One Hundred and Nine Story:

Assassins

Clary POV:

My entire life I've grown up in this lifestyle where violence was the best form of communication. Weaponry was a must, and trusting someone was out of the question. I only ever had me in this life: I was born alone, and I was going to die alone. That's just how it was. There were times where I thought that there must be more to life, there must be a way of life that isn't so lonely, but than I get sent out on a mission, and I realize that this is who I am, and this is who I'll always be. Nothing was ever going to change that, and I had accepted that years ago.

I got a call early this morning, and I was heading into headquarters. Being the daughter of the head of The Circle came with as many obstacles as it did benefits. One benefit, nobody messed with me. They were all scared I'd go running to my father and rat them out, but little do they know, my father and I aren't that close. But they didn't need to know that. I liked that I intimidated people, it made me feel like more of a badass than I already was. One obstacle, I was held to a higher standard than the others. Everyone assumed because I was a Morgenstern, that I didn't have any faults, but I did, and when I messed up, everyone talked about it. When I got to my fathers office, I knocked on the door.

"Come in." I heard, and I opened the door.

"You called Father?" I asked as I stood in front of his desk.

"Yes." He said. "As you know, The Clave has been our enemy since the beginning." He said and I nodded. "And as you know, they have their own set of resources to accomplish their goals." He said, which was a polite way of saying murders. He didn't like to refer to anyone outside of The Circle as assassins, even if they were. He liked to believe we were the highest and most lethal people out there. "I need you to terminate their best one."

"Do you have a file?" I asked. He reached into his drawer and pulled out a folder. He held it out and I grabbed it. "Is that all Father?" I asked.

"Yes." He said. "You have 2 weeks to complete this mission Clarissa. Don't disappoint me." He said. I nodded and made my way out of his office. I went back to my room and started looking over the file.

Agency: The Clave

Country/State/City: United States/New York/Classified

Name: Jonathan Herondale

Nickname: Jace

Age: 20

Years w/ Agency: 15 years

Years Active: 6 years

Skills: This young man is very charming. Don't let his charm get in the way of the mission. He is also incredibly lethal. Most of his targets are distracted by his good looks (females) or by his charismatic personality (males) when it comes to the things they are interested in, but before the night is over, they are dead. He prefers to be close when he kills. He is extremely intelligent, and incredibly patient.

Weapon of Choice: Daggers, and hand to hand combat

Family Relations: Parents – Celine and Stephen Herondale : Grandmother – Imogen Herondale

Weight: 160 lbs

Height: 6 feet 3 inches

Hair Color: Blonde

Eye Color: Gold

Number of Kills: Number of confirmed kills – 99

Looking through his file I had to say, I was pretty impressed. He was skilled, and for only being active for 6 years, and having 99 confirmed kills was pretty impressive. I continued to look through the file. I pulled out the picture of him and he wasn't horrible to look at. In fact, he had the most amazing bone structure I've ever seen, and I just wanted to draw him all day and night. I put the picture down and continued looking. His grandmother was the head of The Clave, and his parents were pretty well known assassins back in the day. They were active when my father was active, and that heightened my curiosity. Was I really the best person for this job, or did my father have a personal vendetta against this family, and he wanted a Morgenstern to take them out? Regardless, I was given a job and I was going to deliver.

Jace POV:

I was called into the office today but I wasn't told why. I don't think I did anything my grandmother would be upset with, but than again, Imogen can be a real stick in the mud when she wanted to be. I got to her office and took a deep breath before I knocked on the door.

"Come in." I heard and I walked in and stood in front of her desk. "Thank you for coming in Jonathan."

"Of course Grandmother." I said.

"I have a mission for you." She said and that automatically made me feel better about why I was here. "As you know, our enemy The Circle has been a real thorn in our side since the beginning of time." She said and I nodded. "I need you to terminate their best one." She said.

"Do you have a file for me?" I asked and she nodded. She picked it up off her desk and handed it to me.

"You have 2 weeks Jonathan." She said. "Don't disappoint me." She said. I nodded before heading out of her office and over to a conference room where I would explore this file.

Agency: The Circle

Country/State/City: United States/New York/Classified

Name: Clarissa Morgenstern

Nickname: Clary

Age: 17

Years w/ Agency: 12

Years Active: 4 years

Skills: Blends into her surroundings perfectly, some refer to her as a chameleon. Don't underestimate her abilities. She may be tiny, but she is lethal. When looking for your target, remember, she is tiny, so she may try and disguise herself as a child, don't rule out ANYONE when it comes to who she may be impersonating. Her red hair is a dead give away. Don't forget about that. She also is known to have quite the temper, so use that to your advantage.

Weapon of Choice: Sharp shooter

Family Relations: Parents – Valentine and Jocelyn Morgenstern (Jocelyn – deceased)

Weight: 100 lbs

Height: 5 feet even

Hair Color: Red

Eye Color: Green

Number of Kills: Number of Confirmed Kills – 75

Looking over her file I had to say, I was pretty impressed. She was young, but she had some serious skill, and I couldn't take that away from her. I was looking through her file when I came across the picture of her. Her red hair was extremely vibrant, and her eyes were like a pool of emeralds. She looked young, and that was a huge advantage for her, but I wasn't backing down from this mission. I closed the file and started making my way to the training room. When I walked in I saw Alec and Izzy training.

"Did Imogen chew your ass out?" Izzy asked with a laugh.

"No. I was assigned a mission." I said.

"Who is it this time?" Alec asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know." I smirked. "I'd love to tell you, but it's top secret."

"That blows." Izzy said. "I haven't been given a mission in almost 3 months. I'm getting rusty."

"You'll get one soon." Alec said.

"Yea right, Imogen doesn't like me." Izzy said and I laughed.

"Imogen doesn't like anyone." I said and Alec and Izzy both nodded in agreement. "You'll get your missions, just gotta give it some time."

"I just hate waiting." Izzy said.

"Nobody likes waiting." Alec told her.

"Easy for you to say. You have someone to occupy your time with, I don't have that luxury." Izzy pointed out.

"Shhhh." Alec said as he covered her mouth with his hand. "Keep your voice down."

"Why?" Izzy asked.

"Because nobody knows about Magnus and I yet." He said.

"Why not?" Izzy asked.

"You know how mom and dad would react." Alec said. "And he isn't supposed to know about us."

"You told him?" I asked and Alec looked at me.

"I told him that I worked for the government, but I didn't get any more specific. I told him that I wasn't allowed to divulge anymore information, but I still said more than The Clave would like." Alec said and I nodded.

"Eventually he would have found out." Izzy said.

"Eventually, but that happens when our relationship is a little more serious." Alec said.

"You and Magnus have been together for what? Almost a year?" Izzy asked and Alec nodded. "If you two aren't serious yet, the relationship is doomed."

"Isabelle." I chastised.

"What? A year is a long time to be together just for the hell of it." She said.

"We are serious." Alec butted in. "But not serious enough to tell Magnus that I'm an assassin that kills people for a living. I don't want him to freak."

"He's going to freak." Izzy said. "But you have to explain that what we do, isn't without reason. We are paid to take out those who are a threat to humanity, that's not a bad thing."

"But will he see it that way?" I asked. "Some people wouldn't be cool with it regardless if we're doing it for their safety."

"Thanks a lot." Alec muttered.

"I don't know Magnus all that well." I said. "You know him a lot more than I do, so you have to decide if telling him is a good idea, and if it isn't, I'll take him out." I said.

"No." Alec said. "You will do no such thing."

"I never thought I'd see the day." Izzy said with the biggest smile on her face. "My brother, in love."

"Shut up." Alec said as he shoved her and she laughed.

"Alright, I have to get back and start prepping for this mission. I'll see you two around." I said and Izzy hugged me.

"Be safe." She said.

"Always am Iz." We broke apart and I headed out to get ready for this mission. I couldn't wait to hit my 100th kill.

Time Jump – Two Days Later

Clary POV:

I was getting ready to leave to find my target. I knew I only had two weeks, and that kinda intimidated me, but I've been under a shorter time restriction before, and I knew that I could do it. I was walking out of The Circle when I was stopped by none other than Sebastian Verlac, the man who thought he was a God, and flirted with me religiously.

"Where are you off to beautiful?" He asked and I rolled my eyes.

"I'm going on a mission." I said.

"Alone?" He asked.

"I do all of my missions alone." I said.

"A sweet little thing like you shouldn't be out there alone." He said and I scoffed. "You need some protection."

"Protection?" I questioned. "I don't need protection. I'm more lethal than you'll ever be."

"In your dreams sweetheart." He said and I hated pet names.

"What's your kill record?" I asked.

"39." He said proudly.

"How long have you been with The Circle?" I asked.

"Since I was 12." He said.

"Right. You've only been here for 6 years. I've been involved since I was 5." I said and he narrowed his eyes at me. "You got a late start to the game Seb, and because of that, you'll never even compare to me. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a mission to start." I pushed past him and I heard him grunt. It was boys like that, that reminded me of another reason why it was a good thing to be alone. They thought they ruled the world, and I hated that. I walked out of the building and headed into the city to start my quest.

