Hi everyone! Again the chapter isn't really long but I hope you like it. More action, I hope that you don't think it's too soon and a nice cliffhanger at the end. Please review for me! I love hearing what you all think of my work. These characters belong to Cassandra Clare.

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I groan at the bravado in his tone but open the door for him.

As soon as he hears the lock open, he pushes his way in. I am barely able to avoid having the door run over my toes. I yelp slightly as I leap out of the way. Once he's inside, he turns around and closes the door. He reaches for the lock but then turns to check with me before he turns it. I just nod tiredly and sit down again. I hear the sound of the lock and then Jace is sitting beside me.

I look over at him. "He's gone." That's all he says. That one simple sentence. I smile at him appreciatively. I like how he doesn't tell me Valentine is not coming back and that he doesn't over complicate the sentence. That's all it needed to be. "They're really worried you know. You've been in here for close to five hours." I stare at him. He can't be serious. I can't have been here that long. My thoughts must be clear on my face because he says, "You have." Or maybe I said it out loud. I blush and turn back to the little window.

The sun sets so quickly. Just a few minutes ago the sky was a bright, vibrant orange, almost glowing with the colour. Now the sky is a dusky purple. Only hints of the hues from before remaining. The room is getting dark as well but neither of us moves to turn on a light. We both just sit and stare.

"Simon was very upset that no one would let him come up to see you. He went home quite abruptly just before. Strangely, it also coincided with my decision to come and see you myself and your mother and Luke's decision to let me." I look at him in outrage. He hasn't been teasing Simon has he?

"I didn't do anything on purpose. He's just so funny to tease. Also Isabelle just went home. However she promised that she's coming back over tomorrow. She thinks she's cracked the code to make you happy. Why she thinks that I don't know. She's only known you for a few days." I give him a look and he shrugs. "I don't know what she has planned. I only know what she told me."

The room is fully dark now. My stomach growls. I'm starving. Jace laughs at the sound. "Yeah that's another reason they decided to let someone finally come up. They thought you would be starving." I nod in agreement. I am very hungry after all. No point hiding it or he may not feed me.

"However," he says and I groan. Why does there have to be a but? Buts are mean. "Their condition was that you came downstairs to eat. They said that they'd leave you alone if that's what you wanted, but that you had to come out." How dare they! Tempting me to come out with food. Using my weaknesses against me like that!

I make a grumbling noise but don't object when Jace stands up and pulls me with him. I step out side and sigh. Right. In all the Valentine fuss earlier we didn't finish my room, which means I'll need to spend time tomorrow sorting it out as well. My friends must love me. Jace doesn't react to my sigh, he just keeps pulling me towards the door.

I walk slowly down the stairs as Jace tugs on my hand, trying to make me move faster. After almost five minutes of walking down the small flight of stairs he turns to me. "Hurry up! I haven't eaten recently either you know!" While his words are harsh, his face and voice are playful so I don't take him too seriously, but I do start to walk a bit quicker.

By the time we reach the kitchen, we've been out of the bathroom for close to ten minutes. We walk in, keeping a slow and steady pace. One similar to that of a very old snail. We crawl in and come to a stop just inside the door. Mum and Luke smile at me and gesture that we should sit at the table.

I'm regaining speed as I move towards the table and the smell of food. But then I realise Jace isn't moving. "Um. I think I'm going to head back home now. Seems like it's all good here." I give him a funny look. "Don't you want dinner?" He frowns. "I'm sure my mother is capable of feeding me. She has been doing it for quite a few years now." I roll my eyes. "Don't you want to have dinner here is what I meant and you know it." He blinks at me then nods slowly. I roll my eyes again and then move over to sit down.

When we finish eating, Jace turns to me. "Do you want me to help you finish setting up your room? That way you'll have a clear schedule for whatever crazy ideas and activities Isabelle has planned to try and make you feel better. On a side note, a word of caution. If any of her crazy plans involve cooking or eating food she has cooked, turn her down! Agreeing may be the last thing you do."

He must understand the questioning look in my face because he explains "Isabelle is a terrible cook. She won't try to poison you but it may occur accidentally. She has been banned from the kitchen in our house and at most of her friends houses too. The worst part is she likes what she makes most of the time so beware!"

I giggle a bit at the hyperbole in his tone but file this information away for later. "If you wouldn't mind, I would appreciate some help finishing. I was worried you might all start to hate me if you had to spend another day working on my room." I ask Mum and Luke if they want to help too but they say they have to turn me down.

"I'm sorry sweetheart but I'm just so tired. Today really wore me out." I nod. I look at Luke and receive a similar response. "No I think I'll pass. Besides you don't really want my old boring influence invading your teenage haven do you?" He teases. I laugh and nod but I honestly wouldn't mind his influence in there. There is something about him that's calming. A quality that I can't quite explain, but it's there.

It's after ten by the time Jace and I finish up the room. With the sea green walls and the foamy white curtains, I feel like I could be in Atlantis. The soft dove grey bedcovers make it look like a rock plopped down in the middle of the city and the dark wood of floor and doors look like that of a shipwreck. The photos and sketches on the walls give it all a homey feel. A personal feel. Makes it feel like mine. I love it.

