Thanks for you support guys! I decided to post a day early because I just couldn't wait for tomorrow! I've been writing up a storm lately, so I'll probably give y'all another update early in the week next week! Hope y'all enjoy chapter 8! :)
Chapter 8
Clarke carried her insulated bag over one arm, her steps sure as she made her way to the football field. After that first dinner over a month ago, she and Bellamy had been feasting on her leftovers everyday at lunch.
When she'd found out how the man ate, she'd immediately set out to change that.
"TV dinners do not a healthy meal make," she'd stressed, rolling her eyes at the confused expression that skittered across his features.
"But I like them," Bellamy had said.
"No one likes them, Bellamy! You're taste buds are dying. You probably burned them off," Clarke retorted playfully.
Clarke smiled at the memory, reaching for the large handle to the heavy metal door that led into the locker room. She made picked her way through the maze of lockers, her nose wrinkled at the scent of dirty socks and cologne.
Soon she reached the office, finding Bellamy on the phone with a parent- the furrow of his brow giving it away. She smiled at Murphy and Miller as she began to set out the food and utensils on the low coffee table that was situated before the ragged leather couch.
"Hey guys," Clarke said with a smile.
"Hello," both men said in unison.
"Trouble in paradise," she asked nodding in Bellamy's direction.
"One of the freshman isn't getting enough playing time," Miller offered.
Clarke rolled her eyes, "The nerve of some people."
"Because you would never do something like that," Murphy smirked.
"Of course not. My kid's the best, any coach would be either blind or stupid not to let him play," Clarke said with pride.
Suddenly a laugh echoed behind her and she turned to find Bellamy's eyes on her.
"Blind or stupid, huh," he said with a grin.
"Yep," Clarke replied, a hint of challenge in her voice.
"No worries there Mom, your boy is carrying this team at the moment. I'd be ten kinds of stupid if I didn't let him play," Bellamy replied.
"There's no 'I' in team, Coach. Lincoln's good, but he doesn't win those games all by himself," Clarke said with a smile.
Bellamy nodded, "True… What have you got for me today?"
"Lasagna," Clarke replied.
Bellamy groaned in appreciation as she pulled the food from the bag, filling their plates and then making use of the microwave.
"I've got to clean this thing," she mumbled as she stared into the greasy recesses of the dingy white appliance.
The beep signaled the food had been sufficiently nuked, and Clarke pulled out one plate- replacing it with the other. Miller and Murphy left for the cafeteria, banter flowing easily between them.
Clarke turned back to Bellamy, finding him waiting for her with a vacant place beside him on the couch. His food sat untouched, and a smile curved his lips as he looked at her.
"Are you still coming over after the game tonight," Clarke asked.
In the weeks following Lincoln's accident, they'd made it a kind of a tradition to have dinner at Clarke's after the game. They'd order pizza, watch a movie, or have a game night.
"Of course," Bellamy replied, "Are we still on for Sunday?"
Yet another new tradition- every Sunday after church the Blake's would once again find their way to the Griffin residence where Clarke would give Bellamy his weekly cooking lesson. The kids would play outside, and the grownups would talk. Raven and Wick would come over occasionally along with the Greens.
"Absolutely," Clarke said with a smirk, "We're making pie this week."
The beep sounded and Clarke pulled her plate from the microwave. She took her place beside Bellamy, grinning as he quickly dug into his food. The man ate like a teenage boy with a hollow leg and three stomachs.
"That good," she asked with a chuckle.
"Yep, everything you make is good Princess," Bellamy replied.
Clarke blushed at the compliment, her eyes moving to her food as she picked at the lasagna.
"So, the Holden Warhawks… Are they tough," Clarke asked.
"Nothing the boys can't handle," Bellamy replied, his dark eyes glancing her way, "You gonna be there?"
Clarke's head snapped up, "Of course! I've never missed a game!"
"Easy there, I was just kidding," Bellamy said with a smirk.
Conversation flowed easily back and forth as they finished their food. Bellamy leaned back against the dark cushions as he watched Clarke clean up after their daily lunch, his mind wandering.
He'd been thinking about asking the pretty blonde out for a date, but he wasn't sure how she'd react. It'd only been a few months ago that she'd hated his guts, but they seemed to be on good footing now.
Bellamy realized that he didn't know a lot about her, but what little he did know proved that Clarke Griffin was an amazing woman. She loved her children, her friends, and she had been so good for his sister. Octavia finally had a good female role model, someone she could talk to about all that girl stuff that made Bellamy nervous.
