The Original 100

15

Morning seems to come just as Clarke has fallen into a deep sleep. She wakes in an empty bed and sits up groggily rubbing her eyes.

"Bellamy?" She hears shuffling from just outside the tent and the flaps part to reveal a shirtless Bellamy staring in at her.

"Yeah?"

"What time is everyone leaving? Should we be getting ready?" She swings her legs over the side of his bed and yawns.

"Probably. I didn't want to wake you." He moves into the main area of his tent and pulls a dark shirt over his head."After all, we all can use the sleep, right?"

"Yes. But if the rest of the group is ready, we don't want to be left behind."

"They're still waiting for the Grounders to get here, so there's no rush. The sun is barely up."

The commotion outside the tent says otherwise and Clarke hurries to put her clothes from the day before on and together they emerge into the sunshine. A group of five Grounders, lead by Lincoln, is striding purposefully towards Clarke.

"Lexa is ready to move out as soon as your people are." He informs her in that brusque tone so common among the Grounders. Lexa still considers Clarke to be the leader of the Skypeople and she doesn't think she will ever get over the look on her mother's face when the Grounders come to her first.

"Let me find out where my people are at and we'll head towards your group when we're ready. Shouldn't be more than five minutes." Lincoln nods and motions for his group to head back towards the gates. After they are gone, he lingers briefly.

"I brought Octavia with me," he says shortly. "I don't want her... if something happens to me, I want her and the baby to be here with your people." Octavia comes around the corner holding a small bundle and smiles cautiously at them.

"You can stay in my tent," Bellamy motions towards the small fixture behind him and with a quick hug from both parties and a farewell, Clarke and Bellamy head towards the group of soldiers starting to gather.

"Is everyone ready?" Clarke looks to Major Byrne.

"Yes. We've been waiting on you to wake up." Clarke blushes and shoots a glare at Bellamy. "Are you ready?"

Clarke nods and pulls a pack over her shoulders. "Let me just say bye to my mom." Byrne turns back to the other soldiers, shouting for them to get ready to head out while Clarke seeks out her mother. She finds Abby not too far from where the soldiers are gathered, pacing back and forth, her wheelchair nearby in case she gets too worn down. "Hey mom. We're heading out. I just wanted to say bye." Abby turns to face her daughter, her eyes heavy with emotion.

"I wish you would stay here with me. What can I do to convince you to let them go alone?"

"I'm sorry, mom. But those are my people Mount Weather taking from us. I have to do this. I'll be okay," she says. "I promise." They both smile ruefully knowing that it isn't something she can promise.

"I love you, Clarke." Abby pulls her into a tight hug, squeezing her almost painfully.

"I love you too, mom. And I'll see you when we get back, okay?" After what seems like a lifetime, Abby releases her daughter.

...

Bellamy is leading the group through the trees and he can't help but keep looking over his shoulder as Clarke picks her way over the uneven ground. He knows why she needs to be here, it's the same reason he's here. The kids that Mount Weather is taking from them are their people; they're his and Clarke's responsibility. And if they can somehow stop them from taking any more of them back, he'll do whatever it takes. She catches his eye on her when he glances her way for the millionth time and moves closer to hi, they both ignore Finn's stares.