Everything To Lose

Chapter 18

Clarke swung the kids' room door open and called out "Aden, Madi, Come on, time to wake..."

Clarke stopped mid-sentence when she saw Lexa startle awake at her voice. She had been sleeping in a weird position. Sitting by Aden's bed and resting her head on her hands on his sheets. Aden's eyes opened and first fell on Lexa.

"Lexa..." he whispered.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were sleeping here" Clarke said as she took a cautious step towards them. Aden rubbed at his eyes, and Madi stirred awake too now.

Lexa looked sleepy. Drained. So very tired.

Lexa's eyes stayed on Aden's at first, realization dawning on her as to why and how she ended up here. Then she looked over at Madi, who seemed to turn to the other side trying to go back to sleep, then she looked up at Clarke.

It took her a moment to properly understand why Clarke was so awake and dressed in gym-wear.

"uhhh, I just got back from a run." Clarke explained.

"Do you run every day?" Lexa asked, not understanding why she wanted that information, but asking it anyway.

"I do" Clarke said.

They were silent then.

"Listen if you need to sleep some more, if the guestroom isn't too comfortable, I can get the mattresses changed, or you could sleep in our..."

"No, no... it's fine" Lexa said. Knowing Clarke must wonder why she slept here all night. Little did Clarke know she hardly slept a few hours.

Lexa stood up then. But stumbled a bit from the haziness in her head. Clarke instinctively reached out to hold her and once again, Lexa pulled away from her touch, "I'm fine" she said hastily. Not wanting to look at Clarke knowing she'd find hurt there.

"I'm going to take a shower" she mumbled as she walked out of the room.

Clarke stood there staring at Aden who smiled sheepishly at her.

When Lexa came downstairs after a long warm shower in the guestroom's bathroom, she realized she was the last to make it down for breakfast.

"Lexa!" came Raven's voice when she spotted her walking down the staircase.

Madi got off her stool and ran towards her.

"Hey honey, did you sleep well?" Lexa asked her.

"Morning, mommy. I did. I dreamed about you too."

"Now that's definitely a good sleep" she said as she lifted Madi up in her arms.

"How many times have I told you she's too big to be carried around now, Lexa. You can't encourage that habit" came Anya's voice as Lexa approached them where they were sitting at the kitchen island, the island covered with a wide variety of breakfast foods, Lexa noticed.

Madi laughed. "I'll carry her for as long as I want." said Lexa, nuzzling her nose into Madi's cheek and kissing her.

"Yea, mommy's quite strong that way" Madi said proudly and then chuckled when her mom sat on one of the stools next to Anya and let Madi sit in her lap as she tickled her sides. Lexa then looked up at Clarke. She had changed out of her gym wear and was looking more comfortable, more homely now.

"Good morning" Clarke said.

"Moring" Lexa said, smiling slightly.

Raven stole a glance towards Anya over Aden's head.

Aden who was siting between them was oblivious to the exchanges. He was more excited about all the options he had for breakfast this morning.

"Can I have waffles now, momma?" he caught Clarke's attention.