The Last Hours

23: Lucie

"Cordelia's engaged, then?" Jesse asked me.

We were walking around the streets of London, aimlessly. It had been two days since Cordelia's party. I had been very surprised when she had said that she was getting married to Harry. I did expect her to marry so young, but then again, Shadowhunters married young.

"Yes she is." I replied.

"James must be very upset." He said.

My head snapped toward him. "How do you know that James fancies Cordelia?"

"It was quite obvious at her party." Jesse smiled.

I sighed. James had been taking the news very hard. Yesterday night, he had gone out at about two in the morning, and returned an hour later, with Aunt Cecily in tow. My father and mother had asked her what Jamie had been doing, and she said he had been walking around London. Though, I felt as if that wasn't actually what he had been doing.

"It has been hard for him." I said.

"I can imagine. First Grace, now Cordelia." Jesse said.

"You know about Grace?" I asked.

He nodded. "She had told me everything about you all, including her um, situation with James. She also told me to stay away from you all."

"Well, that did not work out." I chuckled.

Jesse chuckled as well. "No, it did not."

"I must say, that you are much different than I thought you would be." I said suddenly, surprising myself.

"How?" Jesse asked thoughtfully.

"I'm not sure. When I first met you, at the ball, I had thought you'd be just like your mother and Grace. I realize now, that I had been wrong." I explained.

"Why did you drop your drink at the ball? And don't tell me it slipped out of your hand. I know you too well now, to know that that isn't true." Jesse said.

I blushed. "Well, I guess it was the surprise of seeing you. We all had known that Tatiana was trying to bring you back to life, but we didn't think she would succeed."

"You know, I liked you as soon as you spoke to Grace and my mother, at the ball." He said.

I blushed again. "Why?"

"You spoke to them, the way that no one ever dared to. You and your father, at that. I liked how weren't afraid to stand up for your family." Jesse explained. There was a slight blush in his cheeks.

By the angel, he was cute. There was no denying it by now, I had fallen in love with Jesse. This was the first time I had ever been in love. James would tell me what it had felt like to be in love, and I never believed it. But now, I realized that how he described it was right.

"Well, I'm happy you did not hate me, like your mother." I chuckled.

"I could never hate you, Lucie. You're so caring, and funny, and pretty--" He broke off, realizing that he was ranting.

I was very taken aback. Did Jesse just say all of those things to me? By the angel, what just happened? Jesse turned to look at me. His green eyes were bright, and he was leaning towards me. I felt myself leaning toward him, as well. Our lips were centimetres from touching, when I heard a voice.

"Well, well, well." The voice was very familiar.

We sprang apart, and turned around. There stood Uncle Gabriel, smirking at us both.

"Am I interrupting something?" He smirked.

"No, you are not." I said quickly.

"Are you sure, princess?" Uncle Gabriel teased.

"Yes, Uncle Gabriel." I said, groaning.

He laughed. "I came to speak with Jesse."

"Oh okay. I'll leave you two then." I said.

I gave Jesse a quick smile, and hurried away from them. By the angel, was I going to kiss him? Oh god, what if I did? My mind was racing. Why did Uncle Gabriel want to speak with Jesse? They hadn't talked much at Cordelia's party, other than saying hello. I was so caught up in my thoughts, that I didn't realize that I had reached the Institute.

I walked inside and went to the living room. My mother, my father, and James all sat there. Funny enough, they were all reading a book. Oh my family, all we did was read. They all looked up from their books as I took a seat on one of the armchairs.

"Hello, Lucie." My father smiled. "Where is Jesse?"

"Yes Lucie, where's Jesse?" James smirked.

I glared at James, but replied to my father. "He is speaking with Uncle Gabriel."

"Why?" He asked, curiously.

"I'm not sure. Jesse is convinced that Uncle Gabriel, and Uncle Gideon, hate him." I said.

"I wouldn't say that. The only person they hated was me." My father chuckled.

"Why did they hate you?" James asked.

My father looked at my mother. "Should I tell them the story, Tess?"

"You might as well." She said, amused.

My father sighed. "Well, it all started in 1873 when I had been twelve years old, and Gabriel had been thirteen........."