Chapter 2

Memories

Kai un-zipped his battered leather suitcase- which had poorly drawn felt tip pen runes squiggled across the top. Kai smiled, his fingers tracing a zigzag line that was supposed to resemble an iratze. He had been viciously angry when he'd first seen the graffiti- but of course Jamie didn't care that he had destroyed the only physical reminder Kai had left of his father; Jamie didn't care about anything. Piles of haphazardly organized clothes tumbled out of the suitcase and spilled onto the wooden floorboards; Kai bent down and roughly folded them before placing them in the simple, pale wooden draws every room in the London institute had. Everything in Kai's room was exactly how he remembered it to be before he left 3 months ago. A used coffee mug sat on a desk littered with papers and pens; Kai's copy of The Shadowhunters Codex lay open on a page dedicated to healing runes on his bedside table; his long black coat was still lying on the black bean bag in the corner of Kai's bedroom next to his window. The black haired Shadowhunter smiled, it was good to be home. A soft knock on his bedroom door snapped Kai back into reality,

"Come in?" The door opened and Jamie walked in, he had showered since Kai arrived so his golden hair was plastered to his head and his skin gleamed with a freshly washed glow.

"So..." Jamie said, walking across the room and jumping up to perch on Kai's window sill, something Jamie always did whenever he sat in somebody's room. "How was York really? You can't seriously tell me all you did was question Downworlders for 3 whole months."

"Well, how it was really is dull and cold with too many cows and my back is aching from sitting up so straight, seriously- Spencer Blackthorn is a slave driver." Kai moaned, remembering the countless, torturous dinners where no one could so much as breathe out of fear that Spencer would start a rant about how Shadowhunters were being raised without learning etiquette and manners.

"Well, that sounds like a lot of fun. So there wasn't any daring tales of danger and romance?" Jamie raised a pale eyebrow, his green eyes gleaming with humour. Kai sighed, he opened a draw and placed his clothes in.

"Nope, unless you count talking to Downworlders brave?"

"I don't."

"The there was no danger, at all." Jamie smiled, satisfied with Kai's response, he hadn't expected Kai to do anything fun, he always was the boring half of the parabati bond. But, Kai wasn't telling Jamie the wholetruth. There had been some romance, but Kai didn't really know what it meant now, just harmless fun or something more? Did she want something more, did he? Kai pushed his suitcase back into it's shadowy home under the bed, where dust and dirt roamed free. Looking over his green and white duvet cover, he noticed Jamie staring intently out of the window, an odd expression spread across his face. Kai stood up, leaning against his plain white wall so he too could look out of the window. June sunlight beamed from the pale blue sky, highlighting the blooming flower beds Kai's mum had planted in April after a short visit to the institute for Easter. The thick oak tree that grew right beside Kai's bedroom window was playing host to two sparrows, who flittered from branch to branch, chirping merrily as they flew.

"What are you staring at?" Kai asked; Jamie jumped, he hadn't realised Kai was watching him.

"Nothing in particular. Oh, that reminds me! June is giving us some money to go to Suki's for something to eat later, she wanted to come too but she's busy with something the Clave wants her to do."

"What do they want her to do?" Kai asked, curiosity flaring in his stomach. June had once had a powerful position on the Council, but she had to resign when she discovered she was pregnant with Kai. The Clave often asked his mum to do important tasks and she was rarely out of Idris but because 3 of the London Shadowhunters had to leave to go to York, June had been asked by the Inquisitor to help run the institute along with Edward Lightwood until they returned.

"Well, I'm going to do a bit of training, I'll meet you in the weapons room if you want?" Jamie asked, Kai shook his head, he didn't really feel like training today. Jamie leapt off the window ledge and dashed out of the room. Kai frowned, Jamie would have normally stayed with him and continued to pester Kai about his trip, but something had distracted him. Kai walked across his room and looked out of his oval window. Standing beside the grand, black iron gates was a small figure. The door to the institute opened and somebody with blond hair walked down the stone steps towards the gates. Kai turned around, utterly confused. Why had Jamie left to rush outside and talk to Cleo? They were never friends as far as Kai could remember- but if they weren't, then why would Jamie leave his parabati to go and talk to her?

...

Suki's was filled with the mumbling of chatting Downworlders; Kai sat on a red and black checkered sofa beside a dirty window, Jamie sat next to him and currently had his back turned to flirt with some vampire girl. Trust Jamie to desert his friends for some pretty stranger, Kai thought bitterly. A tall and thin red skinned girl walked to the Shadowhunters table, a note pad held in her long nailed hands.

"Are you ready to order?" She asked, her voice was high pitched and melodic, like she was singing instead of talking. Faerie, Kai noted, looking at her slim figure and the all too perfect appearance.

