Clarke walks away from the three mounted riders, eager to put some distance between her and Octavia's inquisitive stare, and more importantly, between her and Lexa.

Things have taken an unexpected turn in the last 24 hours. For months, whenever Clarke thought about the Commander, all she wanted to do was to make her pay for her betrayal; just this morning she had a knife to the grounder's throat and came close to killing her. But now, she's just saved Lexa and put her people's fate in her hands. It was the best option, she doesn't regret it, not yet at least, her more cynical side adds. What bothers her is that she let herself get lost briefly in those green eyes, to the point where the courtyard had vanished around them for a few minutes. And to make matters worse, instead of the hatred, or at least resentment, she should have for the grounder, in that instant, she had felt that connection again. The one that had clouded her judgment in the past, the one that had caused her so much suffering.

Those considerations momentarily fall into the background when she spots her mother absorbed in a heated conversation with Marcus Kane in the canteen. Abby's absence earlier had worried her; the former Councilwoman and Chancellor wouldn't have missed such an important event without a very good reason. Clarke had started to fear that her mother had been severely hurt, or worse, but judging by her wrinkled clothes and uninjured body, Abby must have been imprisoned like Octavia and Lincoln. The scene brings an unpleasant feeling of deja-vu to Clarke, who starts thinking back to the moment she walked into the cell where her mother had been held captive in Mount Weather. Don't go down that road; she tells herself. She knew coming back here would make memories resurface, but she can't let them cripple her anymore.

As if sensing Clarke's eyes on her, Abby turns her head in her direction and a relieved smile instantly softens the older woman's face, she walks to her daughter and wraps her in a warm embrace.

Clarke closes her eyes, buries her nose in Abby's neck and inhales the oh-so distinctive and familiar scent of her mother while holding her tightly. She had forgotten how good it felt to be comforted this way. After all the events of the last few months, all the hardships, the nightmares, the fights, and especially after today, the temptation to let herself fall into this comfort is strong. But, Clarke is not a little girl anymore, and she mustn't let herself, or her mother, or anyone else, think differently; so she reluctantly breaks the embrace.

"Clarke," Abby says, conveying all her feelings into this simple word.

"Mom," Clarke replies with a slight tremor in her voice.

"I'm so happy to see you're okay," Abby says emotionally, rubbing her palms on the sides of Clarke's arms, not ready yet to let go of her daughter.

Clarke is filled with remorse thinking about everything her mother must have gone through when she decided to run away. She wants to tell her she's sorry for leaving, that she won't do it again, but none of those would be true; she had to leave, for her sanity, and she may have to leave again as part of her responsibilities in the Coalition they just joined. So Clarke simply nods, with a small smile and a few tears of sadness or happiness, she's not really sure, maybe both, slowly spilling out of her eyes.

Kane clears his throat and walks closer to the two women. "Clarke, what you did earlier was very brave. Thanks to you, we may avoid war and start down a better path."

Clarke takes a step back from her mother, wiping tears from her cheeks with her sleeve and clears her throat, trying to regain her voice.

"What we all did," she corrects. "But we're not out of the woods yet, and we won't be as long as Mount Weather is still standing. When do you think we can leave?"

"Probably within the hour," Kane answers. "The vehicles took a few hits during the patrols out on the border; Raven and her team needed some time to fix the most damaged ones, and we'll need as many as possible. Almost everyone wants to come to Mount Weather, to be a part of this, but I had to limit it to around fifty people. Just enough to transport in vehicles or on horses while keeping enough room for the supplies we'll grab there."

"The more people we have outside knocking, showing Bellamy and the others that we are serious, the better the chance we have of getting them to open the door," Clarke says.

"Is this really necessary?" Abby intervenes. "Destroy Mount Weather? The medical facilities there are precious, they could save the lives of so many people over the years. Our equipment aboard the Ark pales in comparison. Now that we are part of the Commander's Coalition, people will be less eager to go there for protection. We can even seal off access to it, for now, dismantle what's left of the acid fog machinery, the missiles. We don't have to destroy the whole complex."

