A/N Thank you so much for the 100+ comments (That's a record!) and 80 votes on the last chapter! That's so crazy, thank you guys so much for interacting as you read! You have no idea how much it makes my day :) 

I have school tomorrow morning for the first time since I finished college two years ago, so leave me some comments to look forward to! 

*UNEDITED*

*****
'Strength is the key to courage.'
- Emmerson Grin, Stay Strong

*****

'You've got the bag?'

Bellamy looked to Monty who nodded his head quickly, a nervous tension on his face as they neared Miller's quarters. Bellamy had left the holding cell, following after Pike, hours ago but still the look on Brinley's face as she turned away from him was flashing across his eyelids every time he blinked. It wasn't even apprehension, or terror that filled her face, as she looked away from him, no; the expression on Brinley's face had been one of resignation and acceptance.

And somehow that was more terrifying than anything.

Bellamy knocked on the door in front of him, casting a wary glance down the hall as he did so. After a few seconds of silence, there was the sound of movement as the door slowly opened.

Miller put on a brave face as Bellamy came into view, though in reality a flash of fear went through him, what if he and Harper had been identified as part of Kane's group? Had Pike sent Bellamy to arrest them?

'What do you want?' There was no warmth in Miller's expression or tone.

Bellamy said nothing, gesturing for Miller to let him into the room. Bellamy heard Monty follow in behind him, quickly shutting the door. He didn't miss the way Harper's expression changed as they entered the room, her usually kind face filling with contempt and suspicion.

'What do you-'

'Shh.' Bellamy gestured for Miller to be quiet, pulling out a knife from his pocket. Miller reacted quickly, reaching for the gun strapped to his side. Bellamy held his hand out in what he hoped was an unthreatening gesture, moving towards Miller warily. As he got closer he made sure to reach in the direction of the panel where he knew the bug was placed, and nowhere else, sliding his knife into the material easily. When he had pried it open enough, he handed the knife to Miller who took it quickly, still looking distrustful.

Miller tossed the knife onto a nearby seat as Monty moved towards Bellamy, who pulled the bug out of Miller's jacket, swallowing back guilt as he did so. Miller's eyes went to the small piece of tech, an angry sigh leaving his lips as he realised what it was.

Harper scoffed, disbelief spread across her face.

Monty folded the bag over immediately. 'The bag blocks the signal. Now we can talk.'

'Who put it in there?' Miller asked angrily.

'That's not important right now.' Bellamy's voice was rough. 'Pike just sentenced Lincoln and Sinclair to death alongside Kane and Brinley.' Bellamy had to force the words out of his mouth.

Miller and Harper hadn't heard from Brinley, and they'd both assumed she had been caught, but hearing the news of her sentence still sent a bolt of nausea through both of them. But despite their internalised horror at the news, both of their expressions remained cool and collected.

Miller glanced sideways at Harper, who looked back at Bellamy and Monty as she spoke, her voice even. 'Are you trying to scare us?'

'No. We're here to help.' Monty explained. 'I'm sure you have a plan to break them out. What can we do?'

Harper shook her head slightly. 'What are you talking about?'

'Harper, come on.' There was an underlying sense of urgency in Monty's voice.

'Look, we can help from the inside, but to pull this off, we need people to hand them off to on the outside.' Bellamy could tell that convincing Harper and Miller to cooperate was going to be harder than he first thought, and they didn't have time to argue. 

'We seriously don't know what you're talking about.' Miller shrugged, following Harper's lead. 

'You think we want them to die?' Monty sounded frustrated. 'Think about Brinley-'

'You know what? Forget it.' Bellamy cut Monty off, seeing the conversation was a waste of time. 'If my sister wants to save Lincoln and Brinley's lives, tell her to meet me at the dropship in an hour.'

Bellamy turned and walked out of the room, shutting the door firmly behind him.

Monty watched him go, turning to Miller and Harper when the door closed. 'After everything we've been through, you don't trust me?'

Harper crossed her arms. 'Does your Mum know you're here, Monty?'

The dismissal was clear in her voice, and after watching the two for a second longer, Monty turned and left the room, following in Bellamy's footsteps.

Once Monty was gone, Harper's expression crumbled into one of worry, as did Miller's. 'What do we do now?'

'I don't know. We can trust any of them.' Miller's mind was on the chip that had been placed in his jacket, and more than that, the person who had hid it in there.

