Distractions - Chapter 65: Chapter 65

"Clace drama alert," Everest muttered, watching the bitter smile on Clary's face and the desperation in Jace's eyes but barely pausing in her scribbling.
"Ten bucks says he tried to confront her about what happened in the Seelie Court," Izzy said with a smirk.
"Twenty says he's trying to talk to her about it but she's pulling a Jace on him," Everest rebuffed.
"Deal."
Alec rolled his eyes as the two of them shook hands to seal the deal.
"Any word from Magnus or Luke?" Clary asked as she and Jace all but stomped up to the table they had commandeered in the Ops Center.
"No." Alec sighed and Everest ran a hand over his arm in comfort. She knew how hard he had worked to get the cabinet set up. "With Valentine free, the Downworld Cabinet has been holding secluded meetings in the Seelie Court."
Jace frowned. "That's not good."
"You think anything good happens in the Seelie Court?" Clary scoffed, giving Jace a side eyed glance that had the other three sighing. This was the fifth time in twenty minutes they had seen her do that. And it was the twelfth time Jace returned the look without Clary noticing.
Everest made a disagreeing noise. "I mean, I found out one of my exes is the Seelie Queen."
"Fuck off Purple." Jace rolled his eyes goodnaturedly. "Nobody likes a bragger."
"Guess no one likes you then, huh, Dye Blonde?"
Jace opened his mouth to retort, but Alec interjected before he could. "The Clave isn't going to let this go unpunished. The Inquisitor sent an envoy to assess the situation."
"Because that went so well the last time," Everest grumbled, switching to a green colored pencil to scribble across the random piece of paper she had grabbed from her room.
"Chances are, they'll be the one replacing me as Head of the Institute," Alec finished, not without some level of bitterness.
"Not if we could recapture Valentine," Izzy said. "Sebastian and all available personnel are already searching. We already know Duncan managed to hijack the Portal."
"If he was Luke's accomplice, he could have been orchestrating the secret transfer all along," Jace said with a thoughtful look.
"Listen, I appreciate the effort, but Valentine escaped on my watch. I deserve to take the heat for it."
Everest and Izzy's hair whipped around them in a wild inferno of purple and black as they stared at Alec incredulously.
"This isn't your fault, it's mine. I was the one in charge of the transfer team," Izzy protested.
"All three of us were," Everest reminded her, all of them really.
"Look, Alec, you are a good leader. You can't just let Imogen fire you over something you didn't do," Jace said fiercely.
"Alec will do as he's ordered," a familiar, stoic voice said from just beyond their table.
Everest's eyes narrowed at the man who had the audacity to step foot in her line of sight. Rage boiled in her veins, fury begging to be released and directed at the man who thought it was okay to cheat on his wife and not show up for some of the most important days of his children's lives. Robert Lightwood made her sick, made her head and heart pound with hate and memories and pure, unbridled rage. Distantly, she felt Izzy take her guns from their place on her hip but couldn't bring herself to care. It was probably for the best that she didn't have her main weapons just then. She had her knives and seraph blades still, but those took more effort to draw and use than her guns did. This way she wouldn't shoot Robert Lightwood—probably. It was a 50-50 chance just then.
"Dad?" Izzy said, the word filled with so much emotion that it was barely above a whisper.
"What are you doing here?" Alec's voice was steady, even as he put his ever so slightly shaking hands behind his back.
"I'm the Clave's envoy. We need to talk."
It was a 70-30 chance that she'd shoot him now, even if Izzy had her guns.
...
Trigger Warning: Mentions of divorce, anger
"I never expected it to be you." Alec's voice was soft and ever so accusing, cutting the tension in his office like a dull knife.
"You're my son. I felt it was my responsibility to deliver your orders personally." Robert was backlit by the large window, making his crossed arms and thinly veiled disappointment even more intense and degrading. "Allowing Valentine's escape was a lapse in leadership, but our top priority is tracking him down. We believe he may still be in New York. And I convinced Imogen that you know this city better than anyone in Idris. You'll remain Head of the Institute."
Everest wondered if Robert was aware of how haughty and self-righteous he sounded. She also wondered if she'd get in trouble if she punched or shot Robert, specifically on Institute property.
He was apparently an actual member of the Clave now so probably.
She looked at Alec, at his tense posture and frown and furrowed brows and the way his thumb rubbed the back of his other hand, and took a deep breath. She was going to, at the very least, punch Robert Lightwood. In an ideal world, one where her boyfriend and Parabatai-To-Be and blondest brother wouldn't be vaguely upset by it, she would shoot Robert Lightwood. She still might, but not quite then. Besides, Izzy still had her main guns and she didn't really feel like going to the spare office three doors down for the spare gun she had stashed in there. That was a lot of steps she didn't want to complete and required leaving Alec alone with Robert which wasn't going to happen if she could prevent it.
