Lexa looked so calm when she slept. Every muscle in her body relaxed- a welcome change to her usual tense posture. She was, ultimately, beautiful.
After finalising their plans to destroy the bridges near Polis, Octavia had suggested that wasting their time was not an option. As soon as Raven finished the bombs, they would pursue their plan. Which meant they had to leave. Now.
However, no matter how many times Clarke pushed herself to wake Lexa up. No matter how many times she paced back and forth in the room, double checking their bags to delay herself, she couldn't bring herself to do it. Lexa had such a firm grip on her heart that even something as simple as waking her up in the morning felt like a knife of guilt to her gut.
So with Clarke being Clarke, she gave into Lexa's soft features and heavy breaths, surrendering herself back into the heat of the bed. Her fingers ran under Lexa's shirt, skimming over the clear-cut abdominal muscles that were coated in smooth skin. She let herself move closer, resting her head on Lexa's chest just above her heart. It was a steady beat that was projected through Clarke's mind, settling her from the unwelcoming thoughts of the commander's death.
She couldn't stop the smile that leapt to her lips as long fingers began to weave through the blonde waves of Clarke's hair. Nor did she want to stop it.
"You cut your hair" Lexa mumbled through the tired tone of her voice.
"You don't like it?"
"I do. After all, at least it is still blonde. Not red or another strange and exotic colour" The brunette kissed the top of Clarke's head.
"But?"
"But I still run my fingers through it expecting there to me more. It takes me by surprise."
When Clarke tipped her head up to look at Lexa, she was greeted with a warm and real smile. And it almost killed her to have to cut their moments of early morning light short. "Come on. We have bridges to burn, Commander"
Clarke slapped Lexa's knee playfully as she picked herself up from the bed. She slung her rifle over her shoulder, catching a glimpse of Lexa as she ever so slowly rose and sluggishly moved around the room in search for clean clothes. One thing Clarke knew for definite, was that she was one of the only people to see this side of Lexa. Yes. The tired, sluggish, lazy, fed up but love struck Lexa was one of her personal favourites.
"You look tired, Lexa. Did you sleep okay?" Clarke tilted her head.
"I suppose. I don't remember being awake." Lexa shrugged, rubbing her eyes "Did you see me awake?"
Clarke scoffed, a smile on her face "Lexa, I'm pretty sure I slept more than you. Just... if you can't sleep, wake me up okay?"
"Okay Clarke" Lexa mumbled as she tightened the buckle on her belt. Clarke knew that her agreement meant nothing, though, and Lexa would never be selfish enough to wake her if she couldn't sleep.
"Lexa" Clarke warned "I mean it"
"I know you do, Clarke"
"Then promise me you'll wake me up" Clarke placed her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at her lover.
"You know I can't do that, Clarke" Lexa kissed her cheek, sheathing her sword and grabbing her hand as she walked past her "Come on, Octavia will be enraged if we're late"
Clarke continued to pester Lexa into her promise as she followed her into the hallway. "Yeah but Lexa you need to pr-"
"Clarke?"
"I'm serious you need to-"
"Clarke!" Lexa raised her voice ever so slightly to get Clarke's attention.
"What?"
"Please be quiet"
Clarke slapped Lexa's arm, and the sound echoed through the corridors as they walked. The corner of Lexa's lips curved into a smirk.
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The rough terrain below jostled the Rover, and its tires clawed at the dirt in a feverish haste. Water flooded into craters left behind by the tire tracks. Each bullet of rain tore away thick, colossal chunks off mud, dragging it down the steep slopes to settle in the puddle. The storm was bright with the headlights of the rover, illuminating the pathway to their destination.
In the back of the vehicle, Lexa lay asleep, on her back with her head in Clarke's lap. Lexa turned her head, hiding her face from the rest of their company and as the rover rocked back and forth with jelly-like suspension, her nose would brush against Clarke's stomach. One hand lay idle at her side whilst the other threaded long fingers into Clarke's. She hardly even moved as Clarke brushed back her braids.
She found it slightly concerning how much Lexa slept. Of course, she would be exhausted. Her body wasn't so used to being... alive? Yet there was still something in the back of Clarke's mind that screamed something was wrong. What was more worrying though, was that voice was never wrong. Never.
"Did she sleep much last night, Clarke?" Abby asked softly. The care in her eyes were evident, and it had came to Clarke's attention that Abby really did like Lexa, as confusing as that was. She really did want to help her. There were no hateful glares, or disapproving sent towards Lexa and Clarke was thankful for that.
"Judging by what I saw, she slept all night. I felt awful having to wake her up" Clarke frowned
"Try doing it when she's a teenager going through her changes. She was venomous when she had her first menstrual cycle" Luna scoffed. It made Clarke uneasy how much Luna knew about Lexa in her youth. Although it was useful and entertaining in the most part, Clarke didn't like the way she brought it up behind Lexa's back. Especially when she had just returned.
"I didn't want to know that, Luna" Clarke rolled her eyes as Luna shrugged.
"I didn't want to know that either, Luna" Lexa mumbled against Clarke's shirt, the heat of her breath causing her stomach to flip.
