Disclaimer: Don't own Smallville/The Mortal Instruments
Sequel to: Jace Wayland's Unstealthy Stalking
My version of City of Ashes
Jace circled the inside of his new prison.
At the bottom of the Metropolis Institute, in the deepest, darkest section, he'd been placed in a holding cell he knew all too well. How many times had he placed detainees here? It was a translucent square, within which was a bed and ample space to walk up and down, to fret. The top of the square wasn't covered, allowing in oxygen, but was too high to jump, and the idea of climbing it was impossible given the energy rising from it. Warlocks had helped built this cage, and the mere touch of skin to the walls was agony.
He knew that escape was futile, but that didn't stop him from trying to find a kink in the box. He couldn't remain here - not when he knew his father wouldn't make the trade - not when he knew that the Inquisitor was blind to what was in front of her: without him, Chloe was vulnerable and there was nothing to keep his father from taking her to make sure that the Clave didn't do to her what they'd done to Jace.
"He'll be fine." Clark sat by Chloe on Luke's sofa. The werewolf alpha was speaking to the Shadowhunters who'd brought her, to the Inquisitor, as she relayed what her expectations were of him as a guardian. First and foremost, Jocelyn, Lois, and any other Shadowhunter wasn't allowed any sort of contact with Chloe until they were exonerated. Other than Magnus and Lucy, Clark was the only one she knew who she'd be able to see for the unforeseeable future. And the Clave wasn't too happy about it - about a Mundane knowing about the Shadow World and about this situation - but they seemed to have realized that they needed to give Chloe something or she'd crack, and they were giving her Clark, or his presence and friendship, at least. And for that alone Chloe was grateful. She was scared, so scared, for everyone she loved dearly.
"Valentine won't trade the Mortal Instruments for Jace, Clark." Chloe rested against his chest, taking comfort as her best friend held her close, neither of them watching whatever was on the television.
"We'll figure out a way to help Jace," he promised. "He can be arrogant and annoying, but he's not evil. Anyone can see that."
She nodded and hugged him tightly. "We have to do something. Soon. If they send Jace to Idris—." When the band around her thumb caught in the light, Chloe pulled away and looked at it, eyes wide. "Maybe she can help."
"Who?" Clark eyed her in confusion before his blues rested on her fey ring. "You've got to be joking! Chloe! You can't trust her! You know that!"
"She gave me this ring for a reason Clark." She moved closer, lowering her voice. "It took me to the Faerie Realm. She gave me that sort of access for a reason."
"Yeah, because she wants to study you like some sort of science project!" Clark moved closer and lowered his voice as well. "Who's to say that if we went this time she wouldn't keep you? You know what Isabelle told us! The Faeries only help with a double-edge. They're somehow hurting you and you wont know until its too late."
"What if she isn't helping me? What if she's using me?"
Clark frowned. "What do you mean?"
She looked around before she leaned close enough that their faces were almost touching and to anyone who might be looking it would appear like they were about to kiss. "When I was in the Faerie Realm I… saw… things."
"Saw things?" Clark blinked. "Like what? Strange fey rituals?"
"No. I mean." She licked her lips. "Like when I had to Mortal Cup inside of me."
Clark's eyes widened in horror and in an incredibly quick movement, he tried to jerk that ring off of her, only managing to hurt her.
"Ouch!" She slapped his hand away and rubbed her sore thumb. "That hurt!"
"How could you keep this a secret?" Clark snapped at her. "The Mortal Cup nearly killed you!"
"I told Jace and Magnus right after it happened, and then, well, I forgot." And she felt like an idiot for admitting it, but a lot had happened afterwards and it hadn't crossed her mind until now.
"You forgot." Clark gave her a look.
"I did." She let out a sigh, still rubbing her thumb. "You don't have to come with me."
Clark glared at her. "If you think I'm letting you go to see that creepy redhead by yourself, you've got something coming!" He reached for his phone.
"What are you doing?" She narrowed her eyes.
"I'm texting Isabelle. Out of all of us she's the one with the knowledge about the fey." Clark's gaze was on his phone as he texted. "We need someone we trust not only knowing where we are, but we also need to know everything we can about the Faerie Queen and her people." He paused at the silence and looked up, a blush appearing on his cheekbones. "What?"
"You have Isabelle's number." Chloe tried not to sound so amused or teasing by this revelation. "Do you two text each other regularly or something?"
