Heller. How is everybody? I am currently feeling the pain of whiplash and let me tell you, it's a kind of pain you never want to experience in your life.

So, on with the story now.

Disclaimer: I don't own The Mortal Instruments, just write crappy fanfiction about the characters.

Jonathan blinked. He was in the process of trying to come up with a reasonable explanation as to why he could be found in such a compromising position with Isabelle Lightwood.

No such luck.

Jonathan blinked again but still, nothing came to mind. Another blink.

Again, again, and again,

Blink. Blink. Blink.

The position they were in couldn't even be found as remotely intimate but it was Meliorn, but the conclusion that Meliorn had jumped to when he found them had Jonathan scrambling to find an excuse. The accusing tone his voice had carried when he spoke to them. It just made Jonathan squirm and feel ashamed even if he had done nothing wrong.

Isabelle shut her eyes for a minute, and Jonathan watched as she took in a couple of deep breaths, releasing them slowly. A minute had passed before she opened them but she didn't meet Jonathan's gaze. She loosened her hold on his shirt, taking to running her hands down his chest, ridding his shirt of any wrinkles she had caused. It really wasn't helping their cause, what Isabelle was doing. Jonathan noticed Meliorn's smile widen.

"Meliorn," Isabelle spoke suddenly, spinning on her heel, her curtain of inky black hair slapping Jonathan in the face, tickling his nose.

"You play on the same team as him," Isabelle continued, ignoring Jonathan's sneeze, "you play on the same team as him. You two spend a reasonable amount of time together. Do you even know Jonathan Fray?"

"Yes I do," Meliorn replied, his voice soft and cool, sending chills up Jonathan's spine. "I consider him a very good friend."

"Well then you must know how immature and childish he really is," Isabelle huffed.

"Hey," Jonathan interjected, indignant, but Isabelle merely lifted a hand into the air, waved it a little, signaling for Jonathan to stop talking as she continued on with her rant.

"I mean, I understand that I have dated some more questionable characters in the past, I really do, but please Meliorn, do consider what you're saying. I know you have a tendency to jump to conclusions but think about it. Jonathan Fray and Isabelle Lightwood, together. Absolutely ridiculous."

"I'm really not that bad of a person," Jonathan said helplessly, knowing that nobody was really listening to him.

But Isabelle shocked him by responding. "Of course you are Jonny boy, don't be stupid," she told him.

"Bickering like an old married couple already," Meliorn told them.

"We are not!" Isabelle stomped her foot, her patience with Meliorn wearing thin.

Meliorn opened his mouth to speak but something behind Isabelle and Jonathan caught his attention. His eyes flashed and he raised his hand to wave merrily. Jonathan and Isabelle both turned around to see Clary walking over to them.

"Hey Meliorn," Clary nodded at the older boy before fixing her gaze on the heap of boys that had fallen out of the locker room earlier. Jonathan had kind of forgotten about them, but he could now, as he studied it more closely, make out the lanky figures of Jordan and Simon. Alec was standing on the edge of the pile, looking on nervously. He reached out his hand to help some of the boys up.

"Um, okay then," Clary laughed a little and turned to look at Jonathan. "Hey Jon. I was waiting by the entrance for you, but you never showed. Are you walking home with me today?"

"He can't!" Isabelle exclaimed. She shoved past Jonathan to face Clary. "Coach called extra practice for the more suckish players on the team. That includes your brother."

"Oh," Clary nodded her head in understanding. "Have fun, Jon."

Jonathan was appalled. Clary had accepted Isabelle's excuse without so much as a question. He wasn't that bad at soccer. He wasn't.

Clary turned to walk away, back the way she came, but Isabelle's hand shot out and grabbed Clary's arm.

"Where are you going Clary?" Isabelle asked her.

Clary's brow furrowed and she answered, "home."

"You can't. Not by yourself at least. I mean, a young and vulnerable girl like yourself. - I'm sixteen Izzy - Exactly! The preferred age by creepy weirdos everywhere."

