The next morning Aline woke up late, her body stiff and sore from the battle at the Adamant Citadel. At some point during the night her blanket had slid to the ground and she was lying on scattered pillows, her skin ice cold. She scrambled to the edge of the bed, the sunlight streaming in through the windows dazzling her, and she frantically searched for the blanket. Pulling it up and over her body she noticed that the room was empty, the spot next to her deserted. She could still smell Helen's perfume and she ached for the half-faerie, longed for her girlfriend to touch her and kiss her.

The night before Aline had returned from Angel Square alone. She had wanted to wait for her mother, but Jia had been busy talking to the Downworld representatives. Raphael Santiago, the representative of the vampires, had arrived yesterday, along with Clary's best friend Simon, known as Daylighter. Jia had been engaged in a talk with Raphael for at least an hour. Magnus and Luke had joined them once Clary had been healed and taken home, and Aline had decided to walk home without her mother.

When she'd opened the door to her room she'd found Helen sitting on the bed, hands folded in her lap and a woebegone look on her face. Her eyes had been shining with tears and Aline had been able to tell she was holding them back. Aline had settled in next to her and had pulled the half-faerie into her arms. They had fallen asleep holding on to each other.

Aline scrambled into an upright position; the blanket slid to the ground again. Aline cursed. She was still wearing her gear and it pinched her skin in some places. Drops of blood had dried on her front and arms, and she remembered bringing down the blade on one of the Endarkened. She could still see his face, his eyes looking right at her, behind closed eyelids. The stench of blood, dirt and sweat clung to her heavily and she had to keep herself from gagging.

She was on her feet instantly and walked over to the bathroom, undoing the buttons and zippers of her gear in the process. It stuck to her body like a second skin, warm and stiff. She shrugged out of it, tossed it next to the laundry basket - she didn't want that kind of smell on the rest of her clothes - and removed her socks and underwear as well.

She winced as her bare feet touched the cold floor, and she quickly turned on the tab in the shower. The water was nice and warm on her skin and the steam slowly filled the room. Aline decided to shampoo her hair twice. Small chunks of dirt flushed down the drain as she scrubbed at her body forcefully until it turned red. She felt hardly clean, so she washed her face as well, twice.

When she lifted her head after rinsing the shampoo out of her hair she caught sight of a shadow moving behind the shower curtain. A scream on her lips, she watched as someone pulled the curtain aside and she desperately crossed her arms to cover the most important parts of her body.

Helen laughed, a sound of bells ringing.

"This is not funny! You scared me!" Aline yelled in exasperation. Helen's smile widened, her eyes gleaming at the sight Aline's naked body.

"Oh, come on. Don't you think we need some fun?" Helen teased, and Aline gasped as Helen pulled her shirt over her head. Helen smiled at Aline seductively. Aline tried to avert her gaze from Helen's naked breast, but it was just too hard not to look at them.

It had been a while since she had seen Helen naked. She forced her eyes up to look at Helen. The sad expression from the night before was still there, and Aline knew it would never leave the half-faerie's face after what she had witnessed at the Citadel, but today she could see something else. Helen longed for Aline the way Aline longed for her, too. The past few days had been full of loss and grief and they needed some time away from that. It wouldn't change the fact that they were at war or that Sebastian had turned Helen's father into a monster, but it would allow them to escape it all for a moment.

Aline had always believed that, when at war, it wasn't allowed to have some alone time, to step back for a moment, but she knew better now. She had seen her mother wanting some time away from the battle the day before when they had had breakfast together. It was only human to need a time out from the world sometimes.

The water was still on in the shower, and Aline's hands were wrinkled by the time Helen had undressed and stepped in behind her. She closed the curtain, the seductive smirk still on her face. Moving in on Aline, she placed her hands on Aline's hips and Aline's heart skipped a beat at the touch of the half-faerie. Sometimes Aline thought, no matter how many times Helen touched her, she would always have such an impact on her. Tiny drops of water clung to Helen's curly hair and the soft glow that filled the room made her look like an angel. Aline's angel.

"I thought you'd be up at the Gard," Aline said. It came out only in a whisper.

Helen tilted her head and pressed her lips to Aline's neck. Aline shivered.

"Your mother said it was okay if I didn't want to attend today's meeting. She said she'd understand it if I wouldn't go," Helen explained while tracing a pattern of hot kisses down Aline's neck. Aline's vision started to blur as did her mind. A low groan escaped her throat and she could feel Helen smile against her skin.

