I know the last chapter had Malec but... this one was just so beautiful that I had to share it.

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The habits of a lifetime were not broken quickly, and though Cecily was no longer lonely she had made the Institute's inhabitants the subject of her close study.

She examined them down as she walked into the drawing room beside Will. First was Charlotte, sitting behind her desk. Cecily had not known Charlotte for very long, yet she knew Charlotte was the sort of woman who kept her calm even under pressure. She was tiny but strong.

Then there was Henry. He might have been the first to convince Cecily that Shadowhunters were not dangerously alien. There was nothing frightening about Henry, all lanky legs and angles as he leaned against Charlotte's desk.

Her eyes slid over Gideon Lightwood next, shorter and stockier than his brother—Gideon, whose eyes usually followed Sophie like a hopeful puppy's.

And then there was Gabriel. Cecily's thoughts where he was concerned were jumbled and confused. His eyes were bright, his body tense as a coiled spring as he leaned against his brother's armchair. On the velvet sofa across the Lightwoods sat Jem, with Tessa beside him. He seemed to glow a little brighter when he saw Will entering the room. It was a quality peculiar of both of them, and Cecily wondered if it was that way for all parabatai.

As she watched, Tessa laid her hand over Jem's and said something quiet to him that made him smile. Tessa looked quickly to Will, but he only crossed the room to lean against the fireplace mantel. Cecily had never been able to decide if he did this because he was perpetually cold or because he thought he looked dashing standing before the leaping flames.

Cecily looked across the room until her eyes eventually found Charlotte. She was distracted as if waiting for someone else.

"I hope we are not late," Clary Fairchild apologized entering the room while leaving the door open for the rest to enter.

Cecily didn't know what to make of them. Clary was almost as short as Charlotte and radiated the same vibe that you could tell she was used to being under pressure.

The one that followed her was Jace Herondale—her long distant cousin as he introduced himself. He displayed the sort of carefree attitude where he didn't care what type of demon he was facing as long as it didn't mess with his hair.

Isabelle Lightwood was the last one to enter and closed the door behind her. By her appearance, she reminded her more of herself than of the Lightwood brothers. She prefered to be in gear most of the time even if she was not training, saying that it was more comfortable than layers and layers of clothing.

Her brother, Alec Lightwood, was missing—probably tending his son. Cecily didn't know him well but if she had to guess, the man would break his and anyone else's neck before letting someone harm the child.

Cecily was intrigued by them. She didn't fully believe what they told them, it wouldn't explain Simon Lovelace's mysterious condition. Cecily knew they had secrets, a lot of them, by the way they often looked at each other before answering a question of relevance.

Cecily wanted to what that was, for all she knew they could be spies from Mortmain.

"I'm sorry but Alec couldn't come, Max didn't want to let him go," Isabelle excused her brother.

"What are they doing here?" Gabriel spat. Apparently, Cecily wasn't the only one that didn't trust these newcomers.

"Sophie told us Charlotte wanted to see us," Clary said, a little offended by Gabriel's tone.

"Before we start this meeting I need to ask you a question; what do you think about a woman holding a position of power such as the head of the Institute?" Charlotte asked them while looking at their reactions.

The question took them by surprise, whatever they were expecting that was not.

"I think is... fine? I don't understand how it could be an inconvenience," Clary replied genuinely confused for the question but sure of her answer.

"If you are talking about yourself Charlotte, you need not to worry. We may be from another continent but since you are the head of this Institute we will answer to you as long as we stay in your Institute," Jace stated.

Isabelle remained silent for a couple of seconds before replying, "Why do you ask that? What does it have to do with whatever is happening here?"

Smart girl, Cecily thought.

"I assume you know who Mortmain is?" Charlotte said more as a statement than anything.

Jace and Isabelle seemed to be remembering something briefly and nodded. Clary took a little bit longer but nodded regardless.

"Can you swear not to tell anyone, not even the Clave, what I'm about to tell you?"

"We swear On The Angel," the three of them said.

"I have received a very disturbing piece of correspondence. From the Magister," Charlotte said gravely.

*  *  *

"One can not help but wonder exactly what is it that the Consul believes Charlotte to be involved in. Some sort of betrayal to the Council?" Gabriel picked up her sheaf of letters and made a face. "We could reassure him of her innocence if only we knew what it was that he suspected."

