The light in the darkness (Octavia Blake)

Chapter 16

Raven and Ashley both nodded.

"Can you get around the signal?" Clarke asked.

Raven crossed her arms on her chest and raised an eyebrow.

"Around it? No. But if I can get to the tower that broadcasts it…" she smirked and glanced at Ashley who returned the smile, knowing what Raven wanted to say. "I can make it go boom."

Their conversation was cut short by Abby, who bursted through the door with guards by her side.

"No one is going anywhere" she said sternly.

"Mom, listen to me-"

The woman wasn’t going to let Clarke explain anything. She looked at her with frustration. "What do I have to do to get through to you? You and your friends are not soldiers and continuing to act like you are, puts lives at risk."

Ashley gritted her teeth and shook her head. Sure, it’s not like we were fighting the hundreds of Grounders, not so long ago, without any help from you. Blonde was mad that they came back and suddenly started acting like they were still on the Ark, like they’ve never sent her and 99 other kids on the ground to deal with everything on their own.

"You don’t understand. Raven and Ashley found something. Mount Weather is jamming our communication" Clarke tried to talk to her mother.

"It’s true. There could be other stations on the ground" Raven stepped in.

"And more guards" the Griffin girl added. "You said we don’t have enough people to fight a two-front war. Mom, we’re already fighting one."

From behind the doctor, appeared Major Byrne. "The Grounder retaliation for the massacre coupe happen at any time and when it does, we need every available man to defend this camp."

"So let us go" Clarke insisted.

Abby sighed in defeat. It was clear to her, that she couldn't win with her stubborn daughter. "You're not gonna stop, are you?"

"Not until my friends are safe."

What Ashley always admired about Clarke, is the fact that she could have everyone against her, but when it came to her people, she would still do everything to keep them safe. The blonde was also really missing her friends. It felt like she haven't seen them in forever. So she was willing to help Clarke in whatever she was planning.

"Okay" the woman said. "But I'm coming with you."

Major Byrne scrunched her eyebrows in confusion. "Ma'am, I just said-"

"It's been quiet for two days" Abby cut her off. "Maybe Kane is making headway with the Grounders' Commander."

"Or maybe he's dead and they're massing against us as we speak" the guards' leader wasn't letting go.

"Maybe. Which is why we need more guards" with that, doctor Griffin ended the conversation.

"Then it's settled. We're going back to Mount Weather" Clarke stated.

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"I can't believe they let Finn come" Octavia huffed.

Her, Ashley, Bellamy, Clarke, Raven and Finn along with Abby and a few guards were making their way through the woods, going in the direction of Mount Weather. It was the first time that Ashley would see Octavia for longer than 5 minutes since they came back from Lincoln's village. Brunette wasn't really talkative and their only direct interaction was 'Hey' and a forced smile when they met with the group to talk about their plan.

It worried Ashley that Octavia was closing up more and more. Although everything that happened, they were still friends and blonde wanted to help her with whatever she was going through. It stopped being just about this stupid crush a long time ago. Ashley cared about Octavia in a lot more ways than just that. She wished things between them were like when they first got on Earth.

"He's the best tracker we've got" Bellamy told his sister, then turned to the rest of the group. "Don't forget to look up. The Grounders use the trees. That's how we lost John Mbege."

Ashley took the chance and decided to catch up with Octavia. "Hey."

"Hey" brunette glanced shortly at her friend.

Ashley felt the tension between them, but decided not to give up.

"I saw how you looked at Finn" she started. Octavia just furrowed her eyebrows.

"You looked like you wanted to murder him" Ashley explained.

Brunette just shrugged. "Who says I don't?"

The corner of Ashley's lips curved upwards, cause that was exactly what she expected Octavia to say. But after that, they fell silent. Blonde sighed and blurted out "O, what's wrong? Talk to me."

Octavia stiffened for a moment, hearing her nickname.

"Nothing" she murmured.

"It's about Lincoln, isn't it?" Ashley assumed quietly.

Brunette's jaw clenched and her head snapped in blonde’s direction.

"Don’t start, Ashley" she growled.

"Then how else can I make you talk to me? You’re disappearing for two days and now you’re barely even looking at me. You’re not like this with anyone else. What happened? Did I do something?" blonde said, a little frustrated.

Octavia sighed and shook her head, avoiding Ashley’s eyes. "No, you didn’t."

Blonde put her hand on brunette’s shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. That made Octavia finally look at her friend. "Listen, Octavia, you don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want to. Just...don't shut me out, okay?"

Octavia studied Ashley's face for a moment. She knew that blonde still cared about her. And the feeling was mutual. But in this whole whirlwind of events that had happened lately, she kept forgetting that, no matter how lonely she felt, she wasn't alone.

"Okay…I'm sorry, Ash" Octavia said quietly.

Ashley smiled softly and shook her head.

"It's okay. But…" she smirked. "...only if you teach me how to wave the sword around like a real Grounder. I mean…not now, but, like, maybe when we'll come back."

Octavia scoffed amused and raised her eyebrows. "You want to learn how to fight with a sword? You, the gunner?"

"Yeah, why not? It can be useful, right? Besides, maybe I'll finally be cool. I saw you fight. It was…really cool."

Brunette couldn't help, but smile a little.

"I'll see what I can do" she promised and remembered something. "Um, how's your leg?"

Ashley looked down on the place that the bandage was hid under her pants.
"It's better. It almost doesn't hurt at all now. I mean, it was a bit swollen after…you know, our little…jog in the woods, but yeah. It's healing."

"That's good" Octavia smiled softly for a second.

They walked in silence for a while. When they got out of the forest, Octavia and Bellamy exchanged glances and Ashley knew exactly what that meant. Before Octavia could slip away quietly, blonde grabbed her hand. "Be careful out there."

Brunette looked her in the eyes and nodded. "I will."