Disclaimer: I do not own The 100 or the characters in it. They are owned by Kass Morgan
Author's Note: I know it's been so long, but now that I am done with school hopefully I will be able to update a lot more frequent. I hope there are still fans of this story out there and I would love to hear your imput.
XOXOX
Their meeting with The Ark went pretty much how they expected.
At first, Abby and Jaha refused to the official rules that Earth (The 100) had. They and the council assumed that their rules, regulations, and most importantly their leadership would stay the same as soon as they stepped foot onto the ground. However, because Raven and Monty fixed the video communication, the elders could see the serious face of Lincoln as he explained to them that was not an option.
"My people trust Clarke and Bellamy. To us, they are the leaders of the Sky people. If you do not follow them, you have my people as an enemy and we can and will easily overpower you." He was blunt and his nonchalant attitude scared the council. They quickly stated that they did not want the Earth born and the Tree colony as enemies but they argued that Clarke and Bellamy were just children and needed guidance.
"We stopped being children when you sent us here to die." Clarke stated emotionless. She wanted to scream at them they she hasn't been a child for a long time but she knew it would be pointless, they didn't need to know her past. Her own mother has no idea of what she has been through. Bellamy wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms but he knew that would do more harm than good. They needed to show The Ark they were strong; that the ones they deemed "expendable" were worth a hell of a lot more than they thought. Abby looked pained at her daughter's words and looked at Jaha who looked like he was going to cry; thinking of the son he sent down to Earth that was currently buried in it.
"We agreed to give you all a chance. A chance where everyone down here is equal and does their part. Down here we are a family and we sincerely want you to be a part of that. However, if you can't handle that; being equal to a bunch of 'delinquents', I suggest you rethink your landing drop because we will not step aside and become low lives again." Bellamy says smoothly. Abby lets his words echo into her soul and seriously considers what he was saying. If this what she needed to do to get her daughter back, isn't it worth it?
"What would happen to those that don't agree to follow you?" Jaha asks the younger man with his eyes narrowed. He, unlike Abby is expecting total anarchy on Earth and if the council hears their "laws" maybe he can twist this whole thing in his favor. Sending The 100 to the ground was a giant error on his part and he wanted to do whatever it took to save his people from this.
"We would banish them from camp. No help from any camper allowed." Bellamy answers without a beat and Jaha has to hold in his smirk. They are weak; no one on the council will agree to this. If he turned his head he knew Kane was probably holding in his grin as well.
Almost as if she was reading her old leader's mind, Clarke's eyes flame in anger as her whole demeanor turned icy.
"It may be hard for The Ark to concept but we should be valuing life, not throwing it away the second the chance is given. It's a miracle we survived the nuclear war and even more that Earth is livable at all. By banishing instead of killing, we give them a chance. A chance to be better even if they aren't with us. We don't kill people for fighting like The Ark has, we have proper punishment for minor crimes but the most serious crimes get the most serious punishment. We have yet to actually banish anyone because despite what you believe we are civilized people." She says harshly her voice never getting higher, making her sound even more of a leader than Jaha ever has. Bellamy has never felt more proud of her. Abby looks to Clarke as she puts her hand on Jaha's shoulder.
"We obviously need to discuss your conditions. If you want a new council with you and some others of the 100 on it, we need to come up with who has the final say." Abby says calmly and Bellamy shakes his head.
" Again, you all don't get it. It's not about who gets final say, we all get a say and come up with a solution we all can agree on!" Bellamy can't believe the council can't wrap their heads around this. For three generations, it was the council who had every say; to give up that power and give it to everyone seemed unreasonable.
"That's not what leaders do." Abby states trying to make him understand her point of view.
Lincoln clears his voice and everyone looks at him.
"As a warrior of the Tree people, I can assure you Clarke and Bellamy are in fact leaders. The camp looks at them with respect; they listen and obey. Not by fear but through loyalty and equality. They have fought when they needed to but treat everyone fairly. They don't hold themselves higher despite the fact everyone else holds them higher. That is why my people respect them and will look to them instead of you. Bellamy and Clarke know what will happen if you don't follow them and make us an enemy and they are trying to save you despite the fact you would have killed them all without a second thought." Lincoln was getting sick and tired of these Sky People's attitude. Not only are they the reason Octavia was forced into the floor for years but they had no value over life. Yes, Anya was tough and has killed but she was a leader who has done small gestures for her people that have altered them without thought. She cares about her people and would do anything to defend them, to save them all, not just the warriors but the weak as well. Many colonies force children with mutation to exile, but Anya refuses. She knows they are people and are not weak and can be of use to her and her people.
"We will give you an answer tonight." Abby says somberly before Jaha ends the video feed.
