The Angel's Stone

Chapter 19.

Everyone laughed at it, as if it were a joke, but Natasha knew better. Something, in that same place that bound her to Angel, knew that her parabatai wasn't playing jokes, that she wasn't even awake.

Natascha grabbed her shoulders, which were partly slumped in the cake, and yanked her back into a sitting position. Her head dangled behind the back of the chair, her face layered and crusted in chocolate and filling, her mouth slightly open.

"Angel." Natascha wiped her face, smearing some of the cake on her arm. "Angel, wake up."

Wayne realized what happened, and looked worried. He bent down, lifting her head up in an upright position and said quietly, "Sarah, get up, now."

But Angel remained where she was, cake spread messily on her face, all the runes on her tan skin fading into a snowy white.

•••••

Natascha leaned against the wall, arms crossed, looking fixedly at the ground. She was alone, her only friend the shadows the bright light had given her. The door with the Red Cross painted on it mocked her, tempting her to enter and see her parabatai, but Natascha knew that if she made that move, it would only harm Angel more.

But maybe, persisted a voice in the back of her head, if you just knocked..

Natascha straightened and reached for the door, then paused, her fingers splayed a few inches from the white wood. A wall was the only thing separating her from them, the only thing protecting them, she reminded herself. Keep it that way.

Suddenly, the door knob turned and was pushed open. Natascha stumbled back, surprised, and Patrick walked into the hall with her. The door shut with a click behind him.

"How is she?" Natascha asked, though he refused to meet her gaze. He paced evenly, hands laced behind his back.

"Everything seems fine," he finally replied. "Except, for unknown reasons, her runes won't stop glowing a whitish color, and she won't wake up."

Natascha nodded, slowly. She didn't know what caused this to happen, but she knew it had something to do with herself; and she felt guilty because of it.

"I'm sorry," she blurted out.

Patrick looked taken aback. "Sorry about what?"

The words sprang from Natascha's mouth before she could end them. "For making everyone here sick, leading you all in danger, and showing up here without any warning."

Patrick's surprised look softened. "Natascha, you can't help any of that. You didn't even know what we- what you- are until you left. And we all know you're not purposely trying to hurt us, you swore it on the Mortal Sword. You honestly can't really expect us to blame you for all this."

Tascha took a step toward him. Patrick was a head taller than she was, and she had to look up to meet his gaze. She felt his breath on her face, warm sweet. She looked down."But you can't expect me to just.. Get away with this." There was a pause, a moment of looking at the ground and their shoes, which were six inches apart.

"Look at me. Natascha, look." Patrick tilted her chin up with a red, calloused hand. His eyes were an impressive shade of blue. "Since you've arrived, Angel's happier. Dylan's less shy. Marlene acts like she did when I first met her: younger, more alive. Austin's been yelling at us less, and I.." He trailed off, and Natascha felt fire flood into her cheeks. She didn't know what to say- what could she say to that?

"I also think," he continued, "You have the guts to become a very bold Shadowhunter."

"Bold?" She echoed. He nodded, somewhat solemnly, his hair falling in his eyes. "Bold like a sword on a throwing knives table."

Suddenly, the door flew open, and Natascha sprang away from Patrick. Calm, she told herself. It's not embarrassing unless you make it that way.

Wayne stepped into the hall, his gray eyes swirling with concern. He looked at Natascha, then Patrick, and pointed a thumb to the door. "Am I interrupting something? Or-"

"No." Natascha stepped in. "You're not. Is there something you wanted to tell us?"

He shook his head. "Nothing important. Just that I'll be spending the night in the infirmary with Angel, you know, in case something happens."

Natascha nodded. "Okay. I'll be in my room if you need me." And she departed from them, leaving Patrick gaping after her.