Title: Straddling the Sword

Author(s): TemptingDestiny (2 people. Tempting & Destiny)

Disclaimer: Do we own this magnificent piece of work? Hell yes we do, but is it originally ours? HELL NO! The original idea, thought, inkling, iota, you get where I'm going? Belongs to Cassandra Clare and "The Mortal Instruments" series. All characters not recognized from the series are creations from our own thoughts. (Everyone who is not Jace, Clary, Simon, Maia, Raphael, Magnus... etc... It's a long list..) Probably would have been shorter to name the scrappy handful of characters we do own... -- ... mkay...

Summary: Life's convenient when you stand on the border between two worlds, but when the line begins to blend, which side do you fall on? A war raging between the dark world and those who stand against it leave friends and foes straddling both ends of the sword.

Greeting via Tempting: Well! We have been gone for quite some time, with midterms and our jobs and all sorts of crazy haywire things this semester, it became pretty difficult for us to post. We thank those who shall review now and have stood by us despite our haphazard ways currently. But we promise now that we've gotten situated in our lives the chapters will be coming more frequently. So bear with us, REVIEW PLEASE and we shall keep all the fun stuff coming along!

Chapter Three

Lee tried to pass the marks as nothing but Kei's snarl had forced all eyes on her. She smelled like vampire already, Kei shouting her out did nothing to ease her nerves. Her dark eyes bore into her best friend's and she offhandedly explained that it had been taken care of. Maia's eyes glowed gold, anger rippled through her close friend and ally. Maia hated that she had moved on from Caleb, one of the finer males in her pack to be with a vampire, their mortal enemy. It had been a rough break up but Caleb had been caught with another girl. The worst part was that he had been drunk in Hunter's Moon. After a good ass kicking from the pack and a good beating from her, they had ended it. Caleb wasn't at the bar for the moment and she was grateful. Pushing the thoughts aside she nodded to Freaky Pete who was lounging in the back and began her shift. Maia was giving her the cold shoulder, strained and on edge already she tried her best to be hospitable. Handing out a few beers, pints and shots her nerves were aching. Giving Pete a nod she headed to the back for a breather. No sooner did she depart did trouble come walking in through the front doors. The biggest problem was that this trouble happened to be one of her close friends. Jace Wayland.
The feeling of anxiety was rising and she needed to get out. Pushing through the back door, she took a few steps out. It was much darker now than she realized. Her heart thrashed in her chest as she tried to calm her breathing. She was fidgeting horribly and was flustered, there was too much drama. Azrael hating her for being with the moon children, Maia was pissed at her for consorting with revenants. Kei was neutral in the whole situation, but she could guess that based on the twins, she was more inclined towards the wolves. Pulling her phone off the clip, she sat down on the step and went through her phone book for a name. When she found it she called it immediately, the drone of ringing soothed her, hoping her friend would pick up.

"Hello?" The male voice sounded groggy, she could hear faint sounds of life around him, and realized he was home.

"Hey Corny, sorry to bother you, you're probably in cuddle mode with Luis, but I need to to talk." Her voice was shaky, she was a tirade of emotions, specifically of anger and distress, and it was showing.

"I'm not in cuddle mode... Yes I am, but I'll let that slide for now... Hold on... Luis says hi. Go on, what's up?" The pause and his indifference eased her, Corny had no bias, not after Kaye, his best friend who happened to be a faerie. Running a hand through her hair once more she began the whole story and when she finished. remnants of tears were on her face and Corny was trying his best to calm her down. During it all Luis had woken up and had given random interjections of consoling.

"Alright, well now that it's all out and we've decided that everyone sucks, how about you go have some Russian vodka and then take a nap. Hopefully that man of yours will show up, if not? C'est la vie." Corny's blunt and easygoing reasoning had settled her into an apathetic acceptance. A few goodbye's later she flipped her phone close and let the words settle into her for a moment.

Pushing herself up she sighed and closed her eyes trying to center herself. Opening her mind she could sense Raphael, it was a bond they had. She had been marked by him and now they had a bond from blood sharing. One of the main perks was psychic links and dream traveling amongst others. He was worried about her and sent waves of love and reassurance. Deciding to head inside she wrenched the heavy door open and re-entered Hunter's Moon. She heard Luke and then possibly... Jace? Rushing through she re-entered the bar as Luke's silhouette followed Jace, Clary and Simon out. Surveying her surroundings she saw that the bar was trashed and everyone was pissed. Startled, she realized that she could smell blood. Her nose crinkled and she sighed heavily, her eyes drifting to Kei's.

