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Octavia can't take it anymore. 

Another minute with those two idiots and she swears she's going to end up doing something drastic like slamming their two idiot faces together so that their two idiot mouths smash so that - finally! Bellamy and Clarke kiss each other.

One more enamored gaze from Bellamy to Clarke when he thinks she's not looking, one more half-hidden smile from the blonde at one of her brother's jokes and the youngest Blake is sure she's going to explode.

Her brother isn't even funny, for God's sake.

"Idiots..." she mutters, as she watches them further away, sitting around the fire.

"Hello to you too," whispers a deep, amused voice, taking her out of her contemplation.

Octavia turns her head to greet Lincoln with a smile and a kiss on the cheek, then returns to her observation. 

"What are we looking at," he asks, his chin on her shoulder, following Octavia's gaze towards their campfire.

"Two idiots in love," she answers bitterly and barely sarcastic. "Look at them, this is ridiculous..."

Even though Octavia is sure that Bellamy wouldn't call the red that rises to Clarke's cheeks as he lays a warm blanket on her shoulders ridiculous. He would say it's cute for sure, or even-

"Adorable," Lincoln comments, unknowingly following the course of her thoughts.

"Really?" grumbles Octavia, whose frustration fades slowly now that she's in his arms, but doesn't fully go away. "I think it's... pathetic...".

Clarke would never use such a word to describe the shy smile Bellamy gives her as she offers him a sip from the cup of coffee she's drinking. She'd probably say it's adorable too.

"We really need to do something," Octavia whispers as she watches her brother and her friend dance in a well-orchestrated choreography.

Lincoln turns her in the embrace of his arms. His brown eyes are hard when he gazes into the green of Octavia's.

"We're not going to do anything. We're going to leave Bellamy and Clarke to fend for themselves. We're going on the date I promised you."

At these words, Octavia's face lights up, and Lincoln could almost believe that he'd won and changed the course of his companion's ideas if he didn't know her better.

"You're right! That's it! Dates! A plan! We need a plan!"

Octavia slips from his embrace, and her smile is breathtaking. Her eyes sparkle with mischief when she adds:

"We need Jasper and Monty, and Raven... I'll get the others, wait for me in Raven's workshop, I'll only be a minute!" she exclaims as she walks away.

"But— What about our date?" 

It's already too late. Octavia has disappeared around the corner of the dropship with the light, leaping step of someone who had a great idea and is too excited to even hide it.

A few minutes later, they’re all gathered in Raven’s workshop and waiting for Octavia to begin.

"If I gathered you here today, it's for a mission of the utmost importance. A matter of life and death," Octavia starts. 

In front of her, the casual looks suddenly become serious, and some eyes are already staring at Lincoln as if he was about to lay on them the announcement of a new Grounder attack. Perhaps this is why the brunette comes straight to the point and announces :

"We're going to get Bellamy and Clarke together!"

Immediately, the expressions soften, and shoulders drop with relief.

"My god, Octavia, you scared the shit out of me," Jasper says.

"Really? That's what you call a matter of life or death," adds Raven, visibly annoyed.

"Well, it is," explains the young Blake. Then, confronted with the mechanic's frown: "What I'm saying is: I'm going to end up killing one of them if they don't decide to do something soon.

"It's true. I joined the camp only a few months ago and I'm already exhausted," adds Gina.

"You're only saying that because Bellamy hasn't fallen for your charms," says Murphy.

"I found someone much better suited for me, so I'm okay, thank you very much" answers the bartender before winking at Raven, who responds with a suggestive raise of her eyebrow.

Octavia noisily clears her throat to bring back the attention to the subject at hand.

"I'm serious, guys. We have to find something."

"Or, as I told you", interrupts Lincoln, "we can do nothing and let Clarke and Bellamy deal with their feelings on their own."

A short silence, then a collective laugh follows his statement. 

"What?" asks the warrior, puzzled that the idea of letting two people who have already demonstrated how mature, capable, and responsible they are in dealing with their own problems generates so much hilarity. 

"They're never going to act on it" replies Raven.

"They seemed pretty close after Mount Weather, though," says Lincoln, who remembers vividly how happy Bellamy and Clarke seemed to be after their reunification. 

But since then, almost two years have passed. Peace is signed and order and prosperity reign between the Grounders, the Sky People, and even the Mountain Men. The only noteworthy event that has created a bit of trouble lately is the day the delinquents claimed their independence and left Arkadia to retake their place around the Dropship in order to rebuild and improve their camp. And that was almost a year ago.

"That's exactly the problem," Octavia explains. "No more deadly dangers, no more imminent death, no more threats to eliminate, no more deals to negotiate-"

"Are you saying that peace is boring?" asks Lincoln, who is more and more surprised by the minute.

"No, I'm just saying that-"

"Peace is boring," Miller resumes, provoking a few chuckles in the gathering. "Octavia is right. Those two are really emotionally constipated. Without a major accident or considerable stress, there's no way they're going to confess their feelings to each other."

Many of the delinquents nod their heads in agreement. 

"What do you suggest, then?" asks Monty, looking unconvinced. "A fake war? A non-existent danger? A phantom menace?"

"I don't approve the reference, but the pun was nice," Jasper points out before slapping his hand in one of their self-five handshakes.

"Of course not," replies Octavia, choosing to ignore Jasper’s intervention. "The only idea I've had so far — thank you Lincoln — is to arrange one of their first dates. I already know pretty much where and how, so I'm dealing with that. But for the rest, we need a plan. And to organize that plan, I need you. All of you"

In front of her, the delinquents stare at each other silently, until finally, Jasper declares:

"All right, I'm naming this "Secret Mission: Parent Trap". Let's get Mom and Dad together."

ACT I - THE CHRISTMAS RING RINK

Lincoln 

Lincoln is nervous. He was already nervous before his date with Octavia turned into a group trip, but knowing now that a dozen or so pairs of eyes will be staring at him while he kneels down to ask the woman he loves to marry him doesn't help. 

Yes, today was the day he was going to propose. And Lincoln - the brave, fearless, ruthless warrior, Lincoln - is absolutely not going to change his plans simply because Octavia and a gang of delinquent youths decided to establish their "Parent Trap" in the middle of his own plan.

Okay, he imagined that he'd teach Octavia the basics of ice skating for a few minutes, with the help of tender gestures and intimates touch, and after, he'd lead her to the middle of the pond and there, under the dewy light of the setting sun, he'd kneel down and say the words that he's been rehearsing in his head for months and, without a doubt, she would have said yes. 

Instead, he now has to teach a whole bunch of excited Sky People how to skate on ice, and at the same time, find the right time to propose, preferably when Octavia isn't distracted by her goal for the day, to have Bellamy and Clarke skate together. 

Lincoln breathes a weary sigh and fog escapes from his lips in the cold early winter air. He'll have to think about showing Bellamy how to sew more fur blankets, the winter promised to be hard this year. 

