Chapter Text
It had been two years since Lexa was declared dead by the military. Four years since her wife went missing after a mission gone sideways. "Today we honor Polis's own war hero. Captain Alexandria Woods, purple heart recipient and one of the most decorated soldiers in the United States Army." The news anchor says
Photos of Lexa were splayed across the screen. Her graduation photo from highschool at Polis high, her college graduation at Harvard when she got her law degree, and military photos with her unit.
Polis was a small town and Lexa was very well known.
"Along with Captain Woods, we honor Sargeant Lincoln Moss. Captain Woods and Sargeant Moss were initially declared M.I.A (Missing in action) after their platoon chopper was shot down during a black ops mission four years ago. Following a lengthy investigation, they were officially declared K.I.A (Killed in action) two years later. Today, we honor their sacrifice and achievements.
Photos of Lincoln played on the screen
"Can you shut that off," Clarke asked from the kitchen
Finn gave a sad smile." Sure babe," he replied as he turned off the television and moved to the kitchen to wrap his arms around Clarke.
"Momma, can we go to the park?" Madi asked running out of her room in her pajamas
She was the spitting image of Lexa and it broke Clarke's heart sometimes. Unruly curls were a mess from her slumber. She missed her wife more and more each day. They always say it gets easier but it hasn't yet. Each day feels heavier. The dog tags around her neck felt heavier. Anya and Luna had memorial tags made for her and Octavia.
Clarke will never forget that dreadful day that changed her life forever. That rapture of knocks on this very front door. Outside stood her unit in their uniforms. She opened the door and had a face of surprise. She scanned them looking for her wife but all she saw was solemn looks. She clutched her newborn baby Madi tightly to her chest.
"No," Clarke said as tears fell down her face
"Clarke-" Luna goes to say
Clarke dropped to her knees and a shaky hand covered her mouth as she began to sob hysterically. Luna took Madi into her arms and Anya pulled Clarke into a tight hug.
A bald man stepped forward and cleared his throat
"Clarke Griffin-Woods, I am sergeant major Titus O'Neil. I am here on behalf of the United States Army to inform you that Captain Alexandria Woods was declared M.I.A (missing in action) after a black ops mission. Their chopper encountered enemy fire and was shot out of the sky. Your wife successfully evacuated her unit before attempting a crash landing. She and Lincoln Moss were struck by an enemy RPG. We lost contact after the communication system was destroyed. They never made it to the rally point. Search teams were sent to the crash site but no bodies were recovered. I assure you the Army is putting all of its resources into trying to bring them home."
They never recovered them though. She started to hate the phone calls from Luna and Anya. Each time her hope dwindled less and less. The Woods sisters refused to come home until they found some sign of either life or death from their baby sister. Clarke and Octavia buried empty caskets two years ago when they were officially declared dead. The new mother was forced to pick up the pieces and move on with her life.
Luna and Anya were haunted by that night all of these years. Constantly replaying the twist of events each time their eyes closed. They lost their baby sister but they also lost their dear friend Lincoln. What started out as any normal mission went south in a matter of seconds.
"Alright girl scouts, wheels up in ten," Luna said as she started up the chopper
"Just try not to kill us, Helen Keller." Anya snorted
"Ryder couldn't see that mountain either. Nobody died. You're so dramatic." Luna scoffed
Her team loaded the chopper. Back at base, Kane was running quarterback for the operation. They were working with a few CIA agents to infiltrate a terrorist group.
"Commander Woods, taking a break from desk duty? does your wife know?" Quint teased
Commander was a title she earned over the years. She was a born leader and it did not take long for it to shine through during her early years in the service. She joined the military right out of high school. She attended Harvard along with her sisters to pursue law degrees at the government's expense.
