pLexa didn't even want to be here. She thought that once she turned eighteen her parents would stop dragging her to these stupid events held by their stupid rich 'friends'. /p

pShe should've known better, really. Because at twenty four and twenty one, Anya and Lincoln were still being dragged along. /p

p"I hate these things," Lexa grumbled, tugging at her shirt. She stuck out like a sore thumb; dressed in her red plaid shirt, a pair of torn skinny jeans and her distressed looking combat boots. Lincoln wasn't much better, dressed in a pair of black jeans, a white shirt and his leather jacket. The only one of the Woods siblings that seemed to have made an effort was Anya, who was dressed in a beautiful emerald green gown her hair curled, a complete contrast to Lexa's, whose barely looked brushed./p

p"Count yourself lucky," Lincoln murmured, leaning back against the wall, bringing his drink up to his lips. "I've been coming to these things six years longer than you have."/p

pLexa rolled her eyes, bringing her own, non-alcoholic, drink to her lips. "At least you can drink."/p

p"I'm just glad Anya is the pride and joy of the family," Lincoln murmured, tipping the rim of her glass in the direction of Anya, who was laughing -falsely, Lexa noted- at something an old, creepy man had said. "At least we aren't been showcased like a show pony."/p

p"Mm," Lexa hummed into her glass. "Watching this makes me want to drop out of school and become a disappointment."/p

p"I'm not sure that will work,"/p

p"Worked for you." She teased, laughing when Lincoln shot her a glare. "I was kidding, kind of."/p

pLexa watched Anya as she turned away from the creepy man, her smile instantly dropping into a scowl as she made her way over to her siblings./p

p"I wish I hadn't bothered graduation," Anya hissed, snatching Lincoln's drink from him and downing it in one. She cringed when she finally registered the taste, a shiver wrecking her body. "Jesus fuck, what is that?"/p

p"Whiskey," Lincoln answered with a smirk. /p

p"Mixed with what?"/p

p"More whiskey," He shrugged when Anya have him a disbelieving look. "What? I need a lot of help to get through this stupid thing."/p

p"I'm going to get another Coke, you want one?" Lexa asked, setting her empty cup on the table beside her and back peddling toward the bar. /p

p"Yeah, sure."/p

pLexa spun around on the balls of her feet and headed over to the bar, resting her elbows on the counter, waiting for the bartender to come by. /p

pShe tapped her fingers restlessly on the surface, her eyes gravitating to the left when she felt someone come up beside her. A beautiful woman, not much older than Lexa, with pretty blonde hair, rosy red lips and a teal blue dress that, Lexa noted, went well with her eyes. /p

pThe girl spotting Lexa staring and smile, opening her mouth to speak but the bartender bet her to it, asking what Lexa wanted. /p

pShe placed her order and glanced back over at the woman beside her. She was now leaning back against the bar, her blonde hair thrown haphazardly over her shoulder as her eyes surveyed Lexa. /p

p"You're a Woods, aren't you?" The woman asked in an almost salutary tone, her eyes dragging up the length of Lexa's body to look back into her eyes. /p

p"Yeah, how'd you know?"/p

p"You and your brother have the same punk rock, 'I don't owe the world shit' feel about you. Also your facial structure, you Woods' have really sharp, sculptured edges."/p

p"You know my brother?" Was all Lexa could think to say in that moment and she wanted to kick herself. This beautiful woman was flirting with her and ithat/i was the question she asked?/p

p"You Woods are pretty infamous. Your parents fork out a lot of money at these events."/p

p"What is this one even for?"/p

p"I have absolutely no idea," the woman shrugged and Lexa laughed, paying the bartender when he sat her drinks in front of her. "I'm Clarke, by the way."/p

p"Cool," Lexa murmured, gently taking ahold of Clarke's outstretched hand. "I'm Lexa, the youngest Woods."/p

p"Mm," Clarke practically purred, her thumb brushing against Lexa's knuckles before she pulled back. /p

