Several Lifes

Life and death are inevitably linked. For every beginning there needs to be an end and for every end, a new beginning. Life flows rhythmically past the dead like a river, sometimes enveloping them and yet letting them go again.

Langston Hughes once said: "Life is for the living. Death is for the dead. Let life be like music. And death an unspoken note."

December 21, 2149

They didn't rest until they reached Mount Weather. Maybe it was fear that made them stop or the big door that blocked their way. Perhaps both in equal measure.

They stared at the great mountain that seemed unconquerable and yet somehow they had to climb it, even if hopefully only metaphorically. They were aware that they would have to find another way in or admit defeat. And giving up was not an option. There was no turning back, neither for Clarke nor for Lexa, so they spread out the plans they had brought with them on a table and began to study them while the guards set up the makeshift camp and led the horses to a water source.

Clarke frowned at the plan in front of her, her nerves on edge as she concentrated on finding a solution. "Maybe if we go around the mountain? We only know the front side and if we don't find anything there either, the only option I can see is to climb up the dam and that's not necessarily my first choice." Their path would be wet and slippery and even if they reached the top unscathed, how would they get back down? And what if they actually found Roan? A healthy person was already taking a considerable risk, but a sick person hardly stood a chance.

Lexa furrowed her brows, looked at the plan even more intensely and then pointed around the mountain with her fingers. "We could split up to explore both sides at the same time."

"With all due respect Commander, I don't think that would be a good idea. Mount Weather could just as easily be a trap and if we split up, your protection would no longer be guaranteed." The big bearded man looked at the plan grimly before looking at his Heda with equal determination.

"Then what do you suggest, Gustus?" The brunette tried to sound strong and determined, not only because it was expected of her, but more importantly for Clarke, who looked desperate enough for both of them.

"Clarke's right. If we can't find another way in, we'll have to try the dam. So I would suggest that we go to the left first. That way we can see what awaits us and prepare ourselves. If Roan is up there, we need to find a way to get him down safely. There's a good chance he's injured. I can't imagine she spared him." The Ice Queen never showed mercy, they all knew that.

"If Roan is up there", kept ringing through Clarke's head as she tried to make sense of the changed situation and not give too much weight to the hope she felt. She should keep her wits about her, even though she simply wanted to climb that dam, regardless of the consequences, but it would only put everyone in danger if she acted rashly and the risk was already more significant than she would have liked.

The brunette remained silent for a moment, pondering her words before making a decision. "I agree with you, Gustus. Two of the guards should stay and guard the camp. Even if Nia is dead, her allies aren't and I don't want to take any chances." Both Clarke and Gustus nodded and Lexa announced their course of action to the others present. "Be vigilant. We don't know what to expect or how long our search will be. Fortify yourselves, we'll be leaving in a few minutes." The small group quickly got moving and Clarke brought Lexa something to eat and drink. As commander, her people always came first, so it was easy to neglect her own needs or forget them altogether. "Thank you."

"I thank you, for all you do." The camp was small and the commander its center, anything Clarke said wouldn't remain a secret for long as Lexa was a part of the conversation. "I wish I could express my thanks far better, but I fear my ability to do so is too limited."

The brunette was just about to say something in reply when Gustus approached her. "Heda, we've checked the area and haven't had any hostile contact. The camp should be safe for now."

"Good, let's get going then." She raised her voice only slightly, but instantly had the attention of everyone present. "Fill your water containers with water, we won't be back until nightfall."

Silently, they followed their Heda and mounted their horses. The Commander rode ahead, beside her was Clarke and all but Gustus, who never left his Heda's side, the other guards kept a respectful distance. The Grounders watched the trees, listening for any sound and ready to give their lives at any moment.