"They couldn't have given me a better sniper? Jeez, we must be desperate between you and CIA agents tagging along." Lexa retorted with a wink
"Oh shut it. You know I'm the best of the best baby." Quint replied crossing his arms
"Yeah yeah just try not to shoot one of us in the ass this time." Lexa chuckled
"Newbie shouldn't have walked in front of my line of target." Quint retorted
"Alright. Let's get this show on the road." Lexa said sternly
"Keep it PG kids. Daddy doesn't like it when you use bad words." Quint says mockingly
"Titus will have your ass when you get back you know that. The comms are already on Sargent." Luna laughed
"Oh for fucks sake. You traitor." Quint says
Everyone busts out laughing
"Glad to see you're enjoying yourselves. Remember the clock is not on your side. Luna will hover the chopper while you all propel down on the ropes. You have five minutes to make it to the rally point before being spotted. From there, team Bravo will come in from the east." Bellamy says
Quint was joking around with Artigus in the back
"Pay attention. I won't have my platoon making a mockery of me out there." Lexa snaps
"Sha Heda." They all said in unison
Lexa was a force to be reckoned with. She saw battle her first year in Afganistan. She remembered she was on a skype call with Clarke when gunfire and explosions were heard.
"Woods! get your ass out here private!" One yelled from outside the tent flap before he was shot dead in his tracks. Lexa's breath hitched as she quickly grabbed her gun and made her way out of the tent.
An explosion went off and she was thrown onto her back
"Lexa!" Clarke sobbed watching it all happen from the webcam
Lexa grunted and crawled over to the dead body and grabbed the radio off him. She stood up and Clarke could see blood and debris on her face as she tried to catch her breath.
"This is Private Woods. Our base is under attack. Sergent Caspier is dead. We are requesting immediate support." Lexa says
"Copy that Private Woods. Air support is forty minutes out." Titus said
"We'll all be dead before they get here!" Quint yelled coming into the tent and reloading
Another explosion went off the computer's connection dropped. Lexa stared at the black screen for a moment.
"Sir, we don't have the numbers or ammo to hold this attack off that long..." Lexa said as grenades went off around her.
"The other closest base to offer support would take twice as long. One of you needs to step up and lock that base down Private!" Titus snapped
"Son of a Bitch!" Lexa yelled throwing the radio
"Woods, how far out are they?" Ryder yelled as he came bursting through the tent
"Too far," Lexa replied
Anya ran into the tent clutching her bleeding arm
"We are dropping like flies. I saw this man's head being blown off in front of me. What is the plan?" She asked
"Hold down the fort," Lexa says
The small team effectively held down the base until air support arrived. They became family that day. Each willing to lay down their life for their brothers and sisters. Lexa was promoted after that incident and she led her platoon through many different missions over the years. She became a war hero and the most decorated soldier in the history of the army within a few short years. She did unheard-of things as not only a newer recruit but as a woman no less.
"Commander?" Luna asked breaking her from her memory
"Hmm?" Lexa said
"Are you ready sis? we are about five clicks out." Luna says
Lexa looked around the men and woman in the chopper
"In & out. We are on a time crunch. Be aware of your surroundings. I want everyone alive on this chopper going home." Lexa says
"Ten-four," Ryder says
They flew through the night and it was peaceful for a moment until it all quickly went downhill
Gunshots rang out and Luna yelled in pain
"She's been hit. I have the controls." Ryder says pulling up on the joystick
"Get on that gun now!" Lexa yelled out
Anya got on the torrent and started returning fire
"Luna, talk to me?" Lexa says
"I'm fine. It went clean through my leg." Luna says hissing
Lexa takes off her belt and gives it to her to cut off the blood flow
"Captain Woods, what's going on?" Kane asks with panic in his voice
"They hit the propeller. We are going down." Ryder yells out gripping the joystick firmly to keep them steady
Alarms and lights start sounding in the chopper
"Captain Woods! report." Kane says
"They took out the propeller. Enemy fire coming from northeast about 4 clicks out from rally point. Chopper is going down sir." Woods says in the headset
"Any casualties?" Kane asks
"Alert Bravo and Charlie," Bellamy says to someone on the control panels
"Right away sir." They reply
"Luna has been shot but-" Lexa goes to reply but suddenly more gunfire erupts and the chopper starts descending fast
"Lexa!" Luna shouts in a panicked voice trying to pull the chopper up with Ryder. Both grunting to fight against the controls
"What are my options for a crash landing, sir?" Lexa asks
"There's a body of water one click out to the east," Kane says
"Take us there. Everyone will jump out. I will land the chopper." Lexa says
"Captain-" Quint goes to say
"That's an order! everyone will swim to shore and rally with Bravo as planned. We have a mission to do." Lexa says sternly
"Sha Heda." He replies
Lexa helped Luna out of the seat and hopped in and took over the controls. Lincoln told Ryder to get out of his seat once Lexa took over. He and Lexa had been pilots at one point and time but didn't like being on the sidelines. They both switched to active duty early on. He hopped into Ryder's seat and gave her a nod.
