"Whaaaaaat?!" Clarke heard Raven yell from downstairs. She chuckled as she admired the newly changed relationship status. "Clarke Griffin! Where are you?"

She didn't answer, knowing that Raven would find her way up to Clarke's room before too long.

Octavia actually got there first. "Congrats!" she said, stepping just inside the open door. "Did you two decide that yesterday?"

"Yeah," Clarke answered.

"Did you talk to her about law school?"

"Yeah, we talked," Clarke said, trying not to let that diminish her good mood.

"And how does she feel about that?"

"She's on board," Clarke told her. "We're going to figure it out."

Octavia gave her a critical once over before smiling. "Relationships look good on you, Clarke. You seem very happy."

They both heard the heavy footsteps coming up the stairs and Octavia just stepped aside enough to not get bowled over when Raven rushed past her and jumped onto Clarke's bed belly first. "Oh my god, tell me everything!"

"What are you doing?" Clarke asked her, suspicious.

"Playing the role of best friend," Raven said. "Now, seriously, how did this happen? I thought we were still on the chapter where you guys are 'such great friends you don't want to risk it.'"

"No, no," Octavia begged to differ as she took her own spot next to Clarke on the bed. "They were never on that chapter. It was the 'you broke my heart, how can I trust you' dilemma."

"We were past that," Clarke said. "It was more like the 'this is serious, but she's got a kid so let's make sure we're on the same page' chapter."

"Whatever it was, it was tedious," Raven said.

"It was necessary," Octavia said to Raven. "Now they're sure."

"I was always sure," Clarke stated proudly.

"Except when you weren't," Raven disagreed. "But whatever."

"I was sure," Clarke reiterated. "She was sure. Now we both know we're both sure."

"So is that what I broke up last night?" Raven asked. "The aftermath to the 'officially girlfriends' talk? If so, I apologize."

"Yeah and thanks so much for scaring the hell out of her," Clarke nudged Raven in the ribs. "She would have eventually agreed to come in. She just needed enough encouragement."

"She was the mouse and your vagina was the cheese?" Raven asked.

"And you were the fucking trap, asshole."

"Why didn't you just go over there?" Octavia asked, as sensible as ever.

"I have that meeting this morning with Professor Pike," Clarke refreshed them. "He teaches legal ethics theory and we had a few conversations last year about a paper I was writing. Figured I need all the advice I can get on writing my personal statement."

"Yeah, you better get up and get going," Octavia said, checking her watch. "I've heard that guy is serious. He'll kill you if you're late."

"Could you not put your shoes on the couch," Lexa said as she dropped Aden's backpack next to him.

Aden was busy tying his shoe with his foot propped up on the arm of the sofa and sighed loudly. "My shoes are clean."

"Do you know how many germs are on your shoes?"

"No," Aden said. "Do you know Ripken's lifetime average?"

"Two seventy-six, little brother," Lexa smacked the bill of Aden's Orioles cap as she passed by. "Get your shoes off the couch."

"One day I'm going to ask you a question that you don't know the answer to."

"Maybe," Lexa said. "But today is not that day."

"You're annoying," Aden told her.

"So are you."

"Wonder why?" Aden grumbled as he dropped to one knee to tie his other shoe.

"You ready?" Lexa called to him from the kitchen. "Come on, don't want to hit traffic."

Aden grabbed his backpack and followed her out, waited for her to lock the door and trailed as they walked toward her car. "What time do you think you'll be home tonight?"

"Hey, about that, do you mind staying with Uncle Gus tonight?" Lexa asked him. "He said it was okay."

"Uh, sure," Aden said, frowning already. "Is something going on I should know about?"

"Nope."

Aden stopped short of the car. "Has to be something, Lex. Just tell me."

"Nothing bad," Lexa said, hitting the unlock button and passing him up to go around to the driver's side.

Aden hopped in the car and automatically turned down the volume on the radio. "Where are you staying?"

"I'll be in DC," Lexa said as she put the car in reverse. "Or, that's my plan anyway. I'll let you know if it changes."

"Why?"

"Why what?" It as a reasonable attempt at deflection.

"Why would you stay in DC?" Aden asked the question innocently enough.

Lexa almost, for a split second, believed that he really didn't know. Then she saw it. It was brief and it was hidden, but she saw his smirk.

"I just am."

"With who?"

Lexa tapped on the gearshift. "You know with who."

"Why can't she stay at the house?" Aden inquired. "She has before."

"That was different."

"Why?"

Lexa rolled her eyes and sent him a warning glare. "Aden."

"Lexa."

"I'm not having this discussion with you."

Aden laughed, knocking on the window in a rhythm. "It's fine. I don't mind staying at Gus's, but I could just stay at home by myself."

"You could, but you're not."

"Why?" Aden asked. "I'm responsible."

"I know."

"So..." Aden watched her, waiting for an answer.

"No."

"Fine," Aden gave up rather easily, but it was only because he wanted the answer to another question more. "Besides the obvious, what's different?"

"What do you mean?" Lexa asked as she passed a slower car.

"You said this was different," Aden said. "Something up with you and Clarke?"

"We talked yesterday on the tree trip," Lexa answered. "And we're together now."

"You were already together."

"More together."

"So, what does that mean?" Aden asked curiously. "Are you getting married or something?"

"Less together than that. It's only been a few weeks, A," Lexa said. "You're really trying to move this along, huh?"

Aden shrugged. "I like her."

"I know you do."

"You like her even more."

"I do."

"So I can start calling her Sis?"

"Don't!" Lexa said. "Not yet anyway."

Aden nodded, giving her the impression that he would hold off. The rest of the trip consisted of less conversation as he turned up the radio for the remaining blocks.

When she dropped him off at school, she reminded him, "Call me if you need anything."

"Anything?"

"Well, not for something stupid like toilet paper," Lexa said.

"Have fun tonight," Aden said and pulled his backpack from the backseat. "And congrats, Lex. I'm happy for you."

She smiled, "Thanks, A. That's nice."

"Just trying to get enough points for you to let me stay home by myself," he assured her.

