Johanna looked down at her blood stained hands for the first time since they had made it back to the house. Jace had told her to get a few personal items and some clothes, so she had come into her room to do just that, but all she was able to do was stare at her hands as the once bright blood began to darken and crust onto her hands. Johanna forced herself to move forward grabbing a duffel bag from underneath her bed and beginning to throw various articles of clothing into it.
Johanna caught a glance at herself in her mirror as she walked past and stopped to take in the view. Her dark hair was tousled and in tangles all over her head, her face was a yellow, sickly pale color, not at all like the normal paleness that it usually was. Her lime green tank top was ripped down the front showing the small paw print tattoo she had gotten to show her loyalty and love for her werewolf family, the family she would soon be leaving, the father that she watched get murdered by a demon, a demon under the command of the man who created her but was no father. The anger bubbled in her stomach once again, and made her nauseous.
'I can't do this, not now.' She thought to herself, and pushed the thoughts out of her head. Johanna noticed her jeans next, there was blood all over them, probably Alec's, Emmanuel's and a mixture of her own to be truthful. Johanna let out a sigh. She probably looked like something out of a horror movie, changing would probably be a good idea if she wanted to make a good first impression at the institute.
She settled for another pair of jeans that clung to her figure, a black, silken, sleeveless top, and a pair of leather boots that came up just below her knees. After getting dressed she then threw her hair into a messy ponytail, let out a deep breath, and headed downstairs to say her farewells.
Johanna stood staring intensely at the large church doors. As soon as she walked through those doors her life would officially change for good. Was she ready? Would they accept her as a shadowhunter even though she was raised by werewolves?
"Did the werewolves not teach you how to open doors?" Alec's dry sarcastic voice rang out beside her. Johanna let out a sigh.
"Yes, I know how to open doors, thanks. I just…"
"They're going to accept you," Alec said, as if reading her thoughts. "Just like Jace and I accepted you."
Johanna let out a laugh.
"Oh right, because you were so accepting." She grinned. "Am I going to have to convulse around on the floor a little bit to earn their acceptance too?"
Jace made his way up the steps with Johanna's bag and placed a comforting hand onto her shoulder.
"The great thing about that is, if Alec Lightwood accepts you, you won't get much of an argument from anyone else."
Alec sent a glare in Jace's direction.
"Surprise, surprise, Alec's the difficult one." Johanna replied sarcastically.
"I'm going inside." Alec said, rolling his eyes, as he opened the large heavy door to the institute.
Here goes nothing. Thought Johanna.
"Alec, Jace!" A feminine voice rang out as soon as the elevator doors opened. A tall dark haired girl came running up the corridor to great them. Johanna was taken aback at how beautiful she was, and in all honesty, it intimidated her a bit, but Johanna was raised by werewolves, showing her intimidation was something that just wasn't possible for her.
The girl stopped as soon as she saw Johanna standing awkwardly between the two boys.
"Who is this?" She questioned curiously, as the trio stepped out of the elevator to meet her.
"This is Johanna." Jace replied. "She's going to be staying with us."
"A shadowhunter?" The girl who Johanna assumed was Alec's sister Isabelle, asked.
"Something like that." Johanna answered.
"What is your last name?" Isabelle asked suspiciously.
"I go by my adopted name, Antipov."
"Antipov? You mean like the northern werewolf pack?" Isabelle asked surprised.
"She was found by their alpha when she was a child, they took her in and raised her." Alec spoke uninterestedly.
"So you were raised by werewolves? Do you know who your real parents are?"
"Jeesh Izzy!" Jace interrupted. "What's with the third degree?"
"I'm sorry, it's just not every day we get a new shadowhunter, well I guess that's not true now." Isabelle smiled. "But if my brother and Jace agree about bringing you here, then it must be a good reason."
"The alpha's dead." Alec said grimly, remembering Emmanuel's brutal death.
"The greater demon we had been tracking, we followed it back there, it was being controlled by Valentine."
"Valentine?" Another voice came. The girl's fiery red hair was the first thing Johanna noticed, cascading beautifully around her shoulders as she walked up to stand in front of them.
"Johanna, this is Clary, Clary, this is Johanna, the new, new girl." Isabelle smiled.
