Chapter Text
Clarke stands transfixed as this girl who fell from the sky spins in the rain. She can’t help the smile watching as this beautiful girl asks her if it was in fact, rain. A smile stretching across her face Clarke is captivated by her deep brown eyes, answering with a softly spoken. “Welcome home.” Clarke loses her breath at the sight of the bright toothy smile thrown her way.
Finn breaks through the tree line clearly recognising the girl as he shouts her name. “Raven?” He calls out questioningly, shocked. The girl, Raven, smiles even wider and Clarke sees her eyes almost spark. Thinking to herself. ‘Raven, beautiful. Fitting for a girl who came down alone.’ Clarke watches as Raven leaps towards the boy shouting gleefully.
“Finn!!” Clarke is overjoyed to see a reunion of friends. A wide smile that fades the moment she sees them kiss. Clarke sees Finn pull back and glance at her. Clarke refuses eye contact. Listening to the pair talk all she can hear is a whooshing in her ears. Thinking quietly to herself. ‘How..why would he?’ Crashing back into the present as Raven nearly falls. Clarke feels the instinct to help take over. Reaching into her bag for a rag. Finn comes to take the rag from her and she wishes she regretted the time they had shared. She didn’t know what to feel. Telling him it was okay roughly.
She watches as he attends to the girl. Nodding when Finn introduces her. Surprised as Raven informs her of Abby’s involvement. A brief moment of anger at the woman’s name is overshadowed by the information that the council is planning to cull the population. Finn and Clarke share a look as Raven finds her radio gone. Cursing to herself for being stupid. Clarke has a strong urge to tell her that someone stupid wouldn’t be able to make it to earth alone. Let alone in a ship they built from scraps and a dream. Instead she informs her that someone else had gotten here before them.
The three run through the woods until they see Bellamy leisurely strolling back towards camp. Raven rushing forward ahead of the other two. Clarke and Finn catch up to Raven. Only to see her shoved up against a tree by Bellamy. Clarke shouts out to the pair but Raven is faster. Whipping a knife out, holding it to Bellamy’s throat. Clarke’s bewildered staring at this brash girl. Glancing at Finn she sees him just as shocked. Clearly even he didn’t know all the layers to this girl.
“Where’s my radio?” Raven hisses to Bellamy expression cold. Once again Clarke is shocked to find this girl so intriguing. Working together they get Bellamy to tell them where the radio is. Learning in the process of him shooting Jaha. Clarke looks at him pained. She doesn’t voice it but she would forever view him differently. Jaha was as close to an uncle as she had. She’s just relieved her mother had saved him. Even if they had both sent her and Well’s down here, to die. As experiments. They were still the people who raised them. Clarke thinks this all over as she tries to focus. Wading through knee depth water. Looking for the damn radio. Today was just great.
A shout and Raven is handed a soaked radio. Clarke strides forward through the water watching closely as Raven works on it. But it was no use, the thing was fried. Raven immediately tries to fight the older and taller man responsible. Clarke holds her back. Making eye contact as she glares at Bellamy. “He knows what he’s done.”
Clarke watches as Raven gets a stroke of genius utterly amazed at this girl. Clarke is distracted by Finn out of the corner of her eye. Watching as he keeps taking glances to herself. Clarke looks back towards Raven as they all walk back to camp. Engrossed in her plans for the flares, Raven is ranting to no one in particular. Clarke thinks to herself. ‘Why would he ever look away from her?’ She tries not to stare as she pretends to understand the science being presented to her.
Clarke is almost thankful of the frantic effort to make the flares. Of course she can’t truly get away from the brunette pair. Finn’s ever present, his eyes almost tracking her. Raven even asks her what’s wrong. Clarke having to think quickly of something about the flares. It wasn’t hard, she was scared of the Ark missing the flares. Her mind was just at the moment much more occupied with Raven and Finn.