He glared at her, but the slight color on his cheekbones made him look far from intimidating. "We complain about you and Jace to each other."
Chloe laughed loudly and then brought her hand to her mouth to quiet the sound. "It's a brother and sister privilege to be annoyed by their siblings."
Clark froze what he was doing and looked up at her. Slowly a smile tilted the corners of his lips. "Who'd want you for a sister?"
"Shut up." She pressed a kiss to his cheek. "I love you, Clark."
"And I love you, Chlo." He cleared his throat, trying to reign in his smile as he returned to texting and then sent his message. "And as your big brother I need to have your back."
"I'm older by a couple of months," she reminded.
"Semantics," he replied.
She smiled in deep amusement at him as she reached out and held his hand.
He looked up at her and smiled as well as he squeezed it.
Someone cleared their throats.
Both turned to see the Inquisitor standing there, watching them like a hawk. The teenagers removed their hands from each other and turned to look at her.
"We are leaving you under Lucian Greyback's guardianship, but I will be leaving some of my men around for extra protection." She eyed the teenagers.
Chloe hurried to her feet. "Valentine won't trade the Mortal Instruments for Jace. You're dooming Jace."
"Please, be whatever he is, Valentine is that boy's father." The Inquisitor stood. "He will do what he must to save him."
"All that's important to Valentine is his mission!"
"You are not a parent, Miss Wayland, and until then you will never be able to understand what we are capable of doing to protect our children." With that, and a pained expression, the Inquisitor turned and left.
After the front door slammed shut, Luke entered the room and leaned in the doorway with a sigh. "Things are getting overly complicated."
"He's not a traitor, Luke." She needed Luke to understand, to believe, in Jace.
Luke didn't answer, he merely reached out and hugged her to him. She went willingly and clung to him, trying desperately not to cry.
I know that we can't trust the Faerie Queen, but do you think she'd help us? Chloe has this crazy idea about going to her to see if she can help with the Jace situation, but I'm not sure. Tell me all you know about the fey people because I don't want us to go there blind. I don't trust that redhead. Even Chloe knows that she's got something else planned, but she's going to risk it, and I need to make sure there's as little risk as possible.
Isabelle looked at the text and did her best not to look too horrified. She deeply regretted taking Chloe to the Faerie party. That had started this whole mess! It was her fault! But she'd wanted to do something with the blonde who meant so much to both Jace and Clark, and she'd seen the way Chloe seemed interested in the Faerie culture… She'd never thought things could get this screwed up just because she'd wanted to try and become friends with the girl!
Damn her and her inability to connect with girls her own age!
How does she even expect to get to the Faerie Realm with the Inquisitor's men and Lucian watching her?
"We need to help him." Alec paced the room. "You and I both know Valentine isn't going to do the trade."
"Of course he won't." She waited for Clark's response, but he wasn't answering. "I just don't know what we can do. Lois and Jocelyn are being held at Magnus' by the Inquisitor's orders - which is probably the only safe place for either of them right now given how the whole Shadowhunter world seems to now think they're in cahoots with Valentine - and everyone is watching you and I like a hawk. They're waiting for us to do something so they can put us in the cell with Jace."
A muscle jumped in Alec's cheek but he knew it was true so he couldn't counter her words. "We have to do something! Izzy!"
"I know." She placed her hand on his shoulder. "And we will. But we have to be smart about it."
He growled and leaned his back against the wall. "If they'd just let me see Ma—." He then paled and looked away. "I mean, uh—."
Isabelle realized that not only was Jace's situation bothering Alec, but also the fact that he was unable to see Magnus had him out of sorts. Her brother had no idea that she knew - then again, he might suspect, but he'd never asked and she'd never told - but she'd seen the sparks that'd flown between the Warlock and her brother at the Downworlder Party, and had appreciated the Warlock more and more for the way her brother had been blossoming and coming out of his shell since those two had started secretly dating. She just wished he'd trust her enough to tell her - trust her enough to know that she'd love him no matter what or who he loved. What mattered to her - what had always mattered to her - was that Alec was happy - and she'd never seen him as happy as he was with Magnus Bane.
"They've fractured the team!" Alec ran a hand down his face. "They've made us weak."
The team.
Isabelle smiled softly at that. It sounded nice.
"Chloe's got to be going insane." Alec let out a groan. "And we can't even talk to her to let her know that Jace is fine, that at least he isn't in the dungeons of the Silent City again."
