Exhausted and driven nearly to madness, Clary was just staring into her mirror into her green eyes. They drooped, with pronounced shadows beneath them. She walked over to her bed and flopped back onto it, gazing up at the ceiling.

It was so strange, what that blue-eyed Shadowhunter said. "Quit playing games, Clary. It isn't funny. Everyone's been worried sick about you, disappearing like that. And then I find you here. Just visiting Idris, are you?"

No, she wanted to tell him, I live here.

Pacing back to her mirror, again she stared into her eyes. That was what she had been doing all afternoon- alternating between looking into her eyes and at the ceiling. Her gaze drifted down to her neck for the first time that day. She had been studiously avoiding it, but now she stared at the spot that she'd thought the Shadowhunter boy had held a knife. The memory of a burning, stinging pain rose in her mind as she clenched her fists, gawking. There on her skin were thick black lines- the ones that spiraled from a stele. The Mark spoke of finding what was lost, following- it was a tracking Mark. She couldn't believe that it slipped by her- the swirling motions should have been the most obvious clue of all! But no, Clary had simply thought he was a sick Shadowhunter who took pleasure in the pain of others- that and she had been so confused at the names Izzy and Jace. Oh, lovely. There was a tracking Mark on her neck- which meant she couldn't get rid of it by disfiguring it. Any attempt to do that would probably kill her.

Even if she could have gotten rid of it, Clary felt a funny sort of trust towards- towards Alec. That was his name. Alec. Weird. The name had appeared in her mind involuntarily, but it was hazy, like a term from a dream.

For that same reason- that strange belief in that trust that had risen up inside her like a new shoots of a bush- she donned a high-necked dress top that she hated to hide the Mark.

Throughout dinner, Clary mumbled and zoned out to the point her father dismissed her from dinner. She stumbled back to her room and pulled the door shut, closing her eyes and sliding down the back of the door. She braced her hands against the hard wood and then pressed the heels of her hands into the back of her eyes when her sinuses began to sting. It didn't quite stop the tears, but it was better than the full on bawling fit she would have had otherwise. A few salty tears wet her palms, and she could feel the cold air on pressing down on her almost oppressively. After a few minutes, she was aware of an inexplicable feeling of being watched. But this was her bedroom. Totally and completely secure. Slowly, she raised her head and looked around the room bleary-eyed.

In the corner, slouched a golden figure. Literally, golden. Golden blonde hair, tanned skin, right down to expressive liquid gold eyes that were now… watching her. Clary couldn't even bring herself to be shocked. This person was here to help her. How she knew that, she couldn't say, and she couldn't explain how she knew it was Jace. With a tear roughened voice she blurted out something that wasn't even on her mind. She didn't even know what she was saying.

"Simon is going to pay me forever in favors for this."

"Oh, by the angel." Clary said loudly. "I've gone completely insane."

Jace had straightened up from the slouch he had been in. He was smirking. "Actually, I think you got that about right. Rat face had it coming, though."

More pain than she had ever experienced before suddenly crashed into her mind. She collapsed onto her bed, curled into a ball.

"Clary?" Jace sounded panicked as he ran across the room.

"Shut.. up.." She managed breathlessly.

Jace was saying things, but she couldn't hear them. She wasn't sure they were directed at her, anyway. All she was aware of was the massive pain rolling around in her head, like huge waves crashing onto the sand at the beach. Right now, Clary felt as if a rip was tossing her around, and all she could do was go with it and hope she came out alive. More people surrounded her, but she couldn't even spare a thought to how ridiculous she must look.

A cool voice broke through her agony, soothing her, convincing her she was all right. "Clary… you're fine. Don't you know that? Shadowhunters don't bow to pain. And you're one of the strongest people I've ever met, Shadowhunter or not." The voice paused. "You can remember now." Relief flooded her, as well as the memories of her life coming back. For a couple of seconds she let herself revel in her recollections, the feeling of belonging somewhere. Then she opened her eyes. Crowded over her head was almost everyone she cared about. Her mum, Luke, Jace, Izzy, Simon and… Alec. Okay, so maybe she cared about some more than others. But maybe they could work on that.

She gasped as she recalled a particular memory. One right before she lost herself. Clary bolted upright, her green eyes glowing with fury. "You!" she hissed. "You took me to that horrible place! You gave me pain whenever I tried to come back! If I hadn't run into Alec, who knows what could've happened?"

"Clary-" Isabelle started.

"It's inexcusable, what you did to me!" Simon didn't even try to fight back. He just stood there, taking her anger. Eventually, she ran out of steam, and lay back down.

"What made you do it?" She whispered. "I trusted you- I would have done anything for you." Everyone took this as their cue to leave. Everyone, that is, except Jace. He hovered by her bed until Isabelle came and tugged him forcefully towards the door.

"Let me explain from beginning to end. You decide whether or not you hate me afterwards, but for now, all I ask is that you listen." He took a deep breath.

"Jonathan came to me with a bargain of sorts…"