— CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX,
troubled times.

"VITAL'S ARE STRONG." Abby says as the group watches the man in the radiation chamber.

They've yet to turn on the radiation. Ruby is glad they haven't. She's not sure if she can bring herself to witness this.

Yes, she knows it's for the remaining of the human race but there's a horrible feeling in her stomach. Maybe she's just anxious. At least that's what she hopes it is.

"Jackson, seal the chamber." Abby orders.

"Copy that," the other doctor says as he presses a button. The chamber seals shut.

Ruby's eyes lock with Miller'a from across the radiation chamber. She can tell by the look in his eyes that he doesn't like this either. He shakes his head. Ruby returns it, a silent conversation passing between the two.

"He's ready," Jackson informs Abby.

"Yeah. But are we?" Raven mumbles.

A moment of silence lapses.

"The guy's a monster," Emori speaks up.

"We've been over this." Clarke starts. "None of us wants to do this, but the death wave will be here in ten days. Luna's stem cells grafted successfully. Baylis is making Nightblood on his own. This really is our only hope."

"We really still talking about this?" Murphy questions. Ruby's eyes dart to her brother from where she stands beside Roan.

Every single person in the room, save for Ruby and Roan, is curious about the relationship between the two. They're an unlikely pair. It's odd to see the Azgeda king and a girl with no clan standing beside each other. Ice Nation.

As they say, curiosity killed the cat.

Praimfaya will kill these cats in ten days. Death Wave.

"Black rain is already here. Eighteen people died in at Arkadia yesterday, so if Nightblood can let us walk around in it, I, for one wanna know about that." Murphy finishes.

"Okay. Jackson, proceed." Abby instructs.

"Copy that. Initiating," he says as he turns the knob that causes the radiation to leak into the chamber.

Ruby swallows the lump her throat. She reaches her hand to her mouth and her knuckles to her mouth in anticipation. Roan drops his hand onto her shoulder, also anxious.

"500 REM." Jackson speaks up. "850. This is where we'd see symptoms in a non-Nightblood."

"BP is 100 over 50. Body temperature is 98.7. Resting comfortably," Abby says.

"No affects," Clarke says from where she leaned down by the chamber.

"1,000 REM. 1,500." Jackson says.

"All good here," Abby states.

"2,000 REM, the level of the black rain." Says Jackson.

"Still nothing. It's working," Clarke breathes out.

"2,500," Jackson continues.

"Wait," Abby's voice turns frantic. Her eyes widen as Baylis's vitals begin to spike.

Ruby's eyes widen. Before she can react, she's shouting, "turn it off!"

That's when Baylis starts to scream.

Ruby presses her hand flat over her mouth in both shock and horror. Her ears start to ring at the sound of his tortures screams. She barely feels Roan's grip on her shoulder tighten.

Abby makes a move to open the chamber but Jackson grabs her and pulls her back, "wait! It's not safe yet."

The man doesn't stop screaming. "Save him!" Ruby shouts desperately, tears falls from her speckled eyes. "Abby, Jackson! You're doctors, you can help him!"

Jackson looks to her. "If we open the chamber, we all die, too."

The man just keeps screaming.

He coughs, black blood splattered on the glass of the chamber.

A chocked cry escapes from Ruby's lips. She turns her head away from the horrible scene before her. She curls one arm around her stomach as she bends over. She presses the other hand back to her mouths to muffle her sobs.

When the screaming comes to an end, Abby finally whispers—

"What have we done?"

─────────

Ryland Daniels leans against the wooden cane Monty has found him. He knows he's not supposed to be standing, or even out of bed but he has to see this. He has to be there for the funeral.

He doesn't leave Alpha Station, he stands just inside the door, in case the black rain returned. He knows he wouldn't be able to make it out of the rain in time with his injuries.

His brown eyes remain locked on the linen wrapped corpses.

Eighteen people died in the black rain yesterday.

One of the hundred died.

"I know it took courage to be outside with us today." Jaha starts. "To stand together now in the face of grave danger and grave tragedy. On the Ark rain like this was only a dream. But now it's a nightmare because we know it could turn at any second and kill us, just like it did to eighteen of our brothers and sisters, who we honor today. Among them, Erin, Samual, and Louis. May we meet again."

"May we meet again," Ryland mumbles under his breath as Jaha lights the pyre.

