All my many, many thanks to all you on the other side of the story, reading, following, favoriting, reviewing. I know, you didn't see that coming ;)

So, yeah, literally no internet at my accommodation means more writing and less posting, so here's Chapter Eleven. I'm also a good way into the next chapter, so that may be showing up this weekend.

PS I apologize to anyone I mentally called bullshit on for saying they didn't post due to lack of internet. Because it's a real thing, and you don't know how traumatizing it is until you're in small town Ireland with the internet out and your phone is not finding any 3G or any data at all.

Octavia walked into her apartment after work to find Clarke laying on the couch and binge watching Firefly. "Again?" she asked teasingly.

"If you say that I've seen this show too many times, I swear by my pretty floral bonnet I will end you."

Octavia laughed. "Not at all. Hungry?" she asked.

"Starved." Clarke replied and caught the burrito Octavia tossed to her. Octavia set the rest of the food on the coffee table in front of Clarke and went to go change out of work clothes. "Why are there three burritos?" she heard Clarke call out suspiciously.

"Raven should be here any minute," Octavia called back.

"Oh, okay," still not entirely convinced.

Before Clarke could finish her sentence, the front door opened. "Honey, I'm home!" Raven called into the apartment.

"Not your home anymore," Octavia told her reentering the living room.

"Nope. My home now," Clarke teased.

Raven huffed and flopped herself into the lounge chair, flinging her legs over one armrest and using the other as back support. She began to unwrap the burrito she grabbed on her way to the chair. "So, Clarke, final verdict on the birthday bash: complete success or raging failure?"

"Are those my only two options?" Clarke asked with a laugh as Octavia settled onto the couch opposite to Clarke, facing both girls.

"Yup," Raven said with a smile.

"Then, complete success," Clarke decided.

"Complete, as in there is not one element you would have liked to change?" Raven pressed.

"Ummm…I could have done without running into Finn, but other than that I don't think so…" Clarke's tone had never lost its suspicious edge.

"Hmmm, okay. I see, I see," Raven mused.

Octavia was trying to hold back her laughter. She and Raven had talked earlier that morning about ganging up on Clarke about last night's events, well one specific significant event, and she was definitely enjoying watching Raven's methods.

Raven pressed on, "So, what I'm getting is that if you just erase Finn from the picture, because fuck Finn, then everything else would be perfect, every last detail?"

"Yeea-aaah…" Clarke drew out the word, clearly having no idea what Raven was getting at.

"So, that kiss with Bellamy, you wouldn't change that?" Raven asked, striking gold.

Clarke froze.

"That's right, we all saw that. Can't get it by us." Raven sounded so proud of herself.

Clarke looked to Octavia for support. "Hey, I'm on her side," Octavia explained. "You can't just make out with my brother in the middle of the bar while we're all watching to make sure Finn isn't more than the usual dickhead he is, and not talk about it."

"We did not make out!" Clarke yelled.

"So, you admit you guys kissed?" Octavia questioned.

"You literally just said you all saw it," Clarke deadpanned.

"Yeah, but you admitting it is one step closer to admitting how you felt about it."

Clarke heaved a sigh. "Bellamy and I are friends; he was just helping me out of an awkward situation."

"'Friends?' Just friends?" Raven asked, her tone teasing.

Octavia could see that Clarke was struggling with herself, not just what to tell the two of them, but also what she was comfortable enough to admit to herself. Octavia gently prodded Clarke with her foot causing her to look up and meet Octavia's eyes, who gave her an encouraging smile. Clarke returned the smile and heaved another large sigh, "Okay…so, well…umm…I think, I think I might like him, like, like him more than a friend. Which is crazy and insane because we couldn't even stand to be in the same room two months ago, but every time I see him, I start to get a little fluttery. And I can't stop thinking about that kiss—that damn kiss! And I boy do I ever want to kiss him again, but I can't. I can't ruin the friendship that we have because we've only just gotten here. And it's so fragile, so tentative. And I feel like I already have ruined it because he couldn't even look at me after the kiss. And then he ran off, making up an excuse about an early class, when I know he doesn't have one till noon. Not that I'm any better, sprinting off and downing tequila shots because maybe if I drank enough I would forget that the kiss even happened and then I wouldn't have to worry about me shoving him against a wall and kissing him how I really want to and sufficiently ruining any remnants of friendship that might be lingering. And now I'm rambling, and I need to stop. And, and…yeah." Clarke blurted at a rapid speed. Finishing by looking down at her hands and refusing to make eye contact with either of her friends.

