Archive of Our Own

How had she forgotten something so important? Clarke was beginning to panic. She needed a solution and she needed it now. Otherwise she would be deported back to Canada.
“Well Ms. Griffin?” The man asked.
“I’m… I’m actually engaged. That’s why I haven’t renewed my visa. We’re getting married next week,” Clarke blurted before she could even formulate a plan.
“Married?” He asked skeptically.
“Yes. Married,” Clarke repeated.
“To whom?” He questioned. Clarke definitely hadn’t thought that far.
“Hey, here’s the copies you asked for,” Bellamy Blake announced as he barged into her office, even though he knew she hated that. Clarke suppressed her glare and smiled at him catching him completely off guard.
“Mr. Hamilton, this is Bellamy Blake, my fiancé,” Clarke announced as she walked over and slipped her arm around Bellamy’s waist. Bellamy was a hard worker, probably her best employee, and she knew he would do anything to keep his job.
“Mr.Blake?” Mr.Hamilton raised an eyebrow.
“Yes, I’m her fiancé…” Bellamy said a little awkwardly and squeezed Clarke to him lightly.
“Yes, well I will have to be at the wedding to make sure it is legitimate. I will have my secretary contact you for the details,” Mr. Hamilton said and left without a goodbye.
“What was that?” Bellamy asked. Clarke glared at him.
“It’s not really any of your business,” she snapped at him.
“Really, Princess? It’s not my business when you go telling random people that we’re engaged?” Bellamy wasn’t afraid to raise his voice at her. He was the only one brave enough to argue with Clarke.
“Don’t call me Princess! And fine… I was about to be deported. But I told him I was marrying you next week…” Clarke said with as much confidence as possible.
“Clarke! Didn’t you hear him?! He’s going to be at the wedding! Do you realize that we aren’t engaged? In fact we kind of hate each other!” Bellamy exclaimed.
“We’ll get married and then get divorced as soon as possible,” Clarke said with a shrug and turned back to her work.
“Clarke, I can’t marry you,” Bellamy said firmly.
“If you want to keep your job you will,” Clarke said without glancing up from her files. Bellamy stood there boiling. He needed this job. There was no way he would risk losing it.
“I have a family. What are they going to say when they find out I got married without even telling them?” Bellamy asked trying to get her to see his way.
“We’ll invite them to the wedding. It’ll make it look more real anyway,” Clarke said.
“They can’t just drop everything and come to New York,” Bellamy scoffed.
“Fine we’ll have the wedding wherever they are,” Clarke was beginning to get annoyed, but finally Bellamy couldn’t come up with anymore excuses. It was either marry Clarke or be unemployed by one of the too advertising agencies in the business.
**
Clarke wasn’t sure what she was expecting when she stepped out of the truck in front if Bellamy’s childhood home in Ark, Georgia. But whatever she was expecting is definitely not what she got. The house was small. Small enough that she was surprised a family could live in it.
“Welcome home, Princess,” Bellamy smirked as he lifted their bags out the bed of his pick up.
“Bellamy!!” Came a loud squeal and a flash of plaid and dark hair was hurtling toward her fake fiancé. Bellmay dropped the bags and scooped up the girl in his arms. Clarke stood there awkwardly until Bellamy broke off the hug with the other girl and turned toward Clarke.
“O, this is Clarke. My fiancé,” Bellamy coughed slightly at the word. Clarke ignored him and held out her hand to Octavia. She ignored it completely and pulled her into a tight hug.
“I can’t believe Bellamy has been hiding you all this time! He’s usually so bad with secrets! I mean I could tell there was someone, but I had no idea it was this serious-“
“O!” Bellamy cut her off sharply. Octavia huffed and rolled her eyes before turning back to the house.
“Get the bags, Bell, I’m going to show Clarke the house,” Octavia announced skipping lightly up the porch steps and through the front door. Clarke followed her hesitantly.
“This is the kitchen. The fridge is well stocked and so is the pantry if you need anything to eat. Silver ware is in that drawer and plates and cups are in that cupboard,” Octavia said pointing at each thing before moving quickly to the next room.
“The dining room is over there, but there’s nothing in there except a table and the chairs. Here we have the living room,” she said before moving up the stairs, “the bathroom is that door over there and then this is my room and that’s Bell’s room. Sorry, but you’ll have to share with Bell.”