"What the FUCK just happened?!"

Kei kept a wary eye sideways on Jace as he flopped down at the bar, two seats away from her and not noticing her presence at all. She felt Maia tense up a few seats down and heard Bat mutter a few calming words to her. Freaky Pete offered her a refill, putting off serving Jace it seemed, but she waved him away. Somehow getting drunk right now seemed like a bad, bad idea.
Good thing Lee stepped outside to make that phone call. I don't know who she's calling but it better last a good long while, Kei thought fervently. She wondered if she could mumble a random excuse and step outside to chat with Magnus awhile. She was seriously considering it when she remembered that he was probably with Alec, meaning his cell phone would be off. Well crap.
She waited, tense, along with the rest of the bar as Jace ordered his scotch and made several scathing comments, trying to provoke those around him.

The bastard's trying to start a fight! What the hell is wrong with him? Kei wondered. He's so outnumbered it's not even amusing! He's gonna get his ass handed to him on a platter! And then following that thought. What on earth happened to make him do something this stupid? He's crazy, yes, suicidal, no.
Jethry casually slipped into the seat on Kei's other side, placing himself between the earth elementalist and the Shadowhunter. Jace finally noticed her and sneered, not even bothering to comment. Jethry bristled and Kei placed a quick hand on his arm, sending a firm mental command to the easily riled Joffery to stay seated. Outnumbered Jace may be, but he wouldn't hunt demons if he couldn't handle several opponents at once. And he wasn't going to leave without a fight breaking out because, as Clary would say, only Jace could piss off everyone in a five hundred foot radius just by walking into a room.
As the lit fuse that was the atmosphere in the room crept its way slowly towards the exploding point Jace continued to act as if he didn't notice. Just when Kei thought the animosity making her head spin was going to make her ill, a scream echoed from outside. Heads jerked towards the door as if pulled by strings just as it crashed open and someone Kei didn't know staggered in, drenched in blood.
The shock at the sight prevented Kei from hearing exactly what he said, something about someone being dead outside, but Joffery's shape blurring past her brought her back to her senses rather quickly. Joff joined a few of the others who darted outside to find out just what had happened and Jeth put a restraining hand on Kei's shoulder as she tried to stand to follow them.

"Don't bother. We'll find out what happened in a moment," he murmured.
Kei's lips vanished into a thin white line, but she stayed in her seat.
Joffery was the first one to come storming back inside, but only by about a half a second. The others he had joined outside were quick to follow him back in and join the man who had alerted them in the first place. Accusations were thrown at Jace with brutal accuracy. He flippantly sneered them off. Growls sounded around the room. He ignored them. Kei was halfway out of her seat without even realizing she was moving when Jethry shoved her rather rudely back into it.

"Jeth!" She protested. "I have to say something, he's going to get himself killed!"

"He knows how to handle himself!" Jeth responded, not moving his hand. "Don't get involved."

"Jethry!"

"Kei. This place is going to erupt very quickly. I know you can handle yourself but I am not losing you in the midst of an enraged mob."
She didn't have to like it, but Kei did see Jethry's point. She knew how to fight, her friends had made sure of that long ago, but she doubted she'd last more than a moment, if she was lucky, in a bar room brawl without having to resort to using the earth energy she channeled. And in the midst of this many people she doubted she could exercise enough control to not actually hurt anyone. She stayed seated.
Sure enough a fight did break out, so quickly that if Kei had blinked she would have missed the beginning of it. She was really glad at that point that Lee was out back. Lee didn't know how to stay put and if she unleashed her fire energies here someone was going to be sent to the hospital.
Kei suddenly realized that Joffery wasn't standing by the doorway anymore. She leapt on top her seat to scan the crowd for him and just caught sight of Jethry bolting past her into the melee, shouting for his brother. Feeling a tug on her jeans, Kei flopped back down into her seat and buried her face in her arms.

