Ember ↠ Paul Lahote ✓

16

IT'S 𝐎𝐊𝐀𝐘 𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐄 𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐃
you don't even need to ask, i got you.

CLARY SLOWLY APPROACHES Bella's room with a sigh. She doesn't really want to do it, but she knows Bella's happy in her relationship.

Raising a fist, she knocks on the door before stepping back and waiting.

When Bella opens her door, a confused and worried look on her face, Clary gives her a small smile. "Hey."

"Hi?" Bella says, but it sounds more like a question. "What's wrong? What happened?"

Clary lets out a breath. "Can I come in?" She enters the room when the brunette nods, walking in halfway before stopping and turning to a curious Bella. "So... yesterday, I went out with Paul."

"Like a date?" Bella asks, smiling, and Clary nods, biting her lip. Bella's smile turns into a frown when she sees the look. "Isn't that a good thing? I thought he really liked you." She steps towards Clary worriedly. "Did he do something? If he touched you—"

"No," Clary denies right away. "He was a perfect gentleman."

Bella frowns once more in confusion. "Then what's the problem?"

Clary sighs and falls down onto Bella's bed, her face in her hands. "I really like him, Bella. And that's a terrible thing because I don't see things as permanent. Everyone leaves, one way or another." She looks up, unshed tears shining in her hazel-green eyes. "I don't want to lose him."

Bella sits down beside her, taking her sister's hand in her own, her eyebrows furrowed. "All I know is that you have to take that risk, Clary. Don't be afraid to care about people, to have feelings, to express emotion, to speak what's in your heart, or let people know what they mean to you. Don't be afraid to let go of your fears and step forward into relationships or commitments, even those that don't promise forever, because for us humans—or hybrids—forever is still a lot to promise."

Clary stares into Bella's eyes. "You're a human in love with a vampire, Bella. If he loves you as much as he says he does, he's going to turn you into a vampire as well. You saying forever, well, you mean it because you know you'll actually be with him forever. It's different with Paul because he can die, and so can I."

Bella clicks her tongue. "It's okay to be scared—to fear love, and to fear death. It makes you human. Yes, loving someone can turn out bad, but it can turn out good too. He can die, you can die, but at least you'd die knowing you were happy because you gave it a chance—gave each other a chance to be happy together.... Some risks are worth taking, Clary. Like the one you'll be taking with Paul because the universe put you two together for a reason. You're meant to be."

The hybrid sniffles and looks away, thinking about Bella's words.

While she's lost a lot of people, such as Klaus—she's lucky to have known him, to have been there until his last breath. She was happy to have made his life better just by being there, and that he went out with a smile on his face.

With a sigh, Clary turns back to her half-sister. Giving her a small smile, she pulls Bella into a hug, feeling immensely grateful. "I'm sorry that I've been such a fucking bitch, Bella. I just... I didn't want to leave the place I've known all my life, and leave those I loved, to come here to a father and sister I don't even know."

Bella smiles. "I understand. It's fine."

Clary nods, getting to her feet. "While this was fun and all, I gotta go take a long and hot, soothing bath to calm my nerves and think more about what I want to do."

The brunette watches her leave the room, smiling to herself.

She's so happy that Clary is finally warming up to her enough to come to her for advice, even if it's about a boy of all things.

And while Bella goes to bed and Clary takes her bath, Paul approaches the edge of the woods outside the Swan residence in his wolf form, making sure his girl is safe.

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I'm sorry that it's really short, but it's mostly a filler and a little get-along with Bella, so yeah...

Also, it's so tough for me to write my girl 'hating' Bella because I personally love her.