"Alrighty then," Clary huffed and placed her hands on her hips. "What do you propose I do? Sit around and wait for Jonathan for another two hours? No thanks."

"Jace!"

Out of the corner of his eye Jonathan noticed a flash of gold. Jace appeared disgruntled and a scowl was on his face as he wiped the dirt off his clothes. He looked about ready to murder the next person who so much as looked at him. Not that Jonathan blamed him of course, if he himself had been crushed by twelve different boys who were in desperate need of showers he would have flipped a lid.

"What?" he growled irritably.

"I need you to walk Clary home today," Isabelle said and then glared at him. "Don't be such a dick."

Jace's face softened when he caught sight of Clary's form behind Isabelle. Her eyes were wide as she regarded her friend and her cheeks were flushed from the wind that blew around them. The scowl was back soon enough though. "And why can't she walk home by herself?"

"Because Jace, there are perverts out there in the streets that would just love to do unspeakable things to your dearest Clary, and we can't have that now can we?"

"She's not mine," Jace mumbled under his breath before he turned and began walking in the opposite direction.

Isabelle was silent for a moment, and her shoulders slumped forward. "So maybe my plan wasn't perfect."

"Are you coming or not Clarissa," Jace called over his shoulder, halting in his steps.

Isabelle's expression turned into a smug one. "Why do I even bother doubting myself? It's pointless really."

As Clary jogged to catch up with Jace, and the rest of the team cleared out, Isabelle clapped her hands together and turned to face the boys that were left.

"Alright boys. Now that Jace and Clary are gone let's get a move on. We have lots to discuss today.'

Isabelle led the way to the bleachers, chatting happily with Magnus along the way. Jonathan sulked next to Alec and whined to him.

"First she says I'm not good enough to date her and then she insults my soccer skills. Your sister is so mean to me."

Clary walked beside Jace silently, playing with the sleeves of his sweater. She didn't feel like forcing conversation today, still lost in what happened earlier. Everybody in her life was beyond weird.

Jace noticed the lack of the usual chatter because the only thing filling his ears was the crunch of leaves beneath their shoes. Jace kept glancing over at Clary, waiting for her to speak. To say something.

"You're awfully quiet today," Jace noted, in a lame attempt to start a conversation. "Is anything thing wrong, or do you just not feel like talking?"

Clary gave him a shrug of her shoulders and swung her arms back and forth. "There's just nothing to talk about today, I suppose."

They went on like that for five more minutes. Jace dying slowly and Clary lost in her head. Jace was never one to hate peace and quiet, in fact he welcomed it with open arms, ready to harm anyone who broke it. But when Clary was around you, silence was unlikely. She always had something to say. It was just so painstakingly awkward without Clary's mindless chatter to fill the silence that engulfed them. He had become accustomed to it and now that it was gone, he didn't know what to do.

They passed a house with pumpkins lied out of the front porch, faces carved into them. Jace studied it, distinctly remembering a holiday that consisted of carved pumpkins and decorations. Halloween, was it? There was also a clown placed in the front yard, along with a dead body. Jace squinted. A fake dead body. People cringed away from the decorations that were meant to be scary but they didn't faze Jace. Yes there was most definitely a holiday like this.

Jace saw Clary look at the house and when she caught sight of the clown she sped up her pace a little.

"So, Halloween," Jace mused, jerking his thumb in the direction of the house that was now behind them.

"What about it Jace?" Clary asked, tilting her head up to look at him.

"Are you celebrating this year?" he asked.

Clary stopped walking momentarily and she cracked a smile, wide and joyous. Then she laughed. Loudly. People passing them on the sidewalk turned to look at them while Jace was left to wonder what was wrong with what he asked. Maybe the idea of her celebrating Halloween was just so absurd. Or maybe Halloween wasn't a real holiday. The name did sound a bit strange.

"What's so funny?" Jace questioned her, raising a brow. He reached out his hand and rested it lightly on her shoulder as she leaned forward, clutching her stomach. "Did they change the name of the holiday? Damn. I knew I should have gone with St. Patrick's day."