Isabelle was a little surprised by the fact that Alec was worried about Chloe. She knew that he still had some feelings for Jace, but the fact that his hostility towards Chloe was diminishing proved just how much his feelings for Magnus were increasing. This was… this was great.
Her phone shook and she looked down at the message: Something's wrong. There's screaming outside.
Her eyes widened in horror. "Alec, we need to find mom, now."
"Why?"
She looked up, horrified. "I think Lucian's house is under attack."
"Get upstairs and lock yourselves in my room! Now!" Luke snarled at them as the screaming grew louder around them.
"But Luke—!" Chloe didn't want to leave him, not as the screaming grew closer and closer.
Luke's gaze turned to Clark as his eyes started to turn lupine. "Take her."
Clark nodded and grabbed Chloe's forcing the struggling blonde up the stairs towards Luke's room as the sound of the glass front of the bookstore breaking. He hauled her into the room, Chloe wasn't even sure how he knew that one was Luke's, and slammed the door shut, bolting it closed.
"No!" Chloe fought against him. "We can't leave Luke! We have to help him!"
"I have to protect you." Clark grabbed her and gave her a shake. "Listen! Chloe! You need to get out of here. They're after you. You know they are! So if you have a way of getting to the Faerie Realm, go now." He cleared his throat. "I'll stay behind and help Luke."
"No." Chloe shook her head. "I will not leave you! Either of you!"
A wolf howling in pain, in fear, could be heard below.
Both turned towards the door, and Clark had to hold on tightly to Chloe to keep her from racing towards it. "Chloe, go! You have to go!"
"I'm not going!" She yanked her stele out from her pocket. "I have to help!"
"That's not a seraph blade, you can't—!" Suddenly Clark looked up and yanked Chloe and himself out of the way in time for the door to be kicked off of its hinges and come flying into the room. When he turned to look at the doorway he whispered one word "no" and let go of Chloe as he collapsed to his knees.
Chloe followed his gaze towards the doorway and her eyes widened in horror as Jace stood there, bloody and beaten.
"Chloe," he whispered as he collapsed to his knees. "You're okay."
"Jace?" Her voice was horrified, and in seconds she'd put away her stele and raced towards him, catching him as he was about to fall face forwards onto the floor. "What happened to you?" She cradled his broken, bleeding body. "I'll use my stele—you'll be alright."
"No." Jace raised his hand and stopped her. "It's too late. You can't help me. You'll only prolong the pain."
"No." Chloe shook her head. "It'll save you! It has to!"
"Chloe." He stared up at her as if she was the most precious thing in the world. "When I heard you were in danger I had to - I couldn't let them keep me away. I'll always come for you - to save you - and dying for you is an honor."
"Don't say that!" Chloe screamed at him. "You don't need to die! Just let me—!"
Jace coughed up blood, crimson around his lips. "I love you."
"Jace—!" Chloe stared in horror as his eyes rolled in the back of his skull and his body went limp in her arms. "No…" She let out a sound she'd never heard before as her tears fell onto his face, washing away the red. "NO!"
Lucian Greymark was in the hospital, in critical condition. Lois hadn't moved from his side since he'd been placed in his private room. His pack were around as well, and while they weren't that trusting or welcoming of those who weren't 'pack', they seemed to instinctively know better than to try and tell Lois to leave. Even the Inquisitor hadn't told Lois that she had to return to Magnus'. Maybe it was because she'd seen the girl's eyes, seen the horror, the terror, the brokenness, and recognized something there that she knew all too well. Whatever the reason, Lois was under watch at the hospital, but at least she was there, seated by Lucian's side. She hadn't said a thing since the news of what had happened at Lucian's had come out. The only sound she made were sniffles. She was obviously trying not to cry and yet was having a hard time of it.
Leaning in the shadows, Lucy hugged herself. She wanted to go in, to let her presence be known, to hug her sister, but she knew that she couldn't do that. Not now. Not with all that was going on.
Please, Angel, let Lucian survive this.
Looking up at the ceiling, Lucy fought the desire to cry. She couldn't cry. She hadn't cried since she was a child, all alone in a foreign country in a cold Academy, far from her family and all those she loved or who loved her. Going to Idris had taught her to be tough, to never let her weakness show, and she wouldn't start now.
