Chapter Nine: Farewell New York!
The rest of the time until our move to Idris ends up flying by so quickly, it's almost scary! And what else is scary is how great of a mood Dad and Maryse have been in this entire time. Don't get me wrong, they're not normally the biggest grumps ever by any means but they're normally not nearly this chipper either.
At first we thought it was the fact we had come home that they were so happy about, but if that was the case, shouldn't they be sobering up, now that we're getting ready to move away? No, it's got to be something else. And on the second last day before we leave, it becomes pretty clear what that something is.
"So, you must be relieved that you'll be heading back to the commune soon hey?" I ask Jocelyn, as we seal one of the last of my boxes with packing tape.
"Oh, well, actually I've decided to extend my stay here for a while. You know, hang around the institute, keep everyone in line, that sort of thing." She laughs. Okay, that's weird. I thought she was just here for us but I guess it's been partly about catching up with old friends.
"Oh cool, I guess that'll help everyone adjust to having us gone if you stick around a bit. That's awfully nice of you, I know you must be getting homesick." I smile as I add the box to the rest of the pile.
"Nah not really. Actually, it's kind of the opposite. Being at the Institute has made me realize how much I've missed being a Shadowhunter. I mean, don't get me wrong, I never officially quit. I still have my marks, obviously and Ithaca does get the occasional demon too but it isn't the same as when your submersed in the culture of the Clave. I find I've really missed that." She sighs.
"Oh, well maybe you could get back into it then, I mean, if it's what you want?" I ask.
"Yeah, maybe. I dunno, we'll see. I'm just having fun hanging out with everyone for now. I'm gonna play it by ear and see how things go." She grins.
"Cool, well regardless of where you end up, promise you'll keep in touch okay?" I ask gently. "It's been really nice getting to know my mother." I say, trying not to cry.
"Oh baby, you should save those tears for your farewell party. Raziel knows, there'll be enough crying then!" She laughs pulling me into a hug.
So, after our emotional talk, Jocelyn and I each go about our day separately, both having things that needed doing. I still want to spend some more time with her before we leave for Idris. So that's why I stay up past when the rest of my little family go to bed. Jocelyn's been a total night owl since she's been here, staying up until well past when everyone else does. So I figure I'll stay up with her this time.
We're sitting in the library and have been talking for quite a while when she begins yawning exaggeratedly. "You look tired, I probably shouldn't keep you up much longer." I say.
"Same with you, you have a big day tomorrow." She says, seeming relieved. "I'll walk you to your room and then I'll turn in for the night." She tell me.
"Okay, thanks." I say. It's been so nice having her around I'm going to be sorry to leave when we've only recently found each other.
She walks me to my room and we say our goodnights. She heads for the guest room that she's been staying in and I go into my room. A few minutes late I remember I haven't brushed my teeth, so I grab my stuff and start to head down the hallway. What I see next, stops me in my tracks. Jocelyn comes out of her room and heads over to Dad and Maryse's room, which wouldn't necessarily be that weird, except that she is wearing a slinky negligee!" Oh. My. Angel.
"Jonathan! Jonathan, wake up!" I hiss, climbing into the bed we are sharing tonight, which is convenient because he is exactly the person I need to talk to right now.
"Huh, what's up Clay? Baby, not to be a dick but, it is the middle of the night." He sighs.
"Well not to be a bitch but this is important, so I need you fully awake right now, okay?" I ask, semi-frantic.
"Okay, I'm up. I'm sorry. Now what is your emergency, Gorgeous?" He smiles, obviously trying to calm me down from whatever calamity I'm in the midst of.
"I think… and I could just be crazy here… but I think that there might be a chance… that our parents could be back together." I say uncertainly.
"What? But, that's not possible, is it? I mean, Dad's with Maryse, right?" He asks, looking just as confused as I am.
"Yep, Dad's still very much with Maryse, obviously, after the way they were making out in the kitchen while they were cooking dinner tonight. But Jonathan, I just watched our mother walk into Dad and Maryse's room dressed in something skimpier than I would have even guessed she owned! So can you tell me what other explanation there is besides the obvious?" I spit out all in a rush. He's quiet for a while, thinking over what I just said.
"Clary, are you saying that… the three of them?" He asks and I slowly nod, not waiting for him to finish his sentence.
"Seriously, you really think so?" He asks shaking his head, as if to clear it.
"Yeah Jon, it looks as if our parents are taking a page right out of our playbook." I say, still shocked.
