CHAPTER 11

AN:/ Sorry it is a week late. I have been trying to upload the chapter to my doc manager all week and it just wasn't working! Anyway enjoy!

Faster. That was all Clarke could think as she pushed her stallion to full pelt. It didn't matter that she had rarely ridden before. She needed to get to TonDC. Immediately. She needed to get to Lexa. Her mother. The clan leaders.

She can't be late.

All she could hear was the constant trot of the horse she was riding and the almost as fast guard that was following up behind her confused by the rush. As soon as the news had come in Clarke had sprinted off to find the nearest and fastest horse available.

If she didn't make it in time then the war would be over. Her wife would be dead, which although she does have an emotional connection it is certainly growing. Clarke can't help but be worried for her now other half. Not too mention the fact that her mother is in the same village that is about to be blown up.

*FLASHBACK to earlier in the day*

'Has he checked in yet?' Clarke questioned as she stormed through engineering.

' worried someone's gonna try and take a shot at you inside the Ark?' Raven smirked as she noticed the bulking tattoo covered grounder stood directly behind Clarke.

'Wait outside, Ryder.' Clarke ordered before continuing. 'Lexa's seems my wife is the protective type' She smirked.

'Whatever, Clarke.'

'He's if something's happened to him?' She worried as usual.

'He'll be fine.' Raven shrugged off.

'You've been busy.' Clarke couldn't help but noticed the giant schematics of the dam splayed across the work desk.

'Why are you focusing on the dam? I told you acid fog was our priority.' She questioned stressed that the army still couldn't move and she had nothing to report to the clan leaders.

'Until Bellamy gets eyes on their dispersal system, there's only so much I can do.'

'Fine.'

'Tell me about the dam. Can we cut off their power?'

'Maybe. I'm still playing with a few things.' Raven mentioned as she pointed towards her table filled with machine parts and what seemed to look like the mountain mans tone generators.

'How many of these have you made?' Clarke questioned eagerly.

'Only two so far, but-'

'Two? That's not enough!' Clarke interrupted. She finally thought they were getting somewhere with the plan but apparently not. 'There will be Reapers everywhere.'

'High-frequency tone generators don't grow on trees, Clarke. Wick is scrounging for parts.' Raven raged.

'Raven, I am about to leave for Tondc, where Lexa and the heads of all 12 Grounder clans are waiting for me to tell them we're a go, only we're not a go because they still have acid fog, and we only have two tone generators!' Clarke panicked. They weren't anywhere near ready to go to war. Especially against the mountain men. Not only is there a lack of tone generators but the acid fog is still up and they have no way of opening the door.

'Hey. We'll be ready. We will.' Raven began to comfort before yet again being interrupted by the sizzling of the radio.

'Ark Station, do you read me? Anybody there?' Bellamy questioned whilst catching his breath.

'Bellamy, you're late. Every 3 hours means every 3 hours.' Clarke reprimanded.

'Are you through?'

'Have you found the source of the acid fog?'

'No. That's gonna have to wait.'

'What? No. Nothing is more important than that.'

'Our friends are. They're starting to take them from the dorm one at a time every few hours.'

'Taking them where?'

'I don't know. We tried to follow them, but they went to a classified level. Maya borrowed the schematics of the vent system from her boss, and I'm still trying to find a way in.'

'I think I found a path, but it's gonna be tight.' Raven revealed.

'We're going to make him mobile so he can talk to us from anywhere.' Raven answered to Clarke's confused look as Maya's voice came over the line.

After a while the conversation ended and Clarke was left to her own thoughts on how the clan leaders were all meeting up in a few hours. Yet had nothing to give them!

Walking through the station Clarke continued to think of how she also had to join her wife soon as the grounders were getting annoyed with the ceremony still remaining incomplete. Clarke knew that they would not accept the union for much longer without the consummation complete. Although Clarke hasn't seen her wife for the past three days, she has heard of her thoughts on letting the mountain man go. Indra took great pride in informing her of her wife's displeasure to such a weak move. Yet that move seems to have saved Bellamy's cover so far.

With her thoughts clouding her sight Clarke soon bumped into Kane who seemed to have been looking for her for a while, ready set of to TonDC.

'I thought you were going to Tondc.' He questioned as he looked over the unorganised teenager. He expected her to be ready and rushing to get to the clans meeting in time.

'Plans have changed. I'm staying here.' As if the fact she would be the only leader not attending the matter didn't actually matter. Not to mention that her wife didn't know about the change in plans and would probably be furious.

'The commander's expecting you.' Marcus argued as he almost pleaded with the blonde.

'Our people inside Mount Weather are in trouble. I'm not going anywhere until I know they're ok.'

'And what can you do for them from here?'

'You'll go to Tondc in my place. Lexa respects you. I'll get there soon as I can.' Clarke promised as she begged the leader to go in her place.

