Chapter 8:

A few hours had passed since Lexa had last woken. Clarke found herself missing the tranquility she had found when looking into Lexa's eyes. The green was soothing, calm and quiet and she missed it. She found herself tracing her features with her finger tips, drawing soft lines along her jaw, slowly tracing down into her neck. She was running her fingers through Lexa's loose strands of hair, brushing it off her face and forehead. The movement was calming Clarke, it was keeping her mind off of the events of the night.

She almost died. I almost didn't do anything. A split second longer…she could be dead. The thoughts wouldn't stop racing through her mind but her gentle hand strokes helped dull the voice in her head. Lexa was okay, she was breathing and there. She was literally in Clarke's lap. Clarke looked closely at the commander as she stopped her hair stroking and grabbed the damp rag she had been using on Lexa's forehead. She used it to wipe the dried blood from Lexa's split lip.

Clarke looked down at the rag. The blood appeared black. Shadows? No that made no sense, the fire was giving off more than enough light. Clarke could see the red shade of fabric on the commander's cloak. This blood was black. Literally it was dried black blood she was wiping from the lip. Clarke looked curiously from Lexa's lip to the rag and back again. She found herself lost in the sight of Lexa's soft bottom lip. She gently wiped the area again clearing it of the remaining blood. Clarke's chest rose and fell calmly with Lexa's breathing. It had taken until the first time Lexa's eyes opened for Clarke's breathing to go back to its normal rhythm. Once the brunette had woken Clarke finally had known she was out of the danger zone of her concussion. All she had to do now is keep waking her every so often.

She cooked some of the Pauna meat while waiting to wake Lexa again. She smiled slightly at the sight of the commander sleeping in her lap before she shook her head. She betrayed you, Clarke reminded herself biting her lip at the thought. She left you and your people for dead. Clarke tried to ignore the other voice in her head, the one that was asking why Lexa was here now? Why Lexa risked her life? Why had she come? Clarke swallowed hard, she didn't care she told herself. It didn't matter. Lexa should have left Clarke alone, just like at the mountain. She should have left her for dead.

As hard as she thought about these things the voice in the back of her head, the one that showed concern for Lexa would not be silenced. Regardless, Lexa came she was here. Clarke ripped off a piece of meat from her stick she had held over the fire. She chewed the meat in silence as her eyes continued to trace Lexa's features and her mind continued to race.

Clarke woke to the cool damp morning air. She looked down to find Lexa still in her position looking like an angel in her lap. Clarke looked on as the sun glistened against the soft curves of Lexa's jaw, the shadow that played with Lexa's nose and the soft lips that had so gently taken Clarkes in theirs not so many months ago. Sighing at the thought and ignoring the feelings deep inside her that it stirred she gently lifted Lexa's head and replaced her leg with Clarke's coat so the girl's head was still off the damp earth.

Clarke slowly and silently crossed the distance to her spare logs to throw another on their fire. She was shivering in the cool air now that she was separated from Lexa's body heat. Clarke looked back and went to adjust the blanket she had placed on Lexa, she lifted it slightly to pull it closer to Lexa's neck.

Clarke spent a few hours cleaning remaining meat from her kill from the night before. She cooked it and carefully packed it away. She had enough meat for a few weeks at least now. She cleaned her dagger, removing the blood, dirt and fur from the battle. She gathered some water from a nearby brook before washing herself in it. She wet some spare rags and attempted to wash the blood and grit from Lexa's armour and gear. Bringing back the gear and more wet rags Clarke made her way back to Lexa.

She methodically removed any exposed dirt and blood from Lexa before Lexa stirred back to consciousness. "Clarke?" her wshiper echoed through the silence between them. "Hey, easy does it, I'm right here." Clarke said as she watched Lexa struggle to sit up. She quickly adjusted herself so she could help her sit up straight. Slowly Lexa got into position.

Lexa reached up to her bruised head, gently rubbing the point of contact. Silence filled the space between them again before Lexa met Clarke's gaze and said

"Thank you."

This caught Clarke off guard. Not because the commander was thanking her. Not because Lexa was thanking her, but more so because Lexa sounded surprised when she said it.

Did she not think I would save her? Does she think I'm that shallow that I'd let her be torn apart by a wild animal? Did she not think her life was worth saving? Did she not think I could do it? Too may thoughts raced through Clarke's head all at once. Clarke watched her before replying, "You would have done the same."

Clarke hadn't realized the validity of the statement until it came out of her mouth. Clarke saved Lexa's life because Lexa would have done the same. She shook her head trying not to think about that fact. Quickly changing the subject Clarke went on to tell Lexa about her injuries and how to care for them.

Lexa said nothing during Clarke's lecture. She remained looking into Clarke's eyes before Clarke handed her some of the roasted meat. "Eat." She said. Lexa took the meat with her less sore arm and chewed quietly. The warmth of the meat filled her. It helped rid her of the remaining dampness of the morning. She watched Clarke as she chewed the meat.

"Clarke," Lexa started to say before she was cut off.

"You shouldn't have come here." Clarke interrupted.

Lexa swallowed what she was going to say along with her last bite of meat.

"You should be with your people," Clarke continued, "you could have died. Then where would your people be? Where would my people be? Where would I…" she stopped herself. "Lexa, seriously what the fuck were you doing?"

The harsh switch in Clarke took Lexa back. She opened her mouth unsure what to say. Hesitating as her mind raced. She had so many reasons for being there. First and foremost it was out of love. Lexa knew that. She knew a long time ago, she knew the moment she broke her own heart by betraying Clarke at the mountain that she had loved her. She had slipped away from her people in silence and under false pretences to find the sky girl, she had risked everything to make sure she was breathing, she risked it all for Clarke. She looked at Clarke wishing she could tell her but instead of seeing the deep blue of Clarkes eyes she saw a steel grey. This grey stopped Lexa for divulging her true reason for being there. Not yet the words clarke had said so long ago in lea's tent after their kiss echoed in Lexa's ears. She couldn't tell her the truth as to why she was here. She had to settle for the half truth, Lexa may be the one physically injured but the emotional turmoil Lexa had caused was visible to her in Clarke. This wasn't the sky girl she fell in love with. Clarke had changed. Something was off. Her guard was up.

"Azgeda." Lexa found herself saying quietly. "Ice nation." she swallowed wishing Clarke could sense the tone of her voice, the concern she tried to layer into her explanation. "They seek Wanheda."

Clarke swallowed at the term. "The Commander of death" Clarke whispered eyes widening.

Lexa nodded slowly, impressed with Clarke's language skills. She had learned a lot in her three month hiatus from being a leader. "You're in grave danger Clarke." Lexa whispered trying to inflect her concern and worry for Clarke as best she could. She needed her to grasp the severity of the situation. Remember she willed silently to Clarke, remember what I told you about Costia.