010.

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     "Maggie," Clarke heaved a hard sigh, sensing solace in a familiar face she knew she could confide in— or, believed she could, anyway. It had only been a mere few months, but it seemed as though Clarke had aged much more. Her hair many inches longer than it was before, it was pulled into an elaborate, famous Grounder hairstyle. Braids laid atop her head and cascaded downward, accompanying the sporadic strands of fuscia peaking out from underneath.

     The Griffin girl's arms almost reached out to pull her into an embrace, but not before her eyes could roam, and Maggie could feel the uneasiness that shifted in the room, like it was a tangible object. It was the jacket, no doubt. 

      A little smile warmly etching the corner of her mouth, she stepped forward. "God, don't worry— I'm not with Pike." she announced earnestly, wrapping her arms around the blonde and relaxing her shoulders with the touch, "It's really good to see you," she spoke into Clarke's shoulder. 

     Clearly, Maggie's face wasn't rid of all emotions from the events that had unfolded earlier on, because Clarke's brows furrowed, "Are you okay?" 

     "I'm not used to being up against our own people and losing. And for the first time ever, I have absolutely no clue what to do," she admitted casually, although her feelings were fiercer than ever before, "And I hate to say it, but I really could've used you here. We all could've."

      There was no use in screaming at her over it, because it was evident that Clarke was already well aware. All she had to do was take a look around, and that was enough to speak a thousand words. "I knew I could leave— because I trust you. And I trust Bellamy."

     "Yeah, well—" Maggie picked at her nails, "You can't anymore. I tried to get through to him earlier— he just insists that he's doing it to protect the people he loves, but it's not all him talking."

     Intrigued, Clarke cocked her head, "What do you mean by that?"

     "The night he first defied the rules, before Pike won the election, he spoke to me like a goddamn robot. I could smell the alcohol every time he talked. And I'm not saying that he's not to blame, because I've already laid into him— he was an asshole," the brunette explained with her infamous conviction, "But Pike gave him some sort of ultimatum, or manipulated him, or something— I know it. Whatever he did, it doesn't matter, because Bell's entirely in it. He's going along with it almost proudly, and if I can't get through to him, then I don't know what can."

     Shrugging and speaking in a flat voice, she replied, "I have to at least try— it's the whole reason why I came back. I'm trying to get us out of going into war. Maybe you shouldn't be here for it— let me try and give a him a new perspective. Make it seem like you never even knew I was here."

     Not many people were better with their words than Maggie was, so a part of her wanted to tell Clarke "no shot," but her conscience aided her in keeping her mouth shut. 

     So, nodding in a sort-of understanding, she agreed, "Okay. But what am I supposed to do while everything around us is turning to shit? Just sit back and let it?"

     Lips pursing as she seemed to determine an answer, her eyes met Maggie's, "I trust you better than myself to make that decision. But, for the record— you've always been a good inside woman," a glimmer suddenly becoming prominent in her eyes, the Gray girl could kinda tell where Clarke was heading with that idea. "There's not much time until Octavia gets back here will Bellamy, so..."

     "May we meet again," Maggie grabbed the girl's hands in her own, and Clarke responded with a solidifying nod, repeating the phrase under her breath. "Good luck."

     Just like Maggie Gray did best, she slipped out of the room without a peep, surveying the hallways to ensure nobody had seen her, especially Bellamy. 

———

     After Maggie's short and rushed conversation with Clarke, the sort of grey area on her place in it all had slowly disappeared. It made everything more of a reality for her, which might've been exactly what she needed. 

     Get us out of going into war.

     War.

     If nothing was going to be done on their part, then it was inevitable, admittedly. Killing one or two people was bad and pushing it as it was, but hundreds? They'd be downright dumb to let that one slip under the cracks, and Maggie knew that for a fact. Grounders didn't let casualties go unnoticed. 

     It was a dark truth to come to, but at the end of the day, Maggie was a realist. And, among the many lessons that Mount Weather taught her, there was one in particular that could relate to both situations.  

