Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Shadowhunters/Mortal Instruments. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and Cassandra Claire. I do own the original characters made up for this storyline. Thank you.

Writer's Notes: Thank you for following my story! I'm super excited to share this story with everyone and hope that everyone enjoys it. :)

[October 12th, 2021: The Institute]

Four days went by. It was Tuesday, and Bella officially missed her classes Monday. They were all hunkered down until Magnus showed up at the institute she was assuming. In the meantime, she spent a lot of time talking with Clary about the information that Hodge dropped on them.

"I don't understand how this is possible." Bella said, her knees drawn up to her chest, and she leaned against them. They were in Clary's room right now.

Clary tried a small smile. "Well, if it means anything, I didn't know Valentine was my father. I was just assuming that his name was Jonathan Clarke and he died when I was young. I didn't know any of this. I text my mom and she told me that she would talk soon. That was it," she sighed.

Bella had text her dad to let him know that she was okay like her normal weekly check-ins. "Should we tell Simon? "

"I don't know. I usually tell him everything you know. But I'm still processing. I went from an only child to having a sister that I wish I had when I was growing up." Clary reached a hand over and linked it with Bella's and smiled. "I'm glad that you're my sister though, no matter how we got to this place."

"Me too," Bella said and squeezed her hand.

"Want to talk about other stuff? Like that kiss with Jace?" Clary poked.

Bella sighed and flopped backwards on Clary's bed. "I don't know. Jace is…intense. It's like we're magnetic or something. I've been avoiding him the past four days. I just don't know what to say to him and then what you said about Simon. I just…" She groaned.

"Well, Simon is a great guy. We've been best friends since like second grade, and I just don't want him to get hurt. He was dating this one girl, Maia, and she sort of broke his heart. He bounces back quickly. Just don't lead him on whatever you do." Clary said and then there was a knock on her door. She got up and answered it. It was Simon.

"Hey, Magnus is here." Simon announced.

Bella shot up off the bed. "About time." She said and then she followed Clary and Simon down to the command center room.

Magnus turned and looked at Clary and Bella as they went to him and both girls hugged him. "Oh, my precious biscuits. How are you two doing?"

Bella sighed as she pulled away to look at Magnus. "I'm missing my classes, and I'm worried about my dad, and mom and just everything else."

Magnus nodded. "Well good news. Wards are up around Brooklyn. Jocelyn and Luke are coming into the institute once they finish rounding up the other shadowhunters. We have to figure out what exactly broke the first wards in order to fix the problem permanently."

"My mom is coming to the institute? And Luke? Why Luke?" Clary asked quizzically.

"Well, Luke was a shadowhunter. He technically isn't allowed on institute grounds because he's a werewolf, but in times like this, it's necessary to pool all available resources and allies." Alec explained. "Technically Magnus isn't allowed in here either, but we're making exceptions."

Magnus smiled, looking at Alec. "Thank you, Alexander. Now," Magnus clapped his hands together. "Go home, grab some things, and come back to the institute. We don't want you three on the streets long. Like I said, we don't know how good the wards are going to do when we don't know exactly what the threat is and how demons are breaking through."

Bella nodded. "Okay. How do I get to the subway from here?"

"Oh, I'll portal you back to the club and then you should be able to get to your apartment faster and portal back here." Magnus explained.

"Oh, that's all?" Simon asked. He didn't know about all the portal travel. It made him woozy the last time.

"Don't be a baby," Clary teased Simon with a smile. "Let's go." She said and Magnus nodded.

Jace stepped up. "I'll travel with them to make sure they get from place to place safely."

"No. You're needed here. Mother is coming from Idris." Alec said, and Iz rolled her eyes. Maryse Lightwood was always so stern and serious.

Bella's eyes met Alec's. He just nodded his head and she sighed. "Okay. Well let me leave before she gets here." She said and Magnus opened a portal to his club. The four of them walked through the portal to the club.

"I'm never going to get used to that," Simon groaned as he sucked in a breath.

"Hopefully, you won't have to," Magnus said and looked around. "Okay, meet back here in a couple hours. I have a few things to take care of myself. I would stay altogether." He said and then he was off again.

Clary and Bella looked at each other. "Your apartment first Bella, and then we'll drop by my house and Simon's."

