicine. Then you, too, will be reunited when we join you on the ground."

"IF we don't all die the moment the dropship doors are opened after we land," Bellamy couldn't help adding bitterly.

"True," Jaha acknowledged. "But with the conditions on the Ark the way they are, either we'll be reunited in life on Earth or we'll be reunited in death when humanity becomes extinct forever."

"Such a comforting thought," Bellamy mocked, nostrils flaring.

"It should be. It's the only one you'll be left with."

The last word was a dismissal. As soon as he finished speaking, Chancellor Thelonious Jaha turned on his heel, gave a nod to the others in the room, and walked out. There would be no changing his mind now.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

"What are we going to do?" Clarke asked as soon as she, Wells, and Bellamy were back in her quarters.

"What do you mean what are we going to do?" Wells queried in confusion.

"She means," Bellamy began, "How are we going to get my sister on the dropship?"

Wells turned to Clarke to see if Bellamy was serious. The determination he saw in her eyes sent a chill down his spine. He took a deep breath and shook his head. Without sparing Bellamy a glance, he suggested deliberately, "You trade your seat for hers. It's that simple."

"Simple?!" Clarke exploded, stepping into his personal space, poking an index finger into his chest. "That is NOT simple! That leaves me here - "

"And that's the last thing you want," Wells finished for her pointedly. "I know. But if you're really determined to have Octavia on that dropship with Bellamy, you have to consider it. We don't have much time to come up with another option."

"But we WILL come up with another option," Bellamy insisted, finality in his tone. "I'm not going to lose Clarke - "

Now it was Clarke's turn to interrupt, "You're not going to lose Clarke. No matter what happens." They studied each other, their gazes making words unnecessary. They both held their breath as their hearts beat heavily in their chests.

Bellamy swallowed hard and nodded as they both began to breathe again. "Ok. But we need to find another way to get Octavia on the dropship with us."

"We will," Clarke assured him, then she turned back to Wells and asked, "Do you have any other ideas?"

"I'm working on it," Wells said begrudgingly. He didn't want Clarke to go. If she did, he knew he would probably never see her again. "Now that Bellamy doesn't have to hide, why don't the two of you go visit Octavia. She may know something about some of the delinquents on the list. I'll see if I can get any information from my father without arousing his suspicion. We can meet back here in a couple of hours."

Bellamy and Clarke shared a look and nodded.

"Ok," Clarke agreed. "We'll see you soon."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Octavia was ecstatic to see Bellamy with Clarke but as soon as she was done squealing and showering them both in hugs, she got right to the point that her brother and her friend had come to discuss.

"What's going on, Bell? I've been hearing things that are scaring me no matter how much I tell myself that I'm not afraid."

Bellamy clamped a hand on her shoulder and gave it a little squeeze of reassurance before saying, "A lot's been going on, O. There was a group of rebels that tried to take over one of the 've been subdued and floated but not before they planted a bomb during the Earth Day celebration." He paused to turn a sympathetic look on Clarke before continuing, "Her dad was killed in the blast. The Chancellor was injured. They've moved up the drop and...you're not on the list to go down."

"Wait, Clarke's dad?" Octavia turned to her friend and hugged her, "I'm so-" she was about to say 'sorry' when the rest of what her brother had said registered and her head whipped back around to him, panic in her eyes as she exclaimed in terror, "What?!"

"We're already working on fixing that," Clarke reassured her, refusing to think about the sympathy the girl had been trying to offer. "Wells is trying to figure something out right now."

"Okay…" Octavia responded, not sure what to think. "Wells is involved now? Sounds like there's a lot that I've missed."

Clarke and Bellamy shared a look before Bellamy said gruffly, "You have no idea."

Watching the two, a broad smile spread across Octavia's face. She wanted to say something, was about to say something, but was interrupted before she had the chance.

"Octavia," Clarke began, not even realizing the other girl had been about to speak. "Have you learned anything from any of the other kids in lock-up?"

"Like what?" Octavia asked, shaking her head, "The only thing I've learned is that most of them are in here for bullshit reasons just like me."