So asking Bellamy if she could wish on the flares like a shooting star. Seeing his confused expression. Him asking her what she’d wish for…. Clarke feels so torn. Looking over at Finn and Raven curled into one another. Raven looks to her giving her a gentle smile. Clarke tries to give a normal smile in return but knows it wasn’t her best. Once again Clarke feels her heart break. She looks away from Raven holding in tears. Thinking to herself. ‘Why’d Finn do this? If I could have a wish it’d be that I’d known of her.’
Clarke sits at a fire, as far as she can from where she last saw Finn and Raven. Sitting alone thinking over the shit day she’d had. Going from thinking she’d found a boyfriend. Finn, Finn was her first. She thought it had been special for him too. Of course he was just another guy. A heat of the moment Clarke was now beginning to utterly regret. To learning he had a girlfriend. One who was a genius, and brave, and utterly gorgeous. Clarke shakes her head looking into the fire.
That’s where Bellamy finds her. Clarke dismisses him until he says it’s Octavia. Learning that she was truly gone. Clarke feels a pang in her heart she doesn’t want to acknowledge. Quickly she begins to help Bellamy look throughout the camp. Still almost instinctively avoiding the tent she knew Finn was in. When Bellamy calls for Finn to help them track Octavia she tenses. Moving herself to the back of the gathered search party.
Finn still catches her, taking to her softly. Telling her that they needed to talk, that they had started something. Clarke speaks to him as truthfully as her mind will let her right now. Telling him that it wasn’t anything they couldn’t stop. Watching as he says he wanted to continue them. She feels her heart sore before immediately plummeting.
‘How could he even think of doing this with Raven right here.’ Clarke begins to feel anger well up inside herself. It’s dashed the second she sees Raven walk out of the tent. Replaced with sadness for this girl who doesn’t know what her boyfriend had done. Over Finn’s shoulder the girls make brief eye contact. Raven cocking her head in slight confusion over Clarke’s sad expression. Before either could say a word one of the delinquents shouts. Drawing the camps attention to the night sky.
Watching the bodies fall from the Ark Clarke lets a few tears actually fall. After all of that, they had failed. Helping Finn hold Raven back from Bellamy. Giving the older boy a heated glare herself. He has the decency to leave, focusing on the search for Octavia. Clarke shakes her head at his audacity, he didn’t even seem to care. Watching awkwardly as Raven and Finn say goodbye to one another. Looking away as Finn looks towards herself when Raven says I love you to him. This boy was beginning to truly grate on Clarke’s nerves. Eventually Clarke dares to speak up at the topic of the radio.
Biting her lip Clarke interrupts the couple. Looking to Finn directly she says. “The art supply store.” She immediately regrets it but pushes on. Trying to actively ignore the look and tone that Raven has when she replies.
“Great. Looks like I’m going with you.” Looking between her boyfriend and Clarke.
Clarke feels like prey as she guides Raven through the woods. Brown eyes inspecting her every step, making goosebumps rise along Clarke’s neck. The pair move quickly and quietly, mostly. As the sun rises Raven slows. Clearly taken with their surroundings. Clarke silently reminds herself that this girl got here hours ago. She smiles to herself a bit as the brunette stops. Watching as she bends down to look at a orange and pink flower. Smelling it gently she plucks the flower. Clarke shoots down the wave of affection. Reminding herself. ‘You slept with her fucking boyfriend.’ Shaking herself a little she calls out to Raven.
“Raven I know you just got here but?” She gestures for Raven to follow her. Adding on. “Please.”
“Relax, you’re just like your mom. Go save the world and all that. You know when I worked on the pod she wouldn’t stop pacing. The pod was her idea by the way.” Raven says. But she moves to follow Clarke, who immediately starts walking again. Clarke shoots her a look that must come off as annoyed. Raven continuing. “Hey I meant that as a compliment! Abby is cool.” Clarke listens as Raven talks of her own mother. Clarke feels a pang of sadness for this bright, enthusiastic young woman. How the hell did she turn out so amazing? Asking Raven as she bends down to open the hidden hatch.
