There's a room where the light won't find you. Holding hands while the walls come tumbling down.

— Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Lorde (Cover)

━━━━━━ October 16, 2149

CASEY SAT IN THE dropship opposite Raven. Her chest was on fire, the skin around the wound enflamed, but her attention was taken by Raven's injury. A bullet had lodged into her stomach, no exit wound and no time for surgery. Clarke stoked a knife in the fire before cauterizing the wound. They could worry about the lasting effects once they survived the day.

⠀⠀⠀"That should stop the external bleeding," Clarke said, resting the knife on the table.

⠀⠀⠀"I don't understand. How did Murphy get a gun?" Finn asked, his brows furrowed as he looked between their two leaders.

⠀⠀⠀"Long story," Bellamy mumbled.

⠀⠀⠀Casey hadn't realized when they first stumbled back from the dropship, but Clarke and Finn had returned. (Although Monty was still missing.) Clarke had been captured by Anya but saved by Finn and Lincoln. The former helped them through something called the Reaper tunnels.

⠀⠀⠀Clarke prepared a needle and threaded it. She walked over to the table with a tray of other surgical tools. She smiled softly at Casey and explained, "It went right through your chest. You'll be fine as long as I stitch it. I'm going to cut your shirt to get to it, alright?"

⠀⠀⠀Casey nodded stiffly. There was no time to be modest when her chest hurt this bad. Clarke took a knife and ran it down the length of her shirt. Casey tensed at the pull of fabric against the clotting blood around her wound. Clarke had her medic face on. The one where her brows furrowed in concentration, her face turned to stone, and her eyes were set on the problem in front of her.

⠀⠀⠀Unfortunately for Casey, they had drunk all of the moonshine Jasper had made, so there was no disinfectant or numbing agent. Casey took a deep breath, clenched her fists, and nodded for Clarke to begin. Clarke wiped the wound away with water and a cloth. When finished, the needle dove into her skin, only breaking once on the other side of the gruesome hole.

⠀⠀⠀"We got lucky," Raven said to fill the silence. "If Murphy hit the fuel tank instead of us, we'd all be dead."

⠀⠀⠀Casey closed her eyes at the mention of her brother. She didn't want to think about him. He had blown out the dropship's top half to escape. There wasn't even a chance at goodbye this time. All he left her with was a bitter taste in her mouth.

⠀⠀⠀"Wait," Clarke said as she pulled the thread taut. "There's rocket fuel down there? Enough to build a bomb?"

⠀⠀⠀"Enough to build one hundred bombs," Raven said, then sighed. "If we had enough gunpowder left."

⠀⠀⠀"Let's get back to the Reapers. Maybe they'll help us. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, right?" Bellamy asked. He had Lincoln's journal in his hand, flipping through the pages. Octavia must have given it up to them because they might die without it.

⠀⠀⠀"Not this enemy," Clarke said simply. She glanced up, checking on Casey silently. Casey smiled back, her lips thinning in pain as she tapped her finger against the metal chair in fours. She tied a knot into the thread and turned Casey slightly to the side. "Now, the back."

⠀⠀⠀"We saw them. Trust me, it's not an option," Finn added.

⠀⠀⠀"What other options do we have?" Casey asked, trying to focus on something else than the driving pain of a needle.

⠀⠀⠀"Lincoln has mentioned a place to Octavia. A Grounder named Luna who will allow us passage and safe haven," Finn said.

⠀⠀⠀"And we need to go. Now," Clarke stated firmly.

⠀⠀⠀Finn snapped his head towards Clarke and raised his hand to Raven. "Can she walk or not?"

⠀⠀⠀"No. We have to carry her."

⠀⠀⠀Clarke tied the thread onto Casey's back and walked over to Raven as she started to push herself up defiantly.

⠀⠀⠀"The hell you will. I'm good to go!" Raven exclaimed.

⠀⠀⠀"Hey, listen to me," Clarke demanded, pushing Raven down and getting in her face. "That bullet is still inside of you. If, by some miracle, there's no internal bleeding, it might hold until we get somewhere safe, but you are not walking there. Is that clear?"

⠀⠀⠀Raven fell back in defeat.

