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imherongraystairstrash · 4 years ago

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Christopher and Cecily

A/N: Yes, I know I overused bach in this story, but I couldn’t help it! That Welsh endearment owns my entire soul. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this! Cecily is preggos with Alex in this fic, so she may be acting a bit different from her usual composed self.

-Ana <3

“Cecy, do you know if Wrayburns said they would be voting for the law to be passed? I cannot seem to remember.”

“No,” Cecily said, before adding: “They can rot in hell, for all I care.”

“Cecily,” Gabriel said, surprised by her comment.

“What?” she snapped, facing him. Her face was etched with wariness and exhaustion.

“Cecy, are you alright?” Gabriel reached for her hand, to which Cecily responded by snatching away.

“Of course.” she said briskly.

“Then why did you pull your hand away like that?”

“Sometimes, I don’t like being touched, Gabriel. Why is it so hard to give me some space?”

Gabriel was taken aback.

“I’m sorry. I was just worried about you.”

“Well, stop worrying.” Cecily got up and walked away.

“Why are you angry?” Gabriel asked, getting up as well. The room filled with tension.

“Because I want to. Get off my back.”

“Cecy,” Gabriel said.

“I’m carrying a child! There, are you happy?”

“A what?!”

“A child, Gabriel.” Cecily’s eyes narrowed and her eyebrows furrowed. “Do you not know what a child is? I will give you a hint: you have two of them!”

“Cecily, how can you be pregnant?”

Cecily looked at him. “I hope I don’t have to explain where babies come from, Gabriel.”

“I meant when?”

“I don’t know when! Do I look like I keep track?!”

“I don’t know, Cecy.” Gabriel said, running his hands through his hair.

“Don’t you dare look worried! I’m the one who has to bear this child when I’m practically a grandmother!”

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” He asked quietly.

“I just found out this morning.” Cecily said, matching his speech.

They stood in silence for a while.

Cecily had tears in her eyes. “I’m sorry, Gabriel. I didn’t want to tell you like this.”

“Cecy, there is no reason for you to have to deal with this alone.” Gabriel wiped a tear away.

Cecily turned her face away, and wiped her eyelids. “I am a horrible mess of emotions.”

“Ce—”

He was cut off by the telephone ringing.

Cecily held up a hand and picked up the receiver.

“Yes?” she said.

Gabriel’s mind was elsewhere. A child. He didn’t know whether to be horrified or—

Cecily’s hand flew to her heart.

“By the angel,” she said.

“Cecy, what happened?”

“By the angel,” she repeated, tears came back into her eyes. “Is anybody hurt? Is he alright?”

Cecily let out a small breath of relief.

“Yes. Yes, I understand…Yes. I’m terribly sorry…Yes, of course…”

“Cecy,” Gabriel whispered, “what happened.”

Cecily put her hand up and gave him a face he’d seen before. He referred to it as the “stop being a child” face. She brought her hand back to her face and began biting her nail.

Gabriel watched as her face morphed into disdain. She lowered her fingernail. “I would appreciate it if you would refrain from speaking to me that way. I am not a child… Yes, I understood the first time you told me…” Her grasp tightened on the receiver. “With all due respect, do not tell me how to raise my children…” Cecily paled. “Yes, good day to you as well.” She put (well, perhaps slammed is a better way of describing it) the receiver back on it’s hook.

She put her back up against the wall and slid down.

“What happened, Cecy?” Gabriel said, kneeling down in front of her.

“Christopher.”

“What?”

“Christopher. He blew up the academy.”

“What?!” He said, more in surprise than in question.

“Our son blew up the South Wing.” She repeated shaking her head, eyes unfocused.

Gabriel sat back on his legs.

You could hear a pin drop.

“And he’s not hurt?”

“They don’t think so.”

“Think?”

Cecily closed her eyes.

“We should get him.”

Gabriel shot up to his feet, grabbing his coat. He offered his hand to her, and pulled her up to her feet when she took it. He leaned down and kissed her with gentle care.

“I would be lying if I said I was disappointed you are pregnant. Every child you bring into the world is a blessing.”

Gabriel walked down the steps to their house as Cecily pulled on her boots.

Cecily allowed herself to smile, just a little bit. At least Kit would be coming home. She’d missed her son so much more than she could have imagined.

