Finally I had time to finish the next chapter. Sorry it took me this long - I blame my life xD

ICraveYou - You couldn't be more right. So so painful...
ilyreid - We'll just have to wait and see what happens with Sebastian in the end
AlejandraMartinez - omg you are so sweet! Thank you so much!
RWBRyan - Epicness? Wow. I'm speechless.
Guest - Thanks
Whip and Fangs - I'm not really the fluff kind of person xD I can promise you romance, though. Every now and then between all the drama and mystery xD

Before we get to the next chapter I have an announcement to make: From now on Malec will play a bigger part in the fanfic. Don't worry, it will stay Sizzy-Centered but I have so much love for Malec as well that they will get their moments - and their very own drama (of course, let's face it, it's me xD). I do hope you are okay with this :) But since Malec is the ships of all ships (as I once read and totally agree!) I'm not too worried^^


CITY OF CRYING ANGELS
chapter seven: 24 Hours

"This better be important. I left a very good looking Shadowhunter alone in my bed." Magnus said as he stepped out of the building, wearing a bathrobe – which looked like something Elton John would wear to a trip to Las Vegas – and not less disturbing slippers. Simon had called him and asked him to come down without waking Alec. He didn't like the secrecy and really thought Alec should now, but he respected Isabelle's wish.

When Magnus saw Izzy he lightened up. "Ah... our missing sheep has returned." He had a weird way of saying Nice to see you again. But then again Magnus did everything in a weird way. "I do hope you didn't kidnap her." he said to Simon.

"What do you mean you left Alec? Is he awake?" Izzy asked, obviously worried that Alec might follow Magnus.

"Well he did have trouble sleeping, after his sister went missing and all. I had to knock him out with a dozen sleeping pills. He's asleep now – and, come to think of it, he might be for the next couple of days - but sometimes I just like watching him sleep."

Simon half expected Izzy to tell him that was creepy, but she didn't. He couldn't figure out if that was because of what had happened yesterday or if she had done that once before, herself? For all Simon knew only people in love liked watching the other sleep. Izzy had never spend a night with anyone except with Simon, which meant if she did it...? He really didn't know where they stood. He was insanely in love with her, that was pretty much on the table but never said out loud. And Izzy liked him, and wanted to be close to him, even after what had happened to her, he knew that much. But was it love?

"We need your help. But before we tell you we kind of need you to promise that you won't tell Alec about this." Simon said.

"You want me to lie to Alec?" Magnus clearly wasn't too fond of the idea and Simon couldn't blame him. He didn't like it himself and considering that the last time he didn't like a plan it had turned out to be the wrong thing to do, because Sebastian found out about the rings, he was worried. Again. Worry seemed to be the only feeling left with him, lately.

Before Simon could figure out what to say Isabelle replied with a sharp: "Yes."

The Warlock looked at her for a while before he said: "Fine. But it he finds out I lied to him you are going to take full responsibility which means he's going to break up with you instead of me." Magnus picked the inappropriate times to make his even weirder jokes.

"He can't know." Isabelle said determining, with a pinch of begging in her voice.

This time Magnus was serious: "It's not my secret to tell. However, I don't think we should be discussing this on the street."

Isabelle looked uncomfortable which was why Simon tossed in: "We can't go into your apartment. Alec could wake up."

"Did you honestly think I had just the one place?"

Simon blinked. "You have another one?" Of course, since Magnus never paid for anything he didn't need to worry about living beyond his means.

"More or less." He opened the door to the building and as he entered Simon and Isabelle shared a confused look, but followed him. He lead them to the apartment below the one they already knew and opened the door, not with a key but with a wave of his hand. He walked in, turned on the light and said "Feel free to enter at any time. Unless you are more comfortable standing in the hallway and staring, in that case you might as well stay where you are."

At times he could be so obnoxious. They walked in and Simon closed the door behind them. As he took a look around he saw that this wasn't were he lived when he got bored with his other apartment (which with Magnus had been a valid possibility) but a storage place. It reminded Simon of a mix between a library and a laboratory. There were shelves everywhere, filled with more books than one person could read in a lifetime – though Simon assumed none of them were novels, but books about demonology or whatever one liked to call it.

"Have you ever heard of a little something called basement?" he just had to ask.

Magnus didn't even look at him. "Have you ever heard of a little something called dangerous goods? There are so many people walking in and out of my apartment, half of the time I don't even know who's still there and who's not. And some things are just too risky to have lying around in there. Books, which contain highly sensitive information, ingredients for spells which could easily kill or poison somebody if the wrong person got their hands on them. I used a lot of those books in trying to find a way to save Jace. - Barely anyone knows about this place. I guarded it with magic. It had been a very complicated spell to do, it took me weeks to regenerate my powers. But it had been necessary. If someone besides me, or without me, tries to enter… well, let's just say they'll get a free vacation."

