So this is a pretty short one, but I wanted to give you guys a little gift for the last of the month. Even though it isn't technically the last day of the month. Whatever. It's an update. :D So I also have another message, this one being very important to me. I have started a poetry account on Instagram (peoplethatneverexisted) and a... well the name says it all... account (flipthecliche) on Instagram. It would me the absolute world to me if you guys followed and liked. A little incentive... If I get enough follows and likes, I will throw in a Malec chapter. Or a Sizzy chapter, depending on your liking. AND an express update, which you are going to want after this. So... ON WITH THE STORY.

CLARY POV

"Clarissa." A voice hissed in my ear. Someone shook me slightly, but I didn't want to leave my pillow, so I batted the hand away, "Clarissa!" I mumbled an incoherent string of words, the general meaning being: 'Leave me to sleep in peace.' Then, there was a sudden, sharp pain, and my eyes snapped open.

"Did you just pinch me?" I whisper-yelled to Isabelle, and she huffed.

"I tried to wake you up nicely." She pointed out. I realized I couldn't really refute it, because she had tried, so I opted for a pout. There was a silence in which a part of me started to drift off again. Isabelle must've been able to tell, considering the fact that she raised a threatening hand. I got the message pretty fast.

"What do you want?" It came out in a semi nice tone, which was a miracle in itself.

"We need to talk." Izzy said mysteriously, and my stomach dropped. There was only one thing I could think of that would make her say those words. I had a strong feeling that this conversation would not be pretty. Then again, it could be something totally different that my sleep ridden mind wasn't thinking of. I sighed, moving to get up, but I quickly found that it wasn't working.

Something tightened around me, and a sense of dread took over when I realized what it was. My pillow was not, in fact, a pillow. It was Jace, who was also holding me in his arms. Isabelle raised an eyebrow, and I knew I was completely and totally screwed. It took some effort, but I finally ripped myself away, cheeks on fire.

Isabelle silently led the way to a room, and the door shut behind us with an ominous click. I swallowed hard, sitting on the bed. She pulled up a rolling chair in front of me. For a minute, she stared at me, clearly waiting for me to blurt something out like I normally would, but I locked my jaw tight, determined to keep my mouth shut until I was forced to speak.

"Is there something you want to tell me?" She asked in that voice that told me she already knew the answer full and well. It was all the more reason to say nothing until she spilled all the information she had. There was a drawn out silence in which we had an epic stare down. Then, Izzy sighed.

"I always knew this would happen." She started, and I clenched my hands at my sides, her tone suggesting that a speech would be coming, "I always knew you would fall for him. And I had a feeling it wouldn't just be that puppy dog crush because he's attractive. No, I knew you would be head over heels. Don't ask me how. I just did." She took a deep breath, breaking eye contact, "It's why I was so firm about there being a line between you guys. I thought that maybe, if he didn't flirt or pull out his charm, you guys would keep up your rivalry. Then, you didn't hate him anymore, and he didn't hate you anymore, and I knew it would all come crashing down. He would break your heart. I was sure of it."

My breath caught at that, and I opened my mouth, but she held up a hand to stop me.

"The key word is was, because The Great Player Jonathan Christopher Lightwood would throw it to the side in two seconds. But he's not that anymore. Do you know the last time he had a girl over for...that?"

I shook my head, not necessarily wanting to know the answer.

"I don't either." She whispered, meeting my gaze again, and there was an intensity in her eyes that I hadn't seen when the talk had started. What she meant finally got through my head, and my lips parted. It wasn't possible. Jace had to have had a girl over. Then again, the last time he'd bragged about getting a girl was suspiciously long ago.

"Clary." Isabelle drew me back out of my head, "If you hurt him, I will kill you very slowly, and very painfully." My eyes widened a fraction, "And no one will find your body." Normally, I would've taken it lightly, maybe even laughed a bit, but there was no joking note in what she was saying. I suddenly understood why Jace had looked so stricken when they'd ended their talks.

I found myself nodding slowly.

"Wait." I realized something when I'd gotten over the bit of Izzy-induced-terror, "Why do I need this talk anyways? It's not like he..." I trailed off when I saw the look in her eyes. Her face betrayed nothing, but there was a certain twinkle to her irises that had me suddenly at the edge of my seat. I opened my mouth to question the living hell out of her, but she stood up abruptly, cutting me off before I had the chance to let out a sound.

"We should probably go to sleep." She said simply, turning and walking out without looking back. For a second, I just stared after her, mind trying to comprehend what the hell had just happened. Isabelle had given me a talk. As in Clarissa Adele Fray who she'd been trying to protect for the last who-knows-how-many years.

"Isabelle." I hissed, catching up to her and grabbing her arm. She turned around with a perfectly arched eyebrow, "Have you given Jace a talk like that?" I asked, and a smirk played on her lips.

"Simon's got that covered."

JACE POV

"Simon, what in the hell has you waking me up this early?" I growled dangerously. Normally, his eyes would've widened a bit in fear, because no offense to the guy, but he was a twig compared to me. However, this time, his eyes were hard, and his lips were set in a firm line. It turned out that I was the one who was shocked, and frankly a bit scared.

"We need to talk." His voice was low, and I had a feeling it was for more than to keep the others from waking up. It spoke of slight danger and a bit of destruction. I found myself nodding and rising without protest. We walked to the kitchen, Simon simply going without sparing me another glance.

