Devil, won't you bargain with me? 'Cause the birds, they sing no more. The flowers, they grow no more. If you let me go, I'll come back once more. It's all I'm asking for.

— Pomegrante Seeds, Julian Moon

━━━━━━ October 20, 2149

CASEY'S EYES FLUTTERED OPEN to fluorescent lights casting a cold, sterile glow around her. She groaned, closing her eyes, as she wondered if she was back on the Ark. Although, her addled mind knew this shade of artificial light wasn't her home. She tried to piece together where she was... what had happened? A weight rested firmly on her chest, unable to move, as she could only lift her fingers to tap a rhythm against the scratchy sheets.

⠀⠀⠀She turned her head where four clean walls lined her small room. There was a cart with medical supplies on it by her bed and an IV in her arm. When she brushed her fingers against her chest, there were rough bandages wrapped around her chest.

⠀⠀⠀She took in a shallow breath, wincing at the sharp pang, then sat up. She pulled herself out of the bed, resting her feet against the tile floor, and pulled the IV out as she noticed the only hint of color in the room.

⠀⠀⠀Everything around her was sterile and blinding. The only thing with life was a painting hung on the far wall. It looked real, painted with oils, and preserved after all this time. Casey leaned in close so she could see the brush strokes and collect the faces of the three figures. A woman stood at the edge of a cave, her arms stretched out with a sorrow wracking through her features. Inside was a woman draped in light pink reaching out to the other, her expression similar to that of a woman about to fall over in relief. Beside her, a man stood in dark, shadowy blues, fading into the background as the two women reunited.

⠀⠀⠀Casey smiled faintly until the reality of her new world settled in. Her mind raced, numbers and questions, asking herself where she was, where the others were, was she the only one left? Her fingers tapped against her arm as she remembered gunfire, burnt flesh, and Bellamy's lips. She pushed past those and faintly remembered red smoke.

⠀⠀⠀But where was she? She knew it wasn't the Ark. Why would they go back into space when life support was deteriorating rapidly? And how would they even make it back up anyway? Then her mind made a swift turn, wondering, are the Grounders actually technologically advanced and played into the act of tribal people? But that didn't make any sense either. She trusted Lincoln, and he seemed honest during the times they spoke. And why would they do that just for some children?

⠀⠀⠀Casey pressed the heel of her palm into her eye as the door opened, and a woman in her thirties entered the room. She smiled, her skin brown and hair black, her complexion was clear, and she looked cleaner than anyone Casey had seen in weeks. Even her lab coat, which looked worn with age, was still a bleached, unstained white.

⠀⠀⠀The woman closed the door softly behind her and stayed rooted to her spot by the door. Casey took a step back, unnerved.

⠀⠀⠀"Welcome back to the land of the living," the woman greeted. Her smile stayed firmly in place as she waited patiently for Casey to respond.

⠀⠀⠀Casey's eyes darted around the room for an exit. Only weeks on the ground, and she was suddenly claustrophobic of small rooms with no exits. She wanted the freedom of her camp and the sanctity of knowing who she was fighting. This woman—a doctor?—It seemed kind, but it felt off when Casey realized it wasn't just the Grounders on Earth.

⠀⠀⠀"No need to fear, I'm Dr. Tsing. I will answer any and all questions you might have," the doctor explained pleasantly, waving her hands—a clipboard in one—then resting them in front of her.

⠀⠀⠀Casey widened her stance, preparing herself for an attack, as she eyed the woman carefully. She took after Lincoln's mode of defense, not willing to speak and let the doctor suspect that she had no idea what she was saying.

⠀⠀⠀But the woman was smart and smirked at Casey's play.

⠀⠀⠀"I know you can understand me. So, I'll explain what I can guess you're thinking," Dr. Tsing stated. There was a chair beside the door. She stepped over and sat down. The door was free for Casey to approach, but the doctor was still in reach to guard it. Casey didn't move and only stared at Dr. Tsing.

⠀⠀⠀"You are inside Mount Weather. We rescued you after a fight between your friends and the Outsiders broke out. Your friends are safe and have been reunited. You haven't been discharged yet because you needed surgery. There was a nasty bullet wound near your shoulder that was crudely stitched, and we worried about infection. You're fine now and will reunite with your friends once you answer a few of my questions." Dr. Tsing spoke fast and simple, the smile never leaving her lips as she quirked a brow. "Any questions?"

⠀⠀⠀Casey stared at her, finger tapping against the back of her palm, as she tried to determine the truth of her statement. Dr. Tsing's eyes darted to the motion of her fingers, then back to her face, unphased.

⠀⠀⠀"No," Casey finally said, relaxing her muscles just enough to appear compliant.

⠀⠀⠀"Good. You missed orientation, but Keenan would happily lead you through a tour one-on-one. Do you feel well enough to leave today?"

⠀⠀⠀Casey felt like shit, but she didn't want to be locked in a white room for another day. She would likely go insane.

⠀⠀⠀"Yes."

⠀⠀⠀"Just a few more things," Dr. Tsing assured her, clicking a pen and jotting down Casey's answers. The questions were simple. Her name, when she was born, allergies she knew of, medical issues she knew of, mental health issues she knew of, etc., until she came to the end of her list.

⠀⠀⠀"Your physical health is good besides the hole in your chest that has been sewn closed," Dr. Tsing stated as she looked up and pointed the end of her pen where Casey's injury resided. "If you see any swelling, blotching, or discharge, come find me. This—" She held up an orange medicine bottle to her. "—is for pain. If it doesn't help, come see me. This one is for possible infection; take it during breakfast and dinner. Other than that, while your physical health is as good as it'll get, we're also doing psychological evaluations for everyone. Especially after everything you've been through."

⠀⠀⠀Tsing puckered her lips slightly, and her brows turned down sympathetically. Casey held back an eye roll.

