Disclaimer: I do not own any characters by Cassandra Clare…

This is my first attempt at a Shadowhunter fanfiction, as the thought was pretty daunting with all the different elements and details of the Shadow world.

But I just love Kit and Ty so much that I had to try.

I appreciate any constructive criticism and recommendations, and if I have made any major mistakes, PLEASE be kind and let me know.

Kit padded down the maze of hallways from his room and groggily shuffled into the massive kitchen on the main floor of the London Institute. He entered to find Jaime Rosales already sitting at the counter, clutching a warm mug of tea in his hands and eating a breakfast biscuit.

Kit made himself a cup of tea and joined his friend at the counter. While he had reluctantly acclimated to the flavor of the typical black tea favored in London, it did not have the same energizing effect as coffee. He would have to remember to pick some up the next time he bought groceries.

"When are Dru and Thais arriving?" Jaime asked through a mouthful of crumbs.

Kit yawned. "Later today, I think. I will have to double check with Jem, since he's been in contact with the Academy for recruiting."

As if summoned by the mere mention of his name, Jem Carstairs appeared in the doorway, looking immaculate in a grey herringbone suit and a red tie that made the silver streak in his hair stand out.

Kit still found it strange to be living with Jem at the Institute instead of in Devon with Tessa and baby Charlotte. Kit reflected idly on the day six months ago when they had received the news that Evelyn Highsmith, previously the head of the London Institute and a crabby, old hag-ave atque vale-had passed away in her old age. Alec, Magnus, and Jace had portaled to Cirenworth in Devon, and requested that Jem take over as temporary head of the institute. Kit knew that he had only agreed as a favor to Jace for the sole purpose of grooming Kit to eventually take on the responsibility.

Not all members of the Clave had been in support of this considering Jem's previous role as a Silent Brother, and, though he didn't show it often, still harbored deep sorrow for all his memories tied to the London Institute. He had completely denounced his life as a Shadowhunter after the Dark War, though Kit suspected that denouncing Shadowhunter life was easier said than done. Once a Shadowhunter, always a Shadowhunter.

There was also the fact that Kit had only spent the last three years of his life as a Shadowhunter, something he knew would cause Johnny Rook to roll over in his grave, and his prior association with illegal Downworld activities caused the Clave to be distrustful. Jace and Alec had both vouched for him, pointing out that he was more than capable due to his time with the Blackthorns and the last few years under Jem's tutelage, and Kit found he could no longer disagree with them. In the end, Alec had the final say as Consul of the Clave-in-exile, and there had been no further disagreement on the matter. And to Kit's surprise, he had found himself excited to step into the position when he was ready-he was capable, and he was influential. He just needed to stop second guessing himself.

"Magnus is portalling Dru and Thais in later this evening, after the graduation ceremony concludes," Jem confirmed for Kit. "I need to go back to Devon for a few days, but I'm only a phone call away." Kit nodded in understanding. He knew how much Jem missed Tessa and their child, and if he could go with, Kit would have in a heartbeat. Charlotte was almost three years old now, with a full head of soft brown curls, much like her mother's, and Jem's dark brown eyes. Kit adored her, and had taken pride in being an older brother.

"Tell Charlotte her brother misses her."

Jem smiled warmly at Kit, before reaching out and pulling him into a strong and loving embrace. "You will have to come back to Cirenworth with me one of these times. Tessa misses you a great deal."

Kit's heart tugged at the sentiment. He wasn't sure he would ever get used to the way Jem and Tessa had adopted him into their little family and filled his life with more love than he had ever imagined possible. He knew his father had loved him-had protected and shielded him his entire life, in fact-but with his adoptive parents he had not only been loved and protected, but more importantly, he had been free. "Maybe once everyone gets settled in."

Jem released him and ruffled his blonde waves affectionately before exiting to the grand stone entryway. A few minutes later, Kit heard the familiar whooshing sound of a portal and knew that Jem was gone. He felt a slight pang of nervous excitement and loneliness in his absence, knowing he was acting Head of the Institute while Jem was away.

