Brooklyn Carter Chapter 1: Brooklyn, We Go Hard, a mortal instruments fanfic

Summary: Partner story with Words. Simon Lewis and Isabelle Lightwood are the stars of a new TV show. Simon has the role of his career as a Brooklyn boy with a secret, and Isabelle plays an elitist best friend, bringing her usual roles in a completely different direction.

Disclaimer: I don't own Simon and Isabelle but I do own the characters that they are portraying, and the story they are acting in.

Hello! If you're reading this because you read my other story Words, and were interested in reading the episode that aired at the end of the second chapter, here it is.

If you're reading this and haven't read Words, I'm happy you were interested enough to check this out! I do have to explain though, if you haven't read Words because this whole story is connected to it. So, in this story, Simon and Isabelle have completely different names—they are Carter and Katie. They will have these names for the whole story, and the reasoning is because the chapters in these stories are episodes that are "airing" in my other story Words, which explains the partnership. This won't always be updated as much as the other story, just because I'll only update it if there's an episode airing. I hope that makes sense, and you guys are still interested enough to read along :)

If there's any confusion about this, just mention it in a review, and I'll try my best to explain.

So the chapters will have songs in them, because like every TV show, there is background music. They may or not pertain to exactly what is going on, but usually I'll add songs in because it relates to the characters, or it just sounds badass in the scenes. Like the song for the last part of this episode/chapter. I'll be calling them 'episodes' for the most part. Okay, so the songs used in this chapter are:

Your Easy Lovin' Ain't Pleasin' Nothin' - Mayer Hawthorne

Riptide (Cover) - Taylor Swift

Brooklyn - Mos Def (Only 0:00 to 2:07)

Brooklyn (Go Hard) - Jay-Z (Into the credits of the episode)

Another A/N at the end!

"Ma, I'm leaving!" Carter screamed in the direction of the stairs before closing the door behind him.

He took a bite from the strawberry donut he had in his hands and looked around to see if anyone was going to judge him for the sprinkles on top of the light pink frosting. He walked down the three steps from his stoop and made a right towards the subway. He dug through his khaki pants' back pocket and pulled out his iPod, with the headphones all tangled together.

Carter untangled them with ease, sticking the buds into his ear as he jogged down the steps leading down. He pressed play and the music began, officially starting off his day.

The way you move your hips

When you're struttin' down the street

Oh it makes a mess

Oh we bend the knees

Lipstick on your lips

When you say those words so sweet

Oh have mercy darlin'

I'm beggin' you please

He pulled out his MetroCard and swiped, running into the train. He went on the same train every day for the past three years, since he started going to Loyola.

When we're all alone girl

And there's no one else in sight

And I'm holdin' you so tight

And so true

Well then you pull away girl

Just when I think that I'm home

And you leave me all alone

And I'm feeling so blue, well

Carter sat the edge of a row and looked to his left at the mark he drew on the handrail above him. He leaned his head back, slouched a little, and closed his eyes. Since he lived so far from the elite school on the Upper East Side, Carter knew he could sleep alongside the business men and women who made their way from Brooklyn into Manhattan.

Your easy lovin' ain't pleasin' nothin'

Baby, yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Forget teasing, loving

I need that tender loving

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Come on

Carter's eyes snapped open when the conductor announced the stop before his. He sat up and looked down at his lap for a moment as his mind caught up. He was always fascinated how New Yorkers could tell, even in their deepest sleep, that their stop was next. It was a rite of passage, really.

Carter stood up, slipping his way past the now full train. His school was just a few blocks away, but of course, since he lived so far from it, he was running late. Even though he woke up an hour before anyone in the school did.

He ran up the steps, arranging his blue jacket. He could always feel the crest of the school against the left side of his chest. It wasn't that it was heavy or anything. Maybe just heavy with the burden of expectation. Or maybe it was because he and everyone else in the school knew he didn't belong.

Running down the hall and stuffing his iPod in his pocket, Carter grabbed a brown paper bag from behind him in this backpack and held his other hand out as someone held open their homeroom door.

"Cutting it close today, Mr. Alessi," Ms. Amoretto told him with a smile. He was late every day. This was a fact. And, in return, Ms. Amoretto said this to him every single day. It was tradition at this point.

Right when Carter stepped into the room, the bell rang and the door was shut as he made his way to his seat. He dropped the brown paper bag on the desk beside his and sat down in his seat.

He looked over at the girl with black hair and striking blue eyes as she dug into the bag and pulled out a Strawberry frosted donut—with rainbow sprinkles, of course.

"Thanks, Carter."

He breathed deeply as he leaned back into his seat. "No problem, Katie."

She took a bite into her donut. "You'd think that doing this every day would help with your asthma and ability to run without having to breathe like a Pug."

Carter side-eyed her, and she grinned. "Yeah, yeah, Nolan. Good morning. Tomorrow you'll have no sprinkles."

Katie frowned and sat forward, while Carter smirked.

I was scared of dentists and the dark

I was scared of pretty girls and starting conversations

Oh, all my friends are turning green

You're the magician's assistant in their dream

Oh, and they come unstuck

Lady, running down to the riptide

Taken away to the dark side

I wanna be your left hand man

I love you when you're singing that song

And I got a lump in my throat

'Cause you're gonna sing the words wrong

Carter looked over at Katie. The two were sitting on a bench as the whole school flooded out and entered their long black service cars that only paid drivers had.

"Piano today?" he asked while she took the headphone out of her ear. Carter took his out too, putting it away in his pocket.

