Trigger warning: Past abuse mentioned (I don't think it would be considered graphic but I'm not sure.)

Chapter 3: A Formidable Carnival

His fingers were light on her, tracing intricate patterns on the softness of her skin under her bare breasts. Clary didn't mind so much now, not as she would have a few months ago when they'd first begun there forbidden actions. When she'd given her whole self to him for the very first time.

This was an action she hoped she wouldn't come to regret. Jace shifted beneath her, the red head's body using him as a mattress.

"Go back to sleep, I'm going to put my fabulous cooking skills to use." Clary felt a little bad as he kissed her hair and rolled off the bed, wishing she could help but Jace was perfectly capable and it was really only a one man job.

In saying that, she felt slightly pampered. The two had connected on another level, they'd shared their problems and both understood each other's anger towards their families. It definitely improved performance on both levels, not only did both need the ugly tension released they wanted to be passionate with one another.

"Alright." She murmured when he was half way across the room. The last thing she saw was him, bending over and peering into the fridge before closing her heavy eyelids still exhausted. They both disregarded the fact of school. A couple of days off wouldn't kill them, not to mention it was Friday so they didn't have to become anxious about the following days.

Rattling around was apparently Jace's new best way to prevent her from sleep. She hushed him once or twice but there was no real complaints, not as she slipped back into a light sleep minutes with a faint ringing following her lulled nerves.

Jace's eyes darted from the covered goddess to her bag, an irritating ring tone coming from it.

He moved swiftly in hopes not to wake the dozing girl. Rummaging his hand through the bag he finally found it. It was no shock when the nerdy kid he vaguely remembered as Lewis answered. He was quick to assume it was Clary.

"Clary hi, you're usually here by now are you coming today? You never got back to me."

"It's Jace, unfortunately Clary will be out of commission for the next few hou- days. Enjoy your weekend Lewis." Jace hung up in the middle of his protests with a mocking quiet laugh on the end. The fool was completely obviously in love with her.

Not that Jace cared or felt threatened. He finished breakfast and put two plates full of bacon and eggs on the bench before scurrying towards his lover with her phone between his fingers.

Pressing his lips together he flicked her phone on silent, throwing it briskly under the large bed before leaning over her. He lowered his own lips to hers with a wide smile that most considered perfection. They touched and Jace held a laugh at the fairy tale irony as her eyes flickered open, Clary smiled into the kiss pleased by such an awakening.

"Breakfast is served." She dressed quickly, a plain grey skirt and navy long sleeve she concluded was comfortable but not too shabby. He didn't seem to mind either way though, his arms slipping around her stomach and kissing her neck mid trying to put her hair into a pony tail. She pushed him away humoured and followed him into the kitchen eagerly.

For something so simple breakfast was perfect, they chatted on about things and he even stopped in the middle of eating as she spoke just to stare and admire. She had blushed when Jace had told her she was beautiful, feeling that if anyone was beautiful it was him. His uncombed golden hair flying everywhere and perhaps a little too long yet just perfect. His golden eyes glistening and intense.

Jace insisted she brush her teeth and claimed they were going somewhere and spending the day in complete and utter bliss. He felt a pang of guilt when she asked where her phone was.

"I ought to let Simon know I'm okay." Clary had said to him but he had just fibbed, informing her he had no idea where it was. She shook it off, grabbing her coat and exiting the loft with him. He had a spectacular day planned for them and didn't want anyone else interfering, especially not a love struck commoner with no social status.

Alec groaned into Magnus shoulder, burying himself in his boyfriend's warmth as the elder persevered in his task of waking the Lightwood.

"No." He murmured into the others skin, Alec's hand wrapping tightly around Magnus' bare chest in a cuddly manner. Magnus was just about ready to throw Alec off himself despite how adorable the situation was. "I'm quitting school."

The dropout laughed to himself at Alec's lie. The young man valued his family's opinion too much to do such a task.

"No you're not sweetheart, but you do have a test this morning. Or have you forgotten all that studying you and I did?" Alec huffed into Magnus' neck, sitting up and straddling the older boy's stomach.

"We didn't even study." Alec rested his hands atop Magnus' chest. It was true, they had attempted the action but had found themselves lost in the one another's beauty. "But I guess" –Alec leaned down and began kissing Magnus' jaw- "that if you consider it studying I could use a little more practice." Magnus was sure it shouldn't be so hard to protest but it was.

