Chapter 7

Clarke was the last to go into the sea, so she tried to swim towards what she recognized as Lily's voice, since it was too dark to actually see where everyone was. She hoped she wouldn't bump into any aquatic make-out sessions while she was at it. She knew Lincoln -and ergo Octavia- were somewhere on her left because Lincoln had called out at Lexa to join them.

"I'm good. Someone needs to keep the fire going for you guys anyway." was her reply. Clarke kept on swimming until she caught sight of some movement, somewhere ahead of her. She could hear it was Lily and Monty and breathed out a sigh of relief before joining them.

"Isn't it gorgeous?" Lily said with a broad smile when Clarke was close enough to hear her.

"It really is. A bit scary too though."

"Yea... That..." Monty agreed and looked worryingly around him at the dark water, growing more and more uneasy by the second.

"Aw, nothing to worry about guys." Lily let out a chuckle. "We've done this a gazillion times and we still got all our limbs."

"Raven's got a bit of a limp!" Monty said seriously, his face twisted with worry. He didn't think he would be so scared of the water at night but he was. At that moment, in his mind, everything that was wrong in the world had to do with whatever horrible things were hiding in the dark water just underneath their feet and all around them. He started to panic.

"That was a car accident, not sharks." Lily started laughing but it was cut short when she looked at Monty. All the color had drained from his face and he stood stiff, breathing heavily.

"What...? Are you okay? Is he okay?" she swam towards Monty and Clarke who was already by his side.

"He's having a panic attack. He'll be fine. I got him." Clarke said and linked her arm to Monty's.

"Lets go outside. Get some warmth by the fire, huh Mont?" Clarke lead him towards the shore. "Isn't that a good idea?"

Monty was not speaking, he was only trembling, tears streaming down his face. When they got out of the water his kneed could not hold him and Clarke struggled to keep him upright. In a matter of seconds, Lexa had reached them, she covered Monty with a big beach towel and took hold of him from the other side.

"It's a bit scary, isn't it?" Lexa said, stroking Monty's arm affectionately while they sat him next to the fire. "It took me two summers to gather up the courage to join the others for a night swim.". Lexa threw her jacket over his shoulders. "I use the keeping up of the fire as an excuse when I'm too frightened to go in." she said smiling while pouring some orange juice they had gotten for the drinks into a plastic cup. "But don't tell anyone." she winked and held out the cup for Monty. He was still shaking but his lips trembled into what looked like a faint half-smile and he took the cup. She then filled up two plastic shot cups and carried them along with a towel to Clarke, who had just been standing with tense shoulders near Monty, watching over Lexa's moves. She took the towel from Lexa and wrapped into around her body, keeping her eyes on Monty's back.

"Here! Something a bit stronger than OJ." Lexa held out the shot of whiskey.

"I'm fine." Clarke replied, not moving.

"Tell that to your hands." Lexa said and Clarke noticed for the first time that she was shaking slightly. She crossed her arms over her chest. "He's fine." Lexa tried to reassure her.

"I know that!" Clarke snapped at her. She had been present in a couple of Monty's panic attacks in the past but she could not get used to them. It scared her to no end to see her friend like that, and quite honestly she just had no idea what she could do to help him. She tried to stay calm, so as not to add to his stress, but having Lexa there -Lexa who was actually calm and on top of the situation- made her feel like she was going to fall apart. As if she could read her thoughts, Lexa reached out and placed a warm hand on Clarke's crossed arms.

"It's alright." she looked into Clarke's eyes. They glistened a blurry blue behind worried tears that were caught there, refusing to fall. "Drink this. It will help some." Lexa smiled offering her the shot again.

Clarke took it this time and shot it back. She felts its heat travel to her stomach and the burn sent a shiver down her spine. Lexa drank her own and watched as the stubborn tears trickled down Clarke's cheeks. Clarke's hand immediately shot up to wipe them away but Lexa's had gotten there first. She traced one finger from where the tear had dropped from Clarke's face near her chin, all the way up to the eye from which it had escaped. She then cupped Clarke's face with her hand and run her thumb under her eye, catching a second tear. Clarke let out a deep breath slowly and finally let her shoulders relax. Lexa's hand left her face and with some hesitation, traveled lightly from Clarke's shoulder down her arm.