'Should we get word to Octavia? She'll want to know what's going on.'

Miller thought for a moment before he nodded 'Yeah. Yeah we should do that.'

'I can't believe Brinley got caught.' Harper frowned. 'I wonder what happened.'

'I don't know.' Miller shook his head. 'But knowing Brinley, I'm sure it was epic.'

*****

Determination had coursed through Octavia as she rode towards the dropship site.

Miller and Harper had contacted her to let her know exactly what had been happening at Arkadia, and to hesitantly relay Bellamy's message to her. Octavia was mounting her horse before they'd even finished speaking, pushing the horse to go as fast as possible in order for her to arrive at the dropship on time.

Octavia was angry.

Bellamy had a lot of nerve to be asking her to help him, especially after spending weeks helping the very person he was now trying to covertly betray. In Octavia's mind, Bellamy was as guilty as Pike was, and now Brinley and Lincoln were locked up and awaiting execution.

If anything happened to either of them, Octavia wasn't sure what she'd do.

Octavia arrived at the drop ship sight, her clothes and skin slick with rainwater. She dismounted her horse, already seeing movement near the drop ship.

Bellamy came into view, looking relieved that Miller and Harper had decided to relay his request to Octavia. 'Glad you came.'

Octavia made a show of looking around, as though searching for people hidden in the trees.

'I'm alone, O.' Bellamy promised. 'I'm here to help.'

Octavia let her expression fall into one of innocence and understanding as she reached for Bellamy, jamming a syringe roughly into his neck right as he reached for her. Bellamy's face filled with shock as he realised he'd been tricked, as he fell, slumping forward, unconscious.

'Sleep well big brother.'

*****

'You spoke to Bellamy.'

Brinley opened her eyes at the quiet voice beside her. She'd been sitting in the same position for hours now, and her body was beginning to ache from lack of movement.

'What?'

Lincoln gave her a sideways glance. 'I could tell by the look on your face while he was in here, you've spoken to him recently.'

Brinley hummed. 'Perhaps.'

Lincoln was quiet for a moment. 'Have you spoken to Octavia recently?'

It never failed to amaze Brinley how much different Lincoln became whenever Octavia was mentioned in conversation. 'She's safe, Lincoln.'

'Good. I hope she stays far away from here.'

Brinley snorted. 'You know if she gets wind of this, there'll be no keeping her away.'

Lincoln nodded. 'Then lets hope that she doesn't find out.'

Brinley stared at Lincoln for a moment, hearing a strange tone in his voice. 'You don't think there's a chance of us escaping, do you?'

'No I don't. And neither do you.'

Lincoln's words were a statement, not a question, but Brinley gave him a response anyway, pushing her hair away from her face as she did so.

'We're totally fucked.'

*****

Bellamy's vision was blurry as he opened his eyes, feeling groggy and confused as his surroundings came into focus.

The first thing Bellamy became entirely aware of were the handcuffs around his wrist, tightened enough that if he pulled too hard, the metal dug into his skin. The second thing he became aware of was the two women staring down at him through narrowed eyes.

'It was a mistake to bring him here.' Hatred was obvious in Indra's face as she looked at Octavia in disapproval.

'He was out the whole way.' Octavia glanced away from Indra, hating that she'd disappointed her in her actions. 'And I searched him for bugs.'

Bellamy couldn't believe what he was hearing as his mind kicked in and he remembered the sharp sting in his neck as Octavia had come towards him. 'You think I'd let them hurt you?'

'Shut your mouth.' Indra hissed angrily.

'Indra, we talked about this.' Octavia's voice was calm.

'You waste time.' Indra chastised. 'You should be in their camp by now.'

'No.' Bellamy felt panic claw it's way up his throat. 'It's suicide. Pike will be expecting you! You won't get close, I can.' Bellamy's wild eyes looked between Octavia and Indra. 'We can save them, but we have to work together.'

'You're the reason they need saving.' Octavia reminded Bellamy harshly.

'Maybe.' Bellamy admitted. 'But that doesn't change the fact that you need me!'

Octavia bristled at Bellamy's words. 'For the first time in my life, that's not true.'

'O...' Bellamy's voice softened. 'O...!'

Bellamy's words fell on deaf ears as Octavia stalked off into the night.

*****

Brinley put on a brave face, but every part of her body was screaming at her to fight back.

The guards holding her in place were watching her warily, stopping her from moving too much as another guard bound her hands together, slipping the binds into position around her pale wrists.