"You like this one?" Octavia asked as she clicked through wedding dresses. They'd both been sitting at the bar in their apartment for an hour comparing the differing shades of white.

"Yeah," Clarke answered. She'd quit paying close attention after the hundredth. Instead Clarke was busy on her laptop writing a draft for part of her law school requirement. The meeting with Professor Pike had gone really well and she'd be lying if Georgetown wasn't earning all the pros on her pros and cons list. Lexa was the big, huge number one reason for staying close to home, of course. Clarke checked her cell for the tenth time in the last hour. No messages for a while. Lexa must have been working pretty hard today.

"She hasn't texted back?" Octavia asked, seeing Clarke out of the corner of her eye.

"Nah," Clarke said. "She probably got busy."

"Oh my God!" Raven shouted as she threw open the door. "I swear I just saw Monty's mom driving a white van slowly down the street and yelling "hello there" to some small children."

"What?" Clarke shook her head. "Nuh uh."

"It was her. I saw her last week. She yelled the same thing at me," Octavia said, looking up from her iPad. "I was wearing a heavy jacket with the hood up. When I looked up and waved to her, she drove away."

"I'm pretty sure she's driving for Uber," Clarke mentioned as she abandoned her work and went to the fridge in search of a tasty snack.

"And?" Raven asked. "Is that supposed to prove something?"

"I'm with Rae on this one," Octavia declared. "She once measured the length of my arms after inviting me over for warm cookies."

"Is that a thing?" Raven asked, suspicion evident on her face. "Because Alie did that to me while she thought I was sleeping a few days ago."

"Not a thing," Clarke said. "Not a thing at all. Have you spoken to her yet?"

"Yeah," Raven nodded. "We talked today."

"So, it's over?"

"No," Raven said. "We're not over per se...more like dating at arm's length...OH! Now I get it."

"You're being ridiculous," Clarke said, pointing at Raven. "Just end it."

"Easier said than done," Raven told them. "Plus, I'm not sure I want to yet. I'm still trying her on for size."

"She sounds a wee bit controlling," Octavia offered as diplomatically as possible.

"She sang Sarah McLachlan's Possession to me yesterday over the phone," Raven explained to Clarke what she had missed. "I recorded it just in case I need to give it to the police."

"I heard it. Part of me was frightened," Octavia commented on the occurrence. "And part of me was really impressed by the deep, melancholic quality of her voice."

"There was a time during that second chorus that my defenses were lowered and I could really appreciate her husky timbre," Raven acknowledged.

Clarke pulled the hairband from her wrist and twisted her hair messily on top of her head. "Rae, end it."

"I know, I know," Raven said. "It's easy to agree right now, but when I'm with her...I don't know, it's like I've swallowed her love drug."

"It's hard to think clearly when she's going down on you," Octavia said.

"That whole head-between-your-legs thing can make decision making all the more difficult," Clarke stated seriously.

A knock at the door interrupted what was sure to be solid argument as to why Raven should keep having crazy sex with her sanity challenged new friend.

"That's her!" Raven squealed and dropped behind the kitchen island. She tried to get into the cabinets underneath, but realized that they had 8 bottles of half used Windex and no room.

That declaration spooked Clarke enough to pick up the nearest weapon. Which just happened to be a pair of slightly used tongs from the sink.

"You planning to squeeze her into submission?" Octavia asked as she slipped off her bar stool and headed for the door. "I always knew I was the brave one, but this is ridiculous."

When Octavia opened the door, Lexa stood there leaning against the door jamb.

O gave her a bright smile before announcing, "It's the other girlfriend."

"The other girlfriend?" Lexa asked.

Clarke's head appeared around the door shortly after, still holding the tongs. "Hey!"

"Hi," Lexa waved at her. "The other girlfriend?"

"What are you doing here?" Clarke asked, smile plastered on her face. She pulled Lexa into a hug, snapping the tongs dangerously close to her ear.

"What's going on?" Lexa said, trying to see what was in Clarke's hand. "Are you cooking?"

"Cooking?" Clarke was confused. "No," she turned the tongs over, "I was defending us against whatever intruder was at the door."

"Just me," Lexa said. "Who is the other girlfriend?"

Clarke glossed right over the question as she traced the vee of Lexa's shirt. "You told me you'd see me tomorrow."

"Thought I would surprise you," Lexa replied, taking in Clarke's Wizards jersey and unbelievably short shorty shorts. "I wanted to see you tonight."

"Did you come to hang out with me for a while?" Clarke asked her, nearly giddy.

"Uh..." Lexa looked at the other inhabitants of the apartment. Raven was stationed at the island pouring several bottles of Windex into one with a funnel and Octavia had long since moved back to her bar stool where she was scrolling on her iPad. Lexa's voice dropped an octave, "Actually...I...I was going to, you know...maybe..."

Clarke's eyes widened, still not quite picking it up. "Yeah?"

Lexa reached down and picked up a duffel bag. "I thought I might stay over...if that's okay."

"Yeah!" Clarke said happily. She added a few claps, too. "Absolutely."

Lexa pointed in the general direction of her friends. "You think they'll mind?"

Clarke laughed, "Who the fuck cares?"

"Clar-ke."

"Look who came to see us!" Clarke said as she pulled Lexa into the kitchen by the hand. "It's Lexa!"

"Hey, Lexa," Raven greeted her, still funneling. "Congratulations on your recent commitment. Clarke's a nice catch. She'd fetch a goat and probably a few pounds of potatoes if this was 1536."

"Thanks," Lexa said. "I actually got two chickens and a handful of mystery flavor kool aid. So, win-win."

"Mystery flavor?" Clarke looked between them. "Should I be offended?"

"No, no," Lexa said, wrapping an arm around her. "Mystery flavor is the best."

Octavia glanced up from her iPad and quickly noticed the bag in Lexa's other hand. "So, I think I'm going to Linc's," she said. "Anybody else want to come..." Octavia shot a look to Raven and gestured to Lexa with her head. "Rae?"

