CHAPTER 1 - A MISCHIEVIOUS FRIEND
Clary looked at her friend standing in the doorway, with an amused and slightly worried expression. It had been so long. So long. Somehow she always managed to make her laugh freely and heartily, forgetting all else, even the impending doom hanging over her head. In this moment, meeting her friend after three years apart, the coming war was peripheral.
Lucy let her eyes wander mischievously over the room, resting on the quite handsome guy sitting nonchalantly on the couch, watching them both. He had a kind of innate beauty, blond angel hair, a face with elegant features and an air about him not many had. She met his eyes briefly, and what she saw made her think twice. He didn't seem to care about anything, his confidence a mask of indifference, but there was something else, something else entirely. A flicker of insecurity. Pain.
Was she seeing things?
The moment was gone as soon as it appeared.
She shrugged, and returned to her friend taking a step forward.
Lucy met her friend's eyes again with a playful smile.
"Missed me?"
Clary chuckled, meeting her eyes with a raised eyebrow."Oh, you know I have. So what brings you here, of all places, I might add?" She met her friend's eyes quizzicaly. "I don't believe I told you where my friends live."
Lucy actually managed to send her a sheepish look, something which was a rare accurance.
A rare accurance indeed, Clary thought with growing amusement.
"Ah, I asked your mother. I came here straight after leaving my luggage at your place."
She strolled over to a free chair and sat down, making herself quite at home, acting exactly like the friend she knew and loved. Lucy seemingly didn't have a care in the world.
Not that she would act differently, even if she knew who Magnus was, Clary thought wryly.
She turned from her apparently oblivious friend, and met Magnus' eyes.
"Sorry about my friend. Sometimes she doesn't have an ounce of humility or common sense."
Clary could clearly see Magnus wasn't exactly happy about her rude friend, but somehow he also seemed a bit entertained.
Lucy managed rather efficiently to stop any answer from Magnus, by once again proving she lacked any sense or even the tiniest bit of tact.
"Oh, Clary! I met Luke while I was at your place. Did he finally ask your mother?"
Clary dropped the book she was holding in her hands, yet again surprised by her mischievious friend. Or was she simply clueless?
"Eh, not exactly..."
Lucy turned to look at her friend with an appraising expression.
"Hmm, pity."
Clary picked up the book she had dropped, and put it back with the pile of other ancient books and parchments. The looks on her friends faces almost made her laugh hysterically, when she turned around to meet them.
Magnus seemed even more intrigued, glancing at her friend with raised eyebrows. Izzy almost sent Lucy an approving look, while Alec looked a bit uncomfortable with her friend's lack of tact. Simon sent her a knowing look, being the only one who had ever met Lucy before. In the whirlwind that was Lucy, not many escaped unschated. Jace was the only one who didn't seem to have any reaction, being his always calm and collected self. Still he sent Clary a small smile, for a second breaching his ever imprenetable facade.
"Lucy!"
Clary called her friend with a mischievious look of her own, chuckling lightly.
"Come and greet my friends."
This was going to be an interesting night. An interesting night indeed.