XX

[PREVIOUSLY: Clarke enters the camp of Trikru in an attempt to bargain with Lexa for Finn's life but to no avail. In front of Octavia, Raven and several others, Clarke takes matters into her own hands by ending Spacewalker's misery].

CREAK.

The rusted metal grated loudly against its hinges as the gates swung wide open, admitting the small and forlorn figure of Clarke.

"Clarke! Oh my god! Clarke!" Abby rushed to her daughter's side and wrapped her arms around her. "Oh, Clarke..."

Pushing herself away from Abby, Clarke rubbed at the blood on her fingers and sobbed, "I - I killed him. I killed him. I killed him."

Slowly, I untangled myself from Raven and stood up, facing Clarke with a furious, intimidating-like demeanour. "Yes. You did. You killed him. You killed Finn! You said you were going to stop it! You said you were going to stop his execution!"

"I tried," she whispered as tears cascaded down her fair cheeks. "I tried."

"Bullshit!" Raven screamed as she stumbled to her feet and started after Clarke. "You didn't try! You did it! You killed him! You're the only murderer here!" Rushing forward, Raven swung her fist at Clarke's face. It made contact with the side of her nose and the blonde was flung backwards, right into her mother's arms.

When Raven attempted to attack her again, Kane quickly stepped in. "Stop, Raven, stop!" he commanded as he motioned some of the guards over to restrain her. "Doing this is not going to bring him back."

"You're a murderer! You're a murderer!" Raven shrieked as she was hauled away by the guards. "This is going to haunt you for the rest of your days! I hate you! I hate you!"

"Y-you have to understand," Clarke cried. "I did it out of mercy! Mum, they were going to torture him!"

"I know, honey, I know," Abby tried to console her.

Turning, I watched as Raven was forced back inside. "Where are they taking her?" I demanded, addressing Kane.

"To the holding cell," he returned grimly. "She's causing a disturbance."

My mouth fell open as I stared, shocked, at him. "Do you have, like, no emotions? She's heartbroken, Kane! You can't lock her up!"

Kane said nothing. Instead, he brushed past me and started after Raven and the guards as they withdrew back inside the Ark.

"O-Octavia," Clarke croaked out pleadingly.

A hiss of anger escaped my lips as I snapped my head around to glare at her. "What?"

"T-this isn't over ... not yet," she breathed. "According to the Trikru tradition, Finn's body has to be burned with his victims so their souls can be joined by fire. They are returning to TonDC to perform this ritual and want me and some attendants to accompany them. Octavia ... I want you to come. Finn would have wanted you to be there."

Settling my jaw, I nodded stiffly. "Fine. But only if Bellamy's going."

"Yes, he will," Clarke conceded. "Don't worry," her voice dropped to a whisper, "this will all be over soon. Then, we can have a truce and get our people out of Mount Weather."

"Finn's death better be worth it," I sneered as I spun around on my heel and stalked away.

As I walked through the dim, echoey halls of the Ark, ones that were void and full of darkness, I felt nothing. All the pain and the tears and the hurt that had already wrenched my heart and my body into a million pieces were gone. There was nothing left. Not a single tear. Not a single prick of pain. Not a single stab of heart-wrenching agony.

Suddenly, I paused, right in the middle of the doorway leading into Abby's medical ward. Surprised that my feet had aimlessly carried me there, I stepped inside, my eyes darting up and down the long rows of starched hospital beds.

Some of them were occupied by people injured by the harsh fall of the spaceship but most of them were empty. Selecting a random one on which to lie, I slowly settled my weary, aching body back against the bedsheets and closed my eyes.

It was only a matter of moments before the darkness consumed me.

I, along with ninety-nine other delinquents, had just landed on Earth. I was in a wide field, dotted with daises and sprinkled with long, flowing grass. A soft breeze whistled past my ears and fanned my flushed cheeks. My deep, emerald eyes sparkled and twinkled in merriment as a peal of joyous laughter escaped my lips. Holding my arms up, I spun around in a circle, my thick, brown hair rippling through the crisp, morning air behind me.

"Hey, Princess."

I turned around questioningly to see Finn standing nearby, holding a purple flower in his hand. "This is for you," he offered shyly as he held the beautiful blossom out to me.

I couldn't help but smile as I accepted the flower from Finn's hand. "Thanks Spacewalker."

"So - uh - I'm gonna take a walk," Finn got out haltingly as he awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. "You - you wanna come with?"