⠀⠀⠀"Your evaluation is scheduled for one, after lunch," Tsing told her. "I know it's soon, but you and another boy, Nathan, are the last of the bunch. Now, if you'd like to follow me, I'll introduce you to Keenan."

⠀⠀⠀Tsing stood and walked over to the door. She opened it, and Casey realized it hadn't even been locked. She waited patiently for Casey to follow her. Casey looked back at the painting, the two women about to embrace before she followed Tsing out of the white room and into the unknown.

BLOOD CAKED UNDER BELLAMY'S nose, his ears rang, and he'd lost Finn a while ago. The woods blurred past him in strokes of green and blue as he tried to lose the Grounder tailing him. Spear in hand, he kept his focus on finding Finn before worrying about anything else. The campsite, the delinquents, her... It didn't matter right now. None of it mattered. He knew Finn was alive. That's what mattered. Everything else could wait.

⠀⠀⠀He stopped in the brush to scope his surroundings. He'd been running since dark, and now the sun was beginning to rise. He wasn't exactly sure what happened to Finn, but he'd find him eventually. He just prayed he hadn't been running in the opposite direction the entire time.

⠀⠀⠀"Bellamy," the trees whispered, and he jumped.

⠀⠀⠀When he looked behind him, Monroe and Sterling appeared from the woods, untouched by the war.

⠀⠀⠀"Get down," Bellamy whispered, and they ducked behind the bushes watching the woods around them.

⠀⠀⠀"You were followed?" Monroe asked.

⠀⠀⠀"Quiet," he chastised, then asked, "Have you seen Finn?"

⠀⠀⠀"Finn's alive?" Sterling asked, surprised.

⠀⠀⠀"He was. We got separated. We knew the fire was coming. So, we ran, but one of them followed," Bellamy explained. He looked them over, their clean clothes and well-combed hair, and raised a brow. "How'd you guys get out?"

⠀⠀⠀"We... We saw the Ark come down," Sterling said, stumbling over his words slightly. "We thought we'd come get help. Piece of it came down this way. Monroe thinks it's Mecha, but personally, I think—"

⠀⠀⠀Voices interrupted their conversation, and the three paused.

⠀⠀⠀"Follow me. Stay low and quiet," Bellamy ordered and followed the movement.

⠀⠀⠀Along a trail, a bald Grounder rode a horse with two ropes extending from the back and held Finn and Paul captive, forcing them to walk behind. Paul had fallen over from exhaustion while Finn tried to help him stand to his feet.

⠀⠀⠀When Paul didn't follow through, the Grounder unmounted his horse and stalked toward the pair. He pulled Paul up by the hair, turning him so he faced the sky and sliced a thin line across his throat. Blood sprayed from his neck, and Paul was dead.

⠀⠀⠀The Grounder moved to Finn next. Finn scrambled to his feet but fell back as the Grounder's blade gleamed in the sunlight. They were too far away to hear whatever he said, but the Grounder pulled out a container and held it out to Finn. He drank from it, and when finished, Finn was forced to stand again and drag behind the horse.

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy, Monroe, and Sterling sprinted through the woods, keeping pace with Finn. When they covered enough ground, and Bellamy felt certain he had a solid plan, he stopped the three in the brush.

⠀⠀⠀"I know you're scared, but we are warriors. We can do this," Bellamy told him, hoping to sound motivational, but the two kids only looked scared.

⠀⠀⠀"H-How?" Monroe asked, staring at the man atop his horse.

⠀⠀⠀"We attack as a team," Bellamy said. "When he goes for me, Monroe goes for Finn. Once he's free, it's four on one."

⠀⠀⠀"What do I do?" Sterling asked.

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy looked at him. He hadn't done much fighting back at the dropship camp, and it was either now or never. He gave him a thin smile and said, "Try not to die. Ready? One, two, three!"

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy and the other two sprinted out from the woods. When he made enough ground, he yelled, 'Hey!' catching the Grounder's attention. Although, Bellamy quickly realized that neither Monroe nor Sterling was with him, having cowarded back before even making the first move.

⠀⠀⠀"Bellamy! Get out of here!" Finn shouted, staring at him like he was crazy.

⠀⠀⠀The Grounder turned his horse and charged at Bellamy. Finn was pulled behind as the pace increased far beyond his capability to keep up. Bellamy threw his spear, but it sped past the Grounder's head by inches. Then, Bellamy was clubbed on the side of the head and fell to the ground. The Grounder unmounted his horse. He kicked Bellamy in the stomach. He couldn't stand. The Grounder's weapon thudded against his face once, twice, three times, and Bellamy was out.

MURPHY WAS A GODDAMN survivor. He'd survived the Grounders the first time because they wanted him to, but the second time he had been kidnapped, it was a miracle he escaped. After hearing the deafening explosion, he ran back to the camp to check on Casey. He knew a war was coming, and the war came. The place was a damn ghost town. Not a person in sight.

⠀⠀⠀Something moved, and he ducked behind the trees before they could see him. Looking back, he noticed the Grounder who was meant to be watching him enter the dropship. Seconds later, a gunshot, and Murphy knew there was at least one person left alive. He hoped it was Casey and prayed it wasn't Bellamy.

⠀⠀⠀He jogged over to the dropship and pulled away the curtains to find Raven lying on the floor with a gun pointed at him. He raised his hands, nervous. Maybe he should have prayed it wasn't her, either.

⠀⠀⠀"W-Whoa, it's okay. It's okay, Raven, don't. Don't shoot. Please," he pleaded.

⠀⠀⠀"Why not? You shot me," Raven muttered. Her skin was ashen, and she looked worse than when he'd brought the disease into the camp.

⠀⠀⠀The gun clicked a few times, out of bullets, and Murphy reminded himself he was a survivor. And it seemed the universe wanted him to remember it, too.

⠀⠀⠀Murphy sat down in front of Raven, his injuries becoming irritating. He chuckled softly to himself and said, "Yeah, I would've shot me, too."

