01.
It's Okay Not To Be Okay
The sound of the lock turning and the opening of the cell door reached the young blondes ears, but she didn't move her head. She sat in the corner with her arms wrapped around her legs and her knees to her chest. Her head laid upon her knees as she stared forward. She's sat in that same position for hours refusing to let her tears fall.
"Prisoner 320 stand and face the wall." Two guards spoke up as they entered the cell to see the girl sat in the corner. They knew what this day meant to her, but they couldn't care less because to them her father was a traitor.
Juliet lifted her head and stared at the guards with an almost expressionless face. She was slightly surprised because she wasn't turning 18 for another couple months. I guess they thought floating her on her fathers birthday would be symbolic. She stood slowly deciding to get it over with, at least this way she'll be with her father again.
"Hold out your right arm." One of the guards gruffed out impatiently.
She stuck her arm out in front of her, furrowing her eyebrows when she saw them pull out a silver bracelet. She had never seen anything like it before. They secured it around her wrist and she resisted the urge to wince at the stinging sensation. They roughly grabbed each of her arms and pushed her into the hall. Her eyes widened when she noticed the same thing happening to every other prisoner in the sky box. Juliet was slightly confused, but then her eyes widened in realization. They were going to float them all off to save oxygen, to give themselves more time. Her head sunk accepting her fate, this was always bound to happen, but at least taking her life would give someone else more time.
Then she heard a frantic voice calling her name and she looked up to see Clarke and Abby. She turned and gave the guard a pleading look. He didn't seem too happy with the idea but the other guard let her go. She ran down the hall and into the arms of the only mother figure she's ever known. When she pulled back Clarke pulled her into another hug.
She pulled back and noticed Clarke looked terrified, she spoke quickly. "They're sending us to Earth." Juliet blinked in surprise, but soon nodded in acceptance. Earth shouldn't be inhabitable for at least another year, it was still a death sentence.
Abby pulled both girls into another hug and kissed the top of their heads. "Stay safe." Juliet felt a sharp pain in her back and then all went black.
➷ ➸ ➹
Juliet found herself sitting side by side with Clarke in a drop ship. Juliet seemed really calm compared to the other blonde. She had time to accept her fate it's what haunted her dreams for the past year, that and the face of her father as he stared in fear.
"Welcome back." Both heads snapped to their right to see their old best friend, Wells. Clarke was instantly angered at the sight of the dark skinned boy beside her, but Juliet was just numb. She was always numb.
"Look I-" he tried to explain, but was cut off.
"Wells, why the hell are you here?" Clarke snapped in annoyance, but Juliet could tell her heart wasn't fully in it. She knew that she was mostly concered that another person she considered family would also be put in danger.
"When I found out they were sending prisoners to the ground, I got myself arrested. I came for you." he rushed out in hope that Clarke would understand. Juliet just watched the exchange silently. She was used to being the silent one and she knew that Clarke was really important to Wells. She also knew that Clarke wouldn't forgive him so easily. A part of her was peeved by the fact that he wasn't trying to apologize to her, but she shoved that feeling aside. She didn't need to be thinking about her feelings now.
All of a sudden the drop ship started to shake. A few screams were heard as the lights started to flicker. Juliet's body went rigid in fear, but not for herself, but for her friends. The lights flickered back on right as clarke spoke. "What was that?"
"That was the atmosphere." Wells spoke seeming like the only calm one beside Juliet on the drop ship.
"Prisoners of the ark, hear me now, you've been given a second chance. And as your chancellor it is my hope that you see this as not just a chance for you, but a chance for all of us. Indeed, for mankind itself. We have no idea what is waiting for you down there. If the odds of survival were better we would have sent others. Frankly, we're sending you because your crimes have made you expendable."
"Your dad's a dick wells." Shouted someone on the other side of the drop ship. Juliet just stared at the screen, frozen silent.
"-those crimes will be forgiven. Your records wiped clean. Your drop sight has been chosen carefully. Before the last war, Mount Weather had a military base built within the mountain. It was too be stocked with enough non perishables to sustain 300 people for up to two years. No one ever made it there."
