Over the past few weeks, Clary and Sebastian had grown closer, and they had definitely moved far past the shoulder to cry on relationship. Currently, they were on Clary's couch together. Their mouths were moving roughly against each other and Sebastian's hands were hot against the skin under her shirt. His other hand slipped under the waistband of her jeans and she arched her hips to meet his. As his hand dipped lower, her cell phone began ringing. With a frustrated groan, she pulled away from and grabbed the phone off the coffee table.

"H-Hello?" she answered in a shaky voice as Sebastian trailed hot kisses down her neck and along her collarbone.

"Miss Fray, how fast can you get to the precinct?" Jace's voice came through the phone, and she rolled her eyes. For the past few weeks, her and Jace had stuck to a strictly professional relationship, which he had been taking way too far. Clary had proposed it, angry with him and not wanting any kind of friendship. She didn't want him invading her personal life and offering his "advice" about Sebastian or anything else. She also wanted to stop the rumors flying around the precinct about the two of them sleeping together. Of course, Jace couldn't take the hit to his ego and was trying to get on her nerves by addressing her formally at all times. She would be lying if she said it wasn't working.

"How important is it?" she asked, hoping she would get a chance to finish what she had started with Sebastian.

"Valentine had made another move and-"

He was cut off as Sebastian sucked at the sensitive spot on her neck and she let out a small moan.

"Oh, dear," Jace said, and she could hear the smirk in his voice, "it looks like I have called at a bad time. I must apologize, but whatever prior engagements you are tangled up in right now must wait, Miss Fray. Your assistance is urgently needed."

"I'll be right there," she sighed and hung up. "Seb," she said as she gently pushed him off her, "I need to go into work."

He sat up and pouted at her. "I had a feeling."

She laughed at his sullen expression, finding it adorable. "Chin up, buttercup. We can finish this when I get back."

She walked past him and into her bathroom to try to compose herself enough for work. As she threw her hair up into a ponytail, she noticed a mark on her neck. She rolled her eyes and finished her hair before reentering the living room.

"Really, Sebastian? A hickey?" she asked with her hands on her hips.

He just smirked at her, a playful glint in his dark eyes. "I just wanted to mark what's mine."

Her hands fell to her sides, and she cocked her head to the side, confused. "Mark what's yours?"

"Shit, that probably sounded really bad." He got off the couch and approached her, gently placing his hands on her hips. "I was trying to get the point across that I want to become exclusive, but I kinda failed, didn't I?"

"You want to be exclusive?" she asked, a smile slowly forming.

He nodded sheepishly. "Yeah, I do. Do you?"

Grinning at him, she placed her hands on either side of his face and crashed her lips against his. He chuckled as they pulled away.

"I'll take that as a yes."

"It's definitely a yes," she laughed, grabbing her keys off the table next to the door. "And we'll celebrate when I get off work." She threw him a wink and exited the apartment.

She entered the precinct and strode over to Jace's desk. His eyes were glued to his screen as he looked over some files, and she cleared her throat to grab his attention.

"Thank you for showing up, Clarissa," he greeted.

"What's this about Valentine making another move?"

"We found a body behind a dumpster today. The victim, if you could even call him that, had been beaten to death. We know it's Valentine by the imprint of the Morgenstern crest that was left on his face, presumably from Valentine's ring."

"Who's the victim?"

He stood up from his desk. "I'll have to show you because you wouldn't believe me if I told you." He glanced at her, a lazy smirk forming on his lips. "By the way, nice hickey. Sebastian give it to you?"

"Normally, that comment would have pissed me off, but I'm just glad you finally cut the overly formal bullshit."

His smirk grew wider as they started walking toward the morgue. "Well, since I've already ruined the game, I guess there's no harm in asking. Are you fucking him now, Clare?"

She stopped dead in her tracks, and turned to face him with her arms crossed. "Not that it's any of your business, but, yes, I am." She smirked right back at him. "Actually, it's more than fucking now. We're dating."

The smirk fell from his face and his expression turned stoic. "Alright. Good to know. Now, we have a body to see." Clary smiled at her small victory.

She followed him the rest of the way to the morgue, but something was nagging at the back of her mind. Once she had informed him of her relationship with Seb, she could have sworn she saw something flash in his eyes, something that looked oddly like jealousy.

They entered the morgue to find Magnus, the medical examiner, standing next to a body covered in a white sheet.

"Lovely to see you again, Clary," he smiled at her.

"Always a pleasure, Magnus," she replied. "Now, who's the victim?"

Magnus gave her a worried look before slowly pulling down the top of the sheet. Clary gasped at the face that was revealed.

"Hodge Starkweather?" she asked, making sure her eyes weren't deceiving her.

Jace nodded. "That's right. Valentine's right-hand man."

Clary suddenly felt sick to her stomach and her vision started to blur at the edges. Hodge and Valentine had been best friends. In fact, Hodge had been close to her whole family. Whenever Valentine would be gone for long periods of time, he would often have Hodge check in on them. He was like a second father to her. Why would Valentine do this? And if he was willing to harm Hodge, who else was he willing to harm? Her? Jonathan? Her mother?

She made an excuse about needing to get some air, but only made it a few feet before her vision went black and she fell to the ground.

Clary, wake up. Clarissa, come on. Just open your eyes.

Listening to the voice, she forced her eyes open and was met with the sight of Luke leaning over her, worry etched on his face. She was lying on the couch in his office. The door was closed, the blinds were shut, and they were the only people in the room.

"There you are. How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Slightly nauseous, but okay other than that." She moved to sit up and he helped her. "How long have I been out?"

"Jace carried you in here a little less than ten minutes ago. Said you fainted in the morgue?"

Her eyes went wide. "Hodge," she whispered and jumped off the couch. "He killed Hodge. I-I have to tell my mother. I-I have to warn her."

"Shhh, Clary. Calm down." Luke lightly placed a hand on her shoulder. "Everything's going to be fine. I've already informed Jocelyn. She's being placed in protective custody as we speak, and Jace and Alec have no clue about it.

The tension left her body at this news, but tears sprung to her eyes. "I don't like this, Luke. I don't like not knowing what his intentions are."

"I know, I know. This must be really hard for you. Why don't you go home and get some rest? I'll have police keeping watch outside your building for the next few days, and we'll try not to call you in, okay?"

"Alright," she muttered, wiping her eyes. "Thanks."

"No problem. Go get some rest."

She nodded, wiped her eyes again, and left the office. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and dialed Sebastian's number.

"Clare? Is everything alright?" he answered, worried that she was calling so soon after leaving.

"Everything's fine," she lied. "Are you still at my apartment."

"Yeah."

"Good," was all she said before hanging up. Right now, she needed a distraction, and Sebastian knew just how to distract her.

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