⠀⠀⠀"And Casey?" Bellamy asked.

⠀⠀⠀"She should be okay," Clarke said. She turned to Casey and gave her a stern look. "But if you start to feel light-headed, say something. We'll figure something out."

⠀⠀⠀"I'll get the stretcher," Finn said.

⠀⠀⠀As he was about to head out, Bellamy taunted, "Can't run away fast enough, huh? Real brave."

⠀⠀⠀"Dying in a fight you can't win isn't brave, Bellamy. It's stupid," Finn snapped back, squaring his shoulders.

⠀⠀⠀"Spoken like every coward who's ever run from a fight," Bellamy scoffed.

⠀⠀⠀"Alright, that's enough. It's time to go," Clarke cut in harshly.

⠀⠀⠀"If they follow?" Bellamy continued. "It's a 120-mile walk to the ocean."

⠀⠀⠀Casey, for once while on Earth, didn't know whose side she was on. Bellamy acted immaturely, but he was right in considering that the Grounders could follow them. On the other hand, Finn and Clarke had a place where they could feasibly live in peace. It was just a matter of making it. And in her own thoughts, she realized that with either choice, she was unlikely to ever see her family again. She pinched her nose, willing back the tears. She'd cried too much already.

⠀⠀⠀"Look, we're wasting time. If he wants to stay, he can stay," Finn spat, throwing his hands at Bellamy before storming out of the tent.

⠀⠀⠀"No, he can't!" Clarke yelled after Finn. When he didn't listen, she turned to Bellamy and said, "We can't do this without you, Bellamy."

⠀⠀⠀"What do you want me to say, Clarke?" Bellamy asked, sounding tired.

⠀⠀⠀"I want you to say that you're with us! Those kids out there, they listen to you," Clarke said, the words familiar to Casey's ears. She had said the same on their trek to Raven's pod.

⠀⠀⠀"They're lining up to go. They listen to you more," Bellamy said.

⠀⠀⠀"I gave them an easy choice, but five minutes ago, they were willing to fight and die for you. You inspire them. I'm afraid we're gonna need that again before this day is through," Clarke said before turning on her heel and leaving him.

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy started to leave when Casey caught his hand.

⠀⠀⠀"What?" he snapped, anger in his tone but not at her. "Are you going to lecture me, too?"

⠀⠀⠀"I just wanted to say thank you," Casey whispered. Her smile was soft but sad, and while she tried to hold back the tears, they prickled at the back of her eyes. "I know Murphy wouldn't have hurt me on purpose... but I don't really know that, do I?"

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy frowned. If Octavia had turned into a person hellbent on revenge and hungry for blood, how would he cope? He was the only person in the camp who understood the idea of having a sibling even more than Casey.

⠀⠀⠀"I don't think he would," Bellamy said hesitantly. His hand squeezed hers. "He loves you."

⠀⠀⠀Casey shrugged. "Well, you thought the same of Charlotte. But I know you were wrong about that one."

⠀⠀⠀There was a pause. Then, he whispered, "I know you would've done the same for me," and left.

CLARKE AND FINN'S PLAN was in motion, their urgent voices barely carrying over the chaotic mass. The camp was working together to gather the few supplies they could carry, preparing to leave the dropship behind.

⠀⠀⠀Casey wasn't allowed to carry a bag due to her injury. Someone else was asked to carry the extra load until they got to Luna. She walked between the teenagers as she checked for anyone left behind. She trailed behind the dropship, the trees surrounding the camp, and every other nook and cranny. Her head was going into overdrive, guilt wedging itself further into her chest. She feared that they might leave the camp and that someone had run off to pee or hurt and was unable to move.

⠀⠀⠀Murphy leaving again, for the second time, left her with an empty feeling consumed by guilt for what she had allowed into their camp. She fought for Murphy to stay, but he'd betrayed and abandoned her again. She clenched her jaw as her fingers gripped the bark of a tree. Her eyes scanned the trunk and dirt, but there was no trace of anyone there.

