Distractions - Chapter 56: Chapter 56

Everest, for the first time in far too long, opened her email. She stared at it in utter horror. This was why she opened her email at least twice a day, usually more often than that. Once she had realized that the ShadowWorld would take over her life for a while, she had sent out a mass email to everyone she worked with, as well as a social media statement on both of her accounts, saying that she would be completely unavailable for an unknown amount of time so it would be better to keep emails and DMs to a minimum. If this was the minimum, she dreaded what it would have been like if she hadn't sent out the statements.
"Fuck me," she said slowly, rubbing her face tiredly.
She stood from the couch and made her way into Magnus's kitchen for more coffee. She had already gone through a pot since she woke up and the second had just finished brewing.
"Okay," the man in question said cheekily. She snorted ungracefully, opening the fridge to get the creamer and hide her blush. "What's got you brewing a second pot of coffee?"
She huffed and pointed at her computer. "Check my email. It's pulled up on my computer." She sat the pot back down and cleaned up the small amount that had spilled. "And I always at least make two pots of coffee. It's how I live to see another day and not be arrested for voluntary manslaughter."
Magnus laughed. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him spin to face her, then back to her computer, then back to her. He looked like a dancer. "How on earth do you have almost four thousand emails?"
Everest shrugged, then shoved her hair behind her ear when it fell back into her face. "I haven't checked it in like a month. Which I never do because it stresses me out when I have a bunch of emails. I haven't even looked at my DMs yet. Or my other email folders." She pushed down the tears and urge to scream. It wasn't the time. Magnus hadn't experienced her being overwhelmed with work before; she didn't want the first time that happened to be after whatever situation had happened the night before. "It's probably a lot of spam, but Angel, why can't it sort itself out?"
"There's more?"
Magnus sounded like he wanted her to be joking but knew she wasn't.
She just nodded tiredly. Her faded hair fell back into her face and she ran harsh hands through it before flipping her head upside down and sloppily throwing it into a scrunchie. Everest looked up to see Magnus watching her with raised eyebrows and his mouth twisted in a way that made his concern for her hair clear.
"Do you want me to fix your hair?"
She nodded with what she was sure was a somewhat pitiful expression. "Please do."
Magnus only smiled gently at her. He grabbed her coffee mug and her hand and pulled her into the bathroom. She sat on the edge of the counter while he took out a hair brush. He carefully undid her mess of a bun, if it could even be called that, and slowly brushed through her hair. Somehow, despite her having forgotten to brush it the past few days, it didn't hurt to be brushed. Once it had been brushed through, he gently braided back the front parts of her hair, the parts that always fell out of buns.
"Where's Alexander?" Magnus asked as he had her hold the ends of the braids.
"The Institute." She took a sip of coffee. "He's making sure nothing burned down last night."
Magnus was quiet for a moment. Then he asked, "What happened last night?" as he twisted her hair around itself.
"I don't know," she admitted. "One moment we're eating dinner, and the next my head feels like it's being split open by someone screaming. I wish I knew, I do. I just don't."
"Do you think it's something to do with the supposed angel Clary was texting you about this morning?"
Everest made a gross noise between a groan, a huff, and a retch. "I had almost forgotten about that." She grimaced. "Maybe? I'll have to ask her if she had the same thing happen to her." She glanced at Magnus through the mirror, only to find him staring back at her. She looked away, face warming slightly. "I'm not being sarcastic by the way. I'm just annoyed that dinner was interrupted by whatever that was."
Magnus hummed as he finished with her hair. "I am too, but it's behind us now. I'm sure there will be many more dinners to come. Now look at your hair."
He smiled eagerly as she slipped off the counter to look in the mirror. She couldn't help the small gasp that escaped her. It was beautiful. Her hair, in all its chaotic half purple half strawberry blonde glory, was pulled up into a bun that rested atop her head, the front part of her hair in a braided crown that flowed easily into the bun.
"It's gorgeous, I love it," she said, tilting her head back to smile at Magnus. "Thank you."
He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Anytime Cupcake."
She turned to kiss him properly, but the now lukewarm coffee in her hand splashed onto her skin. They both froze, then burst out laughing. She managed to set the coffee on the counter after a few tries so she didn't actually knock it over.
"It's too early for coffee stains," Magnus said, lightly and without any annoyance in his voice.
"Very too early," she agreed, and leaned up to kiss him gently.
"Don't you have emails to answer?" he asked as they returned to the main part of the house and she went to the kitchen. He gestured to the computer.
She made a face at it. "Yeah..."
"Would you like me to help you sort through them?"
Her face fell in surprise. "Would you? Really?" He nodded with a smile. "You wouldn't get bored or annoyed?"
He shook his head. "I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't willing to help."
She sighed in relief. "Then yes, I would love help."
They worked together for about two hours, sifting through the oldest emails first and tagging them based on urgency. Luckily most of them were just updates that didn't need a response or spam. By the end of it, they had gotten through nearly two hundred emails. Admittedly, she had not replied to that many emails, but they had been sorted through and that was what mattered. She had replied to some, however, and she was proud of herself for doing that much.
"Thanks again for helping me," Everest said as she packed up her stuff.
"Of course," Magnus replied, taking a sip of coffee. "I'll see you soon, yeah?"
She smiled widely and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Of course."
She waved as she left with her messenger bag slung over her shoulder. As she was walking past the bakery, her phone rang, the opening chords of a rock song starting in the depths of her bomber jacket pocket. She fumbled for her phone for a moment before she finally found it.
"Hello?"
"Hi Escritora."
"Morning Phae. What's up?" She rolled her eyes as a driver tried to get her to hurry up in crossing the street. She still had over twenty seconds left on the crosswalk meter, she was fine.
"I'm worried about Isabelle," he said, and Everest almost stopped right in front of someone's motorcycle.
"Sorry," she muttered before hurrying along. "Right, what?"
"I'm worried about your sister," he said again.
"I heard you," she said, eyes still wide with disbelief. "I'm just a little shocked considering you kinda hate her guts."
"Call it an intense dislike," he said snarkily. Then he sighed. "I know it's out of the blue and I'm sure you're very confused right now."
"That's one way of putting it. Hey! Fuck off asshole!" she shouted at someone in a buggy with a Texas license plate who nearly ran her over. "Sorry, stupid out of towners. Explain to me why you of all people are worried about Izzy."
"I can't tell you all the details, but I found her in a pretty bad part of the city last night and I don't think it was for entirely holy reasons."
Everest snorted. "Please, nothing she does is 'entirely holy'." She weaved between a couple people in suits with a false smile. No need to make them mad at her because she didn't know how to deal with this new information with a pleasant expression. "How worried should I be?"
