Aloha! This is an inevitable chapter I am afraid and I have to say it wasn't too fun to write (Besides the Anya/Lexa moment XD)

Italics are as normal people!

Segir: Hehe I do update fast don't I? We'll just see if it continues haha. I like the cannon that's the thing and I just figured taking it and putting a Clexa twist on the whole thing makes it just as good though I will be moving away from it at some point because the last thing I want is for this fic to be predictable ;)

RagnarWolf: Haha you make me laugh :') I live for your reviews like you do for these updates – I'll do you a trade. A review for a chapter? :') hahahaha

Memo19: Awww so sweet haha :) I'm glad you're still enjoying it!

I'm glad you're all still enjoying it!

Disclaimer: I own nothing – Commander racoon eyes would be the official name if I did

The dead cannot cry out for justice. It is a duty of the living to do so for them.

Lois McMaster Bujold

Abby and Kane watched from the Ark as Finn was dragged out and chained to the pole. It hadn't taken long for the grounders to prepare it and when they had stormed the gates of camp Jaha Clarke was right up front with Lexa. To everyone's horror she stood to the side and let them take him. Abby couldn't for the life of her figure out what Clarke was playing at. She had begged, they all had, but Clarke had said that there was no other way to solidify this alliance. Finn had killed people and they couldn't justify that.

Raven was watching from the side. Her face was emotionless but there was no doubt of the storm currently burning through the young mechanic. She was watching the only family she had ever known be dragged and tied up to die a long and drawn out death.

Octavia and Bellamy were standing a few yards away ready to jump in should Raven need it but they had known the girl long enough to understand that she needed space.

"I feel guilty O"

"I know"

Bellamy winced, "Do you blame me?"

"Should I? We could have stopped him, we Bellamy, and that includes me as well. I'm as much to blame for this as well"

He nodded and paused as the group of grounders walked away from Finn who was now hanging there loosely, "Do you think Clarke hates us?"

"I don't think she even hates Finn… She understands why he was there, doesn't condone it, but she understands. Now because of us she has no choice but to watch him die"

"I can't believe it's come to this…"

Octavia glanced up at her brother and saw the guilt all over his face, "Finn made his own decision Bell. Yeah we should have done more but in the end… In the end he pulled the trigger"

Bellamy nodded and took a deep breath, "We should keep an eye on Raven"

"Agreed"

XoXoXoX

Clarke watched them chain Finn. His eyes never leaving hers and she had to look away finding the pressure there too much.

Lexa was watching her. She had been silently been there in the shadows since Finn had been collected and Clarke found herself feeling thankful for just knowing that the other girl was there.

"Clarke"

She turned and was surprised to see Anya standing there.

"Anya"

The grounder nodded briefly, "You showed true strength in that mountain sky girl"

"It doesn't feel like strength"

"True strength rarely does"

They stood side by side in the firelight as the grounders moved around them in preparation. Lexa moved over to speak with Indra and another warrior beside Finn.

"Why are you here Anya?"

"You surprise me"

She raised an eyebrow at the general who remained impassive, "At each turn you should fall yet here you are still standing. You should have died on that bridge yet you survived, I ordered your death yet you survived, nobody returns from the mountain and yet here you are… You killed those men in the mountain and your boy is ordered to die and logic says you would defend him yet here you are…"

Clarke snorted, "So you are saying I cave in easily to demands"

"No" Anya allowed a slight smile to grace her lips, "You are willing to make the sacrifices necessary for your people"

"That surprises you"

Anya nodded slowly, "I have trained many warriors sky girl and my last second was the commander herself and yet you surprise me"

"Thank you"

Anya sniffed and straightened her back making to move away from Clarke, "Do not get ahead of yourself… You still irritate me… "

Clarke watched her walk away slightly perplexed and not quite sure what to make of Anya. Something had shifted between them since the mountain. It wasn't friendship and nor did she think for a second that Anya liked her but there seemed to be a new level of respect that hadn't been there before.

