Friends Forever.
Maryse POV
"Robert, honestly, what were you thinking?" I scolded my husband as he trudge mud all through the clean carpet of our bedroom and into the bathroom where he striped down and immediantly turned on the hot water and jumped in. No sound came from him, but I wasn't put off. We would still talk about this later. Whether he liked it or not. I sighed in irritation and roughly threw his dirty clothes in the hamper before furiously scrubbing at the mud encrusted carpet. I smiled, pleased, when I got the little bit of it off with my extra muscle. Sometimes being a Shadowhunter had it's advantages. I didn't wait on him, but instead went straight to the library to finish up some business the Clave had wanted me to see to, but I hadn't gotten the chance. Being so pressed for time with other things I had dedicated myself too. Sometimes, I just felt like going on vacation and never coming back. I slowed my pace to just a slow walk and pressed my ear up against the great Oak doors that led into the library. If I listened carefully enough then I could hear the various goings on of laughter, talking, and happiness. Such a foreign emotion to me these days. Not that I wasn't happy, but I wasn't truly happy. It is very difficult to explain. Sometimes I don't understand it myself.
Quietly I eased one side of the double doors open and peeked my head inside just enough to see the scene before me but not enough to be noticed. I was proud of myself when no one even flinched at my half-way entrance. Six people sat around the two full couches that faced each other on opposites sides and sat right in front of the fireplace. The perfect place to curl up with a warm blanket, a cup of cocoa, and a book. To forget all your worries, if only for a few hours. It is worth it to me and I am sure to any other Shadowhunter that has the choice to do so.
I forced myself away from my musings and focused back on the scene in front of me. Isabelle and Simon say side-by-side, each crossed legged and at the very edge of the couches where the both began. They looked happy and content as they looked among the others, holding hands sernely. It was strange seeing my daughter so... calm. No, that wasn't the word. Unguarded? That was better. Everytime I see her she is always prepared, on guard, her eyes shifting this way and that. It has been so long since I have seen her so at peace, so blissfully happy. I would be forever thankful to that vampire for doing that for her. She deserved happiness. All of my children did.
Magnus and Alec sat very closely on the couch to the left of Isabelle and Simon. They too held hands and had a look of peace on their face. Magnus I was used to seeing happy. That boy was practically the definition for glee. I snickered for a moment at my own joke. Like Isabelle, I had a moment of shock when I saw his face. It looked relaxed. He was always so serious I seriously considered for a while if he was clinically depressed. I quickly dismissed that thought after Clary had come into our lives. At first, I thought that he had taken an interest in her, but as I know now it was because around the same time he had come into contact with our very own glitterized warlock. As much as I hate to admit it I know my son would fall apart if he ever left him and I can't take that and neither could Alec. It's a hard truth; one I have to deal with, but I would deal with it over and over again if it meant seeing my son the same way he looks now everyday.
My eyesight slid regretfully away from the happy couple to the right couch where Clary and Jace sat. Clary and Jace.
Now there is a love that will never die.
Jace sat at the very right edge of one of the couches and Clary sat in his lap, her legs spread out along the length of the couch, crossed at the ends. She had scooched down in his lap so that she was able the rest her forehead at the crease where his neck met his shoulder. A fleece was covering her and Jace had one arm wrapped 'round the back of her and the other one wrapped around her waist, over the blanket. He held her firmly; like a drowner would hold onto a life-raft. It scared me to see how much they needed each other; how bound they were.
Our life isn't the safest or the easiest, but I think they both have accepted that. Eventually every Shadowhunter has to come to terms. We all serve the cause; in life and in death. There is no escaping that. That was the most scariest part for me. There is no escaping it.
It was amazing thing to witness. Whenever Jace shifted Clary did too, to accommodate whatever he did and him with here. Like magnets. They were bound Her to him and him to her. They would never be apart. It was kind of reassuring in a way. To know that Jace will never be alone. Even Clary, whom I have to come to think of as a daughter, will always have Jace. As long as she will have him which I know will be forever.
My ear automatically turned to the conversation when Alec opened his mouth to speak. "What are we doing for Christmas. It's November already and none of us have bought presents or anything for each other. I was thinking that we could have a little mini-celebration of our own Christmas evening since Clary is going to want to spend some time with Luke and Jocelyn and Magnus wanted to visit some old friends." Jace snorted and his mouth moved to make a smart alec remark no doubt, but Alec rushed though his next sentence before Jace had the chance. I laughed softly to myself. "And of course Jace, Isabelle, and I will celebrate with Mom and Dad." Magnus patted Alec's hand with a smile.
"I think that is a great idea, love. This is why people choose you over Jace." Magnus said while throwing a smirk Jace's way. From the small time I had seen Magnus and Jace interact with each other I knew that they liked to get under each other's skin. They made it easy for each other. Jace rolled his eyes and raised his chin a fraction.
"I will have you know that plenty of girls and women want me. It just happens to be very unlucky for the female population that I am very happily taken." Jace leaned down and gave Clary a soft peck on the cheek, causing a light pink blush to cover her cheek. It seemed endearingly sweet. His eyes shined with the love. It reminded me of the first time I saw Robert. That light that seemed to be fading lately. I made me sad to think of mine and Robert's growing apart. I wanted to make it work because I did love him. Truly I did, but I just didn't know how. I turned back just in time to see Magnus send a smile Jace's way. One of surrenderance. I laughed softly at their jabs at each other. Even though they fought you could tell that they would protect each other when worst comes to worst.
Now that I think of it these six people would give their lives if it meant saving one of the others. They would do whatever it took to make sure the other survived. Even when I was in the circle; the one that was supposed to be stronger than blood.
Yeah right I mentally snorted. I would have turned my back and let one of them die. We all would. But what those six have is some much stronger and Clary is the reason. If not for Clary then they wouldn't have had to hunt Magnus down and find out what he did to Clary's mind, Simon would have never gotten turned into a rat making Isabelle start to care for him and Alec would have never met Magnus. If Simon had not been turned into a vampire then Jace would have never let him drink his blood to save his life. These six are bound by a series of events that have intertwined their lives and their fates forever.
Their bound would never be broken. Not by time or space or even distance. As cliche as it sounds they would be friends forever and that very thought was reassuring in the best of ways.
