There was no telling what Harley expected when marching to Mount Weather. She knew this was a rescue mission, and the only bloodshed would be for those who were guilty. But with the grounders abandoning them after Lexa's command, she knew it was up to Bellamy and Clarke to take the leadership position and come up with a new plan to get everyone out safe. Harley didn't want anyone else to die, which is something Maya agreed with, so she had left to find a guard that was on their side.

Harley managed to keep her panicking much quieter than Jasper, who was pacing back and forth with a gun's strap slung over his shoulder. He was troubled, looking over the corner of the halls as if Maya would appear in seconds. He finally sighed loudly, breaking the silent tension between the three. "This is taking too long," he said, irritated. "I mean, what if she got caught?"

"She didn't," Harley said calmly, doing her best to keep Jasper relaxed. "We'd have heard something if she did, right?" She pointed out.

Jasper paused his moving to shake his head dismissively. "Then what if she couldn't find Sergeant Lee or - I don't know - the protocol changed? What if he got caught?" He whispered loudly.

From where she was leaning against the wall, with her sword pointed down in front of her, Octavia cut in. "Jasper," she says, strangely relaxed and soothing. "A warrior doesn't worry about what they can't control."

The door in front of them suddenly swung open with a creak and Maya, with a tall man in a guard's uniform, poured in. "Oh, thank god," Jasper breathed out, lurching forward to pull her into a hug. "Did anyone see you?"

Before Maya could respond, the click of a gun stopped her. The guard, Sergeant Lee, had the barrel of his gun pointed at Octavia. "No-!" Harley exclaimed, snapping out of the heart warming daze.

"Lee, put down the gun," Maya demanded, grabbing his wrist and pulling it down to force him to lower it.

Octavia was already on guard, wielding her sword threateningly while Sergeant Lee and her shared a equally hostile stare. "You didn't say there was an outsider with you," he uttered.

"She's not an outsider," Jasper countered, holding his hand up cautiously.

"Yes, she is," Octavia corrected from behind them.

Knowing there wasn't much time, Maya put herself in between them. "She's with us," she explained shortly. The guard didn't like it, but he broke the stare down him and Octavia were holding. "Cage is in the dorms," Maya continued to the others. "They brought another group in from The Ark, more marrow. They're not even trying to fix the dam," she said worriedly.

Harley tensed, set on alarm at the thought of more of her people being brought in to be killed. They weren't going to fix the dam when thinking that they won't need this place soon. "How many soldiers are with Cage?" Jasper suddenly asked, low.

"Uh, six," Sergeant Lee answered hesitantly. "Why?"

"Just get me close," Jasper told him, pulling his gun strap off his shoulder and handing it to Maya. "They'll be happy you found another eight doses."

Left astonished by Jasper's unspoken plan, Harley frowned. "Jasper, no," she objected. "You could get hurt." She didn't want to think past that.

Jasper lifted his head, and Harley wasn't sure about the cold look behind them. He didn't have to say anything, she knew. "I'll be fine." He didn't care. He was going to kill Cage, the leader, without a second thought, to keep everyone left save. But there was no telling if he died, if someone like him would rise up next. It wouldn't end. Jasper motioned to Octavia with a wave. "I need a-"

Interrupting, Octavia swiftly pulled a knife out and flipped it, holding the handle towards him. "Aim for the throat," she instructed as he accepted the weapon. "Slash, don't stab. Make it deep."

Handcuffs were slapped on Jasper's wrists. "I hope you know what you're doing," Sergeant Lee commented, leaving Harley unsure but agreeing as she paced forward, unable to watch her friend being dragged away to take an unknown chance.

━━━━━━━━

"Long way from The Ark, huh?"

Maya's soft voice broke Harley out of the trance she muddled in. Maya had been pacing like Jasper was for the longest time, but Harley remained by Octavia's side, leaning against a cool metal door and looking out the small square window. She didn't expect them to be caught, but it was better to stay on guard incase.

Turning her head, Harley met the dark haired girls eyes. She smiled and nodded. "It is," she agreed. "You know, I miss it sometimes. Space and all." Earth wasn't as great as she imagined, but then again, The Ark wasn't the best place either. They weren't so different.

From the other side of her, Octavia let out a snort. "Not my Ark," she stated. "I didn't have a view." Harley visibly went stiff, realizing her mistake. She was a legal second child, Octavia wasn't, and therefore she had a perspective of space and stars while Octavia grew up under the floors.

"I wish I could see it," Maya mused. Harley imagined Jasper telling her stories of his time there, or what it was like.

