CHAPTER 2:
CATCHING UP
29 December
7:23 am
Clary awoke with a start, bolted upright in her seat. She looked out the train window wildly, met with snow covered forests whirling by. She checks her phone, and wriggles gently out of Jonathon's grasp. He stirs slightly, and she makes soothing noises, patting his head. The next obstacle was Simon's legs. The gangly six foot two nerd was sprawled across his seat, legs sticking straight out. Maybe travelling extra budget wasn't the best idea. Clary huffs and take a big step, almost tripping as the train lurches slightly, but she gains her footing, and walks down the aisle, towards a little bench seat next to the door. She hadn't noticed, but it seems she grabbed her sketchbook on the way out. She sighs and opens to a fresh page, the envelope that Maya had given her on the platform slides out and lands on the floor. She opens it, and sees a letter. She starts reading.
"Dear Clary,
I wanted to just say that Jordan and I both love you so much and we will look after your mother as best we can. Lucien is staying in our apartment, and I've made sure he checks up on your mother every day. I don't think that will be too hard for him, he really loves her I think. I'm writing this, because I think you should know something, it's about Simon. I know this is hard for you to hear, (or see I guess….) but he's madly in love with you Clare-Bear. We've spoken to him abut it countless times, warning him off, but he's unrelenting. I don't want you to hear it from him, because as soon as he will start talking about it, he wont be able stop. I know you're not ready, and I don't want you to be hurt. I really think it's for the best. Me telling you I mean, because it's not fair to either of you. He is convinced any tiny thing you do is for him, and this trip definitely wont help that.
Now I've told you, I think it'd be best if you just try to ignore any advance made by him. Don't go on the holiday to Sweden. Find another english gent to look after those needs, hell even call Sebastian, just don't, please, don't string him along. His friendship is worth so much more than any relationship he could hope to give you. Hell he loves you, but he just cant see what it would do to you. I see the way he holds you up, you need him, but you can't do it to him, because you could only love him as a friend. I know you think about it sometimes, but it wouldn't be fair to him.
I'm sorry, but I had to tell you. I know you probably hate me now, but you'll thank me in twenty years when you have beautiful children and a lovely man, and still have Simon to help you through it all. (hopefully, maybe you'll have forgiven me by then..)
So Much, so so so so much love.
Maya "
Clary wipes her eyes, and her shoulders start shaking, she caves in on herself, realisation hitting her like a freight train. She gasps and her knuckles turn white. She feels arms on her shoulders, Simon.
"Did she tell you?" Simon asks, anxiously. Clary nods and looks at Simon for the first time into his eyes. she sees he is heartbroken, knowing that their relationship is doomed, but she sees something else as well. Protection and sorrow.
He sighs, "Clary, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for this to happen. I knew it would never work, but I had some faint hope, and then you invited me to London, I realised two days ago that it would never work, and well, I have to tell you anyway. Clary Im in love with you, it used to be something more, but now I know that if I'm not in your life in any way I will die inside. I love you Clary, and I don't want anything to hurt you, so I promise to love you like a brother, and I will protect you and maybe move on one day. If you don't want to go to Sweden anymore I completely understand, I was thinking maybe I'd just go by myself and sort out my head… Maybe pull a Reese Witherspoon and go hiking and become a whole new person. Oh gosh, Clary don't cry. I'm so so sorry."
Clary looks up at him and smiles weakly, It's okay she tells him. He goes in for a hug and she gladly accepts, smelling his familiar Simon smell. Jonathon wanders down the corridor towards them, rubbing his eyes, Clary scoops him up with her arms, kissing his forehead and tickling his belly. She feels like a huge weight has been lifted off her shoulders, all the confusion and tension hanging around her friends. She has been constantly on edge these past few weeks, and all the secrecy and funny looks she catches from her best friends were freaking her out. It all made sense now, and she smiles, for the first time in what feels like months. Clary sighs and says "Let's talk more about it later, okay Simon? I just want to say thank you, I understand how hard this must be… " He smiles gently and nods, "I'll just go to the toilet and give you some time."
Clary puts her little brother down and they walk back to their seats. She smiles at Jon and he looks up at her "What was that all about?" He asks, slyly. Clary chuckles and ruffles his hair "None of your business nosey little boy. Geez, sometimes you'd think I was the younger one…" They laugh and sit in comfortable silence.
