They awaited judgement in front of the Chancellor, Abby and Marcus in the council chambers. Clarke had yet to let go of her father, savouring every touch they had left to them. Jaha was chastising them for their foolish conduct. Her mother looked close to tears, and Clarke felt the tiniest twinge of regret. But she refused to apologize for doing what she knew in her heart was right, staring them all down defiantly.
"This will cause an Ark wide panic," Jaha intoned soberly, his hands behind his back. "There will be riots. Chaos. It will be bloody. Many people will die as a consequence of your rash actions."
"I did what I had to do," said Jake calmly enough, though she could feel his heart racing, "what I thought was right."
"So did I," she piped up. "I'm just as much to blame as my dad. You have to punish us equally. I don't care if I'm a minor. You have to float me too."
"No, Clarke," her mother said, eyes shining, "don't say things like that."
"Your mother's right, Clarke," said Jake, looking down at her, smiling slightly, lips tight in worry. "You're going to live a nice long life," he glanced over at Jaha, "isn't that, right, Thelonious, my old friend?"
Jaha stared at them impassively, allowing Marcus to speak his mind.
"No one is above the law, not even the Chancellor himself. You will both severely pay for that little stunt you pulled." Still staring at Jake, "You injured five of my men, broke into the communications mainframe, assaulted a technician, played forbidden material...each and every one of these crimes is punishable by death. And I for one will see-"
"That's enough, Marcus," said Jaha sternly. "Everyone here is aware of their crimes." An expectant quiet stilled the room and her breathing. Jaha sighed, rubbing his forehead. "He's right of course, Jake. I can't let this stand unpunished. You must answer for your crimes." He looked to her. "You both must."
"She's just a child," said Abby suddenly. "Leave her out of this."
"I can't do that, Abby." He sighed again. "Clarke Griffin, for the crime of co-conspirator, you will be detained in Sky Box until you reach the age of majority. At such time we will reconsider your case." Her father held her tighter as he shared a pained look with her mother and then his supposed best friend. "Jake Griffin, for disobeying the council's direct orders and for the previously mentioned crimes...your sentence is death. You will be floated in one hours time. I suggest you use that time to say goodbye to your loved ones."
If she hadn't been so devastated by this pronouncement she might have wondered how a man who had played silly games with her as a child, who used to eat and talk and laugh with her family like he was one of them, who she believed loved them, could betray them in such an infamous manner. Screw duty and honour. There were some bonds that were supposed to be stronger than that. Later she would swear that she would never choose her head over her heart. She would never betray someone she loved. She thought herself incapable of such cruelty. In her mind, there was always another way.
Before leaving, the traitor placed a hand on her dad's shoulder and she wanted to rage against him, but she didn't. "I'm sorry it had to come to this."
"Me too," said Jake, body sagging.
Marcus left too and then the Griffin's collided in one big hug, their grief terrible to behold.
When her parents were holding hands while they quietly conversed at the circular table, the council chamber doors opened and Wells appeared. She had been agitatedly pacing, trying to figure a way out of this mess, trying to invoke the spirit of the warrior princess again. She stopped in her tracks and they shared a devastated look. He rushed over and embraced her.
"I saw the video. I knew they'd be holding you here. My dad only just let me in." He pulled back to look at her, face stricken. "It's almost time, Clarke."
She panicked some more, gripping his forearms for support. "No, no, no. There must be a way to stop this from happening!"
"It'll be okay, baby," her father said, now behind her, hands on her shoulders. "Everything's going to be okay."
"How can you say that?!" she threw back at him, whirling into his waiting arms. "They're about to kill you!" The tears were flowing strongly, but she wasn't ashamed. "I won't let them! I won't let them!"
The doors parted again and Kane and Shumway marched in. "Let's go, Jake."
Shumway moved to take him and Clarke got in his way, shoving him off. "You're not taking him anywhere! I won't allow it!"
"Clarke," said her father.
The commander looked amused, or as amused as a cold blooded killer could look. Only someone without a soul could float that many people and have no remorse. He was sub human, and if anyone deserved to die, it was him, not her dad.
"Step aside, girl, before you get yourself hurt."
"No," she growled, standing her ground.
"Clarke," said her mother.
Come on, Xena, help a girl out!
And just like that, the warrior princess appeared before her. As their eyes connected, she instinctively knew her name was Lexa. "Please." The breathtakingly beautiful woman dipped her head slightly and then disappeared, becoming a part of her, calming her mind, guiding her movements.
The executioner made another play for her dad and she grabbed his hand, wrenching it backwards as savagely as she possibly could. He yelled in surprise and pain and tried to punch her. Without letting go, she dodged this, kicking his legs out from under him, grounding her heel into his back while she wrenched his arm to the point of dislocation. Then Kane pulled out his baton, electrified it and tried to zap her, but she released Shumway and dodged this too, grabbing Kane's outstretched arm and flinging him forward. Shumway was attempting to right himself, so she picked up the scattered baton and shocked him and then Kane for good measure. They both slumped back down to the cold metal floor. Everyone still standing was staring at her in amazement.
"Well, don't just stand there," she said, as she felt Lexa disconnect, "let's go!"
"Clarke, I don't know how you just did that," said her mother, wide eyed, "but there's nowhere to go. There's nowhere to run to."
"You're wrong," said Wells, an inner fire burning bright in his eyes. She had never seen him like that before and it was kind of a turn on to see him taking charge. He turned to her father. "The people heard your message loud and clear, Mr. Griffin, and they respect you for it. I saw it in their eyes. They'll take you in, protect you from my father."
"No, absolutely, not," he said, with a slicing motion. "No one else will die because of me. This is my burden and mine alone."
