Chapter Text
Clarke finished up her last bit of paperwork for the day and sighed as she put the papers into their respective folders. While she logged out of her computer, her replacement showed up – just in time. “Hi, Clarke,” the woman greeted her.
“Hey, Indra.” The two had known each other for quite some time. Indra was several years older than Clarke, but she had the wisdom of a woman far beyond her years. When Clarke was in medical school, Indra taught a few of her classes and became a mentor for the girl. Indra was who Clarke turned to whenever she was faced with a particularly difficult course. Apparently Indra saw the potential in Clarke, as she was ultimately what helped Clarke land a job at the local hospital straight out of medical school.
Taking about ten minutes to do so, Clarke gave report on all of her patients that Indra would now be responsible for. There hadn’t been too many patients yet today, but every doctor working in an emergency room knew not to get used to a slow day, especially on a Friday. It was just barely five o’clock, still too early for most party-goers to wind up in the back of an ambulance. Though it had been a quiet day so far, everyone knew it wouldn’t last. Thankfully, Clarke had bribed Indra to cover the last two hours of her shift so she could leave early. Though it meant that Clarke would eventually have to make it up to her by covering one of Indra’s shifts, she was grateful for having a friend who would do such a favor.
“So, you never did tell me why you wanted off early tonight…”
Clarke laughed, knowing what Indra wanted to hear. “Today is Lincoln’s birthday. Apparently his family is throwing him a party tonight, so he begged Octavia to throw a pre-party to help him get through the night of family fun. He’s dreading having to answer a million questions about the wedding.”
“How’s that going, by the way?”
Octavia, one of Clarke’s best friends, had been engaged to her boyfriend for a few months and they were in the depths of wedding planning. They had four more months to go, but Octavia was insistent that they get everything sorted out early. Clarke and her other best friend, Raven, had gone wedding dress shopping a week before. To her surprise, Octavia only tried on a few dresses before finding “the one.” With that out of the way, Clarke hoped that Octavia would at least relax a little bit with the planning. No matter how much the girls warned her to not get burnt out, Octavia was determined to get everything done now. In fact, Clarke was surprised that Octavia was taking the night off from planning in order to celebrate Lincoln’s birthday.
Indra and Clarke discussed Clarke’s friends for a few moments, but not without Indra implying that she had hoped she was covering the rest of the shift so Clarke could go on a date. Clarke had taken a few months off from dating and relationships to focus on her job. Her last relationship didn’t end on the best terms, leaving Clarke heartbroken, and she had found that the best way to mend her own heart was through distractions. It just so happened to be that saving lives was the best distraction for Clarke.
After thanking Indra – for the millionth time – for covering the last two hours of her shift, Clarke gathered her bags from the staff locker room and hurried out to her car. The whole drive to her apartment was spent well over the speed limit, but Clarke would never hear the end of it from Octavia if she were late to her only night out this week with her best friends.
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When Clarke stepped into her friends’ favorite bar, she was only a few minutes later than the time Octavia had told – well, more like ordered – her to be there. She had rushed home, showered, and gotten dressed in record time, much to her surprise. When she found her friends sitting at a table near the back of the bar, Octavia didn’t even scold her for being a matter of seconds late. Still, she looked irritated. Clarke greeted her two best friends, took a seat next to Raven, and then bit the bullet. “What’s wrong, O?” she asked wearily.
Octavia huffed before responding. “Lincoln’s boss made him stay late. He’ll be leaving any time now, but still.”
“Basically she’s mad because something didn’t completely go her way,” Raven translated. Octavia flipped her off in response. Clarke just sat back and chuckled at her friends’ banter.
A few minutes later, a handsome waiter with blue eyes brought over a drink for each of the girls, which Octavia ordered prior to Clarke’s arrival. Clarke sipped on her beer as Raven and Octavia continued to go back and forth with their banter. They had done this since the day the girls met; Clarke was already friends with Raven when Octavia started an argument with Clarke in the middle of their English class during their sophomore year of high school. The two ended up in detention following their argument, but the two girls somehow ended up bonding that day when they were stuck in detention together for two hours. A few weeks later, Clarke introduced Raven to Octavia, and then after that the three became inseparable.
