Chapter 1 - I don't dislike you, mundane.
Clary sat alone on her bed in her room in Amatis' house and surfed the internet. Simon was amazing, he wasn't only her best friend, but also a genius. Here in Idris technique usually doesn't work for a reason Clary forgot, but somehow he got her old lappy to work. It was now 01:00 am. Amatis was out with Luke, to sort out things and try to forget what had happened in the past. She smiled to herself by the thought of having an 'aunt'. Even though Luke wasn't her real father, she still saw him as her dad and Amatis was just like him, only a bit more stubborn.
Clary was about to watch a Parody of Miley Cyrus' "Wrecking Ball", when she heard a noise, followed by another one. She looked up, but couldn't figure out where it came from. As she heard it the next time, she knew what it was. It was the sound of pebbles being tossed against her window. Immediately she jumped up from the big old wooden bed and pulled the light pink Top over her grey sweats down to her thighs and hurried to the window. As she opened it, she hoped not to get hit by one of the stones. "Jace, what are you doing here at this time of... Huh?", she couldn't hide the surprised tone in her voice as she saw the one standing down in the dark alley:
Dark hair, like the night sky over Brooklyn. Eyes as blue as Lake Lyn. The Runes on the young Nephilim's arms were pure black and fresh, a sign of Danger coming closer. It was no one else than Alec Lightwood."Alec?!", she must be dreaming "What are you doing here? If you're looking for Jace he isn't here.""That's not the reason why I'm here.", he said."Magnus isn't here either. The same goes for Isabelle and everyone else you could be looking for."He suddenly seemed amused about her behaviour and smiled slightly "Clary," he began calmly, but somehow his voice shook uncontrollably "I'm here because I wanted to talk to you."
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The teenage girl backed away, as the dark headed quickly climbed up the wall of the house and came through the window. There was no sign of exhaustion on his face, as if climbing up a blank wall with your bare hands would be an everyday thing, Clary thought as she sat down on the edge of her bed and stared at him."Is there something on my face?", he asked after a minute, returning her strange shook her head "What was it you wanted to talk to me about?"He suddenly seemed to remember the reason he came here for and a sad smile crept onto his pale face "Listen, I know this sounds weird but... It felt like you were the right person to talk to this about. I-""It kind of sounds like something important, sit down if you want to. I don't feel comfortable with you walking up and down in front of me. I can't concentrate."
Alec smiled and nodded.
Clary didn't see his friendly face too often, as she always had had the feeling, that the young shadow hunter hated her. Now he was sitting right next to her and folded his arms in front of his chest. And she could tell by his shaking voice and sad smile, that something must be wrong."Now," she took a deep breath and leaned back against one of her pillows "What's on your mind?"He sighed and ran a hand through his hair "I keep on thinking about Max, all day long I see his face right before me and think about how I should have been there. I should have protected him.", something made his eyes turn slightly red, Clary noticed, was he holding back tears? "Alec, I know how you feel. I miss him, too. But Max wouldn't want to see his big brother like this. He would want to see you fight and-""Clary, I'm the one who should've died instead of him!", he shouted as a single tear made it's way over his cheek, but he quickly wiped it away with his hand.
For a while, an awkward silence filled the air. Clary was both, shocked and speechless. There he was, the usually cold Alec, depressed and broken next to her. She had never seen him this way and she couldn't help it as she put a hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort him. "No, please," she whispered "Don't say such things.""Why not? Every day we wait for the next attack of Valentine's army and who will be the next one to die? Day by day there are our people dying. Warriors but also innocent children like Max. I don't want to see any more of my friends lying on the ground without any heartbeat left.""Who do you even think you are?!", Clary suddenly yelled and pulled back her hand, as Alec looked at her surprised "Do you think you're the only one who has lost someone?! Do you think killing yourself would be a solution to people's deaths?! No! You would just be selfish and escape this battle, you would let down all of your kind and you would hurt the feelings of those who love you! Think about Maryse and Robert? What would they do if they would lose another child? Isabelle would hate you and Jace would be disappointed to death. Alec, no matter how bitter everything seems, there are still things that are worth fighting for!"
"Clary...", he murmured quietly and looked straight into her eyes, which had the same colour as the Hudson River.
"If you needed a therapist, why the hell did you come to me? You hate me, don't you?", she suddenly burst out and glared at him. Somehow, what he said made her kept quiet for a moment and looked at her carefully before he sighed and ran a hand through his hair "I-I'm not sure myself. I was walking through the city and somehow always ended up here.""So you do hate me?", she mumbled."Tsk..", he suddenly laughed obviously amused about what she kept asking "How could someone possibly hate you?""Huh?", her eyes widened as she sat straight up and frowned "Does that mean you don't hate me?""I better get going before Mum freaks out...", he suddenly jumped up and rushed to the open window, faster than his own shadow "Goodnight Clary, thanks for listening to me."
"Wait!", She ran over to him and grabbed his arm as he was already half out of the window "Does that mean...you really don't hate me? You actually like me?"He turned to her and smiled "Let's say, I don't dislike you, little mundane."Suddenly his pale face drew closer and after a slight contact, he backed away and disappeared through the window. "I-I'm not a mundane!", Clary spoke quietly to herself, realising that Alec, Alec Lightwood, had just kissed her cheek. She touched her cheek with her fingers. This didn't just happen in her imagination, did it?