“That’s fine,” Clarke said and smiled to make the embarrassed look on Octavia’s face go away.
“You live here by yourself?” Clarke asked walking into Bellamy’s room.
“Mmhmmm,” Octavia said leaning up against the doorframe.
“How can you afford it?” Clarke asked bluntly.
“Bellamy pays for it. You didn’t know that. I feel like that’s something he should have told his almost wife,” Octavia said looking at her questioningly.
“Must have slipped his mind,” Clarke said and sat on the bed.
“What slipped my mind?” Bellamy asked sitting down the suit cases.
“Oh, nothing!” Clarke said quickly. She figured it was something Bellamy wouldn’t want her to know since she wasn’t his real wife.
“Um, okay… I’m going to let you guys get settled in,” Octavia said and hurried away leaving Bellamy and Clarke alone in his room.
“Sorry about her. She’s always really wanted a sister,” Bellamy explained.
“She’s great,” Clarke said and Bellamy stared at her. It wasn’t often he heard Clarke Griffin utter a compliment to anyone but herself.
“Is she your whole family? Where’s your mom and dad?” Clarke asked making Bellamy frown. This woman had no idea of what personal meant.
“Mom died a year after I finished my masters degree. Our dad was never in the picture. What about you? You never talk about your family? Won’t they be surprised when they find out you’re married?” Bellamy asked genuinely curious about the personal life of his boss.
“I doubt it. My Dad died from cancer when I was finishing med school. My mom was trying to protect me, I guess. She didn’t tell me my dad was sick until it was too late. He was gone before I got to say goodbye and I haven’t spoken to my mom since then. I packed up got a visa and moved to New York,” Clarke said without any hint of emotion. Bellamy almost felt sorry for her, but then he remembered she was black mailing him into marrying her.
**
“I hope you don’t mind, but I invited the guys over for dinner. They haven’t seen you in so long and I’m sure they’d love to meet Clarke before the wedding,” Octavia said with a big smile when Bellamy and Clarke came downstairs.
“Octavia, I don’t think that’s such a good idea. It was a long drive and we’re both really tired…” Bellamy tried to tell her, but the doorbell rang and Octavia smirked.
“Too late!” She said and skipped off to the door.
“BELL!!!!!” an overly loud floppy haired young man wrapped Bellamy in a tight hug. He was clearly already a little drunk.
“Get off, Jasper,” Bellamy growled. This was the Bellamy she was used to and it put her at ease slightly.
“You must be Clarke. I’m Monty,” another man popped out from behind Jasper. He held out his hand to Clarke and she shook it with a smile.
“I’m Miller and Bellamy’s best man,” a man said and pulled her into a hug. She lightly patted him on the back.
“I hadn’t even asked yet,” Bellamy said and rolled his eyes. Miller released Clarke and shrugged.
“You don’t have to ask,” Miller said.
“I’m Finn,” Clarke waved at him.
“Murphy,” came the short introduction from a scowling man by the door.
“I’m Raven. They like to just lump me in with ‘the guys’ but I am clearly not a guy,” said a girl with dark hair as she pushed the boys aside to stand in front of Clarke.
“I’m Clarke,” she said addressing the group. They all smiled at her expectantly.
“Well, who’s hungry?” Bellamy asked after an awkward silence. The group all murmured about how great Octavia’s food was and made their way to the dining room.
“I’m sorry. I had no idea she would invite them,” Bellamy whispered to her as they hung back in the living room.
“It’s fine. They seem…. Nice,” Clarke said, but Bellamy’s expression was worried.
“Come on, Lovebirds! The food is getting cold!” Jasper called from the table.
“We’re coming!” Bellamy yelled and led Clarke in. He pulled out the chair for her and then took the seat beside her. Fried chicken, corn on the cob, and mashed potatoes. A true southern meal. Bellamy glanced at Clarke slightly alarmed as he remembered his boss was a vegetarian. Clarke shook her head in a gesture to not say anything. She didn’t want to be rude. Octavia genuinely was a great person and she didn’t want to make her feel bad. So Clarke dug into the mashed potatoes and the corn.