Changing the subject, Clarke decided to ask Octavia about her wedding planning, even though she already knew just about every detail. “On Monday, I have to call the flower shop to schedule an appointment to pick out the bouquets and table decorations. I also need to meet with the caterers next Friday to discuss the food for the reception. We’re thinking about serving chicken and…”
The girl went on, attempting to tell the others about all of her plans, but it was hard to follow. Finally, Raven said, “What will you need us for?”
The three of them worked together on a lot of the planning, which they really didn’t mind. They were just happy that Octavia and Lincoln had found each other in college. From the first time Clarke and Raven met him, they knew it was meant to be. The two had always teased Octavia about their future wedding and now it was really happening. They were the definition of true love, a love that Clarke secretly envied.
“So,” Octavia said, “what about you and your girl, Raven? Do we get to meet her yet?”
Raven blushed, as she always did when her friends brought up her girlfriend. They hadn’t been together for too long, so she was paranoid that she would jinx the relationship if she allowed her friends to meet her significant other. “She’s great. We were actually talking about you guys meeting her sometime soon. Are you guys free next weekend?”
Clarke and Octavia both squealed. This was Raven’s first relationship and it was killing them to not know their best friend’s girlfriend. They had heard some tidbits about Luna, but Raven was keeping most of the details to herself. Raven was clearly an introvert who valued her privacy, which her friends respected. Although they were definitely feeling the suspense, they wanted to give Raven the space she needed. However, once she said that she was ready to introduce Luna to them, the girls were completely ecstatic.
After making plans to meet Luna the following Saturday, Octavia received a phone call from Lincoln. Octavia answered her phone and Clarke turned to Raven. “How are you feeling, Rae?” Clarke asked seriously.
“The pain is bad, but I’m managing. I’m seeing my doctor soon to see if he can do anything to manage the pain,” Raven explained with a tentative smile. Raven had been in a devastating car wreck last year, leaving her with a leg damaged beyond repair. Her surgeon amputated the left leg and Raven spent the following months learning how to get around using a prosthetic. Nearly a year out, the prosthetic was the least of Raven’s worries – however, the pain was a different story. Raven didn’t talk about the pain much, but the doctor in Clarke knew it was more substantial than Raven would ever admit. She was the queen at putting on a brave face.
Clarke reached out and squeezed her friend’s arm. “You know we’re here if you need anything, right?”
Raven nodded and smiled. Just as she was about to thank Clarke, Octavia interrupted. She suddenly looked frustrated all over again as she threw her phone to her lap. “As if tonight couldn’t get any worse, Lincoln’s car won’t start. I have to go pick him up from work.”
“Will you have time to come back here for the pre-party?” Clarke asked, bummed.
Octavia looked at the time on her phone and sighed loudly. “He’s thirty minutes away and the party with his family is in an hour, so probably not. God, this is so not what I needed to happen,” she cried.
The girls agreed to wrap up early, much to their collective disappointment and Octavia’s annoyance. Raven’s apartment was on the way to Lincoln’s work, so it only made sense for Octavia to drop her off there on her way to pick up her boyfriend. Raven and Octavia both felt bad for leaving Clarke at the bar alone on a Friday night. She assured them that she would be fine, although she honestly felt sad that they were leaving without her. They spent the majority of every weekend together, which wouldn’t happen this weekend. She told herself that it would give her the opportunity to catch up on some sleep that she certainly needed.
“I’m so sorry about this,” Octavia said as she hugged Clarke goodbye.
Clarke hugged both of her friends. “It’s no problem! I hope you guys have a good night. Tell Linc I said ‘happy birthday,’ okay? Good luck with his family tonight.”
Octavia agreed and Raven said that she would give Clarke a call later to keep her company. After they left, Clarke sat back down at the table and pulled out her phone. Like the lame person she was, she took the time to go through her emails that she let pile up in her inbox all week long. She considered ordering another drink afterward, and then she remembered the bottle of wine in her fridge that was left over from a few weekends ago.
Clarke paid her tab and gathered her things before heading to the door. On her way out, she saw a girl stumbling toward the door. The girl was a tall brunette wearing skinny jeans, a loose white top, and heels, which weren’t helping her stay steady on her feet. Clarke watched the girl reach for the door, but she nearly missed and almost fell right on her face. Concerned for her safety, Clarke weaved through a few people to get to the door faster. “Here, let me help you,” Clarke said, holding the door for the drunken girl.
