Chapter 36

Indra had been pacing outside the clinic. She didn't like waiting. She hated it. And, now, Heda wasn't near enough to her to guard. Skairipa was still injured and in the clinic. The man-boy was upstairs guarding not only Heda but Palla's family. She wanted to scream. It was just wrong. She should be the one with Heda, but she knew why she wasn't. She knew that Wanheda knew that she was stronger than the man-boy. Clarke knew that she would do more damage and give all of them a better chance to get away should something happen before reinforcement could arrive. She knew it, but she didn't have to like it. She'd sworn her life to Heda and Heda made her swear it to Wanheda, too.

Abby came out of the clinic. She had a small plate of food and a cup of water. She caught Indra's pacing and waited to gain her attention.

"Pacing won't make it better," Abby told her. "They are all still children and we can do nothing but listen to them. They've figure it all out. This is their fight."

"It is our fight. If they threaten Heda..."

"I get it, Indra, I do. I want to destroy everyone and everything that ever hurt Clarke, but she just keeps reminding me that she is an adult and I have to let her go. I know that it isn't the same for you. You trained for this. You've fought for them. You still fight, but she still makes you worry."

"She?"

"All of them...Madi...Clarke...Octavia...Gaia..." Abby started.

"They are mine to protect," Indra stated puffing out her chest.

"Spoken like a true mother," Abby replied. "I thought that I was protecting Clarke by sending her to ground because I couldn't let her die on the Ark. I sent her there to survive. I made her what she is indirectly. I have to learn to live with the sacrifices and decisions that she makes."

"They are hers alone," Indra said, unsure of what Abby was talking about.

"No, they aren't. I helped create her life, Indra. She is a part of me and she will always be. But, I didn't teach her to be Wanheda. I was training her to take my place as head doctor on the Ark. I knew that she could lead them on the ground and I also knew that she would find a way to keep them all alive. She is like her father in that respect. She was born to lead, but I'll deny ever saying that if you tell her. I never wanted her to have to make the choices that she has made in order to protect the hundred, then Skaikru, then the world. No eighteen year should have to do that."

"She isn't eighteen anymore," Indra stated.

"No, she's almost twenty six...Do you know how hard that is for me to believe?"

"Yes."

"And, now she has a daughter of her own."

"Who is very much like her mother and grandmother," Indra added.

"She is, isn't she?"

"Are you proud of them both?" Indra asked.

"Absolutely."

"Good. Then stay here and be ready for wounded. I do not doubt that will be conflict. It seems something that we cannot escape. But, this time, I know that we will not fail our people, Abby. How can we? We have Heda, Wanheda, and Skairipa leading us. No one stands a chance against them."

"You forgot yourself and Echo," Abby told her.

"I did not. Echo has more position than I do. I know that Clarke hasn't said it, but she is still upset with me for not trying to rein in Octavia in the bunker. She has every right to be angry. I let Octavia down. We all did. She was not ready, nor did she want to be. She was a warrior and that was what she wanted, but she couldn't fight everyone in the bunker and we all survive. So, like Jaha told her, she made death the enemy."

"Jaha was a delusional fool."

"But, he knew what it meant to be a leader. I believe had he survived the first coup, things might have been different for us all. I have no doubt that things would have still resulted in the coup and the fight to get the farm back. I also believe that he might have been able to temper her better. We just fed it and for that we must all be blamed. By the time that Kane and I realized what we'd done, it was too late. And, you were battling your own demons."

"That I still am slaying..."

"But, you know that your daughter is alive. You found out that you have granddaughter. You have reason to slay your demons and fight back. And, you have. I know that you've given up the pills, Abby. We all do. I am proud of you. It takes a strong person to admit that they need help. I also know that Clarke has been helping by giving you the shots in secret, since you woke."

"It is a weaker form of the drug. Just enough to take the edge off. And, since Clarke is the only with access..."

"You can't dose yourself?"

"I can't kill myself with it either," Abby added.

"You were right when you say that she carries too much, but I think that she knows that. She loves too hard. I'm not saying that it is bad thing. She wouldn't be Wanheda if she didn't. Everything that she has ever done, good or bad, has been out of love."

