Just Surviving (#Clexa)

Picking Sides

Clarke POV

Lexa orders for a tent to be pitched and moves us all inside, leaving me to care for Indra as she paces the room angrily. We're all waiting for Kane to arrive – he got Indra's signal and had replied with a confirmation.

Indra lies on a bed of rough furs now as I tend to her wound, and I can tell she's only barely tolerating me because of Lexa. If it was up to her, and she weren't dying because of a bullet wound, my life would be taken already.

'The bleeding's stopped,' I inform her. 'We need to get you something for the pain.'

Indra groans as I help her sit up with her back to the wall of the tent, adjusting the bandage around her chest. We all spin at the sound of the tent flap being drawn aside, and I stare in surprise at the girl who's joined us.

'Octavia? Where's Kane?'

The girl has tears in her eyes, and I know it's because she's seen the slaughter outside. Had she no idea what Pike had done? Why was Bellamy part of it and not her?

'He sent me,' she says, striding over to crouch beside the wounded general and take her arm. 'Indra... thank God!'

Lexa watches us for a moment before growling, 'How did this happen?'

'Kane lost the election to Pike,' Octavia explains, standing to attention. I stare at her, disbelieving. How could that have happened?

'Everything's different,' the girl continues, voice wavering. As I stand up as well, Lexa's eyes flit between us. 'Your people voted for this?'

'No,' I whisper. 'No, I don't believe that.'

Octavia glowers at me. 'What do you know, Clarke? You haven't been here.'

Her anger is well-placed, but we really don't have time for blame. 'Listen to me – the Grounder army is gonna be here in less than a day. I need to see Bellamy.'

'Bellamy was a part of this!' Octavia snaps, upset. 'He's with Pike. What makes you think he'll help us?'

'He saved Indra's life.'

Indra and Octavia meet eyes across the room before my friend sighs. I glance at Lexa. 'If what Octavia's saying is true, then Pike trusts him. If I can get to him, he can get to Pike.'

'You can't just walk through their gates, Clarke,' Lexa dismisses. 'You've been living with their enemy. If it were me, I'd kill you on the spot.'

Which is true, of course. And I've been enjoying living with the enemy so far, so what does that make me? A traitor?

'I can get her in,' Octavia mutters. 'The same way I got out.'

Both Lexa and I stare at her.

'Please,' I say to the Commander. 'Let me do this. Let me try.'

---

Octavia leads me inside Arkadia's walls with the skill of someone who's had to escape way too often. We encounter no one as we climb out of the maintenance tunnel into what used to be the Ark, and she wastes no time ushering me into a mechanics room that's very rarely visited. Before she leaves in search of Bellamy, she looks at me with an expression I know all too well; Octavia may not like that I abandoned them, but she still sees me as their leader.

'If we can't stop Pike, what's going to happen?' she asks worriedly.

Leaning against a workbench, I sigh. 'It'll be war. Our people against twelve Grounder clans. I don't think we can survive that – do you?'

Octavia's nostrils flare, and she looks away. 'I'll get Bellamy. You just... stay here.'

And then she's gone, leaving me alone in what once was my home. It goes without saying that I'm not welcome anymore.