"They end up in another place? Where?"

Magnus shrugged his shoulders. "No idea. I made it to be random. Thought it would be more fun that way. It could be romantic Paris or charming London just as well as the eternal ice of Antarctica or the middle of the Pacific Ocean."

Maybe we should invite Sebastian to come over. Simon kept this thought to himself. He didn't like to mention his name, if it wasn't absolutely necessary, when Izzy was around.

"I thought you didn't create permanent portals." Izzy pointed out.

"Strictly speaking it's not a portal at all. It's simply a part of the protection spell I used. You see, portals work both ways. This, however, is a one-way-ticket. Once you're there you need to find a way back on your own - if you can. Come to think of it, I did lose track of a few warlocks and one or two burglars that way..." He explained.

"Does Alec know about this place?" Izzy asked and Simon was sure she was only buying time, before having to tell Magnus what happened.

"Yes, but he doesn't like it. He thinks it's too dangerous for me to have all this. I adore it when he worries, but he doesn't have to. I always know what I'm doing. That's something, Alec has learned very soon in our relationship."

Simon frowned and said: "Already more than I wanted to know."

"Believe me, you have no idea what you're missing out on, Stanley."

"I'm perfectly happy as I am, thank you."

"Oh, I wasn't offering. Even if I weren't dating Alec, you're not my type. No offense."

Oh, good. Simon thought but said: "None taken."

"So." Magnus took a seat at the great table in the middle of the room and as he showed them to sit down as well two more chairs appeared at the table. "You wanted to talk to me about something."

"Yes…" Simon hesitated and looked at Izzy who had sat down at the table and kept staring at it. "Do you want me to tell him?" He didn't know what would be harder for her. Explaining it again herself or having to listen to him repeating it.

"I can do it." She said and Simon slightly nodded when he sat down next to her. He grabbed her hand, hoping this would help her even a tiny little bit and when she softly squeezed his hand he thought maybe it did. For the first time ever since he was a Vampire he didn't just not need to breath – he didn't. Listening to what Sebastian did all over again shut down all his body functions and he was rambling with rage, but at the same time trying very hard not to show that. He needed to be there for Izzy and him coming up with ways to torture him didn't help her.

As usual Simon found it very hard to tell what Magnus was thinking. He was, however, affected by what he heard, so far Simon could tell. His eyes were dark and he seemed worried but also remained calm. He always stayed calm. Then again he didn't spend that much time with him, so that didn't mean Magnus never lost it. Simon had just never seen it.

When Isabelle had finished there was a long silence, even Magnus needed to process this. While no one said anything Izzy looked at Simon, which she hadn't done while he had been talking. He slightly nodded, which was supposed to tell her that she did good but all she did was squeeze his hand a bit more. By now she might have broken the hand of a human being, because she had kept squeezing harder and harder as she had spoken, but luckily Simon could take it.

Finally Magnus said something: "I'm sorry that happened." Izzy didn't reply and returned to stare at the table as he continued. "May I see the rune? I assume that's why you came to me."

One day Simon had to ask him if he fell in some sort of potion when he was little and as a consequence developed an enormous amount of intelligence. Like Obelix gained his strength. Of course, he thought, that would be even worse than calling him Yoda.

Isabelle nodded and rolled up her shirt a bit again. Magnus got up and walked around the table to take a closer look at it.

"And? Have you seen it before?" Simon asked, hoping Ob-, Yod-... Magnus could clarify what that rune meant.

"Not that one, no."

"But... others like it?" Isabelle asked.

"So Clary didn't draw it?" Simon added which caused Izzy to give him a shut-up-look. But he had to make sure that his best Friend hadn't had anything to do with what had happened to the girl he loved.

Magnus nodded and while Izzy rolled her shirt down again he replied: "I'm fairly certain Clary had nothing to do with it, yes. But what it means... I'm going to have to look into it." He looked exhausted as he said that and Simon couldn't blame him. He knew how hard Magnus had been working on trying to figure out how to separate Jace from Sebastian and now he had yet another task, that was very important. "I will try and figure this out as soon as possible. Until then I suggest you find a place to stay."

Simon frowned. "We can't stay here?"

"You can. I just figured-"

Isabelle cut him short: "I don't want to." Of course. How could he have even asked that question? This was were Sebastian had... hurt Izzy. Destroyed a part of her. Of course she didn't want to stay here, not even during the day and with them being around. No one would. That was why she'd ran away in the first place. Stupid stupid stupid question!

Magnus nodded and said: "I still don't know how he managed to take down the wards. We knew he must have connections but fooling a Shadowhunter regarding his appearance is way beyond a usual glamour." He hesitated for a moment but then added: "I believe Sebastian has done what he has done for a reason. He went through a lot of trouble to get to you – that takes more of an intention than vengeance or spite. I don't mean to upset you but I believe he might come back for you."