Raven and Octavia shared a shocked look. While they had wanted to get Clarke to acknowledge the kiss, they were definitely not expecting the outburst. Octavia opened her mouth to say something, but then Clarke was talking at again at an equally fast pace, "And then even if, by the farthest twist of fate, he wanted me as much as I want him, he's Bellamy. He's your brother which could put you in a really awkward position, and I'd never in a thousand years want to do that to you, O. And then there's the fact I can't remember the last time that he was actually in a solid relationship, not just hooking up, and I don't know that I could do that. Yes, I've had my share of one night stands, but never within the friend group. But that's not even it, I don't think I would want to just have a one night stand because, because, well…yeah."

Octavia could see the raw emotion on Clarke's face as she looked at her hands and played with the hair tie on her wrist. Octavia crawled across the couch and put her hands over Clarke's as Raven moved to the armrest of the couch to hug her from behind. "Clarke. Clarke, honey, look at me," Octavia said gently.

Clarke looked up, her eyes welling with tears. She brushed them away quickly with the back of her hand. Her tone changing to the strong-willed tone it usually had, with an added dose of anger or frustration, she said, "So, yeah, I actually really like him, it's not going to happen. End of story." She got up, forcing herself away from her friends and began picking up what little mess there was on the table to pick up and walked into the kitchen.

When Clarke left the room, Raven looked at Octavia. "Fuck yeah it's gonna happen," she said. "Assuming you're good with it," she added quickly.

"Definitely. If it's the last thing we do, Clarke and Bell are going to get together. They deserve to be happy."

"Seriously," Raven agreed. "I don't think Clarke has gone on more than two dates with the same guy since Finn and that was almost two years ago."

"And Bell may seem like a player, but it's just because he can't stand the idea of letting someone close enough to hurt him if she leaves. But you've seen how he is with Clarke; it's not like anything that's come before."

Clarke re-entered the living room; the two girls immediately ceased their talking. "Why do I feel like I just walked in on the kid with his hand in the cookie jar?" she asked them.

"Because you want to bake us cookies?" Octavia suggested.

"Oh, yes," Clarke replied sarcastically. "That is exactly what I was thinking." She rolled her eyes. "I'm going to go paint for a while. Don't get into too much trouble." Clarke continued on her path to her bedroom, closing the door when she got there.

"So, Operation…" Octavia searched for what she wanted to call her and Raven's newly found mission, "…Bellarke?"

"Bellarke?" Raven questioned, incredulously.

"Bellamy plus Clarke equals Bellarke," Octavia explained as if it was obvious.

"Whatever," Raven dismissed. "I'm in."

Sunday morning Clarke was snuggled in bed after a late night of finishing the painting she had started on Friday. She was woken by someone jumping on her bed and collapsing on top of her.

"Nooo," she groaned pulling the covers over her head.

"Rise and shine!" Octavia said cheerfully. "You're coming to lunch with me and Bell."

Clarke peeked out from under the covers and gave her friend a deadpan look.

"It has nothing to do with what you told me and Raven the other day; I just want to have lunch with my two favorite people before I go on vacation for a week."

"Yeah, because I believe that," Clarke said sarcastically.

"Please, even if I do have additional motives, what I said before wasn't a lie. Plus, you want to see where things are for the two of you, right? And who's the perfect objective, third-party, which no personal interest in the matter? Me! Please, please, please, please, please, please, please!" Octavia begged, bringing on the force of the puppy dog eyes.

"You're not going to leave my bed until I say, 'yes,' are you?"

"Not a chance," Octavia replied with a smile.

Clarke groaned again, "Fine! But if things are completely awkward, I'm blaming you!"

"Success!" Octavia shouted, accompanying her exclamation with a fist pump and getting off Clarke's bed. "Dress cute!" she added in farewell as she sauntered out of the room.

"I hate you!" Clarke called after Octavia and rolled out of bed. "Fuck, I really do have to dress cute," she muttered to herself, acknowledging that she did indeed want to look nice for her first post-kiss interaction with Bellamy. She walked over to her closet and selected a floral sundress neckline that accentuated her breasts without putting them on display and sported a perfectly gathered waist before flowing down to just above her knee. She added a light line of eyeliner and some mascara as well as a quick shine of lip gloss before braiding only a small section of her hair back, so that some still framed her face. She walked out into the living room and gave a twirl for Octavia. "Good?" she asked.

"Perfect," Octavia replied, handing her a cup of coffee, which Clarke took gratefully before settling down onto the couch to wait for Bellamy.

