Disclaimer: Own nothing
To surmise everything:
A restart fic. Clarke is murdered by Pike and comes back, at the beginning. In the dropship. And everyone that had died previously is there with her. And Clarke remembers, even though everything has restarted. And she has had enough. Angry as hell Clarke. Anya survived to betray Clarke, with Lexa. Both Anya and Lexa had betrayed her in her previous life. And so had Bellamy in her previous life. Bellamy's betrayal led to her death. Clarke has had enough of peoples' B.S. This is quite a different Clarke than you're probably used to. Dark Clarke. Doesn't give two craps Clarke. Eventual MonroexClarke and NiylahxClarke. Niylarke and "Claroe" or "Monarke." Whatever you want to call that ship. One-sided Clarktavia from Octavia's end. Crossover with another series, because I just want Clarke and Wells to get adopted. You'll see which series at some point. A lot of this was inspired by Crimson MirrorGlass's "Azgeda Chronicles."
Warriors of the valley: Chapter one
Some people can't be saved
Clarke was shaken awake by a voice and a hand shaking her shoulder. "Clarke! Clarke, wake up!" Clarke snapped away, brain fuzzy. She looked around where she was, panicked. Her mouth dropped when she saw what was in front of her. It was the dropship. The inside of the dropship. She snapped awake, looking to her right side, where the shaking was the cause of. It was Wells. Her Wells. Her best friend. Her partner in crime as the saying went, even though they had committed no crime except for the ones Jaha had accused them of. Her fellow outsider among the 100 delinquents. Her brother. Her family. Her only family. Among the 100.
She stared into those frightened brown eyes and she lunged to the right immediately, not caring about the restraints around her body and hugged a startled Wells. "Wells!" Clarke sighed heavily in relief. She didn't know how it was possible that Wells was here and alive. She didn't know and she didn't care. All that mattered was that Wells, her brother was here. He was safe and without any injury to his neck. Before Clarke could help it, her mind traveled to Charlotte. She almost growled. Damn that girl. She was here. Somewhere on the dropship, Charlotte was here. Wells's murderer was here. But so was hers, wasn't he? Somewhere in the dropship, Bellamy, the man that led her to her death at Pike's hands, was here.
Clarke's hold on Wells tightened. She was going to keep her brother safe. It didn't matter how. She would do it. She had killed children before. Maybe not in this life, but she had. She could kill one more for Wells. For Wells, she could kill hundreds. She snickered at that. She just might need to. She pulled away from Wells, wiping the smirk from her lips, not wanting to alarm her friend. Wells stared at her, looking like he could barely contain his relief. "Clarke," He started, "You're not-?"
"No," Clarke shook her head, grinning. "I know you didn't tell your dad. I know it was my mom." Wells's mouth dropped. "You…you know? How?" Clarke shook her head. "It doesn't matter. I know. It's okay, Wells. I'm sorry if I ever made you think I blamed you." Wells looked confused and Clarke couldn't blame him. The only time she had seen him before being locked up had been when she saw her father being floated. And she had been too busy crying into her mother's neck over her father's death.
And then the guards had taken her back to her cell.
So there had been little time when Clarke could have shown Wells that she blamed him for her father's death or her imprisonment before she had woken up on the dropship. She chuckled. "Never mind. I just promise you, Wells, I don't blame you. I know you'd never betray me." But the person who had betrayed her? Her own mother. Her own biological mother. That was one serious foot to the face. Clarke looked around the dropship where the many people she couldn't trust were strapped in. Just one of the many foots to the face.
It was then Clarke saw a boy going backwards on the lack of gravity, unstrapped from his seat. Clarke tried not to scowl, and tried to ignore her chest hurting. It was that idiot.
Finn Collins. Her first love. Or in one timeline, he had been.
Clarke almost laughed. This was so weird. She didn't know how any of this was possible. She had been killed by Charles Pike in the other timeline. But now she was here? Sure, she had heard some theories on the Ark between scientists about "multiverses," but this was insane. Had she really been dropped down into an alternate universe?
Clarke didn't have long to contemplate that when she saw Finn start to lower down on the gravity, swimming almost to get to her. She sighed. Not this time, Finn. It was better for both of them and better for Raven that it not happen this time. It didn't matter how it happened. What mattered was that if this was real and she had a chance to start over, she had to make sure that every decision counted. Her decisions had to be like the bullets in the chamber of a gun. Every bullet would have to count. Every decision had to count. Her eventual turning down of Finn. Her possible eventual murder of Charlotte and hiding the body. And maybe her murder of Murphy.
Then there was Bellamy. She wasn't sure what to do about him. He was the reason why she was dead. He had tricked her and blamed her for everything and brought her to Pike.
He was dangerous. She couldn't trust him. That was a given. She couldn't trust him any more than she could trust Lexa, Anya or the Mountain Men. Her eyes went wide, remembering the Mountain Men. The Mountain Men. They were still alive. Right, a new world, a new opportunity for the Mountain Men to kill them.
She huffed out and glared as Finn was low enough for her to eye him. She had many targets to hit with her "bullets." She had to make sure every decision, every single decision counted.
Finn smirked at her. "So you're the kid of the traitor, huh?" Clarke would have snorted. But she had no time or patience. "And you're the idiot that wasted a month of oxygen." Her smile became cruel. "And left Raven alone on the Ark. Wonder if any creep has made a move on her yet, because YOU weren't around to look after her." She watched as Finn's confident façade crumbled, horror now in his eyes at her words. Clarke knew that what she just did had been a gamble. She revealed that she knew about him and Raven. He would question how she knew. But for now it was worth it to see that confidence just disappear from his face. She had a feeling he might hesitate before pursuing her this time.
