I had been working on getting the finer details of the bird I was carving when I heard Clarke say, "We're doing everything we can to prepare here. We're gathering nuts and berries, curing meat, but the truth is, we'll freeze before we starve."

I looked up to see the Council's reaction as one of them, Kane; I think Clarke called him, said, "There's good news on that front. According to civil defense plans from before the war, there's an old emergency aid depot not far from the landing site. Here are the coordinates."

The screen was filled with something as Wells quickly jotted something down. I started frowning and promptly ducked my head to keep anyone from noticing. If I remember my history right, civil defense usually included fayagons, among other supplies like emergency lights and medical supplies. I knew of six locations that supposedly had such supplies at one time. Four of them were within reach of the acid fog, one had been ransacked long ago, and the last was somewhere buried underneath a lake. However, the lake had once been a town before flooding had occurred a century ago. The last team that had been sent over twenty years ago might have missed an entrance to that bunker, but it was highly unlikely.

I sighed, figuring that a team of scouts will have to follow whoever goes to verify this information. I also needed to get a look at the coordinates to find where it was.

"In addition to supplies, it could provide shelter for the hundred and the citizens coming down from the Ark," Jaha's voice reached me.

"And what makes you think it's intact," Wells asked, looking over Clarke's shoulder at something.

"It was designed to withstand nuclear warfare," was Kane's quick reply.

"Alright," Clarke sighed, looking at whatever was in front of her. "It's worth a shot."

Another Council member spoke up, "Chancellor, I have to object. Project Exodus is under way. The kids should sit tight in their camp until the first dropship launches."

"Even if everything goes without a hitch," Jaha said, "the hundred would die from exposure before relief arrives."

Raven leaned over and whispered in my ear, "Oh, now he's worried about everyone dying. Where was this concern two and a half weeks ago?"

"It's about appearances," I whispered back, watching as the Wells got up and whispered something in Clarke's ear. "If they don't want a riot on their hands, they have to play the benevolent caretaker. They're trying to keep the people from knowing that the launch was meant to be a culling, not a scouting mission. Since most of the kids are alive, they have to cover their asses. So now, the Council has to provide aid to maintain the illusion."

Clarke's slightly raised voice caught my attention as she said, "…was an unavoidable tragedy, but I don't see it that way, and I never will. So just tell me who's next and let someone who actually wants to talk to their parents have a turn."

At the same time, Wells came over to us with a large paper in his hand, "Hey, Harlee, since you've explored most of the area around here, can you take a look at something?"

I nodded and set the carving aside and took the proffered paper from him. Looking at it, I discovered it was a centuries-old map, topographical with limited information. What information it had was all handwritten in, probably by either Clarke or Wells.

Wells started pointing things out, "This is us here" -pointing to a circle with an x in the middle- "or as good as Clarke can figure out. Kane's just given us coordinates that should lead us to a supply depot. Have you, by chance, headed in that direction?"

I studied the map, comparing it to the maps I had of the region and deduced that it was indeed the bunker lying underneath a lake. I debated if I should tell them or let them discover it on their own.

Deciding it would be safer to lie, I shook my head, "No. I stayed mostly in this region," -pointing to the opposite side of the camp- "I'd go and ask Lincoln if he knows that area, but Clarke still won't let me leave."

Wells' face fell, "Damn."

"When were you thinking of heading out," I asked, quickly making, and discarding plans in my head.

"Soon," Clarke replied, joining us, and looking irritated. "I need to get out of here."

"Clarke," I said, "This is going to take about three hours to get to if I'm judging distances right. There's no telling what condition that area's going to be in. You could spend all day searching and not find the bunker. It's midmorning now, do you really want to take a chance and end up camping out there for the night?"

Clarke groaned in frustration, "What do you suggest then, Harlee?"

"Murphy and his group should be back later this afternoon," I told her. "Let me and him put a team together, and then you guys head out first thing in the morning. That way, you have plenty of daylight to look for the entrance and search the depot. And you'll have plenty of people to carry back any supplies."

"It's reasonable, Clarke," Wells said.

"And I should have a radio finished by then," Raven interjected. "It should have the range if anything goes wrong."

"Fine," Clarke relented, and then pointedly glared at Wells. "That doesn't mean I'm talking to my mother."

Wells held his hands up in surrender, "I didn't say anything."

Clarke narrowed her eyes at him, "You were thinking it, though."

"I was not," he huffed. "I know better than that."

"Yeah, you do," Clarke replied, relaxing. "Harlee, while I have you here, let's take a look at those stitches. They looked almost ready to come out last night."

"Yes," I exclaimed as I got to my feet. "They've been itching me like crazy."

