I just wanted to apologize profusely for not having updated this sooner. I had some real life stuff come up as well moving and starting up college once again. But now I'm back in the swing of things and hopefully you all can forgive me for my absence. This isn't as long as other chapters, but I'm already almost done with Chapter 5 which will be the final chapter before the epilogue.
Here's the next chapter! Enjoy!

It was well into the hours of early morning, probably around a quarter past six when Clarke finally stirred in her sleep. She'd tried to stay awake, honest she had, but holding Lexa's hand had given her a comfort that she didn't know the Commander possessed, even while unconscious.

But she didn't stir of her own accord, no, something had woken her up. Eyes refused to open due to how tired she was, Clarke keeping her chin on her chest for several more moments before she realized what exactly had caused her to awaken.

Something, no, someone had squeezed her hand.

With a jolt, Clarke's head shot up, blue eyes wide as all thoughts of sleep left her body once she met those gorgeous green orbs. Her body felt lighter than it had been for the past few days, the urge to cry from happiness welling up within her but she managed, just barely, to hold it back.

"Clarke." The voice rasped out, her eyes searching for something as Lexa struggled to sit up. Clearly, she wasn't used to being this wounded. Or if she was, she didn't show it.

Clarke shook her head, pushing lightly on her shoulder as she reached for a cup of water, holding it to the brunette's lips who took a few swallows of the cool liquid before grimacing.

"I would appreciate it if you would not speak to the others about my current state. They would not take kindly to the Heda showing such…" Her voice broke off at the look she was given from Clarke.

"Weakness?" Clarke offered, putting the cup to the side as she moved out of the chair to sit on the side of the bed. She'd never seen Lexa like this, all small with wide, questioning eyes that were begging to ask a thousand different questions but resorted to none.

Lexa could only muster up a nod under Clarke's intense gaze, the blonde lifting a hand to caress a tanned cheek. Funnily enough, it was the one she'd slapped days prior. Lexa stiffened slightly under the touch before Clarke felt her lean slightly into it. The movement caused Clarke's breath to catch in her throat, her heart pounding in her chest from the sight.

"Love is weakness, Lexa." She said, hoping the girl would catch her meaning.

Clarke watched as Lexa's eyes darted to her own, surprise clouding them. Before the warrior could even open her mouth to speak, the blonde beat her to the punch once more.

"But like my dad used to tell me… Loving someone may be a weakness, but… To be loved by someone is a strength." She managed to say without stuttering, eyes drifting down slightly to their joined hands before biting her lip. "I don't know if you want to believe me or not but I think you can see that I'm right. If I'm right about one thing... It's this."

Lexa nodded, not knowing how to respond to respond to the girl who had so easily and rapidly captured her heart. Clarke was something she couldn't quite describe, something she couldn't quite grasp and yet, here she was, telling her things that made her already hazy mind spin. There were a thousand things she wanted to say but none of them quite managed to leave the tip of her tongue. All she could do was stare into blue pools and want nothing more than to drown in them.

Clarke wasn't phased by the lack of communication, knowing that her and Lexa often said their most when they weren't talking at all. Eyes closed as she remembered one of their best moments; the kiss. It came back in flashes, much like most of her memories always did, all want and need and... There had been no room for error, they had both wanted it, lips and lungs craving what only they could give to each other. But she hadn't been ready and the kiss that could have been the start of something had only led to the end. Or at least, she thought it had.

"Lexa, I..."

Silence had fallen upon the room and Clarke had attempted to rectify that but as she looked up, she saw that Lexa was sleeping peacefully, her face relaxing into Clarke's palm. The blonde's fingers flexed but she kept her hand there, thumb swiping the skin tenderly before slowly easing Lexa's head back onto the pillow.

Laying on the bed next to Lexa, Clarke made sure to keep her distance but brought her hand up to rest on the older girl's arm, running her fingers back and forth in a soothing manner. They didn't need to discuss what all this meant, the feelings that she had only days prior wished would disappear but had remained, her heart knowing what she'd really wanted. No, they didn't need to discuss this now.

They could talk later.

There would always be later.