6
"We do share the same father, after all."
Clary was spinning. Not like the spinning that occurred as a child when visiting the fair, spinning like travelling through an unending abyss. Clary was Alice, spiraling down the rabbit hole, unable to grasp anything and seeing no end to the spiral.
Clary had never met her father. Her mom had made a mistake of marrying him, and had always told Clary the way she'd make up for the mistake was replacing her broken marriage with the love she felt for her daughter. Clary's mom had worked so hard on raising Clary, she had just left it at that and never tried to force her mom into talking about her dad. Honestly, Clary had never felt that she needed a dad, anyways, they'd managed just fine on their own.
"Clary." Came a soft voice, one of comfort and urgency. "Clary." Clearer this time. "Clary!" Clary shook her head, blinking a few times, taking quick shallow breaths. Maia's face was right in front of hers, and when Clary looked down, both her hands were gripping Jace's tightly. "Hey, C, you're okay." Maia soothed, and Clary nodding, controlling her breaths and then looking up where Aline and Magnus were talking softly.
"Clary," Magnus said, turning towards the small girl, "have you ever met you father?" He asked, and Clary shook her head. "Do you know who he is?" Clary shook her head again. There had never been a point. Magnus nodded. "Then, we're going to need a blood sample of some sort, some way to track your DNA." Clary bobbed her head in agreement, and Aline stood up, approaching Clary.
"We'll go do that just now." Aline said, taking Clary's hand and pulling her out of the couch gently, towards the door. Undesirably, Clary let go of Jace's hand, and he gave her an attempt at an encouraging smile before Aline ushered her out of the room.
Clary checked her phone for what was at least the tenth time since she woke up around 20 minutes ago, but she couldn't help it.
"They'll call us when they get the results, okay?" Maia said, swiftly snatching the phone up out of Clary's hand and putting it in their kitchen, returning when toast, jam and tea for Clary, which Clary felt ridiculous for eating, considering it was already 14:30, and no one was eating breakfast anymore.
"Shall I turn on the telly?" Isabelle asked from her spot on the bed while scrolling through her phone. Maia looks to Clary, who shrugs, glancing towards the kitchen and taking a bite of her toast.
That same line kept ringing in Clary's head, and had rang through her head for the two hours before she caught four hours of sleep, even ringing through her mind in her dreams.
"We do share the same father, after all."
Clary almost laughed to herself re-looking over all the information she gained in the past night/dawn. A criminal after her, her mom with said criminal, sharing a father with a criminal.
Really, she wouldn't be surprised if someone told her she herself was a criminal.
A sharp ringing resonated through the flat, and Clary was in the kitchen in seconds, body working faster than mind,
"Hello?" Clary answered, desperate for some news.
"Clary? This is Aline. The team and I have news for you. Please come over to my firm as quick as you can. See you then." The line clicked, and Clary was drawing on her shoes and jacket in an instance.
"You guys coming?" Clary said from the door, where she was lacing up her boots. Isabelle and Maia shared a look before shrugging and nodding, all three girls out of the flat within minutes.
The tube ride to the flat was long and busy, considering it was midday and many tourists were out and about. The three girls all stood next to each other, not saying anything. When the train finally pulled to a stop and announced they were at the station of Aline's Firm, Clary practically bolted out of the car, dragging Isabelle and Maia by the hands, shoving through tourists.
When they reached the firm, they saw Alec waiting for them outside. As the trio approached, Alec looked up from his phone, smiling at the three girls and then escorting them inside of the firm into the same room, closing the door behind them.
Clary surveyed the room, spotting Aline and Magnus on the couch working, but no Jace, attempting to ignore the disappointment of his absence.
Alec coughed, getting Aline and Magnus' attention, who both turned to the four young adults and stood.
"Hello Clary, girls." Aline aid, and turned toward Mangus, smiling at all of them and undoubtedly winking at Isabelle before departing the room, leaving Isabelle baffled. Magnus' eye wrinkled at Aline' back before turning towards the girl and motioning for them to come forward, and then motioning to Alec that he could leave, causing Alec to dart out of the room, closing the door behind him.
Clary stood directly in front of him, eager to hear hat he had been waiting to hear, catching Isabelle and Maia sharing a glance at each other before taking a seat on the couch.
