❝we are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.❞

-jk rowling, author

♛

ISN'T IT FUNNY HOW so much can change within a mere three months? The time stretches on and on until it seems like there will be no end. Every day is the same, full of routines and monotonous schedules that confine me to Arkadia like I'm being held with a chain and a collar around my neck. After being so used to wander freely, this is a huge change.

Time on the ground is different than it had been in space. A week equals two months. The days seem to either pass along slowly or so quickly I lose track of them, buried in mounds of work and more routines. I feel like I've aged faster and am older than eighteen - though, of course, that's not the case.

I sit on a barrel outside during my break, writing another letter to Clarke. I've been meaning to do it a lot sooner, but with everything going on, I haven't had time. My pen works furiously across the pages until my hand begins to cramp up.

I haven't heard from Lexa since the mountain - not that I heard from her then, but you did. The only thing she's done is restrict our grounds and prevent us from growing our own food. We have to get everything from a nearby trading post. And we've reached an agreement not to use Mount Weather's resources.

I don't think Heda likes me very much. She certainly doesn't have eyes for me like she does for you. I've pretty much always been in your shadow, Clarke. You were the Privileged, the smart one with perfect grades, the one who didn't have to worry about where she'd get next week's dinners from. I was the delinquent thief, the average one, the middle-class girl who may have become a klepto if they didn't lock me up. We were so different. We always have been. We shouldn't have worked out, but we did, and now I have to survive without you.

I haven't woken up again to try and find you. I haven't g

"Hey." A foot kicks my leg lightly. "We got a signal. You in?"

I look up to see Octavia Blake standing in front of the barrel I'm sitting on. Her sharp cheekbones look even more prominent with the sun behind her, and her black Grounder clothes make her eyes appear lighter. The top section of her long, brunette hair is tied back with a braid that blends in with the rest of the tresses. Her expression is expectant yet teasing.

"Is that even a question?" I ask, smiling and closing my relatively new, hardly-used notebook. "Hell yes."

"Raven's starting up the Rover." Octavia points to the garage. "Might wanna hurry, or I'll tell Abby you were slacking."

"It's called a break, O," I shoot back, my grin stretching farther as I get up and stretch out. She shakes her head and heads off toward the stables to get her beloved horse.

I stand up with a sigh and slip the notebook into my back pocket as usual. Since I had been lost in my letter to Clarke, I hadn't noticed the number of people milling around outside. I have to weave my way through them during the walk toward the garage.

"'Bout time," Miller comments the instant I walk inside. He's cradling a rifle in his arms, a teasing smirk lifting up one side of his mouth. "We were just about to leave without you."

"No, they weren't." Gina Martin shakes her head so her springy curls bounce around. "Don't listen to him."

I smile at her as she passes me a gun. "I wasn't going to, anyway."

Miller rolls his eyes and climbs into the back of the Rover. When I turn toward it, I notice Raven slowly heaving herself inside to the driver's seat. Bellamy is standing off to the side and checking to make sure we have everything we need.

"Hey," I greet as I walk up to him, tilting his chin up to press my lips to his briefly. He inhales deeply and cups a hand to my cheek as I wind my fingers through his curls. A smile tugs at my lips when I pull away; his pout is adorable. "You look grumpy. Did Lincoln kick your ass today?"

"Yes!" Miller answers loudly from inside the Rover. Bellamy huffs, which is all the confirmation I need. A chuckle comes out of me at the fact he lost again. This has to be the fifth time.

"Enough about my failures," Bellamy sighs in mock annoyance. "Let's go."

I roll my eyes at his persistence and climb into the back of the truck. It's spacious, with benches on either side and two seats in front. A few miscellaneous objects are scattered around from previous rescue missions; I have to move them out of the way with my feet before I can plop down. Bellamy eases beside me and Miller shuts the door.

"Face it, Fallon- you're too good for him," Raven comments jokingly.

"Shut up," Bellamy retorts, but the ghost of a grin is lingering on his face.

"Careful," Jasper grumbles from the seat beside Raven's, "Monty might melt you."

