Here is my new chapter. Thank you all for the lovely reviews, they really mean a lot to me.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Mortal Instruments. I wish I did, but I don't, and I can't do anything about it. I don't think the marvelous Cassandra Clare would sell me the rights, or give them to me :(
Alec paced back and forth in front of the door to the library. He knew he had to eventually face his fear and talk to his parents. Well, if his dad were ever around, he would probably have a harder time talking to him. But this was his mom, and she was more understanding. He didn't understand why he couldn't just walk in there and tell his mother that Tia would be Ascending. Maryse wasn't at the Clave meetings, and she needs to be informed as Head of the Institute.
Gathering up enough courage, Alec slowly opened the door and walked into the Institute's library. Maryse was sitting at a desk, looking at papers or some sort. Alec stood there a moment, trying to decide whether he should turn around and leave or not. Finally he cleared his throat and Maryse looked up.
"Hello, Alec," she said. "What can I do for you?"
"Hi Mom," Alec said, his voice shaking a little. "I...have something to tell you." He looked down at his shoes.
"What is it?" Maryse asked, standing up.
"Magnus and I-"he saw her flinch at Magnus's name, but he forged on. "We have...adopted a child." He said these words quickly. Not that Tia was really a child, but he didn't really know how else to put it.
Alec saw Maryse perk up when he said the word child. "How old is it?' she asked quietly.
"Fourteen," Alec said. "She's fourteen." He saw her confused face, so he continued to tell all that Magnus had told him about Tia.
When he was done, he had expected her to make him leave, as his father would have done, but instead she said "Do you care about her?"
Alec was taken aback. No one had really asked him if he did, he just assumed they didn't care. "Yes," he answered. "I care about her a lot."
Maryse nodded. "I would like to meet her," she said.
"Really?" Alec asked.
"Yes," Maryse said. "And I'm sure your father would too. He's coming home on Friday. Maybe we could have a family dinner and get to know her."
This is what Alec had been afraid of. He didn't really want Tia to meet his father, because she had had a pretty bad experience with her parents, and Alec's father might bring back bad memories. Of course, he had to, otherwise they wouldn't be able to keep Tia, and she would have to go to Alec's father anyway. He got the job as the Inquisitor, and Alec knew this would be his final trip home, because he had to sign the papers so the divorce would be finalized. "Okay," Alec agreed. "We can come Friday." And with that he started to walk out the door, but then he remembered something. "Oh, the Clave said that Tia would have to Ascend."
Maryse's eyebrows furrowed. "She's a mundane?" Alec nodded. He thought he told her that already. "Well I will put in the request for Ascension, but the waiting period is still three months, and Robert will have to question her – well, all of you – before she can Ascend. Is that okay?"
Alec nodded again. "Yes, that's fine. Thank you." He walked out the door to break the news to Tia.
"Don't you have...a dress, or anything to wear?" Alec asked Tia desperately. She could tell that Alec really wanted to make a good impression.
She sadly shook her head. Then her head perked up. "Wait, I do have something!" She ran into her bedroom, leaving Alec to wonder what she could be talking about.
She dug around in the closet that Magnus had "magicked" up for her until she found the only dress she owned. It was black and looked like she was going to a funeral. She hoped that would do. Tia brought out the dress on the hanger for Alec to see.
He looked at it carefully and nodded. "That's fine. Go change."
She went back into her bedroom to change. Alec waited outside, pacing back and forth as he often did when he got nervous.
Magnus came into the room and crossed his arms over his chest. "I still don't see why I can't go."
Alec sighed and went over to his boyfriend. "Because my dad will be there," he said. "And I really want Tia to make a good impression, and my father doesn't like you too much." He frowned and put his hands on Magnus's shoulders. In turn, Magnus wrapped his arms around Alec's waist.
"Fine," said Magnus. "But I am going to be there when she does Ascend." He noticed Alec's expression."I will, won't I?"
"Of course," Alec answered. "I wouldn't have it any other way." He smiled. Magnus leaned down just a little and was about to kiss Alec when Tia's bedroom door opened and Tia stepped out. Alec turned around to see her. "You look great, for a dinner party," he said with a smile.
Her eyebrows furrowed. "Is that supposed to be a joke?"
Alec shook his head. "Never mind. Ready to go?" Tia nodded and made her way to the door. Magnus leaned against the wall.
"Good luck, love."
Alec just smiles and follows Tia out the door. They walk in silence – well, Tia wasn't really walking. It was sort of a mix of a walk and a skip. "Are you nervous?" Alec asks.
"That's not the question," she answers. "The question is: are you nervous?"
"Immensely," said Alec.
"Why?" Tia asks. "I already know everybody. Except your parents, but if they are anything like you then I'm pretty sure we won't have a problem."
"Well, they aren't really like me." He looks at her nervously.
Tia just shrugs. They walked the rest of the way and got to the Institute. Tia looks at the old run-down building. "You used to live here?"
Alec chuckles. "That's right, you can't see it. Well, you should be able to because now you know the truth." He walks up and unlocks the door, Tia right behind him, and they walk inside. She looks around in wonder at the largeness of the room. Alec just smiles and pulls her toward the elevator.
She giggles. "There is an elevator in a church? Man, this is so cool."
They ride the elevator in silence. Tia is bouncing slightly on the balls of her feet, slightly making the elevator creak. Alec admired her anticipation. He wished he had some of his own.
