A/N:Language warning for chapters ahead.
"Princess! I'm..wow..I mean you're here at school!" Finn leaned against his locker, a few down from hers.
Clarke got her French book out and slammed the locker shut, not exactly thrilled to see Finn after what had happened a few days ago, "yeah. it was either this or my mom was going to have me committed", she said without any mirth.
Finn seemed about to laugh but instead reached out and gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze, "but you're okay? I mean I'm here if you wanna talk or anything. I know you don't really want to be around me or anyone for that matter. But remember, you're not alone. You don't have to be.
Clarke gave a small smile which seemed to satisfy him enough to leave her alone for the moment.
Why was this so freaking hard?! Finn meant well. God everyone "meant" well. But everything was different now. Some things you can't come back from.
She needed to talk to Wells.
It may have been her imagination but then again it could very well be that her best friend was actively avoiding her.
This was strange. Just a few days ago he had been showing up outside her door like clockwork trying in vain to convince her to rejoin the living.
But her first day back at school and he was dodging her at every turn. Meanwhile, everyone even Anya, who hated her, had been overbearingly solicitous.
Unluckily for Wells, she knew him better than anyone. And right at 3:00pm, he showed up to chess club where she grabbed him by the back of his hoodie and turned him around.
"Hey stranger, why have you been so weird today? I thought you of all people would be happy to find out your pestering worked and I am tragically back in these hallowed halls of learning."
Wells swallowed, "uh Clarke! Yes! You look good. Are you? Are you good? I'm good. Hi. hello….can we catch up some other time? chess club you know, can't be late-"
"Hey! Look at me. I haven't seen you this panicked since we were eight and I broke my arm falling off my bike. Whats wrong? you can tell me."
He paled. "I really can't."
"Wells! May I remind you that I am just barely sane and I will kick your ass!"
"Please keep your voice down! Not here okay? …...Just meet me tonight. 10 o set at the park. Come alone, alright? Can I go now?"
"Come alone? Too many spy movies, dude. Fine, if you're not there tonight. I will go to your house." She released his hoodie and watched him make a break for the chess club room.
"What the hell was that?!" She supposed there was nothing to do except wait.
Cross country practice was actually cathartic. No one tried to talk to her while she was tearing up the track. And it gave her time to think.
Wells being super weird, even for him. Needed to figure that out.
Finn is a sweetheart, but things have definitely changed in the past couple of weeks. Need to deal with that.
Mom was leaving for the medical conference tonight. She would play nice for some time alone.
Clarke paused for a breather on a bench and watched the girls do their laps. She really missed Raven on days like this.
That night, Clarke and Abby sat down and had a proper family meal together for the first time since Jake died.
"Honey, are you sure you're going to be alright here by yourself? I'm going to hop the earliest flight back tomorrow, but in case you need anything, just call me okay?
"Yes mom, I'm not twelve anymore."
"Oh and no parties and no boys or girls staying the night. I still have to lay down the law around here." Abby smiled gently, taking a sip from her wineglass.
Clarke's fork clattered to her plate, "I just remembered I have a lot of work to catch up on, is it okay, if I head upstairs?"
"...Sure. Don't work too hard, and Clarke," Abby stood up from the table and met Clarke at the foot of the stairs, tentatively pulling her daughter into a tight hug, "I know there are a lot of things you don't understand right now. It's not always easy being an adult or a parent for that matter. I just hope you know I love you and I've only ever done what was in your best interest."
Clarke shifted away from the embrace, "I know, mom."
"Alright I'll see you tomorrow, maybe we can go out for breakfast."
"Sure, tomorrow".
A few hours later, Clarke heard her mom's car pull out of the garage, heading to the airport.
At 10pm sharp, she went to the park where Wells and her had spent their entire childhood and sat on a swing.
She saw Wells park and approach, he looked terrible, with his brows knitted in concern. He sat next to her. The quiet of the night settled between them.
Something was different tonight. The two of them had never shared an awkward silence in their lives.
"Wells? You're scaring me, what's bothering you?"
Wells abandoned the swing set to pace around, "Clarke I was going to tell you as soon as I found out but I saw you at school today and I thought things were finally getting back to normal. I didn't want to mess it all up again."
"Mess what up? You're not making any sense! Wells can you please sit down, you're making me dizzy."
"I know what happened to your dad".
She looked at him steadily, "o-kay. Yes, he…. hung himself in his cell. We were trying to keep it quiet but god you know secrets don't last long in this town. Is this what's been eating you?"