Bella nodded and they left the club to Bella's apartment. It wasn't too far from the club, so It wasn't a far walk. They got to her apartment and went up. She unlocked the front door and walked in. Everything was torn upside down. Bella frowned. "What happened?"

Simon and Clary walked in behind her and Simon moved Bella behind him, and he looked around. "I'll check- "

Bella smacked his arm. "I'm not helpless." She scoffed and walked past him and looked in the two rooms, and saw nothing, even in the closets. "Whoever it was, they're not here. They could have done this four days ago." She called and went to her closet and started throwing clothes in her suitcase. She wasn't sure how long she was going to be at the institute. She grabbed her laptop. She could do her classwork remotely so she wouldn't fail her classes. Chargers, hygiene products and whatnot went into her suitcase as well. She grabbed a couple of books that she loved from the little bookshelf in the living room. "Okay, lets head to Clary's."

Clary and Simon followed Bella out and down the elevator. "Do you want to make a police report?"

"No. It's not worth it. Nothing was missing." Bella said as they walked out onto the street. "I don't own too many things. It looks like they were looking for something, but didn't find what they were looking for." She wasn't sure why anyone would ransack her place like that, but right now that didn't matter.

When they got to Clary's, the front door was kicked in, and it looked like there had been a struggle. "What the hell?" Clary said and searched around the house. She found blood in the kitchen.

Bella looked around at the disarray. It was trashed way worse than Bella's apartment. "Clary, call your mom."

Clary was trying not to panic. She took her phone out and called her mom. Her mom's phone started ringing inside the house and she went towards the sound. She found her mom's phone under the shelf that was knocked over in the living room. The screen was cracked and there was blood on it. "Someone has my mom." She said, brushing a hand through her hair. "She's hurt. There's blood on it, and there's blood in the kitchen."

Bella went to Clary and grabbed her hands. "Listen Clary. Calm down. Maybe it isn't her blood. Magnus said that she's coming to the institute. Maybe she was fighting a demon in here, and she didn't have time to clean up before rushing out. She could be safe, so don't panic right now okay?"

Clary nodded and then hugged Bella tight. "Thank you," She murmured, tears stinging her eyes.

Bella nodded. "It's okay. Let's get some things and get out of here."

Clary took a breath and moved around the house packing some things.

Simon looked at all the mess. "You believe Jocelyn is okay?"

"I have to. Right now I have to believe that so Clary will be okay," Bella said as she watched Clary carefully select the things she was bringing back with her to the institute.

Simon turned and faced Bella. "Listen…Bella I-"

"Simon. Right now, I just need to keep pressing forward. I don't want to stop to talk about things like feelings. I just can't. I'm trying to keep it together and I just need to stay strong for now. Okay?"

Simon nodded and then turned away. Bella was amazing. She was so much stronger than she realized and he wished she saw herself like he saw her.

After Clary packed her bag they headed to Simon's apartment, which wasn't trashed like theirs.

"It's because Clary and I are shadowhunters technically, Simon," Bella said as they walked through the apartment.

"Yeah, I figured as much." Simon said and grabbed a few things, and his guitar. They headed back to the club.

Magnus was waiting for them. "You got everything you need?"

Bella nodded. "Yeah."

"Okay then," he said and opened a portal. Simon and Clary stepped through first, but Magnus stopped her. "Wait."

Bella looked at Magnus confused. "What's wrong?"

"Do you have a crystal pendent? An amber crystal pendent?"

Bella hooked her thumb around the chain on her neck and pulled it out from under her shirt to show Magnus. "I've had this forever…I'm…not sure where I got it from actually." She frowned.

Magnus looked relieved. "Bella, you're more than just a shadowhunter. You hold way more power than you realize. This pendent belonged to Valentine. I'm about to tell you something that you cannot repeat to Clary." He said and Bella nodded. "Valentine and Jocelyn had another child together. His name was Jonathan Cristopher. Jocelyn thinks that he is dead, but he's not. The Clave and others believe Valentine is dead. He isn't. I'm working out the details. The only one that knows of Valentine's resurrection is Alec Lightwood. You can trust Alec. He's your brother and will protect you and this information."

"Does Isabelle know that she's my sister?" Bella asked.

"Alec said that she didn't. I've already blocked Clary's memory from it. Hodge shouldn't have told you two together. Alec doesn't want everyone knowing about Valentine and Maryse, and neither does Maryse."

