Chapter 5
When Clarke woke up she smelled coffee. A smile appeared on her face. One of the benefits of being Lexa’s girlfriend had always been waking up to the smell of coffee. Lexa was an early bird, Clarke most certainly was not.
She got up and considered putting on something a little more appropriate than her PJs, but decided against it. This was her apartment and Lexa had already seen her in her PJs … and without.
Lexa was in the kitchen, preparing breakfast. Clarke watched her for a little while; then she cleared her throat to make herself known and had to laugh when the the other woman jumped.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t want to scare you.”
Lexa looked down at the orange juice that she had spilled. “You didn’t scare me. Jumping is part of my morning workout.”
Clarke walked past her and got a towel. “Here.”
“Thank you.” Lexa took care of the mess she made.
“Sit down Clarke. I made some breakfast. I hope that’s okay?”
“Depends on the kind of breakfast, I guess.”
“How about waffles?”
“I like waffles.” She smiled and sat down while Lexa put waffles on a plate and poured coffee in two mugs.
“Did you sleep alright, Detective?”
“No. You?”
“Like a baby.”
Lexa smiled. “Figures.”
Clark looked at her.
“Why didn’t you sleep, Lexa?”
“Because I am supposed to keep you safe.”
“That’s all?”
“Can we maybe not talk for a bit, Clarke? Just until I’ve finished my coffee?”
Clarke nodded. “Sure.”
They ate their breakfast in silence until Lexa’s phone buzzed.
“Hey Bellamy, what’s up? You have? Sure. Send it to me. Thank you.” Lexa hung up and waited for the beep that told her she had a message. She looked at the picture, Bellamy sent her.
“Clarke, do you know who this is?”
Clarke took the phone from her.
“That’s Echo. Why do you ask?”
“Who’s Echo?”
“One of the nurses at the hospital.”
“How long has she been working there?”
Clarke thought about it. “Maybe for three weeks.” She looked at Lexa. “What is this about?”
Lexa put the phone down.
“We’ve been wondering how Wallace could have known which exit you would take the night he kidnapped you.”
“And you think Echo told him? Why?”
“I don’t know yet. All I can say is that she is the only one who made a call at the exactly the moment you left. The only one we have on tape that is.” She took a sip from her coffee.
“Do you remember if Echo asked you anything that day? Did you tell her that your car died? What was the reason for that anyway?”
Clarke looked at her.
“I don’t know. I haven’t picked it up yet.”
Lexa took her phone again and made a call.
“Harper? Do me a favor and drive by an auto shop for me. It’s …” She looked at Clarke.
“Andrews on 5th Street.”
“Andrews on 5th Street. They have Clarke Griffin’s car. Find out what was wrong with it. It might have been tampered with. Thanks.” She hung up.
“So? What about Echo?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t talked to her much. I remember telling Wells about the car. He’s one of my colleagues. Maybe Echo was there when I spoke with him. I’m not sure.”
Lexa nodded. “Okay.”
“Do you really think she has anything to do with what happened to me?”
Clarke looked a little afraid. Lexa reached across the table and took her hand.
“Hey! It’s okay. You are safe and I will find whoever is behind this, okay?”
“Hey Lex, you look tired and I could have sworn those are the things you wore yesterday.” Bellamy grinned.
“Jeez, Bell, I hate it when you’re in a good mood.” She looked at him. “Why are you in a good mood?”
“Because you were right.”
She raised an eyebrow. “What was I right about and why does it put you in a good mood?”
He smiled and went to get his partner some coffee. He put the mug down on the desk and sat down next to it.
“Harper went to the garage and you were right. The car was tampered with. And it wasn’t the job of a professional either.”
“How so?” Lexa yawned.
“If you want to make sure a car won’t start, there are a few things you can do so it won’t be obvious. Whoever did the job on Clarke’s car simply ripped out a handful of cables. The guy in the garage said it was really messy.”
“It doesn’t sound like something Cage Wallace would have done.”
“No, sure doesn’t.”
“Does the garage still have the cables? Maybe we can pull some prints?"
“I’ll have Harper call them.”
“So, what about Echo? Do we have any idea who she called yet?”
“Not yet. Monty’s working on it. What we do know is that she didn’t call Wallace, at least not on his regular cell.”
“Damn it, Bell, we have to find a solid lead. I can’t keep Clarke locked up at her place forever.”
He gave her a bright smile.
“Right now it doesn’t seem so bad to me.”
She threw a pen in his general direction. “Oh, shut up!”
“Raven, Octavia and Lincoln will come over tonight. Is that alright with you?”
Lexa looked up from the book she was reading.
“This is your apartment, Clarke. You can invite whomever you want.”
Clarke raised an eyebrow.
“I know that, Lexa. I was being polite.”
She sat down next to her.
“Is there anything new with the Echo situation?”
“Monty is still working his way through the call logs. He will find something soon.”
Lexa turned the page.
“Who would sabotage my car, though?”
Lexa sighed and put the book down.
“You’re getting restless staying in here, aren’t you?”
“I am.”
“It’s only going to be a few more days.”
“How do you know? What if you don’t catch the guy?”
“I will catch the guy.”
“But how can you be sure?”
“Because, Clarke, I will catch the guy!”
