A/N – Hey guys, I am so so so sorry for the extreme long wait but I just started my internship and my new work hours are kicking my ass! I am also currently staying with my sister to help her with her kids after her husband recently passed away.
Chapter 5
The wind whips her brown hair across her face as Lexa follows Abby out of the large sliding glass doors and making her way to the world beyond the hospital. Outside they find themselves in a large open area, where the grass has been replaced by what appears to be a floor of small black rocks. In front of them there are of cars in all sizes and colours. Lexa has only ever seen one before in her life, now seeing the rows and rows of them she didn't even know that so many could exist.
Lexa is broken out of her thoughts when Abby starts walking ahead of her with a clear destination in mind. Lexa follows dutifully behind her, grateful for the slightly slower pace knowing Abby is being cautious of her still healing injuries.
Abby finally stops next to a large black car, for the first time Lexa realises that with the lack of horses around she is going to have to get into the large metal cage in order to get to Clarke and Raven's home.
A loud beep sound comes from the car making Lexa jump, Abby luckily doesn't notice and just opens one of the back doors placing Lexa's and her bag inside. She then moves to the front where she opens another door and turns to Lexa expectantly.
Slowly Lexa makes her way over to her and Abby helps her to carefully climb inside. The seat is surprisingly soft and comfortable and she has some room to stretch her legs. Abby takes hold of a belt next to her before reaching over effectively strapping Lexa to the seat.
"Safety first." Abby says with a smile.
Lexa instinctively reaches for the belt across her body pulling at it to get free but she is surprised when it easily moves away from her body instead of restricting her. Lexa frowns not understanding why you would strap someone down if it easily moves. The closing of the door makes her head snap back up and she can't help the trapped feeling building inside of her. She lets go of the belt making it snap make against her body. Lexa looks around taking everything in, there are buttons in different sizes scattered around inside as well as a large wheel with little sticks sticking out of the side of it.
Lexa is pulled from her observation when Abby soon climbs into the other side of the car. She pulls another belt across her own body before she places a key into a keyhole just under the wheel that makes the car comes to life with a roar around them. Lexa's hands fists in her lap as she focuses on keeping her breathing even. Abby has proven again and again that she just wants to help Lexa but she can't help the panicking feeling she gets from the strange machine she is trapped inside.
The car starts to move and Lexa instead decides to focus on the changing scenes outside her window. Lexa isn't sure what she expected from the world outside the hospital but this isn't it. Everything is so big - tall buildings, large cars and wide roads. There is also a clear absence of plants, everything is metal and you only find the occasional tree scattered around.
Abby tries to start a conversation but Lexa is too enthralled by the world outside to contribute to the conversation. It's all rather overwhelming for her, to many thinks to take in. She always believed Polis to be a busy city, but it pales greatly in comparison to this place.
The car stops in front of another large building reaching up to the sky. Abby quickly makes her way out of the car before walking around opening the door for Lexa. She moves to get out as well but is immediately stopped having forgotten about the belt holding her back. Abby lets out a small chuckle before reaching over her and with a click the belt moves quickly back to the side of the seat freeing Lexa.
Once Lexa is outside she looks up at the looming building while Abby gets her bag. When the car lets out another loud beep Abby starts to move towards the building leaving Lexa to follow. When they reach the door Abby presses a button on a large silver box.
"Hello?" Comes Clarke's static voice from the silver box.
"Clarke it's us." Abby answers.
"Hey mom, I'm assuming Lexa is with you so hi Lexa." Abby shakes her head with a smile.
"Clarke honey are you going to let us in?"
"Oh yeah, yes of course come on up."
There is a buzzing sound and Abby opens the door for them, once inside they walk across the small room and into the elevator. When the doors open again they make their way down the hallway where Lexa sees Clarke's head pocking out of one of the doors.
Today Clarke is wearing a large white sweater that's falling of her right shoulder and a pair of short light blue pants that leaves her legs exposed that makes Lexa quickly force her eyes of the exposed skin and back up to sparkling blue eyes.
