Author's note: This story will be coming to an end soon. I'm not sure how many chapters are left but thought I would give people a heads up. Thank you for reading.

Raven had lost track of how long she'd been trying to connect one of the Ark's mobile generators to the dam's backup systems. It'd been hours, that much she knew. She was thankful the earmuffs she wore helped cut out most of the sound of the generators and the roaring of the water, she was sure it would have given her a headache by now if the stubborn generator hadn't given her one yet.

She hadn't even intended to volunteer to help with this particular project, but the camp they had been setting up in the forest clearing had make her feel more on edge with each passing day.

She didn't entirely know why. Maybe it was the fact that being out in the open, in the air, on the ground was so foreign to her still that her brain still needed time to rewire itself. Or perhaps it was the fact that at times she felt like she was being watched from the trees, that something or someone seemed intent on studying her and everyone else without being seen. At times she assumed it to be just another one of the games her mind was playing on her, and at others she wondered if some kind of wild animal stalked them, waited patiently for its moment to strike, to drag one of them back into its den.

She shook her head and sighed.

By her side one was large toolbox full of tools, diagnostic equipment and old scrap pieces of metal that could be quickly fashioned into a bracket if needed. She had had experience repairing the kinds of electrical systems she was staring at in that very moment, but most of the time she had had someone from Lexa's own department to help her with the specifics. And she thought it ironic, in some kind of way, that the person she thought would be the most help to her in that moment was the one person who the reapers had captured.

It was with that thought that Raven let herself think over the other things she had found herself thinking over a little too closely the past few days and weeks. She wasn't so blind to the fact that the people who lived in Mount Weather were hiding something, she wasn't so foolish as to not think it was probably just because they didn't know if both peoples could live together well yet. But there was something just under the surface she had found herself realising. Something that made her eyes narrow at times and make her pause for a moment or two before discarding it as unjustified suspicion.

And yet some part of her thought Anya's commitment to rescuing Lexa had at once seemed so determined only to disappear without much worry as soon as Lexa's death had been reported after Bellamy's rescue. And it was strange.

Raven tried to shake those thoughts free as she refocused. She was happy to lose herself to the rhythm of her work, part of what she did so familiar, the same age of Mount Weather's and the Ark's systems a thankful blessing. Gravity still seemed to slow her down just a little though, her fingers feeling a little wooden at times. But she thought she was adapting, she knew she was getting used to it. At least the whirring of the Dam's systems reminded her of the Ark, of orbiting Earth.

That much she was thankful for.

"Raven."

She turned at the sound of her name being yelled almost behind her to find Anya standing there, Octavia beside her, the younger woman's fingers pressed into her ears in an attempt to cut out the sound, Anya seemingly content to simply scowl as if the expression itself was enough to reduce the noise assaulting her ears.

"Sorry," she said as she gestured to her earmuffs. "Hold on a sec."

She eyed the generator and cables half connected only to sigh and stand as she gestured to the side office.

"It'll be quieter," Raven said but she didn't even know if either of the two could actually hear her over the noise.

It only took them a moment longer to cross the distance, and once the doors to the side office closed behind them the sound quietened enough that Raven could take the earmuffs off.

"You really should be wearing these if you come down here again," she said, fingers scratching through her hair as she sat in one of the chairs.

"Yeah, I realised," and Anya shrugged a shoulder as she came to lean against the edge of a table, Octavia happy to stand by the closed door, her back to it as she used it for support.

"So," Raven started. "What brings you two here?"

Anya looked around the office space before glancing back towards the door. That made Raven's eyebrows raise a fraction but she remained quiet as she waited for the other woman to explain.

"We need your help, but if you're going to help there's something you need to know and that we need to explain," Anya said eventually. "But we need you to keep it a secret."

"Ok," Raven said slowly, her interest and her concern raising a fraction more. She looked over towards Octavia to find her own face stern, serious, perhaps a little nervous.

"Alright," Anya said and to Raven it looked like she was trying to convince herself of something. "Mount Weather has been lying to us."

Anya sat back in the chair she found herself in, the short few minutes it took for her to explain the situation to Raven leaving her feeling on edge. She thought it partly because she didn't know how Raven would react, and she thought it partly because she was paranoid anyone from Mount Weather would burst into the office they had retreated into for the time being.

