Disclaimer: I don't own 'The 100'. No profit is being made from this story. Anything you recognize is from the show. Anything you don't recognize is from the depths of my imagination!

A/N: This story has been nagging me from the back of my mind for awhile, and so I've finally decide to type it out. A couple of things to note, this will be a Bellamy/OC story. That being said, it's going to take some time for the characters to develop and their relationship to evolve before things get real between them.

A big thank you to Dannylionthe1st, who has been an incredible beta, and is wonderful at listening to my endless ideas at all times of the day!

So here it is! Please enjoy, and don't forget to let me know what you think! :)

Edited: 2018-02-13 - Minor changes.

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Chapter One

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Today, something was different. In the six-hundred and twenty one days that she had been locked in here, nothing ever changed - there had always been a routine, a system that her life revolved around, that kept her sane.

After all, some would go crazy staring at the same four walls. They were a constant reminder that she would never be free - that this was her home until the very end.

Some nights, long after the lights went out, she would finally allow her eyes to slide shut and pretend that she was anywhere but here. That she couldn't feel space around her shrinking, pressing in on her until the air felt thick in her lungs and she could no longer breathe.

She rarely had visitors anymore. He had come once, during the very beginning, though she still didn't understand why. At the time, all her words, her desperate explanations, her pleading, it had all fallen on deaf ears. He'd made up his mind long before he'd walked through the door of her cage. His anger and betrayal had echoed loudly throughout the cell that day.

It was only with her tears and the presence of guards that he had left. He'd never come back.

Others, people who she had once considered friends, had visited a few times. She'd asked them to stop coming by, unable to stand the expressions of disbelief and betrayal that lingered on their faces as they gazed at her. She didn't need their judgement for something they would never understand.

Now her only companions were the guards who brought her meals, and the never-ending silence of her cell.

Often the silence was so profound, so deep, that all she could hear was the constant ringing in her ears. If she stilled her movements and kept her breathing slow, it almost felt like she wasn't in the room at all, that she had simply evaporated into thin air. It felt like the only thing keeping her there was her awareness, her consciousness tethering her to reality. To break the endless void, she sometimes hummed to herself, to remind herself that she was still there, breathing and alive - that she hadn't turned into a ghost within these walls.

She never knew if she should feel relieved when she found that she was still there.

Time was something that she had plenty of, every minute, every second seeming to drag on for an eternity, while at the same time all blurring into one. She had to keep to her routine every day, to keep the boredom at bay, to keep track of the days, and as a way to stay sane. Wake up, wait for her morning rations, exercise, re-read one of her books, daydream, exercise some more, evening rations, then will herself to sleep. Repeat every day.

She used to have days where all she could do was cry, wishing things went back to the way they had been before, before things had turned so very, very wrong. She knew that it was foolish, that nothing could change the past, but sometimes she just closed her eyes and wished.But she knew that no matter how much she wanted it, how desperately she wished, she would be here until she turned eighteen - the day that she would be old enough to be executed for her crimes.

The end wasn't so far away now. In a couple of months, she would be eighteen and then her incarceration would officially be over, she would be free.

She wasn't sure how she felt about her upcoming execution. She wanted to feel bitter and angry at how unfair life was, but nowadays, those emotions took too much effort. Instead, all she could think about is that she would no longer have to spend her days in this room. She would finally be allowed to disappear.

The thought gave her hope, it kept her going, gave her the energy to continue her day-in and day-out routine. Nothing would change.

Nothing was supposed to change.

But today, from the moment she'd woken up, she knew something had changed.

She could feel it. The air in the Skybox nearly hummed with tension that hadn't been there the night before. It set her teeth on edge, and made every hair on her body stand on end, as if someone had run cold fingers along her spine.

It felt like the entire prison was holding its breath, waiting for the other boot to drop.

So, as she lay on her bed, one arm folded behind her head, the other playing with the one possession she had been allowed to keep - her mother's old worn heart shaped necklace - she waited. And waited. Though she wasn't sure what she was waiting for, what could change?

