Clarke woke to a gentle breeze flowing across her face. She raised her head slightly and groaned as the back skull ached. After gingerly rubbing the area with her hand, she sat up and looked at her surroundings. The room she was in was quite spacious, much more than she anticipated. Rough, rugged furniture was placed about the room, much like she had grown used to on the Ark. Pelts of fur covered a few select areas of the floor, while the rest appeared to be stone. Strong gusts blew into the room and drew Clarke's attention to the windows behind her. The thin, peach colored curtains flew in the breeze and the sunlight danced every time they flapped. I must still be in the tower, Clarke thought. This doesn't look like much of a jail cell. There were no complaints from her, though. She had been in solitary confinement before being sent to the Earth, this was luxurious to her.

Walking over to the open windows, Clarke pulled back the curtains to take a look outside. Her jaw dropped and she stared in awe at the vast scenery she had. For miles and miles, trees littered the landscape, a beautiful shade of green coloring the land. She saw the curvature of the various hills surrounding Polis and stared in fascination. What really caught her attention was the city below. Dozens of shacks, buildings, and people made up what looked to be a vibrant city. The whole area seemed to be moving from her view, almost like it were alive.

You should come to Polis, it will change the way you view my people.

The Commander's words echoed in her head and Clarke couldn't deny the truth in them. For so long, herself and the rest of the one hundred sent down to Earth only thought of Grounders as warriors, enemies they had to fight in order to live. Meeting the Commander had changed some of that, but still wasn't enough to see their people in a different light. Looking over all of this, though, completely changed Clarke's mind. They're just regular people, living their lives in their own society. All the sounds of the people below, going about their business, it made Clarke feel at ease. It reminded her of a bit of the Ark with how the noise filled the air.

Doors behind her flew open and Clarke didn't even have to turn around to see who it was. "I'm not interested in talking, Commander," Clarke called out, keeping her gaze at the city below. She thinks she can jail me and come waltzing in whenever? She has another thing coming. Her left hand instinctively went for where her knife used to be, and awkwardly clenched her hand into a fist when she realized it wasn't there.

"How are you feeling, Clarke?" the Commander asked softly, ignoring Clarke's wishes. "You looked injured when Roan brought you to me."

Clarke lowered her head and couldn't help but laugh. The question she was being asked came with so much to answer that she didn't even know where to begin. "Since when do you care how I feel, Commander?" Don't turn around, and don't give in, she told herself. She used you to get what she wanted then left you and your people for dead. That's who she is. "Based off the bounty you put on me, the answer is clearly never."

"Hating me will not bring you peace, Clarke," the Heda replied. Clarke could feel the woman moving closer towards her, but she still faced the window. "I will ask again. Do you have any injuries? Are you okay?"

The calm tones which the Commander spoke sent flames racing up Clarke's spine. She's in Commander mode, Clarke thought to herself, resting her hands on the edge of the window. Her grip on the stone tightened when she though how easily the Commander was handling this, that she didn't show the slightest bit of emotion. Not all of us can be so lucky, she thought bitterly. "No," Clarke growled. "I am not okay." She tried to deepened her breathing to calm herself down, but it only fueled the fire within her even more.

"I will send for a healer to tend to your wounds," the Commander said. Clarke heard her turn around and send some commands to the guards she knew were right outside the door. She heard the guards walk off and knew the Commander was facing her again. "I... we looked everywhere for you," the Heda said, her voice barely audible. "Where were you?"

Clarke scoffed and tightened her grip on the stone ledge even further, the rough surface starting to cut into her hands a little. "You don't deserve to know that," Clarke spat out. "Everything that happened was because of you!" Her voice was much louder than she anticipated, but Clarke was barely keeping the mounting emotional pressure within her as it was.

"I did what was right for my people, Clarke!" The Commander shouted out, pain clear in her voice. Good, Clarke thought. She's not in Commander mode anymore. "Why can't you see that?"

