Dividing Lines
Disclaimer: I don't own any of this.
Walking back to the camp in the early morning sun, Clarke was glad that Bellamy stayed silent. She had too much thinking to do. She shoved her hands into the pockets of her new jacket and on autopilot, trekked through the woods.
From her two years on Earth, Clarke knew that they had a couple of weeks before the snow would fall. Then it would be impossible to leave camp. That usually lasted at least a month but before and after, there were weeks of cold rain and biting winds. All of this added up to two months, even three that she would spend at the 100 camp.
While they all seemed to like her now, would they still have a good opinion of her by the end of winter? Would she and Bellamy manage to have a conversation that didn't have an argument in the middle?
She glanced at him as he walked in front of her. He was so confident on his feet, never tripping over the roots or fallen branches. He knew the land, knew it well. Clarke wanted to be that way, to be as at home in a place as he was. The Ark had always felt like a prison, like a standstill until they would finally get to Earth. But when they landed, she didn't get the content feeling that so many others had. What was it like to feel utterly safe and happy in a place?
The people at the 100 Camp clearly felt that way and as she caught sight of the wall, Clarke was afraid of how much she understood them. This camp with its houses and community was dangerously welcoming. The thought of staying there for a few months was not the worst situation to be in.
The guards looked surprised to see them both back and when they opened the gates, Clarke saw more confused faces in the dwindling crowd. Clearly, some people were still in bed or even going there from the party. Bellamy marched all the way to the steps of the Main Hall, making sure that Clarke was beside him. He stood in front of the doors, which were still open. There were a few people inside and they glanced out.
"Alright listen up!" Bellamy called and every head turned in their direction. Some people looked out their windows or appeared on the trails, looking sleepy-eyed.
"Winter has arrived early this year," Bellamy announced, "The river's currents are already picking up. We probably only have a few more weeks until the first snow fall."
A burst of chatter went throughout the camp but another shout from Bellamy had them all quiet. "I see no other choice but to let Clarke stay here for the winter. I'm sure she'll pull her weight like the rest of us."
He gave a side glance but she just faced the crowd herself. "I will be happy to help anyone with a medical issue. I can handle any cold related injuries from the snow and Monty will be a big help."
She caught sight of the boy standing near a fire pit and he gave her a friendly wink in return. Bellamy grunted at this and immediately started to organise that morning's hunting party. He wanted to catch extra food just in case.
Clarke left him to it, walking towards the drop ship. They were strangely efficient in that moment and she didn't want to ruin it by actually talking to him for a longer period of time. She didn't have anything to do for the day but she and Monty could probably make an inventory. But a hand caught her arm and steered her towards Bellamy's house. Clarke let out a squeak but was happy to see only Octaiva dragging her.
"I am so glad you're stay here!" Octavia squealed, carefully walking so that she didn't hurt herself. Clarke had taken out her stitches the day before but that didn't mean that Octavia was about to start doing cartwheels.
"It's only for the winter," Clarke reminded her but Octavia just hummed as they climbed the porch steps to the house.
"Did your brother build this place?" Clarke asked suddenly, startling even herself. Octavia opened the front door as she nodded.
"Yup, with help but he really put a lot of work into it. He wanted it to be a home for us. You two looked really great up there by the way."
"What do you mean?"
Octavia had a small grin on her face, the kind that threatened a much wider one. "Oh nothing, just that you and my brother look very leader-y standing beside each other."
Clarke snorted. "Yah, like Bellamy would want someone to lead with."
"Sometimes I think he would."
Clarke frowned Octavia's quiet comment but the younger girl put on a big smile and threw open the door to her room. "Since you are staying, you can join in our girls' day."
Octavia pulled her into the room and Clarke stumbled over the doorway. As she righted herself, she finally saw the other girl sitting on a chair, her feet propped up on Octavia's bed. She was wearing clothes that had patches of grease on them and her long hair was tied back in a ponytail.
"Clarke, meet Raven."
Clarke tried to keep her face neutral but that was a little difficult for obvious reasons. "So you're the doctor?" Raven said, giving her a nod, "You did great work with those kids."
"Thanks," Clarke managed to say, awkwardly taking a seat on the nearest chair. Octavia was getting comfortable on her bed and sat with her legs crossed underneath her.
