Hi! I'm Jade Morgenstern (or at least I was when I posted this).

This story is based off of a story written by Purrina57 called Underground. I'd recommend you read it, but she deleted it.

Anyway, I really liked the story, and it inspired me to write this one!

So, in this story, after the world ended, humans fled to underground. This particular story takes place in the twelfth sector of fifteen called Ithuriel (each sector is names after an angel, except for Alicante). Ithuriel is a lower middle class sector, so they don't have electricity (or much anyway), and pretty much everyone wears jeans and T-shirts.

Any more questions you have you can put in a review or PM me. I hope you like this story!

The world ended a hundred years ago, they say, but we're still here. Humans fled to underground. This is the last human city as far as we know.

There are stories; they say everyone used to have electricity. Cities were alive with light and power rather than everything being lit by fire. There used to be a bright, blue sky overhead rather than the pitch blackness that looms over all of Idris. There were trees, plants, grass and the air was fresh... I fantasize about it sometimes- what it must have been like.

Idris is all there is now. This great city that is as high and as wide as you can see. It's so large that it has been divided into fifteen sectors. Ours is called Ithuriel.

This is the story of a girl with a complicated family secret, falling in love with someone she met by chance. This is the story of the last great city.

"Is this all we made today?" Asked Maryse, looking at the pile of copper coins on the small, round table.

"Yeah," said Jace. "Business was slow today. Sorry."

Maryse sighed exasperatedly and put her hand on her protruding stomach. "I don't know if we'll have enough to pay the band and get enough booze for the week. This is exactly why I wanted you guys to learn how to play instruments."

"Not really my thing," Isabelle called across the empty room from behind the bar.

"Nothing is," said Maryse, looking down at the coins spread across the table.

"Hey!" Isabelle glared at her. "I heard that!"

Maryse ignored her. She took the coins by the handful and stuffed them into the leather pouch. "I'm going to bed. Goodnight."

Jace saw Alec watch after her from behind the bar as she walked across the room and up the wooden stairs, hand on her lower back.

"I'm a bit worried about her," Alec said after she was gone. "She's staying up till three every night and she's six months pregnant."

"So?" Said Isabelle. "She can handle it. She's tougher than she looks. And she makes up for the sleep the morning after."

"Still," said Alec. "It isn't healthy. She should go to bed before Dad does, and he can count the day's wages."

"I don't disagree with you," said Jace. "Maryse is pushing herself pretty hard, isn't she?"

Isabelle looked at him sideways. "Did you just call her Mom Maryse?"

"Oops. I've gotten used to it I guess," Jace shrugged.

"You pretty much only see her during work hours," said Alec. "It makes sense."

Jace shrugged again. "I don't think she really cares."

Alec began to wipe down the bar.

Isabelle was still cleaning the same glass she had been when Maryse was there.

"Isabelle, that's just sad," said Jace.

Isabelle frowned. "Huh?"

"That glass. Can you really not get the spit off of it?"

Isabelle stopped cleaning and looked down at it. "Oops. Forgot I had this," she opened a cupboard and put it away.

The corner of Jace's lips pulled and and he shook his head. "I think you're just lazy, Isabelle."

Isabelle turned to face him and planted her hands on her hips. "I don't see you doing anything."

Jace shrugged. "Not my thing."

Clary glanced down at the scrap of paper in her hand before knocking on the door.

After a few seconds, the door opened.

"Clary!"

"Hi, Rebecca," Clary smiled.

"Simon or Me?"

"You."

Rebecca nodded. "Come in," she opened the door wide and gestured inside.

Clary walked into the Lewis' home/herbal shop and Rebecca shut the door behind her. "Doing some shopping for your mom?" She asked.

Clary nodded and handed her the scrap of paper.

Rebecca looked over it. "Shepherd's purse, blue cohosh, black cohosh... I think we're out of comfrey."

"Its fine. Tell me when you get more."

Rebecca nodded, still looking at the list. "Can do. I'll get these for you. Be right back," she walked to the back room.

The Lewis' house was fairly big for an Ithuriel house; it had two stories. Almost no one had stairs if they didn't live in an apartment, like Clary did.

Clary went up the creaky, wooden stairs and peeked through the cracked door into her best friend, Simon's room. He was sitting on his tiny bed, an open book in his hands. He was holding it as if it were made of glass.

"Is that a book?!" Clary exclaimed, eyes wide.

Simon jumped, nearly dropping it. "Don't scare me! I nearly dropped it!"

Clary rushed over to his bed and sat next to him, looking at it. "Where did you get that?"

"A friend."

"Oh my god," Clary grinned. "What book is it?"

Simon closed it and looked at the front. "Twilight."

Clary leaned closer. "... You didn't do anything illegal to get this, did you?"

Simon shook his head. "He needed a favor. I snuck into his ex-girlfriend's house and got his... Never mind. He payed me back with this," she gestured to the book with his chin.