Twenty minutes later, there was a brief knock on the door before it opened. "Wow, you do know how to knock!" Clarke called out teasingly.

"How did you even know it's me?" Bellamy answered from the entryway.

"Because you just told me," she replied, happy that things didn't seem off between them. Maybe they could just put the whole kiss-thing behind them. At least that's what she thought until Bellamy came into the living room; upon seeing him in simply jeans and a t-shirt, albeit a well-fitted t-shirt, Clarke was immediately brought back to the moment his lips were on hers and how much she wanted to repeat and go beyond that feeling again. She hid her reaction by taking another sip of coffee.

"Clarke is joining us for lunch," Octavia informed her brother. "I want a meal with my two favorite people before I go off on vacation."

"Whatever you say, O," Bellamy answered with the doting smile of a brother who can never say 'no' to his little sister.

"If you tell me where we're going, I can drive us," Clarke volunteered.

"Perfect! There's this new place on Ninth Street I've been wanting to try," Octavia jumped in.

"Okee-doke, let's get this show on the road!" Clarke said, leading the way out of the apartment, careful to not make eye contact with Bellamy, but also trying not to make it super awkward.

Bellamy was sitting next to Clarke at a small bistro that Octavia had picked out. He had no idea how Clarke could look so effortlessly beautiful, but she did, especially when she gave him a small smile over the cup of coffee she was sipping as they waited for their food. Looking at her, he couldn't stop thinking about the kiss they shared. He tried the shake the memory out of his head and focus on Octavia talking about the trip she was taking with Lincoln, a trip he didn't entirely approve of, but one that he'd given up hope of stopping.

"Lincoln said that he has to climb some mountain or something and camp up there to get pictures of the sunrise. He told me that I could stay at the hotel while he went up, but fuck that shit, I want to climb a mountain and watch a sunrise with my boyfriend. What could be more romantic than that?"

"Big brother over here," Bellamy reminded. "Don't really want to hear your planned details of a 'romantic getaway' with my little sister and her boyfriend of one month."

"No, they've been going out for two," Clarke corrected. Immediate her eyes got large and she clapped her hand over her mouth. "Sorry, O," she mumbled.

"You hid him from me for a month?" Bellamy asked outraged.

"Thanks, Clarke," Octavia said sarcastically. "I didn't hide him from you; I was just waiting to see how things went between us first. And for the exact reason of the reaction I'm getting right now."

"Goddammit, Octavia, I just want what's best for you!"

"But you don't always know what's best for me. I'm twenty three years old, I'm an adult, I don't need my older brother to make my decisions for me." Octavia's tone was starting to get hard.

Bellamy felt someone squeeze his hand which had balled into a fist under the table. He looked down at it and then back to the face of the owner; Clarke met his eye and took a deep breath, telling him to calm down without saying a word. He mirrored her action and immediately felt calmer. When he loosened his fist, she started to take her hand back, but he held it in place and laced their fingers together. If he wasn't mistaken, her breath hitched a little bit, but she didn't try to take her hand back again.

"I'm sorry, O," Bellamy said sincerely. "Big brother mode doesn't have an off switch and I still see that little girl with the big green eyes asking me to make sure the monsters don't get her. And no matter how old you get the monsters are still out there, they're just taking on different forms now."

Octavia looked from him to Clarke, and incredulous expression on her face, not believing the turn-around in his demeanor. "It's okay, Bell," she told him, all hardness of her voice now erased. "I'm old enough to fight the monsters on my own, but if I need help, I'll give you a call.

"And now that we've got that all worked out, food's here," Clarke said, pulling her hand from Bellamy's to indicate to their waitress who was approaching with their meals.

"You guys get started, I'm gonna make a call," Octavia said, standing and pulling out her phone. Clarke opened her mouth to say something to Octavia, but closed it without utter a word. Octavia gave her a quick smile and walked away.

There was a brief silence before Bellamy barked with a half-laugh, "Déjà vu, huh, Princess?"

"What?" she asked, confused.

"Last time the three of us went out to lunch on a Sunday, Octavia left us alone while she was on the phone."

Clarke let out a small laugh, "If I remember correctly, that meal ended with me storming out of the restaurant because you were being an ass."

"Yeah, let's not repeat that part of the meal," he replied.

"Agreed." The silence resumed, Bellamy could have sworn that before the kiss, the silence between them wasn't this awkward, now he just didn't know what to say.

"How's the thesis coming?" Clarke asked.