"Just a bit less worried than everyone should have been when everything I heard happened when you were fourteen was taking place." Everest sucked in an embarrassed breath.
"So real worried."
"Yeah."
"And you won't tell me why?"
"No."
She exhaled slowly as she slipped through the Institute gates. "Fuck you and thank you for the heads up."
"Such conflicted sentiments," he drawled. She could hear the smirk he no doubt had on his face.
"Yeah yeah. I've got to go, I'll talk to you later." She closed the front doors as quietly as she could. "Don't do anything too stupid or illegal."
"Same to you."
She pocketed her phone and approached Alec and Izzy, who were standing by a holographic screen in the Ops Center.
"Honey I'm home," she said in a sing-song voice as she stopped beside them. She wanted a table to lean back on.
"Hey Sunny," Izzy replied with an easy smile.
"Hey Darling," Alec said, shooting a smile her way before focusing on the video he was watching once more. "There. They said that was the angel."
"It could have been a shooting star," Izzy said.
"Or some kind of firecracker," Everest said. "I've seen ones shoot up and not go everywhere before."
"Are you saying you don't believe Jace and Clary? I thought you'd be impressed." Alec raised his eyebrows at the two of them. Everest shrugged. She didn't know how she felt about it.
"I'm not saying I don't believe them. It's just that no one's seen an angel in hundreds of years." Izzy closed the screen and Everest took the chance to lean on the now plain surface. Izzy rolled her eyes as she turned to Alec. "So, did you take my advice?"
Alec looked away, chewing the inside of his cheek. Everest winked at Izzy.
"You did, didn't you?" Izzy grinned. "Okay, start talking."
"There's nothing to talk about," Alec said in a nonchalant tone that fooled no one.
"Hey, you guys!" a voice, which was much too young to belong to someone that was old enough to hear the conversation that was about to happen, called out.
The three turned and Everest saw Max running up to them. She smiled. He was a cute kid.
"Hey, Buddy. How are you doing?" Alec asked, clapping a hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Max! I missed you so much!" Izzy bent down to give him a hug. "You look so handsome. Do you remember Everest?" He nodded and grinned at her. She smiled back. "What are you doing here?"
A set of powerful footsteps echoed towards them and Everest looked up to see Maryse walking towards them in a conservative blue bodycon dress and matching pumps. Even as much as Everest disliked the woman, she had to admit, the woman knew clothes.
"Alec. Isabelle. Everest. It's good to see you all," she said, and each of their expressions fell to be completely neutral. Everest discreetly brushed her hand against both of the older Lightwood siblings' elbows to remind them that they had her support and not to do anything stupid.
"Really?" Izzy challenged.
"Izzy—"
"Dusk—"
"'Cause the last time you were here, you turned your back on all of us. Especially Jace."
Everest hid her wince at the memories she had of Maryse Lightwood, of the things Izzy had told her had happened while she was gone.
"I was following orders. I had no choice." Everest rolled her eyes. "Max has some big news. Tell them, sweetheart."
"I passed my last trial. I'm ready for my Rune Ceremony," the boy said, practically vibrating with excitement.
Everest beamed. "Congratulations Max. I'm proud of you."
"Congratulations." Alec smiled so brightly it made Everest's stomach flip over in a way it hadn't done in a long time.
"So you finally perfected the roundhouse kick?"
A memory of the Alternate Universe Izzy getting hit in the face by someone finally getting their roundhouse kick flashed in Everest's mind and she had to hide the mischief in her smile.
"Yeah, and I knocked out two different instructors." Max was definitely a Lightwood.
"Sadly, your father won't be able to attend." Their smiles fell once again. And once more, Everest had a strong urge to hit Robert Lightwood in the face. "So, Alec, as the eldest male in the family, you will be in charge of Max's ceremonial party," Maryse announced.
"What do you mean he won't be here?" Alec demanded.
"He's tied up with the Valentine task force in Idris."
Somehow Everest had the feeling he'd be allowed to at least attend his child's Rune Ceremony. What was wrong with that man?
Izzy shook her head. "I can't believe Dad would miss this."
Max looked towards the floor and Everest wondered if he was okay as he seemed to be trying to appear. She didn't think so, not if he looked away at the mention of Robert as if he knew things others didn't want him to know. She knew that feeling and that behavior all too well.
"He doesn't have a choice. We're all on high alert, especially after what that demon did to you girls...and Jocelyn."
Alec and Izzy both grabbed Everest's hands for a moment. Maryse's eyes, the same color as Izzy's but impossibly colder, tracked each movement.
"I was surprised not to see you at the Rite of Passage," Izzy said in a deadpan. "Dad called to see how we were."
Izzy glanced at Alec, who nodded, then at Everest who just blinked. She grabbed Everest's hand, their rings clinking together softly, and pulled her away.
"So that happened," Izzy said once they were in the hallway.
Everest sighed and sunk down along the wall so that she was sitting on the wood floor. Izzy sat across from her, rolling her shoulder and stretching out her legs so they were in Everest's lap. "Yeah." She sighed. "I'm worried about Max."
Izzy looked up from the floorboards immediately. "What? Why? Is it your kid-problem meter?"
Everest cracked a small smile at the name the other had given her ability to tell if a kid needed help. "Yeah. Did you notice how Max shut down when your dad was brought up? How he looked away and wouldn't even try to smile?"
Izzy's eyes narrowed. "What are you saying?"
"Nothing too major, don't worry." Some of the tension fell from Izzy's shoulders and expression as the implication in Everest's words sunk in. "I just think there's a lot more to your dad not being here than just work. Something Max knows more about than your parents think he does."
"What do you think it is?"
Everest shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine."
...
"Everest? Could we talk?" Everest looked up from her email—she had replied to another twenty—to see Max in her doorway, shoulders slightly hunched and gaze hesitant.
She smiled kindly and set her computer aside, patting the spot on the bed beside her. "Of course, come on in."
He sat next to her, his eyes never leaving her face. If she didn't work with kids so often she would have found it unnerving.
"You're dating Alec, right? And Magnus?" he asked after a few moments of silence.
She nodded. "I am." She really hoped that he didn't have the same opinion that his parents had.
His head tilted to the side in a way that reminded Everest of a younger Izzy. "How does that work?"
She shifted so that she was sitting with her legs crossed. "Well, Alec and I are dating, and he and Magnus are dating. Magnus and I are also dating. It's called a polyamorous relationship."
His nose twitched and he hummed. He looked her up and down a few times before nodding. "Alright."
Everest couldn't help the way her eyebrows raised or her short noise of surprise. "Really? You don't have an issue with it?"
He shrugged. "Not really. Just don't hurt Alec and I won't have to roundhouse kick you."
