Me: Thank you for the reviews last chapter! I hope you will enjoy this one too!
Disclaimer: I OWN JANE AND MORIAH AND RENAGE AND MAY AND FERN AND GEOFFREY WHITESNAKE AND CELESTE AND…I think that's it for now.
…
Chapter 19: It's Over
Alec's head was still spinning.
His position in the tunnel had been precarious, and it had been nothing short of a miracle when Celeste, Isabelle, Simon, George, and other Shadowhunters showed up and aided him. And it had been a full out miracle when somehow, back in the room, Jonathan had closed the portal and the demons vanished.
But was that what happened? Alec didn't know. All he did know that whatever had happened in that room had left everyone from Jace to Jonathan looking shell shocked. He didn't think he'd ever seen either one of them look like that.
The only thing any of them would say was that they closed the portal and Jane got away. Even Fern offered no details.
Hopefully, it didn't matter. What was important now was getting back to the city and making sure everyone- especially his boys- were okay.
So that was what they did. The entire group of them walked back out through the cave and traipsed back to the Hall. Alec watched in worry as Clary seemed to lean heavily on Jace. Something happened in there. But what?
''Hey.''
Alec turned to see one of the other Shadowhunters walking alongside him. Carnell, he remembered. 21 year old Carnell Agarwall. ''Yeah?''
Carnell looked uncomfortable. ''Is it true…?'' He trailed off nervously. ''It's just, Whitesnake said that it was the kid who knew where this cave was…?''
Alec blinked. He wasn't sure whether confirming that information was a good idea or not, but saw no way around it. ''Um, yeah. She spent time there, after all. When she was taken.''
''Huh.'' They walked on in silence for a moment. ''So if not for her, we wouldn't have found the portal? At least,'' he added, gesturing to Celeste walking ahead of them, ''not until too late?''
''A good chance, yeah.''
Carnell said no more, and Alec wondered if he was thinking the same thing he was. They owed Moriah. Was that a good thing or bad?
…
''It's a good thing she knew,'' Celeste mused to Jonathan as they hung back against the wall in the bustling Accords Hall room. ''Otherwise I may have been too late.''
''Yes, you were rather slow.'' Jonathan frowned through the crowds, wondering where Clary was. What she had done, how she had done it…he wasn't sure whether to be proud or worried.
''Joanthan?''
He turned back to Celeste. ''Sorry, what?''
''What now?'' She repeated herself.
Jonathan shrugged. ''Clean up, get back to the Inquest.''
''Do you think they will still proceed to Trial?''
''Who knows?''
''Hmm.''
Jonathan raised an eyebrow at her. ''I know that hmm. What are you doing?''
Celeste blinked at him innocently. ''I'm sure I don't know your meaning.''
''You are the one person I can read. Now what the hell are you thinking?''
''Shadowhunter pride,'' she mused. ''So stupid. Don't you think they need to be put in their place, yelled at?''
''Every damn day. Why?''
She made an expression, which for Celeste was shocking in it of itself. ''Jonathan,'' she chided with a smile, and Jonathan realized she was mimicking him. She stood on tip toe to tug at a strand of his hair. ''Surely I don't need to explain to you what I should do?''
Jonathan smirked at her. ''Go get 'em.''
…
Unfortunately, Jace and Clary were sat back on their bench in the Hall. People were still mingling around, swapping stories and seeking healing runes, but Jace could care less about them. His only concern was Clary, who had barley said a word since walking back.
She was leaning on his shoulder, her arm wrapped around his. She was so cold. Jace had a thousand questions he wanted to ask, but held them all back. He hadn't seen what had happened very well, and besides that it had happened so fast. Who cared, anyway. They got away. The demons- both big and small- were gone.
Then why am I still so worried?
Clary straightened up suddenly. Jace was about to asked why when he saw Jocelyn coming towards them. Of course- Clary didn't want her mother to know how weak she was feeling. ''Mom.''
''Clary.'' Jocelyn hugged her, kissing her cheek. She pulled away and looked at her. ''Oh my god, are you okay? What happened?''
Jace could feel Clary stiffen. ''Nothing. Fighting. Jane being…Jane. It's fine. I'm sure everyone will want the official version later.''
