#engine trouble

But your logical being overrides the flash of fear. You stand up, drop the journal on the couch, and walk to the door. You check the peephole and catch and flash of blonde hair and Lexa standing a few steps back on the front porch looking like she just came over from work.

You unlock the door and pull it open. Your daughter is standing there, not entirely steady on her feet, telltale signs of drinking. But beyond that, she looks panicked.

“Raven’s in jail,” she blurts out before you can say anything.

At first the sentence doesn’t compute with you. Raven talks a big game about where she came from and the kind of person she was there, but Abby knew beyond everything that Raven wasn’t a criminal. “What?” You look to Lexa for a better explanation.

Lexa seems more tense than usual. “Clarke called Raven to pick her up from a party and a man attacked them. Raven defended Clarke, but ended up in jail for fighting anyway.”

“I’m sorry,” Clarke’s eyes were watery when she looked at you. “I didn’t want to call you or Lexa. I just thought it would be a ride. i didn’t know-”

You pulled Clarke into the house and pull her into your arms. “It’s not your fault. Do you know which jail?”

You can feel Clarke shake her head against your shoulder.

You start listing all the ways you think you can gather information about where Raven is and how you can get her out. You have an attorney you could call, but it’s late and you’re not sure he’ll answer. 

You have to get her out of the jail. She’s not a criminal. And you’re sure she can fight, but she’s still a small person despite a tough personality. Jail is not somewhere you want her to be.

“Okay,” you feel Clarke start to step away. “Who would she call to bail her out?”

“Octavia,” Clarke answered and you’re surprised you didn’t think of it. She dials Octavia. “Hey Octavia, has-” You wish you could hear what Octavia is saying. “Oh good. Yeah...” Clarke nods, staring at the carpet. “She did.” Clarke hangs up and looks at you. “Octavia sent Lincoln to pick her up.”

“Where are they going?” you ask.

“Probably to her house.” Clarke answers.

You nod and look around for some shoes to wear. You’re going to go wait for her. You feel chaotic inside and you’re sure the second you lay eyes on her you’ll be okay. You just need to see her.

Clarke and Lexa join you, waiting on the front porch of the Blake residence. As you sit and look at your phone, you wonder why she didn’t call you. You would have bailed her out immediately.

You push that into the back of your mind, not sure it’s what you should be focused on. There’s some ridiculous part of your brain that enjoys imagining what it looked like when Raven defended Clarke. For as much friction as there is between them, you know and now Clarke does, that Raven is here for both of you.

An old truck rumbles to a stop in front of the house and you see her. She’s standing and okay and getting out of the truck.

You’re surprised that Clarke is off the porch before you, wrapping her arms around Raven. “I tried to go with you.”

You can’t hear what Raven says to her. It seems like a moment between the two of them you don’t want to intrude on. She slowly walks up to you after Raven releases her. She hasn’t met your eyes yet and her hands are in her pockets.

It’s a soft, small, “Mad at me?” that breaks your heart.

You stand up and move to her, wrapping your arms around her. You can’t imagine why anyone would be mad at her. “Why didn’t you call me?” You’re proud that it didn’t sound as hurt as you feel that you weren’t the first number on her list.

“I didn’t-” she starts but stops. “You’re... I’m...” You can hear the emotion in her voice, making it hard for her to get the words out. You’re starting to get an idea that there are deeper things at work and she can tell you about it when she’s ready.

What matters is that she’s okay. “I was so worried. Are you okay?” you ask. You take her face into your hands and look her over. “Are you hurt?” You take the pen light out of your breast pocket and look for a concussion. From what Clarke described it was a duel of haymakers and you’re worried about her beautiful brain.

There’s the tiniest hint of a smile when she take your hands off of her and tells you, “Abby, I’m fine.”

You lick your lips and look her over. Your eyes flicker to Clarke who still looks shaken up. You can’t imagine what would have happened had Raven not been there. “Thank you for what you did.” And it came from the deepest part of your heart as a parent.

She looks shocked by your statement. “You’re not... embarrassed?”

Embarrassed? Why would anyone be embarrassed of that? or of her? “Clarke told me everything. You defended my daughter. I wish it didn’t end up the way it did, but you…you protected her.”

She tries to play it off, but your words bolster her a bit. “S’what friends are for.”

You smile when you see Clarke reciprocate an appreciative look. “I’m glad we’re friends.”

When Raven is turned to look at Clarke, you can see a bruise starting to form on the underside of her jaw. It brings home how she put herself in the way to protect Clarke. “Please come home with me.” It sounds a bit desperate, but you don’t care. You need Raven to be with you. You gesture to the house behind you. “No one is here. I want to…make sure you’re okay.”