p"Who're you here with?"/p

p"My husband," Clarke nudged her head over to the man who was currently standing with Lexa's parents. He must have been at least double Clarke's age, grey hair and slightly heavy set, Lexa didn't see the appeal. /p

p"Seriously?" Lexa frowned, smiling brightly when her parents turned to look at her, lifting her hand as a greeting. "He's twice your age," She said out of the corner of her mouth, her smile dropping when her parents turned back to the man. Clarke's husband./p

p"Age is merely a number, Woods." /p

pLexa rolled her eyes. "How much is he worth?"/p

p"Kind of rude, don't you think?" Clarke asked but her smirk didn't falter as she stepped a little closer to Lexa, running her fingertips down the skin on Lexa's forearm. /p

p"Well, why else would you be with him?" Lexa challenged, stealing herself when Clarke's breath washed over her face. They were out in the open, Clarke's husband was a few feet away and Clarke was up this close to her, looking at her like she was a piece of meat. "I mean, sure, if he is quiet well equipped that's fine but I'm sure he is just like a sack of potatoes in bed, I'm not sure his fragile little heart could handle anything more demanding."/p

p"Oh, and you think you could handle me?" Clarke quirked an eyebrow, her eyes hooded as she peered down at Lexa and Lexa knows she should take a step back and just stop this right now. She didn't, she couldn't really bring herself to do that. /p

p"Princess, please, I could show you things that guys degenerated mind couldn't even dream up."/p

pClarke smirked, her eyelashes fluttered at Lexa's words. /p

p"Hey, kid, where's that Coke?" Anya asked, appearing behind Lexa. /p

pClarke took a step away from her, her eyes not leaving Lexa as she grabbed her drinks and followed after her sister. /p

p"Are you fucking crazy?" Anya hissed as they reached Lincoln. "Surely you must know that she is married too that guy over that. That billionaire who just so happens to own this mansion and who is holding this event."/p

p"I was just asking what she seen in him," Lexa shrugged, "She came on to me."/p

pLincoln nudged Lexa's shoulder with his elbow and tapped the rim of her glass with the top of his hip flask. Lexa nodded, allowing Lincoln to pour a generous amount of whisky into her Coke. /p

pAnya scowled at the both of them. /p

p"Come on, An, relax." Lincoln sighed, holding his flask out too his sister. "This place is boring as shit and if she can't flirt with rich old men's wives she will need a little help."/p

p"Fine," Anya snatched the flask out of his hand and poured some into her drink before shoving it back into her grinning brothers hand. "But don't let her get drunk, understand?"/p

pLincoln nodded innocently, waiting for Anya to move away again before nudging his sister. "She was hot, though." He commented, chinking his glass against Lexa's. "But Anya is right, going after a rich man's wife would never end well."/p

p"I wasn't going after her," Lexa argued with a halfhearted laugh, taking a gulp of her drink, cringing when the liquid burned down her throat. "She was flirting with me. I think she's just bored, can you imagine dating something as prehistoric as that?"/p

p"To be fair he isn't that old," Lincoln reasoned and Lexa peered over the rim of her glass at Clarke who was standing behind her husband but something was off. Her husband was paying attention to the group of girls that surrounded him which, what? Clarke was the prettiest girl at this party (well, she was on par with Anya but Lexa would never admit that to her siblings). "He's only about seventy and he still seems to be a real hit with the girls."/p

p"His money is a real hit with the girls, I bet he needs meds just to get himself going."/p

p"Don't be moody," Lincoln laughed, patting his sisters shoulder. "I'm sure you will find yourself a hot girl soon."/p

p"I'm not being moody I'm just saying, the guy is a creep."/p

p"Mm, but that's just something that happens to old, lonely rich men, they go after the youngest models. The ones with the tight bodies and the nice wracks."/p

p"Dude, stop being so crass." Lexa grumbled, topping her glass in the direction of the man. "Maybe that's you in sixty years."/p