Jace POV:

New York was a huge state, so I figured I'd start in the city. There were many people, and it would be the perfect place for a sharp shoot to start as well. Easy to hide behind a lot of buildings and on rooftops, and it just made sense after reading her profile.

Her being a sharp shoot was going to be challenging. She is definitely the type of person that would be aware of all of her surroundings, and if she suspected a threat, she didn't need to be close to take me out, and that was my biggest worry.

I decided to just scoop out the area, and get a feel for the people. Maybe make some friends and build up a base here, and ask around about her and hopefully get a lead. I walked into the first place I saw, which happened to be a bar. Thankfully, The Clave gave me a bunch of fakes, that were government approved so that if I needed to be in a bar, I could be. I sat at the bar, and waited to be attended too. The bartender walked up with the biggest flirtatious smile I've ever seen.

"What can I get for you handsome?" She flirted.

"Since it's the middle of the day, I think I'll keep it simple." I said with my normal charming smile. "I'll have a coke." She nodded and grabbed a glass.

"You new to the area?" She asked.

"Relatively." I said. "I grew up around New York City."

"So what brings you to the city today?" She asked.

"Just wanted to visit for the day." I said and she nodded.

"Well, let me know if you need anything else." She said. I nodded and she went to help other people. She would be easy to charm, that much was a given.

Valentine POV:

I called Sebastian in today because I had a mission for him. I was waiting in my office when I heard the knock on the door.

"Come in." I said and in walked Sebastian.

"You called sir?" He asked.

"Yes. I have a mission for you." I said and he nodded. "Clarissa has been snooping around trying to find information on her mothers death." I said and he nodded. "I need her to stop."

"How does this involve me sir?" Sebastian asked.

"I've sent her out on a mission to kill The Clave's number one assassin, but if she kills him or not, doesn't matter to me." I said and he nodded. "I needed her to be distracted. So that she wouldn't see it coming."

"See what coming sir?" Sebastian asked.

"Her death."

Time Jump – Three Days Later

Clary POV:

It wasn't hard to find Jonathan in New York City. He might has well put a sign on his back that said 'Hey! It's me! Jonathan Herondale! Come get me!' and I was taking it no matter what. If he was too stupid to blend in, I was going to take advantage of that. But than I remembered his file, and he was insanely smart. Him being out in the open was deliberate. Which meant that I had to get a little creative with it.

I came up with a plan to meet him in a bar. He always frequented this one, Hunters Moon, every single day. I don't know why, it looked like a below average bar, but he went there, and that's where I'd make contact.

It was about 8 o'clock on a Thursday and I knew Jonathan would be there. I got ready, in my favorite pair of skinny jeans, my leather jacket with hidden pockets for some knives and daggers, and my chunky heel boots, easy for me to run in, but still enough to give me that sex appeal. He was a ladies man, that much I knew for sure.

I got to the bar and didn't see him. I sat at a back table, my back against the wall and scooped the place out. I sipped on my drink as I watched the people interact with each other. There were couples out on dates, and friends celebrating something, and guys out with their buddies watching whatever was on the TV. Everyone was living their life and enjoying their friends and loved ones. It definitely made me think about the life I could have had if I didn't grow up in the life style that I did, but I quickly dismissed that thought. I was an assassin, and this was my life. I accepted that long ago.

"Mind if I join?" I heard and I looked up to see none other than Jonathan Herondale, my target, making contact, so I smiled a flirtatious smile.

"Not at all." I said and he pulled the chair out.

"What's the name Red?" He asked in a cocky attitude, I had a feeling he was going to be a cocky bastard, but just seeing it made me want to roll my eyes.

"Clary." I said. "And you?" I asked.

"Jace." He said and I nodded. "I've never see you around, and I frequent this bar a lot."

"I'm relatively new to the area." I said and he nodded. "This was the first place I saw, so I decided to try it out."

"It's not bad." He said. "There are certainly better, but the service is always pretty good." He said and I looked behind him at the bartender, who was glaring daggers at me and I laughed.

"Someone doesn't like you sitting with me." I said and he smirked.

"Some women just think causal conversation is a road to a relationship." He said and I laughed. He was charming, but there was something about him as well, something that I couldn't quite pin yet.

"I take it you aren't a relationship kind of guy." I said and he smiled.

"Nope. I've always had more important things to worry about. If I was in a relationship, I would want it to be a priority, and at the moment, I can't make it that, so I don't even try." He said and that kinda shocked me. He didn't peg me as the type to be so caring when it came to that type of stuff.

"That's shockingly impressive." I said and he smirked.

"Why? Think I was a player?" He asked and it was my turn to smirk.

"You peg me as the type of person who could use those looks you have to get any girl you wanted." I said.

"Not far off." He said. "But women flirting to get in my pants, versus me flirting to get what I want, whether it be a free drink, or some information, are two totally different things." He explained and I nodded. "You look hesitant in believing me."

"Let's just say I have a really good instinct in spotting liars." I said and he nodded. "I want to feel like you're lying to me, but something about what you just told me, seems to genuine."

"How about we test these instincts?" He asked.

"What do you have in mind?" I asked.

"Two truths and a lie?" He asked and I laughed.

"What are we? In middle school?" I asked and he laughed.

"It seems rather fair in testing these instincts, plus, than you have a base line." He said and I nodded.

"Okay. Go ahead." I said.

"Okay, my biggest fear in life are ducks." He said, truth. "My parents marriage was an arranged marriage." He said, truth. "I have 3 younger siblings." He said, lie. "Which one is a lie?" He asked.

"I think you tried to trick me." I said and he smirked. "You gave me a truth that sounds so utterly ridiculous for a man of your character, hoping that I would pick it."

"So, which one is it?" He asked.

"The last one." I said. "You don't have 3 younger siblings." I said.

"Very good." He said. "So, do you have a good base line for me?" He asked, and I simply nodded. "So, was I lying about the relationships?"

"No." I said. "Which is refreshingly surprising."

"Glad I can surprise you." He said, and I couldn't help but smile. I knew I had to kill this guy, but for right now, I was going to enjoy his company, because I couldn't lie, it was enjoyable.

Sebastian POV:

I had watched Clary go into the bar, and I was perched on the roof outside waiting for her to exit. To say I was stunned would be an understatement, but Valentine was right, Clary was becoming a problem, and The Circle couldn't keep someone like that around, so here I was, about to kill the daughter of the Head of the Circle, under his orders. It felt unreal, but also so incredibly rewarding to be chosen for this mission. Especially for how high and mighty Clarissa thought she was. Soon I would be the best assassin within The Circle, and that would feel so damn good.

Time Jump – Hours Later

Jace POV:

I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to talk to Clary. We were laughing the entire night, and I was feeling myself getting incredibly comfortable with her. I knew who she was, although, she didn't know that, and I noticed myself letting my guard down throughout the night, and although I put them right back up the minute I noticed them down, part of me wanted to keep them down, but I was on a mission, and she was the mission, and I couldn't get distracted by our chemistry, or the connection I felt between us.

We walked out of the bar and we both lingered for a minute. It was an odd feeling, being with someone who just made everything so much lighter, and more enjoyable, and it id complicate the mission slightly, but not entirely, and I had to hold onto that.

"So, will I see you again?" She asked and I couldn't help but smile.

"I don't know." I said vaguely. "Do you want to see me again?"

"I do." She said with that cute little smile, and I didn't realize how much taller I was, but I was looking down on her short frame, and she was looking up at me.

"Well than, how about tomorrow night? We can grab some dinner." I suggested.

"I think that sounds amazing." She said and in that moment, a red dot appeared on her forehead, which confused me. "Is something wrong?" She asked. I looked to where the red dot was coming from, and I heard the shot, instinctually, I grabbed Clary and moved her out of the way. "What the hell?" She yelled.

"Someone just tried to kill her." I said.

"Impossible." She said as she got off the ground and began walking. I saw the red dot again and I pulled her against the wall, as the bullet hid the building. "Okay, maybe not impossible."

"Do you have any enemies?" I asked ignorantly.

"Not that I know of." She said playing dumb, and I knew it was my mission to kill her, but having someone else out there trying to kill her, got me curious.

"Do you trust me?" I asked and she looked at me confused. "It's not a trick question, do you trust me?" I asked again.

"I guess." She said and that's all I needed. I grabbed her hand and we started running. We got to my car and we got in and I high tailed it out of there. What I was about to do was going to get me in a shit ton of trouble, but I needed to do this.

I started driving to The Clave, and I knew Imogen and my parents were going to give me a lot of grief for this, but like I said earlier, there was some connection between the two of us, and the thoughts that went through my mind when I saw that red dot on her forehead, scared me, and that rarely happens.

When we finally pulled up, I put my card against the machine, and gave my thumb print, along with my eye, and we were let in. I drove to the garage, and we got out. And I grabbed her hand and led her to Imogen's office. It would be my death wish if I tried to hide her until I figured out what to say, so I just thought I'd get it over with now. I knocked on the door as soon as I got there, but didn't wait for an answer. I walked in, and there she sat, along with both of my parents.

