The Orphan King

by Bloodyredshade

Drake Knight, an orphan on the Ark, volunteer's to travel to the ground before the 100 six months in advance. How will he change things for the 100 and what will he mean to them and his small corner of the world?

11. Shock and Awe

Shock and Awe

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Author's Note: Hello, hello boys and girls. I hope you all enjoyed the last chapter and here we go with another one.

"Talking"

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Charlotte stalked quietly forward at her quarry and swiftly ducked behind a tree. Drake had trained her for this. She was no longer that scared girl who woke up screaming every night. She was now a hunter of men and she thanked Drake every day for it. Swiftly she nock her bow and aimed before letting loose sending the first arrow flying and before it landed the second arrow was already on its way followed shortly by a third. To her it was like shooting targets and she continued firing and moving until her enemies fell limply to the ground covered in multiple arrows. She finally broke from her cover and approached the last man still struggling for breath.

These men were twisted figures and she had been tracking them since yesterday after she had found that Lincoln's group had been ambushed. Of the ten that had gone with Lincoln only five remained. Their heads covered in bags and they were tied to a log that weighed heavily on their shoulders. A weak hand grasping at her ankle broke her out of her thoughts and the dying Grounder whispered something. Cautiously she leaned down next to the deformed warrior.

"Kill me." The man said and Charlotte happily obliged as she pulled a knife from the small of her back and jammed it through the man's ear.

This was quicker than bleeding out. Drake had taught her that. She swiftly turned toward the 100 who staggered to keep the log up.

"It's okay. You're safe now." Charlotte whispered but the surviving 100 heard it and quickly urged the young girl to cut them loose.

It wasn't long before she had fulfilled their desire for freedom by cutting their rope binds and with a grunt of effort the five survivors threw the log off their shoulders before sagging gratefully to the ground. All of them tore off the bags over their heads and breathed fresh unblocked air for the first time since their capture. Charlotte found Atom among the faces and he nodded gratefully toward her and she responded hesitantly. To her surprise Octavia and Lincoln were not with them.

"Where is Octavia and Lincoln?" Charlotte asked.

"Lincoln…was put with another group and set another route. Octavia managed to escape." Atom explained.

"Drake lives. His orders are to return to the Drop Ship. Can you find the way?" Charlotte asked and a few of the survivors nodded. "Good. I'll find Octavia." Charlotte said as she sprinted away following their point of origin leaving the survivors to make their own way back to camp.

***Camp Jaha***

Kane approached softly but Raven heard him anyway and turned around in her chair.

"Councilor Kane. What can I do you for?" Raven asked as she fiddled with something in her hands.

"I just thought you'd need some food." Kane said as he lowered a makeshift plate of freshly grilled meat from the morning's hunting party kill.

Say what you will about the 100 but they were good at hunting, something that Kane had found out first hand as he watched two 100 boys easily kill a boar twice their size. The meat was…something to get used to but he had never tasted anything like it before and it felt good to eat something other than a flavored tablet.

"Thanks. You can just set it over there." Raven said dismissively as she placed what she was working on, on the table and looked up at Kane with surprisingly mature eyes. "Now what are you really here for?" Raven asked and Kane found himself taking a step back in shock before composing himself.

"I need to know more about the Grounders. How they move, how they think, their tactics and how they fight." Kane said bluntly and Raven smirked.

"There are plenty other of people that you can ask." Raven said off handedly as she stood up and grabbed the plate from where Kane had placed it on the table.

"And I have asked them. I'm asking you because the 100 look up to you and since you've been on Drake's Council I figured you would know more." Kane said hopefully.

"Being with Drake has certain advantages." Raven said thoughtfully and Kane was slightly confused.

"Wait…you said being with Drake. What does that mean? I thought you had a boy before…what was his name?" Kane said and Raven fixed him with a steely gaze and to his shock the girl he saw was gone and in her place was a very dangerous woman fingering the makeshift fork with a deadly glint in her eye.

"Finn. Finn Collins. He died before the battle." Raven said and a silence fell between them as she ate. "Drake is my lover, boyfriend, whatever you call it and the 100 partially respect me because of my relationship with him. Mostly they respect me because I can put a bomb together with a piece of string and duct tape." Raven said lowly and Kane nodded slowly as he took the hint and promised himself that he would never bring up Finn to Raven ever again.

"I apologize. I didn't mean to cause you any discomfort." Kane said with remorse but Raven simply laid the plate down and folded her hands over her lap.

"To answer your question Councilor." Raven said pointedly. "The Grounders are smart. They only attacked us in a straight up fight because they didn't know what we could do and because they panicked when the Ark came down. I'm sure if they had known our capabilities they would have attacked differently and we would not be talking to each other right now. As for how they fight? Viciously. Brutally. Efficiently. They've been raised on war and each one of their warriors could kill at least two Arkers for one of their own. The 100 stand a little bit more of chance since Drake taught us how to fight." Raven smirked and Kane nodded as he had seen the small group of 100 spar in a small area away from camp. "Now if you excuse me; I need to try and get our communications up and running so that we can contact Thelonious." Raven said and pointed toward the door apologetically.

It was only when the doors shut behind him did Kane realized he hadn't gotten any new information from what the other 100 members had said. As he walked down the hallway he found himself wondering once more about Drake Knight, the one the 100 call the Orphan King. Suddenly Kane heard a gunshot and he quickly sprinted for the exit.

As he rushed out he saw a number of people running for the perimeter to see what was going on. Thankfully when he arrived the group of ten boys and girls from the 100 had kept the Arkers from going to close to the source of the gun shot. Kane fought through the crowd and approached the startled civilian who to his surprise had a rifle in his hands.

"Who was there? How many? What did they look like?" Kane asked and he was immediately joined by Abby, Jake, and Raven.

"I don't know! I'm sure I saw something!" The civilian said excitedly.

"You opened fired?" Abby asked and they turned toward her. "That could've been one of the kids!" Abby screamed out and the civilian at least had the decency to look ashamed.

Without warning though Raven, who had arrived shortly after Kane stepped forward and placed a hand on the civilian's chest and locked her ankle behind his own and threw the helpless man to the ground roughly. One of the 100 grabbed the fallen rifle and quickly put the safety on, ejected the magazine and cleared the barrel with a swift pull of the bolt sending the bullet spinning into the air.

"You fucking moron! Do you even realize that could have been Drake!" Raven scolded the wheezing man.

"Raven!" Jake yelled out causing her to round on him.

"Who the hell gave him a gun?!" She shouted as she pointed at the man who finally had his wits about him.

"Who gave you the right to attack a civilian?" A blonde headed guard woman said aggressively toward the young brunette.

"Enough!" Kane shouted breaking up the tense atmosphere. "Who issued this man a weapon?" Kane asked and the Guard woman stood straight and looked at Kane.

"I did sir." She answered and Kane looked back the boy from the 100 who held the gun and the magazine toward him and Kane took it before shoving it into the guard woman's chest.

"From now on only members of the guard get guns." Kane grounded out as Jake turned toward the crowd.

"Unauthorized use of firearms will be a felony under the Exodus Charter." Jake said and the Arkers gathered around nodded understandingly. "Alright. Everyone back to work. We need this fence up." Jake said as the crowd dispersed.

Kane turned toward the 100 getting ready to file out on Raven's orders.

"Hold it! Where do you think you're going?!" Kane asked and Raven turned toward him angrily.

"You're not trained for this. Leave it to us." Raven said as she made to move but was quickly stopped as Kane grabbed her arm.

"No! The 100 stay here." Kane said and Raven looked from his hand to his face and he felt her measure him. "The guard will search the woods." He whispered.

"Get your hand off me now Kane." Raven hissed out and Abby swiftly walked over.

"Raven. Stop and look at where you are." Abby said and Raven looked up to see twenty guards with guns at the ready. "The Guard can handle it." Abby tried to reassure her and to her surprise Raven glared at her for what seemed like an eternity before Raven turned toward the 100 and nodded her head back to camp and quietly they obeyed her order.

"Guns level the playing field at a distance. Close up. Knife fighting distance, any Grounder will split you from your neck to your belly." Raven felt the words of Drake pour out of her mouth as she looked up at the now slightly off put guards. "Good luck." Raven said evenly as she pulled away from Kane and walked back into camp.

Without a word Kane looked at the self-assured blonde guard and nodded and she quickly gave orders for her fellow guards to follow her.

"Kane." Jake called out toward the Councilor and obediently Kane walked over toward Jake and stepped next to him as Jake surveyed their in-progress electric fence. "Have you found out anything about the Grounders? Anything new?" Jake asked and Kane shook his head regretfully.

