The morning after we buried Shaw by the fence, we moved through the settlement in heavy silence. The air clung to us, thick with the memory of losing him.

"What kind of people have a radiation fence?" Emori muttered, eyes darting to the metal spines as we walked.

"The kind of people that want to keep something out" Clarke answered, voice low.

"Beacon should be right up ahead" Bellamy said, keeping his voice steady.

"What are we going to tell Raven?" Clarke asked

"That he died a hero. Saved our lives. Again" I said firmly

John, of course, couldn't resist.
"Look I do hate to make this about us but-" he starts

"Then don't. Shaw just saved your life, Murphy." Clarke snapped

"I'm aware. Im also aware that we just lost our pilot. Your mom's still up there-" John started, only for Clarke to spin on him and shove him hard.

"Whoa, whoa, easy. Ignore him." miller jumped in

But John smirked.
"Yeah? Your red queen is still up there too, miller. Who you gonna follow now?" He said

Miller grabbed his shirt, fury in his eyes.

"Enough!" I cut in sharp.
"Miller, as therapeutic as it must be to beat up on John, emori can fly." I say

Emori gave a half-laugh, half-scoff.
"Sure, yeah. I've had one successful landing in a ship I trained in for six years. No problem" she turned away, muttering under her breath.

"Guys. Stairs" emori says a second later, pointing ahead.

"We approach slow. No hostile movements." I inform

We climbed slowly. My chest tightened when the structure came into view.

"They have a castle" John muttered, half- impressed, half- sarcastic.

The place was immaculate but silent. Door after door yielded nothing but emptiness.

"Hey" emoris voice caught. She glanced at me, then at the flag snapping in the breeze. The flame symbol.

"Allie?" Clarke asked

"Becca did the tech for Eligius" I murmured, recognition stinging like a blade pulled too quickly.

"Right. Destroy the world, 200 years later, they put you on a flag. See? Hope for us yet" Bellamys mouth twitched

John cupped his hands and called out.
"Hello? Invaders from earth. Can we come in?" He said

"John, keep it down" emori hissed

"I don't know why we're knocking. We've gone door or door, and no ones here" John urged

"We don't know that yet" echo countered

"These are people's homes. We're not breaking in like thieves." Bellamy said firmly

"Bellamys right. If we are trying to do better here, we can't just-" I started, then winced as John kicked down a door. It swung open with a groan.

"Well, look at that. This one's unlocked." He strutted inside.

"And never mind" I muttered, following.

The walls were lined with portraits. A shrine. Blood in the bowl, still dried at the base.

"Eligius 3" Bellamy muttered

"All named lightbourne. They sent families" I said, stomach twisting.

"Nice to be remembered" Bellamy said dryly

"Or worshipped. Come on. We shouldn't be here" I said, setting the bowl back down.

Later, emori worked the lock on the great doors while John sang something tuneless beside her. Jackson and miller lounged nearby. Clarke and echo had gone off. I sat on a swing, Bellamy pushing the dirt lightly with his boots beside me.

"Raven, come in. You read me?" He asked over the radio. Nothing but static.

"So, any guesses where all the people went? This place is too well-maintained to be abandoned" I said, scanning the all too perfect street.

"Maybe. But if they are gone... then there's enough room here for everybody on the ship." He says

"You know that means your sister too, right?" I ask quietly

His jaw flexed.
"Yeah.... I know" he said

I nudged him lightly.
"Well, enjoy the John show. I'm gonna look around" I smile

Inside, the houses felt wrong. Chains on the walls. Chains in every room. The pictures were tidy, smiling families, but always the chains. My stomach churned. Then- something softer. A children's book, sitting perfectly on the shelf.

I smiled despite myself, opening it.

"Hey" Bellamys voice cut through. I turned, book still in my hands.

"Hey.... I wish Madi could have gone to school"  I admitted

"I wish Octavia could have" he said

"Instead, they got screwed up, just like us." I sighed

"Nothing on the radio still?" I ask

"No. Nothing" he shakes his head.

I closed the book against my chest.
"Trust me, I know the feeling" I say

His voice softened.
"I'm sorry I couldn't respond all those years" he said

I blinked at him.
"...what?" I mutter

"Madi told me." He admits

"Of course she did." I laughed, shaking my head.

"I know it sounds crazy, Madi certainly thought it was. But talking to you everyday, even though you didn't answer, it kept me sane." I say

"It's not crazy. Little pathetic maybe, but not crazy" he said, coming closer. A smile on his lips.

I swatted his arm.
"Guess who's not getting a kiss now" I say, walking off.

"Wait- no, no. I'm kidding, I'm kidding" he laughed, grabbing my hand and pulling me close.

Then he leaned in.

"Still no kiss" I teased, twisting free. His pout made me grin.

"What?" He whined.

"Quite down child, I'm reading" I laugh

But then something caught my eye in the book.
The words. My stomach dropped.

"Bell. Bell, look at this." I shoved it in his hands. He read, then glanced up, face tightening.

We ran.

"Echo! Clarke! Come here!" I shouted, holding the book open when they rushed over.

"Look at this. 'Trees and plants give us shade, we need them everyday. When gen stars align and the forest wakes, it's time to run away. For two days, Heaven is hell'. It's not a nursery rhyme, it's a warning" I say

"No! No!" John's voice broke behind us

We turned- just in time to see our ship lift off.

"They're stealing our ship!" Miller shouted

Then emori screamed, attacking John out of nowhere.

"Emori!" I yelled, racing toward them.

"Get off him! Miller- stop her!" I yelled. Jackson and miller pulled her away, echo grappling her arm so John could breathe. Bellamy held him up as jackson pressed bandages to his bleeding chest.

Emoris writhed, shrieking that John would kill us, voice ragged and wild. Nothing calmed her.

I opened the book again, desperate.
"Friends are foes, so few are safe one theyre exposed." I muttered, my gaze lifted slowly to the eclipsing sun.

Bellamy met my eyes.

"It's in the air" I say