My dad wasn't very happy when he heard what happened. And my brother either. They kept telling me that I put myself in danger unnecessarily.
"I always disliked this guy, Blake."
"Dad... This guy saved my life for more times than I can count. I'm more than sure that if it wasn't him I already had been dead since my first days here." I responded as I played with a pencil. My dad threw me a ugly gaze and I scoffed.
"He deserves to be punished... Kitty, he tried to kill the Chancellor."
"I know, dad. But still, like I said he saved my life many times."
I still wanted to add something but then my father was called to a meeting with the council, because my dad was a counsellor.
"What's happening between you and Blake?"
"What?" I asked keeping my gaze on the blank page.
"You are always with him. The way how he is looking at you and the way he is reaching your hand... And you changed."
"Nothing happens between us. And of course I changed. You change when you are fighting every second for your life." I hissed and I left my room letting my brother alone.
Outside, everyone heard that Jaha returned with a message from grounders part and they were there, waiting for a word.
"By now you've all heard the rumor, and unfortunately, it's true. The grounders are coming. We have a difficult decision to make.
Thankfully, Chancellor Jaha has found his way back to us, and we're discussing all options." explained Abby.
Looking around I saw Finn near Clarke and I made a grimace. He caused this.
"But to be safe... You need to pack. Now. Whatever you can carry. We may need to leave at a moment's notice." added Jaha.
"Where will we go?" asked an old man.
"I don't know, is the answer," answered Jaha looking at the crowd. "but I heard of a place. A City of Light. It's across the dead zone."
"What makes you think we'll make it there?" asked another man.
"Because we made it here. I have faith, and right now, given the alternative, that's good enough for me."
"Not for us," interrupted my blonde friend Jaha's speech, "if we leave here, what happens to our people in Mount Weather?"
"As your mother said... that is a very difficult decision to make. Is this how the story of our people ends? Did we come all this way just to die tomorrow? Because if we're not gone by the time that sun rises, that's exactly what will happen."
"It's not like you are bunch of teenagers with only 25 rifles that fought once again the Grounders." I said looking at Abby.
"But how many died, Miss Alvarez?" asked angrily Jaha. He expected Clarke to speak, but me?
"Less than the ones you killed to get more oxygen," I added crossing my arms over my chest. "And less than our friends that are in Mount Weather."
"No decision's been made. In the meantime, please report to your station supervisor and gather emergency supplies." added Abby.
Just when I was trying to get to Abby to ask her where I was supposed to report taking the fact that all my life in lived in the Sky Box I felt a hand over my right shoulder. I turned around and I saw Bellamy and Clarke. I jumped in his arms and he smiled hugging me shortly.
"Where have you been?" I asked him. I didn't saw him since the incident with Lincoln and I missed him.
"In the dropship."
"Something happened?"
"I'll explain on the way. Bring your inhalator and we meet at Raven's gate." he said smiling encouragingly.
***
I didn't felt at peace in the camp were the guards controlled every move and any of our suggestions were always turned down with an aggressive "No." But, bring back to the dropship felt bad too. That place brought me a lot of bad memories and I flinched remembering Anya. Somehow, Bellamy seemed to notice that because he reached my hand and started to draw small circles on my palm.
We climbed up, to the second level, where was Lincoln tied up, but this time he really looked like a killer. I remembered when he hurt Finn and Bellamy tortured him to find the antidote. He looked completely different now.
"It's okay. It's ok. He's been restrained." Bellamy whispered softly at me.
"I can't believe we're back here again." said Blondie as she climbed the ladder too.
"Can you help him?" asked exhausted Octavia.
"I don't know," Clarke answered, "I knew Mount Weather controlled the Reapers. I had no idea they were creating them."
"If they can do that to Lincoln... What are they doing to our friends?"
"Nothing good." I answered at Bellamy's question. After we saw what the Dante and his people did to the Grounders, I always asked myself why they treated us nicely. And I always got the same answer: they needed something from us. I felt to my knees puking while my head was pounding in pain.
"Are you alright?" asked Bellamy.
"I'm tired, that's all." I mumbled lowly. Clarke came closer to me and put her hand over my arm.
"This is not tiredness, Kitty." she said pointing the blood on my hands, "Since when, Kit?" she added scared.
"Since we came back from Mount Weather," I replied slowly. "But it happened only two times. Clarke, you can't tell Bellamy, please," the girl threw me a ugly stare. "I told Abby," I added. "I had another episode like this on the Ark. She thinks that probably it's because we lived there under the ground. If it keeps this way, I'm going to tell Bellamy. But it's not the time to worry him for nothing."
"For nothing? You really don't understand, really? If Bellamy finds out that I knew, he is going to rip my head off."
"No one will rip you head." I mumbled as I closed my eyes trying to steady my breathing.
