Chapter Text
She woke to Lincoln making breakfast in her kitchen. Bellamy long gone from the house.
She went to work as planned. Lincoln drove her and walked her straight to her floor. Octavia packed her lunch in a brown paper bag.
She stole an intern and had him shadow her all day so she wasn’t alone. Gave him some pointers during lunch.
No one asked her about her mother or Kane. No one seemed to know they were even missing. But she knew. And she was looking over her shoulder every second of the day trying to keep an eye out for doctor Vinson.
She didn't see him. Until she did.
She hadn’t been alone all day. She did everything right. Wells dropped her off after work. Did a sweep of the house and the yard and she locked the doors behind him. And yet. There he was sitting at her desk in her office.
“Little Griffin. Have you been avoiding me?”
“Doctor Vinson. What a surprise. Like a real genuine surprise. Welcome to my home.” she looked down and saw him holding the photo she had found broken in her fathers things. “Not avoiding you. Busy few days.”
“Yes. You've been very busy. Very busy trying to ruin my business.”
“Your business?”
“You don’t have to play dumb on my account, Clarke. You’ll be dead soon enough. Best to just let it all out.”
“Who do you even sell all this to?”
“Bored housewives. College kids down the street. The ‘gang’ in the city over. Whoever will buy. I have contacts.”
“You’re not selling to kids right?”
“Whoever buys. Though, I haven’t personally sold something in years. I have people who do that.”
“What shit way to run a business.”
“And yet. Here I am.”
“The hospital pays you well. I know they do. Why do you even do this?”
“Yes. And yet… here I am. How can I make this any clearer for you Little Griffin? I am a richer man than you’ll ever be. Well, you’ll be dead soon but pretend you’ve lived a whole life and do the math and then quadruple it. That's how much I’m worth.”
“How did you get my mom involved in this. She- she would never.”
“Please, she was the easiest one to hook. I’ve known her since we were kids. Addicts run in your family, you know. Your grandfather was… a little heavy handed on the whiskey.”
“She- shes not.”
“Please, Clarke, let's not pretend like you don't know. I keep telling you let's not kid ourselves into thinking you haven't figured it all out. I know you've seen her recently. I’ll be the first to admit she's let herself go a little much. She's gone a bit overboard, huh? Never meant for her to fall this deep. I honestly thought she would have given it up by now. But, we can't predict everything.”
“And Kane?”
“Loves money. I mean why else would he marry your mother.”
“You killed my dad. Why?”
“Again, Clarke. Do I have to keep telling you things I know you know, over and over again. I killed him just like I killed Shaw. They were going to turn me in. Little lab rats. I shouldn't have underestimated them. But, I’ve learned my lesson.”
“Your lesson?”
“Loose ends. And I do apologize. But, I thought your mother had gotten rid of everything important. Appears I was wrong. Again I should really just take care of things myself. My employees couldn’t even run your boyfriend off the road properly. A real disappointment.” he paused for a long while and then brought a gun out of his pocket.
“I do apologize. I promised your mother I wouldn’t involve you. But you did stick your nose where you shouldn't have been sticking it Little Griffin. Like you did when you were little. Nosey little child. Sticky too. You were confirmation of my thoughts on not having children. So expensive and so much work.”
“Alright well. Get on with it. I don’t really like your big long evil speech. It’s kind of boring and you're being mostly a jackass so get on with it.”
“Well now you're just being rude. Is it because I mentioned your father? I’m sorry, he had to die- he knew far too much. And now you know too much too. Like father, like daughter. My father is a sensitive subject as well so I can understand.”
“I loved my father. He was a far better man than you.”
“Yada, yada, yada he loved you too and was trying to stop me. Whatever. I can’t get on with it and kill you until you tell me everything you know. And you tell me where you got your information. And who knows. If you would oblige.”
He gestured with his gun and hand as though to hurry her up but when she still didn’t say anything he said-
“Obviously that boyfriend knows. He’s been to your house several times. But who else. You must have had hospital contacts to figure this out.”
“Not really. I- I have computer access to most of the online files. I figured it out from there. No one, no one else knows. I did- I asked Bellamy to go look for things in my room but he didn’t know what for.”
“You can stop bullshiting me Clarke. I know Kane and your mother were taken in. I want to know if he knows I was involved.”
“No. no I didn’t have proof he doesn’t know you were involved.” her hands fidgeted in her coat pockets, she hadn’t even been able to take her shoes off she looked down at her muddy snowy tennis shoes and was vaguely mad about her office carpet.
“Hmm, I actually believe you.”
“I only knew my mom was involved because of her medicine cabinets. And her and Kane's names on the files and their interns had so many pharmacy mess ups.”
“Yes, those two grew rather careless. Honestly, your mom was barely involved.”
“You can go to hell. I can’t believe you brought her into this.”
“Please, she was willing. After a few doses. It feels like magic.”
“What are you even making?”
“I call it, shifting sands, it does feel like magic. But, I prefer not to partake too often. I’d rather not end up like your mother. She barely even uses my creation anymore. Has to go straight to the source. I’m sure she’s having a hell of a time in lock up. I hear quitting cold turkey can be very painful. Alright. Let's get to it.
He finally picked up his gun all the way to point it at her but as he did, Clarke pulled one out of her pocket as well and aimed it directly at his heart.
It felt way cooler than anything she had ever done up until this point in her life. She felt like she was having a cowboy standoff. Only she was in her puffy winter coat and not leather chaps.