Déjà vu with conversation and everything, this doesn't bode well. "Same old, same old. Translation and analysis."

"That's good." Silence resumed. After another awkward minute, Clarke broke the silence again, "This is ridiculous! What happened? Okay, I know, what happened, but we're putting it behind us, right? We're just going back to being friends like before?"

Bellamy tried not to let the disappointment show on his face. But was that not what he had just been thinking earlier? That they needed to just get back to where they were, no matter how much he wanted more than that. "Yeah, of course," he answered. For a split second he thought he saw her face drop, but it was so quick he must have just been projecting.

"Good. So any gossip I should know about?"

"Now, I'm your gossip source?" he questioned.

"I don't know! You're always telling me about the inner workings of the Classics office, I want to know if Echo has finally given up her crush."

Bellamy laughed. "Nope, she's still among my doting fans."

"Poor girl, someone needs to help her out; clearly she doesn't know how annoying you are."

"I am not! At school I am a well-respected graduate student who people aspire to be like."

"Key phrase: at school." Clarke said with a laugh.

Bellamy huffed. Soon enough they were back into their ways of verbal sparring and constant teasing. Bellamy smiled glad that he had this Clarke back in his life. The awkward limbo of not knowing where she stood for the past two days had been agonizing. True he would have preferred a step further rather than the retreat that this felt like, but it was better to be safe and keep a hold of what he had already and not risk losing everything.

Octavia came back from her phone call before too long and easily joined the conversation which soon evolved into talk about the group and who was going to bring whom to Raven's wedding, mostly whom Monty was going to take; the conversation carefully avoided with whom Clarke and Bellamy would go.

Tuesday night, Bellamy was just about to choose what movie to watch when he heard his phone buzz.

Princess
I had forgotten what it's like to
live alone. It's too quiet
10:11 pm

Need me to come over and blast
Octavia's music, sing horribly, and
pretend to be her?
10:15 pm

Would you please? I could
really go for some entertainment
10:15 pm

I just need to find my camera
10:15 pm

Why do you need your camera?
10:17 pm

To record the event
10:17 pm

…so that I can replay it when you're
not here and it would still sound like
someone was
10:17 pm

Yup. That's what I'm going with
10:17 pm

Why do I not believe your reasoning?
10:18 pm

I don't know why you wouldn't.
I'm a trustworthy person
10:18 pm

Be that as it may, I still don't believe you.
10:20 pm

Seriously though, Bell, it's too
quiet here
10:20 pm

And I watched Ghost Adventures, and
now I'm freaking out
10:21 pm

Why did you watch Ghost Adventures?
You always get scared.
10:21 pm

I don't know. It was on TV and they
were going to this old artsy looking
building…and I wanted to see inside
10:21 pm

Oh god! There's shadows moving under
the door! Someone's outside the apartment.
10:22 pm

Clarke, you live in an apartment building.
You have neighbors. They walk to their
apartments.
10:22 pm

I know. I know. You were right. It was
just the guy across the hall.
10:24 pm

A cat just knocked over a garbage can in
the alley and I jumped a mile high. I
can't do this
10:26 pm

Princess, do you need me to come
over and protect you from the
scary ghosts?
10:26 pm

No. I'm a big girl, I can handle it.
10:26 pm

Okay, I swear someone is in the kitchen!
10:27 pm

Offer still stands.
10:27 pm

…yes please…
10:28 pm

No, wait, I'll come to you. You'll take too
long getting a cab or catching the bus and
I'll already be dead.
10:28 pm

Assuming that's okay!
10:28 pm

That's perfectly fine, Princess.
Let me know when you get here
and I'll let you in.
10:29 pm

On my way!
10:30 pm

Bellamy looked up from his phone, only just realizing to what he had agreed. Just because he had agreed to move past the kiss, didn't mean that he forgot it or that his feelings had disappeared. And the fixation of this thoughts for the past few days was coming to his apartment, at night; it's not like this scenario had played itself in his head before…But it would definitely have a different ending in person, than it did in his mind.

Fifteen minutes later he was letting Clarke into his apartment. "Oh my god, thank you, Bell," she told him as opened the door. "I couldn't stand to be in the apartment by myself; it was so quiet and you know how my imagination gets after scary movies and such."

"I know," Bellamy chuckled remembering how jumpy she got when they had a scary movie night. Clarke had only gotten home for the last bit of a movie, but Octavia complained for the rest of the week that Clarke was just a step away from crawling in bed with her at night.

