Caught between what he knew was right for the Institute and what his heart wanted, Alec had to choose. Then, a person from the past came hurtling back, making the decision that much harder. Suddenly, Alec was unsure about everything. But in the end...
On a warm day in Central Park, a young smiling Olivia Heart ran past a large grove of trees giggling as she went, her blonde pigtails swinging as she twirled happily in the long soft grass; dizzly her feet tangling with each other, jolting her forward on to her hands and knees, though before she could become upset she heard the sound of soft crying. Blinking her eyes confused, she looked around herself for the sound but saw nothing. Standing, she took a few steps away from the trees only to find that the sound lessened as she did. Turning with a frown she looked into the tree line, seeing nothing but just that, trees.
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Now Olivia's mother had always told her to stay away from the trees, as she could not see her past the large green leaves. However, her mother wouldn't be mad at her if she went in to help someone, right? Taking slow steps the child made her way into the shade of the tree tops, the sound of sniffles becoming louder with each step. Ten or so feet into the grove and just out of sight of anyone who may look in was a young boy with dark hair, leaning against a tree with his face buried in his folded arms.
"Are you ok?" Olivia asked shyly, making the boys head snap up.
"I'm fine, go away!" He all but yelled angrily as he wiped at his red tear stained face.
Olivia, though still a child, could tell when she was being lied to, at least she thought so. And so it was rather clear to her that this boy was anything but fine. Frowning, she tilted her head looking at him as if by doing so she could somehow see what had caused him so much pain. But some wounds can not be seen with the eyes.
"My mommy says it's not nice to lie." She pouted at the boy.
"What do you care? It's not like we're friends, we don't even know each other's names."
Something sparked in the girl's eyes as a big grin over took her lips. It was as if something had just clicked in her mind, something that a child would find obvious even if it wasn't. Skipping up to him as he looked at her as if she had lost her mind, Olivia stuck out her small hand just as she had seen her mother and father do many times before.
"I'm Olivia Heart and I'm seven!"
"Alexander Lightwood." He took her hand with a raised eyebrow rolling his eyes when she looked at him expectantly and added that he was eight.
"Alesanda?" She tried, frowning as she knew that that was wrong.
"Alexander, but it's ok, my sister has trouble too. You can call me Alec like she does." Alec smiled seeming to soften a bit to the younger girl.
"See now we're best friends and you have to tell me!"
"I'm not sure that's how that works, Olivia..."
Alec truly looked at the younger girl for the first time. Taking in her blonde pigtails, that made her look even younger than she was, as well as her blue green eyes that were looking at him with both excitement and curiosity. Though as he looked her over further he frowned as his eyes pinpointed blood on her knee, just under the hem of her green sundress. It concerned him as it was bleeding much more than a normal scrape would.
"Your knee is bleeding, here let me see it."
Blinking Olivia looked down at her knees and suddenly it was as if she had only just fallen. The younger girl's eyes filled with tears and her lip trembled. She let out a small and rather over dramatic wail as the pain of her cut came back to her. Alec's eyes widened as he seemed to realise his mistake a bit too late. Jumping up from the ground he did the first thing that came to mind, taking the smaller girl into a hug, much the same way he would his sister. Hushing her softly.
"I want my mommy..." She whined into him, her small arms wrapped around him tightly as if he would somehow disappear.
Alec tried to detangle himself from her, with the idea of walking her back to her mother. But Olivia would not budge whimpering a small no when he asked. He thought she was being rather dramatic but he also couldn't find it in his heart to be cruel to her. Sighing, he did his best to pick her up happy that his training was coming in some kind of use to him.
"It's ok, Olivia, I have you." He whispered into her hair as she whimpered once more.
*****
Eyes snapped open as a wave of agony swept Olivia up, taking over her body, her back arching. The pain growing with every movement and each breath harder to take than the last. It was as if she was drowning in the feeling trapped without a way out. Unseeing eyes searching for some kind of life line. Finding nothing to hold on to, she could feel her life slipping away from her. A single tear rolling down her cheek.
Then, as if something had heard her soul crying out in fear of death, she felt power grip her and pull her back out of the sea she had been drowning in. The power was strong and forceful and yet still gentle, as if it was fearful of hurting the mortal girl. It was soft and warm, a blanket of cool and calm that soothed the burning. Slowing Olivia's pounding heart, as she gasped greedily, eyes that had at some point closed fluttering open for a moment.
Golden eyes with a black slit, much like that of a cats appeared in her clearing vision, framed with dark eyeliner. After, but a moment their eyes locked, golden widening for a moment before with a raise of a hand blue sparks overtook her vision. Eyes rolling back as darkness once again overcame her.
*****
Alec Lightwood looked around himself for a moment as he walked calmly down the road, taking a left down the sunlit path that leads to a nice brownstone. In the two years since his first meeting with Olivia, Alec had started to find time at least once a week to visit the younger girl who had become his friend. She was someone who didn't judge him or expect anything from him. Olivia was impressed by everything he did, a bit like his sister was. It was a nice change for the young boy who had so much weight on his shoulders, to have someone who saw him for what he could do. Not the things he was unable to.
But most of all the thing that Olivia Heart was, was a secret.
Unbenounced to him a small dark haired form was following in the shadows.
Ringing the doorbell, Alec was greeted by a brown haired woman who smiled kindly at him. As the door closed a girl's voice can be heard calling out his name. The bright red door clicking shut.
After a few minutes the back gate into the small yard inches open revealing Olivia and Alec playing hide and seek. Though it wasn't hard for Alec to find her with her inability to stop giggling. The two played trading off who would hide and who would seek.
On one of Alec's turns to hide, the dark haired form tip-toed closer to the girl, to get a better look at her. Olivia was counting, small rainbow painted fingers covering her eye's, blonde hair blowing around her. The bright pink dress she wore, covered in fresh grass stains, and her pale feet without shoes.
"Eight... nine... ten!"
Reaching ten she uncovered her eyes only to find chocolate brown eyes looking back into her own. A shocked and rather high pitch scream left her lips. Within moments Alec was by her side wide eyed as he looked at his sister.
"Isabelle! What are you doing away from The Institute?"
"Following you, silly! Hi, I'm Izzy. I didn't mean to scare you... I'm sorry." The eight year old girl smiled at her brother's friend.
"I'm Olivia... Are you Alec's sister?"
"Yes! Can... I play with you...?" Izzy asked shyly, looking to both her brother and Olivia.
With a big grin at the shy girl, Olivia grabbed hold of her hand and yanked Izzy in the direction of her toys. The two girls laughing and smiling at each other within minutes. And in this moment Alec knew that Olivia would be his sister's secret too.