She heard a curse coming from outside and rushed out the door.

“What’s wrong?”

“Your dear brother, that’s what’s wrong!”

“Oh no, did he take the carriage again?”

“I do not know why he cannot simply use his own carriage.”

“I think he does it to spite you.”

Gabriel shook his head. “I guess I’ll walk then.”

“The academy is so far, though.”

“Well, we are Nephilim.”

Cecily walked down the steps to meet her husband. Then she stopped mid step.

“Oh,” she thought out loud. “Anna.”

“One of us should stay and tell her, in case she comes back and nobody is here.”

Cecily nodded and put a hand to her stomach, an absentminded gesture.

“I’ll go, Cecy. You are bearing a child.”

Cecily scrunched her nose. “I killed a Shax demon when I was five months pregnant with Anna.”

Gabriel laughed. “I still have no idea how you did that.”

“Yes, me neither. Well, I suppose I might as well stay. I might just punch that dean in the face, for being a horrible person.”

Gabriel blinked at her. “How the tables have turned, Cecy.”

“You know how I am when I’m pregnant!” Cecily pushed him forward, “now go get our son before he blows up the North Wing.”

“If you see your brother, give him a good yell!”

“I will!”

...

Matthew and James’ father instantly got along well. James had to admit that he felt like he was watching someone having a conversation with themselves.

They had stopped by Matthew’s parent’s house before heading towards London. Charlotte met them on her way out and looked concerned and cross, for she had gotten the news about the academy having been blown up just a minute before.

“Mama!” Matthew had said, putting his arms around Charlotte.

Charlotte had given him a weary look and patted his head. “Why, Matthew. Why was that necessary?”

“I did it because I missed you and papa so much!”

Charlotte pressed her lips together and raised her eyebrows.

“Not Charles, though.”

Charlotte rolled her eyes.

“Anyway, I’m off to London.” Matthew turned away from her.

“No you are not.” Charlotte said, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt.

“Mama, I’m going to be parabatai with James. We cannot be separated.”

Charlotte let out a breath impatiently. “Matthew. What kind of mother would I be if I let you blow up public property—which, being the consul, I have to help sort out, mind you— and then go off to London to be with your friend?”

“A very good and nice one?”

“No. A terrible one.”

“But mama: parabatai.” Matthew said, as though that explained everything.

Charlotte seemed to be weighing her options. “You can stay with James until they depart to London, but then you must come back. If you don’t, I’ll grab you by the ear and drag you back home. You may see him again in two months.”

James knew that was as much as they were going to get out of it. Will said they had to take the carriage back before they went through the portal anyways, so Matthew came along.

“Oh, look, there’s aunt Cecily.” James said as they approached the Lightwood’s home.

“Why is she waving her hands like that?” asked Matthew.

Will squinted. “I have no idea.”

Then it hit James. “Christopher blew up the academy. They probably wanted the carriage, papa.”

“She cannot be that angry.”

…

She was very angry.

“GWILYM OWAIN HERONDALE! DID YOU NOT THINK, EVEN FOR A MOMENT, TO BRING MY SON HOME?!”

For the first time in James’ life, Will was at loss for words.

“You knew he blew up the bloody school! Would it have been so hard to bring him to Gabriel and I?!”

“I’m sure he’s fine, Cecy.”

“He just blew up the academy! He could be hurt for all we know!”

“Cecily—”

“Save it for someone who will listen!” she interrupted.

Matthew eyed James with his lips drawn and his eyes wide.

Cecily paced as she cursed in Welsh. It was strange to see Aunt Cecily, who was always so cool and composed, so antsy.

“What is she saying?” Matthew asked.

“You do not want to know.”

All of a sudden, Cecily stopped.

“Oh, by the angel, you’re alive!” she said, rushing over to Christopher, who was covered in grime and explosive powers. Gabriel had his arm around him, and though his uncle was always kind, James would not have wanted to cross him at that moment.

Cecily kissed Kit’s head and cheeks and embraced him so tightly, they could hear some of Christopher’s bones cracking.

She was muttering soothing words while brushing pieces of cement out of his hair. Christopher’s expression gave away that he did expect this reaction from his mother at all.

