Yes, here it is...finally. I do apologize for the long wait, but I saw the new trailer and got back into the 100, to say the least.
Thanks to my single reviewer: Atilla Dawn Black! Lots of notes at the end, but for now, I hope you enjoy this :)
In fact, Jasper was just finishing up helping some of the elders of Trishanakru find their beds, flinging their items on the bunks, when Octavia found him. He'd originally had not a great view of the grounders, considering the first months on earth were spent trying to avoid being killed by them. But he hadn't really thought about the giant hole-scar on his chest in a long time and it was so unimaginable that these were the same people, when they were just like the people he knew. It was...eye opening.
"Jasper, hey." Octavia called, and he waved goodbye to the elder he'd been talking with and met her at the door.
"You look read to fall over and sleep on the concrete." He said, grabbing her arm. She gave a yawn-laugh.
"I feel like it. Let's go, I need to sleep if I have to get up in like eight hours and make hard choices." She said. Jasper nodded once, pulling her to their little area. It was untouched, it was a sanctuary.
"I talked with Monty." Octavia, pulling off her boots and wiping her hands over her face in a failed attempt to wash it off.
"What?" Jasper turned, mid-movement of taking his shirt off, with the intention to nap with her.
"He's alive, and he's on his way here."
"Woah...and...Harper?" He asked, but he was almost afraid of the answer.
"Alive." Octavia grinned.
"And the rest?"
Octavia now grimaced, "They opted out. Jobi nuts. But it wasn't...Monty said they just couldn't quite get the dosage right, but, now they're out of pain, I suppose."
Jasper felt this information lie heavy on his chest. He laid back, staring at the ceiling, "If I had been there, it would have been painless," He said quietly. There had been a lot of people he liked, many delinquents. While he no longer agreed with them, he hurt know they were in pain when they died.
"Stop that. You'd be dead too if you were there!" Octavia said, and he was surprised when he turned to see tears forming in her eyes, "You are here and alive and you're not allowed to regret that." She said harshly.
"O, I could never." He said, "I just wish they hadn't thought that was the way out." He said, "I wish their lives hadn't always been filled with pain. I wish, for their end, Riley had gotten the fucking dosage right. They went out the way they lived, and they didn't need that." He paused, considering, "Always painful," He echoed softly. He sort of meant it about himself too. He recalled once Monty promised him he would be happy again. It seemed so unimaginable at the time, yet here he was, curled up safe with someone he really, really liked. It was so unexpected to him, and yet, Monty seemed to know something like this would happen. He wished he could have told him and he wished they could have believed him.
"Me too. I mean, I wished it wasn't like this," Octavia whispered.
There was a long pause, then she gave out a soft chuckle.
"What?"
"I'm just thinking," Octavia said, looking up at the ceiling too, a web of pipes running all along, "About Finn. I haven't thought about him in ages. But he was willing to die for Clarke, and maybe that's where he fucked up. In this world, it's not about dying for someone...that's far too easy. No, in this life, what really means something is being willing to live for someone, despite it all. Harper loved Monty enough to live for him." Octavia said decisively.
"Same could be said for me," Jasper agreed, and Octavia blushed, as though she hadn't gotten as far as connect it to Jasper yet, "I wouldn't just do that for anyone, but I think you know that."
"I was pretty sure I could convince you. You already lived for me once."
"When did I...oh, come on," Jasper snorted, "I didn't have any choice if I pulled through this or not," He said, pointing to his spear wound. Octavia's fingers brushed over it softly. She grinned at him wickedly.
"I like to think it was all me, and you had a choice." She said confidently, "Maybe, subconsciously…"
"I think you're too tired to think straight." Jasper replied, "C'mon, let's just take a nap before something else starts to go wrong," He moaned.
"Before we sleep," Octavia was yawning, but she seemed determined to tell him something, "I want you to be my second. Second in command." She clarified.
"Hey, we can talk about this later," He said, sure she was too sleep-addled to be thinking straight. Him? Yeah, she was clearly sleep deprived.
"No, really. Indra agrees...you'd be good. Please…" She was already trailing off, eyes folding.
"If you insist," He said, pulling her in and running his fingers through her hair, "Now seriously. Let's hope we can get some shut eye. Who am I kidding though, we don't have luck like that." Octavia didn't respond to his joking tone. She was already asleep.
And indeed, he was partially correct. It wasn't long before something was wrong, and both Jasper and Octavia were jolted by loud screaming and rioting protests.
"Hell in a handbasket, what now?" Jasper leaned over, fingers rummaging for his shirt.
Octavia was grabbing her boots so she could investigate too.
"You truly say the strangest of things sometimes, and that's coming from someone who met Lincoln when I didn't speak Tridesleng at all." Octavia informed him. Their little room was close enough to the main area that they were woken by the protest that was currently brewing, one involving Niylah.
Jasper didn't know her extremely well, but he'd interacted with her once or twice. He'd been a self-loathing jerk during that time, so he wasn't sure she had a high opinion of him, but he genuinely liked her. He hadn't known she'd been here, but then again he didn't know if she had a specific clan she was assigned to. He was pretty sure she'd come with their group.
He saw Indra appear from one of the hallways too, peering down at the commotion with a worried expression. Octavia threw her hair up in a pony, stalking out, muttering under her breath.
The yelling was all jumbled, angry people shouting in their loudest voices all at once, but Jasper caught clips of their argument.
"I can fix a water generator. Do you think these savages can?"
"Why should we get less spots when I'm sure they don't know the difference between one machine to another?"
"These people are going to kill us, because we won't be around to run the place!"
"What about her!" One of the most vocal men yelled, his voice rising above the crowd as he pointed to someone on the sidelines, the edge of the group. He was pointing at Niylah and Jasper's stomach dropped, "Is her name in the lottery, too? We're just gonna let some Grounder take a bed from one of our own?" He demanded.
"Yeah," Another man said, nodding viciously, reaching forward and manhandling her, "Let's let her own people save her, or throw her out!"
"Are you going to intervene?" Jasper asked quietly to Octavia.
"I... " Octavia hesitated, "I told them I wasn't going to decide who they saved, but this-" She shook her head.
Jasper watched in front of him as the situation escalated until it got to the point that the first name, apparently named Hardy, was pulling Niylah by her shirt to drag her out of the bunker forcefully. It was such a grotesque action, something that reminded Jasper of the worst of people from Skaikru, those that found it fit to punish and kill children, leave them for dead and then demand back their respect afterwards. It was the arrogance in his eyes, the adamant belief his life was somehow grander than hers.
"This is crossed the line," Jasper said, fists clenched.
"I fucking agree," Octavia's eyes were narrowed and her voice was dangerously low. She strode forward, and two grounders close to where they had arrived flanked her.
"Guards, stop them!" Kane was frantically trying to calm the crowds, but was doing so poorly. The guards of Skaikru were hesitating, looking at their own people and the man yanking Niylah out. She turned around, her fists connecting with the man's jaw, the sound of her screams and that smack echoing over the booming voices. He was stronger though, and this just made him more enraged. Hardy jumped forward, grabbing Niylah and slamming her to the wall, the crunch her forehead made when it hit the concrete a sickening sound.
Octavia sprung past everyone, Jasper following, and the two guards that were near Octavia grabbed both men, spinning them out of the way of Niylah. Hardy stood to fight, but Octavia drew her sword. Jasper could not recall a time he'd seen her so furious about something. She placed it at the throat of Hardy, breathing heavily. Jasper didn't think she'd kill him, but he wouldn't be angry, honestly, if she did.
