So, I've been slowly getting back into writing this fic and am going to try to post whenever I have time. I appreciate all who have stuck by me since the beginning of this story. Please review, I love reading them. Also dont be shy to favorite or follow my story so you dont miss when I update. Special thanks to Antiqui-Tea for beta reading. Check out her stories, she's amazing! That's all for now, I hope you enjoy chapter 7! See you soon, my lovelies!

Chapter 7

Clary's POV

When I woke up the next morning my head was pounding and I couldn't remember where I was. I was in a living room but not one I remembered.

The couch was black leather unlike my soft turquoise couch. The end table next to the couch was a dark mahogany and on top stood a lamp. There was nothing special or unusual about this living room. It just wasn't mine.

"Well, I might as well figure out where I am," I said to no one in particular.

When I stood up a sharp pain tore through my lower body up to my ribs. Gasping, I fell back onto the couch, causing even more pain to jolt through my body.

'What happened last night?' I thought to myself.

As if an answer from God, Sebastian walked in. He was carrying a plate of something that smelled delicious in one hand and a glass of orange juice in the other, with a pill bottle held between his index finger and the cup.

It all came rushing back in a whirlwind when I saw him. The drive, the restaurant, and then…after.

Sebastian sat the plate on the coffee table in front of me and then handed me the pill bottle and orange juice. I was a little hesitant to take it from him, not knowing what he was giving me.

I took it from him anyway, fighting every urge in my body to get up and run out the door. I didn't want a repeat of last night. I was already pretty sure my ribs were broken - at the very least bruised badly.

"Go on, take it." Sebastian said.

I looked at him from the corner of my eye, suspicious as to why he was being kind to me.

"It's just Tylenol," he finished with a light chuckle.

Still not trusting him, I picked up the white bottle and read the label. Sure enough, it was Tylenol. Shaking two out, I popped them in my mouth and took a swig of OJ.

"Clary," Sebastian said my name when I turned away from him towards the food.

Jumping I turned and looked at him. Afraid of what he might do if I didn't acknowledge him.

"I wanted to apologize for what I did. That wasn't me. I was jealous and acted like my father. I never wanted to hurt you. Please forgive me, baby." Sebastian finished, his eyes watering. My heart softened for him but I was still slightly untrusting.

"Why did you, then?" I said quietly.

Full on sobbing now he answered, " When I was a kid my father loved my mother very much and my mother loved my father. My father was a politician, you see, he was running for mayor so he had a lot of advisors—one of which was his best friend. As the competition became more fierce, my father had to change some of his views. His best friend and my mother didn't agree with them but my father wouldn't listen to them. This just brought the two closer. When my father found out, he went mad and acted out of jealousy. He did terrible things...to me and to his best friend, even to my mother. Eventually my mother and his best friend left. They left me behind to be raised by my father. So you see, that was the only example I had ever known. I really am sorry. I forget that I can't act that way. I am trying to do better. Please forgive me?" Sebastian finished.

His story broke my heart. "Oh Sebastian!" I leapt into his arms hugging him tightly but not too tightly because I was still sore.

"I forgive you. It's not your fault," I sobbed into his shoulder.

We held each other for what felt like an eternity. The growling of my stomach interrupted our moment. Laughing we both pulled back.

"You should eat," Sebastian told me.

Nodding, I turned towards the plate once more and dug in.

After breakfast, Sebastian brought me home. Kissing him on the cheek I got out and went inside.

I ran up to my room so my mom or dad wouldn't notice I wasn't home all night. I didn't even look when I tossed my purse on the bed. When it connected with the blankets my bed made an "ow" sound.

Startled, I went over to inspect whatever it was in my bed. Pulling back the covers, I could see a tangle of petite limbs and dark black hair.

"Izzy!" I whisper-yelled, "what on earth are you doing here?!"

Not answering my question Izzy yelled, "Where have you been?! We've all been worried sick! When you didn't show up to the party, you broke Jace's heart!"

"Keep your voice down. My mom will hear you—" I began but Izzy cut me off.

"Your mom and dad aren't home. Now are you going to tell me where you've been?" A look of surprise went over me.