     The only way she could get something done was from the inside. 

     Okay, maybe not the inside, inside. Maybe not on the level of working directly in alliance with Pike, but make it seem like the man was slowly growing on her. Work on post again. Gain her trust back with the guards that followed Pike like lost puppies. Get herself close enough to Pike to the point where she could knock him down. 

     Nothing could be done if nobody trusted her, or if Pike had men watching her every move. But if she could at least prove herself useful to him in the slightest, then perhaps it'd pay off for her in the long run. 

     One thing for sure though— Bellamy couldn't be made aware of her little scheme. At the end of the day, he knew her like the back of his own hand. She had tricks up her sleeve, and he had seen her utilize them before. Maggie was smart, and capable of a lot. 

     She felt her heart pound in her chest as she marched to the chancellor's office. Perhaps it was because her enemy was her own people, or because she didn't have Bellamy's support from alongside her. 

     There was no reason for her to be nervous. Not when Maggie happened to be the queen of bullshitting. 

     This was behind his back. And even after he did the same to her, Magnolia still bore the guilt. It wasn't her. Pounding her knuckle on the metal door, she heard the man let out a "who's there," to which she replied. 

     Instead of getting a response, the door slowly opened to reveal a very, admittedly, confused-looking Pike standing in the doorway. "Come in?" he said, more-so as a question than a statement. Maggie let her hands fall to her sides as she walked into the room. "What are you here for, Maggie Gray? Wearing your guard jacket— why?"

     "I just wanted to speak to you—" she upheld a strong posture, faking confidence so he wouldn't be as skeptical of her. Face remaining emotionless, he leant on a table behind him, awaiting some sort of continuation, "How can I help your cause?"

     An eyebrow raised. "Help?"

     "Mhm," Gray confirmed, "I've had time to think, and I want to support your campaign and motive. I want to help you, but I don't think I'm ready to go back out yet with a rifle. Mount Weather has had me fucked ever since everything went down."

      Her case was intriguing, he had to admit. A girl like Maggie having a sudden change of heart? "Go on—" Pike almost seemed to be finding some sort of amusement in the praise he was about to receive. 

     "I really thought about it— we did the same thing with the Mountain Men, irradiating Level 5, and it was how we were able to bring our people home." Maggie knew the two scenarios were polar opposites, but the concept certainly seemed to be aiding her case, for Charles Pike was nodding along to the girl's words as if he were starting to buy into it.

     Tilting his head to the side out of curiosity, he answered, "What else influenced you? Because I don't believe it was just that."

     "Bellamy," she was quick to answer, solely because she was well-aware it was the response he had been expecting, "And, in a way— you."

     "Me?"

     "Earth skills," she clarified, although it only perplexed him more, "Everyone hated you. People thought you were cruel, and evil, and awful. And maybe you were harsh at times. But once we landed on Earth, it all clicked for me why you were the way you were. I realized that the world is actually ten times worse than you made it out to be. So I want to help, whether it's just being on post, or guarding the halls, or whatever it may be. Being a member of the guard is everything to me, and without it I feel useless."

     Placing his fist over his mouth as he contemplated, his foot tapped on the floor. "You know I have a lot of respect for you, don't you Maggie?" he asked, to which the girl only pursed her lips, a silent request for him to elaborate, "I'll admit, I was disappointed you didn't want to join my faction from the start. The name 'Sergeant Gray' has been thrown around more times than you'd think. You've got quite the grip on people here from all you've done for the people of Arkadia. You'd be a great asset to my team, and I'd be a fool to turn that down, but—"

     But? Maggie almost wanted to let out a groan. She had been this close to getting in a better spot than she could imagine she would with Charles Pike, after expressing such a distaste towards his actions initially. "But what?"

     "I know you're close to Kane," Pike started. 

     Interrupting, she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, "He's like a father to me, yes."