The small group laughed as I laid down on the table, pulling up my shirt to expose the bandage. Clarke cleaned her hands with some of Monty's moonshine before she pulled off the bandage. She prodded the wound, making me clench my muscles at the feeling even though it no longer hurt.

"Does it still hurt," Clarke asked, scrunching her brows together after seeing my reaction.

I cleared my throat, "No. Just a tad ticklish there."

"Oh, really," Clarke said, a mischievous smirk replacing her concerned frown.

"Don't even think about it, Klark," I warned, purposefully pronouncing her name in Trigedasleng, and making her unconsciously clench her thighs together.

"I hate it when you do that," Clarke growled.

"Hate it when she does what," Raven asked, joining us and proceeding to stare at my abs unabashedly.

"When she says my name a certain way," Clarke huffed, and I laughed.

"Yep," I beamed at Raven and purposefully flexed my abdominals for Raven's benefit.

"Fuck," Raven breathed out as she bit her lower lip.

"Oh come on," Wells whined, making the girls whip their heads at him as I laughed. "Harlee, we've talked about this. At least wait until I'm gone."

"But Wells, they make it too easy," I complained, grinning.

That seemed to snap Raven out of her daze, and she smacked my leg, "Dammit, Harlee! You did that on purpose."

"Yes. Yes, I did," I replied with a smirk.

"Just for that," Clarke mumbled as she pulled a stitch free with a hard twist making me yelp in pain. "That's what you get, Harlee."

I glared at her, "You know I don't have to share my food with you, Clarke."

Raven gasped in horror, "No, not the food! I love the food. Clarke, don't let her take the food away."

"What's it gonna be, Klark," I asked, cocking my brow in question and a smirk on my face.

Clarke started to pull a stitch out agonizingly slow, making my stomach clench painfully. I glowered at her as she just quirked a brow and continued to pull.

When it was out, I huffed, "Fine. You fucking win, Clarke. You don't have to be a fucking sadist about it."

Clarke chuckled and pulled the rest out with relative ease and minimal pain. She put a clean bandage on, and I sat up with a huff, glowering at her still.

"So, do we still get fed," Raven asked as Clarke cleaned up.

"You never have to worry about going hungry, my Valkyrie," I said, smiling at her. "Clarke, on the other hand, gets fed so that I don't wind up being poisoned one day. There's a reason they used to warn against pissing off your doctor."

"Yep," Clarke said, leaning her head against my shoulder and smiling sweetly at me. "We control the drugs and the pain. If you want the good ones and minimal pain, be nice to your doctor."

"Plus, they can murder you and make it look like natural causes," I said, shaking my shoulder to dislodge the blonde.

"Geez, lesson learned," Raven said, a little wide-eyed. "Stay on Clarke's good side. Got it."

Clarke laughed, "I'm not that bad."

"Oh, yes, you are," Wells said. "Remember, Chloe, in third year?"

Clarke paused as she tried to remember and then blushed, scowling at Wells, "She deserved it. Chloe kept stealing my pencils."

"Do we want to know," Raven asked, stepping closer to me as Clarke and Wells continued to bicker.

"Probably not," I replied, smiling at her. "Let's get out of here before they remember we're still here."

"Sounds good," Raven said, handing me my bag.

I slung it over my shoulder and headed out with Raven beside me. I walked her to her tent, but she stopped me before I could go to my hut.

"Everything okay, Raven," I asked, concerned.

"Yeah, yeah, everything's fine," Raven replied, looking around. "Can you come in a sec?"

Confused, I nodded, "Yes."

She nodded, and grabbing my hand, pulled me inside her tent. Still confused, I stood still as I watched her. Raven began pacing a bit, glancing at me every once in a while. Concerned, I dropped my bag and intercepted her.

Holding Raven by her shoulders, I asked, "Raven, what is it? I've never seen you act this way."

"That's the problem," Raven replied. "I've never felt this way. I thought it was just a build-up of tension. Or that's it's been too long. Or maybe an extreme physical thing. Then I thought that maybe it's because of how shit went down. That it would just go away with time. With exposure. But it's not. And it's becoming extremely difficult to ignore."

"Raven, what are you talking about," I asked, rubbing her shoulders to calm her down.

"You," she angrily huffed and tore out of my arms. "I'm talking about you! You're everywhere. I've tried not thinking about you, but that just made it worse. I thought maybe figuring you out would get rid of the pull, but the more I learn, the harder the pull. You've invaded every sense. God, even your smell just drags me deeper. And…and you…your body…those fucking muscles. It's just not humanly possible. No one is that good looking or has your voice. No one! You're not real. There's no way you're real."

As much as it made me thrilled to hear her speak about me like that, I was more concerned about how agitated Raven was becoming.