"Maybe you can," Octavia suddenly voiced. "There's an airlock. We used it to hold Emerson. All we have to do is get you there, and-"

"So I could live in a cell?" Maya finished, guessing.

Harley couldn't picture how much that would suck to do, but she knew Octavia could. Harley was in a cell alone for a few years, but there were certain days she'd be allowed it. Maya would never be able to, not with the air. "At least you could live," she said sharply, practically biting the words.

The conversation about longing for space and The Ark was stopped when the door behind them was swung open. Harley froze, going wide eyed as two teenagers stumbled in with their lips locked, completely oblivious to the fact they aren't as private as they hoped. The presence of the stunned three girls watching for a few seconds became noticed when the boy tilted his head from where he had the girl pressed against pipes. The pair began to back away, leaving once more, shouting together.

"Outsiders!"

In a split second, Octavia unsheathed her sword. "No, Octavia!" Maya begged, missing as she tried to grab her before she bolted forward.

"Octavia!" Harley cried out, her legs pumping to run after her. "Don't!" She knew they were caught, but Octavia didn't have to hurt them, not to keep them safe.

Whirling around a corner, Harley came to a sliding stop as the teenagers ran past two guards pointing their guns forward. She watched, horrified, as Octavia threw her sword ahead. The sharp blade struck the first guard square in his chest, where it remained, as Octavia slid her body on the ground, tripping the second guard before he could shoot. She jumped to her feet, grabbing the handle of her sword and ripping it out of the man's chest and twirling it around, slitting the others throat.

Blood splattered the walls as Octavia, panting, turned around. Harley was stunned, knowing she could do this damage, but unsure of what to do when witnessing it. She couldn't even start to process it, as more guards appeared, all brandishing guns pointed straight at them. "Maya Vie, stop!" One ordered in a holler.

"Run!" Maya shouted.

Footsteps echoed as Harley tore down the stone hallways. Her heart was racing, eyes wide in terror as she followed wherever Maya led them. She didn't know she was holding her breath as she ran until her lungs were pumping, desperate for air. Harley felt like she had been running for hours, unsure of where she could possibly even be going that was safe enough. That is, until Maya slowed down, leading them through a small door.

As Harley caught her breath, scanning the new area she was surrounded with, she could see an endless sea of people of men, women and children. They were dressed up in much cleaner clothing, but became terrified and backed up at the sight of Octavia. An opening moved, and Harley tried to follow, but more guards appeared, pointing guns. Harley wasn't sure they could run again. "Stop," they warned. "Hands up."

Frightened, Harley slowly lifted her hands in defense. They were circled. There was only one way this ended, she thought, as her arms were twisted behind her back and she was pushed to the ground. She let out a soft cry as her chest ached, remaining still, as the guards forcibly began to arrest the three.

Harley had her head down, tears pricking the corner of her eyes, and she wasn't sure how, but it stopped all at once. The pressure over her was lifted as red lights started flashing around the mess all, ringing loudly. Hurt and confused, she slowly picked herself up. Everyone around her, besides Octavia, were breaking out into burning blisters and gasping for air. Horrified, Harley watched Maya grow in the same state, twitching painfully on the ground.

Tears streamed down Harley's cheeks, a flaming vile feeling in her chest and crawling up her throat as she viewed every resident start to die agonizingly. She didn't know what was happening, couldn't put the pieces together, and wasn't even sure she could move. A choked sob made its way out as Harley gaped at Octavia, who was doing her best to calm Maya with an arm wrapped around her, let her die in solace.

The entrance to the mess hall opened, and a crying Harley picked her head up to see Jasper jumping over people's bodies to get to them. "J-Jasper.." She cried, grasping an understanding. He couldn't kill Cage, and he let his people die, including Maya.

Jasper fell to the other side of Maya, gently taking her from Octavia and pulling her body to his chest as he cried. "I'm here," he whispered, softly assuring her with a broken heart. He stared at her, watching Maya gasp and groan. "She was innocent.." Another shattered cry broke out of Harley and she covered her mouth with her hand, feeling the wet stain of tears.

Maya leaned against Jasper's arm, her head tilted, before speaking hushed, raspy words. "None of us is innocent." With one last gasping breath, she became limp and died in Jasper's hold.

"No, no, no," Jasper sobbed, weak cries pouring out in blurs as he quivered violently. "Oh god. No." Harley pressed her lips together, reaching out and resting a shaking hand on Jasper's shoulder. Harley didn't know what to say, she didn't know how to pick herself out of the rock bottom they had just hit.

