Pinch Me

Clarke hadn’t run into her mother’s arms in years. Not since she was a child. But there was no stopping the tears streaking down her face the moment Abby Griffin shouted her name and ran towards her daughter with open arms.

It wasn’t just the week on the ground she spent wondering if her mother would make it down from the Ark, it was the months spent in solitary before then after Wells betrayed her, it was the week they spent silent and tense as her father deliberated over what he was to do with the knowledge that their home was dying. It was all of that time she had without a mother that made this moment all the sweeter. She was immediately enveloped in warmth and comfort as her mom held her waist close and her other hand moved to press into the back of her neck to bring her face closer to her chest. If she squeezed Clarke tight enough, perhaps she could push her daughter back into that tiny blonde baby, with the shining eyes and the dimples, and should would never be forced to let her go again.

But Abby didn’t squeeze tight enough and Clarke pulled back, tears still running, a sniffle and a grounding sigh, Clarke set that determined gaze on her mother again. Abby feared she’d never get to see that look of concentrated stubbornness again. “Mom, this is important. You have to get the Council together. The Grounders want an alliance and we need to negotiate with their Commander.”

“Only a few members came down on this pod. Kane, myself, and Kaplan. Cole, Muir, and Fuji, are on the other ship.”

“And Jaha?”

Abby pressed her lips into a thin line. “There was a malfunction in the launch, it had to be activated manually. Thelonious volunteered.”

Clarke’s heart sunk. Wells would be devastated. But for now she needed to tamp down the guilt before it consumed her. “Kane is the chancellor?”

Abby shook her head. “It’s complicated. I’m acting Chancellor until we can hold an election.”

“All of the fires are out, right? We need to discuss this now. Spread the word that she’s coming into camp on a horse. I don’t want anyone freaking out.” Clarke spoke quickly, gesturing towards the large groups of scared and confused Arkers milling and meandering around. A few children chased each other around and some rolled about in the grass, ignorant to the hundreds of heavily armed warriors surrounding them, stalking them in the trees.

Abby’s eyebrows twitched, and for a moment Clarke feared she would object, but Abby seemed to realize what was at stake. “Raven told me some of what was going on. Some people in hazmats abducted the children?”

Clarke nodded. “Listen, I promise I’ll explain everything when she gets here. But-“

“Clarke?” Another voice called from beside them. Marcus Kane stood, clean hair just a bit tousled. Clarke winced at the guard jacket he sported, her experiences with the guards were rather negative, but from what she remembered, Kane had been a bit egotistical and emotionally distant, but not unkind to her and her father. Abby despised him though. “It’s good to see that you’re okay.”

“Marcus, you need to delegate camp making and guard patrol to someone else. Clarke says the Grounder Commander is demanding we negotiate this alliance immediately.” Abby ordered.

Kane raised his chin, squaring his shoulders slightly. “What happened to Mount Weather?”

Clarke glowered. “Allying with Mount Weather would result in a slaughter at the hands of the Grounders, and if not, it’s a risk I’m not willing to take.”

Kane’s eyebrows rose. “And if it’s a risk the Council is willing to take?”

Clarke straightened. “It won’t be. They’re withholding information from you. To trust them would be a serious breach in logical reasoning.” Clarke barely suppressed the disdainful snarl twitching at her lips. “Besides,” Clarke lowered her voice and turned to her mother, stepping in to murmur quietly to the older woman. “The Commander is not alone. There are warriors watching through the trees. They’re protecting from a Maunon ambush, and preparing for the possibility that we do, in fact, ally with the enemy. You make the wrong decision in this meeting and the Commander gives the word, we all die here and now.”

Abby’s face darkened from eagerness to begin their life on the ground to fear tinged with indignance. “So we really have no choice.”

“Mom, if you were the Commander, would you give your potential enemy this kind of choice?” Clarke hissed, eyes wild. “Listen, we really don’t have a choice, but we need to prepare for war. The Mountain has all of the delinquents inside. Including Wells. And the things they do in there, I’ve seen it firsthand, you don’t want to live with them. They’re not just dangerous, they’re savage.”

Abby stepped back, the worry lacing every movement, every minute change in expression desperate. “Kane, get going. We need to prepare for negotiations.”

Kane hesitated, but eventually he turned about-face on his heel and marched away to give orders to his scurrying guards. Abby turned back towards Clarke. “How are you? Are you hurt? They didn’t hurt you, did they?” She fretted, touching Clarke’s face and running her hands along Clarke’s arms. “What about Raven? Where is she? Is she okay?”