"Lost in thoughts?" asks the very man who walks beside him towards the frozen pond.

The warrior clears his throat before answering honestly:

"Yes, it wasn't quite the day I imagined..."

"Octavia seemed to say it was your idea, though," frowns Bellamy.

And it was. The romantic stroll through the frost-whitened forest, the picnic around the fire, and the afternoon sliding on the ice, yes. Not accompanying fifteen people skating with the diabolical goal of getting two people together. 

"Well, you know Octavia."

"Yes, I know her pretty well..." Bellamy begins, looking like he wants to add something more important, then changing his mind before saying: "It's good. It's been almost a year since we started working on improving the camp. They deserve a break where all they have to do is have fun."

"You too, by the way."

"What do you mean?" asks Octavia's brother, frowning again. 

"You deserve to relax too. You and Clarke for that matter. Try to enjoy this day too."

Lincoln pretends to ignore Bellamy's glance at the blonde who walks ten feet in front of them, beside Raven and Octavia, and the way his expression softens to the point that a smile almost stretches his lips. He also pretends to ignore the way Clarke turns, as if she can feel Bellamy's eyes on her, and the bright smile she offers him. 

The warrior has become quite good now at ignoring the affection between the two leaders, or the electricity in the air around them when they are in close proximity - that means he became quite good at ignoring the two leaders very often, to the point where he can almost understand why Octavia is so fed up. 

Bellamy clears his throat, redirecting his eyes on Lincoln.

"What are you going to do?"

"What I originally planned to do: spend some time with Octavia."

Lincoln immediately recognizes the discomfort in Bellamy's features, the same expression Octavia displays when she's about to brush a subject that embarrasses her but is gathering the courage to do it anyway.

"You know," begins the leader. "I know you're up to something."

For a second, Lincoln is pretty sure Bellamy is talking about the plan Octavia and her friends have set up in Raven's workshop that very morning, but something about Bellamy's expression doesn't add up. His eyebrows are furrowed and his jaw is clenched, not in the reproving look of the person who is going to ask them to stop meddling in his private business, but in the look of the protective big brother about to protect his little sister. 

He knows.

"I won't ask your permission," Lincoln states.

The Blakes have been working together for over a year on their chaotic relationship. At first, they spent an hour each week with Dr. Jackson, separately or together, now it's only once a month and Lincoln has been able to witness from a distance how these appointments have changed each other's lives and the love that connects them. 

Octavia had calmed the anger that was eating away at her from within and that only Lincoln was able to quiet. 

Bellamy had finally understood that his sister was her own person, not a part of himself that he had to protect at all costs, even if it meant preventing her from living her own life.

Asking Bellamy for consent to marry Octavia would have been a step backward for both of them.

"I know. You don't have to."

A friendly pat on the back is all it takes for Lincoln to understand that even if he does not ask, he has the full blessing of the eldest Blake. The time when the Trikru warrior stood, chained and tortured on the top floor of the shuttle, is long gone. If someone would have told them that they would be here today, neither Bellamy nor Lincoln would have believed it. 

"Lincoln! Bellamy! We're here! Come see this!"

It's not a lake, but the pond is big. In the center, a gigantic willow tree takes its roots on a small island, creating a perfectly circular rink. Already, the youngsters are clumping together at the edge, ready to take to the ice, and here come Clarke and Bellamy who are already running after them, shouting to wait for them.

"Are you sure this ice layer is thick enough for all of us?" asks the blonde, worried as usual.

"Of course, my tribe's kids and their parents come here every winter to have fun." 

"If anyone gets through the ice, it's hypothermia for sure."

"Believe me, it's safe."

The leader opens her mouth again to protest, but Bellamy's hand on her shoulder interrupts her.

"Clarke, if Lincoln says it's okay, let's trust him."

In spite of her, a half-smile stretches her lips and she nods gently. If Bellamy lets his hand rest a few seconds too long, Lincoln can pretend he didn't notice. 

As a signal is given, the fifteen or so people accompanying them throw themselves on the ice, shouting and whistling their excitement, and this time a real smile appears on Clarke's face, reflected directly on Bellamy's, who doesn't take his eyes off her while she watches their friends having fun. 

"This was a great idea, Lincoln. They need to relax, after being so seriously involved in improving the camp."

"You should have fun too, Princess. You deserve it as much as they do. Even more so." Bellamy says the words before the warrior opens his mouth.

"Okay, but on the one condition that you enjoy yourself too. You've done as much as I have."

A squeeze on his hand pulls Lincoln from his contemplation of the two leaders to meet the amused gaze of Octavia who whispers to him, while Bellamy and Clarke gently argue over who is the more deserving of the two:

"What did I tell you? They're such idiots."

This time, looking at the two of them, so tender and gentle both in their looks and their gestures, and this closeness, as if they don't even know the meaning of the words "proper distance", Lincoln can only nod. 

"If I admit you're right, are you gonna be unbearable all day?"

"All day? No," she replies with a kiss on his lips. "Just for a few hours."

Bellamy's voice interrupts their embrace.

"Hey, lovebirds, when you guys manage to unstick from one another, we could use some advice here."

Lincoln can't help but let out a chuckle at the irony of the situation. Bellamy and Clarke have already put on the skates that Lincoln picked up from his village on the way and are patiently waiting for the warrior to teach them how to skate.

"There's nothing to explain. You just have to go out there and do your best not to fall off."

"That's not what you told me this morning... You told me you were going to give me private lessons," Octavia differs.

"I can't give that kind of lesson to just anyone, babe-"

"Here's something I didn't need to hear," Bellamy blurts, looking embarrassed.

"Come on, big brother, I'm sure Clarke will learn to skate in no time."

"What? Why me? Bellamy is very capable of-"

"You're a Princess, of course, you're going to get it right away," Bellamy jokes warmly, making Octavia's eyes roll.

"Yes, Clarke," adds Lincoln as he lures Octavia onto the ice and away from the two leaders. "And then you too can give Bellamy private lessons."

The blonde's response is muffled by Octavia's laughter in his ears, but he's still close enough to see how Clarke's - and Bellamy's - cheeks are stained red.

After this, the day goes without a hitch. The kids relax and unwind while learning and mastering ice skating. Octavia's many interventions, but also Jasper, Monty, Harper, Miller, and many other delinquents involved in the plan, work wonders and, little by little, Clarke and Bellamy relax and unwind, even going so far as to share a glass of moonshine around the fire during the picnic (but no more, as they need to keep a clear mind in case something happens).

As Octavia predicted, Clarke lived up to her princess reputation by understanding the trick for ice skating in minutes. An hour has gone by and she's already trying a few pirouettes, claiming that she's trying to replicate what she saw when watching the Olympics with her father out of curiosity while ignoring the admiring look Bellamy is giving her and the worry in his eyes every time she fails and falls.

Bellamy, on the other hand, soon decides that he hates skating and prefers to keep his feet on the ground, which leads the two leaders to the most beautiful and successful match-up of the afternoon. 

