This is dedicated to my bestest friend Kritio- Girl without you I would be stuck in my trench coat in art class. Thanks for the tackle.
Also, thank you very much to my beta- spikeissexy! Thanks for the helping hand!
As the elevator doors opened, Jace glanced down to see a cat. Not just any cat, but Church.
"Hey Church. Where's Alec, Church, where's Izzy?"
The cat set off down the hall with Jace following.
"How's life, Church? Done anything exciting lately?"
Church stopped in his tracks and meowed conversationally. "Really?" asked Jace, "I never would've thought you would do that." Church meowed again as if to say 'I know' and continued to trot down the hall.
As they rounded a corner Jace found himself in the corridor that lead to the Weapons and Training room.
"Alec?" Jace said. Alec was standing with his ear pressed to the door of the training room.
"Jace!!" Alec motioned to him, "You've got hear this!" Jace strode up the hallway and looked Alec in the eye. "Why are you listening at doors?"
"Because Izzy and Clary have been missing for most of the day and I just found them."
Inside the Training room…
The Training room was filled with the sounds of fighting.
"Isabelle!" Clary said out of breath, "We have been at this all day! Why can't we take a break!?"
"Because, you said you wanted the practice and you definitely need it!"
"But for the last 3 hours! I mean really."
"Put some effort into it and 3 taps and THEN you can be done for the day. "
Alright, Clary thought. I can do this.
She and Isabelle had been training with various weapons, but for the last 2 weeks they had been concentrating on whips and hand to hand combat. Everyday but Sunday for at least 3 hours, sometimes more. They had to find the most random of places to train because Clary was not yet willing for anyone to know what they were doing. Especially Jace. Just the thought of him was enough to make her stomach clench and her heart stutter. Ever since the conversation at Takis there had been a certain rigidity about their interactions with each other. She thought it was ridiculous. How they couldn't just be friends. How they couldn't just be close like Alec and Izzy were.
A sting to the shoulder brought her back to the present.
"Concentrate Clary! Where were you just now? I swear you can disappear completely without leaving the room. I thought you wanted a break before."
"Right, sorry Izzy." Clary said sheepishly.
Clary looked at the other girl in full shadowhunter gear. She had insisted that Clary dress down too every time they trained. Clary didn't mind the gear, it helped her mind focus. But apparently it didn't today.
"Clary! Honestly, are you even going to try? I said effort, not ignorance."
"Right, right. I'm here. Sorry Isabelle. "
Clary circled Isabelle, the only way she was going to finish with this training was if she concentrated. Clary watched her shoulders for any sign of which arm she was going to use. Even though Izzy carried her whip in her left hand, Clary had noticed right away that it didn't matter, the girl could change her mind in an instant. She saw her opening immediately; Isabelle struck out with her whip in her left hand, she flicked her wrist and lightly tapped Isabelle's right side with her own whip.
"Very good, Clary! Let's see what you can do with the angel blades."
They switched weapons and started again. Both circling the other, waiting for that golden opportunity to strike. Clary saw it first.
She had slowly backed Izzy to the corner of the mat, and knew the girl wasn't expecting the 3 inch drop off the mat. After Izzy took her next step, Clary swept in and while the girl was regaining her balance tapped her in the mid section knocking her onto her back. Jumping to land with her knees on either side of Isabelle, Clary brought the angel blade to rest lightly on her stomach.
Clary, slightly breathless said, "And that's three. Awesome! Time for a shower! "
Izzy laughed. "You did wonderful Clary! Just be glad you didn't use that move on Jace or Alec. Or even if front of them. Jace doesn't enjoy being pinned and Alec wouldn't let it go that you had to use the edge of the mat for help. "
"It wasn't help! " Clary said outraged as she helped Izzy to stand. "It was being aware of my surroundings and using them! "
They laughed knowing it was an argument that Jace and Alec had many times.
Back out in the hallway…
Alec looked at Jace, both having listened to the door for the past several minutes.
"What do you think?" Alec asked.
"I can't believe Isabelle has been doing this behind our backs, and not consulting someone before she started Clary's training. Don't you think she should have included us? "
"What are you upset about? The fact that someone else is getting close to Clary or the fact that Clary didn't ask you to train her? "
"Neither! I am upset because Isabelle is training her with whips! Don't you think she should have started with agility or balance training? "
"I think that Isabelle is doing a fine job, but I do find something wrong with the training."
"Yeah, what's that? "
"I wouldn't have let her pull that move on me."
Jace grinned. "It's a perfectly good and acceptable move to use in any situation."
They started to walk down the hallway still arguing about the move.
When they got to the library, they stopped and looked at each other.
"What are you going to do about their training?" Asked Alec.
"Nothing, for now. I think I am going to use it for black mail. Definitely black mail."
"Whatever you want, just be sure that you are ready to go tonight. Izzy wants us to go back to that club."
"Pandemonium? Why? I didn't think that there was anymore demon activity there."
Alec laughed. "Oh no, she wants to go dancing." Alec turned and walked away.