"And if I believed he wanted to be reassured of her innocence," Gideon said. "It seems to me more likely that he is hoping to catch her out." He reached out a hand. "Give me that letter."

"The one to her uncle?" Gabriel was dubious, but did as directed. He held up the witchlight as Gideon bend over the desk and began to scratch out a missive to the Consul.

Gideon was blowing on the ink to dry it when the door flew often. Gideon jerked upright.

"Sophie?"

"I have told you not to call me that Mr Lightwood." Her tone was cold. Gabriel saw the maid standing on the doorway, a lit lamp in one hand. She was squinting. Her eyes narrowed further as they lit on Gabriel, Charlotte's letter's still in his hand. "Are you— Is that Mrs Branwell's correspondence?"

Gabriel dropped the letters. "I... We..."

"Have you been reading her letters?" Sophie looked furious.

Gabriel glanced quickly at his brother, but Gideon appeared to be speechless.

In all Gabriel's life he could not remember his brother giving even the prettiest of Shadowhunter girls a second glance. Yet he looked at this scarred mundane servant as if she were the sun rising. It was inexplicable, but it was also undeniable. He could see the horror on his brother's face as Sophie's good opinion of him shattered before his eyes.

"Yes," Gabriel said. "We are indeed going through her correspondence."

Sophie took a step back. "I shall fetch Mrs Branwell immediately—"

"No— It isn't what you think. We never intended to reveal a word she had actually written," he finished. "Our intention was to protect her."

Sophie's suspicious expression did not change. "And why should I believe a word of that, Mr Lightwood?"

Gideon finally spoke. "Ms Collins," he said. "Please. I know that since the—unfortunate business—with the scones you have not held me in esteem, but please believe I would not betray the trust Charlotte has placed in me, nor reward her kindness with betrayal."

Sophie wavered a moment. "I'm sorry, Mr Lightwood. I wish to believe you, but it is with Mrs Branwell that my first loyalty must lie."

Gabriel snatched up the letter his brother had just written. "Please," he said. "Ms Collins read this missive. It was what we intended to send to the Consul. If, after reading it, you are still determined to seek Mrs Branwell, we will not stop you."

Sophie looked from him to Gideon. Then, she came forward and set the lamp on the desk. Taking the letter from Gideon, she unfolded and read its contents.

"Which one of you wrote this?" Sophie asked when she finished reading it.

Gideon cleared his throat. "I did."

"Oh my gracious," she said. "And is this the first?"

"No, there has been another one," Gabriel admitted. "It was about Charlotte's hats."

"Her hats?" A peal of laughter escaped Sophie's lips, and Gideon looked at her as if he had never seen anything so marvellous. "And was the Consul furious?"

"Murderously so," said Gideon.

"Are you going to tell Ms Branwell?" demanded Gabriel.

Sophie had stopped laughing. "I will not," she said. "I do not wish to comprise you in the eyes of the Consul, and also, I think such news would hurt her. Spying on her like that, that awful man!" Her gazed sparked. "If you would like aid in your plan to frustrate the Consul's schemes, I am happy to give it. Let me keep the letter, and I shall ensure that it posted tomorrow." She turned ready to leave.

"Wait," Gideon said and she stopped. "There is something else we want to tell you."

"We do?" Gabriel inquired with an eyebrow raised.

"The Consul mentioned something peculiar in our meeting," Gideon continued as if his brother had not spoken. "He told us that, apart from Tatiana, we have no family left."

"If we recall correctly," Gabriel stated knowing where his brother was going, "not so long after what happened with our father, five people and a baby dressed oddly came to the Institute." Gabriel paused a second and cleared his throat. "Three of them declared being Lightwoods."

"Now, if the Consul was lying, he wouldn't have put it as leverage," Gideon reasoned.

Sophie gasped in surprise. "You mean to tell me that they lied? Then who are the people that have been living here for the last days?"

"We don't know," Gabriel acknowledged, "and we can't tell Charlotte or anyone without revealing why the Consul mentioned it."

"I... I understand."

"We would like to request your help to unmask them," Gideon pleaded.

Gabriel thought that it would have been nice if Gideon had discussed with him the decision of telling someone of their suspicions to the newcomers. Instead of deciding it on his own.

"I will do whatever I can, Mr Lightwood."

"Thank you, for both of us," Gideon thanked her.

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I hope you liked it.  

It seems that the Lightwoods are not the only ones that don't trust fully our beloved TMI's characters. And now, they recruited the help of Sophie.

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