Kit returned to sit at the marble counter with his friend. Jaime had come to London during his travel year, and had simply decided that he wanted to stay. Jaime was like that. He often did exactly what he wanted to do when he wanted to do it with little, if any, consideration for others. Kit and Jaime had formed a casual friendship over the years, and Kit appreciated the light banter and humor he typically brought to any room. When he wasn't falling asleep over his breakfast, that was.

"Hey, vacca stulta. Don't you have somewhere to be right now?" Kit jabbed him in the ribs, remembering that Jem had assigned Jaime to look into the recent raid at Hatton Gardens, and report back if there was anything usual in the form of demonic or Downworlder involvement.

Jaime clutched his hands to his heart in mock hurt. "Why must you insult me so early in the morning—and in Latin of all things?"

Kit laughed heartily., "One; it's almost ten and, two; you make it far too easy. Besides, it's not nearly as fun to call you a stupid cow in English."

Jaime rolled his eyes, "Cierra la boca puta." But the insult died on his lips as he jumped up from his seat. "Wait, did you say it's ten? Shit, shit, shit. I have to go!"

"You might want to take a look in the mirror before you go. Or shower. You reek of alcohol."

Jaime used the back of his spoon to check out his reflection, confirming that he indeed needed a shower. His dark, curly hair was stuck up in all directions, and a blurred image of an exotic dancer was stamped across his cheek, suggesting that he passed out with his face resting on the back of his hand. He sniffed himself quickly, made a face that Kit found humorous and grumbled as he quickly left the room, muttering something along the lines of, "Damn whiskey."

Kit continued to sip at his tea in the morning silence, and allowed his thoughts to drift to the Blackthorns. He thought of Julian and Emma-they had officially taken over as Heads of the Los Angeles Institute shortly after Kit left, and he had been in contact with them on occasion over the years-mostly, if not entirely, for the fact that Kit was to be Head of the London Institute and he needed to foster relationships with the other Institutes as much as possible. Mark and Cristina were busy mending relation between Shadowhunters and the Unseelie Court now that Kieran was the king, so Kit had only seen them once at Jace and Clary's wedding, a year after Kit moved to Devon. It's not that he didn't care about any of them-it was still just too much for him sometimes. Missing them. It made his heart ache with longing.

Yet he knew the ache in his chest would ease-just enough, when Dru and her friend arrived later that evening.

His thoughts wandered back to August, twenty thirteen:

Kit was holding a fussing baby Charlotte, only four months old at the time, while Tessa opened a shimmering portal to the New York Institute. Jem, Kit and the baby stepped through first, and Kit had to hand Charlotte over to Jem while he reoriented himself. He was still affected by the portal magic, though it was getting easier each time, and reached out to brace himself against the nearest wall while the world stopped tilting sideways.

"CHRISTOPHER JONATHAN HERONDALE!" an irate voice yelled from somewhere behind him, but he didn't turn around to face it-yet. "That better be your blonde head I see over there." The female voice was getting closer, and he had the fleeting impulse to disappear back through the portal. "I swear By the Angel, I will murder you in your sleep if you so much as think about going back through that portal!"

Damn. Okay, then.

Kit managed to plaster a smile on his face as he turned to face Drusilla Blackthorn. She stopped in front of him with her arms crossed over her chest, a scowl on her face, and his smile faltered. She was wearing a black, knee-length dress, decorated with lace at the elbows and neck, and white skulls along the edge of the slightly flared skirt. It was something you'd find at a Hot Topic, and it was exactly the sort of dress Dru would wear to a wedding.

"I don't know whether to hit you or hug you, you complete ass of a Herondale."

Kit shrugged sheepishly, hiding the pain that bloomed in his chest at the familiar feeling of guilt. He had stuffed his hands in his pockets, feeling an overwhelming sense of discomfort. He had known coming back for the wedding was a bad idea-the worst idea, in fact-since he had decided to leave in the first place. "For what it's worth, I've missed you, Dru."