Clarke looked at Lexa. She was all handsome in her tight jeans and black shirt. Her eyes were the color of a whole forest and her hair seemed to absorb the sunshine that came through the window. Suddenly Clarke knew how her inner struggle would play out. Without further thought she leaned forward and kissed her. Lexa was too much taken by surprise to resist. The second she felt Clarke’s lips on hers her heart started to race and her hands were no longer under her control. She grabbed Clarke’s neck to pull her closer and heard her moan.
It took them about five seconds to get up from the couch and stumble into the bedroom, never stopping the kiss. Clarke tried to get rid of Lexa’s gun holster, but Lexa stopped her. “Careful with that.” She took it off and placed it next to the bed.
Clarke looked at her.
“Are you okay with this?”
Lexa smiled at her. “Are you?”
Instead of an answer Clarke kissed her again. “I’ve missed this. I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you, too, Clarke.” Lexa got up her hands and cupped Clarke's cheeks. Blue eyes, how she had missed them looking at her like that.
Clarke tried to open Lexa’s shirt, but got frustrated with the buttons and pulled it over her head instead. Now Lexa moved closer and when Clarke kissed her neck she saw something new. She stopped and turned Lexa around to look at the woman’s bare back.
“You’ve go a tattoo?”
“Yes.”
“Let me look at it.”
She followed the delicate lines with her fingers, causing goose bumps along the way. Lexa stood still for as long as she could manage, but then it was her turn. She got rid of Clarke’s shirt and pushed her back on the bed. Clarke laughed at her, but Lexa just grinned. She looked at Clarke in her jeans and her black bra and just had to lick her lips which made Clarke laugh even more. She sat up and grabbed Lexa’s hips to pull her closer. Lexa sat down on her lap and kissed her passionately, her fingers running through Clarke’s hair. Clarke opened Lexa’s bra and let herself fall back on the mattress, pulling Lexa with her. The feeling of Lexa’s weight on her body was intoxicating. She held her there for a long time, kissing her deeply. After a while Clarke spun them around and got rid of her remaining clothes. Lexa stared at her, her eyes wide. “You’re so fucking beautiful.”
Clarke smiled at her.
“Thank you! You are, too. And now get out of these jeans!”
“Clarke! Damn it! Open the stupid door. The food’s getting cold!”
Raven was hammering against the apartment door and using the bell, too, for good measure.
“What if something is wrong?” Octavia looked around.
“What should be wrong? There are no signs of a fight.” Lincoln kissed her cheek. “Clarke’s probably in the bathroom.”
“Yeah, but why doesn’t Lexa open up then?”
Suddenly they heard footsteps running to the door and it opened. Clarke looked … flustered.
“Sorry, I was … I … Come on in, guys!”
She smiled at them. Octavia and Lincoln entered, but Raven stayed exactly where she had been standing and stared at her.
“You had sex.”
“What?”
“Clarke, your face is all red, your hair is a mess and you have this look in your eyes. Who is it?”
She looked over Clarke’s shoulder into the living room where Lexa had just entered.
“You haven’t?!” Raven grinned.
Clarke blushed even more.
“I just might have … “
“Damn it, Griffin, finally.”
“What are you talking about?” Clarke looked at her, but Raven just gave her a pat on the shoulder and entered the apartment.
“Lexa, it’s so good to see you!” Raven sounded extra cheerful.
Lexa looked from Raven to Clarke, who just shrugged, and back to Raven.
“Good to see you to, Raven. Can I help you with that?” She nodded towards the take-out boxes Raven was carrying.
Raven smiled. “Sure. Why don’t you come to the kitchen with me.”
Lexa again looked at Clarke who once again shrugged and followed Raven into the kitchen. Raven unloaded the content of the boxes onto plates while Lexa got beers from the fridge. When she turned Raven was standing right in front of her.
“Let’s just get one thing clear, Lexa.”
“Okay?”
“I am very happy that you guys are obviously making progress, like having sex and all, but if you hurt her again I will find you and I will end you!” She pointed at the brace on her leg. “This won’t stop me from kicking your ass, am I making myself absolutely clear?”
Lexa couldn’t help, but smile.
“Absolutely, Raven.”
When they got back from the kitchen Clarke gave her a questioning look, but Lexa just smiled and sat down next to her. She put a bottle of beer in front of Clarke and poured water in a glass for herself. The next hours she spent listening to the chatter of old friends. At some point Clarke’s hand found her way into hers and she saw O and Lincoln look at them and smile. Lexa felt at ease. When Clarke leaned back into her she could have sworn that this was how it was supposed to be. She felt happy.
An hour later Lexa's phone buzzed. She looked at the display and got up to take the call, carefully disentangling her limbs from Clarke’s.
“Hey, Bellamy!”
“Lexa, is this a bad time?”
“No, of course not. Why would it?” She looked up and saw Octavia’s grin.
“You’re sister texted you, didn’t she?” She laughed.
“She might have, but that’s not why I’m calling.”
“Okay, so what’s up?”
“We have a lead.”
“We do?” The tone of Lexa’s voice changed and Clarke sat up straight.
“Monty managed to find the call that Echo made. It must be it. It’s the exact time and it’s about as long as the call in the video.”
“That’s great, Bell! Who did she call?”
“You won’t believe this!”
“I will, if you tell me.”
“Do you want to sit down?”
“Damn it, Bell, tell me!”
“Finn Collins.”