⠀⠀⠀Raven had retired herself to glaring at Murphy, the gun trailing him. Whatever makes you happy, he thought. He picked up the ax the Grounder dropped. Raven's finger moved to the trigger. He stared at her for a moment before putting the weapon between his legs and using it to saw at the rope around his wrists.

⠀⠀⠀"What are you doing here, Murphy?" Raven asked.

⠀⠀⠀"Dying. Same as you," he answered.

⠀⠀⠀"Speak for yourself," Raven grunted, readjusting herself. "How many more are out there?"

⠀⠀⠀"None," Murphy sighed. "You fried them all. The only reason this one survived is because they left him behind to guard me."

⠀⠀⠀Raven didn't respond, just glared at him. Then, she gasped and started choking on her own blood. Free of his restraints, Murphy stood and hobbled over to her on his bad leg.

⠀⠀⠀"Raven. Lie on your side," he said. His hand reached out to her, but she waved him off even as she choked to death. "Fine, then just roll over yourself. Get down on your side. You're okay. It's all good."

⠀⠀⠀The choking and coughing stopped, and Raven looked up at Murphy. "Why are you helping me?"

⠀⠀⠀Murphy paused, thinking over his answer. Then, he smirked and said, "Casey would kill me if I let you die."

DR. TSING HAD DROPPED Casey off with Keenan, who waited for them by the elevators. Keenan was pale—much like the other people inside the mountain—with light brown eyes and hair. Her soft jawline lent itself to her bubbly personality, making her a little easier to talk to than the sharp-angled doctor. Or maybe she had spent weeks not talking to actual adults, and being in the presence of someone her age again felt normal.

⠀⠀⠀Keenan immediately noticed that Dr. Tsing hadn't given Casey a change of clothes, leaving her in the yellow hospital gown. Rather than make a fuss, she led Casey through the halls of Mount Weather to her private home.

⠀⠀⠀While Casey showered, she laid out a long-sleeved, collared blue and gray striped shirt and dark blue jeans. The set looked worn and passed down through the generations, the same as it had been on the Ark.

⠀⠀⠀Keenan was kind enough to work through the knots and tangles that had formed over the weeks in the wilderness. During that, she began her tour conversation while in the comfort of her home so that Casey could leave quickly and find her friends. She assured Casey that they had all been shown around and provided maps, so if she had any questions, they could help.

⠀⠀⠀"I'm not sure how much Earth history you guys learned in space, so please feel free to ask any questions that come to mind as I go over it," Keenan said with a smile as she glanced into the vanity mirror at Casey.

⠀⠀⠀Casey nodded as Keenan brushed through her hair, acknowledging that she was listening.

⠀⠀⠀"Mount Weather started construction after the Second World War. Do you know about that?" Keenan asked curiously, her brow furrowed in concentration as she worked through a tight knot.

⠀⠀⠀"A little. We did a semester on Earth history, same with Earth skills," Casey explained, scrunching her eyes whenever Keenan pulled too hard against her scalp.

⠀⠀⠀"A semester," Keenan scoffed good-naturedly. "We had a whole class on it every year of school."

⠀⠀⠀"I couldn't even imagine," Casey muttered. "I know history is important, but how important could that be?"

⠀⠀⠀"I suppose you have your own history to worry about," Keenan said with a shrug. "But I think it's good to know where we came from and try not to repeat our own mistakes. Anyways, after the bombs went off, we were able to sustain ourselves using hydroelectric power from the Philpott Dam. It gave us water, electricity, and access to a hydroponic farm."

⠀⠀⠀"We had a similar farm on the Ark," Casey mused with a soft smile. "I always wanted to work there."

⠀⠀⠀"A farmer, huh? We could always use more of those," Keena said softly before diving back into her story. "We had assumed we were the only ones left until the Outsiders started to appear several decades later. We haven't had much luck with them, but we hope our relationship with you and your friends is much better."

⠀⠀⠀Keenan did one final brush through Casey's hair and smiled as they looked into the mirror.

⠀⠀⠀"We don't have many working hair dryers anymore, so I hope air drying will work for you," Keenan said.

⠀⠀⠀"Works for me," Casey said. She didn't really want to wait any longer to see her friends. "Thank you, Keenan."

⠀⠀⠀"Anytime, I love making new friends! And you're a real joy to talk to. We don't really have people come into Mount Weather, so tours tend to be for the kids." Keenan laughed. She set down the brush and noticed the anxious twitch in her fingers. "Well, despite how much I enjoy your company, I know that your friends miss it even more. Let's go."

⠀⠀⠀Keenan led Casey out of her home and pointed out everything they passed along the way. They were on the sixth floor underground. The next floor up, Level 5, has the mess hall, kitchens, library, schools, and another wing of residences. That's where her friends were.

⠀⠀⠀"This is where I'll leave you," Keenan said outside of the door. "After lunch, I'll take you to Dr. Hassan. If you need anything else, feel free to come over."

⠀⠀⠀"Thanks again, Keenan, for everything," Casey smiled.

⠀⠀⠀Casey walked into the room where twenty-four or so bunk beds were crammed against the walls to fit the rescued teenagers into one place. There was a large handful of them, and Casey wasn't exactly sure who she was expecting to be in there.

⠀⠀⠀She didn't have long to look before someone screamed, "CASEY!"

⠀⠀⠀Jasper's scrawny arms folded around her, lifting her off her feet in a tight hug. Her stitches tightened, threatening to pull apart, but she didn't care. Tears threatened to fall down her cheeks as the worry and stress plummeted into her stomach. Another pair of arms joined their hug, almost tackling them to the ground. When Casey opened her eyes, all she could see was dark hair and tan skin.

⠀⠀⠀"Monty!" Casey cried, her hand resting on the back of his head, pulling him in closer.

⠀⠀⠀"Oh, shit," Monty whispered suddenly, jumping away from the hug and tugging on Jasper's sleeve. "She just got out of surgery."