She ignored the comment, choosing instead to remind him exactly why it was a bad idea to be there. "I know what you and Ty did. Is that why you left?"

He couldn't mask the look of shock that passed across his face, and felt a slight flush in his cheeks at the mention of Tiberius Blackthorn. "How did you-it doesn't matter. Yes, and no," he answered truthfully. Helping Ty attempt to bring his twin back from the dead had been the most stupid decision of his life-topped only by the moment he confessed his feelings, expecting it to change things.

She glared at him, expecting him to elaborate.

He didn't.

"Is Ty-?" Is Ty what-okay? Still tied to Livvy's spirit? Still infuriatingly beautiful? "Is he here?"

She shook her head. "He's at the Scholomance. He has exams, but...even if he didn't, I don't think he would have come."

The news was a blow Kit was not anticipating. He ignored the voice in the back of his head telling him he was the reason Ty wouldn't have come, because it didn't matter. "He went to the Scholomance?"

"Does that surprise you?"

He thought about it for a moment. "I guess. He had stopped talking about wanting to go after Livvy-"

"You left us." You left Ty, is what she had the courtesy to keep to herself.

A million different thoughts scattered through his mind, and he felt something like a lead weight settle in the pit of his stomach. He focused instead on her sea-blue eyes, gazing at her pleadingly, "I'm sorry that I left. I should have said goodbye to you. It was...selfish of me."

"Kit?"

He was pulled abruptly from his ruminating by a concerned voice and a warm hand to his shoulder. He shook the remnants of memory from his mind and peered up into the hazel eyes of the only other resident at the London Institute other than himself and Jaime-Dalton Sungrove, a mundane with the Sight who ascended from the Academy six months ago. His mundane name was Morris, but he had chosen Sungrove for his Shadowhunter name in homage to the street he grew up on in the suburbs of Orlando.

"Is everything alright?"

Kit nodded. "Sorry, I was thinking about Dru and Thais' arrival later." It was a half truth. No need to share that he was also absent-mindedly thinking of a different Blackthorn with steely gray eyes. Those thoughts always led to Kit needing a distraction-or needing to be alone. Fortunately, Dalton had served as an excellent distraction in recent months, with his sun-kissed Florida tan and soft brown hair bleached in streaks by endless days in the sun. He looked like a surfer; he was definitely nice to look at.

Ah, fuck it. In moments Kit was on his feet and tangling his fingers in the wavy locks, pressing himself desperately into Dalton's strong grip, his now cold tea long forgotten on the counter. Dalton's hands came to rest on either side of Kit's face, and he deepened the kiss greedily, his warm tongue searching Kit's mouth impatiently. Kit lowered his hands to Dalton's waist, pulling him closer. He felt, more than heard, Dalton groan against him and forced himself to pull away.

Dalton mumbled something incoherently and tugged Kit back to him with a smile, teasing, "Don't think you can get rid of me that easily," and placed a gentle kiss on Kit's brow.

Kit returned the smile and brushed a stray lock of hair out of Dalton's eyes. "Rain check? I have errands I need to run." He was about to pull away entirely when he added, "You could come with...if you aren't doing anything else today."

Dalton's face lit up at the request, "Anything to get out of tediously polishing every piece of silver in this place for the third time. I'm beginning to think Jem secretly enjoys watching me suffer."

Kit laughed at the idea. The irony of it was that it was exactly the sort of thing Jem's parabatai would have done, and Kit knew Jem well enough to know it was just one of the ways he dealt with the gaping chasm in his soul; the one that would only be knit back together when he reunited with Will Herondale in the afterlife. "Nah, I think he just knows that you need to work on your patience. There's nothing quite like boring, tedious tasks to test one's limits. Trust me, I know."

