Not by Blood - BEING REWRITTEN IN SEPARATE STORY

Chapter Twenty Three

EDITED 5/30/2020

Hey Shadowfam! Big stuff coming up in the next two chapters! Don't forget to comment on the previous chapter with your predictions to win the contest. Hope you enjoy!

"So, you and Maia, huh?" Clary asked Simon as they trekked over to his boat house.

"Yeah, um I guess it just kind of, um. Happened." Simon said, his hands shoved deep into his pockets.

"If it makes you happy then that's totally okay." Clary told him, a genuine smile on her face.

After their break up, Clary had honestly thought that she wouldn't be okay with seeing Simon with anyone else. Despite everything, she hadn't wanted to break up. But lately, against her better judgement, she'd found herself thinking about Wesley. Logically, she knew that he had a soulmate, a soulmate that wasn't her. Wesley could and would never be with Clary. But the raven haired Shadowhunter just couldn't help wondering what if.

"Hey." Clary stopped Simon from wandering any further. "I miss you." She told him earnestly.

Simon smiled his incredibly charming, crooked smile before replying with the same intensity and sincerity that the Lightwood girl had. "I miss you, too." He was quick to continue. "But take it from someone who knows all your looks, even if you have a different face now. This is not just checking in with my best friend. What's wrong?"

Clary nodded and looked towards her feet. "Okay, look." She sighed. "Given everything that you and I have been through, I know that asking you for a favor right now might be a little awkward..." she trailed off, trying to find the words and the will power to continue.

"Derek Russel's seventh birthday party." Simon interrupted. "You sat in chocolate ice cream and you were afraid people might think -"

"Yeah, you switched pants with me so that nobody would notice." Clary laughed.

"And I was never invited to another one of his birthday parties ever again." Simon jabbed a finger at her good naturedly. "That's awkward. This," he gestured between them. "Is us."

Clary smiled gratefully as he continued to speak. "You know I always have your back, Fray. And there's no job that's too big."

Clary nodded once and looked up at her friend. "I need you to talk to the Seelie Queen."

"That job's too big." Simon answered, patting her arm and beginning to turn away.

"Hey!" Clary grabbed the sleeve of his jacket before he could get too far. "Luke talked to you about what's happening with Valentine, right?"

Simon nodded and moved back to where he'd previously been standing, awaiting her next words. Luke has indeed filled him in on the Clave's request for the Downworld's assistance in locating Valentine and Jonathan Morgenstern before they could either organize a strike on the New York Institute or leave the city and their jurisdiction.

"If Valentine and Jonathan succeed, everything we know and love will be destroyed. Isabelle went to speak to Meliorn about the Seelie's helping locate them, The Seelie Queen has forbidden her people from helping us. Meliorn said that she doesn't fully trust Alec yet, despite him telling everyone about the Soul Sword. But she likes you. Please, go convince her to listen to my brother. We need the Seelie's help if we're going to win this war."

"How do you know, for sure, that she'll listen to me? Or even let me into her realm?" Simon questioned, crossing his arms across his chest.

"Izzy said she'd been asking about you." Clary revealed with a shrug. "According to Meliorn."