I am so so so so so so so sorry for not updating in TWO MONTHS! I truly am. This is the part where I should explain why I haven't updated, but there isn't a reason. I've just been a bit busy with schoolwork and projects outside of school, but that's not an excuse. I've also had a bit of writers block, literally I tried to sit down and write but I wasn't feeling it. Still, that's not a proper excuse.

So, to make up for it, I've made this chapter much longer than the previous ones. And I promise to update soon, by next week at the very latest. If I don't then you have permission to eat me.

The tightest belt in the world was back in place.

"You want me to what?" Clary gasped. She couldn't believe what Simon was asking her to do. Fair enough a favour, but asking her to break up with her boyfriend? The old Simon would never make her do this.

"You heard me. I want you to break up with Jace; otherwise I won't tell you who the High Warlock is." Simon said smugly on the other end of the phone.

"Please Simon; is there not anything else you want?" Clary pleaded.

"Nope. Break up with Jace, or there's no information."

"Simon, you can't be serious. What will you gain from this?" As soon as the words were out of Clary's mouth she figured out the answer.

"You'll be single," Simon said menacingly. Clary could picture him grinning, fangs out, as he said that.

"You want me to date you."

"Exactly. So are you accepting my offer or are you refusing? Because there are not many people you know who know this information you know."

"How do I know you won't just make me break up with Jace and not give me the information?"

"But Clary," Simon said in a patronizing tone, "we're best friends. Shouldn't we trust each other?"

"Best friends wouldn't make them break up with their boyfriends!" Clary protested.

"Fine, if you don't want the information…"

"I do! I do want the information."

"So are you going to break up with him or will you not?"

The tightest belt in the world was now so tight it was pretty much nonexistent.

But then Clary had a brainwave.

How could she not have figured it out earlier?

She was about to set everything back to normal, so technically she wouldn't really be ending her relationship. Once she'd reversed the spell, Jace and Simon would be back to normal and hopefully free of any memories of this conversation.

Now she just had to act convincing.

"Fine," Clary bit her lip, "I'll do it."

"Excellent. Tell him to meet you at Taki's in half an hour and do it then. I'll be watching to make sure you don't 'accidently' forget to do it." Simon said, ending the call.

Clary felt pretty smug about the whole thing. She wouldn't have to break up with Jace at all because everything was about to get better.

Clary went through the contacts on her phone until she eventually got to 'Jace'. The picture ID for Jace was this one she took of him first thing in the morning last month. His golden hair was all over the place and drool was coming out of his mouth. Even better, somebody –presumably Isabelle- had drawn a moustache over his face. She had much better photos of Jace on her phone, like the one of him actually smiling that she took when they were at the park, but this one made her laugh every time she saw it and she couldn't not have it as his caller ID.

Just pressing 'call' on her phone made her stomach twist. She couldn't believe what she was about to do, even if she was about to make it better. Hopefully he wouldn't pick up so she wouldn't have to hear his voice, and she could send a text instead. She checked her watch; it was almost one. She had just over two hours before Luke expected her home, and just over eleven hours to break the spell.

There was no answer from Jace. The butterflies in her stomach flew away to somewhere else. She sent a text instead. It read 'Meet me at Taki's in half an hour, it's on me xx' Clary was never a one for text language, and she doubted this new Jace would be either.

Clary sighed and made her way to Taki's, dreading what she was going to have to do.

.

Simon was already there when Clary arrived. She saw him hunched over in the corner, reading a menu. She wasn't sure if he had seen her yet. She walked to the table where he was sitting, as she wanted to talk to him before Jace made his appearance.

She pulled out the wooden chair from the table and sat down, with Simon still not looking up from the menu. The old Simon would have looked up without a moment's hesitation, she couldn't help but feel.

"Simon," she said, trying to get him to pay attention to her. He looked at the menu, uninterested by her. She tried again, but with a harsher tone,

"Simon," but he still didn't talk. She grabbed the menu from his hands and said his name again, a little more forcefully. His reaction was just as she had expected: angry.

"What's your problem?" Snapped the vampire, still not looking at her. "Oh, Fray, it's you," he said, finally looking her in the eye.

"Yes, it is me. Who else would it be?" Clary replied, her heart not really into it.

