Hello! I am back! Sorry this chapter took so long to update, but PLEASE READ THE AUTHOR'S NOTE AT THE END! Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter! And thanks to everyone who reviewed, followed, and favorited this story! It means the world to me!
Jace could hear his heart thumping so loud that it was ringing in his ears. He was frozen on the ground, pain coursing through his body. A hand gripped his shoulder and shook his violently, finally pulling him from his trance.
"Jace!" Isabelle yelled. "What the hell just happened? Where's Clary? You two were right behind me, and then you were gone!"
He could hear Isabelle mumbling something else as a frantic looking Simon stood behind her, still supporting Alec. There was a minute of silence before Jace finally spoke.
"It took her." He said, dazed.
"What took her Jace?" Isabelle asked, reaching down to put a hand on his shoulder, her grip a little looser than beforehand.
Before Isabelle could try to further pry, Jace ran a hand through his hair and pushed himself off the ground. He groaned as his leg seemed to give out and he collapsed. It seemed as if his foot had just snapped into two.
Isabelle gasped and bent down to help him. "By the Angel! Jace, what the hell did you do to yourself?"
Jace bit his lip hard and pushed Isabelle off exasperatedly. "Nothing, I'm fine." He managed to stand before turning in the direction that the demon had taken Clary. "I need to go get her…" He muttered before attempting to run off, or more so limp due to his ankle that was slowing him down tremendously.
"Stop Jace!" Isabelle spoke firmly and grabbed ahold of her brother's arm and pulled him back forcefully. Usually he would've been able to escape easily but his ankle was throbbing and he didn't have the strength in him.
"I need to go find Clary." His teeth were gritted as he turned again.
"No!" Isabelle screamed, running to stand in front of him. "Tell us what is going on!" She demanded.
Jace sighed inwardly and gave the shortest version he could of the events that had just happened. "A demon took Clary. I need to find her."
Isabelle shook her head disapprovingly. "Jace, your ankle is sprained—maybe even broken! You need to get back to the Institute and rest—"
"Isabelle! Shut up!" Jace snapped, losing control of his usual cool demeanor. "My girlfriend just got…kidnapped and you want me to go rest?! She could be hurt or worse. I have to go find her!" His breathing was rough as he gazed at Isabelle with intense eyes of hatred now.
Isabelle wore an unreadable expression on her face from Jace's outburst. "Okay Jace, calm down and tell us everything that happened. The sooner you do, the sooner we can look for Clary." She spoke in a calm, reassuring voice though it was tinted with annoyance.
Jace rolled his eyes and reluctantly went over the story. "Clary and I had stopped and you guys kept walking. We talked for a few minutes and then we heard something. There were two demons— Achaieral demons. One went for me and the other went for Clary. I heard her scream right as I was about to stab mine and when I looked up, the demon she had been fighting was gripping her and flying through the air." He took a deep breath as he recalled the memory that left a pain in his chest. "I screamed her name but she didn't respond. The Achaieral I'd been fighting threw me to the ground roughly and when I looked up to throw my Seraph blade at it, it was gone."
There was a quiet moment before Alec chirped up. "Was she…moving…?"
Jace turned and stared Alec down. "Yes, she's alive. Simon would know if she wasn't." He nodded his head at the parabatai rune which was on Simon's arm. It was now exposed since he had taken his jacket off.
"Okay," Isabelle spoke up. "Simon and I will stay here and look for Clary. Jace, you and Alec get back to the institute and fix yourselves up."
Jace glared at Izzy. "I'm not leaving. I am staying here to help find Clary. My girlfriend." He added.
Isabelle rolled her eyes irritably. "If—When we find Clary, it's not going to do any good for her sake if you're hurt Jace."
Jace was about to comment back but let his shoulders drop in defeat. He'd already let Clary down by not protecting her, he couldn't do this to her as well.
He huffed and hobbled to Alec. "Fine, let's go."
Alec nodded his head and waved goodbye to Isabelle and Simon. Jace and Alec leaned on one another as they slowly made their way back to the Institute. They didn't speak as they headed North towards their home.
Inside the Institute's infirmary, Alec was sitting on one of the hospital-like beds drawing yet another iratze rune on his calf. The injury had almost completely healed up and there was no demon blood in his veins. Alec had wrapped Jace's ankle up and iced it but Jace could care less about his own injuries. In his mind, he deserved to be in pain. Clary was missing and here he was, doing nothing of the sorts to help rescue her.