Clarke unleashed a frustrated scream and whirled around the face the Commander. Blind rage allowed her to ignore the Commander's beautiful face and focus on throwing her torment at the woman. "Right? In what way to do think that idiotic decision was right?!" Clarke surged forwards a couple of steps but stopped herself when the Commander stepped back a few. "What did you think was giong to happen when the Mountain Men killed every last one of my friends in there? They were going to be more powerful than they were before." Clarke clenched her fists and she began pacing back and forth across the room. "Your people already cowered in fear of them when they couldn't leave the Mountain without fear of dying to the air. You would have given them complete freedom to dominate you. Your coalition would have been gone, your people would now be subject to their will. And you would either be dead or kept around as a token leader. Is that what you wanted?" Thinking of the woman standing before her dead or a shell of her former self brought a huge mix of sadness and relief to her, and Clarke didn't know what to make of it. She did her best to push it down and focus on the conversation at hand.

"I had a choice to make, Clarke," The Commander threw back, though Clarke could hear a shift in her tone. She couldn't place it, but her words definitely hit home. "Risk my people's lives to attack the Mountain Men to save your people, who aren't even in my coalition, with no guarantee for success. The other option was to get all of my people out alive, at the cost of your own. That was not an easy decision to make, but I would make it over again."

She's growing more defensive, Clarke noticed. "That's easy for you to say. I ended up taking care of the Mountain Men for you, and saving all of my people." Wait, Clarke realize. This is why I'm here, because I took care of the Mountain Men. "I know why I'm here now," Clarke flaunted. "I made you look weak in front of everyone. That's why you put a bounty on my head, you wanted me close."

"Watch your tongue, Clarke," Heda said, walking forward a few steps towards Clarke. That struck a nerve, Clarke thought to herself. Gone was any concern or softness on the Heda's face. The mask of the Commander was once again being worn. "I put the bounty on your head because I did not want you dead! Being Commander is not easy, Clarke. You have no idea how hard it is or what I go through for my people."

"Not easy?!" Clarke exploded, letting go of any personal blocks she set. "You don't even know me." Clarke's breathing became heavy and she stepped forward to get in the face of the Heda. "My father found out that the Ark was dying and was going to tell everyone. They killed him for it. I thought for the longest time that it was my best friend, Wells, who did it. Found out later that it was my own mother who ended up turning him in." Clarke thought back to her father and wished she still had his wristwatch, having long been lost to her. "To keep my quiet they threw me in prison, in my own private cell, where I waited for the day I turned eighteen so they could kill me. Instead, I get drugged and put into a dropship that was hurtling towards the Earth, which we thought inhospitable, to essentially die anyways. Come to find out the ground is not only hospitable, but has actual people living on it, who also tried to kill us. So you tell me if I don't know how hard life can be." Clarke was physically shaking at this point, having let out so much repressed anger and frustration at her own life. She clasped her hands together in a futile effort to control herself, refusing to show such weakness in front of the Heda.

Clarke looked up to the woman's eyes and she saw something she didn't expect. Vulnerability. For once, the Commander was speechless in front of her. She swore that she could see droplets forming in the Commander's eyes, but Clarke decided that her mind was playing tricks on her. Still, seeing the Commander almost stuck in time softened Clarke's rage inside of her, though it was not doused completely. She watched he Heda open her mouth slightly, but close it shut quickly. In that instant, Clarke wanted to move to the woman and embrace her, and she hated herself for it. I can't let that happen, I can't be weak. "You should go," Clarke said, turning away and walking back to the window overlooking the city.

"Clarke, I-"

"Go!" Clarke yelled. There was a momentary silence before she heard footsteps making their way to the door. The giant wood doors creaked as the Commander opened and shut the stained wood, and Clarke collapsed into sobs the second the doors closed. She shuddered as she let go of all the emotion she kept so tightly in check. Why me? Clarke thought to herself. It was the first time she truly had reflected on everything that had happened to her since her father was killed, and she honestly had no great answer. The more Clarke gave in to her emotions, the harder the sobs came and more questions popped into her mind. Why does everyone look to me to lead? Why does death seem to follow me? Why did the Commander have to leave us to die at the Mountain? Why didn't Cage allow us to donate marrow? Clarke paused before asking herself the most dangerous question, and one she didn't want to answer. Why do I still care for Lexa?

Lexa paused outside of Clarke's room, listening to the woman she cared about sob in pain. There had been so much more she wanted to say to her, but Clarke's outburst had left her uncharacteristically at a loss for words. She felt guilty for listening in on Clarke's intimate feelings, and walked away to return to her chambers.