Staring up through the Skylight in her ceiling, mystified by the massive blue orb in the distant - Earth - she jumped, startled, when the cells silence was shattered by a single panicked and desperate shout, the sound echoing from deep within the prison.

Heart in her throat, Alexandra Evans pushed herself up onto her elbows at the unexpected sound, frowning as she stared at the door. As she sat up, she pushed her long blond hair behind her ears, straining to hear what was happening on the other side of the metal door that separated her from the rest of the Ark. For a long moment, there was nothing but silence.

Then another cry pierced the air, this one closer and distinctly more feminine than the first.

What the hell's going on out there? Two new people at the same time? That's pretty rare...Whoever they are, they sounded like they really don't want to be here, Alex snorted at the thought. Them and everyone else stuck in here.

Everyone reacted differently when they were first brought in: some cried, screaming all the way to their cell, demanding freedom, trying to convince the deaf ears around them that they weren't at fault. Others walked in, heads down, shoulders hunched; resigned to the fact that the moment they turned eighteen they would either be set free or floated for their crimes. There were the few who, unlike the rest, walked in with their head held high, owning up to their actions But those were few and far between.

This was different.

Swinging her sock clad feet off the bed and onto the cool metal floor, she leaned forwards, resting her elbows on her pant clad knees and rubbing the palm of her hands over her face in an effort to wake up. Hearing her stomach grumble, she frowned, hoping that whatever the hell was going on out there, they'd hurry up and at some point they'd bring around their midday "meal". She was starving.

When no other sound came from outside, she shrugged, feeling herself begin to relax, the tension slowly draining from her shoulders. Maybe there was nothing to worry about after all.

Pushing herself to her feet, she took a step towards the door, thinking of trying to peer through the small slit of a window at the top of the door, when the cell door clicked and swung open.

Startled, she took a few steps back towards the far side of the cell, shoulders tensing as two guards walked in, one holding a stun baton loosely at his side, the other a small metal box. Both had handguns holstered on their thighs.

Well, that definitely doesn't look like the midday meal, she thought wryly, feeling panic start to creep up as they stopped before her. This wasn't the normal scenario. In all the time she'd been here she had never had two guards come into her cell, not even when she'd had visitors. And she'd never seen them so heavily armed.

Studying them, she tried to ignore the feeling of her heart pounding in her chest.

"Prisoner one - zero - five, turn around and place both hands on the back wall," said the female blonde guard on the left ordered, the one carrying the small metal box. She recognized her as one of the guards who'd brought her in on her first day here.

Major Byrne, always a pleasure. The overwhelming feeling of dislike swept through at the sight of the woman.

Feeling stupidly brave, she licked her dry lips, glancing between them, rubbing her sweaty palms on the rough material of her pants. "Sure," she replied warily. "As soon as you tell me what the hell is going on."

"No questions," the male guard said. She didn't recognize him. "Turn around and do as you are told." He stepped forward and with a flick of his wrist, sent the stun baton to life, the dark metallic rod humming with electricity.

Trying not to flinch as the weapon came up - those things hurt like a bitch - she swallowed, bringing her hands up in a sign of surrender. "Okay! Okay, jeeze," she mumbled, taking a step back as the two guards stepped forward. "Look, I just want to know what's going on. This isn't exactly daily routine."

With every second that passed, she became more aware that the whole situation was off. Now that the door was open, she could hear the commotion occurring just outside her door. The shouts that she'd heard earlier were louder, echoing off the metal walls of the Skybox. In fact, she realized that there were a lot more than two people crying out.

It sounded like everyone in the prison was crying out.

Something was wrong.

Byrne stepped forward and Alex started feeling trapped and desperate. "Please, I-I just want to know what's going on." She tried keeping her tone calm and reasonable, hoping for an answer, but she couldn't keep out the wobble from her voice.

She could only think of one explanation for the chaos around her.

