AN: The penultimate chapter to this story of mine. I am as excited as I am sad. I don't want it to end. Please do enjoy. And like always, I apologize for any mistakes.


"Shit, Clarke. This place needs tons of work. You sure you want to open in a month?" The brunette gawked at the empty space. The walls needed fresh paint, maybe a nice neutral color that didn't scream strip joint, and the flooring had to be replaced for sure. It was not a terrible fix, but it would take some time.

Thankfully, the sellers had removed the stage and dancing poles before they placed the building on the market. That was one less item on their list of building improvement projects.

The girl on the receiving end of the comment smirked as she walked up behind her friend. "That's why I called you." She handed her a bucket and a brush. "You wanted to help decorate right?" She was gone with a wink, and bucket of paint swinging at her side as well. They were in for a long day.

By the time Raven's stomach started to beg for food, they had finished priming the walls, which was a great feat, but the brunette shook her head dejectedly. An idea suddenly materialized, and she put her fingers in to action.

Loud banging echoed in the mostly empty space, and Clarke furrowed her brows together in thought. She wasn't expecting any deliveries or visitors, so she made her way to the main entrance to see who could be making all that noise.

She missed Raven's sly grin as she walked right by her.

Her face lit up when she opened the door.

There, standing just outside her new building, were all her friends and co-workers- her family.

"What are you guys doing here?" She smiled widely at them all.

Bellamy held up a plastic bag from some home improvement store. "We heard you might need some help."

Clarke shook her head in disbelief before twisting her gaze to the girl behind her who feigned disinterest and continued to move her paint roller over the same spot.

"But first, lunch?" She heard her voice before she saw her approach from behind the group. The blonde smiled and managed to hold it together when her girlfriend held bags from their diner to her face. What she really wanted to do was jump up, hug her tightly, and kiss her senseless.

"Lexa!" She smiled and settled for a tight hug, ignoring the smell of deliciously fried onion rings. Possibly for the first time ever. It was a shock to both her and the brunette.

"Hey." Lexa replied and hugged her as best as she could considering her hands were currently occupied. "Are you going to let us come in or not?" She teased and earned small chuckles from the group.

"So?" Raven directed the non-specific question at the girl that paid special attention to the borders as she moved her brush swiftly along their edges.

"What?" Lexa responded, but never looked up.

The other girl huffed. "You're going to be able to be here for the opening right? You're not ditching your girl, right?" She stared her down as she waited for her answer.

Lexa stopped painting and stood. "My schedule is going to be crazy starting...yesterday." She deadpanned. "Filming started, and I've been asked to be on set. I haven't seen my girl in two weeks."

"I know." Raven rolled her eyes playfully.

Lexa nodded. "And no, I will not ditch Clarke." She shook her head and spared a quick glance at the blonde that currently evaded a brush of paint to the face from Octavia. "I wouldn't miss it for anything." She smiled widely at her friend. "I'm touched that you would be willing to murder me if I had said yes." She teased.

"I happened to be Clarke's first friend here. Don't forget that." She pointed her own brush menacingly at the girl. "I didn't get in her pants, but I love that girl."

"I know." Lexa nodded. "We all do." She smiled with pride at their Tassels crew. They fought like any other family, sure, but when the occasion called for it, everyone managed to pull it together for each other.


"When are you going to tell your mom that you're not so sure medicine is where you want to end up?" Finn asked as they sat nestled close together on the green patch of lawn. It was not private, hardly quiet, but even surrounded by the hundreds of students, they held each other's full attention.

Clarke had made the trip to him this time around and had surprised the boy with lunch after one of his classes. Work and school had become taxing on the girl, and she really needed her boyfriend to unwind and vent with.

Plus, she missed him as much as he said he missed her in every single good night text. It was time for their next face to face.

Clarke smiled at the thought before recalling his very serious and anxiety-inducing question.

She shook her head and shrugged. "I don't know." She sighed heavily. "Medicine is the smart choice. The money is there. It's a good career. I would be foolish to think otherwise." She paused to play with one of his hands. "Besides, I like helping people. That's always rewarding."

"Sure." He nodded in response. "But can you see yourself being a doctor for the next forty years?"

Clarke was silent. Her thoughts ran wild as she fought off images of her future. None of which really had her in a pristine and sterile white coat and graying hair. The truth was, every day that went by made her tip toe closer to uncertainty and a blurry future. She wanted to follow in her mother's footsteps, and she wanted to make her proud, but when she pictured herself old and gray, she was almost always walking around a new city, carrying around her favorite tools- her paint brushes.

