May We Meet Again

Chapter Two

Here we are again ... I'm embarking on a new journey of a fanfiction story. This time, we're going with a post-apocalyptic vibe. I recently watched The 100 on Netflix. I'd been intrigued to write a story based off that show/series of novels. I decided to write it for NaNoWriMo. I'm starting almost halfway through the month, but I'm determined to, at least, get something going.

In regard to how many chapters, update schedule and all that jazz, I'm not certain, but I'm hoping to get a big chunk written in the next fifteen days.

Anyway, we're going to hear from Edward and possibly Renee in this chapter. We're going to move to the point where they were going to head to the ground.

Chapter Two: Three Months Ago

Edward

"We need to figure this out," Dr. Renee Swan growled, scrubbing her face. She looked so drawn, exhausted ... all because I was doing my job. I should have left well-enough alone. This is your fault, Cullen. All your fault. Renee shot up, stopping my self-loathing. She paced angrily, clenching her hands into tight fists. "In three months, my husband is dead set on floating my daughter. On killing our child. All because he wants to make an example of her." Her voice cracked with her hands flying to her face. "I can't lose her. I can't lose my sweet baby girl."

"What did she say the last time you were granted a meeting with her? When you were last able to visit her?" my father asked. Renee choked out a sob and my mother scurried over to her, hugging her tightly. My father was getting frustrated, blinking to me. "Can you get Renee in again? It's important for Renee to talk to Bella. We need more."

"I'm trying, but the warden is a staunch supporter of the Chancellor," I explained. "What Charlie Swan says is law according to Warden Pike. If Bella is in solitary confinement for her own protection, she is in solitary confinement. No outside visitors or interaction with the other prisoners." When I worked in the prison, I visited Bella and each day, she lost more of the life in her eyes. It sparked slightly when I brought her food, but that flash of emotion was hatred for me.

Yeah, I don't blame you for hating me. I hate me, too. This is my fault.

"I cannot believe Charlie," Renee snapped, shrugging off my mother's embrace. She stomped to the window and stared, sightlessly outside. Crossing her arms over her chest, she continued, "Our quarters are quite tense. I've taken to sleeping in Bella's room. It's the only way I can be close to her. He tried to convince me to come back to our room, but I said that I wouldn't come back to him until he acted like a father and not as a Chancellor when it came to Bella. If I could, I'd leave him. But, he's more concerned about fucking optics."

"I miss Chancellor Molina," my mother muttered, sitting down on the couch. "She had compassion. Hell, it was her compassion that prevented my death."

"Because you did nothing wrong, my love," Dad said, caressing her cheek. "You were attacked by an animal who got his just desserts. He hurt you and took away your choice. He paid for what he did to you with his life."

"If Charlie was in charge, he probably would have floated Esme," Renee grumbled, crossing back to the table, and picking up the tablet. She angrily swiped at it, shaking her head. "Ugh! We're missing something. Bella told me to look at the oxygen scrubbers and the correlation between the increased hypoxia cases. What did she see that we're not?!"

"What's hypoxia?" I asked, my ears flaming with embarrassment. "I'm not a doctor and ..."

"Apologies, son. Hypoxia is where you're not getting enough oxygen to your vital systems," Dad responded. His eyes scanned his tablet, trying to make sense of the numbers on the screen. "But, according to the computers, the scrubbers are working fine. I think?"