Colliding Hearts #Wattys2017

Chapter 22- Emerson's Stele

Emerson sat on the stairs with her elbows resting on her knees. She was still dressed in the ridiculous clothes Izzy had dressed her in. Clary had straightened her hair and braided the sides and pinned it in the back. She wore a black corset styled top with a black tutu styled skirt.

She wore black stockings and black flats, the only thing she found enjoyable. After being dressed and questioned about her supposed relationship with Alec she left them and took to sitting on the stairs outside the Institute waiting for Alec or Luke or even Jace to return. She didn't like their idea of girl-time, she found it annoying and a waste of time.

Behind her the door opened and Jocelyn stepped out, holding tightly to the wooden box she had longed to give to Emerson. Jocelyn frowned at the drastic change in Emerson's style of clothing, she had no doubt that Izzy had got a hold of Emerson.

The girl having been the reason Clary herself started wearing different clothes from what she had before meeting the young shadowhunter. Taking a deep breath Jocelyn walked forward and took a seat next to Emerson and held the box out to her. She had decided that Emerson didn't like conversations and would rather just be shown rather than told.

Emerson's eyes focused on the wooden box that was being outstretched to her. She had seen Jocelyn sit next to her and was grateful for her not speaking. She was however, confused as to why she was being offered a plain looking box. With curious and slightly wary eyes Emerson took the box causing Jocelyn to smile gently at her daughter.

Emerson sat up straight and balanced the box on her knees, staring at it and debating if she should open it. She wasn't certain if it was something she wanted to see but after a few seconds she shrugged and pulled the top off and set it next to her.

Nestled in blue and white tissue paper was a wand looking thing but after inspecting the symbols she found out that it was a type of stele. The entire stele was silver and light blue with a sapphire gem at the center the larger part of the stele. There were runes carved into the handle and she wondered what they meant.

Carefully she picked the stele up from the box and set the box next to her and held the stele loosely in her hand, turning it over and staring at it. The gem seemed to glow along with the runes and the metal warmed as she passed it from hand to hand wondering why Jocelyn had given it to her.

"It was meant to be yours, if you and Clary had been raised as shadowhunters you would have gotten it on your tenth birthday, when you would begin training." Jocelyn spoke in a soft voice, choosing her words carefully as her dark green eyes focused on Emerson's face. Emerson's eyes knitted together as she stared intently at the stele she held in her hands.

Jocelyn could picture a young Emerson standing in front of her, her small hands holding the stele that is opposite of Clary's. Emerson's eyes would be glowing as she stared at it, grinning because she would be able to be just like her momma. Clary would shout how they would be parabatais and they would make her proud. A tear fell down her cheek causing her to wipe it away and clear her throat as she stared at Emerson who was now looking at her.

"Do you always do that? Dwell on things?" Emerson questioned in a blunt tone as she stared at Jocelyn. She took notice of the shimmering in her eyes and realized that she was fighting back tears. Frowning Emerson shook her head before turning to stare at the walk way leading to the institute, her grip tightening on the stele.

"I understand, I know I'm blunt and I shouldn't be but I do understand. My mom, Tessa, use to always remind me if I was being to blunt. She taught me signs people gave if I upset them with my words. I've done nothing but upset you with my words and, well I guess I'm sorry," Emerson trailed off.

She thought of what it was her mom would make her say in a situation like this. She shook her head and held the stele in both hands, her grip tightening as she could hear her mother's voice in her head, telling her to explain better what she was trying to say.

"It's not what you think, I am sorry, I just guess it's hard for me to seem like it. I'm weird, I know but I want you to know that I understand even if it doesn't seem like I do. I care too, I just, it's always been Magnus, mom and I for as long as I can remember and now it's just me and Magnus." Emerson paused, taking a deep breath before continuing.

"I'm not even sure I have Magnus but now I have Luke, Jace and Alec. I guess I have Clary but all she's done so far is question me; it's so annoying. I understand though so I guess I should be more showing of my understanding. I'll try to listen to you and Clary, just, just please don't make me call you mom," Emerson's voice trailed off as she seen Alec and Jace walking up the sidewalk and towards them.

Emerson's voice was soft as she stood and stared at Jocelyn, ignoring the tears that now fell down her birth mother's cheeks. She hadn't meant to make the woman cry but she was being honest and that was what her mom always taught her.

"If I have to call you mom right now, then that means my mom really is gone and I'm not ready to let her go." Emerson spoke in a raw and honest tone as she turned and jogged towards Alec and Jace.

Jocelyn covered her mouth as a loud sob threatened to escape her lips. Her chest ached and she felt as if she might vomit, her emotions were killing her as she watched her daughter talk to Alec and Jace. She squeezed her eyes shut as she let Emerson's words wash over her and she quickly ran back into the institute.

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she cried for Emerson. She had been blind to Emerson's pain but in her final words she heard and saw all the pain the poor girl was trying to run from. She ran passed Clary, Simon and Izzy and hardly heard Clary shout in worry after her.

She went to her room and slammed the door shut before sliding down and sobbing into her hands. She didn't know what to do, she wanted Emerson to love her, to call her mom and come to her about everything that was happening to her. She knew that would not happen because her daughter was the Anahera and she already found Alec, her Guardian.

Alec was already pulling Emerson from her and Clary and it would be soon that Alec and Emerson left, off to do whatever it was The Anahera and The Guardian did. Jocelyn lifted her head as she pictured Alec taking Emerson from her, her losing her daughter all over again and Clary losing her twin once more.

"Not this time." Jocelyn muttered darkly as she wiped her tears from her eyes and cheeks before standing and packing her things.

She wouldn't lose her daughter this time around. Clary had been through enough in the last year and Emerson had been through enough the last week or so, she would take her girls and leave New York. She would take them where they would be happy, safe and able to be a family.

"Simon will have to come with us, Luke would have to pick a new alpha." She muttered as she thought about Simon being Clary's parabatai and Luke being an alpha.

WShe shook her head and carried on packing, she felt sad about leaving Jace and Izzy behind, Clary really loved Jace and Izzy but they would understand. They would leave Magnus behind as well, she decided, she would leave them all behind as long as it meant she got her daughters back.