"Are you excited about seeing Max?" Clary asks, changing the subject. "Terribly," Jon says, "You know they have an indoor pool, and Max told me he just joined a new soccer team, and Jace is coaching them and he said maybe I could try out.." Clary's interest was peaked, "Who's Jace?" Jon frowned, "I thought you knew, they adopted him like a year ago. You and Izzy don't talk much do you?" That was right, Izzy and Clary last talked at the start of the year, Clary had been emailing Mayrse and Robert. But she has skyped Isabelle recently, and they talked for hours. But not about things that mattered all that much. Clary stuttered. "Wow, I can't believe she didn't tell me, we do speak, I talked to her last Tuesday in case you were wondering Jonathon Christopher." Jon scoffs and makes some excuse to go find breakfast. Clary shakes her head to herself, already forgetting about Simon, excitement at seeing her long lost friend and maybe making some new ones…
TIME JUMP
Clary grabs Jon's hand and waves Simon over. He briskly walks over, hauling three very full suitcases behind him. He rolls up, and the group makes a move towards the doors of the train station. Clary looks around her taking in the beauty of the place, who knew Idris could be so trendy. They burst through the doors to the outside world and Clary instantly recognises Isabelle and Alec with their stunning black hair and blue eyes. Isabelle was dressed elegantly and the snow falling around them makes her look even more enchanting. Alec, looks constipated as usual, blowing into his hands. As soon as he sees Clary, he breaks into a massive grin. He is like a big brother she has never had. Clary shouts, and Isabelle and Alec run over, Jon is thrown into the air and the four re-united friends shout and holler, dancing around each other. Simon stands on the side, struck by Clary's friend, Isabelle he presumes, and her beauty. She finally notices him and her breath hitches, she smiles demurely and open her mouth. She struts towards him and kisses his cheek. Simon flaps his mouth around like a fish, and a strange gurgling comes from his throat. "Hello, I'm Isabelle. Enchanted to meet you, you must be Simon, Clary's famed friend. Welcome to our little town." Isabelle says, beaming, she picks up one of the suitcases and starts to walk towards a car, idling by the curb. The group follows, Alec and Clary talking animatedly. Jon looks back at Simon and chuckles, "She's hot isn't she?" Simon just swallows again and stares. Isabelle slides into the front seat and the other three bundle into the back. Clary grins and waves to the rearview mirror, ""Hi Robert!" "Hello Clary, Welcome to Idris! It's been so long honey, we'll catch up when we get to the house." "Of course" "Jonathon!" Robert exclaims, "I know, look how much I've grown!" The eleven year old beamed.
The car pulls up a familiar driveway and Clary squeals, seeing Max and Mayrse waiting in the doorway. She practically throws herself out the door and Jon follows, Alec chuckles, and Simon sits there just staring at the huge house in front of him. Ivy covers half of the facade, but from what he can make out, It looks like a medieval castle, almost as big as his school. Turrets punch the sky and the gardens sprawl for what looks like miles in every direction. "Welcome to our humble abode…" Isabelle laughs, and grabs Simon's hand, leading him around the massive rooms, too many to count. Simon the architecture nerd just stares. he stammers "Clary told me you didn't have to worry about space, but this is just ridiculous!" He laughs, and starts spinning around, shock and amazement and joy written all over his face. "You have to take me on a tour sometimes Isabelle" He pleads, "I already am silly." He grins from ear to ear.
Meanwhile, Clary is being ushered into a drawing room by Mayrse, a cup of tea already waiting for her. She curls her feet up onto the couch and nurses the mug. "Thank you so much Mayrse, I just know Jocelyn needs some time to heal, and I think I was best to take some of the stress off her shoulders and to be honest I needed a break, and I promise I won't be a burden, I'll do washing, I can't cook very well, but I can help around the house as much as you need me. I-" Clary is blabbering, "Oh Gosh I'm sorry, I just want to say I'm so grateful-" Mayrse cuts in, "Clary, you have nothing to apologise for, and dear lord we don't want you to work, you need a holiday as well. We are letting you stay because we love you, we always will, heck we would adopt you like we did with Jace if we could. You mean so much to all of us, Max has been bugging us about Jon every single day of the year. It's been too long, Clarissa, you're welcome here for as long as you feel comfortable."
Tears well up in Clary's eyes, and she cries with happiness. "I've been needing this so much. Thank you so much Mayrse! Yo have no idea how hard it has been with Val just dead, Mama has not been well at all." "Clary we know, we talk to Lucien almost every week, we organised this back in May." Mayrse smiles and Clary beams, they talk for what feels like hours, catching up on three years of news. Clary learns that Jace's parents also worked for the UN, like the Lightwoods, and Clary's father. They died on a mission and he was adopted by Mayrse.
Mayrse and Clary browsed photos, none of them showing Jace and exchanged stories about Max and Jonathon, who were off swimming.
Soon the sun had set, and Clary stumbled off to her room, third on the left, Mayrse had said. She was so tired, she didn't even turn on the light, flopping into bed, kicking off her shoes, stripping to her underwear and snuggling under the covers. She fell asleep almost instantly, enveloped in a new warm smell, she couldn't recognise it, but pinned it to the Lightwoods absentmindedly.
A/N; So we meet the lightwoods. Did Maya do the right thing in telling Clary? That letter was really hard for me to write actually because I had no idea where it would go… Anyway, that was chapter 2… I'm working on Chapter 3 as we speak, maybe some more sizzy…
