Forgotten Twin

Wonder where her brain was

Skylar and Alec walked silently through the halls and into the training room to find a woman and Jace hugging. Whereas Skylar only got the hint that she was in a high position from the clothing she wore, Alec knew right away who it was. Alec stepped forward and gave the woman a hug. "Mother. Welcome back. We didn't expect you." Alec said formally, stepping back and straightening his posture. Skylar eyes internally widened as she finally realised who the woman was. She was the head of the New York Institute. "You should be prepared, whether you expect me or not."  

"I am. We are." Alec amended, being careful not to stutter. Maryse turned to face Skylar whose face was blank. "And I assume you are Skylar Fray." "Yes ma'am." Maryse's eyes looked Skylar up and down before nodding her approval and turned around. "We'll talk about the Institute later. Right now, we have a bigger problem. The Seelies have stopped communicating with the Clave and won't explain why. My guess is they're still upset we asked them to send scouts to look for Valentine, but no one in their realm will talk." Maryse addressed the group. "I have Seelie friends." Izzy piped up. 

"Yes, I know about your friends. Isabelle, we stay separate from the Downworld for good reasons. The wrong move, the wrong word... Do you think there is such a thing as harmless rebellion? Who knows what offends these creatures? Maybe you told him... them... something they shouldn't know. Maybe you trod on one of their ridiculous customs without knowing it." It was clear to Skylar who was the least favourite. She winced internally in sympathy, she could relate to the feeling.

"Wait, wait. I don't understand. You're laying all this on Izzy for having a friend in the Downworld?" Jace asked incredulously. "When someone upsets the natural order, everything fall apart." Maryse snapped. "Natural order? What are you saying?" Clary asked clueless. Skylar groaned quietly  and Alec squeezed her hand a bit as if to remind her where they were. " I can help. I know how to talk to Seelies." Izzy insisted.

"She's right. She can visit with Meliorn and see what he knows. I could go with her if you want." Alec agreed. "I'd rather Jace goes along this time. Alec, you stay with the Fairchild girl and Skylar. I want her under control. She's caused enough trouble already." Maryse immediately rejected Alec's offer. "Maybe that's because I wasn't even a Shadowhunter until a few days ago!" Clary cried out in outrage. "And neither was I, but you don't see me crying 24/7 trying to gain attention." Skylar snapped, causing Clary to take a step back. To say Clary had forgotten that Skylar was there was an understatement. 

"And what an exciting few days it has been. The Clave counts on us Lightwoods to maintain order here." Maryse replied coldly. "You don't need to tell me that. If the mission is important to the Clave, I would prefer to be the one who goes with Isabelle." Alec tried again but once again was shot down as Maryse, Izzy and Jace all walked out. "Well, that was a window into the weird. What did you do to piss off your mom?" Clary asked. Skylar cocked one of her eyebrows unimpressed. She was beginning to wonder where Clary's brain was. Definitely not in her head that was for sure. "I'd guess, for a start... all the unsanctioned missions on your behalf didn't go over that big with the Clave." Alec muttered sarcastically.

"Looks like we're all stuck with each other. For what it's worth, I think your mom was too tough on you out there." Clary tried to spark up a conversation with Skylar and Alec, both not acknowledging the attempt.  "Mothers are like that." Alec shrugged carelessly. "Mine's not. Go ahead. Knock me on my ass. You'll feel better." Clary encouraged. Skylar scoffed. "Of course she wouldn't dare hurt her 'precious little golden princess." Skylar rolled her eyes as she mocked her sister. Clary ground her teeth in an effort not to snap at Skylar and averted her eyes. "Don't make me say you're right about something. Plant your feet wide." Alec hissed. "Why did you let your mom say all those awful things about Izzy?" Clary asked. As she twisted the staff in a way that would later on be painful. "

Don't step into the strike. Step through it. Izzy was out of bounds. The law is hard but it's the law. Even I forget that sometimes." Alec advised as he took a breath wishing that he was sparing with Skylar. That way he would have a real challenge and he wouldn't have to answer so many questions. " So, you're just gonna let her send Jace out instead of you?" Clary provoked as if she was trying to get Alec in trouble on purpose. "If I screw up, I expect to be punished. I'm supposed to be a leader." Alec went in for an attack and was weakly stopped by Clary. "You know what a leader does, Alec? Makes decisions. You need to find Valentine and stop him. I need to find Valentine and help save my mother." Clary continued to poke at Alec and try and push his buttons. "You need to work on your defense. What do you think? Do you think we haven't been trying to find your mother?" Alec asked with an edge to his voice as he helped Clary up from where she had fallen down. "Of course you have. But I know you can color outside the lines. You're just not letting yourself think that way." Clary tried to justy herself feebly. "Oh, yeah? What's the big thought I'm not thinking?" Alec questioned.

"We can still find Valentine. I might know a way. M er our" Clary amended once she saw Skylar take a threatening step forward, "mother hid a lot from us, but I maybe both of us, I'm not to sure aboutSkylar, did see one thing... there's a box. She didn't think we knew about it. But she opened it once a year and cried."

Alec raised an eyebrow seeing no point in this conversation. "'Cause?" He asked in a defeated tone. "It belonged to my father. Had his initials, JC, on top." "But your father's Valentine. Why JC?" Alec questioned. 

"She told us his name was Jonathan Clark. Which obviously a lie. But... whatever that box kept meant a lot to her." Skylar added helpfully before Clary butted in. "Maybe there's something inside that could help us track him." Clary asked excitement dancing in her eyes. "Where can we find the box?" Alec groaned rubbing a hand over his face. "I think it's still back at the loft. Let's go get it." Clary smiled brightly at the prospect of not having to spend her time in the institute. Suddenly they looked towards Skylar as her phone began to rang. she calmly picked up the phone, checking who it was. 

"Hey strawberry, I was wondering if you and that other boy that you like would like to catch up with me at my apartment over some drinks." Magnus asked. Skylar smiled slightly before she responded. Alec walked over when Skylar silently beckoned him."Sorry Magnus I can't we have to babysit my sister. Maybe another time." The two turned around only to find Clary gone. The two shared a look, sighed heavily and took off in search of the troublesome 'teenager' called Clary.