Coming Back Down

Pandora's Box

  "Negotiations are finished, the collar can come off." Someone told me, and the atmosphere was incredibly tense as they unlocked it. Standing from where I had sat near a fire, I followed a man to where I was told Clarke and Bellamy would be. I was still on high alert, but I didn't have much choice but to follow.

  "Raven, Murphy....it's really good to hear your voices." I heard Clarke saying into a comms device as I entered the room.

  "....Clarke? I don't believe it."

  "Jeez, and they call me the cockroach."

  "Because you are, and you look like a sloth." I automatically popped off as I walked toward Bellamy and the blonde, knowing Murphy's voice when I heard it.

  "Oh, well that explains it. You made a deal with Viper, didn't you? Told you we should have, too." The man retorted after hearing my voice and also recognizing it. "The great king there, too?" Bellamy gave us a questioning look as if he himself didn't know.

  "No, But Roan's still alive. You guys just be careful up there, okay? We'll talk more once all of this is over. I want to hear everything." Clarke stated.

  "Okay, but first, thank you for saving our lives." It sounded as if Raven was crying, and I assumed it was from joy.

  "I miss you both."

  "We got to go." Bellamy put a hand on the blonde's shoulder. "Raven, stay safe. We'll talk soon." The freckle-faced male said after taking the communication device.

  "Yeah, every hour on the hour." Raven agreed.

~

  Waiting by the hole over the bunker, I felt excitement as the first person came back up. She looked different from how I remembered, but not too much that I wouldn't recognize her. Red covered her face from her eyes up, and she took a second to adjust after not being in the sun for six years.

  Smiling as my thumbs rested behind my belt, I knew when she spotted me as her face seemed to light up.

  "Hello, Octavia."

  "Viper!" And she raced down the pile of rocks and launched at me, wrapping her arms around my neck as she hugged me tightly. Admittedly, I, myself, had grown a bit soft over the years after having Roan and Enan chipping away at my walls, and I hugged her back. "Since when did you turn into a hugger?"

  "Blame Roan."

  "Will do." Octavia chuckled while stepping back.

  "How was it?"

  "....Hard." She replied as she put on a smile. I saw something flash in her eyes, a strange coldness I wasn't accustomed to with her, but I didn't push further. "But we made it work. It was either that or die."

  "We would have gotten you out sooner if we could."

  "I know, Viper. I know." The woman pat my shoulder, and more of the people underground were coming up to the surface.

  "O, we need to talk. In private." Bellamy came up and glanced from his sister to me, and then back. Octavia didn't say anything but waved to me before following her brother.

  Glancing around, I saw that the better warriors were coming up first, and the prisoners were abiding by their word so far. Now....I was going to go check on Roan and Enan to make sure they weren't getting into trouble. Who knows what they're possibly doing.

~

  Stepping into the North Cave, night had fallen, and the blazing fire lit the inside well enough that I could see everyone. My eyes first landed on Roan sitting next to Enan while making sure he was eating right. I felt a sense of ease at seeing they were both okay, but I paused as a body stepped in my way.

  Monty.

  His face seemed perplexed as if he was having a hard time wrapping his head around something as he held his hands together in front of his face. He wasn't really looking at me at first but then locked eyes with me.

  "You have a kid." He said lowly.

  "Yes."

  "Not only are you still alive, but you have a son."

  "It's nice to see you, too."

  "Yes, wonderful that you're alive and all that, but...." His brows furrowed as he pointed his hands in my direction. "you have a son. A kid! A child. And he's 3."

  "....Yeah?" I was becoming confused.

  "You realize that because his father is a king, your son is a prince? Oh, my God, Viper had sex with a king." Monty put one hand on his hip and the other on his forehead. "And not just any king, the king of the Ice Nation."

  "Did he do this to you, too?" I rose a brow while looking over at Roan.

  "For nearly half an hour." The Azgeda man replied while wiping some food off Enan's face. "Seems he finds it hard to believe someone like you and I could do something like this." Roan chuckled.

  "Has he never had the birds and bees talk?" I lightly laughed, making Monty's head whip in my direction.

  "I'm sorry that I'm having trouble wrapping my head around how the Ice Nation king and the most emotionally cold person I have ever met fell in love and reproduced, no offense. And to top it off, look at him!" Monty pointed to Enan. "He's so cute! And happy!"

  "Don't be fooled, Monty. That child is a torment." I walked over and plopped down next to my son. Enan launched at me and wiped his face off on my shirt while giggling. "See?"

  "I need to sit down." I watched him gently sit on a large rock. Whatever had happened in space had made him physically change. He was no longer the scrawny plant whiz and had gained some muscle. Hell, he even carried himself differently and didn't look as young as he used to. But then again, it had been six years.