Hello, everyone! Here is another chapter. The song for this is Forever and Always by Parachute. If you haven't listened to it, you should. It's beautiful!

Thank you for your reviews Intoxic and BooksBeforeLife !

Disclaimer: i don't own TMI or TID.

Enjoy!

Chapter 25

"Leave him alone." Jordan called, coming out of the shadows. He saw Raphael cradling Simon's body whispering something like "silly Daylighter". He looked like he was in pain himself. Jordan didn't think anything of it. Raphael was-had been his sire, he would have felt the pain Simon felt when he died. When he looked up at him, his eyes were cold.

"Stay back, werewolf." Raphael warned.

"No." Jordan stood his ground. "Leave him alone. Let us go or I'll call the Clave and tell them how you killed one of their own."

"He's a vampire. He doesn't belong with them."

"That doesn't mean they don't-didn't have him under their protection. You didn't want him in your clan, remember? Now step back." He raised his hands and took slow steps towards his body. He tried to stay calm, but he didn't know if he could manage it for long. He wanted to rip them apart and make them pay for what their leader had done, but he was outnumbered.

He saw Raphael taking a step back, holding back Maureen who was thrashing in his arms. He took Simon's body and left. When he was out of the hotel he finally let the first tear fall, the first of many. His legs gave out. His body fell against the wall. He just couldn't get the picture out of his head. Whenever he closed his eyes all he saw was Maureen pushing her hand in his chest and taking it out, holding Simon's heart. And all he did was stand there, he didn't save him. He wasn't fast enough.

He pulled himself together. He had to go to the Institute. Isabelle and Clary had the right to know. They'd better find out from him.

He ran to the Institute, holding Simon's body. He didn't use mundane transportation. He wouldn't be able to take their endless questions and he surely couldn't come up with a believable lie. His mind was blank. All he knew was that he had to get to the Institute and fast. He didn't know what time it was, he didn't care. The streets were empty or maybe he didn't really notice them. All that mattered was to get Simon to the Institute, which he managed to do.

Isabelle felt as if she was having a déjà vu. She answered the bell of the Institute, and she opened the doors to find someone holding Simon's body on their doorstep, again. It was not Raphael this time, it was Jordan. She looked at his face. It was wet with tears that were still flowing from his bloodshot eyes. The emotions behind them, they caught her of guard. You could see it in his eyes what had happened. This time Simon wasn't dying. This time he was already dead. But still, she needed to hear it. She needed to know.

"What happened?" She asked, terrified of the answer.

Jordan barely registered Isabelle's words. He didn't know how long he had been running for. He didn't know how to explain. "I'm sorry. Maureen- there was no time- she- it happened so fast." He didn't know what else to say. His mind was reeling, his body was exhausted, and his memory was taunting him.

Isabelle staggered back. No, this couldn't be. This couldn't be happening. He wouldn't have left her without saying goodbye. He wouldn't hurt her like that. He loved her, didn't he? He was gone now. He was gone and she didn't know what to do. She couldn't move. She couldn't breathe. Her vision was getting blurry.

Suddenly Jace was there, getting Simon off of Jordan and ushering the werewolf inside. He didn't get to take a lot of steps before Clary was onto him, rushing to Simon's body. She was leaning over him, tears rushing down her face. Her lips seemed to be moving, she must have been screaming because Jace was trying so hard to comfort her. He was trying to pull her away, to hug her, to be there for her. But Isabelle did not hear a thing. Her whole world was falling apart. She got up. She had fallen on her knees some time, but she hadn't noticed. She walked warily to Simon and sat by him. His body was lying on a bed. They apparently had gotten to the Institute dorms, still Isabelle hadn't noticed. He was paler than usual, his t-shirt soaked with blood, and his body didn't hold the life she was used to seeing in him. He wasn't her Simon anymore, this was only his shell. "What happened?" she asked, her voice breaking, her throat feeling scratchy.

Jordan looked down at the floor. He couldn't look at them while telling what he had witnessed. He told them everything. He told them how Simon had gone to Maureen to tell her to stop following him around and how he told her he was with Isabelle now. He told them how Maureen had gotten mad and said that if she can't have him, then no one else will. Lastly, he told them how Maureen had ripped his heart out, how she had done it so fast, he didn't get the chance to move. He didn't tell them, though, about how he thought Simon knew what he was doing. How he let Maureen kill him, how he didn't fight back. He didn't let them know. Maybe later.

Izzy listened carefully. Clary was sobbing, Jace was sniffling, and she was crying silently. She didn't tell them about her suspicions. How she thought that Simon had a reason to die, how he wouldn't leave them like that. How she felt like he had said his goodbye, her mind just couldn't pinpoint when. She didn't voice those thoughts. Maybe later.