"Okay. What about your siblings?"

"What about them? Someone came by earlier, the woman who had looked after them yesterday when they were alone with your father, and she has taken them for a walk," Helen said and Aline went rigid.

"To the Angel Square?"

"Of course not!" Helen burst out and she pulled away from Aline to look at her girlfriend. "They'll walk somewhere else. She said they'd be out for about two hours. I'd say this is enough time."

"To do what?" Aline asked innocently. She knew exactly what Helen was implying, but she liked to tease her girlfriend.

Helen blew up her cheeks, scowling. Aline chuckled. She placed a hand on Helen's lower back, feeling soft, tender skin, and pulled the half-faerie closer. Their mouths collided, water pouring down on them, and Aline's hand shot up into Helen's wet curls, forcing her even closer. Helen pressed her body against Aline's, desperately running her hands up and down her spine. Her nipples brushed Aline's and she shuddered.

Aline deepened the kiss further and she lowered her hand to caress Helen's back. She tilted her head, placing soft kisses down Helen's neck and sucked in some skin at her collar bone.

Aline cupped one of Helen's breasts and Helen moaned. Aline continued nipping at Helen's collar bone while her hand gently squeezed Helen's breast. Helen shifted, and suddenly her hand was between Aline's legs.

Aline gasped, almost slipping and banging her head on the shower-head.

"Stop that!" Her hand, the one that had caressed Helen's breast, shot down to steady herself.

"You want me to stop?" Helen asked in disbelieve and instantly pulled her hand away.

"No, please don't." Aline had tried not to sound so desperate, but her body was yearning for Helen.

Smiling triumphantly, Helen lowered her hand again and this time Aline melted under her touch, her center almost on fire. Aline's vision blurred, and her head got dizzy as if she was riding a rollercoaster. Paralyzed by Helen's seductive flowery scent, Aline drowned, the world around her completely falling away, until it was only her and Helen, their movements balanced as if they were one person.

Later, Helen was sprawled out on the tangled sheets of their bed, naked, her wet hair slowly soaking the pillows. Aline didn't mind; her hair was dripping wet, too. She watched Helen, her eyes moving behind her closed eyelids, one hand draped over her flat stomach. The room was dimly lit from the afternoon sun pouring in through the closed curtains, but Aline could still make out every rune on Helen's skin, even those who had faded a long time ago and had left a thin scar.

Aline lifted a finger to trace the pattern of the Voyance rune on the back of Helen's hand. Helen stirred and her eyes flung open. She looked drowsy.

"Are you watching me?" she croaked, and Aline blushed.

"Maybe."

She ran her finger up Helen's arm, encircling another rune. Suddenly, the expression on Aline's face changed and her eyebrows drew together.

"What's wrong?" Helen asked alarmed, about to shoot up, but Aline pushed her back into the sheets, one hand still placed on her arm. Her eyes followed the movements of her finger.

"I never asked you this, because I don't think it's important. I'm curious, though. Have you ever had sex with a girl before you met me?"

Aline's finger stopped atop of Helen's strength rune and she felt the half-faerie flinch.

"Why are you asking me this now?"

Aline could tell that Helen was really wondering about it and not trying to distract Aline from the actual question.

Aline shrugged. "The thought just popped up in my head. It never bothered me and it still doesn't, but I'd like to know." Upon seeing Helen's hesitation she quickly added, "If you don't mind."

Helen moved closer to Aline, placing her head on Aline's shoulder and wrapping one arm around Aline's waist. The heat radiating off her warmed Aline who had been freezing a little, but too lazy to pull up the blanket.

"To answer your question, yes, I did have sex with another girl before I met you."

Despite having promised herself not to care whether the answer was yes or no, Aline felt a twinge of jealousy in the pit of her stomach. Helen didn't seem to have noticed and continued talking.

"Remember when you asked me on our first date if I ever dated a girl before? That's the same girl. We had one date, and I slept with her once. Back then I thought she was the love of my life, but I was too young to even know what true love is. I do know it now, and I'm glad I found you."

She lifted her head and smiled at Aline, her blue-green eyes gleaming.

"I love you."

Aline said nothing, arguing with herself whether to be jealous, but in the end there was nothing to be jealous about. Another question was nagging at her and she said it out loud before even thinking about it.

"What's her name? Do I know her?"

Something flickered in Helen's eyes, and she looked hurt, but she didn't avert her gaze when she said, "Katerina. Her name was Katerina and she is probably dead now."

