Disclaimer: I do not own the Mortal Instruments series.


Clary huffed annoyed for the fifteenth time this night, her anger rising with each huff she breathed out and she was getting worried since she tends to act out when she hits a certain point of anger and she just starts doing stupid things that she later comes to regret.

This night would prove to be no different.

Jace has made yet another joke about her being jealous, he had taken every opportunity to make fun of her. If someone was jealous in the movie, he would say she looked just like them when she was jealous earlier and every time he saw the color red he would comment that her cheeks would flush red at that shade when she was jealous earlier.

While Clary on the other hand had tirelessly denied being jealous over him, and to be honest with herself, even if she was jealous earlier and that for some reason she liked Jace, this would have put a definite end to that.

"I was not freaking jealous" Clary sank her face into the palm of her hand, frustration getting the better of her.

"You know if you just admit to yourself that you like-"

"Jace you know what's funny is," Clary looked him over, suddenly jumping up, effectively cutting him off as she pinched the bridge of her nose tightly, "That it seems that you desperately want me to be jealous over you".

"Well it would be quite flattering" Jace said smirking as he reached his arms back, giving Clary full view of his lean muscles, as he leaned back to rest his head on the palms of his hands, not even bothered by her words. It seemed like nothing ever really bothers him.

"I wouldn't think you'd like that very much" Clary said rather dryly.

"Why not?"

"Because the day I would be jealous over you will be a cold day in hell" Clary yelled out the last part, "And I wouldn't want you to catch a damn cold, demon boy".

"Do you guys want some chocolate? I'm going to get myself some" Izzy said at half time break, getting out of her seat, stretching her legs out and shifting her weight from one side to the other as she cut off Jace and Clary's conversation as she guessed correctly any minute longer now would possibly end in Clary killing Jace.

And who would blame her really?

Yes, please take me. Clary thought as she so desperately wanted to leave Jace before she chokes him out in a room full of witnesses. "I'll go with you".

"I don't think it is such a good idea, you seeing that girl again, especially since you are so j-"

"Say jealous one more time. I dare you, Jace Herondale" Clary narrowed her eyes, a clear warning in her tone as she got up from her seat, ready to take up Izzy's offer when she heard Jace mutter quietly behind her 'jealous'. "Oh by the angel, you know what, Jace?"

"What?" Jace asked infuriatingly and Clary stomped out of the theater without saying another word, her mind going crazy as she looked over the counter for that girl. Once she found her she strutted there to capture her attention, putting on her best fake smile yet.

"Hi, remember me? I am the rude girl from earlier" Clary said as she leaned forward on the counter.

The girl had a wary expression and she moved a step or two backwards before she answered, "Yeah?"

"Well you remember my friend who was with me, right? Do you like him?"

"I- I mean I-"

"Don't stutter" Clary instructed and the girl nodded, all of her attitude from the earlier encounter fading as Clary pinned her with her eyes, "Yeah, he looks cute" the counter girl said.

"Great" Clary beamed happily, "Do you want me to give him your number?"

"Why would you do that?" the girl asked hesitant but Clary could see she was interested by the way she started walking closer to her and leaning forward.

"I have a gift, I see when two people would make a great couple, call me a modern day cupid with jean jackets instead of diapers." Clary said with an offhanded smile, she knew what she was saying was bullshit and she even know what she was doing was stupid. But this is the kind of moronic things she does when she is angry. "So, what do you say?"

The girl seemed to think it over, and Clary would give her props for not jumping up instantly at the offer. The girl at least has some self respect. Not a lot in the intelligence department but then again she hadn't heard Jace open his mouth yet so there is still a chance for her to prove Clary wrong. Finally the girl nodded and pulled out a piece of paper from under the counter and wrote her number down as well as her name which Clary didn't even bother to read in her anger.

"Can I get the candy now?" Izzy asked interrupting the two and the girl nodded asking Izzy what she wants with a beaming smile on her face. When Izzy gave her the order, the girl rushed to get them and Iz turned to Clary with a raised eyebrow questioning, "What are you doing?"

"I am sick of Jace calling me jealous, so I got him a date with what's-her-face" Clary shrugged in an off tone.

