We pull into the field that is still densely populated by vehicles and drive down to where Jace is parked. Once we come to a complete stop beside his car, Jace hesitates before opening the driver side passenger door and sliding out; the light waking up Max when it comes on.

"Are we home?" Max moans, raising his head slightly with half-lidded eyes.

"Not yet, buddy," I say softly, then kiss the top of his head, his hardened hair never budging. Maryse is going to have fun getting him into the tub tonight, I laugh to myself. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay," he says groggily, leaning up to hug me.

I wrap my arms around him, hugging him back, "I love you, Maximilian. Sweet dreams."

"I love you too, Clary-Beary," he says as we pull away from each other, and I hear Jace chuckle from outside of the car. I don't know what he finds so funny, I think while rolling my eyes.

"I'll see you later, Alec," I say as I lean forward and give him a kiss on his left cheek. I sit back and reach for the door. "I'll see you when you get home, Iz."

"Yeah, right," she laughs, as I put my right foot on the ground. "You'll be asleep by the time I get home."

"Only if you stay out all night partying," I tease. "Just be careful, and I'll see you either tonight or in the morning."

Then just as I'm about to slide entirely out the car, Max jumps up and gives me a kiss on my left cheek.

Jace pops his head in and asks, "What about me?"

I'm sure he isn't speaking to me, and instead of sticking around to find out, I decide to avoid the conversation altogether. I get out of the car, shutting the door behind me, and walk around the front of Izzy's car over to the passenger side of Jace's; where I stand at the door, waiting on him and getting cold. I really wish that I had brought my jacket, I think as I hug myself for warmth.

Jace gets out of Izzy's car, shutting the door once he is out of the way, and takes a step back. And just like that, Izzy and them are on their way.

"You know," I say to Jace once they are out of sight, and he turns to look at me. "You really don't have to take me home. I don't live far, so I can always walk."

"Nonsense," he states, walking towards me with purpose. Oh great, is he about to... oh. He reaches around me, opening the door for me; his left arm brushing against my right hand and left bicep as he does. The warmth of his body sends a chill up my spine. "Here," he says reaching inside the door, between the seats, and pulling his leather jacket out, - I guess he put it in there after he got out of Izzy's car. - "You're cold."

"Thank you," I say as I reach for the jacket with my right hand. But he slides the armhole over my hand, and then moves around to my left, helping me slide it on. What a gentleman! No, I reprimand myself. It could all just be a trick, and I've got to keep my guard up anyway; unless I want to be made a fool of, and hurt, again. I shrug the jacket on the rest of the way, pulling my hair out of the collar, and say, "Thanks."

"You're welcome," he sweetly says as he walks back in front of me. "You ready to get going?"

I nod, and he puts his left hand on the top of the door and motions for me to get in with his right. I slide in the passenger seat, and he shuts the door behind me before jogging around the front and jumping in the driver seat. He starts the engine, turns the headlights on, drops the gear shift in to drive, and we ease our way out of the field and onto the street.

"Do you mind if I ask what all that was about?" Jace asks after we are a block down the road.

I look at him with my eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. "What all, what was about?"

"Izzy getting all huffy about Robert wanting to talk to her and Alec," he explains simply. "It was like she didn't want to even see him."

"She doesn't," I state. "I'm sort of shocked that you don't know that." He looks at me expectantly, so I continue. Hey, it beats the hell out of awkward silence again. Right? "Robert cheated on Maryse, and while she has seemed to move past it, Izzy can't. That's why she lives with me. She can't stand to live under the same roof as him, let alone look at him."

"That makes sense," he says, and it sounds as if he knows from personal experience.

"Is that why you moved here?" I ask, curiosity getting the best of me, and he looks at me with raised eyebrows.

"Maybe a little," he says with a shrug. "But it's definitely not all of it."

"Make a right, here," I say, pointing at the street we are coming up on.

"So," he says, turning on his turn signal. "Since you asked me a question about me, does that mean I get to ask you one about you?"

"Um..."

"If it's something you really don't want to talk about, you can just say so, and I'll ask something else." He says reassuringly. Uh-oh.

Against my better judgment, I say, "Alright, go ahead."

