Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for Mary, and some other characters I made up. Besides them, all the other characters belong to the wonderful Cassandra Clare.

A/N: Clary and the gang are still the same age as the last chapter. This chapter starts to heat things up. This chapter also has a lot of things that are similar to third chapter in my first version. I'm sorry, but I had to have it in. I did add a few new things in though. Sorry this update is so late!

**To Anonymos1997: I'm still undecided about Gavin and Mary. Whether it is going to be a happy ending, or a sad one. I'm still brain storming a lot for the future chapters. But I'm just warning you, there isn't going to be much about Mary or Gavin after this chapter, at least not for a while. Sorry.

**To AM and Ninna: Thank you for your encouragement! Glad you like it! :)

**And to Olivia: John is not Jace. And as for the dream dude, I can't say if he is Jace or not, keep reading. Last chapters important author's note explains who John is.

***Thank you to my back up beta Regina de Morte a.k.a. Mezza for editing my story. ***

The sun seemed to grow hotter each day as it passed. It has been a week since Clary had been at the river, and she didn't want to go back there incase she saw another illusion of the mysterious boy she had dreamt. She couldn't shake him out of her thoughts. Jonathan hadn't spoken to her in the past week also. Every time she saw him and came toward him, he would run away. Clary wondered what would have happened if she let him kiss her. What would it have felt like? What would they be doing today? More kissing? She let out a frustrated sigh as she placed down her pencil on her lap. Did I just lose my close friend to one kiss?

Clary was outside her cottage, in the garden, sketching. She looked down to her sketchbook to see what she drew. Unsurprisingly, it was a sketch of the golden eyes hidden in the tall bushes. It seemed as though it was the only thing she knew how to draw the whole week. Even though, Clary didn't have any color to color the mysterious eyes, she saw gold just by staring at the black and white paper.

Clary stared at it until she knew she had to get back to work. Her chores had been doubled, due to Mary's condition. Simon and Clary didn't want her to left a muscle ever since she had started coughing, in hope of her becoming better. However it hadn't: it only had worsened. Simon insisted Mary to go to the village doctor, but Mary refused. Clary sighed again and went to do her chores.

OoOoOoOoO

Gavin stood behind the door, trying to get the courage to knock. He didn't usually visit, only on rare occasions. He didn't need to visit. Everyone from the village came to his shop at least once a week. But after seeing neither Clary, nor Simon in a week, he knew something was up.

Knock, knock.

The door opened almost immediately. Behind the door stood Mary, her hair disarranged in a bun, and locks of her hair were on the each side of her pale face. Mary smiled when she saw it was him. Gavin's heart usually warmed when he saw that smile, but his heart didn't. Mary looked as pale as snow and looked thinner than the last time he saw her.

"Are you alright?" Gavin asked before Mary could say hello.

"Yes I am, thank you. I just have a small case of the cold," Mary said with reassuring smile. In seconds, she started coughing vigorously.

"Mary?" Gavin asked franticly, stepping inside. He patted her back. "Mary?"

Mary tried to gesture that she was all right with her free hand as she coughed into her arm. "I'm-" cough "-fine."

"Sit down, Mary." She sat down on her old armchair. "You know, I worry about you sometimes. You are so busy taking care of others that you don't take good care of yourself," Gavin said, as he placed the bread he brought in the pantry. He turned around to look at Mary, who had stopped coughing, and was starting at Gavin with an expressionless face. "Promise me you will visit the village doctor?"

"I promise," she whispered.

"Thank you." Gavin went up to the fireplace to find a pot full of hot water. He grabbed a clean cup and scooped some water. Gavin walked to Mary, and handed it to her. "Here,"

Mary mumbled 'thank you.'

Gavin stood still for a while; watching Mary as she drank the warm water, then spoke,

"I have to go back to the store, but have someone send for me if you need anything. Take care, Mary."

OoOoOoOoO

"Clary?" Simon whispered. Clary turned around to see Simon's face; it was lit up from the light of the moon.

"Did I wake you?" Clary asked. She turned her face back, so that Simon couldn't see the confusion in her eyes.

"Clary, we need to talk. You haven't been acting like yourself lately." Simon's voice hinted with concern. Clary stayed silent. "Is this about Ma?"

Clary didn't answer. Simon forced her face to turn toward him.

"Clary?" Simon asked. "Please, answer me. Is why you are acting odd because of Ma?"

Clary looked straight into Simon's familiar brown eyes.

"Part of it."

"What is the other reason?" he asked. Clary looked down into her hands.

"Have you ever dreamt about someone you don't know, but think you do?" Clary looked up to Simon.

"No, I haven't" Clary disappointedly looked away.

"I have, and I can't stop thinking about him."

"Him?" Simon's voice grew louder.

