The Fray Sisters (Book 1)

The Past Has Yet to be Seen

We got back to the institute and Alec marched into the library, Hodge was sitting at his desk, but looked up as we entered. He said, "What can I help you three with?" Alec said, "You can start by telling us the truth." Hodge said, "And what truth would that be?" Isabelle said, "Is she really our little sister?" Hodge sighed "Yes, me, Jocelyn, and Lucian were sworn to secrecy. I didn't know who her mother was at the time, but when Maryse was pregnant with Isabelle they were fighting, and they almost split up. They decided to stay together for you two, but when you were 10 months old he came back drunk, and upset. So I talked to him and he said he slept with someone he shouldn't have. Fast forward 3 years, he went out for a walk when he came back he said the girl he slept with 3 years ago now has a 3-year-old daughter. She told him the kid was his. He didn't want Maryse to know but he wanted proof." Hodge pulled a paper out of his desk and handed it to Alec, Isabelle and I stood on either side to see it. It was a DNA test 'This test proves that Catia Fray is the daughter of Jocelyn Fray and Robert Lightwood.' 

I said, "You knew who I was the moment they brought me here?" Hodge nodded "Yes, I knew nothing of your mother but I knew for a fact that with your father being a Shadowhunter, that meant you are as well. It's why you healed so fast, I used both the Iratze and the mendelin runes to heal you. I figured your lack of knowledge of the shadow world meant your mother was mundane." I said, "Then why did you question me about my father?" He said, "Robert said Jocelyn was adamant not to tell you and I was curious if she caved in the last eleven years." I fell backward over the side of the recliner covering my face with my hands. Alec said, "Does mom know?" Hodge said, "No, I tried to tell Richard to tell her, we knew it was possible for you to one day find the shadow world and end up in an institute, maybe even this one, but he didn't want to."

I got up and said "Everything out of my mother's mouth is a lie apparently." and I walked out of the library, Alec and Isabelle called out "Tia! Come back!" I heard them follow me so I ran to my room, shut the door, and slid down it. I heard knocking at the door but I ignored it Isabelle said "Tia, come on, open the door." Jace said, "What did I miss?" Alec said "Hodge knew who she was all along and now she has locked herself in her room." someone wiggled the door nob and Jace said, "Tia it's not locked, so we know you are sitting in front of it, please open the door." I yelled "Go away!" my voice cracked because I was trying not to cry. What I have gathered is I am too emotional for this bullshit. I heard Clary "What is going on?" Isabelle said, "Tia is locked in the room." Clary said "Yeah, of course, she is, the more information we find out, the more we see that our entire lives are lies, she hates lies and has been lied to her entire life. And you guys are out here banging on her door like she is suicidal or something. Back off, let her breathe, let her think, I get that she is your sister and you want to help her. But some advice from her sister that has been with her for almost 15 years, you guys just met her, give her some space, if she wanted to talk, she would open the door. Let her come to you, when she is ready she will show up." 

A few minutes later another knock at the door, this one was Clary because it was gentle and calm. She said "Sis, I'm going to the library, if you need me, that is where I will be." and then I heard her footsteps walk away. I leaned my head back against the door and took deep, calming breaths. Then I went to my bed and grabbed the box on my nightstand. I opened it up and right on top was a folded piece of paper. I picked it up and opened it. It was a letter in my mother's handwriting. 

April 15, 1996

Dear my darling Catia,

If you are reading this, then I failed. I failed at protecting you and your sister, from the shadow world. I only hope you are an adult, so you can protect yourself better. I write this as your mom, but also as your protector, the world is not safe and I hope you learn to understand that I had to hide, I had to hide Clary and so in return, I also had to hide you. I have enemies and lots of them. If i have failed then, seek out your father. Robert Lightwood. He will help you, teach you, and train you, in the art of shadow hunting. I am a shadowhunter, your father like Clary's father is both ones as well. Baby girl, I am so sorry for the lies but when you were four and saw your first monster it terrified you and I couldn't stand the thought of you growing up in this horror. I wanted you to be a carefree child and Shadowhunter kids are warriors, not children. If you found this, then he has found us. He has found us but you got away, hopefully with your sister, tell your father Valentine is back. This means he has me, but fret not, I planned for this, I knew he would find us one day and I knew he would be angry, so I am unconscious. But I am not dead and I will stay asleep until it is reversed. I hope you forgive me for this. I love you Cat, I really do. 

-Love Mommy

There were a few letters addressed to me, 1992, 1993, 1998, 2000, 2004, and this year 2007. Underneath was a photo album, I flipped through it, it had pictures from the day I was born spanning to last month. I put that down with the letters and picked up a set of loose pictures. One was when I was three and Robert was hugging me tightly to his chest, another was my fifth birthday and he is spotted in the background, some of me and Clary, one of me, mom, and Clary when we were 2 and 3, one of me and Clary the day I was born, she was holding me, at least it looks like it, I hope she wasn't though because she was 1. One was weird it was Robert, me, and what looked like Alec who was about 6, and Isabelle who was about 4 Robert is kneeling behind us with his arms around all three of us, Alec was holding me and Isabelle was hugging Alec, and the last picture was again me, Robert, Alec who was 9, Isabelle who was 7, me who was 6, and a baby, he was old enough to hold his head up but definitely wasn't walking. Robert was sitting on the grass, Alec was kneeling beside him, Isabelle kneeling on his other side, and I was in between the siblings holding the baby. Robert had his arms around Alec and Isabelle. I went to my door and called out "Alec! Isabelle!" they came out of the training room and said "Yes?" I said "Who is this baby?" they came over Alec said, "How would we know?" I shrugged "I don't know, probably because you both are in the picture and you are like 9." he snatched it from my hand and said "That's Max, our little brother... how does this exist? I thought we just met you?" 

I said "You don't remember? Your 9 Alec. There is also this one." I showed them the other one, the one just us three and Robert.  He said "Yeah I don't remember any of these. But the baby is definitely our little brother Max, he is 9 now." I said "More siblings." Isabelle said, "But the last one." Alec said, "That we know of." I said, "I found these in a box my mom hid." Jace called out "Izzy, Simon's here. Alec come here." I said "Go." they looked at me and I said "Seriously, I'm just gonna join Clary in the library." they nodded and handed the pictures back and walked out.