"Where is my family?"

"At your brother's college. Don't change the subject," she said angrily.

"Fine, I was with Sebastian."

"You were with Sebastian?" she asked with surprise. Before I could confirm that was what I had said she spoke again. "Are you kidding me?! I texted you like 10,000 times!" she yelled at me. "Did you not get any of them?!"

"I must have lost my phone." I wasn't going to tell her what really happened, I couldn't. She wouldn't understand why I stayed with him.

"Well, I hope you and Sebastian will be happy without the Lightwoods bothering you for support. If you had a phone, I'd tell you to lose our number," she said angrily and then stormed from my room slamming the door behind her.

I stood there dumbfounded for a minute and then was shaken from my thoughts when the front door slammed. Reality began to sink in. I had just lost three of my closest friends. At least I still had Simon and possibly Magnus. But I doubted that one.

Jace's POV

I was in the shower when I heard the front door slam. Hurrying up, I jumped from the shower, wrapped a towel around my waist and went downstairs to see what the noise was.

Izzy was in front of the door wrestling with her coat. "Are you ok, Iz? I know I was a jerk last night, but I didn't mean it. Is Simon ok?"

"Jace?! How are you feeling? Yeah, Simon's fine. I was just at Clary's—"

"Is Clary ok?" I asked not letting her finish her sentence.

"Clary is better than ok. She couldn't make it to the party because she was with Sebastian. Probably having sex. She has absolutely no regard for her friends' feelings!" she said with no emotion.

"Clary and Sebastian," I had to pause. I couldn't—no, didn't, want to process that Clary would do that. Especially not with someone she didn't love. I always just assumed her first time would be with me.

My heart broke even more. Not only did Clary miss the most important game, she missed the celebratory party—and for what? To have sex with her new boyfriend?! A wave of calm went over me. "Good for her," I told Izzy, "it's about time she got some."

Izzy looked at me in shock.

"What?" I asked innocently and then walked away not waiting for an answer.

Clary's POV

I wasn't prepared for Monday to come. Alec, Jace, and Izzy ignored me all weekend. And I didn't have a phone so I couldn't get a hold of Simon. I had no idea where I stood with any of my friends.

By Monday morning I had my answer. I usually rode to school with Izzy but when I awoke the next morning and got ready, Izzy was nowhere to be found.

"Well, guess I'm walking." I said to myself.

When I finally got to school I went straight to my locker, expecting Simon to be there like he usually was—but I was alone. So I got my things and went in search of Simon at his locker.

He wasn't there, either. Deciding to just head to class and catch him at lunch, I turned around and started to head down the hallway but stopped when I heard a giggle and whispering coming from around the corner.

When I looked, there was Simon and Izzy cuddled together at Izzy's locker, and Jace and Kaelie, and even Alec and Magnus.

They were all there and not one of them acknowledged me. I decided to confront them.

Marching up to them, I said, "Hey guys! Simon, you didn't tell me you and Izzy were together!" no one except for Kaelie and Magnus looked at me.

A glare from Kaelie and a look of sympathy from Magnus. "Yeah, it's new. I got to get to class." Simon said and then walked away followed by Izzy, and then Kaelie dragging Jace behind her.

Alec looked at me briefly and then turned and followed the rest of the gang, leaving me and Magnus. "What just happened?" I asked.

"I don't know, Biscuit. But try to steer clear of everyone for now. I'm gonna follow my boyfriend." And with that he left me standing there by myself.

Jace's POV

"She didn't even say anything about the game." Izzy suddenly burst out during lunch period.

We were sitting at a circular table out in the quad so Clary couldn't find us. Although I was hoping she would just so I could see her. Even though I couldn't have her, I still wanted to look at her.

"Yeah but did you give her the chance?" Magnus concluded.

"No, but why should we?" Simon said getting angrier by the minute.

"Maybe she has a very good reason for missing it. Simon, you're her best friend. You should at least be the one there for her." Magnus tried to reason.

"No, I agree with Simon. Why should you listen to what she has to say?" Kaelie added in but no one paid attention to her.

