Chapter 1

AN: This is my first fanfiction ever, so please just check it out. I've tried my hardest to make it interesting and stuff. Please tell me if you liked it or not. Also, I'm sorry for any spelling or grammar mistakes. Please bear with me. :)

"But Mommy, I'm so scared. I've never travelled alone before."

Clary turned around to see the source of the voice that had just said this. As she looked around, her eyes rested on a small girl, maybe five or six years old, standing near a pretty, Asian looking woman. The girl was holding onto the woman's hand as if her life depended on it.

Clary walked up to the girl.

"Um, excuse me, but if you are comfortable with it, I could help your daughter in the flight and stuff."

The lady gave Clary a wary look. Clary blushed as she realised how weird it must've seemed to the lady. A random woman, with red hair that looked like it had been hastily combed through and bloodshot green eyes, asking her if she could accompany her daughter. What was more suspicious then that?

Clary stuttered a little as she explained herself, "I mean, that I could help her around. And I'm not a kidnapper or terrorist or anything of that sorts. It's just that I overheard your daughter's conversation with you and felt sympathetic," Clary took in a deep breath and continued, "I've travelled alone a few times when I was alone but I always had my elder brother with me, so I just felt she would feel better if she had someone escorting her."

The woman seemed a little reassured by Clary's ramblings.

"My name's Clarissa Fray by the way. But you can call me Clary."

"Oh my God!" the woman exclaimed. "Aren't you the designer whose clothes everyone seems to be wanting now a days?" she asked.

"Um, I guess you're right." Clary said.

"I'm Aline. Aline Penhallow." The lady said.

"And I'm Jessica Penhallow." A small voice piped up. The small girl was staring at Clary with wonder in her eyes. "I saw some of your dresses in Mommy's Vogue some days ago. I wish I could have something like that to wear." She said wistfully.

"You were going through my Vogue again?" Aline asked. "Haven't I told you that it's off limits till you turn like fourteen?"

Jessica blushed at this and hid behind Clary.

Clary smiled a little.

"Passengers flying to Florida please report for boarding."

"That's my cue to leave, I guess." Aline said. "They won't allow me any further."

"Mommy..." Jessica started.

Aline swooped Jessica into her arms and kissed her on her forehead. Clary looked away so that the mother-daughter could have their moment peacefully.

After giving them some time, Clary turned around to see that they had finally broken apart.

"Who will be receiving Jessica at Florida?" Clary asked.

"Oh! That will be my husband. Jessica will show you he is." Aline added.

"What's his name?" Clary asked.

"His name is…"

"All passenger flying to Florida, please report for boarding. I repeat…"

Clary took Jessica's hand and guided her towards the gate. As their boarding passes were checked, Jessica turned around, trying to locate where Aline was. On seeing her, she sent a flying kiss to her mother and waved good-bye again.

"Come on Jessica." Clary said.

-OoO-

Clary sat down beside Jessica. They hadn't had seats together, but after a little persuasion, the air hostess had allowed them to change their seats so that they were sitting together.

"Ooh! How much more time till we leave?" Jessica asked Clary eagerly. The moment they had entered the airplane; an air of excitement had surrounded Jessica. She just couldn't sit still and kept on bobbing up and down in her seat.

"Jessica, calm down, we'll be leaving in a few minutes."

As if listening to Clary, the intercom crackled, "Passengers, please buckle your seat belts and get ready for departure."

Clary buckled in her seat belt, and then turned sideways to help Jessica.

Soon, the plane started its journey to Florida.

The seat belt sign went off and Clary and Jessica both unbuckled their seat belts and relaxed.

"So, why are you going to Florida? For a summer vacation? Or are you meeting your dad there too?" asked Jessica.

"I guess you can call it a vacation." Clary said, smiling a little at the little girl beside her.

"Awesome! You know what? I'll ask dad if we can have you over some day! Then we can go surfing and have barbecue!" Jessica said. If it was possible, she looked even more excited than before.

"Okay!" Clary said, trying to sound as upbeat as possible. "So, your dad and mom don't stay together?" Clary asked.

"Nope. They got a divorce before I was even born." Jessica said.

"Oh. That must be hard?" Clary asked.

"Not really. I stay with mom the whole year. I spend around a month of summer holidays with dad and then either Christmas or Thanksgiving with him again. I spent last Christmas with dad. I had so much fun!"

Jessica started an in depth description about her Christmas and how her uncle and aunt and their son had come over and all the gifts she had got.

As she finished her story, Jessica yawned loudly. Clary smiled as she said, "How about you go to sleep now?" she asked.

"Yeah I think so." She let loose another yawn and snuggled up in her seat and fell asleep.

Clary got out her earphones and plugged them in. She took out her sketchpad and started doodling around mindlessly. She realised, she was making a sketch of sleeping Jessica.

Jessica had the same straight black hair as her mother. Her features too, were Asian but not as much as Aline's had been. There was a softer curve to her mouth and she had beautiful, defined cheekbones. Her skin too, was not like her mother's. where her mother's had been a light, milky shade, hers was a beautiful tan. Clary remembered that while Aline's eyes had been obsidian black, Jessica had some gold flecks in her.

As she looked at Jessica again, she couldn't help but feel that she was familiar. She had seen her somewhere. The small smirk on Jessica's face, was very familiar to her. she just couldn't remember who it belonged to.

Clary closed her eyes, pondering over this and soon, she fell asleep.