Jace looks pretty pleased with himself as well, even though he won't admit that he likes it. He keeps calling it girly with a smirk on his face. I bet he has bedroom just like this and that's why he won't admit he likes it. I tell him this as he collapses the last cardboard box and he laughs. "No Clary. My room is nothing like this. Nothing at all." I frown at that but I'm quickly distracted again when he admits that he likes the finished product.

"Ha! I knew it I knew it! How could you hate a room fit for Ariel?" He looks at me blankly. "Who's Ariel?" Now it's my turn to stare blankly. "How do you not know who Ariel is? You have a sister!" He chuckles. "Despite appearances, Izzy has never had much time for watching girly things, she's too busy doing them." I laugh at that. When he presses me to tell him who Ariel is I just tell him to ask Isabelle.

Half an hour later, after Jace has left, I walk back downstairs to the spare room, looking for my pyjamas. Just as I find them, a light flicks on in the house next door. I glance up reflexively and see a bedroom. A bed, a cupboard and a chest of draws, all of it simple. Then I see the boy standing in it. Jace. I think back to the other night and make a soft gasping noise when I realise it must have been Jace I could see. Blushing, I turn and head back upstairs, away from the his light.

I'm woken the next morning by pounding on my door. Again. Muttering a string of curses I stumble my way over to the door and yank it open. I'm still trying to clear enough sleep from my eyes to see who I hear my mother start talking. "Luke and I are about to head off to work and I thought you might want to know. Also Isabelle just left a message. She wants you to know she's on her way over soon and that you should dress casually formal." I groan. Great.

"Ok thanks mum." I mumble, finally clearing my eyes enough to see. "I'll get dressed and head down." "Good girl." She kisses my head and then leaves. I'm just on my way over to my wardrobe when I hear tapping at the door. "Hi." Luke says. "I just wanted to say goodbye and tell you that you should feel free to call me, if you ever need to." I nod at. At the man who protected me and my mother from my crazy father, before I was even born and then again yesterday. I can't help the rush of gratitude that propels me across the room.

I've wrapped my arms around him in a hug before I can even think about what I'm doing. I'm about to pull away when he surfaces from his shock and wraps his arms around me too.

Twenty minutes later I'm sitting downstairs, eating a nutritious breakfast of microwave croissants drenched in a thick coating of Nutella. Eating food like this is always a messy and sticky affair and by the time I'm finished, I have chocolate spread right across my face. Sighing happily, I wander down the hall to the bathroom where I wash it all off. Or as much as I can see anyway.

I'm halfway back to the kitchen when I realise that I forgot to brush my teeth. I almost skip up the stairs. A distant part of my brain recognises that this sudden surge of euphoria is due to all the sugar I just ate but the rest of me is so happy I easily ignore it.

At the top of the stairs I pause. Was that a noise? I could have sworn I heard a noise. Coming from the kitchen. I shake my head. I'm just being silly. Who else would be in here? Only three people have keys. I'm in here and if it was mum or Luke they would have called out to make sure I was up when they didn't see me in the kitchen. I must be imagining things now, I tell myself as I open the door and cross the room.

I manage to waste a full hour in the bathroom. I'm not usually the type of girl to waste a morning primping but I'm still waiting to hear the doorbell, or even better the phone, bearing news from Isabelle. But it never comes. It's just after eleven when I meander back downstairs. I pause in the hallway to check the message bank in case I didn't hear the phone but the only message there is from Isabelle two hours ago, saying she's about to head over.

My nerves are already slightly rattled when I reach the kitchen, only to see that the back door is open.

I stumble backwards and bump into a chair, then almost trip over again when I try to right myself. In seconds I'm back down the hallway and dialling the phone. "Pick up! Pick up!" I mutter. Finally I hear a voice at the other end of the line. "Garroway Books, Luke speaking." I feel like crying with relief. "Luke!" "Clary? What is it? What's wrong?! Shouldn't you be with Isabelle?" I whimper softly. "I was heading upstairs an hour or so ago because she still wasn't here and I thought I heard a noise. Then Isabelle never called so I went to check the messages in case I just hadn't heard it. Then I was thirsty, so I went into the kitchen and the backdoor is open. I did not leave it like that."

I hear a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the line. "Ok Clary just hold on. I'm just going to ask a friend to call the police ok?" I nod and then answer. "Yes Luke." I stand in the hallway shivering listening to Luke speaking urgently on the other end, instructing someone on the situation and telling them about what happened yesterday with my father.

"Ok Clary they just dispatched some officers. What I want you to do is go next door and check on Isabelle. Maryse will protect you until the police arrive. Call me as soon as you get there." I quickly hang up. I run as quietly as I can to the front door and rush out onto the footpath. I sprint to Jace's house and pound on the door. Unfortunately, it's Alec that answers.

His eyes widen a bit upon seeing me. "Aren't you supposed to be with Isabelle?" I stare at him in horror. "You mean she isn't here!?" He nods slowly, a strange look spreading across his face.

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A/N: I am so grateful to every single review. No matter what you say. I see a review pop up and I get a silly smile on my face before I even open it. Please make my day and leave me a review! It doesn't have to be an essay, just leave me a few words telling me what you think. Thank you! ;) :D X)