p"You say that like it's a bad thing." Lincoln shrugged with a smirk that was partially hidden behind his glass. /p

p"It's gross, dude." Lexa huffed. "I mean he is married and he is letting those women paw at him like horny dogs, right in front of his wife, no less."/p

p"I just won't get married."/p

p"Mm, you are just going to stay a trust fund baby all your life."/p

p"I don't know what job you think you're gonna get with a zoology degree but I can promise you that it won't pay a lot."/p

p"I don't need it too," Lexa shrugged, draining the remainder of her drink, swallowing the urge to throw it right back up. "I don't wanna buy myself a wife."/p

p"Aw, you wanna marry for love?" Lincoln cooed teasingly, ruffling his sisters hair. "That's cute, kiddo."/p

p"Fuck off," Lexa grumbled, fixing her hair as she scowled up at her brother. "I don't wanna get married at all but I don't want be with someone who is only with me because I have money either."/p

p"Well, if you ever idid/i at least it's legal now."/p

p"Then maybe you can marry the pool boy," Lexa tossed her grin over her shoulder as she made her way back over to the bar for another coke. /p

pLincoln added some whiskey to that Coke too, and the next three after that and it wasn't until Lexa went to find a bathroom that she realised Lincoln hadn't kept his word to Anya about not letting her get drunk./p

pLexa stumbled as she pushed opened a random door, a little 'oops' and a giggle escaping her lips when she realised it was a bedroom she had stumbled into. /p

pShe quickly turned around, tripping again over the same little bit of carpet she had before. The next door she tried was locked, leading her to make up a scenario in her head about some kind of sex dungeon, she quickly stopped thinking about the old guy but she didn't mind thinking about Clarke using it. She finally stumbled into a bathroom on her fourth try but it wasn't an empty bathroom, this bathroom was occupied by the pretty girl from the bar. /p

p"Oh, hey, sorry. I've been lookin' for a bathroom in this place for the past ten minutes." Lexa stumbled over her words as she swayed in the doorway, watching Clarke's reflection as she finished reapplying her lipstick before grinning at Lexa through the mirror /p

p"Are you drunk?" She asked, fixing the line of her lipstick with her thumb before turning to Lexa, resting her lower back against the sink. /p

p"Define drunk?"/p

p"Do you want the Oxford definition or my definitely?" Clarke crossed her arms and Lexa could stop her eyes from dropping to her chest, that seemed to be pushed up further by the crossing of her arms. /p

p"Uh, both." Lexa squeaked./p

p"Ok," Clarke hummed, taking a step closer to Lexa using her knuckles to lift the girls eyes up to her own. "Well, the Oxford definition is someone who is affected by alcohol to the extent of losing control of one's behaviours. iMy/i definition is swaying in the doorway of a bathroom with a goofy, adorable smile."/p

p"You have beautiful eyes," Lexa sighed, her shoulders sagging forward as if Clarke's knuckles under her chin was the only thing holding her up. /p

p"And you are drunk,"/p

p"Sure," Lexa agreed, waving her hand dismissively. "iBut/i I will wake up and be sober, in the morning you will still have beautiful eyes." /p

pClarke released a throaty laugh, gripping onto Lexa's shoulders, forcing her to stand up straight. "Are you even old enough to drink?"/p

pLexa stared at Clarke through bleary eyes, pointing lazily up at the blonde. "No, but I can legally get married and join the army."/p

p"Not what I asked but ok," Clarke grinned. "How about we don't get married just yet, you never join the army and I take you to the spare room to sleep this off. The function won't be over for hours yet, I can let your brother and sister know where you are."/p

p"I don't need to sleep, 'm fine." Lexa assured, smiling brightly at Clarke but it dropped off into a little frown after a few seconds. "Why was he ignorin' you?"/p