"All I know is what I already told you. Drake is making peace talks with them that is if he's still alive. The 100 have told me what I wanted to know about the Grounders but it feels like they're holding back." Kane explained with a sigh.

"I need progress." Jake said angrily.

"Listen Jake…I know you want to find your daughter but we don't have enough to go on and I can't send the guard out into the woods blind." Kane stressed and Jake sighed.

"I know…I know. Just do what you can Kane." Jake said as he waved a hand in dismissal and Kane nodded before walking off in hopes of talking with Raven once more.

As he walked into the makeshift workshop he found no one there. He stepped inside to examine more closely but paused as a voice froze him in place.

"You treat us like children." Raven said coldly from behind him and Kane turned to see the young woman leaning against the doorway, he hadn't even heard her.

"Because you are. Just because we're on the Ground doesn't change that." Kane said stubbornly.

"It does. After what we went through, what Drake taught us, we sure as hell aren't children anymore." Raven said as she stood up and pushed past Kane and sat at her work bench.

"Everyone from the 100 talks about Drake like he's the God damn messiah! Some perfect being! I remember him as a skinny kid who pushed too hard for his own good." Kane said angrily.

"Maybe he was like that then but now he's different. He's done the impossible over and over again. You'll understand once you see him for yourself." Raven said cryptically and Kane roared in frustration as he knocked over a chair.

"Enough with this vague bull shit! Tell me! Explain to me why the 100 follow Drake so willingly! Tell me why they won't answer to reason! Tell me what makes Drake fucking Knight so special!" Kane finished as he panted heavily.

"Are you done?" Raven asked as she fiddled with a screw driver in her hand.

"Yeah." Kane said tiredly as he picked up the fallen stool, righted it, and sat down on it. "I'm done." Kane said defeated.

"Good. Then I'll tell you all you want to know." Raven said nearly causing Kane's neck to snap as he looked up in surprise. "Well, what do you want to know?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Everything. Everything that's happened since you went to the Ground." Kane said eagerly and Raven nodded as she took a deep breath.

***At the Drop Ship***

Bellamy quickly looked up from the post he had just buried as a guard called out a warning. Swiftly he climbed up the wooden rungs of a guard tower and looked to see five people stumble from the tree line. To his relief he saw Atom leading them and quickly climbed down the ladder and made his way out of the gates where the 100 gathered amongst their missing friends.

"Atom!" Bellamy called out and the tired looking teen smiled gratefully as he hugged the older boy.

"Bellamy. Man…I thought we'd never see you, any of you again." Atom said with a grateful smile.

"Where's Octavia? Lincoln? The others?" Bellamy asked and Atom shook his head.

"We were attacked. Grounders but not the usual ones. The ones like Lincoln. These ones were brutal, fast and disfigured. They wore red. They killed…they killed the others but they captured us five and Lincoln. Octavia, she got away. Charlotte is tracking her down." Atom explained and although it didn't ease the fear in Bellamy he knew that if Charlotte was tracking something she would find it.

"Where's Drake? The others?" Atom said as he looked around before a sad look from Bellamy caught his attention.

"We won. We lost a few but most of us survived the battle. Drake did it. He saved us. Then the Mountain Men showed up and took half of us." Bellamy paused as Atom grabbed the front of his shirt.

"Holly! Where is she?!" Atom asked desperately as Bellamy looked him in the eyes.

"Taken." Bellamy answered and Atom collapsed as he found his knees couldn't support him any longer.

"I-oh-God! Holly!" Atom broke down as tears filled his eyes and the sympathetic 100 looked quietly at the broken teen in front of them.

"Hey!" Bellamy called out as he knelled by the crying boy and grabbed his shoulders. "Don't worry. Drake is trying to secure a peace with the Grounders. When he does we'll have one less problem to worry about and then we'll find Holly. We'll find Clarke. We'll find Miller and the rest of the 100 and bring them home." Bellamy said resolutely as Atom wiped the tears from his eyes.

"Bellamy…do you think Drake can do this? That we can do this?" Atom asked as he searched the older boy's eyes.

"This is Drake Knight and the 100 we're talking about." Bellamy said with a chuckle as he stood up and offered his hand to Atom. "Of course we fucking can!" He said confidently as Atom grinned and took his hand before Bellamy pulled him to his feet.

"Of course we fucking can!" Atom repeated regaining his hope and the 100 joined in as they too felt their spirits renewed.

"Come on. We still have work to do." Bellamy said and the 100 moved toward the Drop Ship with a new pep in their step.

***Mt. Weather***

The 100 played in their living area. At least that's what they wanted the people monitoring the camera to believe. Pillows were thrown full of items smuggled every ten minutes or so into their living area. Clarke sat and watched happily and smiled at Miller who sat down and placed an arm around her shoulder and leaned into her ear.

"Clarke…I found something." Miller whispered and Clarke leaned pushed herself closer against him.

"What?" She whispered back.

"It's-" Before he could finish alarms went off and the 100 quickly scrambled around their living room.

"What the hell is that?" Jasper yelled out as the painfully loud alarm rang in their ears as a young woman walked into the room.

"Please do not panic. One of our surface patrols just came back and they have wounded. Please just remain calm." The young woman said and Clarke nodded at Miller who took the hint and palmed her one of the access cards they had taken off a guard. With access key in hand Clarke jumped off the mattress and breezed past the woman and ran out.

If they were bringing someone wounded back it could be one of the 100 or even an Ark Survivor. All she knew was that they would be heading to Level 3. She quickly swiped the I.D badge and threw herself into the elevator before pressing the 3 button and felt the elevator move as it took her up. She simply followed the chaos shadowing the Mountain Men personal and watched as they filed into the room and shut the door and locked it. Carefully Clarke made her way over to the view port and while it offered little visibility Clarke could see the soldiers wound…it was a gun shot. Suddenly she heard the sound of footsteps and backed away into a dark corner. She watched as two doctors escorted a badly burnt man in soldier fatigues toward another locked room nearby and open it before escorting the soldier inside.

She swiftly approached the view port and saw a large room with dozens of medical machines lining the area. The doctors quickly laid the soldier onto a bed and pulled the shirt off to reveal a small value surgically implanted into the soldiers chest. Clarke watched curiously as red liquid was pulled from the machine and fed into the badly burned soldier and then sucked out by another tube. She had read about this in ancient medical texts that had been saved on her mother's data pad. Blood transfusion…they were giving him a blood transfusion. With that revelation she stepped away and quickly found a stair way that led back toward Level 4. Maybe what Miller wanted to say had something to do with what she had seen. She skirted any guard patrols and random civilians as she made her back to the 100's living quarters.

"Clarke! We've been looking for you!" The same young woman who had told them of the situation said as she approached the 100 leader.

"Ah! Sorry…loud noises…they scare me. I was hiding in a broom closet and I got lost when I tried to find my way back." Clarke said apologetically and the woman nodded with a sympathetic smile.

"It's okay dear. Lord knows what you went through up there. But you're safe now. Please. Follow me and I'll take you back to your friends." The woman said with a happy smile and Clarke nodded appreciatively as she followed the woman down a few more twists and turns before stopping before the 100's room.

"Thank you." Clarke said gratefully and the woman nodded before walking away.

Clarke went into the room and found the 100 listening to the radio and messing around. Quickly her eyes fell on Miller who laid on his bed and she walked over to him and laid down with him halfway draping herself over his body.

"You know I may be gay but this is taking things a little far. Even for me." Miller said as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Appearances Miller. That's what this is for." Clarke said as she pressed herself closer. "I saw something. There was a dead soldier. Shot dead. There was also a badly burned soldier, he looked like he was suffering from radiation burns. The doctors took him to a medical ward and hooked him up to a machine." Clarke informed him.

"So?" Miller asked.

"It's a blood transfusion machine." Clarke informed him and Miller pulled her tighter and Clarke leaned in so that his mouth was near her ear.

"Clarke. They have Grounders here." Miller whispered and Clarke froze against him. "Live Grounders. I saw them bringing them in when I was looking for more exits. I didn't know what they were doing here but this makes sense. You said the Mountain Men can't survive the radiation on the surface and we can because we and the Grounders can process the excess radiation faster than they can. What if they're taking Grounder Blood and using it for themselves?" Miller asked as the pieces began to fall into Clarke's head.

"They all have tiny valves on their chest. They all get blood transfusions on a daily basis or when the radiation gets too bad. There's no way they could have stores of blood just lying around after nearly a century. They need the Grounders to keep them alive." Clarke whispered.

"What do they plan to do to us?" Miller asked and Clarke found herself wondering the same thing.

***On the Go-Sci Ring***

Jaha was fairly certain he would survive. As the missile launched from the last station from the Ark he wasn't as certain as a second ago.