Juliet tore her attention away from the screen in frustration, there was too much noise for her to clearly listen. She stared at the boy floating in front of her in annoyance. He shouldn't be out of his seat, but she kept her comment to herself.
"Check it out, your dad floated me after all." He said to Wells and she could see the smirk playing on his lips.
"Strap in a before the parachutes deploy." Wells ordered, but Juliet knew he wouldn't listen. No one wanted to listen to the chancellors son now that they didn't have to.
"Hey, you two stay put if you want to live." Clarke yelled noticing the two boys trying to remove their seatbelts.
"You're the traitors who've been in solitary for a year." He spoke staring between the two blondes. Juliet just rolled her eyes and looked back at the screen. She couldn't really make out what Jaha was saying.
"You're the idiot who wasted a month of oxygen on an illegal space walk." Clarke challenged back and Juliet rolled her eyes. Of course, her father was killed for trying to warn the people about the lack of oxygen in the ark and he was over here wasting it.
"But it was fun." He spoke and Juliet could hear the smile in his voice. "I'm Finn."
Before Clarke could reply she was yelling at someone to stay in their seats. Then the parachutes deployed and the lights were flickering. Juliet thought she saw Finn hit a wall, but before she knew it Wells was yelling.
"Clarke there's something I have to tell you. I'm sorry I got your father arrested." Juliet narrowed her eyes, did he really think they were just arrested.
"Don't you dare talk about my father." She yelled back.
"Please I can't die knowing that you hate me." Juliet snorted despite the situation they were in. Both or their fathers were floated, but he didn't seem to be apologizing to her any time soon.
"They didn't arrest my father Wells, they executed him. I do hate you."
Juliet bit her lip as she heard yells and moans of pain around her as they landed. The lights had flickered on and everything was silent.
"Listen..." Juliet craned her neck to locate the voice. Her eyes landed on a boy with fluffy black hair who was strapped into the wall. "No machine hum." He noted and everyone was silent noticing it as well.
The boy next to him was the first to speak. "Woah, that's a first."
All of the seatbelts ejected and everyone raced to jump out of their seats. Juliet remained seated, watching as everyone grew shocked and happy faces.
"Finn is he breathing?" Juliet snapped her head to Clarke as she ran to the two bodies on the floor, Wells following suit. She saw Finn shake his head and a look of guilt cross his face.
"The outer door is on the other level. Let's go." Someone yelled and everyone raced to the stairs, climbing down.
"No, we can't just open the doors." Clarke yelled running after everyone. She watched as Wells followed after her, neither of them noticing their friend that was still remaining seated.
Juliet sat unmoving, finally letting it sink in that she was on the ground. She realized that being sent to the ground, to earth, was most likely a death sentence. She knew that she was okay with death. She's had a whole year to come to terms with it, but now she has her friends here. She couldn't let anything happen to them, even though she was upset Wells didn't apologize to her, he was still her friend at one point. She also realized that there are completely innocent people on here who were put in the skybox for petty charges.
They were all just kids and didn't deserve this, but now they had to grow up. She thought about what her father would do. She remembered the way he would talk about earth. About how he always dreamed that their people would get to walk this very land one day. He didn't get to live to see this day, but she did.
With a new found determination, Juliet pulled off her seatbelt. She noticed Finn still standing in the corner, but didn't say anything. When she reached the bottom level she was momentarily blinded by the light. She felt a tug of her lips when she realized it was the sun. Walking towards the drop ship opening she felt warmth. She wanted to run and laugh at the feeling, something she hasn't felt like doing in so long. She slowly walked out, but didn't get to enjoy the fresh air or the beautiful scenery because she heard her name being yelled.
She looked up and noticed Clarke beckoning her over. They walked over to a rocky edge and Clarke pulled out a map. Juliet noted the mountain straight across from them. Her eyebrows furrowed and she looked at Clarke, who didn't look happy. They were meant to land on Mount Weather which was clearly miles in front of them.
"Why so serious princess?" Juliet didn't even bother looking, by the sound of the smirking voice she could already tell it was Finn. "It's not like we died in a fiery explosion." Her head snapped and she gave him a glare. He obviously didn't remember the two boys who died in the landing following his lame attempt at showing off.
