𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞︱the 100, book 1

( forty-four )

It was odd to be back in Tondc, long after the massacre, Harley thought. Her people were welcome there after much reluctance, but after Lexa's very strict orders, they had no choice but to be accepted. On the first trip, she insisted to tag along. This peace treaty is important to her, and she wanted to prove what it meant.

With her chin held up, a warm smile on her face, and keeping up a fearless stride, Harley made her way through. She knew that some grounders were on guard, Octavia among them with a brandishing sword, and Lexa waiting for Clarke's presence, so their discussion on what to do with their plan could be further analyzed. So far, it was going well, as Harley knew. Bellamy had made it inside, all thanks to Lincoln being brave enough to overcome what he had gone through to sneak him through the mountain.

Once the acid fog was disabled, they would march in together and retrieve their people. Raven was working on creating tone generators that would knock out the reapers to get past them. Harley wondered how Lincoln was, and if the reaper drug was still affecting him as badly as it was before. He seemed much calmer, almost back to his old self, but addiction was difficult to move past. Harley shook her head, pushing away the negative thoughts, and instead focusing on the rightful present when seeing a familiar blonde haired girl clutching a gun while pacing.

Bounding ahead, Harley snuck up behind Clover, setting her hand on the flat of her back and greeting her with a wide smile that was returned upon realizing who was behind her. "Hey," she addressed before questioning. "What are you doing here?"

Harley scanned the area before loosely shrugging. It was a mix of her people and grounders, and it may have once been odd sometime ago, but she was truthfully glad this was where they were at now. All it took was one death. Finn's, to be more specific. Harley wondered what he would say now, knowing that these people had come together after much pain in order of a nonviolent treaty. He used to believed in peace, just like her, before his wrongful doings. He even sacrificed himself to give them the chance for it.

"It feels right," Harley finally answered, admitting in truth. "I know that people died here, after.." She trailed off, referring to Finn's massacre, but knowing Clover would catch on to what she was meaning. It was difficult to mention after witnessing it. "But it's much different now. There's peace here." She turned her head back, seeing Clover was smiling with tender eyes. "We can't change what happened, but we can better our future." Harley paused again, this time, imagining the grounders and how she was the only one who believed in them from their first day, that they weren't all violent savages.

"You know, I never pictured Earth being like this back up in space," Clover confessed, thinking back to her time in the Sky Box. "Might have guessed the deformed animals, but survivors that escalated into full-blown warriors?" She shook her head in disbelief. "Wouldn't have guessed in a hundred years."

"I don't blame you," Harley responded. "But it's much better than being locked up in a cell, not knowing whether or not you'll be floated." The fear of being killed for crimes that could be minor was shared in The Ark, especially between the delinquents. Harley remembered being scared enough to speak nothing but uplifting words and phrases to the others, her friends, regardless of what crime they were in for. "I mean, I assumed I didn't stand much of a chance."