Chapter 15
A bit queasy Clarke drove to the hotel where Lexa always stayed when she was here, like last time it was swarming with fans, paparazzi and other strange characters. Security was more numerous and there was almost no getting through. She parked and watched the hustle and bustle, she was visibly uncomfortable. She didn't want to go through it if she didn't have to, so she hastily grabbed the phone.
"Lex? Um, I don't know how to get to you. There are an incredible number of people here, and even more bodyguards."
"It's fine, don't worry about it. Miller should be on shift today. I've known him for a while and he's pleasant. He's a little smaller and not quite as broad compared to the others, but he can do 5 different martial arts, so don't mess with him." Laughed the brunette. "Give him the phone for a minute, please. I'll sort it out with him."
She strolled towards the gathering of people, but passed them at a proper distance, which earned her some indignant shouts. Finally, she spotted the man described, shyly walked up to him and handed him the phone, which he accepted, stunned.
He nodded, affirmed, and finally took Clarke by the arm to maneuver her to the entrance.
She thanked Miller and the two said their goodbyes. Assuming she was on the list as usual, she walked purposefully to the elevators and rode to the top floor.
Lexa began to beam when she saw the blonde and hugged her tightly. They stood like that for what seemed like an eternity before Indra, who was standing in a corner staring at the two of them, cleared her throat.
"It's safer if they don't stand in the open doorway for so long."
The two women separated and closed the door. Clarke was still creeped out by the dark-skinned woman, and really she could do without a chaperone, but she couldn't do without one, and she preferred her friend to be protected. There were enough weirdos in this world, so she put up with a guardian.
To have some privacy, the brunette asked Indra to go outside and so the Clarke and Lexa talked for a while until both of their stomachs growled. They decided to leave through the back exit of the hotel and go out for some food. Both had no great desire to be disturbed.
They took the elevator to the basement, where there was a private exit. They stepped out through the door into the open air, where they were greeted by warm air and a pleasant breeze. All the while Indra was supervising them, looking as if she might kill anyone who approached them too quickly and too carelessly. But no one approached them and so they left the building unnoticed and made their way to a Thai.
Despite the months that had passed, they seemed as if the two had just seen each other yesterday. The mood was relaxed and the two kept casting longer glances at each other. Sometimes Clarke touched Lexa's arm, sometimes Lexa touched her hand, there was a constant physical contact that Indra had also noticed, but it was not her task to react to it. In all the time she had accompanied and protected so many, she had developed an unmistakable feeling for dangers of any kind, and that just now was not one. Her charge was happy, even more than that. She had had to work so much the last few months, her private life had had to take a back seat almost completely and now she finally seemed liberated again and without sorrow. As stern as Indra may seem, the sight of her protégé made her happy.
After everyone had eaten lunch and their growling stomachs had returned to normal, Clarke and Lexa decided to walk around town. They wanted to look at the stores a bit and otherwise just walk around. There was a pleasant hustle and bustle, there was always something going on at this time of day.
Suddenly the three women were surrounded by many people, the whole thing had happened so fast that no one could react. More and more people pushed through to them and wanted something from Lexa, until Clarke was separated from the two women. The attempt to get back to Indra and the brunette failed and so she stood in the middle of the pile and worried about the young woman with the dreamlike eyes.
In all the people Lexa saw a woman and her heart stopped, but not out of joy. She came closer and closer to Lexa until Indra stopped her. Titus had instructed the bodyguard after her employment accordingly, showed photos of the two, to which she would have to pay special attention and told only the most necessary, what she needed for her work. The dark-skinned woman wanted to protect the brunette, even regardless of her task. She liked the young woman and admired her for everything she had achieved and gone through so far.
"Can we please talk?"
"Costia, there is nothing more we need to discuss." Lexa spoke in an icy voice and turned away from the young woman, but she did not give up and tried to squeeze past Indra. More by luck than skill, she was able to grab the brunette's wrist and hold her that way. Indra looked as if she would like to tick off the grabbing hand. But seeing in her no direct danger and Lexa not resisting, she merely blocked her direct access.
"Please," Costia pleaded, " I never had the chance to apologize properly." She added a plea at the end, she seemed sincere.
Lexa's heart softened more and more, even if she didn't want it to. She didn't want Costia to still have that hold on her. But she was right about one thing, they had never had the chance to come to terms with everything that had happened, so she turned around.
"Okay, let's talk about it. About anything, but not in public."
The brunette thought for a moment.
"Come to my hotel Costia tonight around 8PM."
At that moment Clarke made it to them and just heard Lexa inviting Costia to her hotel in the evening. The blonde's gaze was impenetrable, but she turned and left. Lexa followed her and Indra kept track in the crowd.
"Clarke wait."
The latter turned, there were so many questions in her eyes, but she remained silent and waited.
"Can we talk about this quietly later?"
The blonde shook her head.
"I'm about to work and I'm on 24h duty, if not longer."
"Then let's talk afterwards."
Still silent, the woman addressed nodded afterwards, however, before she said goodbye and left.
Indra stepped up to Lexa.
"I don't want to offend you, but are you sure what you're about to do is a good idea?"
There was a hesitant knock on the door. Lexa braced herself inwardly for anything. She hadn't seen Costia in so long. Why was she coming now?
She opened the door and the two women sat down next to each other on the sofa. Lexa made sure to keep enough distance. She still felt the attraction, despite all the pain she had caused her. She just couldn't escape it, at least not completely. She was under its spell, even though that was exactly what she didn't want. She wanted to be cool, calm and relaxed, but she wasn't. Still, her facial expressions were impossible to read.
"I know it was presumptuous to address you, but I had to see you. I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am for everything that happened back then. I regret it deeply."
"It wasn't just a mistake and you know it." Cold came the answer from Lexa.
Defensively, her counterpart raised her hands.
"I didn't mean to minimize my actions, only I regret them. That's why I flew here when I heard rumors that you were coming here, even though I didn't get my hopes up that you'd hear me out."
Hesitantly and gently she took Lexa's hands in hers. The latter did not resist, nevertheless she remained silent and her face remained expressionless.
"What I have done I cannot take back, but I would like to try."
Hopeful eyes looked to the brunette, but she remained silent.
"It's not the only thing I'd like to try."
Costia slid closer to Lexa, getting brave because she didn't resist, she kissed her and the brunette returned it.