***On the Ground***

Anya woke with a soft groan and pressed herself tighter to the warm body lying next to her. Through tired eyelids she saw Drake, her husband she thought to herself, snoring softly and she smiled contently. Last night was good, great even, and her body ached in the best way possible in agreement. Absently mindedly she gently trailed her hand over his body and she was pleased as goosebumps formed on his skin. Anya focused on his face and once more was struck by the youthful visage of her beloved.

Suddenly a thought struck her, exactly how old was Drake Knight? It was odd that she had never even questioned it as he always carried himself in a way that spoke maturity. It was surprising that when she thought back on her interactions with Drake she found she knew so little about him it was nearly laughable that they were married now. Although if anyone had told her three months ago that she would be married to a man that came from the sky she would have killed and burned them just in case their disease spread. Now, here she was in the arms of the man…boy? Man? And suddenly her thoughts were in turmoil once more and one thought was clear to her at that moment, damn Drake Knight.

"Hey." Drake's sleepy voice brought her out of her musings.

"How old are you?" Anya found herself asking and Drake peered at her curiously.

"What?" He chuckled and Anya swiftly jabbed her elbow into his ribs as she grew frustrated. "OW! Alright! Easy. I'm sixteen summers." Drake answered in terms she would understand and grew concerned as Anya's facial expression grew sullen.

"Hey…what's wrong?" He asked as he placed a finger under her chin and gently raised it upward so she could look at him.

"I am twenty three summers…"Anya admitted.

"So?" Drake asked as Anya looked away once more.

"Am I too old for you?" She asked and Drake smiled understandingly as he pulled her closer and buried his face in her hair.

"No." He spoke as he kissed the top of her head. "Of course not. Besides isn't it a little late to be worried about that sort of thing?" Drake said with a slight laugh as he felt her hesitantly relax in his embrace.

Anya felt herself ease as she listened to his words. To be honest she had no idea she had such insecurities lying in her heart. She had always been in control when it came to her sexual encounters. It was just a way to ease the natural build up and meant little else to her so she had no reason to worry about frivolous things like that. Being with Drake did something to her though that made her feel different, he made her feel womanly. She felt soft and she wasn't sure she liked it. But she couldn't deny that his affirmation meant something to her. It felt good and she wanted him to feel good as well. Anya leaned down began kissing his chest as she pulled herself on top of him once more.

"Anya…"Drake groaned out as she nipped at his skin and he relaxed as she gently grasped him and began stroking him.

Before they could go further there was a noise at the entrance of their tent and they both looked to see a silhouetted figure against the entrance.

"The Commander wishes to speak with the two of you." Was the gruff voice of Gustus and the shadow moved away accompanied by the crunching of gravel under his boots.

"Damn it." Drake moved to get up only for Anya to push him back down and leaned downward toward his ear.

"We can do it quickly." Anya whispered huskily as she bit his ear, as sore as she was she felt the familiar heat of desire building in her.

"You and I both know I don't do quickly." Drake groaned out and Anya pulled back disappointed but she nodded in understanding.

Drake had amazing stamina and endurance which he demonstrated over and over again the night before. Anya knew that if they started something now Lexa wouldn't see them until midday was burning into late afternoon. Any worries that Drake would not be able to satisfy her and his two lovers was quickly swept away and admittedly she didn't know if her body could handle a night like before so shortly afterward. No wonder Clarke had involved Raven Anya thought to herself as she reluctantly pulled away from Drake.

Both of them pulled on their clothes each making no effort to hide their gazes from each other and as soon as they were ready exited the tent together. After a brief period of adjustment they found that the Trikru were already up and about going about their lives. Gustus stood head and shoulders above nearly everyone else and waved them over to a less ornate tent. Together they approached and the Trikru willingly bent around them as they made their way to the tent and with Gustus ushering entered the tent to find Lexa and a Trikru member covered in sweat and soot were softy talking. The heat inside the tent was almost unbearable but none of the occupants said anything as they stood before Lexa.

"Drake, after last night you are recognized as part of the Trikru." Lexa intoned as the Trikru man handed her a sword in its sheath. "Let this sword symbolize our peace and the bonds that have been forged." She stated as she held out the weapon and humbly Drake stepped forward with his head lowered and grasped the sword with both hands.

"Thank you Commander. I hope that the relationship between the Trikru and the Sky People are fruitful and only continues to grow closer as the time passes." Drake said gratefully as he stepped back and quickly held it to his side in a nonthreatening manner.

"Yes. Hopefully our futures only grow brighter together as well as with your marriage." Lexa stated as she noticed the closeness of the two. "Now I assume you'll be heading back to your people." She stated and Drake nodded with some regret.

"Unfortunately, as much as I would like to stay with Anya I have responsibilities, duties to my people." Drake said looking sadly at Anya whose only reaction was her eyes slightly casted downward betraying how deeply she felt at the news. "I know you have need of her and although it pains me to part ways…life is not kind." Drake said simply with a sullen sigh.

"Indeed it is not but fortunately for you I am." Lexa said with a gentle smile as the two looked at her surprised. "Anya, for now Gustus will tend to your duties and marshal our forces in Trikru territory." She explained and Anya stepped forward.

"But it is my responsibility. My duty-" Anya said before being cut off with a raised hand from Lexa.

"No. Your new orders are to return with Drake to the Sky People. I want you to learn of your husband's people and in turn teach Drake about ours. You will be our ambassador. That is the role I have assigned you." Lexa said with authority and Anya nodded in acceptance.

Despite her mixed feelings Anya was glad for the assignment. It would give her time to get to know more about her husband and also fulfill the promise she had made to him. She would stay be with him when the time came.

"You both may go with my blessing." Lexa stated clearly dismissing the two and they both nodded in appreciation before exiting the tent.

As they went back to Anya's tent both had their own thoughts on what had just happened but neither of them could deny that they felt happy about the meeting. After entering their tent neither of them spoke as they gathered their pack's and weapons. As Drake fitted his reclaimed weapons back into their hiding placed Anya approached him the side and grabbed the sword Lexa had given to him.

"Not planning on killing me are you?" Drake asked as he looked at her from the corner of his eye.

"I have not made up my mind." Anya said stoically as neither her facial features or voice indicated she felt anything about it either way.

"Would it help if I said that the next time we lay close I'll do that thing with my tongue that you love so much?" Drake asked with a mischievous smirk and Anya did her best to keep her composure but a soft blush betrayed her thoughts.

Roughly Anya pulled him toward her and tied the sword to his waist.

"You will pay for that." Anya growled out dangerously. "After all you're looking at your new sword instructor. I saw you fight with Gustus's sword yesterday. It was pitiful, a disgrace. I will not have you dishonor me with such poor swordsmanship." She said scathingly and Drake actually looked slightly afraid of her words.

"Go easy on me." Drake begged and a foxy grin appeared on Anya's lips.

"Never." She said as she suddenly shoved her hand in his hair and yanked him painfully forward and brought him nearly as close as last night.

A growl emanated from Drake's throat and Anya found it rang pleasurably through her ears and she felt excitement burn warmly in her heart as her eyes dared him to do something. Once more a rap on the side of their tent stopped them and they both looked to the entrance and quickly separated as Indra, the female warrior from yesterday entered.

"Indra." Anya greeted and Drake simply stood silent.

"News." Indra grunted before she looked at Drake. "We found one of yours on the outskirts. A girl wounded from a Reaper's blade." She informed him.

"Take me too her." Drake said urgently and Indra nodded and exited the tent.

Both of them steeled themselves as they exited the tent once more not knowing when they'd return.

***On the Outskirts of the Trikru Settlement***

Octavia awoke near a stone monument and found Charlotte standing over her.

"She's awake!" Charlotte called out causing Octavia to moan in pain as the sharp voice caused a migraine to build in her head.

Lethargically, Octavia looked around to see a large Grounder man walk over from a campfire and hold a cup to her lips. Weakly she tried to fend it off before a firm hand grabbed her shoulder.

"Relax. He's here to help." A familiar voice spoke comfortingly.

"Drake?" Octavia said through numb lips.

"Yeah. Now drink stupid." Drake ordered as the Grounder raised the cup to her lips and she drank deeply the bitter liquid from the cup.

"Where am I? What happened?" Octavia gasped out as the cup was pulled away.

"On the outskirts of Lincoln's home. As for what happened, you look like you were injured. I was on my way back to the Drop Ship with Anya when I was told they had found an injured Sky Person. I was led here to find you and Charlotte showed up soon after." Drake explained. "The man who helped you is Nyko. He's one of Lincoln's friends. Thank you for your help." Drake thanked the burly healer and he nodded in acceptance.

