Seizing Bullets

Clarke made her way through the crowd as Lexa stood on a raised platform, holding the torch high.

'Yu gonplei ste odon'

The torch was pressed against the tower of wood in front of Lexa where the bodies of the fallen grounders and the allied dead of Skaikru had been placed, ready to meet peace by the flames. Lexa's eyes were fixed on the platform as flames engulfed it.

Hopelessness consumed Clarke. The loss of life had been overwhelming. Perhaps if she had returned earlier, or maybe she should never have left...

'Wanheda,' Aden spoke up from beside her, 'I'm glad you're okay.'

Clarke offered him a small smile.

'You too.' Clarke said, nudging him playfully. 'You are Lexa's favourite after all.'

Aden shook his head, with an honest smile.

'Heda loves us all. She would give her life to protect any of us.'

Clarke's eyes roamed back to Lexa, whose eyes were still fixed on the flames. Clarke gave a small nod, swallowing her emotions.

'Let's hope it never gets to that point.'

'We must be ready for whatever fate awaits us.'

Clarke gave a barely there laugh. Lexa had trained him well, she had to admit. Clarke kept her eyes away from her friends. She could feel them glancing to her as the flames grew stronger. A thin layer of sweat began to seep under her clothes and she knew Bellamy was staring at her from across the other side of the platform. She had no answers for him. She dreaded what Lexa would decide, and what she would have to come up with again.

It was a long while before the flames began to lose their power. The crowds started to thin as people went back to work; whether to take care of the injured or to get Arkadia back to what it once was.

Aden, however, stayed by Clarke's side. She was grateful for his presence. He admired Lexa for who she was. She felt as though he was probably the only one who saw Lexa the same way that she did. Titus had his own agenda he tried to force on Lexa and her people had their own expectations.

Clarke heard Lexa's approach and she slowly turned her head to see Lexa stop a few feet from her. Clarke looked back to the burned black embers that had been left. She wondered vaguely, what had happened to Finn's ashes.

'We need Aden, Murphy, Raven, Octavia, Indra, Lincoln, Kane, my mother, Sinclair, Jasper, Monty, Miller, Harper...' Clarke paused briefly, her lips tight, '...and Bellamy.'

Lexa nodded, her eyes giving nothing away of any potential annoyance at Bellamy's inclusion.

Clarke turned and headed inside. She made her way to what was being used as a council room and shut the door behind her. She gave a shaky breath, and groaned as she rolled her shoulder. She was sure the one thing she needed was a rest and that was the last thing she was about to get. She didn't even feel this worn out after she had woken in Mount Weather.

The door creaked loudly open and the people Clarke requested made their way in. Bellamy was first and he shot her a questioning look but Clarke stepped back and shook her head. He was followed by Miller, Harper, Monty and Jasper. Octavia and Lincoln were next, and she gave her brother a look full of venom. Raven limped into the room, followed by Abbey, Sinclair, Indra, Kane and a very bloody and bruised Murphy. Lexa and Aden were the last to enter, and the reaction to their presence was mixed with awe and distrust. Clarke was not amused to see the latter reaction upon her mother's face.

Clarke took a deep breath and launched into an edited version of the explanation of ALIE. Every so often she faltered and looked to Raven to help her to explain the issues around the chip. Raven too was keen to press that ALIE would want Lexa, and that she believed the Flame was the secret to upgrading.

'So why don't we give her to ALIE?' Bellamy grunted.

'What have you become?' Octavia demanded.

'If we're going to die-'

'ALIE has already shown she has no limits. Do you really want to give something like that the power of the Flame?' Clarke asked, horrified.

Bellamy's eyes flicked to Lexa and she knew exactly what he was thinking; he hated and distrusted Lexa and he might entertain ALIE having the Flame has a better scenario than Lexa possessing it.

'How can we fight something like this?' Kane asked.

'I think through the City of Light.' Raven answered instantly, clearly relieved to move on from Bellamy and Octavia's squabbles. 'She has to have some weakness.'

'We can't let Lexa take the chip until we know what that is.' Clarke pressed.

'Agreed.' Lexa said. 'Handing ALIE the Flame before we know how to finish her would be suicidal.'

'Then how the hell do we find out her weakness?' Miller asked.

'Someone else takes the chip.' Lexa responded, looking uneasily to Clarke.

Clarke didn't waver but nodded to Lexa. She was sure of this plan before she had even woken up in medical. She had known it since talking to Raven really, but Lexa looked even more conflicted than with Clarke's plan to take down Pike.

'Do we draw straws to see who joins the undead?' Jasper joked bitterly.

'No,' Clarke said, 'I'm doing it.'

'Clarke-' Her mother started, frightened but it was Jasper who cut her off.

'Of course you are.' He muttered.

'Clarke, this thing takes over people's minds.' Murphy reminded her.

'I know.' She said, meeting his eye, 'but when people give their minds to them.'

She turned to a confused looking Raven, with the same certainty that had consumed her when they had come up with the plan for a ring of fire.

'You said ALIE needs permission to take over people's minds. People have to choose to give her their free will but what if I don't?' Clarke asked. 'What I take the chip but I don't give her my mind?'

Raven looked at her in alarm.

'She'd try to break you, Clarke.'

'She can try.' Clarke challenged.

'Clarke, this plan-'

'Mom, I have to.' Clarke urged. 'Lexa can't take it and I've shown that I won't break. You all have something to lose, you all have a weakness. I don't.'

Clarke resisted looking to Lexa. Lexa was immune by the Flame. Lexa couldn't be hurt. Even if ALIE summoned her army now, Lexa was the only one that would be guaranteed not to be murdered. They were all expendable and she knew what war meant. She'd never stop until she won.

'So we get our own spy?' Bellamy asked, but there was an impressed glint in his eye.

'You don't need to do this.' Lincoln said kindly.

'Yes, I do.'

'This is- Octavia started but Raven cut her off.

'She's here with us.' Raven offered. 'We'll help her through it.'

'Then we've decided.' Clarke said.

Bellamy opened his mouth to agree but Clarke turned to face Lexa.

'Then let us finish this.' Lexa said quietly.