The funeral was a small nice ceremony, very intimate. They had called Simon's sister, Rebecca, who was so shocked that she didn't realize what had happened until after her brother was buried underground. After that she held onto Clary, sobbing, trying to breathe, mourning the brother she lost too soon. She had taken the responsibility of telling their mother the news. She had called her, but all she had said was "My son died long ago" and had hung up.

They had called Eric and the other bandmates. None of them could believe their best friend was dead. Also, none of them knew what had really happened, since none of them knew anything about the Shadow World. All they knew was that he was found outside of Izzy's house and that they thought it was a mugging gone wrong. Eric had written some terrible poetry for his best friend with the most beautiful meaning it could possibly have. That poem might have been a conundrum, but it talked about one of the most sacred things on the planet, friendship, friendship lost and found. As a band they had written a song with no lyrics. Just a melody that when heard, you didn't need words to hear everything that Simon was. It was conveyed through the music. It flowed through the air like an unchained melody. It spoke about the first years of a wonderful childhood, about teenage troubles, about a nerd guy with glasses who throughout the first year of high school had dedicated his life to Dungeons and Dragons. It spoke about a hero, a constant in their lives and a friend for life, even if that friend now was waiting for them on the other side. Lastly, it spoke about loss and sudden death. It spoke about someone who would be missed, but he would forever live in their hearts. As long as they were alive, Simon would be alive with them. When asked about the lack of lyrics to their songs, the friends said no matter how much they tried, they couldn't put into words what Simon was to them. They found the music a much better way to show their feelings and say goodbye to their best friend.

Robert and Maryse were also there. They didn't know Simon that well, but they were there to support their children, to be there for them. They could see how much their daughter, Isabelle, loved the boy, and it hurt them that she had to go through that. They couldn't do anything about it. For once again, they felt useless. The last time had been when their own son had died. They remembered feeling helpless, useless, blaming each other for not being there to save him. Now they felt something similar. They couldn't help Isabelle. Their child was in pain, a pain way worse than a physical one, and there was nothing they could do to stop it.

Luke and Jocelyn were there. They both knew Simon enough to consider them their own son. He made Clary happy; he had been her best friend. He had been there for her at times when neither of them could. They were forever grateful for his presence in their lives. They lost a son, a son they would never forget. They knew that even if he was gone, he wasn't really. Simon was stubborn enough that even on the other side, he would watch out for them. They now had a guardian angel.

Raphael attended briefly just to pay his respects. He wasn't close with the vampire. There was some bad blood between them. Raphael thought he was a freak of nature and Simon still denied his own identity. At least that's what Raphael thought. None of these mattered any more, though. Whatever happened between them, whatever words, good and bad, were exchanged, Simon's death was unfair. He was not supposed to die like that. Raphael never wanted him to die this way. No matter what had happened Raphael had been his sire and one of his offsprings was now dead.

Jordan and Maia attended the whole ceremony. They were both crying, trying to hold on to each other. Their best friend was dead. Jordan's responsibility existed no more. Jordan said his goodbye, praying that Simon knew how sorry he was that he wasn't fast enough, how he wished he could go back and never let him walk out that door. He just wished things were different.

Jace was the boy who never cried again, but this case was an exception. He couldn't help the tears at bay and for once in his life he didn't want to. Simon had become his friend even if he would never admit it. He had helped him out in times of need; he had welcomed him in his home. He had covered for him and had helped him. He had created a distraction for him when he needed it. If you had told him two years ago he would have been hanging out with a Daylighter, he would have called you crazy or assumed you were a demon and kill you on the spot. Because that's what he did. He killed demons to protect the people of this world, his people. And still, he had saved Simon when he had been in danger, but this time it was different. This time he wasn't even aware there had been a threat to Simon. Sure, he knew he couldn't be at twenty places at once. Still, he wished that was not the case. Clary was hurting, his sister was hurting and he didn't know what to do to make it better. The worst thing was that he was pretty sure there was nothing he could do to make it better.

Clary couldn't breathe. Everything was suffocating her. There were so many people around her, but she felt alone. She was alone. Her best friend was gone. The only constant in her life, the one that has been there throughout every transition, the one who when he found out she was a part of the Shadow World didn't push her away, but embraced her and her world, one of the most important people in her life was now gone forever. She didn't know how her life could go on without him.

Isabelle was barely holding on. She needed her brother. He always made it better, but he wasn't here and she couldn't get to him either. She loved Simon. All of her life she has been building up walls so high, so that no man can get through. But Simon did. She didn't know how, but when she was around him, Simon tore those walls down. He saw her. He saw her for who she is and he never judged her for it. She knew of his feelings for her. She was just angry that he had said his goodbyes that day, when he made her promise those things, and she hadn't realized it. If she had, maybe things would have been different now.

