It was too bright. Jace felt as if someone had taken the sun in their hands and thrust it into his face before shaking him awake. His entire body ached but he didn't feel any permanent damage from his encounter with the man in the street. He lifted his head and looked around the room but there was no sign of Clary or anyone else for that matter, not wanting to sit there until someone came to see him he threw his legs over the edge of the bed and braced himself for pain in case he wasn't one hundred percent yet. When his feet met the stone floor he was surprised that he felt fine, there wasn't much pain other than a dull ache but even that was manageable, he noticed a slight sting on his hip bone and lifted his shirt to see a small rune that he'd never seen before. He smiled as the image of Clary hovering over him, stele in hand her green eyes squinting while she concentrated on creating a rune, her delicate fingers tracing the shape before she finished.
He turned to face the clock and noted that it was now late into the evening about 9 o'clock, looks like I slept the day away, he thought to himself before he whipped his head around to double check the clock. The date was displayed in the right corner and if this clock was right he'd been asleep for two days.
He turned on his heels and raced for the doors practically throwing himself against them to get them open. He ran down the hall and was in the training room in seconds grabbing the closest seraph blade he could find before rushing back down the hall to the dining hall where he hoped everyone would be if they were alright. He'd passed out before he'd gotten the chance to tell any of them what had happened so no one knew there were people after Clary, there would be no one to protect her Jace thought wildly.
He rounded the corner skillfully jumping over Church who lay sprawled across the hallway and he saw the dining room in the distance, a soft yellow glow spilled into the dark hall making a small patch of light near the doorway, he could hear soft murmurs coming from inside but his adrenaline was still high and he wasn't able to stop himself from running through the doorway and whipping his head side to side until he found Clary. She was asleep at the diner table her red curls splayed across her arms that she was using as a pillow and she was surrounded by people. Magnus and Alec sat across from each other but on either side of Clary and Simon and Isabelle were sitting side by side at the other end of the table.
They all turned their heads to see a very disheveled looking Jace. His hair was a tousled mess and his shirt and trousers were wrinkled from having been slept in. His eyes were wild and searching until he saw Clary, after a quick once over the tension in his shoulders eased but he still looked like a mad man wielding a glowing seraph blade in his left hand.
"Jace is there a reason you came barging in here sword in tow or should we expect this kind of entrance to become a usual thing?" Magnus asked in a hushed voice obviously trying not to disturb Clary. Jace looked at his hand as if he'd forgotten he'd had the blade, then he placed it down gently on the table and took a seat at the head Clary, "I thought I looked rather dangerous." he countered smirking at Magnus who was wearing a purple suit with a dark orange vest underneath. Alec slid a bowl of some kind of broth down the table to sit in front of Jace the sleeves of his hoodie pulled up past his elbows.
"I had to make sure Clary was okay." Jace said his tone suddenly subdued.
"Why wouldn't she be?" Simon asked his hand absently playing with the bracelet around Izzy's wrist. Isabelle was watching Jace curiously her sheer white blouse was buttoned only halfway revealing a tight black tank top underneath that made her look like she was ready for a relaxed business meeting.
"I suppose you're all wondering why some psychopath had the audacity to attack me on my way back yesterday?" Jace asked dipping a spoon into his steaming bowl of soup .
"No not really. There are a lot of people who hate you enough to kill you." Jace almost spat his soup out as Clary lifted her head smirking. "Oh but do tell." she said winking at him.
"Well nice of you to join us miss Fray, have a nice little cat nap?" He asked raising one eyebrow at her. She was about to open her mouth to answer when Isabelle stepped in trying to hide a smile,
"Weren't you about to recount the dramatic tale of the young boy who braved taking on the infamous Jace Herondale?" she asked dropping Simons hand to throw a dinner roll at Jace, who caught it in the air and took a bite right from the middle.
"As. I. Was. Saying before I was so rudely interrupted by a certain red head." he started looking directly at Clary who blushed slightly but Magnus guessed it wasn't from embarrassment. "I was attacked by the same man that jumped Clary a few days ago except this time it wasn't just him there was some strange women with him." Jace went on to explain his encounter from entering the diner to dragging himself back into the Institute while everyone sat quietly until he was done.
"Well why are they after Clary?" Simon asked propping his elbows against the table after he was done trying to flatten his hair that Isabelle had been running her fingers through to make him look like he'd just rolled out of bed.