"And she's conscious!" Luna chuckled
"And I'll knock you unconscious if you don't leave me alone" The broody brunette grumbled. Luna went silent. Clarke ran her thumb over Lexa's cheek with a smile, tracing her perfectly sculpted cheekbones "Thank you Clarke"
Clarke wasn't exactly sure what Lexa was thanking her for, but she accepted it anyway. Anything that she did that had Lexa's thanks or even approval made her proud of herself. The side effects of being in love, she supposed.
"We're here. Stop bickering and get out." Raven said, looking over her shoulder. Luna looked back at her like a deer caught in headlights, or a child guilty of breaking a parent's rule. "Sorry. Not you, Luna"
With that, Luna swooped out with a smile on her face and a stride and a step. Clarke would say their love was worthy of an audience if she wasn't even more so in love with Lexa. She would say that she'd hate to imagine life without her Lexa too, but she had already experienced it. It was the most painful kind of torture, causing more horrific harm than any blade or beating.
"Are you coming Clarke?" Lexa questioned. Looking up, she realised that she had been so lost in her thoughts she had failed to realise that the rover was now empty, and Lexa was waiting at the door with her hand stretched out to aid her. Clarke took Lexa's hand.
"Yeah. Sorry." She exchanged a small smile with her as her feet reached the dirt.
It had stopped raining now, but the clouds still sagged low, full of water ready to be dropped once again. The usual calm river raged with unnatural currents, monstrous currents leaping from the riverbed and clawing at the strong cobble bricks of the bridge. Clarke's boots sloshed in the mud below her feet, sticking and dragging her down like earth's gravity had suddenly doubled. She looked to see Lexa moving without a hint of struggle showing on her flawless frame. Of course.
"We should get this done before the water gets too high. The currents could be good for washing away the rubble, but too much and the water could get the gunpowder wet." Raven crossed her arms
"Which means what?" Octavia asked
"It means I can't make it go boom"
"That's not useful"
"No shit, O!" She exclaimed. She grabbed a bomb and shoved it into the red queen's arms, shoving her towards the bridge.
"Hey, that could blow up if you handle it like that!"
"No it won't. I would know, I built it"
"Well obviously who else-"
"Just get it done!" Raven exclaimed, unloading the other bombs. Luna watched with wary eyes "Relax, sea lady. It's safe."
It was an insane messy rush. Raven tossed orders like she was the new commander, which almost resulted in her permanently living in the bottom of the river bed if Clarke hadn't calmed Lexa down. They decided on working in pairs, with Lexa and Clarke tackling the bomb on the first bridge, Luna and Raven tackling the second, and Abby and Octavia following with the third.
Clarke's first step on the bridge almost stole her breath as fear washed over her. What if it broke away right below her feet? Their bridge was the furthest down the river. If it broke away, and Clarke was left a victim to the hungry waters, she'd be dragged down the river with nobody to help her. At least if Raven or Octavia fell, she'd be able to reach down and grab their hand before they're completely consumed by the violent currents.
Clarke's thoughts were calmed as Lexa brushed past her, her usual confidence in herself and her actions fuelled Clarke to push on. They made their way to the centre of the bridge.
"How does this work?" Lexa questioned as she set it down carefully. Clarke lowered herself to its level to get a closer look.
"Raven said there was a latch on here. She said to remove it when it was placed, and back away" Clarke fumbled around the circular metal until her fingers locked around the thing she was searching for "ready?"
"Do it" Lexa said. Clarke tugged the latch, the metal clicking into place as it worked. Grabbing her hand, Lexa quickly pulled her back to the safety of land before the bridge collapsed.
The cloud of dust was quickly consumed by the water, and broken bricks were dragged under by its pull. It was as if it was never there. Like they had skipped back in time before it was even built. Raven and Luna's bridge shared a similar fate, but the similarities stopped when Octavia and Clarke's mother's bridge remained standing. The bomb lay indolent against the brick. No explosion. Nothing.
"What the hell happened to that one?" Raven asked
"I don't know... we did everything you said." Octavia responded
"Did you get it wet?"
"I don't think so"
"Then why didn't it go off?"
"I don't know! Maybe you did something wrong!"
"I did not do something wrong!" Raven exclaimed "I'll go check on it. See what the hell is going on."
Raven strode straight towards the bridge, eyes trained on the bomb which was yet to go off.
"Raven wait... it could still go off... Raven!" Clarke followed Raven onto the bridge, catching up the mechanic with ease due to her unfortunate disability. She rushed forward, grabbing her hand. Raven stopped and turned to face Clarke, brows furrowed.
"Clarke what are you doing? Get off me!"
"Raven think about this! The bomb-"
At the mention of the destructive weapon, it suggested its presence (or rather it's exit) as it detonated. Fulminated from the other side of the bridge. It turned to scree and gravel below their feet and toppled towards the river below them.
Water.
Water was cold. Strong. Powerful. It held them captive in its current and seeped its cold fingertips below their skin. There was yelling. Shouts of worry of which managed to reach their ears through the splashes. But the only think that ran through Clarke's mind was: she couldn't swim. Raven couldn't swim.