But nothing too egregious had happened. At least not yet.

She glanced at Octavia who remained rooted to the door, and Anya thought she had done so mostly in an attempt to be able to have some kind of warning should someone try to enter and interrupt them. Or perhaps Octavia was simply not too eager to be somewhere a little too exposed for all their likings in that moment.

"So," Raven's voice cut into Anya's thoughts and she looked back at her to find a frown on her face, her gaze focused on the ground as her eyes darted back and forth as she clearly processed everything that had been said. "Lexa's alive. Bellamy's here to help us. And Kane knows."

"And now you."

Raven nodded as she looked up to face her.

"I'm guessing you need me for something," she said. "Or you wouldn't be telling me this."

It was Anya's time to nod her head in acknowledgement. Truthfully, she was surprised Raven had taken everything almost completely at face value without the want or need to see for herself.

"We have a plane," Anya said and she didn't intend for her voice to lower, but it did. Perhaps it was her subconscious telling her to be careful, to not risk alerting any of Mount Weather's security should they happen to cross their path in that moment. "We need to unlock the doors to the quarantine facility," Anya said.

"When?" Raven asked.

"I'm not entirely sure," Anya said. "Apparently something big is going to happen."

"We'll know just like we did when Bellamy was rescued," Octavia added.

"Yeah," Raven said. "Even I noticed something was happening then."

"Yeah, exactly," Anya continued. "We'll know when to act. I'm assuming it'll be big."

"But why me, though?" Raven asked, just a little suspicion mixed with curiosity colouring her tone.

"Can you rig something to go off? Cause a distraction on the other side of Mount Weather?" Anya asked. "Anything that will help us get as much time as possible to unlock the quarantine facility and get whoever we need to rescue out?"

Anya watched as Raven processed her words. She watched as the woman's eyes darted back and forth as she seemed to consider whatever plan would be needed.

"There's air scrubbers," Raven said carefully. "They're similar systems to what we had on the Ark," and she gestured around them. "Everything is similar here, even the power systems."

"What can you do with the air scrubbers?" Octavia asked.

"I can slow them down, or stop them," Raven said. "Or at least I think I can. It'll reroute any Mount Weather technicians to fix that issues as soon as possible. If we time it right they'll be on the other side of Mount Weather by the time you begin unlocking anything you're not supposed to."

"And they won't be able to stop us before we get through," Anya added with a satisfied nod of her head.

"That's my made up in 30 seconds plan, yes," Raven said.

Anya took a moment to consider it. Truthfully she didn't want to involve too many people. It would risk word getting out before any plan could be sprung. But she needed help. People who could be trusted, who had the ability to break things in ways that were reversible — they would all need to live with whatever mess they created in the aftermath of all this.

She didn't think she could see another way.

"Just a quick question," Octavia added. "I've cleaned enough air scrubbers on the Ark to know if they go down our air would get stale, would stop recycling the air and leave us unable to breathe. But there's fresh air here on earth. What do these air scrubbers do?"

"I don't know," Raven said, and Anya watched her frown as she seemed to think over Octavia's question.

"Look," Anya had made up her mind. They couldn't afford to second guess themselves. Not when Lexa was counting on them. On her. "We'll worry about anything else if they pop up. But for now we've got a plan. We've got something that will give us a chance to end this with as little bloodshed as possible."

"Before I knew the truth I was ready to kill every single grounder down here, not that I'd be able to, but," Octavia added quietly. "But—now? I agree with Lexa's and Anya's decisions, for what it's worth."

Anya smiled at Octavia before she looked back at Raven to find her looking between them in thought before she seemed to make up her mind.

"What the hell," Raven said as she threw up her hands. "I'm in. What's the worst that could happen?"

Though the late afternoon was beginning to cool the heat from the camp fire helped chase away the chill of the wind.

Lexa sat on one of many large logs. A warm shawl thrown over her shoulders, her gaze staring into the flames that danced and licked at the firewood.

As she sat she found herself reliving the time she had spent with Clarke in the cave. There were things that had been said between them both that had given her clarity, and yet there were also things that had been said that had seemed to hint at something more complicated than any kind of partnering she could have imagined on the Ark.

