Disclaimer: I do NOT own anything Cassandra Clare owns it all.


City of Jewels

--- 4. Fighting Temptation ---

Jace sat there in the midst of the ruins. He didn't bother running after her because he knew she would never forgive him. He just sat there and hid his face in his hands. Simon was at his side "Jace it wasn't your fault." Simon reminded him.

"You didn't see the look on her face, I destroyed her." Jace said speaking through his hands.

Simon didn't know what to say he just stood there gazing at what was left of the restaurant, He noticed a small man about 4 feet tall with a broom in his hands sweeping up the glass shattered across the room.

Jace stumbled to his feet, "Let's go we need to tell the others" Jace said as he and Simon left Taki's and made their way to the Institute.

Simon hadn't realized how long it had been since he had visited the Institute and certainly not with Jace by his side. They made there way up to the lobby and darted toward the library. The library had a faint ray of light glowing in from the windows, making the dust motes visible.

The spines of the books displayed on the shelves looked as if they hadn't been used in years by the amount of dust they accumulated, although it wouldn't be visible to the naked eye unless you had super altered vampire senses which Simon was now used to.

Simon noticed someone sitting at the familiar desk where Hodge use to spend most of his time. Her long black hair plaited like a thick rope falling down over one shoulder.

She wore a black silk dress flowing just above her knees with pink fluffy slippers hugging her feet. Isabelle sat there with her eyes lost in a book. Simon couldn't help but stare, and Jace was right behind him.

"Izzy where's Alec?" Jace asked shrugging off his jacket onto the back of one of the chairs beside him.

Isabelle took her eyes out of her book and rested them on Jace, her eyes dark and wide. "What on earth happened to you? You look like hell" Isabelle said with a worried tone.

"I need to speak with Alec!" Jace said brushing off her question. Jace found it easier talking to Alec about his problems than to anybody else.

"I don't know I haven't seen him all morning," Isabelle replied as her head buried further into the book.

Simon appeared next to Isabelle and raised an eyebrow

"Shadow hunter mythology?" Simon asked while staring at Isabelle, she avoided eye contact while he continued on with his commentary.

"I thought you don't like reading up mythology, or reading for that matter." Simon finished with a grin on his face.

"Very funny Simon, but I'm actually looking for something." Isabelle raised her nose in the air at Simon.

Simon sat on the desk where Isabelle's book was resting and traced his fingers over the top of her book brushing against Isabelle's hands. "Found what you were looking for?" Simon finished as he fumbled around with her fingers. Isabelle's cheeks flushed a bright pink color and tried to hide a smile.

Jace cleared his throat. "Don't mind me, I just live here," Jace said as he fought not to laugh.

Simon dropped Isabelle's hand and turned to look at Jace, he felt a little embarrassed getting caught flirting with Isabelle then he spoke. "So, how are we going to find Clary? Simon asked as he struggled to his feet.

Isabelle's eyes squinted. "Why would you need to look for her, isn't she at her apartment?" Isabelle asked with a little confusion in her tone.

"That's what we needed to talk to you about" Simon said.

Jace rested his eyes on Simon pulling a face as if to tell him to shut up but Simon ignored him and carried on. "We were at Taki's, then these big black creatures crashed the place dripping green saliva and one of them ate the waitress and then Clary started…." Simon was interrupted by Jace. "Shut up Simon she doesn't need details" Jace finished.

Isabelle covered her mouth, "Ate the waitress, you mean Kaelie's dead" Isabelle choked.

"Now you've done it" Jace murmured.

Simon stopped and put his hands in his pockets then he said "Yeah that's her name Kaelie" Simon finished.

"Oh my god," Isabelle horrified at what she just heard from Simon then she said "What about Clary?" Isabelle gasped "Did something happen to Clary too?"

"No" Simon paused then finished "Well at least we think so."

"So Clary's fine then?" Isabelle asked.