"Yes, we do," Clarke asserts firmly. "It's a non-negotiable condition for acceptance into the Coalition. Besides, if we don't do it, Azgeda or Lexa will. At least this way, we get something out of it."

"Where is the Commander?" Abby inquires, looking around them.

"She went back to her camp to send warriors to try and prevent Azgeda from interfering," Clarke answers.

"Will that be enough?" The former Chancellor asks. "If what Octavia told us is true, it doesn't seem as though Lexa has a strong influence on the Ice nation."

"Let's not worry about things that are out of our control," Kane says soothingly, brushing his fingers lightly over the back of Abby's hand.

Clarke is surprised at the intimacy of her mother and Kane's interaction; they rarely saw eye to eye when they were both on the council on the Ark and their committed personalities had led them to cross swords regularly. However, it seems as though the recent events have brought them closer. Clarke doesn't want to contemplate the mixed feelings this ignites in her, now is not the time for that, there is still so much to do.

"We need a new Chancellor. Which one of you two is it going to be?" She asks her mother and Kane.

The two former members of the Council look at each other, Kane nods and Abby faces Clarke again to answer, "Marcus is our new Chancellor; he's a better fit for that than I am, that's why we had the election in the first place. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go check on the grounders we just freed from prison." The doctor's face grows more authoritative as she speaks again. "Clarke, don't think I didn't notice your wincing when I touched your back. Come by the infirmary before leaving for Mount Weather," she instructs before walking out of the refectory, not bothering to wait for Clarke's confirmation.

Movement near the kitchen draws Clarke's eyes; Miller and another young soldier she doesn't know step out of the cold chamber with an empty stretcher. The man looks resentful as his teary eyes fall on her, Miller puts a comforting hand on his back, whispers something in his ear, and they both walk away. A chill runs down Clarke's spine when she understands that they probably carried Pike's body to the cold chamber, and the young soldier must have been on farm station. She knows she'll have to deal with the guilt of that murder at some point but that's another thing she has to sweep under the rug for now.

Clarke focuses back on Kane. "How many people are there inside Mount Weather?" She asks.

"Sixteen. Bellamy is in charge of the compound, it won't be easy to convince him to surrender and let us in; Pike had rallied him to his offensive point of view, made him his second in command."

"Bellamy has always been driven to do whatever is necessary to ensure the survival of the people he feels responsible for," Clarke tells Kane. "That's what he thinks he's doing but he'll come around. He'll listen to his sister; he'll listen to all of us," she says confidently. He has to.

Raven steps in the refectory and walks up to the new Chancellor and Clarke with a slight limp.

"Okay, I did what I could, with the limited time you were willing to give me," she informs Kane. "But if you could tell the idiots who usually drive these vehicles that they aren't in a video game, that'd be great. I'll bring my tools and my guys in case we run into a problem."

"Thank you, Raven," Kane says gratefully. "I'll be sure to pass on the message to the drivers," he adds, slightly lifting up one corner of his mouth in an amused smile.

Raven looks at Clarke, gives her a cool nod of acknowledgment and leaves. She knew some people wouldn't forgive her abandoning her people for so long easily, and her relationship with Raven was already complicated before she'd left Arkadia; she'll have to clear the air with the young mechanic when all of this settles.

"We'll be ready to move soon, Clarke," Kane says. "You should go to the infirmary, like your mother asked you to, we'll have plenty of time to discuss the plan for getting inside Mount Weather during the ride there."

Clarke would rather avoid what she fears might become a confrontation; she just wants to leave for Mount Weather and get this over with, but she feels she owes, at the very least, this one small thing to her mother, so she heads for the medical section.

Walking into the busy infirmary, Clarke is surprised to see almost every bed and chair occupied by a wounded or ill grounder; some of them clearly in critical condition, many of the others not far removed from there. Things really have spiraled down under the former Chancellor's authority. What she is seeing angers her and momentarily lessens the guilt she feels over killing Pike.