"You know they're going to find Clary?" Alec spoke, finally breaking the unbearable silence.
"I know." Jace muttered, crossing his arms over his chest. He wasn't in the mood to speak and just wanted a chance to go to his room.
"Isabelle and Simon are pretty decent Shadowhunters. They'll do a better job than the Clave."
"I know Alec. I'm really tired, I think I'm just going to head to bed."
Alec nodded his head slowly. "Are you sure? We could go forage for some food in the kitchen. I'm starving."
"I'm sure Alec. The last thing I want to do right now is eat. I'm just going to go to my room."
Jace gave a tight smile to his dark-haired brother before slipping out of the room before Alec even had a chance to rely.
He swiftly walked to his room and locked the brown stained door behind him. Jace sighed as he collapsed on the bed and looked at his nightstand. The room he had at the Institute was identical to all the other spare rooms except for the few personal belongings Jace had added. He owned a few books, weapons, a picture or two, and the box that had belonged to his biological father; Stephen Herondale. Other than that, there was nearly no difference from his rooms and the others. His room was always tidy unlike Isabelle's who had clothes strung on the floor and makeup products and weapons everywhere.
Jace picked up a frame that held a picture of him staring lovingly at Clary as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Her face was scrunched up as she laughed loudly and grinned.
Jace remembered the day perfectly. He smiled to himself as he thought of Clary and how she had been then. It was about four months earlier, at the beginning of summer. Clary, Simon, Isabelle, and Jace had gone to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Alec had been unable to attend since he was pulled to some Clave meeting in Alicante. Simon and Isabelle had wandered off, bored out of their minds as Clary and Jace observed each piece of art.
The couple talked about the paintings and how Izzy and Simon had short attention spans. But mostly the paintings. They made their way down one of the many corridors and into the Monet gallery. The building itself smelt like stale water and air freshener.
Jace had glanced over at Clary at how intrigued she was by The Water Lily Pond by Claude Monet. He admitted, it was amazing. The depiction of a small pond with a bridge crossing over it with the flora surrounding it all. It reminded him of something he'd see at Central Park.
It was so realistic, and the way the artist mixed the monochromatic of green was astonishing. It had taken nearly ten minutes to peel Clary away from that single piece and onto the next.
After several hours, they'd finally headed towards the exit. They had only managed to look at several dozen pieces with how fascinated Clary was with each one. In the lobby, Simon and Isabelle sat on a bench talking. Jace could see the sparkle in Clary's eyes as she glanced at the artwork that hung here. He loved how passionate she was about art and it made him happy that she was enjoying it again.
All throughout their visit, she had pointed out little details that Jace had even missed and she had explained to him the techniques the artist had used. She confessed to him that she had difficulty with some of the methods and had practiced numerous times but could never get it right like the way the artist she was trying to manipulate could.
"Finally, I thought we'd never leave!" Isabelle exclaimed, pulling herself to her feet once the couple had finally made their way to the bench. "Can we please go?"
Clary chuckled and squeezed Jace's hand lightly. "Yes Isabelle. It's not like you were going to die."
"Trust me, I was close to suicide with how long it took you two." The slim girl pointed out.
They all laughed a bit before walking outside into the sunlight, squinting as their eyes adjusted. There was a light breeze in the air which was nice considering how humid it was. The smell of summer tinted with cigarette smoke from a nearby smoker wafted through the air. Clary halted and pulled her hand free of Jace's as she rummaged through her bag before revealing her phone.
"Simon, can you take our picture really quick?" She asked turning on the camera before handing the phone to her best friend.
"Yeah, sure." Simon grinned and stepped back and faced the couple, pointing the phone.
"Make sure you get the museum in the background." Clary insisted, glancing at Jace, and kissing his cheek quickly.
Jace grinned and took the step behind Clary, making himself over a foot taller than her. He wrapped his muscular arms around her torso and leaned down, resting his chin on her shoulder. With a smirk, he picked Clary off her feet so that they were level. She let out a scream of joy right as Simon snapped the photo.