Monty leans over his shoulder and nearly shouts, "Enough!"

I swallow at the palpable tension between the two former best friends. These past few months have been hard for Jasper, who has taken to drinking in an effort to lessen his pain. Whatever trust he had in Monty and Bellamy has been destroyed. I still can't figure out why he's not as harsh toward me.

"Raven," Bellamy calls, quickly changing the subject. "Take us out."

She nods before turning the ignition and revving up the Rover. The garage opens with a loud rattling noise when she presses the button for it. Instantly, Octavia gallops in front of it on her horse.

"Guess we found her," Miller says, which leads me to guess they'd been wondering where she's been. Bellamy huffs again and shakes his head.

"Try and keep up!" Octavia teases Raven. She only revs the engine again and inclines her head in acceptance to the challenge.

After Octavia turns around and urges her horse to a trot, Raven steps on the gas to get us going. It's basically impossible to pass her up due to the dirt paths being so narrow. We pass by the decently-built structures we've managed to create, cruising past kids who stare in awe at the vehicle. It only takes a matter of minutes until we're out Arkadia's boundaries.

Despite the fact this isn't my first time in the Rover, I still feel excitement build up in my chest. The fact Raven managed to fix it up without any help is beyond my comprehension. Driving or even being a passenger in it sends elation through me that I can't explain.

Jasper has his headphones in his ears, mumbling the words to a familiar song. Monty reaches forward and yanks them out; even so, I can still hear the music clearly due to the volume being up so high.

"You know what?" he sighs. "If you're gonna ride shotgun, you can't just disappear."

Jasper glares in his direction and pointedly plugs his iPod into the radio. The song plays louder once it's connected. Monty reaches forward to turn it down, but Bellamy grabs his arm to stop him. "Hey, it's okay. It's a long ride."

After that, the song picks up a bit. Miller starts playing air drums with his fingers while I nod along to the music, fighting off a grin.

"Why can't I get just one kiss?" Jasper sings along. "Why can't I get just one kiss? Believe me there'd be some things that I wouldn't miss, but I look at your pants and I need a kiss."

I always laugh at that part, so I cover my mouth to prevent myself from chuckling. Miller starts air-drumming with even more excitement than before. It's getting to the point where he almost hits me in the knee with his hands.

"Why can't I get just one screw?" Raven continues. "Why can't I get just one screw?"

"Believe me, I know what to do!" Jasper nearly screams, something like a smile on his face.

I turn toward Bellamy right on cue and put my hand on his cheek, running my finger slowly along his jawline. "But somethin' won't let me make love to you."

A spark of surprise ignites in his eyes, and I fight to keep a neutral expression as I lean closer. Our lips are just about to touch when I can't take it anymore and pull away to burst out laughing. Miller, who had been snuggling up to Monty, loses it and almost falls out of his seat.

"Day after day," Monty reluctantly begins to sing along, "I get angry and I will say that the day is in my sight when I take a bow and say goodnight."

I can see through the windshield that we've emerged onto a long stretch of grassy field, Octavia and her horse galloping right beside us. She's watching us curiously with a smile on her face.

"You know you've got my sympathy!" Jasper exclaims as he climbs out of his seat and over our legs. He stands up to his full height and sticks his upper half through the circular hole in the top of the car, letting out a "WOOOOOOO!" that makes me laugh again.

After so long of seeing him desolate, this moment of joy means more than anyone could guess.

But it ends all too soon. The radar attached to the radio starts beeping wildly, producing a red caution symbol on the screen. Raven reaches forward and shuts off the song.

"A tracking beacon from the Ark!" Monty realizes excitedly. He swings himself into Jasper's old seat and Raven brings the Rover to a stop.

"Hey, that was the best part!" Jasper complains as he drops back down into the back.

"Who is it?" Bellamy asks curiously.

Monty pulls out his keyboard and types a few commands in. The words FARM STATION appear on the radar along with a glowing red dot.

"Farm Station," he reports.

Miller wets his lips. "Af-After four months? How?"

"Find out," Bellamy commands. "Where are they?"