"Clarke, come here," her mother calls out, drawing a stool close and placing it next to the one she is sitting on.

The blonde woman obeys. She takes off her jacket and shirt and sits down while her mother pulls a medical trolley closer.

"Oh my God, Clarke! What happened?" Abby asks horrified, running her fingers along the sides of her daughter's wound.

The young woman flinches, both at the contact on the still sensitive skin and at the thought of how her mother would react if she told her she hunted a Panther on purpose. "I got attacked by a Panther," she chooses to answer. Incomplete, but true.

"And you were just waiting for it to get infected?" The doctor asks reproachfully. "You should know better than to let such a wound fester without properly disinfecting and bandaging it, Clarke. I taught you better."

"Someone helped me clean it up," Clarke answers defensively. She survived on her own in the wilderness for months and would have kept on doing so if it weren't for Lexa's visit this morning. Being lectured like a child annoys her. "People down here don't bother disinfecting everything, all the time. It's just a scratch."

Her mother stops talking and starts working on the wound. An awkward silence falls between the two Griffin women, neither of them knowing how to initiate the conversation they both want and dread at the same time.

Clarke breaks the silence first. "How are the grounders? Will they be okay?" She asks.

"Most of them should recover, but I'm worried about a couple of the most critical cases. Pike didn't want them to get any medicine, to save that for our own. Marcus's people managed to pass us some while we were imprisoned, but not nearly enough." Abby puts down the cotton wool and disinfectant back on the trolley, and retrieves some sterile gauze and plaster from a drawer before working on bandaging the now clean wound.

"I'm not sure how much longer they could have held on," she continues. "You achieved something important tonight, Clarke. Your father would be so proud of what you accomplished," Abby says emotionally, placing the last strip of plaster to hold the bandage in place before taking her latex gloves off and tossing them in a nearby trash can. "Except for what happened to Charles," she softly adds.

Clarke tries to push back the pang of guilt her mother's words have elicited in her.

"I didn't have a choice, mom," she defends, turning around on the stool to face her mother.

"I know, sweetie. Marcus told me what happened," Abby says sympathetically. "I'm just worried for you. Since you've landed on this planet, you've had to kill a lot of people, I understand that, but it should always be a last resort, it shouldn't become easy."

"What are you afraid of, Mom? That I'm becoming a remorseless, cold-blooded killer?" Clarke asks in a hurt tone. Having her own fears expressed back to her by her mother is the last thing Clarke needs right now.

"Of course not, Clarke. That's not what I meant," Abby answers earnestly. "What I'm trying to say is that I'm noticing that every time something like this happens, the Commander is part of the equation. I worry about the influence she has on you. We may live on the ground but it doesn't mean we have to act like grounders. They have their set of rules, and we have ours. I don't want you to lose sight of who you are."

"Who we are and who we need to be to survive are two different things," Clarke says somberly but with determination.

"That sounds awfully like something the Commander would say."

"Actually, Bellamy said that. But yes, Lexa could have said it too. It's not about being influenced by people, it's about adapting to life on the ground," Clarke says, standing up and putting her shirt and jacket back on. "I'm still me, Mom, and don't worry, killing is not getting any easier," she adds. "I had to protect our only chance of getting peace."

"Do you really trust the Commander?" The former Chancellor asks.

"I do," Clarke answers. Before Lexa's betrayal, she had come to see the Commander as a visionary; one whose desire to bring peace to the lands under her leadership compelled her to try and temper her people's brutal ways. And as conflicted as she feels about admitting this, in Lexa's place, many other people would have acted on one of the opportunities she's had to kill them all. But Clarke is wary of trusting the Commander based on that, as it had led her to be blindsided in the past. The one thing she knows for sure about the grounder leader is that she'll always want to do what's best for her people. Getting rid of Mount Weather without a fight, having the Sky people swear allegiance to her, reinforcing her fragile position as the Commander in the process; all of this is in Lexa's people's best interest. Clarke tries to ignore the other, completely unreliable reason for her trusting the grounder; her instincts.