"Try telling that to the two guys who tried following you out of their seats." Clarke muttered as Juliet crossed her arms.
"You don't like being called princess, do you princess?" Juliet snorted and Finn smiled turning to look at her. "Oh princess number two, I was beginning to think you didn't make a sound." She just raised her eyebrows at him and turned to look at the map again.
"Do you see that peak over there?" Clarke asked gesturing to mount weather.
"Yeah." He answered seeming very uninterested.
"Mount weather. There's a radiation soaked forest between us and our next meal." Clarke explained. "They dropped us on the wrong damn mountain."
➷ ➸ ➹
Juliet found herself sitting on the drop ship door with Clarke standing in front of her. Both of them mapping out a plan to get to mount weather. They had found a pipe and we're using it to outline the trek to mount weather. At the sound of feet Juliet lifted her head, but glanced back down when she noticed the source.
"We got problems. The communication system is dead. I went to the roof a dozen panels are missing, the heat fried the wires." Wells spoke urgently staring at Clarke.
He turned to look at Juliet, but she refused to make eye contact. He took a step in her direction and Clarke gave him a sharp look. "Hey Jules." He spoke trying to start conversation. Juliet side glanced at Clarke who sucked in a breath at the look in her eyes. Juliet was hurt, and angry, and refused to speak to anyone, especially Wells.
Clarke took a step forward taking the attention off of her friend. Wells knew he messed up, but he couldn't stop trying. "Well, all the matters right now is getting to mount weather." Clarke spoke turning back to the map. "See look this is us. This is where we need to get to if we need to survive."
Juliet blocked them both out turning to look at everyone gathered around the drop ship. Everyone was so full of life, she craved that feeling.
Juliet glanced back to her friends when she heard a new voice. A thin boy with goggles had walked up to the group smiling, with his friend following closely behind. She noted that they were the two from the drop ship, the two strapped into the wall. "Ah cool, a map. Can I get a bar in this town. I'll buy you a beer." He said looking at Juliet. She stared at him in amusement, but it was short lived when Wells pushed him away. Juliet stood, jumping off the drop ship and walking in their direction.
"Hey, hey, hey hands off of him, he's with us." Turning her head she noticed a group of guys walking towards them, some holding sticks.
Wells clearly noticed they were outnumbered and put his hands up. "Relax, we're just trying to figure out where we are." Gesturing between himself and his two childhood friends. Juliet watched in silence at the exchange. Her and Clarke shared a look of alarm.
"We're on the ground. That not good enough for you?" Juliet narrowed her eyes at the man in the guards uniform. She knew they wouldn't sent a guard down here, they were too important. So that meant he wasn't a real guard, leading her to wonder how he got on the drop ship and how he got that uniform.
Wells gave an annoyed look that matched Juliet's very own. "We need to find mount weather." He started walking in the direction of the man in the guards uniform, with Juliet and Clarke following. "You heard my fathers message. That has to be our first priority."
"Screw your father." Spoke a brunette causing Juliet to snort earning her a menacing glare in return. "What you think you're in charge here? You and your little princess'?" Gesturing between the two blondes. She just rolled her eyes at the tacky nickname.
"You think we care who's in charge? We need to get to mount weather." Clarke spoke loudly, so everyone could here and Juliet nodded in agreement. "Not because the chancellor said so, but because the longer we wait the hungrier we'll get and the harder this will be. How long do you think we'll last without those supplies? We're looking at a twenty mile trek okay? So if we want to get there before dark. We need to leave."
By the end of the speech Juliet was smiling and she noticed the man in the guards uniform was frowning. He obviously noticed what she did, Clarke was a natural born leader. She had everyone listening even though some of them didn't want to agree, they did.
"I got a better idea. You three go, find it for us. Let the privileged do the hard work for a change." Juliet just smiled at him, having seen right through him. There were a chorus of 'yeahs' coming from everybody.
She knew that they wouldn't change their minds, but Wells kept trying. "You're not listening. We all need to go."
