Chapter 23

"What do you mean you haven't told her yet?" Anya groaned from her end of the phone.

"I'm not just going to spit that out, isn't it enough that I told her Costia and I broke up."

Anya rolled her eyes and even though Lexa couldn't see her it was as if she could hear it from across the country. "No it's not enough! You're such a stubborn idiot!"

"I'm pretty sure we've established that, several times over. I'll tell her, eventually."

"If you don't, I will."

"Anya, it's really not that big of a deal."

"Yes, it is! Fine, as usual don't listen to me!"

Lexa couldn't help but laugh. "I won't but I'm going to bed, it's late and I work in the morning."

She heard Anya huff. "Okay, bye, love you, even though you're an idiot."

"Love you too." She shook her head as she hung up her phone and stared at the ceiling of her hotel room.

XOXO

New York – One Month Later

Lexa smiled politely at the barista as she took her morning coffee and walked over to the nearby table to add her cream and sugar.

"Back in New York for business so soon?"

Lexa nearly jumped out of her skin and the sound of the woman's voice in her ear. "Christ Octavia, way to scare a girl."

Octavia leaned against the counter and laughed as she sipped on her coffee. "How long has it been?"

"What?" Lexa questioned as she moved out of the way.

"How long has it been since you moved to New York?"

Lexa's face went flush. "I'm in town on business."

Octavia shook her head. "See this little badge here, it means I'm not entirely stupid. This is the coffee shop you used to visit when you were in town for a couple days, now seeing as though it's near my place and out of the way of the hotel that you were staying at, I'm certain that no one visiting for business has the time to trek across town to get coffee. Not even important CEO types."

"You got all that from me getting coffee? And how do you know what hotel I'm staying at?"

Octavia grinned as they both sat down on the same couch. "I'm just that good, plus a little birdie told me you secretly moved here. Which I'm pissed about because I didn't get a call asking me to go for a workout."

"Would this little birdies name be Raven? Because I swear if she tells Clarke I will kill her!"

Octavia hummed and shook her head. "I don't want to hear this! And no the little birdies name was Anya."

Lexa threw her arms up in the air. "Seriously! Why do I tell her anything, she's supposed to be my best friend."

"She also told me Costia dumped your ass."

Lexa looked around the busy coffee shop before looking back at Octavia. "Is there anything she didn't tell you and shouldn't you be, I don't know, working?"

Octavia shook her head. "Shouldn't you?"

"My meeting doesn't start for another two hours and now I'm going to need to stop by a bar because this coffee isn't strong enough. I don't miss having you ruin my mornings."

Octavia laughed as she recalled the many times she and Lexa would bother Lexa while she read the morning newspaper. "Bullshit, you love it and you love me, otherwise you would have already gotten up and left. I also heard you took Clarke Kent out for dessert, romantic."

"It wasn't romantic, I ran into her and her boyfriend."

"Finn, yeah he's alright. Better than that Keenan girl she was with for like a year."

Lexa's eyes bulged. "What?"

"Oh shit." Octavia took a long sip of her coffee. "She never told you about Keenan."

"Explain."

Octavia looked down at her watch and attempted to stand up. "Look at the time, I better be going." Lexa pulled on her arm causing her to sit back down.

"Speak."

"She was seeing this girl for like a year, they met at some art gallery, it was very romantic comedy-esque without being overly romantic. Chick broke up with her because she said Clarke cared more about her work than she did about her. So of course instead of taking a break from work she worked harder then we got on a plane and ended up in L.A."

"That's bullshit, she clearly didn't deserve Clarke then. Yes, she works hard but she's going after her dream." Octavia couldn't suppress the smile on her face as she listened to Lexa defend Clarke.

"Simmer down Luther, it was awhile ago and Clarke is well over it. Finn is cool though, but he's kind of boring."

"He seemed polite enough."

Octavia thought for a second before nodding. "He is, but as long as she's happy I'm happy. He treats her right and understands her busy schedule but I don't see them getting married. You should call her, tell her you're around, she'd like that."

Lexa shook her head. "I wouldn't even know what to say."

"Hi Clarke, it's Lexa. So you know I've recently moved to New York and was wondering if you wanted to get coffee, or food. She never says no to coffee or food."

"It's not quite that simple."

Octavia raised an eyebrow. "What is it you aren't telling me?"

"I don't want her to think that I moved here for her, not that I think that would be her first thought, I'm scared of ruining whatever relationship we've built."

