"It's been two months, you're happier than a pig in shit. I don't understand what you're waiting for Clarke?"
"I'm just not ready to fully commit. Why are you on my ass about it?"
Octavia rolled her eyes as she reached her hand into the bowl of popcorn Clarke was holding. "You spend more time at her place then you do your own and you're great for each other. Plus she's still trying to romance you, which if I recall the story correctly is what you did to her the first time around. She's proving herself to you, stop being a little bitch."
At her last statement Clarke swatted Octavia's hand away from her bowl. "For starters I am not at her my place more than I'm here, it just happens to be closer to the hospital that I spend the majority of my time at and I like sleep. I'd sleep there but you yell at me when I do that. I know she's trying, I can see, I can feel it but I'm just not there yet. I love her, I've always loved her but I don't know if I'm in love with her. Oh and I'm not a little bitch!"
"Clarke that's the whole point in dating, to fall in love with someone, you aren't supposed to fall in love and then date!"
Clarke rolled her eyes. "It's just not that simple, there's a lot of history and taking it slow is the way to go."
"You're hopeless!"
XOXO
"Hi you?" Lexa smiled as she entered her condo and found Clarke sitting on the couch typing away on her lap top as the television played in the background.
"Hey, sorry to barge in but Octavia has decided to commandeer my place for some party she's throwing.
Lexa let out a laugh as she took her coat off and kissed the top of Clarke's head. "You mean her birthday party?"
"Is it that time of year again already?" Clarke grinned as she leaned her head back against the back of the couch.
"I believe it is because she keeps mentioning it." Lexa yelled from the bedroom as she changed into her pajamas.
Clarke shook her head even though she knew no one could see her. "That would explain why she keeps asking for things for her birthday."
"Oh and what is it she wants this year, outside of everything?" Lexa asked as she sat back down on the couch next to Clarke. Looking over with an eye roll Clarke once again shook her head. "She's worse than Raven and Anya!" Lexa laughed knowing exactly what Octavia had asked for. "What are you working on?" She questioned, knowingly changing the subject to put Clarke at ease.
"Research, school never really stops when you're a doctor, we're always working on new things. This is about bone marrow and finding better ways to extract it so that it's less painful for the donor. How was work because you look like shit?" Clarke smiled as she looked over at Lexa who looked like a dead corpse.
"Why did I give you a key to my place? You say the nicest things to me."
Clarke leaned her head back and laughed as she closed the laptop and leaned over to kiss Lexa. "Probably because you didn't trust Octavia with them."
"Hmm, probably. Work was alright, just tiring. I hate board meetings, their so long and drawn out. Everyone trying to speak about something, half the time I don't pay attention. I don't know how my grandpa used to do it when there were no such things as smart phones."
"You poor millionaire you." Clarke laughed as Lexa laid her head down on her lap.
"Why do I like you?"
Clarke shrugged with a smile on her face. "I'm a successful doctor with a great body."
Lexa nodded with her eyes closed. "Yep, that's definitely it." A pause. "On a more serious note there's something I've been wanting to ask you." She opened her eyes to find questioning blue ones looking back at her.
"Oh and what's that?"
"How hard would it be for you to take a week off?"
Clarke shook her head. "Practically impossible."
"A weekend?" Lexa could see Clarke's mind starting to turn.
"It would depend why but I might be able to manage it."
Taking a deep breath Lexa finally asked her what she had been trying to for the past month.
"Seriously?" Lexa nodded, unsure of how Clarke was taking the idea.
"You want to whisk me away to Greece, for a weekend?" A nod. "That's what you've been trying to ask me about for the past month?"
Lexa huffed, she should have known Clarke would know that she was avoiding asking her something. "Yes."
"I'll see what I can do." She smiled with the shake of her head because leaning down to kiss the CEO.
XOXO
"She asked you to go to Greece with her?" Raven yelled over the phone. "Clarke Griffin, you better have said yes."
"I said I'd have to see about getting the time off." The phone was silent and all Clarke could hear was a distant huff. "Don't give me that look, it's true. I'm busting my ass in med school, it's not easy to get time off."