Octavia hides her smile in Lincoln's furs as Clarke puts her arm under her brother's and takes him out onto the ice, and the warrior must admit that even he has trouble hiding his excitement when minutes later, the two leaders pass by holding hands (for stability! Bellamy exclaims even if no one is listening to him). 

Finally, as the day comes to an end, most of the delinquents had left their skates. Only Bellamy and Clarke were still dancing and spinning slowly on the ice while their friends were watching nearby while giving them enough privacy to perhaps see their plan come to fruition. 

This is the moment Lincoln dreamed of. The setting sun colors the surroundings with the soft pink color he had been waiting for, and beneath the heavy branches of the weeping willow, Octavia has never looked more beautiful. The warrior clears his throat and, as his partner almost reluctantly turns away from her brother and Clarke, who are now spinning softly on spot, looking lost in each other, Lincoln puts one knee to the ground. There, hidden by the big tree, he knows that they won't be interrupted by anyone. In fact, they almost have the intimacy that Lincoln was desperately looking for a few hours earlier.

His hand is trembling under the emotion and his eyes are shining when he takes out the ring he forged himself from his pocket. The emerald of the stone, which he chose because it reminded him of the light of the eyes of the woman he loves and will always love, shines in the glow of the setting sun and draws the gaze of Octavia, who immediately places her hands over her mouth.

"Octavia—"

Lincoln doesn't have time to begin the long speech he had prepared. Already, Octavia jumps and tears her hands out of her mouth to scream.

"Oh my God! Yes! Yes, yes, yes! Thousand times yes!!!"

As she does so, she opens her arms wide, probably to throw herself around her companion's neck, no one will ever know, because at that very moment, Finn, who was nonchalantly sliding in their direction, without even knowing they were there, takes Octavia's hand right in his face. Under the violence and surprise of the shock, he flies backward, tries as best he can to catch his fall, and lands abruptly on the side. 

A blood-curling "crac" echoes around them so loudly that for a second, Lincoln thinks the ice under their feet is about to give way. However, the cry of pain that follows this awful sound leaves no doubt: Finn has hurt himself, most likely broken a bone, and as he turns on his back to groan, the strange angle of his shoulder and elbow leaves no room for imagination.

"Oh my God!" exclaims Octavia this time for a completely different reason, as she kneels down beside her friend. "Finn! I'm so sorry! Are you all right?"

The young man doesn't answer, probably too busy biting his tongue to stop himself from crying. Lincoln sees the moment when Octavia raises her head to look up for Clarke and Bellamy, then sees with his own eyes the moment she's about to interrupt. The two leaders are completely absorbed in each other, sheltered in their bubble, a blissfully relaxed smile floating on their lips, their eyes immersed in each other. 

"Clarke! Bellamy!"

Lincoln sees the very moment the bubble crumbles. Their hands suddenly let go of each other and the space between them returns to normal as they abruptly move away from one another, as if caught red-handed doing something crazy. As if they were forbidden to be happy. Tenderness fades from their expressions to give way to dread and concern.

That's it, the moment is broken. And in spite of the happiness that Octavia's answer has brought him and the magnificent smile that she offers him right now, Lincoln can't help but feel a little sorry for it. Maybe, in the end, his future wife was right. Bellamy and Clarke deserve to be happy too, deserve the happiness of knowing that someone else feels for them the love he feels for Octavia. Maybe, in the end, he too will do his best to let them experience that joy.

ACT II - THE CHRISTMAS MISTLETOE

Monty

Monty doesn't know how Octavia finally managed to get Bellamy and Clarke to agree to celebrate Christmas this year, but what is certain is that it promises to be the best holiday ever. Not just because all the delinquents will be together, dancing, drinking, eating, and exchanging gifts, but also because the new Secret Operation Parent Trap, launched two days earlier, promises to be a success and Monty will be a big part of it. 

To be honest, not to be too cocky, he's almost positive that it's thanks to him that Bellamy and Clarke will exchange their first kiss.

Why is that? Because his plan is foolproof, flawless. Not like Octavia's, which of course ended in disaster. No, Monty's plan is all delicacy and finesse and above all, it's all him. What could be more "Monty" than the mistletoe that now adorns every area of the camp and the Dropship, but blends so well into the scenery that no one, not even people as observant and critical as Clarke and Bellamy, could distinguish it? 

Monty just finished hanging the mistletoe at the entrance of their brand new medical center when he hears the familiar clatter of the locks of the meeting room signaling the end of the council that Clarke, Bellamy, but also Indra, her daughter Gaïa, as well as Kane and Abby have just attended. 

The small group leaves the room, looking rather satisfied with the recent trades if he is to believe the warm and friendly atmosphere that reigns among all participants. 

Just as Monty predicted, they all arrive in the entrance hall that leads to the medical center and the meeting room and stop right under the mistletoe he has just installed. Monty tries to wipe away the satisfied smile that stretches his lips, not wanting anything to ruin his plan. Of course, he hadn't imagined it would work so quickly, but after all, why not?

"Monty?" Bellamy asks as he arrives in front of his friend. "Is everything alright? What are you doing here?"

This is so Bellamy-like. Like Clarke, who frowns at his side, neither of them can lower their guard even for a second, always waiting for the next catastrophe, the next problem to be solved, the next danger to be avoided. 

Monty, of course, is not going to let himself be shaken for so little. He has an excuse to be in that very place, at that very moment. Nothing, not the heavy presence of the mistletoe above his head, nor the absence of distance, as usual far too intimate and familiar between Bellamy and Clarke, nor Indra's frown in his direction, will destabilize him.  

"I just wanted to know if you discussed our Christmas party during the meeting and if Trikru or Skaikru will be joining us?"

To that, Clarke raises an eyebrow.

"And it couldn't wait a few minutes?"

"Well, I'm in charge of the drinks, and I need to know how many people to make moonshine for."

"Moonshine?" resumes Abby, whose frown now rivals Indra's. "Alcohol? In this camp?"

The attention of the surgeon and co-leader of Arkadia is drawn to Clarke as she sighs at this remark.

"What?" asks Abby. "It's just that you're still so young-"

"Among Trikru, warriors are allowed to drink after their first death. It's a sacred ritual as ancient as our tribe," interrupts Indra in a tone that leaves no room for a reply.

"Among Trikru, perhaps, but according to our laws, all children must wait until they come of age."

"We're not children anymore, mom!" exclaims Clarke, whose patience, Monty can see, crumbles with each second, but whose self-control slowly returns the moment when Bellamy's discreet hand lands on her lower back. The gesture doesn't escape Monty’s notice.

"Most of us turned eighteen this year. So according to Skaikru and Trikru laws, we're all allowed to drink now."

Ouch . A subtle reminder that even before they came of age, Clarke and most of the delinquents had to defend their lives by taking the ones of the warriors who attacked them when they landed on this planet. The landing that was arranged and decided by the Ark Council of which Kane and Abby were members and that had sent them to their death by labeling them as "expendable".

