She was startled out of her musings by a knock on the door. "Yes?" she called, not taking her eyes off the picture.
The door opened and someone stepped inside, shutting the door behind him or her with a click. "It's unlike you to be locked in your room all day, Isabelle. Want to tell me what's wrong?" her mother's voice asked her. Izzy looked up.
Her mother had been very sick lately- the strain of her divorce on top of almost losing the Institute was a bit too much all at once. "Nothing's wrong," Izzy assured her. "I was just going to bring over some books to Luck's place so he could sell them, you know, and I came across some old photo albums. I've been staring at them all day, and this one of Alec for the better part of an hour."
"Let me see," Maryse urged, walking over to Izzy and peering over her shoulder. After a few seconds she reached out to take the picture, a sad sigh escaping her. "Yes, very captivating, isn't it? I have this same copy in my room, framed, and I stare at it for long periods of time, wondering what happened. He's never this happy anymore. I don't know what to do about it."
Izzy shrugged. "I think it's just that he has to get used to everything again. He got used to hiding, and then when he came out, people started looking at him differently. They think that he can't feel them staring, or that he doesn't know what they say. I think once everyone is used to Alec's being gay, and when he gets over Bane, he'll be happier."
"Yes. Yes, maybe you're right. I just worry."
"Only logical. I think he'll get better, he just needs support."
"Yes," Maryse repeated, sounding slightly pleased. "Support. Thank you."
Izzy nodded, taking the picture and replacing it in the photo album as Maryse walked out the door. She stared at the whole page; there was a picture of her, and one of Max, and Jace at that age. And of course the one of Alec. The dates were written below, on very simple white rectangular pieces of paper, on the dark red page. She smiled and shut the book as Alec's voice sounded through her door, "We've got a demon a few streets down from Central Park! Get ready, Izzy!"
"Okay!" she called back.
