Hi, sorry for the delay in posting this chapter, one of my children was ill.

Thank you for all the lovely reviews so far please keep them coming,

I would love to hear your thoughts on the story so far.

Enjoy x


I started to pack Aleah and Jace's things into a bag, Jace watched me as he stroked Aleah's hair when there was another knock at the door.

"da." Aleah said as she looked and pointed at the door then back at Jace. Jace smiled at her as he stood up to answer the door with Aleah in his arms. he peered out the window before opening the door. Jocelyn glanced at Jace, obviously shocked that he was shirtless. Jace let the door swing wide as he walked back into the room as Jocelyn and Luke walked in.

"We're going to get some dinner; did you want to come?" Jocelyn asked before her eyes spotted the new rune on Jace's chest. and her eyes snapped to me, my rune visible due to the low neckline of my top. Her eyes went wide.

"Relax mom, it's not the wedded rune." I said rolling my eyes at her reaction as I placed another thing into the bag for Aleah.

"Yet." Jace said as he looked at Aleah and I couldn't help but smirk at the shocked looks on Luke and my mom's faces.

"Thanks, but we can't. we have somewhere to be." I said as I zipped up the bag.

"Clary what are you doing?" Jocelyn asked warily as she saw the full duffle bag.

"You might want to say goodbye to Aleah." I sighed as I walked up to Jace and he handed me Aleah.

"What are you talking about?" Luke asked as I handed Aleah to Jocelyn

"Jace is taking Aleah back to the shadow world. She'll be safe there." I said sadly

"You can't be serious? You're going back to the shadow world." Jocelyn snapped looking at me.

"I said Jace and Aleah were going back to the shadow world. Not me." I retorted, and mom's face softened as she saw the pain in my eyes as I said it. She nodded as she understood and kissed Aleah's head. Jocelyn handed Aleah to Luke and pulled me into a hug. I felt the flood gates to my emotions threatening to burst. But I won't cry, not yet. Luke and Jocelyn both hugged and kissed Aleah and gave Jace a quick goodbye before heading out.

Jace grabbed his phone as I just stood there holding Aleah tight. I don't know if she could sense something was happening or not, but she laid her head on my shoulder, her little hand playing with the runes on my arm.

JPOV

I dialled Izzy's number as I watched Clary trying to hold it together out of the corner of my eye. am I really going to do this? Can I let her go again?

"Jace?" Izzy answered obviously surprised to see me calling.

"Hey yeah it's me. where are you? Can you talk?" I sighed getting into Shadowhunter mode, trying to shut out my emotions to get me thru this. Just think of it as a mission, I thought to myself. I could hear Izzy walking and what sounded like a door shutting.

"Yeah. Alec and Simon are here, hang on I'll put you on speaker." Izzy finally said. I walked over to Clary and put the phone on speaker so she could hear. I can't do this. She's not a mission, she's my life, my reason for living. I looked at Aleah who was so quiet in Clary's arms. One of the reasons. Aleah was the priority now, I swore to keep her safe.

"Jace?" it was Alec.

"Yeah Alec, it's me and Clary." I said as I put my spare arm around Clary pulling her close to me.

"Hey guys." Clary said and I could hear she was holding back the tears.

"What's wrong?" Simon said. Clearly, he could hear them too.

"there's been a change of plan." I said and looked at Clary giving her one more chance to change her mind, praying she would. She looked from me to Aleah and back again and nodded. I felt my heart breaking. "I'm coming home." I could hear all their happy gasps. "I'm bringing Aleah."

"So, your all coming home?" Izzy said sounding so full of hope. I saw the unshed tears glisten in Clary's eyes.

"No." Clary answered her voice breaking.

"What? I don't understand? What's happening?" Alec asked

"Aleah is..." Clary started but her voice broke as the tears finally escaped. I held her tight. I hate seeing her like this

"Clary?" Izzy said sounding worried as she heard Clary sob.

"momm momm." Aleah Said sitting up to look at Clary. She looked at me with her little eyes full of worry.

"It's ok princess. Mommy's ok." I said to her. she put her hand to clary's face and looked shocked when her hand came away wet. "Just give mommy a hug ok." I said to her and she laid her head back onto Clary's shoulder as Clary cried into mine.

"JACE! What is going on?" Izzy demanded at me down the phone

"Aleah's not safe in the mundane world. She needs the protection of the shadow world. So, we're bringing her to stay at the institute with me, but..." I gushed. "but Clary isn't staying, she's not safe there." I felt my heart break even more. I don't know if I can do this.

"by the angel." I heard Izzy gasp.

"What do you need us to do?" Alec asked, always in mission mode.

"We need a portal…Clary could but she's not up to it right now."

"Magnus can do it. Give us your location and he'll set one up to his apartment." Alec said I can hear them already moving. "I'll call you back when we're ready."

"Thanks." I said and hung up throwing the phone on the bed and wrapping both arms around clary.

"I…I'm ok." She stuttered trying to regain her composure.

"No, you're not." I said sadly. "We don't have to do this, we can find another way." I said praying she'd agree.

"No. this is what needs to be done, to keep her safe." Clary stuttered trying to stop the sobs from coming. I just held her until her shaking had slowed and she pulled back.

"Take her for a second." Clary said passing me Aleah. Aleah was having none of it. She whined and reached for Clary

"Err mom mom." She whined as Clary walked into the bathroom.

"It's ok princess, mommy be back in a minute." I hushed her trying to calm her, but she started to cry. Breaking whatever was left of my heart to pieces.

Clary came out the bathroom a few minutes later, she'd put her hair up, like she does when she's trying to work something out. a fresh look of determination on her face. Aleah was still crying and started reaching for Clary as soon as she saw her, but Clary didn't try to take her, she just grabbed a backpack and started to shove somethings into, including what looked like a weapons belt and a few seraph blades.

"What are you doing?" I asked watching her worriedly. She was to calm. Like the calm before the storm.

"just grabbing somethings for the trip back. I won't portal back to here." She said her voice flat, like she was trying to shut off all emotion. Like a Shadowhunter. Aleah was going crazy in my arms trying to get to Clary, I could see a hint of glow starting as she got more frustrated. I walked over to Clary who was putting on a Shadowhunter gear jacket and slinging the bag on her back. She took Aleah who seemed to cling to Clary like her life depended on it. How can I take her from her mom? I've been in her life for 2 weeks, Clary's been there always. How can I let that be taken away from her?

"It's ok baby." Clary said soothingly to Aleah as she gently stroked her back. Aleah went silent and laid her head on Clary's shoulder grabbing handfuls of her jacket. My poor baby.

My phone rang and I quickly went to the bed grabbed it

"Yeah." I answered

"It's Alec we're at Magnus's he said send him a picture of the room and where it is and he'll set up a portal."

"Ok." I said and quickly took a photo of the room and sent it along with the address and room number. "Sent." I said

"Ok be ready. 2 minutes." Alec said and I hung up. I looked at Clary "Ready?" I asked as I walked over to them. she nodded and I kissed her trying to calm myself.