Jace and Simon were horrified to turn around and see Maryse at the door with a look of shock and anger on her face, Robert stood just behind her. Jocelyn rushed from behind her desk and joined them.

"They came from behind the desk; I didn't catch them in time. I'm sorry." Jocelyn said.

Jace could barely muster any words. "…Robert, Maryse, I…"

"Don't." Maryse stated. "Just…give us a moment."

Robert, while still struggling with his leg, managed to close the door behind them and turned back to face everyone. He was seething. "…Explain."

Simon was white as a sheet. Even Jace was lost for words.

"…Simon never went to law school. It was all faked. He was only ever meant to try for a paralegal job." Jocelyn revealed timidly.

"You son of a bitch." Robert spat at Simon, then turned to Jace. "How dare you think yourself so high and mighty that you hired a fake -"

"Jace didn't know! Not at first! Don't blame him." Simon pleaded.

"But he found out and still never told us." Robert raged. "You're done. Both of you."

"Robert, the firm can't afford to lose anyone right now…" Jocelyn argued.

"And you didn't even say anything? After everything?" Robert turned on Jocelyn. "I…this is ridiculous, I mean…I actually want to laugh out loud. How the hell did you expect this to turn out? Why have you let this go on so long?"

"Because Simon is goddamn good at this. He's a huge asset to this firm!" Jace shouted.

"HE ISN'T QUALIFIED! This gets out and he's in jail! Hell, we all could be!" Robert exclaimed.

"I wouldn't let anyone else take the fall, just me." Simon said.

Robert laughed. "You are unbearably naïve, acting like you could actually have control over that."

"Who else knows?" Maryse finally spoke up. "How deep does this go?"

"…Us, my roommate, Maia Roberts, Dorothea…and, um…and Luke." Simon said shyly.

"What?!" Robert growled. "Lucian? When?"

"Not that long. A month, maybe two." Jocelyn answered.

"…Shit. Holy shit." Robert cursed.

"He's already made it clear my days are numbered here. He's as angry about it as you are." Simon said.

"Oh, that's alright then. He didn't tell us we have a fraud working at the firm but he is angry about it so everything's fine."

"There was a lot going on at the time, he knew letting Simon go then would arouse more suspicion." Jace stated.

"There's always something going on!" Robert raged. "Maryse, speak up for god's sake!"

"I'll speak when I'm ready to." Maryse snapped back. She took a moment. "There's no denying your talent, Simon. And I know all too well how things…people…can spiral out of control."

She looked at Robert. He lowered his head.

"But we can't tolerate this behaviour. You're terminated with immediate effect, whatever the consequences. We'll find a way to spin it if people ask. If you go to school and do it right then maybe…" Maryse continued.

"It's too late for that! He's made a name for himself now; if he went to law school having already worked at a firm he might as well write 'FRAUD' on his forehead!" Jace argued.

"Shame." Robert said. "You stay away from this firm, and you stay away from our daughter."

Simon replayed Jace's words in his head from barely a minute ago. But sure, you want to start banging Isabelle again so you knock yourself out. Maryse and Robert must have heard that. A vastly misconstrued summary of what he and Isabelle had.

"Pack your things and go, and be thankful we can't take this further or this firm would be finished. They'd never believe we didn't know." Maryse informed Simon.

Simon nodded sadly. "I understand. Thank you for everything."

"Oh no, thank you. Thanks for dividing our firm right to the bloody core." Robert hissed.

"Robert, please." Jocelyn said.

"You can be quiet. Barely back five minutes and we find out you've done this? We should get rid of the lot of you. If we could afford to, we would. And don't think we wouldn't." Robert stated. "No one else finds out about this. Everyone who knows will be called into our office sometime today."

"Jordan won't say a word, I swear. My roommate."

"I don't give a crap about your roommate. His opinion wouldn't mean a thing in our world. And you swear, do you? Like your word means anything now?" Robert spat.

"Okay, you've made your point." Jace raised his voice.

"Don't you dare try and pick a fight with me, Jace. We had a deal. You staked your job on this kid and he was even more of a let-down than anyone could have imagined. As far as I'm concerned, you're done too. I'm sick of the bullshit you've been pulling for years."

