I Love You
“Well, who the hell was it?” Lexa spat.
“Aaron Gabriel.”
Lexa felt her blood freeze in her veins as the name rolled off of Bellamy’s tongue. An anxious sweat broke out along her spine as the reality of what had just happened really set in. If Aaron had broken into Clarke’s apartment then whoever was after her was very much aware that the blonde was someone special to her.
Lexa’s rambling thoughts halted as Bellamy’s hands came to rest on her shoulders and give her a slight shake,“Lexa, I can see your brain turning over. Remember what I said the other day. Don’t push Clarke away because of this. Pushing her away won’t stop them from doing what they want.”
Lexa dumbly nodded and shook her head to clear the disastrous thoughts from her mind before looking back at Bellamy.
“I think it’s time we tell, Indra.”
Bellamy nodded in agreement,“Me too. I don’t think Aaron just happened to randomly pick Clarke’s apartment to break into. Come on, she needs to hear this now.”
Lexa followed Bellamy over to where Indra currently stood talking to another officer who had taken witness statements from any residents that had heard or seen anything. Indra looked up to see them heading her way and dismissed the officer before fully facing them.
“Lexa. Bellamy. What do you need?”
Lexa looked over to Bellamy for a quick second before locking eyes with Indra,“There’s something that we need to tell you. Privately.”
Indra discreetly looked around at the officers around them before looking back and nudging her head to the left and slowly walking away. Lexa and Bellamy followed behind her until they came to stand on the side of the apartment complex and away from prying ears.
“Okay, what’s this about?” Indra huffed as she crossed her arms in front of her.
Lexa began the process of explaining the events that followed after the warehouse bust. Every detail of every incident since then had Indra’s eyes hardening. By the time Lexa had finally shown her the texts and finished explaining Indra was a ball of anger.
“This is not something you keep from your Captain, Detective Woods,” Lexa cringed at the use of her professional title,“And you, Detective Blake. The moment she told you, you should have come straight to me with this. I expected better from two of my best detectives.”
Before Lexa could speak Bellamy had beaten her to it,“With all due respect Captain, we only kept this a secret because we thought this was just someone trying to get under Lexa’s skin. The last time we had someone do something like this it ended up being a kid playing some stupid prank. After tonight though, we now know that someone really is trying to get revenge for God knows what reason.”
“It was pretty obvious from Aaron’s words that someone wanted revenge and that’s when you should have told me, Lexa. I understand you thought it was just some druggie trying to get in your head but you still should have told me. Especially after Anya’s accident, which I guess won’t be ruled and accident anymore.”
“I’m sorry, Indra. I just didn’t want to bring this to you and it turned out to be a waste of our time. Don’t blame Bellamy. I asked him not to tell you yet. It’s on me.”
Indra sighed deeply and ran a hand down her face before looking back at Lexa,“It’s okay. We’ll go over this in more detail and see if we can’t find out who Aaron was connected to. I don’t want you to speak to anyone else about this until we get more information. For now, I know you want to be with Clarke so after giving your statement to the officer I want you over at the hospital to be with her. No if’s, and’s, or but’s. We’ll handle everything here.”
Lexa nodded gratefully and turned away and began walking over to the officer taking statements. After quickly giving the officer the details of the ordeal Lexa ran back up to her apartment, ducking under police caution tape, to grab her shoes, purse, and keys and running back down to her truck.
The entire ride to the hospital was a blur and by time Lexa had come out of her thoughtless haze she was walking through the entrance of the ER. Lexa was surprised to not see Maya sitting at her desk typing away at her computer. Lexa stood impatiently at the desk waiting for any signs of anyone that may be able to help her find Clarke. After a few short agonizing minutes later Lexa spotted Maya coming around a corner down the hallway and quickly ran over to her.
“Maya, where’s Clarke?”
Maya looked up, startled at Lexa’s appearance before pointing down the hallway she had just come from,“She in an exam room. She just got her stitches done. Room three.”
Lexa didn’t hesitate as she rushed down the hallway and came to a short stop at the door labeled ‘Exam Room #3’ before pushing it open. Walking inside Lexa could see Clarke laying down on the bed in the middle of the room with her arm thrown over her eyes. As Lexa shut the door Clarke lifted her arm to glance over to see who had just entered her room and quickly sat up at the sight of Lexa.