While she walked, she mulled over what Clarke had said. Did I really make the wrong choice at the Mountain? Clarke seemed convinced that I was. Why is she always able to make myself question my own beliefs? Ever since she had met the sky girl, Clarke had been getting her to question the way she did things and offering different perspectives. She had been attracted to the girl from the start, though at the time they were enemies and didn't know what to expect. As they spent more time together, Lexa began to feel the trust grow with her. So many times Clarke had come to her with a better option than the one she had come up with, and it worked. After Clarke risked herself to prove Gustus' betrayal, Lexa trusted the sky girl completely. It was such a dangerous thing for her, to let someone in that close again.

So long ago she had Costia at her side and providing her joy, and it was taken away and tore Lexa apart. Love is weakness, Titus' teachings repeated in her head. He had told her so many times, yet she ignored it and found the lesson out the hard way. Yet again, she let someone close to her and opened up her heart to them. The moment after their kiss where Clarke said she wanted to be with her, though she wasn't ready was the best thing Lexa had heard since Costia's death. Then it all went wrong, Lexa thought, frowning.

Taking the Mountain Men's deal had been the hardest thing she had ever done. Much harder than allowing the Azgeda to join the coalition after they murdered Costia. Lexa knew that Clarke would be upset, but she couldn't have predicted the full consequences of her actions. It hurt, deeply, seeing the pain of betrayal on Clarke's face. She knew then and there what she was giving up, but it was a decision she felt needed to be made. Love is Weakness. A Commander's life belongs to the people. Titus' mantra's played through her head again, but it brought little comfort.

Lexa entered her throne room to see Titus already waiting for her there. She saw him bow his head as she made her way up to her throne. She turned and sat, focusing on a point on the far wall, readying herself for Titus' teachings.

"You look troubled, Heda," Titus commented. "I take it your conversation with the sky girl did not go well?"

Lexa looked at the Flamekeeper and nodded, not wanting to divulge too much information. She knew what he would say, and she didn't want to hear it. "Send a healer to her room to check on any injuries. Have a guard present with the healer as well." While she cared for Clarke, putting her people's lives treating her was out of the question. She didn't know what Clarke was capable of at this point.

"It will be done," Titus replied bowing his head. Lexa looked to him as he rose and saw his face slip into the teacher role and she steadied herself for a scolding. "You bringing her here is a mistake, Heda. She is Wanheda. You know what needs to be done."

"What I know is that I kept her from being killed by those who would use it to destroy everything I have worked to build!" Lexa fired back, standing up from her throne. "I am very well aware of what you think is the right thing to do Titus. You are not Heda, you are the Flamekeeper. Your job is to train the nightbloods and give me advice should I ask it."

Titus straightened and looked Lexa dead in the eyes. "Your feelings for the girl cloud your judgement. Do not repeate the same mistakes you did with Costia."

"You will not speak her name!" Lexa roared as she bounded down from her throne, grabbing Titus by the collar. "If you were anyone else I would end you right now for talking to me in such a manner. If you feel I am making a mistake, keep it to yourself. I make my own decisions, and I will deal with the consequences!"

"And what if your mistakes get you killed?"

Lexa released Titus and walked away to stare out over her city. "Then my spirit will find another and you will teach them. I am not a young nightblood you can control anymore. Clarke is not to be harmed, that is my command." Lexa was tired of Titus' presence and felt her self control eroding and wanted to avoid doing something stupid. Taking a calming breath, she turned to Titus. "I apologize for my outburst, teacher. This decision is not one I make lightly, know that. Now, please send for a healer for Clarke." She watched Titus nod and leave, then turned back to the open windows behind her. You could have handled that better, she thought to herself.

While she was still angry at Clarke for disappearing and leaving her people, she was just glad to see the woman alive again. In the months since she disappeared, Lexa feared the worst. Every day she dreaded that someone would drag her limp body through the door and her heart would be forever torn apart. She may never be mine, but I will keep her safe. The two of them had much more talking to do to reconcile their differences, but for now Lexa was going to keep some distance. Clarke asked me to be patient once. She does not need to ask again. Lexa leaned onto the walls making up the window and stared out into the city, losing herself in the lives of her people. For the first time since she left the Mountain, she felt hopeful again.