Niylah pushed herself away from the wall, staring at Octavia with wide eyes, heaving and trying to catch her breath. The entirety of Skaikru stopped, staring at Octavia in complete silence.
"Niylah!" Octavia's voice boomed with the rage of a thousand storms, "You're with me." She said, jerking her head. Indra appeared behind Jasper, as though she teleported, and grabbed out her hand for Niylah to grab, her eyes grazing over the wound on her forehead. Jasper watched this unfold, taking a step forward, glaring down at Hardy.
"She's safe," Octavia looked around, but her fingers never left the hilt and the sword never left his neck, "You now have one less spot to fill." She spat. She looked back at Hardy, and started to draw back, but he leaned forward to hurt her, likely. Jasper moved with the guards, but Octavia was far faster, and she knocked him out with the hilt of her sword. She caught glances with Jasper, and he could just see the rage stewing low. She turned to leave, but a voice made her pause.
"Octavia, please." Jaha pleaded, looking back at where Niylah had disappeared in horror, "You've got to stop this! You're one of us, you're Skaikru! How could you be doing this?" He demanded.
Jasper winced.
"Totally wrong thing to say, man," He muttered under his breath, but no one but Octavia heard him. She sent him a tight smile- but more of a grimace, before turning the same expression to Jaha.
"One of you?" She asked, laughing in disbelief, "You made me hide under the floor. You floated my mother. You sent me to die at the age of 16." She said through gritted teeth, inching closer and closer to him, "I am not one of you. You made that abundantly clear a year ago."
"I-," Jaha started to say, but Octavia shook her head.
Octavia strode to the head of the room to where Indra was waiting, and Jasper followed behind her, glaring at people as he passed. She turned, raising her voice to address everyone.
"All the other clans have chosen their 100. All the other clans, with much less strife than you all are. And you claim they are the savages?" She scoffed, "If you're going to be children about it, fight like this, I will choose who stays and who goes. I don't want to, but I will, so that we all actually have a chance of closing those doors and most of us surviving. And if I do have to choose, men like him will not make the cut," She threatened, pointing back at Hardy, moaning on the ground and grabbing his head, "You think these people are dangerous? Maybe I think he is." The silence that met with her words said it all. She nodded one, sighing hard.
"You have four hours now, before I come down and handle this. Got it?" She said, each word like poison slipping through her lips, each sound articulated and treacherous.
She turned to leave, and Jasper to follow her, but someone in the crowd- one of the men who had been riled up- grasped Jasper's arm and yanked him back.
"Fine, we'll chose. But if we're talking dangerous, what is a delinquent who was sent to the SkyBox for stealing and endangering the lives of sick people doing here?" He demanded, shaking Jasper, "Last I checked, he is a Skaikru member, and why should he be here when I went my whole life without being arrested?" He asked, "Send Jasper and these other troublemakers outside!"
To Jasper's horror, a couple people agreed, shoving him and the few remaining delinquents- Miller included- to the end of the hall. Octavia spun on her heels as soon as she heard what he was saying, and for a moment, Jasper could tell she just froze. With everything else she'd done so far, she'd been calm and level and not stirred by anything. Nothing until this.
"Hands off, jerk. Go float yourself," Jasper spat, kicking him with one of the moves Indra had taught him.
"He hurt me! See! He's a danger to society!" The man called out, which didn't help things. Kane was trying to quiet them all down again, and Jasper noticed Jaha was noticeably quiet about this, just looking at Jasper as though he didn't care what happened to him. The man that had gotten shoved grabbed Jasper's neck, but someone stopped him.
"Get your hands off him," Octavia said, slicing down with her sword and cutting deep into his arm, which was an emotional move, one Jasper wasn't sure she had done for many others. He didn't want her to do that for him, because the people were now seeing a side of her that she had been keeping hidden so far. The side of her that would fell this entire group for him.
"He's with me too. You just lost yourself another spot!" Octavia said, her whole body shaking and her lip trembling so that only Jasper could see and she grabbed his hand to pull him through the crowd.
"Why?" One of the females in the group asked, one that had been saying that they deserved more spots because they were smarter, "You said you weren't going to decide for us. Sure looks like you are."
"Do you really want to fight me? It will be 1000 grounders against 300 of you. Guess who will win?" Octavia spun, stalking up to her, "Try it, just try it!" She taunted.
"O, c'mon," Jasper said, trying to tug her away.
"But why him?" The woman continued, "We hardly touched him and you aren't jumping in to save any other of the SkyBox kids." She pointed out, but hell, she probably knew exactly why. If she made Octavia admit it, who knew how they were going to construe it?
"Leave it. You don't have to explain," Jasper tried to tell her, shoving her away but Octavia shrugged him off.
"Because I need him!" She snarled, and at once she started back an inch, as though her own declaration shocked even herself. It shocked everyone there too, that was for sure, Jasper included. She could have brushed it off, refused to answer. She could have said because he was her second, and then not answered anything else. She could have come up with a multitude of reasons, none so...personal. This, this was big. Jasper didn't feel weird to be 'claimed', instead, despite it all...it felt good to be wanted.
"So what?" Hardy said, standing to his feet, "He gets to live because he's good in bed? If I show you I'm good in bed do I get to stay too? Trust me, I'm sure I'm better than he is," He said, coming dangerously close and creepily toward Octavia. This was exactly what Jasper was afraid of. And now that Octavia's anger was out, he wasn't sure it could be recaptured. A guard pushed him back before he got close, but the words met Octavia with fury. She opened her mouth to reply, but someone else interrupted.
"You're saving him because of a puppy-dog crush? What happens when you break up down the road, as all kids do?" The woman asked, scoffing, "This is ridiculous."
"O...sword away...maybe?" Jasper whispered, noticing the way some people were looking at the blood drip off her weapon. This seemed to get through to her, because she sheathed it and took two long deep breaths through her nose, before setting her gaze on the woman that started it. Then, she smiled a vicious grin.
"Anne Karsten, isn't it?" Octavia said, "Yeah, I remember hearing about you. I know you wouldn't understand since your husband cheated on you and left," She said and Anne flinched, "But that's not going to happen with me and him. Jasper is mine, and will continue to be, as I'm his. So," she shrugged, regaining a sense of her calmness, "If any of you would like to bring up your complains, fine. But you might not survive the talk," She said as the two guards stood on either side of her with scary looking weapons, "But whatever, maybe that's good. One less person to worry about their fate." She clicked her tongue, "Three and a half hours." She said, tapping an invisible watch on her wrist, "C'mon." She muttered to Jasper.
Indra patted her back, sending Jasper an appraising look.
"I see you did learn something," She commented, "You're not completely untrainable."
"Is Niylah fine?" Octavia asked.
"She'll have a headache, but she'll be okay, thanks to you."
Once they were back outside of the main area, in a hallway where it was just Indra, Octavia and the two guards with Jasper, he grabbed her arm.
"Hey...so…" he coughed, rubbing his neck.
"I'm so sorry, Jasper. I don't know what came over me. I never thought about securing a space for you because I thought you were just going to be with me and that was known and I didn't have to say it out loud and I just saw them dragging you and I knew that you weren't going to survive if they had say and I just…" She shook her head, still so angry about it that she turned and speared a wooden pole with her sword, shoulders heaving, "No, I was not going to get you all this way to lose you, got it?"
