Welcome back! I cannot bring myself to even watch the first six episodes of the season again so I apologize if my timeline seems a little off anywhere. Little Clexa in this chapters, the other players get their moment, so I hope what is there you enjoy. I'm having fun on the ride and I hope you are as well. Please let me know what you think.

Arkadia

"I do not want to stay inside these walls much longer. The update is not here; we must start searching for Polaris." Despite the urgency she was trying to convey, ALIE's voice was as calm as ever. Her acolytes nodded along as she continued, "We cannot make it through the blockade, so we need it to end. That means ending Pike, one way or another."

Raven looked around the room. It felt so nice to be included, to be a part of something greater. This was where she was supposed to be. She wanted to help, she needed to help. ALIE did so much for her, it was only fair to return the favor. She knew what needed to be done, that Pike needed to die. He was a necessary sacrifice to be able to continue their quest. ALIE needed to find the update so whatever it took to accomplish that would be done.

Jackson spoke first and Raven nearly rolled her eyes, "If he joined us in the City of Light…"

Jaha shook his head, "It would be easiest for sure, but Pike is resistant to what we offer. Even if he were not, it still would not matter because Abby has hidden the machine. We will have to take power away from him. I can get a council instituted again, reclaim some form of democracy and use it to remove him from Chancellor."

"That could take months," Raven interjected with an earnest look on her face, "We have to kill him and take his body to the grounders."

"If we kill him we risk his followers not coming to us, to the City of Light," ALIE pointed out and Raven was so glad ALIE was there to help guide them.

She thought for a second, "Then we help Clarke and Octavia do it."

"That will do. In the meantime, we must find the machine. Abby only thinks she has hidden it well." ALIE ordered. She paused and cocked her head, "Something has happened. Pike is distraught and convening a meeting. It sounded like he is going to institute a lockdown of the entire camp."

Raven was not concerned, "Good thing that cannot touch the City of Light."

"Raven!" Abby called out. The girl in question was walking towards the mess hall, limp free. Abby hated that she wished that was not the case. The girl stopped and turned, ignoring the guards trying to usher her along again. When Abby heard that Pike was forcing everyone inside she knew she would finally be able to track down the mechanic. The girl had been avoiding her since joining the City of Light.

"Hi Abby, I was looking for you."

"Oh?" Abby had a feeling about what.

"I wanted to know if you have changed your mind about letting others choose the City of Light. Of allowing others relief from pain."

Abby scowled at the young mechanic, "No. I have not changed my mind. I do, however, have a few questions for you. Do you know what happened to Finn's ashes? I had kept a jar for Clarke and it is missing." She watched Raven closely all the while speaking, and as she feared no look of recognition at the mention of Finn.

"I…" the young woman frowned and look at a spot just past Abby. The doctor was getting used to this behavior from the infected (as she was referring to them internally). Finally, Raven continued but something in her face did not look quite as peaceful. "I did not take his ashes. I have no reason to."

"I wouldn't say that. As someone who loved him it is something I would understand."

Raven faltered again before straightening her back, "I did not take them."

"Okay then." Abby knew nothing more would come, but she hoped what was left of her friend, surrogate daughter even, would push back. She turned to leave and when one of the guards tried to stop her she leveled her best glare until he stepped back. She refused to be bullied by Pike, let alone his lap dogs.

Outside Arkadia

Clarke put the journal down and rubbed her eyes. She supposed a few things made a bit more sense now so the headache was worth it, "So ALIE found a way to leave the lighthouse by creating these computer chips that could survive in a human host. Because she had destroyed everything in the nuclear fallout she had to create her own network to connect to. So all we have to do is figure out how to stop human computers."

Lexa stared at her with a blank expression.

Clarke took a moment to think more carefully, "Before the world ended it was all connected through computers. People from all over the world could talk, trade, share information, do anything really with each other. Because ALIE is a computer program she was able to invade the computers that had access to launching those missiles. But now none of that exists for her to connect to, so she learned how to connect to people."

"Did you find where it says how we can stop her?"

Clarke sighed, "Not that I could tell. We need more help."

Lexa nodded but said nothing. Instead she began to pace back and forth before Clarke. Clarke let her have a few minutes, but when the silence did not break she knew something was weighing down the Commander. So the blonde moved into the brunette's path and frowned when the other woman stopped with feet of space between them.

"Lexa, what's wrong?"

Green eyes bored into hers, "I am facing an enemy that is controlling people and I do not know how to defeat it. Is that not reason enough to be concerned?"

Clarke quirked a brow, "That may be true, but I know you. I know there is more to it than that."

