My first clexa fanfic, will be a slow burner, the 4 year jumps will follow shortly after a few chapters. It is M rated for later chapters, first few chapter are just how Clarke and Lexa first met.
Please note; this story mentions; murder, mental health, angst.
I'll try update when I can, I have other fanfic stories unfinished.
Let me know what you think.
Enjoy :)
"I'm fourteen years old, mother! I don't need a baby sitter" Clarke snapped; pronouncing the word mother, in attempt to make her sound older and wiser than her age indicated.
"Clarke please, we have been over this. I can't leave you alone in the middle of the night, with no one here in case of emergencies. Don't make this harder than it has to be." Abby voice highlighted the exhaustion and sadness she was feeling. It had been hard on her and daughter since her husband; Jake Griffin was murdered 6 months ago by one of his patient, who was dealing with schizophrenia relapse.
"So then just listen to me. I'm older enough to take care of myself."
"It's not going to happen, Clarke. With my work hours at the hospital and being on the emergency call list. I need someone I can call to keep an eye on things here." Abby said sternly.
"But a baby sitter, people will make fun of me! Seriously what do you think is going to happen?" Clarke questioned
"Enough! I can't lose you as well Clarke." Abby blurted out, her emotions pouring out with every word. "So if I want someone here, to give me peace of mind, so I can focus on doing my job. Then so be it."
The blue eyed girl remained in awe. Abby saw her daughter's face and took in a deep breath.
"Look, don't see it as a baby sitter; you're not a baby Clarke. In fact I know you're grown up and responsible compared to most girls your age. But please can you just do this for my peace of mind." The older woman pleaded.
Clarke soon realised her mother's insecurities. Abby had taken time of work since the incident with her husband, and now she was going back, her mother was finding it hard to leave her alone while she worked.
The younger girl blinked, inhaling deeply to contain the sadness that was quickly rising from her chest. She walked over to her mum, and wrapped her arms around Abby.
"Maybe we can come up with some arrangement."
Abby embraced her loving daughter, resting her chin on Clarke's head; a smile started to creep up on her face at the blonde's comment.
"That's all I ask for sweetheart." The older woman kissed the top of her daughter's head. "I love you, Clarke."
A smiled tugged at the blue eyed girl's lips, squeezing harder around her mother's waist. "I love you too mum."
The next morning, Abby was preparing to return back to work; she double checked her rota, seeing she had a 12 hour shift and wouldn't be home till at least 6:30 am in the morning.
"So do we have a deal?" Abby questioned, pouring the orange juice into Clarke's glass.
"Yes, I think it's a fair deal." The blue eyed girl smiled, reaching out her hand for her mum to shake.
"Good." Abby accepted the gestured and shook her daughter's hand. "So, as it's the summer holidays, I trust you that you will go to Mrs Wilson, next door if you need anything. But when it starts to get dark, you will treat your sitter with the same respect as you show me."
"Mum, we live in a smallish town, everyone knows everyone. Who is it?
"Do you know Lexa Woods?" Abby raised her eyebrows in question.
Clarke's face was in awe, everyone knew who Lexa was. She was the most beautiful girl in her school, Captain of the Lacrosse Team. She just recently graduated from Arkadia High School.
"No! Mum, Lexa can't be my sitter, she's knows everyone at my school. I think I would like the ground to swallow me up right now." Clarke said dramatically; overwhelmed with embarrassment.
"Will you calm down? She seems perfectly nice to me, and she wants to earn extra money before going to university." Abby failing to see the problem
Before Clarke could respond back, a knock at the door made her jump. The blonde turned a ghost white; flashbacks corrupted her mind of that night with flashing blue lights shining through the glass lighting up the hallway up as she made her way downstairs to find her mother consumed by tears. Suddenly the air around her become thick, not being able breathe enough oxygen in to calm her heart beat down.
Clarke was suddenly brought back to reality when she heard her mum speak in a soft soothing voice.
"Clarke, I think it's for you." Abby smiled; having looked through the peep hole; stood a familiar brunette; her daughter's best friend, Octavia Blake.
