AN: As always, enjoy, and sorry in advance for any mistakes/typos.


Clarke spotted Lexa's car as soon as she walked through the glass doors and hurried out to meet her. Much to her surprise, Lexa walked around the car and opened the trunk door for her. Which was always a hit or miss due to the rush of the airport traffic patrols.

"Chivalry isn't dead." Clarke smiled as she approached her. They shared a soft kiss before Lexa took the suitcase and settled it in.

"I'm hurt that you would think it was." Lexa knitted her brows. "Have I ever given you reason to question that?" She challenged with a grin.

"Well..." Clarke paused. "I don't see a bouquet of Lexa selfie cutouts, so..." She shrugged as if she was really contemplating answering 'yes' to her girlfriend.

Lexa laughed. "Ah." She pointed up as if the thought just came to her. "Get in the car, Clarke." She laughed.

The blonde smiled widely as soon as she sat in the passenger seat. A beautiful bouquet of roses rested on the dash, a single Lexa selfie was printed and added to the flowers. "OK, Chivalry is definitely not dead."

A victorious smile broke out on Lexa's face as she began to navigate them out of the airport and to the nearest freeway. "Those are 'i'm-happy-you're-home-I-missed-you-very-much-congrats-on-selling-your-house' flowers. Hope you like them." She winked.

"I do." Clarke responded quickly as she caressed a petal. "Thank you, Lexa."

"I really am more than happy to have you back." Lexa spared a sideways glace at the blonde. "This last month was crazy. I'm looking forward to some downtime."

The blonde nodded. "Same, but I doubt Indra is going to let me take any more time off." She smiled apologetically.

Lexa rolled her eyes playfully. "Fine." She relented. "Dinner and a movie?"

Clarke smiled. "Please."

When they arrived at the restaurant, Clarke smiled nervously at Lexa. "I'm hardly dressed for this, and I have five hours of airplane cabin air on me."

Lexa waved her off. "My connections gave us a private table where nobody's going to look at us. And for the record, you look beautiful, and smell great. Surprisingly." She added the last bit to tease her girl.

"God, sometimes you're incorrigible."

"Let's go, Virginia. I'm starving, and I think peanuts and a soda are barely considered sustenance."

Lexa's contact at the restaurant came through with the private and secluded table near the corner of the place. It was nice and quiet, and the couple was all smiles as they recalled their second date while they ate. "I'm glad we based this on both of us liking ice cream rather than the pizza." Lexa commented before taking a bite of her gourmet burger.

"Pizza's great." Clarke deadpanned and enjoyed the slice she nearly scarfed down. "Especially here." She added. "Tell me you're taking me to the park."

Lexa scrunched her face in thought. "Movies Under the Stars?" She thought back to the same night where they ended up at a park and watched The Breakfast Club from a park bench. Clarke nodded. "I hadn't thought about it. I was thinking standard movie theater with recliner seats and stale popcorn." She confessed. Clarke pouted. "Let's do it! We'll see what movie is playing tonight."

When they got to the park, they were pleased to see the blow-up screen already showing the latest installment of Pitch Perfect.

"Not my favorite." Clarke shrugged. "But at least we're dressed to sit on the lawn this time." She took Lexa's hand eagerly in hers as she guided them closer to the huddled masses.


Clarke moved quickly from behind the bar to switch out empty glasses and beer bottles for cold fresh batches of chosen poisons for the patrons. Another busy night meant many more thirsty customers, and generous tips, so she was happy to bust her ass for it.

"Look what the cat dragged in." One of the waiters poked her side before biting his fist playfully.

Of course it was Lexa. Her gorgeous looking brunette in her now customary Bette Porter ensemble, strode in confident as ever. Even the gay guys couldn't look away. "Eyes off my girl, Sam." She joked.

He mock surrendered before sauntering away, leaving her an open path to casually stroll towards the object of her affection.

