Six Months Later
"Well cottage days have definitely changed in the last few years." Clarke laughed as she walked into the kitchen to find her friends quietly sipping on their drinks. She had gotten out of work late but was determined to not miss another night at the cottage.
"I swear if you wake him up Clarke, I will kill you myself." Anya scorned her in a whispering tone.
"Are we talking about Gus or Aden?"
They all chuckled softly before Anya answered. "Both."
Clarke sipped the glass of wine Raven handed her and shook her head in disbelief. "I can't think of the last time we were all here together."
"Me either, but I'm glad we're here now, we've really missed you blondie." Anya said as Octavia wrapped her arm around Clarke's shoulders.
"Besides we have lots of wedding planning to do. It's getting basically crunch time and I'm not so good with this wedding planning thing. I should have left it all up to Lincoln." All the women shook their heads. "Why not?"
"It'd be way to romantic, you wouldn't even show up." Raven grinned as she took a swig right from the wine bottle. Some things just never changed.
The next morning Clarke woke up and stretched as the warm sunlight peered in through the curtains that were only half closed. Yawning she got up and threw a sweatshirt on before taking a look at the view from her bedroom window. Of all the places she had traveled coming home to this view of a lake she grew up on was still probably her favourite. Maybe it was the endless memories or maybe it was the simple beauty of nature but whatever it was, she was thankful for it.
After taking another moment to take in her surroundings the blonde made her way downstairs where the morning was well underway. She went to make her coffee but was stopped when she saw Anya on the back deck holding up a glass for her.
"Have I ever told you how much I adore you?" She grinned as she closed the door and took the cup from her ex-roommate. Taking a sip she let her body slouch down into the padded the chair. "I've missed your coffee."
"Yeah well maybe if you didn't work so damn much you'd get it more often." Anya snarked with a grin. She waited for the sassy reply that she was sure was going to come, except it didn't. Looking over she followed her friends eyes to see what had taken her attention.
"Sorry but what in the hell is my godson doing down there?" Clarke's eyes were still glued to the clearing in the trees where she could see the dock.
Gustus couldn't help but burst into laughter as he walked outside and saw what Clarke was talking about. "You two are the worst! He's been trying to learn how to dance for Octavia's wedding. I think it's sweet."
"That's supposed to be dancing?" Gus barely got out through his laughter.
"You're getting soft in your old age, but I'm going to go try and help him because youtube clearly isn't and at this rate he won't be able to dance at his own wedding when he's thirty." Without another word Clarke set her cup down and headed down to the dock leaving Anya and Gustus on the deck, large grins on their faces.
"It's nice having her around again." Gus smiled as he leaned back in the chair next to his wife and put his feet up onto the railing of the deck.
"It'd be nice to have them both around again." Leaning over Gustus kissed the top of his wife's head.
"Hopefully one day, though there might be blood shed if they're in the same room. There are a lot of unresolved feelings there."
Lifting her head of his shoulder Anya gave Gustus a look. "Since when are you the women whisperer?"
"Lincoln's been teaching me." This time it was Anya's turn to burst out into tears of laughter.
"Hey buddy, what are you up too?" Clarke asked as she moved down the dock and closer to Aden.
"He's trying to dance, Sexy Lexie has been teaching us for Aunt Tavia's wedding." Tris replied from where she was splashing in the water.
"Your Aunt was here?" Aden and Tris both nodded happily.
"You just missed her, she left yesterday morning."
Clarke watched as Aden's eyes lit up at the mention of Lexa. "Here I thought it was youtube that you were learning from." She laughed as she took him by the hand.
"That's where it started then Auntie Lex found out and nearly threw my laptop into the lake."
Clarke could only shake her head with a laugh picturing her ex throwing a laptop in the lake. She could almost see the look that had probably adorned her face when she found out their godson was learning to dance from the internet. "I guess your aunt is an alright dancer, but guess what? I'm way better." She winked in his direction. "So what was she trying to teach you?"
"The bakaka."
The blondes eyebrow raised in an attempt to figure out what Aden had just tried to say before it finally clicked a minute later. "Do you mean the bachata?" He nodded with a smile, leave it to Lexa to try to teach him something like that.
