Clary's parents, Jocelyn and Valentine, were away for the week. They were wealthy business owners of a company called Mortal Instruments Inc, which made specialized weapons for both military and private contractors. This week, they were in Arizona meeting with some rich weapons dealer who wanted a special knife. Clary knew that her parents dealt with bad people sometimes, but she had learned to turn a blind eye to it at a young age. At first her parents would leave her and Jon with family friends, like Izzy and Jace's family or their college friend Luke Garroway. After Jon turned 17 and got a car, they decided that the teens were old enough to be on their own in their parents absence.
"You gals ready?" Jace drawled up the stairs. Izzy gave Clary an encouraging look, but when the redhead didn't move, Izzy pushed past her and walked gracefully down the hallway. "Wow, Izzy, cleaning up nice these days." Jon whistled. Izzy blushed slightly, the redness creeping up her neck and into her cheeks, but she just smirked at Jon.
"Wait until you see Clary." The redhead, who was staring at herself in the mirror, suddenly feeling shaky and uncomfortable, willing the hem of the dress to go farther down her legs.
"Clary! Let's go!" Jon called. Blushing, she walked out of the room, her feet and legs clad in knee high combat boots with a tall, thick heel. She felt sturdy walking, though she could tell she was inches taller than she typically was.
"Woah." Jace breathed. Clary felt her face start to burn and turned away from Jace to look at Izzy, who was smirking.
"Alright alright, it's time to go. Uber is here." Jon announced. "No oogling at Clary, Jace." Clary peaked at Jace through her curls and saw his face start to blush but he just shot a brilliant grin at Jon.
The Uber ride was loud, but Clary was able to disappear into her own thoughts for the drive. She watched the sunset slowly, the cotton candy clouds turning into brilliant shades of soft orange and pinks before the glowing orb set beneath the skyline. The first thing she saw when the Uber pulled up to the party was her best friend, Simon, standing by the front porch and checking his watch.
"Well, took you long enough." He sighed in exasperation as he opened the door for Izzy to get out. She smiled at him though and it looked like he might faint.
"Easy, Iz." Jace clapped a hand on her back. "Don't give the poor fellow a heart attack."
"Clary, what are you wearing?!" Simon stuttered when he saw the redhead.
"I-" Clary started to try and explain her outfit, the large amount of skin she was showing suddenly making her want to cover up.
"Clary and Sebastian broke up so Clary is doing her best to feel her best and now we are going to party." Izzy said.
"Well, then who am I to stand in her way?" Jace smirked. His arm brushed by Clary's as he moved past her and she almost pulled away. It had felt, like it usually did when Jace touched her, like electricity was being shot into her skin wherever Jace had touched her. She had known him almost her whole life, but touching him still made her skin hot and electric when they touched.
"Party time, Fray?" Izzy goofily held her hand out to Clary, who curtsied and accepted the invitation.
"Let's." Clary smiled a dazzling smile towards the door, ignoring the feelings of butterflies that raced through her stomach and chest.
"What first?" Simon asked as they stood inside the doorway. Jace and Jon had already gotten drinks and started to make their rounds, flirting with the girls and clapping the guys on their backs while talking about sports.
"Drinks." Clary said. Izzy and Simon looked at Clary, their eyebrows high on their foreheads.
"Uh…you don't usually drink Clary. Are you sure?" Simon's voice was not sure, however and this made Clary smile even bigger.
"I don't usually drink because typically I have to drive. Tonight, however, I have nothing to tie me down." Clary, feeling confident, strode over to the makeshift bar and poured three shots of tequila.
"Alright! Let's get this party started." She smirked, catching the nervous look on Simon's face. Clary licked her hand before pouring salt on it and taking a wedge of lime from a plastic tray to her right. Izzy did the same and before Simon could utter how bad an idea it was for Clary to be drinking shots, Jace walked into view. Simon hated being made fun of by Jace and Jon, so he just poured the salt on his hand and grabbed a lime too before Clary opened her mouth.
"To dumb boys and best friends!" she cried. The trio lifted their glasses, licked the salt off their hands, downed the drink, and bit into the lime. Clary, at the moment she set down her glass, saw Jace watching her from a few feet away. The buzz of the alcohol started fizzing through her veins and she poured herself a mixed drink before going to the dance floor with Izzy. Simon, who was never a good dancer, hopped awkwardly between his feet while Clary and Izzy jumped up and down, spun around and did various bad dances from past years.
Clary spotted Magnus and Alec, Izzy's brother, off in the corner and smiled sadly to herself. That could have been her and Sebastian. Suddenly, a figure was behind Clary, dancing with her.
