𝔀𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓲 𝓵𝓲𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝔂𝓸𝓾?| 𝓪𝓵𝓮𝓬 𝓵𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽𝔀𝓸𝓸𝓭

Chapter Sixteen

(surpriseeee shawty!! i've been promising this extra chapter for literally like a whole week now, so i decided to post it now, 12hrs early! don't worry, i'll be posting at the normal time later, but this is just an extra little make up for my lack of activity the two previous weekends. also, i'm gonna start putting the girl's outfits (i mean i could put one for alec and jace but they would be soooooo boring so i won't bother) sotc is somebody that i used to know by goyte *80's remix* happy reading!! <3)

Ness' brain went a little fuzzy when she heard those words. She stared at Isabelle, all the colour draining from her face. Raphael placed a hand on her back to steady her, but she jerked away. Ness couldn't be touched when she was stressed, or angry, or upset, and right now she was all of them. She eventually found her voice and looked at Isabelle through tear-filled eyes.

"Can he have visitors?" she asked, her voice quivering, and Isabelle nodded.

"Yeah. He'll probably be awake when you go in."

Ness nodded, and hurried inside, brushing her fingers against Isabelle's arms comfortingly as she passed her. Isabelle stood there on the step, looking defeatedly at the floor. After a moment, she met Raphael's gaze.

"I can leave now if you like" he offered, but she shook her head.

"No, it's okay. There's obviously something you need to tell me". Raphael twisted his silver ring around on his finger and nodded.

"Yes" he admitted. "The Cacciatore are up to their old tricks". Isabelle sighed and Raphael held up his hands in defence.

"I know this all has been...hard for you, Isabelle, truly" he said softly. "But would you rather I lied about it?". She shook her head.

"No" she agreed. "No, I just...I wanted it all to go back to normal. And I'm tired of nothing ever being normal. There's always some...plot, so scheme that somebody comes up with. And it never can be easy. I'm tired of it. Tired of all these expectations, and feeling just useless because I know I can't do anything about it if that makes sense? Like I know that people think I'm useless. They don't say it, though."

Raphael nodded, and looked at her with sad brown eyes, because he'd had this conversation with Isabelle before, and she didn't even know it.

November 2007

Izzy scanned the room for Raph. He'd promised he'd be here, despite being a complete hermit, because she had wheedled and begged for over a month to get him here. And he was.

She waved enthusiastically at him, and made over towards him, throwing her arms around his neck. He hugged her back and laughed at how tightly she squeezed him.

"You came!" she exclaimed, and he laughed, detangling himself good-naturedly from her embrace.

"Of course, I did" he chuckled. "I didn't go through a month of you nagging me for me not to show."

She swatted him playfully, before dragging him out to the deck and sitting down on one of the benches.

"So, spill" she demanded, and he laughed, shaking his head.

"What do you want me to spill, mi Querida" he laughed, and she nudged him.

"About Puebla, silly" she clarified, and he shrugged his broad shoulders.

"What can I say? It was fun. I saw some old friends, and we caught up. I went to my families place and talked with them, which was lovely. And the parties are a bit crazy. Not really my scene, but they were certainly an experience" he added with a laugh.