from the ashes (she will rise) ➸ octaven

chapter 21

Octavia eventually falls asleep, only stirred awake when she feels the car slow to a stop.

"My turn?" she asks, rubbing her eyes. But Clarke just keeps her hands on the wheel.

"We've got a problem."

"What's going on?" Raven wakes, the warmth of Octavia's body no longer next to her.

"I don't know what happened," Clarke shakes her head. "It said we had half a tank left but then the engine started vibrating. I literally saw the needle drop straight to E," she points to the gas gauge.

"So what's that mean?" Raven lifts her head.

"That we're out of gas," Octavia nods, earning an eyeroll from Raven.

"I know that, idiot," Raven nudges her. "I mean, what do we do now ?"

"We walk," Clarke sighs, leaning over to shake Lexa awake. "There's got to be a gas station somewhere." Octavia's eyes quickly dart to Raven, but the girl is already halfway out the car.

"Then let's hurry up," Raven nods, avoiding Octavia's questioning gaze.

And that's how they end up trekking down the side of a dusty desert highway, with only the last few rays of sun to light the way. Delia skips ahead, excited at the prospect of an adventure. Octavia, however, sticks back with Raven. It doesn't take much to tell that the girl's in pain. But she knows better than to bring it up.

After an hour, Octavia's relieved when they finally reach some sort of civilization. There's dim, dusky neon signs in the distance and everyone seems to pick up the pace. Octavia hurries over to Clarke, grabbing her arm.

"There's a motel across the street," Octavia keeps her voice hushed. "There's no way I'm letting Raven walk another hour back to the car."

"Fine with me," Clarke nods, not putting up a fight like Octavia had expected. "I'm exhausted, anyway. I'll take Lexa with me in the morning and we'll bring the car back here."

When Octavia tells Raven this, she doesn't miss how relieved she is. And so, they find themselves crossing the street towards a run-down motel. A few of the outdoor rooms sport the blue flickering glow of a television through the windows. Octavia's pleasantly surprised when they end up purchasing two rooms across from one another. It's no question who's rooming with who.

"This place is prehistoric," Raven notes, coughing and shaking out the curtains in their small room. Octavia just nods in agreement, tinkering with the lock on the door. Raven sits down on the bed.

"You didn't have to do that, you know."

Octavia lifts her head, raising a questioning eyebrow. "Do what?"

"Make us stay here," Raven leans down, undoing her brace with skilled hands. She's done this so many times that it's practically muscle memory by now.

"I..." Octavia opens her mouth to argue but struggles to find her words. But Raven just shrugs.

"Can't say I'm not thankful," she sighs. Octavia bites her lip, sitting down carefully beside the girl.

"That bad?" Her voice is quiet.

Raven nods. "More than usual."

"Here," Octavia digs through Raven's bag and tosses her a change of clothes. "This good?"

"Yeah," Raven gives her a sad smile. "Thanks."

"I'm gonna take a shower," Octavia gestures to the bathroom. "Yell if you need anything."

However, the peace and quiet is interrupted only minutes later when an ear piercing scream echoes from the bathroom and Octavia comes scrambling out, clutching a t-shirt to her chest and kicking the door shut with her foot. Raven sits up quickly.