Alec's lips reached his own eventually, Magnus' hand trailing under Alec's old black shirt and cherishing the hard muscle beneath the fabric.

"Alexander." Magnus whispered into Alec's lips. "I don't think…" He couldn't continue as Alec pushed against him, enjoying the sudden confidence of the boy Magnus wrapped his long arms around his lover before turning Alec over and pushing him underneath as was the preferred position. "Darling…"

"Shhh." Alec mumbled pulling Magnus closer as he discarded the covers onto the floor. "I don't want to talk." He was certainly awake, at least.

Magnus let him continue for a good few minutes but the younger boys heart just wasn't in it, as much as he was sure Alec wanted it to be. He was exhausted, Magnus could tell, his kisses were lazy and the way he composed himself even in bed was sloppy. His touches were too light and his eyes though wide weren't as bright as they should have been.

"Alexander, sleep for a little while longer darling." He found himself saying. He knew the time school started and Alec could get at least another twenty minutes of rest before being whisked away by the schools bell. He previously had wanted Alec awaken so they could have breakfast together but he figured the younger could use the extra sleep.

"You don't want to?" It came out as a question but Magnus could see the doubt and self-consciousness in Alec's eyes. Alec shifted and moved from under him, moving to get up but Magnus pulled him back.

"I do, Alec never think I don't. I just think you could use some more sleep. I'm watching out for you."

"You don't have to wor…"

"It's in the job description of boyfriend." He sat up to kiss Alec, leaning against the headboard of the bed. Magnus rested his hand on his boyfriend nape, pulling his head down to rest on his chest. Alec let himself lose consciousness in no time, dreading when he would have to wake again in only 20 minutes. "I love you." Magnus whispered into his hair, threading his painted nails through Alexander's dark hair.

1997

On most occasions the maid, Julia, would merely leave young Mr Morgenstern to himself. Today was different however. She entered his room, bare of toys and colour, to put away his clothes in his perfectly organised closet. Something caused her to halt tonight though, Jonathan or Sebastian as he insisted his name was clutched his Platinum hair, streaking it with crimson.

His hands were bloody and beside him on his white sheets was a knife soaked in blood.

Julia dropped the ironed clothes immediately, not daring to leave the door ajar in fear of her employer's rage she closed it and rushed over to the poor boy. Sebastian's knees were tucked under his chin with the light of the moon pouring over him. If it weren't for the blood she was sure he would have looked like he had a migraine, clinging to his hair as he was.

Julia sat on the bed directly in front of him. She pried his hands away from his face without warning, he looked up at her with tearful green eyes and let out another soundless sob. There were tracks running down his cheeks and his expression was broken.

"Oh sweetheart." She'd known the child for over a year and never had he cried when his father beat him. She wished to say something but he paid well and the young woman had twin girls to support with only one income. As much as she wished she could, she couldn't risk her own family's wellbeing, not to mention if she ever spoke a word Valentine would have her murdered in some dank ally.

"Am I evil?" He choked on his works as they left his small lips. He was only 7, Julia thought to herself. He wasn't evil he was a baby.

"You are nothing but pure darling. I promise." Sebastian didn't let the tears in his eyes spill over, his purpose seeming to be to control his emotions. "Would you like to tell me what happened?" Sebastian nodded but his lips stayed ceiled shut with a look of anguish. "I promise I will keep it to myself." He didn't say anything, holding out his pinkie finger.

She wrapped her own pinkie around his tiny one.

"Father didn't… he told me not to talk to her. He said I couldn't be her friend." Any strength Sebastian had showed previously had vanished because the tears were spilling again as he hiccupped between his words. "He went-t to hit me. I-I don't know why I did it but I grabbed that-t knife from the bench."

He stopped for a moment, attempting to pull himself together but his efforts were in vain.

"Why are there cuts? Did he hurt you?" Julia inquired.

"N-no I wasn't- I wasn't thinking. I grabbed the wrong end and then he hit me. He called me a-a demon-n. Th-that makes m-me evil doesn't it?"

"No. No it makes him evil. He is a man you are a baby." Julia placed her hand on his cheek.

"A-am not." Sebastian denied, a small smiled creeping on his cheeks as she responded with the classic 'are too.'