Clearing her throat, Lucy left, grabbing her phone as she dialed the number she called above all else. "The situation here is critical. My cousin's safe-house was attacked. The Shadowhunters posted around were massacred, cut clean through, and Lucian… The werewolf mightn't make it." She cleared her throat. "Chloe and her friend Clark were taken." She moved towards the door. "I'm going to Magnus'. Jocelyn has been returned to the Institute. They believe that she or Jace will be the next target, and want to make it harder for Valentine to get to them. Most of their people are there. And you know what that means." She nodded at the answer. "Exactly." The brunette ran a hand through her hair. "Magnus needs to be brought in on this. I know we wanted to keep as many people in the dark as possible, but given what we know, we need him." She breathed a breath of relief at the agreement in her ear. "I'll call you after I speak to him. I'll call you if I need backup." She sighed. "I'll also call Raphael and let him know what's going on." She hung up.
"How about you letting us know what's going on as well?" A voice said darkly from the side.
Lucy froze and then turned to see Isabelle and Alec Lightwood emerge from the shadows.
"What the hell are you up to?" Alec moved towards her, vicious. "What do you want with Magnus?"
Damn. How had she let her guard down enough for these two to catch her?
A dark chuckle escaped her lips.
"Believe it or not, I'm a good guy." Lucy ran her hand over her face. "Come on then, I'm not saying this twice, so the quicker we get to Magnus' the better."
Chloe sat up with a gasped breath. She looked around her in confusion. Where was she? What had happened?
And then she remembered: Jace had died in her arms.
A stuttered breath escaped her before a sob followed it.
"Are you hurt?"
She looked up at the unexpected voice. "Mom?" In seconds she'd flown out of the bed and wrapped her arms around Moira's stomach, holding onto her tightly as she cried. "He's dead! Jace is dead!"
Her mother's arms wrapped around her and she pressed a kiss to her head. "Honey, Jace isn't dead. The Clave still have him imprisoned, but he's alive."
Confusion mixed with hope as she looked up at her mother through tear-filled eyes. "But I saw him die! He died in my arms!"
"My beautiful daughter…" Moira brushed her tears away before she cupped her face. "What you saw was your greatest fear. It wasn't reality."
Relief seared through her and left her weak as she collapsed to her knees. "Thank the Angel."
Moira followed her to the ground. "Were you hurt? We were merely trying to rescue you, but Agramon might've hurt you during the rescue." She then paused when she noticed the rune seared on Chloe's inner wrist. "Where did you get this?"
Chloe opened her mouth to answer, when the door opened and Valentine Morgenstern entered. "You." She stood. "This is all your fault!"
"I see she's fine." Valentine chuckled as he came forwards and circled them as Moira got to her feet as well. "We were worried after you fainted. Your mundane friend has been accusing us of hurting you and we were beginning to worry he was right when you wouldn't wake up."
Fear speared through her. "You have Clark?"
"He is untouched." Valentine assured her. "Merely being detained in one of the rooms until we could prove that you're well." He came towards her and caught her hand, his gaze going to her inner wrist before he grinned and pulled her into a hug. "I am relieved to know that you are well, my child."
She squirmed in his touch but didn't push him off. She couldn't antagonize him, not if she wanted to secure Jace's safety. "They have Jace. They want you to trade the Mortal Instruments. Or they'll kill him."
"I know." He pulled away and looked away. "They will not kill him."
She stared into his dark eyes and fought a snarky response. "You'll trade the Mortal Instruments for him?"
"Of course not." Valentine snorted as if that was the silliest thing he'd ever heard. "I'll kill each and every one of them, and then set him free."
Lucy Lane let out a sigh as she stared at the faces eyeing her. "The Clave sent me here to spy on everyone and report back to them." She could see everyone bristling and groaned as she covered her hand with her face. "But while I've been feeding them information I've only given them enough for them not to question my real reasons for being here… or who I am really working with."
"Valentine," Alec hissed.
She snorted. "Please." She removed her hand from her face and turned to face Mangus, who'd been silently watching her since this had all begun. "We have a friend in common, Ragnor Fell."
Magnus' cat-eyes widened. "You're working with Ragnor?"
"Ragnor?" Alec as in confusion.
Isabelle blinked. "Wait. As in High Warlock Ragnor Fell?"
Lucy nodded with a sigh. "He and I have the same goals."
"Which would be?" Magnus seemed intrigued and a little amused.