"Lincoln!" Octavia shouted she remembered why she had run here in the first place.

"He's gone. The Reapers took him." Drake said gravely as he held the young girl down.

"No…no. He can't be gone." Octavia denied as she struggled harder.

"The tracks led into the tunnels. Into the caves. I followed as deep as I could but I couldn't find him." Charlotte whispered and finally Octavia gave up and laid crying on the ground.

"I'm sorry Octavia. I'm sorry." Drake whispered as he pulled the crying girl in his arms. "We have to go." Drake said as he pulled her up.

Drake quickly pulled the crying girl closer to him and he was grateful that Anya had taken her other arm and decided to help. Charlotte quickly took off to scout and make sure their path was clear. They were half a day away from the Drop Ship. Hopefully the survivors from the Ark had made contact with Bellamy and the surviving 100. He had news to share.

***At the Drop Ship***

Bellamy nearly jumped off the guard tower as he spotted Drake and the Grounder Leader with Octavia draped between them as Charlotte trailed slowly behind them in case of an attack from behind.

"Drake's back!" Bellamy called out happily and the 100 quickly dropped what they were doing to meet their young King.

Bellamy reached them first and gathered his wounded sister in his arms as he felt tears fall down his face.

"Bellamy." Octavia said weakly.

"I thought I'd lost you when Atom told me you had been attacked by a new group of Grounders." Bellamy said honestly as he held her tightly.

"Reapers. It's what we call them." Anya informed the crying boy and Bellamy looked up shocked as he had remembered that she was here.

"Drake…what is she doing here?" Bellamy asked and the 100 behind him nodded in sentiment as they too wondered the same thing.

"I'll answer that as soon as we get inside." Drake said as he helped Bellamy and Octavia up. "Where's Raven?" Drake asked.

"You were right. The day you left Councilor Kane and Dr. Griffin arrived with thirty people. Guards, engineers and doctors. They tried to get us to go back with them to Mecha Station that fell nearby." Bellamy grunted as he explained. "You're heavy." He said to his sister who simply butted her head weakly against his arm.

"Fuck you." Octavia said causing both Bellamy and Drake to laugh.

"I assume you told them about everything and told them to fuck off." Drake said as they entered the Camp.

"I used more words but yeah. I sent ten of our people including Raven to Mecha Station. I figured she would get medical treatment there then she could here." Bellamy said worried about what Drake would say but as they entered the Drop Ship Drake and laid Octavia down to rest he simply nodded.

"Good thinking." Drake said as he placed a hand on Bellamy's shoulder and Bellamy nodded trying his best not to let his relief show.

"Drake, you still haven't answered my question. What is the Grounder woman doing here?" Bellamy asked and Drake looked outside where the 100 stood and then at Anya who looked impassively over them all.

"Come on. I'll tell it to you at the same time I tell the others so I don't have to repeat myself." Drake said as he and Bellamy went outside and stood in front of the assembled 100.

Drake was keenly aware of their questioning gaze and was glad when he heard Anya step next to him.

"As of last night we have peace with the Trikru, the Grounders of this area." Drake announced and the 100 nearly jumped in joy but instead cheered, but were quickly silenced with a wave of Drake's arm.

"What did you offer them?" Bellamy asked, pragmatic as always and Drake nodded.

"In return for peace we must pay tribute in the form of medical help, food, and provide shelter to the Trikru if there is ever a need." Drake trailed off not sure how to continue and the 100 waited in baited breathe before Drake nodded to himself. "In order to cement the peace I was required to marry Anya." Drake said as he waved a hand to the warrior woman who stared impassively at the 100.

Before they could voice their opinions Drake took a step forward and narrowed his gaze at them.

"Do not assume I married Anya lightly. As far as each of you are concerned I love her just as much as Raven or Clarke. Now you know what I would do for both of them. If anyone speaks discouragingly or steps out of line they will be met with punishment just as much as if you were going against me. I have given Anya the authority to deal out punishment as needed. I will not tolerate any disrespect toward her. As of right now if she speaks it is with my authority." Drake warned them but it was unneeded as the 100 nodded respectfully at the two of them.

In this aspect did Drake himself, underestimate the 100's loyalty toward him. The 100 would follow their leader no matter what. While the announcement of the marriage was a shock to all of them they would protect Anya just as much as if it were Clarke or Raven. With that out of the way Drake surveyed the nearly finished camp.

"Nice work." Drake said and the 100 cheered at his rare praise.

***Mt. Weather***

"How did this happen?" Dr. Tsing asked as she examined the wound on Clarke's arm.

"It was stupid. I was grabbing my pillow off my bunk and cut my arm on the side of it bunk frame" Clarke hissed out as the doctor applied alcohol to it.

"Alright. Well, you'll need to rest for a little bit before you can go. I'll be back in a couple of hours. Please, try to relax." Dr. Tsing requested as she stepped away from Clarke and exited the medical ward.

Clarke watched as the door closed. Quickly she jumped off the bed before walking over to the recovering soldier a few beds from her. He was still unconscious but as she approached she noticed the horrific burns he had a few hours ago had already healed almost fully. This should not be possible. Clarke pulled away the top part of the soldiers hospital gown and watched that indeed blood was being inject and taken out. She quickly fixed the gown and followed the red colored lines into the machine and she saw that it was being fed through metal pipes. She followed them until they disappeared into the wall.

Clarke tried the door but found that it was locked and that she'd need an I.D for it. Quickly she looked around before she finally saw an air vent near the ground. With a little work she managed to pry it open before crawling inside. It wasn't long before she circumvented the metal door and she pushed the air grate free. Cautiously she pulled herself through and found that she had entered a dark room illuminated by the bare minimum amount of light.

As her eyes adjusted she struggled not to scream as she saw two Grounders being held upside down with tubes stretched along their bodies. Their assumption was right. The Mountain Men are draining the Grounders. Suddenly tired moans caught her attention and as she walked around the two unconscious grounders she found that it wasn't just this room. Further down was a large cylinder shaped area full of Grounders all locked up in cages, all drained and worn from their treatment.

"You! I know you!" A young girl's voice called out and Clarke swiftly located a young girl who waved at her weakly from her cage nearby.

"Who are you?" Clarke asked as she kneeled by the girl.

"Tris. I was there at the battle. Anya told me to hide so I did." Tris said bitterly with a shamed expression on her face. "The Mountain Men found me. Brought me here." Tris explained tiredly as she weakly laid her head against the cage.

"I'm going to get you out of here." Clarke said hurriedly as she ran back to find something to break the lock.

After looking around she found a rusted pipe and she quickly grabbed on to it and with surprising ease yanked it out. With pipe in hand she rushed over to the cage and shoved the pipe between the body of the lock and the cage itself. With a grunt of effort the nearly century old lock finally gave up and opened for the blonde girl. Suddenly another door that entered the room squeaked open and Clarke pushed the tired girl back into her cage and followed suit.

It was Dr. Tsing and Clarke eyes narrowed as she looked at the Grounders in cages with disgust before grabbing a few blood packets from a nearby refrigeration unit. While Clarke didn't personally like them, the Grounders were still humans. They were not animals to be stuck in cages and used as blood bags. On the Ark they did many morally questionable things, yes, but they never did anything like this. A vicious fury was built in her chest and she struggled to restrain herself from getting out of the cage and killing the doctor, still Drake's words comforted her.

"Patience." She whispered to herself and unbeknownst to her Tris nodded as she looked up at her blonde haired savior.

Without further incident Dr. Tsing walked out and Clarke turned toward Tris.

"Come on." Clarke whispered as she pulled Tris from the cage and helped her up.

Clarke saw a rusted door and read the sign which stated end of contaminated area and nodded to herself as she pulled it open and closed it behind her. To her surprise however, instead of an exit it was simply a small room with a metal grates on the floor.

"What is this?" Tris asked.

"I don't-"Clarke's answer quickly turned into a scream as she and Tris were dropped into a chute and slid down on a metal ramp before landing heavily into a metal bin.

Moans surrounded them and Clarke couldn't stop swearing as she found that they had landed on bodies some alive but mostly dead. She felt a hand on her mouth and looked up to see Tris crouched over her with a single finger against her lips and Clarke nodded in understanding as they both took stock of where they were at.

"We have to get out of here." Tris said and Clarke agreed as the two pulled themselves over the cart and fell heavily onto the ground.

Slowly they picked themselves up and found numerous articles of clothing all over the ground.

"This must be where they dump things. But why?" Clarke asked herself before shaking her head. "Come on. Salvage what you can." She ordered and the younger girl nodded as they grabbed clothes but to their disappointment no weapons.

"Stop!" Tris whispered and Clarke to where she was pointing and saw light coming around the corner.

