Grounders(#wattys2016)

Chapter 15 Clarke

Clarke POV

I made my way to the studio fairly quickly, Best to get this over with. I think to myself.

To my surprise, Lincoln isn't alone. Raven is there too and she hands me a cup of coffee which I accept gratefully.

"Whoever invented coffee was a freaking genius!" I declare.

They both laugh, amused but then silence quickly follows.

I roll my eyes, "Ok you two. Just say it."

"This is an intervention" Raven states
"You know I don't do drugs, right?" I ask arching an eyebrow at them both.

They look at each other and Lincoln finally speaks.
"Clarke, you can't keep running from your past."

"I'm not running from anything!" I respond weakly.

Raven jumps in, "Babe, you are my best friend and you know I love you, but you need to talk to Bellamy. "

"It's too late. " I shake my head as I feel the tears threaten to spill.

Raven hugs me as Lincoln speaks, "Octavia says Bellamy is just as mopey as you are. He just has Bella to distract him."

"Just because he gave you the option to walk away didn't mean you had to walk away! Don't forget, he had just found out he had a kid, he clearly wasn't thinking. " Raven adds as Lincoln nods in agreement.

I grow silent for a moment then take a deep breath.

"Ok. So how do I fix this?"

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Bellamy POV

Octavia has just finished feeding Bella while I put the finishing touches on lunch. Grilled cheese, American, Provolone, fresh tomato and chopped basil.

"Mmmmm Bell. That smells sooo good!" Octavia approves, setting Bella in her bouncy so we can eat.

Before I can reply my phone rings. Its Clarke

"Hello?"

"Bellamy? "

"Yeah? "

"I...I want to apologize for the other day..."

"It's ok" I answer quickly.

There's a beat of silence.

"Would it be ok if I stopped by later?" She asks timidly, " I...I have something for you... and... we should talk."

"Sure. I'd like that. Does seven sound ok?"

"Yeah. Thanks Bellamy. "

"Bye"

"That was Clarke" I tell Octavia who looks unsurprised.

"And...?" She prompts.

"And she wants to stop by tonight to talk."

"Good."

"Did you know about this?" I ask her.

She shrugs, "Lincoln may have mentioned something. " she looks me in the eye. "Bellamy? "

"Yeah?"

"Hear her out tonight ok? I don't know her story but Lincoln says she's been thru a lot. You need to let her talk and you need to listen. Ok?"

"Ok" I huff letting out the breath I had been holding since the phone rang.

Clarke POV

I park and turn off the car, trying not to panic.

Well, here goes.

I get out of the car, take a deep breath and rub my sweaty palms on my jeans before reaching for the carefully wrapped box on the seat. The contents of this box are very special and something I had been hiding away in a closet. It was time to let go of the pain and giving this away would be the first step.

Bellamy opens the door almost as soon as I knock.

"Hi Clarke, come in" he says standing aside to let me in.

Once I get inside we both sit on the couch a little awkwardly. He makes no mention of the box I sit on the table.

"So" we both say at once. We stop and smile at each other.

"I'm sorry!" We both say again and laugh.

At that moment his daughter starts fussing so Bellamy picks her up and snuggles her close.

You can do this Clarke.

"Bellamy" I begin, "I haven't really told you anything about my past and I really need to do that so you understand why I sort of lost it the other day. Maybe then we can start over?"

He nods and I start to tell him my story.

***flashback 9 months ago***

I had reached the halfway point in my pregnancy but not many people knew because my belly hadn't 'popped' yet.

Finding out I was pregnant had initially been quite a shock. My mom was already angry because I had dropped out of Med school to open Grounders with Raven. When I told her I was pregnant and that it was Murphy's she had been further infuriated and refused to help at all. I didn't need her help anyway. The following months, Raven and Lincoln helped me get ready for becoming a mom. They took turns coming to my appointments. Raven loved to take me shopping for baby clothes. They had a special baby blanket, hat and booties made for me by Lincoln's grandma. It was the sweetest thing.

As much fun as the preparations were, I did, however need to tell the father and I couldn't put it off any longer.

I had met Murphy shortly after Raven and I had both dumped Finn.He was a truck driver and I got to know him when he dropped off our weekly beer supply for the bar.

One thing led to another but it didn't last long, and now here I was, pregnant and alone.

I knocked on his door to find him shirtless and drunk with a cigarette in his hand.

"What do you want?"

"I need to talk to you."

"So talk" he grunted, not moving from the door.

"Fine. I'm pregnant, and its yours!" I announce turning to walk away. I call over my shoulder, "Don't worry Murphy, I'm not expecting anything I just thought you should know."

"Clarke! Clarke Wait!" he calls after me.

He grabs my arm, startling me, just as I reach the stairs. I jerk away in reflex, lose my balance and tumble down the stairs.

I woke up several hours later in the hospital with a mild concussion, Raven and Lincoln by my side.

Murphy was no where in sight.

That was when they told me I had lost my baby.

***end of flashback***

As I finish my story, I try to avoid looking in Bellamy's eyes to see the pity that I know will be staring back at me.

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