Jace led Johanna down the long corridor to the library where Hodge apparently liked to spend his time. Johanna's stomach was in knots, meeting new people was never a common occurrence back home at the secluded werewolf estate. Of course going into town was almost the equivalence of that, but most of the town's people knew them anyway.
"We're here." Jace said, snapping Johanna out of her thoughts and back to the task at hand. Johanna stared at the large wooden door in front of her and took in a deep breath before gently turning the nob and stepping into the room cautiously.
Johanna's eyes widened as she took in the rows upon rows of books surrounding the whole room, she had never seen anything like it before. Johanna walked up to the large shelf and ran her hand lightly over the books that filled them.
"Hello." A voice came from behind her. Johanna spun around quickly, startled, and a bit embarrassed, to see an older man with greying dark hair, who she assumed was Hodge, staring back at her. When their eyes met, the color seemed to drain from Hodge's face, and the warm smile faltered, but was back in almost an instant.
"Um, hi." Johanna replied hesitantly, now feeling a bit off.
"Johanna is it?" Hodge smiled warmly. "Jace has told me all about you."
"Has he now?" She answered, cutting a quick glance in Jace's direction, earning a reassuring smile back from him.
"Yes," Hodge answered. "I'm terribly sorry to hear about your father, I can't imagine how that must feel."
"Thank you."
"In any case, you are welcome to stay here as long as you'd like, I assume Alec has already shown you to your room?" asked Hodge.
"Thank you, and yes, he has."
"Great! Well I will let Maryse and Robert know of your arrival, I'm sure they will be happy to have you as well."
Johanna gave Hodge one last nod before turning to exit the room.
"One last question." Hodge called out. "How did you know you were a Nephilim? Do you have any memory of your real parents?"
"No." Johanna lied, turning back around to face him. "I don't remember anything about my real parents, Emmanuel could sense what I was when he found me, so I've known for quite some time what I am."
"I'm very sorry to hear. Many shadowhunters lost their lives during the uprising, it is a very sad truth to our history." Hodge said somberly. "But at any rate, go, explore the institute a bit, get used to it, you'll find it is quite easy to get lost around here."
"You make him nervous."
"Ithuriel!?" Johanna gasped a loud at the angel's words, earning a confused look from Hodge.
"Everything okay Johanna?" Hodge asked concerned. Johanna didn't answer. Instead, she darted out of the door and ran as fast as she could, trying to find a safe place to talk to the long absent angel.
"She uh, must have remembered something." Jace sputtered, before running out of the room after her.
"Ithuriel, you're okay." Johanna said with relief as she made her way into her room.
"Yes, the Nephilim took quite a lot out of me, and you too I feel."
"I was beginning to worry." Johanna sighed. "Father, he's…"
"I know child, I could sense his departure, but was unable to do anything. I'm sorry."
"Johanna!" Jace called, as he entered her room and shut the door behind him forcefully. "The angel, he's back?"
"Yes, he is, his strength has returned to him." Johanna replied. "Jace, thank you, for not saying anything to anyone about this, I know how hard it must be to keep secrets around here, especially from Clary."
"Why would it be hard for me to keep something from her?" Jace asked.
"Well, I see the way you two look at each other, I'm not blind." Johanna smirked.
Jace's face turned a deep red at hearing Johanna's words. It seemed a bit unnatural and out of place to Johanna, warranting a small chuckle from her.
"Just-just come on, I'm sure you're hungry, I'll see what I can find, oh, and do not for any reason, no matter how hungry you may be, do not accept any food from Isabelle Lightwood, I don't care if you're starving and on the brink of death, just, take my word for it." Jace said, opening the door and motioning for her to follow.
"Ok…" said Johanna confusedly as she followed in behind the blonde haired shadowhunter.
When they arrived in the kitchen, Isabelle and Clary were already there, Clary rummaging through the refrigerator to no avail as Isabelle stirred the contents of her large, steel pot contently.
"Remember what I told you." Jace leaned over and whispered into Johanna's ear.
"What was that Jace?" Isabelle questioned suspiciously.
