Chapter 83: Lexa

I wake up around five, which is normal, but today is finally fight day. I reach for Clarke, but her side of the bed is empty and cold. I sit up and listen, but all I hear is silence. My heart starts to beat a little faster as I get up. I usually hear her if she gets sick, but I don't hear anything, which scares me. I walk to the bathroom and find her curled up on the floor, sleeping. I bend over, picking her up, and carry her back to bed. I lay her in the bed, sit beside her, and stroke her hair while watching her sleep. After a few minutes, her eyes flutter open, and she looks up at me.

I continue to run my fingers through her hair and smile at her, "Hey, why didn't you wake me?"

She replies, "I didn't want to bother you. You need your rest. Besides, I was just nauseous. I didn't get sick. It wasn't that bad, and the cool floor felt good."

"Sweetie, I don't care how bad it is or is not. I want you to wake me. I want to be there for you. How are you feeling now?"

"Good, I just want to sleep some more. Can you just lay with me for a while?"

"Of course, it's early." I crawl in beside her, and she snuggles into my chest as I continue to stroke her hair. I guess I fell back asleep at some point because the next thing I know, my alarm clock is going off at ten am. I quickly cut it off because I don't want to wake her just yet. I slip out of bed and go downstairs to order breakfast. When it arrives, I carry up a tray of fruit, yogurt, bacon, and French toast.

I walk into the room with the tray of food to find Clarke coming out of the bathroom. I smile and ask, "Hey, you feel up to eating?"

"Yes, I'm starving."

"I'm glad. You need to eat more and make sure you are getting enough folic acid. I read that when you are carrying twins, you need more folic acid than normal. I'm going to grab a shower and get my gym bag packed while you finish up. Oh, I was wondering will you hang out in the dressing room and give me one of your famous massages before my fight?"

She chuckles, "I think that can be arranged. Would you mind if I walk out with you but then go and sit with the group instead of being in the corner? I'm not sure I can take the stress of being in the corner. It was painful for me to watch last time, and that was before I was pregnant."

"Ya Amar, I want you to do whatever feels right for you. I don't want to cause you any undue stress. So the only thing I ask is that if you have to go to the bathroom or anywhere that Ash goes with you."

A few hours later, I'm walking out of the dressing room to American Oxygen playing. Clarke was by my side, holding my hand, and everything is perfect. As soon as I come out of the tunnel, the crowd goes wild. I walk towards the cage, stopping to get my good luck hug and kiss from Asher and hugs from Callie and Ash. My next stop is to undress and get checked by the official. After I get the okay to enter the ring, I turn to Clarke and wrap her in my arms before giving her a deep, passionate kiss. I then stand and watch as she walks to her seat by Ash before stepping into the cage.

Once we are both in the ring, the announcer says, "Introducing first: in the red corner, we have the challenger, a freestyle fighter, hailing from Afghanistan, now fighting out of San Francisco, California. She stands in at six feet, weighing one hundred and thirty-six pounds, with a reach of seventy-two inches. She has a record of 1-0 coming into this rematch. I give you Lexa 'Stryker' Trikru." I raise my hand, and the crowd goes wild, chanting 'Stryker.'

"In the blue corner, a kickboxer and mixed martial artist, with a pro record of 14-4. She is fighting out of British Columbia, Candia. Standing five foot eight inches and weighing one hundred and forty-five pounds. She has a sixty-nine-inch reach and is currently ranked the number four featherweight in the world. She is the former Bellator Women's Featherweight world champion Jewel 'the KO Queen" Budd." She raises her hand, and the crowd erupts into cheers and screams of 'KO Queen.'"

When the bell rings, I walk out to the center of the ring and touch gloves with Jewel, and then it is on. I am super focused on the task at hand, more so than last time. Jewel came out throwing jabs that I dodge easily. She throws her typical front kick, but I was waiting for it. I step to the left and throw a spinning elbow that catches her in the temple stagger her some. She rushes me and gets me in a clinch trying to force me against the cage but working with Lucas has helped in my grappling, and I am able to use a hip throw and slam her to the ground and land in full mount.

I hit her with two quick elbows to the head before she can buck me off and land on top of me long enough to catch me with a hammer fist. We scramble for a minute or so, trying to get position before I use her momentum to throw her and get back up to my feet. She gets up and stands in front of me, bouncing, then she shoots for a takedown, and I throw a flying knee. Unfortunately, it catches her in the shoulder instead of her chin, and she is still able to grab my waist, pushing me against the cage.

In the clinch, she throws some punches that land to my head and body. I match hers with a couple of stiff knees to the body. Then landing an elbow to her face opening a cut above her right eye. I flip her, so she is against the cage. She attempts to throw an elbow, but I duck and catch her with an uppercut to her chin. She goes down, and I jump on top of her. We scramble some more, each getting in a couple of good shots. She tries for an armbar, but I'm able to get out and pin both of her arms in what is called a crucifix position. From this position, she cannot block my punches, and I can hit her repeatedly with punches and elbows to her head. She tries to escape but is unable to as I continue to do damage until the bell rings.