     "There's a lot of people who don't agree with my— agenda," Pike struggled for a moment, trying to word it correctly, "Kane being one of the main ones. I can't have him knowing any private information. So you either steer clear of him, or you try to talk some sense into him without letting him in on information. You got that?" 

     "Yes sir," Maggie answered with a lack of hesitation. It was a given to her, that Pike would mention Kane, "Can I go back to teaching my kids? Lessons were paused after the explosion of Mount Weather, and I feel very strongly about teaching them."

     Briefly lowering his head, a small grin made its' way to Pike's face— an odd sight, if you were to ask Maggie herself. But there wasn't any malicious intent in it, no— it was admiration. "Keep politics out of it is my only request, which I assume you adhere to already. I don't want someone forming opinions for them— they're impressionable and have great respect for you as it is."

     Taking what he said as a genuine compliment, a relaxed smile crossed her face, "Thanks."

     "I'll have a word with Sergeant David Miller on where he'd like to put you, and he'll let you know later today. That alright?"

     "Yes— I appreciate it," Maggie responded, taking it as a cue for her to leave. 

     To be fair, she hadn't been expecting David Miller to be the one to be in charge of her, but the girl was definitely not complaining. Indeed, it was an asset that she was almost certain Pike had no clue he was mindlessly setting up for her. The two had a mutual level of respect for one another, with the man who had set her up to be a faux-guard in the first place. 

      It didn't take long for the Sergeant to come and find her outside— an hour or two, approximately. Being a presence that drew many towards her, it wasn't like he had to search high and low for Maggie Gray. 

     "Sergeant Gray, let's walk," David marched up to her purposefully, two rifles slung over his shoulder, appearing as though one would be given to Gray. Scanning the area to make sure there weren't eyes on them, he lowered the tone of his voice, "You're an incredible person and all, but I gotta say— you shouldn't of opened your mouth in the first place if you wanted to be included in the guard."

     A light chuckle left the girl's mouth at that statement. It wasn't often that she deemed herself as being wrong, but she knew that he was entirely correct. Because, yes— it would've been easier. "Believe me, I'm well aware. For once in my life, I just couldn't keep my mouth shut. I screwed myself over by letting my feelings get in the way."

     "Pike doesn't trust you," David let out lowly, "He thinks you're doing Kane's dirty work."

     Magnolia had already accepted that— it wasn't going to be just that easy to rejoin the guard at a time like that. Not after she very publicly expressed her animosity towards the society Pike was trying to build, "I can't say I'm surprised."

     "He thinks putting you on guard of the main gate will make it easier for his people to watch you— be careful, is all I can say," Miller's father explained, extending the weapon out for her to take, "If you were planning on being a member of the guard in order to get close to Pike, I'd say you're shit outta' luck."

     Maggie wasn't shocked, but she was somewhat disappointed.

     Perhaps she undermined who she really was— Maggie Gray was not just any Arkadian. 

     Between leading the hundred, escaping and reentering Mount Weather to save her people, teaching the children, and everything else she had done, the girl made a favorable name for herself. She went from the lowest of the low to the top, and Maggie was the sort of person that everyone just liked. There wasn't any reason not to.

     Granted, Pike would've liked her a lot too, if she had shown genuine interest in his faction from the start. 

     But Maggie didn't only prioritize saving her people— she prioritized saving all people. And nothing, not even Bellamy Blake, could change her morals. Not when she made it her own personal goal to be better than the day before. Everyone had forgiven her for what she deemed as wrongdoings, except for herself— she was close to it, but not completely there yet. 

      Perhaps her source of disappointment came from the fact that plans not going her way was a foreign concept. It was rare for her plans to not flow accordingly, but then again, her set up was usually much cleaner. 

     So yes, maybe she had painted a big, red target on her back. But, as she always did, she planned to find a way around it.

     It was gonna take a lot more than that to knock Magnolia Gray off of her feet. 

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i miss s1&2 magamy sm. but all this angst will be worth it.. eventually.