"That's it?"
"For now." Robert nodded, as if he didn't have so much to answer for. As if he wasn't invading a space Alec had worked so hard to make his own and acting as if he still owned it. "But Imogen is keeping you on a tight leash. Don't give her an excuse to give Aldertree his old job back."
"I appreciate the help but..." Alec trailed off, looking at Everest with a somewhat lost puppy look on his face. She was ready to jump in and did so with no hesitation.
"This—" She gestured at Robert, nose crinkled. He blinked rapidly, seemingly offended. She didn't care. "—is not going to make up for being an asshole. It's not going to make up for what you did to Maryse."
"Why is she still here?" Robert demanded, staring at Alec even though Everest was sitting right in front of him.
"Because I want her here and she is just as involved in this situation as I am," Alec said firmly, his hand settling on the small of Everest's back as her fingers danced along his spine. "If you don't like it, you can leave...just like Mom should have left you a long time ago."
Robert sighed and sat down on one of the chairs across the room. "Alec, your mother and I have a very complicated relationship—"
"It's not complicated. You cheated on her. There's a reason she left the Institute the moment you got here," Alec spat.
"I made a mistake," Robert insisted.
No fucking shit, the angry voice in the back of Everest's mind shouted.
"I never meant to hurt you...but I fell in love. You of all people should know what that's like—"
"Magnus and Everest are not affairs!" Alec cried out.
Everest couldn't stop herself. She catapulted off of the desk and would have stalked towards Robert like Raphael at his angriest if she didn't want to save that particular move for later. Instead she glowered darkly at Robert, arms crossed and emulating a combination of her mom, Maryse, Luke, Brad, Jay, and Sara.
"Alec wasn't married! You were! Alec has never cheated on someone! You did!" Robert jerked back in surprise and looked at Alec for help. He didn't do anything. "You cheated on a woman you had three children with and had gone through a literal war with. You cheated on a wonderful woman who works her damn hardest to be better than her past, better than you. And you have the audacity to invade the Institute and not only try to diminish what you did but insinuate that Alec is a cheater or that there is something wrong or unfaithful about the relationship he has with Magnus and I? Hell no. You don't get to do that. Get out right now."
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me. Get the fuck out."
When Robert only stared at her with wide eyes, Everest began to stalk forward. Robert flinched slightly. Good.
"You heard my girlfriend. You can leave."
Everest leaned forward, letting her eyes narrow and gain a moderately unhinged gleam that she usually masked. Robert cast one last, slightly concerned and slightly horrified, look at Everest before all but sprinting out of the office.
As the door thudded closed behind him, Everest turned to face Alec. Her anger rushed away as she wrapped her arms around him. She rubbed circles into his back, nose buried in his hair as his shoulders shook. He held onto the back of her shirt tight enough that it made the fabric around her chest tight but she didn't care. What mattered was comforting Alec, making sure that he knew he wasn't alone, that she'd be there for him no matter what.
"I know," she whispered as his shaking increased. "I know, Love."
"I—I just don't know what to do!" Alec cried out, tears beginning to soak her shoulder. She didn't care that her shirt was getting wet. Not then.
"You'll figure it out, Love. I know you will. And I'll be there every step of the way. So will Magnus. We love you so, so much, Alec. Nothing will ever change that."
Alec just cried harder and Everest's heart shattered even further.
Trigger warnings over
...
The edge of the wooden table dug into Everest's thighs as she leaned against it, Izzy next to her and Alec leaning on the wall in front of them.
"Honestly, as long as Dad apologizes to Max, I don't care what the fire messages said," Alec said bitterly.
"I know you're still upset about the affair, but think about it." Izzy's voice was deadly serious. "Valentine escaped under our watch, and yet Dad somehow convinced the Inquisitor to let you keep your job? What kind of leverage could he possibly have to do something like that? Did he say anything?"
Everest shook her head. "No. It was just a bunch of excuses."
"He said he was in love," Alec added. His disdain fell in an instant as he straightened up, clenching his fist. Everest and Izzy stood too.
"Are you okay?" they asked at once.
"Something's wrong with Jace."
They shot off towards the library at once, thundering past Shadowhunters without much regard for how close they got to knocking them over. They only slowed when they reached the library.
"By the Angel," Izzy said on an exhale.
Books and papers laid strewn across the room haphazardly, lamps on their side and furniture knocked over. It was as if a tornado had gone through the room. Or Everest on a research kick. What intrigued Everest the most, however, was the shiny mirror shards lying on the floor. There was no mirror in the library, nothing glass that would break or shine like that. So what were they?
