Reflections of Light

In The Know

"I'm going to go see what's going on." Maddie said as she drove slowly into Jocelyn's road. "You should stay in the car for now."

"... Do I have to?" Nyx asked, laying her head against the cool glass of the window to look at the neighbourhood buildings outside.

"How about yes. Let's keep you out of trouble for at least five minutes, okay?"

Nyx pouted, crossing her arms. "I'm not sitting in here for ages on my own."

"I'll come and get you at a convenient moment." Maddie reassured her. "I just want to see what's going on first."

"You know I get in the most trouble when left to my own devices, right?"

Maddie chuckled. "Fifteen, twenty minutes tops, okay?" She said, climbing out of the car. Pushing the door shut, she began the walk down the path to Jocelyn's place.

***

"This is an absolute disaster." Jocelyn muttered to Maddie about ten minutes in to Maddie arriving.

Maddie pulled a face. "What were you expecting, really?"

"I don't know, honestly."

"I don't believe this!" Clary exclaimed angrily, probably the fifth or so time she'd said something of the sentiment in since Maddie had been there. "How could we not have known any of this was going on?"

"How are you alive?" Jace exclaimed, getting straight to the crux of the matter.

"There are several people who can answer that better than I can, and none of them are here." Was the smooth reply. He was sitting neatly on the sofa- as good as gold- the picture of innocence as they stood above him, trying to make sense of the situation.

"And you what, expect us to believe that you're just miraculously better?" Clary exploded.

"Yes." He smiled. "It's the truth."

"Bullshit."

"But you can see I even look different!"

Jace turned to Evelyn, who'd been standing a small distance away in the corner of the room; playing the silent observer. "You and Jocelyn were working on this together?"

"Yes." Evelyn nodded. "I am a doctor, and it is my job to aid those that need my help."

"But why would you help him?" Clary demanded.

Evelyn pressed her lips together into a thin line; the only hint of any change in emotion under her unwavering cool composure. "I don't see how finding a viable treatment for him doesn't benefit everyone. Whatever you decide to do, he's much less of a risk now than before."

"That's a fair point." Jace nodded, turning back to the man in question.

"I'll do the time." The man in question said quickly, bringing his hand down into his lap from where he'd been experimentally dabbing the edge of his nose. "You can lock me up. I'm not the same person who did those things, but I remember them. I'll take the punishment."
It was shocking how truly sincere he sounded.

***

To be completely fair, Nyx did wait the twenty minutes Maddie had promised before getting out of the car and going to investigate what was going on. At least, that's how she justified it to herself.
Walking up to the front of place, she tried to act casual as she attempted to see through the windows to get an idea of what was going on; only to get quickly noticed by Clary, who opened the window and looked out at her with a puzzled expression. "Don't we know you?"

"Uh… Yes."

Maddie appeared quickly besides the red-head, looking mildly annoyed as she peered out at her friend. "Did you even consider listening to me?"

"Hey, you said fifteen, twenty minutes tops." Nyx defended. "I refuse to just sit there anymore."

"It's fine, she can come in." Jocelyn said, appearing at the window to see who it was, then disappearing as she went to move around to the front door. "She knows."

"How many people know?" Clary hissed as Jocelyn opened the door and ushered the dark-haired girl inside.

He smiled at Nyx as she came into the front room, gesturing her to come over to the sofa. "You weren't supposed to be involved yet; but I'm glad you're here. This is going more painfully than expected."

"Why's she here?" Jace asked.

"Because we're together." He replied simply.

"Together?"

"You were just getting to grips with the idea of me being alive; I wasn't about to blow your mind telling you about my girlfriend."

Nyx smiled awkwardly, sitting on the edge of the sofa. "Hi."

"Fuck." He swore besides her suddenly; making both she and Jace look at him in surprise. Feeling something on his face, he'd wiped his nose on his hand; and was now looking at the long smear of blood staining his fingers.

Nyx furrowed her brow in concern. "That's odd. You feeling alright?" She asked, passing him a tissue as more blood dribbled out of his nostril.

"Just peachy." He said with implied sarcasm, holding the tissue to his face as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "It's fine; it'll stop. It's just really inconvenient."

"It's really gushing though." Nyx said, as she could see the white tissue was already stained crimson.

He closed his eyes, a metallic taste creeping into his mouth. "I think it's both sides, actually."

"You're bleeding from both sides?"

He didn't hear her. Cracking open his eyes, he saw something, reflected in the dark glass of the TV screen; his own face looking at him with hollow black eyes. It smiled at him.

Reflexively, he jumped to his feet in alarm; vision swimming as he did so, black dots dancing in front of his eyes, turning his stomach. Blood drenched his face; pouring down in a crimson waterfall over his lips and chin. He heard voices crying for him, but they seemed far away, echoing like he was underwater. The last thing he remembered was hands reaching for him as he sank to the floor; vision going black.