The last pyre he saw burn was the one for Sinclair and Lincoln.

As he turns and walks back toward med bay, he wishes to never see another pyre burning in his life.

Even if his life, along with the rest of the human race's, has only ten days left.

─────────

Luna plants herself beside Ruby on the stairs. The younger of the two stare at the floor on front of them, her shaking hands presses again at her legs in a feeble attempt to stop the tremors.

"Ruby." Luna reaches down and grabs hold of both of Ruby's hands. "We did what needed to be done."

"We killed a man." She breathes out.

"That's nothing to people like you and I." Luna states, her brows furrowing. "But I understand, Ruby. It was a violent death. Something could have prepared us for that."

"We could've saved him." Ruby's eyes turn to Luna. The Grounder scans Ruby's eyes, her heart breaking for the younger woman. "We could have. You know it, I know it, we all know of. We never should've put someone in that chamber to begin with."

Luna heaves a deep breath, "it's all going to be okay, Ruby. You're strong and you're a fighter."

"Luna, you know I don't want to be a fighter anymore." Ruby whispers.

"A fighter doesn't mean you have to kill. It means you fight to live." The corners of Luna's lips lift slightly.

Ruby returns the smile as she says, "thank you, Luna."

The two stand and rejoin the others. Luna moves to radiation chamber to help Clarke clean the black blood while Ruby plops down in one of the stools by the countess.

Her eyes lock onto the ginormous screen before them. On it, is a roaring flame full of radiation. It's ruthless.

A voice whispers in the back of her mind.

"Praimfaya." Death Wave.

A chill races down her spine.

"So," a voice suddenly starts. Ruby can't help but jump at the suddenness of the voice. Her eyes turn to see Miller sitting beside her. "What's going on between you and the king? I thought you and Bellamy are back together?

"What?" Ruby laughs, "why do people keep thinking Roan and I are together?"

Roan's ears perk up at the mention of his voice. He doesn't hesitate to eavesdrop on the two friends. Murphy's eyes snap to his sister.

Everyone hears her say this.

Luca and Amara share a swift look at her words.

Roan and Murphy are just the only two out of everyone that care.

"Because he's been clinging to you and you've been clinging to him." Miller says to her, his eyebrows raising towards his hairline. "It's just weird. I thought you hated him."

"I did hate him for a while. But he saved my life. . . more than once actually. And no, Nate, we're not together." Ruby shakes her head. "We never will be. I love Bellamy and I can never love another man or woman like I love him."

Miller watches her closely, "okay. But what is it between you two?"

Ruby doesn't look at Roan "I don't know. I guess we just have similar ways, you know? Die for our people, kill for our people."

"Well, so do Clarke and Bellamy." Miller says.

"Well, Clarke has a good relationship with Roan, you know. Bellamy tolerates him." Ruby then nudges Miller with a smirk. "Just like I tolerate your nosey ass." He grins and nudges her shoulder back.

Her eyes then cut back to the screen, "the world dies in ten days, Nate. And this time we get front row seats."

The Ice Nation king and the nosey big brother continue to listen in.

"Fun, right?" Miller scoffs as he looks to the screen. "Who knew we would go from panicking over Grounders at the drop ship to trying to genetically engineer black blood to save everyone from the death wave."

"Yeah, who could've seen this one coming." Ruby presses her lips together. "You scared?"

Miller's brows bunch together. "Of course I am, Ru. I'm scared shitless. Are you?"

Ruby nods. "Shitless," she repeats his words. . "I don't wanna die. I found that out at Polis. I didn't care before but now. . . death doesn't seem to fun. I think the only time I'd be willing to die is for my people. For the people I love."

"I don't wanna die either." He sighs. "Well, I would tell Roan to leave you alone but you seem okay with it. . . plus, he's kinda, sorta staring into my soul right now."

Ruby's head whips around so she can face Roan. Disbelief makes its way onto her face, "are you seriously eavesdropping?" She exclaims.

"Your brother's doing it, too." Roan doesn't hesitate to rat out Murphy as he lifts his finger to point at him. Miller and Ruby both shoot vicious glares in Murphy's direction.

"What the hell, man?" Murphy throws his arms into the air. "Jesus."

"You guys are both assholes. You don't see me or Nate listening in on your conversations." Ruby huffs. "Either one of you do it again. I'll cut off one ear each."