⠀⠀⠀And her mom... Casey felt an ache just thinking about it. She didn't believe the Ark would survive coming to Earth. They would either die by asphyxiation or return to Earth in a fiery blaze of glory. There was no chance her mom was coming, and that's what she had to tell herself to accept her fate. They would leave this camp, and Casey would never see her family again...

⠀⠀⠀"We're about to leave," Finn called, breaking her out of her reverie.

⠀⠀⠀Casey looked up and nodded. She just... she needed to... Her fingers twitched, this desperate need to check, check, check, check wanting to take over her body. God, what the hell was wrong with her? Maybe Clarke had been right. Maybe her panic attack wasn't exactly what she thought it was.

⠀⠀⠀"Casey?" Finn asked, furrowing his brows when she didn't move to follow.

⠀⠀⠀"Yeah, just a second," Casey muttered. Her feet led her in the opposite direction as she scoured the campsite.

⠀⠀⠀Finn followed her. He was making her feel worse. His eyes burned underneath her skin, and his footsteps crunched the leaves behind her. It made her lose her focus, and nothing felt right—

⠀⠀⠀"Casey, hey," Bellamy greeted.

⠀⠀⠀She couldn't hear Finn's loud breathing behind her anymore. Her heart hammered in her chest as Bellamy's hand rested around her shoulders, leading her away from her repetitive line. She had already fucked up her and Raven because she didn't let herself count. How could she let their fate be decided again?

⠀⠀⠀"Bellamy, wait, I—" Casey protested, trying to turn back on her heel, but his hand remained steady.

⠀⠀⠀"Everyone's been accounted for. Everyone but you," he chided. The group of teens came into view at the edge of the woods. It felt like all of their eyes were on her, and she turned red in embarrassment. "We can't stay here any longer."

⠀⠀⠀"But what if we missed someone?" Casey asked, gnawing at her lip.

⠀⠀⠀"We didn't. Everyone's here," Bellamy said.

⠀⠀⠀Except Monty. But they had all come to the conclusion that he was likely dead. Casey couldn't think about that.

⠀⠀⠀Octavia led at the front due to her close relationship with Lincoln and her time reading his journal. Casey tried to keep her focus on her friend, but her mind kept drifting back to the endless what-ifs.

⠀⠀⠀The decision to leave felt final, as if they weren't just leaving the dropship behind but the Ark as a whole. They were no longer Arkadians but Grounders. They were soaked in blood and soil, fed on the animals of the Earth, and survived because of their own skills.

⠀⠀⠀Lost in her thoughts, Casey's gaze scanned the group in front of her. She silently counted heads, ensuring everyone was still there. Octavia, Jasper, Bellamy, Clarke, Raven, Finn, and so on. She went through them again and again, even as Octavia raised her hand, silencing the group with a sharp signal.

⠀⠀⠀Jasper took a step forward and whispered, "What is it?"

⠀⠀⠀Octavia didn't respond. The forest was eerily quiet. The usual rustling leaves and distant animal calls vanished as if even the woods were holding their breath. Casey's hand drifted to her knife—Murphy's knife—as her fingers tightened around the hilt. Her eyes darted, counting again. She didn't trust herself not to miss something, not to make a mistake that could cost someone's life.

⠀⠀⠀"I don't see anything," Jasper continued.

⠀⠀⠀Then, a sharp whistle sailed through the trees, and a three-bladed knife impaled Drew right between the eyes. His body fell backward, eyes open, while everyone stared in alarm.

⠀⠀⠀"GROUNDERS!" Jasper screamed.

⠀⠀⠀The hoard moved in a panic, turning on their heels in a panic to head back for the camp. Casey stood motionless as she stared at the dead body of a boy just trying to live. Hands gripped her shoulders, Clarke's blonde hair whipping into her face as she forced Casey to run.

⠀⠀⠀Their sprint was tiresome but didn't cost them anyone else. The gates closed, and teenagers moved into defensive positions.

⠀⠀⠀"Where are they? Why aren't they attacking?" Bellamy asked. He climbed up the gate to look out at the forest they'd just escaped.

⠀⠀⠀"Because we're doing exactly what they wanted us to do," Clarke sighed.

⠀⠀⠀"What are you talking about?"

