Author's note. This is my first foray into fan fiction, so please be kind. Also, I've only seen the Clexa parts of The 100, so forgive any storyline errors. I just needed a way to process through my feelings after the events of 3x07.

It had been two weeks since Lexa died in front of her eyes, shattering her heart. Clarke had hardly left her room since Titus carried away Lexa's lifeless, yet still beautiful, body. Lexa's room, actually, as Clarke couldn't stand to be anywhere near her old room, the room where all her hopes and dreams for a future with Lexa died with the green-eyed girl. She didn't attend the conclave where, as Lexa predicted, Aden was chosen as the next Commander. His first order, which he gave while glaring directly at Titus, was that Clarke was to be treated as his equal. Her every need was to be tended to and her every request was to be fulfilled as if he himself had commanded it.

The only need Clarke had was to feel close to Lexa, so she spent most of her time curled up in the bed where they shared themselves with each other for the first and last time. At night, she cried herself to sleep while wearing Lexa's clothes so she could smell the scent that was uniquely Lexa. Three times a day, meals were brought to her door, but they usually were left untouched. The only person Clarke would allow in to see her was Aden. In part because he was the Commander and she couldn't really prevent him from visiting, but also because knowing that Lexa's spirit dwelled in the young Nightblood brought her a tiny measure of comfort.

Today during his visit, after sitting silently on the couch for several minutes as Clarke stared out the window, he turned to her and quietly said, "Wanheda, I am sorry to disturb you, but there is news from Arkadia that I must share with you." After a few seconds, Clarke shifted her focus to him and nodded slightly. "I have received a message from Indra and your friend Octavia," Aden continued. "They report that a majority of the Sky People now agree that Pike should be removed as their leader, but they are hesitant to attack him. They fear his retribution if they are unable to defeat his supporters. They are requesting assistance from the Grounder army and Wanheda." When Clarke did not reply, he asked, "What do you advise?" Clarke looked away for a moment and then returned her gaze to the young leader. "Let me think on this tonight, Commander Aden. I will have my response for you in the morning." "Thank you, Wanheda. I shall leave you to your rest," Aden said as he retreated from the room. As the door closed behind him, Clarke shut her eyes and let out a long sigh. "Oh, Lexa. How I wish you were here to help make this decision." With that, she curled up in a ball and began to cry herself to sleep.

The next thing Clarke was aware of was being in the forest, where a light breeze was blowing through the trees and it smelled like it had just rained. As she looked around to get her bearings, she felt something she hadn't felt since that fateful day. She was sure that she felt Lexa nearby. "You're losing it, Griffin," she muttered to herself. "She's gone." As soon as the thought left her mind, she heard it. "Clarke." Clarke whipped around to look behind her where the sound had come from and saw a sight she had been sure she would never see again. "Lexa!" she cried. The older girl, dressed simply in jeans and a shirt, with no armor or war paint, had barely taken two steps forward when Clarke ran into her arms, throwing her hands around the brunette's neck and burying her head in her gorgeous brown hair, which was unbraided and slung across one shoulder as it had been the night Clarke had gone to tell her she was returning to her people. She was Lexa, not the Commander. Lexa placed her arms around Clarke's waist and held her as close to her as she could while Clarke sobbed into her shoulder. When Clarke's breathing began to return to normal, Lexa leaned back, not releasing her hold on the blonde, but putting enough space between them to look into Clarke's eyes. Those beautiful blue eyes that had entranced Lexa from the first time she had gazed into them and were the last thing she had remembered seeing before she took her last breath. Those eyes now swam with so many emotions - joy, sadness, surprise, and mostly disbelief and confusion. Clarke broke the silence first. "How, Lexa? How are you here?"

"Shhh, Clarke," Lexa replied. "We don't have much time. It is so good to see you. I have missed you so much." "Me too," said Clarke. "Me too." "I have heard of the situation at Arkadia," Lexa remarked, finally releasing her hold on Clarke, but grabbing her hand and interlocking their fingers. Straightening to her full height, she slipped into Commander mode as she looked at Clarke and declared, "If there is to be any chance at a lasting peace, you must help Aden lead the Grounder army against Pike. It is the only way." "I know," Clarke sighed, breaking eye contact and looking at their joined hands as she rubbed her thumb across Lexa's tanned fingers. "It's just that the thought of going into battle without you..." was as much as she could get out before her emotions overtook her and she began to cry again. Relaxing her stance a bit, Lexa softly replied, "I am always with you, Clarke."