Clarke 1. Abby 0.

Kane interrupts and diffuses the obvious tension.

"Of course. And we know that you are perfectly capable of moderating your alcohol consumption to avoid accidents."

Monty, just like Clarke for the record, also notices the palm that the co-chancellor places on Abby's shoulder, which seems to anchor her in the present moment and relax her.

Uh. Interesting. 

The last time anyone checked, Kane and Abby were just co-leaders and good friends. It seems that running a chaotic, life-threatening camp together and negotiating with clans of over-trained warriors was a great way to create the most unlikely romances. 

Clarke and Abby are both much calmer when the blonde asks her mother to join her at the medical center just behind them to check the cast Clarke had to make from scratch on Finn's arm after his accident on the ice. The two Griffins disappear, leaving Monty, Bellamy, Kane, Indra, and Gaia in awkward silence.

"Well, I wouldn't want to be in the middle of one of their arguments," finally intervenes Indra's daughter, softening the mood. 

The small group laughs softly and Bellamy and Kane exchange the knowing glance of those who have chosen to bear the responsibility of supporting two strong women with a fiery temperament.

"Kane, Bellamy," begins Indra in what will turn out to be one of the most embarrassing moments Monty has ever had the chance to see."It is to all your honor that you have chosen such important female representatives to be your life-partners. For better or for worse, as the wedding vows on Earth say."

Monty doesn't know what's funnier, Indra's respectful enthusiasm, Bellamy's open mouth in shock at the confusion, or Kane's overwhelmed eyes in surprise at the misunderstanding. What is certain is that the awkward babble of explanation from the two men is on the podium of the most ridiculous moment Monty has ever witnessed in his life.

"Wh-What. I- We- We-" begins Bellamy.

"Oh. Ah, No, we- Abby and- Ah!” adds Kane.

The two most important men in Skaikru's hierarchy blushing, clearing their throats, searching for words while running their hands through their hair and behind their necks with embarrassed looks is a sight that Monty never expected to see one day and that will remain engraved in his memory forever, a memory that he will tell the future children he'll have with Harper, if he can manage the courage to ask her out one day, and if she accepts. 

"Oh," Indra simply replies. "I'm sorry for the misunderstanding. I thought that-"

Bellamy is the first to regain complete control of words.

"That's okay. I can understand the confusion, but Clarke and I are just friends. She's my partner, of course, and my equal, but our relationship is strictly platonic."

"Strictly platonic," Kane repeats in an absent-minded manner, and Monty would have to be blind not to see, written on both men's faces, how much those words seem to hurt and frustrate them.

Octavia is so right. It is pathetic.

The conversation resumes in the lobby, and while Monty wonders if the tradition of standing under a branch of mistletoe should mean that he has to kiss Gaia, or Kane to kiss Indra, if anyone were to notice at that moment when they were all standing, the different clan chiefs discuss things together. The impressive improvement of the delinquent camp. The latest trade agreements signed with Trikru. The Mountain Men who are starting to build their houses outside now that the Wallaces and their mad doctor are taken care of and bone marrow donations are multiplying. Azgeda who still grumbles their disagreement, but stays in their cold and distant land. And even small talks of the Christmas party.

When Clarke and Abby reappear, Monty can't help but notice the half-smile Bellamy and Kane display at the return of their two strictly platonic partners. Immediately, the two men step forward to take their place beside the two Griffins, and the group heads for the exit of the building. It's at this exact moment when the four leaders are right in the center of the entrance hall and Monty, Indra, and Gaïa slightly off-center towards the door, that Indra exclaims :

"Oh, is that mistletoe?"

Monty's heart and breathing stop as the group's eyes converge on the mistletoe branch hanging over the heads of Bellamy and Clarke, and Kane and Abby. 

For long seconds, silence lingers in the lobby and everyone stands still, staring at each other. Then, Monty sees Clarke's eyes catch Bellamy's, just before moving to his mouth. He notes how his friend's gaze is already fixed on the blonde's and how his brown eyes enviously capture the way she nibbles her lower lip. The second Bellamy clenches his fists and takes a deep breath before moving imperceptibly closer, Monty could almost scream his victory.

This is it, right now, it's going to happen. 

Just as Clarke was about to take the step towards Bellamy, two figures come out of their bubble to separate them, and here come the two leaders, each taking a step back to make room for Kane and Abby who suddenly fall into each other's arms, bodies entwined and mouths intertwined. 

Absorbed in the contemplation of Bellamy and Clarke about to exchange their first kiss, Monty hadn't seen the shy smile exchanged by the two adults and the way Abby's gaze had shone with certainty in response to the silent question asked by Kane's soft eyes on her. 

"Finally!" Indra exclaims with relief while the rest of the group opens wide, stunned eyes at the new couple.

The last time he had seen Clarke so shocked, Octavia was diving half-naked into a possibly radioactive river and was about to become the meal of a giant sea snake. 

Finally, Bellamy clears his throat at the surprisingly and slightly misplaced length of that first kiss, perhaps in the end as long-awaited as the one that Monty's two friends would have shared if only they had been in a smaller group, or if they had had more time or if-

"Mom?"

Finally, Abby and Kane break apart from each other, looking both dazed and happy as they realize that the love and attraction they felt for each other was, despite what they thought, mutual. 

"Oh, sorry honey," says Abby, who suddenly seems to have turned twenty years younger. "We-we'll see you at Christmas, won't we?"

Clarke can't find the words to answer and watches in astonishment as her mother and Kane say their goodbyes before slipping away, followed by Gaia, who doesn't hide her laugh, then by Indra, who, just before stepping out the door, turns to Bellamy and raises an eyebrow before throwing:

"Strictly platonic, right?"

Only then does Monty realize that the Trikru warrior ultimately had a plan of her composition in mind, but still struggles to realize that he's just been robbed of the spotlight by Indra. Of all people, this is the last one Monty would have bet on to play such a trick. 

By the time he recovers, Clarke has left (ran away) from the lobby and Bellamy is staring at him, frowning to hide the red slowly fading from his cheeks.

Indra 1. Monty 0. 

Mom and Dad are still not together and now Monty must, on Bellamy's non-negotiable order, remove all the mistletoe hangers that he has spent the last twenty-four hours setting up all over their camp. 

Operation Parent Trap turned out to be more complicated than he had thought. The good news, however, is that thanks to him and his mistletoe, a new and happy couple is born. 

Too bad it's not the one everyone was hoping for.

ACT III - THE CHRISTMAS SPARKS

Raven

Raven just wants to help. A few months ago, that's what she would have done, and no one could have stopped her. She would have damaged her body and mind, would have broken her heart and her will, trying to prove to herself that nothing had changed, that she hadn't suffered any trauma, that she was fine and that she was just as capable as before. And she is just as capable as before, with the difference that she now knows when her presence is necessary from when she can just take care of her mental and physical health by leaving the responsibilities to the people she trusts. 

