Shallow Valley

27.Shelter

27.

Yes I know, I know you've been hurt before
And life will lay you low, oh of that I'm sure
But just say the word baby and I'm yours
I'll be shelter, keep you safe and warm
(Joy Oladokun-Shelter)

"Anya, what happened? How is Madi? Is she okay?" Lexa asked worried. She and Clarke had just arrived at the station and the brunette needed to see her adoptive kid as soon as possible. Anya sighed.

"She is in trouble, Lex. She had a fight with Rose Paulson, the daughter of one of the richest families of the town. She almost broke her nose.". Lexa couldn't believe her ears. She was so confused.

"Are you fucking kidding me, An?"

"I'd like to, honestly. And that's not all. Follow me, please.". Lexa couldn't move. Clarke took her hand and squeezed it.

"I'm here with you, for you. Let's follow your sister, I'm sure that there is an explanation for everything." she whispered and Lexa nodded, shocked. They followed Anya and entered a small office, where Octavia and a stranger were talking with Madi, Charlotte and a redhead girl with a wounded nose. Behind them there were four adults and Lexa could recognize Bellamy and Echo. When Madi saw her, she bit her lip and bowed her head in shame.

"Sorry, I was on the other side of the town. What happened?". Words died in her mouth. She couldn't believe it. In front of her there was Indra Birch, the most ferocious federal agent of the region, the one who had started believing that Grounders really existed. Fortunately, the woman couldn't recognize her. At least, this was what Lexa was praying.

"What happened? That crazy animal who you call daughter punched Rose on her poor and beautiful face." the woman behind the redhead girl said, bringing the brunette back to reality.

"What? Why?" she asked Madi, gaining no answer at all.

"And that's not all. We found this in her backpack." agent Birch claimed, showing a little baggie full of pills. Lexa's jaw dropped. It couldn't be possible.

"Agent Birch, can we discuss this later?" Octavia told the older woman, visibly nervous about that choice of showing the baggie in front of everyone. "Charlotte, you can go. Thank you for your help." she then said to the blonde girl and her parents. Madi could feel Echo's hand on her shoulder and she turned to her. Her coach's eyes were full of delusion and she wanted to cry and explain herself. But she couldn't, she knew that. She watched the Blakes leaving the office and shook her head. Clarke and Lexa sat immediately next to her and she turned to Rose in order to avoid their gazes.

"I'm so sorry, I... It's not what I taught her. I will pay whatever I will have to, it's a promise.". The woman behind the redhead, a tall, thin black haired, scoffed.

"We don't need your money. Seeing you it's clear why your daughter is so violent.". Lexa and Octavia glanced, confused.

"Excuse me?" the brunette asked, without understanding well what the woman in front of her was saying.

"Well, we can't be surprised to see violent kids who wear horrible black t-shirts full of monstrous drawings if people like you think to be parents.". Lexa was starting to understand the point, but she still wasn't sure about it. She didn't want to be.

"What do you mean?" she asked, trying to be more polite as possible. Clarke was next to her, in silence and incredulous for that conversation.

"Oh, c'mon. Kids need a father and a mother. You can be a good friend for this girl, nothing else. It's clear to me why she has no discipline, how can a kid grow up in a healthy way if she is raised without any moral principle?"