He seems to be really thinking about what he wants to ask, and all I can think is... Oh boy! Here we go.

He finally settles on the one, and asks, "How does a seventeen-year-old, in high school, end up with her own place?"

Shit!

"How do you know how old I am?"

"Alec told me, but that's not answering the question."

"Well," I sigh. I should really just skip this question, but I suppose I might as well, or he'll just ask Alec about it. "I told you that my mom died a couple of years back, but I didn't tell you how, or that my older brother, Jonathan, was with her. They were going to see my dad at work, after Jonathan's doctors appointment, - he had come down with the flu, thanks to me - but before they could get inside, they were mugged. He put up a fight and was shot, so she attacked the one that shot him and was shot in the head by one of the others. My dad felt guilty because he was the one that had told them to come by, and seeing as how I look like my mother, I guess he just couldn't stand the sight of me anymore, so he left in an around about way. He got to where he was never home and when he was, he made sure it was when I was sleeping, or when he knew I wasn't there. Six months later, I got tired of communicating through notes stuck on the refrigerator door. And seeing as how he wasn't around, and there are certain things that only a parent or guardian can do, I decided to go before a judge and get myself emancipated. And I did. He felt guilty even more so when he found out and put me up in the apartment with the rent paid for five years; utilities included. And so that he doesn't have to see or talk to me, he has his assistant relay messages between us and give me spending money. He also has a delivery boy bring me groceries, and pick up the new list every week."

Whoa! I say, stopping myself from saying anything further. I really didn't mean to reveal all of that to him. That's letting him in, and I can't do that. Although, I have to admit if only to myself, that it felt so good to get that much of what happened out.

"What about the Lightwood's?" He asks curiously, throwing me for a loop. He could've asked more about my father, or my mother and brother, but he didn't. "Wouldn't they have taken you in? They seem like they would have."

"Maryse offered to, but it seemed like a waste of a good apartment and money, and I didn't want to burden her any more than I already had." Wow! Why isn't my filter working? Shut up! Shut up now! No more damn it!

I point to the block that we are coming up on, it's a series of side by side, brick, two stories, with steps leading up to the front doors, and black iron railings bent to the designer's desire, decorating the sides of the stairs and window boxes that hold dying plants. There are trees out front losing their leaves, between each staircase, only they are on the opposite side of the sidewalk, and a light pole at every other corner. - It's definitely not a place somebody would consider a broke person to live, but more along the lines of someone that was well off. - It's like that on both sides of the street for several blocks, before turning into the more fancy places. So right now, he is probably thinking that I'm some spoiled, little rich kid.

"That's me," I say, and he pulls over onto the shoulder, somehow managing to pull right up in front of my door; the one on the far corner from which we came, on the right side of the street. I look over at him, and with a small smile tell him, "Thanks for the ride."

"Anytime," he says with certainty, smiling back at me.

I open the door, step out, and am about to close the door when I remember that I have his jacket. "Sorry, I almost ran off with your jacket."

"Keep it," he says as I start to shake it off, and I freeze. "It looks better on you anyway."

Cheesy.

"It's too big for me," I chuckle. "Besides, you'll need it in the morning, and mine is in the house. It wouldn't be fair of me to have two when you don't even have one."

"I have others," he says, dismissing my reasoning. "So, you can just give it back to me tomorrow, or some other time."

"No, seriously," I say, sliding my left hand into the too big sleeve. "I don't need it anymore," I grab the cuff with my right hand, tugging at it as I pull my arm out, "I'm just right there," I tilt my head back, indicating the building, as he gets out and comes around the front of his Equinox. "So you see, I really don't need it anymore," I say, looking directly into his eyes once again tonight. How his eyes can be so captivating is beyond me.

"No, I insist," he says grabbing the jacket on each side, by the zipper, and pulling it into itself. "You still have to get inside, and I don't want you to get cold before you get to your door."

I stand here looking at him, with my right knee bent, and my head tilted very slightly to the left. Is this really him, or is this all an act? He seems to be genuine about it, but I thought this much chivalry had died out a long time ago. Unless, he is just doing it because he believes that it will get him into my pants, and if that is the case, he has another thing coming. Clarissa Adele Morgenstern is not that gullible, nor that easy. Besides, I'm not interested in anybody. I remind myself. You let people in, and you get hurt.

