A/N's will be at the bottom.

Disclaimer: I don't own the 100

That's the thing about pain. It demands to be felt.

She didn't hear anything that was said, not really. When they had made it back to the camp, it was the first time they had really seen it since the missile, since the fires and the smoke had dissipated. Nothing was left of Tondc. Tents and structures were in ruins, the ground bare of any green. The once stronghold of all the twelve grounder clans preparing for war was desolate.

But Clarke could feel it. The underlying bile of anger and resentment. This is what Lexa had wanted.

And when she had come atop and looked down on all those who were left she had made her speech. It was that of a valiant leader, it was inspiring, and it had everybody chanting. The desire for blood could no longer be ignored. The desire for blood was all that was left. And as bitter as she was to deny it she felt it to.

The price of peace was a high one. Built from the back of other's sacrifice if she remembered Lexa's words correctly. The deaths were Clarke's sacrifice to fight another day. She would never forget.

"Our fight is not over! The dead shall be avenged!" Clarke tilted her head watching her counterpart. It was like clockwork and Lexa was the ring master of it all because her words had them screaming, mindless like the lamb being led for slaughter.

Heda! Heda! Heda!

The echoes of the chants floated. This is what war was. At one time Clarke had thought she had known what war was. When she had watched the civil uprising in the ark she had thought she knew. When 100 kids were sent to die on earth she thought she knew. When she had burned 300 grounders and saw their blackened corpses in desolate woods she thought she knew.

She was so wrong though. This was war. And it seemed endless.

Her attention was brought away when she heard Abby. Her mother's face was tight when she yelled for everyone to get back to work. That there were people who still needed to be helped. She glanced at Lexa to see if she would object. Her mother was not the leader here, she had no authority as much as she liked to illusion that she had.

Lexa was in control. And by default Clarke realized she was as well. She hadn't wanted the burden of being leader and somehow it was thrown at her. At what moment did she take the power? Her mind reeled, but her conscious conjured nothing. It could have been when she set fire to the world, when Finn's blood coated her fingers as he whispered goodbye. It could have been when she watched missiles fire against Tondc.

So many moments it could have been. And so many of them filled with regret.

She could feel heart start to race. She hadn't wanted this. She had never wanted this. So then why had they given this duty to her? Clarke stopped breathing. A part of her knew she wasn't going to make it. That by the end of this war there was going to be nothing left of her. She would merely cease to exist. Was that the price of peace?

"Clarke." A dam broke and the blonde took air once again. She whipped her head around to meet the eyes of Lexa. Her hand had reached down and lightly grabbed hers for reasons she didn't understand. Her fingers warm against her skin, it anchored her to the ground.

Yet anger bubbled underneath because she wasn't sure what else to feel. She didn't want to think about what else she might feel with Lexa near her. Because she grounded her, she kept her steady. But as she looked out to Tondc she realized that people near her always seemed to die. Why was that? She ripped her hand away from the Commanders.

"I'm going to see if they need my help." Her feet moved of their own accord walking away from Lexa. Clarke ignored the way her hands shook uncontrollably and the feeling of her heart beating against her chest. She wouldn't have been surprised if it had burst then and there. She didn't look back and Lexa didn't chase after. She knew she wouldn't. This was a partnership not a friendship. And surely not anything more.

They needed each other to reach a common goal. Beyond that Clarke wanted nothing to do with her.

That's what she had to tell herself. That's how she would keep herself safe. She had to stay away from everybody.

It was wrong of her to go to the medical tent. She didn't deserve to be there. She didn't have the right, but she had the medical expertise. To make amends for her wrongs in some small way, she had to go through. She pushed back the flap of the tent and was assaulted with the smell of blood and burnt flesh. The screams had stopped, but Clarke still heard them.

She truly didn't think they would ever go away.

There were shouts of different people moving to help. Pushing past her with medicine, to try and save who they could. Still Clarke stood frozen. She moved motionless through rows and rows of bodies. Some were covered and knew they had been beyond saving. Some were still alive, but were ignored by those medics going around. She knew what that meant to.

The rest had many by them. Many working to do what they could. She spotted her mother in the distance. She had recruited Grounder and Sky People alike. The moment she saw some of their faces though Clarke knew they were struggling. They were still losing so many.

A small cry to her right caught her attention as she turned to find the source of the noise. Her chest tightened painfully at the sight.

It was a little girl.

