Clarke fidgeted with with her shirt nervously, her blue eyes scanning the crowded restaurant. After another day of putting it off Clarke had finally upped her nerves enough to call her mother and tell her they were ready to talk. Lexa had clung to her hand the entire phone call knowing that the blonde was still slightly angry…but she knew deep down that she was nervous as well. The thought of actually trying to work things out with Abby had sent her more than once to lose the contents of her stomach into the toilet.

If she was being honest, Clarke wasn't sure why she was nervous. Why her nerves outweighed the anger. Maybe it was because, deep inside, she was afraid of once again losing her mother if things went downhill again. She wasn't sure if she could take that again. Or maybe it was the thought of putting Lexa through that again…she didn't want her wife to have to experience any of what had occurred with Abby ever, let alone twice.

Clarke's stomach flipped when she spotted a light haired brunette strutting towards their table, only for it to flop back into place when she realized it wasn't Abby. A deep sigh billowed from her lips as she tried to calm the swirling nerves in her belly…but to no avail. Just when she thought she would need to bolt to the restroom a warm hand was placed over her belly while another loosened the grip that was attached to her pants. Blue eyes darted up to meet soothing green, Lexa's face etched with slight worry.

"Everything's going to be fine, Clarke," Lexa said lowly,"But if you're still not ready we can leave. We can call Abby and tell her we need more time."

She wondered if Lexa used 'we' instead of 'you' for Clarke's benefit or her own. But she was glad for it. It meant they were doing this together.

Clarke shook her head, determined,"No, I'm fine. Just a little queasy. Nothing to it. I -we- need to do this. The sooner the better."

The brunette's eyes scanned over Clarke as she pursed her lips,"Are you sure? You don't have to push yourself to do this if you aren't ready, and I don't want you adding any unnecessary stress to you or the baby."

"I'm okay, Lexa. I just need to take some deep breathes and clear my head. My nerves will only grow the more we put this off. No matter what idiotic things my mother has said or done I want to put it behind us and start fresh…even if it'll take a bit to push the anger away," Clarke's hand tightened around Lexa's,"Are you ready for this?"

"I'm ready if you are," Lexa said seriously with a curt nod,"Just as you said, it's going to take some time to look past the things she's said and done but it'll do nobody any good if our family is divided."

Clarke nodded, silently agreeing with her wife's words. Her gaze fell down to stare at Lexa's hand that still rested on her belly, her thoughts drifting back to the night that she had all but lost her mother, a soft anger bubbling in her chest along with a hint of sadness. Warm fingers cupped her chin and slowly lifted it to meet a vast green forrest.

"Whatever happens here today…it doesn't mean that we have to suddenly be all cheery and close with Abby. This is just us telling her we're willing to try and work things out, for the baby. It's going to be a little hard, there's no telling if you or I can work past what happened, but the least we can do is try," Lexa breathed out as she searched nervous blue eyes.

The younger woman could only muster a simple nod at her wife's words. Clarke didn't expect for her overwhelming anger that she had felt for her mother for so many years to be replaced by so many other emotions.

Nervousness.

Anxiousness.

Fear.

…So many emotions.

And those emotions came to a screeching halt as a flicker of light brown caught in her peripheral. Blue orbs, now devoid of any emotion, broke away from Lexa to take in the form that was Abby Griffin. Her mother was striking in a simple outfit of fitted pants and a light sweater, jacket draped over her arm likely for the chilly November air that blew through the city. She was the picture of sophistication…yet Clarke could see right through her mother.

The way her shoulders were set back with tension, her fingers tightly clenched into fists, her eyes ghosting across their features before drifting down to the ground below her feet as she walked. All in all, Clarke knew her mother was nervous. Maybe even a little scared. And that had Clarke's chest easing up, but only a bit…at least until her mother finally reached their table.

Lexa stood up, almost too formally, and shook hands with Abby,"It's nice to see you again, Abby."

"Likewise, Lexa," Abby said thickly before letting her eyes move over to Clarke who was still seated in her chair,"Clarke…how are you?"

"I'm doing fine," Clarke said curtly.