⠀⠀⠀Hesitantly, Jasper set her back down, mimicking Monty's stance of wide eyes and raised hands.

⠀⠀⠀"It's alright, nothing that'll knock me down," Casey reassured them as she looked between them. Her hands shot out, gripping both of their arms, and squeezed tightly. "I'm just happy you guys are okay."

⠀⠀⠀"We're happy you're okay," Monty said pointedly, his eyes darting to the bandages peeking out under her collar.

⠀⠀⠀"Who else is here?" Casey asked, glancing around the room. She recognized everyone, but none of them were people she had grown particularly close to.

⠀⠀⠀"This is it," Jasper sighed, both his and Monty's moods dropping.

⠀⠀⠀"What about Clarke or Finn? ...Raven? ...Bellamy?"

⠀⠀⠀Jasper shook his head solemnly, but Monty slapped his hand against his chest.

⠀⠀⠀"Clarke's here. She... freaked out. The President had to go talk to her, calm her down," Monty explained.

⠀⠀⠀"But?"

⠀⠀⠀"No one else," Jasper sighed. "But they have scouts going out to look. Don't worry, Casey, they'll find them."

⠀⠀⠀Casey nodded her head but wasn't so sure if they would find them after the bomb they'd set off. Maybe Raven. Casey remembered she had been inside the dropship at the time of the explosion, but... she shook her head. Even if they did find their friends, would they come willingly?

⠀⠀⠀"Come on!" Jasper cheered, not wanting to feel any more bummed out than they had to. "It's lunchtime, and I'm starving!" He wrapped his arms over Casey and Monty's shoulders, leading them out of the dorm and down the path he'd already memorized to the mess hall.

⠀⠀⠀The mess hall was full of lively people, bright piano music, and beautiful decorations from the old world. Mount Weather reminded Casey so much of the Ark with its comfortable walls yet nearly claustrophobic and the people were civilized and orderly. However, Mount Weather had something the Ark didn't. People seemed happy.

⠀⠀⠀On the Ark, people fought for their essential resources, hoping they could get by on what they had, and were floated if they couldn't. From first impressions alone, it seemed like a parent wouldn't get killed for stealing medicine for their sick kid. According to Keenan, they were helped when they struggled and punished in a manner that fit the crime. No matter the truth, Mount Weather felt more like a home than the Ark ever had, making Casey even more uncomfortable.

⠀⠀⠀The teenagers were invited to eat as much as they wanted, and the spread even included fruits and vegetables, much to Casey's excitement. She skipped the meat and piled high on the things she hadn't been able to grow in their short time on Earth. Alongside that, Jasper had pushed her to grab a dessert. She picked up a spongy cake rolled with cream and jam that made her mouth water.

⠀⠀⠀When they returned to their table, Jasper had already shoveled half his pie into his mouth, moaning. He looked insane. That was until Casey tasted some of her roll and realized nothing on Ark had ever tasted so good. It was delicate and creamy, tart and delicious. She never wanted to leave. Like she was consuming the pomegranate seeds Hades offered to Persephone, tying her to the Underworld forever.

⠀⠀⠀"You have to try this pie," Jasper said, pointing his fork between Monty and Casey.

⠀⠀⠀Monty nodded his head and took a bite. He sighed. "Oh, my God. What is it?"

⠀⠀⠀"I don't know, but it's great," Jasper said with a wide smile.

⠀⠀⠀Jasper held his plate out to Casey, and she took a forkful. She sighed at the taste of berries dancing across her tongue and nodded enthusiastically.

⠀⠀⠀"Mm, my turn," Jasper cheered, staring at Casey's roll first. She pushed the plate towards him, and he took a bite, another groan leaving his mouth. Monty followed with an approving nod. Jasper's gaze turned to Monty's dessert, the final piece to the trifecta.

⠀⠀⠀"What, this?" Monty asked, shoveling a piece of the chocolate cake into his mouth. "Nah, you won't like it. The pie's way better."

⠀⠀⠀"Really?" Jasper asked, smirking.

⠀⠀⠀He stood, fork in hand, ready to claim a bite. Monty followed suit, holding his plate close to his chest as he dodged Jasper's quick attacks. They laughed playfully as the room turned to stare at the two idiots. Casey turned her face away, embarrassed to be seen with them. Her gaze landed on the door as Clarke entered. Casey didn't think she'd ever be relieved to see Clarke, but a small breath left her mouth as she was happy to see another familiar face.

⠀⠀⠀"Hey, if you two are done flirting..." Casey called to the pair, jutting her chin towards Clarke.

⠀⠀⠀"Sit down and pretend you're happy to see me," Clarke said sharply.

⠀⠀⠀Monty and Jasper shared a look as Clarke sat down in front of Casey. She caught Casey's eye and frowned, looking over the few cuts and bruises on her face, matching Clarke's.

⠀⠀⠀"We are happy to see you," Monty muttered, slowly sitting down.

⠀⠀⠀Clarke ignored him, her eyes focused on Casey as she said bluntly, "Right now, I need you to trust me."

⠀⠀⠀"I might not like you, Clarke, but I trust you," Casey said without hesitation. She didn't trust the people inside Mount Weather, no matter how kind their people were. She knew Clarke. And like the saying goes, Casey trusted the devil she knew more than the one she didn't.

⠀⠀⠀Clarke paused, shocked to hear her quick assurance, then nodded, seeming to understand exactly where Casey was coming from. Casey had already come to the conclusion that something was off about this place. Although, Casey was more inclined to keep off their radar to figure out what it was.

⠀⠀⠀"You have to try the chocolate cake," Monty said, holding out his plate to Clarke with a smug smile.

⠀⠀⠀"Oh, it is so on," Jasper chuckled.

⠀⠀⠀"I'm not eating their food," Clarke spat, glancing at the front table. Casey hadn't met him, but the President sat there in the middle so he could look out over his people. He was an older man with white hair, sharp blue eyes, and a worn suit.