“I’m fine Mom, so is Raven. We, uh, had a bit of a run-in with some cannibals and she got separated with one of the Grounder Generals, but don’t worry, she’s safe. They’re uh, soulmates.” Clarke scratched at the back of her neck awkwardly. Clarke briefly felt the urge to blurt out her own discoveries along the soulmate-front. But Lexa’s warnings stuck in her head, Abby would be no threat, but there was no promise that the information wouldn’t get out.

“Cannibals?” Abby yelped.

Clarke hushed her. “It’s not a big deal, they’re a byproduct of the Maunon. She and Anya were helping Lexa and I escape.”

Abby blinked. Since when did her little girl face cannibals with so much apathy? “Clarke-“

“Listen, Lexa is just beyond the trees, I need to signal to her that it’s safe to come into camp.” Clarke turned from her mother distractedly. Abby followed her, just a step behind as Clarke paced to the edge of the clearing.

Clarke raised an arm and waved. Abby watched on in something bordering on terror as the trees seemed to shift and a massive beast stepped through. A figure sat atop the beast, towering over the Arkers. As the beast approached, smooth and slow, the rider’s hips swiveled gently to follow the swaying of the horse’s ribs. Clarke straightened her back, meeting the steely gaze of the woman with her own stubborn glare. Abby gaped. This rider, she wasn’t much older than Clarke, but she carried herself like a goddess descending upon her subjects.

“Dramatic,” Clarke tisked under her breath. “Commander, this is my mother, Abby. She’s the Chancellor of the Ark.”

The Commander’s eyes roved from her daughter to Abby, regarding her with disinterest. “You mentioned a Council.”

“There are only two other members here. They’re preparing for our meeting.” Clarke glanced to her mother.

The Commander nodded once. “Very well,” She swung from her mount with grace and ease, landing on her feet beside the horse and straightening. She cut a powerful figure, but in person, she seemed harmless. “Indra will be joining us, your ships damaged portions of TonDC. When they arrive, Anya and Raven will be escorted here.” Lexa offered an arm to Abby, her grip firm and demanding of respect.

“Clarke tells me the rest of the hundred are inside Mount Weather.”

The Commander’s eyes darken. “A few days ago, we were ambushed during negotiations with Clarke. Raven and Octavia escaped capture, but the rest of your people, and quite a few of mine, were taken into the Maunon. I do not expect mine to still live, but Clarke tells me that your people are being cared for by the Maunon Men.” Lexa squared her shoulders. “I believe that our peoples can work together. Clarke and I have agreed, your people help take down the Maunon for good, and I’ll give the Skaikru a place in my Coalition and territory to control.”

Abby nodded. “Very well, Commander, let’s go inside, I’m sure we can find a room to negotiate in.”

Lexa’s eyes moved from Abby’s to her daughter, only taking a step forward at Clarke’s nod. Lexa lifted a hand to her face and let out a shrill whistle.

Another, equally stern woman appears through the trees, trotting on her massive horse. Indra swung from her own mount without a beat, standing beside her Commander, a barely concealed sneer twitching at her lips. “This is Indra, she is the Chief of the nearest village, TonDC.” Lexa introduced curtly.

Indra offered nothing in greeting, and stared in disdain as Abby attempted to shake her hand.

Clarke and Abby led the two warriors towards the twisted hunk of steel and aluminum stretching up towards the sky, a metal splinter in the Earth. Chunks of dirt and grass littered the ground, making their walking uneven, the kind of impression Clarke wanted to avoid. Even though Lexa already knew Clarke -a lot better than either of them had realized at first- Clarke was intimately aware that this was Lexa’s first impression of her people as a whole.

“This should all be in better order soon, we still don’t know what all has survived the crash-“ Abby rambled as they picked through some debris cluttering the hall. “Here, this is where most of the Council meetings are held.”

Abby stood aside and allowed the other three women to enter. Clarke hadn’t expected the room to be so barren, the Ark was compact, storage was a luxury and every room did its part to hold all of the technology and resources available to them. It was a waste of space to have simply one round table and a cluster of chairs for the whole room.

Lexa, for her part, didn’t seem fazed at all. She didn’t know the significance of emptiness in the Ark, and Clarke didn’t expect her to. Instead, the Commander strode through and took a seat at the head, the seat reserved for the Chancellor.