"Yes, the stranger in my dream was a he," Clary said with a sigh. Simon was silent for a minute.

"Clary," he began. "There is something I have been meaning to talk to you about."

"What is it?" Clary asked her eyebrows furrowed with confusion. Simon toke a deep breath.

"I wanted to tell you to be careful. Many people talk about you, you know. Many men." Simon hands turned to fists; he looked up at her. "Clary, I am only saying this because I am your brother, and because I worry about you. Men are only after your virtue."

"Oh, Simon. I appreciate your concern but I really doubt they would be talking about me," Clary said, then added. "And not all men are like that. You're not like that."

Simon looked her. "You don't know that." He took a seat next to her. "Clary, have you honestly not looked at yourself? You are a very beautiful girl. Why else wouldn't I let you play with my friends when we were little? They all were in love with you then, and still are. Well, the unmarried ones, at least. Whenever you and mother go to the market, have you not noticed the many male eyes when they look at you? It is like they are undressing you with their minds." Simon shivered in disgust. "You are right, not all men are like that. But most are, and you have to be careful. I don't want my baby sister to get hurt."

Clary smiled at Simon. "I promise I wouldn't get hurt. But Simon do you realize that maybe, someday, you have to let me go, right? That I am going to marry someone."

"I do realize that," Simon whispered.

"And will you trust my decision?" Simon looked into Clary's eyes.

"I always trust you, you know that." Clary smiled. "As long as he makes you happy." Clary put her arms around Simon's neck, and hugged him. Simon slowly put is arms around Clary's waist, and kissed her forehead.

"You know you're my best friend, right?" Clary whispered into his ear.

"I know."

OoOoOoOoO

The next day, Clary and Simon were both tired when sun rose up from their lack of sleep. Mary was still in bed, sleeping peacefully for once. Clary felt a familiar hand on her shoulder.

"I haven't seen her sleep this quiet in days," Clary whispered. Simon looked at their mother from behind her.

"Me neither. Let's go start the chores Clary. We have a lot to do."

It was about few hours after sunrise when Clary heard the sounds of Mary's loud constant coughing. It sounds so much worse. Clary quickly took her bucket of goat milk, and ran inside. Simon was already there patting Mary's back as she coughed red blood. Clary froze for a second when she saw the blood; she put the bucket in a corner. Mary's white nightgown was red. Clary's stomach churned. She turned away from Mary, and took a breath. She is fine; she is going to be all right. She needs a doctor that is all. Oh, a doctor! Clary finally turned around to see that Mary wasn't there. Simon suddenly appeared from Mary's bedroom door. There was a worried look on his face; Clary knew she wore the same expression on, too.

"Clary, stay here. I am going to fetch for the doctor," Simon whispered, calmly. Clary shook her head.

"No, Simon. I can't stand all that blood coming out of her." Clary shivered in thought. "I'll go, you stay. Anyways, we both know you wouldn't be able to run far, since you don't have a fresh pair of legs." Clary remembered when Simon came back home one year with a bloody leg. Clary screamed when she saw the blood and the bruises. Simon never told Clary what happened; he believed it would scare her, but not knowing was just as bad. Simon's leg had gotten better since then. However, whenever he ran fast, his leg would start hurting again.

Clary waited till Simon said something.

"Fine, go. But if anything happens to you, it is your doing, not mine." Simon's brown eyes filled with self- anger.

"Nothing is going to happen to me, Simon. I'll be back." Clary quickly put her arms around Simon, and gave him a squeeze. She quick kissed his cheek and removed herself from him. She ran to the door and turned the old doorknob. And before Simon could say anything else, she was gone.

OoOoOoOoO

Clary raced down the main road, occasionally bumping into people, but she never looked up to see who it was. She would just go past them, saying 'pardon me.' She was too focused on getting to the doctor.

When she got to the village center she looked around, trying to trace her thoughts back to where she remembered the doctor lived. The more useful villagers often lived in the center, such as the village doctor. Clary read the carved letters of each building until she knew which one was his.

Clary knocked on the door harshly. She heard footsteps from inside; it wasn't fast enough. The door swung open as the bell on it rang loudly. Thomas Cartle, the village doctor, stood behind the door.

His eyes filled with confusion when he saw it was Clary by the door with a pained look. He had seen Clary at times with her mother or her brother in the center, but never up close. Her family usually never came to his house, unless it was for an emergency. Clary looked different then most of the people in the village. She had dark curly orange hair that almost looked vivid red, which went down past her shoulders. Her green eyes framed her face with her long eyelashes. Her face was angular, with no child-like chubbiness; light freckles were on her cheeks and a little on her nose. Her rosy lips stood out on her porcelain skin. Thomas realized now why the villagers talked about her. He wondered if she already had many suitors waiting for her hand for marriage.

