When We Meet Again (The 100 Season 6 Clexa fanfic)

Chapter 3: The City

Clarke's conversation with Madi had been over surprisingly quickly.

She had readied herself to be yelled at, screamed at, for suggesting something so ridiculous. Yet, Madi simply listened to Clarke's reasoning, her heart being poured out through words.

When Clarke had pitched her final argument, Madi just stood there, smiling.

That half-smile. The mirror-image of Lexa's.

"What do you think?" Clarke had asked.

Rather than answering directly, Madi had said, "My dreams aren't only filled with visions that might provide me with some wise insight into protecting my people. I see her. I see you, too. I understand what it was like for her to have to hide her feelings for you, all because she was told 'to be commander is to be alone.'"

Clarke had been about to reply when Madi continued, "My point is that she had to deal with being commander, and could never fully give herself to you. So if I have the chance now to give her the opportunity to be with you, without that burden of being the commander, then I'm in."

With that, they moved to the back of the ship, where Valin had said they could talk without being disturbed. It was there that Madi offered up her dagger and knelt down, reciting her passphrase when Clarke sliced a thin slit at the base of her neck.

Within moments, the Spirit of the Commanders relinquished its grip on Madi's mind, willingly falling into Clarke's open palm.

Black blood, nightblood, trickled across the fair skin on Madi's back. Clarke diligently wrapped a torn off shred of shirt around the wound, insisting that she check on it twice a day to ensure no infection occurred.

But once Clarke knew Madi was unharmed, she fixed her stare back on the flame.

Lexa. It was Lexa in there.

And, if all went according to plan, she would soon be back in Clarke's arms.

"You told me you trusted me. Now it's my turn to trust you," Madi admitted.

Too shocked to say anything, Clarke had simply hugged her daughter, squeezing her in a bone-crushing embrace. Would have been content to do just that for several hours, but the ship had suddenly stopped moving, and they were lowered to the ground.

Now, standing on the open ramp of the hovercraft, Clarke's jaw dropped as she took in the sight before her.

Spreading far off into the distance, was a city.

It was glorious, like nothing Clarke had ever witnessed before, even in the books back on the Ark. An array of colours were projected from towering glass structures, lighting up the now pitch-black night sky.

Shadows danced on those same buildings, only they were created by a number of hovercrafts zipping through the streets, all different shapes and sizes.

Clarke couldn't help the sense of relief that filled her, that slight weight lifting from her chest.

This was nothing like the City of Light. No, this...was something beautiful. There was no horror here.

Valin stood beside Kane, who looked like he was on the verge of tears. Raven and Echo were already off the ramp, walking towards the edge of the building roof on which they had landed, gazing at the cityscape. Octavia, surprisingly, was talking to Madi, her shoulders slightly drooped, as though her pride had simply abandoned her when Wonkru had broken.

A pang of sorrow flitted through Clarke's stomach, but her attention soon turned to Sierra, who had moved to bottom of the ramp and was gesturing with both arms at the city below.

"Welcome to our home, travellers," she said. "Welcome, to Athyria"

As stunning as it was, Clarke found it hard to concentrate on anything other than her conversation on the ship.

Lexa, Lexa, Lexa, Her mind seemed to chant.

It was a struggle for Clarke to keep her heartbeat steady, to stop her hands from shaking and her foot from tapping an impatient rhythm. Still, she was composed enough to appreciate the beauty of the new world.

"We expect you all must be very hungry. Please, let us show you to your rooms." Valin's voice was melodious and sweet, a calming tone that had their group following her with little hesitation.

Clarke, however, lunged for Sierra's arm when she went to stray from their path.

Sierra frowned at Clarke's firm grip on her arm. "What are you doing, Clarke?"

"Madi agreed. When can you look at the chip?" The words stumbled out of her mouth, hurried and jumbled.

"Are you not tired? Don't you want to relax and enjoy our city-"

"I've been sleeping for the past century. What I want, is to know if I can see Lexa again."

Sighing, Sierra gently brushed off Clarke's hand. "Valin is taking the others to their rooms. I was going to head to the lab now, if you wish to join me."

Raising her hand, Clarke opened her palm to expose the A.I. sitting on her bloodied skin.

Sierra's swallow was audible, her own hand shaking slightly as she reached to inspect the-

"I'm Fleimkepa," Clarke started, yanking her arm back. "I decide when you get this. Show me your lab, prove to me you have the technology to do what you say. Only then you can have it."

Some part of her knew it was wrong. The flame didn't just belong to her or to Madi, it belonged to all the grounders.

The flame was their faith, and they had just as much right to deny her access to a sacred item as Madi did. They most likely would have, too.

It was for that reason why she hadn't told Raven, Kane or Echo about her plan. Octavia, she thought, would happily risk the flame. Still, it wasn't worth the risk.

For now, it was a secret that would remain between the three of them.

Clarke just hoped no one noticed the strip of fabric tucked against her daughter's neck, covering the fresh wound. She didn't want questions asked. Luckily, Madi's thick ebony locks seemed to disguise most of the cloth.

"Okay, then. Shall we?" Sierra said, gesturing to a hidden staircase on the far end of the rooftop, the opposite direction of where the others had headed.

Echo was a skilled warrior, a killer. She would protect Madi with her life.

Clarke had nothing to worry about--at least that's what she told herself.

With long strides, Clarke approached the staircase, keeping a healthy few steps behind Sierra.

And as she descended into darkness, Clarke hoped that in the end, all the secrets were worth it.