Names
As I hovered over her, watching her chest raise and fall slowly and calmly. Her copper hair was in neat ringlets across her hospital pillow and her skin was paler than usual. But it was like any other time that she and I had been in the hospital. I had been in the hospital far more times then an average 27 year old but then again I am a shadowhunter. A happily married one I might add.
As I sat next to my wife- Clary- I thought about what had happened a few hours ago she gave birth to a beautiful copper-haired girl just like her. As I watched her I took her small, soft hand and began to stroke it. I did it often when I thought. I remembered Izzy and Simon with their twin girls Abby and Lilly, Abby and Lilly, I thought, I love those names… wait, names? We need a name for her.
A huge grin grew on my face as it did when I became extremely excited about a challenge. A name is indeed a challenge. Names began to race though my head Sarah, Amanda, Amy, Lila, Katie, Peyton, Bailey, Michelle, Sydney, Maya, Cassie, Kelsey, Samantha, Ally, Veronica, Lucy, Madison… My list faded from my mind when I saw her open her eyes. The rich color of them looking at me made me feel as if I was being enveloped in velvet. I studied her features now that she was awake. "You're a father." She whispered so softly that I could scarcely hear.
"Yes, you have a daughter" boomed a loud voice that made us both jump slightly and turn our heads. It was a large rather harry nurse holding a small bundle in a pink blanket. "The strangest thing is, is that she has a full and quite long head of red hair, I have never seen a child like that before." Boomed the nurse as she handed the bundle to Clary.
She left rather quickly as we watched the small bundle carefully. Clary had moved over some so that we were now both on the bed looking at our daughter. When I moved the cloth carefully aside a small pale hand grabbed onto my ring finger, making us both laugh. In the blanket was a small version of Clary what Simon might call a Clary chibi.
She had my sharp jaw but she already had long hair, a mixture of my golden and Clary's red hair. She had beautiful hazel eyes and long lashes. "Jace, she is going to be a great shadowhunter I know it." Clary smiled at me. and as if on cue the small girl reached over to Clary's arm and lightly, slightly traced the outline of a healing rune that Izzy had put on her before she had come to the hospital. We both laughed again.
"Now, the ultimate question… what shall her name be Jace?" She asked in mock seriousness. We sat there for a few minutes thinking. Suddenly Clary blew the hair out of her face and laid her head on my chest. I tucked my arm more tightly around her shoulder and began twirling a strand of her hair in between my fingers.
Suddenly a single name popped into my head Sage. "I've got it!" I whispered excitedly to her so as not to wake our daughter. "OK lets hear it." She said looking up at me intently. "Sage." I simply stated. Her eyes were twinkling. "I love it." She whispered. She smiled. Oh that smile brought joy to my heart it made me feel completely warm. And looking down at the small bundle I brushed a strawberry-blonde strand of hair from her face and whispered "Welcome to the family Sage."