They hover over the water as best they can. She watches them all jump out one by one until it is just her and Lincoln. She orders him to get out. He moves out of the seat.
"Captain Woods?" Kane asks
"Alpha team has cleared the chopper. They are swimming to rally point. Moss and I are attempting crash-" Lexa goes to say
"RPG. RPG!" Lincoln yells over his shoulder to her
"Lincoln Jum-" Lexa screamed
Their comms went dead
"Get them back!" Kane shouted
"Sir, we lost contact with the chopper...." One said looking at the computer screen
"Do we have satellite visual?" Kane asks
"Negative sir," Bellamy says solemnly
Everyone in the command room was silent
Lexa and Lincoln had jumped off the chopper in time. They make their way to shore and tried to head towards the rally point. Lexa had hurt her leg when she was thrown into a tree. Lincoln wrapped her arm around him and dragged her along. They trudged through the terrain for a while. The last thing Lexa remembered was foreign voices and the sharp pain in the back of her head before everything went black.
"Alright Kane, we are going dark," Echo says
"Copy that team Bravo... Has team Alpha met you at the rally point?" Kane asks
"All are accounted for except Woods and Moss sir..." Echo replies
"God speed soldiers," Kane says before the connection cuts out
The mission went almost according to plan. They got in and infiltrated the base of operation pretty quickly. They loaded onto Bravo and Charlie's choppers. They scanned the area near the crash site with thermal goggles in search of survivors but they didn't find anything. Kane ordered them to return back to base and told them that an official investigation and search team will be sent out. They had been overseas far too long. This was the longest tour they had ever done. 264 days but who was counting? The ride back was unusually quiet. Anya held Luna in her arms the whole ride back.
As they landed back on base, they were greeted by a large crowd of fellow soldiers on base. All clapping. They were all called to attention and Kane called out the names of every soldier that was on the mission at ease until all that remained were two pairs of combat boots in the spots Lincoln and Lexa would have been in.
"Captian Alexandria Woods," Kane called out swallowing the lump in his throat
It was so silent you could hear the breathing of the person next to you. Anya and Luna tried to hold back the tears from falling down their faces.
"Sergeant Lincoln Moss," Kane called out
They all paid a moment of respect for those who did not return home. They were declared M.I.A initially.
Anya and Luna went home alone to tell their adoptive parents. Indra and Gustus were never the same after that. They were used to their daughters being injured over there and getting calls from various hospitals but never did they expect this. The whole platoon went to Clarke's to break the news to the new mother.
Madi was growing up so fast. Everything she did would remind her of Lexa, from the way her brows furrowed when she was deep in thought to the small half-smiles she would give.
The whole platoon signed up for another tour. They wanted revenge for their fallen brother and sister. Each mission they went on, they became numb to the outside world. They were driven to the common goal of finding some kind of closure. They knew that they were out there somewhere. People don't just up and vanish and bodies were never recovered. They put their families and lives on hold for the cause.