this is gonna be a hella long chapter
Clary struggled for her life. She wiggled in attempt to get free of him, but by the time he let go, they were no longer at the institute. "Get off me!" She screamed and kicked. Clary put all the force she could muster into one mighty shin kick, but Valentine only flinched. He sighed once again and struck Clary on the side of the head and once again Clary's world turned black.
Jonathan sat next to the bed where his mother lay. Her natural paleness only added to the frailness that he knew father brought back to her. There was a scowl burned into her. Despite being practically dead for a week the anger in her face did not loosen. Jonathan thought about trying to ease her tension but decided he didn't want to touch her face, out of fear that she would awake to bite him. Father never let him forget how Jocelyn bit both of them. Lecture after lecture was drilled into him about the evils of this women and Jonathan found it difficult to disagree. Clary wasn't evil though. Although Jonathan thought Father was a malicious person and liked to believe he wasn't. At least not all the time.
Faint but angry high pitched screams alerted him to Valentine's return. Jonathan took a deep breath and braced himself just in case. The screams stopped. Jonathan didn't really care about the screams themselves but he tried to locate where they were coming from. It sounded like it was coming from the lower floors of the prison, maybe the center of the house. Jonathan just turned his head back to Jocelyn.
Father wanted a family again. He was ready to forgive her. Jonathan thought he could live with a mom. The image of having someone else care for him was very temping. A sibling was the complicated part. He knew about father's second 'child', Jace, but Jonathan hated him. He had never even met him, but listening to Valentine talking about Jace's actions and personality made him sound pathetic and despicable, he was overcompensating for his uselessness. Father's infatuation only made Jonathan more jealous. He could not understand how someone worse than him could be placed above him. He could get along with Clary just fine. She would hate everything for a while, but he was sure she would be fine. He was sure.
"Jonathan?" Valentine called for him.
Jonathan got off his bench and stood in the doorframe. "Yes? I am in Mother's chamber." It felt wrong but Father specifically requested Jocelyn be called that. Valentine's boots made a deep echo with each step. As he came in view Jonathan stopped leaning and stood up straight.
"Go back in." Father's face was softer than he'd seen it in a while. Jonathan followed him in but choose not to sit back down. Valentine sat back on the bench and stared at Jocelyn for a while. "We have it all right now." He didn't turn to Jonathan but continued on. "Clary figured out how to get the mortal cup. She found a rune that could slide objects in and out of paper." Jonathan had dozens of questions but choose not to speak yet. "It was very clever Jocelyn. Very sneaky." He turned to Jonathan. "She hid it in a tarot card. The Mortal Cup was masquerading as the Ace of Cups."
"How would Clary figure that out?" Jonathan choose not to bring up how amateur her shadow-hunter knowledge. He didn't want father to know that he knew much about her. He was already being too risky with her.
"Oh, I don't know. That's a subject for later. Right now I'm more concerned with deciding how to re-set our family." Valentine's eyes bore into Jonathan, he seemed sad. "I'm sorry for the other night." Jonathan shifted his feet awkwardly and stared at the floor. "I was very frustrated with this whole situation, but now that's over. Jace is also down stairs. I'm going to talk to both of them when they wake up." Valentine ran his fingers through his hair, not that there was much there.
Jonathan felt a bit irritated. "Why is Jace back?" It came out a bit bitchier than he hoped, but he stuck with it.
"I have a plan forming. I'm thinking we let Jace take most of the fall. He can be the next circle leader. That was probably my mistake with Jocelyn. I cannot hold a family and run a revolution. Even the greatest men couldn't. Jace is young and has nothing."
He got up. "I'd like to thank you for handling your new sister well. Even I didn't know about her. Another clever move on Jocelyn's part." Valentine took one last look at Jocelyn. "As for now-" He handed Jonathan a blue vial. "Take your mother back to the apartment. This is will wake her up. I am going to take the others the manor as a holding cell for a bit."
Jonathan held the vial with in his palms knowing very well his whole future lie in it. He nodded and activated the portal as Valentine left the room. A childish giddiness filled Jonathan's entire being. His thoughts no longer coherent and movements over-excited with only one question holding him back from pure glee, what would he say to someone who abandoned him?
Clary's head pounded. The source came from both, the side of the head and her forehead. She was laying on a cot in a dim room. The light came from a hand full of candles on a table beside her. None of which got rid of the damp and rotten smell of the room. Clary didn't stand up but tried to analyze what she could. The room wasn't that big. It was made of concrete. She could see light under the door. Clary sat up and regretted it, but she knew she had to keep pushing herself. Her feet slid a bit on the dust and dirt as she pulled them down. Clary let herself adjusted before standing.
Clary walked over to the door and listened for any sounds. She knew she couldn't fight so she needed a clear escape. The door was cold metal that felt nice on her head. She didn't hear anything. There were creaks and groans of the building. For a moment she thought she heard a mutter before deciding it was just more miscellaneous noise.
