"There is no possible way, Clarissa, that you are coming," Jace said before giving Clary enough time to say what she wanted.

"Yes, I am," she said, her tone matter-of-fact and indignant, yet still frail.

Jace rubbed his temples. Why couldn't she just listen? She had no idea what he'd just gone through and now she wanted to put herself, once again, at greater risk for what? Yes, Clary had to live twice thinking that Jace was dead and once when he was who-knew-where while being possessed by a psycho. So okay, she had an idea of what he'd endured. But still, she wasn't coming, not if he had anything to say about it.

And he had a lot to say.

"No," Jocelyn hissed.

"No, you're not. You're in no condition to come, Clary," Jace said, crossing his arms like he did when he was sure he was going to win.

He saw Clary lock her jaw. "What can you really do about it?" she challenged, raising her eyebrows. "You wouldn't really resort to locking me up here until you got back."

"I would resort to shackling both your hands and feet and chaining you down to this bed if it meant keeping you here," he said. He would not let her come. Wouldn't. No. This would be a conversation she would lose.

"But you aren't going to do that," she said. "Besides, I don't really need anyone as a guide..." Clary trailed off, waiting for Jace to catch the hint.

"You aren't going off alone!" He shouted then cursed.

"Jace is right, Clary," Jace heard Jocelyn say. He momentarily wondered how often he'd get to hear those words from her. He guessed not often.

Clary bit her lip, a determined look plastered to her face. "Risks are a part of who we are, Mom," she said. "I'm a Shadowhunter. I won't just sit back and watch everyone I love get hurt while I'm...bedridden."

"Then go sit on a couch," Jace said, the note of anger in his voice easily detected.

Clary shot him a hard look. "I'm going."

Jace cut a glance at Jocelyn who seemed to be fighting her own battle on this. "Clary, I don't-"

"Don't what, Mom?" Clary said, turning on her mother. Jace could tell that she was sick of having these conversations with her.

"You can tell me not to go, but I'm still going to. I'm not disobeying anything. I'm doing what I was meant for."

"Clarissa Fray," Jocelyn began again, but stopped, all the while leaving Jace in anticipation who would agree with Jocelyn on anything at this point, so long as it meant keeping Clary here.

But Jocelyn said nothing. After all, what did one say to that?

"Then it's settled," Clary said, a look of triumph and satisfaction highlighting her facial expression.

But Jace was still...well, Jace, so of course, he wasn't letting it end here. "No, Clary! Just please, stay here."

She shook her head, her long red hair flying every which way. "What is it going to be Jace? Either let me come with you where you can keep an eye on me, or have me come by myself?"

Fury ignited from inside Jace's stomach. Right, he thought. This was Clary. He no longer got to win.

"It happened here," Clary said, casting wary glances at the mouth of the alleyway that stood before them. It still looked the same, but now there seemed to be something...dark about the place. Creepy. It didn't help that a patch of Clary's blood still stained a part of the cracked street that she had little trouble making out. She'd almost died here. Automatically, Clary touched her neck where a bandage had been sealed in the place of the jagged mark.

"So what's the plan?" Simon asked, looking at everyone expectantly. "Tie a rope around Jace and dangle him from a building as bait?"

Clary felt a scowl deepen between her brows. "That's not even funny."

"I was actually being serious."

Clary sighed as she exchanged a glance between Jace and Isabelle. "They'd expect us to head over to the Institute, right?" she asked, pursing her lips.

"Probably. That is, if they have any intelligence which Izzy said they had," Jace replied, still gazing over every section of the alleyway.

"So...Wouldn't they have set up traps along the route there?"

He shrugged. "I doubt it. After they failed in the first attempt to bring me back, they'd know we'd suspect them of more ambushes. Especially in the places we always go."

"Hey, guys," Isabelle called suddenly, her back facing them, "look at this."

Clary shuffled over as the others did, squinting to see what Isabelle pointed at. splattered across one of the metal pieces of a fire escape, was a small speckle of reddish brown.

"Wow," Simon said melodramatically, "It's...a red smudge," he whispered. "And this...can help us how?" he offered up unhelpfully.

Even sick, Clary still managed to throw her famous shut-up glare his way.

"It's called tracking, Vamp," Jace said. "Why don't you use that O negative blood detector you have and lead the way?"

Clary was just throwing her glares everywhere. "Please, Simon," she said and he nodded.

"Vampires; we don't get enough respect."

"Not if you're a Simon Vampire," Jace muttered with a toying smile.

Clary just sighed again. Obviously, they were not going to listen. Since when did they ever?

"Or if you're a Jace Lightwood wannabe," he added, casting an accusing glance at Simon who looked revolted.

"Fortunately for everyone, there's only one you."

Jace grinned. "But everyone wants to be me."

"Except me," Simon replied.

Jace shrugged in exasperation. "Because you're a Simon Vampire. It's clouded your judgement," he added, tapping his index finger to his head.

"Shut up, both of you!" Isabelle hissed and Clary mouthed a silent Thank you which Isabelle accepted. "You guys can play whose-the-better-man after we find the-"

And just as she said it, Isabelle automatically looked up as a shadow passed by overhead. Jace's blades were already unsheathed and pointed, Isabelle's whip coiled and ready when the shadow sprang forward. Jace immediately darted over to Clary to shield her who had her own blade out as the shadow began to take form. Simon was the first to dive forward.

"Hold it, hold it!" Someone called and Clary could make out the image of Simon's hands grasped firmly around the intruder's throat. But the voice was all too familiar to be anything dangerous. At least, not to them.

Isabelle walked forward, her eyes widened. "Alec?"

Sorry it's taking me so long to get these chapters to you guys. I'm trying to make them longer. Hope you like it! Please R&R!