Clarke heard commotion and remembered that there had been a couple of teenagers that followed Finn's example and took their seatbelts off. Clarke groaned. She wanted to care and a part of her wished she would. But she couldn't. Hadn't she given everything to these people? Maybe not in this timeline, but she had. And if Finn's reaction to her when he first saw her was anything to go by, they would react and behave in the same way as they had in the other timeline. There was no point in trying to help them. They wouldn't help themselves. Even to save themselves, they wouldn't help themselves.
The torrent of failing gravity was now very present and Finn collapsed onto the floor. Clarke finally found her snort coming out. Had she really at one time been in love with this boy? The dropship then descended down, fast. She heard cries and yells and crashing behind her. She was sure by now that both the boys that had unbuckled themselves were dead now. Their own faults. Clarke braced herself against the seat, Wells grabbing her hand and squeezing it. She smiled at him, despite the nonstop shaking and descending of the ship, squeezing his hand back.
It didn't matter what these idiots threw at her. Octavia's snotty ignorance, Finn's naïve flirtations, Jasper and Monty's innocence, Murphy and Charlotte's bloodlust, Bellamy's selfishness. She and Wells would have to get through them if they had to and they COULD do it.
The ground met the dropship seemingly far too fast. Faster than Clarke remembered it meeting the dropship. She heard Wells's voice in the dark, "Clarke, you okay?" Clarke nodded and spoke softly. "I'm alright, Wells. Get ready." She heard a confused, "What?" from Wells but said nothing afterwards. She likely would be getting a lot of confusion from her brother in the next few days and months. But she had to get him and herself away from the 100. As she heard people unbuckling themselves from their seats, Clarke considered taking a few of them with her. Monty, Jasper, Harper, Fox, Finn even. Should she take them with her and Wells?
Despite what the others were like, Monty, Jasper, Harper, Fox and Finn were relatively harmless.
For now.
But Clarke hadn't forgotten what Finn was capable of after a battle. Suffering from PTSD and killing a bunch of villagers. If she could do anything about it, he wouldn't be killing anyone. It wasn't that Clarke didn't suspect on a certain level that the villagers deserved it. They were at war, so who knew what the villagers had done? Besides, since when did Trikru villagers need an excuse to do anything violent? They saw people they could take advantage of and they did it. As for Jasper, Monty, Harper and Fox? They were dangerous for another reason. For their inability to act. All four teenagers had done nothing in the mountain, save for Monty.
They had all bought into the Mountain Men's lies. Even Monty. But in the end, Monty had come through and wired the lever in the mountain.
And he hadn't even hesitated like Bellamy had. He had said it himself, "We pull this and the Mountain Men die."
Monty had acknowledged that he was a part of the massacre even before it happened. Clarke sighed, feeling her heart hurt. She hated that Monty had been a part of it. How she wished she had been the only one to pull that lever. She wished Monty had never had to wire that lever and that Bellamy had never pulled the lever with her for his sister. How she wished they had both remained innocent of that particular crime in her own timeline. But they hadn't. And only one of them had taken their nightmares and pain like an adult.
And it hadn't been the actual full-grown adult in this group.
Clarke had no use for Bellamy. He was dangerous and violent and only cared about himself and his sister. That was it. The man that helped her pull the lever in the mountain was gone after she had left. In his place had been a bitter, entitled mass murderer who thought that all Grounders were the same, save for the ones he knew personally and should get out of his way or die. She hadn't forgotten about that village that Bellamy tried to shoot up because they didn't move out of his and Pike's way to occupy it.
When Clarke thought about it now, had Bellamy ever been trustworthy? Hadn't he been willing to let all his people die in the mountain when she suggested pulling the lever? If she hadn't been in that room and if Monty hadn't been in the room, and if Bellamy had been the only one in that room and Octavia had been been threatened by the guards, would the lever ever have been pulled? Or would Bellamy have left his people to die? He only killed the Mountain Men with Monty and Clarke because he wanted to protect his sister. ONE person. Only one.
He couldn't be trusted. But Monty? Clarke's chest hurt like she had been hit in the chest. Monty had instantly wired the lever and had admitted that he was fully responsible as Clarke was for what happened next. If anyone should get away from these idiots and the chaos that would happen when their people and the Grounders ran into each other, it was Monty. She heard Wells unbuckling his seatbelts and she did the same, making up her mind about what to do. When Bellamy and the others were distracted, she, Wells, Monty, Jasper, Finn, Harper and Fox had to get away. She remembered that the first few minutes after they had come down, they had gone on a hunting trip.
It had ended with Jasper getting a spear in the chest. But that wouldn't happen this time. When she, Wells, Finn, Monty, Jasper, Harper and Fox got away, she would lead them away from that river. She wondered if she could get Harper and Fox to come with them. They hadn't come with them the first time. Maybe she could convince them. What about Octavia? Octavia was a danger. Was Octavia loyal? Yes. Had she been the only reason why Clarke had gotten to the control room in the mountain and the only reason why she had gotten inside Arkadia to speak to Bellamy before he turned on her? Yes. But she was immature. Shortsighted. She only saw things from her point of view. It was hard for her to imagine that she wasn't wrong ever.
It would be dangerous to bring her along. Then again, it was probably also dangerous to bring Jasper along when he had been so quick to bow his head to the Mountain Men's authority, eating up their lies like they were candy. But she knew Jasper deserved another chance. She knew a lot of these kids did. But many of them had fallen in line with Bellamy's selfishness and violent behavior. As long as they were fed and free, they were fine with letting thousands and thousands of people dying on the Ark. The lives of all the people on the Ark were inconsequential compared with the 100's desire to do "whatever the hell they wanted." All they cared about was themselves.
