I awoke to the sight of Jace's concerned eyes peeking at mine. I jumped, sitting up too quickly and groaning at the stinging in my side.
One glance at my apparel told me that someone had stitched me up and changed my shirt. I sent out a prayer that it wasn't Jace and felt my face warm.
I spent the next moments analysing my surroundings. I was not familiar with them, but assumed this to be Hodge's home.
I remembered Hodge from when I was a child. He was the carer for the Lightwood family children for much of their childhood until Jace and the others had grown old enough to not need a baby-sitter. I couldn't recall much of his personality, but he had always seemed the quieter type. I remembered Jace once telling me that he used to be a doctor which explained why I had been brought here.
As if knowing I was thinking of him, Hodge entered the room, "Clary." He sighed, apparently relieved, "You're awake." He gave me a small warm smile which I returned, awkwardly. I still felt disorientated and dizzy.
"Thanks." I said, "For taking care of me." I hoped that I sounded genuine. However puzzled I was, this place was far better than the hospital.
"No problem." He said, wringing his hands nervously, "In fact, if it weren't for Jace, things may have been a whole lot worse." At this I turned to look at Jace.
Something strange happened. As our eyes met I felt a flood of emotions overwhelm me. All at once I saw the understanding, compassion and warmth reflected in his eyes. I felt my breath catch as I recognised the last emotion: faith.
It wasn't easy to look away, our eyes seemed to be having a conversation I wasn't entirely sure I was part of, but I forced my gaze to the bedside table, I sat next to.
It took only a minute for me to process the light-up, red digits displayed on the alarm clock and once I did I couldn't help, but release a string of profanities.
"I need to go!" I said, pushing my sheets from my legs, "My family will wake soon." I stood up and the sudden rush of blood to my head sent me stumbling, but Jace caught my arm.
"Don't worry yourself." He said, forcing me to meet his gaze, "I'll take you home." Yet again, our eyes met causing the same static in my brain to incite and I had to take a few deep breaths to clear my head, "I'll go get your shirt, you wait outside." He told me, almost reluctantly letting me go.
Hodge lead me out and I gave him the most heartfelt appreciations I could.
On the steps outside was where I spotted Sebastian. His silver hair was tussled in the frigid wind, his hands in his pockets. I felt unexpectedly angry at his sudden presence and found myself running to him, well trying to run.
"What are you doing here?!" I asked, clutching my side as I panted.
"What am I doing here? What are you doing here?" This conversation would have been ridiculous if not for the context. He glanced over at Hodge's front door and then at my pathetic form, "Are you hurt?" His voice was not as accusatory as before, in fact, I could have sworn in held a more gentle tone.
As he leaned towards me, his eyes running my body for injuries, I clocked why I had been so angry before.
"Why do care?" I asked, not-so-lightly shoving him, "You shouldn't!" My attempt at pushing him failed and only succeeded in bringing us closer. He caught my hands and held them to his chest.
"What's with you?" He asked, not angrily, "You're not normally like this." He then examined my facial features and removed one of his hands from mine to push back a strand of hair that had come loose from my ponytail in the wind. It was an oddly compassionate movement on his part that sent me silent.
After a few moments, I brought up the courage to ask him what had been nagging me ever since that incident at the alley, "Look." I started, "Back at the alley." My voice did a strange thing, I started to sound like a strangled cat, "There was a man you stood over, there was a lot of blood. Did you…did you…?" Kill him?
I didn't have to finish my sentence, he understood, "Of course not! Severely paralysed, yes. Dead, no." My eyes must have widened as he began to laugh, proclaiming that he was joking.
Suddenly, I heard the slam of a door and looked up to see Jace standing outside Hodge's door. From his position, the entire situation must have looked very different. Our hands linked together on his chest, his other hand still lingering near my cheek. We stood close and Sebastian still had a grin on his face.
I hastily pulled away from him, forcing myself to look appropriate. Me and Sebastian… we weren't… not like that. My mind, itself, seemed to be stuttering.
It was then, as I looked away in embarrassment that I seemed to fully recognise where I was.
For a moment, I forgot about everything that had happened in the last few months. I forgot my life, my family and my friends.
This was a place I had been before.
I had only seen it once and it had been dark, but I had no doubt.
This was the street I had been held captive on for years.