Jace let out a sigh and locked eyes with Clary "They're working for Sebastian." he said sounding defeated, he slumped back against his chair and let his head fall against it sending a loud thump echoing through the room. Clary had gone very still at the other end of the table and Jace wanted to jump across it and pull her into his lap while whispering that everything was going to bee okay but he didn't think that was something Clary would appreciate in a room full of people.
"Well what should we do, I mean judging by this display I'd say Sebastian's little minions won't be giving up any time soon." Isabelle said pulling her long black hair into a high ponytail and looked over at Jace expectantly.
"I say..." Clary said her eyes fixed on the table, "I say we see what he wants." She raised her eyes her gaze meeting Jace's who kept his expression neutral,
"Well then I guess we'll need a plan." Alec announced standing from his place at the table and heading towards the library with Magnus following close at his heels. It didn't take long before Simon and Isabelle left as well leaving Jace and Clary alone in the dining room the only light coming from the candles that hung around the room. Clary didn't say a word she just stood up and walked out of the room towards Jace's bedroom.
He followed after her his footsteps sounding down the empty halls, he noticed her shoulders were sagging ever so slightly and her eyes were cast to the floor, her red curls cascaded down her back and Jace let his eyes roam. She was wearing a deep burgundy long sleeve shirt that was tight at the hips and in the chest giving her the perfect hourglass shape, her dark jeans made her legs look longer and she'd gone without shoes wearing only her socks.
Clary felt Jace's eyes on her so she straightened her back and lifted her chin, she didn't want him to know how afraid she was, how much she never wanted to see Sebastian again and the guilt of knowing that he was attacked because of her was almost unbearable. Ignoring his hurried steps behind her she pushed past the door and into his bedroom where a fire was already crackling in the grate, it cast a golden glow about the room and when she turned to face Jace the light set his golden eyes on fire. His hair fell in a gentle sweep across his forehead and and his shirt was hanging loosely on his shoulders, he stayed near the door and watched Clary as she turned away from him and sat down on the carpet in front of the fire. Her red hair looked darker than usual and her skin was glowing, when Jace finally decided to sit next to her she was lost in thought her eyes focused on the burning embers.
"You okay?" he asked pulling one knee up to clasp his hand lazily over his leg. She turned to him her eyes wide and her voice laced with worry "You're asking me if I'm okay? You were just attacked and..and-" she stopped herself, her eyes were shining like she was trying not to cry and she lifted her hand to his cheek, he closed his eyes and let her touch relax him. Before he'd seen her in the dining room he'd been so sure that something had happened to her.
"Jace I don't want to do this. I don't want to see Sebastian and put everyone in danger" She whispered letting her hand fall back into her lap. He opened his eyes slowly and looked down at her, sometimes he forgot just how small she was. "Clary no one will make you do this. You know that and if don't want to then-"
"No it's not that." she interrupted. "Well it is that I don't want to do it and if there was something I could do that would guarantee I'd never see Sebastian again I'd do it in a heartbeat. It's just-" she looked away from him starting to chew at her lip nervously. "Clary.." he tucked his hand under her chin and lifted her face to look at him "tell me."
"I'm afraid Jace. With my mom and you and Sebastian popping up I don't know what to do." Clary pressed her palms against her eyes in frustration why did everything have to happen all at once. "Clary everything's going to be okay. We've survived tougher and you have all of us right behind you. That is unless we go into battle in which case I'd rather be in front of you, I find it gives me a better advantage when it comes to protecting you." Clary took her hands away from her face and smiled up at him before she punched him lightly in the arm, "you sure we're gonna be okay?" she asked her eyes huge in the dim light. "I'm sure." he replied softly pulling her into his lap, she nestled her head in his shoulder and listened to his heart beat until they were called downstairs to discuss what to do about Sebastian and Clary's mom.
So I know that this one is short and I apologize but I quickly whipped this out of thin air last night since I was away from any internet source for a few weeks. Never in my life had I thought I would be so addicted to the internet that going weeks without it felt like hell! But I am back again and special thanks to sharkgirl20132013 thanks for your review! Um and if you happened to have anything you wanted to see happen send me a message girl because I like to please the people :) And shout out to Alison thank you so much for your review! (Is it terrible my brain went straight to teen wolf when I saw your name) And thank you to everyone else who took the time out of your days to read and review on my story keep em coming lovelies! :3