There was no one in this group who would help her outside of the six people that she was going to take with her. She briefly contemplated taking Monroe with her, but dismissed the thought. Monroe had been helpful against the Mountain Men. But she had also been an all too willing sheep, happy to follow Bellamy wherever that murderous man went.
Monroe wasn't an option.
Clarke got up with Wells and Clarke moved past the groaning Finn. Showing him affection would not help her. She went to the door of the dropship, gasps being sent her way. "Wait," She recognized Monty's voice, "What if the air's toxic?" Clarke shook her head and looked over her shoulder at Monty who she could barely make out in the dark, "Well, we can't stay here. Not unless we want to die of starvation or dehydration? Anyone else want to stay in this cage?" Clarke turned around and looked on the others.
She heard no response, just got glares from them. She assumed they were thinking about how entitled and spoiled she was as the Ark's "princess." God, how she ever wanted to help them, Clarke would never know. A familiar, disgusted voice reached Clarke's ears and she almost groaned. God damn it. Bellamy. "No one said you were in charge. We're not on the Ark anymore. You're not the queen here."
"So you want to stay here?" Clarke asked, biting down on her anger as she stared unflinchingly at the glaring brown eyes of the murderer of 300 innocent, SLEEPING Grounders. She was a mass murderer too. She had killed thousands of people in Mount Weather. There were so many children she had killed. But those were very different circumstances than what had been done to those 300 sleeping Grounders. Those Grounders had been asleep. Helpless. And they had been there to protect the people of Arkadia. Bellamy had killed his own allies and opened up a possible war upon his own people. He had stupidly put his own people in danger.
The only difference between him and Clarke and Lexa and Clarke was neither Bellamy nor Lexa had honor and Clarke just had no choice. It was either pull that lever or let all her people, including her own mother die. That was no choice. That was like having a gun to your head. But Lexa? Leaving an enemy to live another day and giving them bone marrow so they could get above ground with their missiles and bombs? And Bellamy? Killing three hundred people who were asleep and almost starting another war between their people? There would be no trust given to either of them. Ever again. Not in this timeline.
Clarke had to be more careful than that.
She shrugged and said before the self-righteous, selfish child in a man's body could answer, "Whatever. I don't care. I'm sure you'll do everything you want." She smirked and looked around at the other kids. "Since he's boring and wants to stay here, I guess I'll just leave." She turned around and turned the switch on the platform that was the door of the dropship and watched it open up. She heard another familiar voice coming from the crowd behind her. "Wait," Octavia's voice called from between some of the kids. "Bellamy?"
Clarke rolled her eyes. Great. The obnoxious Blake siblings were reunited. Get the parades of confetti and self-righteous idiocy ready.
There was a part of her that would always love them. Both of them. Bellamy and Octavia. But love wasn't enough as she learned in the previous timeline.
It sometimes could help, but love alone wasn't enough. And she had given more than just love. She had given patience, kindness, time. She had tried to be more authoritarian even. None of it worked. Some people just wouldn't be helped. Octavia didn't want to learn because she refused to acknowledge that she was wrong sometimes. And Bellamy didn't want to change because he refused to grow up and not admit when he was at fault. And worse, he refused to admit when something wasn't about him.
Sometimes love didn't help anyone. She knew that now. Some people you had to give up on.
Sometimes, you just had to let two people screw up on their own. Because you already learned that they wouldn't listen to you. Clarke unfortunately learned this the hard way from both of them.
But it looked like no one else remembered. That could be her advantage. Was it cruel to decide that both Bellamy and Octavia were beyond help when they hadn't even committed these actions yet? Yes. But the problem was that Clarke knew exactly what would happen. Since everything was happening the way it all started out last time, she didn't know what else she could do. It was likely their paths would end the exact same way it had last time.
Then there really was no help for either of them. The door of the dropship lowered to the ground, making the many leaves scatter and the soil compress under the weight of the metal. A series of awed cries, gasps and murmuring filled the dropship behind her. She smirked. It was awe -inspiring to them, sure. But it was going to get ugly real fast. Clarke heard more mumblings of people behind her realizing that Octavia was the girl "born under the floorboards." She snorted and walked forward, using the others' distraction with Octavia to her advantage. Her hand took Wells's and pulled him, urging him to follow her.
She heard his footsteps right behind her.
They would be the first people from the Ark to set foot on the ground. It didn't matter to her who were the first. The sooner she got herself and Wells away from the 100, the better. She and Wells got down to the end of the platform when they heard Bellamy yell at their backs, "Stop! Octavia, go down. Be the first person to step on Earth in 93 years."
Clarke snorted, ignoring Bellamy's orders. She let go of Wells's hand and leapt off the platform onto the ground, getting several gasps. She turned around, a mildly disgusted look on her face as she acknowledged Bellamy's stunned, then infuriated expression. "What? You think we're the first people on the ground in 93 years? How arrogant are you guys? You think that no one would be smart enough to survive the bombs? There's such a thing as bomb shelters. There used to be a lot of them around the world. Maybe some people survived." She nodded to Bellamy. "It's extremely arrogant to think that we're the first people to be on the ground in years. Get over it. And get over yourself."
She added, "I'm going to go look for food and water. We need it." She looked at Wells, ignoring the following murmuring. "You coming, brother?"