"I know."

"And, you care for Octavia more than you want to let on, Indra. I see the way you watch her. It is the same way I watch Clarke. It is with pride."

"It is."

"She will get better."

"She has to," Indra stated.

"She'll be moving soon."

"She's awake. She's a warrior. She will surprise us all."

"She already has," Abby added.

Indra did something that she rarely did. She smiled. Abby smiled back at her.

"Eat. I'll watch the horizon for a little while. It is the least that I can do."

Indra nodded and picked up the plate. She had been amazed at the delicacies that could be made on this planet. She was used to hard tack, dried and smoked meats, potatoes, and quick fry breads. It was the meal of a warrior. She wasn't sure if these meals were making her soft, but they sure were delicious. She smiled as she ate, but she still ate quickly. She didn't like the fact that Abby had been out there with her for so long. Abby was a healer, not a warrior, she shouldn't be on duty. She should be with Octavia making sure that she was getting better quickly. She picked up the cup of water and drank it down in two to three gulps. The entire time she was drinking, she was staring at the tree line beyond the barracks and stables.

"No word?" Abby asked as she took Indra's empty plate and cup.

"Not yet."

"They'll contact us soon."

"Yes, they will," Indra stated as if she could will it to happen.

Indra pulled out the radio comm and handed it to Abby. She could see that Indra wasn't sure that it was working right, so Abby checked it. It was on and it was set to the correct channels. Abby just stayed there and held it. Indra wasn't sure if it was because it was their only way to talk to Clarke. She understood why Abby was so cautious with Clarke and she knew that the doctor loved her daughter.

She tried to keep Abby's spirit up while they were in the bunker, but she knew how much it hurt that she didn't know if Spacekru made it or not. Then, she heard the banging from above in the bunker. Kane tried to console her when they couldn't get the door open. They realized that they were trapped and now they had no hope of ever seeing the surface. Kane never gave up on Spacekru or Clarke. He knew that she'd find a way to get them out and she did. They all did what they could for Abby, but she was losing her fight with the pills.

Indra knew that it had been Clarke and Kane that finally got her to see reason once they were in the place Clarke called "Eden." She didn't know what that meant, but she knew that they were willing to fight for the last habitable place on Earth before everything went to shit. Abby was making a come back. Then in the final battle, Kane had been wounded. They had to leave Earth. Now, they weren't sure if Kane was going to survive. Abby seemed to be okay with this somehow and Indra thought it was because she had Clarke and Clarke had Madi. She knew that Abby was going to have issues with Madi being Heda, but she was more worried about Clarke in that since. They'd both seen what Clarke was willing to do to save those she loved.

They were both sitting there, just lost in their thoughts when the radio crackled. Indra held it, still unsure of what she was supposed to do with it. She'd never really liked tek but, Skaikru used it like the Mountain Men had. However, Skaikru used to help them all, regardless of clan, and not to kill them like the Mountain Men had. Instead of talking on it, Indra handed it to Abby.

"Indra, this is Raven, over," the box stated.

Abby smiled as she cued the radio and said back to the box, "This is Abby, go ahead."

"Good, now I don't have to worry about protocol..."

"Raven, what's going on?"

"Look, Clarke is waking up most of the sleepers. She wants you to get whatever you need and head to the processing station. She knows that Palla needs the help, so she's going to help with the aid of Jackson. She figures that with the three of you and maybe a healer or two, y'all could breeze through everyone," Raven told them.

"How many is she bringing?" Abby asked.

"Don't know for sure. So far, she's got all of those from Trikru and Skaikru. Echo woke up a few from Azgeda and Diyoza in looking at the list of prisoners to see who she thinks will be good to bring down," Raven answered.

"Why do I feel like that there is something that you haven't told me?"

"There really isn't. Clarke is being...well...very efficient. Oh, yeah, we only have a little while before we'll be done and down. I'll be piloting the ship down with Shaw, so I won't be able to talk to you then. I'll try to give you a heads up when we are going to leave, but we won't be able to talk to you while we're descending. Our window was in eight hours when I calculated it," Raven said and then the radio went silent for a minute. Abby was just about to cue up again when Raven came back with, "So that only gives us about five and half hours before we launch."