An hour later they were walking along the shopping district on Oxford Street in comfortable silence. Dalton still found himself amazed by the mere idea of being a Shadowhunter-let alone a Shadowhunter in London. It was a sunny day, though the spring temperatures had remained relatively low, requiring a jacket. It meant that Dalton and Kit did not need their Glamour runes for the errands they were running, as majority of their marks were covered up anyway.

—

Dalton reflected back to when he first arrived in London. As with most stereotypes, he had entirely expected London to be in a state of constant gloom, and had been pleasantly surprised to learn that there were just as many sunny days as there were dreary ones. The winter had been rather unpleasant compared to the mild Florida winters he was used to, but he had already somewhat acclimated to the different climates due to living in New York at the Shadowhunter Academy for two years.

Dalton glanced in Kit's direction. The sun reflected off his hair, turning the strands to liquid gold. It curled gently around his ears and along the nape of his neck and he fought the urge to reach out and run his fingers through the gold silk. He knew Kit wasn't overly fond of public displays of affection, and besides, they hadn't technically made their relationship official, though they weren't seeing other people either.

He reluctantly tore his gaze away, choosing instead to look around at the shops. "So, what exactly are we shopping for?"

Kit turned his attention to Dalton; it was clear he had been lost in thought, which was a normal occurrence, yet rarely did Kit elaborate on where his mind disappeared to so frequently. Dalton caught sight of Kit's startling blue eyes before they turned back to the direction they were headed. "We need a few prepaid phones. And I was thinking of picking up some British horror movies to watch with Dru sometime."

"The Institute really should invest in Netflix."

Kit huffed, "I'll add that to my neverending list of priorities, along with a flat screen TV, an Xbox and reliable internet."

"Those should definitely take precedence over tedious Shadowhunter affairs. Anything else?"

Kit shrugged, "We should probably pick up some groceries on the way back. We desperately needcoffee."

The corner of Dalton's lip curled up in a slight smirk. Kit noticed, and tossed him a curious look. "I have somewhere I'd like to take you."

"Is that your way of asking me out on a date?"

"Maybe," he winked.

"Fine, keep your secrets," Kit jested. "We're here, anyway," he said, gesturing towards the electronics store. "I'll be quick." He ducked into the store, leaving Dalton on the cobblestone sidewalk.

He glanced around, earning a few strange looks from passersby, knowing his tanned skin and sun streaked hair often made him look like a tourist. He sat down on the nearest bench and waited, tapping his foot impatiently on the ground. He took the moment to assess his surroundings. Even though it was daytime, and there wasn't likely to be any trouble, it never hurt to be cautious.

Kit returned minutes later with a small bag in hand, and Dalton's stomach did a tiny flip as the sun's rays lit up Kit's hair and eyes like a beacon, startling in its intensity.

"You're staring."

"Duh. Have you seen you?"

Kit rolled his eyes and offered a quick little smile in response. "Help me pick out some films for Dru?"

"I know the perfect place."

—

It turned out Dalton really did know the perfect place. It was a shop called Pawndora's Box, which earned a chuckle from Kit, and it was run by a group of Downworlders and mundanes with the Sight. The front area of the shop held typical mundane pawn items ranging from movies and vinyl records to antique items and historical weapons-nothing unusual to the mundane eye. But the back half of the shop; that was where the magic happened. Kit stepped through the glamoured book cases along the back wall, and found himself transported to what felt like a different universe. It keenly reminded him of the L.A. Shadow Market, and he wondered how he had never heard of this place before-even more so, he wondered how Dalton knew of the place.

He didn't have to wait long for an answer; it was as if Dalton read his mind. "When I was at the Academy, there was a boy in my class from here who told me all sorts of stories about the London Downworld, and said that if I ever had the chance I should check out this place."

"Where did he go after he Ascended?"

Dalton's gaze was downcast, and Kit already knew the answer. "He didn't survive."

It was a risk that all mundanes with the Sight knew and accepted when they arrived at the Academy. Still, it didn't make it any less shitty, and Kit reached out to take Dalton's hand in his own, squeezing it comfortingly. "I'm sorry."

