A/N - Thank you for everyone who reviewed on the last chapter, we're on 199 reviews which is beyond exciting! Also, thank you for sticking with this, I write all of these chapters on the day they are posted and it it is you guys who motivate me to continue every day and I am so grateful for all your support. So following that, I have tried this on another fic and it didn't really work but now I have all you guys so I think it just might. I want little story ideas to throw into this from you guys, I have a short list on my desktop already given to me and I intend on working through them, it may take a little bit of time but I aim to include everyone's ideas if I can because I am writing this for all of us who were affected by 3x07. So if you have any ideas leave them in a review for me, and also don't forget to let me know what you thought of this chapter! :) Love to you all xx

Clarke's eyes fluttered open as she heard the raised voices outside of the bedroom door.

"I understand that you are her mother but she needs space right now." The voice was hushed but Clarke would recognize Lexa anywhere as she yelled at, who could only be, Abby.

"You cannot stop me seeing my daughter!" Abby didn't even try to keep her voice lowered, and in the back of her mind Clarke registered that it was her mother's voice that must have woken her.

Tiredly, Clarke picked up a metal cup from the bedside table and threw it towards the door with as much strength as she could muster. It cracked open a moment later and she heard Abby gasp at how awful she must look.

"Clarke-" Abby tried to step into the room but was stopped by Lexa's outstretched arm as she gave Clarke a questioning look.

"Lexa come back to bed, tell them not to let anyone else in." She rolled over to face the opposite side as Lexa forced Abby from the room and gave strict instructions to her guards.

Then she climbed back into the bed next to Clarke, lying on her side and patiently waiting until Clarke rolled back over to face her. The blonde girl looked awful, the lack of sleep and the grief and guilt for what she had done were painted clear as day across her face, she looked like she had aged ten years in a single night, "It was the right thing to do, wasn't it?" Clarke sounded desperate as she drew Lexa into a crushing embrace and buried her face in Lexa's shoulder.

Lexa rubbed at her shoulder gently and shifted slightly so Clarke could curl into her side properly, "He had to die, after everything it was the only way to avoid restarting the war between Skaikru and the other twelve clans. It would have been a war Arcadia couldn't have won." She felt the tension in Clarke's shoulders relax slightly, "Doing it yourself spared him pain Clarke, it was the kindest option, even if it was the one that would weigh most heavily on your conscience. Like with the one called Finn, your intervention was an act of mercy."

Three days after Clarke had blocked her mother from seeing her, she still hadn't emerged from the room and Abby was beside herself with worry and anger at Lexa for continually turning her away from the door whenever she tried to be there for Clarke.

Finally, Lexa appeared at the Skaikru floor, just as Abby and Kane were saying their good nights to everyone before they retired for the evening.

"Clarke?" Abby asked as she saw the Commander appear in the doorway.

Lexa just nodded to the end of the hall where the elevator was, "You can see her now, but don't push too much and be mindful that I will be along shortly and you will have to leave then."

Abby brushed past without another word which Lexa sighed at but didn't take offence, she understood what it was like to worry endlessly without news for someone dear to her. Fixing Kane with a look, she waited until her caught onto her meaning and cleared everyone from the room to leave Lexa alone with Octavia.

Octavia's age had never been more apparent, the four year gap between them strikingly obvious as Lexa observed the lost expression that Octavia was wearing, the sky girl had always seemed so much older and capable than her years suggested especially for someone not born on the ground. She sat down opposite her, waiting until Octavia looked up at her before she spoke, "How are you?" Lexa's voice was gentle and soft and so after three days, Octavia allowed herself to stop pretending that she was dealing.

"Not great." Her voice cracked slightly, "I'm not angry at Clarke for...well you know. But, he was my brother and he took care of me all my life! But Pike, Pike made him different, it was like he wasn't my brother anymore. Not the one I'd grown up with anyway."

Lexa nodded at her understandingly, "You're not sure how to grieve?"

Octavia pulled up her legs so she could rest her chin on her knees, "Yeah, how do I grieve for someone who did all that, someone that I didn't even recognize."

Moving to set next to Octavia, Lexa gently rested a hand on her shoulder, "You don't. Instead grieve for the brother you lost, the brother Pike took away from you. Remember Bellamy for everything good that he did, no one here will blame you for that."

Octavia mouth twitched upwards slightly as she tilted her head to look at Lexa, "You think that will work, just separating him into the person I knew and the person he became?"

"You just said it, the person who lost their life four days ago was a completely different person, changed by circumstances and the whisperings of another. You lost Bellamy before he ever attacked Polis, so there is no shame in letting others see how much you grieve for his loss." Lexa's voice was calm and steady and Octavia felt the sincerity behind every word.

She placed her own hand over Lexa's, that was still on her shoulder, "Thank you Commander."

"Lexa, in private settings you can use my name Octavia."

"Thank you Lexa." They sat for a while in silence, just as Lexa was about to leave Octavia turned to her, "I don't feel like I fit in anymore."

Lexa looked at her quizzically but didn't say anything, not quite understanding what context Octavia's words were in.