"Are you sure you want to do that? And are you doing it because you are not jealous or because you want to prove you are not jealous?" A worried look crossed over Izzy's features and Clary sighed.

"Oh for the love of the angels, Iz if you think I am jealous-"

"Nope" Izzy raised her hands up as if in surrender and backed away a step and a half, Clary pleased by this nodded finally satisfied, when the girl came back with their order and Izzy paid her excitedly as she immediately started digging into it.

The two walked back to the theater and Clary slammed the small paper note with the girl's name and number on it right on Jace's forehead and said "Here, you have a date. Call her in whatever number of days that doesn't make you look like the asshat you are".

Clary rolled her eyes as she plopped down in her seat, remembering when Jace was telling Maia what number of days passing was okay for guys to call you. The look of shock Jace had from the smack and then her words were enough to lighten her mood to a great extent and the sound of Magnus and Izzy laughing at it got her mood skyrocketing.

She could swear she even caught Alec smirking slightly before she looked at him fully and his expression turned back to scowling at her.

She would later come to regret that decision but the pure bliss of this moment was unreal. She saw him try to say something and she hushed him with a finger on her lips, "Hush, movie starting".


After the movie ended they all left happily, after getting the chance to focus on the second half of the movie instead of hearing Jace constantly talk over in her ear about how jealous she is, Clary realized the movie was actually great.

Unfortunately for her, that also gave her more time for her thoughts to register to what she had actually done and the fact that she was, to her horror, indeed jealous. A deep regret of her decision immediately washed over face as she paled brightly, her realization that she now actually set Jace up with a beautiful, probably nice, girl.

And they will be going on a date sometime soon.

In her defense it seemed like a good idea at the time, but thinking about it after she calmed down made her anxious and regrettably more jealous than she was when the girl flirted with him.

What did she do? The horror of that thought clouded her mind as a deep mental groan left her.

And the fact that she was upset about this made her even more anxious. What does this mean? How can she like him this much? This has never happened. She had promised herself over and over again that she will not let this happen and yet it happened.

She had hoped it would be a little crush and would hopefully pass or dimmer with time but it just kept intensifying.

It was probably a cold day in hell.

You know what? No. This will not upset her, this is a perfect opportunity to stop liking Jace because if he is dating someone else she won't like him anymore. Probably.

"I loved that movie" Izzy said excitedly.

Alec shrugged, "It was okay".

"Can you please be impressed by anything?" Iz said, almost annoyed.

"What? I said it was okay" Alec argued.

"Now Alexander, this may shock you but okay is not that enthusiastic" Magnus said, a hint of a smirk on his face.

"I know. And that's why I said it was okay and not enthusing" Alec joked and Clary almost broke her neck as her head whipped to look at Alec as if he was growing a second head right then and there. Alec? Joking? When did this start happening?

"Do you guys want to go eat? I am starving" Jace suggested as they started heading out.

"Is that okay with your mom, Clary?" Iz asked, making Clary immediately reach for her phone smiling when she saw no missed calls.

"Well if she hadn't called to say she's gonna kill me then it's okay with her" Clary said, smirking.

As they headed out, Jace had stopped to look over the counter girl and he winked at her and waved slightly, making the girl blush and giggle. Clary rolled her eyes with a hint of annoyance.

A voice inside scolded, You don't get to be mad about this, this is your doing.

Yeah.. Well.. sometimes I do stupid things. She answered the voice back.

Sometimes?

She felt an arm drab over her shoulders and the rush of electricity immediately sparkled over the touch and she knew who he is, without even looking, hell without even taking a whiff of his intoxicating body smell. Why does he have to smell so perfect?

"You know" he whispered slightly in her ear as he showed her the note of the girl's number, "I would tear this up right now, if you would just admit you were jealous".

Heat shot straight down, from her throat to her lower stomach as a slight fluttering from her heart shocked her and almost made her lose her cool, which she tried so hard not to. Her heart just screamed for her to admit it and let him tear that paper up, maybe kiss him afterwards.

The thought of kissing him left her a mess as she imagined his soft lips taking her in with wild hunger and a need so deep and raw, one of her fingers in his hair and the other scratching at his back as he pulls her closer to him.

Get a grip. She scolded herself irritated by her own behavior.