Kit was aware that he had never held Dalton's hand in public before, and the effect on Dalton was immediate. His hazel eyes found Kit's, and in the dim lighting of the shop they looked forest green. They were full of so much affection that Kit almost wanted to pull his hand away to make it stop. Almost. Instead he tugged Dalton to him and kissed him lightly, then deepened the kiss when Dalton wrapped his free hand around the nape of Kit's neck, tugging gently at the fine curls there. Dalton was the first to break apart, panting slightly, eyes shining with desire. "Be my boyfriend," he blurted.

Kit's eyes widened in shock. They'd had this conversation before, and Kit's answer had never changed. He didn't want a serious relationship. Relationships required too much work; too many feelings were involved, and someone always ended up hurt. But he had started to wonder if things with Dalton could be different-had started to wonder if there was actually something real between them. Kit certainly hadn't been seeing anyone else in months, and it was apparent that Dalton was crazy for him.

Kit ignored the voice in the back of his head telling him that he wasn't boyfriend material, that he would ultimately let Dalton down. He had never even had a serious relationship; only meaningless flirting and flings with people he never really cared about. But he did care about Dalton.

"Okay."

"Wait, for real? You want to make this official?"

"No, I just said that because I enjoy stringing you along," Kit replied sarcastically. "Yes, for real."

Dalton smiled happily, taking Kit's face in his hands and peppering him with kisses until someone cleared their throat behind them. "If you aren't going to actually buy anything, take your sickening romantics elsewhere."

They both turned to find a mean looking Warlock with scaly skin glaring at them. Dalton mumbled a hasty apology and pulled Kit along the row and back out into the front half of the store. Kit was laughing when they finally stopped in front of the movies, and said thoughtfully, "I wonder who broke Mr. Crocodile's heart."

Dalton cocked a grin and turned to the selection of horror films in front of them. "What should we get?"

Kit scanned the titles, "The older the better. Ah, here we go, An American Werewolf in London."

"It looks perfectly cringe-worthy," Dalton replied.

"Even better."

They began making their way to the counter when an odd tugging sensation came over Kit; like a tether was tied around his soul, trying to pull him towards some unknown space and time. He thought about fighting it, but his curiosity got the best of him and he followed it back through the glamoured book shelves, past rows upon rows of vials and jars filled with various liquids, half of which were likely just water and food coloring. Kit had learned that trick from Johnny back in L.A.

"Kit? Where are you going?"

"I don't know. I can feel something."

Dalton rushed to his side and held him back for a moment. "Shouldn't we stop to consider that it might be some sort of trap?"

Kit considered it for a moment, then dismissed the thought. "No. It's not like that. Something is calling to me. I don't know how to explain it." He pulled away from Dalton and continued to let the strange pull guide him. He felt it getting warmer in his chest, so whatever it was, he was getting closer to it.

Dalton sighed in exasperation, choosing to follow anyway.

"You two again? I thought I said to get out of here if you weren't going to buy anything."

Kit stopped abruptly in front of a rather nondescript jewelry stand. "What does it look like I'm doing?" he snapped. It was here, whatever it was.

"Jewelry?"

Kit picked up a necklace from the stand and let it dangle from his fingers. He stared at it in wonder for a moment, realizing instinctively that it was more than just a necklace; it was a sort of amulet. Bands of bronze, silver, and gold surrounded a rough looking stone, but when he touched it, the surface was smooth. The vibrant blue-green stone radiated warmth into his fingertips.

Dalton moved to get a better look at the amulet, a puzzled expression on his face. "A rock?"

What is he talking about? Kit realized that the heartbroken crocodile dude was also staring at him quizzically. This is weird. But he played along with it, because whatever he was seeing was not what the others were seeing, and that meant he had a mystery to solve. "Yeah, I've been reading about the therapeutic benefits of different rocks and crystals. I guess this one just speaks to me."

Croc the Warlock gave him a look that said he didn't give a damn about whether it spoke to him or not. "You just gonna stand there staring at it or pay up?"