There were no tears in her eyes and her mouth was set into a firm line. It's as if she refused to be seen as weak. It didn't matter as Clarke went into auto-pilot. She bent down over her and whispered soft words. "Hi. I'm Clarke and I'm here to help you okay?" She lifted her fingers to touch the side of the girls face. She turned away from Clarke's prying fingers. Defiance etched firmly into her face.

"You're a Sky Person." There was fear in her eyes, but she held true to her heritage. Clarke would not be dissuaded though.

"And you're stubborn." The blonde bit back.

The girl tried to hide the hint of a smile that played at her face but failed. Clarke continued on. "I just want to help. I know it hurts." She merely grunted as seemed to be grounder custom. Clarke absentmindedly wondered if all Grounders came out tough as nails and with no feeling. If all they thought since birth was war and battle.

The blonde went again to the wounds and this time the little girl didn't fight it. She grimaced. It had to be at least third degree burns if not worse. The scarring would never fade and if it did heal she would never look the same.

Clarke bit her lip when she prodded too much on one spot and the child had flinched involuntarily in pain. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I know it hurts."

"I'm fine." She said in a small voice trying to be courageous.

"No. You're not."

By the make-shift bed there was burn cream she recognized from Camp Jaha. Slowly she picked it up and applied some to her hands making sure to coat her fingertips in the white substance. The Grounder girl watched with rabid interest and as much as she tried to appear unaffected Clarke saw the fear.

She had to distract her somehow.

"Can you tell me your name?" Clarke asked slowly bringing the young girl's eyes to meet hers. When her focus was dragged away she slowly moved her hand to the side of her face again. She flinched again at the touch but her small eyes didn't leave Clarke's. She smiled wanly.

"Dena." The response was still short and clipped. The child still didn't trust her, but the blonde's eyes didn't miss the tightening of her small fists.

"That's such a pretty name De-"

"No!" The small child was quick to interrupt her. "It's a strong name!" Her body tensed and Clarke accidently put too much force over one area and Dena recoiled in pain hissing. Tears sprang into her eyes.

Clarke knew better than to apologize. It would only signify weakness. "Yes. Your right, it's a very strong name. Just like your heda…" Her words were slow as tiny eyes glared at her. She watched as they lessened with the mentioning of Lexa. The admiration they had for their leader rivaled to nothing Clarke had ever seen.

A smile played at her lips. "I want to be just like heda when I'm older."

Clarke gently moved her hand over to her shoulder and pulled the ripped cotton back from it. The burn spread from her face down to shoulders and back. She would have to apply the cream now and then on and off every few hours. It would be tedious, but Clarke had made up her mind of staying with her new patient.

Hesitantly she began her work again. "Do you?" She questioned softly. The blonde's thoughts drifted back to Lexa. Her mouth moved of its own accord, "She's very strong you know. I know she would be proud to have someone such as you admiring her."

"Heda is our leader. She will help avenge our dead…my mother." She said sadness creeping into her voice. Her eyes remained firm though as she continued. "I want to be as strong as her and lead our people if the spirits choose."

Clarke glanced up at Dena, she thought she would have been cute. Her brown hair was long and her skin tan from being in the sun far too long. The scar that would mar her face though, would people see past that? The Grounders maybe, scars were welcomed. Against those of her own kind though she would be a small girl horribly disfigured for the rest of her lie.

"Clarke of the Sky People." Blue eyes looked up to see Dena focusing intently on her. She had sounded like her just then. She had sounded just like Lexa when she had said her title.

"Yes, Dena of the Ground?" She teased softly. She would live and she would grow old. For a moment Clarke remembered why war was necessary. It was for seconds like these. A future was needed for kids like Dena. So they could grow old and know peace. And for Dena to be Heda. She wanted to live old and see that.

"Do you like our Heda?" She asked curiously. The tension and wariness had left her shoulders. Children were still children. They trusted as easy as they mistrusted. Everything was still new and shiny for them despite the dust that covered the lines of right and wrong.

Clarke sucked in a breath caught off guard. "What?"

The girl pouted as if not wanting to repeat herself. "I said, do you like our Heda?"

"I-"

"You are of the Sky People. You do not like us yet you stay with Heda and fight." Dena said as if it was the most obvious thing of the world. "You Sky People are not like we were always told."

Clarke was silent. A thousand thoughts ran through her head as she tried to think of an answer.

"Well?"