Lexa, on the other hand, was focused on Clarke and knew she wouldn't hesitate if the blonde was in danger. The brunette didn't realize that the woman she adored so much was in the same situation as herself. She would never let anything happen to Lexa, and not because of guilt or the kindness the young woman had shown her. There were so many reasons why and the arguments against her were becoming fewer and fewer. Perhaps tomorrow was approaching faster than either of them had ever thought possible. A soft smile appeared on Clarke's lips at this thought and Lexa wished she knew why. But when Clarke looked directly at her, it only deepened, making even the corners of the brunette's mouth twitch and her previous wish no longer had any meaning. They were on a rescue mission and the shared moment should probably feel wrong, but it didn't. And so they rode on in unison, always heading towards the mountain.

Mount Weather had been constructed long before their time and was meant to protect the people who lived inside from the radiation, but the endeavor failed when small doses of radiation eventually found their way inside and caused the inhabitants to die. Their bodies had never been able to adapt to the change in living conditions, which ultimately caused their deaths. The Grounders, on the other hand, had become more resilient over the generations, so that malformations in newborns were less frequent.

No one seemed to have set foot on the mountain since then, but no one could say for sure whether this was actually true.

The longer they rode, the clearer the area became, making it much easier to walk through. Apart from the pattering of the horses and the wind rustling through the treetops, nothing could be heard. It was almost disturbingly quiet. It didn't have to mean anything, but they kept their attention.

As they turned a corner, the bushes began to rustle and immediately everyone jumped off their horses. Their weapons were ready in their hands and they would not hesitate to use them. But all that jumped out was a frightened fox, which quickly ran off. However, this did nothing to change the tense atmosphere. "Something's not right here. It's too quiet." Gustus looked around but couldn't make out anything. But he was a man who trusted his intuition. It had saved his life too often. "Take Heda and Clarke into your midst. They're too easy a target that way." He made a sign and the group slowly moved on. When nothing happened even after a few minutes, everyone quieted down, though no less alert.

Eventually it was Clarke who discovered the trail, which was only visible at close range and offered just enough space for her horses. Hidden behind bushes at the beginning, it led directly along the mountain, with its even gradient, it looked more like a crack or a narrow ledge from the outside. It was the perfect camouflage.

She showed it to Heda and Gustus, who immediately shared his concern with them. "We're an easy target this way."

"But I don't see any other way to get into this mountain. Besides, it doesn't look like the intention is for it to be easily visible. We don't know what Mount Weather is like, though. Maybe there are traps and if that's the only way in, it's also our only escape route," Clarke countered, no less concerned.

"It could be so many things. Heda, how should we proceed?" Lexa looked at the blonde and her bodyguard; there wasn't much to weigh up. They only had a choice between two options and neither of them were what she considered ideal.

"We have to risk it. It could go on for hours until we've circumnavigated the mountain and even then it's uncertain whether we'll find another entrance. In the end, we'll just have wasted time that we might not have. Still, I'm expecting a trap. If Prince Roan is actually being held prisoner here, there will be guards. He was always a gifted fighter and strategist. Perhaps Queen Nia's death has not yet reached them, if it has..."

Everyone present knew what it meant. Heda didn't have to say it. "We will proceed with appropriate caution." They sent their fastest runner ahead to scout the situation, and when he came back to them unscathed, they knew that at least the path was safe. But they didn't know much more than that. His job was merely to secure their path and keep an eye out for danger. If it was a trap, the Azgeda were smart enough to wait and take them all out at once. Lexa knew that the people of the north wanted their own heads all the more after the death of their queen. But she didn't hesitate. She was Heda and no one was fighting for her, so they continued on their way undeterred. They remained vigilant, but moved much faster than before, their weapons at the ready and their horses as close to them as possible.

They took cover in front of the cave entrance, but as the runner had reported, there was no one to be seen, so they pushed further into the cave. When they discovered a door without a window, there were only two options: continue searching or give up their advantage of surprise. In the end, they decided on the second option and Gustus broke down the door.

Flickering light greeted them, as did a leaden silence. No footsteps could be heard, no voices or other sounds. Was Roan really here? There were no clues. Clarke wasn't sure what she had expected, but at the same time she had hoped for more.

