Clary was breathless; Jace however, was not. They had sprinted all the way to the Institute, and though it was a mere two blocks away, it had felt like she had run from the one end of the earth to the next. Jace was staring at her worriedly as he asked, "Clary, I'm sorry. Are you okay.? "I'm fine," she breathed. Jace's mouth twitched slightly. "You're father is... Quite the ah, host. We should do that again sometime." Clary grinned, then said seriously, "He wasn't always like that, Jace. Even after my moth- Jocelyn left, he wasn't that bad." Then, she remembered what Valentine had told Jace. "Oh, Jace! I'm sorry about what he did to-" "It's fine Clary, I'd bet he was lying through his teeth just to get to me." She hadn't thought of that, but she still thought that there was no reason for him to say that to Jace. Memories of Valentine coursed through her; them laughing, smiling, being actually happy. What had happened to that?
She shook her head to clear it as Jace half carried her into the Institute. As she sat her down gently on her bed, he said, "Well, we're no closer to finding your brother." He plopped down next to her as she replied sadly, "I know, Jace, I know." She felt tears coming, and apparently Jace saw that. He wrapped her up in his arms, and they stayed like that for awhile; Clary sobbing uncontrollably and Jace holding her.