She could feel Lexa's eyes on her as the words flowed from her mouth. Clarke knew that she said she wanted to put everything behind her but she couldn't stop the rush of hostile emotions that flared up when her mother spoke. Just because she was ready to work things out didn't mean she wasn't still a tad bit upset.

While her gaze was still fixated on Abby, Clarke watched as her mother locked eyes with her wife before giving her a short nod and taking her seat. She felt Lexa's hand brush against her back in a soothing gesture as she settled back into her own seat. Not once, in the short awkward silence that settled around the table, did Clarke's eyes leave her mother. She couldn't lie and say that she didn't think that Abby would return to her old arguments the minute they started their discussion and, even though she didn't let it show, it left a small chip of pain in her heart.

The cluster of emotions that had been invading her since she woke up came back with a vengeance. First nervousness, then sadness, a little panic, and last but not least, anger. Somewhere in the back of her mind she tried to chalk it up to her pregnancy just messing with her hormones but she knew that wasn't the entire reason she was feeling this way. But all the emotions just elevated one in particular.

Fear.

Everything came back to fear.

Fear of possibly losing her mother once more if things went bad.

Fear of making Lexa experience her mother's pathetic excuses again while in such a vulnerable state.

Everything was fear.

Clarke hadn't even noticed that their waiter had appeared to take their orders and had to be nudged softly by Lexa when the young man asked what she would like. Once the waiter left with the choice of food their table was one more left in a state of awkwardness. Beside her Lexa sipped on a glass of wine, Clarke agreeing with her that the brunette might need at least one glass to get her through the lunch, while Abby sat back in her chair simply studying the two women before her.

"So…," Lexa drawled out awkwardly,"Um, how's your day been so far, Abby?"

And Clarke couldn't repress the chuckle that passed through her lips at her wife's horrible way of trying to start their conversation…and what surprised her was the almost twin sound that came from Abby. The blonde's giggle cut short as she met her mother's slight smile, a bit taken back that she had even reacted to Lexa's question.

"So far my day's been pretty…uneventful, but I'm sure that's going to change here soon," Abby's eyes darted between the couple.

From the corner of her eye, Clarke could see Lexa's head turn slightly to stare at her and the blonde knew that her wife had no clue how to respond. And neither did Clarke. Was she just supposed to bring everything to the forefront. Completely skip over any type of discussion and just to demand to know why Abby really didn't want Clarke to marry Lexa? Because in Clarke's mind that was the only way to do it. She just wanted to know why. Why her mother didn't want her and Lexa together. Why she didn't want her daughter to be with the person that made her happy.

So she asked.

"What was the real reason that you didn't want me marrying Lexa?"

A small intake of breath came from Lexa and Abby's eyes widened at the unexpected question. The noises of the restaurant suddenly died out around them. They were thrown into their own little mix of swirling emotions and awkward stares. No one said anything for the next few minutes, simply letting the tension rise between them in an uncomfortable manner. Clarke could see Lexa pick up her glass and take a helping sip, and she silently wished that she too could have a drink but figured her wife would make up for both of them by time their lunch was over.

"Well?" Clarke said as she leaned forward in her chair, hand reaching for her glass of water,"We came here to talk things over. So why not get straight to the point?"

She could feel Lexa's eyes boring into the side of her head as she took a sip from her water, her own eyes gazing over the sparkling glass to stare at her mother. Abby's head dropped down a bit as she fumbled with her hands that rested in her lap. Clarke could tell that her words had stirred something up in her mother. Abby wasn't one to fidget, always looking poised and regal, but now she squirmed in her seat under Clarke's gaze.

"I…It's complicated," Abby whispered.

"Then explain. We've got until three o'clock and then we have to leave. That gives you a good three hours to make things less complicated."

Lexa's hand found rested on her thigh under the table and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Clarke darted her eyes over to her wife, giving her a swift nod before turning back to her mother. Abby was now watching the silent exchange between the two, her lips in a grim line. Clarke wasn't sure what had come over her. Going from one emotion to another was starting to make her head swim but one thing was very clear in her mind. She wasn't leaving this table until she got a straight answer from Abby, even if she had to force it out of her.