Bellamy and Clarke look at each other. "Well it's all or nothing now. The only thing we can do is wait. If they refuse to our conditions, they will need to need to find a different location to land. One very far from us where they have no knowledge of." Bellamy states and everyone nods in agreement. They all know that if they land in a different area, the Arkers would not last a day. Who knew the people they would face or the weather conditions they would have to overcome. Clarke stares off in the distance, thinking of what was going to happen and Bellamy moves in closer and puts his hand on her shoulder and she immediately leans into his touch.
"I just want everything to work out." She admits quietly and Bellamy knows how hard it is for her to appear weak and his heart aches knowing she was showing him this side of her.
"I know you do. I want everything to work out too. I want us to look back at these moments and be proud of how hard we worked to get where we are. I want us to start living not just surviving." Bellamy whispers into her ear and Lincoln slowly walks out of the tent knowing they were having a privet moment. He looks around the camp and sees everyone working and getting their chores done.
Monty and Jasper were skinning meat and organizing the food they were going to store and the meat they were going to cook tonight for dinner.
Raven and Finn were on bathroom duty but they were handling it without complaint. Raven's face didn't even scrunch like most female's faces would.
Miller and Murphy were on guarding duty with Sterling and Fox, along with some others he didn't know the names of yet.
People were making baskets, furniture, and other things to help the campers. Even the children were going with the oldest to gather berries just outside camp. Not that they had to worry, he knew his people were close but they would not betray their leader and attack the camp.
Then there was Octavia. She told him she was on cooking duty tonight but they wouldn't need her for a couple more hours so she was in the medbay tending to a child who scraped her knee on a branch.
He slowly walks over to her and gives a small smile as she listens to her tell the child a story of the Romans.
"How do you know so much about them?" Lincoln asks when the girl leaves the drop ship smiling, ready to tell the others the cool story.
"My mom used to read to Bellamy before I was born about history. He actually was the one who named me after Augustus' little sister. He would retell me the stories everyday." She answers smiling. She may not have had the best childhood but thanks to Bell, her mom, and Clarke, she never felt unloved.
"You are truly an extraordinary woman Octavia Blake of the Sky People." He admits and she bites her lip and moves closer to him.
"And you, Lincoln of the Tree People are an amazing, one of a kind man." She whispers as she moves closer to him. Their lips were inches apart.
"Ew, get a room!" They break apart and see Clarke grinning at them with Bellamy right beside her looking uncomfortable but not angry.
Octavia rolls her eyes at her friend but grins at Lincoln as she moves closer to him again and giving him a quick peck on the lips.
"Well I was until you interrupted." She jokes and Bellamy shakes his head.
"So how did it go?" Octavia asks seriously. She may not want the Ark to be apart of their world but she knows there are people who miss their parents and loved ones.
Bellamy moves closer to his sister and shrugs.
"We will find out tonight. Either they land here tomorrow night or they land somewhere far far away." He answers her and she nods her head knowing this must be hard on her best friend. She looks at Clarke who has a brave face on but she knows better. She knows Clarke just as well as Clarke knows her.
"Do you want to get out of here? I still have a couple hours before I need to get to cooking duty." Octavia asks her and she looks at her brother and tries to tell him that Clarke needs her and she was not backing down. Thankfully Bell seemed to realize that as well and he nods at his little sister.
"Why don't you go. There is nothing for us to do now but wait. I'll watch the camp with Lincoln." Bellamy says softly and kisses her on the top of her head.
Clarke looks at everyone and nods before giving her best friend a smile. She moved towards her and linked their arms together, much like Octavia did to her their first day on Earth.
"Just so you don't get any ideas...I'm not asking details on my brother and you." Octavia teased and Clarke let out a genuine laugh. When Octavia first got to Earth she was interested in Finn. Now look at her, she seemed head over heels over a grounder.
"Just so you don't get any ideas...I AM asking you details on you and Lincoln." She says happily and Octavia's smile widens at the thought of telling her about her and Lincoln.
"Deal!" She agrees and the two of them walk towards the edge of camp.
"Clarke!" She turns when she hears her name being called and sees Bellamy running towards her with a rifle.
"Take this just in case." He says and smiles before kissing her cheek.
"Thanks." She smiles at him. The look she gives him makes him want to throw her over his shoulder and never let her go. But he knows Clarke needs his sister right now, her oldest friend and he knows he's going to have to share. He guesses he will just do some of his sewing duty till she gets back. He's just going to miss her.
They all wave goodbye to each other before the two girls wind up at a small lake. Not the one they found their first day with the giant snake thing but just a little pond to sit by. They lay themselves down by the water, relaxing to the soothing melody of running water. Clarke lays her head on Octavia's lap as her friend runs her fingers through her curls.