"I told her hi," Raven said. She looked at Lexa again. "Nice. To. See. You. Lexa."

"Raven," Clarke cleared her throat. "Lexa is going to stay over tonight."

Raven gave them a thumbs up and twisted the sprayer back on her Windex. "Awesome."

"Top ten movies that ended on a question?" Raven asked Lexa and Clarke as she clicked through the list on the television. "Yes?"

"Sure thing, Rae," Clarke said. She looked at Lexa and mouthed, "Sorry."

Lexa just snuggled in closer to Clarke as they shared the recliner, tucked under a blanket, in the living room. "It's fine. These top tens on mojo are pretty damn addictive."

"Yeah, but we had other plans," Clarke whispered. "And top ten songs that were sung by political activists that also starred in movies made before 1990 wasn't part of any of my plans."

"That one was actually kind of awesome," Lexa said. "I really gained a lot of insight on Jackie Joyner-Kersee."

Clarke ran that back. "Uh, I think you're mixing up your mojos, Lex."

"We've watched over 30, so..." Lexa said, shifting in the chair.

It was probably innocent. Lexa was just moving her hand. That was it. She didn't know that her hand was going to land so high on Clarke's thigh or that Clarke's hips would naturally gravitate toward said hand.

"Whoa." Clarke cleared her throat uncomfortably. "Damn."

"Sorry," Lexa said, realizing the effect she had. She tried to shift again which just made her thrust herself into Clarke's ass.

"Nope!" Clarke called out loudly.

"I said sorry," Lexa whisper yelled at her.

Clarke kicked the blanket off and threw it at Raven. "Rae, have fun with youtube, we're going upstairs."

"Already?"

"Yep." Clarke was halfway to the staircase before looking back for Lexa. "Are you coming?"

"Yes!" Lexa said, jumping straight up and nearly running to catch up. "Sorry, Raven."

Raven had just started Top Ten Celebrities that Look like Other Celebrities' Less Famous Relatives, so she didn't give a shit.

Clarke didn't get the door shut before Lexa had unbuttoned her jeans and started to kick them off.

"Hey, hey," Clarke walked toward her, hand up in the universal stop sign. "Slow down there."

Lexa was mid-kick and slowly lowered her leg to the floor. "Do you not want...?"

"Oh, I want," Clarke said seductively. "I just want," Clarke settled her hands inside Lexa's jeans, "do to this myself." The sexy smirk on Clarke's face made Lexa gulp as Clarke slowly, painfully slowly, pushed her jeans down her legs. Clarke waited for Lexa to step out of them before placing a single, gentle kiss to her knee. She stood, running her hands up the back of Lexa's thighs, finally letting them settle just below her ass. "I've been waiting for this for a while, so if you don't mind, I'd like to savor it."

Lexa found her hand on Clarke's face, brushing her thumb over her bottom lip. "Yeah, yeah," she leaned in for a kiss. "That's sounds good."

Lexa's lips were really made for kissing. They were so soft, just plump enough and tasted like a fruity cocktail. Clarke could easily get addicted. Fuck that, she was already addicted. Clarke was trying to get as much as she could of Lexa, pulling at her shirt with one hand, the back of her neck with the other. When she felt Lexa start to hesitate, she quickly released her.

"I'm sorry," Clarke said. "Too much?"

"No," Lexa assured her.

Clarke was worried. "Is it because Raven is downstairs? I'll fucking throw her out if you want. We've been friends all our lives, she won't stay mad for long. I could pay her to sit in the lobby and watch mojos on her phone."

"I haven't had sex in three years," Lexa told her. "Congress could convene downstairs and I'd still be down with it."

Clarke reached out to stroke her arm gently. "Then, what?"

Lexa wrapped her hand around Clarke's wrist. "Your watch is digging into my neck."

"Oh!"

She made move to take of it, but Lexa caught her hand and flipped her wrist over to unlatch the clasp. Once she had removed it, she brought Clarke's wrist to her lips. "Better. Thank you."

Clarke's entire being flip flopped with the action. "Where did you come from?"

"Is that a literal question or existential?"

"It's rhetorical," Clarke said as she landed another kiss, fists knotting in Lexa's shirt again.

"You can get rid of that," Lexa whispered as she brushed Clarke's nose with her own.

"Good idea."

Clarke's fingertips were numb at all of sudden or her mind was lust trapped, maybe. The buttons were just not cooperating. It was hard to concentrate when Lexa's tongue was dipping inside her mouth, massaging her own.

Clarke was only two buttons in when Lexa tugged on the bottom of Clarke's jersey, silently asking. Clarke granted it by stepping away just enough and lifting her arms. The shirt has barely cleared her head before Clarke had stepped back into Lexa, continuing her quest on the other woman's button down.

Suddenly, Lexa pulled away. "Do you want me to do it?"

"No, no," Clarke said, still trying to follow her lips.

"It's taking you a while." Lexa was understandably breathless and probably growing more and more impatient. She had already started to reach for the buttons herself.

Clarke swatted her hands away. "I'm going to take your goddamn shirt off, Lexa."

"Okay."

The proclamation must have spurred her suaveness because she deftly unhooked all the remaining offenders and slid the shirt off Lexa's shoulders. She held up the flannel in victory. "See."

"You win," Lexa said, grabbing for Clarke again. Thier lips met hard, but Lexa had one thing on her mind. She pushed at Clarke's shorts, forcing them down as far as she could while their lips were connected.

Clarke tried her best to help and continue kissing, but finally she tore her lips away and quickly yanked her shorts off and threw them into the air where the ceiling fan caught them and launched them into the outstretched hand of the scholarly figurine mounted on her Most Studious trophy from Arkadia High.

Once Clarke's shorts were gone, Lexa stood back. Her tongue poked between her lips as she took it in. Clarke let her look for a few moments as she was enjoying her own eyeful.

"This is unexpected," Lexa said.

"What?"

"Your panties say achievement unlocked," Lexa said.

"Shit," Clarke looked down, just now remembering what she had slipped on earlier. "Okay, I was not expecting you tonight."