"No matter what my brother says, today is a rest day for us girls," she ordered, "Raven's been busy fixing the radios, Clarke's been up all week saving lives and I got shot. I think we deserve some time off."
"I second that!" Raven exclaimed, linking her fingers behind her head.
Clarke grinned, relaxing slightly against the back of the chair. She had never had many female friends so girls' days were a little alien to her. Yet it was kind of nice so far; even if she couldn't look Raven right in the eye. The other two girls did most of the talking at first, always filling Clarke in as they went. Apparently, they had heard about the Ark Camp before, knowing all about its strict rules and high walls, so there wasn't much for her to share. Raven complained about the radios and if one more person dropped them, she was going to start adding rocket fuel to their food. Octavia, meanwhile, seemed to be in charge of the younger children. She taught them how to count, how to read and other basic skills. What she really missed was the lake and she was so looking forward to taking a bath there when Bellamy stopped hovering.
"Oh I'm sure you hate all the attention Jasper is giving you!" Raven exclaimed; her voice lathered in sarcasm.
Clarke watched as Octavia actually blushed and she couldn't help but say, "I knew there was something between you two."
It wasn't like she could miss the long stares and puppy dog eyes coming from both parties.
"It's about time," Raven grumbled, "You two needed to move on...especially after Lincoln."
Clarke saw the sad smile on Octavia's face before she turned to explain. "Um, Lincoln was a Grounder from Anya's tribe. We...were together I guess for a while but, you know, two different worlds and all that. Then he died, in the war. He actually fought on our side in the end, so Caitlin and Hunter made sure he got a proper send off. Oh sorry! You must have no idea what I'm talking about."
"No, no it's ok" Clarke said, not wanting to upset Octavia, "Your brother explained everything."
"Lincoln was an honest guy but, after all this time, it's good that you and Jasper can have something," Raven said, giving Octavia's leg a pat.
Then she flopped back in her seat. "I am just glad that I've got one of the good ones now."
When she saw Clarke looking confused, Raven chuckled and added, "You've been spending all week with him."
Clarke gasped, a smile working its way onto her face. "You and Monty?"
Raven nodded and she tried to brush off her cheesy grin. "Yah, for a couple of months now. He's...pretty great actually."
"He makes her giggle," Octavia stated in a deadpan voice.
"Whatever," Raven replied, "Monty's just...he puts me before himself, you know. And I can't help but do the same for him. It's nice to have that after the Finn disaster."
Octavia rolled her eyes and looked over at Clarke. "That's her ex-boyfriend; he was kind of a jerk. Like a complete and utter jerk."
Clarke nodded but kept her eyes glued to her hands. "He cheated on me," Raven filled in, "Then he ran away to your camp; you've probably seen him around. He'll be the guy charming all the girls."
Clarke nodded again but when she didn't hear the girls continue on with their conversation, she looked up. They were both staring at her, their eyes getting wider. "Oh my God, he's charming you, isn't he!?"
Clarke let out a heavy sigh and threw her hands in the air. "Yes, no, kind of! Finn's just...everywhere. And somehow, my entire camp thinks we're sweethearts or something; which we're not!"
Raven stared at her with narrowed eyes but eventually she shook her head. "Clarke stop, it's ok. I am beyond over him. I just can't believe he'd try his luck with you."
Clarke shrugged. "We've never even kissed but he makes you feel like..."
"You are living a fairytale where he's Prince Charming come to grant your every wish? Tell me about," Raven grumbled, "Just please don't say that you're actually falling for him."
"After hearing about what a crappy boyfriend he is? No way. He may be a good guy but clearly, he needs to learn about relationships."
"And do you know much about them?" Octavia asked, honestly curious.
Clarke pulled her long hair back in a ponytail before wrapped her arms around her knees. "There were one or two guys on the Ark before we landed but nothing serious. Just, silly teenage stuff."
"What I wouldn't give for silly teenage stuff," Octavia said as she flopped back onto the bed, "It would have been better than my hole in the floor."
"Well, I've done the whole childhood friends turn relationship thing," Raven commented, "I think I'll stick with my adorable nerd."
"What, your one night stand with my brother doesn't count?" Octavia was joking but something in Clarke frozen when she heard this.
