Since they had revealed their plan, everyone was making sure their preparations were ready to launch. But the giant screen in the room caught their attention. The scene before them was Polis where the rest of humanity was.
Bellamy stood by Nia and watched as the death wave covered the capital in seconds. The screen began to flicker until it went dead.
Nia watched as the place where her girls were was wiped out. The option to ever go back gone. A hand gripped her own and she didn't need to know who it was but gripped it tight. They could only hope that this plan worked and one day they might all see them again.
Raven began to rant off aloud mostly to herself. But everything she listed seemed to put their reality in check and make them realized just how difficult their task was.
"I thought you said it was going to be hard." Murphy said sarcastically at their predicament.
"That's not the hard part." Raven spoke simply making them question her. But every answer seemed to open up another problem.
Seeing how the Grounders in the group had no clue what exactly they were discussing, they simply stood there and awaited for their task. The more they talked the more the more it seemed as if they might actually be victims of Praimfaya as well.
"You sick at talking people into things. You know that, right?" Murphy commented.
"Anyone here still need to be talked into this?" Bellamy asked making Nia tense but no one saw the movement, well all except one. "Good. Now we know the many ways we might die today, why don't you tell us what we have to do to live?"
With that said they all began to work quickly as the time seemed to tick by. Nia was reading the supplies that would be needed and taking them to the rocket when she saw Echo. The Azgeda archer was simply standing there and staring at the rocket as if it were some crazy contraption. Nia remembered when Octavia had banished her again, the look in her eyes wasn't comforting.
Emori had pulled her out of her daze making their continue on with their tasks. Nia continued on with her task and went it grabbed the supplies up stairs when she noticed Clarke and Bellamy. The two seemed to be having a private conversation and all she seemed to do was stare.
A sound caught all their attention as something seemed to happen to the rocket behind them. They all made their way over to check on it. They waited in anticipation while Raven assessed the problem. It wasn't long till Raven was out of the cockpit and cancelled their launch.
This action made them all worry as Praimfaya crept closer. She began to explain what had happened before admitting defeat.
Clarke had tried to help her but it didn't seem to help. Bellamy decided to take a shot and hopefully help her get back to their mission. It wasn't till he made a comment about ALIE that made her jump up.
It was like a light lit up inside her as she went about to continue their task. She led Bellamy and Clarke outside while the rest of them went back to readying the rocket.
It hadn't been long till Raven came back inside and took Harper to help bring in the generator. She left out the details as she tried to hurry.
Nia was doing a double check when she noticed Echo in the office on the platform. She had war paint on her face and began to place various items around her. The voices seemed to fade in the distance as she realized what she was doing.
She cut open her hand and placed the bloodied handprint into her stomach. She muttered some words before placing the knife to her stomach. A few more seconds and it would all be over with her.
Nia opened the door and went inside stopping her in time. "Wouldn't it be easier just to walk outside."
Echo's head snapped up and just stared at her in the doorway. "What would it matter to you, you're doing the same."
The words caused Nia to step further inside the room. Her option to die in the death wave was no secret and she could understand why people have spoke out against it. But how could someone truly have an understanding.
"No. Both of what we're doing is different." She spoke up gaining Echo's attention. "You're doing this because you're scared and why wouldn't you be. You're the odd one out. Even Emori has a place among them. So where would an Azgeda spy fit in?"
Her words hit a chord in Echo. She was right how could she fit in with the people she had tried to kill?
"Not to mention, you're to scare to face Praimfaya. So you think the best option you have is to do it yourself. But even you don't want that. I can see the hesitation in your eyes, you don't want to die."
Echo was silent as Nia spoke. She spoke as if she could see clear through her and her motives.
"And how is that different from you?" Echo asked trying to understand.
"I'm not afraid of death. I've live my life and fought against many things that you could never understand. But I'm not going into Praimfaya because I see it as a way out. I'm facing Praimfaya because I'm ready to stop fighting."
The explaination struck a cord. From what she could tell Nia had been a fierce warrior and an excellent leader, but here she was willing accepting death. Willingly laying down her sword. Not giving up a fight but ending one.
"Why are you helping me? After everything I've done." Echo questioned her motives in stopping her.
"Because now in the face of death, there is no clans. It's just us and a death wave. You shouldn't have to stop fighting because you're scared but fight for a chance at something different." Nia answered while holding her hand out.
The hand symbolized many things. Two rival clans setting aside differences but rather joining. A person wanting to survive. And another who give up fighting helping one keep up the fight.
