AN: Sorry ,this took so long. The next update should come much more quickly. Please enjoy.
"Simon," Isabelle whispered.
Simon stirred slightly. He opened his eyes and smiled weakly at her, "You came back," he whispered. He put his hand on her face.
Isabelle swallowed. She felt as if she would be ill. Simon looked like death. He was pale (paler than usual). You can see blue veins through his skin. His eyes were rimmed red. He was sweating. Isabelle leaned into his touch. "I am sorry," Isabelle whispered.
"It's fine," Simon told her.
"No, it's not. I have been...terrible..." Isabelle choked out.
"You have not," Simon assured her. "I understand."
Isabelle pulled away from his hand, "You do?" she asked.
Simon nodded. Isabelle wiped the blood from his face. Finally he said, "I understand. You didn't want to watch me die."
"That's true, "Isabelle admitted. "But that is selfish."
Simon was quiet for a moment. Then he said, "Help me sit up." Isabelle took hands and helped him prop up against the wall. Simon looked pensive as he spoke, "Do you remember what you told me about your parents?"
"What?" Isabelle asked.
"About their marriage?" Simon prompted.
"You mean my dad's affair?" Isabelle asked."What about it?"
"When you confided that in me I learned a lot about you." Simon explained. "It's not selfish that you ran away from me. You were trying to protect yourself from the pain."
Isabelle was glad he could see it but at the same time it was frightening to have someone see inside you that way. "I was but it won't work. Clary made me realize that even if I run away from it. It's still going to hurt because..." Isabelle took a deep breath. "I love you. I am in love with you." She paused and wiped the tears from her face. "The night you got sick I was coming to tell you that I love you and I want to be with you. But then I chickened out because I thought your death wouldn't hurt as bad if I didn't say how I felt out loud."
Simon chuckled, "I don't think it works that way."
"I know," Isabelle said.
"You know, I love you too," Simon said. He took Isabelle's hand, "I am in love with you too."
"You are?" Isabelle asked.
"Of course," Simon answered. He smiled, "I want to ask you something and you can't say no because I am dying."
Isabelle laughed, "I see your going to milk this," she scolded playfully. "What do you want?"
"A kiss," Simon said. His face clouded over, "I don't think I have long and I don't know if Magnus will find a cure. "
"Don't say that," Isabelle hissed. "Please?"
"Where is my kiss?" He asked.
Isabelle leaned forward and lightly touched her lips to his. She was going to pull away seconds later but Simon wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. He deepened the kiss and Isabelle didn't stop him. She wound her arms around his neck.
"Hey!" Someone called from behind them. "Knock that off."
Isabelle pulled away feeling breathless. She turned and saw Jace and Clary standing in the doorway. Clary was smiling, looking like Christmas came early. Jace was smirking.
"Well, someone must be feeling better." Jace said ruefully. "If I didn't know better I would think you were faking this to get some Lewis."
Simon smiled, "No. I am not faking. I am just determined to die a happy man."
Clary turned and buried her face against Jace's chest. Isabelle could hear her sobbing.
"Clary," Simon said softly. "Come on. It's not like this is news. I am dying. Soon. I haven't had blood in days. I probably have hours left."
"I am sorry," Clary said and scurried from the room.
"Do you want me to get her?" Isabelle asked.
Simon shook his head," Jace can calm her down and she will come back," he said. "It will be all on Jace now to be there for her." Simon moved back to lying down. He scooted over on the bed and lifted his arm. "Stay with me?"
Isabelle was reminded when Simon stayed with her at Magnus's while Jace was missing. It made her feel better having him there. She laid down beside him and curled her body against his. She snuggled into his shoulder.
"Don't die yet?" Isabelle begged.
"No promises," Simon said. Within seconds he was asleep. Isabelle was praying he would wake up.
"Isabelle," someone whispered. "Isabelle."
Isabelle sat up and looked around wildly. Her vision was blurry but she could see he woke her up. It was Becky. But Becky wasn't alone. Standing in the doorway was a woman who was a little older than her mom was. It has to be Simon's mom.
"Hi," Isabelle said awkwardly. She untangled herself from Simon. She turned and looked at him. For a minute she was horrified. He seemed so peaceful. That should be good but it terrified her. "Simon!" she shook him. "SIMON!"
"What?" Simon moaned.
Isabelle exhaled loudly. She buried her face against his chest. "By the Angel!" she exclaimed. "I thought you were..."
"I was just sleeping," Simon complained.
"I am sorry," Isabelle replied. "You have visitors."
Simon looked over his shoulder and saw his sister and his mother. "Hi," he said weakly.
Isabelle stood up and straightened her rumpled clothes and ran a hand through her jet black hair. "I will go and give you guys some time," she said. Isabelle started to walk away. Simon grabbed her hand.
"You're coming back?" he asked.
Isabelle frowned, "Of course. I will come back. Where else would I go?"
Simon pulled her down and kissed her lightly. It was a fairly chaste kiss but Isabelle felt herself blushing knowing is mother was standing there. "Bye," he whispered.