'Clarke, wait. Clarke, being a good leader means knowing which battles to fight and which to delegate.' Kane reasoned.

He knew the stress that the blonde was under and it wasn't just from the upcoming war. She was married now. For her people and not for love. Kane had never been married himself but he knows what being in a loveless relationship is like.

'I know. Please I need you to go to Tondc.'

'Fine. I'll go.' He finally relented taking pity on the girl. 'But if you're wife isn't going to be happy about it.'

'Thank you.'

As Clarke shook his hand to say goodbye her mother interrupted and began to wonder what was going on.

'What is it?' She questioned as she gave her daughter a quick hug in greeting.

'Kane will explain.' Clarke stated as she got ready to continue on her journey.

That is until Kane interrupted her exit. 'Perhaps your mother should go. She is still the chancellor after all.'

'Which is why she's needed here.' Clarke argued before continuing on her journey. She didn't want Abby anywhere near Lexa. She knew her mother still didn't approve of the marriage and didn't want her to accidentally disrespect her wife and get her head chopped off.

'Heavy lies the crown.' Kane whispered as he watched the girl storm off back to engineering.

'She shouldn't be wearing the crown, and you shouldn't be backing her up.' Abby argued before taking her own leave. Kane just stood in the hallway by himself wondering what he said that suddenly caused both women to storm off.

'Ok, so tell us where you're at now.' Raven questioned over the radio. Clarke had been gone for a few minutes at this point and Bellamy had begun his journey towards the laboratories holding their friends.

'I'm at an intersection. Which way?' Bellamy questioned as he lay in the tight air vent inside the mountain.

'Ok. He just passed the air filtration system on this floor, which puts him about here.' Raven pointed out on the map, to Finn, who just seemed distracted as usual. Especially now that Clarke had left the room. 'Bellamy, we think you're close.' She continued as she spoke through the radio again. 'The lab should be up ahead.'

'Any chance you can be more specific?' Bellamy whispered, until a sudden drilling noise reverberated throughout the ventilation. 'Never mind. I got this.' Bellamy continued as he followed the vibrations.

'Is that a drill?' Clarke questioned as she strode through the entrance. 'Of course. Bone marrow extraction.' She answered herself.

'You ready for the last treatment you'll ever need, Lieutenant?' Came the muffled voices over the radio. Bellamy has finally found the laboratory.

'You have no idea. I've waited my whole life to breathe fresh air.' Came a familiar voice over the radio.

'That's Emerson.' Clarke spat as she thought about what she could have done to the man when he was her captive.

'Let's get back to this secret army that she claims to have.' Came a new voice. Which yet again Clarke recognised if the scowl and growl that she released was anything to go by. 'Cage.'

'She tell you anything that might help us find it?' Cage yelled as the drilling was still. 'Stop drilling, please.'

'The window for extraction after death is incredibly short.' Was the gruesome reply.

'I only need a minute.'

'No, sir.' Emerson answered the previous question.

'Nothing about the army?' Cage questioned, which certainly intrigued Clarke as she realised her plan was working.

'She did say she was coming for you and that if we let her people go she'll let our people live.' Emerson scoffed.

'It's a little late for that.' Cage laughed. Obviously thinking theres no way the blonde could get to him whilst he was in the mountain.

'We'll finish the job tonight. Whitman just radioed in. Apparently there's a war council meeting happening tonight in one of their villages, and all the leaders are gonna be there.'

'Sir, I feel good. Let me take a team out and support Whitman.'

'No.'

'He has less chance of being spotted if he's alone. Sir, Whitman's good, but he can't take out that many targets alone.' Emerson stated, clearly annoyed to be cooped up inside the mountain after finally being allowed outside without a suit.

'Which is why we're gonna use a missile.' Cage answered causing everyone listening on the radio to gasp or hold their breath in shock. 'This time, we're not gonna miss.'

'Please tell me you heard all that.' Bellamy begged. The girls needed to move quick. Especially to warn the others.

'We heard it.' Clarke answered, thinking of how they can prevent a mass murder.

'We have to warn them.' Raven argued as she looked to Clarke.

'Did Kane take a radio?' She questioned thinking of the fastest way to warn the leaders.

'No. This is the only unjammed frequency. We have to keep it open for Bellamy.' Raven apologised but there was nothing she could do.

'If I leave now, I can make it there in time.' Clarke answered

'In time to be blown up, you mean. Thats not happening. I wont let you.' Finn piped up. He'd pretty much been forgotten about as he was stood creepily in the corner of the room tinkering with some metal.

'When I get back, I want to know our friends are safe and the acid fog is down.' Clarke answered ignoring Finn's protests. 'Can you handle that?' Clarke finished looking only at Raven.