"Your tutor?" Aline asked astonished. "She had been Turned, too, right?"

Helen nodded. "I haven't seen her at the Adamant Citadel, but yes, according to Jules and Emma she had been forced to drink from the Cup."

Aline tightened her grip around Helen, pressing the half-faerie closer to her body. Hundreds of questions whirled through her head, screaming at Aline that they wanted to be asked, but Aline wouldn't bother Helen about Katerina. She had seen Helen's grief of losing her tutor she had once been in love with.

The sound of footsteps echoed through the hallway, loud enough to be heard in their room, announcing the return of Helen's siblings. Helen brushed a quick kiss on Aline's cheek and scrambled up from the bed, looking for her clothes. Aline watched her girlfriend shrug on pants and a shirt and disappear into the hallway to be with her family.

Helen gave a sigh. "Tavvy wouldn't eat his broccoli. He's exactly like his sister. When Drusilla was little she used to throw broccoli at me. Oh, and cauliflower. She hated cauliflower, too."

"I think every child does," Aline objected, and reached past Helen to close the front door of the Penhallow House. The voices of Helen's siblings screaming could still be heard out here. Helen buttoned up her coat at the front, shivering at the cold wind. The streets were bathed in the soft glow of the falling dusk, the night quickly approaching, and Aline knew that the nights were usually freezing at this time of the year.

"I guess you're right. I just wish he would eat something, and I don't even mind what it is."

"So you're saying you would be okay with him eating paper?" Aline teased, zipping her own coat up under her chin. She buried her hands in the pockets of the coat to prevent them from freezing. They started walking off down the streets which were eerily quiet. It was about dinner time and most people were staying inside in company of their family and loved ones. Aline felt a twinge of jealousy. She wished she could stay at home and have dinner with her family, but Jia was spending the day - and the evening - at the Gard, locked in the Council chamber to discuss the current attacks, and Patrick, even if he wouldn't be with Jia, wouldn't join her and Helen.

"I wasn't saying I want him to eat paper," Helen sighed, her cheeks already flushed by the cold. She tucked her arm through Aline's. "I don't care if he eats vegetables or not. I gave up on that a long time ago. I do wish however he would eat at least something, even if it's unhealthy. This way he would gain the pounds he had lost ever since..."

Helen broke off. Aline tilted her head to look at the half-faerie, but she wouldn't return it and kept staring ahead, her eyes constantly on the street. The witchlight street lamps sprang to life around them, their soft glow illuminated part of Helen's face. A grin spread across Aline's face as her gaze came to a rest on the Penhallow pendant that glimmered at Helen's throat. She felt the slight pressure of Helen's family ring on her hand and smiled even more. She had found the missing piece to her heart, the one person that could make her laugh and cry at the same time.

Ever since she had started dating Helen, so many things had changed. First, she had become more confident and had learned to stand up for her own needs, even though it had meant to scream at her father once, maybe twice. Second, the relationship had taught her to accept herself for whom she was and that only if she did that, others would accept her too. Third, Helen's love had made her stronger, and she knew her love had made Helen stronger. Together they had been able to get through all the things that had happened since Sebastian's return, and together they would get through the war that was about to come.

Aline pushed back the thoughts about Sebastian, the Endarkened and the war. Tonight they wouldn't talk about the war, so Aline had promised her. She had bribed the nanny to stay for another few hours and look after the Blackthorn kids, so she and Helen could have a night off. At first Helen had objected - of course - but slowly Aline had convinced her by saying that her siblings wanted her to be happy and didn't need her to buzz around them all day long. Helen had then replied that the last time she had left her siblings behind they had been attacked by Sebastian. Aline had finally been able to reassure her that they were safe staying at the Penhallow House, but in the end Helen had only given in knowing that Jia and Patrick would return in less than two hours.

"So, where are we heading?" Helen asked, and Aline gave another smirk. She tugged at Helen's arm and led her down a narrow alley.

"You'll see." Aline had decided to make a detour so Helen wouldn't be able to guess where they were going.

Helen frowned. "You know I don't like surprise."

"And you know you're wrong about that," Aline teased, and upon seeing Helen's upset face she giggled. "You liked your surprise last time, remember?"

"Is it going to be as romantic?" Helen replied cockily.

"It's the epitome of romance," Aline laughed. She came to halt and spun Helen around to face her. They were so close, Helen's breath tingled her cheek as the half-faerie gasped in surprise. "I'm going to sweep you off your feet."