"Clarke, I'm sure if you asked for a weekend off you would get it and it's for the Callaway groups biggest event of the year. You used to love going to it and now that it's in Greece, you're all 'I don't know if I can take a weekend off work'. Cry me a river Griff, get on the damn plane and shut up about it. You aren't confessing your undying love, you aren't running off to get married and it certainly doesn't mean that you have to put a label on your relationship even though you're totally dating."
"We're…"
"Yes, you are. Label or no label if the rest of society were to look at you they would call you a couple, that makes you a couple whether you want to classify it as such or not."
Clarke rolled her eyes as she grabbed a clean pair of scrubs. "Society can go screw itself."
"I say this with love, but take the fucking time off and go to Greece. When did you turn into USC Lexa?"
"Pardon you?" Clarke shook her head as she tried to process what Raven said.
She heard the other woman huff. "When did you become so dense, that girl is madly in love with you and has been madly in love with you since we were kids!"
"What?!"
"Oh shit, go to Greece, I'll talk to you when you get home. Byeee."
Clarke stood up off the couch. "Raven Reyes you hang up that phone and instead of going to Greece I will fly to Texas and kick your ass."
"Anya is going to kill me, after Lexa kills me. Lexa has always had a thing for you, ever since we were kids. She's always been smitten. That's why in high school she was such a player, she couldn't have you so she settled and settled some more."
"How did she never tell me this?!"
Raven laughed. "Told you, you've turned into the oblivious one. Go to Greece, see how it goes. You both deserve some time alone together, it's been awhile since you got dressed up and went to one of these things, no excuses." With that Clarke heard the click of the phone being hung up.
XOXO
Laguna – One-Year Ago
"I'm insulted that you waited this long to come and see me, your hair is also insulted!" Clarke looked up from her phone and smiled at her high school friend who was ready and waiting for her at the salon.
"I'm sorry, work is busy. I mostly just throw it up and I'm good to go. My hair doesn't care, it's always under a scrub cap." Lauren laughed and gestured for the blonde to follow her. Sitting down in the chair Clarke grinned at her friend.
"I can't believe you're a real surgeon. Everyone has been talking about it, all good things."
Clarke laughed. "Isn't it always around here." She wiggled her eyebrows as both girls broke out into a fit of laughter.
"That is so true! Now let's give your hair the treatment it deserves."
XOXO
"Hey there sexy Lexie." Lauren smiled and turned her head towards the door when she heard the bell chime causing Clarke to look up from the chair she was sitting in.
"You know only one person is allowed to call me that and she's not here."
Clarke sunk down into the chair, even though she knew it was only a matter of time before Lexa noticed her presence. She heard Lauren laugh and she knew what was coming next.
"Usual seat?" Lexa asked as the sound of voices got closer to Clarke.
"Nope, someone has your seat but it was her seat first." Clarke turned in the chair slightly as Lexa sat down in the next to her.
She gave the brunette a soft wave. "Hey."
"Hi." Lexa smiled and Clarke could feel her heart speed up, she didn't know why it did but sometimes she just couldn't control it, no matter how hard she tried. It always seemed to be that timid, somewhat awkward 'hi' that got to her though. The soft Lexa, not the one that was full of confidence and ready to conquer the world but the one that was ready to throw on a pair of old sweat pants and dance around the kitchen with her hair a mess.
"I'll be right back ladies, don't kill each other please." Lauren whispered the last part as she walked away to help someone else leaving the two exes sitting next to each other.
A few minutes passed without either girl uttering a word. They both kept their eyes on their phones as they waited for Lauren to come back before the tension bubbled over and Lexa finally broke.
"Were you going to say goodbye?"
"Hmm?" Clarke asked, finally looking up.
"You're leaving, I presume going back to New York. Were you going to say goodbye?"
Clarke bit her lip and took a deep breath without meaning to. "How did you know and I'm honestly not sure. I hadn't figured it out yet."
"You're getting a hair cut, I figured that only meant you weren't going to be around much longer to get it cut."
Before Clarke could answer she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. "Hi there ladies, fancy seeing you here." Both Clarke and Lexa turned in their chairs to see Mrs. Livingston's smile at them. "Sorry to eavesdrop but did I hear you're leaving again Clarke?"
