Hey guys, I hope you all had a nice weekend! I just wanted to sincerely thank all of you for you kind words and support. It really means a lot to me, all of the sweet things you guys said. And I also want to apologize for any mistakes in this chapter, but I literally just finished it and I don't have time to reread it. Anyway, as to last weeks question: my favorite shows are Pretty Little Liars, Reign, Vampire Diaries, and Once Upon A Time. I don't really watch movies, but I really like comedies like Step Brothers, Kicking and Screaming, and book adaptions like The Hunger Games, Vampire Academy, The Mortal Instruments and If I Stay. Oh! And how could I forget the ultimate teen girl movie, Mean Girls?

I really don't want to have to say this, but I feel like I need to get this out there. I am all for constructive criticism and critique that will help me be a better writer. However, there is no reason to comment saying that you personally don't like something about my writing. If you don't like my story, don't read it. I respect your opinion, but there is no need to let me know you don't like it if you don't. Just wanted to put that out there.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Mortal Instruments

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Chapter 11:

I was sitting at the top of the grand staircase in the Lightwood's home, where I could easily hear the conversation in the living room below without being seen.

Izzy was sitting down with Maryse and Robert, pleading my case as she promised. She had demanded to sit down with them the second we walked in the door. I, being the clever person I am, lied, saying I was going to do homework when I was really going to hide and eavesdrop.

It was easy to tell immediately that the Lightwood's weren't happy that Izzy was on my side. They wanted their children – technically, my siblings – to turn against me as well. But, to her credit, Izzy was strong. She refused to take no for an answer.

I could picture Izzy sitting rigid and alone on the loveseat while her parents occupied the couch opposite. However, I couldn't check and see from my position if I was correct or not.

Izzy spoke first. "I don't think you guys were fair to Jace earlier."

Maryse was already trying to cut her off. "Isabelle-"

"Mom." Izzy voice was as cold and hard as ice. "Let me finish. If it were Alec, Max or I who had gotten into the fight, you would have given us a chance to explain ourselves fully, without interruption or premature accusation." I really ought to tell Izzy she should consider being a lawyer. "I know that you want him to feel as loved as the rest of us, and to be treated the same as the rest of us, but by not allowing him to explain himself, you are already failing at that."

"Isabelle-" It was Robert this time, but Izzy interrupted him just the same.

"Dad, please. You didn't give Jace the chance to speak uninterrupted, so at least give me the chance to speak for him." A pause. "Thank you. Now, here is the full story. You both know Clary Fray, and you know that she is Jace's best friend in the entire world. He would do anything for her. Well, today in school, a boy was giving her trouble. He was verbally assaulting her, and he also put his hands on her without her permission. Jace wanted to protect her and make sure it never happened again, so he confronted the kid. After that, things got heated and both boys started the fight. It just so happens that Jace won, so he was the obvious one to be punished. He did not punch this kid for no reason, he was doing it to defend the honor of someone who is basically his family."

There was silence for a beat or two. I assumed that Maryse and Robert were in shock. No one has ever heard Izzy speak so eloquently and passionately. But the shock eventually wore off. "Isabelle, dear, we understand that Jace had a good reason to be angry with this other boy. However, under no circumstance is violence an acceptable solution to dealing with anger." That was Maryse, her tone superior.

"Actually," I was sure that Izzy's grin right then rivaled that of the devil himself, "that isn't true. I'm pretty sure you thought it was an acceptable circumstance when I punched a kid for calling Alec gay."

Izzy knew she had them. They didn't speak.

"Or are you going to say that that was different? I hope not, because the only thing different about that situation was that I am your biological daughter while Jace is your adoptive son. But you wouldn't let that cloud your judgment, would you?"

Robert broke the tense silence, his voice slightly hushed so I had to strain to hear. "What do you want, Isabelle?"

"Jace?" I spun around and jumped about out of my skin. Max was standing behind me, his eyebrows furrowed behind his glasses. "What are you-"

I put my hand gently over his mouth, and brought the index finger of my free hand to my lips. "Shhh," is said as I pulled my hand away. "I'm hiding and I don't want anyone to know I'm here."

Max nodded, suddenly very serious. "I understand."

I smiled. "Good. Why don't you go in my room and pick out a movie? I'll be in soon and we can watch it."

Max's face lit up and he ran off without another word. He was so damn cute sometimes.

With him gone, I tuned back into the conversation below. Izzy was speaking. "-ulterior motive! I'm not some slimy scumbag, I'm your daughter, and he is your son for all intents and purposes! All I'm saying, is you guys seriously need to try harder to make us seem equal. Go in there tomorrow and defend him to the principal! Treat him like your son, or else you're going to lose him!"

I heard shuffling then Izzy's footsteps pounded up the stairs. I stood quickly and grabbed Izzy's arm as she tried to blow by me. She turned to me just long enough for me to see that she had tears in her eyes, then she shook my arm off and slammed her bedroom door shut behind her.

"Jace? Honey?" Maryse called from downstairs.

I walked to the top of the stairs so that I could see down them. "Yeah?"

"Can you come down here a minute? We wanted to talk to you."

"Sure," I said, slowly descending the stairway. "What's up?" I was trying to sound relaxed, but my nerves were all balled up.

"Sit down. Please." Robert gestured to the seat Isabelle was previously occupying.