"Lex, you're thinking way too hard about this. It's Clarke, she's possibly the easiest person to get a long with. Spend the time getting to know each other again, four years is a long time. You're both in good places and you could use the friends in town. I don't want you focusing solely on work because you have no other distractions."

"Thank you Octavia."

"Don't mention it, like seriously don't mention to Clarke that I knew because she'll murder me. Call me later in the week, we'll go to a class or something, I'll show you what it's like to live here." Octavia stood up with a smile as she threw her now empty coffee cup into the garbage. "Don't miss me too much while I'm gone doll face."

"You know you'll miss me more buttercup." Lexa joked as she finally stood up from her spot on the couch as Octavia waved bye over her shoulder and exited the shop.

XOXO

Exactly ten hours later Clarke stood in the very same spot Lexa had earlier that day as she ordered her coffee to start her last night shift of the week. She yawned into her arm as she smiled at the barista when she saw that her name was spelled correctly.

"Thanks Jimmy."

"No problem doll, and I threw in an extra shot for ya." He winked happily as he continued to make the order. Clarke made her way to the exit and as she was leaving did a double take. She could have sworn she saw Lexa standing near the counter ordering but when she looked again the woman was gone. Shaking her head she continued to make her exit, she really was starting to think she needed more sleep now that she was getting older.

XOXO

"Hey are you done off today? Because I just finished a six-hour surgery and I am starving. I need pancakes O, I need pancakes!"

Octavia laughed as she answered her phone, not even getting a hello in before Clarke went on her rampage. "No I'm not working but I'm at a class right now with," Lexa's eyes widened as she shook her head, "a friend." Octavia gave her a weird look before shaking her head.

"But I want pancakes." Clarke whined. "And who the hell would you get up for so early if you aren't working? You aren't cheating on Lincoln are you because I will disown you! I love him."

"You love him because he cooks you breakfast!"

"No, and because he cooks me dinner to take to work, which you don't do."

"Yeah well you moved out." Octavia defended. Lexa let out a laugh before covering her mouth quickly.

"Seriously who are you with?"

Octavia glared at Lexa. "No one important, but we're almost done here, eighth and Main in say twenty minutes?"

"On my way there now, invite your friend. I don't care who comes as long as I get my food."

"Okay, I'll invite her." Octavia smiled at Lexa as she hung up the phone. "Pancakes and a cheery, happy Clarke because she just saved yet another life."

Lexa shook her head. "You know I would but I have work to do and I don't feel like getting the third degree as to why I'm in New York, again."

"Fine but you're missing out on pancakes!"

"Next time." Lexa grinned as she finished changing.

"How do you go from sweaty gym clothes, hair a mess to looking like a corporate goddess?"

Lexa laughed as she finished putting her hair in a bun. "I got it from my mama."

"I can't even argue that because I love your mom."

They both laughed as they picked up their gym backs. "Same time next week?" Lexa asked one they walked outside.

"You know it buddy, I really am glad to have you here. For as long as you're staying."

"So far, I like being here. I can see why it stole her heart. I'll see you later, you know how she gets if you keep her from her pancakes." Lexa waved a goodbye as her and Octavia both put their helmets on before driving off in opposite directions.

XOXO

"What took you so long?" Clarke groaned as Octavia slid into the other side of the booth.

"I told you I was in a class and traffic is a bitch even though it's Saturday."

Clarke shook her head. "Well I ordered food already because I am starving."

"Yeah I can see you're really withering away to nothing."

"Shut up ass hat. Where's your friend?"

Octavia shrugged as she ordered her food. "She had work."

"On a Saturday? What did you tell said person about me?"

"All I said was that there probably wouldn't be any food left by the time we got there because my best friend is a hungry hungry hippo. Anyways, have you heard from Lexa at all since your last run in?"

Clarke shook her head as she drank half her orange juice. "No, I told her to give me a call the next time she was in town but my phone has yet to ring. Why what have you heard?"

"Not a whole lot, was just curious. How's things with Finnick?"

"Finn." Clarke corrected with a raised eyebrow.

"Finnick sounds cooler."

"Have you been reading hunger games again?" Clarke asked, her eyes lighting up as she saw pancakes coming in her direction.

"Hell no, I've been making Lincoln watch it. Me read, you're cute Clarkey."

Clarke glared at her as she had a bite of her pancakes. "Clarkey? Really? It's like you've been hanging out with Lexa."