"Bye, "Isabelle replied.
She nodded at Simon's family and left. Isabelle walked into the living room. Clary was asleep on the couch. Jordan, Maia and Jace were eating pizza.
"Hungry?" Jordan asked.
Isabelle shook her head.
"You should eat," Maia urged. "Starving yourself isn't going to cure him."
"What will?" Isabelle asked. "Because I will do anything."
"Magnus is working as hard as he can," Jace reminded her. "I don't think he or Tessa have slept in days." Jace eyes Isabelle. "Speaking of sleep...Have you gotten any lately?"
Isabelle nodded, "I slept for a couple of hours with Simon," she said.
The door opened and Alec came in. He had a duffel bag thrown over his shoulder. He looked at his sister, "I brought you some stuff. Clothes and toiletries."
"Thanks," Isabelle said and she took the bag from him. "Any news?"
Alec shook his head, "Not yet. But they were still trying when I left. So-"
Isabelle didn't feel hopeful. Magnus said victims were usually dead within 2 days. That meant they had hours left. She shook her head trying to get the bad thoughts out. She looked at Jordan, "Can I shower?" she asked.
"You know where it is," he said. "I think there is one clean towel."
Maia barked a laugh and then said, "I keep a stash of clean towel in the cabinet by the door. Bottom shelf in a basket."
Isabelle smiled, "Thanks."
"I will have to change my hiding place now, I suppose," Maia mused.
Isabelle walked into the bathroom and started the water running. She stripped her clothes off. She had been wearing them for days. Isabelle looked at herself in the mirror. Her skin was sallow and there were dark circles under her eyes.
She climbed in the shower. The water was too hot causing her to yelp in pain. She adjusted it slightly. The warm water washed over her. She could feel her tense muscles relaxing. Jordan's water pressure wasn't great but the shower was helping.
Isabelle didn't stay in the shower long. The water became cool rather quickly. She got out of the shower and toweled off. She opened the duffel bag and pulled out a black tank top and a pair of blue jeans. She slipped them on. Isabelle ran a brush through her hair but decided to forgo makeup. It just didn't matter.
Isabelle opened the bathroom door and went back out into the living room. She tossed her duffel bag onto the floor out of the way and threw herself into a chair. Not a minute later there was a knock on the door.
Jordan looked surprised but he finished the pizza in his hand and stood up. He wiped his hands on his jeans and went to answer the door. Isabelle watched him and was surprised to see Magnus and Tessa standing there.
Isabelle's heart skipped a beat. If Magnus and Tessa were here they either had good news or bad news.
"Isabelle, can we speak with you out here?" Magnus asked.
"You and Jace," Tessa said.
Jace and Isabelle exchanged a look. Isabelle climbed to her feet and started to the door. She could hear Jace following her. Once they were outside Magnus pulled the door closed behind them.
Isabelle was stunned to see one of the Silent Brothers was with Magnus and Tessa. Brother Zachariah.
"We need to talk to you guys," Magnus said. "We may have found something."
Simon and his mother stared at one another in total silence. It felt as if they were staring at one another across a great divide.
"I am sorry," Simon said. "My room is a mess. I wasn't expecting company. I don't really have anywhere for you to sit."
"It's ok," Becky said. She looked at their mother. "Mom..."
"I haven't handled this well," his mother finally said.
"No, mom. I get it. No one expects their son to be turned into a monster," Simon said. He hated the look on her face. He wanted to make her feel better.
"You're not a monster," his mother sat on his bed and took his hand. "Becky and I have been talking. She told me that you are still you. You couldn't help what happened to you." There were tears in her eyes. "But now that I realize that and we can have a relationship again you..." She choked, "You are going to die. It's not fair."
"At least I won't die thinking you hate me?" Simon said.
"I love you," his mother said.
"I love you too mom," he whispered.
His mother put his hand to her lips and kissed it. The she cleared the throat, "Who is the girl?" she asked.
"Isabelle," Simon smiled.
"She is pretty," his mother commented. "Your girlfriend?"
Simon laughed, "Not officially. But I love her."
"Love?" His mother echoed. "You're in love?"
"Very much," Simon said. "Our timing...not so good. Neither one of us could say how we felt until it was nearly too late. We could have had weeks together but we let our fears and doubts get in the way.
"I am glad you got to experience the feeling before..." she trailed off. "Everyone should have that at least once in their life."
"I wish you had a chance to meet her under better circumstances, "Simon told her. "I think you would like her. She is...amazing."
"Is she a vampire, like you?" his mother asked.
Simon shook his head, "Shadowhunter."
"That is what Clary is, right?" Becky asked.
Simon nodded.
"They hunt demons?" Becky said.
"And rogue werewolves and vampire and such," Simon explained.
"You two looked surprisingly content when we walked in. Peaceful." His mother sighed.
"I just wish we had more time," Simon lamented.
"I wish you had more time," His mother started crying. She laid her head down on his stomach and he stroked her hair. He wondered if this was harder for him or the people who loved him.