Me: Thank you OliviaWhite55 for taking the time to review! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 26

Over the course of the next few days, Clary felt as though all her relationships were on thin ice. She supposed it was an improvement to how she had been feeling. Namely, worrying everyone was going to pick up on the fact something was wrong with her. What was different now however was that they all clearly did think something was wrong with her, but were afraid of saying so.

Despite their talk, Clary could sense the tension in her mother as they went about their business next morning. Luke was harder to read, but when she announced she was leaving, he had asked a little to forcefully where she was going. When she replied with the Institute he had visibly relaxed.

Jace and Isabelle seemed normal at first. Though during their training, Clary kept feeling like every time she turned away Jace's expression seemed to change. Alec came by to take care of something and had wandered into the training room looking for Isabelle, and upon seeing Clary an expression of what could only be described as bewildered anger crossed his face. Before he or she could say anything, Isabelle had appeared at whisked him out of the room. Clearly she had had an idea of what he wanted to say.

The only one who gave her no weird looks was Max. He had greeted her happily and had even had the audacity to ask her about Jonathan in front of Jace. Clearly, Max did not give a single care about his siblings trepidation concerning Jonathan. And if he noticed their changes in demeanor, he had decided not to let it get to him. Clary had to admit she was a little impressed.

After some training, Clary had set herself up in the kitchen with her books while waiting for food. There wasn't really anything that you could eat in the Institute that didn't require some kind of assembly, so Jace had run out to grab Taki's. Just as she was making a note about Deverok Demons, Alec entered the kitchen.

He paused at the sight of her. She stopped writing to look at him. ''Um, hi?'' she greeted.

Alec bit the inside of his cheek. ''Hi,'' he said in a poor imitation of his regular voice. He went to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water.

Clary eyed him as he kept his back to her and drank. ''Okay,'' she said, dropping her pencil into the spine of her book. ''If you have something to say, please say it.''

Alec scoffed and turned around, putting the lid back on his water. ''Why would I have something to say?'' he asked, shrugging innocently. ''It's not like anyone here has done anything incredible stupid lately.''

His voice dropped at the last part, clearly afraid of Isabelle or Max overhearing. Clary sighed and rested her head on her hand. ''I know it looks like that-''

''Looks like that?'' Alec shook his head. ''It's like you have no brain.''

''I have my memories back, Alec. I can't just ignore them.''

He held up a hand. ''Don't even get me started on your memories.''

Clary frowned at him. ''No, don't hold back,'' she said. ''I want hear it.''

''No. Apparently that is what we are supposed to do. 'Tread carefully' because you are an idiot and insane.''

''Who said to tread carefully because I'm an idiot?''

''We all did. Well, except the idiot part. That's mine.''

Clary glared, but she couldn't say she was surprised. ''I don't want you to hold back.''

Alec raised an eyebrow. ''Uh, believe me, you do.''

''If you have something to say, say it. You don't think I've thought it?''

''Yes, actually.''

Clary gestured helplessly. ''I brought Jonathan back. I brought him back and have these memories of him and want despite everything he has done to give him a second chance. This is after he has killed and razed and hurt me, my family, and countless others. It is stupid and insane-''

''Don't forget idiotic.''

''-And idiotic. And I have no good reason.''

Alec spread his arms. ''Oh! It thinks!''

Clary looked at him apologetically. ''Except he's my brother.''

Alec lowered his hands as he looked at her downcast face. ''Is he though?'' he asked. ''No matter your memories, didn't everything that happen last year…'' he trailed off. ''Doesn't that erase it?''

Clary shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She didn't feel defensive anymore, only tired. And frustrated. ''The demon blood and Valentine's upbringing contributed to him doing those things. And yes,'' she continued hastily at Alec's expression. ''It was him too. Jonathan, demon blood or no, he did those things. I have no interest in arguing about him not being able to tell the difference between good and bad or debate on how demon blood affected him. If anything, my memories answer that for me. He was good. He was a good brother and capable of being told right from wrong.'' She sighed. ''Alec, he could've been different. And the reason he wasn't was in small part because of me. I want to give him a chance, need to give him a chance because…'' she trailed off for a second. ''I really loved my brother.''