⠀⠀⠀"Lincoln said the scouts would be the first to arrive."

⠀⠀⠀"If it's just scouts, we can fight our way out. That's what Lincoln would do," Octavia butted in, looking up at him.

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy jumped down from his perch with a scowl. "We're done doing what that Grounder would do. We tried it, and now Drew's dead. You want to be next?" he sneered.

⠀⠀⠀"That Grounder saved our lives," Finn cut in with a scowl. "I agree with Octavia. For all we know, there's one scout there."

⠀⠀⠀"One scout with insanely good aim," Jasper called down from where he sat in position at the gate.

⠀⠀⠀"Clarke, we can still do this," Octavia said, turning to Clarke when her brother wouldn't listen.

⠀⠀⠀"Looking to you, Princess," Bellamy agreed. All eyes turned on Clarke. "What's it gonna be? Run and get picked off out in the open, or stand and fight back?"

⠀⠀⠀"Clarke. If we're still here when Tristan gets here..." Finn trailed off softly.

⠀⠀⠀"Lincoln said scouts. More than one. He said, get home before the scouts arrive. Finn... they're already here," Clarke stressed. She held his gaze, knowing that they had been too late to try to leave in the first place. She sent Bellamy a nod and said, "Looks like you've got your fight."

⠀⠀⠀"Okay, then. This is what we've been preparing for !" Bellamy began, turning to the hundred and raising his voice. "Kill them before they kill us! Gunners, to your posts! Use the tunnels to get in and out. From now on, the gates stay closed."

⠀⠀⠀Clarke looked at Casey. "Are you feeling okay?"

⠀⠀⠀"We need all that we can get," Casey said stiffly.

⠀⠀⠀"Alright," Clarke sighed. "If your arm starts screaming, come to the dropship."

⠀⠀⠀Casey nodded. Her eyes drifted to the edge of the camp where Octavia slipped out of a foxhole, a gun strapped to her back.

THEY WERE HERE.

⠀⠀⠀Casey crouched in the foxhole, Miller on one side and Monroe on the other, tense and silent. The scouts in the woods had kept silent. After Drew's death, nothing else had indicated Grounders swarming them. It was a gamble if there had been only one or hundreds surrounding. They chose the safest option.

⠀⠀⠀It was a waiting game as both sides held off for the other to strike first. Then, somewhere in the distance, the faint beat of drums echoed through the trees, low and ominous. A chill ran down Casey's spine.

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy slid into the foxhole, his gun at the ready. He scanned the three of them, then turned his gaze outward, assessing the area with a quick, sharp gaze.

⠀⠀⠀"Where's Octavia?" Bellamy asked.

⠀⠀⠀"She left five minutes ago. Didn't say where to," Miller responded, glancing back at Bellamy. He rolled his eyes. "She thinks she's a damn samurai."

⠀⠀⠀"She was too far gone before anyone could stop her. I'm sorry," Casey said with a frown. She kept her sights ahead.

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy let out a breath. They couldn't worry about Octavia now. She made her choice. They needed to keep to theirs.

⠀⠀⠀"You see anything?" he asked.

⠀⠀⠀"No," Monroe said, her tone impatient. "What the hell are they waiting for?!" she yelled.

⠀⠀⠀"The longer they wait, the better," Bellamy assured her. "This is buying time for Raven."

⠀⠀⠀"She has a plan?" Casey asked, craning her neck back to catch his gaze.

⠀⠀⠀He nodded, a flicker of a hopeful smile before it disappeared again.

⠀⠀⠀"Alright," she muttered, repositioning her gun and looking back at the clear woods.

⠀⠀⠀"Are you okay with being out here?" Bellamy asked, furrowing his brow.

⠀⠀⠀"I'll manage," Casey said offhandedly.

⠀⠀⠀"I see them," Sterling called over the radio. "They're moving! I see two, three, no wait. There's more. I don't know, man. There's too many of them!"

⠀⠀⠀There was a round of gunfire, then silence. It was too far off to tell, but likely wherever Sterling was stationed.

⠀⠀⠀"Who was that?" Bellamy asked, frantic.

⠀⠀⠀"Sterling, I think. South foxhole," Miller said.