"Aline has just returned your lab results to me, and I have been working the past hour or so and have information that may alarm you. Are you sure you are ready for this?" Magnus asked, and Clary couldn't nod fast enough. She felt as if she had been ready to hear this since the day her father left. "Alright." Magnus started, and Clary braced herself. "Your father's name is Valentine Morgenstern. He became a convicted criminal in Canada a few months after you were born. He had a lot of robberies and break ins, and he killed three people after a crazy bank robbery in Toronto. He then fled to the UK, where he met a young child and raised him, if the term could be used in that way. That child then became his protegee and partner in crime, literally." Magnus said, giving Clary a second to process, before looking at her and then continuing.
"That child that he "raised" and taught all his skills is Sebastian Verlac, the very same criminal that is chasing after you now." Magnus finished, and exhaled, knitting his fingers together, giving Clary a second to pull herself together.
Clary looked to the ground, not exactly believing what Magnus said. How could that be her father? How could her mother marry someone like that? Furthermore, how could her mother not tell her something that important? Clary shook her head, looking down and her hands and back-peddling to sit on the couch next to Isabelle.
"Okay." Maia said, recovering the fastest out of the trio, as always, "So where is this Valentine now?" She asked, and Clary looked to her, blessing her for dealing with the questions so Clary didn't have to. Magnus looked up from his hands.
"Valentine is dead. He was killed during a robbery when he and Sebastian attempted to brake into the safe at the Bank of England. That was when Sebastian was added to the top Criminal listings. Valentine refused to leave the site, which forced the police into shooting him. Jace is currently headed to Scotland Yard to recover the tape from the crime scene." Magnus said carefully, picking up his mug and taking a long drink, allowing Maia more time for questions.
Maia glanced to Clary, obviously not knowing what else to ask.
Clary had imagined her dad multiple times. He appeared in her dreams as different people with different jobs and of different ages. One that Clary had never imagined was Criminal and dead, though. A tear slipped from Clary's eye, and she blinked rapidly, confused on why she was crying. Isabelle cradled her side and wiped her tear, attempting to soothe her.
Another tear fell, and Clary was about to fall apart until the door burst open and a flushed Jace entered the room, fast walking over to Magnus and placing the tape in front of him, before turning and realizing the girls were there as well.
"Sorry," he cringed at himself, his blonde hair spiking up, cheeks flushed from the cold, scarf crooked from running. "I came as fast as I could. Scotland Yard loves to bitch about security measures and other rubbish." He furthered, and Magnus dipped his head in thanks before dismissing Jace, who stole a glance at Clary, offering a sad smile before departing the room, Clary watching him go.
Clary stood abruptly, surprising even herself. "I need some air." She declared, turning to leave the room before pivoting on her heel and looking at her two best friends. "You two can go back to your flat. I'll be back there in a bit or so, maybe have some lunch, get some sleep?" Clary practically begged, and the two agreed, though Clary knew that there was a big chance that they would still be there when she came back from outside.
She then opened the door, almost knocking Alec over while charging outside, sitting herself down on a bench directly across the street, leaning back and closing her eyes, listening to the busy London streets. They seemed to calm her, though she wasn't sure why. It was almost like a reminder that there were hundreds of other people, all going about their lives as well.
She heard the door to the firm open and close, and opened her eyes, expecting to see Maia and Isabelle going back to their flat, but was surprised by the site of Alec and Magnus arguing. She couldn't quite make out what they were saying, but their voices were raised, and she turned her attention away, not wanting to intrude on their conversation.
She pulled her coat tighter, and heard the door of the firm open and close again, this time keeping her eyes shut, bringing her knees up to her chest on the bench, breathing softly and shutting out the irritating voice at the back of her head, who felt like taunting her about her dad right now.
There was a thump on the bench next to her, causing her to jump and open her eyes. She looked to her side, flabbergasted to see Jace sitting there, gazing in front of him.
"I get it." He said, turning his head to look at her shivering figure. "It must be extremely hard." He shifted his scarf tighter, his hands shaking slightly, and Clary wondered what for. "But you've been crazy strong. Your strength is astounding, it shows you're a tough person." He ended, scooting closer and wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "But, sitting out her is only going to give you hypothermia. Come inside?" He asked, and as much as Clary really didn't want to, his sturdy arm around her shoulder supplied her with a false sense of safety, if that was even a thing anymore.
"Alright." She breathed, and Jace stood up, taking her hand and pulling her across the street and inside the building, Clary's hand tingling at the warmth from his hand around hers.