A Shadowed Romance

Chapter 23: Angel

Chelsea

"Alright Connor it's you and I." I tell him. "What is it going to take?"

"You know how this works Carstairs," He says.

"Forgive me if I don't take the word of a demon." I tell him as we clash blades. "Especially one that lied to me in life."

"That wounds me," He mocks.

"Oh," I give him an exaggerated pout, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt the big bad boy's feelings." I mock him. I take everything I'd learned since he'd died, and everything I'd learned from Jace in the past few months and channel it.

"You're doing well Angel,"

"You've lost every right for nicknames Connor." I tell him landing a blow barely missing one of his. From the corner of my eyes I see Theo, Andrew and the rest of the group walk into the institute. I didn't want them to see this. Theo would know what happened he would feel it, but the others wouldn't have known. I didn't want them to have to watch. Jace still has Andrew in a strong hold grip. Theo looks almost like a ghost of himself. Sasha walks over to him and wraps her arms around him. He hugs her tightly at least he still has her.

"Are you ready to end this Carstairs?"

"This was supposed to be over years ago." I tell him landing my last blow. He summons out a blade I know is infused with a greater demonic presence because as soon as it arrives I start feeling like half of myself. I fight like I normally would, gotta keep up appearances since we now have an audience, but it's getting harder. I stagger back when he slashes my chest. Theo does to.

"Chelsea." I hear him call out. Alec grabs him. I deflect the next blow, but I wasn't expecting him to come right at my heart.

Suddenly I feel everything and nothing at once.

"Chelsea!!" Andrew, Theo and the girls scream. Harrison races over, and Connor finally dissolves. The blade still in my chest. I stagger about trying to balance. Collapsing onto the ground.

"Chelsea," Harrison props me up against him I can feel his tears. I fade faster Theo races over removes the blade.

"No, no, no, no," Theo says. "You can't die." He says. "I won't let you."

"You don't have a choice." I tell him. He draws about a dozen different runes but none of them work.

~~~~

Chelsea

It's so weird to look at yourself from outside your body. Theo, Harrison, Andrew, and the girls all surround me. The New York institute giving them some space. The funny thing is Theo thought he'd die first. Connor had other plans apparently. It was only a few moments of an out of body experience. Before I reconnected with my body and ascended.

~~~~

Theo

Chelsea started glowing bright gold. She left. The parabatai rune was gone. There was no trace of her left. We hold a memorial for her at Idris Emma, Jem, and most of Chicago's downworld are there. Ophelia was distraught when we told her. A presence touched me while we were in Idris. I swear, it follows me. I'd like to think Chelsea is with me. Watching me.

Harrison's not quite the same. Though I don't know that anyone that knew you ever will be. The hearts and lives you've touched will forever be changed. The Break off never managed to reintegrate, Bethany had the memories of the shadow world wiped, her memories of Harrison too, no matter how much it killed him, it was for the best. She and her friend, Claire, live in oblivion of the shadow world. Not even remembering Harrison or James. It was for the best for everyone, Bethany and Claire just weren't cut from the Shadow World cloth. Harrison and James' Parabatai ceremony's in an hour. You'd be happy, they have a bond like we did. They're so in sync with each other. Carlson is on his coming of age journey, he'll be at Idris for their ceremony. He picked the LA institute of all institutes. He sends photos of Emma and Julian and the Blackthorns. Emma was there at your memorial . So were so many others, people that you touched and that loved you. Ophelia and the Illinois Vampires, the local werewolves, the Seelies, the local warlocks, Magnus and the New York institute. I don't think you realized in life how many people you touched while you walked the earth. Jem and Tessa were there-

"Hey, you're going to be late," Sasha knocks on my door. I close Chelsea's journal.

"Coming!" I call back. I have one person left to seek out after Harrison and James' ceremony. Nash, wherever he is.

"Entreat me not to leave thee," Harrison and James echo each other as the silent brother performs the ceremony for them in Idris.

Or return from following after thee.
For where thou goest, I will go,
Whither thy lodgest, I will lodge;
Thy people shall be my people
And thy god my god
Where thou diest, will I die
And there will I be buried:
The Angel do so to me, and more also,
If aught but death part thee and me"

I almost don't make it through their ceremony. But Chelsea would want me to stay

"Hey," Andrew sides up next to me mid ceremony. "They'd understand if you had to leave."

"No." I tell him. "I have to stay, Chelsea would want me to stay." He claps me on the back and nods. He stands next to me at the back the rest of the ceremony. Chelsea. One of the sweetest Shadowhunters to walk the earth. Not one for diplomacy, but she'll protect you and she'll love you to death even though she says she doesn't know what love is.

The ceremony ends and I congratulate the boys before excusing myself back to Chicago on my mission to find "Nash".

She had a box that had a quarter and a number in it.

"Lizzy?" A man picks up after two rings.

"Nash?" I guess.

"Who's asking."

"I'm a friend of 'Lizzy's', I have some news for you. Do you have some time to meet?"

"I have a meeting in two hours, meet down town at the coffee shop, who should I look for?"

"I'll find you."

~~~~

"She's dead?" He asks, "Her name was actually Chelsea?"

"Yes and yes." I tell him. He takes a deep ragged breath. "How?"

"It was a pretty bad accident," I tell him, "She's been cremated and sprinkled over the ocean. She never got a chance to see it, so we thought she'd like to rest there." I lie. No need to tell him she ascended and have to have a brother wipe his memory of her completely.

"Thank you," He says. "From what she said of you, she thought quite highly of you Theodore," I laugh.

"That name," I laugh, "She only used that when I was in trouble." This time he gives a remorseful laugh.

"I appreciate you seeking me out, Theo, you didn't have to." He says.

"I did," I tell him, "Chelsea would've wanted me to. She didn't tell me, but after she came back, I could tell she still cared quite deeply for you. You deserved to know."

"Thank you," He slides a quarter across the table. "In case you need to reach me. Just call that number."

"Thank you. Noah," I shake his hand and feel a ghost of a presence flit across my shoulders.

I head back to the institute after and open her journal to continue my letter to her.

to see you that day. We're still in what Harrison and James refer to as the Dark ages. They still go to the cafe to use their phones. Vanessa is still trying to update the institute. To the 20th century technology. You'd hate it. I know you would. Ophelia still sends roses to the institute, your room remains untouched, except by me. I'm the only one that seems to be able to go in. Eventually we'll have to clear it out to let another hunter move in but it was your room for 18 years. How do you just move on from that? Maybe I'll make it my room since I'm the only one that can bare to go into it, not even Vanessa goes near it. Angel stays near the door pawing at it looking for you some days.

There are days I feel you nearby, and days that I wish I could feel you closer. I saw your 'Nash' today. He was heartbroken that you'd passed. You never told me that the two of you had formed that kind of bond. Though knowing you, it doesn't surprise me if you didn't realize it.

We are going to find a way to get through.

We all miss you, you are a part of all of our hearts Chelsea Carstairs whether or not you knew that you were.

You've touched all of our hearts. Everyone of us loves us in some way.

Your parabatai,

Theodore Branwell