Disclaimer: I do not own The 100, the characters, or Dirty Dancing.

Clarke stood in a line with a few other guests a week and a half later at one o'clock, staring at her reflection in a wall of mirrors. Octavia stood in front of them all, dressed in a strappy red tank top and a flowy grey skirt. "Alright, so this is a form of the mambo. Watch me first, and then we'll start working on the steps."

After an hour of following Octavia's instructions, Clarke and most of the other students had gotten the hang of the mambo. Octavia beamed at them all. "Great job, guys! Don't forget to practice, and I'll hopefully see some of you over the next few days in preparation for the dance next week!"

Clarke hung behind as the rest of the class filed out of the room. Octavia winked at her in the mirror as she said goodbye to the other students. Once the two girls were alone, Octavia bounced over to where Clarke stood by the window and sunk into a seat on the floor, one leg stretched in front of her. "You're starting to get good."

"Thanks," Clarke smiled as she settled into a tailor's seat on the floor beside the brunette. "Mostly it's just because the rest of the class was made up of old ladies who probably need their hips replaced. The comparison makes me look good.

Octavia laughed. "So, what else do you have planned for today?"

She shrugged. "Nothing much. I was thinking of walking over to the lake and sunbathing for a while, but I don't know if I want to deal with the kids that'll be there."

Octavia grimaced. "I don't blame you. I'm so glad I don't have to be the lifeguard. Raven says it sucks."

Clarke had spent most of her time since the employee party with Octavia, Raven, Jasper, and Monty. They all had work to do and activities to lead, but Clarke was able to spend time with them between their scheduled duties and in the evenings once they were off for the day. She enjoyed their company and the excuse it gave her to stay out of the cabin.

Octavia pushed herself into a stretch. "Hey, would I possibly be able to ask you a favor?"

"What's up?" Clarke asked.

"Um," Octavia stalled. "So, Lincoln and I have an anniversary coming up in a week and I want to go out to meet him and have a nice dinner and everything, but Bellamy and I are scheduled to perform at another resort in the area. And I know that Lincoln and I could just go out another night, but it'll be our six month and I really want to go on the actual night, you know?"

"Okay, but how can I help with any of that?" Clarke asked.

"Would you be willing to cover for me?" Octavia blurted out. "I'll teach you the routines and I'll make Bellamy agree and you'll dance with him that night and I'll go meet up with Lincoln?"

Clarke paled. "You want me to dance in front of people and pretend to be an actual dancer? Octavia, I can barely manage the mambo!"

"It's a really simple routine," Octavia begged. "We'll go over it a ton and we have a full week and this would mean so much to me if you'd help me out."

"Bellamy doesn't like me very much," Clarke said. "Do you really think he'll agree to dance with me just because you want to go on a date with your boyfriend?"

"I think I have him wrapped around my finger and if you agree I can get him to agree," Octavia replied. "Please Clarke?"

She sighed. "Do you really think I'd be able to learn the routine and everything in time?"

Octavia squealed and threw herself at Clarke. "Thank you thank you thank you!"

That night at eight o'clock Clarke showed up at the staff cabins, dressed in a grey tank top and a pair of cutoff jeans. Octavia was waiting on the step of her cabin and jumped up when she saw the blonde. "Hey! So, Bellamy is on his way with the music. Come on in and let's get started."

"Lincoln was so thrilled to hear that we found a way to make this work," Octavia said as Clarke walked into the little cabin. "I hate that he is getting shipped out soon, but I'm really glad that he was able to be here for the weeks he can, you know?"

"Where's he going again?" Clarke asked.

"Basic training," Octavia scowled. "At least he isn't being sent into a warzone, I guess. Still, I'll miss him and he knows that if he gets seriously hurt I'll kill him."

"War is nothing compared to you, baby sister," Bellamy said as he entered the room, a CD in his hand that he immediately placed in the boom-box in the corner of the room. "Clarke."