Alec stared at her, his look of repressed judgement still on his face. ''I need to try,'' Clary said again. ''Even though there are so many ways this could blow up in my face, I need to try.''

Alec sighed. ''What about the Clave?'' he asked.

Clary swallowed a lump in her throat. ''If they find out-''

''When they find out.''

''-I'll handle it.'' She raised an eyebrow at him. ''Are you going to tell them?''

''I should.'' Alec leaned back against the counter in a huff. ''But there is no way without dragging Max into it.''

Clary nodded. ''You do know that I am as concerned for everyone as you are?'' she asked. ''I'm not doing this without thinking.''

Alec pinched the bridge of his nose. ''I know,'' he said reluctantly. He looked at her. ''But sometimes, the way you act? It helps to be reminded.''

…..

Clary's body ached from training. Jace was insisting her footwork be perfect before he let her move on to anything else. Today she had finally got it, but not without a price.

Wearily she stumbled out of the shower, relieved to be in clean, comfortable sweats and looking forward to crashing on the couch. She sat down with a groan, clicking her phone on at the same time.

''Are you alright, Clary?'' Jocelyn asked in a seemingly normal voce from where she was on the other side of the room. She was setting up some canvas, only part of her mind on the conversation while the other part planned her next artwork.

''Yeah,'' Clary said with a smile. She could feel Luke look at her over his book. Clary tried to lose herself in a game on her phone, trying to ignore the stagnant feeling of the room. How long until this passed?

Clary let her mind slip into thinking about the future. It was as if they were all waiting, she reflected. Waiting for Jonathan to move out of line, waiting for the Clave to find out. And here she was, waiting for them to come to terms with the fact she wasn't crazy for trusting him. He was good. He was her brother…

Clary's feet pounded the steps as she ran. The footsteps behind her quickened. She couldn't outrun them, couldn't get away. She collided with her apartment door, furiously twisting the knob. Locked. Of course.

Her hands were shaking as she dug into her bag. She was too slow. ''I'll take that,'' said the woman as she swiped Clary's bag. She tossed it behind her without a second look.

''Wonderful,'' said the man, grinning with glee at Clary. ''The boss will certainly be happy to have found you.'' Clary backed up against the door, terror gripping her as the man reached out.

Without further hesitation, she managed a scream. ''Jonathan Christopher Morgenstern!''

Before the people could process what she just said, Clary was suddenly not in front of them. She blinked and found herself on the stairwell, her brother in front of her. She couldn't see his face, but she heard the grin in his tone. ''My sister tells me you have some business with her?'' he asked.

The people turned to look at him. A scowl crossed the woman's face, but Clary sensed a bit of fear behind it. ''The Demon Boy.''

''I prefer Jonathan.'' Jonathan turned to look at Clary, the grin she had suspected on his face. ''You okay?'' she nodded. He handed her a dagger. ''Ready?''

Clary kept the smile off her face as she remembered the first time they had fought a real battle, the first time she had felt the battle high as they were victorious.

She was jolted back to reality when her phone rang in her hands. She straightened it up before answering. ''Hello?''

''Clary?''

''Max?'' Both Luke and Jocelyn turned to look at her as she talked. ''What is it? Are you okay?''

Max's voice seemed to tremble. ''I- I'm with Jonathan. Can you come?''

Ice seemed to grip Clary. ''What's wrong?''

''I- I don't know. But it's bad. Really bad.''

''I'll be right there.'' Clary sprang up from the couch and walked to her bedroom, ignoring her parents' calls. ''What happened, Max? Is he hurt? Are you?''

''I saw her come,'' Max admitted softly. ''In my head. I just knew she came. And so I came here and-''

''Who?''