Taking her free hand and wiping the tears from her own face, Clarke looked at Lexa and asked, "Are you happy?" Pausing for a moment to weigh her response, Lexa said, "I am glad to be somewhere where there is no war. And to have been reunited with people I love, like my parents, and Anya, and Gustus." "And Costia?" Clarke asked hesitantly, looking back down at the ground again. "Costia is here too, yes," Lexa said gently. "I see," said Clarke as she released her grasp on Lexa's hand and started to turn away. But Lexa held tight to Clarke's hand and grabbed her other shoulder to keep her from turning. When Clarke did not fight her efforts, Lexa removed her hand from Clarke's shoulder and placed it under her chin, lifting her face until sapphire eyes met emerald. "Costia was the love of my youth," Lexa stated matter of factly. Then taking a step closer to Clarke, so there was hardly any space between them, Lexa spoke softly yet firmly. "You, Clarke of the Sky People, who fell from the stars, are the love of my life." With that, Lexa leaned in and captured Clarke's lips with her own. It was much like their first kiss so long ago. Gentle and tender and unhurried. This time it ended only because of their need to breathe. Leaning her forehead against the blonde's, Lexa sighed, "There is no one else I wish to ever hold in my arms but you, Clarke. I love you. When your fight is over, I will be here waiting for you." Pulling her head away slightly to look into Lexa's eyes, Clarke replied, "I love you too, Lexa."

After another kiss, Lexa led Clarke to a nearby tree and sat down with her back against it, pulling Clarke to sit between her legs in front of her. Reaching behind her, Clarke grabbed Lexa's arms and pulled them around her waist, resting hers on top and linking their hands again. When several minutes had passed in silence, Lexa spoke, her voice breaking slightly, betraying how difficult it was for her to say these words. "Your fight will not be over for some time, Clarke. If you need to find someone to be with, you have my blessing. I want you to be happy." At this, Clarke turned so she could see Lexa's face. When she did, she saw it was covered in tears. Reaching up to wipe them away, Clarke waited until Lexa was looking her in the eyes before she spoke. "I cannot imagine ever being with anyone but you, Lexa. But if that does happen, I promise that they will never have my heart. That belongs to you. It has from the first moment I saw you and always will." Lexa's face broke into the biggest smile Clarke had ever seen her smile. Kissing the blonde on the forehead, Lexa pulled Clarke in closer and quietly said, "It's almost time for you to go back, my love. Close your eyes now and rest." "Alright," Clarke said reluctantly. As she drifted off to sleep, she sighed, "I love you, Lexa." "Me too," said Lexa. "Me too." The last thing Clarke remembered was hearing Lexa's voice say, "May we meet again" and feeling the brunette's lips softly brush her own.

When Clarke opened her eyes, she saw that she was in Lexa's room and the first light of day was streaming through the window. She quickly realized that her visit with the beautiful brunette had merely been a dream, yet she felt closer to her lover than she had since her death. Knowing what she needed to do, Clarke got out of bed, bathed, and dressed in her own clothes before leaving her room to search out Aden. When she found him in the council room reading a book of history of previous Grounder wars, he looked up at her and asked, "Have you advice for me, Wanheda?" "I have, Commander," she stated firmly. "Assemble your generals. We have a battle plan to prepare."

FLASH FORWARD

It had been almost 30 years since Clarke and Aden led the Grounder army and the Sky People to victory over Pike. Since then, peace had reigned amongst the thirteen clans. Kane and Aden were still the leaders of their people. Clarke had followed in her mother's footsteps as a healer, although she indulged often in her favorite pastime, drawing. Her most frequent subject continued to be Lexa, in whose room she still lived. While Clarke had had a few romantic dalliances over the years (only with men, as she could not bear the thought of being with a woman who wasn't Lexa, and never in Lexa's bed), she never loved any of them half as much as she had loved Lexa. As the result of one of these dalliances, she had a 14-year-old son, Jake (after her father), who somehow had Lexa's eyes. Aden had sworn to Clarke when Jake was born that if anything were to ever happen to her, he would raise the boy as his own.

On a trip back to Polis from one of the remote villages where she had gone to treat a patient, Clarke was bitten by a snake that she had not seen on the path. Being alone and knowing that she was too far away from help, Clarke laid down in a clearing in the woods and made herself as comfortable as she could with what pain medicine she had with her. As Clarke felt her pulse and breathing begin to slow, she closed her eyes and waited.

"Clarke. Can you hear me? Open your eyes, Clarke. I'm here." As Clarke opened her eyes, the figure standing above her came into focus. She smiled broadly as she looked upon the face of the love of her life. Grabbing the hand that was held out to her, Clarke stood and kissed Lexa firmly on the lips, a kiss that was enthusiastically returned. Resting her forehead on the brunette's, Clarke could hear the delight in Lexa's voice as she said, "Welcome home, my love. Welcome home."

The end