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chapter sixteen.
i hope we meet again.
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When June starts to wake up, the first thing she feels is the back of her head is aching. A low groan of pain fell from her lips. Her muscles were stiff, due to the awkward position of her arms crossed behind her back in the sitting position she's in. She tried to shift upward and pull at her arms, only to feel metal cuffs dig into her wrists. June was much more awake now when she realized the trouble she was in and let her eyes flutter open. Her vision is blurry, and she has to blink a few times to clear it, but her heart starts to sink in her chest in horror when her gaze lands on the scene.

The jacket June was once wearing was stripped. She was only in an army green tank top that was sticking to her sweaty skin. She's propped up against the wall of the airlock chamber, surrounded by her friends in the same state. Her eyes land on Raven first, her face flushing when she filled with fury, and then Jasper, who was seated on the other side of her. Their eyes are wide and terrified, gags in their mouths prevent them from speaking. She didn't have one. June parted her lips, about to speak, only to be stopped when heavy footsteps thud into the chamber, and Carl Emerson entered. He's covered in drying blood.

Octavia makes a noise of disgust from where she's hanging by her wrists. June glared up at him, her lower lip curling. There's no point in begging for her life. Emerson was as unstable as she was after Mount Weather when he became the last of his people. The only difference was, June wasn't as sick as him. "Why are you doing this to them?" She demanded, attempting to seem brave, but her voice cracking gave her away. "They - they had no part in what happened - "

"Genocide." Emerson is snarling, bending his knees so he can crouch in front of June, who sinks back. "Call it what it is, Thompson. Say what you did to innocent people."

Regret sharply stabbed its way into June's heart. She knows it's just as useless to insist she never wanted to hurt anyone. "They had no part in the genocide," she corrected herself. "Let them go, you can do whatever you want to me," she pleaded, ignoring the noise of protest Raven makes. June doesn't look at her, unable to see the heartbroken expression she knows will be there for her offering her life in the place of there's.

"Here we go again," Emerson droned out, rolling his eyes. He pulled a rag out of his pocket. "It's a nice offer, and I'm tempted, but I'd much rather kill you all. Acceptable losses in war, right?"

It's then June realized his intention. He didn't just want to hurt her, Clarke, Bellamy and maybe even Monty. Emerson was going to kill them all and was luring Clarke and Bellamy in. They were the only two of her friends missing. As Emerson brought the cloth around June's head, she snapped, jerking to the side and biting the exposed flesh of his wrist as hard as she can. He makes a pained sound, trying to pull his limb away from June's teeth, only for her to dig harder, his skin left in-between her teeth when he ripped it away.

Blood seeped onto June's tongue. She made sure Emerson was staring straight at her before she spit his flesh back at him, blood spewing and hitting him directly in the face. She grinned sickly, watching him clutch the wound she made, his blood staining her lips. The victorious smile dropped when Emerson's fist came down, striking June in the side of her face, her head snapping to the left. Her head is spinning, her ears are ringing, and pain is blossoming where he had punched her. June is unable to fight back when he brings the gag around and tied it firmly. She has no choice but to bite down on it and wait.

The radio clipped to Emerson's belt hummed with static before a familiar voice filled the silent room. "Emerson, I know you're here. We need to talk." June picked her head up weakly at the sound, recognizing Clarke.

Emerson paused from where he was wrapping the deep bite June made with a bandage he must have taken from the bag she was packing. He didn't seem too surprised, unclipping the walkie and lifting it. "I don't need to do anything. You should've killed me when you had the chance," he threatened.

"And now you're here to kill me," Clarke replied. June could hear how calm she was, just as ready as she was to die for them. "Is that it?"

Cold eyes from Emerson landed in June and she tensed at the look. "Something like that," he drawled.

"Then let my friends go," Clarke bargained. "Do that and you can have me."