"Does Maryse know about me? Why did she give me away?" Bella couldn't understand how a mother could give up their child. "And Alec is older than me, how is any of this possible?"

Magnus sighed. "You and Alec are twins. Maryse doesn't know you're alive."

"So, I'm twenty-one." She said matter of fact.

"You are, but when you were placed with Renee and Charlie, the memories planted, it's really hard to get this sort of stuff right sometimes."

"You did this."

Magnus was quiet. "I wasn't, but my mentor did. Now, go through the portal. I'm not going back to the institute. Remember Alec is the only one that knows any of this."

Bella wasn't sure what to think. She stepped through the portal and then portal closed behind her. She looked around. She was in the weapons area by herself. She took a breath. Alec was her twin brother. That could make sense. He had blue eyes though and she had brown, unless that was fake too. Alec found her in the weapons room. He went to her. He could tell that something was wrong immediately.

"Bella-"He started.

"Not here Alec." She said, her voice tight. "I just want to go to my room and out of earshot. Come with me," She said and grabbed his hand and he followed her to her room. She shut the door behind them and then turned on him. "How long have you known?"

Alec pursed his lips together. "I haven't known long. When I was at the club…Magnus came outside to talk to me. He told me these things, things I had a hard time with, but he removed a block in my mind, and some memories were there. I don't know how to explain it Bella, but I just had these feelings and I just knew that you were really my sister. I felt this odd connection with you."

Bella nodded. "Okay. But we're twins. How does that make sense?" Her voice choked up.

"None of it makes sense Bella. It makes no sense why my mother would do what she did and with Valentine of all people. He was a terrible man."

"Great. So, my father is a monster?"

"Our father is a monster. That is true. He done things that aren't great. He tried to make an army, and he consorted with demons. He wants to control them and raise an army of shadowhunters because our kind is better than humans. He thinks humans are insignificant, and before he went mad, our mother was part of the circle that believed in Valentine as a leader. Jocelyn was one of those members too. She was married to Valentine at the time." Alec explained.

Bella closed her eyes. "This is all too much. Is Bella even my real name?"

Alec nodded. "Yeah."

"Then why would Maryse name Iz after me?" Bella asked, confused.

"I think it's because she thought you died maybe. Naming Iz after you seemed right."

"And Iz doesn't know about any of this. Magnus said that only you knew about all of this."

Alec nodded. "I want to keep it that way. There is too much going on. I don't want to confuse anyone, and mother is coming to the institute tonight."

Bella blew out a breath. Tears welled up in her eyes. "I'm sorry," she said, and she moved to the door and walked out. Alec right behind her. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him, holding her tight.

"I'm not good at this comforting thing so you need to stop crying so much," He grumbled a bit.

Bella just cried into Alec's chest, confused, and hurt by everything.

Alec kissed the top of her head, like a brother would, but Jace rounded the corner right when he did that.

"Alec? Bella?" Jace looked at Alec with such shock and hurt.

Alec sighed, closing his eyes and Bella moved out of his arms. "Jace, it's not what it looks like." Alec called after Jace.

Bella moved towards Jace, but Jace was already turning away. "Wait, Jace. Stop. It's not like that."

Jace turned and looked at her. "Then what is it? You have Simon, Jasper, now Alec? We kissed Bella. I feel things for you. You're stringing all these men along?"

Bella was taken back by that. "First off. Jasper is like my brother and he's family. Simon is a friend and that is it. There is nothing there. Alec saw me crying and tried to comfort me. This is a very confusing time for me. I'm not stringing anyone along. You're egotistical and a jerk. You think you can say whatever the hell you want and just get away with it. Your words have consequences." She spat at him and turned to storm off, but he gripped her wrist to hold her there.

"I'm sorry," Jace apologized, his voice calming down. He was quick to temper sometimes, and he shouldn't have jumped to conclusions.

"And another thing. We may have kissed, but that doesn't mean that you own me Jace Wayland. I am my own person and belong to no one. If you want to get your feelings hurt when we're not even a couple, then that's on you. If I wanted to see Alec more than a friend I would," that made her nauseous to say, and Alec coughed, choking on his own spit.

Jace shook his head. "I know, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. I was just…jealous. I know this is a confusing time for you. I promise not to do it again." He said, trying to calm her down.