"Jonathan, what have you done?" Imogen asked, and my parents looked horrified.

"Someone tried to kill her." I simply said.

"Yea, it was supposed to be you." She spat, and Clary ripped her hand out of mine.

"I was your target?" She yelled.

"Was I yours?" I asked, thinking about how it couldn't have been a coincidence that we ended up at the shitty bar tonight.

"We're not taking about that right now." She hissed.

"I think we should. Valentine ordered you to kill me?" I asked.

"Imogen ordered you to kill me." She said back, which made me turn towards Imogen.

"Why did you order me to kill her?" I asked.

"You don't get to question me Jonathan." She said in her normal stone cold voice.

"Yes I do, because I'm tired of being a blind sheep." I said back. "Tell me why you ordered me to kill Clarissa Morgenstern." I demanded.

"The Circle is our enemy." Imogen said. "What better way to get back at the head of The Circle than to kill his only child." She said and Clary laughed.

"He wouldn't have cared." She said and everyone looked at her. "My father and I don't have a normal father/daughter relationship. In fact, we don't talk, unless he's assigning me a mission."

"Why not?" I asked.

"Since my mothers death, we just fell apart." She said and I felt for her. I couldn't imagine loosing my mom, and than my dad cutting me off like that.

"Did you order another hit on her besides me?" I asked Imogen.

"No. You were the only one assigned to her." She said.

"So who tried to kill you?" I asked Clary.

"I don't know, but when I find them, I'm going to kill them." She said as she started to leave but I grabbed her wrist.

"Wait one second." I said and she reluctantly nodded. "Can she stay here for the night? Until we figure out what the plan is?"

"This whole hit could have been a ploy to get her into our sanctuary." Imogen said.

"I wouldn't put my own life in danger just to infiltrate you compound, although that is a great idea." Clary said, but that didn't really help her cause.

"You're an assassin, one of the best your age." Imogen said. "You expect us to believe that?" She asked.

"Look, I swear on the Angel, that I didn't order a hit on myself to get in here. Jace brought me here after the shooter tried, and failed, twice to end my life." Clary said and I looked at my parents and my grandmother.

"Fine, you can stay." Imogen said. "But don't leave her alone Jonathan." I nodded and we left the room. I walked Clary to my room, and the whole walk was incredibly silent. I guess now that the truth was out, things were awkward, and I couldn't really say that was shocking. I opened my door, and she walked in, and I followed. She stood over by the window, and I couldn't handle the silence anymore.

"Can we please discuss the elephant in the room?" I finally asked and she looked at me.

"Like the fact that we were both assigned to kill each other. That elephant?" She asked sarcastically.

"Yes. That one." I said.

"Looks like someone tried to take your job." She said.

"Yea, and if I really wanted you dead, wouldn't I have let them kill you?" I asked.

"I don't know. Maybe you wanted me to be your 100th kill. Maybe you saved me so that you could kill me eventually." She said.

"That didn't even cross my mind when I pulled you away from that bullet." I said honestly, and she knew I was telling the truth.

"Than why save me?" She questioned.

"Because I actually had a great time tonight. I can't tell you the last time I laughed that much, and genuinely meant it." I said. "When I saw that red dot on your forehead, my first instinct was to save you."

"That's not what assassins do." She laughed and I couldn't help but smile.

"Trust me, I know. I've been doing this for a long time." I said.

"You're 20." She said, and I saw her body language relax. I nodded and she sat on the edge of my bed. "How did you know this is what you wanted to do?"

"I wanted to be just like my dad." I said as I joined her on the bed. "When I was younger, I was always pawned off to Imogen when my parents went out on missions. They were partners. When they'd come home, he'd tell me all about it, and I just thought it was so cool. I wanted to be just like that." I explained and she nodded. "What about you? 17 is pretty young as well."

"I'll be 18 this week." She said and I nodded. "But unlike you, I didn't really have a choice." She explained. "I think my father wanted a boy. Someone who was just like him, and having me was a disappointment. And when my mom died, I was thrown into training, and become a lethal weapon."

"When did she die?" I asked hesitantly, I could tell it was a sore subject.

"When I was 7." She said.

"Was she sick, or something?" I asked.

"No. I actually don't know how she died. My father never told me." She said.

"That's gotta be hard." I said.

"When you have nobody, it's torture." She said. I didn't want to prolong the conversation more than needed, so I decided to change it.

"Would you like to shower, and maybe change?" I offered.

"Is your shower safe?" She asked.

"My shower is very safe." I said. "I wouldn't make my shower a gas chamber Clary."

"I'm cautious." She said. "We have to be in our line of work."

"There are towels in the closet." I said and she nodded. "I'll be out here."

She nodded, and went into the bathroom but before she closed the door, she looked back at me and smiled.

"Thank you, for saving my life." She said and I smiled. "Even though you were going to kill me." And with that she shut the door, and I shook my head. I pulled my phone out and texted Izzy to bring pajama clothes immediately. That girl must have been eager, because she was at my door in under 3 minutes, when I opened it, she ran in.

"I can't believe you brought your target here, and I can't believe she's Clarissa Morgenstern."

"This whole night has been weird." I admitted.

"Why did you do it?" She asked. "Why not just let this other person kill her?"

"The only way I can describe it is there is this connection between us, that I just can't seem to ignore." I said.

"She works for The Circle Jace. Her father is the head of it." She said.

"I know. But Clary, she's different." I said. "You know how we entered this life because we wanted to? We wanted to be just like our parents, and that was the coolest thing to us?" I asked and she nodded. "Clary didn't get that. She was forced into this life, and she's fucking great at it, obviously, but tonight I was just hanging out with a girl, and we were laughing, and joking around, and it was normal. And I wanted to keep that for however long I could."

"This is risky Jace." Izzy said.

"I know, but for right now, I just want Clary to get a good nights sleep." I said and she nodded. I grabbed the clothes and pulled her into a hug. "Thank you for understanding Iz."

Clary POV:

I finished my shower relatively quick, and I wrapped the towel around my body and I opened the bathroom door to see Jace hugging some girl, and for some reason I got jealous. I mean, I shouldn't be jealous, this guy works for The Clave, and was only talking to me to kill me in the long run, but I couldn't help it. I cleared my throat and they broke apart.

"Hey, I had Izzy bring you some clothes." Jace said and the girl smiled.

"Hi, I'm Isabelle, but please, call me Izzy." She said as she extended her hand.

"Clary." I said as I shook her hand.

"Oh, the whole Institute knows about you." She said.

"Institute?" I questioned.

"That's what we call this place." She said and I nodded. "Also, don't let this jackass get away with anything." She said as she punched Jace and he laughed. "Kick him around if he gets out of hand." And I couldn't help but smile.

"You got it." I said and she smiled.

"Well, I'll let you two get back to whatever you were doing." She said. "I have a date anyway."

"It's after midnight Iz." Jace said as she made it to his door.

"Come on Jace, when have I ever dated for pleasure?" She asked.

"So you got a mission?" Jace asked.

"I did." She said. "Took Imogen forever."

"Well, don't let us keep you waiting." Jace said and Izzy nodded and walked out of the room. "Sorry about her. She's a handful sometimes." He said and I smiled.

"How long has she been with The Clave?" I asked.

"Since she was 5 as well." He said.

"And she's how old now?" I asked.

"She's 18. Her older brother is 22, and her younger brother is only 9." He explained.

"Nice." I said. "Well, I'm going to get changed." I said and he nodded. I went back into the bathroom and got out of my clothes and dried my hair a little. When I walked back out to his room, Jace was cleaning up whatever mess he thought there was, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Sorry, my OCD was killing me." He said and I smiled.

"Didn't peg you as the kind of guy who would need to be neat." I said as I stood there awkwardly.

"You can have a seat." He said as he gestured to his bed. "I promise, I'm not going to hurt you."

"That's kind of hard to believe considering I was your target." I said.

"I was your target as well, and I trust you." He said.

"Why is that?" I asked. "I've given you no reason to trust me." I explained. "But you've given me a couple to trust you, and I'm still hesitant."

"Go with those instincts Clary." He said. "What are they telling you to do?" He asked.

"They're telling me to trust you. Wholeheartedly." I said honestly.

"Than follow them." He said. I took a seat on the bed, but I was awkwardly on it, which caused him to laugh. He walked over to me and picked me up unexpectedly, and threw me on the bed, and I squealed like a little girl.

"Okay, you just lost some trust." I laughed and he smiled.

"Look, tonight has been weird. You went to that bar to find me, and I went to that bar to get a feel for who you are." He said. "But than I had an amazing time with you, and something changed. You were no longer just my mission, but someone that I could see myself getting to know better." He explained. "Than you were almost killed twice, and that didn't sit well with me. At all. And here we are, practically enemies, who for the time being are going to be spending all of our time together, since Imogen won't let you wonder the Institute by yourself." He said. "I want you to feel comfortable. I don't want you to be looking over your shoulder constantly, and fearing that everything I do, or offer you is a trap. I get that's how you were trained, but when you're in the Institute, it's a safe place."

