"Jace," Simon said, entering Clary's room quietly, giving the Shadowhunter an intense look that made Jace instantly alert. Simon pointed to the window, gesturing him to follow the Vampire outside. Jace shook his head, unable to bear leaving Clary's side again. But Simon's mouthed the word 'Magnus' and Jace regretfully released Clary's hand, prying his fingers from hers since she was asleep.

They hurried with blurring speed down the stairs and through the entrance, meeting up with Isabelle who hopped from one foot to the other, eager for them to hurry up. Abruptly, Jace held out the phone and she handed it over without a fight.

Jace put it against his ear. "Magnus, we need your help," he said, trying to keep his tone calm. He heard the Warlock sigh from the other end. "Yes, I heard. Isabelle informed me of the recent events and I must say that you lot have degraded my past assistances," he droned. "I mean, really, Jace. You have nearly fallen apart without me."

Jace swallowed the urge to hiss a retort. "Forget that, Magnus. Isabelle told you about the hybrids?" he asked.

"Yes. And now you want my help yet again in hopes that I have some way of curing her?" The Warlock's voice appeared exasperated but before Jace had time to ignore it, he continued. "A sticky, sticky situation you've thrown yourself into, Jace. But I cannot deny how flattered I am that you thought to propose this question to me," he said. "Or is that only because I work for practically nothing?"

"Do you know anything or not?" Jace asked, irritation creeping into his tone as he overheard the introduction song to Gilligan's Island.

"Alright, alright. Don't get your Blades in a twist," he said. "I can only imagine what condition you're in over this, Jace. Fortunately, I do know a little about the creatures you are referring to. What, with my experience," he added with a hint of pride but then became serious. "Isabelle was correct when she guessed about their DNA being spliced from Lycanthropy and Vampire. Bad combination. If you hadn't already gotten mixed up with them, I would have recommended you avoid the creatures at all costs," he said. "But since you did not . . . "

"Is there an antidote?" Jace inquired, desperate. "A cure? What does she need?"

Magnus sighed again. "I know the result of the few victims that have been recorded and you won't like it, Jace."

"Why were they sent?" Jace switched topics automatically, not wanting to hear the specifics on Clary's condition. "One said that 'he wants her alive.' What does that mean? Sebastian?"

Jace could practically hear Magnus's thoughts swimming around his head. "We know Sebastian doesn't want her dead, but I wouldn't be so rash as to discard the possibility, just in case he's using it to hide his tracks."

"Hide his tracks?" Jace asked instantly, his grip on the phone tightening.

"Clary's death would be the last thing the Clave would expect so automatically, they will transfer their suspicions to someone else. Someone innocent."

Jace digested this, ignoring Simon and Isabelle's anxious faces hovering so close to his own. "So what do we do?" he asked, hating the question the moment it slipped from his tongue. It wasn't often he had to ask for help but when he did, it left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"Jace . . . " the Warlock began, but trailed off.

"What is it?"

"The problem with Clary . . . " Magnus began again. "The creatures are venemous. The spliced DNA caused some weird defect. I don't mean to get all sciency on you, but the venom enhances tissue. transforms them. The victims . . . they weren't strong enough-

"So what are you saying, Magnus?" Jace hissed, his voice poisonous. "What will happen?"

There was silence on the other end for a few moments before the Warlock's voice picked back up, hesitant and worried. "None of them survived, Jace. Bu then again, Clary's not your basic Shadowhunter, either. She's strong."

Hope blossomed in Jace's chest but he pressed it down immediately. "So, there's a possibility that she'll pull through this?" but when Magnus's voice didn't appear, anger made Jace's hands clench. "What will happen, Magnus?"

He heard him let out a breath. "I . . . don't really know, Jace. There's a slim chance that the venom just has to work its way out of her system or that it will . . . morph and multiply and cause . . . changes."

"What kind of changes?" Jace growled, stepping away from Isabelle and Simon who up until then had been keeping quiet but who were now mouthing off questions.

What does he mean by 'enhanced?' Simon asked.

Ask him how he knows all this, Isabelle said.

What about the cure? What is it you won't like? The Vampire continued.

Shut up, Simon. I want to know how he has this information, Izzy mouthed. Maybe whoever he got it from can help us.

Jace gave them a hard look that told them to zip it as he waited for Magnus's answer.

"It's only a guess, Jace. Maybe it will be a positive result concluding in agility, speed or . . .negative results such as hostility and violence."

Jace locked his jaw at that. "So what? She'll turn bad?"

"Possibly but . . . there's more, Jace."

"What?" he snapped. What else can there be?

"Her heart rate," began the Warlock, his tone actually frightening Jace. "It's lowering. Either it will steadily decrease all the way until the Lycanthropy part of her kicks in or . . . it will stop altogether."

Jace nearly dropped the phone.

He couldn't reply, just continued to suck in a breath as Isabelle and Simon gave him horrified looks. Before he could lose his courage, Jace asked the question that was burning him alive. "So her heart will stop regardless?" he asked, his voice rough and hard.

"Yes."

"And it might start again, but there's a chance it won't?"

"Yes," Magnus said and his voice was full of sorrow. "I'm sorry, Jace. But Clary is going to die."

Alright. So I mentioned on my other Fan Fiction that I needed to write more of these captions at the bottom (Author's Note or whatever) so here it is. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Sorry it's short, but at least I update quite a bit:) Please R&R! Next chapter will be up soon. And I will start giving out the following chapter titles ahead of time. So, chapter 11 will be called: When Time Has Stopped.