“So… Why is it that we’ve never heard of you before now?” It was the man with the scowl who asked, Murphy.
“Oh… Um,” it was definitely not a question she hadn’t been prepared to answer. It’s true that it was extremely odd for a man to bring home a fiancé that no one knew about.
“I was the one who didn’t want to say anything. I was afraid about how long it would last after last time. Sorry Princess,” Bellamy saved her. Again.
“Last time?” She accidentally asked out loud.
“You didn’t tell her about Lilly?” Octavia asked with a tone of surprise.
“No, I didn’t think it was important,” Bellamy said looking down at his food.
“It’s definitely something she should hear!” Octavia argued.
“Oh, no. It’s fine. I shouldn’t have asked,” Clarke said apologetically.
Octavia sighed but let the subject drop. No one mentioned anything when Bellamy nonchalantly picked up Clarke’s piece of chicken and ate it. The rest of dinner went quite smoothly and Clarke was relieved when the large group left.
“Is it okay if I go take a shower?” Clarke asked.
“Yeah of course!” Octavia said and gave her brief instructions on where the towels were.
**
“Did Clarke not like the chicken? I’ve never had anyone not like my chicken,” Clarke heard Octavia say as she made her way to Bellamy’s bedroom.
“No, I’m sure she would’ve loved it, but she’s a vegetarian. She didn’t want to hurt your feelings,” Bellamy said. Clarke was surprised that Bellamy had picked up on that and she moved away from the stairs and into the bedroom. She found an extra blanket and laid it on the floor and took a pillow from the bed before getting comfortable on the floor. Well it wasn’t exactly comfortable, but it would have to do. She had intruded enough in Bellamy’s life, she didn’t want to steal his bed too.
“Oh come on, Clarke. I’ll take the floor,” Bellamy said when he entered the room in nothing but a pair of boxers.
“I’m already asleep,” she mumbled. Bellamy sighed and walked over to her before easily lifting her onto the bed. She glared at him.
“If you sleep on that floor, I’ll fire you,” Clarke said.
“What do you want me to do then? I can’t let you sleep on the floor,” he said. Clarke thought for a second and could only come up with one solution.
“We can share the bed,” Clarke suggested. Bellamy stared at her for a second before sighing.
“You really won’t let me sleep on the floor?” He asked. She shook her head no in response.
“You’re okay with me sleeping in bed with you?” He said.
“Yes,” she said. Bellamy nodded and climbed hesitantly onto the bed with her. She got beneath the covers and turned her back to him.
“Goodnight,” she said and turned off the light on the bedside table.
Clarke tried to sleep but thoughts of Bellamy kept her up most of the night. Her and Bellamy saw each other pretty much everyday. As annoying as he was he was her right hand man and always got the job done, but now she was realizing that he was completely different outside of work. She maybe even kind of liked this Bellamy, but she quickly pushed that thought aside.
**
“Knock knock!” Octavia yelled just before barging into their room. Bellamy opened his eyes and squinted against the bright sunlight as she opened the shades.
“Oh my gosh you two are just so cute right now!” She squealed at the scene of Clarke laying on Bellamy’s chest and Bellamy’s arm encircled her waist. Clarke’s cheeks heated up and she detangled herself.
“What are you doing, O?” Bellamy asked groggily.
“Well you said you didn’t think Clarke the decision to be married had been really sudden and that you hadn’t gotten any of the details together so I figured we’d have to get everything together today! So I was thinking we could just have it at Old Man Hickory’s barn. I’m sure he’d let you use for free as long as he got to go and got food. Then I was thinking it should be a buffet because that’s just easier, but I haven’t really thought about what kind of food there should be…” Octavia started rattling off random wedding details.
“O! We haven’t even eaten yet. Please, just let us get dressed and eat and then we’ll talk about wedding plans,” Bellamy said.
“Fine,” Octavia huffed and stormed out of the room closing the door behind her. Clarke couldn’t help but giggle.
“Oh you think this funny?” Bellamy asked in mock anger.
“Kind of,” Clarke laughed again, “it’s cute she’s so excited.”
“I better get a raise for this,” Bellamy scoffed and got up from the bed, but Clarke caught his arm.
“You don’t have to do this. We can have a fake argument and forget this ever happened,” Clarke said and looked down at her hands folded in her lap.