"What do you want?" Simon grunted, like he didn't want her there at all.

"Hello? You're the one who told me to come here."

"Oh yes," he said, finally remembering. "You're going to break up with Jace aren't you?" The corner of his mouth curved into a smile; a cruel smile, one that perhaps Sebastian or Valentine would have made, not the generous, kind-hearted smile that he used to give.

Clary nodded, not wanting to admit it out loud.

"Excellent. Now I want you to tell him these exact words; you need to break up, you're not a good match, you're not in love with him anymore, he's not the same man you once knew," the irony of those words made Clary wince, "and that you're in love with another. Okay, maybe not those exact words but the message has to be the same. Any questions?"

There were a million questions she wanted to ask him. Why was he making her do this? Why couldn't he just tell her the name of the warlock instead of blackmailing? Why couldn't he accept that she didn't love him the way she loved Jace? Wouldn't he rather date her knowing that she chose to, rather than out of force? Wasn't there anything else she could do? Why did he hate Jace so much? Did he like seeing hearts break?

But of course, she knew the answer to those questions; it was because she made a stupid wish that somehow came true.

Someone somewhere was trying to teach her a lesson. And they were doing a damn good job of it too.

She opened her mouth to speak, but then she saw a small blonde figure push open the doors of the restaurant. For the first time she noticed how Jace no longer walked tall like he owned the place, but hunched over like he didn't want anyone to see him. He stepped carefully and only a few times did his eyes leave the floor. Just seeing Jace like this made Clary want to call off the whole thing. She could learn to adjust to this new life. At least her boyfriend would be sympathetic to her situations more often, right?

Wrong, she thought to herself. She was right; she couldn't stay here. Her best friend was a scheming scroat. Her stepfather neither cared for her nor her mother. Her best girl friend hated her. Her mother found partying more important than her daughter. Her boyfriend's brother found pleasure in scaring others. Her warlock friend was drinking himself to death. And her boyfriend…her boyfriend just wasn't the one she'd fallen in love with.

Without saying a word to Simon, Clary quickly jumped up from her chair, hoping that she hadn't been seen. She sat down at a table that was four tables away from Simon, far enough so Jace wouldn't notice him but close enough that Simon would notice them.

Jace looked around, presumably for her, and she waved her hand in the air to catch his eye. He smiled when he saw her. A sad smile. His smile seemed friendly, but his golden eyes were full of sadness. Like he knew what was coming.

She felt her stomach tie into a great big knot. She knew that Jace wouldn't remember any of this when she reversed the spell, but it didn't make it any less painful for her.

"Hi," Jace said meekly, sitting down next to her.

"Hi," Clary replied, trying to hide any feelings of dread or fear.

Clary brushed a lock of red hair away from her face and gestured to the menu. Jace picked it up and read it. Good. Now she didn't have to look at him.

While Jace flicked through the menu, she carefully planned her words. She decided that it would be best to get it over and done with; she didn't trust herself to wait until the end.

"Welcome to Taki's, may I take your order?" Asked a dull and uninterested voice. Clary looked up and saw a tall girl with blue wings. She had cropped black hair with blue streaks with a skull and crossbones hairclip. She was wearing the Taki's uniform, but she'd ripped bits of it up and dyed the top dark purple. On her feet were heavy black boots and over the knee socks striped with purple and black. Blue lipstick and a boatload of eyeliner completed the gothic look. She opened her eyes wide revealing a pair of blue eyes, literally. They were completely blue, even the pupils and white.

"Kaelie?" Clary exclaimed, partly shocked, partly terrified and partly wanting to laugh.

"That's my name, don't wear it out," she said dryly. "I'm not hired to chat; I'm hired to take orders. So what's your order?" Her patience was clearly running thin.

"I'll have the spaghetti Bolognese please," Clary replied.

"And you, pretty boy?" Kaelie spat.

"Um," Jace started.

"Sorry, but we don't have any 'um' on the menu." Clary noticed how Keelie seemed particularly spiteful towards Jace, like she loathed him more than a popular kid loathed a nerd.

Jace, however, made every effort to be nice to Keelie. "Haha, no really I'll have the same as Clary." Jace said with a smile directed at Clary.