"No. You won't do it again. There's not going to be a nex-"

Jace bent down, his mouth covering hers, shutting her up.

Alec looked away, a pit in his stomach to see Jace like this with her. He turned around and left the two in the hallway, locked together.

Jace's mouth drank hers in. His tongue lashing over hers and Bella melted against him. She couldn't deny that there was something there between them. Some sort of feeling that made her heart flutter some. It also made her a bit dizzy. He moved with her, heading back to her room, and opening the door, and kicking it shut behind them. Bella's hands tore at Jace's shirt, and pulled it over his head, revealing his bare chest, and the many runes that covered his body like dark tattoos. His muscles rippled under her touch as her hands caressed him.

Jace's hands moved over her body, pulling at her shirt, getting it off her revealing her black shorts bra that zipped down the front. Bella urged him on, and his hands unzipped her bra, her breast springing loose. His hands were rough against her porcelain smooth skin as he cupped her breast in his hand before moving his hands down to her waist, to her pants. She undid his belt and then he moved her backwards onto the bed. She fell backwards as he pulled her pants to her ankles.

Before long they were naked together on the bed. His mouth was suckling over her breast, his tongue teasing her nipple as he traveled down her body. She arched into him as pleasure tingled through her.

"Wait. Jace," She breathed out.

He paused, leaning up, looking down at her. "Do you want to stop?" His voice wavered. He really didn't want to stop. He wanted her badly, needed her.

"Um. No. It's just I've…never."

"You're a virgin," Jace clarified.

She blushed and turned her head away. "Yeah. I dated a vampire remember. He was…afraid."

Jace smiled. "Well. If you don't want to stop…you want me to keep going? We can stop if you want if you're not ready."

Bella closed her eyes. "No. I'm ready." She let out a breath and opened her eyes and looked up at him. His hands moved over her body, his hand going between her legs. He nudged her legs apart gently, and his fingers teased over her clit. She gasped at the shocking pleasure, and then he was delving two fingers in gently inside her folds. He wasn't rough, or fast. Slowly teasing her, and she moved her hips instinctively. He watched her face as the pleasure rolled over her. His mouth went to her breast again, his tongue toying with her nipple as his hand played with her. Then his mouth moved over her belly button and to her hip. Then the inside of her thigh, and then his tongue replaced his finger, and she gasped again at the new sensation. She moaned, her hands tangling in his hair. She felt the tension build in her belly, and then she was spilling over, her orgasm hitting her and running over her.

He moved up her body, his mouth finding hers and drinking in her moan and pleasure before he positioned himself at her entrance, the tip of his throbbing cock pressed against her. He broke the kiss and looked at her, watching her face as he slipped just the tip inside at first. Her slippery fluids kissing his tip as he teased her a little more. She ached for him, and then he slipped inside slowly, giving her time to adjust to this new invasion. She stretched, feeling the few twinges of pain, but they subsided and were replaced with a new sensation.

"Are you okay?" Jace asked, kissed her mouth lightly.

She nodded. "I'm good. Keep going," she breathed.

He moved slowly, as she clenched around him so tight, every small movement sent him closer to his edge, and his control was slipping away. She felt amazing, and he knew that he wouldn't last long like this. He wasn't even sheathed all the way, because he was a bit above average for a man. He moved his hips towards her slowly and she moaned, enjoying the new feeling and moved her hips to his, sucking him inside all the way to the hilt. He groaned as his tip hit her center, as did she. It was like hitting a release button inside and her fluids rushed over him, making it wetter, hotter.

His cock throbbed more, swelling so hard that he was about to bust as he thrust in and out in even strokes, her body quaking under his as another orgasm rippled through her. She shifted, hooking her legs around his waist, making his entrance tighter, but it felt amazing to her.

"God…Bella," he moaned as he thrust forward. He moved quicker, a little harder than before as he drove towards his own release. He drew close, swelling to capacity before he threatened to spill over. He tried hanging on to his control, as he disengaged, pulling out and emptying his seed onto her belly. He groaned and leaned down and kissed her, his tongue lashing against hers.

He moved off the bed and grabbed his shirt and came back and wiped her belly clean, and then rolled in the bed with her, pulling her against his side, her head laying on his chest.

"Wow." Bella murmured.

