Chapter Text
The camp grounds fell the quietest they had been since the beginning of summer; the loud laughter and chatter of campers being replaced with the almost silent sounds of nature and quiet conversations of camp leaders as the last of the campers were picked up. The last day was filled with sadness and joy for everyone involved in Camp Jaha. Campers were devastated saying goodbye to their summer camp friends but being happy to return to their families and their normal lives. It was something Lexa could sympathise with; knowing that Camp Jaha gave her Clarke and every summer she was more than excited to leave but it saddened her more than she realised to leave the youngest Griffin.
When it was announced that Camp Jaha would be no longer after they left, it made it even more difficult for the campers to leave; knowing that they wouldn’t come back and some of them may never see each other in person again. The decision didn’t come to a shock to parents though, Abby Griffin was about to start a new journey, which everyone could appreciate that she needed after looking after the entire camp with Clarke’s assistance since her husband had died; needing a change that came in the way of selling the land that Camp Jaha stood on.
Lexa watched on after volunteering herself for parking lot duty as the last few cars pulled away from the camp grounds; hitting her that their summer was done and she was about to return to LA and really face the music she hadn’t had time to before she came back to Colorado.
“So that’s it,” Gustus’ deep voice echoed through the parking lot as he stood behind her with a small smile, “A little birdy told me that you have to leave tonight.”
“I never realised that birds could talk out here,” Lexa turned around as she looked up to the trees, “Smart birds.”
“I’ve got to head home tonight too, husband duty calls.” Gustus placed his hands on his hips, bringing his hand up to wave goodbye to a camper who stuck her head out the window as they left the long driveway, “I’m going to miss this place.”
“You’re not going to take an interview with the corporate retreat camp?” Lexa asked, completely surprised with the fact that Gustus might have been leaving the place for good, “They’d be stupid not to keep you. You practically know everything about this place.”
“You’ve been coming here for a lot longer than me,” Gustus shrugged, “I think you’d be well equipped to yourself.”
“I could but then there’s the whole issue of me leaving medical school when I’m a year away from graduating and I’m supposed to be interning at a hospital,”
“Paediatrician, Clarke told me. That’s important work; make sure you stick to it,” Gustus offered as he turned around to face the camp, gesturing for Lexa to do the same and follow him, “I can handle kids but I don’t know if I could handle a bunch of corporates coming in here for shallow team building just so they can make their boss more money. I’ve done something like that before and it’s not worth it. With kids, you can tell them to stop it and they will eventually once they understand that you’re telling them something for a reason; adults think they know everything and want to do things their way and their way only. I work this summer job because I love it and I work it because I’m a good friend to the Griffins; I always promised Jake I would work at Camp Jaha for as long as he did.”
“That must have been hard when he died, I can’t even imagine what that was like for everyone here,” Lexa muttered, looking down to her feet as they walked slowly back to the camp grounds, “I’m kind of glad I didn’t come back because I didn’t have to see everyone go through that. I know that’s selfish but I don’t know how you got through that first summer.”
“It was tough,” Gustus admitted, clearing his throat quickly, “And I haven’t seen Clarke really enjoy this place like she did this year with you here. I think she needed that so I’m glad you decided to come back.”
“I’m glad too,” Lexa said with a surprised tone, not totally used to the level of seriousness coming from Gustus,
“I’m just going to go home and stick to teaching; I don’t need a summer job anymore. Hell, my wife might have a heart attack when I tell her I’m planning on taking her on a holiday next summer now instead.” Gustus spoke with a smile on his face and joy in his tone.
“That’s great,” Lexa said sincerely as she eyed the large man; noting how intimidating he could be but how he made every effort to not come across as that in any shape or form, “And don’t worry, I don’t plan on skipping out on my scholar duties from now.”
“Yeah a little birdy also told me that you went to Europe for a year and put your studies on hold,”
“Your little birdy has a big mouth,” Lexa countered instantly, hearing Gustus laugh loudly at her comment, “You were right when you told me I was determined so I won’t go our of my way to prove you wrong.”
“Please don’t, I hate when that happens,” The older man’s laughter quietened as they continued to walk, “Now I don’t want to have to do this but in Jakes absence I have to remind you just how precious his daughter is to both him and everyone else on this property. She has been through a lot and transferring to UCLA is a decision we all think is best for her and although I like Finn; I could see she’s been unhappy for a while. So I was relieved to hear her talking about you when she saw your name on the staff list but I need you to take care of her; don’t make me have to repay you back for tipping my kayak over last week.”
“To be fair, that was all Clarke,” Lexa began defensively with a small smile, “But I know how much Mr Griffin and Clarke meant to each other and hopefully Clarke knows how much she means to me.”
“I’m sure she does,” Gustus responded with a nod, placing his hand on Lexa’s shoulder and squeezing it firmly, “You’re a good kid, Lexa. Don’t let anything steer you off your path, okay?”
