The Aftermath Chronicles: A TMI FanFic

Part 23

"Clary!" 

There was a banging on the door to her bedroom. Jace was watching her sketch, his head on her shoulder.

"Come in," she said. 

Luke stood there.

"There's word from LA," he said. "They've found Isabelle and Charlie."

Jace sat up, almost immediately jumping out of bed.

"Where are they?" Jace asked Luke.

"A Portal is being set up now," Luke said. "They'll be in the Gard in twenty minutes."

Jace pushed past Luke out the door.

"He'll kill Charlie," Clary said.

"Charlie will most likely die anyways," Luke said. "Or be imprisoned. He killed Alec."

"He'll be given a trial, right?" Clary asked. Why was she even defending him? 

But something felt wrong about all this. 

A crazy, psychotic Charlie wouldn't bring Isabelle back here safely.

"I'm sure," Luke said. "But it won't be fair. Robert might be the prosecutor."

Clary jumped out of bed.

"I need to get ready," she said. Luke took the hint and left, shutting the door behind her. She got dressed, deciding on black. Alec wouldn't have wanted everyone mourning him for forever.

As soon as she looked somewhat presentable, she ran down to the Gard. Jace was already there, standing beside Robert, speaking to him intently. Robert was nodding understandingly.

The air in the front of the room seemed to shimmer and Charlie stepped through, holding Isabelle in his arms. He set her down gently. The room was silent. He put up his hands as an act of surrender and turned to face the front of the room.

"Isabelle needs to be seen by a Silent Brother," Charlie said, his voice shaking. "I-- I don't know what's wrong with her."

"Did you hurt my daughter?" Robert asked. His voice was loud and intimidating but he wasn't yelling. Yet.

"No, sir," Charlie said. "Ragnor set some sort of spell on her. He had us in the Labyrinth and it was killing her for some reason. He said that if I gave him the Labyrinth, he would expel us both from it and Isabelle would be fine."

"You gave Ragnor Fell the power of the Labyrinth?" the Consul asked. Clary still didn't know his name.

"Yes," Charlie said. "To save Isabelle."

"How noble," Robert said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Call the Silent Brothers."

Someone got up from the round table and left.

"Might I make a statement in my defense?" Charlie asked. Isabelle was still lying on the ground. Jace was watching with intent eyes. Clary knew Jace wanted him dead.

"There will be a trial," the Consul said.

"I understand," Charlie said. "I suppose it can wait."

"Yes it can," Robert said, standing up. "Put him in a cell until a trial date can be arranged."

"Ragnor Fell is still out there," Charlie said.

"And I suppose you'll tell us we need your help to find him?"

"No," Charlie said. "I'm quite certain he'll come to you, boasting of his new-found power. And he'll be powerful. Very powerful."

"We'll be on high alert, then," Robert said. "Take him away."

Two Shadowhunters came forth and escorted Charlie away. On the way to a hallway, Charlie and Clary met eyes.

Clary looked away immediately, looking for Jace. But he was gone.

........

Jace followed the guards as they took Charlie away. 

He hid behind a corner when they passed him in the hallway, returning back to the meeting.

He crept forward towards the cells. Charlie was pacing in a continuous circle. Jace caught him as he passed in front of the bars, pulling Charlie towards him by the front of his shirt with one hand and pulling a knife with the other.

"Did you kill Alec?" Jace hissed.

"Jace--"

Jace pressed the knife into Charlie's throat.

"Yes."

"Tell me why I shouldn't kill you right here," Jace said. Every part of him screamed at him. But every part seemed to be screaming different things.

"Because you know that I was under Ragnor's control. You know that I would never kill Alec. I had no reason to!" 

The knife pressed farther against Charlie's throat.

"Jace, please," Charlie begged. "I feel horrid. I can see it in my mind and I can't stop myself. I didn't have control of myself. I was trapped in the Labyrinth. You can ask Isabelle when she wakes up."

"You killed my best friend," Jace said. The back of his throat was stinging from holding back tears.

"I know," Charlie said. He began crying. Jace watched with horror. 

Charlie really did feel bad. 

But how did Jace know for sure?

"I should kill you," Jace said.

"Jace!"

Jace turned his hand. Clary was standing in the entrance way.

"He killed Alec, Clary!" Jace yelled.

"You know he didn't. You know that wasn't him," Clary said. "So put the knife down."

He heard her footsteps coming towards him but he kept the knife against Charlie's throat. 

"Let go," she said, softly. Her hand was covering his, taking the knife from his hand. Jace loosen his grip on Charlie and the knife, stumbling backwards against the far wall.

"I'm so sorry, Jace," Charlie said, falling to his knees.

Clary knelt beside Jace, holding his hand. She wrapped her arms around him and whispered in his ear.

"It's okay," she whispered. "It's going to be okay. It's almost done. They'll find Ragnor and this will all be over."

Jace pressed his forehead into her neck.

"Alec is gone, Clary," he sobbed. "It'll never be over."

"The pain will lessen with time. I promise," she said. "We've learned that."

Jace thought about everyone they had lost.

Max.

Jordan.

Sienna.

James.

Countless other Shadowhunters and Downworlders who had given their lives to an endless battle against evil.

Now Alec and Magnus.

"Isabelle," Jace choked out.

"The Silent Brother arrived. It's just a sleeping spell. She'll wake up in a couple of hours. The Clave has elected to send out a search party. We know Ragnor is in a library somewhere in the LA area. He shouldn't be that hard to find."

"I miss him so much," Jace cried.

"Me too," Clary said. "So I can't imagine how you feel."

She continued to hold him. 

"Let's go," Clary said, helping him up. Charlie was silent from within his cell.

"Where are we going?" Jace asked.

"To kill Ragnor Fell."