"So...you wanna talk about it?" Octavia asks quietly. She knows there is a lot on her mind, but she would never push her friend to talk if she didn't want to.
Clarke is quiet for a moment before she takes a deep breath.
"What if they don't wanna follow our rules? What if they do and...I can't forgive her for killing my father?" Clarke reveals her fear and a small tear runs down her pale face.
Octavia never stops playing with her hair but she thinks about her words before answering.
"Bellamy once told me that who we are and who we need to be to survive are two very different things. We have all done bad things in the world but despite that, we are all still a family. You may never forgive my mother for what she didn't do to save you, but I know you will always love her. I may never forgive the Ark for not allowing me the childhood I deserved, but every person down here is my family and I know I can look at every Arker up there and forgive them. Maybe you can't forgive her now, but maybe you will one day."
Clarke ponders her words for almost an hour before she even moves.
"You're right." She admits as she gets off her friend's lap and look deep into her brown eyes.
"I spent over a year in solitary. Over a year without anyone to talk to. It...changed me to say the least but I knew one day I would forgive them. I knew that even if they floated me I would be with my father and Aurora. It's just...hard to imagine her coming down here and hearing her side to this." Clarke's eyes were now filled with tears and Octavia quickly pulls her into a tight hug.
"No matter what...you will always have me and Bell. We will always be here for you." She whispers and Clarke nods her head.
"I love you O." Clarke says as they pull away.
"I love you too C." She smiles and wipes Clarke's stray tears away.
Not even a minute later Octavia's smile widens.
"So can I PLEASE tell you about me and Lincoln now!?" She exclaims and Clarke laughed.
Hopefully some things will NEVER change.
"Yes of course!"
The next half hour Octavia retells Clarke all about how Lincoln drew her before they met, how he was always looking out for her, and how last night she gave her virginity to him.
"He says once a couple...mate, he called it, they are bound forever. Even if they break up, a part of their souls will always be linked. I really like that." She admits and Clarke's heart fills with happiness for her. Octavia deserves that and more.
"I know you said you don't want details but...Bellamy and I haven't gone that far yet. I know one day we will but right now I'm not ready. " Clarke admits and Octavia gives a sad smile.
"I know. One day you will be though." She knows how strong her best friend is, if anyone can be strong enough to share herself with someone physically; it's Clarke.
Clarke nods and smiles at her and agrees.
"We should get going. You have chores to do soon and I need to talk to Bellamy before Jaha calls back." Clarke states and they pack up and walk back towards camp; Clarke holding the rifle Bellamy gave her just in case. However, the Tree colony must respect Anya's command because no one has tried anything and she knows there are grounders somewhere in the trees; she could hear their slight movements.
Maybe things would be okay.
XOXOX
By the time they reached camp, Octavia was already late for her cooking duties and had to run to apologize. Clarke made her way to her and Bellamy's cabin and saw him sitting on his bed, mending a ripped shirt of one of the younger kids; a small pile on each side of him as well. "He must be on seaming duty" she thinks to herself.
"I sometimes forget how good of a sewer you are." She says and he looks up from his work and gives a tender smile.
"Sometimes I forget how well you know me." He admits and a pang of guilt eats up at him. She knows so much about him and he doesn't know as much about her.
Clarke sits next to him and gives him a light kiss on the lips.
"Don't worry we have all the time in the world to get to know each other." She declares and he smiles back at her.
"Did you have a good time with O?" He asks knowing she did since her face was a lot more relaxed than it was before she left.
Clarke nods.
"Yeah, she helped me realize that if my mother does come down here, one day I will forgive her." She tells him and he knows one day she will.
"If anyone can; it's you. You're the most forgiving person I know." He admits and she shakes her head.
"Not true but I'll take it." She smiles as she leans in close to him making him put his work down. He looks at her and kisses her without a moments hesitation. The kiss is soft but loving and Bellamy knows this is what heaven feels like.
When they break apart they are both smiling.
"I may not be able to give you everything right now but...I wanted you to know that I love you and I will be able to...one day." She says seriously and Bellamy kisses her lightly on her forehead.
"We have all the time in the world. I love you too." He declares before he pulls her into a hug.
They sit like that for a little before Jasper rushes into the cabin, telling them that the council was on video conference. The two look at each other before following Jasper into the technology cabin where Monty, Lincoln, Raven, Finn, Murphy, and Miller were waiting. Octavia would have been there they knew but she was still on duty.
They all look into the screen where Jaha, Abby, and the rest of the council were sitting waiting for them.
"Hello Bellamy, Clarke. We have come to a decision." Jaha announces and they all brace themselves for what he is about to say.
This was it.
TBC!