She opened her eyes in a room she did not recognize. The simple light hanging from the ceiling projected a dim light, just enough to see all of the people around her.
Josephine stared at them for a moment, trying to remember what had happened. She had gone out for a walk, long after everyone in Sanctum had fallen asleep. She needed to get some fresh air, to be alone with her thoughts for an instant. She had stopped when she heard a noise, like a rustle behind her. She had turned around, expecting to see someone but no. She was still apparently alone. She was about to turn around when she felt a blistering pain in the back of her head. She tried to scream, but it came out without a sound. She could now hear at least two or three people around her, whispering. She became dizzy and suddenly, everything was pitch black.
It was easy enough to understand what had happened now. These people, her host's friends, had struck her with something heavy enough to make her faint. It was surprising, knowing that they had access to paralyzers in Sanctum. They apparently preferred the old school techniques.
She was now sitting on an uncomfortable chair, her hands tied behind her back. The guy she recognized as Bellamy Blake stood right in front of her, frowning. She grinned at him with an arrogant and provocative smile.
"Where's Clarke?" Bellamy asked.
"Here," she said, trying not to laugh.
"Stop it!" a girl with dark hair yelled.
Raven Reyes. The only time Josephine talked to her, the girl had been crazy mad at her. She hadn't realized her host had been friend with her.
"I am Clarke."
"Like hell you are." Raven spat.
"I have no idea what you are talking about."
"We won't ask again." Bellamy then said. "Where is Clarke? What have you done to her?"
"It was the flirting, wasn't it? That's what sold me, clearly." Josephine said, dropping the act. "I was so sure of myself though! Hmm, I guess I'm not as good as I was."
She could feel the anger radiating out of him. Out of all of them, really, but she didn't care. She was actually having fun. They couldn't know it yet, but they were wasting their time.
"I don't understand why you all care so much." she continued. "The mom I can see why obviously. But you guys?" She looked at the others. Everyone was there. In all these people, only a few had been kind to her these past few days. Jackson, Madi, Jordan, Miller, Gaia, Bellamy and Abby. Perhaps Echo hadn't been too bad. The others? They were acting like she wasn't there or were insulting her every chance they got. She didn't know who that Clarke girl was, but she sure as hell wasn't good at making friends.
"You, Raven? Are you even friends with her? Half of the time, you sound like you would rather see her dead. And you, what's your name again? Murphy, right? Please... For what I figured out, you're far from being a saint and yet, you're acting like a little bitch toward me." Josephine continued. "No really, I don't understand why you all care so much. What is she to you? Is she your friends? I'm having doubts." She looked at Bellamy directly. "And I'm having a hell of a hard time figuring out what she is to you. That's weird, I'm usually pretty good at it. But you and her? A puzzle, really. I just can't figure it out. Please, tell me Bellamy, what is she to you? Your friend? Your lover? Your family? I need help here."
He didn't respond.
"Oh, well, at least I tried." Josephine sighed. "You're all wasting your time, by the way."
"What do you mean?" Clarke's mom asked.
Josephine paused, loving the attention, the tension in the room.
"Clarke's dead. Deal with it."
--
For the past hours, everyone had taken turns, waiting for Josephine to break. Waiting for a sign of Clarke, the realClarke. No such luck so far. They had talked to her about her dad, Lexa, Wells, Finn, Jasper, Monty, everyone. Talked about memories with people still alive. What she had done. Everything. Almost.
Bellamy had one last idea. A part of him was scared of using it because he knew that, if it didn't work, nothing would.
He sat in front of Josephine who looked half-asleep. It was hard for him, looking at Clarke, knowing that she wasn't really here. Loving the person in front of him and hating her at the same time.
"You guys need to stop. The sooner you get over it, the easier it will be for everyone, trust me."
"Just shut up and listen to me, will you?"
Josephine shrugged. "Whatever."
"I'm talking to Clarke here. I know she can hear me. I know she's still in there, somewhere." A beat. "She has to be."
"She's not. But go on, it's interesting."
Bellamy gave her a look so hateful that even she felt intimidated for a second. But when he started talking again, his voice was calm and sad.
"Clarke, do you remember what you told me? What was your biggest regret? I know you wouldn't forget it." He paused. "You called me every day for six years and you left me to die in the fighting pit. I know you remember."
"I'm sorry, Bellamy." Josephine almost felt bad for him. "You're wasting your time."
"Am I?"
She looked at him, confused. But then, she saw the drop of black blood fall on her lap and she suddenly understood what he was talking about.
"What is happening to me?" she asked and for the first time, fear was perceptible in her voice.
"Clarke's fighting back." Bellamy simply explained, pride clear in his voice.
"That's impossible!" Josephine screamed. "She can't do it!"
"You clearly don't know her."
And then, without her being able to control anything, memories flowed in her head. Memories about the people in this room and many more. Memories they had told her and others, more peaceful. And with each of these memories, the emotions that accompanied them. Josephine screamed in fear and pain. She did not understand what was happening to her.
"Get out of my head!"
She didn't know if she had thought it or if she had shouted it. She was not even sure she was the person behind this voice. Had it come from the real Clarke?
"Look!" Someone shouted.
With all of these memories and emotions Josephine had to deal with, she was practically unaware of the others watching the scar on her neck.
"It's like for the Commanders."
"Let's go then. We know what to do."
While Josephine was fighting hard against Clarke's conscience, she was not aware of what was happening in the real world. She didn't see that Clarke's friends were finding out exactly how to save the one they had always loved, even with everything that had happened between them.
Then, everything stopped. Josephine was not screaming anymore and had stopped struggling against her ties. Her head dropped to her chest and her nose stopped bleeding. In his hands, Murphy held what looked like the Commander's chip.
Bellamy walked in front of Clarke, his heart beating fast.
"Please, please, please." He thought. "I'm here for you. I can't lose you again. Please, wake up."
As if she heard his silent plead, Clarke blinked a few times before settling her eyes into Bellamy's.
"Clarke? Is it you?" He asked, hopeful and nervous.
"Bellamy? What happened?"