p"Who?"/p

p"The grandpa you married, he wasn't paying you any attention and whenever you spoke he just kind of waved you off." Lexa commented, allowing Clarke to guide her over to the toilet, sitting her down on the lid (probably because she almost keeled over backwards as she was speaking). "Like, I don't get it."/p

p"What don't you get?" Clarke inquired curiously, sitting down on the lip of the huge bathtub. "Did you expect him to be the attentive husband with all those girls fawning over him?"/p

p"Ok, sure," Lexa huffed, holding her hand out in Clarke's direction. "Those girls were pretty but you, they didn't have a patch on you. If I had a girl as pretty as you no one else would ever catch my attention."/p

p"That's sweet," Clarke smiled, gently squeezing Lexa's knee. "But you as much as anyone should understand that when you have money it can buy you anything you want, be that a beautiful wife or pretty mistress."/p

p"I suppose my mom and dads relationship isn't much to go on either. Anya had a boyfriend but he was an asshole and Lincoln kind of has a thing with the pool boy."/p

p"And you?" Clarke asked, looking at Lexa through her eyelashes. /p

p"Nah," Lexa shook her head quickly and shrugged her shoulders. "People know who I am, they tend to avoid me."/p

pThere was a little frown on Clarke's face but she didn't ask why and Lexa figured she probably already knew. Everyone had heard the stories about how ruthless and mean her father was and she had probably seen the stories about the out of control Woods kids. /p

p"Are you old enough to drink?" Lexa asked quickly, trying to change the subject. /p

p"I am, but only just." Clarke said with a cheeky little smile. "You must have people who want to date you because they know you have money."/p

p"Well, yeah, sure. But that's not the same."/p

p"It would make you feel less lonely."/p

p"No, you would still feel lonely. I mean, they would keep me warm but they wouldn't really know me." Lexa reasoned. "Are iyou/i lonely?"/p

p"What's that got to do with it?"/p

p"Nothing, I'm just curious." Lexa shrugged. "You act like it doesn't bother you, that him ignoring you is fine but it's not, I could see it in your face every time he waved you off like you were nothing."/p

p"Ok, but we are only talking about this because you're drunk and probably won't remember this in the morning." Clarke sighed, "Yeah, I am lonely but I don't have it made like you."/p

p"What do you mean?"/p

p"My dad was killed and my mom spiralled into a depression, she didn't go out to work so I had to do it for her as soon as I was able too. That's why it was so easy for me to marry Jeff, love doesn't mean anything to me, it doesn't exist as far as I'm concerned and I thought I deserved a break."/p

p"What happened to him?"/p

p"He was in a car crash, entirely my fault, I went out and got drunk and he had to come pick me up. The reason I was out getting drunk was because my parents were going through a rough patch, constantly fighting my, I'm pretty sure my mom was fucking her boss, it just messed thirteen year old me up." /p

p"That still isn't a reason to be in an unhappy relationship, just 'cause you're 'rents weren't happy."/p

p"No offence, kid, but you don't really know shit. You were brought up in a happy family with money, you had nothing to worry about growing up."/p

p"My mom was never home, I was raised by my brother and sister, my dad knocks us around, we get twenty rounds of his belt on our backs if we have been particularly badly behaved and I have to take pills just to stop me from completely breaking down in public." Lexa shot back, her drunk eyes narrowed as she spoke. "But, sure, because I have money I have nothing to worry about."/p

pClarke eyed Lexa for a few seconds, not entirely sure what to say to that so, instead, she motioned toward the toilet. "Pee then we can head back downstairs, we can avoid your parents, hang out in the lounge area away from everyone."/p

pLexa glanced down at the toilet. "With you here?"/p

p"Is that a problem?"/p

p"Yes," Lexa squeaked. "I will have performance anxiety."/p

pClarke laughed as she stood up, holding onto Lexa's elbows and pulling her up with her. "I'm sorry for what I said and what I made you say."/p