Helen chuckled. "Oh, is that so? I'd say I was the one who swept you off your feet earlier today."

As Helen leaned in on Aline, her lips curled into a seductive smile, she saw Aline blush.

"Uh, maybe," Aline said. "But this is not the point, okay? You've had your moment to surprise me, now it's my turn."

"If you say so." Helen's face lit up.

Aline lowered her hand and pressed it against Helen's back, pushing the half-faerie closer. She lowered her head and placed a kiss on Helen's neck.

"You're going to love it!"

She reached for Helen's hand again, brushed another quick kiss on Helen's neck, deeply inhaling the scent of flowers and lavender, and led her down the alley. A group of young Shadowhunters, probably their age, appeared at the far end, chatting with excitement, and one of them gave a hearty laugh as they passed Aline and Helen. They didn't even seem to notice them, holding hands, or notice them at all. Apparently two girls in love didn't seem to be an issue for young Clave members. If only Aline's father would be more like them.

"Are you okay?" Helen asked worried, and Aline flinched, too lost in her thoughts to realize Helen had been staring at her.

Aline nodded. "I was just wondering... People our age don't seem to have a problem with us dating."

"I've noticed that, too. Maybe our generation is more open than your father's. I don't know why, but I'm glad for the change."

"Me too," Aline said, and they continued walking down the alley until they turned onto a long street by the canal, lined with grand old houses. Aline gasped.

"What exactly are you planning?" Helen asked skeptically at the sight of the Inquisitor's house. Somehow they had ended up on the street Aline lived in, the one they had started from. They were on the other end of it, though, the one site where the Inquisitor's house stood.

"I, uh, I have no idea how this happened," Aline stammered. She knew the streets of Alicante by heart, she would have been able to walk through them sleeping, but she still had picked the wrong path tonight. She felt embarrassed.

Helen giggled. "It's fine. I like this street a lot and I've never had the chance to take a closer look at the Inquisitor's house."

Aline opened her mouth, but she didn't know what to say, so she shut it again and followed Helen down the street. As they got closer to the house of the Lightwoods two figures became visible, standing in front of it, one of them wobbly on his feet.

"I love you, Isabelle Lightwood!" The voice sounded rough and clearly drunk.

"Is that Simon?" Helen asked curiously the moment Clary's fiery hair popped into sight.

"I love you, and I won't go away until you tell me you love me too!" Simon screamed at the top of his lungs.

Helen reached up to pull her curly hair back, her neck pasted with sweat after all the walking they had been doing. "Tell him you love him. He's scaring the whole street," she called up to Isabelle as she saw the Lightwood's daughter leaning out from one of the windows, her jet-black hair flowing down her shoulder.

Clary's head tilted up and she smiled upon seeing Aline and Helen approaching them.

"Good to see you," Helen said and Clary replied, "You, too."

Something came fluttering down from the sky, startling Aline and Helen, and Isabelle yelled at Simon, "Take your clothes and go!"

Aline looked up the moment another window opened and Alec leaned out.

"Is Simon alright?" Aline asked Clary concerned, her eyes still fixed on Alec. Helen said something in return, but it was drowned by Simon's love confessions. All of a sudden the front door burst open and Robert Lightwood appeared, looking rather unpleased.

"I think we should go," Aline urged, frantically searching for Helen's hand. The half-faerie hesitated, but after saying goodbye to Clary followed her down the street.

"Why did you drag me away from this?" Helen asked. "It was about to get interesting!"

Aline blinked at her girlfriend. "Are you out of your mind? What's interesting about a drunken vampire? He could have bitten someone!"

"Oh, come on. He wouldn't have hurt anyone. He's too much in love with Isabelle," Helen chuckled. Aline shot her a glare.

"I think it's adorable. They would make a cute couple, and it was hilarious watching Simon try to win Isabelle over."

Aline gritted her teeth, trying to hold back a smile, but she had to admit Helen was right. It had been kind of funny to see Simon desperately fighting for Isabelle's love.

"She'll break his heart," Aline said finally. "She'd done it with every other boy that had fallen for her."

"I'm not so sure about that. I think she likes him, too."

They were back in the alley they had walked before. It was now utterly quiet and the windows to the houses were shut.

"Do you think so?" Aline tugged at the collar of her coat and then opened the top button. The cold wind from before was gone and Aline was now sweating.

Helen shrugged. "So, are you going to tell me where you're trying to lead me to or are you planning on taking the wrong way again?"