"Robert." Maryse warned.

"You know we made that deal, Maryse. You remember. Time to follow through with it."

"If Simon's out, then I'll happily go with him. I don't think I want to work here if he doesn't." Jace stated. Simon looked at him in surprise.

"Music to my ears." Robert smiled.

"Jace…" Maryse whispered.

"I could get a job somewhere else, I'm sure. Maybe let slip a few Lightwood Garroway secrets. Personal and professional." Jace said coldly.

Robert's face dropped. "You wouldn't."

"You don't think?" Jace questioned. "If I truly am the person you just said I am, you know I wouldn't hesitate. Maybe not to Valentine, sure, but Santiago Belcourt? They could benefit from learning all about the firm. The press would eat up stories about Robert's drinking faster than he can down a bottle of whiskey, and that's saying something."

"You piece of shit!" Robert shouted, soaring towards Jace.

Jocelyn held him back. "You'd regret that."

"…You're really doing this? Resorting to blackmail?" Maryse asked.

"For mine and Simon's jobs? Absolutely. No one else finds out and we make it up to you. Earn your trust back whatever it takes. And come on, blackmailing my superiors? You've gotta be a little impressed." Jace said, a tentative smirk showing he had won.

Silence.

"…Wipe that smirk off your face, Jace. You know we don't have a choice." Maryse ordered firmly. "And believe me, earning our trust back will be an extraordinary feat. And you can be sure I'll put you through hell and back before I even consider so much as smiling at you when we pass in the corridor. I think so much less of every single one of you. And you know what, Jace? What you've just done might just be the cruellest thing I've seen anyone do, including Valentine. You didn't play the game, you threw it across the table and only picked up the pieces you wanted to use. This isn't clever. This is evil. And I don't think I can ever forgive you for it."

Saying nothing else and with tears stinging her eyes, Maryse turned and left without looking at anyone else. Robert was too enraged to speak and followed her out, his head shaking ferociously.

Jace, Simon and Jocelyn had no words.

…

"She didn't mean it, Jace. It's not evil. It's necessary." Jocelyn said softly as she walked back to Jace's office with the two men and left them alone to return to her desk, clearly shaken from the argument.

Simon watched in silence as Jace sat down at his desk and swivelled his chair to look out at the New York skyline before him.

"Maybe we should just leave anyway. Let this place rot away. It's poison here." Jace said.

"I'm sorry. Back there…that was my fault. I was being reckless." Simon sighed.

"It's okay. I didn't notice them either."

"It's not okay."

"…I know." Jace swivelled back round. "But it is what it is. Now we get on with it. Uphold our end of the bargain."

"It's not a bargain; it's holding a gun to their heads."

"Maybe it is, but they know I'd never fire it. Not really." Jace said, a waver in his voice. "Still gonna tell Izzy?"

"…Probably best to leave it for a while." Simon said.

"Correct answer." Jace nodded. "Man, I thought Alec's relationship with Maryse and Robert was bad at times, but this takes the cake."

"What are they gonna do about the others? Luke, Maia…?" Simon asked.

"Maia will be fine; she's an asset to this place, it's why they kept her on anyway. They'll probably draw up a contract or something…or maybe not in case Valentine finds out about it somehow. Maybe just beg for her silence, or buy it if they have to. As for Luke…they'll be angrier with him than they were with us."

"Is that possible?" Simon raised his eyebrows.

"We were the ones who did it, but Luke not telling them and being on their level and their business partner for all these years…that's probably broken their hearts." Jace explained.

Simon let out a loud sigh and ran a hand through his hair. "They're never gonna trust us again, are they?"

"…I really don't know." Jace admitted.

…

"I need to talk to you." Alec said as he hurried into Magnus' office and closed the door with a frown.

"…I take it you got my e-mail?" Magnus asked.

"You know I did. What did we say about you keeping your head down for a while?"

"I decided against that point of view and thought we might as well show how strong this firm can be even in the midst of so much drama. And I can lead this trial with a sense of style not seen at Lightwood Garroway ever before." Magnus explained.

"Luke and I are working on the trial, you know that. Trying to slide in will rub him the wrong way." Alec warned.

