WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CAN'T MAKE IT?! I texted back to him. My fingers typed furiously, that the screen is about break.

Sorry, there's this thing with the clave. I heard its a once in a lifetime awesome.. I stopped reading the whole thing before I crush the phone in my hands.

I. Am. Gonna. Kill. You.

You know, Writing. Like. This. Doesn't. Help. You. Prove. A. Point. It. Just. Makes. It. Look. Like. You're. Phone. Is. Having. An. Asthma. Attack. :))

Whatever. You suck :P

I love you too. See ya later ;)

"Urgh!" I threw a pillow at the wall. Sucks to have everyone out and about on a Friday night, leaving me here at the Institute. So alone..in a big house. No, a mansion that's who knows how old. I mean, it's not that creepy looking but—

*thump* I flinched after I heard loud bumping.

It couldn't have been anyone. They just left.

"Okay, relax. It's just Church, Clary."

"Meow?" Ofcourse its not Church. He was on my lap the whole time!

I reached out and pet him. "Mmm.." I glanced at the door nervously. "Here's the plan buddy. You're old right? I mean, maybe you're pals with the ancient ghost and you can talk to him—or her to go farther away from here.."

"Meow."

*thump ta ta thump*

"Okay, let's get this over with." I scooped him up and held him at arm's length.

"Meow!"

"Shush, you crazy cat! He—or she, might think I'm hurting you or something!"

*THUMP*

"It's coming from the library!"

I opened the door and saw the room was dimly-lighted by the fireplace. A hunched figure sits at a corner, throwing..books?

Slowly, I crept towards it. "Oh ancient ghost—" I whispered. "—I am Clary Fray."

I am close to the figure now. "I come in peace and am friends with Church, possibly your ca—"

"MEOOOW!" Oopsie. Church went ballistic when I thrusted him infront of the figure.

It was bizarre. They kept tackling each other. Books are flying everywhere.

"OW! STOP IT! STOP IT!"

"Omygosh a person!" Oh noes. I searched for a light switch, dropping Church on the person's face in the process.

"YOU'RE MAKING IT WORSE! OW!"

"Alec? ALEC!" I fumbled at the switch, squinting when the room was flooded with light.

"MEOW!" Church scampered away.

"I'm so so sorry! You scared me! Ah I thought you were a burglar!" Ancient ghost.

"Really! A burglar!" He winces. "You're at the Institute for crying out loud!"

"Well, a shadowhunter burglar!" Time to change the subject. "Why are you throwing stuff anyway?"

"Whatever." He rolled his eyes. "Aren't you supposed to be on a date?"

I pretended to not notice his sullen mood, casually flopping onto the couch "Maybe? How did you know about that?"

"I know everything."

Silence.

It's kinda awkward. Alec and I, don't talk much. It's kind off weird cause, the last time we were alone together, he had his hand on my throat.

Sighing, I decide that if I don't want to be a loner tonight, I might just have to bridge that gap. Besides, my other option is still seething somewhere. Maybe I wouldn't be able to touch Church for a week.

"Jace was seduced by the Clave with their 'once in a lifetime awesome thing'." I stare at the ceiling above. "I'm supposed to be pissed right now. I am pissed with him, the Clave and their thing too."

He chuckled. What a milestone.

"That makes the two of us."

"Oh really? What are you mad about?"

A pause. Then followed by a deep sigh.

Maybe the gap is too wide to fix.

"You know, I've never really apologize when I pinned you to the wall and almost choked you to death."

"Me too." I did said mean words to him.

"Sorry."

"Sorry."

There was silence again. Surprisingly, it's less awkward this time.

"Alec?"

"Hm?"

I averted my glance from the ceiling, to him. A brilliant idea just popped into my mind.

"I'm gonna solve our problem."

"Huh?" He raised his eyebrow. Sheesh.

"You'll see." I grinned eagerly. "Let's buy a canvas."

Minutes later, were walking around New York with a giant canvas in hand.

"Erm..how is this supposed to fix my problem? You don't even know mine."

"Jeez. Quit asking alright? No wonder Jace calls you that."

"Jace calls me what?"

"Ahm.. We're here!" Phew, saved by the bell.

I opened the doors to what I proud to call, my very own studio.

"It's a gift from my mom and Luke." I normally don't brag..but hey! I have my own studio.

"Gee that's great! What am I supposed to do? Paint my feelings away?"

"Oh quit being Mr. Grumpy Pants." I roll my eyes. "Now put a drop sheet over there and set-up the canvas."

"Yes ma'am." He's stomping his feet but he did what I said. Childish.

"Help me with this box."

"What am I supposed to do with a crate full of water balloons?!"

I ignored him and picked up one. "Throw this."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"No, I won't until you tell me why."

I sighed. "You told me you're pissed right?" He nods. "I don't know why or how, but I can help you fix uhm..part of it."

"Throw the balloon at the canvas. Blow off some steam."

He nods again and took the balloon from my hands.