Aline frowned, but said nothing. She knew which way to go now and she led Helen through the streets of Alicante. They didn't talk until Aline released Helen's hand, a broad grin on her face.

Helen's eyes widened. "The pastry shop? But it's closed." She sounded almost disappointed. There was no light inside the shop and the door seemed to be closed, but Aline walked over, anyway. Helen watched her in bewilderment as Aline reached out to try the doorknob. She gasped as it gave away under Aline and swung open.

Aline grinned. "I'd say it's open!"

"Aline, you can't just break in," Helen hissed, trying to keep her voice low so no one would hear her.

"It's not breaking in if the door is not locked," Aline replied and held open the door for Helen to enter. The half-faerie didn't move. Aline gave a sigh.

"Would you just follow me?"

Frowning, Helen walked through the door into the shop and Aline pulled the door close the moment she crossed the threshold. Helen glared at Aline as Aline pushed her further into the room. She gestured her to take a seat at the very table they had sat months ago, on the day Helen had returned from Los Angeles and Aline had confessed her feelings for her. For a second she was touched Aline had brought her here, but then she remembered they had just broken in and she went rigid, refusing to take a seat.

"Can we please leave before someone sees us?" she begged, but Aline kept grinning at her.

"You're so stubborn, but I love you for it."

Helen spun around as she heard footsteps behind her and her heart skipped a beat as she saw the girl with the red hair that usually worked behind the counter entering the room through a back door. She was carrying a candle in one hand and a plate with strawberry cake in the other. Silently, she placed everything down on the table between Aline and Helen and disappeared where she had come from.

Helen stared at Aline, her mouth gaping open.

"Don't you like strawberry cake?" Aline asked, laughing. She knew it was Helen's favorite sort and that's why she'd picked it.

Helen sank onto the chair, her heart hammering in her chest. Her head felt heavy. "Did you do this?"

Aline took the seat opposite of Helen and she leaned over, the candle casting a glow across her face. "Who do you think did it?"

"Aline, how -" Helen began, but stopped as she felt her eyes fill with tears.

"You're not going to start crying, are you?" Aline tensed and she hastily leaped up her seat. Helen shook her head as if to tell Aline she was okay, and Aline slumped back.

"You don't like it," she muttered, clearly hurt.

"I love it," Helen burst out and their eyes met over the flicker of the candle.

"You do?"

A smile spread across Helen's face, the kind of smile Aline had fallen in love with, and Aline thought about how rarely she'd gotten to see that smile during the last week. She pushed the thought back and reached out over the table to take Helen's hand.

"I'm glad you love it."

"How couldn't I?" Helen replied. "Tonight, I didn't expect anything. I thought it would be just another night, sitting at your house and watching Tavvy struggling to fall asleep. You know I've done this almost every night since they arrived, because I had to make sure he was alright or otherwise I would have never found sleep myself."

Aline gently stroked the back of Helen's hand with her thump, nodding. The half-faerie seemed to relax, but her eyes were still shimmering, close to tears.

"But you've surprised me. To put it in your words, you've swept me off my feet. I expected nothing, and you gave me this." Her eyes drifted through the small café, and Aline smiled.

"It's not a big deal. It's just-"

"But it is, Aline," Helen cut her off as her gaze returned to Aline. "It is to me. I feel like we left all our worries outside this room and now we're sitting in here, only you and me, like we are in our own universe where nothing can harm us. I'm scared, Aline, scared of what's about to come, but you take this fear away from me. I love you."

Aline thought about Helen's words for a moment before saying, "I love you, too, and I promise I will always take your fear away from you."

Helen leaned over the small bistro table, pushing the candle aside so she wouldn't burn herself, and kissed Aline. It was a brief kiss, but one that spoke of all the love Helen felt for Aline. Aline smiled back at Helen as she took her seat.

Helen glanced at the cake. "So, strawberry cake, huh? You don't even like strawberries."

"I never said I don't like them," Aline countered, "but they are not my favorite type of fruit. I'd like to share it, though. I'm kind of hungry."

"Who says I'm going to share?" Helen picked up the fork and popped a piece of cake into her mouth, grinning with satisfaction.

Aline's eyes narrowed and she lunged for the fork, but Helen was too fast.

"I'm starving!" Aline cried, and after giving one of her warm laughs Helen handed the fork over to Aline.

"But only because you're so darn cute."

"Like Simon?"

"Almost," Helen laughed.