"Good. Because we're putting everything we have on her," Abby says gravely.

"I know." That concern hasn't left her mind ever since she decided to ally with Lexa again, but there's nothing else to do now but hope she hasn't been wrong in trusting the Commander, and carry through with the plan.

"That someone, who helped you clean up your wound, was it her?" Abby asks apprehensively. "Did you spend those months with her?"

Clarke furrows her brow in confusion.

"Lexa," Abby clarifies.

"Of course not!" Clarke protests. "Why the hell would you even think that?" She asks vehemently.

"Language, Clarke. No need to get defensive; I just want to know what you've been up to since you left, you're my daughter. And there's no need to lie to me either."

"I'm not lying," Clarke replies.

"Are you saying it's a coincidence that you happened to come back the very same day the Commander shows up here?" Abby questions incredulously.

"No, it's not a coincidence," Clarke admits. She doesn't feel like going into the details right now, especially since things aren't even that clear to her. There are more urgent matters to take care of. "We'll talk about all that later, I promise, but the convoy should be ready to leave, now; I've got to go. Are you coming with us to Mount Weather?"

"I can't. I have to take care of my patients. Be safe, Clarke," Abby says, her voice laced with concern.

"I will," Clarke promises, walking out of the infirmary. I'll try, she corrects inwardly.

After hours spent locked up in a cell, with death as her only prospect, Lexa feels exhilarated by their gallop through the woods. Jared had been waiting just out of sight of Arkadia, like she expected, and is now leading the way, while Lincoln and Octavia are riding beside her, the cloudless night and the full moon providing them more than enough visibility to speed down the broad path leading to the camp.

Today has been a whirlwind of emotions for Lexa. Last night had been the first serene night she's had in a long time, but since this morning, things have been a lot more hectic. From cautious hope of having a chance to diffuse the situation to having that hope obliterated by the Chancellor, to finally having it reignited by Clarke and her people. How the hatred she saw in the woman's expressive blue eyes this morning as she was considering killing Lexa changed to the much softer expression they'd taken on during the quiet moment they'd shared right after Clarke saved her life. For a brief instant, it had seemed like all the hurt of the last few months had vanished. For a brief instant, they had experienced again the deep connection that had developed between them before Mount Weather; the one Lexa had missed so much, the one that had haunted her thoughts and dreams; the one she thought was lost forever.

The Commander chastises herself for letting her mind drift like this. With everything that's at stake, she can't let herself get distracted by her personal feelings, not yet. For now she has to focus on preventing a war.

When she left Polis with her escort, Lexa had pondered her limited options to deal with the explosive situation; she knew she had to try to reason with the Skaikru leaders and that Clarke could help her with that, but at first, she had been reluctant to bring the blonde woman into this. Pushing her selfish worries aside and walking to the small lake to find Clarke this morning had clearly been the best course of action, though, because without her, Lexa would be dead now, and hundreds of people would have followed her to the grave in the war that would have ensued.

Lexa has been a Commander for too long, seen too many situations spiral down unexpectedly, to believe that things are completely under control, but Clarke managed to breach the wall between their people.

Riding between a Trikru man wearing Skaikru clothes and a Skaikru woman dressed as Trikru, Lexa can't deny that some people hadn't needed that, but they are rare exceptions.

Indra told her a bit about Octavia; strong-minded, brave, loyal, proud, and obstinate; the usually taciturn general had been full of praise for her former second. She must have seen great potential in the Skaikru woman to choose her for the position, over all of the worthy candidates lining up to serve under the command of the widely respected war chief.

