FIFTEEN ◇

                                    

                                          
𝕤𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕠𝕟: 𝕠𝕟𝕖
𝕖𝕡𝕚𝕤𝕠𝕕𝕖: 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕣𝕥𝕖𝕖𝕟
ʙʀʏɴɴᴇ [ʙ-ʀ-ɪʜ-ɴ] / ʀʏɴ [ᴘʀᴏɴᴏᴜɴᴄᴇᴅ: ʀ-ɪʜ-ɴ ᴏʀ ʀᴇɪɢɴ]
Clary was able to stop Simon before he left the Institute and asks him for help in getting the Book of the White which contains the spell to wake up Jocelyn. Clary explains to Simon that it belongs to Camille, and without another word, Simon agrees to set a meeting with Raphael.
In the Institute monitor room, Alec approaches his mom who was checking the screens before her. 
"Have you spoken with Lydia? No one's seen her since the wedding," Alec questions standing straight with his hands behind his back and receives no answer or glance from Maryse "Mom, come on"
Robert had seen his wife ignore their son walks up to them, "Maryse"
"Mom, I understand you're upset, but this is–"
Maryse cuts Alec off as she sets down the tablet she held, "Calling off the wedding would've been one thing... but kissing that warlock in front of the entire Institute? You've embarrassed all of us"
"Why?" Alec asks and with the remaining confidence he held he asks a question that's been burning at the back of his mind, "Would it have made a difference if I kissed a guy?"
"No." Maryse states almost offended that her son was insinuating anything, "The fact if she was a guy, as you say, would be the least of my worries"
Not understanding what the problem was Alec looks down at both his parents, "Then what's the problem?"
"That you chose Brynne Jeung," Maryse replies in detest 
"She is a ghost," Robert explains having the same worries as his wife, "no history is documented on her, and with every play, she has been a part of someone important has stood at her side. Even for a warlock that is conniving. Alec, there's so much that you don't know about her"
"Well, then I plan to get to know her. And if you have a problem with that, then I suggest you deal with it," Alec states making Maryse look away so she'd stay silent, "Now, I have to go find Lydia"
Maryse gives her best guess, "She's probably packing for Idris in your father's office. What she did–"
"Saved my life" Alec states looking at both parents "So, I should go thank her"
Alec walks away and neither parent looks back nor says anything to each other 
◇─◇──◇─────◇──◇─◇
Brynne stood in her red dress leaning back on a wooden wall in the hallway waiting for Alec. She was starting to become impatient, so much so that she started to pick at the skin surrounding her painted nails. 
Alec walks into the hall making Brynne stand up straight and ask, "On a scale of one to ten, how unpleasant was it?"
"Off the charts." Alec replies turning to face her, "Yeah, I've never seen them so angry."
"Give them some time?" Brynne tries to advise but even with the words leaving her mouth she internally scolded herself 
Alec looks at Brynne one more time before turning to keep walking down the hall, "You're immortal. Time is on your side. After what I did... I don't think they'll ever forgive me"
"You shouldn't underestimate a parent's love," Brynne says having seen her fair share of parent's love do wonderful things but also that same love be the things that harm a child. As they turn the corner of the hall Brynne reaches out for Alec's arm to stop him, "You don't regret it, do you?"