AN: Hey guys so this is the beginning of the end. Don't worry though I have some amazing stuff planned for you guys it's gonna be lit. Also I'm thinking about adding an epilogue so if I do that's about 3 more chapters. Next chapter is probably going to be ridiculously long so get excited! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own the Mortal Instruments Series.
Clary walked into the beautifully decorated ballroom of the hotel where Sebastian's mom's birthday party was being held. A well-dressed man with white gloves took Clary and Jace's coats before another came to ask their names. "Jace Wayland and Clarissa Morgenstern." Jace said to the man as the static from Clary's hidden ear piece came through. "Testing ear piece. Tap twice if you can hear me clearly." Izzy said through the ear piece. Clary tapped her clutch twice against her leg while the man showed Jace and Clary where the bar was located. "Roger that. Sebastian is by the stage with his mother and Charles is by the dessert table talking to his business partner, Jacob St. Laurent. Stay alert Clare." She said as the ear piece cut out. Jace led Clary to the bar. "So quick question, how good do you think I would look with that hairstyle?" Jace said as he pointed to a woman in her late 50s with huge 80s feathered hair. Clary laughed. "I don't think even the great Jace can pull that hairstyle off." "Oh please, Clarissa, you have no faith. I can totally pull that off." He said as he picked up his drink from the bar. "Call me Clarissa again and I'll neuter you." She said with a fake smile as she took a sip from her drink. Jace laughed. "Message received."
"Oh, there she is." A deep voice said from behind Clary. She turned to see Charles standing there with Jacob St. Laurent in tow. "Hello, Mr. Verlac. Everything looks amazing." Clary replied. "Jacob, this is Sebastian's girlfriend Clarissa Morgenstern and his friend Jace Wayland. Clary, Jace, this is my business partner Jacob St. Laurent." Charles introduced. "It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. St. Laurent." Clary said as she shook his hand. "The pleasure is mine." He replied, shaking Jace's hand too. Jacob was Charles oldest friend and closest business partner. She had also overheard a phone call between the two about Jacob's concerns that Clary wasn't who she said she was. She needed to be on her a game. "How long have you and Mr. Verlac been business partners?" Clary asked him. "Years and years, darling. Although we've known each other since freshman year in college." Jacob said with a smile that Clary personally found very creepy. "Oh were you in the same fraternity as Mr. Verlac?" Clary asked turning on the charm and trying to not look as creeped out as she felt. Charles and Jacob turned to each other and laughed. "Jacob and I were in the same pledge class. Man, we have some amazing memories don't we?" Charles said patting Jacob on the back. Jacob laughed in return. "We sure did." He replied. "So Clary, what about you? What's your story?" Jacob asked smiling at her. Again, with that stupid creepy smile. "Oh, well I – ", "There you are Clary. And with my dad no less." Sebastian said, interrupting Clary with a kiss on the cheek. "Hey babe. The place looks amazing." She replied. "Thanks. It was a lot of work and I'm so happy it's done." He said with a laugh. "Sorry dad, Jacob, but I've got to steal my gorgeous girlfriend and my less gorgeous but still beautiful best friend from you guys. I'll see you later." Sebastian said patting Jace on the back. They all said their goodbyes as the three of them left Charles and Jacob alone at the bar.
"Do you really think I'm beautiful Seb?" Jace asked with fake emotion, as if he was tearing up. "Of course I do buddy. I mean you have blonde hair, what man has blonde hair? Beautiful men that's who." Sebastian replied sarcastically causing Clary to laugh. "Sorry about my dad cornering you guys back there. He's crazy." "Don't even worry about it, sweetheart." Clary replied placing a kiss on Sebastian's cheek. Sebastian smiled down at her while Jace, on the other hand, couldn't bear to look at them. "I'm going to go say hi to the guys." Jace said as he quickly turned and walked away from the couple. "That was weird. I wonder what his deal is." Sebastian said curiously as he and Clary came across his mom. "Happy birthday!" Clary exclaimed as she hugged Sebastian's mom. "Thank you Clary. You look absolutely beautiful. How did my ridiculous son get someone as beautiful as you?" She asked happily. "Wow, thanks mom." Sebastian said with a laugh. "I'm just teasing you Bash. You two make a lovely couple." She said pinching Sebastian's cheek. "Thank you. Happy birthday again." Clary said with a smile as Sebastian's mom was swept away by her friends.
