Disclaimer: I don't own The Mortal Instruments book series or anything relating to it (including the summary of this fic, a line from COA), only my writing. All rights to Cassandra Clare or whoever owns them.
A/N: Set in time between City of Bones and City of Ashes, inspired by pages 15-16 of the latter.
The Hospital
It had been a couple of weeks, but that never stopped Clary from forgetting in the moment she awoke about the things that had happened in them. She would open her eyes, and the prospect of a new day would be beautiful. But then she would remember how her mother was comatose, magically and with no way out that anyone knew of. She would be struck with the memory of finding out her brother was the person she least wished for him to be, and that her father was a sociopath who had kidnapped her mother, putting her in her current state in the first place. The only thing that hadn't been scarily altered as of late was Simon, the only constant in her ever-changing world.
And now another day had begun in which Clary was planning on going to the hospital. Today was the day that Jace would be going with her, as she had given him time to prepare himself even though every bit of her had wanted to go the same day Jocelyn had been admitted. But she had waited, she had made it. And maybe Jocelyn would finally wake up at the sound of her long lost son's voice at her bedside.
Luke didn't say much that morning on the way to pick up Jace. He simply allowed Clary to drink her coffee in the quiet of the truck, aware that she was so on edge she didn't really need to talk except to herself in her bustling mind. Jace was already waiting on the steps of the Institute, leaning forward with his hands clasped in front of his knees. Though Jace rarely showed to the world how he was feeling, today his fingers were tapping a steady rhythm against each other, exposing his nerves.
He hopped into the back of the truck and nodded a hello to Clary and Luke, with nods in return from the both of them.
The drive to the hospital was nothing if not awkward, mostly because everyone was lost in their respective heads and would intermittently come back to earth, only to find utter silence. And Jace's eyes would sometimes find the side of Clary's thoughtful freckled face and stay there, unconsciously. Clary didn't notice, however, but Luke did, seeing this through his rearview mirror. He did not comment.
The hospital smelled as it always did, looked like it always did. It even seemed as though the same people were there as well. Clary hated hospitals. So did Jace.
Once they had checked in, the three were allowed to go to Jocelyn's room. Luke ducked in for only a moment to have a quick look at her, and then left with the excuse of coffee. Both Jace and Clary knew that he had only gone to give them some time with their mother.
Clary sat beside Jocleyn's bed, taking her hand, while Jace stood some feet away, looking unsure of what to do. Clary thought that might have been the first time she had ever seen him look this way, and gave him more time. After all, he had never even met Jocelyn before. But after another five minutes had passed, Clary was beginning to lose her patience. Why wasn't he doing anything? In all the time they had been there Jace had taken, maybe, two steps towards approaching their mother. That certainly would not wake her up.
When Jace's indifferent, unemotional expression had finally been enough for Clary, she said, "What're you waiting for?"
Jace's previously blank eyes found hers, flashing. "What d'you expect me to do? It isn't like I can remind her of a favorite memory we share, can I?"
Clary released Jocelyn's pale hand, standing beside the chair. "She's your mother, Jace!" she said, her voice rising. "All I need is for you to say something, anything to her! Why can't you just help me here?"
"Because, Clary, I don't even know this woman!" Jace shouted back. The fire in his eyes abruptly died into tiredness before he stalked from the room, shoving past a returned Luke.
Clary fell into the chair once more, feeling as though she could burst into tears any second. "That's the first time I've seen you act like sister and brother," Luke remarked quietly.
Then, Clary did cry.