So, I'm sorry it took this long-again-to update. *sighs dramatically* But this chapter was SO hard to write.
Me: Yes, it's me. Gorgeous and witty, as usual. Hee.
Jace: Yeah, you wish.
Me: Excuse moi?
Magnus: *rolls eyes* I'm the only gorgeous and witty one in here, folks.
Jace: Yeah, that's why Alec decided to swing both ways.
Me: *smacks Jace* He is not homo. Just...lonely.
Magnus: Lonely? Psh, I wouldn't let him leave the apartment for weeks, if he'd give me a chance.
Me: Want to take me instead?
Magnus: *holds gun to his head and pulls the trigger*
Me:...
Jace: I guess that's a no, then.
WARNING: Ahem, character death in this, like almost all of you voted :/
CPOV
Christ, Clary thought sardonically, staring up at the giant Gothic church. She'd known most churches were big, but this one was just huge.
It was rundown, sort of. Shutters hung loosely off the windows, dark paint was slowly chipping off. It reminded Clary of the move The Haunted Mansion. Minus the talking head, of course.
She took a deep breath, tucking a copper colored curl behind her ear.
Clary didn't get why she was so nervous, she'd moved in with patients before, but they were mostly old, and just needed her for basic things, cooking, helping them use the bathroom.
She picked up her heavy bag, wincing as she the weight of the bag pulled a little at her sore shoulder.
I should ring the doorbell.
Clary sighed, stabbing quickly at the doorbell, before hiding her hand behind her back.
She shifted from one foot to the other, feeling her stomach flip-flop. Jesus, she thought angrily. When'd I become such a wimp?
The door swung open, and Alec stood there, looking awkward. "Hey, Clary," he said uncomfortably.
She exhaled heavily, slightly disappointed it wasn't Jace who'd answered.
Wait, what? Disappointed? Where'd that come from?
"Um, come in, I guess," Alec said quietly, ducking his head so that a lock of raven dark hair covered his eyes.
Way to make a girl feel welcome, huh?
Clary flashed him a quick smile, trying not to wince at the sharp pain in her cheekbones and bottom lip.
"Where's Jace?"
Alec frowned and shrugged. "I think he was in the library..."
Clary raised an eyebrow. "He reads?"
Alec frowned at her. "Of course he does." He turned his back, and began walking away.
O-kay.
Clary scowled, but carefully covered it up with a calm expression. Nobody could notice her mood swings. Nobody.
Straightening her collar, Clary marched in the church with false confidence.
(****************************************)
Clary gaped. Gawd, it looked awesome inside, compared to the shitty view outside.
The walls were covered with fading angel print wallpaper, gold, black and red covered the walls.
She rubbed at her eyes wearily. God, she was tired.
I wonder where Alec is?
Maybe he could tell her where her room was.
Clary continued to walk aimlessly down the Institute's halls, only stopping at a huge picture frame.
"What the hell...?"
Clary squinted, and drew back, blinking. It was a picture of several wolves, ripping apart their victims.
Christ.
"That's what Romanians believed the wolf men did to intruders," a soft boy's voice said behind her.
Clary jumped and whirled around, coming face-to-face with a short boy about nine, with shaggy brown hair and big glasses.
"How'd you know that?" she asked blankly.
He smiled toothily at her, and she noticed that he was missing his two front teeth. "My big brother used to tell me stories about them," he said cheerfully.
Clary regarded him curiously. "Is Jace your brother?"
The boy nodded his head. "He's my adopted brother," he said proudly. "He's really cool."
Clary smiled faintly at him. "Do you know what hurt your brother?"
The boy shook his head quickly. "I can't tell you," he said apologetically. "You're a mun-a girl," he covered quickly. "But I could tell you where you;ll be staying."
Clary sighed in relief. "Thanks, kid."
The boy beamed at her. "It's Max."
"Clary."
He nodded, and took her hand.
Clary shivered, but didn't pull her hand away. Max's hand felt distant, cold.
She walked slowly with the younger boy, breathing in deeply. The walls were too cose together, and she was worried she might have an anxiety attack.