“You have my word.” The young brunette replied looking down to her feet once more, wishing she had more time to know Gustus as a friend; thankful of the words he had just shared with her, “Now, we have a problem here and I think I know how to solve it.”
“What might that be?” Lexa asked raising an eyebrow as Gustus removed his hand from her shoulder, taking a few long strides so she could be in front of the young woman.
“By my count, we’re pretty even across all competitions across the summer; both official and unofficial,” Gustus began with a sly smirk appearing on his face.
“I’m not sure that’s actually true,” Lexa furrowed her brows with a shake of her head, “Fairly sure I kicked your ass.”
“Well, how about one last competition between us if you’re so confident with your winnings?” Gustus asked as the grin on his face just continued to steadily grow, “Winner takes all.”
“No way, the only person that deal works for is you,” Lexa retorted in disagreement, “No winner takes all.”
“Great so the rules are that it’s winner takes all and it’s a race back to the mess hall,” Gustus spoke as if she had agreed, continuing with his sentence as he watched Lexa look on in confusion, “And because I know how headstrong and competitive you are, I know you’ll just chase after me if I start running so I’ll see you at the mess hall.”
With those last words, Gustus took off with a few long strides down the path towards the mess hall, Lexa watching on in disbelief that he had just set something up like that and took off thinking she would chase. She watched him get a little further, feeling an anxiousness grow in her chest before grumbling to herself and moving as quickly as she could to catch up to the large man.
“I didn’t agree to this but I’m about to kick you ass again,” Lexa yelled as she caught up to Gustus, passing him on the thin path as she heard him laugh loudly behind her.
Gustus ended up just beating Lexa after pulling her back by her shirt towards the mess hall, allowing himself to touch the wall first. He doubled over immediately, his hands resting on his knees as he breathed as deeply as he could manage. Only standing upright once he felt like he could, seeing Lexa standing in front of him with an unimpressed look on her face.
“So let’s just clarify that I would have won but you cheated,” Lexa folded her arms in front of her, “So I’m not going to count that one at all.”
“You have to count it,” Gustus shrugged, placing his hands on the top of his head, “You participated, which means you agreed to the rules.”
“No, I didn’t,”
“I’m glad I don’t do that anymore, I’m definitely not as young as I used to be,” Gustus complained with a light hearted chuckle, “Thank you for a very fun summer, remember what we talked about though.”
“I won’t forget,” Lexa said with a playful roll of her eyes, “And I really did kick your ass.”
“You actually did,” Gustus admitted with defeat.
---
The afternoon went quickly, Lexa and Anya spent a majority of their time packing their bags up with their impending departure; the two girls watching the clock aware that they would have to leave for the airport sooner rather than later. The kids were long gone and some of the councillors had already left as well; the mood sombre with Camp Jaha slowly coming to a formal close.
“I hope I have everything,” Anya said as she collapsed on her newly made bed as she looked over to her best friend, “Because I can’t afford to leave anything behind. I’m a poor, struggling actress.”
“Well you’ll have a bit of money when you go and get your last paycheque,” Lexa shrugged as she zipped up her bag, reaching up behind her head to tie her hair up in a loose ponytail, “Which we absolutely cannot forget to do.”
“If we have money waiting for us, there’s no way that I’m leaving that behind,” Anya responded with a shake of her head, “I’m going to be really sad saying goodbye to our new little group.”
“Me too,” The medical student agreed with a reflective tone, “I’m sure they’ll come visit and I’m sure Raven will definitely come and visit.”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“Are you really just going to let this pass you?” Lexa questioned, turning her head to look to the older woman with a loud sigh, “You are both so into each other that it would be stupid for you to just let this go because you can’t do relationships or you don’t know how long distance works…I won’t even take the excuse that you just wanted no strings attached because maybe that’s how it started but that’s not how it is now.”
“Lex, I love you but we have been through this before and I’m kind of sick of talking about this now,” Anya said with frustration dripping from her words, “We’re not like you and Clarke so it’s not going to happen.”
“You don’t have to be like Clarke and I, you just have to be like Anya and Raven,” Lexa responded to Anya’s frustration with her own, knowing how stubborn her older friend could be when she was unsure about a situation, “I’m not saying that you have to get married because I know that you both aren’t great with being in a committed relationship but I just think that Raven’s made you really happy and I don’t think you should take that for granted. You should figure out something that works for you both.”
“But realistically, how would that work with me in California and her in Texas?”
“That would be for you to work out, my friend,” Lexa said throwing a loose sock of Anya’s at her friend’s face, “I didn’t even know you were into girls, by the way. Thanks for the heads up.”
“What did it matter?” Anya said with a shrug, “The fact that you’re gay has never made a difference in this friendship. I just like people and you’re either attractive or you’re not whether you’re male or female.”