"What the hell?" Alec said.
"What the fucker shit happened here?" Everest asked, completely and utterly bewildered. A broken mirror where there was no mirror? A destroyed library when Clary and Jace, who respected books more than most, were the last people in it? No Clary or Jace to be seen? It wasn't adding up, no matter how fast or in what direction Everest's mind spun.
"Is that a lake?"
Everest and Izzy peered over Alec's shoulder at the shard he had picked up. Sure enough, as Alec tilted the shard, a lake was visible. That made even less sense.
"What are these?" she asked, taking the shard. It wasn't as sharp as she expected it to be.
"They look like Portal shards," Izzy mused. She took the shard from Everest and tilted it in all sorts of directions.
"So Jace and Clary are at this beach?"
Izzy stopped and started her sentence a few times before she managed to formulate the words. "Assuming they went through together, but none of it makes sense. How were they able to create a Portal inside the Institute?"
"Clearly it wasn't a normal Portal." The three of them stood, spinning to face the door in one smooth action. It was Robert. Of course it was. "Whatever it was, there was something strange about this Portal for the wards not to have recognized it."
"That would explain these," Izzy said. She passed the shard to Robert, who took it carefully.
He angled it towards the last remaining light source in the library. A heavy sigh escaped him, his shoulders slumping. "This isn't a beach. It's Lake Lyn."
"The Lake Lyn?" Alec asked as he was given the shard. "How can you tell?"
"Isn't that supposed to be impossible?" Everest demanded. Robert didn't even attempt to look at her. She was a little proud, despite her annoyance.
"Because Jace requested a Portal to Idris this morning. He thought he might have a lead on Valentine. But the Clave denied it."
Izzy let out a single laugh under her breath."Seems like he went anyway."
"We need to help him," Alec insisted, turning to Robert. "You have to get that Portal approved."
"I'll try my best but the Clave—"
"Screw the Clave!" Alec spat. "Jace is in trouble."
"I agree," Robert said, too placatingly. "But as long as you're acting Head of the Institute, you need to remain here."
"Jace is family!" Everest snapped. Still, Robert didn't look at her.
"You can't expect Alec to abandon his Parabatai!" Izzy cried.
Alec sighed heavily. "No. Dad's right." Oh, how Everest hated that sentence. "I need to put the Institute first." Izzy and Everest went to protest, but he cut them off. "Listen, I'm not abandoning anyone. I'm sending my best Shadowhunters to go and rescue them."
Everest and Izzy grabbed each other's wrists and nodded to Alec. They turned to Robert, who still wasn't looking at Everest, but the man was shaking his head.
"The Clave won't approve a Portal for both of you."
"Screw the Clave," Everest snarled.
"Not just because Everest is a Morgenstern or Valentine's daughter, but because she's never been to Idris. Izzy has. If they're going to approve a Portal, it will be for her," he continued in that stupid, infuriating placating tone.
Everest huffed angrily, but Izzy's grip tightening kept her from exploding at Robert—again.
"Then get me a Portal to Idris," Izzy said, leaving no room for argument.
"I will. But there's something you should know about this lake."
Everest didn't like the sound of that.
...
Trigger Warning: Sparring
"Motherfucking stupid ass Clave and their bullshit rules," Everest spat between gritted teeth, each word accented by her fist connecting with the punching bag. As soon as Robert was done explaining the hallucinogenic properties of Lake Lyn, she stormed out of the library despite Izzy and Alec's protests. She had since changed into a pair of leggings and a sports bra, scared everyone who had been in the gym enough that they left, knocked a punching bag off the chain, and was well into doing the same to another. "They can go rot in the ninth circle of hell being tortured by Asmodeus for all I fucking care."
A light laugh rang out behind her and she whirled, ready to tell someone to fuck off. Her hands fell to her side and her shoulders slumped. It was just Maryse.
"I don't disagree," the woman said with a smile. She was also dressed in leggings, though she had a t-shirt on instead of just a sports bra. Her hands were wrapped as well. Everest's mind stuttered for a few moments. She had never seen Maryse outside of her professional "I can stomp on you and shatter your ego and all you'll do is ask for more" clothes. It was disconcerting.
"Love that for you," she said slowly, not wanting to be caught up in a trap. When Maryse didn't say anything, even after several seconds, Everest huffed. "Look, I don't want to be rude, but why are you here? I thought you left the Institute as soon as Robert showed up."
Maryse's smile turned bitter for only a moment as she stepped further into the training room. "I did. But then Alec called me and asked me to make sure that whatever plan you're concocting to destroy the Clave won't get you killed."