⠀⠀⠀"South foxhole, report now," Bellamy called over the radio.

⠀⠀⠀"Yeah, yeah. We're okay. They didn't attack. It's like... It's like shooting at ghosts," Sterling responded after a moment.

⠀⠀⠀"There! I see them!" Monroe shouted at the figures, running back and forth, only a glimpse of their shadows.

⠀⠀⠀The north end started to fire.

⠀⠀⠀"Stop! Stop. Hold your fire! Hold your fire!" Bellamy yelled.

⠀⠀⠀"Those were our last clips," Miller said, almost breathless, as everything began to fall into place. They were going to die.

⠀⠀⠀"We should..." Monroe muttered, words wavering. "We should fall back."

⠀⠀⠀"No, if this position falls, they'll walk right to the front door," Bellamy said.

⠀⠀⠀Casey stayed in the hole with Miller, Bellamy, and Monroe. Her breathing was shallow and ragged as her eyes watched the trees. They had nothing else but their cruder weapons. Which, for the Grounders, would make them incredibly easy to cut down. Occasionally, bullets would sound off from the other quadrants and then stop again.

⠀⠀⠀Then, Jasper ordered, "All gunners, listen up. The Grounders are not attacking. They're making us waste bullets. Don't shoot when they're running laterally."

⠀⠀⠀"Jasper's right," Bellamy added. "Don't fire until you're sure it's an attack. Repeat, do not fire until you are sure."

⠀⠀⠀"Here they come!" Sterling shouted.

⠀⠀⠀The Grounders were no longer shy, sprinting forward at full force as bullets attempted to mow them down. Bellamy took the front, handing Casey a spare magazine, as they fronted the foxhole. Monroe cowarded, running back to camp, while Miller stood out of the way. Casey felt detached from her body as a fight flooded her system. Bodies crumpled to the ground as bullets worked their way into Grounder's bodies, and she didn't bat an eye.

⠀⠀⠀Then, one of the warriors flung himself over the small barricade and jumped on top of Bellamy. Casey lifted her gun to take a shot, but the gun clicked out of bullets. As she tried to knock the butt of her gun into his head, a blade ripped through the man's skull, nearly brushing her nose before he was tossed aside.

⠀⠀⠀"Admit it. You want one," Octavia teased with a smirk. She pulled the impressive blade from the Grounder's head as it soaked with blood.

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy smiled, getting to his feet as Casey hugged Octavia, relieved that she returned. Their momentary pause was detrimental as an arrow shot through Octavia's leg, forcing her to her knees.

⠀⠀⠀"You're hit!" Bellamy exclaimed, catching her under his arm.

⠀⠀⠀"Miller, fall back!" Casey shouted.

⠀⠀⠀Miller nodded, leaving the foxhole.

⠀⠀⠀"Can you walk?" Bellamy asked Octavia. She nodded. "O, hey, hold on to me and Casey. Let us get you behind that wall."

⠀⠀⠀Casey and Bellamy dragged Octavia towards the gate, but they couldn't make it beyond. The Grounders were fighting themselves? It was a strange sight to see, but they looked incredibly similar. Although one side looked worse for wear, clothes ripped to shreds and a hungry look in their eye.

⠀⠀⠀"What the hell is that?" Octavia muttered as they stopped behind a tree.

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy helped Octavia rest against the tree. Then, he looked at the fight in front of them with a frown. "I don't know, but they're distracted. Let's move."

⠀⠀⠀"We'll never make it. Leave me. I'll find another way," Octavia panted, reluctant to move.

⠀⠀⠀"I'm not going anywhere without you," Bellamy hissed.

⠀⠀⠀"Neither am I," Casey added, taking her hand.

⠀⠀⠀"Octavia," a voice called out. Lincoln slid out from the shadows and kneeled in front of Octavia.

⠀⠀⠀"Lincoln?"

⠀⠀⠀Casey smiled tiredly at him, a small ray of hope, as she said, "Lincoln. You're a sight for sore eyes."

⠀⠀⠀"You did this?" Bellamy asked.

