I DO NOT OWN THE MORTAL INSTRUMENT SERIES OR ANY OF IT'S CHARACTERS, CASSANDRA CLARE DOES. I ONLY OWN THE CHARACTERS I CREATED AND THE PLOT I CAME UP WITH.
Surprise, bitch. Bet you thought you'd seen the last of me.
But fr, I'm even shocked I updated this soon. Its very OOC of me.
This is the last chapter set in this time, (for now) as we are gonna jump through to various times of the kid's childhoods and then land in the teen years. I may do flashback chapters in the future, who knows.
But for now, enjoy.
"Lucian"
"Hey, Josie." Lucian Graymark sighed.
Jocelyn stepped back and shook her head vigorously as she found it hard to breathe.
Tears made their way down her pale face, "You were dead, you ki- you killed yourself. H-he told me you were dead. H-he-"
He cut her off, "He lied. He's a liar. Did he tell you, Jocelyn? Huh? Did you know that he set me up? Did he tell you all about how he gave me the dagger and told me to kill myself? His own parabatai." He said harshly to the redhead.
"What?! What are you talking about? Luke, I would have never let him. You know that. D-don't you? You know me." She demanded as she started to cry harder.
'How could he not believe in me?'
His face softened as she started to lightly sob. He took two long strides until suddenly his arms were wrapped around her and his chin was perched on top of her chin. He started to slowly stroke her long hair as she sobbed into his neck. He closed his eyes and registered the fact that the Herondales had left the room to provide the two with privacy.
"Oh, Josie. I'm so sorry. But when you never came looking for me I just-"
"I thought you were dead! If I knew I would-"
"I know, shhh. I know that now. I'm so sorry, by the angel, Josie. I'm so sorry for what he's done. But we will fix this, we will keep your children safe. I will keep them safe, and you. You just have to trust us. Do you understand me?" He looked into her green eyes, falling in love with her just like he did all those years ago. "I love you, Jocelyn."
She gasped. Her sobs turning into soft whimpers.
"I love you too." She hiccupped.
Because she did love him, she loved him so much it hurt. She loved him in ways that were reserved only for him, and never Valentine. No matter how charming and charismatic that man was, Lucian Graymark was the one man who had her heart. It took her a while to realize, and she thought she was too late, but suddenly here she was, in his arms. Like she belonged there.
His blue eyes were filled with hope and concern, staring at her like he had finally come home.
"Oh, Josie." He shook his head at her, before leaning down and firming fitting his mouth to hers.
When he pulled away she sighed, "We'll go with you." She nodded finally.
"Good." He kissed her forehead, before letting her go completely.
They made their way to Fairchild Manor, where Jocelyn sent a fire message to her parents in Ireland telling them to hide. She trusted they would listen to her. She sent other fire messages to her sisters around the world, begging them to get to safety. Valentine would be coming for them next.
She sent word to Ragnor Fell, asking for safe passage out of Idris, away from the monster that she had married.
She packed everything she could; weapons, her children's clothes, extra blankets, toys, books she had kept, files she would need, food, extra steles, and more.
She was in too much of a hurry, Valentine wouldn't be back for 3 days, but she didn't want to waste time.
Ragnor arrived and had already started portaling her things to Argentina, their first destination, when Maryse Lightwood walked through her door, with Seraphina in her arms and the boys in tow.
"By the angel. Jocelyn, what's going on?" She looked at her friend incredulously.
"Maryse, I don't have time to explain-"
"Did you want to bring your art supplies, or- oh. Hi Maryse." Lucian said to Maryse after walking into the room.
Her jaw dropped.
"Werewolf." She hissed, "Weren't you dead?" She asked with cruelty in her tone. "Valentine told us you had killed yourself."
"No, Valentine just wanted me to kill myself, but things have changed, and I've stopped listening to what maniac says. But I see you still worship the ground he walks on." He said cooly, not letting intimidation seep through his voice.
"Careful downworlder, before I kill you where you stand." She replied, taking a step towards him.
"Enough!" Jocelyn stepped in between them, taking Seraphina out of her friend's hands. "Lucian, cool off. She is just protecting herself. Maryse, there is a lot you don't understand. Just trust me when I tell you he is one of the good guys."
"He's a dog," Maryse replied.
"He's saved your ass multiple times, Maryse, what's changed to make him so untrustworthy," Stephen added in.
"He's a lycanthrope, Stephen, our enemy."
"I thought demons were our enemies, Maryse? Lucian is no demon, last time I checked." Stephen reminded her.
She paused, hesitation on her face.
"He's a monster." She said simply.
"He was your friend." He responded.
She said nothing, looking between Lucian and the other two.
"Valentine is the monster, May, you have to believe me. He is a genocidal maniac who cares for no one. Not even his own children." Jocelyn said after minutes of silence.
"What do you mean?" Maryse asked.
And then Jocelyn told her everything she had learned in the last 24 hours, Stephen and Lucian adding bits and pieces here and there.
"I don't believe you," Maryse said and stepped backward, as tears came to life in her eyes. "He's our leader, we were going to do great things together. We are going to great things." She said in denial.
"If you don't believe me, come to my basement," Jocelyn said finally.
After that, Maryse finally gave up in shock. Her whole world crashed around her as she collapsed in Jocelyn's arms.
Hours later, she agreed to go with them, to keep her family safe.
Finally, everyone was packed up, ready to make their escape.