"Yeah, she told us a story about how she danced with a princess in Brazil and this is what they danced. So I told her I wanted to learn it."
Clarke turned her head towards the water as she heard the sound of laughter as Tris pulled herself up onto the dock. "He didn't tell her it's because he wants to dance with her at the wedding."
"Your Aunt Clarke can teach you some good moves then, she used to dance with Lexie all the time." Octavia grinned as she and Lincoln made their way down the dock.
"You did?" Both kids beamed, thankfully neither noticed that Clarke was now completely red in the cheeks.
Turning around she pushed Octavia right into the water with a laugh. "That was a long time ago in college."
"Wait, you were all friends?" Tris asked, finally piecing everything she had heard her whole life together.
Clarke and Lincoln nodded as Octavia pulled herself out of the water. "We were."
"Does that mean you know the princess she always tells us about?" Aden asked excitedly as Tris jumped back into the water.
"Don't think so, sorry buddy."
"That's okay, can you seriously show me how to dance more though?"
This was why she had taken time off work, because as much as she loved surgery and helping people, nothing came close to being as amazing as helping her nephew. "Of course buddy, you'll be dancing bachata in no time."
Brazil – Years Ago
"Miss Callaway, thank you so much for coming this evening it's an absolute pleasure to have you." Lexa smiled as she shook the older gentlemen's hand before he kissed her cheek respectively.
"Thank you for the invite sir, it's my absolute pleasure to be amongst some of the world's finest for an amazing event. I understand the full weight of what doctors without borders means to the world and it's important to shed light on what an amazing organization it is."
Two hours and too many glasses of champagne later Lexa was speaking with a Duke when Dr. Pike approached her again. "Sorry to interrupt Miss Callaway but I wanted to introduce you to one of our most talented doctors. She was just here, ah there she is." He grinned when he spotted the woman yet again. "Lexa Callaway, this is Dr. Clarke Griffin." Both Lexa and Clarke's hearts dropped into their stomachs as they came face to face for the first time in years. They both smiled at each other, not knowing what to say. "Dance, the music is playing." Dr. Pike encouraged them with a grin as he stepped away.
On instinct Lexa took Clarke's hands in hers, her entire body felt ablaze as their hands touched. They danced for what felt like hours, never knowing that they held the gaze of the entire room. Before they knew it they were outside on the balcony taking in the view, both trying to calm themselves down and to find the courage to speak. Instead they remained in silence as they took in the beauty of the city lights below them. When they went back inside they found themselves once again in an embrace as they danced across the floor before being crowded with people asking how they learned to dance like that. The native Brazilians were floored that two Americans were able to pick up the dance as flawlessly as they had and everyone else continued to ask them for tips on learning the dance.
They stole glances of the other as they were trying to do their best to speak to everyone. "You two were marvelous, I'm pretty sure that dancing got us some great donations but we really should get going Clarke. I know you fly out to South Africa in the morning."
Before Clarke could answer the Duke Lexa had been talking to before excused himself back into the conversation and before Lexa knew it she and Clarke were being pulled in different directions. All she could do was watch as Clarke disappeared into the crowd, wondering what cruel joke the universe was trying to play on her.
"She's for sure coming to the wedding?" Clarke asked through her glass of wine as she sat next to Octavia around the bon fire.
"Is that okay with you, because if it's not I can totally uninvite her and she'd probably still send us an amazing present."
Clarke took another sip out of her wine glass. "No, she should be there I know you and Linc are important to her. Besides it's only one night right?"
Octavia nodded before rubbing Clarke's leg supportively. "I'll make sure you're very drunk, not to worry my friend, I know you haven't seen her since she visited you in California. Clarke's facial features immediately shifted.
"I never saw Lexa after I left, so what the hell are you talking about?"
Octavia looked at Lincoln for help but he simply shook his head and went back to drinking his beer. "I'm not sure right now is the right time for the conversation or the place. We're all a little drunk."
"Which is exactly why you need to tell me now, dock five minutes, be there. I need a refill." With that Clarke got up and walked back inside the cottage quietly leaving Octavia to throw her head back and sigh before getting up. "Anya, Raven, dock, five minutes."
