Chapter 37
"I'll help you clean up." Clarke said as she watched Lexa stand up from her seat at the table and grab a few of the plates.
"It's okay Clarkey, relax, you've had a long flight." She smiled as Jeff and shook her head.
Picking up a few plates she grinned and stood next to Lexa's father. "And you're recovering from heart surgery, doctors orders, you're the one that needs to be relaxing."
He looked to his wife for support but she simply sat back in her chair with a glass of wine in her hand. He then looked to Abby who shook her head, a smile on her face. "I have to agree with Dr. Griffin, she is a medical professional."
"It sounds so fancy when you say it like that." Elizabeth said with a grin as she smiled at Clarke.
"Kind of weird right, who would have though I'd grow up to be a doctor." Clarke laughed as she started to move towards the kitchen.
"Everyone thought that, especially after you used to be Emergency Room with your stuffed animals. A little weird for an eight year old but I guess it's paid off." Lexa said as she came back for the rest of the dishes.
It didn't take long for laughter to erupt, filling the entire house. Clarke rolled her eyes and moved past Lexa into the kitchen.
Everyone was sitting in the living room watching a Christmas movie when Elizabeth finally set her eggnog down and looked over at her daughter. "So tell me more about this crush!"
Lexa looked over at her mother and shook her head. "How long have you been wanting to ask me that?"
"All night." Her mother smiled, finally admitting the truth.
"Nothing really to tell, I met her a bar, we hit it off."
Her parents shared a look that didn't go unnoticed. "How long ago was this?"
Lexa thought for a second. "A couple weeks ago, a week ago. I don't really remember but we vibed really well."
"You vibed?" Her father asked looking at Clarke for clarification.
"There was a lot of chemistry." Clarke leaned over and whispered in his ear causing him to nod in understanding.
Lexa couldn't help but smile as her parents looked back and forth at each other, then her and Clarke. "We haven't even gone on a real date yet. It's all very fresh. Speaking of, it's technically Christmas in New York, I should go call her." Lexa smiled as she stood up and walked towards her bedroom upstairs.
Elizabeth was in disbelief. "How about you Clarke, anyone special?"
Clarke smiled and she was well aware by the look Elizabeth and Jeff gave her that they knew it was someone that was making her smile the way she was. Before she could answer however, her phone buzzed in her lap pulling her attention away from the conversation at hand.
Lexa Callaway: Merry New York Christmas! Xo
Clarke grinned as she read the message and before she realized what she was doing she looked up to see everyone looking at her.
"Didn't you just meet someone at a bar?" Her mother asked, almost making her choke on her eggnog, instantly making her wish that it was stronger.
"You'll have to be more specific, I meet a lot of people at bars. Octavia and Lincoln are trying to marry me off."
"I haven't heard about this yet." Lexa smirked as she walked back into the room.
Clarke shrugged and looked down at her phone, playing it off. "Nothing to really tell, I didn't even give her my number so who knows if I'll ever see her again."
"That's kind of funny that you both met new people at bars." Her mother said with a look and Clarke instantly wished she had never told her mother about her new 'crush'.
"That's New York, you either meet at work, or at a bar."
"Can we stop talking about our love lives now? Maybe play a round of trivial pursuit or some other game while we wait for the clock to strike midnight?" Lexa offered, sensing how uncomfortable the situation was getting. In reality her and Clarke really didn't know what to say and it felt as though their relationship was new. "It's a little awkward talking about this in front of your ex." Lexa looked between her parents with begging eyes.
XOXO
An hour later Elizabeth and Abby were standing at the back door watching as Lexa moved next to Clarke and handed her a cup of hot chocolate. "What do we think of their little story?" Elizabeth asked.
"I think what Lexa said is true, it is a new relationship of sorts."
"Let's face it ladies, they have no clue. Last time, they knew and we didn't. Now, we know and they're learning." Both women turned around to see Jeff smiling from where he sat on the couch. "Everyone always asks for a Christmas miracle, maybe this is ours."
"They're so stubborn." Elizabeth huffed as she moved away from the window and sat down next to her husband.
"Clarke isn't going to make this easy."
Jeff smiled knowingly. "And it shouldn't be easy, life isn't easy. Lexa made a choice, the wrong one but by some miracle she's realized it before it was too late. I have faith they'll make it work because everyone and everything in this world wants them too."
"That was really deep honey." Elizabeth tried not to laugh.
"Near death experiences give you great insight."