⠀⠀⠀Clarke pulled out a binder provided to her about Mount Weather. She opened it to a layout of the bunker explaining where everything was.

⠀⠀⠀"Look," Clarke whispered, pressing her finger against the page. "They gave us a map with no exits. I need you to tell me everything you've seen. Every room, every hallway, every way out."

⠀⠀⠀"'Way out?'" Jasper repeated, chuckling under his breath.

⠀⠀⠀They had only been in the company of the Mountain Men for a day, and he already trusted them. Casey couldn't necessarily blame him. Their more civilized living led to her subconscious latching onto the familiar. Enough to eat their food and relax in the comfort of their home. But she wasn't ready to sit pretty. Her friends were still out there, and they needed to find them.

⠀⠀⠀Although, for Jasper, he had been stabbed in the chest and nearly died because of the Grounders. In comparison, the Mountain Men were saints. There was one point that Casey took note of, they had healed her. They had taken the time to take care of them. They had resources, more than the Ark, but even down below, they had to be slim. And there was something in the way Dr. Tsing spoke that told Casey the mountain needed them.

⠀⠀⠀"Look around you, Clarke. There's no one hunting us here. First time in our lives and we're not hungry. Why would we want to leave?" Jasper asked, smiling softly.

⠀⠀⠀"Because we have friends out there who need our help," Clarke hissed.

⠀⠀⠀"They're looking for survivors," Monty said, and Clarke rolled her eyes when they didn't listen. "And they're way better equipped to find them than we are."

⠀⠀⠀"Clarke's right," Casey said offhandedly, taking a bite of her food before her gaze darted to Jasper. "You say no one's hunting us, but we've been captured with no offer to leave. For all we know, they're making us fat and happy before the slaughter."

⠀⠀⠀"Exactly, this place is too good to be true," Clarke agreed quickly.

⠀⠀⠀"But that also means we need to play by their rules," Casey chided her, frowning. "We take one step out of line, and we're dead."

⠀⠀⠀"We can't just wait for them to get the upper hand," Clarke said with a glare.

⠀⠀⠀"They already do," Casey retorted.

⠀⠀⠀Jasper bowed his head and laughed uncomfortably. He said, "You guys are bumming me out. I'm gonna get more cake."

⠀⠀⠀Jasper stood and headed for the buffet. The table grew silent as the three watched him begin to talk with one of the residents close to their age. She had more color to her skin but was still strikingly pale like the other residents. Casey realized that a lack of sunlight must have that effect. The girl had raven black hair and a kind smile. The moment the pair started talking, Casey could tell Jasper was already sweet on her. Maybe it was because she'd offered him cake.

⠀⠀⠀"Casey?" a voice asked from beside her. Casey looked over to see Keenan waiting patiently with her hands crossed over her stomach. "Are you ready?"

⠀⠀⠀Clarke turned her attention away from Jasper and the girl and glared at Keenan suspiciously. "Ready? Ready for what?"

⠀⠀⠀"I'll meet you at the door, Keenan. If that's alright?" Casey said to her.

⠀⠀⠀"Of course." Keenan nodded and glanced away from Clarke's steely gaze. "I'll give you a minute."

⠀⠀⠀Casey turned to Clarke with an unnerving grin. Clarke grimaced as Casey tried a little too hard to seem welcoming to their surroundings.

⠀⠀⠀"They're having us do psych evaluations after all we've been through. Some of us are bound to have PTSD or depression," Casey explained, taking Clarke's hands and holding them in hers with a tight grip. "Toe the line, Clarke, but don't cross it."

⠀⠀⠀She winked, standing, and met Keenan at the door.

"HOW DID YOU GET to be such a dick, Murphy?" Raven asked. Her coughing fit had subsided and she glared at him from where she lounged.

⠀⠀⠀"I'm sorry for shooting you, okay?" Murphy huffed, redoing the tourniquet around his leg. "Is that what you want to hear?"

⠀⠀⠀She ignored him. "Let me guess. Mommy and Daddy didn't love you?"

⠀⠀⠀"No, they loved me," Murphy whispered, darting his eyes to the floor. The conversation of his parents was hardly broached, not even by Casey. His gaze drifted to a corner of the ship where a piece of metal gleamed. He frowned.

⠀⠀⠀"Are you gonna cry, Murphy?" Raven mocked.

⠀⠀⠀"Screw you, Raven."

⠀⠀⠀Murphy pulled himself forward to the gleam and picked up a knife made from the dropship. JM. The knife he had made for himself and given to Casey. His heart clenched as he realized her knife was long gone, taken by the Grounders the first time he was captured.

⠀⠀⠀"No, tell me. I wanna know. How does a kid who's loved by his parents turn into a murdering psychopath?"

⠀⠀⠀Murphy returned to his spot, leaning back and twirling the knife between his fingers. He didn't think he was a psycho. He loved Casey like a sister and Rian like a mother. He loved his dad, and once... a long time ago, he had loved his mother. But he had built up defenses, and the ground exasperated those until he was bone weary and hungry for revenge.

⠀⠀⠀He took a breath and said under his breath, "He gets the flu."

⠀⠀⠀He could see Raven's face fall from the corner of his eye.

⠀⠀⠀"His father steals medicine that turns out wouldn't help anyway," Murphy continued. "Gets floated for it and... his mother, she starts drinking pretty heavily, and he avoids her for the friend who was always there. And... the last words his mother ever says to him before he finds her in a pool of her own vomit is that... is that he killed his father.

⠀⠀⠀"Then, he's taken in by a woman who cares for him and a girl who becomes like a sister. And not even they can help him realize that his parents aren't dead because of him. He gets thrown in jail, and his sister does the same stupid thing, and she's gonna die, too. If not on the Ark, then down here."

⠀⠀⠀There was a moment of silence. Raven's face hardened again. Then, she whispered, "Boo-hoo."