"I know," Lexa smiled.

"So, no judging my underwear."

"I'm not!"

"Yeah," Clarke said, pointing at Lexa. "Says the girl who knew what she doing. Matching set. Sure, Lex. How often do you do that?"

"Almost never," Lexa said truthfully. She snapped her bra strap, "These are new...for the occasion."

"They're nice, very pretty," Clarke complimented. "Take 'em off."

Lexa's eyes narrowed, her lips curled slightly. "You want me to?"

"Yeah," Clarke said simply.

Lexa reached behind her and unsnapped her bra and let it fall into the floor. "Done."

Clarke bit her lip at the revelation, but maintained calm. "Only halfway there."

"Go ahead. Finish it."

"Maybe I'll even things up first," Clarke said while snapping her fingers on the clasp of her own bra. She removed it slowly, watching Lexa's eyes get bigger as she went. By the time Clarke's bra slipped off her outstretched hand, Lexa looked about ready to pounce.

To be fair, Lexa had spent hours thinking about them. Wondering about them. Lexa wondered what they would taste like. Lexa wondered how easily they'd fill up her hands. She had dreams about them. She had kept the tit pic that Clarke sent months ago and made a heart border for it. The hearts were in the colors of the rainbow to make it the gayest tit pic ever. And now, she was staring. It was like meeting her favorite celebrity and not knowing whether to gush and cry or to fake being above it and just congratulate Clarke on her work.

She fell somewhere in between when she said, "God, it's so good to meet them." She took a step forward, hands out, wanting to touch. Her eyes flickered to Clarke for permission. When it was granted, she continued.

Clarke smiled at her praise. "So, you're a boob girl?"

"I am." Lexa said, focusing on the breasts at hand. She gently rolled her thumbs over Clarke's nipples. "And yours are spectacular."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome." Because Lexa might have been blatantly checking out her tits, but she still had impeccable manners.

Clarke eliminated the space between them again, this time kissing with fervor. She walked Lexa backward to her bed. Just as Lexa was running out of room, Clarke dropped to her knees and slipped Lexa's panties down. As they approached her calves, Clarke instructed her to sit so she could pull them off. She brushed her palms against Lexa's exposed thighs, letting herself enjoy the feeling.

"You're really beautiful," Clarke said. "You know that?"

Lexa leaned into her, letting their foreheads rest against each other. "You're really amazing, did you know that?"

Clarke smirked, "Yeah."

"So humble." Lexa tilted her head to suck ever so lightly on Clarke's lower lip. "So hot."

Clarke's hands trailed up her sides, hooking over her shoulders. "You're still okay with this?"

"More than okay with this, yes."

Clarke stood, pulled off her own panties, and took a spot on the bed. She crooked her finger at Lexa. She was only slightly disappointed when Lexa laid beside her instead of on top of her. Clarke rolled to her side and swept her hand over Lexa's chest. She ducked her head to swirl her tongue around a nipple and immediately saw the other woman's entire body draw up. "You sure?"

"It's been a while," Lexa said in response.

Clarke pulled back a little and ran her fingers through Lexa's hair. "I know and if you'd rather wait-"

"No, no, fuck no, no," Lexa said, reaching for Clarke. "I'm just afraid-"

"I won't hurt you, I promise."

Lexa's eyebrows knitted. "Clarke..."

"What, Lex?"

"I'm afraid that..." Lexa blushed. "I won't...um...it's been a while."

Clarke nodded in understanding, "It's fine. I want this as much as you do." To prove her claim, Clarke rolled the rest of the way and pressed herself onto Lexa's leg. "You feel me?"

"Yeah."

Clarke went lower, her own clit sliding deliciously down Lexa's leg leaving a slick trail. She bucked into her once before resituating herself between Lexa's knees. Clarke slowly, methodically placed open mouthed kisses on the inside of Lexa's thigh, sucking just enough to leave a path of red marks. "Your legs are so fucking incredible," Clarke shared. She leaned up, looking for Lexa's eyes. "I remember the first time I noticed them."

Lexa was way too concerned with not combusting to enjoy story time and the way Clarke's index finger was just barely making figure eights over her ribs wasn't helping at all.

Clarke knew she was struggling, she could feel the tension gathering.

"Lexa."

"Yeah?" Lexa choked out.

"Relax."

"Hard to do right now."

Clarke stopped and sat up on her knees, letting her arms catch her and hovering over Lexa so they were face to face again. "Hey."

"Yeah?"

"You can cum anytime," Clarke said helpfully. "It's not like we can't do this all night."

The laugh she heard let Clarke know that her intention had worked.

"Thanks, Clarke."

Clarke straddled Lexa's hips and reached for the fists that were currently balled tightly in the sheets. "It was a couple weeks after we'd met," she said as she let her fingers lace with her girlfriend's. "You were wearing those cut off jeans that barely covered your ass. You were painting one of the fences in the parking lot and bent over to get the bottom rail."

"I remember that day," Lexa said, sounding more relaxed. "It was hot as fuck."

"Exactly," Clarke said. "It was hot as fuck."

"I meant the weather."

"I meant your...well, everything," Clarke said, moving Lexa's hands to rest above her head. "I've thought about this...and you...and us being here, like this, since then."

"You have?"

"Yes, Lex," Clarke murmured as she leaned down to kiss her on the lips and then tracked toward her ear. "And I want more than anything for you to enjoy tonight. Don't hold back, okay?"

"Okay," Lexa mumbled.

Clarke returned to her previous position and lifted Lexa's hips toward her. The first lick damn near finished the job. Lexa rammed into her so hard that Clarke was surprised by the force of it.

"Sorry," Lexa apologized. "Wasn't expecting that."

"What did you think I was down here for?"

"You just said not to hold back!"

"I didn't say break my nose with your vagina," Clarke yelped as she wrapped her arms under Lexa's thighs to control the kickback.

"Are you okay? God, I'm so sorry." Lexa leaned up to take Clarke's face in her hand, checking for injury. She ran a finger down her nose and kissed the tip. "Your nose is perfect, I'd be pissed if I broke it."

