Chapter 21

New York – 1 Month Later

Clarke laughed as she walked towards the nurse's station with Maya. "What's been going on in there? I swear that meeting has been going on since 7 am." Clarke nodded towards the closed conference room door.

"The fact that you have been here for that long signifies you also need a life and the fact that this is your form of entertainment." Maya joked.

"Yeah Clarke, go the hell home." Fox, the nurse that was sitting behind the computer laughed with Maya as Clarke set her charts on the desk.

"No, I want to know what's going on and I've been going out more than enough lately."

Both her friends shook their heads as Monroe, another doctor walked over to them. "Why are we staring at a door?"

"The counsel has been in there for way too long and I want to know why."

Monroe rolled her eyes as she handed Fox her charts. "Something to do with a new partner for the hospital. Nothing really big, they're just discussing money and all that boring business crap. Now can we please get out of here and go get those drinks we have been talking about all week because I am hella thirsty."

Clarke nodded, still looking at the door. "Yeah I just need to check on one last patient, meet you all downstairs in twenty?"

XOXO

"Hey, sorry sorry. Don't kill me! The kid wouldn't let me leave, she kept asking me questions about her procedure and I felt bad not answering them." Clarke apologized as she walked up to her friends that were waiting in the lobby for her. "What are we all looking at?" She questioned when no one acknowledged her presence.

"Shh. We're checking out the hottest woman on the entire planet."

"Galaxy actually and I'm straighter than an arrow." Fox corrected Monroe as Clarke tried to follow their line of vision.

"I'm confused seriously who are we gawking at?" She watched as Monroe pointed across the room where a group of suits were standing in a small circle talking.

"Lexa Callaway. Hottest CEO there ever was." Fox grinned as the woman finally turned around giving Clarke a clear view of exactly whom her friends were talking about.

It took her a minute to get her voice back as she watched the woman from across the room, her friends now staring at her. "See I told you she was hot." Their eyes connected across the room and Clarke saw her turn her head back towards the group of men she was speaking too.

"She's engaged, possibly married by now." Clarke finally snapped out of it and looked at her friends.

"Nope, her and that lawyer chick she was dating broke up like three months ago. Where have you been?"

Clarke snapped her head towards Fox. "What? No way." Fox and Monroe both nodded.

"Holy shit, she's coming over here! Why is she coming over here?" Monroe started to hyperventilate and it made Clarke laugh more than it probably should have.

Fox's eyes widened as the CEO stood in front of them and smile before turning her attention towards Clarke, a large grin on her face. "Griffin." She spoke finally and Clarke was pretty certain that Monroe almost fell over but the use of Clarke's last name made both their eyes bulge out of their heads.

"Commander."

"Seriously? That's what you lead with?"

Clarke shrugged. "You led with Griffin."

"It's your name." Lexa justified.

Clarke rolled her eyes in her typical fashion. "Yeah and Commander is yours."

Lexa shook her head before turning towards Clarke's friends. "Hi, I'm Lexa."

She extended her hand to each of them and it took them a moment to accept it. "They think you're hot."

"I am." She grinned the most arrogant way she could before her and Clarke both started laughing.

"What brings you back to New York Commander hottie?

"Melting people's hearts." She winked at Fox who nearly fell over.

"Business as usual."

Monroe finally snapped out of her star struck daze and smiled at Lexa. "You sound just like this one, you should come out with us, we're going to a small bar not too far from here. The food is good and the alcohol is cold."

"I'm sure Lexa is far too busy to stroll around New York with a bunch of doctors." Fox cleared her throat. "And nurse."

"Actually my meeting is officially over and my flight isn't until late tomorrow morning and I'm starving. You know we were in that damn meeting since 7 am? They did not feed me sufficiently. I even offered to pay but no luck."

"If you want, I guess you're welcome to come."

Lexa nodded. "I do, I mean if there's good food." Monroe nodded with a smile and that was all Lexa needed. "Let me go and excuse myself and I'll be right back."

They all watched as Lexa walked around before Fox and Monroe turned towards Clarke. "You know Lexa fucking Callaway!"

Clarke shrugged. "Yeah, we went to high school and university together. I'm surprised you two know who she is."

