Hey guys! Sorry for the gap between uploades, basically I got a new job and I've been totally swamped, however now that I've settled in I'm back and ready to put up some hopefully kick ass chapters and I'd love some reviews! I also promise to have the next chapter up before the end of the week! Or may the writing gods of fanfiction find some cruel punishment for me!

-H

What Happens in Pandemonium... Will Probably Have Dire Consequences

"Clary?"
Isabelle's concerned voice broke her trance and she looked down at her boots. Jace's hand tightened around hers and he pulled her closer to his side, "Is everything okay?"
"It's fine, I just- I haven't really spoken to him. Not since he introduced Camille and stood by while she treated me like I was five-" She clamped her lips shut as her brother's shadow came over them.
"Hey little sister, I wasn't sure if I'd bump into you tonight."
"I left a note for mom saying I was staying at Isabelle's." Her voice was quiet and the tension had the entire group on edge. Camille was watching it unfold from their place in the line and Jonathan didn't invite them to join them further up.
Jonathan's eyes flickered at her proximity to Jace and back, "At Isabelle's?"
Clary felt Jace sigh silently and she felt her own temper rise, "Yeah, what's wrong with that? I've stayed at the Lightwood's a hundred times…"
He shifted his weight, "I just think that it's different now that-"
"Now that Jace and I are together? Are you and Simon just collaborating behind my back on this or something? Mom is fine with me staying with Isabelle so I don't see why I should put up with you making judgements-!"
"I'm not making judgements Clarissa but I'm your big brother and I was just concerned-"
"Well you have no need to be," she said with a tone of finality. "It's my life and since you've been home you've made little to no effort to be a part of it until now so sorry if I'm not going to welcome you telling me what to do." He looked like he was going to argue further and Clary's resolve was cracking.
Isabelle stepped in, "Maybe you should go back to Camille, Jonathan."
"I will in a moment Isabelle, but this is my sister-"
"And you've made your position and point of view very clear," Jace said, his tone polite but not exactly friendly, "I told you before that I wasn't planning on screwing Clary over and she's perfectly capable of setting her own boundaries…" He looked over at Camille pointedly and Jonathan, with some effort, frowned and took a step back. "Maybe you should focus on your own relationship and let Clary come to you if she wants to talk about ours."
"Well… that was tense," Maia said awkwardly and Clary started giggling despite herself and everyone soon joined in.
Jace kissed her cheek, "You still up for this?"
"Oh hell yeah she is!" Isabelle declared, "I didn't get her this dressed up to get the club and run away." The line began moving forwards and another cab pulled up the kerb, dropping off Simon and Clove.
"Whose running away?" Simon asked, catching the end of Isabelle's sentence.
Clove smiled a little uncomfortably at Clary who couldn't bring herself to return it and Isabelle flicked her hair, "No one, that was my point." Gale tugged on her hand and they all stumbled forwards in their couples towards the bouncers.
Jace nudged Gale as they passed through into the club, "Looks like Cato is a no show."
"Think he's still babysitting Katniss?"
They spotted Marvel and Peeta across the club and Jace said, "Let's hope so."

