Taming Chaos // J.M // The 100

Chapter 108

"The flame will protect me." Clarke says, not an inch of doubt in her voice, "I don't know how I know. I just. . . know."

"It wants you to win," Ethan says, patting her hand. "Lexa, too."

Her eyes soften for a moment, and she smiles at the thought, just a little.

Bellamy moves over to the table, and picks up one of ALIE's chips, twisting it between his fingers. He turns around, "I believe you."

Abby's face falls, a tear sliding down her cheek. But she pushes through the doubt and fear, "Do you know what you're looking for?"

With a little more life in her eyes, Clarke smiles. "I'll know when I find it."

Reaching out, Abby pulls her in and kisses her forehead. 

Ethan chews on the inside of his cheek and turns his head to search the room. It only takes Murphy a few seconds to notice the burning gaze, before he drops his crossed arms and moves closer.

"May we meet again," Abby whispers.

Clarke leans forward, "We will."

"We'll keep you safe," Bellamy reassures, holding the chip out between his fingers.

"From here, anyway," Ethan adds, ducking his head to catch Clarke's eyes and really ingrain his next words in her head. "Do what you need to do in there, and get out."

Unblinking, Clarke nods. She parts her lips and takes the chip between her teeth. Her throat bobs. She closes her eyes.

Ethan doesn't know how long it's been since Clarke closed her eyes, but the room is practically empty save him, Murphy, and Abby.

He knows it's not good when Ontari starts shaking violently on the table.

"Uh, Abby?" 

Murphy snaps his head up when he notices it too, and darts to his feet, "Abby, we've got a problem." Taking Ontari's shoulders he tries to keep her still, "Abby!"

Glued to the ground in front of Clarke, Ethan turns his head and curses, watching the blood drip from her nose. He can hear Ontari grunting and groaning every time her body slams back against the table.

"Move!" Abby barrels through them.

Murphy takes a step back and draws an arm into himself when Abby brushes past his back. Ethan notices this with a dip in his brow and has to force himself not to go over there.

"She's crashing," Abby breathes out, face ashen.

Ethan spins around to the body slumped on the throne, "What's gonna happen to Clarke?" He looks over his shoulder to see Abby already starting CPR.

"She won't get enough nightblood." Abby breathes out, interlocked fingers moving up and down against Ontari's chest. "And her body will reject the flame."

"Figured as much," Ethan responds shakily, using his sleeve to wipe away the blood under Clarke's nose as if it'll help at all.

"I need you to take over, and do exactly as I was doing." Abby ignores the shocked expression on Murphy's face, a clear indicator of "I really don't want to do this" and drags his hands into the movement of pumping Ontari's heart.

Ethan spasms from where he's standing, not knowing enough medical expertise to help with anything. It isn't until Abby rushes over that he stands back and drags his hands through his hair, taking a deep breath.

"If the blood stops flowing through this tube, Clarke's brain will liquefy." Abby takes Clarke's face in her hands. The blood Ethan wiped away is only coming back in full force.

"What can I do?" Ethan asks, desperately.

Abby looks around, and finally, gestures to the curtains hanging over the window, "I need something to mop up the blood. We might have to open Ontari up."

Ethan swallows, hard, but complies, tearing the few remaining curtains from their railing. He bundles them up and darts back over.

But now Clarke is seizing too.

"It's not working. Open her shirt." Abby says, and Murphy's face drops. He does it anyway, his eyes avoiding certain areas, as she dumps her equipment in the open space of the table. "She's still not getting enough blood."

Ethan tears one of the curtains in two and passes it over.

Clarke shakes harder against the chair, now audible over their chatter.

"We have to increase Ontari's heart rate."

"Please tell me that doesn't include literally pumping her heart," Ethan stresses, standing on the other side of the table.

Abby reveals a clean scalpel as her answer.

Staring at it, Murphy purses his lips, "I knew I wasn't going to like this."

Not wasting any time at all, Abby presses the blade into her skin. Starting from the hollow of her neck.

Clarke's fits are only getting more violent and Ethan rushes over to help clear her airway. When Murphy notices how bad it's gotten, he raises his voice and turns back to the doctor, "Abby, you need to move faster, okay?"

Breathing ragged, Abby expands Ontari's rib cage with a large, metal contraption. Twist by twist.

"Oh shit," Ethan presses the back of his hand against his mouth. When Abby reaches inside her chest and literally grabs Ontari's heart in her hand, he feels like he's going to throw up.

But the blood races back through the tube. Clarke's tremors start to die off. "Abby, it's working!" He laughs his relief.

"Get over here." 

He flicks his head over his shoulder, but Abby's looking at Murphy, eyes unblinking. 

"I need you to pump her heart."

Murphy's voice comes out in a whisper at first, "What?" He takes a step toward the table and looks down at Ontari with wide eyes, "I mean, are you crazy? I'm not gonna pump her heart-"

"Now!"

"Abby." Ethan starts to extend from his crouch, coiled like a rubber band about to snap.

But Murphy flashes him a soft glance and nods despite the tremor in the motion, I'm okay.

Hesitantly, Ethan kneels back down, fingers against the pulse at Clarke's wrist.

"It's okay. Right under there." Abby reassures, guiding Murphy's hand around Ontari's heart until he's got a good grip.

"Oh, God." Murphy turns his head away and looks anywhere but Ontari. 

Abby hovers for a few extra seconds, "It's okay. Okay. You're doing great."

Releasing a shaky breath, Murphy nods, "Just go get Clarke. I got this."

Taking off, Abby darts up the few steps and kneels beside Ethan, observing Clarke's slighter movements. "Come on, my baby."

Finally, Clarke is still again.

Abby ducks her head with a heavy breath, "She's stabilizing." She glances at Murphy, "Don't stop what you're doing."

Mother now with her daughter, Ethan squeezes Clarke's arm and takes Abby's earlier position at the table. He places one hand on Murphy's shoulder, "You okay?"

"Not really," Murphy admits, eyes focused on the heart he's pumping with his bare hand.

Ethan spreads his fingers out across his upper back, hoping the warmth of his hand leaves Murphy something else to focus on but a dead girl's heart, "We're so close to being done with this."

"Yeah." Murphy breathes out shakily.

0o0

Sorry, not much happened in this chapter. But do not worry! I got Covid lmao, and during my time isolated to my room, I've been pretty much only working on my stories haha, got heaps of editing and chapters done!