Morning had come around far too quickly, and save for a brief interruption when her Father had been allowed to talk to Abby briefly, not a lot had changed. Brinley had stayed in that same position, Lincoln by her side as they awaited a fate neither of them could change.

There was that damn word going through her head again; Fate.

She'd been thinking a lot about fate over the last twelve hours.

When the world got too crazy and too hard to understand, when everything moved too fast in a vibrant burst of colours that confused her eyes and mind, Brinley would often pictured life as a giant chessboard; the basis of an ancient game that Wells had loved so much when they were children. The way she saw it, each move either brought you closer to a happy victory, or to an untimely demise, with each chess piece being another chance at victory.

Brinley often imagined that fate was the opposing player blocking her movements with it's own pieces - pieces that came in many forms of the same thing; tragedy and heartache. But Brinley wasn't stupid; she knew that not everything could be blamed on fate's movements. In reality, her own bad decisions had caused her to be knocked off the board of life more than once, and more than once her removal had been almost permanent.

This certainly wasn't the first time Brinley had been sentenced to die, and she supposed it shouldn't be a terrifying as it was, hadn't she already accepted her death long ago?

Maybe her mind was resisting the idea so much because now, she finally had something to live for – people to live for.

She supposed it didn't matter either way, for it seemed that fate was only one move away from checkmate.

Brinley, Lincoln, Sinclair and Marcus were escorted through the Ark by a group of armed guards, including Bryan who couldn't meet Brinley's eyes, and a stern faced Pike. Brinley kept her face blank at all times, not giving away any of her true feelings.

'Make way!' Pike broke the silence that had settled, and Brinley's eyes moved to whoever had clearly gotten in Pike's way.

'Yes Sir, Mr Chancellor.'

Harper.

Brinley's eyes locked with the other girls for a moment. Harper's face was carefully blank but there was a fierce look of determination in the girl's eyes.

Only a few short corridors and moments later, Hannah Green's voice came over Pike's radio sounding alarmed. 'Sir, you were right. Octavia Blake is here and she's not alone.'

Lincoln, standing next to Brinley, tensed at the mention of the younger Blake's name. He shot her a questioning look to which Brinley shook her head slightly. Brinley had no idea that Octavia was coming, but she did have a sneaking suspicion about who'd told her what was going on.

'On their knees!'

Brinley felt hands on her shoulders shoving her roughly to the ground, she grit her teeth as her knees made contact with the hard floor. 

'Can you confirm a location?' Pike asked uneasily.

'Negative, sir.'

'Sir, we can assume her friends have already told her where we're taking them. We shouldn't go any further until we know the route's secure.' Bryan spoke up, sounding confident though the look on his face said otherwise.

Pike looked at their surroundings, eyes landing on one of the only doors in that particular area. 'Put them in there. Let's go, move!'

Brinley was roughly tugged to her feet and shoved into the room after Lincoln.

'I want two men on the door!' Pike ordered.

'We got it.' Bryan nodded.

'Good. Anyone comes out of there, shoot to kill.' Pike's expression was angry. 'Anyone enters this corridor, one warning, then shoot to kill. Everyone else – on me.'

Bryan stepped forward and closed the door, finally meeting the gaze he could feel burning into his skull.

Brinley met his gaze evenly, her heart lurching into her throat when Bryan dipped his head in a short, inconspicuous nod.

Marcus turned to look at his daughter in confusion. 'Did you know she was coming?'

'No.' Brinley denied, shaking her head as she spoke. 'Miller and Harper must have told her.'

'She's going to get herself killed.' Lincoln mumbled under his breath.

Brinley's attention drifted and was grabbed by sudden movement at the door as someone peered through at the prisoners. Brinley's gaze locked with Octavia's, a smirk fighting it's way onto her lips. 'I think she'll be just fine.'

Octavia entered the room once Bryan had opened the door, embracing Brinley quickly before she launched herself at Lincoln, hugging him to her tightly for a brief moment. When she pulled away, she looked much more serious, glancing at the occupants of the room.

'I hope none of you are claustrophobic.'

Octavia explained her plan with Bryan interjecting with his own information when necessary. Brinley had to admit it was a smart idea, and she felt some weight fall off her shoulders when she realised that Bryan truly was on their side.

Miller would be ecstatic.