I sat.

An uncomfortable silence. Then: "We're sorry, Jace. We reacted…rashly, to the situation. But, we have clear heads now, and we would like to hear your side of the story." Maryse's smile was forced and tight.

I shifted uncomfortably, unused to such undivided attention from them. "Okay." I cleared my throat. "Well, after school today, Clary came out to my car looking really upset, so I asked her what was wrong. She told me that this kid, Meliorn, he grabbed her butt, and I think she told me he said something rude, too, but I'm not positive. Anyway, I saw the kid walking out, so I went over to him. I was just going to talk to him, yell at him some if necessary. I just wanted to make sure he would stay away from Clary. But then he started saying really rude things to Clary, and she got offended and slapped him. That just pissed him off further and he…" I paused, taking a deep breath and clenching my fists. "He slapped her across the face so hard she fell down." Judging by Maryse's gasp and Robert's jaw hitting the floor, Izzy left that part out of the story. "So, I lost my temper and punched him. He hit me too, so it wasn't like he was totally defenseless."

Robert and Maryse shared a look, and the Robert spoke. "You aren't in trouble, Jace. Violence because you are upset is one thing, but violence to defend and protect someone else is another. We will go to the principal's office with you tomorrow morning and try to convince her you're innocent."

I had no idea if it was Izzy who convinced them, or the addition to the story that they just heard. "Thank you."

Maryse had that taught smile again. "And we are again sorry for our premature assumptions." I had to stifle a laugh as she used Izzy's exact wording. "You can go back upstairs now, if you wish."

I nodded and walked up the stairs slowly, grinning from ear to ear. I wanted to thank Izzy, but I had to stop in to tell Max first. I stuck my head in my bedroom to see him sitting on my bed with a movie clutched to his chest. He grinned when he saw me. "Hey, kid." I returned his smile. "I'll be right in, okay? I just have to talk to Iz real quick."

Max nodded. "Are you done hiding?" he asked in a hushed tone.

I laughed lightly. "Sure am."

Max gave me a serious nod and then focused his attention back on the movie in his hands.

I walked down the hall a ways and rapped on Izzy's door. "What?" she barked. She always got grumpy when she cried.

"Iz?" I called. "It's me. Can I come in?"

She didn't answer, but the door swung open. I peaked my head in to see her laying on her bed, a magazine in her hands. When she didn't immediately bite my head off, I took it as the okay to enter fully and shut the door behind me. She didn't even look up at me.

I sat on the edge of her bed, and tried not to stare at the pile of tissues next to her. Whatever part of the conversation I missed, it got her really upset. "Thank you," I said, breaking the silence.

She shrugged.

"Isabelle, come on. Look at me."

She sighed dramatically and did just that. "What?"

"I'm going to ignore your attitude, because I know it isn't directed at me. Seriously, Izzy. Thank you. What can I do to repay you?"

She shrugged. "Sorry. I'm not upset with you. And you don't have to do anything. I didn't do that because I wanted something I did it because you're my brother."

I leaned over closer to her and hugged Isabelle for the first time ever. "Thank you," I mumbled again. "Thank you for accepting me."

Izzy laughed, then sniffled. "Thank you for coming here. It was boring before you. Shoot, I don't mean I'm glad you had to come here, because of your parents-"

I pulled away and cut her off. "It's fine. I get it." I even gave her a wink. "And you're welcome."

Izzy laughed and swatted me before grabbing another tissue.

I stood. "Max and I are going to watch a movie. Do you want to come?"

She grinned. "Of course! I don't get to spend much time with Max anymore."

I walked out the door, but she paused in the frame. "I'll go grab Alec and meet you in your room."

I grinned. "Deal." I walked into my room and pouted at Max. "I have bad news."

Max gasped. "What?!"

I flopped down next to him and sighed dramatically. "Isabelle and Alec wanted to crash our party!" I said loud enough for them to hear me from Alec's room down the hall.

"Hey!" Izzy whined.

Max giggled. "That isn't bad news! That's good news!"

Now I gasped indignantly. "I thought I was your favorite though!"

Max opened his mouth but was interrupted by Alec and Izzy walking in. "Of course you aren't his favorite, Jace. You pick on him while Izzy and I shower him with gifts." Alec says.

I snort. "Yeah. Good one."

"Actually," Max chimes in, "I think Clary is my favorite. She gives me comic books."

Izzy giggles and sits next to me, while Alec huffs and grabs the movie from Max. I, on the other hand, take the more mature route and stick my tongue out at all of them. "That's okay, because Clary is my favorite too." Everyone laughs at that.

We all sit on my queen size bed and watch the movie Max picked out, Captain America - he really has a thing for superheros – until Maryse calls us downstairs for dinner. It feels nice to relax and laugh together with my adoptive siblings. Usually, my Saturday dinners with Clary, Jocelyn and Luke are the closest things I have to bonging moments. But that moment, right there, I truly felt like I was surrounded by family again.

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Writing this kind of made me sad, but I had fun writing the parts with Max. I just love him in the canon! He is so darn cute! Please review and let me know your thoughts! I seriously love hearing from you guys.

Question: I am currently listening to The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones book on tape, but I read it the first time. So, what do you guys prefer? Listening to books or reading them?

Love always,

YesIWriteForFun