I half thought he would ignore me, but I wasn't that fortunate. Instead, he turned a cold, searching stare on me that I didn't know he was capable of. Little Simon Lewis shouldn't be capable of that, but he was. I could only say that Isabelle would currently be proud of her sort-of-but-not boyfriend.

"Is there something you need to say?" He asked in a tone that said he wasn't really asking. It spoke volumes of 'Tell me or else'. That was when my stubbornness kickstarted, because I was not supposed to be on the receiving end of that. I closed my mouth with a challenging stare directed Simon's way. I expected him to retaliate, but he simply stared back, calm and collected as if nothing would faze him. I shifted uneasily.

"What do you think you know?" I asked, trying to keep as cool as him but not quite succeeding. My voice shook the tiniest bit, and I hated it, but I needed an answer. Simon clearly knew something that he wasn't about to admit. Still, I needed to know just how much he knew before spouting off information that he didn't already have. He averted his gaze, but it wasn't in submission. It was more like he didn't care enough to keep eye contact.

"Did you know that Clary can shoot a gun?" His tone was so casual as he picked at his fingernails, but the words still hit me hard. I opened my mouth, but I had no idea what to say to that, so I stayed silent, "She's pretty damn good with a knife too." He continued like it was nothing. I floundered for some sort of words to say, but he'd just told me that Clary knew how to use weapons. As in harmful and dangerous ones.

His head suddenly snapped up, startling me. His gaze connected with mine, and I swallowed hard.

"You see, I don't have to threaten you." His smile was borderline sinister, "Because Clary is perfectly capable of killing you herself. With a variety of weapons." My eyes widened of their own accord, and I found myself nodding, even though no question had been asked. I must've been visibly ruffled, because Simon's smirk widened, "Do you get the message?"

My nod turned vigorous.

All of a sudden, he completely deflated, the terrifying look disappearing completely and normal Simon returning.

"Thank God." He let out a sigh. Then, he trained a lopsided, sheepish smile on me. I reeled slightly with whiplash at the total change, "I'm so sorry." He apologized, "Isabelle made me. Coached me and everything." I blinked, trying to process his words while trying to process his previous message at the same time.

Then, everything got through my thick skull, and I couldn't help but laugh. I didn't know whether it was out of nerves or relief or what, but I did, and Simon joined in.

"I don't think you were supposed to tell me that part." I said after a bit with an actual smile on my face. He smiled back, and I knew that all was right in the world, "Does Clary really know how to use those?" I asked, suddenly doubting anything and everything he said. To my surprise he nodded, and I believed him this time.

Despite the fact that Clary could murder me, I felt a little calmer. Though unsettling, Simon's talk was nothing compared to Isabelle's.

As if by magic, I heard the creak of the stairs. I turned, seeing Clary and Isabelle walking down. Clary hadn't seemed to notice me and Simon, but Isabelle looked straight at us. Simon and I shared a look, trying to put on the faces we should probably have on (me with fear and Simon stone cold), but it was too late. She pinched the bridge of her nose with a huff, and that caught Clary's attention.

When she turned, our gazes clashed, and what had happened mere hours ago suddenly struck me again. It flooded me, and I could feel it almost like it was happening again. I realized briefly that if this was what happened every time I looked at her from here on out, my health was in grave danger.

Her lips parted as if she wanted say something but couldn't. There was something in her eyes that I couldn't quite identify, but I had a feeling it was mirrored back in my own. And in some odd way, it felt perfect. I guess it was the fact that I wasn't alone in this, that she just might share what I was feeling.

My eyes return to Isabelle as I tried to break free from the trance. Reality slowly started to seep in. Then, a question began to take shape in my mind. I understood why Simon was giving me a talk, but Isabelle giving Clary a talk...

I tried to tell myself that maybe it wasn't a talk, but I knew the look on Clary's face. She might not have realized it, but the aftershocks showed. There was that lack of color in her face and slight nervousness in the eyes, which kept flicking to Izzy. Those were the telltale signs. Granted, it must have been less of a talk with Clary, because the unconscious terror wouldn't have faded that fast if it was full on, but it was a talk nonetheless.

It took me that long to realize there was an awkward silence in the room.

None of us would make eye contact.

And then I decided that I was finally going to man up. If Iz was giving Clary, as in the girl she'd tried to scare me away from for practically all of our lives, a talk, there had to be hope. Even if it was the most tiny miniscule little sliver, there had to be hope.

"Clary, I-"

"Jace, I-"

Clary and I spoke at the same time. Yet again, our gazes clashed. I vaguely noticed Simon and Isabelle quickly leave the room. It fell silent again. I took a deep breath, because one of us had to say something at some point soon. Clary must've seen it, because she stared expectantly.

"We need to talk."

Well. That's ominous... isn't it. ;) Especially after a talk and a kiss. Let us see what happens, because things are bound to be said in this new talk between our two favorite little people. Clary being literally little. And again...

IF ENOUGH OF YOU FOLLOW AND LIKE PICTURES ON THE ACCOUNTS: peoplethatneverexisted AND flipthecliche ON INSTAGRAM, I WILL THROW IN AN EXTRA SIZZY AND/OR MALEC CHAPTER. THIS IS ALONG WITH AN EXPRESS UPDATE! GET FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO FOLLOW TOO IF YOU CAN...

With absolutely wonderful love to all my Faithfuls...

-Shadowhunter5801