“So how’d you survive?” Clarke flinches a little at how harsh and cold she sounds. Raven doesn’t notice or at least doesn’t seem to care. She answers in a soft voice. One Clarke had yet to hear from her.
“The boy next door, Finn. Shared his rations…” Clarke freezes for a moment. Thinking silently. ‘Of course. Of course.’ A quick surge of anger at Finn is replaced by melancholy. Raven’s words perfectly matching the boy Clarke knew and had grown to care for. ‘Fuck the ground just had to be complicated.’ Cutting her internal monologue off Clarke opens the hatch.
“Well here’s the bunker.” She goes down quickly to escape the conversation. Looking around to make sure there was no immediate evidence of her and Finn’s…time here. Kicking a few blankets underneath the bunk beds hurriedly. Raven follows her down more leisurely. Whistling outloud at the space. Raven begins to inspect the bunker with what Clarke can tell is an eagle eye.
“Huh, art supply store. You draw?” Raven asks after a little while. She is looking at the few papers and pencils on the table. Gently tracing Clarke’s drawing. A drawing of the river snake crashing out of the water sits half done. “I mean I know it’s not Finn. He can do a mean stick figure though.” Clarke hums. That was what he had said to Clarke almost verbatim.
“I do.” Clarke answers. Quickly busying herself with looking through boxes. Raven must decide that was a good enough answer. Clarke hears her begin looking through boxes as well. The pair pass a few minutes in silent searching. Clarke eventually finding a car toy and asking. “Hey would this work?” Raven darts to Clarke’s side taking the toy from her. Looking at it closely Raven once more shows Clarke how smart she is as she deftly takes it apart. Clarke’s heart stutters as Raven smiles widely looking at her in the eyes.
“This is perfect. If we can find the remote we’ll be set.” Clarke ignores the feelings this girl invoked in her. Quickly moving to find the remote. Handing it off to Raven silently once she found it in one of the boxes. Raven beams at her. Clarke is thrown off at how excited this woman could get for technology. Raven thanks her before jumping into a short explanation of the radio’s parts.
Clarke turns going about putting some of the boxes away. Trying to hide her slightly reddened cheeks. Embarrassed at herself for blushing because a pretty girl simply thanked her. Clarke is too caught up in cooling her embarrassment to notice the shift in Raven’s energy. She hears the tone change though as Raven cuts herself off and asks guardedly.
“Finn made this?” Clarke turns at the question lost in thought. Only to be snapped into reality at the view of Raven holding the two-headed deer figurine. Clarke can feel her face drain of color. She quickly takes in Raven’s expression. Raven knew. Noticing for the first time the bird around Ravens neck. Made from metal, a Finn specialty it would seem. Clarke internally curses the young man. Raven is a literal genius that brought herself down from the stars. In a salvaged junk pod. Clarke isn’t proud but she decides in that moment she would be the dumb one between them. Acting as if it was nothing, Clarke informs Raven of their first day on earth. Leaving absolutely all details from her story. Quickly Clarke strides over to Raven.
“We have the parts for the radio. We should head back. See if they have found Octavia yet.” Clarke takes the two-headed deer figurine gently from Raven. Clarke sets it on the table pausing as she looks intently at the drawing.
Raven silently cocks her head watching Clarke curiously even as her anger flares. It’s obvious something happened between Clarke and her boyfriend. Raven watches as Clarke shakes her head roughly a scoff coming out of her quietly. Raven watches her flip the drawing harshly, jostling the table. Clarke doesn’t wait, striding to the ladder leading to the outside world. Raven moves to follow slowly. Turning abruptly as soon as Clarke was on the ladder. Bending to pick up the two headed deer Raven sees a paper that had fallen at Clarke’s rough handling.
Looking over her shoulder quickly, Raven grabs the paper to look at fully later. The only thing she truly noticed being another drawing. Unmistakably Clarke’s if anything similar to her drawing of the river snake. Raven folds it sloppily and shoves it into her pocket along with the two-headed deer figurine.