"I'm going to clean up this mess before your father sees. Let's get you presentable first however." Sebastian nodded jumping of the bed still lightly hiccupping. Julia found it hard to believe how the child slept without nightmares that night. But she never questioned it. Not even 10 years later. Despite the change in location Valentine kept her around. Enjoying the small conversations she would make with the man out of sheer politeness and self-preservation.

On the inside she despised him however, every day Sebastian grew more violent. He got in trouble at school for fights, he lashed out and screamed at the slightest of indiscretions. One thing that never changed about him though was his birthday wish.

Valentine said he could have whatever he wanted on his birthday and he always wished for the same thing and every time he got the same response 'no'.

"I'll buy you anything, just ask." Valentine would claim.

"I don't want anything, I want Clarissa. I want my little sister." Sebastian would reply and then he would get nothing instead.

Sebastian swung his leg forward, he had ditched his shirt ten minutes previous and was now just kicking and hitting the punching back in anger. His round house kick didn't go as planned, Sebastian hurting himself instead. He fell to the stone floor, leaning against the glass fence for a minute before getting to his feet once more.

The balcony wasn't huge but it was big enough for him to release his anger. He was up quickly and at it again. The bag shook over and over again but he didn't waver in his task. Often he found kicking the crap out of someone or something, preferably the later calmed him immensely. And if he was going to go searching for Clary he wanted to be calm.

He had had every intention of going to school but somewhere between home and Idris he'd almost lost it. Like all the anger towards his mother and father had surfaced once more.

It was an hour later when he made his decision to find the younger. He was adamant in his task, thoroughly scouring all of Brooklyn for his blood.

Something changed along the way as he rethought his path, which corners to turn and what buildings to enter. He wasn't going to stop. There was practically a trail of golden sparkles that led towards Manhattan.

He didn't believe she could be anywhere else. He asked everyone he came across whether they'd seen anyone with Clary's description. None had. So he changed his questions.

"Excuse me" –for over the one hundredth time Sebastian said those two words- "have you seen a young man, golden hair and eyes. He may have been with a red headed girl." He was fairly close to Central Park and so he was practically jumping with joy when she said she might have seen them head towards the park. The elderly woman claimed she couldn't sure but Sebastian disregarded her doubts. He was going to find her.

Frustration filled Simon, a great urge to chuck his phone into a wall rising in his chest but he collected and restrained himself. He spun around when he felt cold fingers travel up his arm. Before him faced a tall, perfectly formed goddess named Isabelle Lightwood.

"Isabelle, I-I can't talk right now." Simon stuttered flushed. Isabelle smiled softly.

"What's wrong Simon? Anything I can help with?" Simon shook his head, this was not a matter Isabelle could help with. A ringing filled both ears and Simon looked as if he had been saved.

"Sorry, I have to go." Isabelle gritted her teeth together, she didn't like being the one people just shrugged off their shoulders like a piece of stray lint. Something did catch her eye however when she went to head inside. It was Alec, looking exhausted and ready to fall asleep.

She rushed over to him in her black heels, cringing when she strode through the mud.

"Alexander Gideon Lightwood you idiot you have a test. I'm covering for you enough, you weren't meant to stay all night. I told Mom and Dad you left early for school but I don't think they believed me. Did you even study?" Alec pursed his lips. Isabelle kept the humour from creeping across her features but couldn't help it, her brother's next words were too much.

"I- Magnus and I got distracted okay." The raven haired girl held a giggle, patting the young man on the shoulder.

"You better not flunk this test then Alec. You know what they expect from us, all of us." Alec nodded not entirely confident. Isabelle hoped for his sake he didn't mess this up.

"Jace!" Clary's tone was almost scolding, slapping his hand as the young man looked just about ready to defend himself from the feathered creature with a long stick. "Put the stick down."

"There bloodsucking little beasts Clary! No, no do not come closer!" Jace threatened the duck in the middle of Central Park, looking menacingly at the innocent little creature. Clary giggled, snatching the sandwich out of her bag and unwrapping it. She tore off a piece and offered it to the duck, meanwhile Jace just looked at her as if she was insane.

The duck waddled up to Clary, lightly pecking her fingers and taking the offered food.

"Sit down Jace, he's harmless." Clary claimed, throwing herself on the grass in a relaxed position. Jace hesitated but took a seat beside her, perhaps a little too close. She found his prejudice against the ducks quite adorable. "This was a nice idea."