*THUD*

Paint exploded at the canvas. He picked up more balloons and threw them.

*THUD*

One after another.

*THUD THUD THUD*

He stopped and took a breath. "That felt good."

I shrugged. "Jace invented it when I threw a fit after Maryse won't let me in on hunts. We've been doing it eversince." I smiled at the thought. "See that painting over there?"

"Yea."

"Well, that's the fruit of my monstrous rage."

He nods. I also nod.

"Wanna know why I'm pissed?" He smiled bitterly at the balloon on his hand.

*THUD*

"BECAUSE OF EVERYONE! I'm pissed at Jace! He and his big ego to save. Izzy, for cleaning up after her mess all the time!"

*THUD*

"Mom and dad breaking up! Church clawing my face off! Myself, for being such a screw up!"

*THUD*

"Magnus..."

*THUD THUD THUD*

He collapsed on the hardwood floor, panting heavily. I stood there gaping. I'v never seen this side of Alec before.

"Call him."

"He doesn't answer his phone."

"Then go to his place."

"Its not that easy."

"Why not?" I made him sit up and shook his shoulders. "Its part of the whole process. You blew off your anger but it doesn't stop there. At some point, you have to face your problem or else the pain won't go away."

Blue eyes stare back at me.

"Look, I've been there. It's better face it sooner before it's too late."

There was a moment of silence.

"Okay."

I ended up walking home alone.

Alec and I parted ways just after his breakdown, but not before I persuaded him to keep his painting as a souvenir. He even thanked me! I'm moving mountains today.

Honestly? I really don't know if he'll follow my advice and barge in to Magnus's or he's just gonna go somewhere else to mope. But he did gave me trusty words of wisdom on Jace speak.

"You should call him."

"Who?"

"Jace. Try to make him go home." He shrugged. "You should've seen him worse before he met you. Total lunatic. Always obsessed with saving the world"

I snorted. "Are you kidding me?! You know Jace. Unless the words blood and dying are involved, he'll just get stubborn as hell."

Shaking his head, he gave me a sly smile. "Who said blood and dying have to be real?"

He just calmly walked away like nothing sort of crazy happened earlier. The gears in my head started moving. I should start a business. The Clary Fray Canvas Therapy.

"MEOW!"

So here's the thing. I'm not sure if Jace will buy it, but if he doesn't? I'm definitely not gonna spend the rest of my night alone to get spooked up again.

"Come on you stubborn cat! I already said I'm sorry!"

Now here I am making amends with Church the stubborn cat. Who knows if ancient ghost might be real.

"Hey, for the record, I never got a memo about a rabid cat when provoked. People said you were tame when you're obviously not."

I got a hiss in return.

"Well, don't you dare come crawling back to me for help if someone's gonna get you to skin your fur out—"

I got interrupted by some loud BABABUMP.

"Not again!"

The door flew open and I suddenly, I'm being shaken up. Hard.

"GAAAAAH!"

"CLAAAARY!"

"MEOW!"

"JAAACE! CALM DOWN! MY HEAD'S GONNA ROLL OFF!" Dizzy, dizzy, dizzy. ( . )

"WHAT HAPPENED?!"

"WHY ARE WE YELLING?"

"MEOOOW!"

He seemed to realize my skin and bones are still intact. "I got your voicemail."

"And?" I pretend to be oblivious.

"There was a lot of bloody screaming?!"

"Ammh.. Church went on rabid mode and attacked me. I might've accidentally pressed it or something." Really, brain? Lamest excuse ever.

"Church is tame." He scrunched up his nose in the most adorable way. I would've tackled him if I wasn't supposed to be mad.

"No he's not!"

"And wouldn't you have scratch marks?" He's cute when he's all suspicious

"You're the one to talk! You had an affair with the Clave and ran away because of their stupid thing." I couldn't help but stick my tongue out.

He jumped on the bed and covered his head with a pillow. "The Clave and I broke up because they suck and their thing really is stupid."

"Oh?" I giggled and lie against him.

He nuzzled his head at the crook of my neck. "They just made that up to trick someone into guard duty, watching a big, unmoving slug cause it's still up for 'questions'."

I snuggled closer to him for warmth. Church is long forgotten. He can hiss all he wants now.

"I got an interesting night." I muttered.

"Yeah?"

"I stole your bestfriend ha-ha." I said in a sing-song voice.

He chuckled. "No you can't do that, he's already my parabatai."

"He called you a total lunatic. He even taught me how to get you here." I yawned.

"So you admit it wasn't really Church's fault."

"He's still rabid. And you're still a lunatic."

"But you love me."

"Unfortunately, I do." I kissed him at the mouth. "Now shut up and sleep."

"Goodnight, Clary."

"Goodnight, Jace."

I contemplated for a moment before asking a question that has been bugging me.

"Hey, by any chance, you don't have any ancient ghosts lurking around here are you?"

"MEOW!" Church must've been fed up and told us to sleep already.

"Nevermind."

And sleep we did.