Octavia nearly choked on her water, thankful that Clarke was face deep in her food to notice. "I just like annoying the hell out of you."

"Anyways, back to my question, how's Finn?"

Clarke shrugged. "He's good, things are good." She answered nonchalantly.

"Wow, I really sense the fireworks going off."

Clarke shook her head. "It's not that kind of thing, I mean it's all a little intense but not like that. I don't know how to explain it but we're having fun and I like him. It's refreshing."

"But he's not the guy you're going to marry."

"It's barely been a month I can't possibly know that."

"You know that with…" Octavia realized what she was saying, thankful that her food showed up just in the nick of time.

Clarke put her fork down, finally full after stuffing half the pancakes into her mouth like the world was about to end. "That was different, and look how it turned out."

"I'm just saying, life plays all kinds of tricks on us, I just don't want you to settle. I want you to find that kind of love again, this time that lasts. I want you to find someone that loves you like they mean it but I thought we weren't mad at her anymore?"

"We aren't mad at her anymore, but that pain is still there. I want her and I to be friends, but that's it. I can't ever let me heart slide back into the web of Lexa Callaway. Trusting her as a friend is one thing, she's the worlds most amazing friend but outside of that, I can't, I won't even contemplate it."

Octavia took a bite of her food after drowning her pancakes in syrup. "You're telling me, you didn't even think about it for a second after you found out that she wasn't engaged anymore." Clarke shook her head no but Octavia could have sworn she saw a small glimmer of uncertainty.

XOXO

New York City – Two Weeks Later

Clarke stepped out of her favourite café, coffee in hand at around 11 p.m. She had taken the opportunity to run out for a coffee break while the hospital was as calm as a hospital could be. She stopped as she looked up before crossing the road and nearly got run over by the person walking behind her because she stopped in the middle of the road, as she took in the sight of what seemed to be a familiar motorcycle.

Shaking her head she continued to walk as she pulled out of her phone. I swear I'm seeing things. Things that remind me of Lexa everywhere! What did you do to my brain! Undo it now! She quickly sent the text to Octavia and waited for the response she knew she'd get.

You woke me up for that! Go bone already and get it out of your system! Was the response she got in return.

With the shake of her head she quickly typed out another response, if only to really piss of her best friend. I'd rather bone you! But seriously I swear I just saw her motorcycle and I know no one has another motorcycle like hers.

She could hear the groan her best friend had made as she read the reply. It's late, you're sleep deprived and now I'm going to be sleep deprived. If you miss her, call her Clarke.

I don't miss her! Clarke typed quickly before hitting send as she put her phone back in her work locker. For the rest of the time she could contemplate whether or not she did miss Lexa and in what capacity because there had to be some reason as to why her brain kept seeing things that reminded her of the other woman. She also kept reminding herself to kill Octavia for putting thoughts into her head.

xoxo

Clarke rubbed her eyes as she changed out of her scrubs and into somewhat normal clothes. She was far too tired to care about how she looked and if someone didn't like it, well then they could go to hell on an express flight. She stretched out her back as she slipped her scarf over her head. Over all she was going for comfort, blue jeans, black blazer over her blue tank. She threw her hair up into a really messy bun before closing her locker.

It didn't take her too long to get to her coffee shop. Looking down at her watch she saw that she had made he walk in only ten minutes, maybe she wasn't really that tired after all. She laughed to herself as she let out a yawn at the exact moment she had had the thought. Then, as if her mind wasn't already dealing with enough, she stopped dead in her tracks. She was sure it was the same motorcycle she had seen the night before, it had to be. The purple decals on the rims gave it away. So instead of continuing to move the few feet into the store she stood frozen as the owner of the bike parked and slowly slid of their helmet.

She saw long brown hair fall out from under the helmet and she felt her heart stop, then speed up, a warm sensation filling in her chest and she knew. She knew exactly who owner of the beautiful bike. She wasn't sure how or when it happened in the brief moments since she had pieced it together but she was now standing directly in front of the bike.

"Lexa." It wasn't a question; it wasn't a statement, the name just sort of fell from her lips without being told to do so.

"Clarke, hi." Lexa smiled as she got off the bike, helmet in hand. She ran her fingers through her hair, trying to smooth it out from the helmet head she knew she most likely had.

"Why is Orchid here?" Lexa looked back at her bike, moving her hand up to rub the back of her neck. "

"She's here because I moved to New York a little over a month ago."

TBC…