A thought occurred to Bellamy and he gazed at his sister intently, asking abruptly, "What do you know about Monty leaving the Sky Box daily? Do you know anything about what he did or where he went or who took him there?"

Pausing a moment to think, Octavia again shook her head, this time slowly, unsure what the question might have to do with anything. "Nooo..." she said, her confusion showing in her eyes and in the uncertainty that could be heard in her voice. "I haven't been close enough to him to ask. But...Jasper might know, I guess." She stopped, giving both of her visitors a perplexed look, "Why not just ask Monty, though? Isn't he back in lock-up?"

Another look passed between Clarke and Bellamy as they communicated silently.

"That would be too easy, wouldn't it?" Clarke asked him. "Wouldn't they be watching him now more than ever?"

"Or they may just assume that since he was an unwilling participant, it's over now," Bellamy suggested. "What do we have to lose?"

Worrying her lower lip for a moment, Clarke nodded. "Ok. We'll ask if we can see him." She hugged Octavia and whispered in her ear, "We'll make sure you're on that dropship. Don't worry, ok?"

"Ok," Octavia nodded. "You know I trust you." She looked over at her brother, then gave him a warm embrace as well. "Both of you."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Getting to see Monty was easier than either of them had expected. There was only one guard manning the visitor station of the Sky Box and he was too preoccupied with prepping his charges who would be boarding the dropship to pay attention to Dr. Griffin's daughter when she requested to see another prisoner. He waved her aside, pressed a button, and she and Bellamy were buzzed through as if they were staff.

"So much for the new rule about only seeing one prisoner," Bellamy mumbled under his breath.

"Shh," Clarke warned, "At least this way we can see both Monty and Jasper. Unless someone who gives a damn finds us first."

It took them a while to locate Monty's cell, but when they did, it was well worth the effort.

"Clarke?" Monty said in disbelief. "What are you doing here?"

"We're here to ask you a few questions," she told him as reassuringly as she could before looking expectantly over at Bellamy.

"Have they started announcing to the prisoners who will be going on the dropship yet?" Bellamy asked.

Lifting up his wrist where a shiny new med bracelet had been placed, he said, "I don't know that I'd call it an announcement exactly, but I do know they're putting these on all those that they're sending down."

"You're going down," Clarke said, relief in her voice as Monty smiled and nodded at her.

"Jasper, too," he added, clearly taking comfort in that fact. Then he added with a shrug, "It's gotta be better than being forced to work against everyone I love, right?"

"Right," Clarke smiled back as reassuringly as she could. An idea struck her and she turned to Bellamy and clutched at his arm. "Bellamy, what if we can get one of those bracelets for O? That would make her fit right in on the dropship, wouldn't it?"

Before Bellamy could say anything, Monty was shaking his head. "You'd have to pry one off somebody's arm for that to work. They're programmed to read the vitals of whoever is wearing it so they can keep track of physical responses when we reach the ground." He paused before adding with some bitter irony, "You know, if we're still alive when we make it there."

"You will be," Clarke said with confidence. "Bellamy and I will be there, too. Between us and Jasper, we'll make sure you stay alive."

"Bellamy…" Monty said slowly, realization in his tone, "You're O's brother," he stated.

Bellamy nodded curtly.

Respect showed in Monty's eyes and he bobbed his head once. "Wish we could have met...well, you know."

"Yeah," Bellamy stated sincerely, "I do."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

After the Sky Box, Clarke and Bellamy made their way to engineering where they found Wick and Raven bickering over who knew what. They were always bickering. It had always been one of the things that Clarke liked about them. But not now. Now she had business to attend to and she required their full attention.

Raven saw Clarke first and shut her mouth, nudging Wick with her elbow. He caught sight of Clarke out of the corner of his eye and took two giant steps toward her before wrapping her in a bear hug.

"I'm sorry about your dad. He was a great engineer and one of the best guys around."

"He was…" Clark responded thickly, a lump instantly forming in her throat. She gave him a brief but fierce embrace and then pushed back to look at them both. "We," she motioned to herself and Bellamy, "really need your help."

