Chapter 15
Lexa glanced at the clock. It was four in the morning. Raven was scheduled for surgery in less than an hour and everyone was at the hospital to await the outcome. In the few weeks since Raven’s accident, things had been different. Everyone had been different. It wasn't a bad different, quite the opposite actually. It was like the shock of almost losing Raven had reminded them of just how lucky they were to have one another. Even Finn, was different.
After mostly reconciling with Clarke, Lexa had expected another round of shit storms with Finn, but they never came. Not one comment or a single dirty glance. It was almost as if Raven’s accident had snapped him back into his former self.
“Hey,” Finn said sleepily as he and Clarke entered the room. “We brought coffee and food.”
Clarke rubbed her eyes. She was clad in a pair of black leggings and an oversized grey sweatshirt, her hair haphazardly tied into a bun.
“I’ll take a couple of those,” Lexa said as she crossed the room. Finn held the tray out to her. “Thanks,” she told him as she grabbed two cups. She greeted Clarke with a chaste kiss on the cheek and returned to her seat next to Costia. She handed one of the cups to her and she accepted it with a warm smile.
Lexa glanced around the room as she ran her fingers through her loose locks, tossing them over her shoulder.
Lincoln was sitting in a chair in the corner, he had his feet propped up and a book in his lap.
Bellamy was sitting on the other side of the room, engrossed in a conversation with Jake, who looked like he hadn't slept very well.
Jasper and Monty had taken up residence at a table in front of the window, hoping to pass the time quickly with a deck of cards.
Anya was leaning against the wall, staring out the window. She hadn't said much of anything since they'd arrived.
Finn and Clarke had moved to a set of chairs across the room, Clarke with her legs draped over Finn's as they each sipped on a cup coffee and looking thoroughly nervous.
Octavia was pacing the floor like a caged animal. Everyone knew that the next few hours would be the hardest on her. Like Lexa and Clarke, Octavia and Raven practically shared the same brain.
“Hey,” Costia said softly as she slipped her hand into Lexa’s. “It’s going to be fine.”
Lexa only nodded. Though she found it a little odd that Costia would give up an entire day to spend it sitting in a hospital awaiting the outcome of a surgery for someone she didn't even know, she was honestly glad to have her there.
Lexa took a deep breath and tried to settle her nerves. She knew that Raven would be fine. She had to be. This was going to work. This was going to work and Raven was going to walk again.
Abby said that the surgery would take six hours, but that as soon as it was over she'd come right out and let them know how everything went and when they'd be able to see Raven. Lexa glanced at the clock again and groaned internally. This was going to be the longest six hours of her life.
Hour one went by rather quietly, but quickly. The group drank their coffee and chatted optimistically about how soon Raven would be right back to kicking ass and taking names.
Hour two went slower, but their optimism was still there. Lexa had moved herself to the table by the window. She needed a distraction and who better than Jasper and Monty?
“What do you do, Costia?” Jasper asked as his dealt out another hand of cards.
“I'm an event coordinator,” Costia replied quickly. ‘It requires a bit or traveling, but I love it.”
“Like, weddings and stuff?” Monty asked.
‘Sure,” Costia nodded. “I've done weddings and parties. Festivals and trade shows too. I’m open to pretty much anything. I love the challenge of tying it all together.”
Lexa smirked. It was true. Costia certainly liked a challenge.
“Nice,” Jasper nodded.
Clarke came over and sat on the arm of Lexa's chair. “Who’s winning?” She asked.
Costia slipped her arm around Lexa's and smirked. “Lexa, of course,” she answered with a rather smug tone.
“It's not hard against you three,” Lexa quipped and Costia nudged her.
“Hey!” Jasper exclaimed.
“Yeah, where's the love?” Monty shook his head.
“Yeah,” Costia leaned forward and cracked a small smile. “Where is the love?”
Lexa’s eyes narrowed almost playfully as she gave her a quick peck and returned her attention to her cards.
Costia smirked again.
“Deal me in the next round,” Clarke said confidently.
To everyone's displeasure, Clarke won the next five rounds as the clock rolled them into hour three.
Lexa was pacing in the hallway. The clock wasn't moving fast enough for her. She knew that it was a delicate procedure and that it would take time, but God, it was taking forever. She looked up, her eyes catching Anya and Clarke at the opposite end of the hallway. Though she couldn't hear why was being said, she was pretty sure that Anya was apologizing for having hit her. Lexa's hunch was confirmed only a moment later when Clarke stepped forward, embracing Anya in a tight hug.
A moment later Anya came walking down the hall. She made eye contact with Lexa before giving her a nod and returning to the waiting room.
“You hit her.” Clarke's voice broke into Lexa's thoughts.
Lexa turned, her features stony. Of course she’d hit her.
Clarke's expression was soft. “You didn't have to do that,” she told her.
Lexa stood silent, her hands cupped behind her back. What was she supposed to say?
“I deserved…” Clarke started.
“You didn't,” Lexa cut her off.
“You shouldn’t have defended me,” Clarke shook her head, “but, thank you.”