After a couple of minutes of cooing, she seemed to remember what he had done, and quickly pulled away, holding him at arm's length. It might have been comical, seeing as to the fact that Christopher seemed to go boneless, his head snapping back. However, the tone of voice Cecily used was no laughing matter.

“Christopher. Gabriel. Lightwood. Why, in the name of The Angel, did you think it was a good idea to BLOW UP the academy?!”

His eyes widened, but Cecily didn’t break her gaze for a second. Kit was just a couple of centimeters taller than his mother, and yet, in that moment, she might as well have been two meters taller.

“In what universe, would that have been a good idea?! Enlighten me, please.” Cecily said.

“Mrs. Lightwoo—” Matthew started.

Cecily held up her hand, not even sparing him a look or word. Her eyes were the same shade of blue as the fire in hell. Kit just kept staring at her.

“Well?!”

Kit mumbled something, looking at the ground.

“Loud enough for human ears to detect, Christopher.” She said, harshly.

Kit looked up, perhaps to correct her about the sounds humans could detect.

“Don’t even think about it.” She said through clenched teeth, suspecting what he was going to say.

“Cecy—” Gabriel started.

“No, he has to tell me what was going through his mind when he decided he was going to blow up the South Wing of his school.”

Cecily turned her piercing stare back to Kit, who recoiled. Gabriel stood behind Cecily. His face was sympathetic and kind.

“Kit.” He said softly.

Kit looked up at his father.

“They were making fun of Jamie.” He said finally.

Cecily looked taken aback. “So you thought a valid form of revenge was to blow up the school?” James couldn’t help but notice, however her tone was slightly less imposing.

“Not really. I thought I would rather get expelled than stay there.”

James realized the Kit was trying to take all of the blame, even though Matthew played a part in it. Matthew realized as well because he spoke up.

“Mrs. Lightwood, I asked Christopher to blow up the South Wing, so that I could get expelled. I made sure Thomas got him away from the explosion by the time it could happen. I did not know he would be expelled as well. I apologize.”

Cecily nodded, but she was still looking at Christopher. Her face softened a fraction. James turned his gaze at his own father, who was looking at Christopher with admiration and affection for defending his son.

“They made fun of Kit, too. I wouldn’t say it’s better he was expelled but…”

Cecily’s eyebrows furrowed at that. She looked back at her son and spoke quietly to him in what James recognized as Welsh, by the way she was speaking. Kit nodded along while she spoke, looking down at the ground. Nobody other than she and Kit could hear what they were saying, but Will put his arm around James regardless, as though he knew the words were sweet.

Finally, she put a hand on his face and stroked his cheek with her thumb, softly.

“I’m glad you blew up the academy.” Cecily said finally.

Christopher looked surprised at that. “That does not give you permission to blow up everything in sight. I have enough to worry about as it is.” Cecily put a hand to her stomach, an absentminded gesture James wasn’t quite sure he interpreted correctly. He exchanged a look with Matthew before he felt his father tense. He looked up and saw that Will’s mouth was wide open.

“Cecy, I hope that hand is indicating a stomach ache.”

“What?” She said, looking down.” “Oh. No Will, I’m pregnant.” she said simply, confirming their suspicions.

“Cecily, you’re 37!”

“And you, William, are not my father.”

She was looking at her son, who, much like everybody else, was extremely surprised. Cecily smiled at him and put her other hand on his face. She kissed his forehead and put his head on her shoulder. She swayed a little and her face conveyed the emotion of a mother who was finally reunited with her child.

It made James ache for his mother who, thankfully, was not as frightening as Aunt Cecily when she was angry.

“I forgot how frightening Aunt Cecily was.” Matthew whispered, reflecting James’ thoughts exactly.

“I thought Aunt Charlotte was also quite harsh.”

“Not like Cecily. Besides, mum feels bad because she is never around, so she does not scold me as much. Would I have known Kit would have to go through that, I would have found another way to get expelled. I might be terrified of her, Jamie.”

“Me too. But Uncle Gabriel cancels it out, usually.”

“Are you talking about Cecy?” Will asked.

Both boys nodded.

“If you think she’s frightening, you’re lucky you did not have my mother. Once she broke my arm because I jumped out of my bedroom window and broke my leg.”