"I'm not used to that." I said honestly. "At Headquarters, I had to watch my back in every hallway, every room, and every staircase." I admitted. "It didn't matter that we all worked for the same company, we are assassins and our job is to kill."

"That's no way to live." He said and I shrugged.

"I had on advantage." I said. "No one ever messed with me because they assumed I was going to go tell my father." I laughed. "If they only knew that I wouldn't even say good morning to him unless absolutely necessary, things would have been a lot different."

"How did you get through it?" He asked as he joined me on the bed. "Being alone."

"Training is a huge factor." I said. "If you spend your whole life training, there is no need for friends."

"But who do you train with?" He asked.

"The instructors mostly." I said. "There was this one guy, his name is Hodge, he pretty much taught me everything I know. He also worked with my parents when they were active."

"So, you come from a line of assassins as well?" He asked and I nodded.

"My parents were active when yours were." I said and he looked shocked.

"Really?" He asked and I simply nodded. "Maybe they know what happened to your mom."

"You mean, maybe they took her out?" I asked.

"No." He said. "I know why Imogen has a vendetta against your father, but my parents don't have the same agenda."

"Why is that?" I asked.

"Your grandfather killed my grandfather." He said and my jaw dropped. You would think I'd be used to hearing this by now, but I wasn't.

"Why?" I asked.

"Bad blood I assume." He said. "Imogen was already pregnant with my father, so they never met, and she's been out for blood ever since. I guess you were the perfect target for her."

"That really sucks." I said and he nodded.

"So, onto less depressing matters, what would you like to do before bedtime?" He asked and I laughed.

"I'm kinda hungry." I said and he smiled.

"Lets go grab a snack." He said and I nodded.

He led me to the kitchen where I sat at the bar stool, and he gathered ingredients for a snack. According to him, the perfect late night snack was a grilled cheese, and it sounded so wonderful that I didn't even question him on it. He put the pan on the stove and started grilling. I got us both something to drink and I sat there watching him cook, and the entire time I couldn't get the smile off my face.

Celine POV:

"What are we going to do?" I asked Imogen.

"We interrogate her." She said. "Get every bit of information about Valentine out of her as we can, and than strike."

"But will that really work?" Stephen asked. "You heard her, she doesn't have a relationship with her father."

"And you believe her?" Imogen asked.

"My son believes her." I chimed in. "And I believe my son."

"Your son can be blind." She said.

"No, you can be blind." I spat. "You've been letting this anger, and hatred fuel you since the day Marcus was murdered." I said and her eyes went cold. "Its all you ever think about, and its all you care about. Why not just let it go?"

"Because my husband was murdered by that psychopathic family, and I will deliver him justice." She all but yelled. I was about to continue when I heard laughing. I looked at Stephen and he heard it too. Knowing Imogen was going to be a frigid bitch for the rest of the evening, I decided to see where the laughter was coming from. Stephen followed me out, and than came Imogen, because she had to be involved in everything. The laughter was coming from the kitchen, and when I peaked my head around the corner, Jace was standing there cooking, while Clary sat at the breakfast bar watching.

"Oh come on, that can't be real." Jace said and Clary laughed again.

"I swear, it's more than real." She said.

"What's the point of it?" Jace asked with the biggest smile on his face. One that I've never seen before.

"To punish people, duh." She said and he smiled.

"You're telling me, Valentine built a guillotine in the basement of headquarters, and uses it as a punishment?" Jace asked, and as morbid as that sounded, they were cracking up about it.

"Yea. You ever want someone to tell you information, threaten them with a guillotine, and they will tell you everything, right down to their Social Security number." She said and Jace laughed.

"One grilled cheese." He said as he handed her a plate. "So, besides being an assassin, do you have any other interests?" He asked.

"I love to draw." She said. "Sketching is an escape. Especially when I was younger, and I'd go weeks without any contact from my father." She said and I felt bad for this poor girl who lost her mom, and than her father just gave up.

"What do you like to draw?" Jace asked her.

"Anything really." She said. "People, animals, landscape. Whatever inspires me."

"Would you draw me?" He asked and Clary laughed.

"When I first got your file, and saw your picture, the first thing I wanted to do was draw you." She said and Jace smiled.

"Maybe one day." He said.

"Maybe." She said. I grabbed Stephen by the arm and dragged him away from the kitchen. I got him into an empty hallway, and Imogen followed.

"Did you see that?" I asked. "That doesn't look like a girl who has an agenda for mass murder."

"People can be deceitful." Imogen said.

"It comes down to whether or not you trust your grandson." I said. "And until that girl gets this whole thing sorted out, she's allowed to stay here." I put my foot down and walked away. Imogen has been ruling under an iron fist since she took over The Clave, and it was about time she learned that things needed to change.

Time Jump – Next Day

Clary POV:

I was told that Jace had a meeting with his grandmother this morning, so I was sent to the library, and his mother was meeting me there to keep an eye on me. I was looking through the classics section, and not paying any attention to my surrounding, when I heard her laugh. I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sound.

"A Tale of Two Cities." She said and I nodded. "I used to read that to Jace when he was a little boy. If we got back from a mission in time for bedtime." I walked down the little ladder I was on, with the book in hand and smiled.

"What was he like as a child?" I asked curiously. "I peg him as the kind of boy who had lots of energy." I said and she laughed.

"That he was." She said as we took a seat on the chairs. "Which was one reason we started him in training so young. We thought it would be a good release. We didn't know he would love it so much." She said.

"When Jace and I first met, he said something to me about you and his dad, and I know it's the truth, but I can't imagine it blooming into what you have today." I said and she nodded. "He said you guys had an arranged marriage." I said and she nodded.

"Yes." She said. "Being an assassin is tough, as you know. It's easier to marrying someone who understands your life, because outsiders tend to freak out a little." She said and I laughed. "My parents weren't the greatest. I don't think they wanted a girl to be honest, but they had me." She said and I let out a dry laugh.

"I know the feeling." I said.

"They were in charge of Idris, the London equivalent of what The Clave is here." She said. "So, when Imogen came to Idris to discuss something with my parents, some international business, she saw me, and thought I'd make a good wife for Stephen." She said and I nodded. "My parents pawned me off the moment she asked, and I came to New York, and I haven't been back."

"How did you two do it? You didn't know a thing about each other, and you had to get married." I asked.

"You know, any relationship just has to grow." She said. "I never disliked Stephen, but I also didn't know him, and our marriage was a little strange at first, but within the first two years, we just spent all out time getting to know one another, and eventually we just fell in love." She said with the warmest smile on her face. "And after that, we decided that we wanted to have a family, and Jace came along, and it made me so grateful that Imogen came to London and asked for me. I couldn't picture my life without Jace in it, and although Imogen can be quite difficult, she does do things that are pretty selfless."

"I'll have to wait and see for that I guess." I said and she laughed.

"I had to do the same thing." She said. "I was convenient for Imogen when it came to marrying Stephen, but I'm thankful for it every single day."

"I'm sorry I almost assassinated your son." I said and she smiled at me.

"I'm thankful you didn't, and I'm thankful he brought you here." She said and I looked at her with confusion. "You two, there is something there."

"Oh – I – no – there isn't anything going on." I stuttered and she laughed.

"Would you like to know the last time I heard Jace laugh as genuinely as he was last night?" She asked and I simply nodded. "He was 13." She said and my jaw dropped. "And for the life of me I can't remember why he stopped, but it was amazing to hear it again."

"I don't want to let you down Mrs. Herondale…."

"Celine." She cut me off. "Please call me Celine. I'm not Imogen." She said and I laughed.

"Well Celine, I don't want to disappoint you, but Jace and I come from two different worlds despite the similarities." I said. "Nothing is going to happen."

"Oh sweetie." She said as she cupped my face with her one hand. "Sometimes, some of the best things in life, are those we never think are possible." The library door opened and Jace walked in with a smile on his face.

"Grandmom wants to see you mom." Jace said and Celine nodded and stood up. She walked over to him and kissed his cheek. "She isn't pleased, so you must have pissed her off last night." He said and she laughed.

"That woman is never pleased." She said before leaving the library. Jace made his way over and took the seat where Celine was just sitting.

"A Tale of Two Cities." He said. "One of my favorites."

"Celine said the same thing." I smiled.

"You're on a first name basis with my mother?" He asked and I nodded. "Well, she must like you."

"She very nice." I said and he smiled.

"So, what would you like to do today?" He asked.

"You mean I have liberties?" I asked in a shocked voice, but I was a little shocked.

"You aren't our prisoner Clary." He said. "We just don't want you leaving this building if someone is out there trying to kill you." He said and I nodded. "So, what would you like to do?"

"I don't know." I said honestly. "I'm not used to doing anything but training."

"Well, today you can do whatever you want." He said and I thought about it for a minute.

"I'm not allowed to leave this place right?" I asked and he got a wicked smirk on his face.

"We can sneak out." He said. "As long as I'm with you, we can do anything."

"You know I'm not a damsel in distress right?" I asked and he laughed.

"I'm aware, but I want to protect you." He said honestly.

