One year later
It's been one year. 365 days have passed by so quickly, yet it felt like arriving to Earth was ages ago. Not only for Nikki, for everyone.
If a year ago, while building up their small camp around the drop-ship, someone would have told Nikki that today she is going to be living in the ruins of a 100-year-old skyscraper she would have laughed. But now it was all too serious.
Not long after they discovered the existence of the grounders, they made their first contact with them. Their name became sky crew in the eyes of the people who never left Earth. And from then on war followed war between the two "nations" and some of them got caught in the middle; like Octavia who found not only her love but her own self by being among the grounders, or like Clarke who was desperately trying to bring peace between the parties, or there was Nikki who believed that the grounders are good people, and just because they don't have the knowledge of technology doesn't mean they are less civilized.
Now Nikki followed Clarke to Polis, the city where the commander of the 12 clans resided. Well, now it's 13. Sky crew finally belonged. It was hard, and it was all because of Clarke who had worked hard against even her own people just to finally make peace.
Against her own people meant that not everyone agreed to join the grounders. When more people of the Ark got to Earth, like all the commanders and guards, they were trying so hard to keep the rules of the Ark, they never realized that those rules, which were created for certain amount of people living on a spaceship, can't be used on the planet, Earth.
Sky crew fell into pieces and now Bellamy is fighting against the grounders, while Octavia claims to be one of them. Some people followed chancellor Jaha in the search of the city of light what he thinks is out there. And some joined to Clarke in the mission of bringing peace to Earth by joining the grounders.
And that moment was finally here. Today they officially announce sky crew as the 13th clan with Clarke, as their leader. Nikki and Clarke's mom, who arrived with the rest of the Ark, is going to be there as her "adviser", but really, Nikki wasn't more than a great spy keeping her eyes and ears open to make sure no one is about to stab them in the back.
Nikki slowly walked to the broken mirror of her room. The room was huge, decorated with animal fur on the floor, walls and bed. Candles in each corner were providing the light of the room.
"Here we are. We are going somewhere. This is it. No more fight, no more enemies," breathed Nikki as she adjusted her clothes.
She wore black leather pants with a dark green shirt and animal fur west. She, just as Clarke, dressed half sky crew, half grounder. Her fire red hair was falling onto her shoulders in different braids. She loved the dark black makeup of the grounders, so she decided to occasionally, like today, wear it too. It made her light brown eyes shine.
Then there was a knock on her door and then it slightly opened.
"Nikki, come, it starts soon," smiled Clarke, she looked a bit nervous.
Nikki nodded and followed her down to the hall.
Everything went smoothly. Although not all the leaders were flattered about the news but if the commander says so, it will be so.
Clarke hugged her mom happily and she hugged her daughter back. Clarke seemed so much more focused since she got her mother back.
It would be a lie to say Nikki wasn't waiting for a family member to walk out of the Ark, when they arrived at the landing point; even though she lost her family members way before she landed on Earth. It would have been so comforting to know there is someone for her in this strange new world.
Since Murphy left there was no night passing by without her not thinking about him. Thinking if he ever found that city to live in, even if he never came back to let the others know, for obvious reasons. Hoping he found people, he found a place where he feels like he belongs. Hoping he is well and healthy. Although, somewhere deep down her dark thoughts of him being dead, always tried to get to the surface.
Usually she only has time for her own thoughts when she lays down to sleep, but this time feeling a bit of a relief and joy by finally taking the first step towards peace and belonging, she can't help but let her thoughts wonder to Murphy while she watches Clarke's mom, Abbie and Marcus Kane hug just as Clarke and Lexa, the commander.
When Bellamy told her Murphy left, it was a shock to her, but couldn't stop thinking, he will be back. He will realize how hard it is to be out there all alone, he will realize how badly he misses Nikki. He will walk right back, and Nikki will jump into his arms, hug him tight and kiss him, telling him she needs him more than she thought, and that she is sorry for making him feel like she doesn't care about his feelings. That she will change and be a better version of herself. And then he would forgive her, and she could stop blaming herself for being one of the reasons he is gone.
But that day never came. He never appeared in the gates of their camp. She never heard his voice again, see his face again. When they left their camp, she became sure she never even will.