“No way, Princess. We’ve come way too far to go back now. And besides the office at work just wouldn’t be the same without you bossing everyone around,” Bellamy said and that was the end of it.
They quickly changed and went down to eat breakfast while Octavia nagged them to move faster. Bellamy just rolled his eyes and moved even slower causing Clarke to bubble with laughter. Clarke had always wanted a sister and she thought Bellamy was so lucky to have Octavia.
“Let’s go!” Octavia yelled as she marched out to Bellamy’s truck.
“I’m comin, I’m comin,” Bellamy muttered. He helped Clarke into the truck and then slid into the driver’s side. Octavia pushed Clarke over until she was practically sitting in Bellamy’s lap.
“Sorry!” Octavia exclaimed and allowed Clarke closer to her. Bellamy started up his truck and they made their way into the tiny town. Bellamy took Clarke’s hand and held it the whole time they were driving.
Clarke was surprised that Bellamy and her had agreed on almost everything from cake flavors to table cloth colors. They had both wanted chocolate cake and to Octavia’s horror who had wanted pink table cloths they had chosen blue. The only thing they had disagreed on was the music they wanted to play. Bellamy preferred country line dancing music, but Clarke wanted pop dancing music. After several minutes of arguing Octavia had told them she had the perfect idea and not to worry about it. Bellamy and Clarke had glanced at each other fearfully, but decided it was better to just let Octavia handle it. The only thing left was Clarke’s dress, which would require Octavia to drive her two towns over, but she had assured Clarke it was no trouble at all. It had been the best day Clarke had had in a long time if she was being honest with herself. She didn’t have any close friends back in New York so she didn’t go out often and she was too focused on her job to worry about relationships. Clarke fell asleep that night feeling happy, something she definitely wasn’t used to.
**
“Octavia?” Clarke asked while turning and looking at herself in a large mirror.
“Hmm?” Octavia responded while taking a look at the dress and crinkling her nose. She shook her head in a sign of dismissal.
“I was wondering if you’d be my maid of honor,” Clarke said. The girl definitely deserved the title. She had helped Bellamy and Clarke with almost every decision and she felt closer to Octavia than anyone else currently in her life.
“Me?? The maid of honor?! I would love to!” Octavia squealed and tackled Clarke in a hug.
“Now go try on another dress!” Clarke smiled and went back to the dressing room. She was glad being her maid of honor made Octavia happy. Clarke pulled on another dress and immediately fell in love with it. It showed off her body in all the right places. Clarke excitedly exited the dressing room to show Octavia. Clarke stood before the younger girl and couldn’t help but smile at her own reflection in the mirror.
“You look beautiful!” Octavia said. “You have to get it!” Clarke stared at the dress in the mirror for a minute before nodding.
**
“It was nice of you to ask my sister to be your maid of honor,” Bellamy said that night when they were lying in bed.
“I don’t have anyone else,” Clarke said shrugging slightly.
“Still. It made her happy. Thank you,” he said.
“It was nothing,” Clarke said. Bellamy was silent, but she could feel his eyes on her back. He turned away and Clarke fell asleep.
**
Clarke didn’t realize she was developing feelings until it was too late. Octavia had insisted on her and Raven taking her out for a bachelorette party. Tequila had always been Clarke’s weakness.
“I’m so in love with Bellamy,” Clarke slurred to Octavia after having way too many shots of tequila.
“Well good! I think you’re supposed to be since ya know you’re getting married,” Octavia said with an overly loud laugh, clearly just as drunk as she was.
“No, but I’m more in love with him than I thought,” Clarke said and sober her would be proud later that she didn’t spill the secret.
“He really loves you too. I can see it in the way he looks at you,” Octavia said and put her head down on the table. Clarke couldn’t help but let a smile spread across her face.
“Hey, Babe,” a very attractive man said to Octavia.
“Oh hey!” Octavia suddenly perked up. “Clarke this is my boyfriend, Lincoln! Don’t tell Bellamy!!! I’m begging you! I’m gonna go home with Lincoln. Can you get a ride home?” Clarke could only manage a nod. Raven had left earlier with a man wearing a cowboy hat who had introduced himself as Wick, leaving Clarke alone to find a way home. A waiter placed another shot down in front of her as Octavia was dragged away by Lincoln and Clarke couldn’t help but take the shot. She stumbled outside and onto the street and squinted out at the road. Everything was spinning in a way that made it hard for her to walk or was that just because she was missing her left shoe? Where was her left shoe! She could have sworn she had been wearing both shoes just seconds ago, but she just shrugged and pulled out her phone.
