Clarke sprung awake, unsure of where she was for the briefest moment. Eyes casting wildly around, she recognized the layout of Raven's room but not the furniture in it. She was still wondering why the room was more earthy woods than modern tone when a small groan snapped her attention to the other side of the bed. Clarke felt herself go very still as she strained to hear more, not sensing any cause for panic (aside from the fact that Raven had remodeled without telling her. And that there was now a fire escape out of Raven's window and oh. She was in Lexa's room). Forcing herself to breathe, Clarke edged toward a second groan and poked her head over the side of the bed.
Lexa was sprawled on the ground, her sleep shirt ridden up almost indecently, showing a hint of dark ink on her ribcage. Her arm was draped over her eyes, and a small pout was on her face. Clarke felt herself grinning as Lexa peeked up at her.
"Ok down there?" Lexa mock glared at her.
"You pushed me." Clarke tried to bite back a smile as what had happened between them the night before came rushing back. Hesitating only a moment, she slipped out of bed and down to hover over Lexa. She brought her lips to Lexa's elbow and kissed softly.
"Better?" Lexa blinked sleepily, and pointed to her lips.
"Hurts." Clarke smiled widely and leaned down, diverting to Lexa's cheek at the last moment. Lexa pouted harder as Clarke pulled back completely, standing up completely.
"Sorry, I am a firm believer in not subjecting people to my morning breath." She reached down and offered Lexa a hand up.
"The dirtier your mouth, the better, Clarke." Clarke just raised her eyebrow before ducking into the bathroom to brush her teeth. After she was finished, she came out to see Lexa snuggled back in the bed.
"Seriously though, I'm sorry for pushing you out of bed. I don't do well sleeping with other people." Clarke could see the indecision on Lexa's face about how to react to the statement. Lexa patted the space beside her.
"We will just have to work on that, then."
C.G.C.G.C.G
Clarke re-entered Raven's apartment a few hours later, slightly tousled and worked up. She made sure to close the front door loudly, but Wells was nowhere to be seen. Raven glanced up from reading her book on the couch at the noise.
"You look frustrated, Sarge. Willows not deliver?" It was a calculated statement, Clarke could tell. Raven was one to alternate between pushing and backing off. This was her pushing, but Clarke didn't mind this morning, and decided to throw Raven a bone.
"I would've, really. I just want it to mean something with her." Raven put down her book and indicated the space beside her.
"Sounds like you need some girl talk." Clarke flopped down and sighed heavily and thought about where to start. Raven shifted closer, but waited patiently for Clarke to begin.
"I just…I don't know the last time I felt like this about someone." Raven hummed, and Clarke looked at her. "Actually, is it crazy to say I've never felt like this about someone?"
"Not crazy," Raven murmured, pulling Clarke down to lay in her lap and began running her fingers through Clarke's hair. They were quiet for a minute before Raven spoke again, hesitantly. "When...let me know if it's okay to talk about this, ok?" Clarke nodded. "When I was reprimanded for my relationship," (Clarke only slightly winced at the thought of Finn) "you could've requested that we be separated because of it. Instead, do you remember what you told me?" Clarke swallowed. She did remember.
"Life is more about more than just surviving."
"Yeah. I've had some pretty harsh reality checks recently. I could've very easily shut out the world, gone through the motions. But I choose to experience life. I opened myself up to people, and that helped to heal my body and my soul. Your mother-" Clarke groaned. Raven tapped Clarke's forehead. "Shush. I know you aren't on the best of terms, Clarke, but your mother has done so much for me- she got me contacts with fantastic therapists. You know she has connections."
"Only you could plug my mother in a discussion about love." Raven's hand stilled in Clarke's hair.
"Oh, are we talking love here?" Clarke paused, and Raven went on, "...and we're going back to you using 'plug' and 'mother' in the same sentence at some point."
"Gross, Reyes. Could you maybe not?" Raven smirked down at her, and Clarke sat back up, becoming serious. "Is it too early to talk about love? I hardly know Lexa, and she...she doesn't make me forget, but she reminds me that there is so much more." Clarke jumped to her feet, starting to pace. "I've only known her for a few months! I don't even know what she does for work, or why she is gone so often. But I can't help but feel this pull and it drives me crazy, because I want to sleep with her in a million different ways and cook dinner with her and go for walks…" Clarke stopped, looking at Raven. "I want to do it all right, and my life has been so wrong for a while now." Raven twisted her face in thought.
"You deserve happiness, Clarke. You can go as fast or as slow as you want: every relationship is different, whether it be as romantic partners or platonic friends, or something in between. You should follow your gut feeling. I've known you long enough to know you have damn good judgement."
"Don't give me a big head, Reyes." A shit-eating grin.
"Wouldn't dream of it. Now, help me up, I've got PT in an hour and should maybe get ready to go." An odd desire struck Clarke.
"Do you think I could go with you?" Clarke saw Raven start in surprise (for one of many reasons: she didn't want to guess) before schooling her features and nodding.
Half an hour later, they exited the elevator to see Miller arguing with someone out of sight. Miller's posture was defensive and his tone was firm and had a tinge of anger.
"I can't give out that information, I'm sorry, Sir." Clarke came around the corner and stopped dead, as the now revealed second person stepped toward her, arms outstretched even as Miller came out from behind his desk to stand between them.