"Says the one who's missing half of her left ear." Murphy pipes.

Ruby lifts her middle finger. "Why don't you go cook or something?"

"I'm too worried about the giant wave of death and more death coming straight for us." Murphy says, sending a sarcastic smirk his sister's way.

"We don't have time for banter." Amara's voice fills the air. All four look to her. "So shut up and make yourselves useful."

"What the hell are we supposed to do? Help make Nightblood? Yeah, because that worked out so well." Murphy scoffs.

"Shut up, Murphy." Amara chunks a notebook at him. He ducks so it doesn't hit him. He then looks back to her with wide eyes. "Don't be a prick, you prick."

"Take a joke, Mars! You've known me this long, learn my sense of humor." Murphy laughs.

"You have a shit sense of humor and you always have." Amara scoffs. "Why won't you piss off?"

"Piss you off? That's my favorite thing to do." Murphy grins.

"Murphy, if you don't shut up I'm going to cut out your tongue!" Ruby shouts. "Jesus Christ, just shut up, you dick."

Murphy looks back to his sister. He makes a face at her sudden anger, "you should learn to take a joke, too, Ru."

"Amara's right. We don't have time for jokes and messing around like goddamn fools. We have ten days to live and less time to figure out how we're going to live. You wanna live, right, Murph? Shit, you'll probably find a way to outlive us all anyway. You're a damn cockroach." Ruby says, her voice turning low as she stands.

"Ruby, calm down." Luca speaks up. He looks between the two siblings. He can tell that they're both getting angrier by the second. "Don't be rash."

"How can I not be rash with him?" Ruby snaps.

"I'm the cockroach, Ru? You've died twice! And you've almost died a third time! Looks like you're the cockroach, baby sister." Murphy's jaw clenches. He can see the way Ruby's hands ball into fists. So, he does what Murphy's do best. He pushes her buttons even more. "You and I will be the last thing prowling around on this Earth. Two Murphy's. Who woulda thought, huh?"

"Because you kept yourself alive with your sneaking, thieving ways!" Ruby places her hands on his chest and shoves him roughly. "You only care about yourself!"

"Are you crazy!?" Murphy shouts, hitting her hands away. "I care about you and Emori!"

"Oh, you care about me so much! You ditched me, Murphy! You fucking left us all!" She slams her hand into his chest.

"Ruby! Calm down!" Luca's voice raises.

"Luca, should we do something?" Abby asks.

"We have a Reaper stick. We could sedate her." Jackson suggests. "Maybe we should before she gets even more violent."

Everyone in the lab watches the two siblings closely. Luna and Roan are the two that don't have a clue about how much history and bad blood they had. Of course, Ruby has forgiven her brother but he still has a very special talent of getting under her skin.

"No," Roan speaks up. "I got it." He pushes himself off of the wall he leans against. He makes his way forward and grabs Ruby's arm.

She immediately hits his arm, "let me go, Roan!"

"Come on, Ruby. Let's calm down," Roan mumbles to her.

Everyone watches in a heavy silence as Roan practically drags a thrashing Ruby out of the lab.

"What the hell was that?" Raven questions, her eyes wide. "Why'd she just lash out like that?"

"She's stressed." Abby speaks up, "we all are. We just let it out in different ways. Some of us work ourselves to death and others take it out in forms of anger. Like Ruby."

"She's worried about the others at Arkadia," Clarke steps in, always ready to defend her friend. All eyes turn to her, "she's barely slept in the last three days. Her best friend is recovering from third degree burns and smoke inhalation and she can't be there with him. We just watched a man implode from the inside out and there is a massive wave of fire and death coming right for us. She has a right to be angry. We all do."

"Jesus," Emori murmurs, "will she be alright?"

"She's Ruby," Miller says. "She's been through worse."

─────────

Outside the lab, Ruby rips her arm away from Roanms grasp. She whirls around to face him. "The hell is wrong with you!?" She shoves his chest. "I don't need to calm down!"

"Yes, you do." Roan's shakes his head. "You were going to attack your brother."

"He was being an asshole!" She exclaims, throwing her arm towards the lab.

"Yeah, he was being an asshole but you have to be the bigger person." Roan says.

She huffs, turning away from the older man. She runs her hands down her face. "What the hell are we doing?" She whispers.

Roan can hear the way her voice waver. His brows furrow.