"Well I have to get back to class," Clarke said pulling Bellamy from his thoughts, "I'll see you tonight."
"Bye Clarke," Bellamy called, returning her smile with one of his own.
"Good lunch, boss," Murphy asked when he and Miller got back from the cafeteria.
"Great, now get me everything you can on Nyko's defense," Bellamy muttered, his eyes glued to his playbook.
100100100100100100100
That night Clarke sat in the stands, sandwiched between AJ and Octavia, the pair clapping and screaming as the team ran out onto the field. Lincoln smiled, waving at them as he ran by. Bellamy did the same, and Clarke had to admit that he was growing on her.
A few weeks ago she would have given him an icy glare, but now he was becoming a close friend. Both boys adored him, and it was so much fun having Octavia around to go shopping with and they'd already made a habit of getting their nails done together every other week.
She looked down the line at Raven, the woman giving her a knowing look. Wick was oblivious, already grilling AJ on his times tables as they waited for the game to start.
The Warhawks took a nosedive in the second half, their defense no match for Mount Weather's young quarterback and his teammates. Clarke cheered for her son, grinning from ear to ear as he jogged off the field.
"Alright, AJ, you go with Auntie Rae and Uncle Wick. I'm going to go get your brother," Clarke said as she sent the little boy with Raven.
Clarke and Octavia walked toward the locker room, talking about the highlights of the game and laughing at some of the funny moments like when a guy from Holden ran in the wrong direction and it took twenty yards for him to realize his mistake.
"That was great! I would have loved to have seen the look on his face," Octavia giggled.
Clarke was just about to answer when a figure stepped out from the shadows. The blonde grabbed the younger girl, shoving her behind herself as a large man stepped into the dim glow of one of the tall pole lights.
"Well what do we have here," the man said, a leering smile darkening his features.
Clarke stood her ground, Octavia shivering behind her. This was a darker area of the field and there was no one around, so this could go south really fast if she wasn't careful.
"Excuse us," Clarke said as she tried to step around the man.
"Not so fast," he said grabbing Octavia's arm.
That was the wrong thing to do, the thug would soon learn as the little blonde whirled on him like an angry momma bear- hackles raised and teeth barred. Her delicate features turned harsh, and she advanced angrily.
"Let her go," Clarke said, her voice low and dangerous.
"What do I get if I do," the man asked in a sickly sweet tone.
"You get to keep certain parts of your anatomy that you might not want to part with," Clarke snarled.
The man let go of Octavia, and the girl looked at Clarke before she took off. The blonde allowed herself a sigh of relief, the tightness in her chest easing when she realized that the teen was safe. It was short lived though because she then found herself in the clutches of the large stranger.
"You've got a lot of sass. I like my women feisty," he said with a sneer.
Clarke didn't know what possessed her, but she spit in his face. The man roared, and his hands on her arms constricted painfully. He shook her, yelling obscenities until he suddenly stopped.
The blonde felt herself pulled backwards, a broad, muscular back blocking her view of the man. Before she could stop him, Bellamy's fist collided with the stranger's face.
"Touch her again and I'll make you wish you'd never been born," Bellamy seethed.
Murphy appeared then with Mount Weather's sheriff in tow. As he saw to the now dazed criminal, Bellamy turned to Clarke.
"Are you ok? Did he hurt you," Bellamy asked, his hands were gentle as they cupped her cheeks, his eyes scanning her body for injuries.
"I'm fine," Clarke said, taking in his look of uncertainty, "Really, Bell, I'm fine."
Before he could reply, Lincoln ran up.
"Mom! What happened," the boy asked, his dark eyes filled with fear as he hugged his mother.
"I'm fine, baby", Clarke said, pulling away from her eldest to smile at Bellamy.
She was just about to thank the man for his quick actions when her arms were full of teenage girl as Octavia sobbed against her. The girl's hands were fisted in the back of Clarke's jacket, her shoulders shaking as the older woman rubbed a soothing hand up and down her back.
"It's ok, sweetie. We're alright," Clarke whispered.
"I'm so sorry, Clarke," Octavia said, her voice muffled against Clarke's shoulder.
"Hey," the blonde said as she pulled back to look into Octavia's eyes, "This wasn't your fault. You did exactly what you should have done, ok?"
Octavia nodded with a watery smile then Clarke transferred her to Bellamy's waiting arms.