They heard laughter coming from behind them. "Yeah or you've been spending far too much time watching Star Wars again."
"I think they're up to something." Clarke added as she and Lexa looked at their parents.
"Me too, and I'm sorry to inform you all but Clarke and I are just friends. We've been through a lot and she's helped New York feel a little more like home. Like I said I met someone and so far she's great and I really want to give that chance." Lexa smiled as she sat down on the empty couch and turned on the television.
"You should be ashamed of yourselves." Clarke laughed as she too sat down, all the while shaking her head.
XOXO
It wasn't long after that that Abby excused herself and headed home to bed. Telling Clarke she'd leave the door open for her. Shortly after that Lexa's parents headed to bed, kissing both girls on the top of the head and wishing Clarke a Merry Christmas.
"I'm pretty sure you made my parents night by showing up for dinner." Lexa smiled as both girls stood up and headed downstairs to the rec room to watch a movie so that the noise of the television didn't keep her parents awake.
"Just your parents?"
Lexa shrugged as Clarke sat down next to her. "I might have been a little happy to see you too. Home alone?"
Clarke grinned from ear to ear as she pulled her legs up onto the couch. "A long flight after a long shift for a little happy? Of course, that's tradition."
"Costia hated Home Alone and okay a little more than a little happy, I was a lot happy okay?"
Clarke nodded as Lexa pulled the blanket over both their laps as she put on the movie. "How did you survive that relationship for so long?"
"Right? How can you hate a classic?"
"For once, I agree with you. I'm going to have to rethink asking her out. I saw her at the bar, she's pretty hot." Lexa's eyes widened as she looked over at the blonde sitting next to her. "Think I have a shot?"
"What is with you two and saying you're going to ask the other out?"
"Has said she wants to ask me out? It's the lab coat isn't it?"
"She has, would you like her number? It might have been or maybe it's your eyes and the way they sparkle when you talk about something your passionate about. I thought you two hated each other and now you're going to ask each other out." Lexa shook her head. "Women!"
Clarke laughed as the movie started. They hadn't done this in years but it had been tradition ever since they were kids. It had started when they were both young, neither wanting to go to bed while their parents sat up enjoying the evening. One night Jake had put Home Alone on for them and within no time they had fallen asleep. Ever since then it had been tradition for them to watch Home Alone on Christmas Eve.
"I've missed this." Clarke said barely above a whisper as she leaned against the back of the couch.
"Me too. I really am glad you're here." Lexa put her hand out and was thankful when Clarke took a hold of it.
XOXO
Two hours later Lexa woke up to the light of the television and the sound of Christmas music playing. She rubbed her eyes and looked up to see Clarke asleep, her head rested against the back of the couch. She lifted her head up off the blonde's lap and turned the television off before waking Clarke up.
"What time is it?" Clarke groaned as she slowly started to wake.
"Almost 2, Merry Christmas beautiful."
Stretching out her arms Clarke let out a yawn before both women got up. "I should probably head home."
Lexa shook her head. "Not yet." She tilted her head signaling Clarke to follow her.
They walked upstairs to a somewhat dark house except for the lights of the Christmas tree. Clarke watched as Lexa reached under the tree and pulled out a gift before handing it to her.
Taking a hold of it with a puzzled look Clarke looked down at the tag. "To Clarke, from Lexa." She read out loud before looking up at Lexa once again.
"Open it." She didn't have to be told twice. She ripped the wrapping paper off to reveal a dark brown wooden box. Unlatching it her eyes started to tear up as she ran her fingers over the engraved metal. She looked up at Lexa once again who was sitting nervously on the floor across from her. "It was supposed to be a graduation gift. I got it when you first got accepted into med school."
Clarke picked up the stethoscope and turned looked it over, her fingers ran over the engraving. Dr. Clarke Griffin. She still had yet to say anything and it was making Lexa a little nervous. "If you don't like it you can just…" before she could finish her sentence Lexa felt arms wrap around her neck.
"It's amazing." Clarke whispered into her ear before placing a kiss on her cheek. "So you knew I was going to make it through med school?"
Lexa smiled. "I never doubted it for a second."
"I got you something too but it's back in New York, I didn't want to fly with it so you'll have to wait to see what it is."
"You didn't have to get me anything Clarke."
"Neither did you. Wait, if you got this way back when, why did you hang onto it?" Clarke asked finally clueing in to what Lexa had said.
