A/N: It has been a long while since I have tried writing anything but these two wouldn't leave alone. I'm just dipping my toes into this fandom - so please be kind. All mistakes are my own and I obviously do not own the 100. I haven't seen 2x15 beyond some spoilers, so this goes AU after 2x14. Any feedback is welcomed and please let me know if anyone would like more one shots in this verse. Enjoy!

Bedtime might be what she looks forward to most some days. The quiet whispers, the tight hugs and deep breaths when sleep finally comes, the promise of another morning.

Other days she loathes it with a passion she didn't know she had in her, and she'd led warriors into battle more times than she cares to remember.

They've had peace for eight summers now and while at times she still waits for the next threat to her people, she's become comfortable with the idea she won't have to wage war in her lifetime again. Unless someone else falls from the sky and claims their land – though even that had not worked out badly in the end.

It's late in the day, the sun had set many hours ago and large candles lit the small house they had built together a year after the defeat of the Mountain Men. They had added to it five years later and Lexa is realizing another addition might be needed soon. That is, if she doesn't lose her mind before the night is over.

Her oldest son, Jax, or Jake Xavier as she'd been calling him for the last hour, had been refusing to enter his room and sleep at the usual time. Five years of age, he was usually obedient and understood the need for respect for his elders and especially ones parents. Her wife being detained in the next village until the following day and a crying sibling had stretched even his patience though thin.

"Son, I will not repeat myself again. You need to rest now – and your mother will be back by the time you are done with chores tomorrow."

"No. I want to stay up forever!"

Lexa sighed deeply, closed her eyes for a moment, and then looked down at the baby in her arms. They had only had the little girl with them for under a month and already she considered the child her daughter. Orphaned right after being born in a remote village, word had come to Lexa the girl needed a home. After many talks and deliberations, they gladly opened their arms and expanded their family again. They had named her Hope.

Jax had been two years old when he came to them, so there were woefully unprepared for an infant and how it would stretch their whole family. At long last, Hope was sleeping for more than two hours during the night and things were settling. Clarke had done the lion share of the work, with Lexa unable to step away from her duties for very long.

Before their daughter joined them, her wife's presence and calm demeanor was needed in disputes and disagreements all across their land and she often took Jax on her journeys. He learned the names of the people who they cared for this way and they became even more respected as they became known as parents.

Clarke's judgment was needed this week and though she hated being away from her family, she knew one month away from the rest of her people had been long enough. Lexa agreed – both of them were needed and they would have to learn balance in all things. Jax had been upset he was left behind and had acted defiant to his teacher at the school they had made him attend instead. Clarke had spoken to him before she left, though with little success.

"You cannot stay awake for much longer. You are keeping your sister awake as well."

"She kept me awake with her crying and now I'm not tired no more."

"Anymore. And we have spoken about this. She's too young to talk so crying is what she does to let us know if she needs something. You said you understood."

Jax paused and looked her in the eye, a brave feat for anyone but he was her son and she accepted nothing less. She held his gaze, knowing she had finally gotten to him. Eventually, he looked away and sighed, much like she had only moments before.

"I miss the stories", he mumbled looking at his bare feet.

"What, love?"

Family had made her soft, she thought to herself, but she never wanted her children to fear her. It had taken patience and years of being together to realize love was indeed not a weakness at all. Now, she relished the opportunities to make it known she loved freely, deeply and without abandon.

"I miss the stories Mama reads to us. I miss her."

"I'm sure she misses you as well. She will be back before you know."

"But it's not bedtime without story time."

"Why haven't you asked me to read to you?"

He looked down at his feet again, embarrassed.

"I didn't know if you knew how", he quietly said.

She hid her surprise well, though he was not wrong in thinking it. Many of her people didn't know any letters, or just enough to write their own name. Since uniting with the Sky People, some learned to read but the reality of their responsibilities did not leave much time for the leisure of normal life. She had learned during late nights spent at candlelight but the books held little interest to her once her wife moved closer.

Clarke had gone to the Mountain's libraries and come back with colorful books full of pictures and words after Jax joined them and it had become their ritual every evening. Hope now joined in, though too young to understand. Clarke would sit on the floor between Jax's and their bedrooms and read until Jax was too tired to keep his eyes open. Lexa would sit with the baby in her lap on their bed, too tired to move her into the crib by their bed and listen to her wife's soothing voice.

Her son was not alone – she missed it as well.

"I do, Jax. Why don't you pick out a story while I lay down the little one."

"Okay, Mom."

She smiled at the endearment, much less formal than anything he would call her in front of her people, when Heda always came first, even to her family. She knew she had a long way to go in having a more balanced life but she hoped the efforts they made in private made up for the roles they had to play during their days.

