In this chapter, Helen and Mark get everyone from the LA Institute together to make a Pillow Fort to make up for the fact that Helen and Mark have been absent from their siblings lives for the last five years.
If their is anything you liked/didn't like, or if their is something you want to see in future chapters, let me know in the reviews.
I own nothing but the plot
Although Mark was getting used to being back with his family, he was still painfully aware that they had changed since he had been away. As a result he often felt like there was some sort of barrier between him and his siblings. It didn't help during a difficult period of time. Well, difficult was an understatement. It had been revealed that Malcolm Fade had been using his younger siblings: manipulating them into trusting them only to want to murder one of them, and use their blood to bring back someone he had been in love with. He'd tried to kill Tavvy but they had managed to stop him from doing so, and Emma had killed him. Unfortunately Malcolm hadn't stayed dead, and he had put magic plans in place to bring him back…sort of.
He'd killed their Uncle (who had willingly gone to Malcolm to save his nieces and nephews) but Anabel had murdered him within minutes of being brought back. Anabel had come back damaged and broken because of what she had been through. After some provocation from the evilness from the cohort, she had ended up murdering the Inquisitor and Mark's younger sister Livvy. On top of that, there was the Cold Peace, and the negative view of faeries (Mark was constantly being reminded that he had ridden with the faerie Wild Hunt, and both he and his sister were half-fae) all the Blackthorns, as well as the few who seemed to care about them, knew that one wrong move could have Mark and Helen torn away from them again.
With all that going on, it is of no surprise that Mark felt that he was unable to sit down and get to know his brother and sisters again, to know them the way he had prior to being taken. He tried to make observations, and remember comments that were said in conversations. He had come to terms with the fact this was the only way he could relearn his siblings. Thankfully – the difficulty had passed. Having been put through difficult situations time and time again had turned the Blackthorns into experts on survival. They got through what life presented them and ended up winning.
It had been Helen of all people who helped Mark get to know his siblings better. She, like Mark had been parted from her siblings. Where Mark had been sent to ride with the Wild Hunt, Helen had gone to Wrangle Island. Although she had had some contact with her siblings she, like Mark was painfully aware of how they had all changed and she did not know them as she once had. Add to the fact that Helen had yet to properly meet Kieran, Kit and Cristina, she was all too aware of the fact that conversations needed to happen to repair the family's damage.
It had been raining one day when Helen had her realisation on just how she and Mark could get re-acquainted with their brothers and Siblings. Without saying anything to Aline, she left her room to find her brother. On standing outside his room, she paused, to hear if there were any voices coming from the room within. It had become a well-known fact to everyone that Mark, Kieran and Cristiana were spending increasing amounts of time with each other. Knowing that they made each other happy, and treated each other with the kindness and love they all deserved, no one had questioned or tried to stop it. Helen was certain Emma was actively trying to encourage the whole thing.
Helen couldn't hear anything, so that either meant Mark was alone, or he wasn't in his room at all. Knocking on the door, Helen found that she didn't have to wait for a reply. The fact Mark seemed surprised to see his sister at his door made Helen's heart sing, but it also made it more determined to do something about her family's situation. "Well met Helen. What brings you here?" he asked. Mark still, whether he wanted to or not, spoke like one of the fair folk. "Don't judge me for sounding daft, as my intentions are honourable, but I was wondering if you would consider resuming your role of being the 'pillow fort expert' of the family" Helen said, realising just how daft she sounded.
"Neither you nor I know our siblings as we once did, and I thought, maybe if we did something we all enjoyed once before, it would create an opportunity to get to know them again. Of course, Kieran and Cristina would be welcome to join too" Helen added by way of an explanation, then stopped herself knowing she had started waffling. Mark, to her relief nodded, showing he had understood what his sister was saying. "I see you are less boring than Livvy thought" he said, and they both smiled (although somewhat sadly) at the memory of their fallen sibling. "But yes, I shall help you build a fort, Livvy would not want us to be miserable. You should tell everyone, for it was your idea. Make sure to bring Aline and Kit" Mark said. Helen raised an eyebrow. "Kit – the Herondale boy?" she asked. Mark nodded again with a knowing look. "He is rather fond of Ty, and Ty is fond of him. I do not think they realise it yet but they do" he explained. He knew Helen would understand – their siblings were reaching the relationship stage of their lives. They were no longer the small innocent children they had left.
Without saying anything else, the half-fae Blackthorns went their separate ways. Mark to start collecting the required resources to build a pillow fort, and Helen to collect everyone. Although neither of them had said it, there was a fear that the Blackthorns would not wish to join in. But, one by one, Mark was joined by the Shadowhunters (and faerie) of the L.A Institute. Tavvy and Dru had arrived first. Tavvy had never built one of Marks famous forts before, and was literally bouncing off the walls with excitement over the fact he was finally being able to partake in something his siblings regularly spoke of. Ty and Kit arrived soon after, both clutching duvets. Kieran had come in, looking sceptical. Mark had stopped what he had been doing to put the faerie prince at ease.
"You are, whether you realise it or not Kier, a part of this family. I know you do not understand what it means to be a part of a family but we will help you to" he said, and lightly brushed his lips against Kieran's. He was pulled forced to resume his job when Dru through a small cushion at him yelling "fort now, sappy later" which made Mark laugh. Emma and Cristina both joined, and simply looked like they were happy to be involved in something the Blackthorns had held so dearly to them. Jules was the last of the younger Blackthorns to arrive, and sidled up to his brother. "Just remember you have a reputation to maintain" he said. Mark grin, and gave a side glance to Jules. "Worry not brother, I will keep my title" he said, just as Helen and Aline entered.
Considering they had all grown, and had to accommodate four extra people, Mark's fort making expertise was put to the test, but after a huge group effort, they managed to build a secure pillow fort they could all be proud of. The next challenge pf course, was getting in. Kit made a comment about how watching them getting in was like an intense game of twister, but as he was the only person who had played the game, the analogy fell flat on its face. Once the majority of people were in, Ty took Kit to grab some snacks to eat.
On their return, they joined the snuggled up group, and they talked about everything that had happened in the last five years, but mainly about themselves. They discussed things that, to most, would seem trivial – someone's favourite colour, what Ice cream they liked, the music they listened to, but to those in the conversation, it was very important. The following morning, Diana arrived at the Institute to find every single one of them asleep on the floor in the fort. Smiling to herself, she left them to it.