"You and Bellamy?" she asked quietly.
Raven nodded, rolling her eyes. "He was a rebound for Finn and trust me, not one I repeated. It was stupid and immature, not to mention, he was probably the worst guy I could have picked."
"Is it because he's an annoying ass?" Clarke wondered. She looked at Octavia and said, "No offence."
Octavia just brushed it off. "I don't even want to be part of this conversation any more-so gross."
Raven laughed but then turned back to Clarke. "Bellamy and I have very few things in common and one of them is our tempers. We just clash in the worst way. Thankfully, we both put that way behind us."
The conversation moved onto lunch but Clarke didn't hear the start of it. She wasn't surprised that Bellamy had one night stands; he probably had a few girls. For some reason, seeing a girl he had been with right in front of her had startled Clarke. Maybe it was because she had only seen him as either the 100 Camp's leader or Octavia's older brother. Other than that, he was the Bellamy she argued with, the Bellamy who smirked at her; the Bellamy who wanted her to see the wonders of Earth and gave her a warm bed.
It was just weird, that was all.
Finn had been debating about what to do for days. He had trusted Clarke to get herself back to the Ark Camp but it hadn't happened. She was still missing and it was getting harder to believe that she wasn't a prisoner. Maybe a week ago, she had been there of her own free will but what could have possibly made her stay? People were giving him strange looks and he was exhausted from feeling pitied.
So, when night fell he snuck out of his secret exit and silently walked his way towards the river. He could only see his way by the moonlight and the long shadows of the trees made it difficult to look too far into the distance. This was his excuse for the uncharacteristic jump he did when he heard a voice behind him.
"Head back home, Collins."
Finn turned around to see Hunter leaning against a tree, his arms folded over his chest. He hadn't seen the Grounder in nearly two years but he knew that wherever Hunter went, Caitlin was sure to be nearby.
"Is your sister skulking behind a tree as well?"
"I do not skulk; I prowl."
Finn finally saw Caitlin walk into his eye line, the moonlight glinting off the knives at her belt. "Well, you're always hanging around your brother somehow; why does he keep you around?"
"Well," Hunter answered, "I think it's because she always has food on her. Caitlin, do you have any food?"
Caitlin looked right passed Finn and frowned. "How dare you? Who do you think I am?"
She tossed an apple over Finn's head and Hunter caught it without moving from his spot. "Like my brother said, go back Collins. You trying to play hero is going to ruin everything."
"But five people own me a new coat because I agreed that you'd try this," Hunter added.
Finn nearly growled at the Grounder siblings but he kept his temper in check. They were messing with him, just like they had two years before. He never knew why; he had just been trying to bring peace with Anya's tribe while they and Bellamy had just wanted to attack them. But Finn wasn't stupid. He wasn't about to start a fight with two trained Grounders.
"Clarke's been taken-."
"No, she hasn't," Caitlin interrupted, "There were more sick people for her to help. Sadly, winter has come early and the river is now too fast to cross. Well, for you Sky People anyway; us "Grounders" can make the journey if we really need to."
"And talking you out of a stupid plan counts as an emergency," Hunter finished, biting away at his apple.
Finn let out a low breath, his fists clenched. "Why do you want her at that camp so bad?"
Caitlin just leaned her shoulder against a tree, her hands stuck into her pockets. "Your camp is up to something Collins; not you but someone in your camp for sure. Which means that anything that can disrupt it is good for us."
She exchanged glances with her brother, who threw the apple core away. "You're actually a smart guy Collins; you know that when winter ends, communication between the camps will be possible. Do us a favour and give us time to figure our next move."
Finn really didn't think he had a choice. "Clarke will be fine," Caitlin assured him, "She can clearly look after herself."
Finn unclenched his fists and after a long pause, nodded to the two of them. He turned on his heel and stalked back to camp. Hunter went to stand by his sister and they watched Finn picked his way through the trees.
"Mason was right about him," Hunter commented, "Collins really can't see anyone else's opinion but his own."
"Well, he did think that Anya's tribe could be talked down. The point is we better keep an eye on him in case he sneaks out again. Right now, I just want to go home and get some sleep."