"Bellamy," she replied, nodding at him.

Octavia rolled her shoulders. "Okay, I was thinking first Bellamy and I could show you the whole routine and then we'll start breaking apart and go over the basic steps tonight."

Bellamy nodded and started the music. Clarke watched in awe as the siblings danced the samba, applauding when they were done. Octavia stepped back and Bellamy beckoned for Clarke to get up and join him. He grabbed her hands and positioned one on his shoulder while keeping hold of the other. "This is called the frame. You stay in your space and I stay in mine. This is part of what gives us a crisp look while dancing."

Octavia stood behind Clarke, circling her and Bellamy. "The main thing to remember is to follow Bellamy. He's leading you, so let him be in control. Trust me; he's enough of a control freak that it's just easier that way."

Bellamy ignored his sister, dark eyes trained on Clarke. "The key to any good dance partnership is trust. You have to trust that I will lead you correctly I have to trust that you will follow. Normally pairs would have years to build up that trust, but we have one week, so we'll need to learn to trust each other quickly, alright?"

Clarke nodded, not breaking their eye contact. She could feel her hand getting slightly sweaty in his, a little unnerved by the focus in his voice and eyes.

"We'll really start on the trust thing tomorrow," Octavia said. "Tonight I think we should work on the basic steps. Clarke, watch my feet. These are the main steps of the dance."

After three hours of being drilled on the steps and footwork of the samba, Clarke made her way back to Cabin 12. Despite closing the door as quietly as possible, Abby still appeared as soon as Clarke was through the door. "Where have you been?"

"Out," Clarke said shortly, heading for her room so she could collect her things for a shower.

"Well clearly you've been out," Abby replied. "I haven't seen you since supper. What have you been doing Clarke? You can't just go off on your own all the time."

"I was hanging out with friends," Clarke said. "You wanted me to make friends here, right?"

"Of course I want you to make friends," Abby said. "What are their names?"

"Octavia, Raven, Jasper," Clarke said. "You've seen them."

Abby's lips thinned. "Aren't those all staff members?"

"So?"

"Clarke," Abby sighed. "You know Marcus's policy. He doesn't like it when the guests and staff fraternize."

"It's a stupid rule," Clarke said. "They're nice people and much more interesting than the guests my age. I swear, if I have to hear one more kid talk about the latest celebrity gossip or how much their family's yacht cost I will scream."

"I'm sure there are good kids your age," Abby disagreed. "What about that Wells fellow who we had lunch with the other day? He seemed nice."

"He also has never had a unique thought in his life," Clarke replied. "He's planning to go into law, just like his father, at Georgetown, just like his father, and then go into corporate law at the family firm, just like his father."

"There is nothing wrong with wanting to be like a parent," Abby said.

"There is when they even dress alike," Clarke said. "Mom, just stop it. I will be friends with whoever I want. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to get ready for bed."

Abby left her alone with only one more disapproving look. Clarke went into the bathroom and locked the door, turning on the shower and stripping down before stepping under the hot stream of water. She rubbed her face as the water soaked her hair, thinking about the difference between the warm relationship of Bellamy and Octavia and the strained relationship of her and her mother.

The next day she met with Bellamy while Octavia taught the one o'clock mamba lesson. They met in Bellamy's cabin, the air between them tense as they stared at each other from across the room. "Show me what you remember from last night," he said.

Clarke did the footwork that Octavia had taught her the previous night, not mentioning that she had gone over the routine three times after her shower and before going to bed. Bellamy didn't say a word while she ran through it, watching her from a chair beside his bed. "Not bad, but you need to step more lightly. Stay balanced on the balls of your feet," he stood up, circling her as she started to go through the steps again. "Your heels should never touch the floor; keep your balance, Princess!"

She gritted her teeth, going through the steps again and again, feeling her calves start to burn from keeping her heels in the air. Finally Bellamy stopped her and stepped into her space, one hand on her waist and the other taking one of hers. Silently he reformed their frame and started to lead her through the steps she had been rehearsing, stepping forward when she stepped back and mirroring her movements with more grace and skill than she thought she'd ever be able to reach.