"Why me?" she asked petulantly. Maia patted her back in sympathy, having more than enough sense to keep her hide away from the fight. A shot glass wizzed by over their heads.

"Enough!"
All movement stopped and all noise died so quickly that Kei wondered for a second if she'd gone deaf.
Luke, she thought as she stared in relief at the figure in the doorway. Thank God. He looked imposing standing there, glaring at the members of the brawl, but underneath the strong front he was presenting Kei noticed that his clothes were slightly rumpled, his face was careworn, and his eyes were exhausted.
God, Clary wasn't kidding when she said he was driving himself crazy.
She looked around the mass of lycanthropes still grouped around the young Shadowhunter, searching for her boys. They appeared as if summoned, Jethry sporting a fresh black eye and Joffrey nursing what looked like a broken arm. While Luke waded into the mass and dragged Jace away, Kei crossed her arms and glared at the twins. They stared back at her with sheepish expressions, Jethry had the nerve to rub the back of his head.

"And what, pray tell, was the two of you jumping into the middle of that insanity supposed to accomplish?" she asked icily, eyes narrowed.
"In my defense," Jethry said meekly, "I was trying to drag him out of it."
Joffery muttered something unintelligible. When Kei turned her glare fully on him he growled, "The bastard needed to be knocked around. Did you hear the things he was saying?"
"That's not an excuse for you to become part of a mindless brawl with Jace Wayland at the epicenter!"
Kei had her teeth bared in an unconscious imitation of the snarl of fury she'd seen from the twins when they were pissed beyond all reason. Jethry slipped a finger under her chin, tilting her face up to the light and throwing the angry specs of green that had invaded the blue of her eyes into sharp relief.
"Calm down, Kei," Jethry pleaded. "This is nothing. We've had worse."
Kei's eyes flashed at the reminder.
"Sorry," Joffery muttered, reaching with his good arm and taking hold of her hand.
Kei took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of her nose. When she opened her eyes again they were a clear, unjaded blue, and both boys breathed sighs of relief.
"Come here," she muttered, tugging Joffery over to the bar. Jethry followed and they all took back their seats.
Kei placed a hand over Jethry's swelling eye, sending a quick shot of healing energy into it to speed up his already quick healing process. Then she turned to Joffery. She had to reset the bone before it started to reattach itself in the wrong position. His face turned white as a napkin and his lips thinned into a narrow line but he didn't make a sound. Kei fused the bone back together herself, eyes glowing a soft green as she worked, and a few moments later Joffery was stretching his arm out and waving it around. Maia whistled, impressed. She'd seen Kei use her healing energies once, but from a distance, never before up close and personal like that. It was every bit as amazing as Lee had said it was. Joff smiled at Kei, patting her on the head.