The official version. Of course. No doubt they would have to testify to this.
''Some of the people with you…'' Jocelyn fumbled for words. ''Well, they are telling a version.''
''What kind of version?'' Jace asked.
As if on cue, they could hear Geoffrey Whitesnake's enraged voice cry out, ''Don't be ridiculous!''
They all turned to see him and Jia and a few of the Shadowhunter that had come to the cave, all arguing. ''It's true!"' One of them called out. ''If not for her, we would've been too late!''
''You don't know that!''
''Uh, yeah, we do.''
''Be quiet, all of you!'' Jia shouted over them. ''We will get to testimonies later. Right now-''
''Right now we still have a demon needing to be taken care of!'' Geoffrey snapped. ''That child needs to be destroyed!''
Jace deiced that was it. Geoffrey Whitesnake was official on his Kill list. He would've done the deed if- once again- it hadn't been for Celeste.
''Why?'' She asked, walking towards Geoffrey. Her tone actually almost had emotion in it, an angry emotion. ''Why? Because she's a demon? And demons are bad?''
''Well, someone understands,'' Geoffrey snarled, looking at Celeste with a distasteful expression. ''Even if it is some mad girl.''
''May I remind you,'' Celeste continued. ''That it was me who brought you warning of the attack? Me who came here to tell you of Jane? Who gave you time to defend yourselves against her first charge?''
Geoffrey actually seemed a little abashed. ''Yes. And I am sure we are all grateful-''
''Do you think me evil?''
''I don't know you.''
''Did I save you?''
''Well-''
''Did I?''
''Yes, you helped us,'' Jia said.
''I helped you. And am I to be punished for being helpful?''
Jia held up a hand before Geoffrey could speak. ''Of course not.''
''Good. Then I trust you will not be hypocrites and do the opposite to Moriah.''
''You are not like the child,'' Geoffrey snarled, even at Jia's glare.
''On the contrary.'' Celeste straightened up with pride. ''I am more like her than anyone else in the world.''
Even Jace felt something cold wrap around his heart as he realized the implications of this. ''You mean…?''
Celeste looked over at him, her gaze looking almost…resigned. She nodded. ''I too have demon blood.''
Everyone in the room was silent as Celeste cast her vacant gaze around and continued. ''Even more similarly to Moriah, I don't know what else I am. Perhaps some fairy, maybe vampire, sometimes I'll get the occasional werewolf comparison. I was an experiment too, from a Shadowhunter family. So if you are not punishing me and locking me away, then I certainly hope you will not to that to a mere child.''
Geoffrey looked stunned. It was Jia who spoke. ''Right now,'' she said in a dangerous tone that not even the most impudent Shadowhunter would dare contradict, ''all that is important is making sure there are no casualties.''
Celeste nodded and did a little curtsy. She then walked away.
Clary and Jace watched her go. Celeste had demon blood. Celeste was like Moriah?
Clary leaned on Jace to whisper in his ear. ''Did you suspect?''
''I suspected she was different,'' He replied, turning to her. ''But not that different.''
''Lucky, huh.'' Clary spoke in a way that implied she was feeling more scared than lucky. ''You running into her when you did.''
''Yeah.'' Clary leaned her head on his shoulder again. ''Lucky.''
…
Everywhere Simon went he could hear the whispers. Everyone was talking about Celeste and Moriah. He overheard some good things, and he overheard some bad things. He wanted the entire lot of them to shut the fuck up.
It was clear the night- or was it morning now?- was going to be a long one. Jia didn't seem to want anyone to leave. If she wasn't assigning warriors to help clean up from the battle, then they were to help the injured, or go on patrol. Anything and everything but just stand around and talk. I guess she wants them to shut the fuck up too.
Clary and Jace were in the center spotlight in that they were not to go anywhere. They were still in the hall, waiting for something. They had asked Simon to go find Moriah and make sure she was alright. Of course, Simon agreed.
Jocelyn told him Moriah was again with Max and the little boys, so off he went in search of them. Jocelyn had said she was in a side room, but good god the Accords building was freaking huge. Everything from the Hall outwards was a side room.
