from the ashes (she will rise) ➸ octaven

chapter 29 (epilogue)

the book version of this fic is published!! all the links are here

http://txrches.tumblr.com/post/146405369832/on-the-same-day-that-dakota-quinn-punches-someone

enjoy :)

---

"You're late."

Octavia jumps when she walks into her apartment to find Raven sitting on her couch, her feet propped up on the coffee table. There's a book in her lap and an Amy Winehouse record playing in the background.

"I had to clean out an engine. Lost track of time," Octavia nods, letting the duffel bag over her shoulder slide to the ground beside the door. She tosses her backpack next to it, stretching out her shoulders. Raven marks the page in her book and raises an eyebrow at her.

"C'mere, greaseball," she teases, patting the couch beside her. Octavia doesn't argue, falling back onto the couch and yawning. "When're they actually gonna let you fight fires?"

"When they think I'm ready," Octavia shrugs. Raven wipes at a smudge on her face with her sleeve before leaning against the girl's shoulder. "How was school?"

"Intense," Raven laughs, motioning to the stack of books on the table across from them. "You know anything about Quantum Physics?"

Rolling her eyes, Octavia scoffs and leans her head on Raven's shoulder. "Do I look like I know anything about Quantum Physics?" She nudges Raven's arm, making the girl laugh. "May I ask why you're doing homework in my apartment instead of your desk?"

"Clarke and Lexa kicked me out," Raven rolls her eyes half-heartedly. "They're having a movie night with Delia."

"Another no show?"

"What do you think?"

Octavia sighs and leans back on the couch, curling up against Raven's side. They exist in comfortable silence for a while, Octavia resting for the first time that day, and Raven mumbling softly to herself, flipping through a textbook and scrawling things down on a sheet of graph paper.

Octavia's eyes scan the room slowly, amused at the collection of random pictures and drawings that line the walls. Compared to Clarke and Raven's apartment, the apartment she and Lexa own is a bit more... eccentric. And although they've yet to move in officially, they've still managed to make it their home. Lexa's already set up a fishtank in the living room, tacked pictures and magazine clippings all over the walls, and has laid piles of blankets in almost every room.

A lot has changed in the past few months, Octavia realizes. Lexa was discharged from the hospital, on a trial run with new medication that's surprisingly making a difference. They've all started school -- Raven at Stanford, Octavia at a smaller college, Lexa at the same high school, and Clarke's begun an internship with Indra, tagging along to meetings and spending more time at the group home.

Since she's started school, Octavia's days have grown longer. She's shaken awake at the crack of dawn by Raven, who's always the first one up. After she drops Raven off at her 8am lecture, Octavia drives back across town to her first class. (Raven's offered to take the bus, but Octavia doesn't mind the extra thirty minutes it takes her to drop Raven off.) Octavia surprisingly doesn't hate school, either. Probably because she spends mornings at the college, and the rest of the day as a volunteer firefighter at the station down the street. And although she's yet to actually fight fires, she's content with knowing it will happen eventually.

According to Raven, Stanford's "kicking her ass, but in a good way." She's challenged, sure. And sometimes it's a bit overwhelming, but her teachers have seen her potential and went out of their way to help her. That's something she's never had before. She's always seemed to slip through the cracks. Octavia sees just how much it means to Raven.