"Who are they?" Clarke asked and she saw that the girl was visibly shaking with her eyes opened in fear.

"Reapers. We need to hide now." Tris said urgently and the girl grabbed Clarke's arm and pulled her toward a nearby cart and both of them tossed themselves inside and landed heavily onto the metal bottom.

Harsh guttural voices rang out clearly now as the Reapers need and poorly constructed torches illuminated the area a little darker. Suddenly a body landed on them but thankfully both of them kept quiet knowing that if they were found it would be a fate worse than death. The bodies fell one after the other but after the fifth one they stopped coming. Clarke's relief was instantly blown away as she heard a grunt of exertion and the cart they were in began to move.

Clarke caught Tris's eyes and they both nodded as they realized they were in this together. If they were going to die they were going to die fighting. They let the thought of that seep into their minds before the cart came to an abrupt stop. Silent and still they felt the Reapers pull the bodies out of the cart until it was only them and one more male Grounder left. Suddenly they heard a man scream and Clarke cautiously lifted herself up before peeking over the lip of the cart. To her surprise she saw the Reapers tear into the still living man's body and to her horror saw them begin to feast on his flesh. It was an image that she was sure would be stuck in her head.

"We need to go." Clarke turned to see Tris hovering over the barely breathing Grounder and watched as the young girl clamped her hands firmly on the man's nose and mouth.

After the deed was done Clarke shook the girl and she nodded as they climbed over and dropped softly to the floor with their clothes in hand. Before they could be spotted they swiftly took off in the other direction far away from the horrors happening behind them.

***Camp Jaha***

"Major Byrne." Kane called out toward the blonde haired guard and she quickly made her way over to him.

"Sir?" She asked and Kane grew silent as he watched the 100 spar nearby.

"What do you think of the 100?" He asked as he gestured to the boys and girls as they fought hand to hand with each other with brutal efficiency.

"Permission to speak freely Sir?" She asked and Kane nodded. "They're almost savages themselves. Since yesterday there have been problems. Especially with Raven Reyes." Major Byrne said and Kane raised an eyebrow as he noticed the Major wanted to say something else.

"Spit it out Major." Kane said and the blonde guard nodded.

"They need to be brought back into line. They have their own way of doing things and people are starting to question who is really in charge here. Us, Chancellor Jake, you, the Guard or them." Major Byrne said as she looked at Raven who walked over to the training 100 and began giving instructions.

"We need them." Kane said as the 100 with Raven at the lead led the 100 somewhere.

"Sir. We need order. Right now they are causing chaos. We need to stop them before people start getting out of control." Major Byrne said angrily and Kane rounded on her.

"And what do you think we should do Major?" Kane asked as he rounded on her. "On the Ark we were ruthless, we had to be, and our hand was always forced. Down here we can start over. Make something better." Kane finished and the Major looked at him defiantly.

"And I hope that day will come sir…but if we lose control of this camp, and we're on the knife's edge already, we won't live long enough to have that chance." The Major cut off as she held the ear piece to head.

"A patrol is coming in. They say…they say they're bringing in Drake Knight and a Grounder Woman." The Major said and both she and Kane quickly sprinted toward the front of the camp where a crowd was already forming with the 100 and Raven at the lead.

***POV CHANGE***

It was a five man patrol that they had found and it took a little convincing but Drake managed to have them bring both he and Anya to Mecha Station albeit with zip ties around their hands and their possessions taken from them. Anya looked at him in annoyance but he simply shrugged apologetically as they broke through the tree line and saw for the first time the large station on the ground. Large metal support beams and thin wires created a fence which Drake assumed was electric. Smart. If only he had had the same resources. This was it though. Finally, after nearly a year on the Ground Drake was finally going to be reunited with the Ark and with him he carried good news.

As they approached the gate Drake nearly felt his heart leap out of his chest as he saw Raven waiting with the rest of the 100 who had formed a protective circle around her so that the crowd didn't push into her. As the distance closed Raven's face changed from happiness to confusion to rage as she noticed he was tied up and ever the fire brand she stepped toward the lead guard.

"What are you doing!? Untie him now!" Raven shouted out protectively.

"Ma'am it is procedure. Please step back with the others." The guard grounded out.

"No! Let him go! He's done nothing wrong!" Raven said as she shoved the guard.

"Raven! Stop! It's alright!" Drake called out to her but his voice was lost in the shouting of the crowd.

Suddenly Drake heard a gunshot and the whole world turned red as he watched Raven fall clutching at her stomach. With a roar of rage he quickly kicked the guard in the back of his knee causing him to fall and slammed his fists into the man's head knocking him down as he ran toward the downed girl.

"Raven!" Drake cried out as he placed his hand over the wound.

"Oh God. Can't a girl catch a break?" Raven chuckled as she tried to make light of it but quickly found herself coughing up blood.

"Hey, hey, hey. Stay with me…you can't die. No. No." Drake said as leaned his forehead down and placed it against her own. "Come on. Come on." He whispered over again as he felt hands pull him away.

Numbly he watched as Abby arrived and looked over the scene.

"Get her to medical now!" Abby ordered and the 100 quickly grabbed Raven and carried her toward the Station.

"What the hell happened?!" Kane roared at the recovering guard who had shot Raven.

"She…she was in my face. I told her to back away! The gun…it just went off." The kneeling guard Drake had knocked down stammered before Drake's foot slammed against his face sending the guard into the dirt before Drake continued to kick him with his feet.

"Major Byrne!" Kane shouted and the guard quickly approached the enraged boy and unfurled her shock baton before slamming it across his shoulders.

To their surprise; however, Drake roared in pain before turning his fury on the Major. With a quick lash of his foot he kicked the Byrne in the stomach causing her to double over and then slammed his knee into her face knocking her flat on her back. Drake quickly grabbed the down woman's pistol and pointed it the male guard who had shot Raven.

"Drake stop!" Kane ordered and Drake looked up to see the guards leveling their guns at him but to his surprise Drake simply spat on the dirt and readied himself to keep fighting.

"Drake." The Grounder woman called out and finally to Kane's relief the rage that filled the boy's eyes seemed to clear and Drake finally brought himself under control and stood up straight as he looked at Kane.

"If Raven dies I won't next time." He threatened as he dropped the gun and two guards grabbed him roughly by his shoulders.

"Take him and the woman to the holding cells. If the 100 begin to act out do the same." Kane ordered and the guards quickly grabbed the two and did as they were told.

"Sir! This is what I'm talking about!" Major Byrne yelled out as she pushed herself off the ground.

"And what do you suggest we do? Drake is the 100's leader. He and Raven are deeply respected by them. If they find out what happened here they will revolt." Kane said as the Major spat blood out of her mouth.

"He attacked two guards. Under the Exodus Charter he needs to be punished. Ten shocklashes for each count." Byrne said angrily.

"That will make things worse." Kane said and Byrne scoffed.

"We need to cut this off while we still can. If we can get their leader to submit the 100 will submit as well. If you don't do this the rest of the people will revolt. There's already stirrings Kane." Byrne warned and Kane paused as he thought it over.

Part of him didn't want to resort to these measures but Kane had seen Drake. He was too unruly. Too dangerous to be let off a leash. Drake, he thought to himself, needed to realize that he wasn't the leader of anything anymore. They were down here now. The 100 needed to see that their impudence would not be tolerated anymore. Order. It was everything in space. Now…it would have to be reestablished on the ground.

"Set up the posts." Kane ordered and a self-satisfied smirk appeared on Byrne's face as she went off to do what he ordered.

Kane just hoped he wasn't making a mistake.

***Inside Mecha Station***

Drake stared silently at the door in front of him. His hands were covered in Raven's dried blood and he rubbed at it trying to wipe it off even though he knew it was futile as it simply flaked and cracked. Is this what he came down for? To be trapped and treated like a criminal once more by the very people he had succeeded in saving. Amongst so called civilization he was forced back into the role of a pariah. A child. It was unfair. It was unjust. He had been places, done things, killed and for what? To be back at square one? No. It wasn't all for that. All of it had to mean something more. Suddenly his musings were halted as the door to his room opened and Jake Griffin walked in with the Chancellor's pin on his collar.

"Moving up in the world?" Drake said bitterly and Jake found himself pitying the boy in front of him.

"Drake, you attacked a guard. Two of them." Jake whispered and Drake shot to his feet angrily.

"He shot Raven! I did what I had to do!" Drake gnashed angrily as two came in with stun batons but Jake held them off with a wave of his hand.

"No you didn't. You should have waited. We would have sorted it out and the guard would be punished accordingly. As for what happened with Raven it was an accident. Nothing more." Jake tried to assuage the boy but Drake simply shook his head as paced back and forth across the room like a caged animal. "You're going to be punished for attacking the guard. Twenty shocklashes." Jake said solemnly as Drake paused as he looked at Jake in calm fury.