Jace sighed as he relived the memory before setting down the frame and standing up. Without hesitation, he moved to his window and unhitched the clamps that kept it shut. With ease, he pulled the window open and was hit by a cold breeze from the early Autumn weather. The sound of traffic could be heard on the street as cars and busses zoomed by, honking their way through.
Jace walked over to his nightstand and grabbed the dagger that had belonged to his father and his stele. He pocketed the weapon and then drew a rune of silence on his forearm, a rune of agility on his wrist, and a few other runes on his right arm and shoulder. He swiftly made his way to the open window and climbed out.
Jace quickly climbed out and using the staggered exterior as steps, climbed to the bottom, falling the last six feet or so. It was painless though, most likely due to the abundant amount of Angel blood running through his veins. He was reminded of the way he had jumped off the Institute's roof many months ago, and how terrified Clary had been.
Assessing himself, Jace nodded before running off the premise and toward Central Park where he had last seen Clary. He took a deep breath as he pushed past the people on the busy street who grumbled complaints.
Within twenty minutes, he was stopped in front of the entrance to the lively park.
"I'm coming Clary." He whispered, gripping his dagger as he jogged forward, continuing his search for Clary.
Clary was lying in bed, tossing, and turning rapidly, mumbling in her sleep from a nightmare. She shot up in bed and gasped loudly as tears stung her cheeks. Her hair was plastered to her sweaty face and she felt like she was on fire. Her breathing was fast and uneven as her head flung from side to side, taking in her surroundings. She was home. At Jocelyn and Luke's new apartment. In her bed.
She felt her gut twist as she glanced around the room though. It was different than her own room; it was filled with a lifetime of belongings and memories. She didn't own this much stuff, she'd practically restarted her life less than a year ago, after everything had been destroyed at her mom and her's old loft above Madame Dorothea's. However, it looked like it could be Clary's room.
Carefully, she pushed the comforter off her and stood up. She bit her lip as she felt a sharp pain run up her back. She let out a soft cry as she traced her fingers over her shoulder blades where she had felt the pain originate. Scratches, deep scratches that tore across her upper back from where she'd been clawed. But how had they gotten there…?
She let out a deep breath as she moved carefully, avoiding the creaking floorboards. Clary stopped in front her full-length mirror and turned so her back was facing the glass. She slowly lifted her shirt, making sure that the cloth didn't rub against her cuts. The red-haired girl looked over her shoulder at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes widened in horror. On each shoulder blade, there was a long red mark running up to her shoulders. There were also a few minor scratches to the sides of the larger ones but all Clary could focus on was the pain.
She closed her eyes trying to remember how they had gotten there, then it hit her. The Achaieral demon. Central Park. Jace. The Achaieral demon had clawed her back as it lifted her into the air. As she had struggled, its grip had readjusted and that's why her back was full of scores. What she didn't recall was how she had gotten home. Or if this was home at all. Jace would've kept her at the Institute, as would Isabelle and Alec. Her mom and Luke were gone. Maybe Simon had brought her here. Her mind was racing and she wished she had some answers.
She pulled her shirt down and sauntered to the closet and threw it open. It was overflowing with clothes and there were abundant options of paint splattered shirts to fancy dresses and skirts. She frowned as she was reminded of the house in Paris. How she had lived with her brother and someone who looked like Jace but wasn't her Jace. She shuddered despite the warmth that flowed from the heater. She pulled out a loose baggy garnet shirt so that it wouldn't irritate her scratches and a pair of jeans.
Clary reached for a hair tie from the dresser and threw her frizzy bed-head hair into a high ponytail. She rummaged through the drawers of her desk searching for her stele but to no avail. She contemplated bringing a sharpened colored pencil as a weapon and finally grabbed one and stuck it through her updo like she'd seen her mother do so often.
She quietly walked to the door and twisted the knob, it was unlocked. So, she wasn't being held captive here, which was good. Clary bit her lip and cracked the door and peered out into the hallway. Someone was in the room across the hall which meant Simon must be here. Or so she hoped. Feeling relieved, Clary pushed the door open fully and stepped into the hallway.
She hesitated yet again as she took in the scenery of the hallway. At home, it had been painted a dark orange and had lots of photos and paintings hung up. Here, the walls were a light blue and the walls were bare. There was a table centered in an awkward place with a single photo that Clary couldn't make out from her stance.
