Four Days Until Launch

            Sparks flew as Ronnie welded a patch onto the exterior of the Ark. It had started as a routine check but, like most things on this aging hunk of metal, it turned into a full-on repair job. The Ark had help up for 97 years, orbiting Earth like a rusting tin can, but time was finally catching up to it.

            "Yo, Sinclair-" Raven's voice crackled through the radio built into Ronnie's helmet. "Is that a drop ship?"

            Ronnie paused, lifting the welding mask on her space helmet to glance at her partner, who was floating a few feet away, staring off into space- literally. She followed Raven's gaze and snorted.

            "Uh, Reyes, that's always been there."

            Raven squinted at the drop ship, the same one Ronnie and her father had been patching up for the past month.

            "Huh..." Raven tilted her head. "How have I never noticed that before?"

            Ronnie chuckled. "Probably the same way you haven't noticed you're drifting away."

            Raven's eyes widened as she realized she was slowly floating farther from the Ark. The safety tether kept her from floating off into the void, but that didn't stop Ronnie from reaching out. She extended a gloved hand, and Raven smirked before grabbing hold. They finished the job without further incident and made their way back inside the Ark. As soon as Ronnie stripped off her spacesuit, a med tech scrambled toward her.

            Ronnie barely gave him time to work. The poor guy had to rush through her vitals because she always peeled out of her suit too fast, never giving them a proper chance to examine her. He slapped a scanner onto her wrist as she yanked on her usual clothes.

            "So," Ronnie drawled, "you ditching me for Spacewalker today?" There was an edge to her voice, masked as casual teasing. Visits with Finn meant days of Raven talking about him nonstop- but it also meant more time for Ronnie to work on the 100 project.

            Raven chuckled. "Oh-ho, okay." She grinned. "Yes, I am ditching you, and I'll be sure to tell Finn how much you miss him."

            Ronnie scoffed, muttering under her breath, "As if."

            She tugged on her boots and, without missing a beat, ripped off the scanner patch before the med tech could finish his reading. She slapped it onto his palm instead, flashing him a sly grin. "I'm fine. Trust me, I'd let you know if I was dying."

            The med tech frowned but didn't stop her as she and Raven exited into the hallway, heading back toward the workshop to drop off their gear.

            Raven bumped her shoulder playfully. "Speaking of boys- has Wick popped the boyfriend question yet?"

            Ronnie groaned. "Here we go..."

            "I mean, you practically live with each other. He needs to man up and make it official."

            Ronnie barely listened as Raven went on and on but watched as the other girl attempted to fix her hair. The spacesuit had done a number on it. Ronnie had long since given up trying to fix her own hair after spacewalks, which is why she constantly rocked a lopsided messy bun. She wasn't trying to impress anyone and Wick seemed to like her enough, messy hair and grease stains included.

            "Ron?"

            "Huh?" Ronnie blinked, snapping out of her thoughts.

            Raven smirked and pointed to her ponytail. "How's it look?"

            Ronnie gave her a quick once-over, then flashed a thumbs-up. Ponytail: approved.

            Once they reached the workshop, they dumped their gear at their shared workbench and plopped onto their stools for a quick break.

            "Look," Ronnie said, "you can tell lover boy I said hi, but scrap the part where I miss him. He might think I actually like him."

            Raven rolled her eyes. "You're impossible."

            "Damn right."

            Raven check her watch and sighed. "Alright, see you later doofus." She grabbed her things and held out a fist.

            Ronnie grimaced but bumped her knuckles against Raven's. "Later, dork."

            She watched Raven disappear down the hall, exhaling through her nose. The two still butted heads, but Ronnie had started to consider Raven a friend. Shaking the thought away, she spun on her stool and grabbed her tablet. A long checklist of final tasks for the 100's launch in four days stared back at her. A few more wristbands to assemble, a few more hours on the drop ship, and she'd be free. She set the tablet back in its charger just as a pair of arms wrapped around her waist.