I turn toward the back when the doors open, revealing Octavia standing outside with an unimpressed look. "Don't tell me I missed the party."

"You chose the horse," I retort. She purses her lips at me.

"Sector Eight," Monty informs us.

"Ice Nation," Miller sighs.

"What about it?" Octavia asks.

"Protocol says we go home," Raven answers, "let the Chancellor decide what to do next."

I feel disappointment fill me. Are we really going to leave our people stranded on their own because they landed in a restricted area?

"Screw protocol," Bellamy declares firmly. "Chancellor's not from Farm Station. Monty is, so is Miller's boyfriend." He nods to them. "It's your call."

"Let's do this," Monty chimes in.

Miller raises his eyebrows. "Do you have to ask?"

Bellamy looks back at Octavia. "Try to keep up."

His sister scowls before closing the door again.

--

The trees eventually grow too dense for us to drive through, so Raven parks the Rover just outside of them. I grab my gun and hop out of the back. Bellamy, Jasper, and Miller follow me in landing on the dry grass.

"These woods must be the border," Bellamy notes.

"Then where's all the ice?" Jasper wonders sarcastically.

"Much further north," Octavia replies, having tied her horse up to a tree. "Azgeda stretches for a thousand miles."

"Good thing we only have to go two hundred meters," Monty comments, clutching the radar in his hands like a lifeline.

"Hey." I stick my arm out to stop him from walking any further. "If this is the border, there are bound to be Scouts."

"Remember, rules of engagement are non-lethal force," Bellamy reminds us in an authoritative tone. "Time formation on my command. Raven, you stay in the Rover."

She shoots him an offended look and scoffs. "Yeah, right."

"We need every gun we've got," Octavia tells him. She's right; Azgeda is like the reckless child of the twelve clans. They're known to be unpredictable, harmful, and murderous. It twists my gut to know our people are stuck in their boundaries. It's all the more reason to get them out.

"They're coming," Monty announces with a twinge of anticipation. "A hundred and twenty meters. One ten--"

He steps forward again, but this time Bellamy stops him and raises his gun at the sound of voices.

"What are you doing?" Monty demands. "They're our people."

"We hope they're our people," Bellamy corrects. Octavia unsheaths her sword from her back and I clench tighter onto my own rifle. "On my command!"

I duck my head to look through the optical sight and hold my breath. The sound of hooves catches my attention. Soon enough, riders on horseback start approaching through the trees, the white coats of their animals poking through the trees. They're definitely not Skaikru.

Bellamy straightens up. "Ice Nation."

"Yes," Octavia confirms, stepping forward slightly.

The riders stop only a little bit in front of us. They appear much different than any other Grounders I've seen, faces painted white and matted hair free from braids. Their eyes seem to be sunken in from how the black contrasts with the other paint.

"Stay calm," Octavia whispers to us as she sheaths her sword and raises her arms in surrender.

"Chon you bilaik?" one of them demands.

"Skaikru," Octavia replies. "Ste lufa osir kru au."

"Ste lufa Wanheda au," the Azgeda warrior says to the other. My eyebrows crease in confusion. Looking for the Commander of Death?

The one that's closest starts to dismount from his magnificent horse, making me stiffen.

"They think we're looking for Wanheda," Octavia reports to the rest of us.

"Who's that?" Bellamy asks.

"I don't know," Octavia hisses back. The man slowly comes closer with a posture that expresses a threat.

"The light," Monty points out. "That's the beacon."

My eyes drift to a contraption attached to the bag on his side, flashing red every so often. I swallow thickly. To my surprise, Jasper starts walking forward too quickly for any of us to grab him. He treads right past Octavia and toward the Scouts.

"Hey, get back here!" Bellamy commands. The warriors farthest from us poise arrows to shoot.

"Jasper!" I exclaim, lowering my gun.

Octavia reaches out and grabs his hood to yank him back, but he shakes her off. "It's okay. I've got this."

"Tell them we observe the Commander's truce!" Bellamy says in a desperate rush of words. "Do it now."

"Osir gouba ogonzaun kom Heda in!" Octavia shouts, causing them to slightly slacken their grips on their bows.