"Why do you care?" I asked before he had the opportunity to leave the room. "I mean, before yesterday I was your target, why the sudden change?"

"I told you last night." He said. "There is this connection I felt, and that changed everything."

"That's the only answer I'm going to get isn't it?" I asked and he smiled.

"It's the truth, and I know you know that." He said and I nodded. "So, what do you want to do today?"

"I'd really like a sketchbook, and some pencils." I said as I stood up with him, and it still shocked me with how much he towered over me.

"Than let's get to an art store." He said and I couldn't help but smile.

We back to his room, and we got changed. Izzy had left some more clothes for me, which I was grateful for. This place had a lot of secret passages, which I wasn't complaining about considering there so many agents and others wondering around that walking out the front door was impossible. We made it outside, and Jace got out a motorcycle from his garage, and we mounted it and we were off. I tighten my arms around his waist, and I couldn't help but smile.

Sebastian POV:

I've been canvasing the area for any trace of Clarissa. I missed her twice yesterday, and Valentine wasn't going to be happy about that. I knew she didn't leave the city, I had people making sure of that, but I didn't know where she went, so I was watching the bar, and local shops along that same street. I knew Clarissa has a hobby of drawing, so I figured watching art stores was a good place to watch.

I was wondering the area, looking for that signature bright red, and that's when I spotted her. She was walking towards the art shop, and she was keeping her head low. The guy she was with last night was with her, and they entered the shop. I followed inside, hiding in the aisles, waiting for her to be left alone.

Once I saw the man leave, I made my way over to her. She was distracted by something, so I grabbed my garrote, and stealthily walked up behind her and wrapped it around her neck. She dropped what was in her hands and started to struggle, which caused me to pull harder. It was rare to catch her off guard, but I did it, and now she was going to end. She was starting to give up when I felt a hand on my throat, shoving me away from her and against the wall.

"Big mistake." He said.

"Let go." I chocked out.

"So you can try and kill her? Again?" He asked. "You know, for someone who's job it is to kill others, you are really shit at it."

"You don't know a thing about me." I managed to get out.

"But I do." Clarissa said as she rubbed her throat. "Sebastian, I knew you hated me, but this is a low, even for you."

"I was assigned to assassinate you." I said and she narrowed her eyes at me.

"That's not possible." She said. "My father assigns the missions…"

"Exactly." I chocked out as his hand got tighter around my throat. Before I knew it, I felt a sharp pain ripped through my abdomen. I looked down to the best of my abilities and saw Clarissa removing a dagger from my side. "Bitch." I said.

"Let's take him in." She said to the guy.

"That's risky Clary." He said.

"He won't see anything." She said, and that made me curious.

"How?" He asked her. She got this glimmer in her eye. She grabbed a towel and put it over my nose and mouth. I tried my best to stay awake, but eventually I lost consciousness.

Jace POV:

"So you know him?" I asked as he lay unconscious on the ground.

"He works for The Circle. He always tried to one up me, and get on my fathers good side. I guess he succeeded." She said.

"I can't believe your own father put a hit out on you." I said and she sighed.

"I guess this is what he always wanted." She said and I grabbed her hand.

"I'll call The Clave, we'll take him back, and figure this whole thing out." I said and she nodded. "In the mean time, pick something out, its on me."

"You sure?" She asked and I smiled and nodded. She went to walk away, before stopping and turning back towards me. She leaned up and pressed a kiss on my cheek. "Thank you." She walked away from me and I couldn't stop smiling. I texted my mom, and asked her to get a van here immediately, but didn't tell her anything besides that. I went to join Clary, and I got her a sketchbook, and some pencils and charcoals. By the time we were done, the van was there. The men loaded his body into the back, and Clary and I got on my bike and we made it back to The Clave, where we were greeted by an angry Imogen.

"What the hell Jonathan?" She yelled. "She wasn't to leave this building and I made that clear."

"She wanted some art supplies." I said, but that wasn't a good enough excuse apparently.

"And now we have a member of The Circle in our hospital wing." She yelled.

"He tried to kill Clary with a garrote." I said. "And Clary is the one who stabbed him. I was just chocking him."

"Who is he?" Imogen asked Clary.

"Sebastian Verlac." Clary said. "He's been with The Circle since he was 12."

"And your father trusts him?" Imogen asked.

"He trusts him enough to execute a hit on me, which he was very bad at. I mean, three attempts, and I'm still here." She said and I smiled.

"Will he prove useful?" Imogen asked.

"There is only one way to find out." Clary said and she nodded.

"Go back to your room." She said as she looked at me. "And stay there." Clary and I nodded before heading towards my room. When we got there we both took a seat on my bed and didn't say a word.

"I haven't been punished like this since I was like 6." I finally said and Clary started laughing.

"She's terrifying." She said and I nodded in agreement. "I can't imagine growing up under her thumb."

"It wasn't my favorite, but I had plenty of distractions." He said and I nodded. I picked up my new sketchbook and started sketching, I needed to distract myself, and this was the perfect way. "Plus it helped that I grew up with Alec and Izzy." He continued.

"That must have been nice. Training with people in your age level." I said and he smiled.

"It was, and they are practically my siblings." He said and at that moment, there was a knock on the door. "Come in." He said and in walked a little boy. "Max, I thought you were away with your parents."

"We just got back." The little boy said. "Something about The Clave harboring an enemy." He said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Do you even know what that means Max?" Jace asked the little boy.

"Not really, but mom and dad didn't seem too happy with the news." He said than his eyes fell on me. "Who is that?"

"My name is Clary." I said to him. "I'm the enemy." I said with a wink and he got into his little fighter mode.

"Stay back Jace, she's dangerous." He said and Jace laughed.

"She's not that dangerous little buddy." Jace said and I playfully punched him. "I'm keeping her out of danger."

"Can't she do it herself?" Max asked.

"Yes, but her father is the one putting hits out on her." Jace said and I sighed.

"Why would he do that?" Max asked.

"He's not a very nice man." I said honestly. "He doesn't really care about me."

"But that's what parents do. They care about you." Max said innocently.

"Not always Max." I said and he looked at me with sad eyes.

"I was instructed to come get you for dinner." Max said after a moment.

"I assumed I would be missing dinner tonight." Jace said with a laugh.

"I'm just doing my job." Max said as he held his hands up and left the room.

"You heard the little dude." Jace said as he stood up. "It's dinner time."

He reached his hand out to me and I grabbed it and he pulled me to my feet. We made our way back to the kitchen where Imogen, Celine, Stephen, Izzy, Max, and another boy who I assume would be Alec, and than two other adults were standing.

"This her?" The older woman said.

"Yea." Imogen said. "Maryse, meet Clarissa Morgenstern." She said. "Clarissa, this is Maryse Lightwood."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." I said and she looked at me.

"You look just like Jocelyn." She said.

"You knew my mother?" I asked.

"Quite well." Maryse said. "Her death was a tragedy."

"Do you know how she died?" I asked curiously.

"You mean you don't?" Maryse asked and I shook my head. "You father killed her. In cold blood." She said and my breath hitched. My eyes filled with tears. I looked up at Jace and than I ran. I didn't know where I was going, but I couldn't stay. I found a room, when I opened the door I was greeted by thousands of flowers. I ran into it, and found a bench and just let it all out.

Jace POV:

After Clary ran off, I looked at Maryse.

"You couldn't have done that in a more subtle way?" I asked.

"I wanted a genuine reaction." Maryse said. "That was as genuine as you get."

"You just told her how her mother died." I said. "She's probably been trying to figure that out for years, and you drop the bomb."

"This whole thing is very odd Jace." Maryse said. "If she was in here because her father put a hit out on her, I wanted to make sure she didn't know about it beforehand."

"I could have told you that." I said.

"You're too involved." Maryse said.

"I am not." I argued.

"Yes you are son." My dad chimed in. "You care about her. More than you're letting on."

"Everyone can see it." Izzy said. "It's not a bad thing, but your concern is for Clary, not for The Clave."

"Why can't I be concerned for both?" I asked.

"Because that splits your priority, and right now, Clary is more important to you." My mom said.

"If that's what you all believe, than I'm going to go find her." I said.

"This place is huge Jace." Izzy said. "How the hell are you going to find her?"

"Clary likes beautiful things." I said without even thinking about it. "I'll start there." I said before leaving the kitchen. I didn't think that caring about someone would ever get me kicked off a project, but I couldn't help but care. I wanted to protect Clary, and that was something I wasn't used too.

Clary POV:

After I finished crying, I started walking about the garden. It was absolutely breathtaking. Everything about it screamed delicacy, and nurturing. Something that I wasn't used too. I walked up to a bushel of red roses and smelled them. The sweet smell filled my nose and I couldn't help but smile.

"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." I heard and when I opened my eyes there stood Jace, holding a red rose. He handed to me and I took it from his hands.

"How did you find me?" I asked.

"I took a guess." He said and I nodded. "I love this place."

"I can see why." I said. "It's beautiful."

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"Absolutely devastated." I said honestly. "I was trying to figure out how she died for years."

"I figured as much." He said. "That kinda thing just doesn't get pushed under the rug."

