Home Again
Clarke groaned as she blinked awake under the glare of the fluorescent lights in medical. Her body was exhausted and her head felt as though it had a war waging within it but the pain in her shoulder had greatly reduced.
She pulled herself up from the bed but her hand jerked against cool metal and she looked down in horror to find her good hand cuffed to the bed.
'It's just temporary.' Her mother reassured as both Jackson and her approached Clarke.
Clarke looked around instantly for any trace of Octavia or Murphy but there was none.
'Where are they?' Clarke asked quickly.
'Pike has them.' Abby answered and Clarke tried to rise from the bed but she could only kneel.
She tugged at her cuffed wrist, not caring as the metal cut her skin, until her mother grabbed her hand and forced Clarke to meet her gaze.
'They are okay. Murphy wasn't in any immediate danger so Pike went to interview-'
'Interrogate.' Clarke corrected and Abby swallowed, giving a short nod and she stepped back from Clarke.
Abby's eyes darted to the door of medical and Clarke followed her movement. She had to stop the bitter laugh from forming at seeing one of the guards there. He was relatively young, not much older than Clarke and with short brown hair. He also looked as though he would rather be anywhere else.
'Something happened, Clarke.' Abby said anxiously, drawing Clarke's attention back.
'Kane tried - Kane, Lincoln and Sinclair- they tried to stop Pike but -'
'What will Pike do?' Clarke asked, her voice hollow.
'The death penalty.' Jackson said when Abby's voice failed her.
Clarke sunk back into her bed. She couldn't look at her mother and see the worry there for Kane. She fought tears that her mother would be put through this again. She knew how close they had grown. She'd seen it, even when they bickered on the Ark Clarke had thought that maybe there had been something there or could have been if she didn't have her father...
'When?' Clarke asked, her voice thick.
'Dawn.' Abby answered, her voice cracking. 'I can't let him-'
Clarke's eyes flickered to the guard in warning but her mother ignored her.
'And Octavia won't let Lincoln-'
'Mom!' Clarke warned, sitting up as the guard glanced down the hall outside medical, before turning back to face them and walking over.
'We can't let this happen.' Abby pleaded as the guard's steps drew closer.
The guard paused at the side of Clarke's bed and Clarke's eyes were wide. She waited for Abby to react. The only explanation was that she wanted the guard to leave his post at the door but the guard reached into one of his pockets and pulled out the key.
'What the...?' Clarke asked in amazement, rubbing her wrist as the guard stepped back.
'It's Miller's boyfriend.' Abby responded.
'Bryan.' He said, with a small smile. 'We need to be quick. Now she's awake, Pike will want to talk to her.'
'We'll go for Kane and the others first and then Octavia and Murphy, then we can get the hell out of here.'
Clarke pulled herself off the bed. She grimaced slightly as her left arm was sluggish and still weak. She stared at her mother who was shaking as she stood slightly, with a look that conveyed how desperately she wanted to flee from Arkadia. Bryan brushed by her as he turned to go to the door and Clarke grabbed his shock stick and placed it against Abby's neck. Abby spluttered and jerked for a moment before Clarke released it and she crumpled to the floor.
'What the hell are you doing?' Bryan demanded as Clarke sunk to the floor and brushed Abby's hair out of her face.
'I'm sorry, Mom,' Clarke murmured, 'but I can't leave without Pike's death and I won't let you get caught up in this.'
'Clarke-'
'Stay with her, Jackson.' Clarke urged, cutting him across. 'She needs you and so does Arkadia. If this goes to hell they can't lose the only trained medics.'
'What are we doing then?' Bryan demanded, his face ashen.
'Get me to Pike.' Clarke demanded. 'I'll take care of the rest.'
Bryan looked at Clarke as though she had taken leave for all of her senses but he did gave a jerk of his head which Clarke assumed was an agreement to the plan. She took the handcuffs back off him and slipped her wrists in them but she did not tighten them. She needed to have use of her hands and she gave Bryan a pointed look, and he took her arm in his hand and led her out the door, but he stepped awkwardly in front of her to shield the loose handcuffs.
'How long until dawn?' Clarke asked as they stepped out of the door to medical.
She didn't know how long she had been out while her mother had fixed her wound and got her blood pressure back up. They needed the pressure that Lexa's army would provide but Clarke still needed to control the situation in case Pike started ordering firing squads at the gates. Lexa's army wouldn't stand a chance if Pike ordered his soldiers to rain down bullets upon them.
'Two hours.' Bryan muttered.
'Then get me an assault rifle on the way to Pike.' Clarke muttered.
'This is too obvious.' Bryan whispered urgently.
'Maybe.' Clarke agreed; thinking back to when she had to live in the shadows of Trikru as Wanheda, 'but hiding in plain sight can be the best trick of all.'
Bryan shook his head and Clarke felt him urge her forward down the corridor. Clarke threw medical one last glance and prayed Jackson would look after her mother. Jackson nodded as Clarke dipped out of sight and went about her mission to vanquish the Chancellor.
'What do you want me to do?' Jackson asked ALIE serenely.
ALIE looked down at Abby's unconscious form that Jackson had placed on the bed before turning to Jackson.
'Nothing.' ALIE replied. 'Lexa has proven her love to Clarke so whether by war or peace Clarke's presence here will lead the Commander straight to us.'
'And what of Abby?'
'If we have Lexa we won't need her.' ALIE replied. 'Take care of her so it does not disrupt Clarke; we must let her plans play out.'
'If there is war...' Jackson started, '...then people will be hurt.'
'Precisely, there is a high probability that we will find new recruits within the next few hours increasing our chances of securing the Flame.' ALIE responded easily. 'If I had known of Clarke and Lexa's relationship earlier then I would have gone after Clarke first.'
'Thank, Abby.' Jackson smiled.
'Yes, Abby and Bellamy's complaints of Clarke staying in Polis have provided the information we needed and had overlooked until now.' ALIE smiled. 'Clarke is a lonely figure, trapped between two sides that long for war. They will bring both pain and the Flame to us- and Arkadia will fall.'