Everest appreciated that Alec knew better than to try to stop her from plotting, even if she was slightly insulted that he thought she wouldn't account for the potential of her death in said plotting.
"Besides, I wanted to talk to you anyway."
All of Everest's trains of thought screeched to a halt. The only thing running through her mind was negatives that shoved their way out of her box of negativities in a fiery storm of panic. Did she do something wrong? Was she in trouble? Did someone get hurt because of her? Was she a suspect? Was she going to get called into questioning for something? Was she going to get kicked out? Was it about her borrowing classified files to forge Valentine's signature? Was it about her stashing stuff all over the Institute? What could Maryse possibly want to talk to her about?
"It's nothing bad, I promise," Maryse said with a warm smile, as if she could read Everest's mind, just like her mom used to. Maybe it was a mom thing. Maryse gestured at the training room. "Do you want to train while we talk?"
"Sure," Everest managed to get out, following Maryse to the mats.
"Fair warning, I'm a little rusty." Maryse grinned and just like that, the fight began.
"What'd you want to talk about?" Everest asked, blocking a left hook.
"You."
Everest blinked in surprise and narrowly avoided a hit to the stomach.
"Pay attention," Maryse chided, not unkindly. "You know, when I first met you, I thought you would be exactly like Clary."
Everest snaked her leg around Maryse's ankle, sending her to the floor. She was up in seconds. "How?"
"I thought you would be just like her, brash, reckless. But then you stood up for Isabelle and everyone else you love in one fell swoop while simultaneously putting me in my place, and rightfully so. I realized then that you were different from your sister, more protective. I thought you were going to be a carbon copy of Jocelyn, but I was entirely mistaken." Maryse's foot made contact with her sides and a sharp pain began to radiate from her ribs. "You're more like Valentine than you are Jocelyn."
Everest stumbled back, twisting violently to avoid the onslaught of punches. "What?" she gasped out, both from lack of air and shock. Her fist connected with Maryse's nose with a dull thud.
"I'm not saying you're like the Valentine you know. You're not. But you are like the Valentine that I knew when we were young, before he formed the Circle."
"How is that?" Everest asked, cautiously.
"Charismatic, charming, a people person. People gravitate towards you just like they did him. People love you instantly, even if they think they hate you. You and him are the epitome of a Morgenstern."
Everest wiped sweat from her forehead. "Isn't that a bad thing?"
Maryse grabbed Everest's wrist and flipped her over her shoulder. Everest rolled on instinct, swiping a leg out to trip Maryse. She jumped and Everest flipped up onto her feet.
"Being a Morgenstern isn't a bad thing. Valentine is the one who made everyone forget who the Morgensterns really are. The Morgensterns were once one of the most respected families in Idris."
"Then what does it mean to be a Morgenstern?"
"It's being charismatic and a people person, being good. It's doing the right thing even if it's hard, even if people disagree. It's being who you are authentically and without care for what others think of you."
"I'm none of those things," Everest said, spinning to avoid Maryse's elbow.
Maryse scoffed. "You are all of those things and more."
She continued as if Maryse hadn't said anything. "Besides, I'm a Fairchild, not a Morgenstern."
Maryse stopped dead in her tracks, arm partially extended and Everest half bent over to avoid the blow. Maryse straightened up and put her hands on Everest's shoulders. The purple haired girl glanced around warily, not sure what to do.
"You can be more than one thing, Everest. You are more than one thing." Maryse's voice was soft and gentle, but deadly serious. "You can have more than one family. You are not defined by Valentine's choices, or Jocelyn's, only yours. Don't let their actions, especially Valentine's, taint your view of your family or your history. I've known great Morgensterns who have done amazing things. Don't forget that."
"Everyone already does," Everest said bitterly, recalling all of the hate, wariness, and distrust she had dealt with since learning of her heritage.
"Everyone is not you." Maryse smiled. "Besides, anyone who thinks that you are your father isn't worth being around. The people who are worth a damn are the ones who see you for you, not your parents."
Much to her chagrin, Everest's eyes burned with tears. In an instant, Maryse was wrapping her in a warm hug, arms tightly wound around her as she buried her face in the woman's shoulder. Maryse stroked her hair and rocked them back and forth.
"You are an amazing young woman, Everest, and I am so incredibly proud of you. I know we had our issues at first, but I am so glad that you met Isabelle all those years ago and that you, Alec, and Magnus found each other. You're incredible, Everest, and don't let anyone convince you otherwise. Not Valentine, not yourself, and not the fucking Clave."