"You're brave, Clarke, I'll give you that. Not too different from your good friend June," Emerson commented. "They're all lucky to have a friend like you both." June could see the smile on his face, how he thinks he must have won. She didn't want to believe he did just yet. "Come to the airlock, no weapons. Right now," he ordered.

The few minutes it takes is agonizing. The spot in which Emerson had punched June was beginning to sting worse, obviously leaving a bruise, when she heard soft footsteps approaching. She tried to lift herself and peek around the corner, but June can't see from her position. "I held out my part of the deal," Clarke called out. "Your turn. Let my friends go."

"Tell Bellamy to show himself first," Emerson told her in a bored tone, standing straight and tall, but June can see he's shaking with rage as if it was taking him all of his strength to not kill them all on the spot.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Clarke responded calmly.

Pulling out a knife behind his back, Emerson brings the handle down, smashing it against Octavia's side. She cried out, causing her brother to reveal himself with a shout. "No!"

"Okay." Emerson pulled Octavia's head back, exposing her throat, and pressing the blade of his knife against her skin. "Now, take out the clip and throw it down the hall. Put the gun on the ground and get inside."

"Please," Clarke begged before June can hear Bellamy comply. "You wanted me. I'll get inside once you let them go."

Emerson's expression darkened when Clarke cut in. "I was talking to Bellamy," he sneered, pressing the tip of his knife down and started to drag it across. Octavia gagged, blood dripping from the slit he made.

"Okay, okay! Just stop!" Bellamy desperately called. Emerson paused but kept the knife still.

"Don't do this," Clarke pleaded with Bellamy, who ignored her, emptying his rifle and sliding the clip and gun across the floor. Soon, he appeared in June's sight at the opening, both of his hands up, surveying the room. She bit down on the gag harder, tears of fear building up. If Emerson wanted to break them all before killing them, he succeeded.

There's a pair of handcuffs hanging on the wall that Emerson nodded to without releasing Octavia. "Those are yours," he tells him. Bellamy carefully walked around him, slapping the cuffs around his wrists and clicking them into place. Once he's locked, Emerson let go of his sister to turn back to Clarke, sheathing the knife and instead pulling out a pistol. He pointed the barrel at her. "Get on your knees, Clarke." There's a quiet thud as she obeyed him. "Put your hands behind your head."

Clarke must have done so, as Emerson tauntingly walked out of the chamber, keeping his gun held in her direction. When he's out, he slammed his fist down on a button, and the clear doors sealed shut, locking them inside. June feels frozen, suddenly cold from the ice spiking through her. "No, you can do anything you want with me!" Clarke is insisting in a cry. "Just let them go!"

Suddenly, Clarke is shoved against the glass doors. Emerson is pressed behind her, his arm wrapped around her neck to grip her in a chokehold, pressing the barrel of his handgun to her temple. "You murdered three-hundred and eighty-one people. You took the lives of my children, my brother, my friends," he snarled loudly. "Did you really think that I would be happy with just one life in return?"

June isn't able to process what she's hearing, paralyzed when Emerson hits another button. The chamber lights turned red, and a voice announced through the speaker. "Airlock five, oxygen venting."

The tears once forming in June's eyes spill and start streaming down her cheeks at a rapid pace. She's seen what happened on The Ark.  They aren't going to be flung into space, but the air is about to be sucked from their lungs. June is terrified, knowing it'll quicken her death, but can't stop it when she starts hyperventilating in dry sobs.

"I want you to feel what I felt," Emerson growled to Clarke, the sound faint to June. "Beg me to stop it!"

"I'm begging you," Clarke whispered, and when June's head whipped to hers, her eyes are squeezed shut.

"Louder!"

"Please!" Clarke screamed.

June's chest tightened in panic and lack of oxygen when the air started thinning. Her teary brown eyes are flickering wildly around the space, watching all of her friends in the same state she was, close to being suffocated. Her heartbeat is slowing when she sees Raven, her eyes dropping shut. June lets out a muffled cry at the sight. Her lungs feel like they are on fire, but it's nothing compared to the pain of watching Raven start to die. She's only able to inhale one last time through her nose, barely satisfying herself, before the oxygen supply is gone completely.