She walked back to the bed and sat by the candle light. Her phone and Steele had been sat on the same table ever so neatly. A shiny ring on a chain caught her eye as she put the other items back in her pockets. It was jammed on a candle. Clary leaned into the light to examine the ring. It was freshly polished with not a single imperfection on it. Clary picked up the candle and blew it out. She plucked it off and looked closer. On the top of it there was a star, just like the one of the steele. That's when it clicked for Clary, she realized they were clues to something. The quote on the side was different though. Instead it said "Family is forever." Clary shoved it in her pocket and decided to deal with it later.
The door opened with a massive groan. Her eyes widened and she frozen instantly, but no other sounds rang throughout the building. No one ran to discover her. Clary dragged more air through her lungs and took her first step out. The rest of the building was a little better lit. There were old yellow light bulbs every 30 feet or so. It looked like an old prison. Concert walls were covered with spider webs and dirt. The floor held trash and more dirt. Clary wasn't sure where she was, but it wouldn't matter until she got out. She walked down the hallway as silently as possible while listening for any noise. There were metal and broken down wooden doors everywhere. The hallway ended at a T-spilt. There were faint voices on the right side. Clary walked half way down the left only to find a downward staircase. Forced between getting lost and getting caught, Clary realized that there was probably more people near the entrance.
She decided to risk it and walk down the other hall. The voices got stronger. There was at least 2 males around here. This hallway wasn't as long as the other. They were very near. Around the corner. Clary squeezed her fist together. Then jumped behind a wooden door. She sank to the floor and listened.
"I can't believe Lucian just decided to leave like that."
"I can. You expect anything out of downworlders?" Another man replied a bit dramatically.
"I suppose you're right. Better for him to stay out of everything now." The man exhaled.
Before the other man could respond Valentine appeared. "Leave. You will be called upon if needed. I have already told you this once." Clary's breath got harsher. She could hear his heavy footsteps walk past her door.
The men gave hurried apologies then ran. The air was silent for several moments. "Clary, I know you are around here somewhere." Sweat began to bead down her face. She tried to stop her breaths entirely. "You will not be harmed. I've already sworn not to harm you and I stand by that promise. Although I'm afraid you will miss dinner, if you refuse to comply." Valentine walked a little back down the hallway. Clary frozen when he passed the door, but he kept going for a bit. "There is really nowhere for you to go. Jocelyn is with me."
With that Clary leaned forward to hold her knees but that only made the door give a small creak. She held her breath but it was too late. The door opened behind her. Valentine wasted no time making a move. Before Clary could even see him, he had grabbed her once again. He grabbed her and stood her on her feet. "This place is filthy, why are you sitting?" He tried to brush off her back. The shock wore off and Clary pushed him away from her. Although it just pushed her back into the dark room.
"Don't touch me! You've already attacked me once." Clary wished she had anything to use as a weapon. She tried to mimic a defense position to the best of her memory.
Valentine crossed his arms. His non-threatening and almost fatherly behavior was nothing short of suspicious to Clary. "I could easily teach legitimate you self-defense. I'm earnestly surprised Jocelyn never enrolled you in any classes herself."
"Everything was fine until now." Clary whispered. Her arms wavered a bit.
"Are you ready to come with me to dinner?" Valentine asked.
Clary put her arms down. It was a matter of survival now. She nodded.
Valentine navigated the building with no issues, making dozens of turns with barely a thought. "Who made you swear to not hurt me?" Clary asked with as much attitude as she could gather.
He smiled. "Your brother did."
Clary stopped dead. "I have a brother?"
Valentine turned around. "Yes. Jocelyn didn't care enough to take him." He said bitterly. "So I raised him." He kept walking forward.
"Hodge didn't tell me that." Clary followed.
They arrived at a metal door. "I'm not surprised. Everyone thought he was dead too." He pulled it open and gestured for Clary to walk through.
Inside was a completely different building. It was well lit and clean but styled like a royal chamber. Jace sat at a giant and elegant wooden table. He was surrounded by more candles obscuring Clary's view of him. Jace was staring at the table's centerpiece. It was an angel surrounded by fresh flowers. Valentine led her to the table. He pulled out a chair for her across from Jace. Clary was reluctant, but thanked him as she sat down. Dinner had already been served, along with glasses of wine. He still refused to look at her. So Clary looked up at the chandelier instead of speaking. It was large but not terribly complex. Clary could clearly see where each branch started and ended.
Valentine sat down at the head of the table. Clary's gut twisted and awaited horrid news. So she continued to examine the room. Cloth banners hung around the walls. One was a tapestry of an angle over a lake. She knew it had to be The Angel. The smell coming from below her was very tempting. It looked good. It was a steak and some vegetables. Mushroom, squash, potatoes, all of which were mouthwatering. "Jonathan. Are you not even going to look at your sister?"
Clary turned her gaze to Jace. He slowly turned to Valentine. "Frankly I would rather not."
"How rude." He said as he cut his steak open. "What a shame. You learn you have a mother, a sister, and an alive father, yet choose to be impolite to all of us?"
