Sorry, this is going to have to be a quicky. I was babysitting, and didn't have much time. R&R

(Max's Pov.)

I woke up thinking, what a beautiful day for demon hunting, as I looked out the window. Then I remembered last night. What had happened. What was said. I cringed at the thought. Cruel things were said, most coming from me. But I had to suck it up. I couldn't let him push me around.

So, I did what Jace did best- I put on a mask of pride to hide my pain. I pulled on a long sleeve gray t-shirt, some faded jeans, and a pair of air walks. As I brushed my dirty-blond hair, I thought, I must look like him. The hair I get from his side. He's blond, mom's red. I must have got some things from him. Maybe the attitude.

I quickly shook off the thought. No. I was nothing like my father. I had heard stories about him, and knew for a fact that I was better than him. But after last night, some people might be fooled.

I quickly walked out of my room, and into the kitchen, where, out of the corner of my eye, I saw the flock.

They looked so sad. But I had to try and believe what I had said last night. I hated them. It was the only why I could stay here, thinking that. I had to believe it. So, I ignored them, especially Fang. Jace and Alec were there too, and they looked a bit uncomfortable in the dead silence.

"Morning Max," Nudge chirped, but it was a bit flat. And she wasn't babbling. Did Fang tell them what happened last night? No, he's too much of a loner to do that. They must have heard. Just thinking about them hearing gave me butterflies. Butterflies that would be ignored.

I grabbed a glass from the cumbered above the sink. I filled it with water, and started to drink it as I put four pieces of toast in the toaster.

Jace cleared his throat, trying to break the silence. "I hope two of those are for me, Maxers," he said.

Me, trying to act controlled, said, "In your dreams Wayland, or Herondale, or Lightwood, or whatever last name you go by now."

Jace smiled a bit. "Lightwood," he said as the toast popped out.

I gabbed them, walking over to the butter behind Jace, patting him on the shoulder saying, "Good to know." Pat. "Good to know." I picked up the butter knife and started buttering. When I was done, I bit down, smacking Jace's and Alec's reaching hands.

I felt my phone ring, and I gave my toast to the guys, knowing that it was a lost cause trying to keep them away, and that if this was an important call, I would be leaving soon anyway.

"Hello," I said.

"Max," I heard Isabelle on the other end.

"Hey, Iz. Everything okay?" I wiped my hands on my jeans.

"No, Max. Everything is not okay." I paused to listen. "You need to get over here now."

"Why? Izzy, what's going on? What's happening?"

"They're here. The Erasers."

I nearly choked on air. "What," I said weakly. "How many?"

Everyone got up, and started moving closer. "At least two hundred. They really want in."

I felt my eyes start to water. "I'll be there in a minute. Just hold them off till then." I heard her hang up, taking that as a yes. My eyes filled with tears that I'd been holding back.

I scrambled to get any sort of weapons, not wanting to go to the weapons room a cross the building.

"Max," Alec asked. "What happened?"

"Erasers," I choked out. "At home. Need to get there."

"We're coming with you," Jace said. Grabbing kitchen knives a pocketing them.

"So are we," Fang said. I didn't have time to argue. I ran out and to the nearest bedroom to jump out the window. The flock followed.

I was flying as fast as I could. My house wasn't that far away, but it felt like forever. I wiped away my tears, praying that everyone was alright.

When we got there, I landed in the backyard, were no one would see me. I saw Isabelle, Simon, Luke and mom exit the backdoor. I gasped with relief. I ran over, hugging them tight.

"Thank the angle you're okay," I mumbled into them. Then I noticed something. "Where's Clary?" I looked at Luke, then Simon, then Izzy, and finally my mom. She was sobbing.

"No," I said. "No, they couldn't have."

"I'm sorry Max," Isabelle said. "They just got here, and they grabbed her. We tried to stop them, but…" She didn't get to finish, because I was running through the house, which was a mess.

I heard Fang call my name, but I quickly ran to the bathroom, not wanting to throw up on the carpet. I opened the door, slamming it shut behind me, throwing the seat up, and just making it over the bowl. I hacked and I gaged. I couldn't breathe. It couldn't.

I heard the door open, but I didn't need to look up. Fang, closed the door behind him, walking over to me, pulling back my hair, rubbing my back, saying it was going to be alright. He comforted me, even after those horrible things I said to him.

I was at it for five more minutes before he told me to stop. I stopped, but kept my head above the bowl, not knowing what else to do with it. He pulled me close, stroking my hair. I cried into his shoulder.

"They're going to kill her," I said. "They'll do terrible things to her, then they're going to kill her. And it's all my fault."

"No, Max. It's not," he said, forcefully. "She's not going to die. We'll make sure of it."

"What if we can't?"

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard." I laughed weakly as he mimicked me.

(Fang's Pov.)

I walked into the bathroom Max was hacking up in. I knew she needed someone to help her threw right now. I was never there for her before, I thought. Now I can be.

"They're going to kill her," she said after I stopped her from throwing up some more. "They'll do terrible things to her, and then they're going to kill her. And it's all my fault."

"No, Max. It's not," I said, forcefully. "She's not going to die. We'll make sure of it."

"What if we can't?"

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard," I mimicked. She laughed softly, then fell asleep. I held her, not wanting to let go.

I heard Isabelle open the door, and she whispered, "Is she okay?"

She wasn't taking over, or telling me to get lost. She looked too wrecked to do that. She looked to helpless. She had just lost a friend, and now another one was in pain.

I just nodded, not wanting to wake Max up. Isabelle, nodded, then closed the door. I pulled Max closer, not letting her fall.