"Heda!" Jared's short urgent call instantly puts Lexa on alert, and she looks in the direction toward which her scout is pointing; smoke is rising from the tree-tops in the distance. This can't be good. A fire big enough to produce so much smoke can't be coming from a hunters' or travelers' camp, and there are no villages in that area, nothing for miles and miles, except for her escort's camp which is still a little too far away to be where this smoke is coming from. Her first impulse is to make her horse speed up, to see what this is as fast as possible, but she can't take risks, not today, not now. Whatever this is, it calls for caution, so instead, she slows down her mount to a walk. Octavia and Lincoln do the same while Jared's agile horse barely slows down as he jumps off the path and rushes through dense woods, quickly disappearing from view.

"Is that coming from your camp?" Octavia asks.

"No," Lexa simply answers, drawing her sword, immediately imitated by her two comrades. If the warriors of her escort are still alive, they must have seen this and investigated it; she thinks to herself. Of course, there's also a risk that this is a trap and they're already dead, she worriedly contemplates, tightening her grip on the sword's handle.

The trio progresses at a much slower pace, scanning the woods surrounding them, listening intently for any rustling of leaves or any other sound that could be warning of an imminent attack. The light provided by the full moon, the one they found so convenient just a minute ago, makes them feel exposed now. Lexa is considering leaving the path to seek cover in the forest when they hear a horse galloping down the path towards them. She recognizes from a distance the distinctive silhouette and posture of the man she's known her whole life and whispers "Jared" for the benefit of Lincoln and Octavia who had tensed as soon as they had heard the rider. As Jared gets closer, Lexa tries to read the stoic man's face for clues on what is happening but all she can see, with some relief, is that he's unharmed.

"Safe," is all he says as he turns his horse around in front of Lexa, taking the lead again.

That's all she needs to put her sword back in its sheath and urge her horse to a gallop. As they near the origin of the smoke, Lexa finally spots two of her scouts hidden in the trees and is reassured by the sight. The relief is short-lived, though, as a turn of the road brings into view a small clearing with the rest of her escort gathered around a pyre taking away six bodies wrapped in cloth.

The four of them dismount and Indra stomps in their direction, riveting furious eyes on Lincoln.

"How dare you wear this here?" She spits in Trigedasleng through gritted teeth, indicating his Skaikru jacket with a short jerk of her head.

Faces turn away from the pyre to stare angrily at Lincoln and Octavia, making Lexa understand that whatever has happened, it has something to do with Skaikru. And it will make an already complicated situation even worse.

"They both are under my protection," she shouts authoritatively to be sure to be heard over the crackling fire. "And I will personally execute anyone who attempts to harm them."

Reassured that her message has been understood by her warriors who silently turn back to look at the flames, Lexa focuses her attention on Indra.

"What happened?" She asks her general hurriedly.

"They," Indra points at the emblem on Lincoln's jacket, "attacked us."

"How?" The Commander presses.

"Acid fog," Indra says.

Lexa turns to Octavia. "I thought it didn't work anymore."

"It didn't, Bellamy destroyed it," the Skaikru woman answers incredulously. "Those morons must have repaired it somehow."

"It took us by surprise; we thought that threat was gone," Indra continues. "Scouts raised the alarm but not everyone managed to get out of the fog's reach in time."

The general leans closer to her leader.

"This is an act of war, Commander, the last one of too many."

"I am the judge of that, Indra," Lexa says coldly. She can definitely see Indra's point, a part of her wants nothing more than to react to this provocation, avenge the death of her warriors; blood must have blood. But she can't let what happened here ruin the significant progress towards peace they made at Arkadia.

"Commander, those murders must be answered," Indra insists.

"And they will," Lexa assures.

"Commander," Octavia intervenes, "they didn't know about Skaikru joining the Coalition. They saw your camp as a threat. They probably just wanted to scare your people, not kill them. I know this doesn't make it okay, far from it, but they shouldn't die for a stupid mistake."

"Mistake!" Indra rages. "The cowardly murder of six of my warriors, that's what you call a mistake?"

"Enough! Both of you," Lexa orders, raising her voice, her eyes going from one woman to the other. "There will be consequences for what occurred here, but that's not the most pressing issue we have to deal with."