Things changed rapidly, having different opinions about what should they do next, she even got separated from Harper. She experienced the good and the bad all alone. She got the whole "Earth experience" all alone.
And by now she surrendered to this feeling. To these circumstances. She became a silent observer, the right hand of Clarke, the trusted friend of Octavia. She was stronger than ever. She was like a shadow among people, the perfect spy, without any feelings what could let her down.
She was sanding there alone and smiled proudly at the others. Finally, they made it. She couldn't share their happiness for long as she was quickly alarmed by Titus', the commander's adviser's quick leaving and she couldn't help but wander off after him.
Since they are here Titus always has an eye on Nikki, just as she had an eye on him. They both are lacking trust when it comes to the other party's advisers.
She followed him 20 floors more down on the broken stairs of the old skyscraper silently like a shadow. When he reached the ground floor, instead of turning to the main door to the streets he turned under the stairs where there was a door he walked through.
Nikki waited until the steps got further and she quickly followed into the dark corridor. She was only able to see Titus' torch as he walked deep into the corridor until he turned right. She followed him until the turn and peaked after him.
There were a couple doors on the right side and he must have entered one of them. She took a mental note then slowly backed up and hurried out to the main entrance knowing she will return to see what he has down there in that dark corridor, seems like no one else uses.
As she was in a hurry back to the main door of the building she literally ran into someone right in the corner. She jumped back ready to fight with bare hands. She didn't carry weapons as she was more of a hider than a fighter.
She needed to blink a couple as the bright light from the opened door of under the stairs were shining from behind the stranger. It was a small girl, she realized it by the figure.
"Who are you?" Nikki growled walking slowly to the right side of the stranger who, by this, started to walk to her left.
They took a few steps in a circle until Nikki got to be in front of the light and were able to see the face of the girl.
The girl looked like she was in fear, with one hand on her sword attached to her trousers but didn't seem to start a fight as she now probably saw Nikki's tiny body and that she doesn't have any weapons.
Nikki narrowed her eyes looking at the girl's face with a strange tattoo on it. She didn't look like a grounder from this area, or well, from anywhere else.
"I asked who you are and what are you doing here?" Nikki asked firmer but with that the girl started to run towards the main door.
Nikki quickly turned and ran after her. She was a fast runner and it wasn't hard to grab the stranger's arm before she could get out of the building.
When Nikki got a grip on her the girl turned and with that movement pulled out her sword and pushed it to Nikki's neck sideways, but she was quite confused how Nikki still didn't let her go, just grabbed the stranger's upper arm even more.
Nikki had no fear of death in her eyes. No emotions at all, just starred back at the stranger demandingly.
"You don't belong here, clearly. Are you a spy? Who sent you?" hissed Nikki waiting for answers.
The girl just tilted her head.
"I am on my own and mean no harm to you" she spat.
Nikki just raised her eyebrows.
"Oh really?" asked Nikki as she peaked down towards the sword held still to her neck.
"Really. Until you walk right back to where you came from with me," nodding towards the door under the stairs, "and let my friend free."
Nikki just frowned uncertain.
"I don't know what you are talking about. I was just following the commander's adviser to see what he is hiding there. You say it is your friend?"
"The leads tell me that, yes. I have been looking for him for a week now. You're people dragged him away from the roads couple miles away from here" she spat.
She didn't seem friendly at all, and the fact that she still was holding the sword to Nikki's throat showed she is determined and really not looking for compromises.
"I am sure they were not my people. I have very few people and I am with them day and night," Nikki slowly let her arm go. "What if we wait until Titus comes back out and we will go to the room together. You can have your friend back if he is there and I can see what our new ally won't tell us about," she offered looking into the eyes of the stranger who seemed to think about it and after some long moments she slowly put her sword back looking at Nikki suspiciously.
"What's your name?" asked Nikki.
"Emori," she answered stepping back, still keeping an eye on Nikki.
"I am Nicole. Look, I don't want to hurt you, I really don't care what you are doing here as long as you don't fuck with my people, so stop looking at me like you are waiting when I am going to try to kill you."
She just nodded stepping one more step back.
"Let's go outside before someone sees us. Not everyone here is as chill as me, ya know," said Nikki as she motioned her out of the main door.
Emori nodded and actually waited for Nikki to go first and then she joined stepping out to the crowded market place of Polis.