Jace grinned, his hands lightly drawing circles on her hip. "Wow is right. Are you okay?"

"I'm more than okay. It didn't hurt really at all."

"Well, if done right, it shouldn't hurt."

"Thank you," she murmured as she closed her eyes. She felt wonderful. Every part of her was tingling from pleasure, and she didn't want it to end. She felt so relaxed, so calm, and for this moment, she forgot that everything had gone to hell in a handbasket. She soon found herself in a slumber.

Jace listened to her even breathing as he held her to him. She was this amazing person, and she was going through so much. He was a jerk. When he saw Alec holding her like that, so caring. It stung because he wanted to be the one comforting her. She was free, no entanglements with anyone, and he was acting like a jealous idiot. He had no right to be upset if she was seeing someone, or kissing someone, or hugging someone else. He had these feelings for her, and he didn't know what to do with them. He shut his eyes for a moment, and relaxed next to her, and before he knew it, he was asleep too.

Jace woke up with a knocking sound at Bella's door. He opened his eyes, and looked down at Bella, who was snuggled against his chest and they were facing each other. She was still sleeping so good. He got up and pulled his pants on, zipping them up and going to the door and opening it. Simon was standing there. "Hmm?"

"Oh, I thought Bella's room was this room," Simon said.

"She's sleeping. What's wrong?" Jace rubbed his eyes, blinking a few times trying to wake himself up fully.

Simon was confused why Jace would be coming out of Bella's room.

"Simon. What is it?" Jace was impatient.

"Oh, I was just checking on Bella. I haven't seen her since we found her apartment trashed before we portaled here."

Jace frowned, pulling the door shut behind him, stepping out into the hall. "Her apartment was trashed?"

Simon looked Jace up and down quickly. Jace was intimidating looking. His body was covered in runes, and his muscles…were bigger than his. And his pants weren't fastened all the way, and then it clicked in Simon's head. He felt a wave of dread wash over him. "Uh, yeah. Clary's house too. We found blood there, and Jocelyn's phone was broken. Hodge calmed Clary down and said that Jocelyn was fine."

Jace shook his head. "Hodge wouldn't know. He doesn't communicate outside this institute and Idris. Where's Alec?"

"He's in the command center."

"Has anyone started a search for Jocelyn?"

"Uh…"

"Do you know anything?" Jace was irritated. Hodge shouldn't have given Clary false information. He should have been alerted about this immediately. "Damn it. Tell Alec I'll be in command in a few minutes, I've got to get dressed." He grumbled and walked back in Bella's room.

Simon sighed. He thought that he would have a chance with Bella. They were doing so great, talking and actually having fun. How did Jace come in and steal the show? It was frustrating for Simon, but he wouldn't press Bella right now because of everything right now. He was going to talk to her before coming back to the institute, but she had told him she didn't want to talk about stuff like that right now. He left and headed back to the command center to tell Alec, Jace's message.

Jace sighed. He didn't have a shirt in here that he could technically use. He looked over at Bella, who was starting to stir. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked at him.

"Something wrong?" She asked sleepily.

"Not sure. Simon just said that no one is looking for Jocelyn and Hodge told Clary that she was fine. We have a shadowhunter MIA, and we need to find her." Jace explained.

Bella said up, pulling the cover up with her and frowned. "I thought that you knew already. I didn't think anything about it. We are thinking that maybe she was fighting a demon or something in the house and had to leave in a rush."

"Hodge doesn't have any communication with outside the institute and Idris. He's not allowed. It's his curse for helping Valentine. I have to go get dressed really quick and meet Alec to talk to him about this." He said and went to the bed and leaned in and kissed her quickly.

She moved to get out of bed, and he stopped her. "Jace, I want to help. Please. Let me help Clary. She's my sister."

Jace stared at her a moment and then sighed. "Okay, but don't push yourself okay? You've been through a lot too." He murmured and brushed her hair out of her face and kissed her again. He left her to get dressed and went back to his room.

She dressed quickly and made her way to the command center. "Where's Clary?" She asked as she stood beside Alec.

"She's sleeping I believe. Like you should be. Mother will be here in an hour." Alec warned.

Simon was sitting in a rolling chair. He wouldn't meet Bella's gaze and that made her frown. She brushed it aside though. "So, Jocelyn. Did Simon tell you what we found at Clary's house?"