***
Lincoln was still screaming a hour after and my head was hurting even more, if that was possible. I closed my eyes but I heard the chains shaking. Lincoln was shaking violently, his face had lost color, drool was running out of his mouth and his eyes were rolled to back of his head. The only thing that kept him standing were the chains around his wrists that were bolted to the wall.
"He's convulsing." said Clarke looking at him.
"So, what does it mean?" asked Octavia still keeping the flashlight.
"What happened to his leg?" Clarke asked pointing the wound.
"I shot him." answered Octavia.
"Clarke, he's lost a lot of blood." spoke Bellamy for the first time.
"Can you shine the light on his neck?" she demanded, approaching to him. "Needle marks." she added.
"You think he's been drugged?" Bellamy asked.
"Maybe."
"Lincoln!" screamed Octavia when he broke the chains and shoved Clarke to the ground. She tried to approach to him, but Lincoln hit her very hard. Bellamy ran in front of him but even if he managed to hit him a few times, Lincoln is more strong and knocked Bellamy to the side. Slowly, I crawl in front of Octavia before he can hit her again. He wrapped his hand around my neck and pinned me to the wall and I already could see small white dots all around me. Octavia grabbed a metal crowbar and hit the side of his head, making him to drop me to the ground. I crawl over to Bellamy, coughing and gasping for air while he was holding my hand.
As they restrained him again on the floor, Bellamy kept looking at him, his eyes full of concern. I decided to ignore the immense pain and I stood up, rushing to Clarke wanting to help.
"We have to stop the bleeding and get the bullet out," said Clarke, "hold his leg down." she added looking at me.
Octavia tried to get him some alcohol but Lincoln spitted out. "I'll get some more." she said preparing to get outside.
"O. Once the drug is out of his system, he'll be ok." said Bellamy keeping her arm softly.
"You can't protect me from this one, big brother." Octavia walked around him and down the ladder. Bellamy looked at me hopelessly and the only thing I can do to comfort him is to offer him a small smile.
As Clarke started to work on Lincoln he started to thrash around screaming but somehow, Clarke managed to take the bullet out.
"Your mom would be proud." Bellamy said to her, once she bandaged Lincoln's leg.
"My mom would know to save him."
We heard Octavia's heavy boots ascending up the ladder and her face is skeptical as she looks at us, like she's done something wrong. Behind her a Grounders ascends after her. Bellamy's protective instincts kick in and he prepared his rifle ready to shoot the Grounder.
"Bellamy, don't." I said trying to calm him, putting my hand over his shoulder.
Octavia stepped in front of him with her arms out, demanding Bellamy to stop. "He's Lincoln friend and their healer."
"Clarke, he's seizing again." I said looking at Lincoln's body.
"What is that?" I asked looking at Grounder when I saw him taking out a small vile.
"Yu gonplei ste odon." he said.
"Stop!" I screamed and I hit his hand. The man took off his knife but Bellamy put his rifle at his temple. "Yu gonplei ste odon," I repeated. "This what Anya said before she killed that girl, remember, Clarke? He's not trying to heal him. He's trying to kill him."
"Nykko? Is it true?" asked Octavia furiously.
"Yes. Death is the only way." he answered looking at me with pure hate.
"Hold on. There could be a way to bring him back." tried Clarke to explain to the Grounder.
"None that I've ever seen."
"We have to try help him before." I added and he looked again at me. All eyes were on me and I felt a heavy pressure on my chest. I opened my mouth to speak but we heard another pair of footsteps coming up the ladder. Bellamy pointed his gun in the direction of the ladder only to meet a frantic Finn.
"We have to go. The camp's leaving." Finn panted looking at us.
"Yu!" screamed furious Nykko.
"We have to stop..." tried Finn to add but Nykko attacked him screaming words in their language.
"Get off him!" screamed Bellamy preparing his rifle again.
"You slaughtered my people. Elders. Children. Innocents." he said trying to suffocate Finn with his hands.
"Nykko, you are killing him." tried Octavia to stop him.
"Blood must have blood."
"Get out of the way." said Bellamy to his little sister.
"Bellamy, you're not shooting him! No!" she screamed furious.
"Stop." I said approaching to him gently. Nykko looked at me with the same anger. "Please, stop. This way this damn war will not end ever. You started this! Your people! What about our innocents?"
"You don't have to look." he answered looking again at Finn.
"Please." I begged putting my hand over his shoulder.
"I don't want to kill you, Princess, so get off me."
"If you said that I'm innocent, kill me," Nykko looked strangely at me. "Finn killed your innocent people you kill me and that's it is. Blood must have blood."
"Kitty, don't." said Bellamy in brittle voice.
"Kill me, Nykko." I add again, ignoring Bellamy's grave voice and feeling the blood in my mouth.
