Disclaimer: Not Mine. Sigh.

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CHAPTER 4

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"Isabelle?" Clary said. "Is everything okay?" Isabelle was standing awkwardly in the door way. It seemed so out of character for her to look awkward, but here it was.

"No Clary, well maybe. I don't know…" Isabelle's eyes were darting shiftily around the room. Oh no Clary thought she knows. She felt her stomach wrenched its self out of place and wedged its self in her throat.

"Well come in, sit down." Clary choked out reluctantly.

"Thanks." Isabelle strode across the room and perched on the edge of Clary's bed opposite her. Clary looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to drop her bomb shell.

"Well, actually I wanted some advice, Clary, and your kind of the only girl friend I have. Would you mind?" Clary sighed in relief before she checked herself and regained her composure. Advice was all she wanted, thank God!

"Sure, Iz, shoot. Ill do my best to help." Clary meant it too. Isabelle was almost a likeable person once you got passed the searing jealousy her looks caused. Clary had always wanted a sister.

"Thanks. Well it's just that I'm worried about Alec. I don't know what to do." Clary was baffled. Alec seemed so happy recently. What was Isabelle worried for?

"It's Mangus." Isabelle sighed, "I think he's cheating. He's the only person Alec's ever liked, other than Jace I mean. He seems really into him. I don't think I can tell him."

She left Clary stumped. She certainly hadn't expected that one.

"Er, well, how do you know?" she asked clumsily.

"I was at a party the night before last. Mangus was there, done up to the nines as usual Covered in glitter. He looked incredible of course. And he was with a girl. She looked about twenty, very pretty." Isabelle had a note of jealousy in her voice as she made that comment, so this strange girl must have been breath taking.

"But I thought Mangus was, well you know, gay?" Clary said in disbelief. Isabelle looked as if she might laugh but didn't.

"No", she explained, "Mangus doesn't really distinguish by gender, Clary. He's known for his good taste though. He's drawn to the best; the best of both sexes."

"Oh, well were they kissing or flirting or what?" Clary asked, still confused.

"Well Mangus had his arm draped over her shoulder all night. He kept whispering in her ear. I couldn't look at him enough to see if anything more happened. I felt sick. I can't tell him Clary can I?"

"Well," said Clary careful, "No, not yet. I think we should make sure its true first. If your wrong and it breaks them up it would be awful."

"Your right, "Isabelle nodded, "I can't just wait around though I'm going to have to see Mangus."

"Okay" Clary agreed, "Do you want me to come along?" She offered.

Isabelle told her that she'd rather go alone, thanked Clary awkwardly and left, leaving Clary feeling very muddled.

***

Ring ring, ring ring. Luke picked up the phone. Clary could hear him from her room. "Hello?" he said down the phone. "Oh Hi, Jace… How's things? … That's good… Okay… Ya sure, shouldn't be a problem… Ya, I know! One sec."

"Clary" Luke called. Her heart had been racing since she heard him say Jace and now it was positively galloping. "Coming," she called back jumping up power walking out the door.

She took the phone from Luke's out stretched hand trying to read the expression on his face, but coming up blank. He looked calm and unfazed.

Clary hadn't seen or heard from Jace in three days. That morning in the institute after she had spoken to Isabelle, Clary had gone down to the kitchen and found it empty. She had even asked church where everyone was and he had just sat there looking amused. So she had a quick breakfast and left.

She was starting to think the night in his arms was just a wonderful dream never to be repeated or worse still she'd started wondering if something was wrong.

"Hello." She said nervously.

"Clary, you're coming over to the institute for the weekend okay? I've Okayed it with Luke already. We need you." Jace's voice sounded like musical velvet to Clary's ears, but also urgent. Maybe everything was as bad as she imagined. "Why?" she asked.

"I'll meet you at your place in half an hour and we can go over together." he told her factually.

"Okay, aren't you there now?" She asked.

"No" he told her quickly. "I had some things to do. See you soon." And then the line went dead. Clary wasn't sure what to make of the conversation so she resigned to stay calm until she saw Jace and she headed off to her room to pack her things.

AN: Thanks for reading everyone- your brilliant!

Reviews? I'd love to know what you think so far.

& Okay, so I know mixing Alec and Mangus in was a bit unorthodox! But please don't crucify me- I do intend to link it back to the JacexClary story!

Also I'm considering rewriting the second and third chapters to condense them into one- editing out all the unnecessary flab. So tell me, what do you think- leave it as it is or edit them into one chapter? Its up to you guys!