The sun shone brighty in the late summer New York sky. The birds chirped happily and the sweet laughter of children could be heard from the open windows of the Institute.

Clary toweled off her blazing red hair and threw the towel on her bed before padding over to her dresser. She ignored the laughter of the kids and focused on finding clothes to put on. Dropping the towel covering her body, she quickly put on her panties and bra followed by a shirt and a pair of cutoff shorts.

A knock on her door distracted her as she was pulling on her socks. Without waiting for an approval, the door sprang open to reveal Isabelle, already dressed and ready to go. "Come on," was all she said before turning on her heels and walking away.

Alec was waiting for her in the kitchen eating his toasted English muffin. He greeted her with a warm smile. "Hey Clary."

She gave a nod. Grabbing a mug and the coffee pot, she poured herself a cup of coffee and slowly took a sip. The hot liquid burned her throat but she didn't even wince. In fact, she kind of welcomed the pain. It was the only thing that reminded her that she was still alive.

After she finished her cup, she finally said something. "Where's Izzy?"

Alec shrugged. "Probably getting her bag ready."

Both of the teenagers rolled their eyes.

Maryse Lightwood strutted into the kitchen with Max trailing after her, pushing his glasses up with one hand and holding onto his comic book with the other as he ran to catch up with his mother.

"Morning children." Maryse smiled at them, making sure to look at Clary. She had lowered her eyes, focusing on refilling her cup.

"Clay, may I have a cup as well?" Maryse asked politely, moving to the stove to warm up little Max's own form of coffee- hot chocolate milk.

Max took a seat next to his brother, launching into a speech about Batman. Alec listened, fully engrossed in his little brother than on Clary who was fumbling through the weapons bag at her feet.

"Are you ready for tonight?" Maryse didn't look at Clary as she asked this. Instead, she sipped her coffee with her blue eyes on her sons.

"Of course." Clary said curtly. "I'll be back in time for us to leave."

She didn't wait for Maryse to reply. Clary gave Max a kiss on his head and walked out of the kitchen.

"Clarissa!" Isabelle launched herself in front of the door. "Where on Earth do you think you're going?"

Clary growled lowly at the mentioned of her given name.

"For a walk."

She pushed Isabelle out of her way and ran to the elevator. She ignored Isabelle's cries for her. She had something to do that was more important than waiting around in the library for the Portal to appear.

.

.

.

Simon was sitting at the edge of the drained out pool in the abandon building. His thoughts were on his best friend. The last time they had talked, she had sounded to drained, so tired and pissed off. He knew exactly what was putting her in one of her mood. It was always the same thing. Or better yet, the same person.

Jace Wayland.

The name was practically a curse word to him. That guy was disgusting and unforgiving. Not only had he taken the heart that rightfully belong to Simon, but he had broken it and left without a second thought.

It had taken months for Clary to go back to the way she used to be: sarcastic and shy, an unsual combination that made her even more unique.

Simon's phone buzzed in his jean pocket.

Clary.

"Hello?" He said into the phone.

"I'm outside. Let's go." Clary's voice made a shiver go down Simon's back.

He sighed. "I'll be right out."

He stuffed his phone back into his pocket and stood, brushing off his ass.

Clary was leaning on the wall of the building across where Simon appeared from. She looked annoyed and frustrated and Simon couldn't help but curse Jace. The asshole.

"Clary!" Simon called out to get her attention which had been on her sneakers.

She looked up and Simon's heart clenched when her soft green eyes landed on him. A smile graced her beautiful face, making Simon's stomach to do a huge flip.

He looked dazed and Clary immediately felt bad for making him wait long in the sun.

"Sorry for talking to long," she gave him a shy smile.

He laughed. "No harm done, grasshopper."

She chuckled.

Together they walked to a an old trendy building that had been turned into lofts.

"Are you sure about this?" Simon asked.

She only nodded and pushed the doorbell with her finger.

"Come on up." said the voice through the intercom and they they were buzzed in.

"Do you think she has changed?" Clary whispered. She didn't look at Simon again.

She didn't want to see the pity in his brown eyes. She had seen it enough back at what she now had to call home.

"Maybe."

Simon pushed the gate for the elevator open for her and waited until she was inside to step inside with her and close the gates.

Again, she pressed the button to the tenth floor.

"Are you nervous," Simon gently touched her shoulder. He ignored the sparks their contact caused for him.

Clary smiled sadly. "Happy if you can believe it."

The elevator stopped the at a bright blue door. Carefully, Simon opened the gates to step out.