“She broke your arm for breaking your leg?”

“She broke my arm for being an idiot.”

“Seems fair.”

Will glared at his son.

…

Cecily sat down beside Christopher on his bed an hour later. He was looking down at the goggles in his hands; the ones they had given him for his birthday.

“So that you don’t ruin those lovely eyes of yours.” Cecily had said. She wished she could have captured the look on his face when he opened the goggles. If only they had known, all those years ago, that scientist goggles were what made Christopher happy.

“Christopher bach, are you alright?” She asked, stroking his soft, brown curls. She always loved the name Christopher. She seldom called him Kit, just because of how much she loved the name. Sometimes, when she was a girl, she would lay in her bed and dream of having a beautiful son that she would name Christopher. The Angel had been kind enough to grant her that wish.

Christopher just nodded.

“I am so very sorry for yelling at you earlier, cariad. You frightened me so much when I got the call. I thought you had gotten hurt or worse. I do not know what I would do if you had gotten…” she trailed off. “The point is, you know how I act when I am afraid and now that I am carrying a child, it becomes a bit harder to keep my emotion in check.”

“I am sorry as well, Mam. For frightening you.”

Cecily’s heart clenched.

“You are such a wonderful boy, Christopher. I could never dream up a better son than you. If the boys at the academy cannot see that, they are blind.”

Christopher looked at her with his violet eyes. He looked so vulnerable with his lean body hunched over and his head down, that she couldn’t help but put her arms around him and hold him close to her. He lifted a hand and held on to one of her forearms. She was furious with the school and how they treated her son, who was so perfect and so kind. She muttered

“Mam?”

“Yes?”

“Did anyone drop me on my head when I was a baby?”

Cecily tensed. She pulled away and looked at his face, which was filled with curiosity.

“Why do you ask that, bach?”

“Someone asked me at the academy, and I didn’t know the answer.”

Cecily was outraged. “Who?!”

“A professor.” Christopher said, idly fiddling with the strap of his goggles.

“A professor?!”

Christopher shied away.

“Oh, I’m so sorry bach. I didn’t mean to frighten you.” She kissed the crown of his head. “I am just appalled that a professor would have the indecency to ask such a question.”

“Was it rude?”

“Yes. Very rude. Who was it?”

Christopher shook his head. “I don’t want you to kill them, Mam.”

Cecily laughed. “Yes, you are right. It is probably for the best I do not know, then. And no. Nobody dropped you on your head. When the Angel gives you such a beautiful gift, you never let it fall.”

Christopher put his head on her shoulder. “What was the gift?”

Cecily looked at him, but he was still staring out of the window.

“You,” she said, quietly. “You are the gift. My wonderfully beautiful gift.”

“Oh.” Christopher was quiet for a minute and then looked momentarily confused.

“I thought you and Papa made me. Through intercour—”

“Oh my goodness,” Cecily said, before he could finish that word, covering his ears. “Who taught you that? Was it your Uncle Will? First the carriage and now my son’s innocence. What is he going to take next?”

“No, it wasn’t Uncle Will, please don’t kill him. I learned about it in a book about biology. The demon pox song made a lot more sense.” Christopher put his head back on her shoulder.

Cecily sighed, “I suppose you are old enough to know.”

“I don’t think I am.” Christopher shuttered.

Cecily laughed so hard, her sides hurt. Christopher smiled.

“My sweet boy. I love you so much.”

“I love you too, Mam.”

“I have no idea how you can even stand the sight of me.”

“Why? You are very pretty, Mam.”

Cecily knew he understood the question wrong but she did not want to correct him. She always held those responses dearly. They made her laugh and, every once and awhile, cry. She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed all of those little things that made her son who he was. She felt like she had failed at a mother. How could she have sent her son to that horrible place? She’d hoped he would make more friends; ones who also loved sciences. Cecily had tried so hard, but she never understood what he talked about. Chemical equations might as well have been hieroglyphics.

…

“Mam, mam!”

“What is it, cariad?”

“Madam Curie! She and her husband discovered an element! It’s called Radium.”

Cecily exchanged a look with Anna, who shrugged.

“That’s wonderful, bach. What does it do?”

“They say it might be able to cure cancer!”