Lexa gave a solemn nod but did not respond right away. When she did her voice was soft, a whisper, "Clarke…In the other journals I read…I think I have an ALIE chip."

The sky girl blinked a few times. It sounded completely ridiculous to her, but Lexa clearly seemed to believe this to be true. "Do you see ALIE? Murphy says they can see her."

Lexa swallowed hard, "No. I told you before that the Flame is inserted into the neck after a Nightblood is chosen." She crossed the distance and grabbed Clarke's hand, moved it to the back of her neck and Clarke felt her fingers trace a scar. She wondered briefly how she missed it. "The information your mother passed on says that this is where the chip goes. It is not a coincidence."

Lexa released her hand but Clarke used the freedom to run her finger tips up and down the tan neck, "It isn't the same."

"How can you be sure, Clarke?" Their eyes locked again and Clarke wondered not for the first time who the young Commander confided in since assuming power. She was sure it was supposed to be Titus, but she could not see that being the case. Her mind drifted to Gustus. It could have been him, he had clearly loved Lexa and she him. Another victim to the war between Trikru and Skaikru. There had of course been Costia, but from what she understood that had been very early into Lexa's reign. Clarke knew what it meant for Lexa to open up to her. To trust her with vulnerabilities.
The blonde drew closer holding eye contact, "Because you are your own person, I've seen that. No one and nothing controls you." Clarke let her voice drop to a whisper, "And I wouldn't feel this way if you were some computer program."

Lexa brushed her nose against Clarke's, her voice now sly, "How do you feel?"

The response was a kiss.

"Gross."

Clarke pulled back and glared at Octavia, "Like I haven't watched you and Lincoln?"

Octavia rolled her eyes and continued walking out into the midday light. "I came out to tell you Miller gave the signal something is going down inside Arkadia. My guess is Pike freaking out over Bellamy."

"Damnit. If they all have to go radio silent we are going to have problems. We need to get eyes on camp."

"Already told Murphy to get going, Lincoln offered to go with him."

Lexa took a full step back, "Good work. You should also prepare to enter the camp. What do you think Pike will do?"

"Overreact. That's what I have been trying to get him to realize he was doing, as well as try and push him into continuing to do so."

Inside Arkadia

Pike was pacing around restlessly, something that made Monty quite nervous. He was one of a dozen people Pike's office, including his mother. It could not mean anything good.

"Bellamy is missing"

Monty held his breath and tried to look as confused as everyone else. "Missing?" Hannah asked, tone of voice implying she assumed worse.

"He left camp yesterday and has not returned. He did not tell me he was leaving, I pieced together when he left from witnesses. This means one of a few things. He left to try and bring his sister back in to save her and was captured by her and Clarke," her name came out as a curse, "was killed by the grounders or he defected."

Monty looked around the war room for a friendly face and found Bryan, alone. If Miller was not here then that meant Pike did not trust his friend. Things were not looking good, but then again this is what Clarke had been hoping would happen. The plan had been to get Pike to act so erratic the people of Arkadia turned on him.

Wanting to look committed to the madman, Monty asked his own question, "You don't think Clarke and Octavia would kill him?"

"No, but they might hand him over to the grounders, that is where their loyalties lie after all." The Chancellor sounded disgusted at the idea.

Monty struggled not to respond to that, to defend his friends, and settled on a curt nod.

"Do you really think he would defect?" his mother asked with concern. He wondered just how many terrible things his mother and Bellamy knew.

"I don't know." Pike slammed his hands on the table, "I don't know! We have to assume that's what happened, that he is spilling our secrets. This is why I ordered the lockdown and I am going to implement a curfew as well. I need everyone in camp accounted for. I've made up new rotation schedules for the guards, you are to memorize only, no hard copies. No one is to leave camp for a few days. Those under suspicion of treason are to be confined to their rooms. I'm sorry Bryan, but that means your boyfriend. Hannah, I'm going to need your help keeping Kane and Abby in check."

"What about Jaha?"

Pike rubbed the top of his head and let out a tired sigh, "Confine him as well. I don't think he has anything to do with this but he is too much of a wild card. Only guards are allowed to be out at night, and I want names and specific locations for all of them."

"How long are you going to enforce the curfew?" one of the farm station guards asked. Monty was glad he sounded unsure about all of this.

"As long as it takes for me to figure out what happened to Bellamy."

"How are you going to do that without leaving the camp?" the same guard pressed.

Pike got into the man's face, "I'm working on that. Dismissed."

