So since the *sob* end of Exist is now in sight, I called Jaci up for tea to discuss ideas for future installments. The plan was a total fail, seeing as neither of us can stand to drink tea so we ended up going for coffee instead... but she doesn't really much like that either. After hours of searching for some place to eat, we finally settled on ice cream because everybody loves ice cream. Anywho, she said she's really enjoyed her time here and would love to come back sooo in the near but distant future be on the look out for Endure.

Now I'll shut up so you can see what Jace's deal is.

"Let," he interjected when he saw my face, "me finish."

I nodded, not trusting my voice. Of course he agreed with her because why on Earth would something work out in my favor? I stared down at the black blanket over my knees.

"Hey," Jace said, releasing my wrists and taking my face in his hands. "Look at me. I agree with her on some points. Actually, only on one point."

"The part where I need to leave?" I asked sullenly.

He thought about it. "Make that three points."

"Her argument only had three points."

"Well then I agree with her completely. First point: You need to leave the Institute. You really do. Not need per say, more like should." He paused for a second again, checking to make sure I was still looking at him. "No, that's wrong too, dammit. I want you to leave."

I tried my hardest to glare, anger made me less likely to cry. "I'll go pack."

"You're not letting me finish," he pointed out diplomatically. "We're all leaving. Clary's found the Mortal Cup and I think you should come with us to get it, in case we run into any trouble."

"You," I said slowly, "are the most obnoxiously confusing person I know."

"Adorably. I believe the word you want is adorably, not obnoxiously."

I groaned and rolled away from him, covering my face. "Go away."

He pulled me back over to face him, grinning devilishly. "I'm not done yet and I want to see your face for the rest of this."

"Go to hell, Jace." I mumbled.

"I'm all ready on the way," he answered. "Second point: You are the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. No argument. I mean, really, Jaci. Do you think someone as stunning as myself would spend so much time with anyone less attractive?"

I blushed deeply and tried to hide in my hands but he neatly snagged my wrists again and pulled them away from my face. I squirmed but he was stronger than me.

"Third point: I can't love her with you here because I can't love anyone else."

And he cut off any chance of argument with his lips.

"Simon should be getting here in about an hour," Clary said, twitching the curtains of the library window and glancing outside, avoiding looking at me.

"Which means now we go eat," Isabelle said, snagging my hand and dragging me out of the library and to the kitchen. Alec and Jace followed along behind and I could feel Jace's eyes on me. It took all of my will power not to glance back at him every few steps or so.

"Please tell me you're not going to try and make pancakes again?" Jace asked Isabelle as we entered the kitchen. "It was terrible enough the last time."

"We don't have time to cook anything," Alec pointed out.

"Cereal then?" I asked hopefully. Cereal is 'mazing.

"In the cupboard," Isabelle said, waving in the most unspecific way possible to a wall nearly filled with cupboards.

I studied the wall, taking in the pristinely painted wooden doors facing me. "That is… um… helpful."

Alec strode purposely over to one of the cupboards, opened it, and tossed me a box he pulled out.

"That is considerably more helpful," I commented, examining this new discovery in a cardboard box. "What is this?"

Jace came to see what I was talking about, standing closer than necessary to peer over my shoulder. "Generic something. Hodge doesn't like the actual brands." He pulled it out of my hands.

"Hey!" I protested.

He just shot me his smug, adorable smirk over his shoulder as he got out two bowls. "I happen to be fond of cereal myself."

"Just don't eat it all," Isabelle warned, rummaging through the fridge. "Hodge threw a fit the last time."

"Jace, do you want toast?" Alec asked almost overeagerly.

"No."

Jace's back was turned so he didn't see the crestfallen look Alec had. I saw it, ignored it, and perched on a stool at the island seeing as Jace was fetching my food for me.

Isabelle plopped down beside me holding a container of Greek yogurt in one hand and a jar of Nutella in the other and studying both intensely. "Which one?"

"Definitely the Nutella. It's scrumptious."