"…Sorry, I nearly passed out when you said 'trying to slide in' but 'rub him the wrong way' almost floored me."

"Magnus, this is serious."

"I know. I understand why you'd be concerned but…I just want to prove myself. I'm itching to get back out there." Magnus stated.

"I know, but I don't think now is the time. It just makes you look suspicious." Alec said.

"How so?"

"It makes it look like you're eager to rush into a trial others were preparing and ruin it for Lightwood Garroway. You can't tell me this sudden change of heart doesn't come across as suspicious."

Magnus stood up from his desk, his face sad. "Are you suspicious of me?"

"What? No. Of course not."

"Then why say that? Why raise these suspicions unless you believed them? You're the only one I've told about this so only you could doubt me."

"I trust you completely. Getting you a job here was my idea, remember? I just…I just don't want people to have any more reasons to suspect us. The timing's just wrong." Alec explained.

"…I see. If that's how you feel." Magnus slowly sat back down, deflated.

Alec sighed and made his way round Magnus' desk, kneeling down and taking his hands in his own. "I know how great you are, and how great you'll be for this place. But I'm just asking for a little more time. It's like…like baking a soufflé, right? Baking it for too long or too little and its ruined. I just think doing this would be taking the soufflé out of the oven before it's ready."

Magnus took a moment then smirked. "Your attempts to relate to me with cooking metaphors are annoying adorable."

"I try my best." Alec smiled.

"…Okay. You're right. I don't want to spoil the soufflé. I'm sorry for getting a bit overexcited."

"It's okay. That's the kind of passion that's gonna make you so great for this place when the time comes. Just a few more weeks, I promise." Alec leant forward a planted a gentle kiss on Magnus' lips.

"You know I'm going to make about a million soufflés tonight now, don't you?" Magnus grinned.

"I'm not at all surprised." Alec laughed.

…

Simon sat on a bench in Central Park, head down and deep in thought. How had he let it get this far? He felt like he'd probably hurt more people than anyone else in the world. He'd given up wiping away his tears. He was beginning to wonder if any of this was really worth it. Maybe he should just walk away and start again. Maybe he could be a personal trainer? Or a chef? Maybe he should try and get the band back together? It was taking everything he had not to scream. He never thought he could ever hate himself as much as he did right then and there; there had been so much pain and nothing to show for it.

"Simon?"

He looked up and saw Isabelle stood there, a worried look on her face. "Hey."

"What's wrong?" Isabelle asked, sitting next to him on the bench and reaching to wipe his tears away with her sleeve.

Simon held up an arm to stop her trying to help. "I don't deserve your kindness, Izzy."

"…I know things haven't been…ideal…with us, but I'm here as a friend. You're freezing. What's happened?"

"I've just screwed everything up. Nothing new. You don't have to stay; you said yourself we needed to keep some space between us." Simon sniffed.

"I said we needed time, Simon. We work together, I can't pretend like we could avoid each other that well anyway. Time to just be friends like we were before; with nothing else on the table. And I'm not going anywhere until you talk to me."

"…I take everything good in my life and suck the goodness out of it. I'm a monster." Simon admitted.

"No you're not." Isabelle placed her hand on his. "You're a good man, Simon Lewis."

Simon looked up at her. "You don't need to say that to try and make me feel better. You of all people have every right to despise me."

"I couldn't if I wanted to. We all make mistakes."

"But I never learn from them. I just make things worse and worse. I've made such a mess of everything. I know I'm not a good man. I'm just wrong for the world."

"Don't say that. Ever." Isabelle said, a lump in her throat. "I have a lot to be angry at you for, and I am, but I can't stand by and let you say those things about yourself. Maybe you're not a good man, fine. Maybe you are. But I know that you try to be. That's what counts."

"…I just…I don't see how I can make things better." Simon admitted.

"One day at a time. That's how." Isabelle smiled sadly. "Something Max used to say. If you were worrying about something to come, take it one day at a time and it'll pass."

"Sounds like he was very smart."

Isabelle nodded. "He was."

"…I'm sorry." Simon said. "I didn't mean for you to have to bring all that up."

"It's okay. Even if it wasn't long, I was lucky to have him at all. We all were. Some people are just too good for this world. The brightest flames burn out faster." Isabelle said.

