They won.

She had gotten her people back, but at what cost? She had killed so many people, irradiated a whole population to save her people, but as much as she hated herself for it she knew she made the right decision. They wouldn't have stopped, if they didn't have her people they would have continued to take Grounders despite the deal. She did the right thing.

It was early morning, the sun was just beginning to rise through the trees and Clarke watched as streams of light started filling the hollow tree she had found the night before. The light, finding its way through the small holes in the wooden ceiling, they looked like stars against the dark backdrop. She watched as they danced with the changing angles and let her mind wander back and forth between what has happened and what would happen now.

Everything had changed. She had left Camp Jaha and didn't know what to do now. She couldn't look at them every day. She was so happy that they were back and alive, and she mourned the deaths of her friends that had been taken, but she couldn't look at them. It reminded her to much of the decisions she made.

What was she going to do now? What could she do? Why was she even in this situation, they could have fought, they could have taken out the dam and gotten their people out, the plan would have worked!

Clarke's mind raced with every possible other outcome that would have saved those people, her mind was spinning and at this point; the dancing stars of light were making her dizzy. She turned her body away, moving to her side and gripping onto her jacket that she used as a pillow as the thoughts continued.

It shouldn't have happened like this. I didn't have to happen like this. Why did you have to take the stupid deal! Why would you leave me like that!

"May we meet again."

Clarke's mind halted in its tracks as Lexa's words echoed through her. Lexa, the Commander who led with her, who agreed to this alliance, who gave up resources, warriors, and so many other things just to protect the Sky People; to protect her. The Commander who had betrayed her to save her own people, the woman whom cared about her, the girl who made a decision.

She was a leader first and foremost and that meant making tough calls. As much as the blonde hated her for leaving and for making a deal, she understood it. She understood why Lexa did it, the Commander never acted unless she thought it was best for her people. Her people, not anyone else's, that's where her duties lied, they had to survive and you did what you had to. Lexa had always told her that being a leader meant doing things that would hurt others, but save your people. Clarke did the same thing she made a choice that hurt so many, but saved her own.

Clarke couldn't help but let her mind run through its course of thoughts on Lexa. She cared about her, that much was certain and she knew that despite everything, she knew Lexa cared too. She thought about their kiss, how gentle it was compared to the rough exterior that was the Commander; how much emotion could be conveyed in one action and how that action could seemingly erase all the reality that surrounded in that moment.

Involuntarily, Clarke traced her own lips remembering the feeling from a few days prior. Then she was reminded of what happened after the kiss after she had said that she wasn't ready yet. She thought about the look in Lexa's eyes when she returned that night. Blood spattered across her face as she told about the deal. Clarke was so shocked in that moment that she didn't have a chance to focus on how much this hurt the other woman. Now, however, she couldn't get that apologetic, but non-remorseful look out of her mind.

After attempting and failing to clear her mind, Clarke made her way out of the tree and into forest. With no destination in mind, she simply walked.

It seemed like hours until she finally stopped. She heard something in forest in front of her. She smelled the smoke of camp fire and heard the bustling of voices. It can't be. She thought. Had her body actually taken her to the Grounder's camp? She moved forward a bit more and peered around a tree spotting guard on patrol.

She scoffed at herself. Of course she had ended up here, out of every place she could have walked to she unknowingly walked into the make shift camp of the Grounder army that had left her. Then her mind stopped again with a single familiar thought. Lexa.

Clarke wanted to confront the Commander, she wanted to punch her bloody for leaving, but at the same tie she wanted to kiss her and tell her she understood. Before her mind had time to decide, she started walking towards the guard, she recognized him from the time she spent among them, his name was Salvador. Clarke didn't try to hide her approach, he looked at her and recognized her immediately.

"ai souda hon op Heda (I have to find the Commander)" she spoke. Her Trigdasleng wasn't the best and she hoped the message got across. The man simply nodded, a bit hesitant but started back towards the camp as Clarke followed. Making their way through the camp quite quick, however when people noticed her they stopped and stared for a moment. Then the man stopped in front of Indra and got her attention. The look on her face when she saw Clarke was fairly surprised, after their retreat she thought the Sky Girl wouldn't be seen here.

"How can I help you Sky Girl?" she said in her usual irritated tone towards Clarke.

"I came to speak to the Commander."

Indra let out what could only be defined as a mix between a groan and a sigh, "The Commander is not at camp, Clarke of the Sky People, but she has left orders that if you were to seek her to take you to her."