Her lips twitched up into a smile. "Don't worry, Max, I have no intentions of hurting Alec. But if I do, you can roundhouse kick me. I won't stop you."
He smiled brightly and hopped off her bed. "Do you want to train? Alec said you're a good teacher and that you're really good with guns."
Everest sucked in a breath. "I'm not going to teach you to shoot a gun," she said, somewhat sternly as she took off her sweatshirt, leaving her in a tank top and leggings. "I'll spar with you and teach you a few tricks that my uncle and brother taught me, but I'm not going to give you a gun."
He turned to her with annoyingly effective puppy dog eyes. She blamed Izzy. "Can you at least show me what you look like when you shoot? For theory?"
She sighed and grabbed her gun from her bedside table. "Fine. But you're not touching my guns."
He grinned at her again and bound out of the room and she followed with a laugh.
Trigger warning: Weapons and guns used in training, mentions of poor parenting
Everest made him sit on the sideline while she set up the target and did a little target practice with her normal bullets, just enough for him to observe her form but not enough to take up too much time. Max cheered every time she got a bullseye. Once she was done, she took down the target and put it, her gun, and her shoes on the bench Max had been sitting on. His shoes were under the bench.
She grabbed a training sword and tossed him one too. "Who has the advantage?" she asked as they began to circle each other. She was entirely channeling Luke in that moment and she wasn't afraid to admit it, so long as it wasn't to the man himself. He'd never let her live it down.
He was quiet as he considered their strengths and weaknesses. "You," he said.
"Why?"
"You're older, stronger, and you have more experience in the real world."
She struck out with her sword and he blocked it before it hit him. "Maybe, but you're a bit smaller, more agile, and you have more formal Shadowhunter training. I've only been formally training with Shadowhunters for a month or two. You've been training like this for nearly six years."
"So we're equal."
She grunted as she had to twist unnaturally to avoid the blow aimed at her head. He was unfairly tall for an eleven year old. Everest and Max each attempted to hit each other a few more times before Everest spun out of Max's reach and behind him. Moments later, her blade was at his throat. Her lips quirked.
Weapons/gun trigger warning over
Mentions of poor parenting trigger warning applies
"I wouldn't say equal."
He gaped at her, panting slightly, and she gestured at the water bottles he had brought down with them. He nodded and sat down to take a drink.
"I grew up in New York," she explained, "and I was out at night a lot. So the people around me made sure that I would be safe. That meant putting me in a lot of self defense classes. Especially ones run by and for police officers."
"Is that why you're better at fighting than your sister?"
Everest snorted. "Something like that."
"Max, Everest," a cool, professional voice said.
Everest looked up to see Maryse walking towards them. Max waved at her and set the water aside.
"Could Everest and I talk alone?"
Warning bells went off in Everest's head and every fiber of her being screamed at her to leave, but she forced herself to stay put. Max scurried out of the room with one last smile in her direction and then Everest was left alone with a very intimidating woman who just so happened to be the mother of her boyfriend and best friend.
"Where'd you learn to fight?" Maryse asked after a moment of awkward silence where Everest debated the likelihood of faking her death getting her out of whatever was happening.
She opened and closed her mouth a few times and then shook her head. Finally she found the ability to speak. "Two people I consider my dads found out that I almost got mugged and insisted on me learning self defense. And then Luke found out too and he made me learn how to shoot, use blades, and just generally defend myself even more. And then he had me train under the NYPD police captain and several officers."
Maryse, if Everest wasn't seeing things, smiled faintly. She almost let out a high pitched noise that would have been somewhere between crying and a shriek. What was happening?
"That's Luke for you," she said quietly before looking at Everest. "I only ask because I've heard and read several reports of you being an incredibly skilled fighter while your sister only knows the basics. I was curious as to why you know so much while Clary knows so little."
Everest hummed faintly. People were talking about how she could fight? Why? Why couldn't they just pass off her ability to fight to being the niece of a police officer? Why did Maryse have to be curious?
Maryse began to walk away when Everest didn't say anything else on the topic, but then Everest called out, stopping her. She pushed away the panic and regret as forcefully as possible.
"Yes?"
"Why do you have such a problem with Alec being out and dating me and Magnus?" she asked, unable to keep her voice from taking on an accusatory tone. "Is it because he's dating two people? Or because one of them is a man?"
The woman paused and watched Everest with slightly narrowed eyes, as if she were sizing her up. "I do not care what gender Alec choses to date. What I care about is that he chose the High Warlock of Brooklyn and Valentine's daughter." Her voice was harsh and forceful, like a well aimed punch to Everest's stomach.
"So you care that he chose a warlock and me. Two people who have stood up to you, defied your expectations, dislodged your bigoted views, and make your son happy. Got it." Everest rolled her eyes and stepped closer to Maryse in a wave of confidence and adrenaline. "You know, Izzy's told me so much about you from the moment we met at seven years old. She told me all about your favoritism, your harsh judgements, the tension, the expectations, the bigotry that seeps into everything you say and do. She was downplaying it all."
"Excuse me?"
"You're worse in person than in the stories. You encouraged a wedding that wouldn't only make your son unhappy, but make a woman you hardly know unhappy as well. You oppressed your eldest child for years because you refuse to accept the fact that people don't have to be straight or cisgender to be worthy of love, and you pushed those views onto him whether it be intentionally or not. You look down on your daughter for being herself simply because it makes you uncomfortable to see a young woman so open with herself and her body. You make your adopted son overwork himself and forget to live because you put so much value on killing demons and being a weapon that you forget that he's human too. You cause your youngest child so much distress because you treat your other children so coldly and in such a dehumanizing way in front of him that it makes him scared to be the child that he is."
Everest took another step towards Maryse and the woman stepped backwards in turn.
"Your behavior makes me sick, Maryse Lightwood. I truly don't know how your children have trusted and respected you so much for this long. I do not care what you think of me, nor do I care that you hate that I am part of the reason your children are happy. What I fucking care about is that you deliberately make your children unhappy because of whatever issues you have going on."
"You have no right to say that," Maryse snapped.
"And you have no right to take your past, your problems, and or your mistakes out on your children." Everest took a deep breath and rolled her shoulders back, looking Maryse dead in the eyes with as serious and intense an expression as she could. Maryse flinched. "Your actions are despicable and I cannot stand your presence most of the time, even more so now. However, I will tolerate you for the sake of Alec, Jace, Izzy, and Max. But if you slip up even once, I will not hesitate in making you regret it. So for all our sake, be a decent person, at least for tonight."
Trigger warning for mentions of poor parenting over
Everest turned on her heel and stalked away, snagging her shoes and gun in one fluid motion on the way. She needed to find Alec. Or Izzy. Or Jace. One of the three of them. Preferably Jace since he most likely wouldn't lecture her for snapping at Maryse. Hopefully.