Clarke struggled to hold back her amusement. If Abby was offended, she did well to hide it, though it was clear she didn’t expect Lexa’s comfort in negotiation situations. “We should wait for Kane and Kaplan. Then we can begin.” Abby took her own seat directly across from Lexa. Indra did not sit, simply stood as sentry behind her, and Clarke had to admit it was certainly somewhat intimidating. Clarke settled next to her mother, folding her hands in front of her at the table. “So, Commander, how long have you been serving as the leader of your people?” Abby asked offhandedly.

Clarke straightened. Hopefully Lexa wouldn’t take offense- “Many years, Chancellor. I ascended when I was around thirteen or fourteen summers.” She answered easily. “You seem surprised at my age, I can guarantee you, Chancellor, that I’m quite experienced.”

Abby was effectively chastised, and for a moment floundered for a response before Kane strode through the door, another man following behind him. Both hesitated in their tracks, identical looks of surprise at the ease in which Lexa took up space, before they settled in around the table.

Kaplan shot glances towards Clarke every now and then as Lexa waited patiently for everyone to become comfortable. Clarke remembered Kaplan had been deeply suspicious of her during her criminal trial prior to imprisonment. Abby had been forced to abstain from her vote as council member and in turn had not been allowed to sit for her trial. Kaplan had been the one to bring up the possibility of floating Clarke immediately, the threat of treason too much to risk. Shocking to say, Clarke wasn’t fond of the man. Luckily Kaplan caught on to the notion that they needed to put together a united front.

“Now that we’re here, we’ll discuss the, rather unusual, circumstances that have brought us here today, and then what we’ll be doing moving forward.” Lexa leaned forward, her expressions closing off even more than they already were. “First, we should discuss your invasion upon my territory.”

“Invasion?” Kaplan interrupted. “We’re not invading anyone. We have just as much right to Earth as you do.”

Lexa glanced to Clarke. Are you kidding me?

“Kaplan,” Clarke spoke up, clearing her throat and ignoring the incredulous looks from all three council members before her. “On the Ark, we operated as if no one but us existed, and to an extent we were right, in space, we were alone. But we’re not anymore. We have to abide by their laws too. Lexa’s people have lived here for generations, ours haven’t.”

Kaplan shot her a patronizing look. “Clarke, is it not a human right to live on the planet Earth?”

Lexa sat back to watch them bicker, irritation only growing. “Sure, but we have to remember that we didn’t land in unsettled territory.” Clarke gestured towards Indra. “Indra’s village was damaged from the dropship you forced us into.” Clarke glared between the three council members. “Don’t think that any of the hundred are going to forget that.”

Lexa’s eyebrows raised. “Semantics aside, my people will assume you to be invaders unless you can prove yourselves.” Lexa leaned back forward, fixing her steely green eyes on Abby. “You face a decision that must be made before we leave this room today. My people fear you to join the Mountain Men, if you do, you will be attacked and exterminated long before you even reach the Maunon bunker.” Lexa’s light and formal tone took a much darker color that sent Clarke’s heart straight to her stomach. “If you do not, my people will not trust you until you prove that my people will benefit rather than suffer from allowing you to live. Without that trust, the Skaikru are in danger of attacks by angry villagers, hunters, scouts. People I cannot easily control. I am not in the habit of taking reactionary stances in protecting and punishing my people. If I deem you to pose a threat to my people, your settlement of sorts will be leveled.” Lexa paused to let the dramatics settle into the pits of their stomachs.

“However,” Lexa gave them a moment to let their hope lighten their burdens. “The least bloody option is still available. Instead of allying with the people who have terrorized, killed, and bled dry my people for generations, ally with the Coalition instead. With the use of your tek, my people finally have the opportunity to rid ourselves of the Maunon. Ally with us and you will have the chance to prove, without a doubt, your loyalty. After the fall of the Maunon with our combined strength and skill, I can guarantee your people a place in my Coalition, protection from dangers like bandits and hostile peoples, protection from starvation and the cold. In joining the Coalition, I will mediate negotiation between your Chancellor and the Trikru ambassador, you will have the opportunity to claim a small portion of the land here, including whatever land is freed from the grips of the Maunon. It will also be your obligation to fund and man the rebuilding of TonDC.”

Lexa stopped again, allowing the council members a moment to digest. “To me, it is an obvious choice between your lives and your deaths.”

Clarke had to admit, it wasn’t the first time she’d seen Lexa in negotiations, but her verbal prowess still caught her off guard. “Our people are hostages in Mount Weather as well. I don’t know who was in charge with negotiating with Dante, but I know for a fact he was lying. They have no obligation to release the hundred, especially if we back out from whatever deal has already been made. The hundred will be in danger. There is no neutral option for this.”