"Oh, Skaikru Heda, yu gonplei ste odon." he said with a compassionate look and I shrugged.
I saw Clarke hitting him with the electrical baton, probably thinking he was trying to kill me. But I knew better. He was saying that he saw the blood and that I was going to die. Carefully, I wiped out the red liquid praying that no one else saw it.
"Lincoln. He is not breathing." said Octavia to us.
Clarke approached to him, and start practicing ER on him, getting Lincoln to breathe again.
"He was dead. How did you do that?" Nykko asked looking at Clarke.
"You've tried bringing Reapers back before?" she asked him and Nykko approved. "And they died like this?"
"What is it?" I asked looking at her.
"I know how to stop the attack." she answered looking at me.
While Clarke went downstairs to talk with Finn I stood next to Nykko.
"Nowe yu gunplei ste odon, kwelen gada."
I looked confused at him. Nykko smiled at me and gave me a small bottle.
"Your fight is not over, Princess," he explained to me. "that will help you."
"Why you help me?"
"How many of your people would give their lives for a killer?" I smiled softly at him.
"Are you ok?" asked Bellamy after a while, as he took place next to me.
"Sure. Just another war with the Grounders. Do you think that Clarke is going to convince Abby?"
"Abby is smart. She will do what is the best for us," he sighed, "and Princess, please don't offer your life for no one. Can't just think at you for once? Can't you be selfish for once? You always do what's right, for the others. But what about you? And don't say your life is not important, Princess. You matter, ok?"
I smiled looking at him and I rested my head on his shoulder. "Thank you, giant. You always seem to know what to say to me."
"Anytime, Princess." he said amused.
For a few seconds everything was fine. Standing there, near him. But for us nothing is perfect. Lincoln started to seize again, and we didn't knew what to do.
"Thank God," Octavia said as Finn and Abby climbed into the drop ship.
"Where is Clarke?" I asked looking at Finn.
"Trying to stop a war." he answered.
"Pupils are unresponsive," said Abby after she approached to Lincoln. "Tie off his arm, Kit. Tight as you can," she added giving me a rope.
"Thanks to the supplies you brother found, Lincoln might have a chance." the female said looking at Octavia.
Abby took something from a tiny bottle and prepared a syringe.
"What's that?" asked my friend.
"This will bring down his fever." Abby explained as she stung him.
"Hold him down!" she ordered as Lincoln start seizing.
He was screaming and trembling very hard.
"What's happening? Why isn't it working?" Octavia asked to know, scared.
"His heart stopped." Abby said pressing her hands over his chest trying to resurrect him.
"You are their healer?" asked her to Nykko and he nodded. "Tilt his head back. Pull his chin down to open his airway. Come on." she begged as Lincoln was not responding.
"You're stopping. What's wrong?" asked Octavia, looking at Lincoln's body.
"I'm sorry. He's gone."
"No, it's impossible. You're wrong!" cried Octavia touching Lincoln's lifeless body.
"Octavia." tried Bellamy to calm her without any results.
"Come back." she cried desperately still practicing ER on him.
Me and her brother stood on our knees next to her and I touched softly her shoulder trying to calm her. It hurt me, seeing her so desperate. Since forever, she was the strong one and I was the fragile, the weak, as Nykko told me earlier.
I saw Clarke climbing on the ship and she looked at me. I saw another woman, with painted eyes, climbing too and a black elder woman followed her. Near me was Bellamy's rifle and my old knife. Clarke made me a sign and slowly I took the knife, handing the rifle to Bellamy.
"I'll kill them all." said the black woman and the Grounders prepared their weapons, but so we did.
"Please. You don't have to do this." tried Clarke to explain.
"You lied. And you're out of time." the painted woman answered.
I saw how Abby grabbed the stun stick and hit Lincoln with it.
"Hit him again." asked Clarke.
Abby did it and Lincoln opened his mouth trying to breathe.
"Oh, Lincoln." said Octavia softly.
"Octavia." he answered and I smiled because he was back.
I saw the Grounders looking curious at us and they put away their weapons.
I followed Clarke in the Grounders village, because Abby asked me to do it. I don't know what I could do with just a knife against them, but I listed her. She was the Chancellor, after all.
"Lincoln's recovery was... impressive. No one's ever survived such a fate before." said the painted woman, apparently their leader.
"It's not complicated, really. We just have to keep them alive long enough for the drug to leave their system. I know we can do the same for others." answered Blondie.
"You may have your truce." said the woman.
"Thank you." I answered looking at Clarke.
"I just need one thing in return."
"Tell me." said Clarke smiling.
"Deliver me the one you call Finn. Our truce begins... with his death. And don't let her," she said pointing at me, "to offer her life for his."
I felt the tears in my eyes and I reached Clarke's hand, trembling.