Jace wasn't anywhere to be found. Which meant he was still at Magnus's. Everest groaned and flopped onto Jace's bed, her latest search point. She fished her phone out of her pocket and found his contact with a glare.
"Where are you?" she demanded when he picked up.
"Magnus's, why? What's wrong? Did you kill someone? Are you okay?" he rambled, voice rising slightly with each word.
"I just snapped at Maryse."
"You did what?"
Everest didn't know if his very clear shock was because she yelled at Maryse and he was surprised or if it was because he was mad that she yelled at her.
"I asked her why she had a problem with Alec being out and dating me and Magnus—"
"Oh shit."
"—and then it ended up being me telling her off aggressively for doing terrible things and me basically outright calling her a bad mom without using those exact words."
She was breathing deeply by the time she finished talking and she really wished she had facetimed Jace so she could see his facial expression.
"I—you're something, Everest Fairchild." He chuckled awkwardly and Everest sighed in relief. He wasn't mad as far as she could tell. "I'm proud of you for standing up to her, I don't think I've done that in a long time, if ever. That takes a lot of guts."
"Thanks," she muttered, flipping over onto her side and leaning against the pillows.
"How're you doing after yelling at her?"
"Ready to never see her again. Like, I'm really resisting the urge to go hide at Raphael's place, or Gino's, or the Karter's, or even the Henry's, or literally anywhere she won't find me."
He snorted. "You're dramatic as fuck."
"Says you." She scoffed.
"Jace, pick up your damn socks!" a familiar voice snapped faintly.
She rolled her eyes. "You bring bed warmers over, disturb the peace, and you leave socks around? Angel, I pity whoever you end up actually living with."
"Shut up." There was a pause. "You sound like a proper Shadowhunter now."
"Shut it."
"Jace!"
"Fine!" He huffed and Everest could imagine him rolling his eyes and heaving himself away from whatever he was doing dramatically. "I'll talk to you later then. Try not to get murdered before the party. Or at all. I would have an army waiting to kill me if you die."
She snorted. "Fine. I'll try not to die. Now go deal with your socks before I mess up your bed."
"Why are you in my room? Don't mess up my bed!"
"Go fix your socks."
"Everest—"
She hung up with a smirk as she stood up. She made her way back to her room, hoping for a few hours of quiet before the inevitable chaos of Max's party. Instead she got Izzy, dressed in a bathrobe, rifling through her closet, several makeup bags strewn across Everest's already messy desk and countless articles of clothing on her bed.
"What happened?" she asked, freezing in the doorway.
Izzy turned with a grin. Everest wondered if this was some sort of payback for hanging up on Jace. "We have to get ready for the party."
"Again, don't have party clothes because I haven't had time to go shopping. I have club clothes but not party clothes." She closed the door softly.
Izzy snorted as she tossed a pair of black kitten heels at Everest. She just barely managed to catch them. "You have high schooler club clothes, not real club club clothes."
Everest scoffed in mock offense, clutching a hand to her heart. "Excuse you? Have you seen that black dress I own? Or the leather pants and corset top?"
The other girl rolled her eyes as she pulled out a mini emerald green slip dress. She whistled lowly. "What is this and where can I get it?"
"Harper gave it to me for my birthday," she said, accepting the dress and setting it on her bed. "Said I don't own enough classy clothes. But I'm not sure this counts as party clothes."
"She's right," Izzy said with a grin. Everest couldn't help it, she grinned back. "Well? Go try it on?"
Everest, who had lost most if not all of her modesty around Izzy somewhere between nine and thirteen years old, changed out of her sweaty clothes and into the dress. It highlighted her figure and flared just enough at the bottom to give the allusion of her being taller than she was. The heels would help with that too. Everest smiled broadly and twirled around, arms out and loose hair flying in her face.
"I love it. Now go shower before you sweat all over it."
She laughed softly but did as she was told, putting on the bathrobe that had been on the back of her discarded desk chair. She showered quickly and dried her hair, wincing at the faded colors. She reentered her room and sat on the floor in front of Izzy's mirror that the other girl had moved into the room.
"I heard what happened with Mom," Izzy said as she started her makeup and Everest started taming her hair.
Everest grimaced. "Yeah, it was a thing. She asked why I know how to defend myself and then it led to me asking her why she has such a problem with Alec, Magnus, and me and me telling her that she treats you and your brothers terribly and that she makes me sick."
She grabbed the curling iron that Izzy had plugged in earlier and began to curl some of the looser waves and curls that made up her chaotic hair texture. The longer Izzy stayed silent, the faster her heart beat.
"I wish I had half the courage you have," Izzy said finally.
Everest jerked her head around, almost burning her face, and gaped. "What?"
Izzy shrugged and capped her eyeliner. "You're not afraid to be yourself or tell people off when you don't think they're treating people right."
Everest set the curling iron down so she didn't burn herself. "I'm not that brave. Every one of those things scares me and I constantly worry about the consequences. Besides, I wish I was as confident as you are. You go for what you want and don't hesitate."
"But I'm still scared to do it and I'm always thinking about what others will think."
Everest, who knew that feeling so incredibly well, nodded. "So I guess we're both amazing people with flaws, huh?"
Izzy let out a bright laugh and Everest smiled. "I guess so."
When they finished getting ready, Everest and Izzy stood side by side in front of the mirror taking pictures and admiring the result of their hard work. Everest was in her emerald green slip dress and black kitten heels with her hair half pulled back, relatively neutral makeup, and several pieces of silver jewelry. Two necklaces, one with a few stars and one with a 'C' and 'E', hung around her neck, silver bangles clanged on her wrists, and rings adorned every finger, among which were her snake ring and her ring from Izzy that she was so proud of. Izzy wore a black body con dress with sheer cutouts on the sides with black pumps with her hair as curly and makeup as smoky as always and her Parabatai-to-be ring.
Everest smiled at Izzy through the mirror as her friend traced the Parabatai rune on her wrist. "Let's go rock this party, yeah?"
Izzy grinned back. "Obviously. I have to run an errand but I'll meet you there."
Everest nodded, hoping this errand didn't have anything to do with what Raphael had mentioned earlier, and they walked out of her room arm in arm before splitting ways at the front door.
...
People milled around, mostly with drinks or small plates of food, laughing and talking as salsa music played softly in the background. Everest accepted a glass of seltzer from the bartender who looked suspiciously familiar and went to find her boyfriends. She found them towards the front doors—she really didn't know how she hadn't seen them before. She smiled as she approached, appreciating the sight of them in matching all black suits. Magnus smirked when he saw her and pointed her out to Alec, who went slightly pink.