"Good choice." She smiled at me. "Alec, you should make me some toast. Do you want some?" she asked me.

I shook my head. "Imma have cereal."

On cue, Jace placed a bowl in front of me.

"Thanks," I said, taking the spoon he offered.

"Eat fast," he advised. "We have to get you weapons."

I almost choked. Oh, right. I was expected to fight and kill stuff, or something. I stared at the rain that was now assaulting the windows and then pushed away my only partially gone breakfast. "I'm suddenly no longer hungry."

Isabelle picked up her last piece of toast and got to her feet. "I think I might have some extra gear you could use. Might be useful."

It was a sensible suggestion so I nodded and followed her to her room. As usual it looked as though it had just been through a hurricane but I was getting used to the disorder. It's not like I was any sort of neat freak or anything. However, it was weird thinking about the earlier serious, heart-to-heart I'd had in her room. Awkward turtle.

"Here," she tossed me a bundle of black clothing. "Those should fit you. You can get dressed in the bathroom then we'll go to the weapons room and make you all armed and dangerous."

"Yay," I said with hokey enthusiasm.

She grinned at me. "It'll be fun."

I raised one eyebrow at her and received for myself a shove towards the bathroom.

"Get changed," Isabelle ordered.

I locked the door behind me and held up the gear to make sure there was enough fabric there. This was Isabelle who had given them to me, no telling what sort of things I should watch out for. But the outfit was just a black shirt and black pants, every stitch accounted for. And it fit, nicely.

I glanced in the mirror and did a double take. The girl that stared back at me with curious hazel eyes was a stranger. She looked dangerous. And badass. Jaelyn Catori never looked either dangerous or badass. Jaci, on the other hand, did. Me gustó.

A sharp rapping on the door brought me back to the current situation. "Hey, are you ready?"

I opened the door and gave her a cautious smile. Isabelle grinned back.

"You look good," she commented. "Very sexy."

Instead of blushing like I felt inclined to, I shot her my favorite cynical smirk instead. "C'mon, don't we have a Mortal Instrument to retrieve or something?"

Jace and Alec were waiting for us in the weapons room. Alec was holding a quiver of arrows and a bow and studying both carefully while Jace was testing the balance of several seraph blades. He gave me an appraising look when I walked past him to the table at the center of the room.

"You finally look like a Shadowhunter, Catori," he said.

"Catori?" Isabelle echoed curiously, flexing her electrum whip experimentally.

"My middle name," I explained, picking up a seraph blade Jace had set down near-ish me. "What's this one?"

"Abraxos," he answered, placing his hand over mine on the blade and pulling a seraph blade out of his belt and handing it to me. "This one's Ariel. You should take it."

Isabelle laughed at that.

"'Lion of God'," I said with a small smile. "The angel of protection. Worried, Wayland?"

Jace scoffed at the idea and crossed the room. "Worried? I'm never worried."

"He's always worried," Alec said softly, fidgeting with one of his arrows and keeping his eyes trained on Jace. Well, at least I figured it was Jace, because I was looking at Alec who was looking just over my head.

"About everyone else," Isabelle added as she slipped a blessed knife into her boot. "It's convenient. I see you're wearing those shoes I gave you, good choice."

I glanced down at the blue Converse. "Seemed appropriate, what with the runes and all."

"And speaking of runes," Jace said, bringing my attention back to him. "Your present I never had a chance to give you before." He pressed something cool and rounded into my hands.

It was a stele.

It was slightly smaller than the one I'd seen him use, more streamlined and it seemed to fit in my hand perfectly. "But I don't really know any runes."

"You'll learn," he promised me in a quiet voice. "It's in your blood."

Isabelle made a gagging noise and I saw Alec's livid expression just before he turned away. "We should get back to the library."

"We don't have any Marks yet," Isabelle pointed out, pulling out her stele. "And I'll help Jaci," she added for Jace's benefit and grabbed my arm, dragging me off away from the boys.

"What was that about?" I asked when she finally released me.

