For Her People
Lexa grabbed Clarke before her head hit the floor. Clarke didn't even flinch at the drop, her eyes tightly shut. Raven ran to the large screen and began to try to decipher what was going on. Bellamy and Abbey were quickly on their knees beside Clarke while Octavia watched in horror, pacing anxiously. Clarke let out a wince of pain and within seconds Jasper and Monty were pushing their way into the room, clearly having been listening outside.
'Glad you could bring yourself to help.' Raven scolded, over her shoulder upon seeing them and Monty gave Jasper an accusing look.
'I said you'd need him when you understood the EMP.' Monty rebuked but Jasper spun of his heel and marched over to where Octavia was pacing nervously.
Jasper's hand scratched his head and he looked tormented as Clarke battled far away from them all.
'I'm here, okay?'
Lexa's hand brushed Clarke's hair out of her face and she could feel the beads of sweat from Clarke's face clinging to her finger tips. Clarke was groaning and fidgeting relentlessly. Lexa tried to grip her as hard as possible but she paled when Clarke muttered at ALIE in defiance.
ALIE was using all of Clarke's pain against her. Lexa stared in anguish at Clarke's face that was contorted in pain, fear and rage. Her eyes were jammed shut. Clarke was fighting a thousand demons in another world and Lexa could do nothing. ALIE was free to use all of the horrors Clarke had been through against her. All of those sacrifices that had been demanded of Clarke she would once more have to live through.
Lexa shut her eyes briefly and tried to search the Flame but there was no sign the City of Light or of Clarke. Lexa wondered if the two were designed to merge as she opened her eyes. If she took a chip then Clarke's suffering would stop, but then they would all be finished and there would be no hope for any of them. There was nothing she could do. She stooped low and whispered reassurances to Clarke and when she pulled back slightly, she was met with panic stricken looks from Bellamy and Abbey. They would bound together in reluctant unity on the outside of this battle.
'Raven, what's going on?' Octavia said, glancing over at a squirming Clarke and Lexa's head snapped up and her eyes latched onto the back of Raven's red jacket as the mechanic frantically tried to work.
'I don't know.' Raven said. 'I can't find her.'
Lexa stared down at Clarke once more. Clarke was much paler now and her movements were much weaker. Lexa gripped Clarke's head as Clarke tried to fight off some force invisible to them all.
Lexa, Abbey and Bellamy whispered reassurances to her as Clarke began to fade before their eyes. Clarke's body went stiff and began to jerk rigidity until she slumped. Lexa looked to Abbey, terrified but Abbey pushed her and Bellamy out of the way and began to press down on Clarke's chest just as she had done so many months ago with Lincoln.
Sweat and tears rolled down Abbey's face and droplets stained the chest of Clarke's shirt as Abbey worked furiously to save Clarke.
'You brought me back.' Lincoln said.
'What about the shock stick?' Octavia asked, alarmed.
'We don't know how it will react with the chip.' Sinclair explained, his hand covering his mouth as he watched on sadly.
'We shouldn't have done this.' Bellamy muttered, his eyes finding Lexa but she was lost to him.
She was hardly aware of her own breathing as she prayed for Clarke to be able to be brought back to life.
'Come on, Clarke.' Abbey muttered angrily. 'You don't get to stop. You don't ever stop.'
Lexa blinked slowly, her eyes still only on Clarke. Clarke had been through so much just in the last few days. They had been so close to peace and now once more Lexa was watching and waiting to see whether Clarke would survive. Underneath Clarke's shirt, she knew the bullet hole from Titus was still painfully present. Clarke carried so many marks of trauma and war now, and she wore them all proudly, but Lexa had brought her here and to this moment. She could have stopped her. Clarke was dying for nothing.
'I know what to do once Clarke gets in.' Raven said, and Bellamy looked at her incredulously.
'Raven! Look at her!' Bellamy shouted, but Raven didn't turn around.
'It's Clarke.' She responded confidently. 'She'll come back to us.'
Bellamy exhaled loudly in disbelief.
'I know how to get Lexa into the City.' Raven continued. 'Once Clarke gets back.'
'Raven!' Bellamy bellowed, and Raven spun around.
'She'll come back, Bellamy.' Raven said firmly.
'She left before.' Jasper muttered in a terrified whisper, his eyes wide as he took in the sight of Clarke.
Abbey continued to administer compressions and Lexa let the bickering of Skaikru fill the iron room. Clarke had always given everything to her people. Lexa had dragged her back into the fight...or at least sent Roan to drag her back into it. Clarke had just wanted to be left alone but her better nature, the ferocious will that ruled her, had meant that once she had returned she could never leave again. The dedication to the ones she loved had cost Clarke everything.