"You two look gorgeous," she said, taking a sip of her drink to hide her faint blush.
"You look great," Alec said, blinking a couple of times.
"That dress is stunning on you," said Magnus, and he looked like he was stopping himself from saying something else that likely wouldn't be appropriate for the setting.
Everest curtsied slightly with a cheeky smile. "And I'm sure you think it would look better elsewhere," she said quietly enough for only Magnus and possibly Alec to hear.
Magnus sputtered momentarily and Alec's blush deepened. An overwhelming sense of pride washed over Everest.
Magnus cleared his throat. "I'm worried the empanadas are soggy," he said, in what seemed like an attempt to change the subject. "I gave the chef specific instructions—"
"Magnus." The warlock looked up at Alec, whose blush had faded and wore such a reassuring and genuine look that it almost hurt to look at. "Everything's perfect."
Magnus's slight panic was quelled and just as Everest went to ask how he had pulled the entire party planning off in a day, Alec grinned.
"Max! Mother."
Max was walking into the apartment, Maryse close behind. Everest had given Alec and Magnus a rundown of the confrontation earlier—which Izzy had apparently been watching, which was how she found out about it so soon, and had filmed the confrontation to send to everyone once she figured out what was going on—so she hoped neither of them would be too surprised if Maryse avoided her a little more than usual. To her surprise, Maryse had a mild expression on her face as she approached.
Magnus nodded politely at the woman, who handed him a bottle of nice wine.
"I heard you like to drink," Maryse said in way of greeting.
It took an incredible amount of effort for Everest to not laugh outright then and there.
Magnus chuckled in a polite way that made it clear he wasn't sure how to react. "Welcome, Maryse." He gestured at the party around them. "Max, this is your night."
Max's entire face lit up like the lights on the balcony, and he grinned ear to ear, practically bouncing up and down. Everest's heart both soared and shattered. This was how children, how Max, were supposed to be: happy and content, not shut down, regulated, and controlled. But this was the first time Everest had seen the boy so uncontrollably happy, even when he saw his siblings or played games.
Maryse looked around at the party too and smiled uncomfortably. "You do have exotic taste, don't you?"
Everest internally huffed. Everything was child appropriate. Everyone was fully clothed, the music didn't even have suggestive lyrics, and the bar was on high alert for anyone who was at least under eighteen, though only some people under twenty-one (namely Everest, Clary, Jace, Izzy, and Simon) had access to the bar because Magnus liked them. Why was Maryse so uncomfortable with the party? Max was clearly happy, though it had dulled slightly when his mother had spoken, and wasn't that what mattered?
"Oh, the Spanish theme is in honor of you and your husband," Magnus said, a proud look in his eyes.
Maryse's expression went just a little more blank. "Really? How so?"
"Alec told me that Robert proposed to you in Barcelona. I wanted to celebrate a joyous memory. Especially since he couldn't be here." Everest was still a little confused about that whole situation, but it was fine.
"How sweet that Alec feels comfortable sharing personal family memories with you. Especially considering your...disparate backgrounds." Everest was pretty sure Maryse shot her an especially passive aggressive look.
Everest inhaled deeply and Alec rested a hand on her back as her smile became just a bit more fixed. Alec's brows furrowed and a pained look flashed across Magnus's face before he flashed Maryse a smile.
"How about a drink? Sangria for the lady, and Roy Rodgers for the guest of honor."
He walked away to fetch drink—and to escape the terror of Maryse Lightwood. Everest tilted her head up towards Alec's ear and he angled his head down so she didn't try to go up on tiptoes in heels.
"I'm going to go with him to make sure I don't say something that will upset Max." She smiled at Max as Alec hummed and squeezed her hand. "Max, I think that there's a deck of cards somewhere if you want to play a round of something later."
The boy grinned broadly again, despite the firm hand on his shoulder. "That'd be great."
She smiled again and followed Magnus.
"She's something, isn't she?" Everest muttered as the bartender topped off her glass and started making the drinks Magnus requested.
Magnus snorted gently. "Something along those lines. She just rubs me the wrong way, but she's Alec's mother and I'm going to do my best to at least try."
Everest sighed but nodded. "Yeah, me too."
They collected the drinks and dropped them off with Maryse and Max before leaving the three again so they could socialize. Or rather, Magnus helped her find someone she knew while also socializing. Then they ran into Clary.
She was storming away from someone or something, tears running down her face. Any awkwardness that might have come from Clary hating her went away as soon as Everest saw the tears and her sister instincts took over.
"Hey, Ritz, what's wrong?" she asked immediately.
"It's Simon." Oh shit. "He pours his heart out about wanting to be with me—" Huh? "—and then hooks up with Maia."
Nothing about what Clary had just said made sense. Simon was a sweetheart and wouldn't do that sort of thing. And when and why had Clary and Simon started dating? That just felt wrong.
"That doesn't sound like Simon," Magnus said, startled. Everest resisted the urge to hug Clary. She didn't want to make it worse by pissing her off too. "Are you sure you haven't had too much sangria? It's strong, I made sure of it."
"Please. I just need to leave."
Clary went to walk away, but Everest caught her arm.
"Hey, don't." Clary shot her a defiant look. "We'll figure out whatever's happening with Simon. I'll toss him to the Karters if I have to. But tonight's about Max. And Alec and Izzy. You'd never forgive yourself if you weren't there for your friends."
Everest knew that she personally wouldn't have been able to forgive herself if she hadn't been at Izzy's eleventh birthday party. She was pretty sure Clary had a similar conscience in that regard.
Clary walked back into the party, wiping her tears. Magnus and Everest shared an exasperated look before following her.
"We're heading to the balcony," Alec said a few minutes later, approaching Magnus and Everest. Everest put away her phone and tried to stop her expression from filling with concern. Raphael had just texted her without any context at all: I'm so, so sorry, Escritora. He refused to give any context and muted her texts when she pressed.
Max and Maryse were waiting on the balcony lit by string lights when they arrived, Everest's gift for him in her hands.
"Here you go," she said with a smile as he accepted the box that contained the next four mangas in the current series he was reading.
"Thank you," he chirped.
Magnus knelt down in front of the boy. "I got you a present as well." Alec smiled.
"I don't see anything," Max said after a moment of staring at Magnus's empty hands.
"That's because you're not looking hard enough." Magnus snapped his fingers and a well wrapped present appeared. Max took it easily and turned it around curiously.
"What do you say, Max?" Alec prompted.
"Thank you." Magnus stood up but froze when Max spoke again. "Where's your warlock mark?"
"Max..."
"You were just as curious at his age," Maryse chided Alec.
"It's okay," Magnus assured them. Everest raised her eyebrows. "I only share with my closest friends."
