A/N: I really wanted weekly updates for this story but I'm really having a hard time writing right now. So I promise to try at least every 2 weeks. I like to have a couple of extra chapters ready so I have leeway, however I am using one of them today and don't know if I'll get another chapter written. My mom and I have different days off which works because then I have the quiet I need to write, but she ALWAYS manages to 'not feel good' on my days off and she's freaking noisy! Makes it hard to write.

So enough with my rant (sorry it's just annoying and I needed to vent). One with the chapter.

Chapter 9

The next few days flew by quickly with everything that was going on. Dr. Green and the hospital were trying to figure out if it would be possible to release Abby later in the week. Although the surgery she'd had wasn't extensive, they were worried about her current limitations and if she would need to be monitored because of them. Still they wanted her to be home where she'd recover faster and of course to attend her husband's funeral when the time came.

Clarke had dragged her mother's laptop back and forth between the hospital and home so that while she was there, she could make decisions with her mother regarding the funeral. On Tuesday Jake Griffin had been released back to his family and they had him taken to the mortuary that they had picked out. The funeral was set for the following Saturday.

Derek had come in on Monday and spent most of his time running the errands. He was more than willing to handle anything that couldn't be done by phone or computer, so Abby and Clarke happily handled those tasks off to him. It seemed to work out better for all of them because Clarke didn't want to leave her family and Derek didn't like feeling useless.

The night of his arrival he had greeted Lexa with a giant hug that lifted her off the floor. He, too, had expressed his gratitude that she was there standing beside his niece during this tragedy. The two had started a tentative friendship as the group spent the hours before bed together, hanging around the house.

Of course, the person that was happiest to see him was Avery. She had jumped on his back and begged to be carried around the house as soon as he walked in the door. Her youth didn't allow her to associate him with Jake the way her mother and grandmother did. It was hard for them to see him alone, without his best friend.

"Your uncle sure is something else," Lexa smiled as her and Clarke got ready for bed late on Wednesday night. The four of them had spent the night playing games and just acting goofy after dinner. It was a much-needed break from what was going on in their lives.

"Yes, well he was a very pretty princess," Clarke smirked. Avery had convinced him to put on one of his sister's dresses, although it didn't seem he needed much convincing.

It was never really talked about in their family, because Derek kept so much of his romantic life a secret, but Clarke had known for a long time that her uncle was gay. It was one of the reason's she related to him so well. She also had a feeling that when he was younger he'd had his heart not only broke, but shatter and that was why he'd never found anyone else.

"He was, indeed," Lexa agreed. "Avery has him wrapped around her finger, doesn't she?"

Clarke climbed into her side of the bed, while her very beautiful girlfriend took off her shirt and bra before slipping on a tank top. The quick glimpse still managed to make her heart race. Still she knew they wouldn't be doing anything that night, just like they hadn't the nights before, because her heart wouldn't truly be in it and she wouldn't do that to Lexa.

"She seems to have that effect on people. Even a young badass cop isn't immune," she teased.

Lexa gave her a glare. "Hey, now! I'm not wrapped around her finger."

"Oh, so I didn't see you sneaking her extra dessert."

"She gave me those puppy dog eyes. You know the same ones you use on me all the time. What was I supposed to do?" Lexa argued. She couldn't help it, not when Avery looked at her with those blue eyes that were so like her mother's. It was almost maddening how easily she caved.

"Mmm hmm. And so, it wasn't you that told her she could read one more chapter before she had to go to sleep, after I told her to put the book away."

Well in her defense she hadn't known that Clarke had already told her to go to bed. The little midget had conned her with her 'pretty pleases.' Okay so maybe Lexa had become wrapped around the little blonde's finger as well. But could you really blame her. Avery was a miniature version of the woman she knew was the love of her life.

"I didn't know you already told her to go to bed," she defended.

"I know. I'll talk to her about it tomorrow. Make sure she knows from now on you and I are a team and she can't pit us against each other."

With Lexa now in bed beside her, Clarke scooted closer and wrapped herself around her girlfriend. The other woman didn't hesitate to do the same so that they could claim the comfort that came from being with each other and falling asleep in each other's arms.

It was only after Lexa's breathing had evened out and Clarke realized she was asleep that she went back over their conversation in her mind. What they had both failed to notice at the time was how their conversation was very much like the two were both Avery's parents. She fell asleep with a small smile at the thought. She wouldn't mind sharing children, any children with Lexa.