"You made it." Clarke greets them happily as she shows them inside.
Clarke takes Lexa's bag from Abby as she excitedly bounces around.
"Thanks again for bringing Lexa mom, I would have but Raven doesn't let me drive precious tuck." Clarke rolls her eyes annoyed at her friend's possessiveness of the vehicle.
"It's really no trouble. Besides I wanted to see what environment my patient will be living in." Abby makes a show of scanning the room around them.
"You make it sound like we live in a brothel."
"With you and Raven one can never be too careful."
Clarke's jaw drops in fake shock as she places her free hand over her chest.
"Mother you wound me."
"Oh you'll get over it." Abby says finally letting a smile take over her face causing Clarke to smile as well.
"Can I get you guys something to drink?"
"I would love to stay for a while but I need to go get the twins." Abby apologises but Clarke just waves it off understanding her younger siblings need their mother.
"Of course, tell them I'll bring them the stuff they need for their posters on Wednesday."
"Will do, bye honey." Abby gives Clarke a kiss on the cheek before taking a hold of her shoulders to look her in the eyes. "You take good care of her you hear?"
"Relax mom, I promise nothing will happen to her." Clarke gives her a reassuring smile before turning to her house guest. "Lexa I'm just quickly going to go put down your bag in your room then I will give you the grand tour."
Lexa gives her a nod before Clarke disappears down the hall leaving her alone with the doctor.
"Don't worry Lexa I was only kidding, I think you will actually quite enjoy staying here."
Lexa looks at Abby clearing her throat wanting to say what has been on her mind for so long now.
"Dr Griffin, I cannot say thank you enough for everything you have done for me. The kindness you have shown me was…"
Abby stops her by places her hand on Lexa's forearm effectively quieting the girl.
"Lexa you are more than welcome. You're a very brave young woman, not many people would have handled your situation as graceful as you have. Aside from the whole broken nose incident that is." Abby winks at her telling her she's just joking.
"And just because you're out of the hospital doesn't mean I'm going to stop looking out for you, you're not going to get rid of me that easily."
Lexa gives her a grateful smile. Abby hesitates for a moment before she pulls Lexa into a quick hug. Lexa is to startled to react but the hug is over just as fast as it started.
"Good bye Lexa."
"Dr Griffin." With one last smile Abby leaves.
Lexa finally takes the time to look around the large room she is standing in, there is a comfortable looking couch and two arm chairs, a small table and there is also a large screen against the wall. Slowly she makes her way over to the couch sitting down on the edge waiting for Clarke to return.
Lexa nearly jumps out of her skin when a small animal jumps onto the opposite side of the couch. Her hand shoots to her hip only to realise she still doesn't have her dagger. Not moving she studies the small animal, he doesn't seem to be a threat and he is rather small and pudgy looking. In return he just stares at her with a bored expression and his tongue hanging out of his mouth.
Clarke reappears back into the room to find the strange stare off on her couch.
"There is a small animal on your couch." Lexa says not taking her eyes off of the animal.
"Oh sorry if he scared you. He might not be very elegant but he can be really sneaky." Clarke sits down on the other side of the animal.
"He belongs to you?"
"Well, Raven but I'm his unofficial second mother, isn't that right Bernie?" Clarke says the last part in a strange high pitched voice that makes Lexa frown.
"What is it?" Lexa asks relaxing at seeing Clarke's interaction with the animal.
"A bulldog, wait Raven didn't tell you we have a dog?" Lexa shakes her head. "Dammit I told her to tell you encase you have allergies or a fear of dog or something. You don't do you?"
"I do not know."
"Well you're not sneezing so that is a good start." Clarke watches as Lexa studies the dog sitting in front of her. "Okay so let me formally introduce you guys. Bernie this is Lexa she is going to be living with us for a while, she is sick so you better not go bugging her. And Lexa this is Barnard but you can just call him Bernie."