Caitlin started heading back into the woods and Hunter followed after her. "You can fill Mason in while you're at it," he said, "And maybe the two of you can actually settle on a date."
Caitlin waved a tired hand as if to bat the idea out of the air. Hunter shook his head at her. "You and Mason can plan whole battles and strategic land raids but you can't make decisions about your own wedding?"
"You are just annoyed because you have to wait so long to be best man."
"We've been over this-I can walk you down the aisle and be best man. In both case, I have to get to the same place."
"I've been practically married to the guy for three amazing years. I think we can wait until spring."
Hunter sighed but let it go. As an afterthought, he tossed the hood of his sister's jacket over her head. She swivelled around, still walking to give him a confused glare; her hair falling in her eyes.
"It feels like rain soon," he answered and they walked towards the river, not looking forward to the uncomfortable crossing over the water.
Girls' day, Clarke quickly figured out, went on until very late at night. After the initial awkwardness and the ex-boyfriend talk, the three girls got on pretty well. Clarke liked both Raven and Octavia, who were both far more free-spirited than she was. They made her want to be lighter, to stop worrying about camps and injuries and Grounders. She got to her bed around three in the morning and that was only when Bellamy lost his patience with them.
So, when Clarke was rudely awakened only a few hours later, it was safe to say that she wasn't in the best mood. "What the hell?" she wondered, yawning half way through her sentence.
She could hear two distinct sounds-the heavy fall of rain and music. Ripping the blanket off her, she pulled on her boots and was glad that she hadn't changed from the night before. She opened her door and stepped out into the hallway to see Octavia standing in the doorway. The younger girl was looking out at camp and was laughing wildly. Clarke joined her, in almost disbelief.
It was pouring; the kind of rain that left imprints. It was stunningly beautiful, especially to a bunch of people who had lived in space for so long. That same bunch of people was currently in the middle of the downpour, dancing madly. Clarke looked up to the drop ship, where she saw Raven blasting music from a pair of battered speakers. They must have scavenged it all from the city or the bunkers. Clarke's gaze was draw back to the crowd who were whooping and spinning and looking like there was nothing better on earth than dancing in a downpour.
"Don't go all doctor on them and say they'll get sick," Octavia called to her, having to shout over the noise. Clarke guessed from the way Octavia was still indoors that the younger girl knew she couldn't go dance herself. She was still healing.
"Do you guys always react this way to rain?" Clarke asked and Octavia just grinned.
"With winter coming, this may be the last big rain storm before it gets too cold. People are getting their chance to do something crazy while they still think that rain is pretty rather than a bother."
Octavia's grin spreads onto Clarke's face and even she had to laugh at the impromptu dance party. Out of the crowd came a soaking wet Jasper and he jogged up the porch steps to squeeze into the doorway with them.
"I think that's enough for me," he said, "Or I'll absorb enough water to fill the lake." He turned to Octavia and asked, "Mind if I keep you company?"
She shook her head and Clarke almost felt like a third wheel. Jasper was clearly trying to cheer Octavia up; if she couldn't dance in the rain, then neither would he. She found it sweet until the moment when Jasper pushed her out into the rain.
The warm water hit her immediately and she spun around to glare at him. "Jasper!" she exclaimed but her two friends were just giggling at her.
She was about to go back inside when she heard Bellamy say, "Care to join the mob Princess?"
She rolled her eyes and turned on her heel, ready with a sarcastic remark. Nothing came out however, because Bellamy was right behind her and dripping wet. Their chest brushed together and Clarke could see every single drop of water on his skin. Thankfully, she kept her eyes on his face and she managed to shrug instead. Bellamy shook his head, rain falling around both of them.
"Lighten up; time to party!"
With that he grabbed her arm and pulled her down the steps with him. They were sucked into the crowd and Clarke felt the music seep into her bones. Before she knew it, she was dancing as frantically as everyone else. Faces and laughter whizzed around her but somehow, she never lost sight of Bellamy. He gave her a real smile but she saw the teasing in it.
"What do you know?!" he exclaimed, "The Princess can have fun."
Clarke knew it wouldn't really be like this; not really. Winter would be harsh and people could be unpredictable but in that moment Clarke didn't care. For once, she let herself get lost in a crowd of happy people with joyful music.