⠀⠀⠀Murphy stared at her. It was what he deserved. It didn't stop the tear from falling down his cheek. At least he could be sorry for himself.

BELLAMY'S PLAN TO SAVE Finn had significantly backfired, and by the time the black dots had left his vision, the Grounder had him tied to the back of the horse alongside Finn.

⠀⠀⠀"You have to stand on your feet. He'll kill you if you don't," Finn advised him.

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy nodded, resigned to his fate. His first plan failed, and he had no other plans on the back burner. He was too exhausted from the battle yesterday and sprinting through the dawn. The Grounder grinned at them, all teeth, and headed back to his horse when a set of cries emerged from the woods.

⠀⠀⠀Sterling and Monroe returned to try and rescue them. Bellamy closed his eyes, knowing that they had only set themselves up to be killed. Then, gunshots ruptured through the woods, and the Grounder was dead. Bellamy stared at the pair, but they were shocked. It hadn't come from them.

⠀⠀⠀The dreaded black uniforms of the Ark's Guard emerged from the woods. Bellamy didn't know what was a worse fate, them or the Grounder.

⠀⠀⠀"We're here now. Everything's gonna be okay," the clean-shaven, dark-haired man said. He raised his gun and nodded at the four delinquents. He moved away from them to check on the Grounder's body as the rest of the Guard moved in.

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy stood slowly to his feet—after dropping to the ground as the gunfire began—while Finn helped him up.

⠀⠀⠀"Don't stand up," a woman said, rushing to his side.

⠀⠀⠀"I'm fine," Bellamy muttered. He turned his attention to Finn and said, "We need to get back to the dropship."

⠀⠀⠀The others were waiting for them. The dropship had to have opened by now as the Grounders burned to a crisp in the radius around it.

⠀⠀⠀"Hey!" the woman exclaimed, grabbing Finn's jacket. "Where's Clarke? Is she alright?"

⠀⠀⠀"She was when we left," Finn answered vaguely. The ground didn't have a habit of keeping promises. "We'll take you to her."

⠀⠀⠀"Wait!" The clean-shaven man raised a hand, signaling for them to stop. Then he turned to a member of the Guard and spoke in hushed tones. Bellamy didn't have the patience to listen, turning to look at where they needed to go. "Okay, you six with me. You two, lead the way."

"HELLO?" CASEY CALLED INTO the small, two-room office. It was painted a dark blue with a few paintings hung on the walls framed in gilded gold. A brown leather couch was pushed against the wall by the door, and a dark wood desk and leather chair opposite it. Behind the desk was a door that opened when she had called out.

⠀⠀⠀A large, dark-skinned man stepped out of the room. He looked to be in his early 40s with wisps of white in his dark hair and beard. A set of rectangular glasses perched on the edge of his nose, and he looked up from the notebook in his hand with a smile. Casey noted that he was handsome, too.

⠀⠀⠀"Hello. Hold on, don't tell me," he said quickly, raising a finger at her as he walked over to his desk. He replaced his notebook with a clipboard and read off, "Ms. King?"

⠀⠀⠀"Yes, sir," Casey said, wringing her hands out in front of her nervously. "And you are?"

⠀⠀⠀"I'm Ismail Hussan, or Dr. Hussan, Dr. H, whatever you like. I'm not picky," he said, taking a seat in his chair. When he settled, he held his hand out toward the couch, encouraging her to sit.

⠀⠀⠀An embarrassed blush washed over her cheeks as she sat. Up close, the leather on the couch was worn, like it had been sat on a thousand times before her.

⠀⠀⠀"Ms. King, today is just to see where you're at, mentally, after everything that happened to you," Dr. Hassan explained simply. His composure was set at neutral, meeting her gaze with a blank slate. "I've talked to your friends about their own personal experiences since arriving on the ground. Some were more open than others... But this isn't about them. This is about you and your experiences."

⠀⠀⠀Casey shifted on the leather couch, glancing around the room at the paintings. They were all so beautiful, but the room was dim, and she couldn't make out much more than figures. She absently tapped against her wrist, something she knew she did but never really paid attention to. But Dr. Hassan did, his gaze attentive.

⠀⠀⠀"Where do I start?" Casey asked.

⠀⠀⠀"Wherever you'd like," Dr. Hassan said with an encouraging smile. "But, if you'd like some direction, maybe the day you came to Earth."

⠀⠀⠀Casey laughed softly under her breath, glancing at him. He looked intrigued by her response.

⠀⠀⠀"It was my birthday, and I had known I was going to die," Casey said, staring at her hands, thinking of that morning as she lay in her bed, Wells two feet away from her. He was dead now while she sat here, thinking of him. "And then, when they came to float me, I was sent to the ground instead."

⠀⠀⠀"And how was that for you? Going to the ground?" Dr. Hassan asked, raising a brow.

⠀⠀⠀"Terrifying... I was imprisoned before, but at least I knew my fate. I was going to die among the stars, and then I was sent to the ground just to question everything.

⠀⠀⠀"On one hand, I was able to reunite with my brother... although that went downhill quickly. On the other hand, my mom is still up on the Ark. Or, I guess, maybe they'll have made it down by now. I don't know what happened. But I just keep wondering if she's okay, or if she's..."

⠀⠀⠀Dr. Hassan leaned forward. "It sounds like family is really important to you. It must be difficult to have so many unknowns surrounding her safety."

⠀⠀⠀"Hers and my brother's. He was banished from our camp after some..." Casey glanced at Dr. Hassan and withheld how barbaric their camp had become. It might be exactly what he was looking for. The idea that he would report all of this information back to the President made her tense, and she shut herself out a little more. "Anyways, family is very important to me. I just want them to be safe."

⠀⠀⠀"That's a lot of loss and uncertainty, especially for such a short time frame. How do you feel with everything that's happened?"