Clary marveled at it. Books from the old world were extremely rare. There were reading materials, but they were educational. Books from way back when had characters, plots, stories.

Books were rather rare now. Barely anyone had one. "Is it any good?"

Simon shrugged. "I guess. It's about vampires."

Clary nodded. "Maybe you can read it to me sometime."

Simon glanced at her and smiled. "Sounds fun."

"Clary," Rebecca was standing in Simon's doorway, a small canvas bag in her hands. Her eyes widened as Simon tried to hide it. "Is that a book?" She walked over and Simon showed her. "Wow," she breathed. "How did you get it?"

"Long story," said Simon. "Don't tell Mom."

"Sure," Rebecca nodded. She looked at Clary. "I've got your herbs, Clary," she held out the bag.

"Thanks," Clary took out a handful of coins from her pocket. "How much?"

"Eight coppers."

Clary sorted out eight from her ten and put them in Rebecca's hand. She gave her the bag. "Thanks," Clary stood up. "I should get home, but it was nice seeing you guys."

"You too," said Rebecca.

"Bye, Clary," said Simon.

Clary walked out of the room and shut the door.

"Really, Simon?" She heard Rebecca's voice from inside the room. She lingered to hear more.

"What?" Said Simon.

Rebecca sighed. "I know, Simon."

There was a few seconds of silence that followed. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Rebecca laughed. "Are you ever gonna tell her?"

"No!" Said Simon. "Never. Not in a million years- ever."

"Jeez, no need to get so worked up. I was only teasing."

"Clary."

Clary jumped and spun around. "Hi Mrs. Lewis," Clary said in a low voice- as to not tip off Rebecca and Simon that she'd been eavesdropping.

"Did you come for more herbs?"

Clary held up the bag. "Got them. Thank you."

"Of course, dear. I hope to see you again soon."

Clary nodded and waved and she turned and walked down the stairs.

Jocelyn dismounted her bike and leaned it against the outer brick wall of the Pandemonium. She glanced up at the blackness over the city briefly before ringing the bell that was next to the door.

About a minute later, the door opened and a very tired-looking Isabelle Lightwood answered the door.

"Can I help you?" She asked. Her black hair was in two messy braids that went in front of her shoulders, and down to her waist, and she was in sweatpants and a T-shirt. She looked slightly cold.

"Yes. I'm Jocelyn Garroway, the midwife. I'm here to see your mom."

Isabelle's eyes sparked with recognition. "Oh right. I forgot. Come in," she held the door open.

Jocelyn thanked her as she went in.

The Lightwoods' home was over their nightclub, so Jocelyn walked through the empty room towards the stairs.

There were small wooden table at the edges of the large room, and a bar in the center, and a stage in the wall, raised a few feet above the floor.

Jocelyn went up the winding, wooded stairs. Maryse was sitting on the couch in the main room at the top of the stairs. She turned her head and saw her. "Oh, Jocelyn. I forgot you were coming today."

"Sorry, I hope it isn't inconvenient."

Maryse shook her head and stood up. "Not at all. Let's go to the bedroom."

Jocelyn nodded and followed Maryse to her bedroom. She closed the door and Maryse laid down on the double bed- which were the biggest you would see in Ithuriel.

Jocelyn set her bag down on the bedside table. She took out her measuring tape and inched Maryse's shirt up till her entire baby bump was showing. Jocelyn put the tape vertically across her stomach.

"Twenty four centimeters," said Jocelyn.

"Three more months," Maryse smiled.

"Very good. You know your facts."

"I should hope so," she scoffed. "This is my fourth."

Jocelyn glanced at her. "I thought this would be your fifth."

Maryse shook her head. "Jace was adopted."

"Ah," Jocelyn nodded. She should've guessed, she thought. Jace didn't look like Maryse or Robert- or his siblings for that matter.

There was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Asked Maryse.

"Madeleine Bellefleur, Jocelyn Garroway's assistant."

"You're late," said Jocelyn, sounding disapproving.

"Yes. I'm sorry."

"Come in," said Maryse.

The door opened and Madeleine tentatively entered. "What did I miss?"

"Measuring," said Jocelyn. "She's twenty four centimeters."

Madeleine nodded and set down her bag.

Jocelyn put away her measuring tape and placed her hands on Maryse's stomach. She stiffened. "Oh, sorry," Jocelyn rubbed her hands together rapidly to warm them. She placed her hands on her stomach again. "Better?"

Maryse nodded.

Jocelyn felt around for several seconds, pressing in the appropriate places. "Your baby's gotten bigger," Jocelyn smiled. "And... It's good," Jocelyn went into her bag and pulled out her Pinard horn. She pressed it gently to her stomach and put her ear on the other end. "Heartbeat is strong," she smiled and took the instrument away. "Your baby is healthy, Maryse."