"You have to do what you have to do." Drake said as he stood up straight. "But like I said. If Raven dies I will not stop next time. I'll burn this whole place down and salt the Earth. If anyone tries to stop me I'll kill them and leave their bodies to the open sky so that all can see clearly what happens to those who cross me. You think just because you're on the Ground that you've made it Jake? That you're safe?" Drake asked and Jake couldn't respond as Drake's very presence seemed to alert every nerve in his body of the dangers of the person standing in front of him. "There are more dangerous things out there than suffocating to death." Drake said ominously and Jake found himself scoffing as he looked at the child before him.

"Like yourself? You've delude yourself Drake. The Ark is on the ground now. Let the adults take over. If you had, then none of this would be needed. We have laws. Order. " Jake said with his nose turned upward. "You and the 100 have done enough. It's time to come back." Jake concluded as Drake looked down slowly.

"If you truly believe that then you know nothing. And an ignorant man is dangerous Jake." Drake spoke softly as he looked up and into Jake's eyes.

"And a boy who doesn't know his place isn't?" Jake asked as he stepped forward. "I'm fighting for the survival of our people Drake. You and the 100 are starting to get in the way of that." Jake said solidly causing Drake to chuckle.

"I've been doing that since day one. I kept your daughter alive Jake. I kept the 100 alive." Drake said back.

"And you let her be captured and taken." Jake said vindictively causing Drake's eyes to widen before narrowing.

"Is that what this is about? You blame me!" Drake said angrily and Jake found he had nothing to say to that and Drake simply shook his head before stepping back and stood loosely as he fixed his gaze on the silent Chancellor. "They say that the wrath of a man with nothing to lose is a dangerous man. A man who has someone precious taken away…well Jake…that man's wrath is fucking biblical. The Mountain Men will learn this. And after my punishment, if Raven doesn't survive, I'd advise you to run and take your Arkers with you. Run fast and run hard. Run until your bones grind to dust and your skin is burned off by the sun. And don't stop because if you do I'll find you." Drake warned and finally Jake nodded and the two guardsmen grabbed the teen and dragged him out of his cell.

Silently Jake hoped that what was about to happen would be worth it. That it would finally allow Drake to see how wrong he was and show the 100 that the Ark, that he, was the ultimate authority for their people on the Ground. They didn't need the children fighting their wars for them. Didn't need them fighting their battles.

With a firm nod Jake turned and walked out of the room set on the notion that what he was ordering, what was about to be done, was for the good of the people. They needed a united front against these…Mountain Men. He would get his daughter and the rest of the 100 back.

Drake allowed himself to be marched down the halls. If he truly wanted to he could kill the guards and leave. It wouldn't take much and he could retreat to the Drop Ship. But he needed to stay. Without the Arkers help, without Jake's help, he couldn't rescue the 100 from the Mountain Men. He couldn't rescue Clarke. This was necessary and he would do what he had to do. No matter what.

***In the Mines***

Clarke and Tris had managed to change into their salvaged clothes and had been running around for the last couple hours trying to find a way of the tunnels but with no success. Finally they took a break and Tris nearly collapsed as she leaned against a wall.

"What are they doing to us?" Tris asked as she struggled to regain her strength.

"They're using your blood to heal themselves. I saw a soldier come in with radiation burns and hours later he's nearly healed. I've never seen anything like it." Clarke gasped out. "We have to keep moving." Clarke urged and they both continued running.

Suddenly Tris grabbed Clarke's hand and urged her to look up ahead. There was a torch light coming their way. Quickly they turned around but a Reaper had walked out of an unknown passage way and spotted them. Before they even knew it they were surrounded.

"Tris, get behind me." Clarke said shakenly as she pushed the frightened girl behind her and raised her fist.

One of the bolder Reapers jumped at her and Clarke sent out a quick punch which snapped his head back and she took the opportunity to grab the knife at his belt and bring it upward and to the side so that the blade cut his throat. The surprised Reaper grabbed at his neck in shock as he fell over before quickly bleeding out. The remaining Reapers took stock of the blonde haired girl and found that she wasn't as weak as the other soft meat. Before anyone could do anything else a sudden high pitched wailing bounced off the walls and the Reapers hollered in pain as they retreated back into the tunnels.

"Get back! Get the hell away from her!" A Mountain Man shouted as he approached with a small device in his hand that emitted the sound.

Clarke looked behind her and found that Tris had already escaped and she hoped that she would make it as she felt one of the other Mountain Men grab her arm and began dragging her back in the direction she assumed was Mt. Weather.

***Mecha Station***

Drake wasn't surprised at the turn out for his punishment. The Arkers stood by along with the 100 who had guards standing vigil behind them in case the 100 decided to do anything rash. Still Drake was proud as they looked at him for directions but he shook his head and hesitantly they nodded in understanding. This wasn't the place for a fight. As the guards cleared a path through the crowd he saw Kane standing on a small patch of dirt with two wooden poles sticking out. Major Byrne was there, as he figured she would be after he beat the hell out of her. The whole crowd stood silent as they brought Drake to the posts.

"Remove his shirt." Kane ordered and the two guards lifted Drake's shirt over his head and as usual the crowd was stunned and gasped at the scars that covered his body.

Kane himself wondered how the hell Drake Knight could be even walking let alone be alive. His body seemed to be just one long patch of scarred flesh and yet Drake stood there like nothing was wrong. He couldn't imagine what the rest of his body looked like. To his surprise there was a fresh tattoo on his right shoulder and it seemed to match the same style the kids from the 100 described would be on a Grounder.

"Come on Kane. I have things to do." Drake bit out and Kane nodded hesitantly and Major Byrne approached the tortured teen and moved him toward the posts and began tying his arms.

Drake looked at the crowd and wasn't surprised to see the 100 nearly begging him for permission to save him but once more he shook his head no. This was his punishment, his alone. As the Major stepped to the side he could hear the humming of her shock baton as he watched Jake break through the crowd and turned to them.

"What happened earlier today to Raven was an accident. One that will not be repeated in the future and the guard is being reprimanded for negligence. However, Drake Knight's actions warrant punishment. I will not tolerate any attacks on the guard nor the breaking of our laws. Under the Exodus Charter Drake Knight's crimes are punishable by Shocklashes. Ten for each guard assaulted. Twenty in all." Jake announced to the horror of the crowd.

"Jake stop this!" Abby cried out and more than a few members of the crowd begged for mercy but Jake merely turned toward Drake.

"Do you have anything to say before we commence?" Jake asked.

"When this is over I expect you to release my wife. Bring her to me in medical along with my pack." Drake whispered coldly. "The Grounder Woman." Drake clarified and Jake found he could only nod at the sudden news and with that he stepped back.

"Proceed." Kane stated and Major Byrne tapped her shock baton against Drake's back causing him to shout in agony before she pulled it away.

"One." Kane counted as Major Byrne continued.

Drake said nothing as his body convulsed and he accepted the pain for what it was. Just pain. Drake simply took his mind somewhere else. Far away from Mecha station, far from the pain of the shock baton. No, he was in his tent watching Clarke sleep. A shock of pain ran through his mind and now he was watching Raven work over the radio and smiling at him with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. Another wave of pain sent him to this morning when he was buried in Anya's hair. Suddenly the last shock broke him from his thoughts and he found himself back at Mecha Station tied between two poles with his back on fire and covered in sweat and found himself trying to scream only to let out a series of coughs as he found his throat was ravaged by the screams from before. Dimly he noticed that Kane was looking at his own feet and an anger rose in Drake as forced himself to stand up on his tired legs and fix the Councilor with a harsh gaze.

"Kane!" Drake called out and Kane found that he had been looking at his feet and he steeled himself as he looked up at Drake once more. "You look at me. Don't you dare look away! I deserve more than that. I've bled for more than that!" Drake said angrily as he yanked against his bonds and Kane nodded for Major Byrne to proceed and she did.

By the thirteenth count Drake couldn't even muster up the strength to scream. By the sixteenth he found his body wouldn't respond to his will and he hung loosely from his bonds.

"Stop it! You're killing him!" Abby screamed out and the crowd agreed and surged forward to save the young teen but were pushed back by the guards.

Drake looked up through the sweat in his eyes and saw the 100 who stood silent and still while they burned the image of their leader into their heads. Abby's words had hit them hard and weighed heavily on the doubts in their mind. He could almost imagine what they must be thinking. Is this where Drake Knight falls? Not in some obscured dark corner on the Ark or in a hell hole on the Ground but here? After so many trials and countless hours of pain, would this be where the mighty Drake Knight is broken? With a weak chuckle he raised his head to the crowd and to their shock he planted his feet once more firmly beneath him.