"Hey, you." She whispered near her ear before batting her eyelashes flirtatiously at her. "Be right back."

"Hi, yourself." Lexa grinned at the blonde before looking for an empty stool. "Busy night." She mouthed over the counter at the bartender that had replaced her. "High West, please." He complied with a smile.

When Clarke returned with an empty tray, she flirted some more with her girlfriend from behind the bar. "You look...dazzling." She smiled wide. "How was work?"

"You really know how to stroke my ego." She paused to sip her whiskey. "Good. Bill wanted to meet here tonight- not sure why. Have you seen him?"

Clarke's nose wrinkled in thought. "No, not tonight. Not yet anyway." She loaded the dishwasher before returning. "Has Indra shared the news with you?" Lexa looked back at her curiously hinting at her ignorance on the matter. "The joint up the street is closing up shop." She nodded after Lexa's eyes widened in surprise. "For some reason Indra was still worried about them, unjustifiably so, look at this place, but when she saw the building up for sale, she seemed to breathe a sigh of relief."

"Wow." Lexa shook her head and drank again. "That's too bad, you never really want to see someone's business fail."

"But it's an eat or be eaten world." A male's voice sounded off behind her and Clarke smiled politely.

"Bill." Clarke waved off the bartender that was moving towards her end of the counter. "What can I serve you? Please don't say a martini."

The man shook his head and smiled back at her. "I'll have what Lexa's having." He shook the brunette's hand before turning towards the stage for a few moments. "I have a friend I want you to meet, Lexa." He savored his drink before pointing towards a cocktail table. "Do you have a minute?"

Lexa nodded and finished off her tumbler. Her girlfriend eyeing her curiously but offering an encouraging smile and a fresh serving of rye whiskey before seeing her off.

It was bizarre for Lexa to be sitting and drinking while the show went on in front of them. Not long ago she was running everything behind the curtains, or expertly putting together drinks. The difference was almost uncomfortable, but she ignored the nostalgia that came with it and smiled up at her friends with a drink in her hand.

During intermission, the casual silence was interrupted by Bill. "So, now that we can talk business without missing the show, let's get started."

Lexa knitted her brows in confusion.

Sensing the uneasiness coming from the brunette, the brunette across from her smiled in introduction. "Laura Parrilla." She extended her hand towards the younger girl, which Lexa accepted. "I'm a huge fan, Lexa."

"Thank you." Lexa almost meant to say it as a question but thought better of it. "You've read my book?"

The woman nodded. "Lovely yet tragic. I have to say I hadn't cried over a book like that in a long while." She paused to sip her wine. "However, I was more captivated by what you did here." She gestured towards the stage. "Your show has reached an audience I'm sure you never even intended to."

"Hollywood?"

Laura nodded again. "Bill's doing. He couldn't shut up about it, and a few heads have wandered in here incognito to see it for themselves. Your play on the sexy burlesque and theater is amazing. Have you ever considered Broadway?"

"No." Lexa shook her head. "Cinema is where I want to be, and I'm afraid the songs are not mine to take credit for. If it weren't for my partner Lincoln, I would have nothing in that department." She smiled.

The brunette shook her head to dismiss Lexa's humble response. "Regardless, what you've done here, it can become huge. I can help you make this a classic."

Bill grinned at Lexa when she searched his expression for a clue about where this was headed. She got nothing but another grin.

"What did you have in mind, Laura?" Lexa questioned.

Another quick sip of wine and she smiled before continuing. "I want to write a screenplay about this." She sat back in her chair and challenged the brunette to accept it and run with her vision.

Lexa was stunned. A screenplay about her little exotic play? About Indra's lifelong commitment and business? She could hardly believe it.

"How do I fit in to this? Is there an audience big enough to do that?" The brunette had many more questions, but she fired off the ones that begged to be asked.