"I can't believe my father did that. To his own wife." I said.

"Some people are just messed up." He said.

"Can you picture your father doing that to your mother? Killing her in cold blood?" I asked.

"My father is too in love to ever do that to my mom." He said with a laugh. "He acts like she hung the fucking moon or something." He said and I laughed.

"And my father ordered a hit on me." I said. "Why even get married and have a kid if you're just going to kill them off one by one?" I asked.

"I have no idea." He said. "I can't imagine doing to the person I loved or my own child. It's fucked up in more ways than one."

"And now I'm a nomad." I said. "I belong to no one. Is it weird that it feels slightly better than belonging to The Circle?" I asked and he laughed.

"You aren't a nomad. You have us." He said and I looked at him.

"Like you want to bring in a Morgenstern, and start sharing information." I said. "Imogen would never allow that."

"You haven't proven to be a spy yet. They have no reason not to trust you." He said.

"My name is more than enough." I pointed out.

"But my mom likes you." He said and I laughed. "And soon everyone else will too." At that moment, my stomach decided to growl. "How about some dinner?" He asked.

"That sounds great." I said and we both stood up. We walked back to the kitchen where everyone was still gathered.

"I'm sorry that I dropped the bomb so insensitively." Maryse said after a few moments of silence. "I wanted a genuine reaction, something that proved you weren't in Valentine's inner circle."

"I am as far out of the inner circle as you get when it comes to the workings of The Circle." I said.

"It's just very odd." Maryse said. "You're his daughter."

"Who he ordered a hit for." I pointed out. "Look, after my mom died, or was killed, my father basically left me out to dry. I rarely saw him, and when I did, it was either to be yelled at or to be assigned a mission. That's all our relationship was."

"But you're the best assassin your age. I mean, 75 kills at only 17, with only being in the field for 4 years." Maryse said. "How did you do it?"

"Being thrown aside by my father came with some perks." I said with a humorless laugh. "I trained every single day, every hour I could. I perfected every single skill I could, and didn't socialize like a lot of the other assassins. When a mission came along, my father knew I could get it done, and that's all he cared about." I explained. "So I got sent out on 5 times the missions other assassins did, and I always came back with a job excellently executed."

"Would you go back?" Imogen asked. "If you had the opportunity."

"Going back is signing my own death sentence." I said. "I never belonged there in the first place. I was simply born into the wrong family."

"That's not a straight answer." Maryse said.

"If I had the opportunity to go back to that asshole, I wouldn't do it." I said.

"Where would you go?" Celine asked. "Now that you're free?" I looked up at Jace and he gave me a smile. I knew he wanted me to stay, but I also didn't feel like I belonged here either.

"Honestly, I'm not sure." I said. "In two days I turn 18, and I'm officially an adult." I explained. "I might just take some time and lay low. Fake my own death, make my father believe I'm no longer a threat, and hopefully he moves on." I finished and they all looked a little stunned.

"But you're only 17." Celine said.

"I grew up fast." I said. "I knew how to cook when I was 12, and I learned how to drive when I was 14. I've been taking care of myself for as long as I can remember. I think I'll be just fine on my own for some time."

"Clary." Jace said but I shook my head.

"I know what you're going to say." I cut him off. "But I don't belong here either." I said as I turned to face him. "Maybe this is the end of my life as an assassin. Maybe this is the start of my new life. A free life." I said as I smiled at him, albeit a sad smile, but a smile nonetheless. "I'll be okay."

"When will you leave?" Maryse asked, well that didn't take long.

"Before Sebastian is healed." I said. "I don't want him to know about me, and I certainly don't want him following me." I said as I turned to Celine and Imogen. "Thank you, for taking me in even when you didn't trust me." I said and Celine smiled at me. "It meant the world to me, and I'll never be able to repay you for your hospitality, no matter how forced it was."

"Take care of yourself out there sweetie." Celine said as she walked over and gave me a hug. "If you can, let us know how you're doing."

"We'll see." I said and she smiled.

"I was just starting to come around to the idea of having another girl around here." Izzy said and I turned towards her. "It would have been nice."

"Take pride in being the only girl." I said. "It means you're a total badass with some seriously insane skills." She laughed and walked over and gave me a hug, which caught me by surprise, but I liked it. "Thank you for lending me the clothes. I appreciate it, even though it wasn't really my style." I said and she laughed.

"No problem." She said. "Keep em, as a reminder of us here."

"I couldn't forget you even if I tried." I said and she smiled. Than I turned towards Jace. "We may have been each others targets, but I'm grateful for everything you've done for me. Including saving my life three times." I said with a laugh.

"You don't have to leave Clary." He said.

"Yes I do." I said. "I'm never going to be trusted here, and I don't want to live somewhere that I'm not wanted, or where I'm constantly looking over my shoulder. I've been there, and it's not fun."

"Clary." He said but I put my hand over his mouth to shut him up.

"I'll never forget the kindness you showed towards me Jace." I said. "I'll forever be indebted to you, and hopefully one day, I can make it up to you." I leaned up and pressed my lips to his cheek before leaving the room to grab my things and make my escape.

Jace POV:

After Clary left the room it was radio silent. I have to admit, I didn't expect her to leave. I thought she'd hide out here for a little, and than we'd figure out a plan to get back at Valentine, and than she'd be free. It never crossed my mind that she would leave, and now that she was, I felt a void in my life, and I hated it.

"I didn't expect her to leave." Imogen said.

"You heard her." I said. "She didn't feel wanted here, can't imagine why."

"I understand why she did." My mom said and I looked at her. "I know the feeling of being unwanted by your family, and feeling like you don't belong. I've been there. It sucks." She said. "I got my out when Imogen came and asked me to marry her son, Clary's only out is to disappear. She wants a free life, and shacking up in here until we do something about her father isn't living."

"But she's safe here. I can protect her here." I said without thinking.

"I know it's tough to let her go." My mom said. "But it's what she wants, and maybe in the future when she comes back, or if she comes back, you get the opportunity to do something about these feelings." She said and I sighed. "But don't make her stay for you selfish wants and needs. She needs to do this, and you need to be big enough to let her go." I knew my mother was right, but that didn't mean I liked it.

"I'm not hungry anymore." I said. "I'll be in my room." They all nodded and I left and headed towards my room. When I opened the door, Clary was already gone. I sighed and made my way over to my bed, when I saw a piece of paper folded on my bed. I opened it up and it was a rough sketch of myself, with a little note.

Dear Jace,

I know you want me to stay, and as much as I would love to stay and be apart of something, I just can't do that right now. I need to do this, and I hope you understand. If I can, I'll let you know how I'm doing, but don't get your hopes up. I can't risk my father finding out where I am. Please know this Jace, our time together was something I treasured, and I hope you did as well. It seemed only fitting that I return that game of two truths and a lie for you:

1. I have a tattoo on my left hip of a rune – truth (my mom used to call me her angel, so when I was 15 I got an angelic rune there so that she was always a part of me)

2. I'm scared to death of dying – truth (You saving my life meant more to me than I can possibly explain)

3. I'm not going to miss you – lie (I'm going to miss you more than I thought was humanly possible)

Yours truly,

Clary.

The picture of me was amazing, and I laid back on my bed and just thought about how much I was going to miss this beautiful redheaded girl, who started off as a simple mission, and who stole my heart faster than anyone ever has before. Her being gone was going to kill me, and I wasn't ready for it.

Time Jump – Six Months Later

Jace POV:

"Come on Jace, it's your 21st birthday, and Alec is bringing Magnus along. It's going to be a blast." Izzy said.

"I'm not in the mood to celebrate Iz." I said for the 90th time.

"You're not in the mood to do anything but sulk." She said. "I get that you're sad, but it's been six months. You need to live a little."

"I haven't heard from her." I said almost desperately. "If I just got something that told me she was okay, I'd be a little less depressed."

"You said it yourself, she didn't want you to get your hopes up about her contacting you. If it isn't safe for her to do it, she's not going to do it." Izzy said.

"Logically I know that." I said. "I know that she needs to keep a low profile, but that doesn't make it suck any less."

"You're in love with her, aren't you?" She asked and I looked at her.

"I have strong feelings for her, yes." I said.

"Its not a crime to be in love Jace." Izzy said.

"It's not that." I said. "I just – I've never felt like this before. I've never been…in love before. I don't want to jinx it."

"And when you see her again, you'll feel it again." She said. "Come on, we're going to that really shitty bar you like so much." She said and I sighed again. "What?"

"That's the bar I first met Clary at." I said. "I haven't been back since."

"Well, it's time to face a fear than." She said. "Be ready in 5 minutes." She said before leaving my room. I got up and got dressed since I knew I wasn't winning this battle.

We got to the bar and it was pretty crowded. Izzy went to meet Alec and Magnus at the table, and I was getting our drinks. When I got to the bar, the same bartender from all those months ago was there, and the minute she saw me, she smiled.

"Well, look who we have here." She said. "What can I get you handsome?"

"One rum and coke, and a martini. With extra olives." I said and she nodded.

"Haven't seen you around lately. I even saw that redhead before you." She said and that grabbed my attention.