"I'll have some chips and a coke please, beautiful." Jamie spun around on his seat and looked the waitress up and down. The Faerie girl scribbled down his order, seemingly unfazed by Jamie's flirting.

"And what do the rest of you want?" Kovu scratched his head,

"Erm, I'll have a burger?" He mumbled, reading through the food on offer at Suki's for the third time.

"I'll have the same." The Faerie girl looked at Cleo who was staring out of the window watching the passers by with an almost longing expression on her face. She didn't want to be here.

"Are you having anything?" Cleo tore her gaze from the window, she looked at the menu printed on the back of a green leaf and picked the first thing she saw.

"Milkshake, please. Erm...banana flavour- with a straw." The red skinned girl nodded and walked towards the left of the restaurant where the serving counter was placed. Kai leaned forward, his blue eyes locking onto Cleo's hazel ones.

"Are you OK?" Cleo sighed and shook her head.

"They're all staring at us," She said, her eyes glancing around the room at the cluster of Downworlders who were gathered around eating food. Kai looked over his shoulder; three werewolves were sat in the far corner of the restaurant beside the jukebox, their dark eyes filled with venom as they shot poisonous glares at the seated Shadowhunters. A shiver ran down Kai's spine and he turned around. Cleo swallowed, biting her lip.

"They hate us, we're not welcome here."

"Who hate us?" Jamie asked, overhearing Cleo and Kai's conversation. The vampire girl he had been flirting with had left, not without handing Jamie her number. Kai couldn't help but wonder how the vampires left Suki's, it wasn't exactly sunny outside but there was enough light to burn the vampires and cause them excruciating pain. There must be a exit that leads to some vampire hide out, Kai guessed.

"The Downworlders- especially the werewolves, they want us to leave." Cleo said, she glanced down at the off-white table as one of the werewolves from the back of the room passed by their table on his way to the bathroom. Jamie frowned, realizing that the atmosphere in Suki's wasn't care free and relaxed as it normally was. I wonder why the Downworlders have suddenly changed their attitudes towards us, it's like they view us as no better than demons, Kai thought. The red Faerie girl walked up to their table and placed down the ordered food, she smiled as she did it. Kai watched her thoughtfully, there were a few other Faeries in Suki's who seemed completely unfazed by the presence of the Shadowhunters. Kai felt a little bit more relaxed knowing that not all the Downworlders in the restaurant wanted to stab him to death if they got the opportunity. The red skinned girl placed a bill on the Shadowhunters table- something Suki's always did whenever a meal was served. Jamie always complained that the bill distracted him from enjoying his food but he didn't appear bothered by it now as he ploughed chips into his mouth- probaby because he wasn't paying for the meal. Kai took a bite of his burger and looked around the room. A few Downworlders caught his eye and scowled; Kai noticed with fascination that not one werewolf in the room regarded him with friendliness. A few vampires shot him evil glances, but most ignored his presence. By far the most welcoming group of Downworlders were the Faeries, when Kai looked at them they smiled, some even waved. And then Kai remembered something; Faeries were under the influence of the Seelie queen- they had no free will. The Seelie queen never showed alliances with any group unless she knew exactly how powerful they were and if they were strong enough to win. Kai's stomach twisted nervously, he knew that as soon as any Faerie was anything less than polite the Shadowhunters should be worried- very worried.

"Kai, calm down, you're trembling." Jamie noted, it was true, he was.

"I'm just worried, that's all." Kai took a bite of his burger, but he didn't enjoy it, the food felt weird. He placed it back down on the leaf patterned plate, a wave of paranoia passing over him. Cleo smiled at hi, understanding his unease.

"I'm not eating anything here either." She whispered, stirring her cloudy yellow milkshake around with a bent lime green straw. Kai stared at the milkshake, it had a sickening resemblance to vomit- no wonder Cleo wasn't drinking it.

"Well, this is a great celebration. Nobody's eating because they think the foods poisoned and every Downworlder hates us. Welcome back guys!" Jamie said, throwing his arms in the arm and shaking his hands. Cleo burst out laughing, receiving a confused look from both Kai and Kovu- Cleo hardly ever laughed. Realizing she was receiving death glares from the werewolves at the back of the room she abruptly shut up.

"I think there might be Faerie potions in that drink, you never laugh at anything I say."

"That's because you're never funny." Cleo retorted, but a smile was spread across her face. Kovu raised his eyebrow; Cleo sighed and leaned forward.

"They're all trying to make us feel awkward and uncomfortable so we'll leave, you do know that, right?" Jamie's mouth opened in realization. That was exactly what the Downworlders were doing.

