Hello wonderful people! - I am still just so floored by the response to this story. Every single time I get a favourite, a follow, kudos, a review, a tumblr message...I just...wow. Thank you guys, so very much for your incredible response to this and for sticking with me on this ride. There's still a lot to come so I hope you aren't bored!
Thanks again. It really means a lot to me.
~Nickole
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The Ark – The truth
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"Jackson grab me another bag." Abby is frantic but determined, her eyes never once leaving her daughter. Clarke is pale, ghostly pale and she's been fading in and out of consciousness even with the sedatives she was given.
"It's the last one, Abby, this isn't working." His words are soft but his eyes display his worry as he watches her try and close another wound yet again.
"It has to work," she breathes out, eyes finally leaving Clarke to look at him as he replaces the now empty bag of blood. "Why aren't they staying closed?" She was muttering softly to herself now, trying to wrap her mind around this. Nothing in her medical training, or in her years of experience has prepared her for this.
Octavia however, is happy to answer her question, "Because it's not your medical know-how that will save her! She needs Leksa!" Her eyes are wild as she stops her pacing and fixes her glare to the woman, whose hands and shirt are covered in her daughter's blood. "Look at yourself, Abby."
Abby glances down at her self, her hands now shaking in her worry and nervousness. "There has to be a rational explanation to this."
Octavia throws her hands up in the air, beyond irritated, "Jackson," she fires his name at him and throws her arm in the air pointing at the whimpering blonde on the table, "is this working?"
For his part, Jackson swallows and takes a nervous glance to Abby before lowering his eyes and shaking his head, "No." It is that soft but firm response that has Abby looking up and watching her right hand assistant. "We're going to lose her if we keep this up."
Octavia then advances on Abby, standing right next to her, "Is your pride and arrogance worth your daughter's life?"
Abby swallows hard, even as tears fill her eyes and begin tracking down her face. The tense moment is interrupted as the medical bay doors open and Marcus comes rushing back in. He freezes halfway inside the room as he takes in the sight. Clarke is deathly pale, blood coating her torso and sides, blood soaked bandages wrapped around her arms and Abby with despair and blood all over her hands and shirt.
"Abby, enough is enough. Regardless of what you think or believe, what have you got to lose at this point? Please, let me send for Lexa." He's barely finished his sentence but Abby is already shaking her head, tears streaming down her face.
"She'll only betray her anyway," she whispers, hands shaking and grabbing for another piece of thread to try and stitch her daughter even though her efforts have proven useless.
Marcus stills, "Is that what this is about? Abby, Callie…" he starts but is interrupted by another wail from Clarke, her voice coming out dry and rough.
"That's it, I've had enough of this bullshit! I'm going to get Leksa and so help me Abby if you try to stop me I will kill you." Octavia threatens and heads for the door. It opens and two guards step into her path, but she is expecting as much as she easily takes out the closest guards knee and gets behind him, holding his back to her front as a shield from the shock rod the other guard strikes with. He doesn't use it long as he is hit from behind and falls to the ground, a smirking Raven standing behind him holding a metal wrench.
"Raven," Octavia smiles, knocking her guard unconscious and dropping him. "How did you know?"
"Besides hearing Clarke everywhere in this tin can, I have the place rigged with cameras." She shrugs and steps into the medical bay shaking her head. "Go get Lexa," she says to Octavia without facing her and hears her take off. "Abby…what are you doing?"
"I'm trying to save her…to protect her." Abby sighs, pleading for someone to believe her. Her eyes are starting to clear as she takes in her daughter's now still form, lowering her head to her chest. "Her heart is so faint." Her voice is filling with defeat and regret as she slumps down into the chair beside Clarke's bed. "I've lost her."
Marcus steps forward to approach her, nodding at Jackson and Raven as they do the only thing they can right now and hold towels to Clarke to try and slow the blood loss. "Are you still talking about Clarke?" He inquires as he looks down on the woman, "Because Clarke isn't lost to you yet, but she will be if you keep this up."
Abby looks up with fury, her nose flaring, "You're always the one getting what you want, aren't you Marcus?"
This takes him aback, but he can only shake his head and slide his back down against the wall to sit next to her chair. "I loved her too, Abby."
"And yet we both lost her anyway, didn't we?" Her voice carries her sorrow and her anger as she looks over to Clarke, feeling shame fill her.
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Meanwhile
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Lexa remains still, staring up the small hill to where the Ark sits with its fence and guards, guns trained in their direction. She can feel Echo and Indra near but focuses all her senses on the girl held within the Ark. Her spirit is aching. This aching feeling sits heavy in her chest, clawing at her for release. Every fiber of her being is pulling her towards Clarke, but she stands frozen, willing Marcus to keep his word. She feels her sides flare in pain, as if a great wild tree cat has used it's claws to dig into her and pull and the feeling nearly crumbles her. Klark. Her body tenses as she hears another pained scream fill the air and though the others do not hear what comes next, she can feel her name being called within her by the blonde. His time is up. Nou mou. She thinks. Enough.
She doesn't turn back and doesn't acknowledge anyone as she begins to run up the path leading towards the ark. She hears Indra give a few orders and knows the woman, Echo, Kiern and Lincoln will be at her flank. The cheers and noise the rest of her people make fill her with even more determination as she increases her pace, only slowing as she reaches the top of the hill to see Octavia running towards her.
Lincoln steps around her to take the girl into his arms, holding her tightly. They share a few words before he sits her back down, knowing she has news for their commander.
"Heda," Octavia breathes out her name, lowering her eyes in respect before nodding her head towards the ark. "Come."