“I’m not sure that it’s supposed to be said quite like that,” Lexa’s eyes widened in surprise, “Of course it doesn’t matter at all but I have never really seen you date anyone almost the entire time we have been friends.”
“I go on dates all the time with women and men, I just don’t really go on more than 2 with the same person,” Anya responded with a shrug, “Plus you totally had a crush on me when you first met Costia so I didn’t want to give you the wrong impression.”
“Oh gross,” The younger woman scrunched up her face in disgust, shaking her head, “I did not have a crush on you.”
“Thanks,” Anya deadpanned to Lexa’s reaction, “And I’m fairly sure you did.”
“You’re delusional then because that is so wrong,” Lexa replied, a shudder moving through her body as she shook the thought from her head, “You’re like my sister.”
“Back then I wasn’t.” Anya poked jokingly, knowing how much of a reaction she was still getting from Lexa.
“Stop!” Lexa exclaimed as she stood from the floor, pushing her bag close to the door, “Have you heard from Costia since she last contacted you?”
“Since I told her I wouldn’t be in her wedding?”
“Yep.” Lexa said simply, not really wanting to go over the awkward subject but needing to find clarity.
“She tried calling me but I didn’t answer,” Anya said casually as she kept her eyes on her best friend, “But it doesn’t matter because you were right in the first place, she was the one in the wrong.”
“I’m sorry,” Lexa offered weakly, she did feel bad about the whole situation but at the same time; she figured that Costia made her own bed when she decided to sleep with one of their friends, “I’m sorry you had to choose between us.”
“It’s okay,” Anya shrugged quickly, “it is what it is and I’m okay with it.”
“At least you got the best one out of our breakup,” Lexa joked hopelessly, squeezing the back of her neck awkwardly.
“It’s fine, you’re totally right. I did get the best one. In all seriousness, thank you for making me come here this summer,” Anya said sincerely with a quiet sigh, “As far as jobs go, this one was way better than the waitressing and there were no sexist pigs in sight. It’s made me feel refreshed and ready to line up some auditions so I can get this show on the road.”
“Well thank you for coming here with me,” Lexa replied with a smile, “I’m going to go and get my paycheque and say goodbye to Abby before I go and find everyone.”
“Okay, I’m going to find Raven so I’ll probably see you back here when it’s time to go,” Anya nodded, throwing the sock back at Lexa, “Don’t leave without me. I might like this place now but I’m ready to go home.”
“We’ll see.” Lexa joked as she was halfway out the door, closing it behind her as a smile grew on her face.
The Camp Jaha office was the only place that was busy throughout the entire campgrounds, councillors coming and going to collect their paycheques with keys and other supplies being returned for the final time. Lexa opened the door after a quiet knock, pausing as she saw Abby sitting at the desk with reading glasses on, flicking through a file.
“I can come back if you’re busy,” Lexa offered as she popped her head through the door, causing Abby to jump slightly as she looked up at the brunette who startled her, “Sorry.”
“No that’s okay, I was just going through a few old files,” Abby said, motioning for Lexa to come in, “I figured I should get started on the pack up sooner rather than later. Have you come to pick up your paycheque?”
“That and to say goodbye as well as thank you for allowing me to come back here this year,” Lexa closed the door behind her and took a few steps towards the desk, “I’ve done a lot of healing here over the summer but I didn’t thank you and Mr. Griffin when I came here for always looking out for me. It would have been a shame for me to hate this place as much as I did when I came here seeing as it’s now shutting down.”
“You’re very welcome,” Abby responded with a warm smile, taking off her reading glasses to place them on the table, “Jake would have been so happy to see you back, we were all a bit upset when you didn’t come back that year.”
“Teenage me just needed a break.” Lexa shrugged awkwardly.
“No one was more upset though when Clarke finally realised that you weren’t coming,” Abby recalled with amusement on her tone, “I actually think I recall her begging me to call your house and find out why you were late.”
“Your daughter has always looked out for me,” Lexa chuckled at the memories of the younger woman when they went to camp together before her face sobered up, “And I wanted to thank you for being so kind about the whole situation with Clarke and I. I know it started off less than ideal with her being here with Finn but I don’t take any of this lightly and I’m really excited for her to come to UCLA. I’ll do my best to make sure that she is at home there and I’m not going to let her regret moving there”
“I need to apologise to you.” Abby sighed quietly, gesturing for Lexa to take a seat across from her.
“You do?” Lexa raised an eyebrow as she obliged to sit down across from the camp leader.
“I remember a conversation you and I had about her transferring to UCLA and how awkward you must have felt when I rambled about how great she and Finn were together and how I hoped she didn’t give him up because he was great for her,” Abby clarified her apology almost awkwardly, “Yes, Finn was good for her but I haven’t seen her this happy since before her father died. You’re perfect for her now and where she needs to be.”