She shot a furtive glance back at Jace. "Look, I know him better than you do and I don't want you to get hurt."

That took me a second to process. "What?" Obviously I processed it really well.

Isabelle sighed heavily and shoved my sleeve up and began tracing the stele across my skin. It burned, but pleasantly. "You've seen Jace. He's sexy. Girls love him. Well, not love, but you know what I mean-"

"And you think I'm one of those girls," I stated dryly, not amused by her lack of confidence in me. Sure, he was unbelievably good looking but there was so much more to him. More than I had any idea of.

"No," she said to my surprise, "I don't. I'm just warning you that he's that boy. It's obvious that he likes you, for now. And if you're just another one of his flings, I will kill him. He's different with you around, not so closed off. It's nice for a change. And I like having you around. It's a little weird, but I'm getting used to not being the only girl anymore." Isabelle paused for a moment while she inked a rune onto the inside of my forearm. "I'm glad there's two of us."

"Clary's here too," I pointed out. "That makes three."

"Two of us," she repeated forcefully.

I decided not to argue with her disregard of my sister's gender. I was done defending Clary for awhile. "Izzy?" I asked.

"Hmm?"

I glanced down at the black Marks that laced across my skin, forming intricate patterns I was just beginning to understand. "Thanks."

"No problem."

"Izzy?" I asked again, feeling like a little kid but being unable to avoid it.

"Yeah?"

I thought my question over some. It was something that had bothered me since reading the books. No one had mentioned it, so it wasn't a dumb question, was it? "Are parabatai always male Shadowhunters? What about the women?"

"The idea of girls being actual warriors is kinda a new thing," she said with a rueful smile. "It sucks but it's the way it is. Girls are supposed to have quilting circles, not fighting partners."

"Oh."

"Are you coming or not?" Alec demanded impatiently from over by the door.

Isabelle finished drawing a last rune on her right arm with a careful left hand. "On our way. We'd hate to keep you waiting. Where's Jace?"

"He went to talk to Hodge about possible glamours that may be on the cup," he said with a scowl to me. Oh right, we weren't friends anymore.

"We're really doing this," Isabelle said with a grin.

Alec sighed and opened the door for us. "That is the plan."

"Eep."

That earned me a couple sidelong glances from the Lightwoods.

"Ignore me?" I suggested.

"I intend to," Alec said as he sharply turned on his heel and walked in the direction of the library.

"He'll get over it," Isabelle assured me.

"You're messing it up," Alec scolded. "Let me do that."

I glanced over to see who beside me deserved Alec's wrath. Oh, Jace was messing up an iratze on his arm. By now even I could make a decent one.

"I'm left-handed," Jace defended himself, catching my mocking glance. Alec and Isabelle had been able to mark their right arms just fine. I didn't see any sense in pointing it out though. "It's a basic iratze." Just making himself sound worse. I snickered evilly. "By the Angel, Alec-" Jace hissed.

"I'm trying to be careful," Alec snapped, releasing Jace. "There."

Jace flexed his arm, the muscles rippling under the smooth skin. "Thanks." His head snapped up and his eyes moved to the door of the library. "Clary."

My eyes met those of my sister's briefly before she turned to Jace. "You look ready."

"We are," he answered, gesturing to the lot of us, besides Hodge of course. "Do you still have that dagger I gave you?"

"No. I lost it in the Dumort, remember?" she asked.

I remembered vividly. "You almost killed a werewolf," I pointed out.

Jace looked pleased by that fact and behind him Isabelle laughed.

"I forgot that's what gets you all hot and bothered, Jace," she said whilst rolling her eyes. "Girls killing things."

"I like anyone killing things," he corrected. "Especially me."

I checked the clock that was opposite of my position by the fireplace. "Simon should be getting here soon, shouldn't he?"

Hodge stood from his position seated at his desk. "May the Angel watch over you all," he said solemnly. For the oddest reason, the noon bells reminded me uncomfortably of a death knell.