p"Whatever," Lexa grumbled, clumsily pulling the lid to the toilet up, peering at Clarke over her shoulder. "I wasn't kidding about performance anxiety, I won't be able to pee with you here."/p

p"I will be waiting right outside, ok?"/p

pLexa nodded jerkily, pointing accusingly over at Clarke. "Don't listen."/p

p"Why would I want to listen to you pee?"/p

p"Mm, true." Lexa agreed waiting for Clarke to leave before peeing./p

pThey ended up in the lounge after that, Lexa lying back lazily on an armchair while Clarke perched herself on the arm. "So, what do you do? Do you work for your parents?"/p

p"No, I'm at university."/p

p"What are you studying?"/p

p"Zoology with a minor in cryptozoology," Lexa said, her head lolling to the side so she could peer up at Clarke. "The cryptozoology thing is more because I find it interesting, I don't really want a job in that field."/p

p"What job do you want?"/p

p"I want to look after wolves."/p

pClarke looked a little perplexed at that, "Look after them?"/p

p"Mm, like in conservation zoos and stuff, you know? I wanna help rehabilitate injured wolves." Lexa explained, watching as Clarke's face morphed from an confused look to a soft, impressed look. "What?"/p

p"Nothing. I just thought you would've carried on the family business, you know? Like your brother is, or even become a doctor like your sister."/p

p"Nope," Lexa said, popping the 'p' as she shook her head, pointing her thumbs at herself. "Family disappointment."/p

p"Seriously? Your parents consider what you're doing as disappointing?"/p

p"Mhm. I won't end up with a job that pays hundreds of thousands of dollars, that's disappointing to them."/p

p"And what about you?" Clarke kicked her heels off, perching her feet on the arm across from her, stretching her legs across Lexa's body. That seemed to capture Lexa's full attention, the younger girls eyes running down Clarke's legs with a look that Clarke hadn't had directed toward her in since high school. Clarke snapped her fingers in front of Lexa's face and the girls head snapped up, a sheepish smile appearing on her lips. /p

p"Sorry, what?"/p

p"What do you think? Do you think it's disappointing that you won't be earning a lot of money?"/p

p"I don't really care. Money isn't top of my priorities and I know I can say that because it's never something I've had to worry about but love or, you know, happiness will always trump it for me." Lexa explained lazily, licking her lips, touching her pointer finger against her bottom lip as she tried to keep her hands as far away from Clarke's legs as possible. /p

p"Love is over rated."/p

p"Love can't just be what my 'rents have or what your 'rents had. It has to be more than that, that can't just be it."/p

p"What if it is?"/p

pLexa looked thoughtful for a second before shaking her head definitively. "It isn't. I've iseen/i love, ok? My brother has a boyfriend, the pool boy, and you can see it in his eyes, you know? Whenever he talks about him his eyes just light up, you can see how much he loves him just by how his body language changes. iThey/i are my proof that love exists."/p

p"Well then, his is one of the lucky ones."/p

p"Maybe," Lexa hummed, seemingly loosing her fight with herself as her touched her fingertips against Clarke's shins. "But I'm still not going to give up on finding what they have."/p

pClarke watched Lexa's hand as her fingers skimmed down her shins and over the bone of her ankle. /p

p"Lexa, there you are."/p

pLexa was out of her seat in a second, knocking Clarke's legs away (and almost knocking her off the chair completely), her eyes landing on her dad as she swayed. /p

pClarke slyly placed her hand on Lexa's back as she stood, an attempt to keep her standing, smiling sweetly at Lexa's father. "Sorry, Mr Woods, Lexa and I have just been hanging out."/p

pThe man's eyes ran down Clarke's body, his lips turned up in disgust as her murmured. "I seen that,"/p

p"Dad, that wasn't what it looked like. We were just talking."/p

p"I'm sure," the man hummed, levelling his hard eyes on Lexa. "Have you been drinking?"/p