Lexa doesn't hesitate as they all make their way through the gates, the guards listening when Bellamy orders them to open the doors at Councilor Kane's orders. Octavia nods her thanks to him and walks quickly, leading them into the ark. Two guards requesting the grounder's weapons halt their progress. Lexa has one by the neck against the wall outside the ark before any of them can blink, seething in rage.
The others can't hear her words, but whatever she says has him nodding his head quickly and a wet spot appearing on the front of his pants. He continues to nod, afraid to anger the commander further as her body is noticeably shaking with pent up energy, ready to kill. She releases him roughly and turns to follow Octavia through the hallways until they reach the door of the medical bay. Lexa takes in the still unconscious guards and nods in thanks to Octavia.
As she approaches the door, she turns back with questioning eyes, as the door doesn't automatically open as the others have. Octavia scowls and bangs her fist on the door several times. Clarke is in that room. She is so close that Lexa is nearly insane with the proximity and feels her heart clench as she is still kept at bay. Something inside her snaps as she rears back and with an open palm she slams her hand into the door and it starts to slide open, but gets jammed in it's track. It's enough however as Lexa turns sideways to step in the gap and shoves at it, forcing it further into it's crevice in the wall and runs into the room.
The sight in front of her nearly has her screaming in rage as she takes in her love's weak and broken body, lying on a cold and hard table covered in blood. Her once soft and beautifully pale skin now a sickly white, her lips pale and cracked with dark circles around her eyes. Lexa does not hesitate to take her left hand in her own, threading their fingers together and places her other on Clarke's blonde head as she lowers herself to press their foreheads together. She can hear the shallow breaths and the feels the weak beat of her heart as if it were her own. She swallows hard as she releases a shaky breath, moving slightly to be at the head of Clarke's bed, her left hand still holding tightly to Clarke's but her right arm is now around her, holding her close with her forearm resting on Clarke's chest. She places a kiss on a sweaty forehead and once again rests her own against it.
The room around them is still, everyone taking in the scene but afraid to breathe too deeply as even that sound may disturb them. Lexa's breaths begin to even out and as they do, Clarke's breaths become a little deeper and a little stronger.
Raven steps quietly over to Octavia and clasps her hand. Octavia smiles sadly at her, biting her lip and tightening her other hand on the one that Lincoln holds. They peer over at Echo who is standing with worry written all over her face, next to a not as stony faced Indra and a very confused Kiern.
The coolness of the room is suddenly dissipating and warmth begins replacing it. It doesn't take long for anyone to realize where it's coming from, as they cannot only feel it, but can see the thickness of the air surrounding Lexa and Clarke. It's almost as if they are being shrouded by a nearly invisible force that is holding them. It's only when a whisper of "Leksa" catches their ears that they see the small and soft glow that begins to form. A glow that is emanating from under Lexa's right hand that is covering Clarke's heart.
"Ai hodnes en ai Kwin, ai laik hir," My love and my Queen, I am here Lexa whispers softly, rubbing her cheek against Clarke's tenderly.
"Beja nou bants," Please don't leave. Clarke gasps out in a less painful whisper, but her throat is still dry. She slowly raises her right hand and cover's Lexa's that is still resting over her heart.
"Nowe." Never Lexa breathes in deeply, holding onto Clarke even tighter, her face nuzzling against her neck.
She can feel herself relaxing slightly, the overwhelming presence of energy that has been coursing through her from the moment Clarke was taken, beginning to leave her. Her body is humming, and her heart is pounding out a steady rhythm, finally content at its proximity to its missing half. She allows herself a smile when she feels the soft thump against her palm becoming steady and getting stronger. She may not be able to explain what is happening, but deep inside she doesn't feel the need to. Everything feels as it should with Clarke in her arms. Everything is warmer and brighter and her body is tingling with energy even as she notices her strength begins to weaken.
Echo takes notice also and glances around quickly before grabbing at a stool and placing it behind Lexa's legs and rests her hand on Lexa's shoulder until she's sitting. She takes a moment to look over Clarke and a thankful smile graces her lips as she can see, while still a bloody mess, Clarke's colour is coming back and her wounds are no longer bleeding. She steps back with eyes wide as the heat coming from the two women hits her and she nearly loses her breath. The warm glow they are seeing is growing, now encompassing Clarke's upper body and Lexa's head and hands where they are touching her.
The glow only intensifies as Clarke finally takes a deeper breath and her eyes open. Shining blue meets with soft green as she smiles and tilts her head searching for Lexa's all too eager lips. They both sigh, feeling their heartbeats spike in intensity as their lips caress over each other slowly and tenderly as if nothing else exists in the entire world but the two of them and the love they feel flowing through their veins.
They pull back with a bump of their noses and endearing smiles on their faces. "Ai hod yu in," I love you they whisper at the same time as a round of gasps are heard throughout the room's occupants.
Indra, Echo, Lincoln, Kiern and Octavia all immediately drop down to one knee and lower their heads and eyes before each glance back up with awe written all over their faces as they stare at their heda and her Kwin.
Abby is now on her feet, eyes wide and mouth open in a show of shock. Marcus, now also standing, can only nod with a smile he shares with Raven, and Jackson looks as confused as Kiern had earlier.
The glow coming from the two women is now a shining beacon, shooting upwards and beyond the roof of the ark. It is a sign, a sign of which the Trikru will understand and hold reverent, from this day until their last day.
Outside the ark, the guards and the other Arkers stand in wonder at the appearance of a warm yellow glow rising from the ark and shooting skyward, disappearing within the clouds. It isn't until Monroe turns that she see's something equally incredible. The hundreds of grounders that had escorted Lexa and were waiting down the hill are all on one knee with their eyes trained on the glow. There are murmurs coming from them, but one stands out strongest amongst the rest.
"Skai en graun!"
"Skai en graun!"
"Skai en graun!"
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