“I don’t blame you nor did I take any offence of what you said,” Lexa said with a shake of her head, “I completely understand and I understand even more why you were so cautious about us when you walked in on us.”
“I was just concerned that Clarke might have been rushing into something she wasn’t ready for but the truth is that she is a big girl. She can look after herself and after I talked to her about it, she made it clear that she wasn’t rushing into anything and that she and Finn hadn’t really been anything more than friends for a long time,” Abby continued to speak, both of her hands on the desk in front of her, “She’s in good hands, I know that and I’m excited for her to be going to UCLA. If she wants to feel close to Jake then I can’t stop her and I don’t want to; she deserves that.”
“Thank you,” Lexa said with a humbled, quiet tone, “And Camp Jaha has given me good memories this summer, it’s not longer a place that I dread when I think about it.”
“Good, that was something I was worried about when I saw your application come across my desk,” Abby said with a warm smile, “I think this year has been one of the best for Camp Jaha.”
“What made you go ahead with the decision to sell it?” Lexa asked curiously, hoping not to have pushed the conversation too far; knowing it was a bit of a private matter.
“Well, Clarke is going to UCLA and as I said to you; I had to beg her to come back this year. This place holds a lot of joy for our family but with Jake gone; it also tremendous amount of sadness,” Abby responded honestly, her voice raw as she continued to talk, “I almost sold it the year that Jake passed, I didn’t want to come back here at all.”
“So why didn’t you?”
“Because Clarke needed to come back, whether she knew it at the time or not but I think it really helped her grieve and accept what happened,” Abby replied with a sad smile, “I also couldn’t bring myself to do it then but I’m ready to now.”
“Well I’m sure you have a lot to get done and I need to keep moving but again, thank you.” Lexa spoke quietly as she stood from the chair, “Clarke is extremely lucky to have a mother like you.”
“You are very welcome,” Abby’s smile warmed again, standing from her chair and walking around the desk to stand in front of the younger woman, “And I’m sure I will be seeing you around seeing as you and my daughter are now together so it’s not really goodbye.”
“I guess not.” Lexa nodded as her chest tightened, feeling her stomach flip knowing that Clarke was hers.
“Look after my girl when she moves, okay?” Abby asked seriously, pulling Lexa into a quick hug that the medical student was not expecting but returned almost clumsily none the less.
“I promise I will,” Lexa answered simply as Abby pulled back from the hug, handing Lexa’s cheque to her as the door opened with another councillor popping their head through, “Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome,” Abby smiled with a nod before Lexa moved back outside of the camp office.
She paused with a smile on her face as she processed their conversation. Abby had always been a wonderful and kind woman but Lexa always found her difficult to read at times to the fact that she had so openly expressed her approval to her was no small feat. She could only think of one last thing that would make it a perfect end to her Camp Jaha experience and she had a very good idea as to where she would find the woman she was looking for.
Her steps were rushed as she walked through the empty camp grounds, following the winding path as it lead away from the cabins; wanting to find Clarke as soon as possible not because she knew she had to leave soon but because she couldn’t wait to see her. She continued her pace through the uneven ground, smiling when she saw exactly what she knew she would, her heartbeat increasing instantly as she looked up to find Clarke’s legs dangling from the high ropes platform.
“How did I know of all the places, you’d be here?” Lexa asked with her hands on her hips, her eyes squinting from the afternoon sun.
“You just know me,” Clarke said with a shrug, looking down with a grin that spread from ear to ear, “I was just about to come down so I could find you. Did you get your paycheque?”
“I did, I just saw your mom and spoke with her too,” Lexa waved her paycheque in the air quickly before folding it neatly and tucking it into her back pocket before approaching the ladder, “Is there room for another?”
“What are you doing, Lex? You hate it up here,” Clarke laughed quietly, shaking her head, “I’ll come down.”
“Yeah but you love it up there and that’s exactly where you should get to stay,” Lexa said bravely, her hands shaking as soon as she got to the ladder, “Coming up.”
“You don’t need to do that again, you proved you’d do it once.” Clarke looked down below at the woman who was slowly scaling the ladder up towards her, “it’s really okay.”
“This was a lot easier when I couldn’t see much,” Lexa laughed nervously as she made it towards the top, pausing and shutting her eyes tightly, “Oh god, how do you like it up here?!”
“It gives me clarity,” Clarke explained quickly, “if you hurt yourself because of me, I’m going to be really mad.”
“I’m fine,” Lexa called, unconvinced at the words she was saying as her hand touched the top of the platform, feeling Clarke’s hand pulling gently on her arm for support, “See, I…oh my god.”
“You’re okay,” Clarke said reassuringly as she pulled Lexa as close as she could manage, taking the brunette’s hand in her own and intertwining their fingers, “You’re totally safe.”