"A true alliance, a friendship, between the species." Lucy let out a breath. She couldn't believe she'd been found out. But then again, she'd need these people's help. Still. Ragnor was going to be so annoyed with her. And he'd never let her live down the fact that she'd be found out. "Downworlders and Shadowhunters have an alliance, but the Covenant is just in name alone. We all know that there's distrust between us all, and that we don't work together - we don't accept each other, not really." She sighed. "But Ragnor and I - we want to build a society where Downworlder and Shadowhunter are truly united, are brothers in arms. If we were, scum like Valentine Morgenstern wouldn't be able to succeed in their plans of destruction."
"Why should we believe you?" Alec wanted to know. "You could be making this all up."
"Because she's not." A new voice announced as Raphael waltzed into the house and made a face. "Dios, Magnus, you need to clean up a bit more."
"Raphael?" Magnus stood, and then his mouth fell open. "That damned Ragnor! He is behind this!" He pouted. "Why wasn't I included in all this?"
Raphael snorted at the thought.
Magnus glared at him. "I resent that snort. I am dependable." At Raphael's look he smirked. "Okay, it would've been interesting. This whole cloak and dagger thing is just me. I mean, I have the perfect outfit for it."
Raphael turned to Lucy, as if begging her to change the subject.
Taking pity on the vampire, Lucy did. "Ragnor, Raphael and I have been working together, representing the Warlocks, Vampires and Shadowhunters who share our views. We call ourselves the Guild." She cleared her throat. "We were going to approach Lucian Greymark. He would be the perfect representative for the Children of the Moon. He already had an idea of what was going on… He must've smelt both Ragnor and Raphael on me, and known that there was more than I was saying."
Isabelle eyed the younger girl. "You want to make a new Covenant."
"We want a real alliance, not the ridiculous treaty we've had all these years." Lucy stepped forwards. "We want a true chance at peace, at brotherhood. A world in which a Shadowhunter can love a Downworlder and it not be shameful. We want equality." She licked her lips. "Ragnor and I have fought together in Idris to try and change the backwards mentality that reigns in there, both in the Downworlder and Shadowhunter sides, but if Valentine Morgenstern wins this war the little progress we've made side by side won't mean anything."
Magnus suddenly let out a snort. "That damned hypocrite."
Lucy blinked and turned towards him in confusion. "Excuse me?"
"How old are you?" Magnus wanted to know.
She blinked. "I just turned seventeen."
"Hypocrite!" Magnus threw his hands in the air before he pointed to Raphael. "You too! You're complicit in this!"
Lucy was truly confused as she looked between them. "What—?"
Magnus looked completely indignant. "Ragnor and this guy have been going on and on about me 'cradle-robbing' because Alexander is eighteen… but Ragnor and you… and you're seventeen!"
Raphael palmed his face.
Alec went pale and turned to look at his sister.
Isabelle merely winked and gave her brother's shoulder a little whack as she mouthed: Finally.
He blushed hard and looked down, but a small smile touched his lips.
A hot blush covered Lucy's face. "Ragnor and I are not… We…" She couldn't look anyone in the face. "He's a gentleman."
Raphael glared at Magnus. "Have you no tact, Warlock?"
Magnus pouted. "It's obvious on her face that there's something between her and—."
"There isn't anything between us!" Lucy's voice went shrill, her face even hotter, before she cleared her throat. "Back to the important part." She took in a deep breath. "We know where Valentine Morgenstern is, we followed Jonathan Morgenstern when he went to visit his father the other night." She cleared her throat. "We have reason to believe that he will perform his profane ritual tonight, and we must stop him before he does." Her eyes narrowed. "I don't know what use he has for my cousin, but I know that we can't let him have her." She took in a deep breath. "I won't let him have her."
"Jace needs to know." Alec reached for his jacket. "Don't do anything until I come back." He hesitated for a second before he moved to Magnus, grabbed his shirt, and pulled the surprised Warlock down in a deep kiss.
Raphael covered his face with mumbled Spanish.
Isabelle grinned brightly.
Lucy knew the action for what it was. It wasn't a he's mine signal to her or anyone else. It was just, for the first time, Alec was around people who not only knew about him and Magnus, but who had already voiced their approval. For the first time he felt accepted, not condemnable or condemned. It'd given him a bit of freedom, of courage, and it made her smile. This was what she was fighting for… for others like Alec, who loved people they "shouldn't". She wanted a world in which they were free to do so.
Alec pulled back, smiled up at an apparently shocked-silly Magnus, and headed towards the door, leaving them.
Lucy and Isabelle exchanged looks, and for the first time genuinely smiled at each other.
TBC