The Decision

Chapter 4

How the hell did he know that? Did this happen often? She had seen Lexa get pretty upset after talking to her parents, but never this upset.

"It so hard to picture Lexa like that," Monty said softly, staring at his hands and shaking her head. "She's always so..."
"If you knew her parents," Lincoln interjected firmly, "you would understand."

Lincoln's response only confirmed it. This was not uncommon.

"God!" Clarke spat furiously with tears of frustration swimming in her eyes as she slammed her fist down on the counter. "Why would they do that to her?!"
Lincoln just shook his head.

Clarke stormed from the room and began to pace, her own experience with panic attacks was now fueling her anger. What the hell was wrong with these people? How could anyone intentionally push their own kid to that point? Though Clarke had never met them, she had no doubt that she already hated them.

Clarke: Are you with Lexa?
Anya: I was. Why?
Clarke: She just called me. I'm pretty sure she was having a panic attack. She's OK now. I was just hoping...
Anya: Shit.
Anya: I'm going back.

Clarke smiled and closed her eyes. It made her feel better to know that Anya was going back and that Lexa wouldn't be alone. Just from what she'd seen over time, Clarke was pretty sure that her parents had probably been criticizing the hell out of her again. It seemed like that was what they did best and she was sure that Lexa's resistance to date whoever they wanted her to meet that night was also playing a huge part too.

Later, she was drifting off to sleep when her phone lit up the room.

Lexa: I just want to come home.
Clarke: You will, and I'll be here when you do.

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Clarke walked across the parking lot and slipped into the driver's seat of her car. Leaning her head back, she closed her eyes and let out a heavy sigh. All that she wanted to do was forget, but the more she tried, the more she remembered and where Lexa's parents were concerned, the more she remembered, the angrier she got.

She had been the one that witnessed Lexa dealing with her parents the most. She had been the one to see the effect that they had on her up close and personal. She was there every time Lexa came back from her weekend trips and her summer internships looking frail and beaten down. She was there for the sleepless nights, there for the panic attacks, there when they'd berate her endlessly over the phone. She was always there and to this day, she'd never forget the day she'd first finally met them.

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They were sitting in Lexa's living room studying. Lincoln and Octavia curled up on one couch, while Lexa and Clarke were stretched out on the other, and Anya had stepped out to pick up dinner.

Suddenly there was a loud knock at the door, assuming it was Anya, Clarke jumped up and opened the door. "Can I help you?" She asked as her eyes fell on two slightly unfamiliar faces.
"And who might you be?" The man questioned her quickly. He was slightly taller than her, with a bald head and a stern face.
"Um...I'm Clarke," Clarke replied, turning her attention to Lexa, who had paled at the sound of the man's voice.
"I see," he said glancing into the apartment. "I'm looking for my daughter, Alexandria."
"Father?" Lexa said quickly appearing at Clarke's side. "Mother? What a surprise."
"Well, are you just going to leave us standing here?" Lexa's mother questioned harshly.
"No...no, I...of course not," Lexa stuttered and motioned them inside.
"Father, Mother, you remember Lincoln," Lexa's voice was shaking slightly. "This is Lincoln's girlfriend, Octavia and her friend, Clarke."
She directed her eyes to Octavia and Clarke. "May I present my parents," she said with a slight hand twitch. "Titus and Nia Woods."
"Hi," Clarke said politely, her voice was small, but her eyes had hardened and her shoulders had squared. Octavia waved, but said nothing.
Clarke glanced over at Lexa, her body was stiff and her eyes slightly fearful, a bead of sweat rolled down her temple as she swallowed hard and kept her eyes on her parents.
"Pleasure," Nia said curtly, but Titus merely stared at them.
"I'm ready to discuss some of the dates for this summer's internship with you," he finally said, directing his attention back to Lexa.
Lexa nodded and quickly made her way to her desk. She sat down and taking a deep breath, opened her agenda. "Father, I was hoping to take my week between the 2nd and 9th of July," she said timidly. "Clarke's parents are having their annual barbeque and have invited me to join them."
"You need an entire week to attend a barbeque?" He questioned her sternly.
"Well, it is a weeklong event," Clarke said before she could stop herself and Lexa went white as she looked up at her. She probably should have stayed quiet, she knew that, but something in the tone he was using with Lexa struck a nerve in her. She just didn't like it.