Her vision started to blacken and her chest stopped rising and falling. June choked a few times, her head whirring, her fight being lost. She wants to live, but here she is, her lungs empty and her eyes shutting. She is being forced to surrender to her fate, surrounded by the people she considered family. June loves them, all of them. She wished she could have told them that one last time. Her head lolled to the side, her mind fading from the world, realizing this is it.

There's a loud buzz before a sliding sound. June can barely hear it but feels fresh air kiss her skin. The blackness in her vision was starting to clear again, and she slowly inhaled again, realizing the air was thick and new. June choked, pressing her heavy eyelids together tightly before opening them. Her eyes burn, but her gaze landed on a blurry Clarke who was sprawled on the floor, watching in relief as her friends breathe before rushing to a still body outside and returning with a ring of keys.

June is the first one Clarke runs to. June's features turned into gratefulness as she looked to her friend, Clarke's fingers shaking as she rushed to unlock the handcuffs. When they pop free, her arms are weak from the position they were in for so long, but she lifted them to pull the gag out of her mouth and let it hang around her neck, having a coughing fit but still finding that she can thank her. "Thank you." June is still crying freely as she choked the words out, which makes Clarke nod with a faint smile before she left her side to free the rest.

Fortunately, Raven's wrists are only tied with bounds when June reached her. Her brown eyes are wide, not leaving the blonde as she hurried outside the chamber to the body Clarke had taken the keys from. She's relieved that it's Emerson and fought the strong urge to stab his corpse as she ripped a dagger from his belt and raced back inside the chamber to Raven. "It's okay, you're alive," June whispered, the fast actions making a headache appear. She easily cut the binds, freeing Raven who threw her arms around her shoulders the second she's able to.

Tears drip onto June's neck from where Raven had buried her face. She wrapped her own arms around her, feeling Raven tangle her fingers in her blonde hair, trying to hold her as close as possible. "If you ever offer your life for us again, I swear... I'll kill you," Raven choked out brokenly, pulling away after a moment to study June's face closely. She knows she's living in the single moment they had, thankful they had both survived.

The rest are being freed, and once Raven is able to let June go, she's hurrying to help and cut the leather binds while Clarke freed the ones in handcuffs. Miller reunited with Bryan, looking over his boyfriend in worry and Bellamy is rubbing his sore wrists while June cut Harper free, her being the last one. "You okay?" She checked, glancing around him.

Bellamy nodded. "I'm breathing," he promised. June cracked a mild smile at that and paused to look around, glad to see all her friends breathing and the fact that despite the trauma they all endured, they were all here now.

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Once everyone has calmed down, Clarke informed them the truth of what happened while they were inside of the chamber. Emerson killed Sinclair in cold blood. The loss hurts her, as he was a good man, like a second father to Raven, and they all silently agree Sinclair and Lincoln deserve a proper funeral. June can still hear Octavia's wails of anguish when Bellamy carried Lincoln's body out, watching her press a kiss to his forehead in tears before both bodies are put on the wooden pyre built.

June joined Raven in approaching Sinclair. Her heart is hurting, but she still squeezed Raven's hand, giving her a signal that she was there for her. Raven seemed to get this message as she bowed her head, resting her hand on Sinclair's shoulder. "May we meet again."

"May we meet again," June repeated in a whisper, eyes flickering from Sinclair to Lincoln in grief. She guided Raven back to where the group was circled around, waiting for Octavia to lower the lit torch in her hand.

The flame brushed against the bottom when Octavia brought it to the wood. "Yu gonplei ste odon," she declared, her tone emotionless. (Your fight is over.)

The rest echo her words. "Yu gonplei ste odon." June says so in a soft mumble, watching the fire catch up to their bodies. Smoke rose, the ashy smell burning her nose.