"Nothing- like- that," Clary wheezed out between laughs. It took a couple of long seconds but Clary's laughter slowly died out, and the people that had once been gawking at them went back to minding their own business.

"It's just that well," Clary wiped a stray tear, her smile still bright. "Halloween was nearly two weeks ago, Jace. It's almost Thanksgiving now."

Jace retracted his hand. Now that he took a second to really think about it, Clary was right. He remembered the fake spiders and spider webs that had been hung around his house had been taken down by his mother a couple of weeks ago. He also recalled a bunch of nasty little kids banging on his door, begging for candy. When he answered the door he told them to screw off, but when his mother or father opened the door they complied with their wishes.

"Thanksgiving. Is that the one with the fat guy who breaks into your house and leaves you presents?"

"You are all gathered here today because our two most favorite people in the world are two complete idiots. One is a shy, microscopic girl, the fear of rejection the only thing keeping her from voicing her true feelings. And then the boy who is detached from his emotions. They can't do anything for themselves," Isabelle announced.

She stood in front of the seven soccer players, pacing back and forth on the green field where they played. The boys were seated on the bleacher, most not even paying attention to what Isabelle had to say.

Jonathan was still pouting and sulking off to the side. Every time Isabelle's back was to him, he stuck out his tongue. Sebastian and Meliorn were seated in the far back, gossiping about the new romance that had developed between Jonathan and Isabelle. They talked about how scandalous it was, how they shouldn't keep it from Clary, and how poor Simon would be heartbroken. Magnus was keeping himself busy by decorating the bleachers with the spare glitter he left in his pocket. Alec attempted to stop him. (He wasn't really trying if he was being perfectly honest). Jordan and Simon were the only two listening to Isabelle.

Isabelle stopped pacing abruptly, and Jonathan feared he had been caught when she turned to face them all. She placed her hands on her hips and her eyes were blazing.

"If you're not even going to listen to me, I suggest you leave. I wouldn't want to waste your precious time," Isabelle spat out.

Jonathan, Sebastian, and Meliorn all clambered to their feet, each of them ready to leave.

"What are you doing?!" Isabelle shrieked and pushed Jonathan down so that he landed on the cool metal with a loud bang. "Sit back down. You can't leave now."

"You just told us to leave," Jonathan grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest in a futile way to appear intimidating. The white hair just wouldn't let it happen.

Sebastian and Meliorn both reluctantly reclaimed their respective seats.

"If I'm being perfectly honest here I didn't think any of you would actually get up and leave. We've all been so invested in this relationship. I mean, I thought you of all people Jonathan would stick around. After all this is about Clary, your own flesh and blood."

"Clary?" Sebastian's head snapped up. "What about her?"

"Magnus!" Said boy glanced up. "All these people are here, and they don't even know why?"

Magnus grinned sheepishly as he set down the glitter. "I may or may not have forgotten to tell them."

Isabelle shot him a look of disgust and shook her head. Her expression turned to anger though and she rounded on Sebastian. "Well maybe if you shut your mouth and listened you would know."

"Everybody shut up. Magnus and Alec stop flirting. Meliorn stop plotting ways to ruin people's lives. Jonathan for once in your life you're alright. Jordan and Simon just keep doing what you're doing," Sebastian turned to Isabelle. "We're ready now."

Alec's face turned a light shade of pink, his mouth opening and closing until he finally stopped trying to form words and chose to stare at his lap instead. Magnus wiped his hand through his hair, adding more glitter to the already sparkling mess. When he was satisfied he winked at Alec. Alec now resembled a tomato with blue eyes. Meliorn looked appalled at the mere suggestion and a look of betrayal crossed his face.

"Thank you Sebastian." Isabelle looked pleased. "Now, on to business. The reason you are all here today is because of our favorite couple who are actually not together yet. Clary and Jace. They are hopeless in the romance department as you all know. In all the years that they have know one another little has changed about their relationship. You all may now find yourselves asking why I'm going on about this. What's so special about this rambling that it requires a change of scenery? I'll tell you what. This is the rambling where I tell you what we're going to do about it.