"Good morning, Sir. My mother requires your services. You see, she started to cough blood, and I was hoping you could help us," Clary said rushing. Thomas frowned when he heard that Mary was coughing blood.

"Of course, Miss Lewis, follow me to the back door." Clary hesitantly followed. "How long has she been like this?" Thomas quickly got his leather bag with his tools; then he got his long black coat and top hat out of the closet that was in the middle of the hallway.

"She has been coughing for few weeks now, but she started coughing blood just this morning." Thomas frowned. He went out the back door. Clary followed him, as he crossed to the shed; he put on his black coat and top hat. The shed was white, the head of the white horse stuck out of it. Thomas opened the shed, and saddled it up. Once he did that, he led the horse toward the open side gate.

"Come Miss Lewis, we best hurry. I'll help you climb on if that isn't a problem." Thomas looked behind him at Clary, to see if it was all right.

"We are going to get on that?" Clary asked nervously. Thomas almost smiled; he realized that Clary probably had never been on a horse.

"Oh, don't worry, Miss Lewis. Lizzy is a very friendly mare, and very experienced." Thomas patted the horse's head gently. "There is nothing to worry about." Clary relaxed a bit. Thomas helped Clary get on Lizzy, and once Clary was on, Thomas climbed on in front of her.

OoOoOoOoO

They rode to the cottage passing everyone Clary ran by on her way there. For the first time, she saw that the village people staring at her in astonishment. Clary realized how scandalous it was to be seen with the young unmarried village doctor with her arms around his waist. Not to mention, he was only few years older than her. She tried to look away from the startled faces staring at her.

Thomas and Clary both remanded quiet for a time. I wonder if he saw those faces, Clary thought. The morning air was still cool, and Clary could see her own breath. That was when she realized how cold she was.

"Are you all right, Miss Lewis? You've been awfully quiet." Thomas asked.

Clary quickly replied, "Oh, I am fine. I am just concerned for my mother's health." Clary knew that was half true. She automatically felt guilt for being self- conscious.

"I will help you to the best of my ability." Thomas said carefully. Clary smiled behind him.

"Thank you. You've been the most kind." Clary gave a tight squeeze around Thomas's waist. His heart leaped in surprise by the reaction. Thomas then realized that he didn't know where the Lewis's cottage was.

Thomas cleared his throat, "Miss Lewis? Might I ask which way is your home?" Clary looked around to realize that they were near the Skylack River.

"You have to turn right by the river, and follow the forest path when you see it." Thomas followed Clary's directions. The river seemed the same, but felt different. She looked around the river, but she didn't see the golden eyes that had haunted her mind the past week. They turned left at forest path, and rode on to her cottage.

OoOoOoOoO

"How is she? Is she going to be alright?" Clary asked, worried. Her forehead was creased. She looked at Thomas, who wore an expressionless mask. Thomas cleared his throat.

"She has the coughing sickness, Miss Lewis." Thomas replied in a clear whisper. Thomas waited for Clary to reply. Tears started to burn Clary's eyes.

"Coughing sickness," Clary said out loud, more to herself. She had heard of it before when she went to get bread from the center. People would always have sad expression when they talked about it. There was no cure for the coughing sickness, the person affected would cough, and cough up blood until they grew weak and die. Clary felt strong arms surround her as she felt herself slip to the ground. She looked up to see Simon, who was staring at Thomas. Clary put her short arms around Simon's neck, and cried into his shirt.

"How much time?" Simon asked. Thomas looked at Simon, then at Clary.

Thomas took a deep breath. "About a month or two would be my best guess."

Clary turned her face toward Thomas. "Is there anything we could do to stop it?" Clary managed to ask.

"I, personally, haven't heard of anyone who lived through it." Thomas whispered. He finally looked into Clary's waiting eyes. "But there is an old myth that a warlock in the Forest of Eve has a spell book that could cure any sickness." Clary's reddened eyes lightened up.

"But no one has never came back out of the Forest of Eve alive." Simon responded. "Not to mention the Forest of Eve is on top of the Mountain of Adam. And climbing the mountain itself is very dangerous."

"It is only a myth after all, but recently people have heard the forest animals cry high songs, and some has even seen blue magic bursting from the forest," said Thomas.

"Do you know how I can get there?" Clary asked.

"Clary!" Simon looked at Clary with fearful eyes. "Did you not hear what we've have been conversing about for the last five minutes." Clary looked up at Simon. She looked half broken with her pale pink lips in a frown, and her porcelain white skin, gray. Clary really wasn't listening Simon the last five minutes, instead she was thinking of ideas of how she could possibly get to the Forest of Eve.

Clary looked into Thomas's brown eyes, "Is there a way?" she asked again. She could feel Simon shake his head with anger.

"I do not know if there is a way there, but I have a few maps I have inherited from my grandfather which have such routes. However, I really doubt that they are real routes. They are ancient, you see."