They make it back to camp in silence. Both girls lost in their own thoughts. Clarke rapidly cycling through thoughts of Finn and Raven. Of Octavia being missing. This day absolutely sucked. Raven spent the time analyzing Clarke, watching her every move. The weight of the drawing and figure in her pocket feeling heavier then they really were. The urge to open the drawing keeping her distracted.
Clarke doesn’t remember Raven trailing behind her as they enter camp. Too lost in her thoughts. Before Clarke can step foot into the dropship though she remembers her follower. Turning around she says to Raven. “Most of the panels are fried Monty said. I think you can handle that though. You literally came down in a junk ship.” Raven gazes steadily at Clarke. Crossing her arms, she scoffs, answering the blonde.
“Just make sure I’m told when Finn gets back. I’ll get the radio working.” Raven’s expression is stone as she pushes past Clarke into the dropship. But Clarke sees the pain her coldness hides. Clarke curses herself for her affections for Finn. Once again feeling anger well up inside of her at his actions. He’d hurt all three of them and he still wanted to do more. Looking up at the sky Clarke holds back her tears. Taking a deep breath she steadies herself. Now was not the time to break down. Striding off into the camp to ask about the search party. Make sure camp was moving along.
Clarke steps into the dropship a few hours later. Night had fallen and she had done literally everything except check to see if Raven had the radio working. Clarke watches as Raven jerks a bit at the noise of her entrance. Noting the tension radiating off of Raven. Her shoulders hunched over a makeshift work bench. Wires and parts strewn about in orderly chaos. Clarke is impressed even though she doesn’t understand half of it. It looked like Raven was making progress. Softly she speaks up.
“Hey you okay?” Raven doesn’t respond simply continuing with her tinkering. Ignoring her. Clarke winces a little trying again. “The search party’s not back yet. I just thought I would check in. See how the radio is going. Uh we had a hunting party come back. Have you ate?” Clarke tries to speak unbothered, but it comes out awkward and hurried. Raven tenses even more at Clarke’s voice. Clarke winces, of course Raven didn’t want to see her. Raven stands to face Clarke a very present frown etched on her face. She moves slowly to stand directly in front of Clarke, barely a foot away. Clarke has that strong sense of being prey again as Raven’s stare bores into her soul. Raven slowly brings the two-headed deer figurine up between them. Clarke curses herself for being stupid enough to think Raven would leave it behind.
“Tell me I’m wrong.” Raven speaks hoarsely. Her eyes, red from crying, seem to plead to Clarke. Clarke looks at the young woman before her. Heart torn and angry at the boy who had done this.
“Raven…” Clarke tearfully begins but Raven cuts her off. Her voice rising slightly in her insistence.
“Tell me you weren’t screwing my boyfriend while I risked my life to come down here.” Raven’s breath is a bit ragged at the end. Choking on the last word. Clarke breaks hearing it, finally letting her own frustration and anger out.
“I didn’t even know you existed, Raven! He, he never mentioned you. Not a single time. I, he’d been flirting with me since day one. God, I feel so fucking stupid.” Raven doesn’t back down pulling her own bird necklace up, saying.
“He made me one too, in case you felt special.” She’s staring at Clarke eyes wide. Clarke laughs wetly. Harshly drying her eyes she turns away from the brunettes gaze.
“Do you think I wanted this?! Be mad at me all you want but I’m not the boyfriend who cheated on you.” Clarke says stepping to the tarp ‘door’ of the dropship. Raven will let her know when the radio was done. Or not. She didn’t need to stay here and be yelled at. She halts when Raven calls out to her.
“Do you love him?” Raven asks her. Clarke pauses asking herself the same question internally. Looking over shoulder to meet brown eyes she replies truthfully.
“I barely know him Raven, clearly.” She doesn’t wait for more conversation. Quickly striding out of the dropship.