~CL~

Thursday morning brought its own challenges as they prepared to bring Abby home from the hospital. She would need a lot more physical therapy before she could even attempt to use a walker, so she would be in a wheelchair for the foreseeable future. This meant that at least for the time being, she would be using the only guest bedroom that was on the main floor. Luckily it was fairly large and it would be easy for her to get around in the chair. It also came with its own en-suite bathroom.

A part of Abby was happy about this because at least she wouldn't be assaulted with the memories that resided in the room she had shared with her husband. Another part of her just wanted to be near anything that reminded her of him.

Clarke and Lexa had spent several hours the day before moving anything they thought her mom might want downstairs. They had sorted through her clothes to find things that would be easy to take on and off in her limited movement. They'd also brought down her bedding and all of her toiletries. They had tried to set up the bathroom as best as they could so her mother could be as independent as possible.

Clarke had also hired a guy to come in and make some changes to the bathroom like adding a bench and a lower shower head. In the meantime, a stool had been purchased and placed in there.

In her head, she wondered if they would need to make some other more permanent changes to the house so that her mother would have more access to things, but she'd hold off on any major changes until they were further along in her recovery and could better assess what she would and wouldn't be able to do on her own.

Each time she looked at Lexa, she wondered if the other woman realized that Clarke's life was now permanently changed. If she knew that Clarke would not be going back to D.C., at least any time soon. Maybe never. She didn't dare bring it up though. The pain in her heart was already too much to bare at times. She wasn't sure she was emotionally ready to have that conversation. She was also scared of what Lexa might say.

"Mom, when are we going to go pick up grandma?" Avery asked when she found Clarke sitting in the living room.

Clarke groaned, because now she gets to disappoint another female in her life. "Uncle Derek and I will be leaving here soon to go get her, but you will be staying here with Lexa."

"No, I want to go!" Avery yelled, surprising Clarke.

Avery had always been a mellow child, so unlike Clarke. It was one thing Clarke knew she got from her father. Tom had always been real mellow and quiet, very go with the flow. She wasn't sure if Avery was just reacting to everything going on, or if it was because she was getting older, she can't say she likes this change though.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, not this time," she calmly responded in hopes that Avery wouldn't get more upset.

"Why not. I got to go visit her. How is this different?"

Clarke put her head in her hands and sighed. She didn't want to argue with her daughter, but she would not be taking her to the hospital this time. Avery didn't need to know that her grandmother was already going to feel awkward as it is with friends and colleagues having to see her pushed through the hospital in a wheelchair. How she was going to hate having to be helped into the car and later out of it. She knew this was going to be hard for her mother and none of them wanted Avery to be around for that.

Clarke wished Lexa would at least be there with her through it, but she knew her girlfriend was right when she said she should probably stay home with Avery. The situation was already going to be intimate and Abby didn't need Lexa there to see it. They had hoped that with Lexa staying, it would be easier on Avery as well, but apparently that was not the case.

"It just is."

"Well I'm going. I want to see grandma."

"No, you are staying here," Clarke told her again, this time with a little more force.

"You're not my boss!" Avery yelled. The little girl even went so far as to stomp her foot on the hardwood floor.

Clarke flinched at those words. It was true she'd never really been a forceful parent, leaving that to her parents, but still it hurt to hear it from her daughter. Apparently, they were both going to have to get used to a new dynamic between them.

She stood up and walked over to her daughter. She knelt down in front of her so that they were eye level. "I am your mother and what I say goes. You are not going, and that's final." Clarke had never felt more like her mother than in that moment. She wasn't sure she liked it, but Avery had to realize who was in charge.

"I hate you," Avery screamed before stomping up the stairs to her room and slamming the door.

Lexa heard the shouting and quickly went to her girlfriend. She found Clarke just standing there with her mouth open and tears running down her face. She wrapped her arms around the other girl and held on tight. "Are you okay?"

"No, I'm really not. We've never fought before. I have never seen her act that way before. She hates me," Clarke sniveled. She had always thought she had the best relationship with her kid, but now she wasn't so sure. Maybe she should have just stayed out of Avery's life all together.

"She doesn't hate you," Lexa soothed. "She's just a kid who is grieving right now and doesn't know how to process her emotions. She loves you."