Finally he pushed open a door only to run into Isabelle. ''Hey,'' he greeted. ''Max in there?''
Isabelle put a finger to her lips to tell him to be quiet and ushered him in.
Simon followed her inside a few steps before seeing what she meant. Max and the kids were here, all laying on the floor amidst cushions they took from the couch. All three boys were asleep, the younger ones laying on their Uncle Max. Only Moriah was awake, and she blinked at them from where she lay a few inches away from Max on her stomach.
''Are Clary and Jace looking for her?'' Isabelle asked.
Simon nodded. ''C'mon, Moriah,'' he whispered. ''You want mommy?''
Moriah didn't hesitate. She came over to him quickly. ''Si Tatâ?''
''And Tatâ,'' Simon confirmed. He offered her his hand, but she didn't take it. Simon was unbothered. Moriah didn't seem big on touch from anyone other than her parents.
All three of them started out of the room. ''You could warn a guy,'' Max muttered from behind them.
''Stealing a child,'' Isabelle said.
''Not funny.'' Max turned his head to glare at them, his glasses askew. ''It's bad enough she wanders away every chance she gets.''
''Sorry. Though I'm pretty sure you are soon going to have two worried dads coming to take their kids.''
Max tapped Rafe's and little Max's sleeping heads with his hands. ''They're here. Ready for the taking.''
''Go back to sleep.''
''Gladly.''
They walked out, Isabelle closing the door behind them. She shrugged at Simon. ''So, fun night, huh?''
''A banner one,'' Simon agreed wearily. He looked at Moriah. ''What do you think?''
''Mommy and Tatâ,'' she said, as if reminding them.
''That's right. Let's go.'' They set off back down the hall, Moriah running ahead of them.
''Do you think,'' Isabelle said quietly, ''that Celeste's little speech…you think it will make a difference?''
Simon watched as Moriah's blonde hair swept behind her as she waited for them before turning the corner. Her black eyes bored into him. How could they lose her?
''I hope so.''
…
Finding a quiet spot to sleep had been a necessity, right after hugging Moriah tightly to her chest and silently promising to never, ever let her go again. Clary and Jace slipped out of the Hall despite the not so subtle instructions to stay there. Being in that room with everyone else coming and going, all whispering…they had had to get out.
They wandered down a corridor, stopping at one of the cushioned benches along the wall. ''Jia's office is right there,'' Jace pointed out. ''If she's looking for us, she won't have to go far.''
Clary agreed, and soon she and Moriah were laying down, Clary with her head in Jace's lap. He ran her fingers though her hair. She closed her eyes.
''Serve me,'' she told the demon in a tongue she had never spoken before. ''Serve me and fight for me. For we are alike. We have the same blood. We are one.''
The demon let out a roar. And then it obeyed.
It made quick work of the room, swiping at the lesser demons and crushing them into dust. Clary felt ecstatic. This power in her…it was so wrong, so dark. And yet, she felt right. She was unstoppable. How could that be wrong?
With the demon as backup, Jonathan was able to close the portal. It's job finished, the demon looked back at her. For a horrible moment, Clary hesitated in sending it away. 'I could protect Moriah with you. No one would dare to try and take her away with you on my side.'
But that was not right. That was where the wrongness in being unstoppable lay.
Clary inhaled sharply. She closed the lid of the container inside of her. ''Leave me.''
The demon succumbed to her order.
''Clarissa?''
Clary jostled upright. She felt Jace snap awake, too. Robert was standing in front of them. ''I need you to come with me.''
Clary brushed her hair out of her face and pulled Moriah up next to her. ''For what?''
''For the verdict.''
Clary felt her heart in her throat. ''How can there be a verdict after everything that just happened?'' Jace demanded.
Robert looked grim. ''Given everything that's happened, it's best if we get this wrapped up quickly.''
Quickly. Oh, god, no. They can't. They can't.
Robert looked at Clary again. ''Clarissa?''
Clary got to her feet. Jace began to as well. ''I'm sorry, but just her.''
Jace glared, but he obeyed. Clary clasped his hand tight for moment before following Robert down the hall and into Jia's office.