"Well there's not a chance in hell I'm leaving." Jamie sat back and folded his arms, Cleo nodded

"I'm not leaving either-I refuse to let them make me feel is our place as much as it's theirs, that's why I'm pretending to have a nice time and I suggest you all do the same." Kai rolled his eyes, the only thing Cleo and Jamie had in common was how stubborn they both were. The door to Suki's flew open and a burst of wind fluttered the paper thin black and red curtains that were strung across each window in the Downworlders restaurant. Grace dashed inside, her golden curls had been tied back into a high pony tail and she had changed into a pair of tight fitting blue jeans and a long sleeved black top. Jamie raised an eyebrow,

"Where have you been?" He asked, moving aside so Grace could sit down next to him.

"Edward wanted me to send a message to Magnus Bane explaining what you guys all think the Mundane deaths are about."

"Magnus Bane?" Kovu exclaimed, a few Downworlders looked up at him,

"Shut up, Kovu." Grace hissed, she leaned over across the table, offering Kai, Cleo and Kovu a quick explanation about the warlocks situation.

"Magnus Bane is in hiding, he's broken so many Downworlder rules, he's in serious trouble with the Clave, as in if-you-see-him-you-have-to-kill-him trouble." Kai's mouth hung open in pure shock, Magnus Bane had been a strong ally with the Clave for many years. What could he have possibly done that has forced him into hiding?

"If Magnus is wanted by the Clave then why is Edward sending him information?" Kovu asked.

"I have no idea, I don't even know where Magnus actually is. I had to leave a note with a human subjugate at the bus terminal toilets- now that was bloody awkward, the boys toilets are just...ugh!" Kai's blue eyes stretched wide in shock.

"Human subjugate?!" He hissed, Grace nodded. "How in the name of the angel has he got one of them?" Grace shrugged,

"I don't know, maybe it's not actually a human subjugate, it could be a possessed Mundane, Magnus is already wanted dead, he might as well break all the rules."

"It's what I'd do." Jamie smirked,

"I bet you would," Cleo muttered. "And you'd drag all of us into your mess-for the sake of my own life, make sure you always obey the Clave." Jamie chuckled softly,

"I'll try, but no promises- you just never know when the temptation to steal the Mortal sword becomes just too much." Grace pushed Jamie slightly and reached over to steal his chips. Noticing nobody was eating, Grace asked if she could have their food.

"Not many people are talking in here, are they?" Grace noticed, glancing around the room as she drank Cleo's milkshake.

"Everybody in here hates us, I think there waiting for the right opportunity to stab us in the back with a fork and knock us out cold with spoons." Kai muttered, Kovu smiled

"I think they're favouring napkins as a weapon actually." Kai turned around and spotted the vicious werewolf group tearing apart napkins whilst eating soup.

"Napkins can not be used as a weapon Kovu, and whywould they stab us with forks when they all have knifes- actually scrap that, they can just bite us, they need no weapon."

"Jamie don't be logical, it doesn't suit you." Cleo declared, earning agreement from every Shadowhunter at the table. Jamie rolled his eyes, although a warm smile danced across his lips.

"Well, I'm bored here, shall we leave?" Kovu asked, swiping crumbs off his black jeans and onto the white tiled floor which was already filthy.

"I suppose so," Jamie said with a loud sigh. The Shadowhunters stood up, placing their money on a metal tray to pay for the meal that was hardly eaten. They all walked towards the restaurant door, opening it and stepping out into the breezy London street. Just before they all turned to walk back to the institute, Jamie popped his head back into Suki's, clearing this thorat he called:

"Okay guys, we're going now so you can stop plotting ways in which you can torture us. Peace out, love you all-" A hand grabbed the back of Jamie's coat and jerked him out of Suki's.

"What in the name of the angel were you thinking? Have you got a death wish because I think the Downworlders in there would be perfectly happy in carrying it out!" Kovu exclaimed, his hazel eyes blazing with anger. Jamie chuckled, stepping away from Kovu. The muscular Shadowhunter gritted his teeth and took a step forward towards Jamie.

"Oh calm down, Kovu, it was funny and you know it." Cleo smiled, Jamie glanced at her, shocked. Twice now she had found him funny;

"Come on, lets go home, I'm freezing my socks off." Kai complained,

"Are you a man or a mouse, its only a bit of wind Shadowhunter." Grace sneered, her blue eyes mocking. Kai walked past her, his hands stuffed into his pockets; the sound of laughter echoed behind him.

Authors note: Oh wow, thanks for all your lovely reviews! I wasn't expecting anyone to actually read this story so it means a lot tomethatyou'vetakenthetimeto tell me what you think. In regards to the question I was asked, they are all my OC's buuuuuut, some of the TMI characters may appear. I just thought I should tell you that this story is set 50 years after The City of Lost Souls just to avoid any confusement. Thanks again for you reviews and thanks for reading; I'll try and type another chapter tomorrow for you