''The Seelie Queen.''

Clary froze for a moment. Her sweatshirt was on and her bag was in her hand. ''Max, is Jonathan okay?''

''Please just come.''

Clary tightened her grip on her bag. Her nails dug into her palm. ''I'll be right there, okay?'' She clicked her phone off.

''Clary,'' Jocelyn said. She was standing in the doorway. ''What's wrong?''

''I have to go.''

Clary made to move past her mother, but Jocelyn stopped her. ''Go where?''

''Max needs help.''

''With what?''

''I don't know! Something is wrong and he called me and he needs me so I have to go.''

''Is he with Jonathan?''

Clary sighed. ''Mom, please just let me go.''

''Just answer me, Clary. Is Max with Jonathan? Is that why he's hurt?''

Anger flared on Clary's face. ''No. Jonathan is the one who is hurt. Now excuse me, my brother needs me.''

Clary brushed past without further hesitation, not bothering to even glance at Luke's following gaze.

Clary's heart felt like it was jammed into her throat. She made it to the lot in record time, practically colliding into the invisible door as she shakily opened it. She stumbled into the house and froze at the sight of the place.

The only light came from the window to her left, the moon illuminating the chaos that was the room. Clary walked slowly around all the books that were thrown onto the floor, glancing down as she heard a crackle under her feet. Wood. She was stepping on what was left of the coffee table.

As she passed the couch, she saw the broken glass that littered the kitchen and left a trail of blood by the counter. Before Clary could enter, a voice spoke. ''Clary?''

Clary turned to the staircase where Max was perched. He was kneeling on the steps, and beside him…

''Oh god.'' Clary approached the stairs. She dropped her bag to the floor before walking up and around Max. She knelt next to him.

Jonathan was on his side looking very, very still. His eyes were half open, not focusing on anything. Blood was in his hair, coming from a cut on his head. It was also on his face, trickling out of his mouth. The only sign he was alive was the rapid yet shallow rise and fall of his chest.

''I found him like this,'' Max said in a whisper as Clary reached out to touch Jonathan. His skin felt cold. ''He- he hasn't moved.''

Clary nodded acknowledgement. She ran her fingers gently through her brother's hair, her ears pricking as pieces of glass fell out and clicked on the stairs. She swallowed hard and turned to Max, whose face of panic and fear perfectly matched her own feelings. ''I have my stele in my bag. Can you grab it?''

Max quickly went to do so, but his face said what Clary was thinking: would a few healing runes be enough?

Max was back in a second. He handed Clary her stele and she went to work, putting a rune on Jonathan's arm and neck before awkwardly moving up the steps to get around him and put one on his back. Through the darkness the stairwell amplified, she saw his shirt. ''Hell no.''

Jonathan's white shirt had now one huge red stain on his upper back. No doubt they were once two, each one leaking from the slits of his wings. Clary stared at the blood in horror. That's to much blood. He's lost to much blood.

Max caught her gaze and Clary shook herself in reproach. She had to do what she could. Carefully, she put another healing rune on the back of Jonathan's neck. She wanted to put more on, in addition to some blood replacement runes, but she couldn't like this. Not while he was curled up awkwardly and in such bloodied clothes.

She moved back around and placed her stele on another step. She sat down next to Jonathan, gently pulling his head into her lap. ''Jonathan, Jonathan can you hear me? Jonathan, you have to wake up.'' He didn't move. ''Jonathan, c'mon. It's me, Clary. Please wake up. Look at me. Come on.''

Jonathan still made no movement. Blinking back tears, Clary tried something else. Blink if you can hear me.

Clary's heart seemed to stop as she watched her brother's face. For a moment, nothing happened. Then slowly, Jonathan very deliberately blinked.

Clary sighed in relief. ''Thank god.'' She leaned forward, her forehead on his. It's okay, I've got you. You are going to be okay.

There was no response as Jonathan closed his eyes fully, his uneven breathing the only sound in the room.