May We Meet Again

IX. The Four of Us

Clarke's POV

I look at Madi from the passenger seat. Her grip on the steering wheel has caused her knuckles to turn white. I smile, "Easy there, my Nightblood. There's nothing for you to hit." I see her arms relax, slightly, but she turns and smiles at me. "Clarkey, it's easy but I feel you watching me!" I hear the twins break out in laughter from the back and I chuckle along.

I look behind me to see how they are doing. We have a nice little setup in the back of the Rover, with plenty of blankets and pillows as well supplies in case a trek takes longer than expected. The twins are sprawled; Abba has her head on Jude's lap, her eyes closed though I know she's awake and Jude is tinkering with something.

Abba's eyes snap open. "I felt you looking at me," she says with a smirk. Though only seven years old, Abba was a little teenager. She reminded me so much of Octavia from her attitude to her strength in fighting. It's actually kind of funny how much each of the twins reminds me of my friends. Jude is Raven's twin to the max.

Madi laughs. "See Clarkey! I'm not the only one!" I roll my eyes causing Madi to laugh even harder. "Oh shut it you two," I say. I wouldn't trade these moments for the world; me and my little Nightbloods.

"Hey Clarke," Jude says, his eyes never leaving the twist of wires and metal. "Why do we switch between English and Trigedasleng? I mean we can all just speak Trigedasleng because we understand both." I smile at his switch in languages. He took longer than Abba to learn English but once he grasped it, he hasn't stopped. To be honest, I don't know why I switch between them.

"Great question, Jude."

"That means she doesn't know," says Abba smartly from her spot in Jude's lap. She notices my glare and sticks out her tongue. "Cheeky thing," I tease.

//A month later//

"Hey Clarkey! Isn't it time for radio?" Abba yells from her room. I'm in the main room with Madi and Jude, who is asleep on my lap. I run my hand through his wild curls. It's been two years since I first started calling the Ark. I've used the radio everyday, hoping for contact but it's been pretty discouraging with still no response. I mean it's been four years since Praimfaya- Raven should've made a radio by now. "Yeah it is but Jude's asleep!" I yell back.

Madi looks up from the book she was reading on the other couch. "You baby him," she says with a smile, letting me know she's teasing.

"He practically is still a baby," I protest. "They both are!" Madi rolls her eyes in response and goes back to her book. "Just because you've just turned 10 doesn't mean you're not a baby either, my little Nightblood."

Madi blushes and stands up. "God Clarkey, I'm not a kid anymore. You're not even my mom." She runs from the room, pushing past a confused Abba in the doorway.

"Uhh since when was English a thing today?" Abba asks, joining me on the couch with Jude. She snuggles into my side and I envelop her with a side hug. "Madi is just a little moody today. You know how it is, being 10 and all."

Abba giggles and reaches for Jude's hair. I love the twins' relationship; I swear they can read other's heartbeats and breathes like Morse code. "Clarkey, you know I'm only 7!"

"I know, my little Nightblood," I say as I kiss her head, her messy hair tickling my nose. "We need to do something about your hair girl."

"Only if we do something about Jude's!" She responds cheekily. I laugh loudly because we both know Jude won't let anyone touch his hair, not while he's awake that is.

Madi appears suddenly, causing me and Abba to startle and look up. She has an evil grin on her face and I don't like it. "What are you thinking, Madi?" calls Abba, well aware of Madi's shit-eating grin.

"Let's dye Clarkey's hair!" Madi shouts, holding up something. Abba peels herself from my side to join Madi at the top of the stairs. "Yes! Let's!"

I roll my eyes. This is not a battle I will win. "Only after I radio the Ark!" I bargain. The girls giggle in response, knowing they've won. What have I gotten myself into?

//a couple months after the 5 year mark//

I sigh as I look towards the sky. It's been over the five year mark and I've yet to hear from the Ark nor have they returned to Earth. I hear the twins getting restless behind me; Jude finished his project on the drive and Abba is nursing a cold.

I feel Madi stand beside me, but I refuse to look at her. "Clarkey," she whispers sadly. I feel the tears start to burn my eyes and the back of my throat. Maybe they never even made it to the Ark; maybe I failed them. The thoughts had never crossed my mind until then; I've held out the hope of meeting my friends again for these past five long years. I guess I have to add all of my friends to chorus of ghosts in my head.

I sigh again and turn to Madi. "I guess they're not coming." We make our way back to the twins. Abba has taken out her sword since then and is fighting her shadow. "Your stance is unbalanced," I coach. She jumps, startled. "Clarkey!" She says, sheathing her sword. "I didn't hear you, great Wanheda!" She bows theatrically a wild grin on her face, her ginger hair a sweaty mess.

I smile sadly at the nickname. The twins, Abba in particular have been taking to using it as a joke. It hurts to hear it from them, especially when they don't know the back story and implications of it. Madi does but she knows I don't want the twins to know about my past, at least not all of my past.

"They're not coming, Clarkey?" Jude asks softly from his perch on top of the Rover. His ginger curls are in his face and I resist the temptation to fix them. Him and Abba have started to look more and more like little teenagers in the last few months. I know they're only 8 but surviving down here takes its toll on us.

"I guess not, my little Nightbloods," I say as I start packing up our camp.

"They know where to find us, right?" Jude asks worry appearing on his tiny face, distorting his freckles.

"Of course they do," Abba answers with an impatient flick of her hair, an attempt to fix the pieces plastered to her face. She's been braiding her hair recently and all I see is a mini Octavia when I look at her. It kills me that we can't dig out the bunker. "Clarkey tells them everyday on the radio. They know we're here."

I stop packing and smile at my little family. I walk over to Abba and pull her into a hug, reaching for Madi who was leaning on the passenger side door. "It's just the four of us now- has been for awhile and I guess it will be forever now."

A/N: I chose a happy Clarke gif because I feel as if she becomes happy with her life and let's face it, we all know Clarke deserves some happiness. This chapter was so much fun to write! I hope you guys enjoy it xx

Please comment any ideas or suggestions. Thank you to all of the readers who have voted; y'all the MVP :)