He grinned as his eyes flashed from warm brown to mischievous gold with pupils like a cat's. Everest and Alec shared a glance but looked away as Jace approached.
"How much of you is a demon?" Max asked.
Everest inhaled sharply. That was a boundary very well crossed.
"Max, enough. That's not how we treat our friends," Jace corrected. "Apologize to Magnus."
Everest's fingers tapped against her bare thigh. Alec and Jace shouldn't be the ones correcting Max, Maryse was. Evidently Alec thought so too because he gave his mother a disbelieving look. Maryse just looked away.
"You can't tell me what to do."
"Hey, just because you're getting your first rune doesn't mean you can talk to your brother like that," Alec said firmly. Maryse glanced at him warily and an uneasy feeling settled in Everest's stomach.
"Jace isn't my brother."
All of them, even Maryse, froze. Everest watched Jace's face carefully, watched as he swallowed tensely and blinked harshly before composing himself.
"Max!"
"Mom says you're not even part of our family."
Shit.
Jace's eyes grew stony.
"Jace I—" Maryse tried, but Jace walked away, following Max and Magnus.
Everest shot one last look at Alec before following them.
Jace disappeared around a corner and Magnus went around another, but Max sat on the floor of an empty hallway. Everest sat beside him and passed him a bag of Skittles she had in the pocket of her dress.
"Hey," she said softly. "How're you doing?"
He looked at her weirdly as he opened the candy. "Why aren't you mad at me? Everyone else is mad."
She exhaled slowly. "I know what it's like to be a kid and hear your parents say things that weren't meant to be repeated by anyone. I know what it's like to repeat those things. I know what it's like to be on the receiving end of those things." She offered him a small smile. "But I also know what it's like to have a mom who has so many expectations for you that you can't keep up with them."
"What do you mean?"
"My mom wasn't the best person. She loved me and looked after me, but we weren't super close. She had so many expectations for me and I got overwhelmed a lot because of it. She wanted me to be more like Clary, less like Clary. She thought I was a lot like my dad but then later said I wasn't. She wanted me to be straighter, to be what she thought was normal." Everest sighed. "She said a lot of things to my uncle that I probably wasn't supposed to hear. And then I would repeat those things."
"But I said an awful thing to Jace," Max protested, voice cracking slightly. "How do I fix that?"
"At least you know that what you said was hurtful." Everest accepted the empty wrapper and put it in her pocket. "What Maryse said was probably originally said in the heat of a moment you aren't aware of, probably an argument. What matters now is that you apologize properly for saying what you did."
Max got a determined expression on his face and nodded. "I'll go do that."
She smiled and stood up a moment later. She needed a glass of water.
As she was walking to the kitchen, she saw Clary storming towards the door. Again.
Trigger warning: Anger, hatred, mentions of death, suicidal thoughts, self harm scars, attempted suicide
"Hey, are you leaving?" she asked.
"I have to," she snapped. "Seeing you here, all smiles, drink in hand, it makes me sick."
Clary started walking towards Everest, who began backing up. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about you killing my mom."
Everest scrambled for words that did not form and then, after stumbling on the rug for a step or two, ran from the room. She ran into the guest room, which had access to the fire escape, and climbed up to the roof. She had to get away. She had to get away from the people, the hate, the chaos, the drinks, all of it. Her hand slipped at the top but she couldn't bring herself to care. So what if she fell? Clary hated her, Simon hadn't talked to her properly in days, Jace and Izzy had other friends, Magnus and Alec had each other. They didn't need her. Especially not after she killed her—Clary's mom.
Her breathing was heavy and a sharp, burning pain stretched across her stomach where her tight grip on her torso tore open scars from years past. She was sitting on the edge of the roof—when had she sat there?—and her feet dangled over the city below.
Someone approached her, footsteps crunching on the vaguely gravel-like material of the roof.
"You're a murderer, Everest. Nothing more. Why are you still here?" Everest didn't turn around to see Clary's angry look.
Everest shook her head frantically. Her arms fell to her sides as warmth spread across her stomach and on her arms where they had been pressed against her stomach.
"All those times you talked bad about my Mom, or forgot she was your actual parent..."
"I know!" Everest screamed. "I know you wish I was dead instead of your mom!"
"You let a demon possess you? Weak. Nobody's gonna miss you."
"I know!"
"Weak. The guilt must be eating you alive. Murderer."
Everest tipped forward.
...
Trigger warning for anger, hatred, suicidal thoughts over
Trigger warnings for mentions of death, self harm scars, attempted suicide apply
Triger warning: Hospitalization
Clary's P.O.V.:
"Everest!"
Clary couldn't move. Her feet were glued to the rooftop, limbs stiff and locked, expression full of horror as tears filled her eyes. She had to stop Everest, she had to catch her. But how?
A swirling beam of blue shot past Clary and Everest became encased in blue light, frozen in air. She managed to look back to see Magnus, a concentrated look on his face. He lifted Everest back onto the roof and propped her against the wall.
"Oh, my God," Clary breathed out, eyes burning with tears that threatened to fall.
She couldn't lose her sister, not now, not ever. This was her sister, her twin, the one she had nearly lost when they were fourteen. Clary's chest tightened at the unwanted deja vu feeling that filled her upon seeing the pool of blood slowly growing across Everest's stomach. The last time she had seen that had been in the middle of the night on a night that their mom had gotten caught in a storm on the way back from the farm.
She had gotten up for a glass of water when she heard a loud thud in the bathroom.
"Everest?" she called out softly, grabbing the baseball bat from the corner.
There was no reply.
Clary gently pushed the bathroom door open, expecting a stranger half through the window. The bat fell from her hands with a clatter.
Everest was slumped on the ground, blood pooling around her, and her shirt was completely soaked through with blood. Her eyes were closed and her beanie was falling off her head. Her fuzzy sock clad feet were propped up on the sink.
"Everest!"
Clary stood there for a few more moments before she ran back to her room. She grabbed her phone and shakily dialed the emergency number as she ran back to Everest.
"Hello, 911, what's your emergency?"
"My sister...she's—" A dry, wracking sob tore through Clary, cutting her off. "My sister's in a pool of her own blood."
"Where is it coming from?"
"Her stomach."
"Do you know what happened?"
"No." Even the short word was hard to get out through the burning lump in her throat.
"What's your address, kiddo?"
She recited the address and then followed the operator's instructions to stop the bleeding as much as possible. She didn't cry when she was driven to the hospital by a police officer she didn't know or when Luke arrived with the Karters. She didn't cry when they hugged her, or when they were told the doctors had to restart Everest's heart. She didn't cry when her mom managed to get back to Brooklyn, or when the doctors said Everest was stable. She only cried when Everest woke up and gave her a hug, a smile, and whispered, "I'm okay Ritz, I swear. Don't worry about me."