The Commander turns to her general, "Indra, as soon as the funeral ceremony is over, I want you to send emissaries to raise up an army from the nearby villages. They are to set up camp near Arkadia." Lexa glares at Octavia who had started to open her mouth to intervene. "For Skaikru's protection," she clarifies before turning her attention back to Indra. "Lincoln will go with them, to act as liaison; make sure everyone knows I lifted the kill order on him. Then you'll take the rest of the escort and go to the Azgeda border. Skaikru is going to destroy Mount Weather, thereby joining the Coalition and becoming the Thirteenth Clan. As such, they must be protected from any attack. Tell Queen Nia that if she crosses the border, she'll have the Coalition army to deal with."

"Commander! That's not..." Indra begins.

"You have your orders, Indra," Lexa interrupts briskly. "Unless you think me unfit to command?" She asks with a challenge in her eyes and her tone. The two women hold each others' gaze a moment, until the general bends her head and storms away.

The impetuous Trikru war chief has always been quick to react and express her opinions when she disagreed with the Commander, but there's never been a doubt in Lexa's mind about Indra's loyalty. She wouldn't trust any of her other generals to carry out this complicated mission.

"What did you mean exactly when you said that there would be consequences for what occurred here?" Octavia asks warily.

"Octavia, don't," Lincoln warns, resting a hand on the brunette's shoulder.

Lexa fights the exasperated sigh threatening to escape her lips. She feels like she's fighting on two fronts and she is getting tired of it. Indra softened the truth when she told her Octavia was obstinate; she can see why the young Skaikru woman and her general got along.

"Like I said there are more urgent matters to take care of, Octavia. For now, it's your whole people's fate that's at stake."

"Just like your people's," Octavia replies boldly. "We both know you wouldn't be offering us peace if you could take care of this threat on your own without bloodshed. And we both know I'll play a big part in making my brother open that damn door. I don't want it to be so that he gets killed. Or any of the people who are inside the mountain with him. I'm asking you to show mercy for what happened with the acid fog."

Lexa is not used to being pressured this way, and she doesn't like it one bit, but if what Clarke told her about the relationship between Octavia and her brother is true, her help will be invaluable.

Peace proves to demand much more work than war, though.

"They won't be killed," she concedes, hoping she'll be able to keep that promise, before joining her warriors around the pyre.

Pacing back and forth, watching Raven and a few others work frenetically on an old truck, Clarke regrets not having paid more attention when her father tried to teach her some basic mechanics. They've been stuck in the middle of a dusty road for an hour now, ever since dark smoke started escaping the truck's hood, forcing the driver to stop. Clarke figures they must have about an hour to go before they arrive at Mount Weather and this forced stop is starting to get on her nerves; not being able to do anything about it making it worse.

At least, this had given the time for Lexa to return, with two of her warriors, including the one Clarke had seen with her this morning by the lake, and also accompanied by Octavia. The Commander had related to her what happened at her camp, how the people inside Mount Weather had reactivated the acid fog, making Clarke's eagerness to arrive there as soon as possible even more pressing. One more snag in their far from perfect plan and war will be unavoidable. And all of this would have been for nothing; leaving the quietness of her exile, allying with Lexa, convincing her people to try and reach peace with the grounders. Killing Pike. Clarke swallows back the lump forming in her throat. This has to work; she keeps repeating to herself worriedly.

"Clarke, we need to talk," Octavia says, stopping in front of her.

"What is it?" Clarke asks absentmindedly, still pacing, her eyes never leaving the truck.

"It's about the Commander, and my brother. She said she would spare his life, as well as the ones of the other people inside Mount Weather, but I don't believe her. She wants me to convince Bellamy to open the door and I think she would say anything for that. But you can talk to her; she listens to you," Octavia pleads.

"Hardly," Clarke answers with a snort, scrutinizing Raven's body language to get an idea of her progress with the repairs; still some way to go judging by the frustrated grimace on the mechanic's face.

