Thank you to all who informed me that I had accidentally uploaded the same chapter twice. Here is chapter 29.

Little filler chapter, but it's better than nothing. Please review! ;)

The next morning, Jace was sitting at the kitchen table. His hands were wrapped around a cup of coffee while his head was on the table. He didn't even notice when Isabelle came in.

"Long night?" she asked. Jace lifted his head just enough to see her. She was getting herself something to eat.

"You have no idea."

"So, you still haven't talked to Clary then."

Jace just shook his head. He straightened himself up and ran a hand through his hair. Isabelle came over and sat across from him with a bowl of cereal.

"You need to talk to her. Preferably sooner rather than later."

"I know, and I tried. It's not easy. Every time I try to do it I end up wussing out."

"I know." Isabelle rubbed Jace's arm. "Just take it one day at a time."

Jace nodded. He smiled, remembering his conversation with Clary the day before. "You know, she found out we kissed." Isabelle's eyebrows shot up. "I guess she saw an article about it online. She addressed me with the photo, asking what happened. Instead of telling her the whole truth like I could've, I came up with his whole lie involving Black Angel and a spell." Jace sighed. "She didn't even seem surprised, just confused."

"She probably wasn't surprised because she's in love with you, and even if her consciousness doesn't know it, her subconscious does."

Jace shook his head though he was smiling. "Wouldn't that be something."

"I was wondering, though," Isabelle continued. "What will Badger and Blindeye do now that Black Angel is out of the picture? I mean, what's a superhero without a supervillain?"

Jace had thought about this multiple times over the past few days. For now, he just needed to take care of Sebastian until the boy was back on his feet. Along with that, he had to tell Clary about everything and make sure she was alright after that. He had a lot on his hands at the moment without thinking about what his new super-status would be.

"I don't know," Jace said. "For now, I'm taking things one day at a time." He smiled at Isabelle when he repeated her comment and she smiled back.

"Right. Well, I'm here for you. We all are."

"I know. I appreciate it."


Clary was at work when Isabelle came storming in. She walked up to the counter where Clary stood, opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it when something seemed to occur to her. Aggravated, she put her hands on her hips.

"Is Magnus here?" she asked.

Clary pointed to elsewhere in Java Jones where Magnus was giving a couple their drinks. He was returning to the counter then when Isabelle met him halfway. She started going off about something that Clary couldn't hear. Magnus' eyes went wide and his mouth turned down in a sympathetic frown. He rubbed the girl's shoulder but she just groaned and stalked away from him. This was a rather curious reaction because Clary didn't think Isabelle and Magnus had known each other until recently. So, why were they acting so friendly? Or whatever that just was.

When Magnus returned to Clary, Isabelle sat down at the counter. Magnus started making her a drink, and neither of them said a word.

"Everything okay?" Clary asked. The silence felt tense.

"No," Isabelle remarked. She glared over at Magnus who just put up his hands in defense as he went on making her drink.

"I know we're not close or anything," Clary started, "but do you want to talk about it?"

Isabelle considered this. Her face was scrunched up in thought as she stared at Clary. "Wow," she said. "Wow, this really sucks."

Confused, Clary looked back at Magnus. He only shrugged. "Izzy, you're going to be fine. This should only be a temporary problem." Magnus gave her a pointed look.

"Says you. But then something happens and it spirals and this hell never ends."

"What hell?" Clary asked looking back and forth between the two.

Magnus was silent as he gave Isabelle her drink. Then, he thought for a moment before answering. "Isabelle's boyfriend decided they need to go on a break while certain issues with a mutual friend of theirs get sorted out."

Clary offered Isabelle a sympathetic look, but she wasn't looking at her. She was just staring down at her drink.

"I'm sorry, Isabelle. That's got to suck. Especially cause it's not either of your faults."

"It's for the best," Izzy muttered. "I can't explain the situation to you, but it is for the best."

The door to Java Jones opened then and Jace came in. When he spotted Izzy, he grinned. "Iz! There you are!"

"I'm going to cut you," Isabelle replied without even turning to look at him.

"What love I feel," Jace said as he sat down beside her. He looked up at Clary and Magnus but only for a moment before averting his gaze. "It's not my fault."

"Yeah, but it sort of feels like your fault." She turned in her seat to look at him. "And I can't blame anyone else because it's their fault without them knowing it's their fault, so I'm blaming you."

Jace threw up his arms, exasperated. "God, I can't even argue against that."

"What are you doing here, Jace?" Magnus asked.

"I need to talk to Isabelle!" he exclaimed. "You all hate my presence so much."