"I wouldn't love it either," Clarke said, secretly enjoying the way Lexa was fussing over her. "But, it's fine. I was kidding."

"Are you sure you're okay?

"Lexa," Clarke said, her voice taking on a modicum of authority. "Lie back."

Lexa did as she was asked. "Okay, okay."

"You need a warning?"

"No," Lexa said. "I'm prepared this time."

Clarke alternated generously between long, slow deep licks and peppering Lexa's clit with her tongue. When she felt the tension build, Clarke would change tactics, dipping just into her entrance and waiting until her breathing evened slightly. That went on until Lexa had had just about enough of that bullshit.

"Dammit, Clarke," Lexa finally screamed. "Fucking fuck me already."

"Impatient," Clarke commented, but slipped two fingers into Lexa anyway. "But, as you please."

Clarke's repositioning for leverage allowed her straddle Lexa's thigh once again and she used it to her advantage, rubbing her clit against the toned muscles at her disposal. Watching Clarke's breasts bounce as she got herself off and the feeling of having Clarke inside her sealed the deal for Lexa. She bucked into Clarke's fingers a few times before her body exploded with electricity. "Fu-uck!" she yelled out.

Clarke followed shortly with her own orgasm, collapsing on top of her. "You are loud."

Lexa was too busy trying to catch her breath to reply. She couldn't really move yet, she was all jelly.

"I like it," Clarke said, moving so that she could kiss Lexa's neck. "It's really sexy."

Lexa gave her a curt nod.

Clarke leaned back so she could see her. "You okay?"

She watched what felt like twenty different emotions pass over Lexa's face. Finally, Lexa opened her eyes again and looked into blue ones. She beamed with a smile that took over her whole face, maybe her entire body, and let out a deep, slow breath. "I'm trying to stop myself from saying a whole lot of really cheesy, cliche things."

"Oh yeah?" Clarke replied. "Because I'd hate to hear that was the best sex ever or anything."

"You're the best of two, I don't know how much weight that holds."

"That's enough for me," Clarke said.

"...And?" Lexa was fishing.

"You've made me forget everybody else I've ever been with," Clarke answered quickly. "How's that for cliche?"

"And cheesy," Lexa said, fighting a yawn. "Don't forget cheesy."

"You should sleep," Clarke suggested, yawning herself in response.

Lexa turned onto her left side, pulling Clarke's arm as she went. "Be my big spoon?"

Clarke let her lips trail just below Lexa's hairline, down to the small sun tattoo on the back of her neck. She traced it with her fingertips slowly. "Okay, I've seen this one," Clarke whispered. "But," her fingers slid lower down Lexa's back, "never this."

"I'm a nerd," Lexa said before Clarke could comment on the planets that formed a line on her spine. "I always wanted to be an astronomer as a kid. I thought my future was in the stars."

Clarke studied the artistry of the simple black designs that dotted Lexa's perfect back. "It's really cool."

"You think so?"

"Yeah," Clarke said, wrapping her arm around Lexa's hip. She lazily let her fingers tap against Lexa's midsection.

Lexa brought her hand up to lace their fingers together and settle over her stomach. "Thanks."

Clarke rested her head against Lexa's back. "So glad you came over."

"Me, too," Lexa smiled as Clarke placed delicate kisses to each of the planets of her tattoo. She glanced behind her after Clarke had covered them all. She very shyly asked, "Would you mind if someone else slept with us?"

"Huh?"

"I said-"

"Lexa, did you bring Pauna?"

Lexa avoided eye contact when she said, "I didn't say that."

"Lex."

"No."

"Lexa."

"No, Clarke."

"Alexandria Woods Beckett."

"Yes," Lexa finally admitted. "Pauna is in my bag. Geez, Griffin. Let an adult woman have a stuffed monkey she takes with her on overnight trips without all the fucking guilt, why don't you."

Clarke giggled and rolled on top of her, kissing her temple with a wet pop. "You're such a dork. Does anybody else know how big of a dork you are?"

"Just you," Lexa answered, brushing her lips against Clarke's shoulder.

Lexa was pretty fucking bummed when Clarke rolled off the other side and got out of bed. Wasn't too bad, she did get to watch Clarke's perfect ass as she sauntered across the room and unzipped Lexa's bag.

Clarke pulled the monkey out and held it high over her head. "Found her."

"So did I," Lexa said to herself.

"Here they come," Raven said over her coffee to Octavia.

Octavia poured her own cup of coffee and leaned against the counter watching Clarke and Lexa descend the stairs. "Good morning."

"Hey, you're back," Clarke said maintaining a hold on Lexa the whole time. "And you made coffee, you glorious woman."

"How did you know I didn't make the coffee?" Raven asked. "I can make stuff."

"Explode," Clarke finished the sentence. "Lex," she regarded her girlfriend. "You want?"

"Yeah," Lexa answered, taking a seat at the table.

"So, Lexa, how was the cheese?" Raven asked her, shit-eating grin prominent on her features.

"Huh?" Lexa was confused. "The cheese?"

"Raven's from Wisconsin," Clarke said, flipping her friend off. "Everything is cheesy there."

Lexa was even more confused, "I thought you grew up here."

"I did," Raven said, leaving Clarke out to dry. "I heard you screaming like a vegan with an eggless cake last night. Inquiring minds want to know: Did she eventually fucking fuck you?"

"I did and now I'm hungry," Clarke answered, more concerned with the mention of food.

Lexa was trying not to show her embarrassment, "Sorry...for that."

"Don't apologize," Clarke told her. She addressed Raven, "I had slex. That's sex with Lexa. It was fucking awesome. I'm owning it. She's my girlfriend. It's going to happen again. A lot. Right now I'm starving."

Octavia leaned toward Lexa, "This is how Raven and Clarke friend. It takes some getting use to."

"Thanks for the clarification," Lexa said. "How about I make everyone omelets?"

"You don't have to do that, Lexa," Clarke said. "You're a guest."

Lexa's eyebrows lifted, "Are you going to cook breakfast?"