Lexa reaches her hand out towards the animal to pet him like she has seen Clarke do but as soon as her hand is in front of his face a wet tongue licks across her palm. Lexa pulls it away looking disgusted at the slobber on her hand.
"Aw he likes you."
If this is how he shows his affection to someone she would hate to see what he would do to someone he dislikes.
"Okay ready for that tour?" Clarke suddenly asks and Lexa nods before wiping her hand on her pant leg.
"So, clearly this is the living room slash dining room."
Bernie jumps of the couch following Clarke as she starts to show Lexa around.
"Over there is the kitchen and you are living here now to so please feel free to help yourself to anything you would like."
Clarke goes around the room opening some of the cabinets to show Lexa the contents inside. When Clarke opens the large metal door Lexa is hit with a wave of cold air from inside as it appears to be a cold box used to preserve their food.
"This is my schedule and this is Raven's so you will always know where we are, and down her we also added your schedule but it's really just your doctor appointments for now. Also I made a list of all the numbers that you could possible need like mine, Raven's, the hospital and my mom."
Clarke points out everything on the cold box's door. She is not really sure what she is suppose to do with the numbers but clearly Clarke thinks them important enough to give to her.
"Then we have the bathroom."
Luckily Lexa has become an expert on bathrooms during her stay at the hospital and is glad to see that it looks relatively the same.
"This is Raven's room or the nerd cave as I call it."
Clarke opens the door and Lexa can't help the surprised look that covers her face. The room looks perfectly organised, everything having its place. There are large pictures covering the walls and shelves full of small dolls in bright coloured clothing.
"Word of advice don't touch anything, especially her comic books you only make that mistake once."
Clarke closes the door again and they make their way to the room across from Raven's. Lexa can already tell who's room it is just by the colourful drawings on the door.
"Then this is my room."
Clarke's room is exactly how Lexa expected it to be, colourful and bright and kind of disorganised. There are paints and other art supplies scattered across the room, little balled up pieces of paper on the floor around the already full dustbin. Her desk is covered in large books and random little things.
In the corner is an old instrument, Lexa remembers seeing similar ones in Polis.
"You make music?"
"Oh um not really, I just like messing around on my guitar sometimes. My little brother is more of the musician in the family."
"Will you play for me sometime?" Lexa asks not able to hide her excitement.
"Um, yeah sure. I can't promise to be really good but if you want to I can play you something sometime." Lexa watches as Clarke's cheeks turn red and her hands nervously fidget with the hem of her shirt.
"Anyway we still have one more stop on the tour." Clarke quickly walks out of the room and to the last door left at the end of the hallway. "This is going to be your room, we use to have another roommate but she moved out to live with her fiancé."
Clarke opens the door and Lexa is met with a rather plain room. It's smaller than the other two bedrooms but there is a bed in the middle with a desk up against the wall and shelves filled with books.
"Do you need help unpacking?" Clarke asks motioning to the bag she placed on the bed earlier.
"There is not much inside."
Lexa opens it pulling out the clear plastic bag with her bloody clothes from the accident. The only other things inside are some random things Raven and Clarke brought her throughout her stay in the hospital.
"I'll see if I can get the… um stains out. But I think if you're feeling up to it we can go buy you a few things tomorrow. But in the mean time I got you some pj's for the night." Clarke motions to the foot of the bed where the small stack of clothes are.
"Thank you Clarke."
"Well I'll let you get settled in, you probably want to take a shower and get all of the hospital washed off of you."
Lexa nods and Clarke leaves with Bernie closely following behind her.
Lexa walks around the room examining everything. She stops in front of the shelves as she runs her fingers across the spines of the books stacked neatly. Pulling one of them off of the shelve, she has seen a few books in Polis but never one that looks as well kept as these. She is use to ones filled with holes and tears, pages being torn out, edges burned and faded letters. Feeling rather excited at the prospect of getting to read them. She really is starting to wish she had spent more time with Clarke and the rest of Skaikru at their village so she could learn about some of their customs and technology
Clarke knocks on the door waiting for Lexa's 'enter' before she comes walking back in.