Her heart was pounding in her chest as she entered inside. The tension that hung in the air was like a taut rope, ready to be cut with a knife. And like a taut rope it seemed to be pulling and puling all around her, nearly choking her. It was a noose all prepared, and now would come the moment on whether or not it would be slipped around the neck of her family.
She could feel Jia's eyes on her, Geoffrey's eyes, and Robert's too. All were looking at her and ready to tell her what the next step was. Either there were grounds for a trial, or they were satisfied. She didn't know, and for a moment she wished she would never know. We should've left a long time ago. Why did we stay? I can't do this. I can't.
Clary realized she was drowning. Drowning in fear and worry and she just couldn't take this anymore. Knowing is always better, she scolded herself.
So she stepped in front of Jia's desk and waited. She braced herself for the news.
Jia told her.
Clary had to remind herself to take a breath. She wanted to speak, to say something, anything. But nothing came out. She gave a nod, blood pounding in her ears. ''I-'' She licked her dry lips and tried again. ''I- I have to talk to Jace.''
Concern flashed across Jia's face, but Robert shook his head at her. Clary was grateful he understood.
Slowly, Clary walked out of the office and back into the hall. Her chest was still so tight. It took a deliberate effort to breathe. In. Out. In. Out.
Jace rose from the bench. Clary saw Simon and Isabelle were there now. After telling Moriah to stay with them, he came over to her. ''Clary?'' He saw the look on her face. ''What is it?''
Clary again tried to speak but failed. She grabbed his arms and stared at him. She remembered the happiness that had been on his face when they found Moriah again. ''It's- It's over.''
For a long time, Jace just stared at her. Slowly, he shook his head. ''No. No, they can't do that.''
Clary took another breath. ''Jace-''
''I'll kill them. I will kill them if they so much as breathe on her-''
''Jace!'' Clary tightened her grip on his arms. ''You're not listening to me. It's over.'' Jace stared at her, and Clary realized she might need to use proper nouns. ''The Inquest. The Inquest is over.''
He blinked. ''The Inquest…is over?'' She nodded. ''Over like…over?''
''Over.''
''And now…?''
She shrugged. ''Now… We can go home.''
''Home?''
''Home.''
''Home?'' He repeated. ''Like, New York? That home?''
''Yeah.''
''With Moriah?''
Clary bit her lip. ''Well, I think I would be pretty irresponsible to leave her behind.''
Jace scoffed. And then he smiled. And then he laughed. Clary began laughing too. For a moment they did nothing but laugh and cling to each other and kiss in that hallway because for once in many, many weeks, everything was okay.
Moriah would stay with them.
''What's going on?'' They turned as Isabelle and Simon came closer, worry on their faces. ''Is everything…?''
Jace, still smiling, nodded.
Simon's face broke into a huge grin and Isabelle had to cover her mouth with her hand to contain her squeal. Clary saw Moriah standing between them, looking at them all with wide eyes. She knelt to the floor, arms open. Moriah ran to her, and Clary wrapped her arms around her small, cold body and kissed her. ''We're safe, baby girl,'' she whispered in her ear. ''We're safe.''
''Hmmm.'' Moriah pulled away and touched Clary's face. She looked up at Jace. ''Hmmm.''
Jace knelt down next to Clary and used both hands to ruffle Moriah's messy curls. ''You want to go home?''
''Hmmm.'' Moriah touched his face too. ''Home.'' And then she smiled.
…
''This decision was preposterous!'' Geoffrey exclaimed, pacing in Jia's office. ''How could she-''
''Let me stop you there, Geoffrey,'' Robert warned, holding up a hand. For the first time he was alone with the man, and finally he could say all he wanted to say without any inhibition. ''First off, you know why Jia let her off. Every other Shadowhunter thinks Moriah was a godsend, while others view her as the reason Jane invaded in the first place. And as that girl pointed out, we couldn't exactly condemn Moriah without condemning her. And it is clear we could not condemn her, for without her Jane certainly would've gotten away with her deed.
''Second of all, that is my granddaughter you are talking about. And if you are planning on continuing to be a pain in the ass to all who meet you, then I suggest you shut up about her before I rip out your throat.