"Um, well," Clarke frowned. "I can go and get us breakfast."

"I got it," Lexa said, already looking for ingredients.

"Marry her!" Raven told Clarke bluntly. "Marry her immediately."

"Rae, shut up," Clarke said bashfully.

"I'll marry her then," Raven warned.

"I'll fuck you up if you even try." It was meant to be a joke, but it certainly didn't sound like one.

Lexa planted on kiss on Clarke's forehead. "No worries," she said. "There's only one girl for me."

Octavia winked at Raven. "Guess you're out of luck, Rae."

Aden saw Clarke's car pull into the lot and looked around for his sister. She seemed to have Clarke radar, so he expected her to pop up. She didn't come out by the time Clarke exited her car, which was unusual, so he stood to go get her. He stopped when Clarke started cursing and shaking the snow out of her hair. He couldn't help chuckling at her antics.

"What are you laughing at?" she called to him.

"You."

"Yeah, I see that," she said. "What's with all the freaking snow?"

"It's winter," he answered. "And Christmas. Snow happens."

"You okay, A?" she asked when she approached. She couldn't help noticing that his eyes were a little dimmer than usual.

"Great," he faked a grin. "Lex is in her office."

"Okay," Clarke said, not moving in that direction. "What are you up to?"

He shrugged. "Nothing."

"You want to help me out with something?" she asked, tugging his sock cap.

He smiled, but pulled away, straightening his hat. "What?"

"I need a tree."

"You don't have a tree yet?" he asked, mildly judgmental. "You know you're dating the owner of a tree farm, right?"

"Which makes it all the more embarrassing."

"I can help you," he said grandly. "I work here."

"Let's walk," she said, pointing up the trail. "Remind me which one makes the less mess."

"Scotch pines," he answered with zero hesitation.

They walked for a good while in comfortable silence. Clarke pretending that she really needed to take a look at all the trees, Aden giving her space to decide.

She finally asked, "You're okay with me and Lexa, right?"

Aden jumped to slap at a tree branch, landing and packing the snow on the ground. "Seriously?"

"Yeah."

"I think it's great," Aden said. "Took you both long enough."

"Too long."

"Way too long."

"I just wanted you to know that I really like her," Clarke said. "And I know it's just been the two of you for a while-"

"I'm more than willing to share my sister," Aden cut her off. "And I know you like her. She likes you, too."

"I know," she retorted. "How's Charlotte?"

"Good."

"I really like her, too," Clarke said. "She's sweet."

"She's cool," he answered. "She said that you and Lexa were awesome about eighty times. She had fun last weekend."

"Good," Clarke said. She pointed to the next tree they came to, "What about this one?"

"You live in an apartment, right?" Aden asked.

"Yeah."

"Too big," he said. He looked up, "And probably too tall unless you have high ceilings."

"You're really taking this tree salesman thing seriously."

"I learned from the best," he quipped.

"Supposedly, I did, too..."

"You're not really moving to Virginia, are you?" Aden asked as they walked past the equipment shed.

"I don't know," Clarke answered honestly. "If I had to decide today, no."

"She doesn't want you to go," Aden revealed. "But she's not going to tell you."

"Did she say that?"

"Yeah," Aden confirmed. "She wants you here, because we're here. We can't really go anywhere else."

"It's hard to move a farm full of trees."

"And I want you here, too," Aden said. "It wasn't good when you were gone. I mean, we were okay. She was just sad. When you came back, everything got better. So you should stay."

"I'll take that into consideration, A."

"She said that you have to do what you have to do, but if Lexa is here, why wouldn't you want to stay?"

Clarke really couldn't argue with that flawless logic. "I do."

"Then stay."

"Okay."

She realized he had stopped and turned to see him looking across the snow covered acre to the house that adorned the hill. She watched him for a moment.

"It's beautiful," she said finally.

"Yeah," he agreed. "Has she ever told you how they died?"

Clarke was surprised by the question. She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing seemed to come out. She ended up just shaking her head.

"Car accident," he said. "It was a day like today. The roads were icy and another car slid into them."

"I didn't know that."

"I didn't go to school that day," Aden remembered. "Dad was working on the house and Mom decided to drive out with him. She almost never came out here. She was always busy. I came with him most of the time. That day, I didn't want to. I was playing with my friends in the snow. Lexa and Costia were at the house, so Mom and Dad let me stay with them. It was weird, because I always came to the house with him. Except that day."

"Lexa said she'd never been in it."

"She hasn't," he said. "She was always off doing something. She was teenager then, so the last place she wanted to be was here. I did, though. I was helping dad build it. He was so excited about it. He would let me bring him whatever tool he needed."

"Those are pretty great memories to have with him, Aden," Clarke said. "How close was he to finishing it?"

"It's done," he said simply.

"Lexa said-"

Aden looked her in the eye, "It is."

"Oh."

"Gus finished it, I asked him to."

"You mind if I ask you a question?"

"No."

"If it's done, why don't you live here?" Clarke asked. "I mean, your dad built it for you."

Aden struggled to answer. "She didn't want to," he finally said. "She's never said that. She just said that she didn't want me to have to change schools or make me move out of the only home I'd ever known. But, she doesn't want to. I think she blames the house or something. Does that sound weird?"

"No," Clarke said. "Maybe she does."

"Has she ever said anything about it to you?"

"Not really," Clarke offered. "Only once when I asked about it."

"Maybe the three of us will be family enough to change her mind," he said and continued up the path back toward to offices.

Aden let himself into Lexa's office, leaving the door open and seating himself in the chair across from her desk. "Clarke's here."

Lexa dotted the 'i' in her signature before looking at him. "Clarke's here?"

"Yeah."

"Where is she?"

"She's waiting on you to okay the tree she picked," Aden said.

"The tree she picked?" Lexa couldn't help but laugh. "How long has she been here?"

"Long enough for us to walk around the farm."

Lexa dropped her pen and stood up, grabbing her coat from her chair. "Why didn't you come and get me?"

"We were talking," Aden answered with a shrug. "Is that not okay?