"This is only the start." Jace said, narrowing his eyes as the bird jumped back into the lake and swam off. His mind drifted slightly, oblivious to Clary's intense and fascinated stare. Then suddenly he was back, rummaging in his backpack and pulling out her sketch book that he had obviously stolen.

"I don't usually let anyone see that you know."

"Well I'm not just anybody." Jace said in a serious manner, a small smile tugging on his parted lips.

"No you're not." Clary agreed, opening her sketchbook to flip through the pages, opening to an empty one.

"Draw something." The golden boy ordered.

"Why?" Red eyebrows were raised as she asked.

"Because, this is something you enjoy doing. I want to see why." Clary's eyebrows drew together in temporary confusion but shrugged and lowered her pen to the page. A few intricate swirls, accurate lines and different shades later Clary had drawn something small. It was Jace, his face was twisted in a disgruntled frown as he pointed a stick that was outlined by a faded sword, representing him as a warrior of sorts against the duck.

Jace snorted, admiring the way her hand moved. How much skill it would take for he couldn't even draw a straight line.

"That picture hardy does me justice you know?" Clary grinned at his comment, putting her sketch book down with carelessness and pushing Jace under her while straddling his hips. He laughed into her kiss, Clary couldn't help but view it as an angelic laugh. His flawlessness something she wished to claim for herself once more.

Jace didn't protest when her cold skin traced the shape of his abbs or even when her fingers curled into his blonde hair. It was only until her hand rested on his belt did he lift up from where she had him lying on the ground. Taking her small figure with him.

"We can go back to the loft. But a Herondale having sex in public is something I'd rather not have on my track record."

"No, let's just stay here." Clary was various shades of red, feeling rejected immensely and regretting her actions immediately. Jace could read her like an open book as she moved to escape her place in his lap, he stopped her with a half embrace, lifting a hand to brush her bottom lip.

"I wish we could Clary, don't doubt that." He nuzzled her neck teasingly. "Maybe tonight." He declared.

"Promise." Clary whispered back, realising how ridiculous she sounded when Jace laughed into her skin.

"I promise." He swore, holding her close as they talked and ate lunch.

He could see quite a bit clearer now, not that the contacts he wore had gone so far as to blur his vision but now there wasn't that constant itch and occasional tearing up of his naturally green eyes. He was in an odd way thankful Clary had found out the truth, or at least part of it.

Running off like a child, she wouldn't need to run if that bitch hadn't lied. Sebastian mentally cursed himself for his temper, if Clary had known her father was alive she'd want to get to know him. And she'd suffer the same punishments he did. He didn't want her to feel pain, not if it was inflicted by anyone but him.

Sebastian curled his fists in frustration when he finished circling central park where someone had said they'd seen her. Usually he was much better at finding people but today he was distracted. Worried even. He didn't like that feeling of anxiety, it implied he cared more than he should have. And his father always made a point of explaining that to love something is to destroy it.

He'd surely destroy Clary. Clarissa.

Sebastian was after all, as his father insisted, a demon. A monster, filthy and wrong. Maybe that was true, the young man concluded, maybe he was corrupted by something demonic but how was that his fault?

A brief flash of memory passed Sebastian. Throughout Sebastian's years he had been destroyed and ruined by his brutal father.

Shadows.

Valentine had led him into shadows and darkness.

He is a man you are a baby. But he was no longer a baby. He was a man. Or he liked to perceive himself that way. He was no longer an exception to such a title, he could now be classified evil by all the world. Enough girls had thrown the word in his face when he informed them they were merely play things to enjoy.

"Mommy please can we go!" A child wined in the distance stealing Sebastian from his thoughts, a little girl actually. She had auburn hair and her sweet voice almost resulted in a sneer from Sebastian. Her voice however wasn't what attracted Sebastian's attention. It was a flyer the child was holding out to her mother who was juggling her other two children as one cried into her stomach and the other began to fuss over something pointless.

"Not tonight Claire. Maybe tomorrow sweet heart." Sebastian almost snickered at the irony but pushed away his amusement, the child pouted littering the paper on the stoned path before catching up with her beckoning mother.

Sebastian waited until they were vacant of presence before picking up the flyer. A large tent in different bright colours was printed on it. A Ferris wheel was also in the background with an unrealistically happy couple riding on it.

5:30pm -11:00pm

The dyed dark haired boy stuffed the flyer in his pocket, thinking to himself. He wanted his sister and he was going to find her, even if he had to stick a bullet in the head of a clown.