Lexa rushed over to Clarke as she let out a low hiss of pain from suddenly shifting her leg,“Easy. You just had stitches. You shouldn’t be moving much.”
“Thanks, Dr. Woods. I thought you wouldn’t be here until a litter later. I actually called—,” Clarke was cut off as the exam room door swung open and a light brown hair woman dressed in scrubs came running in and over to Clarke.
“Sweetie, what happened? I got in my office from Maya saying you were in the ER.”
As the women talked she was carefully examining Clarke’s body for any injuries only to stop at the sight of the gauze wrapped around her left upper thigh. The woman looked up at Clarke before quickly unwrapping the bandage and taking a look at the stitched wound that lay beneath it.
“Clarke. Tell me what happened. Right now,” The woman demanded as she rewrapped the wound.
Clarke let out an annoyed huff before speaking,“Mom, calm down. It’s fine. Someone broke into my apartment and they had a gun. A bullet just grazed me, that’s all. I’ll be better in no time.”
“Mom? Oh shit.”
Lexa wiped her brow where a nervous sweat had begun to set at discovering just who was standing in the room with them. Sure, Lexa wanted to meet Clarke’s parents but this was defiantly not the way she would have planned it. Lexa came from her thoughts as Clarke’s mother began to rant once again.
“Calm down? You just told me someone broke into your apartment, shot at you, and that you got grazed by a bullet and you want me to calm down?”
Clarke rolled her eyes before catching Lexa’s eyes as she looked over to her.
“Oh shit. Well, mom I guess this is about as god a time as any to meet Lexa,“ The older woman turned to look at her with surprised eyes,“Mom, this is Lexa. Lexa, this is my mom. Lexa was the one who saved me from the man who broke in.”
Lexa smiled awkwardly and held out a hand to the woman in greeting only for it to be pushed away as she was engulfed in a large hug.
“Thank you for saving my little girl,” Clarke’s mother whispered in her ear.
Lexa, shocked from the hug, didn’t speak for a moment until the woman pulled away,“It’s no big deal, Mrs. Griffin. It’s my job. But I honestly can say it wasn’t my job that caused me to keep Clarke safe. When I heard those gun shots and came running out to see Clarke rushing towards me, I knew my only priority was to keep her safe.”
Lexa gazed down at Clarke who looked up at her with adoration causing Clarke’s mother to smile softly,“ You’re overwhelming need to protect my daughter doesn’t surprise me. By the way you look at her I can tell how much you care for her. Oh, and please call me Abby. This wasn’t really what I had in mind when I told Clarke I wanted to meet you. I was thinking maybe something more along the lines of dinner.”
“That might have been a little better. But you know how Clarke can be. Stubborn as a mule,” Lexa teased.
“I’m right here people.” Abby and Lexa laughed at Clarke as she pouted at being teased.
“We know, sweetie. We can’t help but to tease you. Any ways, I talked to Sinclair before I came in here. He said you should stay off that leg for the rest of tonight and start to walk around tomorrow morning but don’t overdue it. We don’t need you popping any stitches. The chief of staff as also suggested you take a few days to rest and recover so don’t worry about work,” Abby said as she smoothed away some hair from Clarke’s face.
Clarke gave a tired nod and let out a yawn before closing her eyes and drifting off. Abby looked to Lexa and they both shared a smile.
“I’ll go ahead and see if I can’t get her discharge papers from Maya so we can get her home and let her get some rest in a real bed,” Abby whispered.
After Abby had made her way out the door Lexa grabbed a chair from the corner of the room and pulled it over for her to sit down next to the bed. Lexa gently grabbed ahold of Clarke’s hand and let her eyes wonder over the blonde’s peaceful face. The thought of Clarke being hurt because of her felt like a punch to Lexa’s gut. The sight of blood coming from Clarke’s leg had all but stopped Lexa’s heart and caused her to forget about everything else but Clarke. Lexa didn’t know if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
Lexa pushed aside her thoughts as Abby came walking through the door once more holding a few papers and a pen and placing them down on the portable table next to the bed,“All she has to do is sign these papers and she’ll be home free. I’ll have to put some fresh sheets on her bed. It’s been a while since she’s slept in her old bed.”