Jace sighed "Clary is not Clary anymore" Jace said as he slumped himself into one of the chairs.

"What he means is...the spell has taken over her and then she disappeared," Simon finished. He failed to mention the part when Clary nearly sliced her stele into Jace's back but the look on Jace's face made him think better of it.

"So do you have an idea where she might have disappeared to?" Isabelle asked.

"She said she wanted to go to Idris," Simon finished.

"Great then I'll call my mother; she's in Idris visiting the Penhallow's." Isabelle said slamming her book closed.

"You can't call her, there's no phones in Idris remember?" Jace stated.

"Oh right!" Isabelle said, "I guess we have to wait until she gets back," Isabelle finished.

Alec appeared shortly after with someone next to him, it was a girl that was familiar to the Lightwood's with her dark hair and her almond shaped eyes, it was Aline Penhallow. She stood there wearing a red velvet corset and black vinyl pants and her hair flowing out over her shoulders.

"Where have you been?" Jace asked his step-brother.

Then his eyes rested on the girl standing before him.

"Aline? To what do we owe this pleasure?" Jace greeted her with a smile.

"I was in Idris visiting mother; she told me Aline will be staying for a few weeks here at the Institute so mom and her parents could do business." Alec finished.

"That sounds great" Isabelle said while making her way toward Aline, "Aline I haven't seen you for ages," she said as she greeted her with a hug. "Your hair has gotten longer" Isabelle complimented.

Aline stood there with a shy smile "You all don't mind me staying here? I mean I don't want to impose or anything," Aline stated awkwardly.

"No not at all," Isabelle said politely. "Besides the immaturity I have to live with in this house is so over-rated." Isabelle finished as she pointed the remark toward the boys.

"Hey it's the vampire boy, does he live here too?" Aline asked.

"It's Simon, and no I was just leaving," Simon said.

"I'll show you to your room." Isabelle said dragging Aline by the arm giggling down the hall.

"I'll show myself out!" Simon said as he followed them out the door.

Jace and Alec watched them as they disappeared out of the library.

"This should be interesting" Jace spoke lightly.

"What should be interesting? You and Aline living under the same roof?" Alec teased.

"No, Isabelle and Aline living under the same roof." Jace corrected him hiding a smile.

"Sure, but it will be awkward having her around with your history with woman" Alec said.

"Yes well I'm a changed man, despite my striking good looks." Jace said confidently as he flashed a crooked smile.

Alec rolled his eyes and slumped himself into a chair next to Jace.

"Anyway I wanted to talk to you about Clary." Jace said changing the subject.

"I know I could hear you through the walls." Alec said then he asked, "So what happened to you anyway?"

"Clary is what happened, she sliced my back" Jace said as he slipped his shirt off over his head.

Jace tensed as Alec traced his stele across his wounds on his back where Clary had pierced it then Alec spoke,

"Clary done this?" Alec was shocked; he stared at the wounds as if he hadn't seen open wounds before. "I mean if she pierced it any deeper you would have been a goner" Alec finished.

"I know that's why I know Valentine is behind it all!" Jace finished.

"Yeah well trust Valentine to be the one who controls someone, even though he's dead." Alec said as he finished the healing rune.

"Yeah well sometimes I think that Clary means what she says, like the spell is gone and Clary is talking instead." Jace said.

"What do you mean?" Alec asked.

"I mean the way she pushes me away, like I'm old news or something," Jace said

"You know none of this is Clary's fault, she'll fight this I promise!" Alec stated.

"I hope so, anyway I better go clean myself up before dinner." Jace said as he darted toward the door and paused. He turned to look at Alec

"Thanks by the way" Jace finished and made his way to his room.

Jace opened the door to his bedroom and threw his shirt on the floor closing the door behind him. He noticed a figure sitting at the end of his bed and froze. She had changed herself into a lacy black lingerie garment that just covered her thighs.