She has to be honest, though. Without Gina sitting next to her by the fire at that moment, she would probably suffer more from inaction. Without Gina by her side to anchor her in the present, to ease her anxieties, and calm her need to control everything, this moment would be much more difficult. Hell, without Gina in her life, every day would be a lot harder. 

"What do you think?" asks the bartender pointing to the scene playing out in front of them.

"It's fine," the mechanic simply answers, following Gina's gaze. "I still can't believe Octavia convinced Bellamy and Clarke to celebrate Christmas this year."

"Oh, that's not surprising. Asking for this holiday as a wedding gift assured her that she would not be denied anything."

"You're right."

It's crazy to think that a few months ago, Gina was a stranger in this camp, one of the many people who chose to separate from Arkadia and follow the delinquents to the dropship in the crazy bet of starting over. She fits in so well with the group now, almost as if she had always belonged there. 

In the end, their crazy bet, almost a year later, seems almost successful, Raven says to herself as she studies the surroundings. They should soon think about giving a name to their camp. A camp that, moreover, is now more of a village than the cheap sets of tents and dilapidated shelters that it was at its beginnings. 

On the central square, an imposing fir tree stands royal. Jasper had chosen it, despite Bellamy's reticence about the logistics of felling and carrying such a large tree. Harper and Octavia had both begged for hours to have it placed in the middle of their small village, despite Clarke's objections about the inconvenience it would represent in their daily lives. It took the perseverance of all the delinquents, however, to convince the two leaders to let them organize a decorating workshop so that they could have beautiful objects to hang on their Christmas tree. Raven hadn't asked anyone's opinion before building the longest and brightest electric tinsel to adorn the coniferous tree. She then ignored Bellamy and Clarke's frown at the mention of her latest invention and demanded that the object be installed all around their tree. 

This is exactly what Bellamy, Murphy, and Miller were doing right now. Raven was supposed to be supervising, but that was before Clarke abandoned everything she was doing to come and get restless and worried at the foot of the tree while Bellamy climbs up and up again. So that's what Raven supervises: the spectacle of blind love between Bellamy and Clarke. The show could almost be funny if it wasn't so...

"Pathetic..." Gina whispers beside her, more amused than annoyed.

"I think they're cute," replies Raven, tightening her fingers around the palm that her girlfriend put on her thigh earlier. 

Gina looks at her with round eyes before exclaiming.

"Who are you and what have you done with Raven Reyes?"

"I'm still me. You're the one who makes me soft."

With those tender words, Gina gently lays her head on the mechanic's shoulder and that touch warms Raven from the inside out while making her vibrate with happiness and excitement. It's amazing, the way she feels more settled, more reassured, more complete every time Gina's around. And when they touch each other, that crackling air, that uninterrupted stream of passion, it's sometimes all that makes Raven feel alive. 

How do Bellamy and Clarke manage to ignore with such abandon and talent these feelings and emotions? 

Because Raven is sure of it, neither leader is insensitive to the charms of the other. Each of their interactions is filled with such gentleness... like here, as Bellamy finally steps down from the unstable ladder that Clarke is firmly holding on to, with the obvious fear that he will stumble and break a bone present in each of her movements. 

But there is also this tangible attraction, this constant seduction, as Bellamy teases the blonde for worrying about so little while putting a hand on her arm to reassure her, letting the contact last a few seconds longer than necessary. 

And that devotion they have for each other, the way they dive into each other's souls and forget everything around them, even as the delinquents around them play, laugh and shout, young and old, decorating the big tree together. 

There, Clarke stands on her toes to hang a little higher up a pretty star carved out of the wood and painted red. She raises her arms and her long blond hair falls in her back as she tries to reach the intended branch. Bellamy's gaze clings to her forms, hypnotized. Raven is certain that he has never looked at anyone like this, not even her as she was standing naked in the middle of her tent, begging him to make her forget Finn - a moment that the brunette would prefer to forget now that they are simply friends. Friends that know each other well enough for Raven to recognize in his gaze the moment when bravery overcomes his fear of rejection; when the desire to get closer to Clarke overcomes his conviction that he isn't good enough for her. And yes, Bellamy steps closer, places his hands on Clarke's waist, pressing his chest against her back before gently removing the star from her hands and placing it himself on the unattainable branch. 

This is the moment Jasper chooses to plug in the light tinsel made by Raven, and suddenly it's as if a fairy has turned on the moment with her magic. The lights, red, white, and gold, go on and off in rhythm, enlightening the surroundings and shining a thousand lights on the still entwined silhouettes of Clarke and Bellamy. 

"Oh my God," Gina whispers in Raven's ear as she watches the same scene play out in front of them. 

It's like watching the part of the romantic movie where the two main characters finally kiss for the first time. Raven's heart beats in her chest, almost as if she were there, while Clarke doesn't escape her partner's embrace and even closes Bellamy's arms around her waist. The man leans his head down her neck, whispering something that makes the blonde laugh, before finally turning around and wrapping her arms around the back of his neck. 

And then it's as if the magic of Christmas itself intervenes: it starts to snow! The flakes fall gently and an almost religious silence descends after the first excited murmurs. Immaculate crystals float in the air and already stain Bellamy's unruly mane of hair. One of them seems to cling to one of his eyelashes, judging by the way Clarke asks him to close his eyes and raises her hand to gently stroke his eyelid, then his cheek, then his lips-

"Oh my God!" now exclaims Gina, apparently as surprised and excited as Raven is right now.

"I know, I know! Wait a second, it's gonna happen, I can feel it, it's gonna-"

"FIRE, FIRE, FIRE!" then begins to shout her girlfriend, suddenly standing up beside her.

Forgotten, Bellamy and Clarke, whose lips were coming dangerously close. Raven raises her head to the spot indicated by Gina and indeed, flames do rise not far away. Worst of all, they come from their brand new tree. Even worse, they come from a bad electrical contact in the Christmas garland that Raven designed and built. 

"Oh my God!" cries the mechanic as she, in turn, gets up and rushes to the big tree where Bellamy and Clarke have already begun organizing the delinquents to put out the fire as quickly as possible. 

An hour and a half later, the fire is out and the danger is over. In the air full of smoke, humidity, and snow, which is no longer magical but annoying, no more glowing lights. No fairy gleam, no attraction, no tenderness, no alchemy. Raven can deal without sparks for the rest of the year. 

ACT IV - THE CHRISTMAS BAL

Harper

Harper fully understands why Bellamy is attracted to Clarke. She cannot deny that she is often flustered by the leader. In addition to being particularly attractive, Clarke has that "je-ne-sais-quoi", that easy charm, effortless grace that would lead anyone to follow her anywhere, to do anything for her. 

She also understands why Clarke is attracted to Bellamy. She, during their first days on Earth, had circled the rebellious and dangerous king, watching the girls parade through the doors of his tent with envy, wondering if she too would try her luck one day, but finally deciding that she didn't belong there. 

