Chapter 2 Not Alone

AN: Thank you to IzzySnow95 3 for pointing out that in the last paragraph of the first chapter, the first time it says "wake me when it's over" I forgot the word "when". Of all the things for me to mess up... XP lol It's fixed now. :)

Thanks to everyone who reviewed or added the story to their favorites or alerts. 3

Songs:

Simon, Izzy and Alec are sharing the song Hurt by Thousand Foot Krutch

Clary's song is Open Wounds by Skillet (it's the perfect song for Clary right now!)

Jace's doesn't really have a song so for now I'm going with Blood In The Tears by Demon Hunter but if you can think of a better one let me know!

Clary always woke up at, 5:30 everyone at the center had to be up by 6:30 and to breakfast in what she and Simon called the great hall by 7:00 unless they were black belts, black belts had to be at training by 6:30 and got breakfast at 7:30 (this included all the instructors age 25 and under who had to follow a strict training program along with their teaching duties) then they had to attend school within the center (again young instructors included, although they didn't go for as long as the other students). Valentine believed that being strong of body was worthless if you were weak of mind.

Clary woke up at 5:30, as ways, she needed some alone time to prepare herself for what ever the day might bring. Of course it wasn't really alone time with Simon right there but that only made it better. She picked up one her Harry Potter books that she kept here so her father didn't know about them. He had never told her not to read them but he tended to think anything that wasn't a classic was brain rotting and that was worth a wiping. She had wanted to keep them in her room anyway, he almost never came in there and when he did he didn't stay long, he probably would have never even noticed them, but Simon had talked her out of it, he didn't know why she was always so willing to risk getting in trouble he had saved her from beatings more times then he knew just by not letting her do stupid little things like that. She loved reading, almost as much as she loved drawing. Luke always sent her books, Luke was her fathers best friend. He had been her first martial arts instructor. Her father had wanted nothing to do with her training until she had begun to show promise, so he had entrusted her to Luke, who had been working for him at the time. Luke was always welcome back but Clary got the feeling he wasn't overly fond of her father these days. He still sent her books though and candy and all the things her father wouldn't allow. He sent them to Simon to insure that she would get them and it made her wonder how much he knew or suspected about the way she was treated.

Not that he could do anything about it. Shortly after thief mother died Jonathan had found out what was going on. He had called the police right away. No one had believed them. Valentine was greatly respected and it was their word against his. They had showed the police where Clary had been whipped but they only said that it looked like welts she could have gotten just as easily in sword practice.

He had beaten her badly that night, Jonathan hadn't been allowed near her for a week. After the week was over though their father went back to acting like the whole thing had never happened. He had told Jonathan then what would happen to Clary if they ever pulled anything like that again. He never threatened Jon, never. Everything Jon did was perfect, everything Clary did was wrong. She didn't resent Jon for this although she did wish that like him she could go off and study under other masters. But she wasn't good enough, she was never good enough.

She remembered that night, lying on her bed face down sobbing. Simon had texted her about some stupid thing he had found funny, she had been in too much pain to answer and after calling and texting her multiple times he had broken their rule and climbed through the vents to check on her.

He had found her still bleeding, for once unable to even try to hide her wounds.

"Clary?" he had whispered. Unable to truly believe that this was really his Clary.

"Out, get out." she had managed to get out through her tears.

"No Clary, I'm going to help you, I'm going to make it better." he had wanted to pass out at the sight of the blood soaking through her shirt, but somehow he had managed to stay calm and do what had to be done.

Once he cleaned her up and banged her wounds the best he could he had held her, carefully so as not to cause her more pain, but in a way that made her feel safe. She had managed to explain to him what had happened and how her father had said that for the next week as far as anyone else would know she would be sick, unable to leave her room, but then she must return to classes as usual. He would not come to see her during this week. No one would, meals would be sent to her and friends could visit (after she had cleaned up), so as not to arouse suspicion, but she was not to tell anyone anything. Or else. She found out from Jon latter what or else was and she didn't like it. Not that she would have told anyone anyway, she wouldn't even have told Simon if he hadn't found her bleeding.

