Not by Blood - BEING REWRITTEN IN SEPARATE STORY

Chapter Twenty One

EDITED 5/30/2020

Hey Shadowfam! Here's Chapter Twenty One. I've decided that I'm going to try out posting on Sundays. Enjoy!

The lights were dim and it was quiet. The only sounds were the gentle sound of running water and the scrubbing and clinking of washing dishes. Clary was reclined back, casually to the untrained eye. Her legs were stretched out, one completely straight and the other bent slightly at the knee. Her head was turned to the left, towards the window that she was staring out.

Wesley was seated across from her chair pulled close to the table, slouched forward, hands clasped on the table, eyes trained on Clary's face.

He wasn't able to read her. Her features were schooled and every move she made appeared to have been carefully calculated and thought through.

Wesley watched as Clary reached up and brushed a stray hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear. It didn't take long for Clary to feel his eyes on her and she looked up at him, her hazel eyes meeting his blue ones.

She simply stared at him, one eyebrow arched in a silent question.

"It's been two weeks." Wesley sighed. "You still haven't talked about it."

"I don't want to talk about it." Clary murmured, turning back to look out the window.

"Clary." Wesley wrung his hands before placing them flat on the table, palms down. "Look, you know that my little sister was murdered. I've been where you are now. My sister was murdered by someone I trusted, just like Max was murdered by someone you trusted. I've been where you are now. I know what you're going through. I can help you, that's why I came here. Let me in. Please."

"That can't honestly be why you came here." Clary scoffed.

"What?" Wesley asked, sitting back in his chair and looking at her in confusion.

"You were where? Before Magnus called you?" Clary demanded, looking back at the man in front of her. "England?"

"Tokyo." Wesley corrected.

"You left Tokyo and came to New York because you truly wanted to help a complete stranger?"

Wesley reached up and ran a hand through his hair in exasperation. "After what happened with Shaylee and my family, after Magnus found me that night, I spent a year living with him. He helped me to kind of, how do you say? Reinvent myself. I wanted to be a better person. When I was with Shaylee, I was different. I wasn't who I wanted to be. Looking back, I'm not proud of who I allowed myself to become while I was with her. But the kindness that Magnus showed me, it reminded me so much of Charlotte, my sister. I decided that if I ever came across anyone in need of help, I would do for them what Magnus did for me. To honor him and to honor Charlotte. So yes, I did come here for you. A complete stranger."

Clary averted her eyes and stared down at the cooling cup of coffee that sat on the table in front of her. She hadn't touched it since the waiter brought it over for her. "I believe that, I do believe that you wanted to become a better person and help people. I just have a hard time believing that that's all. Why have you helped us so much? You've put your life on the line to help, you've gone on missions with us. You've done things that weren't necessary. No one would've thought twice about you not joining, yet you still came."

Wesley pressed his lips together in a firm line. He nodded slightly and let out a long breath. "I can understand why you are so confused." He said thickly, his British accent more pronounced than ever. "I would've helped you, either way. I want you to know that. I never once considered not helping you. The fact that you were dear to Magnus, that was just an added bonus. No matter who you were, I would've done the same. But then he told me that you're a Lightwood. I knew that name, how could I not? Alexander Lightwood. The Downworlder Lover. The Downworlder Cabinet. I'd been meaning to ask Magnus to introduce me. He's the last person I can think of to ask for help."