"Yeah, and a gala," Katie replied, and looked over to see Carter smirking. "Go ahead and laugh. It is the third one this month."

"And it's only the 10th," Carter mumbled, amused.

"I know," Katie huffed. "What about you? Work?" Carter nodded. "I wish I could work."

Carter rolled his eyes. "No, Katie. You don't."

"I do," Katie said quietly.

"You say that every time."

"And I mean it," she answered, and he looked over at her.

He sat up straight. "Well, one day, you will. And you'll create your own grand life with that money you earn."

Katie gave a big nod. "Damn straight." He laughed. "And that is why we became friends."

Carter glanced at Katie. He had said it before. You don't belong in this school. You're so different from them. And she replied in the same fashion every time.

"Call me later," Carter said, standing up. "After the gala, of course."

"Or during it," Katie replied, and stood up too. They walked towards the entrance of the school. "Later, Alessi."

"Later, Nolan," Carter said with a wave as Katie turned right, towards her car. The driver opened up the door for her, and she waved back. Carter turned around, stuffing his hands in his pockets and walking back towards the subway.

Sometimes I feel like I don't have a partner

Sometimes I feel like my only friend

Is the city I live in, is beautiful Brooklyn

Long as I live here believe I'm on fire hey

Carter walked up the steps and into the fresh air. He and the whole city waited for the first real cold weather day, but, until then, they all enjoyed the fall weather.

Cuz it's the B-the-R-the-O-the-O-K

L-Y-N is the place where I stay

The B-the-R-the-O-the-O-K

Best in the world and all USA

It's the B-to-the-R-the-O-the-O-K

L-Y-N is the place where I stay

The B-to-the-R-the-O-the-O-K

Place where I rest is on my born day

Carter walked his usual route. He had work almost every week day, even though it never really felt like he was off, or not on the job, since they called him in whenever they wanted. It wasn't always for work, though. Sometimes it was just for dinner, to which he brought his mom along with him.

He replayed the song as he opened the door to the restaurant. The familiar smell of garlic, tomato sauce, and cheese filled his nostrils, and his stomach immediately growled. He put a hand in the air as a hello at the cooks on the other side of counters as he walked through the Italian restaurant. They replied by saying his name, and Carter walked through to the back, giving a friendly smile to those sitting in the booths, enjoying their lunch.

Carter pulled the green velvet curtain to the side and stepped through to the back of the restaurant. They were two large dining tables, and three booths to his right side. He sat in his normal booth, the one in the corner farthest from the entrance and closest to the kitchen, and threw his bag onto the seat.

"How was school?" one of them asked, not taking his gaze off the cards he had in front of his face.

"Yeah, getting them good grades, Cartier?" another asked, grinning at him toothily as he used one of Carter's nicknames. The brand of fancy jewelry wasn't Carter's favorite.

"Good," Carter replied.

"Good?" another asked with a cigar in his mouth. "Just good? Better be amazing for what we pay for you to go to that school."

Carter resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"That you pay for?" the one with the cards asked, and then turned around to smile at Carter. It comforted him. Johnny's smile always did. "Just do what you can, Carter. We're proud of you either way."

"Yeah, ignore Joseph. He never had any schooling anyway." Ray, the one with the toothy grin, said this before raising his eyebrows at Joseph.

"Yeah, whatever," Joseph muttered as Carter laughed lowly, pulling out a brown leather notebook.

"No," Johnny said firmly. Carter looked up. "Finish your homework first, and then you can get to work." Carter gave a nod and pulled out his books.

He looked up when two pepperoni pizzas were placed in front of him with three garlic knots. Carter winked. "You're the best, Nicky." Nicky, one of the cooks, winked back, and then left without a word.

"Make it quick. It's already late, and Carter has school in the morning," Johnny instructed, handing Ray a ripped up piece of paper with words scribbled on it.

"If he has the money?" Ray asked.

"Let him go," Johnny replied with a shrug.

"And if he doesn't?" Joseph asked, smirking.

Johnny broke that smirk with a slap on the back of his head. "Stop being cute. You're not. Now go."

Carter watched from the back seat as Johnny went back into the restaurant, but not without turning back to give him a nod.

Carter returned it, and Ray drove off.

"Look, Carter," the man said, standing in front of Carter, each of his arms held by Joseph and Ray. "Tell Johnny I need one more week. Just one more, alright? I mean it this time."

Carter shook his head, closing the leather notebook. "Sorry, Manny. I really can't. I helped you out last time. I told you I can't talk you up to him for another."

"Carter—"

Brooklyn, Brooklyn, Brooklyn we go hard

"Manny," Carter said, looking up to make eye contact with him. They held it for a moment. "I'm sorry."

Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard

Carter looked away as Manny's eyes filled with anger and he began yelling obscenities at him. He turned around, walking away with his expression unfazed as he could hear Manny's groans, and the blows of Joseph and Ray.

Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard

Carter turned around and leaned back against the side of the car, watching from a distance as Ray and Joseph went to work.

A/N: Simon/Carter is so badass, and I really LOVE writing him in this. I hope you guys enjoyed this, because I'm having so much fun writing it. Way too much fun. It's a little embarrassing.

Let me know what you guys think! I'd love to know what you guys think of this episode, and the partnership with Words. It's definitely different from anything of done, and it's more work than just a regular story, but I don't even mind. Please leave me some reviews, feedback & inspiration :)

Also, my DLF loves, you're getting an update next!

Shout out to rippingbutterflywings for beta'ing this, for being so supportive of this whole idea, and just being overall amazing. Thank you, my dear CH Clary!