"Told you it would help."

"Yea." Clarke smiled and sniffled a little, wiping her nose and her other cheek. "But this is helping a lot more." she continued, taking Lexa's hand that had reached hers and giving it a squeeze. She felt her skin tingling where Lexa had touched her, like something had come alive inside of it and was trying to break free. Lexa nodded and Clarke noticed the worry-carved line on her forehead disappear. "Thank you, Lexa."

"I second that." Monty said lightly, looking to the ground. Both girls turned to him. Some of the color had returned to his face and his breathing had almost steadied. "I'm real sorry..." he looked apologetically from one girl to the other and back.

"Don't mention it." Lexa smiled and headed his way. She placed a comforting hand on Monty's shoulder. "No need to apologize for something you have no control over." she gave him a couple of soft pats on the back and took the empty cup from his hands. "Would you like a beer?"

"No, thanks. I think I will be heading home." Monty said and carefully got to his feet and looked around, eyes searching for some sign of his clothes.

"I'll walk with you home." Clarke came up behind him and handed him his clothes with a smile.

"No, no! Please, Clarke, I don't want to ruin your night more than I already have." he too the clothes and started getting dressed, hands still shaking a little bit.

"You haven't ruined anything." she simply stated very matter-of-factly and started getting into her own clothes. "Besides, something happened earlier today and I kinda need your input on it.". Before she put on her shirt, she reached into her pocket and traced the napkin with her fingers. She noticed she had gotten it a bit wet since her underwear did not have enough time to dry. She hoped the number wouldn't get all smudged up.

"Is this an attempt to get me alone, Clarke Griffin? Cause that was a lame excuse. Either way, I must respectfully decline. You're not my type." Monty managed a broad smile.

"I'm painfully aware. Miller is a lucky guy."

"I'm the lucky one!"

"Right. Do you think it can rub off on me some?" Clarke said and started rubbing on Monty's arm and back. He let out a little laugh and took Clarke's hand in his.

"Thank you for this, Lexa. Would you tell the others I'm sor..."

"Don't!" Lexa warned, interrupting him.

"... that I'll see them soon." Monty smiled.

"Will do. Goodnight." she said and her eyes searched Clarke's face. She hoped she would say that she would come back after dropping Monty off. In fact, she just hoped she would say anything that would even remotely imply that she wanted to see her again.

"Goodnight." Clarke smiled simply and headed off with Monty. Before they reached the road, Clarke took one last look behind, over her shoulder. Lexa was carrying another log to the fire, the orange light of the flames sliding over her toned arms and the gentle curves of her face, playing chase with the shadows with each of her graceful and calculated motions. She smiled a little to herself; a dreamy smile. But she quickly turned her attention back to Monty who had gone into a long 'I miss my boyfriend' monologue.

Monty and Miller had been together three years but every time they looked at each other, it seemed as though it was all brand new. They could melt the heart of the most unromantic Grinch of a person, straight to the core. You just couldn't be sarcastic or doubt true love around those two. They proved the existence of soul-mates daily. Even Raven had once said that she would change her ways if she ever found the "Monty to her Miller", quickly followed by "but I probably never will, so one night stands for the WIN!". Clarke always found it remarkable that they were lucky enough to find each other and it so perfectly. She could not even imagine how something like that could be, or what it would feel like. To meet a person and just know that you belong with them; that they are the one you are supposed to be with for the rest of your life. Wasn't that an awful long time anyway? People changed by the day. What if who you one belonged with turns into someone you can't stand down the road? She had decided true love, the fairy tale kind, was only for a lucky few.

"You wouldn't recognize true love if it slapped you straight across the face." Octavia had weighed in on the matter one night, only half joking. "And you..." she had turned to Raven. "You would probably just slap her right back!" she had laughed and run to the bathroom to hide from Raven who had wanted to show her just how strong her slap could be and how she would kick true love's ass. Love shouldn't be a slap on the face, Clarke thought. Love should be a strong arm to help you carry the load. A warm hand to ease the pain. A gentle finger to wipe away tears you didn't know were there.