"Like I've stated a hundred times before, they're hopeless, and this is why we are finally going to help them. I haven't exactly figured out the specifics of the plan. It's not vey detailed and now that I think about it, it has a lot of flaws."

Magnus cut her off and spoke up. "As of now, we don't have a plan. And this why each of you specifically are here, because we need your collective brains to formulate a good plan. Meliorn, you're an evil genius." Meliorn nodded in agreement. "Simon you're friends with Clary. Jordan you're always willing to help people. Alec you're too cute to not invite." Alec's eyes widened. "Jon you're Clary's brother you know her best. And Seb, we need a Jace expert and you're the best we've got."

Sebastian wasn't listening to Magnus. Instead his gaze was fixated on Jonathan a look that nobody could quite describe. Jonathan seemed to notice because he turned to Sebastian.

"Dude. Why are you looking at me like that?" Jonathan asked, scooting back a little, scared for his well-being.

"I can't believe you. Jonathan Fray I cannot believe you. You disgust me, you filthy hypocrite. Each time I so much as look at Clary you throw a fit. Yet you sit here, saying nothing as you listen to them plot ways on how to get your baby sister together with Jace Herondale. Jace Herondale. I just don't get it, I don't get you.

"I like to think I'm a nice person, people like me. I've never been mean to Clary, I've never once ignored her, I've never forgotten she existed, I've never insulted her. Jace Herondale has done it all to her and yet you still offer up no objections. You see it. You see how heartbroken she is when he doesn't talk to her. What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing's wrong with me," Jonathan defended himself. "Haven't you ever looked at those two together? I mean, really looked. Jace is an arrogant prick all the damn time but with Clary he tones it down. He's not so bad. Of course he doesn't have much to say to her, of course sometimes he ignores but that's just who he is. The changes are so subtle you have to squint to notice, but they are there. He speaks actual words to her, he's never overly rude. You can't expect someone to change themselves completely, but he's getting better. Jace cares about Clary, can't you see that Seb?"

"You act like I don't care about her! Of course I can see it Jon, anyone with eyes can see it, it's as plain as day he likes her. But how he likes her is the question. Who's to say it isn't just brotherly affection. Everybody here cares about Clary but each of us in different ways. Jace may act different around her, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's attracted to her. Jace doesn't have many friends so we don't know how he treats them. But we do know how he treats acquaintances, and Clary isn't treated like that. Maybe the way Jace treats Clary is the way he would treat a real friend.

"We all tease Jace about liking Clary but we never have any actual proof. It's a joke. They've no each other five years. I'm just saying guys, don't you think if Jace really like Clary, like really liked her, he would've acted on these feelings by now?"

Everybody was silent for a long while, each of them going over what Sebastian had said in their heads. Isabelle started climbing up the bleachers. She stopped directly in front of Sebastian and he instinctively leaned back, afraid she was going to slap him across the face.

"Sebastian," Isabelle spoke keeping her voice even and scary calm. "We're trying to get them to go out on a date. We're not forcing them into marriage, calm down you idiot."

Sebastian was shocked that she hadn't tried to hurt him and he let out a relieved sigh. And that was when Isabelle lost it.

"Stop sinking my ship!"

At that she leapt forward and wrapped her hands around Sebastian's throat. Jonathan let out a strangled noise, quickly scrambling away from Isabelle and Sebastian.

"I saw nothing, I saw nothing!" Jonathan began chanting, his eyes squeezed shut as he flailed his arms like a madman.

Meliorn regarded Jonathan with a hint of amusement on his face before he turned his head to look at where the real action was taking place. Alec and Simon quickly sprang into action pulling Isabelle off Sebastian. Jordan helped them retrain her after his initial shock wore off.

"Is it over?" Jon cracked open an eye. "Is Sebby dead? Am I going to be charged with murder? Do I need to cross the border to Mexico and go into hiding?"