"It really doesn't feel like it right now."

"Look, go pick up your mom. I'm sure once her grandmother's home she'll be back to her old self. She just needs some time."

Clarke nodded as she wiped the tears from her face. "I hope you're right."

Lexa gave her that smirk that always made her heart melt. "I'm always right."

"If I didn't love you so much," Clarke groaned. "Okay, I'll grab Derek and we'll go. Thank you," she finished with a quick kiss on Lexa's lips. "Love you."

"Love you, too."

Once Derek and Clarke were gone, Lexa headed up the stairs and knocked on Avery's door.

"Go away! I don't want to talk."

"That's too bad. I guess I'll have to eat these cookies all by myself," Lexa called through the door. She could hear small feet moving towards the door and wasn't surprised when Avery cracked it open just enough to see if Lexa really had cookies. "Can I come in or what?"

Avery grunted but threw open the door. She didn't ask for one though and instead stomped back over to her bed threw herself on top of it. She was smart enough to know that those cookies came with a price.

"Want to talk about it?" Lexa asked as she held the softest of snickerdoodles out to Avery. The girl was seriously addicted to those things.

"Not really," but she took the cookie anyway and took a bite.

"Alright, we'll just sit here then."

"I yelled at my mom," Avery finally admitted when the silence became too much. "I didn't mean to, but she made me so mad."

"Why did you get so mad?" Lexa asked, hoping to get the girl talking. If she could get her to open up, maybe they could work through her emotions a little bit.

"She wouldn't let me go with them."

"Why did that make you so mad? They are bringing her home, so you'll still get to see her in just a little while," she pointed out, hoping that Avery would see her point.

Avery nodded when she realized what Lexa was saying. She wasn't being kept from her grandma, she'd get to see her soon, but a part of her was mad that she'd been left out. "But they left me behind."

Lexa wrapped her arms around the girl and pulled her so that she rested her head on her shoulder. "I didn't go with them either. I stayed so you and I could wait for them together. Your mom and I thought you'd like that better than being with Mrs. Kane."

"Why couldn't I go though?"

Lexa knew what Clarke hadn't told Avery, that her grandmother would be dealing with her own emotions, but maybe she needed to know a little bit so that she could understand. "What your grandmother went through, it's a lot for her to handle. She's going to have a hard time with her own feelings, just like you did today with your anger. To many people around can sometimes make that worse."

"I'd make her feel bad?"

Lexa sighed. She wasn't very good at this parenting thing. "No, honey. That's not what I'm saying. Your grandma loves you and she loves being with you, but sometimes you need space so that you can process things better. Just like when you came up to your room to get away. Your grandma can't do that though, so she needs the people around her to help her out."

Avery kind of understood what Lexa was saying. Her grandma couldn't walk away from what was upsetting her, so she needed other people to walk away so she could get herself together. At least that's what she thought Lexa was saying.

"Look, your grandma is going to need a lot of helping doing things she's used to doing herself. It's going to take some getting used to and it's not going to be easy for her. She needs us to be there for her when she needs it, but to also know when she needs to do things on her own. So, we're all going to need to be there for her."

"I get it. At least I think I do."

"I'm sure you do. You're a smart kid." Lexa ran her hands through the blonde locks, messing them up just a little bit. "You're so much like your mom."

"She's going to be so mad at me."

"She's not mad at you. She's hurt though. You probably need to talk to her when she gets home."

"I will, I promise. I don't really hate her, you know."

Lexa smiled. "I know that, and she does too. But it still hurts to hear that."

"Maybe I should write her a letter, give it to her when she comes back. She loves it when I write things for her."

"I'm sure she'd love that." In fact, Lexa knew that Clarke would cherish that letter for the rest of her life. When she realized that Avery was going to do exactly that, she left the room to give the girl some privacy.

Avery sat down at her desk and opened up her notebook to a blank page and go straight to work. She needed to make it up to her mom. She just needed to find the right words to show her mom that she still loved her.

Her tiny little brain went back in time, remember the times her mom would come home and how much fun they had. She remembered visiting her at her apartment over the summer sometimes and how they'd make blanket forts in the living room and just stay there as long as Avery wanted to.

She knew she had the best mom in the entire world. She wasn't just her mom either, she was her very best friend. As soon as her pen hit the paper, she knew exactly what she wanted to write.