Juliet was pushed to the side as someone shoved their way to Wells. She looked up in annoyance to see the same boy who was leading the group from before, shove Wells. "Look at this everybody, the chancellor of earth." Juliet scoffed at the nickname, while everyone beside Clarke and Wells laughed.
"You think that's funny?" Wells spoke in annoyance, clearly having enough of this guy. He was kicked to the ground a second later. Juliet took a step in his direction but was held back. She tried to break free, but they were stronger. She huffed in frustration.
Before the fight could escalate Finn jumped off the roof of the drop ship. He landed between the two and smiled. Juliet didn't think she would ever be happy to see him as much as she did now. "Kids got one leg. How about you wait until it's a fair fight?"
Juliet watched as the same brunette from before saunter up to Finn. "Hey spacewalker, rescue me next." Fighting the urge to roll her eyes, Juliet pulled her arms out of the guy holding her back. And walked over to her friends.
Her and Clarke helped Wells sit down. Clarke was examining his ankle, while Juliet stood staring into the forest. Just because she agreed with him doesn't means she forgave him.
She saw Finn approach and speak to Clarke. "So Mount Weather, when do we leave?"
"Right now." Clarke answered and although Juliet isn't his biggest fan, she knew they needed him. Clarke turned back to Wells, "we'll be back tomorrow, with food."
Wells looked extremely angry that he wouldn't be able to go. "How the three of you, going to carry enough food for a hundred?"
Finn turned and grabbed goggles and his friend, pushing them in our direction. "Five of us." He spoke patting their backs. "Can we go now?"
"Sounds like a party. Make it six." Said the brunette from before, causing Juliet to roll her eyes. She crossed her arms and watched as the guy in the guards uniform followed.
"What the hell are you doing?" He asked grabbing her arm, but she just pulled out of it.
"Going for a walk." She answered causing Juliet to smile. She didn't like her, but she also didn't like guard guy even more.
Clarke grabbed everyone's attention stepping up to Finn. "Hey were you trying to take this off?" She asked pulling his wrist up to examine his bracelet revealing scratch marks.
"Yeah so?" Juliet narrowed her eyes at him.
"So this bracelet transmits your vital signs to the arc. Take it off and they'll think you're dead." Clarke explained trying to get him to understand.
"Should I care?" He countered raising his eyebrows.
"Well, I don't know. Do you want the people you love to think you're dead?" Clarke asked trying to reason with him. "Do you want them to follow you down here in two months? Because they won't if they think we're dying." No one spoke at her words. She looked at Finn seeming to be satisfied with the look on his face. "Okay now let's go."
Juliet was the first to walk ahead wanting to get away as quickly as possible. She held the map in front of her and didn't look back to see if anyone was following. Clarke soon caught up to her and they walked side by side. They walked for awhile until she heard Clarke huff in annoyance. She looked back noticing her stop. "Hey guys could you try to keep up." She called back to the four.
"C'mon Clarke. How do you block all this out?" Finn asked and Juliet couldn't help but want to agree. She wanted to stop and explore the beautiful forest around them, but she knew they couldn't waste any time.
Juliet stopped and leaned against a tree watching Clarke and the rest of the group. "Well it's simple. I wonder, why haven't we seen any animals, maybe it's because there are none, maybe we've been exposed to enough radiation to kill us. Sure is pretty though. C'mon." The rest of the group frowned at her words, but she could tell they knew she was right. Clarke walked up to Juliet and grabbed her arm pulling her along.
Clarke had just finished telling Juliet, the rest of the groups names. She said it would be important to know who she's with. Juliet grabbed Clarke's arm bringing them both to a stop. She jerked her head in front of them pulling them both down to a crouch. They both smiled never having seen one in person, but only in pictures. Clarke beckoned the rest of the group to follow. Juliet couldn't take her eyes off of the beautiful creature before her.
"No animals huh?" She heard Finn say and she smiled. She saw him take a step forward and accidentally step on a twig. At the sound, the deer turned to find the source. Juliet jumped back as she noticed the deer had another head growing out of the first. They all gasped at the sight and watched in shock as it ran back in to the forest.
They kept walking in silence no one wanting to speak of the animal from before. In fear that if they did, they would have to face the fact that earth wasn't all that it seemed.
