A/N: Please review, I'd love to know what you think :)

Chapter 1:

Clarke fought against the pounding in her head and the emptiness in her stomach.

Her face was twisted somewhere between anger and wonder. They were still riding, and she'd concluded forests were green, a far cry from cramped grey walls of the space station. She felt like she'd be crushed by a falling sky. Surely it wouldn't just stay up there, like a curtain draping around the Earth. Surely that breathless sky would choke them all.

Ripping the life off from this planet.

The same way it's clawing emptiness had stripped her home of that metallic air...almost killing everyone in that steel box.

They'd survived, but not by much. Where there'd once been thousands, there were hundreds. So Clarke escaped...even though she'd thought she would die with a poetic flair, fate had other ideas.

So against the odds, Clarke was sitting behind a woman she didn't know, watching the night sky with knowing eyes.

"You're awfully quiet," Said the self proclaimed Grounder.

Clarke paused, her arms had been wrapped around this woman for most of the day, and she wasn't about to let go. She didn't really trust the horse, even if it was a beautiful animal.

"I'm just not used to all this...space."

It was true. It was everywhere, and unnatural. Clarke loved it, but somehow it made her feel too small. She could travel with this woman for years and they still wouldn't see everything this world had to offer. That was scary, overwhelming, and amazing. All at the same time.

The woman laughed. "I suppose, what else were you expecting?"

"I don't know, more water really, and no other people."

Lexa cocked her head to the side, glancing back to the girl, "You thought you were all alone?"

Clarke's mouth was dry. "I...well I was for a little while."

Lexa lips quirked into a grin, "Yes, I suppose you were."

Clarke almost gushed, far too nervous for her own good. "I thought no one was going to be down here, and I keep wondering how you got here."

Lexa reached down, griping a hand that held on so tightly. "I had no idea that anyone was up there Skywalker, there's no shame in being afraid. A bird that cannot fly, but it may still float in the wind. You're not alone anymore little bird. I'm sure you'll find many more souls adrift on the ground, than among those that walk the sky."

Clarke smiled just a little, as she pressed her head into the back of this strange and wonderful woman. "Somehow I don't doubt that."

The air was warm, and they rode on. Lexa looked to the sky, fireflies caught in the darkness. She paused. The girl was shivering.

"Hold on to me Clarke." The Commander clicked her tongue, dug her heels in and gripped the reins.

Clarke had barely any warning before the horse had began charging. If her grip was tight before, it was all but deadly now.

The Commander only smiled, full speed ahead.

It wasn't long until lights arose on the horizon. Clarke looked past her, eyes wide. God, there really was more people.

They didn't slow until they were in the middle of a small village.

There had to be hundreds of people, and all of a sudden Clarke felt very shy. She pulled in close to The Commander, looking away from prying eyes.

It seems they were making a spectacle just by being on that horse, because everyone who must have lived there gathered around. Before long they were surrounded, and Clarke shrunk. That only called more attention to her unfortunately.

The Commander took Clarke's hands into her own, gently undoing her grip, and gracefully found the ground.

Clarke felt naked.

She had no where to hide, all eyes were on her.

A hand was offered by The Commander. Clarke grabbed it, and she unsaddled, sliding to the floor. Her legs shook, unused to the still ground.

The station had often sifted, like a boat on a shore. Here, it was solid...and Clarke thought she could get used to it.

Lexa kept her hand in the girl's, and it didn't go unnoticed by Clarke...or anyone else for that matter.

A woman stepped forward. She was head to toe in armour, her face in a perpetual frown.

"Commander, you've been gone long. We thought you had...we thought the worst. Is that girl the reason for your absense."

Lexa's face never lost it's humour, not ever at this woman's antics. She just put a hand on her shoulder, staring her right in the eyes. "Indra, I'm sorry for my lateness. I was following a stag, I lost it after days of search, funnily enough that's when I came across the girl."

Lexa bent her head to a certain blonde. Yes, the Skygirl was incredibly blonde, and beautiful, not that Lexa had to explain that.

"She just so happened to be in the right place at the right time. I'd have been gone for days longer if it wasn't for her.

Of course this made Indra that much more cross, but it did bring her attention to Lexa's...companion. The girl was dressed in a grey shirt and pants, both of which were torn. She also had a nasty gash on her forehead. For the most part she seemed fine, but really better safe than sorry.

"We'll have to take her to a healer," Indra sighed.

Lexa nodded, "My thought's exactly. Then I thought of taking her to the Mountain."

Indra raised an eyebrow, other than that, her face was stoic as usual. "Lexa there are matters that must be taken care of."

Lexa paused, hesitating for a moment. She looked up in thought, her head tilted to the side, before a large grin graced her lips.

"They can wait, I have other matters."

Indra gave an exasperated huff. "What could possibly be more important?"

Lexa, for once, lost all humour. Her face almost seemed made of stone, her eyes defiant. "I will not state my reasons. I must make hast to the Mountain. I...I need to make way to the Alter."

That's when a surprise seemed to catch Indra off guard. A new emotion on her face surely. "I didn't realise…if that's what you believe Commander."

Lexa's easy smile came back just as fast as it went. She squeezed Indra's shoulder, "Thank you. I appreciate your concern, but don't mistake my actions as immature thoughtlessness. I know my place Indra."

The other woman's eyes merely looked down, as she bowed her head.

Lexa turned to the girl. She was shivering, that's when concern spilled into her eyes. She pulled the girl into her arms. "Let's bring you inside, and let's get that cut taken care of."

Clarke nodded into the other girl, freezing all the same.