Luckily, Warcroc accepted mundane money instead of expecting a trade like many other Downworlders did; he must not have been too bright. Still, the amulet was an anomaly. Kit sensed that it was a powerful magical object, and yet somehow he was the only one who seemed able to detect it. Strange, indeed.

—

When they arrived back at the Institute, it was already late afternoon. The sky had clouded over; it looked like it would rain. Jaime was already back from his assignment, and came out to help unload groceries, exclaiming happily when he saw that Kit had bought coffee.

"You are officially my favorite person. I could kiss you right now." Kit saw Dalton give the other man a withering look.

"Please don't." While Jaime was very attractive, with his dark skin, fierce eyes and mundane tattoos along with his Shadowhunter runes, Kit had never been interested. Jaime was too much of a wild card, and far too laissez faire about relationships and feelings. Kit had wondered if there was anyone, or anything, that could actually tie Jaime down. "Did you find out anything about the heist?" he asked, changing the subject while bouncing around the kitchen, Dalton tossing him various groceries to put away.

"It was strange. At first, it appeared to be a simple mundane crime. But I think the mundanes involved were Encanto'd. When I interviewed a few of the suspects, there were startling gaps in their memories. They didn't remember getting there, or breaking into the safe deposit facility.""

"Could they have been lying to cover their asses?"

"No. This was more than just coincidental or some corroborated alibi."

"What was stolen?" Dalton chimed in curiously.

"Mostly jewels, but money too. Vampires don't really have a need for all that money, but jewels…." he trailed off thoughtfully. He didn't need to finish. For the right price, those jewels could be traded for all kinds of illegal substances or favors. The Seelie queen especially loved getting her hands on rare and beautiful items.

"We need to get a look at the safe, then. Maybe they left some other clue behind?" Kit mused. "Tomorrow night, I want you to take Dru and Thais. Get in and out as quickly as possible, take pictures, then patrol the area. It might be nothing, but we need to be sure."

Jaime nodded. "Oh, a fire-message came through earlier from Magnus. He will be portalling in with them at promptly seven o'clock." Kit glanced at the time; that meant an hour and a half. "We'll order in dinner when they get here."

"It better be Chinese."

"Or how about you let Dru and Thais decide what they want? Don't make me call you a stupid cow again."

"You just did," Dalton pointed out with a laugh.

Kit shrugged, "He'll live." He patted Jaime's head in the way you would a small child, then retreated to his and Jem's office. Jem had provided him with his own safe. It was protected against the use of an Opening rune, so Kit knew the mysterious amulet would be safe there. He would show Magnus when he arrived; see if the Warlock could tell him what it was and why it had called to him.

He entered the code for the safe, a combination of the year he was born and the number of windows on the front of the Los Angeles Institute. He would always remember, because Ty had told him. He remembered everything Ty had said to him; held onto the memories the same way a tree holds onto its leaves in the fall, not wanting to lose them. Somedays, Kit wished he could forget. Other days, the memories were the only thing that kept him going. He wondered if there would ever come a time when he no longer missed Tiberius Blackthorn. Three years hadn't been enough to cure the ache in his heart, no matter how many other people had tried to fill it since.

He placed the strange necklace in the safe, next to his own copy of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. He pulled out the book and opened it; inside the front cover was tucked a drawing Kit had swiped from Julian's collection before he left. It was of Ty. He was lounging in his favorite chair in the library, a book perched open on his lap and headphones around his neck. One of his hands was fiddling with the cord; it was wrapped around his elegant fingers. It was a beautiful rendition and Kit found himself wondering, not for the first time, how much Ty had changed since then.

A gentle knock on the door startled Kit from his thoughts and he placed the belongings back in the safe, closed it and turned to see Dalton standing there. Kit felt his heart clench slightly with guilt. Dalton was his boyfriend now; he needed to stop holding so desperately to the thought of Ty. It wasn't fair to Dalton.

"You busy?" Dalton smirked from across the room.

