Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Author's Note: After so many times of putting it off, I finally got to the point where I could post this chapter. It rehashes a little bit of the events from Miller's chapter, but it shows them from a different point of view and then goes beyond them. It should all make sense. Some of you were concerned about how I would write Abby, so hopefully you like how this chapter turned out. Enjoy!

Abby

Abby's morning routine is always the same. Get up, get dressed, go to the mess hall to discuss the coming day over breakfast with Kane, drop by the infirmary to see if Jackson has anything to report, and then go out to the main gate and talk to Bellamy. Talking to Kane and Jackson is necessary, and Abby tells herself it's the same with Bellamy. He is the head of the guard, after all. But the real truth, which she's never admitted to anyone, is that the reason she talks to Bellamy each morning has nothing to do with security. It has to do with Clarke.

Ever since Clarke left, Abby's eyes always tend to drift towards the main gate whenever she's in the yard. She supposes her subconscious keeps hoping to see Clarke walking down that winding road. She never does, of course. But that doesn't stop her from hoping.

It took her a while to notice that Bellamy was doing the same thing. She had just assumed when he started taking the daybreak watch every day that it was just as a matter of principle. He took daybreak and Sergeant Miller took dusk, the first and second in command making sure their people started and ended the day in safety. But one morning Abby had gone out to ask Bellamy about a patrol, and she had caught his eyes drifting toward the road. Looking for Clarke just like she always does.

After that it had turned into a routine. She goes out every morning and they find something official sounding that they can discuss while they both pretend not to be watching the road for Clarke. They never talk about what they're really doing. They don't have to. They both know, and there's a sort of quiet solidarity in it that seems to comfort both of them.

Abby supposes they should be proud of what they've accomplished here. And in many ways she is. Camp Jaha is flourishing. They made it through their first winter with no serious trouble, although much of that is due to Indra and the others from Tondc. Octavia and Lincoln have done wonders for relations between Camp Jaha and that particular village. And the truce with the Grounders has given Camp Jaha more than six months of peace. In that time, the people from the Ark have flourished. It seems as if they've finally found paradise.

But paradise can be a lonely place. True, Abby has Kane, and they're certainly growing closer as time goes on. (A fact that draws no small amount of smug glee from Raven.) Some might even call it dating, although neither one of them has used that term yet. Sergeant Miller is also incredibly helpful when it comes to running things, and so is Bellamy. On the smoother days, which there seem to be quite a few of recently, Abby even has time to go down to the infirmary and work beside Jackson. Not that he needs her help. But they both enjoy the company. Raven and Abby also share a friendly drink every few days. Abby's grown used to Raven's familiar attitude, and the young mechanic is good company. So Abby is certainly not short on interaction.

But when things slow down enough that she has a chance to think, she always finds her gaze drifting toward the gate. There's still something missing here, and Abby will never be truly satisfied until that piece finally comes home. But there's nothing she can do about it now. In truth, that's the hardest part. Knowing that she's powerless to help her daughter. That Clarke's out there hurting, and Abby can't do a thing to make it better. She just has to sit here and wait until Clarke's finally ready to come home. And Abby Griffin has never been good at waiting.

"She'll be back," Bellamy says quietly. Abby looks up and realizes she's been staring out at the road too long for him to pretend to ignore it.

"I know," she says. But she isn't so sure. It's been over six months. What if Clarke decides she'd rather just stay away? Jackson doesn't think that's true, and he tried convince Abby of that fact last night. But she still worries. What if her daughter never comes home?

She forcibly stops that train of thought as she pulls herself back to the present.

"I'm sorry," she says, turning to Bellamy. "You were saying something?"

"I said I think you should consider giving the hundred a representative on the council," Bellamy tells her. The two of them have certainly come a long way these last few months. They talk almost like equals now, and Abby often gives real weight to his advice.

"Why?" she asks curiously. "There are, what, forty-six of you in that camp? Forty-seven if you count Raven. That's a pretty small group for a whole representative."

"A group that functions on its own," Bellamy points out. "They pull their weight. Get their own food. And I think it would make them feel more a part of things. Sure, they work in Camp Jaha. But they choose to live in a separate camp. To them, it's still us and you. We were on our own down here for a whole month. We learned to care for ourselves. To run things on our own. They let you back in charge because they needed a break. But that won't last forever. They're gonna want that autonomy back. If you give them a real say, I think it would help."

"You make a good case," Abby says, barely concealing a smile. It never ceases to amaze her how much Bellamy cares for those kids and how much he steps up for them. Abby doesn't know what she'd do without him. "I'll talk to Kane about it and let you know what we decide."

Bellamy's reply is interrupted by an excited yell. Abby looks through the fence at the smaller camp outside it to see Monroe pointing excitedly down the road.

"She's back!" someone yells.

