Clarke welcomed the warmth soaking through her aching bones and slid further into the deep metal tub. Closing her eyes, she sunk lower until the water danced under her nostrils and her ears submerge. The only discernible sound beneath the water was that of her own heart drumming rhythmically in her chest.

Beautiful silence .

It was now almost a month since the mayhem in Polis, and Skikru had been abruptly ordered to return to Arkadia by Polis' ad hoc representative, Indra. So many lives had been lost on all sides of the A.L.I.E. massacre that enacting the grounder's motto of jus drein jus daun was temporarily disregarded to focus instead on rebuilding what was left. However, to appease dissenting voices within the grounder coalition, Indra reinstated Lexa's unpopular kill order surrounding Arkadia to restrict movement until the coalition could meet at a later date to discuss the situation further. The only Skikru permitted outside the perimeter were Octavia who elected to remain with her mentor in Polis, the new Chancellor-elect Kane, and, to Clarke's surprise, herself.

Clarke shifted her bare shoulders against the warm metal tub and sensed the ache in her limbs gradually melt away. Each day since returning to Arkadia had been spent toiling morning till night, rebuilding what had previously been their home. With the perimeter strictly enforced around them, there was little else they could do…

She soon lost herself and drifted away with the warmth of her bath, daydreaming of entering into Lexa's bedroom the day her kill order had been made. Clarke remembers feeling frustrated, yet amused, at Lexa's cavalier demeanor.

"Someone tried to kill you today. How are you this calm?"

Lexa opened her eyes and peered ahead. "You're angry about the kill order." She turned her head, lifted her green eyes to meet Clarke's.

"Yes."

Lexa shifted and stood from the floor before taking a step towards Clarke, not once letting her gaze waver. Clarke's heart began to beat harder against her chest as Lexa approached, yet was struck at seeing tears begin to well in her eyes.

"Clarke.." Lexa's voice was weak and trembled, "It's dark."

"I don't understand," Clarke began, her brow furrowing, "Dark?"

"Clarke-"

Lexa reached out and took Clarke's arm-

The sensation jolted Clarke awake from her daydream like surge of electricity and she breathed in water. Her body jerked up from the bath and sloshed water over the rim and onto the cement floor below. Eyes darting around the empty room, she coughed and gasped for air. Her hand clutched her chest, heart slamming against her ribs like a hammer, before she forced herself to take deep, even breaths, to calm its wild rhythm.

Reaching her fingers up behind her neck, Clarke traced her fingertips along the scar left from the commander's chip that, much to her mother's protest, still rested dormant beneath her skin. Her failed attempt to subvert A.L.I.E.'s kill switch to keep the City of Light intact had failed, and instead shorted out both programs. The commander's chip was inactive, and Clarke's normal blood no longer triggered its deadly reaction. When Abby tried to remove the chip back in Polis, Clarke refused. This was the last connection Clarke had with Lexa, and she refused to part with it. But her memory of Lexa just then… that moment hadn't unfolded that way.

It's just a daydream, it doesn't mean anything. It's only a daydream…

Clarke jumped at the sudden sound of rapping at the bathroom door, and she shook away off the thoughts clouding her mind before reaching for a towel.

"I'm almost out, just give me a second."

"Clarke," Raven sounded excited and out of breath from the other side of the door, "It's Octavia. She's just arrived from Polis!"

Octavia was barely off her horse before being greeted by Clarke in an eager, warm embrace.

"God, okay, I get it, Clarke," Octavia groaned, a weak smile curling at the corners of her lips. She reached her arm around Clarke's shoulders to offer a quick squeeze before stepping away to toss her reins over her horse's neck.

"It's so good to see you," Clarke said with a warm smile. "I have so many questions about how you are and what's happened in Polis since we've left."

"That's why I'm here, to be Indra's messenger for the upcoming coalition summit and to escort you back to Polis."

"Long time no see, stranger." Raven limped towards the two with a wide grin across her face. Bellamy trailed behind her, smiling sheepishly at his sister. His eyes appeared tired and distressed, yet his sister's presence lightened his face in a way Clarke hadn't seen since the dropship.

"Hey, O."

Octavia's face hardened at watching her brother approach, and she turned to stride away towards the compound without uttering another word. Bellamy reached out and made a move to follow, but was stopped by Raven's hand grasping his shoulder.

"Hey, hold up there." Raven pulled him back.

"Raven, she's my sister-"

"- And she needs time. And some space," Clarke stepped towards Bellamy and patted his arm reassuringly. "She'll come around eventually."

Bellamy parted his lips to speak but instead faltered and fell silent. He offered a quick nod and turned his eyes back to Octavia, who at that moment stepped inside Arkadia's walls.

"An execution?" Kane stood over the conference table, knuckles resting hard against its surface, and lowered his head with a shake. "The coalition will accept us back to the negotiation table with Jaha's execution?"

Octavia stood tall, arms crossed over her chest, at the opposing end and nodded. "That is the only condition. Roan of Azgeda is to ascend to the head of the alliance as the new steward, since the bloodline of the commander has ended."

Clarke, who had been sitting at the table with Abby, Bellamy, and Raven, felt her heart twist in her chest. She swallowed hard and tried to loosen the tightening sensation growing in her throat and stinging in her eyes from emerging tears.

Not now. This isn't the time or place.

"Roan and Indra have come to the agreement that none of us can afford to lose any more people. Although some in the coalition called for a greater punishment, Jaha's death will suffice. After his death, Skikru will be welcomed back to the alliance to negotiate lifting the blockade," Octavia continued, her voice steady and measured. Her time with Indra had made its mark, and Clarke smiled at seeing the strength that Octavia radiated in that moment.

"Absolutely not," Abby stated flatly, "Just like you said, we've already lost too many people. We can't afford to lose more."

"So what, he just rots away for the rest of his life in his jail cell?" Raven scoffed.

"It's not right," Abby retorted, shaking her head.

"Will the coalition not hear a counter-proposal?" Kane stood back and clasped his hands behind him.

"No," Clarke stood from her seat and placed her palms onto the table, "Our people can't survive the next five months without the help of the grounders. Indra and Roan are taking a risk by only offering this single request, and I say we take it."

Kane and Abby exchanged exasperated glances but remained silent as Clarke turned to Octavia. "When is the soonest we can leave?"

"I'm to escort you, Chancellor Kane, and Jaha back to Polis as soon as possible."

"Then it's decided," Clarke turned her gaze to Kane and offered a confident nod, "We leave for Polis in the morning."