Of course there were the society differences, where in one she was expected to mother child, whereas now she didn't think that needed. But there were different society expectations she was sure would be needed of her if things were to progress further in any kind of way. It wasn't even that she didn't know Clarke was in fact the ruler of her people, but she had never really seen it in any great context. Clarke's rule in Ton DC had been subtle, had been quiet. Careful and hidden in the shadows. A lowering of a head, a quick jumping to action at any quiet command. Even the commanding of warriors and hunting and scouting parties.

But Lexa assumed that Polis, the capitol, must have been something grander. Even talk of other clans intrigued her in ways she couldn't quite place. She wondered what Azgeda was like. She wondered what the other clans were like. She wondered what society was like further away from Mount Weather, without fear of reapers or acid fog or surprise attack.

And Lexa didn't think of these things because she was lovesick, because she was smitten. There were actual repercussions her actions would have. Ones she thought she needed to truly consider first.

And so Lexa sighed, she stretched out her legs and she looked around herself.

A few warriors gathered around the campfire or others that dotted the village square. She recognised some of them, some by name, others by tattoo or scar or fur or leathers. But the longer she looked, the more she searched, she realised she didn't see Gustus anywhere. Not that his presence was something she often sought. And she found herself realising she didn't see Ontari, either. Though she didn't think either absence was something of note, she realised she hadn't spoken with Clarke since their return, too.

Perhaps it was simply the result of her spinning mind. Perhaps it was because she was being paranoid but Lexa found herself feeling just a little off kilt at that realisation. She looked up into the sky to judge the time only to find that the sub had already begun to dip below the horizon. It was at that moment that her stomach growled. It was with that sound that she decided to go in search of food or familiar face.

Lexa walked through the few streets of Ton DC, her steps keeping her closer to shadows than not. In the distance she could hear the telltale sounds of people training, of wood smacking against wood or flesh hitting flesh. But she ignored those sounds as she continued on her short trek towards—

"Lexa."

She turned to find Maya jogging up to her, hair a tussled nest and a bag slung over her shoulder. Behind her walked another guard Lexa recognised, though whose name she couldn't remember.

"Maya," she said as she came to a stop.

"We need to talk," and Maya gestured for her to follow.

Lexa frowned in answer as she turned and fell into step beside her.

There was silence for a short while, but before too long they came to a nondescript set of doors that Lexa knew was one of many entrances that lead down into the depths of the tunnels.

"Come on in," Maya said with a simple gesture.

It didn't take them long to become consumed by the dark tunnels below Ton DC. Each turn they took seemingly blending in with the previous one until Lexa found herself almost completely lost.

Curiosity had well and truly taken hold of her now. They seemed to pass warriors who appeared more heavily armed than usual, each one nodding at Maya and her guard before eyeing her a little more closely as they passed.

They came to a set of doors that Lexa didn't recognise.

"Come in," Maya said over her shoulder as she pushed them open and stepped inside.

Lexa's head cocked to the side as she entered behind Maya. The room she was in was large. Multiple large tables were pushed together in the centre, atop it lay a large map with models placed to indicate what she assumed to be landmarks. Other warriors stood around, too. Some in quiet conversation, others seemingly content to stand in silence.

"Maya," Jake's voice sounded out from the crowd and Lexa's eyes snapped up to the man to find her leaning over the map, hands stretched out atop the map's surface as his gaze settled upon the new comers.

"Sorry we're late," Maya said quietly. "I needed to," and she pointed to her arm awkwardly. "You know."

"Understandable," Jake said.

Lexa took a moment to look upon Jake then. She realised this was the first time she had seen him in any kind of leadership role amongst other warriors. Perhaps it shouldn't have been surprising that the Commander's father held a high position amongst their people but to see it play out in front of her was strange.

But what was more strange was the fact that Clarke was absent.

And that made Lexa's hair stand up at the back of her neck.

"We have much to discuss," Jake's voice seemed to fill the room then, conversation quietened and each warrior around turned their attention to him completely.

There was an electricity to the room that seemed to suddenly snap into existence and Lexa wasn't stupid. She understood that something must be about to happen.

"Heda has already begun the first stage of her plan," Jake said.

