Chapter 78: Lexa

The following morning while eating breakfast, the morning show was interrupted by a breaking news announcement. The headline was six men were found dead in an abandoned warehouse down by the airport in an apparent drug/arms deal gone bad. It went on to say that they were still gathering the details, but the one American male had entered the country on a fake Irish passport, and they were still trying to figure out his real identity.

I looked over at Clarke, "Are you okay? Do you need to talk about…about what I did?"

She smiles, "You mean what we did? Nope, I'm fine. I swear. I'm only glad that he's out of our life and that you allowed me to walk beside you."

"I always want you by my side, but I hope you don't have to see anything like that ever again. Now, do you still want to get those matching tattoos?"

Clarke

After breakfast and watching the news broadcast about the 'drug buy gone bad.' Lexa says, "What do you say we head over and get those tattoos?"

"Can we soak in a hot bath first? I still feel so dirty."

"Sure," Lexa says, taking my hand and leading me upstairs, where she helped me out of the long t-shirt I was wearing. When she pulled it over my head, I get a glimpse of my bruises and are those bite marks. I don't remember…I hastily cover myself back up. I can't believe that I don't remember being bitten, but then again, once I heard the zipper of his pants, I shut down, and then Finn hit me, knocking me out. I recoiled to a place where I couldn't be hurt. I never remember what happens to me when I go to that place.

"Clarke," says Lexa softly, putting her hand on my back. "It's okay. I already saw."

I turn to face her. I was shaking violently again. "I…I look horrible."

"Not to me." Lexa touches my face. "When you really love someone, you see them as a whole even when they think they're broken. You have to trust that that's how I see you right now."

I nod uncertainly and let Lexa help me into the tub. The hot water was soothing, but I found the strength had left me. I leaned helplessly against Lexa behind me in the tub.

"Hey, you're okay. The gummy bears are okay," promises Lexa. "I've got you." She holds me, kisses me, strokes my hair until I felt strong enough to sit up on my own again.

After we soaked in the tub and Lexa scrubbed me clean, we headed out to get our tattoos. It's funny, but I enjoy feeling the pain of the needles. It somehow made me forget about the pain I felt last night. When we were both finished, I say, "How about we grab lunch?"

"Sure, then can we go shopping?"

"I thought you didn't like to shop?" I say with a chuckle.

"It's growing on me. You make it fun for me. Besides, we need to start looking for baby stuff, and we need to decide where we will live. Do you want to live on the yacht? Or do we want to sell it and buy a house? Or keep it and buy a house? We have a lot of decisions to make, Ya Amar. You are going to need some new clothes, also."

"Whoa, babe, we have six months to make all these decisions. But, first, let's go get lunch, then I could use a nap, and I'm sure you could because you didn't sleep at all last night."

"I don't know if I can sleep right now. I'm too excited. I need to text Ash and O and hell, everyone."

"Hey, let's wait until we get back to the hotel and tell Ash, Callie, and O in person. Okay?"

"Fine, but…alright!"

After lunch, I let Lexa take me to a couple of baby stores to look at baby furniture. She tries her best to get me to let her buy a crib and a bunch of other stuff, but I finally get through to her that we should wait until we know the sex of the babies first. So instead of buying furniture just yet, I let her take me to get a few items of clothes.

Lexa

When we get back to the hotel, I text Callie and Ash to see if they are in their room.

Ash: On the way back. Be there in 5. Why?

Me: I have something to tell you. Meet you there!

My subsequent text is to O telling her to meet me in Ash's room in five.

O: Can't 20 min away from the hotel.

Me: Fine, come by my room whenever you have a chance. Have some news!

O: K

We are waiting outside Ash's room when they get off the elevator. Ash says, "Is everything okay? Is something wrong with the baby?"

Callie opens the door, and we all walk in. When the door shuts, I hand Ash the ultrasound picture and say, "Nope, everything is fine with the babies."

Ash says, "So, what did you need to tell me?"

I raise my eyebrows at her. Callie starts laughing and hugging us.

Ash looks at all of us, "What am I missing here?"

Callie looks at the picture and points at the second gummy bear while saying, "Dumbass, they are having twins. Lexa said, 'everything is fine with the babies, not baby.' I swear sometimes I don't understand how you function."

Asher comes running up, "Xa, are you and Larke having a baby?"

I squat down and lift him up, "Yep, buddy, we're having two babies. Are you ready to be a big cousin to them?"

"Really? I get be big brother. Yeah, I ready. When they be here?"

"Well, it will be a few months, and they will be your cousins, but you can be like their big brother."

He gives me a big hug and kiss before reaching for Clarke and doing the same. I set him down before saying, "I think we are going to go to the room and take a nap. See you later."

Ash came and gave us both hugs before looking at Clarke and saying, "Congratulations, but I'm sorry to say now in six months, you'll have three kids instead of two."

Everyone laughs except me, and I smack Ash on the shoulder. "Whatever, this kid right here has saved your ass more than once. You just remember that."

Callie says, "And I thank God for you every day, Lexa. Don't let her get to you."

"See you guys later."

The rest of the day, we spend napping by the pool on our balcony or in bed. O stops by right before dinner for us to give her the news about the twins and tries to get us to go out and celebrate. Instead, we order room service for dinner and then snuggle in and watch TV until we fall asleep.