Clearly this was not what the warrior had in mind for her morning and Clarke could tell. She felt a little bad for interrupting the older woman's day, but she needed to talk to Lexa. Indra then started walking away calling for Clarke and to follow suit; briskly following Indra to the stables to fetch horses the blonde couldn't help but wonder where the Commander was, it wasn't like her to be away from camp.

After several minutes of riding the recognition of the forest slowly started to fade. They had climbed one of the hills that surrounded the camp, a place that Clarke had never been before. She looked around and took in the new scenery. It was refreshing; something new. She took all of it in, letting the sun warm her skin through the scattered tree canopy. This was a luxury to her, she hadn't been able to just relax with the sun on her face for so long, it felt so peaceful. But she needed to figure out what she would even say to Lexa, where should she start? Should she yell at her, let her explain, or grab her by her armor and kiss her senseless and let everything just melt away. Yeah that last one probably isn't a good idea. She thought as she let out a sigh. What if Lexa didn't even want to see her, this was a mistake.

She was taken out of her thoughts when Indra came to an abrupt halt in front of two warriors Clarke recognized to be some of Lexa's personal guard. They she dismounted and the older woman began talking in Trigedasleng again. Clarke may not be completely fluent at the language yet, but she did know enough to tell that the woman's irritation was higher than ever and she was more than certain the woman called her something along the lines of idiotic squirrel but she wasn't entirely sure.

Indra turned back to her, "The Commander is through there," she pointed through the thick line of trees. Without another look, the woman was back on her horse and riding away.

Clarke became determined to confront Lexa, she had to this wasn't a mistake that she ended up here. She heard something as she approached what seemed to be the edge of the tree line that sounded like rushing water, and curiosity came to join determination at the forefront of her mind. As she pushed her way through the trees; she finally came to an opening, and stopped dead in her tracks.

It was breathtaking. The trees surrounded a clearing full of colorful, blooming flowers whose colors were so bright they didn't seem real. The trees and grasses themselves seemed much greener, much more alive here than in any other part of the forest. At the center of the clearing was a small lake that gleamed like magic. The water was amazingly beautiful, with shades of blue growing deeper and more radiant as they circled to the center and got so clear like glass at the edges. Clarke's eyes followed as the glass water flowed out in streams that sprawled out from so many different directions. The light caught her eyes as it danced on the lake top, just like it did as stars on tree earlier but these were so much more these were like comets streaking through the sky.

Clarke let a breath she didn't realize she was holding as she look at the back of the lake, the sound of the rushing water was coming from a magnificent waterfall. Its waves tumbled down to meet the lake below with a puff of steam at every connection. The steam rolled out over the lake and slowly dispersed, but more steamed to radiate from the top where the comets of light still danced. The air around her was so warm and thick, the smell was something new. It was fresh, full of wildflowers and other flora that seemed to be enhanced by the heat.

Clarke's eyes moved slowly around taking in every sight and savoring it until her eyes fixated at the bottom of the waterfall. Lexa was standing in the waist deep water at its base, the waves of water and steam falling over her bare back. She was gripping onto the stones of the back cliff, completely unaware of Clarke's presence. Clarke felt a blush start to rise up through her neck and cheeks as she took in the sight of the woman before her. Lexa may be a brutal and rational commander usually donning war paint covered eyes and armor clad shoulders, but there was no denying that she was a beautiful woman. All of Clarke's anger towards the other girl disappeared as she gazed across the lake. Lexa's hair was slicked back, the dark waves of her wet hair resting on her shoulders and disappearing in front of her. Her muscles were tensed with the grip of holding on against the water pressure, but relaxed at the massaging heat. Clarke's eyes wandered down across the Commander's back, taking in every curve of defined muscle, every visible scar, and the dark bluish black of the intricately knotted ink lines that decorated her form. She was mesmerizing and Clarke just wanted to touch her, feel her, let everything fade away.

Without noticing Clarke took a few steps forward and crunched a twig under her boot. This got Lexa's attention and she quickly whipped her head around her shoulder, clutching her arms around her chest. She was shocked to see the blonde standing there. After announcing her decision, the look in Clarke's eyes was one of such hurt and anger at the betrayal that, even though she hoped, she thought that she would never see that face again.

She was silent for a few moments her eyes searching the other girl's face and figure to make sure that she was actually real.

"Clarke."