Maryse smiled and placed her hands on her stomach.

"So," Jocelyn closed up her bag and smiled at her. "Your eating properly? Lots of protein and leafy greens?"

Maryse nodded and pulled her shirt back over her belly. "Yes. As much as you can get here anyway," she joked.

"Resting? Getting a proper night's sleep?"

Maryse pressed her lips into a line and looked away.

"Maryse, it isn't good to be working a lot right now. Can you have Robert cover for you?"

Maryse shook her head. "We're pretty busy. We can't even watch Max at night, we just send him to bed."

Jocelyn thought for a second. "You could hire more help. I know someone who could work for cheap."

Maryse looked interested. "Who?"

"My daughter, Clary. She's sixteen, but she has nothing to do, and she's a good worker."

Maryse nodded. "That would be perfect. Thank you so much."

Jocelyn smiled at her. "Of course. Now, I'll have a little talk with Robert, and I want you to rest. Got it?"

Maryse nodded. "Got it."

Clary went on her toes and looked eagerly over the crowd.

"So, do we have to lie about our ages?" Asked Simon.

"Yes," said Clary, turning to him. "They won't let us in if we say we're sixteen."

Simon sighed. "I don't know how I let you talk me into this."

"C'mon, it'll be fun," she said smiling, and nudged him.

They got to the front of the line, where they were greeted by the bouncer. He was an older man; middle aged. He was tall, and burly with olive skin, and his hair and eyes were both dark.

"Two coppers," said a man. They were right before the open door of Pandemonium, and Clary could feel her excitement surfacing.

"Of course," Clary pulled two copper coins out of her pocket and handed it to him. So did Simon.

The man eyes the two suspiciously. "How old are you two?"

"Nineteen," Clary said at the same as Simon said:

"Eighteen."

The man raised an eyebrow- which made Clary instantly jealous.

"He's eighteen, I'm nineteen," Clary lied, suddenly a little nervous. Clary had always been a terrible liar.

The man stared at them for a long time before gesturing them inside.

Clary gripped Simon's hand and pulled him in.

The room was large. There were small tables on the outskirts of the room, people sitting at them with drinks from the bar in the center of the room. There was a band playing on a stage at the far side of the room, and people everywhere dancing to it, and the lighting was dim. Clary grinned. "Let's dance."

"Um... Okay," said Simon as Clary grabbed his arm and hauled him onto the dance floor.

Simon wasn't a very good dancer. He was sort of awkwardly bouncing in place, occasionally dipping to the floor. Clary didn't really care; she was having fun. Nightclubs, Clary decided, were one of her favorite things.

She danced carelessly to the music- which sounded so interesting. A combination of violin, cello, drums, piano and guitar that created a sort of rock song. Clary hadn't heard much music, but she loved it.

"May I dance with him?" Asked a blonde girl, gesturing at Simon.

Simon looked surprised.

"Sure," said Clary, smiling. Maybe Simon would finally get a girlfriend. "I'll be at the bar."

Simon nodded, looking slightly uncomfortable.

The girl began dancing with him and Clary wandered through the crowd till she found the bar. She sat at an empty stool.

A cute blonde boy smiled at her from behind the bar. "What can I get you?"

"Um," Clary frowned in thought. She didn't really know much about club drinks.

The boy chuckled. "How old are you?"

"Nineteen."

The boy smirked and shook his head. "My guess is your... Fifteen. Don't worry, I won't tell. And I'll still serve you."

"I'm sixteen, actually," Clary admitted.

The boy smiled. "Do you have a specific drink you like?"

Clary shook her head. "I don't really know anything about alcohol."

"Hmm... Tell you what: I'll make one for you, and we'll see if you like it."

Clary smiled. "Sounds good."

Clary watched him and he took a combination of different things and put them into her glass. He set in in front of her and smiled. "I think I got it. Try it; tell me what you think."

Clary took a small sip from the glass. It barely had any alcohol in it, and it tasted almost fruity. "Oh I like this."

The boy chuckled.

Clary glanced at him as she took another sip. He looked like he'd gotten lots of girls with that sideways smirk. He was one of the most attractive boys Clary had ever seen, with his mesmerizing golden eyes and curling blonde hair. His black, fitted T-shirt showed off his muscular frame, and Clary found herself trying not to stare.

"How much?"

"On me," he said, taking a copper coin out of his pocket and putting it somewhere under the bar.

Clary smiled. "Thanks."

"I'm Jace, by the way."

She smiled, blushing slightly. "Clary."

A boy with black hair passed Jace, carrying two glasses. "Stop flirting, Jace. We have other customers," he said sternly.

Clary blushed, despite herself.

Jace smirked at this. "I'll see you around, Clary."

Did you like it?

Any questions you have, you can leave a review or PM me. I will respond :)

-Jade Morgenstern