Wells stared, obviously mind blown by his sister's personality change. He eventually nodded. "Yeah." He said quietly. "Let's go."
"Who the hell do you think you are?!" Bellamy's voice was incensed and Clarke again had to fight not to roll her eyes. What an idiot. Had she really trusted him at one time? She was really starting to question her life choices back in the other timeline. That was probably a wise thing to do, since her life choices were likely what led to her death when she trusted Bellamy.
"I think," Clarke answered, staring up at the pretend guard with such aggravation, she was sure that the oldest of their number could feel it like a physical blow, "That I'm the one person worried about whether we'll have enough food or water to survive. We don't know anything about Earth. It's probably changed in the last 93 years. And there's probably a lot of toxin that's still in the air and water. And the longer we wait to get water and food? The more tired we'll be. Is that what you want to happen? Do you want to starve or die of dehydration? Because I don't."
Before she had to deal with their insistence that she was stuck up, she sighed, and spoke in a tone that she hoped didn't sound too much like she thought of them as whiny babies, which by now, she did. "Look, how about this? Wells and I and a few others can get food and water for the rest of you and I won't make a fuss about whatever else you guys do. I mean, you want to do what you want? Fine. But you need food and water, right? I mean, there's ninety-eight of you." She wisely said "you" instead of "us." In their eyes right now, there was no "us." They were selfish, self-absorbed children and there was no help for them.
She could see the contemplation run across Bellamy's face. And she saw he was understanding how this made sense. "Fine." He said, "But let's make something clear." He stomped down the ramp, trying to appear intimidating, but to Clarke, he just appeared like a stupid, inbred gorilla. The pauna had more grace than he did. She couldn't believe she had ever trusted someone as repulsive as him. "You're not in charge here. Not ever." Bellamy's face was hard and his voice harder. Clarke felt herself almost hyperventilate at the familiar words, remembering how he betrayed her last time.
"You're not in charge. And that's a good thing. When you're in charge, it ends in death."
And he had stopped being the man she would trust with her life. He became a hypocritical monster that had the blood of hundreds on his hands but refused to take responsibility. He told her that every time she had been in charge it ended in death. But what did he call what happened when he was in charge?
She might have been a hypocrite too, but at least she would admit it. And Bellamy? He was the king of hypocrites.
"Are we clear, princess?" His voice was harsh with a sneer. And somehow, after he was done saying that, Clarke had the unique sensation of almost laughing in his face and sure she was going to hyperventilate if she didn't hold her breath like she was doing. God, it was so comical, the comparison. In the other timeline, an actual other lifetime ago, she respected him as a human being, even before they had gotten to know each other. No, she hadn't liked him. She had thought he was crass and unreasonable. But she respected him as a human being and had been sure that he had his own reasons for doing what he had been doing.
But now? In this new timeline? She saw so much clearer. It was like looking at a giant, entitled child who just didn't know when or how to grow up. It was kind of embarrassing to watch. What that girl from the other timeline, Gina who had died before Clarke could meet her saw in the older Blake sibling, Clarke would never know. But she had had the misfortune of meeting him. And it had led to her death. Just as it had let to Clarke's death. And it would lead to Roma's death again.
Clarke immediately felt a connection with that poor young woman, Gina.
They both had been deceived by this man. They both had thought he was someone he wasn't.
She exhaled strongly, letting out all the stress and anxiety that Bellamy's callous words had caused her. She knew some exercises that kept the anxiety and the flashbacks at bay for a while. But as the anxiety settled, all she felt, as she thought about everything Bellamy had done, was sad. That was all she could feel right now. Because what else could you feel for such a sad creature? All he felt was hate and fear. Or apathy. None of that was good for anyone. Not even himself.
And now she was doing the same to save the rest of the people on the Ark. It was a ruthless decision, but since she knew what Bellamy was going to do, she again had no choice. Saving millions over 101? That sounded like a good price. No one should have to make that choice. But she knew what the best choice was. It didn't mean it was good. But it was the right one.
It was sad that Bellamy couldn't realize that one life didn't mean as much as a million lives. But she knew that he didn't. The proof was in what he had done in the other timeline. Raven's radio. The 300 people that had been sacrificed for oxygen. Those three hundred people wouldn't have died, had Bellamy not thrown the radio into the river to save his life. The 300 people that Bellamy killed with Pike and the other guards in the 300's sleep. That village that Bellamy had almost destroyed because the village wouldn't get out of the way. Then there was that other thing that happened that made Clarke's skin crawl. Bellamy didn't pull the lever with her in the mountain until and only until his little sister was in danger. That was it. He would have left everyone to die if Octavia had n't been in danger.
Those actions and lack of actions spoke loud. What more proof was needed? Eating babies? How many chances should someone get? Clarke was done giving him chances to fail her. Maybe she shouldn't have left camp during the first timeline, but Bellamy was entirely responsible for his own actions. She wasn't his mother.
And even a mother had to realize when the child-an adult child, had to grow up, even when the child didn't want to.
Clarke concealed her sadness when she spoke to Bellamy, trying to stay calm. "I got it. Now can I go get food and water? And since there are a lot of you, we should get a lot of food. Doesn't that mean that there should be a few of us going besides me and Wells?"
Bellamy scowled, but his face loosened up a little and he turned back to the dropship as some of the kids emerged. A few of them jumped off and raced to the forest, several following. "So," Bellamy yelled, "The princess thinks that there should be a group going into the forest. Who wants to join her and the prince?" Clarke looked around his frame at those that were paying attention, eyes lying on Finn, Jasper, Monty, Harper and Fox in the mass.
