Chapter 22:
Lexa turned back around and Clarke stood next to her. Indra and Octavia looked to them to determine what they should do, but Clarke didn't know what any of them should do.
"Yo-" Carolina couldn't get the words out. Blood started trickling down her chin.
"It's the nightshade grown by the radiation run-off." He told her as he leaned down to take in her reaction. "It's what you used, isn't it? You carried it with you all the time back when you worried someone would try to kill you after you tried to enact the law that would require all women who were able to continue to produce children until their bodies were no longer able. And to think, I believed you thought it was best for all of us, but you just wanted the power. You've always wanted the power, but Carolina… I have the power now."
She sputtered a few times before hanging her head against her chest. She was gone. York just stared at her for a few moments and Clarke watched as Carolina's lips turned blue.
"Octavia, have Lincoln help you in disposing of the body. Indra?"
"Yes, Heda." Indra responded and moved quickly as if this was not the first time she'd done this.
"Blood must have blood." Kane stated and walked out of the house.
"What happened?" Bellamy came in with Lincoln.
"I took care of something I should have long ago." York stood. He looked at Clarke. "I surrender myself to you to face the consequences of my actions."
"Consequences?" Bellamy asked.
"Go home, York. I'll send for you in the morning." Clarke told him.
He nodded, took a last look at Carolina and walked out.
"What the hell happened?" Bellamy questioned again.
"Bell, just help us with her." Octavia asked. "I'll explain later." The four of them worked to move Carolina in the chair outside the back door. Clarke wasn't sure where they would bury her, but she was glad to have the body outside her home. She stared down at the carpet where there was now a bloodstain.
"I can have someone remove it tomorrow." Lexa told her as she stood beside her.
"Don't bother." Clarke told her. "I don't plan on staying in this house any longer than we have too."
Clarke walked off into their room.
"Where will you go?" Lexa asked her, following.
Clarke flopped backwards on the bed.
"Another house?"
"So, you wish to stay here in the city?" Lexa asked.
Clarke sat up.
"Don't you?"
"I wish to stay with you." Lexa replied honestly.
"I'm going to check supplies tomorrow. Then, we'll radio in what's happened. To the camp and capital. We can send for everyone and plan how to get them here or we can plan our own trip back. That one's obviously easier. Far fewer of us and-"
"And your brain never shuts off, does it?" Lexa asked her with a smile. She sat next to her on the bed and leaned back using her arms to hold her up. "Clarke, you took an entire city today. Normally, I'm the first to say we need to charge on to the next battle, but I think maybe we can just take a night to relax."
Clarke looked at her with confusion.
"Relax? I wasn't sure that was a word that translated into English for your people." She smiled.
"What happened downstairs… do you want to talk about it?" Lexa asked her more seriously.
"Not really." Clarke admitted and flopped backwards on the bed once again.
"Okay. We don't have too, but if you change your mind, I'm here." Lexa moved to stand so she could continue to ready herself for bed.
"I put the gun in his hand." Clarke said to the air. Lexa paused and sat back down, this time facing Clarke and looking down at her.
"There was no g-" Lexa realized it was a metaphor.
"I told him what she did. I guess I didn't expect him to react so quickly. Where did he even find the nightshade?" She asked more herself than Lexa.
"There's a patch in the yard." Lexa informed. "I noticed it when we first arrived." She stared down at Clarke. "You should know Kane was the one that handed him the water. I saw it, but did nothing to stop it. The fault likes with Carolina; no one else. She brought this on herself, Clarke and York had every right to avenge his parents and any others she's taken from this world out of greed and power." She paused. "Are you disappointed?"
Clarke sat up forcing Lexa to move.
"No, I'm not disappointed. I guess, in a way, I knew what he was going to do even if I didn't think he'd do it right then."
"The world is better without her in it."
"Sometimes, I struggle with understanding why we're the ones who get to make that decision." Clarke admitted. "With Carolina, I understand, but sometimes we-"
"We do what we must to survive."
"I think the first time you kissed me you agreed that it's more than just surviving that matters."
Lexa took her hand in her lap.
"That's because I knew that kissing you would make me feel alive for the first time in a long time."
"And now? How does it feel?"
Lexa leaned in. The kiss was slow at first until it started to build. Clarke felt that fire in her bones that Lexa always made her realize anew with each touch. It slowed naturally and Lexa pulled back.
"It feels like I am home wherever we reside." Lexa expressed with those eyes that made Clarke feel so found when she stared into them.
Clarke reached for Lexa's face to begin the kiss again and later, after Lexa fell asleep, Clarke found herself tracing the tattoo on her chest with her fingers as she drew breath into her body. She looked around the room and made a decision.
Dawn came and for the first time, Clarke didn't feel the need to rise with the sun. She lay there next to Lexa whose eyes began to open slowly and turn toward her. There were precious moments of silence shared between them that Clarke would not have thought possible only a few months prior.
"What are you thinking about?" Lexa finally asked her.
"You." She replied.
"What about me?" Lexa asked, staring up at the ceiling.
"You're beautiful." Clarke told her. "It's always been there, I know that, but last night, I just watched you sleep. You looked, I don't know… at peace. I love seeing you like that."
Lexa smiled at her.
"We are at peace, Clarke. With the president dead, we can move onto the others and determine who is on our side and who knew of her plan. We can punish and move on."
"Move on here?" Clarke asked.
"Is that what you want?" Lexa asked.
"Why does it have to be my decision?" Clarke asked and rolled on her back to stare at the ceiling.
"Because Clarke, I will go wherever you are as will these people." Lexa rolled on her side and wrapped her arm over Clarke's body. "If you want to live to the capital, we will rule side by side there, if you want to live in Jaha, I might be risking my life everyday, but I will go with you. We can travel between." She paused. "If you want to live here, we will make this place our home. We will setup a new civilization with a new name as you suggested."
"Do you have any idea how much work that's going to take?"
"We'll uncover that together."