Jasper reaches forward and plucks the beacon from the man's possession, causing the thin strap to snap. He holds it up to his face. "This belongs to us."

But just as Jasper turns away, the Azgeda warrior pulls him by the back of his vest and holds him in a headlock. He holds a knife up to Jasper's neck and demands gruffly, "Weron Wanheda kamp raun?"

Everyone besides Octavia and I raise their guns again while the others prepare to shoot their arrows.

"Breik em au!" Bellamy commands harshly.

"Osir nou get in chon daunde bilaik!" I exclaim desperately, holding my hands out in defense.

Slowly, a smile starts to stretch across Jasper's mouth. I feel my stomach begin to churn at the sight; the others lower their guns. He wants to die, I realize with a start.

"Yo vout in dison ste leyos?" the man hisses, digging the blade into Jasper's neck until blood seeps from the wound. My heart leaps into my throat. Immediately, Bellamy, Miller, and Raven fire at the three Grounders so the other two fall off of their horses.

"Hold your fire!" Bellamy shouts at the top of his lungs.

Octavia unsheaths her sword and yells, "Jasper, get down!"

The boy dives for cover. With a grunt, Octavia spins and flings her sword at the Azgeda warrior who had cut him, the blade landing in his stomach with a wet thunk. He slowly sinks to his knees before toppling onto his back.

"Jasper," I gasp, rushing forward to help him. My hands clasp his own and haul him to his feet. However, that's about as much hospitality he'll accept. He pushes my hands away when I try to inspect the wound on his neck. "Hey, let me help you."

"I don't need your help," he sneers sourly and starts to turn away.

"Oh, yeah?" I counter in a slightly harsh tone. At this point it's the only way to reach him, no matter how much I don't like speaking to him like this. "Who's been the one going against orders to give you painkillers for your hangovers?"

Jasper stops in his tracks, a sign he's complying. I sigh and unzip one of the front pockets of my jacket to take out some medical tape.

"I've got the First Aid kit," Miller announces. I nod and guide Jasper back toward the vehicle, trying not to fall over with how much he's stumbling and relying on me to walk. He leans heavily against it with his palm pressed firmly to the wound.

I dig my hands into the small, red box before producing a tiny bottle of antiseptic and a cotton ball. The clear liquid dribbles onto it quickly.

"This'll hurt like a bitch," I inform him before taking his hand away from the cut and swiping the cotton ball over it. Jasper cries out in agony and grits his teeth as his body tenses. After that, I take the bandages from Miller as well. It barely takes me more than fifteen seconds to stick it on using the medical tape. "That'll do for now. You'll have to go to Medical."

"Yeah, yeah," Jasper grumbles with a cringe still twisting his face.

"We had to shoot three Ice Nation Scouts," Bellamy speaks into a  radio. "Covert, Sector Four. Copy. Can you tell me what's going on?"

"When you get here," Kane's voice replies. "Over and out."

"Sector four?" Raven questions in confusion. "Why is Kane so far outside the wall?"

Bellamy ignores her question and shouts to Octavia, "Take him home!"

"I'm fine, thanks for asking," Jasper grumbles in annoyance, eyes having returned to their normal stormy state. It's such a stark contrast to how they used to be that I feel a punch to my gut.

"No, you're not," I protest with a fervent shake of my head. "You'll probably need stitches and we don't have time for that here."

"Miller!" Bellamy calls sharply.

"Yeah?"

"Get one of their horses. Raven, since you can't ride, you're on the back. Monty and Fallon, you're with me. Let's go!"

-----

an awkward ending but the scenes are split really weirdly so oops!!

also: did anyone notice the placement of the word "love"? (;

-kristyn

TRANSLATIONS

Ste lufa osir kru au: Looking for our people.

Osir gouba ogonzaun kom Heda in!: We observe the Commander's truce!

Weron Wanheda kamp raun?: Where is Wanheda?

Breik em au!: Let him go!

Osir nou get in chon daunde bilaik!: We don't know who that is!

Yo vout in dison ste leyos?: You think this is funny?