CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR:
PULLED BY TWO FAMILIES.
" I feel free in time, fall depths with me miles apart
In light, we solve our own lives
In time, you breach the brighter parts
In light, we fall. "
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NARRATOR
Arabelle wipes off the beads of sweat from her forehead, she gulps down the water and squints her eyes at Isabelle.
"Mom and Dad invited Mom and Dad for dinner?." Arabelle asks half joking, Isabelle chuckles lightly, wrapping an arm around her sister's shoulders.
"Yes they did, they were friends before the Uprising. They are glad they're back, but mostly they're glad your parents are back—."
"Marsye and Robert are my parents as well, Izzy." Arabelle chides, looking at her sister in all seriousness. "And you and Alec are still my siblings, no matter what."
Isabelle sighs, looking at Arabelle with a hint of sadness. "I know that, silly, but things are going to be different now — Your biological right is with the Lacroix-"
"So that's my parents last name..." Arabelle breathes out and Isabelle cocks an eyebrow at her in confusion.
Isabelle stops dead in her tracks, mid way through the stairs. "How did you not know that? We studied the oldest Shadowhunters families, the Lacroix was part of that study."
Arabelle tilts her head and shakes her head with a frown and furrowed eyebrows. "I remember studying the oldest families, Izzy, and i never heard about the Lacroix."
Alec clears his throat, making Arabelle and Isabelle look at him in confusion. "That's because Maryse told the professor to change the assignment for Arabelle, so you wouldn't learn about the Lacroix."
Arabelle's mouth falls agape, shaking her head again and looking at him in disbelief. "Why wouldn't she want me to learn about my family? That's basically my birthright."
Alec looks around and motions with his head upstairs. "We shouldn't talk about this in the stairs – Right now the walls have ears." He says and Arabelle and Isabelle nod stiffly before the trio of siblings make their way upstairs, sneaking into Alec's bedroom.
"If i'm going to learn new shocking stuff about my past i rather doing it after i take a long and relaxing shower."
Arabelle says sarcastically and Alec shakes his head, taking Arabelle by the shoulders and dragging her to sit on his bed with Isabelle besides her.
"I have a feeling this topic is bound to be touched in tonight's dinner and you can't be unaware about this."
"But i'm unaware, none of you have told me the complete truth — By the Angel! I discovered that Ethan has been lying to me all this time from my own and filled with despair sister-."
Alec and Isabelle look at her with wide eyes and open mouths.
"Ethan was the traitor?." Isabelle asks surprised and Arabelle slowly nods; truthfully, she had been trying to forget about the topic all day long, knowing that if she even dared to think about it an empty hole of the size of the earth would grow in her heart.
She was hurt, truly and utterly hurt by her best friends betrayal, she had known him since he was freshly bitten and brought almost dead to Jade Wolf — A place she had by pure coincidence found that day. It was outrageous, seeing blood all over him and his clothes ripped shreds as a loud piercing scream took over the whole establishment. Arabelle had a deep not understandable love for the Downworld, and the people that fit as Downworlders — She had always been fascinated by it, the Seelies, Vampires, Warlocks, and Werewolves. So witnessing the rebirth of a human into a Werewolf was a one of a kind experience, she approached to the wailing boy, a growl coming from the fellow Werewolves, but as always Arabelle ignored it and proceeded to take his hand and telling him everything would be okay – She told him to think about three things that can't long be hidden, something that was thought to her by another Werewolf she had meet a couple of years ago. It was worse for wailing kid, it was a night of a full moon, increasing his emotions, and his strength as well.
He was confused, he didn't know anything about the Downworld, and seeing that brunette haired girl with kind brown eyes and tattoos all over her was highly confusing for him, but the way she held his hand and they way she talked so smoothly and reassuring was just one of the things that made his pain go away, since the Mantra helped as well.
Arabelle spent that night with Ethan simply talking and helping him through the night, earning the pack's respect as well as his, and when she came back to the Institute in the morning she earned scolding from Alec and she was grounded by her mother, she couldn't leave the Institute in a week, but being the reckless girl she has always been she broke her mother's punishment to see her new friend, Ethan Wright.
