City of Shadows – Chapter 2:

Magnus rested in his black and white striped armchair and sighed. Today Magnus' apartment had a 1970's monochrome theme to it. Alec was asleep on the sofa and whimpering as he dreamed about something. He had just finished one of his sessions with Simon and was still recovering from the over use of his powers. He didn't let Simon know that what he was doing was causing fatigue, but Alec had seen him in this condition far too many times. They were making progress though. He was retrieving memories of things left, right and centre. It was mainly about Clary, but sometimes Magnus noticed increased recognition when Simon looked at him. Magnus thought the way that Isabelle and Simon were together, anyone would think he could remember every hair on her head.

Alec stretched out on the sofa, rousing from his sleep, and revealing a toned and pale piece of skin on his stomach. Alec had been sleeping at Magnus' for the majority of the time since their little conversation on the roof in Idris. Alec rolled over resuming his slumber. Magnus got up carefully and tiptoed across the room to the door. "Where are you going?" Magnus froze before turning to the bleary eyed Alec. "Simon left something here earlier, I'm going to go give it to Clary." Magnus turned once again and left before asking what it was Simon had left. He didn't like lying to Alec, he hated it in fact, but he knew that what he was doing was for the best. The best for both of them.

Jace Herondale stood in the middle of Clary's room at the institute. He was applying an iratze rune to his arm, just above a nasty bite mark. It was bleeding excessively. "Stupid Behemoth demons. And in Central park of all places." Jace, Izzy and Clary had been called out to assist the Clave in dealing with a horde of Behemoths. Alec had not come when he was called down, which of course meant he had yet again snuck out to stay at Magnus'. Again! Clary could hear Maryse and Robert Lightwood sometimes; discussing Alec and how he was neglecting his responsibilities not only as a Shadowhunter, but as Jace's parabatai. Everyone seemed to be nervous and Clary just put it down to the fact that Simon was going to Ascend in the morning.

Jace's wound was already healing and the bleeding had stopped all together. He pulled his shirt over his head to reveal his chiselled abdomen. Clary blushed; she always did no matter how many times she had seen the sight. He climbed into bed with her and held her comfortingly. This is all they did most nights and it was all she needed; to know he was there and that he could touch her without burning her to a crisp with Heavenly Fire. It wasn't long before she felt his chest rise and fall with the pattern of sleep and she soon followed.

Simon took the Mortal Cup nervously in his hand, looking at Isabelle, Clary and then lastly Maryse. Maryse was there as the head of the New York Institute and Simon had been allowed to bring two other Nephilim with him. He had chosen his girlfriend and his best friend. Simon raised the cup to his mouth and drank from it. Clary's stomach twisted with anticipation and nerves and she looked at Izzy who was obviously experiencing the same concoction. Nothing happened for a moment. "Do you feel any different?" Clary felt stupid for asking the question, but she didn't know. After all she had been born a Shadowhunter. Simon looked at her, his face expressionless, "I feel…" His entire body twisted in anguish and he screamed out in what can only be described as an animal's howl. He was on the floor, his knuckles clenched and white. Clary remained calm; this was probably normal, but then she saw the distraught expression on Maryse's face. Simon howled again and his clothes ripped off him. His body was convulsing and contorting. Was he growing? He was the size of a baby elephant now and Clary was crying and screaming. They all were. Simon's eyes were bleeding and he was no longer recognisable as a human being. He was Forsaken.

Clary woke from her nightmare with a cold sweat plastering her bright red hair to her temples. She panted heavily, more nervous now than she ever had been before. Jace had already woken up and left the room. She dressed in her black gear and strode confidently down the hallway. Izzy poked her head rout of her bedroom door. "When is Simon getting here?" asked Clary. Izzy threw a look behind her shoulder and Simon's head became visible, hair dishevelled. "He's already here." She smiled at him and beckoned for the two of them to join her for breakfast.

Breakfast was a decision between granola and a fry up. They all ate greedily while they talked. The conversation was of course tinged with nerves; leading up to the events which were to take place very soon. As they all piled into a private room of the Institute (one which Clary had never seen before), Clary felt ill. The memories of her dream haunted her mind still and she almost wanted to drag Simon away from the Institute forever. This was his decision and his decision only. There was a table in the centre and on it the Mortal Cup. The same cup that Clary had summoned from Dorothea's tarot card all those months ago. It brought back bitter memories for her. The group all circled the table and Simon and Maryse stepped into the centre on opposite sides of it. Simon shifted on his feet. "Simon Lewis you have been chosen to Ascend to the ranks of the Shadowhunters..." Clary's mind wandered off for the remainder of Maryse's speech, emotions spiralling within her mind. Simon picked up the cup and in one swift movement put the cup to his lips.

There was utter silence in the room. For a moment she thought he was about to convulse on the floor and become a Forsaken. Instead he looked at Maryse and said, "Is that it?" Maryse let out a visible sigh of relief, followed by everyone else in the room. Maryse spoke after a moment, "You are officially a Shadowhunter, congratulations Simon. You have to go to the Silent City tomorrow for the protection ritual and then receive your first Marks, but for now you can celebrate. And they did. There was food and music and laughter; Clary had to admit she was slightly jealous. When she got her first Mark this had never happened (of course she had been unconscious for about three days after).

Izzy didn't wasn't upset, but she wasn't overjoyed like everyone else was. After she had admitted her worries to Simon the night before he was confused. He didn't understand why she didn't want him to be the same as her, be with her for longer. She didn't want them to be the same; it was one of the things that she loved about their relationship. It was a while before they got off the topic, a long conversation that went into the night. Simon kept trying to catch her eye, but she kept darting her head away in another direction. There was nothing she could do now, he was one of them forever and always. She sighed to herself. She was being selfish, she was the one who pushed for this from the very beginning.

After the celebrations, the Lightwoods had one more surprise for Simon and for Clary also. They led him upstairs smiling all the way until they got to yet another room Clary didn't recognise. Well, it is a big place, she thought. "This, Simon, is your new room." The room was the standard one, but for Clary it looked like a beacon of hope for her and Simon's friendship. They could spend just as much time together now as they used to when he was... normal. Simon went in and threw himself onto the bed. Alec suddenly called out, "Mom! You forgot to ask Simon what he wants his name to be." Simon looked confused at this; it was one of Clary's favourite looks of his and his most common one too. "My name? It's Simon..." They all laughed, even Clary, for having read the Codex time and time again knew exactly what Alec was talking about. It was Jace who spoke next, "A Shadowhunter name, you can keep Simon but not Lewis." Simon beamed up at them, "I'll take Simon Skywalker." Only Clary laughed.