"I love Polis so much and then I think about Arcadia and there's nothing. No connection to the place that's supposed to be my home, it reminds me too much of the ark, I didn't belong there either."

"Then stay here." Lexa offered without hesitation.

Octavia sighed, "I know I'm staying to help Clarke but-"

Lexa shook her head, "You misunderstand me, a formal induction into Trikru, completely. After everything you have done for my people, the least I can do is formally claim you as one of them. And if anything it would only make Skaikru safer if the other clans saw that one of my people was involved in the leadership to avoid future uprisings against the coalition."

Eyes widening, Octavia looked at Lexa with surprise, "Really?"

Lexa smiled, "Yes, and I will also give you a gift upon your entrance to my clan. Really it should be your choice what the gift is but I doubt you will argue with what I have already thought of, I will make you one of the Trikru and lift Lincoln's banishment so he can return to Polis to be with you."

For the first time since Bellamy died Octavia smiled, unable to stop herself she hugged Lexa on impulse. The Commander didn't seem to mind, wrapping her arms around Octavia's shoulders for a few moments before pulling back, "Think about it carefully Octavia. I need to return to Clarke now but you can give me your answer whenever you are ready, and if you do not wish to cast aside your heritage in the sky, I will still permit Lincoln to return. This choice is yours and yours alone, but I hope you take my offer."

And then she walked away, leaving Octavia still reeling slightly at Lexa's offer.

When Lexa walked back into the bedroom she shared with Clarke she could feel the tension in the room, Clarke was propped up in bed and Abby was stood at the foot of it. Lexa was not sure what was going on but it was clear that Abby had somehow managed to say something that cause an adverse reaction from the other girl.

"Clarke." Lexa called out softly, letting Clarke know that she had entered the room before she approached the bed, "Are you ok?"

"I just tried to get her to talk to me about what was bothering her." Abby answered for her as Clarke glared from where she was sat.

"I said don't push, or did that completely escape you." Lexa snapped, "Leave us."

Abby looked like she was going to argue but when Lexa all but growled at her she thought better and walked out.

"Ok, now what did she say to upset you?" Lexa turned to Clarke immediately, staring at her fiancée intently.

Clarke huffed in annoyance, recognizing that there was no way Lexa would drop it until she told her, "She tried to make things better by saying how it was Pike who made Bellamy do all those things. But it wasn't, no matter what else happened, he chose to follow Pike, there were other people in Arcadia who never once went along with what Pike was doing and saying. And my mom doesn't realize that she isn't helping." It all came out on one long, frustrated breath after which Lexa rubbed her arm soothingly.

"Clarke, your mother does mean well, she's trying."

"Did that physically hurt you to say?" Clarke grinned slightly at Lexa, who shook her head in annoyance.

"My personal grievances with your mother are not the talking point of this conversation Clarke." But she was glad that Clarke had made the joke so her glare was lighthearted. "How are you feeling?" Lexa asked her softly.

Clarke smiled gently, tangling their fingers together, "Better, thank you for the last few days, I don't know how I'd have got through them without you."

Lexa hummed slightly as she drew her legs up onto the bed, resting her head on Clarke's lap as Clarke's fingers started twisting through her hair, over the last few days she had found that it was one of the things that helped calm Clarke when she was particularly distressed and it had fast become a habit.

"I offered to initiate Octavia into Trikru."

Clarke nodded as she played with a few strands idly, "She'll probably take the offer."

"I also said I'd lift Lincoln's banishment, regardless of whether she takes it or not."

Leaning down, Clarke kissed her softly, smiling against Lexa's mouth, "Careful Commander, people will think you have a soft spot for her."

Lexa laughed, "They would be right, she reminds me of Anya sometimes, just small things like the way she looks at people she thinks are foolish."

Untangling a knot that had become a problem, Clarke was quiet for a few seconds as she focused intently on smoothing it out, "Ontari came by whilst you were gone, she must have been waiting for you to leave because she was in and out before my mom showed up. She just came to offer her loyalties to me and my people as long as we remain in our alliance with Azgeda."

They shifted round so they were lying face to face, "She has been visiting Octavia as well." Lexa said thoughtfully, "I think she is one of the only people who has been successful in helping Octavia through the loss of her brother."

Clarke suddenly looked guilty, "Maybe I should-"

"No." Lexa said firmly, "Octavia is being taken care of, you will not help by seeing her whilst you yourself are still this guilt ridden. Free yourself of this and then the two of you can grieve together for the friend and brother you have lost."

Clarke settled back on to the bed, "Ok." There was a long pause, "I need you to train me."

Lexa was slightly surprised, "I didn't think you needed training, you have been in multiple battles and emerged victorious from each."

"I fought with a gun, the only time I've used a blade was whilst I was hunting and it was hardly graceful like you make it look. The bullet that took Bellamy's life is the last one I will ever fire, so I need to learn to fight like you can."

Lexa nodded lowly, "Ok Clarke, I will teach you myself. But for tonight you should rest, we can talk more about this tomorrow."

Clarke wriggled closer until she was practically lying on top of Lexa, encased in the security and warmth of her arms as she closed her eyes to the first proper night's sleep in three days.