"I brought you some clean towels and there is soap, shampoo and anything you might need in the shower so feel free to use anything."
"Thank you."
"I'll be in the living room if you need me."
With that Clarke leaves again. Lexa picks up the towels running her hands over the soft material before making her way to the bathroom for her much needed shower.
After taking off her clothes Lexa looks over her body in the long mirror behind the door. Her body looks slightly skinnier and paler from the lack of sun exposure. There is still a large bruise over her side and the thin red cut on her abdomen as well as on her forehead. After looking herself over she makes her way to the glass box.
Lexa has only ever taken baths and had found these showers to be rather new and exciting. Lexa picks up one of the bottles in the shower opening it she smells the liquid inside and instantly knows that this is Clarke's having familiarised the scent with the blonde. She pours some into her hand before she rubs it across her skin already feeling more relaxed washing of the strong smell of the hospital.
When she is finished she pulls on the clothes Clarke left for her and quickly braids her wet hair. The clothes are rather strange long loose fitting grey pants and a black sleeveless shirt. She looks down at the material covering her feet wiggling her toes in the soft fabric, it's very pink.
Lexa makes her way back to the living room where she finds Clarke on the couch her feet pulled up under her as she watches the large screen against the wall with great interest, her left hand is absentmindedly moving over a sleeping Bernie next to her who snoring rather loudly for such a small animal.
Clarke catches sight of a newly cleaned Lexa and smiles at her.
"Hey, I'm just watching some tv you want to join me?" Clarke asks patting the empty spot next to Bernie.
"I do not really understand the entertainment value of it."
Lexa sits carefully down on the opposite side of the couch, Bernie just lets out a huff in his sleep as he continues to snooze on the comfortable couch.
"Then you have been watching the wrong shows. So, what are you in the mood for comedy, drama or maybe a documentary or something?"
"You are the expert I trust your judgment." Lexa answers not having any reference to have an opinion.
"I would love if you would tell Raven that." Clarke says with a sly smile. "But let's just see what we can find."
Clarke takes hold of a small black box and presses one of the little buttons. Lexa watches as the images on the large screen in front of them keep changing as Clarke keeps pressing different buttons.
"Oh I love this show!" Clarke says excited dropping the black box onto the couch, Lexa looks back at the screen and focuses on the 'show' Clarke has picked for them.
Lexa has to admit Clarke's choice is much better then Raven's. Clarke's had actual people in it and not annoying talking colours. And Lexa was actually able to follow what was happening and found herself rather enjoying it. It also provided her with some insight to this strange world she has found herself in.
During another of what Clarke calls 'stupidass commercials' Lexa feels her entire body stiffen to the point where it's almost painful when she feels Clarke's delicate fingers softly gliding over her upper arm.
"Your tattoo is really beautiful." Clarke says as her finger continues to follow the interact pattern along her skin.
"Thank you." Lexa manages to croak out.
"Do you remember what it means?"
Lexa knows exactly what it means, but she can't tell Clarke how she received each piece after having led her people to victory during a time of war. That each one is a reminder of the lives that she had to take to keep her people safe from their enemies. So instead she just shakes her head.
"Oh, well I bet it is something very special to you." Lexa just gives her a small what she hopes is a reassuring smile. "Do you have any others? I mean I saw the one on the back of your neck but are they the only two you have?"
"Maybe."
"Are seriously not going to tell me?" This time her smile is not forced. "Ugh fine, but trust me I will find out."
"I have no doubt that you will."
Lexa turns her attention back to the show they are supposed to be watching and Clarke is soon pulled back into the show as well. Lexa doesn't know how much time has passed when the front door opens followed by Raven's calling out to them.
"Hello anyone home?" Raven's voice comes from the door.
Bernie jumps off the couch hearing his master's voice and runs as fast as his little stubby legs can to the front door, where Raven greats him happily.