The woman nodded and looked at Bill. "You will be co-writer. No offense, but I think you're wasting your talent with reading other people's scripts." She smiled at her and playfully glared at the man sitting with them. "Bill will produce and direct- now that his project is done, he's itching to get back out there. This is going to be a hit, I assure you."

Ok, the word stunned perhaps did little to truly convey how Lexa felt after hearing Laura's proposition. Her world was on the brink of a huge transformation again, in such a short time, that she felt it had to be dream. A joke even.

This was the opportunity of a lifetime.

Sure, questions and doubts circled around in her head, and she knew everything could potentially tank, but this was her steppingstone, her way in, and someone was willingly offering it to her. It would be foolish to pass up something as significant as this.

"You in?" Bill asked over his tumbler, a glint in his eye that Lexa had come to understand was a motivational challenge.

The lights dimmed and the music began to come alive again.

"Count me in." Lexa grinned before shaking both of their hands gratefully.


By now, everyone was very well informed on the impending doom of their competitor across the street.

Chatter made its way around Tassels shortly after Indra found out, and it quickly became the topic of conversation at Polis Billiards.

Even as pairs squared off against each other, the usual loser buys next pitcher bet on the table, the words made their way across the green felt.

"How does it feel to know you single handedly put a strip club out of business, Lexa?" Octavia grinned as she took aim and let the stick do her work.

Three sets of eyes rolled at her concomitantly, and she shot teasing daggers at her boyfriend for his betrayal.

"One could argue that it was the sway of your hips in those skimpy costumes, my dear Octavia." Lexa rebutted, taking her shot expertly, sinking another solid. Two left, and the eight ball was theirs. She smiled at her girl.

She caught the blonde grinning widely at her, but she couldn't be certain if it was because she was quickly sealing the deal on the game, or because her comeback to Octavia's taunt had the younger brunette opening and closing her mouth like a fish out of water.

Clarke wanted in on the fun. "What do you think, Linc? Was it the one with the cleavage? Or the one the lace just above her-"

"They...were all...very nice." The man stammered before shaking his head at the blonde.

Lexa pointed at him as she threw a victorious glance at Octavia. "Same reaction everybody else had." She winked.

Octavia gave in with a defeated grumbling of curse words and smiles from her three companions.

In the end, Clarke and Lexa chose the pitcher of Stella Artois, and Octavia and Lincoln challenged a pair that would offer them better chances at winning. Suckers.

The pair sat in the corner, sipping their beers, while they looked out at the room. Their friends laughed and played, basking in the jovial atmosphere of the place. It was exactly what they all craved at the end of a long week.

After a few minutes of people watching, Clarke cleared her throat and wiggled closer to the brunette next to her. Lexa looked at her with curiosity, waiting for what seemed to be important to come out of the girl's mouth. "I've been thinking about buying the old strip club." She deadpanned.

The newly divulged information took Lexa by surprise, and her wide eyes showcased it for the blonde. "Is there something you're not telling me? Are you planning on switching careers?" She teased with her playful smirk.

"Funny." Clarke rolled her eyes. "No, I've been thinking about the long term, and what I want from my art."

Lexa encouraged the girl to continue with a nod. "You know I want to open my own gallery, and I want to ask Frankie to partner with me so we can get students' artwork displayed there. Maybe hire a teacher to help Frankie offload students to me."

"Wow." Lexa smiled with pride at her girlfriend. "That sounds like a great idea, Clarke."

"Really?"

"Of course." Lexa nodded with a worried expression. "Did you doubt I would agree?"

Clarke shrugged, a small guilty smile on her face. "I'm not sure. It's a huge step."

"Yes, it is, but I have no doubt in my mind that you will make it work. Besides, I have my own selfish reasons to go along with this plan."

"What?"

Lexa sipped her beer and shrugged. "I've been thinking about investing some money, and this seems like the perfect opportunity." She smiled. "If you're alright with it, I would like to offer part of the down payment."