"Harley," Octavia said softly, catching the broken girls attention. 'C'mon. We have to help our people." A stable hand outstretched towards Harley, clasping her wrist and helping her up. Harley's legs wobbled as she forced herself to her feet. She couldn't spare another glance to the burned corpses around her, instead, choosing to dash with Octavia across Mount Weather.

The dorm their people were in was relatively close to the reaper's tunnels, and Octavia shoved the two heavy doors open. Harley was terrorized already, watching too many people die, but she could feel a sick feeling stir when seeing her people chained to the wall in handcuffs. "Hey!" Kane, whose wrists were also bound, called out. "Get the keys from the guard!"

The plead had the pair rushing forward, moving quick to help. Octavia got there first, crouching to grab the keys hanging from a deceased guards belt. She hurried to unlock Kane, who didn't hesitate in bolting to Abby. While Octavia worked to set the rest of them free, Harley moved to help him.

Abby was strapped to a long table, unable to move, and doused in blood that Harley could only assume was her own. "It's okay," Harley's voice cracked as she worked on undoing the leather binds clasping Abby's wrists. The woman was frozen, stunned, as Kane went to undo the strap around her neck.

"Where's Clarke?" Abby finally whispered out, her voice hoarse.

"I'm sure she's fine," Harley tried to insist as she moved onto her ankles. Clarke had to be.

Once nearly all of the restrained people were free and Abby was upright, catching her breath, Harley found out she was right. Clarke came rushing in, running to her mother and throwing her arms around her. Harley turned, letting them have a private moment. She found herself unable to stop crying, even for a moment, despite watching the reunions of those around her. She couldn't get the flashing images out of her head, and all she had wanted to do was crawl home.

━━━━━━━━

The sun shone over Harley's home. She felt warm at the sight of it, wanting more than anything to be ecstatic at the sight, but unable to feel anything. She had went numb hours ago, wandering through the woods and managed to stop crying. That never did stop the horrific images repeating, as they always would; a permanent memory. Harley knew she wouldn't forget Mount Weather and the residents, despite not knowing them. Innocent people, even children, died in there, and while the guilty ones deserved some type of punishment, it shouldn't have been death.

The gate was opened by guards when catching sight of the approaching group. Abby, being carried on a stretcher, was led in first. People came rushing forward, reuniting with the delinquents and other guards who made it out alive. Harley stayed quiet, stumbling besides Monroe past the gate. Ahead of them was Lincoln and Octavia, and she should have been glad to see him, yet maybe later she would be. For now, all she wanted was a reunion of her own to keep her sane.

Scanning the surrounding crowd, Harley realized she couldn't see anyone. She gave Monroe a soft, timid smile before pacing forward, desperate to find someone. She did, after a few steps, coming to a slow stop and surprised to see Clover. She was up, but not exactly on her feet. Underneath her arms were homemade crutches that she was using to keep herself steady, and on her misshaped leg was a wooden splinter.

"Harley!" Clover nearly shouted, struggling to move. Harley picked up her pace, and once she was close enough, carefully threw her arms over her in a embrace as to not knock her over. Clover breathed out slowly, burying her face into the side of Harley's neck. "Thank god you're okay.."

Sniffling, Harley could feel the tears welling up again at the feeling of being hugged. She brought her hand up, wiping at her eyes, and missing the pitiful look Clover gave her. "Monty had to, um.. And Clarke and Bellamy, they.." She stammered through her broken words, unsure of how to explain.

As if she understood, Clover nodded, she could deal with being given an explanation later. Right now, it was clear a tragedy occurred and it was more than difficult to talk about. But she knew something that wouldn't make it any easier for Harley, and watching her cry wasn't helping find the right words.

Composing herself, Harley looked past Clover's shoulder, searching for the next person she wanted to see. "Where's John? I thought he was here," she spoke in question, eyebrows drawing in concern.

Clover hesitated. "I'm sorry, Harley," she finally said softly. Harley waited the worst news of her life to hit her, her mouth open but unable to make words. Instead, she watched as Clover carefully moved her arm just right to reach into her pocket and bring out a crumpled piece of white paper. "He had someone bring this to me when they returned," she explained as Harley slowly unwrapped the, what she assumed, was a note in confusion.

There were a few scribbled words on it, but this time Harley couldn't fight back the tears upon reading each one.

harley,

i'm sorry.

i have to do this.

i'll try to be back soon.

murphy.

━━━━━━━━

END OF PART TWO.

END OF BOOK ONE .