And that's why it hurt so much, it was like someone had punched a whole in her heart — Scratch that, it felt like she was being stabbed over and over in her heart – she no longer felt pain, she felt empty and that's the worst kind of feeling. She missed him, but the feeling of emptiness and anger overcome that.
"Arabelle..." Alec sits beside her, his hand on her back and her mind lost deep in thought.
"He isn't who i thought he was." She croaks out, her eyes watering at the thought of her hugging him on the other dimension — It wasn't that Ethan's dimension, it was him – The Ethan she had known, and he hugged her knowing what he had done, he told her empty words and smiled at her hypocritically. "He lied to me over and over and i believed all of it." She says, anger and sadness as tears of exasperation fell angrily down her cheeks, her hands formed into fists.
Isabelle takes Arabelle's fists in her hands, trying to calm her down.
"I loved him, Alec." Arabelle sobs, looking at her brother, blurred by her tears. Alec nods.
"I know, Belle, i know you did. Sometimes people aren't who we think we are, it happens. He never deserved you — Truthfully, no one will ever deserve you."
Arabelle laughs and scoffs through the tears. "That's not true, all of this awful things that have happened to me — Maybe i brought it all to myself."
"That's not true, Arabelle. You're kind at heart, with a strong character, you're one of the strongest women i know and you're my big sister." Isabelle states, her eyes filled with both anger and sadness.
Arabelle bites her lip and shakes her head. "Look at me! Do i look like someone that's strong?."
"Strong people have also feelings, Belle." Alec says, caressing her back and Arabelle's jaw clenches.
"I just can't believe he did that."
Her eyes start to glow bright yellow and Alec and Isabelle look at each other, not knowing what to do.
"Arabelle look at me!." Alec shouts at Arabelle, who's sight was empty, not looking at anything as her eyes glowed like fireflies.
Isabelle shakes her shoulders and Arabelle closes her eyes and slowly shakes her head before opening again, her brown orbs coming back again.
"I'm fine, i need to take a shower." She stands up and storms out of Alec's room leaving her siblings confused and deeply preoccupied.
Arabelle locks her room behind her, and rushes to the bathroom – looking at herself in the mirror, her eyes become yellow once again.
"What the hell is happening to me?." She asks herself in exasperation, she couldn't have Warlock blood - She would have felt the magic running through her veins, and she would be able to do magic.
Her eyes glow like a million fireflies before turning brown again. She closes her eyes briefly, laying her back on the bathroom walls and sighing in exasperation. She was confused and exhausted, in the last couple of days her whole world had been turned upside down, and it was ironic how she could understand Clary now — Her need to go back to her normal life, but now not able to do so.
Arabelle bites her inner cheek, making her way to the bathtub and letting the water fill it in, as her anger settles.
____
Jace grabs his grey t-shirt from one of the drawers, putting it on effortlessly as he looks at himself in the mirror. Alec walks in without a warning and looks at Jace, with a sarcastic smile tugging on his lips.
"Should of known you're not the knocking on the door type of guy." Jace says and Alec rolls his eyes.
"Well you've spent the majority of your life living here with me on the room next door - You should of known by now." Alec replies before sighing - Jace looking at him slightly serious.
"Something happened?." Jace asks, giving his undivided attention to Alec, who's mouth opens slightly before tilting his head.
"We need to talk about you and Arabelle..."
"I was really not looking forward this conversation." Jace says half joking, but nodding slightly. "I get it, you are her brother - you have every right to scare me off like mundanes normally do."
Alec shakes his head once again. "Jace i've known you for most part of my life, and the majority of that time you've treated woman like toys, and i know that with Arabelle is different because first of all she will never be the type that will let you treat her like a toy and second because she's been your best friend." Jace looks at the ground with lips pursed before looking at Alec understandingly. "I don't want to scare you off, but i will protect my sister with my own life if it ever comes to it - I saw her cry only an hour ago and everytime she does it breaks my heart piece by piece. I swear to the Angel, Jace Wayland - If you hurt my sister, i will follow you and stab you with my Seraph blade. I love you like a brother, but no one hurts my family let alone my sisters."