She took one large stride to the door across the hall and knocked softly. "Simon?" She whispered before pushing it open completely. Inside, the walls were painted a dark color but Clary barely had time to decipher if it was dark blue or black. A figure came at her and she froze in her spot. "Get out Clary!" The boy yelled, his familiar voice flowing into Clary's ears and paralyzing her. Her breathe caught in her throat as she let out a whimper. Before she could even react, the door slammed shut in her face.
It was impossible but she could have sworn she had seen him. Maybe she was going crazy. Unfamiliar house, unfamiliar clothes, unfamiliar people. Definitely an option. She knew she hadn't just seen that pale skin or that white-silvery hair or those long, slim fingers. She knew she hadn't just seen Sebastian. Her brother. Her dead brother.
Something was wrong, for sure. No doubt about it. Her breathing had quickened as she took a step back and tripped over the rugged rug placed between the two rooms. She slipped as her clumsy self would have it and landed straight on her back. It knocked the breath out of her which wasn't helping with her minor panic attack at all. She scrambled to her feet as the door across the hall opened from the inside this time and he stepped out.
Clary gulped as she drew the pencil from its hiding spot in her hair and held it out defensively at the boy in front of her. It was him. No doubt about that. It was her brother who she had seen die in their mother's s about two months ago ir He did look different though, he stared at her questioningly with green eyes—wait green? No, they were supposed to be black from being tinted with demon blood before he was born. And his jaw looked softer, not as sharp as before. He looked like the boy from her dream in Edom. She almost wanted to jump up and hug him, hoping for a sense of familiarity but chose against it.
"What are you doing Clary? God, I was trying to get dressed and you just waltz in my room like—" Sebastian stated casually (well, partly angry) as he stepped toward Clary.
"Don't come any closer." Clary spoke sternly, though she felt like her voice was shaking. She glanced at the single misplaced table and wandered if she could break the picture frame on top to use the glass as a weapon before Sebastian came after her. She was reminded of what Jace had taught her during training about using your environment to find a weapon.
Her brother stared at her quizzically. "What has gotten into you Clarissa?"
Clary gulped, "H-How are you here?"
"Well, when a mommy and a daddy love each other very, very much—"
"Stop Sebastian." Clary spoke frustrated, rubbing her hands over her eyes.
Sebastian stopped immediately. "What'd you just call me? Earth to Clary, its Jonathan. Your brother."
Clary's head whipped up and her eyes widened. She nodded her head slowly. "Right, sorry. I was just feeling a little uneasy…I-I'm good now."
Sebastian—or Jonathan, just shrugged his shoulders and walked back into the room behind him.
Clary slowly backed into her bedroom and carefully shut the door behind her. She leaned her head up against the door frame for a minute, attempting to catch her breath that had suddenly been knocked out of her. At least there was a little bit of comfort in this room.
Clary held onto the wall for balance as she somehow managed to make it to her bed before collapsing. Clary wanted to curl up into a ball and cry. This wasn't her life. It took all her strength to sit up and think straight. She wiped at her eyes to stop any tears from falling before they even had the chance.
She knew this wasn't her world but for now, she'd just have to play along. The best place to get answers was the Institute, from Jace and the Lightwoods. If she could make it through an awkward morning and manage to slip out the door, maybe she could fix things before they got to out of hand.
So far, the only difference was that her brother was alive and living with her. On the positive side, at least he was her real brother and not Sebastian. She had always wanted a brother and now it seemed she finally had one. Maybe things wouldn't be all that different. Straightening up, Clary stood and recomposed herself as she stepped back out into the corridor.
She began walking towards the kitchen when the misplaced table stopped her. On top, was the picture she'd thought about breaking earlier to use as a weapon. Now, she could see the picture the frame held. It was a black and white photograph of Jocelyn and Valentine when they were much younger, maybe nineteen or so. Valentine arms were wrapped around Jocelyn's waist and they were standing sideways, staring at the camera, both smiling happily.
Clary rubbed her hand over the glass where her mother stood. She lifted her head up and headed towards the kitchen. She could hear jumbled voices as a few pans clanged together. It smelt like burnt toast and for a minute she was reminded of Izzy's cooking skills, or the lack so of them.
She pushed the wooden door open and stepped inside. Her mouth gaped open and it took all her strength not to cry out. Jonathan sat at the breakfast bar and across from him stood Valentine Morgenstern. Tall, muscular, formidable. He turned and gave Clary a small smile. "Good morning Clarissa. Are you feeling all right?"
