Prologue:

Today was the fifth month anniversary of Clary and Jace. She was super extremely excited. She wanted to surprise him with a new leather jacket she had bought for him. She still felt bad for getting his other one ruined a while back. But now she had one to replace it. And news he'd love to know. She was expecting something of theirs that meant a lot to her. Since it was a big deal for her, she had put on a cute blue sundress with a brown leather jacket and black flats. Her face was clean with a bit of mascara on her eyelashes, and her hair was pulled into a ponytail that sat big and puffy on her shoulder. She couldn't wait to see Jace. She knew he'd remember today was today because he had told her he'd give her a surprise. She had learned about that and immediately felt like she owed him something in return.

She finally picked up the wrapped box off her bed, tucked it into her side bag, and hurried out of her room. She waved to Luke and Jocelyn who were watching the football game on the television, and they smiled to her. Just as she shut the door, they cried out. She laughed behind her hand, walking down the sidewalk towards the subway station. She grabbed a quick ride on the bus, thankfully getting a free ride due to the fact the person was a werewolf that was a part of Luke's pack. She sat in one of the front seats and waited patiently as the bus took off into Manhattan. She kept one leg crossed over the other, her bottom knee bouncing like crazy. The bus came to a stop, a street across from the subway stairs, and she swung herself off the bus. She hurried down the sidewalk, the warm summer sun beating on her, warming her body.

She came to the staircase, her hand barely touching the handrail as she timidly walked down the steps. She glanced at the bus schedule on the walls even though it was covered by graffiti and saw her train was arriving. She gasped in shock, running towards the bus with everyone crowding tightly around her. She finally made her way on the bus, and stood rather than sitting down. On her nearly empty car, she saw a girl sit in the corner of the train and play on an acoustic guitar, singing in the prettiest voice ever. Clary smiled, walked up to the girl's small hat filled with poor dollar bills. She dropped a fifty into the box, causing the girl to grin and play even better. Clary smiled, standing by the girl while she sung and played beautifully. She was pretty, Clary noted mentally. Dull brown hair and light brown eyes with pale skin, tattoos on her arms. Not tattoos, Clary sharply corrected herself, but Runes and Marks.

Clary swallowed nervously, moved herself so that what she was about to do could be hidden, and revealed her Clairvoyance rune. The brunette smirked at Clary, singing loud enough that some people turned. Clary moved back normally, and people started to migrate her way. Dollar bill after the other dropped into the hat until it was overflowing. Clary waved goodbye to the girl as the doors opened up, and she exited onto her platform. She ran up the stairs to the upside of New York City, and started to practically run towards the Institute. Her footsteps were quick and happy in their own way. She finally crossed the street leading towards the Institute, and ran towards the tall building. Her heart was pounding with anticipation. She couldn't wait to see him.

She pressed her hand to the door, and it opened up easily under her touch. She smiled and stepped inside, dusting off her dress skirt. Immediately she spotted Maryse walking past. The busy woman smiled, waving slightly to Clary before going back to the open file in her hands. She smiled back and started up the staircase. She finally came to the floor where Jace's room was, and she gently walked up to his door. She waited a second, hesitating as she went to knock. Inside, giggling and Jace's laughter echoed. Her heart started to falter. She finally pushed open the door, and was horrified at the sight before her. Jace was laying on his back, stark naked, a smile on his face. Both his hands were on the hips of a strange black-haired girl with fake blonde tips sitting right on top of him, bare to the bone.

Her eyes filled with tears, and she put her hand over her mouth just as an airy sob came. Jace looked up in shock, but that turned into pure horror as he saw exactly who was in his room. Clary shook her head, backing away. She threw down the box with his gift inside, and started to run down the hallway. Tears fell down her cheeks.

"Clary!" called Jace from behind her. "Clary, wait!"

She was halfway to the stairs when his arms wrapped around her waist. She screamed, turning around and sharply dragging her nails down his cheek. He dropped her, his hand going to his face with a cry of surprise. Izzy's door opened up to reveal Alec and the tall girl.

"I hate you!" she screamed, shoving him hard with tears still falling down her face. "Stay away from me! Get out of my life! I wish I had never met you, you sorry bastard!"

She sobbed again, turning around and dashing faster than Jace could imagine towards the doors. She flung open her exit, and stepped outside. She ran opposite of where she needed to go. She ran until it hurt. She crashed to her knees in the alleyway beside Hotel Dumort. She sniffed, not caring she was beside a group of very hostile vampires, wiping at her face with sorrow. She finally got back onto her feet as she replayed everything that had happened when she was with Jace. They were over now. It was done. She hated Jace. She was finished with him. She never wanted to see him again. He didn't deserve her. She should've seen this coming. She walked up to the wall opposite of the Hotel, and used her stele to draw a Portal Rune.

The large pool of blue and white turned and twisted, and she didn't care where it led her to. Just as long as it was outside of Manhattan, she was happy. She stepped through the portal without a second thought, and she wasn't exactly prepared for when she crashed on her knees in a strange forest. She gasped, getting to her feet quickly. She looked around slowly until a snapping sound behind her hit the air. She whirled around, ready for a battle. She saw a familiar figure step out, and her heart sank. Sebastian stood a few feet away from her, his dark eyes staring at her.

"Who are you?" Sebastian quickly asked, pulling out a chakram from his belt.

"You know who I am, Sebastian," she snapped.

"My name's not Sebastian. My name's Gabriel," she saw his hand and realized that his Clairvoyance rune was opposite of Sebastian's.

"Oh," she gasped. "I'm-I'm sorry. You looked like someone I knew a while back."

"That's fine," Gabriel soothed. "I've been told I look like a lot of things. Who are you, if you don't mind finally answering me?"

"Oh," she laughed guiltily, rubbing the back of her neck shyly. "I'm Clary Fray. I came from Manhattan."

"Nice to meet you," he held out his hand. "You're a Shadowhunter, correct?"

"Yes," she nodded, shaking his hand firmly. "Where am I?"

"You're in Louisiana," the very handsome Shadowhunter answered, stepping fully into the sunlight.

She realized that his hair wasn't at all blonde. It was a fair brown. A very pretty fair brown. She had never seen anything like it. He was suddenly very handsome to her. His eyes weren't black, either. They were close, but not fully black. It looked like a gray that was a shade from being black. Like a dark, dark, burning ash.

"Louisiana?" she repeated to herself. "I never thought about Louisiana."

"Come on, I'll take you to the Institute," he offered her his hand.

She took his offer gratefully, not minding that she was hand in hand with a complete stranger. They walked until they came to a large, fenced in building. Around was large dogs. Much like wolves, but not exactly wolves. One had piercing blue eyes and dirty black fur. Like a huskie wolf. Wolfski's, she realized. Very pretty wolfskis. He opened up the gate and held it open for her. She became slightly nervous as one, a big brown wolf with green-gray eyes came up to her. It licked her hand in a comforting way. She let out a small breath and scratched the large canine behind the ear as they walked. It went back to the fence, and she was smiling just barely. He held open the doors to the large castle-church. They stepped inside and she was blasted by people.

Two females and four other males came up to Gabriel, but froze when they saw her.

"Gabe?" one of the girls, a sassy looking brunette with the same gray eyes as his. "Explain."

"Found her in the woods," he explained. "She's from Manhattan. She's a Shadowhunter, too. We can't leave her hanging."

"True," muttered a boy with ginger hair and dark eyes.

"Okay. Everyone, this is Clary Fray. Clary, meet everyone: My sister Brenda, Haylee, Mick, Daniel, Lynx, and Quinten."

She smiled and waved.