Taming Chaos // J.M // The 100

Chapter 107

"This is a terrible idea." Ethan leans over the back of the Commander's wooden chair, his head tilted down to stare aimlessly at the armrest.

"It's also the only one we have."

"Yeah," he scoffs, "I've been hearing that a lot. . . Went from plan A to fucking plan Z." He shakes his head and looks up, meeting Clarke's eyes with a slow, controlled breath. "I just don't want to see anything happen to you."

She tries to smile, but her lips barely twitch. "It'll work."

"We don't know that."

Over Clarke's shoulder, Abby is lying her equipment out across the impromptu medical table. Her neck is an array of reds and emerging blues, much like Murphy's on the day of his hanging. 

The EMP had been a one-use-only thing. And with Ontari brain dead, it was useless to waste it on her. The obvious choice was Abby. Clarke's mum, and the only doctor around.

This so-called "plan" includes running Ontari's blood through Clarke's veins, and hoping the Flame would accept her in the few minutes they get.

And behind Abby, the rest of their crew is trying haphazardly to keep ALIE's people out. Because, you know, they're climbing the goddamn fucking tower like spiders in your worst nightmare.

"Okay," Abby says, stepping away from the table. Her voice is somber. "I'm ready."

Clarke nods and squeezes Ethan's shoulder before she sinks into the chair. Her eyes follow the needle in Abby's hand, all the way until it touches the skin of her inner elbow.

Pike slips through the torn curtains behind Ethan, making him tense and turn his back toward Abby instead. 

"The balcony's greased. No one's getting in through here."

"You'd be surprised," Ethan mumbles.

"There isn't enough lamp oil to cover the Commander's chambers," Bellamy informs them, turning to look over their warriors.

Pike nods, "Then that's where the fighting starts. We'll dig in there." He takes his leave, Bryan following him despite his wrapped and still bleeding thigh.

Ethan's eyes sweep the room until they land on Octavia. She feels it almost immediately and looks up, returning the nod he gives her.

Take the chance, he's saying. Already plan to, is her response.

"O." Bellamy calls out, just when she turns to leave. 

Incredibly frustrated and waiting for the usual reprimand, she faces him. The surprise shows only in her eyes when he tells her to be careful.

"We're all set," Abby says, drawing Bellamy's eyes again.

He comes over to stand by Clarke's side, just as the transfusion starts, blood running along clear tubes to Ontari's prone body, and back again from there.

They're all collectively tense, and silent.

Clarke watches the blood enter her arm, and shudders through a breath. Bellamy consoles her first, with a half-hearted joke, "Hey, try doing that hanging upside down."

Ethan screws his face up, but doesn't bother with the questions. "I'm not even going to ask."

He releases a pent up breath through his nose and finds his eyes uncontrollably scanning the room, from the ragged carpet to the knocked over chairs, from Ontari's unmoving body to the rope still tied to the rafters. It makes his breath falter. His shoulders slump only when Murphy comes into view, like he knew he was being looked for.