Jem didn't know Simon, but he was present to pay his respects to the boy who had had a great impact to many of his friends' lives. He wanted to honor the good-hearted person that changed their lives for the better. The man who loved and was loved in return, and the man that even though the Shadow World was definitely surreal to him, even though he never wanted the fate he had been given as a vampire, he went on because his friends needed him and he needed them. But there were two people who hadn't been notified of this tragedy, and Jem left to do it.

"Master." Lucifer heard one of his servants call his name. He was deep in thought, trying to see if there was anything missing. He was almost ready for the war. He was just waiting for the Daylighter to do what he was ordered to. "Speak." He said.

"The Daylighter is dead, Master."

"By whom?" Lucifer was surprised. No one had managed to do that in a long time. He was sure his death was no coincidence. He didn't let himself get angry, though. He couldn't afford that, not when he was so close to finally achieving his goal. He wouldn't let anything or anyone get in the way. If the vampire couldn't kill the Angel boy, that was okay. He could do it himself.

"The New York's clan leader. The messengers said it was a crime of passion."

Lucifer contemplated the information in order to decide his next move. Maybe he would go there and find himself. Whoever got in the way of his plans would meet the fate they deserved. "I'll be out for a while. Dismissed." He said and left right away.

The Prince of Hell had been out again today and Magnus had tried searching his office, trying to find out anything he could about the battle. He had gotten rid of the guards. Lucifer had chastised him many times for it, but it's not like he didn't have enough. He had just felt the need to scold him for his stupid behavior. Magnus couldn't care less though. He would get in and then get out. That was the plan. When nothing turned up he went back to the cells to speak with Alec.

When Alec saw Magnus coming back he looked at him with hopeful eyes "Anything?"

He shook his head "Nothing. Maybe Satan was wrong about the location."

Alec thought about it "Unless they're not there to see."

"What do you mean?"

"You know like when we go out, we put on glamour and mundanes can see us? What if he has done that to his documents?" Alec asked.

His boyfriend was smart. Maybe that could be possible. "But we're not mundanes."

Alec rolled his eyes. "I've noticed. But he's using your spells. Isn't there anything that could make that happen?"

Before Magnus could even think of an answer he caught a flicker right in front of them. He turned and was surprised to see Jem standing right in front of them. Well, not Jem, but his projection. "Jem?"

"Hello Magnus, Alec." Jem greeted.

"How do you even know how to make a projection?" Alec asked.

"I have picked up a thing or two in my lifetime." Jem smiled softly, but his eyes looked sad.

"Not that you're not welcome or anything, but what are you doing here?" Magnus asked confused as to why Jem would risk making a projection in Hell.

"I have news. Unfortunately, they're not good. Simon passed away."

Their faces drained of any color. Neither of them had been particularly close to the vampire, but his loss was something that spoke in their hearts. He had been a part of their world. He had been their friend.

"When?" Alec whispered. He couldn't wrap his mind around it. Simon was gone. Izzy- how is Izzy doing? "How is Izzy?"

"Yesterday." Jem hesitated to answer his second question, but he wouldn't lie. "She's not okay, Alec. She needs you, but she knows she can't get to you. Jace is trying to be there, but it's not the same."

"Who did it?" Magnus asked once he found his voice.

"Maureen, the leader of the New York clan."

"I should have killed her when I had the chance." Alec said through gritted teeth.

Magnus was confused. Why Maureen? She hadn't bothered Simon for some time. This didn't make sense. But it didn't matter at the moment. "Thank you for telling us, Jem."

"That's not the only thing I wanted to say. We need to hurry. If people have started dying, then the war is getting closer. I have a feeling Simon's death was no coincidence."

Alec translated what Jem had just said "You think Lucifer had something to do with this."

Magnus snapped his fingers and brought seraph blades, and a bow and arrows in Alec's hands.

"What are those for?" Alec asked.

"We are going to find out what we came for. What else?" Magnus said with a determined look on his face. They had stayed here long enough. It was time to take matters into their own hands. No one else would die on their account.

Do you think they're doing the right thing? What is Lucifer going to do to Maureen? Do you think Magnus and Alec will manage to stop the war? Do you want the war to happen?

Here's a little spoiler from the next chapter:

When Celeste saw them coming closer to where she was, killing demons in their wake, she knew something wasn't right. "What's going on?" She asked.

Magnus snapped his fingers and Celeste was free.

"We're leaving." Alec said, while Magnus turned to the wall to make a portal.

So, the boys are going home. Or they'll try to, at least. Any thoughts?

Review, follow, favorite. Anything is welcome!

For those of you who are still reading this fic and do not hate me after Simon's death, thank you and I really appreciate you sticking around to see what happens next!

Thank you!