Lexa watched Anya go and sidled up in her place. Clarke looked back over to Finn.

"Anya spoke highly of you in the mountain Clarke"

She smiled slightly at Clarke's look of shock and nodded, "She sees you as a valuable ally. More so than your people I think"

"Well hopefully we can all move past it after this"

Lexa smiled grimly. Indra called to her and she gave a short nod before turning to Clarke, "We are beginning"

Clarke took a shaky breath and looked at Lexa searching for any signs of doubt but found none and let out a sigh. She fingered the blade tucked into her sleeve nervously.

"Can I say goodbye?"

Clarke heard her voice waver and tried to breathe through the tears burning at the corner of her eyes. Lexa nodded and gave her reassuring look before standing aside to let her pass.

She walked slowly over to Finn and ignored the pounding of her heart against her ribcage. Anya was standing beside Indra watching her carefully and Clarke averted her gaze from the grounder. Finn was watching her approach with fearful eyes and smiled sadly as she neared him.

"Couldn't get me out of this one then Princess?"

"I'm sorry" She breathed and stepped closer to him wrapping her arms around him and placing her head on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry… For everything"

"I know"

Finn kissed the side of her head, "I love you Clarke… Tell Raven I-…"

He couldn't finish the sentence and maybe he didn't really know what he would say but Clarke nodded anyway, "Of course"

Clarke pulled away and looked into his eyes. Finn's were glistening but there were no tears yet she could feel the ones dripping down her cheeks.

"You have to save them" His eyes wavered slightly.

"I will"

"Tell Jasper and Monty goodbye and… I need them to look after Raven"

"Finn… We'll all look after her. We're family remember?"

Finn smiled weakly and nodded, "Yeah I know. Me, you, Bellamy, Octavia, Raven, Jasper, Monty…"

"The 100" She finished and he gave her a thankful glance.

"We're in this together… Raven has a family" Clarke reassured him.

"Look after yourself Princess"

She leant into him for one final moment of contact and closed her eyes allowing the tears to run freely. He had done so much but there was a part of her, the part that could look past everything, that held that glowing ember for him. She loved him, she just wasn't in love with him…

"May we meet again"

He sucked in a breath and Clarke slipped the blade from her hand up and through his chest. She felt him shudder against her slightly and cough into her ear. Clarke held back the pain in her chest as the warm liquid dripped down her arm slowly and he whimpered a shallow breath.

"Thanks Princess"

Clarke gasped out a fresh wave of tears and moved away from his body now hanging loose against the wood. She let her arm drop to her side. Her gaze held onto his unmoving figure and she couldn't tear her eyes away nor could she ignore the feeling of his blood against her hand.

There was a roar of anger from behind her as the grounders realised what had happened but she ignored them for her own building storm of emotions and fresh wave of tears.

"Halt!"

Even Lexa couldn't drag her away from this one. This body was on her and no amount of blood would ever make up for that.

XoXoXoX

"Clarke"

Lexa stepped through the tent entrance to see the blonde shaking on the edge of her bed and scratching the blood from her hands. Silent tears were still falling but she ignored them.

The commander blinked slightly and tried to ignore the burning in her own chest at the sight. She wandered over to where a bucket of water lay and picked up a rag before making her way over to the grieving blonde.

Kneeling down in front of her Lexa pried her shaking hands apart and looked up at Clarke, "Clarke, let me wipe it?"

She spoke gently but still the girl flinched away from her touch. Lexa just pulled her hands close to her chest, "Clarke I will be gentle"

Clarke didn't respond but just continued to look at her hands to Lexa dipped the fabric into the water and raised it to her palm. They didn't say anything but rather sat in silence as Lexa removed Finn's blood from her hands.