Systematically, they began to search everything until they finally found the prisoner area. "If they're holding Roan, it's probably here." Lexa began to look around and shivered. She recognized this place. A corridor stretched out in front of her, with cells to the left and right that left no room for fantasies. The floor was full of blood, lined only with straw and handcuffs were embedded in the walls. No daylight illuminated the cells, which had no windows due to psychological intimidation. It was meant to break prisoners, drive them mad and incite fear, which could never compete with the torture that followed because it was merely a foretaste of hell.

Lexa was torn between wanting to move on and have certainty, and holding Clarke back so she wouldn't have to witness the horror. But the blonde took the decision away from her by moving forward with quick steps.

Lexa quickly caught up with her and held her back as inconspicuously as possible. "You don't have to do this."

Blue, strong-willed eyes looked at her. "Yes, I do have to. There's no going back."

"Oh yes, sometimes there is. But if Roan is actually held captive back there and you see what's been done to him, the images will haunt you every second you don't suppress them." In a war, casualties were inevitable, but torture for the sake of pleasure was an absurdity.

"They can't be any worse than the images that already appear in my dreams." Lexa wasn't sure if that was actually true. Hers had only appeared in a dream and sometimes overwhelmed her. What effect would the real fright have?

Nevertheless, she accepted Clarke's decision and so they continued on their way. It wasn't long before they reached a larger room and discovered an almost naked figure. Long brown hair covered the face. The hands had been tied above the head and blood was dripping from the ropes. Clarke did not hesitate. She ran towards her brother and cut his bonds before sinking to the ground with him. It was only then that he seemed to become aware of his surroundings again, but whether he understood them was doubtful. And when Clarke saw his face for the first time in so many months, she couldn't hold back her tears. His right eye was swollen shut and purple-rimmed, all the cuts on his face and body, with the countless bruises. Everything about him seemed scrawny, feeble, covered in dirt and crusted with blood, but it was him and that was all that mattered to the blonde.

He was hastily wrapped in a thick blanket and given food and drink. Almost apathetically, he began to consume the food and water. In his desolate state, he didn't even seem to notice his sister, and it took Clarke a moment to realize that her brother was actually sitting in front of her before she could approach him.

Gently, she tried to place a hand on his cheek, but he flinched as if afraid of the touch.

"Roan..." Her voice sounded hoarse, almost choked. "Roan, it's me, Clarke." But he didn't respond to her. "You don't have to be afraid anymore. Nia, mother, is dead and you are free."

The corners of the older man's mouth twisted in agony. "None of this can be true. Too many times I've thought I was free and every time I've woken up here. I've seen you so many times. You were so close and yet so far away, as if we were not just worlds but entire universes apart." His words sounded harsh, as if he hadn't spoken for ages. Had it just been cries of pain that had left his lips since she had last seen him?

But Clarke also heard the sorrow in his voice, the longing for something other than pain, and so she did the only thing she could think of. With the last of her strength, she hugged him as tightly as she could and put all her love for him into it. "You are no longer alone, never again." His arms hung limply from him, but Clarke didn't stop. Never again, if this was the time he needed to realize. "I can't believe you're alive! I watched you die and I couldn't do anything about it." She cried, and he finally began to return the pressure.

Lexa stayed in the background through it all. Right now was not her story, not her moment. It belonged to the siblings who had clung to each other in their loneliness and all their experiences. He didn't know if she was still alive and she thought she had lost him forever. And yet it had been all that mattered. The hope of seeing each other again one day. The brunette was glad that her fears had not come true in the end, they all deserved a little happiness.

Quietly, Roan eventually began to answer the unasked questions, knowing that fear had kept Clarke from asking them. "I don't know how I survived. I felt the sting, there was darkness afterward, and when I woke up, I was here and chained up."

Lexa wondered if Roan was experiencing the torture she once dreamed of and hoped that wasn't the case. Clarke, however, could only focus on the pain in his voice, so she only separated herself from her brother enough to look him in the eye before speaking with conviction. "We'll make sure this never happens again. Now that Nia is dead, peace can finally reign." She squeezed his hand gently and he returned the squeeze. "Let's go home."

