Lightning Only Strikes Once - Clexa

Chapter 31: Just Hire A House-Sitter

Bellamy listens through to the end without interrupting. "Right," he says eventually. "So let me see if I've got this straight. There are a bunch of people who live inside Mount Weather."

"Yes."

"They hate us. For some reason," Bellamy continues.

"Pretty much," Octavia confirms, though she does shoot a glance at Clarke.

"They took Murphy and Drew," Bellamy states. "And you reckon they want to take the rest of us. So you told the Ark to come down as far away as possible, which means that instead of landing among our friendly neighbourhood Grounders, they'll be surrounded by savages. And you're planning to go north with the Commander to stop said savages from killing our people."

"I'm going too," Raven says helpfully. She's sitting next to Finn, although not leaning on him like she used to. "Apparently, making bombs is a really useful skill around here."

"And I'm going because Clarke's going," Wells says firmly.

"And I'm going because Raven's going," Finn echoes.

"Great," Bellamy says, not caring. "You're very supportive boyfriends, good for you. And you want me to -"

"Fill everyone in on what's going on," Clarke says, still wincing at the 'boyfriend' comment. "And with Monty and Jasper's help, keep in touch with the Ark. Contact us and let us know if anything changes. Make a list of which people are expected to come down in each station so we can try and keep track of everyone. That kind of thing."

"What about O?" Bellamy frowns.

"I'm going north as well. Because Indra's going," Octavia says challengingly. "She's my Fos."

"She's your... wait, what?" Bellamy wheels to face Clarke, glaring. "You let her become a warrior? I thought we agreed -"

"That she'd be my assistant," Clarke says coldly. "Luckily I don't need one anymore." She relents a little at the look on Bellamy's face. "Come on, Bellamy, this is Octavia. She's going to do dangerous things and risk her life anyway, you should at least let her get the skills to defend herself."

"Exactly," Octavia says, apparently having no issues with this description of her. "And I'm an adult in Trikru terms, anyway. You can't stop me doing what I want to do. And I want to learn to fight."

"Fine," Bellamy growls, "Then learn to fight here. Don't go north."

"I'm going, Bell," Octavia says, her voice final.

He glares. "Then I'm going too."

"No, you're not," Clarke says, just as hotly. "You're the closest thing our people here have to a leader. Right now, you're keeping everyone in enough control to stop any of them getting arrested. We need the Grounders here to like us."

"If you think I'm going to let my sister run off into a warzone just so you can play politics -"

"That politics is the only thing giving us somewhere to run to!" Clarke says fiercely. "If things go badly up north, we're going to need to fall back to Polis. We might even need to turn up at Polis with hundreds of our people in tow. The people of Polis need to be willing to let us do that, so I want absolutely nobody to screw anything up between now and then. Perfect guests, do you understand? That's what I need you to do."

"If I stay, Octavia stays," Bellamy says flatly. "And if Octavia's going, I'm going. That's it."

"I'm going," Octavia says mulishly. "Whatever happens. I'm not leaving Indra." Clarke's glad she didn't mention Lincoln, since Bellamy already looks furious. "I'll run away if you try and force me to stay."