“I do recall the various warnings we used to get as campers about even approaching this place without ropes when we were younger,” Lexa said shakily, her eyes shutting tightly as she swallowed thickly, “It was romantic and supportive the first time but now it’s just stupid.”
“I told you I was coming down,” Clarke interjected one more time, “But thank you for coming up here, this really is one of my favourite spots here. It sounds stupid but something about being up here gives me a feeling of being closer to my dad.”
“If that’s how you feel then it’s not stupid,” Lexa shook her head, exhaling sharply as she opened her eyes, “When you get over the fact that you could fall and die, it’s actually pretty nice up here.”
“I don’t want you to leave so soon,” Clarke admitted after a moment of comfortable silence passed between the two, her thumb gently stroking the back of Lexa’s hand, “I kind of want to just stay in this bubble for a little while longer.”
“I know what you mean,” Lexa responded with a nod, pressing her back further against the wide, wooden post, “It’s going to be weird tomorrow morning not being able to just come and see you but you’ve got to go home and pack your stuff so we can see each other every day and so you can go to UCLA like you’re finally going to get to do.”
“I’m really excited.” Clarke added with a wide grin, “As much as I don’t want to leave this place just yet, I’m really excited to start a new chapter and I’m even more excited that I get to start it with you.”
“It’s no small deal, Clarke. You’re moving your life across the country so don’t underestimate the significance of it,” Lexa advised as she felt Clarke rest her head on her shoulder, “But whatever you need, I’ll help you with and you’ll have Anya there for you as well.”
“So, now that camp is over and we’re never going to come back here again,” Clarke began, turning her head to press a soft kiss on Lexa’s shoulder before returning it to lean against the medical student, “Officially, has your mind now changed about Camp Jaha?”
“Yes,” Lexa said simply with a nod, “I told your mom before that coming back this year has healed a lot of old wounds for me, ones that I wasn’t even aware were still open. Which is mostly because of you.”
“I don’t know if my mom told you but she had to beg me to come back here this year because I didn’t even want to think about this place after coming back here without my dad,” Clarke said steadily, Lexa knowing her brave voice was only hiding her vulnerability, “It just felt so wrong and everywhere I turned I was reminded of him when I didn’t want to be.”
“She told me.” Lexa admitted with a nod, giving Clarke’s hand a squeeze as she kept her eyes planted firmly on the trees ahead of her rather than the ground below.
“The only reason I came here was because of how much I knew mom needed my help and how unfair it would have been if she asked me to go and I didn’t when I knew she was in even more pain than I was,” Clarke explained as she lifted her head from Lexa’s shoulder to look at the other girl, reaching her free hand to hook the brunette’s chin gently so she could hold her eye contact, “But you made me fall in love with this place again this year and I’m really grateful for that.”
“I didn’t do anything,” Lexa’s body filled with warmth as she watched the sincerity pour from Clarke’s beautiful blue eyes, knowing she would pinch herself everyday at the fact that she was able to call the gorgeous woman her girlfriend, “All I did was come here and cause a hell of a lot of confusion.”
“Maybe you caused some chaos but I was never confused,” Clarke chuckled, leaning in to press her lips to Lexa’s softly, “You’re where I belong and I’m glad I realised that before I made a bad decision.”
“So am I,” Lexa said with her voice just above a whisper as her eyes fluttered open, “I see what you mean about this bubble.”
“You were right though, we have to get back so you can make sure you’ve still got your internship because you need to graduate and start helping so many people like you’re destined to do and I need to pack my stuff and move to LA so I can finish my masters in psychology,” Clarke admitted with a nod, “And most importantly, we have to work out how we’re going to do all of that together because that’s how it’s always supposed to have been.”
“You’re right,” Lexa smiled, stealing a kiss from Clarke’s lips; only pulling away to exhale deeply, “Do you think that we could maybe alter our destinies a bit because I have a feeling that I might be stuck up here so I might need to apply for a job at the corporate retreat.”
“You’re ridiculous,” Clarke laughed with a playful roll of her eyes, Lexa not being able to carry on with her joke because of how hypnotising she found the blonde’s laugh to be, hoping she would be able to hear it as often as possible for a very long time, “Don’t be so dramatic.”
“Who is being dramatic?” Lexa asked with laughter of her own, “I can’t confidently say I’m actually able to move right now though.”
---
3 weeks later.
Lexa paced inside the bedroom of Anya’s apartment, her heart pounding and her mouth dry as she looked at her phone to checkfor notifications for what felt like the hundredth time in the past hour. It had been three weeks since she had left Camp Jaha, three weeks since she had left Clarke to come back home to LA. It had been two since Clarke had been back in Texas and in her apartment, trying to move out as soon as she possibly could. It had been an interesting two weeks, Finn not taking the news of Clarke and Lexa too well and making the blonde’s life a little more difficult than what it needed to be so Lexa was anxious to have the younger woman there as soon as possible. Thankfully, Clarke’s friend’s had been super supportive and helping her out wherever possible to ensure she could move on her planned date; even if it meant she was leaving them.