"I'm not going to die." Drake challenged as he looked at Kane. "Continue." Drake ordered and Kane's eyes widened as Byrne hit him once more but this time despite the pain Drake stayed on his feet and stared forward.

A realization had come in the last few moments and it shamed him. He had taken the easy way out. He had tried to shut the pain out with his mind but that wasn't who he was. He was Drake Knight. The pain told him he was alive. It fueled the instinct to survive. It was a part of him as much as his own hands. Drake didn't run from the pain anymore as it flooded his body. He was here. He was present. He welcomed it like an old friend.

"Twenty." Kane finished mercifully as Drake groaned in agony but did not falter. "Release him. Take him to medical." He said quietly, and as Byrne untied his hands Kane knew he had made the wrong decision.

This was supposed to shock and awe people back into line, more specifically to put the 100 back in line, but as he watched Drake tiredly rub his bleeding wrists he knew that he and everyone else had been shocked and awed instead. This was what the 100 meant when they said wait and see. This was who Bellamy and Raven and the 100 had followed into war. Drake Knight, the scrawny orphan on the Ark with no possible future had become a near legendary figure and after today his fame had only grown. Drake brushed off the hands of the guards that tried to escort him and they were quickly replaced by the 100 who grabbed their leader and followed Abby as she urged them to follow her.

As for Drake the only thing on his mind was the safety of Raven. His feet felt sluggish but he forced them to follow his command as the 100 helped him to Medical. The bright light of the sun was replaced with the luminescent lighting as they brought him inside.

"Put him on here." Abby ordered but Drake pushed the 100 off him and leveled his gaze on Abby.

"Where's Raven?" Drake asked and Abby raised her hands.

"Drake, you've been through major trauma I need you to rest now so I can examine you." Abby said cautiously before flinching as Drake took a heavy step toward her.

"Raven. Now." He commanded and finally Abby relented as she pulled back a nearby curtain where Raven was sleeping.

The 100 and Abby watched as Drake nearly broke down as he stumbled toward the girl and planted himself onto the chair near her bedside.

"I extracted the bullet. Luckily nothing vital was hit. She should make a full recovery." Abby informed him and she watched as Drake tenderly rushed a stray lock of hair from Raven's face.

"I thought I'd lost you." Drake whispered as tears came to his eyes and suddenly Abby felt like she was encroaching on a moment that she had no right to be in and the 100 felt it too as they pulled the doctor out of the small triage.

As they left the room and stepped outside they saw Jake, two guards and the Grounder Woman that had come in with Drake.

"What is she doing here?" Abby asked causing her husband to look at the impassive woman before back at Abby.

"This is Drake's wife." Jake announced and Abby's face grew confused and so were the 100 before they nodded in realization leaving the adults to wallow in confusion.

"What? But-Raven?" Abby said trying to wrap her head around what was being said.

"Let her go." Drake's raspy voice brought them to their senses and Drake stepped once more into the sunlight.

The Guards looked at Jake for orders and Jake nodded as they cut the ties off the woman and she quickly fell in line with Drake and the 100 who formed a protective circle around them both.

"Drake…who is that? What is your relationship with Raven?" Abby asked and Drake nodded sympathetically before looking at the Arkers. "I'll explain everything to you and you alone as you work on me. Forgive me if I don't invite the Chancellor and his guards to listen in." Drake said as he retreated with Anya and the rest of the 100 back into the triage.

Jake made to move inward regardless but Abby stopped him with a hand on his chest.

"Abby I need to be in there." Jake urged but his wife kept him firmly there.

"No. Out here you hold authority but inside Medical I am the boss. Please leave. I have a patient to tend to." Abby said and Jake made to argue but found he could only nod.

"Abby…I need information." Jake said and Abby nodded hesitantly before retreating into Medical

Abby's brain was simply overloaded and she felt she needed a stiff drink as she entered the tent to see the 100 looking at her suspiciously and beyond them at Drake who leaned over to let his "Wife" examine his back.

"You will heal." The Grounder woman said roughly and while her tone was stoic her eyes nearly screamed worry.

"I know." Drake said as he reached backward and touched the woman's hand reassuringly and he looked up and saw Abby watching them. "Let her through." Drake ordered and the 100 parted willingly for her as she stepped further into the triage.

Abby felt awkward as she stepped forward under Drake's gaze. It felt like he was weighing her very worth with his grey eyes and she wondered how someone so young could have eyes as old as that. As for Drake's wife she could nearly feel the distrust and anger radiate within her gaze and Abby was certain that if she made the wrong move the Grounder Woman would snap her back like a twig. With a sigh Abby grabbed a nearby chair and sat down.

"What the hell is going on Drake? I got a million questions and all of them beg answers I fear I may not be able to handle." Abby said worriedly.

"I'll answer your first one, about Raven as it also concerns Clarke as well." Drake said slowly as he took his pack from Anya's grasp.

"What does you being with Raven have to do with my daughter?" Abby asked defensively as Drake rummaged through his pack.

"Clarke and I fell in love on the Ground." Drake said bluntly. "It didn't go over well with Finn Collins. He turned to drinking and ignoring his duties. Culminating in him beating Raven to within half an inch of her life." Drake stated as he pulled out a canister and handed it to Anya who opened the lid and took a liberal handful of its contents and smeared it on Drake's back. "Raven, Clarke, and I grew close after that. Eventually your daughter proposed that we extend our relationship to Raven as well." Abby opened her mouth like a fish of old before closing it as the thought of her straight laced daughter asking such a thing.

"How? Why?" Abby stammered out.

"We fell in love. All of us." Drake answered simply and Abby looked at the Grounder woman as she focused on Drake's back.

"What about her? Where does she play into everything?" Abby asked as she judged the Grounder woman clearly older than him who was finishing up with Drake's back.

"She's my wife." Drake answered honestly and he chuckled as Abby nearly tore her hair out in frustration. "The Grounders are more numerous than you know. Right now we are in Trikru Territory. Her territory." Drake nodded to his wife who looked silently at Abby.

"After the battle I went with her to face the Commander. I made contact and was able to secure a peace on a few conditions." Drake said and Abby peered suspiciously at him.

"What conditions?" She asked slowly.

"We must pay tribute to the Commander in the form of Food, Medical treatment, and Safe Haven for the Trikru in the area in case of emergencies. In return we have peace and now an Alliance against the Mountain Men." Drake said before pausing and looking at Anya. "I also had to agree to marry her and we did. I did it to protect the Arkers. To protect us." Drake said and although he didn't say it specifically Anya knew he also did it to protect her from fighting against him once more.

"Oh my God…Drake…" Abby breathed out at the news before looking up at the young man with tears in her eyes. "And this is what we did to you?" Abby whispered.

"You sound like you royally fucked up." A soft whisper came from nearby and everyone turned to see Raven tiredly open her eyes and smile. "Hey sunshine." Raven said weakly.

"Raven!" Drake pushed off the table he was on and fell to her bedside and took her hand in his own. "Hey, bug off. I'm talking to the babe next to you." Raven said and Drake lowered his head and uttered a soft, if not, hopeful chuckle.

"How much did you hear?" Drake whispered against her hand.

"All of it." Raven admitted as her eyes opened fully finally alert and looked at the Warrior Woman who stood off to the side. "So Drake went out and got hitched. Why the hell did she get to cut in line?" Raven said playfully and Drake nearly sobbed as he shook his head.

"You're okay with this?" Drake asked and Raven squeezed his hand as tight as she could.

"You did what you had to do. After everything you've done for me Drake. What you've done for the 100..."Raven trailed off as Drake looked up at her.

"I was worried…worried you would think I was like Finn." Drake admitted as tears filled his eyes and Raven comfortingly placed a hand on his cheek.

Hey…no. No. God no! You're nothing like him. You're Drake Knight. If Finn was even half the man you are he'd still be alive right now. But…I'm glad he's not…I would have never gotten to know you, to fall in love with you, to fall in love with Clarke." Raven trailed off as she looked up at Anya who looked wide eyed at her. "Probably wouldn't get to see your wife naked." Raven said with a wink and although Anya didn't so much as twitch, her cheeks did glow slightly and Drake laughed as he got off his knees and kissed the injured girl who reciprocated it just as happily before Drake pulled away as a look of doubt fell on his face once more.

"What about Clarke?" Drake asked and Raven looked at him disbelievingly.

"Come on Drake." Raven said as she chuckled. "This is Clarke we're talking about." Raven gave a sly grin and Drake returned it before kissing her once more.