Ohshitohshitohshit, she chanted to herself. Nausea curled in her stomach. Don'thurldon'thurldon'thurl.
Max stopped, and turned to glance over at her, worriedly. "Don't worry," he said in a gentle voice. "Jace isn't like your boyfriend."
And with that, he turned back around, leaving Clary staring at him with her mouth open.
(******************)
JPOV
So hot...so good. Ugh, and so creamy...
He sighed happily, taking a huge bite of his toaster stroodle.
Magnus, from his perch on the counter, regarded him with scorn. "I've never met anyone," Magnus told him. "Like you. You're probably the only person I know who's probably orgasamed while eating those little shits."
Jace glared at him. "It's not my fault no one here can cook," he said defensively. "You try going a week with nothing but Chinese and Taki's."
Magnus smirked knowingly at him. "I wonder if Clary can cook?"
Jace blinked and glowered. "Even if she did," he muttered. "She'd probably slip some medicine in it."
Magnus rolled his eyes. "Pssh. Yeah, keep telling yourself that. Every straight guy knows how hot it is to have a girl that can cook."
Jace swallowed, the images of Clary, in that sexy ass nurse uniform of hers, ladling soup out of a large pot, leaning over and bringing her lips ever so slowly over to the-
"Jace!"
Jace blinked and shook his head, fighting down the blush at Magnus's mischevious grin.
"You okay? You look like you've just had...a toaster stroodle."
Jace whipped a kitchen knife at Magnus's head, which he easily ducked from. "Ha ha," he muttered. "But seriously. She's Jonathon's sister."
Magnus shrugged. "Who gives a shit? I never liked the pansy ass, myself."
Jace sighed heavily. "Yeah, well, he's my parabati, so there's not much I can do. Besides," he turned around to busy himself with a third stroodle. "She's too..."
Magnus smirked. "Smart? Realistic? Actually making you feel important?"
Jace rolled his eyes. "No. I was going to say nosy."
Magnus blew out a heavy breath, pushing himself off of the counter. "Whatever. But mark my words, Jace Wayland," he taunted, flicking the blond in the nose. "You like her. And when you find that out..." he turned around. "Come ask Uncle Maggie what to do from there."
Jace bristled. "Go take care of your own damn relationship," he sneered.
Huffing, Magnus walked out the door with his head held high.
With Magnus gone, and the kitchen painsakingly silent, Jace sat down and rubbed his forehead, troubled by his own thoughts.
How did he know that Jonathon had been telling the truth, and Clary really didn't know about the Shadowhunters?
What made him care so much about Clary's wellbeing?
Jace gave a heavy sigh. God, this called for another toaster stroodle.
(***********************************)
Max, Clary realized, was an honest-to-God comic book geek.
He could possibly go hours, or, God forbid, all day talking about Naruto. Who reads that shit, anyway?
But obviously, he was ignored by his older siblings, because he barely had time to pause for a moment of breath.
When they reached her room, he helped her unpack, before telling her Jace usually ordered Chinese in about fifteen minutes.
Clary blinked. That was all that she and her girls ever ate. No way was she going to eat any more of that cheap crap. She was no cook, but she could make a decent lasanga.
"Tell him it's fine," Clary assured Max. "I can make dinner."
Max's face suddenly morphed from a vibrant, carefree, nine-year-old, to a wistful, sad kid who's experienced much more than he should have.
Clary bent over to pick up a pair of shoes that had fallen out of her bag, only to look up, and notice that Max was no longer there.
"Huh." She stared at the spot he'd been standing just seconds before. "Weird kid."
Shrugging, Clary started walking out of the guest room, colliding with a rock hard, slender body. "Shit," she growled, rubbing her head. "Watch where you're-" she glanced up, and blanched in surprise when she noticed she'd ran into Isabelle's patient.
"Sorry," she said. He raised an eyebrow, but made no comment about her change of heart.
He reached down a hand, which she grasped firmly. He tugged her up, lightly, but Clary could've sworn that if he'd let her hand go, she'd have gone flying across the hallway.
"Who're you?" he asked as they began walking down the halls, and Clary noticed the many doors that decorated the walls.