"No, I mean, thanks but, what you said. I guess it's all out in the open now," He said unsurely. He didn't mind, but he didn't think Octavia had wanted to go that far.
"Yeah," She turned, as only now recalling what she'd said, "it is now." She agreed.
"Octavia, it will only get worse. I think your people- former people- are incapable of doing this quietly." Indra said, concerned.
"I know." Octavia bit her lip, "I don't want to choose because they're not my people. I don't know who'd be helpful or who wouldn't be. I don't know who's worth saving and who isn't."
"I heard they're letting fate decide," One of the guards spoke up, "Lottery."
Octavia nodded, mulling over this information. A rock landed in Jasper's stomach.
"You okay, kid?" The second guard asked, his eyes kind, "You look a little...green."
"I'm not," He shook his head, "I need to go talk to Kane," He said absently, starting to leave.
"Are you serious? I just saved you from that hell-group!" Octavia stopped him.
"A lottery in theory sounds fairest, but it's not! What about the rest of the delinquents? The ones they screwed over once before? We've paid our debts...and now they're just going to die out there? After all of it? Hell, no wonder half of them opted the fuck out because they were never going to live anyway! That's not fair, it's not fair. None of this is fair, maybe, but I just…," He swallowed hard, "There's only so many of us left. No one is going to fight for them, didn't you see? You fought for me, but I was their leader for a moment in Mount Weather. I need to fight for them." He said firmly. Octavia looked torn. On one hand, these people had been her first true friends and family, besides Bell. He could tell that thinking about their death upset her. But on the other hand, she took a step away from the doors to the bowl.
"Jasper, I really don't think-,"
"Let him go," Indra advised, "He is a leader too, and this is his cross to carry. I don't know if you will change their minds, but I know your intentions are good. Best luck." Indra said, nodding to him.
Jasper nodded, and the guards let him pass. He wound through the names of every child that had been sent to the ground, all 100 of them. He counted off all the ones that were now dead. There was so few left. They had been his family more than anyone else had, and he knew if Bellamy were here, he'd be fighting for them. He hadn't seen Bellamy, so he assumed he was fetching Raven, which meant Clarke was with him too. So, he'd do what he could.
Octavia's office was occupied with Jaha, Abby and Kane writing out the names of the remaining people on slips of paper, throwing them into a large bowl.
"Jasper," Kane said, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Jasper put emphasis on the 'i'm', "But...we both know this lottery isn't going to be as fair as you say it is, eh?" He said, sitting on a chair.
"Why would you say that?" Kane started to say, "Of course we're-,"
"I knew that you, Jaha, convinced Clarke to tell people that, but it was going to be more controlled. We need a doctor, an engineer, a farmer...and if we got none of those, yeah, life would suck." Jasper said, leaning forward.
Kane opened his mouth, but Jaha answered.
"You continue to surprise me, Mr. Jordan."
"I hear that a lot." Jasper said dryly, "But really, what's the plan?"
"Well, the children, first. Any child under 16 will be spared." Abby said, "They don't deserve to die like that." She cooed. Jasper nodded in agreement.
"I'm here because I think you all really need to consider saving the remaining delinquents." He started. Jaha stopped what he was doing, scowling.
"Now, son-,"
"No," Jasper said firmly, hearing the condescending tone, "You're going to listen to me, okay? There started with 100 of us, but most of us are dead. Do you hear me, most of the people that I depended on to survive are dead...because you sent us to the ground, and you all thought it was basically a suicide mission. Trust me, I know. I know none of you thought we'd survive it, but we did. There's only 22 of us left, including myself, Miller, Murphy, Monty, Harper, and Clarke. You abandoned us on earth, and now you're going to abandon us again? That's not fair. We survived, and we deserve that acknowledgement. We survived and we deserve to survive again because it's just shitty that after all this you aren't giving us a second thought."
"Jasper, I get that you're close to them, but you were locked up."
"The dangerous one of us are gone now. Dax; he killed someone, but he was killed one of the first days here. Drake, he raped a girl, and he was slaughtered by grounders. The worst of the worst didn't survive. The worst left is Murphy, and he's shifty, but he's a good guy...lord, I can't believe I just said that," Jasper chuckled, "There's people like Bree. She was locked up because she missed curfew by 2 minutes because her boyfriend's mom had just been floated. There's Candace, and she was locked up because she helped lie about a kid that stole medicine to save his best friend. There's Grennon, who assaulted a guard because he grabbed his mother's ass. We're not bad people. 21 spots, and there's still plenty left to give to adults who deserve it or who possess important skills."
"That's a very nice speech, but," Jaha said and Jasper just gave a grim smile.
"What if Wells were here? He was a delinquent too. And, if we're discussing priority people, another leader-another politician, which was his study, wouldn't be our first choice...would it?" Jasper hadn't disliked Wells. He hadn't known him well enough before he died to really make a judgement, but he was an okay kid. He hated using this to win his argument...but there it was. The only way to convince a politician was to catch him in his own logic.
"Wells…?" Jaha echoed, as though it had been years since he'd heard that name. Jasper imagined he was the type of person to shove it down, to ignore it so he could go on.
"I do think Jasper's words deserve consideration," Abby was the one to speak up, "What we did to them was...unthinkable. Can we do an unthinkable thing again?"
"We will be doing an unthinkable thing to most of our people," Jaha argued, "People who didn't break the law."
"Those laws were always harsh anyway," Kane said, "I felt no pleasure in having to enforce them. I think they paid for their errors, over and over and over, at least three times over." He said.
"You can go," Abby said, "Unless you'd like to stay and write names." She offered.
"After all that...you're still going through with that?" Jasper's shoulders sagged.
"We have to give the illusion everyone has a fair chance," Kane spoke in a low tone, "Otherwise, there'd be bedlam. It's the most dishonest thing I've ever done, but I don't see another choice. Do you?"
Jasper heistated.
"I don't." He agreed, "I'll help." He said, taking a pen and Kane handed him a printed list.
"Thelonious?" Abby asked. Jasper looked up to see Jaha deep in thought, his face set into a frown.
"It's just...nothing."
"Sure," Kane said, nodding, continuing scrawling. Even Abby didn't seem concerned. Jasper narrowed his eyes. He was not so convinced. One more reason to stick around…
After all the names were written and put into the bowl, everyone was dismissed for a break to stretch their legs before the ones were chosen.
"It will not be so left up to chance," Kane assured Jasper once more as he left, and maybe it was because his eyes lingered so on the bowl.
Jasper left the office, cracking his knuckles and rubbing his neck. He sighed, looking out at the Skaikru people still gathered in the bowl. It was easy to spot Miller in a corner, still with the other delinquents. He wanted to go over and assure them it was going to be fine, but he didn't know how without telling them everything.
He wanted to trust Kane. No, he did. He hadn't expected that, but when Kane told him it was all going to work out, some reason, Jasper believed him.
He turned to find Octavia, until Jaha's moving figure caught his eye. He turned back around slowly, coming up to the bars on the stairways, watching Jaha slip through the people like a snake. There was something in his careful movements that unnerved Jasper, something that made his fists grip the railings harder.