I arched my eyebrows and nodded eagerly. "Of course."

When I turned around to face Finn fully, he was much closer to me than he had been before. He bit down on his lower lip as he reached over, plucked the flower from my hand and slipped it into the hair behind my ear. "Perfect," he whispered.

"Hey. O. Wake up. It's time to go."

With a start, I was jolted awake by my brother, Bellamy. His face, contorted with concern, hovered a few inches over mine. His calloused hand was enclosed around my shoulder and a gun was slung across his back. His entire demeanour was one of determination and protectiveness.

"B-Bell?" I croaked out as I struggled up into a sitting position. Flinging my arms around his neck, I buried my face in his chest and started to cry.

"Hey, it's okay, it's okay," he whispered soothingly into my hair. "It's gonna get better. I promise."

Resisting the urge to break down into a blubbering mess, I nodded and drew away. Wiping the back of my hand across my nose, I queried anxiously, "Aidan? Where is he?"

Bellamy hesitated before replying, "Abby didn't tell you, did she?"

A chord of fear struck my heart as I lurched up onto my feet. "W-what? No! Bellamy. What happened? Please ... please tell me he's okay. I - I can't lose two people ... not in one night."

Bellamy shook his head as he tried to console me. "No, O, he's fine ... h-he's injured though."

"Oh my god," I groaned as I buried my face in my hands.

"According to him, he tried to stop Finn from shooting everyone and got a bullet in the ribs," Bellamy shrugged. "Abby had to put him under to take it out but he's good and well. Actually, he's in an isolated ward across the Ark next to the holding cells in the process of recovering right now."

I snapped my head up and glared at him. "Kane isn't seriously considering locking Aidan up again after he's better, is he? God, he's almost as bad as Jaha. I swear, if he lays a finger on him..."

"Relax, O," Bellamy placed a gentle hand on my upper arm. "By the time Aidan's up and about, the truce between Trikru and Skikru will be sealed. Kane will have no choice but to let him walk. If he doesn't, there's gonna be trouble."

I jiggled from one foot to the next as I spoke, in a low tone, "But Bell ... Aidan's been banished from the Trikru clan for turning against Anya. Are you sure he'll be protected under the treaty?"

"I guess there's only one way to find out," Bellamy returned as he jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "There's the door. Let's go. Clarke's waiting for us."

I grumbled something incoherent under my breath as I trudged reluctantly out of the room. "I need to ask Indra for my sword back," I yelled out, loudly and grumpily. "I'm already having withdrawals!"

Bellamy started laughing as he nudged me along with the end of his rifle. "Move it, silly."

When the two of us walked outside, we were greeted with the icy nip of the night-time air and an entire company of armed grounders. In the midst of them were Indra, Lexa and Gustus, looking particularly regal and majestic on their proud, sleek steeds.

As I stepped out into the open, I caught Lexa's eye. Although her gaze was sad and compassionate, I refused to buy any of it and instead, gave her a withering stare before turning away to join Clarke, Kane, Abby, Bryce and Zoe who were all standing along the outskirts of the large procession.

It was time to lay Finn's body to rest.

Dawn was just breaking over the far horizon when we entered the village of TonDC.

Before stepping over the boundary line, however, I paused, watching as the others marched briskly into the thick, cold mist that shrouded the small thatched huts. Glancing around, I noticed that tiny green plants were curling up through the creamy-coloured fog and that moist moss patches were covering the trunks of some elm trees nearby; the vibrant green really stood out against the back-drop of dull brown and grey.

The loud, sorrowful wails of the criers pierced the darkening shadow that had been cast over that fateful morning, instantly diverting my attention back to the present.

I saw the grounders' numerous roans and mares, situated in their stalls, as they moved and turned around restlessly, noting the vast emptiness encompassing the air. I hear the murmurs of grief and anger that flowed throughout the village as the remaining survivors discussed the turn of events and mourned for their loved ones who had died.

Slowly, I placed one foot in front of the other, forcing myself to walk through the village that, once alight with love, laughter and mirth, stank with darkness and death.

Finn. Artigas. Twenty-eight others.

All of them had fallen victim to the terrible but ever-present enemy known as death. All of them had left ... in just one night.

Even though they would never again walk the surface of the Earth or breath fresh air or see the wonders of spring or wander through the ebony forests, even though they had disappeared from our eyes forever and even though they had fallen, they would never be forgotten.

We would remember them.

Gif: Octavia as she stares Lexa down outside the Ark.

XX