It ends right there, when they know they have no time to stop and mourn. The war is still raging around them. "It's time to go!" Octavia announced. "I'll get the map."

When June retreated back to Arkadia with her friends to finish packing, her boots feel like they're dragging against the ground as if they're being pulled through mud. She had retrieved her jacket and weapons that Emerson stripped her of, along with the medical bag that thumped against her back as she walked through medbay to approach the rover, having no intention of leaving with the rest. Raven had asked June to stay here before the funeral, and she could never say no.

June stopped when she felt something press against the flat of her boot. She looked to the ground, moving aside her leg to see she had stepped on something small. A chip is there, one of ALIE's, the infinity symbol engraved on it. Someone must have left it there; it's almost taunting June.

Taking one glance up, June sees no one is watching her. Everyone is lost in their own jobs, either loading the rover or grabbing more supplies. She remembered feeling vulnerable, losing people she loved, most of all Wells, the unbearable pain she went through in Mount Weather when she was forcibly strapped down for her bone marrow and then the pain that came after when June had to murder innocent people. And what she had just been through, nearly being murdered for her genocide.

June knew she could take the chip. No one was paying her any mind, and by Raven's description, ALIE could use an intelligent mind like hers. All of her pain would be gone.

But then June took one more look at her friends, and she can't. The price is too big. She knows in doing so, she'd sell them all out, would end up like Raven. She can bear suffering, as long as they don't have to.

The chip breaks into several pieces with a soft crack when June brings her boot down again, smashing it. Satisfied, she left it there, boldly holding her chin up as she approached the rest. Bellamy greeted her with a nod. "Hey, we're leaving." He glanced her up and down, now confused. "Why aren't you ready?"

There's a pause before Raven broke the news. "We're not going with you."

Clarke's face softened, looking to June. "What?"

"I can barely walk, and my shoulder's killing me..." Raven stopped to smile, stars in her eyes, the sight making June's heart skip a beat. "But my brain is all kinds of awesome."

"She remembered that ALIE downloaded herself into The Ark mainframe. If it's still there, we can find a back door," Monty added on.

"Which is why I'll be here with them," June continued, plopping the bag into Miller's arms before she throws an arm around Monty's shoulders. "Great minds think alike." He made a small laugh.

Amused, Raven shook her head before returning to the discussion. "I'm guessing once you connect ALIE 2 to Luna, we'll need to find ALIE 1 to take her down," she finished.

Both Bellamy and Clarke seem to understand this, much to June's relief. He requested for Miller and Bryan to stay and protect them, Harper offering to do so as well before he looked to Jasper. "How about you?" He asked. "It's gonna be dangerous."

"You know me well," Jasper admitted with a loose shrug. "I'm in." Bellamy smiled lightly and nodded.

But no one is leaving without heartful good-byes. June goes to Clarke first, weaving her arms over her shoulder and hugging her tightly, feeling warm when she feels her return it. "Be safe, Princess," she mumbled thoughtfully in her ear, thinking back to the best memories on the dropship camp.

"You too, my protector," Clarke joked back, squeezing June once before releasing her and allowing June to move onto Bellamy.

If he's surprised by June embracing him, he doesn't show it. She sucked in a deep breath, knowing this is a step to mending what fractured their close bond after he joined forces with Pike. "May we meet again," June genuinely whispered to him.

"May we meet again," Bellamy repeated, pulling away after a moment so he can hug Raven who waited for her turn.

As for Octavia and Jasper, June held her arm out in their direction. Jasper only gives her a slight nod, which she supposed was a start, but Octavia reached out to grip her forearm. "Good luck here," she spoke.

"You too," June replied, although she had full faith Octavia of all people could handle this.

When they leave, driving the rover into the night sky pouring rain, June watched silently. She feels as if a part of her went with them, a ghost of her there to keep them safe on their mission to find Luna where anything could happen. She knows for sure that a part of her is missing when she turned back around, joining Raven and Monty in the control room, prepared to destroy ALIE and all of her damn chips once and for all.