A/N: Well, I'm back! Thanks so much for the reviews! I responded to most of them(I hope. If I didnt, thank you so so so soooo much!).

To Guest(Valentina): You don't know how happy that makes me! I'm so glad you enjoy my writing!

Anyway, shit goes down in this chapter. Not super well written, but I got stuck a few times.

enjoy!

"Watching myself when I'm taking strides

But here comes the moon and it feels
and it feels like an informer quick run away hide
before they see you, you know it is all, all a glow"
-Tyrant, One Republic

Chapter 14: Tyrant

True to his word, Jace arrived at Clary's house at midnight in his sleek black car. Clary shut the door behind her quietly. She didn't want to wake Luke. He had a big meeting later. Jace kissed her cheek when she got in. "Where are we going?"

His face was emotionless. "You'll see."

They glided along the quiet Brooklyn roads. Clary couldn't remember the last time she had seen the streets this empty. All house lights were turned off. There was no laughter, no voices. It was eerie.

Half an hour later, Jace pulled up to an apartment complex just inside Manhattan. It was a fairly tall building—Clary lost count of the floors after twenty-two. Jace reached for her hand and tugged her forward. "You have to promise not to tell Isabelle." This was the first time he had spoken since they left Brooklyn.

Clary nodded, realizing the seriousness of the situation. This was Jace, after all. She could trust him.

They entered the building, passing the half-asleep Concierge. They were in an apartment building, she realized as they stepped into the elevator. The decor was a shiny gold, the kind that matched Jace's eyes and hair. Jace punched the button for seventeen, and they went shooting up.

The doors opened to reveal a dimly lit hallway adorned with golds and reds. They walked and walked until they reached apartment 1704.

Jace looked down at her. His tawny eyes looked more vivid in the dark, and his hair fell like spun gold. "You ready?"

"Yes."

Jace sighed. "Clary, this is my deepest and darkest secret—one that pains me to keep. If you don't want to keep this from everyone you know, you have to tell me now."

Clary wondered what it could be. Jace was rigid in his stance and tense in his gaze. She almost wondered whether she should walk away right then . But then she felt his warm, insistent hand in hers. "I'm ready, Jace," she said softly.

He raised a hand and knocked on the door firmly twice. Clary took a shaky breath. The door creaked open. Clary blinked in shock.

Standing before her was a boy. He looked a few years older than her with messy ink black hair and crystalline blue eyes. No...it couldn't be.

Standing in front of her was Isabelle's brother.

"So, you must be Clary," Alec said.

Clary nodded slowly, vaguely wondering whether this was a dream. Surely she was sleeping. Jace held onto her hand and gave a tight smile. "It's good to see you again, brother."

Alec wrapped his arms around Jace. "How long has it been? Two months?"

Jace gave a hollow laugh. "Yeah, sorry. I've been a bit...preoccupied."

"I can tell," Alec said, eyeing Clary. "Last time I heard of you, you were 'secret' friends."

"Well, that escalated to secret relationship to just relationship," Clary said.

Alec gestured for them to come inside. "Magnus is asleep," he told Jace. "He has an exam tomorrow, and I didn't want him waiting up until freaking one in the morning."

Jace cocked an eyebrow. "Would you rather I bring Izzy along?"

Alec laughed. "Probably not. Clary's not going to tell her, is she?"

"Why can't she see you?" Clary blurted out. She widened her eyes when she realized what she just said. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean—"

"No, it's fine." Alec gave a lopsided grin. "When I came out, she advised me against telling my parents. But naturally, I did. She shunned me. My parents kicked me out. It's a whole thing. Jace stuck by me, though. Isabelle thinks I'm at Yale, but I've always loved NYU."

"Wow." Clary looked between Jace, who looked uncomfortable and Alec, who looked resigned. "I'm sorry."

Jace flicked a speck of dust off his shoe. "You've got to stop saying that. None of this is your fault."

"I'm empathizing, dipshit." Clary glared at him.

"I like her," Alec said approvingly. "She's good."

Clary took a half-bow. Jace casted his eyes towards her, a small smile playing on his lips. "Yeah," he said. "I do, too."

It was harder than Clary thought, keeping Alec from Izzy. It was even harder for Clary to hide her disgust. Isabelle turned her back on her brother. No matter how infuriating Jonathan was, with his lack of contact or care, Clary would never turn her back on him. Never.

But Clary carried on for weeks, pretending. She had called Alec a few times since they met. Alec had asked her to look after Jace, and she was doing just that.

Clary checked phone. "I've got to go."

Jace nodded and pulled her up from the bench. "Yeah, me too. I have to take Izzy to kickboxing."

Clary nodded and kicked the snow. It was freezing. December was definitely here. Jace cupped her hand, which was still frozen despite her woolen mittens.

Jace swung the cemetery gates open. They had been going there weekly. It was part of the grieving process, he told her. She had to see her mother more often to get over it. That's how he coped. How did she know? He told her everything in small pieces.

Jace turned the heater up all the way once they were in the car. Clary basked in the heat, gripping the seat as the lurched forward.

She was lost in the scenery. Autumn had been Jocelyn's favorite season; winter was hers. The snow glistened like crystals falling from the moss-colored pines. Ivory masses tainted with paw prints littered the sides of the streets. It was beautiful—even the blackened snow.

Jace pulled up to the bookstore and turned off the car. They sat there in silence. Without warning, he took her hand.

"Clary, you know I love you, right?" He wouldn't look at her face when he said it. Clary was stunned. As far as declarations went, they hadn't made any to each other. But Clary knew deep inside that he loved her. It was in everything he did, everything he said.
"I know," she said softly. She kissed his slightly chapped lips. "I love you, too."

His eyes flashed and suddenly he was taking her mouth with his. His lips moved smoothly against her lips. He kissed every inch of her face before letting her go. "You'd better go. Luke's probably waiting."

No, she wanted to say. He never does. But she nodded and left the car. She jammed her key into the rusty lock, wiggling it around before pushing the door open. She wasn't expecting to see what she saw. "Luke?"

Her step-dad was piling books into cardboard boxes, looking disheveled. His glasses were slightly askew. "What's going on?" Clary asked.

He eyed her cautiously. His gray-blue eyes didn't hold his usual spark. He took a deep breath. "Clary..."

A/N: Well, there's a cliffhanger for you! I'll leave you to figure it out.

As usual, thanks so much for reading, and don't forget to review!