p"What? No, dad. No." Lexa lied. /p

p"What have a told you about lying, sweetheart?" The man said with a sickeningly sweet smile. "Come on, I think it's time we got you home."/p

pLexa took a step forward, glancing back at Clarke when the woman fisted the back of her shirt. She opened her mouth but quickly closed it again when Lexa shook her head. "I'll see you around." Lexa said and something in the way she said it told Clarke not to even try and argue, that whatever was coming would be made worse if she did. /p

pClarke swallowed and nodded. "Yeah, see you."/p

pLexa followed her dad out of the lounge to where her siblings and mom were waiting. /p

p"Everything ok?" Lincoln asked quietly as they waited for the valet to bring their car around. /p

pLexa clenched her jaw and peered up at her brother, faintly shaking her head. /p

p"I will tell him I gave it to you."/p

p"Don't," Lexa warned. "That isn't why he is mad anyway and if you tell him that will just result in both of us getting hurt."/p

pLincoln told their dad anyway and, like Lexa had pointed out, had been subjected to the same beating Lexa was. /p

pThe next day they both sported matching black eyes and probably had pretty similar belt buckle marks painted across their backs./p

pAnya eyed them carefully over breakfast, wishing the same thing they all do when one of them got hurt; that they could stop it, some how defend their siblings without ending up with the same fate./p

pLexa was in her room studying later that night when there was a knock on her door. /p

p"I'm busy Lincoln." She called, figuring it wasn't her parents since they were on a plane somewhere over the Atlantic right now or Anya who was working. She sighed when the door opened. "Dude, I don't wanna talk about it."/p

pWhen she snapped her head round instead of Lincoln in her doorway it was Clarke, looking rather uncomfortable at first but that morphed into a look of concern as she made her way over to Lexa's desk. "What did he do to you?" She asked, gripping onto Lexa's chin. She tried to pull her head away but Clarke didn't let her. "Was this for getting drunk?"/p

p"No,"/p

pClarke frowned at first, wondering why the hell Lexa's dad would hit her if it wasn't for getting drunk then it dawned on her, the position he had caught them in last night. "Was this my fault?"/p

p"No, it was my own fault."/p

p"Don't lie to me, kid." Clarke sighed, running her fingertips around the purple mark on Lexa's cheekbone. /p

p"I'm not a kid,"/p

p"Ok. Don't lie to me, young adult." Clarke said playfully, drawing a huffy little laugh from Lexa. "I'm not saying it cause you are an actual kid, it's a term of endearment."/p

pLexa nodded, staring up at Clarke as the blonde tentatively moved her head from side to side to look for any more damage. "How did you know my parents wouldn't be home?"/p

p"'Cause they are at the same function in London as my husband is, I heard them talking about it yesterday." Clarke answers. "Are you hurt anywhere else?"/p

p"Why didn't you go?"/p

p"I didn't want to, Lexa, now answer my question. Are you hurt anywhere else?"/p

pLexa looked at up Clarke and it actually crossed her mind to tell the truth but she quickly vetoed that idea. "No,"/p

p"I don't believe you," Clarke shot back within seconds and that threw Lexa a little. Lexa was so used to everyone -save her siblings and the only person outside her family she actually considered a friend, Octavia- just believing her when she said she was fine. "I'm not going to tell anyone." Clarke promised, her hand dropping from Lexa's chin as she stared pleadingly down at Lexa. "Talk to me."/p

p"Why? Because we have some kind of drunken moment you think we are friends?" Lexa huffed, taking a step away from Clarke, running her hand through her hair and throwing it messily over her shoulder. "We aren't friends, we couldn't be, my dad sees me with you and I get another one of theses." Lexa pointed to her black eye and Clarke's eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and, Lexa thinks, anger? "I don't even know why you came by."/p

p"To check up on you," Clarke said, a scowl appearing on her face as she took a step backwards toward the door. "I don't know why I bothered now."/p

