Disclaimer. I do not own, original characters are owned by Cassandra Clare.
Part 1
Unbidden my brother
Face me my brother I cannot see you for you are a shadow unbidden.
Chapter 1: Ghosts of Christmas Past.
Clary couldn't believe she was in Victoria's Secret during one of the busiest times of the year. She just couldn't ever make herself do it even if that meant getting something "sexy" to show off in front of her boyfriend. Clary was just not that kind of girl and no matter what happened between her and Jace, she got the feeling that wasn't going to change. Especially with Isabelle who also dragged a mug faced Maia with her. Neither of them wanted to do this however Isabelle being...well Isabelle, just would not take no for an answer. " Izzy seriously I'm not into this kind of thing!" Clary pleaded.
"Oh hush your lucky you have such a wonderful friend like me to help you out in times of need...like right now." Said Isabelle. "Besides I have to pick up something for Simon so I thought why not help my friends out in the process."
"Isabelle I like you and all but I do not wear anything that doesn't cover my cheeks." Complained Maia. She did not look like she was having a good time. Maia wasn't like Isabelle at all. Like now she wore tattered jeans, tennis shoes, a Dark brown Tara leather jacket thrown over a Black Bon Jovi t-shirt. While Isabelle was in one of her usual winter outfits, a dark blue Cashmere coat with the inside collar points that were dark grey, with fish net sockings running up her legs and knee high leather boots.
"And this is why you two need help." Isabelle said as she pull something off one of the racks. "Clary." She said with a sly smile as she held something up that was suppose to look like underwear but missing a few key parts. " I'm not wearing that until you find the rest of it." Clary said. She couldn't decide if now was a good time to make a run for it or throw Maia in to the deathtrap that Isabelle had picked up. "C'mon Jace is going to love this on you."
Clary sighed. She couldn't even remember how she got into this mess in the first place. She look around the store to hopefully find something that will satisfy Isabelle's urge to help and let Clary keep her comfortability. She saw Maia taking her phone out for the millionth scrolling through her messages. Clary could see the outline of the Council medallion underneath the Werewolf's black t-shirt. she wondered if Maia ever had any problems with all the responsibility that was shoved on to her mostly at once. Being representative of the Werewolves, Leader of the New york pack, and starting up the Praetor Lupus. So much to put on a seventeen year old shoulders. "What's up?" Maia said to Clary.
"Huh?"
"You were staring at me. Something up?" "Oh sorry, just wondering how you do it." Clary said. Maia looked puzzled "Do what?" Clary pointed to the medallion Maia was wearing around her neck. "Oh that." The redheaded Shadowhunter thought she could see weariness in the wolf girl's eyes. "It can't be easy to have to deal with all that."
"Well Bat helps out with the pack, and Magnus has been kind enough to let me see his records of the Praetor Lupus when it began in London." Maia explained. "Luke has been a great help advising me with the representative of the werewolves. So its not like I'm alone doing all this but the Council hasn't been able to appoint anyone to take charge of the Praetor yet. So until that happens they want me to keep going at it." Clary could hear the exhaustion coming out as Maia talked.
"I guess this isn't helping much is it." Clary said waving her hand gesturing it to point out the store. Maia formed a little smile on your tired face. " I know she's trying help in her own way. I guess she isn't that bad." Clary looked back at Isabelle who was so interested in what looked like to Clary, a midsection torture device, 'how is she going to breath in that' Clary thought to herself. "Don't tell me your still mad at her over the thing with Simon?" Maia kept her expression the same. "It helps when she's not drinking with my ex-boyfriends." Clary couldn't help but let a little laugh escape from her. "I'm sorry that's not funny." But before Maia could say anything else Isabelle came walking over and Clary could tell something was wrong since Isabelle was in her Shadowhunter mood, face tight and black eyes alert. "Just got a text from Alec." She said and showed the other two girls. Institute ASAP!
"What happened?" Clary said. She knew that since she had taken on the oath of a Shadowhunter that she had to respond to sudden calls of emergancy.
"Don't know Alec isn't picking up but we need to leave right now. Maia as the Representative of the Werewolves you should come with us." All hints of Isabelle's playful and feminine attitude was replaced by her years as a shadowhunter, arrogant and harsh.
"Alright lets go."
"How is this possible." Alec said clearly unsettled by what he was looking at between the bars. " He's dead, Clary stabbed him."
" I know Alec I was there." Said Jace in his nonchalant voice. "Actually I think we were all there Me you, Clary, Isabelle, and the vampire."
"Will you stop joking for five minutes!" Alec yelled as he slammed his hand against the bars. "I mean how do you explain this how are we going to explain this!" Alec was on the verge of a panic attack (some people thought with Jace as his parabatai that he should've had a panic attack long time ago) with good reason. No one could forget how clever or strong this guy had been or the damage he caused.
"We tell it the way it is and get the Silent Brothers to bring the Mortal Sword and get any info out of him that we can. If the Clave finds out about him they'll just sentence him to a really bad torturous death before we know what's actually going on."