"Jocelyn, we circled the whole of Brooklyn, she said she was staying with a friend and one day of missing school isn't going to fail her." Luke tried to calm his wife down with a loving smile. His hands were rested on her hips as they stood in the streets.

"We, I, should have told her the truth Luke. I need to find her and explain myself." Jocelyn's mouth hung open slightly in sadness and guilt.

"What happened Jocelyn? Please tell me. Trust me."

"He's not dead." Luke gave the woman a quizzical look, unsure of whom his wife was referring to.

"Who?"

"I-I went to Valentine." Luke's face dropped slightly at the mention of his old friend. "I'm so sorry but he could help, he has connections everywhere. When she showed up she was with a boy. His hair was different, dyed and he was wearing brown contacts but I would never have forgotten the unfathomable resemblance to Valentine…"

"What are you trying to say Jocelyn?" She took a breath.

"Jonathan's alive, he's still alive Luke Valentine confirmed it." Luke gaped, his eyes were wide with disbelief.

"That's not possible we were at his funeral, I watched his body go into the ground." Jocelyn almost scowled at such words, he'd never said something like that before but she supposed if Jonathan was alive it didn't matter.

"He's alive." Jocelyn's tone was unwavering and certain. "Valentine hid him from me all these years. I lost my first child to him I will not lose another. So I will look and look for Clary until I find her, I'll file a missing person report…"

"No, don't do that. If you contact the police there is always a chance Valentine may get there before you. Like you said he has connections everywhere. Let it play out. Clary is safe that's all that's important. She'll come home." Jocelyn nodded, Luke brought her into an embrace with lips pressed finely together. It was a lie, he had no idea whether it meant Valentine would get to Clary first but he couldn't have her on the news.

She was only attending Idris High as an art scholar, she had no high class title and could be kicked out if they decided they didn't want such a reputation. The principle, Hodge Starkweather only allowed Clary and Simon into Idris as a favour to her.

None of her high school friends aside from him even bothered to contact her. She lost everything when she got rid of the Fairchild name. Luke was the same when he was forced to replace the name Graymark.

It was one weekend, Clary was leaving Middle School and Jocelyn said she could go to any school as long as they had the funds and it was in New York. Then she found Idris with its high class and amazing art program. Jocelyn had wanted to be angry but a great swell of nostalgia hit her instead and she had insisted Clary apply for a scholarship and Simon did the same. There was never one without the other.

Jocelyn couldn't see the sadness in Clary's eyes when she'd failed to get in and so she didn't hesitate to call her old friend. He was kind to her and agreed. It was a risk but he'd pulled it off excellently.

Luke led Jocelyn back to their home, reassuring her the whole time but a pang of worry hit him in the gut.

Jace laughed, taking Clary's hand while leading her towards the Farris Wheel. Her hands were cold, as was her entire body as the afternoon dragged on. They'd done a number of things over the course of the day but he had been waiting for the day to come to its close, the sun not so prominent. They had only gone back to the loft once to discard her back and then he had whisked her away once more.

"Here." Jace shrugged off his jacket and put it around her before she could even argue.

"Uh thanks that was very…"

"Princely, I couldn't agree more." Jace interrupted, acting like the chill didn't affect him. His eyes were gleaming, evidence of his concealed joy.

"Ride with me." Jace gestured towards the cheap looking Farris Wheel, where instead of pods for seating they were crate like metal boxes. It wasn't all that high but he wanted to ride with her anyway. It was a perfect picture as they were raised from the ground, she leant into him, still freezing cold, her arm linked through one of his as they both talked softly.

"Did you have a good day?"

"I had the best day." Clary answered Jace's question, lip quirking up slightly while doing so.

"I'm glad." The wheel went around slowly, Clary leaning into Jace not even for warmth any longer but for affection. He didn't seem to mind.

"We have to face our family's you know that right?" Clary's hand hovered over the side of the box as she curled into his side. He drew his lips down to her forehead.

"We do. But that doesn't mean it has to be tonight, just let the day end." He whispered bringing his head down to rest on her own. Neither knew that the moment the day did end they would be facing there demons.

Just like neither knew the figure staring up at them from the ground was Sebastian, his eyebrows drawn together in disapproval.

"Sir. Is there anything you need?" The ticket man asked while he stood before the ride.

