I'm Only Human -- [Editing]

[11] Sometimes, you need a little pain

Just in case I don't get the chance, happy holidays everyone! I love you all, and I'm so thankful for each and every one of you!

Clarke and Autumn ambled out of Ezra's office. Autumn had recently been more aware of the pain in her side than she had been beforehand. Autumn had pleaded with Clarke to take her to Ezra and Autumn also had begged Clarke not to say a word to Tate. It had been almost a week since she'd been attacked and Autumn hadn't seen Tate at all.

She didn't want to burden him with more of her problems. He'd clearly had enough of her already. Autumn concealed the pill bottle Ezra had given her in her back pocket.

"Thank you." Autumn broke the usual silence between them.

"Mhm," Clarke commented. Autumn had to accept this as a suitable answer since Clarke ignored her more times than not. Autumn also learned that her new babysitter did not believe in saying 'thank you' or 'you're welcome'. "I think Ezra's using you as his personal lab rat," Clarke murmured.

"What?" Autumn was completely caught off guard. Clarke habitually said less than three words to her a day. "Why?"

"He had no interest in learning about humans, you came along, and all of a sudden he's a genius."

"Is that a bad thing?" Autumn wasn't sure exactly what Clarke was trying to say. She was characteristically very blunt and unafraid to hold anything back. So, her cryptic language was unnerving. They stopped outside of her room, facing each other.

"Not exactly. You could say you gave him a purpose." She initiated her typical Clarke stance: arms crossed over her chest.

"Purpose?" Autumn wondered.

"Think about it," Clarke already sounded frustrated. "For years, Ezra just hung around fixing bloody noses and cut lips. Now he has something to do with his life. New things to discover. You gave that to him." Autumn couldn't help but smile. The fact that Clarke was actually talking to her, not yelling or insulting, was inviting.

"That . . . that almost sounded like a compliment." Clarke lifted the corner of her lip, Autumn believing it was the closet she was ever going to get to a smile.

"Good, it was meant too." Autumn unfastened the door and trudged inside. Clarke drifted in the doorway.

"I've got to get some files from Cade and turn them in. Just hang out here for a few, I'll come back for you." With that Clarke banged the door behind her.

Autumn reflected back to her dark day; the day she had lost hope.

Things gradually started to piece themselves together and everything seemed to be improving. She had gotten her revenge, enjoyed her time with Cade, and Clarke's icy exterior seemed to be starting to melt. She was getting extremely close to feeling at ease.

Of course, the attack last week and the lack of Tate kept her from fully achieving the peace of mind she had been accustomed too.