Clarke stuck her tongue out at him. "What are the chances I can convince you to watch a happy-go-lucky movie before bed tonight?"

"One hundred percent," Bellamy said with a smile. "Netflix is up on my laptop, the HDMI cord is already set up, pick something out, and I'll make some popcorn."

When he returned to his living room, his TV screen was ready to play the opening scenes of Serenity. "I hate to break it to you, but Serenity is not happy-go-lucky."

"I know, but it makes me smile and I just finished re-watching the show a few days ago."

"So, you're just usurping movie night for your own endgame? Hmm…Why do I feel like I was in trouble for trying to do that not too long ago?"

"But it's Serenity, you can't say no to Firefly. What kind of browncoat are you?"

"Fine. You caught me, I can't say no. I just have to give you a hard time," Bellamy smiled, placing the popcorn on the table. "Want something to drink?"

"Beer? Whatever you've got is fine," Clarke replied.

Bellamy went to the fridge and got out two beers and returned to settle on the couch. Right before they were about to hit play Clarke suddenly muttered, "Shit! PJs!"

Bellamy looked at her questioningly.

"In my rush to get out of my ghost infested apartment, I forgot to grab pajamas," she explained.

"Just borrow something of mine," Bellamy offered. "First door on your right," he said indicating toward the hallway. "I trust you won't be a snoop."

"Really?" Clarke said with a coy smile, "You're telling me to go into your bedroom for the first time alone, and expect me not to snoop? If the idea wasn't already in my head, you would have just placed it there."

When Clarke took her time changing, Bellamy started wondering if she really was snooping and what she had gotten into. Right when he was about to go check it out, she came back into the living room wearing one of his shirts that said "Army" across it. It hung to about mid-thigh, and Bellamy had to stop his jaw from dropping, because as good as Clarke looked when she got all dolled up to go out or even when she was dressed for a casual day at home, this was by far his favorite look on her.

"What?" Clarke asked, unaware of the effect she was having on him.

"Nothing," he replied, tearing his eyes off her.

She shrugged as she relaxed onto the couch next to him, her feet tucked next to her. Bellamy grabbed her ankles and pulled her legs over his, bringing her closer to him. She squawked in surprise, but made no move to pull back. Maybe it was the shirt thing, but he was feeling extra possessive of Clarke right now, and needed to have physical contact with her; they did the casual touching before the kiss, so it meant he was still moving past it, right?

When they finished the movie, Clarke sat up and yawned. "Bed time," she announced.

"You know where the bedroom is; I'll grab some extra blankets and make up the couch for myself," Bellamy said going to open the ottoman where he kept the blankets.

"Don't be ridiculous! We're at your place for once and that means you get your own bed. God knows you spend enough nights on our couch, I can spend one on yours," Clarke argued, hands on her hips.

"You're the guest, Princess, you get the bed," Bellamy insisted.

"Nope. This is my bed for the night," Clarke said, laying down on the couch.

"Clarke, please, just take the bed."

"Nope, nada, no, not a chance. This couch as accepted me and I will not leave it."

"Clarke I don't know your middle name Griffin, you will take my bed. I'm trying to be a good host and gentleman, and I will not be thwarted."

"Bellamy Oliver Blake," Clarke said with a mischievous smile, having likely learned his middle name from Octavia. "You will only make your guest happy by sleeping in your own bed. Best to accept this now and move on before we both end up sleeping on the floor just to out stubborn the other."

Bellamy laughed out loud, "We would totally do that too, wouldn't we?"

Clarke joined in his laughter, "Yup, no doubt about it. So you'll take your bed?"

"Ugh, fine! But I will hear nothing more of it."

"Sounds good. Goodnight, Bellamy," she said with a smile as he covered her with the blankets he had retrieved.

"Goodnight, Princess," he replied and went to his bedroom.

He was just about to fall asleep when he heard his door creak open. "Bellamy?" Clarke called in a quiet tentative voice.

"Yeah," he answered, his voice thick with sleep already.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't; I hadn't fallen asleep yet."

"Umm, so, Ghost Adventures was really truly a poor life choice, and now I'm freaking out even more because I'm not familiar with your apartment and the lighting and layout and such and yeah." Clarke trailed off, stepping further into his room.

"So what are you saying, Princess?"

She mumbled something incoherent.

"Sorry, didn't catch that," he told her.

Barely above a whisper and quick as lightening Clarke murmured, "I was wondering if I could sleep in your bed tonight, with you. I just need to be near another living, breathing person nearby to feel safe."