"You saw Clary?" I asked.

"Yea. About six months ago." She said. She reached under the bar and pulled out an envelope. "She told me to give you this the next time you came in." She said and I took the envelope. "Have a great night." She said and I grabbed the drinks and went to find Izzy. When I got to the table, I put our drinks down and just looked at the envelope.

"What's that?" Izzy asked.

"Apparently Clary came here and asked the bartender to give this to me the next time she saw me." I said.

"Well, what's it say?" Izzy asked.

"I haven't read it yet." I said honestly. She snatched it out of my hands and opened it.

Dear Jace,

Happy Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Birthday, and whatever other holidays you celebrate. I have no idea when you're going to go back to the Hunters Moon, but I had to at least give it a shot. I figured out where I'm going, but I'm not going to give you any specifics. I'm not staying in the country, that would be stupid. I think I'll try my luck over in Europe first, but who knows where I'll end up. I hope you're doing well, and that everyone at the Institute is figuring out what to do with Sebastian and my father. Nail their asses to the wall if you have too, I've given up caring about the only family I have left. I hope you're happy Jace, and I hope you're out there living because it's a precious gift, and you should never take it for granted.

Yours truly,

Clary.

When Izzy finished reading it I had a small smile on my face. She reached over and put her hand over top of mine.

"See Jace, she wants you to live as well." She said.

"I know, and I think that's exactly what I needed to get me out of this slump." I said and she smiled.

"Well, here's to you Jace. Happy birthday, lets get wasted!" She said and we all clinked glasses. I couldn't help but smile as we sat there and talked about everything and anything. Thankfully Alec told Magnus about our line or work, and although he was slightly freaked out at first, he realized that he'd rather have Alec in his life, than not, and it made it a lot easier to hang out with him and not worrying about letting it slip. The past six months have been hard, but I was thankful to have friends like Alec and Izzy to pull me out of that slump.

Time Jump – Six Months Later

Jace POV:

"We're sending all three of you on a mission together." Imogen said.

"Why?" I asked curiously.

"This target is a little more complex than our average." Imogen explained.

"How so?" Alec asked.

"She has a thing for boys with black hair, and blue eyes." She said as she looked at Alec. "That's her only type."

"So why send Izzy and I along?" I asked.

"Because she will admire Izzy's beauty, and instantly want her to be her friend. She thrives off of people who notice her and her entourage." Imogen said.

"That still doesn't explain me." I said.

"You have similar features to her brother." Imogen said. "Same height, same build, and same hair color. You'll need to wear colored contacts to make your eyes green, but that's an easy fix." She said. "You three all have something that she wants. And you're going to give it to her."

"What's out time limit?" Izzy asked.

"You have two weeks to compete this mission." She said. "That's all." We grabbed the file and walked out of her office.

"I have to act straight." Alec said and we all laughed.

"Nothing you aren't used too." Izzy mocked and Alec glared at her.

"Camille Belcourt." I read the name. "I hope you're ready to die." I said under my breath as I continued to read her file. She has been a very naughty girl, and I hope that this mission doesn't need the two weeks we're given.

Time Jump – Hours Later

Jace POV:

"It was a pleasure meeting you three, and Isabelle, we must get together and go shopping together." Camille said, and Izzy smiled.

"Absolutely. I can't wait." Izzy said, but those who knew Izzy, knew that was her fake voice.

"See you later Blue Eyes." She winked at Alec, and she smiled back at her. "Jace." She said before walking away. We let her get a safe distance before we all got out of there.

"Who knew there was a woman out there who was no affected by Jace's charm." Izzy said and we all laughed.

"I'm not her type." I said. "Can't please everyone."

"Mark this date down in history ladies and gentleman! Jace finally admitted not everyone woman is going to like him!" Alec cheered and I punched his arm.

"Knock it off." Izzy said. "I think it's refreshing that you're the one who has to do the flirting. Considering Jace has really lost his game since meeting Clary." She said and just hearing her name hurt my heart, but I've lasted a year, and as much as it sucked, I was trying to stay optimistic, and continue living life, just like Clary would have wanted.

"I could still attract women if I wanted too." I said. "I just don't have the desire anymore."

"Because you're a one woman man now." Izzy said and we all laughed.

We got back to the Institute, and were walking through the hallway going to debrief Imogen on our contact that was made today. Her office door was slightly opened, and I just took that as a sign that we could walk right in. the minute I opened the door, I saw familiar vibrant red hair sitting in a chair. Imogen and Clary stopped talking and she turned around and her greens eyes locked with mine.

"Clary." I said and she smiled at me.

"Hi." She simply said, and just hearing her voice made me want to break out in to a song and dance.

"Your hair's longer." I said, and I could have just kicked myself for how stupid that sounded. She smiled and looked down at it.

"Yea, it is." She said.

"Okaaaaaay" Imogen said. "Isabelle, Alexander, why don't you two debrief me while these two take a walk." Imogen said. I looked at Alec and Izzy, who were both smiling. I looked back at Clary, who was now standing and we both walked out of the office. The walk was silent, and I totally forgot how short she was. I knew exactly where we were going, and when we got to the garden doors, I opened them and we walked in.

"I forgot how beautiful this place was." She finally said.

"I forgot how beautiful you were." I said automatically and she turned around. "Actually that was a lie. I could never forget how beautiful you are." I said and she blushed. "What are you doing here?" I asked after a moment.

"It's a long story." She said.

"I have time." I said and she laughed, and damn was it good to hear her laugh.

"My father found me in Bangkok about 4 months ago." She said. "I went deep underground and tried to wait him out, but he's a patient man." She explained. "Eventually I knew that I was going to have to face him, and when the time came, only one of us was walking out of there alive."

"You killed him?" I asked astonished.

"I had no choice." She said. "He wanted me dead, and I didn't want to die."

"What happened after that?" I asked.

"I went back into hiding. I knew I was a target for his loyal followers. Thankfully Sebastian is no longer a treat other wise I probably would have had a high price on my head." She said and I nodded. Sebastian died shortly after his stay here with us.

"What made you come out of hiding?" I asked.

"After I decided to go to New Zealand." She said.

"Why there?" I asked.

"It's somewhere I've never been, and I've always been a fan of Lord of the Rings." She said and that kinda surprised me.

"Really?" I asked and she laughed.

"Me and Middle Earth go way back." She said and I couldn't help but smile. "So after about a month there, I decided to test my luck in the States." She said and I nodded. "I started in Hawaii, and I just inched my way back to New York."

"That doesn't explain why you're here." I asked.

"Hodge found me." She said. "He told me the truth about The Circle. How we strayed from our original mission, how Valentine was being watched closely, and it was only a matter of time before the whole organization was shut down." She said.

"And that ended with you in Imogen's office?" I asked.

"I didn't have any other place to go." She said. "After I talked to Hodge, he went into hiding. The rest of The Circle was arrested, or whatever, and according to the files, Clarissa Morgenstern is dead."

"How did that happen?" I asked.

"Hodge." She said. "He told me I had no business getting mixed up in that situation. So he stamped out my file, and I no longer exist."

"Holy shit." I said and she nodded. "You never called. Or wrote." I said after a moment.

"I know." She said. "I didn't know what to say, and after a few months I figured you just moved on and forgot about me."

"I could never forget about you Clary." I said honestly. "No matter how long it's been, you will always be on my mind." I said and she nodded.

"How have you been?" She asked.

"I've been good. We're currently on a mission, so things are pretty normal around here."

"Normalcy." She said. "I'd kill for normalcy again."

"You can have that Clary." I said and she looked at me. "Stay here with us. Join our cause."

"Jace." She said, but I wasn't letting her go this time.

"Whatever you are about to say Clary, save it." I said and she looked at me. "You left. For a year. And I accepted that, but this time, I'm not letting you leave."

"Why do you care so much Jace?" She asked. "You have everything here, why does it matter if I stay or not?"

"Because I'm in love with you." I said and her jaw dropped. "And I have been for a long time. You leaving was hard, and every month that passed was hard. I don't want to do that again. I want you here, and I want to explore whatever is between us."

"You're serious?" She asked and I smiled.

"More serious than I've ever been." I said and she smiled. I took a chance and leaned down and pressed my lips to hers. I had dreamed of what it would be like to kiss her, but this exceeded my expectations beyond belief. When we broke apart, I couldn't help but smile and neither could she.

"I still don't want to be a burden." She said.

"We'll go talk to my parents and Imogen. We'll get everything sorted out." I said and she simply nodded. I reached my hand out and she took it, and I lead her out of the garden. When we got back to Imogen's office I knocked on the door.

"Come in." I heard and when I opened the door, Imogen and my parents were in there. "Is everything okay?" Imogen asked.

"Everything is good." I said as I walked Clary in.

"Clary." My mom said as she walked over and gave her a hug. "When did you get back?"

"Today." She said. "I didn't have anywhere else to go, so I decided to test my luck with Imogen." She said and my mom smiled.

"It's wonderful to have you back." She said and Clary smiled.

"It's nice to be back, and not on the run or hiding." Clary said with a laugh.