⠀⠀⠀"It's..." Her mind tripped back to Atom, Wells, Murphy, the conversation with her mom, the Exodus ship that came down, the war they nearly lost. "...hard. It feels like this place will be ripped out from under me any second, like a dream."

⠀⠀⠀"You seem to be carrying a lot," Dr. Hassan noted. He continued to discuss her time on the ground and asked her a few test questions to determine her mental state, and soon enough, it had been an hour. "I'd like for you to come back next week. Tell me how you're coping with the day-to-day, and then I'll give you my thoughts," Dr. Hassan explained, closing his notebook and folding his hands.

⠀⠀⠀Casey was confused. She was sure she had answered all the questions well enough. She didn't feel crazy, but maybe this was what he asked of everyone.

⠀⠀⠀"Um... yeah, okay," she murmured. Her gaze returned to the shadowed paintings as she chewed on her lip.

⠀⠀⠀"Your world has changed so much in a short time," Dr. Hassan continued. "I would like to make it a little more comfortable. But I need to be certain of my assessment."

⠀⠀⠀Now that rang alarm bells. She didn't know what he meant, and he seemed unwilling to share those thoughts until he was ready. She looked at him with a frown, but he only smiled plainly. Then, he glanced at his watch.

⠀⠀⠀"Keenan should be waiting outside. If there's anything you need during this week, you can always swing by. If the door's open, I'm free to chat. Closed, and I'm with a patient or away."

⠀⠀⠀Casey stood and nodded awkwardly. The session had gone well until this last part of the conversation. She felt uncomfortable standing in the middle of the room.

⠀⠀⠀"Thank you," she whispered politely.

⠀⠀⠀"Of course, Ms. King."

THE DROPSHIP CAMP WAS a nightmare in the daylight. Dead teenagers scattered the area, scorched Grounders covered the soil, and no one alive was in sight. The entrance to the dropship was open; the red and white tarps kept the inside unknown to them. There wasn't a sound, not even a hushed whisper.

⠀⠀⠀"It's too quiet," Bellamy said, dread filling his body. He didn't know what was wrong, only that it was.

⠀⠀⠀Marcus Kane, a council member of the Ark and the acting chancellor held his arm out before Bellamy could move.

⠀⠀⠀"We'll take it from here," Kane ordered him. Bellamy resisted the urge not to roll his eyes. "Banks, Scanlon, you stay with them. We'll signal once we're sure it's safe."

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy paced as the others went ahead without them. He didn't risk talking to Finn with the Guard listening in, and all he could think was, 'What the hell happened?'.

⠀⠀⠀"We need a stretcher!" someone called out.

⠀⠀⠀The one hundred teenagers that dropped to Earth quickly became their own civilized people. They were no longer from Factory Station or Farm Station or even Arkadians. They were survivors, warriors, and the only people on this whole Earth that Bellamy was loyal to. Not Kane or Abby or the Guard. And Bellamy wouldn't be told he couldn't check on his people.

⠀⠀⠀Finn knew it, too. The silent glance passed between them confirmed it. Finn nodded, and the pair sprinted into the woods before anyone could stop them. They made it to the back entrance, slipping into the camp, as silent inside as it was out.

⠀⠀⠀"Where is everyone?" Bellamy muttered as he looked around the deserted camp. He had hoped that his people would be there beyond the front gates, hiding. But there was no one.

⠀⠀⠀Then, a grating voice caught Bellamy's attention, whining, "It was awful. It was awful. There were hundreds of them, and if it wasn't for Raven..." He stumbled, then continued, "I don't know what happened."

⠀⠀⠀Murphy walked out from the dropship, slumped over Kane's shoulder with a fresh set of scrapes covering his face. Bellamy didn't care. He could hear the blood rushing to his head, and his vision narrowed as he walked, as calmly as he could contain himself, to them.

⠀⠀⠀Murphy looked over at the movement, his expression falling as he cowered back. "B-Bellamy, you're... you're alive."

⠀⠀⠀The sound of his voice, again, made Bellamy react like a wolf to its prey. He lunged forward, pushing Murphy out of Kane's hold and onto his back.

⠀⠀⠀"You murdering son of a bitch!" Bellamy screamed, his voice cracking. He raised his fists and knocked Murphy's face from side to side, panting with each blow, "This. Is for. Raven!"

⠀⠀⠀Suddenly, the wind was taken out of him as an electrical current ran up his spine. Bellamy fell on his back, taking in a large intake of choked air as his body seized from the onslaught of pain.

⠀⠀⠀Kane stood over him, looking at Bellamy not as a wolf but as a feral dog. He said, "Place him under arrest."

⠀⠀⠀Finn stepped forward and claimed, "Wait. You don't understand. Murphy murdered two of our people. He shot another one. He tried to hang Bellamy!"

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy was pulled to his feet and handcuffed. It was like he had told Casey at the river: the Ark would come down, and the hundred would be stripped of all their freedom in one fell swoop. Bellamy wished she were here to tell them they could still leave, run away. They could find Octavia, maybe Lincoln, if he wanted to come and build a society based on their own rules.

⠀⠀⠀But none of that mattered now. Kane saw them as an extension of the Ark, and his people were all gone, with only Finn left to defend him.

⠀⠀⠀"You are not in control here anymore," he sneered.

⠀⠀⠀Guards carried a stretcher out of the dropship with Raven lying on top of it. Finn rushed forward as he looked over her. She was pale, her face screwed up like she was about to throw up, and unconscious.

⠀⠀⠀"She's lost a lot of blood. It's a miracle that she's still alive," Abby told him. Finn's gaze moved to the dropship, and she answered his unspoken question, "There's no one else in there."

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy couldn't fathom that they had just disappeared, so where the hell did they go?

⠀⠀⠀After that, Bellamy was left to himself to sit as the Guard finished searching the camp and collecting any supplies that could be useful. Not that they had much left after the war they'd just fought against the Grounders.

⠀⠀⠀Finn jogged over to him about half an hour later and said, "We're leaving."