"This night looks like it's going to be as big a disaster as my party," Isabelle grumbled, leaning against the bar.
Gale rubbed her back sympathetically, "No one has thrown up yet," he offered.
"No but I think Clary might throw a drink over either Clove or Camille."
"Well no one would blame her, though really it's Simon I think should be worried rather than Clove," Gale commented, trying not to notice when Isabelle tensed. "What we can't even talk about them without getting awkward?"
She looked up at him, deliberately tracing her eyes slowly over his chest, his neck and his full lips that were looking more tempting by the minute, "Not at all."
Gale grinned and leaned down to suck on her neck, glad they had managed to get a minute alone that was until the rest of the group caught up, bringing the tension with them. Clary looked like she was barely holding it together while Jace wrapped her up in his arms like he was acting as a buffer between her and the rest of the room. Isabelle noticed Aline Penhallow watching the two of them like a hawk and started to feel uneasy. That was a girl with an agenda.
Maia and Jordan were happy enough and had settled around the corner of the bar with Clove and Simon who was looking extremely uncomfortable while Clove kept trying to engage him in conversation.
"I can pay off the bar guy to spike her drink so Jonathan has to take her home," Isabelle offered Clary who was glancing over her should at her brother and his date, she finally managed a smile.
Jace kissed her forehead lightly, "Do you want to go home?"
"You're kidding!" Isabelle exclaimed, "Look they're all the way over the other side of the club, let's just let our hair down, use our fake Ids and have a good night!"
"I'll stay for a bit," Clary said, looking up at Jace who Isabelle was pleased to see looked completely and utterly smitten.
"Where the bloody hell is Katniss?" Maia asked, appearing at Isabelle's side.
"She bunked off this afternoon," Gale explained, sounding strained. Maia raised an eyebrow, "She- uh, might not have known, about me and Isabelle…"
"It's really not been her week," she said sympathetically.
Clary's eyes suddenly went wide, "I don't think she's letting it get to her somehow."
All eyes turned to the entrance in time to see Cato appear in dark jeans and a white shirt, looking his usual party-self, only the girl beside him wasn't a cheerleader or bimbo though she was sporting a short purple dress that Isabelle recognised as one she'd convinced her to buy months ago, with her long legs exposed and her usually braided hair down around her shoulders.
"Hot damn," Maia called and they made their way over. "So where exactly did you two disappear this afternoon?"
Isabelle felt Gale tense but Katniss and Cato laughed easily, "I kicked Cato's ass on the archery range and he convinced me I shouldn't miss a night out."
Cato greeted Jace with a shoulder bump and leaned over to order some more drinks from the bar, "Cute," he commented on Gale's hand on Isabelle's waist with a wink.
"I hope you know you're dead meat," Gale said in a low voice.
"I would hold off on threats until Katniss is done with you," Cato said with a grin, "You're lucky I let her take most of her feelings out with bows and arrows before I brought her here."
"Was she mad?"
"You know Kitty Kat, she hates being left in the dark."
Gale swallowed and Isabelle rolled her eyes, "Fuck the tension, I'll talk to her."
"I'm sure that will end well," Cato said and Jace laughed while Clary followed Isabelle to act as peacekeeper if necessary.
Jace punched Gale's arm lightly, "Now I hope you know why we don't do secrets. I would hate to piss Katniss off. How was your afternoon, really?" he asked Cato.
He shrugged, "Honestly, we just hung out at the gym. I thought she was going to cry when she saw Marvel- what?"
Gale grinned, "You- uh, missed a little action on that front."
"Gale rearranged his face a bit," Jace added, "In front of half the student body before letting slip he's sleeping with my sister."
"And they say us kids have too much drama, that does explain his purple eye," Cato chortled.
"There's homecoming soon," Jace said gravely, "If things are bad now…"
Another voice piped up from nowhere, "If things aren't working out with you and Clarissa you always have other options."
The three boys turned around to find Aline Penhallow and a few of her friends watching them.
"Sorry?"
"You said things are bad," she fluttered her eyelashes at Jace and took a step closer, "None of us are really surprised, she's sweet but a bit… naive, inexperienced?"
"She's not a slut which makes her more of a catch than you for a start?" Isabelle had returned and had her arms crossed and a dangerous expression.
Aline snorted, "And your opinion is worth how much?"
"That's my brother you're hitting on whore, and he's dating my best friend so you have two choices, either back off or I'll help you back off."
Aline laughed snidely, "You know Glimmer warned me about you, all bark and no real bite. That's why you couldn't make it with the cheer squad and that's why you're now associating with lowlife losers. You lost your influence when Glimmer dropped you like a-"
"You listen to me you good for nothing slut, Glimmer did not drop me, I walked away when I came to my senses and realised exactly the type of girl she is. Don't worry, by the time you figure it out for yourself she'll have moved on. She's not your friend, she's not your ally and she will betray you and turn her back first chance she gets because she's a selfish cow. Now move off or I will show you just how sharp my bite can be."
This time Aline took a step back but she didn't make any move to leave. Instead she turned to Jace and dropped him a wink, "Next time, when you're sister isn't acting like she speaks for you maybe."
"I don't think so Aline, I'm happy with Clary." Jace looked over Isabelle's shoulder to see his girlfriend watching the scene unfold quietly.
Aline followed his gaze and smirked at her friends. "You'll get bored of waiting around for her Jace, we all know you, we know what you're like, what you need. And a virgin like Clarissa Fray will last two seconds, you need a girl with more stamina."
"And you need to leave." Katniss had come to stand beside Isabelle and unlike Izzy she did have a reputation for having a meaner bite when it came to her temper.
"I didn't realise you own the place," Aline snapped.
Katniss didn't reply, she simply held her gaze steady with Aline's, unblinking and a small smirk playing on her mouth. Gale shifted uncomfortably, aware that Aline was treading a thin line and after a moment it apparently occurred to the cheerleader too. "Whatever," she flicked her hair, "This place is lame anyway. Come on girls, I know of a party."
They walked away and Isabelle grinned at Katniss, "I love it when you scare the shit out of people."
"Good," Katniss said looking between Isabelle and Gale, "Remember that next time you two decide to keep secrets from me."