"Clary, you can't possibly be thinking of going there! Could you?" Simon asked angrily.

"Of course not, but is it horrible of me to think that there is a possibility of Ma living?" Clary asked. She tried to keep her frustration out of her tone.

Simon's voice grew softer. "I don't want to lose you too Clary." She turned around toward Simon, and gave him a small smile. She put her hands on his shoulders.

"You are not going to lose me." Clary slowly turned around to see Thomas staring at them.

"Thank you so much, Mr. Cartle. How should we pay you?" Clary asked.

"I'm sorry I hadn't been much help. Your mother is a good woman from what I have heard." Thomas took his black hat and coat by the coat hanger. He looked back at Clary. "I do not need to be paid for something I cannot help, Miss Lewis."

"But you tried, at least let us give you some goat milk." Clary picked up the bucket of goat milk she got before she saw Mary cough up blood. Clary poured some into their spear bucket.

"I don't deserve any kind offering," Thomas said.

"If Mother had the strength right now, she would have made you taken some with you." Thomas's face changed expression.

He looked into Clary's eyes and said, "Then for Mrs. Lewis."

Clary stepped forward, and handed the bucket to Thomas. She made sure her hand didn't touch his. Once Thomas held the bucket, he tipped his hat goodbye, and opened the wooden door and walked to his horse.

OoOoOoOoO

Clary ran through the unfamiliar forest, she could hear something behind her, and someone next to her pulling her arm. She turned her head to see who was pulling it, but the forest was too dark to see anything faraway, she could only see the person's hand. It was definitely male.

"Clary we have to run faster."

"I can't." He turned his head around. Clary almost stopped when she saw that his eyes were gold.

"I know you can," he said softly, he started to run faster. That was when someone spoke to her mind, 'Go.'

Clary quickly sat up from the chair she sat on. The moonlight leaked through the windows, giving Clary's atmosphere a blue-like tint. She could hear Simon's snores from the other room. On her lap was her sketchbook and pencil; she assumed she fell asleep while drawing. She could still hear the voice echoing her to go. Go where? Clary eyes lit up with an idea. It's a sign.

Clary walked to her room and got her big gray wool cloak. Clary knelt down to the wooden floor by her bed and opened a secret chamber where Clary secretly collected money from the money she got from goat milk when some men paid generously. She had kept the money secretly to have it safe incase something were to happen. Clary changed into her dark green travel dress that her mother worked hard to make the pervious year. It was big for her then but fitted her well now. Clary always felt bad that Mary took the time to make a travel dress when they never travel. But now Clary was relieved to have a use for it. She quickly put the money in her dress pocket that was hidden inside her dress' skirt.

Clary then went to the pantry, and got some bread and cheese. She put the cheese in basil leaves, and placed them both in a cloth, which she tied up with a string. Clary put the food with her money in her dress pocket, and sewed up the entrance. She looked down at herself. It didn't look like that she was carrying anything. Finally, she went into Simon's room and took his leather boots that he used to wear when he was little. They were worn out, but Clary often wore them because they were comfortable, and easy to walk in.

Clary looked at Simon's sleeping figure; all the stress of the day was worn off his face, Clary smiled. She had an urge to kiss his cheek, but Clary couldn't take the chance to wake him up now, when she was fully dressed to leave. Clary slowly crept out of his door to Mary's. Even though she was unconscious, Clary could tell Mary felt uncomfortable. Clary didn't dare go near her mother; she didn't want to get sick and not be able to fulfill her mission.

"You have been a great mother to me. You let me stay with you when I was a baby; something most people won't do," Clary whispered. "I promise to come back. But please." Clary toke a step near Mary's bed. She placed her hand on her leg. "Don't die while I'm gone." Clary stood there staring at Mary's face in the dark room. Mary looked inhuman. It was as if someone drained all the color out of her face.

Clary slowly got out of Mary's room, and out the front door. Clary closed the door silently behind her and stood still by the steps as she looked at her home that she knew she would miss. She knew her sudden decision was very irrational of her, but something about it called to her, like she was meant to go.

You are to be a thief, Clary thought. She looked up at the moon above her. Then she put the hood of her cloak over her hair, making sure her red hair was well hidden, and walked to the main road quietly.

So there you have it! Clary is starting her journey, Mary is sick, but where is Jace you ask? He is going to be riding to the rescue next chapter, as some of you know from my first version. Yes, Clary is officially going to meet Jace. Excited? Now, I have a question for all for all of you. Two actually.

One: Should Mary and Gavin have a happy ending?

And Two: Do you guys like John or Thomas more? Not that you know Thomas that well. He is a minor character.

***Reviewers will get an EXTRA special outtake of John, since there wasn't anything about him this chapter! ***