They're going to float all the prisoners! A tremble of terror washed through her at the thought. No, no, no!

"Look, my-my birthday isn't for another couple of months. You-you can't do this." She hated the pleading tone her voice took. They couldn't do this!

"Hands on the wall, now," Byrne repeated, raising her baton, her no-nonsense expression showing that she was only too willing to use it.

"Okay, okay!" Turning around, she put her hands firmly on the metal wall, squeezing her eyes shut. As soon as she touched the cold surface, her wrists were grabbed and yanked up behind her back, forcing her to her knees. As the joints in her shoulders protested at the rough handling, she withheld a cry of pain, leaning forward until her forehead nearly touched the floor to relieve some of the pressure.

"Hold out her wrist." Came the calm statement from behind her.

Unexpected panic seized her at the comment, and she couldn't stop herself from struggling, pulling and yanking at her wrists which they held firmly behind her back.

She knew that this was coming, she'd been preparing for it for the past year and a half. She knew she was going to die. But even knowing and preparing herself for it, she knew that this was wrong. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. Not now. I still have more time!

She wanted to live.

"No, no, no! What are you doing?! Please, please! I haven't turned eighteen yet." As her struggles increased, the blond guard grunted and shoved her forwards until she was flat on her stomach, her cheek scratching painfully on the floor. The guard who held her wrists, straddled her lower back, keeping her hips pinned firmly to the ground, so she couldn't find leverage to fight them off. "No," she moaned, feeling tears well up in her eyes. "I haven't turned eighteen yet. There has to be some mistake."

The dark haired guard must have felt some sort of sympathy for her, because he finally gave her an answer. "Stop struggling, girl! You aren't getting floated."

"What-" She panted, her struggles slowing as she registered what he said. "What? What do you mean?"

"You'll find out soon enough. Now. Right wrist."

Still reluctant at what they were doing, but now feeling slightly reassured that she wasn't about to be executed, she slowly relaxed her arm, allowing them to extend it.

"This is going to pinch for a second," the male guard warned as he slid a metal band around her wrist, before closing the band with a snap.

She yelped as something pierced her skin, digging deep into the soft tissue of her wrist. "What the hell is that?" she gasped out.

Both guards ignored her, neither moving as they stared expectantly at the metal that now enclosed her wrist.

Abruptly, the wristband beeped, a light on the side beginning to flash red.

"Alright." With a sigh, the dark haired guard pushed himself to his feet. "You can let her up now."

Feeling relieved when the almost painful pressure of her lower back disappeared, she slowly pushed herself back until she was sitting on her heels, cradling her sore wrist. Frowning, she stared down at the strange contraption on her arm.

The metal band was nearly two inches wide, and circled around her wrist tightly. Other than the blinking red light on the inner side of the band, it was very plain. She wondered what the hell it did.

Using the wall, she pushed herself to her feet slowly, before rubbing the tender skin around her wrist. She hissed as she felt the sharp sting of the needles in her wrist. "If someone had wanted to send me new jewellery, they could have at least put jewels in it." She said, then grimmaced. Damn it, Alex, you and your big mouth.

"Watch it, girl." Byrne sneered down at her, lifting her baton again until it sizzled in front of Alex's face. "Remember who you are talking to."

She glared back at the older woman, feeling a sudden rush of anger at the sight of her. "Oh, I remember all right." Of course, she remembered - Byrne was one of the guards who had arrested her. "Aren't you just Kane's bitches?" She sneered back. "Still getting off on arresting young girls?"

Before either guard had a chance to reply, a new voice interrupted them. "Thompson, Byrne, I would like a moment with the prisoner." Alex instantly recognized the rough voice and turned towards the entranceway, finding a familiar face standing in the doorway: Lieutenant Miller.

Both guards immediately snapped to attention at the sight of him.

Lt. Miller nodded at them, and then motioned a hand towards the doorway, gesturing for them to leave. "Please."

