Lightning Only Strikes Once - Clexa

Chapter 8: The Weakest Link (Or Not)

Clarke opens the hatch again and calls down it. "Octavia?"

There's a brief pause. "Clarke?"

"I'm here, and I've brought Wells and Finn." They refused to let her go alone, even with her new gun tucked into her waistband. Strangely, this is a relief to her, the thought of having them there. She knows a series of different Anyas – regal, regretful, angry, even angrier, vicious, thoughtful, friendly. She doesn't know which one she'll see. Having her people with her eases the stress.

She had thought about going and getting all of the guns for them before she went. But the truth is, at this point her people are not mature enough or afraid enough not to misuse them. And with any luck, they'll never need them. Perhaps she can deal with Anya – befriend Anya – get Bellamy back – make peace – well, maybe she can do it all without needing the guns this time. She closes her eyes and hopes.

Clarke reaches the bottom and finds Octavia and Lincoln standing there, Lincoln expressionless and Octavia filled with concern. "Don't look so worried." she tells Octavia.

"Yeah?" the younger girl says sharply. "So Bell didn't send you all to drag him back to the drop ship?" She moves in front of Lincoln, already protective. "Listen, he doesn't speak our language, but he's still a good guy. And tough as hell – look, he's already standing on his injured leg."

He is, though Clarke can see both the sweat covering his face and how most of his weight is on the other one. She turns to him, ignoring Octavia. "Anya?" she asks him, pretending that's the only word she thinks he'll know.

Finn and Wells are down the ladder by now. Wells frowns. "Anya?" he copies her, but looking at her instead of Lincoln.

"I asked someone inside the drop ship, they said one of the others with her said that name," Clarke lies, keeping her eyes fixed on Lincoln. In fact she'd gone into the drop ship to tell Monty and Jasper to keep an eye on the place and give them her knives, but it was the only time she'd been without Finn and Wells so it was the best idea she had. She takes a step closer, still staring into Lincoln's eyes. "Anya. Please. I need to speak with her. We're not dangerous, we don't have weapons. Well, besides this one. I just need to speak with her."

Lincoln stares at her, expression carefully blank.

"Anya," Clarke says again, low and dangerous. There's still no response. With an exasperated sigh, she gestures at the others. "You have the rope, Finn. You three get to the top and lower it down, I'll help him from here. We should be able to get him up without him having to climb."

"No, Clarke, what if he hurts you?" Wells protested, looking at her in concern.

Finn touched his shoulder. "Hey," he said firmly. "We'll be watching from up there. And she's got the gun. Come on, man, she'll be fine." There's a pause, then Wells sighs and nods, apparently deciding to trust Finn, even if he can't trust Lincoln.

Octavia pauses too. "I could stay down here..."

"Please, Octavia," Clarke says shortly. "Climb the ladder."

Octavia stares at her for several seconds, then stalks to the ladder and begins to climb, muttering rude words under her breath. Clarke ignores her. They don't have time. Finn and Wells will fill her in when they get Lincoln up – as of now, Bellamy's life depends on her getting Lincoln to take them to Anya. A Lincoln who has no reason to like them, trust them or help them.

But still Lincoln. A good person. That, she knows.

She looks at him. "Please," she says quietly. "Come on. They've taken Octavia's brother. I need your help to stop everyone from dying."