And yet, she conveyed no emotion in her tone as she said, "Have fun on your date". And she walked faster, making the arm he had on her shoulders slip back to his side as she paced faster next to Izzy who was talking with Magnus something about clothes.

Indeed it was a cold day in hell.

They had two cars, Jace was driving one while Alec drove the other and Clary wondered quietly How rich do you have to be to take two separate cars to the same place?

With a roll of her eyes, she wondered which car should she go in. She saw Izzy who hopped quickly next to Jace and Magnus sat next Alec in his car, leaving Clary in a dilemma. On the one hand if she goes with Alec, he might actually kill her, on the other hand if she goes with Jace she might kill him and since he is the driver they would crash and it would kill her too.

What a tough decision.

In the end, after much pondering she made a decision that she will go with Jace because in that option at least she would get to kill him. Also Izzy shouted at her 'Get your ass in or I'm coming down to drag it and you inside', that helped too.

Clary figured that with all her wandering thoughts she didn't notice when they agreed on a restaurant, because Jace seemed to know exactly where to go. She listened offhandedly to Iz and Jace talking as she sat in the back in her own world.

She had assumed they all agreed on pizza and she shrugged, not upset that she missed the group decision and was rather happy with the outcome. Her phone buzzed and she picked it up, seeing the text from her mom, saying she is working late and Clary texted back a quick 'okay', not bothering with telling her mom she will be late as well.

"Tell him Clary"

Clary was pulled back to the car by the sound of Izzy calling her name and without even knowing what the conversation was about she immediately shot up, "Izzy is right".

Izzy smiled triumphant as she crossed her arms over her chest and twisted one leg over the other, looking smug while Jace scowled, looking back at Clary in the mirror "You don't even know what she is talking about, let alone if she is right or wrong".

"Doesn't matter, Izzy is always right" Clary shrugged proudly as she realized she was annoying Jace for once.

"I am so glad you said that" Izzy said, her smile growing bigger, shocking Clary out of her amusement and turning all of it into worry.

"I'm gonna regret that, aren't I?" Clary questioned as she looked at Izzy.

"Oh I will make sure of it" Izzy said nodding ecstatic.

She turned to Jace, "I walked right into that one, didn't I?"

"Stupidly so, yes" Jace said grinning and Clary scowled.

"Anyways" Iz said with a roll of her eyes, "I was saying that I'm thinking of getting a tattoo".

"A tattoo?" Clary wondered.

"And I said it would be an awful idea" Jace said.

"That's rich coming from the guy with the million tattoos" Iz shot back.

"It's not a million." Jace argued.

"You have tattoos?" Clary's eyes widened as she looked over Jace. He didn't even give her a moment to question or wonder over by herself before he pulled his shirt up and Clary leaned forward to examine, hoping she didn't look too eager to see Jace shirtless. Her eyes raked over the wonderfully drawn black ink, covering most of his chest and toned stomach, each with a different symbol but all had the same style, like they were part of a language that she didn't understand.

Her eyes lingered just a moment too long, trying to take all of him in, heat welling at her lower stomach as a certain fluttering in her stomach twisted wildly, her fingers itching to draw all of him and capture every single ink on paper, wanting to know what they mean but she refrained. Realizing she was now ogling, she turned away sharply and leaned back in her chair, hoping her cheeks weren't as red as she imagined they would be.

"They're uumm.. cool" Clary said with a shrug. Yeah, they were more than cool, they were deliciously hot.

"Admit it, you like them" Jace said smirking.

I won't admit shit. "I admit you seem very eager for me to like them. As eager as you were to think I was jealous over some girl flirting with you" Clary said, "Something you would like to confess Jace?"

"I confess" Jace started a dirty smirk playing at his lips as he looked back at Clary through the rear view mirror, "I have sinned".

"Color me shocked" Clary said with the most dry tone she could muster.

"Well I think you are a big hypocrite Jace" Izzy said with a roll of her eyes, getting back to he main subject, or at least the subject she preferred .

"And I think you are gonna be dead meat if Maryse knows you got a tattoo" Jace said.

"Well then don't tell her" Izzy argued.

"No one has to tell her, that woman just knows" Clary recognized the name as Izzy's mom and she was shocked at the tone of familiarity and fondness Jace had for her.