Turning, both guards saluted, and then left the room, taking posts outside on either side of the door.

Alex watched him warily, wondering why he was here, and he studied her in return, face calm and collected. She felt the bitter taste of betrayal at the back of her throat; considering the man had practically raised her, he hadn't been to visit her a single time since her arrest. Why was he here now? What had changed?

"Mr. Miller. What can I do for you?" Her voice was cold and level, making sure he knew that his presence was unwanted.

"Hello, Alex," he responded softly in return, looking at her sadly. "It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

"Yeah, actually, now that you mention it- it has been a long time." She hummed thoughtfully to herself, turning to him with a dark glare. "It's been exactly six-hundred and twenty one days." She spat dryly.

"You've counted?" he asked, surprise flashing across his features before he managed to school his expression. Then he almost looked...sad.

"Of course," she replied bitterly, waving her arms out to the small cell. "Have to find something to do to pass the time in here. It was either counting days or counting visitors. And since I've been a little low on the visitor side of things, I was really only left with one option."

"Alex, you told everyone to not come and visit, you even told Nate to never come back," he tried to reason with her, running a hand over his head.

"Yeah, I know," she shot back, jaw clenched. "But at least that was after they visited in the first place. You-you never came here. Not even once." She look shook her head, trying to force back the hurt the conversation brought back.

At that, the Lieutenant at least had the decency to look ashamed.

"Alex, I'm not here to fight." He raised a hand, trying to show he was there peacefully. His other hand rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly and it was only then she noticed how weary he looked. There were dark rings under his eyes, as if he hadn't slept in days. She was faintly surprised to see that his previously dark brown hair was now peppered with grey.

"Then why are you here, Mr. Miller?" she demanded more softly, crossing her arms in front of her.

He gave her a sad look. "I'm here to say goodbye."

The silence that followed his statement could have been cut with a knife. She felt as if a bucket of freezing cold water had been poured onto her body, as if all the air had been forcefully pushed from her lungs. Her arms fell to her sides in shock. I was right after all, they're going to float me.

"What?" she breathed out, staring at him in shock. "But - but he said...I still have two months..." The energy seemed to evaporate from her body and she sagged back onto her bed in defeat, staring down at her hands blankly. She was going to die.

Seeing her defeat, Lt. Miller stepped forwards, crouching down in front of her, resting his warm, comforting hands on either side of her face. "Alex - Alex, look at me. Look at me." At his insistence, she looked up meeting his gaze. "You aren't getting floated."

She shook her head. "But - but that doesn't make any sense," she said staring down at him, feeling her eyes fill with tears. "You - you said you are here you say goodbye. And that would only happen if..." She took a shuddering breath. "Oh God, I'm going to die."

Shaking his head, he gave a small smile. "You silly girl," he said affectionately. "You aren't being floated. You are being sent to Earth."

For a moment she stared at him, wondering if he was kidding, but when his countenance didn't change, she blinked. "Seriously?" She asked, voice flat.

"Yes, Alex. I'm being serious," he responded, giving her a hard stare. "Earth is the only chance you are going to get. If you stay here, in two months you are going to get floated." He continued evenly and she swallowed at the casual reference to her impending death. "This - this is a chance for you to be free."

"Or it's an easy way to get rid of people," she continued dryly, staring at him in disbelief.

He shook his head in response. "Think about it. It's been nearly one hundred years...Enough time for the radiation to go down. The surface could be livable."

"Or it could be the seven layers of radiation hell," she mumbled in response before looking up to meet his gaze. "What if I don't want to go?" she added meekly, for the first time in a long time feeling like a child.

"I'm sorry, but the Chancellor has made his decision. All one-hundred of the prisoners are being sent to the surface." His voice was firm.

"I see...because we're expendable." She nodded to herself, before glancing down at her wristband. "Is that what these are for? To transmit our stats back up here?"

With a small smile, he nodded. "Perceptive as always...Yes, they will let us know your vital signs, and tell us if it is safe enough for the rest of us to follow."

