A/N: Another update! Thank you again for all the reviews, favorites, and follows! Enjoy!
Lincoln stared at Octavia while she slept soundly. With her top half sprawled across him, he looked down at her peaceful face. She was completely out of it. He initially worried that she wouldn't be able to sleep once they found out she was expecting.
His arm went around her back, and he pulled her closer. They were having a baby together.
At first, they didn't know what to do. But once Abby informed them of their options, they made the difficult decision to keep the baby and raise it. Octavia was scared, but he assured her that he would be there every step of the way.
He was terrified himself. Fate hadn't been in their favor lately, and he knew that this was just the calm before the storm. He was hoping Octavia would have a normal pregnancy, but there was something in the back of his mind since he found out.
While Abby hadn't mentioned it, she had definitely noticed it. Octavia was small. She didn't have much fat on her, and her bone structure was slim as well. And since babies took after their father's weight, their child would be a burden for her to carry. His arm tightened around her as he thought about it.
He didn't want to lose her to this pregnancy, but he was getting ahead of himself. Skinny women had uneventful births all the time in his village. That still did not ease the worry from his mind.
He dropped a kiss on her forehead and tried to get some sleep. He still had to work out and train in the morning. He hoped Octavia would be up to joining him. Abby said light physical activity was fine, and Octavia has already been doing it so the baby would be fine too.
It was Octavia who woke up several hours later. She moved away from him because she was too warm. Another symptom of this damn pregnancy, but she was glad to wake up to no nausea. It seemed more like an induced side effect than anything. As long as she avoided the triggers, she would be fine. Or so she hoped. There was plenty of time for that to change.
Turning to look at Lincoln, she could see the furrow of his brows. She reached out to smooth it out, but he caught her hand.
"Good morning," he mumbled. His sleepy eyes blinked a few times before focusing on her. He quickly scanned her face to see how she was.
"How are you feeling this morning?"
"Like crap, but that's not going to change for another month or two." While her stomach was fine, she was incredibly tired. Her brain demanded that she wake at dawn like she had been when she was Indra's Second, but her body just wanted to go back to sleep.
"Are you up to running this morning?" he asked, and she nodded.
"Yeah, it'll help me get my mind off of all this," she said while motioning to her abdomen.
Lincoln laughed and kissed her softly. "I don't think that's how it'll work, but whatever helps you."
Octavia rolled her eyes and sat up. "Come on. Let's get to it! I need to stay in shape, so I can bounce back after labor."
Lincoln chuckled but got dressed. He wanted to point out that it wasn't as simple as that, but he decided to stay quiet. They were still processing things. It would probably be awhile before they full understood and accepted that they would be parents in about nine months.
He wanted to be happy, but he was mostly worried. With the alliance broken, things were going to be difficult. They were exiled which meant that they were targets if they ever saw his people again. They wouldn't be safe.
It was best not to dwell on it too much. Instead he focused on Octavia who was wrapping her hair into a bun. It was sloppy, but it would hold while they worked out. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, one hand going to her stomach.
She stilled in his arms. "I'm scared, Lincoln."
"I know," he mumbled and buried his face against the crook in her neck. "I'm scared too, but we can do this."
"Do you really believe that?" she asked, her voice broke slightly.
"I have faith in us, Octavia. We will figure this out, somehow." He pressed a kiss to her jaw, and she sighed.
"Let's get going."
On their way out of camp, they saw Monty and Miller sitting and talking near a campfire.
"So are we going to talk about it?" Monty asked as he stared directly into the fire. Things had been slightly awkward with Miller after they kissed. Being so close to him while learning how to use a firearm was not a good combination. They didn't even get a chance to talk since they both had separate duties after the training.
Then when they had dinner together they were with others.
"Well since this is the first moment we've had alone together since it happened, yeah," Nathan said. He bit his lip as he thought about how he should proceed.
"I mean it was nice and everything, but-"
"Nice?" Nathan scoffed. "Damn, I need to work on my skills."
"No, I mean it was fine, and…" Monty said before shaking his head. That was no better.