And they were to be swept away like paper in a gust of wind.
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Lexa's heart froze mid-beat, freezing over as she watched blonde hair submerge bellow the water.
"Oh my god!" Abby exclaimed. She ran forward, straight towards the roaring monster which had stolen her daughter and friend "Clarke! Raven!"
Luna rushed along the hill beside the two struggling women amongst the river, quickly overtaken by Lexa who bounded ahead with an impeccable sense of urgency.
"Bring Raven ashore! I'll get Clarke!" Lexa commanded, tossing her coat to the side with Luna nodding and following her actions from behind.
She drew her hands together and dove forward into the water, palms piercing a pathway for her to lead straight to Clarke. She propelled herself with strong, powerful arms as she swam as fast as she could to the drowning blonde ahead of her.
She lifted her head just enough to see through the foggy spray of river water, and her stomach dropped. It would have been a lot safer, better even, if perhaps they were being carried straight towards a bank or another bridge. But instead... instead they approached a waterfall. Jagged rocks poked out, jabbing viciously at the air, ready for the closest victim for fall into its trap. And there was not a single thing that Lexa could do. Unless...
"Clarke! Take my hand!" Lexa yelled over the crashing waves.
Clarke somehow managed to lock onto slender fingers, and Lexa pulled her tightly towards her. They barrelled towards the waterfall at a speed that would be enough to stop Lexa's heart alone, never mind the fact that Clarke was in danger.
"Hold onto me, and do not let go!" Lexa instructed "No matter what!"
The blue in Clarke's eyes dominated the water around them, staring up into Lexa's eyes with such fear and intensity that the green-eyed brunette felt as if she had already fallen from the waterfall. But she hadn't. She had fallen for Clarke. Again and again. Over and over. And she would never grow tired of it.
"I'll never let go" Clarke promised. Lexa tangled their legs together below the water and held Clarke as tightly and as close as she could.
"When I say, take a large intake of breath and hold it. Okay?"
"Okay!" Clarke yelled over the water
The cliff approached rapidly.
One.
Lexa felt their bodies being tugged towards it.
Two.
The river bank was swept from below them them.
Three.
"Now!"
They fell. Wind whistled through their ears with the speed of their drop. Their stomachs rose to their throats. The cold water crashed against their skin as they landed. And they were fully submerged in the icy waters. Lexa paddled to the surface as quickly as possible, hearing Clarke gasp for air from beside her. It was only a matter of time before Clarke would tire, and they'd both be left helpless against the bombarding river.
Lexa's eyes were wide wth concentration, searching for the closest escape she could find. A log, not but an arms length from her, jutted out from the bank. Her hand locked onto the bark, the other holding Clarke tightly. It crumbled below her fingers, splinters stabbing into her skin or flaking away into the breeze. There wasn't long left before it would disintegrate below her fingers.
A crack began to snap into the wood, lining itself directly across the middle. Lexa groaned, hands growing numb with the freezing temperatures, the grip she held on the log, the splinters in her palms. It snapped.
Before they could even begin to submerge once again in the water, a hand shot out to grab hers and pulled her ashore. Luna stood, dripping wet with the contents of the river, panting as she looked down at the commander. Lexa, on the other hand, payed no attention to her until Clarke was laying on the river bank, catching her breath. Lexa lay on her back beside her.
"Thanks" Clarke heaved out through breaths. Her hair stuck to her neck and her shoulders, and Lexa couldn't blame her if she couldn't be bothered to push it away. After all, she had just fell from the top of a waterfall.
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Clarke saw Lexa open her mouth to speak. Say something. Perhaps acknowledge her thanks for herself and Luna. But nothing came out. She saw the shaking grow and echo through Lexa's body, starting at her hands and worming it's way up.
Lexa was seizing. Somehow. For some unknown reason. And Abby dropped to her knees beside her in an instant, checking her pulse, tipping her on her side to rid of the foamy substance that had surfaced to Lexa's mouth.
"Lexa? Lexa! What the hell is happening Mom? Why is this happening?" Clarke panicked, reaching out to grab Lexa's face.
It was a horrific sight, seeing the strong and stoic commander seize right before her eyes. Lexa was always full of rather unpleasant surprises, and she hoped that in the future they wouldn't all be like this.
"I don't know, Clarke." Abby said calmly "Maybe it's the cold water."
"Mom she's more used to the temperatures on earth than me! I would be the one-"
"Abby?" Luna interrupted
"What?"
Luna crouched down and lifted a finger to Lexa's neck. Surrounding her scar, and the beautiful tattoo that accompanied it, sprouted digital looking black marks. Like ink pixels spreading through her bloodstream. It was beautiful in its own way. Yet, Clarke instantly hated the sight of it.
"What is that?" Octavia asked
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Hey guys how's it going!? I know is been a while. I've been super busy but I have been trying my best to update and to edit this when I can. I hope this meets your expectations.
Comment, vote and all that. Let me know it's there's mistakes blah blah blah.
I made this one a little longer for you because one, I kinda had to, and two, I felt bad for not updating sooner. Thanks for the patience guys!