A/N: Hey guys, I am still here. As promised, I have not abandoned this or any of my fics.

As it is a new year, I wanted to say thank you again for continuing to read my story/stories, and bearing with me in this last couple of months. I know I have fallen off of the monthly posting schedule, but I simply haven't been okay and that is okay! It's okay to NOT be okay, never forget that. I am here though, and I am doing better. I can only hope the best for all of you as well, and may your new year be brighter than the last.


A couple of weeks later, the sun rose on another work week. Something smelled good, really good. Clarke's stomach grumbled as she got out of bed and padded out into the hallway. Groggy, but aware enough to realize it was Murphy in her kitchen, Clarke moved to see what he was cooking only to stop dead in her tracks and avert her eyes.

"Seriously, Murphy?" She grumbled as she literally shielded her eyes from the view. Turns out that was the ideal move because he whipped around buck naked and presented everything with what she heard to be a smug grin when he replied.

"Don't act like you haven't been curious." He grins ear to ear.

"Pants, Murphy. Put some fucking pants on when you're in my kitchen."

"Chill, Princess." He sounded annoyed.

"Do not call me that." She snipped back a bit angrily. That nickname was out of place being said by him.

"Sorry." He mocked her and set down whatever utensil he was holding. He made his way out of the kitchen, right past her, back into Raven's room. Free of his lack of dress, she walked into the kitchen. Now it felt inappropriate, knowing Murphy was just standing there butt naked. Frustrated, she grabbed a bottled shake from the fridge and headed back to her room. Just before she could shut her own door, Raven opened hers and stepped out into the hallway.

"Who pissed in your cheerios this morning?"

Clarke closed her eyes, more annoyed now than she was moments ago. "Really?" was all she could manage.

"Murphy said you were pissy. What gives?" Raven explained, in a less than articulate way.

"I doubt you'd appreciate waking up to Bellamy cooking naked in the kitchen." She stated, only to realize the flaw in her own words. "Okay, I take that back."

Raven smirked. "I've seen it all already." She reminded her and Clarke winced. Raven realized her own flaw but they left it at that.

"I'll make sure he's clothed before he leaves my room." She reasoned.

"Thanks." Clarke gave a half-hearted smile before turning into her room and clicking the door behind her.

Shaking her drink up to mix it back together, she sat on her bed and unlocked her phone. As per usual, a message sat waiting for her, a lovely greeting from the man she loves. A smile covered her lips and she tapped back to him, saying "Good Morning handsome."

He replied almost instantly with a kissy face emoji. Clarke leaned up against her headboard and replied, starting a conversation.

Bellamy "Did you sleep well?"

Clarke "I did, wish you were here though. I love waking up next to you and not to Murphy naked in my kitchen."

Bellamy "What?"

Clarke laughed and replied. "Yeah, I walked out of my room only for Murphy to be cooking naked in my kitchen. It's like he lives here."

Bellamy "Have you talked to Raven about it?"

Clarke "That didn't help anything." She didn't explain to him that he was brought up.

Bellamy "How about you wake up naked in my kitchen next time?"

She laughed, thinking he was joking and knowing how much he'd love that view. "Me, in a kitchen, cooking? You're a silly man."

Bellamy "One that can dream. Gotta go, love you."

Clarke "Love you too."

Clarke got ready for her own day, as it was an ER day. By the time she got ready and went to leave the apartment, she was greeted with a lunch bag prepped for her full of homemade things. Murphy must have set it up as a peace offering, she assumed. She gladly accepted, knowing how well the man could cook, and set off to start her day. The day began fairly normal. The flow in the ER was steady and nothing too extreme, but that didn't last more than two hours. Not minutes into her third hours on duty, a call came in that effectively changed and ruined her entire day.

The first ambulance was a woman who got into a car accident and went into early labor. Clarke was treating her wounds up until she was taken in for an emergency c-section, which is when she went back down to her department only to have a child come with head trauma. At the little girl's bedside, Clarke and another nurse realized this child may have been pushed out of the window of a two-story home and not just fallen. When the parents were asked about it, assuming another child may have done it, they got defensive. Child services were brought in and it turned out the mother and father were fighting and when he went to throw something at his wife, the father of the child instead hit the child who got disoriented, stood up from sitting on their bed, and fell out of the open window. It broke her heart to see cases like this, and they were few and far between but nevertheless very impactful. The child was critical when he left the ER and the woman's baby was premature. After that, it was just a constant onslaught of minor but rapid intake injuries and Clarke was drained by the time she could clock out. Trudging heavily to her car, she pulled her phone out.