"Azgeda?" His eyes grew wide and the two women weren't sure if fear was behind his reaction or some other emotion they couldn't grasp.

Looking at Lexa, Clarke finally shook his head. "No, Polis."

Relief flitted across his features and only a short time later Nyko stood before him. The healer examined his friend and treated his countless wounds in an initial examination before bandaging them. Only then was Roan given fresh clothes and helped to mount a horse.

They rode back the same way that had brought them here, still alert, but also full of the euphoria of having been successful.

Arriving at the camp, a small cart was hitched behind the largest horse, with just enough room for one person. "We are leaving. Pack up the camp and help Prince Roan off his horse." The Grounders nodded and hurried off. They all had a job to do.

Lexa, standing next to Clarke, was tempted to reach for her hand. She wanted to know how the blonde was doing and offer her comfort. But she still didn't know where they stood. The situation within the Coalition was still tense, and peace was not guaranteed. So many unanswered questions that still needed to be answered and the outcome was made even more uncertain by Roan's appearance. Would Azgeda give in now? And would Clarke go with him and take her place as his right-hand man, as they had always wanted? Finally, it was Clarke who broke the silence. "I still can't believe he's alive and that we found him." With a glance at Lexa, she corrected herself. "That you found him." The blonde shook her head in disbelief. "That changes everything." The brunette flinched imperceptibly, trying not to let her pain show. But her silence did not escape Clarke's notice. "Shall we go for a short walk? I'm sure you won't be ready for at least ten minutes." Heda nodded, and as soon as they were out of sight, Clarke reached for Lexa's hand. She gently clasped it with hers and gently increased the pressure. "I wanted to thank you again. If it hadn't been for you..." She broke off. Unable to continue for a moment, she had to wrestle down the images that arose in her mind. "Nia would have just let him die and I would have carried the burden of his death around with me forever. But thanks to you, all options are open to us now, and he needs me after everything that has happened to him. But the time when we were children is long gone. We are no longer the same, and our wishes no longer have to be the same."

They held hands and enjoyed their brief togetherness despite the circumstances. But at some point, Lexa's heart became too heavy to remain silent any longer. "I'm afraid to ask about the meaning of your words, but I'm even more afraid of never receiving an answer."

The blonde sighed. "Our shared desires have long been beyond our reach and yet our only hope. Part of the light that brought forth a glimmer in the darkness like a firefly. It wasn't much, but how could we have expected more? I don't know where I stand or where I belong when I think about the future." Childish wishes met the present, which was different from what they had thought just a few months ago. What would be right and what would be wrong? Different feelings merged, complemented each other and yet differed in their nature and intensity. Was it possible that her desire hadn't changed, but had just expanded by one person? "I haven't decided yet, but..." Clarke was interrupted by Gustu's loud voice. "Heda. We're ready to go."

After a long look into blue eyes, they made their way back to camp, certain that they would have no opportunity to continue their conversation on their journey.

Back in Polis, they took Roan to the infirmary and immediately Nyko took the lead. "I'm going to keep him here overnight for observation. We don't know how seriously he's been injured." And before Clarke could even ask, the healer was already answering her. "Of course you can stay here. I understand your concerns."

The blonde nodded gratefully and gave him a sincere smile before turning to Lexa, who obviously wanted to get her attention. "Shall I join you?" and quietly, so that no one could hear her, the brunette added, "my love."

Despite the still unresolved situation between them, Lexa left no doubt about her affection for Clarke, who gave her a tender smile. "Would you be mad at me if I didn't? We have a lot of catching up to do and he certainly has questions I'd love to answer myself." Clarke whispered as well, and the brunette recognized the discord behind blue eyes that weren't trying to turn her away, but asking for time to clear some things up. Rumors were an evil that didn't stop at the infirmary and Clarke wanted to break everything to Roan as gently as possible.

"I can understand that. Should you need me..." The brunette would have liked to give Clarke a kiss on the head to emphasize her words, but suppressed this wish.