I get back to my corner, where O, Jose, Lucas, and Abby are waiting. Abby checks my eye that has a goose egg on it while O, Jose, and Lucas are all telling me I'm doing a good job and to continue to do what I'm doing. I glance over to where Clarke is sitting and smile at her. She gives me a smirk and shakes her head. I blow her a kiss. When the bell rings, I head back to the center of the ring.

Jewel comes out with a front kick. I catch it, sweeping her other leg taking her down to the mat. We scramble, throwing punches and elbows until she gives up her back. I get her in a body triangle with my legs and try to get her in a rear-naked choke, but she fights my hands. We wrestle for a while, and I hit her in the head and body until I can finally get the choke locked in. It only takes her a few seconds to tap out. I can't believe it, I won again.

I get up, run, climb the cage and do a backflip landing in the ring before I'm tackled by O. When she lets me up, I jump the cage and head to Clarke. I wrap her in a hug and a kiss. Asher grabs me and hugs me, and I lead them both back into the ring for the final announcement. As I pass by O, she slips me the ring box. The announcer says, "Your winner by rear-naked choke, Stryker!"

I hug Jewel, thanking her before Joe comes for the after-fight interview. I have Clarke on one side of me Asher on the other with O, Jose, Lucas, and Abby standing behind me. Joe says, "So, Stryker, how are you feeling right now?"

"Amazing, I feel absolutely amazing!"

"What was your game plan coming into tonight's fight?"

"Honestly, I just wanted to win so that I could prove to everyone that the first fight wasn't just luck on my part. Other than that, I knew after the last fight with Jewel that she had a definite advantage when it came to wrestling and grappling, so I knew that I needed to improve in those areas leading up to this fight."

"Well, by the looks of it, you put in the time and improved those aspects."

"Thanks, Joe. I have Lucas, my new wrestling coach, to thank for that."

"What are your plans going forward? Is there someone you would like to fight next?"

"Joe, I really don't have any immediate plans for another fight, but…I would really like a shot at Cyborg. She seems to think that I don't belong in the UFC, and I would like the chance to prove to her and anyone else that still believes this that they are wrong."

"I think that can probably be arranged. I look forward to seeing you fight again."

"Actually, Joe, there is something else I would like to say before we wrap it up here." I turn to Clarke and take her hand in mine, "When I first saw you all those months ago at the Dragon's Den, the second thought that entered my mind was 'I'm in trouble!' Which came right after, 'Damn, that girl is gorgeous!' I tried to distance myself from you because you were dating Finn, and as much as I hated him, I wasn't going to be the one to get between the two of you. Then in the locker room after the fight at Mickey's, when you gave me that massage, all I wanted to do was kiss you, but I couldn't, so I made you leave. When we finally did kiss, well that kiss, changed my life forever. Everything I thought I wanted changed the instant our lips met. Now we are having twins, and I just can't wait any longer to ask you." I bend down on one knee and take out the box that holds the ring and open it before saying, "I know this isn't the epic proposal you wanted or deserve, but I promise to make it up to you with the wedding. I just can't wait. Clarke Griffin, my babies momma, will you…will you make me the happiest woman on earth and be my wife?"

Clarke doesn't answer right away, but tears run down her cheeks. I start rambling because that is what I do when I'm nervous. "Ya Amar, I know that all of this happened so fast, and people are going to question everything. Especially those who know about Ash and me, but to me, it doesn't matter what they say or how fast this happened. All that matters is that I love you, you love me, and we have two babies coming that we both love. I love you, Clarke Griffin, my baby momma. It doesn't matter if we'd dated one week, one year, or one time: the result would be the same. I love you, and I love these little lives you've created."

Clarke clears her throat and says, "Cielo, you mean that we've created. I love you too, but you're rambling a bit."

The crowd laughs. I smile at her, "Um…well, that's because you haven't answered my question, and that's what I do when I'm nervous. I ramble, you know that."

Clarke squats down so that she is looking me in the eyes and says, "Well…I don't know…why you think this isn't an epic proposal, but honestly, I would say yes no matter how you asked me. Of course, I will marry you!"

I slip the ring on her finger as we stand up together, then I pull her into a hug and kiss. The crowd erupts into cheers, and there are hugs all around. We eventually make it back to the locker room, where I'm checked over by Abby and then Dr. Hines before Dana comes in to congratulate me on the fight and the proposal.

He says, "I came to tell you that Cyborg has reached out to me about fighting you. She said anytime, anywhere."

"That's great! I can't wait to fight her after all that she said the other night. Just let me know when you have a date and place as long as it is before the end of the year. Our babies are due around January 22, but they will probably be early since they are twins. So, I won't be taking any fights after December."

"Understandable. I will get with Chris and let you know. Now, why don't you take all your friends down to the Iris bar? I have some tables reserved for you all. Drinks and food are on me tonight."

"Awesome, thanks, Dana."