A/N- Okay so I'm taking up the iTunes challenge. If you don't know what that is, you put your mp3 slash iTunes slash iPod on shuffle, record the names of twelve songs (that's your chapter names) and revolve a story based on the songs. So here goes. P.s I might do more than 12.

Chapter 1: Take On Me

JPOV

I had never felt emptier or alone for that matter in my life.

Clary had gone away for the weekend and I was stuck here at the Institute because her mum had insisted on it being a 'family' vacation as much as Clary had argued that I was practically family.

Well, Jocelyn put her foot down then and clarified that the holiday was 'mother/daughter' time. So that was that.

Ptf, as if. She just didn't want me to be around Clary any more than I was. But I had to admit, I was around a lot.

However, it's not my fault that Clary lived at the Institute now.

I mean, it's not like I purposely destroyed their apartment, then hooked Luke up with Jocelyn and then told Clary she had to leave them because I thought she was invading their privacy.

Nope- definitely not my doing.

Clary knew what was best for her; to leave her mother and stepfather in peace and to further her training as a shadow hunter.

Yep, I had nothing at all to do with this.

Well, maybe just a little.

Anyway, back to the vacation. Jocelyn had taken Clary to Rhode Island for the long weekend for the reason of 'mother/daughter' time.

Obviously the bonding time wasn't much as Clary was texting me most of the time. Seriously, I had never used a phone so much before I met Clary.

The smell of something putrid wafted down the hall and through my open door.

Oh, that's right- Mayrse's in Idris.

Crap.

I walked to the door, slammed it shut; making sure I paid special attention to turning the lock.

Nothing could hold my attention for any span of time lately. My hands were usually busy holding Clary and now that she had gone away, I was bored.

I looked over at my bedside table where my mobile lay, flashing. Quick as a flash, I rolled over, grabbed the device and flipped it open. It was a text from Clary.

Im seriously bored. I dont kno y mum took me on hols. Save me PLEASE! C. Xx.

I chuckled. Poor Clary- I knew exactly how she felt.

There was only a day or two left to wait until Jocelyn bought her back to New York.

Back to me.

I pressed the reply option from her message and text back.

Haha endure it. U should b glad that Jocie took u away from this mad house. Miss u tho. JC.

I pressed send and waited for her reply. It took record time.

Grrr u suk. Nice 2 kno u miss me. Hold the phone 4 a sec. C.

Huh? What did she mean "hold the phone"? Nobody ever told me that, unless you counted Isabelle when she went through her phase of random yet catchy phrases she would go around saying to everyone. Like the time three years ago, I went to stab a Ravener demon, which was half dead anyway, when Izzy yelled out 'HOLD THE PHONE! Mum'll be furious if she has to wash ichor out of those shoes again!' Now that had been a classic since Izzy was covered in the stuff from pinning another demon to the wall.

The phone started to vibrate in my hand.

Oh! Clary had literally meant to hold the phone. I flipped it open and put it to my ear.

"Seriously- hold the phone? Next time, go for a more direct route like I'm going to call you," I chuckled.

"Hey to you too," Clary said laughing.

"So what do I owe the pleasure of this call?" I enquired pompously.

"I'm lonely and I wanted to talk to somebody, preferably you."

I thought for a moment, "Your mum's asleep isn't she?"

Clary laughed. "Of course. How else would I have got away with calling you?"

This reiterated my point about Jocelyn's strictness towards Clary and I. She thought it was just some sort of fling, like girls I've seen before Clary, but Clary is different. Clary is my only future and will never be in my past; forgotten like other infatuations her light has blinded me from seeing.

"I have a surprise for you by the way," I said.

Well it wasn't really my surprise to give her, but Mayrse, Robert, Lucian and Jocelyn had so kindly asked me to tell her instead.

Next week Clary was turning 18 and since she was the last of us younger Shadowhunters to come of age, as a gift the adults were sending Isabelle, Alec, Clary and myself overseas.

And I still didn't know what to get her.

"Oh you know I hate it when you say that. Now I'm going to stew about it all weekend."

"Well you only have tomorrow to wait."

"Gah. I hate this stinking holliday. It sucks sh-"

"Now, now- no need to let that red headed temper get to your head."

"Yeah well, you provoked it."

"And love doing it. You're so cute when you get riled up."

I knew my comment would cause a reaction. "You did not just call me cute. Kittens are cute, babies in blue are cute, for Pete's sake the zoo's new fat baby panda's are cute but I am NOT CUTE."

I chuckled. "See what I mean? If I was there, I would kiss you right now."

"I suppose; you can when I come home- that's if I make it through the night. Gah, your little 'surprise' is killing me already."

"No matter how dark the night, love and hope are always possible," I quoted.

She burst out laughing, "Ahh, it seems my habit of watching too many crime shows has rubber off on you. That was a sad episode- the sadistic murderer was so lovable. I mean he was only like that because he watched his dad kill his mother. I almost cried at the end."

"I know; I was there on the couch with you."

"That's right."

I looked at my bedside clock. Wow, had we really talked for over hour? This call must be costing her a fortune in credit.

"Well I better let you go before your mum notices you're still awake seeming it's one in the morning."

" 'Kay. I love you."

"Love you, too."

"Can you give me one clue before you go? Please?"

How could I not resist Clary's pleading?

"Okay, one clue. You ready?"

"Just hurry up already!"

I chucked as I sang, "I come from the land down under..."

Her intake of breath was audible as I shut the phone, ending the call.

Looks like she knew where we were going.

A/N- Come on, you should know where they are going or is ignorance shielding your eyes from the world? Hold in there guys, there is more to come and it will get better. Hope you like it. Oh btw, If you were wondering what the crime show was they had been watching, it was Criminal Minds and the quote was the ending quote at the close an episode( can't remember what it's called!!)