Alec finally lets out a breath and Jace nods, bitting his lip.
"I promise by our Parabatai bond, that i will never hurt her, i will keep her safe." Jace replies and Alec grins.
"You should probably start with making it official, you know." Alec says and Jace chuckles lightly.
"It's almost ridiculous, i've never asked anyone to be my girlfriend, it feels weird even saying it. And somehow when i try to ask her, it's like the words can't come out." Jace says and Alec pats his back.
"It's good to know you love someone else apart from yourself." Alec jokes and Jace scoffs lightly.
"Are you ready for the dinner?."
"Yes, i think so. Is Arabelle ready?." Jace asks looking at Alec who frowns.
"She had sort of a meltdown earlier, she went to take a bath but she hasn't come out of her room, i'm trying to give her some space - She is been filled with years and years of information of her past in the last couple of days, it must be mentally exhausting." Alec replies, crossing his arms over his chest and Jace nods stiffly.
"I'll go check her, you can go downstairs." Jace says before walking out of his room with Alec trailing right behind him.
Jace stops in front of Arabelle's room, knocking on the door - Normally he would have walked in as it was his own room, but the door was locked.
"Arabelle? Are you there?." He knocks again, and in less than a minute, a soaking wet Arabelle appears on the doorframe with nothing but a towel wrapped around her and her wet hair falling like waves on her shoulders. Jace gulps down as he looks at her.
"What's up?." She asks, her cheeks bright red but not of embarrassment, but of the anger that still flowed through her body. Jace shakes his head, a smirk tugging on his lips as he laid his body on the doorframe.
"Just checking if you were alright."
"Well the bath tub hasn't swallowed me in so i'm fine." Arabelle replies with a wide sarcastic smile, before turning her back and walking in her room, Jace follows - Closing the door behind him.
"I'm seriously asking if you're alright, Belle, Alec told me that-."
"I had a meltdown? Yeah now i'm just peachy, thanks." Arabelle replies yet again with a sarcastic tone, making Jace raise an eyebrow.
"You don't sound fine, you should probably dial it down a notch seeing that we are about to be in a dinner with the two pair of your parents and i don't think they are going to appreciate your lovely sarcastic tone." Jace states sternly and Arabelle holds her towel close to her chest before looking at him in disbelief.
"Maybe i don't even wanna go to that stupid dinner!." She shouts and Jace licks his lips, staring at her, shocked by her sudden outburst. "I'm so tired of finding out new stuff about myself every single day, i'm tired of people keeping stuff from me and i'm so tired of being in a constant fight for everything!." She cries out at Jace, who can only witness her meltdown. "I'm tired of trying so hard, i will never be enough for both of my parents, i couldn't make proud Maryse and Robert and now i have to make proud Cassia and Peter."
Jace is speechless, he had never seen Arabelle so lost - Different from the firey girl he had just seen yesterday, fighting for her family and determined to learn about her past. Now she looked empty even when she was supposed to be blissful by the return of her parents, the black shadows underneath her eyes now seemed far more remarkable and even herself was aware of that - She looked down at the ground with her mouth slightly agape as her eyes showed nothing but bewilderment about what was happening to her. She hardly recognized herself, looking at the girl with bright yellow eyes in the mirror - She wasn't herself, that she was almost certain about.
Jace approaches her, with the slowest of paces, and very carefully as if she was made of glass, he takes her into his arms - engulfing her into a tight embrace, as her lips quivered and salty tears left her eyes to wet Jace's shirt. Jace closes his eyes, caressing her back softly as she gives herself into the feeling of emptiness - She didn't know what for, she just knows she is tired or people lying to her, but even knowing that, was it really enough to make an outburst of this magnitude? Truth is, it was, Arabelle had kept her feelings bottled up for far too long, feelings like fear, emptiness, anxiety, sadness, were hardly even known by her - or rather hidden by her, she had always been determinate to show the strongest version of herself. But even the strongest person can break as easily as a tree branch.