"Um..." Clarke started. "I- your leader and I… we get along. I respect her." Dena looked as if she expected more so Clarke took a breathe and continued. "She is strong where I am weak. And I…I need her to help me get through this for our people. We don't always agree, but we both want peace. For our people I think we're willing to put everything on the line." She said the words pouring out of her.

Dena stared at her hard for a moment. "Our people?" There was a lilt in her voice and for a moment the sky princess wondered how a small child already knew so much.

"Yes, Dena our people. You are my people. I want to fight for all of us. Not just those from the Sky or here on the Ground." Clarke said smiling. "We all deserve peace."

The girl nodded her head to something before moving. Clarke watched carefully as she rubbed her fingers in the dirt beneath them. It was wet and was crushed easily between small fingers. When Dena raised her hand again she held it just over Clarke's face. There was question in her eyes. She was asking for permission.

Clarke raised in eyebrow, but nodded her head in consent anyway.

Her chubby fingers were cold against her warm skin slicked with sweat. Dena took Clarke's face in her hands as the young girl focused intently. "Close your eyes Clarke of the Sky." She mumbled out. The blonde obeyed instantly and felt rough hands smear across her face.

It felt like an eternity sitting there cross-legged in front of the miniature Grounder. Her dirty hands smearing across her face with blue eyes closed. When the sweaty hands finally left Dena spoke again, "Okay. I'm done."

When she opened her eyes things felt different. It was like seeing Dena in a new light. Quite possibly it was just the dirt that was falling into her eyes. She dared not rub them though for fear of offending the small child.

"I don't have our paint, but now you look like us. You are of the Ground to." Dena said as if it was the most important thing in the world. Clarke touched her face lightly and bowed her head.

"Now you can protect the Heda."

Clarke's head shot up. "Wait what?"

Dena nodded again. "You are now fit to protect our Heda. I deem you worthy now."

Clarke shook her head. "Oh no, Dena you misunderstood I-"

She was interrupted when Dena began to cough violently. Her filthy hands reaching up and covering her mouth Clarke's eyes narrowed when she thought she saw something.

Dena looked at her hand before looking at Clarke eyes wide. "Clarke?" She asked questioningly. Blood dribbled from the corners of her lips. The hair on the blonde's back rose as she couldn't speak. She moved of her own accord, but a part of her knew it was already too late.

She once again had been too late to notice.

Dena started another coughing fit. Violent and painful, Clarkes watched as more blood began to cover her hands. And when the small girl started to shake pupils dilated Clarke moved instantly. "Shit!"

She didn't respond the girl unable to speak past the coughing. "She's seizing." When her arms started to flail Clarke attempted to restrain her, holding her arm and legs down. She couldn't risk having her hurt herself. When she began to vomit, the blonde forced the small child to her side. She had to make sure she didn't choke. If she did it was game over. She needed to get air to the lungs.

"Dena!" She shouted, "Dena you have to breathe!" Her lips were painted red. What had she missed? Clarke's eyes widened. No, no this couldn't be happening. "Help!" The demand ripped from her throat as her eyes focused solely on Dena. Everything was moving too fast. She needed it to slow down, everything needed to slow down.

"Damn it someone help me!"

Dena's body froze momentarily before seizing again. "Help me!" The words ripped from her throat, her voice the perfect image of her mothers. When a man fell down next to her she told him what to do. He grabbed the side of Dena's body holding her down as she convulsed painfully against him.

"What happened?" He asked frantically eyes wide.

Clarke bit her lip as she watched helplessly. She couldn't do anything until the girl stopped seizing. "I-I don't know." A small pool of blood had gathered and Clarke felt nauseous. It had been fine. Dena had been fine. What the fuck had she missed?

It felt like an eternity before she finally stopped, but Clarke immediately went into action. Turning her back over she spoke softly. "Dena you have to breathe okay? You need to breathe."

The blonde grit her teeth when there was no response. The pathways might have been blocked and her small body was tense. Clarke didn't hesitate and used two fingers to go in and grab globs of the blood and vomit from the small child's mouth.

Once she was sure there was a clear air pathway, she moved on. The white sheets and the ground were painted red. She could feel her own bile rise in her throat and her chest tightened painfully. She was so scared and Clarke hated it.

Raising the young child's shirt she moved her bloody fingered over the stomach. It was distended. Why hadn't she checked for other injuries before? When she pressed lightly and then a little more firmly it elicited the first response since the coughing fit as Dena moaned in pain.

There was still hope. She could still fix this.