            "Wick, I'm trying to work." She tried to sound stern, but his lips pressing against the soft spot beneath her ear put a smile on her face.

            "And I'm trying to distract you," he murmured against her neck, chuckling.

            Ronnie turned to face him. "I'd love a distraction, but I have so much to get done."

            Wick smirked, not letting go. "Can I distract you later tonight, then?"

            Ronnie rolled her eyes playfully. "What time?"

            "Whenever you can get to my place."

            Ronnie glanced at her watch- and her eyes widened. "Crap."

            "What?" Wick asked, finally letting go of her.

            "I need to get to a meeting."

            "When?"

            "Like, ten minutes ago."

            Ronnie grabbed a few things she needed to present to the council and pressed a quick kiss to Wick's cheek before racing out of the workshop. She waved through the crowded halls of the Ark, muttering curses under her breath as she hurried toward the secluded section where the meeting was already underway. She pressed her thumb to the scanner, slipping inside just as Thelonious Jaha's gaze settled on her.

            "Ah, Ronnie. Nice of you to finally join us," he remarked, voice edged with impatience.

            She stepped out of the shadows with a thin smile. "Apologies, Chancellor. I was a little busy making sure this metal death trap holds together long enough for us to survive." Her tone carried just enough bite to make Jaha smirk, but he let it slide, continuing on with the meeting as she slid into her seat between her father and Abby.

            "How are the wristbands coming along?" Jaha asked, looking at Abby. Instead of answering, Abby nodded toward Ronnie.

            Ronnie straightened. "We're almost done. I plan to make a few extra in case of malfunctions, and the last prototype's been running smoothly on Abby. The readings are accurate, and they'll be ready in time for the launch window. The drop ship maintenance is nearly finished too. Everything's on schedule." She couldn't hid the pride in her voice- weeks of backbreaking work, all kept under wraps from most of the people who mattered most to her.

            Her father patted her back, his pride evident. But the weight of deception sat heavy in her chest.

            "Very well," Jaha nodded. "We'll reconvene in two days to finalize-"

            "Actually, Chancellor," Ronnie cut in, inhaling sharply. The room's attention snapped back to her, eyes sharp and expectant. She hesitated before speaking. "People are starting to ask questions."

            Silence stretched, thick with unspoken suspicion. Councilman Marcus Kane's gaze sharpened. "What do you mean?"

            Ronnie's fingers drummed against her knee as she forced herself to meet his eyes. "I mean multiple people close to me- people who know my routines- are noticing things don't add up. They're watching me disappear at odd hours, wondering why I've been working alone. I haven't said a word, but they're not stupid." Her gaze flicked to Jaha. "Wells figured it out, and I didn't tell him anything."

            Jaha's expression barely shifted, but she caught the tension in his jaw. "You'll have to keep this a secret, Miss Sinclair."

            Ronnie's lips pressed into a thin line. "I have been," she said evenly. "But you try lying to the people who know you best. It doesn't last long."

            A heavy hand settled on her shoulder- her father's silent warning to tread carefully.

            Jaha studied her for a beat before offering a placating smile. "Noted. We'll discuss this further in the next meeting. Dismissed."

            Abby squeezed Ronnie's hand, her warmth cutting through the tension. "You're doing an incredible job. We're proud of you."

            Ronnie mustered a small smile before Abby left. Her father's lingering low, however, carried mild disapproval.

            "Sorry," she muttered.

            Sinclair exhaled, then chuckled. "Ah, I'm just glad you are standing up for yourself."

            That pulled a grin from her.

            "Dinner tonight?" he asked, glancing at his watch with a hopeful smile.

            Ronnie hesitated. "I'd love to, but I have plans. And I have to finish up in the drop ship."

            Her father ruffled her hair, grinning. "Don't worry about it, kiddo. Have fun."

            Relieved, she leaned into his brief embrace before slipping out of the room, already mentally preparing for the next battle this secret would bring.

