Chapter 13

The Arc Council Room

There is a knock on the council room door, Kane shouts enter and Commander Shumway comes in.

"Councillor Kane we have identified the shooter, his name is Bellamy Blake" Kane looks at Abby who has been newly appointed as Chancellor, and she responds,

"Thank you, Commander, I have been voted internment Chancellor by the council so you may include me in the brief, Kane you can stay everyone else you may be excused for now." The other council members get up and leave the room. Shumway comes to stand in front of Abby across the table and Kane joins her by her side. Kane asks,

"Do we know his motivation for the shooting? Has he been apprehended?"

"No, we believe he snuck onto the drop ship prior to departure, his motivation seems to be that his sister was also on the ship" Abby looks concerned but schools her features.

"So, a known murderer has escaped to earth with the children, how did he get access to the ship? How did he know we were sending he sister to earth" Commander Shumway looks annoyed.

"We are uncertain of the details at this time but we are investigating." Abby turns to Kane,

"Kane I want you spearheading the investigation it is clear that he didn't work alone, he acquired the gun and information from someone on the inside."

"Of course, Chancellor Griffin, I will begin investigating all possible leads with commander Shumway."

"Commander you are dismissed I need to speak to councillor Kane for a moment." Shumway nods and leaves the room. Abby turns to Kane.

"Kane everyone needs to be a suspect including commander Shumway, if I believe correctly Bellamy Blake was one of his recruits, there is a connection there. Make sure you look at everyone."

"I will Chancellor, but there is another thing we should discuss, Jaha will have left a video message handover along with all the prior Chancellor, you will need to watch them all and bring yourself up to speed. There is also the issue of the air system, engineering is saying it will take them at least six months to have a workable fix, but the arc has only four month worth of oxygen. We need to consider all possibilities should the earth not be survivable."

"I will take this all under advisement, I will retire to the Chancellor's chambers to watch the videos and I will address the entire Arc later regarding Jaha's passing, if there are any developments with the 100 I should be notified immediately."

"Understood Chancellor." Kane leaves to begin his investigation and Abbey sighs finally being alone for the first time in hours to process everything that has occurred.

Back on Earth with the 100

Clarke is walking over to the drop ship to tend to her face when she notices, Charlotte watching Wells as he attempts the boil the water over the fire. Her face is a mixture of anger, hatred, and fear. Clarke remembers what happened in the previous timeline and doesn't want Wells to die or for Charlotte to be either. Clark wonders how she could possibly help the girl, as she is standing, she sees a piece of the metal hull reflective enough to use as a mirror to stitch her wound. Clarke picks it up and polishes it on her shirt, she has an idea. Clarke walks over to the girl.

"Hey, it is Charlotte right... I'm Clarke."

"I know who you are Clarke, everyone does." The girl replies timidly. Clarke Smiles at her,

"Of course, yeah I know how to make an entrance right!" the girl gives a soft chuckle and Clarke does too.

"Listen I could use some help with my face if you don't mind, nothing gross I promise, I just need you to hold this while I stitch my face, do you think you can do that." The girl nods eagerly at Clarke wanting to please her and be of use. Clarke put out her hand and the girl takes it and they walk to the drop ship together.

Clarke sits on a makeshift seat and the girl does the same, Charlotte lifts the mirror, and Clarke slightly adjusts it so she can see.

"So, Charlotte, how are you doing with this whole dropped-to-earth thing." Clarke starts cleaning her cut with some of the alcohol wipe her mom provided, wincing slightly. Charlotte watches Clarke intently but does not respond.

"Not much of a talker, eh? That's ok I get it, when I'm scared or upset, I don't really feel like talking either. I try to bottle things up because I think if I do not talk about it, it didn't happen or I'm somehow being brave by carrying the burden alone. That is not really great though, because eventually, you burst there's only so much you can hold inside. I have this friend who is really smart and he tells me that, telling people your fears or what scares you doesn't make you weak, it makes you strong." Charlotte looks confused.

"How can telling someone that, make you strong?" the girl questions innocently. Clarke smiles a little though it is difficult to do as she sutures her face.

"You see when you share the thing that scares you other people can be there to help you to support you, protect you. It gives your fears less power over you because when other people know it is like the fear loses its power over you." Charlotte contemplates this for a moment chewing on her lip before replying,

"I am scared, but not of earth." Clarke was expecting this answer so just nods at the girl encouragingly and gestured for her to keep going.

"I have these nightmares, from...from space. From when my dad was floated. I see it over and I see Jaha standing there pushing the button...killing him and now every day I wake up I see Well and the nightmare doesn't stop!" Charlotte is crying heavily. Clarke has finished the sutures on her face. She puts down her needle and takes the mirror from Charlotte. Clarke then holds both Charlotte's hands in hers.

"Charlotte thank you for telling me, I know it does not help but my father was floated by Jaha too, but you see Wells is still my best friend because he is nothing like his father. He begged his father to not float people, he begged him to find another way. Wells may look like his father, but he is kind and he would never hurt you." Charlotte does not look convinced so Clarke continues.

"Charlotte, I want you to do something for me, I want you to watch Wells watch what he does and how he treats people and I want you to try to speak to him and see how he will treat you. This should prove to you he is nothing like his father, he always took more after his mom she was a very kind person. I want you to do this for me because you are judging Wells for someone else's actions that he had no control over before you've even given him a chance. Do you think you can do that?" Charlotte looks at Clarke and she can see the fear that is there but she nods.

"Good! Now when you have your nightmares, I want you when you wake up to take deep breaths and say to yourself 'what happened before does not define the present, we can only control ourselves and do what we think is right' and then I want you to come to find me if I'm around and I then we will talk just like this ok?"

Charlotte nods gently and wipes her tears. She looks uncertainly at Clarke before stepping forward and hugging her, Clarke runs her hand over the back of the girl's head allowing her all the time she needs.