An hour later Pike left his office. He went over everything he knew over and over again until he couldn't see straight. Bellamy would not betray him, that he felt certain. But he also knew Bellamy loved his little sister and do whatever it took to keep her safe. His best guess was that his trust in her lead to his capture. Stupid kid.

The halls were empty; he had been very clear that tonight everyone was to be accounted for. Those that had specific locations to be for their jobs could remain where they were, with supervision. The remainder would be split into different groups so the guards could watch them. He knew he had spies in his midst, that there were traitors giving Clarke information on his movements. That needed to end now. If she lost her eyes inside of Arkadia she would have to move into the open, and then he could kill her.

He didn't understand her. He didn't understand how a child could hold so much power. At first he had laughed it off, that the people from the Ark had just been so disorganized of course a strong willed child could take control. Now he knew better. She was a threat to all he was trying to achieve. She betrayed them to the ground. He could no longer afford to let her live.

His thoughts followed him into the courtyard, as they had started to call it, and to a man he no longer knew, "I know you are a former Chancellor, but the rules apply to you as well. You should be in the mess hall."

Jaha looked up, smile in place, "Of course, my apologies. It is just so beautiful out tonight, I needed one last look." He stood. "Man without help and guidance only knows conflict."

"I'm not taking one of your damn pills," Pike snapped.

"You will in time. The fear of loss is powerful. People will resort to desperate measures to prevent losing the things they love."

"Is that a threat?"

"Advice."

"Did Abby tell you to keep an eye on me?"

Jasper shook his head as he entered her workshop, "She'd probably kill me if she knew."

Raven cocked her head, "Why?"

He shuffled a little uncomfortably but when he spoke he made eye contact and willed her to understand his full question, "What's it like?"

"It's peace. All of the pain is gone. It's freedom."

"So thinking about Finn doesn't hurt anymore? I know I wasn't here for his death, but I've heard. And I may have also stolen his ashes. I'm sorry about that. I just…Maya and Mt. Weather and Clarke just running away like she did." He ran his hand over his buzzed hair and closed his eyes tightly. "I'm tired. Tired of hurting."

As he finished she approached and laid a hand on his shoulder, "If you help me, I can help you."

"How?"

"Abby has taken something from us. She has kept quite the secret; you can get her to reveal where it is. Once we have it again you will be able to join us."

His eyes were red. He no longer knew if it was from the tears or the alcohol anymore. He dared let a little hope back into them, "It will stop hurting? To live?"

"Yes."

She sounded so sure he felt a little more hope spark, "And it will just be the happy memories of Maya and me?"

Her smile faltered but he refused to acknowledge it, "Happy memories?"

"You know, like you have with Finn. First kisses, I love you's, what not. The stuff that makes you smile." Her body jerked back and he called himself a fool for having hope. "You don't remember."

She clutched her head, "Finn. Finn. I should remember him. Why won't you let me remember him? What have you done to me?" Her eyes seemed to be focused but he could not see what she saw.

Jasper reached out but she shrugged him off. "Jasper, you need to leave. Don't look for it. No! Look for it and destroy it, just make sure you don't tell anyone. You have no idea how many of us, of them, of her people there are here."

His head was spinning. He did not understand what was happening. "What about you?"

She stood up with a determined look on her face and he remembered how many times she got them out of a bad situation, "I'm going to find a way to get the bitch out of my head."

"Hello Abby."

Her skin crawled just from hearing his voice. She finished administering the shot before plastering a smile onto her face and turning to the intruder, "Chancellor. What can I help you with?"

"Your daughter is causing some problems."

"Well, she has never listened to me so I don't think I will be of much use," her tone was meant to be light but it may have come out a little smug.

"You're still her mother. That carries some power."

She had known this conversation would come the moment Pike took power. Knew that Clarke would oppose him and he would resort to this. But she would make him say it. "Cut to the chase, Pike. I have a lot of patients."

"Fewer than you used to. Tell me again that you had nothing to do with the grounders escape. That you don't know how Octavia comes and goes as she pleases." He demanded, taking aggressive steps forward as he spoke.

"She's a resourceful girl. And a product of what we turned her into. Locking her up for even existing. Sending her to Earth to die. We have proven to be more than capable of savagery."

"She really does take after you," he seemed to say to himself, "I am not going to be savage. I am offering her a trade. You for Bellamy Blake."

This time Abby really did smile, "You underestimate her. She pulled a lever that killed hundreds and destroyed her own soul. If Bellamy is more important to her plan to stop you she won't make the trade."

"Even if it is your life on the line?"

And there it was, the threat she knew he would eventually come to make. "Yes."