⠀⠀⠀"What? This is where they'll come back," Bellamy protested, furrowing his brow. He couldn't fathom leaving only for their people to return.

⠀⠀⠀"I don't think they're coming back," Finn said honestly. "The Grounders took them, and you know that."

⠀⠀⠀Bellamy bowed his head. He didn't want to believe it. Octavia was safe with Lincoln—or so he hoped—but Clarke, Jasper, Monty... Casey? They were out there somewhere being tortured, or worse, killed, at that very moment.

⠀⠀⠀Finn kneeled down so they were eye-to-eye and whispered, "Look. We go with Kane to Alpha Station. We get reinforcements, weapons... then, we find our friends."

⠀⠀⠀"One question, how many more of us will be dead by then?" Bellamy bit back.

⠀⠀⠀Finn looked over his shoulder at Raven, then back at Bellamy.

⠀⠀⠀"Abby says Raven needs surgery, or she's gonna die," Finn explained, the cards laid out on the table. Bellamy glanced at her and knew Finn wasn't lying. At the least, they knew they could help Raven. "It's time to go."

⠀⠀⠀Finn left him to walk with Raven as Bellamy was hauled to his feet by a guard. As he left, his eyes drifted to Abby, where she scratched into the side of the dropship:

CLARKE
PLEASE COME
HOME
22 KM SOUTH/SW
MOM

THE NEW ARRIVALS TO Mount Weather had been invited to a feast that night. Unlike lunch, they were given nicer clothes to wear. Casey was offered a long, three-quartered sleeve, light blue dress for the event.

⠀⠀⠀After her meeting with Dr. Hassan, Monty and Jasper took turns explaining what happened in the hour she'd been gone. Clarke stole Maya's key card—the girl Jasper had been awkwardly flirting with—and nearly irradiated the entire building trying to get out. Thankfully, with a few more answers, Clarke was welcomed back into their society with little worry from the President.

⠀⠀⠀"For the past and future, we serve. We give thanks. Good health, good food, and good company. And the blessing of new friends. We give thanks," the room chorused together in prayer before they sat down for their meal.

⠀⠀⠀Casey glanced at Clarke sitting beside her. The pair hadn't had a chance to speak since lunch.

⠀⠀⠀"What did I tell you?" Casey whispered as she raised a spoonful of stew to her lips. She took a bite and closed her eyes at the taste. She almost wished she could request only the most bland food because she didn't want to miss this one day.

⠀⠀⠀"I know, I crossed the line," Clarke whispered back, sighing. "I didn't realize—"

⠀⠀⠀"Neither did I," Casey assured her.

⠀⠀⠀The people around them were incredibly fragile. Whereas they could survive on the ground due to the exposure to radiation in space, even the slightest bit of contamination could kill the Mountain Men.

⠀⠀⠀Clarke took a bite of her stew, the first real food she had eaten since she arrived. Her eyes widened in complete shock at the abundance of flavor.

⠀⠀⠀"I know, right," Casey chuckled. "Don't get used to it."

⠀⠀⠀Clarke smiled as she caught eyes with the President, then glanced at Casey knowingly.

⠀⠀⠀"I won't," Clarke said.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Hello! Welcome to Act 2! I'm very excited to present to you this season. I think it's a lot of fun and since Bellamy isn't as prominent in Casey's story, more character focused around her and her relationships. And I hope y'all like long chapters because this one was a DOOZY! I nearly split it in half, but I think I'm going to do that when chapters hit 8000 words rather than 6.5k like I had planned. Though, I think by the time of editing this one might've just broken 8k...

In case you forgot, Dr. Hassan is played by Idris Elba!

How are you guys feeling about the multiple POVs? It's what makes this chapter so fucking long lmao.

I ran the numbers on who Casey talked to last season. (No, seriously, I literally counted every time they interacted.) And considering every time she and another character speaks dialogue at each other Casey interacted with Bellamy the most last season (surprise, surprise) for a total of 213 times. While Octavia, Murphy, Raven, and Clarke come in next.

The painting that Casey looks at is The Return of Persephone by Frederic Leighton. It's definitely not symbolism for anything in the future.

And finally, I wanna shout out all the awesome people who have supported the first act so much! So thank you to all of my commenters last act ❤️ I write this story because I love Casey and Bellamy, but I keep posting because of YOU GUYS! (also I hope I typed everyone's usernames in right but I'm dyslexic so let me know if not and I'll fix it)

allycat440, angelxobunni, br1qnnqzb, Britt_Alexander06, budisrecanjebespad, emjane1606, FletchyBird, gho3tt, hollxe1, izntares, jakesperaltas, Kili-Loverxx, laurasdrey, melovepeachicetea, moreghoststhanpeople, planethaley, reallymylove, sexcmfbeast, SiGnAl2315, stilinskislvr, str8ykk, sunkissed-poet, ThatOneDisneyHoe, The_Real_Slim_Smitty, toadswamp, uusedtocmeonmycphone, ultrapunks, witxiter, yogourde

Also, the MVP for this past act was gggarfieldz for pointing out one of my most egregious typos ever.

I thought of doing this last minute and keeping track of people who voted is a lot harder than commenters but if you voted throughout act 1, I love you so much and thank you so much!!!

Finally!!! sunkissed-poet nominated me in a fanfic award for best author. It's called Armageddon by aesflms. Voting hasn't started yet, but if you feel so inclined you should check it out! Nominate some of your favorite authors and books and maybe even give me a little vote when the time comes hee hee. But, either way, it's just nice to see the community come together!

CHAPTER TIME FRAME: Season 2, Episode 1: The 48

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 ♡

FIND ME AT AO3: peachpick | TikTok: peachpick.wp | Pinterest: peachpick | Spotify Playlist: Icarus & The Sun by ashley

NEXT TIME: Clarke doesn't trust their captors and begins to push a little too hard against them despite Casey's warning.