"Clarke, I don't think… the damage that will have been done to th-"

"Shut up!" Clarke yelled glaring at the man. "Go find my mother." She ordered and when the man didn't move she yelled again. "That wasn't a fucking question. Go find my mother." The man was quick to scamper off.

When Dena began convulsing for a third time logically Clarke knew. Logically she knew what the next events were most likely to happen. She had been doing this long enough to know. The third episode was shorter than first two and when Dena's body relaxed her mind raced.

Her hands shook as they moved to the girl's neck. She needed a pulse. When two fingers met where she knew the main artery to be she counted. And then when she felt a small pulse she breathed out in relief. It was faint but it was still there.

She looked back up at Dena. Her eyes were wide and the pupils dilated. "She's going into shock." Clarke realized.

With the seizures and the pain from the burns, she knew Dena didn't have the mental capacity to deal with the pain properly. She was too young. "Dena? Dena, you have to stay with me." Her voice wavered and it betrayed everything that she felt.

Dena said nothing although she saw small blue eyes move briefly to look at her. She had blue eyes to. They were so pretty. Her mouth moved but nothing came out. Clarke felt tears fall, but refused to acknowledge them.

No. Please, please no.

"Hey, you're okay. You're okay Dena. Alright?" Clarke whispered smiling at the girl laying in her blood. "Dena, you gotta talk to me though okay? I can't be the only one talking. I'm not really a good talker. I always say the wrong things." She took a small hand in her own. "Talk about Lexa." She pleaded.

Say something!

Dena lips started to move again. Clarke nodded in encouragement. "That's it Dena. Come on, talk to me."

".P-protect… heda…"

She felt the small girls hand squeeze her own. And then she went limp.

"No. Dena no."

Clarke put her head to her chest. She wasn't breathing. This couldn't be happening. Where the fuck was her mother? She was quick to interlock her hands and start compressions on her chest. She had to get her heart beating again. Dena had to live.

She counted off out loud as she pressed down on the tiny body. The tears blurring her eyes, she refused to give up. "Dena. Wake up. Dena you gotta breathe." She hit fifteen compressions and brought her ear back down to the chest. Still nothing.

Clarke held back a choked sob. No. She couldn't. She started her compressions again. "You said you wanted to be Heda right? That means your spirit has to stay here Dena. It has to stay right here." She hit fifteen again and put her head down to listen for a breathe.

It was going to happen. She was going to live. She could feel it.

Her chest didn't move. Clarke felt a hand on her shoulder, but didn't bother to turn around to see who it was. She started her compressions again. Dena was so still and her body was cold. Why was it cold?

"Clarke." Abby said from behind her daughter.

Clarke counted off her compressions eyes watching for some kind of life.

"Clarke." Abby said more forcefully this time taking her daughter by the shoulders.

The blonde whipped around anger in her eyes. "Don't touch me! I can still save her!" Abby gripped her shoulders as she tried to pry away. Eyes flickered to the grounder girl that Abby already knew was long gone. It was too much for someone so young. They hadn't gotten to her in time. There was nothing they could have done.

"She's gone Clarke. She's gone."

Clarke froze. Eyes focusing on everything in front of her. It was somehow eerily silent in the medical tent. She didn't know when people had gathered, but they had. They all stared at her. Blood covered her hands and shirt, her eyes still smeared with dirt from her make-shift grounder mask. Dena's last gift.

Kane stood behind her mother. He wouldn't meet her eyes. There were others to. Faces she knew from Camp Jaha, grounders that had volunteered to help. They were there watching her. And it was all she could do to search for someone to tell her that Abby was wrong.

And as her eyes roamed she found one pair staring right at her at the entrance just a few feet away.

Lexa stood watching the blonde, the two grounders next to her she recognized as the body guards. Clarke couldn't decide what emotion played in her eyes. She didn't even know how long she had been watching, but her eyes never left Lexa's as the warrior princess walked over. Kneeling down over the motionless body of the child, Lexa made a move toward her.

Clarke was quick to react and try to shield the child her hands thrown over Dena. They couldn't. Not yet. Not her. Lexa merely paused her patience never wavering. Her eyes were steady as she stared at Clarke. The contact never left as the Commander slowly moved Clarke's hand away from Dena.

Gently, with Clarke watching intently, Lexa leant over Dena and shut her eyes and whispered the final words that she knew made it real. "Your fight is over." The blonde was frozen as she watched blue eyes disappear. And when they were finally shut, something snapped inside of her.