"Yes, a few moments ago. I was handling some things back at Pandemonium after I met you outside the portal and left you with Jace. I just got back not long ago."

"How long was I sleeping for?" Bella asked.

"An hour and a half," Simon mumbled.

Bella looked over at Simon. "Are you okay Simon?"

"Peachy." He said and sighed when Jace walked in.

Jace went to stand next to Bella and Alec. "So, what are we going to do about Hodge?"

"Hodge?" Alec asked.

Jace looked over at Simon and then back at Alec. "Hodge told Clary that Jocelyn was fine. No need to worry. He wouldn't know that, and it's unusual that Hodge would be forgoing a search for a MIA shadowhunter."

Alec thought about it. "That is strange. Every shadowhunter has been accounted for since the demons rose." He looked at Bella. "Everything was trashed in just your and Clary's places, right?"

Bella nodded. "Yeah. They were probably trashing our place because Clary and I are shadowhunters."

"Or you both have the same dad." Simon chimed in. Everyone turned and looked at him. "What?"

"Simon could be on to something," Alec admitted. "Valentine is both Clary and Bella's father. But what would he be looking for? Magnus knows that Valentine is alive because he sensed his presence in Brooklyn two days ago. Which is still nearly an hour away from the Bronx, so what is it that he wants?"

Bella's hand went to her throat, her necklace. She clasped it in her hand and then she took it off and handed it to Alec. Her hand covered his and she held it there. Her eyes stared at him. "It's this. He's after this for some reason."

Alec looked at Bella, understanding her look as she took her hand away and he looked down at the necklace. "Crystalized amber?" he murmured.

Jace looked at the necklace too, confused. "It's just a necklace."

"That necklace belonged to Valentine," Bella explained.

"How do you know this?" Jace asked.

"Magnus told me," She said and looked over at Simon, who was looking from afar.

Alec sighed. "Well, it has to be important. Why would he trash Clary's place then?"

"Because I have a similar necklace." Clary said as she walked in. She took her necklace off and showed it to everyone. Her necklace wasn't amber like Bella's but Emerald in color. She brought it to Alec for him to examine. He took both necklaces in his hands, and they both started to glow a little. He moved one away from the other and the glowing stopped.

"That's odd," Alec murmured. He handed Clary back her necklace and Bella hers. "Keep those safe. They belong to you both for a reason."

Hodge walked in about then. "Maryse should be here in thirty minutes," he announced.

Alec turned, looking at Hodge. "Thank you, Hodge. Have you alerted Idris that we have a shadowhunter MIA?"

Clary looked over at Hodge, confused. Hodge had told her that her mom was okay. "You said that my mom was fine and on her way to the institute."

Hodge looked away. "I was trying not to start a panic. Jocelyn can handle herself and is capable of finding her way back to the institute."

Alec shook his head. "No, you don't know that for sure Hodge. You are not the leader of this institute. The Lightwoods are. You should have sounded the alarm for Jocelyn and let us know that she was MIA that way we could dispatch shadowhunters to be on the look out for her." His voice was steady, calm, but it held a sternness to it.

Hodge bowed his head. "My apologies Alec. I only meant-"

"I know what you meant. Go to the library and wait until Maryse gets here to give you further instruction," Alec said, and Hodge bowed and left the command center. He looked at Clary, who was also his sister technically. "I'm sorry Clary that we haven't been looking sooner. I'll have shadowhunters sent out to search for your mom."

Tears came to her eyes and she blinked them away. "Um. Thank you, Alec." She said and took a breath. "But Hodge is right. I know my mom is strong. She's okay, she just hasn't made it here yet." She said, being optimistic.

Alec nodded, not saying another word about Jocelyn. "For the time being, I think that you and Bella should start learning more about shadowhunters. What each rune means. Practice some hand-to-hand."

Bella nodded. "Yeah, we should," she agreed, and Clary nodded along with her.

"Good, change into some comfortable clothing and head to the weapons room. We'll do some light sparring and teach you two some basics. Jace go find Iz and tell her to meet us in the weapons room."

Jace nodded and left to find Iz, while Clary and Bella went to change.

It didn't take long for them to change and get back to the weapons room. Maryse hadn't arrived yet, so that made Bella feel better. She wasn't looking forward to meeting her biological mother.