⠀⠀⠀Casey looked back at the chaos, the strangeness of half the Grounders, and realized that they had to be the Reapers talked about before. She didn't know much about who they were, but they were vicious and helped them hide for now.

⠀⠀⠀"With Finn," Lincoln nodded. His eyes trailed back to Octavia, noticing the snapped arrow protruding from her thigh.

⠀⠀⠀"It's deep," Bellamy said.

⠀⠀⠀Lincoln looked around them for prying eyes, then returned to Octavia, stating, "I can help you, but you have to come with me now."

⠀⠀⠀"Go. Let him help," Bellamy told her almost instantly. Casey and Octavia were both surprised by the quick decision.

⠀⠀⠀"No way," Octavia protested stubbornly. She tried to stand like Raven had earlier that day to prove her point. "I have to see this through."

⠀⠀⠀"You were going to sit here and die. How is that different?" Casey said. She wanted Octavia to have her chance to live. This was it.

⠀⠀⠀Although, Octavia just sent her a glare.

⠀⠀⠀"She's right. This fight is over for you," Lincoln added softly.

⠀⠀⠀"O, O, listen to me," Bellamy called to her. His hands went to her cheeks, cradling her head sweetly. "I told you my life ended the day you were born. The truth is... It didn't start until then. Go with him. I need you to live. Besides..." He turned to Casey and smiled. "We've got this."

⠀⠀⠀"I love you, big brother," Octavia sobbed.

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy nodded, "May we meet again," Octavia repeated. She turned to Casey, their hands still intertwined, and she squeezed it tight. "I love you, too."

⠀⠀⠀"I love you," Casey whispered, tears streaming down her face. This might be the last time she saw Octavia. "Thank you for being my best friend."

⠀⠀⠀With no time left, Lincoln lifted Octavia into his arms and ran into the woods. Maybe Lincoln was taking her to Luna. Maybe they would meet again there.

⠀⠀⠀The woods around them stilled, but the fighting raged on just around the corner. Casey didn't want to go back in. It was likely she would die if she did. Her finger tapped against her knee. Bellamy hadn't moved either. Maybe he didn't want to die, either.

⠀⠀⠀"Casey," he whispered.

⠀⠀⠀She turned to him. He stared, his mouth opening and closing. He wanted to say something, but no words came out. Instead, his hands raised until they were on both sides of her face. His dark eyes held something prophetic in them like he was seeing the future when staring into hers. Then, he pulled her forward and kissed her deeply. There wasn't a thought in her head. Only that she was going to die in the next minute. She kissed him back, not willing to think more about it than that.

⠀⠀⠀"To not dying," he promised.

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy pulled her up by the hand and sprinted through the woods, past the Reapers and the Grounders, until they hit the edge of camp. The dropship was close, within sight, but with the fighting still between, it was all the way out on the horizon.

⠀⠀⠀Clarke stood at the edge of the dropship, her eyes wide as she spotted them. She cupped her hands over her mouth and screamed, "BELLAMY! CASEY! RUN!"

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy's hand was still in hers, sprinting so fast Casey wasn't sure how she kept up. Her legs burned, her wound unstitched, and she was getting light-headed. A Grounder entered their sight lines. One second, Casey was behind Bellamy; the next, he had whipped her in front of him, drawing the Grounder's attention back to him. The sudden move had her trip over her feet, falling to the ground.

⠀⠀⠀"Casey! You have to go! GO!" Bellamy screamed as the Grounder launched forward and slammed into him.

⠀⠀⠀Casey tried to run for Bellamy, help him. If she didn't, it would be all her fault. Her hands dug into the dirt and bits of wood, her head feeling foggy. She got to her feet when Miller was in her face and pushed her back. Finn sprinted past them, heading for Bellamy.

⠀⠀⠀Miller got to the edge of the dropship entrance ramp where Clarke was, struggling with the fight and continuing to go on without them.

⠀⠀⠀"Clarke, you can't save everybody. Let's go! Let's go!" Miller snapped her out of it.

⠀⠀⠀Clarke, Casey, and Miller got inside the dropship and pulled the lever for the door to raise. Casey sat by the wall, folding her hands together, as she prayed silently to herself that Finn and Bellamy would get out of the blast radius.