"Stop thinking so much," he ordered. "Dancing isn't about thought. It's about the music, the movement, and the connection between dancers. Leave thinking out of it."

"Maybe you can turn off your thoughts at a moment's notice, but not all of us are so lucky," Clarke snapped back.

He scowled. "Then learn to shut them off, Princess. And hold that frame!" Bellamy stiffened his own arms further, reminding her that her own arms had started to wobble a little.

Two hours later Clarke left his cabin, legs and arms sore from the practice and effort of holding the frame and foot positions. Once back at her own cabin she took a quick shower and changed into a pale blue button-down tank top and a knee-length flowy white skirt. She left her hair down and slipped on a pair of flip-flops before heading over to the main lodge. Abby was already waiting for her in the lobby.

"I was starting to wonder if you had forgotten," Abby said with a strained smile. "Now come along, I'm sure Marcus is already waiting at the table. I wish you'd been more punctual, he has a meeting at four o'clock and so won't be able to stay with us long."

"Sorry," Clarke muttered. "But I don't see why this is so important. We'll all be together at dinner in a few hours, why do we have to have afternoon tea?"

"Because we are here as a family," Abby replied, warning in her voice.

"A family?" Clarke repeated. "You and me, sure. We're family. Kane is not."

"Clarke," Abby pulled her to a stop just inside the doors to the patio where guests sat around sipping iced tea and eating finger sandwiches. "Marcus is a good man and I care for him. He may not yet officially be family but you are to treat as if he were, do you understand?"

"Oh, so I should plan out his life for him, act like I know better at all times, and then forget him as quickly as possible so I can move on with my life?" Clarke hissed. "Gee, Mom, you're right. I should treat him like family."

Abby paled. "Clarke Griffin, you apologize to me this instant. You don't know what you are saying."

"Actually, Mom, I know exactly what I'm saying," she replied, pulling her arm out of her mother's grip. "You know, I'm really not in the mood for tea. Why don't you tell Marcus I have a headache or something? I wouldn't want to ruin your lovely afternoon."

Clarke spun and walked back into the lobby, refusing to look back and see the expression on her mother's face. She stormed out of the main lodge and rushed down the stairs to the pavement path, pacing back and forth for a few moments before walking towards the beach at a brisk pace. Ignoring the families still splashing in the shallows and the other teenage guests who had chosen to sunbathe rather than have tea with their families, she walked straight into the water. The liquid felt cool against her skin, soaking her clothes and returning some small bit of peace to her emotions. Breathing more steadily, she turned around and headed back to the shore.

Jasper and Raven sat waiting on the beach for her to return, both officially on their breaks. Raven held out a towel to Clarke, who accepted it wordlessly and wrapped it around her waist before sitting beside them on the sand.

"Rough day?" Jasper asked, his bony legs and arms spread out on the sand.

Clarke sighed. "You have no idea."

"Bellamy trouble or parent trouble?" Raven asked, her brown eyes focused on Clarke's face.

"I'd rather not talk about it," Clarke replied, rolling her shoulders back. "Let's just say that my mother is not someone I want to be around at all right now."

"Fair enough," Raven replied, carefully raining a handful of sand down onto Jasper's stomach. "We have thirty minutes before we have to get back to work, do you want to go to the kitchens and get something to eat?"

Clarke glanced down at her wet clothes. "I probably should change first."

"No one will care that you decided to take an impromptu swim," Jasper remarked, still not noticing the small pile of sand Raven was creating on him. "We'll hang out in the break area and glare at anyone who comes too close."

"You and I will glare," Raven said to Clarke. "Jasper will just look like he's trying to decide if he recognizes someone. His glare needs work."

"Well, I am sorry that I am generally a nice person," Jasper said with a groan as he sat up and spilled sand all over his lap. "I haven't had many reasons to learn to glare properly at people."