Echo grabbed hers and stood. Both nodding at each other with a new form of respect.
The door opened and Bellamy stood in the doorway. Despite just entering his eyes held an emotion that suggested otherwise. He had heard their conversation.
Echo could sense the tense in the room and wordlessly gathered the suit and exited. Once the door was closed, it took a moment of them simply looking at one another before Nia's eyes caught something.
It was an item that Nia didn't like to look at as it harbored horrid memories. She knew that Skaikru had them in their possession when for cases where they need to quickly calm a situation.
"What are you doing with that, Bellamy?" Nia asked bring attention to it.
"I couldn't let you just give up especially after everything. I was going to use it for after we got Raven and we were in Polis." He began to answer truthfully not caring what it mattered now. "I was going to use it on you to get you in the bunker. I figured 5 years is a long time and if you hated me it wouldn't matter because you'd be alive."
Nia sighed at his confession. She should've known that Bellamy of all people wouldn't accept her decision and in fact had a plan to alter it.
"But after what you just said, I realized the only way for you to survive is if you chose it yourself." He admitted the Reaper stick falling from his fingers. "I understand your point of view Nia, but I don't think I can ever accept it."
The two stared at each other as Bellamy was the only one to speak. If this was it then he needed to express everything that he held inside.
"You don't deserve this and you never had. All you've ever done was try and help us and look what you got in return. Now here we are again and you're still helping us." Bellamy expressed still feeling guilty about all that had happened. He felt that if none of it happened then the circumstances might've been better. If her family were alive she'd be willing to survive with them.
"I understand why you're doing this and if someone like you is willing to accept her fate then what does that mean for someone like me?" He reminded her of all his past actions. She was a far better person than him and if she can stop fighting then would he ever achieve that?
"But what you need to understand is that I love you too much to just let you go like this. I can't stand to live a world where you're not present. You've changed those girls lives and now they are suppose to live without you? I don't think there will ever be someone like you again and I never wanna see the day that you're not here." Each sentence he spoke he took a step toward her. He would lay everything out for her and hope that she would choose another option for herself.
"I know you might not ever forgive me for what I've done but I am willing to wait. No matter how long it might take." His arms wrapped around her waist and held her close. Her head bowed as she listened intently. Slowly her hands went up and grasped his biceps.
"I do forgive you." She spoke to him. It was when she had accepted her fate when she realized that she couldn't hold grudge not if she wanted her fight to be over. "But I don't think that I could ever trust you again." She addressed the possibility of their wrecked relationship.
"Please don't leave me. Not yet." He whispered to her. "Fight. Fight for me. For us. For our family."
Nia lifted her head and stared into his eyes. The sadness inside made her heart clench. She could also make out the love that seemed to shine inside. She knew this would happen soon or later but she hoped that with the time limit, it wouldn't.
But here they stood in one another's arm trying to change their futures. Nia wanted to accept her fate but the want to see how her future might be seemed to be overpowering.
A single sob choked out as she thought of Lincoln, Lexa and Alec. She wanted to be with them again but she wanted to be with her girls as well. It was a moment before she realized her decision.
They wouldn't want her to accept death like this. They would want her to live her life the way she wanted. And if that meant a possibility of picking up a sword then it would ultimately be her choice.
"Okay." She answered finally in a quiet tone that Bellamy thought he imagined it. But when he looked into her eyes they seemed to shine with hope.
He lowered his forehead against her and let out a relieved breath. She would be among the Ark with them, with him. He went to kiss her when the door opened.
"Whatever this is, finish it." Raven announced once she realized she stumbled across a private moment but their window was shutting. "Two minutes to launch."
They hurried out and secured their suits before boarding and waiting for Clakre. But the time for her to show was gone and if they didn't launch now then they wouldn't survive either.
With a heavy heart, they launched the rocket and began their journey to space. They all seemed to be raking their nerves as they faced the most difficult part of their mission.
Oxygen levels began to decrease as no sign of Clarke doing her task showed. Just when hope seemed to dwindle away the lights could be seen. She had done it. She saved them.
But with their oxygen levels critical they needed to hurry and get the air vents working. They hurried in but soon tanks began to empty as they shared. Just as it seemed to be the end of the group, Bellamy flipped the switch and air began to flow.
This would be only the beginning of their lives on the Ark. They would face challenges together and hope that one day they would return to the ground.
How would these years change the people they were? Could they ever live in a world where a sword is not the answer? What would happen in the future they now faced?