"No." Sebastian answered simply, never removing his eyes from the two, not even as they came down. The moment Clary's foot hit the soil again he was rushing towards her, his hands leaving his fluffy jacket pockets.

She moved towards him too, Jace in toe as if ready to fight him. The newly returned green in Sebastian's eyes made Clary sure of the story she had already guessed, that he was undoubtedly her brother. It was the same shade.

"Sebastian." Clary was cut off when he brought her into his embrace unexpectedly, like they had any reason to share a hug. Clary didn't pull away though, sensing he needed to hold her.

Something inside Clary felt the danger that radiated off him, his embrace wasn't warm like Jace's. Sure his body heat comforted her but the manner in which he held her it was almost possessive. But she didn't pull away, Clary knew he needed this, the reassurance.

Sebastian glared daggers at Jace as his arms readjusted around Clary, his lips pressed into her hair and his green eyes focused on the golden boy.

"Why did you run?" Her hands stayed tucked in between them, the skin devouring the warmth he offered. But she desired nothing than for Sebastian to be Jace, to be in his arms instead, consuming the warmth of her lover.

"Because it was a lot to take in." Her voice wasn't clear, it was more of a raspy whisper in fact.

"Little sist…" She interrupted immediately at such a title.

"You don't get to call me that." Clary scolded, pulling away and stepping back. He look shaken by such a harsh tone. As if he thought she had no right to speak to him like that but didn't say anything.

"Why not? I have been waiting my whole life, since Father even said your existence was possible."

"You shouldn't have kept it from me." Clary rethought how well she even knew Sebastian.

"Our father said he couldn't be sure, not until a few months ago. He told me I couldn't be near you. He wasn't certain but I was." He was so uplifted by the thought of rekindling their friendship. "He only cared if you were his child not if you were my sister. But you are, you always have been."

Clary bit her lip as Jace stood in front of her defensively. With all his declarations Jace was wary of him. A brother who was locked away from his sister all his life was a possessive one, a dangerous one. Sebastian's eyes unwillingly darkened at the sight of Jace.

"Not tonight Sebastian, I just need time okay."

"Little sis, come home." His voice was slightly demanding as he shoved his hands back into his pockets.

"My home isn't with you, I barely even know you." It was true, Sebastian had become a stranger. It was his way of trying to fix things. He figured if he became a stranger he could just appear like he had never hurt her. Like he was just someone new.

He didn't shift in any way however, contrary to her desires. "Fine" –Clary's stiffened, her tone firm- "we'll leave." Jace took her hand and led her away but Sebastian's hand was quickly on her shoulder, a malicious smirk gracing his lips as his fist collided with the Herondale's perfect face. "Sebastian!" Clary cried as Jace held his cheek in momentary pain before getting up and swinging his own hand.

Clary tried to get between the boys brawling but failed, the police didn't however. It turned out the carnival had security and they weren't afraid to arrest all three teens on the spot.

So they sat inside a precinct, awaiting their parents' appearances.

Sebastian and Jace sat on either side of her.

"You're an idiot." Were Jace's first words. Sebastian pursed his lips, an odd look of regret crossing his face.

"You're both idiots." Clary professed in slight rage. She was angry at her lover and her brother for getting into it and getting them all arrested. She just needed one more night away from the drama and yet the two had managed to ruin it in a bloody way.

The first thing she noticed was the identical raven hair of Jace's adoptive mother and brother. Maryse Lightwood had a scowl on her face and Alec's soft features were the only thing it seemed that reassured Jace.

Clary's mother followed soon with Luke in toe. Valentine was the last to show. He paid a generous amount for both of his children to be released without a scratch. Jace was barely two seconds out of the precinct when Maryse began to scold, Jocelyn was about to leave if it weren't for what came out of her mouth.

"Seriously Jace I told you to stay away from the girl." He gestured to Clary. "You have to business being with a commoner like Clarissa Fairchild."

"Hey!" Three voices said in sink, Clary's, Jocelyn and Sebastian's much to the woman's surprise. It was the first time Clary had ever heard the name 'Fairchild' and she knew immediately it was her mother's real last name.

"My dear Maryse I hardly think blaming my daughter for your son's savagery will get you far." Valentine piped up and Maryse became ridged in response.

"My son? As far as the story goes your child hit mine first."

"And Jonathan will be dealt with accordingly. Can you say the same for the Herondale boy?" Jace's teeth grinded together in annoyance.