Jaha had been intercepted by Hardy. Jasper waited for Jaha to turn away from him, to rebuke him and his actions, but instead, Jaha looked thoughtful. Hardy looked...contrite. That is, until Jaha's hands came up and Hardy's face turned from a frown to a scowl to a agreeable nod. There was something in that exchange that made the hair on Jasper's neck stand up straight.
He spun around sharply, going back through the bunkrooms with purpose until he found Octavia. She was taking the time to talk to a couple of each from the clans, asking if there was something she could do, assuring them that food and water would soon be passed out.
"Jasper, did it work?" She asked, "Are the others safe?" She questioned. He dragged her outside.
"Jaha is planning something," He said in a low voice.
"What? What is he planning?" Octavia demanded. Jasper forced his lips into a grim line.
"I don't know. It's just something." He said, playing back for Octavia the whole conversation he'd witnessed, albeit without the real words, "I might just be imagining it-,"
"No, I don't think so." Octavia shook her head, "I think without a doubt he's planning something."
She paced for a second, rubbing her chin with enough force to wipe away her makeup, "Indra found guns. She's been pushing me to make the choice. I still gave them time, but who knows what he has up his sleeve? I don't want to go in, because even if we just aim for people like Jaha or Hardy others are sure to die too. And there are kids there, three year olds." She said, her pacing quickening and turning more intense, "Fucking hells, Jaha, why can't you just let something go for once!"
"What's the problem?" Indra said, coming out of the shadows with the two same guards that had helped Octavia before.
"Jaha is up to something." Jaspe said, and Octavia glared.
"Octavia, it is nearly time." Indra said firmly, "You may say you have no allegiance to the Skaikru anymore, but I know this is still going to be hard for you." Octavia gave a shake of her head.
"What's hard…" Jasper said, "Picking names?"
"The Skaikru will not stop until they are dead. They have been fighting for so long the idea of peace is foreign to them, unable to understand." The guard said, and Jasper winced. What he claimed wasn't untrue.
"Kill all but 100?" Jasper guessed. Octavia gave a quick, curt nod.
"Hell…" Jasper muttered.
"Are you with us, Jasper Jordan?" Indra questioned, "Will you join us?"
"I…" Jasper froze, looking between Octavia and Indra, "I…" He'd thought his allegiance was so put. But, he didn't hate every person in there. And at one point in his life...they'd been something.
"Don't make him do this, Indra," Octavia cut in, "They are still a lot of people he cares about. I don't find it dishonest, I don't think Jasper's trying to undermine me. I will not ask him to participate."
"Very well," Indra bowed her head, "We should begin arming now. I don't think we have a lot of time left."
Jasper followed along, quietly, trying to quell the coming feeling of dread in his gut; whether it was for his former people or these people here, he wasn't sure. All he did know is that if they begun to open fire, lot of people were going to die, and it would be indiscriminate. And they'd fight back, and Octavia cold get hurt. If anyone of them overpowered someone with a gun...his throat went dry. This didn't seem like the solution at all.
Indra made sure all the doors to the bowl were securely locked, so that no one saw what was happening before hand.
"Kane is starting the lottery, it seems to be going fine right now." Jasper commented airily, watching as the direct door to bowl was latched.
"You know Jaha won't just let that happen. Come to think of it, did you see him?" Octavia asked, "It's not going to be fine soon." She said, checking a gun to make sure it was working.
"You sure you aren't going to help?" The guard who seemed more friendly questioned, "You are a good marksman, Jasper." He said.
"The bridge…" Jasper winced, "Erm, no hard feelings?" He asked.
"We were at war. Now, we are not." The man shrugged, "The actions of war are not always the actions of a person's true self." He paused, "Nevertheless, your aim was impeccable."
"I don't think I can today." Jasper said honestly, "I want to think I'm done fighting in wars."
The guard gave him a sympathetic smile, "Don't we all."
There was commotion outside, a growing sound like thunder that soon was barreling through the walls, their cry unmistakable...fight.
Octavia sent Jasper a sorry, but knowing look. Things couldn't have stayed fine.
"Okay," Octavia raised her voice, "Everyone ready yourselves! We want to keep 100 or so alive, preferably the youngest, for they are the least at fault," She said, "But, do not hesitate! This is what needs to happen."
Jasper craned his neck, pressing his ear against the wall, "O, the sound- it's gone!" He said.
"That should worry us even more," Octavia said, grimacing, "Okay! Everyone to the locks! On my count- one, two, three!"
The doors were all opened at once with a whooshing sound, and what greeted them was not what anyone could have predicted. All 300 some people, lying on the ground. Jasper saw Octavia narrow her eyes in suspicion, and raise her weapon.
"It's fine, don't shoot!" Kane said, stumbling over the bodies, wearing a gas mask. He threw it off, "They're all asleep." He looked to the other masked man, who was Jaha, and a look that neither Jasper nor Octavia understood passed between them. When Kane spoke again, his voice was broken, "This is how we save our people."
Octavia slid under the railing, coming up to him, "Explain."
Kane explained all of it; even Jaha's original plan to use the gas to capture Octavia and use her as leverage for spots, and also for others to find the fields and take it hostage. Jasper saw Octavia's face turn, a look of not anger at the betrayal, but just sadness. It was always horrible, Jasper decided, to realize the depravity humans sometimes possessed.
"But now, there will be no more fighting. We can choose, peacefully," Kane finished.
"How long will they be out?"
"Until the end of the world. They won't feel a thing," Jaha said quietly. Octavia nodded, pulling back. She waved her hand and Indra began herding the gunned grounders back.
"Choose soon, we don't have a lot of time," She reminded.
"I know." Kane grimace, "If four or so strongest of your people could remain? It's going to be a lot to carry 300 plus bodies out of here." He pointed out.
"I will send people," Octavia agreed. She nudged Jasper's shoulder, but he felt tethered to the ground.
"What do we do? How can we choose?" Kane turned, asking Jaha.
"Clarke's list." Jaha said, "She's already made the choice. I know where-,"
"No!" Jasper said firmly, causing Octavia to pause and Jaha and Kane to turn, "I've seen it. I don't...I don't think that's what we should use. She wasn't thinking or she was thinking too much when she made it! Plus, a quarter of those people on the list are already dead." He pointed out.
Kane paused Jaha, "He's right. The list was never a good idea."
"Then how do we…"
"Not you," Octavia's voice was rough, "You're lucky you're not currently knocked out too," She threatened Jaha with narrowed eyes, "Him." She looked at Kane.
Kane gave a quiet shake of his head, "I've made too many decisions before, and I'll go to hell for those, and I don't think this is mine to make. I think it's his." He said, looking at Jasper.
Jasper looked around to make sure no one else was around him, no one else that Kane could possibly be looking at before he let out a guffaw, "Me?"
"Him?" Jaha's tone was dry, unbelieving.
"You. The world no longer belongs to us, does it, Jaha? It belongs to the younger ones. And they are the leaders, and they have been for a very long time," Kane defended him, "I know you'll make the right choices. And, whichever they are, we will stand behind you."
"I don't know if I can," Jasper shook his head, "I haven't been part of this group for a long time."
"And that's maybe why it is best," Kane said, "You are...unbiased, yet you still care for them. I feel you have ideas already." he stepped back, "It's up to you now."
"Do it, Jasper," Octavia spoke lowly, "A person with a good heart should be making this choice." She said, "I'm going to get the people to help carry the rest." She said, kissing his cheek.