"I'll send one of the apprentices." Blue eyes flashed mischievously, making the corners of Lexa's mouth twitch. They both knew it was an attempt to escape all the grief and tension for a moment. Together, they felt safe enough to allow this to happen without having to worry about the possible consequences. It was a piece of peace, while everything else was uncertain. They were in their own world, where their rules ruled, whispered but free.

And so Lexa joined in the banter. "You're being mean. It's enough that Lucien has probably been traumatized by our first encounter."

But Clarke waved her off, still whispering. "Oh come on, you won't have been that bad."

"I behaved according to protocol." Lexa straightened up a little more on her horse and stuck out her chest. Which elicited a stifled laugh from the blonde. "Your reputation seems to precede you."

"That's presumptuous and not true." The brunette made an effort to hide her pout.

"I think the last Azgeda ambassador would disagree, and so would the dent in the floor." Clarke said it with such seriousness that the corners of Lexa's mouth curled into an implied grin.

"At some point, you'll force me to laugh in front of my people and then my reputation really will be different." Lexa was silent for a moment before her gaze became serious again. "I want you to know that my offer stands. I'll come whenever you need me. The time doesn't matter."

"Thank you for caring." Clarke wanted to reach for Lexa's hand, but let it go. Not here, not today and not like this. They both deserved better. As much as she wanted to reach for her hand, it felt wrong around Nyko, Roan, and the other Grounders as long as it wasn't official. It shouldn't just happen like it didn't matter.

With one last glance at Lexa, she dismounted her horse and handed it to one of the guards before entering the healer's hut, where Roan was already waiting for her with a grin. He was sitting on a stool, his borrowed shirt removed, and Nyko was undoing his last bandage. The healer was silent, but the corners of his mouth twitched treacherously in her direction.

"What's going on?" Clarke asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I didn't think the Commander would be so concerned about my well-being that she would come here at all hours of the day and night." Roan seemed visibly amused despite his physical condition. And seeing him so cheerful made her happy too. A bit of normality, in a world that wasn't normal.

Still, Clarke tried not to let on how much his words affected her, but the slight blush on her face gave her away. "If you can make fun of me, your injuries can't be too serious." It was a lie, they both knew that.

"Physically I may be battered, but mentally I've never admitted defeat. Even if Nia never got tired of trying. But who would I be if I gave up my values without resistance? What's the point of surviving if you're left as an empty shell?"

"Without resistance?" Clarke couldn't believe what she was hearing. "I think the scars on your body and the open wounds speak volumes. But your will and your soul have always been stronger than her hatred. I've often wondered how you managed to escape their influence."

His smile turned melancholy. "No man is only evil, otherwise it would be easy to hate him."

"But..." she wanted to object, but immediately fell silent when he shook his head.

"There were times when her goal wasn't just to kill Heda and take her place, but hatred had always been a part of her and her bitterness towards life eventually got the better of her. She no longer allowed love to touch her and let it wither away. I don't know where her anger came from, but I saw what it did to her. Then you were born and my world brightened up in one fell swoop. I suddenly only had room in my heart for my love for you. Perhaps Nia would have succeeded in poisoning me with her hatred if it hadn't been for you." Roan gently took her hand in his. "It will take time for me to forgive her, but I have to do it for my own sake if I don't want to end up like her. And if I want to lead Azgeda into a peaceful age."

"I don't know how to forgive her after all she's done to us." Blue eyes begged for an answer, needed it.

"Maybe you start by forgiving yourself. Her hatred brought us here and cost many lives, not your decision to remove yourself from her influence. Your escape saved your life. Who knows what would have happened if you had stayed." He increased the pressure on Clarke's hand, making her look at him. "She would never have stopped killing to achieve her goals, so stop blaming yourself for something you can't control. TonDC isn't your fault and neither is my torture."

Clarke widened her eyes in surprise. "Where did...?"

"She told me. Bragged about killing innocent, defenseless people and making you think you were the cause. She wanted to exert power and show the Coalition how powerless they are against Azgeda. I suppose the same was true of me."