Miller just laughed. "Relax, Monty. It's not like I'm asking you to move in with me already."
Monty hid his face in his hands. "This talk is not going well."
Nathan got up and sat closer to him. He lightly touched Monty on the shoulder, and Monty looked up at him, cheeks slightly red.
"I like you, Monty. And I want you to be comfortable, so if you're interested, you can make the first move," he said and briefly glanced at Monty's lips and then back up into his eyes.
"Good," Monty said and leaned in to capture Nathan's lips with his own. Mostly everyone was still asleep, so nobody was looking at the moment.
True to his word, Nathan let Monty lead. He mimicked the boy's movements and opened his mouth when Monty's tongue sought entrance.
He cupped Monty's cheek as the kiss deepened, and dug his nails into his free hand to keep himself from reaching out to touch him.
Monty's hand came around his neck and pulled him closer.
"So you kill my girlfriend and then get your own happily ever after?"
The two sprang apart to see Jasper's haunted face standing over them.
"Jasper," Monty sighed and reached out for him, but Jasper moved a step back with a sneer on his lips.
"Hey, ease up on him," Nathan said, his deep voicing turning Jasper's attention on him.
"How does it feel to have your family back when your boyfriend destroyed mine?" Jasper hissed. His hands balled up into fists, and Nathan put himself in between Jasper and Monty.
"It's not like that, Jasper. You are our family too. Yes, I am happy to see my father again, but I am not happy that you and Monty lost yours. Maya was our friend, but she wasn't family. Her people were draining us for their benefit. While she was against it, she still benefitted from it. All those blood transfusions. She wasn't that innocent," Nathan said, holding out his hand to protect Monty.
Jasper's eyes widened before he launched himself at them. Nathan took him down with ease and held him to the ground while he struggled.
"I get it, man. I really do, but Maya was not innocent. It was either us or them, and you're going to have to make peace with that," Nathan said before letting him go. As soon as he did, Jasper's fist connected with his jaw.
Monty pulled Nathan off of Jasper and got in between them.
"Your fight is with me, Jasper. Leave him out of it. Yes, I killed Maya. No, I'm not happy about it. No, I didn't enjoy it. But that doesn't change the fact that she's dead. I'm sorry."
Monty almost had tears in his eyes. He really was sorry for Maya's death, but it couldn't have been avoided. He knew that, but Jasper either didn't or refused to see it.
Jasper just shook his head. "Screw you both," he said and walked away.
Monty turned around and inspected Nathan's jaw. "Sorry, about that."
Nathan smirked. "It's nothing. Lincoln once knocked me out with a headbutt. I can take a measly punch from a grieving friend."
Monty gave him the once over. "I'm sure you'll be fine. Jasper, however, I don't know. I can't get through to him."
Nathan shrugged. "Maybe he needs more time."
"I don't think that's it. Something else is going on with him. It could be Maya's death coupled with his parents."
"I'm sorry that you both lost your families," Nathan said sincerely.
"Yeah, me too," Monty sighed.
Abby was working on the work shifts when Kane entered Medical. She looked up from her desk and motioned him over.
"Look, Abby, about last night-"
"I need you to go to Mount Weather," she interrupted. She looked him straight in the eyes. He was hurt, she could tell, but she didn't have time for feelings. She had everyone in the camp looking to her for answers and structure, and she couldn't do that with Kane hovering over her all the time.
He cared, and she was grateful for it. She even liked it, but she couldn't allow herself any personal feelings right now. Their people came first.
"Abby…"
She shook her head. "You're a good leader, Marcus. I need someone to lead the soldiers and civilians we have at Mount Weather. We need to see if it can be used as a second camp. We're going to be on Earth forever, and we're going to need the room to expand. See if it's a viable option."
He simply nodded. "I can do that. What about any remaining Reapers? I think the Grounders took them all, but there could be more that might return."
"If there are any left, capture and rehabilitate them. You just need to keep them alive while the drug leaves their system. It's simple enough. Maybe take one of our few scientists and see if you can reverse engineer a cure. It could come in handy with peace negotiations. If there aren't, we still need a way of establishing another truce."