"I couldn't imagine getting rid of it. I knew I wanted to give it to you one day, somehow because you deserved it. I was never able to rid myself of everything that reminded me of you. I looked at it from time to time and thought about sending it to you but I could never do it. Then when I saw you that night in the E.R. I knew that I really had to give it to you. I've just been waiting for the right moment since then."
"Thank you, it really is an amazing present."
"I never stopped," Lexa paused before she continued speaking, "believing in you, I never stopped. Every Christmas Eve I've watched Home Alone, usually by myself but I watched it and every time I reached for my phone to wish you a Merry Christmas. I never thought we'd ever get to do that again and I can not tell you how happy it makes me that we were able to."
"I have too, I guess old habits really do die hard."
"That they do. What do you say we try out your present, make sure it still works?" Clarke laughed a little before putting the ear buds of the stethoscope in her ear. She held the end of Lexa's heart and listened to the beat, slow and steady. "Close your eyes." Clarke nodded and did so. A moment later she felt Lexa's lips on her own and the sound of the woman's heartbeat in her ears speed up. It caused her to smile into the kiss before Lexa pulled away. "Merry Christmas Dr. Griffin."
Without saying a word Clarke took out the ear buds and put them into Lexa's ear, holding the end over her own heart she leaned in and kissed the brunette. When Lexa smiled into the kiss Clarke knew exactly what she was hearing. "I know I'm not easy, but now you know what you do to me. No other person has ever made my heart race the way you do. Merry Christmas. Miss. Callaway, the youngest fortune 500 CEO ever."
XOXO
"Merry Christmas momma." Lexa grinned as she walked into the kitchen with a stretch.
"Merry Christmas darling." Elizabeth smiled as she hugged her daughter. "Where's Clarke?"
Lexa rolled her eyes before sitting down at the island table. "Clarke is probably at home, or out with Raven. I think they used to do Christmas breakfast together." Lexa reached over the counter and grabbed the pot of coffee. "What's with all the Clarke questions? Where's my father? I want to open presents!"
"You're thirty and you're complaining about opening presents?" Her mother looked at her as she passed her a plate of pancakes. "And I'm asking about Clarke because I'd like a wedding and grandkids before I croak!"
Lexa shook her head as she poured syrup onto her pancakes before taking a bite. "Seriously, give it up. There's not going to be a wedding, at least not anytime soon and not with Clarke. I can barely get her to go on a date with me."
"Oh but you want her to?" Her mother asked as she sat down next to her.
Lexa sighed. "Yes, I want her too but that's the end of this discussion."
"Fine, I'll go get your father." Lexa shook her head as her mother walked away huffing as she went.
XOXO
"It's about fucking time you came home for Christmas you bitch!" Raven hugged her best friend in a tight squeeze.
"I thought I'd make an appearance at least once this decade."
"And to think I was going to go back to Texas for work, lucky for you I decided to stay."
Clarke rolled her eyes at her best friend. "Yeah yeah, now be a good Santa and feed me!"
"Fine, but you're coming with me to Jasper's annual Christmas 'get together'." Raven laughed, using air quotes when she said get together.
"I don't know about that."
"Clarke you have too, you haven't been in years!"
Clarke shook her head. "I am so jet lagged it's not even funny."
"You will be there! Be both know your mom is going to end up at work and you'll be alone in the house dancing around in your underwear. That is no way to spend Christmas! Therefore after dinner, you will walk your ass across the street and we will go to Jasper's party!"
"You just want to see Lex and I in the same room."
Raven grinned from ear to ear with a shrug. "If she comes, she started going to Costia's parents so it's been awhile since she's been at Jasper's." Raven watched Clarke's features after realizing what she had said and to her surprise her words didn't seem to sting Clarke. "Sorry."
Clarke shook her head. "It's fine, we all have pasts. We ran into Keenan at a hockey game, that was interesting."
"What?! You didn't tell me this. Tell me that bitch said something so it gives me a reason to make the world's first DNA sensitive bomb!"
Clarke couldn't help but laugh at how worked up Raven got whenever Keenan was brought up. "She's not even worth it. It was funny, Lexa totally played it up, and the look on her face was priceless."
"This is why Lexa has always been one of my best friends, bitch knows how to put a hoe in her place."
"Outside from when you want to kill her?"
Raven thought for a second. "I'm just saying I could make it look like an accident, that's all." That's when the light finally went off in Raven's head. "You don't want to go incase Lexa is there we everyone realizes that you two have been sleeping together and asks about it!"