"Arabelle, Maryse and Robert have always been proud of you. Proud of you for being so strong, smart and growing to be a leader, you've always been the one to figure our missions out. Sometimes it doesn't come easy to say how we feel about people, but that doesn't mean it's your fault or that you're a disgrace for them. I've said this before, but you're the strongest woman i know and the most beautiful i have ever had the honor to meet." Jace's breath hitches. "I love you a hell of a freaking lot, Arabelle, and i'm sure that a hell of a lot of people do too."
Arabelle, who's hand grips tight on the towel covering her bare body, cries a little bit more before departing from the warm embrace, Jace still face to face to her - cups her cheeks and smiles softly.
"I know it's hard right now, because you've learned stuff that should have never been kept away from you and because some people don't deserve your trust nor do they deserve to be in your life, but it will get easier and for what it's worth - I'll always be here for you."
Arabelle bites her bottom lip as she looks deep into Jace's eyes, she had heard every single word coming from Jace's mouth - Every single one dripping with nothing but pure honesty and love. Arabelle stands slightly in her tip toes and her lips connected with Jace's, both their eyes clamped shut as Jace's hand moved to the back of Arabelle's neck - pulling her into him as hard as inhumanly possible, the sweet kiss soon turning into a jaw breaking one. Finally, with one last burst of a long built confidence, Jace bites Arabelle's bottom lip earning a low growl from her departing and looking at him shockingly.
"What was that?." She asks chuckling, Jace's hand moves down to her hand gripping her towel, with a growing smirk.
"Maybe we should not go to that stupid dinner." He suggest devilishly and Arabelle smacks his arm playfully.
"It's not your lucky day." She says winking before pushing him out of her room. "I need to change!." She shouts and before she was able to close the door, Jace hand holds the door, and with that never ending smirk he says,
"Do me a favor, and wear something tight." He says in a low voice before winking and walking away so casually, leaving Arabelle breathlessly and with time to change.
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Arabelle walks downstairs with a skin tight red dress, matching with an equally red lipstick, she makes her way to the dinning hall - Surprised to see that everyone was already seated, she takes a deep breath before approaching the table. Everyone stares at her, but the stare that stood out the most was Jace's - filled with lust and appreciation for her choice of clothes, Arabelle smiles her dimpled smile as she takes a seat beside Jace who pecks her left cheek.
Maryse stands up from her chair with a smile, she takes her glass filled with wine. "I wanna thank everyone for coming to eat dinner with us, specially our old friends, we are very fond of you and it's nothing but a pleasure to have you back after so long, and speaking for myself i thank the Angel to have you for my dear Arabelle, i'm glad her family is back." Maryse, who had always been the strongest of women and idolized by Arabelle, she was having a hard time saying those words - her breath hitched and her eyes slightly watered.
Arabelle breath hitched too, looking at her mother - Giving Peter and Cassia the almost official parenting of her, it was heart breaking.
Cassia and Peter smile warmly as Cassia stands up. "We have nothing to give to you but our gratitude for raising our child in a safe and loving home, we are so thankful that all of you-." She motions Jace, Isabelle, Alec, Maryse and Robert. "Are Arabelle's family."
Arabelle bites her bottom lip, looking at both of her mothers with kindness. Underneath the table, Jace takes he her hand and squeezes it re comfortingly. Everyone stays silent as the food comes along.
"We've bee gone for such a long time, this feels like heaven, honestly." Peter chides chuckling and Arabelle smiles.
"If you were eating Isabelle's food you wouldn't be saying that, trust me." Arabelle says and Isabelle who sits beside her, sends her a playful yet death glare, you could hear the giggles from the table.
The tension was relieved as time passed by, every now and then someone making a joke.
Peter clears his throat, before looking at Arabelle, his eyes getting brighter just by looking at his long lost daughter, showing nothing but love and happiness, finally seeing her after so long. "You look stunning, Arabelle." He compliments and Arabelle smiles brightly.
"Thanks, dad." She replies before even thinking about it, Robert looks down at his hands and Arabelle bites her bottom lip.
"Okay, family, i have some news." Alec interrupts as he stands up with a glass of wine in hand, Arabelle takes mental note to thank Alec for saving her from that awkward time. "Lydia couldn't make it today, she was occupied with work, but i'm going to make the announcement by myself." He adds and everyone looks confused, specially Peter and Cassia. "Lydia and I, we are engaged." He finishes and Arabelle's mouth agapes, and Isabelle frowns as well as Jace.