Kane frowned. "Peace? With who? The Grounders? They left us to die, Abby."
Abby sighed. He was right, but the Grounders still outnumbered them. It would take them awhile to get the mountain up and running, and until then they needed a guarantee that they were no longer targets.
"I've given you your assignment. I'll be briefing the group going with you as well. Don't disappoint me, Marcus," she added. He almost smiled at that.
He was staring at her again, and she couldn't make herself look away. When he stepped closer to her, she stood up until they were eye to eye.
He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. "Yes, Ma'am."
He turned away and left the room. Abby chewed on the inside of her cheek before calling out to him.
"Don't forget to say bye to me before you leave," she added. She got no response back, but she knew he heard her.
Her hand went to her cheek which was now warm.
Clarke made use of the rocks and leaves in her cell. She cleaned off a section of the floor and started sketching with a smooth stone. She used the leaves to add colors and shapes in certain places.
By the time Lexa showed up, she already had several pictures finished.
"Clarke, you have been summoned to join us in the talks," Lexa said. Her "commander" voice was on again, and it unsettled Clarke. When that voice was present, it usually meant something bad for her.
"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me that my people aren't targets, Lincoln and Octavia included," Clarke replied without even looking up.
She heard a young woman speaking sharply in Trigedasleng. The only word she understood was "Heda".
"That won't be necessary, Myriah. Clarke wants her people to live, so she'll cooperate. The clans are interested in this peace agreement, but we want to make sure that there will be no retaliation," Lexa said.
"Such as?" Clarke said and finally looked up. Lexa had a slight frown on her face, and she looked tired. It was nearly impossible to tell with her warpaint and commander gear on, but Clarke knew Lexa. Lexa didn't want another war either, and that's how Clarke knew that the meeting might turn out in her favor.
Lexa sighed. "Just come to the meeting. It will be painless."
"Fine," Clarke said and stood up. She followed the two women to the Commander's tent where everyone was waiting for her.
Lexa introduced her to each one of them and then motioned for her to speak.
"Look, we don't want another war. We just want to live in peace. If you all can stop using us as target practice, we won't use the weapons we found at the mountain. Everybody wins."
Indra stepped forward. "You cannot expect us to believe that they won't seek revenge."
"They won't. My people have suffered enough, and starting another war isn't even in our best interests. We don't want to go through this again. My co-leader, Bellamy, will agree with me, and the Chancellor is my mom."
There were mumblings among the group, and Lexa raised her hand in silence. Her eyes regarded Clarke carefully.
"While we won't seek revenge, I cannot guarantee that everyone will be warm and welcoming to the sight of any of you. You all left us on that mountain to be harvested, and we nearly didn't make it out. That's not something any of us are going to forget anytime soon," Clarke clarified.
None of the leaders looked too worried. It was expected that there would be hard feelings, and that was something the TriKru could easily deal with.
"Anything else you would like to add, Clarke?" Lexa asked while surveying her people, trying to gauge their reactions to the news so far.
"There are things that I need to speak to you about in private," she answered. Lexa looked over to her leaders and nodded at them.
"You may take your leave. After I'm finished here, I'll send Clarke back to her people with an escort to reestablish the alliance. If any of you have any objections, now would be the time to speak."
One of the women from the Ice Nation stepped forward. "Clarke of the Sky People, I would like to extend my gratitude on behalf of my leader. Despite what happened, my people are alive thanks to you and heda. Give Bellamy my thanks as well. He was the one who released me."
Clarke nodded. "You must be Echo. You saved his life. I won't forget that." The woman gave her a small smile, and then her impassive face was back on.
Indra said nothing, but Clarke didn't expect her to. She was loyal to her people only and good reason to distrust the Sky People.
"Then you are dismissed," Lexa said, and everyone filed out of the tent.
As the last person left, Clarke faced Lexa, with anger burning behind her eyes but pain in her heart.
Finally, they were alone.
A/N: Stay tuned for the next chapter!