This is set in City of Glass and everything from this point onwards is my imagination of how Jace and Clary's confrontation could have gone differently. I own none of the characters and the shadow hunter world belongs to Cassandra Clare.

Clary POV:

As Aline walked past me I pointedly ignored her. My mind telling me this had been a REALLY bad idea. I just stared at Jace as he ran his hands through his hair.

"What are you doing here Clary!" He yelled at me. His golden eyes alight with fury.

"I portalled here! After you LEFT ME in New York! Without even telling me!" I yelled back in indignation.

"By the Angel Clary! I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to come! You always mess things up!" By now Alec and Isabelle had gravitated towards the shouting.

"I always mess things up?" I asked incredulously. "You said after what I did on Valentine's ship, that I saved everyone's lives!"

"What happened on-" Alec began to ask in confusion. But Jace cut him off. His furious gaze completely focused on me.

"I only said that so you'd stop whining! You're rash and you're reckless, and you never think before doing something! You want to be a shadow hunter. But you're not and you never will be."

With every word I felt a near physical pain, so much so that I wanted to double over and let the tears flow. But I didn't because no matter what Jace said I was a warrior and I wouldn't let him see how much those words hurt me.

Instead I whirled around and walked out the room. But at the doorway I turned around.

"When you told me you were Valentine's son I didn't believe you. Not just because I didn't want to. But because I thought you were nothing like him. But you are. With your poisonous words aimed only to wound." My voice was choked with emotion. "You are!"

I turned and flew down the stairs, intent on getting as far away as possible. However, half way down the stairs something compelled me to stop and take a right on the next landing.

There I saw Max looking at me curiously. A rune appeared in my mind and quickly I knelt in front of him, a few feet away. Taking out my stele I remembered Max hadn't gotten his Angelic rune yet, but like when I got my first rune, I knew this wouldn't harm him. Call it intuition.

"Come here Max. I have something for you. I promise it won't hurt." I motioned for him to give me his arm. This rune would only work taken willingly and with trust. Hesitantly Max gave me his arm. I smiled reassuringly at him before rolling his right sleeve up to his shoulder and placing the rune at the top of his bicep. It looked slightly like a cross with a loop at the top.

Max let out a sigh of relief once nothing happened to him. He smiled at me and I smiled back at him before ruffling his hair and standing up.

"This rune will give you protection"

I heard someone yelling my name, "Clary?"

I turned back to Max panicked. "You're a cool kid Max. I know we haven't spent much time together but you're like the little brother I never had. If you can tell Simon I'm sorry I didn't say goodbye and he's the best friend in the world." I gave him a quick peck on the forehead when he nodded, "Thanks Max."

Then I spun around and whacked my stele to the wall. Drawing a portal I flashed Max one more smile. Telling him, "Don't tell anyone about that rune Max. Promise me."

He stared at me wide eyed, "I swear it on the Angel. I won't tell."

"Thank you Max." I breathed out in relief.

With that I stepped into the swirling mass of the Portal, the only thing on my mind was, 'Get me as far away from Jace Morgenstern as possible!'

Jace POV:

I was frozen as Clary ran out of the room. I could hear her feet pounding on the stairs and all I could do was stare at the spot where she had left. Her words kept playing in my mind. The venom and pain with which she had spoken made me sure she ment what she said.

She only spoke to people she loathed that way. She'd spoken to me that way. What had I done? I was in shock. Everything I'd said to Clary. I'd been describing myself. Not her. I'd crushed her dreams in my hand like they were nothing and now she hated me.

Isabelle stared at me. "Oh Jace." She spoke quietly. "What have you done?" She closed her eyes in disbelief.

When she opened them again she along with Alec were looking at me with mixed emotions.

Alec shook his head before saying, "She hasn't left the house yet, we should go after her."

I nodded my head numbly. Not yet fully understanding. Alec just shook his head and gave an exasperated sigh before heading out the room with Isabelle right behind him.

Alec POV:

Jace was an idiot. It was official. He may be my parabatai but I wasn't immune to his faults. He needs to learn to think before saying things. It could get him into a fix I can't get him out of one day. If it hasn't already. Clary is extremely stubborn. She might never speak to Jace again after that fiasco. He knew all the right buttons to press to set her off and he pressed them all. Honestly! What did he think was going to happen when he told her she'd never be a true shadow hunter! What a stupid thing to say. Me and Clary might not be on the best of terms but even I know that's going too far.

I ran faster. We had to get to her before she left the house. Growing up in New York me and Izzy weren't very familiar with the streets of Idris so it was better we found her before she could get lost in the crowds.

"Clary?" I called out. Just in hope that she might hesitate for a moment. I could hear Isabelle calling out behind me.

I turned the corner on the next landing when I heard something and what I saw froze me to the core. Isabelle was right behind me and I heard her sharp intake of breath. No! This couldn't be happening! We'd never get her back and on top of that it was dangerous. I ran as fast as I could, Izzy right on my heels.

Max POV:

After Clary applied her rune, I felt somehow 'Safer'? That was one way to put it. I wasn't completely sure, but I trusted Clary. She understood me more than the others did. It was hard not being able to do the same things that they could.

So when she asked me to promise her I wouldn't tell, I promised. It would be our secret. She obviously had a reason.

I heard Isabelle and Alec calling her name but Clary had already made a portal and she stepped through it just as Alec and Izzy rounded the corner. When they saw the portal they froze before beginning to sprint. But it was too late. The portal closed with one last flash of Clary's waist length, flaming red hair.

Clary's POV:

I was falling. When the spinning stopped my instincts told me to roll. So as I hit the floor, I came up from a roll and what I saw put all the muscles in my body on alert.

Dozens of metal creatures were swarming what I assumed was an institute.

A/N: This chapter is just introducing how Clary ends up in the London Institute. Setting the scene if you like. Review and tell me what you think!