Chapter 12: Ash

After everyone left and we were alone, I just sat there staring at her. I didn't know what to say or think. I was trying to process all the information I had learned while also figuring out a plan.

Lexa cleared her throat and said, "Is this going to become a habit for you?"

"What?"

"Staring at me for no reason. It's unnerving."

"Sorry, I'm trying to process everything, and there are still some things we need to discuss but not now. Right now, Abby is right; you need to rest."

"Fine, but I would rest much better if you would get in bed with me."

"Wait, what? Why?"

"Because if you are in bed with me, I know where you are, and I know that you are safe; therefore, I can sleep and not worry about you."

"You do realize that I have survived almost 29 years by myself and that I can take care of myself, right?"

"Maybe, but now you don't have to. I've got your six."

"I know. You have proven that more than once. So, if the only way you are going to rest is for me to sleep with you, I guess I can make that sacrifice." I say and laugh as I crawl in the bed with her. I lay on my back. She curls up on her good side and lays her head on my chest. Almost immediately, she begins to snore.

About an hour later, Abby comes in to check on her. She looks surprised to see me in the bed with Lexa but doesn't say anything at first, but I can see the question on her face. I simply tell her that Lexa refused to sleep if I didn't get in bed with her. Abby just said that we would talk tomorrow that we both need to rest.

I guess I fell asleep finally because the next thing I know, Bellamy is bringing us breakfast. Bellamy makes some small talk about what his sister is up to while we eat. Lexa seems to be feeling better and is chatting nonstop with him. I decide to go find Abby and get our talk over with. I look at Lexa, tell her where I'm going, and then give her a kiss on the forehead before walking out.

It doesn't take me long to find Abby in her office. I knock and walk in, and take a seat. I'm not looking forward to this conversation because I know she will ask me questions that I just can't answer.

"Good morning, Griffin."

"Morning, Fletch. How is Lexa this morning?"

"She seems good to me. Right now, she is talking Bellamy's head off, but that isn't really what you want to ask me, is it?"

"You're right. It's not. What the hell is going on, Fletch? It isn't like you to get attached to anyone, especially someone you don't know, and you look pretty damn attached to that girl."

"I don't know what to tell you, Abby. I don't understand it either. Maybe it's just because she saved my life twice. I just don't know. There is just something about her that pulls me toward her that I can't explain. After seeing some of the things she can do and then hearing what she has been through, I have so many unanswered questions. But there is one thing I know for sure about her: I trust her completely, and that scares me. You know me, Abby, I don't trust people easily, but God help me, I trust her!"

"What do you mean by seeing what she can do? You mean like fighting and shooting?"

"Well, that is some of it, but she was able to do things that shouldn't be possible. I mean, she took that bullet for me like she said, but what she didn't tell you was that to do it, she had to take out a guy with a rocket launcher before he could shoot the van in front of us. She then stood up on the back of a moving ATV and timed her jump at precisely the right time, and was able to make sure the bullet hit her vest so that it wouldn't just go through her and still hit me. How is that even possible? Then she took the bullet and landed on her feet. The guy got the rocket off before she killed him, but it went wild and missed the van, but the explosion flipped the ATV and sent me flying into the air a good 15-20 feet from her. The next thing I know, she is catching me midair and again landing on her feet with me in her arms. She not only saved my life, but she also saved everyone in that van and probably kept me from breaking more than just my ankle by catching me."

Abby interrupts me, "You realize what you are saying sounds completely insane, right?"

"Yes, and if I hadn't been there, I wouldn't believe it either. That's not all though, somehow, Lexa also knew that land mine was going to go off in enough time to run, pick me up and take a good five steps before it exploded. We both should have been dead, Abby. Then she picks me up and sits me by the ATV and starts to treat my wounds without even realizing she had a huge piece of metal sticking out of her side, which she made me pull out by the way."

"Normally, I would say you are suffering from PTSD or hero syndrome or something. But the last time she was in the clinic, I took a DNA sample so that I could maybe find out about her parents or something since we didn't know that much about her. I just got the results back, and there are some strange abnormalities that I can't explain."

"What do you mean? Is she sick? She better not be dying?"

"No, no, nothing like that. She just has some strange gene mutations, which may be why she can do those things. I will need to run more tests to figure it out, though."

"Were you able to run her through the system and find out who her parents are?"

"No, after I got the results of the DNA test, I didn't think it would be a good idea until I had more facts. In fact, I should go and see how she is doing."

"Wait, Abby, should we tell her about this? I don't want to keep things from her."

"Wow, she has really gotten to you, hasn't she? I will explain it to her if you want me to tell her."

"Thanks, Abby," I think it would be best to tell her. When we get to her room, I need to talk to Bellamy, giving you time to explain it to her. "I will be right outside, though, if she needs me."

With that out of the way, we head back to Lexa's room. When we get there, she and Bellamy are laughing so hard I'm afraid she will bust her stitches. I look at Abby and see the worry in her face, but it doesn't seem to bother Lexa. She isn't even holding her side.

I ask, "What's so funny?"

Lexa looks at me and laughs even harder before saying, "Nothing."

"Sure, doesn't look like nothing. Bellamy?"

He says, "Sorry, Fletch, just telling Lexa some stories about our time in boot camp together."

"Shit, babe, don't believe anything he says." Of course, they begin to laugh even harder. "Bellamy, can I talk to you in the hallway while Abby examines the patient, please."

Lexa says, "Ash, don't be mad at him. I made him tell me the stories. He didn't want to because he is afraid of you."

I can't help laughing at that, especially when he says you promised you wouldn't tell her that. "I am not mad; I just need to discuss what's next in the plan that we haven't really made yet." Everyone laughs at this. It feels good to see her laugh.