Neither of her parents was particularly artsy. Her dad came the closest to it, being an engineer did command a certain level of imaginative creation, but that hardly compared to what Clarke could do. She was sure she would never figure out how it happened, but art ran deep in her veins, and it pained her to think that she would never truly take it on as a career.

"No." She finally responded albeit solemnly. "But that hardly changes anything."

"Clarke..." Finn cautioned a warning, but she interrupted him before he could continue.

"I have to go through with this. I can do it. It has to be this way." She smiled up at him, but the expression didn't quite convey the certainty her words did. It was there for him, but it did little for her. How could she be happy when she was destined to do something she didn't love. Or not do what she did?

The dark-haired boy nodded back with a sad smile of his own before he hugged her closer to his side and tried his hardest to offer up some of his support.

"Maybe someday you can take up art as a hobby." He supplied.

Clarke stayed quiet as she continued to flip through images of her future.

God, she wanted so much out of her life, and most of it seemed too out of reach.

"Yeah, that sounds nice."

Clarke sat across from Frankie as they thumbed through files of recent student applicants. With the upcoming season approaching, Frankie was anxious to approve all of them, but knew she could only take so many on. This was the perfect opportunity to pick and choose which ones were best suited for her curriculum and which ones would fit best with Clarke's newly hired instructor.

A sudden feeling of satisfaction washed over the blonde as she added another file to her growing pile. While it was somewhat nerve-wrecking, deciding someone's immediate future for them, it was also very pleasing to know she would have a hand in helping people take the initial leap into what would hopefully become their very fulfilling careers.

She smiled to herself before letting out a quiet sigh.

"Alright." Frankie sat back in the chair as she placed the last file on a stack. "That's it for my bunch. Ready for the hard part?"

Clarke worried her lip as she attempted to discern what could be more difficult than placing students in their most thriving environments based on applications. She shrugged silently in response.

"Rejection letters." Frankie answered nonchalantly.

"But we're not rejecting anyone." Clarke studied the piles with a concerned expression and made sure to check the labels on the trays. 'The Ark' and 'CURE'. Neither of which announced, 'sorry you didn't get accepted'.

Frankie grinned. "Sure, we are." She clapped her hands together as she opened her laptop on her knees. "We regret to inform you that The Ark is fully booked for the upcoming art season but pleased to offer you a spot at our new partner facility, CURE."

There was truly never a dull moment in the presence of Frankie DeMarco. It took Clarke all but a second after the woman's casual response to laugh away the nervousness that had suddenly flooded her. "I couldn't have said it better myself, Frankie." Clarke sat back in her own chair and knitted her brows at the woman. "Are you sure you're not a writer in disguise?"

"Please." Frankie waved at her dismissively. "I couldn't write a love letter if I had suddenly met the man of my dreams." She joked.

The pair shared another laugh that bounced off newly painted walls.


Lexa had an idea of what to expect when she was asked to take an active role in the filming of Tassels, but what she envisioned had fallen quite short.

One thing she didn't expect was to be star-struck.

Apparently she could be star-struck.

Being surrounded by so many talented actors, most of which she had seen on the big screen herself, had filled her with a giddy excitement she could hardly contain.

It took some willpower not to approach her favorites to sing their praises and ask for their autographs. She felt silly after every near encounter she had.

Clarke was sure to tease her for it when she told her- if she ever did divulge such incriminating information.

Lexa had also been pleasantly surprised with the level of detail being added to the film, and because of that, she was much more a consultant than she assumed she would be. Producers, writers, and directors had a way of making their visions come to life on the screen with hardly any direction from others once the screenplay had been finalized, such was not the case on this set.

Laura and Bill had made sure to include her in many of the artistic choices made beforehand and on the fly. No small detail was spared as they ironed out mannerisms, expressions, favorite colloquialisms from each of her friends, and more.

It was refreshing for Lexa to witness and be part of something so meaningful and inclusive. Tassels meant more to her than people likely assumed, and she was helping share that feeling of family and community she thrived in as realistically as possible. She was immensely grateful to her team.

Though, unfortunately, Lexa had guessed correctly with regards to how time-consuming all of it would be.