"Come on, I'll drive you home," Bellamy offered, "You can get your truck tomorrow."
Clarke nodded, happy to not have to drive since her body was suffering from an adrenaline crash. Her hands began to shake, and her son gently laced his fingers with her own.
"Mom, I don't know what I would have done if something had happened," Lincoln said angrily as they followed Bellamy and Octavia to the big red Ford.
"Well thankfully you don't have to find out. I'm fine, honey, I promise," Clarke said giving his hand a squeeze.
Lincoln climbed into the backseat with Octavia as Bellamy opened the passenger door for Clarke.
"You're sure you're ok," Bellamy asked, his jaw clenched and his brown eyes stormy.
"I'm sure, but I'm starving so let's get a move on Blake," Clarke said with a grin.
Bellamy let out a deep breath, shaking his head as he made his way around to the driver's side. The ride to Clarke's house was quiet, but not uncomfortably so. Everyone seemed to be lost in his or her own thoughts.
Clarke couldn't help the warmth that spread through her body at the memory of Bellamy stepping in to defend her. That had been a rarity in her life, and this just endeared him all the more.
The Wick's met them when they arrived, Raven's face etched in fear while Wick looked mad enough to commit murder. AJ, thankfully, was blissfully ignorant where he sat in the house.
"Clarke," Raven gasped, wrapping her friend in a tight hug.
"Did they catch him," Wick asked Bellamy.
"Yeah, Sheriff Patterson took him into custody," Bellamy replied.
He'd never seen the mild mannered Kyle Wick so angry, but he couldn't say that he was surprised.
"Good," Wick said sternly with a firm nod.
"Did y'all order pizza," Clarke asked as Raven loosened her grip.
"Sure, but…"
"No buts, we're starving! Aren't we O," Clarke said with a soft smile.
The teen returned her smile, slipping her arm around Clarke's waist, "Yep, we're famished!"
Raven stared at the pair like they were insane, shrugging as she led them inside. AJ met them at the door, giving everyone his game highlights in an exaggerated announcer voice.
The rest of the evening went smoothly, and both Clarke and Octavia were able to put the scary incident behind them as they enjoyed time with their family. Bellamy seemed to be having a harder time of it, refusing to let either one of them out of his sight.
When it was time to go home, he lingered behind with Clarke at the front door. His dark gaze searched her features, his hands settled comfortably on her shoulders.
"Wick and Raven could stay with you," he said seriously.
"I'm fine, Bellamy. The guy's in custody, so I'll be safe," Clarke replied.
"I don't like you and the boys being here alone," Bellamy growled.
"We've made it this long," Clarke said with a grin, "I think we'll make it tonight."
"If you need me call me," Bellamy said, this was pointed at Lincoln- the teen nodding in solemn assent.
"I'll call you tomorrow," Clarke promised, as she watched he and Octavia go.
Clarke made her way back inside, got both boys to bed, and then fell into her own. She fell asleep almost immediately, the events of the day catching up with her. She didn't know how long she'd slept when her phone began to ring, but she fumbled to answer.
"Hello," she murmured.
"Miss Griffin, this is Mount Weather General. An Octavia Blake asked that we call you…"
Clarke's heart hammered painfully in her chest, "Ok, I'll be there in twenty minutes."
She called Raven, the other woman promising to come and stay with the boys. The blonde threw on some clothes, pulled her hair up into a ponytail then raced downstairs.
Raven met her at the front door, "Go, I'll hold down the fort."
"Can I borrow your car, my truck is still at the field," Clarke said in agitation.
"Sure," Raven replied, tossing the blonde her keys.
"Thanks Rae," Clarke said, and then she was running to her friend's truck as fear clawed at her throat.
She threw the truck in gear, driving to the hospital praying that she'd heard the nurse wrong.
Thanks for reading! Please review! I love hearing from y'all!
Coleegirl: Thanks so much for the review! I'm so glad you're enjoying the story! :)
Wright: Thanks so much for the review! I'm glad you're enjoying the story! I really wanted Clarke to be strong, yet extremely compassionate- pretty much what she is on the show only a bit softer. I am so happy that Bellamy has been forgiven because now I can do what I love- write Bellarke fluff! :)
To all of my other Guest Reviewers: Thank you so much for taking the time to review! I'm glad to hear that you're enjoying the story, and I can't wait to hear your thoughts on this chapter! :)