Octavia grabs her arms, forcing Clarke to stop her pacing and face her. "Is it too much to ask to have your undivided attention for a minute, Clarke?" She asks angrily. "Bellamy saved your ass in the past, all of our asses, don't you think he deserves a bit more than that? Don't you care?"

"I'm sorry, Octavia," Clarke apologizes. "I do care. A lot. That's why I'm so worried we'll get there too late. But my point still stands, Lexa doesn't listen to me. If anything, I listen to her more than I should." Her mother's words are still echoing in her head.

"She does listen to you, Clarke. The fact that I'm still alive is a clear proof of that."

Clarke can't hide her surprise. How had Octavia gotten word of that?

"Yeah, I know Lexa tried to kill me after Ton DC; seconds see a lot more than you leaders think, and I know you're the one who convinced her not to. You have to try to get her to pardon them. Or at least find out if she's been honest when she said she would spare them. Please, Clarke."

"You're overestimating my influence on Lexa, but you're right, I have to try," Clarke concedes.

After the unsettling moment they shared at Arkadia, her plan was to avoid any unnecessary contact with the green eyed grounder, but this qualifies as necessary, so she reluctantly leaves the area where the truck is being repaired, casting one last glance to Raven's crew, and heads towards the three grounders.

The Commander is sitting on a rock, eating a piece of bread while her warriors stand guard behind her. Their horses, covered in white sweat, are quietly grazing grass on the side of the road.

Clarke is surprised by the lack of reaction from the guards as she walks to their charge; unlike every time before, they don't take a step forward, or menacingly put their hands on their sword pommel. They don't even straighten up when she sits on the rock beside the Commander. She wonders if Lexa gave them specific orders.

"Your horses seem to need some rest," Clarke begins. "You and your men should ride on one of the vehicles for the remainder of the trip. We're leaving our horses here too, and we'll pick them up on our way back. It'll be a little cramped once we get Mount Weather's supplies, but we'll get there faster."

Lexa splits her bread into two and offers one half to Clarke. The blonde woman's first impulse is to refuse, but her stomach chooses this moment to remind her she hasn't eaten all day with a loud growl, so she mouths a thank you and accepts the piece of bread gratefully.

Taking her first bite, Clarke holds back a moan; she hadn't realized how hungry she was and ever since the first time she's had some at the trading post, she's grown fond of grounder bread. The crispy crust and soft brown crumb sprinkled with various seeds releasing their aroma as she crushes them between her teeth. Nothing like the bland bread they had on the Ark.

Sensing Lexa's eyes on her, she turns her head to look at the grounder who is wearing a hint of a smile and has an amused gleam in her eyes. Her appreciation might have shown, Clarke realizes. She hopes she at least did manage to hold back that moan, but the surprise of seeing the ever-serious grounder look so relaxed, almost happy, makes her forget her embarrassment. Being the Commander probably doesn't give many opportunities to smile, or even allow it. Clarke had always assumed Lexa was several years older than her, but in that instant, she's not so sure anymore. She suddenly wonders how old she was when she became Commander. From the conversations they've had, Clarke got the impression that the grounder has been in the position for years and years, but if Lexa is about the same age as her, it couldn't have been that long ago. Surely, so much responsibility wasn't put on a child's shoulders, was it? Clarke finds herself wanting nothing more than find out the answers to those questions, learn more about Lexa, about what she's been through, but her line of thought is interrupted as the Commander's face grows serious again and she breaks eye contact.

"Are you that sure it will be faster, Clarke?" Lexa asks, looking at the truck from under which they can hear Raven's curses, before unscrewing her canteen and drinking from it.

"Raven's on it, she and her team will have it fixed soon," Clarke assures, trying to convince herself as much as Lexa.

"Very well, then." Lexa hands her her canteen, Clarke takes it and washes down the hearty bread with a few gulps of water, before giving it back to the Commander.