'Yeah, we can handle it.'

'Clarke I'm not letting you go. Its too dangerous. I have to protect you.' Finn protested once more.

'Listen Finn cause i'm only going to say this once. I'm married now. We're at war and a whole village is about to be blown up. Like hell am I going to stay here and let my wife and friends die. Now get out my way.' She glared.

'Clarke, wait.' Bellamy's voice came over the radio filling the empty silence Clarkes argument left. 'Octavia was in Tondc when I left. Is-is she, um-'

'She's here. She's safe.' Clarke interrupted. She needed to leave now and if the only way to do that was to lie to Bellamy then so be it.

'Ok. Good. Be safe.' Bellamy finished the call as Clarke put on her jacket.

'Octavia's in Tondc for the meeting. Why'd you lie?

'Bellamy can't be distracted. It helps no one.' Clarke shrugged moving to turn around and leave.

'Hey. Don't get blown up.' Raven whispered in goodbye as she watched Clarke smile and leave. Finn just glaring as she ignored his presence.

*PRESENT*

Clarke soon arrived at the village to find everyone crowded infant of the war room. Catching her breathe Clarke steadily got off her horse. She wasn't too late. She could save everyone. All she had to do was shout.

'It seems my wife, Clarke of the Sky People, has honoured us with her presence.' Lexa snarked, with a slight upturn of her lips. If it wasn't for the missile about to hit where they stood Clarke would reprimand her for the joke.

'I'm sorry I'm late, Commander.' Clarke grumbled as she itched to get everyone to safety.

'You made good time. I assume the kids at Mount Weather are ok.' Kane smirked as he greeted the younger girl happily.

'For now.' She answered before turning back to the Commander all business. 'Can we talk, in private?'

'Yes. This way.' Lexa directed her wife down the stairs towards the war room. 'You cannot seem to undermine me like this Clarke. I look like a fool not knowing you were to join us for such an important meeting. We are equals-'

'Mount Weather are sending a missile to hit TonDC right now.' Clarke interrupted.

'A missile? You're sure?'

'Yes. We have to start evacuating now.' The blonde answered as she grabbed hold off Lexa's hand to drag her back up the stairs.

'No.'

'What do you mean no, Lexa?'

'If we evacuate, they'll know we have a spy inside their walls.' Lexa reasoned going into full blown Commander mode. She began rushing around the room looking for anything that could help.

'Not necessarily.'

'We can't risk it.' Lexa roared. She knew that Clarke wanted to save as many lives as possible including lives of the mountain men but it just wasn't their way. Blood must have blood.

'What's the point of having an inside man if we can't act on what he tells us?'

'Is the acid fog disabled? Is our sleeping army uncaged?' Lexa questioned looking for any sign to give her the go ahead and warn her people. Yet all it seemed to do was cause Clarke eyes to flood with unshed tears. Which in itself almost broke her heart for a second time in her life. 'Then Bellamy's job is not done.' She concluded as she grabbed hold of both her wife's hands hoping she'll listen. 'Without him, we can't win this war.'

'So what are you saying? We just do nothing, let them bomb us?' Clarke questioned trying to pull her hands from the Commanders strong grip to no avail.

'It will be a blow, but our army will be safe inside the woods, and it will inspire them.' Lexa almost whispered trying to also convince herself that this was the only way.

'And what about us?' Clarke questioned thinking she had run straight into a death trap.

'We slip away right now.' Lexa demanded as she picked up two cloths to wrap around their heads. 'Put this on.' She wouldn't let anything happen to Clarke. The alliance was counting on their union but Lexa had also begun to feel for the sky girl. She couldn't explain it. Yet she enjoyed her wife's companionship.

'Lexa, wait. You don't understand. I provoked Mount Weather. I sent a message to distract them from Bellamy.' Clarke yelled feeling to guilty to let everyone above them die, whilst she walks free. Octavia, Kane, so many people were in TonDC for this meeting.

'Clarke, sometimes, you have to concede a battle to win a war.'

'No. We can inform the leaders of the clans, pick a rendezvous point in the woods.

Each of them can slip out separately.' She desperately begged as she once again grabbed hold of the brunette as if it would suddenly hit her that she's making a mistake.

'And how many more people will they tell? Where do we draw the line?' Lexa argued, once more. They were wasting time and she knew the longer it takes to get Clarke out the higher chance that they'll both die.

'Well, then cancel the meeting, start a fire, something!' Clarke yelled.

'Clarke, we don't have time for this.'

'No, no! This is wrong!'

'It's also our only choice, and you know it. You could have warned everyone up there, but you didn't. You said nothing, not even to your own people. This is war, Clarke. People die. You showed true strength today. Don't let emotions stop you now.' Lexa reasoned. She couldn't help but want to comfort the young girl as she held onto her tight. Somehow this blonde haired blue eyed invader had crept her way into Lexa's heart with her bravery and love for her people. She had to protect her at all costs.