"Can we talk?" the voice said. Clary, who was relatively drunk, smiled to herself.
"Sure, Sebastian." The dark haired boy took her hand and led her out to the back door of the grand house, stopping when he could lean against the deck railing.
"I'm sorry." He murmured. Clary, taken aback, looked up at him. The cold night air waws nipping at her skin, making goosebumps appear.
"For what, exactly?" Clary's eyes narrowed.
"For…well I don't know exactly. But if you had listened to me about showing less skin, you wouldn't be cold right now." He pointed out.
"Excuse me? I don't believe you. Why do you even want to date me this bad?"
"Because…I like you Clary."
"You like me, or the idea of me? The idea of your friend's sister on your arm."
"God, do you ever shut up? Why are you always trying to pick fights with me? You're such a bitch, Clary." She felt his cold hand grab her arm then. His grip was tight and even though she tried to get out of it, his fingers just dug deeper.
"I'm a bitch?" she cried, but her voice sounded shrill even to her own ears.
"I only started dating you because I heard a rumor that you're easy. But you aren't, you just dress like you are, don't you? Such a little tease." Sebastian trailed his free hand softly down her face, his finger tracing her lips. She tried to pull away from him but he grabbed her face in his hands and made her look at him.
"I bet-" but he didn't get to finish what he was saying.
"What's going on out here?" Jace's lazy drawl came. Jace. Clary's mind was spinning, from lack of oxygen and alcohol alike.
"Clary is just telling me how she's going to be a good girl for me from now own." Sebastian slurred. He's drunk, Clary realized.
"Go to hell." Clary kicked his leg. Sebastian let go of her face, surprised, before he wound his arm back and slapped Clary on the face, his rings digging into her skin.
"Agh! You bitch!" Sebastian's eyes were full of anger and Clary closed her eyes in anticipation of another hit when Jace's electric skin touched hers. She heard the sound of bones crunching and when she opened her eyes, Sebastian's hold on her was gone.
"You're going to pay for that Herondale!" Sebastian cried, staggering back to a standing position. Jace, who had blood on his fist, was watching Sebastian with calculating eyes.
"If you ever touch Clary again, or even so much as speak to her, I'll tell everyone about Kaelie and what you did to her." Jace's voice was stone cold.
"Nobody would listen to you." Sebastian laughed coldly.
"No? What if I told you that Magnus has video cameras out here and I recorded this whole little…interaction you just had with Clary? Should I turn that into the police?" Sebastian spat, and Clary realized suddenly that Jace had split the dark haired boy's lip open. Jace pointed up then, and Clary looked to see a small security camera pointing right at Sebastian.
"You need to leave." Clary said, her voice stone cold. "Right now. And don't ever talk to me again."
"Oh, look who's brave enough to talk with a rescue party here." Sebastian snarled. "You won't ever be good enough for anyone, Clary Fray. You're just a girl with a mediocre art skill and nobody to love you." Sebastian started up then, turning to Jace before swinging and splitting Jace's eyebrow open. A brawl ensued, Clary watching and screaming for them to stop as Sebastian and Jace threw punch after punch at each other.
"WHAT IS GOING ON OUT HERE?!" Jon's voice boomed. Sebastian stopped then and Magnus walked over to him. Alec helped Jace up and Magnus casually picked a piece of invisible lint off of his sparkly suit, becoming what Clary called scary quiet.
"Sebastian hit Clary and was saying some pretty…rude things to her. Then he came after me, I was only defending myself, I swear." Jace said, his hand up by his own bleeding lip.
"It's true." Clary said quietly.
"Sebastian, you need to leave." Alec walked up to stand next to Magnus.
"What?! But this wasn't my fault! If Clary just listened to me-" Sebastian started. Jace lunged for Sebastian, held back only by Jon.
"Out! NOW!" Magnus' declared. Sebastian walked down the deck and around to the driveway, walking away from the group.
"Clary are you okay?!" Jon rushed to his sister. She had a few bleeding marks on her face where Sebastian's rings had caught her but if she was honest, she was more concerned about Jace.
"I'm fine." She waved her brother away, walking towards Jace. "Come on, let's go get cleaned up." She took Jace's hand and led him away from the group on the deck, pulling him inside and upstairs into the master bathroom.
"Look, Clary, you don't have to baby me, I can clean my own wounds thank you very much." Jace declared.
"Shut up and let me help you." She muttered. She went to the cabinet and found what she wanted, a first aid kit.
"What did you come outside for anyway?" she asked Jace.
"I just felt like I needed to go outside for some reason, I'm glad I did." His voice was like honey, thick and sweet and slow.
"Yea, me too." Clary managed to talk quietly over the lump in her throat.