Maia felt bad.
No, Maia felt worse than bad, she felt awful.
After Jace got away, Luke let the pack know what was going on between, Jace and his parabatai and why he was trying to get away. Then proceeding to yell even more about how he wasn't even the one who killed Gretel, but in fact Valentine was and how he was sure of that because 'Clary' his stepdaughter had told him what happened on the boat before they escaped. Not to mention a week later, him and his sister's mother gets killed by a demon that had taken control of his parabatai.
Basically, he was going through hell, and she had done nothing but contribute to his hell rather than help take some of it away, which is what she wanted to do when she initially met him.
Her guilt started to eat her alive because she related to him, in the means of having no one there for you, having no one there to protect you and not even being able to trust yourself. She had to apologize to him, or else she wouldn't be able to live with herself.
As she walked into the Institute, she was shocked that some kind of detector didn't go off as she walked in as she expected a big red light and siren that signified 'DOWNWORLDER' to go off. She was more than well aware of how downworlders were looked down upon when it came to how shadowhunters viewed them.
She was greeted with bright screens of information going back and forth, people strapping on thigh and shoulder holsters while grabbing blades and knives, preparing to leave their safety haven. It was brightly light with the stained glass windows of the church being glamoured, keeping the entirety of the place one color and open floor planned. People
were typing on their laptops at speeds unimaginable to accomplish God knows what.
It was amazing.
"Uhm, are you supposed to be here? Actually I just answered my own question, you're a downworlder. Aldertree forbade you guys from coming in I'm sorry." A medium height girl, about an inch or two shorter than her with bangs and glasses. She had big brown eyes and slightly wave-y hair she was petite. She also wanted her to leave.
Maia eyes go slightly wide, "Trust me, I wouldn't be in here if I didn't have a really good reason, not trying to disturb your peace. I just need to know where Jace Wayland is."
The shorter girls' face turns slightly red, "J-Jace? He's in his room. Aldertree doesn't really let him go out often. He's keeping a close eye on him. What do you need him for?"
"Personal information. I just owe him something so I need to talk to him. Can you get Aldertree to let him come outside?", and before she's even done with her statement the girl is shaking her head, "You don't know Aldertree, asking is him for anything like waving a red flag in front of a bull. You can't agitate something as volatile as that."
Maia scoffs, "Huh? Shadowhunters are so brave but yet you're afraid of your own leader? You're not supposed to be afraid of authority. You're supposed to respect it."
She steps back for a moment and the smaller girl just looks like she's analyzing her every word, and Maia laughs slightly, "You okay?"
The girl zones back in and shakes her head, "Yeah I'm fine that just got me thinking. Listen, I can try and get you to Jace, but you're gonna have to wait here for a minute, and you're gonna have to be quiet. If anyone catches you out here, you'll be kicked out immediately and Aldertree will have my ass on a platter. You cool with sitting me and waiting for a moment?"
Maia shrugs, "I mean yeah it's not like I have anywhere else to go. I can wait, I'll keep you company. I'm Maia by the way."
The girls crookedly smiles, "I'm Lindsey."
She begins to guide her to her desk quickly to be unnoticed, trying to keep little small talk up Lindsey, "So what do you do here? You don't seem like the fighting type."
"I'm kinda like secretary of the Institute, I take care of getting all the meetings taken care of, most recent threats in ranges from 'easily manageable' to 'begin war'. I get all messages from the Clave, besides the ones sent directly to the boss. Pays to be the computer whiz. I'm trained to fight though, my weapon of choice is a knife." She says, taking a seat at her desk and pointing at the chair next her chair, "I'll glamour the chair so that it looks like there's no one there. Most of our fighters are about to go train in the field anyway so the floor should be way more quiet, people won't think to try and see through the guise."
She takes out her stela and swiftly draws a non-familiar rune on the back of her chair and Maia turns her head to the side, "I haven't seen that one before, I mean not saying I just hang around you almighty shadowhunters constantly but I still that's a new one."
"In order to do my job when I applied for it, I had to have basically every rune memorize because the Clave a lot of times sends messages that are blocked with the either most recent or more ancient or runes so I could recognize them. Especially the glamour and secrecy runes. They were also my favorites so it was easier to get buy on it I guess.
Maia smirks, "You know for someone who just really got this idea spur of the moment, you sure were prepared for this type of situation."
She blushes a cute pink, "I'm sort of good with on the moment thinking I guess. Now that I've helped you you gotta help me, why'd you need Jace? You guys' dating or something?"
"Dating?", Maia says almost busting into laughter, "I promise you Jace is not my type in any means. That's all yours."
Lindsey sighs as she types a message to Aldertree, "I wish he'd understand that I don't actually like him. Or men at all actually. I'm just prone to blushing in awkward situations and he tends to confuse that with me crushing and it couldn't be further from the truth."
"You're a lesbian?" Maia says turning her head swiftly towards her, lifting her eyebrow up in intrigue, and Lindsey startles a little, "That's a little harsh isn't it?"
Maia's eyebrows furrow in confusion, "What's harsh? The word lesbian? It's not a bad word or anything. You don't have any attraction to anything but women right?" she asks and Lindsey blushing even brighter nods and Maia continues, "Well you're a lesbian and that's okay. I won't call you one again if you don't like it honestly, I just was calling it like it is."
"Well then what about you? Are you straight or anything differing," Lindsey says tapping her computer screen and slyly smiling to her while Maia scoots closer to her subconsciously, "Nah, I'm not straight but that's the only thing I know for sure. Anything else on the spectrum is debatable."
Lindsey turns fully towards her, "Well you know that's okay right? The not knowing, its okay to not know what you are. This kind of thing is only as big or as small as you make it you know. You don't have to figure anything out now or start going to pride parades or anything now. It's a process."
"Well I'm frankly surprised you know what a pride parade is considering how sheltered they keep you guys in here. Do you even remember what sunshine looks like when you're barred in here all day?" The curly haired girl tangents, "Don't you miss it? The independence?"
Lindsey smiles, "I don't know. There's independence in dependence. Being in here the majority of the time doesn't take away my freedoms, it enhances the freedom of my mind because that becomes my playground and my outdoors. Your imagination can sometimes grow wide in places where you may see yourself as restricted."
Maia smiles brightly at her and puts her face in her hand, tilting her head a little, "You Lindsey, are fascinating. I'm intrigued by you."
"Well I mean, I'm an open book with a lot of opinions." she says looking her in eyes, "I'm always willing to tell those who are willing to listen."
Maia thinks and crosses her legs, "You willing to tell me Friday, over some drinks, maybe a dinner?"
Lindsey bits her lip adorably, "Are you asking me out on a date Maia? So soon?"
"Well you need some fresh air and those drinks and dinner aren't gonna take of themselves? You in?"
Lindsey smiles, genuinely, "I'm definitely in. 7:00?"
"Perfect." She turns her head as she hears footsteps and a booming voice, "You needed me Linds?" Jace says and they both turn and look at Maia.
She shifts her head to Lindsey, "I gotta handle this in private, I'll give you my number on the way out okay?"
"That's fine, I'll watch out and make sure no one messes with you guys." She says and Maia nods.
"Thank you so much Lindsey for helping me out here." She says and the other girl smirks, "My pleasure, just get me some good food on Friday and we'll be even. Deal?"
"Deal."