Her stupid trader of a brain was making her remember all this for some reason, she hated remembering. She curled up in a ball as if she could thus protect herself from the memories, it didn't work, she made an involuntary whimpering noise and suddenly Simons arms were around her, and she was no longer alone. She put her head on his shoulder and he pulled her close. This was nice but only because she knew they were just friends. Men were dangerous and she had decided on that awful day that she would have nothing to do them, ever, she had never even dated and that was how she planned on keeping it. Simon held her and talked to her until she was calm enough to read, then still holding her, he went back to sleep for as long as he possibly could.

In New York another teenager with a dark past was suffering from a traderess memory.

Jace yelled out in his sleep, it was a wordless yell of pain and fear that brought two people quickly to his side. Strong hands grabbed him and he yelled again. Then he heard the voices that went with the hands and woke up. A girl and a boy were staring down at him with a mix of fear and love in their eyes. They were clearly brother and sister, they were both tall with the same black hair, but the boy was paler and had surprisingly blue eyes and the girl was breathtakingly beautiful with brown eyes and perfect hair despite the fact that she had been awaken by screaming and came running as fast as she could.

The boy who had been screaming was also breathtakingly beautiful, he had golden hair and pale gold eyes and even golden tan skin. But his eyes were wild with fear and even as it faded you got the idea that fear that horrible never left a person completely.

"Jace it's ok, we're here." the girl hugged him.

"Izzy." Jace said softly blinking up at her in confusion.

"Everything's ok Jace." the dark haired boy said laying his hand on Jaces arm.

"Alec." Jace said as if surprised that anyone would come to make sure he was ok. He was always surprised, every time, they had come every time for over 4 years and yet he still wasn't used to being loved.

"I'm sorry I woke you up." he said looking away in shame.

"Don't be." they both said at the same time.

Isabelle ran a finger over one of the many scars on his arm, "It's not your fault Jace."

"You always say that."

"Well that would be because it's always true oh stupid brother of mine."

"Right." he said sarcastically.

"You know it's true, now try to get some sleep, it's 5:30 we have to be up in an hour and a half." Alec said as he patted his brother's arm and headed for the door, "Unless of course you want to talk about it?"

"Hell no."

Alec shook his head and walk out the door he paused once more just before rounding the corner, "If you change your mind know where to find me."

Jace rolled his eyes and turned to look at Isabelle only to find that she was curling up on the bed next to him.

"And what do you think you're doing?"

"Going to back to sleep."

"And what exactly is wrong with your own room?"

"Jace? Do you remember when you were and Alec were 15 and 16 and I was 14?"

"Of course." That was right after he had first came here right after, he shook his head. No, no more memories.

"Remember that night when you heard me crying and came into my room? Remember how you didn't think I was stupid for being afraid of the dark?" No one else is the world knew she had ever been afraid of the dark, not even Alec, not even her mom and dad and Jace had never told anyone, thank God! She had told everyone she just used a nightlight because she didn't want to trip on things in the dark and given the state of her room and the fact she was never afraid of anything everyone had believed her. But that night she had decided enough was a enough, no more night lights for her.

He just nodded.

"Remember how you told me it was ok, that I wasn't alone and how you stayed with me till I fell asleep? I was never afraid of the dark after that."

"Your point?"

"I want to do that for you."

"It won't work, you've tried it before just with out the back story." he might be talking like he didn't care but he didn't mean it and she knew it and he knew she knew it.

"Jace. You moron. The point is you're not alone. And if I stay with you, you might believe me."

He sighed. "Fine." he remembered more than she did. He remembered waking up that morning and finding that for the first time in his life someone needed him. He was part of a family.

After a awhile he said, "What if it happens there?"

"Then we deal with that then." she looked him in the eye and added, "together."

He shook his head he didn't deserve them. But it sure was nice to have them.

"Thanks Iz." he said quietly.

"Duh." Isabelle replied.