“Abby, if you don’t mind, I’d be more than happy to let Clarke stay with me,” Lexa pursed her lips as she watched Abby’s expressions.
“I don’t mind if you don’t. She’ll probably be more comfortable with you than she would be at home. She’s had trouble sleeping at the house since her father’s accident.”
“Her father’s accident?”
“She didn’t tell you, yet?” Abby questioned sadly.
Lexa negatively shook her head as she watched Abby place a hand on Clarke’s cheek and gently rub her thumb over the smooth skin.
“When she was fifteen she had begged her father, Jake, to teach her how to surf. Living in California, Clarke thought it was necessary to know how to surf. She begged him for months until he finally caved. She was so happy and couldn’t wait to get to the beach. I got called in to do a surgery that day so it ended up with just both of them going.”
Lexa shifted her gaze from Abby as Clarke mumbled sleepily and shifted a little to get more comfortable. After Clarke settled down Abby looked back to Lexa.
“Clarke told me that when he had finished showing her the basics on the sand he had grabbed his board and told her and I quote ‘to watch and learn newbie’. She said he was doing perfectly fine until he disappeared under the barrel of the wave and never came out. Clarke said she thought he was just messing with her at first but then ten minutes had passed and she still didn’t see him. She ran and had gotten a life guard a small ways down the beach and told him what happened. He called the Marine Patrol officers and they began to search for him. Another thirty minutes after the patrol officers had arrived they still hadn’t found him. Right when they were about to call off the search Clarke had spotted Jake’s board laying stuck in the sand a few feet ahead of her. The officers said she ran screaming his name and that when she got up to the board she just froze.”
Abby paused suddenly and took in a shaky breath as she tried to stop the tears from overflowing in her eyes. Lexa leaned over and gently patted her hand where it rested on the railing of the bed and gave her a sad smile.
“One of the officers said that he was just laying face down in the water, completely unresponsive. They tried to revive him but even if they had his brain had gone too long without oxygen. He would have been brain dead. Clarke blamed herself for the longest time and ever since then she hasn’t been able get in a large body of water without some kind of raft or float. When she cam home that night she had so much trouble sleeping. She would have nightmares and would barley get any sleep. I went so far as to take her to her doctor about having her put on some low dosage sleeping pills. Even then she still had trouble sleeping. Most nights she slept over at Raven’s or Octavia’s and when she turned eighteen she finally went to college and moved into the dorms. I hated to see her move out but I figured it was what was best for her. After a few months at college she finally seemed to be doing better, but she didn’t, and still doesn’t, like to talk about the accident.”
Lexa took in all the information that Abby had given her. So this was why Clarke was so scared to get in the water back at the beach house. Lexa looked down at Clarke and felt a deep sadness overcome her and knew just how Clarke had felt when she lost her dad. Lexa decided that she would wait for when Clarke was ready to tell her about the accident instead of her bringing it up.
Lexa glanced up at Abby once more,“I’m sorry to hear that. I know what it’s like to loose a parent. It’s never easy. Everything changes and it’s harder to adjust for some people.”
Abby nodded in agreement and before she could question Lexa about her parents, Clarke began to stir. Lexa stood and smiled down at Clarke as her eyes fluttered open to reveal the sky blue eyes that lay hidden beneath.
“Hey, sleeping beauty. Have a good nap?” Lexa asked.
“Mhhh…Not as good as it would have been if I was in your arms,” Clarke teased.
Abby lightly coughed, catching the attention of both Lexa and Clarke causing both women to blush deeply,“You can go sleep in her arms after you sign your discharge papers, sweetie.”
With a little help form Lexa Clarke sat up and took the pen from her mother and began to scribble her signature to the documents. After finishing Abby grabbed the papers and walked out the door once more stating that she would hand over the papers and grab a wheelchair on her way back.
Finally alone Lexa gently grabbed ahold of Clarke’s cheek and turned her head to face her and pull her in for a sweet kiss. Lexa felt Clarke’s hands move to the nap of her neck and grab ahold of her hair and pull her closer. The kiss started out slow and innocent before suddenly turning into a more passionate and fiery kiss. When Clarke began to moan quietly Lexa begrudgingly pulled away, but not before giving the blonde’s bottom lip a little nip.