"Like I said, love our medical insurance."
"Watch it, you," Kei muttered, batting away his hand. She couldn't stay mad at them for long, try as she did. Her nerves were still frazzled though. Without their needing to ask, Freaky Pete set three shot glasses in front of them and Kei downed hers without even asking what it was. It burned on the way down and she shuddered, slamming the glass back down onto the bar.
"I think we could all use the liquor," Maia muttered. "That Shadowhunter nearly tore the pack apart!"
"Katie," Luke called quietly from behind her. She turned to face him wearily.
"Before you ask, no I can't calm Jace down. He's going to block me out and he won't appreciate me trying to fight past a block."
Luke smiled mildly. "Actually I was just going to ask you to keep an eye out for Clary, she's coming over to try and talk some sense into him."
Kei snorted. "I wish her the best, and I'll happily take care of the headache she's likely to get. While you're here, how are you doing, by the way?"
Luke, for his part, looked mildly surprised. "I'm fine, why do you ask?"
Jethry's eyebrows shot up, Joffery snorted in disbelief, and Kei sighed. "Because you're not fine. You look like a zombie, Luke. Haven't you been getting any sleep?"
Luke shifted uncomfortably. "I'm fine," he insisted.
"I'm a healer, and I happen to know when you're bullshitting. Have Clary come find me after you finally collapse." She turned back to the bar to see that Pete had refilled her shot glass. She downed the contents without a second thought.
Clary and Simon arrived not long later, by which time whenever Kei made a sudden movement she got dizzy. Hello, Buzz, it's nice to see you again, she thought.
"Long time, no see," Kei greeted the duo.
"I know, it's been years," Simon deadpanned. "Are you drunk?"
"Not yet," Kei said with a grimace. "But I'm getting there."
"Clary," Luke called from by the stairs.
"We'll see you later, Kei," Clary said, as she walked off towards her guardian, Simon waving a hand over his shoulder as he followed her. When Kei turned around again she saw that her shot glass had been refilled.
"Is Pete trying to pay this month's rent by running up our tab?" Kei grumbled out loud before downing the shot.
"You're the one who keeps drinking them," Joffery pointed out.
Kei snorted. "Sure. Take his side, why don't you."
"You're having a little much there, aren't you?" Jethry asked.
"Right. The situation doesn't warrant it at all," Kei said dryly, quirking her head to the side as she stared at the younger of the twins.
"Actually, I'd say it warrants being clear headed more than anything."
"The asshole got scared off, he isn't coming back tonight," Kei said as Pete once again filled her glass. From behind her Jethry made a negating motion to the barman, signaling that Kei had had more than enough. Shrugging, Pete moved away. Kei, watching the light play on the ripples of the amber liquid in the shot glass, missed the exchange. After a few moments contemplating the contents, she downed them, slamming the shot glass back on the bar.
"Isn't it a little early to be hitting the bottle this hard?" someone asked.
"Hello, Magnus," Kei said as she spun around on her bar stool. Three separate hands grabbed hold of her as she swayed dangerously. Kei held up a finger and pursed her lips. "I think I've had a bit too much," she conceded.
"You're officially cut off," Joffery said dryly. Jethry sighed.
"I need to talk to Luke," Magnus said.
"I'll go get him," Maia offered, speaking up for the first time since just after the fight. She'd been so quiet Kei realized she had actually forgotten the younger girl was there.
"Tell him I'll be outside," Magnus said. Maia nodded, then scurried off towards the stairs.
"And you two," Magnus added, crossing his arms and glaring at the twins. "Make sure Kei gets home in one piece. If I lose my TV show marathon partner I'll be forced to do something drastic, and I'd really rather not cut into my me-time."
"I can take care of myself," Kei said indignantly, trying to stand and falling with a plop back into her seat. Magnus simply raised an eyebrow.
"I'll fill you in tomorrow, shall I?"
"Do that," Jethry agreed. "I'd rather like to know what all this was about, myself. Do we even know who it was who died?"
"Not by name," Joffery interjected. "At least, I didn't. I've seen him around a few times the past month or two. New kid. Never actually talked to him." The fact that he was still a member of the pack went unspoken.

Magnus nodded, then turned and headed back outside. Barely a moment later Luke came back downstairs leading Jace, with Clary and Simon following just behind. Clary glanced over at Kei, raising her hand in the air in a brief farewell and Kei raised hers to the side of her head in a phone gesture, mouthing tomorrow. Clary nodded before she turned away.
It seemed like everyone left in the bar had turned to glare daggers into Jace's retreating back. Kei sighed, glad that her intoxicated state was blocking off her empathy and preventing her from feeling the animosity that was surely accompanying those glares.
It was of course that precise moment that Lee chose to come back into the bar and resume her shift. Her incredulous gaze traveled across the wreckage, the bruised and angry patrons, the tail end of Jace and company as they cleared the door, and finally settled on her severely inebriated friend.

"What the FUCK just happened?"
Kei turned her head slowly to stare at her friend. "You don't even want to know," she muttered.
"Pete, are you gonna keep the place open much longer?" Jethry asked as the bartender came back down their way. Freaky Pete shook his head, knowing where Jethry was heading.
"No. Lee, why don't you take your friend home? You'll be paid for the full shift, but I'll be closing up soon anyway. Crime seen shit and all that."
Lee smiled wryly. "Thanks," she said, slipping her apron over her head and folding it.
"Are we leaving?" Kei asked in confusion.
"We are most definitely leaving," Jethry said, scooping up her backpack. Joffery locked his arm across Kei's back to make she didn't fall over her own feet.
"We'll fill you in as we walk," Jethry told Lee. "But we still don't really know anything. We'll find out more tomorrow, probably."
"Wonderful," Lee muttered. "And just when I thought my life couldn't get any more fucked up than it already was."

