That night was restless at the Redwood household. Sera struggling to sleep at all until Grace gave her a warm drink of what she called a "sleep remedy", the light under Tobias's door never turning off the occasional soft thud being heard from behind it.
The next morning Sera woke late, feeling lethargic she slowly made her way to the kitchen of the Redwood residence following the smell of freshly ground coffee. Finding Grace and Tobias huddled near the coffee machine muttering quietly between themselves.
"Hey sweetie, how you feeling?" came Grace's soft voice as she handed over a large warm cup of coffee. Sera shrugged slightly taking a sip.
"I've been better, I want to go back and see if Clary has gone home or something. She might have left something behind for me. Or mom may have come home" she muttered quickly. Grace and Tobias shared a quick look but nodded none the less.
"Alright, but we need to tell you something afterwards alright. And it may scare you or you might think we're crazy or something but please just hear us out" Grace said, the last bit coming out in the most pleading way Sera had ever heard the female twin speak.
"And if you could, I dunno, not hate us after we tell you, that would also be great" Tobias added under his breath but loud enough that Sera still heard him. She cocked her head slightly "Alright" she replied drawing it out slightly, confused by her best friends words.
The apartment was empty. No traces of the Fray family ever living there remained. That coupled with what had looked like dried blood on the landing of the stairs set everyone on edge.
"Sera, I think we should go. There's nothing here, like at all" Grace said from the door of the apartment as Sera wandered into the kitchen.
"They took our fridge?" Sera said poking her head back out to look at Grace a perplexed expression on her face "what on earth would be the point of that? It's a fridge" she added her stomach grumbling slightly at the thought of the food that had been in the fridge. Tobias chuckled from behind Sera making her spin, fist swinging in his direction. He quickly dodged the punch that had been haphazardly aimed in his direction.
"Jumpy there Sera?" he teased her as they walked back into the main living area receiving a thump in the arm as his only response. As they all descended the stairs Sera noticed the door to Madame Dorothea's was slightly ajar, poking Grace in the side she nodded to it. Grace's simple response a nod of the head before walking to it drumming her knuckles against the frame.
"Madame Dorothea?" Grace called loud enough that the older woman would be able to hear without shouting. Before slowly pushing the door open the older woman standing just in front of them.
"Well... come in than. You apparently don't know how to wait anyway" came the snappy reply from Madame Dorothea as she spun on her heel and walked back towards the hanging beads that separated the two sections of her apartment "Tea anyone?" she added as an afterthought as they followed the girls taking a seat in an overstuffed loveseat, Tobias taking up occupancy on the arm of it before catching Madame Dorothea glaring slightly at him causing him to shift to a footstool his long legs splayed in front of him. Slowly Madame Dorothea poured the tea her eyes darting to the twins occasionally.
"Thank you Madame Dorothea" Sera said taking the tea from her and taking a sip.
"Don't thank her too quickly damned hedge witch" Tobias mumbled under his breath but loud enough for Grace to smack him causing Sera to cock her head slightly as she always did when confused.
"Righteo" She said turning back to the older woman who watched her intently.
"I was wondering when I'd see you after I saw your sister and the little Shadowhunter" the older woman said before taking a sip of her own tea.
"You've seen Clary? When? Where?" Came Sera's response as she shifted to the edge of the couch her tea cup in her hand as she stared wide eyed at the other woman waiting for a response.
"This morning. She and the little Shadowhunter were banging around up stairs much like yourselves though they seemed to have stirred one of the forsaken that are up there...that you seemed to have avoided"
"There are forsaken up there?" Tobias asked quickly finally interested in the conversation.
"Drink your tea up and let me read you" Madame Dorothea said to Sera ignoring Tobias completely.
"Ah ok..."Sera said her face a mask of confusion as she drank the remainder of her tea. Madame Dorothea snatching her cup away and staring at the contents mumbling incoherently to herself as she went about her reading. Grace lent in slightly an almost interested look on her face as she watched the older woman.
"Well? What do you see hedge witch?" Came Tobias's rude comment as he glared at Madame Dorothea. His sister glaring at him over the rim of her own teacup.
"Tobias! Mind your manners." Came Grace's sharp response as she smacked her brother on the head. he just shrugged slightly before almost glaring at the older woman.
"What is it with you children and having blocks on your mind" Madame Dorothea finally said disgruntled as she looked up at Sera.
"Say what?" Came Sera's response as she looked at the annoyed frame of Madame Dorothea.
"You heard me. Both your sister and yourself seem to have some blasted block on your mind. I wonder what that mother of yours is trying to hide" She said taking a sip of her own tea.
"Yeah I heard you, still doesn't explain what you're talking about."Sera mumbled to herself as she sat back in her chair pouting slightly in annoyance.
"Madame Dorothea, do you know who may have placed the block on Sera's mind?" Grace added still leaning towards the older woman.
"I have no idea, but I'm sure you could think of someone who might" Madame Dorothea responded to Grace raising an eyebrow at her.
A/N: Hey guys! Sorry this chapter is so short and slow both in pace and how long it's taken me to get out. I've been fighting with whether or not to include some stuff in this or leave it for the next chapter. I have inevitably chosen to leave it till the next chapter so that makes this a bit of a filler. And I'm hoping you don't completely hate me for taking so long with something so trivial.
Anyway, I'd like to give a special shout out to xenocanaan and Rayna17 for the reviews/follows/faves and the following awesome people for the faves/follows: CarolinaGirl2001, GoingClassic, Hell's Butterflies, Jade Hazel Kurtson, SailorJupiter001, kitsune-miko-witch, Hermione Voldemort Riddle, TabloidTeen. You guys make this worth doing and for that I thank you!
Until next time, Jess