Within an hour of explaining what they were hoping to accomplish, Wick and Raven had gotten their hands on an unprogrammed prototype of the wristbands that were being used to monitor the vitals of those going to the ground and had used it to create a dummy wristband that could pass for a real working one with ease.

The only thing they had to figure out was whose wristband they should replace so that Octavia could have the real one. Then they'd need to make the switch in a way that no one would notice that O was boarding instead of their victim.

By the time Clarke and Bellamy met Wells back in Clarke's quarters, there was much to discuss. Wells had gotten his hands on the full list of those scheduled for the dropship and they sat poring over it together for a long time.

"How are we supposed to know whose place Octavia should take? I wish we had more time." Clarke asked in frustration.

"Time for what?" Bellamy asked, his own anxiety showing in his strained tone. "What would we be able to figure out with time that we don't already know?"

"Who might not want to go, for one," Clarke answered more sharply than she'd intended.

"Well…as it is," Wells began hesitantly, "It would be easiest to find an adult who hasn't had the wristband put on yet because then we could probably negotiate some sort of bribe to get them to let us short it out. But…" he paused before adding, "I did find out that the cadet who was escorting your friend Monty wasn't floated with the others. He made a deal to save his life. And he accepted the Council's offer of sending him to the ground."

"What?!" Bellamy practically roared while Clarke exclaimed, "That's perfect!"

"He's probably already got his wristband on, though," Wells shrugged.

"Yeah, but we can fix that. I can get it off him for some medical reason or another," Clarke said confidently. In the back of her mind she was thinking that Murphy needed to pay for the willful part he played in her father's death and that leaving him behind when the dropship launched could just be the poetic justice he deserved.

"You're sure?" Bellamy asked doubtfully.

"I am," Clarke responded. "It should be pretty easy. I'll just need to ask Raven and Wick for one more little favor just in case..."

Bellamy nodded solemnly and Wells watched them both. He could hardly believe he was helping his best friend, the woman he'd always thought he'd spend his life with, to commit a crime that could get them both floated. Maybe he'd go have a talk with his dad, or Abby, or both while Clarke was on her mission. See if there was a way he could keep them all out of trouble.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

It wasn't as easy as Clarke had hoped to get back into the Sky Box. Thankfully, though, her prized possession - the fake wristband for Murphy - made the perfect excuse to request a pass.

"You don't have the authority to see prisoners in their cells," the man said sharply.

"But I'm on official duty," Clarke insisted. "There's a short in one young man's wristband. We're down to mere hours before the launch. Do you want them to miss their window just because you couldn't be bothered to check in with medical to see if I'd been cleared for this? All I need to do is replace one wristband with another."

After much balking, the guard finally pressed the communication link to get his confirmation. Clarke held her breath until she heard Raven on the other end and knew that Wick must have been successful at intercepting the call.

The guard grumbled after hearing Raven's rapid explanation, then he buzzed Clarke through, telling her in what was clearly an empty threat, "Get back here in ten minutes or you'll be a prisoner in here, too."

Clarke pursed her lips and glared at him, but said nothing as she stepped through the door. She found Murphy's cell in no time, but saw that he had no wristband on.

"What's going on?" he demanded.

"I'm not sure," Clarke said, struggling to rethink her strategy without letting on that anything was out of the ordinary. "I was sent to replace your wristband because it's not reading your vitals accurately. Now I see that you haven't been fitted yet. That must be the problem."

"Nothing gets by you, does it? So, you gonna put that wristband on me or not?" Murphy asked, his eyes sharp, brow lifted pointedly.

"As soon as I can get your cell open," Clarke confirmed, her new plan clicking into place in her head as she stared at the lock with a frown. "I'm going to have to go back to the guard station. I've forgotten the code."

Murphy snarled. "Incompetent, worthless - "

"I'd stop right there if I were you," Clarke said with counterfeit authority before adding carefully, "I can make sure you don't get on that dropship."