Jace didn't know what to say he just stood there gazing at her with confusion then he managed to speak.

"Aline, what are you doing in here?" Jace asked as he gazed around the rest of the room hoping no-one else was in there.

"I'm finishing what we started." Aline spoke softly with a grin on her face as she made her way toward Jace.

Jace found himself backing up toward the wall as she crept up closer to him, He bumped into the wall suddenly having no where to escape.

"Aline you shouldn't be here," Jace managed to choke.

"I thought you were happy for me to stay here at the Institute." Aline said while she ruffled her hair back behind her ears.

"I am, I meant here, as in my room," Jace finished.

Aline chuckled "I forgot how cute you look when you get nervous," she said.

Aline what are you doing?" Jace asked awkwardly.

"Isn't it obvious?" Aline stated.

"I know but I can't, I'm with Clary now, she is what I want!" Jace said as if to remind her and himself for that matter.

"Well it didn't sound like Clary wanted you, I mean she tried to kill you!" Aline finished as if to twist the story to her advantage.

Jace was baffled he was thinking the same thing earlier, was she listening to our conversation? he thought, and then he said "You wouldn't understand" Jace finished.

Aline traced her fingers over his lean muscles then said, "What wouldn't I understand?" Aline asked.

Jace tensed as she tickled his arms with her fingers forcing his arms to wrap behind her back. Her hands made their way to his chest and she wrapped them around his neck. To Jace's horror he let her, he missed the comfort of someone holding him, the soft touch of a woman's body, but all he could think of was Clary. The way her red hair smelled of strawberries, the way her green eyes sparkled when she gazed back at him and he missed her.

Before Jace could push Aline away she pulled his head toward her and she kissed him on his lips, he was startled at how fast and eager she was, and then as if by reflex he kissed her back.

She pulled him closer to the bed and he followed, then they stumbled and fell on the bed, still kissing. Jace opened his eyes and suddenly realized he wasn't kissing Clary, and he was staring down at Aline. He froze in place then he pulled away

"Wait I can't" Jace said and pushed her hands back to her sides.

"But I thought….." Aline spoke and was interrupted from Jace. "Well you thought wrong" Jace said suddenly furious, more at himself than anything.

Aline lay there in disappointment. "I'm sorry I'll go" Aline finished as she stumbled to her feet.

Jace watched her disappear out of his room and he sat at the bottom of his bed with his head in his hands. He was trying to erase the moment that he just spent with Aline and how he felt like he had done the worst possible thing he could ever imagine. Clary's image suddenly appeared behind his eyelids and his stomach tightened, he couldn't believe he kissed someone else, Clary's going to hate me" he thought. He heard a knock at his door and it startled him. "Aline, go away" Jace said as if he were tired to speak. "It's me Alec, can I come in?" Alec asked. Jace opened the door and let him in, "What is it Alec?" Jace asked.

"I just saw Aline down the hall crying, do you know what's wrong with her?" Alec asked as he closed the door behind him.

"I don't know, why don't you ask her?" Jace said as he searched for some clothes in his drawers.

"I thought you would know, seems as though she came out of your room" Alec finished.

Jace bewildered, he didn't know what to say to that he just looked at Alec. "It was nothing" Jace managed to say.

"That" Alec said pointing at the door "didn't look like nothing" Alec said.

"Just drop it will you" Jace said.

"Fine, anyway dinners ready, and Isabelle didn't cook it, I did." Alec said.

"I need a shower I'll be down soon" Jace said as he disappeared into his bathroom leaving Alec staring after him.


A/N:

"You kissed her?!" Clary shrieked hitting and shoving Jace in the chest.

"Oooh...what did I miss? What did I miss?" Isabelle said rushing in the room.

"Jace KISSED Aline!" Clary said furiously. "AGAIN!" she shouted.

"It wasn't me I swear!" Jace pleaded and then glared at the author. "It was YOU, wasn't it?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Author says then whistles at the sky.