Clary smiled weakly, despite the bile she tasted in the back of her throat. "Fine, why wouldn't I?"
She strode over to Jonathan and took a seat next to him and picked up the piece of toast that sat in front of her before deciding against it and setting it down. Valentine and Jonathan stared at her for a moment before Jonathan spoke up.
"So, Dad, can I go hang out with Eric and Simon after school?" Clary felt relieved she hadn't eaten that toast because if she had, she'd be choking on it right now. In what world, would a boy like Simon be friends with Jonathan? Of course, she didn't know how Jonathan would act in this world, as her brother, but Sebastian would never befriend Simon.
"Yes, that will be fine. Clary, you're going to have to take the subway home. I've got work."
"Work?" Clary was confused, and she needed answers so she didn't care how crazy she seemed she had to ask. "Shadowhunters don't work like mundanes…"
Valentine glanced at her before looking at Jonathan. "I think she's talking nerd." He said with a shrug of his shoulders. Clary grabbed the glass of water that sat in front of her and gulped it. They weren't Shadowhunters—or at least they didn't know they were. But she did.
"Anyways, you two better get going. I'll be home late from the office so you're on your own for dinner." Valentine said sipping his coffee. Clary made out a small postal stamp on a letter sticking out of the case her father carried. Morgenstern Law Firm. A lawyer. Valentine Morgenstern was a lawyer. Clary almost wanted to laugh at how bizarre all of this was, but the better half of her wouldn't allow it.
Clary grabbed what she presumed was her bookbag and followed Jonathan to the door. "Why can't mom take us?" She whispered, sweat dripping down her forehead as she thought about all the possible answers her brother might say.
Instead, Jonathan froze and grabbed Clary's arm to pull her back. "What? Clary, you're worrying me. Are you sick?"
"N-No, why…?" Clary spoke in an uneven tone.
He took in a deep breath through gritted teeth before answering, barely above a whisper. "Clarissa, our mother died seventeen years ago, giving birth to you."
Clary had no response, she felt like she was on the verge of tears. It was fake. Unreal. All of this. It was so odd, hearing those words. Because she could so easily describe their mother to him and he would most likely be shocked. The way she could tell him exactly how Jocelyn's hair was a few shades darker than her own. How her eyelashes were long. How her features were well-defined. How Jonathan had inherited her slim fingers. How she was as stubborn as Clary herself. How she was one of the best Shadowhunters in Idris. But Jonathan would only look at her like she was a lunatic.
Instead though, she grinned happily and nodded her head. "Of course." She turned away and simply walked out the door and began walking. She heard Jonathan call after her in protest but she couldn't care less.
After a few minutes, Clary figured Jonathan had given up and headed off to school. It was weird, seeing how her brother would act towards her if they had all grown up together and lived a nice, ordinary life. But things hadn't happened that way.
Clary was pulled out of her thoughts as she heard an engine revving and a beat-up car pull up beside her. She looked over and saw Jonathan, driving alongside her.
"Get in the car Clarissa." He said, irritated though there was worry in his voice.
"No." She answered.
"We're going to be late to school."
"Go ahead, I'm walking. I'll see you there."
Jonathan was about to say something back, but instead just took a breath and nodded his head. "Okay then." With that, he sped up and drove off. Clary figured he knew how stubborn she was, in this world and hers, and had learned just to give in if the matter wasn't urgent.
With that, Clary turned onto a side street and headed for the subway. She didn't know where she went to school in this world. But she did however know the way to the Institute. And that was her destination.
OK first, I just want to say SORRY. This chapter was a nightmare to write because I didn't know how I wanted Clary to react to everything. I think i did a good job and I was pleased with it!
Secondly, THIS PART IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. So, I had this idea. Starting with the next chapter (chapter 3), I'm going to name the chapter after an actual chapter from the books (ONLY The Mortal Instruments Books 1-6). The first person to PM or review saying what book it's from, will have their name mentioned in the following chapter. If that was confusing, feel free to PM and I'll attempt to explain it better. I just thought that was a cool idea and I wanted a sort of way to interact with all of you!
Lastly, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS READ MY STORY! HAVE A GOOD DAY AND BYE!
