The alarm clock told Simon that it was a little past nine in the morning. He looked down at the sleeping girl on the bed next to him. She'd come knocking on his apartment door last night. He'd heard her get on the elevator but he hadn't been able to bring himself to believe it was her.

Her face read shock as she took in his naked torso.

"H-hi," she managed to stammer after a second.

"Hi."

"Shower?" She raised an eyebrow in an attempt to be coy.

"Yeah." He ran a hand through his wet hair and tried to think of something else to say. They continued to stare at each other, Simon leaning against the doorframe and Isabelle leaning against the wall opposite of the door. "What are you doing here?" Simon finally said, breaking the icy silence. "I haven't seen you in weeks."

"Simon…" Isabelle sighed and pushed herself off the wall. In her typical heels, her height just matched Simon's. "I know. I don't know what's going on with me." She looked at him demurely through his eyelashes.

"Isabelle." Simon's voice had taken on an authoritative tone. "This will not turn into a booty call."

"Whatever you say, Simon," she feigned resignation.

"I mean it. You can't just come over, unannounced, and expect me to ignore the fact that you haven't talked to me in over two weeks."

Isabelle's face fell. She pushed past Simon and sat down on the couch. Clenching his jaw, Simon closed the door after her and sat on the couch armrest. She pretended to take in her surroundings. Raphael and the others had pooled money together to help Simon get his own place. The only conditions were that he had to stay out of trouble and keep his grades up.

"Nice place," Isabelle finally offered, trying to break the ice. When she looked up at him, his face was impassive. She blew out a sigh. "Fine. I know I've been avoiding you ever since we kissed."

Simon made a sound that sounded like a mix between a laugh and strangled cough.

"I've had my fair share of boyfriends: warlocks, werewolves, humans, other Shadowhunters-"

"Isabelle."

She stopped and took in Simon's weary expression. His hair was tousled in the most adorable way. His former lanky and gawky body had transformed into the stunning physique that comes with being a vampire. His pale chest expanded and contracted with each unnecessary breath. And his eyes watched her every move with great detail. Even when she had walked all over him, left him embarrassed after putting himself out there, he still cared about her. Most every other guy she had dated in the past would be long gone. Those that stuck around only did so because they were hoping to get into her pants. But here Simon sat, waiting for her to say something, hoping that it would be what he wanted to hear.

"I love you," she breathed. "I think." She bit her lip and looked at him. "The feelings that I have for you are so much stronger than I have had for anyone else."

"That hardly means anything," Simon snorted before he could stop himself.

"Could you let me talk?" she snapped. Simon wiped his hand across his mouth to hide his smile.

"Sorry. Proceed."

"I was going to say that all my previous relationships were never meaningful. When I realized that I was growing feelings for you, I freaked. I'm sorry."

Simon rested his chin in his hands and stared at her from across the couch. "Could you repeat that part in the middle? I'm not sure I heard you right."

Her eyes narrowed "Of course you did, what with you and your vampire hearing."

"Humor me," he smirked.

"I love you." Isabelle whispered, a slight blush touching her cheeks.

"Sorry?" Simon asked, slipping off the armrest and crawling across the couch. "You weren't quite speaking loud enough." He'd reached Isabelle now. He held himself up as he hovered over her.

Taking in a deep breath, Isabelle looked into Simon's eyes. "I love you." She said it with more assertiveness this time. "I love you, Simon."

Simon lowered his head to Isabelle's letting his lips hover over hers. "For the record, I love you, too." Isabelle hungrily closed the minute distance between their lips, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Now Isabelle was lying on her side, one arm thrown across Simon's waist. They hadn't gone any farther than their kiss on the couch.

For once, Isabelle hadn't wanted anything physical. She'd pulled him down next to her on the couch and tangled their legs together. She placed a small kiss on the base of his throat before nuzzling into him.

"Tired?" Simon mused, trailing his fingers down her arm.

"I'm sorry." Isabelle sat back and took in his features. "Do you mind? I had training all day and I haven't had a chance to rest at all." She barely managed to suppress a yawn.

"Of course not." Simon turned her around and pulled her close. "Don't even give it a second thought." Isabelle weaved their hands together and pulled them around to rest on her waist.

"Thank you, Simon." She knew that he understood that she meant more than for letting her sleep. With a slight smile, he kissed the back of her head.

"Get some rest," he whispered. Without realizing it, she drifted off to sleep. Simon couldn't think of anywhere he'd rather be.

Sometime in the night, Simon realized that Isabelle wasn't comfortable. She couldn't get past a light slumber. Shifting so that she was cradled in his arms, he easily lifted Isabelle and walked into his bedroom. He walked around the clusters of dirty clothes that littered his floor and laid her down on his slightly unkempt bed. As he was pulling the comforter over, she startled awake, her ever-present Shadowhunter skills kicking in.

Simon reached down to caress her face. "It's just me," he murmured. She leaned into the touch, closing her eyes.

"Well what are you doing all the way over there?" She extended her hand with a weary look on her face.