"Oh this is gonna get good." Gustus grinned as he and Lincoln shared a knowing look.
Five minutes later all the girls sat down on the dock with their legs hanging off the edge and in the water just like they did when they were younger.
"One of you better start talking because I suddenly get the feeling I wasn't told something I should have been told years ago." Clarke spoke softly as she took a swig from the Jack Daniels bottle she was holding.
All three others girls looked back and forth between each other before Anya finally spoke up. "Alright, fine. I'll start but don't kill the messenger because I'm a cop and I carry a gun and my children are inside." Anya lifted her beer and finished it off before speaking. "All I really know is that after her last exam she got on a plane and went to see you. She was back less than twenty four hours later and she never told me what really happened."
Clarke shook her head, still in disbelief. "She never even tried to call me, she gave up on us. I know how she felt about long distance relationships especially after Costia but she never even gave us a chance. I waited for her, I hoped she would change her mind but she I never got an email let alone a call, now you're trying to tell me she got on a plane days after I left?" All three of her friends nodded their head to confirm Anya's story. "She must not have gotten on the flight then because she didn't come to see me. Maybe she went to see Costia."
Octavia shook her head with a sad look on her face that even in the dim moonlight Clarke could tell wasn't good. "She definitely didn't go to see Costia. I don't know what happened when she was there Clarke all I know is that when she got back she locked herself away before she went back to New York. We couldn't get her to eat much or go out. She was seriously depressed and not at all the Lexa Callaway that we all know and love."
"As upset as she was over losing Costia she was never like that so it was definitely about you Clarke." Anya added being the only one to really see what Lexa's breakup with Costia had done to her and how the two were not comparable.
"Why didn't anyone talk to me about this or ask me what happened?" Clarke was beyond confused.
"We didn't want to get involved in a situation that was clearly hurting you both. You never brought it up, she never brought it up so we left it alone. You threw yourself into work and so did she."
Clarke was speechless, she felt as if she was drowning even though she was sitting safely above the water that flowed beneath her feet. After all this time how could she not know that Lexa chased after her. For so long she thought the woman had given up on her and them. All she ever wanted to was to be reassured that their love wasn't something that was simply a timepiece. Something to help the other woman move on from another love. She had understood Lexa's reservations about being in a long distance relationship but she also knew she owed herself to follow the dreams she and her father had set when she was a little girl. Finding out this new information made her mind swirl, she stared blankly up at the sky almost wanting to take one of her friend's phones so that she could call the other woman. Except she had no idea what she'd even say so she continued to look at the stars and then down the lake where a small light could be seen shining in the distance.
"Seriously, where are we going Lex?" Clarke asked as she sat not so patiently waiting as Lexa drove for what felt like hours.
With a slightly chuckle the brunette shook her head as she kept her attention on the road, one hand on the wheel the other leaving against the gear shift holding Clarke's hand. "You are the most impatient person I have ever met."
"Have you met yourself? If not you should really look in a mirror, as if you're one to talk about patience. I don't even think you know the definition of the word." Clarke looked over at her before she quickly continued. "I swear to the heavens if you so much as start to utter the actual definition I will kill you, cut up your body and feed it to the alligators."
"You're so charming, it's really a wonder how you were single when we met." Clarke playfully slapped her arm with her free hand. "Careful or I may kill us both."
"I hate you."
"I love you too."
An hour later Clarke thought she recognized the road signs but it was too dark to see much of anything. "Okay, for real Lex? I'd like to live to get my medical degree." Just as the words left her mouth Lexa made another turn. They got half way up what Clarke thought was just another road before they pulled up to a gate. Rolling down her window Lexa punched a code into the keypad before the gate opened.
Then through the trees Clarke saw what she thought might be heaven. The house was beautiful. Even in the dim light Clarke could see the vines that scaled almost the entire one side of the place. She was so in awe she hadn't realized that Lexa had gotten out of the car and was opening her door until she felt a gentle kiss on her cheek.