Clarke's eye got darker, her jaw tightens, and she turned and ran upstairs without a word. She had been doing this for the past 6 months whenever her friends would try to visit or when anyone would knock on the door. Abby was growing very worried of her daughter, having not left the house that much since her dad died and alienating herself from her friends. She suggested she talk to a professional, but Clarke refuses,
The older woman sighed; she didn't know how she was going to help her daughter through this struggle she was fighting.
"Hi, Mrs G; I made chocolate chip cookies this morning, I know you go back to work today, so thought I would bring you some." Octavia said cheerfully, not really concentrating on the older woman as she tried to look past her, trying to find a certain blonde.
"Give her more time Octavia; it took her a couple of months before she started talking to me." Abby said
The young girl dropped her head to the floor.
"Hey, I know it's hard, you two have been best friends since you could both walk." The older woman said
"I miss her." She replied sadly. "Will you tell her I stopped by?"
"Of course." Abby nodded
"Goodbye Mrs G." The young brunette said politely before she started to walk away.
"Octavia" Abby called out. "I know she misses you too. But right now she's finding it hard to move past the rough patch she is in, and face the real world. Because then she has to accept that her father isn't going to be there when something happens in her life."
She nodded and gave a sad smile in response.
"Goodbye Octavia and thanks for the cookies." Abby smiled, slowly closing the door.
The young girl got a feeling she was being watched, as she walked away. She turned quickly, raising her head, when she spotted her best friend peeking through the tilted binds.
Clarke jumped back, realising she had been spotted.
"I'll be here when she is ready. I hope she knows that." Octavia said loudly, wanting a certain pair of ears to hear her.
Recovering from being caught by Octavia, she didn't hear her mum come upstairs and walk into her bedroom.
"Maybe I shouldn't go back to work yet." Abby said in concerned tone
"Mum, you said that you couldn't wait to go back; to feel like you're were making a difference again." Clarke replied; facing her mum with a confused look
"It's not me who isn't ready, sweetheart." The angst in her voice was heavy.
"Mum." The blonde sighed; feeling a tug on her heart.
"I'm worried about you Clarke." Abby replied honestly.
"I'm fine." The blonde pleaded, but tears that erupted in her eyes, told a different story.
"I know how close you and your father was—"The older woman began softly
"Mum, I can't!" Clarke croaked; rushing out her bedroom. She couldn't fight the aching feeling in her heart; it became too much to bear, as the tears started to fall freely down her face.
Abby let her daughter go, she needed to be alone. The older woman heard a door shut further down the hallway. She knew where the younger blonde went, the same she always goes when she is upset; her father's office.
Abby's heart was breaking, seeing her daughter so broken. The girl who was so full of life; her laughter would fill the house on a daily basis, was now alienating herself from everyone one. Being stuck in this torturous place, not knowing how to move past this dark bubble she was in. Not knowing how to continue living her life, when it hasn't even truly begun.
After a couple of hours Clarke emerged from her dad's office and went downstairs.
"Mum!" she called out; stepping into the kitchen not finding the older woman there.
"Hey sweetie." Abby quickly walked from the living area over to her daughter and engulfed her in a loving embrace.
"I'm sorry about walking out, but I'm not ready to—um, you know" Clarke stuttered, still not able to mention her dad's death.
"I know" Abby leant down and kissed her daughter's head.
"But Mum-" Clarke pulled out of the comfort of her mums arms and looked into the older woman's eyes. "You have to go back to work. I won't let you put it off just because of me. We all cope differently, and you need this. You need the comfort that you're making a difference, saving lives. You're a great doctor mum, you need to go back".
Abby smiled she was proud of her daughter, so smart for her age.
"I really appreciate that Clarke, but one day won't hurt."
"One day is all it takes Mum, there are others that need you." The blonde said; not able to look at her mum anymore.
"Okay then, I'll go." Abby smiled, as she placed her hand on her daughter's chin, raising her head.
It was now 5:25pm and Abby was waiting for Lexa to turn up before she left for work.
As if on cue there was a knock at the door.
Abby looked at her daughter who just came down to get a drink, knowing what was about to happen.
Clarke looked at the door in a trance, getting lost in the memories once again of that night, the police came over; the sound her mother's cry blocking out the police woman that came over to her.