Hospitalization trigger warning over
Trigger warnings for mentions of death, self harm scars, attempted suicide apply
"What happened?"
Alec's voice shook Clary back to reality. Jace and Alec had run up to the roof and joined Magnus in crouching around Everest.
"All of a sudden, she just started talking about how I hated her for killing our mom," Clary said, words monotone in her haze of memories.
"Everest?" Izzy shouted as she made it onto the roof. Maryse was close behind her.
"It's okay. I sedated her when I pulled her off the ledge," Magnus said, holding his hands over Everest's stomach.
It's not okay, Clary wanted to cry out. But she couldn't. The lump in her throat and erratic drumming in her chest wouldn't let her.
Magnus neatly tore the dress open just enough to see the wounds so he could heal them but didn't tear it any more than necessary. The blood stopped spreading and the wounds knit themselves together. A few tears dripped down Izzy's face as Jace, Alec, and Magnus gasped at the extensive scars that wound their way around Everest's torso.
"Is she alright?" Clary wasn't entirely sure why Maryse cared, beyond the fact that Everest was important to her children. Didn't Maryse hate Everest?
"You know what? You stay away from her. You can't be trusted," Jace snapped.
"I can't be trusted?" Maryse scoffed. "Now you see why I was wary of having a party at a warlock's house."
Magnus flinched.
Simon walked out onto the roof and stopped beside Clary. She almost scoffed. The audacity he had—
"Wow. What's going on here?"
Clary rolled her eyes. "Oh, what do you care? Maia's downstairs."
"And Everest's on the ground. Is she going to be okay?"
"You're all going to be okay," Magnus said, standing. "Everyone just stay here. I'll be right back."
As soon as Magnus was gone, Izzy whirled on Clary. "What did you say to her? She's been feeling guilty enough as it is! You brought her up here—"
"I followed her up here!" Clary protested.
Mentions of death, self harm scars, attempted suicide trigger warnings over
The noise level on the roof rose and rose until Clary was shouting just to hear herself think. And then it was silent.
Clary blinked as she tried to figure out why she had thought Simon and Maia were making out.
"What's going on?" Simon asked.
"Simon...I am so sorry," Clary stuttered out. "I know you didn't kiss Maia."
Simon looked both offended and bewildered. "You thought I kissed Maia? What is going on here?"
"It seems a warlock has been having a little fun at our expense," Magnus said grimly.
"Is she okay?" Izzy asked from beside Everest.
Clary's eyes widened as she dropped to kneel beside her sister. Her hands trembled as she adjusted the torn fabric of Everest's dress to cover the scars. She knew her sister hated people seeing them. Her being unconscious didn't change that.
"What happened?" Simon asked, crouching beside Clary. No one answered him.
A sudden inhale sounded softly in Clary's ear and she looked up to see Everest's jade eyes slowly opened and her sister's lips parted in silent words. Clary's instincts took over and then her hands were moving faster than her brain.
Everest signed back. Wall. M-A-R-Y-S-E no. Water. Blanket. Plush toy.
"Maryse, please back away," Clary said after signing 'okay' back.
The woman looked like she wanted to protest but Izzy gave her a sharp look and she did as told.
"What's she saying?" Jace asked, looking between the twins with panic filled eyes.
"She needs water, a blanket, and a stuffed animal," Simon said, standing. "I'll go get them."
"Someone has my spell book," Magnus said suddenly, alarm filling his face and canceling out the concern in his gaze for everything else.
He slammed his hands up and shimmering walls encased them.
"You're putting your wards up?"
"Nobody leaves until I get back," Magnus said sharply and left the roof.
...
Trigger warning: mentions of death, mentions of attempted suicide
Everest's P.O.V.:
Everest stood between Simon and Clary, Izzy and Jace flanking them. A fluffy black and white blanket was draped around her, a soft owl plushie in her arms and a water bottle tucked into her elbow. Alec had given her his jacket for the time being since the top of her dress was torn up. She shifted uneasily when Raj sneered condescending at her as he passed.
"I will end him," Simon muttered. "You know, by sicking Raphael on him."
Everest's lips twitched slightly, but she knew it didn't even come close to reaching her eyes. She had almost died. And not in an accident or fight, but instead in a way that was all too similar to what had happened so many years ago. Except instead of self-inflicted wounds in her bathroom, it was falling off her boyfriend's apartment building onto the New York streets. What inside her brain had that spell latched onto that made her jump? What if Magnus hadn't been there to catch her?
Trigger warnings for mentions of death, mentions of attempted suicide over
She shuddered and Simon placed a hand on her back.
"Was he the last one?" Jace asked.
Magnus ran a hand through his hair. Alec, who stood beside him, watched him worriedly. "It appears I'm the only warlock here." He raised his hands then let them fall. The shimmering wards outside the windows disappeared.
"Magnus, what happens if we don't find your spell book?" Clary asked hesitantly.
"That's not an option you want to explore." Everest really didn't want to deal with those consequences. "That book can undo every spell I've ever cast. The elementary and complex. In new and old languages..." He trailed off, looking thoughtful. "Champenois. It's an old French dialect." He muttered something in French and Everest's lips parted in recognition.
"La cheveux," she echoed, then filled in the gaps. "Le chat aux cheveux roux." Her voice was thick from disuse and she cleared her throat. Simon, Clary, and Izzy looked surprised that she was talking so soon after shutting down so much that she could only communicate with sign language.
But what did a cat have to do with it?
"The red haired cat." Magnus slammed his hands up suddenly and his wards shimmered into place again.
He went towards the guest room and everyone followed him.
"Magnus, what cat?" Alec asked, but Magnus held a hand up for them all to be quiet.
They spread around the room and Everest saw a cat shaped lump under the covers. She gestured to it and they all surrounded the bed. Jace nodded and flung the covers back, revealing a ginger cat.
It leapt from the bed and Magnus shot a beam of magic at it. It, in a far too graceful motion, transformed into Iris Rouse. Everest nearly groaned. She thought they were done with this lady.
"Duratus!" the woman shouted and Everest couldn't move, no matter how hard she tried. And she fought so incredibly hard.
Suddenly she could move again and she jolted forward, landing in Alec's arms. He steadied her and stayed by her side as they and their friends rushed into the living room. Magnus was holding onto Iris with fiery orange ropes of magic and a glare.
"Clary Fairchild, you made a blood oath. Find Madzie," Iris panted out.
Before Everest could even think of flipping the warlock off or telling her to "Just fuck the hell off", Magnus sent Iris through a Portal.
"She's the Clave's problem now," he said with a note of finality to her words.