The car parked into a parking lot and she noticed Alec's car park close just seconds after, through the window she could see Alec and Magnus were smiling and laughing, she hadn't realized how good looking Alec is when he is not glaring at her. His pale skin just accented his deep blue eyes and dark black hair, his features hard at the jaw and soft at the nose and lips and his smile was enchanting.

Well compared to the scowl she gets when Alec looks at her, everything is an upgrade.

When they got out of the car, Alec scowled slightly as he caught sight of her. Well, there's a look. What was he hoping for? That she would disappear in the car ride over?

They walked and headed to the counter to order, Clary had refused any kind that didn't have cheese in the crust and they argued over what sizes to get and which toppings until Izzy just snapped and talked to the cashier, "That's it. One pepperoni pizza and one mushrooms, cheese in the crust and a huge bottle of coke."

"Anything else?" The cashier said with as little enthusiasm as possible as he leaned further down on his arm, looking depressed.

"Yeah a booster seat for my little sister" Magnus said as he pulled Clary in for a 'brotherly hug' and she scowled, smacking his chest and pushing him away, glaring as the rest of the group laughed.

"No problem. That's 42 euros" the cashier said, not picking up on the joke, just looking at his screen with an uninterested, bored expression.

Clary took out a 50 euros from her purse first and handed it to the cashier. The others started arguing, immediately reaching for the fifty and the cashier looked up, bored and his tone dull as he said "Please let her pay and don't drag me into a lame who gets to pay quarrel".

The group all leaned back in shock as Clary's mouth twitched into a half smile as the cashier gave her back her change and they went to sit down.

"Wow, that guy makes Alec look like a melodramatic princess" Jace said.

Alec let his expression drop as he imitated in a calm voice "Please refrain from calling me a melodramatic princess".

Clary hid her chuckle in her hand as she was worried the cashier would hear them making fun of him. But he had to admit it was his own fault for being so lacking of any emotional expressions. Could he be any more nonchalant?

"Yeah if anything Alec here is our little melodramatic queen" Izzy said.

"While I do believe in my own royalty, I am not sure I want my siblings in the royal heritage" Alec said as if he was pondering it over.

"You're a queen by marriage" Jace said dryly, narrowing his eyes as the others laughed but Alec pointed with his index at Jace with a considering expression on his face, pretending like Jace has a point and Clary rolled her eyes. Those boys.

Clary noticed Izzy stiffen slightly and she looked up at her to ask if she was okay, but she wasn't paying attention to her, her eyes were locked somewhere behind her. She shook her slightly and Izzy lowered her voice to a hushed whisper, "Look who just came in, but don't look".

"How?" Jace's unimpressed expression and dry tone would have fooled Clary to think he was annoyed but the gleam in his eyes was all playful.

"One at a time, Jace you look first, the others look at me" Izzy instructed, "Now Alec, now Clary".

Clary being the sneaky sly subtle person she is, whipped around sharply, turning her whole body to look back at who caused the fuzz and she saw Kaelie, Meliorn and Seelie. Ugh.

A rush of irritation passed by her as she rolled her eyes but when she set them back, the other group was staring right at her and she could faintly hear the sound of a smack, Alec's palm hitting his forehead.

"Did I say that outloud?" Clary chuckled, though no humor was in her tone. It was very close to awkwardness and slight tenseness.

"Oh I didn't know this place let in rats" Kaelie sneered as she looked at Clary, the three walking in closer.

Clary narrowed her eyes, her awkwardness flying out the window as a slight irritation arose, forming a tight uncomfortable knot in her stomach as she spit out "Well they let you in so I would imagine that should have given you a big fucking clue but obviously you don't even have the mind capacity of a rat".

"You little bitch" Kaelie screeched, making everyone's ears bleed just a little before Seelie's voice cut through, very sharp and firm and holding so much authority and confidence, "Ladies, stooping ourselves low enough for adequate insults is really childish, wouldn't you agree?"

Clary furrowed her brows, "Adequate? I think I was better than adequate".

"You were better that adequate, biscuit" Magnus confirmed.

"Insults, however graded are degrading" Seelie said, she sounded so mature for her age, Clary hadn't expected that. "Clary Fray, it's nice to finally meet you".