"Clarke." She felt a swell of several different emotions - dread, happiness, calm, panic - and didn't know what to say.
"Lincoln." Clarke was amazed that her voice came out so even. Raven was looking between the two of them: Lincoln had been transferred to Clarke's command after Raven had been sent home, so they didn't know each other. Clarke felt the other woman step a hair closer, and squeeze her elbow in silent question. Clarke relaxed minutely, and saw a tick of a smile on Lincoln's mouth, though he didn't move closer. She turned to Miller.
"Miller, Raven, this is Lincoln. He and I served together. I apologize if he pressured you in any way, but I promise his bark is worse than his bite." Miller relaxed as well, and a silence fell before being broken by Raven.
"Well, this is a nice reunion and all, but I have somewhere to be. Griff?" Clarke saw it for what it was (an out), but knew she had to at least acknowledge Lincoln. He had been trying to reach her for weeks, after all.
"I'm going with Raven to her PT." Lincoln sighed, shoulders slumping slightly. "But…" He looked up, "you can come with us to get there, if it's all right with her." Raven shrugged and pushed past him, waving at them both to follow. Clarke caught Miller's questioning glance and shot a grateful look at him as the three exited the building.
They were quiet on their way to the subway station. Clarke was thinking furiously until she asked, "Murphy told you where I was?"
"Yes." They reached the platform.
"What an ass."
"No one has heard from you in a while. We were worried."
"And you drew the short straw?" The train pulled up, and they got on. Lincoln shot a glance at Raven, and Clarke huffed. "You can say what you want in front of Reyes. She probably got a full report from my mother as soon as we shipped back."
"Your mother?"
"Now wait just a minute-" Two voices spoke at once, but Clarke held up a hand.
"Don't even try, Reyes. You know it's true." Raven looked like she was going to argue, but went with looking unapologetic. Clarke rolled her eyes, but was surprised to feel no resentment to her friend. "Lincoln, I'm fine. You can report back to everyone that I'm doing just fine." Lincoln frowned.
"We just care about you, Clarke. After you fell off the grid the first time, we worried. When you started your check-ins we all were so much more connected, but even Myles said he hadn't heard from you in a while, and we were worried."
"Myles?"
"Yeah, he's talking now." Clarke couldn't shut out the fact that she cared, no matter how she tried.
"How long has he…"
"Murphy told me that Myles spoke to him for the first time after you yelled at him over the phone." Clarke felt shame bubble up, felt Raven looking at her in confusion, felt Lincoln put his hand on her shoulder. "Stop that," he demanded, and Clarke was startled enough to look into his eyes. "Despite your...method, you were the one to get through to him. We are all grateful for that." Clarke hummed.
"Murphy and Atom reached out, they knew I was heading here."
"Well, you can report that I'm doing just fine when you get back."
"Clarke, I'm moving here, to the city." Clarke blinked and stumbled as the subway ground to a halt and Raven led them out toward the street again.
"Seriously?" Clarke couldn't help it: she didn't expect to feel such joy at the prospect of Lincoln being so close again, but she genuinely cared for him, and was excited to have him back in her life, even if was fairly sudden. Lincoln nodded, returning the grin as they awkwardly embraced on the escalator.
"If I didn't know you were into Lexa, Sarge, I'd draw a completely different conclusion from this sight in front of me." Raven had her eyebrow raised as Clarke pulled back, laughing as she swatted her friend.
"Lexa, huh?" He raised his eyebrow and he and Clarke soon fell into a familiar banter that kept on until they reached the building where Raven did PT. Lincoln did a double take a the sign.
"This is where my doctor suggested I go for my PT. Do you mind if I come in to scope out the place?"
"Not an issue, if you want to observe my session, you'll have to clear it with O. Same applies to you, Griff. No sketching without her ok." She led them into the building, and Lincoln turned to Clarke.
"Sketching?"
"I'm starting to do art again. I'm super rusty, and Raven is a nice subject." Raven turned to glare as they passed multiple offices before heading into a small waiting area.
"Nice is all you got? I changed my mind, I'm deeply insulted and you are never allowed to use my image again." Clarke rolled her eyes and pulled out her sketchbook anyway.
"Who is insulting you, Raven?" Came a new voice by the door. Clarke looked up to see the long-haired brunette, Octavia (she vaguely remembered her from their first ill-fated movie night) standing at the other end of the room.
"Raven's just being Raven. I'm Clarke, we've met before. I was hoping to do some sketches of Raven doing her movement exercises?" a small cough behind her, and Clarke turned to see a look on Lincoln's face she'd never seen before. "This is Lincoln. He was referred here and wondered if he could observe as well?" Clarke exchanged a look with Raven as Octavia and Lincoln looked at each other for the first time. They seemed enthralled, holding eye contact for much longer than socially acceptable.
"This is what being around you and Lexa is like. Has been since you met." Raven clapped her hands in front of Octavia's face, and Octavia blinked and focused on Raven, her neck turning pink. "Okay! I'm assuming you have no problem with them being in the room, so let's get this started. God knows this is going to be a totally unproductive session, so we may as well get over with." Clarke followed a spluttering Lincoln out of the room, patting his back.
"Don't worry, you get used to Raven."