⠀⠀⠀Just as the door nearly shut, the Grounder leader, Anya, slid inside. Her blades were brandished, eyeing the children with a scowl.

⠀⠀⠀"Jasper, now!" Clarke shouted.

⠀⠀⠀A switch flipped. Nothing happened. A moment of silence. Then, Clarke turned to Anya.

⠀⠀⠀"Anya, you can't win," Clarke told her simply.

⠀⠀⠀Anya didn't listen. She strode forward, flinging her blades around masterfully, but, in the end, the butt of a gun was her undoing. Then, the teens swarmed her like they had Murphy. Clarke screamed at them to stop. Casey continued to pray.

⠀⠀⠀"She deserves to die!" Miller shouted.

⠀⠀⠀"No! We are not Grounders!"

━━━━━━ October 17, 2149

THE HUNDRED WAITED UNTIL what they assumed was morning. No one had slept. Hardly anyone had spoken. Jasper was able to set off the bomb at one point. Casey prayed until her mouth went dry, and her throat was scratchy. A few other kids had joined her.

⠀⠀⠀As they stepped outside, everything was burned down to the bone. Skeletons scattered across the campsite, weapons lying next to them. Casey's mind raced as she scanned the bodies, looking for one that she recognized. She moved past the others. She stopped by each body she could see and stared at them until she was certain they were Grounder.

⠀⠀⠀A red fog drifted into the sides of her vision. She hadn't noticed it until it was all around her. Thankfully, boils didn't start to explode across her skin. Then, her body started to sway, and she realized her chest was still bleeding. Was it the blood loss or the fog? It didn't matter. Her body fell to the ground, unconscious, as mysterious figures in gas masks entered the camp.

IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!

This is the final chapter of season one! Yippee! Now, why I called you here? I wanted to let you know—yes, you specifically—that next season there will be changes in how I write this fic. When reading back season 2, I felt like a lot of context was missing. So, like the few times you might've seen in season 1, season 2 will bounce to different POVs a lot. Mostly between Casey and Bellamy and a handful of times to Murphy. 

Now, usually, there's a reason for these scenes. Murphy's story is obviously different so he wants to get their friends back from Mount Weather for her and Bellamy thinks about Casey a lot. So, I try to keep the scenes to be meaningful to the plot and not a waste of time. Their also there for those of us who might not have rewatched recently and are like "wait... what happened to the Grounders inside Mount Weather?". 

I won't add anything I don't think adds to the story, such as the episodes that take place after Finn massacres the village and they go to the commander or whatever. If it's something we all pretty much knows happened and can be summed up pretty easily, I'll skip over it. 

Sorry, this was pretty long, but I did want to prepare people for what to expect and just like begging you not to skip over these scenes because I do add flavor to them, I promise!!!

Also, playlist to be updated shortly with the songs for Act 2!

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Alright, now, let me yap some more lmao.

I know Bellamy and Casey kissing might feel out of nowhere but I have to feed you guys!!! They literally won't see each other for most of season 2 💀💀💀 

I finished writing the first draft for season 4 last night! I'm really excited to get to that season, but am looking forward to 2/3 just as much :3 

Now, season 5 on the other hand is really stressing me out. I like the season a lot (or... do I just have a fat crush on Diyoza?) but I hate how split up Spacekru is for like... the entire time. I do have fun ideas for the season, though, so don't worry. And perhaps as I write every season it gets a little more AU as I decide who makes different choices, who lives, and perhaps even who dies ;) I know it's like a hundred years away but you're welcome to guess because some characters don't make it out of season 4 like they did and vice versa.

Okay, that's all I have for now... which was a lot. Thank you guys for reading this fic and I'm so excited to get into the next act!

CHAPTER TIME FRAME: Season 1, Episode 13: We Are Grounders (Part 2)

Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment if you'd like, they keep me motivated! However, this is an all kind of reader safe space. So, even if you ghost read or comment on every chapter, I hope you know it means the world to me that you've come to spend your time in this fic ♡

NEXT TIME: Casey wakes up within a mysterious place claimed to be Mount Weather and warns Clarke to toe the line.