It was quiet for just a moment. Then Alec asked, "Okay, what is Valentine's plan anyway?"
"I don't know," Clary shrugged.
Everest looked over at her sister and saw the defiant look on her face when Jace whispered, "It's too dangerous." Something wasn't right. Clary and Jace were hiding something, something big.
"Jace, they're our family. They need to know."
"Know what?" Izzy interjected.
Simon adjusted Everest's blanket so that it stopped slipping off her shoulders. She gently knocked his arm in silent thanks.
"The angel Ithuriel." Clary swallowed. "Valentine was going to use him to activate the Soul Sword. He needs someone with pure angel blood to activate it."
"Well, that doesn't sound good," Simon said. He wrapped a protective arm around Everest. She hadn't realized how much she had missed him and his hugs.
"It's not. With the Soul Sword activated, Valentine could decimate the entire Downworld," Jace explained. Magnus's gaze sharpened. "The angel showed us a vision of a demon who could destroy the sword. If we could find that demon, we could stop Valentine."
"How did you two save the angel?" Magnus pressed.
Jace shook his head but Clary ignored him.
"With runes the angel gave to me."
Everest sucked in a sharp breath, Alec as well. Izzy's eyes narrowed. Simon looked confused. Magnus's expression somehow both cleared and darkened.
"New runes, Magnus. Ones no one's ever seen before," Jace said.
"Why did he choose you?" Izzy asked.
"I have no idea." Clary looked like she truly believed what she was saying, even under the dual scrutiny of the Lightwood siblings' stares.
"I might." They all turned to Magnus once more. "Years ago, a Silent Brother told me about a special connection the original Shadowhunters had with the Angel Raziel. That they could communicate from afar through visions. Because they were created from his blood."
Visions? Everest frowned. If Clary was able to receive visions from an angel, was the screaming she heard the attempt of a vision trying to reach her?
"Are you saying that..." Alec trailed off.
"Clary may have a blood connection to that angel. And that must mean that she has pure angel blood." He looked at Everest. "Which likely means that Everest does too."
"No?" Everest said softly.
Jace looked at the twins sharply. "That's why Valentine wants them unharmed. Clary and Everest can activate the Soul Sword."
Everest groaned. "I hate that the screaming makes sense now," she grumbled, fixing the blanket so it was around her head and face too.
"Screaming? What screaming?" Jace stared intently at her with alarm lining his face and resigned frustration in his eyes.
"The other day, the same night you two saved the angel, my head just filled with high pitched screaming for I don't even know how long. Then it just stopped."
Clary gasped. "You could hear the angel too? And you didn't tell me?"
"That was the first time my head ever felt like it was being split open by screaming, thank you," Everest snapped. "And I was pretty fucked up afterwards so I got a bit distracted from telling you about the whole thing. Sorry."
Clary flinched and Everest regretted not trying to reign in the harshness.
"Did you get a vision too?" Jace asked, shoving himself into the awkward silence.
Everest shook her head. "Just the screaming."
"You must have been too far away." Jace looked at her thoughtfully. "I'll look into it."
Everest smiled awkwardly, sure it was mostly a grimace. "Cool. You do that."
Simon and Izzy snorted.
...
Everest stood in a dark fit and flare blue dress and black flats, silver rings clicking every time her hands moved. Alec was escorting Max up to the podium where the Silent Brother waited. As the two passed her, she gave Max a reassuring smile. He nodded.
"To the Angel I entrust my life and vow to uphold the laws of heaven. I take this mark to honor Him. To bring His light into me. And vow to uphold the laws of heaven. So I may join the ranks of the Shadowhunters, the guardians of peace," Max recited.
The boy rolled his sleeve and the Brother drew the Angelic Power rune on his arm. Max didn't flinch at all. Everest was impressed.
Izzy, Alec, and Maryse crowded around him, showering him in love and congratulations. Jace and Clary were off to the side talking, and Everest waited for someone besides Maryse to be done so she could leave. She wasn't sure if there was a procedure that needed to happen in order to leave or not and she'd prefer to not mess anything up.
Eventually, Izzy left and Everest followed her out of the room, though Everest went to a random hallway to escape the people.
"The ceremony was beautiful," Clary said as she and Jace approached Everest.
"Yeah, Max did great, huh?" Jace smiled proudly.
Everest smiled a little. "Didn't even flinch."
Jace looked to the side then said, "Give me a minute." before walking away, leaving Clary and Everest alone.
Trigger warning: mentions of death, brief mention of attempted suicide attempt
"Everest, look. Whatever you heard me say at the party, know that I don't blame you for our mom's death. There was nothing that could have stopped it and I don't blame you. I don't."
She spoke with an amount of genuineness and earnestness that was impossible for Clary to fake. Her posture was open and relaxed, eyes full of truth and raw emotion. Either Clary had suddenly become a perfect liar, or she was telling the truth. Everest didn't know which option was worse.
Trigger warnings  for mentions of death, brief mention of attempted suicide attempt over
Everest smiled and patted her shoulder as she walked past. As soon as Clary couldn't see her anymore, her smile fell.
Everest only made it to the Ops Center to check that a few files she had borrowed a while ago had been returned when she saw Maryse approach. She stiffened as she turned to hide the screen, expecting a lecture, shouting match, anything that would turn into a disaster really.
"I wanted to apologize," the woman said softly, eyes shining. Everest's eyes widened and she forced them back to normal. What was happening? "I have been out of line. My personal problems are not an excuse to treat others poorly, much less treat someone who makes all four of my children so happy. So I'm incredibly sorry for how I have treated you, Everest. I don't expect you to forgive me."
Everest's lungs burned with the deep breaths she was taking to calm the overwhelm. Maryse had incredibly stressful timing.
"Thank you for apologizing," she said after a moment. "You're right, I'm not going to forgive you just now. I've spent eleven years hearing about how you've treated your children and I don't agree with most of your parenting approaches. However, maybe in time things will change and I will be able to forgive you for some of those things." She hesitated. "For now, what about a truce? No trying to murder each other or actively hating each other?"
Maryse's lips twitched upwards. "Deal. And thank you for making my children so happy. I'm glad they have someone like that in their lives."
They shook hands. Everest thought she heard the faint click of someone's camera going off, but ignored it. She had more pressing matters to deal with. Like checking Valentine's files to make sure the ones she borrowed were back in their places without Maryse thinking she was being suspicious and hating her again.
"Excuse me," she muttered when Maryse stood there a moment longer. "I need to check something."
She hurried from the room and waited until the other woman was gone to go back in. Good. The files were back. She had successfully learned Valentine's signature and not gotten in trouble for low key stealing files from the Institute. That was a win in her books.