Clary shoved a mushroom into her mouth. She closed her eyes as she chewed the juicy, delicious little thing. Clary realized she hadn't ate all day. "Did you know you were Valentine's son? Or did you enjoy lying to the Lightwoods?" Offensive was safer than defense. Clary choose to mimic Valentine's movements and cut her steak.
Jace looked shocked at her accusation. "No." Valentine sipped his wine with interest. "I thought my father was dead. I watched him be murdered." Jace's voice got quiet. "It all makes sense now." He turned to Valentine. "I understand why you faked it and I forgive you." There was a sincerity that Clary hadn't seen in Jace yet. She studied while it lasted.
Her steak was a safe medium. It was also delicious. "Okay." She said thoughtfully. Chewing slowly to stall for thinking time. "That doesn't really answer my question. I asked if you knew your father was Valentine, The Exiled Killer." Clary knew she shouldn't have said that, but it was better than what she wanted to call him: The Fascist Leader who murdered people and probably abused her mother.
Valentine on the other hand didn't even seem to care. It's not like he could deny either. He continued to eat and drink while watching what seemed to be his favorite teen drama. "No, I did not know Clary. I thought my father was Michael Wayland. When people want to protect you they tend to lie to you." Jace spat back. He glared at Clary. "It makes sense to me now, now that he's told me everything."
"Your anger towards your mother doesn't need to be thrown at Clary, Jace. Nothing here is her fault. She's just as much of a victim in this mess as you are." Valentine said mildly then continued on in his meal.
Clary stopped. "I can't say I've considered myself a victim before recently." Her voice rose with her anger. "You don't even know if I'm your daughter!" she lost her temper.
"You will not speak to Father that way!" Jace threatened.
Valentine sat down his fork and knife very particularly and gestured to silence Jace. Then he folded his hands on the table. "Hodge told me in his letter, the one about where to find the Mortal cup, that you were Jocelyn's child. He said that you were simply going by some bastardized version of 'Fairchild'. So I'm going to assume that you must also be my child. Is that a fair assumption Clarissa?"
The use of her full name ticked her off. It was not his right. "I still refuse to believe MY Mother had anything to do with you."
"You can refuse whatever you want." Jace chimed in. "She isn't the angel you knew."
Clary pointed her fork towards him. "I didn't say she was, but she wasn't joining cults!"
"Ah, yes. Were you there?" He snapped back.
"Jonathan shut up." Valentine demanded. His face curled his anger towards Jace. "Jonathan is right though. Jocelyn not only joined a cult, as you put it, but she did abandon baby Jonathan. She left him to die. She hated him after his birth. Almost as if she refused to love him." He poured himself more wine.
"Well she was clearly right! Look at him!" Clary threw her arm out at Jace.
Valentine was trying so hard not to smile. He managed but only barely. "There's no way anyone could predict how a baby would turn out."
Clary shoved more food in her mouth and settled back in her chair. "Which Is it Jace or Jonathan?"
Jace decided to start eating, even though his food was definitely not hot anymore. "Jace is short for my initials. J.C." He said with a restrained voice.
Clary took a breath as she finished her steak and then sat her silverware down. She sat in silence for a while. Listening to the clacks of Jace's knife as he ate. Valentine just watched. Clary tried not to stare at him. He was attractive, even if Clary already hated him. "What do you want to do with us? My mom and I, I mean."
Valentine sat his glass down and sighed. "Our family is coming back together."
"We don't have a family. I have my mom. Which you have taken from me." Clary interjected.
"You were going to be dragged into the shadow world eventually. Wouldn't you rather be trained to fight now rather than when you're a struggling adult? You obviously have some interest in fighting, your earlier stance wasn't that bad." Valentine stood up and stood behind his chair. "The Morgenstern and Fairchild wealth is more than enough for you to live comfortably for the rest of your life. You don't even have to be an active Shadow-Hunter, just have training for in case." Clary admitted it was an appealing offer, but angels and demons belonged safely in the world of fantasy. "At least give it a shot?" He asked. "Jonathan are you ready to go home?"
Clary stared at her plate, trying to cobble a plan together. "Yes father." He turned to Clary aggressively. "Are you coming with us or not?"
Clary looked Valentine dead in the eyes for the first time and said "yes". Knowing this was the only way to get to her mother, Clary walked through the portal after Jace. Hopefully Mom would know how to get out. She did once before.
-3000+ words jeez. I want to humanize Valentine and make him a more realistic abuser. (Not that it's difficult since canon him isn't even 2 dimension 10/10 writing) I also want all the characters to be realer in general. Jocelyn and Sebastian are definitely gonna be gray characters.
-Tell me what y'all think. (I am planning to go back and do a full story edit after i'm finished)
- and the anon who just told me to watch the show: meh, I heard it gets better and I've seen some parts of later episodes, but in all honestly i don't really care. besides that i don't really i could ever earnestly love this franchise tbh. The books are so memorably bad that even if the TV show fixes it (as i've heard it does), i will continue to take the books more seriously