“Now, Little Griffin you weren’t seriously thinking you would walk out of here did you?”
“Maybe not. But, I figure if I don't, you won't either.”
“I didn’t think you had it in you.”
“I thought you said you learned your lesson on not underestimating people. Because, you also, for a moment there at least, thought I hadn’t told anyone of your involvement. My father had three boxes worth of evidence on you. You did a great job of keeping me away from my mother so I couldn’t find them sooner.”
“I don’t think you have it in you to actually do this. To shoot me. How do I know you’re a good shot?”
“Doctor Vinson, do we have to keep explaining things we already know. I can see the sweat on your brow. My mother wanted me to be a surgeon, remember, steady hands.” just as she said it, red and blue lights filled her windows. There were no sirens. But, she could hear heavy footfall all around her tiny house. She pulled out her phone from her pocket with her free hand.
“Oh… and oops. It looks like I accidentally called my boyfriend 5 times in a row and then recorded this whole conversation. What a crazy mix up. Sorry. My hand must have slipped a little. Total accident.”
“How did you-”
“I’m very good at looking frightened. And dumb. It's a blonde thing I think. Did I look frightened? I was trying really hard to put out frightened vibes. And my best friend made me get this gun after a bad mix up with an old boyfriend.” she smiled at him
“The evidence?”
“Well, I didn’t lie on that front. I didn’t have enough evidence on my own. But, some friends did some digging around for me. And this recording I’m about to give the Arcadia Police will really seal the deal. Did you know the FBI is involved now. It’s crazy what will happen when you steal millions of dollars worth of drugs.” she heard someone step up beside her. “It doesn’t have bullets, just so you know, because I don’t believe in guns but it sure worked for this situation, I’ll have to thank my friend for making me keep it.” she looked to her right as she lowered her gun. “Gina, meet Doctor Vinson, I think you have a lot to chat about.”
“Doctor Vinson. A pleasure to meet you. Put the gun down and put your hands up on your head if you don't mind.” he did so without complaint but Clarke could see his mind ticking and thinking of ways to get out of this. He was cuffed and being put into a car and taken away before Clarke could see if he reached a conclusion. But, she didn’t care. No one could get him out of this hole he had dug for himself.
“What a day.”
“What a day.” Wells repeated.
“Thanks for not driving away right away.”
“Thanks for keeping that gun on you. You seriously didn’t load it?”
“You know how I feel. I don’t even have bullets in the house.”
“You are literally dating a cop.”
“Detective.”
“Literally the same thing, Clarke.”
“How did he get in anyway?”
“Backdoor. Had a key and everything.”
“Huh.”
“Your moms been asking for you at the police station. It's why Bellamy isn’t here. She’s- she's doing as bad as anyone would expect.”
She went to her mothers side despite her feelings on the woman now. Since Kane was in custody it legally fell on her to decide where she should go. Bellamy laid out the options. Her mother had enough money to pay for rehab so she chose the nicest one.
She called Diana. Told her not to expect anyone home for a long time. But she arranged paychecks to keep coming her way.
She sat through an interview with the Arcadia police and then one with the FBI and then one with a hospital representative and then a long phone call with the rehab place she was sending her mom to and a long phone call to Raven.
It felt insane that everything tied up so nicely. That all of a sudden this weight that had been on her for days had suddenly vanished.
Her heart broke for all the years she thought her father had died hat her mothers hands. That he had died fighting. That he had left clues only she would have found. And that she didn't try harder to figure it out. Or to be in her mothers life. She knew something was wrong and she just let her mother suffer. Let her turn into an empty shell of a woman. That a woman that strong and smart was taken advantage of by two money hungry men.
Eventually her phone died and Bellamy was pulling her to his car and then into his apartment instead of her house. She sat on the couch and he handed her a now cold burrito bowl from hours ago.
“It’s not everyday you get the head of your hospital fired and arrested.” Clarke sighed, putting her head in her hands.
“It's also not everyday you have to put your mom in rehab.” he said putting a hand on her back. “I think you deserve a very long shower and an early night.”
“I kinda think I love you.”
“Heh-” he sighed out, “I know how you feel. I heard you made quite the villains speech I can't wait to hear the recording."
"It defiantly sounded cool in my head. I don't know if it actually was in practice."
"Can't believe you held an unloaded gun up to a man and he didn't call your bluff."
"He is a prideful man. If he is going to be outsmarted he wanted it to be extravagant."
"Are you going to eat and shower or is this as far as we are getting tonight?"
“Take me to bed detective.”
“You've got it boss.”
That night as she was wrapped in his arms he whispered-
“When I look at you I kinda think you're it for me”
“Yeah, I know how you feel.”
---------------------------------
The following years were the happiest she had ever had.
She got to watch Raven and Wick get married.
Octavia have the most perfect child Clarke had ever met.
Wells fell in love and got married in Vegas. (Clarke's favorite weekend ever) His name was Chuck and he quickly became everyone's favorite.
They did finally commit to being in love. Bellamy moved into the house. They got married. The got a dog.
Her mother recovered eventually. They had tea once a week. She was still as abrasive as Clarke remembered from childhood. But, she loved her all the same.
They added and finished the basement and attic. The driveway got repaved.
Kids? maybe.
Love and joy and hard times and companionship and laughing and loss and friendship and growth and learning and true happiness? Definitely.