The girl stumbled her way out, mumbling something unintelligible to the girl who held the door. Clarke let the door shut, but stood in place as she watched the girl attempt to stumble down the sidewalk. She nearly fell more times than Clarke could count; when she began to sway even more, Clarke ran over to her side. She wrapped an arm around the girl’s waist to help her to the ground before she fell. “Are you alright?” she asked the girl.
No response. The girl was literally falling asleep and no amount of jostling would get her to stay awake. Clarke continued to attempt to talk to the girl, to get even just her name out of her, and the only noises that came from the girl were a few grumbles. From her own drunken shenanigans, Clarke knew that the girl just wanted to be left alone to sleep of the alcohol. Unfortunately, Clarke couldn’t just leave her there outside a bar on a Friday evening. She knew the girl who was nearly asleep would be no help, so Clarke reached for the girl’s purse and pulled out a cellphone and wallet. Thankfully, there was an ID in the wallet.
Lexa Woods. Clarke was glad to have her name, but that was only one hurdle that she jumped. Hoping to find someone to call and pick up Lexa to take her wherever home was, she grabbed the girl’s phone. Of course, the phone required a code to get in. Clarke rolled her eyes and sighed with frustration.
“Who are you, Lexa?” Clarke whispered.
A few people left the bar in groups, but none of them seemed to notice the blonde sitting with the passed out brunette. Clarke tried shaking the girl again, knowing full well that she wouldn’t get a response. She had no idea what to do with the girl. It was obvious that she had come to the bar alone because, as of right now, nobody had come looking for her. She considered calling the police, though she ended up deciding that there had to be a better solution.
Maybe how she was raised had an impact on what she chose to do next. From a young age, she remembered her mom teaching her to treat others how you wish to be treated. She knew that if someone was in need and she was able to help, she had to do everything within her power to do so. Ultimately, that was what led Clarke to apply for medical school. She possessed the ability to help others and it would be a shame to let those abilities go to waste, so during her sophomore year of high school Clarke decided she would become a doctor.
Her friends would have told Clarke that she was out of her mind for what she was about to do, but she didn’t know what else to do to help the stranger. It wasn’t in her nature to sit by and let others suffer, so she had to do something to help Lexa. Making up her mind, Clarke gathered Lexa’s purse, putting the phone and wallet back inside, and then slung the purse over her own shoulder. Figuring the girl could would be okay on her own for a minute or so, Clarke ran back inside and up to the bar where a barista was still serving drinks. She quickly ordered a bottle of water, grabbed a bill from her purse to throw at the barista, and then darted back outside. Lexa hadn’t moved an inch.
“You’re going to hate me for this,” Clarke muttered. She uncapped the bottle of water and grimaced, knowing just how much the girl would want to kill her in a few seconds. It’s the only way, she told herself.
Quickly, Clarke took a step toward the sleeping girl and turned the bottle upside down, squeezing to make the water come out faster. The ice cold water instantly made the girl gain consciousness when it splashed over her. When the girl suddenly sprang up into a sitting position, Clarke took the opportunity to loop her arm around the girl’s waist and pulled her onto her feet. She knew that the girl wouldn’t be awake enough to say anything, but Clarke hoped that she would be able to at least walk toward the vehicle down the block.
The walk wasn’t easy, but it went smoother than expected. Whenever Lexa began to fall asleep, Clarke would yank on the girl’s waist. Clarke didn’t care if Lexa passed out once in the car, as long as they both got there with little to no injuries.
The trek was only about a block away, thankfully. Once they were close, Clarke pressed the button on her car key to unlock the vehicle, suddenly extremely glad that she paid the car dealership extra money in order to have that feature. Lexa’s head was starting to droop again as Clarke reached out to open the passenger door of her car. Clarke managed to get the half sleeping girl into the car without any mishaps. Before closing the car door, Clarke reached around Lexa to fasten the girl’s seatbelt.
Clarke walked around to the driver’s side of her car and slipped into the seat. She stared at the girl next to her for a quick second, mostly to assure that she was still breathing. Clarke had no idea what she would do with her once they got to Clarke’s apartment. As she stared into the darkness of the night, she calculated how she would get Lexa out of the car and into the apartment building. Clarke was strong and Lexa was quite petite, but there was no way Clarke would be able to carry her inside to sleep off her impending hangover. Clarke shook her head as she put her car into gear, somewhat cursing herself for having the gene that made her care so deeply about others.
What had she gotten herself into?