Taming Chaos // J.M // The 100

Chapter 91

"No way. . ." Harper pushes through the door, letting it slam without resistance against her shoulder. Miller sticks closely behind, mouth agape as soon as he follows her line of sight.

"I should be the one saying that." Ethan chuckles. He gestures at her from his spot on Kane's desk, "Then again, you've always been pretty brave, so I can't say I'm shocked you're here."

Her awed expression bursts into a wide smile. She darts over and meets him halfway in a quick, excited hug.

Mirroring one of their very first interactions, Ethan laughs, "Hey, Harper." He squeezes her close. "My best buddy, my go-to girl."

Giggling, she catches on and recites the rest, "What's up, Ethan?"

They pull back, looking each other up and down, taking note of everything new and everything old. Harper looks stronger, her eyes missing something of the youthful joy and her stance is one of preparation. The guards uniform says it all.

Miller swerves around Harper hesitantly and sends a pursed smile. 

"You, on the other hand, I am surprised about." Ethan huffs. He remembers, pretty vividly, Miller following Bellamy around without question.

He holds out his arm and almost shrieks when Miller yanks him in with more strength than he's had for months. Patting him on the back a few times, Ethan hides a smile.

"Where the hell have you been?" Miller slaps him on the arm when they part, eyes quickly darting from Ethan's hair to his skinnier figure.

"Believe it or not, the City of Light." Ethan dips his head to the side, and almost sarcastically, says, "Wouldn't recommend it."

"Here I was hoping we'd have somewhere to run away to." Miller jokes, a hint of a smile twitching at the corner of his lips.

Ethan bites his tongue, guilt stirring in his gut, "So was I."

Harper pats him on the shoulder, dipping her head to send him a welcome look and a small chuckle, "Guess things haven't gone so well for both parties." The humour is dry, but sometimes the only thing capable of making them feel better.

He nods, "You can say that again."

Kane clears his throat, all attention back on him. Ethan heaves himself off of the table and spins around to stand beside the others. In a line like faithful soldiers. When he notices that particular comparison, he promptly throws himself onto the nearest chair.

Ethan studies Harper and Miller while he was the chance, zoning Kane out as he summarises their impromptu plan.

They went from kids sent down to Earth to teenagers on the cusp of adulthood fighting for their freedom. He can see it in the way Harper stands, her smile gone, and the way Miller listens without question, none of that snark, none of those stupid jokes Ethan remembers.

He looks away.

Ethan was sure Harley would be a part of this rag-tag resistance Kane put together, yet he hasn't seen the man even once.

He'd have to ask about it. And Jasper, too. Someone who used to be inseparable from Monty, but hasn't been seen around him.

Patiently waiting, Ethan only butts in once to add, "We know surveillance has been doubled. There's no point in me trying to stay hidden anymore." He shrugs, swinging his knee from side to side, "I'll talk to Bellamy, Monty too. There's no guarantee I can change their minds but it'll buy you guys some time. If I get arrested, that's my chance to help Sinclair and Lincoln."

And so the plan is a go.

Bellamy needs a breath. He just needs to- to think, for a second. Storming into his room, he tosses his guard's jacket down on the bed and yanks his handgun free from its holster.