The healer watched the two siblings and went about his work in silence. He hadn't said much since his reunion with Roan, because none of his words seemed to express his feelings properly. He had his best friend again, with whom he had had countless conversations about life and its meaning. And now Roan was sitting in front of them, pretending that nothing had happened. As if his pain and all his agony were nothing worth mentioning. But Nyko saw his battered body. Nia had done everything to break him and Roan had done everything to prevent it from happening. But not a word left the healer's lips, instead he did his work in silence. This was not the time to bring it up with his old friend or to remind him of it so soon after his release. Tomorrow and the day after, they still had plenty of time, and so he left after his work was done. Clarke wanted to follow him, realizing something was wrong, but Roan held her back. "He needs time to deal with what's happened."

"As do we all, but shouldn't we do it together?" The blonde was still standing, looking down at her brother.

He sighed. "Everyone deals with things like this in their own way and I suspect he deliberately left us alone. Tomorrow, or the day after, whichever he deems appropriate, he's going to talk to me and give me a lecture about how I shouldn't take what I've experienced lightly."

"Which he'd be right about," Clarke supported Nyko, who shared his view.

"I don't, because I couldn't. At any moment I expect Mother to be standing in the doorway to convince me of the rightness of her cause, that the Commander should die and make way for Azgeda to rule. I have nightmares every night and fear that I have suffered permanent damage from her abuse. But if I give in to the feeling inside me now, she'll win in the end because I'll break. It's my fight and no one can take it away from me. I'm alive and you're with me, that's all I need to be happy." His gaze softened. "And after everything I've seen, your happiness is waiting for you to finally have the courage to go for it. I'm not going anywhere, but you should get going. We've both wasted enough time. I'll wait for you here tomorrow and you can tell me everything, little sister." The loving smile that followed was enough to make Clarke leave. At the door, however, she turned around once more.

"There's so much I'm grateful for. But I'm not sure words will ever do it justice." Clarke lowered her gaze briefly before raising it again. "You've always been my only family. My rock, my light, wherever Nia was my darkness." She faltered again, unsure how to describe her feelings, but Roan understood, as he always had.

"It's okay for desires to change or family to expand. We weren't born to be lonely and alone. We can decide what we want our future to look like. You don't have to hesitate on my account." Clarke nodded one last time and left the healer's hut. "You can come out of hiding and ask me all your questions, my old friend."

And Nyko stepped out of the shadows. His eyes filled with tears, he embraced his best friend and only moments later they broke their way. They held each other, crying. Out of joy, sorrow, comfort, pain and happiness. The healer's heart was full of emotions that he could now give in to. "I thought I had lost my best friend, my brother. I'm glad I was wrong."

As soon as Clarke had stepped out of the door, she began to run. The tower wasn't far away and yet she couldn't seem to make any progress. The ground beneath her crunched and the snow kicked up. She didn't slow down for a moment and only stopped when she stood in front of the door, which was guarded by two Grounders. They looked at her briefly, nodded and then stepped aside. Without hesitation, the blonde went inside and waited impatiently in the elevator-like structure to reach the top floor. She knew Roan was right and cursed her procrastination. She had no plan, only a goal. She hurried through the corridors, looking into every room for fear of missing her, only to stop when she saw her in front of her.

"Lexa!" The brunette turned around and stopped moving as well. She thought she was dreaming, but Clarke was already running towards her. Stunned, Lexa caught her. There was only a brief glance before the blonde connected their lips. Longingly, as if the brunette was starving, she returned the kiss. Intensifying it carefully, Clarke, on the other hand, had pushed aside any caution, any doubt. But when Lexa tried to change position, Clarke broke away from her, but didn't let go, instead holding her close and placing a hand on her cheek. Blue merged with green and a feeling of safety and security flowed through Clarke. When had she last felt safe? Even her brother, for all his efforts, couldn't match the sensation she felt at that moment and so she said what she was thinking but had never dared to say. "I love you." Lexa's heart beat faster for a moment, only to skip a beat the next. "You always knew we belonged together. When I doubted, you were sure. I don't want to run anymore, I'm tired of hiding my feelings. So if you still want me, I'll be yours until my last breath. I love you with everything I am." And Clarke connected with her again. It felt like a centuries-old prophecy coming true. Like the creation of the sky, the stars and all creatures. Like the sun rising and setting at the same moment. Like the melody that followed its own music, a beat that only the two of them could hear. Infinity in all its diversity. There was no more hesitation, no more uncertainty. The kiss was more than just an expression of their love; it was a promise.