Clarke nodded. "That's okay and you did hear that."
"Then we mustn't wait any longer for that dinner. Jimmy and I are quite excited about it but I know life gets busy."
It was then that Lexa decided to turn on her charm. "Goodness, I am so sorry my secretary passed along the message and I spoke to Jimmy not to long ago about it but it totally slipped my mind."
"Not to worry dear, how does tonight work?" Clarke wished she were a turtle so that she could hide out in her shell and pretend that she was no one to be found. She tried to think of a way to tell Mrs. Livingston that Lexa and her weren't together and that they couldn't have dinner. Except nothing would come out of her mouth and when she caught a glimpse at Lexa she knew the woman was having the same inner turmoil. "I won't take no for answer, a rain check maybe but that would be my absolute best."
"Tonight works for me." She hadn't meant for the words to come out, she certainly hadn't meant for Lexa to agree.
"Me too."
"How do you two feel about Italian?"
XOXO
Later that night Clarke met Lexa outside the Italian restaurant in New Port that Mrs. Livingston had made the reservations at. Lexa still didn't know how to handle the situation but a small part of her felt nostalgic about getting dressed up and going to dinner with the blonde.
"Hey." Clarke greeted as Lexa held the door open for her.
"Hi. Are you sure you want to do this?"
Clarke shook her head. "No but they're so excited and I couldn't ruin that for some reason, but no pretending that we're together, we'll just act naturally."
XOXO
"This is the least Italian song there could be." Mrs. Livingston grinned over her third glass of wine as the Earth, Wind and Fire song started to play.
"Yes but you love that they play this song and you say that every time we come here regardless."
"I know, but stop being a fool and realize that it's my cue that we should be dancing."
"Excuse us ladies, I have to take my wife for a spin around the room." With that Jimmy got up and extending his hand to his wife. A moment later they were half way across the room dancing to the music.
Thus far the evening had gone according to plan. Clarke and Lexa had been polite with each other, unintentionally finishing each other's sentences here and there but mostly they listened to the couple that had invited them and admired how after so many years there was still such undeniable love between them.
"Did you um, did you want to dance? I mean Martha was right it is Earth, Wind and Fire and you're leaving in the morning so it'll really be like it never happened."
"You just want to dance."
Lexa shrugged with a wide smile. "I mean I have to work off all the carbs and wine."
Clarke was about to say no when she saw the smile on Martha Livingston's face and a hand waving her over. "Fine, I'll dance but only because Martha wants it and I'm clearly a sucker for that woman even though I barely know her."
It was enough for Lexa. "I'm pretty sure Jimmy will always vote the same way I do now in board meetings thanks to you."
"What can I say I'm charming and intelligent. I think he's only trying to get into my good books so that if he ever ends up on my operating table I don't botch the surgery."
Lexa couldn't help the laugh that came out of her mouth. "I don't blame him then but if he ever does end up anywhere near your operating table he'll be in good hands."
"Damn right, now spin me." With the roll of her eyes Lexa spun Clarke around. Yep this woman might live in New York but she knew how to work a room better than anyone else in Southern California.
By the end of the song it was like the world had faded away and there was no history between the couple as they danced along with Jimmy and Martha, singing every single word of the song. "Do you remember the 21st night of September? Love was changing the minds of pretenders, while chasing the clouds away." They all sang in unison as Jimmy took a hold of Clarke's hand and spun her around.
"See Lexie, that's how you do it!"
After the song ended they all went back to their seats laughing. "I'm so sorry to see you leaving us again so soon Clarke, but you have to promise that the next time you visit we do this again. It's been so nice catching up with you both."
"I will most certainly let you know and please feel free to visit the next time you're in New York.
"I expect to come on one of those elusive shopping trips that Liz was telling me about." Martha added.
"It would be my pleasure."
XOXO
"I do you know." Lexa said as she pulled into the driveway of the Griffin's home. She had somehow convinced Clarke to let her drive her home instead of taking a cab.
"You do what?" Clarke asked as she unbuckled her seatbelt.
"Nothing, never mind." Lexa smiled as Clarke opened the door. "Thank you again for tonight, even though I know it wasn't about me."