Before any of them could touch the door, it flew open.

"Welcome youngsters!" Magnus exclaimed.

"May I see her?" Clary asked.

Magnus snapped his fingers. A table appeared by in the middle of the empty room. "Lead the way."

Clary did. She stopped in front of the table, right at the center. Magnus moved across the table, facing her. Simon hadn't followed. Instead, he leaned against the white wall of the room and watched as Magnus said some words sunder his breath and the room went dark.

The only light was the light that was glowing from the table.

"Give me the rock."

Clary stuck her hand out, revealing the blueish crystal.

Magnus took it from her. He placed it in the center of the glowing light and said some more words in a language Simon didn't know.

The light flickered, slow at first and then picked up speed.

A image came up. A women first, then a man. He had his arms wrapped around the women who was laughing and smiling, as was the man who held her.

She turned in his arms to wink up at him. The man smirked and leaned down to kiss her softly on her lips.

The picture stopped there. It went blank after a couple of seconds and then another image started winding up. Just like the last image, it flickered slowly and then faster until the image was perfectly visible.

This time, it was of a little boy, no more than three years old. His shiny green eyes seemed to smile at then as he giggled in the arms of the man in the last image. The little boy had light brown hair that when the sun bestowed light upon it, turned into a dark red. The man and the boy were in the park, surrounded by other little children running around. The faces of the other children were blurred out, only showing the faces of the cherubic boy and the handsome man.

The boy had his arms spread wide with a large grin on his face. The man was behind him also grinning. The picture stopped.

Simon noticed the way Clary had tensed up, one of her hands clenched up into a fist. He was about to move to her when the light began flickering again. This time, it was only fast. The image of the woman from the first picture appeared. The small boy from before was curled up on her lap as she read him a story. His eyes were closing, heavy with sleep. He let out an adorable yawn before snuggling closer to his mother.

'Momma?' he said, looking up at his mother.

'Yes baby?' She rubbed his hair and cooed down at him.

The boy smiled. 'I love you.' His eyes shone like newly clean emeralds and so did the eyes of his mother.

Clay tightened her fist and bit her bottom lip to keep from crying. She wouldn't cry in front of a warlock.

'Oh, Teague.' She smiled warmly down at her son. 'I love you too.'

She kissed the top of his head. Teague closed his eyes and listened to his mother's voice as she contiuned to read him the story.

Clary closed her eyes, pretending for a minute that it was her on her lap, being lulled to sleep by her sweet melodic voice. Clary longed to feel the lips and warm embraced of the woman. She wanted to be able to simply fall asleep next to her and the last words she would hear would be the words of a loving mother declaring her love to her child.

Clary's eyes snapped opened. Reality was a bitch. Clary would never be with her baby brother and stepfather again, much less her mother. She had to protect them. And she knew that no matter how much it hurt to see that they didn't remember her, she was glad that they were out of danger's way. They were safe and that was all that mattered. He couldn't hurt them as long as they were gone from the radar completely.

Magnus removed the crystal from the table.

Three pictures was all she could afford.

"Clarissa." Magnus cleared his throat. He ran a hand through his spikey dark hair.

Clary shoved her hand into her back pocket to get what Magnus wanted. A wad of cash. "Here." She threw it at him at the same time he threw her crystal back at her. The money landed on the table while the Clary caught her crystal. If anything where to happen to it, she might not be able to see her family. And that would just not do.

"So I hear you're off to Idris." Magnus placed a hand on his hip.

Clary nodded. "Alicante"

"Ah, the city of glass." He chuckled. "Well, be careful."

"Always am." She turned on her heels, and walked to the door. Simon opened it for her. "See you next month." She called over her shoulder.

"Indeed you shall." Magnus winked at Simon and laughed at his blush.

"The guy gives me the creeps." Simon shivered dramatically to show just how much Magnus Bane freaked him out.

Clary laughed. "You big baby."

Simon turned to look at her. She looked peaceful. Her eyes had the familiar glow and shine to them that her mother's had. The same eyes Teague had inherited. The anger and frustration was gone and for that, Simon was glad.

"Want to go see a movie before you have to go?" Simon raised an eyebrow at her.

"Times Square please." She smiled.

"Times Square it is." He took hold of her small hand in his and led them to the train.

"You know," Clary said once they were seated on the train, "I'm kind of jealous he got a better name than I did."

Simon looked at her and laughed. "Teague. I like it."

"Me too." Clary looked out the window, the smile on her face never leaving.