Lexa stopped moving so hastily and regarded him carefully. "It's more than okay, A."

"She's going to be pretty important in my life, too."

"I know that," Lexa said. "That's why...it couldn't be just anybody."

Aden looked at her, questioning.

"Whoever is with me is with you, too," Lexa responded. "It has to be someone special."

"Has to be Clarke."

"Yeah, Aden. It does."

Lexa couldn't help but notice how Clarke's face lit up when she saw her. She couldn't fight a cheshire grin as she trudged through the snow.

"A tree?" she called. "Really, Clarke?"

"I don't have one."

Lexa walked straight to the one in question, inspecting it thoroughly. "Nice pick."

"It's all about pine retention," Clarke said.

"Ah," Lexa assented. "You remembered."

Clarke waited until she got close enough and dragged her in. She kissed Lexa's cheek and hooked a finger in her front pocket. "Of course, I did. It was very important tree information, Ms. Beckett."

"Cutting it awfully close. Christmas is in less than two weeks."

"Okay, maybe I just needed an excuse to come see my girlfriend."

Lexa grabbed Clarke's hips, shaking her teasingly. "You don't need an excuse."

"Good to know."

"Weather is shit, today."

"Not that bad," Clarke said, spitting snow out of her mouth.

"You really didn't have to drive over," Lexa said. "The trip probably took twice as long."

"I wanted to, baby," Clarke laughed and burrowed into her, snaking her arms inside Lexa's coat.

Clarke freaked out a little over the strange look she got in return.

"Is baby okay? Do you feel like I'm infantilizing you?" Clarke asked sincerely. "Should we not do that terms of endearment thing?"

"It's fine," Lexa said, still looking like she was working out an algorithm for jet propulsion.

"Then why did you look like you're having severe abdominal pain?"

"It wasn't abdominal pain," Lexa told her. "It was a fluttery feeling and it was lower."

"Lower like..."

"Lower like the Caribbean, Clarke," Lexa slapped her ass. "As a strong, independent woman, I'm 'eh' about the endearing terminology...as a girl who really, really, really likes you, it was sweet. I like it. I can't believe I like it, but I do."

"I don't know if that's good or bad."

"Me, either," Lexa said. "I'll decide while I'm getting a saw."

"Okay," Clarke looked frightened. "I can call you something else."

"For the tree."

Finding a saw took much longer than anticipated since Lexa insisted on carrying Clarke on her back. To make it even more of an adventure, Clarke thought it would be fun to pull Lexa's beanie over her eyes and give her directions for navigating the tree paths. She called it a trust exercise, Lexa had other names for it.

As they neared the shops, Clarke warned her. "Anya is at your nine o'clock. Don't run into her."

"What the hell is this?" Anya said, watching the two of them.

"Hey," Clarke said as she reached down to pull Lexa's hat back up.

"What's up, Anya?" Lexa asked.

"Lexa, there's a Clarke on your back," Anya told her humorlessly. She held up the saw they were in search of, "I can cut it off if you like."

"Be nice to my girlfriend," Lexa warned her.

"It's fine," Clarke said, kissing Lexa's ear through her stocking cap. "She's just joking."

"Joking," Anya agreed, but narrowed her eyes at Clarke anyway.

"We need that," Lexa said to her, reaching for the saw. "Clarke picked a tree."

"Well, halle-fucking-lulah," Anya said, handing it over. "Clarke picked a tree. Happy Christmas."

Lexa took the saw, turned around and started back toward Clarke's tree. She yelled over her shoulder, "Stop being such a bitch or I'll fire your grumpy ass."

They made it a few strides before Clarke said, "No, you won't."

"Probably not."

"I'll win her over," Clarke promised. "Just may take a while."

"So how were you planning to get this home?" Lexa asked after she had sawed down the tree. "I feel like this may have been a spur of the moment decision."

"Can't I just tie it to the top of my car?"

"Clarke, sweetie," Lexa rubbed her forehead. "You drive a Prius."

"And?"

"I'll take it over in the truck later," Lexa said. "You want to go get it and pull it around? We'll go ahead and load it up."

"You're going to let me drive the Beckett Tree Truck?" Clarke asked excitedly.

"Yes," Lexa answered. "For a tenth of a mile. The keys are in my top desk drawer."

"Okay," Clarke said, taking off before Lexa changed her mind.

Clarke was practically skipping (as much as she could on snow) down the well beaten path back to the offices when a wild Titus appeared from behind a less manicured tree.

"Clar, s'nice to ren in to you leek dis."

Clarke honestly has no one clue what Titus had just said to her, so she nodded graciously and kept walking. She was surprised when he kept up step for step.

"Du you theenk we cul tal?"

"Yeah, you bet," she said in response, hoping that he was mumbling about the weather. "The snow...right?"

"Kite cheelee," he said. "Meebee we cul tal inside?"

"Inside?" Clarke latched on to the one word she got. "Yes, I'm going inside, Titus."

"Lessuh tol me abut your plas for da futor. Meebee you shul also dikees wid me."

"Huh?" Clarke leaned in closer. "What was that? Could you maybe...uh, project a bit?"

His whisper became a barely louder whisper, "Da to uv us shul come tone unndersanning."

"Shhh-sure," Clarke stumbled out, finding herself drifting closer and closer to him. "Yeah, yeah, you bet."

"She huz dikees wid me moe knee for lasckul. Your gong to lasckul, corrit? We con dikees pamint opchins."

"..."

"For ta scul."

"Taxes?" Clarke said, erroneously landing on a phonetic clue. "You want to do my taxes?"

"Uv cors I cul," Titus nodded, confused as well now.

"I'm sorry, Titus," Clarke continued. "I just use TurboTax. No issues so far."

Lexa walked up on the conversation just a second later, already noticing that Clarke nearly had her ear to Titus's mouth. "What's up?" she asked.

"Oh, Titus here was offering to do my taxes," Clarke said to her. "I think."

"He was?" Lexa shot a look at Titus.

He nodded. "Wuz dikeeseen laskul with Clar."