“You don’t understand just how worried I was when I saw your blood. I thought you got shot. I…I didn’t know how bad it was and I couldn’t help but think that I might loose you. When I finally saw that it was just a graze you don’t know how relieved I was,” Lexa whispered hoarsely.
“You aren’t going to loose me, Lexa. I’m not going anywhere any time soon. I promise.”
Lexa searched Clarke’s eyes. So many emotions swirled in her blue pools and Lexa suddenly found herself lost. Placing her forehead against Clarke’s Lexa let her eyes drift shut before shifting just close enough for her lips to ghost over Clarke’s.
“I love you, Clarke.”
Lexa felt Clarke’s lips move to open slightly in a soft gasp and before she could respond Abby came strutting into the room with a wheelchair only to stop when she saw the position that they were both in. Lexa pulled away from Clarke and gave Abby an awkward smile before looking back at a still shocked Clarke.
“Okay, let’s see how we can get you in this chair without moving that leg as much as possible,” Abby said as she wheeled the chair next to the bed.
“I’ve got this,” Lexa said.
Lexa moved the railing of the bed down and picked up Clarke to cradle her against her chest without jolting her leg too much. Lexa walked around the bed and, with Abby’s help, placed Clarke down slowly in the wheelchair.
“Well that’s one way to do it,” Abby said with a smile.
Abby began to push Clarke out the room allowing Lexa to follow close behind. As they made their towards the ER exit Lexa could see Maya directing a patient to the waiting room when she caught sigh of the three women and have a large smile. After the patient had taken a seat Maya waited for them to walk up to the desk before leaning down and giving Clarke a large hug.
“I’m glad you’re okay, Clarke. I still haven’t heard all the details so when you’re recovered I request that you fill me in on the missing gossip.”
Clarke laughed,“Of course, Maya. I’ll be out for a few days but when I get back I promise we’ll go on a lunch break together and talk it over.”
A few people walked up to Maya’s desk causing Maya to nod in understanding at Clarke’s words before excusing herself to help the newcomers. Abby continued to push Clarke out the doors of the ER and into the cool night air before coming to a stop.
“I’ll go get my truck. I’m not parked too far from here,” Lexa said.
Lexa jogged thorough the parking lot and reached her truck in record time. After hearing the engine roar to life Lexa backed out of her parking spot and drove over to where Clarke and Abby talked while waiting patiently for her. Throwing the truck in park Lexa hopped out and walked around to see Abby pushing Clarke up towards the truck.
After opening the door and picking Clarke up Lexa gently settled her down on the seat trying not to bump her leg in the process. After Clarke was buckled in and had given her mother a goodbye hug and a promise to call her later Lexa closed the passenger door before turning to face Abby.
“These are her pain meds. One every eight hours with a meal. There’s also some antibiotic ointment to put on the stitches when she changes the bandages,” Abby said as she handed over a small paper bag with Clarke’s name on it.
“Thank you, Abby.”
“No, it’s me that should be thanking you. You saved her life and you’re taking care of her when no one asked you to. I’m glad she has someone like you in her life, Lexa.”
Lexa smiled thankfully before bidding Abby goodbye and making her way to the driver’s side only to stop when Abby called her name.
“Lexa, just because we’ve already met doesn’t mean I don’t want a proper meeting with dinner. You better be ready to wow me with everything you’ve got.”
Lexa nodded happily,“Of course, Abby. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Prepare to be wowed.”
After seeing Abby shake her head in amusement Lexa finished her trek around her truck and slide into the drivers seat to see Clarke grinning at her like a fool.
“What?” Lexa question innocently.
“Nothing. It’s just…my mom likes you. I can tell.”
“Well, that works out in my favor.”
Lexa began to slowly drive through the parking lot before hitting the highway back to towards their apartment complex. Clarke had been silent since after those few words and it was beginning to make Lexa squirm uncomfortably in her seat. She began to sneak glances at the blonde and could see her biting her lip nervously. Deciding that it was best to focus on the road Lexa tore her eyes away from Clarke and planted them on the road ahead of her.
The next five little words that Lexa heard flitter through the silence of the truck caused every fiber of her body to light up.
“I love you too, Lexa.”