Finn, not at all to Clarke's surprise, was the first to walk over, looking fascinated and intrigued as he met her gaze. Clarke again felt like she was going to laugh. It perhaps wasn't healthy to have a superiority complex when it came to the younger hormonal teenagers. Younger mentally, anyway. Physically they were the same age as her or younger. But mentally? She was at least a couple of years ahead of them. No reason why they should know that, right?
But her words on the dropship had probably done the effective thing. Made Finn turned off of her, if only temporarily, but intrigued him enough where he felt he needed to know how she knew about Raven. Jasper, much to Clarke's relief, walked down too. Monty followed.
"Sure." Jasper said brightly, and Clarke tried not to smirk. As she had thought. Hormonal. Jasper said, smirking cockily, "I'll go with the princess. So I guess that makes me prince charming?" Wells acted as any protective brother would. He had been tense the whole time Bellamy had stomped over. But since Bellamy had stopped before doing anything, he hadn't attacked. But since Jasper was now only inches from Clarke, Wells lunged, but Clarke put a hand up in front of his chest, making him collide with it, stopping him. He looked at her, surprised. She turned to him and shook her head.
Now wasn't the time for being rash. They had to be calm and collected. If they did anything like attack people, there would be chaos and many questions. If Clarke could get herself, Wells, Finn, Jasper, Monty, Harper and Fox away with their wristbands, alerting the Ark that they were still alive, then there might be hope.
Besides, Monty and Wells were important in the technology department. And Clarke knew where there were radios. As long as the two of them came with her and they could contact the Ark, they might save all those people.
Wells assaulting Jasper might put a damper on any relationship they could hope to form with Monty. She turned to Jasper, smirking at him. "I think maybe you have the wrong princess. I'm less interested in small talk, more interested in getting fucking food and fucking water, if you don't mind."
She heard a series of gasp and noticed Wells straighten up, surprised. Jasper blanched, shocked. Obviously the "princess" of the Ark speaking the words she just said were expected the least of any possible thing that might come out of her mouth. Clarke turned an uncaring stare from Jasper and Monty, back to the surprised mass at the ship. There was still a good forty or thirty-six members of the delinquents watching and waiting. Clarke saw Harper and Fox. She said, looking right at them, "Hey, you, up there. The girl with the blonde hair and the bandana. And the girl with the black hair and the necklace? Do you want to come with us?" Harper and Fox both looked startled at being singled out.
Fox looked around at the other girls, trying to see if they were wearing necklaces too. She most likely was thinking that it wasn't her that was being singled out. Harper hesitated, but walked down eventually, coming to join Jasper and Monty. Clarke knew better than to ask for Miller. Miller first and foremost only cared about himself. His own father was a guard and Miller still went with everything Bellamy said. And he had been amongst the first to patronize her for her worries about the Mountain Men. Miller was not to be trusted. Besides, she was already taking chances by asking other people to come with her. She didn't want to risk causing chaos or bringing suspicions to herself by demanding anyone she wanted with her.
That was the difference between her and Bellamy. The real difference. Bellamy usually came through too late. But the thing he thought of first? Himself. His own agenda. At the most, he also would think of Octavia and maybe whoever he was having sex with at the time. That was it. Bellamy might as well have a sign on him that said, "I am a black hole of selfishness and for some reason, I act like I deserve respect."
A voice called out, startling Clarke, as she recognized it. "I'll come too!"
She looked at where the voice came from. Monroe? Clarke found the other girl coming down the ramp. The dark gold haired young woman got to the bottom of the ramp. She smiled. "Let's go. I want to look around and I'm hungry anyway." Clarke cocked her head, not expecting this. She tried to think. Had she really done anything that much differently from last time? Besides having more of an attitude, she couldn't think of anything she had done this time around that would make Monroe be interested in accompanying her.
But she kept her skyrocketing confusing under control. They had another person. Another person meant another wristband. She smiled and nodded. "Sure. Okay, great." She stopped herself just in time before she said Monroe's last name. If she hadn't, there would be questions as to how she knew the girl's last name. Clarke then saw the inevitable.
The ever blunt and forward Octavia moved down the ramp and looked at Clarke with piercing, challenging, blue eyes. "I'm coming too. But you don't get to tell me what to do, princess."
Clarke allowed a smirk. "That would mean that I'd have an interest in telling you what to do. And I don't. You would have to be worth my time for me to make an effort for that."
Octavia looked disgusted and incensed. Bellamy turned back to Clarke and gave her the same look. "You watch it, princess. You're not going to be treated special down here."
Clarke just gave a smile. "Understood."
Being expected to be treated with common human decency wasn't demanding special treatment. It was just expecting normal respect. Bellamy couldn't recognize that. Which really should have told her so much from the beginning, but just hadn't. How could she have missed all the signs?
Bellamy turned back to Octavia and snapped, "You're not going anywhere. You're staying right here."
Octavia scowled at him and moved past him. She snapped when she was just past Clarke, scowling at the blonde like she was the most putrid thing on the Earth, "I'm done taking orders, Bell. I took enough of them from you and mom on the Ark because of Jaha." Octavia threw blue daggers at Wells and Clarke felt the need to punch Octavia, but kept it under control. "And no one is telling me what to do ever again."
Clarke forced herself not to smirk. Right, never again. Unless those orders came from the Trikru, right? The only way Octavia would ever do what anyone told her again was if it came from Indra or some other Trikru. Octavia was such a hypocrite. She turned to Wells and nodded to the forest. Wells nodded. And so, with a somewhat bigger group than she had been expecting, Clarke and the other eight started to move to the forest. Clarke felt a smirk on her lips when she felt Bellamy's infuriated eyes on them.
