Fallen

Chapter Twenty-Six: The Shift

Ash watches in horror as Pike leads a group of armed soldiers back through the gate. Bellamy is among those with weapons.

"What did you do?" Ash asks him, hoping she is wrong.

"Don't worry about it," he tells her, trying to push past her. She places a hand on his chest, stopping him.

"You better prove me wrong," she tells him, snatching the gun from his hands. "Because if you did what I think you did, I'll-"

"You'll what?" he asks. She snatches the gun from his hands.

"You attacked three hundred of our allies," she snaps. A crowd starts to form around them.

"You are drawing a crowd."

"I don't give two shits. We were at peace."

"Peace? We fought them before when they killed our friends. Or do you not remember that?"

"I do. But I also recall the fact we had a chance to do better." She more turns towards the crowd now. Hopefully someone will actually listen to her. "We are repeating history. If we keep on repeating this, then we will end up right where we started."

Mutters start buzzing through the crowd. Pike steps foreword as another one of his men takes the gun from her.

"Thank you Miss Kane," he says before turning to the crowd. "This morning on the muddy field, our people paid tribute to those who have been taken from us by sending a message to the Grounders. This land is ours now. Resist and you will be met by force. Fight and you will be greeted by death. Today is a new beginning. Mark it down. Remember it. Just like the Grounders will remember it."

"You are being an idiot," Ash snaps. Bellamy holds her back, dragging her inside. She keeps yelling at Pike though. "You are going to start a war at this rate."

He drags her into an empty corridor before pushing her up to the wall. Her heart beat picking up a bit.

"Are you an idiot?" he asks.

"I could say the same to you. After everything we have been through, I would have figured you would agree with me."

"We have lost too many people for that to be an option. Roma, John, and plenty others were killed by them. Even Finn who vouched for peace was killed by them."

"And we achieved his dream. We should be trying to keep it."

"You didn't see what had to be done for 'peace', so you don't-"

"I wasn't there because I was imprisoned in that fucking mountain trying to keep as many alive as possible."

He fall silent for a moment, trying to process what she had said.

"Ash... I lost Gina a couple days ago. I can't lose you again with you getting arrested."

"Bellamy, think this through. If you think there is a chance I could be arrested, then what about Octavia?"

"Don't bring her into this."

"No you need to listen to me. O has embraced much of Trikru's culture and her boyfriend was part of Trikru. If they don't like the way I speak up about their bullshit, then they will have a problem with the two of them."

Bellamy backs away from her. His face stern. Maybe she should have worded it differently, but he needed to hear it.

"This is your only warning, Ash. Don't be dumb."

He walks away from her. She lets out a groan of frustration before walking away from him. Pike has him wrapped around his finger.

The war that will happen at this rate will be worse than before. At least when it was at the dropship, they didn't have the entire Coalition aiming at them. Also bonds were formed now that can be destroyed.

Ash walks along the halls, trying to avoid Pike's men. Her dad finds her and motion for her to follow him. She looks around before following him to where Octavia is waiting.

"Indra signaled me," he tells them. "Three clicks."

"She's alive," Octavia sighs in relief.

"Pike has me under watch, I won't be able to go," he tells them.

"He's probably watching me now," Ash points out. "So that leaves Octavia."

"How would I be able to get out?"

Marcus pulls back a panel in the wall, showing the ventilation system. Ash looks at Octavia, recalling what she had to do most of her life.

"Are you okay with doing with this?"

"I will be."

The younger female climbs into the vents and quickly take off. Marcus closes the panel before going to embrace his daughter.

"Please be careful," he requests. "I'm afraid of what Pike is capable of."

"Same to you," she tells him. No way would she tell him what she really is thinking about. She can't let Pike continue to lead everyone to their deaths. She already worked too hard to keep as many people alive as possible.

The two of them head outside, making sure that Pike and his men see them. Raven storms past them to go back inside. Abby walks over to Marcus, pulling him off to talk. That's when the gate opens and Jaha walks right on in. Past him, Ash could see the dead body of a Grounder being dragged off. Marcus and Abby head over to talk to him.

The shock that runs through Ash. Many had assumed Jaha was dead. She was informed about how he took a group of people to find some safe haven. But now only he returns. Apparently Murphy was among those he had taken with him. She knows she should feel bad about the fact he most likely died, but in reality, she is glad that bastard got what was coming to him. He has caused enough problems for everyone.

Marcus walks back over to Ash.

"Be careful around Jaha," he states quietly. "He's different."

"No one made it back with him."

"Apparently Murphy is still alive."

"That bastard really won't die," she mutters under her breath.

"Ash."

"Don't 'Ash' me. I have the right to say that after everything he's done."

With that, she turns around and goes to head back inside.