It has been some time since I started this story. We added a new family member and she upended life for some time. However, I am ready to get back into this story. This chapter is not the most exciting but more of a go between to get me from where I left off to where I want to go next. Thanks for reading!

Part 5

In quick succession, following Penn, several more people appeared. First came Hope and Jordan who both admitted to taking a little bit of time to decide. Jordan mused that it may have been a few minutes, or hours, but since time flowed so differently in the other-worldly place, he couldn't say for certain. Then Niylah appeared. It was slightly awkward at first for Clarke as she felt the need to explain her connection to Niylah to Lexa. Lexa found it less awkward. She had been dead after all with no expectation of ever returning and she knew Clarke should find others to be with.

The group continued to build above ground while living in the bunker. Raven and Echo became the de facto leaders in as much as leaders were even needed. Raven directed the building of the new homes. She was in charge of building the technology they also desired. Echo was in charge of hunting and protection of the community from unknown wild creatures. Jackson dealt with any medical needs, which were all caused by the work they were doing and nothing more than bruises, blisters and a broken toe had occurred.

Lexa continued to anticipate the proposal to Clarke. She was waiting for Raven to get a method of quicker travel. Jackson had somehow gotten the size for the ring and Miller was crafting it for her. She had found a design within Clarke's drawings that he was etching onto the ring.

Raven was close. She had sent a group of people to Sanctum to retrieve various supplies, including the motorbikes, and was overhauling them to make them solar powered with a battery that was rechargeable. The bikes could go about 50 miles on one charge. She was trying to increase that to 100 miles before allowing them to be taken too far. She explained to everyone how much it would suck to have to push one back for 50 miles and everyone agreed.

Once the motorbikes were ready, Lexa would put her plan into motion. Waiting was not her favorite activity, but she wanted this to be as perfect as it could be. Clarke deserved a perfect proposal.

Clarke caught Lexa being inattentive to their task one morning.

"Why are you spacing out?" Clarke asked.

"Spacing... out?" Lexa asked, perplexed by this idiom. "I don't understand Clarke. And how do you have so many of these sayings that I still haven't heard them all?"

Clarke laughed, "I have an infinite number of idioms up my sleeve. What I mean is you seem distracted. You are going to get hurt if you continue to work in such a distracted manner. I need you in fully functioning order, if you know what I mean..." Clark smirked at Lexa suggestively and raised an eyebrow.

"If I was distracted before, now it will be tenfold. The things you do to me just by looking at me." Lexa took a deep breath to try and level out her lustful feelings. "We have to finish this before we can disappear. Again."

"Do we though? I do believe there is likely a great tree or bush nearby to slip behind..."

"No! No... I do not want Madi to stumble upon us again." Lexa turned a bright shade of red. That had been awkward for all of them, but mostly Lexa and Madi.

"Mmm, that is a good point..." Clarke closed the distance between them, put her hand on the back of Lexa's neck and pulled the now younger woman into a searing kiss. When they finally parted to catch their breaths Clarke whispered, "I guess that will have to tide me over until later. There will be a later and it will be soon." All Lexa could do was nod in agreement. "All right, back to work!" She said with false cheerfulness.

The two women continued to work prepping materials that would be used to build the houses. They were specifically working on shingles that would be used to make waterproof roofs for the houses. It was Raven's idea. They were molding clay into tiles by using a stamp to push out the bubbles, then rolling them and cutting them all to the same size. Then, another group of people baked them for some time to make them solid and waterproof. These homes were being built to last since they would live out their days here. By the time they felt they had made a good number of tiles for the day the two women were both sweaty and exhausted.

They stopped at the kitchen (the area all the cooking occurred now had been named) to get food to take to their rooms. It wasn't really a kitchen yet, but the plans for it were pretty amazing and it would have most of the amenities a kitchen had before the world was wiped out. Raven even planned on a fridge to keep food cold. Lexa looked forward to that. She had had many amenities in Polis that most villages did not have, but not a box to keep foods cool in the summer. Clarke took it more for granted that it would come to be since the space station had of course had fridges and things like that. Once they had enough food for three they headed back to their room.

"Madi, you're here!" Clarke exclaimed happily upon finding the girl sitting at the table when they entered. "We brought dinner!"

"I already ate," Madi said, pointing at her bowl, "but thanks. I am going to go with Gaia and Indra if that is okay. We are going to go out a little further to explore a little more of the surrounding area."

"When are they leaving?" Clarke asked.

"First light. They will likely be gone two or three days. Can I go?"

"I don't see why not. I know you will be careful."

Madi jumped up and hugged Clarke. "Thanks! I am going to go tell Madi. Be back in a bit."

Lexa was grateful Madi had so easily fallen into just being a kid since they had come back. In Lexa's mind, she was old enough to make these decisions without Clarke's permission, but Clarke needed time to just be her mom and Madi seemed to understand that and so she let Clarke mother her and make these decisions. In reality, she was the age Lexa had been when Lexa became the Commander. Lexa made a mental note to talk to Clarke soon about it and making her realize Madi could make a lot more of her own decisions, but that could wait. Clarke would not have the chance to be a mother again and Lexa wouldn't take the time Madi was willing to give her.

Clarke and Lexa ate and talked and touched and waited for Madi to return. They rarely were not connected when at the house in some way. After so many years apart they had a lot to make up for. Clarke read aloud to Lexa. They were currently reading a book from before the apocalypse. There were quite a few books in the bunker that someone had felt the need to save. They took time now that they had it to enjoy those books. This book was call Alice in Wonderland and Lexa thought it was very strange. Lexa was sure this Lewis man must have had some weird drugs before writing the book. So far, they both loved one line in particular, "Every adventure requires a first step."