"Can you keep it down? I don't think the neighbours heard you. We're all old now, no one will notice, they'll be too shocked that you haven't killed her yet. They'll just be happy to see you, I promise."
XOXO
"Costia, hi." Raven greeted the other woman as she gave her a hug, giving Lexa a look as she did.
"Hi Raven."
"I ran into Costia this afternoon while I was getting coffee, her parents are vacationing and she was working so I invited her."
"Always trying to be the saviour eh Callaway." Jasper grinned as he came over and handed them both drinks. "I was hoping you'd bring Clarke home with you from New York. No offense Costia."
The other woman smiled. "None taken, I'm going to go talk to Gustus."
"Don't give me that look Ray-Ray. I couldn't let her spend Christmas alone, especially after I broke her heart."
"Didn't she break up with you?"
Lexa thought for a minute. "Accurate but still, where is Clarke? I would have thought you'd have dragged her here."
"Ugh, she's being stubborn and she's scared everyone is going to realize that you're banging each other again."
Lexa rolled her eyes. "Who's banging who?" Jasper wiggled his eyebrows as he walked back inside. "You and Costia trying again? Because I was kind of hoping you and Clarke would magically work things out. Plus I wouldn't mind a shot at Costia, if it was alright with you."
Lexa, Raven and Anya who had caught the end of his sentence, all started laughing. "None of us are banging, though you may have to work a little harder with Costia, I think she has a thing for Clarke."
"What!" Lexa held a straight a face even though Anya and Raven both had to hold back their laughter. "Seriously?"
"Seriously. Hey Cos," the woman turned around across the room and looked at Lexa, "didn't you tell me not too long ago that you had the hots for Clarke."
Without hesitation Costia started nodding. "It's the lab coat I swear."
"Guess I should have worn that then." They all turned towards the doorway to see Monty taking Clarke's coat from her.
Lexa laughed as she saw Costia's cheeks blush red. "Clarke's HOME!" Jasper yelled before anyone else could say a thing before he ran over and hugged her.
"Merry Christmas." Clarke grinned and held up a bag before handing it to him.
"Is that what I think it is?"
"Only if you think it's a big bottle of moon shine."
Monty and Jasper both hugged her again. "You know us so well."
She laughed as they finally let her go, only to be engulfed in another hug by Gustus. "Merry Christmas Clarke." He said as he spun her around.
"Honey, put her down please." Anya laughed as she too gave Clarke a hug. "It's about time bitch face."
"Love you too slut but seriously Raven can you put something other than Christmas music on. Had I known you were all listening to the same Christmas cd still, I wouldn't have come."
"Are you not going to give her a hug?" Echo asked as she nudged Lexa.
"I see her from time to time, so seeing her now, isn't a big deal." Echo squinted her eyes as she tried to read Lexa but she said nothing.
xoxo
Two hours later Raven had finally managed to get rid of the cd Jasper had been playing. It wasn't long after that that Echo had dragged Anya and Raven onto the dance floor. Clarke was busy talking with some old friends and no one really knew where Lexa had disappeared too.
Smiling at her old friend Clarke looked up long enough to see Lexa walking over to her. Once their eyes locked Clarke couldn't help but laugh as Lexa started dancing and mouthing the words. "Mind if I cut in?" Lexa asked once she was close enough, the other woman smiled and walked away. "Come on Griff, where are those elusive moves. The song is asking for you to give me the tightest hold of my life."
"Shut up." Clarke laughed as she moved closer to Lexa and started dancing with her without realizing that they would end up with an audience.
Across the room Raven and Anya were watching their friends laugh and dance. "It's like the last few years never happened."
Raven shook her head. "I think the last few years made them like this. They're different, this time around."
"Yeah because this time it's Clarke that's clueless." Echo chirped in as she threw an arm around Anya's shoulder.
"I think they're both clueless but Lexa is giving Clarke her signature 'I'm totally into Clarke Griffin look'." They all laughed before realizing that neither of them had made the comment. Turning they saw Costia smiling at them. "Sorry couldn't resist, but I get it, they are cute couple."
"So you're not…" Anya trailed off as she watched Costia's expression.
"…jealous? No, not at all. It sucks but Lexa and I were never meant to be."
xoxo
"You're not freaked that she brought Costia?" Anya asked as she and Clarke stood next to the keg that was decorated with Christmas lights.
Clarke shook her head. "No, she texted me and gave me a heads up."
"She said you two were talking and Octavia told me about you two hanging out, anything else I should know?"