Kaplan shook his head. “Clarke, most of those kids were slated for execution, even you.”

Lexa jerked slightly in her chair as she turned from Kaplan to Clarke, clearly startled by the new information, but Clarke couldn’t deny it. “In case you haven’t noticed, Kaplan, we’re not on the Ark anymore.” Clarke spit. “Jaha pardoned us for our unwilling cooperation.”

“Once a criminal, always a criminal.” Kaplan argued back. “That’s the doctrine we’ve been living for the last hundred years and I see no reason to change it now.”

“No reason?” Kane interrupted before Clarke could argue back. “We’re no longer in competition for the air we breathe. We can afford to rehabilitate criminals.”

“Can we?” Kaplan rolled his eyes. “She’s just said we’re surrounded by hostiles who will kill us at the slightest misstep, we have no resources at the ready, no knowledge of how to hunt and gather, and you’re saying we’re no longer in a state of emergency? The Ark has never seen non-emergency. Every misstep is death, that hasn’t changed. So why are we willing to put up with our people committing acts against us now?”

“They’re children!” Kane sputtered. “You’re suggesting we leave children for dead?”

Kaplan grit his teeth. “We can’t afford the possible casualties of our people for the sake of a hundred criminals. Their age has granted them an extension on their lives, not a pass.”

“And you’re suggesting we ignore the previous Chancellor’s decision?” Kane snarled.

“Jaha’s decision was meant to apply to their reintegration into our society, until then, they are criminals and we will do no less to save their lives than we would if they were standing in the airlock!” Kaplan argued back.

Clarke whipped her head towards Lexa when she felt a twinge in her jaw. Lexa had her mouth clamped shut, her jaw jumping at the grinding of her teeth. “The Skaikru in that mountain may be criminals to you, but my people, the ones hanging from the ceiling like bleeding hogs are innocent. Some of them warriors sent to protect their clansmen, some of them hunters straying too close trying to feed their children, some of them guards, meant to hold the border steady and contain the Maunon. My people are not criminals. If you aide my people in freeing them, in which your children will be returned to you whether you want them or not- as they are your responsibility- I can guarantee all of your people’s lives. I’ll repeat, in the case I wasn’t clear enough, opposing us means death, bystanding means death, but an alliance will save us all.”

Clarke took comfort in her confidence. “This is our only opportunity to start over on the ground. We were foolish to think that we could just fall from the sky and live happily ever after.” Clarke spoke calmly, looking between Kane and Abby. “We save our people, release hers, and guarantee our safety, help to rebuild TonDC after we destroyed parts of their village, and then we can have our peaceful lives here on the ground.”

Abby hesitated for just a moment before nodding. “As acting Chancellor, in this situation I’m granted indefinite executive powers over the council, especially with the rest of our members missing or dead. Until stable times, I am the sole decision making power aboard the Ark, and with this power I’ve decided that we’ll ally with the Grounders in their war against Mount Weather.”

Clarke nearly slumped in relief. Kaplan grunted in disapproval but made no further objections. Lexa merely leaned back in her chair. Lexa had won so far, but they hadn’t negotiated the terms of their agreement, only that the possibility of agreement would be entertained. Kaplan still had the opportunity to stop them in their tracks.

“We’ll recess until the return of Anya and Raven, once they’ve arrived we will begin negotiation over the terms of our alliance.” Lexa was cool and reserved and Clarke had a feeling that they failed whatever test Lexa had put them through.

Kane pushed away from the table first. “I need to check on the progress the Guard is making. Call for me on the radio when I’m needed, Abby.”

Kaplan muttered something along the lines of consulting Ark doctrine as he scrambled from the room, leaving Clarke, Lexa, and Indra alone with Abby. “Clarke told me that the two of you escaped Mount Weather and were separated from Raven by cannibals.” Abby prompted.

Lexa nodded once. “This morning Clarke helped me to escape where they were testing my blood. We used the tunnels the Ripa live in to get out.”

“Ripa?”

“They are the cannibals you mentioned. Usually warriors or guards kidnapped and warped into shells of who they once were. The Ripa will eat the flesh of anyone they catch and maim, if they kidnap people without fatally wounding them, they deliver them to the Maunon to be bled.”

“Mom,” Clarke gained Abby’s attention. “They’re using the Grounders as essentially living blood bags for blood transfusions to treat radiation sickness.”

Abby furrowed her brows. “That’s not how that works…”

Clarke nodded. “I know, it doesn’t make sense. Monty said something about an allergy or intolerance.”