~*~

            "I'm so mad at you."

            Ronnie finally broke the silence that had stretched between them for the past ten minutes. She sat across from Wells, arms crossed, legs kicked up on the table between them. She'd been stewing ever since he pulled that stupid stunt. How could he pick Clarke over her?

            Wells chuckled, completely unfazed. "Oh really? I couldn't tell. Between the death glare and that world-class pout, I thought you were thrilled to see me."

            His teasing cracked her resolve, and a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips- until he added, "But let's not forget that you lied to me for a whole month. I'm mad at you too."

            Just like that, the glare returned. She scoffed at him. Her fingertips turning white as her grip tightened around her arms.

            "Let's not forget that it was your father who told me not to say anything," she shot back. "And for the record, it was three weeks, not a month." She arched a brow, daring him to challenge her. Then she dropped her feet from the table, leaning forward.

            Game on.

            "At least I didn't help send my friends to their possible deaths."

            Ronnie's jaw clenched. "One. It was one friend who already hates me and never wants to see me again! And then my best friend-" she jabbed a finger at him, voice rising. "-decided he'd play hero and risk his life for a girl who hates his guts too!"

            The fire drained from her expression, replaced by something raw. She swallowed hard. When she spoke again, her voice was barely above a whisper.

            "What about me, Wells?"

            He stilled.

            Ronnie gave a hollow laugh, shaking her head. "Did you even think about me? Huh? Or was I just supposed to be okay with this?" She held her breath, trying to keep the tears stinging her eyes from falling.

           Wells exhaled, his gaze locked onto her. "Of course I thought about you, Ronnie. How could I not?"

            She almost broke at the sincerity in his voice.

            "I thought about how it could've been you instead of Clarke. And I  know I would've done the same thing for you. No hesitation." He leaned forward now, eyes unwavering. "I couldn't let you go down there alone. Just like I'm not letting her go down there alone."

            Ronnie's stomach twisted. Her.

            His voice softened, almost as if he wasn't sure he wanted to say it aloud. "Clarke might hate me, but that doesn't change how I feel about her." He let out a small, self-deprecating laugh. "And yeah, maybe part of me is hoping that if I'm down there, if I protect her, I can prove to her that I'm not the villain she thinks I am."

            Ronnie let out a slow breath, the anger simmering beneath her ribs turning into something duller.

            "So, what?" she muttered. "You're throwing yourself at a lost cause?"

            Wells gave a small shrug, his smile tinged with sadness. "I wouldn't be the first one in this room to do that."

            She sucked in a sharp breath but said nothing. Of course he would bring his thoughts about Wick into this.

            After a moment, Wells sighed. "Look, Clarke needs someone watching her back, whether she wants it or not. And if she won't trust me, then fine- I'll earn it. But I never forgot about you, Ronnie. Not for a second.

            A shaky breath left her lips, and the first tear slipped down her cheek. She wiped it away with the sleeve of her jacket, exhaling sharply.

            "Why do you have to be such a good person?" she grumbled, though a reluctant smile crept onto her face.

            Wells just shrugged, his own smile growing.

            "Hey, if everything goes to plan, we'll be together again in a month. Think you can survive that long without me?" His tone was light, but there was something deeper beneath it.

            Ronnie let out a short laugh. "Ha. Maybe I'll finally get my own life and realize I don't need you anymore." She smirked, winking.

            A knock at the door made her expression falter. A guard stepped in.

            "Time's up."

            Ronnie pressed her lips together and stood from the uncomfortable chair, reluctant to go. As she reached the door, she hesitated, glancing over her shoulder. "Just... stay safe, okay?" Her voice was softer now. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

            Wells grinned. "I'm thinking-world destruction."

            She rolled her eyes, flipping him the bird, but it only made his grin widen.

            "The world will be fine, Ronnie," he said, as the guard moved to shut the door between them. "I'm not going anywhere."