Brinley discovered a newfound appreciation for Octavia's resilience as she saw first hand how tight the space under the floor was. It was impossible to move even slightly without brushing up against someone else, and as the group waited for Pike and his guards to disappear, Brinley found herself picturing a younger Octavia, terrified and alone in the darkened nook not meant for inhabitation.

Eventually, the footsteps above them faded and after waiting a few minutes to be certain the guards were gone, Octavia slid back the panel, glancing around quickly. With a sigh of relief she announced, 'All clear. Come on.'

Octavia pulled herself out of the floor, dragging two guns with her. As Brinley herself made her way out of the floor, she heard her Father and Octavia speaking.

'It's a little bit tight in there.'

'Try doing it for sixteen years.' There was no malice in Octavia's voice, only a certain amount of amusement that Kane was seeing first hand what her life had been like on the Ark.

Octavia worked on undoing their binds, moving from Marcus to Lincoln, who she reassured with gentle words, to Sinclair and then finally to Brinley.

'I can't believe you got caught.' Were the first words Octavia said to her as she hurriedly undid Brinley's binds.

'I grew a conscience, sue me.' Brinley quipped back with a smirk.

Abby entered the room, heading straight for Marcus. Brinley watched their interaction with a raised brow, seeing something different in the way they spoke to each other.

Brinley felt a hand on her shoulder, and she looked up, finding that Miller had joined them as well.

Brinley hugged Miller tightly. 'What happened to doing nothing if one of us got caught?'

'I've never been one for rules.' Miller squeezed her gently, releasing her as Octavia tossed him and Bryan a gun before she handed Brinley a small knife. It was no sword, but it'd do.

'Look whose joined the dark side.' Brinley raised an eyebrow at Bryan as she toyed with the knife in her hands.

'The things we do for the people we love.' Bryan commented with a smile, his eyes going to Miller who was already watching him, a content expression on his face.

'Oks come in.'

Brinley heard Octavia's sharp intake of breath, as did Lincoln. 'What is it?'

'This wasn't the plan.' Octavia breathed. 'We use their frequency so they could hear us.' She lifted the radio to her lips. 'Go ahead.'

'Stay where you are. Repeat, stay where you are. The exit is not clear.'

'How many guards?' Octavia asked quickly.

'Too many. I said, stay put.'

Before anyone could say anything more, another voice came through on the radio. 'Calling all guards, the prisoners are headed for the main gate. The prisoners are headed for the main gate, over.'

Brinley would recognise that voice anywhere.

'That was Monty.' Octavia sounded both relieved and surprised.

'Guess he's with us after all.' Miller commented.

'Pike will find out.' Marcus worried.

'We don't know that.' Abby's voice was firm. 'What we do know is that we have to move.'

Brinley looked at the occupants of the room. 'Then lets move.'

*****

Bellamy's pulled at his binds again.

His wrists were sore, bleeding and bruising from the amount of times he'd tried to pull them free. Indra didn't understand, and Octavia didn't understand that going back to Arkadia was suicide.

Brinley, Lincoln, Sinclair and Kane were already in trouble, adding Octavia's wellbeing to the mix wouldn't do anything to ease the suffocating panic that he felt. He was sure the unkind look she'd given him before she'd left would be imprinted into his mind forever, and he hoped beyond hope that once it was all over, she'd be able to find a way to forgive him for all that had happened.

From the natural light in the cave, Bellamy knew it was past dawn. Had Octavia even made it in time? Were any of them even still alive?

Bellamy tried to banish the horrifying thoughts from his head. He had to find a way out of his own situation.

Before Bellamy could pull at the binds again, the familiar sound of a horn drifted into the natural cave where he was being kept prisoner. For the first time in hours, Indra stood, an almost alarmed look coming over her face.

'Heda.' She breathed, the sound echoing around the enclosed area. 'No.'

'What is it?' Bellamy's voice was rough from lack of use.

'A new Commander has risen.' Indra explained as she started to move towards the mouth of the cave. Bellamy saw a chance and he took it, using harsh words to make the woman stop from leaving.

'You go running, just like Mount Weather, huh?' Bellamy knew that wouldn't be enough. 'Well maybe this time Octavia will get it. Your loyalty will always be with your people.'

Indra finally stopped. 'Octavia is my people.'

'Then take these chains off me.' Bellamy's tone softened slightly. 'And we can help her together.'

The horn continued to sound, louder this time, and Indra's attention drifted.

'Tell her I'm sorry.'