Magnus looked at him doubtfully. "You didn't do anything. Why would you be charged with accomplice to murder?"

"Exactly. He didn't do anything. He stood by and let Isabelle murder Sebastian, not once intervening. Thus proving him to be an accomplice," Meliorn explained.

Sebastian seemed to regain his breath then because he started talking. "Oh I'm dying," he wailed, clutching his throat. "I'm already dead. Oh God! I'm still a virgin for God's sake, I'm too young to be dead! Too young!"

Meliorn lifted a brow and his infamous smile was back. "A virgin, huh? I'd have never thought."

Sebastian stopped with the fake sobs and the crocodile tears as he glanced at Meliorn. "Are you dead as well?"

"Nobody's dead you twat," Jonathan told him. "But I wouldn't count on you being alive much longer. After Meliorn finishes telling the entire student body that you're still a virgin you're going to die of embarrassment. I'd die too if I was in your situation. Not that I'm a virgin," Jonathan said hurriedly.

"Shit," Sebastian cursed and looked at Meliorn. "You wouldn't go and do that would you?"

"If he doesn't tell the whole school soon, I will," Isabelle promised, her tone deadly as she fought against Alec, Simon, and Jordan.

"Wait a minute, back up. Let's talk about the most important thing here, how do you know I'm still a virgin?" Sebastian questioned before his eyes widened and realization dawned on him. "Meliorn you lied to me! You told me you didn't read my diary. You swore it on your life!"

"You idiot," Jonathan shook his head at Sebastian, a look of disbelief etched into his features. "He didn't read your diary, you told all of us here that you were a virgin when you thought were dead. Here's a tip. Don't confess anything when you don't know for certain that you're actually dead!"

Sebastian nodded slowly, his lips pressed together. The color slowly drained from his face. "Oh. I was the one who told everyday I was still a virgin, not Meliorn or Izzy. I see. . . Which also means I told everybody I had a diary. . ."

Sebastian was at a loss for words.

Jordan sighed and rubbed his forehead. He hoped that Clary and Jace were making more progress than they currently were.

Clary was beaming as Jace showcased one of his rare smiles. It was her who put that smile there. The thought made Clary all giddy on the inside, the butterflies in her stomach not letting up.

Holiday had proved to be an interesting conversation for the two. An actual conversation. Not the kind where Clary was the only one who ran her mouth, but Jace too. Apparently when it came to the real world he was absolutely clueless. Not that she didn't know that already.

"You live here right?" Jace's familiar voice pulled Clary's out of her happy stupor.

She glanced up to see that Jace was right, and that in front of where they currently stood was her house. Clary was shocked he remembered where she lived. Jace had only been there once before and that was years ago. She had been absent from school one day, back in their first year of middle school, and he had come by to drop off her homework. He ended up staying for dinner, much longer then he had probably intended to stay. The boy who couldn't remember what his own cat's name was remembered where she lived. Jace saw that cat everyday of his life and he hadn't been over to Clary's house in four years. He really was somebody to gawk at.

"Yeppers," Clary nodded. Oh boy, did she really just say that to Jace? "Uh, see you tomorrow yeah?"

Clary didn't wait for his answer. She ran up her steps and into her house slamming the door behind her. And just like all those years Jace was left standing by himself, staring after the crazy redhead as she ran away from him.

Aww. I kind of really love that ending.

OH YEAH THIS IS IMPORTANT SO READ.

I want you guys to tell me the story of how you met your best friend.

For those of you who have never read my other story, DETM, or visited my profile, then you don't know my love for Ethan. Well, just to keep a long story short, Ethan is the absolute love of my life (in a brotherly way) and my best friend in the world. Well, recently Ethan moved away and now I'm just kind of sad. So I would like you guys, the readers, to either leave it in your review or PM me the story behind you and your best friend. In return, I shall tell you how I met Ethan in the next chapter. (Or if you PM me I'll tell probs you then.)

I'm done. Peace out homies.