When I looked up, I could see a flash of red hair in the window. "Clary's coming." I said under my breath so only my table could hear. We were prepared to get up to leave but before she got to our table she sat at a different table.

This table held Sebastian, Aline, and the rest of the cheerleaders. I was a little disappointed that she didn't try to come over here. She didn't even look over at us.

"If that isn't proof enough, then I don't know what is." Kaelie said with steam basically coming from her ears. "How dare she sit with my friends. Excuse me," she said again and then got up and walked over toward the table.

I couldn't hear what was being said but I could see Kaelie's face getting redder and redder.

Marching back over to our table she whined, "Jace. Sebastian needs to be taught a lesson."

"What happened, babe?" I asked with fake concern.

"It doesn't matter. Just go now. Or we're done." she puffed. Getting up, I made my way over there.

"Hey, guys. What's going on?" I confronted them. Clary didn't look at me but I didn't look at her either.

"Your girl was put in her place. That's all," Sebastian said to me. "Kaelie said hurtful things to Clary, and I asked her to take them back. And she refused. Isn't that right, Aline?"

"Yeah that's right."

I wanted to punch him—not for protecting Clary, but for doing what I'd never had the courage to do and that angered me. Not able to stop myself, my fist flew and connected with his nose.

"Dude, what the fuck?" Sebastian yelled but didn't strike back.

This just pissed me off more. Moving faster than I never had before, I picked him up by the front of his shirt and pushed so he stumbled up out of his chair and fell to the grass. That was enough to get him going.

Grinning, I threw a punch again. It didn't connect this time. Sebastian retaliated by kicking me in the stomach. As the air was knocked out of me I doubled over in pain. Sebastian must have saw an opportunity to kick me when I was down because he was on top of me punching my face.

I grinned through the blood and earned a punch to the temple that knocked me out.

Izzy's POV

A scream pierced the air but I couldn't figure out where it was coming from. It didn't take too long to figure out that I was the one screaming.

"Jace! By the angel, Jace." I ran over to him. My friends were right behind me.

"What the fuck Sebastian?!" Alec yelled

"He started it, I just finished it."

"No," I interrupted them, "Jace didn't start this. This is Clary's fault." I turned a glare on her.

"What?! How is this my fault?" she was livid.

"If you weren't whoring yourself out to the first guy to come around, this wouldn't have happened." I yelled at her. I regretted my words as soon as they were out of my mouth.

"Well if that's what you think of me," Clary said with tears coming down her face, "I think I'm done for the day. Aline?"

"Yeah?" Aline asked.

"Will you bring me home please?" Clary asked her.

"Yeah. Coming, Seb?" Aline asked her cousin. Nodding his approval, the three walked in to the cafeteria and then out the double doors so we could no longer see them.

"Quit staring and go get a nurse!" I yelled at one of the freshmen. Eyes going wide at my authoritativeness, they took off in search of one.

"You're bossy, you know that?" I recognized that voice. That was the voice of my adopted brother but that wasn't possible because he was knocked out. Looking down, Jace was fully conscious with a grin like the Cheshire Cat's on his face.

"Dammit Jace!" I yelled at him. "Are you OK? Why did you do that?" I pestered him.

Not answering my questions Jace said, "Where did Clary go?"

I hesitated. Jace must have noticed because he became more persistent. "Izzy? What happened?" he insisted.

"She, uh...left." I said, not giving much away.

Jace's face fell, "she just left?" he asked, clearly heartbroken.

"She said she was done for the day." Kaelie said. "Now that I know you're ok, we should probably talk."

"Can it wait, Kaelie?" I said to her with annoyance clear in my voice.

"No, not really. Jace, I appreciate you fighting for my honor but I need someone who isn't going to start fights. And that's not you. Plus, you didn't even win," she said and walked away.

Scoffing, I flipped her off. "She's a bitch, Jace. I wouldn't worry about it. She'll be back."

Laughing, he said, "I wasn't fighting for her honor. I couldn't care less if she leaves me or not."

"Then why did you hit him?" I asked, confusion obvious on my face.

"I don't know" was all he said.