Once they got inside Lexa dropped their bags by the front door and proceeded to give Clarke a short tour. "How about I throw the pizza into the oven and you get all comfy? You haven' eaten in two hours, I'm sure you're starved." Clarke grinned at her girlfriend's statement.
"You know me so well." This time it was Clarke that kissed Lexa's cheek before making her way upstairs to the room Lexa had dropped their bags in.
After they had their pizza in front of the fireplace Lexa picked up their wine glasses to refill them. When she came back she found the room empty. Scrunching her brows she quietly made her way into the next room only to stop suddenly. Her breath caught in her chest, her eyes glued to the woman standing in front of her with a blanket draped around her shoulders looking out over the moonlit lake. She willed her feet to move as she silently sat their glasses down as she made the rest of the way towards Clarke. She wrapped her arms around her waist loosely and leaned her chin against the blondes shoulder.
"It's beautiful." Clarke whispered in the darkness as she relaxed against the woman behind her.
"It is."
"You aren't looking at it though."
Lexa closed her eyes and kissed Clarke's temple. "I'd rather look at you, you're the most beautiful view I have ever and will ever see." Clarke turned her head just enough so she could kiss her girlfriend as the butterflies consumed her stomach and made her feel more alive than she ever had. "Do you recognize it? The view that is?" Clarke shook her head no as she leaned it back against Lexa.
"Should I?"
"Sort of. Life seems to like to tell us things, and usually I'd say to hell what life says but when it comes to you, something is always pulling me to you. You're my gravity, you keep me grounded, you keep me sane and you make me a better person by simply being you. I think I always knew that fate or life was playing some sick trick on us from the beginning. I woke up one morning in your bed and for some reason I was captivated by the painting on your wall of the cottage that you love. It struck as me as if I had seen it before or been there but I thought there was no way. Until we went to the cottage ourselves and the girls pointed it out on the lake from the boat. I could barely speak because all I could think about was how much we were meant to be in each others lives. Whether it was your dad or my grandparents, I don't know, maybe I'll never know but what I do know is that that's when I really started to listen to whatever or whomever it was that was trying to tell me something. This was my grandparents place, my grandfather had it built for my grandmother because she loved the view when they used to camp up here a really long time ago. You're standing in your dream cottage. I wanted to tell you sooner but I wanted to make it special and I wanted it to have meaning for us a couple and not just individually anymore. I love you more than I ever thought it was possible to love anyone."
Tears were threatening to fall from both their eyes as Clarke turned around in Lexa's arms, she wore a shocked expression as she looked at Lexa and then back out the window. How could this be? What was fate trying to tell her? "I've always thought that my dad was looking over me and this just proves it. I know I'm a scientist and this can't be explained but I don't want it to be. I just want to be thankful that it's led me to this moment, standing here with you."
Lexa was about to reach into her pocket but was stopped when Clarke wrapped her arms around her neck and softly started to cry. "Baby, what's wrong or are those happy tears?" She asked slightly concerned for the change her in girlfriends mood.
"I was going to wait to tell you but I can't not tell you after you told me all of that. I got accepted into the residency program."
Lexa's eyes instantly lit up and the biggest smile covered her features as she lifted Clarke up and spun her around. "That's amazing, I am so proud of you. You're going to be the most amazing doctor this world has ever known. You're going to change the world Clarke Griffin." Once she finally put her down Lexa looked at Clarke almost quizzically. "Why is that making you cry?" Then it dawned on her, the conversation they had had when they were first getting close. Clarke had told her that it was her plan to hopefully get into the residency program in California. She had even told her dad as a little girl that one day it would happen and he had made her promise that she would make it happen so long as it was still what she wanted. "My love, that is still amazing and you should be proud because I am and I know Jake is to. You should always follow your dreams."
"But what about us? I mean you did all of this for me Lex…" before she could finish Lexa kissed her forehead.
"We'll figure it out when the time comes but for now, let's celebrate. Dance with me?"
"Always."
Present – 6 Months Later
"I swear to God Lexa if you are not here by the time she walks down the aisle I will cause you more pain then you have ever felt!" Anya angrily hit the end call button on her phone after leaving Lexa the voice mail.