"You know what I would like to know? Why send us down today after 97 years? What changed." Juliet looked back at Clarke, both of them knowing exactly why they were sent down here.
"Who cares I'm just glad they did. I woke up rotting in a cell and now I'm spinning in a forest." Octavia piped up from the front.
"Maybe they found something on the satellite." Monty offered.
"It wasn't a satellite. The ark is dying." Clarke spoke up from the side of Juliet. Everyone stopping to turn and look at her. They all wore the same shocked expression. Juliet just kept walking forward already knowing the story. "With the current population level, there's roughly three months left of life support, maybe four now that we're gone."
"So that was the secret they locked you both up to keep?" Finn asked looking between the blondes. Juliet glanced back at the group but continued walking. "Why they kept you in solitary? Floated your dad's?"
"Both of our fathers were the engineers and discovered the flaw. They thought the people had a right to know. The council disagreed. My mother disagreed." Juliet fought the tears that were threatening to spill. "They were afraid it would cause a panic. We were going to go public anyway, when wells..." Clarke drifted off staring at Juliet in front of her. Her back was to her, but she could tell by her tense form, and tight fists, that she could hear clearly.
"What? Turned in your dad's?" Finn asked glancing at Clarke. It was clear to everyone that Juliet wasn't speaking.
"That's why she doesn't speak?" Monty quietly asked gesturing toward Juliet who was leaning against a tree.
Clarke ignored both of their questions, deciding it best. "Anyway the guards showed up before we could. That's why today. That's why it was worth the risk. Even if we all die at least they bought themselves some more time." Clarke explained everyone listening quietly.
"There going to kill more people aren't they?" Juliet heard Monty ask and she frowned at the sadness in his voice.
"Good. After what they did to me. I say we float them all." Juliet shook her head as Octavia walked past her.
"You don't mean that." Jasper yelled following after her.
"Damn I love earth." Juliet heard as she walked after Jasper. Her eyes widened when she noticed Octavia taking off her pants.
"Octavia, what the hell are you doing?" Clarke yelled walking towards the careless brunette, who just glanced back before jumping. Juliet heard the water splash and ran to the edge of the cliff.
"We can't swim." Monty yelled voicing all of our thoughts but it was quickly dismissed when Octavia stood.
"Wait there's not supposed to be a river here." Clarke said glancing at Juliet who was pulling out the map.
"Well there is, so take off your damn clothes." Finn smirked, all three boys immediately rushing to take off their clothes.
Juliet was watching the river behind Octavia noticing movement. She gripped the closest thing to her in panic.
"Octavia get out of the water now." Jasper spoke out in panic noticing the same thing she had. Everyone stared in horror as something in the water pulled Octavia down. Juliet noticed that she was gripping an arm and she was gripping it hard. She looked up at Monty, who didn't seem to care that she was probably hurting him. He was staring straight at the water in fear.
Juliet let go of his arm hoping that he didn't notice and turned her attention back to the water. She glanced back to see Octavia come back up to the surface gasping for air. Clarke and Jasper rushed to climb down the rocks.
"What the hell is that?" Monty asked stepping closer to get a better look.
"We have to help her." Finn rushed out.
Juliet was glancing around trying to figure out a way to help.
"What are you going to do?" Jasper asked.
"Try not to get eaten." Finn bluntly spoke making a move to jump in the water.
"No, wait. " Clarke yelled stepping in to stop him. She looked to Juliet who was staring at a huge rock. They shared a look and Clarke nodded. "If we distract it, it might let her go. Help me." Clarke, Monty, and Finn began pushing the rock off the ledge. Once the rock was in the water the creature let go of Octavia and raced to it.
"Octavia get out of the water." Jasper yelled jumping in to help her. She was gasping for breath and wailing around. Juliet noticed the creature circling back to the two in the water and ran down the rocks to the edge of the river. The others followed quickly behind. By the time they reached the two, they were already out of the water and gasping for air.
Clarke ripped off a piece of Jasper's shirt and tied it above the wound on Octavia's leg. Juliet gave a small smile when Octavia hugged Jasper whispering thank yous.
