Fanfiction

Jace :

My feet pounded down on the ground below me, eating up the damp pavement at an alarming rate. I risked a look behind me, smiling as the figure slowed down to a walk catching his breath. I was safe, for now at least. I allowed my body to regain its strength running at a slow jog as I turned the corner onto Fifth Street. I took three lefts and a right making certain that I had lost my pursuer, ducking under an overhang in attempt to keep dry. I reached my apartment in a matter of minutes, unlocking the door and racing up the flight of stairs waving to Hodge the door man on the way. My family the Lightwoods weren't the richest family in the town but they definitely weren't the poorest. They made their money through lies and cheats just like half the people in this miserable excuse of a town, trading and selling illegal weaponry, drugs and just generally anything that would make them a load of cash. I was adopted after both my parents died when I was only four; the Lightwoods took me in and treated me like their own along with their biological children Alec, Izzy and Max.

And just like any family at the top of the hierarchy we had competition. The Mogensterns, led by the father of the family Valentine Morgenstern, with his son Jonathon close behind him. They were arguably the most well-known family around these parts and got their name the same way we did. They had gangs around the whole of London making sure nothing went unnoticed and those who needed monitoring were monitored. Unfortunately I had managed to make that list of people meaning that it was increasingly hard to smuggle anything in or out of the Capitol. I had to constantly keep to the shadows always afraid that any breath could be my last, (I say afraid but what I really mean is, hmmm what's the word… uncertain) of course Alec had the same problem, although he was usually more careful than I. But hey a guy has got to live a little, right? There are girls to kiss, parties to attend and people to piss.

Izzy looked up from her magazine as I came in "Really Jace?"

"What?"

"You ought to be more careful" she looked back down at her magazine apparently already bored.

"Would you mind telling me what you're talking about exactly" I asked confused.

She continued to read, "you've been in a fight", she looked up and motioned to my face. I turned around and stared at my reflection in the nearest mirror, not much had changed I still looked incredibly dashing (if I don't say so myself) although there was a light purple bruise forming across my jaw, which I knew had been left there by that jerk and his gang I had escaped from earlier (again I say escaped when really I mean, mercifully granted them to leave with their faces intact. So modest).

"Don't worry little sis, I won, his face was a lot worse than mine" she snorted and muttered something along the lines of 'whatever you say, blondie'.

"Was it one of Morgenstern's minions again? Or just some guy you managed to piss off?" she asked generally curious for once.

"Morgenstern, I swear that whole family is pure evil, if I had the chance I'd get rid of the lot of them."

"Not all of them are that bad", she said this last comment quietly, afraid of what I might say.

"And which one of them are you referring to precisely?"

"The daughter, Clarissa, you know she's about my age, short, red hair, green eyes-" I cut her off midsentence.

"Yes I know what she looks like Izzy, I almost forgot they belonged to the same family". Clarissa, or Clary as I gather she went by, was not really associated with her father's 'business' and lived in her own flat, got her own money away from the rest of her family.

"Well her name is still Morgenstern and as long as it remains that way, she is one of them. Like father like son, oh wait she's a girl so that doesn't really make sense" I was aware that I had started rambling to myself as Izzy cleared her throat.

"Well I'd keep those thoughts to yourself when we go and see her".

"I'm sorry what?"

"You heard me, we are going to see her" she pronounced each word slowly as if this would make me understand more clearly.

"One small question, why?"

"Because she and I quote 'requests our services' whatever that means I don't know, mum didn't really elaborate."

"Wait mum knows about this?" I was really starting to lose the plot, and was seriously starting to question the purpose of my existence. I was going to work for none other than Clarissa Morgenstern, the daughter of our greatest enemy.

Izzy stood up from her position on the sofa, giving me a look that said 'well duh'.

"When are we going to see her?" I shouted at her retreating form.

"Ten minutes" she smiled sweetly over her shoulder before turning around the corner. I groaned and trudged into my room throwing the door shut behind me. I peeled off my wet clothes before stepping into what had to be the quickest shower of my life. I changed into a white t-shirt and black jeans before tying up my combat boots and throwing on my favourite leather jacket.

Clary:

I paced back and forth in front of my apartment door, looking at the clock every now and then.

"Clary, could you stop you're making me nervous" Simon paused the video game he was playing to look up at me and give me a disapproving look.

"I am nervous, and to be honest you're not really helping with the whole situation" I stopped pacing to give him a look that mirrored his own; he stuck his tongue out at me in return.

"Who exactly is coming again?"

"Izzy, Jace and Alec lightwood"

"Wait, did you say Lightwood, as in the Lightwoods, as in your dad's biggest rival Lightwoods"

"YES Simon, those Lightwoods"

"Interesting" tapping his chin in a typical thinking pose, humming to himself every so often. I sighed and left him to do whatever strange thing he was doing. The doorbell rung loudly making Simon jump out of his seat and stop stroking his imaginary beard. I walked over to the door slowly trying to calm my ever-increasing heartbeat, unlocking it and opening it a crack to check it was definitely them. I concluded it was and opened the door fully allowing the three of them in. They made themselves comfy on the sofa, all except for the one with dark black hair and the bluest eyes I had ever seen who chose to stand near his siblings, I assumed this was Alec. I turned my gaze to the other two on the sofa, the first was obviously Izzy as she was a girl, with the same stark black hair as her brother but with dark chestnut eyes instead of blue. The third had to be Jace with a halo of blonde hair and gold eyes – wait gold was that even possible. He was stunning there was not really any other way to put it. I immediately felt that I should have put more effort into my appearance before they arrived as I was feeling increasingly self-conscious. They all looked at me expectantly, and I shook my head remembering why I had asked them here in the first place.

"I need your help" I managed to splutter out.

Jace smirked, "with life in general or is there something specific we can assist you with". Great he just had to ruin it didn't he, why are all the good looking ones always idiots.

I smiled back at him politely, "funny, I called you here because I know that you all hate my father more than I do and I don't think that I can do this on my own".

"Do what?" Izzy asked as they all leaned forward slightly as if I were about to tell them the best news in the world.

"He's up to something" Jace leaned back and scoffed earning a glare from his sister, "something big, I know he has done terrible things in the past, but nothing like this, this is different."

"So what exactly is this 'something'" Alec asked suspiciously.

"I um, I don't know" I stuttered and looked down.

"So you called us here just to tell us that your dad is up to something, but you don't actually know what this something is" Jace squinted at me as if I he could burn me just with his stare.

"That's what I need your help with, If we could expose this truth than it would take him down for good".

"And why pray tell me should we trust you, I mean why would you want to ruin your own father" I looked away as I felt the onslaught of memories start to rise to the surface, I squeezed my eyes shut and forced them back down clenching my fists, my whole body shaking with the effort to not let my emotions take over my body. Fully aware that I probably looked like I was having some sort of stroke I turned back and opened my eyes hoping they couldn't see through me to what lay beneath.

"That is of none of your concern" I said surprisingly calmly, effectively closing the subject, "So will you help me".

Izzy stood up stretching he arms over her head, "well I say yes, I mean what other opportunity will we get to take the old geezer down? Nice to meet you Clary and err" she looked at Simon who I had almost forgotten was here. Simon blushed a deep shade of red, "Simon" I filled in for him. Izzy nodded before leaving without another word followed by her two brothers. I face planted into the sofa as soon as the door closed.

"Well that was…" Simon fumbled for the right word.

"intense" I finished for him.