"She's popular amongst the lesbian community, you need to live outside your bubble a little more." Fox explained as a matter of face.

"That doesn't explain how you know her."

Fox laughed. "True, but lesbian," she pointed at Monroe, "lesbians best friend," she pointed to herself.

"Okay, fair."

Monroe was giving Clarke a look that she couldn't quite place but she didn't get the chance to ask about it because Lexa walked back towards them. "We'll talk later." Monroe told her causing Clarke to shake her head.

"Shall we? Before I fall asleep."

"Yeah like you do that." Lexa joked before holding the door open for the three women.

XOXO

They walked to the bar, which was only a few blocks from the hospital. It was a smaller place but the vibe was perfect and Lexa understood exactly why Clarke seemed to like it. The bartender knew her name and they seemed to be quite friendly. The place was pretty busy but they managed to get a small booth.

"Well Monroe what's good here?"

Monroe smiled at Lexa's comment as she passed her a menu. "I'm a big fan of the cardiac burger and it has nothing to do with the fact that I am that is my specialty."

"Burgers?" Clarke quipped receiving a quick kick under the table.

"No hearts." She winked in Lexa's direction. "Why were you friends with this clown? Assuming you were friends."

Lexa laughed as she set the menu down on the table. "With that I'm going to go and get us some drinks, I'll be back, don't talk too much shit about me while I'm gone." Clarke slid out from the booth where she had been sitting next to Lexa and walked over to the bar.

"Anyways…"Monroe trailed off as they watched Clarke walk away.

"Our parents are really good friends, so we grew up together."

Fox and Monroe both nodded in understanding as Clarke walked back over to their booth, drinks in hand. "That was quick." Fox grinned.

"Shut up." Clarke pushed a drink at Fox as she slid back into the booth and handed Lexa her drink.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, and get the slider and wings."

Monroe and Fox looked at each other, both having the same thought.

XOXO

"You were right these sliders are amazing!" Lexa finished the last of her food and sat back satisfied.

Clarke smiled triumphantly as she started softly singing a long to the song that was playing. "Do you remember the day, that sunny day that you first came my way." She waited a minute, taking a sip of her drink. "Love is good, love can be strong we gotta get right back to where we started from." She sang to Fox, her head bopping with the beat of the music. "Don't judge me, I'm delirious from lack of sleep."

"Let's dance it out then." Fox suggested and Clarke's eyes widened in excitement.

She stood up and put her hand out to her friend as they made their way to the dance floor where they bounced around laughing. For her part Lexa couldn't take her eyes off the blonde. It was nice to see her in her natural element. There was something different about her but she couldn't quite figure it out and then it dawned on her. Clarke loved her life in New York, it fit her who she was now as opposed to Laguna fitting her when she was younger.

Looking back at the blonde after finishing her drink she saw her motioning for her to come over. "What do you say Monroe? Should we show them how it's done?"

"Absolutely! I can't believe Lexa Callaway just asked me that." She shook her head in disbelief as she followed Lexa to the dance floor.

"Baby, I got sick this morning, the sea was storming inside of me and baby I think I'm capsizing, the waves are rising and rising." Lexa sang along once she was standing next to Clarke. A minute later they were all singing along to the music as the two exes moved together while keeping a safe distance.

An hour and several drinks later Fox and Monroe walked back to the booth as the song changed once again. This time Clarke and Lexa couldn't help but to look at each other the minute they both realized what song was playing. They couldn't help the way they moved to the music, if you asked them both they'd tell you the same thing, that was reflex.

Clarke watched as a decent looking guy came up behind Lexa and tried to start dancing with her. Immediately the brunette turned around and though Clarke couldn't hear she was sure she was telling him to go to hell but he didn't seem to be listening. Without saying a word Clarke moved behind Lexa and wrapped her arm around the woman's waist pulling her closer.

Lexa was stunned by the close proximately at first but quickly relaxed as they continued dancing. She gave the guy a look and laughed once he walked away. Turning around in Clarke's arms to leaned forward and whispered a 'thank you' in her ear.

Clarke nodded with a smile and let go of her hold on her the slightly taller woman but they stayed close as the song continued to play. "If you're horny let's do it, ride it my pony." They both mouthed as they let themselves get lost in the song. Both trying to not remember all the times they had danced to the same song together in the past.

Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was the ambiance but caution was thrown to the wind as they pulled each other closer, moving their bodies in perfect rhythm. There may have even been a little grinding but they'd never admit it. In that moment they were no longer exes, they were two people enjoying the moment with someone who might as well have been a complete stranger. They were having fun and it felt good, especially after a long day of work.

By the time the song ended, they were both somewhat out of breath. "I'll be back." Lexa smiled as she walked towards the ladies room, leaving Clarke alone to walk back to the bar and order another round.

"How long were you two getting it on for?" Monroe asked as Clarke sat back down in the booth.

"About 7 years but it was a long time ago." Clarke finished half her drink in one gulp. "How'd you know?"

Fox and Monroe both gave her knowing looks. "The chemistry between you too is obvious. We had a feeling the minute she walked over to us at the hospital. I have never seen anyone look at another individual the way she looks at you." Fox added for good measure.

"It's not like that anymore, we had a really bad break up, we just sort of mended the fences a couple months ago."

"Doesn't change the way you are around each other, it's like your magnets being pulled together. That's the best way to describe what we saw out there." Monroe pointed behind her at the dance floor.

XOXO

"I think I'm going to call it a night, it's been one hell of a long day." Fox said as she started to put her coat on, even though it was warm outside.

"Me too, my body is calling for my bed." At Monroe's statement they all stood up and grabbed their belongings before going to put money down to pay for their tab.

Lexa raised her hand and shook her head. "It's on me."

"You don't have to do that Lex."

Lexa smiled. "I know but how else am I supposed to say thank you."

"It was no big deal, you don't have to thank me. He was a drunken idiot."

"Not you, them. They were nice enough to invite me out and admire my good looks."

Clarke rolled her eyes as she put the money down for her tab. "Fine, but you aren't paying for me."

"Fine." They all laughed as Lexa set the money under the empty glass that was sitting on the table.

Once they were outside they all said their goodbyes as Fox and Monroe got into the same cab, leaving Clarke and Lexa standing on alone on the sidewalk.

"Do you want me to hail a cab for you? Since you've always sucked at it."

"No, according to Siri, my hotel isn't far from here and it's a beautiful night so I think I'm going to take it all in, end my day with a walk. Thank you though."

Clarke nodded with a smile. "My place is in the opposite direction."

Lexa couldn't help but smile and she had no idea why. "In that case, goodnight Miss. Griffin."

"Goodnight Miss Callaway. Have a safe flight and please give your parents my love."

"I will. Get home safe."

They smiled at each other before they turned in opposite directions. Lexa got a block away before she felt her arm being tugged on as she was turned around. "Why didn't you tell me you and Costia?"

Lexa's heart stopped as she swallowed the lump in her throat and tried to find her voice. "How did you…"

"Monroe and Fox told me, apparently it was in some article they read."

Lexa looked down at the ground before looking back up at Clarke. "I didn't know how to tell you."

"How long ago?"

"A couple of months."

"Is that why she wasn't at Anya and Gustus' wedding?"

Lexa nodded as she fidgeted. "I didn't tell you then because the day wasn't about me, and to be honest I really didn't know what to say about it."

"I'm sorry it didn't work out." Clarke said sincerely, she truly did want Lexa to be happy, no matter who it was with.

"Don't be, it wasn't a once in a lifetime kind of love and it took me far too long to realize that but thank you."

"You're okay though?" Clarke asked studied Lexa's features to try and get a read off of her.

"I am. It's weird, being single, but it's nice." She laughed, her lips curling into a small smile.

"Good, I'm glad but I better head home because surprisingly I really do need sleep. It was nice running into you."

"It was nice running into you as well and please don't be mad at Anya and Raven. I swore them to secrecy because I really did want to tell you myself."

Clarke smiled and fixed the strap of her bag on her shoulder. "I understand, I can give you Monroe's number if you want?" She winked playfully.

Lexa laughed with the shake of her head. "I don't date my exes friends but thank you. May we meet again Clarke."

"May we meet again Lexa, and you know we will."

With a quick nod and smile Lexa watched Clarke chuckle slightly before turning around and walking away, this time for real.

TBC…

A/N: A short little fluffy chapter, all will start to be explained very soon.