Abby's eyes swing back to the road where a person has suddenly appeared. She holds up her hand against the sunlight as her heart begins slamming in her chest.

"Is that..." She can't even finish her sentence for fear the figure will vanish.

"Clarke," Bellamy whispers.

Abby can only stare. The blonde head of hair is indeed her daughter's. Clarke is coming home. Abby's imagined this moment a thousand times, but she'd started to wonder if it would ever happen. And now that it's finally here, she's too shocked to move. So, it seems, is Bellamy.

Shouts are rising from the smaller camp now. A flood of teenagers comes spilling out of their tents, all of them calling questions. The noise only gets louder as they all make the same realization Abby just made. For a moment they stand frozen, just as Abby is. And then they all take off down the road toward Clarke.

"Open the gate!" Abby yells, shaking herself out of her shock.

One of the other guards scrambles to do as she said. The metal contraption swings open with maddening slowness. Abby watches through the metal slats as the teens swarm Clarke in a cloud of hugs and cheers. Then finally the gate is open enough that Abby can get out.

She hurries down the road as fast as her leg will allow. Mount Weather left its mark on her just as it did everyone else. She doesn't limp anymore, but she can't really run either. It seems to take her an eternity to make it down the road to the crowd gathered around Clarke. Things seem to have calmed a little by the time Abby reaches them. The loud cheering has turned to conversation in the middle of the group with everyone else straining to hear.

Miller is on the edge of the group, and he glances over his shoulder just as Abby reaches them. He immediately pulls back to make room. The others around him notice as well, and within a matter of seconds the crowd has parted to create a path straight to the center. And there in the middle is Clarke, alive and well. The sight of her takes Abby's breath away.

Clarke's eyes widen as she sees Abby, and then they're both just staring at each other.

"Clarke?" Abby says. Her voice is barely a whisper.

"Mom," Clarke chokes.

Abby's hand flies up to her mouth to cover a small sob and her vision blurs as tears of joy fill her eyes. And then Clarke is running toward her. She crashes into Abby, who lifts her arms and hugs Clarke so tightly it's a wonder she can still breathe.

"Oh, baby," Abby manages. The tears have begun to trickle down her face now, but she couldn't care less. Clarke is here. Really and truly here. Abby goes back and forth between kissing Clarke's head and cradling it in an effort to convince herself that this moment is actually happening. "I missed you so much!"

"I missed you too," Clarke says. Her voice is hoarse from her own emotion.

Abby makes herself pull back after a moment so she can take Clarke's face in her hands. Her eyes quickly scan for injuries, physical or otherwise. Clarke's clothes are a bit worn, her face a little tanned, her hands calloused in new places, and her hair a touch more wild than when she left. But her eyes are alive again. And that sight is more beautiful than anything Abby has ever seen. Clarke is okay. Really and truly okay.

Abby gives a watery smile, which Clarke returns. Her baby girl is finally home. And with her return, Abby's heart is finally whole again.

Clarke glances over Abby's shoulder and something in her face softens. Abby follows her gaze to see that Bellamy has finally pulled out of his own shock and is now standing a few steps behind her. He looks like Abby feels. Like someone who has finally sound their missing piece.

Abby forces herself to step back so Clarke can walk over to Bellamy. He's the only person in this camp who missed Clarke as much as Abby did. And after all the help he's been these last few months, Abby owes him this moment.

Something nudges Abby's shoulder, distracting her from the touching reunion. She looks to her right to see that Raven has appeared beside her.

"I told you we'd get her back," Raven says, giving Abby a knowing grin.

"Yes, you did," Abby says with a bright smile. "Remind me never to bet against you."

"You already did that," Raven reminds her."It didn't go so well for you."

Abby laughs, remembering the bottle of moonshine.

"I guess not," she says. Raven smiles back before turning more serious.

"We're gonna be okay, Abby," she says confidently. They've been saying that to each other since that first night in the infirmary after Mount Weather, but this time it's different. This time it sounds like Raven actually believes it.

Abby turns back to Clarke and Bellamy, who are pulling out of a warm hug. Like two halves of a whole that have finally been reunited. And Abby's heart has never felt so full.

"Yes," she agrees. "I think we are."

You guys know the drill. Please take a second and leave a review. You have no idea how happy they make me. If you want to see Clarke's return in full and from her point of view, check out the third chapter of "The Long Road Home." If you want to know what Raven meant by her comment about betting and moonshine, check out my one-shot "Raise Your Glass" and its prequel "The Sun Will Rise", both of which look at Abby and Raven's friendship. They're a little more on the humorous side, so they should be fun reads. As for this story, I hope to have Kane's chapter up in two days as per usual, but it may be a day late because I'm not sure how much writing time I'll have this weekend. Worst case scenario, it'll go up Tuesday instead of Monday. If you can't wait that long, feel free to check out some of my other work in the meantime. And as always, thanks for reading!