"I said smells wonderful." Jace sputtered out, earning a deathly glare from the dark haired girl.
"Right." She said, still eyeing him viciously. "Johanna right?" She said, turning her glare into a large smile as she brought her attention to the nervous girl standing next to Jace.
"Uh, yeah." Johanna answered, returning the girl's smile.
"Well, I'm sure you are starving, sit down and I'll fix you a bowl."
"Oh, I um-I just-I" Johanna sputtered out, not knowing exactly what to say. She was in all honesty, terribly hungry, but Jace's very serious comment about Isabelle's cooking made Johanna very nervous.
"Here's an idea!" Jace interrupted, saving Johanna from her babbling. "Johanna actually loves cooking too! She's actually really really good, I mean that stew you made was incredible,"
"What's your point Jace?" Isabelle hissed.
"I mean how about you guys get to know each other, and oh I don't know, give each other some pointers or whatever, I'm sure Johanna would love to show you how to make that awesome stew-"
Wow, thanks for the help Jace. Johanna thought to herself, as Isabelle's glare began to fall on her as well.
"I mean it's like a really old recipe handed down, it's nothing special." Johanna began, trying to salvage what little bit of acceptance Isabelle had left for her. "You just… follow the recipe."
"Well that sounds wonderful." Jace smiled nervously. "I'll just leave you guys too it then."
"Wait what?" Johanna questioned, not wanting to be left alone with a girl who Jace had just dug her grave with, and another girl who just so happened to be her long lost sister. "Where are you going?"
"I'm going to find Alec. You stay here, get to know Isabelle and Clary." Jace smiled, patting her on the head and making his way quickly out of the kitchen.
"Thanks." She grumbled to herself.
"So," Clary asked, causing Johanna to jump slightly. She turned around and made her way grudgingly to take a seat at the counter were Clary and now Isabelle was seated. "What was it like living with a bunch of werewolves?"
"It wasn't too bad. I grew up with them so what might have seemed odd to anyone else, just seemed normal to me." Johanna answered.
"Like what?" Isabelle added, as the two girls stared intently, awaiting her reply.
"Um, well, like how they're always hungry, or their weekly runs, sometimes twice a week, if it was a stressful one. Um, how alpha always takes the first bite, and all the other werewolf rules."
"That's incredible." Clary smiled.
"So how many did you live with?" Isabelle pried.
"Just three." Johanna replied. "My father who was the alpha, my brother, and my father's nephew, but sometimes other members of the pack would stop in from time to time."
"I'm sorry." Said Clary. "About your father, I know what it's like to get someone you love ripped away from you by Valentine."
Johanna instantly felt bad for Clary, she could see now how much Clary was hurting, how much she loved and missed her mother. Johanna couldn't hate her for that, couldn't hate either of them really. For all Johanna knew Valentine had ripped her right out of her mother's arms, which was likely, but even if it wasn't, and her mother, their mother, left her behind, she still couldn't hate her, or blame her really.
Johanna gave Clary a sad smile. "Hopefully we can return yours back to you."
"Johanna." Alec's voice rang from the door way. "Come on, we have work to do."
"Oh come on Alec, we were just getting to know her, give the girl a break why don't you? She just got here!" Isabelle complained.
"Johanna!" Alec called again, ignoring his sister's complaints.
Johanna gave the two girls an apologetic look before getting up from her spot at the counter.
"He likes you. He thinks you are a true Nephilim, and also I guess I really am good with a bow." She boasted.
"Johanna." Alec snapped.
"I know, I know, I talk too much." She replied, rolling her eyes.
"No, Johanna your nose, it's bleeding."
"Wha-" Johanna touched her fingers to her nose, only for them to come back full of blood.
"You're getting weaker."
"And a little dizzy." Johanna replied a loud to the angel, as the room began to spin around her.
"Johanna!" Alec yelled, grabbing her limp body just in time before she hit the ground.
Oh no not again! Poor Johanna, Ithuriel's power is making her weaker and weaker as time goes on! What ever will they do? :O Haha, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, I wanted the two to get a tad bit closer to one another and open up just a bit! Well, until next time!