She was stretching when Iz and Jace walked in, wearing some training gear. Clary was doing some side bends, and Bella stretched her legs.

"So, self-defense is the number one thing that you should be taught at this part of the game. You're not going to be superstars or anything at this because you've never trained in mixed martial arts or as a shadowhunter, so don't feel bad if it takes a minute to understand." Jace explained. "Iz you work with Clary; I'll work with Bella."

Iz smiled and took Clary to the side and started doing some warmups while Jace faced Bella. Bella smiled at him. "This might actually be fun."

Jace smiled. "You think that now." He said and then he grabbed her wrist, and what happened next was shocking. Bella's reflex was quick, she rotated her wrist, stepped towards him instead of away, and managed to sweep his feet out from underneath him, and had him in a wrist lock and arm bar on the ground, her toe pointed into his armpit. Iz and Clary looked at the two of them, their mouths hanging open. Alec had the satisfaction of witnessing that as he walked up. It made him even smile a little.

"Jace. You shouldn't underestimate your opponent. If you would have taken the time to look up Bella Swan from Forks, Washington. You would have been prepared and would have known that Bella Swan has a black belt in not only Karate, but Jiu Jitsu. Her father is a Sheriff and made sure that she was trained properly for self-defense." Alec explained with a smile on his face.

Bella grinned down at Jace and then winked. "It's one of my hidden talents."

Jace smiled and got to his feet. He hadn't anticipated that she knew some hand-to-hand. "I won't take it easy on you now that I know."

"I was hoping you wouldn't," She taunted and then they both started a dance. Jace was quick, and his shadowhunter training would ultimately give him the lead, but she was a strong opponent. Iz and Clary had stopped to watch Jace and Bella and Simon even wandered in to watch and was impressed by Bella's skill.

Iz whistled and threw a bo staff at Bella, and Bella caught it mid-air and twirled it around expertly. Alec tossed Jace a set of Kali sticks and then the sparring was ticked up a notch. Bella was talented with a staff and Jace couldn't find a good opening with how she wielded the staff and used it for both offensive and defensive at the same time. He managed to clamp the end of the staff with his arm and pulled on it to throw her off balance, but she did a handstand and stuck him in the chest with her foot, knocking him back and he lost his grip on the staff. She came around with the staff and nailed him in his side. He winced from the impact but grinned and bowed towards her as the match was completed.

"Bella, you are amazing," Simon exclaimed. "That was just mind blowing. How did I not know you were this great at martial arts?"

Bella smiled at Simon. "It's not something I advertise. When I was younger, when my parents were still together, dad put me in Karate. I made it to blue belt before they separated. I continued my karate training at another dojo and got my black belt by the time I was twelve. I didn't pick up jiu-jitsu until I was 14, and then I moved back to live with my dad when I was a brown belt when I was 16. I finished up and got my black belt at 17, and then…" her smile faltered a little. "I just hit a rough patch and uh, I didn't pick back up. It's like riding a bike though. Muscle memory. I'm actually a little rusty." She grabbed the bottle of water Iz offered her and took a long drink.

"I started doing some karate with my best friend Jake, just for fun, but he doesn't really need to know Karate because he a freaking direwolf when he transforms," She explained. "but it helps to have a strong sparring partner." She thought about Jake, Quil, and Embry. The boys would wrestle a lot and Bella started actually smiling more during that time.

"Well, I'm glad that you had some training. Makes it easier for shadowhunter training." Alec said, breaking her out of her mini memory bubble.

Bella nodded, smiling a little. "Yeah," she said and her phone dinged. She walked over and picked it up.

[Jake:] Miss you Bells.

[Bella]: Miss you too.

"Speak of the devil," Bella murmured with a smile. She looked up at everyone. "Every time I say his name, Jake texts me. It's weird, but hey, best friend link I suppose."

A woman appeared then, and that made Iz, Alec, and Jace stop smiling. "Good evening," the woman announced.

"Hello mother. We were just doing some light training for Clary and Bella." Alec said, taking on a more formal tone. "Clary, Bella, this is Maryse Lightwood."

Maryse looked between Clary and Bella and actually smiled. "Welcome to the institute. I apologize that you were brought in so suddenly. Clary, I know your mother, she's an outstanding shadowhunter and we are looking for her everywhere as I speak." She said and looked at Bella. "I don't have the pleasure of knowing your mother, Renee Dwyer isn't a shadowhunter name and neither is Swan."