When it was all gone Clarke mumbled, "It's still there"

She didn't need to ask what Clarke meant and rather raised up to sit on the bed, "I know…"

"I have summoned your mother from camp Jaha…"

Clarke didn't respond but repeated, "It's still there…"

Lexa sighed and lifted her hand to wrap around the blonde's. Clarke spluttered out tears and gasped for breath, "Why is it still there?"

"Because it's fresh"

"Will it ever go away?" Clarke croaked out.

"Some things will never leave us Clarke… but it's not those things that define us, it is how we armour ourselves with them and then they can never be used to hurt us again"

Clarke nodded and remained staring at her shaking hands that were now slippery with water.

XoXoXoX

Abby held back her own tears as Raven's cries of anguish continued even when Bellamy dragged her inside. She turned to Marcus who was watching her carefully. Two grounders were approaching the gate.

"The Heda will see you now"

Abby and Marcus followed them up the short distance to where a cluster of tents were situated. They were led to the largest one in the middle that had two men standing stoic outside. They grunted at their arrival and pulled back the flap of the tent entrance for them to enter.

The first thing she spotted was Clarke sitting staring at her hands in silence on a bed almost hidden at the back. Next to her was the commander who held a bucket of water and cloth. The blood was all gone from her daughter's hands but the bucket itself held a thick red. She shuddered.

Lexa looked up upon their entrance and nodded to the guards behind them to leave them.

She stepped away from Clarke and Abby sat where she had been sitting moments before. Her arms wrapped around Clarke who still looked on blankly not quite registering their presence.

"The debt has been paid. Now we may move forward with the alliance, I invite you to join us in tonDC for the burning of the bodies"

"Burning of the bodies?" Marcus was watching the commander with a furrowed brow.

Lexa raised her chin, "The boy will be burnt on the pyre above the fourteen victims"

Marcus shook his head, "No he should be buried by his own people"

She looked slightly annoyed, "My people were owed a righteous death, and they were denied that because it was Clarke's wish, however I will not deny them the right to honour the dead, their loved ones and my people"

He looked like he would argue again but Clarke cut over him, "No. They deserve that. We'll go with them to tonDC and honour the dead" She pulled away from Abby's arms and stood to face Lexa, "When do we leave?"

"Right now" Lexa's eyes gazed at Clarke for a moment longer before she turned to lead the way out of the tent.

Clarke made to follow but Abby pulled her back, "You don't have to do this"

"Yes I do" She sucked in a breath. Her eyes were still slightly glazed over and she didn't seem to be fully aware of her surroundings, "Otherwise I killed Finn for nothing… and we'll never save the 100"

XoXoXoX

Lexa was readying her horse when Anya approached her. She didn't look angry but Lexa had long since learnt how well her mentor could hide her feelings.

"You let the sky girl kill the boy"

She sighed and stepped away from the steed to face Anya. Lexa didn't deny it but merely raised an eyebrow at the older woman who just shook her head.

"You do not agree?"

Anya narrowed her eyes, "I neither agree nor disagree. The boy killed our people and Indra will be out for blood and yet the girl has proven herself stronger yet at each turn"

Lexa nodded and together they watched as the sky people arrived for the journey to tonDC. Clarke stood at the front talking to the boy named Bellamy and Octavia. A girl was standing beside the body of Finn and she looked just as distraught, if not more so, as Clarke had looked in the tent. Lexa suddenly realised that there was more than one sky person feeling the pang of the loss of a loved one.

Anya cocked her head and scrunched her nose, "They are sentimental, the sky people"

Lexa raised an eyebrow and nodded slowly, "Yet they have strengths"

"I did not say it was a bad thing Lexa"

She growled slightly and grinded her teeth causing Anya to roll her eyes, "Heda"

Lexa bit back a retort and let it slide. After a few moments of silence Anya spoke again, "She reminds me of you"

"A leader?"

"No. Annoying and arrogant"

Lexa snorted and turned back to the horse.

Bit of lightness at the end because it has to be done amongst all this angst

Let me know what you all think :)