Seeing the girl that was her sister for the first time made Johanna sick to her stomach. There were so many emotions flowing through her she didn't know which one to settle on. A part of her wanted to hate the girl for having the life that was taken away from her, for having the mother Johanna never had, the mother that abandoned her, left her with those monsters, but then again, if she hadn't she never would have met Ithuriel, or got to know the love of a real father and brother.
Johanna finally settled for indifferent, and gave Clary a nod, getting a small smile in return. A hand fell lightly onto her back, and Johanna was surprised to see that it was Alec, not Jace, sensing her distress, and attempting to comfort her, warranting a very confused and surprised look from the two girls in front of them, giving Johanna the impression that Alec wasn't quite the comforting type.
"If you guys are finished," Alec began. "We still have to bring her to see Hodge, but first I'll show you to your room." Alec said, turning his attention to Johanna, who gave a nod in agreement.
"I'll give Hodge the heads up." Jace replied, handing Alec Johanna's bag as he led Johanna down the corridor to the living quarters.
"When did Alec get so welcoming?" Clary asked, a tad bit jealous that Alec was so accepting of the new mysterious girl.
"She's been through a lot Clary. Her father was murdered violently right in front of her. It's something no one should have to witness, believe me, I know," Jace replied solemnly, remembering his own father's demise. "Even Alec knows that."
"This is where you will be staying." Alec said as he opened the door and gently sat Johanna's bag down. Johanna's gaze moved around the room, taking in her surroundings. It was spacious yet not too open. There was an attached bathroom, which was something she never had back home, instead she would have to fight the boys off for any type of bathroom time, so the thought of having her own made her a bit excited. The bed was neatly made up and looked very comfortable, and there was a desk near the window with a small lamp and chair.
"If you need anything, Jace's room is about two doors down to the right, and Isabelle's is at the end of the hall next to Clary's." Alec finally spoke.
"What about yours?" Johanna blurted out. Why had she just asked that?
Alec paused for a minute before replying. "I'm right across the hall."
"You're across the hall, as in directly in front of me? I didn't think you'd want me so close to you."
"I promised I'd protect you, so that's what I'm doing, don't get any ideas that we're friends or something, and don't bother me unless it's something important." Alec scolded. "Got it?"
Johanna fell silent. She didn't quite know why Alec's words had upset her so much, but they had. Maybe it was because she had thought they were becoming friends, after what he had said to Samuel about how she belonged here at the institute with them, but now it was clear, Alec was just keeping the promise to her father, and nothing more, which wasn't a bad thing, so why was it upsetting her?
Sensing Johanna's distress once again, Alec let out a long sigh. He didn't quite know why it bothered him so much that she was upset, or hurting, in fact he knew she was hurting, he could feel it somehow, even though she didn't show it, and it bothered him, more than he wanted to admit.
Alec argued with himself for a second before deciding to do something very out of character, and pulled a very surprised Johanna into a hug.
Johanna stood awkwardly in Alec's arms, feeling ten types of confused, and if she was being honest with herself, a bit frightened, who wouldn't be, the guy was very confusing.
"Don't mistake this as a sign of friendship or anything." Alec said dryly.
"Then why are you hugging me?" Johanna replied, still just as confused as she was ten seconds ago.
"Don't ask annoying questions," Alec answered. "And don't get my shirt wet again."
Johanna realized that Alec was trying to comfort her, like he had back in the forest, in his own weird way. She didn't want to admit it but Alec's odd way of comforting her actually made her feel better, and even though he didn't want to admit it, she bet he actually did see her as a friend, after all, she did save his life, that had to account for something in Alec Lightwood's mind?
Somehow, she had felt more connected to the two shadowhunters just in this small amount of time than she'd ever felt with anyone, but then again it could be accredited to the fact that they were all of the same blood, the werewolves were her family yes, and she loved them more than words could describe, but she could see now how much she belonged her, Jace and Alec had shown her that. They had accepted her, even promising to keep her safe from the very people they were supposed to be working under.
And Alec, pushing aside his callous and indifferent façades to show just a bit of comfort to her despite what he had said, just showed her even more what type of person he actually was.
"Thank you." She whispered, wrapping her arms around him.
"Please don't make this more awkward than it already is." Alec replied, garnering a small and content laugh from Johanna.