Everest let out a choked laugh. She'd never heard Maryse curse before. "Thanks," she said, voice breaking halfway through the word.
"I mean every word of it." Maryse pulled back just enough to look at Everest's face. "You better let me know if anyone ever tries to make you feel less than you are and I will whip them into shape, you hear me?"
"I hear you." Everest's smile was warm and her shoulders were lighter than they had been in a long time. "I appreciate it, really."
"Before I forget, I talked to the Inquisitor and she agreed to schedule you and Isabelle's Parabatai ceremony for sometime in the next few weeks."
It took everything in her not to scream in pure delight and exhilaration. As it was, Everest hugged Maryse even tighter than before and gasped out rushed thank yous for several minutes. Maryse just hugged her tightly and rubbed her back.
Trigger Warning over
...
Freshly showered and dressed in clean clothes, her hair braided back out of her face, Everest left her room with the intention of getting an update about Izzy's hunt for their wayward siblings when a blur of black and green tackled her to the ground.
She groaned loudly when she landed on the little LEGO figurine she had put in her back pocket to give to Jace when she saw him next. It was only the excited babbling above her that stopped her from letting out a long string of curse words.
"Max, buddy?" she said, hoping the preteen couldn't pick up on how pained her voice was. "Do you mind letting me up? I need to breathe to play with you."
"Oh!" he exclaimed, scrambling up and holding out a hand for her. "Sorry Everest."
"You're fine," she said with a smile, letting him help her up—though he was only supporting a small amount of her weight. With a glint in her eyes, Everest scooped the boy up and hoisted him onto her shoulders, bouncing to even out his weight.
Max cheered loudly, throwing his hands in the air.
"Where to, buddy?"
"Your room!"
"Off we go!"
Everest ran to her room, Max laughing and cheering all the way. She flopped onto her bed so that her head laid on his stomach and he landed in the pile of pillows and stuffed animals.
"Geez, I'm exhausted," she said, letting out a loud, fake yawn. "I don't know if I can play cards right now."
"Everest! You said you would!" he whined. All she did was feign snores. "Come on! Wake up!"
"What's the magic word?" she said in a singsong voice.
"Please?" he tried.
"The other one."
"Purple Skittles suck?" he tried again.
"Ding ding ding!" She sat up and turned, grabbing Max and yanking him into her lap. "We have a winner!"
He laughed wildly as she tickled his stomach, wriggling around like a caterpillar in attempts to get away. "Cards, Everest! We're playing cards, not Tickle Monster!"
"I don't know. Tickle Monster sounds fun. Maybe we should just play that." she teased.
"No! Cards!"
"Fine." She sighed dramatically. "If you're sure."
"I really am!"
She laughed, releasing him. "Alright then, buddy. You know where the cards are. Go grab them."
She winked at the older Lightwoods that were watching them from the hallway, then returned her full attention to Max, who was climbing back onto her bed with the cards.
...
"Even if Dad's intentions are good, these secrets only end up making things worse," Alec said as he and Izzy walked towards the residential wing.
Izzy scoffed. "Trust me. I know the damage secrets can cause more than anyone. But if it gets out that the Clave lied about the Soul Sword, it can mean the end of the Accords."
"Maybe you're right. I've got to do something."
They paused outside Everest's room as laughter flooded into the hallway through the open door. Everest was feigning sleep while Max tried to get her to wake up. Sunlight streamed through the window, making both of them look ethereal and younger than they were. The siblings were quiet as Max said the magic word' and Everest launched into a tickle attack.
A smile split across Alec's face, warmth blooming in his chest. Everest was happier than he had seen her in at least three weeks, maybe happier than she had been since her friend Roslyn had called her. She looked genuinely happy, like she wanted to be there, wanted to be happy, wanted to live. She had been more irritable recently, the grief and anger she thought she was able to hide from him more pronounced than usual. She hadn't slept through the night in weeks, going from six to four hours a night. Seeing her so happy, so alive, lifted a weight off his shoulders that had been there for months.
"Are you going to tell Magnus and Everest?" Izzy asked in a whisper.
He glanced at his sister, but she wasn't looking at him. She was watching Everest with a fond smile, rubbing the blank spot on her wrist with her thumb. She had always insisted on keeping that area Rune free, even for temporary Runes in life or death situations. He had given her shit for it for years. Then he met Everest. He'd seen how the two interacted with each other, the looks and the secret code, the smiles and leaning on each other in every way possible. It made sense once he'd seen how they were together, the questions about what it was like to have a Parabatai, her keeping the spot on her wrist clear, all of it.
"I don't know," he said at last, just as quietly. Everest winked at them as Max climbed back onto her bed with a deck of cards. "I don't know."