"Valentine I suggest…" Clary interrupted in curiosity.

"So you all know each other, because I am completely lost and done with secrets. Can one of you" –she gestured towards the adults- "explain to me what the hell is going on?"

"I would like to know too actually." Jace chimed in with a gracious confidence in his words. Alec seemed to just harden in his position next to his brother, those blue eyes following Valentine as he spoke. Luke seemed to frown the moment he did such a thing.

"We grew up together my dear Clarissa." Clary hated the name when it came from his lips. "And then my wife fell in love with my best friend." He looked towards Luke and Jocelyn as they all stood in the night's darkness.

"That's not why I left you, you were cruel."

"I never cheated on you though did I?"

"And neither did I!" Jocelyn snapped in anger at the false accusation. "I left you because you were heartless, I've always felt guilty for how things ended but then I realised I had no reason to. You were after all sick enough to make me believe my own son was dead." Jocelyn growled, her green eyes flickering towards Sebastian.

"Well you didn't exactly stick around to make sure." Sebastian murmured softly, his hands once again in his jacket pocket with a shiver. Jocelyn looked at him with a sorrow of sorts, seeming so apologetic.

"I'm so sorry Jonathan." The boy didn't reply, flinching away from her attempted touch.

"It's time to go Jonathan." Valentine declared, turning on his heal.

"No." Clary stopped Sebastian from moving with a hand, her fingers curling around his arm. "Come with us." She needed answers and as much as she didn't feel like being near Sebastian her mother needed him. She could see it in the way her eyes broke when he flinched away from her.

"Jonathan." Valentine's tone was full of authority. Sebastian's eyes however ignored him and had softened while he gazed at her with a sort of adoration.

"Perhaps another time, little sister." He left with a sidewards smile, she bit the inside of her gum as the two got into a limo. The rest of them were about to dispatch but Jace surprised Clary, pulling her close and kissing her passionately. His finger rested under her chin bringing her up to his lips. She didn't dare depart from his embrace, her whole body felt attracted to him.

After half a minute of locking lips Jace himself pulled away.

"I had the best day." He said to her loud enough for their audience to hear.

"I'm glad." She laughed into the last quick peck her gave her.

"Mom, I need you to tell me the truth." Clary expressed, a hot drink between her fingers while she sat at the small dining table. Jocelyn let out a breath in agreement. She sat opposite to Clary, Luke standing behind Jocelyn.

"I used to go to Idris High School, we all had this group. It consisted of many of us, Robert Lightwood and Maryse Trueblood, Luke and his sister, Stephan Herondale and Céline Montclaire just some. People used to call us The Circle, it was almost a privilege to be in it with us. Our families were the riches in all New York. We were always there for each other, some as friend and some of us were more to each other. Valentine Morgenstern was more to me. Back then I was Jocelyn Fairchild and my name held a weight I would never ask anyone to bare. I married Valentine at 18 and we had a son. By then his charisma and grand gestures weren't enough to hide the truth.

He was mean. He was cruel and jealous. His work involved committing crimes, murdering people. And he was rich so he could get away with it. He thought I was having an affair with Luke. I wasn't but I was going to leave him. And when I finally did, he staged Jonathan's death, said he burnt down in a fire with my parents. I believed it too." Jocelyn's eyes were fighting tears. "I thought I'd killed my son, leaving him with my parents. I'd lost everything, except the baby growing in my wound. I had you, you and Luke were the last things I had.

It had turned out my parents hadn't left me any money and for good reason. A lawyer said they believed I wouldn't want it. So they left it to my future children instead. They left it to you and Jonathan, my mother new I was pregnant and had changed her will quicker than I could have imagined. I never thought… I never thought maybe out of sheer paranoia was it because of Valentine. I know now he killed her and my father and paid a very high price to do so without being caught."

Jocelyn didn't hide her tears as she spoke next, letting them freely flow down her cheeks as Clary reached across and held her hand tightly. "He sent me a letter a few months ago to pay for bills in exchanged for the truth and then the other day for time with you. He knows we're struggling, I was left with nothing and Luke's parents disowned Luke after he married me because of my change in title." Clary couldn't believe her ears, the cruelty of Luke's parents and her own father.

"I'm so sorry Clary, I should have told you." Clary pulled her lips together.