"Yeah, right," Murphy said with a huff of a laugh. "You may be the Ark's princess but that doesn't mean you have any decision-making authority."

Clarke shrugged before she turned to leave, tossing back over her shoulder, "Then you have nothing to worry about, do you?"

The guard was even more difficult to deal with the second time, but Clarke threatened to go to the Chancellor himself about the man's carelessness when it came to prepping the prisoners for their journey. That shut the man up and put him on his best behavior.

"Good, now show me the devices that haven't been placed on prisoners yet. I'll need to take the original back to med bay after this new one is placed on Prisoner 124," Clarke stated, "We'll need to have someone figure out why it malfunctioned. It's disturbing that it was displaying vitals without being attached to someone's wrist."

Mumbling incoherently to himself, the guard grudgingly allowed her to go about her work and when she asked for the code to the prisoner's cell, he said, "This is why they shouldn't send rookies. The lock is keyed to each prisoner's number."

Relieved, Clarke struggled not to show it. She knew Murphy's number, but more importantly, she also knew Octavia's number. She'd be able to access both cells.

With determination, Clarke headed back to Murphy's cell, opened it, and glared at the snake who should have been floated for his crimes. "Well, what are you waiting for? I don't have all day."

Ignoring her question completely, Murphy held out his arm, waiting for the click of the band before he said with certainty, "They don't send the Princess down to the Sky Box for just anything. Whatever it is you're up to, you won't get away with it."

Unable to resist looking at the fake band on his wrist with smug satisfaction, Clarke stared him in the eye and retorted, "If I am up to anything, I've already gotten away with it."

Before he could say another word, Clarke stormed out of his cell and quickly found Octavia's.

"We need to get this bracelet on you," Clarke said as she got the door open and showed her friend the monitoring device that had originally been destined for a traitor. "With this, you'll be able to get on the dropship with the rest of us."

Octavia nodded and held her wrist out.

"There," Clarke said with relief before hugging her friend and hurrying out the door. "I'll see you in a few hours!"

As she went by the guard's station on her way out, Clarke nodded at him briskly and said, "Everything's in order. Your 'assistance' was much appreciated."

The guard gave her a dismissive nod and Clarke slipped away, a knot forming in her stomach as she hoped they had covered all their bases.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

When the time came for them all to board the dropship, Abby and Kane were there to bid them a safe journey and to make sure everything went off without a hitch. It didn't take long for Octavia to make it to the head of the line where she tried hard not to be noticed. Abby recognized her but Kane did not. Abby's harsh gaze turned toward Clarke but when she saw the pleading look in Clarke's eyes, she turned away and let Octavia pass with the tiniest nod of acknowledgment.

However, when Clarke stepped up to take her turn, Abby blocked her way and Kane did nothing to stop her.

"Sorry, honey, but you're not going anywhere. I can't lose you, too," she explained. "I arranged with Councillor Kane to make a few last minute adjustments."

"Adjustments? What do you mean adjustments?" Clarke demanded, her heart racing as her eyes searched everywhere for someone who could save her.

Bellamy and Octavia were already on the dropship, as were Jasper and Monty.

"I'd already convinced Thelonious to send Jackson down," Abby continued in spite of the fact that Clarke was barely listening, "So all I needed to do was find someone to go in your place…"

Slowly, Clarke turned to Wells with a panicked look in her eyes, but all she could see staring back at her was a gaze filled with sorrow and apology.

"I traded myself for you," he said softly.

"You...you WHAT?!" Clarke asked, horrified by what her mother and her best friend had done. "I trusted you, Wells! How could you do this to me?"

She didn't wait for an answer before she started trying to push past them, yelling toward the dropship door, "BELLAMY!"

In a flash, though, Wells was on the ship and the door was sealed shut. Clarke continued to struggle, but it was no use. The last thing she saw before the launch sequence was coded in was Bellamy wildly trying to re-open the door and Murphy standing behind him, middle fingers up and a wide, smirking grin on his face.

Then they were gone. Without her. Her best friends, the man she'd come to love...they were earthbound, and there was nothing she could do to change it.