The plan was simple; portal to the Argentina Institute, stay there for a while and then make their way to New York by mundane means of travel. The Inquisitor had already contacted both institutes and sworn them to secrecy.
Imogen would stay in Idris and pretend that all was well. As far as she knew, her son hadn't spoken to her in months and she didn't even know her grandson was alive. All while working with the information she had to take Valentine Morgenstern down.
Two hours before they would make their escape, Stephen found himself at the house of Amatis Graymark, his ex-wife.
He knocked and waited, his breath catching when he saw her. The love of his life.
"Stephen?" She breathed.
"Hey Maddy, I missed you." He said to her, hoping she would let him in.
She opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off, "Before you say anything, let me just say what I need to. If you don't want me anymore I will never bother you again, but let me say it." He paused waiting for her approval, when she nodded he continued, "The day I left you was the worst day of my entire life, marrying another woman was the hardest thing I have ever done, and I can't believe I did it. But I did it for you. I needed Valentine to trust me so that I could figure out his plans. He's planning a genocide, by the way, so keep that in mind. Now that I have told my mom everything, I can now leave the circle and be with you. I know I have a son now, but that shouldn't stop us from being together. Because goddammit, I love you so much, Amatis, it hurts me. I can't go another day without being close to you." He finished speaking.
She stood there, in the doorway, staring at him, processing his words.
"Please say something, love." He whispered.
"What, so just expect me to take you back with open arms? Because if you think that I am going to forgive you after what you did, Stephen Herondale, then you-"
"Maddy, please." He looked at her, a broken look in his blue eyes.
She closed her eyes, unable to bare it.
"How do I know you won't hurt me again?" She whispered, lowering her head.
She felt him grab her chin, pulling her face up to look at him.
She opened her eyes again, looking at the man she loved more than anything.
"Because I love you." He said simply before leaning in and kissing her hard on the lips.
Once they made it Argentina, with their children swaddled in their arms, Jocelyn and Stephen looked to the Institute in front of them. The two toddlers instant took of in sprints to the Institute doors.
"Stay where we can see you!" Maryse called out.
"Wow," A voice with a thick Argentinian accent behind them said in awe, prompting the group to turn around. "Hello, you must be Stephen Herondale, my goodness you look just like your father." The person behind the voice, a short mundane woman with scars covering half her face, said.
"Uh, yeah. Hi." Stephen said, dumbfounded.
"I'm Jocelyn. Right here is Amatis, her brother Lucian, and our friend Maryse. The two boys over there trying to destroy the Institute doors are Alexander and Jonathan. In Goldilocks' arms is James and this is Seraphina." The redhead introduced, "I don't mean to be rude, but who are you exactly.
"Oh, heavens. I'm Rita." She held her hand out to Jocelyn. "Don't worry, I'm not just some random mundane seeing you guys. I have the sight, and I work here." She said to ease their nerves.
"What do you do here?" Maryse asked, interested.
"I clean." She answered simply.
"Interesting," Lucian muttered impatiently. " Are you going to let us in or what?"
"Oh, right. Forgive me. Let me show you guys around." Rita moved past them and towards the institute.
"So, you named her Seraphina." Amatis said to Jocelyn before taking a sip of tea.
Jocelyn nodded simply. Leaning into the black leather chair.
It was early the next morning. After being showed all the institute had to offer, they were shown to their rooms. As they were all tired from the day's events, they had all gotten to sleep fairly quickly.
Well not everyone, Stephen, and Amatis were together for the first time in nearly two years, so they soundproofed the walls and properly acquainted themselves. It was a night filled with conversations, love, tears, apologies, and little something else. [ ;) ]
Jonathan had a fit about his mother leaving him in a strange room. He fell asleep with his hands fisted in her hair and angry tears rolling down his face as she rocked him soothingly. As demonic as he was, she was his mother, and she loved him endlessly. She soon joined him in slumber, her hair still wrapped around his hands.
Lucian fell asleep in the chair of the room, watching the woman he loved rock her scared son to sleep.
There had only been one crib in the Institute for some reason, so Seraphina and James slept soundly, snuggled into one another contently.
Maryse had nightmares the whole night about leaving her husband and her leader. But she was doing this for her children. Alec slept in the bed with her, unknowingly providing comfort for his worried mother.
"Can I tell you a secret?" Jocelyn whispered to Amatis, who nodded at her. "I hate the name Seraphina." She admitted.
"Then why did you name her that?" Amatis asked intrigued.
"Valentine wanted to name her after his mother. I just wanted him to be happy."
"Screw him, change her name." Amatis said.
"I can't just change my daughter's name," Jocelyn said in shock.
"Why not?" Maryse asked as she waddled to the couch Amatis was sitting on, "Why does it matter what that bastard wants anymore?" She said bitterly.
"I don't see why not, it's not like she will notice." Amatis added.
Jocelyn considered this. "You really think I should change her name?"
"You're probably gonna wanna change her last name too, Jonathans as well. You don't want your kids to share a name with a genocidal maniac." Maryse told her friend.
"Yeah, well, I guess you're right. There actually was something that I wanted to call her." Jocelyn said thoughtfully.
"Amatis?" Amatis said hopefully.
"Funny, no."
"Then what is it?"
"Clarissa. I want to name her Clarissa Adele Fairchild." Jocelyn said confidently.
Thoughts?
Leave a review if you hated it!
Later.