Hey everyone! This story is probably way off base for what will come next in the show, but the idea has been bugging me since I watched the last episode! Hope you all enjoy and thanks for reading!
It was too hot. Clarke's vision blurred, she leaned against the wall for support. Nothing. This had all been for nothing. It was too much, being here in this pristine lab, the pristine house, while everyone else was out killing each other. She stumbled away from the wall, gaining momentum as she headed for the stairs.
"Clarke?" Abby called after her.
She didn't answer.
"Clarke!" Her mom yelled, starting after her.
"No," Raven said, grabbing Abby by the arm. "Let her go."
"But what if she'd reacting to the treatment?" Abby asked, trying to shake off Raven's hand. "Clarke, what's wrong?"
Bile rose in Clarke's throat. If only it was the treatment. As if that could be the worst possible thing that could happen right now, her body rejecting Luna's bone marrow. They were all about to die. And there was nothing she could do.
"It isn't the treatment." Raven's voice was fading, nearly impossible to hear between the roaring in her ears and the distance she was putting between them. Raven knew her well. She should, after everything that had been through together.
"Let me go." Roan's gravelly voice. "She will speak with me." She took off. She didn't want any of them to see her like this, see her despair. She was Wanheda. Something she'd hated, but was growing to understand. No one ever saw her crumble. No one ever saw her when she was weak. She always found a way to save her people, no matter the consequences. But even she couldn't do anything about this.
She made it up and out of the lab, heading for the trees. What did it matter if the drones were active or not? Maybe that was an easier, less painful way to die than radiation poisoning. She only made it a few strides before Roan jogged up beside her, matching her step for step. She ran on, ignoring him, until she reached the beach and had to stop and double over to catch her breath.
"Are you finished?" Roan asked, with hardly any sign that he'd been matching her pace through the trees.
She sucked in another breath. "For the moment," she forced out.
"Good. Than we can talk, for at least that moment." He guided her over to a fallen tree and nodded toward it. She ignored him for a second, then sighed, walked over and plopped down on the log, still breathing harder than she would have liked.
"What is there to talk about? What does it matter, Roan? Nothing is stopping the radiation about to hit us. No one is even trying to stop it but us." She dropped her face in her hands, closing her eyes so Roan couldn't read the emotion there. "We can't even get people to stop fighting when the world is about to end. Even if we survive this, we will all end up killing each other. You know it's true."
After a moment of silence, she looked up to find him studying her, his face inscrutable.
"Not if we find someone that can unite the clans again. Make Lexa's coalition reform."
Clarke snorted. "As if it's that easy. The only way the clans will unite is under a Heda. Even Lexa had a hard time controlling it all. And Luna is the only Nightblood that we know of that exists. She would never consent to being Heda."
Roan didn't answer her for a moment, still quietly studying her face.
"What?"
"She was the last Nightblood. No longer."
His words slowly sunk in. "Oh no, you can't make her. You know my mom, she's strong. No matter how hard you pressure her, she isn't going to make you a Nightblood without good reason, and I'm not sure taking over the clans and possibly leading them against Skikru would be great incentive for her to help you. She already doesn't like you enough."
Roan threw his head back and laughed, making Clarke away from him at the unexpected emotion the king was showing. Was he still in his right mind?
"I didn't mean me, Clarke." He was instantly calm again, no sign of the humor running across his face just a moment before. " I will do what's best for my people. And what is best for them right now is to stop fighting with Trikru and help Skikru find a solution to the problem troubling all of us. We only stand a chance with the help of Skikru. I know at the moment you find it impossible, but you will find a way. Of that I have no doubt. And this answer will be for everyone. You care about all people, no matter their clan." He raised an eyebrow. "You would make a fine Heda."
A fine what? Did he really mean…? He couldn't! This was Roan, there was no way he would give up his control of the clans, would he? But he had supported Lexa. And he did want to survive Prime Fira. He would probably end up trying to kill her after they found a way to survive the radiation, but at least that meant people would survive. That the human race would continue, wouldn't be burned from the face of the Earth. That maybe her friends would have a chance at a good life.
"You're serious?" She had to check.
He bent over, staring her straight in the eyes. "When am I not, Clark kom Skikru?"
"How will we be able to get people to accept this?"
"With the Flame. They won't be able to deny that the spirit of the commander has chosen you once you take the flame." He quirked an eyebrow at her, no doubt noticing the face she was making. "Of course I know it wasn't destroyed. How big of a fool do you find me to be?"
Well she'd never taken him for a fool before, at all. But take the flame? Become Heda? It was crazy, wasn't it? Yes, without doubt. But if it bought them a chance…
Any chance, however small, was better than none. And if the flame worked like Lexa had implied, if there was a chance she would be able to access some of Becca's knowledge…"You've convinced me. It's worth a try. What's our first step?"