I take a step back, pulling his large hands away from the jacket, and shuck it off. He's looking at me with his face scrunched up, and his head cocked a little to his right, confusion all over his face and in his eyes.

"Thanks again," I say, handing him back his jacket as I walk past him. "But, I'm good. Night."

"Good night," he says, the confusion apparent even in his voice, as I start up the stairs.

I make it to the second floor which is dimly lit, pulling my house key out from between my left breast and the corset. I walk over to my door and begin sliding the key into the keyhole when suddenly somebody grabs me by my left shoulder.

I jump, then spin around quickly to my left on my heel, leaving my key in the padlock and bringing my right fist up to swing. - Nobody should be here at this time, except for me, unless they are looking for trouble. - My fist connects with the person's gut, and I hear the air release from their lungs as I do. A headful of jet black hair whips through the air as they double over from the blow they just received, and I take my stance, - My body turned slightly to the right, legs parted and slightly bent at the knees, my feet lined with my shoulders to help keep my balance, and both hands balled into tight fist. - ready to swing again if the need arises.

"What was that for?" A familiar voice asks, slightly winded. They stand up slowly, both hands held over their stomach, revealing... Sebastian!

He has washed up and changed since I saw him earlier tonight. He is no longer wearing the ratted clothes that were covered in fake blood, and the crappy make-up job that I figure was supposed to look like road rash is gone from the right side of his face. Now he smells like Black by Axe and is wearing a pair of dark, stoned washed, blue jeans, and a tight fitting, black, long-sleeved shirt that shows off the creases of his muscles; all of which use to be things that turned me on, but now I just find them sickening.

"Karma," I say with attitude, my eyebrows raised and lips pooched out, as I drop my stance. I know that even in these heels, that I can get back in it rather quickly if need be.

"Alright," he says, standing up completely straight. "I guess I deserved that."

"You guess you deserved that?" I ask incredulously with extreme malice. Ohhh, and if looks alone could kill. "You guess? You deserve more than that. You deserve to have your body drained of all its blood, nice and slowly, as ants eat at your flesh."

"You're right," he says looking down at the ground in shame, and I cross my arms over my chest. Good! He should feel like complete and utter shit!

"What the hell are you doing here?" I ask venomously, being unrelenting with him; and I believe myself to be totally and completely justified with my actions. And quite frankly, in my personal opinion, he is still getting off easy, because if I had been allowed to finish with Seelie that night, he was going to be next.

"I wanted to talk to you," he answers simply, looking at me through his eyelashes with his dark eyes that always reminded me of chocolate, but these days I think of it as more of a demonic thing. "You were busy earlier, so I thought that I'd come over and catch you at home."

"And what if I had company? Was I suppose to just drop everything for you?!"

"No," he shakes his head. He lifts his chin up, looking me directly in the eyes now, and steps towards me; stopping when there are only about six inches between us. "That Jace guy, he isn't really your boyfriend is he?" he asks with uncertainty.

"That's none of your business," I say, lowering my voice slightly. "You lost that right a long time ago."

He puts a hand on each side of my head, against the wall, as if he is trying to pin me in place; something that he knows I always liked. My heartbeat quickens as he leans his head down to my left ear.

"I really am sorry about all of that," he whispers then blows against the nap of my neck, and brings it up to my earlobe, causing me to tremble and my eyes to close. "I never meant to hurt you. You have got to know that."

"But you did," I mutter, and his lips come crashing down against mine.

I gasp in surprise, and his tongue slides into my mouth, gliding against my own. He starts kissing me fiercely, and I return it; our tongues battling against the others as I draw my hands in, resting them against his chest, and he steps closer, closing the gap between us. He tastes of cinnamon, and... and alcohol.

"Stop," I say into his mouth, coming to my senses and opening my eyes. But he doesn't stop, so I start pushing at him; he's stronger than me, we both know that. "Stop, Sebastian."

His hands grab my wrists and squeeze tightly. "No," he says against my mouth, pressing me up against the wall.