Lexa had run straight back into her life, regaining her internship at the UCLA children’s hospital after her deferral ended; knowing she was in for a years worth of terrible pay, long shifts and hard work but she knew it would be worth it once she had finally graduated. Lexa kept her word and went to inspect an apartment for Clarke that wasn’t too far away from her own apartment complex; taking her on a virtual tour via facetime. They found themselves on facetime each night for hours at a time, never feeling like it was long enough and both ready for the distance between them to come to an end as soon as Clarke’s moving day arrived. That moving day happened to be that very day and Lexa should have been sent a notification of Clarke’s impending arrival any minute from her flight tracker app so she could pick the younger woman up and take her to her apartment for the first time.
“Anya, tell her to stop pacing; it’s giving me a stress headache,” Raven said over Facetime, groaning quietly as Anya turned the camera to face herself once more with a chuckle.
Raven and Anya had stayed in close contact since the end of Camp Jaha, frequently texting and calling each other whenever they got the chance. Raven even booking a flight to LA in a few weeks time once Clarke had settled into her apartment and her new life. They hadn’t put any labels on it and there was no talk of exclusivity but it was clear that what was going between them wasn’t going to just disappear and they weren’t interested in anyone else.
“I can hear you myself, Raven,” Lexa said with a frantic tone, “And what if she changes her mind? What if after all that time on the plane she decides that she wants Finn after spending time with him again or that she wants to stay in Texas.”
“Lexa, Finn has been nothing but a jerk to Clarke since she told him about your relationship and even if he was the sweetest guy in the world; she is totally fixated on you and UCLA,” Raven reassured Lexa firmly, “I dropped her at the god damned airport myself and we cried so I know for a fact that she isn’t going to do a 360 and turn around to come back. Your girl is on her way and she isn’t changing her mind.”
As soon as Raven had finished talking, Lexa’s phone beeped and her heart leapt into her throat as she saw the notification of Clarke’s plane arriving soon.
“I’ve got to go!” Lexa called as she practically ran out of Anya’s apartment, hearing the two girls wish her good luck but she was far too focussed on getting to the airport as soon as she could to respond to anything that was said.
The traffic was a nightmare and it didn’t help that her anxiety was sky high at the impending arrival of her girlfriend; her body practically aching to be waiting in that airport for when Clarke arrived. She kept her eye on the flight tracker as she drove, finding a park at the airport just as her plane touched down; rushing inside as quickly as she could to get to arrivals in order to meet the blonde. Her phone chimed twice, two text messages from Clarke expressing how excited and nervous she was to have landed; unable to contain the fact that she had missed Lexa over the past three weeks.
Lexa watched as strangers started to emerge from security, her heart feeling as if it were about to explode into a million pieces; feeling it beat through her entire body. She rubbed her sweaty palms against her jeans; swallowing thickly as more and more people poured out of security and into arrivals until she saw a glimpse of that blonde hair and those blue eyes she had been waiting to see in person again. Clarke shuffled through the people walking slowly, two large suitcases in tow with a backpack on and another bag in her hands; dropping everything as soon as she was in front of Lexa so that she could wrap her into an engulfing embrace. Lexa gripped tightly at the back of Clarke’s shirt, holding onto it so tightly as if she thought the blonde might float away if she lessened her grip; hearing a heavy sigh being exhaled from the blondes mouth.
“I’m so glad you’re here.” Lexa whispered into Clarke’s ear, placing a gentle kiss in her hair as she felt the blonde pull away slightly; only to bring her hands to cup the older woman’s cheeks and kiss her firmly.
Lexa smiled into the kiss, knowing it had only been three weeks but feeling as if it were a lifetime ago when they were sitting out on the high ropes platform at Camp Jaha. Now they were in each other’s real lives, they could spend whatever time they had getting to know each other again outside of the camp grounds.
“That was the longest three weeks,” Clarke said shaking her head, her smile so wide that it began to hurt her cheeks, “I’m finally here.”
“Yes, you are,” Lexa grinned an equally wide smile, “You live in LA now.”
“Thank god,” Clarke said with a shake of her head, leaning in to steal another kiss from Lexa before bending down to pick up one of her bags.
“Let me grab those,” Lexa said as she moved to pick up the two large suitcases before Clarke could protest, “Let me walk you to the car my lady and we’ll get you to your apartment.”
“Thank you for all your help with that, you have been a lifesaver,” Clarke said thankfully, placing her arm around Lexa’s waist as they began to walk to her car, “This would have been so much worse without you.”