"I can't even imagine the year you've had." My mom said.

"It wasn't the greatest, but it could have been worse." Clary admitted and my mom nodded.

"Would you like some dinner? I was just about to make something." My mom said.

"Dinner sounds great." Clary said and my mom smiled before practically skipping out of the room. My dad followed after and that left us with Imogen.

"I take it you're going to be staying for a little while." Imogen said.

"If that's okay with you." Clary said. "I could find somewhere else to stay."

"Don't be silly." Imogen said. "You're more than welcome to stay here." She said with a smile.

"Thank you." Clary said. "I appreciate your hospitality."

"Of course. Take your time settling in, and just relaxing for as long as you need." Imogen said and Clary smiled. I took her hand and lead her out of her office and back to my room. When I opened the door Clary walked in and sat right on my bed, and everything felt in order.

"We have spare bedrooms if you want to stay in one of those." I said. "I'm not going to make you stay in this room like you had to before."

"I'd kinda like to stay in here." She said hesitantly. "I've been alone for a year. I kinda want a roommate again." She laughed and I smiled.

"My room is your room than." I said and she smiled.

The rest of the day went by pretty normally. We all had dinner together, and everyone got to know a little more about Clary, and I just couldn't keep my eyes off her. I was incredibly happy that she was back and that she was going to be staying here for however long she planned. Things felt like they were starting to fall into place, and I couldn't wait to see where the future took us.

Time Jump – Three Years Later

Clary POV:

"Be careful out there." Jace told me for the 100th time.

"Aren't I always?" I asked and he smiled.

"I hate that I'm not going with you." He said and I took his hands in mine.

"This is a solo mission for a reason." I said. "Plus, you'll be looking out. I'll be fine."

"But I always feel better when I'm next to you." Jace said and I couldn't get over how sweet he was.

"I doubt I would be able to lure my target if my boyfriend was attached to my hip." I said and he laughed.

"Which brings me to another point. Give me some clue as to when you have to be touchy and flirty. Just so I'm prepared." He said and I laughed.

"I'll cough." I said.

"Deal." He said before he kissed me. "I love you. Stay safe."

"I love you too." I said before I grabbed my bag and headed out. It was an amazing feeling to be apart of something that was doing some good in the world. I didn't have to give up who I was, but I also was doing something good for society, and I got to do it with Jace, which just made it so much more rewarding.

Time Jump – Eight Years Later

Jace POV:

Things have been so incredibly extraordinary in the last 8 years. When Clary was 23 we decided to get married. Since our line of work came with unknown outcomes, we didn't want to prolong it. And when Clary was 26, she gave me the three greatest gifts that I have ever received.

Finding out Clary was pregnant was one thing, but finding out she was pregnant with triplets was another level of shock. My mom and Izzy and even Imogen were freaking out about it for her entire pregnancy. And when we finally found out the genders of the babies, it just elevated the excitement. Three girls. I was going to be the father of three daughters, and from the moment I laid eyes on them, I knew I would do anything in the world to protect them.

They just recently turned 4, and Izzy threw them a huge party. They had a blast. She rented a pony, and a moon bounce, and a cotton candy machine. Needless to say they were hyped on sugar that resulted in a huge crash at the end of the night. They slept through the night, and into the late morning after that, and Izzy has been banned from planning any future parties.

Faelyn, Quinn, and Vienna were the most precious children you'd ever meet. All three of them had strawberry blonde hair, and golden eyes with specks of green throughout them. I could already tell that they were going to get Clary's height, considering the doctor already said they were behind in that area, but I didn't mind. They were healthy, and that's all I cared about.

For being triplets, they were pretty different, but that just added to their character. Faelyn was fearless. She is always the first of the three to try something new. She started walking first, she started talking first, and she always made sure everything was safe before either of her sisters got involved. For a four year old, she was very protective. Quinn was pretty quiet. She wasn't very adventurous, but that was okay. She got the upper hand of the other two when it came to reading. She picked up a book one day, and started reading it to Clary, and to this day, you can't find her without a book in her hand or tucked under her arm. She didn't need to be constantly entertained like the other two, which was nice. You stick her on a couch, or a blanket, give her a book, or a coloring book and she was taken care of. Vienna was a combination of the two. She was always up for an adventure, but she was also content hanging back and relaxing. She was a nice bridge between Quinn and Faelyn. It was like she tied the three together, and it didn't matter if Faelyn wanted to go swimming, or Quinn wanted to sit down and read, she was always game to do either of those things, as long as she was with her sisters. Vienna also had the ability to pull Quinn out of her comfort zone, and get Faelyn to calm down when need be. They were perfect, and Clary and I couldn't believe we got to lucky with the three of them.

It had been a long week. Clary and I were on a mission and it took longer than expected, but we were finally getting back to the Institute, and we couldn't wait to see the girls. Although my mom did enjoy her time with the three, and she absolutely loved being a grandma. We were walking through the Institute and I had my arm around Clary's shoulders. It was around their bedtime, so we were hoping that we got a chance to see them before they were asleep. I saw light from the bottom of their door, and when I opened it, they were all sitting on the bed listening to my mom talk. The minute they heard movement, their attention shifted, and they were off the bed in a heartbeat.

"Mommy!" Faelyn cheered.

"Daddy!" Vienna said at the same time. They tan into us, and Clary picked up Faelyn and I grabbed Vienna and Quinn.

"We missed you so much." Clary said as she kissed Faelyn.

"We missed you too." Vienna said.

"It was a long week." Quinn finally said and I couldn't help but smile.

"Did you have fun with Grandma?" Clary asked.

"Yes!" They all cheered together.

"Good." I said. "But it's late, and it's time for you three to get to bed." I said as I walked them over to the bed. "Thanks for watching them mom."

"It was no problem sweetie. You know how much I love watching my grandbabies." She said as she gave Clary and I a kiss. "Goodnight my sweet angels."

"Goodnight grandma." They said in unison. She gave them all a kiss before leaving the room.

"Daddy." Faelyn said.

"Yes baby?" I answered.

"Can you tell us a story?" She asked.

"What kind of story?" I asked.

"How you and mommy met." She said with the biggest smile on her face.

"Okay." I said as we tucked them in. I got situated at the bottom of the bed, and Clary sat next to me. "Well, as you know, mommy and daddy have a dangerous job." I started and they nodded. "And at one point mommy and I were on opposite sides." I explained. "So, we were each assigned a mission."

"We were each others targets." Clary said. "Do you know what that means?" She asked.

"It means you were hunting each other." Quinn said.

"That's exactly what it means." I said. I knew they were only four, but this was apart of their life, and we weren't going to lie to them about what we did. "My plan was to get to know your mommy, and make her fall in love with me." I said and the girls giggled.

"And my plan was to ignore every attempt he threw at me so that he would get so frustrated that he let his guard down." Clary said.

"What happened?" Vienna asked.

"My father decided that he didn't want me around anymore." Clary said. "So he had one of his men put a hit on me. Do you know what that is?" Clary asked.

"It means they wanted to kill you." Quinn answered again.

"Exactly, and daddy ended up saving my life. Three different times." Clary said as she smiled at me, and I leaned forward and kissed her, which caused the girls to giggle again.

"That's pretty much the whole story." I said.

"That's it?" Faelyn asked and Clary and I laughed.

"Not every story is a long and complicated one sweetheart." Clary said.

"I know." She said and I leaned up and kissed her head.

"We love you all so much." I said and they all smiled.

"We love you too daddy." Quinn said.

"Group hug." I said and the girls tackled me and I pulled Clary into it and they were all laughing and I couldn't believe that this was my life. Once the girls were tucked in and yawning, and barely keeping their eyes open, we shut the light out and made our way to our bedroom. The minute we landed on the bed, the exhaustion hit.

"I love you Jace." Clary murmured, and I couldn't help but smile.

"I love you too Clary." I said as I kissed her forehead. Her breathing evened out shortly after and I couldn't help but laugh. I got ready for bed and pulled the covers over my body and was about to turn off the light when the door opened. I looked over and there stood the girls. "What's wrong?"

"We missed you." Faelyn said.

"And it's raining." Vienna said and that's when I heard the rain.

"Can we sleep with you?" Quinn asked getting to the point.

"Absolutely." I said. They all ran to the bed and got comfortable. Clary shifted slightly as Faelyn cuddled into her arms. Quinn cuddled into mine and Vienna got settled in the middle of us. Their breathing evened out and I shut off the lights. "Goodnight my little assassins." I said barely a whisper, not expecting an answer.

"I'm not little." Clary said in a groggy voice and I just laughed and closed my eyes surrounded by the best ladies in the world.

Authors Note:

Okay, so many of you requested a one shot about assassins, and I got inspired a couple days ago, and this one took me some time, but I finally finished it, and I have to say, I really enjoy this one shot! It kinda went in it's own direction, but I like where it ended, and I hope you all do too! I know it's been a while since I updated, but I promise, I'm trying my best! And since it's been so long, this one shot is over 16,000 words, so I hope that makes up for my small hiatus! Let me know what you all think and leave a review! :)