The elevator reached its floor and the two are greeted by Church. "Hey, Church," Alec said. "Where is everybody?" The cat gave a meow in response and took off down the hall. Tia looked to Alec questioningly, but he just nodded and walked after the cat. He led the two into the library and Alec opened the door for Tia. She stepped inside and her eyes grew wide with something more than wonder. It was amazement. This fourteen-year-old girl was amazed by this wondrous library he had taken her to. She looked to him for permission, and then took off down the steps, and to the nearest shelf of books. Alec thinks about Hodge. He and Tia would have so much in common it would be scary.
He hears a sound behind him and whirls around to find Jace. "Glad you made it, brother," he says. "I was beginning to think it was just going to be me. Thank the Angel Isabelle isn't cooking."
"Better not let her hear you say that," Alec replied. "And mom wanted to meet Tia."
"Ah," Jace said. "You do know Robert is here too, right?" Alec nodded.
"Where is everyone?" Alec asks.
"Robert is in the dining room talking to Isabelle and Clary and Maryse are preparing dinner because I wouldn't let Isabelle through the door to the kitchen."
"Is she really that bad of a cook?" Tia asked from the bookshelf a few feet away.
"Yes," both boys answered simultaneously. "Come on, Tia," Alec called. "Time to meet everyone."
They walked out of the library and down the hall toward the dining room. All the way down, Tia was humming something softly. Alec couldn't quite make out what she was humming, but he pushed that thought aside when they reached the dining room. Jace went in first, followed by Alec. He stood in the door, blocking Tia's path and completely blocking her from sight. He scanned the room.
Maryse and Clary were setting plates on the table with Jace talking to Clary and Clary blushing slightly. Robert was sitting at the table with Isabelle on the other side, talking every breath. Maryse seemed to notice Alec standing at the door, because she smiled. "Is she here?" she asked him. This caused everyone to stop talking and look up at Alec, who nodded.
He stepped aside revealing a very wide-eyed Tia. She looked around the room at the walls, the table, and the people. Her eyes landed on Robert, and then she quickly averted her gaze down. She brought her gaze back up when she smelled the food that was sitting on the table.
"And what is her name again?" Robert asked.
"Her name is Tia," Tia answered him. "And she doesn't like it when people talk about her like she's not here, thank you." Alec swallowed and looked at his father, but he didn't detect anger, only slight amusement. Could he really think Tia funny? This might go well after all.
"Well, sit down everyone," Maryse said. Everyone did so and they started to eat. "So," Maryse said. "How old are you again, Tia?"
"Fourteen," Tia answered simply. "I turned fourteen at the first of August."
"Where are you from?" Robert asked. Alec heard a little of something else in his tone, but couldn't put his finger on it.
"I was raised in North Carolina."
There was a silence. Tia looked around the room with interest. Robert looked at Alec. "How did you come across this one?" he asked. "Was this the warlock's idea?"
"Robert," Maryse said quietly.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Alec asked.
Robert shrugged. "Nothing. I can see that she is just an attempt at being normal, that's all."
Alec stood up. "What do you mean normal? I am as normal as anyone else."
Robert stood up as well. "Oh, come now, Alec. This is not normal. You are not normal, and you never will be. I would much rather like you to be... better."
"You want me to be better?" Alec yelled. "So you mean you want me to be like Jace? Is that it?"
"Hey-"Jace started, but was interrupted.
"SIT YOUR ASSES DOWN AND SHUT UP!" It was Tia. She was now standing and her face was the look of pure fury. "I AM STILL EATING!" Alec and Robert both stood there, their eyes wide. Well, everyone in the room was shocked, except for Tia. Alec was the first to sit down. Tia held her head high. "It's only polite," she said, and she sat down to finish her meal. "I mean, you're supposed to finish eating before you start fighting. Every dysfunctional family knows that. Believe me, I came from one." She looks to Maryse with a sudden smile. "This is great food."
Robert still stood there. "You want her to Ascend, fine. She will make a marvelous Shadowhunter." And with that, he walked out the door of the dining room.
Jace had a smile on his face. "Great job, Tia. Way to stand your ground." Tia just shrugged like it was nothing.
Alec sat down on the couch. Magnus came into the room and noticed they were back. "How did it go?"
Alec looked at him. "My father hates her," he said, but he was smiling a little.
Magnus looked confused. "Is that...good?"
"No, but I'm very proud of her, and he gave permission for her to Ascend." He smiled wide up at his boyfriend. Magnus sat down.
"That's good, but what makes you so proud of her?"
"The way she stood up for us, literally." Alec told the details of the whole night to Magnus, whose smile was growing wider and wider with each word. Once he was done, Magnus kissed him.
They didn't hear Tia come into the living room until they heard "Get a room!"
Magnus broke off the kiss and looked at Tia. "Would you like us to go in our room?" Tia nodded. Magnus smiled evilly and looked to Alec. "Do you want to take this to the bedroom?" Alec caught on to what he was doing and nodded, also looking at Tia and smiling evilly. They could see Tia thinking about it, and then sighed.
"Okay, you can go in there, as long as I don't hear it because seriously, I have nightmares."
How did you like it? I though Tia needed to stand up for her new family, so there you go. This isn't the last you see of Robert, because he is the new Inquisitor, and it's also not the last time Tia ticks him off.
Review, follow, favorite! Tell me what you think of my story!
-T
(a.k.a. Peoplelikeus13)
