Inside of Me ━ Isabelle Lightwood

XVII. RISE UP (PART ONE)

            Standing next to Clary, walking to take them back to a place where they were unwelcome, Isaac didn't know how to feel. Part of him felt terrible for yelling at Clary – his sister – but the other knew that it had to be done. In his time with her and Jocelyn (mom) he learned that Clary never exactly got punished when she needed it.

         That in no way meant that the redheaded girl was a back child, but just that she wasn't perfect. Jocelyn never properly scolded her or grounded her, only gave a simple warning before letting the girl go on with her life, and that carried on even to then. She didn't handle scoldings or harsh truths, unlike Isaac who knew them well from his childhood.

         But Isaac couldn't apologize. Why should he? He told her a truth as she brought up a hard time from his life, his deepest regret to use against him and to silence him, she should be the one apologizing for what she had said to him. Still, he stood in silence as they walked to the hotel, knowing that he couldn't start another fight with her. Isaac couldn't handle another one at the moment, not after the words that were spoken in the last one.

         The only good thing that came from everything was the fact that they were already a little close to the hotel, so the journey wasn't too terribly long. And once they arrived, greeted by Raphael, he wasn't all too happy by what Clary had told him.

         "Have you lost your mind?" he spoke harshly, turning around to face them, "A Shadowhunter and two werewolves – two? You do know this isn't a hotel?"

         Simon, who was standing with a small hunch and a brooding look on his face broke in, "Technically, it is."

         Raphael glanced at him with a small glare, "Even starvation can't shut you up."

         "Look, we just need someplace secure until we can figure out a plan," Clary spoke, trying to negotiate something to help them.

         "These people never listen," Luke said biasedly, turning back to leave, "Don't bother. Let's go."

         "You should put a muzzle on that mutt," Raphael put the emphasis on 'mutt', "The fledgling can stay. But you aren't exactly welcome after you barbecued half a dozen of my people."

         "Look," Isaac stared at him, "I'm sorry for killing your people, just know that there was no alternative option, otherwise I would have taken it."

         The words were true as they could be. Isaac wasn't like Shadowhunters, like Izzy and Alec, who could easily kill the vampires without a second thought. Isaac was taught by Scott, who believed that they shouldn't kill anyone; no matter who they were. He wanted to save people, not kill them, but else could he do? There was no other way to save the mundane – now fledgling – without killing a few vampires.

         "Let's go, please. I don't want any part of this," Simon pleaded to Clary in a deep tone.

         "Look, there isn't any place else," Clary said to him before turning back to Raphael, "You need Simon back, right? To prove Camille broke the Accords. What good will he be if he dies of starvation?"

         Raphael looked hard at Clary, glaring at her as Isaac thought the same thing he did. Isaac knew that sometimes you had to twist a situation to favor you, but this was just manipulation. This was just like every villain holding the damsel captive in movies. It was Clary.

         And as Isaac continued to look at her, he could see more similarities between her and their father. Valentine was manipulative, using words and his "friends" to get what he wanted, just like Clary was doing right then. He didn't care about others' lives as long as he had his and he had power, to hell with the rest of them; just like Clary. And Isaac knew as he looked at her and realized this, that he must have been the same. He must have some similarities to his father, he must have been harsh and cruel in some of his words, must have been charismatic enough, and he hated that.