The blonde shook her head and swallowed the lump in her throat. Lexa couldn't be sure because of the lighting, but she could swear she saw the girl's eyes redden and glisten with tears. "Really? I mean, I can't accept that." She shook her head adamantly. "You have your own goals to accomplish, and you've just been offered the biggest project of your life, I don't want to take anything away from that. Time or otherwise."

"We can accomplish our goals together, and this is merely a monetary investment. All ideas, all execution, that's all you, Ms. Griffin." Lexa shrugged nonchalantly but offered her girl a loving smile. "I would be honored to help you with this, Virginia. Let me. I promise to let you do the same for me when the time comes." She reached for her hand and squeezed it.

She was unbelievable. How did she get so lucky? "I love you." Clarke replied before moving forward to capture the brunette's lips.

"Ditto." Lexa smiled into another kiss.

Clarke pulled away and furrowed her brows at the brunette. "Hey, who's getting cast to play Indra?" It came from left field, and Lexa could do nothing more but laugh.


Lexa knew she should check in with her sister more often. The times she didn't, this exact thing happened. Rambling was Anya's favorite thing to do, all motherly like in fact, to somehow lecture the younger Silva about family and communication.

It was annoying, but they both knew it was mostly playful banter among sisters.

Still, the brunette couldn't help but roll her eyes and grunt before exhaling an exasperated sigh. The elongated phone call now moving from lecture to gossip and updates.

"Are you done?" Lexa closed her eyes and thew her head back on the couch. Anya was far from done, though, as she kept going on, this time about Raven. "Thrilling." Lexa interjected with another eye roll. "Wait, what?" She sat up in a hurry, which Clarke did not miss from the kitchen as she made pasta for a night in.

"Damn it, Lex." Anya huffed. "You're spacing out and not even listening. This is a big deal." She argued. "I wanted you to be excited, but I think I've lost you."

The brunette shook her head despite her sister not being able to see her response. "No, I am, excited." She swallowed the guilt that did manage to creep up on her. "I'm just shocked. Did you say you're moving back to L.A.?" She twisted her body around to gauge the blonde's reaction, which she caught just in time. The girl mouthed a 'Whhhaaaat?!' while she held a ladle in her hand. She added a quick shrug, and Lexa nodded, knowing what she was asking. "Why? I mean, what brings you down here again? Is your job relocating?"

Anya exhaled loudly. "Idiot, you missed the part where I mentioned Raven asked me to move in with her."

Lexa fell back on to the couch and laughed out loud. "You're moving in with Raven?" She finally let out in between her bout. A wide-eyed Clarke launched herself on the sofa to sit as close as possible with an ear to the phone. "Look who's a sucker for love now, elder Silva." She teased.

Clarke could hear, she swore she could hear Anya roll her eyes back at her sister. "Shut up." She paused. "You're still the bigger love-sick fool." She added, but Lexa was unphased as Clarke blew her a playful kiss and winked. Afterall, there was nothing wrong with letting yourself fall. Not anymore anyway.

"Wow." Lexa laughed softly. "This development trumps my reason for calling you in the first place. Thanks for letting me talk, by the way." She forgot she had yet to break the news to her sister, having only added to the mainly one-sided conversation a few moments ago. "I mean getting a writing gig for a movie about Tassels hardly competes with my older sister shacking up with my much younger friend."

"Jerk." They audibly mouthed over each other.

A brief moment of silence later, Anya sighed. "Damn. I feel like a jerk, Lex. Tell me everything!" The guilt was short-lived as she asked too many questions.

Clarke smiled at Lexa before kissing her cheek and disappearing back into the kitchen.

TBC...

Wow! Can you believe it? So many changes, good ones. I think everyone was long overdue for some happy breaks and long-term commitments, eh? Lexa is finally getting her chance to write for a movie. A movie about Tassels no less! How exciting. BTW, did you guys catch the OUAT Easter Egg I threw out there? So, who should be cast as Indra? ;)