In response Bellamy only patted the bed next to him. She rushed over and crawled under the covers. "Thanks, Bell," she told him. Right before she settled in she stiffened, "This isn't going to be too weird, is it?" she panicked.

"Only if we make it weird," he assured her, though his own heart was thumping at the idea of sleeping next to her.

"Okay, good," she snuggled down in the bed. He also made himself comfortable, his back to her. Before long, Clarke's breathing evened out to the rhythm of sleep. He, however, tossed and turned, unable to stop thinking about her close proximity. At one point he was lying on his back when he heard a small murmur from beside him. Next thing he knew Clarke curled into his side, using his shoulder as a pillow and tossing one of her legs over one of his. He was wondered for a brief moment whether or not she was awake, but then he remembered Raven and Octavia teasing her about how she isn't always big on hugs and affection until she was asleep. Then all measures of personal space were thrown out the window. He sighed happily, stretched his arm around her, tugging her in closer, and was asleep in seconds.

Saturday rolled around, and Clarke was entering the Drop Ship for her shift with Bellamy. The past week they had spent nearly every night together since Tuesday; the first three had been at least under the pretense of Clarke being too freaked out to be in her apartment alone. Friday night however, Bellamy had a shift and had come in at nearly 4:00 in the morning. He had started to make up the couch, but before he finished, Clarke sleepily wandered out and dragged him by his hand into her room. All they ever did was cuddle and it was never discussed in the morning. Clarke was truly going to miss it when Octavia came home; there was no way she could use the excuse of being scared to be alone and Octavia would never let her live it down if she ever even heard of it.

"Well, well, well, look who decided to show up," Bellamy teased.

"I'm fifteen minutes early for your information," Clarke retorted. "And it looks like you're so terribly busy." It was quarter to nine and there was just a handful of people at the bar; the night usually didn't start until 10:00, and only really got busy starting at 11:00.

Clarke put her stuff away and made sure everything was in order in the back room before heading out to the bar. "So, Mr. Boss Man," she said with an extra dose of sarcasm at her nickname for Bellamy, "what's on the agenda for tonight?"

"Well, Princess," Bellamy emphasized her nickname, "we're going to do some light inventory tonight—just a count on our most popular liquors—so we can let Lexa know if we need anything, we have a new DJ coming in any minute now, and then Dax will take over at midnight per usual. Other than that just don't piss off any customers."

"Please, they love me."

"Not as much as they love me."

"I do recall several instances in which guys have specifically requested me over whoever I was working with, cough, cough, you."

"Yeah, and I have no idea why that could possibly be," Bellamy's voice dripped with sarcasm, his eyes pointing to her chest, which definitely took advantage of the V-neck Drop Ship tee that she was wearing.

"Hey, a little light flirting and I basically have rent money from the tips if I get the right group of guys."

"I make more in tips than you on any night. People prefer a quality drink."

"Bitch please, my drinks are fantastic, and I definitely make more than you in tips."

"You want to test that theory?"

"You're on!"

"Wait, are we seriously doing this?" Bellamy asked, clarifying.

"Yes, yes we are," Clarke affirmed.

"We should lay out some ground rules then…no stealing another person's customer…"

"No throwing in an extra twist or something like that to persuade a bigger tip out of them."

"Basically, just bartend like it's a normal night and we'll see who comes out on top?"

"Okay, what does the winner get? And it can't be any part of the other's money, because like I said, rent money."

"Winner chooses after the final tally. I'm going to need the shift to think about my prize."

"In your dreams, Blake! You're going to be looking up at me from second place."

Right then a guy approached the bar, Clarke quickly slipped past Bellamy. "What can I get for you?" she asked in a friendly manner.

He looked her up and down, "I'll take your number, but I'm here to talk to Blake."

She felt Bellamy slide up next to her, "Leave her alone, Murphy. She doesn't need you sleezing all over her."

"Sorry, Blake didn't know she was yours," the man responded.

"She's not," Bellamy told him, sounding reluctant.

"Then can I have her number?"

"No."

The conversation was interrupted by Octavia bursting into the bar. "We're back, bitches!" she shouted. A couple patrons crumbled, but the two bartenders smiled and called out a greeting.

"I'll take her number too," Murphy professed.

"Definitely not!" Bellamy growled, before adding, "Go ahead, Princess, I know you missed her, I'll take care of Murphy."

As Clarke made her way around the bar to greet her friend and Lincoln, she heard Murphy tell Bellamy, "Ahhh, the princess, I should have guessed." Before Clarke could think too deeply about what that meant, she was enveloped in Octavia's hug.

