Jocelyn, over protective much. hope you like, i don't own anything...

Chapter 9: Relief doesn't go far

"Where is he?" there came a loud raucous from through the elevator and Jace braced himself for the worst of the encounter. Only the shouting was audible through the walls, then, the elevator pulled up to the second floor and he could hear desperate calming tones of Luke trying to have an effect Jocelyn, and the strict voice of Maryse, trying to talk sense into her. But nothing would of worked, Jace knew. In a way, Jocelyn and he were quite alike, with their disappointment and hatred towards Valentine, and their unattainable love for Clary. He would have chopped any one's head off for doing what he had done, and Jocelyn was no exception.

Jace stood in plain view of the elevator, almost right in front of it, no weapons at hand, no feelings of a fight coming, just a surrender. When Jocelyn pulled through the elevator doors, she drew her seraph blade and thrusted it under Jace's chin even before he had time to take another breath. Their faces were inches from each other, and Jace was startled to see how much Clary resembled her mother. The tough iron chore they shared, the red hair and fiery attitude.

Jocelyn, however, hesitated a moment before Luke grabbed her by the waste and pulled from the boy. His glasses almost got flinged away when Jocelyn struggled. First there were just howling of rage and then words started to vaporize from her mouth. "I trusted you, Morgenstern, I left her here because I trusted you!" she screamed. Jace just stared at the floor like he was a punished child for being disobedient and he felt a pang of memories from when he have lived under Valentine's care.

"Jocelyn, please," Luke whispered, barely audible over the struggle. Soon the room was filled with the rest of the Institute's inhabitants. Alec strolled in, eyes alarmed, as he took in the scene with a toothbrush dangling in his mouth, and Isabelle, her hair a bird nest (which was an understatement), stood by her bedroom door, where she was able to take in the scene. And then Clary, who was the one who took up his attention. She was running, but she was still weak from the loss of blood, he could see it from her strides. "Mom," she said frantically, "Mom!"

Jocelyn slowed down a little, enough for Luke to really get a hold of her and snatch the seraph blade from grasp. "Jocelyn, see? She's alright."

"Clary," Jocelyn whispered, then went all maternal and hugged Clary. Clary pulled her arms around her mother, and for a while, everything seemed okay, until Jocelyn pushed Clary away a little and stood to stare at Jace. "What did you do, Morgenstern, you were supposed to protect her!"

"Mom!" Clary yelled, "don't call him that."

"Clary, it's okay," Jace huffed, not wanting to get her into it.

"Is your mind as screwed up as I thought?" Jocelyn spat out, "Guess you're trained for nothing! You're as useless as your father." She put as much venom into her words as possible, Jace could sense it. It hurt him, the words, it really did, all the past summer's events started to flow back, but he stood there, taking it all in, feeling like he deserved it.

"Mom!" Clary said again, this time putting some power into her own words as well, "stop this. He did nothing."

"That's exactly the point," Jocelyn hissed. Simon had said something like that, and if he were here, Jace would be sure for a double team.

"Jonathan Christopher," Jocelyn continued, except this was worse than calling him a Morgenstern, "Maybe you aren't my half demon child, but you are close. As evil and careless as his father."

"MOM!" Jace could tell Clary has had enough, she stared Jocelyn down, "I said stop this. And do NOT, ever, call him that name again."

For a while, Jocelyn looked taken aback from Clary's fierceness towards her, and surprisingly, so was Jace. But then Jocelyn collapsed from the conversation, putting her hand on her head, strolled to one of the couches and plopped down, facing away from Jace. Luke went to sit by her side and so did Maryse. Clary peered at Jace hesitantly, then shrugged and whispered to her mother. Jocelyn looked at her, taking in the fact that she was okay, and then waved her hand dismissively. Clary walked over to Jace.

"It's an improvement, you know," Clary stated, tiredly, "she didn't kill you."

"You need to rest," Jace was all serious that morning, no joking around. "You weren't supposed to be running."

"And when do I ever listen to you?" a faint ghost of a smile creeped over Clary's face, and she took his arm in her hands and dragged him towards the couches. Jace looked back to see Isabelle and Alec, but when they sensed trouble if following him, they went their separate ways, Alec resuming the rhythmatic brushing of his teeth, and Isabelle pulling at her hair as she headed back into her room. He was alone on this one.