"No I mean what REALLY happened to him," Wells groaned and sat down on the swing again and grabbed Clarke's hand, "I know the official line is he got busted for stealing money from the company, but your dad was actually a whistleblower, trying to expose insider trading at Wallace."
Clark shook her head and laughed, "wow, Wells. That is messed up." She shook off his hand and rose from the swing, a suppressed rage tensing every muscle in her body, "so what is this, you bring me out here, fuck with me and-what are our classmates hiding out nearby getting their cheap laughs? What the fuck Wells?! I trusted you!"
"Clarke, no wait!".
"FUCK OFF!"
Wells ran ahead and blocked her path, "You know me! You've always known me! Why the hell would I mess with you? I'm telling the truth. Please hear me out, this is important. And you wanted to know, so now the least you can do is listen! Please Clarke, it's me!"
Clarke swallowed, her entire body feeling suddenly too cold in the nighttime chill. She wrapped her arms around her body but made no move to leave, "so talk."
"I heard my dad on the phone one night, when he thought I was at a chess tournament. It was about a week after Jake's funeral. The company had not been doing well, so they had been bribing analysts for info. My dad was saying that your dad was going to expose them, all of them. My dad found out, went to Dante the CEO, and-my dad didn't know what they were going to do. He was angry. They set your dad up before he could talk, Clarke…..Clarke?"
"This the truth? Wells, look me in the fucking eyes, swear!"
"I swear on my mom, Clarke. I'm sorry. I wanted to talk to you sooner, but-", Wells placed her hands on her shoulder, "I know you so I'm going to ask, please don't do anything stupid."
Clarke eyes were welling up, "you know damn well I'm not going to let this slide. Would you Wells? If they framed your dad and then he killed himself when he realized he had been betrayed?! This isn't a game, you're talking about felonies here! If my dad died trying to bring them down then I...I have to do something!"
"Do what? There's no evidence left and my dad is one of the people you're talking about. I know you want to do the right thing here. But short of getting to Dante Wallace, you're out of luck."
"You're right Wells. I know you. You're not a liar, just a coward. I pity you and I pity Jaha. Best friends in name only, the both of you. Don't follow me."
"Wait, what are you gonna do?! You're going to bring down the entire community!"
"Maybe that's exactly what this place deserves. What's an Ark without a flood every once in awhile.".
Wells grabbed her arm roughly, "I can't let you do this. You don't know the resources laying against you. Your dad went down and he was a powerful guy in his own right, you have no idea what they would do to you, or to your mom."
Clarke looked at him, "my mom?" She pushed him away causing him to land on his back. "I'm sorry about this Wells, I really am."
"Sorry about what-"
Clarke rammed her fist into his face. Wells was out cold. She ran back to her house, nursing her hand the entire way.
"Clarke? Sweetheart? What is it? Are you ok?"
"Tell me you didn't know mom. Just tell me."
"Know what? What's going on, just hold on, let me turn on a light, are you still there honey?" Abby groggily felt around her hotel room before finding the light switch.
"I just knocked out my best friend and now I need some answers. Tell me you didn't know they set dad up!"
Abby froze, immediately lowering to a whisper and crossed the room toward her laptop, "Clarke what have you done to Wells? Honey, You're going through a rough time I know. Thelonious told me when Penelope died, Wells had fits of rage too. We're going to get you some help alright?"
"I know mom. It's too fucking late. Wells told me everything. Dad was set up, he was trying to do the right thing and you and Jaha betrayed him, why? Were you cheating on him? Were you in this with Jaha from the beginning? stop lying, I will go to the cops mom, don't think I won't".
Abby sighed and quickly and quietly sent out a text.
"Your dad was a good man Clarke. When he told me he was going to the FBI, I told him it would destroy the community. Wallace employs most people in the Ark, they fund everything. If the assets were frozen during the investigation, everyone would have lost their jobs, their reputations, the hospital would have lost special grants. I just wanted him to think things through. He wouldn't listen to me.I hoped Thelonious would get through to him, find another way. No one knew how far Dante would go, he's connected to dangerous people Clarke, we were all threatened. We did what we had to do to protect you, protect Wells, protect the town. I love your father and I hate what happened, but all of our lives are at stake may hate me and never forgive me, but I did what had to be done. You'll understand someday. Just wait alright, I'll be home in a few hours, we can talk about everything. Honey? Are you there? Clarke?!"
Clarke stood on the ledge at Mt. Weather and watched as Ark security pulled up to her house. She placed her phone in her backpack and got back on her bike. She could go through the mountains and bypass the guarded gates.
She would hop a bus into Polis and once she was in the city, she could figure out her next steps.