"Are you hungry?" Abby questioned.

"Well, I mean, yeah, but we're surviving on stuff from Monty's farm and rations. We'll be okay. Just be at the processing station on time, okay. Don't want Mama Bear flipping out."

"Mama Bear?"

"Clarke," Raven replied.

"I thought you called me that," Abby stated.

"Have you seen her with Madi? I know where she gets it from. But, that doesn't matter right now. How's the squirt?"

"The Little Queen is fine," Abby said as she stood up and looked up at Bellamy at the top of the stairs. "She's in Palla's quarters still with Ferre and the kids. Bellamy is on the landing guarding them."

"And O?"

"She's still awake."

"Doc?" Raven inquired.

"She's fine, Raven. She's getting better. The sore are starting to look a lot better and she's getting cranky. I know that she wants to be up and around, but she shouldn't be moving like that yet. She'll be up in a couple of days. I'm sure be happy to have some visitors," Abby answered with a smile on her face.

Indra couldn't help but smile at Abby's assessment. Octavia was doing better now that they knew what medicines that could be used. She also knew how bullheaded and stubborn Octavia could be. Indra was sure that Octavia and Abby would be butting heads about her treatment and staying in the clinic soon enough.

"Hey, I get that, but can she get up?" Raven asked.

"I'm sure she could, but she shouldn't."

"I get that, I do, Abs, but Clarke is worried about ..."

"Everyone coming down," Abby finished for Raven.

"She is."

"Does she have a plan for this?"

"She does," Raven answered with a bit of hesitation in her voice.

"I'm not going to like it, am I?"

"Nope, not at all."

"Just tell me."

"She wants you to get a rifle and give it to Madi. She also wants you to make sure that she has her blades on her. Then, she wants you to get Octavia up and arm her. She wants Octavia to stay with Madi, Ferre and the kids. They will be okay together."

"And, what about Bellamy?" Abby asked trying to hide the emotion in her voice.

"She wants him and Indra to go with you to the Processing station. She needs to know that it is clear for us to land. I'll call down before we launch to make sure that everything is ready for us. She also wants to make sure that you are protected, too," Raven told her.

"Raven..."

"Look, I said that you weren't going to like it. I know it isn't ideal, but this situation isn't ideal. Madi can take care of herself. She's the heda, Abby. You have to trust that Clarke knows what she is doing. She's learned to let Madi do what needs to be done, Mama Bear. Can you do the same?"

Indra took the mic and cued the button to talk as she'd seen Abby do to answer Raven, "We will."

"Thanks, Indra. I know that this isn't easy, but we'll get through it like everything else. I'll call y'all back as soon as we are ready to launch," Raven told them and the radio went quiet.

Abby glared at Indra. There was a fire in her eyes that Indra hadn't seen since Abby and Lexa fought about Clarke's role in Skaikru. She knew that it pained the woman to have a daughter in power, but now that her newly introduced granddaughter was the Commander, things were worse. She'd had an issue with Lexa being young leading the twelve clans. She's had issues with Clarke leading her own people since she was barely eighteen, and now she was twenty-five or six with a twelve year old leading what was left of man from Earth. How was she supposed to process that when it had never been their way on the Ark? Children were supposed to learn and grow to be members of society, not lead it.

"Madi is strong, Abby. To question that is futile. Clarke trusts her daughter, can you say the same?" Indra stated as she stood up to go talk to the man-child sitting on the stoop outside the barracks upstairs.

"I do trust her."

"Then believe in her command. She's given us orders, Abby. She's still protecting us. She's never going to stop until her fight is over."

"And, when that happens?" Abby asked.

"Hopefully, Madi will be old and have children of her own," Indra said before climbing the stairs. "Get up, Boy. We have work to do. Go see Abby. I need to talk to Heda."

Bellamy clambered to his feet. He nodded, secured his weapon and headed down stairs. She smiled. He'd learned not to question her, again. She smiled as she walked to Palla's door and knocked. Bolstering herself up, she knew that it was going to be a long day and possibly a long night, too.