"Anything else?"

"Could I have a strawberry milkshake please, Clary?"

"Um, I'll have a banana milkshake." Clary replied.

"Okay, your order should be ready soon." Keelie said. As she walked away she groaned "Ugh, I hate this job."

Clary looked over to where her best friend was sitting. He didn't seem to be paying much attention to her and was more interested in his phone. Just then, Clary's right pocket vibrated.

She took her phone out of pocket. There was a text from Simon; it read 'Don't forget to do it.'

For the next few minutes, Clary tried to avoid as much idle conversation as possible. Jace would ask her questions such as how she was, how Simon was, how Luke was, how Jocelyn was, how her house was. She stopped answering after he got to Luke; he seemed to get the message.

After another minute of awkward silence, Jace broke the ice. "Clary, is something bothering you?" Jace said softly, holding out his hand to her. His golden eyes were full of sorrow, as of her emotions were linked with his. The corner of his lips formed a comforting smile. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

Clary shook her head and buried her head in her hands; she couldn't face looking at him, not without bursting into tears.

"What's wrong, Clary? Is it something Simon said to you? Did he hurt you whilst you were over there?"

You don't know the half of it, Clary thought to herself.

"Clary," Jace's voice was a little bit more assertive, but still the gentle and unconfident voice that reminded her that this was not the Jace she knew, the Jace she fell in love with.

"Jace," Clary began, "there's no easy way to say this…" Clary took a deep breath and looked Jace in the eyes, and then wished she hadn't. Now his eyes were filled with dread, like he knew what was coming. Instead of interrupting, he nodded and let her continue. Clary took another breath. "Jace, I think we need to break up."

To say that Jace was crestfallen was an understatement. Imagine that your house and all of your possessions had burnt down in a house fire, and all your loved ones inside the house were killed by the flames. Not only that but you had just had an argument with them and had stormed out without telling them that you loved them. Well Jace looked as if that had happened to him seven times over. And slapped in the face four times.

For a moment neither of them spoke, neither wanting to be the first to break the silence. Clary fiddled with a lock of her carrot coloured hair, anything to avoid looking at the heartbroken boy sitting opposite her.

A tear streamed down Jace's cheek. If this had been yesterday then Clary would have thought his behaviour would be odd and unexpected, but this wasn't the Jace she knew. Why is that so hard for me to think? Clary thought to herself. It's what you wanted, isn't it?

"Clary," Jace whispered.

"Yes?" Clary gulped.

"This isn't just some sick joke is it? You really are serious?"

"I'm serious."

"But why?" Jace asked, the pleading in his voice unmissable.

"Because," Clary said, "we're just too different. I feel like we're growing apart, like I don't even know you anymore."

"I'm Jace." Jace smiled.

"I know you're Jace, but you're not the Jace I fell in love with." None of Clary's words were strictly lies however.

"So this is my fault?" Jace said, but without malice but instead with grief.

"No, no, no!" Clary replied, not wanting to hurt him any further. "It's me, I just feel like I need some space. I just need time to be on my own, and you seem like you need some time on your own. It's just a break." Clary explained, taking Jace's hand and squeezing it. His hands were warm.

Before Jace could reply, Kaelie interrupted their conversation by bringing them news of their order. "Hey we're all out of spag bol, so you're gonna need to order something else." Kaelie informed whilst picking at her painted-black nails.

"That's fine, I was just leaving anyway." Jace said quietly, getting up from the table, much to Clary's shock. Clary opened her mouth to protest but Jace silenced her.

"I'll call you later." Jace said before rushing out of the diner without even saying goodbye. Kaelie smirked.

"What a loser. Not surprised you broke up with him." Kaelie scoffed.

"He isn't a loser," Clary replied softly.

"Whatever. Anyway, still want that smoothie?"

"No thanks, I should leave as well."

Shrugging, Kaelie turned away from the redhead and began to get back to work. Although Clary suspected that she wasn't planning on doing any actual work, more like insulting the customers and filing her nails.

Clary glanced over towards Simon who was nodding his pale head in approval. He beckoned for her to come over, which Clary obeyed. She took comfort in the fact that she would now be able to find the warlock who could reverse the spell. Soon everything would be back to normal, hopefully. The mere thought of returning to the reality that she knew brought a smile to her face. The first time she'd smiled today actually.