Even then, she grossly underestimated the amount of time she would spend not only away from Clarke and her home, but also the long hours on set. It was grueling work to stand around, or worse, sit in a chair for hours on end as she watched the movie magic take place. Her legs begged for repose with tingling needles on the balls and heels of her feet, so she would sit. Not long after, her tailbone would cry in protest so she would stand again. It was a never-ending cycle of arguing with her body parts.

But it could be worse, she supposed. She could be those actors before her reciting line after line of dialogue as they walked, stood, sat, danced, even ran. How did their vocal cords not explode? Their brains? It was a skill and talent she knew was probably overlooked by most people as they watched their favorite television shows or guilty-pleasure action movies. So, she sucked it up and sat fidgety for another hour.

Just before they wrapped up another day of shooting, in the wee hours of the following morning, Lexa was surprised when the actress loosely portraying her approached her.

Pleasantries were exchanged before the girl got to the reason for her sudden visit.

"I was wondering if you could help me out with something." She asked somewhat timidly.

Lexa nodded with an encouraging smile. "Sure. What's up?"

"The next scene I have scheduled to film is the one about dealing with the loss of my girlfriend." Lexa nodded, suddenly understanding the girl's hesitation to ask for assistance. She couldn't help but appreciate the girl's considerate thoughtfulness, but it all still stirred up feelings of sadness inside her. "I was kind of hoping you would be willing to share some of your guys' story with me so I could properly bring what I read on the paper to the camera."

"I see." Lexa responded before settling deeper into her chair. "Sure." A part of her hesitated to share such a deep and personal experience with a near stranger, but she figured all the growing pains and progress Clarke had helped her with had prepared her for exactly this. Eventually, telling the whole world about Costia, the love they shared, and the tragedy they had been dealt would become a healing experience. Just a little more mending done to her heart each time. At least that's what Lexa hoped.

They spent quite some time going through the story, and in the end, Lexa hoped it helped the girl really understand what Costia had meant to her, and what losing her had done for her so she could play it out on screen.


Two Weeks Later

The time had come.

Clarke was a nervous and excited mess.

Her friends had shown up earlier than the invitation stated so they could help with any final touches, and she thanked them all by taking a shot of tequila with them.

Several of them warded off shivers as they felt the liquid burn all the way down to their stomachs.

Everything was set up, and ready, but Clarke had hoped Lexa would be there when she officially opened the doors to CURE. Alas, filming a movie demanded a lot of time so she accepted it for what it was, but she did have to fight off the disappointment as she walked towards the glass.

"Wait!" Anya shouted as she ran to the back of the building. "Clarke, hold up!"

The group spun around to investigate the commotion when they saw Lexa run past her older sister, who still held the back door open, with a bouquet of flowers in hand. "I'm here! I'm sorry." She was winded and could hardly finish a sentence at once, but her flushed face was all smiles. "I got held up in traffic. I fucking hate LA sometimes." She shook her head as she accepted a relief-stricken Clarke.

She could sob. Clarke could cry out loud, but she held back as she squeezed her girlfriend as if life depended on it. "I'm so glad you're here, babe."

Lexa held on tight as she talked by her ear. "I wouldn't miss this, love." She kissed her cheek before whispering against it. "You look absolutely beautiful."

The blonde laughed softly against her before pulling back to welcome her girlfriend properly.

"Yuck." Raven rolled her eyes and gagged playfully. "Get a room."

"Shut up, Rae." The couple vocalized together before the group laughed at the exchange.

With her gifted flowers clutched to her chest, Clarke finally walked to the doors and officially unlocked them for the world. Allowing a new generation to guide newer generations through the world of art.

She shared a locked stare with her brunette, silently thanking her for all her support, and Lexa returned a look of utter pride and love before nodding at her. It was all the encouragement Clarke needed to move into the crowd to welcome everyone and begin her rounds of business chatter.

Her first reunion and conversation was with the Sinclairs as they hugged her supportively and praised her hard work and dedication to her craft. They shared some stories and sipped on some Tassels-provided champagne while they moved slowly along the student art that hung on the walls. A feeling of accomplishment enveloped Clarke as she smiled at the couple and spoke of her instructor and her students.

Mr. Harwood, Frankie, and Anthony huddled close to a piece while they chatted away. When Clarke noticed them, she politely excused herself and thanked the Sinclairs for coming.

"Well, well, well." Anthony smiled. "Ms. Clarke Griffin, Gallery Owner." He shook her hand firmly and nodded respectfully at her. "This place is amazing, Clarke. I wish you nothing but the best."