"Hey Raven." Clarke calls from her spot on the couch to engross in her show to even get up.
Raven walks in front of them carrying a large flat box in her hands effectively blocking their view of the screen.
"Since its Lexa's first night here I thought we should celebrate so I got us some pizza."
She opens the box and Lexa is immediately hit by a wonderful smell only now realising how hungry she is. Clarke quickly takes the box from Raven's hands.
"Raven you are my hero, I'm going to sew you a cape."
Clarke pulls a piece of flat bread covered in meat and cheese from the box as she holds it open for Lexa to take a piece as well. When Lexa takes a bite she has to keep herself from moaning.
Raven watches her amused when something catches her eye, her smile only widening at the sight of the fuzzy pink feet.
"Nice socks Lexa, real badass."
"They belong to Clarke." Lexa says around a bite.
"I can tell."
Raven shoots a smirk to her blonde friend causing Clarke to kick her foot out at Raven that she easily dodges but it sends Bernie into a barking frenzy seeing someone trying to hurt his master.
"Shut up you asshole, your just jealous."
Raven laughs petting Bernie to calm him down before she sits down on one of the other chairs with her own slice of the bread.
"How was your shift?" Clarke asks swallow her large bite.
"Ugh people are stupid."
"Oh, boy this should be interesting."
"So, this guy and his friend come into the ER today and apparently this guy is like one chromosome away from being a potato. Anyway this guy decided that it would be a good idea to get shit faced and throw darts at his friend's head."
"Seriously? Is the friend okay?"
"Let's just say now his friend is going to have a permanent wink." Raven says finishing off her last bite and Clarke can't help but let out a snort.
They spend the rest of the night talking as they watch tv and Lexa found herself really enjoying it. But all too soon Lexa starts to feel her eyes start to droop, she had a rather busy day and her recovering body was exhausted. Clarke catches the brunettes struggle to stay awake and decides its time to end her fight.
"I think that's enough excitement for one day." Clarke says making Lexa's eyes snap open. "Come on bed time."
Clarke leads Lexa back to her new room, she lets Lexa sit on the edge of the bed.
"Is there anything else you need, more pillows or a glass of milk?"
"No thank you Clarke, I have all I need." Lexa reassures her.
Clarke nods looking nervously around the room when Raven's head pops into the doorway.
"Hey, Lexa if you need anything during the night don't be afraid to tell Clarke." Clarke rolls her eyes at her friend and Lexa can't help the small smile.
"I will remember that Raven." Raven just gives her a curt nod before leaving.
"So um, I know that the first night in a strange place can be pretty scary and for some reason the darkness makes everything like 10 times scarier so um here." Clarke holds out a little white object shaped as a rabbit to her.
"What is it?" Lexa asks curiously.
"It's a nightlight, I thought maybe you would like to use it even just for tonight. It always helped me when I had to sleep in a strange room."
"Thank you Clarke that is very thoughtful of you. How does it work?"
"Oh." Clarke takes it back before bending down to push the two metal ends into the wall making the little rabbit light up. "There you go."
Clarke starts to slowly move backwards towards the door.
"Um, you are probably really tired. Did you remember to take you medication?" Lexa gives her amused smile.
"Yes, I did."
"Good, that's good. I better get to bed too I have an early class tomorrow." Lexa nods and Clarke takes the final step to reach the door, Clarke hesitates at the door turning back to look at her. "I'm really glad you decided to stay here."
"Me too." Lexa replies honestly with a soft smile.
"Good night Lexa sweet dreams."
"Good night Clarke."
With one last smile Clarke leaves closing the door behind her.
Lexa makes her way under the covers, it's a lot more comfortable then the hospital bed and the blankets feel soft and not scratchy. Lexa snuggles into the soft mattress getting comfortable. She looks at the rabbit giving a soft glow to the room smiling to herself, she closes her eyes and quickly drifts off to sleep.