"I missed you sooo much!" Octavia said gleefully, tightening her grip on Clarke. "It was torture not having a phone to contact you people. How's everyone doing? What did I miss?"

Prying herself from Octavia, she turned to Lincoln, "How did you put up with this for an entire week? She easy enough to stand when she can bug seven other people, but one on one? You have my sympathies."

Lincoln chuckled, "It wasn't so bad." With the smile he gave Octavia in that moment, Clarke could see exactly how besotted he was with her friend.

"Hmph, I'm wonderful," Octavia said. Taking out her phone she announced, "I'm calling up everyone and demanding their presence here tonight. Clarke, can you get us the usual?"

"Only if you give me a big tip." At Octavia's confused expression, Clarke explained, "Bell and I are having a competition to see who makes more in tips."

"Oh, you and Bell are having a competition?" Octavia waggled her eyebrows at Clarke's use of Bellamy's nickname that few people can use without him putting a stop to it.

"Do you want those drinks or not?" Clarke asked snarkily.

"Do you want my tip or not?" Octavia returned.

Clarke stuck her tongue out at her and retreated to the bar, Octavia and Lincoln following.

"Hey, big brother," Octavia greeted. Murphy must have moved to a different spot because he was no longer sitting in his spot at the bar.

"Little sister," Bellamy returned with a smile. "Lincoln," he added with a nod of the head. Clarke looked on approvingly at the last bit. "How was the trip?"

Before Lincoln could say anything, Octavia was off at break-neck speeds describing all that they did and saw on the mountain and surrounding area. Before long Raven burst into The Drop Ship and basically tackled Octavia. Wick trailed along behind her. The two girls went off and started talking secretively about something, glancing at Clarke every once in a while. One time she made eye contact, and raised a brow in question. They just waved her off and continued talking. They were up to something, but Clarke would worry about it when she didn't have to beat Bellamy in their tip competition.

As the night picked up, Clarke turned on the charm, being extra friendly and flirty, perhaps flaunting her breasts a little more than usual with the male customers. In a brief moment of respite Bellamy leaned on the counter next to Clarke. "I know what you're doing," he told her.

"And what pray tell is that?" Clarke asked.

Bellamy just looked at her chest, "You're practically spilling out of your shirt."

"Am not! And it's not like you're any better; I haven't seen someone flexing their muscles so much since I was at a frat party!"

"Agree to disagree?"

Clarke narrowed her eyes at him, "Fine. But, if you're going to play it this way, be prepared to take it up a notch."

"What does that mean?"

"You'll see," Clarke said pushing off the counter to help the next customer.

A little while later, Clarke looked over to see Bellamy flirting heavily with a group of girls in their twenties. On her way past him to grab a bottle of Jack Daniels, she grabbed his ass. He immediately looked at her, startled. She simply smiled coyly and blew him a kiss.

When she was at the register Bellamy came up next to her. "What the hell was that?" he asked quietly.

"Marking my territory," she replied sweetly.

"Your territory?" he questioned incredulously.

"Girls aren't going to tip a guy as well if they think he's taken and they don't have a chance with him," Clarke explained with a self-satisfied smile and turned around to give the customer his change.

"Keep it," the guy said with a wink.

"And that's another seven for me," Clarke told Bellamy, tucking the cash into her tip jar.

Bellamy glared at her slyly, "Well, if that's how you're going to play it…" and walked away.

When Clarke had a group of college guys flirting with her as she took their order, she felt one of Bellamy's hand settle on her hip as he reached around her for a bottle of Captain Morgan with the other. Before he retreated back to making his drinks, he paused and Clarke knew that from over her shoulder he was giving the group in front of her a look telling them to back off.

While they were next at the registers, Clarke pouted at him, "Not fair. You're more intimidating than me."

"Shouldn't have started a game you couldn't finish," was all he said. Flashing her a smirk, he returned to the demanding patrons.

It was push and pull all night, and soon it was last call. Just when they thought they had served the last customer, Lincoln came up. "What will it be?" Clarke asked him.

"Cranberry vodka and a Heineken, please," he said.

"She's got you wrapped around her finger, doesn't she?" Clarke teased as she started mixing the drink while Bellamy got the beer and pulled off the top.

Bellamy handled the transaction and Clarke thought nothing of it, until Lincoln told him to keep the change. "Seriously, Lincoln? I did the hard part, he just got out a beer?"