It was when they were about to exit the outer circle of trees around the dropship that Clarke got a look at those a few feet away that she realized that they were being followed by a few people more. She paused just when she was about to cross over a log. There was a boy and a girl she recognized, but didn't remember the names of.
The brown-haired boy and girl came over more quickly when they realized they had been seen. "Hey," The boy said, waving his hand. "I'm Pascal." The girl added, smiling, "I'm Trina. Can we come with you?"
Clarke almost laughed. What was she doing so differently? Was being an asshole really that attractive to other people? "Um," She said, "Well, I'm not in charge, remember? You guys do what you want. So go ahead."
Pascal and Trina shared a grin and they walked over. Pascal added when he was next to Clarke and Wells, "It's just, you look like you know what you're doing." Clarke sucked in a breath, feeling a shred of the anxiety again. Pascal had no idea how close to the truth he was. She knew precisely what she was doing. But none of them could know that, except for Wells. Wells was the only one she was going to trust with this kind of information. And he probably would think she had lost her mind. But he deserved to know more than anyone.
There was a high-pitched voice that yelled, "Can I come?" Clarke's blood turned cold and she stopped in her steps. Because of how young that voice sounded, Clarke had an idea of who it belonged to.
She slowly turned with her number to see Charlotte running over. Clarke narrowed her eyes. Charlotte. The little murdering bitch. Clarke walked over, gently nudging Wells away, hoping to keep him far away from the deadly little girl. "No way. You're too young, okay?" Clarke made sure to keep her voice soft so that Charlotte didn't know just how hated she was.
The girl shook her head. "I want to help." Clarke kept a calm expression. But inside, she found only anger and twisted amusement. Help? Since when had Charlotte been helpful? Her being a young girl didn't take away the fact that she was a murderer or thought her vengeance put her above the law. It didn't change that Charlotte last time had killed Wells for two deaths he didn't commit.
"No." Clarke insisted. "I'm sorry, but you're too young. Maybe next time, alright?" Charlotte frowned, looking upset, staring up at Clarke with pleading brown eyes. Clarke would have laughed, had she and Charlotte been alone. Those eyes would only work, had Clarke known what Charlotte was. What Charlotte was capable of. Pleading eyes would not blind Clarke to Charlotte's ugly, little soul.
She would not ignore what Charlotte had taken from her in the other timeline.
If she had to make the choice, she would choose Wells over Charlotte every time. She was going to kill Charlotte if she had to. But she had to be smart about it. If she was going to kill Charlotte, she had to do it where no one saw her. She then remembered something important. Something that might get rid of Charlotte. It was something Lincoln had taught her before the battle with Anya's army. Around this area, there were some poisonous berries. The deadly kind of poisonous. Clarke suspected that some of the 100 in the previous timeline had been killed by those berries in the first few weeks they had been on Earth.
They were small and cone shaped and a bright blue-white color. Their juices would give you an agonizing death. It was why Lincoln had taught them not to eat those. But the thing was, in this timeline, no one but her knew that. And she actually WANTED people to eat them in this timeline.
And she knew where those berries were.
She leaned in closer to Charlotte and said in a quiet voice, "You really want to help?" Charlotte nodded, eager. Clarke smiled, knowing one day she would probably look back on this and be totally horrified. But not now. "Then help. But do it differently. Go look for food with some of the others. There might be some food around camp. Like nuts and berries. I suggest to the right, just a few feet behind the dropship. Opposite of us."
Charlotte spun around and looked in the direction of where the berries were. She turned back to Clarke and smiled. "Okay." She said. "I'll do good, promise."
Clarke nodded, wishing she could feel remorse for this. "I'm sure you will."
Charlotte turned around and ran over to the camp. Clarke stopped herself from smirking and turned around to join the others. "What was that about?" Jasper asked, looking at Clarke, worried. Clarke found no comfort in it. She knew Jasper cared usually about only two things besides Monty. His own safety and girls. That was usually it.
"It's fine." She answered, no warmth in her voice. "Just wanted to make sure the girl was safe. We don't know what's out there." Well, everyone else didn't. She did.
"So we're finally going now, princess?" Octavia sneered.
Clarke smirked as she walked, not even facing the brunette, "I wasn't holding you up. You were the one that chose to wait. And it's a pity you did. If you hadn't I wouldn't have to hear your banter."
Clarke didn't look at Octavia, but she heard the hiss behind her and could almost picture the inflated frame and reddening skin of the other girl. "You think you're better than me?!"
Clarke didn't answer as they moved away from the camp, down the log, shrub, weed, leaf, root and moss covered path, moving around rocks and smaller trees. When they were almost a couple of minutes away, Octavia finally acted as a part of Clarke so had hoped she would. Octavia grabbed Clarke's right shoulder and tried to force Clarke around to face her with a growl. Clarke knew Wells and Finn were both about to interfere, but didn't need them to.
The thing was experience.
True, both she and Octavia were on the same level when it came to being slim and lacking in muscles. But Clarke had all her memories of training and techniques that she had learned with Anya, Lexa and Lincoln. Some of which Octavia had shown her herself. Octavia? She had none of these memories.
And even though Clarke had known it was foolish to do this since Octavia was that idiot's sister, a part of her had been wanting to do it for a while. It was time for Octavia to loose the attitude. And Octavia wouldn't tell. She was too proud for that. Besides, with any luck, Clarke, Wells and some others would be gone by then.
