City of Love

Even sitting on the porch texting on her phone at seven p.m. on a winter afternoon, Isabelle looked stunning. She was wearing a fuzzy red sweater and designer jeans. On top she wore a long black winter coat a red scarf and combat boots.

Simon walked up and as he approached she looked up at him and smiled. The smile felt so familiar yet something he wasn't used to. Her smile was beautiful but Simon knew there was disappointment buried underneath. And Simon knew what it was all about. It was because of him. Clary, Jace, Alec, Magnus, and Isabelle remembered him and everything about him even before he remembered the time he met them. They'd tell him about everything they've been through together but Simon could just nod along, he couldn't add details or even give them joy that he remembered, because he didn't.

"Hey Simon," Isabelle said, "I'm so glad you came, I didn't think you would."

"Why wouldn't I?" He replied.

"I didn't know if you trusted me anymore…"

"Isabelle…," Simon didn't know what to say, he felt so bad but there was nothing he could do about his memory loss, "Of course I trust you, I really truly regret everything I did to block my memories. If I could, I'd undo it."

Isabelle shook her head furiously; they compromised on not telling Simon about their experience in Edom, the demon realm. "Don't be sorry for that, ever… We owe you for doing what you did, always." At that she spun around to face her front door and stood facing it looking up at the church. "What do you see Simon? Where do you think we are?"

All Simon saw was a church so he said so, but something didn't seem right about the church. It didn't look firm; it looked like it was waving to Simon. "Wait, is this the institute? He heard so much about the institute from his shadowhunter friends. Then he saw it, it wasn't just a church anymore, it was much bigger suddenly. So the glamour must've faded away then, his friends told him about that too.

At that Isabelle spun her head back and smiled at him, "It's more than that, it's my home." Then she began striding inside.

The inside of the institute was marvelous. There were two huge staircases leading up. There were no lights on, only floating candles. A plump black cat came up to them and Isabelle scooped it up and began whispering to it while rubbing it. "Hey Church," she began softly. "Are Alec and Jace home?" The cat leaped from her grasp and leaped to the door and sat there. "I guess not then," Isabelle said, "Come on," she led Simon upstairs.

Simon ran to catch up with her. She stopped by the stairs and looked at him.

"Race you up?"

Instead of responding he began running until he reached the top but obviously Isabelle was a meter in front of him leading him to her room.