Lexa nodded and Clarke stepped forward, embracing her in a tight hug. “Raven’s going to be fine,” she whispered.
“She's a fighter,” Lexa responded, unnecessarily pointing out the obvious, as she reached around, returning the embrace.
“She is,” Clarke agreed.
“Sorry,” Costia’s voice filled the hallway. “I didn't mean to interrupt.”
“You didn't,” Lexa assured her as she stepped away from Clarke. Well, she had actually, but it was okay.
“I just didn't know where you disappeared to.” Costia explained as she ran her hand up Lexa's arm and gripped her bicep smoothly.
“I just needed a moment.” Lexa replied. “Come on, let's go back in.”
They were four hours in when a new face appeared in the doorway, next to an utterly bewildered looking Jackson. Lexa recognized the woman immediately, it was Raven’s mother. Raven’s mother, who in the weeks since her accident had made no attempt to contact her. Hell, none of them were even sure how long it had been since Raven had had any contact with her and they were all quite certain that she had no concept of the severity of what was actually going on. They had all long since learned not to contact her with any news on Raven.
Raven’s mother had a habit and it was a habit that she couldn't keep in check. A habit that she would have been happy to let Raven pay the price for, had it not been for the Blake and Griffin families.
“You need to leave,” Clarke said as she stepped in the woman's way, her eyes were icy.
“My girl,’ the woman replied, her eyes slipping out of focus.
“Raven will be just fine,” Clarke's assured her, but her words dripped with venom, ”but you need to leave now, or I'll have you taken out.”
The woman steadied herself, as if preparing to make an argument.
Lexa took a deep breath and squared her shoulders as everyone in the room stood up. Everyone, but Costia, who had no idea what was going on. Jackson’s eyes were apologetic to the group as he took Raven’s mother by the shoulders and led her away from the room. “Come on,” he told her. “Let's go this way.”
Hour five. The roles of the room changed.
Lincoln and Bellamy now sat at the table playing cards.
Anya was having a quiet conversation with Monty in the corner as Jasper lay on the floor nearby, flipping uninterestedly though a magazine.
Jake and Octavia were standing just outside the door having, what seemed to be, a heated discussion of their own.
And somehow, Lexa and Costia had ended up sitting across from Finn and Clarke, stuck in their own conversation.
“So, how'd you two meet?” Finn asked with innocent curiosity.
Lexa noticed that Clarke sat up a bit at this and it dawned on her that they'd never even gotten the chance to discuss it.
“Work,” Costia answered first. “I was planning a concert and Lexa got flagged to do an article about it.”
“You two just hit it off?” Finn smiled.
“Yeah,” Costia slid her hand into Lexa's and leaned closer. “I could tell right away that she was good people.”
“She is,” Clarke confirmed and Finn actually nodded.
“You're in the company of very good people,” Finn added as he motioned around the room. "Some closer than others, and all a little strange in their own right, but nonetheless, good people.”
Lexa felt her eyebrow lift as she eyed him curiously. What an odd statement to be coming from him of all people. She saw something flicker in Clarke's eyes.
“Well, so far everyone seems great,” Costia said as she laid her head on Lexa's shoulder, “None as great as this girl here, but all great.”
Something flickered in Clarke's eye again and Lexa felt her brow furrow as she looked at her curiously. Clarke's eyes answered her unspoken question. Later.
“That’s Lexa,” Anya's voice joined the conversation, ”best of the best.”
A light shade of pink crossed Lexa's cheeks as Clarke grinned lightly
Hour six. It was never going to end.
Now it was Lexa who was feeling like a caged animal. It was too hot and the air in the room was getting heavier by the minute. She glanced around. It was obvious enough that everyone in the room was feeling the same amount of stress, all just waiting for Abby to appear in the doorway and tell them that very thing was fine.
“Hey you,” Costia appeared at her side, running her fingers around the back of Lexa's neck.
Lexa felt herself cringe slightly. She was glad Costia was there, really, she was - but, she needed to stop touching her. The pressure in the room was already bad enough, Costia's constant touching was like an added amount that she just couldn't take right now. “Please,” she said softly as she stepped back and put room between them.
Costia looked wounded, but only slightly. As she walked off and sat in one of the chairs between Finn and Jasper, Lexa tried to focus her thoughts. There wasn't nearly enough air in the room and she really just needed to breathe.
“Lexa,” Clarke was suddenly at her side. “Lexa, look at me.”
Lexa looked up and green met blue. God.
“Take a deep breath,” Clarke told her as she took her hand.
Lexa held her gaze and inhaled deeply, feeling the air move easily into her lungs.
“Again,” Clarke instructed firmly, giving her hand a light squeeze.
Lexa complied. It was helping. She gave Clarke a nod as she felt her body calming. She was okay.
Clarke returned the nod and let go of her hand. Lexa watched as she returned to her seat next to Finn and rubbed her hands together, clearly feeling just as nervous.
Finally, Abby appeared in the doorway. She glanced around the room into all of their questioning eyes as a smile slowly stretched across her face and that smile, told them all the only thing that they needed to know in that moment.
Lexa closed her eyes and released an emotional sigh of relief. Raven was okay.