"I said stop, Sebastian," I yell, still trying to shove him away from me; all while wondering how I could have been so stupid as to let any of this happen. It should have never been able to get this far. I should have left him standing in the hall when I realized it was him.

He still won't stop, and his lips are now frantically kissing on the right side of my jaw going down to my neck, and his hands are feverishly running up and down my sides. My eyes start tearing up at the anger I'm feeling towards myself. What do I do? Do I go along with it, and let him have his way? Do I scream, and hope like hell that somebody is home downstairs and hears me? Do I make him believe that I want to move this inside, and once he loosens his grip on me, try to make a run for it? Just then, I remember something my brother once told me. 'Use your opponent's weight against them.'

I quickly go completely limp, allowing all my muscles to relax, and he starts to fall in on me, so I stiffen. - That's it! Okay, I can do this. - I do it again, only this time when he starts to fall, I slide to the left, bringing myself closer to my door, and he comes crashing down against the wall, hitting his head and then landing on his stomach. - YES! - He starts staggering to get up, pushing himself up onto his hands and knees, and with all the anger I have built up, I draw my right leg back and kick him in the gut with everything I have; dropping him back to the ground.

"Don't ever show your face around here again," I say viciously through my clenched teeth. "Or next time you will be leaving in a body bag."

With that said, and him moaning on the ground, I storm over to the door; unlocking it and step inside. I slam it shut behind me, and lock it as I turn on the living room light. I pull my boots off, dropping them wherever as I make my way to the bathroom. I want to scrub away his touch, his scent, and his breath.

I unclothe and jump in the shower, washing my hair and body before letting the hot water run from the top of my head down my body for a while longer. I get out, wrap my towel around my body, brush my hair and teeth, and head to my bedroom.

Once there, I slide my right hand up the wall on the left side of the door, flipping on the light, since my left hand is holding my towel, and walk over to sit on the foot of my bed. I look over my shoulder at the clock that sits on the nightstand, to the right of my bed; it reads eleven-eleven. It's still technically early, but oh what a night! I grab my dark green, silk nightgown, dropping my towel and pulling it on. Then I walk back over to the door, flipping the light switch off, before walking back across the room. I crawl up into my big, soft bed, pulling my gold colored sheet up around me; allowing myself to be swallowed up between the two. I check to make sure my alarm is on before closing my eyes.

I swear on the angel, that if I had known Sebastian had been drinking, I would have never said a single thing to him; I would have just grabbed my key and walked away. He has always gotten extremely aggressive when he drinks, and what makes it worse is that he refuses to listen to anything. It was actually something that we use to argue about, and from what I've heard, it's what caused him to run to Seelie; well that, and the fact that she's easy, and will sleep with anybody. But I really don't care anymore, I'm done with the both of them. I just can't believe that he had the gall to pull that shit tonight. Ugh! Damn males!

Jace

I watched Clary as she walked up to her front steps, completely baffled. I don't know if I said, or maybe even did, something wrong that caused her to want to get away from me like she did, but I wish she would have told me so that I'd know not to do it again. What I do know is that she can go from talkative one minute to withdrawn the next, and it's mystifying. However, after what I already knew with the Sebastian/Seelie ordeal, what Alec told me, and then what she said to me on the ride over here, I'm starting to think that it's a defense mechanism. And I would know since I have always had one of my own; that's why I have never had a serious relationship, you can't get hurt if you don't get serious. But there is something about Clary, something that makes me want to get serious. Maybe it's because she seems just as broken as me.

A short moment after Clary went inside the door, I pulled across the street; parking catty-corner from her place, and started watching it. Which I am still doing. Since she is home alone, I want to make sure that nobody fucks with her. Plus, I secretly want to know which room belongs to her; yet I have been here for at least ten minutes, and no lights have come on.

Five more minutes, still nothing. Does she have some sort of night vision that allows her to see in the dark? I ask myself only half-jokingly.

Three more minutes, and the front window of the top floor lights up. From here I can tell that it is the living room; there's a television against the right wall, and by the window, either a chair or a couch. I can only see the top right corner due to a curtain that's partially closed, so I can't really tell which. I can also see her shadow as she moves away from the light, towards the back of the room, and disappears. I wonder what took her so long to get inside, I think to myself. Oh well, at least she's alright.