"What is this place?" Clary asked under her breath. The pale boy seemed to hear her question. Smirking to himself, he swung an arm over her shoulder, and Clary shivered at the inhuman cold. And Christ...she slowly inched her hand forward, clasping his wrist gently.
He glanced down at her in confusion. "What's wrong?"
No pulse.
But, of course, that was impossible, of course.
He had to have a pulse.
How else could he be alive?
Clary pressed her back firmly into his chest, struggling to feel for his heartbeat.
He pulled himself away, looking uncomfortable. "Jeez," he said, holding his hands out, palms forward. "I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression, but..."
Clary mentally slapped herself. Of course! What was she thinking? He probably thought she liked him or something, practically dry-humping him like a freakin' whore!
He gave a laugh. "C'mon. I overheard you saying you can cook."
They started walking again, Clary pondering about his lack of a pulse. Jesus. Was that even possible?
Clary chewed on her bottom lip, glancing from side to side from beneath her eyelashes. Jeez, it was so awkward.
"So..um.." She struggled for something to say. Dammit, why couldn't he take a hint and start up a conversation?
He glanced down at her, eyebrow cocked. "Yes?"
Clary threw up the first thing that came to mind: "How do you know Jonathon?"
He looked away and shrugged. "Um...it wasn't exactly a friendly meeting."
She nodded, understanding. Jonathon had never been one to get along with people. In fact, he'd gotten into trouble with the School Board for violence towards his peers. "So...who one?"
He glanced at her. "I did. Duh."
Bastard.
They rounded the corner, and Clary tugged at a strand of coppery hair. "Why does Max live with you guys?"
He stopped, abruptly, and spun around to glare at Clary. "Is that some sort of sick joke?" He demanded in a harsh growl.
Instinctively, Clary flinched from him. "N-no," she stammered. "What do you mean?"
He avoided her gaze, his jaw working. "Never mind. Just don't bring your brother," he sneered. "or max, into the conversation. Got it?"
Wordlessly, Clary nodded.
He relaxed, slightly. "Good." He grabbed her shoulder, hard enough to hurt, but not bruise, and he dragged her the rest of the way to the kitchen.
(****************************************)
JPOV
When Simon and Clary walked into the kitchen, Jace could tell something had happened. Hell, you could cut the tension with a seraph blade.
Clary looked confused and worried. Jace felt his chest hurt at the thought of anything making her eyebrows dent like that. maybe she'd let him smooth away the wrinkles betweent her brows, maybe even letting him-
"Suck it up, lover boy," Simon muttered, too low for Clary, who'd wondered over to the cabinets, to hear.
Jace shot him a smirk. "I won't be the one sucking it up," he murmured.
Simon's face curled in disgust. "Thanks for the mental picture," he hissed.
Jace coughed slightly. "Don't worry 'bout it. I daydream about your-"
"Do you want lasanga?" Clary's sweet voice interrupted the boys' conversation, much to Simon's obvious relief.
The two looked at her. Jace raised an eyebrow, doubtfully. "I don't know," he said, uneasily. "Can you cook?"
Clary scoffed, and rolled her eyes. "Of course I can," she said.
Jace held his hands out. "Just checking," he told her. "Magnus tried to cook pasta last week, and almost set the kitchen on fire."
She shook her head. "Where is Magnus, anyway?"
To Jace's surprise, he felt his stomach clench. Why'd she want to see Magnus? Did she like him? What-
"Jace?"
He blinked, realizing Clary was waving a hand in front of his face. "Where'd you go?"
Jace shook his head, grinning a little. "Nothing." He grabbed her hand, pulling it to her side.
To his shock, he saw a glimpse of raw panic and fear flare up in her emerald eyes. "Clary?"
Saying nothing, Clary pulled away from him, yanking open the refrigerator, a little too roughly.
Jace peered at her, curiously. What was wrong with her?
Horrible place to end, I know, and I'm sorry. Next chapter'll probably be better. I still haven't decided to what I'm gonna do with Maia...
Also, I need some help.
Jace WILL find out about Clary's abuse and...sex assualt, but I don't know how he'll find out.
PM or review your vote :)
And as always, review.