Grinning, Simon took her hand and crawled into bed with her. "Sorry to wake you," he mumbled into her hair.

Isabelle turned and pulled herself closer to Simon, resting her head on his chest. "You can always wake me up."

Simon was content to lie with her all night and for however many nights were to come. So when his cell phone rang, a little after nine he was surprised how fast the night had gone.

"Clary?" Simon asked after seeing her name on the caller ID.

"Simon, I thought you should know that Maryse is on her way to your place." He didn't need to ask her why.

"May I ask how she knows where I live?"

"Hey, don't blame me. You wouldn't be able to lie to her either," Clary said as if she were shrugging.

"Fine. Thanks for letting me know." Isabelle had woken when the cell phone went off but she threw an arm over her eyes in an attempt to block out the sunlight. "Your mother is on her way here."

"I figured as much," Isabelle nodded. "I knew they were getting back today."

"Do they know about us?"

"Until last night there was no us." Isabelle smiled. "I figure if my brother can date a gay warlock, I can date a Daywalker." He smirked and nodded.

"So you don't think she'll be mad?"

"Of course she will," Isabelle snorted. "I spent the night at your apartment. She's going to assume the worst." He swallowed and nodded, trying to play it cool.

"That's really comforting, that's great. Does it go against the Accords to kill your daughter's vampire boyfriend?"

"Simon, really."

"Okay, I am not being unreasonable. Your mom is scary."

"It'll be okay, I promise."

"Well as long as you promise."

"Do you know how close she is?"

"Clary didn't say. But I'll be able to hear her from the lobby."

Isabelle smirked and crawled to where he was sitting on the opposite side of the bed. "You just let me know when you hear her." He nodded and pulled her to him. Isabelle kissed him with a renewed passion. Sliding over his leg, she moved so that she was straddling his lap. Threading her fingers through his curly mop of hair, she couldn't get enough of him. Breaking for air, Isabelle made a trail of kisses along Simon's jaw, adding some nips and licks along the way.

Simon's breathing was hitched as he pulled her hips closer to his. He held his breath as she reached his ear and began trailing down her neck. Being Isabelle, she wasn't satisfied with leaving her mark on his neck. Her lips continued on a path down his chest.

"S-Stop," Simon stuttered. It took him a few seconds to tell that to his hands, which reached up and gently pulled Isabelle off. "She's in the elevator."

"I suppose we should compose ourselves." Simon smiled and kissed her cheek, leaning their foreheads together.

"Say it one more time," he murmured as he closed his eyes.

"I love you, Simon Lewis." He opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted by a sharp knock on the door. "Crap." She threw a glance at Simon. "You need a shirt." Without another word she walked out of the bedroom and opened the door.

"Isabelle Lightwood-"

"Hi mom." Simon scrambled off his bed and grabbed the first shirt he could find, which happened to be a slightly worn tank top.

"Where is he?" Maryse demanded. Taking a deep breath, Simon ducked out into the hallway, coming face to face with his girlfriend's very angry mother.

"Mom, listen." Isabelle put a hand Simon's arm t o balance while she put her shoes on.

"No, you listen to me, Isabelle. What could you possiblybe thinking, spending the night with a vampire?" She whispered the word like it was disgusting, beneath her.

"Stop." Maryse blinked at her daughter's harsh tone. "When you got to the Institute, was Magnus there?"

"Isabelle, that's not the same thing and you know it."

"Why not?" She demanded. "You can't possibly know what he was doing with Alec or what Simon and I were doing."

"Regardless of what you were doing, you know that I do not tolerate you spending the night with anyone, Downworlder or not."

"I didn't 'spend the night' with anyone. Not in that sense." Maryse made a point of looking at the hickey that decorated Simon's neck. "Oh so what. If you undressed Alec and Magnus you would find dozens of them."

"Isabelle, that's highly inappropriate."

"So is assuming that I can't take care of myself. I slept here with Simon because I needed him like I don't need anyone at the Institute. I needed a break from Clary and Jace and Alec and Magnus. You have no idea what it's like, living around them all the time. It hurts, mom. And the only person that I knew that has been here for me was Simon. I know I'm a Shadowhunter, I know I'm supposed to be strong but sometimes I can't. I can't show weakness around any of you because it makes me less of a warrior."

Simon silently took her hand. Maryse's eyes flicked down to look at their hands intertwined before focusing back on her daughter. Isabelle squeezed Simon's hand. "Simon was the person I went to when I couldn't breathe because I missed Max. He's the person I saw when Clary revealed to everyone in Idris who they loved most. It might have taken me longer to realize it, but I love him, mom. I don't care if you approve of our relationship because I will not stop seeing him. I couldn't do what we do every day without seeing Simon."

Maryse's eyes were very calculating. "Very well. Isabelle." She indicated that they were leaving and that she didn't have a choice in the matter. Knowing it was the best she was going to get, Isabelle let go of Simon's hand.

She held her head high as she followed her mother down the hallway to the elevator.