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Chapter 45
Later that evening, Clarke stood gazing into the refrigerator. In less than two hours Bellamy was going to spring their latest family surprise on Octavia. She dreaded the girl's reaction, knowing it could swing from quiet acceptance to raging indignation.
Her eyes scanned the bright shelves, her mind concocting dishes as she listed the ingredients she had on hand. O liked Mexican food, and she had plenty of tortillas, so she decided on a simple Mexican casserole.
Clarke began to pile the ingredients on the counter, her gaze travelling to where Bellamy lay on the floor in the living room. His dark eyes were fastened on the ceiling, and his hands lay on his chest.
This was his famous thinking pose. She seen it numerous times over the years, his body sprawled on the floor and his expression blank as he examined a problem from every angle.
She smiled to herself, remembering a humorous instance many years ago- the first time she'd witnessed Bellamy Blake mulling over a dilemma in his own strange little way.
Clarke walked through the front door, her arms laden with groceries. She'd stopped by the market on the way home, picking up the supplies she'd need for a week's worth of cooking.
She passed the living room, stopping dead in her tracks as a pair of familiar boots came into view sticking out beside the couch. Fear clutched her heart, her worst nightmare seeming to have come true.
Clarke dropped the brown paper bags, shrieking his name as she ran into the room. She rounded the couch to find him sitting up on the hardwood floor, eyes wide as he watched her come to a skidding stop.
"What are you doing", she practically yelled, fear still coursing wildly in her veins.
"I was thinking", he answered, as if this would explain everything.
"Thinking! What normal person thinks on the floor?!"
"Uh, I do, Princess", Bellamy said, annoyance coloring his tone.
"Well you scared me to death! I thought something had happened to you", Clarke explained, not even noticing the tears that had begun to course down her pale cheeks.
She watched as he quickly stood, coming to her and gripping her arms with gentle hands as he stared down into her terrified features. Then she was hugging him, pulling him to her in a tight embrace and feeling his arms come around her.
Clarke hiccupped, her sobs slowing to quiet sniffles. She felt Bellamy pull back, one of his hands moving to tilt her chin so she was forced to look him in the eye.
"I'm sorry, Princess", he said softly.
"No, I'm the one who should be sorry", Clarke said in embarrassment, "I'm the one who overreacted."
"Hey, that wasn't your fault. You were scared and you couldn't help the way you reacted", Bellamy said, gently wiping the remaining tears from her cheeks.
Clarke smiled, a giggle bursting forth.
"Only I would come home and find you 'thinking', and assume you'd been murdered!"
Bellamy chuckled, "You keep me on my toes, Princess. I wasn't sure what was happening when you came tearing in here like a bat out of Hades, shrieking at the top of your lungs."
They both dissolved in laughter, sinking to the couch holding their sides as their giggles echoed in the once quiet room. They heard the front door open, and then Octavia raced into the living room.
"What's going on in here? I come home to groceries littering the floor and you two laughing like maniacs", she said in confusion.
Clarke spoke between chortles, "I came home and found Bell 'thinking', scared me half to death!"
Octavia stared at her, thinking her brother's best friend had gone crazy. The girl simply shrugged and left the two to giggle on the couch.
Clarke watched her go, her laughter slowly dissipating.
"She thinks we've gone crazy doesn't she", she said with a grin as she looked at Bellamy where he sat next to her.
"You've never been right, Princess", he grinned in return.
"Hey, I'm not the one who lays on the floor to think through the dilemmas of life!"
Bellamy blushed, his dark eyes crinkling at the edges as he smiled.
"Point taken."
"Well, now that I've won that argument, I have to go clean up my mess", Clarke said as she rose from her place on the couch.
She made her way into the hall, staring down at the mess of foodstuffs scattered on the hardwood floor. Then Bellamy was beside her, helping her to gather the items and carry them to the kitchen.
"Thanks, Bell", she said when the job was done.
"You're welcome, Princess. It's the least I can do for scaring a year off your life", he smirked.
Clarke shook her head, still smiling at the memory. The love of her life was a little quirky, but she loved all the little nuances that made Bellamy special. She preheated the oven and then went back to her supper preparations.
She browned some ground beef in a skillet, the smell causing her stomach to growl. Once the meat was cooked, she began to assemble her casserole. She layered tortillas, meat, secret sauce, and cheese before sticking it in the oven.
She melted some cheese, throwing in a can of rotels to add a little flavor, to make some cheese dip. She cooked some refried beans then poured the tortilla chips into a bowl on the table.
Clarke had just pulled the casserole from the oven, sitting it on top of the stove, before turning to find Bellamy sitting at the island on one of the three stools.
"Get it all figured out", she asked.
"No", Bellamy answered darkly.
"Don't worry. She won't react well at first, but she'll come around."
"I hope you're right", Bellamy said.
Clarke wiped her hands on a towel, coming to stand in the gap between of his knees. She took his face in her hands, her thumbs massaging his cheekbones.
"Hey, I'm always right, remember", she said quietly.
She felt his arms move to wrap around her waist, pulling her closer. Then his mouth descended on hers, and she was thrown into the oblivion that was Bellamy Blake.
Clarke pulled back when the need for oxygen became too great, resting her forehead against his. His eyes were still closed and his breathing was ragged. His muscles were tense beneath her fingers, and she gently began to massage his shoulders.
"How do I tell her", he whispered.
"You be honest, babe. That's all you can do. How she responds is her problem, not yours. It's not your responsibility to see that she and Kane have a happy father/daughter relationship. He's going to have to speak to her himself and straighten all that out. Your only job is to tell her so she's not blindsided when he does decide to approach her."
Clarke felt more than heard his sigh, his shoulders relaxing just a bit.
"You know, O, and you know me. We handle things very differently. Everything in my life has been so crazy and I don't think I'm up for the challenge of reuniting my sister with our estranged father", he said tiredly.
The blonde leaned back, making sure he was looking her in the eye before she spoke.
"Didn't you just hear a word I said, you thick headed man? You don't have to help Octavia come to grips with this, that's Kane's job. He made the mess, let him clean it up. The only thing you're responsible for are your feelings and just to be there for her when it gets confusing and awkward. You're not doing this on your own, Bell. I'll be right here every step of the way to bring clarity and give you a shoulder to lean on when you need it", Clarke finished.
She looked into his dark brown eyes, reveling in their closeness. She loved these times with him, when they weren't only physically close but their hearts were in tune as well.
She loved that they could talk about anything, hash out what was bothering them or argue loudly if they felt it necessary. That's what made her feel secure with the man in her arms, no matter what they always worked through everything.
That had been their way from day one, fighting and then moving past it. Clarke had been furious with Bellamy more times than she could count, had fought with him on numerous occasions over the years. However, their relationship was just as strong, if not stronger, because of it.
"Thank you, Princess", Bellamy finally said, "I don't know what I would do without you."
"You're welcome, my love. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a chocolate cake to bake", she said with a wink.
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