Ready, Aim, Fire

Chapter Five

Octavia, Bellamy, Monroe, Mel and I make the trek back to Alpha Station through the night, only stopping for an hour or so a few times to rest, eat and rehydrate. Bellamy takes turns with Octavia in helping Monroe hobble over the rough terrain, and when he isn't helping Monroe, he is walking next to me as I walk next to Mel, telling her all about our time on Earth. I may have sugarcoated the story a little but, but she got the gist. Earth is just as dangerous as it beautiful.

The ground becomes easier to see as the sun rises. "How much trouble do you think we'll be in?"I ask Bellamy as he hands off Monroe to Octavia once again. "We're about to find out." He answers as we walk out from the trees and into the sunlight. "I should be relieved to be back, right?" I ask Bellamy quietly as the group pauses to take a breath. He gives me a nod along with a confused look. "Then how come all I feel is dread?"

I let my eyes wander over the metal of the Ark Station and try to block out all the bad memories. "Come one. This arrow could've been poisoned. We should hurry." Octavia says, already in the process of helping Monroe over the rocks that surround Alpha Station. "When we get there, everyone needs to give up their weapons if they're told to." Bellamy says, giving a pointed look to both his sister and me. "We don't need anymore trouble."

We come to the gate and raise our hands up, well the ones we can, and slowly walk through the open gate. A Guard snatches my gun and bow roughly off my shoulders, and I wince as pain shoots through my dislocated one. I glance at the man and point to my sling with a 'duh' look on my face.

Abby, mom, still weird, walks up to us, a worried look on her face as she scans over ours. Her gaze settles on Mel. "I know you. Factory Station. Where are the others?" Abby asks, and I shake my head. "There are no others." Mel answers, and Abby's face drops. "We found her a day from here. No survivors. Lots of supplies." Bellamy says, and Abby quickly nods. "Get her to medical." She says to a nearby woman. SHe glances at my sling as she reaches out for Monroe. "I'll be there in a minute." I say, glancing at Bellamy quickly before looking back to her. She nods and walks off towards the medical tent.

Someone tackles me, causing me to groan in pain as they squeeze me into a hug. "Carter." A familiar voice says, and my eyes widen in surprise as I recognize the blonde hair in my face. "Clarke!" I yell, ignoring the pain, and hug her back just as tightly. "Oh my God, Clarke." Tears begin running down my face as my sister just hugs me even tighter.

Clarke pulls out of the embrace, giving me a watery smile of her own, then surprises everyone by launching herself at Bellamy and pulling him into a hug. "Now there's something I thought I'd he never see." Octavia says as Bellamy hugs the blond back.

"Carter!" I turn and find Raven limping towards us, and my smile couldn't get any bigger. "Raven!" I yell back and run the short distance between us, pulling her into a hug. "I'm glad you're okay." I say to the mechanic as we pull apart. We join the group, and I notice Clarke's smile fall. "Where's Finn?" She asks, and my stomach drops down to my toes. "Looking for you." Bellamy tells Clarke as she shares a worried look with me.

We follow Clarke into the medical tent as Abby is just finishing up with Monroe's leg. Without saying anything, Abby takes off my sling, quickly and skillfully setting my shoulder back in place. She looks to Clarke. "I have a meeting with the Council, then we'll talk." She says and walks out of the tent without a glance back. I move my shoulder around, only feeling a little bit of soreness, and glance at Bellamy. "So, are we listening into that meeting or not?"

Turns out, we can't hear them through the metal door, but Clarke fills us in about Mount Weather. She tells us about how they can't handle radiation and how they use Grounder blood to help heal them when they're exposed. Abby comes out shortly after and tells us the plan. "What about Finn and Murphy?" I ask, Clarke and I standing in front of our mother as Bellamy paces behind us. "For now, we have to focus on getting intel on Mount Weather and letting Kane know the Grounders don't have you." Abby says, and my mouth drops open in disbelief. "What? No. You can't just cut them loose." Clarke says, sounding as outraged as I feel. "Sweetheart, we don't have the manpower to send out two rescue mission and protect our camp." Abby says, sounding annoyingly rational and okay with leaving two people out there on their own. "Mom, they're in trouble." Clarke argues, and I nod, jumping in. "They're going to get themselves killed or give the Grounders even more of a reason to wipe us out." I say, letting myself sound desperate. "I know this seems unfair." Abby says, talking to us like we just asked to have a cookie before dinner as she glances between Clarke and I. "But our priority has to be with Chancellor Kane if there is any hope for peace."