"You alright? You have your 'I'm going to murder someone' look on your face." Clarke laughed as she handed Anya a class of champagne as they sat in the bridal suite waiting for Octavia to come out of the bathroom.
Anya downed the entire flute of champagne before nodding, a smile finally appearing. "Better now, thank you."
"Anya! Where the hell is Lexa?! She has one job and one job only and that's to get Lincoln down the damn aisle!" Octavia yelled as she threw the bathroom door open. Three other women in the room were far too awestruck to speak. Octavia's gown was classic and simple and they had all seen her wear it before but something about it in this moment made them all want to cry. "Yeah I know, I'm fucking gorgeous now, answer my question."
"I have no idea, she didn't answer her phone, her receptionist said she left this last night as planned so I do not know what's going on. I checked her flight and there are no delays but her phone is still off and her phone is never off unless she's flying."
"It'll be fine O, I'll go threaten Lincoln myself." Raven offered only for Octavia to shake her head 'no'.
"He doesn't listen to you, Clarke? Can you please go check on him."
"I can but sweetie you know that boy probably slept at the alter all night, he's been waiting to marry you since the day you met. He's just been waiting for you to give him the okay. I will go and check on him though, make sure his Gustus isn't getting him too drunk."
A half hour before the wedding was set to start there was a knock on the bridal suite door. Rolling her eyes Anya stood up and answered the door. "Hi."
"I am going to murder you!"
"Please save the murdering until after my honeymoon so I don't have to help you bury a body." Octavia yelled from the washroom where Raven was holding her dress up so she could pee. "Wait who are we even murdering?" She asked once she stepped out of the washroom.
"That'd be me." Lexa grinned from where she still stood just inside the door, a large grin on her face.
As fast as her feet would allow Octavia surged forward and wrapped her arms around Lexa's neck. They weren't much for hugging but something about the day was making Octavia a little more emotional than usual. "I thought you were going to miss it and we were going to have to kill you."
"I made you a promise, besides my parents would kill me before you got the chance if I missed your wedding. They send their apologies for not being able to be here. Besides I'm like the worst bridesmaid ever, considering I haven't been here for any of it. I would never miss this little buddy." Octavia glared at her as she finally released her from their hug.
"Start explaining Callaway, where the hell have you been?" Raven asked, her hand on her hip.
Lexa shook her head with a sigh. "Where do I even start?"
Raven handed her the half full bottle of champagne, yeah that was definitely a good place to start. "Change and talk." Anya rolled her eyes as she pushed her best friend into the washroom.
"My flight landed on time, so I went outside to get my car. Except it wasn't there, so when I called the car company they had the dates mixed up. So I hung up with them and called a town car, I waited almost an hour and the guy didn't show. Apparently there was a bad accident somewhere. Anyways, I finally said screw it and got into a taxi but my phone was dead, the guy only had an android charged so I couldn't call you. I gave the guy the exact address and he still somehow managed to get lost…" Lexa continued to tell her story as she got changed into her bridesmaid dress when Clarke finally came back.
The minute she walked into the room and heard that voice she felt like the entire world had stopped. She'd know that voice from anywhere and she fought against the feelings that wanted to bubble to the surface just by hearing it.
"Anyways, I finally got here and that's all that matters, I'll go check on Lincoln and make sure that no one has scared the crap out of him yet." Lexa smiled as she walked out of the bathroom in her dress, her hair pinned up showing off her exceptional jaw line. "Have I told you how stunning you look yet?"
"No, but you can say it again for good measure."
Lexa shook her head with a laugh. "You look stunning Octavia, and no for the record you usually look like crap." She winked at her friend, knowing her better than either would like to admit.
A split second later she turned around and came face to face with the one and only Clarke Griffin. She was sure her lungs actually stopped taking in air and was thankful that if she did pass out Clarke could probably save her. "Hi." She barely got out as even more air left her lungs.
"Hi."
"Awkward time later, go check on Lincoln we'll meet you downstairs in five" Raven commanded as she pointed towards the door.
Lexa simply nodded as she finally tore her eyes away from Clarke's and grabbed her heels out of her small suitcase on her way out the door.
TBC…