She stood up and didn't stop when she heard shouts of her name. Her feet just moved and by the time she was out of the medical tent she was in a full out run. She didn't know how long she ran only that she did so until her feet couldn't possibly take another step.

She couldn't be there anymore. She couldn't do this.

The trees were her cover, her only company. She ran past the gates of Tondc and when her feet could no longer carry her she fell. Her head was pounding and the fresh tears that fell from her face scorched her skin. The screams were back, the smell of smoke floated through the air. It felt like she was being torn apart from the inside out.

But now, little blue eyes stared back at her to. They were so full of life and strong and Clarke had let them die. She had let her die, just like she had let the hundreds of grounders be murdered. Everything always fell back on her.

She looked down to her hands. It was all red. Her clothes stained and marred into this beautifully etched design that she knew she would never forget. She moved to scrub it off. It had to come off, all of it. She desperately needed to see something other than the pain she felt now. She cried harder as it smeared across her pale skin covering every inch of her fingers and palms.

She was drowning and she thought that maybe this was the air now. This is how she was meant to feel. With her lungs empty, chest tight, heart aching, and her body numb to the cold around her.

Who the hell was she?

The scream ripped itself from her throat. She fell to her knees and sobbed. Because she couldn't do this. She was weak. And her people would die because of that. She wasn't strong enough to do what was required of her. When her eyes finally shut to sleep, Clarke realized she had nothing left to give.

There was nothing more of her but fragmented pieces of a person that used to be.

She woke to cracking embers. Small flames dancing in the dark to a melody that she could no longer hear. It felt as if someone had split her head in two and for a moment Clarke didn't realize where she was. When she finally looked up and met green eyes she remembered.

She was surrounded by pine. They were alone with the stars and for once Clarke was grateful. She was grateful for the silence and the peace of the night. Her eyes slid back to the fire. It was cold now and the warmth of the flame was nice.

She sat up slowly and watched as a blanket she knew wasn't there earlier slid off. No words were spoken, but mutely she got up and moved closer to the fire and green eyes. They watched her curiously.

"You're awake."

"Is it just you?" The blonde asked ignoring her comment. She searched the shadows for her bodyguards that followed her, for her mother, or for Kane. Or for someone that wasn't Lexa.

"Everyone else is in the village. I followed shortly after you left." She said taking a bite of meat from a stick she had been roasting.

"They don't where I am then. You didn't tell them."

"I didn't see the need to no."

Silence reigned in between them.

"You are not surprised." It wasn't a question so more as a statement.

In response Clarke shrugged her shoulders. "Should I be Lexa?"

She didn't have it in her too fight. Even after sleep, she didn't feel rested. She still felt weary and tired and the memories of what had happened were still fresh. They were still raw and burning in her mind. "Why are you here?" Her voice was hoarse.

"Would you prefer I not be?" Lexa questioned back eyebrow raised.

A snarl overtook Clarke's face. "No more fucking games. No more riddles and half-answers."

Lexa just stared at her and said nothing. "It is not safe out here for you."

"And what about you? If I recall we both have prices on our heads." Clarke said into the fire. "You barely make it ten feet without some bodyguard following behind in your shadow."

"Maybe I'm not the one who needs them." Lexa said. "I do not run off and nap in the woods." It wasn't meant as an insult. Clarke knew it wasn't. It was just how Lexa spoke. She was blunt and she was honest. She said what she thought regardless of how you felt.

And yet Clarke still didn't feel the need to respond. There was nothing really to say. And for as numb as she felt, her mind still burned with questions. There was no reason for Lexa to follow her out here. She could have sent others. It wasn't a lie to say that it was more dangerous for them both to be out here without any protection than just one.

If they died everything was over.

"She was brave." Lexa said breaking her reverie.

The blonde's jaw clinched. This was dangerous ground. This was ground she was still unsure of treading.

"She was a little girl." Clarke insisted forcefully not particularly wanting to talk about this.

Lexa took out her water skin and drank from it. "That is where you are wrong. She was a warrior."

Clarke turned around anger lighting her features. "How can you say that?"

"Because that is our culture." The Commander said simply.

"And that makes her death right? That makes the fact that we let hundreds of people burn so we could live okay? Bullshit!" Clarke stood up standing tall above the crouched warrior watching the flame.

This time it was Lexa who did not feel the need to respond. Her eyes still curiously despondent as she ate meat and watched the fire dance. Clarke grit her teeth. "What's left after this Lexa? What is going to be left of us after we finish this war that is even worth saving?"