"Uhm," Jasper rubbed his palms over his face. For a second, he let the absolute fear of failure well up inside him, the fear he'd choose all the wrong people, the fear of having too much power. He also let the guilt rise inside of him, but he corrected himself; he wasn't killing 300, but saving 100. Saving 100 was a lot even so. He, for a second, understood the impossible choice Bellamy and Clarke faced in Mount Weather and he realized he couldn't hate them for that. Not a bit.
He stared out over the faces of the peaceful people. He had to be strategic, but thoughtful. Logical, but kind. He had to count both sides of his brain in for this task and he had to start somewhere.
"The kids," He started, "That...that was a good idea. Saving anyone under 16. They deserve that. Yeah, let's start with the kids."
"Okay, counting yourself and Niylah out, plus me and Jaha," Kane began on his fingers, and it was clear that was Kane's one request. It would be cruel to send Jaha out there, completely sentient. Jasper was sure, however, Kane would keep him in line here, "Raven, Murphy, Bellamy, Clarke, and Monty-,"
"Emori and Harper too. They deserve a chance to be happy in here," Jasper corrected. Kane nodded, adding them to his calculations.
"That's 10 there. 21 kids. You're up to 31."
"Oh, okay," Jasper felt that rock in his stomach. More than a 4th of the space already taken up. But he prevailed.
"Delinquents too. I've made that clear." He added.
"48."
Octavia appeared with four strong looking grounders. Jasper nodded them over, sending two to start putting people that were going to stay in beds, while keeping two behind for when he started cutting people. Maybe, it would just be easier to say 'yes' rather than 'no' and deal with that sort of consequence.
"Abby, David Miller- these two stay." He decided, thinking that Abby was a medic and the look on Kane's face was worth it. David was one of the only guards he'd ever liked on the Ark and he knew that he would be a worthwhile adult around here.
He spent the next hour with Kane picking through the remaining faces. It was a balancing act; he needed to keep important people with important skills, but people that were nice too. He had to choose a few young people that still had years to learn but a few old people that knew it all already. He had to pick at least one elder that had all the information about the Ark because that mattered to people. He had to think of the children being left behind and choose some parents to leave with them, because who was going to care for them, otherwise?
It was easier to do it person by person, rather than throwing people out. Instead of denying people, he was just picking better persons.
It seemed simultaneously like it was all too soon but also an eternity when Kane tapped his shoulder.
"100," He said quietly.
Jasper took a moment, and almost looked back among the faces left, but stopped himself. He couldn't second guess it now. He had to continue on.
"You should go. We can finish taking the rest out," Kane said after a long moment.
Jasper gave a steely shake of his head.
"I choose who stays. I help who goes." He said carefully. Kane looked ready to argue, but nodded.
"I'm helping too," Octavia said, despite the protests from Indra, "My former people...my responsibility." She agreed.
"Well, if we cannot force you otherwise…" Jaha began. Kane almost smiled.
"When have we ever been able to do that?" He asked, "There are more suits in the landing next to the stairway we should all put on if we are to do this. With Priamfaya this close we cannot afford to not wear them." He said, "And, we will seal the inner doors here, just so no one feels the effects," He said, pointing to all the doors along the bowl, "We do not stop until it is done."
"Agreed," Octavia said, jerking her head to the four grounders, now that everyone Jasper had chosen were put into beds, "Come, let's hurry."
It took longer than it likely should have, only because Jasper was adamant on the way they were treated. He would not stand for people to just throw them out into the streets like garbage, piling up on each other like piles of decaying corpses. No; he made everyone take the time to set them down gently, respect them for people who'd never live again. Kane tacked onto this right away, and soon was directing that people be laid to rest with certain others; mothers and fathers with daughters or sons, wives and husbands resting on each other, grandparents with grandchildren...it was unlikely they'd wake up by the time Priamfaya hit, but if they did, they'd find their loved ones easily. But it was more so that if there was an afterlife, they'd awaken next to each other or maybe subconsciously it would be enough to know they weren't dying alone.
Jasper's arms ached from carrying bodies to and from, and soon, there was only one teenager left; a kid only a year older than Jasper.
"We used to sell him weed," Jasper sighed, staring at his face. He was just average in everything, and Jasper couldn't bring himself to save him.
"We'll take him out. We will be back soon. Kane, I want you to find Indra and start finding the food and water. Start distributing it." She commanded.
"Be back swiftly. It won't be long now," Kane said.
The other helpers disappeared into the hatch, and Jasper grabbed his shoulders while Octavia grabbed his legs. Together, they worked to set him down among the sea of bodies.
"It's not the worst way to go," Octavia said, her voice echoing through the mechanical mouthpiece, "You just go to sleep and never wake up. They didn't even know before. They didn't have to worry." She said, looking down.
"But some never got to say goodbye. That's awful." Jasper said, imagining the children down there waking up without their mom or dad, or just anyone in general. He blinked once and felt tears on the edge of his eyes. Going without saying goodbye to someone that you loved, that struck a chord with him.
"Still," Octavia said.
"Your fight is over." Jasper said, nodding to everyone all at once. Jasper turned to head back down, but Octavia grabbed his hand.
"Wait. Come with me."
Silently, she led him to the elevator. He was quiet and curious as she brought them up to the Heda's floor, the top, and led him out.
"What are we doing?" He asked.
Octavia's grin was soft as she continued to drag him to the balcony.
"It's pretty, isn't it?" She asked. Out in front of them was one of the most vibrant sunsets Jasper had ever seen in his life. Not the first, but it was definitely up there, "I know you love them. I couldn't imagine that we would go in there and not see one for at least five years. I thought you'd appreciate this." She said.
"Earth is really beautiful, even at the hands of the apocalypse." Jasper said, grinning, setting his chin on the railing, "I do appreciate it. If we weren't in hazmat suits, I'd kiss you right here. Romantic, right?"
"Yeah," Octavia said, rubbing slow circles on his back, "I admit...I spent so long locked up being free, in the air, was just…" She shook her head, "It's hard to come to terms I'll be going back there. I'm just gunna miss this."
They stayed for as long as they could possibly allow themselves to. But when they realized the red in the distance was not the sunset but fire, they knew it was time to leave.
At the doors, Jasper looked back out one last lingering time, "Monty never arrived." He said with anguish, realizing it suddenly.
"Neither did Bellamy," Octavia said, jumping back. She'd been so preoccupied with this whole mess, as Jasper had been, she hadn't noticed.
"They still have time...right?" Jasper asked.
"Two hours. Maybe they're booking it. Maybe they're coming." Octavia said.
At the doors, they locked the main entrance and then stood in the two locked airways, letting the bunker decontaminate them. They hung their hazmats suits by the door, and opened to forever.
"Bellamy is still out there," Octavia announced.
"You don't think he's-," Indra started but Kane sent her a sharp glare.
"We should try to get him on the radio. They only had two extra hours, maybe there was a small snag somewhere? Maybe Monty went to meet them?" The hope died in Jasper's voice a little, though.
Octavia stalked into the office. She threw off her jacket, pressing some switches and pressing the talk button of the talkie so hard Jasper thought she might break it.
"Bell? Bell please, be there. Don't be dead, you fucking idiot. Please don't tell me you've gone and done something idiotic, please tell me that you're alive. Goddamn, just answer...answer Bell, Bell? Bellamy-,"
"O!" Bellamy's voice came through with a laugh and Jasper saw Octavia jump so hard he couldn't help but snort, "Wow, sibling telepathy, huh? I was just about to radio you too."
