Summary: Set after CoFA, Jace after being in a coma for almost two months wakes up not knowing what to think. All he can remember is Sebastian's voice inside his head telling him "We are one." But what happens now? Will Jace, Clary, Simon and the gang catch Sebastian? And can they kill him without killing Jace in the process?

Authors Note: Well it's that time again. Another MI book has come out and now it's time to write a fic! For those of you who have read my previous MI fics you know how much I love this series. It never fails to make me giddy. Anywho this is a fic that I wrote after finishing City of Fallen Angels and I must say (like always) I absolutely LOVED IT. (Fangirling is welcome.) Basically this fic is about what I imagine happened after and what will happen in the next book, it's my continuation of the story. Just to avoid confusion it starts off with Jace waking up because he's been unconscious since Jonathan/Sebastian talked to him inside his head. I hope you enjoy! Please don't be afraid to review and tell me your thoughts, positive or negative!

"Through winter-times we call on spring,

And though the spring on summer call,

And when abounding hedges ring

Declare that winter's best of all;

And after that there's nothing good

Because the spring-time has not come—

Nor know that what disturbs our blood

Is but its longing for the tomb."

-Emily Dickinson "A Light Exists in Spring"

One

The first thing Jace felt when he awoke was the stiff springs of the mattress he was on. They dug into his back and screeched when he adjusted himself in the slightest bit. He could feel the heat of the light streaming through the high windows on his skin and see the brightness of it against his eyelids. He laid there for a moment in its warmth. It felt warm and tingly on his skin, like he had been sleeping at the bottom of Lake Lynn for weeks and had just broken through the surface, wet and chocking.

"Jace?" He heard a soft whisper as the speakers breath caught. It was only then that he realized that someone was clutching his hand. He felt slim, callused finger squeeze his nervously every couple of seconds. Everything felt like a dream He wasn't sure what was going on, where he was, or why it hurt so much to move.

"Jace?" This time the speaker was louder, direct, firm and loving in a way her mother had never really been to him,

Isabelle.

Bust this must be a dream, he thought recalling what had gotten him here, into this bed. His heartbeat started throbbing loud in his ears he couldn't bear to think. Thoughts of Sebastian's dead, or half-dead, body floating in the coffin ran through his mind. Clary's last words "I'll be right back, five minutes." She had squeezed his hand then, much like Isabelle was now at a steady, constant beat. It matched his heart and only made the pounding worse. Jace shook free of her hands and moaned, low and harsh every inch of him throbbed.

"Water, you need water." He heard Isabelle mutter to herself. "Magnus!" she called, "Magnus he's awake!" The last thing Jace heard was her running out of the room before he slipped back into the darkness of his mind.

Clary didn't know why she was here. She couldn't concentrate and felt fidgety and unprotected. Jace could wake up at any moment, but here she was sitting in Taki's waiting for Simon. Clary impatiently tapped her heel against the back of the booth as a pixie waitress set a coffee down in front of her.

"You okay, sweetie?" She asked her in a voice like leaves being blown up by the wind. Any other day Clary would have found her voice sweet and calming, today though was a different story.

"Thanks." Clary muttered under her breath and wrapped her nail bitten fingers around the mug. It was fall now, almost two months had passed since Simon had defeated Lilith, and Clary could taste the winter on the air. Where was Simon anyway? It wasn't like him to be late. Clary's hand started to shake as she realized something bad could have happened to him, but she took a deep breath trying to calm herself down. Ever since Lilith Clary knew that Simon was vulnerable, she needed to protect him. And no matter how much he told her other wise she was set on not losing anybody anymore.

With a chime of the doorbell Simon was sitting in front of her, grinning. In these past few months he had begun mastering his vampire-skills, along with denying his feelings for Isabelle, and was to her surprise getting along pretty well.

"Thanks for coming." Simon said, pulling off his jacket to reveal his "Pobody's Nerfect" tee-shirt. Although dating Isabelle had done wonders for Simon's fashion sense she couldn't get him out of those tee-shirts. Clary caught her reflection in Simon's eyes and it was only then that she realized how horrible she looked. Her usually vibrant red hair had a dull sheen to it and looked matted and wild. Her lips were cracked from the breeze and her eyes were red. Clary hadn't realized how much Jace's absence had affected her. She hadn't been sleeping much, just sitting by Jace's side clutching his hands or patting his leg or begging Magnus to do something else to help him. She had gotten enough annoyed looks out of him for a life time, but she though he sympathized.

Clary took a deep breath; she didn't want to sound too harsh.

"What did you call for?" She winced. It sounded wrong and she saw the hurt in Simon's eyes as his lip twitched. "Sorry, sorry," she sighed not knowing what else to say. Simon seemed to understand though and instead of speaking took her hands in his. They were cold and seemed bigger with her small ones inside of them.

"Thanks." She whispered and he patted her hair down a bit, smiling when it puffed right back up.

"No problem, I just wanted to get you out of the Institute. I mean, you've been sitting there day after day since Jace-" Simon didn't know what to call it; no one was really sure what had happened to Jace.

Clary felt exasperated, the weight of what was going on hit her again and again like a pendulum. It swung back only to come again and strike her with tiredness and guilt. Maybe if she hadn't left to rooftop to go find her mother Jace would have been alright. Almost like he was reading her mind Simon said,

"It's not your fault, you know." He was always there for her, ever since they were little and he walked her to school each morning.

Clary felt her phone buzz and reached her shaky hands into her messenger bag to get it. The caller-id came up as Isabelle and Clary gave Simon a knowing look. "Look who it is," she teased and Clary imagined that if Simon had had any blood to color his cheeks he would have blushed.

"Hi Iz-" Clary was cut short by Isabelle's ragged breathing. Simon tensed hearing her through the phone from where he sat on the opposite side of the table.

"Clary! Clary, thank god you picked up!" She panted and it sounded like she was running somewhere or from something, but before Clary could ask Isabelle spoke again. "It's Jace, Clary. He's back, he's awake!" Clary shut the phone instantly and pulled on her coat dropping a five on the table as she bolted out the door, Simon fast on her heals.

They were running so fast she didn't even hear the doorbell chime as they left.