"We killed a man for no reason. We're all gonna die in ten goddamned days." She says. She allows herself to slump against the wall and slide down it. When her ass hits the floor, she runs her hands through her hair.

Roan comes to sit down beside her. "We're not gonna die. We'll find a way to make sure everyone lives."

"How? Arkadia's shot. The Nightblood is a failure. What else is there to do, Roan?" She looks over at him.

"Skaikru is smart. You're people will find a way." He attempts to reassure her. Sky People.

"Meanwhile I'm useless. I'm not super smart like Raven or Monty, I'm not as sneaky like Murphy, and I can't lead my people because I'm too fucking damaged." Ruby chokes out as tears gather in her eyes.

"You can lead your people. You have for a long time now and you'll continue to do so." Roan says, raising his eyebrows. "You're a damn good leader, Ruby. I'd say you're a scary one too but I don't scare easily."

"You can say I'm scary, Roan. I won't tell anyone." She tells him with a small smile.

"Oh, shut up." He laughs. Ruby utters a watery laugh at this.

The Carson girl then allows her head to fall onto Roan's shoulder. He doesn't tense under her like . "Thank you."

A look of confusion flashes across his face, "for what?"

"Being my friend." She whispers. "Not a lot of people wanna be a Reaper's friend."

"You have plenty of friends. Ryland, Octavia, Amara, Luca, Clarke, Monty, Miller, Raven, that Jasper kid." Roan says.

"They're not my friends, they're my family." She mumbles, her voice quieting.

Roan's next question catches her off guard. "Am I your family?"

For a moment, she doesn't know what to say. Not even a week ago, Ruby was ready to kill Roan if she had to. But now? She'd die for him. And she'll die for her family.

"Yeah," she nods. "Yeah, you're my family."

The two sot in the hall until Ruby's breathing turns slow. Roan is thankful that she's getting the much needed rest.

He lets out a grunt as he hoists her into his arms. He kicks the lab door open. Every person in the room stand, ready to help Ruby. Roan stops and stares at them. "Can I put her on the couch?" He asks slowly.

"Yeah, it's just in there," Abby motions to the rec room where Luna had rested the day before. "Is she alright?"

Roan ignores her as he enters the rec room and gently places Ruby on the couch. He grabs a blanket and throws it over her body. He can't help but run his hand over her hair, smoothing it out.

He enters the lab. "She's sleeping."

"She needs it," Clarke says with a worried frown on her face.

Roan walks down the stairs to rejoin them in the main part of the lab. As he does, a hand falls onto his shoulder. At first, he tenses. But then his eyes lock with Luca.

"Thank you for that." Luca says.

Roan nods. "Anything for her."

_______________________________

word count: 3,037
episode: god complex

surprise!! here's another rewritten chapter!!

i didn't add too, too much to this chapter (except for five hundred words). but i loved the original and i still love it now.

ruby and roan truly have one of the best relationships in the entire trilogy. they understand each other and even if they wanted to murder each other like five days before, they really do care for and maybe even love (in a brother-sister way) each other. "anything for her" 🥹🥹🥹. ruby knows she can rely on roan and he knows he can rely on ruby. it's a beautiful thing to read.

ruby and miller 🥲. i will always love them. they're so precious to me. i can't wait to finally get to the sky brings death and go deeper with their friendship.

and of course, even though ruby has all these honorary brothers, she still has her biological brother that she was about ready to beat the shit out of in this chapter. even if they argue and fight all the time, we all know they would do ANYTHING for each other (y'all get to see it in the next book, i promise).

luna and ruby >>>. ruby is such a fruitcake. if it wasn't for bellamy, ruby and luna SOOOO would have kissed at in their scene together. they have a special bond. only they genuinely understand each other not wanting to fight and kill anymore. and it's beautiful to me. but we all know that deep down, both women will always have some sort of romantic feelings for each other. just like with ruby and clarke.

and then there's ryland, who's listening ears must have burnt off when arkadia got blown up. he really said "f you, niylah" and dipped. but we all love ryland, so it's okay!!! it's actually not, the dumbass needs to rest.

ruby's reaction to baylis broke my heart. my poor baby descended so much better.

anyway, there's only seven, yes, SEVEN chapters left for me to rewrite of this book. i should probably start working on the revamped versions of the intro chapters for the sky brings death soon.