''Third of all,'' Robert went on harshly as Geoffrey opened his mouth in anger, ''I think you speak far too freely to our Consul. I am going to recommend to her some oversea job for you. Reassignment might teach you better manners. I think she will agree wholeheartedly.''
''You- you-''
''Now, do excuse me.'' Robert went to the door. ''I need to see my family.'' He slammed the door loudly behind him.
''Hmm.'' Robert was a little surprised to see Maryse standing in the hallway. She raised an eyebrow at him. ''You, putting someone in their place, and then storming out slamming the door. I can taste the deja vu.''
''You can't taste deja vu,'' Robert sniffed.
''You can when it's this strong.'' They walked down the hallway. ''So,'' Maryse pondered. ''Everyone went back the manner already, hopefully to catch some sleep before the afternoon. Shall we go back, too?''
Robert began to reply, but caught himself. ''There's something I need to do first,'' He said. ''That we need to do first, I think.''
…
It was surprising to Maryse to see Jocelyn and Luke already there at the crossroads, and yet it was also so very right. It made her both happy and sad. They must've felt the same, because no one offered any greetings. They just came and stood beside them, looking at the spot.
Here was where Cèline's ashes were buried.
''When I first learned of mundanes burying their dead and marking their graves,'' Luke commented, ''I though it was disgusting. Being forever in a coffin, under the ground, not of the earth but forever trapped in it. I still think that, but I don't know.'' He glanced around the spot. ''I kind of wish we had a spot for Stephen and Cèline both.''
They were quiet for a moment. ''When did you hear of Cèline's death?'' Maryse asked him.
''I told him,'' Jocelyn spoke up. ''It wasn't long after her and Stephen died that we began…planning.''
Planning the Uprising, planning the day she would betray them all. Maryse didn't want to be angry right now. They weren't here for that.
''At least we knew,'' Robert muttered, so quietly only Maryse heard him. Her heart stabbed with pain as she realized he meant Micheal, who had died so many years before they thought he did. And they didn't know, because of that stupid fight when he had been so right…
Luke sat on the ground, and Maryse remembered how close he and Cèline and Micheal had been in the Academy. Her mouth twitched. ''Remember when Stephen smuggled his record player into Idris?''
''God,'' Jocelyn sighed, ''to be listening to Ragnor give some boring speech and then to suddenly have Pat Bentar screaming 'Hit Me With Your Best Shot'- I thought Ragnor was going to kill Stephen right there. And everyone else soon after.''
''Yes, but then Eliza and Michael started everyone dancing,'' Robert added. ''And not even Ragnor was a match for over 50 teenagers suddenly causing such uproar.''
''Eliza could talk anyone into anything,'' Luke chuckled. ''After that song, Cèline asked her if she would get Stephen to play 'We Belong'. And Sex Pistol loving Stephen actually did it.''
''That was Amatis' record,'' Robert remembered.
''Stephen always played the same songs over and over again,'' Mayrse mused.
Luke shook his head. ''No, they were different.''
''Are you sure?''
Luke laughed.
Silence settled over them again. They all stared at the crossroads, realizing that in their lives, they had all been here and one point or another. A crossroad to do the right thing or the wrong thing. It wasn't fair that so many of their friends- who had chosen the right way- were the ones who had died. It wasn't fair. They hadn't deserved it.
Maryse breathed in the air deeply. The day was beginning. A new day, one with her family. Her family that was also partly Stephen's and Cèline's family. Your granddaughter is beautiful. I'll do my best by her, I promise.
I'm sorry.
They all traipsed away as they had come; in silence, leaving the past safe in the past. Leaving Stephen and Cèline and Eliza and Michael and Amatis- and even Valentine and Hodge- back in those days where it wasn't all bad. Where there were days by the lake, debating and discussing philosophy and history. Where there were nights out breaking rules and trying not to get caught. Back when the future was bright with promise, and not broken with lies.
Back when everyone was alive and safe.
…
Me: If you have time, please leave a review! I have another chapter almost ready to post…so you know…I may be persuaded to put it up sooner if you really want.
Happy Writing!