Clarke accepted the compliment gratefully and glanced around her space. "It is pretty extraordinary, isn't it?" She smiled at Frankie who grinned and stepped in to hug her.

"It really is." Mr. Harwood interjected. "I look forward to finding a way to work with you, Clarke."

"Thank you, Mr. Harwood. I would be honored."

"Likewise." He reciprocated in earnest.

The Tassels group mostly stuck together as they toured the space and drank...modestly so.

Lexa and Anya threw low jabs at each other, like sisters often did, and Raven attempted to stand up for her girl every opportunity she got. It was endearing yet annoying to Lexa, and she told her as much before receiving a soft punch to the shoulder from Anya.

"You guys make me sick." She taunted before moving away from the group in search of Indra. She was sure to be better company.

The two walked down the hall lined with the portraits Clarke had painted to promote the Tassels show Lexa and the crew had created. It had taken much cajoling, but Octavia had finally managed to get Indra to relinquish the paintings so Clarke could add them to the walls of her new gallery. And frankly, it had been the right move. They belonged there.

When the early evening turned to late night, Lexa couldn't stand to be away from Clarke any longer. She searched the room for gold hair and bid goodbye to her friend to move towards where her heart commanded.

She found Clarke studying a charcoal painting with a tall muscular guy she didn't recognize and thought about hanging back to avoid interrupting their conversation. Luckily, Clarke had seen her from the corner of her eye and flashed her a toothy smile. "Lexa." She mouthed as she led the guy along at the elbow. "Wells, I want you to meet my girlfriend Lexa."

The guy grinned broadly and bypassed a handshake to go in for a full embrace of the brunette. "Ah, the love of my dear friend's life." He added as he stepped out of the hug. "I'm happy to meet you, Lexa."

His honest and endearing tone instantly comforted the writer and it caused her to smile widely back at him. "Likewise, Wells. I have heard some pretty great things about you. It's nice to put a face to such a caring friend."

Wells shook his head humbly. "It's pretty easy getting caught up in caring about this one here." He pointed over with his thumb at the blonde.

"Oh, don't I know it." Lexa agreed. "Like a moth to a flame?" She teased and earned an adamant nod from the guy and a rolling of eyes from her girl.

"Yeah, hello, I'm standing right here." Clarke nodded, happy to see the jovial interaction between the two.

They feigned shock at her intended revelation and smiled before moving forward with their conversation. They shared some stories about his childhood in Arkadia with Clarke and their friends, before he asked Lexa to recount hers from D.C.

One thing was clear to Lexa, the guy was an honest person who cared deeply for his family and friends, much like she did. It dawned on her that if he lived closer to them, they could become quite close friends. It warmed her at the thought of sharing a friend with Clarke that had connections to her past. She was always happy to learn more about the blonde, especially stories about young Clarke.

"So, what's next?" Wells asked Clarke after their trip down memory lane. They had somehow moved down the hall to another work by then.

Clarke took her hand and laced her fingers with Lexa's. The pair shared a small smile before she replied. "I can't give you details because Lexa would have to kill both of us, but next is a movie premiere." The guy's eyes widened in surprise and silently asked for more. "Can't say." Clarke read his mind. "Don't push for more." She teased and the brunette laughed. "After that, who knows. More." She shrugged unconcerned. "We'll know when the time comes, I guess."

"Good answer." He agreed just as Clarke flagged someone carrying flutes of champagne.

Each took one in hand and smiled, quietly looking at Clarke who looked to have something to say. Lexa let go of her hand to rub her back in support. After a quiet moment of thought, she spoke. "To all the choices and roads that led to this." She smiled at the two people before her, her eyes suddenly tearing up as she lifted her glass.

"Cheers." They echoed.

Nothing made Lexa happier than seeing the look on Clarke's face then. She looked at peace and completely satisfied with her choices.

Clarke couldn't be prouder. She had accomplished one of the highest things on her list of things she wanted out of life.

Through it all, she had finally managed to fall in love with a person whose heart was as tethered to hers as hers was to theirs, and he did so while never forgetting herself and what made her happy.

She was surrounded by her friends, her peers, and the girl she loved in a space she had created for herself, and for others like her.

Finally.

TBC...

What a chapter! I had so much fun writing this one. We got to see a few familiar faces, and Wells and Lexa meet! How many of you were hoping for that? Any thoughts on what CURE stands for? It's definitely an acronym I thought long and hard about. We're so close to the finish line, friends. Don't miss the next chapter! Thank you for reading.