Katie's agitated and yet very saucy response caused her eyes to snap to the twins. Sheepishly and quickly they led her towards the door, Kei being led with ease. The Earth Maiden was easy to direct when she was drunk. Covering her face with her hands, Lee screamed into them and heaved a heavy sigh. Lowering her hands, she saw Pete give her a look that said to leave. It wasn't an angry look, he just knew that she had enough and making her work would be pointless. Nodding softly she took the cash he had passed over the bar and shoved it into her pocket. She decided to use it for cab money, putting Kei on the train would be stupid. If she knew her friend, the girl was probably going to be half asleep the whole way home. Rustling caught her attention, and she turned to see that Maia was sweeping up the glass pieces, her body a bit more relaxed but the edge still lingered. Lee went to speak to her and decided against it, turning, she headed to the door and stopped at the sound of her voice.

"One of ours was killed while you were gone doing whatever. It looks like your lovely revenant has some trouble coming his way." Her voice was low, a formation of a slow growl was starting.

Lee's head snapped to the side and she glared over her shoulder. Her fingers tingled with heat, sparks played on her fingers. Her urge to fight was strong, but not with the pack and especially not with Maia. Calming herself she turned and looked outside. Jethry was piggy-backing Kei who was asleep already. Joffrey already had traces of braids in his hair, it was a habit Kei had when she drank. She braided hair as a force of concentration; Lee sighed once more. It seemed to be something she was doing a lot lately.

"I hope for both of our sakes it's not Maia, I really do. Be safe, may the Goddess watch over you." She said solemnly before heading out, touching her moon charms and other amulets tenderly.

Jeth and Joff said nothing as she hailed a cab, within moments they were crawling inside. Kei mumbled a few obscenities and fell back into a deep sleep. Lee rested her head against the cool window and closed her eyes. Immediately her mind reached into Raphael's once more. He was busy, his mind muddled with other concerns. Feeling cold and lost she closed the link and tried to let the car ride let her fall asleep. The tension in the car was thick and her racing heat wasn't making anything easier. Groaning, she picked her head up and touched her amulets tenderly once more, moving them along the chain that dangled from her neck. Joff cleared his throat and her eyes trailed over to him. Jeth sighed and continued to pet Kei as she slept, keeping out of it.

"Jubilee, in all the time that I've known you, I've always meant to ask. You're a child of Lilith, you wear charms of the Moon with the amulets, and you're bonded with a vampire, yes I can smell it all over you. On top of that, you've been involved with Shadowhunters. So tell me, who's side are you actually on?" His voice was level, all fun and ease he always had with Kei was gone. Her blood was pumping in her ears, she looked to Jeth and then back to Joff before speaking.

"Who's side I'm on is no fucking concern of yours. If you're even hinting that I had something to do with the killing, you can get the fuck out of the car." She hissed dangerously. Joff was always the more dominant, hot headed twin. She liked Jethry more, even now.

"I'm only saying that it's convenient that you disappear off to see the revenant and then leave the bar right as the Shadowhunter, your close friend arrives and as the murder happened. You seem to have a knack for timing." He was growling now and she could see his eyes flickering golden. Jeth had tensed up, his arms tighter around Kei who had become unsettled in her sleep. As she stirred Joff and Lee tensed and shifted as if the conversation had never taken place, just like all the others the three of them kept secret.

"Can we have ramen when we get home?" Kei's voice was soft and childlike, making Lee smile despite the adrenaline and rage rushing through her.

"Sure babe, I'll make up super ramen beef delight just for you." Her voice cooed as the cab pulled up and let them out. The twins exited, Kei in Joff's arms as she shoved the cash in the driver's hands and slid out, slamming the door behind her. She heard him counting it up before pulling away slowly, leaving another unresolved battle amongst them.

Destiny: Well, I've got the closing comments this time. Woot! Anyway, we apolgize for the insanely long space between posts and we swear that the next chapter will be up faster. We're in the process of editing the next few chapters now, so we'll have those ready quickly and try to get back into the habit of a chapter a week posting process. So, in the meantime we hope you enjoyed this chapter. We have only one or two more to go before the action really picks up, and we don't mean just with the book story-line. Wait for it, it's insane.