"Guess I'm living forever, then."

Isabelle inspected Simon for a moment. "There are times when I really think I know you and times when I just can't figure you out. I know there are things you won't tell me for reasons I clearly don't understand and believe me when I say I'm not happy about that, but…just know despite that, if you ever think you're on your own or have no one to turn to, I'll be there."

Simon looked her in the eyes for the first time since she'd sat down and knew that she'd meant every word. "You're amazing."

"I know."

Simon smiled. "…And I'll be there for you."

Isabelle nodded appreciatively as Simon's grin grew wider.

"…When the rain starts to fall." Simon added.

"Don't you dare sing the Friends theme or I'll stab you with my heel." Isabelle smirked.

"You knew what the theme was this time? You started watching it, didn't you?" Simon exclaimed.

"You wouldn't shut up about it!"

"And?"

"And I'm on Season Seven. I'm also leaving before you get all nerdy about it." Isabelle laughed, getting up and walking off. Simon watched her go and returned her smile when she looked briefly back at him. He knew he didn't deserve the kindness and support Isabelle was giving him despite everything between them, but in time he could try to.

…

Jace had sat at his desk all day doing nothing. He couldn't focus no matter how hard he tried. Why had he let this happen? And why did he still, after everything he'd gone through, not regret hiring Simon? He hated emotional attachments. Except when it came to Clary, of course.

Jocelyn entered, followed closely by Alec and Magnus, who had promised to visit Jace as soon as they returned from the trial. Jace sat up straight. "Thanks, Jocelyn."

"If it's all the same to you, I want to hear the gossip." Jocelyn stated, sitting on the desk.

"Well?" Jace asked.

Alec let a brief smile flicker across his face. "Well, we're not getting sued today."

"We won? That's amazing!" Jace smiled.

"Woah, a genuine smile from Jace Wayland? Impressive." Magnus said. "And yes, it's only the first case of many potential lawsuits, but it's a great start. Alec and Luke were brilliant."

"Well, I think a lot of it was down to the prosecution hoping we'd have actually been convicted of something by now. We got lucky, but it'll only get tougher with future cases. There's still a ton coming up." Alec explained.

"Well now you have a good luck charm, it seems." Jace said, looking at Magnus.

"He said it, not me." Magnus grinned at Alec.

"Where is Luke, anyway?" Jocelyn questioned. Jace was wondering if it was a trick of the light or if she actually had blushed as she'd said Luke's name.

"He got called straight into mom and dad's office when we got back. They seemed eager to discuss something." Alec shrugged. Jace and Jocelyn shared a stern look.

"Either way, we have something to celebrate today. That's what matters." Magnus said.

A new voice filled the room. "Wayland. Lightwood."

Everyone turned to see two figures in the doorway. The man who spoke and the woman stood next to him. All too familiar faces.

"Raphael. Camille. How unpleasant it is to see you." Jace said.

"What are you doing here?" Alec asked.

"We're here to talk to your superiors, actually, but they're busy right now. Luckily Santiago Belcourt have mastered the art of patience." Camille explained.

"Pretty easy when you're a third-rate law firm no one wants representing them unless they're truly desperate." Jace said.

"All the headlines about your firm on the news and you call us the desperate ones? Laughable." Raphael spat. "Believe me, you'll want to hear what we have to say. We've spent weeks preparing this offer."

"What offer is that?" Magnus inquired.

"Something spectacular, Magnus. Believe me." Camille smiled. "It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

"Not long enough." Magnus shivered. Alec tensed up, noting the intense stare between Magnus and Camille.

"We're gonna find out what this offer is anyway, so how about a sneak peek?" Jace wondered.

Raphael looked at Camille, who nodded. He took a step forward. "We want to help get your firm out of the gutter and allow ours to rise to the top."

"And snuff out Morgenstern Starkweather for good. They've played us for the last time. The enemy of our enemy is our friend." Camille added.

"I don't understand." Alec folded his arms.

"It's simple." Raphael smiled. "We're going to officially offer a merger. It's in everyone's best interests if Lightwood Garroway and Santiago Belcourt became one."

As if all the air had been sucked out of the room, everyone fell silent.