"Explain to us why you didn't want me marrying Lexa, and don't give me the 'you'll be pulled into her debt' bull. I want the real reason. Once you've explained everything then we'll start talking about you being in our baby's life," Clarke said as her hand found Lexa's and gripped it tightly for security.

Abby looked around the restaurant a bit before settling back onto Clarke, eyes shimmering,"After your father passed away…you were all I had left, Clarke. For all the years after his death you were always next to me. You were growing up to be such a beautiful woman. Then you met Lexa."

Clarke looked over to said brunette when she felt her hand stiffen in her's.

"Even though I didn't see you as much as I used to after you left for college, I saw you even less when you began hanging out with her. Your weekends that you would spend at home soon became weekends spent with Lexa. Even a few holidays you spent with her. I…I felt like I was losing you, Clarke. Like you were slipping through my fingers just like your father did," Abby said quietly as she stared down at her hands.

The blonde pushed back her tears,"What about Wells? Why did you want me to marry him so bad?"

Abby huffed sadly,"That was a last resort. I thought since if you married Wells then I would see more of you. You know he lives around the block from me and works at the towns best law firm. I just…I thought that if you married him I would see you more. Before your graduation you were talking about moving to Seattle with Lexa and that's when I really started to realize that I was really losing you."

Clarke watched her mother closely. Abby's reasonings for her not wanting her daughter to marry Lexa were indeed petty…but they were the truth. She could see it in her body language. The way her shoulders were hunched. How her eyes were slightly dull. Her hands wringing together in her lap. Abby was scared to lose her and did everything she could to keep her close, but only lost her in the end anyway.

"Mom…you could have talked to me about this," Clarke stressed,"It wasn't like I was just going to abandon you and never talk to you again after I married Lexa. I know that I wasn't speaking to you as much as I used to when I first started college but that was because Lexa and I were developing our bond. After things settled I'm more than positive that I would have talked and visited you more. And I'm sure if you would have at least asked, Lexa wouldn't have had a problem with just you and I just having a few weekends to ourselves."

Abby met Lexa's gaze across the table before darting back to Clarke's.

"You shouldn't have just assumed that after I married Lexa that I wouldn't have ever talked to you again. You're my mother. I would have understood how you felt if you just would have told me instead of making up pathetic excuses like that. Your using Lexa's debt as a reason was beyond low and something I never expected of you," Clarke stated, barely holding back tears,"And it hurt me when you said you wouldn't give her your blessing to marry me just for that pathetic reason."

"I realized my mistakes the day I showed up at your front door," Abby muttered as she wiped away a stray tear from her cheek,"I saw the way Lexa stood up for you, protected you from me even though I wouldn't hurt you…how she caressed your belly like your father used to do to me before you were born. I was too blind by my selfishness to realize just how good Lexa was for you. She's makes you smile brighter, almost brighter than before your father's death. Your eyes dance when she's talking to you. She's gentle with you like she's afraid to break you. All those things I was able to notice in the ten minutes I was at your front door and I was too blind to see them all those years ago. The way you both are around each other…it's how Jake and I were together."

And Clarke's tears began to fall. She had to quickly shoo them away when the waiter arrived with their food. Silence passed between them as the young man place their respected dishes in front of them before making a hasty retreat as if sensing the tension around them. None of them moved to touch their food, much to enwrapped in their conversation to be hungry at the moment.

"I've been sitting in my hotel room beating myself up because I finally realized that I was trying to keep you away from the best thing that's ever happened to you. All because I was too stupid and thought that I would lose you for good if you married Lexa. It was a ridiculous reason and I don't even know why I used that as my excuse…I guess it just seemed like the best one at the time," Abby said, her gaze shifting between Lexa and Clarke,"I don't expect you to forgive me right away, but I just want you both to know that I'm sorry. That I was stupid and selfish and was only thinking of myself. I don't really know what was running through my mind then."

Clarke was ready to respond…but Lexa beat her to it. She watched as her wife's hand reached across the table to settle on Abby's hand that now sat on top the table. Shocked eyes jumped up to clash with shimmering green.