"Note to self: next time, save the girl." Monty smiled patting Jasper on the shoulder. Juliet smiled, while everyone let out relieved laughs.
➷ ➸ ➹
The group decided to make camp at a small opening, once it got dark. Juliet wasn't able to sleep though. Once the others had fallen asleep she walked off a little to the side. She sat and watched as the flowers started to glow. She smiled wondering what her dad would say if he saw her now. The face he would make if he saw the beautiful glowing forest around her.
She smiled sadly at the sky above her. She felt a stray tear fall down her face. At the sound of a twig snapping her head jerked to the side. Clarke stood a couple feet away, she gave Juliet a sad look. Juliet nodded and turned her head back to the forest in front. She felt a presence next to her and warmth envelope her hand.
"It's okay not to be okay. You don't have to pretend. Not in front of me, Jules." She heard the sadness in Clarke's voice as she spoke.
"I know." She whispered not trusting her voice. Clarke's head snapped to the blonde beside her. It was the first time she's heard her voice in over a year.
"I've missed that voice." Clarke said smiling, she could feel tears steaming down her face. "It's okay to miss him, you know."
Juliet turned and smiled sadly at her best friend. She leaned her head on Clarke's shoulder and closed her eyes. "How did things get to be such shit?" She wondered aloud not really expecting an answer.
"I don't know, but we can change it. We can make them proud. You can make him proud." Juliet wasn't sure if she could ever make her father proud. She had failed him once and it ended in his death.
She lifted her head and glanced at her best friend in doubt. "I'm not like you Clarke. I'm not strong, I'm not a leader. I'm weak."
"Don't say that. You're smart. You knew how to save Octavia. You're here fighting, when you have nothing left. You're the strongest person I know." Clarke smiled and bumped her shoulder before finishing. "And I couldn't do this without you."
She smiled at Clarke. Not really knowing if any of that was true, but hoping that she could prove her right. All she had was Clarke, Abby, and Wells and even though she was angry at Wells, she doesn't know what she would do without any of them.
➷ ➸ ➹
The group had come across a vine that could swing across the river. Getting them one step closer to mount weather. Juliet was feeling a lot more confident with herself after her talk with Clarke last night. She wanted to prove that she could do this. She wanted to make her dad proud.
"You wanted to go first, quit stalling. Mount Weather awaits." Clarke smirked at Finn who was gripping the vine. He looked nervous and that made Juliet smile, he was human after all. "Today Finn."
Juliet raised her eyebrows when Finn handed the rope over to Jasper. She turned to Monty who was wearing a proud smile, she gave a smile of her own. She noted how Jasper kept staring between the rope and Octavia, knowing very well that she was the reason behind his new found bravery.
Jasper and Finn exchanged a few words before Jasper gripped the rope tighter. "See you on the other side." He smiled down at the group, before jumping off the ledge and swinging across. They all watched in awe as he swung across and jumped to the ground. He landed in a thud causing Juliet and the rest of the group to jump in alarm. They climbed up the ledge and staring at him in worry. Juliet let out a sigh of relief when he stood up smiling.
"We are apogee!" He yelled throwing his hands in the air. Juliet smiled looking between Jasper and the rest of the group cheering. She finally felt like things were going to be okay for once.
"Let's go princess. You're up." Finn spoke to Clarke and Juliet noticed the look on Clarke's face. She smiled, wanting nothing more than for her best friend to be happy.
"Come on Clarke you got this." Jasper yelled from the other side. Juliet watched as Jasper held up a a sign spelling out mount weather. "We did it. Mount Weather."
Their victory was short lived when a spear came out of nowhere piercing Jasper straight through the chest. He went flying into the tree behind him. Juliet was frozen in shock, eyes staring at the boy who was just seconds ago so full of life. She felt someone pull her away and behind a rock.
"We're not alone." Clarke spoke out in panic as everyone glanced around in fear.
➷ ➸ ➹
Juliet's first words to everyone is super important. Her first conversation, was with Clarke and she was vulnerable. It won't always be the same with everyone, but it will be very important to her character development later on.
Please tell me what you think.