"You too?" Clary's tone wavered slightly, not expecting this sort or reaction from Seelie. She figured because she was Kaelie's friend that she would act just like her or maybe hate her too, that was the girl code, right? Or did she agree to help Izzy hide a body for no reason?

"Now in such a small town, I do not believe in making enemies so lightly. I do not wish to fight with your group. And since this night has had a fairly unpromising start, and you were here first, would leaving tonight be considered as making a gesture for the next time our paths cross? Think of it as extending an olive branch so we may next time sit one another in the same restaurant without someone getting his throat slashed?"

Clary stopped for a moment in shock, Seelie's words held so much wisdom, she sounded very mature and certain, confident and authoritative. But there was something in the way she held herself, the way she spoke, the way she looked at you when she was talking that left this sort of uncomfortable feeling in the pit of Clary's stomach. She decided, she couldn't trust her as far as she could throw her.

She figured it was irrational and maybe pent up frustration from Kaelie that she was ejecting on Seelie for no reason. What she was suggesting was very reasonable but with a look back at the rest of the group she shrugged.

"That's a nice gesture, Seelie. We would like that" Izzy said.

"Wonderful" Seelie said.

"What? We're leaving? For her?" Kaelie huffed out annoyed as she gestured at Clary.

"We are leaving Kaelie" Seelie said sharply, a no nonsense tone and headed out not even bothering with checking to see if the two others were following and to Clary's further shock they followed quickly.

"Was that weird or am I weird?" Clary asked as she turned back to look at the group.

"That's Seelie" Izzy said as if it wasn't obvious.

"Was it just me or did she sound very...?"

"Old?" Jace provided helpfully.

Clary snapped her fingers at his direction "That's the one".

"She's very diplomatic, her father is an ambassador or something" Magnus said.

"And she's running for Prom Queen so she is being nice to get more votes" Izzy said, focusing on the important things, as usual.

"Isn't that like a billion years from now?" Clary wondered, unsure.

"A few months" Iz nodded.

"You just had to piss her off, didn't you?" Alec said annoyed.

"Alec" Jace warned.

"I didn't piss anyone off" Clary recoiled, defensive.

"You are just too much trouble" Alec rolled his eyes annoyed and Clary huffed out, irritated as well. She hadn't sought out a fight with them, if she wanted a fight, Kaelie would have left the pizzeria with a few less teeth, in fact Kaelie was the one who went out of her way to fight Clary before and she didn't appreciate Alec's accusations, especially since she knew it was because he didn't like her.

"Aren't we all just a little too much trouble, Alec?" Jace said with a smirk, but if Clary didn't know him she would have missed the hint of warning in his eyes.

"That's different" Alec said, as Izzy's eyes widened and she shot a warning glare at the two, trying to be discrete so Clary wouldn't notice the exchange of looks.

"What's different?" Clary jumped in to ask.

"Nothing" Alec growled out, annoyed. "Stay out of it, little girl".

"My name is not little girl" Clary growled, matching Alec's tone and he narrowed his eyes at her unimpressed.

"Guys" Izzy stepped up to break the fight.

"Biscuit, I believe you are a tad too angry" Magnus said, as he looked Clary with warning, a clear attempt to calm her down. It didn't work, obviously but it was at that moment that Jace's hand took hers, breaking her starring contest with Alec.

The shock snapped her out of her anger and the shivers his touch sent under her skin had a soothing effect that she didn't expect. "How about we all take a breather? We're ordering pizza. We can't be angry around pizza and we can't share pizza with people we are angry at. It shames the honor of pizza" Jace joked lightheartedly.

"Jace is right, ridiculous, but right" Magnus provided.

Clary looked at Jace, her anger subsiding and she sighed, looking back at Alec "Sorry".

"And Alec don't you have something to say to Clary?" Izzy asked.

Alec looked back at Clary with seriousness "If your anger issues had height they would be taller than you".

Izzy smack Alec at the back of the head as Jace burst out laughing, Alec let out a small 'Ow' and Magnus gave him a pointed look that made Alec sigh, "Fine, sorry".

"Good, now children if I hear you fighting again, I'm giving you both a time out" Jace said, making all of them roll their eyes at him and he just smiled not offended as he should be.

