A/N: I write. I finish the chapter. I let it rot for a while until I re-read it, edit it and finally post it. Sorry.

Hotcisawesome: Yep. It will. I will.

Outside the JFK airport a red pick-up awaited us. A small blonde woman sat at the steering wheel smiling as we got inside.

"Church gets on your lap?", she asked and I nodded. "I'm Melissa", she announced and started the truck. "How was your flight?"

"Okay. I slept the whole of it so..." Rachel laughed.

"Oh, and left Alec to bid his time alone? Shame on you, really." Melissa chimed in.

"I'm sure he didn't get bored. Actually he slept too, didn't you Alec?"

"Eventually", I answered.

"See", Rachel said, "everything's alright."

I tried to smile, although I didn't exactly feel happy. The girls started to exchange stories of what happened while they were separated and I zoomed out again. It's not like I cared about Will making everybody read some, according to Melissa, hideous Austen-book or Deliah rejoicing in the fact that she had read said book and the both of them could fangirl together.

Outside the window the city lights flew by and turned into trees. I only snapped out of my revery as Melissa said my name.

"So, Alec, how was Italy?"

"Okay."

"Do you speak Italian? I mean, it would be hard being somewhere where no one understands you...", Rachel added.

"Nope."

"How did you communicate then?"

"Google Translator."

"Look at that, a two-word answer!", Melissa cheered, smiling. I smiled back weakly.

"See, I really appreciate your efforts, but right now there is nothing to cheer me up in any way, so if you'd just leave me alone, that would be great."

"Alright", Rachel said. "We'll leave you brooding and moody in the backseat. Yet let me tell you that I have a surprise for you at the farmhouse and you just ruined any chance of me spilling the pill."

I sighed dramatically. "Oh my!"

Both of them laughed and I did have to smile.

Rachel made a drawling Oh-sound and undid her seat belt.

"What are you doing?", Melissa demanded.

"Hugs!" Rachel crawled into the backseat and threw her hands up. Then her arms were around me, pulling me close. I groaned.

When she finally let go of me I couldn't help but laugh.

"Actually", Melissa said turning around to face us. "There are two surprises at the farmhouse."

"What are you- no! You don't really talk about Jesse, do you?"

"Yeah. No, that was mean. You two would make such a better couple..."

Rachels face went slack. "I am so not into him."

"Sure?", I asked, raising an eyebrow.

She looked at me disbelieving. "Who knew you would be so interested in gossip?"

"Oh, I'm sure there's a lot about me that you did not expect that way."

She laughed and I gave her the hint of a smile.

"When the flirting back there is done, could we come back to the topic of whether or not Rachel's got a crush on Mr. Actor?"

"I most definitely do not have!"

I leaned my head against the cool glass, hoping that the other surprise did not involve a boy too.

"You were alone with him. In the dark. At four AM", Melissa insisted.

"I fell asleep on the couch and just woke up and got myself something to eat!", Rachel defended herself.

"Well, he likes you, I think. I mean he was downstairs around this time."

"He couldn't sleep and went to look for Ignacio!"

"Who is Ignacio?", I threw in.

"His kitten. He's so cute!", Rachel answered.

"Who, the kitten or it's master?"

"The kitten!"

"I'm just asking! I really don't mind, though. He is good looking. And who knows what'll happen after we got the guys back into their books. Just invite me to your wedding."

Rachel puffed cheeks redder than her hair and the rest of the trip went somewhat like that. Melissa stopped the car outside an old framework farmhouse.

"You go, I'll park the car."

I handed Church to Rachel and we climbed out. The hallway was painted baby blue and the general appearance seemed to be rustic. Rachel went ahead, steering into a big room, studded with couches, a TV and a big round table. Bookshelves lined the walls and people milled around.

"We're back", Rachel announced and set down the carrier.

"Alec!" Another redheaded girl got up from the sofa and rushed towards me. I caught her up and whirled her around. Her blond haired friend was right behind her and gave me a guy-hug as soon as I set her down.

"Glad you're here", Jace said. "I thought I might go insane here without decent company."

"You had Clary", I reminded him.

"Yeah. But that's not exactly helping."

She whacked him. Next was a dark haired boy who turned out to be Jesse and a black haired man who introduced himself as William.

"You can call him Will", Rachel said. "Everyone does."

I nodded, still staring at Will. He seemed as stricken as me.

"Well", Rachel clapped her hands, not willing to elaborate on this topic. "This is about everyone. Deliah is...somewhere and...yeah. Where is-?", she asked, primarily addressing Clary.

"Outside. Jace was annoying him."

"I was not! It's not my fault that-"

Clary turned and put a finger on this mouth. "Calm down, okay. No one was accusing you of anything."

"Actually", I said, "Someone accused him of being annoying."

"Oh, that would be me", a familiar voice drawled from the doorway. I turned around to see Magnus, tall and caramel skin and black hair and cat eyes, just a little less glittery. Ever since I woke up in Italy pictures had come back to me, most of which I couldn't place until the person involved stood before me. And now that they did things made more sense and at the same time less. I got the sudden urge to puke.

"Hey", I croaked. He gave a polite nod. Rachel stomped her feet, sending Church running out of the carrier.

"Hey? That's all? God, don't tell me this is post City of Lost Souls? But then why isn't he burning?" She gestured towards Jace.

"Uh, I can assure everyone that I am not burning. And I'm very glad I don't. I mean, the human body is pretty inflammable, but you know it's kind of...deadly."

I looked from Rachel to Magnus to Jace. "I don't exactly get what you're aiming at."

Jesse shook his head. "I do. Why don't we all go out of the living room and give these two some time to talk?", he suggested looking at Rachel.

"Yeah...Alec give me your bag, I'll get that upstairs for you. The room next to Jaces should do and-"

"Actually I think it would be easier if just the two of us went outside", Magnus said. I nodded, handed Rachel my bag and followed him.