"They didn't believe me" he muttered to himself as he walked through Central Park, "if they don't believe me then why do they keep coming back?"
"Because deep down, a part of their real selves are still there and are telling them to believe you. Give it time; they'll be back".
"And if they don't come back?"
"Then it probably means whoever they're working for has ordered your death".
As soon as Jon arrived home from the party he'd torn off the costume and put on normal, more comfortable clothes, and started to pack. He still didn't know if leaving Idris was the right thing to do, or if he should tell anyone, or bring someone with him.
"What're you doing?" asked a deep voice from the doorway of his bedroom.
"Dad?"
"Who else?" Valentine came in and sat on the edge of the bed, smiling but keeping a small amound of distance from his son. Jon wondered how he felt, looking at someone who looked so much like him but who was a disappointment to the Clave and the Shadowhunters. "I know what you're thinking" he now said.
"What?"
"You think I'm disappointed in you".
"How-" Valentine laughed.
"You're giving me scornful looks and packing up all your things, suggesting that you're running away from home. Also your mother said that you think I'm disappointed in you" now they both laughed.
"But aren't you? Clary's better at everything than me and you always used to spend time training me so I'd be good; now you've just given up"
"Did it never occur to you that, rather than having given up, I'd simply come to the conclusion that you'd gotten good enough to train on your own? Your sister is the most prodigal Shadowhunter of your generation-"
"Thanks for reminding me"
"-and she chose you to be her fighting partner. You need to learn to believe in yourself more because that's what's holding you back; Clarissa needs you more than you think she does"
"How can I believe in myself when no one else does?"
"Clary believes in you, your mother believes in you, and I believe in you. You're right, you may not be the best Shadowhunter that's ever existed, but I'm proud of you because you're my son. I've always loved you, and I always will, no matter what happens to you I'll always be your father, and you'll always be my son".
"Why what's going to happen to me?"
"Well you're going on an adventure, aren't you? Your friends told me".
"I have no friends"
"Well all I know is that some young Shadowhunters are on their way here with suitcases, saying that you're all going somewhere together"
"But-"
"I won't tell your mother, or Clarassia, until it's too late for them to stop you". He grinned and threw his arms around Jon, hugging him in a way he'd never done before; I don't remember him ever hugging me before.
"Now if you're off to save the world, then save it and come back safe. If you're off to Vegas, don't get married".
"So let me get this straight; Aline told you about some ilicit conversation she had with the Lightwoods, you had a fight, realised that Jon probably heard Aline's conversation and now you've rallied us all together to stalk him until he lets us join him on this epic quest?"
"We didn't have a fight, it was merely a misunderstanding"
"But the rest of it's right?"
"Pretty much". Helen and Horace were the only two people talking; the others had joined them obediently without much protest, probably because living in Alicante meant that opportunities for 'epic quests' as Horace put it were rare, and usually fulfilled by prodigical Shadowhunters like Clary and Jace.
Helen, Horace, Sebastian (who was slightly reluctant to abondon the cheesesticks but still eager to follow suit) and Jocasta (who would take any chance to get away from Clary) were now running towards the Morgenstern house in the hopes of catching Jon before he left without them.
"I still can't believe you told Valentine" said Jocasta, talking for the first time since meeting up with the others outside the Penhallows' house.
"He saw us conspiring together! Besides he said he'd convince Jon to let us go with him; he's always been such a loyal man I couldn't help but trust him" Helen replied defensively.
The cobbled streets of the city were lit up only by the moonlight; the area was abandoned and a nighttime mist was setting in around their feet. Rather than gear, the Shadowhunters had chosen simple clothes to avoid suspicion once they were outside the city that they'd spent all their lives in, but had effectively hidden a series of weapons within their clothes and suitcases.
"You look more like a group of holiday tourists than fierce warriors" spoke a boy in the shadows; he too was pulling a suitcase along beside him.
"Will?" asked Sebastian
"Yeah it's me. Don't worry I didn't tell my brother where I was going (he probably still thinks I'm at the party) but I overheard what you guys were saying and thought you might need an extra team member?"
"I'm not entirely convinced" said Helen, "but you're reference to our little group as a 'team' has swung the deal in my opinion. How can we say no to him when he shows such enthusiasm?" She was smiling, but not everyone else seemed satisfied. "I vote to let him join"
"Me too!" exclaimed Sebastian.
"How do we know we can trust him? He could've told his brother and is just pretending and then we'll get caught trying to leave the city": Jocasta.
"I didn't tell him; you overestimate my relationship with him. I've probably had longer conversations with Sebastian than Jace and I only met him today"
"Does this mean we're friends?": Sebastian, sounding hopeful.
"Errrrr sure?"
"Yay! Please let him join us? No one ever wants to be my friend back home. They all think I'm weird".
"Can't imagine why" Horace muttered under his breath, "it's fine by me; no point arguing about it when we've got to move fast". Jocasta sighed: "agreed".
"Alright then" beamed Helen, "I guess it's time we convinced a relatively anti-social teen Shadowhunter to travel halfway across the world with five people he's only ever spoken two words to and who he has no reason whatsoever to trust".
"Maybe there's a rune in the Gray Book to expell annoyance and social awkwardness from a person" suggested Jocasta sarcastically.
"Hopefully; then we can use it on you" someone replied; she didn't see who it was but she suspected Horace, who was smiling to himself.
"You don't actually think they'll kill me, do you?"
"Chances are the Lightwoods, whether they no it or not, are working for the person or people who did this to us; the whole alternate reality your ravings to them were about? They're boss probably caused it for a reason. So if there was someone, anyone, who knew the truth what would you do?"
"Send someone to find out what they know and then-"
"-have them executed". There was a long pause of silence between them; people milled about amongst the trees of the park but no one seemed to be paying them much attention. It was a long time before either of them spoke, and even then his voice was strained.
"Do you think they passed on my message?"
"For all our sakes; yes".