Ten minutes later, and I see a tall figure of a person staggering out; their right hand on their head. I squint in an attempt to get a better view, and I recognize who it is almost immediately. I quickly open my door, jump out, and run across the street; my blood boiling.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I ask him angrily as I run up on the prick. He looks at me and blinks twice while rubbing the width of his forehead with his hand. "I asked you what you were doing here, Sebastian. So, I suggest you answer me."

"Jace, right?" he asks, his voice condescending, as he drops his hand from his head. My already balled up fists become even tighter, to the point that I think the bones may push through the skin at any minute, and I bite my tongue as I nod yes. He has another thing coming if he thinks that he is better than me, and he had better not of done anything to Clary, or heaven help me, I will kill him! "I was just visiting my girl," he says with a smirk.

"What do you mean your girl?" I ask irately, and I feel like I am foaming at the mouth like a rabid dog. I swear on the angel that I want to pulverize him where he stands, but I can't just yet; not before knowing what happened between the two of them. "You two aren't together anymore. She can't even stand you."

He laughs maliciously. "That's not what Clary was saying a bit ago when she had her tongue down my throat."

Sebastian falls backward, hitting the ground hard after my left hand connects with his jaw, and I throw myself on top of him as I start bringing my fists down to his face. Left, right, left, right, left, left, right; eye, jaw, nose, cheek, jaw, eye, cheek. His hands come up to my throat and wrap around my neck, but I slide my arms in-between his and pulling them out toward each side of my head, I am able to remove his hands, and he raises up, headbutting me in the face. I bring both my fists inwards and hit him in his ears. He swings with his right fist, connecting with my left eye, and I slam his head into the concrete when I hit him in the face with my right fist. He rolls to his left, taking me with him and causing me to hit my head on the concrete; but I feel no pain, just the jarring of my neck as they connect. The two of us start trading blows and rolling back and forth on the ground; trying to be the one on the top. After a while of our back and forth's, I start to taste blood in my mouth, and it pisses me off more. I roll, getting myself back on top of him, and begin to pound my left fist into his face repeatedly while bringing my right hand up and grabbing ahold to his collar. While pulling him up to meet each of my blows, I think of how.. I will win this! I will be the one walking away, NOT HIM!

Just then I hear a stern voice yell, "Hey! Break it up!"

But I don't stop. I want this sorry piece of shit to bleed more than he already is.

The both of us continue to trade blows, and suddenly I'm being pulled away from him, so I try my damnedest to pull him back to me; I'm not done with him by a long shot.

"Stop," the person behind me demands. This voice sounds like someone with authority, so I finally let Sebastian go, and somebody pulls him back; the two stumbling backward, then falling on their asses.

I shake the arms that are holding me off and walk over to them with purpose and fire running through my veins. Sebastian's face is swollen and bleeding. The guy that he is practically sitting on looks up at me through his glasses, and I can see the worry in his brown eyes. I chuckle inwardly and squat down in front of them.

"Don't you ever, and I do mean ever, come around her again," I tell Sebastian in rage, with my left index finger pointed in his face; deciding that even though I completely and utterly loathe him, that I will give him this one and only warning.

He laughs menacingly, blood running from his mouth, as he rolls to his right, leaning against the sidewalk on his forearm, then spits.

I grab his face, my thumb digging into his left cheek and my fingers digging into his right, and fiercely jerk his face towards me. "I'm not playing."

"Or what?" he asks laughing maliciously, and I tighten my grip on his face.

"Man, do you want me to kick his ass for you?" The person that was holding me asks, and now I can make out that whoever it is, is definitely male.

I whip my head around at him, the pole light behind him making him look like a tall silhouette - he's got to be about six foot two, six foot three at the most. "Thanks for the offer, but I've got this."

"Alright, dude," he says, throwing his hands out. "But let me know if you change your mind."

I look back to Sebastian's ugly ass. "Let me just tell you this... Do it, and you'll find out."

Sebastian and I then enter into a staring contest. Come on, douche bag, just try something, anything, I mentally egg him on. But he doesn't do it. He won't even say anything, even though I know that he wants to; I can see it in his eyes. I decide to drop my hand from his face, maybe then he'll feel froggy and jump.