"Yes, you should have but I'm not angry anymore. I understand now. I just needed to understand." It was a lie, she was angry but she wasn't sure who her anger was directed towards and so she didn't act on the feeling. "I need some time, alone if that's okay. Mom can I just go to bed?" Jocelyn nodded, leaning into the comforting hand Luke placed on her shoulder.

Clary acted quickly, she brushed her teeth with a spare brush and put on her pyjamas before hopping into bed, wishing she had someone to talk to. Wishing she could talk to Simon but her phone was still lost in Jace's loft somewhere.

Instead she just took comfort in the fact that she was back in her own room and tried to sleep off the last 48 hours. Attempting to think of nothing but golden eyes.

The week stretched on, Clary went back to school, her absence being blamed on an unexpected sickness and Jace's merely being left as unexplained.

Now it wasn't that Maryse had done anything other than chew Jace's ear off and ground him but that didn't mean that the week was followed with anything but silence from his family. Aside from his bubbly baby sister though of course, who delighted in sharing her life's problems with him, mainly just involving Simon's constant avoidance.

He had no idea why she even found him remotely interesting but he went with it. Alec wasn't avoiding him per say but his brother had a lot of problems to deal with himself.

So when Robert got back from his business trip he had insisted they all sit down and have dinner together.

"So what have I missed?" Robert questioned interested in the lives of his children.

"Well Jace got arrested. Alec for some reason failed a very important test and Isabelle is pining for a commoner. But I supposed so is Jace." The three seemed to have identical faces, well almost. Izzy's was just slightly less worried, as she enjoyed dating anyone her parents disapproved of. Hence her ex Meliorn who was part of New York's Seelie Gang AKA notorious for ruining lives.

Robert's jaw tightened as the silence droned on.

"Would anyone like to explain?" He asked breaking it.

"Simon's hot." Izzy blurted out, Robert waved off her words, focusing rather on his sons.

"Jace?"

"I got in a fight with Sebastian Verlac, or I guess his actual name is Jonathan Morgenstern. He punched me first though!" Jace tried to defend himself. "He gave my perfect face a black eye even! It was ridiculous honestly!" Robert blinked for a long moment, disappointed.

"And you?" He asked his biological son.

"I-I didn't study."

"Excuse me?" Maryse cut in, it was expected of all of them to do there absolute best in school. Not studying was like taboo for the Lightwood siblings.

"I was going to but… I got distracted." Alec stuttered slightly as he spoke, both his brother and sister throwing him looks of pity.

"How?" Robert inquired. "With whom?"

"My-y boy-friend." Robert's face twisted in surprise and shock. No one said anything for a good minute so the eldest son took one for the team and stood before leaving, right out the door. Maybe it was because Robert's face had gone from surprise to disgust or because of the nervous breakdown he was about to have but either way he was glad he moved when he did.

Clary shuffled through the bag she'd finally managed to get a hold of to find her phone. She could have gotten it earlier in the week but Simon had been with her most of her afternoons. The red head had promised she'd make up for her total silence with movie marathons, not to mention she was grounded because even after everything she had still stayed the night with a boy and hadn't told her parents where she had been.

Finally Clary withdrew her hand from the bag with a sigh of annoyance. Where was her phone?

Looking up at the ceiling exasperated she knitted her fingers through her hair. It was only then did she realise the room was a bit of a mess, not the way Jace liked it but rather how they had left it the morning they had gone to the park.

She headed over to the bed, throwing all the bed linen on the floor before making it. When she got to the last pillow she had leant down and a black device had sparked her interest under the bed.

Reaching for it she hissed under her breath. She had not taken in out of her bag she knew that and the phone was far enough to be hidden.

"Jace fucking Herondale." Clary sneered, leaving the pillow grabbing her bag and storming out of the room.

I know I know this is so late! But I made it longer to make up for my crimes! I was quite sick and school has been an overload at the moment but I should be going back to my regular updates (hopefully) on Sundays/Mondays. If anyone has any thoughts don't be afraid to review good or bad! I hope y'all enjoyed!

-Manathiel

RainbowFangirl101: Thank you!

Caraemoji: Naww thx 3

Sunshinekacy: I'm so glad you're enjoying the story so far! And about Jace and the inevitable I hope he doesn't react negatively either :( but he is such a cutie I doubt it. Thank you for your review! I'm always happy to hear some ones thoughts!

Angeliel: :) thank yah for your review and questions! All will be revealed eventually!