“I’m sorry he gave you so much trouble, I feel horrible,” Lexa admitted, glancing back to Clarke who shook her head frantically and waved her off.
“You shouldn’t apologise for Finn, he chose to make my life difficult and you worked hard to make it a little easier for me,” Clarke said with a shrug, squeezing Lexa’s waist tightly, “He chose to be immature even though I was completely honest and open with him about everything. I understand his feelings were hurt and all I could do was apologise but you had nothing to do with how he acted. That’s over now though and I’m here, we’re together so that’s all that matters.”
“You’re right,” Lexa said with a sigh of relief, savouring the fact that she wasn’t going to have to say goodbye to Clarke for that long again for a while, “And now you live here, near me.”
“In my own apartment,” Clarke responded with excitement lining her tone, “Raven is itching to come and visit already.”
“She was on facetime with Anya when I left to come and get you.”
“They’re ridiculous,” Clarke chuckled, shaking her head; puzzled by their situation, “Thank you for coming to pick me up by the way, you didn’t have to.”
“I’m your girlfriend, of course I did,” Lexa explained with a shrug, “Besides, now I get to walk you into your apartment and help you set yourself up.”
“I still have to get used to hearing that,” Clarke said happily, placing a kiss on Lexa’s cheek, “There’s not much in my apartment at the moment but hopefully some of my stuff will arrive tomorrow.”
“You have a mattress and a few other things at least so you’ll survive the night.”
“I’ll be fine, I’m just really excited to go in and actually be there rather than just seeing through my phone,” Clarke responded, pulling out her phone, “I should text my mom and tell her I’m here.”
“Probably a good idea, at least she’ll know that I didn’t just leave you at the airport in a new city by yourself,” Lexa nodded quickly, her eyes widening as they arrived at her car; popping the trunk to load Clarke’s suitcases, “How is she anyway? Has she come to the terms now that Camp Jaha is no longer?”
“She totally has and she’s happy,” Clarke responded honestly, “It was definitely time for her to move on.”
“I’m sure she will be even more comfortable with time,” Lexa nodded, speaking honestly as her thoughts turned to the task ahead,
”We’ll get you settled tonight and over the weekend; then I’ll show you across campus before you start classes and before I get too deep in my internship. I can drop you in when our schedules match.”
“I’m liking this whole living close together thing already,” Clarke chuckled, helping Lexa lug her belongings into the back of the small car; pushing Lexa gently up against the car once the trunk was closed and stealing a lingering kiss from the brunette, “I missed you.”
“I missed you too,” Lexa agreed as the smile that only Clarke could cause spread over her lips, shaking her head at the effect the blonde had on her, “This is crazy.”
“It really is.” Clarke laughed once more, placing yet another kiss on Lexa’s lips, “But I know it’s the best decision I have made in a very long time.
The two reunited women drove through traffic and seemingly endless roadwork happily, catching up about things they had already talked about during the three weeks they had been apart. Shortly after they had arrived at Clarke’s apartment block, she collected her key and opened the door with much excitement; turning to Lexa as she saw a small banner saying ‘Welcome Home Clarke’ strung up on the wall as she walked in.
“I made friends with the landlord after being here a few times for you already,” Lexa said casually, warmly smiling whilst watching the other woman practically beaming with excitement, “Come on, let’s get you settled in so we can just relax before we move organise everything tomorrow.”
“You know that you don’t have to help me do anything, right?” Clarke turned to the other woman as they stood in the doorway, “This isn’t your responsibility.”
“I know it’s not,” Lexa responded quietly, “And I know you could handle all of this on your own but I want to help you if you’ll allow it. I’ve kept all day free for everything you need help with.”
“What about the rest of the night? Have you kept that free?” Clarke asked, closing the door behind her and locking it; turning on the lights to her new apartment and taking a step into Lexa, who had her hands completely full, “I know it’s pretty bare but will you stay here tonight with me?”
“Of course,” Lexa nodded, warmth overcoming her body; feeling as if yet another puzzle piece had just clicked into place with Clarke, “I don’t care if it’s not set up properly; we have a lot of lost time to make up for.”
“Years I think.” Clarke replied in agreement.
They spent their evening unpacking whatever they could that Clarke had brought with her on the plane; awaiting a moving truck due to arrive the next day to really start the apartment taking shape but they were truly just happy to be in each others company once more. Lexa ordered Thai food to Clarke’s apartment, the two sitting on the floor in the small lounge room; looking out the open window from the third floor out onto the busy street. Lexa could have gone home, she didn’t need to sit on the floor and eat out of plastic take out boxes but she did because she wanted Clarke to feel as at home as possible, which made the younger woman grateful to no end.
“So this is a little different to what I was expecting my first night in LA to be like,” Clarke admitted as she handed a take out box to Lexa who sat directly next to her, “I’m really thankful that you organised what you could while I was stuck in Texas. I wanted to get out of there so badly but Finn was being so petty about our lease.”