"Oh Alec, that's amazing news!." Maryse says delighted, standing up and hugging her child.
"Congratulations, Son." Robert says with a warm smile, hugging him as well.
Alec looks expectingly at his sisters and Parabatai, but none of then stood up, they simply faked smile.
"Congrats, big bro." Arabelle and Isabelle said, and Jace nods, his arm wrapped around Arabelle's shoulders.
"Isabelle! Arabelle! Jace! Don't be rude, congratulate your brother, this is amazing news." Maryse chides in and Isabelle shakes her head.
"I hardly even know Lydia, but i know enough to know that she isn't fit for Alec." Isabelle says madly. "You're not following your heart, i thought that was love was about."
Alec looks at the ground before looking at his sister, Isabelle stands up and walks out of the room. Arabelle looks at Jace, confused and slightly mad at her brother's decision.
"I should probably go calm her down." Arabelle says, standing up, and following Isabelle's steps.
Leaving Alec and Jace in the awkwad room, Peter and Cassia congratulate Alec on his engagement and proceed to drink their wine.
Alec sits beside Jace with an expressionless look.
"You're not mad at me, are you?." Alec asks and Jace looks at him sternly.
"You're going to marry Lydia, the one who ordered to kill Meliorn and that could possibly start a downworlder uprising, you sure know how to pick 'em." Jace says, not daring to look at Alec.
Alec sighs loudly. "I'm doing this for my family, you're all running around doing stuff that the Clave doesn't like, someone here has to take responsibility and try to change what the Lightwood name means to the Clave."
"That's pure bullshit, and you know it." Jace slurrs and with that they both knew their conversation had been finished.
"So-." Cassia looks at Jace, who looks at her and smiles, the resemblance of her and Arabelle was astonishing - The same bright brown eyes, kind and yet firey, and the same bruenette wave like hair that fell down their shoulders, and the same beautiful dimpled smile. "Jace, my husband and I are very curious of the nature of your relationship with Arabelle." She says, making Jace gulp down, he had earned the unwanted attention of the two sets of Arabelle's parents.
"I haven't offically asked her to be in a relationship with me, but we've known each other since we are kids, i'm waiting for it to be a right time to properly ask her, her life has been turned upside down in the span of a week, so you could understand as why i've waiting for a much more calm time." He replies and she nods with a smile.
"We've actually been hoping for a more calm time as well, Jace, you see before Valentine took us we lived in Idris and we are really hoping to settle there once again with Arabelle." Peter says, taking a sip from his glass, never taking his eyes off of Jace who seemed stunned at his words.
"You want to take her to Idris?." Maryse asks, bewildered.
Cassia slowly nods. "Yes, Maryse. We are really grateful for what you have given to our daughter, and we are never going to be able to take back the time we lost with her, but we want to start over with her - in our home." She says softly and Maryse sucks in breath, nodding with a clearly fake smile.
"If that's what she wants." Peter adds, still looking at Jace."We both know in our little time here, that Arabelle has a deep appreciation for you, we probably shouldn't expect her to come with us - after all, she really doesn't know us." He says, his voice dropping.
Jace looks down at the ground before looking at Peter. "I know she'll go with you, you don't know how long she has been fighting to find you, she doesn't have to know you to know that you're worth fighting for." He says, Maryse and Robert look at him astonished, while Peter and Cassia smile rather kindly at him.
"Thank you, Jace, it's just hard to see our daughter so far away." Cassia replies, and Jace smiles but in the inside, he is kicking himself for those words. He doesn't have a family, but that didn't mean Arabelle couldn't have one, and now that they are here - Something inside of him is determined to push Arabelle closer to them, no matter what it takes.
"She is not far away from you, not anymore." He states, his smile turning into a grimace.
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that was long, comment ur thoughts about what you think Jace's is planning, and what do you think Arabelle is?.
by the way im meeting shawn in 8 DAYS AND I CANT EVEN IM FJSJJDKEKAMANS