"Dad, please!" she begged, tugging on his arm, desperate to get him to safety.
He cupped her tear stained cheek and smiled sadly down at her. "I'm sorry, sweetheart, but the answers no."
Kane and Shumway were stirring and she just about shocked them again. The council doors opened, more guards pouring in, these ones armed with guns and dangerous. Jaha was at the forefront. He quickly observed the scene and then levelled his gaze at Clarke. "Drop the weapon, Clarke. You can't win."
"Wanna bet?" she challenged.
"Oh no you don't," her father said, grabbing her from behind, lifting her off her feet, "not again."
The futility of the situation finally registered and she dropped the baton to the floor, a dullness seeping in, dampening her senses. She barely noticed when her dad put her down and followed the guards out. Wells stayed back with her, trying to rouse her by shaking her shoulders, and calling her name. Except it wasn't Wells voice that succeeded in bringing her back to reality, but a soft, pleasant female voice she had never heard before, but that seemed to resonate in her own mind with all the force of her own conscience.
All at once she freaked out over her dad's disappearance and went charging towards the air lock used for floating, Wells hot on her heels. As they approached, they were met with an unusual sight. Many of the working class had formed a barrier with their bodies, preventing the guards passage with Jake, preventing his execution. The mere sight of this unity warmed her to the core.
"For the final time, stand aside," ordered Jaha.
"I don't think so," said a solidly built orange haired man. He had a hammer in hand. "You're trying to kill the only honest man left on this stinking ship."
"Yeah," said a young dark haired woman, large grey wrench resting on her shoulder, "and the only one who has a snowball's chance in hell of saving us. How stupid can you get?"
"I think we need a change of leadership around these parts," said the man. "Someone to tell us what's what and not hide behind his desk like a coward when the going gets tough."
Murmurs of agreement amongst the crowd, the crowd armed with various blunt instruments for striking down any guard that got too close.
"Please, no violence," said Jake. "That's not what I wanted for us."
"Begging your pardon, Mr. Griffin," said the disgruntled man, "but I think that's precisely what we need. It's the only thing these people respond to."
The guards were ready to fire into the crowd if needs be. Kane prompted The Chancellor to give the order. Jaha just stood there, looking at the ground, lost in thought. Then he stepped forward and turned so that he was facing both sides.
"They're right. We need a change. We need to work together in unity to save ourselves. And if the only way to do that is with my resignation, then so be it." A hushed surprise filled the crowded space. Jaha looked to Kane. "I'm afraid you'll have to forfeit your ascension as well."
"Surely you can't be serious, sir," choked Kane in disbelief. "You can't just ask me to step down because of this degenerate mob."
"I'm not asking," said Jaha. "I'm telling. None of these people will accept you as the new Chancellor."
"You can't know-"
"No, he's right," said the sassy, hard edged woman with the wrench. "No one likes you Kane. You're an even bigger ass than this one," she said, pointing to Jaha. A bunch of people in the would be mob laughed. Clarke was doing her best to hold back a smirk, if only for Wells sake. "We need someone we can trust to always have our backs...who won't sentence us to death for petty crimes. I move for the immediate swearing in of Jake Griffin."
"Hear, hear!" came the call, workers pumping their weapons in the air.
"But he's not even a council member!" exploded Kane. "He can't become the next Chancellor!"
Jaha turned to her father and said, "As my last act as Chancellor, I hereby pardon Jake Griffin of all charges laid against him, and induct him into the council with the fervent hope that he is indeed the saviour we so desperately need."
"This is lunacy!" whisper yelled Kane over the next round of hear, hears. "This is anarchy! Without proper order we are all doomed! And I refuse to submit to your unreasonable demands!" He whirled around to face the guards and said, "Arrest Thelonious Jaha for abuse of power!" They just stared at him as he continued to unravel. "I order you as your new Chancellor! Obey me!" No one moved a muscle and then he stormed out of there with Shumway, past a spellbound Clarke and Wells.
Jaha then ordered the guards to depart, and once they were gone, she ran over to her flabbergasted father and threw herself into his arms, absolute relief and euphoria flooding through every fibre of her being. Clarke was unable to control her rampant emotions and simply bawled into the crook of his neck in front of everyone still present.
When she next opened her eyes, she found herself in someone's old fashioned living room, with bookshelves and a crackling fire to boot. Lexa looked up from the large piece of parchment she was perusing and broke out into a huge smile.
"You saved your father. I'm glad."
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Clarke exclaimed, jumping at the woman, in her excitement forgetting she wasn't really there. Instead of passing through however, she collided with very real flesh and bone, eliciting a nearly unheard 'ooph'.
"You're real?!" she exulted, placing her hands on either side of her face. "I can feel you!"
"You thought I was a ghost, Clarke?" said Lexa, laughing. Clarke thought it the sweetest sound she had ever heard.
"How is this possible?!"
This up close and personal, she marvelled at the intensity and keenness of her green eyes, of the regal elegance of her features, of how breathtakingly beautiful she was when she smiled like that.
"I don't know," she said after a lengthy pause, placing a hand over top Clarke's, eyes never leaving hers. "But my people believe that we never truly die, and that every living thing is connected to one another...perhaps our connection has simply taken a more tangible form?"
The lovely scent of Lexa invaded her scattered senses, further muddying her ecstatic mind, and without thinking what she was doing leaned in for a kiss...
Before their lips met, she snapped back to The Ark, to the dark haired girl pushing her off of her. The girl was looking at her incredulously, like she had just been spouting nonsense.
"Happy to help, Clarke, but I don't swing that way!"
Awkward...
Yay! Finally her dad gets to live! (For now).