“Oh, that’s very wonderful. It will be able to save lives! How fascinating, Christopher.”

Christopher smiled very wide and he went back to reading. Cecily could not help but smile as well.

…

“I suppose you hate us for sending you to that wretched academy.” Cecily said, coming back to the present.

“I could never hate you.” There. When he said those sort of things that just came out so simply, Cecily couldn’t help feeling that urge to cry, because perhaps she was a good mother. Perhaps she was able to accomplish what hers hadn’t.

“Besides,” Christopher continued, “now I have very good friends.”

“Oh, that makes me so happy Christopher, bach.”

“But I am glad to be back here, with you, Papa and Anna. And the new baby.”

He eyed her belly nervously.

Cecily couldn’t help but smile as she put a hand on her belly. “It’s a boy.”

Christopher looked up with fascination. “How do you know?”

“A mother always knows, bach.” Christopher looked at her with wide eyes. “And the Silent Brothers may have told me.” She finished.

Christopher opened his mouth, but was cut short.

“Christopher!”

Anna came from behind and attacked her brother with a hug, which almost sent them sprawling onto the floor.

“My baby brother! I cannot believe you exploded the South Wing! Ha, and with science! You really showed them, Chris.”

Cecily looked at Anna sadly. I cannot wait for you to show them who you truly are, Anna bach. Cecily thought. Gabriel stood by the door, smiling. Cecily looked back at their Anna and Christopher, the former demanding to know who dared insult a Lightwood, for she would march up to that school and make sure they never saw the light of day. Pun intended.

Cecily kissed Anna’s temple and put a hand on Christopher’s knee, standing up. She walked into Gabriel’s arms and they both looked at their children.

Cecily swayed a little bit in his arms.

“I apologize for being so horrible earlier today.”

Gabriel shook his head. “I should have given you space.”

“I did not want it though,” she said. “How did you know?”

“I didn’t.”

Cecily turned around in his arms. “You could have said you have superhuman powers.”

“And lie to my dear wife? I could never.”

Cecily shook her head and looked down at her belly, putting a hand on her unborn baby. Gabriel put his hand over hers.

“I hope he has his father’s beautiful eyes.” Cecily said, smiling up at him.

“And his mother’s lovely raven hair.” He said, lightly tugging a lock of her hair.

Anna laughed in the background, which got both of their attention. Cecily turned around so that she was facing their children.

“They are so precious,” Cecily said.

“Like their mother.”

Cecily snorted and turned around again. “You are such a pest, Gabriel Lightwood. I should do well to divorce you. It’s such a pity I love you too much.”

Gabriel smiled and stroked a stray hair away from her face. “What a shame.”

“At least you are good in the bedr—”

“Your lovely children are present. I urge you not to say something you will regret.” Anna called out.

Cecily laughed and shook her head.

“I told you, Gabriel: ears of a bat and eyes of an eagle,” Cecily said, referring to Anna.

“I heard that, mother.”

“We love you, Anna.” Cecily said.

“And I you, as long as you do not give us insight as to what you do when Kit and I are not there.”

Christopher nodded with vigor.

“We have such pure children.” Cecily said.

“We have such sinful parents.” Anna said.

“I am not sinful! Your mother just brings out the worst in me.” Gabriel said.

“I do, don’t I?”

“Are you referring to the bedroom? Does mam make you scary too, papa?”

Anna burst out laughing while Gabriel choked.

“Christopher!” Gabriel said. “You cannot ask about your parent’s bedroom etiquette.”

“I’m not that frightening.” Cecily said, clearly unbothered by the first portion of that question.

Everybody looked at her.

“Am I?”

They blinked.

“Why won’t anybody answer me?”

“We’re afraid you will get angry.”

Cecily shook her head. “You are all unbelievable!”

“Why is she angry, we didn’t say anything?” said Christopher, clearly confused.

Anna, Gabriel and Cecily all barked out a laugh.

“Christopher, you make it so difficult to stay angry at you.” Cecily said.

“I’m sorry?”

Cecily smiled at him. Christopher smiled back. I love you she mouthed. Christopher pointed to his chest then to her and then held up two fingers. Cecily understood what he meant: I love you, too.

TAGGING: @celias @tsccreatorsnet

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