Feeling overwhelmed she ran upstairs to her comfort spot.
The older woman sighed; it killed her to see her daughter suffering like this. Abby couldn't take this behaviour for much longer, it was worrying her too much.
Regaining her composure, she took a deep breath before opening the door.
"Hey Lexa, please come in." Abby smiled.
"Hello Mrs Griffin. Thank you again for giving me this job. I really need the extra cash for my university supplies, so it really means a lot." Lexa replied gratefully.
"It's no problem, and you are actually doing me a favour." Abby said; she looked at Lexa who was giving her a questioning look
"Lexa there is something I didn't tell you. Clarke is going through something right now, so don't expect much from her. Well at least don't take it personally, she really is a great kid once you get to know her, she's just lost her way, since the death of her father." The older woman's voice was lower and sad.
The green-eyed beauty didn't know how to respond, she felt sorrow for the Griffin family, losing someone close is a traumatic experience; and Lexa knew the feeling too well.
She gave a sympathetic smile and a nod to show she understood.
Abby walked to the staircase before shouting up.
"Clarke! Can you come down here please and greet our guest."
The blonde was sitting in her father's chair, staring at a photo of them on his desk. The picture was taken in the midst of Jake picking Clarke up around the waist, both laughing in that moment.
She already felt calmer once comforted by Jake's personal things; mainly of Clarke's drawing and art works were neatly framed around his office. The place acted as a security blanket for her.
Clarke could hear another voice downstairs, she sighed, dreading going downstairs to meet the most popular person in her school.
Seconds later she could hear her mum calling. Her heart bounced against her chest, she was nervous; she hasn't really been around anyone except her mother in 6 months.
The blonde reluctantly walked out of her dad's office, and slowly walked down the stairs. Clarke's breath was caught in her mouth when she instantly saw a beautiful brunette standing by the door with her stuff planted at her feet; her hair was curly and pulled over one shoulder. She was the definition of stunning.
Her green eyes met Clarke's blue, the blonde let out the shaky breath, it was consuming to be in the room with her. The blonde appreciated beautiful things, she loved to draw them, and right now she started to feel inspired by the guest's captivating eyes. A feeling Clarke hasn't had for a while.
"Clarke, this is Lexa. Lexa this is my daughter Clarke." Abby introduced the pair. They both didn't say a word just nodded at each other. "If you need anything sweetheart; please just call me, okay." Abby embraced her daughter in her signature loving way, kissing her on her head.
"Mum, you're embarrassing me!" Clarke groaned lowly but the brunette heard.
Lexa tried hard to stop the small laughter erupting out of her mouth; instead the dimples on her face were prominently showing.
Abby mouthed the word sorry, releasing her daughter from her arms.
"I really need to go now." Abby grabbed her purse of the dresser table by the door. "Lexa please help yourself, to anything in the kitchen. Clarke will show you were the guest room is. And please call me if-" Abby was cut off.
"Mum, we will be fine. Drive carefully." Clarke said
"Of course." Abby weakly smiled. "I should be home around 6am, but you're more than welcome to help yourself to breakfast when you wake up Lexa."
"Thank you, Mrs Griffin. I appreciate that." She replied with a smile.
"Bye" Abby said before leaving.
As soon as the door closed, the tension in the room rose to whole new level. Lexa didn't know want to say to Clarke, and vice versa.
"The guest room is upstairs second door to the left, it's an en-suite; it will have fresh towels in the bathroom if you need them." Clarke said bluntly
"Thanks, I should go put my stuff in there then." Lexa replied.
The blonde nodded and went to walk away before the green-eyed beauty called out her name.
"Clarke, your mum loves you by the way."
"I know that." Clarke snapped defensively
Lexa simply ignored the hostility in the girl's voice.
"Love isn't embarrassing, just so you know." Lexa smiled; which was too contagious for Clarke.
However she kept her facial expressions blank; Clarke turned and walked up the stairs. She released the biggest smile she has done in the past 6 months.
Lexa had a calming essence about her, and she was smooth. Clarke like that, and couldn't get those perfect eyes out of her head, they were so captivating up close.
Thank you reading. :)