Alec just looked at Jace and knew he was right...like most of the time. They had gone on a routine partol around Manhattan and everything was looking good, the Wolves were on the prowl, Vampires shifting through the shadows of alleyways, Falling sparks of all colors could be seen along the skyline with warlocks practicing various spells. Such standards had become mandatory until enough shadowhunters havd been ascended into the ranks. However when Jace and Alec turned on to West Dr their sensors went off comfirming demon activity. Only when they got to the origin of the demonic signals did they see that a lone cloaked person unsteadily walking over to the sideway that followed along Central park. When he collapse Jace and Alec rushed over to see what happened. Removed his hood only to be shocked at what they saw. Tussled white hair that Jace knew all to well but instead of having eyes like black tunnels he had Clary's eyes, a deep sea green. Jace couldn't believe it and even more so couldn't control his sudden burst of rage at the sight of the young man in front of him. Jace grabbed the mans cloak as violently as he could hissed between his clenched teeth. "Who are you?!" The young man just whispered. "Jonathan Fairchild." and passed out.
After the shock had worn off Jace and Alec had taken Jonathan to the Institute. Alec noticed he had demon poison in him from his smoking wounds. They cleaned him up the best they could but now it was all on the white haired man to keep himself from dying. Luckily it was only Jace and Alec in the Institute. Simon was with Maryse Lightwood in Idris working on Shadowhunter culture with some of the more ascended recuits. Isabelle had taken Clary somewhere, When Jace ask where they were going Isabelle just stuck her tounge out at him. Alec patted Jace on the shoulder. "Hey did you hear me?" Jace looked over. "Your not having a sleepover with Magnus here not after I found out why he was banned from Peru."
"What, No!" Alec blushed. "I just heard back from Isabelle she's bringing Clary and Maia Roberts." That caught Jace's attention. "Why the wolf girl after all I just said the Clave shouldn't know about him yet. That Werewolf is extremely loyal to the Council." Jace was irritated. "Tell Isabelle to send Wolf girl home we don't need this to get blown out of proportions."
"Jace we have a Sebastion Look a Like in our basement how is that not going to get blown out of proportion." Alec said. "And besides she can't, Wolf Girl is already in the Institute." And sure enough the both of them could hear clang and turning wheels of the old elevator.
Clary, Isabelle and Maia exited the cab and ran through the winter night as the three girls, shivering, entered the Institute. "Glad we got here right before it started to snow to badly." Said Isabelle brushing white flakes out of her Raven hair. She took off her Dark blue Coat revealing a Chandelier Knit Dress that ended just midway to her thighs. Casual Isabelle wearing nothing but the loudest and most glamorous attire. Clary never did figure out how Simon was able to grab hold and keep Isabelle interested him with her looks and charms. Isabelle was one of those girls that could have any guy she wanted yet she chose Simon. Not that Clary was complaining just the opposite, she was happy for Simon for the both of them. Clary didn't think she ever saw Isabelle so happy unless she was with Simon as much as she tried to hide it. Something that Clary was grateful that the Dark War didn't take him away. She wasn't sure if she could watch over Isabelle as she would be a mess, as she almost was.
"Clary can you push the button?" Asked Isabelle. "Alec sent another texted saying he Jace are in the basement."
"Alright." Clary said as she pushed the button. "I didn't know the Institute had a Basement."
"Most of them had there's filled in as to prevent Zombie Invasions even Werewolves have broken into Institutes by digging their way to the basements. Though since we're in a big city there is so much sewage drains, electrical wires, and gas pipes that most capable of digging just don't find it worth the risks."
The elevator came to a stop and opened the doors as to allow the three girls to enter. Isabelle took out her Stele and drew a rune of Further on a blank space on the panel then pushed the button. Instead of going up the elevator went down which gave Clary and Maia a bit of a shock while Isabelle just leaned against the wall. Clary started to wonder before Simon how many guys Isabelle brought to this basement. Though she felt it better not to say anything.
"Wonder whats so important that a Downworld Representative needs to be present." Said Maia she seemed more tired than before at Victoria's Secret.
"I just thought it was a good idea for you to come along since you are a Representative." Isabelle replied. Maia looked increasingly annoyed to the point where she and Isabelle would go at it and Clary wasn't sure if she could stop them both.
The elevator stop and opened up to a dark corridor that had self lighting witchlight torches revealing the way before the girls. Isabelle walked out of the elevator with out a second thought while Clary and Maia hesitated before getting out. The walls of the corridor were bare except the evergrowing moss and spider webs that covered them giving Clary the creeps. She may have fought demons, Vampires and estranged members of her family but spiders still freaked her out. How was that possible.
"Clary!" Yelled a Familiar voice. Jace ran up and to Clary and caught her in a loving embrace. "This never gets old does it?" Clary closed her eyes and felt her mans arms around her, feeling the warmth that came from them. "It's never going to get old." She told him.
"Hey no fair!" Isabelle complained. "If I can hold on to Simon then Jace you shouldn't hold to Clary like that."
"What in any demon realm do you think that I'm actually going to follow that logic." Jace said to a irritated Isabelle. Isabelle tried to think of something to say which was a first for Clary since she figured the Raven haired girl wasn't yet used to the way Simon was.
"Hey!" Alec called out. "We have something much more serious than your relationships!" Everyone took Alec's tone to heart as even Jace lost his annoying yet appealing snobby attitude.
Jace gestured everyone to follow him into the room. There were even more heavily built up spider webs in the corners of the room Clary seriously wanted a flamethrower to burn those arachnids to ash. Though Jace, Alec, Isabelle and Maia didn't bother with the webs instead focused on the cell across the room. Clary noticed that Jace and Alec were still in their Shadowhunter gear then followed their gaze to the cell and a patch of white strands against black gear. Clary felt her breath leaving her body as the white strands began to move revealing a face that had haunted her in nightmares. "Sebastion." Clary whispered.