Clarke: "Can I come over?"

Bellamy: "Always."

No other words needed, she drove over to his apartment and he was ready to let her in. He must have seen her exhaustion on her face because he took her into his arms the moment she had entered the apartment. Her bag set on the ground and her hoodie sliding off her body, tangled now in his embrace. She took in his scent and it almost instantly helped soothe her soul. The familiar warm fragrance he emitted relaxed her.

"Rough day?" He spoke sweetly to her, holding her to him. She only nodded.

Bellamy kissed her head and rubbed her back while she held on to him.

"Have you eaten?" He asked, and knew her reply before she spoke as she hesitated. Instead of giving her shit for her lack of self-care, he loosened his grip on her.

"I have an idea, come." He took her hand and led her to the sofa. He set her down, taking her hoodie, and pulling her feet up onto a pillow on the coffee table. A blanket was draped across her and a remote placed in her lap. He disappeared into his kitchen and reemerged some ten minutes later with a plate of piping hot food, carbs, and veg, just what a worn soul needed. Clarke picked at it but grew ravenous and eventually cleared the plate of all of its content while Bellamy sat beside her, rubbing her legs. She thanked him, but he wouldn't have it. He took her dish and when he returned to the living room, he held out a hand to her. She took it and let him lift her from her seat. She thought they were going to bed, but no, Bellamy leads her to the bathroom. A sweet aroma and steam filled the air as they entered. At some point, while Clarke was eating, Bellamy had drawn her a bath and likely loaded the water with Epsom salts. Her heartfelt so full when he did things like this.

"Baby." She barely got out, touched by the gesture.

"Shhh." He pressed a finger to her lips and began to help her undress. It was a sensual gesture, one of love and not lust. Unclothed, Bellamy held her hand and lead her into the tub where she sat down and sank into the milk hot water. It instantly melted away half of her day and caught her breath in her throat. That soul-cleansing kind of comfort.

As Bellamy went to leave, she perked up.

"Join me." Her voice was soft. Bellamy paused and thought about it.

"I want you to relax." He reasoned.

"And I want you to join me." She countered.

He smirked at her and nearly bowed. "As you wish, Princess." Bellamy clicked the door closed and shed himself of his clothing. "Scoot forward." He gestured, telling Clarke to allow him room to which she obliged before sliding into the tub behind her. His legs stretched out below him, taking up the entire length of the tub. Clarke nestled into his bare lap and caught a soft groan out of his throat. She smirked, but stilled herself, comfortably resting in his lap, laying against him in the hot water. The tub was nearly full with both of them in it, so too much movement would splash water out over the sides. With the couple comfortable, Bellamy rubbed her thighs and sides, gently, to message out any more of her stress and it made her melt into his chest.

They lay in the tub like this for the longest time, until the water ran lukewarm and got uncomfortable. Bellamy was perfectly content under her for as long as she needed, but they both got restless when the water lost its heat.

"Let's get you to bed." He whispered in her ear, sending a spine-shaking chill through her body. She stood first, helping him up and they showered off really quickly, sharing sweet touches and kisses while staying as close as possible. Bellamy even washed Clarke's hair and gave her a back rub under the fall of water. Clarke was clearly getting more groggy with the stimulation. He stepped out of the shower first and pat dry very quickly before wrapping a towel around his waist and receiving Clarke in a towel of her own, his arms nestling her in that warmth. She nearly purred to the touch.

Hand in hand, Bellamy lead her now relaxed body to the bedroom, and he gestured for her to get in bed. Clarke didn't protest. She slid into her side of the bed, stark naked, under the soft comfort of his bed linen. The entire bed smelled of him and she sank into that, letting the comfort take over her body and mind. Bellamy on the other hand went to find boxers for himself and a t-shirt for her, but by the time he turned back to the bed to offer her a shirt, he could see she was half-conscious. He set the shirt on her nightstand before sliding into his own side of the bed. The weight change triggered the barely-there Clarke to fall into him and entangle herself into his body. It warmed his own soul, this kind of clinginess and need for him. He felt so at home with her and he knew she felt the same. Bellamy gently stroked her golden wet hair as she drifted deeper into sleep against him, which lulled him into a deep sleep of his own.