"For good reason too," Magnus commented.

Clary shook her head. "I always feel like I'm missing something."

Magnus just patted her on the back and led her away from Isabelle and Jace as their conversation began. The two stood by the register and continued to work as normal. In between customers, they talked like they always did.

"Oh yeah, so I got a cat," Magnus said.

Clary chuckled. "Really? What's his name?"

"Chairman Meow."

"Can I meet him sometime?"

Magnus hesitated. "Only if I can bring him to your place. I don't want anyone at my apartment right now. Renovations."

Clary was confused. Mainly because there was nothing in Magnus' apartment that needed renovating. "I thought you were having a party though?"

Magnus' eyes went wide. "I was hoping you forgot about that. But right... not anymore. It's been canceled. Due to the... renovations."

"Right." Clary nodded her head, though, she watched Magnus with narrowed eyes. "Fine, you can bring him over whenever. Just let me know beforehand so I can warn Simon."

"Of course," Magnus said.

"If you don't-" Isabelle's voice raised, drawing Magnus and Clary's attention. "-I will beat your ass." Jace opened his mouth, looking like he was going to rebuttal, but Isabelle cut him off. "I'll make Alec beat your ass."

He pursed his lips. "Unfortunately, I still don't see how that could work well."

"Jace..."

"Yeah, no, I know."

Magnus walked back over to the pair, Clary had to take another order, but she was listening closely to what they were talking about. They seemed to have so many secrets.

"What's this about beating up Jace?" Magnus asked with peaked interest. "Because I will gladly help."

Jace rolled his eyes. "Nobody is going to beat me up because I'm going to do it."

"Do what?" Clary asked as she finished with the customer. She joined them while another worker made the order.

Immediately, Jace averted his eyes from Clary. Isabelle leaned forward on the counter, her gaze cold and calculating. "Jace is having girl problems."

Clary's eyebrows raised, and she fought the urge to laugh. She never would have guessed someone that looks like Jace would be having girl issues. "Oh?"

"Oh, indeed," Isabelle went on, turning to look at Jace even though he wasn't looking at her. "And he needs to figure out how to man up and just be honest with this girl already before it causes a whole mess of issues."

"Well, there's about four other people that could be honest with this girl too," Jace muttered angrily.

"No, there's not." Isabelle whacked him on the arm with every word, her teeth gritted. "Because we all made a deal that it would be best coming from you."

"Why can't you just tell her outright?" Clary asked Jace.

The golden boy scratched the back of his head, still avoiding looking at her. "Because there's a lot to tell, and I'm worried she's going to get mad at me."

She shook her head. "Boys always make things so complicated." With that, Clary walked away to take the order from the customer currently walking up to the bar.

Jace and Isabelle continued talking for the next ten minutes or so. Then, they got up and left, saying goodbye to Magnus as they went. As they walked out the door, Clary narrowed her eyes at the pair. When they were gone, she walked back over to Magnus.

"What's up with those two?" Her sudden appearance and random question seemed to startle Magus for he nearly jumped two feet high.

"Jeez Clary, you're going to give me a heart attack."

The girl just rolled her eyes. "Come on, answer the question. I'm curious."

"Why do you care about them at all?"

"For one, I just told you: I'm curious. They're also Alec's friend and family, so that just umps the curiosity. His people are my people, after all."

Magnus grinned but there was something sad about it. Still, he sighed and answered the small girl. "They've been through a lot together. They both lost someone really dear to them recently, and they're trying to cope together. It's difficult, though, because how the loss affected Jace is way different than how it affected Isabelle and I don't think he's holding up very well."

"Oh." Then, something occurred to Clary. "How do you know all of this about them?"

Magnus nearly choked. "Alec told me."

Clary considered this. "So...I guess you and Alec are getting pretty close now."

This seemed to calm Magnus down a lot. "Yeah, yeah we are. I'm even considering asking him out on a real date soon."

Clary grinned from ear to ear and playfully slapped Magnus' arm. "Really? That's great, Mags!"

He nodded, his smile happier and more genuine now. "Yeah, it is." As Clary started to turn back to her work duties, she felt Magnus' gaze on her. "I'm just curious, Clare, but what do you think about Jace?"

Clary pinched her eyebrows. "Jace? I don't know. I hardly know him. Why?"

"Most people are pretty infatuated with the boy when they first meet him. Not you?"

Clary raised her eyebrows at her friend and coworker. "When have I ever been the one to be infatuated with a pretty boy like that?"

Magnus chuckled. "Yeah, you've got a point there, Clary. You really do."