"Don't be so glib!" Octavia snarled, wiping a tear away from her eye, "Please, tell me you're only an hour away, and you've gone and taken a stupid break to pee or watch a deer or something?"
There was a long pause, "O...we...shit."
"Bellamy," Octavia leaned into the radio, "What...is...it?"
"We won't be coming back."
There was a quiet moment where Octavia just went stiff and Jasper felt his jaw unhinge.
"What?" Octavia suddenly said, "No, nooonooo, no...c'mon, that's...you can't...what are you thinking? Why are you doing this? You stupid, stupid, stupid boy!" She cried through gritted teeth, tears gathering in her eyes, "Why do you have to be the hero all the time?"
"O, we're going to be fine!" Bellamy said, "Look. Our original rover got attacked by grounders. Monty and Harper diverted and came to us-,"
"Monty's alive?" Jasper asked, "Really?"
"Jasper? Yeah, no, they're fine too. They're with us." Bellamy said, slightly side-tracked, "Anyway, we realized we'd never make it in time back. But Raven's here and there's a rocket and all of us- me, Clarke, Raven, Emori, Murphy, Harper, Monty, Echo-,"
"Echo? Are you shitting me? She's with you? Of course she's with you," Octavia muttered.
"Very long story." Bellamy said, although there was a tinge of laughter in his voice, "But the group of us, we're going up in space. We're going back to the Ark, what's left."
If Jasper thought he was shocked before, this was nothing like that. He shared frantic looks with Octavia, who just stuttered, unable to make a full sentence.
"The ark," She repeated.
"Yeah, until the earth is survivable again. Then we'll find a way back down and it will all be good. I mean, we have two of the smartest people here- Monty and Raven. We can do it." Jasper knew this tone of Bellamy's voice; he wasn't as confident as he wanted them to think.
"5 years," Octavia said slowly, straining her eyes as though she could be judging Bellamy through the radio, "Can you really survive up there?"
"Raven says we can…." Bellamy paused, "As I said, as soon as it's safe, we'll find a way back down. We will meet again." He said firmly.
Octavia thought for a second, then glanced at Jasper, rolling her eyes, then chuckled, "I'll be waiting under the floor," She joked.
Bellamy was not quite as amused, "You're not that little girl anymore." He said softly, and Jasper could imagine that her comment pained him. She clicked her tongue, and there was a long pause. She looked pale, Jasper decided. He took one of her hands, her free hand, and she sighed.
"What?" Bellamy asked cautiously.
"I'm not sure I can do this," She admitted, which Jasper could have guessed was eating her. It seemed to hit here, now that they were locked here, now that there were only 100 of Skaikru down here, "I've been chosen as leader. I can't help but feel I'm taking away this role from you and Clarke. I sometimes think it should be you and Clarke." She said after a moment.
Jasper nodded to her. He felt a little like that too. Bellamy and Clarke had ages of this under their belts, Jasper felt like he was stumbling through, and he was only second-in-command.
"No, no." Bellamy said, his voice warm, "I don't think you truly understand how incredibly amazing you are, Octavia. I was the leader of a bunch of kids, delinquents, and then a little of some of Skaikru. You're trusted by grounders and a whole lot more than I ever was in charge of. I think I'd suck at it. You gave them something they'll never forget." He said.
"Life?"
"Hope." He replied, "Well, life too." He added after a moment, "Look, you're...you're Prometheus, stealing fire from the gods and giving it back to the human race."
Jasper had no clue what Bellamy was speaking about, but Octavia seemed to know, because she gave a long scoff and rolled her eyes.
"Prometheus was chained to a rock so eagles could eat his liver. You're really making my reign feel safe."
"And you claim I say weird things," Jasper mumbled, and she waved him away, clearly to say she'd explain later.
"Thanks for ruining my metaphor." Bellamy said deadpanned. Octavia just laughed.
"Oh, I love you. I haven't said it nearly enough, but stars, I really love you." She said, half-way between laughing and crying.
"I love you too, O." Bellamy said, "Is Abby around? Clarke wants to speak to her."
"She's...uh," Octavia winced, then put her hand over the speaker, "Can we wake her? Is it possible to wake her?" She asked Jasper.
"Should be," He shrugged, "Why don't you go and tell Kane. He'll know. I want to…" he nodded to the radio."
"Oh, right." SHe said, then uncovered her hand, "Abby is, erm, doing something extremely important right now, but she'll be down soon. In the meantime, can you get Monty so Jasper can talk to him?"
"Sure. Is everyone alright down there?" He asked, "What's she doing?"
"Just...things. But yeah, now we're all good."
There was a shuffling sound, and in the background Jasper heard Bellamy yelling for Monty to 'get his ass up here' and 'there was a call for him'. Octavia handed the radio off, rubbing his head and kissing it before vanishing.
Jasper waited, holding his breath, just waiting until…
"'Yello?"
"Dude! You jerk! How dare you not tell me you were leaving me!" Jasper demanded.
"Jasper, god, it's good to hear you! You're safe, I mean, O told me that but...I couldn't leave Raven, you know? She's one of us."
Jasper thought about how he'd gone to bat for the delinquents, and while Raven hadn't been part of the 100 originally, she was still as much as them as anyone else.
"Yeah, I know." He agreed.
"So, I guess you heard we're going up to space."
"I heard," Jasper bit his lip, "You really think…?"
"it will be extremely difficult and not fun, but yeah," Monty said, "Bob's your uncle. I think if I say that one more time, Ravne will murder me."
"I think you should make it a game to see how many times you can say it within five years before she throws you out the airlock." Jasper suggested with a wicked grin on his face.
"Man, I'm going to miss my partner in crime. I wish you were here."
"I sorta do, but I'd rather be here if Octavia is here." He admitted.
"You're serious about this."
"I'm serious about everything." Jasper leaned back on the chair, "But this is different. She's serious about it too." Jasper went through the moment with Niylah, ending in Octavia's claiming of him, "I was just...I mean, it's been fun, but I wasn't trying to look ahead in case it wasn't going there. But then there was that and she asked me to be her second and-,"
"So basically, you two are like Clarke and Bellamy."
"Yes. But we fucked right away instead of basking in ever-present sexual tension."
There was a snorting laugh from Monty on the other side of the radio so violent that Jasper feared he'd started to choke.
"Well, they're going to have five years up in rocket with nothing to do but fuck, so who knows. If they don't get together then, they ain't never going to." Monty said, "But in all seriousness, I hope you two work out. Not just in that sense, but like, oh, I don't know what I'm saying."
"I mean, it would suck to break up when we're confided together in a bunker, but no worse than breaking up on the Ark." Jasper pointed out, "I dunno if we're that kind of people, though."
There was a knock at the door. Abby was up, albeit she looked groggy, confused, and most of all sad. Jasper understood. She'd awoken to find out 300 of her people were going to die soon, and she hadn't been able to say goodbye at all.
Selfishly, Jasper wanted to send her away. Stay talking to Monty longer, forever. He didn't want to say bye to his best friend.
"Abby's here," He said after a long moment of indecision. Everyone should get a chance to talk to loved ones, "Hey, you think you can make a radio up there down to here?"