“Which is my fault,” Lexa explained with a sigh and a shake of her head, messing her chopsticks in the food in front of her, “I was almost convinced that you would have changed your mind when you were back in Texas. I thought you’d either decide to not move here or realise that you deserver someone who has their life more together than me.”
“Your life is perfectly together, at least you have an apartment with furniture, which is a hell of a lot more than I have right now.” Clarke joked lightly, nudging the brunette next to her, “And I don’t know why you thought that when we literally spoke everyday.”
“I know but I wouldn’t blame you if you did.”
“You’re not the only one who felt as if you were utterly and completely flying blind over the past year. This is exactly what I wanted and it’s terrifying moving out here by myself but this is what I needed to do for myself. You said it yourself back in my mom’s office, I was doing what I thought would please everyone else instead of worrying about what I wanted so I’m here now. I’m doing exactly what I want to be doing and I’m here with the person I want to be with.” Clarke spoke with conviction and confidence, pushing any doubt Lexa may have had aside, “And I might be sitting in my apartment on the floor, eating Thai but honestly, I’m not sure if I’ve ever been happier.”
“I don’t know, you were pretty happy that one year when your dad planned a mini carnival at Camp Jaha,” Lexa recalled fondly with a shake of her head, “I’m not sure I have ever seen anyone be happier for any reason since.”
“That was an awesome day,” Clarke laughed as she too reminisced in her mind, “But I think right now, this tops it. The last three weeks were so stressful and the fact that I’m finally here makes it all worth it.”
“It definitely was stressful.”
“But I had you helping me get through it all and I always knew dad would have wanted me to come here; he always talked so fondly of UCLA,” Clarke spoke slowly, her voice dropping off at the end of her sentence, “He would be so happy that I’m here with you now. I’m exactly where I belong and exactly where I’m supposed to be.”
Lexa placed her Thai down in front of her, turning her body to face Clarke; the blonde doing the same as she sensed the brunette needed her attention, even if it was just for a moment.
“You were right about me too, I run from things when I feel like it’s all too much,” Lexa admitted with a nod, reaching out to take Clarke’s hands in her own, “You were right about something else as well.”
“I’m right about a few things so I’ll need you to clarify.” Clarke joked playfully, shifting slightly to bring Lexa’s hand to her mouth to kiss her knuckles gently.
“You have been right in front of me, just like this, for so long and I know we were young but if I didn’t run from Camp Jaha when it got too difficult then maybe we would have made this realisation a while ago but I feel the same way as you do. You’re all I know and you’re inevitable to me too, Clarke Griffin,” Lexa said seriously, seeing a look of pure affection and adoration reflecting into her own eyes, “I probably sound like a hallmark card here and you’ll have to forgive me for being so cliché but I see it now. Being back here with fresh eyes and a new perspective makes everything a lot clearer because I never believed in any of this before you stepped back into my life.”
“I know exactly what you mean,” Clarke’s voice broke just above a whisper, feeling her heartbeat pick up as the brunette continued to speak.
“I made a wrong decision by leaving Camp Jaha so early and the universe corrected me when Costia cheated on me because we are exactly where we need to be right now,” Lexa felt such a powerful sensation of every emotion she could possibly experience break over her like a huge wave rolling into the shore, “You’re who I’m supposed to be with and I have absolutely no doubt about that, I have absolutely no problem sounding like a complete sap if I can explain to you just exactly what I’m feeling.”
“I’m glad you see things the way I do,” Clarke’s hand moved to the base of Lexa’s neck, her grip tightening around the brunette as she opened her mouth to speak once more.
“So I wouldn’t care if we were sitting on your apartment floor for a very long time; if I’m next to you doing it, I don’t really care.” Lexa shrugged, bringing her hand to follow Clarkes’ leaving her hand to rest on Clarke’s forearm, “You and I are going to kick the world’s ass and good luck to anyone who tries to stop us.”
“God help them.” Clarke grinned from ear to hear, feeling Lexa capture her lips in a kiss; savouring the moment when she too felt as if everything had fallen into place.
It was early days and they knew the hard work was all ahead of them now that they were back to reality but neither of them would stop working hard for each other and they would fight for every opportunity they had to ensure that they made up for lost time and made it work, no matter what. Lexa knew the spark would never leave Clarke’s eyes and the blonde knew that the medical student would never stop fighting for her because if they hadn’t have fought both with each other and for each other during their summer at Camp Jaha; they would have never known what awaited them if they had have only been brave enough. They were at the beginning of their journey, knowing their intense feelings would only grow over time. That night, they made a silent promise that no matter what hardships were presented to them or no matter what rewards the gained, they would never forget the little things that brought them together in the first place and would always place each other as the first priority as that’s what they each deserved.
So that’s exactly what they did.