Bella looked at Alec for help. "Mother, she is the daughter of Valentine Morgenstern. She's Clary's half-sister."

Maryse looked a bit shocked but recovered quickly. "Oh, well verywell. I'm sure that Alec has brought you up to speed on Valentine."

"He has ma'am. I understand that he is a very bad man. I'll do anything you need me to do, to help stop him, if he is the one behind the demon attacks ongoing," Bella said, equally as formal.

Jace smiled at Maryse. "Good news, Bella holds two black belts, one in karate and one in jiu jitsu and she just kicked my ass in a sparring match."

Maryse smiled. "Great news indeed. Carry on then. I'm going to be in the office Alec, Isabelle. Max is coming in with your father later this week. Thank you, Alec, for stepping in while I was absent," she said and then turned and left.

Bella let out a shaky breath and looked at Alec. "Um. I think I'm going to call it a night." She said and turned away from the others. Her chest felt tight, and she wasn't sure she would be able to make it through any of this with her biological mother staring right at her and not knowing who she was. She walked out of the weapons room and got almost to her room before Jace caught her arm and spun her towards him. She was on the verge of breaking.

"Bella, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm just suddenly tired. A lot to take in."

"No, the look on your face. Something is wrong Bella, I can tell."

"Jace, just leave it alone. I'll be fine."

He stared at her a moment. "You can tell me anything," he murmured, drawing her in close.

She put a hand on his chest. "I'm okay. I just need some time…to get out of my own head."

Jace nodded and took a step back. "I'm here if you need me."

"Thank you," she murmured and then went into her room. She sighed, closing her eyes briefly. Shutting her eyes could stop the tears, but her chest felt so tight, and she didn't want to feel this way. She wanted to be stronger. There was a slight knock on her door, and she opened her eyes and took a breath before opening the door to Alec standing there.

He walked in quickly and she shut the door. "Bella, I'm sorry. I know that was hard for you."

"Alec, she doesn't even recognize me at all. Aren't mothers supposed to just…. know?"

"I don't know Bella. She thinks that you died. Maybe…. she just won't ever just know. Motherhood didn't come easy to her."

Bella sniffed. "I just…I don't know why it bothers me so much. I have a mom, and a dad who I love very much. None of this should matter to me."

"But it does matter Bella. You were born a Shadowhunter. I won't pretend that I know you, but from the person I've seen in such a short time, I can tell that you are strong, and that this is just a tiny blip. When the time is right we'll talk to mother," His voice was calming, and it put Bella at ease.

"Thank you," She murmured. She looked up at him. His blue eyes were gentle now, not the fierce look he always had on his face. He put on just a strong façade that he was okay, but she could tell that this was tearing him apart inside too. He was the son of Valentine Morgenstern, just like she was Valentine's daughter. What would this all mean in the end? If Valentine was really the one behind the demon attacks, then what? They would have to face off with their own father?

"You should just get some rest. You've endured a lot in such a short time. I can tell you are exhausted."

"I'll be okay. I just need to take a breather. I can do this. I'm trying to be this stronger person. After Edward, I crumble too easy, and I have a hard time with my anxiety. The girl you witnessed today, was the old me."

Alec nodded. "Can I offer you some advice?" He said and Bella nodded. "Be careful with Jace. He's my parabati and my closest friend and we're like brothers, but he has playboy tendencies, and I don't want to see you, my sister, get hurt."

But it was too late for Bella. She frowned and looked down. "I wish I knew this sooner."

"Oh…" Alec said, sighing. "I'm sorry.

She shook her head and sighed. "Don't be. It's not like it means anything."

"But I can tell it does mean something for you. Just… be careful," he said and then he hugged her. She hugged him back. She was happy to have a brother. It was so hard to come to terms with everything. She was a Lightwood. A Morgenstern. Her identity was not her own anymore, and now she would never get a chance at a normal life. It was over.

Alec pulled back and looked at her. "You going to be okay?" He asked and she nodded. "I'll see you in the morning then." He said and left her to be by herself.

She went and sat on her bed. She lay over on her side, and closed her eyes, willing the tears to stop threatening to spill over. Before she knew it, she was asleep.