“Clarke? Are you okay?” Bellamy answered on the first ring.
“I.. I don’t know how to get back. Can you come get me?” Clarke asked.
“Where are you?” Bellamy asked. Clarke looked around, but everything was blurry. She became frustrated and tears sprung to her eyes.
“I don’t know,” Clarke cried frantically.
“Hey, hey, it’s okay. I’m coming to get you. I’ll be right there, but I have to hang up. Okay?” He said gently. “Okay?”
“Okay,” Clarke said, but the tears were still falling and she sniffled. Bellamy hung up the phone and found Clarke outside the only bar in town. He was lucky Octavia hadn’t taken her to any of the neighboring towns. Clarke was still crying when she climbed into the truck. Bellamy put the truck in park and pulled Clarke into his arms.
“Are you always like this when you’re drunk?” Bellamy asked.
“No,” she sniffled and buried her head in his t-shirt.
“Hey, it’s okay, Clarke. I found you and I’m going to take you home,” Bellamy said and Clarke nodded. “Okay. Now I’m going to find Octavia, I’ll be right back.” Bellamy started to get out of the truck, but Clarke stopped him.
“She’s not in there,” Clarke said.
“Where is she?” Bellamy asked.
“Went home with a boyfriend,” Clarke said and leaned against Bellamy. Bellamy sighed. It wasn’t unlike Octavia for her to hide having a boyfriend so he figured he would worry about it later.
“What happened last time?” Clarke asked referring to something one of the guys had said at dinner her first night. Bellamy hesitated.
“I was almost married once before. Long story short, she left me for a rich guy from LA. He could give her everything she wanted,” Bellamy said not really wanting to get into it. Clarke seemed to sense this.
“I would have chosen you,” she said and leaned her head against his shoulder.
Clarke was asleep before they reached home.
**
Clarke groaned as her head pounded.
“Good morning, Princess,” Bellamy whispered. Clarke was aware that she was once again laying on his bare chest but she couldn’t find it in herself to be embarrassed about it.
“Advil?” Clarke asked squinting against the sunlight and snapping her eyes closed again. She felt Bellamy reach over to his nightstand and he handed her a glass of water and some advil. She sat up slightly and took the pills before slumping back onto Bellamy. He took the glass of water and set it back on the nightstand.
“So what’s this about Octavia having a boyfriend?” Bellamy asked.
“Shit I wasn’t supposed to tell you that,” Clarke groaned. Bellamy chuckled.
“It’s okay. I won’t say anything. She’s an adult. She’s allowed to have a boyfriend, but if he hurts her he’ll have to deal with me,” Bellamy said. Clarke didn’t respond. She just laid there as Bellamy gently stroked her hair. It was almost like they were a real couple. The thought made Clarke’s heart clench and she pushed away from Bellamy. She hissed at the movement and held her head for a second before moving to stand up.
“Hey, you just lay here and I’ll go make you breakfast,” Bellamy said hopping out of bed.
“You don’t have to…”
“I want to,” Bellamy said and he was gone. Clarke leaned back into the pillows and closed her eyes until Bellamy returned with two plates of pancakes, one for her and one for him.
“Thanks,” she muttered and took the plate from him as he sat down next to her.
“So I was thinking we could just lounge around today since it’ll be a hectic day tomorrow with the wedding and all. And it’s already 1:30,” Bellamy said.
“1:30?!” Clarke asked and Bellamy nodded.
“I’m so sorry, Bellamy,” Clarke didn’t doubt that he had let her lay on him for several hours to allow her to wake up on her own. “I’m so sorry for calling you last night and everything.”
“It’s fine. I’d rather you call me. That way I know you’re safe,” Bellamy said without looking up from his plate.
Clarke and Bellamy stayed in bed for the rest of the day and just talked about random topics. Octavia didn’t come home until around 4 in the afternoon giving Bellamy some lie about being with Raven. Bellamy just nodded and smiled at Clarke knowingly.