Sebastian turned to Clary, wrapping his arms around her. "You know how I said my dad was crazy?" He asked as Clary laid her head on his shoulder. "Mm hm." She replied. "Well, apparently, my mom is just as crazy. Maybe crazier." He said which caused Clary to laugh. "You're right. They're crazy, just not as crazy as their son." Clary replied. "Oh ha ha ha. I didn't know you were a comedian Clary."
"Izzy. C and S are going into a room alone upstairs. Keep on them please." Clary said into her ear piece quickly as she went to find Jace. In the middle of Clary and Sebastian dancing, Charles had asked to steal Sebastian and they had left together to a separate room. Probably so that Charles could tell Sebastian about taking over the business was Clary's guess. "I'm on it." Izzy said through the ear piece as Clary continued to walk through the crowd looking for Jace. She spotted Sebastian's friends huddled together by the stage and Clary made a beeline towards them. They were all laughing at something when Clary walked up. "Hey guys. Have you seen Jace?" She asked. "No, I haven't seen him in a while. I thought he was with Seb somewhere." One of the guys said. All of the other guys nodded their head in agreement. "Oh okay, thank you." Clary said with a smile and turned to leave. She knew for a fact Jace wasn't with Sebastian. So where could he be? She was starting to get worried. She decided to call his phone but had gotten no answer. She was about to make her sixth call when Sebastian all of a sudden appeared in front of her. "Hey Clare, I have to talk to you about something." He said as he pulled her to the side. "What is it?" She asked. "My dad just asked me to take over the company." He said with an odd look on his face. Clary faked happiness. "That's great Sebastian! Do you think that's great? Why the face?" She asked playing worried girlfriend. "Yeah, no, that's great. Really great." He replied not very convincingly. "Sorry to kind of take your thunder but I haven't seen Jace in a while and when I asked the guys if they had seen him they said they haven't either. They thought he was with you and he hasn't been answering his phone." Clary said biting her lip nervously. "Oh my god seriously. Well don't worry sweetheart, he has to be around here somewhere. Maybe his phone just died. We'll split up and find him okay?" He replied. "I'll check outside, you keep looking in the crowd. We'll find him okay?" He said quickly as he turned and walked quickly outside. Clary turned back to look through the crowd.
"Izzy. Jace is missing." Clary said into her ear piece and got nothing but static in return. "Izzy." Clary said again. Again she got no reply. "Damn it." She said to herself. Something felt off. She knew something was wrong she just knew it. She hastily made her way through the crowd looking for that golden head of hair but she got nothing. "Woah, where's the fire?" Someone said as they grabbed Clary by the arm, stopping her in her tracks. She turned to see that it was Jacob St. Laurent, Charles business partner, who had grabbed her. "Hey, sorry. I was just looking for someone." She said with a quick smile, trying to turn back to keep looking for Jace. Jacob tightened his hand around Clary's arm causing her to turn back around. "You mean Jace right?" He said with a creepy smile. "What did you do?" She said as she walked closer to him. His grip tightened even more keeping Clary from getting closer. "The question, Clary, is what did you do? Also, my dear, you shouldn't just be worried about Jace. I happen to know there are a certain pair of dark haired people, a girl and a boy, possibly siblings that you might want to be worried about as well." He said with a sadistic smile. Izzy and Alec. He had Izzy and Alec. "Where are they? Tell me where they are or I swear you'll regret it." Clary said ripping her arm from his grip. "Oh, Clarissa, your friends are on the roof. They're perfectly fine. For now." He said as he turned and disappeared into the crowd. Clary ran to the elevator, not wasting any time. She pressed for the top floor of the hotel, hoping and praying that they were alright. That Izzy and Alec and Jace were all alright. As the doors to the elevator closed Clary hoped she wasn't too late.