"Well, well, well," Simon said slowly, "if it isn't the little heartbreaker. I'll tell you what though; I didn't think you'd have it in you. I just presumed you'd chicken out and not actually do the dreaded deed, but you proved me wrong. Nicer thought you could be so evil, Fray." Simon smiled.

"Look, Simon, I'm not really in the mood. Just tell me who the warlock is so I can get going." Clary sighed.

"Fair enough," Simon shrugged. "His name is Caelan Solstice, he actually lives beside Pandemonium. Literally, three doors down. It's the house with the purple door with blackout curtains, can't miss it."

"Thank you so much! You don't know what this means." Clary started, but then caught herself. "I just wish you could have just told me in the first place." She added.

Simon ignored the last part. "You're welcome. How about a kiss to say thank you?"

Clary had completely forgotten that Simon said that he wanted to date her when they broke up.

"Um no, I have to be off." Clary said quickly.

"Fair enough, go and find your warlock then." Simon teased.

Clary stormed out of the diner without even saying goodbye. There wasn't anything stopping her from finding that warlock and demanding an explanation as to why he cast that spell on her and how he could reverse it. And this time, there was no playing nice.

"Hey," Simon said to Jace, who was slumped down on a bench in the park next to the entrance of the See lie Court. His golden eyes were rimmed with red as if someone had drawn around them with red eyeliner and his cheeks were stained with dried tears. He'd been crying, Simon guessed, but had since stopped. Probably when he saw Simon approach. After all, no man wanted to be caught crying in front of another, especially not the ex of your girlfriend. Well, technically the ex of his ex seeing as they had just broken up. He couldn't help but smile when he thought that. True, they had only broken up because he blackmailed her into it but in the end, it doesn't really matter how they break up, it's the fact that she did. Simon believed that Clary must have truly loved him; why else would she break up with her boyfriend just for a piece of information? It was himself who held the redhead's heart, not Jace.

"What do you want, Simon?" Jace sniffed. He was perhaps the only Shadowhunter, besides Clary, who referred to him by his name rather than 'vampire' or 'Downworlder' or sometimes 'bloodsucker.'

"I heard you and Clary broke up." Simon replied, trying as best as he could to sound comforting.

"You heard? How?"

"I hear things." Simon said. "But do you know why she broke up with you?"

"She said something about needing space, and that we've grown apart, and that we've changed too much. But I don't understand! I haven't changed at all! And all that about us growing apart is rubbish; we're closer than ever!" Jace almost wept, his voice creeping higher the more he spoke.

Simon shook his head. "No, that's not why you broke up."

"Well those are the reasons that Clary gave."

"Ah, but she was lying to you."

"What do you mean?" Jace cocked his head.

"The real reason she broke up with you is because someone told her to. Someone offered her a valuable piece of information in exchange for her love, and I'm sad to say, she accepted. She broke up with you in return for a piece of gossip." Simon said without emotion. Although his words were true, he didn't want to make it sound too exaggerated otherwise Jace wouldn't believe him and then he'd never go through with his plan.

"So what you're saying is, she sold me out? No, I think you must be mistaken; Clary would never do that to me."

"But you're wrong. I saw it with my own eyes. I saw her talking to a Downworlder this morning. She needed to know who the new High Warlock is and where to find him, but he would only tell her if she agreed to break up with you." Simon explained. He saw the heartbroken look on Jace's face and added "if it's any consolation at all, I know where the High Warlock is. I can tell you where to find him so you can find Clary and confront her."

"You know where he is?" Simon nodded. "Wait, if Clary needed to know where he was, why didn't you just tell her?"

"I tried to tell her, but she said that she didn't trust me. Now, do you want the information or not?"

"I do," Jace confirmed. "I'm going to find Clary and give her a piece of my mind. I can't believe she would do that, it's just-"

"Save it for when you meet her." Simon interrupted.

"Okay, tell me where he is."

"Excellent."

Was it worth the wait? I doubt it, but it was the best I could do.

On a bright note, who's excited for City of Fallen Angels? I know I am! Only 20 more days to go :D