"I will do all I can. If I don't talk to you for more than a month, I go crazy." Monty said, "Love you buddy. Good luck down there."
"Love you too. Good luck up there. Tell Clarke her mom's here." He said, handing the radio off.
He exited, sucking in something that felt like tears. He pressed the palms of his hands to his eye sockets.
"It will be tough," Octavia whispered, "I know."
"You need a bell," Jasper said, jumping around, "Can't just sneak up on me like that…"
"You okay?"
"Are you?" He countered.
Octavia shrugged, "Let's admit neither of us are with this." She said, "Are you man enough to do that?" She teased.
"Of course." He sighed, feeling his shoulders collapse, "I'm really, really gunna miss him."
"At least he's alive. And he'll be back here." Octavia said confidently.
"You really believe that they'll not only make it up there, but survive for five years, and find a way down?" Jasper asked.
"You don't?"
"I'm a scientist. I don't have blind faith. I have statistics." Jasper winced, "I wish I could be as-," He almost said naive, but then rethought it, for he was truly angry at the situation and didn't mean to demean Octavia, "-relentlessly optimistic." He opted for.
Octavia tilted her head, pulling her lips and smiling, "You begin to believe in a great many things after a while. I'm surprised the romantic between the two of us isn't more like that." She admitted, "C'mon, it's all said and done. By Kane's account, we have maybe an hour until Priamfaya hits here. It's already hit Arkadia."
"May they rest peacefully," Jasper murmured, imagining the bodies of Riley and all the others who just couldn't imagine another day, burning.
"Octavia, what now?" Indra asked, coming up and bowing her head, "Should we begin on preparations to survive?"
Octavia saw Kane edging around the bowl, and Jaha slinking somewhere, and Abby coming out of the office with tears in her eyes.
"Still an hour until Priamfaya?" Octavia asked Kane, who jumped at her question, surprised to hear her call to him.
"A little less, maybe. It's coming fast."
"And the doors, they're all closed up for good?" Octavia asked.
"Yes, we just finished that," Jaha broke in, "We're sealed up, for better or worse."
"Then...we will wait to do anything until it passes." Octavia decided, "I'm certain about many things," She said and Jasper snorted and pretend to sneeze to cover it. Octavia shot him a quick eye-roll, "But of this, I'm not. That this bunker is sealed and foolproof. If we are all wrong, and only have 50 minutes left, I'd rather be alone with…" She paused. She side-glanced Jasper, bottling up again.
"I think you've made your intentions him very obvious," Kane said, "With someone you care about…" He finished, and Octavia didn't repeat it, but nodded.
"As should everyone…" Octavia prompted to the small council gathered, "When it has passed and we're still alive, then I will start leading. Then, we will begin." She declared.
"I will see you after this, we will live," Indra said, allowing it. Despite her confident tone, perhaps the idea of spending time with Gaia was too much to pass up, "I will tell everyone else you are...planning. I wouldn't want a panic." She decided.
Octavia paused, "You don't think I'm wrong to do this," She asked after a second, "That maybe I should be somewhere else…?"
"I think it is acceptable for you to be selfish for this hour," Indra said, then smirked, "Because Pramheda knows you won't be so for a very long time once we start."
"C'mon, let's go then." Jasper said, nudging her away. Once in their little corner, he clicked his tongue.
"So…"
"What?" Octavia asked, turning.
"Well, if it might be the end of the world, isn't there something you'd like to do, preferable with me?" He asked, "And if it isn't, I hear it's a great stress reliever."
Octavia stared at him for a long second before laughing, "My mother always warned me boys are only after one thing!" She chortled, and when Jasper opened his mouth to further argue his point, she stopped him, grabbing onto his jacket and kissing him, "But luckily, it seems I am too." She continued with a wicked glint in her eyes.
"Stars, I'm lucky," Jasper grinned.
"Don't you ever forget it," Octavia agreed. She went to climb on top of him, but Jasper pushed her back down.
"You're in charge all the time, and will be from now on. Let me be in charge of this," He asked, grabbing her wrists and placing them above her head, "Don't even think about anything except this." He whispered.
And, Octavia didn't, despite desperately wanting to prove him wrong. When Jasper set his mind to making the world melt away, he didn't half-ass anything.
Afterwards, the room was lit by the little lights hanging around they'd pilfered from the cabin, attached to the cord attached to the solar generator outside.
"If it survives, Priamfaya will keep us going for months," Jasper joked, staring at the cord that vanished into the ceiling.
"If we start talking about anything outside this room, it will never stop. So we don't until we leave, 'kay?" Octava said, burying her face into her pillow. She paused, "Do you think this place is safe?"
"I do. I don't think Monty would endorse anywhere that wasn't." Jasper said, "I think we'll be okay."
"If we're not…" Octavia frowned, sitting up, the blankets pooling around her waist, "I just want to say I-,"
"Don't say things you don't mean just because you think you're going to die," Jasper cut her off, "I said 'I love you' to Maya after what, a week? Two weeks? Time just...poofed away in there."
"You meant it, didn't you, though?"
Jasper considered it thoroughly, "I think I think I did." He said, cagey, "I love her, but I can't say I know for sure, looking back, I loved her." He said empathetically, "Like this," He said, "Just for now."
"You cared about her, but you might not have been to love."
"It felt like it," Jasper said.
"Then why couldn't it have been?"
"I guess...I just always thought you only really fall in love once. And if I gave it to her, then what are we?"
Octavia laughed, "That's bullshit. It would be an awful world if people couldn't give love to more than one. I loved Lincoln, and I love you." She said, running her fingers over his arms, "I'm not in love, yet, possibly, but I know I love you. That's what I was going to say, and it's true. I wouldn't regret it. I've always loved you." She said, "In the way I love Clarke or Raven or Monty, and maybe you're a little different, but I care for you, and I'm here." She said, "It means so much more that we're alone." She looked up, "And I'm not just saying it because Monty and Bell are gone, I'm saying it because I really do mean it and I don't think in this place people say it nearly enough."
"I care for you too," He said, "One of many. Not many people care for me but you."
"You're one of the only that matters." Octavia said, "If I had to choose between everyone in the world and you, I'd choose you."
"You can't mean that."
"I do," Octavia says, "Because I don't trust anyone else. I trust you. And I like being around you. You're funny and kind and inquisitive and smarter than I ever was but that's good because you need someone like me around to kick ass every once in awhile."
"You don't have to convince me all the reasons we work, I already know," Jasper said.
"I'm just saying…" Octavia let out a long breath, "I'd bet on you and me to survive this, even if we had to do it alone."
Jasper counted the freckles on Octavia's face. Far away, you couldn't really tell she had them. But here, inches away, it was like a whole constellation was there. He let his eyes connect the dots, making shapes and figures.
"I love you too," He said, his voice quivering after a moment, "I want to believe you're right."
"I can't replace Maya, I don't want to . I want us together to be different entities than our former loves. I want to prove to you that it can be more than one because we are different and so it's not even the same." Octavia said.
"Okay," Jasper agreed, "I'll see."
This was as far as he was going to go with that today, his mind told him.
"The room is getting hotter," Octavia whispered, "I guess that means…"
"Yeah."