She feels strangely reluctant to disrupt this quiet moment, one of the rare ones she's had today, but they could be leaving any minute, this can't wait.

"Octavia told me you promised her to spare my people's lives," Clarke says. "The ones inside the mountain. Did you just say that to reassure her, make sure she cooperates, or were you being honest?"

Lexa doesn't answer right away, for a moment she just stares into Clarke's eyes, seeming to ponder her answer.

"It is getting harder and harder to find excuses for some of your people, Clarke," the Commander finally answers. "If it weren't for the peace treaty we are trying to put in place, and for the untimely agitation it might cause were I to execute them, I wouldn't even consider mercy."

"They don't know about the recent developments in Skaikru's position regarding the Coalition."

"That doesn't change the fact that six of my warriors are dead, Clarke. Warriors I handpicked myself, among my most trusted ones, for this delicate diplomatic mission. Killed by the acid fog, no less. Your people there went to the trouble of repairing one of the mountain men's weapons. This is serious."

"I know it is," Clarke admits, looking in the direction of Mount Weather. What has gotten into Bellamy? Why would they do something so stupid?

"I've thought about the timeline," Lexa continues. "The acid fog must have been released not long after I arrived at Arkadia. It's very likely that your former Chancellor guessed I came with an escort, tracked them down, and gave the order to send the veil. At least, that's what I'm counting on to avoid your people's executions. Punishments are less brutal for those who follow an order than for those who act on their own accord."

"Thank you, Lexa," Clarke says gratefully.

"You do realize I can't guarantee you they'll live, though, don't you, Clarke? There are too many unknowns, and there's only so much I can do."

"You're the commander, you have the power to grant them immunity," Clarke insists.

"You of all people should know leaders can't do anything they want and get away with it, Clarke."

Pike. An image of the bald man's head jerking backwards as the bullet hit him flashes in front of Clarke's eyes. Is she damned to be haunted by all the people she killed? She probably deserves it.

The feeling of Lexa's knee initiating contact with hers brings her out of her gloomy state of mind.

"You did what you had to do, Clarke," Lexa softly says, leaning closer and lowering her voice. "Just like my people would be right to kill me if I were to put them in danger. Crossing the line between mercy and weakness would put them at risk. That's the line I can't and won't cross. And I'm already dangerously close to it."

Clarke looks down at their joined knees. How come such a simple touch can calm her down so effectively? Why is hating Lexa feeling more forced with each of their encounters? It's probably just the tiredness, she rationalizes. It has been a stressful day. That must also be the reason why a part of her wants to accept Lexa's comforting, but she knows the hurt letting her guard down around the grounder can bring so she breaks the contact.

"We just have to get to Mount Weather before something else happens, then," Clarke says standing up.

Lexa nods and Clarke swiftly walks away, back to the damaged truck, where Raven is exhibiting a proud smile as she speaks with Marcus Kane.

"It's done," she tells Clarke as soon as she gets within earshot.

"Great," the blonde answers with relief.

Under the new Chancellor's orders, the convoy comes back to life; people who had taken this opportunity to take a nap wake up, the ones who had been eating finish up their plates promptly, and everyone climb into the vehicles, leaving the horses with a guard. Kane invites Lexa and her guards to share a jeep with him and signals Clarke to join them. The blonde woman dutifully ignores him and gets inside the first jeep she finds with a driver but no passengers. Octavia, coming out of nowhere, follows her into the vehicle and closes the door behind her.

"What did she say?" The brunette asks fervently.

"Basically, that she'll do what she can. We'd better hope your brother and the others acted under Pike's command, though. Or, at least they manage to convince everyone they did."

"Bellamy better manage to convince me first," Octavia says sternly. "Anyway," she adds in a lighter tone, as she settles more comfortably into the leather seat, resting her feet on the armrest between the driver and front passenger seat. "Tell me, Clarke, what happened to you during the last few months?"

A/N: Thanks again for the reviews