She frowned, perplexed by his answer. "To follow?"

An excited smile spread across his face, "Alex, if the surface is survivable, than the citizens of the Ark will finally be able to go home!"

She studied him for a moment and she knew she didn't have a choice in the matter, she was going into one of the drop ship today, being sent to Earth, with a hundred other delinquents, to see if they survived. She wanted to shake her head, tell him how outrageous the idea was - how stupid. The drop ship was never going to make it; it would probably blow up into a million pieces as it entered the atmosphere. And if, and that was a big if, they somehow survived the atmosphere and the landing, they were probably going to be exposed to astronomical amount of radiation - enough to kill every single one of them in a matter of hours.

But... if they somehow made it through the atmosphere, and they somehow survived the landing, and the radiation on the surface turned out to not be as bad as they thought... then she wouldn't have to worry about her review, her impending execution. She could start over...she could be free.

She wouldn't have to think about her family ever again.

Meeting Lt. Miller gaze, she nodded her head firmly. "Let's do this."

Looking relieved at her answer, he pushed himself up. "You are going to need to be sedated when we move you. All one-hundred of you will be," he explained, pulling a small syringe out of his pocket. "Remember, when you're down there you need to get organized. You're going to need food, water, shelter; ways to keep warm...you need to think if you are going to survive." He paused for a moment. "And remember, you are going to be among delinquents, so be careful."

"I know, I know." She waved him off. "I was a top grad for Earth Skills." Giving him a shaky smile - oh god, was this really about to happen? - she pointed at herself, giving him a shaky smile. "Delinquent Number One sitting right here, remember?"

He tried to look amused by her statement, but his expression quickly turned sad. "I'm so, so sorry, Alex. I wish I'd come sooner. Things have been...hectic to say the least. And I know that's not an excuse, but I wanted you to know that Nathan, Molly and I still care for you. We always will."

Studying him for a moment, she felt the sincerity in his words. Standing up, she threw her arms up around his neck, and after a moment of hesitation, he returned the gesture. "I forgive you," she mumbled into his chest. Leaning back, she looked up at him with a watery smile, feeling tears pool in her eyes. "Thank you... and I really mean it. Thank you for coming to say goodbye. It - it means more than you'll ever know."

Wiping her eyes, she stepped back, sitting back down on her bed. "Enough girly moments. Let's get this show on the road." She abruptly snorted at her own comment, before shaking her head. "That's going to be weird. I might actually see a 'road' soon."

He snorted in response at her weird humour. Leaning forwards, he took her arm, poising the tip of the needle over her shoulder. He met her gaze. "You ready?"

Taking a deep breath, she just about nodded when a thought occurred to her.

"Wait." At her request, he paused, syringe near her arm. She hesitated. "Does he - does he know?" She hesitated before continuing. "And...Liam?"

He nodded, giving her a solemn look. "Of course, he voted with the rest of the Council. I'm sorry, Alex, he wouldn't come. And Liam's still the same, his condition hasn't changed." Her heart twinged at the thought of him; shaking her head, she forced herself away from those thoughts.

"Figures," she mumbled. As hard as she tried, she couldn't force down the bitter feeling of disappointment that welled up. What did she expect? He believed she was a murderer, and nothing was ever going to change that.

Nodding, she motioned for him to continue.

She barely flinched when the needle broke her skin, although as soon as he emptied the contents into her arm, a calming warmth began to spread through her body. Feeling woozy, she giggled. "This feels nice," she slurred out, feeling woozy. "Oops!" She giggled as she started to fall forwards, Lt. Miller being the only thing stopping her from falling flat on her face. He gently set her back on her bed.

The edges of her vision slowly blurred, then turned black, the distinct shape of Lt. Miller slowly fading above her.

She heard one last thing before she fell into unconsciousness.

"Take care of yourself, Alex. I know you guys will survive down there."

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A/N: What did you think? Please review and let me know!

Thanks for reading! :)