That's why Harper doesn't understand why none of them make the first move. It's so simple: when you like someone, you just tell them, and that's it. You take the risk. You free yourself from your doubts and fears and you risk it all. And let's even imagine for a second that one doesn't actually share the feelings of the other, a friendship like Clarke and Bellamy's, is not one that fades away at the first challenge. An obstacle like this could never overcome such a strong bond. 

So if neither Bellamy nor Clarke wants to reveal their feelings, Harper understands why they need the push that she and the other delinquents are planning to give them.

Okay, so far, none of their schemes have worked. Worse, every one of them has turned into a disaster. Finn still has his arm in a cast. Kane and Abby's kiss in front of Clarke's eyes had caused the young leader to deeply question herself and kept her away from Bellamy for a while. The Christmas tree fire had nearly burned down half of their new camp, causing the delinquents and their leaders to double their efforts to repair and prepare their village for winter. 

But this time would be different. Not only had Harper thought of everything, but she hadn't organized it on her own, she had gotten help from her friends, convinced that their union would make them successful. 

That's why she's standing in the cold and the snow falling gently on this winter night, in front of the door of Clarke's tent. For five minutes she has been knocking to signal her presence and for five minutes she's been shivering, waiting for the blonde to appear. 

"Clarke, hurry up or we'll be the last to arrive," she calls, blowing warm air on her hands. 

In all honesty, that's what Harper hopes: that she and Clarke will be the last to arrive at the Christmas ball she's spent the last ten days organizing. Tonight, she wants all the spotlight to be on their leader. Or more specifically, she wants Bellamy's eyes to be on their leader. 

"Are you sure about the dress, Harp'? It's very-"

"Come on, Clarke, you're going to look great."

"And the shoes? How am I supposed to walk in these in the snow?"

"Bellamy and the boys cleared the paths this afternoon, so it won't be a problem. Besides, that's why I'm here, too, so we can stick together."

"And that hairstyle, are you sure that-"

"Clarke, if you don't get out of here, I swear you're gonna treat every single one of my frostbites."

The tent flaps open slowly and reveal a sight Harper never imagined she would see. So much that for once the words escape her. Hadn't she said earlier that she finds Clarke particularly attractive? 

"You-you are..."

"Silly? Inappropriate?"

Harper shakes her head and smiles, flustered. She needs to remember that if she's here tonight, it's to bring Clarke and Bellamy together, not to interfere and flirt.

So she grabs the young woman's arm and pushes her in the right direction with one last silent question.

Why is it that the most beautiful women are always the ones who ignore their power of seduction? 

***

Jasper

Why is it that the most beautiful women are always the ones who ignore their powers of seduction? Jasper wonders, thinking back, troubled and amazed, to the pretty brunette named Maya to whom he had given his bone marrow ten days earlier and who, according to the radio call she had given him a moment earlier, was recovering very well from the transplant and would soon be able to go out into the open air, perhaps even visit him, she had suggested, the shyness evident in her voice. 

He needs a plan. Perhaps he could ask Monty, as soon as their secret mission "Operation Parent Trap" was over. Or maybe, he wondered, watching his friends from the bar where he was sipping a cocktail, he should wait a few more days for his best friend to sort things with Harper. Or maybe, he could learn from all these absurd situations, take his courage in both hands and make Maya understand on his own that he'd like to be more than friends.

The memory of her sparkling brown eyes brings a smile to his face, and it's decided, as soon as Abby decides she's ready to go out and explore the world, he'll be by her side for each of those new moments. 

"Why are you smiling?" asks Monty, nervously fiddling with his still intact glass.

"I'm going to ask Maya out on a date," replies Jasper with self-confidence that he didn't know he had, but which had blossomed on Earth and flourishes with each day he spends under the sun. 

He tries not to be offended by the way Bellamy almost chokes on his sip of Moonshine at these words and listens to the question from his leader and friend, the smile still on his lips.

"What, just like that?”

God, it's unbelievable how a man as confident, as determined, and as passionate as Bellamy finds himself helpless to do something so simple as telling the girl he loves that he wants to take their relationship to another level. 

"Yes," he replies without further ado, because yes, that's exactly what he's going to do. He's going to wait for Maya at the now open door of Mount Weather, a bouquet of the yellow flowers she loves so much in his hands, and offer to explore the surroundings with her, maybe even offer her his arm if she needs help. 

It's the catch in Bellamy's breath and Monty's muffled swearing that brings him back to the present. And, of course, he finds his two friends stunned and gaping at the sight of Harper and Clarke arriving side by side in their mess hall, which has been (successfully) converted into a ballroom for Christmas Eve. 

Jasper has to admit, even though he prefers brunettes to blondes, the two ladies are stunning. Harper in her white and gold dress sparkles under the bright decorations (which Raven has checked a good dozen times just in case). Clarke is the definition of elegance in her blue dress, the neckline simple enough not to be indecent, but deep enough to drive Bellamy completely crazy. 

He won't bother to be discreet, as his two friends are so absorbed in their contemplation. He raises his glass half full in the direction of Harper to congratulate her for her judicious choice, as well as her success in convincing Clarke to wear such an outfit. The wink she offers him in return seems to dazzle Monty even more, if that's possible, just as the little wave of the hand Clarke sends them with a smile seems to liquefy Bellamy on the spot. 

No, he'll never be like those two idiots. Standing in awe before the beauty of the woman he likes, all right. But to freeze on the spot without trying anything, never. 

But after all, that's also why the Secret Operation Parent Trap makes sense. Bellamy wouldn't need them if he was thinking more like Jasper and less like Monty. 

***

Murphy

The evening is a disaster, but Murphy had warned them: putting on soft music, turning on some festive lights, sharing alcoholic beverages, and eating good food would never be enough to get Bellamy and Clarke together. 

All you had to do was look at him and Emori. They had found themselves in the desert in an impossible quest for a better world. They had betrayed, lied, survived, discovering, and loving each other through hardship and pain. To be honest, the hard part of their story had only begun once the dangers had been erased and the daily routine had been settled. Then they had had to learn how to love each other in this calm and serene new life, whose goal was not to constantly escape death, but just to enjoy and thrive. 

So to believe that Bellamy and Clarke, the masters of impossible decisions, heroic sacrifices, and dramatic situations, would succeed in finding each other in this perfect world was almost like believing in Santa Claus. 

Slowly but surely, Murphy had watched the evening fall apart. 

First, he had counted the glasses Bellamy and Clarke had consumed, Miller's idea for loosening tongues and finally loosening their leaders. And it had worked at first. They had laughed, shared compliments that Murphy had never heard in each other's mouths. 