"I do not know."

The Sky Princess laughed. It was harsh and cold and there was no warmth to it. "You really don't care do you? You have no feelings at all. They died protecting you, they died! As in they don't get a second shot at life!"

This got a reaction she wanted. Lexa was quick to stand and for the first time Clarke could see her. She could see the woman past the Commander. There was something there. It wasn't anger that overtook her light features. It was anguish and despair. It was pain and hurt. It was weak.

"Do not mistake my calm for that of not caring. You think I don't feel the weight of those who have died? I see them too Clarke. I see them every day whether I wish it or not."

Lexa got close to the blonde and she could feel her breathe on her face. "The dead are dead. There is nothing I can do to bring them back. You cannot show weakness Clarke. I have told you, they will turn on you. We are lamb waiting to be eaten by lions."

She wouldn't back down. "So what would you have us do then? Pretend that for as long as this war drags on we ourselves aren't lost?"

"Victory stands on the back of-"

"Don't you dare! Don't you dare say it Lexa!" Clarke shouted. "It matters! It matter how we win! We cannot sacrifice people every time we need to win! We are more than that. Why don't you understand that?"

"Because we are leaders Clarke. Because we don't have a choice."

"There is more to being a leader than closing your heart off to everything. To shutting everyone and everything out. If there is nothing left then what will we have won? We are drowning in blood Lexa. Don't you realize that?" Desperation clawed at her chest.

"A leader must make the choices that others cannot. We bear the cross so that our people may not feel its weight. We wear our sins because we have faith in our cause."

She felt it to. For the first time Clarke realized how deeply Lexa felt this. How much she must have hated what she became. What she was forced to become when was given the title of Heda, but it did not change their reality.

"I didn't ask for this." She whispered. The anger had fled from her body. Exhaustion crept back into her bones as her entire body sagged. She moved forward and rested her forehead to Lexa's. Her eyes closed as she realized how truly tired she was.

"And yet here we both are." Lexa said sadly her eyes soaking in every emotion that played along Clarke's face. She saw the tightening of her jaw and the bite of her lip; it was the little movements that fascinated her. That drew her closer when she felt far.

It was funny because she too no longer understood the gravity of this.

She grimaced when Clarke moved back away from her. She relished the lost contact briefly before gracefully sitting back down next to the fire. She motioned for the blonde to sit as well. It took a full minute but after another harsh glare from the brunette she sat. She took out the water skin containing her water and splashed the liquid across her hand.

Clarke didn't question it when Lexa's hand moved and softly cleaned the dirt mask around her eyes. Didn't question why the feel of her hand on her skin calmed her like nothing else could. It was easy to fall into this with Lexa because they fell together. It made her so uneasy and she didn't trust it, but she had the feeling that she couldn't stop it. Not even if she wanted to.

"Tell me about her." She said gently continuing to clean Clarke's face with her thumb rubbing underneath her eyes and around her soft cheeks.

Blue eyes regarded Lexa still unsure, but continued on anyway. "Her name was Dena and she admired you more than anything." Clarke saw the hint of a small smile there. And even though it was sad, it was better than nothing.

She told her everything she knew about the little girl even though there was truly nothing to tell. She told Lexa of how she died and how strong the she was. And when there was nothing left to talk about they sat around the fire in silence. It was comfortable and Clarke never felt the need to talk.

They weren't ready yet.

There might be a time when they were ready to be more for each other, but for now it was silence and Clarke was okay with that. Because Lexa didn't ask questions, didn't ask if she was alright because she knew she wasn't. She didn't ask about the war or how she felt because she quite possibly didn't care. The silence was enough.

This was enough.

The one thing she hadn't told Lexa though were Dena's last words.

"P-protect… heda…"

No. Not yet. She wouldn't tell her. Maybe, I never will. That was something Clarke didn't feel like sharing, but as she looked at the Commander she knew she would hold good to those words. She wanted Lexa to make it through this. She wanted to make it through this. When this was all over she didn't want to be alone.

She would protect Lexa. Even if that meant it killed her.

A/N – Second chapter up. I know I said I'd focus more on Clarke and Lexa, but I got a little carried away with Clarke. It's starting to come together for me though and the next chapter will almost solely revolve around those two.

So let me know what you think. Anything and everything is helpful and most importantly I just hope you enjoyed it. Thanks,

Chasing Fantasies