p"No, I don't either. Now, if you don't mine," Lexa motioned toward the door with a little flick of her wrist. "I have to study."/p

p"Fine," Clarke snapped, wheeling around on the balls of her feet and strutting toward the door (and maybe Lexa's eyes dropped to her ass, but only for a second. Or five) but her movements stalled before she crossed the threshold. "You are ok, right? You aren't too badly hurt?" She asked, not bothering to turn around as she stopped on the doorway. /p

p"No, I'm good."/p

pClarke's head bobbed and Lexa stared at the back of it, waiting for Clarke to continue walking or to turn around and refuse to leave (Lexa isn't sure which she would prefer right now). "I'm sorry," She said, then she was gone before Lexa could tell her it wasn't her fault or ask her to stay. /p

pLexa grabbed her biology book and perching herself in her swinging basket seat in the corner. /p

pShe tried to get back into studying but she could only managed to read over a few lines at a time before her vision blurred and her mind wandered to Clarke. /p

pShe finally gave up when her door creaked open a few hours later and Anya peeked her head inside. /p

p"Hey, kiddo."/p

pLexa smiled at her sister, who was still dressed in her hospital clothes, and received a tired smile in return. "How was work?" She asked and Anya took that as an invitation to come in, perching herself on Lexa's bed. /p

p"Yeah, it was good." Anya said. "I heard Clarke stopped by."/p

p"Yeah," Lexa sighed, closing her biology book and throwing it into the floor, pulling her knees up to her chest. /p

p"What's going on, Lele?" Laura asked softly, and the once cute childhood nickname was kind of bittersweet to Lexa now. It reminded her of when they were kids but now, the only time the names where ever used was after one of their fathers punishments. "She's married, you know that."/p

p"Yeah, I know."/p

p"You aren't having an affair or anything, are you?"/p

p"No," Lexa shook her head, picking at the torn denim around her knee. "I don't know, Anya. I thought she was just a gold digging bimbo and, sure, the gold digging part is true but she is far from a bimbo."/p

p"I think you're just lonely, kiddo, you don't want a woman like her." Lexa wanted to argue, tell Anya that she didn't even know what kind of woman Clarke was but she was to tired and her ribs were beginning to hurt from where her dads belt back at made contact with her side. "You'll be fine when Octavia gets home, you will be less lonely then."/p

p"Yeah, I suppose." Lexa sighed, groaning as she stretched out her legs, making sure not to lift her arms too high to prevent her ribs from hurting more than they already were. /p

p"Get come sleep, Lele, you have uni in the morning."/p

p"Yeah, I think I'm going to try and sleep early tonight."/p

pShe went to bed at eleven but she didn't fall asleep until half past four, only to have to get up at six to get ready for class. /p

pShe managed to concentrate in class but as soon as it was over she drove home and fell into bed, lazily petting the wolfdog puppy (Aurora, called so because of her intense Amber eyes that stuck out against her midnight black fur) when she clambered across her sheets and fell down beside her head, poking her nose against Lexa's arm. /p

pLexa lifted her arm without much thought, allowing the puppy to worm under and settle under her arm, her damp nose touching Lexa's forehead. /p

p"Your breath stinks," Lexa murmured sleepily, lifting her head when she heard her door opened. "I'm not in the mood, Lincoln. I need a nap."/p

p"I know I just thought I would tell you that mom called, she wants us over in Milan by Saturday, apparently we were invited to a birthday party over there."/p

pLexa sighed, cuddling down against her dog. "Ok,"/p

p"Anya can't go,"/p

pLexa knew what that meant. Anya was the pride and joy of the Woods siblings but when she wasn't there that was handed off to Lexa, since she was the only one out of her and Lincoln who was currently at university. "How did she get out of it?"/p

p"She is on call," Lincoln answered. "We have to be at the airport by seven tomorrow night, the jet will be ready for us."/p

p"Fine," Lexa grumbled, closing her eyes and sighing in frustration when she heard her door click closed again./p