Abby shook her head. “I don’t know what that would solve with an allergy, unless they’re absorbing something-“

“I doubt any of this matters.” Indra snarled. “They are the enemy. We shouldn’t worry ourselves with why they do what they do, but with what they are doing and how to stop them.”

Lexa raised a hand to stop Indra from continuing. “It’s unlikely we’ll come to a diplomatic solution, your tek will not be used to help the Maunon wean themselves from my people’s blood. My people have given enough of themselves.”

Abby blinked. “We should know their motivation before we attack them, it helps to understand our enemy.”

Lexa scoffed. “There’s nothing to understand.”

Clarke was ready to open her mouth to argue when the four of them heard shouting from outside and the telltale pop of a gun. Clarke and Lexa were out of the room before anyone else could react.

Lexa followed Clarke through the labyrinth of the Ark, but as soon as they touched soil, Lexa was in the lead again, heading towards the shouting. “It’s Raven,” She snapped to Clarke.

“Anya’s hurt.” Clarke dashed forward, shoving panicky guards to the side to get to Anya.

The once proud warrior gasped for air on the ground, a puddle of her blood sinking into the ground below her. Raven was similarly covered in blood as she tried to stop its flow with every heartbeat.

Clarke dropped to her knees beside Raven and pushed her to the side. “Where’s my mother?” Clarke snapped to the trembling guard beside her. “Get Dr. Abby, now. If she dies so do we.”

The Guard scrambled away. Clarke glanced back to Raven, the girl making herself even smaller as she watched her soulmate edge ever closer to death. “Clarke, it hurts.” Raven whimpered.

Clarke nodded, pressing her hands into the wound in Anya’s side. “I know, but that’s good. It means she’s still alive.”

Anya finally seemed to gain some control of her breathing, but it hitched every few breaths as she struggled to tamp down the pain. “AI gonplei ste odon.” She muttered. “Ai gonplei ste odon. Beja.”

“Your people shot my general, Clarke.” Lexa stood to the side, watching with sad eyes as Clarke struggled. Abby appeared only a few seconds afterwards with a first aid kit at the ready. “Clarke, my people won’t tolerate this-“

“Commander, with all due respect this is a highly treatable injury. Once I’ve stabilized her, we’ll move her to the hospital wing and she’ll almost certainly survive. It was an accident; our people are scared and out of their depth.” Abby barked back, taking over from Clarke smoothly.

Lexa was clearly affronted, but faced with the possibility of Anya’s survival, she clamped her mouth shut and let Abby work. It only took a few minutes for Abby to stabilize the wound, and then with the help of two other guards, had Anya moved towards the Ark.

Lexa watched helplessly as they carried her second in command away. It took a moment of watching Lexa stare down the path Anya’s body had taken for Clarke to recognize the steady throbbing of pain in her chest, a different, faster heartbeat than her own. She had to admit, guiltily, that it was a comforting, familiar presence. She spent most of her childhood with Lexa’s pained heartbeat, and for the last few months, her own pain overwhelmed it, there was something comfortable about having it back. “Le-“

She was cut off by a whimper to her side. Clarke and Lexa both turned their heads to find Raven still curled on the ground, clutching at the same side Anya had been shot in. “Is she-“

“Yes.” Clarke murmured to the Commander as she kneeled to the ground beside Raven. “Raven, are you hurt? Ignore Anya, I need to know if you need treatment.”

Raven grunted. “Easier said than done, Princess.” Raven rolled to her back, letting out another hiss. “They’re putting in stitches now, in case you were wondering- ah!” Raven yelped. “Has Abby ever heard of anesthetics?”

Clarke smirked, exchanging a look with Lexa. “We don’t have much left. She’s trying to preserve them, and you know Anya wouldn’t accept it.”

“Unfortunately,” Raven grunted. “Is the alliance secured?”

Clarke looked to Lexa. The dark look on her face warned her of the dangers they were still in. “For the most part. Anya getting shot put a damper on things. But when she pulls through it completely we’ll be okay. We have to negotiate the terms still, Lexa wanted Anya to be present for that.”

“I don’t think Anya will be capable of standing at my side for negotiations.” Lexa sighed, squatting beside the two girls. “Titus will be arriving by tomorrow, he will stand in for Anya. Titus will have a lot of questions for the Skaikru, Clarke. Be prepared for the negotiations. I cannot, in good conscience, dismiss the warriors around this camp. They will hold through the night.”

Clarke nodded. “C’mon Raven, let’s get you cleaned up.”

Raven groaned and grunted as Clarke pulled her upright. “Thanks, Clarke.”