TATTOOED CHAPTER 12

CLARY'S POV

TUESDAY

I wait patiently with Isabelle by Jace's motorcycle; Simon already headed out, "I'm surprised you were able to calm Jace down as fast as you did. Usually, when he gets heated like that, there is no way to bring him back down." Isabelle tells me and I shrug, "I mean the reason he went after Sebastian," Jonathan, "in the first place was because I let it slip that he was annoying me." I say and Izzy corks her brow at me, "there is something special about you Clary, more than just you being part angel. Even if you don't see it, I do, and Jace definitely does." My breath catches in my throat, and I glance around, making sure that nobody was around to hear that, "Jace has always been a little bit of a hot-head. He got that from his father. It is pretty hard to get a rise out of, but once you do, it is virtually impossible to bring him back down. But you could." Isabelle says and I shrug, "I have no idea," I say, just as the two boys come walking over to us.

"Hey Isabelle, Clary," Alec greets us, while Jace looks down at his feet, not even being able to look in my eye, "come on Alec." Isabelle grabs her brother by the arm, leading the two of them off, and I look at Jace, "why'd you do that?" I ask him, smacking him on the chest, "that could have ended bad!" I tell him. Sebastian isn't Sebastian anymore, he's much more dangerous now.

"I don't know." Jace says, defeated, and I huff. I don't want to make him feel bad, I'm the one lying to him.

"Ok." I huff, "just... don't do it again. You could have gotten hurt." I say, giving Jace a pointed look, "you're the one that said that we need to stay away from him." I throw his words back at him from earlier.

"Not that I am a master with emotions or anything, but if I didn't know any better, I'd say that you care about me." He says and I smirk, I could never admit to that.

"If you die, I fail, I lose, and I don't like to lose. Plus, who will give me rides home." I punch his shoulder, "come on Blondie, lets get out of here."

I hop on the back of his bike behind him, and he speeds off towards my house, which he only knows about because he 'was drawn to me'.

I'm obviously still wary of Jace, even though he has given me more reasons to trust him than not, but I have learned that you can't trust anyone for to long. Especially with the news that came to light with Jonathan.

I don't know whether or not to believe that he is my brother. It is very possible since my father died before I was born, and Jonathan is older than me. But if Jonathan is older than me, that much mean my mom knows, unless we have different mothers, which would make this a lot les confusing. But what are the odds that we both end up in very similar situations, just on different sides of the war zone.

I get lost in my thoughts that I don't realize that we are sitting outside of my mom's shop, that sits below our apartment.

"Clary, I know I smell good, but you gotta let go." Jace tells me, and I can't help but inhale his shirt's smell.

"Mangos." I mumble under my breath and he chuckles, making me shake a little bit along with him, "what did you say?" He asks me, and I flush, oops, "you smell like mangos." I repeat, and Jace smiles, "I know, but come on Clary, you got go inside your house now." He tells me, and I huff, pulling away from Jace. I am dreading going inside because I have to act like someone haven't just had a major bomb dropped on me.

Jace continues to smile as I hop of the back of his bike, "I'll walk you inside." Jace tells me, chuckling, walking behind me. This is going to be so uncomfortable.

"What is going to be so uncomfortable?" Jace asks me and I shoot him a look over my shoulder, "stay out of my head, you creep."

"Sorry, I don't know how to control these freak powers." He tells me as we reach my front door, "well, whatever is going to be going on when I leave, I have your number so I'll text you later." He says and I roll my eyes, "no you don't." I say, entering my house, "I'll have Izzy give it to me." He says, and I go to shut the door, "Bye Jace." I say, giving him a forced smile, "bye Clary, I'll text you!" He calls to me with a wink as I shut the door in his face, and I turn, seeing my mom waiting for me.

"Who was that?" She asks me and I huff, rolling my eyes, "Jace Herondale." I tell her and she raises her brows at me.

"Is he cute?" Yes. I shrug in respond, "he is the most obnoxious person to ever walk this earth. But he is friends with my friends, so he gave me a ride home." I say and she pauses, a huge smile spreading across her face, and she claps her hands together, coming over to me, "oh Clary, I'm so glad you have been making friends. I have been so worried about you. I didn't want the hospital to ruin your future, I have always second guessed my decision of sending you there," it was the most idiotic decision of her life, but she didn't know what was wrong with me, nor what to do, "but now that you are making friends, and having a solid new start, I don't have to feel guilty." She tells me and I give her small smile, nodding. "I have a few friends." I tell her before heading up towards the stairs, "I have homework, goodnight." I make my way up the stairs to my bedroom, shutting it the door quietly, and grabbing my computer. I sit down cross-legged on my bed, and typing in two words: Angelic Runes.

JACE'S POV

I don't go home, I haven't in a while. I go straight to the Lightwoods, pulling my bike into the driveway, parking. I walk into the Lightwood manor, heading to the living room, seeing Isabelle, Alec, and the youngest sibling in the bunch, Max, sitting on the large couch.

"Jace!" Max exclaims, clambering over to me and throwing his arms around me in a tight hug, and I ruffle his hair, smiling, even though my body is sour from the fight. I really need to figure my shit out, "hey buddy."

"Max!" I hear Maryse say from upstairs, "time for bed!" She calls, and he groans, "I have so much to tell you about Mumbai, I'll tell you tomorrow." He cheers, running up the stairs to appease his mother. I look over at Alec, seeing the look he is giving me, and brace myself for the lecture I am about to get.

"You're an idiot!" Alec yells at me, and I huff, dropping down on the couch with the raven-haired siblings.

"I know." I respond, "what possessed you to do that?" Isabelle asks me and I huff, dropping my head against the couch cushion.

"He did something to Clary," I swear if he put a hand on her, in any way, I would murder him, "I don't know what, and Clary is refusing to tell me, but I know he did. Seeing hi, just set me off, plus, after what happened yesterday, I couldn't hold myself back." I say, and Isabelle smirks, "sounds like someone has a crush," elbowing me lightly in the side, making me wince, making my healing rune light up, and Isabelle's brows shoot up, and she slides away.

"It's just a healing rune, it won't hurt you." I tell her and she nods, scooting back to her original spot.

"So Clary, huh?" Isabelle says with a smile on her face, and I roll my eyes, "I can't decide if she hates me or not." I admit, she did tell me she was only helping me for the sake of her, "I mean, a blind man could see your guys' sexual tension. And God, you guys make constant bedroom eyes at each other." Isabelle tells me and I huff, crossing my arms and flopping to the side, "shut up." I mumble under my breath, and Alec rolls her eyes, "even if she hates you, what's the worst she can do? She's tiny." He asks and I sigh, giving him a look.

"Tiny and viscous." I say and he smirks, "sounds like you're afraid of her."

"Of Clary? Terrified."