Clary just shrugged not wanting to talk about Seelie anymore, since she really didn't care if that girl ran for Prom Queen or the Queen of England Court, she didn't trust her though. And she didn't mention her again, especially since at that moment their order was ready.

The group munched into the pizza, hungrily as they talked about irrelevant stuff, but in the back of her mind Clary couldn't help but remember Alec and Jace's words. They were talking about something that Alec clearly didn't want her to know about, and it seemed like something that they were all in on it.

Clary took a breather, deciding not to think about it. If they wanted to keep a secret from her, what right had she to judge?


Soft music played in the car, failing at drowning the voices of Izzy and Jace arguing as Clary sat in the back trying to decide between laughing at the two or hitting them both in the back of the head. They reminded her of her and Jonathan when they were younger, they acted like real siblings which shocked Clary.

"Turn right next" Clary had instructed as she caught sight of the last turn before her house. Alec had offered driving Magnus, with much enthusiasm as Clary noticed, while Jace offered to drive her and Izzy decided to come with Jace and her.

"You live here?" Izzy asked and Clary could detect a hint of disgust in her tone or at least horror, "Ow".

Clary turned back from looking through the window at her house when she heard Izzy wince in pain and she saw her rubbing her arm in a soothing matter while Jace glared at her. Had he pinched her?

"Your mom isn't home yet?" Jace asked, obviously noticing the lights out in the entire house and not a car in sight.

"Yeah I guess so" Clary said, she was probably working late but her shift should end in an hour or so.

"Are you sure you are okay being alone at night?" Jace asked and Clary was pulled back to look at his face which had concern written all over it, she stopped a soft gasp from escaping her lips, every time she looked at Jace she couldn't help the small fluttering of her heart and the tightness in her lungs. The sort of tightness that comes with excitement.

"Yeah, I'm okay" Clary said, she wasn't afraid of the night. Monsters were out in the day light, they didn't cower in the night as fairy tales lead you to believe. She knew that first hand. "Thanks guys for the ride. I had so much fun".

"We had fun too, goodnight Clary" Izzy said as Clary stepped out of the car. Clary headed out for the house but stopped at the top of the stairs, her steps flattering and softening slightly as she caught sight of the door open just a bit so it wasn't visible from afar.

Her mother would never have left the door open. Her heartbeat accelerated as terror filled her, the coldness of the air felt more notable now and a cold shiver passed by Clary. Her mind clouded with thoughts and possibilities of scenarios going inside.

She wondered if she even should.

With a deep breath and soft footsteps, making sure not to make too much noise she reached for the door and opened it slowly which to her dismay creaked. She mentally cursed, scrunching her nose up as fear bottled inside her.

This should be good. She thought grimly.

She didn't turn on the lights and headed for the kitchen, quickly grabbing a knife in her hand. She was trained for this. She hoped to God it was some thief and not him, but she could never be sure.

She stopped and listened for sounds, a creak in the tiles of the floor or maybe curtains moving. Once she was sure she was backed into a wall and no one would suddenly pop up behind her, she turned the lights on in the kitchen. No one was there.

She breathed out, relief and anxiousness bubbling up inside her at the same time as she headed for the living room next. Still nothing. But the sort of tightness in her stomach, a sick feeling in her gut that something was wrong didn't waver or slight.

She would have liked to point out to the angels that if she were to be killed now it would be very anti-climactic so they should try to keep her safe. But then again she would be biased to her own death so who knows.

She looked over the stairs, ready to check the second floor, a quick glance up to see that nothing was in sight when she suddenly felt the odd sensation of being watched. Someone standing behind her. She closed her eyes, letting out a soft breath, her quickening heart doing nothing to ease her fear. She turned around sharply and holding the knife out to the intruder behind her ready to strike.

"Jace?" She whispered, half in shock when she saw him with the lights on, making her freeze in her place. What was he still doing here? She would have thought he and Izzy left already.

"Woaho" Jace stepped back a foot as he looked her over and she lowered her weapon just a bit embarrassed.

"Sorry" she muttered softly whispering. She was anxious, she didn't want him here because if something were to happen, she didn't want him in the middle of it and possibly... "What are you still doing here?"

"Before I drove off you seemed... tense, scared. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. Clearly you're not" Jace said, eyeing the knife in her hand.