Kit shook his head. "I was just going to program the phones we picked up today, but it can wait."

"Good. I was thinking we could pick up where we left off this morning. You did promise me a rain check."

Kit crossed the threadbare carpet, leaving behind the memories and the picture in that safe. "I did."

Dalton's answering grin was enough to make Kit decide then and there that he would never move on if he didn't throw himself head first into this relationship; if he didn't allow himself to feel something for someone else. Yes, Dalton made for a delightful distraction. However, Kit also liked Dalton.

"Your room or mine?"

"Surprise me."

—

Drusilla Blackthorn stood with Thais Pedroso and the rest of the Blackthorns, excluding Ty who was on assignment from the Scholomance, on the lawn of the Shadowhunter Academy. The Ascension Ceremony had held place only a few hours prior. Thankfully, Dru did not have to witness any failed Ascensions; there were only three prospective students in her class, and they had survived the process of drinking from the Mortal Cup. She had seen plenty of death in her short sixteen years, but there was something about death by Mortal Cup that keenly reminded her of the way Sebastian Morgenstern had created the Endarkened with the Infernal Cup. The thought sent shivers down her spine.

After the ceremony, a celebration was thrown together on the lawn for the graduates and their families. It was mostly Magnus' doing, and she thought he truly had outdone himself with the enchanted chocolate fountains, bubbly non-alcoholic drinks, and the inclusion of foods from Institutes all over the world.

Her best friend, Thais, chatted animatedly with Emma and Julian, while Dru snacked on the Brazilian brigadeiros, a nod to Thais' home Institute in Rio de Janeiro. They were probably the best chocolate truffles she had ever had.

"Druuuuuuu!" she heard Tavvy whine somewhere to the left. He was ten years old, but still small for his age. He ran over to her and clamped his arms around her hips. "Why do you have to go to London?"

"Well, because Kit needs us," she said simply. She had known they were heading to London six months ago already when Jem took over as temporary Head of the London Institute and Kit had extended an invitation for them to join after graduation.

"If he needs you, then why did he leave us?" Nothing got past Octavian. He was bright and intuitive and would make an amazing Shadowhunter when he was of age.

"He needed to live with Jem and Tessa for awhile, that's all." She knew there was far more to it than that, all centering around the night Kit and Ty-well, mostly Ty- had attempted the Necromantic ritual on the shores of Lake Lyn. Neither Kit or Ty had told her exactly what went down that night, and she hadn't pressed them for answers. She'd be damned if she didn't get the answers she needed during her stay at the London Institute, though. An explanation was long overdue.

"Can't I come with you? I'm going to miss you!"

"Oh, Tavs." she thought she was going to cry. She pried his arms off her waist and knelt in front of him so she could be face to face, staring into his Blackthorn blue eyes identical to her own. "I'll miss you, too. You have to stay here and grow big and strong so you can go to the Academy like your big sis."

Tavvy was crying, though, "Everyone is leaving me. Mark is barely home, Ty's a Centurion, you're heading to London..." he trailed off. He didn't mention Livvy.

"Shhhh, Tavs, everything will be alright. You have Julian and Emma, Helen and Aline." It was breaking her heart not knowing when she would see her little brother next, and she smoothed his unruly waves with one hand, leaning in to drop a kiss on his forehead. "I need you to be strong for me. We are Blackthorns. I am with you no matter how many miles separate us." She placed a hand over his heart for emphasis.

He sniffled and wrapped his arms around her neck, nodding in the process. She picked him up and carried him over to where Julian and Emma were standing and handed him over to her older brother.

Dru saw Magnus wrap his arms around his small family before sauntering over to the group. He rubbed his hands together in a gesture that was meant to show excitement, but Dru could see that it pained him to leave Alec and the children behind, even for one night. She felt a tug within her chest. She hoped she would find a love like that someday.

Magnus smiled warmly at her and Thais. "It is time to go. Are you both ready?"