The infant had given up crying a while ago and was on the edge of sleep as Lexa gently laid her in the crib the elders of her tribe had gifted them. Strong oak held a mattress covered with warm blankets to protect from the chill of the night. Thought when Hope left the warmth of her mother's arms, her piercing cries filled the rooms once more. Calling on gods she had given up believing in long ago, Lexa asked for patience she wasn't sure she would be granted tonight.

She knew it was only a matter of seconds before Jax lost his patience again and they all would be awake until Clarke returned from her journeys – and possibly would never leave Lexa alone with their children. Reaching for the thick fur they kept on the large bed that filled the rest of the bedroom, she quickly spread it on the floor by the door, making sure it would provide adequate padding for the baby. She scooped Hope back into her arms and soothed her quietly with soft kisses until there was no more fight left in the little girl, only quiet hiccups and wide eyes wet with tears staring up at her mother.

"You're alright, little one. Mama is right here. You're okay. No need to cry anymore."

Jax stood in the gap between the two bedrooms, a book she recognized as his favorite in his hand and an apologetic look on his face.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I shouldn't have yelled."

Smiling, another rare feat outside of their home, she answered him.

"Thank you for apologizing. You are correct, but I forgive you. Now, leave the book on the floor and get into bed. Let me settle your sister."

"Can I say goodnight to her first?"

"Of course you may."

She settled the girl on the furs, then covered her with another blanket. It was not quite winter, but the nights had grown colder this week. It wouldn't be long before the first frost would come and shortly after, snow would be covering the land. Clarke and Jax loved the snow – Lexa preferred heat and summer any day. Another item to add to the list of differences between her and her wife. The thought made her smile and ache for Clarke to hold tonight.

Jax knelt by his sister, carefully took her hand and leaned down to kiss her forehead. These quiet moments were what Lexa craved during her long days of leadership and they made every sacrifice worth it. Their children and the children being raised among them redeemed every difficult decision she and Clarke had made, every life weighing on their souls until today. Their generation would be wiser and better than those before them, raised with the knowledge of peace and unity.

"Get into bed, little one – or you'll fall asleep on the floor."

"I'm not little, Mom."

"You'll always be little to me, Jax. Now get going."

Too exhausted to argue more, the small boy did as he was told as Lexa opened the well-worn book he had picked out. She smiled as she began to read the words that had filled the house many times before.

"The night wore his wolf suit and made mischief of one kind…"

Minutes later, she heard the tell-tale snore of her son being deeply asleep and one look to her right showed Hope finally had given up the fight as well. Lexa closed her eyes and within minutes followed them, her back settled against the door frame, hand on the knife at her belt, always ready to protect the ones she loved if need be.

She woke to the sound of horses outside her home not an hour later, judging by the flicker of candles that remained lit. Bright torches joined the sounds moments later and Lexa was on her feet quickly in practiced, quiet movements. Both children remained sleeping and she hoped whatever emergency brought visitors to her steps at this time would not take her away from them.

Before she could make it to the door, it opened to reveal blonde hair, head turned to wave a goodbye to her travel companions. Tiredness forgotten, Lexa opened the door wider and took her wife into her arms, not caring the least if she appeared weak in front of the group.

"You're home early."

"I am. Couldn't stay away."

"I'm glad you're here. Though it is foolish to travel with torches through the dense woods."

"Lecture me tomorrow, will you?"

"Agreed."

Lexa turned away from her wife as Clarke moved into the house, closing the door after a nod toward Indra, who answered in kind.

Turning, she saw Clarke kneeling where she had just slept, stroking Hope's cheek. Lexa was sure she was falling more in love with her wife every time she saw her with one of the children. How it was possible, she did not understand and had long given up to explain.

"Rough night, was it?" Clarke whispered, never taking her eyes of the sleeping infant.

"Nothing I couldn't handle."

"I see. Which is why Jax still has his boots on and Hope is on the floor."

Caught, Lexa knelt on the other side of Hope and took her wife's hand.

"We don't do well when one family member is not home. It is good we live in times of peace, otherwise we would never get them to sleep."

"That is one reason I love peace, yes", Clarke answered, pulling Lexa to her for a kiss that lasted not long enough for either of them, though they were wary of the child between them. Reluctantly they broke apart, foreheads resting against each other and breathing in the quietness of the moment. Hope stirred in her sleep and broke them out of the reverie.

"Let me. I missed her."

Scooping up the child and getting her settled in the crib, Clarke stepped into her wife.

"Let's sleep – it'll be morning soon."

"Only if I can hold you close the remaining hours of the night."

"Love, you already know the answer to that."

"Very well. And you get to do bedtime tomorrow."

"Deal."