As Indra disappeared, Bellamy felt the last spark of hope in his chest flicker, and die out.

*****

The group wasted no time making their way to the exit Brinley had watched Octavia and Clarke leave from before. Freedom was so close she could almost taste it; in fact, Bryan and Harper were already through the exit when an announcement came over the loudspeaker.

'Attention all citizens, emergency lockdown is in effect. Return to your quarters immediately.'

Brinley watched from beside Octavia and Lincoln as her Father tried to usher Abby through the exit.

'I'm not going.' Abby denied. 'They need someone to show them the way out of the dark. Besides I-'

Brinley's eyes widened and she averted her eyes as Marcus leant down and kissed Abby right on the mouth.

Octavia elbowed Brinley in the ribs. 'Does this mean you and Clarke are going to be sisters or...'

Brinley shook her head, though there was a smile on her face. 'Shut up.'

Abby smiled sweetly at Brinley as she passed by her, Lincoln ushering her out into the general area of the Ark quickly.

Brinley reached her Father's side, giving him a sly glance as she did so. 'Should I start calling her Mum?'

Marcus shook his head in amusement. 'Come on, you're next.'

But before Brinley could even start to leave, the radio in Octavia's hand began projecting Pike's voice.

'I have a message for the traitors in this camp. There will be an execution today. Either turn yourselves in, or the other grounder prisoners will die in your place.'

Brinley's eyes shot to Lincoln, who had a look of determination on his face. Octavia seemed to see the same thing, because she reached for him as she backed away, only to be stopped by Kane's firm grip.

'No, wait.' Octavia reached for him again, more urgently this time.

'I can't let them die because of me.' Lincoln's voice was quiet.

'Lincoln, please. We're almost out.' Octavia pleaded.

'I know what you're feeling.' Marcus spoke up. 'But they're searching the station, we need to go now.'

Lincoln nodded. 'You should.'

'Fine.' Octavia gave in. 'But I'm going with you. We fight together.'

Lincoln held Octavia's face, staring down at her. Brinley realised with a start what Lincoln was going as his eyes traced every one of Octavia's features – memorising her and committing every part of her to his memory.

Lincoln wasn't coming with them.

'I love you.' The words were quiet as they left Lincoln's lips. He leant down and kissed Octavia, but Brinley's eyes were drawn to the hand that was pulling a syringe out of Octavia's pocket.

'No.' The word barely had time to escape her best friends mouth before she was unconscious and Lincoln was handing her over to Marcus.

'What are you doing?' Marcus sounded horrified.

'Same thing you'd do for your people.' Lincoln answered simply. 'Just get her out of here.' Even though Marcus now held Octavia, Lincoln's hand still gripped hers gently.

'Stay strong.' Brinley was surprised to hear the words leave Marcus' mouth in the grounders own language, and she was even more surprised when Lincoln opted to speak his reply in English.

'You too.'

Lincoln dropped Octavia's limp hand with a great sense of finality, and Brinley couldn't help but worry about what Octavia's reaction would be when she came to and realised what had been done.

Brinley watched Lincoln's tall form disappear within a matter of seconds, and suddenly it felt as though he'd never really been there at all.

Brinley ushered her Father ahead of her, reminding him that they needed to get Octavia well out of the area before she woke. Brinley held Octavia as Marcus climbed out, handing her friends form over to her Father carefully.

Brinley reached for the knife she'd discarded on one of the supply boxes nearby, twirling it in her hands carefully as she did so, Marcus waited for her, a regretful look on his face as he thought of the grounder who'd become so much more than he realised to the people of Arkadia.

Lincoln kom trikru deserved so much more than to die alone at the hands of a dictator.

Brinley's free hand gripped the side of the exit, her other hand tightening her careful grip on the knife as she did so. She was only a few short steps away from freedom, and already she could feel the gentle breeze kissing at her clammy skin...

'Winnes set raun bakon kom givnes.'

Marcus frowned in confusion, having never heard the string of words she'd whispered before. 'What?' He shook his head as if to dispel the curiosity. 'Brinley, we have to go. Now.'

Brinley swallowed thickly nodding her head as she looked at her Father. 'I know. Make sure you get her far away from here.'

Before Marcus could comprehend what was happening, Brinley had slammed the exit down, jamming her knife in between the broken mechanisms to prevent it being opened from the outside, the sentence that had intrigued her Father reverberating around her conflicted mind. 

Victory stands on the back of sacrifice.