"No, New York can be a scary city, plus she gets me free hockey tickets." Anya watched Clarke's eyes and nodded. She waited to see if her stare would drift over to where Lexa was talking to Echo but it never did. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Are you two secretly dating again?"
Clarke nearly spit out her drink. "No, we are not secretly dating, I promise."
"So you're just secretly having no strings attached sex then?" Before Clarke could say anything Anya grinned. "Holy fuck, I was kidding! You two hooked up!" If it weren't for the loud music Clarke was sure the whole room would have heard her.
"It's happened, once or twice." Anya gave her a look. "Okay, like three times. It really isn't anything more than that, and we've always been kind of drunk. How the fuck do you always know?"
Anya laughed. "She's had a certain glow since she got home, I suspected but you also have the same glow."
"And what glow is that?" Clarke questioning, really not understanding how her friends always knew.
"The I've been having really great orgasms glow. You only get it with each other. I just wasn't sure about the dating thing, but it's very clear you definitely aren't dating. Lexa wants to though she keeps giving you heart eyes."
Clarke rolled her eyes. "She doesn't."
Anya laughed with a nod finding the role reversal far funnier than it probably was.
xoxo
"How long have you and Clarke been getting horizontal?"
"Excuse me?" Lexa asked with the shake of her head.
Echo looked at her like she was an idiot. "You heard me, how long have you been having sex with Clarke?"
"We aren't…" Echo gave her a look. "Okay, we have but not often and not all romantic, it's a lot of pent up energy."
"But you'd like it to be?"
Lexa closed her eyes with a smile. "You have no idea."
"So the sex is good then?" Echo wiggled her eyebrows.
"You have no idea." Lexa grinned.
"Interesting. You hurt her again Lexa, and I'll kill you!"
Lexa looked at her friend like she had three heads. "I thought you were my friend first?"
"Yeah and I don't want to deal with mopey you again! So you're not dating though?"
"We're not dating." If it weren't for the sad look that Lexa tried to hide Echo would have told her she was full of it but seeing that look it was clear that Lexa was telling the truth. "Maybe one day I'll get a miracle."
Echo gave her friend a hug. "I hope so too, I need to see that wedding happen if it's the last thing I do."
"With Clarke's stubbornness and my idiocy, it may just be the last thing you see." Lexa laughed.
Xoxo
"I just had a half hour conversation with Anya about our sex life, we apparently have glows. Raven was all come, they won't notice." Clarke rolled her eyes as she and Lexa stood talking after finally breaking away from their respective conversations.
"Ugh, I know. I just had the same conversation with E. I feel as though I should get restraining orders, before it's creepy how much they know but looking at us that I'm starting to wonder if they just follow us around."
"I wouldn't put it passed them."
Before they could continue their conversation Monty walked over to them and pointed up without saying another word. "What do you say? Lexa asked. "It is tradition after all."
"I don't know I was kind of thinking I should drag Costia over here." Lexa rolled her eyes. "She really does think you're hot but she isn't as good a kisser as me."
"Oh yeah?" Lexa nodded. "Hmm," Clarke leaned up slightly and gently kissed Lexa. "I suppose you're pretty good at that."
Lexa opened her mouth to make a comment but before she could they heard a crowd of 'awws'. "Seriously! Fuck off." She finally managed to laugh out as she gave Raven and Anya the middle finger.
"Told you hanging that mistletoe there would pay off." Jasper said to Raven as her patted himself on the back. "Your welcome." He said to the room that was still full of guests even though no one was really paying attention to him.
XOXO
"Thank you for walking me home." Clarke smiled as they stopped at her front door.
"Anytime, but I was really just protecting the neighbourhood hot tubs from the bubble bath assassin."
Clarke laughed. "It was one time." She unlocked the door before pushing it open and taking a step forward.
"When are you going back to New York?" Lexa asked as she stood just outside the door as Clarke slipped off her shoes.
"Day after tomorrow. I need to go back to work and Octavia and I have New Years plans. If you're back by then you should definitely come. We get hot chocolate and go watch the ball drop and talk about all sorts of cheesy things."
"You had me at cheesy things." Lexa smiled as she leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Clarke's cheek. "So about that date?"
Clarke shook her head. "Not til we're back in New York. That's who we are now, all of this is who we were and who we were didn't work out so well the last time."
"When we're back in New York then." They both smiled. "Merry Christmas Clarke."
"Merry Christmas Lexie."
TBC…