"Hold me?" She asked, voice quivering and small. It seemed to echo around the room and for one singular moment, everything was just...silent. There was no noise Jasper could hear outside the little space, not even their own breaths, just...absolutely nothing. And he thought maybe that was the end, maybe death was just silence? But then, the bed creaked and it felt like such a relief that Jasper couldn't do more than nod vigorously, because he understood that look in her eyes. Jasper obliged, but she wrapped her arms around him too, digging her fingers into his hair. She sniffled, and for a second, he was sure that she thought they were going to die. Or maybe she was mourning everything above them, burning and crisping and falling to ash on the ground in a horrifying show of undulating fire.
The room grew hotter and hotter by the second and every second passing, Jasper was sure the next thing he'd feel was nothing at all, or see just whiteness and heat and it would all be over.
And, it never came.
But they waited a long time, until the temperature cooled down and when they finally looked up, they both had ridiculously big grins on their faces.
"We're alive," Jasper said breathlessly, although he'd been laying down the whole time, he was out of air completely.
Octavia kissed him again, kissed him all over. "We're alive," She was murmuring, "Holy stars, we are alive." She looked up, eyes wide, "I really didn't think we would be." She said honestly.
"What now?"
"Now, I have to address everyone, now that this is real." Octavia said, "For a second, truly, I didn't think it was."
Jasper pulled his things back on, following her out. It seemed everyone had come to the same conclusion, because people were milling, gathering in the bowl and the rails around it. The area was packed. By the time Octavia had arrived, Jasper wouldn't have been shocked if the majority of the group was waiting now.
Indra nodded to her, and helped her onto a high point near the edge of the bowl.
"Speeechhhh," Jasper hissed from under her, and she sent him a deadly look, "Speeeechhh," He teased a little louder.
"Speeech, speech, speech-," The group began to chant, and Octavia sent him a withering 'look what you've done now' sort of look, since she had told him many times public speaking was not her forte.
"Lead them, Octavia." Indra said helpfully, pressing a hand to her shoulder, "You need to." She agreed, nodding to Jasper, although it had started in jest for him. Octavia squared her shoulders, and nodded. She gazed out, opening her mouth.
"Wow...so, we've made it." SHe said after a moment, laughing, the nodding, "Right. This is it.
We are all that remains of the human race. I won't lie to you. The next 5 years won't be easy. There will be days when we wish we were out there right now, but I promise you, if we stand together, if we are wonkru, then," And then she spoke something in grounder, something that had everyone nodding in agreement, grinning, repeating it.
"From the ashes, we will rise," Indra translated to Jasper, who must have had a look of utmost confusion his face.
"Guess i need to really learn the language," Jasper said, face reddening, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Quite," Indra agreed, a very 'you think' tone to her voice.
The people cheered and Indra climbed onto the the pedestal next to Octavia.
"The time of the flame has passed," She announced, "But she is still our Heda, and she will continue to serve us well! Some traditions can never die," Indra said and there was a spattering of clapping. From her palm, she revealed a tiny head-button. Jasper recognized it as Lexa's.
Octavia instinctively knelt, allowing Indra to press it to her forehead.
"I give you your leader, Octavia kom Wonkru," Indra said, "May your reign be prosperous and your heart be merciful." She said. Most the grounders in the group echoed her sentiments.
"Hot," Jasper grinned under his breath. Octavia truly took his breath away. He always did like a strong woman. Octavia heard him, and gave him a happy smile. She winked, before turning back.
"To begin, first I would like each of you to elect a spokesperson for the 100 of you that remain. Send them to the office. I would like that spokesman to tally all the skills within their group, so we can easily figure out where you are going to be best used to survive. And…"
Jasper spaced out a little, watching Octavia begin to lead, make choices. It was exhilarating watching her, she had the natural spark, just like her brother. But then again, people were arguing he did too. He wasn't sure on that yet, but they had five years for him to figure it out.
"Jas?" Octavia said, nudging him, He realized he'd zoned out so much that everyone had dissipated, to begin the jobs she'd dolled out.
"So...what now?" He asked, cracking his knuckles, "Figure out how to survive this?" He asked.
"No," Octavia said, completely seriously, "I promised you more. We figure out how to thrive and love and mourn and laugh."
Jasper chuckled, understanding, "We figure out how to live."
She smiled, looking just as she did the day she took her first step onto the ground, so far away, yet close enough to grasp, "I did promise you that? Didn't I?"
And there we are...the end. Wow.
I had a sequel planned, about their life in the bunker, but with it so soon to the release of the new season IDK. I might just re-write the episodes as though Jasper/Octavia were together. Yea or nay? But, I LOVE the the trailers. I just cannot wait. However, I will be forever sad they killed Jasper. I keep forgetting he's dead :( JRoth did say that they weren't going to be forgetting his memory anytime soon, though, so I'm happy about that. And, someone noticed that Clarke is wearing Jasper's googles in one scene which actually made me tear up a little.
SO! Notes on this last chapter, in case you're wondering about my choices about things.
-Jasper as marksmen! I mean, he was pretty good in Season 1 and then it was just never...brought up...again
-I redid Clarke's list. I get it, but it sorta sucked, her list and I'm surprised they used it in the end, tbh.
-Jasper made peace with Clarke's choices to kill people in Mt. Weather because now he's doing the same. If they had done something like this, I feel like his arc would have been so much more meaningful, you know? To still mourn and be upset Maya died, but to feel the choices
-The sunset scene was one I had planned for awhile. I just thought there needed to be something like that.
-Also, a scene where the dead was respected. I feel like that would have been important for Jasper to do, to acknowledge those he chose to leave behind and all.
-I also made Jasper a leader, which they should have continued with a LONG TIME AGO. I mean, even if he became a leader because of circumstance, didn't Bell and Clarke do that too? Plus, a huge part of this story is not just O as a leader but as Jasper as her co-leader.
-the part where O saves Jasper from choosing who dies, that's the moment that started it all. This whole fanfic. And, the 'third part' of the three big changes I made. I remember watching that episode and thinking 'If Jasper was down here, would Octavia save him? I think she would' and...bam fanfic.
-Jasper has authority issues, which I think is an interesting plot line since he now is a leader too
-I changed parts of Jaha's speech. I like mine better.
-I had Jasper choose the dead because I feel like that was the final step in him becoming a leader AND being treated as an adult.
So, yeah.
If you guys like Jactavia and need more, I'd tell ya to check out my other story- Project Iphigenia. It's mainly Bellarke but the two other secondary couples in it are Jactavia and Murven and both of those get chapters devoted to their storyline as a couple instead of a side note. If you already DO read it, I promise a new chapter will be up soon!
Lastly, NOTE FOR LURKERS: What is a lurker? Those people that read faithfully, have this story Favorited or alerted, but never once have left a review. Leave a review here, now. Why? Firstly, this is the last chapter, and don't you want to tell me what you thought, if not of just this, but the whole story? Secondly, I do deserve it- I've written 100 pages, and never really cared that you did or didn't review, as long as people read. Now do something for me and review it. Don't know what to review? Here's some stuff that you could...
*Favorite part of the whole story
*Scenes you might like to see if there's a sequel
*Literally anything. Like, just some small signal that this story is reaching people...
Now you don't have to answer these questions. But I've heard often from people that the reason they don't review is that they don't know what to write. I'm giving you something to write, but of course feel free to write other things if your little heart so desires it.
To those that have always reviewed, I can't tell you how happy you all make me.
I can't believe it's done and I hope you are all as happy as this story has made me :)
For the last time, read and review (especially the lurkers!)!