"Simon," the guy behind me says, and I see through my peripheral that the guy behind Sebastian looks over at him. "Get him out of here."

The guy I now understand to be Simon stands up, grabs Sebastian's left arm, and starts pulling him to his feet. "Come on," he says sternly, and I watch as he starts dragging Sebastian around the right corner of the building.

Wow! My mind is completely blown. This dude looks like a total nerd, with his glasses paired with the black t-shirt he's wearing that has a nutrition label on the front that reads, 'Gamer Nutritional Facts' with a lot of smaller print beneath it, and his dark brown hair done like Superman's; but the way he commanded Sebastian the way he did, well... I've never seen a nerd do something like that before.

"Hey," the other guy says as he puts his hand on my right shoulder, getting my attention. I look up at him, and he removes his right hand from my shoulder and stretches it out to me, helping me up from my squatted position. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," I assure him, waving my left hand in a dismissive way in the process.

"You look like you could use a drink," he chuckles.

"I can't deny that," I laugh. "But I can't." He looks at me skeptically. "I'm in the middle of doing something for a friend, maybe some other time though."

"I'm going to hold you to it," he says smiling, then reaches his right hand back out to me. "I'm Jordan by the way."

I take his hand, again, and shake it. "Jace."

"Well, Jace," he says as we release each other's hand. "I don't have any real plans tonight, so... Do you want some help?"

I raise my right eyebrow at him. Is this dude serious? I could be out doing something completely illegal, and he wants to tag along. Then again, that could be why he wants to join me so that he can see if what I'm doing is legal or not.

"Are you a cop?" I ask bluntly.

"No," he laughs. "Why? Do I really look like a cop?"

"Sort of," I say with a shrug. Now that he is standing closer, I can see that he is six foot two, built, with brown hair and hazel eyes, and is somewhere around my age; with a possible tan. I have to admit, he's a pretty good-looking dude; not better looking than me, of course, but not bad looking either.

"Well," he says, raising both his eyebrows at me in amusement. "I can assure you that I'm not."

"I wouldn't have anything against you if you were," I throw out there, just in case he thinks that I do. "It's just that what I'm doing might not be considered legal to some people."

"What are we talking about here?" he asks and then smiles, "Running around beating people up?"

"If it comes down to it," I say, returning his smile with one of my own. I guess he isn't going to give up, so I might as well tell him and let him join me. I motion for him to follow me and start walking back to my SUV, and he falls in step beside me. "I'm keeping an eye on a friend. She was being watched earlier when we were out, and since her roommate isn't home yet, I decided to keep an eye on her and her place."

"Is this friend of yours single?"

"Yes, but don't even think about it."

"Chill out, dude," he says, and I can see out the corner of my eye that he throws his hands up in surrender. "I'm just fucking with you. She obviously means a lot to you, for you to be going through all this trouble for her."

I look over at him, a serious expression on my face and say, "When it comes to her, it's no trouble at all."

I hope you enjoyed! I'm sorry if the chapter seems rushed, it does to me; but hey, it matches my life these past few weeks.

Don't forget to leave me a review about your thoughts on this chapter, and what you think could still be coming their way! Do you think there is more to what happened between Valentine and Clary? What about Robert and Izzy?

I'm also sorry that it has taken so long to finally update, but life has been going completely CRAZY! My brother was in a wreck, which totaled his car. I've not only had my children, but my brother's two as well. Had two days of Thanksgiving I had to cook for, and then had a dog try to attack me twice! I'm an animal person, but the next time that dog is in my yard I won't be! I'm not taking chances of it attacking one of these babies around here, and his owners have been warned. Anyhow, with all that going on among other things - a few of you know what I'm talking about, which I need to update you on - life has been go, go, go.

No promises, but I hope to get another chapter posted soon. Fingers crossed!

Follow, Favorite, Review! Mwah!

Guest, how about that? Haha. I didn't make you wait to long (or at least not chapter wise) before finding out the base of why Izzy lives with Clary, why Clary is in high school but has her own place, and what's the problem they have against Robert! I loved your review! Keep them coming! Mwah!