revenant|c.g.|

xli

Morning light filtered in through the large windows of the room, bathing the pale room in a bright hue of gold. The sun's rays kissed upon multiple portraits along the walls, the miscellaneous colors of books on the shelf growing brighter. The deep green blankets on the bed it the middle of the room shifted as Clary sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Her hand fell upon the empty space to her left, looking at it with surprise as she felt it empty.

The question of where Carl had gone was soon answered when she heard a soft sigh, looking up to see the boy seated at the desk on the other side of the large room. He looked deep in thought, a hand twirling a pencil while the other grazed whatever was on the desk that he was looking at. Clary watched him for a moment, feeling at peace with the quiet as she just watched him work, Carl occasionally writing.

After a moment, Clary swung her legs out from under the bed covers before standing, her bare legs covered in goosebumps as the cooler air met her skin. As she made her way over to him, Carl had yet to look up, even as she snaked her arm around his shoulders and peered at what he was so engrossed him. It was as she looked at the map of all of the communities that Carl wrapped his arm around her waist, his head leaning against her body.

"What are you up to?" Clary asked after a moment, her eyes scanning the correspondence between her and Michonne over the past couple of weeks that was laid beside the map. "Michonne told me how you two had been talking about the common laws for the communities. I wanted to see it for myself." Carl looked up to the girl, smiling softly before he unwrapped his arm from around the girl and stood up.

Clary leaned against the desk, Carl removing his hat before placing it atop her head as he combed through his long hair with his fingers. It was a sweet gesture, a way to silently say how she had become a part of the Grimes family without the pressure of saying it out loud. Plus, Carl thought, the smile it brought to Clary's lips was more than enough for him.

"I might have to start calling you Sheriff Rhee." Clary let out a playful noise. "You didn't wake me up like I told you to," she said to Carl, who only shrugged. "You've been doing a lot, going back and forth between camps. I thought you needed rest in an actual bed." The girl sighed, not doubting that she needed the sleep. She hadn't been getting much at the camp by the bridge as she was worried that the Saviors still wary of her might do something stupid.

With a smile, she placed the hat back onto his head. "I definitely needed it," Clary admitted, stepping away to grab pants from their drawer and slipping them on. "But I should get going. Maggie's going to be getting there soon and I'm not letting her be there alone." Carl sighed, making his way to the girl. "Maybe I should go with you. Leon has been doing good keeping watch on things here—" Clary shook her head, placing a hand on his cheek. "I'll be fine, Carl."

With a kiss to his cheek, she smiled softly. "Besides, it's probably better for our people to see at least one of us around here until the bridge is finished." Carl looked at her before nodding. "I know. Still, you shouldn't go alone. You should take Leon with you, switch him out with Tris and Alec." Clary nodded in agreement, pulling away from the boy as she grabbed more clothing.

"Have you talked to my dad?" Carl questioned, surprising Clary before she turned. "A bit, why?" The boy was silent before he sighed. "He apologized the other day for what he told me back on the run at the museum. He said he saw how we worked together and realized that there was no reason for doubt. He—" Carl let out a soft laugh. "He told me he was proud of me. I've always known he was but— he just hadn't told me in a while." Carl looked at the girl as she shrugged on one of his flannels. "I'm guessing it had something to do with you?" Clary only shrugged. "I told him what he needed to hear, nothing more to it."

And that was the truth because Carl had done a lot for Solaris in the little time that it had been restored. But even then, her people had grown to respect the young man that led by her side. "Not many people are brave enough to step up to my dad, you know?" Clary only shrugged. "What can I say, we've always butted heads. I don't see why that stops now." Carl only shook his head with a laugh. "Actually, I think he likes that about you. Even said I should marry you as soon as possible."