"But I don't have to win any favor from you," Lincoln said with a playful tone. "Bellamy still needs a little convincing, and anything to help with that."

Bellamy just laughed. Clarke put her hands on her hips. "If I lose this competition, I'm blaming you," she threatened. Lincoln laughed as he walked away.

Clarke was wiping down the bar, while Bellamy turned on the lights to tell people the bar was closing. Octavia wandered over. "I'm spending the night at Lincoln's," she told Clarke.

"You literally just spent an entire week with him," Clarke teased her drunk friend.

"But all my stuff is there from the flight, and we have to have welcome home sex," Octavia explained with a slight slur.

"Did not need to know that last bit," Clarke laughed.

"Of course you did," Octavia said with a wink. "Anyway, you, me, Bell, and Lincoln for lunch tomorrow?"

"Wow, expanding the Blake Sunday lunch party. How do you think, Bellamy's going to feel about that?"

"Well, if he has a problem, you'll calm him down like you always do." Even drunk, Octavia managed a knowing smile. "See you tomorrow!" She said walking away before Clarke could even open her mouth to respond.

Once the bar cleared out, Bellamy locked the doors and came over to the bar, "Time to count it up," he said with a smirk. "Oh what shall I ever do with my win?"

"Don't count your birds before they're in the basket," Clarke warned.

"I think you're mixing metaphors, or well clichés."

"Whatever, get counting," Clarke told him and started counting her own stash. "$218," she announced proudly after she finished.

Bellamy looked up from his counting, "$216."

"You're kidding. You seriously just lost by two dollars?" Clarke asked gleefully.

"Nope, you lost by one dollar," he said with a coy smile. "I forgot to add Lincoln's tip in."

"Are you fucking kidding me? I'm gonna kill him! Seriously?"

"One hundred percent. You want to double check my counting?" Bellamy looked quite smug.

Clarke grudgingly replied, "No, I trust you." She couldn't fucking believe it; what a cruel, cruel world she lived in.

"And for my winnings…" Bellamy dragged on in glee, "We'll start off with you having to clean the bathrooms." Clarke groaned. "And I get to choose the radio station, and I'll think of something else when you're finished with the bathrooms."

Clarke grumbled as she went off to clean the bathrooms, which get terribly disgusting after a night of drunken people going in and out. However, when she finished this task and was just finishing cleaning the main floor, the radio personality came on, the only show that was halfway decent for the ridiculous hour. "Well, well, well, thanks for tuning in to Anything and Everything with Allen Evens. We've got a request for all you out there and still awake. Clarke is closing the local bar The Drop Ship and wants to dedicate this song to her co-worker."

Bellamy looked up from restocking behind the bar; Clarke just shrugged her shoulders and smiled at him teasingly. The radio continued with Clarke's voice, "Bellamy, though you may have won this round, I just wanted you to know something…"

A very recognizable guitar beat began, Bellamy started laughing. When the lyrics began, Clarke began to lip sync and dance, serenading him, "One way or another I'm gonna find ya; I'm gonna getcha, getcha, getcha, getcha…" She dramatically weaved her way through the tables over to the bar and Bellamy, swaying her hips and singing the whole way.

When the song finished with Clarke standing directly in front of him, Bellamy having laughed the whole time, he looked at her with a goofy grin and announced, "You are ridiculous." Then he did something she definitely was not expecting, but not necessarily something she hadn't been dying for him to do for the past week: he kissed her. And not a gentle kiss, soft like their first kiss; this was a hungry kiss.

Unlike the first time when it had begun as an accident, this kiss was purposeful and full of want. She gasped slightly at the suddenness of the kiss and Bellamy took full advantage, snaking his tongue to tangle with hers. But that half second of surprise was quickly over and she threaded her hands around his neck and into his hair, pulling him closer and deepening the kiss. She felt his hands wrap around under her thighs and easily lift her onto the counter, where he settled in between her legs and pulled her flat against his chest, seeming to try to meld their bodies together.

She slipped her hands under his shirt and began tugging it upward, feeling his toned chest was an added pleasure. When he pulled away to allow her to pull his shirt over his head, between gasps for breath he huffed, "You're good? You want this?"

Clarke smirked up at him, "Was I not the one who just took off your shirt?"

Bellamy barked a laugh before capturing her lips with his again. Pulling off her shirt to join his in a pile on the floor. The rest of their clothes soon followed.

And so it goes…sorry, not sorry, but I can't do smut. Allude to it, sure…maybe, I don't know how well I pulled that off…but actually write it, yeah, that would just end horribly.