It was when Octavia's hand was still on Clarke's shoulder and she had been turned around to fully face a furious Octavia that Clarke acted. She smacked her right arm upwards, slapping Octavia's arm off her shoulder. This action caused Octavia to gasp and her eyes to widen in surprise. Clarke used this surprise to her advantage. She stepped closer and turned her right hand, grabbing Octavia's hand that hand been on her shoulder, by the wrist and carried the arm up, and twisted it around.
Octavia gasped out, wincing, and Clarke felt an actual smirk come to her lips at the sound. She moved around till she was at Octavia's back, pinning Octavia's arm there. She grabbed Octavia's other arm with her free hand and did the same and ran forward so that she was pushing Octavia chest first into a tree. Clarke heard the gasps increase, but didn't pay attention. Not even when she heard Wells gasp her name. She felt the impact when she was up against the thick tree and heard the breath be taken out of Octavia.
Clarke used her chest and left arm to pin Octavia's arms and she grabbed Octavia's hair with her right hand, forcing Octavia's shocked face to look at her. Clarke knew that her face must have had a cold, unforgiving appearance, because as soon as Octavia saw her face, she cringed. Clarke said in an icy voice, "I don't know, or care what your problem is, girl. So you were thrown into the skybox for being born? Big deal. My father was killed for knowing something he shouldn't know and trying to warn people. But I still want to help the people on the Ark. Because I'm going to ask, which is more important. One life or millions? One life or millions, brat? If you can't answer me that, then I've got a revelation for you, maybe you should learn not to speak."
She added at Octavia's confused and stunned look. "The Ark is in danger. That's why we were sent down. To see if the Earth was livable. So to answer my own question, which is more valuable, one life or millions, the answer is obvious. Millions.
"And even with 101 people, the answer is still obvious." Clarke stared coldly at Octavia's shock. "The good of the millions come first. If you can't figure that out just because of your own issues? Then sorry, kid, you don't deserve to have an opinion." Clarke felt more pleasure at seeing Octavia look like Clarke had stabbed her than she should have. But it was there. That look of feeling like you were insignificant. Clarke had never relished in that before.
But now, after everything she knew about these people that would turn on each other first chance they got? No, now she would enjoy any pain created by their own stupidity. Because in the end, did they deserve any sympathy? Most of the things that happened to them down here were their own faults. The mess with Pike was just the final straw.
At last, Clarke moved back and loosened the steel grip she had on Octavia's hair and arms. She smirked at Octavia's continued horrified expression when the brunette turned around to face her. Clarke said, her voice still cold, "It might come as a big shock to you, but you're not the most important person on the planet. I'm sorry you lived the way you did and about your mom and that you were imprisoned just for being born. But your pain does not excuse condemning an entire people for Jaha's choices. Get over it. My advise."
She looked at the others and added, "So I'm going to get food and water for us as long as we can stay alive so that the rest of the Ark knows we're alive and know they can come down. Is that okay with everyone else or does someone else want to whine about how they've been unfairly treated by the Ark and so millions of people we never met should die for it?"
Getting only stunned stares and awed expressions, Clarke said, "Great. So let's move on, huh?" She moved past Octavia who she could feel staring at her and moved down the path. She felt Wells walk up next to her. She glanced at him and saw how he was staring at her. The way he looked at her hurt. He was looking at her like he didn't even recognize her.
She had accepted this time around that she would do what she had to do to keep herself, Wells and her people safe. But she knew that there would be consequences like there always would be. One of these consequences was her brother not knowing who she was anymore. She smiled at her brother, knowing it wouldn't do much good. "It's alright, Wells. I know this is all really weird. But I'll tell you everything later. You're just going to think I'm insane."
Wells frowned, not understanding this even a little. But to Clarke's relief, he nodded. Clarke felt holes being burned into her back and she knew Octavia was staring at her. So the next question was this: how was she going to convince Wells to leave with her? And that she wasn't crazy and that her story was true? Clarke didn't know. But she'd have to figure it out.
She went to the left, leading the others away from that river where Jasper had been hit with that spear. Every choice had to count. This was another. And she had to make another vital one when night came and they settled down. Getting Wells alone and talking with him about everything. She needed him to believe her. But out of everyone here, he deserved to know the most. And out of everyone here, he was the one that deserved to live longer. He had barely gotten to live on Earth before that shit, Charlotte murdered him. She would be damned if he didn't get a longer life this time around on her part.
And she was going to keep him away from toxic influences like Bellamy. That guy just didn't learn.
It was time to start anew.
She knew where there was water that didn't involve the river. There was a small creek a few yards away from here. And it wouldn't be long before they found a few deer and boars that ran around that area. They could find food then. As for Bellamy and the others? Considering Bellamy hadn't come after them the first time around to find his sister, going against his claims that he only cared about his sister and proving that the person he mainly cared about was himself, he wouldn't try to look for them this time either. It probably wouldn't be till the next day or even the day after when he sent people out looking for them.
That was good. That would give her and Wells and Monty and some others enough time to get away. She knew where that underground base was with all the machinery inside. There were radios in there. She wished Raven was here. But with Monty and Wells, they had a start.
Hours passed and Jasper and Monty got closer to Clarke. Jasper was mainly giving Clarke awed stares. Those kinds of stares you'd get from having someone annoying crushing on you. Clarke stopped herself from groaning the whole time. And to make things even worse, Finn was still looking at her with fascination. "So," He started getting closer to her, even though Wells tensed and looked ready to punch him. Clarke held a hand against his chest and stopped him. "How do you know about Raven?" Finn looked at Clarke with at troubled expression. Clarke rolled her eyes this time. She knew exactly what his insecurity was.
