I know that it has been ages since I last updated, but I have been snowed under two dissertations for school, revising for four exams that I have to get good grades in, prepare for and collect information for a coursework piece for Geography as well as deal with a lot of personal problems. I promise that I have not forgotten you guys and the reviews you've left me have been truly inspirational- you all seem to like my writing, much to my surprise! Now, enough with the incredibly boring authors note. On with the show- and this chappies song is The Show Must Go On by Queen.

It was the middle of the night, and the rain was lashing down on the window. Clary felt like she was wrapped up in a human sized case of plaster and fabric, holding her together as her body slowly healed from the after math of the accident.

She was told it was normal not to remember the trauma, that the mind automatically forgets the trauma as not to torment the sufferer. But she wished she could remember. She wished she could know why that bastard, after all he had done to hurt her, could have possibly been in her hospital room, waiting for her to wake up.

When she'd asked Isabelle the other girl had dodged the question, claiming that she was unsure of whether or not the protection detail she'd had in the hospital had realised that she hated him, that he wasn't actually her boyfriend.

That was the other thing that he had done. He had pretended to be her boyfriend, claiming to care about her. He had even gone as far as to ride in the ambulance with her. Maybe it was because he thought that because she was famous now, because she was so different, that perhaps he could use her like all the other women in his life.

She hated him, she did. She hated him right to his deceitful bones, and nothing would ever change that. She picked up her notebook and stared at the scribbles she'd made earlier. Sighing, she closed her eyes and tried for the millionth time to fall asleep.

When Isabelle had banged on his door at the earliest hour that any sane person would be awake, Jace wasn't impressed. In fact, he was pissed. He had a shoot in the evening and a catwalk the next day to prepare for, and he didn't need any interruptions. But Izzy was Izzy and she wasn't going to leave without getting what she came for.

She'd dragged him to an apartment from which the sound of music was faintly drifting out of. It wasn't one of those cheap rundown basement sounds, nor was the apartment that was emitting them. Instead it was one of those modern upmarket affairs with a snazzy door knob and soft rock music.

It was somewhere that wasn't owned by the penniless or the trend unaware, but the aura that its exterior emitted was one that screamed class. Urban class.

Izzy dug around in her pocket and produced a key, and brandishing it like a trophy, unlocked the door and let herself in.

Empty spaces - what are we living for?
Abandoned places - I guess we know the score
On and on, does anybody know what we are looking for?

Clarissa and her band were gathered in a small circle on a low platform, heads bowed over their instruments, a small microphone dangling gently from between Clarissa's fingers. She was still wrapped up in plaster, but it was obvious that the accident hadn't affected her voice. Jace didn't know why, but this made him happy.

Another hero, another mindless crime
Behind the curtain, in the pantomime
Hold the line, does anybody want to take it anymore?

Her eyes were closed, her lips moving gently. There was a life to the music- emotions, thoughts, feelings that swelled and ebbed throughout the atmosphere.

The show must go on
The show must go on, yeah!
Inside my heart is breaking
My make-up may be flaking
But my smile still stays on

Her lips were a hard line, her expression changing from her soft features to grit determination and heavy emotion. Jace was mesmerised, he stood stock still in the doorway, just watching, not moving a muscle. He couldn't. He had to know this song, it was unlike any other that he had ever hear Clarissa sing.

Whatever happens, I'll leave it all to chance
Another heartache, another failed romance
On and on, does anybody know what we are living for?

Heartache? To Jace it seemed that she had lost a heart to ache since that day. She hadn't loved- emotion was just for show. She had a hard shell that no one seemed to be able to penertrate. She 'd never really had any long term love affairs- being as famous as she was everyone knew about her romantic life. She was private, but always in the spotlight, quiet, but always making noise.

I guess I'm learning, I must be warmer now
I'll soon be turning, round the corner now
Outside the dawn is breaking
But inside in the dark I'm aching to be free

Then he realised. Her whole persona, it was a mask. That hard rock star live and let die face was something to hide her true feelings. Her true fear and heart-breaking pain. She was still the self-conscious little girl he had fallen in love with in high school.

The show must go on
The show must go on, yeah!
Inside my heart is breaking
My make-up may be flaking
But my smile still stays on

She was the perfect double act- the tough and the weak, rolled into one. He had known for a while that she couldn't possibly be as different as she made out.

My soul is painted like the wings of butterflies
Fairytales of yesterday will grow but never die
I can fly - my friends

Yes she could fly, even though she had once crashed and burned. Jace realised why izzy had dragged him here, to see another side of Clarissa.

The show must go on!
The show must go on!
I'll face it with a grin!
I'm never giving in!
On with the show!

He was speechless.

I'll top the bill, I'll overkill
I have to find the will to carry on
On with the -
On with the show! -
The show must go on...

Her eyes snapped up to meet his, and her mouth opened with a silent scream of horror and shock.

So sorry that you guys have had to wait so long for this chappie. For those of you who have stuck with me, my thanks. I know I am not an awesome author and that my stories are riddled with mistakes, but you're responses really motivate me. I've had this chapter on my memory stick for a while and just haven't had a chance to complete it. I'm hoping (fingers crossed) that I can at least write the start of a chappie this, along with a plan for a joint novel with a friend and a little bit more of my own novel, The Infection.

Ciao and Bow Wow

Vikki ;)~