"It's nothing just stress you know, you should go now" Clary said, trying to keep any of the anxiety she actually felt out of her voice and portray a picture of calmness.

Jace eyed her for a quick moment up and down and she squirmed back, feeling exposed under his stare. "You know," he said licking the top of his lip, "I am getting better at figuring out when you are lying to me".

Clary stiffened, immediately thinking of a response, denial was her first choice of action but before she could make up an excuse Jace continued, "Clary, you're shaking. You're scared. What happened?"

Was she? She hadn't noticed. She didn't stop to think, because stopping for too long would bring back all the things she didn't want to think about at this moment. She shook her head, when she noticed Jace coming closer to her, his hands finding her arms and pulling her closer to him so that they were barely a foot apart. She looked up into his golden orbs conflicted, she didn't -couldn't- lie to him, "I found the door open.. I, it's stupid".

It was stupid. She was on an entirely different continent, he couldn't get to her here but she was still acting like she might just one day come home an see him sitting on the couch, a cold glare as he muttered harshly 'Clarissa'.

Jace looked from her to the top of the stairs, his eyes turning from concerned to calculating, his stance turning into a wary expression as he gave the place a once over, his hand wrapping around her own to take the knife from her hand "It's not".

She grew worried again as she reached for the knife, "Really Jace it's no big deal".

He held his hand back away from her, sending her a warning look, "Do you usually leave your front door open?"

She hesitated and that was all he needed to head upstairs but she caught him by the arm, "Jace, just let it go. I'm fine".

"Clary you're scared, let me just make sure it's safe and I'll be on my way" Jace said but Clary wouldn't budge. Not happening, if something were to happen to him because of her, she could never forgive herself. Not after Simon and Jonathan. She can't let more people die for her.

"I don't need you to do that, I can take care of it" she argued back, "You can go, Jace".

"I'm not going anywhere when you're scared" Jace argued and she huffed out annoyed. She didn't want him to be a hero for her, she didn't want anything bad to happen to him.

She shook her head as she stared back, "I'm not scared".

Jace narrowed his eyes annoyed, "Why are you so stubborn? Just let me make sure it's safe."

"I don't want you to"

"Why not?"

"Because" she said quickly realizing that there would be no response to his question. And it overwhelmed her the sort of thing he would put himself in for her, he shouldn't. Why would he? If he thinks something dangerous is going on, why risk it? Why not run? Why stay? For her?

Jace waited, an eyebrow raised as if challenging her, nodding satisfied when he realized she couldn't come up with an ending to that sentence, "Just wait in the car with Iz, I'll be right back".

"I'm coming with you" Clary argued.

"No you're not" Jace growled lowly, a sort of anger rising out of him.

"Yes I am, you can't stop me" Clary shook her head stubbornly. If she couldn't stop him from trying to protect her, then she wasn't letting him go alone. If anything were to happen, if he was there, she knew she could get rid of Jace and tell him to run.

"Can't you understand that I-" He cut himself off and Clary looked up more confused than ever and he growled, "Nothing, just... stay behind me and if I tell you to run, you run".

Clary almost laughed at the irony, knowing that the situation would be reversed, she would be the one telling him to run if anything were to happen. The two stepped up the stairs, softly and quietly, Clary's anxiousness rising with each step up they took. If she were alone it would have been better.

Jace just kept finding ways to shock her, at every turn he would do something she didn't expect. Like this.

When they reached the top floor, Clary could see a dark figure in the night and all the anxiety from earlier intensified, she couldn't see a face or hear a voice but she could see his figure and panic set in her. Was it him? One of his men? She worried over, a tightness formed in her lungs as her neck throbbed, biting on her tongue harshly.

Her breathing quickened as her palms sweat uncontrollably, the only coherent thought rushing through her head now was to hold onto Jace, who reached for the light when he saw the figure, letting the light shine brightly over the shadows and Clary let a breath escape her seeing the man in her house, "Luke?"


A/N: Nice place to end a chapter, wouldn't you agree?

So big thanks to people who keep commenting and saying so many nice things, it always makes my day to know you like what I am writing, I always like to hear what you guys think so follow, fav, review. And I'll see you guys in the next chapter