The music had changed too, from energetic and dancey to softer, smoother songs. Jasper's idea for a physical connection. And it had worked at first. They had jumped and shouted over the lyrics of songs from another time, dazzling smiles on their faces and stars in their eyes, and then, at the first slow dance, when after a good minute spent staring at each other embarrassedly without saying anything, Clarke tried to leave the dance floor, Bellamy grabbed her hand, a "wait" on his lips, and every feeling he felt written all over his face. Finally, after spending the whole evening brushing each other, he had placed his palms on her waist, embracing her almost sensually as Clarke passed her arms around his neck, her forehead resting on his shoulder. And they had danced, and spun, and twirled, and it was dripping with so much tenderness that Murphy almost threw up, if not for Emori, who was dancing, spinning and twirling in his own arms. 

At first, Murphy hadn't understood why they were moving slightly apart, why Clarke's hands had slipped off Bellamy's neck, or why the tenderness of their gaze and the confidence of their moves suddenly seemed to give way to complete anguish and sadness. Then the words of the song that was playing had finally registered in his brain. 

Who plays a song about regret, fear of losing the other, and death at a Christmas ball, seriously? And more specifically, who plays this kind of song that, even when filled with hope for an uncertain future, is inadequate to push into each other's arms two people freaked out by commitment and change? 

So Murphy ditches Emori and runs to Jasper, but it's already too late. The song stops between "you're gone and I am the one that can't breathe" and "I know I'll see you on the other side". He barely has time to turn around to acknowledge the damage that already Bellamy and Clarke have left the dance floor, the blonde next to Octavia and Harper, chatting and pretending that everything is fine, the dark-haired man with his nose in a glass provided by Miller, looking helplessly unable to clear the lump in his throat, but resolute to try. 

Already, Jasper switches to a more festive playlist, but Murphy knows it's useless, just as he already knew this evening would be a disaster before it even began. 

***

Emori

As much as it pains Emori to admit it, John was right. Tonight was a disaster. Each of the plans that the delinquents had put in place to bring Bellamy and Clarke into each other's arms at the dance did worse than fail: they backfired. Harper's choice of dress, which highlighted Clarke's assets so well, only served to destabilize Bellamy and make him as clumsy as humanly possible. The choice of songs ended up separating the two lovebirds, making them unable to look into each other's eyes. The alcohol served profusely by Miller, ended up turning the heads of their leaders and there was now Bellamy brooding in a corner and Clarke bashful on the dance floor. Even the fact that Harper was chaperoning their friend for the evening to make sure she got loose and had a good time turned against them, judging by the way the two blondes have been dancing pressed together for a good half hour.

"How is this happening?" Octavia asks for the fifth time as she watches Harper and Clarke apparently about to do what everyone expected Bellamy and Clarke to do and kiss in the middle of the Christmas dance before going home together for the night. 

Bellamy is no longer just brooding in a corner, he's surrounded by a black cloud of self-hatred and jealousy as he too watches the show and looks like he wants to cry. Emori's heart breaks. It's not her fault that she has begun to see the fearless leader as one of her closest friends and only wants his happiness.

They needed to stop this. Step in. Do something about it. Anything. Everything, right now.

"Now would be a good time for one of my lights to catch on fire," Raven mumbles as she finishes her Moonshine glass in one go. 

"I've got an idea," says Emori.

Getting Bellamy and Clarke stuck in their walk-in freezer, which, because of a defect in the construction of its heavy metal door - thanks to Wick - is impossible to open from the inside, is Emori's idea. This plan had been discarded because it was slightly too intense for Octavia's taste, but this emergency is apparently enough to make the young Blake change her mind and see Emori as the new Messiah. 

Luring them in is almost too easy. They should have guessed that it was going to turn out badly. Emori almost feels bad listening to their conversation with the other delinquents at first. 

The first minute is filled with Clarke screaming for help to get someone to come and get them out of here and banging on the door. 

Then a heavy silence makes Emori realize that the two leaders must now be ignoring each other in an atmosphere that is surely unbearably filled of embarrassment and discomfort. 

Then, the muffled rumble of Bellamy's tone rises, full of bitterness, and Emori pictures him asking, looking blasé if Clarke can hardly bear to be in the same room with him for more than five minutes that she needs to shout for help and try to break the door with her little fists. 

Clarke's voice rises in turn, so incoherent and fast that Emori quickly understands that alcohol must make her say any and everything. 

This "anything and everything" turns out to be something hurtful enough that Bellamy's voice immediately snaps at her, this time louder, the anger vibrating in his broken tone. 

Clarke answers him back with the intensity that comes from the habit of never letting herself be intimidated by her partner and co-leader. 

The fight lasts a few minutes and Emori can almost feel the warmth of their argument through the locked door of the cold room. She wonders if they should open it and let them out before things get too far when what she guesses to be Bellamy's fist crashes forcefully against the metal wall and silence falls again for the few seconds it takes Octavia to finally open the door on a sad sight. 

Clarke, in tears, her make-up running down her pale cheeks, Bellamy's jacket on her shoulders, almost runs out of the room without saying a word to anyone. 

Bellamy tries nothing to stop her. He watches her walk away, leaving him behind, once again, inexpressive, his bloody and shaking fist clenched against his broken heart.

ACT V - THE CHRISTMAS GIFT 

Bellamy

Bellamy was so excited to celebrate Christmas for the first time in his life, surrounded by the people he loves and totally free, that he can't figure out how the last month went so badly. That, and the fact that he's hungover from Christmas eve, doesn't help him to wake up in a good mood on Christmas morning. 

The first thing he thinks about when he opens his eyes - after grunting in pain as the light hits his head - is that he had a plan for today. And that plan- that plan revolves around Clarke, of course, as does his entire universe from the moment she shouted at him that the air outside could be toxic. And the thought of Clarke makes him clench his jaw and his fists. Here he can claim that the tears burning behind his eyes come from the pain radiating from his right hand and his skull, not from the heartache caused by their fight the night before and the awful words they exchanged. Even though they were blurred by the alcohol, their bite is as sharp now than it was hours ago. 

Perhaps that's why he decides not to get out of bed. Screw Christmas. He can give his gifts to his family and friends later, they won't hold it against him. It's not like the person he most wants to give his present to is waiting for him anyway. It's not as if he had the time or energy to perfect this gift as he would have liked, anyway. 

In the end, the laughter and joy that flowed through the fabric of his tent become too much to bear. First, because his migraine gives no sign of fading away. Second, because he's not in the mood to hear others wishing each other "Merry Christmas" all day long. 

So he gets up. It takes him more time than it should, but since no one is there to judge him, he doesn't care. He gets dressed. He realizes there's no point in looking for his jacket as it was covering Clarke's freezing frame in a memory of her that he'd rather forget: her cheeks drenched with tears, walking away from him once again by fleeing through the finally open door of their prison. 

Nevermind, he'll go without his jacket. The sweater that Octavia knitted for him a month earlier should be enough to keep him from hypothermia. Besides, the weather is fine. The air is dry despite the cold and the sun shines in the cloudless sky. His footsteps squeak in the snow, but no one sees him disappear from the camp. After a few minutes of walking, the laughter and joy disappear to give way to the silence of the forest and, finally, Bellamy feels at home. Almost.