Thais, always bubbly and outgoing, seemed like she would burst at the seams with excitement. Unlike Dru, she had never been to London, and had pretty much talked non-stop about it for the last six months. Dru suspected that it had less to do with London and more to do with a certain Rosales boy with tattoos and obscenely good looks.

Dru herself had a crush on the boy in question for well over a year, but at some point she realized that he was not the type of person to date exclusively, and did not think it was worth having her heart broken over. But she considered Jaime to be one of her best friends, and if Thais could tame his wildness, then she would fully support it. As it was, Dru didn't think Jaime even realized Thais liked him. London would be an adventure.

Magnus was busy summoning his magic to create the portal that would transport the three of them, so she took advantage of those precious moments to embrace her family tightly. Even though she had been away at the Academy for two years, moving across the globe to London felt entirely different; far more permanent.

She found Julian last, and he wrapped his sturdy arms around her, "Be safe, Dru. And remember that we are only a portal away." She nodded against him, tears threatening to spill onto her brother's shoulder. "And tell Kit not to be a stranger. He should know that we will always care about him and would love it if he visited once in a while."

She breathed a laugh, "He's a stubborn ass. He may know you care about him, but he'll never acknowledge it."

He laughed against her ear, "I love you, Drusilla."

"I love you too, Jules."

She pulled away and located her best friend, who took her hand supportively. Magnus had already magically transported their belongings, so all that was left was for them to step through with the Warlock.

Dru and Thais departed through the swirling portal with a final wave and emerged into the grand entry way of the London Institute. Dru spotted Jaime first, who practically ran into her arms, proclaiming, "My bestie is here!" and proceeded to swing her around before setting her back down gracefully. He turned to Thais, who had a small blush on her face as he pulled her into a welcoming hug. Dru winked and wiggled her eyebrow suggestively.

She looked around for Kit, who was descending the stairs with Dalton. Holding hands. When did that happen? Kit dropped the other boy's hand when his deep sea blue eyes landed on her own and raced down the remainder of the stairs to pull her into his arms with a sort of desperation she was not anticipating.

Dru felt him sigh into her hair, almost as if he were releasing a weight. "I've missed you," he murmured into her ear. He pulled away and she saw that he was smiling exuberantly. "I got something for you, today. A horror movie."

"Did someone say horror movie?" Thais bounded over, followed by Jaime and Magnus, who must have stepped through amid all the chaos of hugging.

"Thais," Kit said, by way of greeting. "How is everything at the Rio Institute?"

"Good, I think. Last thing I heard though, they were looking into the murder of a Shadowhunter."

"Just one?"

"Yeah, mamãe thinks it's just an isolated incident, but still; I hope they find whoever did it."

Magnus furrowed his brows at the mention of the dead Shadowhunter, but didn't say anything.

While it wasn't completely uncommon for a Shadowhunter to go missing or turn up dead, it always filled Dru with a sense of foreboding whenever it happened. Ever since the Dark War, efforts had been made to re-populate and fill ranks, hence the renewal of the Ascension process. To hear about Shadowhunters turning up dead filled her with an acute feeling of anxiety. She reached out and gave her friend's hand a squeeze, "I hope so, too."

Dalton approached and hugged both girls. "Congrats, it's good to see you two again."

"Are you enjoying London, Dalton?" Dru asked, with a knowing glance in Kit's direction. He smiled sheepishly in return, a blush creeping across his cheeks.

Magnus, after embracing Kit and the other inhabitants, exclaimed joyfully, "I think celebrations are in order, wouldn't you all agree?"

"We were gonna order some food. Any requests?"

"Chinese," came the unanimous response from Dru, Thais, and Jaime.

"Oh! I know the perfect place!" Magnus boasted. He snapped his fingers and an entire array of fried rice, lo mein, sesame chicken, and wontons appeared in front of their eyes. Dru's mouth began to water.

Everyone migrated to the kitchen, grabbing bowls and digging into the food without abandon, chatting animatedly amongst one another. Dru smiled to herself happily, thinking that it felt like home.