**
“Good morning Mrs. Blake-to-be,” Bellamy said like he had forgotten the whole thing was just a trick. She smiled at him before Octavia came barging in and shooed Bellamy from the house yelling about bad luck. Clarke couldn’t shake the feeling of dread that had come over her. She knew it was because she was sad soon everything would be over. She would go back to New York and for awhile she would legally be married, but her and her husband would be nothing more than co-workers. Not only did she not want things to end between her and Bellamy, but she had fallen for Octavia as well. She hadn’t felt this loved since before her father died.
“Clarke? Are you okay?” Octavia asked as she finished curling the last strand of Clarke’s hair.
“Yeah. Just a little nervous,” Clarke said and gave the girl a smile.
“You have absolutely nothing to worry about. You’re both clearly head over heels for each other,” Octavia smirked in an identical fashion to that of Bellamy. Clarke nodded and Octavia helped her into her wedding dress. Octavia gasped.
“You’re just so beautiful,” Octavia explained when Clarke raised an eyebrow.
“It’s almost time. We should head to the barn,” Octavia said and slipped on her heels. Octavia drove Clarke and helped her way to the barn and then suddenly Octavia was walking down the aisle. She would be next. Clarke stood at the end of the aisle and waited for Octavia to reach the end. She looked out at the small crowd. She didn’t know most of them. She guessed they were friends of Bellamy, but in the front row just as he had promised was Mr. Hamilton.
Clarke looked forward and started down the aisle. She looked at Bellamy and she could almost believe he was in love with her by the expression on his face. She reached the end of the aisle and looked up at him. He smiled down at her. The priest began his long spiel about marriage and commitment, but Clarke couldn’t hear him over the pounding in her chest. It wasn’t until he got to the “I do”s did she start listening. Didn’t Bellamy deserve better than what Clarke was about to do to him. If they got caught they would both be in a lot of trouble. She couldn’t. She couldn’t do this to him and she couldn’t do it to Octavia.
“Clarke?” The priest addressed her. She looked up at Bellamy.
“I’m sorry,” she said before turning toward the crowd. “This whole thing was a lie. My visa ran up and I’m about to be deported to Canada. So I threatened my best employee that I would fire him if he didn’t marry me. But then I came here and I met his wonderful sister and I saw that this plan could ruin everything for him. So I’m sorry for bringing you all out here for nothing.” Clarke walked quickly down the aisle followed by Mr. Hamilton. He was kind enough to give her a ride back to Bellamy’s house. She stuffed all of her stuff back into her bag and ran back to Mr. Hamilton’s car without even bothering to change out of the wedding dress.
**
“What are you doing?! Go after her!” Octavia said breaking Bellamy out of his stupor.
“What? Didn’t you hear her? This whole thing was a sham,” Bellamy said.
“It definitely wasn’t. The way you both feel about each other was real. You’d have to be blind not to see the way she looks at you. And don’t lie and tell me you don’t feel anything,” Octavia said. Bellamy didn’t need to be told twice. He ran to his truck and sped to his house. Unfortunately he was stopped by a train on the way and by the time he got back to his house Clarke and all her stuff was gone. Bellamy kicked the wooden dresser out of frustration.
**
The stares Clarke got while she was packing up her office was definitely something she could live without. She already felt like hell, she didn’t need their judgement to make it worse. She was carrying her last box out of the office when she saw Bellamy blocking her path. She hadn’t expected him to be back at work until the following week.
“What are you doing?” He asked.
“Moving out of my office. Now please step aside, Mr. Blake,” she said and noticed his small cringe when she called him “Mr. Blake”.
“Clarke, stop,” Bellamy said.
“I have a flight to catch tomorrow and I have a lot to do today,” Clarke said pushing past him.
“Clarke stop! Listen to me!” Bellamy said more forcefully than he intended, but it got her attention… As well as the rest of the office. “A week ago I would have said you were the bossiest most frustrating person I’d ever met, but now… Now, I’d say you were caring and sensitive. I’d say you’re the love of my life. Clarke, I love you. Please marry me.” Clarke had tears in her eyes. She set the box down and launched herself at Bellamy. She kissed him hard and he kissed back.