Just a few more minutes and he arrives in front of the limbo of his plan. His unfinished project still stands despite the weather and Bellamy could be proud of it if the anger, regret, and sorrow he feels at this moment didn't consume every ounce of his being. In the end, he feels a bit like this little house, he realizes after watching for long minutes the shaky foundation, the squeaking wood, the unfinished roof, and the tools left behind. 

Empty. Unfulfilled. Abandoned. 

"Merry Christmas," he whispers with a cynicism he didn't know he had.

Finally, after a few seconds of picturing himself catching the mass he can see on the threshold and destroying what he took weeks to begin, another voice replies behind him:

"Merry Christmas."

He doesn't need to turn around to know that Clarke has just arrived behind him. Never before in his life has he felt so eager to see, and at the same time to not see someone. His back at her, he asks:

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to bring you back your jacket and see how your hand is doing."

Bellamy sighs. See how his hand is doing. Not how he is doing.

"My hand is fine, thank you. You can leave the jacket right behind you."

No footfall sound in the snow to tell him that the coldness of his tone was enough to make her run away again. 

“Just— say what you came to say, Clarke."

“I came to apologize. For yesterday. I said terrible things to you. I didn't mean them. I’m sorry."

Those words catch him completely off guard, but that should no longer puzzle him. After all, the way she always keeps surprising him is one of the things that made him fall in love with her.

"I'm sorry too," he replies without facing her because feeling the weight of her gaze on him is enough to make him lose his footing. "I drank too much, and I was angry because of Harper..."

Shit. Why, oh why, does he always feel compelled to pour out his heart to Clarke every time it's too heavy and too painful for him to deal with his suffering alone?

"Because of Harper?" Clarke repeats, sounding so taken aback that he feels compelled to face her now.

"Yes, for Monty's sake."

"For Monty..."

"Well, it's obvious that Monty's been in love with her since the moment we set foot on this planet, so seeing the two of you dancing like that was a big deal for him."

"A big deal for... Monty?" she repeats, frowning as if she can't make sense of what Bellamy is trying to explain.

"Yes."

"For me," was what he should have said if he had half the courage of Jasper and simply confessed to Clarke that it was he who was crazy about her from the moment they set foot on this planet.

"Oh," she simply replied, and he certainly has seen Clarke more at ease with words than she is today. 

Maybe she's hungover too. 

"I don't think anything would have happened between me and Harper. I'm pretty sure she's been in love with Monty since Mount Weather at least, so..."

This time, it's Bellamy who can't keep up. Why does Clarke feel the need to tell the story of Monty and Harper? It's ridiculous.

"Harper?"

Clarke nods then looks away, and Bellamy thinks he's starting to understand until the blonde walks towards him and her closeness makes him lose his thoughts. She hands him the jacket.

"Here, before you catch hypothermia."

He obeys. Because he is cold. And also because the fierce way Clarke always tries to take care of him will always be his weakness. And because the fabric is saturated with the perfume she was wearing last night, and it's one of the best scents in the whole world. 

"So what are we looking at?" she finally asks as she turns to Bellamy's project.

Maybe it's the Christmas spirit, maybe it's Jasper's speech, maybe it's Clarke's heady perfume that makes him answer the truth.

"Your Christmas present."

"Sorry, what?"

Suddenly embarrassed, Bellamy runs a hand down the back of his neck and bites his lip. 

"Yes, I'm sorry. I thought I would be done by now. But suddenly Octavia and the others wanted to go out skating, and Finn broke his arm so I had to take his shifts and replace him in the hunting party, and there was all this stuff with Kane and your mom, and Octavia had me cut down this huge tree and I suffered from back pain for days, not to mention the camp caught fire and we had to rebuild a lot of the medical wing and the smoke-house. And then the Christmas ball to organize and I-"

"Wait," interrupts Clarke, whose red cheeks don't look like they're from the cold. "Are you saying that you're building me a house for Christmas?"

Bellamy lets his gaze caress the foundations of the place he has imagined. It was supposed to have at least three bedrooms and a kitchen open to a living room. A central fireplace that Lincoln helped him design, and which would separate the two spaces, right in the middle of the room. A garden with the blue flowers that Clarke claims not to like because they have no medical properties and that only grow between late winter and early spring. Then, his brown eyes land on her, and his heart, which he thought was as damaged as his fingers because of yesterday's shock, heals instantly under her bright and soft gaze. 

This is perhaps what gives him the courage to confess:

"Well, it’s more of a cabin than a house. But, it’s a home. Yours and mine. Ours. If you want to."

Because, of course, Bellamy would go from "hesitating for months and months to confess his feelings to Clarke" to "offering to move in together in the house he had built for them with his bare hands and start their life together."

Clarke's voice shakes slightly when, instead of responding directly to him and ending the suspense, she says:

“I have a Christmas present for you too."

Bellamy raises an eyebrow but doesn't have time to share his doubts. Clarke stands up on tiptoes, puts her arms behind his neck, in the exact position she had yesterday when they were dancing together, and gently but firmly places her lips on his. 

Despite the cold, her mouth is warm and silky. Her fingers dance tenderly in the curls that hang down his neck, her other hand is resting on his cheek, looking like she's saying, "I'm here and I'm staying, because I want this as much as you do." Bellamy knows that a single palm on a single cheek can't mean all that, but that's how he feels at this moment, that they are embarking on this new adventure together. Clarke confirms it as soon as their mouths break apart.

"I love you," she whispers, breathless from their kiss. "I've been looking for the perfect Christmas present to tell you that too, but with everything that's happened in the last few weeks, I haven't had a second to myself... We had to go skating, and Finn broke his arm, and there was this whole thing with Kane and my mom. And then you guys were cutting down and carrying around this ridiculous tree and I was so worried about you and then half the camp caught fire and I-"

Bellamy cuts her with a kiss. He's always dreamed of doing just that: to interrupt her with a kiss. The fact that he can do it now almost makes his head spin. That and Clarke's lips opening under the soft swipe of his tongue and the way she moans when he hugs her harder; kisses her deeper. If he wasn't this hungover, if it wasn't this cold, if the house was finished, the whole story would definitely end differently. But it doesn't matter, because now they have all the time in the world, he realizes with a grin that Clarke mirrors, and that causes them to break the kiss.

"Do you think they did it on purpose?" Clarke suddenly asks, very seriously. 

"Who?"

"Octavia, Finn, Monty, Raven, and the others," she explains. "Maybe they caused all those accidents because they don't want us to be together..."

Now that she says it, it all makes sense, Bellamy realizes, thinking back to all the times they've been interrupted over the past few weeks. How many times had Bellamy almost kissed Clarke, only to end up having to go rescue someone instead? How many times did Clarke look like she was about to say something, only to be stopped by a cry for help? 

They would have to ask them later, but after all, what other explanation could they find?