"That's hardly any of your business, Titus."

"It's cool," Clarke said, hand on Lexa's arm. "Gotta drum up business somehow, right?"

"Clarke," Lexa reached for her hand and squeezed it. "I remembered that the keys are in the cabinet, not my drawer."

"Oh, okay."

"I'll meet you out there."

"Awesome," Clarke said without a care. She winked at Lexa before walking toward her office. "See ya, Titus."

Lexa waited until Clarke was gone. "Titus, what the fuck are you doing?" Lexa asked him, eyes bulging with simmering rage. "Leave her alone."

"Lessuh, everthin I do, I doot for you."

"That's super cute, Robin Hood," Lexa said. "But, I don't need you to look after me. Especially when it comes to Clarke. So stop vetting her and chill."

"Bu-"

"Nope!"

Soon, the steady snowfall had shut down all the foot traffic at the farm. Clarke's tree had been graciously loaded up by Lincoln and Aden and one by one the rest of the staff had randomly gathered around for further instruction.

"We couldn't have had this meeting inside?" Indra asked, scarf wrapped tightly over her face. "It's too damn cold out here."

"I didn't even call a meeting," Lexa said. "Everyone just showed up. Not my fault."

"This will break soon," Lincoln said, scrolling through his phone. "We might get some people in later."

"Then we'll stay for a bit," Lexa concluded.

"And do what?" Anya asked, leaning on an axe handle.

"Well..." Lexa thought about all the things she could be doing and none of it seemed all that attractive. While her thoughts we looping around, she happened to catch Indra's amused stare. "What's your problem?"

"You're obviously in that clingy phase," Indra said.

"Nobody's clingy," Lexa defended herself, which was tough considering she was she hugging Clarke from behind and had her chin nestled into Clarke's shoulder.

"We're a little sickening right now," Clarke agreed with Indra.

"A little," Indra said, but she smiling at them anyway.

"A lot," Anya huffed. A second later a snowball caught her in the arm and immediately glared at Aden. "What was that about?"

"Company snowball fight," he answered. "That's what we'll do."

Everybody seemed to like the idea, so Lexa said, "Sure. Let's play."

"Team captains are Aden and Lexa," Lincoln reported to the group. "Youngest gets the first pick."

"Clarke!" Aden said before the words were out of his mouth.

"Good choice," Clarke said, stepping out of Lexa's clutch toward Aden and pumping her fist Jersey style.

"What?" Lexa pushed him lightly. "Why does he go first?"

"Dems the rules," Aden replied, stretching.

"Aden picked Clarke," Lincoln said. "Your pick, Lexa."

"Wait, no," Lexa argued.

"Are you deferring your pick?" Aden asked.

"I'm protesting yours."

"You'll have to do a formal protest to the governing body," Aden said, pointing to Lincoln.

Lincoln shrugged. "Pick stands. Challenge denied. You forfeit next pick. Aden."

"Lincoln!"

"What?" Lexa's voice was shrill. "Nooo!"

"Pick somebody," Aden instructed. "Or it'll be everyone against you."

"Anya," Lexa chose the first person in her line of sight.

"Yes," Anya said, glaring at Clarke and gesturing that she had eyes on her.

Eventually, teams were chosen and aligned into a designated area. The only two left in the neutral zone were, of course, Lexa and Clarke.

"I'll come back to you after the war," Lexa told her with a kiss. "Be safe."

"You're cute when you're off to battle."

"No, I'm not," Lexa vehemently denied. "I'm a vicious fucking snow warrior with an arm like a snowball catapulting machine."

"Why am I so turned on right now?" Clarke asked herself before getting pelted in the face with a snowball that came from the vicinity of Anya.

"Game on," Lexa said, throwing another one at her.

"Hey!" Clarke tried to dodge it with no avail.

"Not cool!" Aden said as he army crawled to where Clarke was left out in the open. He packed four snowballs quickly. "I'll cover you. Go, go, go."

And so they played like children in the snow on a wasted afternoon on a tree farm. Lexa was sure she hadn't had so much fun in years, especially here. It had been tough to find joy in this place. She had all the pride in the world, but not joy. Watching her Tree Crew run around, laughing and throwing snow at each other was pretty joyous, though.

She was staked out behind a particularly gorgeous spruce when she saw Clarke trying to sneak past. She almost called out, but Anya was pretty close on her heels. Clarke was none the wiser as she quietly tiptoed through the snow. Lexa bent down, gathering a nice round ball of the white stuff. She packed it solidly and waited for the right moment. Just when she saw her opening, she ripped off a strike that hit Anya in the back. It was such a shock that she fell right on her face.

"Gotcha," Lexa said as she jogged up.

Clarke had heard the commotion behind her and turned around. "What's going on?"

"Anya was hunting you."

Clarke looked at the woman on the ground and back to Lexa. "Were you defending my honor or something?"

"She's betraying her team," Anya said.

Lexa packed a few more snowballs and tossed them over. "Okay, Clarke. Vengeance is yours."

"C'mon, Lexa," Anya rolled her eyes.

Clarke thought about. She really did. She had plenty of snowballs at the ready, but she dropped them all. "No," she said. "I'm not going to hit you with five consecutive snowballs. I want to. I really want to have Lexa hold you down while I stuff all the snowballs down your shirt so it's wet and sticky and uncomfortable for the rest of the day, but I won't. Because I get why you don't like me. I understand why you don't trust me. And even though I don't have to explain myself to you, Anya, I'm telling you that I'm staying. So, in the words of all tampon commercials, may you maintain your dryness."

Lexa watched proudly, "The Snow Captain has spoken. You have been spared."

Anya got up and dusted the snow off. "I hope you do," she said to Clarke. "She deserves to be happy." She walked away, patting Lexa's shoulder on the way by.

"She means well," she told Clarke as Anya disappeared through the trees. "Just has a strange way of showing it."

"She's looking out for you, I respect that."

"You know," Lexa said, draping her arm around Clarke. "We make an excellent team."

"We do," Clarke nodded. "Even when we're on opposite sides."