"Hang out with me long enough and you'll learn," Clarke replied, standing up. She offered Raven a hand and helped the other girl to her feet while Jasper jumped up and attempted to brush the sand off his uniform. The three teens walked in a row towards the back of the main lodge. "I've been told my glare could stop a charging elephant."

"Now that is a compliment," Raven remarked. Jasper laughed.

Four hours and an incredibly icy and uncomfortable dinner later, Clarke stood facing Bellamy in the dance studio. Octavia stood behind Clarke, acting as a mold for her as the three moved through the steps of the dance at half-pace. Between the siblings Clarke kept her frame solid and was careful not to step onto either of their feet. As the song ended Octavia stepped away, leaving Clarke's back feeling slightly cold without her warmth. "Alright, I think Clarke has the frame and steps down. It's time to start adding in the spins."

Bellamy nodded. "Here's where you have to start really following my lead, Princess. Think you can do that?"

"Start the music," Clarke told Octavia, glaring at Bellamy as she accepted his hand to reform their frame. He smirked at her as they took the first step. She glanced down at their feet for a moment, only to feel his hand on her chin as he brought her head back up so she had to meet his eyes.

"Eyes on me," he said. "Don't look down at the floor. If you mess up, you mess up and we train harder."

Their eyes locked, they continued moving through the steps with Octavia watching like a hawk from the sidelines. Partway through the song Bellamy put pressure on Clarke's side to push her out in a spin and then pull her back into their normal frame position. He did that a few more times before the end of the song, ending with a simple dip.

"We'll be putting in a few more complicated spins later, but tonight we'll just use the basic spin as a placeholder," Bellamy told her. "Octavia, how'd it look?"

"Not bad," she replied, recoiling her dark hair in a bun on the top of her head. "The basic spin is simple enough, and you're getting the steps. Clarke, you just need to relax. I can see how tense you are from here, and I know earlier you were wound super tight. I could feel it in your arms and shoulders."

Clarke nodded, still holding onto Bellamy's hand and shoulder so they'd be ready to start as soon as the music began again. She knew Octavia was right: she could feel tension in all of her muscles as a result of holding the position, the exercise, and the events of the day. She flinched when Bellamy moved his hand from her waist and poked her there instead. "Why are you so tense?"

"It's not important," Clarke replied loftily. "Are we going through the dance again?"

He pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes. "Remember what I said about trust? You're not going to be able to fully trust me to lead you properly if you won't talk with me."

"It's more important for me to learn the dance right now," Clarke argued. "We can sit around and share feelings some other time."

Octavia stifled a giggle. "If nothing else, you two definitely have good chemistry."

Bellamy glared at his sister. "Just play the music, O."

Still smirking, Octavia pressed play on the music and Clarke and Bellamy began the steps again. They included the spins and the dip at the end. Rather than give any feedback, Octavia immediately restarted the song. After another hour of practice with the basic spins and one slightly more advanced spin, she shut off the music and stood up. "Let's call it a night. Think you could meet us here at seven tomorrow morning, Clarke? We should be able to get in at least an hour before anyone thinks to look for us."

Clarke nodded, stepping away from Bellamy and catching her breath. "Yeah, I'll be here."

"Great," Octavia grinned before heading for the door. "You are getting the hang of this, you know? Dancing is mostly muscle memory, and after a few more days of this you'll be able to do the routine in your sleep."

"Plan for seven o'clock tomorrow morning and one o'clock at my cabin again," Bellamy said as he shrugged into a beat up leather jacket. "I wasn't kidding about you needing to learn to trust me. We'll work on that tomorrow."

Clarke followed the siblings out of the studio, wondering why Bellamy's words sounded vaguely like a threat.

A/N: Just so everyone knows, I have only seen the first season of the 100. I'm still waiting for Netflix to get the second season. If there's any character development I don't reflect, that is why.