Bloodlines

five

Eden helped Jocelyn tidy up for a bit before the two of them ended up sitting at the kitchen table, Jocelyn absentmindedly stroking the rune that Clary had drawn on her art portfolio while Eden played with her steele, "You'll watch her tonight won't you?" Jocelyn inquired quietly, her green eyes looking up from the portfolio and latching onto the brunette before her.

"Absolutely, although if Simon whisks her away I'm not going to follow. I want him to grow the needed pair to ask her out." Eden replied, her hazel eyes locking with her mother's and an easy smile growing on her lips, Jocelyn smiled back and shook her head.

Luke Garroway then spontaneously appeared in the kitchen/living room holding the newspaper and a paper bag, "Hey, sorry I'm late. Captain's got me on those demonic murders." he greeted, sliding the newspaper to Jocelyn before giving his daughter a kiss on the forehead and a beaming smile. "Look at the drawings." Jocelyn replied, "It's already happening." Luke looked from his daughter to the woman that he had grown to love over the course of the many years that he had known her.

His brown eyes caught the sight of Jocelyn stroking the rune that was drawn on the portfolio before he stated "We both knew this time was coming. We'll tell her together." Jocelyn shook her head and replied "No, it was my choice. I'll do it alone. Just like you did with Eden." The little werewolf smiled at the mention of her name, bringing smiles to the faces of the people who raised her.

"Well, do it soon. If she's unprepared, your life is in danger. And so is Clary's." Luke claimed, his words making his daughter frown slightly, once again the feeling of having something hidden from her growing in the pits of her stomach.

"Hey, Luke, what's up?" the birthday girl greeted as she too wandered into the kitchen, a happy smile on her lips, she had all the reason to be happy, she was oblivious to the world around her and it was that obliviousness that warmed everyone's hearts. "Hey! Incredible drawings." Luke complimented, pointing at the portfolio.

"Oh, thanks." Clary claimed bashfully, a sweet blush covering her cheeks as she reached the kitchen table. "And I got you these. Spray paint." Luke added, pulling a box of spray paint from the bag. Jocelyn sent Luke a small disapproving look due to the cans which Luke winked at and Eden chuckled. "Oh, they're perfect." the little ginger gushed, pulling the box to her and inspecting it, completely oblivious to the whole altercation.

"If I catch any of that paint on city walls, I will arrest you." The werewolf cop reminded, his cop voice, as the girls used to call it when they were younger, coming out to play. "The paint is for Simon's van." Clary clarified, "I'm insisting they rename the band." she then turned to her mom who nodded in agreement and content.

Silence formed between the four, peaceful as Clary looked up to her sister figure, rolling her eyes at the lack of party clothes on her body, Luke, however, noticed the steele that was resting in Clary's green hoodie's pocket and pointed it out "Did your mom talk to you about that?" overprotectiveness coming into play. "The heirloom. Yeah, it's beautiful." the ever so oblivious birthday girl claimed, "Clary, you're 18 now, and..." Luke began once more, earning a small kick in the chins from his daughter and a sharp glare from Jocelyn.

"What is with you guys?" Clary groaned, her eyes flashing between Luke and Jocelyn as Eden stood up and walked to the couch, grabbing her bag from it as she Simon's scent filled her nose, "I'm turning 18, it's not like I'm headed off on some epic journey."  Then just as the werewolves expected the geeky boy appeared at the top of the stairs that led from the shop to the apartment and proclaimed "But you are! See, we are going to Lombardi's to celebrate your birthday after our gig."

"Jesus!" Jocelyn muttered at the sudden appearance of the geeky boy, even though she loved the boys to bits she wasn't particularly fond of his sudden appearances at the Fray residence, having more times than not shown up when he shouldn't, "Actually its just me, although I've been told the resemblance is startling."

Eden rolled her eyes at him and looked at her dad, who was as expected already looking at her, silently reminding her that she was going to have to babysit Simon, Clary and Maureen, which she had already talked to with Jocelyn. "You should come back here after. The city's not that safe right now." the said older ginger reminded, looking back at her daughter and ignoring the young boy's comment, desperately trying to keep her daughter and indoors, safe from the outside world for just a few more hours.

"Ah, thanks, Mom, but we're set." Clary said calmly, an emotion that was contradicted by her eyes because nothing but annoyance flooded her eyes when they locked with her sister's. "Yeah, we will take a rain check." Simon agreed, following Clary who had already turned around before whirling back to the two parents and quizzing "Wait. Do I smell chicken cacciatore?"

"Simon,  turn your ass back around." Eden huffed annoyed, Simon instantly did as he was told while Jocelyn pulled Clary back for a tight hug that had the birthday girl fake gasp for air while groaning "Losing circulation here." "Breakfast, you and me, tomorrow. Promise?" Jocelyn mumbled to her youngest daughter making her hum in agreement before voicing "Mom... uh, Mom? Mom, you have to let me go. I'm biologically and legally an adult." The older ginger let go of her daughter, allowing her and the other two to walk away before sighing to her best friend "Just let her be a kid for one last day."