"It's okay, Abby. You were scared of losing Clarke. Even though I would never intentionally keep you from seeing her I can understand that your mind was just running on instinct. A mother's first instinct is to keep her child close and not let anyone else near, and that can heighten when they lose someone very close to them," Lexa said calmly,"And while it wasn't the best decision to make I know that you only did it because you thought you were losing Clarke just like you lost Jake. From the very beginning I was able to tell how strong of a bond you and Clarke shared. I know that Clarke and I talking about moving to Seattle only made you even more scared…but you could have talked to us. You could have expressed how you felt without having to go to the unnecessary lengths and lies. Did you honestly believe that I would take you from her completely?"

Clarke watched her mother process Lexa's words. Her heart stuttered in her chest when Abby slowly shook her head.

"No, I didn't. In the back of my mind I knew that I wan't going to lose Clarke completely to you but the selfish part of my brain outweighed the sensible part of it. Honestly, I think I was just taking it out on you because you were just…there. You were the one that was always there when those selfish feelings rose to the surface and they just turned their attention on you," Abby said before locking eyes with Lexa,"I can't say how sorry I am. I know I made you feel like you were the reason that Clarke and I went our separate ways and I'm sick with myself for doing that. I just hope somewhere down the road that you can forgive me for it all even though I probably don't deserve it."

Lexa turned to Clarke and gave her a hopeful look. The brunette had basically taken the words straight from Clarke's mouth. There were still some things that needed to be worked through a bit but for now…for now they were going to be okay. It would take some time for things to be normal but they could finally start working towards mending their relationships. And Clarke was finally feeling all the emotions rushing out her body, replaced with content and happiness. Her anger still simmered a bit in the back of her brain but she pushed that aside for right now. She knew that wouldn't go away for a bit and decided right now wasn't the time to deal with it.

Right now she just wanted a decent lunch with her wife and mother.

One that was spent talking, laughing, and her mother's infamous horrible jokes.

For the next hour and half, they slowly made their way through their lunch. It was a bit awkward at first, trying to find a simple topic for them to discuss, but they finally settled on talking about the baby. Abby was enthused to listen about the baby growing in her daughter's belly and Lexa was more than happy to tell her everything. And Clarke was simply happy to sit back and watch.

It was strange to see her mother and her wife talking so…easily with each other. Before their conversations would be nothing but curt answers and stiff eyes, but now they both smiled brightly, eyes dancing merrily as they talked about the baby. Clarke realized just how much she missed her mother. Her anger through the years had kept her from truly realizing just how much she missed Abby being a constant in her life. She was practically the only family that she had left, besides Lexa of course, and, as her anger slowly dimmed, she felt how much she missed her.

And now, watching the two most important people in her life finally laugh together, Clarke knew just what lengths she would go to to make sure this stayed a reality forever. This was how she saw everything in the split moment that Lexa asked her to marry her. She pictured her mother pulling Lexa happily into a hug, welcoming her into the family, tears sliding down her cheeks as she lead Clarke down the aisle in place of her father. And though none of that happened, she was at least happy that at some point in her life she was able to see them finally share a bonding moment. One that wasn't obscured by false judgments and lies.

One that was real.

And Clarke felt the need to ask her mother one question. A question that she didn't think she would be asking her mother until they talked a bit more…but she couldn't help herself.

"Mom? How would you like to see your grandchild?"

Abby's eyes tore away from Lexa and settled on her daughter, slightly shocked,"What do you mean?"

Before Clarke could respond Lexa's caught her attention,"Clarke, you're sure?"

"Yeah, I want her there," Clarke responded before turning back to her mother,"I have a doctor's appointment today. They're going to be doing an ultrasound. I'd like it if you came with us. If you want to."

A large smile cross over Abby's features, her eyes welling with unshed tears,"I wouldn't miss it for the world."

Both women were up and out of their seats before another word could be said. Clarke sighed in relief as her mother's arms wrapped carefully around her, being mindful of tightly she squeezed her. She didn't care how they looked to the people around them, faces covered in tears and noses sniffling lightly. In that moment she only cared about how it felt to be back in her mother's arms…and it felt as if she never left. Her arms still felt like the one's that would wrap around her when she was a little girl, fighting off the nightmares that plagued her five-year-old mind.

It felt like home.