"Raven," I softly spoke, stepping closer to her, but not crowding her. "I need you to take a few slow, deep breaths for me. Please. Before you pass out."

"And that's another thing," Raven spun on her heels and jabbed a finger in my chest, "You're always looking out for me. Always making sure I'm okay, that I have enough to eat. That I sleep."

I looked down at her, a soft smile on my lips, "Raven, I told you in that clearing that you'll always be important to me. I will always look out for you. Even at the cost of my own life. No matter what happens between us."

"You can't say shit like that, Harlee," Raven cried, jabbing me with the finger again. "You're supposed to be an asshole. Selfish. A player. You're supposed to have a different girl every night."

"That was me, Raven," I told her. "But meeting you…from the moment I first laid eyes on you, I knew you were different. Suddenly things I thought I was never meant to have become possible. And it scares me to my very core. But it is also one of the best feelings I have ever had, and I don't want to lose it. I don't want to lose you. I don't want anyone else, Raven. I only want you. But I know you. Well, I'm learning about you, and I know that I can't push whatever this is. If I tried, you'd run."

"Why can't you just be an asshole like everyone else," Raven pouted, slapping her hand against my chest.

I chuckled, "Raven, I am an asshole. And there will be days when you see that side of me. But" -I stepped closer and held her hips loosely- "nothing will ever change how I feel about you, my Valkyrie."

Raven sighed as she looked up at me, tears gleaming in her eyes, "God, I so want to kiss you now."

I leaned closer to her, looking her in the eyes, so she knew how sincere I am, "Is that something you really want?"

Raven nodded, a hand reaching up to cup the back of my head, pulling me closer, "Yes."

Our lips connected, and it was sweet ecstasy. My eyes slid shut of their own accord as my arms slid around her, pulling her impossibly close. Raven's hand on my chest fisted my shirt as the kiss deepened, mouths opening and tongues beginning to dance. I felt her shift and shifted with her, our lips never breaking. Not until the back of my legs connected with something, and she pushed against me. Forcing us apart as I fell to find myself sitting on her cot.

I looked up at her in surprise, seeing her eyes nearly consumed by black, my chest heaving as air rushed into my lungs. Raven's chest heaved as she gasped for air, staring down at me. Then she was straddling my lap, and our mouths connected once more. Hungry for their taste. My hands roamed her back, slipping beneath her shirt and splaying across her hot skin. Raven moaned at the contact, and I swallowed it greedily. Her hands found their way into my hair, gripping the strands tight as our kiss turned into a fight for dominance.

"Hey, Ra—OH SHIT! I am so, so sorry," a male voice broke in.

I growled low, making Raven whimper. I kissed her across her jaw in apology as she turned her head to face the intruder, sighing as I buried my head in her neck to keep my anger at bay.

"Monty, what is it," Raven sighed in frustration.

The boy stuttered something I ignored. I was too focused on Raven's pulse point against my lips to care. Not until I felt and heard her groan. Only then did I lean back and look between her and the entrance to the tent.

"You need to take care of something, don't you," I sighed, rubbing her lower back soothingly.

Raven nodded, leaning down to kiss me chastely, "Yeah. One of the Delinquents did something, and now the radio is making weird noises. Monty knows better than to touch my baby."

I snorted a laugh, "Your baby, huh?"

Raven smiled, "Well, yeah. I built that thing from scraps. My blood and sweat went into making that radio. Tears were optional."

I buried my head underneath her chin as I laughed. Raven played with the baby hairs along my neck until I calmed.

I sighed and moved her off my lap, standing her in front of me. Looking up at her as I continued to hold her hips, "Maybe the timing could have been better, but I think this is for the best. Otherwise, we'd have been here for hours and probably driven the camp insane."

Raven snorted, "Someone thinks highly of themselves."

I smirked and stood up, keeping ahold of her, "Only because it's true. But you are welcome to come and find out later if the rumors are true."

"I just might," Raven said, pulling me down into another kiss. "God, I just can't get enough of your lips. I should go." -kiss- "I need to go." -longer kiss and a groan- "I'm gonna go."

To save Raven, I stepped back and bent over to grab my bag, "I'm gonna go. I'll see you at dinner."

I turned to leave, but Raven grabbed me by the wrist, turning me back to her. I looked at her in question, and she just smirked.

She leaned up and kissed me one last time before shooing me out of the tent. I ignored the looks and catcalls as I walked to my hut. But when I was sure I was out of sight of anyone, I adjusted the tightness of my pants and started thinking about anything else to ease the discomfort. I still had to inform the scouts about a group heading out in the morning. I also needed to prepare in case they did find the bunker, and it did have weapons inside. It wouldn't bode well if it did. Time was really beginning to run out now.