Isabelle jerked and Simon fought the urge to put an arm around her. Even though she said she wanted to be close to him, he had a problem with it. Not because he didn't want to, but because he couldn't believe her when she said it was okay for him touching her. Holding her hand was all he could do without feeling guilty.

"He burned down the institute and has attacked you in my apartment. It appears he has specifically targeted every place you felt the most comfortable in – leaving one place out. The one you ran to immediately. It might be possible that he wanted to know exactly where you would be. Which is why I highly advice you never return to Jordan's apartment. If anything, Jordan should move as well. Remind me to tell him."

Simon froze. Could Sebastian really have planned this? Just so he would know where she would be? He looked at Isabelle and saw that she was shocked but also angered. She probably hated to have done exactly what Sebastian had wanted her to do.

"Okay, so I won't go there anymore. But that means I don't have a place to stay. Because I'm not going to go to Alicante, either." Simon could understand that. That was where Max had died. It was where she had first met Sebastian. And it was where her parents were right now.

"Well, wherever you go, you should decide soon. Once you have found a place call me. I will come over and secure it. Better than I did yesterday..." That was the first time Simon realized that Magnus might partly blame himself for what happened as well. "I assume Alec is going to wake up soon, I should go back and figure out what to tell him when he asks about you."

Isabelle lowered her head. "I'm sorry you have to lie to him."

"Yeah." Magnus said. "Me, too."

: : : : : :

Clary awoke with a shock when she heard a loud crack and was suddenly sitting up in her bed. Well, not her bed, but the one Sebastian had assigned to her. Besides her laid Jace. Again: Not her Jace, but the one Sebastian had turned him into. Lately he used to spend the nights at Clary, but they just slept next to each other. She didn't want to do anything more with this Jace, because right now he wasn't the one she loved.

It wasn't like she needed proof for that, but the fact that he was still asleep – even though the crack had been extremely loud – added to the signs that he wasn't himself right now.

As for her – she was still on her mission of finding out what Sebastian was planning. But even if she managed to – she had lost the ring, therefore there was no way of contacting Simon. Of course she hadn't exactly lost it, she was sure Sebastian had taken it from her. She hadn't found the right words to ask him yet ("Have you seen the ring I was wearing, which I really need for no reason at all?" seemed kind of suspicious) but she knew it had had to be him.

In order to find the source of the loud noise she got out of the bed and walked toward the door, which she opened as quietly as possible. As soon as she did she heard a voice from a long distance.

"You should learn how to control your anger when I'm around, as for it is still you who requires something from me." It was the Seelie Queen. Clary walked towards the voices, trying not to make a single noise, even turning down breathing as much as possible.

"My apologies. It's a bad habit at times. I didn't like that dresser anyway. Let's try this again... Any news on when I am going to be able to proceed with my plan?"

"Which one?" she sounded amused.

"The one you helped me execute."

He had more than just one plan? And he was working with the Seelie Queen? Oh this wasn't good. She felt fear coming up but suppressed it. This was hardly the time to get scared.

"You will see results very soon. Maybe another 24 hours and you can proceed. Although, may I ask: Why the sudden rush? It took you long enough to execute it, I assumed you had forgotten about it."

"I would never forget anything you tell me." Boy, he could be such a suck-up if he wanted to. "It simply took me this long to choose the perfect counterpart."

"Personally I don't see why you chose her."

"I was hesitant at first, but Jace told me such much about Isabelle."

Isabelle? What had he chosen her for? Clary started to panic.

"Not only is she a very strong fighter, she even enjoys the hunt and unlikely to Jace not because she has a certain death-wish. Trust me, she was the right choice."

"I wasn't trying to unsettle you."

"Yes. You were. You wanted it to be Clary."

"Very well. I shall go. I expect you will keep out your part of our agreement once you have what you wanted. I will be watching you, Jonathan Morgenstern."

There was silence and Clary tried to get back to her room quickly but before she reached it she felt a puff of wind and Sebastian stood right in front of her and a scream got stuck in her throat.

"I have heard about little sisters eavesdropping but this is the first time I ever had the pleasure of experiencing it."

Clary swallowed. There was no point in pretending she was on his side anymore. "What did you do to Isabelle?"

He smiled. It was cold smile which gave her a shiver. "Let's just say you may not be our only guest for much longer."

Clary frowned and then heard a noise behind Sebastian. "Are you serious? Isabelle's coming?" It was Jace.

"Yes, she is. Soon."

Jace smiled at Sebastian first and then at Clary. "Isn't that great? We'll see Izzy again!"

"Yeah..." she looked at Sebastian, without any real expression in her face. "That's awesome."


Is it? Isn't it? What the hell does that even mean? You'll find out, sooner or later. (I admit - maybe later xD)

Also, we are closing in on the main plot... two or three chapters more and we're in the middle of it. Stay tuned!