"Well, Jocelyn is a hippie and I've seen a lot of stranger things back on the commune, so that isn't too shocking for her part but, Dad and Maryse? They seem a lot straighter laced than that to me." He says.
"Yeah, I would have thought so too. But then again, they raised Izzy and I, as well as Alec, so I guess maybe the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree after all. I wonder if Max will grow up to be normal at least." I laugh.
"Oh Clay, normal is highly over rated." Whispers my brother into my ear, before kissing me passionately.
Starting the next morning, the Institute is a busy place again. We spend the morning running boxes, by portal, directly to Herondale Manor. By lunch we're famished and head to Taki's. That afternoon, we decide to train because it's our last time to use the training room here and it's where all four of us first trained to become Shadowhunters, so it's sort of become sentimental for us.
Then everyone gets together for our farewell dinner along with a few extra friends and family. It's all super emotional and everyone around the table takes turns sharing what they'll miss most about having us around. Max's goodbyes are the hardest for us because we won't be around as much while he's growing up and we're all gonna miss him tons.
"The thing I'm going to miss about Clary is when she buys me Manga every Friday. The thing I'll miss about Izzy is when she makes me peanut butter sandwiches. The thing I'll miss about Jonathan is when we play hide and seek and he forgets to come find me. And the thing I'll miss about Jace is when he plays his guitar for us." Max says as we all try not to cry.
"Remember Max Attacks, we're only a portal away okay?" Izzy reassures him.
"Yeah, that's right Midget Max, anytime you need to see us, ask Magnus to send us a fire message and we'll portal right home as soon as we're able, okay?" I smile and mess his hair up.
"And Max-a-Million, you know I never actually forgot about you while we were playing hide and seek, right?" Jonathan says.
"I know, it was an endurance test, right?" Max asks.
"Yeah, just honing your skills buddy." Jon laughs.
"By the way Maxie, I made you this. It's a CD of me playing your favorite guitar songs. So you can put it on when you miss us and pretend we're jamming out, k?" Jace says, giving him the disc.
"Wow, thanks Jace!" Max gushes.
"No problem, little man. And if you like it a lot, we can make another one the next time we visit, okay?" Jace smiles.
"Okay and can you also play for us tonight before you go? Just for a little while?" Max pleads.
"I think we have enough time for that." Jace says, getting out his guitar. For the next hour we sing along as Jace plays. Starting with 'American Pie', he chooses songs that are about saying goodbye or traveling. 'Cruisin'' of course and 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road' and 'King of the Road'. He does 'Hit the Road Jack' just for a laugh and 'Ain't no Sunshine', 'I Will Remember You' and 'Suds in the Bucket'.
"While I'd like to hear 'Goodbye Says it All' I think that would be the wrong kind of goodbye for this occasion. Although there was a time when that song was all I listened to." Dad says.
Jocelyn casts him a look. "Seriously, we're going there right now? I was stupid, okay? I was young and I was stupid. Baby I don't know how many times I can say I'm sorry. It's like the biggest, if not the only regret of my life, okay?" She pouts.
Hmm, if we weren't thinking something was going on before, we all are now. "Okay here, Jace, I have a request please." Jocelyn says and whispers something to Jace who then begins to play. And here, in front of all of us, our mother proceeds to sing 'Time in a Bottle' to our father. By the end of it, Jocelyn and Dad and Maryse all have watery eyes, although I'm sure if you ask any one of them, they'd say it was still just the onions in the air from dinner. After all, Shadowhunters don't cry, especially ones their age.
"Okay Joce, now it's my turn." Dad says and begins to sing 'Hard to Say I'm Sorry'. At the end we all clap and of course, I take a moment to be clever.
"Okay you two, that was really cute and while I think congratulations might be in order here, I'm also really hoping you all don't break out into the theme from 'Three's Company' right now cuz I think I might be sick." I laugh.
We talk about their unofficial reunion for a bit and make a few jokes about the three of them copying us. Now, Jace starts to play one last travel song 'Leaving on a Jet Plane' (which is totally irrelevant because we're leaving through a portal, but whatever, we sung it before our trip to Paris, so now it's sort of become a tradition) and we all sing together.
Now it's time for last minute hugs with everyone before we head off to the new home awaiting us. Alec and Magnus are coming to stay with us for a couple weeks while we get set up, so everyone says goodbye to them, too as we finally step through the portal. Goodbye New York City, goodbye Institute, goodbye childhood, goodnight moon, hello Idris!