"So are you staying? With me in the tower?" Lexa's voice was softer than Clarke had ever heard her speak and it warmed her heart more than a summer's day ever could.

The smile that followed expressed more than any words that followed. "Is that really another question? I've wasted enough time being afraid and running from my feelings. I want to believe in the beauty of my future. I want to believe in us. I want to build bridges, brick by brick. I believe in us and all that we are. I want to start our tomorrow, today."

A single tear escaped Lexa's eyes. "I've waited so long for this, hoped for this, and now that it's here, I don't have the words. I don't know if they can ever express what I feel, because they seem to know no end, as if they were the essence of my being and my love for you an eternal echo that arises in all lives and continues to resound in infinity." Lexa hugged Clarke even closer to her. "I don't want to have to wait or even sleep another night apart from you. Let's make it official by moving your things into my bedroom."

A weight fell from Clarke's shoulders, making her feel lighter than air. "And without much notice? Will Titus survive?" Clarke grinned and Lexa followed suit. "I think we can take that risk. Especially as I don't think he'll be a problem anyway."

Clarke laughed this time. "And I doubt he's taken me into his heart since the last time we met."

"He doesn't have to, as long as he accepts our relationship and everything that will follow. We can finally build something, that's all that matters." Another kiss followed. It was one of many that would follow. A life full of love, an existence dedicated to peace.

02.16.2219

Spring came earlier than expected this year and the sunrise had rarely been as beautiful as it was today. Clarke and Lexa stood on the balcony of their home, which was still the top floor of the tower. After over 40 years of reigning together, no one had wanted to drive them away. No one could ever take their place anyway. That was not only the opinion of the new Commander Aden, who had been briefed by Lexa and Clarke after his appointment and had a large statue made in their honor to commemorate their deeds for peace.

"I think we both know it's time." Clarke put her arm around Lexa's waist and the brunette had her arms wrapped around her shoulders.

"Shh, not now. Let's enjoy the moment for however long it lasts." They held each other tightly and when the sun's rays touched their faces, they closed their eyes.

Their legacy might be peace, but nothing mattered more to them than the love they felt for each other. "I'll meet you in the morning, where the world waited for us to find you and love you again, until the end of my time." Clarke tenderly connected their lips together.

"I'll be there waiting for you as if every moment until then was just the blink of an eye, because nothing could ever stop me from coming back to you. We are connected in spirit and rooted in each other's souls. Whatever happens, however many lives it takes, we will find and love each other again. I have no doubt about that. Our love outlasts death." And with her last breath, the first of two little neighbor girls in the rebuilt TonDC began. One would be given brown hair and green eyes that resembled the forest and the other blonde hair like the sunshine and blue eyes as deep as the ocean.

Ralph Waldo Emerson describes life as a series of lessons that must be lived in order to be understood. Edgar Allen Poe, however, sees it as fluid in its abundance of possibilities. "The boundaries that separate life from death are at best shadowy and vague. Who can say where the one ends and the other begins?"

And William Penn once said: "Those who live beyond the world cannot be separated by it. Death cannot kill what never dies."

So true love ultimately goes beyond the mind, the desire to understand by means of logic. It is not something that has to be seen, but lived and felt. Which can fuel fears and insecurities. But shouldn't the possibility of never having loved trigger fear in us? Surrounded by strangers who should be friends, having wasted a life on trifles such as fame, power or money?

What comes after death is uncertain, but nothing in life is ultimately entirely predictable. We can only exist and do our best, for ourselves, for others, together, and thereby become immortal.

END