'It's time to go.' She pushed as they both finally began to move leaving out of the back entrance and heading straight to the surrounding woods. They had to move and fast. Yet Lexa knew that Clarke still felt guilty.

'Clarke, we have to keep moving. We're not far enough away. The last time they used a missile, it was before I was born. According to legend, it left a hole in the woods you could not see across. Now let's go.' She pushed as Clarke began stumbling on the many different roots. It was pitch black almost outside now as the day was coming to a close and the two leaders could see the many torches that had been lit throughout the village.

'What if we made them miss?' Clarke argued once more in a desperate last hope.

'You're not listening. With a weapon like that, you can't miss!'

'Yes, you can. I heard them talking about a spotter, someone in the field to aim the missile. If we could just find him.' Clarke had that determined look on her face that Lexa knew very well from her short time around the blonde. Whenever she has a reckless idea that is always going to be life threatening.

'No.' She had to put her foot down and save this reckless girl.

'What's she doing here?' Clarke questioned as she continued to look towards the village.

As Lexa took a look in the same direction she realised that her wife was once again about to ignore everything she says. There infant of them talking with a villager was Clarke mother. Right in the epicentre of the entire village.

'Clarke, you can't go back! Clarke! Please as your wife I'm begging you to stay!' Lexa begged, yet as expected Clarke yanked her arm free and ran to save her mother.

However she didn't realise that in her haste the Commander had followed to protect her. Keeping her veil over her head to cover her identity Lexa followed a few metres behind the blonde after making a haste decision to protect her. She couldn't lose the blonde, not now.

'Mom, what are you doing here? I told you to stay back at camp.' Clarke yelled, as she grabbed hold of her Mother to pull her out of the missiles fire.

'Enough, Clarke. I'm the chancellor. I don't need your permission to go places.' Abby placated.

'We have to leave now.' Clarke ordered as the two woman turned back to the direction the young leader came from and began to move.

'What is going on?' Abby Questioned as she saw Lexa stood on the edge of the village line staring directly at her daughter. With almost a nervous tick going on with her hands as they tapped relentlessly against her leg.

'We can't be here. Mom, I am begging you. Please. Come on.'

'We can't stop. There's no time.' Clarke argued as they reached the tree line, with Lexa stood a few feet in front of them, relief all over her face.

'I am not taking a step further until you tell me what is happening.' Abby yelled as she stomped her feet down. She knew something was occurring the moment Lexa's face dropped back to a neutral expression, yet her eyes showed fear. Not for herself but for Clarke.

It was too late. Before anyone knew it a loud piercing shrill sounded throughout the area and then there was just light. The missile had hit. Their was flames everywhere. The three leaders that were stood on the outskirts of the village were ripped from the ground and flung backwards due to the force of impact. Remaining trees that didn't explode had fallen. All that remained was a crater filled with bodies, rubble and fire.

Clarke and Abby soon came too as they realised what just happened and why they were sprawled across the ground. Both were covered in mud and blood as they had cuts spread all across their bodies.

'Mom. Mom, are you ok? Oh, my God. Come on. We can't be here.' Clarke yelled as she got up from the floor gradually. Their were screams surrounding her coming from all direction as the area was no longer shrouded in darkness. The light and heat of the flames piercing Clarkes skin as she stood to look at her mother. 'We we have to go.'

'You knew. You knew, and you let this happen?' Abby Questioned in horror.

'We had no choice.' Clarke explained as tears began to fall down her face, realisation splashed across her features.

'So many people. Our people.'

'No. We had to protect Bellamy. Without him-' The blonde tried to explain.

'Oh, stop it! I don't want to hear it.'

'Mom.'

'Tell me this was Lexa. Please, Clarke. Please tell me this wasn't you.' Abby begged as her heart began to break at the remorse splayed all over her daughters face.

'I wish I could. You can't tell anyone about this. If anyone finds out that we knew, the alliance of the 12 clans will break. We'll lose the war.'

'You crossed the line.' Abby yelled. She couldn't even recognise the girl stood before her. There was certainly no similarity to the young girl who believed everyone deserved a chance. The girl who wanted a whole space station to know of the Ark's fault to give them a choice.

'Mom!'

'Their blood is on your hands, and even if we win, I'm afraid you won't be able to wash it off this time.' Abby whispered as she looked to her daughter in disbelief.

Clarke just stood tears burst through her eyelids as she tried to hold them back like a dam. Her mouth blubbering as she opened and closed it over and over.

'Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me.' Abby spat.

'Mom Wait. Mom!' Clarke cried out as she watched her mother run off to help the screaming villagers and warriors that had survived.

Turning back to where she last saw Lexa, she froze.