"Why?" She asked. "Are you worried that I'll tell everyone else that you have a girlfriend and so you won't be able to sleep with everyone? Raven deserves so much better, you know." She noticed Finn blanch, mouth dropping. Clarke sighed, "Relax, Space Walker. I know that you don't deserve that title, either. I'm not going to tell anyone anything about it. Go ahead and sabotage the best thing that's happened to you. You have a great relationship and a girlfriend that would do anything for you. And you throw it away." She stared at him without mercy. "Let's be honest why you're talking to me, Finn. Be very honest with yourself. Like I said, Raven deserves better."
Finn's mouth dropped and he looked like Clarke had just slapped him. Clarke didn't wait for him to respond and didn't offer any sympathy. She just kept walking away from him.
It was Monroe's turn to walk over to her, smirking back at Finn. "Shit, Griffin." The braided girl chuckled. "How do you know Space Walker? And damn, you really chewed him out. I didn't know he had a girlfriend."
Clarke nodded. "Of course you didn't. I bet Finn wants to keep it under wraps with every girl in camp that he has a girlfriend on the Ark. And she's a great one. And brilliant. I bet she could build a bomb from an age-old computer and a blender. And for how I know Finn?" Clarke tried to ignore the sadness that hit her at Raven not being here. That incredible, wonderful, ingenious woman was one of the reasons Clarke had found the strength she had possessed the last time. Knowing that she could count on Raven. And that Raven needed her help.
Raven still needed her help. She was on the Ark too. If anything happened to their wristbands, everyone the Ark, including Raven were in danger. "I know Finn from some of the doctor's visits he and Raven took to my mother's facility." This lie was the biggest and only lie she had spoken yet in this timeline. But she most likely was going to have to come up with a lot more. She saw how Wells was staring at her. He knew she was lying. But if she knew Wells, he wouldn't say anything about it until Clarke gave him an explanation.
Monroe smirked and laughed lightly. "Well, damn. Still, poor Space Walker." The grin on Monroe's face spoke how very little she felt for the guy. "I gotta say, Griffin, you yelling at Space Walker? That was kind of hot." Clarke almost started at those words, almost tripping on a few small twigs. So she was being hit on by Monroe now? She had not been expecting that one. So her new bitchy attitude somehow was attractive? That was news to her.
Maybe the stereotype was true. People really were attracted to bad people. And Clarke was bad in every sense of the word. A mass murderer. A manipulator and liar. And she would kill the Commander of the Grounders if she had to in order to keep her people safe. So she was as bad as she came. But unlike Lexa and Bellamy? She admitted it. She guessed she was more like Anya in that way. So she resembled one of the two women that had betrayed her. So what?
She chuckled, hiding her unease, "That might have been hot for you, M- but I meant my words. By the way," She said, knowing she should get this out of the way before she accidentally called them by their names and brought on a bunch of questions. "What are all of your names?" She looked around, waiting. She nodded to Pascal and Trina. "I mean, I know your names already. But what about everyone else?"
Monroe looked surprised that she would want to know and said, "Name's Zoe Monroe. But just call me Monroe. I prefer it."
Clarke nodded, more than okay with that, since familiarity. Jasper spoke hopefully, "My name's Jasper Jordan. This is my best friend and sidekick, Monty Green." Clarke tried not to snort when she turned to the two boys, watching as Monty glared at Jasper.
"Okay, really, Jasper?" Monty said. "Sidekick. You're my sidekick. Get the story straight." Jasper smirked. "In your dreams." Clarke turned to Octavia.
Octavia seemed surprised by Clarke's attention and scowled. "It's Octavia, Griffin. And don't think-"
"Yeah, yeah, thank you." Clarke said, waving a hand. "Give me the monologue later. You and your brother aren't very impressive." She turned her gaze on the now frightened Fox who looked nervous at having a predator pay attention to her. Clarke sighed, feeling bad for Fox's fear. "And you are?" She asked quickly.
Fox swallowed and answered, "Um, Fox, Ms. Griffin."
Clarke smiled. "You can call me 'Clarke,' if you want, Fox." Fox looked surprised by this. Clarke's smile was still warm and she looked to Harper. "And your name?"
Harper didn't look nearly as nervous as Fox did. But she was still uneasy. "Harper." Clarke nodded. "Thank you."
Clarke looked at Finn who stood up straighter. "And You're Finn Collins. I'm Clarke Griffin." She nodded to Wells. "This is my brother, Wells Jaha. Wells Jaha, who is in no way responsible for his father's decisions. So please get over your grudges since they're in no way related to either me or to Wells. Now that we have this all cleared up, I would like to get some food into my stomach, if that's okay with everyone." Without waiting for an answer, she turned around and walked still, hearing the crunching of twigs and plants behind her, letting her know that everyone was following.
She let some relief reach her. This was going to be a long few weeks. But she had to get her plans ready.
The base with the radios. Getting Monty and Wells there. Telling Wells everything. Keeping themselves alive and their wristbands active. Getting their hands on the guns so they could kill any Grounder or Mountain Man that came close. And getting rid of the Mountain Men and the Grounders.
Author's note:
So Wells is also good in the technology department. Decided to give him a few skills since he didn't get any time on the show.
As I said, a lot of this is going to be inspired by Crimson MirrorGlass's Azgeda Chronicles heavily. Everything that author writes in that fic and I'm just like, "Oh, wow, you're right!" Because of that, I'm having a crossover with this fic. I really want Clarke to have a replacement parent and Wells should get adopted too.