"Goodnight Commander."
"Goodnight Griffster." With one last faint smile Clarke got out of the car and walked up to her door.
An hour later once she was tucked in bed Clarke's phone flashed. Rubbing her eyes she reached over and grabbed it.
Lexa Callaway 11:11 p.m. - … I'll never forget the 21st night of September.
Lexa Callaway 11:14 p.m. – Have a safe flight and take care of yourself Doctor Griffin.
XOXO
"Hi beautiful, can I buy you a drink?"
Clarke turned around, a genuine smile on her face. "I suppose when a world class CEO wants to buy you a drink and calls you beautiful the answer should be yes."
"But?" Lexa asked as she moved so that she was leaning against the railing that Clarke was.
"No buts." Clarke grinned. The smile she got in response made her stomach erupt with butterflies.
A few moments later she felt Lexa move to stand beside her once again. Only this time she didn't turn around to look at her instead she stood in her silver and black gown gazing out at the water below her. Lexa handed her the champagne flute without saying a word.
"Can I ask you for this dance?"
"You just got us drinks." Clarke smiled, she really couldn't help herself.
"It can wait." With those three words Clarke sat her drink down and took Lexa's extended hand.
They walked out into the middle of the patio where other people were dancing. "What is it?" Clarke asked as she leaned her cheek against Lexa's as they swayed to the rhythm of the music.
"I never thought we'd be here and I'm so incredibly grateful. Whatever we are, whatever we may be in the future, doesn't matter because in this moment I get to do it all over again, do it right. If you'll let me, not that I deserve it. There's something I've been wanting to talk to you about but I wasn't sure how."
Lexa pulled back slightly so that she was looking into Clarke's blue eyes. "I don't blame you for leaving, I don't blame you for following your dreams. In fact I am so beyond proud of you and I am so lucky to know you, to have you in my life is the best bonus I could have ever gotten. I just wanted you to know that I'm not mad you left, I'm mad at myself for being scared that I'd lose you. You're amazing Clarke Griffin and you deserve everything this life has to offer."
Without hesitation Clarke leaned forward and pressed her lips to Lexa's in the middle of the dance floor. She didn't care who say, she didn't care about anything in that moment, except the beautiful woman standing in front of her.
XOXO
"I keep finding you like this." Clarke smiled at the sound of Lexa's voice as she once again stood against the railing. "Sorry I keep leaving you to boredom."
"We're in Greece, there's nothing boring about that, plus I understand when duty calls and it's nice to see some familiar old faces and catch up."
Lexa smiled as she let her hand rest against the small of Clarke's back. "It's beautiful isn't it?" Lexa already knew the answer to the question. She knew from the moment she saw the view years before that it was everything that appealed to Clarke.
"It's breathtaking and the sea, it's even more amazing in person than it is in photographs and painting, no amount of artwork could do it justice."
"It also holds all my secrets." Clarke turned and gave the woman a questioning look. "My old phone is sitting in the bottom of that very sea somewhere. With every missed call and missed text you ever sent me, that everyone ever sent. That cute photo of you with Alfred as my lock screen, the one where he's trying to lick your face and a screen cap I took of you from our last face time call that you didn't know I had as my home screen. I threw it all away, literally threw it all away."
"You threw your phone into the sea?" Was all Clarke could grasp as Lexa nodded, ready for Clarke to chew her out. Instead she watched as the woman threw her head back laughing. "You're such an idiot, who throws their phone into the sea from a balcony!"
"I was emotional, and drunk. Glad you find it amusing."
Clarke looked back out at the water with a smile as she leaned into Lexa's side for warmth, even though it wasn't that cold. "You're lucky I don't throw you into the sea, I loved that picture of Alfred and I." A few moments passed in before Clarke spoke again. "Thank you for asking me to come here with you. For showing me this beautiful place."
"We'll come back one day when it's not for work and we can enjoy ourselves properly." It was the first time either of them had really talked about anything involving the future and Lexa was a little worried she had crossed the imaginary lines they had set.
"I'd like that." Lexa felt her heart speed up at Clarke's admission. So much so that all she could do was tilt her head forward slightly and kiss Clarke's temple.
TBC…