"Excuse me. Please stop talking about my daughter, at least like that, while I'm still here." Abby said disgruntled as she finally stood up and walked over to Drake's back and examined it. "What is this stuff?" She asked as she noticed the gel like substance covering the numerous burns on his back.

"It's a mixture of medical herbs. Unfortunately the exact ingredients don't grow in the area but it helps the healing process and sooths pain." Drake sighed. "It's the last one I had." He said as he braced himself against the bed.

"Drake?" Raven asked worriedly and he chuckled slightly.

"I'm…I'm fine…I just need to lie down." Drake said as Anya helped him up and onto his stomach on the bed nearby.

"What happened to him?" Raven asked Abby who was looking worriedly at Drake.

"After you were shot…he attacked two guards. The penalty was twenty shocklashes." Abby said regretfully and Raven's eyes narrowed.

"And you just let it happen?!" Raven yelled. "After everything he's done for you?" Raven whispered.

"I had no choice. I'm not a Councilor anymore and I have no authority outside medical issues." Abby bit back.

"You tell them then. You tell them what my Drake did for you ungrateful bastards." Raven said scathingly.

"Raven…" Abby trailed off as Raven leveled a deadly look at her.

With nothing left to do Abby stood up and made her way past the 100 guarding the tent and she was certain that each one had salvaged something sharp or heavy to defend their King as he rested. This was not going to be a pleasant conversation. Of that she would make sure of she thought determinedly as she marched to the newly instated Council Room.

***Mt. Weather Mines***

Clarke pulled weakly against her captors only to feel the soldier smack her in the face before dragging her back toward a metal door leading into the MT. Weather facility.

"I saw everything. I know what you're doing to them." Clarke said angrily.

"That's why you're going in the harvest chamber with them." The soldier said smugly.

"Alpha-Delta two. We reached the intake. One prisoner in custody." The partner of the soldier informed the intercom.

"You were supposed to bring back both of them. The outsider cannot be allowed to leave this mountain. Alpha-Delta One is coming out now." The income coughed out.

Suddenly there was a scream as Tris jumped from the hidden alcove and ripped off one of the soldiers mask. Taking this opportunity Clarke jabbed her elbow in the face of the soldier and watched satisfied as the soldier screamed with broken shards in his face. Both the soldier feel down gasping for air as radiation burned them for the inside out.

"I found a way out! This way!" Tris screamed and began running and Clarke joined her after grabbing one of the dropped rifles and the strange device that scared the Reapers away.

After a few twists and turns Clarke finally saw real daylight but the origins of it came from an opening in the mountain side itself. Tris stood on the precipice of the drop and looked back at her as she joined them. Clarke froze as she found herself at the top of the hydroelectric dam and swallowed heavily at how high up they were.

"We got to jump." Tris screamed out over the roar of the manmade waterfall.

"Come on!" Clarke summoned her courage as she and Tris grabbed hands and jumped.

Seconds later the soldier arrived and looked at the tracks on the ground.

"Alpha-Delta-One, what is the situation? Over." Their radio squawked.

"Both subjects dead. Over." The leader of their patrol answered.

"Do you have eyes on the bodies? Over." A voice asked.

"They jumped off the dam. They're dead. Over." The leader stated.

"That's an assumption soldier. I want visual's on the bodies. Over and out." The radio went silent and the men around him groaned.

"You heard the man. Let's get moving." The soldiers quickly retreated and made for the base of the dam.

***Mecha Station***

"Jesus-fucking-christ! Are you telling me that Drake managed to not only gain peace between the Grounders and us but also manage to secure an Alliance against the Mountain Men themselves?" Jake asked his wife.

"He says we'll have to give them food, shelter and medical care. Exactly how much are we talking about here?" Kane asked and Abby shook her head.

"Does it matter? The point is we can stay! We don't have to worry about the Commander anymore." Abby said as she looked from Kane to Jake. "Drake saved your daughter and now he's saved us. Again." Abby said firmly and Jake sighed as he rubbed his temples before letting his hands fall to the table in defeat.

"And I had him shocklashed." Jake said grimly.

"Sir. It was me. I did it. If it was anyone's mistake it was my own." Kane said trying to take responsibility but Jake shook his head.

"At least you admit it." Abby dug at him and Kane nodded his head taking the hit. "What happens now?" Abby asked and Jake stood up and paced around the room.

"The young man's a hero. He has the public's sympathies, you all saw his scars. I don't even want to know what he's been through. I bet none of us even can imagine it." Jake trailed off before he turned toward the two of them. "We've only dug ourselves into our own graves. In return for securing our home we tortured him." Jake said weakly as he returned to his seat.

"That doesn't answer my question Jake." Abby asked as Jake scrambled for answers but this wasn't his field, he knew machines not politics and Abby sighed. "We have to tell the public about what Drake's done for us and issue a statement of apology. We cannot leave this as is. The 100 won't stand for it. The people won't stand for it. I, won't stand for it." Abby supplied and Kane and Jake nodded as it was the most sensible action.

"There'll be blowback. Already, today the 100 haven't left the Medical Triage. The hunting parties haven't brought back any food and we've had to fall back on rations." Kane listed off a few more issues before Jake cut him off.

"We can't just double our guard presence. It'll only fan the flames. We have to have them out and about in a friendly manner. Keep their guns holstered Kane. Have them do extra duties and help around the camp." Jake said pointedly and Kane nodded.

"I understand." Kane said guiltily. "If only that guard hadn't shot Raven, this never would have happened. We've not only alienated the 100 but we're about to alienate the very people we're supposed to take care of and keep safe." He finished despairingly.

"We can only live with what we've done Kane." Jake said trying to ease his guilty friend's mind. "If that's all I'll call this meeting over." He announced and Kane left obediently leaving Abby and Jake in the room alone.

"Alright Abby. You have that look on your face that tells me you want to say something. So just say it." Jake said and Abby finally took a seat and looked across the table.

"Drake and Clarke have a relationship." Abby announced and Jake looked at her shocked.

"What?" Jake gasped out in disbelief.

"They fell in love on the ground at least that's the way Drake explained it. But it's not only that, Drake's involved with Raven as well." Abby said pushing Jake's disbelief further.

"Does Clarke know about it?" Jake found himself asking as anger began to build but instantly deflated as Abby nodded.

"It was Clarke's idea." Abby said as Jake's eyes widened.

"But he has a wife now." Jake exclaimed.

"Yes and Raven doesn't mind and she's sure Clarke doesn't either." Abby informed him and Jake just looked at his hands trying to soak it all in.

"What the hell is going on with Drake?" Jake groaned out as he finally rested his head on the table.

"How do you plan on apologizing to him?" Abby asked and Jake rolled his forehead along the table.

"Come on Abby…this is just too much right now…"Jake moaned out as he developed a headache.

"You lashed the very man your daughter loves! The very man that's risked everything since we sent him down to this hell! He's protected the Ark and us since the beginning. You better damn well think of something Jake Griffin or so help me." Abby left her sentence open and Jake didn't need to know what she was going to say.

"Alright…alright…we'll think of something." Jake relented and Abby nodded firmly.

***On the River***

Tris grunted as she pulled the unconscious Clarke toward the shore. As she felt the stones under her feet she doubled her efforts and yanked the bigger woman onto the shore. Safely onto dry land Tris pushed Clarke on her stomach and almost immediately she spluttered out water as she began to breathe again.

Clarke regained consciousness and looked up at the Grounder child who had saved her life.

"We're even now." Tris said as she sat tiredly on her butt.

"We…we got to go back to the Drop Ship." Clarke gasped out.

"I'm going back to my people. There's nothing left there for me except ash and bones." Tris said bitterly and Clarke shook her head.

"Anya. We captured her and a few warriors. If anything Drake will have her at the Drop Ship." Clarke informed the wide eyed girl and with a reluctant nod Tris stood up and offered her hand.

To Tris, this may be a trap but what else could she do? Her Unit Leader was possibly alive and as her second it was her duty to follow her where she went. She had failed once. She would not fail again. Clarke gratefully took the younger girl's hand and she helped to pull her on her feet.

"Do you know the way to the Drop Ship?" Clarke asked and Tris nodded as she began running along the shoreline and with a deep breath Clarke joined her.

---

So there we have it. This was a fairly difficult chapter to write as I had a hard time trying to emulate a realistic buildup of tensions between the 100 and the Arkers. With Drake's return the Arkers are starting to realize that they may not know as much as they think. As for Drake, we see him gain some solace from Raven and respect from the Arkers populace. We'll see how that affects future events. Tris is alive! Whoooo. As for everything else we start to see the threads coming together. I hope you all have enjoyed the story so far. As always feel free to follow and Review if you like the story. Have a good one.