Lexa's eyes snapped up to him only to find his gaze settled squarely on the model of what she recognised as Mount Weather placed in the centre of the map.

"Treska, Lincoln and Costia have identified an opening we may take through the forests that will allow a small party to sneak into the dam without being discovered," he continued. "That will be all of you present," he said.

There was a quiet murmuring of excitement that coursed through those present, but all it made Lexa feel was a sudden sense of uncertainty, as if she had stumbled into a meeting she was entirely unqualified for.

"You must move fast," he continued. "Heda has already baited the enemy into preparing to attack. Ontari and her warriors will not be able to hold the Mountain back long. As soon as they are attacked you must move fast, gain entrance to the dam and take control of it before you are challenged. If not, they will lock us out. They sacrifice themselves for our people's success."

"An honourable sacrifice," someone said quietly, their voice full of deference.

"Ontari's forces will lull the Mountain into a false sense of security and over confidence. They will over commit," Jake said. "When the Mountain breaks through Ontari's forces the rest of the army will attempt to slow them down, but in confined spaces and against Mountain tech it will be deadly," Jake said.

"The army's presence will tell the Mountain to attack with every they have," someone else said, the nodding of heads around the room seemed to indicate most came to the same conclusion. "They will think we intend to break into the Mountain through the tunnels."

"Violence will descend upon the tunnels swiftly," someone else added.

"Those in the surrounding villages will attempt to draw any surviving reaper packs into conflict. Or force the Mountain Men to use acid fog. It will ensure that the Mountain can not attack over land and cutting off our attack on the dam without risking death to themselves."

Conversation quietened at that and Lexa felt her heart beating a lot more strongly in her chest than it had just moments ago. Of course she knew battle plans had been drawn. Clarke had even discussed with her the plan to take the dam. But to hear the intricacies of it seemed so much more real.

But then Lexa had a realisation.

"Why am I here?"

She didn't know why she felt like she could ask that question in that moment. She felt that doubly so when all eyes seemed to focus on her.

"We were always going to destroy the dam," Maya's voice broke the silence. "We were always going to use the tunnels to move warriors around without being seen," and she looked around at those who stood around them. "Before your people came down, Lexa, we were going to use an entrance in the reaper tunnels I know the code for," and she seemed to think back to a memory long since gone. "We were going to pour warriors into Mount Weather and flood it with our best. But there were risks. The Mountain would still have control of its systems. It could lock our people inside, trap them, isolate them and pick them off one by one. But for the Mountain to do that they wouldn't be able to reinforce the dam in time. So we'd sacrifice hundreds, maybe even thousands, however many we could get into the mountain for the opportunity to attack the dam."

"But?" Lexa asked.

"But with your people's arrival Heda saw another option," Maya said. "With allies inside the Mountain all we need is one person capable of getting inside to be able to throw things into confusion, into chaos. It would throw the Mountain's calculus off, make blind to the outside when what they've been searching for for decades was in the palm of their hand."

Lexa's eyes widened as she slowly began to realise what Maya said. Of who Maya spoke about.

"Clarke," Lexa's voice was quiet. "She's surrendered herself," and she looked around half expecting Clarke to step out from the shadows.

But she didn't.

Blood came rushing into Lexa's ears, her heart seemed to beat so quickly it felt like it could burst and Lexa felt an emotion flood her mind so quickly that she dare not consider what that meant until she was somewhere else.

But Lexa forced herself to steady, to calm, to gain control of whatever emotions threatened to break free in that very moment.

"Inside the Mountain the warriors wouldn't have stood a chance," Maya said quietly. "We all know it," and she looked around at those standing around them once more. "But out in the open, even if its the reaper tunnels, they have more of a chance to fight, to move, to fall back to reinforced areas if they need to."

"Why are you telling me this though? Why am I here?" Lexa still couldn't quite figure out why she was here.

"You told Heda you were in charge of power, in charge of electricity and power generation on the Ark, right?"

Lexa nodded her head slowly as she began trying to think back to whatever she had shared of her responsibilities with Clarke. And Lexa knew she had told Clarke the general gist of what she did. But most importantly, she found herself realising she had told her that what she did on the Ark was to decide who survived.

And who didn't.

"Instead of destroying the dam, Heda wants you to help us control it."