3x04

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sillage

(n.) the trail that lingers in the air after someone has left. more of an impression.

*****

Four sets of 40 stitches, one of 20, countless ice-packs used for a concussed head, a week filled with pain, and Ash still can't quite grasp her feelings.

Gina is dead.

Another friend dead while she still lives on.

Her funeral along with the others who passed away is today, and Ash struggles to keep a grip on herself as Pike rambles on about the fallen. The only comfort she is given is Bellamy, who squeezes her hand hard and focuses intently on a spot on the wall as though concentrating on not crying.

Pike's voice asking, "Who will speak for Iris Jones?" breaks Ash out of her thoughts, and she watches as Miller's boyfriend from Farm Station, Bryan, stands up and walks to the front of the room.

"Iris was strong, good with a knife," he says brokenly. "She saved my life. I'm just sorry I couldn't do the same for her." He places a knife down that Ash assumes was Iris's before quickly walking back to his seat with small tears in his eyes.

"We will miss Iris," Pike announces. "May we meet again."

"May we meet again," everyone else choruses.

"Who will speak for Gina Martin?" Pike asks and both Ash and Bellamy tense.

Ash knows that she'll break down in front of everyone if she does it, so she hands Bellamy the book and gently pushes him forward. "You do it."

He must sense her internal turmoil, for he doesn't argue as he walks up to the front. "Gina was real. She always saw the light, even here. She deserved better."

As he finishes and goes to walk back to a teary-eyed Ash, the door to the room opens and several guards well as Lincoln come in.

Seeing how distraught Lincoln looks, Ash stands up and makes her way over to him, ignoring the whispers of the "dangerous grounder" as she does so. "What's wrong?" She asks as soon as she's in front of him.

"An army was sent. 300 of them."

It takes a second for Ash to realize why that makes him worried, but as soon as she does, her face pales. "They think that it's going to attack us, don't they?"

He nods.

The guards talk to Kane and Abby for a moment, the memorial forgotten, but it's Pike's voice that reaches Ash's ears through the crowd. "You have a Grounder one of our radios?"

The murmurs grow louder.

"We are not under attack," Kane yells over the voices. "The commander sent a peacekeeping force to ensure that we can defend ourselves from the Ice Nation attacks."

"Peacekeeping force?" Pike asks in disbelief. "Even you can't be that naive, Marcus."

"Watch your tone. You're talking to the next Chancellor," Abby snaps. "We're all grieving. This has been hard on all of us. But we can't let anger drive our policy."

"Anger is our policy."

Ash shares a look with Bellamy from across the room, both of their faces pale as they realize how fast this meeting is going downhill.

"If they're here to defend us as you say, tell them to go home. We can defend ourselves!" Pike yells.

"You..." A random man accuses as he points at Lincoln. "You're one of them, you don't belong here!"

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